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IsTßEtsfivG Account if- a * *ar!y attempt of the French to colonize Florida. The derided indications of a violent spirit of persecution, on fie part of the Catholic priesthood of France, induced the brave, .(’oligny .to make an experi ment.which might have issued in the pro vision ot a safe retreat for a considera ble portion of the oppressed Protestants. He formed a party oi* Huguenots, among whom were several of high respectabili ty* who strik'd under the command of Ribault. an olliccr ot considerable spirit, with the intention of colonizing Florida, After a favourable voyage, lie arrived at the entrance of a river, which he called May, from the month in which lie reach ed the coast. lie here erected a fort and then imprudently sailed for France, to ’ bripg out a reinforcement. Albert, to! whom he delegated his authority during his absence, appeals to have been both unworthy and incompetent of so impor tant a situation. From his extreme se verity and i l-management. the colonists formed an inveterate hatred against him, which terminated in his death. In the excitement of internal dissensions, the settlers had paid little or no attention to the production of food, and were compel led after exhaust ing nearly all tlier stores, to make the desperate attempt of recross ing the Atlantic with the small romain der ot their provisions. Ik ing detained by a calm, they had commenced preying upon one another when they were provi dentially <i'livered from their unhappy condition by an Knglish ve scl, which conveyed them to their own country.— During the abode of the unfortunate men in Florida. Colignyha t been so deeply engaged in the dissensions at home, which had ripened into an open rupture and a civil war, that he was prevented from sending his intended reinforcement? but no sooner had peace been concluded, than he despatched a fresh expedition, under M. Roue Laudonniera, who arriv ed in the river May on the 25th of June. 16G-1. After sailing northward about ten leagues lie returned to the May and erected a fort, which, in honor’of his sovereign he styled Fort Caroline. He proved, however, inadequate’to the diffi cult task oi presiding over a number of spirited young men in a state of great excitement from the disappointment of their expectations, wlrlcli had dwelt up on the prospect of golden harvests and unbounded wealth. Piets were formed against his Fife, and lie was on the point oi leaving, with the remains of his colo ny. for Europe, when anew expedition, under the command of Sibault. entered the l iver. That officer superseded Lou donniere, only, however to experience still more melancholy disasters. Scarce ly a week had pased after his arrival, when eight Spanish vessels were seen in the same river, where several French vessels were lying at anchor. As the Spanish* fleet made towards them, the French rut their rallies, and put out to sea. Although they were fired upon and j pursued, they escap'd ; but. finding that their enemies had lande on the shores of the river Dolphin about eight lea ties] distant, they returncd'to the May. lii hault now called a council at Fort Caro line which decided that they ought to strengthen the fort w ith all possible dili gence and he prepared for the enemy He was himself, however of a very dif ferent opinion. Apprehensive for the defection of the friendly and auxiliary natives, if they should discover that, at the first approach of the Spaniards, they j should confine themselves to their camp ; and fortifications, he judge I it best to proceed against the enemy at once, be fore they should colic t their forces and constru.-t a fortification in their vicinity. To strengthen this view, lie produced a letter from Admiral t’oligny, containing these words :—‘\Y Idle I was sealing this letter I received certain advice that Don Ferdo Mencndez is departing from Spain, to. go to the coast of New France. See that you suffer him not to ennutich upon you. and that you do encroach upon him.’ It was indeed tie fleet of Mencndez, which had just arrived on the coast and given the alarm. 'Philip 11. had given him the command oT a fleet asd an rmv with full power to drive the Hugu* nits out of Florida and fictile it with Cat ho- 1 lies. Fixed in his purpose. Ribault in stantly took all the best of his ineh at Port Caroline, and set sail in pursuit of] the Spanish fleet, leaving Laudonniere in ( barge of the fort, w ithout any ade quate means of defence. Most unfortu nately he was overtaken by a tremendous storm, which destroyed all the vessels, the men only escaping. Mencndez now •began to consider what advantage lie could take of this state of affairs. It ap peared to him. that by pushing across the country, he w ould have every chance of reaching the fort before circumstances would admit of Ribault’s return, lie set forth immediately with five hundred of his best troops, and, after overcoming the formidable obstacles of swamps swel led by rain, on the evening of the fourth day arrived within view of the fort.