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•ntertwoed that he would shake the cylinder timber* «* Ins etigice out of place. 'l ot du»t*nce from this city to Louisville is ■r.Uwi, i.y river men. fifteen hundred miles. mw tiiSt tins vcterau has iravt l!ed on the Missis e.pi awHOhio users the almas' incredible dista' co-J't tiro kudrt t and fifty thoUsano riHes! He knew- Inn little u Suit spiay,but enough fcr a wacob ihk'fV-VW'... 1 . 0 -; » olitl A SIXGULNR INS TAN' F CF JUS TICE AND SAIMQI 'I A < t M*l Ii; INO FRAUD AND PKKJIKV. A Gu tlemanof shout . rotate •ho eastern part of Hugh nil had |wi»s< The oldest bad " rambling deposition. he took a place in a snip an«j Hit a:,man; a for several vers his father died. '1 i c you sou destroyed his father's will arid o /.e*l upou the estate. He gave out that his ■ Jdest brother was tier.!, and Liibod some J.iite *.v ; .nesses, to attest the truth ofit. In t+ie fc >.irss of time, the eldest brother re ts Tied ; he came home in miserable ciieum siarcr*. His ycrngcst brother repulsed him w th score, 'old m.u ;«,<u m was an ivn jn>st rr and a client, aim asserted that his re al bn thcr was dee* i*i-g ago, and be could firing witnesses to prove it. The pool fel low having u»-ither money i or friend* «.,o in n most dismal situation. lie went rou»>(l the parish mailing bitter comoiaiti-s, and at last ha came to a lawyer; who when he Lad heard ihe poor tnan’e mournful soi v. re jdseilto him in this tnauner:—You have nothin? to give me; if 1 ciuVit;4e umr command lose it, it will brine me itno very tool disgrace, as all the wealth and evj depce i® on your brother’s side. £m. I ow ever, I will undertake your cause upon this condition:—Yon will enter irt > obligations *o pay me a thousand guineas i; 1 tain the estate for you. If 1 lose it 1 know the rmi sequetree, and 1 venture upon it with mv eyi-s opcti." Ai cording!}’ bn entered an ac tion pgninst the younger brother, and it w.is r.greed to be tried at the next general. 'sizes at Clflrri-tord in Essex. The lawyer having er~a£cd in the cause of the poor n an anil si.initiated by the pros pect of a thousand guineas, set his wit* to work to contrive the best methods to gain his eitd At last he bit upon this happy thon<’!»t, that be would consult the first of all the jndgea. Lorrl ( hint Justice Hale. Accordingly he flew t to London.and laid open the cause in all its circumstances. '[ be judge, who was the greatest lover of justice ofany man in the world, heard the cate p.i tioirfiy and attentively, and promised l im a.I the assistance In his power (II is verv vro tible that he obtained Ins whole sc hi n e and method of proceeding, enjoining the utmost •secrecy) The judge contrived matins in -vnehtt manner as to h ve finished at! his bu - s ; »ess at the "King's Bench before the nssi res begun at f'he’msford; and’ordered his driver with his carriage to convey him down vary near the seat of the assize*. He dis taissed his man arid horses and, souglit out for a single house.—He found one occupieJ ty a miller. After some conversation, and making himself quite agreeable, he propo sed to the miller to change clothes w ith him. Ag the judge bad a v>Ty good suit on, the r> an had no reason to object Accordingly th-judge shiftfd hirusolffrom fop to toe.and put on a complete suit of the miller’s brsf. Armed .with the miller’s hat and shoes, and stick, away he marched to Chelmsford . he bad procured good lodgings to his liking and waited Tor the assizes that should come on went day. When the trial came on, he ■warned like an ignorant country f How back warns and forwards along the coun.ry hail, fie had a thousand eyes within Lm, ami When the court began to fill, he soon found nut the poor fellow that was tie plaintiff. As soon as he came into the hall, ti** miller drew up to him : ‘Honest friend said he how fs your ease likely to co to-day “Why,” replied tho plaintiff • my cause is in a very precarious situation and if I lose it. 1 am ruined for life,” --•■Well, honest friend,” re plied the miller,” will yon take'mv advice? 1 will let you into a sec ret which perhaps you do not know: every EnMishm-.n has the right and privilege to e-t.ecpi against any one juryman through the whole twelve ; now do you insist upi n your privilege, without {jiving a reason w hy. anti if possible, get me •chosen in his room, and Ifwill do yuualltlie service in mv power.” A cordingly when the clerk of the court had called overthejn ry men the plaint iff excepted •<> one of them fry name; the judge on the bench was high lyJofTc.iidcd with this liberty.—“Wliat doyou mean (says lie) by excepting against that gentlemen ?"--I mean my lord to assert my privilege as an Englishman without giving a reason wliv.” The judge who had been deeply bribed, thought to conceal it by a show of candor, and having a confidence in the superiority of his party—“We!!’ sir, (saitl he)ns you claim your privilege in one in stance, I will grant you a favor ; who would yon wi h to have in the-room of that man excepted against ?’’ After a small time ta ken in consideration “My iord tsayshe) 1 wish to have an honest man chosen in.” and ho looked round the Court—“My lord there is that millet in the room we will have him if yon please ” Accordingly the miller was chosen in. As soon as the clerk ofthe conri had given them ail their oaths, a little dex trous fellow catr.e into tho apartment, atnl slips ten golden Carolus’ into the bunds of eleven jurymen, and °-ave the millerbut five, life observed that they were all bribed is well as himself, and said to his next neighbor, in a '-ft whisper, “H°w much have you g-t?” “Ten pieces” said he. He con cealed what ht had himself. The cause was opened hy the plaintiff's council; aud all the strops of evi'«nce they could pick up were -aridneed in his favor. Tiie younger I»roth p r was provided with a great number of evidences aud pleaders, ail plen’tftilly bribed as weil as tbe judge. The evidence deposed, that thev were in the seif s tn- < rm it ry where the brother r»:- and. ;‘ii< * saw- J . ti buried.—The counsellors pleaoVdupon tui' ao< urn’dated evidence, and every injng wont with a full tide in favor of the young - totner. The judge summed no the ,*v <? -are with great gravity and deliberation, ■rn. | now “Gentlemen of the jnrv. (said be,) I;y your heads together, and i.nng in vimr ■verrhef as you sll id deem most jusr.”- They •caned btita few minutes befo-e they de-, ►. .mined in favor of the young brother Th judge said, “Gentlemen, are you agreed and •rim shall speak for you i" —“We are agreed tny lord, (replied one.) our foreman shall sneak for us.” “Hold, my lord, (replied ihe miller,) we are not all agreed.” “Why, gays the judge in a surly manner, what’s the Mutter with you ? What reasons have you fi r disagreeing ?”—“1 have several reasons tny lord, replied the miller, h»- first i=. that they have given to all these gentlemen of the jn y fen broad pieces o f gold, and to ine but five; besides I have fuanv nhjr, tions to make to t'iP false reasoning ofthe dead ers, and the conV:i<licfi»ey evidence of the w-tscß**" ” Upon this the miller began a discourse that discovered such vast penetra tion of •“•<Je*s»»r,«ling, such extensive law ex pressed with sorb energetic and manly el;>- •pies-es that astonished the judge and the vlnUcdiirt. As l.e was * m: on with lffs po «rful denoQUKJiOM, the judge ia.t su»- prise of soul stopped him—“ Where did you \ come from, and who are you ?’’—“l came 1 trom Westminster-Hall, (replied the miller.) I my i:au*e is Matthew Hale, 1 am Lord Chief I J J.stiie ofilie King- Bench ; 1 have obs rv- | ed the iniquity of your proceedings this day, j ami therefore order you down lrcon a seat which you are no' worthy to hold. Acs are cue of the corn.) t parties in this iniquiuous • —ill . u in: this moment and try :h- cause at] over again. .ui... ... ,_i r jj. Matthew went up with his miller’s dress and hat on, began witit the trial from its very or ip io»l—'• art lied every circumstance of truth fnii falsehood—evinced the eldest brother’s title to the estate, from the contradictory evidence of the witnesses, and the false rea sotingsof the pleaders - unravelled all the sophistry to the Very bottom Had gamed a cotnplr ;e victory in favor of Truth and Jus- I lice. Effects rs C\iriun, stances on Character. \i hat appears to be the distinguishing feature of ?*hakspearp is, that hts characters are real mm and women, not mere abstrac tions. In the best of us all there are man* biots. in tl.e worst there at*- n any tra ces ( i goodness. Tberr-;>rc not sue h things Ss angels or devils i- tl.e world. U’c have passionsauri feeiitigs, hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, preity equally distributed a moot ns. and that which actuates the high e»t and lowest, the most virtuous and the nn>st prof! igate, tl r b'avesi and the meanest H'lisi in its original •1* merits be the same, l’cople do not commit w icked actions from the mere Invent w i< k dress; time must al wavs be an incentive of precisely the same kind as that whichstin ii; •«* to lie noblest actions—-ambition, love of adventure passion necessity. AM our virtues dote border up on our vice*, aril are io? unfiequcji'ly blen ded. The robber may he generous- —the miser just-- ti e rtuel man convcimtioos—- the rake honorable the fop brave. In va rious rr labors r.f lit* tliesan.e min may play mai y characters asdi'tinct from one another as day freon night. We venture to say that the creatures of “Boz’s” fancy, Fagm or Svkf *. di<i riot appear in every circle as the unmitigated scoundrels we sc*- them in' Oli ver Twist.” It is necessary to theexigen cies of the tale that no other pi rt of their character should be exhibited ; hut, after all, the Jew only carries the commercial ami the housebreaker the military principle to an ex tent which society cannot tolerate. In cle nit-tit. the feeling is tb* same that covers the ocean with the merchant flags of England, and sends forth flu- hapless boys to the trade of picking pockets—that inspires-' the high wayman to s-op a traveller at Rounslow, and spirits the »old lei to face a cannon at W iterbio. Rob'rer. soidter, thief, mendicant are all equally men. It is neevi-sary, for a critical investigation of character, not to be content with taking things merely es thev seem. - We must endeavor to strip off the covering with which habit or necessity has enveloped the human rn ml, and inquire after mn ives as well as look to ;heni. I» would net be an amusing task to .in..]y-&e the career oi two persons starting under similar circumstances and placed in situations not in essence mate rially different, one ending at the debtor’s df or at Newgate, amid hootingvnd execra tions, and ihe other borne to his final resting place in Westminster Abbey, graced by all the pomp that heraldry can bestow. Thr Hrraf Fr] lesion —The pxplosion, advntiscd by Messrs. Taylor end Goodyear the proprietors ofthe Su.