The Sun. — London, England, 1845-12-23 00:00:00

lawtseet ii.ty ea all articles of import which they will Lear within the revenue standard, for such rates would probably produce a much larger amount than the eco nomical administration of the Government would re quire. Nor does it follow that the duties on all articles should be at the same, or a horizontal rate. Some ar la2les will bear a much higher revenue duty than others. Below the maximum of the revenue standard Congress may and ought to discriminate in the rates imposed, taking care so to adjust them on different articles as to produce in the aggregate the amount which, when added to the proceeds of sales of public lands, may be needed to pay the economical expenses of the Government. In levying a tariff of duties Congress exercises the taxing power, and for purposes of revenue may select the objects of taxation. They may exempt certain articles altogether, and permit their importation free of duty. On others they may impose low duties. In these classes should be embraced such articles of neces sity as are in general use, and especially such as are consumed by the labourer and the poor, as well as by the wealthy citizen.. Care should he taken that all the great interests of the country, including manufactures, agriculture, covamerce, navigation, and the mechanic arts, should, as far as may be practicable, derive equal advantage% From the incidental protection which a just system of revenue duties may afford. Taxation, direct or indirect, is a burden, and it should be so imposed as zo operate as equally as may be on all classes, in the aroportion. of their ability to bear it. To make the taxing power an actual benefit to one class necessarily increases the burden of the others beyond their pro portion, and would be manifestly unjust. The terms 1 5 protection to domestic industry," are of popular im aart ; but they should apply under a just system to all the various branches of industry in our country. The Armor or planter who toils yearly in his fields is engaged n " domestic industry," and is as much entitled to have his labour " protected," as the manufacturer, the man of commerce, the navigator, or the mechanic, who are en gaged also in "domestic industry" in their different pur suits. The joint labours of all these classes constitute the aggregate of the " domestic industry" of the nation, and they are equally entitled to the nation's " protection." No one of them can justly claim to be the exclusive re cipients of "protection," which can only be afforded by increasing burdens an the " domestic industry" of the others. If these views be correct, it remains to inquire how far the Tariff Act of 1842 is consistent with them. That many of the provisions of that Act are in violation of the cardinal principles here laid down all must concede. The rates of duty imposed by it on some articles are pro hibitory, and on others so high as greatly to diminish importations, and to produce a less amount of revenue than would be derived from lower rates. They operate as " protection merely," to one branch of " domestic in dustry," by taxing other branches. By the introduction of minimums, or assumed and false values, and by the imposition of specific duties, the injustice and inequality of the Act of 1842, in its prac tical operations on different classes and pursuits, are seen and felt. Many of the oppressive duties imposed by it under the operation of these principles, range from 1 per cent. to more than 200 per cent. They are pro hibitory on some articles and partially so on others, and bear most heavily on articles of common necessity, and bat lightly on articles of luxury. It is so framed that much the greatest burden which it imposes is thrown on labour and the poorer classes, who are least able to bear it, while it protects capital and exempts the rich from paying their just proportion of the taxation required fm. the support of government. While it protects the capital of the wealthy manufacturer, and increases his profits, it does not benefit the operative or labourer in his employment, whose wages have not been increased by it. Articles of prime necessity, or of coarse quality and low price, used by the masses of the people, are, in many instances, subjected by it to heavy taxes, while articles of finer quality and higher price, or of luxury, which can be used only by the opulent, are lightly taxed. It imposes heavy and unjust burdens on the farmer, the p!an!Pr, the commercial man, and those of all other pur suits, except the capitalist who has made his investments in manufactures. All the great interests of the country are not, as nearly as may be practicable, equally pro tected by it. The Government in theory knows no distinction of persons or classes, and should not bestow upon some fa vours and privileges which all others may not enjoy. It was the purpose of its illustrious founders to base the institutions which they reared upon the great and un changing principles of justice and equity, conscious that if administered in the spirit in which they were con ceived they would be felt only by the benefits which they suffused, and would secure for themselves a defence in tie hearts of the people, more powerful than standing armies, and all the means and appliances invented to !ustain governments founded in injustice and oppression. The well-known fact that the Tariff Act of 1842 was passed by a majority of one vote in the Senate, and two :n the House of Representatives, and that some of those , vho felt themselves constrained, under the peculiar cir cumstances existing at the time, to vote in its favour, pro- L!aimed its defects; and expressed their determination to aid in its modification on the first opportunity, affords strong and conclusive evidence that it was not intended to be permanent, and of the expediency and necessity of its thorongh revision. In recommending to Congress a reduction of the pre sent rates of duty, and a revision and modification of the Act of 1842, I am far from entertaining opinions un friendly to the manufacturers. On the contrary, I desire to see them prosperous, as far as they can be so, without imposing unequal burdens on other interests. The ad vantage, under any system of indirect taxation, even reithin the revenue standard, must be in favour of the manufacturing interest ; and of this no other interests will complain. I recommend to Congress the abolition of the minimum principle, or assumed, arbitrary, and ;else value, and of specific duties, and the substitution in their place of ad valorem duties, as the fairest and most equitable indirect tax which can be imposed. ,By the ad valorem principle all articles are taxed according to their cost or value, and those which are of inferior quality or of small cost bear only the just proportion of the tax with those which are of supe risr quality or greater cost. The articles consumed by all are taxed at the same rate. A system of ad valorem revenue duties, with proper discriminations and proper guards against frauds in collecting them, it is not doubted will afford ample incidental advantages to the manufacturers, and enable them to derive as great pro fits as can be derived from any other regular business. It is believed that such a system, strictly within the re venue standard, will place the manufacturing interests on a stable footing, and ensue to their permanent ai eautage, while it will, as firmly as may be practicable, extend to all the great interests of the country the inci dental protection which can be afforded by our revenue laws. Such a system, when once firmly established, would be permanent, and not be subject to the constant com plaints, agitations, and changes which must ever occur, wh •n duties are not laid for revenue, but for the "pro to( Lion merely" of a favoured interest. In the deliberations of Congress on this subject, it is hoped a spirit of mutual concession and compromise be tween conflicting interests may prevail, and that the result of their labours may be crowned with the happiest success. RECOMMENDATION OF A GOVERNMENT BANK. By the constitution of the United States it is provided, that " no money shall be drawn from the treasury but in consequence of appropriations made by law." A. public treasury was undoubtedly contemplated and in tended to be created, in which the public money should be kept from the period of collection until needed for the public use. In the collection and disbursement of the public money no agencies have ever been employed by lew, except such as were appointed by the Govern ment, directly responsible to it, and under its control. The safe-keeping of public money should be confided to z public treasury created by law, and under like respon sibility and control. It is not to be imagined that the Vimers of the constitution could have intended that a teeasury should be created as a place of deposit and safe keeping of the public money which was irresponsible to the Government. The first Congress under the consti ttaion, by the Act of the 2d September, 1789, " to esta blish the treasury department," provided for the appoint ment of a treasurer, and made it his duty to " receive and keep the moneys of the United States," and " at all times to submit to the secretary of the treasury and the comptroller, or either of them, the inspection of the stoney in his hands." That banks, national or state, could not have been .atended to be used as a substitute for the treasury epoken of in the constitution, as keepers of the public money, is manifest from the fact, that at that time there was no national bank, and but three or four state banks of limited capital existed in the country. Their employ ment as depositories was at first resorted to, to a limited extent, bUt with no avowed intention of continuing them permanently, in place of the treasury of the constitu tion. When they were afterwards from time to time employed, it was from motives of supposed convenience. Our experience has shown that when banking corp. vttions have been the keepers of the public money, and beel thereby made in effect the treasury, the Govern :lsin can have no guaranty that it can command the use of its own money for public purposes. The late Batik of the United States proved to be faithless. But a• few years ago, with millions of money in their keeping, the