The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-12-21 00:00:00

SECOND EDITION. Standard O f fice, Four o Clock. MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE TWO HOUSES OF CONGRESS, DECEMBER 4, 1838. The steam-ship Liverpool, Captain Fayrer, came round the rock this morning, at a quarter to eleven o'clock, and made a successful voyage from New York in 14 days and 10 liours. She brought with her files of the American papers to the 6th instant, inclusive. She passed the packet-ship Sheffeld, from Liverpool, just at New York. We are indebted to the attention of Captain Reed, of her Majesty's Postoffice packet Redwing, for early supplying us with a file of Ame rican papers. The Liverpool came to anchor at three o'clock this morning off the Floating Light. We sub join the President's Message and other late intelli gence : MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT. Fellow-citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives: I congratulate you on the favourable circumstances in the condition of our country, under which you re assemble for lhe performance of your official duties. Though the anticipations of an abundant harvest have not evhrywhere been realised, yet, on the whole, the labours of the husbandman are rewarded with a boun tiful return ; industry prospers in its various channels of business and enterprise; general health again pre vails through our vast diversity of climate; nothing threatens, from abroad, the continuance of external peace; nor has any thing at home impaired the strength of those fraternal and domestic ties which constitute the only guaranty to the success and per menaucy of our happy union, and which, formed in the hour of peril, have hitherto been honourably sus tained through every vicissitude in our national af fairs. These blessings, which evince the care and he nifieence of Providence, call for our devout and fer vent gratitude. We haue not less reason to be grateful for other bounties bestowed by the same munificent hand and more exclusively our own. The present year closes the first half century of our federal institutions ; and our system, differing from all others in the acknowledged, practical, and unlimited operation which it has for so long a period given to the sovereignty of the people—has now been fully tested by experience. The constitution devised by our forefathers as the frame-work and bond of that system, then untried, has become a settled form of government; not only pre serving and protecting the great principles upon which it was founded, but wonderfully promoting in dividual happiness and private interests. Though subject to change and entire revocation, whenever deemed inadequate to all these purposes, yet such is the wisdom of its construction, and so stale has been the public sentiment that it remains unaltered, except in matters of detail, comparatively unimportant. It has proved amply sufficient for the various emergen cies incident to our condition as a nation. A formid able foreign war; agitating collisions between domes tic and, in some respects, rival sovereignties; tempta tions to interfere in the intestine commotions of neigh bouring countries ; the dangerous influences that arise in periods of exccessiue prosperity; and the anti-re puslican tendencies of associated wealth—these, with other trials not less formidable, have all been encoun tered, and thus far successfully resisted. _ It was reserved for the Anierican Union to test the advantages of a Government entirely dependant on the continual exercise of the popular will; and our experience has shown that it is as beneficent in prac tice as it is just in theory. Each successive change made in our local institutions has contributed to extend the right of suffrage, has increased the direct influence of the mass of the community, given greater freedom to individual exertion, and restricted, more and more, the powers of government; yet the intelligence, pru dence, and patriotism of the people have kept pace with this augmented responsibility. In no country has education been so widely diffused. Domestic peace has no where so largely reigned. The close bonds of social intercourse have in no instance pre vailed with such harmony over a space so vast. All forms of religion have united, for the first time, to diffuse charity and piety, because, for the first time in the history of nations, all have been totally untram melled, and absolutely free. The deepest recesses of the wildness have been penetrated; yet, instead of the rudeness in the social condition consecinent upon such adventures elsewhere, numerous communities have sprang up, already unrivalled in.prosperity, ge neral intelligence, internal tranquillity, and the wis dom of their political institutions. Internal improve. rnent, the fruit of individual enterprise, fostered by the protection of the States, has added new links to the confe ieration, and fresh rewards to provident industry. Doubtful questions of domestic policy have been quietly settled by mutual forbearance; and agricul ture, commerce, and manufactures, minister to each other. Taxation and public debt, the burdens which bear so heavily upon all other countricm, bore prccrat.l with comparative lightness upon us. Without one entangling alliance, our friendship is prized by every nation ; and the rights of our citizens are every where respected, because they are known to be guarded by a united, sensitive, and watchful people. To this practical operation of our institutions, so evident and successful, we owe that increased attach ment to them which is among the most cheering exhi bitions of popular sentiment, and will prove their best security, in time to come, against foreign or domestic assault. This review of the results of our institutions, for half a century, without exciting a spirit of vain exul tation, should serve to impress upon us the great prin ciples from which they have sprung; constant and direct supervision by the people over every public measure ; strict forbearance on the part of the govern ment from exercising any doubtful or disputed powers; and a cautious abstinence from all interference with concerns which properly belong, and are best left to State regulations and individual enterprise. Full information of the state of our foreign affairs having been recently, on different occasions, submitted to Congress, I deem it necessary now to bring to your notice only such events as have subsequently occurred, or are of such importance as to require par ticular attention. The most amicable dispositions continue to be exhi bited by all the nations with whom the government and citizens of the United States have an habitual in tercourse. At the date of my last annual message, Mexico was the only nation which could not be in cluded in so gratifying a reference to our foreign re lations. I am happy to be now able to inform you, that an advance has been made towards the adjustment of our difficulties with that republic, and the restoration of the customary good feeling between the two nations. This important change has been effected by concilia tory negotiations, that have resulted in the conclusion of a treaty between the two governments, which, when ratified, will refer to the arbitrament of a friendly power all the subjects of controversy between us growing out of injuries to individuals. There is, at present, also, reason to believe, that an equitable set tlement of all disputed points will be attained without further difficulty or unnecessary delay, and thus autho rize the free resumption of diplomatic intercourse with our sister republic. With respect to the northeastern boundary of the United States, no official correspondence between this Government and that of Great Britain has passed since that communicated to Congress towards the close of their last session. The offer to negotiate a conven tion for the appointment of a joint commission of sur vey and exploration, I am, however, assured will be met by her Majesty's Government in a conciliatory and friendly spirit, and instructions to enable the Bri tish Minister here to conclude such an arrangement will be transmitted to him without needless delay. It is hoped and expected Oa these instructions will be of a liberal character, and that this negotiation, if successful, will prove to be an important step towards the satisfactory and final adjustment of the controversy. I had hoped that the respebt for the laws and regard for the peace and honour of their own country, which has ever characterized the citizens of the UnitaStates, would have prevented any portion of them from using any means to promote insurrection in the territory of a power with which we are at peace, and with which the United States are desirous of maintaining the most friendly relations. I regret deeply, however, to be obliged to inform you that this has not been tt.e case. Information has been given to me, derived from official and other sources, that many citizens of the United States have associated together to make hos tile incursions from our territory into Canada, and to aid and abet insurrection there, in the violation of the obligations and laws of the United States, and in open disregard of their own duties as citizens. This info' , Damon has been in part confirmed, by a hostile inva sion actually made by citizens of the United States, in conjunction with Canadians and others, and accompa uied by a forcible seizure of the property of our citi zens, and an application thereof to the prosecution of military operations against authorities and people of Canada. The results of these crimind assaults upon the peace and order of a neighbouring country have been, as was to be expected, fattally destructive to the mis guided or deluded persons engaged in them, and highly injurious to those in whose begalf they are professed to have been undertakan. The authorities in Canada, from intelligence received of such intended move ments among our citizens, have felt themselves obliged to take precautionary measures against them ; have actually embodied the militia, and assumed an attitude to repel the invasion to vihich they believe the Colo nies were exposed from the United States. A state of feeling on both sides of the frontier has thus been pro duced, which called for prompt and vigorous inter• ferencce. If an insurrection existed in Canada, the amicable dispositions of the United States towards Great Britain, as well as their duty to themselves, would lead them to maintain a strict neutrality, and to restrrin their citizens from all violations of the lasts which have passed for its enforcement. But this go vernment recognizes a still higher obligation to re press all attempts on the part of its citizens to disburb the peace of a country where order prevails or has been re-established. Depredations by our citizens upon nations at peace with the United States, or com binations for committing them, have at all times been regarded by the American government and people the greatest abhorrence. Military incursion by our citizens into countries so situated, and the commission of acts of violence on the members thereof, in order to effect a change in its government, or under any pretext whatever, have from the commencement of our government, been held equally criminal on the part of those engaged in them, and as much deserving of - punishment as would be th,-; - d ute- of-t e prtbhc peace by the perpetration of similar acts within our own territory. By no country of persons have these invaluable prin ciples of international law—principles, the strict ob servance of whit is so indispensible to the preserva tion of social order in the world—been more earnestly cherished or sacredly respected than by those great and good men who first declared, and finally established, the independence of our own country. They promul gated and maintained them at an early and critical period in our history ; they were subsequently em bodied in legislative enactments of a highly penal cha racter, the faithful enforeement of which has hitherto been, and wilt, I trust, always continue to be, regarded as a duty inseparably associated with the maintenance of our national honour. That the people of the United States should feel an interest in the spread of political institutions as free as they regard their own to be, is natural ; nor can a sincere solitude for, the success of all those who are, at any time, in good faith struggling for their acquision, be imputed to our citizens as a crime. With the entire freedom of opinion, and an undisguised expression thereof, on their part, the go vernment