-.-Marine Armour, -ook placeyrstordav afternoon, offihe White P int Garden. A t m .us Icily of spectators atlieicd to wn -»s the s'» tael*-; the afternoon was again bright and brain if ill ; and the enterprise was sneces fvi 11 y achieved. I‘rcvions to the grand ex plosion, two smaller one; of great beauty were exhibited, tis heavitn. the snowy spray, with its arched Iris, rich in prismatic dies, n a lofty height. Asst r these signals came the catasfhrcj hr— the hoik of a schooner, of about 10 tour, was torn into fragments, nay,almost to aten shy the explosive force of a keg of powder, containing 75 pounds, sub merged and attached to her bottom. The convulsed waters lifted up their burthen, and held it up for a while as in a bowl, until with tremendous fnriee it burst into innumer able tra. mi nts, shooting high into the air, and falling w itli impetuous plunge within a wide circumference. The spectacle was one of interest and giawieur. and illustrated very strikingly the terrific nature of the torpedo with which brother Jonathan was wont to scare John Bull out of his seven senses when he paddled his canoe too near our coast. Many ofthe fragments fell among or between the numerous craft, which lay on their o ir* witnessing th- exhibition— and we learn that one fell whh such force as to break ar, oar—no one however, was injured, so far as we were able to learn. \Ve have been furnished with the follow ing statement of the times of the several explosions, afier the lightin of the match— -Ist explosion, 3G seconds ; 2d explosion, 42 seconds; 3d grand explosion 2 minutes 40 seconds.— -Charleston Courier Conjugal Pastime.— We heard of an old Blue-Beard of a fellow who enjoyed infinite sport in tickling his wile to death, in which manner he made nay with abnut as great a number as that notable personage himself A gentleman in tire upper part of this" city, though not with the same diabolical intent, thought to have a little amusement at the expense of his lady, and so proposed to give heron cb gan sil d-<s .il'shc would hold her finger 10 minutes in a mixture of salt and snow. The offer was readily accepted, and the >-xperitner,t commenced. “It is cold," said toe lady. “ToJe it out then,” said ti elu sbnnd “But the Dress?" ‘Ah. you will loose it.” said the husband *1 in-ist have it,” said the lady, and riie perse vered most heroically till the ten minutes expired, when, on withdrawing her linger it might have been as easily broken off as any finger on the hand of Lot’s wife, being c.om obusiy frozen ; and the husband had the <i».“*de a.nosenient of paying a round bill tn his do v tnr. This instat.ee c.f perseverance is ex, elleoi on ly by that of the lady who threatened thru b« r husband refused her request to attend a” entertainment, to cutoff •->! e oi her fiugpr“. atm on kjs reftisahacually 'ti ’ * r thre-f info exe r '<l2} ahum all y nr, vingth* -ruth ofihe ohi cnplet fiojiceruirg women, that 4 W he: s‘i will, she will—and yon r>, ay de pend on’t When she won’t she ivo'Tt-***'U'l there’s an end oo't.” A surgeon and a lawyer had»or* little good feeling towards each other, and the following occurrence took place:—‘lf,’ asked the suri-eon a nei ■ hbor’s dog destroy my ducks, can 1 recover damages bvlaw?,—‘Certainly,’ replied the lawyer, you can recn»“r; Pray ivlj.it are the circumstances? -Why, sir vour dog fast nght. destroyed two of my ducks ’ ‘lr. !»•( -I ''[ ben you certainly can recover the damages; what is the amount? I‘ll instantly (iist harp * it.’ *Fourshilliops and sixpence,’ chuckled the surgeon. ‘And my fee for attending and advising you is 6s. Bd.* res cor 'ent .the attorney. *nnd unless you inme-. i. -ly pay the barne, my conduct will be «uit ffo&iciraSr&at. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Satl-hdat, March SJ, 1£39. VOTE OF TIIA.VKS TO THE SPEA KER. Mr. Elmore, of South Carolina, moved the following resolution: Resolved, That the thanks of this House be presented to the Hon. James. K. Polk, tor rue auifc vn oar ii a | n nd dignified manner tn which he lias presided ovt ii»« delibera tions, mid performed the arduous and im portant duties ofthe Chair. Mr. Prentiss and Mr. Mclvenaan inquir ed of the Chair whether it was in order, at this time, to ofifer resolutions, and whether it could be done without suspending the rules. . Mr. Prentiss saiJ that he had come pre pared to expect a resolution of this kind to be brought forward, and he now proposed an amcndnier-t, which he for one would endeavor to sustain, if no other gentleaien did. Mr. P. hereupon movrd to amend the amendment by strikii-- out the word “impar tial.” Mr. P. said he was not prepared, wheu he was just about to depart from that hall, probably forever, to allude to any thing rvhicb might excite unpleasant reminisccnses ; and il this resolution weie a mere matter of form offered simply as an act of courtesy usual on tho breaking up, of a session of Con gress, il it were but the touching