Government was brought almost to bankruptcy, and the public credit seriously impaired, because of their inability or indisposition to pay, en demand, to the public creditors, in the only cur rency recognised by th e constitution. Their failure occurred in a period of peace, and great inconvenience and loss were suffered by the public from it. Had the country been involved in a fo re i gn war, that incon venience and lees would have been much greater, and :might have resulted in extreme public calamity. The public money should not be mingled with the private funds of banks or individuals, or be ased for private pur poses. When it is placed in banks for safe ke e pi ng, i t is in effect loaned to them without interest, and is loaned by them upon interest to the borrowers from them. The public money is converted into banking capital, and is u:e - 1 and loaned out for the private profit of bank stock. holcie i re ; and when called for (as was the case in 1837), it ma be in the pockets of the borrowers from the banks, instead of being in the public treasury contempt by vonstitution. The framers of the constitution could never have intended that the money paid into the trea sury should be thus converted to private use, and placed beyond the cantrol of the Government. .auuks which hold the public money are often tempted by a desire of gain to exceed their loans, increase their circulation. and thus stimulate, if not produce, a spirit of speculation and extravagance, which, sooner or later, must reerdt in ruin to thousands. If the public money be I lot,permitted to be thus used, but be kept in the treasury nn' paid out to the public creditors in gold and silver, the temptation afforded by its deposit with banks to an tnadue expansion of their business would be checked, while the amount of the constitutional currency left in circulation would be enlarged by its employment in the F ute;le collections and disbursements, and the banks themselves would, in consequence,be found in a safer lend sounaler condition. At the present, state banks are employed as deposito ries, but without adequate regulation of law, whereby the public money can be secured against the casualties and excesses, revulsions, expansions, and defalcations, to which, from over-issues, over-trading, an inordinate de sire for gain, or other causes, they are constantly ex posed. The Secretary of the Treasury has in all cases, when it was practicable, taken collateral security for the amount which they hold, by the pledge of stocks to the United States, or such of the states as were in good credit. Some of the deposit banks have given this de scription of security, and others have declined to do so. Entertaining the opinion that " the separation of the moneys of the Government from the banking institutions is indispensable for the funds of the Government and the rights of the people," I recommend to Congress that provision be made by law for such separation, and that a constitutional treasury be created for the safe-keeping of the public money. The constitutional treasury re commended is designed as a secure depository for the public money, without any power to make loans or discounts, or to issue any paper whatever as a cur rency or eirculation. I cannot doubt that such a treasury as was contemplated by the constitution should be independent of all banking corporations. The money of the people should be kept in the treasury of the people created by law, and be kept in the custody of agents of the people chosen by themselves, according to the forms of the constitution ; agents who are directly responsible to the Government, who are under adequate bonds and oaths, and are subject to severe punishments for any embezzlement, private use, or misapplication of the public funds, or for any failure in other respects to perform their duties. To say that the people or their Government are incompetent, or not to be trusted with the custody of their own money, in their own treasury, provided by themselves, but must rely on the presidents, cashiers, and stockholders of banking corporations, not appointed by them, nor responsible to them, would be to concede that they are incompetent of self-government. In recommending the establishment of a constitutional treasury, in which the public money shall be kept, I desire that adequate provision be made by law for its safety, and that all executive discretion or control over it shall be removed, except such as may be necessary in directing its disbursements in pursuance of appropriation made by law. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING. DECEMBER 28, 1845. THE LAND SYSTEM. Under our present land system, limiting the minimum price at which the public lands can be entered to one dollar and 25 cents. per acre, large quantities of lands of inferior quality remain unsold, because they will not com mand that price. From the records of the General Land office it appears, that of the public lands remaining un sold in the several states and territories in which they are situated, 39,105,577 acres have been in the market, subject to entry more than twenty years ; 49,638,644 acres for more than fifteen years ; 73,074,600 acres for more than ten years, and 106,176,961 acres for more than five years. Much the largest portion of these lands will continue to be unsaleable at the minimum price at which they are permitted to be sold, so long as large territories of lands from which the more valuable portions have not been selected are annually brought into market by the Government. With the view to the sale and settlement of these inferior lands, I recommend that the price be graduated and reduced below the present minimum rate, confining the sales at the reduced prices to settlers and cultivators, in limited quantities. If graduated and reduced in price for a limited term to one dollar per acre, and after the expiration of that period for a second and third term to lower rates, a large portion of these lands would be purchased, and many worthy citizens who are unable to pay higher rates could pur chase homes for themselves and their families. By adopt ing the policy of graduation and reduction of price, these inferior lands will be sold for their real value, while the states in which they lie will be freed from the incon venience, if not injustice, to which they are subjected, in consequence of the United States continuing to hold large quantities of public lands within their borders, and not liable to taxation for the support of their loca l go vernments. I recommend the continuance of the policy of granting pre-emption, in its most liberal extent, to all those who have settled or may hereafter settle on the public lands, whether surveyed or unsurveyed, to which the Indian title may have been extinguished at the time of settle ment. It has been found by experience, that in conse quence of combinations of purchasers and other causes, a very small quantity of the public lands, when sold at public auction, commands a higher price than the minimum price established by duty. The settlers on the public lands are, however, but rarely able to secure - their homes and improvements at the public sales at that rate ; because these- combinations, by means of the capital they command, and their superior ability to purchase, render it impossible for the settler to compete with them in the market. By putting down all competition, these combinations of capitalists and speculators are usually enabled to purchase the lands, including the improvements of the settlers, at the minimum price of the Government, and either turn them out of their homes, or extort from them, according to their ability to pay, double or quadruple the amount paid for them to the Government. It is to the enterprise and perseverance of the hardy pioneers of the west, who penetrate the wilderness with their families, suffer the dangers, the privations, and hardships attending the set tlement of a new country, and prepare the way for the body of emigrants who, in the course of a few years, usually follow them, that we are in a great degree in debted for the rapid extension and aggrandisement of our country. Experience has proved that no portion of our popula tion are more patriotic than the hardy and brave men of the frontier, or more ready to obey the call of their coun try. and to defend her rights and her honour, whenever and by whatever enemy assailed. They should be pro tected from the grasping speculator, and secured, at the minimum price of the public lands, in the humble homes which they have improved by their labour. With this end in view, all vexatious or unnecessary re: rictions imposed upon them by the existing pre-emption laws should be repealed or modified. It is the true policy of the Government to afford facilities to its citizens to be come the owners of small portions of our vast public do main at low and moderate rates. The present system of managing the mineral lands of the United States is believed to be radically defective. More than a million of acres of the public lands, sup posed to contain lead and other minerals, have been re served from sale, and numerous leases upon them have been granted to individuals upon a stipulated rent. The system of granting leases has proved to be not only un profitable to the Government, but unsatisfactory to the citizens who have gone upon the lands, and must, if con tinued, lay the foundation of much future difficulty be tween the Government and the lessees. According to the official records, the amount of rents received by the Government for the years 1841, 1842, 1843, and 1844, was 6,354 dolls. 74 cents, while the expenses of the system during the same period, including salaries of su perintendents, agents, clerks, and incidental expenses, was 26,111 dolls. 11 cents.