has neither the right, ncr, I trust, the dis position to interfere. B.ut whether the interests or honour of the United States require, that they should be made a party to any such struggle, and, by inevita ble consequence, to the war which is waged in its sup port, is a question which, by uor constitution, is wisely left to congress alone to decide. It is, by the laws, already made criminal in our citizens to embarrass or anticipate that .decision, by unauthorised military operations cm their part. Offences of this character, in addition to their criminality as violations of the laws of our country, have a direct tendency to draw down upon our own citizens at large the multiplied evils of a foreign war, and to expose to injurious im putations the good faith and honour of the country. As such they deserve to be put down with promptitude and decision. I cannot be mistaken, lam confident, in counting on the cordial and general concurrence of our fellow citizens in this sentiment. A copy of the proclamation which I have felt it my duty to issue, is herewith communicated. I cannot but hope that the good sense and patriotism, the regard for the honour and reputation of their country, the respect for the laws which they have themselves enacted for their own government, and the love of order for which tire mass of our people have been so long and so justly distin gaished, will deter the comparatively few who are engaged in them from a further prosecution of such desperate enter prises. In the mean time, the existing laws have been, and will continue to be, faithfully executed ; and every effort will be made to carry them out in their full extent. Whether they are sufficient or not, to meet the.actual state of things on the Canadian frontier, it is for Congross to decide. It will appear from the correspondence herewith submit ted, that the government of Russia declines a renewal of the fourth article of the convention of April, 1824, between the United States and His Imperial Majesty, by the third, rticle of which it is agreed that " hereafter there shall not be formed by the citizens of the United States, or under the authority of the said States, any establishments upon the northwest coast of America, nor in any of the islands acljrcent, to the north of 54 deg. 40 min. of north latitude; and that in the same manner there shall be none formed by Russian sub jects, or under the authority of Russia, south of the same parallel ;" and by the fourth article, "that, during a terra of ten years, counting from the signature of the present con vention, the ships of both powers, or which belong to their citizens or subjects respectively, may reciprocally frequent, without any hindrance whatever, the inferior seas, gulfs, harbours, and creeks upon the coast mentioned in the tire ceding article, for the purpose of fishing and trading with the natives of the country. The reasons assigned for declining to renew the provisions of this article, are, briefly, that the only use made by our citizens of the privilege it secures to them, has been to supply the Indians with spirituous liquors, ammunition, and fire-arms; that this traffic has been exclud ed from the Russian trade; and as the supplies furnished from the United States are injurious to the Russian establish ments on the northwest coast, and calculated to produce complaints between the two governments, His Imperial Ma jesty thinks it for the interest of both countries not to accede to the proposition made by the American government for the renewal of the article last, referred to. The correspondence herewith communicated will show the grounds upon which we contend that the citizens of the Unit ed States have, independent of the provisions of the conven tion of 1824, a right to trade with the natives upon the coast in question, at unoccupied places, liable, however, it is ad mitted, to be at any time extinguished by the creation of Rus sian establishments at such points. This right is denied by the Russian government, which asserts that, by the operation of the treaty of 1824, each party agreed to waive the general right to land on the vacant coasts on the respective sides of the degree of latitude referred to, and accepted, in lieu there of, the mutual privileges mentioned in the fourth article. The capital and tonnage employed by our citizens in their trade with the north-west coast of America, will perhaps, on advert ing to the official statements of the commerce and navigation of the United States for the last few years, be deemed too inconsiderable in amount to attract much attention; yet the subject may, in other respects, deserve the careful considera tion of Congress. I regret to state that the blockade of the principal ports on the ....torn coast of Mexico, which, in consequence of differ ances between that 11, 1 ).6;4. ioscicutect in May last, unfortunately still continues, enforced by a compe tent French naval force, and is necessarily embarrassing to our own trade in the Gulf, in common with that of other na tions. Every disposition, however, is believed to exist on the part of the French government, to render this measure as little onerous as practicable to the interests of the citizens of the United States, and to those of neutral commerce• and it is to be hoped that an early settlement of the difficulties be tween France and Mexico, will soon re-establish the harmo nious relations formerly subsisting between them, and again open the ports of that Republic to the vessels of all friendly nations. A convention for marking that part of the boundary be tween the United States and the Republic of Texas, which extends from the mouth of the Sabine to the Red River, was concluded and signed at this city on the 25th of April last. It has since been ratified by both governments, and season able measures will he taken to carry it into effect on the part of the United States. The application of that republic for admission into this Union, made in August, 1837, and which was declined for reasons already made known to you, has been formally with darwn. as will appear from the accompanying copy of the note of the Minister Plenipotentiary of Texas, which was presented to the Secretary of State on the occasion of the ex change of the ratifications of the convention above mentioned. Copies of the convention with Texas, of a commercial treaty concluded with the King of Greece, and of a similar treaty with the Peru-Bolivian Confederation, the ratifica tions of which have been recently exchanged, accompany this message for the information of Congress, and for snch legislative enactments as may be found necessary or expe dient' in relation to either of them. To watch over and foster the interests of a gradually in creasing commerce; to guard the rights of American citi zens, whom business, or pleasure, or other motives may tempt into distant climes, and at the same time to cultivate those santimeuts of mutual respect and good will which ex perience has proved so beneficial in international intercourse, the Government of the United States has deemed it expedi ent, from time to time, to establish diplomatic connections with different foreign States, by the appointment of repre sentatives to reside within their respective territories. lam gratified to be enabled to announce to you that, since the close of your last session, these relations have been opened under the happiest auspices with Austria and the Two Sici lies; that new nominations have been made in the respec tive missions of Russia, Brazil, Belgium, and Sweden and Norway, in this country; and that a Minister Extraordinary has been received, accredited to this Government from the Argentite Confederation. An exposition of the fiscal affairs of the Government, and of their condition for the past year, will be made to yq,u by the Secretary of the Treasury. The available balance in the Treasury, on the Ist of Janu ary next, is estimated at '2,765,342 dollars.—The receipts of the year, from customs and lands will probably amount to 20,615,598 dollars. These usual sources of revenue have been increased by an issue of Treasury notes; of which less than eight millions of dollars, including interest and princi pal, will be outstanding at the end of the year, and by the sale of one of the bonds of the Bank of the United States, for 2,254,871 dollars. The aggregate of means from these and other sources, with the balance oa hand on the Ist of January last, has been applied to the payment of appropria tions by Congress. The whole expenditure for the year on their account, including the redemption of more than eight millions of Treasure notes, constitutes an aggregate of about forty millions of dollars, and will still leave in the 'Treasury the balance before stated. Nearly eight millions of dollars of Treasury notes are to be paid during the coming year, in addition to the ordinary appropriations for the support of Government. For both these purposes, the resources of the Treasury will undoubt_ edly ba sufficient, if the charges upon it are not increased beyond the annual estimates. No excess, however, is likely to exist; nor can the postponed instalment of the surplus revenue be deposited with the States, nor any considerable appropriations beyond the estimates be made, without caus ing a deficiency in the Treasury. The great caution, advis able at all times, of limiting appropriations to the wants of the public service, is rendered necessary at present by the prospective and rapid reduction of the tariff; while the vigi lant jealousy, evidently excited among the people by the oc currences of the last few years, assures us that they expect from their representatives, and will sustain them in the exer cise of, the most rigid economy. Much can be effected by postponing appropriations not immediately required for the ordinary public service, or for any pressing emergency ; and much by reducing the expenditures where the entire and immediate accomplishment of the objects in view is not in indispensable. When we call to mind the recent and extreme embarrass• ments produced by excessive issues of bank paper, aggra vated by the unforeseen withdrawal of much foreign capital, and the inevitable derangement arising from the distribution of the surplus revenue among the states as required by con gress, and consider the heavy expenses incurred by the re moval of Indian tribes; by the military operations in Flo rida, and on account of the unusually large appropriations made at the last two annual sessions of congress for other ob jects, we have striking evidence, in the present efficient state of our finances, of the abundant resources of the country to fulfil all its obligations. Nor is it less gratifying to find that the general business of the community, deeply affected as it has been, is reviving with additional vigour, chastened by the lessons of the past, and animated by the hopes of the future. By the curtailment of paper issues, by curbing the sanguine and adventurous spirit of speculation; and by the honour able application of all available means to the fulfilment of obligations, confidence has been restored both at home and abroad, and ease and facility secured to all the operations of trade. The agency of the Government in producing these results has been as efficient as its powess and means permitted. By withholding from the States the deposite of the fourth instal ment, and leaving several millions at long credits with the banks, principally in one section of the country, and more immediately beneficial to it; and, at the same time, aiding the banks and commercial communities in our section, by postponing the payment of bonds for duties to the amount of between four and five millions of dollars; by an issue of Treasury notes as a means to enable the Government to meet the consequences of their indulgencies, but affording at the same time, facilities for remittance and exchange; and by steadily declining to employ as general depositories of the public revennes, or receive the notes of all banks which re- fused to redeem them with specie; by these measures, aided by the favourable actidn of some of the banks, and by the support and co-operation of a large portion of the commu nity, we have witnessed an early resumption of specie pay ments in our great commercial capital, promptly followed in almost every part of the United States. This result has been alike salutary to the true interests of agriculture, commerce, and manufactures; to public morals, respect for the laws, and that confidence between man and man which is so essen tial in all our social relations. The contrast between the