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PERSONAL. Charles Dickens, will, it is said, visit this country nest Autumn. Ex President Van Buren is writing his “Life and Times.” The Earl op Minto, father-in-law of Lord John Russell, is dead. Baron E- Rothschild, from Germany, is at present in New York. Hon. Jeff Davis is decidedly convalescent. He is still at Oakland, Alleghany county, Md. Mrs. Harrison, the venerable widow of ex- President Harrison, is very ill at her residence at North Bend. Major F. W. Capers, of South Carolina, has accepted the superintendency of the Georgia Military Institute. Professor Agassiz is now in Switzerland ; he is expected to return homo about the middle of September. Mr. Ten Broeck’s winnings (with American horses) at the different Goodwood races are stated at $125,000. Horace Ye ßnet has returned to Paris from Italy, with materials for some magnificent tab leaux of recent events. Private letters from Paris state that Madame Ristori has nearly or quite resolved to make a professional tour through the United States. Dick Tattersall, known to all sporting men in and out of England, died at Dover lately, in the 16tli year of his age. Bishop Davis, of South Carolina, has become almost totally blind. His general health is, how ever, good, and his vigorous mental faculties unimpaired. H. Clay, a brother of the late Congressman, James B. Clay, and son ot Henry Clay, is elected to the State Senate from Fayette county, Kentucky, on the Opposition ticket. The honorary degree of D. D. was conferred upon Revs. J. R. Furman, J. E. Ryerson and J. J. Brantly, by the Furman University at its late commencement. ■We understand that Right Rev. JonN Barry, Catholic Bishop of Georgia, has arrived safely in his native city, Wexford, Ireland ; but we have been informed, and regret to hear it, that his health has not improved.— Consitutionalist. • Prince Jerome Napoleon, the Emperor’s un cle, is said to be suffering extremely from the gout, which appears to threaten the stomach.— Prince Napoleon and the Empress Mathilde were in constant attendance on their father. John Ross has been re-elected Chief of the Cher okee Nation. Ross was elected principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, under the first Consti tution, in the fall of 1828, at New Echota, and has been the Chief ever since, being re-elected every four years. Lieutenant Maury has recently received a gold medal from the Emperor of France ; also, from the King of Portugal, an autograph letter, conferring upon him the degree of Officer of the Tower and Sword, together with the beautiful insignia of the order. The English Dissenters are about to erect a church edifice for Mr. Spurgeon, the estimated cost of which is £21,000. Tho work was to be commenced on the 16th of the present month. The building will seat 5,000 people, and will, when completed, be tho largest dissenting chap el in the kingdom. Judoe Haliburton no Orator.—The London Illustrated Times says that on Monday, July 2.'ith, Judge Haliburton, (Sam Slick,) mado his maiden speech in Parliament. “When he arose, the House was hushed to silence in a moment; but his speech was not a success, and it is clear now that Mr. Haliburton, racy writer as he is, is no orator. It was just such a speech as any coun try gentleman might havo made. Tho appear ance of Mr. Haliburton is that of a sturdy old geutleman farmer, utterly unlike what, from reading his works, you would imagine him to be." Mr. Buchanan will be nearly seventy years of age when he leaves the Presidency in 1861. His birthday is on the 22d of April. Mr. Bu chanan will thus be a little older than was Gen. Jackson when his terra expired, and older, by more than five years, than was Gen. Washing ton, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe or John Quincy Adams; by twelve years than Martin Van Buren; and upwards of "fifteen years than John Tyler, James K. Polk, Milliard Fillmore and Frank Pierce, at the ter mination of their political life. Some weeks ago tho Nashville papers men tioned that the venerable and Rev. Joshua Soule, D. D., senior Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was very ill, and it was feared would not be able to resume the ac tive duties of his office. We learn, however, that the Bishop has recovered his usual health, and is nowon a visit to his relatives in Ohio. “Sixty years ago,” said the Bishop, “on the sth of January last, I left my father’s home to begin tho work of a Methodist traveling preach er, and this