Newspaper Page Text
From the Boston Allas.
lIOW LONG MAY THE SOUTH EX
PECT TO FIND AN OPEN MAR
KET FOR ITS COTTON IN ENG
GLAND?
It requires only the most ordinary saga
city and llu: smallest possible attention to !
passing events in Great Britain to bo ena- |
bled to say, in answer, no longer than Fug j
land is unable to raise sufficient cotton for
her own consumption in her own possessions !
When that lime shall arrive, when tho two
hundred thousand bales of'lndia cotton, now
imported, into England, shall have become
ten times as large, then, and that period is
not a remote one, it will not need even a j
prohibatory duty to drive American cotton, 1
by a competition ruinous to its producers, j
from the English market. The cheapness I
of its rival will of itself be sufficent. A-j
mcrican cotton cannot be raised, and afford
any profit, as low as the Indian. Buteven
granting that it can, how slight a duty on
American cotton will be required to place
Indian cotton far beyond the possibility of
competition. We now come to tlie capaci
ty of the British possessions in India.
That cotton can be raised in India, no
one, of course, will deny. That it cun lie
be raised throughout India, is also shown
by all accounts. The amount, therefore,
which India is capable of producing, will
depend upon its extent of territory, the na
ture of its soil and the facilities for its cul
tivation. It appears, therefore, in reference
to the first and most essential point, that
the extent of territory in British India, capa
ble of raising cotton in greater or less quan
ties, is greater than that of the whole of the
United States ; not merely greater than the
territory of the cotton growing States and
territories, but larger than the whole tract
of land included between Maine and Louis
iana, Arkansas a'nd the Atlantic.
The territory of the British East India!
Company covers an area of one million one ;
hundred and thirty thousand square miles., :
and contains a population of otic hundred j
and thirty millions ! The soil of this irn j
mense tract is, of course, various, but all is j
more or less adapted to the growth of cot- i
ton, and its average degree of richness is
fully equal to, ifit does not surpass the
soil of the Southern States. In many parts,
the soil, for large tracts, “is so excellent
as to consist of black vegetable mould to the
depth of six feet! In Bengal, the Ganges
annually overflows the country to the ex
tent of more than a hundred miles in width,
which inundation greatly fertilizesthe land,
and the periodical rains and the intense
heat produce an extraordinary luxuriance!
of vegetation.” The province of Bengal
is the largest of the British Presidencies,
and is the one where the Government are,
at this moment, making the utmost exertion
to encourage, as well as to improve, the ;
growth of cotton, and where nearly all their j
efforts have been directed. Os this Presi- j
denoy, as is well known, Calcutta is the j
capital. Its territory is upwards of three ;
hundred thousand square miles, equal to j
the area which comprises the Slates of Vir- I
ginia, North and Soutii Carolina, Georgia, !
Alabama, and Mississippi. It contains a 1
population of no less, than seventy millions j
of souls ! Os its capacity for raising cotton !
let us look for a moment to the testimony of’ j
those who are informed, by their own expe
rience, upon tile subject. Montgomery
Martin says : “Cotton every w here abounds \
hut sufficient care has not been bestowed
upon the grow th, so as to render it, as in A
merica, a triennial, instead of an annual ; |
or in the picking and cleaning it for export. !
The Decca cotton is unequalled ; and fir
‘ sea island cotton,’ (from Saugur Island,
near Calcutta,) promises to ho a valuable j
article of export.”
The possibility of raising the “ sea island j
cotton” in India, liaseverbeen treated with
ridicule and incredulity l by our planters in
terested in cotton. That they are no lon
ger justified in the belief that in this coun
try only this superior cotton can be raised,
will appear from the following, in the Ma
dras United Service Gazette, of the 25th of
June ;
“ At the Agricultural meeting at Calcut
ta in May last, some ofthe soil ofthe island
of Cheduba was stated to have undergone
analyzation, and was found to correspond
exactly with that on wdiich the Sea Island
cotton of Georgia is produced. A report
on the subject of this important discovery
has been made to the Indian government,
and a cask of Sea Island cotton seed had
been accordingly shipped, (or Cheduba.—
It has long been a dogma among cotton cul
tivators that this description ofsoil.so favor
able t > the cultivation of cotton, was pecu
liar to America, thus yielding to that coun
try a vast monopoly in the produce of a su-
perior cotton ; hut we have, at last discov
ered a Sea Island of our own, and will,
doubtless, turn it to a profitable account.”
