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¥MW'Ag:s\ lUUTISlI HOUSE UK COMMONS, June CO IMMOLATION or WIDOWS IK I1PIA- Mr. Fowl'll Buxton rose to bring on hir motion Tor copies nml extracts ol all communications finm India respecting the burning of females. It might be su(- ficient for bis purpose to state the extent to which this shocking practice had hern enrried in one Presidency alone—he meant that of Fort William. Within tlicl i't four years, in that Presidency, 2,.tt;6 females had been seen to ascend jind perish upon the funeral piles of then deceased husbands. That was the num ber that had openly pcrUhed under the eyes of the magistracy, exclusive of the number which had been consumed in secret, or by the connivance of a mer cenary jVblice. By the Maliommedan law the practice was discountenanced, and therefore in many places discontinu ed ; but it was to be regretted that it still prevailed to a great extent in coun tries under the British jurisdiction. Not only had the disciples of Mahomet abo lished this practice, but the French, Dutch, and Panes had accomplished the same object in their E. India settlements. Many of the native princes, amongst whom wore the Kajah Travancore, and the Peishawa, the Utter of whom was a Hindoo and a Brahmin, had also put an lend to this revolting custom. He hoped that, when the proper time arrived, the British government would exert their utmost efforts to extinguish so great an evil, and show (hat they would not be behind hand with their predecessors in the great work of justice and humanity. Many of the murders (for, although they were called voluntary sacrifice, he con sidered them to be little else than mur ders) took place contrary to the Hindoo Uw itself.—By that law, females under 16 years of age were not allowed to as cend the funeral pile; yet, it would ap pear from the papers for which he -was about to move, that the girls of 12, 13, and 14 years of age had been sacrificed ; and, in one instance, a child of eight years old became a victim of this barbarous ci^tom. By the Hindoo law those wid. ows arqffdso exempted, whe, in the e- arqwiu of The vent of their death, should leave chil dren behind them under three years of age, unless some security was given that the infants would be taken care of.—It was also specifically set down, that the sacrifice should be perfectly voluntary that no drugs should be administered for the purpose of causing intoxication ; but these provisions of the Hindoo law were not complied with.—No later than Tues day he had a conversation on this sub ject with a most respectable gentleman, the Rev. Mr. Thompson, one of the East India Company’s chaplains, who stated, that a9 he was sailing on a river in the neighborhood of Calcutta, he observed a crowd on the bank, and found that the people had assembled for the purpose of witnessing the burning of a widow, who was then performing her last ablu tion. When that part of the ceremony was concluded, she was led to the pile, but she fuinted repeatedly : The peo ple began to grow impatient ; and she was at Inst placed on the pile in an insen sible state, and lashed to the dead body of her husband. The unfortunate crea ture,’however, recovered her senses, and struggled to escape. A Brahmin immediately placed a torch in the hands of one of her children, and set fire to the pile. In that case, the child ofthe par i'rtf about to be consumed began by ap jdving fire to the face of his deceased father, and then proceeded to place the flame beneath the body of the living mo ther. The fire soon took effect, but it tvas a considerable time before the suf ferings of the unhappy woman were ter rainated. Though he did not think it would be proper to put an end to this practice by force, yet he was of opinion that the natives of India ought to be res trained within the laws of their own reli gion. Beyond these they should not be suffered to depart. All these evils arose from one cause—the ignorance of the natives ; and the only cure for them was instruction. Every person, therefore, must perceive how imperative it was on the government ofthe country to extend, as far as possible, the benefits of educa tion to the natives of India. The hon. gentleman, then moved “ for copies of extracts of all communications received from India relative to the burning of fe- mrdes on the funeral {files of their de ceased husbands. Mr. Bathurst observed, that if the le gislature took up this question, the nc cessarv consequence must be the inler ▼ention of