The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-18 00:00:00

THZ BXPRES6, TUESDAY EVENING• JANUARt 18, 1848'.

We have acoonats from Montreal of a very harsh,
and, so far as we are able to judge from the state-
ments which we have received, a very unaccount-
able step taken by the authorities of the United
States Poet-office department. The most distinct
narrative of the affair that we have yet seen is con-
tained in a memorial of the Montreal Board of Trade,
presented to Lord ELoIN on the 22nd of December
last, which will be found in another column, under
the head, Canada. It will be seen from this preface
that the version of the story of which we are at pre-
sent in possession is es parte: and our remarks are
offered of course with the necessary reservation.
The English mail of the 19th of November only
reached Montreal on the 13th of December,
and the delivery of letters was only completed
about mid-day. The next regular despatch by the
post-office was on the forenoon of the 14th, and letters
sent by it could not, in the ordinary course, reach
Boston until after the 16th, the day on which the
steam-packet for England was to sail. Under thee,
cireamstaaces the bankers and merchants of Montreal
employed a special messenger to forward to Bastes
the letters and parcels containing bills of exchange,
valuable securities, and specie, which, in consequence
of communications from their English correspondents,
they were anxious to transmit to England without
delay. "This was done," says the memorial above-
mentioned, " with the distinct understanding that all
postage and other impede to which such letters,
parcels, and packages might be lawfully subject in
the United States, should be duly paid by the mai-
-1 manger; and your memorialists declare their beliet
that no fraud to the detriment of the government at
the United States, nor evasion of any postage' se
other dues, was ever contemplated by the parties
concerned, or by the bearer of their letters."
The first post town within the frontier of the United
States on the route pursued by the messenger is
Highgate. At that place, the memorialists assert, the
messenger went direct to the post-office, and tendered
to the deputy-postmaster the postage on all the letters
in his charge ; offering, at the same time, to comply
with all legal requirements for their immediate and
expeditious transmission to Boston. The deputy-
r declined to take the responsibility upon
rmiltettebut encouraged the messenger to promd. to
Burlington, saying he might be able to arrange for
the payment of the postage there, and that at all
events no impediment would be offered to his return.
It is asserted in the Montreal Gazette that the mes-
senger had this interview and explanation with the
deputy-postmaster at Highgate before he ventured to
convey the bag with the letters, &c., into the United
States territory.
The messenger, on the strength of the assurances he
had received, proceeded towards Burlington, but was
arrested before he reached it, on a writ from the go.
vemment of the United States. He was taken to
Burlington with the letters and parcels committed to
his care, which were refused to be forwarded not-
withstanding his reiterated offers to pay the postage,
and every expense that might be incurred in their
carriage to Boston. Three addition writs were
served upon him during his detentional , and so much
time was lost in procuring the required bail (2,000
dollars), that it was impossible for him to reach Bos-
ton in time for the steamer. There was nothing for
it but to carry the letters and parcels back to Mon-
treaL
We are free to confess that in this strange transac-
tion the post-office authorities in Canada appear to us
not free from blame. We remember to have read in-
timations, in the Montreal papers received by the mail
which arrived at Liverpool on the 30th of December
last, that the merchants and bankers had availed
themselves of the services of a private mes-
senger, the post-office having retailed to despatch
a special express of its own. Considering the anxious
crisis which had then occurred in the mercantile
world, and the impossibility of answering letters
from England, or transmitting funds or secu-
rities by the return mail, unless by a special
express, we are decidedly of opinion that the Ca-
nadian post-office by this refusal grossly and shame-
fully neglected its duty. Waiving, however, that
general consideration, there can be little doubt that
had the express despatched from Montreal to Boston
been in charge of an accredited post-office servant, the
American authorities would not have ventured to
conduct themselves towards him as they appear to
have done to a private individual.
We are willing to give the American officials im-
plicated all the benefit that they can derive from the
plea of suspicion attaching to a private individual,
who alleged that he was engaged in performing what
was properly the duty of the Canadian Post-office.
Even with this allowance their conduct, if correctly
described in the memorial of the Montreal Board of
Trade, has been utterly disgraceful. The crisis they
knew was an anxious one : the ruin or preservation of
half the traders in Montreal might, for aught they
knew, have been trembling in the balance. No in-
jury could have accrued to the United States from
receiving the bag from the messenger at Highgate,
sealing it, and t: ansmitting it so sealed, to
be delivered at Boston to the English mail-
went, all postages and expenses being paid.