Another writer on India, Royle, says:
“ The best of cotton is produced from the
coast of Coromandel.” Both of the oilier
British Presidencies also, Madras and Bom
bay, are admirably qualified in every re
spect for the raising of cotton. Another
writer says : “ The Presidencies of Madras
and Bombay likewise contain land capable
ofgrowing cotton loan illimitable extent.”
The Presidency of Madras contains 142,-
000 square miles, or an area larger in ex
tent than that ofthe three States of Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois, and with a population
of nearly fourteen millions. The Presiden
cy °i Bombay isabout as large as Virginia,
with a population of six millions.
These are the three great Presidencies of
British India, and to which we are to look
principally for the realization ofthe expec
tations of the English growers of East In
dia cotton ; but they are not the only por
tions of East India where cotton car. he and
will be raised. Martin says: “The Indi
ana Government Dave, oF late- years, made
several attempts for the extensive introduc
tion of the cotton plant into Guzei at, near
tha Persian Gulf, which seems well adap
ted for tlie culture.” “ Cotton,” says ano
ther writer, “ is as fine in Rajahpotanali, as
any where in India.” In another part of j
the publication, which is of this years date,
he says, “ another part of the same pro-!
vinco (Mewar) produces all kinds of grain, I
cotton, sugar,” &c. In another paper we j
will continue our quotations from different
writers to prove that still other parts of In
dia cun grow cotton in abundance. But wo
have shown enough for our present purpose
For wo have scon that the three great Pres
idencies, as well ns the larger vassal states,
arc abundantly able to raise cotton in im
mense quantities. With an area of 800,
100 square miles, or as large as that of the
whole of the United States, excepting only
New England and the small States of New
Jot soy and Delaware, and with a popula
tion of one hundred and eight millions, —
we have seen that th’oir soil is equal, if not
! superior, to that of the Southern States, and
with twenty times the population. It is at
j least fair to presume that they can raise
cotton in proportionately large quantities
| when their attention is fully directed to its
growth. Now it appears from the agricul
tural statistics of the sixth census, for 1840,
that the six principal cotton growing States
—South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mis
sissippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee, with
an area of 285,000 square miles, grow in
otic year, 2,57.3,370 bales of cotton. Al
lowing that portion of East India alone, of
which we have spoken, to bo able to grow
cotton in the same proportion as the cotton
growing States, namely, about nine bales
on the average to the square mile, and these
five provinces alone, to make no mention
for the present of the others, arc capable of
raising the enormous amount of seven mil
lion, two hundred and forty-eight thousand,
six hundred bales of cotton ! Or more than
triple all that is consumed in Groat Brit
ain.
If we take our estimate from the proper
donate supply from the State of Mississippi
the soil of which State, that of India is de
scribed as most exactlv resembling, the
; quantity which these provinces can easily
I raise will be much larger. The average
I growth of cotton to the square mile in Mis-
I sissippi, is fifteen bales. The same ratio in
! these Indian provinces will give us a growth
in one year, of twelve million eighty-one
| thousand bales of cotton ! Five times the
I quantity used by (beat Britain ! So much
for the capacity of India to raise cotton.
COMMERCE OF THE UNITED
ST \TES.
