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again assume the godlike form he had lost, j 5 I*. *h were done. Is there not a beautiful mor-; al to this fable, namely—that the sins of lux- ’. ury, profligacy, avarice at.d extortion, may j degrade and change the character of tttin, and j put him on a level with the brute? but by re- ' ) eiitance, and by useful and tasteful pursuits, ho may recover his lost innocence, and as sume the dignity of his nature. The garden and the field afford room for reflection. Some 1 oft|ic most judicious philosophers of antiqui ty endeavored to make men of all classes at- ! tend to agriculture, in some form or other. 1 'l’he fable of the giants warring against the 1 gods, may bo understood in this light. The , great men of renown, distinguished for their 1 knowledge of astronomy, b- came bewildered 1 in the expanse of the heavens, and struggling in vain to solve some of the celestial phenom ena, or lost in the labyiinths of metaphysics, grew faint, and fell from their exalted heights; but contenting themselves, for awhile, to con sider sublunary objects, gained strength as they reasoned upon the laws of seasons and soils, and on the things about them. This was renewing their vigour as they touched their mother earth, and by this course they gained new energies to soar again to war with the gods. From Blackwood’s Magazine. Paganini. In our remaikson the musical genius of Ita ly, we had said, that south-of the Alps lay* tho fount from which flowed tho whole refresh ment of the musical mind of Europe. One of these periodical gushes has burst out in our own day, and with a power which has never been rivalled by Italy herself. Paganini has commenced a new era of the king of all in struments, uniting the most boundless mastery of the violin, with the most vigorous concep tion. Audacious in his experiment on the ca pacity of his instrument, yet refined to the ex treme of subtlety : scientific, yet wild to the verge of extravagance,.he brings to music the , enthusiasm of heast and habit, which would have made him eminent in perhaps any other ( pursuit of the human faculties. Os a perfor- ( mer who has been so lately before the public, and whose merits have been so amply discus sed, it would ba superfluous to speak in detail. ( But, by universal consort Paganini has exhibi- ( ted in his performance all th« qualities combi- ( ned, which separately once gave fame. By a , singular adaption, his exterior perfectly coin- ( cides with his exterior; his tall gaunt figure, his long fleshless fingers, hie wild, eager and , wan visage, his thin grey locks falling over his singular smile, sometimes bitter and convul- ' sive, always strange —makeup an aspect which ' approaches nearly to the spectral. When he comes on the stage half crouching, slowly , creeping onward, as if he found his withered . limbs too weak to bear him, Tad with his wild eye glancing by fits around the house, he looks . not unlike some criminal escaped from the dun geon where he has been worn down by long ' confinement, or a lunatic who had just been released from his chr ms. Os all earthly forms, ' he is the least earthly. But it is when the first uproar is stilled, when the orchestra has played its part, and tho solo is to begin, that Paganini exhibits his singularity and his pow er in full view. He has hitherto held ths vi olin hanging by his side ; he now raises it up slowily, fixes his eye upon it as a parent might upon a favorite child, gives one of his ghastly smiles, lets it down again ; and glances round ( the au-lience, who sit in profound silence look- , ing at this pantomino as if it were an essen tial part of the performance. He then seizes it firmly, thrusts it close to his neck, gives a glance of triumph on all sides, waves his bow high above the strings, dashes it on them with a wild crash, and with that single impulse lets j out the whole torrent of iMimoiiy. Peculiar as this picture may seem, it is onlv i so to those who have not heard the great mas ter; to those who have it will appear tame, lie is extravagant beyond all bounds; yet his extravagance is not affectation, it is scarcely moiethan the natural result of a powerful pas sion acting upon a nervous temperament, and naturalized by habiis of a lonely labor, by an ail ingrossing imagination and by a musical sensibility which seems to vibrate through eve ry fibre of his frame. The whole man is an instrument. It must, however, be acknowledged that this eccentricity in his latter performances, some, times injured his excellence. His mastery of tho violin was so complete, that he often dar ed too much ; and by attempting in his frolic moods—-and his frolics are phrenzies—to im itate things altogether below the dignity of mu sic, ho offended his audience. Ono of his fa vorite freaks was the imitation of old women’s voices. He imitated. birds, cats, and wolves. We have heard him give variations to the pret ty air of the “ Carnival de Venise,” the varia tions consisting cl imitations of all the crack ed trumpets, the drums, the fifes, tho squeak ing of children, and the squabbles of Punch. These were follies/ But when his better ge nius resumed its influence, he was unequalled ; and probably will remain unequalled for ano ther generation. He enjoyed one result which genius has too seldom enjoyed—extraordinary emolument. He is said to have made, during a single year of his residence in England, upwards of twenty thousand pounds. His half share of the receipts of a single concert at the King’s Theatre, was said to amount to seven hundred guineas. Thus, in his hands, he established tho superiority of the violin as a means of pro duction over all otuers, and even over the hu man voice. Cntalini, in her days of renown, never made so much by single performances. Paganini has now gone to Italy, where he has purchased estates ; where, if ho is wise he will continue to live on his fame. If he is weak or avaricious, he will return to England, when his powers have decayed ; he will meet the reception of so many great performers, who have forgotten that time makes great in roads on every thing; he will receive pity, where he once conquered applause ; and like Mura, Glardini, Rhode, and a host of others, he will fly from the country, disheartened and disappointed, to hide his head in some obscure corner of the continent, where he will leave his money to his house-keeper, his body to the monks, and die. The novelties which Paganini has introdu ced