Yet, instead of adopting a course so easy,
in circumstances which would have irresistibly ap-
pealed to men of common humanity, they laid a
trap to bring the messenger within the range of their
penal laws. He was told at Highgate, before the
Were had crossed their frontier, that no arrange-
ment could be made before he reached Burlington;
that he could safely venture there—no obstruction
would be offered to his return. Yet, before his back
was well turned, the writ for his arrestmeat was
made out, and despatched after him in such hot haste
that it overtook him when only two miles beyond St.
Alban% And after he had been carried a prisoner to
Burlington, one, two, and three additional writs were
in succession served upon him. What possible
motive could there be for such superfluous steps?
Unless there was a malignant desire, by protracting
the detention of the messenger at Burlington, to ren-
der it impossible that, in any circumstances, the
letters should reach Boston in time for the mail-
packet, it is difficult to imagine one. If the story
told at Montreal be true, it is not easy to escape the
inference that a trap was laid to inveigle the mes-
senger into a position where he might be accused of
an attempt to defraud the American revenue, and
that the shameful juggle was kept up until it was
certain that the attempt of the Montreal merchants,
to take prompt steps for confirming their credit in
England, had been frustrated.
The prayer of the memorialists, that the transac-
tion we have detailed be brought under the notice
both of the Imperial and United States governments,
cannot but be granted. This unaccountable caprice
by which, at a period of grave monetary embarrass-
ment, the houses connected with Canada might have
incurred serious loss and discredit, must be probed to
the bottom. An ample and satisfactory exculpation,
or an ample and satisfactory amends, are the only
alternatives.
We have already adverted to a sin of omission on
the part of the Canadian Poet-office, which may have
afforded a pretext for this apparent outrage. We
will net attempt to palliate a sin of com-
mission on the part of the imperial post-office,
which, by rankling in the American mind, may have
provoked to the extraordinary treatment of the
Montreal messenger. We allude to the imposition of
a double postage on letters brought to this country by
the American Ocean steamers, against which Mr.
BANCROFT (see the document in another column)
has protested. There can be no doubt that in
this matter the conduct of the British post.
office, though apparently defended by Lord PAulta-

nos, ha bean narrow-minded and shabby in the I
extreme. Ths United States government was entitled 1
to implies what rates of postage it pleased upon
letters conveyed by the American steamers from
New York to Southampton. The British go-
vernment, in common fairness, was only entitled to
add the
.postage from Southampton to the place of
destination in England. The English Post-offioe had,
in fact, little to fear from the competition of the
American packets with our own as letter carriers;
but even if it had, the interest of the general commu-
nity in Britain would have been promoted by the
Post-office being put upon its mettle by such competi-
tion. There is, we know, a very strong and a very
just sense of indignation in the United States on ac-
count of the paltry conduct of the Poet-office here.
Bat shabbiness acting within the law is no excuse
for retaliation by treacherously trepanning a man
into a breach of the law, as was done in
the case of the Montreal messenger. Besides, the
trick was played at the expense of individuals who'
, have no control over the English post-oflice, no par-
. tieipation in the offence it has given, and at a time
when generous minds would have abstained from
attacking even the real offenders, and in a more legi-

mate
We have little fear but that a just and manly view
will be taken of this affair by the government at
Washington. At all event., should regard to the
impending presidential election seduce the American
cabinet into any undue subserviency to its canvassers
in office, we rely upon the right feeling of the mer-
chants and general community of New York and
throughout the Union, for a fair judgment of the
conduct of officious officials. We confidently anti-
cipate that justice will be done to the parties at
Montreal. At the same time it is as well to remind
the British public, that this disagreeable incident
affair affords an additional—an irresistible motive—for
the immediate and speedy completion of the railway
from Halifax to Quebec.

AMERICA.
The papers publish the following protest of Mr. Ban-
croft, American Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenpotontiary in London, addressed to Lord Palmer-
ston, on the subject of the late order issued by the Bri-
tish Postmaster-General, levying double postage
on all letters conveyed in American mail packets
from the United States to the United Kingdom,
and from the latter to the United States. It is said
to be the only document which, of all the papers for-
warded by Mr. Bancroft to the state department, was
considered proper for publication, consistent with the I
public interest, pending the negotiations with England.