public officers, to prevent breaches of the Hindoo law by the na tives—an intervention, be it observed Connected with points the most delicate that could be conceived. These per B®ns would have to enquire whether a Woman was ready to make a voluntary sacrifice of her existence. And if they found that she acted voluntarily, and therefore did not fall within any of the exceptions Of the Hindoo law, then the natural anil unfortunate consequence would be, that the ceremony thus prac tised would be described ns taking place after the inspection and under the sane tion of a British officer. It was an ex tpaordinary circumstance, that since the promulgation of certain regulations on this subject, the number of persons who have sacrificed themselves had been doubled. In 1615, the number was 378: in 1816, 442 ; in 1817, 707 ; in 1818 1,339. In Calcutta alone, the numbers were, in 1816, 153; in 1816,289; in 1817, 442 } in 1818, 544.—Undoubted ly the increase was in some measure at tributable to an epidemic disorder which raged in the country, the ravages of which had deprived many women oftheir liu?bauis. The Icdiao govereaient dratt ed rcryntuch the policy ofthe interfer ence which had already taken place, ll was for llie House to consider wheth er it would not be better to trust to the gradual amelioration of the Hindoos, bv the extension of education, the founda tion of which had happily been laid, and on which n moral supeistrurtnre might be reared, rather than to sanction any le gislative measure for the purpose of put ting down this practice. He did not ob ject to the production of the papers, but he hoped the hon. member would not call on the legislature to sanction any ac tive interference with the religious pre judices ofthe natives of India. Mr. Wilberforcc briefly spoke in favor, of the motion. Mr. Hume wished to know how far the motion of his hon. friend extended ? Be cause if it did not comprise the regula tions of 1792, 1793 and 1794. it would be defective. He had lived at Benares, where the Brahmins had their college, and which indeed might be considered the cradle of all their absurdities, and there, he believed, the regulations had produced a good effect. His belief was, that under the regulations of Gov. Dun- kin, it wns absolutely necessary to en quire of every person about to be im molated whether it was a voluntary act, done in conformity with the Hindoo law. No individual was allowed to be b'irnt in Benares, unless the regulations ofthe go vernment werecomplied with He doubt ed very much the correctness of the observation made by the right hon. gen tleman (Mr. Bathurst] when he said that this was not a proper subject for the con sideration of Parliament. It was roost extraordinary that a member of hi* M«- jesty’s government who had voted for a bill to prevent cruelty being exercised towards asses and mules, should think it improper to prevent the infliction of cru elty (for cruelly it was in all cases) on the females of India. His opinion was. thatthc individuals burned witii their hus bands were, in almost all cases, sacrific ed to the interest of those who were con nected with thorn. If it were rendered necessary to take out a regular license, at an expense of two or three thousand rupees for the privilege to burn, the evil would be very much diminished. Though this, at first sight appeared ludicrous, yet the benefit which such a system would produce could easily be explained. If a large sum were demanded for a li cense, the relatives of widows, who now urged them to burn, would not supply a rupee towards the expense ; and the widows would thus escape death. Mr. Canning observed that whatever difference of opinion there might exist on other points of this interesting subject, there were two points on which all must agree—first, that it would be in the high est degree gratifying to the feelings of the House, if the inhuman practice in question could be completely put down ; secondly, that it would be extremely in expedient that any attempt should be made to put it down by coercion. It was with a reference to both those con siderations that Parliament ought to act; and hon. gentlemen ought especially to bear in mind, that of all the exercises of human authority and discretion, the most delicate and difficult was such an inter ference on the part of a superior power with an inferior, as, while on the one hand it should be effectual, on the other hand it should be divested of that harsh ness of character which too frequently belonged even