day, July 31st, I close tho 78th year of my life.” He spoke with his usual distinct ness and compass of voice sufficient to make himself heard by a large congregation. On the Mobile and Ohio railroad, not far from Jackson, in Tennessee, says an exchange paper, still stands the humble log cabin, eighteen by twenty feet in size, built and occupied, while he lived in this District, by the far .famed David Crockett. Its logs are fast decaying, and deso lation surrounds it, but no traveler passes it without an eager desire to look upon the humble roof that sheltered one of the truest representa tives of the American pioneer character —a hero and an honest man. Near it is a railroad sta tion, called Crockett’s Station; around it, per haps, will arise a town, to bear and perpetuate a namo as familiar to his countryman as that of Jackson. WnY Miss Murray Resigned.—The New York Albion has an article referring to the resig nation of Hon. Amelia Murray, whilom maid of honor to the Queen, and whose book on Amer ica and slavery has attracted some attention.— The Albion says: We are able to state upon the most unexcep tionable authority, that Miss Murray did not lose her place in the royal household on account of her sentiments in favor of slavery; but that she herself resigned the honorary position she occupied as an extra maid of honor, before the publication of her work, and before any one knew of its table of contents—whether it treated of slavery at all—much less whether her opin ions respecting it wero favorable or reverse.— She resigned, in deference to a well known rule of all departments of the British public service, which forbids any subordinate to treat, in print, controverted questions of religion, politics or government. xxtK sovsessas sxx&s fxkjbsebs. FUN, FACT, AND PHILOSOPHY. “Have you read my last speech ?” said an orator to a friend. “I hope so,” was the reply. • Marking Newspapers.—The Postmaster General decides that a pen and pepcil mark, made for the purpose of attracting tho eye to a particular article or portion of printed matter, matter, does not subject matter to letter postage, as insisted on by some postmasters. Industry is an excellent guard for virtue; the more active your life, the less opportunity have the passions to corrupt you. “Mynheer, do you know what for we call our boy Hans?” —“I do not, really.” “Well, I will tell you. Der reason we call our boy Hans, it is his name.” There are on earth 1000 millions of inhabi tants. Os these 33,333,333 die every year; 7,780 every hour, and 60 every minute—or one in every second. But there are always more births than deaths, and so population increases. There is dew in one flower and not in another because one opens its cup and takes it in, while the other closes itself and the drop runs off. God rains goodness and mercy as wide as the dew, and if we lack them, it is because we will not open our hearts to receive them. Sentimental Youth.—“My dear girl, will you share my lot for life ?” Practical Girl.—“now many acres is your lot, sir?” A little more than half a century’ ago there was not a single steamboat in existence, and the appliance of steam to machinery was little known. The first steamboat was launched in 1804. Now there are three thousand steam boats traversing American waters. An ill-tempered man carries his own smoke, and makes not oniy his own eyes smart, but those of other people. An ’Editor Taken Down. —An editor and a young school miss were engaged in a conversa tion the other day, when the following passed between them: Editor. —“Miss when are you going to get married ?” School Miss.—“ Well, I don’t know; the first chance I get.” Ed.—“ Well, as that is my intention, suppose we marry.” S. M.—“ Well, I don’t know whether that would be a chance or not.” The editor acknowledged himself “in below the ford.” A communication from Rome says : “The magnificent statue of the Marine Venus which was discovered a few weeks ago in some exca vations made in the gardens of Julius Cicsar, not far from the Portese-gate, has been definitely purchased for the Imperial Museum of St. Pe tersburg, for a sum of about 50,000 f. ($10,000.) He should be considered our lest friend, who is the most ready to tell us our errors in a friendly way. At a railway station an old lady said to a very pompous-looking gentleman, who was talk ing about steam communication: “Pray, Sir, what is steam ?” . “Steam, ma’am, is, ah! —steam is—eh! ah!