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HENRY COUNTY POLITICS. The Abbeville (Ala.) Advertiser says:— “New3 has reached us that there is a report jfi circulation in Barbour county, on account of which there is some rejoicing, that our late election in Henry county turned upon the popularity of Col. Shorter, the Conference Bill, &e. Now we will assure all parties con cerned that such is not true. Every candi date in the field for any office in Henry coun ty at the late election, are decidedly opposed to the late Conference Bill, and no one more so than the friends generally of Michael Holmes, our Sheriff elect. We stand almost as a unit upon that question. Whenever it becomes necessary for the citizens of Henry county to show their hands upon the question of the Conference Bill, we are fully satisfied that she will roll up such a majority as will cause the strong men who supoorted that measure to “repent in sack cloth and ashes,” for that miserable subterfuge.” Yes! and Henry county is not the only county in Alabama that would have condemn ed the nefarious Conference Bill, had the test been applied. The people are beginning to see that the whole thing was a most iniquitous fraud upon the South, and all they now want is the opportunity to condemn it in terms which the perpetrators thereof cannot misun derstand. That the Southern members who voted for it intended to commit a fraud upon their section, we are not fully prepared to be lieve, but the overweening desire to either perserve or build up national party organiza tions blinded them to the true interests of their section, and they suffered themselves to be cajoled and wheedled into supporting a measure which bartered away the rights of those they misrepresented. But the most fa vorable construction that can be placed upon the matter shows the Southern supporters of the iniquity to be unworthy of the further confidence of their constituents, and we be lieve those constituents will supply their places with others more worthy, when the time shall come to do so.— Columbus Sun. Hon. A. B. Wright Endorsing Douglas ! Rome, Ga„ Aug. 23, 1858. My Dear Sir: Your letter is at hand. I was glad to hear from you again, and from the metropolis. It is very strange that any Democrat should desire Mr. Douglas’ defeat. There is not an impulse of my soul that is not with him in his contest with the Black Re publicans. Douglas is a true man to his country. The difference about Lecompton, I regard as a difference-about facts —not prin ciples. W e all agreed the people should form their institutions to suit themselves. The question was, had they done so in the Le compton constitution ? We who supported that constitution said they had ; Mr. Douglas said they had not. We said the people had ratified it; Mr. Douglas said not so—the peo ple were against it. Who doubts, thatknows Mr. Douglas, if the whole action of Kansas had been regular and legal, and free from fraud, ihat he would have voted for her ad mission, notwithstanding there might have been slavery tolerated therein ? * * * * Mr. • Douglas is almost the only very prominent Democrat North that has never faltered. Yours, truly, Augustus R. Wright. Dr. C. P. Culver. From the State Press. Mr. Editor :—What is the duty of an edi tor? Is it to mislead the honest, unsuspecting citizen ? Is it his duty to tell the people, or rather so write as to leave the impression that he writes the whole truth, and at the same time designedly suppress the important fea ture of the whole facts ? Will you allow me, through your columns, to inform the Georgia Telegraph of this fact, that the true Democrat of Illinois is not compelled to choose between Douglas and Lincoln. The Telegraph ought to have known better. I think he knows that the political position of things in Illinois pre sents no such extremity. The Telegraph of the 24th ult., ought to have been /<(/-candid, aud told the people of Georgia there were three candidates for United States Senator in Illinois, to-wit: Douglas, the anti-Leeompton candidate, Lincoln, the Black Republican can didate, and Breesc, the Lecompton and Ad ministration candidate—the candidate of the true Democracy of Illinois. Douglas sternly and successively opposed the South and the admission of Kansas under the Lecompton Constitution, Lincoln did the same thing, but Breese defended the Administration, and as sternly favored the South and the admission of Kansas with the Lecompton Constitution ; and, to-day, this moment, he is contending for the great doctrine in Illinois, that a Slate may and shall be admitted with or without slavery. Why did the Telegraph silently pas3 the name of Breese by ? Breese is a gallant fellow, for he stood by his country ; he is no traitor to his word ; he stood by the South in her ex tremity, and for that he is offensive to the po litical olfactorii sos the Telegraph. Quitman. Correspondence of the Philadelphia Press. Washington, Aug. 27, 1858. Ono after the other of the leading Demo crats of the South takes ground in favor of Douglas. Mr. Speaker Orr, of South Caroli na, not having the fear of the Charleston Mer cury before his eyes, does not hesitate to ex press this preference, and thus indirectly to rebuke the course of the Washington Union. In due time we will have puch men as Hen ry May and R. M. McLane, of Maryland, taking the same ground. The attacks of the Uuion upon Senator Green, of Missouri for daring to say that he prefers Douglas to Lin coln, are anew evidence of the insanity of that paper. More than one-half of the South ern papers, including the chief organs of the Democratic party, have taken this ground; and they will not abandon it before the thun der of the Union. The most extraordinary canvass of the day is that, now making by the well-known “Tom