to the appearance of con- troul. Mr. Fowall Buxton, in explanation, begged to observe, that if the East India Company had unfortunately been advised to retract their regulations, he should feel it his duty to bring that subject at an ear ly opportunity before Parliament. The British government in India had interfer ed in other cases of almost equal enormi ty. There was the murder of the chil- *y- drenof the Rajapoots, for instance, which was made a capital offence. There was among another tribe a singular and hor rible custom, that of a man who fancied himself injured by some persons in pow er, collecting wood, making a pile of it, and placing at the top two living animals -—a cow and an old woman, whom he saw consumed with fire ; being himself impressed with the beliefthat all the tor tures which they suffered would be ex perienced by his enemy. Another case was that of the Brahmins, the sacredness of whose persons throughout all India was proverbial, and who had, in conse quence, long committed crimes with per fect impunity. In both these instances, however, the British government had thought proper to interpose ; and did so effectually. But this was not all : not only had they interfered with respect to the native priests, but on one occasion they had taken liberties with their favor ite god. The great Juggernaut was not exempted from their visitation : for there being some delay in the payment ofthe revenue of a certain province, this go vernment laid their hands”upon him, by way of security, and kept him in pawn till the whole amount was paid up. The motion was then agreed to. SLAVE TRACE IN NORTHERN AFRICA. Extract from Capt. Lyon's “ Travels in Northern Africa in the years 1618, 19, and 20.” Lon don, 1821. “ In August, alnvgeKaflle of Arabs, Tripolines. and Tibboo, arrived from Bornou, bringing with them 1400 slaves of both sexes and of all ages, the greater part being females. Several smaller par ties had preceded them, many of whom also brought slaves. 'We rode out to meet the great kaffle, and to see them en ter the town—It was indeed a piteous spectacle t These poor oppressed beings were, many of them, so exhausted as to be scarcely able to walk ; their legs and feet were much swelled, and by their enormous size, formed a striking con trast with tficir emaciated bcdicr. They were all borne down with loads of fire wood, nr.d even poor little children, worn to skeletons with fatigue nnd hard ships, were obliged to bear their bur then, while many of their inhuman mas ters rode on camels, with the dreaded whip suspended from their wrists, with which they, from time to tine, enforced obedience from these wretched captives. Care was taken however, that the hair of the females should be arranged in nice order, and that their bodies should he well oiled, while the males were closely shaven, to giro them a good appearance on entering the town. Their dresses were simply the usual cotton wrappers, and even these, in many instances, were so.torn, as scarcely to cover them. We observed one girl (of what country I know not) wlm had her back and slioul- lers burned in little sprigs, in a very cu rious manner, so as to resemble figured ilk ; it hnd a very pretty appearance, and must have been done ivffen she was quite an infant. Some ofthe women car ried little children on their hacics, some of whom were so small, that they must have been bora on the road. 11 The Tibboo, who hring the slaves from Bornou. are of the tribes nn the road, L some are from Fezzati. They never trade to Soudan, on account of the dis tance ; but prefer exchanging their slaves fnr horses, which they sell to great ad vantage in the interior : for though there are horses in Bornou, they are not much, esteemed; hut those of Tripoli uregreatly valued. The Tibboo ride on saddles, resembling in some respects our F.nglish ones ; but they are smaller, and have n. high peak in front; their stirrups resem ble ours, but they do not put the whole foot in them, only the four small toes, the great toe remaining out; their shoes are all contrived for this purpose, hy having a separate division fnr a great toe, and are made in the same manner as chil dren’s mittens. Their bridles are also in our style, being -much lighter than those iff the Arabs. They are more careful of their horses than of their fami lies, sparing no expense to fatten them ; this is done hy cramming them with large balls of meal or dough, which are con sidered highly nourishing. A fine horse, will, in t-he Negro country, sell