into his performances, have been highly panegyrized. Those are, his playing occa sionally on a violin with but the fourth string —his pizzicato with the fingers of the left hand, giving the instrument something of the effect of tho guitar—his use of the harmonic tones, and his staccato. That these are all novelties, that they add to the general compass of the violin, and that they exhibit surprising skill in the performer, we entirely allow. B n except ing the staccato, winch is finished and elegant, we have not been able to feel their peculiar value. That they may be the opening of fu ture and wide triumphs to this beautiful and mysterious instrument, we believe perfectly possible. But in their present state, they up. uppear rather tricks than triumphs; rather as specimens of individual dexterity than of in strumental excellence. The artists true fame must depend on his appeal to the soul. Paga nini was bum in Scura, about 1784. He looks u hundred. Preventative of Corpulency.—Open your eyes and shut your mouth. A GltU’HlC DESCRIPTION—THE EX- ' IT! NG ING SC EN E—WEBS YE R —1 RISES—THE DEED—MASSACHU- • SETTS AND VIRGINIA. I’he following spirited description of a most , memorable scene is from the speech of Henry i. A. Wise, of Virginia, recently delivered at a dinner given to him at Norfolk. It has been i too much (he fashion in some ofthe extremely I . neutral Whig papers, to speak lightly of Mr. I , Wise; on the ground tint he has not squared ■ . his speech and conduct by the most rigid rules I ; of parliamentary decorum. In talent as ai | speaker we consider Mr. Wise at least the L equal of John Randolph, and in honesty of in- | vention and intrepidity of character he has no , superior in Congress. The zeal with which ] he has devoted himself to expose the abuses , and corruptions of ths administration—the in- , dustry, tho perseverance, the energy, the fear- ] lessness, which which he has pursued what . he considered his duty to the country, entitle , him to the respect and esteem of all true friends , of civil liberty. Desperate diseases are not to be cured by light remedies, and if Mr. Wise , has freely used the knife and the caustic, it is because the miserable condition of the body poliiic would yield to no more lenient appli cations, Let any man read the following description of tho Expunging scene—the presentation of the Protist—the tribute to Mr. Webster—“lie passage between Leigh and Benton—the al lusions to Rives—the consumation of tho. dis, graceful deed, with its incidents and conse quence—and the final appeal to Massachu setts and Virginia—and th.-n deny if he can that Mr. Wise possesses ia a distinguished de gree many of the most, essential attributes of brilliant and impressive oratory. And if he feels his indignation kindled—and his blood coursing more rapidly through his veins—at merely reading these impassioned descriptions, let him imagine what would be their effect when set off with al! the attractions <>f a sm cere and commanding eloquence, and height ened with all the excitements of an interested popular assembly.— Boston Atlas. The scene ofthe 16th ofJanuary, 1837, tn the Senate ofthe U. States, never has been and never will be described as it was. That day the Senate fell trampled under the feet of a tyrant’s slaves. About 4or 5 o’clock, P. M. the House of Representatives adjourned. The members generally, all of the mess to which I belonged, hastened to their dinners as usual. Judge White (of Tennessee) was of tny mess and we waited dinner tor him— we waited un til it was concluded the Senate wpuld sit until night ; and sit ever so late, it wag known by all who knew him that he never left his seat until the Senate adjourned. When I had finished my meal I looked out towards the Capi’o', and saw the Senate flag still flying. What can detain them so? was the question; and, they are upon the expu g ing Resolution, was the reply. Is it possible that they treat the farce so seriously as to burn 1, a candle over ii? Yes, indeed, this night Ben ton is determined to play the play out. Then I determined to seethe play. No play did I f find it, no farce in fact; it was a solemn, affect- , ing tragedy; it was the obsequies of a record, , of troth, of the Constitution, of the Senate. I went up to the Senate Chamber, the candles i were lighted—the light of day was not the light ; to shine upon the infernal orgies of erasing a | truth from a record which men were sworn •‘to keep." When I entered the room where once a Senate sat, I heart) —if there be any true hearted North Carolinian present 1 bee his pardon—l heard a Strange voice from tin Land of Sleep. It came upon my ear in fee ble, broken tones, incoherently, as from a man muttering he knew not what, in a dream, as it he were ridden by the night m ire. After this feeble voice, had ceased, the strong and manlv voice of a mind always wide awake—the mi d of a man who might be presented to the world as a specimen of America’s sons—strong in frame, wrought into labor’s mould—a labori ous man, always practical—a son of Virginia, a Senator of Ohio, a scion of the West, a man truly of the people. who has done more honor to them than they cando to him; he has vindi cated his origin and their chaiacter. Thomas L. D. Ewing spake as a man should, even argument or pretence of argument to shame for doing a shameful deed. When he had concluded, Daniel Webster, who, when you have said the worst of his pol itics. is the same giant of intellect stil; Daniel Webster rose and read for himself and his col league, and the State of Massachusetts, a sol emn protest, which for simplicity and beauty of style, for concentration of strength, and clear ness of argument, for tone and temper, for dig nity of thought and expression, and for eleva tion of moral feeling, is unsurpassed, I venture to say, by any State paper of any time for any occasion. Whilst reading this paper there was not a whisper ; silence seemed to approve every word and every sentiment; a deep and even painful attention seemed to promise that a conviction was wrought in the minds of ma ny, and all seemed as if just arrested in the act of perpetrating some horrid deed, unintention ally, from which their minds seemed for a mo ment to revolt. Hope rose up in me—that is the word, that is the speech, that is the paper, nothing more, nothing more, nothing less than what I prayed for then. If any thing could have touched the minds and hearts of such men, the protest of Daniel Webster