The Sun. — London, England, 1844-12-30 00:00:00

plain of neglect on the part of a community which, de tached as it is from the parental care a the States of Virginia and Maryland, can only expect aid from Con gress as its local Legislature. Amongst the subjects which claim your attention is the prompt organisation of an saYlital for the insane, who may be found, from time to time, sojourning within the district. Such Sobrse is also demanded by considerations which apply to branches of the public service. For the nesessities in this behalf I invite your partieular attention to the "eport of the Secretary of the Navy. I have this, Gentlemen of the two Houses of - ongress, presensed you a true and faithful picture of the condition of public affairs, both foreign and domestic. The wants of the public service are made known to you ; and matters of no ordinary im portance are urged upon your consideration. Shall 1 be permitted to congratulate you on the happy auspices under which you have assembled, and at toe important change in the condition of things which has occurred in the last three years ? During that period questions with foreign powers, of vital importance to the peace of our country, have been settled and adjusted. 4„ desolating and lasting war with savage tribes has :seen brought to a close. The internal tranquillity of the country, threatened by agitating questions, has been pre served. The credit of the Government, which had exon rienced a temporary embarrassment, has been thoroughly restored. Its coffers, which, for a season, wore empty, have been replenished. A currency, nearly uniform in its value, has taken the place of one derpreciated acid almost worthless. Commerce and mattii':netures, which had suffered in common with every otlFer interest, hale once more revived ; and the whole e'ountry exhibits an aspect of prosperity and happiness. Trade and barter, no longer governed by a wild and speculative mama, rests upon a solid and substantial footing ; and the rapid growth of our cities, in freery direction, bespeak most strongly the favourable circumstances by which we ace surrounded. My happiness in the retirement which shortly awaits me is the ardent hope which I experience, that this state of prosperity is neither deceptive nor destined to be short lived ; and that measures which have not yet received its sanction, but which I cannot but regard as closely con nected with the honour, the glory, and still more en larged prosperity of the country, are destined, at v-t early hour, to receive the approval of Congress. Unch-r these circumstances, and with these anticipations, I shag most gladly leave to others more able than myself the noble and pleasing task of sustaining the public prosp -ity. I shall carry with me into retirement the gratify mg reflection that as my sole object throughout has been to advance the public goo 3, I may not entirely ha,e failed in accomplishing it ; and this gratification is heightened in no small degree by the fact that when, ander a deep and abiding sense of duty, I have found myself constrained to resort to the qualified veto, it has neither beea followed by disappraval on the part of the people, nor weakened in any degree their attachment w that great Conservative feature of our Government. Washington, December, 1841. JOHN-' TYLER. PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS. In ale Senate the treaty concluded by Mr. Cushing China has been received and read. It is understoo 1 illat it secures for the United States many important ad '►antages, and it will doubtless he confirmed. Mr. Allen, of Ohio, renewed the motion he offered at the last ses sion, calling on the President for copies of all the cor respondence with Great Britain relating to the Oreg,:ii dispute. This motion was finally carried-24 to 16. So this will shortly be blazoned to the world. In the House, Mr. John Quincy Adams has finally succeeded in having the rule of the House rescind. , I which provided against the reception of petitions refer ring to the abolition of slavery. Those petitions are now on the same footing as all others, and are received and referred. The vote stood 108 to 80. Mr. Adams has been working for this object, which he has now suc cessfully accomplished, for the last ten years. So much of the President's Message as related to the annexation of Texas having been referred to the Committee on Fo reign Affairs, the Chairman of that Committee has re ported a joint resolution for carrying the project into effect. 'The resolution is as follows : " Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States. " Resolved, &c.—That annexation and union-between the United States and the republic of Texas tdlce effect as settled, the 12th day of April last, in the following words, viz. : [Here follows a copy of the treaty of annexation.] " Resolved,—And the said articles are hereby de clared to be the fundamental law of union between the said United States and Texas, so soon as the supreme authorities of the said republic of Texas shall agree to the same. And it shall be the duty of the President of the United States, so soon as he shall be officially notified of such agreement on the part of Texas, to announce the same by proclamation. " Re - solved further by the authority aforesaid,—Thlt it is understood and intended that whatever was stipu lated to be done immediately, or At a fixed period, after the exchange of said compact, shall be done immediatrly or in a like period after the wapreme authorities of Texai shall have formally agreo'a to these resolutions." Mr. Ingersoll gave 'notice that, on Monday, the 23,l instant, he would niove to go into Committee of the whole House on the !'sate of the Union, for the purpose of tak ing up this Mr 13 fmton, in the Senate, has introduced his counter proPoeition, proposing that Texas (proper) be annex., I Wilk'. assent of Mexico. - The Bill is as follows: " A Bill to provide for the Annexation of Texas to - the United States. "Be it enacted by the Senate and House 04 Represen tatives of the United States of America in Cngress as sembled, that the President of the United Sles be, an ! be hereby is, authorised and advised to open negotiations with. Mexico and Texas, for the adjustment of bound, riot and the annexation of the latter to the United States Qv. the following bases, to wit: — "1. The boundary of the annexed territory to be in the desert prairie west of the Nueces, and along the high lands and mountain h e i g ht s w hi c h divide the waters of ahe Mississippi from the waters of the Rio del Norte, :and to the latitude 42 degrees north. "2. The people of Texas, by a legislative act, or by any authentic act which shows the will of the majority, talexpreas their assent to said annexation. " 3. A state, to be called ' the State of Texas,' with boundaries fixed by herself, and an extent not exceeding that of the largest States of the Union, be admitted into the Union, by virtue of this Act, on an equal footing 'with the original States. " 4. The remainder of the annexed territories to be held and disposed of by the United States as one of their territories, and to be called ' the South-west Terri tory.' " 5. The existence of slavery to be for ever prohi bited in the northern and north-western part of stlid territory, west of the 100th degree of longitude, west from Greenwich, so as to divide, as equally as may be, the whole of the annexed country between slave-holding and non-slaveholding States. _ _ " 6. The assent of Mexico to be °bailed by treaty to such annexation and boundary, or to b dispensed with when the Congress of the United State4nay deem such assent to be unnecessary. " 7. Other details of the annexation to be adjusted spy treaty, so far as the same may come within the scope of the treaty-making Power." The Bill was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, without being read. T'ne ether discussions of Congress, are not of any women t. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. The Secretary of the Navy, in his report, states the navy of the 'United States to consist of 6 ships of the line, 1 razee, 14 frigates, 21 sloops of war, 16 brigs and echo mars, 3 store ships, and 8 steamers aflJat. There are on the stocks, in an unfinished state, 4 ships of the line, 3 frigates, 1 store ship, an iron steamer at Pittsburgh, and 1 at the navy yard at Washington. The vessels in commission have been thus employed: —ln the home squadron, under Coin. Connor, the frigate Potomac, the sloops Vincennes, Vandalia, and Falmouth; the brigs Somers and Lawrenee, and the steamer Union. In ale Met iterranean, under Com. Smith, the frigates Oamberland and Columbia, sloops Plymouth and Fair field, and store ship Lexington. On the coast of Brazil, under Com. Turner, the Columbus, 74; frigates Bari[an and Congress, sloops John Adams and Boston, brims Bainbridge, and schooner Enterprise. In the Pacili, under Commander Slows, the frigates United States and Savannah; sloops Cyanc, Levant, and Warren; schooner Shark, and store ship Relief. The East India squad', ai remains as before, and is under Commander F. A. Parker. The squadron on the coast of Africa, under Commander M. C. Perry, consists of the frigate Macedonia, sloop, Saratoga and Decatur, and brig Passaic. The squadron under intended changes will mount 83 guns. Of this squadron the report says:— " The operations of the squadron have, it is believed, exercised a favourable influence in preventing the slit e trade. With the provision of our law denouncing it piracy, and the presence of our own naval forces, with authority to visit all vessels under the American flag, i t is not probable that our citizens will engage in this chi. graceful and perilous