— At day-break, Mencndez mounted the hill, and saw no'ajrpearance of any watch, and before Laudonniere could muster his little garrison, the Spaniards had rushed in and begun an indiscriminate massa cre of men. women, and children. Lau- : dontiiere, though .worn down with sick- : ness, escaped from* the fort with about twenty others, who concealed themselves in the woods. In this extremity, six of tb-'.n ventured to tlirote* - tlienisei cs on THE MACON ADVERTISER, AND AGltlC’iiJL'i LftAL AND MERCANTILE INTELLIGENCER. the mercy of the Spaniards; but they were cruelly massacred in sight of their companions. Laudonniere. seeing no wav of escape hut by getting over the marshes to the ships at the mouth of the river, led the way. and several 1‘ his men followed him tluftugh the swamp into the water. Unable to proceed, lie sent two of them, who could swim well, to the ships for help. At length he was carried on board a French shallop, which was in search of them. and. having picked up the re maining fugitives, who were concealed amorig the reeds, carried them to a little ship at the mouth of the river. In this they undertook to reach their native coun try : on their voyage they encountered want, cold, hunger, and thirst, but they ultimately entered, in a miserable state, the port of Bristol, wlucre they met a hos pitable reception. A more tragic end ! awaited Ribault; all his vessels were dashed to pieces (as we have before ob served) in the tempest, which lasted some days. V, ith great difficulty the crews succeeded in reaching the shore, and di rected their steps towards the fort. Af .ter a foilsomc journey of nine days through a rugged country, what was their amazement and grief to find the fort in the hands of the inveterate enemies, alike of their enterpme and their faith ! Many ol them were, for enduring the worst ext remity, rather than fall into the hands ol the Spaniards : but Ribault; ju-ging their situation otherwise wholly desperate, determined to open a treaty with Mencndez, who received them in the most courteous manner, and pledged himself, on the faith of a soldier and gen tleman that they should he well treated, I and sent back to their country. Upon this pledge the French delivered up their arms : but when they were all assembled on a plain in front of the castle, Menen doz, with his sword, drew a line round them on the land, and then ordered his troops to tail on and make an indiscrim inate massacre. The bodies were not on ly covered with repeated wounds, but cut in pieces, and treated with the most shocking indignities. A number of the mangled limbs of the victims were then suspended to a tree, to which was attach- j ed the following inscription:—’Not be cause they are French-men. hut because: they are heretics and enemies of Hod.’ When intelligence of t is barbarous mas sacre reached France it excited an almost universal feellingof grief and rage, and! inspired a desire of vengeance of corres ponding intensity. Though Charles IX. was in.o' ed in vain by the prayers of fifteen hundred widows'and orphans, to require of the Spanish monarch tlratjus tice should he awarded against his mur derous subjects, there was in the nation itself an energy w hich provided an aven ger. Dominique clc Gourgues determin ed to devote himself, his fortune and his whole being, to the achievement of some signal and terrible retribution. He found means to equip three small vessels, and to put on board of them eighty sailors, and one hundred and fifty troops. Hav ing crossed the Atlantic lie sailed a’ong the roast of Florida and landed at a riv er about fifteen leagues distant from the May The Spaniards, to the number of Tonr hundred were well fortified, princi pally at the great fort, begun by the French, & afterwards repaired by them selves. Two leagues lower towards the river’s mouth, they had ma e two small er forts, which were defended by a hun dred and twenty sol iers. well supplied with artillery and ammunition. G6ur gues, though informed of their strength, procee ed resolutely forward, and. with tin' assistance of the natives, made a vig orous and desperate assault- Of sixty Spaniards in the first fort, there escaped but fifteen; and all in the second fort were slain. After a company ofSpau iar s. sallying out from the third fort, had been intercepted and killed on the spot, this last fortress was easily taken. All the surviving Spaniards were led aw ay prisoners, with the fifteen who es caped the massacre at the first fort : and, after having been show n the injury that they ha! done to the French nation were hung on the houghs of the same trees on which the Frenchmen had been pre\ iously suspended. Gourgues, in retaliation for the label Mencndez hud attached to the j bodies of the French, placed