of the hand or the wishing of a safe and pleasant jour ney, bo should not oppose its adoption, or offer the least objection te it. lie was al ways disposed to encourage the courtesies ot life, and sure ho was that they had all seen enough since the commencement of this session to show that this was ueeessary. His only ground of objection to this resol ution was, that be did not believe that its spoke the truth. It was not intended as a mere customary fiom, {it was te be as a matter of substanco. It was intended to subserve a purpose ; and though its adopt ion or rejection might seem a small matter, yetw ho did not know that, rn politics, the smallest uad most attenuated thread might be seized and augmented til? at length it was woven into a cable, by willed to lead bodies of men, and to influence and centre? the acts of assembled Legislatures ? The pre sent resolution was one that might be usvd m this way—that might bo worked ujr and made something of in a great political con test. Mr. P. would most readily have touched his cap to the Speaker, extended him his hand in farewell, and wished him as fe atirl prosperous journey through life, but he believed that this resolution was to be employed es so much political capital to do business upon, and he was not willing to fttr ctshit. It was not true that the Speaker had been impartial, and in proof of this it would be sufficient to refer to the fact that he could not be trusted by that House to select the members of a committee appointed to in quire info the defalcations of his own party and though the debate on that question had roamed through the House, like an unchain ed tiger, ftomsubject tosiijei t, there was one point on which it hod steadily fixed its fangs and which it refused to let go. and that was to refuse to the Speaker the appointment of a committee, and this expressly on the ground that if he did appoint it, it would be an exparte committee. After this, to say that that same Speaker had been impartial in his course, w-hat would it be but a lie ? Mr. P. never conld vote to say so. He knew that it was considered nccassnry by the party to avail themselves of his high station, arid of all tho influence derived from it; it was therefoie deemed expedient, under the cover of an act of courtesy, t® pass a vote of thanks, expressive of the sense not of the ability merely, but the impartiality with which he had-rtischarged tire duties of the Chair. But Mr. P. would not believe, more especially when the Ilonae itself had so recently expressed, by its solemn vote,- an opinion directly the reverse. Mr. P. well knew whnt such a declaration as this would be worth to the honorable Speaker, and he would fearlessly speak out that which he believed to be the trne intent and purpose for w hich it was to be passed. The presiding officer of thnt House was now j laying a political game, in which the smallest amount of capital might be made of use, and, for one, Mr. P. was not wil ling to furnish that gentleman and his pol itical advocates with a missile which was forthwith to be taken tip and thrown back into his own teeth. He would not furnish out that gentleman for the political canvass with a certificate from this House in his pocket. He w ould not consent to tell the People of the United States a lie, that it might (he arrayed against him, and those who acted with him, in the politics of the country. Ho was for telling the tmth— and the trutn was, that, in constituting the committees of the House, (by far the most important duty of the Chair.) it was a thing notorious that tlio Speaker had not been impartial. Mr. F. would not be under stood as saying that it was blame-worthy in tiny Speaker of that House, in the appoint ment of committees, to place upon those most important a majority of members of hi* own political way of thinking; but there was not a deliberative body on the face of the globe where opposite parties were so nearly balanced, and, at the same time, on w hose committees there appeared such a vast disparity. 1 will put my finger on the facts which will show this, and if the gen tleman from South Carolina can swallow th cm, he possesses powers of deglutition to which 1 can make no pretence. There are four committees of this House which maj- bes id to be nearly of equal importance in a political point of view : the committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee of Ways and Means, the Committee of Elections, and theComtnittee on the Judiciary. And how stands the balance ot politics in the Committee on Foreign Affairs ? It is six to tinee. That committee contains two Administration men to one Opposition mem ber. I put it to the candor of gentlemen to say whether this is a fait repres ntation of tho balance of parties in this House. Well sir. and how stands the matter in the Com mittee of Ways and Means? There again, the proportion is six to three. And then we come to the Committee of Elections—a committee vitally important to the orgnniaa ti • of the House itself, and which, ns it has continually to decide contested claims t,!' seats in this House, ought of all others, to tsg the most impartial, because there the demon of party is most likely to rear its Hydra Lead. Heaven knows that a place on that committee has been no sinecure during this Congress. The