The undersigned, Envoy Extraordinary end Minieter Plenipoten-
tiary of the United Staten of America, had the honour on the IVA of
July last, nod more fully on the 16th of Amnia last, to roam oar.
lures to V iwount Palmerston, her Maya'''. principal Secretary of
state for Foreign Affairs, for a postal arrangement between the United
Nista and tie United The undereigned hen this day re.
caved Fran 10101100NOISIMIT-General a memorandum upon
tle le be semillseldsied to his government. Pending the
tbaii . slaws of the two parties should he
. the uWessIPM IBPMed that the order No. 9, issued
ydgOsowelPotableYpaael 1047, by which a dieerlmimillm
able rootage Is levied oats labors conveyed in American ma
packets from the United Mateo to the United Kingdom, and from the
United liing,lorn to the United States, continue% to be enforced. The
free Mtn nurse by letter between more than fifty millions of
whore mother tongue is the English, and of whom nearly one-halt/I:Pet
=the saes ride of the Atlanta, Is of such moment to general can-
meror, international Mende/11p, private affection, and to the condition
and nemesia of the cultivated world, that even a temporary restriction
of that freedom may well demand the menus attention of all who
desire ta cherish relations of amity between kindred nations. it in
therefore with deep regret that the undersigned feels himself com-
pelted to preterit rasing the pcet-ofilee order in question.
I. As the act of a department of bee Majesty's government, with-
out the warrant of a MUM statute.
It is very true that Lord Palmendon, In bin note of the 27th Angst,
following skitter which he had received from that dexartment, In
that "the act of the 3rd and 4th Victoria expressly declares that all
letters ast weighing more than half an ounce. which shall be trans-
mitted by Ve poet between the United Kingdom and the United States
el Medi America. Patti be ehisrpable with en uniform rate of one
eking; end the 7lst action at the eons act
eludingw tat the ea-
set the put ' shell la uadostood nudi hes-
=eg Wore by raid beats? But the declarations al law to
Midi Lod Palmessts• seem. Vastly relate to the British peeks'
ardsa. sad do bat rupiahs Os duties of British postage. Great
Britain might as well, by set of pialameat, regulate the duties of
paelsee witioin the United States, as sedate, be act of parliam boataent,
the en rates chargeable for ecavermee in American packet
upon the great and common highway& the intim..
And if the schedule referred to la its nee ease mentioned is to he
applied to American picket beets, the Post-olkie order in question
contravenes the act, for It Dna a 'record postage when one had
reedy been been paid ; thus making the rate charged betwera the United
States and the United Kingdom, two shillings for what the act referred
to declares Mall bnt erre uniform rate of one shilling. Or, did the
British legielature wriouly Intend by law to trends excluelvely to
its own exchequer the whole return for the casket terns of foreign
nations sending packets to her ports The suppoation that parlia-
ment can have sob ntended, is not to be entertained ; for that inten-
tion would have een inconsistent with equit aml with internal
rights. In confirmation of the opinion that curb woe not the inten-
tion of the legislature, the undersigned appeals confidently to Lord
Palmerston himself, who was at that time one of its members, and
to his colleagues of that day In the ministry and par lament
11. But even if the letter of the act of 3rd and 4th Victoria, C.lll. 96.
should seem to anthoriee the imposithm of a awrlmlnuting double
[notate, the undersigned would Mill protest against the Pastedlice
order In quell 41, an of a meet unfriendly character, contrary to the
principles of perfect reciprocity which should govern the portal ar-
rangements between the countries. Lord Palmerston is well aware
that the act alluded to is not mandatory, but that • diecretlon reels
with the Lords of the Treaeu, or any three of them, with regard to
fu application. The Post-office order to which the undersigned hoe
already called the attention of her Melenty'a government, assumes,
therefore, undeniably, the character of an executive act not required
by law. The degree of nnfriendllnees which has been manifested will
appear, from comparing the rata charged on the American mails
brought in the American paket to Southampton, and forwarded
from Southampton to Havre, with tau which the
tish government &eked and accepted from the American
'averment, for the conveyance from 804011 to St. John's,
In Canada, of their closed mails brought In British pack-
eta to Breton. A special entrust conveyance fur the ode
purpose of transporting that mall was established by the MUMMA
government; and nothing more than a rate of 2;d. for a ningle letter
of half an ounce, or about Gd. the ounce, net weight, was demanded
fora mail thus exclusively instituted for that service : and the Britieh
post-office, for conveying the American closed mile from Southamp-
ton to the French chore, a distance tree than half an great an the dis.
tame from Boston to St. John's, with no mantel speed, and in the
least expensive manner, erects four franca, or nearly seven fold the
sum paid to Anicriel fur more than twice the service.