—the income being less than one-fourth of the expenses. To this pecuniary loss may be added the injury sustained by the public in conse quence of the destruction of timber and the careless and wasteful manner of working the mines. The system has given rise to much litigation between the United States and individual citizens, producing irritation and excite ment in the mineral region, and' involving the Govern ment in heavy additional expenditures. It is believed that similar losses and embarrassments will continue to occur while the present system of leasing these lands re mains unchanged. These lands are now under al , . su perintendence and care of the war department, with ihe ordinary duties of which they hare Aio proper or natural connexion. I recommend the repeal of the present system, and that the lands be placed under the super intendence and management of the General Land-office as other public lands, and be brought into market and sold upon such terms as Congress in their wisilom may prescribe, reserving to the Government an equit able per tentage of the gross amount of mineral pro duct, and that the pre-emption principle be extended to resident miners and settlers upon them, at the minimum price which may be established by Congress. 1 refer you to the accompanying report of the Secretary of War for information respecting the present situation of the army, and its operations during the past year ; the state of our defences ; the condition of the public works, and our relations with the various Indian tribes within our limits, or upon our borders. I invite your attention to ;he suggestions contained in that report, in relation to :hese Fronainent objects of national interest. THE ARMY. When orders were given during the past summer for concentrating a military force on the western frontier of Texas, our troops were widely dispersed, and in small detachments, occupying posts re mete from each other. The prompt and expe ditious manner in which an army, embracing more than half our peace establishment, was drawn together on an emergency so sudden, reflects great credit on the officers who were entrusted with the execution of these orders, as well as upon the discipline of the army itself. To be in strength to protect and defend the people and territory of Texas, in the levent that Mexico should commence hostilities or invade her territories with a large army which she threatened, I authorised the general assigned to the command of the army of occupation to make requisitions for additional forces from several of the states nearest the Texan ter ritories, and which could most expeditiously furnish them, if in his opinion a larger force than that under his command, and the auxiliary aid which, under like circumstances, he was authorised to receive from Texas, should be required. The contingency upon which the exercise of this authority depended has not occurred. The circumstances under which the two companies of state artillery from the city of New Orleans were sent to Texas, and mustered into the service of the United States, are fully stated in the report of the Secretary of War. I recommend to Congress that provision be made for the payment of these troops, as well as a small num ber of Texan volunteers, whom the commanding general thought it necessary to receive or muster into our service. During the last summer the Ist Regiment of Dragoons made extensive excursions through the Indian country on her borders, a part of them advancing nearly to the possessions of the Hudson's Bay Company in the north, and a p art as f ar as t h e S out h P ass o f t h e R oc k y Moun tains, and the head waters of the tributary streams of the Colorado of the West. The exhibition of this mi litary force among the Indian tribes in those distant regions, and the councils held with them by the com manders of the expe di t i ons, it is believed, will have a salutaryinfluence in restraining them from hostilities amon g themselves, and maintaining friendly relations between them and the United States. An interesting account of one of these Brevet excursions Fremont accompanies , the of h corps t e V re port of the Secret ar y at War. Under the directions of en Captain Topographical Engineers, has b een employed N o a f r D ep a r tm since 1842 in exploring the country west of th e Mis sissippi and beyond the Roe k y Mountains. Two expe ditions have already been brought to a close, and the reports of that scientific and eeterprising . officer have furnished much interesting and valuable infor raation. He is now engaged in a third expedition ; but it is not expected that this arduous service will be completed in season to enable me to communicate the result to Con gress at the present session. THE INDIAN TRIBES. Our relations with the Indian tribes are of a favour able character. The policy of removing them to a coun try designed for their permenant residence, west of the Mississippi, and without the limits of the organised states and teritories, is better appreciated by them than it was a few years ago ; while education is now attended to, and the habits of civilised life are gaining ground among them. Serious difficulties of long standing continue to distract the several parties into which the Cherokees are unhap pily divided.,lThe efforts of the Government to adjust the difficulties between them have heretofore proved unsuc• cessful ; and there remains no probability that this desir able object can be accomplished without the aid of fur ther legislation by Congress. I will at an early period of your session, present the subject for your conside ration, accompanied with an exposition of the com plaints and claims of the several parties into which the nation is divided, with a view to the adoption of such measures by Congress as may enable the Executive to do justice to them respectively, and to put an end, if pos sible, to the dissensions which have long prevailled, and still prevail among them . THE NAVY. I refer you to the report of the Secretary of the Navy for the present condition of that branch of the national defence; and for grave suggestions, having for their ob ject the increase of its efficiency and a greater economy in its management. The orders which have been given have been executed with promptness and fidelity. A larger force than has often formed one squadron under our flag was readily concentrated in the Gulf of Mexico, and apparently without unusual effort. It is especially to be observed, that, notwithstanding the union of so considerable a force, no act was committed that even the jealousy of an irritated power could construe as an act of aggression ; and that the commander of the squadron and'his officers, in strict conformity with their instructions, holding:themselves ever ready for the most active duty, have achieved the still purer glory of con tributing to the preservation of peace. It is believed that at all our foreign stations the honour of our flag has been maintained, and that, generally, omit ships of war have been distinguished for their good discipline and order. lam happy to add, that the display of maritime force which was required by the events of the summer has been made wholly within the usual appropriations for the service of the year, so that no additional appro priations are required. The commerce of the United States, and with it the navigating interest, have steadily and rapidly increased since the organisation of our Government, until it is believed we are now second to but one in power in the world, and at no distant day we shall probably be in ferior to none. Exposed as they must be, it has been a wise policy to afford to these important interests pro tection with our ships of war, distributed in the great highways of trade throughout the world. For more than thirty years appropriations have been made, and annually expended, for the gradual increase of our naval forces. In peace, our navy performs the important duty of pro tecting our commerce; and, in the event of war, will be, as it has been, a most efficient means of defence. The successful use of steam navigation on the ocean has been followed by the introduction of war steamers in great and increasing numbers into the navies of the principal maritime powers of the world. A due regard to our own safety and to an efficient protection to our large and increasing commerce demands a cor responding increase on our part. No country has greater facilities for the construction of vessels of this description than ours, or can promise itself greater ad• vantages from their employment. They are admirably adapted to the protection of our commerce, to the rapid transmission of intelligence, and to the coast de fence. In pursuance of the wise policy of a gradual in crease of our navy, large supplies of live oak timber and other materials for ship-building have been collected, and are now under shelter, and in a state of good pre servation, while iron steamers can be bailt with great facility in various parts of the Union. The use of iron as a material, especially in the construction of steamers, which can enter with safety many of the harbours along our coast now inaccessible to vessels of greater draught, and the practicability of constructing them in the inte rior, ttrongly recommends that liberal appropriations should be made for this important object. Whatever may have been our policy in the earlier stages of the government, when the nation was in its infancy, our shipping interests and commerce comparatively small, our resources limited, our population spare, and scarcely extending beyond the limits of the original thirteen States, that policy must be essentially different now that we have grown froni three to more than twenty millions of people ; that our commerce, carried in our own ships, is found in every sea, and that our ter ritorial boundaries and settlements have been so greatly expanded. Neither our commerce, nor our long line of coast on the ocean and on the lakes, can be successfully defended against foreign ag gression by means of fortifications alone. These are essential at important commercial and military points, but our chief reliance for this object must be a well organised and efficient navy. The benefits resulting from such a navy are not confined to the Atlantic states. The productions of the interior, or which seek a market abroad, are directly dependent on the safety and freedom of our commerc. The occupation of the Belize below New Orleans by a hostile force would embarrass, if not stagnate, the whole export trade of the Mississippi, and affect the value of the agricultural products of the entire valley of that mighty river and its tributaries. It has never been our policy to maintain large stand ing armies in time of peace. They are contrary to the genius of free institutions, would impose heavy burdens on the people, and be dangerous to