for 10 or 15 Ncgressps ; each of which, at the Barbary parts, is worth from CO to 150 dollars. “ All the traders speak ofslcves as far mers do of cattle. Those recently brn’t from the interior were fattening, in or der that they might be able to go on to Tripoli. Benghazi or Egypt; thus a dis tance of 1600 or 1800 miles is to be tra versed from the time these poor crea tures are taken From thpir homes, be fore they can be settled ; whilst in the in terior they may, perhaps, be doomed to pass through the hands of eight or ten masters, who treat them well or ill, ac cording to their pleasure. These devo ted victims fondly hoping that each new purchaser may be the last, find perhaps that (hey have again to commence a jour noy equally long and dreary with the one they have just finished, under a burning sun, with new companions, hut with the same miseries.” EDUCATION IN~GREAT BRITAIN. Upon this subject we find nn interesting article in the New-York American. Seve ral voluminous reports hare been made to the House of Commons. They ei ince, that in the important business of general educati on, England has yet made comparatively small progress. The following is mentioned among other facts, that “ the salary of the Scotch parochial school-master is fixv.d at a sum not less titan £ 16 Iris. 4d, nor more than £ 22 4s. fid—and he has besides, a house and small garden. But where there are more schools than one in a parish, the salary for both together, is not to exceed £ 33 Gs 7d. and only one house and garden allowed.” Tables are given, shewing the general state of Education in England and also the proportion of scholars, who are educated gratuitously, and of those who pay fur llieir instruction—there are separate tables for Wales, Scotland, &c. The following aie their several result? : ENGLAND. Population (1811) '5,. r »43 610 Poor (1815) 6.VV24U respecting the affair.-! of the European Continent, moved by Mr. YVortley and Mr. Hutchinson, wn had some hopes of that assembly as the guardian of sound principles of general policy, nml believ ed that there were certain bounds which the British minister would not puss from dread of public opinion. But when c- ven « ministerial member sought to ob tain n mere expression of the dissatisfac tion of Parliament with the pretensions and proceedings of the Holy Alliance, he was left on the vote, in a small mino rity, and the British minister asserted roundly the total absence of all ambi tion nnd selfishness in the triumvirate which has established a complete dicta torship over the continent. Lord Lon donderry “ conceived that the House could have no hesitation in negativing the motion of Mr. Hutchinson, because hy entertaining it, they would he f/'ending and provoking other powers w ithout one document to justify the proceeding.” As if the various circulars and manifestoes and war bulletins of the Allies did not constitute abundant documentary evi dence ! As if more could he required, when all ’Italy is in their military occu pation ; when Naples and Sicily are gar risoned hy Austrian troops ! Mr. Hutch inson made n remark, the force of which an impartial observer cannot easily re sist. “ The noble Lord,” lie said, “ was a sleeping partner in (lie Holy Alliance; lie did not dare make himself a direct party with the Allies to any state paper or public measure, but lie came, forward in Parliament when any question was discussed, to defend them, and to turn the attack on the unfortunate persons' whose liberty they chose to assail.” What a spectacle lias the British go vernment exhibited for some time past ! While Russia and Austria have been maturing, Si in part executing, a scheme of empire which is to embrace directly, the greater part ofthe European contin ent, and virtually, by irresistible influ ence, the whole,—what has been the oc cupation of that government ? Trying their Queen, scandalizing the world hy foul and obscene detail*—making costly preparations, getting up pageantry and mummeries, for the coronation of their king ; laboring to palliate the monstrous doctrine*, and to justify the odious usur pations of the two colossal powers ; tamely acquiescing or rather corruptly rejoicing, in the extinction ofthe British share of weight in the affairs of the continent, over which the ablest states men of the last century, of all parties, deemed a direct and considerable con trol, indispensable to the ultimate pros perity of England. W e feel no apprehension fur the for tunes of our own country, should it be true to