111. The undersign I further promote against the poet-office order
in question, not only no illegal and unfriendly, but oleo an unpre-
cedented. It le true Lord Palmerton explains "that the United
States is not the only country to which the above mentioned act hair
been no applied, but that on the contrary, the regulation by
which packet 'rootage is charged upon letters and new•papere
Gene In foreign packets hid been invariably acted upon in
to letters conveyed by the mail packer; of all foreign coun-
'UTZ Now, there are but two milieu bead.. the United States
which convey letters to this island by their own mail packeta, vu.:
France and Belgium. " All foreign countries" referred to by Lord
Palmerston can therefore be only France, Belgium, and America.
Ili "the above-mentioned act" even been "o applied" to the mid
packete of France' When and where was it "no applied?" When and
where wee double postage levied on a French mail packet? The under-
Mimed has not by diligent inquiry been able to dmonver that the
above-mentioned rate wan ever "so applied" to the mail packets of
France. Or, is it to Belgium that the above-mentioned act was "
applied?" It may be that oar, on a line of mail packet' of Belgian,
what Lord Palmerston calla the ordinary rates of ship letter postage
may have been levied through mistake, because the boats were not
taken to be mall ;meant ; but if so, the error committed wan
readily acknowledged and rectified. But Lord Palmerston in-
"ni~ts that the rites of packet portage, and not the ordinary
rats of chip letter portage" are chargealsie upon letters con-
veyed by the American government packets, under the act above-
mentioned; and Lord Palmerston pewee& to nay that "the last
occasion on which thin regulation won oo eyelid' happened in 1614,
when the Belgian government, haring estabitehed packet. to run
twice a week between Dover and (Jetted, letters conveyed by those
packets were ordered to be charged with precisely the tame rates of
postage which are chargeable upon letters conveyed by British mail-
packets " This statement Is made by Lord Palmerston with great
precision; bet the undersigned, in reply to hie inquiries in respect to
it, in informed, that "the Belgian packet boats eel not begin to ply
between Ostend and Dover till the month of March, 1846, and that no
difference has ever arisen between the two countriea in reference to
letters treneported by these packet boats." Besides, her Majesty's
postmaster-general has himself informed the anderidgned, that the
ow order in question is • novel application of the Mee errta-
11=1 eight years "once. And the undersigned begs Lord Pal-
merston to believe that, aa her Majenty'n government have never
imposed double poetise to the injury of any notion but the United
Stater, to the Patuffiee order in question duds in striking contra,
with the welcome given to AMlif LAO ktters from American packet
horde by other nation. of Europe.
IV. The undersigned further protests against the order in quails,
u inconsletent with the spirit of the convention of 3rd July, lai.s,
"to regulate the commerce between the territoriis of the United
Stater and hie Britannic Majcety," which convention provide. that
•' no higher or other duds or chargesshall be imported ••• • in
the ports of any of his Britannic Majesty's terntorip- in Europe, on
the vessels of the United States than shall be payable in the same
poem our British easels," and further, "that the cilium of the
United States • • • • Mall pay no higher or other duties or
charges on the importation or ex 'relation of the carpi. of the mid
newels than shall be payable on the 831110 articles when
or exported in the most favoured European
ra-
tions." The undersigned is here condemned to ark, if the
few shillings which have been thus far exacted, need which conenne
to be exacted, by the British poet-office, as ma rates upon letters
which it did not bring over sea, are a compensation for the creation of
I even temporary impedimenta in the way speakingia nodal, sod
scientific correspondenoe between nation. the same Is
sod bound to amity by the highest considerations of regard l'nogruall
ammercial freedom. The underoigned, notwithstanding
.lils
hillast notes to Lord Palmerston on this subject have failed to obtain
ndirms, could not wawa the continued exaction of double postage
sabtters conveyed by American steamers without entering his pro- '
Ines Meantime, he is-ever reedy to contribute his efforts towards
aunisting, without delay, with her Majesty's government a portal
semeesment, which shall place the mail service of the two countries
is the imam of reciprocity. The undersigned units Dimwit of this
eingingle renew to Viocount Palmerston the assuranceof hie &Win-
WiNfousideretton.—kSigned) Game Barreeorr.—United States
90, Eatonatquare, Oct. 22, 1817.