Corwin’’ in Ohio. lie is said to be over six ty, but is still full of vigor and body of mind. While strongly opposing the Lecompton poli cy of Mr. Buchanan, he takes high grounds against sectionalism, rebuking the Abolition ists with much ferocity, and terrifying the factions by his fearless rhetoric. As yet he has no opponent in his district, and js ex pcctod to be elected almost by acclamation. The most dangerous phase that the opposi tion to the Demoeracy can assume is unques tionably that of nationality. It may he the best, in the long run, for the country, when such ideas as “no more slave States’’ .ire giv en up; but the Democracy must close up ranks, and frown down all proscription, be fore such a transformation of their old adver sary. Occasional. Wawtg. HOW THE CABLE SUCCEEDS. Avery natural but not a reasonable impa tience is manifested at the delay in opening the Atlantic cable for public use ; the com mon idea being, that to place the instruments in connection with the wire is all that is need ed to bring the whole apparatus into effective operation. We are enabled to speak with some degree of authority in saying electricity is passing through the cable without the slightest impediment, and with perfect regu larity: and that the rapidity with which elec tric signals are transmitted, is fully equal to the speed obtained in the early experiments with wires on laud. Whatever difficulty arises, arises from the retardation of the current in passing through such an unprecedented length of cable, —the insulation being more complete than before the cable was immersed. The effect of the retardation is to prolong the sig nals so that one is merged into another ; and the great object immediately in view is, to ascertain the precise volume of electricity aud power of battery requisite for tho most effective working. The act of cutting off the current is [instantaneous, but not so the transmission of each instalment of fluid ; and caution must be exercised lest the residue of one shall be overtaken by another, and the whole mingled in confusion. The “practice” in which the electricians arc engaged, is aptly compared to experiments in gunnery, whore the amount of powder, length of bore, and distance of the target, have all to be consid ered. When, as in the present case, all for mer experience is of little avail, and with no logarithms or differential calculus for refer ence, it is easy to conceive that difficulties may be presented which demand the most pa tient investigation. We are assured that in struments are known to exist which are better adapted to the objects in view than any here tofore employed, and it is also probable that higher scientific attainments may be brought into requisition than have been hitherto ap plied to the subject. Withoutdoubt, the exi gencies of this new field of scientific exploits might have been more readily met, and the movements of the company been more rapid, had the groat objects to be attained been placed before tho savans of all nations, for their competition. It would well comport with the character of thejenterprisc, had it represented, in the construction and arrange ment of its parts, thecombined intellect of the world. In perfecting an agency on which such mo mentous results depend, considerable time can be reasonably allowed. Openingtlicline for a single commercial despatch, for exam ple, would entail the necessity of opening it for others, and thus greatly embarrass those upon whom the duty devolvos of carrying the work forward to a triumphant completion. Tho expectation has been prevalent that the line would bo in readiness for daily transac tions about the first of September. We be lieve the Directors in this city do not regard this event as impossible; though it seems more likely that several more days will be re quired. The tariff of charges which has been agreed upon for the transmission of messa ges, is understood to be one dollar for each word, including the signature and address. — This charge is adjusted partially with refer ence to the limited capacity of the wire,—the alternative being presented of making high charges, or having the line choked with busi ness far exceeding its capacity to excute.— N. T. Journal of Commerce. From the Chronicle <fc Sentinel. LETTER FROM THE COPPER MINES. Ducktown Copper Mines, Aug. 20, 1858. Mr. Editor I arrived in this very inter esting mining reg'on yssteiday, and found its dozen copper mines in full blast—giving employment to several thousand persons, and direct and incidental support to more women and children than probably any other country of like extent on earth. Each mine is a dis tinct community, with its school, church, and all the collateral attachments of a well regu lated mining establishment. Several have smelting furnaces, which reduce the ore to a motte or regulus of from 50 to 70 per cent. This is crushed and packed in boxes, and wag oned to the railroad, thence to Baltimore, New York, or Swansea, in Wales, where it is sold. A good furnace will reduce 5000 pounds per day. The most of the oar now worked is, obtained near the surface, at from 50 to 100 feet, is termed by the miners “black oxide,” but is ratherja vitrious bisulphret, containing from 10 to 20 per cent.