acts and de cisions of that committee, like the heavings of the blind Samson, liace shaken the pil lars of this Government to their vetv foun dation ; and how stands thn party balance in that committee ? Is it five to four, stil ls it even six to three? No. sir; it is sev en to two. That is Mr. Speaker's imparti ality ! And is the state of thitigs any better in the Committee on the Judiciary ? It was rot, until the distinguished gentleman from Virginia united hMuselfwhh the Ojmositlen, As appointed by the Chair, the members stood seven to two, and they are at thfr moment six to three. Here, then, we see that od the four most influential committees of this House, the very smallest in; jurity giveu by this most inipa'tia} Speaker to hie own party has been 'two to one. Mr. P. nui not desire to be niuderstood as derogatuig; iu the slightest ‘degree from the honor and in-egrity ol the dislinguisbed gentlemen who were members of those committees. It was not of the se lection personal, but political, that he com •plained. But while this proportion was oh •served on what might be called the pohli cal committees of the IloUse, how stood u iu regard to those which exerted no polit ical influence whatever ? Oh ! then tires found a totally different stata ol things.- The Committee of Manufactures contain ed eight whips to one administration nm. Had it been their duty to superintend th< manufacture of politics who could doubt that the constitution of the committer w ould have been far different ? Then there was the Committee .of Roads and Canals, a committee which had nothing to do with party politics and exerted no influence at the elections : how was the balance there? There, again, it was seven to two ; hut the seven were Whigs, and the two friends of the Administration. Next followed the Com mittees on Expenditures in tbesevera! De pnrtments ; committees of whose very ex istence the House was forgetful. And how were these constituted ? All Whigs! Did not this show a pervading operative prin ciple which governed all these appointments. Wis there no evidence of system and delih crate party purpose ? The political cotn nittse; tw >j to one and even seven to twio, while 6o evenly was the House divided that that very Speaker himself took' tKe chair by a majority ol but thirteen out of two hundred and forty-seven members.— With these broad and notorious facts star ing him in the faco could Mr. P. record his vote to deviate that this Speaker had been impartial ? Mr. P. would barely allude to what had been tho fact iu cases where the House had been equally divided, and important ques tions had been decide ! by the casting vote ofthe Chair. He would not now descend info details; but he challenged any gen tleman to point him to one single instance, to one poliricnl question, smaller o- greater whether the decision swept away the whole righfs of a State, or only settled the official claims of the Globe newspaper, in which the Speaker's vote I.ad shown the least de gree ofimpaitiality. Mr. P.wns not going to deny the capacity ofthe presiding officer, nor his full knowledge ol" Parliamentary law. He admitted this;he admitted hisdilligence and application to business; but when it exme to impartinl'tv, he took his star* I t'O on tho facts he had stated, and utterly doni ed it. He was not to be induced by any considerations of-ourtesy to endorse a tool ofthe Executive, and instrument of party. The fact was notorious that the man lor whom this compliment was asked had been a party Speaker in the full sense of those words. A presiding officer more disposed to bend the laws of that House and its rules of order to the purjioses and ends of party never pressed the soft and ample cushions of that gorgeous chair. To say he had been impartial would be flattery, not truth ; and Mr. P. had seen ths effects of certifi cates too often not to know fer whut pnr pose they might be perverted. He shoubi have been willing enough to interchange the ordinary courtesies of a farewell, but he would not let ntiv mnn sit in that chair, deing from day to day his party work, and then march out with the honors of «yar.— The dnties of the Chair were too impor tant—they were too influential; it was the hand ofthe .Speaker which cut out and dis tributed all the business of the House.— It was he who placed the materials before its committees on which they were to ope rate ; and in the selection oftheir m mbers and the decision of their political complex ion, his power extended over the affairs ond the destinies or this nation to a degree be yond that of the President himself. And with these vast and sweeping powers, what had this Speaker been but the high priest of par ty, who, bowing before the. Moloch in an other building, immolated on the altar of political subserviency the dearest rights of his country 7 It was well known that this gentleman was n candidate for the Chief Magistracy in his ow n State, and this very vote of thanks would be nsed in the canvass and triumphantly help tip, all over the West as a proof that he had discharged the high duties ofthe Chair with the most unimpeach able impartiality. What did the flouse think of his impartiality ? Did thev trust him to appoiut the Investigating Committee; or did they not openly snatch that appoint ment from his