suspensions of 1814 and that of 1837 is most striking. The short duration of the latter ; the prompt restoration of business, the evident benefits resulting from an adherence by the government to the constitutional standard of value, instead of sanctioning the suspension by the receipt of irreedeemable paper; and the advantages de riied from the large amount of specie introduced into the country previous to 1837, afford a valuable illustration of the true policy of the government in such a crisis. Nor can the -eonaparisort_fail to remove_tLe impressinn_ that. a national_ bank is necessary in such emergencies. Not only were spe cie payments resumed without its aid, but exchanges have also been more rapidly restored that when it existed; thereby showing that private capital, enterprise, and prudence are fully adequate to these ends. On all these points experience seems to have confirmed the views heretofore submitted to Congress. We have been saved the mortification of seeing the distresses of the community for the third time seized on to fasten upon the country so dangerous an institutton •' and we may also hope that the business of individuals will here after be relieved from the injurious effects of a continued agitation of that disturbing subject. The limited influence of a national bank in averting the derangement in the exchanges of the country, or in compel ling the resumption of specie payments, is now not less ap parent than its tendency to increase inordinate speculation by sudden expansion and contractions; its disposition to create panic and embarrassment for the promotion of its own designs; its interference with politics; and its far greater power for evil than for good, either in regard to the local in stitutions of the operations of government itself. What was in these respects but apprehension or opinion when a na tional bank was first established, now stands confirmed by humiliating experience. The scenes through which we have passed conclusively prove how little our commerce, agricul ture, manufactures, or finances, require such an institution, and what dangers are attendant on its power—a power, trust, never to be conferred by the American people. upon their government, and still less upon individuals not respon- Rmble to them for its unavoidable abuses. My conviction of the necessity of further legislative pro visions for the safe keeping and disbursement of the public moneys, and my opinion in regard to the measures best adapted to the accomplishment of those objects, have been already submitted to you. These have been strengthened by recent events; and, in the full conviction that time and experience must still further demonstrate their propriety, I feel it my duty, with respectful deference to the conflicting views of others, again to invite your attention to them. With the exception of limited sums deposited in the few banks still employed under the act of 1836, the amounts re ceived for duties, and, with very inconsiderable exceptions, those accruing from lands also, have since the general sus pension of specie payments by the deposit banks, been kept and disbursed by the Treasurer, under his general legal powers, subject to the superinstendence of the Secretary of the Treasury. The propriety of defining more specifically, and of regulating by law, the exercise of this wide scope of Executive discretion, has been already submitted to Con. gress. (Here follows a statement of a serious defalcation of one of the collectors who had been discovered to be purloining the public money with perfect secresy tor the space of seven years; and his conduct was only discovered on the stoppage of specie payments at the Bank. The President recom mends very stringent measures to be adopted for the preven tion of any such an occurrence in future, and that the private application of the public moneys by any officer of the State, should be made FELONY.] The Secretary' of the Treasury will lay before you addi tional information containing new details on this interesting subject. To these I ask your eerly attention. That it should have given rise to great diversity of opinion cannot be a sub ject of surprise. After the collection and custody of the pub lic moneys had been for so many years connected with, and made subsidiary to the advancement of private interests, a return to the simple and self-denying ordinances of the con stitution could not but be difficult. But time and free dis cussion eliciting the sentiments of the people, and aided by that conciliatory spirit which has ever char, cterized their course on great emergencies, were relied upon for a satisfac tory settlement of the question. Already - has this anticipation on one important point at least—the impropriety of diverting public money to private purposes—been fully realized There is no reason to suppose that legislation upon that branch of the subject would now be embarrassed by a difference of opinion, or fail to receive the cordial support of a large ma jority of our constituents. The connection which formerly extsted between the government and banks was in reality in jurious to both, as well as to the general interests of the com munity at large. It aggravated the disasters of trade and the derangements of commercial intercourse, and administered new excitement and additional means to wild and reckless speculations, the disappointments of which threw the country into convulsions of panic, and all but produced violence and bloodshed. The imprudent expansion of bank credits, which was the natural result of the command of the revenues of the State, furnished the resources for unbounded license in every species of adventure, seduced industry from its regular and salutary occupations by the hope of abundance without la bour, and deranged the social state by tempting all trades and professions inio the vortex of speculations on remote contin gencies. The same wide spreading influence impeded also the re sources of the government, curtailed its useful operations, embarrassed the fulfilment of its obligations, and seriously interfered with the execution of the laws. Large appropria tions and oppressive taxes are the natural consequences of such a connection, since they increase the profits of those who are allowed to use the public funds, and make it their interest that money should be accumulated and expenditures multiplied. It is thus that a conecentrated money power is tempted to become an active agent in political affairs, and all past experience has shown on which side that influence will be arrayed. We deceive ourselves if we suppose that it will ever be found assisting and supporting the rights of the com munity at large, in opposition to the claims of the few. In a government whose distinguishing characteristic should be a diffusion and equalization of its benefits and burdens, the advantage of individuals will be augmented at the ex pense of the mass of the people. Nor is it the nature of combinations for the acquisition of legislative influence to confine their interference to the single object for which they "ii".. ll Y formed. The temptation to extend it to other matters is, on the contrary, nut uufrequently too strong to be resisted. The influence, in the. direction of public affairs, of the community at large, is, therefore, in no slight danger of being sensibly and injuriously affected giving to a comparatively small, but very efficient class, a direct and exclusive personal interest in so important a portion of the legislation of Congress as that which relates to the custody of the public moneys. If laws acting upon private interests cannot always - be avoided, they should be confined within the narrowest limits, and left, wherever possible, to the Legislatures of the States. When not thus restricted, they lead to combinations of powerful associations, foster an influ ence necessarily selfish, and turn the fair course of legislation to sinister ends, rather than to objects that advance public liberty, and promote the general good. The whole subject now rests with you, and I cannot but express a hope that some definite measure will be adopted at the present session. It will not, I ant sure, be deemed out of place for me here to remark, that the declaration of my views in opposition to the policy of employing banks as depositories of the Govern ment funds, eannot be justly construed as indicative to hos tility, official or personal, to those institutions; or to repeat, in this form, and iu connection with this subject, opinions which I have uniformly entertained, and on all proper occa sions expressed. Though always opposed to their creation in the form of exclusive privileges, and, as a State magis trate, aiming by appropriate legislation to secure the com munity against the consequences Ortheir occasional misman agement, I have vet ever wished to see them. protected in the exercise of rights conferred by law, and. have never doubted their utility, when properly managed, in promoting the inte rests of trade, and, through the channel, the other interests of the community. To the General Government they present themselves merely as State institutions, having no necessary connexion with its legislation or its administration. Like other State establishments, they may be used or not in con ducting the affairs of the Government, as public policy and the general interests of the Union may seem to require. The only safe or proper principle upon which the intercourse with the Government can be regulated, is that which regu lates their intercourse with the private citizen—the confer ring of mutual benefits. When the Government can accom plish a financial operation better with the aid of the banks than without, it should be at liberty to seek that aid as it would ebe services of a private honker, or other capitalists or agents, giving the preference to those who will serve it on the best terms. Nor can there ever exist an interest in the officers of the General Government, as such, inducing them to embarrass or annoy the State banks any more than to in cur the hostility of any other class of State institutions, or of private citizens. It is not in, the nature of things that hostility to these institutions can spring from this source, or any opposition to their course of husiness, except when theyi themselves depart front the objects of their creation, and attempt to usurp powers not conferred upon them, or to sub vert the standara of value established by the constitution. While opposition to their regular operations cannot exist in this quarter, resistance to any attempt to make the-Govern ment dependant upon them for the successful administration of public affairs, is a matter of duty, as I trust it ever will be of inclination, no matter from what motive or conisderation the aitempt may originate. It is no more than just to the banks to say, that, in the late emergency, most of them firmly resisted the strongest temptations to extend their paper issues, when apparently sustained in a suspension of specie payments by public opi nion, even though in some cases invited by legislative enact ments. To this honourable course, aided by the resistance of the General Government. acting in obedience to the con stitution and laws of the United States, to the introduction of an irredeemable paper itiedim, may be attributed, in a great degree, the speedy restoration of our currency to a sound state, and the business of the country to its wonted prosperity- The banks have but to continue in the same safe course, and be content in their appropriate sphere, to avoid all interference front the General Government, and to derive from it all the protection and benefits which it bestows on their state establishments, on the people of the states, and on the states themselves. In this, their true position, they cannot but secure the confidence and good will of the people and the government, which they can only lose when, leaping from their legitimate sphere, the:( attempt to control the legislation of the country, and pervert the operations of the Government to their own purposes. Our experience under the act passed last session, to grant pre-emption rights to settlers on the public lands, has as yet been too limited to enable us to pronounce with safety upon the efficacy of its provisions to carry out the wise and liberal policy of the Government in that respect. There is, how ever, the best reason to anticipate favourable results from its operation. The recommendations formerly submitted to you, in respect to a graduation of the price of the public lands, r emain to be finally acted upon. Having found no