The Sun. — London, England, 1845-12-30 00:00:00

N evheijead made a settlement, you shall not avail yourself, of -your possession, because this was taken in violation • qf- another outstanding title : and although I must ad . • 1 elute:that you have also acquired this outstanding title, yet - liven this shall avail you nothing, because, having taken ' elesfiession previously to your purchase, you thereby s es (enticed that you did not regard such title as valid. And • e aa e 'yet such is the mode by which the British Plenipoten tiary has attempted to destroy both the American and Spanish titles. On the contrary, in the case mentioned, the possession and the outstanding title being united in the same individual, these conjoined would be as perfect as if both had been vested in him from the beginning. The undersigned, whilst strongly asserting both these titles, and believing each of them separately to be good as against Great Britain, has studiously avoided insti tuting any comparison between them. But admitting, for the sake of the argument merely, that the discovery by Captain Gray of the mouth of the Columbia, its ex ploration by Lewis and Clarke, and the settlement upon its banks at Astoria, were encroachments on Spain, she, and she alone had a right to complain. Great 13t stain wars a third party ; and, as such, had no right to inter fere in the qeestion between Spain and the United States. But Spain, instead of complaining of these acts es encroachments, on the '22d February, 1819, by ;he Florida treaty, transferred the whole title to the United States. From that moment, all possible conflict between the two titles was ended, both being united in the same party. Two titles which might have conflicted, therefore, were thus blended together. The title now vested in the United States it just us strong as though every act of discovery, exploration, and settle ment on the part of bath powers had been performed by Spain alone, before she had transferred all her rights to the United States. The two Powers are one in this respect; the two titles are one ; and, as the undersigned will show hereafter, they serve to confirm and strengthen each e other. It Great Britain, instead of the United States, had acquired the title of Spain, she might have contended that those acts of the United States were encroachments, but, standing in the attitude of a stranger to both titles, she has no right to interfere in the matter. The undersigned deems it unnecessary to pursue this branch of the subject further than to state that the United States, before they had acquired the title of Spain, always treated that title with respect. In the negotiation of 1818, the American Plenipotentiaries " did not assert that the United States had a perfect right to that country ; but insisted that their claim was at least good against Great Britain," and the convention of October 20, 1818, unlike that of Nootka Sound, reserved the claims of any other power or state to any part of the said country. This re servation could have been intended for Spain alone. But, ever since the United States acquired the Spanish title, they have always asserted and maiptained their right in the strongest terms up to the Russian line, even whilst offering, for the sake of harmony and peace, to divide the territory in dispute by the 49th parallel of latitude. The British Plenipotentiary, then, has entirely failed to sustain his position, that the United States can found no claim on discovery, exploration, and settlement, with ant admitting the principles of the Nootka convention. "That convention died on the commencement of the war between Spain and England, in 1796, and has never since been revived. The British Plenipotentiary next" endeavours to prove that, even if the Nootka Sound convention had ever ex- Lsted, the position of Great Britain in regard to her claim, whether to the whole or to any particular portion of the Oregon territory is at least as good as that of the United States." In order to establish this position he must show that the British claim is equal in validity to the titles both of Spain and the United States. These can never new be separated. They are one and the same. Diffe rent and diverging as they may have been before the Florida treaty, they are now blended together and iden tified. The separate discoveries, explorations, and set tlements of the two powers previous to that date must now be considered as if they had all been made by the United States alone. Under this palpable view of the eubject, the undersigned was surprised to find that in the s enparison and contrast instituted by the British Pleni potentiary between the claim of Great Britain and that .1 the United States, he had entirely omitted to refer to the discoveries, explorations, and settlements made by Spain. The undersigned will endeavour to supply the omission. But before he proceeds to the main argument on this point he feels himself constrained to express his surprise e hat the British Plenipotentiary should again have invoked in support of the British title the inconsistency between the Spanish and American branches of the title of the United States. The undersigned cannot forbear to con gratulate himself upon the fact, that a gentleman of Mr. Pakenhana's acknowledged ability has been reduced talhe necessity of relying chiefly upon such a snpport ter sustaining the British pretensions. Stated in brief, the argument is this : the American title is not good against Great Britain, because inconsistent with that of Spain ; and the Spanish title is not good against Great Britain, because inconsistent with that of the United States. The undersigned had expected something far different from such an argument in a circle. He had anticipated that the British Plenipotentiary would have attempted to prove that Spain had no right to the north western coast of America ; that it was vacant and un appropriated ; and hence, under the law of nations, was open to discovery, exploration, and settlement by all nations. But no such thing. On this vital point of his case he rests his argument solely on the declaration made by the undersigned, that the title of the United States to the valley of the Columbia...was perfect and com plete before the treaties of joint occupation of October, 1818, and August, 1827, and before the date of the Florida treaty, in 1819. But the British Plenipotentiary ought to recollect that this title was asserted to be complete, not against Spain, but against Great Britain ; that the argument was cone ducted not against a Spanish but a British Plenipoten tiary ; and that the United States, and not Great Bri tain, represent the Spanish title. And further, that the statement from which he extracts these declarations was almost eaclusively devoted to prove, in the language quoted by the British Plenipotentiary himself, that " Spain had a good title, as against Great Britain, to the whole of the Oregon territory." The undersigned has never, as before observed, instituted any comparison between the American and Spanish titles. Holding both —having a perfect right to rely on both, whether jointly or separately—he has strongly asserted each of them in their turn, tartly persuaded that either the one or the other is good against Great Britain ; and that no human ingenuity can make the Spanish title, now vested in the United States, worse than it would have been had it re mained in the hands of Spain. Briefly to illustrate and enforce that title shall be the remaining task of the undersigned. And, in the first place, he cannot but commend the frankness and candour of the British Plenipotentiary in departing from the course of his predecessors, and rejecting all discoveries previous to those of Captain Cook, in the year 1778, as foundations of British title. Commencing with discovery at a period so late, the Spanish title, on the score of antiquity, presents a strong contrast to that of Great Britain. The under signed had stated as an historical and " striking feet, which must have an important bearing against the cittiln of Great Britain, that this convention (the Nootka) which was dictated by her to Spain, contains no pro vision impairing the ultimate sovereignty which that power has asserted for nearly three centuries over the whale western aide of North America as far north as the 61st degree of latitude, and which had never keen seriously questioned by any European nation. This hae been maintained by Spain with the most vigilant • jealousy ever since the discovery of the American con tieeet, and had been acquiesced in by all European Go vernments. It had been admitted even beyond the lati tude of 54 40 north, by Russia, then the only power having claims which could come in collision with Spain; and that, too, under a severeien peculiarly tenacious of the territorial rights of her empire. " These historical facts had not been, as they could not be, controverted by the British Plenipotentiary,although they were brought under his particular observation, and were even quoted by him with approbation, for the pur pose of showing the inconsistency of the severel titles hell by the United States. In the language of Count Fermin du Nun. z, the Spanish Ambassador at Paris, to M. de Montmorin, the Secretary of the Foreign Depart ment of France, under date of June 17, 1790: "By the treaties, demarcations. taking possession, and the most deciaed acts of sovereignty exercised by the Spaniards in those stations from the reign of Charles 11., and autho rised by that monarch in 1692, the original vouchers for which shall be brought forward in the course of the ne gotiation, all the coast to the north of the western America, on the side of the South Sea, as far as beyond what is called Prince William's Sound, which is in the 61st degree, is acknowledged to belong exclusively to Spain." Compared with this ancient claim of Spain, acquiesced in by all European nations for centuries, the claim of Great Britain, founded on discoveries commenced at so late a period as the year 1778, must make an unfavour able first impression. Spain considered the north-west coast of America as exclusively her own. She did not send out expeditions to explore that coast, for the purpose of rendering her title more valid. When it suited her own convenience, or promoted her own interest, she fitted out such ex peditions of discovery to ascertain