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‘Kg €i mts avfo Stnliml. ~ COLUMBUS, GEORGIA. J SATURDAY EVENING, FEB. 10, 1855. The French Spoliation llil!—Desertion oi An- ! cicnt Landmarks. Opposition to the French Spoliation bill was once afe j most a test of Democracy. We have fallen upon evil j times. It is now asserted that there never were juster j claims than those which the bill proposes to acknowledge j and pay, and this too by the Constitutionalist Rc~ ! public and the Mobile Register. Nay, more ; the facts j of history are falsified by the friends of the bill. Lead* i ing papers assert that France acknowledged the claim j and that for valuable consideration the United States re* j lieved France from her liability to the claimants and ! promised to pay them by the treaty of 1800. There is not a word of truth in either assertion. France never ; undertook to pay these claims ; she always denied her , liability: Nor did the United States release her from her liability or assume them. The following arc the facts : When the negotiations opened which lead to the treaty of 1800, the American Ministers proceed on the basis that peace had not been destroyed : they were met in the same spirit by the French Ministers ; hut when indemnity was demanded by tlio American Min isters for depredations upon American commerce, the French Ministers changed their ground and distinctly placed their refusal to pay these claims upon the ground that war existed. The Journal of the American Min isters, of the 12th September, 1800, says : “The President cf the French commission declared that if the government should think proper to instruct them to make a treatyon the basis of indemnities, and a modified renewal of the c!d treaties, he would resign sooner than sign such a treaty; adding, that if the question could be determined by an indifferent nation, he was satisfied such a tribunal would say that the present state of things was war on the side, oi America, and that no indemnities could be claimed. The two other commissioners made similar declarations.” Under this state of things the treaty of 1800 was formed, which contained the following article : “The ministers plenipotentiary of the two powers not be ing able to agree at present, respecting the treaty of alliance of fith February, 1778, the treaty of amity and commerce of the same date, and the convention of 14th Novembe", 178 s *, nor upon the indemnities mutually due or claimed, the parties will negotiate further upon these subjects at a convenient time; and until they may have agreed upon tlx e points, the said treaties and convention shall have no operation, and the relations of the two countries shall bo regulated as follows,” <fcc. This article was stricken out by the Senate, and the fol lowing provision was inserted: “it is agreed that the present convention shall be in foiee for the term ot eight years from the time of the exchange of the ratifications.” This is the article of the treaty upon which the clai mants rely to prove that France acknowledged her liability to the claimants, and its rejection is the only proof they can adduce to support the wild assertion that the United States assumed the liability from which France was released by the rejection of the article.— By reference to the resolution, it is clear that France never acknowledged her liability. The Ministers of the two powers were not able to agree upon the indemni ties, or, in other words, Franco refused to pay them, and therefore the parties agreed to negotiate further upon this subject at a convenient time, which was equiv alent to an abandonment of these claims. And this is the view taken of the subject by our Ministers. After tho treaty was signed they wrote to the Secretary of War as follows: “All hope of obtaining indemnities, with any modifica tions ot the treaties, had to be abandoned, and they deter mined, by a temporary arrangement, (the treaty of Septem ber 1800,) to extricate the United States from the roar, or that peculiar state of hostility in which they are at present involved, save the immense properly of our citizens now depending before the council of prizes, and secure, as far as possible, our commerce against the abuses of captures dur ing tho present war.” From this language it is clear that the United States had exhausted all her means to procure indemnities, even to a war with France, and had failed 5 that depre dations were being daily committed upon our commerce, and that we were not in a condition to retaliate effec tually ; that France refused all indemnity upon the ex press ground that war was being waged by 11s against her ; and that the moving motives which actuated our Ministers in making the treaty of 1800 was to arrest the depredations of the French cruisers and save the immense property of our citizens then about to be con demned as a lawful prize of war by the French courts, W hen the treaty was sent back to France, with the second article stricken out, Bonaparte approved the treaty as amended and returned it with the declaration “that by this retrenchment, the two States renounce tho respective pretensions which are the object of said article.” In this opinion the Senate concurred.