over the corpse of the Spaniards, 'not as to mari ners. but as to traitors, robbers, and murderers ’ 'Having razed the three forts he. set sail for Rochelle. In that; protestant capital lie was received with the loudest acclamations. At Bordeaux there were reiterated, and lie was advis ed to proceed to Paris, where, however, lie met with a very diflicrent reception. Philip had already an embassy demand ing his head, which Charles and Cathar ine were not disinclined to give, and had taken steps for bringing him to trial ;but they found the measure so excessively . unpopular, that they were obliged to al low him 1o retire into Normandy. Sub sequently lie regained royal favor, and found an ample employment In the ser | vice of his country.”.— [History and To pography of the United States, by J. 11. J list on, notv published in London . j THE SEASON. May—delightful, incense breathing May. has come with all her tra n of plea sant sights and sounds, and odours, re freshing to the senses, and the enfranchis ed earth s gladdened already with her gentle visitation. The trees clad in their umbrageous heauteousness, put forth the germs of future blossoms—the green grass waves smilingly in the southern breezes— the modest daisy—the gaudy tulip, and j the scented lilac, display their varied charms of hue and fragrance, and the air i is redolent with the melody of early songsters. AH nature looks gay and joyful—the Icy fetters of stern old winter are broken and vanished, and the loosen-; ed rivulet, exulting in its freedom, flows i with a gentle and peaceful murmuring over its pebbly bed, w hile the leafy w oods echo the quiet sound of its gliding w aters. May—loveliest of months—harbinger of sinmner, w e greet thee! There is beau ty on tby brow, and grace in thy foot steps. and the Houris, thy laughing hand maidens, make all things vocal with their happy and exhilerant harmonics. Thy cbymic touch changes the sterile into fruitful, and before thee the waste Is co vered with verdure, and the wilderness blossoms as a rose! Sweet May, delight ful are the associations blended with tby coming. Youth and love walk hand in hand beside thee, and at thy approach, trembling Age pauses upon his crutch and recalls the memory of days long de parted. Fertile art thou in promises of future gladness, and in the w hisperings of thv voice we hear of coining fruits, rich, balmy and delicious, and fields shi vered with golden harvests: and in thy softness and seven ty we have the fore thought and pre-knowledge of days pass ed in the. calm solitude of shady groves, and nights made glorious by the brilli ance of a full moon careering through skies of cloudless beauty. Even now the stars look down from their bright homes i in the happy heavens, and seem to rejoice in the budding glories of regenerated na ture. May—season of happiness—thou art thrire welcome! The dews which thou sheddest are not more rev iving to the bo som of the longing earth, than thy smiles are grateful to the heart of man. ’ Glad ly does lie hail thy enlivening presence— the current of life purified and refreshing pours through its channels with a quick ened and vigorous impulse, and his spi rits gus'h forth with an overflowing heed lessness. His mind is rchraeed and in vigorated—its faculties are purged and strengthened, and the soul leaps and dances in the tumult of its own joyous ness. May—again and again thou art wel come Phil. Conr. Comets, doubtless, answer some wise and good purpose in the creation: so do women Co.nets are incoaiprehenSihle, beautilul and eccentric: o are women. Comets shine with peculiar spendour, hut at night appear most beautiful. Com ets confound the most learned, when they attempt to ascertain their nature, so do women Comets equally excite the ad miration of the philosopher and of the clod of the valley* so do women Comets and women, therefore, are closel/analo gous* hut the nature of each beinginscru tablfe, all that remains for us to do, is, to view with admiration the one, and, al most to adoration, love the other, A I.AV VElt’s STORY. Tom strikes Dick over the shoulders with a rattan as big as your little linger. A lawyer would tell you the story some thing in this way: “ And that, where as, the said Thomas, at the said Provi dence, in the year and day aforesaid, in ] and upon the body of the said Richard, iin the peace of God and the state, then and there being, did make a most violent : assault, and inflicted a great many and i divers blows, kicks, cuff’s, thumps, bumps, : contusions, gashes, wounds, hurts, dama ges. and injuries, in and upon the head, neck, breast, stomach, lips, knees, slims, and heels of the said Richard, with divers sticks, staves, canes, poles, clubs, logs of wood, stones, guns, dirks, swords, dag gers, pistols, cutlasses, bludgeons, blun derbusses and hoarding pikes, then and there held in the hands, lists, claws and | clutches of him, the said Thomas.” From the American Farmer. ORANGE FARM. 1 he following letter from the proprietor of the Orange Farm, tvill he read with interest. The only remark we have to make on laying it before our readers, is—“go and do likewise.’ MH . Sm ith : May 4, 18‘tl. Under an impression that the agriculturists of our country, with a few exceptions,did not employ capital enough in their business, 1 about twelve years since, deterromed Aa car ry my ideas into effect upon my Orange Farm, consisting of 400 acres. After ‘lie desired fertility had been given to the soil, 30 acres of it were converted into a garden, and 370 acres into a dairy farm. Of these 370 acres, about 70 arc in wood, and about 300 under cultivation. The cows are in number 100—sometimes more, and sometimes less. They are kept in warm, but well ventilated stables throughout the winter, and part of the spring 'and au tumn. The y are not exposed to cold rains J even in summer. They run during the sum-! mer on luxuriant pastures, each of which of-! fords a comfortable shade. So much iinpor* j tanee is attached to shade that sheds have been j erected over the troughs, where they get their j drink. As there is no running water on the | farub wo have to depend on pumps. And it may not bo out ofplacohere to state, that two dogs, at one time, pump nil the water, and cut ail the cornstalks, straw and hay used for all the cows and other animals of this farm. These cut articles, mixed with corameal.bran shorts, and roots, are cooked by moans of a very simple steam apparatus for their food du ring the winter, with occasional variations. The cows are at all times in the stable clean by being kept clear of their own dirt, by means ; of a well constructed drain so fixed as to re ceive all their thing and urine. Of the sales of the products of this dairy j farm , there has been for a series of years a pro gressive increase. The account of the sales of last year, as rendered to me by my manager on the Ist January last, you have below : and l am given to understand that it will be more this year. In this statement the proceeds of the garden of 30 acres arc not included. As the expenses of repairs, of buildings, and every other kind, are paidjby a manager,! have not allowed myself to pry into them very closely. I have contented myself with know -1 mg, that lie has to deliver to me, and that he does deliver to me, without limitation every day, whatever quantity my family may want of fresh butter, cream and milk, and that he has to pay to me, A does pay to me cash every j Saturday, a satisfactory net amount of rent. , * **' A mount of Sales on Orange Farm for 1 8*30. Alilk, - . . $4,822 20 Butter, - - . 1,770 35 Beef, - - . - 1,201 84 Veal, - - - - 134 79 i Pigs, - - - . 72 50 Vegetables, - - - 455 99 Hay, - - - - 1,143 00 i $0,656- 73 izmfiL ■ " The price of Liberty is eternal vigilance.” From the Raleigh (A. (’.) Star. (lor. /.ranch- —The following letter from the HOll. John Branch, late Secretary of the Navy, to a gentleman in this city, has been handed to us for publication : Washington City, May 3rd. 1931. AT; Dear Sir, —You have, no doubt, before tire, seen in the papers accounts of the resig nations of the Secretary of State and the Sec retary at War, and the dismissal of the other members of the Cabinet. The letters of the two former, addressed to the President of the U. States, present thdir reasons? and the motives for the dismissal of the others arc assigned in the answer of the President to the Secretary of the Treasury and myself In these the President admits that the dismissed officers have faithfully dis charged their respective duties. But intimates that the want of harmony in the Cabinet, and the protection of the two retiring Secretaries “from unjust misconceptions ai.d malignant misrepresentations,” made it necessary the others should go out also. 80 far as regards the members of the Cabi net, this measure is comparatively of little moment. It is, however, a matter of deep concern as affecting the character of the Gov ernment. In this point of view the Ameri can people have a right to know the whole truth ; from whence the alleged discord ori ginated; by whom and for what purpose, it has been fostered; and in what respect and win refore it has been connected with the public administration of the affairs of the Na tion. ihe President is bound to make these explanations to the people. If it were intended to be intimated that 1 air. responsible for the want ol foirmony in the Cabinet, tiie charge is unjust, i deny that I pursued a course that invited hostility. On the contrary, I went as far as a man of hon or could go ii. endeavoring to promote a good understanding and cordial official co-opera tion with all the members of the Cabinet.— Hut it seems I was expected to go still fur ther, and not doing so, it lias been held a good cause for my dismissal. If it is asked, why i did not abandon the Cabinet and expose to the world the malign influences by which it was embarrassed ? 