the character and ex tent of her own territory ; and yet her discoveries along that coast are far earlier than those of the British. That Juan de Fnca, a Greek in the service of Spain, in 1592, disco vere d and sailed through the strait now bearing his name, from its southern to its northern ex aremity, and thence returned by the same passage, no longer admits of a reasonable doubt. An account of the ea 3 age was published in London in 1625, in a work called " The Pilgrims," by Samuel Purchase This ac eouat was received from the lips of Fuca himself at Venice, in April, 1596, by Michael Lock, a highly re spectable English merchant. During a long period this voyage was deemed fabu lous, because subseqnent navigators had in vain at tempted to find these straits. Finally, after they had been found, it was discovered that the description s of De Fuca corresponded so accurately with their geography, lead the facts presented by nature upon the ground, that it was no longer possible to consider his narration as fabulous. It is true that the opening of the straits from the south lies between the 48th and 49th parallels of latitude, and not between the 47th and 48th parallels, as he had supposed; but this mistake may be explained by the inaccuracy so common throughout the sixteenth century in ascertaining the latitude of places in newly discovered countries. It is also true that De Fuca, after passing through these straits, supposed he had reached the Atlantic, and had discovered the passage so long and so anxiously sought after, between the two oceans; but from the total ignorance and misapprehension which prevailed at that early day of the geography of this portion of North Americ a , i t was natural for him to believe that he had made this important discovery. Justice bets at length been done to his memory, and these straits which he discovered will, in all future time, bear his name. Thus,; the merit of the discovery of the straits of Fuca belongs to Spain; and this nearly two THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 30, 184 S centuries before they had been entered by Captain Ber keley, under the Austrian flag. It is unnecessary to detail the discoveries olthe Spaniards as they regularly advanced to the north from the settlements on the western coasts of North America, until we reach the voyage of Captain Juan Perez, in 1774. That navigator was commissioned by the viceroy of Mexico to proceed, in the corvette Santiago, to the 60th degree of north latitude; and from that point to examine the coast down to Mexico. He sailed from San Bias on the 25th January, 1774. In the performance of this commission he landed first on the north-west coast of Queen Charlotte's Island, near the 54th degree of north latitude ; and thence proceeded south along the shore of that island and of the great islands of Quadra and Vancouver; and then along the coast of the conti nent, until he reached Monteroy. He went on shore, and held intercourse with the natives at several places; and especially at the entrance of a bay, in latitude 291 deg., which he called Port San Lorenzo—the same now known by the name of Nootka Sound. In addition to the journals of this voyage, which render the fact incon testible, wehave the high authority cf Baron Humboldt in its favour. That distinguished traveller, who had access to the manuscript documents in the city of Mexico, states that " Perez and his pilot Estevan Martinez left the port of San Blas 24th January, 1774. On the 9th August they anchored (the first of all Euro pean navigators) in Nootka roads, which they called the port of San Lorenzo, and whioh the illustrious CooJ, four years afterwards, called King George's Sound." In the next year (1775) the viceroy of Mexico again fitted out the Santiago, under the command of Bruno Heceta with Perez, her former commander, as ensign, and also a schooner, called the Sonora, commanded by Juan Francesco de la Bodega y Quadra. These vessels were commissioned to examine the north- wc stern coast of America as far as the 65th degree of latitude, and tailed in company from San Blas on the 15th March, 1775. It is unnecessary to enumerate the different places on the coast examined by these navigators, either in corn pany or separately. Suffice it to say, that they landed at many places on the coast from the 41st to the 57th de gree of latitude, on all of which occasions they took pos session of the country in the name of their sovereign, according to a prescribed regulation ; celebrating mass, reading declarations asserting the right of Spain to the territory, and erecting crosses with inscriptions, to com memorate the event. Some of these crosses were after wards found standing by British navigators, In rela tion to these voyages, Baron Humboldt says, "In the following year (1775, after that of Perez), a second expedition set out from San Blas, under the command of Heceta, Ayala, and Quadra. He discovered the mouth of the Rio Columbia, called it the Entrada de Heceta, the peak of San Jacinto (Mount Edgecomb, near Norfolk Bay), and the fine port of Bucareli. I possess two very curious small maps, engraved in 1788, in the city of Mexico, which give the bearings of the coast from the 27th to the 58th degree of latitude, as they were disco vered in the expedition of Quadra." In the face of these incontestible facts, the British Plenipotentiary says " that Captain Cook must also be considered the discoverer of' Nootka Sound, in conse quence of the want of authenticity in the alleged previous discovery of that port by Perez." And yet Cook did not even sail from England until the 12th July, 1776, nearly two years after Perez made this discovery. The chief object of Cook's voyage was the discovery of a north west passage, and he never landed at any point of the continent south of Nootka Sound. It is true, that in coasting along the continent, before he reached this place, he had observed Cape Flattery, but he was entirely igno rant that this was the southern entrance of the straits of Fuca. In his journal he admits that he had heard some account of the Spanish voyages of 1774 and 1775, before he left England; and it is beyond question that, before his departure, accounts of the voyage of Quadra had been published both in Madrid and London. From Nootka Sound Cook did not again see land until he reached the 57th degree of north latitude. In 1787, it is alleged by the British Plenipotentiary that Captain Berkeley, a British subject, discovered the Straits of Fuca; but these straits had been discovered by Juan de Fuca, nearly two centuries before. Besides, if there had been any merit in this discovery of Captain Berkeley, it would have belonged to Austria, in whose service he was, and under whose colours he sailed, and cannot be appropriated to Great Britain. And here it is worthy of remark that these disco veries of Cook and Berkeley, in 1775 and 1787, are all those on which the British Plenipotentiary relies pre vious to the date of the Nootka Sound Convention, in October, 1790, to defeat the ancient Spanish title to the north-west coast of America. The undersigned will now take a position which can not, in his opinion, be successfully assailed ; and that is, that no discovery, exploration, or settlement, made by Great Britain on the north-west coast of America, after the date of the Nootka Sound Convention, and before it was terminated by the war of 1796, can be invoked by that Power in favour of her own title, or against the title of Spain. Even according to the British construction of that Convention, the sove reignty over the territory was to remain in abeyance during its continuance, as well in regard to Great Britain as to Spain. It would, therefore, have been an open violation of faith on the part of Great Britain, after having secured the privileges conferred upon her by the convention, to turn round against her partner, and perform any acts calculated to divest Spain of her ultimate sovereignty over any portion of this country. The palpable meaning of the convention was, that during its continuance the rights of the respective parties, whatever they may have been, should remain just as they had existed at its commencement. The Government of Great Britain is not justly charge able with any such breach of faith. Captain Vancouver acted without instructions in attempting to take posses sion of the whole north-western coast of America in the name of his sovereign. This officer, sent out from England to execute the convention, did not carry with him any authority to violate it in this outrageous manner. Without this treaty, he would thave ,been a/mere:in truder; under it, Great Britain had a right to make discoveries and surveys, not thereby to acquire title, but merely to enable her subjects to select spots the most advantageous, to use the language of the convention, " for the purpose of carrying on their commerce with the natives of the country, or of making settlements there." If this construction of the Nootka Sound Convention be correct—and the undersigned does not perceive how it can be questioned—then Vancouver's passage through the Straits of Fuca, in 1792, and Alexander Mackenzie's journey across the continent in 1793, can never be trans formed into elements of title in favour of Great Britain. But even if the undersigned could be mistaken in these positions, it would be easy to prove that Captain John Kendrick, in the American sloop Washington, passed through the Straits of Fuca in 1789, three years before Captain Vancouver performed the same voyage. The very instructions to the latter, before he left England, in January 1791, refers to this fact, which has been com municated to the British Government by Lieutenant Meares, who has rendered his name so notorious by its connexion with the transactions preceding the Nootlta Sound Convention. It is, moreover, well known that the whole southern division of the straits had been explored by the Spanish navigators Elisa and Quimper—the first in 1790, and the latter in 1791. After what has been said, it will be perceived how little reason the British Plenipotentiary has for stating that his Government has, "as far as relates to Van - couver's Island, as complete a case of discovery, ex ploratinu, and settlement, as can well be presented, giv ing to Great Britain, in any arrangement that mu he made with regard to the territory in