— And in the laco of these facts it is alleged that the United {States are bound, because, say the friends of the bill, wo released the claims to relieve ourselves from the obligations of alliance and guarantee imposed by the treaty of 1778. It must be apparent that this is all fudge. We released them because France would not pay them and we cculd not make her do so even by a maritime war. The treaty of 177S contained rrm tu.d guaranties, l 1 ranee violated the treaty, by solemn decree, in 1793 ; and the United States, in 3 798, declar ed £it void, and France had, therefore, no claims against the United States founded upon this treaty. There was, therefore, no consideration passing from I’ ranee to us for the indemnity which we are now called on to pay. There is, therefore, neither reason nor justice in these claims, and if they pass the Senate, we hope the President will follow in the footsteps of Polk and veto the biil. Jn the opening of this article wo expressed our sur prise that the Mobile Register should sanction this c’-; m, and our readers will concur with us in this sur prise wheu we inform them that on the 2i:h March, 1834, John Forsyth mnde an adverse reportupon these claims, in which he uses the following striking language : “ The committee are not satisfied that the French govern ment ever admitted the justice of the claims of the petition ers, or ever intended to pay them ; that the government of tbe United States used every effort—even to war itself—to rescue the property of American merchants from the law less violence oi France; that its etiorts to procure payment were not discontinued until it was obvious that there was no hope of success ; that this government never received Pom trance any equivalent fertile claims oi American* on r ranee.” A gain; “To justify their claims upon the United States, the peti tion-’ assume that France was right, and their own govern ment wrong ; that France waspiepared to make a just repa ration for the outrage committed Mider her own laws until released irom her obligations by the United States’who faithless to their trust in the first instance, have been repaid ,eM*. ol the obligations oi justice ever since !—assumptions not conpicr.l vvi.h truth, nor ersdnabiutothe patriotic nos those who make them.” The argument is not yu exhausted, but our spsce is. Those per song who desire to pursue the subject are iHVrred to Benton’s “Thirty Year's View/’ the works of Daniel WebeUr. vol. 4, and the very able speech of Mr. Orr, of S. C.,during the present Congress. The Etowah Bridge.— Mr. Cooper the Superintend ,1? uYoV? 1 ' 6 , 11 ? 4 wri!es to v * Johnson uußer and -te t eb. 3d that the through fre ghting business will not be suspended ill consequence of the burning of the bridge tor more ih in a week—though it will take several months and some thousands of dollars to repair the loss. j The Times & Sentinel on Ethics ami Cotton. Under this caption the Columbus Enquirer has a long article complaining of “the ungenerous and unfair course of our neighbors in declining to publish what we did say under head of “I havn’t sold my cotton,” and then proceeding to assign to us a position of an tcasonable warfare upon the planter .” Now wo were not aware that tlie Enquirer desired us to re publ : Ji its articles upon this subject, else we would have Strained a point to accomodate it. We beg leave, howevet, to say to the Enquirer and other Whig papers that are in the habit of pointmg out to us what ought 10 go into our columns, that our space is too limited to accomodate more than one Editor, and as the publio hold us responsible lor what appears in them, we think it hut fair that where preference has to be shown, we ought to have the benefit of it. If, how ever, they should hereafter find any thing of special in terest toour readers, we will,on application, furnish them with a list of our subscribers and give them permission to publish a Times <f- Sentinel —extra, for their benefit. We refer particularly to the Chronicle cj- Sentinel and to the Wilkes Republican. We