and John , Davis, of Massachusetts, would have w rousht I upon them. Never, never shall I forget the manner in which he uttered tiie word—“wo have coZZecZeiZ-ourselves to witness this scone.” He spake triumphantly of Massachusetts—she stood erect; she had not bowed the knee or the neck ; her soil was mired with tho best blood ofthe revolution. I was losing mysjf, I wildly looked to the seats of Virginia Sena tors. Where was Leigh? Where was Tyler? I could have shrieked for them ; the genius of Virginia, did agonize. No Leigh, no Tyler was there ; they were already dragged out from those scats; snatched from tho defence ot the journal, ofthe Senate, ofthe Constitution. No such deed could be done with such men there. No, never; foi well do I remember the speech of Leigh; it can never be forgotten by Benton, or Rives, or any who heard it. It made Rives look like he did during the actual scene of expunction ; like what Judge Wil kins called Johnny Neal; said he, “Johnny Neal you are a small man.” He made Ben ton look like he felt in the Chapel when he was expelled from college at the age of 20, weigh, ing 160 pounds nett, for dies, Sir, Mr. Leigh was giving many beautiful and appropriate philological illustrations from the Holy Scriptures, to show the meaning of lie verb “to keep;” at last he paused, raised his spectacles, settled himself back upon his short leg, caught his left wrist in his right hand, and fixed his eye directly and full on Tom Benton; ho seemed to pierce if n through and through. I had seen the painting of Adarrt and Eve, the picture of tho Temptation. I bad criticised that painting for the attempt to paint visibly the influence of the Serpent upon the lair mother of us all. I had thought that an influence could not bn painted. But when 1 saw Leigh ; I look at Benton, I at onto yielded the criticism; I could see something going straight out of Leigh’s eye directly through him. If it had r been a keen, cutting, two-edged-sword, pierc ing to the dividing asunder of his joints and marrow, ho could not have winced mom- fi, shrunk up to oae halt’ his dim'i.sions. lie co vered his lace with his hand, he f.-it and could not conceal it; and if Leigh had aimed a pis tol all ths time, and fired a b dl true into hi side, he could not have hurt Lim w6r;re thm when he terminated the awful pause by sav ing—“And, Mr. President, m that cates hisn which my mother taught me, I rned to kvcj —to keep my hands from pick'ng <md stcaVnu. and my longue from ceil speaking.” I prayed for a Leigh again; I looked arcmi and saw Rives!—l could not desist from speak ing to him. I did tell him—-‘Sir. I vreuhi to God that this cup .had to pass from you." He seemed to me to feel humbled, and he re plied in substance, and nearly in words—“lt any one supposes that this scene is gotten tq by me, it is a great mistake.” He said more, the amount of which was, as I s pnossrl, that he never expected to be brought up actually to the damned deed. 1 could not pity him, lit fell below contempt. Bei-ten knew he had played the hypocrite, he km w he w.-.s coo science stricken, he knew he had before the respect of many men of worth in the opposi tion, of which he (Benton) hud none, he knew it would be the bitterness of sakes to his tests to be forced to vote actually for oxpungi g, and he was determined that Rives, bis rival, should be as odious as himself—he drugged the cup for him, held it to his lips, held him to it, and made him drink it to the dregs. Tie made more grimaces, showed moie nausea than a sick man. Benton calculated righlly: he had sunk in self esteem and in the respect of other.- ever since.' He bullies him and Moffs him and his friends, and Rives is alr- ady pinning se cond fiddle to Benton. The latter is ashamed of nothing—lie glo ries in bis total want »f pri .cipbi and of shame When Webster concluded, there was for a moment a dead silence, which was soon, how ever, broken by the harsh to :es of Beu'on, who rose and asked if th.; question was divisi ble. No, said the Chair, it is one entire r so lution. Yes, the whole or none ha lto be cwallowed—the faithful seemed to be feeli g their gullets for the att.-rnpt. Tlie question was called fur and taker by yeas and nays. The vote has been published, and the names a r e doomed to their fame and infsmy. It w..e decided that the deed should be done. When? was asked. Now, now. said Bouton. No time for relenting was to be given. Then or never. Benton asked if the blanks were filled, and named the 17th for the day of the date. No, no, was exclaimed—it is the 16th. “The 16th. then,’’ said he. The blank was filled, and the Secretary sent for tho journal. He was out but a moment. lie returned through the door in front ofthe Vice President’s chair, bearing the book, the journal, in his hand. It seemed tome to speak. Ip< rsoaified it as a human victim—A truth was to be blotted from it: the deed was a forbidden deed. Benton appeared the fiend god of the aceno of sacrilege. He alone seemed.erect, chuckling and tiiumph mg over truth. The Secretary of the Senate looked like an executioner. He I? id tl e book down upon the clerk’s tab!?, he boro it open i and pressed it down as if th: b..e-k was resist 12g his ruthless violence. Pressed open wide, he took the pen, dipped tho accursed instru ment in gall of bell’s blackness, and wrote a ’ cross the face of Truth the words “Expunged, &c.”—Silence had reigned un ii at this mo ment he raised the ruler by which the black lines were to ba drawn, silence then became insufferable—groans and hisses came burning hot from the indignation of galleries and lob bies and every place. Hear s swelling with unutterable agony spoke cut in the tones of human suffering which could no longer ba e.i lured. The fiend god sprang to his feet, and ■/rated harshly in tones of thunder—‘ Riiffi.tits! Riifliians! —Ba. k Ruffians!'’—“clear the g 1- levies!