dispute, the strongest possible claim to the exclusive possession of that island." The discovery thus relied upon is that of Nootka Sound by Cook, in 1778: when it has been demonstrated that this was first discovered by Perez, in 1774. The exploration is that by Vancouver, in passing through the Straits of Fuca in 1792, and examining the coasts of the territory in dispute, when De Fuca himself had paned through these straits in 1592, and Kendrick again in 1789; and a complete examination of the western coast bad been made in 1774 and 1775, both by Perez and Quadra. As to possession, if Meares was ever restored to his possessions at Nootka Sound, what ever these may have been, the undersigned has never seen any evidence of the fact. It is not to be found in the journal of Vancouver, although this officer was sent from England for the avowed purpose of witnessing such a restoration. The undersigned knows not whether any new understanding took place between the British and Spanish Governments on this subject ; but one fact is placed beyond all doubt, that the Spaniards continued in the undisturbed possession of Nootka Sound until the year 1795, when they voluntarily abandoned the piece. Great Britain has never, at any time since occupied this or any other position on Vancouver's Island. Thus, on the score of either discovery, exploration, or possession, this island seems to be the very last portion of the ter ritory in dispute to which she can assert a just claim. In the meantime, the United States were proceeding with the discoveries which served to complete and con firm the Spanish American title to the whole of the disputed territory. Captain Robert Gray, in June, 1789, in the sloop Washington, first explored the whole eastern coast of Queen Charlotte's island. In the autumn of the same year, Captain John Ken drick—having in the meantime surrendered the com mand of the Columbia to Captain Gray—sailed, as had been already stated, in the sloop Washington, entirely through the Straits of Fuca. In 1791, Captain Gray returned to the North Pacific in the Columbia, and in the summer of that year exa mined many of the inlets and passages between the 54th and 56th degrees of latitude, which the undersigned considers it unnecessary to specify. On the 7th May, 1792, he discovered and entered Bulfinch's harbour, where he remained at anchor three days, trading with the Indians. On the 11th May, 1792, Captain Gray entered the mouth of the Columbia and completed the discovery of that great river. This river had been long sought in vain by former navigators. Both Meares and Van couver, after examination, had denied its existence. Thus is the world indebted to the enterprise, perseve rance, and intelligence of an American captain of a trading vessel for their first knowledge of this, the greatest river on the western coast of America—a river whose head springs flow from the gorges o: the Rocky Mountains, and whose branches extend from the 43d to the 53d parallels of latitude. This was the last and most important discovery on the coast, and has perpe tuated the name of Robert Gray. In all future time this great river will bear the name of his vessel. It was true that Bruno Haceta, in the year 1775, had been opposite the Bay of the Columbia ; and the cur rents and eddies of the w ater caused him, as he remarks, moutht se of some grea t r i ver , a and his opinion orto believe that some p tha a t ss t a h g is e wasto another "the seems decidedly to have been that this was the opening of the strait discovered by Juan de Fuca in 1592. To use his own language . • " Notwithstanding the great dif ference between the position of this Bay and the passage mentioned by De Fuca, I have little difficulty in •con ceiving that they may be the same, having observed equal or greater differences in the latitude of other capes and ports on the coast, as I shall show at its roper time ; and in all cases the latitude thus assigned are higher than the real ones." Ireceta, from his own declaration, had never entered the Columbia ; and he was in doubt whether the (pal ing was a mouth of a river or an arm of the sea ; and subsequent examinations of the coast by other navi gators had rendered the opinion universal that no such river existed, when Gray first bore the American flag across its bar, sailed up its channel for twenty-five miles, and remained in the river nind days, trading with the Indians. TLe British Plenipotentiary attempts to depreciate the value to the United States of Gray's discovery, because his ship (the Columbia) was a trading, and not a na tional, vessel. At he furnishes no reason for this dis tinction, the undersigned will confine himself to the re mark that a merchant vessel bears the flag of her coun try at her mast-head,; and continues under its jurisdic tion and protection, in the same manner as though she had been commissioned for the express purpose of making discovere. Besides, beyond all doubt, this discovery was made by Gray ; and to what nation could the benefit of it belong, unless it be to the United States ? Certainly not to Great Britain. And if to Spain, the United States are now her representatives. Nor does the undersigned perceive in what manner the value of this great discovery can be lessened by the fact that it was first published to the world through the journal of Vancouver, a British authority. On the con trary, its authenticity being thus acknowledged by the party baying an adverse interest, is more firmly esta blished than if it had been first published in the United States. From a careful examination and review of the subject, the undersigned ventures the assertion, that to Spain and the United States belong all the merit of the disco very of the north-west coast of America south of the Russian line, not a spot of which, unless it may have been the shores of some of the interior bays and inlets, after the entrance to them had been known, was ever beheld by British subjects, until after it had been seen or touched by a Spaniard or an American. Spain pro ceeded in this work of discovery, not as a means of ac quiring title, but for the purpose of examining and sur veying territory to which she believed she had an incon testable right. This title had been sanctioned for cen turies by the acknowledgment or acquiescence of all the European Powers. The United States alone could have disputed this title, and that only to the extent of the region watered by the Columbia. The Spanish and American titles, now united by the Florida treaty, can not be justly resisted by Great Britain. Considered to gether, they constitute a perfect title to the whole terri tory in dispute, ever since the 11th of May, 1792, when Captain Gray passed the bar at the mouth of the Co lumbia, which he had observed in August, 1788. The undersigned will now proceed to show that the title of the United States, at least to the possession of the territory at the mouth of the Columbia, has been acknowledged by the most solemn and unequivocal acts of the British Government. After the purchase of Louisiana from France, the Go vernment of the United States fitted out an expedition, under Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, who, in 1805, first ex plored the Columbia, from its source to its mouth, pre paratory to the occupation of the territory by the United States. In 1811, the settlement of Astoria was made by the Americans near the mouth of the river, and several other posts were established in the interior along its banks. The war of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States thus found the latter in peaceable posses sion of that great region. Astoria was captured by Great Britain during the war. The treaty of peace con cluded at Ghent in December, 1814, provided that " all territory, places, and possessions whatsoever, taken by either party from the other during the war," &c. &c., "shall be returned without delay." In obedience to the provisions of this treaty, Great Britain restored Astoria to the United States ; and this is admitted in the most solemn manner, not only that it had been an American territory or possession at the commencement of the war, but that it had been captured by British arms during its continuance. It is now too late to gainsay or explain away these facts. Both the treaty of Ghent, and the acts of the British Government under it, disprove the allegations of the British Plenipotentiary, that Astoria passed " into British hands by the voluntary act of the persons in charge of it," and that it was restored to the United States in 1818, with certain well-authenticated reservations. In reply to the first of these allegations, it is true that the agents of the (American) Pacific Fur Company, before the capture of Astoria, on the 16th of October, 1818, had transferred all that they could transfer—the private property of the Company—to the (British) North-west Company; but it will scarcely be contended that such an arrangement could impair the sovereign rights of the United States to the territory. Accord ingly, the American flag was still kept flying over the fort until the Ist December, 1813, when it was captured by his Majesty's sloop-of-war Rackoon, and the British flag was then substituted. That it was not restored to the United States " with certain well-authenticated reservations," fully appears from this act of restoration itself, bearing date . 