From official tables exhibiting the value
of imports from, and exports to each foreign
country ; also the tonnage of American and
foreign vevsels arriving from and depart
j ing to each foreign country, during the year
| ending 30th September, 1840, we gather
j the following fads. The total value ofim-
I ports as exhibited by the statistics of the
j Register’s Office, Treasury Department, is
j -$107,241,519. The largest amount from
j any one country is from England, $33,114.
j 133 ; from France, next largest, $17,572,-
870 ; from Cuba, next, \ ;),OT>. 177 ; from i
j China, $3.601,w From Brazil, Mexico
j Russia, IL'i.'o Towns, British American
| Cofi-iiies, between two and live millions
j each, and from Sv.oeden and Norway, Hoi
i land, Brilish East Indies, British West In
; dies, Hayti. Spain, Spanish West Indies, a
| side from Cuba, Italy, Venezuela, and Chi
j li, the imports were over one million each.
!'i lie lowest amount imported was from
j (iff eee. $5,138.
The total value of exports from the same
| period was $132,085,940, of which sum
•311 3. *95,6.14 was of domestic produce, and
j >318,190,312 wore of foreign produce.—
The largest amount of domestic and foreign
! produce went to England, valued at $57,-
(lOfl.ss'J; the nr xi largest amount to France
s3l,- 11,554 ; Cuba, $9,310,515 : British
American Colonies, $0,093,250. The ex
| ports to French Guiana, were the lowest,
I being but SIOO.
Ofdomestic produce, cotton stands at the
j head, being estimated at $63,870.307 : flour
next, $10,143,615 ; then tobacco, $9, 883,
957 ; cotton piece goods, $3,549,607 ; gold
and silver coin, $2,235,073; rice, sl, 942,-
075, and six other articles exceed one mil
lion dollars.
Oi the $18,190,312 exports of foreign
produce, $13,561.359 were in American
vessels, of w hich $3,000,201 wore entitled
to drawback.
Ofthe 7,211 American vessels which
entered American ports, 2,843 entered New
York, 1,201 Massachusetts, 672 Louisuua,
353 Pennsylvania, and 318 Maine.
Ofthe 5,571 foreign vessels, 1,708 en
tered New l York. 1,132 entered ports in
Maine, 703 in Massachusetts, and 252 in
Louisiana.
The 1,576,540 of American tonnage, was
manned by 73,004 sailors, or one to about
every 21 1-2 tons. The 712,363 foreign
tonnage, was manned by 41,720 sailors, or
one to 17 1-13 tons.
The amount of American tonnage which
entered the Southern ports, beginning with
Maryland, was 411,153 ; manned by 17,-
600 sailors ; of foreign tonnage, 201,534
manned by 9,283 seamen.
Ofthe South Atlantic States, including
Maryland, Georgia has the largest amount
of foreign tonnage, viz: 41,721 tons; South
Carolina next, 23,950 ; Maryland next, 23,-
903 tons.
Georgia has more joint American and
foreign tonnage than Soutii Carolina, Vir
ginia or North Carolina. From all the ta
bles, it appears that our commerce with for
eign countries with whom we trade to the
amount of 1,000,000 and upwards rank as
follows :
England, France, Cuba, British Ameri
can Colonies, Brazil, China, Manse Towns,
Mexico, Holland, British West Indies, Rus
sia, Chili, Italy, Spanish West Indies houn
ding Cuba, Danish’ West Indies, British
East Indies, Scotland, Hayti, Trieste, Spain
Sweden and Norway, Dutch East Indies,
&c.— Sav. Georgian.
Buffon says a hen well fed and attend
ed, will produce upwards of 150 eggs in a
year, besides two broods of chickens. Ac
cording to the experiments of Mr. Mount, of
England, a well fed lien will produce from
170 to 175 eggs in a year. Admitting the
j former statement to be correct, a hundred
| liens would yield in a year 15,000 eggs,
I and at least 1200 chickens.
From tlic National Intelligencer.
i THE POST OFFICE AND THE RAIL j
ROADS.
In the proceeding columns we begin the
publication of the Documents which accom
panied the President’s message to Congress
by inserting the most interesting of the pa
pers contributed by the Department of
j State. We shall continuo the series by
1 publishing hereafter in succession the re
ports of tlie secretary of War, the Secreta
ry ofthe Navy, and the Postmaster Gener
al, which also accompanied the Message,
j As the report of the Postmaster General,
! being the last in the series, may not find a
place in our columns for some days, and as
the public is very desirous to see what the
head of the Post Office Establishment has
to say concerning the Railroad transporta
tion of the mails, (of which something has
been rumored,) we have turned to that part
of the practical business-like report of that
officer for the purpose of placing at once
before our readers so much ofthe report as
relates to that subject which is as follows:
! Extract from the Postmaster General s report.