reason t o change the views then expressed, your attention to them is again respectfully requested. Every proper exertion has been made, and will be conti nued, to carry out the wishes of Congress in relation to the tobacco trade, as indicated in the several resolutions n f the House of Representatives and the legislation of the two branches. A favourable impression has, I trust, been made in different foreign countries to which particular attention hasteen directed, and although we cannot hope for an early change in their policy, as in many of them a convenient and large revenue is derived from monopolies in the fabrication and sale of this article, yet, as these monopolies are really in jnrious to the people where they are established, and the re venue derived from them may be less injuriously and with equal facility obtained from another and a liberal system of administration, we cannot doubt that our efforts will be even tually crowned with success, if persisted in with temperate firmness, and sustained by prudent legislation: • In recommending to Congress the adoption of the neces sae), provisions at this season for taking the next census or enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States, the sug gestion presents itself whether the scope of the measure might not be usefully extended by causing it to embrace authentic statistical returns of the great interest specially intrusted to, or necessarily effected by, the legislation of Congress. The accompanying report of the Secretary of War pre sents a satisfactory account of the state of the army and of the several branches of the public service confided to the su perintendence of that officer. The law increasing and organizing the military establish ment of the United States has been nearly carried into effect, and the army has been extensively ar.d usefully employed during the past season. I would again call to your notice the subjects connected with, and essential to, the military defences of the country, which were submitted to you at the last session, but which were not acted upon, as is supposed for want of time. The most important of them is the organization of the militia on the maritime and inland frontiers. This measure is deemed important, as it is believed that it will futnish an effective volunteer force in aid of the regular army, and may form the basis for a general system or organization for the entire mili tia of the United States. The erection of a national foundry and gunpowder manufactory, and one for making small arms, the latter to be situated at some point west of the Alleghany mountains, all appear to be of sufficient importance to be again urged upon your / attention. The plan proposed by the Secretary of War for the distri bution of the forces of the United States in time of peace, is well calculated to promote regularity and economy in the fiscal administration._ of the____tervice, to preserve the disci pline of the troops, and to render them available for the main tenance of the peace and tranquillity of the country. With this view, likewise, I recommend the adoption of the plan presented by that officer for the defence of the western fron tier. The preservation of the lives and property of our fel low-citizens who are setiled upon that border country, as well as the existence of the Indian population, which might be tempted by our want of preparation to rush on their own destruction and attack the white settlements, all seem to re quire that this subject should be acted upon without delay, and the War department authorised to place that country in a state of complete defence against any assault from the nu merous and warlike' tribes which are congregated on that border. It affords me sincere pleasure to be able to apprise you a the entire removal of the Cherokee nation of Indians to their new homes west of the Mississippi. The measure authorised by Congress-at its last session with a view to the long stand ing controversy with them, have had the happiest effects. By an agreement concluded with them by the commanding ge neral in that country, who bas performed the duties assigned to him on the occasion with commemorable energy and hu manity, their removal has been principally under the con duct of their own chiefs, and they have emigrated without any apparent reluctance. The successful accomplishment of this important object; the removal also of the entire Creek nation, with the exception of a small number of fugitiaes amongst the Seminoles in Florida; the progress already made towards a speedy completion of the removal of the Chicksaws, the Choctaws the Pottavratamies the Otawas and the Chippewas with the extensive purchases of Indian lands during the present year, have rendered the speedy and successful result of the long established policy of the govern ment upon the subject of Indian affairs entirely certain. The occasion is therefore deemed a proper one to place this policy in such a point of view as to exonerate the Government of the United States, from the undeserved re proach which has been cast upon them through several suc cessive administrations. That a mixed occupancy of the same territory by white and red man, is incompatible with the safety or happiness of either is a position in respect to which there has long since ceased to be room for a difference of opinion. Reason and experience have alike demonstrated its impracticability. The bitter fruits of every attempt here tofore to overcome the barrier imposed by nature, have only been destruction both physical and moral, to the Indian; dangerous conflicts of •authority between the Federal and State Governments—and detriment to the individual prospe rity of the citizen, as well as to the general improvement of the country. The remedial policy, the principles of which were settled more than thirty years, under the administration of Mr. Jefferson conststs in an extinction for the consideration of the title to all the lands still occupied by the Indians within the States and Territories of the United States; theii remo val to a country West of the Mississipi, much more exten sive and better adapted to their condition than that on which they then resided; the guarantee to them by the U.S. of their exclusive possession of that country for ever, exempt from all intrusions by white men, with ample provisions for their secursty against external violence and internal dissensions, and the extension to them of suitable facilities for their ad vancement in civilization. This has not been the policy of particular administrations only, but of each in succession since the first attempt to carry it out under that of Mr. Monroe. All have laboured for its accomplishment, only with differentdegrees of success. The manner of its execu tion has, it is true, from time to'time, given rise to conflicts of opinion and unjust imputations; but in respect to the wisdom and necessitity of the policy itself; there has not, from the beginning, existed a doubt in the mind of any calm, judicious disinterested friend of the Indian race, accustomed to reflection and enlightened by experience. [The Message then enters into a justification of the conduct pursued by the American government towards the Indian tribes, especially in reference to the cession of lands made on the west side of the Mississippi. It then proceeds to remelts upon the condition of the Indians.] The condition of the. tribes which occupy the country set apart for them in the west, is highly prosperous, and en courages the hope of their early civilization. They have, for the most part, abandoned the hunter s:ate, and turned their attention to agricultural pursuits. All those who have been established for any length of time in that fertile region, maintain themselves by their . own industry. There are among them traders of no inconsiderable capital, and plant ers exporting cotton to some extent; but the greater number are small agriculturists, living in comfort upon the produce of their farms. The recent emigrants, although they have in some instances removed reluctantly, have readily acquiesced to their unavoidable destiny. They have found at once a recompense for past sufferings, and an incentive to indure trious habits, in the abupdance and comforts around them. There is reason to believe that these tribes are friendly iu aheir feelings towards the United States; and it is to be hoped. that the acquisition of individual wealth, the pursuits of agri culture, and habits of industry, will gradually subject their warlike propensities, and incline them to maintain peace among themselves. To. effect this desirable object, the at tention Of Congress is solicited to the measures recommend ed by the Secretary of War, for the future government and protection, as well from each other as from the hostility of the warlike tribes around them, and the intrusions of the whites. The policy of the government has given them a per manent home, and guarranteed to them its peaceful and undis turbed possession. It only remains to give them a govern ment and laws which will encourage industry, and secure to thesis the rewards of their exertions. The importance of some form of government cannot be too much insisted upon. The earliest effects will be to diminish the causes and occa sions for hostilities among the tribes, to inspire an interest in the observance of laws to which they will have themselves assented, and to multiply the securities of property, and the motives for self-improvement. Intimately connected with this subject, is the establishment of the military defences re commended by the Secretary of War, which have been al ready referred to. Without them the' government will be powerless to redeem the pledges,of protection to the emigra ting Indian against the numerous warlike tribes that sur f round their, and to provide for the safety of the frontisr.set tiers of the oorderine states. The ease of the Seminoles constitutes at present the only excep tion to the succesful efforts of the government to remove the Indians to the homes assigned them west of the AI ississipi. Four hundred of this tribe emigrated in 1836, and fifteen hundred in 1837 and 1838, leaving in the country it is supposed, about 2000 India, s. The continued treacherous conduct of these people • the savage at d unprovoked murders they have lately committed, butchering the whole families of the settlers of the Territory, without distinction of age or sex, and making their way into the very centre and heart of the country, so that no part of it is free from their ravages ; their frequent attacks on the light-houses along that dangerous coast; aed the barbarity with which they have murdered the pas sengers and crews of such vessels as have been wrecked upon the reefs and keys which border the Gulf, leave the g overnment no alternative but to continue the military operations against them until they are totally expelled from Florida. There are other motives which would urge the government to pursue this course towards the Seminoles. The United States have fulfilled in good faith all their treaty stipulations with the Indian tribes, and have, in every other instance, insisted open a like per formance of their obligations. To relax from this salutary rule, because the Seminoles have maintained themselves so long in the Territory they had relingui hed, and, in defiance of their frequent and solemn engagements, still to continue to wage a ruthless war against the United States, would net evince a want of constancy on our tribes. Experience has shown that but little is to he gained by the march of armies through a country so intersected with inacces sible swamps and marches, and which, from the fatal character of the climate, must he abandoned at the end of the winter. I recom mend, therefore, to your attention the plan submiited by the Sec retary of War in the accompanying report. for the permanent oc cupation of the portion of the Territory freed from the Indians, and the:more efficient protection of the people of Florida from their inhuman warfare. From the report of the Secretary of the Nexy, herewtth trans mitted, it will appear that a large portion of disposable naval force is either actively, employed, or in a state of preparation for the purposes of experience and discipline, and the protection of our commerce. So effectual has been this protection, teat, so far as the information of Government extends, not a single outrage has been attempted on any vessel carrying the flag of the U. States, within the present year, in any quarter, however distant or ex posed. The exploring expedition sailed from Norfolk on the 19th