6th October, English 1818. laTnshuisagies can u, make it. a T nd ha u t n t r is nd w i a tt s on th a e l as intention of Lord Castlereagh clearly appears from his previous admission to Mr. Rush of the right of the Americans to be reinstated, and to the party in posses sion while treating on the title. If British Ministers afterwards, in dispatches to their own agents, the con tents of which were not communicated to the Govern ment of the United States, thought proper to protest against our title, these were, in effect, but mere mental reservations, which could not affect the validity of their own solemn and unconditional act of restoration. But the British Plenipotentiary, notwithstanding the American discovery of the Columbia by Captain Gray, and the exploration , by Lewis and Clarke of several of its branches, from their sources in the Rocky Mountains, as well as its main channel to the ocean, contends that because Thompson, a British subject in the employment of the North West Company, was the first who navigated the northern branch of that river, the British Govern ment thereby acquired certain rights against the United States, the extent of which he does not undertake to specify. In other words, that after one nation has dis covered and explored a great river, and several tributa ries, and made settlements on its banks, another nation, if it could find a single branch on its broad waters which had not been actually explored, might appropriate to itself this branch, together with the adjacent territory. If this could have been done, it would have produced perpetual strife and collision among the nations after the discovery of America. It would have violated the wise principle consecrated by the practice of nations, which gives the valley drained by a river and its branches to the nation which bad first discovered and appropriated its mouth. But, for another reason, this alleged discovery of Thompson has no merits whatever. His journey was undertaken on behalf of the North West Company for the mere purpose of anticipating the United States in the occupation of the Columbia—a territory to which no nation, unless it may have been Spain, could with any show of justice dispute their right. They had acquired it by discovery and by exploration, and were now in the act of taking possessicn. It was in an enterprise under taken for such a purpose that Thompson, in hastening from Canada to the mouth of the Columbia, descended the north, arbitrarily assumed by Great Britain to be the main, branch of the river. The period was far too late to impair the title either of Spain or the United States by any such proceeding. Mr. Thompson, on his return, was accompanied by a party from Astoria, under Major Stuart, who established a post at the confluence of the Okinagan with the north branch of the Columbia, about six hundred miles above the mouth of the latter. In the next year (1812) a second trading port was established by a party from Astoria, on the Spoken, about six hundred and fifty miles from the ocean. It thus appears that, previous to the capture of them l.y the British, the Americans had extended their posses sions up the Columbia six hundred and fifty miles. The mere intrusion of the North West Company into this terri tory, and the establishment of two or three trading posts in 1811 and 1812, on the head waters of the river, can surely net interfere with, or impair the Spanish Ameri can title. What this company may have done in the in termediate period until the 20th October, 1818—the date of the first treaty of joint occupation—is unknown to the undersigned, from the impenetrable mystery in which they have veiled their proceedings. After the date of this treaty neither Great Britain nor the United States could have performed any act affecting their claims to the disputed territory. To sum up the whole, then, Great Britain cannot rest her claims to the north-west coast of America upon dis covery. As little will her single claim by settlement at Nootka Sound avail her. Even Belsham, her own histo rian, forty years ago, declared it to be certain from the most authentic information, " that the Spanish flag flying at Nootka was never struck, and that the territory has been virtually relinquished by Great Britain." The agents of the North West Company, penetrating the continent from Canada, in 1806, established their first trading post west of the Rocky Mountains, at Fraser's Lake, in the 54th degree of latitude ; and this, with the trading posts established by Thompson—to which the undersigned has just adverted—and possibly , some others afterwards previous to October, 1818, con stitutes the claim of Great Britain by actual settlement. Upon the whole, from the most careful and ample ex amination which the undersigned has been able to be stow upon the subject, he is satisfied that the Spanish American title, now held by the United States, embrac ing the whole territory between the parallels of 42 deg. and 54 deg. 40 min., is the best title in existence to this entire region ; and that the claim of Great Britain to any portion of it has no sufficient foundation. Even British geographers have not doubted our title to the territory in dispute. There is a large and splendid globe now in the department of State, recently received from London, and published by Maltby and Company, " manufacturers and publishers to the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge," which assigns this ter ritory to the United States. Notwithstanding such was and still is the opinion of the President, yet, in the spirit of compromise and con cession, and in deference to the action of his predeces sors, the undersigned, in obedience to his instructions, proposed to the British Plenipotentiary to settle the controversy by dividing the territory in dispute by the 49th parallel of latitude, offering, at the same time, to make free to Great Britain any port or ports on Van couver's island south of this latitude, which the British Government might desire. The British Plenipotentiary has correctly suggested that the free navigatioa of the Columbia river was not embraced in this proposal to Great Britain ; but, on the other hand, the use of free ports on the southern extremity of this island had not been included in former offers. Such a proposition as that which has been made, never would have been authorized by the President, had this been a new question. Upon his accession to office, he found the present ne gotiation pending. It had been instituted in the spirit and upon the pri►:ciple of compromise. Its object, as avowed by the negotiators, was not to demand the whole territory is dispute for either country ; but in the lan guage of the first protocol, " to treat of the respective claims of the two countries to the Oregon territory, with the view to establish a permanent boundary between them westward of the Rocky Mountains to the Facile Ocean." Placed inthis position, and considering that Presidents Monroe and Adams had, on former occssiont:, offered to divide the territory in dispute by the forty-ninth parallel of latitude, he felt it to be his duty not abruptly to arrest the negotiation ; but so far to yield his own opinion as once more to make a similar offer. Not only respect for the conduct of his predecessors. but sincere and anxious desire to promote peace and harmony between the two countries, influenced him to pursue this course. The Oregon question presents the only intervening cloud which intercepts the prospect of a long career of mutual friendship and beneficial com merce between the two nations, and this cloud he desired to remove. These are the reasons which actuated the President to offer a proposition so liberal to Great Britain. And how has this proposition been received by the British Plenipotentiary? It has been rejected without even a reference to his own Government; nay, more, the British Plenipotentiary, to inie his own language, " trusts that the American Plenipotentiary will be pre pared to offer some further proposal for the settlement of the Oregon question more consistent with fairness and equity, and with the reasonable expectations of the Bri tish Government." Under such circumstances the undersigned is in structed by the President to say that he owes it to his own country, and a just appreciation of her title to the Oregon territory, to withdraw the proposition to the British Government which had been made under his direction; and it is hereby accordingly withdrawn. In taking this necessary step the President still cherishes the hope that this long. penciling controversy may yet be finally adjusted in such a manner as not to disturb the peace or interrupt the harmony now so happily subsisting between the two nations.—The under signed avails himself, &c., JAMES BUCHANAN. The Right Hon. R. Pakenharn, &c. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, MONDAY.—The Queen and Prince Albert walked out early, previous to his Royal Highness leav ing the Castle on a shooting excursion this morning. Mr. Anson, Sir Edward Bowater, and Mr. R. Ormsby Gore attended the Prince out to shoot. The Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice were taken their usual rides and walks in the pleasure-grounds adjacent to the Castle. Her Majesty, Prince Albert, and the Court honoured her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent with their corn • pany to dinner this evening at Frogmore House. The Countess of Desert took leave of her Majesty, previous to her Ladyship's departure for Bristol, en route to Lord D.'s seat in the county of Kilkenny. Her Majesty and her Royald Consort promenaded in the afternoon. The Chancellor of the Exchequer arrived in town yesterday afternoon, from Cambridge. Dispatches from the Governor of the North American provinces were received yesterday at the Colonial Office, Dispatches were also received yesterday at the Colonial Office from the Governors of Ceylon, the Cape of Good: Hope, and Malta ; and also from the Lord High Com missioner of the lonian Islands. SUICIDE of COLONEL GURWOOD. An inquest was held before F. H. Gell, Esq., Coroner fin• East Sussex, yesterday morning, at 120, King's-road, Brighton, to inquire into the circumstances attending the death of Colonel John Gurwood, who had termi nated his existence on the previous Saturday, by cutting his throat with a razor. The following witnesses were examined at the inquest : Sarah, the wife of George Collins, of 120, King's-road, lodging-house keeper, deposed that last Tuesday morn ing Colonel and Mrs. Gurwood and their three daughters came there to reside, They brought no servants, and witness waited upon them. On Saturday she waited on them at lunch at one o'clock ; soon after this she went up to bring down the luncheon, when she saw Mrs. Gurwood dressed, as if she were going out for a walk. At a quarter past two o'clock a boy brought the news paper, which witness took into the drawing-room. She stirred the fire and was going down stairs, when she glanced into the dressing-room, where the Colonel and Mrs. Gurwood had slept the night before, in consequence of the violence of the wind, and thought she saw the Colonel's legs lying on the floor. She did not take much notice, however, as she understood the Colonel to be ill. She then resumed her work down stairs, and afterwards mentioned what she had seen to her husband. It