public liberty. Our reliance for protection and defence on the land must be mainly on our citizen soldiers, who will be ever ready, as they have ever been ready in times past, to rush with alacrity, at the call of their country, to her defence. This description of force, however, cannot defend our coasts, harbours, and inland seas, nor protect our com merce on the ocean or the lakes. These must be pro tected by our navy. Considering an increased naval force, and especially of steam-vessels, corresponding with our growth and importance as a nation, and proportioned to the in creased and increasing naval power of other nations, of vast importance as regards our safety, and the great and growing interests to be protected by it, I recom mend the subject to the favourable consideration of Congress. THE POST OFFICE. The report of the Postmaster-General, herewith com municated, contains a detailed statement of the opera tions of his department during the past year. It will be seen that the income from postages will fall short of the expenditures for the year between one and two mil lions of dollars. This deficiency has been caused by the reduction of the rates of postage, which was made by the Act of the 3d of March last. No principle has been more generally acquiesced in by the people than that this department should sustain itself by limiting its ex penditures to its income. Congress has never sought to make it a source of revenue for general purposes, except for a short period during the last war with Great Britain, nor should it ever become a charge on the general trea sury. If Congress shall adhere to this principle, as I think they ought, it will be necessary either to curtail the present mail service, so as to reduce the expendi tures, or so to modify the Act of the 31 of March last as to improve its revenue. The extension of the mail service, and the additional facilities which will be de manded by the rapid extension and increase of popula tion on our wester❑ frontier, will not admit of such cur tailment as will materially reduce the present expendi tures. In adjustment of the tariff of postages the inte rests of the people demand that the lowest rates be adopted which will produce the necessary revenue to meet the expenditures of the department. I invite the attention of Congress to the suggestions of tho Post master-General on the subject, and the belief that such a modification of the late law may be made as will yield sufficient revenue without further calls on the Treasury, and with little change in the present rates of postage. Proper measures have been taken, in pursuance of the Act of 3d of March last, for the establishment of lines of mail steamers between this and foreign countries. The importance of this service commends itself strongly to favourable consideration. With the growth of our country, the public business which devolves on the heads of the several executive departments has greatly increased. In some respects the distribution of duties among them seems to be incon gruous, and many of these might be transferred frum one to another with advantage to the public interest. A more auspicious time for the consideration of this sub ject by Congress, with a view to system in the organisa tion of the several departments, and a more appropriate division of the public business, will not probably occur. MISCELLANEOUS. The most important duties of the State department re late to our foreign affairs. By the great enlargement of the family of nations, the increase of our commerce, and the corresponding extension of cur consular system, the businese of this department has been greatly increased. In its present organisation, many duties of a domestic nature, and consisting of details, are devolved on the Secretary of State, which do not appropriately belong to the foreign department of the Government, and may properly be transferred to some other department. One of these grows out of the present state of the law con cerning the Patent office, which, a few years since, was a subordinate clerkship, but has become a distinct bureau of great importance. With an excellent internal orga nisation it is still connected with the State department. In the transaction of its business, questions of much im portance to inventors, and to the comm un ity, f requent l y arise, which, by existing laws, are referred for decision to a board, of which the Secretary of State is a member. These questions are legal, and the connexion which now exists between the State department and the Patent office may, with great propriety and advantage, be trans ferred to the Attorney-General. In his last annual Message to Congress, Mr. Madison invited attention to a proper provision for the Attor ney General as an "important improvementin the exe cutive establishment." This recommendation was repeated by some of his successors. The official duties of the Attorney-General have been much increased within a few years, and his office has become one of great importance. His duties may be still further increased with advantage to the public interests. As an executive officer his residence and constant attention at the seat of Government are required. Legal questions, involving important principles and large amounts of public money, are constantly referred to him by the President and executive department for his examination and decision. The public business, under his official management before the judiciary has been so augmented by the extension of our territory, and the acts of Con gross authorising suits against the United States for large portions of valuable public lands, as greatly to increase his labours and responsibilities. I, therefore, recommend that the Attorney-General be placed on the same footing with the heads of the other executive departments, with such subordinate officers provided by law for his department, as may be required to discharge the additional duties which have been, or may be, de volved upon him. COLUMBIA. Congress possess the power of exclusive legislation over the district of Columbia ; and I commend the inte rests ofits inhabitants to your favourable consideration. The people of this district have no legislative body of their own, and must confine their local, as well as their general, interests to the representatives in whose election they have no voice, and over whose official conduct they have no control. Each Member of the National Legis lature should consider himself as their immediate repre sentative, and should be the more ready to give atten tion to their interests and wants, because he is not re sponsible to them. I recommend that a liberal and ge nerous spirit may characterise your measures in relation tion to them. I shall be ever disposed to show a proper regard for their wishes, and, within constitutional limits, shall at all times cheerfully co-operate with you for the advancement of their welfare. THE LATE GENERAL JACKSON. I trust it may not be deemed inappropriate to the oc casion for me to dwell fur a moment on the memory of the most eminent citizen of our country, who, during the sum mer that is gone by, has descended to th e t om b. Th e enjoyment of contemplating, at the advanced age of near four score years, the happy condition of his country, cheered the last hours of Andrew Jackson, who de parted this life in the tranquil hope of a blessed immor tality. His death was happy, as his life had been eminently useful. Ile had an unfaltering confidence in the virtue and capacity of the people, and in the perma nence of that free government which he had largely contributed to establish and defend. His great deeds had secured to him the affections of his fellow-citizens, and it was his happiness to witness the growth and glory of his country, which he loved so well. He departed amidst the benedictions of millions of freemen. The nation paid its tribute to his memory at the tomb. Coming generations will learn from his example the love of country and the rights of man. In his language on a similar occasion to the present, " I now commend you, fellow-citizens, to the guidance of Almighty God, with a full reliance on his merciful Providence for the mainte nanz.ie of our free institutions ; and with an earnest sup plication, that whatever errors it may be my lot to commit in discharging the arduous duties which have devolved on me, will find a remedy in the harmony of our counsels." JAMES K. POLK. Washington, Dec. 2, 1845. Two very important votes were taken in the House Lf Representatives, on Monday, and by very decisive ma jorities. The first against rescinding the one hour rule, the other against rescinding the 21st rule, which, it will be remembered, prohibited the reception of any petition or other papers requesting the abolition of slavery in the slave states or in the territories of the United States. The Treasury notes outstanding, December 1, 1845, amounted to 592,864 dollars. MEXICO. The arrival of the Sea gives us some additions made to the New Mexican Tariff : Art. 1. All vessels, of whatsoever nature, that shall be on terms of friendship with the Mexican nation, notwith standing no special treaty of commerce shall have been ra tified between them, shall be admitted to all those ports open for foreign commerce. Their captain or supercargo, as well as the munimeut and cargo of said vessel, shall be held subject to the prescribed laws for the collection of duties, and to all penal ties existing at the time of their arrival, from the very moment of their anchorage in the waters of the port Art. 2. Vessels coming from foreign ports, being other than national vessels, cannot be admitted at any other port save that to which they may be consigned. If they do so (save under the 72d article of this enact ment) the vessel as well as her cargo shall be considered forfeited. All surplusages of cargo over that manifested will be liable to the penalty of the 84th article, being considered in the light of contraband. Art. 3. The following are the ports which are open to the entrance of foreign vessels :—Gulf of Mexico, Sisal, Campeche, Tobasco, Vera Cruz, Tampico, Matamoros (Matagorda, Ve!asco, and Galveston, when they shall have returned to the obedient control of the supreme Government. On the Pacific Ocean.