itself. But if the supposition be admitted that, the Allies will finally suc ceed in their views, and the governments of France and Great-Britain remain uni ted with them in spirit and interest, there will he motive for much circumspection and energy on the part of these United States. The destruction of this Repub lic must onter into the plan ofthe mon archical league, which is one that looks to the dominion of particular principles, as well as of particular thrones. After tfcn subjugation of Europe, the existence of our republican Institutions, will he deem ed the only obstacle to the perpetuation of that order of things there, and the ex tension of royal rule over the whole ci vilized world. FROM SOUTH*AMERICA. New-York, August 7. By the politeness of the editor of the Na tional Advocate, we have been favored with Currtcoa papers to the 11th July, inclusive, received by the Rebecca Ann, arrived this forenoon, which stale that Corn has recent ly been re-captured by Lt. Col. Cliauspe. with little or no resistance, who afterward marched into La Valle with about l fiOO mm, for the purpose of reducing the several small towns on the roast which had embraced the Independent cause. The political rotations at Puerto Cahcllo have not varied sinee our last intelligence from that place. The. greatest inactivity prevails—gm. La Torre will neither march FROM ft TO .fANETRO. Baltimore, Aug. 70. Capt. Beard of the brig Amuzon, arrived at this port yesterday in 35 days from St. Salvador, states that (tie Governor of Rio Janeiro had been brought to that place a prisoner, on his way to Europe, having been Urged with high treason in end excit III dependent one. The Mug’s son had been imprisoned by his orders. The indignation ofthe people at St. Salvador was so much excited at the transaction, that it was tho’t summary justice would be performed on the prisoner, w ithout the necessary form of a trial. Vio. have linen politely favored hy Capt. Beard, w ith the “ .durora of lirrnil, of the -Sd, 25lh, anil 26th of .hnir inclusive, re ceived here yesterday hy the Amazon — These papers contain the particulars of the intelligence alluded to in the preceding pa ragraph. We have been promised a trans lation of them for our next paper. [,American. ®'-T fp 3 advantage*. During C ft culprit’s confinement lie is effectual) ,- deprived ofthe ability to commit crime and reflection may and probably ,| 0P g tiring a few, perhaps very few, re pentance nnd reformation ; this is ac . tiing to icompliibed, and society exempted from •xcitethe people of that place to rebel against j the demoralizing effects of frequent pub* lie regular government and establish an iu- |j c executions. V The most effectual mode however of preventing the increase of crime, is be found in (lie general diffusion of intel ligence and religion. Remove the causa of crime and it is prevented. Teaclx men to know and feel the value of vir tue and they will cease to be vicious •» they will then feel their own responsibi lity, reflect upon the remote as well as- immediate consequences of theirconducl 1 Ai learn to entertain proper feelings to wards theirfellow men. So great a blessing as instruction, niliichinJUaiiachusettieveru one can enjoy, ought not only to be offered to those, who from poverty or other cir cumstances arc peculiarly susceptible of temptatiop, hut means ought to be found to induce them to partake of it; and most undoubtedly those, who by their vices are incapacitated from performing their duties, ns parents, to their chil dren, should lie debarred the fatal pri vilege of educating them, to become heirs oftheir parents’ infamy and followers its the downward path of shame. DOMESTIC. .'adowed Schools 4,167 BV THE PRESIDENT OK THE II. STATES A PROCLAMATION. Whereas the Congress ofthe U. States, by joint resolution ofthe 2d day of March Inst, entitled ” Resolution providing for the admission of the state of Missouri into the Union on a certain condition," did deter mine and decree—« That Missouri should be 41 admitted into this Union on an equal foot- “ iug with flip original states, in all resprets “ whatever, upon the fundamental cnndili- 11 on, that the fourth clause ofthe twenty- “ sixth section of the third article ofthe con- " slitution submitted on the part of said “ state to Congress, shall.never be construed “ to authorize the passage of nnydaw, and 11 that no law shall he passed in conformitv “ thereto, hy which any citizen of either of “ the states of this Union shall tie excluded “ from the