—sometimes from 30 to even 40 per cent, of copper. The green carbonate is found in considerable quantity at two of the mines. The snperincumbent part of the vein is a hydrated oxide of iron, (limonite,) and at a greater depth, varying from 150 to 375 feet, they find beautiful spec imens of the yellow sulphret, which will ul timately afford all the workable ores. Most of the mines are conducted on the strictest principles of modern science—the miners are men of enlarged practical knowledge, ob tained in the best regulated mines in Europe. All the operations have assumed a fixed character and steadily progress till in a few more years it will equal any section on the globe for its immense mineral productions and enlightened scientific system of develop ments and onward march. It is now far in advance of outward public opinion with regard to its progress iu the arts and its moral condition. In a popula tion of some 6000, divided into over half a dozen communities, I saw but one man intox icated in two days, which speaks highly of its inhabitants, and clearly surpasses many, if not all of our older towns and villages. At the Iliwasse mine, they have a Masonic Hall and a Printing Office ! The latter re cently established, under tho ownership and supervision of W. P. Collins, whose industry and enterprise can’t fail of securing a liberal patronago from a people who evince so much interest in the development of all the resources of their country. M. S, Escaped Jail. —Revel, who was convicted for murder at the last torm of Crawford Su perior Court, and transferred to Clinton Jail for safe confinement, contrived on Sunday morning last to open the inside door of his cell, where he stationed himself until the Jail or opened the front door to present him his breakfast, at which moment prisoner present ed a bowie-knife and Revolver, and tumbling the Jailor overtax'd, made for the swamp, where friends vmh horses were waiting his arrival, and have since escorted him to parts unknown. The Jailor received no material damage from tho unijallant salute. Clinton Jail is one of the strongest in the State, the walls, floor and ceiling having been erected out of heavy, solid smooth granite ashlers, at a cost of near ten thousand dollars. —Albany Patriot, THE STATE BOAD. Wo learn from the Atlanta Intelligencer of the Ist inst., that the treasurer of the State Road, Benj. May, Esq., has paid into the State Treasury $33,000 for tho month of Au gust. This amount added to previous pay ments makes the round sum of $150,000 paid into the State Treasury within the past six months, commencing with the first of March last. A considerable fund has been reserved to purchase new Iron, for such portions of the track as require relayingj on account of the worn condition of the iron. We learn from authentic sourcos that the Road Bed is in fine order and condition. For some time past about 300 hands have been employed up on the repairs and are yet engaged in that service. At Chattanooga a magnificent Pas senger Depot is in process of erection. The work is being conducted by a civil Engineer and put up by hands in the immediate em ployment of the Road. The expenses of this work are paid monthly, as well as the wages of all laborers employed on the Road, and all current expenses aud debts of the Road. It is the settled policy of the Administration that no new debts shall accumulate. All the payments into the State Treasury, have been made from the Kelt earnings of the Road, and from no other source.— Augusta Dispatch. Late and Important News from Yenezu la—Laguayra and Porto Cabcllo Blockaded. —By the arrival of the schooner Peerless, Capt. Patterson, at Baltimore, from Porto Cabello, in the verv quick passage of thirteen days, wo have received the following highly important advices: ‘On the 12th inst. the British steam frigates Buzzard and Tartar, and a French war steam er, name not known, under command of Capt. Peel, of the Buzzard, Blockaded the port of Laguayra, taking captive a large number of small coasting vessels anchored therein, and on the 14th, 10 A. M., the same fleet block aded Porto Cabello, likewise capturing a num ber of coasting vessels. Atthelatter portthore were thirteen sails taken. On the approach of the war steamers the shipping was desert ed by their officers and crew, most of them jumping overboard and swimming to the shore from their vessels that were anchored in the port. Capt. Patterson states that tho blockade was caused by the government re fusing to give up tho person of Gen. Mona gas. A Rich Estate. —The estate of John Law rence, of Watertown, England, is of immense value, consisting of millions of dollars, in the keeping of the English government. Notice has been given to their heirs to come forward and prove their identity, and we learn that the claimants, as heirs at law, are John B. High ton, Thomasßrane llighton, Mehitaljlo Ed wards, and Mary Cone, all of this State. We are also inforfned that our indomitable and energetic citizen, Levi S. Russell, Esq., has already gone on, with evidence proving the heirship of the above parties, to this vast es tate. The evidence was taken before the Or dinary of Bulloch county, in conformity to the Amendatory Statute of England, and an original record connected with the ease was made in the year 1804. We learn that the proofs in possession of Mr. Russell, together with the record evideuee, are positive, in fa vor of the heirship of those parties. “We most heartily wish Mr. Russell success in his un dertaking.—Savannah Morning News. Ticket Suits. —The Buffalo Advertiser says that various suits have been brought against the New York Central Railroad Com pany, by persons who have been forced to pay extra fare, or have been ejected from the cars, under tlie new rule limiting the hqjders of the tickets to a certain length of time.— That paper say s: — “It is certainly a queer proceeding on the part of the company, and we believe grossly wrong. Tickets are no more nor less than a contract to carry a person a certain distance, and the holder is entitled to the stipulated amount of travel. Someone will probably thoroughly test the legality of the course of the Central Company, but, in the meantime, a stout healthy man would prove himself a very recreant if he allowed himself to be put off from the cars for not complying with a rule inherently wrong. An ejection would he an assault, and self defence is allowable under all circumstances where oppression is employed.” A Great State.