earnestly hope that this compromise will be mutually agreeable all round, and that hereafter the harmony of our intercourse will not be interrupted by our little omission*. As to cne pursu t g an “ungenerous and unfair course’’ towards the Enquirer , wo plead “not guilty,” and the Enquirer, in making the charge, has fallen into the error, of which it accuses us, oi I "declining to pub lish what we did say and then assign us a position of unreasonable warfare upon” itself. We understand the Enquirer to take the position that the cotton planter, “by Christmas or the Ist January,” must sell his cotton and pay his store accounts, though tho price of cotton is unusually low and there is every prospect that prices will improve before the season closes. Wo took issue upon the facts. If we have mistaken the custom of trade, then the Enquirer is right and we are wrong, and the planters, hv waiting for a riso in the cotton market after . Christmas, have done a very naughty thing of which they I ought to be ashamed. There is nothing in this matter to excite the ire of our respected cotemporary, and we are quite sure that tho tone of our reply to the quasi reproof of the Enquirer , contained in the certificate that we had “not only not expressed’’ but “never in any way endorsed” the “views” attributed to us by the Mobile Register, was as courte ous as the most fastidious could require. We were, therefore, surprised at the offended tone of the reply of the Enquirer. This show ofill temper is but too prom inent of late rn the editorials of that paper. We are at a loss to account for this. It is the custom with young gentlemen, in some parts of the country, to make it a point to challenge someone of their associates in order to raise themselves into notoriety by tho eclat of a duel. We hope and believe that this grovelling motive is not the moveing principle with the editor of the Enquirer. If, however, it is, wo hope ho will choose some ether antagonist. We covet no such laurels. Indeed, we havn’t room for a newspaper fight. Since the appearance of our article, which never would have been written, if we had not been challenged to do so by the Enquirer, several merchants have complained to us that we have misstated tho custom of trade in this city. We wrote from personal experience in a neighboring market ; for, if the truth must be told, we once planted cotton ourselves, and always traded with this understanding with our merchants. The ease put by the Enquirer is not in point. The custom to which we referred does not extend beyond the eurrrent season, and a planter who should demand 25 cents a pound when cotton was selling at 7 cents, would place himself beyond the pale of the custom and ought to he sued at once. We admit that the custom to which we refer would not be available as a plea in court against the general custom of making all accounts due Ist Jan uary ; but if a merchant were to enforce his legal rights he would very soon lose his customers. We would not, however, be understood as justifying planters in lightly postponing the payment of their debts. In times like the present, they ought to sacrifice something to relieve the commercial distress. If they think best to hold on to their cotton for an (treasonable time, it is their duty to obtain an advance upon their cotton and pay their debts. And we think that the merchants have waited long enough upon them this sea son, and that now is the time to settle. We have not endeavored to place the Enquirer “in a position of antagonism towards tho planter,” nor have wo “essayed to beoome their especial advocates.” A reference to our columns in the fall, when we were threatened with the loss of “many subscribers” for our course on the “storage question,” will convince our neighbor of tho truth of this assertion. Another Shot at the Know Nothings. Through evil and through good report, we have bat tled against the order of Know Nothings. In the midst of overwhelming defeat, we have hurled defiance at them, in spits of the warnings of friends and the threats of enemies, atm time has vindicated the wisdom of our course much sooner than we anticipated. Know Noth - ingism is dead at the South, whatever it may be at the North. Gardner and Wilson of Massachusetts, Pollock, of Pennsylvania, and last, of ail, Wiliam 11. Seward, of New York, whom it has elevated to office, are the mill stones which have sunk it in the sea of public odium from which there is ne deliverance. It is dead ; stone dead, and we rejoice in it- death. Without pretending to know more about it than auy other well informed citizen, we knew enough of it to loathe