A communication had been received at Vera Cruz
from the English Secretary of Legation, Mr. Thorn-
, ton, covering a protest from Lord Palmerston, the
British Minister of Foreign Affairs, protesting against
the forcible levy of taxes on English, residents in
Mexico for the purpose of aiding to support the war.
These levies were made six months since, and paid
by the English residents under protest, since which
they have appealed to their government for protection.
We have already noticed the arrest of Gen. Worth,
by the order of the Commander-in-Chief, at Mexico.
With regard to the arrest of Colonel Duncan, the
Union publishes the following. It seems that in the
first instance General Scott called the attention.of
certain officers of the army to an old-established regu-
lation to the effect, that private letters or reports,
relative to military marches and operations, are fre-
quently mischievous design, and always disgrace-

J army. 'may are, therefore, strictly for-
; sad any officer found guilty of making each
Jet for publication, without special permiosion, or
Xplacing the writing beyond his control, so that it
finds its way to the press,, within one month after the
termination of the campaign to which it relates, shall
be dismissed from the service. And he states his in-
tentions in general orders to enforce this regulation.
In the same general order be goes on to say :
As yet but two echoes from home of the brilliant opera-
tions of our arms in this basin have reached us, the first in a
New Orleans and the second through a Tampico newspaper.
It requires not a little charity to believe that the principal
heroes of the scandalous letters alluded to did not write
them, or specially procure them to be written ; and the in-
telligent can be at no lots in conjecturing the authors—
chiefs, partisan', and pet fsmiliars. To the honour of the
service, the disease (pruriency of fame not earned) cannot
have seised upon half a dosen officers (psesent), all of whom,
it is believed,lelong to the same two coteries. False credit
may, no doubt, be obtained at home by such despicable self-
puffing. and malignant exclusion of other., but at the ex-
pense of the just esteem and consideration of all honourable
officers who love their country, their profession, and the
truth of history. The indignation of the great number of
the latter
and
cannot fail, in the end, to bring down the
conceited and the envious to their prop.? level.
The letters alladed to by General Scott, says the
Union, as " the echoes from home," are a letter
signed " Leonidas," and another letter which
appeared first in the Pittsburg Pont, was thence trans-
ferred to the Union, and the whole then appeared in
a Tampico pacer, in which General Scott first saw
the letter. Upon the publication of General Scott's
orders, given above, Lieut.-Col. Duncan came out
promptly in the North American with the following
frank avowal of his connexion with the " Tampico
letter," so called. According to the North American,
the" Tampico letter" was " compiled from two letters
written by officers of the army in Mexico to a brother
alai, in Pittsburg, for his eye alone." But read
what Col. Duncan has to say of it :
Mexico, Nov. 13, 1847.—T0 the Editor of the NortA American.--
▪ herewith present a copy of the "Tampico letter," shame-
Meted se " esendalosis." "despicable,' "malignant." Iffe-, Is gene-
ral orders No. 949, published in the of
Star of this morning.
To the end that the true character of this litter may be known, I de-
sire that you republish It in your paper and that be
or my bro-
ther officers may innocently safer for • publicatiou so okeoxious, I
hereby publicly aanowiedge myeelf to be Ito author. The substance
of itl communleateikTrom Tacubaya loon utter the baales, in • private
letter to • friend in Pittsburg. The statements in the letter are known
by very many of el this army to be true ; and I cannot think
that the publicattat of troth b tem likely to do violence to
Individuals or the service than
the suppression or paver-
sloe of It. Justice to Om Worth (who is evidently one
of the "heroes" painted at is order No. 349) requires me to
ashes that kaksaw nothing libitiver of my purpose to write the
leakerlneemegMas war Si It . bees written till on its way to
he deutleadem; beam, saw,WARM he know, directly or indirectly,
even the purport er eras NM weed, or syllable of it, till be law it In
print; and he isomer immennt of my design to nuke this declare-
tion, which I door I mei the letter unprompted, and on my own
teapousibility.—Very reepeetftilly, your obedient servant, Janes
Du MAN, Brevet Lieut.-Col. U. N. A.