—Acapulco, San Blas, and Mazatlan). In the Gulf of California— Guayama and Monterey. Art. 4. In case that any of the above-mentioned ports shall be occupied by forces not in obedience to the su preme Government of Mexico, it shall remain shut, not only to foreign commerce, but also to coasting vessels, under the terms provided by decree of February 22, 1832. HAYTI. By the arrival of the Sea we have news from Hayti to the 18th ult. The news is interesting, particularly at this time, when the recognition of the independence of one of the republics en the island is in contemplation by the United States. By a proclamation, dated October 5, the Haytian Go vernment calls upon all foreigners residing in the eastern (that is, the Dominican, part of the island), to with draw within a month's time from that section of the country, under pain of being considered accomplices of the insurgents, and punished assuch, should they remain. The Council of State having proceeded to Cape Hay tiea, in order to be able to assist the President with their counsels—that functionary being obliged to absent him self from the seat of Government. The President complains, in a proclamation dated November 4, that the Dominicans have been stirred up to rebellion by the enemies of the African race, and are protected by the same, adding, that they meet with this protection, because, " with retrograde ideas, not withstanding 22 years of confraternity with us, they have again established slavery among them, and hold coloured people in the shameful chains of bondage.' " The proclamation concludes by enacting that every per son who shall speak any words tending to sow division among Haytiens, and to arm the citizens one against the other, shall be arrested, cast into prison, and given up to the tribunals, to be dealt with according to law. Au thority is given, in the same document, to the military commanders of the department s , t o see th a t thi s or d er i s executed. Hence it may be perceived, that the nature of the power of the Haytien President is the same with that of an unlimited despot, since he can make laws as he pleases, by mere proclamation, and also, that the people are subject to the most complete slavery, since military men may cast them into prison fur whatever, in their judgment, may appear to be the . 4 tendency" of their conversation. . _ —...— By another proclamation of a prior date, the cutting of mahogany wood is forbidden by the President, in order to interrupt all communication with the insurgents of the east. The cutting is required to be suspended within twenty-four hours after the proclamation is issued, which will be published and placarded in all proper places, and any one found engaged in it, whether master or labourer, is to be immediately arrested, and " incor porated in the troops of the line." RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS LIVERPOOL, Dae, 22, STOCK EXCII,OZON.—The sales are—Bolton, Wigan, and Liverpool, 2 p.—Derby and Crewe, 1 'Zp.—Glasgow, and Dumfries, 10s. dis.—Grand Junction, 2 37 —Ditto, Quarter Shire. s, 43 p.—Ditto, Eighth Shares, 151,4,—Iludilerstield Canal and Railway, 3V I p.— Huddersfield aid Sheffield, 8 p. —7,iverpool and Leeds Direct. I,k Liverpool, Ormskirk, gad Preston, 1 1 ,,i p.—London and Birmingham, Fifth Shares, 20 1 / p.— Leeds and Dewsbury, 9 p.— Mancliest t r and Leeds, Fifth Shares, 10 1 / 2 p.—Midland, 142 —Ditto, 401. Shares, 14 —Mold Junction, 15s. dis —North Union (A), 207—Ditto (B), 143—North Staffordshire, 23,4 P.—Preston and Wvre, New Shares, 3 p.—Sheffield and Manchester, 115—Ditto, Quarter Shares, No. 3 (scrip), 3 4 P.—South -Ea s t ern an d Dover, Consolidated Thirds, Half Shares, 10s. p.--ITest Riding Union, 4 p. MANCHESTER, DRC. 22. STOCK ExcnANGE.—The sales are — Cambrid ge an d Lin coln, 3 7-16—Cambridge and Oxford , I %—Coventry and Leicester, 1 7 4,—Eastern Counties, 19 1 / 2 —Ditt o , N ew , 121. 16s.—East Lancashire, No. 2, 8 1 /—Exeter and E xmouth 13s. Gd.—Fleetwood, Prest on , and West Riding, 22s.—Hud dersfield and Sheffield Junction, 1111—Lancashire and North Yorkshire, 43s.—Manchester and Birmingham, 70t/2—Man chester and Leeds, Fifths, 111A —Manchester and Southamp ton 2%—Northumberland and Lancashire, 26s.—North Staf fordshire, 97s.—North Western, 52s.—Nottingham and Bos ton, I.:‘,—Oxford, Southampton, &c., 328 . —Sheffield and New Carlisle Manchester, 115—South-Eastern and Dover, No. 2, 9_ Ditto, Consolidated Thirds, Halves, 3—West Riding Union, GI. ''s.—Whitehaven and Furness, 3s, LEEDS, DEC 22. S-rocx EXCNANGE.—The sales are—Leeds and Bradford, 18—Ditto, Extensions, 48—Leeds and Thirsk, 91„....N evr . Branch,castle and 2 —Oxford, f r o w r i d c , k vv. , olrOc p.—Wakefleld and H ar . West Riding Union, Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midland, 3;s. P.—Nerth Western, 214—South Midlands, 21, 5 _ 3 4 t—eeir:,e7:strieitrcillaln%"dolN ,e British,r h a Ledford,m p t l o s n . , 6d l 2 . ; )2...: rogate, 2s. Gd. p. HULL, DEC. 22. STOCK EXCHANGE.—SOMO of the projected lines have given up part of their deposits ; it is to be hoped others will do so to as great an amount as ever prudence will admit. Their doing so speedily is of the utmost importance ;,,the little that has been done has afforded to many seasonable relief. The sales are—Grand Union, 278.—North British (Carlisle), 2—East Lincolnshire 2.—South Midlands, 2.1 f p. YORK, DEC. 22. STOCK ExcnANor —The sales are—York and North Mid land Extension, 25 3 / 4 —Newcastle and Berwick, 11—North British, Dalkeith, 5 1 / 2 —Ditto, New Carlisle Branch, 2. London and York, 3%—Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midland, 31. 19s. 6d. BRISTOL, DEC. 22. STOCK EXCITANGE.—The sales are—Bristol and Exeter. New, 674—Birmingham and Gloucester, Quarter Shares, 30%—Caledonian, 1211—Midland, New, 2514. expressed that SOCIETY OF ARTS.—The first meeting of the 92(1 session was held on Wednesday evening in the large room of the society, in the. model phi, when the chair was taken by B. Bond Cabbell, Esq. Mr. J. Russell, the secretary, report from the council on some proposed alterations which it was intended to make in the future regulation and conduct of the society. These wore chiefly in the granting of special premiums for the encouragement of a higher degree of genius in even the most familiar and simple works of productive industry; the augmentation of the model department; and a more rapid communication of the proceedings of the society. For the former of these objects. several liberal offers had been made by the members, and a confident hope was ex . that the . adoption of the proposed suggestions would infuse a fresh spirit into the operations of a society which was the parent odene o r foilliea the y b a r l o l aodtlafenrds, narrowand hadgeaxuge pen , ded nearly 1 0 0 ,0001. in the pro secu ti on o f i ts o b jects. A paper wa s read from Mr. B and some improve ments connected with steam-engines for locomotive purposes were exhibited to the meeting, which was very numerously attended. CHELSEA IMPBOVEMENTS.—A correspondent of the Builder writes, respecting these improvements, as follows: " My object in writing is, to say there are strange whispers abroad that many of the alterations are projected solely with the view of improving the estate of my Lord Cadogan, and that parish money will actually be spent in doing that which his Lordship should himself do for his own benefit. There are several things which seem to confirm this, and I do hope, for the sake of numbers of the ratepayers who read your now in fluential journal, that you will inquire into this matter. ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF COM MON COUNCIL.—(YESTERDAY.) CRIPPLEGATE A Wardmote was held this day, till a hap hour, at the School-rooms, Philip-lane, for the purpose of returning representatives to the Court of Common Council. After the eight members vv ho had filled the office • had been severally proposed, Mr. HUTCHINSON (the father of the ward) rose to pro pose Mr. Bennoch, of Wood-street. He (Mr. H.) had been an inhabitant of that ward for fifty years, and he had great pleasure in proposing his adopted son, Mr. Bennoch, for Common Councilman. He would make up for any de ficiency under which he might labour in addressing the wardmote, and for his own part he was very sure that if returned by the electors he would be found a faithful representative. Mr. LIGGINS seconded the proposition, and in a few , but pithy expressions inculcated upon the ward the im portance of sending at the present juncture into the Common Council only thorough-going free-traders, to the exclusion of those who might be inclined to curry favour with those in power, and at the same time feed the poor on mangel wurzel and curry powder. A show of hands was then taken, and one of the pre ceding Common Councillors (Mr. Barnard) was de clared by the chairman to be excluded. Mr. BARNARD demanded a poll. The gentlemen whose names had commanded the show of hands then addressed the meeting seriatim. Mr. (Toole, Mr. Smith, Mr. Brown, Mr. Lart, Mr. Cash, and Mr. Brass, were known to be Liberals, and spoke in fa vour of an immediate abolition of the corn-laws, and other measures of concession. Mr. Lee Wilson's address was of a Conservative character. Mr. BENNOCH then came forward, and said that, not having had the pleasure of representing them in the Court of Common Council, and therefore unable to claim for himself any servitude to which he could refer as a warrant of his future conduct, or as in part expressive of his principles, he should be obliged to trouble them with a few remarks illustrative of the course he should adopt, and the line he should advocate, if fortunate enough to be returned as one of the Councillors from that ward. Personalities in cases of this kind he abhorred, and he would therefore avoid them as far as he consistently could with the duty he had to perform; and, therefore, in questioning the principles of any one not of his own opinion, he hoped they would attribute his observations to public duty, and not to any private animosity.