“An anxious desire to effect some perma
nent arrangement with the railroad compa
nies for the t ransportatiou of the mail, upon
a basis which shall be both just and uniform
considering the nature ofthe service per
formed bv each, induced me to invite a
meeting of the presidents ofthe different
companies in the city of Washington, on
the Ist of January li st; and l am gratified
at the prompt manner in which all who
have been heard from have consented to
altend, and a hope is cherished that some
arrangement, satisfactory to all parties and
beneficial to the public may yet be effec
ted.
‘The improved mode of intercommuni
< at ion by raiirondaml steam, operating un
der chartered rigiits granted by the States,
and over which it is not pretended that the
Gmieral Government, much less the Post
Office Department, can exercise any con
trol, impose upon Congress, in my opinion,
new duties and obligations, which can only
ce cancelled by the adoption of some meas
ure whereby the Post Office Department
may, upon adequate consideration, secure
by compact the right to transport the mail
in the cars of railroad companies, and at the
same time give to the Department the pow
er to control the departure and arrival of
the same.
“There is now paid to the different rail -
j road companies, annually, over $400,000
i for the the service, without power in the
Department to regulate the travel, arrival,
and departure ofthe mail ; and constant
! and frequent difieulties, both in entering in
to and execution of contracts, are presen
ted.
“It lias occured tome that the present
was a most favorable period for the adop
tion of some measure by Congress, where
by to secure to the United States the right
to transport the mail upon these roads in all
time to come, free of any annual charge
upon the Post Office Department, by the ad
vancement of a sum in gross, which may
be agreed upon to each of these companies,
of such ol them as may be willing to con
tract. Many of the railroad companies,
and some of them constituting most impor
tant links in the great chain of intercommu
nication between Boston and Charleton, ow
ing to the great derangement of the moneta
ry concerns ofthe world, and the depres
sion of all State and company stocks, find
themselves laboring under embarrassments
and difficulties, wdiich the aid of the Gen
eral Government, applied in the wav pro
posed, would effectually remove, and” at the
same time secure to the United States the
advantage and the ample equivalent of
transporting the mail upon these roads.
“The credit of the United States to an j
amount not greater than the sum necessary 1
to produce, at five per cent, interest, the a
inount paid by the Post Office Department
to these companies annually, would I have
no doubt, be sufficient to accomplish this
desirable end. The prompt and favorable
action, of Congress upon this subject at the
present time, would effectually secure the
Government against the. danger of being
called upon for occasional and large appro
priations to meet the balances due by the
Department.
“Do 1 ask the United States to do more |
forthe Post Office Department than justice
would seem to demand, especially when it
is remembered that the whole expense of
the official correspondence of the Govern
ment and l lie public, and private corres
pondence of t hose entitled by law to the
Franking privilege, is sustained and paid
by a tax upon the correspondence of the
community? If by this arrangement the
Department is relieved from the heavy an
nua! charge as now rated, (and it has nei
ther the power to lessen it nor to prevent
its increase,) it may be hoped that the oh
ject so much demanded-by considerations
of public justice (that of reducing tho tax
upon the friendly and business correspon
dence of individuals, will be attained, and
at the same time, the usefulnessof ihe pub
lic mail greatly enlarged and extended to
t hose portions of the Union hitherto meas
urably denied the necessary mail facili
ties.
“If the Government was required to pav
postage upon official correspondence, and
if the franking privilege was abolished or
reduced to proper limits, the revenue of the
Department would be increased to an a
mount sufficient ofitselfto pay the interest
upon the debt to be incurred by the pro
posed arrangement, and liquidate the prin
cipal in less than thirty years.