then occurred to her that she might have been mistaken, as on second thoughts she considered it very strange that a gentleman should be stretched along the floor. She accordingly went up and coughed at the drawing-room door. No notice being taken, she went in and stirred the fire. She then coughed again, and finding that the Colonel did not speak, she pulled the door of the dressing•room open, and then saw him on the floor in a pool of blood, arising, as she supposed, from his having broken a blood-vessel. She had previously arranged with her husband that if everything was not right she would ring, and she now rang the bell accordingly, and her husband came up. They deliberated a few seconds as to what was best to be done, the result of which was that her husband ran out for Mr. E. J. Furner, a surgeon, residing in the King's-road, who came in about five minutes afterwards. gr. E. J. Furner, surgeon, deposed that he was called on about three o'clock on Saturday afternoon by the husband of the last witness, who said that a gentleman was at his house ♦ery ill, he believed dying. Witness went immediately to the house, and was shown into the bedroom of a gentleman, who he was informed was Colonel Gurwood. The Colonel was lying on the floor in a pool of blood. On lifting him up witness found a razor grasped in his right hand, and a wound on the left side of the throat, four inches long, and from an inch to an inch and a half deep. In his opinion, this wound caused death, and he had no doubt that the death was instantaneous. Sir Henry Webster, a lieutenant-colonel in the army, residine. at 44, Brunswick -square, Brighton, deposed that he had known Colonel Garwood for thirty years. About u month since the witness heard that he was un well. He accordingly visited him and found him out of sorts, and recommended him to come to •Brighton for a change. Witness heard from Colonel Gurwood's medi cal attendant that he was in a weak, low way; and, with the sanction of that gentleman, suggested that the Colonel should come down to Brighton, and stay with him as long as he pleased. He came down accordingly, and remained with witness a few days. Witness and his family endeavoured to divert the Colonel's mind as much as possible by lively conversation, and getting him to walk as much as they could. After a few days Mrs. Gurwood and his three daughters came down, and they took a lodging in the King's-road. CORONER—Did you form an opinion as to the state of his mind? Witness—From his conversation upon poli tics, as well as on general subjects, I found that he was in a very weak and desponding way. Can you assign any cause for it have no doubt that it was all caused by the relaxation of the nerves, in consequence of his great work, " The Dispatches of the Duke of Wellington," having been concluded. As long ago as a month I had seen a change in him. Dr. George Hall, of the Old Steyne, Brighton, said he was called in some time since to attend Colonel Gur wood, and prescribed for him, after which he rallied and got a little better. But lately he had fallen into a very desponding mood indeed, and witness treated him ac cordingly, and had great hopes that he would get better. His despondency, however, returned, and he believed that such despondency was sufficient to cause tempo rary insanity in any one. This being all the evidence, the CORONER summed up, and the jury returned a verdict, "'That the deceased destroyed himself while in a state of temporary insanity.". Colonel Gurwood was an old Peninsular and Waterloo veteran. At Waterloo, he was upon the staff of tho Duke of Wellington, and filled the important post of private secretary to his Grace, a position which gave him pe culiar facilities for editing the celebrated " Wellington Dispatches," with which his name will be handed clown to posterity. The Duke of Wellington rewarded the Gallant Officer's fidelity by appointing him Deputy_ Lieutenant of the Tower, an office which he has held, with much credit to himself, for some years past, and which becomes vacant by his death. He entered the army as ensign on the 30th of March, 1808 ; became Lieutenant in August, 1809 ; Captain in February, 1812; Major in March, 1817 ; Lieut.-Colonel in March, 1827 ; attaining his rank as full Colonel in November, 1841. In July, 1830, he was placed on the Unattached List. Hart's Army List thus describes the military services of the unfortunate deceased :—" Colonel Gurwood served in the Peninsula with the 52d Foot from August, 1808, to January, 1812 ,• and subsequently, to the end of that war, in 1814, as Major of Brigade to the House hold Cavalry, and to Major-General Lambert's Brigade in the 6th division of Infantry : he was present at the siege and storm of Ciudad Rodrigo, where he led the forlorn hope of the light division ; he was also at the storming of Fort Renaud ; and at the battles of Vittoria, Salamanca, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, and Toulouse. The gallant officer also served through the campaign of 1815, and was severely wounded at the battle of ‘Vaterloo; severely wounded also at Sabugal, and slightly at Ciudad Rodrigo." LETTERS OF ROYAL AND ILLUSTRIOUS LADIES OF GREAT BRITAIN, edited from the originals, with introductory notices, by Mary Anne Everett Wood, 3 vols. small Bv9. with fac simile autographs, price 31s. 6d. The above work is pub-. lished this day, by Mr. Colburn, of Great Marlborough-street, and may now be had of all booksellers. Mr. Colburn has also just pUblished, 2. The New Timon, a Romance of London, part 1.-3. Two Romances by B. Disraeli, Esq., 1. Contarini Flemi ng . 2. Al ro y, compr i se d in 3 vols. with portrait of the author.-4. vol. 5 of The Nelson Letters and Dispatches.-5. The Comic Annual for 1846, a re-publication of Mr. Hood's " Whimsicalities," in 1 vol., with 45 illustra tions by Leech, & c ., 12 s . b oun d.— 6. A second edition of Lady Hester Stanhope's Memoirs, 3 vols.-7. Evenings at Haddon hall, 1 vol., with 24 engravings by the first artists, from designs by George Cattermole, 31s. 6d. bound, and 8. A third edition of "The Crescent and the Cross," by Eliot Warburton, Esq., 2 vols. Thd good service pension of 300/. per annum, which reverted to the Admiralty on the death of Admiral Sir Charles Rowley, Bart., is conferred on Sir Wiliam Hotham, G.C. 8., Admiral of the White.—ltampshire Tele graph. FASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY The Public are informed that the following ALTERATIONS' in the arrangement of the PASSENGF.R TRAINS will come into operation on the Ist January, 1816, viz. : THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. THIS EVENING Will be performed the First Act of THE DAUGHTER OF ST. MARK. Andrea Cornaro, Mr. Borrani ; Moneenigo, Mr. Weiss ; Adolphe de Courey, Mr. W. Harrison; Catarina Cornaro, Miss Pools. At the end of the Opera Professor RISLEY and his fIiONS will go through a Series of Classical Exercises. After which, will be repeated a New Grand Ballet, called THE DEVIL TO PAY, in which Mons. Bretin, Mdlle. Flora Fabbri, Mdlle. Dabs' (of the Academic Royale, Paris), Mdlle. Louise, Mr. W. H. Payne, Moos. Delferier, Mr. Howell, and Mr. Wieland will appear. To conclude with a new grand Christmas comic Fantomine, called HARLEQUIN GULLIVER ; or, Giants and Dwarib. The New and extensive Scenery under the direction of Mr. Grieve ; the Overture and Music by Mr. R. Hughes ; the Tricks, Transformations, and Decorations by Mr. Blamire ; the Machinery by Mr. B. Sloman ; the Dresses by Mr. Hovey, Mrs. Balls, and numerous assistants. The whole produced under the superintendence of Mr. W. West. Scene 1. INTERIOR OF GUILDHALL. Epoch—Lord Mayor's Day, 1845—between the Dinner and the Ball. Magog and Gog (the City Giants—once at a premium, now at a discount), Mr. S. Jones and Mr. H. Horricastle ; Ge.. eral Tom Thumb (a Dwarf; but causing a great panic in the Giant market), Miss Dale. . " Who'll kill the Giants? I, says Tom Thumb, As soon as I come, I'll kill the Giants."—Yankee Nursery Tale. The Genius of Pantomine (Chairwoman of the " Christmas Funny Club"), Miss A. Pay ne.—How Tom Thumb takes the Giants down a peg!or two—" From words they'd almost come to blows "—Umpire and Referee, the Genius of Pantomime, who gives her decision in a manner (it is hoped) satisfactory to her numerous patrons in boxes, pit, and gallery. Scene 2. COAST OF THE ISLAND OF LlLLlPUT.—Discovered A.D. 1699. "After a storm comes a calm." Gulliver (having a passion for travelling, high and dry on a rock), Mr. W. 11. Payne ; Mrs. Gul liver (having a passion for her husband, in the same predicament), Mr. Hance. Extraordinary high tide, and great rush for places. Timely arrival of the Flying Island. Mrs. Gulliver leaves the rock to the tune of " Here we go up, up, up"—Gulliver leaves the rock to the tune of " Here we go down, down, down." The tide having ceased to flow, naturally begins to ebb, and leaves Gulliver to 2.10- HiSll the Lilliputians ! Peasants (the real " small natives"), Messrs. and Mesdames Tiny, Dumpy, Dot, Weebody, Speck, Short, Sinal!, Trot, Littlejohn, &c. &c. ; Inspector of the A division of Lilliputian Police, Mr. Stumpy ; Policemen, Messrs. Move-a-way, Clear-the way, Push-a-long, Walk-on, &c.; Engineer, Mr. Easer ; Stoker, Mr. Hot-birth. How Gulliver, alias the man-mountain, is BOUND over to keep the peace ; and how, "by a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether," he is carried away to the court of the Emperor Lil liput. " And wasn't he a dainty dish To set before the King ?" Old 3ISS:in the British Miscum. SCOW 3. HALL OF SCIENCE IN TILE PALACE OF THE KIN. OF LA PUTA.—IIis Majesty the King of Laputa (vet) , deep in Geome ry—vide, Flappers at his elbows), Mr. T. Matthews ; Lord High Chancellor Parallelogram and Lord High Chamberlain /Equilateral (fond of " Figures," especially number " One"), Mr. Howell and Mr. Johnson. Lords in Waiting,, with their attendant flappers, pages, &c. Mrs. Gulliver makes her " first and only appearance at Court ;" and bow, having lost her G—, the Flying Island is placed at her disposal to recover the same. Scene 4. MARINE RESIDENCE OF THE EMPEROR 05' LILLIPUT.-11iS " High" Mightiness Golbas to Momaren Molly Ully Gue, Emperor of Lilliput, Miss Turtle ; her " equally" High Mightiness the Em press of Lilliput, Miss Midgley. The Lilliputian Court (the " high est" families in the land), and Lilliputian Imperial Guard (at least 2 ft. 6 in. in their stockings), servants, policemen, cooks, scullions, 84c.