After the publication of this letter Colonel Duncan
was placed under arrest, and subsequently General
Pillow was arrested, and next General Worth. The
North American is of opinion that General Pillow
was not arrested on account of the " Leonidas" letter,
but on the followMg grounds :
There has been another arrest—that of General Palow—
one of the chiefs before named ; but not, as appears, on ac-
count of the letters of which he is the hero. We hear gene-
rally that the cause was this: General Pillow, having taken
exceptions to the finding of a court of inquiry, which find-
ing has been approved by General Scott, addressed a paper
relating to the matter to the Secretary of War, through the
Commander-in. Chief, preserving a copy, which he avowed,
in • letter accompanying, he had sent (or would send)
directly to the Secretary at Washington. This transaction
is judged to be a contempt ; and for the so-judged contempt
General Pillow is arrested. Not understanding the techni-
calities of the case we are not advised whether part of or the
whole transaction is regarded as the contempt but that is
immaterial.

•
COLONIAL.
BRITISH NOltTli AMERICA.
CANADA.—Oar dates from Montreal are to the
24th of December. The elections were in progress through-
out the province, but the final result was still uncertain.
The Montreal herald, the organ of the old tories, had come
out against ministers ; the Montreal Gazette, their most
efficient advocate, still clung to the title of " conservative
party." The following appointments by the governor-
general were gazetted on the 18th of December :—The Hon.
J. A. Macdonald to be commissioner of crown lends, vice
the Hon. D. B. Papieeau resigned; the Hoa. F. P. Brunesu
to be a member of council, and to be receiver-
general, vice the Hon. J. A. Macdonald ; J. E.
Turcotte, Esq., to be a Queen's counsel, and to be
solicitor-general for Lower Canada ; 0. R. Govan, Esq.,
to be supervisor of tolls on the St. Lawrence canals west
of
Lachine. These appointments would seem to indicate that
ter ministers continued to receive surt—haps additional
support—on the one hand from apportion of the French
party, en the other from the more liberal and intelligent of
the old tory party. At this distance, however, and at this
early stage of the contest, 1t would be rash to form a decided
opinion. The proceedings in the new provincial parliament
will show.
The event of the fortnight is recorded in the following me-
morial of the Montreal board of trade, and the introductory
paragraph of the Gazette :
The following memorial to his Excellency the Governor-General,
was presented to him on Werinealay Mat, by a deputation of the
Board of Trutie. We understand that, in • cenvereatMn which en-
sued on the occasion, his Excellency xpreesed his willingness to sup.
port the prayer of the memorial. and that he was fully alive to the
inconvenience the public sustains, in not being able, under the exult-
' lag postal arrangements., to answer their letters by return packet. On
It being suggeeted, that poseibly by tee employment of an express to
• Halifax, at the latest moment, aiming letti•re only, sufficient time
would be gained to Mace the desired facility within the reach of the
community, his F.seellency was pleased to state he would M
Mately smasmunieste with the PostmasterZeneral on the subject
The Memorial of the Montreal Board of Trade humbly slowed, :
Thal° consequence of the unusually late arrival in Montreal, of the
English mail of the 19th of November, it became impossible for the
mercantile community, and others resident in this city, to reply to the
important advieee received by that mail in time sufficient for the re-
turn mail steamer, except by the employment of ex extraordinary
expecte to Boston. That the English mail reached Montreal only on
the 13th instant, and that the delivery of the letters was completed
only about mid-day. That the next regular Post-office despatch of
letters hence to Boston, was on the forenoon of the 14th instant, and
that letters sent by such despatch could not, in the ordinary course,
reach Boston until after the lath, the day of departure of the mad for
England. That under these circumstances, several of the bankers,
merchants, and other citizens of Moutreni, availed themselves of the
servicat of • special messenger, to whom letters, parcels, and pack-
ages, eontaining bills of exchange, valuable securities, and specie, to
a large amount were intrueted, with the distinct understanding that
said other imposts to which such letter; Puce* and
amen rgetanight be lawfully subject in the United States, should be
duly paid by the messenger, and your mcmorialiste declare their be-
lief that no fraud to the detriment of Me government of the United
States, nor evasion of any postages or other dues, was ever contem-
plated by the partite concerned, or by the bearer of their letters.