Aug. last, and information rias been received of its safe arrival at the island of Madeira. The best spirit animates the officers and crews, and there is every reason to anticipate, from its effects, results beneficial to commerce and honourable to the nation. It will also be seen that no reduction of the force now in com mission is contemplated.. The unsettled state of a portion of South America renders it indispensable that our commerce should receive protection in that quarter ; the vast and increasing interests em barked in the trade of the Indian and China Seas in the whale fisheries of the Pacific ocean, and in the Gulf of Mexico, require equal attention to their safety ; and a small squodron may be em ployed to great advantage on our Atlantic coast, in meeting sudden 'demands for'the reinforcement of our stations, in aiding merchant vessels in distress, in affording active service to an additional number of officers, add in visiting the different ports of the United States, an accurate knowledge of which is obvious y of the highest importance. The attention of Congress is respectfully called to that portion of the repoi krecommending an increase in the number of smaller vessels, and to other suggestions contained in that document. The rapid increase and wide expansion of our commerce, which is every day seeking new avenues of profitable adventure : the abso lute necessity of a naval force for its protection precisely in a de gree of its extension : a due regard to the national rights arid honour ; their collection of its former exploits, and the anticipa than of its future triumphs whenever opportunity presents itself, which we may rightfully indulge from the experience of the past; ail seem to point to the navy as a most efficient arm of our national defence, and a proper object of legislative encouragement. The progress and condition of the Post Offic e Department will he seen by reference to the report of the Post-master General. The extent of post roads, covered by mail contracts, is stated to be 134,818 miles, and the annual transportation upon them 34 580,20.; miles. The number of post offices in the United states is 12,533, and rapidly increasing. The gross revenue for the year ending on the 30th day of June last, was 4 202,145.000 dollars. The accruing expenditures 4,480,068,000 dollars ; excess of expenditures 417,923.000 dollars, This has been made up out of the surplus previously on hand. The cash on band on the let instant was 211,068,000 dollars. The revenue for the year ending June 30, 1838, was 161,540 dollars more than for the year ending June 30, 1837. The expendit u res of the department lied been graduated upon the anticipation of a largely increased revenue. A moderate curtailment of mail service consequently became necessary, and has been effected.. to shield the d e partment against the danger of embarrasment. Its revenue is now improving, and it will soon resume its onward course in the march of improvement. Your particular attention is requested to so much of the Post master General's report as relates to the transportatio n of the, mails upon railroads. The laws on that subject do not seem ade quate to secure that service, now become almost essential to the public interests, and at the same time protect the department from unreasonable demands. Nor can I too earnestly request your attention to the necessity of providing a more secure building fdr this department. The danger of destruction to which its important books and papers are continually exposed, as well from tire highly combustible cha racter of the building occupied, as from that of others in the vi cinity, calls loudly for prompt action. Yaur attention is again earnestly invited to the suggestions and recommendations submitted to the last session in respect to the District of Columbia. I feei it my duty, also, to bring to your notice certain proceed ings at law which have recently been prosecuted in this District, in the name of the United States. on the relation of Messrs. Stock ton anc Stokes, of the State of Maryland, against the Postmaster General, and which have resulted in the payment of money out of the national Treasury, for the first time since the establishment of the Government. by judicial compulsion exercised by the com mon law writ of mandamus, issued by the circuit court of this District. The facts of the case, and the grounds of the proceedings, will he found fully stated in the report of the decision ; and any ad ditional information which you may desire will be supplied by the . proper department. No interference in the particular case is con templated. The money has been paid : the claims of the prose cutors have been satisfied ; and the whole subject, vs far as they are concerned, is fin ally disposed of; but it is on the supposition that the case may be regarded as an authoritative exposition of of the law as it now stands, that I have thought it necessary to pre sent it to your consideration. The object of the application to the circuit court was to compel the Postmaster-General to carry into effect an award made by the Solicitor of the Treasury, under a special act of Congress for, the settlement of certain claims of the relators on the Post-office de partment,which award the Postmaster-General declined to execute in full, until he should receive further legislative direction on the subject. If the duty imposed on the Postmaster-General, by that law, was to be regarded as one of an official nature, belonging to his office as a branch of the Executive, then it is obvious that the constitutional competency of the Judiciary to direct and control him in its discharge, was necessarily drawn in question. And if the duty so imposed on the Postmaster-General was to be con sidered as merely ministerial, and not executive. it yet remained to be shown that the circuit court of the district had authority to interfere by mandamus—such a power having never before been asserted or claimed by that court. With a view to the settlement of these important questions. the judgment of the circuit court was carried, by a writ of error, to the Supreme Court of the United States. In the opinion of that tribunal, the duty imposed on the • Postmaster-General was not an official, executive duty, but one of a merely a ministerial nature. The grave constitutional questions which hail been discussed were, therefore, exlcuded from the de cision of the case; the court, indeed, expressly admitting chat, with powers and duties properly belonging to the Executive, no other department can interfere by the writ of mandamus ; and the question, therefore, resolved itself into this :—Has Congress con ferred upon the circuit court of this district the power to issue such a writ to ari officer of the General Government, commanding him to perform a ministerial act? A majority of the court have de cided that it has, but have. founded their decision upon a process o f reasoning, which, in my judgment, renders further legislative pro visions indispensable to the public interests and the equal adminis tration of justice. It has long since been decided by the Supreme Court, that neither that tribunal nor the circuit courts of the U. S. held within the re spective states, possess the power in question ; but it is now held that this power, denied to both these high tribunals, (to the former by the constitntion, and to the latter by Congress,) has been, by its legislation, vested in the circuit court of this district. No such direct grant of power to the circuit court of this district is claimed ; but it has been held to result, by necessary implication, from seve ral sections of the law establishing the court. One of taese sec tions deelkres, that the laws of Maryland, as they existed at the time of the cession, should be in torce In that part of the district ceded by that state ; and, by this provision, the common law, in civil and criminal cases, as it prevailed in Maryland in 1801, was established in that part of the district. In England, the Court of King's Bench,—hecause the Sovereign, who, according to the theory of the constitution, is the fountain of justice, originally sat there in person, and is still deemed to be pre sent in construction of law,—alone possesses the high power of issuing a writ of mandamus not only to inferior jurisdictions and corporations, but also to magistrates and others, commanding them in the King's name, to do what their duty requires, in cases where there is a vested right, and no other specific remedy. It has been held in the case referred to, that, as the Supreme Court of the • . United States is, by the constitution rendered incompetent to exer cise this power , and as the circuit court of this district is a court of generaljurisdiction in cases at common law, and the highest court of original jurisdiction in the district, the right to issue the writ of mandamus is incident to its common law powers. Ant:ober ground relied upon to maintain the power in question, is, that it was in cluded, by fair constuotion, in the power it gran tedito circuit courts of the United States, by the act " to provide for the more conve nient organization of the courts of the United States," passed 13th of February, 1801 ; that the act establishing the circuit court of this district. passed the 27th day of February, 1801, conferred upon that court and the judges thereof the same powers as were by law vested in the circuit courts of the United States and in ,the judges of the said courts; that the repeal of the first-mentioned act, which took place in the next year, did not divest the circuit court of this district of the authority in dispute, but left it still clothed with the powers over the subject which, it is conceded, were taken away from the circuit courts of the United States by the repeal of the act of the 13th of February, 1801. Admitting that the adoption of the laws of Maryland for a portion of this district confers on the circuit court thereof in that portion, the transcendant extra judicial prerogative powers of the Court of Queen's Bench, in England, or that either of the acts of Congress, by necessary implication, au thorize the former court to issue a writ of mandamus to an officer of the United States, to compel him to perform a mi nisterial duty, the consequences are, in one respect, the same The result in either case is, that the officers of the United States are, in respect to the performance of their official du ti's,subject to (Efferent laws and a different supervision ; those in the States to one rule, and those in the district of Columbia to another and a very different one. In the dis t. trici their official conduct is subject to a judicial control, from whtch in the States they are exempt. . . . Whatever difference of opinion may exist as to the expe diency of vesting such a power in the judiciary, in a system of government constituted like that of the United States, all must agree that these disparaging discrepancies in the law and in the administration of justice ought not to be permitted to continue; and as Congress alone can provide the remedy, the subject is unavoidably presented to your consideration. M. VAN BUREN. 'WASHINGTON, DEC. 3, 1838. WAR WITH PERSIA ! We are indebted to the kindness of Mr. Court, o the Underwriters' Rooms, for the following importan information from the Presidency of Bombay, announ cing the declaration of war against Persia : Despatches have been received at the India House, via Malta, from Bombay, to the Ist November. Very few private letters were forwarded. A letter from Malta, by this conveyance, states that a declaration of war against Persia was received in Bombay on the 24th October. The troops were to leave Bombay on the 15th November, under the command of Sir John Kean, and would meet the Bengal army under the command of Sir H. Fane at Shakapqor, and Sir H. Fane would then take the command of the whole. Their destination was Caboul, the ex-King of which country would be reinstated on the throne by the Bri tish. Dhoust Mahomet, the usurper of the Caboul throne, had joined Persia. Runjeet Sing would co operate with the British. The siege of Herat still continued, and the . Heiattees held out most gallantly. An additional force of from 6 to 8,000 men would leave Bombay for the Persian Gulf, to join the British forces already there. WALKING.