traffic, or our flag be used by (Awl s to any great extent. " If other Christian nations would inflict the same punishment on the offenders, it is not improbable that ilic trade would cease." The following vessels have been employed in the spe cial service designated ;—The Constitution to carry H. A. Wise to Rio, and cruise in the Indian Ocean ; the steamer Princeton, to try sundry experiments ; the steamer Poinsett, to make surveys near the Belize ; the brig Trexton, to bring home the remains of Com. Porter; the steamers, Colonel Harney and General Taylor, to transport recruits and supplies ; the schooner Plicenix and brig Oregon, as packets between this country and the Isthmus of Darien. The force proposed to be em ployed during the year, commencing on the Ist day of July, 1845, consists of 10 frigates, 13 sloops-of-war, 7 brigs, 2 schooners, 4 armed steamers, 3 small steame! ,, , 4 store-ships, and 2 small vessels, less than last year, but more than is authorised by the appropriations. The above particulars comprise everything of interest to the English reader. REPORT OF SECRETARY AT WAR. The report of the Secretary at War is a long docu ment, and the everlasting rotation in office principle, practised at the will or caprice of an imbecile or partisan executive, secures for the public service all the verdancy inseparable from beginners at every trade. The paper under consideration forms no exception to this rernani. We extract from it, however, the following information, only wishing Sir. Wilkins h a d save d us th e trou bl e o f separating it from the froth and bombast with which it is encumbered. We are told that the regular force of the United States army consibLi of eight regiments of infantry, four of artillery, and two of d ragoons, un d er t h e com mand of a Major-General. Fort Kent, on the Mada waska settlement, has been occupied, so ae t o g i ve pro . t e ction to United States citizens in that vicinity. The System of defence 15 50 advanced that th e r e is no point north of Cape Hatteras unprotected ; but , in order to full security the Secretary mentions certain prominent positions at which works should be com menced. He recommends the erection of per manent work on Seller's Point Flats, i.bout ten miles below Baltimore ; the resumption of the work upon Fort Delaware, for which the 20,000 dollars appropriated last year would be sufficient, if it could be rendered available ; the purchase from New York of the position on Staten Island, opposite Fort Hamilton ; the sale or exchange of Fort Gansevoort, and the renewal of Fort Calhoun at the Rip Raps. South of Cape Hatteras enough has not been done. An officer has been engaged in surveying the Florida reef, and has reported that a work should be constructed either at Key West or the Tortugas Rock. The Secretary thinks that the United States can easily become the strongest naval power on the Gulf of Mexico, though the small appropriation of 50,000 dollars he thinks entirely inadequate to the con struction of the required work ; " a million of dollars," he says, " would be a moderate expenditure for such fortifica ns as we should have on the Florida reef." Concerning the defence of the gulf, the report further says : " While making allusion to our possession upon the western waters of elements to be employed in the defence of the Gulf of Mexico, I am justified in regard to the union of action of the .two military powers of the coun try, to suggest the expediency of forming, in ample time, depots of coal for the supply of such armed steam-ves sels as may be employed upon the coast. " Pursuing this interesting subject of the permanent defence of the commerce and possessions of our southern fellow-citizens upon the gulf, it cannot escape us that Dauphin Island, at the mouth of Mobile Bay, has here tofore attracted the attention of Congress, and has always been recognised by engineers as necessary and fit for the erection of a fortification. Whilst Fort Morgan defends the main channel of entrance, it leaves, without the means of resistance, a fru- passage to an enemy's steam-ships, through the ample depth of water under Dauphin Island." A military post has been established at Copper Har bour, on Lake Superior, and the Secretary recommends two others between that place and St. Peter's, the head of navigation on the Mississippi, in order to complete a cordon of posts on our north-we tern frontier. He also urges a renewal of the buildings at Fort Gratiot and Fort Brady, and the construction of a canal at the finis of St. Mary's. These measures would secure that fron tier in a military point of view. The Secretary advises the organisation of a territorial government, to be called the Nebraska Territory, and to be confined to the undisputed possessions of the United States on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. The limits are proposed to include the extreme head of the navigation of the Arkansas, all the good lines of com munication with California, the road from the United States frontier to the Mexican boundary Santa F 6, and an excellent direct pass to Oregon about 150 miles south of the great south pass. This is projected with a view to its effects upon the jurisdiction over the Oregon territory, and they are forthwith stated. The report says : " A territorial organisation of the country, and a military force placed on the very summit whence flow all the great streams of the North American continent, either into the Gulf of Mexico or the Pacific Ocean, would no longer leave our title to the Oregon territory a barren or untenable claim. Its possession and occu pancy would thenceforth not depend upon the naval superiority on the Pacific Ocean. Troops and supplies from the projected Nebraska territory would be able to contend for its possession with any force coming from the sea. Natural obstructions in the navigation of the Columbia river would enable settlements gradu ally to approach the coast in defiance (if it should come to that) of any navy in the world. The time, indeed, might not be distant when these very settlements would supply all the elements which might be needed, of naval strength, to give us our natural and proper position on the Pacific Ocean. In carrying out these views I would recommend an appropriation of 100,000 dollars for erect ing the military posts from the Missouri river to the Rocky Mountains." REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL. The Postmaster-General, in his report, says that the department, in the aggregate amounts of four years, more than pays its expenses, and that the amount of service is greater than ever before. The total revenue for the past year is 4,237,285,83 dollars, and the ex penses are 4,296,857,70 dollars. He says public opinion seems to demand a reduction of post rates. . . New laws, which shall effectu;dly prevent the private mails entering into competition with the department, are declared to be necessary under any circumstances. The report recommends the employment of Govern ment steamers for transporting the mails between the seaboard cities, to Cuba, to Great Britain, France, &c. Mr. King, the American Minister to France, is nego tiating with that Government for the interchange of mail matters and the pre-payment of postage on letters to and from that country. IMPORTANT FROM MEXICO. WAR THREATENED. (From the New York Courier and Enquirer.) NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 27. By the arrival at the Southwest Pass of the English frigate Spartan, Hon. Captain Elliot commander, which vessel sailed from Vera Cruz on the 17th instant, we have intelligence fiitcen days later from Mexico. The Spartan brought dispatches for the English Go vernment, and in the present critical state of Mexican affairs they are doubtless of great importance. The city was rife with rumours yesterday morning, to the effect that our Minister to Mexico, the Hon. Wil• ion Shannon, had demanded his passports, and was on his way home, and also that a serious revolution had broken out in Mexico, which had resulted in the overthrow of Santa Anna. There certainly was some foundation for this startling intelligence ; but the news does not turn out as important as was at first reported, although still of a momentous nature. It would appear, from such of the published correspon dence as we have seen in the Diario, that on the 31st ult. Governor Shannon addressed a letter to the Mexican Government, protesting against the proposed invasion of Texas by Mexico, and especially against the manner in which the invasion was to be made. To this the Mi nister of Foreign Affairs replied—(we have not seen his communication)—denying the right of the United States or any foreign Government to interfere in the internal affairs of the republic. Governor Shannon, in answer, characterises the Secretary's letter as being grossly of fensive, inasmuch as it charges the United States, its Government and people, with falsehood, trickery, intrigue, and designs of the most dishonourable character. Go vernor Shannon alleges that the note of the secretary is so gross iu its character, so offensive, that he can only demand that it be at once withdrawn. The Mexican Minister replies with the utmost warmth. He treats the earlier part of Mr. Shannon's correspondence as being supercilious and offensive, justi fies all that he has himself written, protests that the Mexican Government has done, and is doing, all that it can to prevent a rupture with the United States, but that affairs have reached such a crisis that it is neces sary fur his Government to speak out plainly before the world. He, therefore, declines to withdraw the note. From the tone of this letter it is evident enough that the