“I respectfully submit to the President
the propriety of communicating to Congress
the views which I entertain and have here
expressed upon this subject.”
New-York owes about $20,000,000; the
interest is about SIOOO,OOO. Her public
works alone yield her $2,000,000 annually.
New-York may therefore bo considered ex
ceedingly well off, notwithstanding the
great amount of her debt.
Sometimes one ofa printer’s greatest diffi
cultiesis is to find a paragraph of exactly the
right length to fill out a column.
2?tii Congress.
Correspondence of the Baltimore Patriot.
Washington, December 10, 1841.
UNITED STATES SENATE.
The first business ofthe session was the
introduction ofthe Bill from the House of!
Representatives, making provision in part i
for the Civil expenses of Government for
the year 1842. The Bill having been in
troduced, Mr. Evans, of Maine, moved its
consideration at this time, for the reason
that the contingent fund was so far exhaust
ed as to require the immediate passage of
the liili.
Mr. King opposed the action upon this
hill at this time, for the reason that it had
long been the practice of Congress to pass
hills for itself, and to postpone, to a late day
in the session, whatever was necessary for
the many Clerks employed by the Depart
ments and in the service of the General
Government. These clerks were compell
ed to be shaved by brokers, and were sub
jected io all sorts of impositions by which
their pittances, at best small, were reduced.
He hoped the bill would go to the commit
tee and be amended in this particular.
Mr. Evans replied that the Bill before
the Senate originated with the House, and
for any omissions in it the Senate were not
responsible. The many evils complained
of by the Senator from Alabama, however,
would exist if the Bill did not pass, as it
proposed in part to pay debts for printing,
fuel, &e. which had been continued as long
as a year. To seconding one question,
however, Mr. Evans moved the reference
to the Committee on Finance.
Several Bills were then introduced and
referred, of a private nature, or not of a
public interest, with many Petitions rela
ting to various objects.
Two other portions of the President’s
Message, not referred yesterday, were also
sent, to their several Standing Committees.
Mr. Preston then introduced a Resolu
tion, which was adopted without opposition,
colling upon the Secretary ofthe Treasury
for bis plan for a fiscal agency.
The Senate then, on motion of Mr. Ben
ton, adjourned to meet again on Monday
next.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The business of the day in the House of
Representatives, has, in the main, been in
connection with the President’s Message.
The reference of the Message to the several
committees was the main topic of consider
ation, and upon one motion (that to refer
what was said ofthe tariff’in the Message,)
a brief but spirited debate arose, in which
several membejs participated. Mr. Wise,
of Virginia, commenced the discussion.—
Two motions had been submitted ; the one
to refer to the Committee on Manufactures,
and the other to the Committee on Ways
and Means.
Mr. Wise supported the latter reference,
and in the course of his remarks undertook
to say that there was nothing in the mes
sage which related to protective duties, or
which proposed the least protection what
ever. It spoke of’Tarift’only in reference
to revenue for Government purposes, and
in no other light. Reading what was said,
he remarked that neither antecedent to the
test, or subsequent to it, could any thing he
found at all referring to protection. He de
fied any gentieman to find even an infer
ence favorable to protection. In regard to
the main question at issue before the House,
that of reference, he was for referring that
part of it, to the Committee on Ways and
Means. *
Mr. Foster, of Georgia, advocated the
same reference as the most proper, for the
reason that a tariff for protection, was un
| constitutional, and it was not proper to re
j fertile subject to any committee, but one
who had charge of the subject as a matter
of revenue. He did not know the personal
predilections of those on the two Commit
tees, but he did know that a Committee of
Revenue was the proper Committee. There
might be as many friends of manufactures
in one Committee as another, of this he
knew nothing. But as long as he regard
ed protection in violation of the Constitu
tion, lie should not consent that a subject
like this should go to the Committee of
Manufactures.
Mr. Rhott stated briefly his reasons for
referring the message to the Committee of
Ways and Means. He was opposed to pro
tection upon all occasions. Protection
could not be incidental to revenue ; it was
absurd to say it could. Protection was un
constitutional, and the revenue committee
was the only committee which could prop
erly consider the subject. Mr. R. was of
opinion, also, that revenue ceased where
protection began.