That on arriving at Highgate. the first poet-town within the United
States, the meseenger went direct to the post-office there, and ten-
dered to the deputy-postmaster, Mr. liorrick, the postage on all
idlers In his charge, offering, as your memorialiets are informof
theed end
believe, to comply with all other legal requiremeata
said deputy.postraaster, for the immediate and expeditious
tram:Males of the said letters to Borten. That this offer Was refused
by the postmaster at
headHighate, whe permitted the messenger to pro-
ceed on his way, saying
able to arrange for the payment of the spoilage at Darlington ; at all
events, that no impediment was likely to he offered to hie return.
however, about two mile beyond St. Albans, he was arrested on a
writ from the government of the United States; was taken to Bur-
lington, and there detained with the valuable property in his posers;
sem, notwithstanding his reiterated offers to pay the postage and ex-
penses of carrying his letters to Boston through the agency of the
reenter mail contractors; that, further, three other wnte having
been served on him, in the most vexatious end annoying manner, so
much time was occupied in procuring the required bail, amounting in
ell is 2,000 dots., that it became imputable to complete his journey to
Baran. 1n time to meet the steamer. It la not easy to estimate the
consequence. of this detention, involving the most serious came
mance. to the merchants of Montreal ; and probably causing, at this
period of monetary embarmeameat in England, serious loss and dis-
credit to the houses connected with Canada, and whose remittances
have been so arbitrarily detained by the authorities of a nelebbosring
state, In intimate and friendly relations with this peovince; and
whom mercantile intercourse therewith rendered a system of mutual
acammodatlon essential to the interests of both. Your memorialists
can hardly impose that this exhibition of authority, so uncourteously
levelled against the interests of the city of Montreal, in the person of
an individual intending noviolaties of theta+, will be sustained by the
United States government, from whom your memorialists confidently
expect acts more in accordance with the enlightened and commercial
spirit of the age ; and your memorialists are duiposed to hope that this
reptversitalloa of facts will satisfy the United Mats e government that,
no infraca n of their laws being intended, the mercantile community
of this city bee been treated with undue harshness in a circular from
the United States Foat-odice department, dats-d the 2nd Met., and
signed C. Johnson. imputing to it illegelity of conduct, discourtesy,
and disregard of national rights. Whet efore your memorialist. hum-
bly pray your Excellency will bring the foregoing circumstances under
the pence of both the imperial and Unitot States Governments, and
adopt such other measures in relation. thereto as to your Excellency
may seem meet. and your memorialists, as in duty d, will ever
pray.—Ammew SHAW. Vice-president of the Montreal 'feu dal Trade; '
Facto alex A. WILLSON, Secretary.,
We regret to learn that private letters from Montreal
speak despondingly of mercantile prospect. " Times con-
tinue truly awful here," says one, " and the best men in
Canada are driven into corners, while many who are quite
solvent are obliged to ask renewal of accommodation." A
circular (dated Dec. 23), inclosed in the letter from which
this sentence is quoted, states:
The business done during the last fortnight ban been en a very
limited scale. la flour, wheat, and other grain, oatmeal, beef, and
butter, we have no transactions to reoOrd.—Pork There has been •
some bagasse done; each isle, however, at a reduction upon the
former OM. Sales have been made at cargo 7 dole. • prime, 9 dole. ;
prime mese, 11 dole.; mats IS dole.; but these rates cannot now be
obtained.—Ashes : There is little or nothing doing.—Exchange : Pri-
vate is held at 14 to 14/ per cent premium, 90 day; and 30 day hills
on London have been add to-day at 15 per rent. premium. The in-
quiry for unexceptionable bills is good. The banks are not drawing
either on England or New York. For private thefts OD New York
31 per cent premium seesawed to-clay but refused.

GENERAL LYING-IN HOSPlTAL.—Yesterdsty the
annual meeting of the governors of this institution was held
at the hospital, York-road ; Mr. Mellor in the chair. It
appeared that a balance of 1071. remained in the treasurer's
hands en the last quiuter ; and that 445 out patients, and
289 in-patients, had been attended during the year. It was
resolved that a deputation should wait on the Earl of
Shaftesbury, to request him to act as president of the cha-
rity. The vice presidents, committee, and auditors of the
past year were re-elected, and votes of thanks pared to
them and the medical attendants for their services. Much
inconvenience having resulted from one of the rules, which
allows to a person subscribing one guinea the privilege of
sending in one in-patient, it was agreed to refer the rules for
the admission of patients to the committee. A vote of
thanks was passed to the chairman, and the meeting sepa-
rated.