—Walking is the best possible exercise: habit tuate yourself to walk very far. The Europeans value them selves on having subdued the horse to the uses of man, but I doubt whether we have not lost more than we have gained by the usft of this animal. No one has occasioned so mucli the de- generacy of the human body. An Indian goes on foot nearly as far in a day, for a long journey, as an enfeebled white does on his horse; and he will tire the best horses. A little walk of half an hour in the morning, when you first rise, is advisa ble. It shakes off sleep, and produces other good effects in the animal economy.—Jefferson's Memoirs. POCKET-PICKING EXTRAORDINARY. -- On Monday week, whilst the solemn and impressive ceremony was performing inane Old Church-yard, Sheffield, of consigning a fellow mortal to his parent earth, two well known thieves were prac-' tising upon the pockets of the unwary mourners. One female lost a sovereign. She afterwards gave notice of the, robbery at the police-office, and .some of the men were immediately sent to discover the villains. As they had been observed about the place, and their character being well known, the policemen fortunately . seemed them. The golden pippin is a native of Sussex, and is said to have been first reared at Parham Park, whirls is situated on the north side of the Souih Downs. The Dutch acknowledge it to be an English apple in their catalogue of fruits, where it is called the the "F,nyelsche yowl Pipping," The French call it "Pippin d'Or," which is a translation - of the English name. Catherine, Empress of Russia, was so fond of this apple, that.she was regularly supplied with it from England; and iu order that she might have it in the greatest perfection, each apple was separately enveloped in silver paper before it was packed. We understand that Lady Durham's resignation of her office at court was the spontaneous aizt of her ladyship, and that the noble earl was not cognizant of her intention until it had been carried into effect. Her laLyship's letter to her majesty, it is said, instead of following the usual form of re questing permission to resign, tendered tier resignation at once, and in express terms. The answer of the queen, we are further told, was couched in language expressive of esteem, and even of affection • and intimated that, had the form usually adopted on such occasions been adhered to, the per- . , . mission to resign would not, without the greatest reluctance, have been granted -to her ladvship.—Morning Post. EXCISE LICENSES.—The following licenses were granted by the excise during last year :—Auctioneers. 3004; tea and coffee dealers, 81,259; glass manufacturers, 131 ; maltsters, 10,039; paper-makers, 403; soap-makers, 199; manufactu rers of tobacco and snuff, 282; dealers in tobacco and snuff; 156,271 ; dealers in foreign wine, 22,019; brewers of strong beer, 46 ,980; retail brewers, l 8; sellers of strung beer, not being brewers, 979: beer.retailers, whose premises are rated under £2O a-year, 39,226; ditto, £2O or upwards, 15,824; retailers of beer, cider, or perry, 45,193; of cider and perry only, 1585 ;. distillers and rectifiers, 118; dealers in spirits, not being retailers, '2968; retailers of spirits, 34,924; ditto of sweets, 1655; persons licensed to let post horses, 9388. The Mayor of Limerick has received the following com munication from the India House, London, conveyinga sant- pie 'of tea, grown in the newly-acquired territory - of Assam, where large forests of this precious plant are found, and pos sessing a - degree of strength and flavour fully equal, if not superior ; to the tea imported from China :--" Mr. Gordon presents his compliments to the mayor of Limerick. By direc tion of Sir John Hobhouse, he has the honour of sending to him a sample of tea, grown in British India, with a memo randum explanatory of the measures taken to improve the cultivation and manufacture. Mr. Gordon will be happy to receive any communication on the subject from the mayor of Limerick, or from any persons connected with the tea trade. — India Board, 4th Dec. 1838."—Limerick paper. • PROPOSED BRANCH FROM THE MANCHESTER AND BIR MINGHAM RAILWAY TO MACCLESFIELD.-A deputation of the directors of the Manchester and Birmingham Railway, consisting of- H. Tootal and J. P. Westhead, Esqrs., accom panied by G. W. Buck, Esq., the engineer, met the committee appointed by the town-council of Macclesfield, on Wednesday week, in order to communicate to theist the plan for a diversion of the proposed branch to Macclesfield, the effect of which would be that the Macclesfield branch would join the main line, near Cheadle Hubne, instead of Stockport, and would again fall into the line adopted by parliament near Hulling worth Smithy. The mayor having been unanimously called to the chair, a report from Mr. Buck was read to the meeting, recommending that the Macclesfield line should branch off at Cheadle Hulme, by which a deep cutting and curve, together with the inclined plane on entering the main line, would be avoided. The distance front Macclesfield to Stockport, by the proposed line, would be only fourteen chains longer than by the parliatnentary line. Mr. Buck concluded his report INTENDED TORCH-LIGHT' MEETING AT WAKEFIELD.- The members of the " Wakefield Working Men's Associa tion" having issued placards, announcing that a torch-light meeting would be held on the night of Monday week, the magistrates of the town issued placards containing a copy of the government circular, declaring that such meetings were illegal, and cautioning persons against being present. At their request, a troop of the 9th lancers were sent over from Leeds, and the nocturnal chartists did not venture to hold the meeting in the air, but issued placards stating that it would be held in the association room. Several hundred here assembled ran away on the alarm being given, that a soldier was approaching. • - It is said that Mr. Feargus O'Conner sent to the chartists to intimate that he should not attend the meeting, and to request the " people" not to assemble. The town remained perfectly quiet during the night, and the soldiers returned to Leeds the following morning—Mancheeter Guardian. FALLING STARS IN AUGUST AND NOVEMBER.--(From the Vienna Official Gazette.) —The phenomenon of an extraor dinary abundance of falling stars, about the middle of No vember, has been again observed this year, and in our part of the world more decidedly than ever. On the 10th of No vember, when we watched from eight in the evening till one in the morning, we counted about nine such stars in an hour, the sky being rather hazy. On the 1 Ith November, during five hours after six in the evening, the sky being clear, we counted about twenty in an hour. so that the phenomenon was increasing. On the 12th of November, the sky being quite cloudy. no observation of the kind could be made. On the 13th of 'November the sky suddenly cleared up half an hour before midnight,. and remained perfectly serene till daybreak. During these six hours we noted 1002 falling stars, of which by far the greater part were of the first mag nitude, with a long horn of light, and casting much shade, like the moon. The phenomenon decidely increased from the beginning of the observation till about four in the morn ing, when it seemed to have reached its culminating point; from that time till daybreak, it decreased, as the following shows, — In the 1 hour of observation there were 32 falling stars. In the 2 do. do. 52 do. In the 3 do. . do. 70 do. In the 4 do. do. 157 do. In the 5 do. do. 381 do. In the 6 do. do. 310 do. Unfortunately the state of the atmosphere on the fcllowing night was such, that it did not allow any further observatiori, so that the duration of this remarkable phenomenon could not be determined. At the beginning of August, there was an unusual number of falling stars, though very far from that in November. On the 7th and Bth of August we counted about six in an hour, on the 9th fifteen, on the 10th sixty, on the 11th and I2th thirty, and on the 18th, all which day it was again cloudy, only ten i❑ a❑ hour; so that the 10th of August must be considered as the day on which the pheno• meson was at its height, since it increased till that day, and sensibly decreased afterwards. We mean to give further particulars respecting the place of this phenomenon in the heavens, and of further peculiarities which result from our observations during the present year, as soon as the neces sary comparisons shall be completed, 'GRETNA GREEN. ( From a Correspondent of the Manchester Guardian.) Few persons, perhaps, who live at a considerable distance from Gretna reen, and have not visited it on particular bu siness, are acquainted with the real character of that celebra ted place. Recent alterations in the laws respecting the ce lebration of marriages may, in time, if they have not already begun to produce the effect, tend to destroy the reputation which a rural village, in the south of Scotland, has acquired by its possession of a" Hymeneal altar." It may not, there fore, be altogether an uninteresting task to the curious, to collect a little knowledge of the scene where the " blacksmith" long exercised his "sacred" and profitable profession. The writer of these particulars was born and brought up within three miles and a half of Gretna Green, and yet be. was not aware, till he went to college, a distance from his home of a hundred and twenty miles, that a place, whose situation and name were so familiar to him, possessed almost a wider fame than Marathon or Flodden Field. The parish of Graitney, in Dumfries-shire, is bounded on the south by the extremity of the Solway Frith, and on the by the small river Sark, which forms the line of division betwixt England and Scotland, from the Frith northward, as far as the parish of Canonbie. The population of Graitney, which is numerous, and in a great measure agricultural, does not exhibit that strict moral principle, and attachment to re ligious observances, for which the neighbouring parishes are so justly•praised. For one well acquainted with the district, it is not difficult to discover several very plausible reasons for this state of things. These depend partly upon the proximity of Graitney to the county of Cumberland, partly upon a dif ference of excise law on the opposite sides of the border, and, finally, in part upon its forming the principal thoroughfare out of England into the north and west of Scotland, and vice verses. These causes, however, it must be admitted, are not in such full and active operation now as they were some twenty or thirty years ago. The evil resulting from this dis advantageous position has consequently, since that period, been very much diminished; and will soon, no doubt, under the new and better regime, totally disappear. It is well known that the Cumberland portion of the border was, formerly, not the most remarkable district of England, for the attention of many of its inhabitants to the fourth com mandment. Living on ground long considered doubtful, as forming a part of the English or Scottish territory, and still called " Debatable," they regarded themselves as belonging to no one's flock, and subject to no one's superintendence or jurisdiction. The same may be said of the careless and luke warm amongst the inhabitants of Graitney, and thus they al lowed themselves and their children to become the slaves and supporters of a pernicious example. After the introduction of such unnational practises, it is not to be wondered at, that many other demoralizing habits, of which some were entirely of a personal and domestic character, should be found deeply rooted and reigning along this part of the Scottish border. Systematic absence from the house of public prayer, and a no less systematic desecration of the Sabbath, invariably bring in their train idleness and discontent; and to thefts, at this time, was added an endless catalogue of other crimes. One circumstance, above all, tended to involve this parish in a kind of moral degradation, from which others, by their geographical position were happily exempted. The tow duty upon whiskey in Scotland compared with the high duty in England, upon the same article, of such extensive consumption, continued to af ford the idle and dishonest every encouragement to smuggling. The mosses and plantations on each side of the border have been the scenes of many fearful,and in many cases, lamentably fatal, struggles between the smugglers and the officers of ex cise. The populous village of Springfield, a mile from Gretna Green, on one side of the border, and Longtown, a still more populous place, on the other, once contained hordes of per sons who lived entirely by this illicit commerce. Every arti fice was tried to elude detection—vessels of tin, fitted round the body like stays—bladders resembling bundles of old clothes, carried by old women, in