— Western Editors make much ado over their prolific soils, but after all there is no soil like Kentucky soil, and no produce like Kentucky products. While the press of neighboring States groan over their miserable prospects for corn, the ciop of this invaluable cereal has never been so largo in Kentucky as the present crop promisos to be. Wo hear of fields in the Blue Grass region estimated at 25 barrels, or 175 bushels to the acre, while fields promising 75 to 80 bushels are quite common. Consequent upon this, droves of swine from the less prolific regions, cross the Ohio river daily at this and other points to be fattened in Kentucky, and the indications now are that wo shall show finer and fatter hogs this season than ever before. —Louisville Journal. Fungi tiie Producer of Yellow Fever.— A writer in a Now Orleans paper says there can be no doubt that the poison producing yellow fever is fungi diffused through the at mosphere, just as tho odoriferous particles of a rose or other fragrant flowers are diffused through it, and are known by their saluting our olfactories on approaching them early in the morning. Those of the night, in this case, have exerted a solvent power over the flower, the atmosphere for some distance around be ing filled with them in fever time. But neith er chemical analysis nor the microscope is able to detect these minute particles of mat tor that make such an agreeable impression on the senses; neither have they been able to detect the subtle poison that produces yellow fever. Whatever, then, may be the cause producing the fever, one tiling is believed to be certain, viz; that it is diffused through the atmosphere, and that whoever breathes a suf ficient quantity of that atmosphere to imbibe a cortain amount of tho poison, will have the disease. United States military Commission. Booneville, Aug. 28. — We learn from Leavenworth, August 26th, per United States Express Company, that tho Military Com mission authorised by the Secretary of War, to adjust certain differences between the Quartermaster’s Department and the con tractors who furnished mules for the Utah expedition, met yesterday at Fort Leaven worth. Present Major Sherman, Lieut. Col onel Roberts, and General James. The Board made two ineffectual attempts to organize, and its preliminary proceedings w'ere exceed ingly inharmonious. The question of prece dence of rank had not been definitely settled last evening. KENTUCKY TOBACCO CBOP. From reliable letters the Louisville Price Current gleans the following information : In Boone, Kenton, Grant and Gallatin counties there will not be over a quarter crop. Breok enridge county—the growing crop is far short of last year : more so in size and quality than in the number of plants. Your correspon dent has twenty acres planted, on which the yield will be 200 lbs, per acre lighter than last year. Henderson county—weather aw ful. The crop promises to be about three fourths to seven eighths of an average. Bar ren county—the crop looks badly. Farmers think there will not be more than half a orop this season. McLean county—the crop now growing will be lighter than last season, and it is feared the yield will not be more than two-thirds of last year ; much of it is late which an early Lost will affect, materially. Supplies for Utah. St. Louis, Aug. 28. — The following shows the number of trains sent out on government account by Majors Russell and Waddell, con tractors for supplying the army of Utah : From Kansas city fourteen trains of twenty six wagons each, from Leavenworth one hun dred and five trains of twenty-six wagons each, from Nebraska territory thirty-five trains of twenty wagons each. These trains left previous to the 18th inst. Other trains are being loaded. Important Meeting of Railroad Operators—A New Freight Tariff Agreed Upon. An important meeting of Railway opt;e tors was held at Cincinnati on Friday. A'.l the Principal Railway Companies whore lines radiate from that city, and their principal Eastern connection s, were represented. The purpose of the a*./ting was to establish uni form rates of freight, and, after mature delib eration, the following tariff of rates was agreed upon, which took effect on 25th inst., and will continue until further notice, viz: 4th class.; Flour Wheat $ 100ifc. tp bhl. $ 100 lbs. From Cinein*i to Baltimore 50 30 45 From Cincin’i to Pbilailelphia...ss 00 50 From Cincin'i to New York 371 65 55 From Cincin’i to Boston 65 100 From Madison, Ind., and Louis ville, Ky., to Baltimore 60 105 From Madison, Ind., and Louis villo, Ky., to Philadelphia 65 115 From Madison, Ind., aud Louis ville, Ky., to Pittsburg. 45 SO From lud’is to Baltimore 56 90 From Inrt’is to Philadelphia 55 100 From Ind’s to Pittsburg 35 60 The Pennsylvania Central, and Central Ohio Railroads were represented at the meeting. Summer Snows. —The Valparaiso corres pondent of the Pennsylvanian writes under date of July 16th : ‘This is mid-winter here, and the weather very cold and unpleasant. The Andes are covered with snow. Snow to the depth of several inches fell in the streets of Santiago one night last week. The ‘oldest settlers’ unite in declaring that they have never pass ed through a more inclement winter than the present. The snow is so deep on tho moun tains that wild animals are compelled to leave the mountain gorges, and seek for a milder climate in the valleys.’ What Cigars are Made of. —The New York correspondent of the Schoharie Repub lican, who, it may be presumed, is domiciled in the neighborhood of the CustOD'l House, gives the following ; evelation of the compon ent materials of ‘r< 4 Havana.’ We copy it for the benefit of those who inhale, or sup pose they inhale, the fragrant weed. It shows the doubt which hangs over, not only what we drink, but also what we smoke :—‘Talking of cigars, I was told by a Government Apprais er, a few days since, the following true story in connection with the cigar trade of this city : —A large German importing house had received an invoice of foreign cigars, which were appraised by the Custom House officers at $3 per thousand. The importers were dissatisfied, and asked for re-appraise ment, which was granted: and under the most positive evidence, supported by the oath of the dealers, the cigars wore admitted at a valuation of $1,50 per thousand. Now, the evidence alluded to was this—that not a par ticle of tobacco entered into the composition of said cigars, hut that they were wholly composed of oak and other leaves soaked in a strong tobacco lye. I understand thatlarge quantities of these ‘real Ilu'-anas’ find their way into tho interior, and from some exper ience I have had in that line, I am inclined to believe that a few specimens might be found even among the primitive society of ‘Old Schoharie.’ A City in the Air—The Mirage on the Plains. —Travelers acioss the plains assert that they have seen on the Noble’s Pass Route, about thirty miles this side of tho Humboldt river, tho most wonderful phenomenon that they think could ever have been witnessed in any part of the world. It is no less a thing than a city in the air—completo in every as pect and concomitant. It is seen in the early morning, and stands self-poised above the dead level of a broad and airy plain, which is cov ered with a light white dust that rises in small clouds at tho touch of a horse’s hoof, or as cends in magnificent spiral towers in the breath of the little whirlwinds that are occas ioned by the intense heat. Tho line of the base of the city forms an angle with the line of the plain, so that the city seems to lean over towards the earth, and a full view of the streets and buildings is presented. All tho streets seem to tend to one point, where they concentrate, and whence, of course, they di verge. The architectural beauty and splen dor of this city in the air are of a character unequaled by anything upon the face of the earth. The buildings rise, one after another, in proud, palatial grandeur, and their tall towers glitter like molten silver in the sun.— Clean and perfect was the work of the myste rious architect who framed those marble-look ing wonders of tho air. The apparentextent of the city is about six miles in circumference and the nearest approximation of the base to the earth is a distance of about fifty feet.— Not having seen this phenomenon, of course we cannot enter into any minute description of it; we can only give the general idea which we have presented. We are assured that the Illusion is perfect—nothing wanting, whatever, to fill up the picture—a magnificent city, silent as the bottom of the sea, but glit tering in the full life of the sunshine, and self sustained in the heaven. —Marysville (Cal.) Express. A clergyman who was reading to his con gregation a chapter in Genesis, found the last sentence to be: “And the Lord gave unto Adam a wife.” Turning over two leaves together, he found written, and read in an audible voice : “And she was pitched without and within.” lie had unhappily got into a description of Noah’s Ark, THE ERASER BIYEB GOLD MINES. The intelligence from the new gold fields of the North, brought by the ‘Moses Taylor,’ is not conclusive either in regard to their richness or extent. In some places the rivers had fallen and miners were extracting small quantities of the precious metal; in others, after waiting patiently for several weeks, with the delusive expectation that the waters would subside, the prospect of this event seemed as remote as ever. There was reason to believe, however, that in four weeks the submerged bars in the vicinity of Forts Hope and Yale could be worked. Judging from the speech of Gov. Douglas, a part of which will be found in another column, that gen tleman, whose competency to judge of the facts cannot be questioned, believes that gold exists on Fraser River in the greatest abun dance. In addressing the miners at Victoria ho says: ‘This 1 will tell you, as my own settled opinion, that I think tho country is full cf gold, and that east and north and south of Fraser river, there is a gold field of incal culable value and extent. I have told our glorious Queen so; and I now tell you so.’ San Francisco papers generally acknowledge there is abundant evidence of the existence of gold on Fraser River, hut consider the practicability of prosecuting mining opera tions in those high latitudes, whatever the condition of the river, as a problem of doubtr ful solution. The San Francisco Herald, for example, doubts whether profitable work could be obtained there by auy considerable number of miners, on account of the inacces sibility of the country. The ascent of the river is made with great difficulty, under the most favorable circumstances ; and it i3 sup posed that when the river lias fallen, tho highest point reached will be Fort Langley, some eighty or ninety miles below the dig gings. Another discouraging circumstance is tho failure of the Bellingham trail, from which large things had been expected ; and tho route by Columbia River is obstructed by hosrile Indians. Under tlio3C circumstances, the discovery of a ne w route to tho upper Fraser River region, by way of Hcrrisonand Tillooet rivers and lakes, is regarded as an event of much importance. A few weeks will determine with more precision tho value of the new discoveries which have produced such a profound sensation throughout tho Pacific coast. The Hudson Bay Company have withdrawn every