— steam is—steam!” “I knew that chap couldn’t tell ye, ’ said a rough-looking fellow standing by’; “but steam is a bucket of water in a tremendous perspiration.” “Q,” the seventeenth letter of- the Euglish alphabet, was borrowed from thevLatin, and its name came from the French queue, a tail. It is always followed by u, and never ends a word. To do good to our enemies is to resemble tho incense whoso aroma perfumes the fire by which it is consumed. The Retort Courteous. —A thick headed squire, being worsted by Sidney Smith in an argument, took his revenge by exclaiming, “If I had a son who was an idiot, by Jove, I’d make him a parson.’ “Very probably,” replied Sidney, “but I see your father was of a different mind.” Female Suffrage.—Females in Kansas have the right of voting on school matters. In whatever shape evil comes, we are apt to exclaim, with Hamlet, “take any shape but that” It is not only little boys who like to play with hoops now-a-days. Full-grown men are frequent ly seen chasing them through the streets. The New Englaud Courant, in 1726, contain ed the following advertisement: “Just publish ed, and sold by the printer thereof, ‘Hooped Petticoats Arraigned and Condemned, by the Light of Nature and the Law of God' —Price 6d.’ A New York correspondent says that ten millions of hooped skirts are manufactured in that city per year. Houses there make more than three thousand per day, and still cannot fill their orders. Religion is the foundation of society; let that be shaken by contempt, and the whole fabric totters to the ground. The New York Tribune says that women in that city only receive two cents a piece for mak ing boys, caps. To this the Columbia, Arkansas, Courier replies: “That ain’t nothing; the ladies in Arkansas make caps, boys and ail, and don t charge a cent” Anagrams.—Among the curiosities —not of literature —but of letters, the anagram was wont to be a favorite in the days of a by-gone gene ration. Who, for instance, has not smiled bland ly over that famous transposition, which aptly converts “Horatio Nelson” into Honor est a Nilot Another. —The name so much in men’s mouths, “Louis Napoleon Bonaparte,” may by this method be converted into, An open plot —arouse Albion! —New York Albion. Yalue the friendship of him who stands by you in the storm; swarms of insects will sur round you in the sunshine. An editor says his attention was first drawn to matrimony by the skillful manner in which a pretty girl handled a broom. Another editor, very improperly alluding to such domestic mat ters, says: “If reports be true, our brother s ad miration of the skillful manner in which the lady “handles a broom,” has not increased since his marriage. The British and Foreign Bible Society re ceived, the past year, $774,530, being $27,000 more than in any former year. It put into circulation 23,798 more copies of tho Scriptures than in any former year;—that is, 1,625,935 copies. To speak harshly to a person of sensibility is like striking a harpsichord with your fist Profusion restores to the public the wealth which avarice has detained from it for a time. CHESS. In the Problem of Max Lange, given in our chess column of last week, we should have ad ded, when giving the position of the pieces, be fore attempting the mate in four moves, another piece for the Blacks, viz: Black Pawn on B 3. Now we believe the problem correctly stated. Mr. Morphy has gone to Newport and will probably visit the White Mountains before re turning to New York. He expects to be absent about three weeks. Two Games of Chess are being played by letter between an amateur of the New York Club and a player of St. Petersburg, Russia. A Steel Portrait of Mr. Morphy, accompa nying a biographic sketch, has been published in the London Illustrated News of the World, for July 23d. Park Benjamin has been satirizing Mr. Ev erett, and Mr. Paul Morphy in some verses of his composition, read at the late Dartmouth Commencement. We give below one of the best Problems (per haps the very best) for a check-mate in two moves, that we have ever mot with. It is, we forget whose; wo took it last winter from, w r e forget what paper. problem: Position of the Pieces. WHITE. Queen on A. 2. Knighton B 2. Pawn on C 2. Rook on A 3. King on F 3. Pawn on E 4. Pawn on F 4. Bishop on D 6. Pawn on F 6. (White moving from 1 towards 8.) (Black moving from 8 towards 1.) White to play, and mate in two moves. -———i»> THE AUTOMATON CHESS-PLAYER. [From the memoirs of Robert Iloudtn, Ambassador, Author and Conjurer.] “In 1796, a revolt broke out in a half-Russian, half-Polish regiment stationed at Riga, at