the garb of itinerants — small casks, buried in the dark interior of loads of turf, conveyed over the Sark and Esk on wheelbarrows, by a thrifty-looking housewife, or an industrious and provident looking husbandman. These and many other such means were employed to continue a lucrative, secret, and dangerous trade. Again, vagrants from all parts of the British isles could scarcely miss Graitney either on their northward or southward peregrinations. Many a poor unfortuuate fellow. indeed, without a home and a morsel of bread in England, has been forced to seek au asylum in the north. Finding himself dis appointed in his search for a momentary relief in the north, he has again involuntarily turned his face towards the south, and continued, kicked about in this manner, crossing and re crossing the border, till the debatable land at last afforded him a comparatively quiet, but wretched, bare, and roofless resting place. From such a promiscuous and fluctuating assemblage of inhabitants as was likely, from this circum stance, to be introduced, it cannot be expected that any place could establish a character for settled principles of moral duty. It is only when the population of a district feel them selves interested in one anothers well-being, and benefited by living on terms of harmonious intercourse, and by culti vating high and ennobling sentiments of friendship, that we can expect from them a general improvement in their con dition, manners, and character. In this respect the borderers have lately made amazing and gratifying progress towards a happier state of things; and the change is no doubt chiefly attributable to the increased exertion which clergyman, schoolmaster, landowner, and farmer i have combined to use in rendering the condition of the poor and unemployed in these parts more tolerable. Gretna Green is of itself an insignificant little village, nine miles from Carlisle, on the mail route to Glasgow, and not more. than one mile from the bridge of Sark, which joins the two countries. It is composed of a few houses, which might eaisiy be enumerated one by one in a single breath. You have the parish church, a simple and unassuming little pile by the road-side, and near it the manse, or residence of the clergyman ; then the parish school-house, and under the same roof with it, the schoolmaster's neat, unadorned, and modest dwelling; next a farm-house, and a small licensed depot of tea, tobacco, and snuff; a cottage or two, and a carpenter's workshop; and, lastly, an inn and posting-house, conducted by Mr. John Linton, as well as, at a very short distance from the church, a sweet little cottage built for Mrs. Morgan, widow of the late minister of Graitney. The inn was formerly the residence of Colonel Maxwell, to whom the property belongs ; but possessing en advantageous situation both with respect to distance from the city of Carlisle, and its vicinity to the great roads from Portpatrick and Glasgow, it was thought proper to convert it into an hotel. This was effected a good many years ago, when that line of road was carried more directly to Gretna Green by a bridge of cast iron over the Esk, about three miles below Longtown, and the coaches ceased running round by that town and Spring field. The reasons which have placed Gretna Green amongst the famous of British villages, are not to be discovered in its ar chitectural merits, or in its eminence for rural scenery. In its immediate vicinity, you have, it is true, the valley of the Esk, with its luxuriant woods and crystal river. On the banks of the same stream lies the whole scene of Sir Walter Scott's " Young Lochinvar ;" and indeed the poet could not have chosen a spot in every respect more appropriate than .his for a " runaway marriage," so as to cause " Mounting 'along Gimmes of the Netherby clan ;" r more convenient for Racing and chasing on Canobie lea, 'rho' the lost bride of Netherby ne'er could they see. Fifteen minutes' walk from the inn brings you to the Solwa_ Frith, to the ebbings and floorings of whose tide the same author iu the same song has well compared the flowings and ebbings of love. On the Cumberland side of the frith, oppo site Gretna Green, on a place called Burgh Marsh, stands a monument, marking the spot where death arrested the proud and impetuous career of the first Edward, as he teas marching with giant strides across the border to conquer Scotland. Nearly in the same direction, Skiddaw, Helvellyn, and caw fell, with other mountains in the lake district of Cum berland, rear their tall blue summits in the distance, and seem to plant an insuperable harrier against the progress of the northman venturing south. The • hills, extending all along the horizon, appear, when fhe sun is high in summer, to form one regular and unbroken chain from Penrith to Whitehaven. As soon, however, as the rays of the sinking sun begin to fall upon the earth with considerable obliquity, and to tinge with a golden hue the long steep flank of this Alpine sierra, it is cut and broken into athousand individual ma sses; and deep ravines, and winding valleys, and rugged slopes, present ail the beautiful variety of their forms, which, though perfect in outline, the distance sometimes renders in distinct in colour. Amidst all the magnificence, however, of local scenery; you may look in vain for the part which the village of Gretna Green contributes to render itself worthy of a name. Some other road then must lead the inquirer to the discovery of the secret. In the month of December, 1830, the writer of this notice having occasion to travel by coach from Liverpool to Carlisle, was intrusted by some friends of his with the care of a young lady who was returning from school. Considering the friend ship betwixt himself and his protegde's family, and, in ad dition to this, considering that the young. lady, to superior personal charms, added a very lively and humorous dispo sition, the happy gallant paved every possible attention to his youthful and fair companion. in the course of the day, the suspicions of their two inside fellow travellers, who were both agreeable and facetious gentlemen, were roused to a wonderfully high pitch respecting the object of the juvenile couple's journey northward. These suspicions, which, in fact, amounted to a tacit belief that this could be no other than a " runaway match," were confirmed by an occasional remark, which escaped the fair lady's protector, about order ing a postchaise for the few miles of the journey that would remain after reaching Carlisle. At last the truth seemed to flash upon them with satisfactory certainty; for Gretna Green itself became the subject of conversation : and the young lady was too much amused with this her first adven ture, after escaping from the surveillance of her watchful go verness, and her companion too much inclined to encourage the deception, to dispel the speculations of their fellow-tra vellers by an attempt to correct them. Here, then, is obtained a clew to the wonderful and mys terious charm which has bestowed upon the village of Gretna Green a " deathless name." An altar has been built there, and many a votary, urged by a zealous devotion,.has come from Scotland's sister countries to offer sacrifices upon it in honour of the divinity of love. This altar was not raised upon a lofty eminence, that it might be seen from the east and from the west; nor in a sombre valley, that the slain victims might bleed without being exposed to vulgar eyes; but Hymen at first chose for his temple a mean cottage in one of the meanest border villages, and for his high priest be took from the forge an unlettered blacksmith. Springfield, already described as situated on the Longtown road, about one mile from Gretna Green, was the village in which these honours were originally instituted, and it was here the blacksmith passed a long period of his mortal life in discharging the duties of his "sacred vocation." Before the recent improvements in the Glasgow road, this was the near est village in England by the old line; and every party, eagerly desiring to pay their vows, here took advantage of the earliest opportunity to kneel at the simple and much fre quented shrine. But the reforms of later times being intro duced, Springfield was deprived of much of its hitherto un interrupted popularity, and the blacksmith gathered together all the sacred things belonging to his temple, and removed them to the adjacent village of Gretna Green, where he erected anew the altar of his patron deity. Thus Gretna Green became the general resort of love-af fected swains and wealthy heiresses, determined, in spite of disappointed parents and angry guardians, to be firmly united in the bands of wedlock. But the blacksmith's heavy hammer is now still in the forge, and his anvil is mute; there the asthmatic bellows no longer draw their difficult respira tions, and the iron is suffered to grow cool upon the deserted hearth. 'l'he aged priest is no more seen waiting anxiously for the arrival of fresh worshippers, and his solemn tread upon the steps of the altar have long ceased to echo through the temple. The musician's epitaph may not inaptly be ap plied to the memory of this faithful minister of Cupid:— " The harp, that once in Tara's hall The soul of music shed, Now hangs as mute on Tara's wall As if that soul had fled." Death has already some years ago summoned him to the grave of his ancestars, and behind him he has left a name that will be more lasting than the widely spread fame of many a warrior or statesman. It is commonly believed that the celebration of a Gretna Green marriage is something beyond the nature of daily oc currences,—that the event is one of a curious and extraordi nary charazter,—and that, in fact, the ceremony must bear a close resemblance to the Eleusinean mysteries so famous in Grecian history. Upon a careful inquiry, however, in subject, it will appear, that in these points the general _ people, especially in countries remote, greatly err, or are grievously misinformed. It is sufficiently well-known that the celebration of a Scotch marriage differs very materially in respect of form from the same ceremony in England.— Marriage, according to the customs of Scotland, is equally valid, whether performed by a clergyman or a magistrate. Few and easy are the preliminary measures necessary to be taken here, when an attached couple desire to pledge a mu tual faith and a mutual late at the hymeneal altars Until a recent date, difficulties unknown in Scotland opposed, on . the other side of the Tweed, the most ardently desired union. Even now the provisions of the late marriage act, though they may have smoothed many a real or fancied inequality, and removed a multitude of scruples, have nevertheless left these difficulties virtually untouched. In Scotland, moreover, marriage is not necessarily more a religious than A civil contract ; while in England it was, till lately, wholly a religious ceremony, and the civil law is often, as it is in this case, less rigid in its requirements than the ecclesiastical. The watchfulness of the Church of England has frequently annihilated the prospective happi- r ness of an enamoured and giddy pair, who, in Scotland, would have met with little impediment in regard to age, con sent of parents, and other matters necessary to be arranged previous to the ceremony. Te elude these obstacles, many a long journey to Gretna Green (though any other village on the Scottish border would have been equally suitable, it .not also inure convenient, for the purpose,) has been undertaken without much prepara tions tier has such been unaccompanied, in a thousand in stances, with danger and expense. The writer's recollec- -- - lions do not carry him back to the eventful affair of Wake field; but it is in his power to give a minute description of the ceremonials commonly observed at such a marriage. In the summer of 1832, when cholera was alarmingly prevalent along the banks of the Mersey, near which he resided, an excursion to the north seemed to promise him most variety and pleasure during an interval of repose ft °in a laborious occupation. A journey and voyage of nut more than 24 hours' length brought him to the house of a friend in Cum berland, where he was engaged to remain on a visit for a week or two. Here he found himself only three miles from Gretna Green, and in the neighbourhood of his native sce nery. One warm and lovely morning in the month of Au gust he had appointed with a friend a rendezvous at the bridge of Sark, for the purpose of bathing in the Solway's cooling tide, and also with an intention of spending the re mainder of the day at Gretna Inn. An uncle of the writer's, who lived near, and was well kno,vn in the village, joined the party, and introduced them to the innkeeper, Mr* Linton. Mr. Linton, in the midst of various and common-place re marks, pointed out to them, in a narrow lawn or meadow be hind the house, a lady and a gentleman, who were walking about at random, apparently engaged in a close end interesting conversation. 