hands and take, into their own. And when his opponents could refer to that fact as a damning proof, not only that he was not impartial, but that the House knew him not to be so, all he would have to do would be to tear from the records of the House the leafon which was recorded rlns vote of thanks, and thus give to the House the lie from its own mouth Let all those gpntle •men who in their heart and conscience did believe that the Speaker had acted with impartiality vote the resolution. Mr. P. cherished no personal hostility, whatever, against thcSpeakcr; but he did call upon all tho*e ( who did not and conld not b«-lievc this, but on the contrary, were satis fied that he had used his high and responsi ble power with a strong hand to advance the interests of his party alone, to vote against -t. He called upon those who knew in their hearts that this was true, to say so. If ever he had seen the poised needle point to wards the pole he had seen ihe occupant of that chair loooking with equal certainty to the interests of his party as his polarstar. Gentlemen might raise their 7V Deum lau damus to as high a note as they pleased. Mr. P called upon those, the expres sion of whose free sentiments had, by this Speaker, been fettered and crushed upon that floor, to say now whether they would give the He, and record it, to the feelings which had then burst indignantly from their lips, and vote a sugared certificate to help the Governor of Tennessee ? For himself, it he voted this resolution, he should set his hand to a lie, and shoud sanction, so far as his example went, a precedent which he considered as a pernicious influence in the country. From the Baltimore Chronicle. THE DEFALCATION OF WILLIAM M. PRICE. From the report of the Committee of ln vestigatiou. w®gather the following, facts in relation to the defalcation of this person. It appears that, by rule of the Treasury Department, all Bonds to be put in suit were delivered by the Collector to the District Attorney- If the parties desired to pay a pattof the demand, the Attorney was not nu;henzed to receive them, but the payment must be made, to the Collector. If the whole amount was tendered, the Attornev could receive it acd deposite ths same in j Banh to the credit of tho Collector. This I practice Mr. Price adhered to generally from the time his appointment iu 1834 until some time in the year 1837, wbeo the practice of receiving part payment of bonds became a settled one with him. Large sums ot money were thus placed iu his hands, which he retained for two, three, and in one case ten months, without rendering any account of such receipt. He also received SSUOO from an Insolvent in 1835, which lie never accounted for, and another sum ol g.*J5Uu m the same year from the assignee of auotb er Insolvent. By all these means he be came a defaulter, at the time lie absconded, in the sum of £7-2.134 3t>. It is the opiuiou of the Commute, that a proper attention on the part of the Solicitor of the Trearury wouhl have detected these several defalca t.ons, soon after they occurred. Ttie commute make the lollowing remark a relation to Mr. Price; l “But there is a cause auxiliary to that of inefficiency or negligence in the administra tion ot the department of the Solicitor f the Treasury, to which are ascribable the iucipit-»t impulses of Mr. Price’s defalca tion. It is to be found in the pecuniarv ir responsibility and want of trustworthiness, as a professional man, at tiie time of bis ap pointment tn the office of district attorney in 1834. by President Jackson, as also at the time of his re-appointment in 1838, by Pre sident Van Buren. These characteristics of Mr. Price appear to have been notorious at each period of appointment in the com munity from which he was selected.” In support of the above the committee nnnex the evidence of several persons, as follows ; Alexander Hamilton—Examined by Mr. Curtis Question. 4 Did you know William M. Price, late district attorney of the United States, and his general reputation for pe cuniary responsibility ? What has been that reputation for fifteen years past. Answer. I have known him for the period mentioned, and during the time have under stood him to bo entirely without pecuniary responsibility, Arcnt S. DePeyster.—Examined by Mr. Harlan. Question 10. Arc you acquainted with William M. Price, late district attorney of the United States? If yea, please state whether he was regarded, before and after his appointment, as a man worthy to be ir trusted with the collection of large sums of money. Answer. lam acquainted with William M. Price, late district attorney, and answer th® question in the negative. Russell H. Nevins.— Examined by Mr. Owens. Answer. It was. in my estimation, and according to the best of my knowledge, the iteneral opinion that he was utterly unwor thy of any pecuniary credit. 