1 would reply, that 1 con stantly looked forward *0 a favorable change. That especially I relied for this upon the wis dun, firmness and justice of the Chief Ma gistrate. I have been disappointed. 1 have lied the deep mortification to see him gradu ally discarding from his counsels and friend ship his old and long tried supporters, and throwing himself into the arms of persons whose cold hearted selfishness and artifices were played off upon him for true and faithful service. Best assured, however, that whatever may be the public judgment as to the merits of this question, no consideration arising from per sonal feeling will induce me to take a course which I should not believe calculated to main tain Hie character and promote the interest of the State which gave me birth. Business of importance, especially as ena bling me to settle down permanently in North Carolina, will probably require my presence in Tennessee, where I may bo detained until August next. On my return to my family, 1 hope to moot you, when I shall be highly grat ified to renew'that social and friendly inter course, which heretofore, so much to iny sat isfaction, has subsisted between us. In the mean time, I beg you to receive as surances of great respect and esteem. JOHN BRANCH. Hear, Oye Nations ! Hear it, O ye People ! The coalition are non-suited in their Indian law suit. William Wirt, the great William Wirt, attorney general to Adams, Clay & Cos. and of counsel for the independent Cherokee nation, has been non-suited by the U. States Supreme Court. Yes, Mr. Webster’s own dear Supreme Court, by the mouth of Judge Marshall, has decided that the Indians are not a “sovereign, independent” nation—that Gen. Jackson is right in his construction of the laws and treaties—that Georgia is right in ex ercising jurisdiction over the Indians—and ♦hat the Supreme Court cannot interfere with the proceedings of the courts of Georgia rela ting to the Indians. Oh dear, what is to be done ? So many crocodile tears ; so many hypocritical prayers, and *uch a waste of onions—all, all for noth ing! M hat can be done? Tears as large as French turnips, have rolled down the checks of the Indian sympathisers in solid platoons, and all in vain. Oh how cruel is Gen. Jack son, and how cruel is the Supreme Court! ! But will the coalition he contented with this decision? Will they dry up their tears and submit their ambition and their measures to the laws? We cannot answer these ques* ti ms. All we can say for them is, that if they do not like the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, they had better appeal to the Holy Alliance ; or to the Panama Con gress, if they can find it. Troy, (N. Y.) Budget. SMALL POLITICIANS The Spirit of the Age makes a very correct remark with reference to a politician of the small order, or a thorough-going partisan, whose situation some think is a very convenient one, that he has nothing to do but praise his idols and abuse their opponents; that he need bo. at no trouble to think for himself, or determine what is true—what is false—what is useful or what is detrimental; but merely to “track full and fair,” in the steps of these who go before him. Such may be his situation for a time ; but, let it not be forgotten, that this ve ry circumstance may render his situation the more critical and alarming 1 , v. hen he is thrown, by an unforeseen occurrence, upon his own re sources. When his leaders fall out, as is sometimes the case, he must at least deter mine which of them he will follow ; and this may sometimes be no easy matter, to one not in the habit of deciding for himself, but accus tomed to being guided by leading strings Besides, great men are not very careful of the interests of their little hangers on. When they come to a critical point in their course, they bolt, or turn a political somerset, without hesitation, wholly regardless of the interests of those who follow' in their train. On such occasions, they seem to act upon the princi ple of the vulgar adage—“the d —l take the hindmost.” “ Of these most brisk and giddy-paced times.” From the Boston Gazette, of May G. Distressing Fire, with loss of Lives.— A most calamitous fire broke out on Wednes day evening, between 19 and 11 o’clock, in the block of buildings in Broad st. well known as Quincy’s bake-house. The two upper stories and a part of the second were occu pied by seven families, comprising nearly 50 individuals, principally Irish, most of whom made their escape when the alarm was first given. Mr. John Murphy, his wife and three children who occupied a room in the third story, were probably smothered in their sleep, and died without the least sensation of pain. Their remains have all been found, and were decently buried yesterday afternoon at South Boston. Mr. Sullivan, wife and child, in the third story’ awoke, but too late to make their escape by the stair-wav—they seemed com pletely bewildered. 