Mr. Fillmore advocated the reference to
the Committee on Manufactures, and gave
his reasons ably and at some length. He
regarded the reference as immaterial to the
fact, because, whatever committee had
charge of the subject, Congress would aet
for itself. Mr. F. reminded the House, al
so, of the formation of the old committee,
and stated many precedents of former Con
gresses to guide the action of the present.
Mr. Briggs said gentlemen were raising
a false issue here. The only question was
whether the tariff should regard or disre
gard the manufacturing interests of the
country. Nothing was said of a tariff for
protection in the message with a view to
revenue. There was no principle at issue
upon the proposition to protect the manufac
turers. The gentleman from South Caro
lina had met this question in the face—in
the very teeth of what was said by the Pre
sident in his Message. He had declared
(hat revenue should be raised altogether
regardless of manufactures. The senti
ment was frankly expressed, but it was one
which he could not subscribe.
Mr. Meriwether, of Georgia, who spoke
next, took the same view of the subject as
his colleague had taken, and advocated the
same reference.
Mr. Smith, of \a., also spoke at some
length, and upon the same side.
Mr. Proffit, of Indiana, advocated the
same reference also, and was replied to by
1 rwin, of Pa., who was disposed to argue the
motion somewhat politically.
lie was surprised to hear Georgians <!• -
dare protection, unconstitutional, when
General Harrison, was known to favor pro
tection, within tho terms of the act of com
promise. Mr. I rwin concluded at 0 o’cl’k.
and the del ate closed here for the day, hv
an adjournment, and without disposing of
the question.
The following arc the resolutions upon
which the above discussion ensued. Mr.
Fillmore stated that as it was apparent that
tin chit f business of'th ■ House must bode
laved until the Mi ssage of the President
has been disposed of one way or another, he
hoped the House would consent now to take
it up arid dispose of it. Mr. F. then offer
ed the following resolutions :
1. Resolved, That so much of the An
mull Message of the President, with the ac
company ing documents communicated to
this House on the 7th inst as relates to the
subjects of controversy and negotiation so
much thereof as relates to our relations
with uiher ibrei;. n nations be referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs.
2. Resolved, That so much thereof as
relates to the suppression of the African
slave trade, and so much thereof as relates
to the removal of causes involving our in
ternational obligations from the State to the
Federal Judiciary, and also so much there
of as relates to the regulation and restraint
of Executive power in removals from of
fice, be referred to the Committee on tho
J udiciary.
3. Resolved. That so much thereof as re
lates to the sixth census, and the appoint
ment of Representatives to the House be re
ferred to a select committee.
4. Resolved. That so much thereof as
relates to the finances of the” Government
be referred to the Committee of Ways and
Means.
5. Resolved, That so much thereof as
relates io the tariff be referred to the Com
mil tee on Manufactures.
0. Resolved, That so much thereof as re
lates to the currency, exchanges, and a fis
cal agent he referred to a sedeet committee.
7. Resolved, That so much thereof as
relates to the Army, fortifications, and the
Florida war be referred to the Committee
on Military Affairs.
6. Resolved, That so much thereof as re
lates to the Navy and maritime defences of
thecountrv be referred to the Committee on
the Military Affairs.
9. Resolved. That so much thereof as
relates to the Post Office establishment he
referred to the Committee on the Post Of
fice and Post Roads.
10. Resolved, That so much thereof as
relates to the Smithsonian legacy be refer
red to a select committee.
11. Resolved, That so much thereof as
relates to the District of Columbia be refer
cd to the Committer on the District of Col
umbia.
Correspondence of the Charleston Patriot.
Washington, December 18.
The political writers are still calm ; but
it is, 1 presume, but the prelude to a storm.
The Whigs are doing nothing, and their op
ponents are waiting until they see what
course will be taken. In the present state
of tilings there is scarcely one man in six
who can satisfactorily “ define his posi
tion,” or say to what party lie strictly be
longs.