—How Gulliver, having been let out of •" durance vile," not only pockets the affront, but two policemen in the bargain. How he kisses thee Emperor's hand, and the Empress's lips. Inspection of the Lilliputian Imperial Guard. How Gulliver swallows his dinner, and is only prevented from swallowing a Lilliputian, by way of dessert, by the news of the arrival of the Blefascadian fleet. Gulliver re gains his freedom, by towing in the enemy's fleet. The Palace on fire. Arrival of the Lilliputian Fire Brigade. How Gulliver saves the Empress, and is then obliged to save himself, which he does by taking a hop, step, and a jamp into Scene S. CORN-FIELD IN 13ROBDIGNAG.—LONgOSIret010 (a sub stantial Brobdignag farmer, and member of the Brobdignag Agri cultural Society), Mr. Monster ; Long-in-the-stride (his wife), Mrs. Strapper; Brobdignag Baby (in and out of a go-cart), Miss H. Payne ; A very round Robin (the mother of a very fine family) Mrs. Redbreast ; Prize Pig (with silver medal from the Brolxllgnag Cattle Show), Mr. Snout. How Gulliver goes a bird's nesting, and gets the worst of it, and how, after paying all proper deference to the " great-uns," he pitches into the " little-un" in the go-cart. Scene 6. BROBDIGNAG BED-1100H AND NURSERY.—BrObdigliag " Gemini" (Inglice twins), Masters James and Elliott; Brobdignag Kitten, Mr. Pussey. For further particulars of this scene apply personally to the principal performers, who can be seen in it every evening till further notice. Scene 7. COAST OF THE IsLAND OF LILLIPUT (as Scene 2), and re-appearance of the Flying Island ; from which Mrs. Gulliver takes a flying leap into Gulliver's arms —" We may be happy yet." Our old acquaintance, the Rock, introduces another old acquaintance, the Genius of Pantomime, Transformation of the Characters. Harlequin .. • ...Mr. Wieland. I Clown ...... Mr. T. Matthews. Pantaloon ...... Mr. Howell. Columbines ..Miss Hicks and Miss Lonsdale. Scene 8. END OF COVENTRY-STREET, PICCADILLT.—Writing In Eight Lessons. The Experimental Squadron, with Hornpipe accom paniment. A Sudden Peep into Leicester-square. Wenham Lake Ice. Sliding made easy. A great Fall in Provisions—viz. fish, fruit and vegetables. Scene 9. CLOWN'S LODGINOS.—Bed and Window change sides, and Clown " goes down the middle and up again ;" great virtue in a Wan ket. "To be well shaken before taken." The principle of elongation "Carried out." Clown is tossed up, and Harlequin comes down " heads." Scene 10. EXTERIOR OF GROCERS, FISHMONGERS, AND WINE MER CHANTS' SHOPS.—Two active lads, versus active clothes-horse. Cask of West India Produce and barrelled natives. Ladders ad infinitum, Putting up the shutters—the wrong shop. Try again. Ditto re peated. Great change on the premises, and " business removing." Scene 11. IlicuoaTE-HILL, with extensive view of the neighbour hood of London. Railways remember the 30th November. Grand Railway Steeple-chase to the Board of Trade. Arrival of engines from all the country round. " A clear course and no titvour." Off they go. Clown and Pantaloon in difficulties, and ending in a "dis solution of partnership." Scene 12. FLEET-STREET DURING THE REPAIRS, with Glass Shop, Tinman's, and Railway Printing-office. Railway Prospectus and Provisional Committee; publishing made easy. Orders to any amount punctually attended to. The Great Guy for 1845. Great battue of stags ; "they come—they come." No thoroughfare. The shortest cut to the Board of Trade, producing a great smash among the crockery. Scene 13. EXTERIOR OF THE BOARD OF TRADE, and Probable Ge neral Railway Terminus. Scene 14. WATCHMAKERS' AND BOOKSELLERS' Suiors.—Teaching the young idea how to shoot. Illustrated London Noose. A " pinch of curry powder." Watch on a new movement. Queen's Visit to Germany, and all eyes directed to Scene 15. TUE CITY OF COLOGNE, as it appeared on her Majesty's arrival. Owing to this great attraction, immediate application should be made to JOHN PARSONS, Box Book-keeper. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. THIS EVENING Will be performed the Comedy of A CURE FOR THE HEART ACHE. Old Rapid, Mr. W. Farrell ; Young Rapid, Mr. Hudson ; Frank Oatland, Mr. Buckstone ; Jessy Gatland, Miss Julia Bennett. To be followed by the admired Drama of GRANDFATHER WHITEHEAD. Grandfather Whitehead, Mr. W. Farren ; Dray ton, Mr. Tilbury; Langley, Mr. Stuart; Louisa Drayton, Mrs. E. Yarnold; Susan, Mrs. Stanley. To conclude with a Grand New Extravaganza, entitled TIIE BEE AND THE ORANGE TREE; or, The Four Wishes. Principal Characters by Mr. lludson, Mr. James Bland, 3lr. Caulfield, Mr. Clark, Miss P. Horton, Miss Julia Bennett, Mrs. Caulfield, and Mrs. Stanley. THEATRE ROYAL, LYCEUM. Immense Success of " The Cricket on'the Hearth"—Tremendous 111 of " The Enchanted Horse." THIS EVENING WILL BE PERFORMED THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH: A FAIRY TALE OF HOME. The Principal Characters by Mr. Keeley, Mr. Emery, Mr. Meadows, Mr. F. Vining, Mrs. Keeley, Miss M. Keeley, Mrs. Woollidge, Miss Dawson, Miss Howard, Miss Forster, and Miss Turner. After which will be produced a New Grand Romantic extravaganza, entitled THE ENCHANTED HORSE; or, Prince Fireuz Schah of Persia and the Princess of Bengal. Principal Characters by Messrs. Keeley, Wigan, F. Matthews, Collier, Turner, Kinloch, &c.; Mes dames Keeley, Villars, Hodson, Dawson, Howard, Arden, &c. PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. THIS EVENING Will be repeated a New Extravaganza, entitled JEAMES, THE RAILROAD FOOTMAN OF BERKELEY-SQUARE. Jeames Plush, Mr. Compton. To which will be added THE BRIGAND. To conclude with a New Christmas Pantomime, entitled THE KEY OF THE KINGDOM; or, HARLEQUIN AND THE FAIRY BLUE BELL. Harlequin, Mr. W. H Harvey; Columbine, Miss 13ullen ; Clown, Mr. Flexmore ; Panta►loon, Mr. T. Hill. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. SOLE LESSEE AND MANAGERESS, MISS KATE HOWARD. THIS EVENING Will he presented a Domestic Drama of powerful interest, entitled THE LADY OF ST. TROPEZ. George Maurice, Mr. J. Browne ; Count D'Aubrieve, Mr. Brookes ; Hortense (the Lady of St. Tropez), Miss L. Melville. To be followed by THE DAY AFTER TIIE WEDDING. Col. Freelove, Mr. Walter Lacy; Lady Freelove, Miss L. Melville. And concluding with the new Pantomime, unapproachable for glee and grandeur, called FORTUNATUS ; or, THE MAGIC CAP. Fortunatus, Miss Hamilcon ; Prince Megrim, Mr. Cockrill ; Fairy Queen, Miss Bromley ; Harlequin, Mr. Sinythers ; Pantaloon, Mr Charles; Clown, Mr. Jefferini ; Columbine, Miss Laidlaw. ASTLErS ROYAL AM PHITHISATRE OF ARTS. rROPRIETOR AND MANAGER, MR. W. BATTT. Extraordinary Treat to the Holiday Visitors. THIS EVENING Will be performed the novel Drama of THE PYRENEES. In which 31. Wellen's celebrated Dog Emile will appear, whose per formances at the Cirque Olympique, Paris, has drawn crowded houses for the last nine months. New Scenes of the Circle, combining the talent of the French and English Artistes. After which will be repeated a New Grand Comic Equestrian Pan tomime, called HARLEQUIN DON QUIXOTTE DE LA MANCHA ; or. Sancho Panza, and Dulcinea of Mhos°, with new Scenery, Dresses, Mechanical Changes, &c. ILLUSTRATED BY LEECH, AND WITH A PORTRAITI OF ALFRED CROWQUILL, FROM TILE ORIGINAL PAINTNG BY M. BA UGNI ET. pilCe 01 - 11DIENTLEY'S MISCELLANY, Will contain BRIAN O'LINN ; OR, LUCK IS EVERYTHING. By W. 11. MAXWELL, Esq., Author of "Stories of Waterloo," " Wild Sports of the West," &c. • With an Illustration by Leee:i. Chapter 3—limisturk—Boyhood of Brian O'Lynn—Misther Toole changes his Profession. Chapter 4—More Passages in a young Life—Love will be the Lord of all —Loss of a Protector, Early Years of a Veteran of the Army of Westphalia, between 1805.-14. An Auecdotical Account of Play, Houses of Play, and Play-men — Gaming, Gaming-houses, and Gamesters. The Jolly Miller, and Jack and Gill—Monkish Ballads. Lolterings along Love Passages. By Everard Clive. There was a Time in Infancy. The Retreat to Corunna—Anecdotes of the Peninsular War, from the Recollections of Rifleman llarris, edited by II Curling. A REAL COUNTRY GHOST STORY. BY ALBERT SMITH. :Memoirs of Alfred Crowquill, with a Portrait, from the Original Painting. By M. Baugniet. The Avenger's Witness against Murder—Sleeplesss because Criminal Retirement—The Gaol-Chaplain. The Picture, a Slight Sketch. By Alfred Crowquil The Duke and his Portraits —Return from Hawking—A Baronial Hall is the Olden Time—The School—New Engravings. The Death of Sappho. Quacks and Quackery. By a Physician. OUTPOURINGS. By D. CANTER. (LIBATION IX.) • The Histrionic Art—Cooke—Knight--The Unpopular Tragedian— Amateur Actors—Earl Fitzhardinge—Major Dawkins—Lord Fre derick Lennox, &c.—Amateur Theatricals—The Unwashed Othello —Kean at the Louvre—Stage Fright—The Performances, &c. Richard Bentley, New Burlington-street. BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE No.CCCLXIII. for JANUARY, 1846. CONTENTS:- I. Sir William Follett.—ll. Let never Cruelty dishonour Beauty. —III. The Last Hours of a Reign. Conclusion.—lV. A Campaign in Texas.—V. The Mother and her Dead Child.—Vl. The Greek and Romantic Drama.—Vll. My College Friends. No. 3.—V111. The Student of Salamanca. Part 3.—IX. Sicilian Sketches—Syracu3iana. —X. esthetics of Dress—Military Costume.—Xl. From Goethe.— XII. Christmas Carol, 1845.—X111. The Crisis. William Blackwood and Sons, 45, George-street, Zdinburgh; and 37, Paternoster-row, London. PEOPLE'S JOURNAL. —On SATURDAY, the 3d of January, 1846, will be Issued, No 1., Price THREE HALFPENCE, of the PEOPLE'S JOURNAL, an Illustrated Weekly Periodical, combining Amusement, General Literature and Instruc ion, with an earnest and business-like inquiry into the best means of satisfying the Claims of Industry. Among the more important arrangements already made, the Proprietors take the earliest op portunity of announcing, I.—Lectures to the Working Classes, by W. J. Fox, revised by the author for regular weekly publication in the " People's Journal," immediately after their delivery. 2.—Tales for the People, by Mary llowitt. • _ _ _ 3.—Eminent Living Persons:—What have they done for the People ? The Literature by William Howitt and others; the Por traits by Miss M. Gillles ; the Engravings by Linton.—No. I, Char:ei Dickens. 