—Order! Order?” were the suwi Y which reverberated through ths hall ; —“No, io, don’t clear the gaih'i i r,”sa><i Bunton, “th ■ innocent thus are punished—seize the R.ifli ms, seize the Bank Ruffi.tt-s and brmg them tu the bar.” It was sir, at this moment, (h it I too was in danger of being seized; for it required all nq self possession to refrain from telling the infa mous wretch that he was the vilest ruffian in ihe nation. The sergeant at arms rushed to the gallery. The scene seemed to require a victim, a citizen for a victim, and there was one found. A genteel, well dressed and intel igent looking gentleman, from the State ot Ohio, was seized and dragged before (he Sen ite. Some question arose about a quorum, and he was taken from the bur to a place be hind the seats of Senators. The question about the quorum was settled—the victim —, the citizen, was not ordered to be brought again to tha bar; he was not asked if ho was guilty of contempt; no w itness was examined as to his guilt or innocence; but Benton again arose, and, with all his infernal anil malign ef frontery about him, commenced a homily about decency and good behavior—he said nothing about honesty and probity. Hethen imputed the act to the man, without proof or examina lion, imputed the intention of guill to him. fixed the punishment, to wit: a most galling and of fensive lecture from his polluted and impious lips—inflicted the punishment without waiting to know if a single Senator agreed with him in opinion, and then moved for his ignominious discharge, without giving him an opportunity of being heard in his defutice. To his credit, the Senator (Mr. Morri*) of I Ohio vouched foi the gentleman’s respectabil ity and claimed for him the right of being heard. This was denied him, unless he would purge himself on oath of a contempt as to which there had not been offered a tittle of evidence. The verdict and judgment of Ben-' ton alouo were then carried i .to execution— the citizen .was discharged, and when he asked, himself, if he could not bo allowed the humble privilege of being heard, the reply from the President pro tern (King o f Alabama) was, “Take him out of the house!”—The Words sounded to me, like the words of the Tyrant respecting a Roman citizen—“ Bind him Lie tors!”—Thus was a victim immolated to the work, an American citizen was seized and scourged by the scorpion tongue of Tom Ben ton, in public, for daring to express his indig nation at a ruthless violation ofthe constitution, committed in his presence, by slaves culling themselves Senators and guardians of public liberty, to gratify the pleasure of a tyrant — No, I am too fast; it is not known and has never been inquired into to this day, whei her the mau was guilty even of that high crime m this free country. The body in whose presence he was, was not the Senate, it was a miserable cabal of a > Tyrant’s tools sitting upon no matter on w hicii tiie Senate of the United States could act. As | soon as the excitement created by the arrest ot ! Lloyd ceased, Benton inquired if the work was | done—“tt is done,” replied the clcik —He ■ asked again, and the chair rep ied, it is done— ‘very good, very good,” said Bento.’, in impi ous imitation of the Deity himself. Ho was tho Fiend-god oftha work, and all obeyed him of his party. The Senate adjourned,! went to the clerk’s table and viewed tho journal, mu tilated as it was, as I would have looked upon the dead body of a fellow being murdered i” my presence. Benton came up to see with, his own eyes th it tho work was well done. He showed about as much revulsion ot mind as he would if he hud been the murderer of a fellow being over whose dead body he was I standing and wiping his weapon. <rv. r? 4 -3-? I* f. Ho asked for the pen, and born off’ the r.c ursfd instrument as u trophy for King Andrew, or tuhose sake the Journal had been expunged, the consti'.ution had b.-en broken, and the Sen ,te humbl. d and disgtac.-d! Oh! mv follow •itizyns, 1 saw and telt and suffered more on mt cccaßton liimj I shall ever enduro again, I tope, tor the sake cf a devoted country and its stituiious. A hit* was most wounding was to know that . irytrtia v.astheie present and consenting to n.e death. I saw M-.ssachusetts, o!d Massa b.'jsttls, the elder sister of Virginia, there; 'dassachuset’s who, whatever may have been tier local politics, whether democrat or federal; o matter how she differed with Virginia a bout a mere question between the plough and the loom, about a tariffor a bill of internal im provement; Massachusetts who has ever been ••ide by side with Virginia m defence of the old common slock princ pies, the fundamental principles of free government; Massachusetts who stood up in the North, whilst Virgima stood up i i the South, during the night of the F -volution, their tresses: streaming in the howling tempest ofthe waragainst civil liber ty and the rights of mar, which swept across he Ocea* ; encouraging each other to endure io the end; ho'dirg the lights high up; Han cocks responding to Henrys and Henrys to Hancocks; the House of Burgesses to Fan nil Hall and Faneuti Hull to the House of Bmgesser. When I saw old Massachusetts again, when we were thrown back on those sa ne f.mdaraental, dear and sacred principles on which Massachusetts and Virginia and all, have ever heretofore been iriite'd, reaching •out. her arms and appealing, calling again af fectionately and touchingiy, Virginia I Virgin ia! Virginia/—I wept. Old Virginia was not dtert': there was no response—ls the elder aste rof Massachusetts dead—no mon ?—Oh God! is Virginia nomore?—l can’t hdieve it— lam not willing to believe it. She shall rise yet from her lethangy, she shall redeem her self. She shall be hers ls again !!! Not o. fly has the freedom of debate, bur the freedom of.-peech throughout the laud, been, held sacred by every true ’9B republican. Now. sir, I assert it, that during the last winter, when the investigations ofthe two committees were ming on in Congress, a. real inquisition was cstab’ished in the Executive Departments to extort from some of the poor, cle'ks, who had given information to Mr. Peyton and myself of certain abuses. The gag-law of proscrip tion was held over the head of every one who showed a disposition to disclose voluntarily. Sir, one of the most crying abuses daily before my eyes was one which was enough to freeze the blood of a freeman in his veins. Often were I and my friend Mr. Peyton, visited by certain true-hearted patriots, (for there are some s' ch belonging to the .Departments.) by stealth, in the dead hour ofthe night, when the door was locked, and they had cast their timid I glances at every curtain and closet in the room, I would reveal by hii’ts. seldom directly, what I they knew and what might be known, eottCcfn j mg every species of '. Ice and mischief in the i administration of public affairs. Their mouths j arc stopped with bread. I have numerous let- I ters from several of them, which clearly show the worse than Turkish despotism which reigns ' at the metropolis of this boasted republic. As I an instance, sir, a worthy man of one of the I departments called and told me of a certain crying abuse. I commenced upon its trial. In a day or two I received an-aaonymous note; I knew the hand-writing. “I am suspected. Please have me summoned, and ask me a num ber of questions, indifferentj no matter what, i not touching the matter I itiformc I you of, as a ; blind ; they’ll .suppose I did not tell you of that, ! and that you did not know I knew of it. You I surely will not let mo sttff.trfor giving you in- I formating of th ■ truth. This plan may ssve ' me.” Sir, 1 could not adopt the plati, why 1 1 i i'hi? man was hom st. and i reminded him h I would be sworn to t“fl the whole truth. Th j only plan was to desist from tho important in- I quiry, to save r.n honest and true man from ' the most tyrannical torture of persecution and proscription.