—(Hear, hear.) The first measure to which he would allude was that most obnoxious and iniquitous one—the present corn law—(Hear)--of which he had endeavoured to give them a specimen of his opinions in a short address he had published to the electors of the ward. He would add but a few facts to the statements in that address, and he thought the meeting would deem them of suf ficient importance to justify his troubling it with them. fie held, then, in the first instance, that it was most pre sumptuous and unrighteous that man by his laws should presume to stop the bounty of the Creator, by standing between him and his creature, interfering with the bounty of the one and the benefit to the other. He referred more particularly to what had occurred in America—the result of these cruel laws. There, in the state of Ohio, not more than some three or four years ago, the crops of corn upon the ground had been literally consumed. Why ? Because there was no market fur the produce ; while at the same time in other parts of the same state the inhabitants were suffering severely from the want of crops.—(Hear, hear.) They, in Britain, would have taken that corn in exchange for their own manufactures, but these laws stood in the way. The state of Ohio contained 25,000,000 of acres, and of this number of acres 20,000,000 were capable of growing wheat. This was nearly one-third more than the entire surface of England, including its rivers, its rocks, and its barren mountains.—(Hear, hear.) Now, how much better, he would ask, would it not have been if they had exchanged with a population, evidently intended by nature for an agricultural population, the produce to which their eountry was peculiarly adapted, giving them in return the manufactures which their peculiarly fortunate position had enabled them to cultivate with such industry and success ? How much better, he re peated, would it have been for both_ countries, if this country had encouraged America to pursue her agri cultural capabilities, instead of driving her labourers to the manufacture of stockings and nightcaps, which they could get from England at one-tenth of the cost. Labour, they were all aware, was wealth, and could any thing be so highly absurd as that the Legislature should compel the poor and famishing workman to give his labour for twelve hours per day for two shillings'-worth of corn, when, by adopting another principle, he might get for the labour of six hours an equal amount of food. If the real interests of the labouring classes were consulted, they should give to other countries that which they produced most cheaply, receiving from those countries in return those articles in which they most excelled.—(Hear.) But, perhaps, some of those opposed to those opinions did not calculate the immense increase in the population of the United Kingdom. It was on all hands admitted that the present growth of the country, taking the average of every year, was barely sufficient to supply the wants of the population. The increase, by the statistical re ports, were proved to be at least one thousand per day, or above 360,000 a year, so that in some twelve years the population would have increased four or five millions. Thus, then, they saw the working of the obnoxious corn-laws. If they were to he supported, what would beCome of the multitudes added every year to the population?—(Hear, hear.) There was no more corn than at the present time sufficed to satisfy the country, and yet an obstruction was placed in the way of the repeal of a law which prevented the additional increase of mouths to be fed. It was absolutely monstrous that any one could be found to defend them. There was one question to which he had referred in his address, and that was the question of national education. It was a question which involved the happiness, the morality, and the comfort of every man in this great empire. The speaker then proceeded to argue, in the most eloquent manner, that neglect was attri butable to the Corporation of London, inasmuch that they had, not long before, curtailed some of their shows and dinners of some of their unfair proportions, and with the fund annually saved, some 5,0001. or 10,0001., founded schools, that it might be said over the world that, how ever ignorant the extremities of the country might be, London, the soul—the centre—could boast that all its inhabitants could at least read.—(Hear, hear.) He then advocated the introduction of railway communication into the City, and he particularly referred to the expression of one of the candidate that " this was not the place to introduce controversial subjects." Mr. LEE WILSON—I never said so. Mr. BENNOCH said that he had the words in writing, and here they were. He said, " This is not the place to introduce controversial • sub jects." The Hon. Gentleman might not have meant that ; but what then did he mean ? If he (Mr. B.) were honoured so far as tobe sent to the Court of Common Coun cil,he would go there determined to wage war with whatever bigotry, or prejudice, or despotism he might find in that small high place.—(Hear.) It was new to him to suppose that in that deliberative assembly a gentleman should have only to announce, as if he had been an oracle, "Listen to me, hearken to the voice of wisdom, and be edified," and that he would be obeyed—that the assembly would arise with loud acclaim and confirm the oracle. The thing was absurd. The speaker concluded by assuring the electors that they should find him in the Council bear ing and forbearing, but always ready to defend the rights of the ward, and the country, against any and every attack made upon either.—(Hear, hear.) The poll then proceeded, and at the closing hour this day the nnmbers were :---- LIBERALS. Hoole 27 Bennoch Smith Brown 26 Brass Last, 25 Barnard CONSERVATIVE. Lee Wilson The poll will not finally 18 dose until Wednesday. LAW INTELLIGENCE. ROLLS' COURT, Dec. 22. The Court was occupied during the greater portion • of the day in hearing unopposed petitions, none of 1 which possessed any public interest. BX PARTE COTTON. his was a petition, in which the petitioners, Messrs. Cotton, solicitors, of No. 4, Lothbury, appli e d t o th e Court under the following circumstances :—lt appeared ' that the petitioners had had a conference with Mr. Tinney, a barrister of the Court, and tendered the de feodant, Mr. Lewis (Mr. Tinney's clerk), a ten-pound mte, desiring him to deduct 21. 75., which gave 21. 2s. for the counsel, and ss. for the defendant, but that the defendant retained 2L 9s. 6d., alleging that he was en titled to 7s. 6d. Mr. J. Corrox (one of the petitioners) said that he had been induced to appear in person before his Lordship, in consequence of not having been able to procure the assistance of counsel, who had refused to act under the circumstances. He further stated that the petition was presented to the Court from a conviction that the con duct of the defendant was opposed to the views of the Court, as laid down by the answer given by Lord Cot tenham in his Lordship's reply to a question from the incorporated body of solicitors in 1841, to the effect that they considered five shillings was a sufficient fee to the clerk. He had applied to Mr. Tinney, who had refused to interfere in the matter, and he then summoned the defendant before the Court of Requests for the recovery of the money, when the Learned Barrister who presided in that Court stated that the case was without his jurisdiction, and he sub sequently brought him up to Bow-street, when the Ma gistrate expressed himself to the same effect. Under these circumstances, he conceived the only alternative left him was to appeal to that Court. Before concluding, he deemed it just to the defendant to state that the de fendant had offered to return what was alleged to be an overcharge, which they (the petitioners) would not ac cept, and that he he had tiled an affidavit. The MASTER OF THE ROLLS expressed his wish to see the affidavit. Mr. COTTON read the affidavit, which stated that the charge the defendant had made was what was usually given in these cases, and contained three letters from six most eminent solicitors, stating that his charge was only what had been usually given. Mr. TURNER appeared for the defendant, and con tended that the case was without the jurisdiction of the Court, that there was no order of the Court on the sub ject, and that the defendant was justified in making the charge he did in conformity with the practice on such occasions, laying great stress on the offer that had been made by his client to return what the petitioner alleged to be an overcharge, as well as a remuneration for the trouble to which he had been put, and concluded by calling on his Lordship to dismiss the petition with costs. Mr. COTTON replied at some length. His LORDSHIP said that this was a very important case for the profession, and before making any decision he would consult with the other Judges, and with re- ference to the opinion that had been expressed by the Lord Chancellor and himself (Lord Langdale) then, it was four years before any answer had been given to the question that had been put to them by the body alluded to, from the difficulty that existed in recognising any fees to lawyers' clerks at ail. If he acted upon his im pression of the merits of the case, he should make an order in conformity with the petitioner's application, but he did not feel justified in adopting that course. He would consult his Learned Brethren, as he had already stated, and wished to have the affidavits handed in. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT OLD COURT. The following is a complete and correct return of the result of all the cases contained in the calendar of the recent session The following persons were sentenced to death, and are left for execution :—Samuel Quennell and Martha Browning, Transported for Fifteen Years—Edward Jones, 22, John Radbone, James Lloyd. Fcr Fourteen Years—Peter Schmidt, Knut,Bull. For Ten Years—William Harding, Jane Langston, William Wright, Adolphus Joyce, William Pocock, Thomas Archer, George Clark, Mary Sweeny, Mary Cummins, John Williams, alias Stephen Parrott, John Watson, John Samuels, George Barron, Anne Glaze. For Seven Years—George Richards, John Francis, George Ilanslip, Andrew Daniels, Henry Mallows, James Lay ton, John Self, Charles Rogerson, Richard Campbell, alias Gifford, Charles Beaumont, Thomas Carsh, John Birch, Charlotte Brown, William Jones, William Bull, Eliza White, John Edwards, John Pelham, alias Edward Smith. To be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for Three Years, and afterwards enter into recognizances for five years—Thomas Lane, alias Brown, fora nameless offence. The following prisoners were ordered to be kept to hard labour for Two Years—Samuel Evans, alias Joseph Ede, William Fletcher, James Tubbs, Edward Thomas Yeukill. For Eighteen Months—James North, Elizabeth Clayton. For Twelve Months—John Studd Weeding, James Farrow, John Bubington, Benjamin Brown, Philip Watson, Thomas Hare, George Rose, John Pratt, Sa muel Arnold, William Brand, Anne Morgan, Samuel Perkins, William Couchman, Caroline Cummins, James Perry, Richard Fensom. For Nine Months—Anne Burley, John Stevens, 19, Henry Kent, Dennis Driscoll, Henry Cook, John Brown, Robert Sawyer, William Smith, 25. For Six Months—Dennis Downey, Patrick Bowlan, Mary Woodland, James Brown, Thomas Jones, John Barham Salter, John White, 28, James Mackgready, Anne Mitchell, George Thompson, Thomas Rafferty, Mary Anne Salter, James Mapp, Richard Pheby, Mar garet Carroll, Henry Holman, John White, 25, Francis Allen, William Nunn, John Robinson, Wm. Davison, George Jefferies, William Matton, Lewis Moses, John Ainsworth, Richard Fairchild, Hannah Lloyd, John Stanley, William Thompson, alias M'Bean, alias Wil liams, alias M'Dempsey, Rosetta Scudamore, Thomas Appleford, George Whitten, William Chilton, Frederick Turton, Edward Ward, Frederick Howard. For Four Months—Catherine Warwick, Margaret Coleman, Timothy Davis, George Western, Robert Graves, John Hickman, John Webster, Sarah Hoare. For Three Months—Henry Sherwin, Mary Ferguson, John Lee, William Swayne, Eliza Daniels, Emma Wil son, James Sullivan, James Foley, George Blarney, Thomas Richards, Anne Godbeer, James Burlington, Alfred Hayward, James Chissell, Susanna Stacey, Eliza beth Roberts, Henry Lewis, William M'Carthy, James Briggs, James Morgan, Richard Allway, William Thompson, Wiliam Smith, 19, Thomas Foley, John Sullivan, 15. For Two Months—Caroline Tagg, Daniel Tarling, James Keeming, Elizabeth Sears. For One Month—Henry Cook, Edward Gamble, Wil liam Carman, Rosina Eliza Waite (in Newgate), Wil liam Sutton, John Webb, Charles Turner, William Smith, 17, Henry Collins. The bills against the following persons were ignored by the grand jury :—William Hide, John Holmes, Adam Hay, Isaac King, William Dunmow. Acquitted by the petty jury—William Lawson, James Buckley, Charles Cushion, Oliver Hanslip, Charles Yates, James Phillips, 21, John Poncia, William Knife, Mary Maloy, Mary Anne Barnett, Henry Ed wards, Mary Tagnor, George Ralph, Frederick Green wood, Daniel Cruikshank, Richard Lambert, James Barnes, Benjamin Budgen, Utting Maboon, Joseph Valentine, Joseph Reddington, George Carroll, Henry Pollock, Ellen Frank, Catherine Speed, William Powell, John Cummins, Bridget Lloyd, George Whittington, John Wood, Caroline Johnson, Timothy Iredale, William Hoare, Richard Ruff, George Roach Maish, James M'Clutchell, Charles Potter, Bridget Plant. Acquitted on the ground of Insanity—Eliza Huntsman. Remanded till next Session—George John Ford, Henry Spicer, Frederick Bunyon. The Court, at the close of the business, adjourned until Monday, Jan. 5. EDUCATION IN FRANCE. (From the ScOtsnian.) In the Epoque of the 2d December, we find an inte resting account of the number of primary schools, teachers, and pupils in France. The Government of Louis Phi lippe is the first which has been really friendly to edu cation in that country. The Directory passed magnifi cent decrees, but left them to execute themselves. Na poleon hated all knowledge that could not be made sub servient to his plans of conquest. The elder Bour bons gave up the charge of schools to the priests, who were, generally speaking, hostile to secular instruction, and taught what they could not help teaching by the most operose methods. Their budget of education amounted to 200,0001., but of this Dupin informs us that only the miserable driblet of 50,000 francs, or 2,0001, was allotted to that department which had the strongest claim to support, namely, primary schools, the rest being ab sorbed by colleges and other high seminaries. France has at present a population of 34,230,000, of whom 33,000,000 are Catholics, 1,100,000 Protestants, and 80,000 Jews. The kingdom is divided into nearly 28,000 communes or parishes. The number of communal schools is 58,838, and has increased 4,496 since 1841. The population, divided by the number of schools, gives one school for 570 inhabitants. But there are at present 2,460 communes, containing 1,150,000 inhabitants, which are still without schools. Of these, 542, though poor, are expected to obtain schools by and by ; 936 others, still poorer, will only be able to procure schools by unit ing themselves to other communes; and 982 are so small, so poor, and have their population so scattered, that the establishment of schools in them is deemed hopeless. The number of pupils is 3,164,297 of both sexes, or one eleventh part of the population. In 1826, instead of 2,460 communes unprovided with schools, there were, according to Dupin, 14,100, and the number of pupils was only 1,116,777, or about one thirtieth part of the population. The amount of primary education has, therefore, been trebled since 1826. All teachers in Franco must produce a brevet de ea puede, or certificate of confidence, from Commissioners appointed by the Government, before they are permitted to teach. The number of teachers is 75,353, and they are thus classified:— Lay male teachers and sub-teachers female do. do. 58,577 Religious male teachers and sub-teachers female do. do. 16,958 Of the schools, 52,248 were conlucted by lay persons, and 7,590 by persons belonging to religious communities. It appears, then, that only a small part of primary edu cation is in the hands of persons belonging to religious communities. We were told, however, about a year ago, when in the country, that the proportion was in creasing. It was found that persons bred in religious societies were better disciplined than lay persons, more patient, and less apt to abandon their situations. It will be observed, also, that four-fifths of them are females. They are ranged under four classes. Ist class ; 74 in the 100 of the lay male teachers conducting pay schools hare emoluments, from fixed and incidental sources, averaging 485 francs per annum, or 191. Bs. ; 25 have 241.; and 1 had 481. 2d class: 25 in the 100 of religious male teachers in pay schools have 241 Bs.; 72 have 38/4 and 3 hare 75/. 4s. 3d class: 58 in the 100 of lay teachers in schools where education is gratuitous have 201.; 29 have 321. 45., and 33 have 461. 4th class: 3in the 100 of religious teachers in gratuitous schools have only 131. 45. (or 335 francs); 34 have 281.; and 64 have 28/. Bs. Education ie France is not compulsory as in some parts of Germany ; and is not gratuitous except t o th e very poor. The public money destined to the support of primary schools is not stated in the article before us, but in 1839 it amounted to fully 220,000/., of which about one-half was furnished by the communes and de partments, and the other half by the Government. The schools are not like ours, under the control of church courts or other ecclesiastical authorities, but managed by committees appointed by the municipal councils, which are selected by the inhabitants, and upon a widely extended scale of suffrage ; for, according to a work be fore us, the municipal electors in all France amount to 2,880,000, and must include more than one-fourth of the male adults. No correct data for ascertaining the state of education in England exist. Mr. Baines, of Leeds, after careful inquiries, estimated the children attending school in Yorkshire and Lancashire at one-tenth of the popula tion. In the agricultural counties it probably does not exceed a fifteenth, and for the whole country it may amount perhaps to a twelfth or thirteenth. In the eighteen years between 1826 and 1844 the amount of educa tion in .France has been trebled. In England we doubt if the increase has exceeded 50 per cent. in the same in terval. Though France is still a good deal behind Scot land, Prussia, and Wirtemburg, things are now in such a train, that in a few years her people will be the best educated in Europe. IMPORTATION OF CATTLE, PRO- VISIONS, &c. The arrivals of provisions, generally, from abroad, for consumption in this country, during the last three or four days have been of an extensive and, in some in stances, of a novel nature, The General Steam Naviga tion Company's ship Columbine, from Rotterdam, which arrived at the Brunswick-wharf, Blackwall, on Friday, brought the extraordinary and unusually large number of 278 packages of fresh fish, in addition to 26 hampers of poultry, 43 packages of yeast, 300 of butter, a large quantity of seeds, cheese, and an extensive cargo of every other description of produce usually brought here &Om Holland, This vessel did not bring any live cattle, the owners doubtless considering that their presence might prove inconvenient to the passengers, and probably retard the voyage, the company's ship Attwood being specially dispatched for that purpose, which also arrived the same day, from Rotterdam, at Blackwall, with 33 vixen, 47 cows, and the large number of 352 sheep on board, which were landed and delivered with all possilAS dispatch. The same company's vessel, Countess of Lonsdale, from Harnhurgh, brought on the same day 12 oxen and 4 heifers, 11 hampers of fresh beef in prithe condition, the importations of which, in joints and ready for immediate use, has, We, understand, perceptibly increased ; several packages of grapes, and other articles, the produce of that place and the immediase neighbourhood. The City of Boulogne' from Boulogne, brought no less than 75 packages or hampers oepoultry, the produce of France, for the supply of our markets at this festive, season, the whole of which, a great portion being turkeys, are of a very superior description. Numerous other importations, of various articles have taken place, but it will be sofa' cient to particutarise a few of the most important of them. The Jean and Jessie, a sailing vessel froze Havre, brought 40 tons of potatoes and 75 tons of po tato flour. The Neptune, from Gravelines, also France , a large quantity of poultry, eggs, &c. The Auguste, from the same place, a large quantity of each of the same description of articles. The Triton st, amen, from 03' tend, an extencive variety of poultry, butter, eggs, S 6C " the