4.—Scenes from Society ; the Literature by Angus B. Reach, and others ; the Designs by Kenny Meadows ; the engravings by Linton. h.—Poetry for the Poople ; by Mary iiowitt, Ebenezer Elliott, and others. 6.—Homes for the People ; with Designs and Estimates. Published at the " Artisan " Office, Wellington-street North, Strand ; where all Communications, Advertisements, Books, Prints, and Music, &c., for Review, may be addressed ; and where Prospec tuses may be obtained. This day is published, price 2s. Gd., the First Number of I 4 OWE'S EDINBURGH MAGAZINE. CONTENTS: 1. Liverpool Conference on Christian Union. 2. Puseyism as an Interpreter of Nature. 3. The Moral Relations of Literature and Art. 4. The Scottish Hero—Wallace. 5. Church Clavering. G. Life and Works of Jean Paul Richter. 7. A Glance at the Iteliglous Aspects ef the World. 8. The Friends of Light in Germany. 9. Gustavus Adolphus Society. 10. Canton de Vaud. 11. Germany--Italy—France. 12. Notices of Books, &c. Edinburgh :J. D. Lowe. London : R. Groombridge and Sons. IF TY GUINEAS PREMIUM. TO ENGINEERS AND OT2II4IRS. Fifty Guineas premium is offered for the best plan or model not patented, for making " Corke's Economic Firing," in various sized blocks ; to be awarded by the majority of three scientific engineers on the 17th January next. That plan or model will be considered the best that shall combine the most economic and rapid mode of manu facturing the blocks, in connexion with the smallest cost of the ma chinery itself, when considered with the cost of working by the most economic and efficacious steam power. Twenty guineas will be given for the second best plan. As machinery will be required for England and foreign countries, each plan or model must be accompanied by a specification stating the cost of erecting and completing the ma chinery at each factory, so as to make 50 tons of " maintaining " firing and 50,000 igniting blocks per day. The size of the blocks, with models of the present system of form ing them, may be seen, and all particulars obtained, at 3, Trafalgar square, where each plan or model, with the specification, must be left. before twelve o'clock on the above day. Half of the premiums will be paid on the day of the award, the other half on the completion of the first set of machinery, so soon as it is found to work well. N ATIONAL LOAN FUND LIFE ASSU RANCE SOCIETY. 26, Cornhill, Loudon, December 29, 1845 Notice is hereby given that the half-yearly interest, at the rate of five per cent. per annum on the capital stock of this Society, due on the 31st instant, will become payable on the 10th day of January next, and Proprietors may receive the same at this office on that or any subsequent day between the hours of eleven and three o'clock. By order of the Court of Directors, F. FERGUSON CAMROUX, Secretary. THE WEATHER.—Sox OFFICE, DEC. 30. THERMOMETER, Lowest, 37 ; Highest, 48 ; Noon, 50. BAROMETER., 29.8.—Wnir. S.W., hazy. SIGH WATER AT LONDON-BRIDGE THIS DAY. Di ~rning .. 28 eninnte.s after 2 I Evening .. 55 minutes after 2 , i • . li."W 7 liy - 0 ` V .-- ' +' ; 4 '-'l , - i 'Y 7k; , ,v .Weifir t .,__ • , ..., , , , CAMBRIDGE LINE.-DOWN TRAINS Two additional Trains, consisting of First, Second, and Third Class Carriages, will leave London for Hertford and intermediate Stations, at 10.30 A.M., and 1 30 P.M. respectively, every day except Sundays. The Trains leaving London for Hertford at Twelve o'clock Noon, and 4.30, and Seven o'Clock Evening, will consist of First, Second, and Third Class Carriages, and not First and Second Class only as heretofore, and will stop, if required, to take up or set down passen gers at any of the intermediate Stations. _ . The 2.30. P.M. Train from London to Ely and intermediate Stations will have First and Second Class Carriages attached, in addition to Third Class, as at present. UP TRAINS. Two additional Tralne of First, Second, and Third Class car riages will leave Hertford for London at 10.43 A M., ant: 2.30 P.M. respectively, stopping, if required, at any of the interim. diate stations. The 8.15 and 9.15 (not 9.30, as heretofore) A.M., and 12.30 P.M. trains will take First, Second, and Third Class Passengers, and not First and Second Class only, as at present, and the 9.15 train will, if required, stop at any of the intermediate stations between Hertford and London. The 9.20 A.M. train from Ely to London, and intermediate sta tions, will hereafter consist of First, Second, and Third Class carriages. The Mail train, heretofore arriving in London at 5.22 A.M., will he due at five o'clock. COLCHESTER LINE.-DOWN TRAINS, The 7.30 A.M. Train front London will be discontinuod, Third Class Carriages being attached to the 8.30 A.M. Train. The One o'Clock P.M. Train from London will consist of First, Second, and Third Class Carriages, and goods will be discontinued to be sent by this Train. The 1.30 P.M. Train from London will be discontinued, and a Train at 2.15 substituted. The Train leaving London at Three o'clock will be EXPRESS, stopping at Rumford, Brentwood, and Chelmsford, and arriving at Colchester at about 4.30 o'clock. The 6.30 P.M. Train from London to Brentwood, and intermediate stations, will have Third Class Carriages attached, in addltien to First and Second as at present. UP TRAINS. The Six o'clock p.m. Train, from Colchester, will consist of Firsi Second, and Third Class Carriages. The Seven o'clock Y.M. Train from Colchester will be discon , tinned. The Six o'clock P.M. Train from Colchester on Sundays will be dis• continued, and a Train substituted to leave Colchester at 5.30 P.M. A considerable Reduction will take place, on the let of January in some of the Short Fares on both lines. For particulars, s,e Time Bills, which may be had on application, at any of the Company's Stations or Coach-offices in connexion with the Compauy, on and after the 29th instant. By order, C. P. RONEY, Secretary. Offices, Shoreditch Station, London, Dec. 23, 1845. rnEATLE ROYAL, ADELPHI. THIS EVENING Will be repeated an entirely New Drama, called THE LIONESS )F THE NORM, or, The Prisoner of Shlusselbourg. Alexis itomanouski, Mr. Webster; Triptelemus Kront, Mr. Wright; Eliza beth, Madame Celeste. After which, MOTHER AND CHILD ARE DOING WELL. To conclude with an entirely New and Original Christmas Pam tamime, called HARLEQUIN AND FOONOOWINGKEENVANtI FLIBEEDEEFLOBEEDEEBUSKEEBANG; or, The King of the :latudbal Islands. Harlequin, Mr. T. Ireland ; Columbine, Miss Fleming ; Clown, Mr. C. J. Smith; Pantaloon, Mr. Mitchenson. ROYAL VICTORIA THEATRE. Another Triumph for the Victoria in the immensely successful Pan tomime of " Tippitywitchet"—With the Extraordinary Feats of Professor Hemmings and his Two Surprising Infant Sons. TIIIS EVENING. RICHARD PLANTAGENET, in Three Acts, supported by Messrs. Osbaldiston, E. F. Saville, T. Fredericks, Iliggie, Dale, Herbert, Searle, and Misses Vincent, Richardson, Eliza Terrey, Mrs. G. Lee. After which, Professor HEMMINGS and his SONS will give more unparalleled feats of Classical Gymnasia than ever yet has been ex hibited, and surpassing even the celebrated Risley himself. To conclude with a new gorgeous Pantomime, called TIPPITY WITCHET; or, HARLEQUIN TIM BOBBIN and the COMICAL WITCHES of LANCASHIRE. Harlequin. Mr. Chapiuo ; Colum bine, Miss Le Vite ; the Two Clowns, Messrs. E. Blanchard and M‘Donald ; the Two Pantaloons, Mr. Franklin and the veteran Tom lancha rd, the very King of Pantomime and Prince of Pantaloons. SECOND EDITION tritnins LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1845. Mr. MACAULAY'S letter authenticates the explana. tion which we gave, immediately after the event, of the failure of Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S attempt to form a Government. " All our plans were ft ustrated by Lord GREY," says Mr. MACAULAY. After this there is no doubt on the matter. We have thought, from the first, that the interests of the Liberal party re quired that there should be no delicacy about Lord GREY, if; as is now indisputable, Lord GREY did it all ; and that to publish the truth was the only way to prevent erroneous and exaggerated accounts from getting into circulation, which might seriously injure the Liberal party and the great cause identified with it. Already has Lord GREY'S objection to Lord PALMERSTON, as Foreign Secretary, been magnified and distorted into an objection to sit Nith him at all in the same Cabinet, and into a gene ral reluctance on the part of his political friends to place him in the Foreign-office. If either of these things had been true, we might despair of a Liberal Government ever being formed. The knowledge of the exact truth only causes us to regret that Lord GREY should have been so far humoured as to be per mitted to break up an Administration, while it assures us that, when next Lord J. RUSSELL is sent for, he will not consult Lord GREY till after Lord PrALMER STON is appointed. "All our plans were frustrated by Lord GREY." Mr. MACAULAY may be allowed, in writing to a constituent, to indulge in some self-gra tulation at,the course which he himself had pursued, and to contrast it with Lord GREY'S. " From the first I told Lord Jonrt that I stipulated for one thing only—total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws ; that my objections to gradual abolition were insur mountable ; but that, if he declared for total and im mediate repeal, I would be, as to all other matters, ab solutely in his hands ; that I would take any office or no office, just r.s suited him best; and that he should never be disturbed by any personal pretensions or jealousies on my part. If every body else had acted thus, there would now have been a Liberal Ministry." We may safely conclude from another docu ment proceeding from another of Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S advisers—Lord MORPETH'S address to the electors of the West Riding—that he, too, stipulated for immediate and entire repeal. "If I am sent to the House of Commons at the present juncture," says Lord MORPETH, " I should deem it the main object of my mission to insist upon an immediate and final repeal of the corn-laws." But to return to Lord GREY. A weekly Contem porary has attempted his defence, and it is a defence which Mr. MACAULAY'S remarkable letter will not affect. We are told by Lord GREY'S apologist that he had travelled to town with another of Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S confidential advisers, to whom he had communicated his objection to Lord PALMERSTON as Foreign Secretary, and he was to take it for granted that this objection had been communicated by his travelling companion to Lord JOHN. We are not told that Lord GREY had commissioned Mr. ELLICE (for he, we understand, is the party alluded to by the Spect tor) to state his objection to Lord Joust. But even if he had so commissioned Mr. ELLICE, it would surely have been no justification of Lord GREY. It was surely his duty to state his views on such a mat ter himself to Lord Joint, and to take the first oppor tunity of stating them. But this is not all the defence. We are told that on the evening of the day on which it was determined to undertake the formation of a Ministry, Lord GREY went home and wrote a letter to Lord JOHN, recom mending great caution and disregard of all private feelings in the arrangements of the various offices at his disposal, and making satisfaction with all Lord Jour's arrangements a condition of his own accept ance of office. Strong hints these, says the apologist. The idea of hints at all, we reply, in acase cf this kind! " However," Mr. MACAULAY adds, " perhaps it is best as it is." And so say we. It is gratifying to vs to find the views which we have all along expressed of the greater probability of Sir R. PEEL'S boil t(. .pt+lf‘ n , ,1 ,7*F•ti an opinion as Mr. 