Mexican Minister is of opinion that Mr. Shannon does not speak the sentiments of a majority of the people of the United States in relation to the Texas question. lie considered, too, that our recent Presidential contest must have resulted in the election of Mr. Clay, and he speaks of that gentleman, Mr. Adams, and the United States Senate in terms the most dainty, while he holds Mr. Tyler's Administration alone responsible for the present complication of affairs between the two countries. What effect the result of Mr. Polk's election may have in Mexico we are unable to say. From the officers of the Spartan we learn that General Duff Green had arrived at Vera Cruz, from the city of Mexico, with dispatches for our Government, and em barked immediately on board the cutter Woodbury. The Woodbury sailed for Pensacola on the 17th, the day of sailing of the Spartan. The dispatches of General Green are thought to be of the greatest importance. So far as we can learn from a most hasty perusal of our files, disturbances have broken out in the State of Jalisco, the capital of which is Guadalajara. General Paredes appears to be at the head of the movement, and the affair is evidently regarded by the press, and by the officers of the Government, as extremely serious. A singular circumstance in the business is, that General Canilizo, the " Provisional" President is now giving or ders to the " Constitutional President," Santa Anna. The latter having received notice to place himself at the head cf the troops concentrated at Jalapa, at once joy fully complies. His orders were to march at once to Queretare, a city three or four days' march from Mexico, and on the road to Guadalajara, there to operate as the exigencies of the case might demand. Santa Anna put his troops at once in motion, and announces to head quarters that he has under his command 7,000 infantry, 1,500 cavalry, and twenty field pieces, all in the best state of equipment. From Encore—one of Santa Anna's bacicndas, near Jalapa, where he met his new bride—he issued, on the 6th inst., a brief and spirited address to the army. Ile denounces the conduct of Paredes in stirring up a revo lution in Guadalajara, declares him a traitor and the instrument of• a faction, and appeals to the troops by their former exploits to stand by him and chastise the infamous crime. General Canalize, too, issues his addresses from the capital to the Mexican nation and to the army, appealing to them to stand by their country and by Santa Anna in this moment when the nation, already involved in a war with Texas, is now threatened with new internal dissen sions. lie appears to regret that the march of the army upon Texas should have been interrupted by this last outbreak, but promises to mete out-to the guilty all the punishment the laws will autherise. General Arista appears to be all this while engaged in repressing the Indian outrages in Northern Mexico, the accounts of which already given by us have not been ex aggerated. The loss in the affairs of Los Moras are stated by him, in his official report, in nearly the same figures as we gave. The Beesays—" We learn that the American Minister Plenipotentiary, Wilson Shannon, Esq., has temporarily suspended all his official relation with th.) Mexican Go vernment." IMPORTANT FROM TEXAS. The most important intelligence from Texas is com prised in the following declaration by the new President relative to Mexico:— rnz SUN, LONOON, MONDAY EVEN - NG, DECEMBER 30, 1844. " DECLARATION. " In referring the termination of her difficulties with Mexico to the mediation of foreign friendly Powers, Texas has given an earnest of her desire for peace. "In anticipation of the failure of this mediation, she feels it her duty to declare to those Powers, that if peace or s satisfactory armistice is not concluded before the annual meeting of Congress, in December next, or unless I Mexico is informed by them, previous to that time, that I she must confine herself to the west side of Rio Grande, Texas will immediately assume an offensive attitude with all the means which she can command, and she will not feel restrained from the employment of auxiliary aid in the prosecution of the war. Her action will be an united action, and the limits of her enterprise will not be bounded by the Rio Grande or any other point. The region or Santa DS will be one point from which her operations will progress. Texas can and will marshal an army sufficient to overcome the country dependent on that point. " Should another marauding party of Mexican soldiery make a foray into Texas between this time and the next meeting of Congress, the President will feel himself constrained to assume this attitude from and after the period at which the foray may be made. " In the treaties which the President has concluded with the Indian tribes he has not sought to stimulate them to the massacre of the Mexicans, but, on the con trary, has endeavoured to inculcate a different course. Mexico has waged a savage war upon this country, and in her forays has associated with her regulars un tutored savages. " If the war is begun by Texas it will necessarily be a war of retaliation. The President has heretofore sought a pacific policy under tke most annoying circumstances; but if the war is necessarily begun, he will use all his energies in sustaining it, and in insuring success to the Texian arms. " The feeling in Texas is decidedly in favour of war. The President has deferred the measure thus long, with the hope that another resort to actual war would not be necessary, and that the mediation of the foreign friendly Powers, to whom Texas had protested against the course of Mexico, would be successful. He yet indulges the hope that their interference may not fail. " I have :the honour to be, with the highest respect, your obedient servant, " ANSON JONES." CANADA. HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.—MONTREAL, Nov. 28. DEBATE ON THE SPEAKERSHIP. At one o'clock the members of the Lower House as sembled in their Chambers, where they were shortly after summoned to meet his Excellency in the Chamber of the Legislative Council, which was crowded with a fashionable audience of ladies and gentlemen. After be ing absent for a few minutes the Assembly returned, and as soon as they had resumed their seats the Attorney- General East, and Colonel Prince rose together. For a moment the latter refused to give way, but the cries for the Attorney-General prevailing, he at last sat duwn, when Attorney General Smith rose to propose that Sir Al lan M'Nab do take the chair of Speaker of the House. The motion was seconded by Mr. Scott. Colonel Prince regretted that ho could not vote for the resolution which had just been submited to the House by the Hon. Attorney-General, and should take upon himself, to propose another gentleman to fill the office of Speaker—the Hon. Mr. Morin—and he trusted that Honourable Gentlemen, especially from Lower Canada, would see :the propriety of electing him as Speaker. Mr. Christie seconded the motion. After a short debate, the clerk proceeded to take the votes. The numbers were announced as follows : For Sir Allan M'Nab 39 Against Majority Sir Allan M'lslab was accordingly declared duly elected, and was led to the chair by the Attorney-Ge neral and Mr. Scott, the proposer and seconder. Sir Allan 11P/sTab addressed the House. He felt it difficult tc, express all he felt, selected, as he had just been, by tine representatives of the people of his native country, to fill the highest office in their gift. He could not regard the selection as having been made upon any merits of his own, but as an approval of his conduct on various occasions during the fourteen years he had en joyed the honour of a seat in Parliament. As Speaker of the House he should feel it his duty on all occasions to protect its privileges—he should know no party—and he trusted that in the discharge of his duty he would meet with the support of all. He trusted that if any un friendly feelings were entertained against him, or had been engendered during the debate, they would be for gotten, and that he should receive •that assistance and support which would enable him, as Speaker, to dis charge his duty to the House. He again expressed him self grateful for the honour which had been conferred upon him, and took his seat amid the cheers of the House. The House then adjourned until Friday at half-past two o'clock. SPEECH. " Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly, " I have assembled lOU at the earliest period that the completion of the recent general election would allow, and I have high satisfaction in meeting you, in order that we may devote ourselves to the care of the great interests committed to our charge. " The season of the year being unfavourable for the prosecution of those avocations in which many of you are engaged, you will be enabled, I trust, with less in convenience, to attend to the discharge of the important functions which you have to perform. " I have the happiness to announce to you that the birth of a Prince has gladdened the hearts of the subjects of our gracious Queen throughout her vast dominions in every quarter of the globe, and her Majesty's continued safety and health demand our gratitude to the Almighty Giver of all good. " Many subjects in which the welfare of the province is deeply involved will be entitled to your earnest consideration. None can be more important than the improvement of the education of the people, which is one of the most urgent duties of the State ; and I anxiously hope that in addition to such other amendments of exist ing laws on this momentous question as may be required in either section of the province, your wisdom may be