and detest it. It was 3 secret political organi zation, controlled by a grand council located at the North and under abolition influences 5 or in other words, a secret oligarchy which proposed to take the power out of the hands cf the people and give it to a few chosen leaders. If successful it would have revo lutionized the American system and substituted for our free institutions the government of Venice. This was c-nough to brand the order with infamy. But when it was announced that the object of this radical ohange in our form of government was to make the accident of . birth a political crime, and a man’s religion a test of offi cial qualification, we would have been recreant to the memory of our fathers and traitors to the land of our j birth, it we had not denounced the order as inim cal to ! liberty and the best interests of our country. And i now that the tree has brought forth fruit and shows I Gardner and Wilson, Pollock and Seward in high po i litical stations as its idols and Representatives, we set 1 that we are justified in our worst fears, and are sorry ; that we have not been more ink-lent in our opposition to the order. One word in explanation. We are convinced that good men and true, both at the North and tho South have been lured into the lodges of the order by a m’s representatien of its purposes and aims. They owe it t*’ themselves and the country to abandon thun at once. (fcy” Mr. C. Mortimer, Editor and Proprietor of the Southern Quarterly Review, has drawn $20,000 in one of the Maryland Lotteries, and, what is tetter, has got tbe money. Congressional. Washington, lub. 7* In the Senate to-day petitions were presented in favor of the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. A number of Internal Improvement bills were passed. The House passed the Texas Creditors Bill by a vote of 154 to 43. The Tariff and the Civil and Diplomatic Bills were discussed in Committee of the Whole. The Kinney Expedition. Washing non, Feb. 7. 1 j The Union contains a correspondence between j Messrs. Marey and Kinney, in which the latter declares J that his purposes are pacific, and that the objects of the expedition are mining and cutting dye woods. Mr. Marey says th3t if the colonists expatriate themselves and conform to the laws of their adopted country, the Exteutive will not interfere, but it will allow them to go forth armed and under military organization. He further says that if the title has come from the Musqui to King to the lands in question, it is invalid. Resignation. Washington, Feb. 7. Capt. Murray of the 2d United States infantry, has resigned his commission. Illinois Legislature. • g-V - ‘ Chicago, Feb.. 7. • Tho: ejection of D. S. Senator, has been postponed until Tuesday next. The llonse has passed Anti-Nebraska resolutions by ’ eight jmajority. The Weather at the North. New York, Feb. 7. The severity of the weather at tho North is unabated, and it continues intensely cold. In this city the ther mometer indicates a temperature of 10 degrees below zero. Counterfeiters Arrested. — Cleveland , February 7.—-An extensive gang of Counterfeiters have been ar rested near this city. Cotton from West Point. —On Friday, last 29 bales of cotton were received in this city, by the Opelika Railroad, shipped by Frost & Cooper of West Point, and consigned to Stewart Gray & Cos. This is the first re ceipt of Cotton -from-West Point, but we trust it will not be the last. The shipment was made at a total cost, including drayage, of 70 cents per btffe. Another Claim upon the Treasury. A Mr. Alfred E. Benson of New York, has pre sented a memorial to Congress praying an appropriation of $3,000,000 for losses sustained by him in not being allowed to get guano 011 the Lobos Islands. The claim is founded upon the fact that Mr. Webster, while Sec retary of State, wrote a letter to the claimant, upon his own false representations, in which lie expressed his belief that the Lobos Islands belonged to tho United States and that the Government would protect him in gathering guano upon them. The administration gave him no guaranties. Well does the Charleston Mercu ry say j “Never before was there witnessed such snuffing and flapping of vultures as now mark the place where the United States have stored up some thirty millions of food for plunder. From every quarter flocks of the unclean birds find their way to Washington and their hungry eyes glare out from every conceivable perching plaoe around the Treasury.” Washington, Feb. 8. The Senate passed to-day several bills of minor im portance. A discussion took place on the hill granting three year’s credit for the payment of duties on raiiroad iron. The House passed the Bill regulating the salaries o the Judges of the U. S. Courts. The Southern Quarterly Review. —The Janua ry number has come to hand. Contents. 