I presume, however, that we shall not
remain in suspense much longer, for this
evening a resolution was reported by Mr.
Cushing, from the Select Committee on Fi
nance, calling for the famous ‘plan’ with
its ‘ details’ from lie Secretary ofthe Trea
sury. The resolution was adopted unani
mously, and to morrow the document is ex
pected. After the report of the Committee
shall have been made, gentlemen will then
be compelled to show their hands.
In the House, most of the day was occu
pied in the presentation of petitions. Mr
Adams was very uneasy, and wanted the
motion of reference, made by him on yes
terday, called up. The Speaker told him
that he must wait until the States had been
called for petitions.
Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, gave no
lice of a bill to repeal the first seven sec
tions of the Distribution Act, passed at tho
last session.
In tho Senate, Messrs. Preston and Cal
houn appeared in their places.
Mr. White, on leave, introduced a bill,
making appropriation for the continuation
of tho Cumberland Road, which was twice
read and referred. It appears that the
western people intend pressing lids subject
in spite of every difficulty. ‘ Wait,’ say
they, ‘ for a few years, until we become a
little stronger, and then we will ask no fa
vors. Our vote will be too strong to be tri
fled with.’
Mr. Woodbury gave notice of a resolu
tion, the object of which is to ad just the pay
of Navy Officers, so as to equalize the Na
val and Military service in that respect.
The subjects referred to in the Presi
dent’s Message, were distributed among the
Standing Committees, so that there will
hereafter he no lack of business.
If we may judge from the number of pe
titions against the Bankrupt Law, it is pro
bable that a strong effort will be made for
its repeal. This, I imagine, cannot be
done, but that tho law will be materially
altered, there appears to be no doubt.
Flic Select Committee, on the Smithso
nian Bequest, have already commenced
business. Their report is expected next
week. It is very desirable that this bequest
should be appropriated to its object, without
further delay. Mr. Adams is in favor of
applying a large portion of it to the Nation
al Institute in this city.
The National Intelligencer of the 18th
says : Neither House of Congress sits to
day, both having adjourned over to Mon
day—the Senate from Thursday, and the
House of Representatives from last even
ing.
The House of Representatives for 2 days
past have been engaged in an earnest and
very interesting discussion upon the sub
ject of Revenue and Protective Duties.—
The debate sprung up somewhat unexpect
edly on Tburday upon a motion to refer
that part of tho President’s Message rela
ting to (ho Tariffto the Committee on Man
ufactures. A subsequent motion was made
to refer (he same part ofthe Message to the
Committee of Ways and Means. The
question pending is, to which ofthe Com
mittees shall this part of the Message be
referred ! Tile debate, however, is not
confined to the question, but, so far, has
bet n laid open to the entire subject of Rev
enue, Protection, and all the incidental ’
matters growing out of the vexed question
ofthe Tariff. A great variety ofopijfcons
have been advanced during the discussion,
and some of them, as will be seen, of quite
a novel character. That part of the Presi
dent's Message, also, which refers to tho
subject of the Tariff and Revenue, has been
variously interpreted—some regarding it
as containing opinions in favor of such dis
criminating duties as will aid incidentally
domestic manufactures, and others drawing
conclusions almost directly the reverse of
this. Members from almost all parts of
the country already have spoken upon the
subject, and the House yesterday adjourn
ed upon the question with an indication that
the debate might even yet continue for some
days.
The diversity of opinion above referred
to, it may be proper to add, is not greater
than has been heretofore experienced when
ever the Tariff is on the lapis; on which
occasions the recognised party lines are e-’
rased, or, at least, pretty much disregard
ed.
Reeonlre between two members of the Ten
nessee Legislature. —The Nashville Whig
ofthe evening of the 20th ult. states that a
rencontre wiih pistols took place on that
afternoon in from •>i'th Capitol, immediate
ly after the adjournment of the two Houses
between Mr. H ■ !, end Mr. Rowles,
members of the House <>! Representatives
of Tennessee.