able to devise some arrangement respecting the Uni versity of King's College that may receive sanction of the Crown, and give general satisfaction in the colony. " The municipal institutions of the province, the provi sions for which have, in Lower Canada, proved, to a great extent, nugatory, will, no doubt, engage your at tention, as well as the state of the prisons and the want of lunatic asylums. The amelioration of the means of communication throughout the province, on which its prosperity mainly depends—for production is unavailing, if means do not exist of reaching a market—also deserves consideration. The eastern townships of Lower Canada are peculiarly destitute in this particular ; and the town of Kingston in Upper Canada, which has unavoidably suffered much by the removal of the seat of Government, is devoid of a road through the inland territory towards the Ottawa, which is essential for the prosperity of that neighbourhood, " The militia law of Lower Canada having expired, the substitution of another seems to be requisite, arid it may be desirable at the same time to revise the existing militia law of Upper Canada, and to frame a general law for both sections of the province. " It affords me great pleasure to be able to inform you that the flourishing state of the revenue forms a fit sub ject for congratulation. There is reason to believe that it may be further improved by wise legislation and that judicious economy may contribute to the same results. " Her Majesty has most graciously received the address from the Legislative Assembly of the last Parliament on the subject of the Civil List. " Although the only subjects sought by the Imperial Legislature, in making provision for a Civil List, were to give stability and security to the great civil institu tions of tne province, to provide for the adequate re muneration of able and efficient officers in the various public departments, and to enable her Majesty to make moderate provision for the declining years of those whose best days have been devoted to a faithful discharge of public duties, or who, by eminent services, might have merited the favour of this Crown, her Majesty is, nevertheless, fully persuaded of the concurrence of her faithful subjects in Canada in effecting these objects ; and would gladly owe the means of obtaining them to the spontaneous liberality of her Canadian people. Whenever, therefore, due and adequate provision shall have been made for them by the Legislature of Canada her Majesty will be prepared to recommend to the Imperial Parliament the repeal of so much of the Act of Union as relates to this subject. Until the Imperial Parliament shall have assented to such a recommendation, her Majesty, equally with all her subjects, is bound by the provisions of an enactment to which her sanction has been gives. " Gentlemen of the House of A ssem bl y — " The financial accounts of the province for 1843 will be immediately laid before you, and those for 1844 as soon as they can be prepared after the completion of the year. The estimates likewise will be submitted to you at au early period. " Notwithstanding the unavoidable expenses attendant on the removal of the seat of Government from Kingston to Montreal, and other claims to be submitted for your consideration, a considerable surplus revenue will remain, affording the mans of making some provision towards the liquidating of the public debt. " I entertain no doubt of your willingness to provide for the exigencies of the public service, and you may rely on my exertions to diminish expenditure by all practical economy. I have availed myself of the several opportu nities for retrenchment that have presented themselves, and shall continue to pursue the same course whenever reduction may appear to be consistent with efficiency. " Honourable Gentlemen, and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly— " You will, I am sure, concur with me in desiring that the welfare of United Canada may be promoted by our joint labours. To that great end I invite your earnest efforts, and you may be assured of my hearty co-opera tion in every way that may be calculated to secure peace and prosperity, justice and happiness, to this province. "The charge entrusted to me by our Sovereign I s h a ll continue to administer, according to the acknowledged principles of our provincial constitution, and with a view to the wants and wishes of the community. " On the occurrence of vacancies in several of the most important offices of administration I immediately endea voured to fill them by,the appointment of gentlemen sup posed to possess the confidence of the people. Extraor dinary obstacles produced a delay in the accomplish ment of that purpose, notwithstanding my incessant exertions to effect it. _ _ . "Confidently believing that the several branches of the Legislature, in the full exercise of their constitu tional powers, will maintain the harmony essential to the well-being of the people for whose benefit alone these powers are conferred, I will not detain you from the im portant duties which await you further than to express my humble hope that the Almighty may bless our en deavours, and render them efficacious for the public good." The memorials in favour of Mary Gallop, con demned to death at the late assizes at Chester, for the deliberate murder of her father, have wholly failed in moving the Home Secretary to recommend a commuta• tion in her case. The execution of this unnatural crimi nal took place on sattuday. , COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE. Mr. Henry Betty, the son of the gentleman who, as the " Young Roscius," some thirty years ago took the town by storm, made his debid at this theatre on , Saturday evening in the character of Hamlet. Al though this was Mr. Henry Betty's first appearance in London, he is by no means unused to the stage. For the last three years he has been a provincial star of the first magnitude. Nature has done much for him ; his person is remarkably fine, his features are good, and his voice is strong and flexible. He was evidently suffering from cold on Saturday night, and was, consequently, somewhat hoarse, but it was evi dent that his voice is naturally clear and good, and capable of extensive modulation. His action is in general appropriate, and he is highly accomplished. His opening scene was very carefully given, and in the soliloquy which follows he was much applauded. The next scene, with Horatio, was also well performed, and his manner of giving the line " In my mind's eye, Horatio," was very beautiful. The closing scene of this act is the scene with the Ghost, and Mr. Betty's look of horror, as, in subdued tones and with choked utter ance, he exclaims, " Angels and ministers of grace defend us," was perfectly thrilling. He worked this scene beau tifully up to a climax, and the drop-scene fell amidst loud applause. The succeeding scenes are the most difficult, perhaps, in the whole range of the drama for a performer accurately to depict, and this difficulty becomes almost insuperable in the case of a young actor making his first appearance before a metro politan audience, and therefore necessarily suf fering from a degree of nervousness which to a certain degree physically incapacitates him from giving those delicate touches—from working in those lights and shadows—which are necessary to the perfect development of the character of Hamlet. It appeared to us that Mr. Betty felt this, and that he endea voured to avoid the difficulty by hurrying into action. Whenever he had anything to do he was admirable. His scene with Gertrude was excellently given. No thing could be finer than the manner in which, after having stabbed Polonius behind the arras, he rushes hack to his mother hurriedly, exclaiming, "Is it the King ?" Nothing could be more spirited than the closing scene of the tragedy. But in those scenes in which his energies are not roused by circumstances — in those scenes, more especially, where communing with himself, he endeavours to excuse to himself his own want of decision, Mr. Betty seemed scarcely to bring sufficiently into relief the begetting sin of Hamlet's character—infirmity of purpose. Ham! et is a man of re - flection, not of action. It is evident that from the begin ning he suspects his uncle and his mother. Before his interview with the Ghost, he speaks daggers to them ; but even after that interview, when his worst suspicions are fully confirmed, he will use none. Instead of proceeding to act, he laments the necessity for action which is imposed upon him, exclaiming, " The time is out of joint. Oh, cursed spight, That ever I waa born to set it right." It is true, that he is the courtier and the soldier, but he is the scholar also—the deep-read, much-thinking, scholar. Happy for him had his lot been cast in the cloisters of Wittenberg instead of in the Court of Denmark. The Hamlet of Mr. Betty was the courtier and the soldier, but scarcely enough of the scholar. That Mr. Betty will, if he chooses, eventually be at the very head of his profession, there is no reason to doubt ; but before he can attain that eminence he has something to learn, and something, too, to unlearn ; but he is free from mannerism, and he is no servile follower of any particular school of acting. It is evident that his conception of his characters is his own, and that he develops that conception in his own way ; therefore, what he has to unlearn, he will un learn easily. It was a bold thing to venture a first appearance in such a character as Hamlet, and the very attempt betokens that he who makes it has that confidence in his own - powers which is usually the accompaniment of genius. Not to have failed under such circumstances is something, but to have achieved the success which Mr. Betty has achieved, is much — more particularly, considering how wretchedly he was supported, for the Polonius of Mr. Bass, and the player King of Mr. Rogers, were, with the exception of Mr. Betty's Hamlet, the only two tolerable por tions of the performance. We think, however, he scarcely exercised a judicious discretion in choosing Hamlet for his debit& His forte is evidently in the delineation of characters of impassioned energy and un swerving firmness of purpose. He is the hero of the romantic rather than of the classical drama. He is the Pierre, the Hotspur, or the Rolla—the bold sol dier, rather than the moping recluse ; and in such characters as these his triumph would be complete. He carried his audience with him throughout. There were one or two attempts at disapprobation, but they were instantly drowned in the plaudits of the majority of the audience, and he was called for at the con clusion, and greeted with the utmost enthusiasm. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, SUNDAY.—Yesterday afternoon. at twenty minutes past two o'clock, her Majesty and Prince Albert, and the royal suite, arrived at the Castle from Slough, escorted by a party of the Royal Horse Guards, under the command of Lieut. the Hon. Lewis A. Grant. The Prince of Wales was taken an airing yester day to Frogmore-gardens. A block of ice, imported front Lake Wenham, North America, was yesterday evening exhibited to her Majesty and Prince Albert, who were pleased to express their admiration of its purity and clearness. This morning the Queen and Prince Albert walked in the pleasure-grounds. Her Majesty and Prince Albert, the Court, and the domestic household, attended Divine service this fore noon in the private chapel of the Castle. The Hon. and Rev. C. Leslie Courtenay officiated. The weather proving unfavourable, has prevented the Royal Family leaving the Castle to-day. Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to give her approbation and sanction to the publication of a series of views of the interior and exterior of Windsor Castle, from drawings made expressly for her Ma jesty by Mr. Joseph Nash, in which will be repre sented the banquets, entertainments, and various scenes of interest that occurred during the visits of their Majesties the Emperor of Russia, the King of Saxony, and the King of the French, Mr. Nash having been in constant attendance during the royal visits, by her Majesty's command. His Royal Highness Prince Albert, attended by Sir Edward Bowater and Lord Charles Wellesley, honoured Captain Siborne, on Saturday, with an in spection of his new model, representing an earlier period of the battle of Waterloo, and which is now exhibited at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly. His Royal Highness remained a considerable time ex amining the details of this ingenious work, and was pleased to express to Captain Siborne, in the most flattering terms, the great gratification which the visit had afforded him. The Queen and Prince Albert left Buckingham Palace at a quarter-past one o'clock on Saturday afternoon in a carriage and four, escorted by a party of Lancers, for Windsor Castle. Lord Charles Wel lesley and Sir Edward Bowater, the Equerries in Waiting, followed in a carriage and four ; and the Countess of Charlemont, Lady in Waiting; Lady Caroline Cocks, Maid of Honour in Waiting; and Viscount Hawarden, Lord in Waiting, followed in a third carriage and four. The royal party proceeded to the Paddington ter minus, and left town by a special train on the Great Western Railway, for Slough. The Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburgh Strelitz arrived in town on Saturday. His Royal Highness returned to Kew in the evening. The French Ambassador transacted business at the Foreign-office on Saturday. Lord Wharncliffe, Lord President of the Council, left town on Saturday, for Wilton-house, near Salisbury. Dispatches from the Governor of New South Wales, and also from the Governor of the Mauritius, were received on Saturday at the Colonial-office. HER MAJESTY AND PRINCE ALBERT'S VISIT TO STOWE. It had been announced that her Majesty would leave Windsor Castle, to honour his Grace with a visit at Stowe, on Tuesday, the 7th of January. An alteration, however, has since taken place in the ar rangements which had been partly determined upon ; and we have now the highest authority for stating that her Majesty will arrive at the seat of the Duke of Buckingham on Wednesday, the 15th proximo, where the Court will remain until the following Friday or Saturday. FIREWORKS.—A grand display of fireworks will take place at Buckingham on the evening of the 15th, in honour of the Queen's arrival. TEIUMPIIAL ARCllES.—Arrangements are being made for the erection of no less than from six to eight triumphal arches in the immediate vicinity of the town. Splendid triumphal arches will also be erected in the line of route between the county town and the residence of the Noble Duke. Batteries, consisting of field-pieces, will likewise be erected to give her M a j es ty a right loyal reception upon her entrance into Buckingham and along the road to Stowe. ILLUMINATIONS AT STOWE HOUSE.—The whole of the north front of his Grace's splendid residence will be brilliantly illuminated with a profusion of va riegated lamps, under the superintendence of Messrs. Reinke and Co., of London.—Observer. The visit o f her Majesty and Prince Albert to Stowe, the mansion of the Duke of Buckingham, is fixed for the 15th of January. The following week the royal party will honour the Duke of Wellington with their presence. It is not yet known whether the royal guests will journey by railroad as far as Wolverton, or whether they will travel the entire route in their own equipages along the high-road to Buckingham. There will be a general illumination in Aylesbury on the joyous occasion. The Bucks Hussars, which his Grace the Duke of Buckingham commands, a corps of 400 " yeomen bold," will act as guard of honour. His Grace's tenantry will assemble at Stowe to meet her Majesty. There will also be 600 picked men from the Duke's estates assisting on the occasion; each will be clad in a white frock, and will have a white wand in his hand. Should her Majesty arrive after daylight, each man will bear a lighted flambeau. The welcome, in fine, will be on the most splendid scale.—Bucks Herald. THE INDIAN MAILS, &c. The following notice was issued on Saturday at the General Post-office, St. Martin's-le-Grand : " The next mails for Malta, Greece, the lonian Islands, Egypt, and India via Southampton, will be dispatched from hence on the morning of Friday, the 3d of January. By the overland closed mail to India, &c., via Marseilles, on the evening of the 7th of January. Liz PENINSULAR MAILS.—The mails for Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gibraltar, will he made up on Thursday morning next, the 2d of January, via Southampton. THE WEST INDIES.—The mails for Madeira, the West Indies, Mexico, Honduras, Havannah, Vene zuela, &c., will be made up on the morning of the 2d of January, to be forwarded by the Clyde steamer, via Southampton. AMERICA, &c.—The next mails for British North America, Bermuda, and the United States, will be made up on the evening of the 3d of January, to be forwarded by the Cambria steamer, via Liverpool, Halifax, and Boston. SYDNEY, &c.—The next mails for Sydney, New South Wales, and Port Philip, will be made up on the evening of Tuesday, the 31st inst., to be for warded by the Amelia, via Gravesend. NOTlCE.—During the continuance of the present severe weather, the mails for Hamburgh will be sent by a special messenger via Holland, the approach to Cuxhaven being impracticable. LLOYD'S SHIPPING. EAST INDIA SHIPPING. Arrivals—Mary Sharp, Mills, from New South Wales, off Plymouth, sailed from Sydney Aug. 3 ; Courier, Whitley, from the Cape of Good Hope, off Penzance, sailed from Table Bay Oct. 25 ; Anne Armstrong, Gra ham, from Bombay, off Liverpool, sailed Sept. 9, Mauri tius Oct. 8 ; Neptune, Ferris, from Madras, off Port land, sailed Aug. 26, St. Helena Nov. 4 ; Constellation, Brown, from Ichaboe, in the Clyde, sailed Oct. 27 ; Douglas, Giles, from Ichaboe, at Plymouth, sailed from St. Helena Nov. 4 ; Asiatic, Barlow, from Bengal, in the Downs, sailed July 27, St. Helena Oct. 25; Thomas Lee, Woolf, from Bengal, in the Downs, sailed Aug. 26, St. Helena Nov. 3 ; Bidston, Harmer, from Bengal, at Liver pool, sailed July 26, Cape Oct. 20, St. Helena Oct. 31 ; Syren, Hosken, from Bengal, at Liverpool, sailed Aug. 27 ; Anjer, Bell, from Bengal, at Dunmore East, sailed July 27, St. Helena Oct. 24 ; Gemini, Mardon, from Bengal, off Miz,n Head, sailed July 27. Arrivals at Mauritius—Atiet, Rohomon, Sept. 29, from Calcutta ; Derwent, from Muscat ; her Majesty's ship Conway, Oct. 2, from the Cape ; Swallow, from Calcutta ; Montefiores and Earl Grey, 3d, Elizabeth and Pleiades, sth, all from London ; Washington, sth, from Marseilles ; Augusta, Jessie, from Massowah ; Fatima, from Calcutta. Departures from Mauritius—City of Sydney, Sept. 28, to Nicolars ; Tynwald, Oct 1, to London. Loading for London—Avoca, Emma Eugenia, Spec tator, Graham, Vanguard, Lynher, Maria, Dublin, Essex, Stork, Trusty, Briton. Arrivals at Sydney, New South Wales—St. Vincent, Young, July 31, from London. Arrivals at St. Helena—Vindicator, Oct. 29, from Manila, and sailed to London ' • Helvellyn, 30th, from Singapore, and sailed 31st to Cork ; Earl Stanhope, 31st, from Calcutta ; Orleana, Nov. 1, from Calcutta, and sailed 2d to London ; her Majesty's steamer Pene lope, Nov. 2, from west coast of Africa to Ascension. THE CALAMITOUS FIRE IN