1. The North and the South. 2. Blunders of Ilallam. 3 Powers.of the General Government. 4. The Human Family. 5. Constitution of the United States. 6. Chemistry of Common Life. 7. Party Leaders. 8. Recent Social Theories. 9. Critical Notices. Published by C. Mortimer, Charleston, S. C., at $5 per annum. New Hampshire —The Coos (X. II.) Democrat says “the Know Nothings have blown themselves sky high by their own nominations. The prospects of the democracy have improved a hundred per cent, in con sequence of the mistakes of their enemies. They may brag as they please—these enemies of ours—hut their destruction is sure.” Southern Quarterly Review. To the Public. —We were unable to issue this ; number at an earlier period, in consequence of the destruction of our office by the late fire iu Columbia S. C. The Books of the concern are so much mutila ted that ive find it impossible to make out a full Ist of j our subscribers, names and place of their residence. Vi e therefore request those that have paid in advance to give notice to us iu Charleston, S. C., if they do not receive the January number in due time, in order that we may promptly supply tho omission. We shall no longer send tho Review to those indebted to us. Here after, subscriptions to the Southern Quarterly Review must be paid in advance, or tho work will not bo sent. Subscription $5 per annum, Invariably in advance. G. MORTIMER, Publisher. ! Charleston, S. C., January, 1855. --- “* Manufacturers’ and Mechanics’ Bank of Citium- We understand, says tho Sav. News of the 9 th., that arrangements have been made with tho Mechanics’ Savings ißank of Savannah, by which the bills of the Manufacturer's Mechanics’ Bank of Columbus are received on deposit and redeemed at the Bank in this city. Destructive Conflagration. Boston, Feb. S. A fire occurred in Neponset to-day, destroying near ly an entire square. The loss is estimated at $20,0C0, only half of which is insured. Earthquakes. Boston, Feb. 8. An earthquake has occurred at Halifax, Sackviile, and Calais. At thick ville it shook the houses and broke the windows. , Lator from California New York, Feb. 8. The North Star has arrived with San Francisco ad vices to the 10th ult, and §l/223, in gold. Sponge Fishing. —The Sponge fishei men of Key Wt&t realized the .past year from 20 to $30,000 for that collect ed amoug the Florida reefs and inlets. Mrs. Swishelm says, “that if a mast wants Ills c hildrei ro resemble himself, the fewer jaunts he takes to California he better. Washington, D. C. Feb. 5. The Army Bill,—The Colt Patent,—W. T. Col quitt. &c. Since I last wrote, the Senate has been discussing the Army Bill, and the proposition to call out three thousand volunteers for protection ol our frontier from Indian depre dations. General Houston, who hate 9 the Irish, but loves he Indians, made a long speech against the bill, contending t iat there was no danger of a war; that the whites always Raised the and forced the Indian into difficulties. IPs speech, however, was weak in comparison with the ‘brief but pointed one which an old Indian Chtef made, upon en. goring the Rotunda of the Capitol. You must know tha 1 there are four basso-relievos in stucco, one over each of the doors opening into the Rotunda. The first represents the Landing of the Pilgrims, and an Indian offering them pro visions ; the second exhibits William Penn buying land from the Indians ; the third shows Capt. Smith rescued from death by Pocahontas ; the last prose :t? to the spectators a bloody conflict between the whites and the rod man, in which the former is victorious and one Indian lying dead while the life of another is just about to be taken. The old Chief, upon entering the Rotunda, looked up to this history of his race for some time in silence, and at last calling the attention of the bystanders, pointed to die first scene and said, “ Indian give white man corn.” Turning to the sec ond, he said,“ Indian give white man land.” Looking at the-third, “Indian saves white man’s life.” And lastly, draw ing himself up with flashing eve and distended nostril, and stretching out his long bony finger towards the fourth scene, he slowly exclaimed, “ White man kill Indian.” What a short but truthful and eloquent commentary upon the histo ry of our dealings with these people. Nevertheless, and in spite of General Houston, the bill to increase the regular army, (refusing the volunteers, however,) will pass. The House