—Ob, if the walls ol those pen itentiaries. called departmens, could speak! they would tales unfold which arouse the blood of freemen, and make tyrants and their tools feel their hottest vengeance. How hard i was tiie struggle for light and truth against the trained bands of an overwhelms g majority of miscreants, faithless representatives in the House; against a party machine for. a Spea ker; against the stocked pack of a committee; against the President and the Heads of De partments ; against proscription and a pension led press! The odds were great against two ! feeble, denounced, abused; slandered, men, of little experience in public life, who were actually put upon trial for their efforts —honest, though they may have been sometimes in error in the cause of light, and liberty, and truth, and who were sustained except by a few stout hearts who stood by and gave them the iigl'.t of their countenance, and the encourage, ment of their cheers. Thank God ! the triumph was the greater. Triumph we did. We did drag to light many of their hidden deeds of darkness; and, above all, m?de them show of what they were capable, by the mode and means of their resistance. From the'Baltimore Gazette, May 8. Tiie <Jwrrcncy. We publish to-day a letter written by an old and valued friend, who does not hesitate to annex to it his name, to enable that large portion of the Public by whom he is well known as to character for ability and experi ence on the subject of his letter, to place the just estimate on the value ot his opinions. VV e arc well satisfied of (be disinterestedness of the motives which induce him, at this mrnnen’ of deep interest, to offer to the bank officers throughout the United States suggestions, ol the correctness of which he has Undoubtedly a sincere conviction, and which he supports with reasons founded on facts which are famil iSr to all business men. Twenty - -five years ago we had the pleasure of being introduced, by ihe writer of the lettci, o the acquaintance and kind hospitality ot ths highly respectable and venerated gentleman to whom it is addressed ; who was then, as he is yet, the President ofthe Bank of Virginia, and, therefore, as one of the oldest and most res pectable presiding officers of a bank in the Union, a fit person to address ou the preset ' occasion. . w _ It is within our rccoljyction that Mr. Smith was an active atid 'useful advocate for charter ing the Bank of the United States in 1816, j and also for the resirmplion ofspecie payments when that institution went into operation— ! which latter he greatly assisted, in inducing •he dtriectors ot the State batiks in this city, to assent to. Oil the important suggestion o( Mr. Smith, it is for those who have charge ot the banks I ihroughoiit the United States to decide ; and it is therefore proper that-we should give them an opportunity of knowing the reasons which influence an exprienced and disinterested fellow citizen—anxious to promote the general welfare—to recommend so decidely the adop tion <4* that suugestioii. It is obvious that its idopti'.a, to be\ irectual, sli.Aiid be general and simultaneous. To John Bkockenbrocgii Esq-, President of the Bank of Virginia. Dear Stu.—The existing crisis its the : pecuniary affairs of the country has been for some weeks past, to me a source ofthe deep est anxiety. Having for nearly thirty years i enjoyed the pleasure of your acquaintance and 1 correspondence, and knowing the great influ ence which your co operation would have tn tiie accomplishment of the only measure that, in my opinion, will save the country from bankruptcy; and more especially as we-were active agents in affording relief to the country m 1617, when in a similar condition, I have taken the liberty to conirnu licatc to you my ideas upon the subject through the medium ot the prtss. Believing that nothing short of a temporary suspension of specie payments and the establishment of a national bank will give relief, I propose briefly to submit the reasons for my opinion. That the country, as regards its monetary affairs, is in a most alarming condition no persoti will deny. Political partisans may waste their time in angry debate about the causes which have produced the present.dis tressing situation of the country, but the pur pose of every good citizen ought.to be to unite upon measures for relief which shall be ef fectual and immediate. You know that the act of incorporation of the late Bank of the United States was,sus tained as a measure of the Democratic party ; it was in Congress under the sanc tion of’Mr. Dallas, and supported by -Mr. Cal houn, the chairman ofthe Committee ot Ways* and Means, by Mr. Clay and other distinguish ed members of the party, and opposed by Mr. King&ind several other gentlemen of the Fed eral party. It was approved by Mr. Madison, with whom, I conversed freely upon the sub ject at the time the bill Avas under discussion, tie was entirely covinced ofthe absolute ne cessity of such an institution as a fiscal agent ofthe Government, and for the purpose ol coercing specie payments which had been suspended during the war. You will remem ber that in the covention of delegates front the btu.ks, which met in Philadelphia, for the resumption of specie payments, I, as one ofthe representatives from the Bank of the United States, advocated an early period for its commencement, which was opposed by many members, who believed it to be premature, and, indeed, impracticable. The coventios. met about the Ist or 2J of February, and passed a resolution to resume specie payments on the 20th ofthe same month. By a comparison then made of the best estimates in our possession