the head of the rebels being an officer of the name of Worousky, a man of great talent and ener gy. The troops sent to suppress the revolt were beaten back with considerable loss. How ever, reinforcements came from St. Petersburg, and the insurgents were defeated in a pitched battle. A great number perished, and the rest took flight across the marshes, where tfce sol diers pursued them, with orders to grant no quarter. “In this rout Worousky had both thighs shat tered by a cannon ball, and fell on the battle field ; however, he escaped from the general massacre by throwing himself in a ditch behind a hedge. At nightfall, Worousky dragged him self along with great difficulty to tho adjacent* house of a physician of the nqme of Osloff, whose benevolence was well known, and the doctor, moved by iiis sufferings, attended upon, and promised to conceal him. His wound was serious, but the doctor felt confident of curing him, until gangrene set in, and his life could only be saved at the cost of half his body. The amputation was successful, and Worousky saved. “During this time, M. de Kempelin, a cele brated mechanician, came to Russia to pay a visit to M. Osloff, with whom he had been long ac quainted. “This visit was the more agreeable to the doc tor, as for some time he had been alarmed as to the consequences of the noble action he had per formed ; he feared being compromised if it were found out. Hence, he told Mdo Kempelen his secret, and begged liis aid. Though at first startled by sharing such a secret—for he knew that a reword was offered for the insurgent chief, and that the act of humanity he was about to help in might send him to Siberia—still, M. de Kempelen, on seeing Woronsky’s mutilated body, felt moved with compassion, and began contriving some plan to secure his escape. “Dr. Osloff was a passionate lover of chess, and had played numerous games with his patient during his tardy convalescence; but Worousky was so strong at tho game that the doctor was always defeated. Then Kempelen joined the doctor in trying to defeat the skilful player, but it was of no use; Worousky wa3 al ways the conqueror. His superiority gave M. de Kempelen the idea of the famous Automaton Chess-player. In an instant his plan was form ed, and ne set to work immediately. The most remarkable circumstance is, that this wonderful chef d’teuvre, which astonished the whole world, was invented and finished within three months. “M. de Kempelen, anxious that his host should make the first essay of his automaton, invited him to play a game on the 10th of October, 1796. Tho automaton represented a Turk of the natural size, wearing tho national costume, and seated behind a box of the shape of a chest of drawers. In the middle of the top of the box was a chess board. “Prior to commencing tho game, the artist opened several doors in the chest, and M. Osloff could see inside a large number of wheels, pul leys, cylinders, springs, etc., occupying the lar ger part. At the same time, he opened a long drawer, from which he produced the chessmen and a cushion, on which the Turk was to rest his arm. This examination ended, the robe of the automaton was raised, and the interior of the body could also be inspected. “The doors being then closed, M. de Kempe len wound up one of the wheels with a key he inserted in a hole in the chest; after which the Turk, with a gentle nod of salutation, placed his hand on one of the pieces, raised it, deposited it on another square, and laid his arm on the cush ion before him. The inventor had stated that, as the automaton could not speak, it would signify check to the king by three nods, and to the queen by two. “The doctor moved in his turn, and waited patiently till his adversary, whose movements had all the dignity of the Sultan he represented, had moved. The game, though slow at first, soon grew animated, and the doctor found he had to deal with a tremendous opponent; for, in spite of all his efforts to defeat the figure, his game was growing quite desperate. It is true, though, that for some minutes past, the doctor’s attention had appeared to be distracted, and one idea seemed to occupy him. But while hesita ting whether he should impart his thoughts to his friend, the figure gave three nods. The game was over. “ ‘By jove!’ the loser said with a tinge of vex ation, which the sight of the inventor’s smiling face soon dispelled, ‘if I were not certain Wo rousky is at this moment in bed, I should believe I had been playing with him. His head alone is capable of inventing such a checkmate. And besides,’ the doctor said, looking fixedly at M. de Kempelin, ‘can you tell me why your autom aton plays with the left hand, just like Wo rousky ?’ “The mechanician began laughing, and not BLACK. Knight on C 3. Pawn on A 4. King on D 4. Knight on A 5. Pawn on C 6. Pawn on D 7. Bishop on G 7. wishing to prolong this mystification, the prelude to so many others, ho confessed to his friend that he had really been playing with Worousky. _ “ ‘But where the deuce have you put him, him then ?’ the doctor said, looking round to try and discover his opponent. “The inventor laughed heartily. “ ‘Well! do you not recognize me ?’ the Turk exclaimed, holding out his left hand to the doc tor in reconciliation, while Kempelen raised the robe, and displayed the poor cripple stowed away in the body of the automaton. “M. Osloff could no longer keep his counte nance, and he joined the others in their laugh ter. But he was the first to stop, for he wanted an explanation. “ ‘But how do you manage to render Worous ky invisible ?’ “M. de Kempelen then explained how he con cealed the living automaton before it entered the Turk’s body. “ ‘See here 1’ he said, opening the chest, •these wheels, pulleys, and cranks occupying a portion of the chest, are only a deception. The frames that support them are hung on hinges, and can be turned back to leave space for the player while you are examining the body of the auto maton. “‘When this inspection was ended, and as soon as the robe was allowed to fall, Worousky entered the Turk’s body we have just examined and, while I am showing you the box and the machinery, ho was taking his time to pass his arms and hands into those of the figure. You can understand that, owing to the size of neck, which is hidden by the broad and enormous collar, he can easily pass his head into this mask, and see the chess board. I must add, that when I pretend to wind lip the machine, it is only to drown the sound of Worousky’s movements.” ’ NEWS SUMMARY. Washington, Aug. 23. —The administration has bestowed upon tho subject of the African slave trade its earnest attention, and, with a view of suppressing, as far as possible, this traf fic, has initiated measures more efficient and ex tensive than ever before for that purpose. The squadron for the coast of Africa, as ar ranged by the Secretary of the Navy, will con sist of the following named vessels : the steam ers Mystic, Sumter, San Jacinto and Moluean, and the sloops-of-war Constellation, (the flag ship) Portsmouth, Marion and Vincennes. The most efficient officers are assigned to their their command. Those of the Mystic and Sum ter are, respectively, Lieut. W. E. Lcßoy and Lieut. J. F. Armstrong. These gentlemen were, at their own request, ordered to this service.— Their vessels, being of light draft, can penetrate waters too shallow for those which have here tofore been on that coast, besides having the ad vantage of steam. Hence, slavers will be more closely pursued. Tho joint treaty with England requires that the United States shall keep there a force ot eighty guns ; but, by the recent arragnement on the part of the Administration, the number of guns will be one hundred and sixteen. Mr. Bimey, who succeeds Mr. Morse as Naval Storekeeper, went out in the Constellation, with instructions to remove the naval depot for the Af rican squadron from Porto Praya to San Paul de Loando, which is three hundred and thirty-six miles south of the Congo river, or about twenty five hundred miles distant from Porto Praya.— This new depot will, consequently, be much nearer than the former to the principal points of traffic on the coast, and will, in a great mea sure, obviate the necessity of long cruises. On our own coast, too, there is to be an efficient naval force, composed of the steamers Crusa der, Lieut. Maffit; the Mohawk, Lieut. Craven ; the Wyannotte, Lieut. Stanly : and the Fulton, Commander G. G. Williamson. They are to eruiso in tho neighborhood of Cuba, for the pur pose of capturing any slavers which may, by their expertness, escape tho vigilance of our naval police on the African coast. These arrangements will soon go into full op eration, jjnd tho Secretary of the Navy is row hurrying the preparation of such of the vessels as are yet in port, for this important Service. Charleston Courier, Aug. 24. What are we Coming to?—Biot, Violence, Murder, Etc. —The following items reach us by the last mails. St. Louis, Aug. 23. —An outbreak in South ern Kansas is reportod. Montgomery is again in the field; and a renewal of the old disturban ces is feared. Philadelphia, August 23d.