'MACAULAY'S. " Sir It PEEL now undertake the settlement of the question. certain that he can settle it. It is by no meal thin that we could have done so; for we shalt man support him ; and a large proportion of who are now in office would have refused tog • us." Let us hope that Mr. MACAULAY is 110 t, correct in his last surmise—that none of the pr holders of office will support Sir R. PEEL in IN hat they would have opposed from Lord , RUSSELL. The maintenance of a high stands ) public character must never be lost sight of i agitation even of the most important public ques and, while it may be conceded to Sir R. PEES: official followers to change their votes from confi in .the Minister, changes of this sort require 0 1 freedom from the temptations of place to gull] their sincerity to the public. The annual speech of Louts Purrurrit, deli° on Saturday, gives dissatisfaction, as usual, to Paris Opposition journals ; but, considering political tenets and the Republican views of 50 and the hostile feeling of others to the reigl dynasty, the KING and his Ministry will prob regard these symptoms of discontent as the g proofs of national prosperity, and an admissicoi that wise policy which has consolidated the strel of the kingdom, and secured the Constitutioo 1836 against the attempts of Republicans and 144 in atists. It is only fair to state—and indeed i not be denied—that France for many years 14 5 , enjoyed such tranquillity and prosperity as she at the present moment. It would be difficult, lad to find a period in her history when such encour! ment was given to national industry, and the 19, sitions of the people so completely turned away the wild schemes of conquest and glory to the substantial blessings of peace, and the develop:o o the numerous sources of wealth and power posse' by that great nation. His MAJESTY, therefore, , j out vanity might boast that the p o li c y w hi c h be! maintained would one day cause th e memor y of reign to be held in honour. When was Franc e prosperous ? During the reign of Louis XIV. gained great conquests for a time, but they cost' great sacrifices ; they were all, except a very° snatched rudely from her, and towards close of his reign France perhaps ye. was in so low and miserable a condi' The enemy was at the gates of Pa the youth and the financial resources of country were exhausted, and a peace of any I IN as considered better than war. During the r which followed affairs were not in a b e state. France lost all her posses s i ons in `,; nada and India, and, in f ac t, was strig, of every colony that could contribute to trade or strengthen her navy. The disasr,i and the victories which took place under Louis N'; and the Republic are too well known to require cital, and during the whole reign: of NapauEol policy of the Government was of the most rul,, character. France never had such an e nem y as POLEON. He annihilated her commerce and na tioas i to dustry,wasted her strength in foreign wars , ii.nd.fi ; brought her to the brink of utter ruin. The itestoraw; was productive of only one good—it produce revolution, established a new dynasty and a n ew t . P .4 stitution, which have for the last fift e e n y ea rs_ ir j electing a complete change, strengthenitig the 1 1 71 of the peaceable, encouraging the industrious, to , assuaging the hostility of neighbouring _ A SO y It is the peculiar glory of the pr e s en t Mi t ; reign, that he has ever cultivated, as far 0 his power, the friendship of England, not by CO'', siona derogatory to the honour or injurious to, t i t terests of his people, but by prudent, firm, and the same time, amicable negotiations. :His r t iO object was to convince both nations b is peace was their best policy, and thanks O lib t, own firmness and perseverance, aided, no d 0 by Ministers entertaining the same , dispasit i he has been eminently successful, and every ' le y disposed citizen and true patriot of bath courtt li , d say, " Long may he reign." We have tried s * " with France for fifty times, and when peace cale el and the reckoning was cast up, both nations 0 1 found themselves equally losers. For the resu/ 0 0 , a different policy LOUIS PHILIPPE deservi b io highest praise, and future generations will a e ample justice. The ex-Radical, ex-Protestant, and very ecee ll '. o Sir CHARLES WOLESLEY, ci-devant " Legisl ati o, Attorney " for the town of Birmingham, bag dressed a letter to the working classes i n the re s°4 facturing districts, in which, amidst re.uch viturcot tion of the Anti-Corn-law League, he, unlike atilt of his brother protectionists, does d escen d to ments on which he founds arguments. The stateel e . , on which all his arguments are based is as follovis,6 " You all know there is what is termed capital ilto landlords have capital. An estate which belong7, 4 l my nephew, called Tixall, w hi c h j o i ns m i ne ( renta l sw im ; 6,0001. per annum), has lately b een so ld t o E ar l TaP'id for, I think, 240,000/. ; and th e s t ewar d o f th e estate,lie me, if his Lordship got 3 per cent. for his eapitak,,a would be very well otf. Well, then, here 'was 240, 0 v" capital, and 3 per cent. interest. " Well, now we will go on a little further ; I will tor, a tip-top man from among the master rnanufactur, e ,6, even Mr. Cobden himself. We h ave b een i n f orm e d comes from among the yeomen of Kent ; and who 5e respectable as a yeoman of that county ? For, as 1 : e old song says, And a man of Kent was he.' Well, will suppose this man of Kent had some ca pit a l S ly' Come, what shall we say, by way of a guess, it amoue to ? Why, 5,000/. Well, here then was Mr. Cobden , 0 capital. Now it is very generally un d erstoo d t hat I makes a large income, say as much a s E ar l T a lb o t g ets for his capital, 6,0001. p e r annum. If so , t h e one get s three per cent., the other the deuce knows what p e cent., for I will not stay to calculate it." Now this, " three per cent" fallacy is a ve t ! favourite one with the protectionists. The late Sit FRANCIS BURDETT, on more than one occasie ° ' broached it in the House of Commons, artid at pro' tection meetings it is generally put forward. a s the eke val de bataille. Sir CHARLES WOLSELEY puts th e case in a nutshell, and, as example is of more fore' than precept, we are glad that the Righ t ft Hon. Baronet, i ns t ea d o f con fi n i ng himself, as is too often the case with the protectionists, to generals, has condescended to particulars, and bs s chosen Earl TALBOT and Mr. COBDEN as the respee' tive representatives of the landed and trading interests, for the purpose of instituting a comparison between them. Earl TALBOT gets three per cent. fat his capital invested in land, and seeing that , Earl TALBOT " toils not, neither does he spine and that his capital is invested in the very safest man' tier possible, we do not think that he has any great reason to complain. Sir CHARLES WOLESLEY then assumes Mr. COBDEN'S capital to be 5,0004., and proceeds, " Now, it is very generally understood he makes a large income, say as much $ 5 Earl TALBOT gets for his capital, 6,000 L per annum. If so, the one gets three per cent., and the other the deuce knows what per cent." We give Sir C. WOLESLEY great credit for the studiedly obscure way in which he has put this. "He makes a large income, say as much as Earl TALBOT gets for his capital." True, he may make a large income, but not upon capital alone, as Earl TALBOT does. Mr. COBDEN makes his income by his personal exertions, He deducts the interest upon his capital before be calculates his profits, and those profits are not the interest of his capital, but the wages which he has earned as a skilled labourer. Nov if Earl TALBOT were to employ himself in productive labour, as Mr. COBDEN does (if he were to cultivate his estate himself instead of letting it), he too would have an' income of more than three per cent. on his capital—that is to say, he would have his three per cent. on his capital invested, plus the profit of his labour. The following question, although evidently put with an ill intention, for the purpose of endeavouring to excite dissensions between employer and employed, is so self-evidently fallacious, and contains such an important admission on the subject of the rate of agricultural wages, that we really feel obliged to Sir CHARLES WOLESLEY for putting it. "If Lord TALBOT gives his labourers 12s. per week out of his three per cent., how much ought Mr. COBDEN to give his mill workmen out of his 1,6001. per cent. ?" If Lord TALBOT gives his labourers 12s. per week out of his three per cent., he is indeed a rara avis among landlords, inasmuch as he must himself pay, out of the rent he receives, the wages of all the labourers employed by his tenants in the cultivation of the farms they hold and , r him. In no other way can he pay his labourers 12s. a week out of his three per cent., because, if the labouleis are employed by him iu tbo cultivation of I