enjoyment of any ofthe privile- “ ges and immunities to w hich such citizen “ is entitled uudhr the Constitution of the “ United States : Provided, That the legis- 11 lature of the said state, hy a solemn pidi- “ lionet, shall declare the assent of the said “ s,a t R t° the raid fundamental condition,’ "nnd shall transmit to the President ofthe United States on or before the fir3t Mon day in November next, an authentic copy of said act—upon the receipt whereof, the President, hy proclamation, shall Announce the fact: whereupon,and without any fur ther proceeding on the part of Congress, the admission of the said state into this U- nion shall he considered as complete — And whereas, by a solemn public act cf the Assembly ofthe said state of Missouri, pas sed on the twenty-sixth of June, in the pre sent year, entitled “A Solemn public net, du- “ daring the assent of this slate to thefunda- “ mental condition contained in a resolution “ passed hy the Congress of the U. States, “ providing for the admission ofthe state of *’ Missouri into the Union on a certain con- “ dition ;” an authentic ropy whereof has been communicated to me, it is solemnly and publicly enacted nnd declared, that that state has assented, and docs assent, that the fourth clause of the twenty-sixth section of the third article of the constitution of said state “ shall never he construed to authorize “ the passage of any law, nnd that no law “ shall ho passed in conformity thereto, by “ which any citizen of either of the United 11 States shaH he excluded from the eryoy- “ meiTt of any ofthe privileges aod immuru- “ ties to which such citizens are entitled un- “ dcr the. constitution of the United States:” Now, therefore, I, James Momiioe, Presi dent of the United States, in pursuance of the resolution of Congress aforesaid, have issued this my’ Proclamation, announcing the fact, tint the said state of Missouri has assented to the fundamental condition re quired by the resolution of Congress afore said—whereupon the admission of the said state of Missouri into the Union is declared to be complete. In testimony whereof,! have caused the sea! of the United States of America to he nfiixed to these, presents, and [l. s.] signed the same with my hand. Done at the City of Washington, the tenth day of August, 1821 : and of the In dependence of the said United State? of America the fort v-sixth. JAMES MONIiGE. By the President: JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, Secretary of State. moil TTIF. BOSTON PATRIOT. Increase of Crimes.—Judging from the facts, which a few months have develop ed, ne may conclude that the increase oferimes in our country, has been in an against the Patriots nor resign tlje chief com- alarming proportion to its increase lYiftnn—and. owing to the differences amon- ! 1 - 1 in a ml the chiefs, there is great insubordination in " j population. If thiicvilbe indeed extend- ( With Scholars, i 6.7,433, £ a revenue e/.CiUU,72.7) Unendowed Day Schools » - . H-282 IVith Scholars 4/8 8-19 Sunday Schools fi|lf>2 With Scholars 450 This is followed hy a table, which shows' that out of the grand total of children edu cated in England, being 644,202, there are 821,764 w ho pay for their education, while 322,018 are educated 5rr of expense WALES. Population (1811) 6! I 718 Poor (1616) ........ 4lj’3l0 Endowed School* o ( |t, (With scholars. 7,625, and a revenue nf£ 5,817 ) Unendowed Day Schools - . . r>72 With Scholars ....... 22,'ifi* Sunday Schools '’• w ‘ 1 With Scholars 24,4<)H The table which follows, state?, that'nut ofthe total of children educated, 30,691, there, are 17,283 who pay, while 13,311 are instructed free nfexponse. SCOTLAND. Population (1811) 1,80.7,688 No return of Poor Parochial Schools ....... p^o (With .74,181 scholars, and a revenue e/£20,Sl 1.) Endowed Schools . o|o ( I ith 10,176 scholars, and a revenue o/£t3,07li.) Unendowed Day Schools .... 0,47.) With Scholar* ...... H2.187 Sunday Schools ..... . . hot With Scholars ........ 