7n vain did those in the street shout to make their way to the top of the house, and wait fi>r ladders—the mother seemed only intent on saving the child, and the husband to save the wife- She according ly wraoned the child as well as she could with bed (lothes and threw it from the window ? and he letting his wife down as far as lie could reach,Met her drop upon the pavement, and then jumped out himself. The mother we are informed escaped without injurv but the father and the child are not expected to survive. One or two others are missing, but no further discoveries have been made. The interior of the building was entirely destroy ed. All the tenants had a narrow escape, and some of them were severely scorched, a mong the number the widow Mary Boland, who, by her humane endeavours to awaken the shunberers over head, had nearly fallen a victim herself. The ages of the children that were burned were, two—six—and an interesting girl of about ten years; an only son of fourteen has alone survived the wreck of this entire family, and he at present resides at Cape Cod. Since writing the above, we are happy to learn, that the child thrown from the window was nol so much injured as was first anticipa ted. He was about four years old, and was caught, so as to break his fall in a great de gree, by a young sailor by the name of Chas. Brown, who thereby received a severe sprain in the shoulder. This praiseworthy action should not. pass without notice, as it “was un doubtcdly the means of saving the child’s life. Mr. Sullivan, we also hear, though severely injured, is in a lair way to recover. The es cape of Mrs. S. after such a lafl, from a third story window 30 feet high, is the more re markable, nay even wonderful, from the fact ol her being in very delicate circumstances. About nine years since, a fire occurred in the same street, and nearly opposite, attend cd by very similar and equally lamcntablecir cumstances. It broke out shortly after 9 in the evening, and strange as it may appear, six of the unfortunate tenants were burned to death. A boy saved his life by coming down from the fourth story by the trunk or spout, and a young woman, who assisted him to mg out, and who attempted to follow his example, fell and was dashed to pieces on the side 5 walk. Washington, May 7—A fire occurred yesterday morning in this city, which for a short time seemed to threaten, beyond the possibility of saving it, the destruction of a large amount of property. The fire origina ted in a cabinet maker’s workshop, in the rear of Mr Force’s residence; it was obseiv. cd to burst out while the workmen were at breakfast <fc being filled with shavings & oth er combustibles, by the time alarm was given to the extent of two squares, the work-shop, and some contiguous wooden outhouse, to which the fire instantly communicated, pre sented one appalling mass of flames. There was fortunately very little wind, or all the houses west of the fire, on Tenth street, and probably the whole of Varnuni’s row, on Penn sylvania avenue, would have'been destroyed. It seemed, indeed, at one time, impossible to save them, such was the scarcity, of water and the nbsencc, until the danger was ncarlv’ over, of fire hooks. The fire reached U street consuming Mr. Kirby’s cabin- 1 shop, <in ,i was there fortunately arrested. Our city i cxtremelv well supplied with water for every purpose but the important one of extingm-h --mg fires. For the want of judicious arC - r ■" * - ARRIVAL OF the FAIRFIELD. INobfolk, Mav 6. Their s \... ... field, Fox ha ll A rSu£ F * P F?,r from th„ ai r. Uaq. commander, lorn tho Mediterranean via tho Cape de vesmrdlv n m S anchorc £ in Hampton Roads yesterday morning : officers and crew all in goof! health and ship in fine order. She left at Port Mahon on the 13tb Feb. U. S. Shins Brandy wine, Constellation, Concord and Boston, all well. The F. sailed from M ga 7th, Gibraltar 16th .March, and-Porto P 3 oth April. We have been pohtelv with the following particulars ofhef vm™' It will be pleasing intelligence to our S' tn men generally, to learn, (as we dn i 7‘‘ re i-fefo tim th„* Ll’ tfcl!' vailed in the squadron among all ri.