got upon the Colt's Patent extension Bill on Saturday and where they are likely to remain. In I the course of the dicussion, some interesting developments were made by Mr. Letcher, of Virginia, as to the manner oi “lobbying ’ a bill through the House. Fifteen thourand dollars had already been expended in the employ of agents, &c —and yet the bili will pass ultimately. Perhaps it is right to allow Colt the benefit of his invention, for he is said to be a clever and worthy man, but the means which have been resorted to to carry the bdl, are disgraceful in the ex treme. New York and Pennsylvania have each had large delegations of politicians here the past week, headed by Governors Bigler and Seymour, and the knowing ones say that the object of the visit is to control ’General Pierce in his appointment to fill the vacancy which it is thought will be created at the court of Louis Napoleon. Gen. P. hid better send some of our Georgia men—either Cobb, John son or McDonald, would be a safe and popular selection, and I think it is high time something should be given a Democratic State by a Democratic President. We received intelligence last week of the seiious illness of your distinguished townsman, lion. Walter T. Colquitt. 1 hope he has recovered, and that his life and energies and splendid intellect, will be long spared to the State which he love? so well, and whose honor and interests ho has al ways so nobly sustained. The South can not {spare at this juncture such a man as Judge Colquitt. Yours, Truly, DELTA. Westward the Star of Empire takes its way. Mr. Editor : —You know, or are supposed to know, every tiling, and I therefore, apply to you to enlighten my ignorance. The above line of poetry is in the mouth of every American, and Bancroft has given it currency by stamping it on the back of each volume of his admi rable history. Can you tell me who is author of it ? Yours, &c. The author of the verse is George Berkeley, mere commonly known as Bishop Berkeley, an Irish Prelate, to whom Bancroft says ‘’adverse factions agreed in ascribing every virtue heaven.’’ lie is the author of a system of metaphysics which denied the existence of the material world, and held that ‘ of spirits alone true ex istence can be predicated.*’ lie “garnered up bis hopes for humanity in America.” lie indeed repaired to the new hemisphere to found a University “in which Indians were to be trained in wisdom, Missionaries educated for works of good, science and truth cherished, pursued, and disseminated.” The funds, however, that had been pledged to the University were devoted to pay the dowrey of the princes royal, and after two years residence, Berkeley teturned to Europe “to endow a library in Rhode Island ; to cherish the interests of Harvard ; to gain a right to be gratefully remembered at New Haven ; to encourage tho foundation of a col lego at New York,” says Bancroft. But Stevens in his History of Georgia says that the funds collected by Berkeley for his coliege at Bermuda, were, on the failure of bis plan, used by General Oglethorpe “for like be nevolent designs in Georgia.” However this may be, though advanced to a Bishop ric, the heart of the liberal aud Catholic prelate was in America; and as he looked into futurity, the ardor of his benevolence dictated the prophetic verses in which the foregoing line occurs. We give the whole prophe cy from which it will he seen that the quotation is in correct, as usually given: Berkeley’s prophecy. In happy climes, the seat of innocence, Where nature guides, and virtue rules; Where men shall not impose for truth and sense The pedantry of courts and schools:— There shall be sung another golden age,— The rise of empire and of arts, — and he good ad great inspiring epic rage— The wisest heads and noblest hearts. Not such as Europe breads in her decay ; Such as she bred when fresh and young, When heavenly flame did annimate her clay, By future poets shall be sung. Westward the course of Empire takes its way. The four first acts already past, A fifth shall close the drama with the day, Time’s nobles offspring is the last. Freight and Shipping. —The large amount of ship ping ami scarcity of freight complained of for a number of months back has given place to a scarcity of shipping which is quite as noticeable a fact. The list of vessels in prat, which wo publish to-day wiil show that the amount of shipping is not more than half what it was during the months of Nov. and Dec. In making our usual enquiries amongst the merchants, preparatory to the issue of our prices current, we learn also that there is a slight ad vance in the rates to both coastwise and foreign ports. Savannah Journal §th inst. Complimentary.