—While the pu pils of the Catholic Sunday Schools and a mili tary company of this city were on an excursion to the village of Tacolney, yesterday, the sol diers were attacked, while target firing, by a gang of rowdies. Tho soldiers fired upon the latter; and about twenty persons wero stabbed and wounded. The riot was resumed on the re turn to the city; but the police interfered, and prevented any further serious results. Baltimore" August 23. —A party of rowdies on board the steamer bound for the camp-meet ing, near this city, on Saturday last, committed fearful outrages and acts of violence, They butchered and robbed the passengers in tho dark; and repeatedly stabbed a man whose wife they violated in his presence. Aiken, S. C. —On Saturday evening last a difficulty occurred between George Purdue and Willis Burkhalter, in which both parties fired double-barrelled guns. Burklialter’s arm was shot off below the elbow and he was otherwise seriously injured. At last accounts he was con sidered in imminent danger. Purdue, we un derstand, escaped unharmed. During Saturday night, one George Holly, at or near the same village, was beaten severely by some person or persons unknown, receiving such wounds and bruises as to render his situa tion also very critical. On the Sunday following, in the same place, a man named Jerry Jeffcoat committed suicide by cutting his throat. His age was 24. Wo havo not heard the supposed cause of the deed. Edgefield Advertiser, 24 th. The Strike at Albany.—The strike among the iron moulders connected with the great fac tories at Albany still continues. The combina tion embraces some seven hundred workmen, whose average earnings each were from $lB to 28 a week. They employed one or more boys, or “helpers,” to do the more mechanical part of the work, so that the total number of persons out of employment cannot be less than fourteen hundred. During the financial crisis of 1857, the moulders agreed to do their own work, and, we believe, at reduced prices; the point of dis pute now is, their determination to get rid of their “helpers,” or to select their own, and to re turn to the old prices. The cdhsequences of this movement among*he moulders are deplorable. A wicked and mali cious feeling exists on the part towards their former employers, which takes the form of clamor against capitalists and “the rich.” A “Union” has been established the meetings of which are secret, although the most severe threats are promulgated against those who shall seek em ployment at the factories, and many whose families are starving have been prevented by these threats from applying for work. The “Union" has supplied some funds to the desti tute; rival establishments in the vicinity have done the same, and a few politicians have con tributed freely. But the funds are giving out, and unless some compromise is effected, much additional suffering will be caused. It is esti mated that the strikers, when in employment, spend something like $20,000 a week. — Journal of Commerce. An American Invention. —One of Bishop’s American floating derricks having been put on the Thames, in London, it has furnished a theme of admiration to several of our cotemporaties of that city. To test its powers, a Norwegian vessel of 900 tons was recently laid alongside of it, and three chains were rapidly passed under the bottom and connected with the lifts of the derrick. When dtl was secure, the machinery was set in motion, and the vessel was steadily lifted from the water at the rate of about a foot per minute. When raised twenty feet, a small steamer of sixty tons was fastened beneath her, and both vessels were raised high into the air, presenting a most singular appearance. The Crops. —The crops in Southwestern Geor gia are better and more promising than they • were ever known to be before. Corn will lie abundant, and if no disaster befall the cotton crop, it will be large. The pea and potato crops promise to be excellent.— Americus News. The Rice Harvest. —Several planters on the Savannah river commenced, the latter part of last week, to cut and harvest their rice crops.— Southward of us, on the Ogeechee and Altamaha, the crop is usually cut a little earlier, and they no doubt commenced the first of the week.