of specie in the country, it was believed to be but twenty-five millions of dollars—tt is now said to be eighty millions. With twenty-five millions,only in the country, part of which was huaided by . individuals, the banks, after a and excessive over-trading, specie payments at a very short notice S fixed day. The important measure accom plished without the slightest difficulty, by the aid ofthe Bank ofthe United States, and the restoration of confidence and cridit. J lie ; moment the publication appeared atmcttncitig that the Bank of the United States would go into operation, and that all the banks would resume specie payments, the value of the precious metals was greatly reduced, and before the time appointed for the resumption, bank paper wits equivalent to coin in New I York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, although, , previous to the meeting of the convention, | exchange, between Baltimore and Boston, was > 25 percent. Yet now, with eighty millions,; we are apparently on the verge of bankruptcy, after many years of uninterrupted credit and prosperity. And why is this? Is it not be cause we have lost the aid of the great balance wheel by which the inacmutry «>r'v»ui cial and fiscal affairs had been regulated for forty v ears, and because the ’I reasury order and other recent measures have interfered ; with and greatly d: ranged our dcuuis ic ; exchanges? It is said that we have overtraded. . and that there is a large balance due abroad i which must be paid in specie. I wid admit i the first —it is attributable to the withdrawal of i the control of the Bank ot the United S ates, I which had previously regulated and kept in i check our foreign and domestic exchanges, ! and the issues of the State banks. But we ; have yet abundant resources and the best dis ! position to pay the balances against us, which , have resulted, in some measures, for over- ! trading, but more from the depreciation ot our i principal staple exports in the European mar- ) ket, ifsuffiicient time can be allowed to render [ our means available. It has often occurred, in the United. States, that merchants, and j others known to be insolvent, as their means, at a particular period, have, by an indulg nt ex tension of time, become able to pay, and have ( ■ paid, both principal and intwrest of their . debts. . - It is said, and I lelieve truly, that there is more money due to the merchants ot New York from the South and West, than would be sufficient to meet all their engagements when collected ; but it is impossible to make collec tions or to obtain loans on the best ot securi ties during the prevalence of panic in our mon etary svstem. The People ot the South and West, must continue to suffer severely--the price of their produce being greatly depressed 1 below its value, and their batiks unaole to ut ! Umnt anv measures for relief. I Ifthe ’President would call a meeting of Congress, and that body could be pre ailed on to act the part, of patriots, and grant ii charter to the United States, Bank of Pennsylvania, or charter a new bank without delay, the suspensioirof specie payments might be avoid ed • for such a measure ought not to be re sorted to except to prevent a greater evil— the entire prostration of commercial credit through out the United States. The capital of the pre sent bank is thirty five millions. Let the Con gress grant a charter for fifty millions; taking’ on the part of the United States fifteen millions, providing for it by an issue of 5 |>er cent, stock, which would sell in Europe at par, even in the presest state of the money market, and go thus far to pay our balances. The seven mil lions remaining unsubscribed could all be dis posed of iu Europe, and applied to the liquida tion of our debt. Let the charter be grunted and accepted in the spirit of compromise, care fully guarding all the poi> ts which experience has shown to be objectionable; and especially would I provide that it should be the duty ot the bank and its branches to maks all collec tions in their power for the citizens, when re quired, and at no time to charge more than one per cent, premi.im or discount. In consideration of such a stipulation of such a stipulation, I would propose that a very small bonus (if any) shou’.d be demanded, as the Government and the People will be amply re muneiated by the valuable services of the bark. In support of my opinion that the hank would be able to accomplish this object so intimately connected with the trade and prosperity of our country, I tieedtfrily state, that, immediate, ly alter the late biuk commenced its opera ttons, collections and remittances were made in most ofthe distant cities without any charge, through the agency ofthe National Bank, and also by many ofthe State batiks; and they con tinued to do so until a short period before the expiration of tho charter, at a very reduced and reasonab'e rate of discount or premium. ; I It is presumed that, in this republic, there will * never be a desire to create a bank to be placed I under the exclusive control ofthe Government. I An experience of thirty-five year.-., and much j reflection on the subject, have satisfied me that I it is impossible to regulate the domestic ex :! changes of this country but through a batik, of large capital, chartered by Congress, aided by the pubhc deposites, with branches in the several States, and under the dircnliou and con trol of intelligent and experienced mercantile men, a portion of whom should be appointed by tiie President of the United States. The suspension of specie payments, unless Congress should interpose, is the only reined' by which relief can be speedily given, and such a measure, for a temporary period, and in re ference to the establishment of a uniform and sound currency, to be afforded by a national in stitution, would, doubtless, receive the sanction of every State Legislature. This temporary suspension will not only enable every solvent person to command his resources and comply with his contracts, but will enable those who have engaged in improvements and valuable undertakings to complete them, and to continue in employment die Jubar and enterprise of the country, the want of whicli employment must, unless there is a suspension, bring oVet whelm ing ruin and uuheard-of suffering on a large proportion of the laboring classes. Such a suspension will not encourage mercantile spe dilation or overtrading, the period fixed for resumption being too short to justify any such idea. 