restriction upon the introduction of pro visions into the mining region, and seem dis posed to exercise the utmost liberality in their intercourse with the miners. THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD. Louisville, Aug. 2 —The Meeting of stock holders in tho Southern Pacific Railroad Company, called by the President, Doctor Fowlkes, to meet in this city to-day, organ ized this morning by the calling of the Hon. •James Guthrie to the chair, and the ap pointment of Dr. Shannon, President of the Christian University of this State, as Sec retary. Dr. Fowlkes, the President of tho Compa ny, read a report to the meeting, the princi cipal point in which went to show that the amount already invested by old stockholders must prove a total loss, unless they consented to advance further means to rescue the affairs of the company from their present position, and to prosecute the enterprise. The report was, on motion, referred to a Committee, and the meeting adjourned to 3, P. M. Jto resolve their report thereon. Gen. PersiferF. Smith’s Effects. —A sale of the personal effects of the late Gen. P. F. Smith took place at Philadelphia on Monday. Tho Pennsylvanian says : The articles comprised 234 lots. A French traveling cloek brought S4O ; a field glass, $22 ; another ditto, sls ; a chess board made from the wood of the flag staff at the palace at Alexico, $12,50 ; a handsome dress sword was bought by Gen. R. Patterson for $8 ; a pair of gold epaulets, containing 54 diamonds, made in the city of Mexico, were sold to Mr. E. McCoy for $100; brass mounted saddle, with appropriate fixtures, was bought by Gen. Patterson for s7l; a major-general’s hat was bought by the same gentleman for $7 ; a chess table, with backgammon board attached, made of the wood of the fortifications at Vera Cruz and of the flag staff at the city of Mexico, and elegantly carved, was sold for SSO. The principle competition was for a large military arm-chair, made of wood from the fortifications of the castlo of San Juan D’UUoa, at Vera Cruz, which sold for $155. Tiie Discovery of Steam. —Soloman De Caus, who was shut up for his supposed madness in tlie Bricatre at Paris, seems to have been the first to conceive the ideaof em ploying steam for moving carriages on land, as well as ships at sea. Marion De Lorme, in a letter to the Mar quis Do Clinq Mars, dated Paris February, 1641, thus described a visit paid to the cele brated madhouse, in the Company of an En glish Marquis of Worchester : “We were crossing the court, and I, more dead than alive with fright, kept close to my companion’s side, when a frightful face ap peared behind some immense bars, and a hoarse voice exclaimed: ‘I am not mad! I am not mad! I have made a discovery that would enrich the coun try that adopted it V “ ‘What has he discovered?’ asked our guide. “‘Oh,’ said the keeper, shrugging his shoulders, ‘something trifling enough : you would never guess it; it’s the use of the steam of boiling water.’ “I began to laugh. “This man,’continued the keeper, ‘is named Soloman De Caus; he came from Normando four years ago to present to the King a state ment of the wonderful effects that might be Produced from his invention. To listen to him you would imagine that with steam you could navigate ships’ move carriages, in fact, there is no end to the miracles which he in sists upon could bo performed. The Cardinal sent the madman away without listening to him. Soloman De Caus, far from being dis couraged, followed the Cardinal wherever he went, with the most determined perseverence, who, tired of finding him foreyer in his path, annoyed at his folly, shut him op in the Brb catre.’ ” An Editor Tight. —A Syracuse cotempor ary was called upon to record a ‘melancholy event’ at a time when his head was rather heavy, and did it up after the-following man nor: ‘Yesterday morning, about 4 o’clock, P. M-> a man with a heel in the hole of his stocking, committed arsenic by swallowing a dose of suicida. The inquest of the verdict returned a jury that the deceased came to the facts in accordance with his death. He leaves a child and six small wives to lament the end of hjs untimely loss. In death wo arc in the midsf of life,’ WHITE SLAVERY, NORTH. The following article is descriptive of a case of suffering, in New York city, and of the tyranny exercised by taskmasters and em ployers, over the poor white slaves, men and women, of the Northern States, that has no parallel in the whole Southern Country ! On ly think of it-ntne shillings per dozen ($1,125) J'tyr making shirts with plaited bosoms, linen wristbands, dec. Work fortheCharitarle. —‘What ! make shirts for nine shillings a dozen?’ ‘Yes, sir : indeed, I can get nothing else to do!’ ‘Nine shillings a dozen ! nine cents a piece! But how many can you make in a day ?’ ‘One, sir, if I have my time ; but I have my little boy, two years old, and he’s quite fretful this warm weather, so that I do not always finish it, unless I can work at night.’ ‘And do you work at night, sewing on these ?’ ‘I would sir, and do so long as I can afford to; but, indeed, sir what with feeding my four little oues, I cannot afford to buy cau dles !’ ‘Four children ! Poor woman! I fear you have a hard task to pay the landlord ! What rent do you pay ?’ ‘Four dollars a month, sir !’ ‘And you earn fifty-four centsa week. How long have you lived here ?’ ‘My husband died in March last. He was a manufacturer of daguerreotype colors.— We lived up town then. But his long sick ness consumed what little money he had; and when he died, I was obliged to sell most we had in the house, aud come down here, with my poor little ones.’ ‘ Four oldest boy is nine years old ; you can scarcely earn more then will pay your vent. How do you furnish food for yourselves ?’ ■This young women pays three shillings a wceek for a part if -ho room. We had a sil ver-plated teapot, sugar bowl, and such like, and some spoons. For these I got nearly their value. I have sold everything 1 had besides. 1 hare r o move to sell.’ The tears came into her eyes. Poor tiling she so uld not help it. ‘lndeed, fir, I would not have sent for you if the sight of rv.y children in rags and hun ger did not compel me to do so.’ ‘Your rent is paid for this month?’ —I knew it was, or she would r.ct be a tenant of that landlord—‘Your children began to come to the school at the House of Industry last Mon day, I believe, did they?’ ‘Yes, sir ; and I’m very thankful for your kindness to them.’ Send them every day. They shall be fed and clothed, and when rent-day comes near, let us 1 now.’ ‘God bless you sir.’ A heavy load of care withdrew from the mind, and a cloud from her face. Nine shillings per dozen for making shirts, with plaited besoms, linen wristbands, and to be well made! for if a flaw can bo picked in the workmanship, all the seamstress’s work goes for nothing. Do you belh .ait? Itisa fact! W e saw the shirts to-day. We saw the care-worn and work-worn mother, and her children.— We have heard that such facts were plenty. We know they arc ! Y7ould some chnritab! 1 ladies like to see the same? Let them go to the House of Industry any day, for ono hour, and if they do not return to their homes with the heart-ache, we ara no true prophot. Mental Over-Exertion. —Severe or long sustained thought is injurious, both by the direct over-excitement of the brain, and by leaving loss nervous energy available for crr rying on the ordinary vital processes. Occa sional strain on tbs mind may be little felt in health, when the powers of nature are quick ly restored by food, rest, sleep, and variety of occupation. In time, however, over-exer tion of thought will tell unfavorably on the strongest constitution. Literary men and others who are subject to constant mental fatigue are rarely healthy or long-lived ; ex cept through extraordinary care and prudence, for which such persons, with all their know ledge, are seldom remarkable. It is very common to find hard students and laborious thinkers, men of feeble or irritable nerves, and general debility of system. Tho same wearing effect of the mind appears in the fate of those who have been precociously clever or studious. Life is generally short when the mental faculties are early developed and im prudently tasked in youth. If life is prolon ged under intellectual training, it is almost always in weakness and discomfort. There are also dangers to health in the opposite ex treme of indolence and inactivity of mind.— It is with tho mind very much as with the body, moderate exercise conducive to health, while over-fatigue or inactivity are both un favorable. An Italian Heroine.— The following is from an article on ‘Woman Artists’ in the Westminister Review: Onorata Rudiano wielded at once the pain ter’s pencil and the warrior’s sword. She is quite a personage of romance, and we are surprised that she never figured in novel or poetry. Iu her 23d year she had alre#jy at tained so great a reputation for artistic skill, that Gambrina Fondola, tyrant of Cremyno, committed to her care the adornment of his palace. Onorata would willingly have de clined this equivocal honor, but the master would listen to no refusal; and to excite the anger of a man at once so vindicative and so unscrupulous, was too fearful a risk. Onor ata was not destined to labor long in the ser vice of Fondola. One day, while occupied in painting the walls of one of the apartments, a courtier, noted for his dissipated habits, en tered the room, and offered some unjustifiable liberties. The young artist indignantly re pulsed him, and on hisrcturuingtothecharge, she seized a dagger she always wore conceal ed in her boddice and stabbed him in the heart; then rushed from the palace, disguis herself in man’s attire, and fled to the mountains, declaring that she would rather perish in exilo and a wanderer, but pure and untainted, than enjoy splendor and dishonor at home. The Marquis was furious ; he sent soldiers in every direction in pursuit, with or ders to bring her alive or dead ; but unable to discover the place of her retreat and find ing no one capable of completing her labors, he promised full and entire pardon on condi tion of her instant return. Onorata, however, had effected hor escape from his dominions.- ltetaining her disguise, she obtained admit tance into one of the companies of Contotti eri, then infesting Italy, and her warlike spir it delighted in the independence and excite ment of her new career ; she refused to aban don it, and continued to fight and paint al ternately, for thirty years. In 1172, her na tive town, Castellione, was beseiged by the Venetians. Onorata, at the head of her com pany, flew to its relief; she forced the enemy to raise the seige, but was mortally wounded in the conflict, and died in a few days later. A DINNER IN THE HARAM. We extract the following article from ad'’ vanced sheets of Mrs. Hornby’s piquant and interesting work on Constantinople—-“In and about Stainboul.” “At the entrance of the dining-room stood stood two Arab slaves, richly attired. To each lady, as she entered, one of these held a beautiful silver bowl, while the other poured rose water over her bands from a vase of tho same richly-chased material. Two little slave-girls presented fine napkins, the ends embroidered in gold, on which we eaohohook the rosewater from our fingers. The dining room was a most luxurious apartment, closely latticed, for it looked into the streets of Stam boul, but cheerful, and rich in crimson di vans and carved and painted flowers on walls and ceiling. All had been done to make the cage