— An exchange compliments a contri butor as follows: ‘Old Kentuck’ says, ‘some folks think I was born a poet; I send you the enclosed verses, and should like your opinion.’ Well, ‘Old Kentuck,’ to speak honestly, we think you were born a ford instead of a poet There is not much difference between the two, it is true,Shut what little there is, is against you. The New French Loan. —The lean of £*>o,ooo,ooo asked for by Louis Napoleon, to prosecute the war in the Last, has Seen enthusiastically met by the French people b\ a lend. r. amount ng in the aggregate, to £00,000,000. J he excitement and anxiety to subscribe in Paris and throughout the country, from the accounts we read has bad no parallel since the issue in London of the stock of ti!c famous South tea Bubble Scheme. Mr. Mason not going to Resign—A Washing, Jet tersays: “ l ife convalescence of our Minister at Paris Mr. J. Y. Mason, is established beyond a doubt, by the report of Mr. W alsh, concerning his Condition. lij s mind was not affected by the temporary paralysis of his arm and there is no reason to believe that be will immediately resign his mission. I bus will be disappointed ad the cal culations and arrangements that were based upon the oc currence of a vacancy in the French mission. A fellow in the jail wishes he had the small pox, so |, e cou and break out.’ ’ He has tried everything else, but he can’t get out. ‘ ° * Long words, Ike long dresses, frequently hide some lung wrong aoout the- understanding. BY TELEGRAPH, Expressly for the Times and Sentinel. LATER FROM EUROPE. ARRIVAL 0F “ L ' m STEAMSHIP ATLANTIC. | Consols declined —Cotton and Bread stuffs ULru?.v.; Nothing New from Sebastopol. New York, Feb. 9 — p. ir, I Tho steamer Atlantic has arrived. Cotton is H but the prices are unchanged. Fair Orleans, 5 5-Sd.; Middling, 5 1 Sd. : Fair H lam 1 ., 5 3-Bd.; Middling, sd. Sales of the week, 37,000 bales. Flour ar,d Corn unchanged; Canal Flour, 4?s, I Corn, 54s to 555. Consols declined to 01 1 8. Affairs at Sebastopol unchanged. English ar.'vH melting away, Peace Conference open until the die of Februaiy. Lord John Russel has resigned, and it is believed whole English Cabinet will smash up. Heavy failures are reported in Liverpool. Lord John Russell gave an explanation of his„ c l duct in the House of Commons, on Tuesday night, I was the general opinion that the whole Ministry w.J retire. The public holing seems looking towards peace, I The Sweedish army has been put on an imr.Hil J war footing. Lord .John Russell’s resignation cf the Foreign rttaryship, had caused the decline in consols. The Queen of Sardinia is dead. § Negotiations continue between Austria and Brass* relative to the Germanic army. ffi The Steamer Great Britain arrived at Liverpool (J Australia with 750,000 pounds sterling in gold. The nunu runs business failures reported in UxM pool, have been greatly exaggerated and have exctv.B an unfavorable influence on Cotton. Triumph of Abolition in Wisconsin. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of WisoonJ has issued a habeas corpus in the case of S. M. Booth a ■ John Ryecraft, recently convicted in the United S; a : j Court at Milwaukie ct a violation of the provisions of act generally termed the Fugitive Slave law, and sen’enej to fine and imprisonment. The State Court has tieu-MbJ declared the law in question unconstitutional android* On the receipt oi the news of the issuing Os the writ oihi beas corpus at Milwaukie a public meeting was eonv. * at which resolutions strongly r censuring the coarse 1 federal authorities, and counseling revolutionary action! 1 defeat the laws of the land, were adopted with frantic a I thusiastn. The fine imposed upon Booth and k’y .. 1 amounts to .$1,661, and tiiis is: to be made up by volunta I subscriptions, in no instance to exceed one dollar. It hi 1 been stated that tho Anti-Nebraska members of Cocgr- ] have contributed towards the fund. The L egislature of Wisconsin met in joint convention'll 1 Wednesday last, and balloted three times for a U 8. Sea | ator, but without making an election. Du race, the can: i date of the republicans party, was far ahead of Jiiscorn'i', * itors. The Cleaveland journals contain a telegraphic despate. I announcing the election cf the Hon. Chaika Durkee,. I U. S. Senator, from Wisconsin, for six years, from the !