63,449 There are no other general table:. The numbers of unendowed school?, and the numbev of children attending them, vary from year to year—hut there is every rea son to believe that they are upon I he increase, and have been n tig merited considerably since 1818, when most ofthe returns now digest ed were made. ritOS! TIIE PHILADELPHIA NATIONAL GAZETTE- IMPERIAL CONSPIRACY. Until we saw what were the votes of the House of Commons, and what the declarations of the Marquis of London derry, 00 the oec niaa yf the. resolves the army, and numbers of soldiers ‘nightly in « i,sclf ’ lhR qncstion becomes an in desert. Bolivar has nt length entered Cameras, notwithstanding the efforts of Pereira, who is said to have opposed jiis entrance nt the head of 800 men in a very gallant manner. A capitulation was agreed to between them, hy virtue of which the latter was allowed to embark on board a French vessel at Li Guayra. and has been appointed a brigadier general for his bravery manifested on many occasions. When Bolivar took possession ofCaraccas and La Guayra, not a while person was to be found in either of those once populous places. It i* reported that Bolivar Ins made over tures to La Torre to enter into a new armis tice, until the success of the mission to the Spanish Cortes shall be known. A (lent of Spanish merchantmen, consist ing of a ship and nine brigs frnm Cadiz, pas sed Curacoa onthel2tli ult. under convoy of the Asia, of CO guns, and a frigate, on its way to Vera Cruz. A new Vice P.oy for the kingdom of St. Fee, together with about fifty officers (hut no troops) of different grades, to fill up vacan cies iu the a*my, are said to be on board the fleet. Papers from Ornnocofo the 10th of May - contain three proclamations of Gen. Bolivar to the Patriot troops, which are in the usual style of (hat nation. Accounts, by way of Jamaica, slate that the Columbian flotilla of 39 gun-boats, un- dorCoI. Padilla, had entered the harbor of Carthagena on the 4th of May—and would doubtless suerecd in the reduction of that place. The Royalists had made a sortie, but were repulsed by the Patriots. 05“° The Columbian government has guaranteed the payment ofthe debts of Sir Gregor McGregor, contracted upon the faith, and fnr the benefit, of that government. Accounts have been received at Santa Martha confirming the intelligence hereto fore received of the capture of Lima b v Lord G :7liraBo ard Gen. San Mrrfm. teresling ono, how its farther extension shall be checked ? If crimes are rapid ly multiplying how is society to be pro tected ? Are we to look for our reme dy, in the revision of our criminal code, and shall wc increase its rigor and de out severity with an "nsparing hand ?— This we know i« with some n favorite plan, & the rehnrk is often made nnd re peated, that society will never he safe, till it adopt the hanging system. YVe must confess, that wc are not prepared to assent to this doctrine and cannot be lieve, thatit would either accomplish the prevention ofcrim", or produce any last ing benefit to society. If we appeal to experience for proof of the efficacy and expediency nfa severe criminal code, wc shall find in Great Britain, where the commission of crimes is very frequent, that the punishments and penalties of their commission arc excessively se vere.* The inevitable result of thi« sort of severity is to defeat its own ob ject ; it at once makes him, who is templ ed by want or passion to the violation of law, desperate and reckless of all conse quences. YVc have, as yet, seen nothing advanc ed to shake our Faith in u penitentiary syntem. It has, it is true, its imperfec tions : prisoners may and do escape ; the object of their imprisonment too is often defeated ; their reformation is not effect ed, nnd. they return to society, as unfit to enjoy its blessings, as before their con finement. The system however has * tn the nutnmnal circuit oi 1820, in four counties only, out ot fifty-three, comprising England nnd (Vales, one hundred and twenty- three persons were condemned und left for cxec’u- f-oit. BOTTA S AMERICAN REVOLUTION. FROM T1IF. NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW. Perhaps tho most effectual and most a-, greeable mode of giving our readers an idea of the translator’s style, will he to make a few extracts from the work, and we shall se lect passages, which may shew at the same* time Mr. Botta’s talent for description, tho r we must choose not the best, but such as. can be included within the limits assigned to this article. The sea fight between Paul JonPBnnd Captain Pearson in 1779 is de scribed with great spirit. “ Paul Jones, n Scotchman by birth, but engaged in the service ofthe United States, had established his cruise at first in the sens of Ireland, and afterwards in those of Scot land where he was waiting for an opportuni ty to make some prize, or, according to liis practice, to land upon some point of the coast in order to sack the country. His flo tilla was composed ofthe Bonhomme Rich ard of forty gur.s, the Alliance of thirty-six— both American ships—the Pallas, a French frigate, of thirty-two in the pay of Congress, wish two other smaller vessels. He fell in with a British merchant fleet, on its return from the Baltic, convoyed hy Capt. Pear son, with the frigate Serapis of 44 guns, and the Countess of Scarborough, -of 20. “ Pearson had no sooner perceived Jones, than he Imre down to engage him, while the merchantmen endeavored to gain the coast.