The Whig say -Altho
were used In both pi riles, (the second pis
lol of Mr. Haskell : ury
was inflicted on oitlv r : •, <\n u
slight flesh wound in thi D ‘ V ;
But we regret to learn ... 1 a
young man in the store of i.i, ... and.
ley. was slightly wounded in tin- i.ne hv
a hall from one ofthe pistols fired by Mr.
Rowles.
The Banner of tlie same dale, in descri
bing the scenes ofSaturdav, says—
“ln the House, an exciting and discred
itable scene occurred, while the resolutions
relating to the right of interrogation and in
struction, were receiving the final action of
that body. Confusion and uproar prevailed
—the Speaker was openly instilled, and
menaces and defiances were cast and hu
led back among some of the members with
great bitterness. Altogether the scene was
a disgraceful one, and we hope it will ne
ver he repeated in the halls ofthe Tennes
see Legislature.”
The combatants belong to opposite par
ties, and the affair grew out of a debate in
the House of a very exciting character.—
Mr. Haskell, Whig, threatened on the floor
ofthe House to chastise Mr. Rowles, Dem.,
for words spoken in the debate, and there-* 1
upon Mr. Rowles passed a blow at Mr. H.
which he was prevented by the bystanders
from returning.
The Smithsonian Bequest. —The money 1
fro the Smithsonian Bequest was received
by the government in British Gold, which,
with that horrorof'British gold which dis
tinguished the administration of Van Buren
was at once exchanged for Democratic Pa
per, viz: the bonds of the Loeofoco State of
Arkansas. These bonds are now wjorth a
bouthalf what they were taken for by the
Government, and if the Mississippi doc
trine of repudiation prevails, are worth just
nothing. This is a specimen of Loeofoco
financiering. —Providence Journal.
The Bank of England covers five acres
of ground and employs over nine hundred
clerks. Every thing for the use of the
Bank is made on its own premises, and the
printing of its notes is a large item. A note
once returned to the Bank is never to ho re
issued, but is filed away, and at the end of
ten years, burnt. The workmen are busi
ly at work every day in the year, save Sun
days, in printing notes. At the annual
burning, two days are required, with a large
fire, to destroy the old notes; and it employs
two men constantly in feeding the fires.
From the American Almanack for 1842.
STATISTICS OF RELIGIOUS DE
NOMINATIONS IN THE
UNITED STATES.
Denominations. Churches. Ministers. Members.
Baptists 0319 4239 432,000
do Freewill 753 012 33,870
do Seventh Day - 42 40 4,503
do Six Principle - 10 10 2,117
Catholics, 512 545 800,000
Christians, 1000 800 150,000
Congregationalists, - 1300 1150 160,000
Dutch Reformed, - - - 197 192 22,515
Episcopalians, 950 849 600,000
Friends, 500 lOOJtyO
German Reformed, - 000 180 30(17(10
Jews, 15,000
Lutherans, 750 207 62,260
Menonites, 200 30,000
Methodists Episcopal,- 3100 680,549
do Protestant 400 50,000
Moravians or U’nd Broth 24 33 5,745
Mormonites, - 12,000
New Jerusalem Church, 27 33 5,000
Presbyterians, 2807 2225 274,084
do Cumberland, 500 450 50,000
do Associate, - -183 87 10,000
do Reformed, -40 20 3,000
do Asso’e ltel, 214 116 12,000
Shakers, 15 45 G,OOO
Tunkers 4040 3,000
Unitarians, - 200 174
Univere abate, 000 317
In the above table the whole number of Cath
olics, Episcopalians, Friends, Jews nf \ New
Churchmen are given, while the others ■embrace
only communicants or church members ‘.strictly.
The whole number of persons attached (•-,> the
loading denominations is estimated as follows; —
Baptists (of all sorts) 4,300,000: Methodists (do) *
3,000,000, Presbyterians (do) 2,175,000: Congre
gationali.sts, 1,400,000; Lutherans, 540,000; —
Dutch Reformed, 450,000; Christians 300$09;
Universalists, 600,000; Unitarians, I*o.ooo.