bearable. Riza Pacha’s haram is, lam told, one of the most “fashionable,” which accounted for seeing a European table, adorn ed with a handsome centre-piece and four beautiful vases of flowers and fruit, after tho’ French fashion. The dinner service was of rare and beautiful china; the silver knives and forks were extremely handsome; the’ servetti delicately fine; the flowers exquisitely arranged, and mingled with oranges and lem ons, in the Eastern fashion ; the slaves were’ standing round, three or four deep, awaiting’ our slightest sign : we felt still more in the land of dreams. First of all, they placed to each guest a sparkling water! ottlo and glass. Then a fine china plate containing a flat roll of a kind of rye bread, ca:led semeet, quite new and warm, and covered with a small seed, which, not being a canary or a linnet, I objected to. Then soup was served—a great novelty in a haram : it was most excel lent—chicken and vermicelli. Then came a di.-:h of pi'.auf, of chicken ai'd rice, (li no brown. I sat next to the chief wife, on her right hand; ;;s the slave held the dish, she pointed out the nicest pieces, begging me to take them. The fair Circassian sat opposite to me. I was curious to see if they really seem id to like the modern innovation of knives and forks. For tlie first few minutes they used them—evidently to do as we did; but the Circassian beauty, failing to secure the particular piece of ebicken she coveted with a troublesome fork and spoon, threw those in competent auxiliaries down, and grabbedsuc cessfully, and to her entire satisfaction, with herfingers. Shethen looked at me and laughed, and showed me how to take a piece of meat between my fingers, begging mo to eat ala Turque, which they were all doing themselves, fast and furious ; and to please them, we ac cordingly picked a few chicken bones with our fingers. We had all throe been enchanted with the fair Circassian, as I have told you, | with her beauty, her winning, yet lofty man ! ners, and exquisite grace; we had seen her j smoko, and admired her still; we had even ! forgiven her for loving the barbarous noise iu i the “concert of music ;” but to see her lick ! her fingers up to the last joint after each , dish—to see her lick her favorite tortoise ! shell spoon bright, after successive and never to-be-believed enormous platefuls of sweet pairakes, daubed with honey, and tarts too luscious for the Knave of Hearts —this was too much for Yenus herself to have done with impunity; we were pcfcelly disenchant ed long before the feast was over. The rest were not so had, (excepting Mad. Liston, who might as well have had a trough at once ;) but we began to feel rather sick after the first few dishes were dispatched ; and the animal missions of some of the ladies began to be roused by tltoir f. vovito sweets and jellies, which they tore to pieces with their fingers, end threw down thoir throats in large lumps. Tho jester waited at table, presenting tlio principal dishes with jokes which caused bursts of laughter from tho ladies and tho slaves in attendance, who seem perfectly at home, and on very free and easy terms with their mistresses, notwithstanding theircom plete submission to them. The jester was a wild and most extraordinary-look ing woman, with an immensity of broad humor and drollery in her face. We thought it quite s.s well that wo couldjnot under stand tho jokes at which the fair Cir cassian, between tlie intervals of licking her fingers and spoon, and popping titbits on our plates, laughed so complacently, and whioh some-times obliged the Arabs and eunuch.i at thedoor to dive under the arras to conceal their uncontrollable fits of mirth.” [ In Lewis township, Clay county, Indiana, uavs the Lafayette Journal, they have a sort of fore.aste of the millennium. It has with in its lim ts uno hundred and seventy families, all white e j:ept one, and they keep dark about it. There are one hundred and sixty five voters, and during the last twenty years there has never been a fight or a quarrel at any election held in the township. It con tains seven school houses, seven road districts, seven bachelors, and seven large men ; three churches, three preachers, three pairs of twin boys, three fiddlers, three carpenters, three post-offices, three crazy men, and three men over seventy-five years old. There is not a lawyer, doctor, or loafer in it—nor grocery, nor a pauper. A better, friendlier, happier population is not to bo found in the State. Fat Men’s Procession. —The fat people of Westfield, Miss, have had their celebration. Near the town is a tremendous hill, several hundred feet high, called the “Hog’s back,’’ the sides of which are very precipitous. The top of this hill is a great place for picnics, when the parties can climb. This hill was selected as the place for the celebration by the fat men ; no person weighing under two hundred and ten pounds being allowed to join the procession. The following was the pro gramme for the day : The Deacon.. Fat men weighing 280. Fat men weighing 250. Common Fat Men weighing but 220. Mortified Fat Men weighing but 210. THE INDEPENDENT SOUTH JOB PRINTING OFFICE, 18 aipply provided vith anew and choice selec tion of the latest styles of Type, for executing almost every variety of PLAIN AND FANCY PlfflfUS; Such as PAMPHLETS, School and College CAT, ALOGUES, PROGRAMMES, WARE-HOUSE RECEIPTS, BANK CHECKS, Business and Professional CARDS, Letter- Sheet and other CIRCULARS, LAW BLANKS, POSTERS, Ac. Ac. All of which will be promptly and elegantly oxe* cuted, at reasonable rates. OFFICE immediately opposite Messrs. Ferrill A Mathews’ Brick Ware-House— up stairs. Griffin r July 8, 1858. “Ice! Ice!! leelir IN store and for sale, next door to L. Shulman A Bro’s, Hill Street. J. R. MARTIN. July 8, 1858. ts-1