*. The American flotilla formed to receive him.. The two enemies joined battle at about se ven in the evening, with great resolution, and the conflict was supported on both sides with equal valor. The Serapis bad the ad vantage of metal and manoeuvre—to obviate which, Jones took the resolution to fight her closer, -lie advanced till the two frigates were engaged yard to yard, and their sides so near that the muzzles of their guns came in contact. In this position they continued to fight fom eight in the evening till ten, with an audacity bordering on frenzy. But'tlie. artillery ofthe Americans was no longer ca pable of producing much effect. The Rich ard having received Severn! heavy shot be-, tween wind and water of her lower batteries, and two or three of her upper guns had burst —to the destruction of those who served them. Jones, at length, had only three left that could he worked, and he employed, them against the masts of the hostile frigate. Seeing the little impression made by chain- shot, lie resorted to another mode of attack. Ho threw 11 vast quantity of grenades and. fire-works on board the British frigate. But his own now admitted tdie water on all sides, and threatened every moment to go to the bottom. Gome of tiis officers having per ceived it, asked him if lie would surrender ? “ No,” he answered them in a tremendous tone, and continued to push the grenade.s.— The Serapis was already on fire, in several places—the English could, with difficulty, extinguish the flames. Finally, they caught a cartridge, which, in an instant, fired all the others with a horrible explosion. All who stood near the helm were killed, and all the.. cannon of that part were dismounted.— Meanwhile, Pearson wns not disheartened— he ordered his people to hoard. Paul Jones prepared himself to repulse them. The English in jumping on hoard him, found the- Americans ready to receive them on the point oftheir pikes—they made the host of their way back to their own vessel. But during this interval, the fire had communi cated itself from the Serapis to f he. Bonliom- me Richard, nnd luftli were a prey to the flames. No perifc could shake these despe rate men. The night was dark, the cor. bat- ants could no longer see each other but by the blaze of the conflagration, nnd through dense volumes of smoke, while the sea was illuminated afar. At this moment the Ame rican frigate Alliance came up. Amidst the 001151*100 she discharged her broadside into tile Richard, and killed a part of her remain ing defenders. A? sunn as she discovered her mistake, she fell with augmented fury upon the Serapis. Then the valiant Eng lishman seeing a great part of his crew eith er killed or disabled, his artillery dismount ed, his vessel dismasted, and quite enveloped in flames, surrendered. All joined to extin guish the fire, and at length it was accom plished. Tho efforts made to stop the nu merous leaks of the Richard proved less fortunate—she sunk tho next morning.—• Out of 375 men that were aboard the vessel, son wore, kilted or wounded. Tha Englisn Ind lint forty nine killed, and their wounded amounted to nn more than 68. History, perhaps, offers no example of a rencounter more fierce, obstinate and sanguinary.— During this time, the Pallas had attacked tho Countess of Scarborough & had captured her, not however without a stubborn resistance^ After a victory so hard earned, so deplorable, J p 'ues wandered with his shattered vessels for some days, at the mercy ofthe winds, in the north sea. He Anally made his way good on the 6th of October, into the waters of tho Texel.”—pp. 112-114. TI10 account of the battle ofthe Cowpens between Morgan and Tarleton is alsu highly" animated and graphic. “ Tarleton, after having passed with equal celerity and good fortune the rivers Euoree and Tiger, presented himself upon the banks of the Pacolet, Morgan retreated thence forthwith, and Tarleton set himself to pur sue him. He pressed him hard. Morgan felt how full of danger was become the pas sage of Broad river, in the presence of so en terprising an enemy a? now hung upon his