produce of Belgium. The American line or packet' ship, the • Hendrick Hudson, from New York, nestle 300 bushels of apples, known as the American new' town pippins, a much-esteemed description of frui t ' in addition to an immense cargo, consisting of cheese , beef, potatoes, and other descriptions of raw veget ables,`, flour, and every other kind of articles, brought from the United States for consumption in this cons' try. The James Watt steamer, from Havre, brought 18 hampere of live poultry, a quantity of eggs, seeds, See.' and 160 packages of the various kinds of dried fruits usually brought from France at this season, and wh ich are so much esteemed for their nutritious and excellent qualities. A sailing-packet, the Day, arrived at Liver; pool, on the same day, from Jersey, with 3,200 bushels of apples, the produce of that island. The Princess Victoria, from Antwerp, which has been placed on th e station for the winter season, in lieu of the Antwerpen' to and from St. Katherine's Wharf, brought 41 batket s of smelts and other articles, The Tourist steamer, Not Calais, brought 25 cases; and a sailing-packet, the Coq , from Cherbourg, 12 cases of live poultry, and nearly 208 packages of French eggs; and the No Joke, from Jer" sey, brought 25 tons of potatoes, the produce of th a t island. The Dolphin, from Ivadesella, had 2,800, and the Industry, from Villa vicinsa, 3,000 bushels of nuts' In addition to these, a large number of vessels have sr rived with cargoes of oranges and other, seasonable fruits, from the south of Europe, and a great many 'tress!! laden with grain, of various kinds, and flour, he"' wheaten and potato, many of which, in addition to t he Continental states usually supplying such articles, h a g been from France and America, which do not usuil traffic to any great extent in the exportation of su c produce. FLANDERS AND DUTCH MAILS. BRUSSELS, DEC. 18.—The Chamber of Represen ts ; tives, in its sitting yesterday, agreed to the prejc e , t e c a law relative to the treaty of commerce with the Unite States, by a majority of 73 to 3. One Member dec line' voting. In the Chamber of to-day, on the discussion of the Budget of Ways and Means, Messrs. de Breynei vart, and Eloy de Burdinne, expressed tbeir opito° that the estimates of the Budget were too favourable._ They dwelt on the necessity of reducing the tiOccl which bear on the middle and necessitous classes , an d , of laying the burden of the taxes on the great Is° je holders. M. Eloyde Burdinne drew a most deplor e picture of the condition of the farmers, and announce' his intention of proposing an amendment to several s r. titles of the Budget. M. Delfosse and M. Verholgen made many objectionl to the Budget and the actual system of taxation an expenditure, but no practical measure was formally p ro. posed in support of their theories. Several Members insisted on measures for relic/ 4 % the poor, and lightening the burdens of the taxes the middle classes of the town and country. The Minister of Public Works announced tha t t ._ l l. works on the iron railways, which have been delay ed the formalities of expatriation, will be shortly pro c ce de ,f with, and stated those which were already in cou rse execution. Several Members called the attention of Goverl re j to the deplorable condition of Flanders, which Mu spec dy and energetic measures for its relief. THE HAGUE, DEC. 16.—The First" Chamber of THE States-General met to-day, and received several PP:a jects of law that have already passed the S ecou Chamber. 0111 In the Second Chamber reports on several Pot' were brought up. We have further accounts from several coast of the damage done by the hurricane on th e I and 12th of this month. bee, AMSTERDAM, DEC. 18.—The Minister of Finan ce flo si given notice that the half-years' interest of the Nstrj r Debt, at 21 per cent. per annum, due on the Ist 0 ' unary, 1846, will be paid in that month. UTRECHT, DEC. 17.—Yesterday evening , o'clock, we had another hurricane from the 1 1 ."'',; . bt a violent thunder-storm and hail. The flashes of a m , ning, immediately succeeded by loud claps of the A l3 , proceeding from a cloud which was very low, .le b e ti ," - ing apprehend some serious damage. In fact, the Ilg.„, "oe struck the tower of the Cathedral, but on exsell",," -t t i r io flnouiddasmeeamgeedaptopehaarveed b t e o en ha c v a e rri b e e d e; ff d b o y ne th ; e w t p h a a e t r o t r se : po a - th it tit litil i e We understand that a conductor is to be affixed to cathedral. BELGIAN FUNDS.—Banssm.s, DEe. 20. Actual Debt, 2% per Cent Rothschild's Loan, Five per Cent ....... Loan • of Thirty Millions, Four per Cent - ..• Ditto Three per Cent • Ditto Thirty-seven Millions, ditto ••• • .. Ditto, ditto, 1840 •••• • • • • ......... ..... 99% Ditto,ditto,lB42.• • • 98 Ditto, 1844..• •• •• •• " •• „ „,,, Ditto, 1836.. ••• • • • '• • • •• • • .. .. .. ... Ditto, 1838 .... • • • • " ' • • • • • ... 102% Ditto of the City, 1833 • • • • •' lOO Ditto, 1843 .... ••• • • • ... •• .. Bank ofßelgium.• • • ..... • —Brussels Papers. DEC. 21. 54 pp AUSTRlAN rrcceenntt te: FUNDS.—VIEN NA ' u. U e. : D : V: • I : E .. N : N : A : .. E c . 110071 1 61 3 it 3 per Cent. ditto ..... ••••••••• • • • • • • • • 160 Loan, 1834 ••••••• • • • • • ** 1 23 Ditto, 1839 ...• .. Bank Shares Esterhazy's Loan ...• • • . • ••••••• • • • • •• ••••• • • • • • " RAILWAYS. 191 The Northern, or Ferdinand • • • • • • • • • • '• 13431 Gloggnitz ........... ..... .. • • • • • • • • Vienna—Milan ..................... 121%; Leghorn 117 ~{ Sienna Grosetto . . . .. • —Allgemeine Zeitung, Dec. 16. DUTCH FUNDS.•—•AMSTERDAM ' DEc. /3 010. ey. Actual Debt, 2% per Cent........... 60 604 bitto, 3 per Cent . . 73 g 4.1( Ditto, 4 per Cent.. Amort Syndic, 434 per Cent . . 151 94 34 Ditto, 334 per Cent........ .. 94 1594 Commercial Company, 4% per Cent .. 158% East India Loan, 4 per Cent 17 5 Exchange on London, at sight •• ••• • • • 1 2 07 6 Two m0nth5............... 12 62 On Hamburgh, at sight •• • • 3 5 16 76 Two months ••.• • • 3 b •••-• On Paris . Two mouths. •• • • •• ••• • •• —Dutch Papers, Dec. 20. PRUSSIAN FUNDS.—BEnLIN, DEc. 1 5. -r oll' Bills. 97 % Bt. Schuld Sch., 8% per Cent 964 truss. English Bonds, 1830, 4 per Cent.. •• • • Foreign Ex on London, . Exchange £l Sterling, 2 Months. 6 z. Hamburgh, 300 Marks, 2 Months. 149,it Paris, 300 fr., 2 Months ...... •• . - -Universal Prussian Gazette. Dec. 17. WEST KENT AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIAT!j a i t t h , e , Thursday a meeting of the above society was l' e ':;d li eralui" Star Hotel, Maidstone. There were present a on — j a number of gentlemen connected with the agricultot west rest, including Sir Edmund Fisher, Bart., M.P. f° te r r t h° Kent ; James D. S. Douglas, Esq., M.P. for Rockies t Hon. Colonel Stratford ; Captain Marsham R.N.; - Ptl'; J. Marsham, of Abingdon Castle; C. G. W ' and James Selby, Esq., of Mailing. Colonel Austen,. ..? r , the Members for West Kent, on being called to the e'iiioto served that that meeting had been assembled to is A i wa consideration the peculiar position in which they we, r , e n r z isa,t l l hittaker, one of by the strange conduct of the Prime Minister of ' - ;ioni" who had been raised to power on the belief that he a t he protect the interests of the agricultural population i 35 he country, but who had deserted th e p r i nc iples on tr oes had taken office. After briefly detailing the cirewm" the connected with the crisis which was i m pending ov e ally beads of the farmers, the Hon. and Gallant ChairmaProolu on the Hon. Colonel Stratford, who moved the first tion, pledging the meeting to support no measure ded to should tend to reduce the pr o t ec ti on a t present affor d agricultural produce. This resol u ti on h av i n g been O en or by Mr. Hatch, was carried unani mous ly. It was t b " AO' solved, on the motion of Mr. Osborne, seconded b eta Knowles, a tenant-farmer, that a petition founded t F rho" should be prepared, and presented to both Houses of g A 0.41 ment. Thanks were then voted to the Chairman ° ro tor county Members for their adherence to th e cause of P dire d tion. After which, most of the leading men present together. gs THEATRICALS AT NEW YORK.--MiSS Pet 7 completed a second engagement at the Park, with tri e nsis er brilliant success. She has app eare d i n th e Bride of lA A foal moor, the Sonnambula, Cen eren t o l a , an d F ra Diavalo; 511- 'oar the numerous critiques that have appeared in the leadlngJeo nals, has established a reputation as an actress a sW tai' singer, that has never been e qua ll e d s i nce tb t days c'• bran and Pico. BIRTHS. L irr On the 22d inst., in Whiteiall-plu c e, the Countess of coin, of a son. IV' On the 21st inst., at Gra: age -t errace, Brompton, Airs' H. o o n o t o h k e , o 2 f o a t daught er. hinst.,at North the Vicarage, B ang or, ale* h the lady of Thomas Maude, Esq., of a daughter. On the 22d inst., •..'tStratfo rd-place, the lady of 30110 Wingfield Stratford, 'Esq., of a daughter. MARRIED. g or° On the 16th inst., at Bandinan House, Perthshire , — e t o, . Smyth Pigott, Esq., of the Royal Scots Greys, to third daughter of J J. D. Nairue, Esq., of Dunsivane• ~.,, Wog' On the 18th of November, at St. Luke's Mural, Iv 4. '" 1 1 0 to E 00, ton-square, Canada, Hugh Cossart Baker, Esq., eldest daughter of Henry Wyatt, Esq., late of Long Vit . Surrey Elizabe DIED. of On the 18th inst., at Edinburgh, in the 76th year e otot age, George Mun r o, l a t e o f C u l ra i n, in the county 0 , 1 , t at Esq., presumptive B arone t o f Fowlis and lineal descen ua , tbe Lieutenant-General Sir George Mu 7 riro commander t he forces in Scotland a ft er th e restoration of King Char les Second. On the 15th inst., at Brighton, Dirs. Frances Martin . On the 1 6th inst., at Inyerne ss , George Stockwell, Eliot On the 19th inst., in Regent- s t ree t, S usanna S n ell, W John Foreman, Esq., aged 70. eltl e° On the 19th i nst., at Hastings, Harriett Emma, - daughter of the late Alderman Venables. London: Printed and Published by 31151iD0 Y0U1 , 114 No. 112, St ran d, P r i n t er, at The Sun Office, Na Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Cow" Middlesex, Tuesday, December 23, 1845. X, re, ral etti Itar st Lin tasi l ott be iN that For 1 % 'l-1 ~ To to o 16114 Il'said z ., 4 utie Dry C. q l ac 14c