'l’he merchant cannot now command i credit abroad, t:or the specie at home; the con sequence must be, an increased demand»for our staples iu the loreign markets. The banks will regulate their intercourse with each other by interest accounts, and by the transfer of in dividual responsibilitii s. • It is important that the rriea«nrc of suspen sion shall b? resorted to with the least possible delay in the principal cities, as it will protect the banks from sufr’eritig immense losses, conse quent upon the destruction of mercantile cred it, which must inevitably result from a contin uance of specie payments under existing cir cumstances; for, although the small traders have not yet felt the pressure so severely as the more extensive dealers, yet, in the end, the fate of all classes is essentially connected with th-' annihilation ofthe credit system, by which the commerce and all other important interests of our country have been regulated and sustained since the formation of our Gov ernment. I have heard, with much regret, that it has been suggested, as the better cour-se, that the bar ks should abandon the more exten sive merchants to their fate for the purpose of self-protection iu continuing specie payments; and that th; merchants should, by concert, con sent to let their notes lie over us the lesser evil, renewing their obligations to pay with inter est, and taking similar renewals from their deb tors. This plan, if pursued, would be totally destructive ofthe best influence of mercantile ..credit, and operate most injuriously to the whole banking system; for, when it should be known that the principal merchants might, with im punity, fail to meet their engagements with punctuality, it is to be expected that the minor dealers would feel themselves justified in imi tating the example; a practice would thus be established which it would be difficult, if not impracticable, to change. The banks, under such a regulation, would cease to have any agency tn compelling punc tuality in payments, and would degenerate into mere loan offices to receive *.h<? interests on their debts. I cannot believe that such a mea sure can receive the sanction of any enlighten ed community. It would be, in effect, to punish individuals for their exertions to pro mote and enlarge the trade and prosperity ot the cities in which they have ranked as con spicuous, honorable, ai d extensive merchants. Were I a bank director, I would abandon, in the hour of severe trial, when money alone can sustain credit, the speculator ond moaop engaged in a regular, fair business, alike ben eficial to himself, alfd to all tile interests of hi? fellow-citiz s. 1 would sustain to the last < x tremity. D s such men, and y uWi i.ibur.- in--. J structio i.ofvour cities. K crisis has arrived when eiiher the banks must suspend specie payments, or the great budv of the mercantile community must fail; there is no other alternative. We have seen that the banks could suspend even partially and resume again without injury to their subse quent usefulness. We know that in England their only bank was authorized by law to sus pend, in a period of great financial embarrass ments, and the nation was thereby saved. It is a Well known’fact that the banks can no longer safely assist the merchants by loans, and that money cannot be borrowed from oth er sources on tho best mercantile paper at any rate of interest; and, worse than all the rest, it is wt II known that the notes and draffs at sight o:i the specie-payii g ba ks of New Orleans, the great Southern commercial emporium, and of other banks yet nearer, are at a discount iu Baltimore of from five to ten per cent, when, bv the increased speed of the mail, the inter course with the most distant place is twice a month. How, then, is it possible for the mer chants, whatever inav be their ability ultimate ly to meet all their engagements, to continue their payments at present with punctuality, if those paymen's must be made in specie, nt an interest ®f one hundred and twenty per cent per annum? 1 am aware of the prejudice rgainstthc ex isting bank. I am not interested in it, and it is not likely that 1 shall ever own a share. 1 had an active agency in procuring the charter and putting tho bank into operation. It has, in myopiiiion, been ably administered by Mr. Biddle and the gentlemen who have been asso ciated with him in the direction of its affairs. It is already tn operation, and its ability to re lieve the country and to ass'st the State banks is unquestioned, it ’sanctioned by the patronage of the Government, especially by an increased capital. The relief by such a measure would •be immediate and permanent, Ihe multipli- I cation ot ne« banks by the states, while it has {greatly increased the actual capital, but has prevented that concert and co-operation indis pensable to confidence and credit. The expe rience of the best informed men has demon strated the necessity of a National Institution such as the late Bank of the United States, ex ercising the same salutary influence and pro tection over the State barks that the General Government docs over the States of this Union. If Congress shall decide to establish a new institution as preferable to any connexion with the late o::e, let us have it. and all classes will unite in its support. I f I was noto'U'-'Hjissured of yout disposition ■ to unite in [W** 100 Rr any object beneficial to j the communtF '. deem it proper to a- ipc logize for J* o ’’s comrnunica'tion pub- I lie, but I - I I am, dear si^^vith great respect and rc- I gard. your obedient servant, D. A. SMITH. { Chilly Valley, near Baltimore, May 2, 1837. From the Chronicle & Sentinel. ! Vv e jmblish below the proclamation cf the : President, calling Co: grass together onthe‘first i Monday in September next. We think it won (I j be well enough ffir the most of our Delegation to I resign, for two reasons. Ist. Thev can do n< j good "hen they get there. 2d. That < there I may be elected who can be of some service. { ’ihe obji - t of n majority of them will be more > to screen the r.dlniiHstrations past and present. I (romcensure, than to relieve the distresses <>l I the coimtrv. I By the President cf the U. Slates of America. A PROCLAMATION. 