'They had arrived at the inn before the morn ing was far advanced, and had described the object of their visit in such terms as led Mr. Linton to believe that they wished forthwith to become " one flesh." The bridegroom, however, did not seem half so solicitous as the bride about a speedy celebration of their marriage; but, on the contrary, betrayed symptoms of an obstinate and vexatious procrasti nation. At last, the waiter, having received instructions from Mr. Linton, entered the apartment in which the writer and his friends were sitting, and informed them that his mas ter was about to perform, in another part of the house, the ceremony of marriage, and any gentleman, if he wished, might be present. Curiosity . induced two at least of the party to accompany the waiter into the adjoining ro.!in. Their object in visiting Gretna Green that day was, in addition to the enjoyment of each other's society, to find a little amuse ment, and they considered that their gratification would I'e greatly heightened by the unusual luck of appearing as wit nesses of a " runaway wedding." Full of interest in the affair announced by the waiter, and encouraged by hopes of beholding a scene hitherto only pic tured by their imaginations, they arose with great alacrity, and followed their guide to the door of the apartment in which the little marriage party and Mr. Linton, in the offi cial character of priest, were assembled. The door being opened, the two strangers entered without a syllable of in troduction or apology. Round a small table on the middle of the floor, they found standing, in perfect silence, one female and two male figures. The lady was nearest the door, and close by her side one of the gentlemen ; while a little apart from them stood the successor of the blackimitk, exa mining or arranging some papers. For some time not a word escaped any of the company to interrupt the deep silence of the place. If it was not a moment of uncommon interest and suspense to the bridal pair, it was so at least to the two highly-favoured witnesses. At length, Mr. Linton (who, by the way, was without canonicals) relieved his audi ence by saying, "You must all stand up." He proceeded to the performance of the hymeneal rites, by addressing first the couple collectively, and asking them, in a distinct tone of voice, whether it was their desire to be united in marriage. He next addressed them individually, asking the gentleman whether he took "that woman" to be his wedded wife; and the lady whether she took "that man" to be her wedded husband. The answers to these, and several other questions, prescribed according to the regular ceremony of a Seotch marriage, being altogether satisfactory, the priest produced two separate papers bearing the royal arms, on which he requested first the signatures of the party, and next those of the two witnesses. One of the papers thus signed Mr. Lin don delivered to the lady, and the other he retained in his own possession. The happy swain, at the conclusion of the ceremony, retired with his bride, leaving the priest and the two witnesses alone to pursue their own reflections. A broomstick has been frequently mentioned as made use of in some part of the ceremony; but the writer is bound to confess that, on the present occasion, its use was entirely dispensed with. Indeed, he can confidently affirm, that the story of the broomstick is only one of many popular errors respecting a Gretna Green marriage. It will trot yet have escaped the recollection of many, how greatly public interest was excited by the famous trial of Raymond d'Arcy Newton, fur the abduction of Rosa Matilda Mary Bagster. Mr. Linton, besides exhibiting the signs manual of the parties concerned, .gave the writer and his friend an amusing and circumstantial account of that won derful and expensive affair. The emoluments of the priest vary as much in value as those who repair to the 'matrimo nial shrine do in condition: These, as Gretna Green is the common resort of rich and poor, sometimes fall to half-a crown, while they as often rise to fifty pounds: the tying of the marriage-knot betwixt Mr. Newton and Miss Bagster cost forty. All this Mr. Linton justly considers net gain : he has no occasion to say, with the polite and humble priest of St. Gudula, at Brussels—" Accipiraus pecuniam pro bono ecclesice,"—We only receive money for the benefit of the church. The Duke of Devonshire is now at Rome, in good health, and is expected home early in February. Men are now employed planting young trees in St. James's Park, in the room of those which bad been blown down, and others decayed by age. The RULING PASSION.—At Sydney the Newgate Calendar and Johnson's Lives of Highwaymen will sell for three times more than any standard book of the same intrinsic value. A letter has been received from M r. Strauss' agent in Paris, stating Mr. Strauss, has so far regained bis health as to be able to leave Paris on the 10th inst., and that he hoped to reach Vienna on the 20th inst, The Earl of Sefton has returned to Croxteth, after attend ing the funeral of his father in the south. From the noLle earl's passionate fondness for country sports and occupations it is probable that he will principally reside, except during the session of parliament, on the valuable Lancashirelestates , which his family have now held between seven and right hundred years. IRISH Loans JUSTICES.—Her Majesty's letters patent having passed the great seal, appointing the Lord Chancel lor, the Archbishop of Dublin, and the Commander of the Forces, lords justices, in the absence of the Marquis of Normanby, these high personages were sworn in before the privy council on Saturday.—Dublin paper. A. CLUO FOR FIRE ARMS.—It is said there is a club for providing fire arms, at a small village between Royton and Rochdale, which is constituted after the plan of the money clubs so common in manufacturing towns. Whenever the amount contributed is sufficient to buy a gun, lots are drawn who shall have it, and so qn in succession till each subscriber has obtained one. An experiment is making on part of the buildings of the Ecole des Beaux Arts, at Paris, of a kind of oily substance , and which, by filling up the pores, is to prevent the corrosive action of air and water from producing the black colour that spoils the aspect of some of the finest monuments of the capi tal placed in confined situations. SINGULAR CIRCUMSTANCE.—ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE.--AI a late hour on the night of Sunday last, a son of Figaro, the emblem of whose trade may be seen in Friargate, having tip pled rather deeply at " the - barley bree," went to his lodgings, and sunk into a profound sleep. In the course of the night he awoke, and prompted by " the man of hell who calls him self despair," resolved to cut his throat. Forth he sallied from his lodgings, and in the silence of night's 'hour, and by the gas lamps "dimly burning," he groped his way to his shop, which is distant from his lodgings about 200 yards. Having entered it, he seized a razor, and, with the keen-edged instru ment, made a deep and dangerous incision in his throat. He then retraced his steps homewards, and recommitted himself to the arms of the drowsy god ; that is to say, having cut his throat, he walked leisurely home, and went to bed. Next morning he was found with his lubbard length stretched out, and the clothes which he wore completely clotted and satu rated with the blood that had flowed during the night. In fact he lay in a complete pool of blood. Medical assistance was promptly procured; and although the wound was at first deemed dangerous, it was found, on minute examination, that the incisigo had not extended to the vital part of the throat, and the patient is now in a fair way of . recovery.—Presto Chronicle. A CONDOR SA DLDED.--An American vessel has just arrived at Leghorn, and has brought to Europe, a Senor Martin Ootaya, his son Pamelo, and a racer of a new description , which Senor Martin has succeeded in taming with wonder ful dexterity. This racer is a condor of the Cordilleras, of an enormous size, the extent between the two extremities of his extended wings being thirty-two feet. He has been rendered so ' ()Trifle and tractable that Martin Ootaya's s on uses him as a horse, gets upon his back, and, to the astonish ment of all, flies with him to an immense height. young Pamelo manages him as easily as a horse by the means of a little stick with a steel point. His first ascension took place on the 15th ult. at noon. He rose from the Place d'Armes , and at a certain elevation young Pamelo stood up, and saluted the Leghorn people by waving his handkerchief. He neXt got astride his steed, and they disappeared in a trice. The bird and boy reached Florence in twelve minutes, and were back in the evening The child was the bearer of certificates from the Florentine authorities. Everybody goes to see the con dor, the price of admission being two frances. Senor Martin is proceeding with his son and condor to Milan, whence they will repair to Paris and London.—[Surprising., if true.] ANOTHER VISITER TO HER MAJESTY.-011 night, about nine o'clock, a very respectably-dressed young man rang the bell at the tradesmen's entrance of the new palace, and upon being asked the nature of his ,business by the porter, he said he had come for the direction of his house, as he was tired and wished to go home. Upon being asked to explain himself, he said he had just come from Sydney , and had been desired to call at the palace by the Queen , who told him he should have a house to live in, and £l5O per year, for some very important spiritual communication he had made to her. The young man, whose every action showed he was an unfortunate lunatic, was then told the Queen was not in town, when he turned away, observing.' that he would go immediately to Lord Hill, and - lay his case before him. Visits of the preceding kind are very frequent, at the palace, and the tales told by the visitants are many e t them of the strangest nature. It is only a few weeks since an elderly man, having the appearance of a farmer, called at the palace, and handing to the porter the certificate of his birth, requested him to let her Majesty sign it. From inqui ries made concerning this man, it was discovered that be was a respectable farmer in the neighbourhood of Exeter , from which distant place he had wandered on so strange an errand.—Morning Herald. THE EMIGRANT STEAM-SHIP ASIA.—We intimated, tw ° months ego, that the Asia had been forced back to Plymout h, after having been at sea for nearly a month. She sailed frorl! Cromarty in the month of September. This vessel has 1 2 °` quitted Plymouth yet, and very great dissatisfaction is el' pressed by the emigrants. It appears that the vessel was f a from being sea-worthy, though the accommodation was eV cellent. We have seen letters complaining also of the pro vision department of the ship, but it is asserted by the person whose duty it was to see that attended to, that there is 0° ground whatever for the complaint. We know not who is in the right. It must be that great olame is attributable to thos e who chartered the vessel, for it is most wonderful that, frail, her damaged state, she did not go down. We copy the fev lowing remarks from the correspondence of a London paper, being nearly in the same words with a letter which we ou t selves lately received from one of thc emigrants :—" The AO' with 300 emigrants for South Australia, which put in six weeks since leaky, was taken into one of her Majesty's docks at this , e place; she was found very defective ; all h er t ree nails wer e replaced by new ones, an d she had an entire new sheathing. There is no doubt that had she proceeded on her voyage,"" South Australia, she would have gone down. Although su has undergone such extensive repair, she still leaks very con: siderably, so much so that the emigrants have protestea against proceeding in her. Really it is quite time that so!rie regulation should be established by Government to exag one and survey.vessels, anti to see that they are in a state to Pro t ; secute a voyage, before they are allowed to take nut emigro from English . ports."—lnverness Herald.