„ ° n * the officers, and that Com. Bidufo w as respected, and beloved. The squadron T* 7 kept in high order, and sat all times ready'V The U. S. ship Boston, Capt. Storer. s s ij rd from .Malaga oth March, to join the squad in the Mediterranean. The Ontario was t the Archipelago. „ in 'I he Fairfield touched at Port P rava take on board certain American seamen ’• cused of mutiny, but they had left there t the lngate Javc, previous to her arrival. Tfo 11,I 1 , has made a very extensive cruise—- i has visited all the ports of the Mediterranf an, the Archipelago; and up the Adriatic - for as I nestc. She has spent two winters v Smyrna, and one at Mahon, Marseilles a J Malaga, and it is gratifying to learn has 10l only lour men by access during her absence] .'lf has on board some sugar cane from Mall aga, and a number of curiosities in the an ] mal world. I —w(9g— robbery of'toe 'mail'stages W e understand the Southern Mail Sfa.J was robbed on Saturday night of all the buj gage belonging to the passengers. The roiJ bery was effected by cutting the straps Vhicl confine the baggage to the hinder part cfthJ stage; and is supposed to have been done inJ mediately after it left Petersburg—altho.nl the robbery was not discovered until it arri 1 ed at the Post Office in Richmond. An enl dorsement cm the way bill oftfac stage, wificl lelt J etersburgyesterday mdrningat B o’clocJ states that two of the trunks had been founl m the river—.[the Appomattox it is prcsiuj ed.J Dr. Houston of this citv, is a suffer I to the amount of7 or 800 dollars. Civ' It is not possible to employ chains J msteadof ropes or straps, for the purpose J confining the baggage. llow much annovl ance is done by these cuttings off’of the hail gage ? Things ought certainly t 0 bo order! otherwise. From the Petersburg Intellirrc/iccr HOME PROSPERITY. . Several of our Citizens who have recent 1 ,! visited the Northern Cities, speak of the r:l traorilinary bustle and activity, besides otliS signs of commercial prosperity, which ovcrl where met their eyes. The Merchant 1 New-York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, ril believed tins Spring to have done a J ar <J and at the same time a safer business, iM for many preceding* seasons. We are hkl wise gratified to perceive it mentioned in* M Boston Continel, that business is there tB “looking up.” Ship-building was active, aal Mechanics generally found ready cinj.lojl meat. Rents had risen 25 per-cent' '!(■ is pleasing indeed. “While the old world a A pears to be oppressed with tyranny, agitafioH and sanguinary wars, and her people, l.fl Marius and Carthage, arc contemplating il ruins about them, it is cheering to every" eil zuioi this free Republic, to look round upl the general state ot prosperity, which we el joy. Our large Cities resemble the sj’il Carthage in the days of her prosperity,dcscrill ed by the Poet as presenting all the buril and activity ot a vast Ilive. Our is active and profitable—our manufactoril arc fast redeeming their characters, and r| sing superior to the losses of past years-* Our mechanics find plenty of ctnployinenl and our farmers a ready market for their pul ducc. From one end of the Country to til other, we hear of general rejoicing for the I turning prosperity.” 1 MEXICO AND TIIE UNITED STATE* The New-Orleans paper of the 13th it J furnishes the following paragraph from H inorial read in the legislative chamber of .'ll* ico, on the 15th of January last, by the Mil istcr for Foreign Affairs: “Our relations with the American pr.wl had always been friendly. However, for si time back, those with the United States I assumed, l'cr reasons which is uschs/B mention here, a degree of coolness could not fail to he prejudicial to the interl of the two nations. As to our interccuiß with the new powers of the continent, it ufi almost null, and wejhad established noneß all with Brazil. The first care of the Gorß ment has been to use every effort to rcdß between Mexico and the United States, tB frank and cordial friendship which ought B er to exist between two neighboring natioß vho seem to be identified with one anotlß by their institutions and political intercsts.B That object has been attained, and themß perfectly harmony reigns between our tB republics. Our mutual rclajions’shall soouß guaranteed end consolidated by trcaficsß \\ itiiin a sliort period I shall have the hoB of laying before you the treaty of amity, coB mercc, and navigation, and then, as there"B no longer exist any of the obstacles, rtllifl liad hitlierto prevented the ratification cfß treaty relative to the limits, vou will beaß to put an end to all the alfoirs which l‘B so long been a discussion between the <U nations.” I B .•/TV-r is stated in the N rule ( / enn.j xJOnner, that a gentleman oi <1 town bus recently made a valuhfc disco? hi regard to the instruction of the blind. I The plan of teaching is represented a* ra I pletcly new; one which will not only dial those deprived of sight to enjoy the benefit.' ; reading, but ta r.ecqrd their own ideas by inode el writing adopted to the fern sc of tom ! Antony the other contrivances is a mac la which, in the hands of a blind person, " enable him to assist in some profitably plpyincnt, while he is acquiring a kno"v --ol letters, and is likewise beguiling hi a ' !:I by the charms of music. A single "h< may be applied to some useful median 1 ' occupation, to a process of alphabetical 1 struction, and to the production of harnio ous sounds. It is added that the inventor < signs to srfttre for his new discovery the ft tection of a patent.