1 Whereas, great and weighty matters claim- ing ihe consideration of the Congress of ihd United States, form an extraordinary oc<asioii lb." convening them. I do, by these presents, np* point the first Monday of September next, for their meeting at the city of Washington ; here* by requiring the respective Senators <A Repfe* sentatives then and there to .assemble in (-on* gross, iu order to receive such commtiMentions as may then be made to them, and to consult and determine on such measures as in llvir wisdom may be deemed meet for the wellarc of thn United States. In testimony wherof, I have caused the seal [r..s.] ofthe United States to lie hereunto affix ed, and signed the same with my hand. Done at the city of Washington; tho fit s teenth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven and ofthelndebendence ofthe United States the sixlv-first. M VAN BUREN By the President: John Forsyth, Secretary of State. Soutnrrii Athens, Ga. Saturday, Nlay 27, 1837.’ Owing to the unusual press ol other mat ter, we are compelled to cut s’hort any re marks we may have intended making. Tho unusual interest, however, of the commercial and other matter iu to-days paper, forms an ample apology for the absence of any remarks of ours. The Steam Boat Sherrod, while on her passage from New Orleans to Louisville, was on the morning of the 8:h inst. destroyed by fire—by which 120 lives were lost. The Steamer Columbus having arrived in time to save about 60 of those on board. Meeting; of the Citizens of Athhens. Monday, May 22, 1837. Pursuant to previous call, a large and res pectable meeting of the citizens of Athens and the vicinity, was held this morning in the Presbyterian Church, ftirthc purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of the suspen sion of specie payments, for the present, by the Banks oft! is place. The mooting was organized, by calling the Rev. Nathan Hoyt to the Chair, and appointing W. W. Clayton Secretary. Gen. E. Harden briefly stated the objects of t!?u meeting, when, on motion of J. W. Jones, the following gentlemen were ap pointed a committee to prepare and report re solutions for the consideration of the meeting : Gen. B. Pope, Junius Hilycr, Esq. Drs. A. Church, John Gerardine, and Charles M, Reese, Gen. E. Harden, Stevens Thomas, jr. Esq. and James W. Jones. At the suggestion of Junius Hilycr, Esq. the Cashiers of the Railroad and Branch of the State Banks in this place, submitted to the meeting a full, fair and explicit report of the present standing of the two Banks; where--, upon, the Committee retired, and after a short period returned and reported the following Pre amble and Resolutions—w hich, having been read, were separately taken up and UNANI MOUSLY passed by the meeting : sitions. It is conceived that a crisis has arrived - , from what causa it is net necessary to enquire, "he i this question is presented—shall the Banks of the State be pushed to extremity, and be made to deliver up their specie into foreign hands, and thereby prostrate the whole curren cy of the country—or will the community step forward, and, by the exercise of no greater confidence than heretofore reposed in those in stitutions, sustain them in the present exigency of the times? A tew plain facts will enable this meeting to settle the question beyond all possible doubt. ”1 ho Banks have very recently made a re port of their condition, as required by law, to the Governor of the State, by which the state ments about to ba made are supported upon oath. It appears then that the amount of Ba k Bills i . circulation, is eight millions and ahalf, a: d tho ninon: t of S .i <_ir in ths vaults <>i the B.v-'is. is three mdli.ons and a half —• which, added to that in circulation,under bills of the denomination of Five Dollars, would make the Specie about half equal to the Paper Money. . It is very obvious then, that so long as this Specie is kept within the country, it stands us an indisputable security for nearly one half of the Bills in circulation. Is it judicious—is it wise topart with this pledge ? Where better can it be kept, than in the Banks ? Have they not the most pressing in terest to guard it with unsleeping vigilance? Where would tt i§ Specie go, if let oose from its confinement ? Does there rest, a doubt up on any mind ? Will it not go where needed most! And where is that? Surely where the great Southern debt is owing, and where the greatest pressure is felt ; the place where all importations centre, and whence our immense Southern merchandize has been drawn. Thither it is obliged to go, because all ex changes are at an end, and the residue of the Cotton crop (more than half) heretofore a sub stitute for those exchanges, lies dead upon the planter’s hands. There is no other method of paying this debt but by transporting Specie to that quartT. This is incvitutle, and is great ly accelerated by a two-fold operation produc ed from the suspension ol Specie payments, by all the Banks in the North. First, Southern gold and silver will be made to pay the northi" ern debt, due by the South, and then, ns Spe cie is rapidly tending to Europe, i* will be car ried thence to pay the debt there, due by the North, while their own gold and silver is lock ed up in their Vaults. In other words long northern arms will be reached over to us atitl with southern fingers, the treasures of the Soutls will be raked i to their coffers for immediate uss. Besides, imagine four and a quarter millions of our circulation employed to draw the same amount ofSpecie from the Banks, it would then leave but four nnd a quarter mil lions of Bills for the use ofthe country, greatly impaired, in public estimation, in their credit, by reason of having its metallic fowrrdation wrenched from under it, for, disguise itaswa may, although the four and a quarter millions, left in circulation, have precisely the same re sources bv \vhich to be redeemed that they h id i when four and a quarter millions ot Specie ; answered to eight and n ha'f millions ot Bills, • yet the people are' 1< nth to thii k so, and con i sequontly the public mi..d is subjected to great { nnd unquiet misgivings. High ly considered :b.a capacity' of the Banks remains the same to redeem this outstanding r< sidue, that they pos sessed before thev paired with theii'Specie, and I it is dearly perceivable that the same reasons which induced the original credit to their bills ere not in the least diminished, for to every mind, not entirely without perception, it must ’.ppcar that if the Banks have only four and a quarter millions of Specie to pay eight and it halt ol paper in circulation, that there must bo half of that circulation resting upon other than Specie meal s for their redemption, and con-