— From a rice factor in this city we learn that the crops on the Savannah and Ogeechee rivers are excellent. From the Altamaha the reports re ceived indicate that the planters on that river will reap a good crop. It is, though, not wholly free from danger, such as freshets from rains and breaking of dams, continued rainy weather, 4c., which may materially affect both the quantity and quality of the crop. Savannah Republican iWi insl. New Cotton. —We learn that two bales of new cotton were received in our city this morn ing. They are from the plantation of H. M. Murray, in this county. Montgomery is not much, if any, behind her sister counties in this respect. By the way, we fear that the heavy, and con tinued rains, have seriously injured the prospects of the cotton crop, especially in the prairie coun try below us—not so much, however, as they would have done, had they come later in the season.— Montgomery Adv., IHth inst. New Cotton in Savannah. —The first bale of new cotton received in this city, arrived Satur day morning. It is from the plantation of John M. Snapp, of Chattahoochee county and classed middling. The first bale last year was received the Itli of August, from the plantation of C. W. Rason, of Dougherty county. Two more bales received last evening, per steamer Talomico from plantation of Edward S. Riley, Esq., on Black Swamp, Beaufort District, S. C. The quality is “fully fair." Savannah Republican 22 nd inst. Navigation of the Missouri River.— A steam boat has just returned to St. Louis, from a trip up the Missouri river to Fort Benton, three thousand miles from its mouth, and only seventy miles from the sources of the Columbia river. This is the furthest point yet reached by • steamltoat and it is now demonstrated that a steamboat may, without any difficulty, go from Pittsburg to Fort Benton and back. In truth, the internal navigation of the west is as yet in its infancy. *" Mr. Wise, in his recent ascension in the bal loon “Jupiter,” from Lafayette, Ind., took with him a special mail-bag, which he subsequently dropped from the clouds over Crawfordsville. The letters were forwarded from that place to their various destinations, Angust 16, 1869. Operation of the Frank on the Mail Ser vice.—The Providence Journal, alluding to the fact that thousands of tons of illegally franked matter have gone through the postoffice for years past, says truly that this is certainly a strong reason for the abolition of a privilege which is capable of such abuse. The franking privilege is intrinsically a matter of little impor tance, but the abuses that grow out of it are enormous. The cumbrous volumes that are printed by thousands and tens of thousands by order of Congress would never see the light but for the franking privilege. If transmitted at the most reasonable rates of postage they would not be taken out of the office by those to whom they are addressed. *• The Southern Steamship Company, incorporat ed to run a line of steamships between Boston and Savannah, have concluded contracts for two substantial sea-going steamers, to be finished by by the first of June, 1860. Washington, Aug. 23.—C. E. Stewart has been recognized by the President, as Consul for Belgium, at the port of Charleston, S. C. Southern Steamship Building. —A corres pondent of the Mobile Tribune learns from those who have made the estimate, that the new war steamer Pensacola, just launched at the War rington Navy Yard, will cost about one hundred thousand dollars less than aDy one of the other five vessels of her class, and ordered at the same time, but which were built at the North. St. Louis, Aug. 23—Dates from Denver City to the 12th inst., have been received. More gold discoveries have been reported. The California gold mines are prospering, es pecially the quartz mining region. Washington, Aug. 21. —There is still little, if any doubt, that a convention or treaty between the United States and Mexico will soon be con cluded, and received here from Minister McLane, early in September. There is no foundation for tae rumor that the Secretary of War will resign his seat in the Cabinet. He hopes soon to return to the per formance of his official duties. The Southern Mail. —The N. O. Commercial Bulletin is informed upon reliable authoiity, that the gap in the Mississippi Central Railroad (by which the transportation of the Southern mail is much delayed,) “will be filled by the Ist of January next, when the distance between New Orleans and New York will be accomplished in three days and a half." The citizens of New Orleans are apprehensive that this mail may to be transferred to the Femandina route across Florida, and have addressed the Postmaster General on the subject. 109