1 have known Mr. Price upwards of thirty years. My opinio® of him has been the same for the Last twenty years. With the public he may have gained something in the last few years prior to his late departure. Question 7. Do you say that Price’s reputation had improved any before his ap pointment as district attorney of the United States? Answer. Not to my knowledge. Gorham A. Worth, cashier of the Citv Bank of New York. 1 was acquainted with Mr. Wm. M. Price. My impression is, that Mr. Price’s responsibility, in a pecuniary point of view, was very light. Prior to his appointment district attorney, his name would have no weight in bank. Question 7. Wosld yon, (if it had been within the scope of your duties as cashier of the City Bank.) relying upon the general reputation of Mr. Price, at the time above alluded to. have intrusted him with the col lection and receipt of any considerable sum of money from your bank 1 Answer. No. James B. Murray, late of the Morris Canal Company. I have been acquainted with Mr. Price for thirty years ; and have never known him to be considered as of much jiecuniary res ponsibility prior to his being appointed dis triet attorney. 1 should never have employed Mr. Price to have collected any demand for me invol ving the necessity of a large sum of money passing through his hands. George Griswould. (merchant,) —I think I have been acquainted with him for about fifteen years; I should think he had as lit tle reputation for pecuniary responsibility as any man you could find. I should sav his reputation was decidedly bad. I urver saw the day wheu I would trust him with two hundred dollars. Question ". Was Mr. Price’s reputa tion such, at the time of his late app oint ment, in this community, that you should have regarded ij Safe and prudent to intrust him with the collection and receipt of any considerable sunt of money? Answer. Certainly not. Jonathan Goodhue—l have known Mr. Price for many years, hot not in the way of meeting him frequently- From what 1 un derstand of his business in his profession, and of his inheritance from his father’s es tate, and, on the other hand, of l is habits of expenditure, I did not suppose his pecuniary responsibility was of much account, if, in deed, of any. Question 4. From what you know of Mr Price, and his general character in the community, would you have considered it prudent, at any time, to intrust him w ith the collection of notes or bonds, to any consid erable amount, if the money was to pass into his own bands? Answer. I should not have considered it prudent to do so. John Ward, broker, called by Mr. Owens. Examined by Mr. Curtis. Quostion 8. Were you acquainted with William M. Price, late district attorney of the U. Stales? If yea, how long have you known him? What was his reputation for pecuniary responsibility at the time of and prior to his appointment to said office ? Answer. A slight acquaintance for a year or two past. He was generally consid ered without pecuniary responsibility. I consider his general reputation has been exceptionable for many years, and I have , known it for many years Question. 10 Would you, as a broker and a m.iD of business; have regarded it safe And prudent to have intrusted Mr. Price with the collection and receipt of any con siderable sum of money ? Answer. 1 should not. David Clarkson, president of the Brook lyn (late deposite) Bank. Examined by Mr. Curtis. Question 2. Were you acquainted with William M. Price, late district attorney of the United States? and how long have you known him ? Answer. For many years. Question 2. For the last ten years, or prior to and at the time of his takriig said office, what was his reput ilion in this com munity for fidelity, and responsibility in p*jcuniary transactions? Would yon hare deemed it safe and prudent to intrust him vri'h your business, if your money were con sequeutly to pass into his hands ! Answer. Siuce 1 Tave known him I have beeu myself, unfavorably impressed as to his standing; aud his pecuniary responsibility such tnut i should have considered my pro perty insecure in his hands. With me evidence be.ore them the Com mittee coine irresistibly to the following conclusions, whuh will be geneially res ponded to. Tins results from ti e maxim •ha: •* l'o the victors belong the spoils,” in its practical application, at illustrated by ihe scores ol Sub- Treasury defaulters which owe their being to the ascendency of the present dominant party. l-t. That William .M. Price, as district attorney, is a defaulter to the Government in a large amount. , 2d. "That bis defalcations are attributable to tbe notorious irresponsibility and watt of character ol said Puce at the periods of his appointment and re-appoiutment, and during his entire terms of office; aud to tho continued neglect ol the proper aud efficient discharge ol duties at the office of the So licitor ot tbe Treasury, by the late aud pre sent incumbents of that office. From the JStui York Fipress. VAtßiMoToft, 2d April, A. D. 1839. To Squire Biddle.-—I got your Letter teilin me that you had quit the Bank, aud intended, if you could possibly so matiago matters, go to farming. I know this has al ways ben your notion, aud that you would do so as soon as you see all things clear a heud ;---aud a man who bas been cypher ing so hard as you have for over twenty years for the public, now I think has somo right to go and dig Ins own potatoes and hoc his own corn, aud take a little comfort in his own way. But somehow 1 feel. Squire, a leetle wamblecrop’d, jist as 1 did when the General left and went home to the Her uiittage: and tho’ you have left in your place as good a man to manage the Bank as tho Gincra) has to manage tbe Government, I hope you will keep an eye on matters and things, and give as much of your advice in taatteis you umiev.