The Press.
London, England, 1853-07-02 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

Neri, S. Rocco, S. Anthony of Padua ( the protectors
of the town), and Our Lady of the Rosary, which ac-
cordingly took place on the 17th. In the course of
it there were manifested some decided, though to us
not very intelligible, symptoms of a disposition on the
part of the Virgin to work a miracle, and, at least, on
the part of the populace, to believe one. Neverthe-
less the images were safely replaced on their respec-
tive altars, and the sermon went on ; but, at its con-
clusion, "God, who willeth not the death of the sin-
" ner, but rather that he should be converted and live,
" through the merits of His most holy mother" (we as-
sure the reader we are translating faithfully ), directed
a lambent flame to play on the breast of the Virgin's
image. "A miracle, a miracle !" resounded on every
side, and, as the groans and cries of the conscience-
stricken multitude rose from time to time in louder
chorus to heaven, the flame waved in larger spires
and darted with greater brilliancy. The excitement
was intense. It was with difficulty the church could
be cleared for the night. On the following day (the
18th) the authorities paid a visit to the image, and
the miracle was renewed, with the addition of corus-
cations from the infant Christ, while a miraculous
rain refreshed the thirsty fields. On the 19th a pro-
cession of thanksgiving was ordered, in which the
women, gentle and simple (again we are translating),
walked with bare feet, and beat their breasts so as to
produce visible contusions. The popular enthusiasm
was at too high a point of the thermometer to sub-
side quickly. At midday, when all ecclesiastical
ceremonies in the south of Europe make way for
dinner, the first of the congregation who left the
church fancied they saw sparks scintillating round an
image of the Virgin placed in a small chapel near
the door. There was au instantaneous rush to the
spot, which was too confined to admit even a small por-
tion of the eager crowd. The struggle was frightful
—the shouts, the screams, the reverend penman pro-
tests, were beyond his powers of description. The
excitetnentmse to delirium—the populace cast them-
selves frantically on the ground, and with fists and
stones beat themselves on the breast till they were
covered with blood. In short," says the pious nar-
rator, with triumphant complacency, "the inhabi•
" tants of Tramutola are in such a heavenly state as
"it will not be in the power of the arch-enemy to dis-
" turb for one while." Alas ! Blanco White, who at
least equalled in experience the "arch-priest" of Tra-
mutola, and who certainly surpassed him in perspi-
cacity and candour, has told us (in Doblatio'a inimi-
table letters) that never is the reaction of vice and
immorality so strong as after one of these outbursts
of penitential fanaticism.
We forbear to make any comment on the above
painful narration, which we can assure our readers
we have rather softened than exaggerated in our
translation.

SLAVE LABOUR.
To THE EDITOR UP " THE PRESS."

Sir,—ln answer to your correspondent of June IS,
signed " An Old Planter," I beg leave to state that
the crop of cotton in the United States, in 1843-4,
was 2,030,409 bales, the average weight of each bale
that year being 3i3 ; and in 1851-2 the crop was
3,015,257 bales, and the average weight 416 lbs.,
showing an actual increase in cotton as thllows

eILOP OF UNITED STATES.
1.1)s. f.
1851.2
1813-I

Inerenge 11151-1.. 497.004,355 Ibm.

E 9,565,359

being at the rate of about million per annum—a
large increase in one article alone. The consumption
of the United States was, in 184:14, 360,744 bales,
anti in 1851-2, 603,029 bales.

But your correspondent must bear in mind that
the cmp of 1$4:I-4 was a larger one than even 1M46-7,
and about equal to 1849-50. I here give a statement
of the crop for a series of years :

GROWTH OF COTTON IN TUE UNITED STATES.
Bales.
1830-40
1840-41
1841.42 1 o+4l 571
1842-13
1843-41
181445
1845-46
1810-17
1647-48
1848.49
1444940
1850-51 2 353,257
1851.52

The slave population of the States is considerably
increased, not only by a stimulated breeding of them
on their ow•n soil. but by smuggling them in the most
matured state from Cuba.

As to Tobacco, in IM4O the crop of the United
States was '219,000,00011w., and in INSO, 200,000,0001h5.
Rice: in 1840 the crop was 81,000,0001b5., and in
1850, :215,000,0001bs.; and, as to Sugar : in 1840 the
crop was I 55,000,0001b5., and in 1850, 281,000,000b5.
1 have not the particulars of the year 1844, but
presume the above will answer your correspondent's
purpose. CMS.