• | of March next, by a majority of one. lie takes the pla ol the Hon. Isaac P. Walker. Charleston Races—The Huclrinson Stakes. The -Hutchinson slakes, for a purse of SSOO, were cot. ■ tested by the following, entries : John Belcher’s h. c.,: 1 Childe Harold , dam by imported Priam; Charles iJj Hamilton’s b. e., by Tempter , dam Ann Barrow ; .km* Campbell’s f., by Wagner , cut of a Tran by mare; T.il, Goldsby entered Brown Dick. The race, in two was won with ease by Brown Dick , who kept the l:\jj throughout, whic h was stoutly contested by Mr. Cunipl-.ipl filly. Mr. Hamilton’s b. c. was distanced on the feccr.il j heat, and Mr. Belcher’sJj. c. was declare I’"distanced j a account of foul riding. - -~^ v Ciiakleston, Feb. B.— ln the first race for the c-lut purse of $750, three'mile heats, three nags started, “ABn Taylor” won the first luat : “Brown Dick” the second. Moore’s mare did not start for the second. “Mary T.iy-i lor” broke down, giving “Brown Dick” the purse.—4 Time : 5 34 ; 5.4 J. Important to Merchant?. I Consulate. General or Portugal. ) I New York, Keb. 3, 1855. \ I By degree of Dec. 3], 1851, the Portugese governm riß permits the entry, free of duty, until 31st J uly, 1855, of e -rsl and corn meal in the Cape Verd Islands, from all countridfl and in vessels of all nations. State Eoad not Obstructed. The present inconvenience to passengers is not aspuj as we supposed it would have be n before we visit, and tbj ; spot. We saw the up train with the passengers and k-1 gage carried round by way of the lorry in about on.: LcJ The freight trains have not ceased running, as usual, f.. *| this piont to the present terminus at the bridge, and ir C thence the entile distance t p they will run from :o-( . Freights will be passed over the liver from this daiCrj way o! the ferry and the ford, and it is thought highly p, -j able by some that the wagon bridge may be used far: I purpose during the week, but this to us seems altog--n.J impossible. We have understood that contracts hr.vt-: ■ closed for the transpoitation of freights across the rive:, I eluding the unloading and replacing the freight, lor a . a per 10',) pounds, and for the conveyance of passuiit'-n..* cents each, including feniage. The Superiniendant has already had finished turn tab* on both sides of the river, with the needful sidings, -I large, amount of the timber necessary lor a wagon !In -■ for the transportation of freights. This bridge will be ished by the lirst of next week, it is thought, but we uid W see how hand? enough could be put to woik . n such structure to finish it with such dispatch, ll the hr ..I should be erected by that time it will be highly cted ’ to the management of the road, and passengers will !>-■ experience a delay of only about 20 minutes ands . . ■ will be kept back not more than 24 hours. —Atlanta luidm ligcncer, 7th inst. Accident to a Government Vessel- The U. S. Schooner Madison, of the Coast Survey, m | into our port yesterday for repairs. Fourteen die s I j from New York, off Cape Ilatt eras, she encountered I severe gale, which prevailed without cessation during k 2dtli, 27th and 28th ult. The Madison sprung her fe I mast and was obliged to cut away her stern Leaf. CY I | ing feavannh a river bar, bound hither, she got ant j and sprung a leak making one loot of water per hour'’ She now i., sat the eastern end of th .-.city.— Sav, <• 1 gian. Sift. , Mo.v. W. T. Colquitt.— It is with unspeakable iegret that we learn through a friend, of the low state ofhei and this noble, gallant man. Such spirits only visit this - ! at long intervals, and their departure leaves forever a v i i:i the hearts of those who know and love them, if prav. earnest and from the heart, can avail anything in iengtlit: • ing his lien of life, as many will be uttered tor Walter T. Colquitt as ever ascended for the behoof of ore born u; : the soil of this commonwealth..— Atlanta Ini. 7th inst. Soil of the South. —This valuable contributor lo tl ® I agricultural press, for this month, s table, am presents, as usual, a scries of excellent articles. W* Lcommend to the attention of all our fairming friends w.. . are and sbelievcis in “Book Fanning” to read the Chany on “Corn Cobs.” It would be worth in fun more l! :.r:i j year’s subscription to the “Soil’ r to hear some of the and u’ ers that we know, comment on this same article. Y notice that s< me of the Doctors are out on our Mr. I\.> body for his heterodox notions about the value of (mat Wo are ou Peabody's side in she argument. We exceedingly curious, however, to hear Mr. H. Peters, our city, on this subject, for in our opinion, the exper. and judgment of no man in cur State would go far: 1 --’ to settle th's point than that of Mr. Peters. —Atlanta In telligencer. The last ‘instance of modesty is that of a who refused to wear a watch in her bosom, because ;■ l-** l hands on it.