GUILDFORD-STREET. DEATH OF MR. MAY OW, THE SOLICITOR OF EXCISE. The Holborn division of the Fire Brigade have been actively engaged in removing the ruins of Mr. Farey's late premises, No. 67, Guildford-street, during the past week. In turning over the immense pile of burning rafters, &c., a number of valuable models, con nected with machinery, have been recovered, besides a quantity of scientific works, which, although much damaged, are not so extensively injured as to be rendered valueless to the professors of science. Perhaps not the least prized relic that has been saved is a sliding side rule for measuring cylindrical steam-boilers, &c., presented by the renowned Mr. Watt, of Bolton, Lancashire, many years since, to Mr. Farey, senior. The workmen continued their labours up to five o'clock (Saturday), and at that time they had completed their examination of all the ruins, with the exception of those in the back parlour and book kitchen, without finding the trace of any human bones. It will be recollected that Mrs. Auste's residing at No. 68, Guildford-street, on the eastern side of Mr. Farey's, took refuge in the house of Mr. Mayow, No. 54, opposite, on the night of the fire, and where they have since continued to re ceive the greatest kindness and hospitality. Mr. Mayow, who has been so many years known to the public as the chief solicitor of Excise, was far advanced in years, and was on Satur day morning found dead in his bed. Mr. Mayow was much alarmed on the night of the fire, and had since been attended professionally by Dr. Latham. His loss will be severely felt in the public department of her Majesty's Excise, to which the deceased has been for so lengthened a period such an useful officer. Mr. Braid wood, the superintendent of the Fire Brigade, made a close examination of the ruins on Saturday morning, and expressed his decided opinion to be, that the fire was occasioned by a hot air flue becoming over-heated, and setting fire to the beam in the back parlour. The deaths of the unfortunate persons he attributes to the falling in of the upper stories, through the insufficiency of the building, the timber and joists, &c., having been, as he says, too light for so capacious a residence. COMMISSION OF LUNACY. On Friday, a commission de lunatics inuirendo was held at the Crown Inn, Twickenham, by Francis Barlow, Esq., to investigate as to the sanity of Miss Barbara White, a maiden lady, 55 years of age, the sister of Lieutenant-Colonel White, and neice to the late Sir John St. Aubin, residing at Selina Cottage, Twickenham. Mr. W. James attended as counsel to prosecute the inquiry on the part of the immediate relations of the lady, and from his statement it ap peared that many years ago symptoms of insanity began to exhibit themselves in the acts of Miss White, which had become more decided on the decease of her mother, who was burnt to death some years ago. At her mother's death, Miss White became entitled to the third part of 6,5001. and an annuity of 1001. a year, payable out of the St. Aubin estates, and sub sequently to two small legacies in addition. A pre. vious commission had been issued in March, 1841, without the consent of the immediate relatives of the lady, and on that occasion the jury had found the: Miss White was of sound mind. The circumstances of the case had since that time materially changed, particularly in regard to the property to which the unfortunate lady was entitled, and which formed her only source of income, and the mental delusion which had previously existed ;had now become so strongly developed as to render her perfectly incapable of taking care of herself or her property, and unless some means were taken for her protection, it was possible she might be made the dupe of some designing individual. With respect to her income, the charge to which he alluded was this, that she now refused to give any receipts or vouchers for the money paid to her by her cousin, Mr. St. Aubin, who was the receiver to the estates out of which the annuity was payable; the consequence of which was that that gentleman re mained liable to the Court of Chancery for money which he had actually paid, and acting under advice, he had since declined to pay over to Miss White any more money. The 6,500/. had been paid into the Court of Chancery, and the lady's share invested in Consols and transferred to her separate account, and the result of her refusing to give any receipts or vouchers was that she was was without money, and subjected to very great inconveniences. Under these circumstances the present writ was issued by Mr. Little, of the firm of Little, Rickards, and Co., of London, as the executor of one of the two brothers of the lady, and as holding a power of attorney from the other; and the present proceedings were taken at the instance of her nearest relatives for the purpose of throwing round her the protection of the Lord Chan cellor, who had, on the report of physicians sent to examine her, directed this inquiry to be instituted, notwithstanding the result of the previous investiga tion. The evidence which he should submit to the jury would show that Miss White lived alone in a cottage, which she had inhabited ever since her mother's death, having a servant, who did not sleep in the house, to wait on her in the day time. That she occupied one room only, keeping the other apartments locked up. That she laboured under various delusions, one of which was, that seve ral persons designed to poison her, and mixed poison with her food; another, that she was subject to what she termed the Jewish ordeal, a society or club formed to persecute her. Then she fancied she heard voices in her room when she was alone, and that there were certain subterraneous passages leading from her house to the Archdeacon's, and to the river, which were used by her enemies to annoy her; and that persons who were inclined to befriend her were, on leaving her house, inveigled into a room in which %via a chair called a detaining chair, from which they could not rise until they promised to abandon her cause, and to accuse her of having occasioned her mother's death. , To show that she was perfectly incapable of managing her affairs, he shJuld prove that on one occasion an action had been brought against her ; upon another, that a distress had been put into her house for rent; and on a third, an execution had been threatened by the King's tax collectors, and that she had been quite unable, such was the state of her mind, to give the necessary instructions for her own protection. As there had been no disposition of property, the date from which she might be declared to have been of unsound mind was immaterial; any date the jury might fix upon would answer the purpose of her friends, viz., to place her under the protection of the Lord Chancellor. Elizabeth Hurrell, who had been for the last twenty months servant to Miss White, gave evidence as to the various mental delusions mentioned by the Learned Counsel and many others, of the same cha racter ; and Dr. Southey, M.D., who had examined the lady by order of the Lord Chancellor, and Dr. M. Bury, her own medical attendant, both gave it as their opinion that she was insane, and perfectly in competent to manage herself or her affairs. Some other evidence having been gone into to show various acts of insanity, Miss White herself was introduced and examined. She described the various modes of persecution to which she supposed she was subjected, by means of the Jewish ordeal; the detaining chair; the fatuous instrument which she said was used by governments for secret purposes • voices in her room, and monkeys coming down her Chimney and stealing her food. She said the reason she had refused to give receipts for the money which had been paid her was, that Mr. St. Rubin wanted her to sign an ac knowledgment for 8001., whereas she had only re ceived 4601. The lady having retired, the jury immediately found that " Miss Barbara White was of unsound mind, and incapable of managing her own affairs, and had been so since January 1, 1844." THE GAME-LAWS. The following petition for the total abolition of the game-laws is being circulated in the county of Notting ham, and has already received many signatures : The petition of the undersigned inhabitants of the Town and County of Nottingham, to the Honourable the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled, most respectfully showeth— That we, your petitioners, have long viewed the game laws as a source of evils of the greatest magnitude, and most direful in their operations on society, but particu larly so to the rural population of this country, who, from the smallness of their weekly eamings, as agricul tural labourers, have not the means wherewith to pur chase the common necessaries of life for the support of themselves and families, and whose destitute condition entitles them to the sympathies of the whole country ; but, more particularly so, to those of your Honourable House. Driven by distress, privation, hunger, and the promptings of parental affection, they are too often, from dire necessity, driven to the act of poaching for a meal for their families ; for which offence against the game-laws, if taken and convicted, they are consigned to the gloom of a dungeon, to be the associates of felons, for so many months, imbibing the felons' worst principles and evil advice, se as to become ruined men both in cha racter and morals. During their incarceration their homes are broken up, and they are driven to their dernier resort, the poor law union, as pauperised families, whose fathers linger in the prison's gloom for having take❑ a hare to sustain nature's wants. Released from prison, what do they become, and what are the conseqwnces? How are they looked upon, how are they treated by their employers? Not as they formerly were. A prison or the union is their inevitable lot. Lowered in their own esti mation, for bread, they poach, and in the end become desperate and determined men, as proved by the bloody and murderous conflicts with gamekeepers, in every part of the country, month after month, year after year, until the whole of society feel disgust that such laws should be the means of producing so much misery, crime, and murder, in a civilised country like England, merely for the protection of game and the pleasure of the land owners. We, your petitioners, viewing the awful state of the agricultural labourers—their degraded, pauperised condition, and the ravages made by game on the farm produce of the country, respectfully pray that your Honourable House will take into its most serious con sideration the immediate necessity of abolishing these obnoxious laws. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. THE COUNTESS OF BLESSINGTON'S NNW NOVEL, " STRATHERN."—The Morning Chronicle devotes two columns to a notice of this clever work. The reviewer observes:"' Strathern' is a brilliant series of sketches of fashionable life, and biting satirical attacks levelled at fashionable follies. In this novel Lady Blessington certainly hits right and left, unmasking all the arts, the vices, the cold hypocrisy, which pervade the most arti ficial and the most elevated portion of the structure of society. The hero, Strathern, his betrothed, Louisa Sidney, and her mother, and his friend, Lord Delming ton, and his youthful wife, are the principal lights of the picture. Louisa Sidney is a beautiful sketch of a perfectly pure and loving heart, and offers a fine con trast to the designing cold-bloodedness of Lady Wellerby and her hopeful daughters. There are some other well conceived characters in the work. Nothing, for example, can be richer than Mrs. M'Laurin, the vulgar parvenue, with her gross habits, so coarsely imperious. yet so absolutely ruled by an artful femme de chambre. The great charm, as well as the chief characteristic of the work, is the acuteness and cleverness of its sketches of character and society—the brilliancy of the satire lavished upon worldly vices—and the tact and discrimi• nation with which fashionable foibles and follies are dis sected and exposed. We can recommend `Strathern' as a fiction, worthy of the reputation of its author, and a delineation of society as acute as it is interesting." COLBURN'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.—The publisher of the New Monthly Magazine seems to be de termined that this popular periodical shall retain its long established position as first of its Monthly Contempora ries. By the announcement of the contents for the first Number of the new year, we learn the extremely attrac tive character of its contributions. Among the hu morous articles will be found " A Discourse on Puppies, particularly those of the present day ;" " Discovery of the Island of Mesmeria," no doubt a fling at the mar ' vellous revelations of a celebrated female political econo mist ; " Speechmaking," a very seasonable subject ; and " Asop Illustrated," by the clever author of " Peter Priggins." In imaginative compositions we find an nounced a Tale by Agnes Strickland, called " Launcelot Corby ;" Mrs. Trollope's " Robertses on their Travels ;" and Mr. Maxwell's " Lights and Shades in the Life of a Gentleman on Half-pay." There is no less attraction in articles of general interest. Of these we notice, " Pas sages in the Lives of the Celebrated Statesmen of Europe," commencing with the Comte de Sainte Anlaire; an account of " Lurbano and Aviraneta," two of the most remarkable men in Spain ; " Twelve Days at Tiflis," by the lion. Stuart Saville, &c. &c. . _ EXPLOSION AT BLACK-BOY COLLIERY, NEAR Bistro". AUCKLAND —An explosion of tire da-up,,ceurred in the Anne Pit, Black boy coll'ier , y, on Monday last, by which one individual, named Thomas James, was unfortunately so severely scorched, and otherwise injured, as to occasion his death on the following morning, from compression of the brain. Ten other men and boys were also severely burnt. One boy is yet considered in serious danger ; but all the others are improving, and unless some unexpected change for the worse takes place, are likely to re cover. An inquest was held . yesterday, at Coundon, before William Trotter, Esq., coroner (or Darlington Ward. and a respectable jury, and after hearing the evidence of five witnesses, including the surgeon of the colliery, two viewers, and a man who was at work within three or four yards of the place where the explo sion arose, and was burnt by it, the inquiry was ad journed until Friday, January 4th. We abstain from publishing the evidence until the inquiry is brought to a conclusion ; but we may state, that the evidence yet heard tends to show that the pits in the Auck land district are very little troubled with gas—so much so, that, even in the broken and at the goafs, the general practice is to work with naked candles — that the ventilation of the Black-boy pit was in a good and healthy state, and had been examined by the under-viewer, overmen and deputies, at different times during the day in question, and no apprehensions were entertained of danger in any part of•the workings— that the explosion had arisen from the sudden evolu tion of gas on the candle of a boy working in the extreme south east district of the mine, caused by a fall of the roof in the pillar workings—that so slight had been the force and extent of the explosion, that it was confined to extremely narrow limits ; and that the after-damp was so minute, that the unfortunate deceased was taken out alive, though insen sible, after remaining for two hours exposed to the noxious vapour. Upwards of 100 individuals were at work down the pit at the time the accident occurred ; sa that the small I ,, ss of life may he considered providen tial.—Durham Chronicle. DEATH AT 108 YEARS OF AGE.—Died on Mon day last, at the patriarchal age of 108, Mr. Morris Thurston, of Guinea-street, Exeter. The deceased, up to the last seven weeks, enjoyed excellent health and spirits. He lived for upwards of sixty years in the house in which he died, and never till lately allowed any one to go into it. He was a herbal doctor, and as such tra velled through Devon, working marvellous cures. He followed bis vocation till within the last two months, and such was his repute, that people applied to him for advice, and received his nostrums, whilst on his death bed. He was an alchymist, and an adept in astrology ; and it seemed as if these ancient delusions lingered with him alone.—Exeter Times. CONFESSION OF WM. KENDREW, TRB MURDERER. —"Wm. Kendrew, the murderer of Mr. Wm. Inchbald, of Low Dunsforth, near Boroughbridge, on Thursday last made a verbal confession to Mr. Sutton, of which the following is the purport :—IIe stated that a fortnight before the murder Mr. Inchbald had threatened to have him transported for poaching before the expiration of three months, in consequence of which he (Kendrew), on the 28th of September, laid in wait for Mr. Inchbald, and having arrived at the place described at the trial, he fired and hit him in the back. Mr. Inchbald then tur:.ed round, when Kett.drew discharged the second barrel, and ' wounded him in the lest arm. Not being satisfied with this, he went up to the unfortunate man whilst he was lying on the ground, and struck him on the head with the butt end of the gun. Mr. Inchbald then, although so seriously wounded, got up and followed Kendrew, who immediately went into the fields and saw no more of the deceased. The culprit asserted that he bad no intention of robbing Mr. Inchbald, but that he had c.Ntr, witted the deed entirely out of revenge for the threa: which had been used towArds him. At the time Ken- ' drew made this confession, be acknowledged the just ness of his sentence, and appeared very penitent. Be was executed on Saturday. STATE OF TRADE. - --- - FOREIGN WOOL TRADE, LEEDS, DEC. 27.--owinir to the majority of merchants and manufacturer• being' now engaged in taking stock, transactions in Foreign 1N ools (airing the past week have been only inco a- siderahle in amount, but the prices realised exhib it somewhat of a rising tendency, especially these sorts of which the market has recently become very bare. ENGLISH WOOL MARKET, LEEDS, DHC. 27.--Tb t e manufacturers of both combing and clothing wools purchase more freely than a few weeks ago, and prices have an upward tendency. WAKEFIELD WOOL MARKET, DEC. 27.—We We again to report extensive operations, and a little further improvement in the value of deep combing warp wools, with more firmness in wool of all other descriptions, both long and short. LEEDS.—The transactions at our cloth halls this week have been to a greater extent in balk goods ths . in any week during the last six or seven. Price s continue steady, but the manufacturers complron heavily of the rate of profit. As usual, so near the close of the year, there is little doing in finished goods. The foreign houses are doing little, and few buyers are now visiting the market; and business+ therefore, is dull in the warehouses. BRADFORD MARKET, THURSDAY.— The closing market with the year, which formerly was not hei 3 " has been fully as animated as for some time past, shad a general feeling prevailing that the worst is past, s n that piece goods have seen their lowest point, gives tone of firmness, and will probably induce the manu facturers to change their recent olicy, which is ne w Keenly felt by the operatives. the advanced price f wool has made the spinners worse off, and they are seeking improved prices for yarns, which on th e opening of the year it is generally expected will be given, as the contracts for January will not be roue at December prices. There has throughout the wie l c i been a tolerably active demand for both combing en clothing wools, and on all kinds an advance has bee n fully established. MANCHESTER, THURSDAY EVENING.