-tand to Mr. Dunlap and his Cabinet, as the Ginernl does to Mr. Van Btiron and his Cabinet. The fact is, you and the Gineral 1 always thought was mado of pretty much the same kind <*f grit, and both on you considerably overwork’d your- Si-lves, tho, the Gineral got the best piay. 1 used to tell the Gineral - says I, “Gineral you are too good natnred by half, you not ouly do Government work but you dip into pritty much all kind of work that no other I’residert ever thought on,” and the fart is, the Gineral did carry matters so far or let other folks carry him so far that there was few things going he was not mixed lip w ith ; 'ill it got so at Inst that almost every old Lady about the country wouldn’t set a hen. without writing or calling on the Gincrat to ask him which was the most lucky number of eggs to put in the nest, 11 eggs or 13 eggs end it almost wore him to skin and bone. I believe you was tho only man that was ablo to outwork the Gineral, and if it hadn’t ben that you was a leetle yotmger than he was he’d made a tooth-pick on y®u as he did of pritty much all the rest ol creation. But ns I said afore, I am considerable wuinblccront at your leuviug public life: for now that tbe General lias gone to home -Y yon too—-I feel somewhat rut out, Tdr. Von Buren dout «ecm to want my services no how, aud 1 dont complain of that ; I did expect to git n chance “Down East,” but he selected Gen eral Bcott; a man that outrank’d me all hollow, as he does pritiy much every man nowadays. Howsever, Ginernl Seott didn’t forget me, and ssid that if there was any fighting to be dene among the Loggers, he knew who he could count on, and look'd me strafe in the face ; and I sat down and writ a Letter mark’d '‘eonjidcntal" to the “2(f Brigade," and tell’d'em to stand firm ond obey no orders but Gineral Scott’s ; that it was a National matter, and he was a Aa- lional officer ; and when he said. "Shoulder hoo,” then to march and follow him to Hol ton or Halafax , or any other place begin ing with H— if he chose to lead ; in that way they would not only have a Fairfield, but would be sure of a “ Win field," and that was more important. In this matter of fighting, there is one thing I always keepmy eye on ; and I found Gineral Scott in the same way of thinking; and that is, to depend lesson folks who say they are ready to shed ibe last drop of blood thau on folks who are ready to shed the first drop• G ; .ve a eiati Eight Dollars o day to make speeches in Congress, with tho right if free postage and you hear enuf of “last drop" matter; but when it comes to camp duty, ar.d raw beef ar.d stale bread, and iisgnet work, then the “first drop" folks l ave to stand the racket at % dollars a month. I tell'd Gitiejal Scott ; says I. ‘•Gineral, I suppose you would about as leave fight as eat, for that is your natur;, but for my part seeing as how things are gittin on remark ably smart now all over the country, and the Spring of the year too and the new improve ments every day and the green leaves and grass, and the little children all sprouting, an ! the canals and rail road about half made and the r< tton crops jest about begging, and the Banks all jest getting into specie pay ments, and every thing looking about slick ; to say nothing about the steam-boats cros sing the Ocean every week ; it does seeni to me that a war wont help matters no how." “1 know that," says he, Major—" War is a great calamity, anil there aint only one thing worse," says he. "What is that ?" says 1 "National dishonor,” says be-—straitening up pritty nigh like an Aroostook pine. "Go ahead you crittur," says I, "and if there is auy chopping to be done Down East, let me know." Well, you see what he has done ; and all I’ve got to say about it thus far is, that when you come to think that a man high upon seven foot high and strait as a bean pole, and all prit from one cend to tother is a willing to work like a beaver at all pints—South-West, and North-East, and Down Fast, to keep an honorable peace; and watching like a linx, to see that the nation’s honor is no way ailed— 1 do think tho* a war would give me a considera ble boost up in the world in military rank the man who keeps fie pcce is, according to the. Good Book is entitled, to a blessing— especially if war is his trade. There is one thing I think Mr. Van Bo ren deserves areal credit for, and that is in commanding the services of such n man as Gineral Scott to manage all matters of this natur; and tlerc is only one thing more 1 think is wanting, and that the people are entitled to, and that is someone to manng® the money matters of the country as well. I go on the principle, tliat if a man does right in using the best plough he eati get on his farm, and sowing the best grain ; jest so a President does right in calling into the sar viee of the country the best talent the coun try has ; the People are entitled to it ; and if Pakty folks grumble, they should lake it out in grumbling. Look what “party' has done already for some years back—• •‘Scratch ploughing aud smutty crops"— but enuf of this. I thank you for your kind invitation to stop and eat Peaches with you “when they are rijx," and as I remember you have got Bf>rpe owjatal early apple treeeon your farm,