—We have .° decidedly better feeling in our cloth market this w ee ! , though the week preceding the new year is invert' ably a duller time than any other. Shirtings for the Chinese market are in great demand, and the turn dearer ; other goods are quite firm, and even buornt• Yarns continue much the same in demand, and price s though, if anything, rather better to sell.—iee ds Mercury. EFFECTS OF PUSEYISM.—As a proof of the state tt, which Mr. Blunt has brought matters at Helga , ° ll Sunday morning last the three galleries of the chum': contained but one adult person besides the orgs nis " although capable of containing two hundred and fiftl and yet the Bishop says that such men as the curate Helston are not the least successful of the labourer s i" Christ's vineyard I—Wes! Briton. Between eight and nine o'clock en Monday a stack of wood, of very large dimensions, contaiaa; several thousand faggots, situate by the road-side pe a Sawbridgeworth, in Herts, was discovered to be on fire) . and after a short time it was completely destroYeu The stack wasthe property of Mr. Barnard, mat The and there is little doubt it was wilfully set on fire- ;Li/ contlagratios was distinctly observed here.—Chelosf" Ch, Theatrical circles have for some months been so' buainted with the circumstance that Miss Rainforth ee me Mrs. Harley. The unequivocal demonstratio that she ought to be so has occasioned her temP or l secession from the boards of Drury-lane. Actresses *0 singers generally have a dislike to the fact of their an; riage being made public as long as it can be kept see.„,re, they think it interferes with their popularity to a ceriT e s extent, and we believe they are right. A 'n un i • of persons then begin to look at theisa with mo re "° difference, and in singers especially it often maternal; if net impairs, prevents the successful exertion of the m powers. On this account nothing has been said of t he union of Miss Rainforth and Harley in the newsPs 9s until it became absolutely necessary to explain wilt if e 's Poole had been put into the part of Katherine in v i „,zo Daughter of St. Mark. We hope that Mrs retirement will not be of long duration, and that eke zi t then be restored to her place on the stage, and W popularity with the town.—Observer. ROYAL ACADEMY OF Music.—The follow in g been elected King's Scholars at the Academy of Miss G. Poulter, pupil of the institution ; Mee t 'llore mer, of Canterbury; and Master A. Simmons. to f were ten female and seventeen male candidates , ra n l oo r whom displ a yed very promising talent, young being already a very superior pianist. LEAGUE REGISTRATION.—The applications for 4...„001 freeholds among the free traders of the Wakefield r districts have been very numerous. The commit tee daily, and render every assistance and infortnatlt°loll persons in want of qualifications. The more effe e ., o - e d to carry on operations, the committee have e s ztaks premises lately occupied by the Yorkshire Distr ic t ing Company, and intend having clerks in alien until the 31st January.—Leeds Mercury. °, lr ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AND STRANGE ki` --- A PARENT.—Many of our readers may probably r f i r e lect that some twelve months since an incendiarx o f took place amongst farm buildings in the sicin i "J ts ti Droitwich, belonging to J. Robesen, Esq., solicitor, _1,4 that a young man accused a person named Drinkwater of the heino , named Henry 3ennett, WrOng . ful ",c :, offence, in order to obtain the reward offered for r: discovery of the incendiary. Drinkwater, his innoce°.; being clearly established, was discharged by the Slig i t i trates before whom he had been thus unjustly *al e ,. and since that time the accuser, Bennett, urn s lads the guilt of perjury seems to have hung lin e " de" weight, has wandered about the country des t ! oo , or * prayed, and utterly reckless being. Star / toe him troubled conscience, or the two conjoined , ma de an from bad to worse, till, on Saturday last, 11 % o tity t. attempt at self-destruction, by taking * c l u- ni oroing " crow-fig." He was discovered e a rl/ in the —„ es tlf lying in the road leadin g f rom H aw for to Cban es deS dead, from the combined effects of the poison an biro.posure to the in c l e mency of the night. UP° lette r ' when search e d by S ergean t R a df or d, was f o und * OOO ll directed to his father, Samuel Bennett, living st, l l, tatt ire' Heath, and i n ti ma ti ng that the writer would to his very shortly his kind offices in " fetching hin l s sfortl' parach, to berry him." Under the care of i-b — t ottr• the unhappy man was taken to a public-house , sup tM Shelton, surgeon, of this city, was promptly tir o re' spot ; and, in a short time, the noxious drug Ir d. moved, and his recovery is confidently anticiPa t !s o stantly upon discovering who the would-be suictufogerr Sergeant Radford dispatched a messenger to his- del ta requesting his attendance. He did come, but el l o f his disinciin e d t o st i r h an d o r f oo t to save the lifereops, offspring ; and despite the remons'rances of al l P oe , re' positively refused him an asylum in his own markin g , '` They ought to take him to the wore, if be or wh ere they liked ; but he shouidna come hotne'slois, knowed ii . " 'l'. G. Curtler and J. M. Gutch, who h a d gone to t h e spot f or th e p ur pose of a s c e sett 4 ing what could be done for the miserable creator_:, e d the old man and unnatural lather a severe r At e• served lecture upon his conduct ; and eventoafis sea ceeded in procuring from him a promise that P s i t slll o should have an asylum in his house—at leassv.. o setl• had recovered—and there he was accordingly re" - - Worcester Herald. I IS i _ n f a ti t ' 9 PROBABLE ELECTION AT BRADFORD.- - -_,t Of mated by ou r Br a dford Contemporary that Xr' ser ioai is lik e ly to res i gn hi s sea t, ow i ng t o his late asoll, attack of illness, and that his son, Mr. Gathorn bo ut will probably be a candidate for the vacant seat. '-'_ e o a resign a ti on t a k e pl a ce, we hope the constituatlolo Bradf o rd w ill re t urn a goo d f ree trader. If the plods should be united, we believe they may do thifv" Mercury. A. tba On the 28th inst., at M St. M RIED argaret's, Lothburft 11 0 0 Venerable Archdeacon Hollingworth, William Butler' Otter son of Dr. Langmore, of Finsbury-square, to XIV 10 eldest daughter of Mr. Alderman Moon. 1 30 0 t On the 26th inst., at St. Peter's, Thanet, Ed° lll/I .,hter Church, Esq., to Annabella Maria, youngest datib.,s, Lieutenant Colonel Clarke, C. 8., late of the Scots G 1,9 OP' On the 27th inst., at St. Pancras Church, Maria DI ?Sr,' eldest daughter of Mr. Worrell, of Hunter-street, FA, Haslewood, only son of the late Roger Hasleooo4 Islington. DIED. fl de t On the 30th inst., in Bruton-street, the lady ofw_...„/-1/31 to Scott, Fsq., aged 25, from exhaustion a ft er an infia°- attack. Pt "1 On the 13th inst., Mr. William Baker, of Trin ity' Taunton, aged 66. Of idr On the 18th inst., at Heidelberg, Frederick Wil li- -- ~ p man, Esq., aged 55. nam 00 , '- On the 20th inst., Jonathan Amatt, Esq., of . 1 " --- t Oxfordshire, aged 64. E. 04* On the 22d inst., at Boulogne-sur-Mer, S. D. Leos' On the 24th inst., at Canonbury-place, Miss F . ,2, AO *. On the 25th inst., Mrs. Margaret Fordham , 0, '". place, Limehouse, aged 86. i s . .17 94 On the 25th inst., the Rev. Richard Francis D a/ Rector of Pensock, Worcester, aged 78. sm . 0 11 ° 1" On the 26th inst., at Wadenhoe House , n--„,,„ o tad ° General William Croxton, of the Hon. East Indisuu—' Service, Bengal Establishment. . 2 e 4. i ns t., J. C . On the 26th Thomas Bellett, son of the .. Crosthwaite, Rector of St. Mary-at-Hill, London. f or, l' On the 27th inst., Mary Sarah, only daughter 0 Layton, of Kew-bridge, Brentford. nbe h t.so On the 27th inst., in Jermyn-street, Tho mas ,-,- . Esq., of Ba r n s taple, aged 35. On the 27th inst., Charles Edward, seco nd sort a gr. if. are . le Hawes, Lamb's Conduit-street. On the 24th inst., in Colehill- street, Eaton -sg° ' Robinson, aged 74. goo' On the 24th inst., Mr. Henry Spratt, of Caerleoo, mouth On the 25th inst., Frances, the wife of Wil li a m Esq., of Stratford-place. Do b ig° 5111' On the 24th inst., at Shouldham Thorpe , ne ar Norfolk, John Brackenbury, Esq. o y Lonzl. 4: • Priht4d ai.al ?abashed by }HURD() g o . No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sc,' Strand, in the Preeinct of the Savoy, in the Middlesex, Monday, Monday, December 3 0 , 1844. ( the amid eur To corn, of the %th e *al ‘ bAiry & • Cora / 'for Ott %es . 15 ot tte "thy %Me i 4)Ptu : Nt4 t•u, __ ... BIRTHS. ° Wit *1 This morning, at Oakland House, Cricklewoodt the ifi f e of Adam Rivers Steele, Esq., of a son. On the 2d inst., at the Grand Parade, Brighten , t he i 0 D. Wilson, Esq., of Calcutta, of a daughter. + h e !OIL On the 22d inst., at Aban Court, CheltenharnoT fer-„" George Browne, Esq., Captain in the 44th Regimen' , e o los''' On the 27th inst., at Cambridge-terrace, liydel wife of William Pye, Esq., of a daughter. of A ee h - ; On the 27th inst., at Hull, Mrs. B. J. ThomPonn,'-„ o f t' On the 27th inst., at Peasemore Rectory, the low Rev. Thoma s A rc h er H on bl on , o f a da u ghter. Ab oc, t he On the 27th inst., at the Rectory, Levermere, 011— __. wife of the Rev. Asgill Colvile, of a daughter. ______/