Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-29 00:00:00

writing of a Governmental despatch ; and in
• troublesome times, the executive authorities,
both here and in the "far West," can know
hourly what is passing, and make proper pro-
vision for the emergency, But if the advantage
in a national point of view be so great and
important, it is equally so as regards trade and
commerce. Hitherto, we have been obliged to
rely upon the statements of certain parties, as
regards the staple articles of production in the
United States—cotton, for example—and these
advices have had several days, in many instances
a week, to run for confirmation or denial ; the
result has been a heavy positive loss to several
parties. The wheels of commerce have either
been hurried forward with undue impetuosity, or,
by means of concocted and interested reports, the
" drag" has been applied, and losses of no minor
moment have been the result. In the establish-
ment of a Transatlantic Telegraph we see an
effectual remedy for these commercial evils.
The merchant at Manchester, the piece broker
and the spinner, can learn every evening the
demand and current value for their respective
wares, not only in New York, Boston,
Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, and New
Orleans, but all over the Union. The shipownei
will hear instantly of his vessel's safety or
danger, the demand for tonnage, and the current
rates of freight, and can directly advise the
completion or rejection of a charter party. We
might got over almost every species of trade in
the same manner. Enough has been said, that
all branches of commerce must reap vast and
incalculable benefits from the Atlantic
Telegraph. Individually, every person, either
directly or indirectly, will be advantaged.
What is good for a community never fails to
benefit the individual, and therefore we view
with feelings of confidence the attempt now
being made to connect us, by means of the
electric wire, with a people who have sprung
from us, and whose social and commercial pro-
gress must add to the greatness, in every point
of view, of the mighty empire of Great Britain.
Let us hope that the undertaking will meet with
nothing but success—that the winds of heaven
may prosper the noble vessels which are com-
missioned to deposit the important link, and
that He who knolvs the inmost thoughts of man
will bless the project. Certainly no vessels ever
left the waters of the Mersey upon an errand
so momentous and important as that entrusted
to the United States' frigate Niagara and Her
Majesty's ship-of-war, Agamemnon. Proud,
indeed, must be their captains, officers, and
crews, on the successful completion of the task
allotted to them. Each must rejoice that they
have lent a helping hand to this wonderful
agent of civilisation, and the pioneer of an era
which will figure in history's pages as surpassing
all former periods in the chronicles of the

WONDERFUL PASSAGE OF A WONDERFUL
VE3SEL FROM NEW YORK.

This is the age for wonders, bat where are the wonders
to cease? After what we are about to record, we may
fairly ask, what next? We were somewhat surprised
yesterday, to read on the slate in the Underwriters room,
amongst the arrivals, the following startling announce-
ment :—" The Charter Oak,cutter yacht, twenty-three tons,
from New York, with three hinds, thirty-seven days out;
one hand disabled the first night out. She is named after
the Charter Oak of Connecticut, in the hollow of which the
charter granted to the State by Charles 11. was hid,
whin demanded by James the second." This, led us to
make some inquiry, and we really find that the tiny little
craft named as above, has crossed the Mantic with two
hands, and in thirty-seven days —wondezful ! Some of our
readers may, ask us about the Charter Oak tree, and we
have taken some pains to gratify public curiosity, and at
the same time revive some historical incidents, which at
the present day may look like romance :

Connecticut, from its first settlement, chose her own
rulers and nngistrates. qhe never hal a Royal Governor
or Judge. April 20th, 1632, Charles 11. granted a Charter
to the colony, which confirmed the rights and privileges
which the people had previously enjoyed. Cotton Mather
called it the " freest charter under the cope of Heaven."
Charles 11. died in 1685. The kingly powor and divine
right of his successor, James' 11., could endure no such
f,ee Charter. He ordered Sir Eimmd Andross tolgo and
demand its surrender, or to seize it. Judge Sewall, in his
Diary, says, " Wednesday, October 26th, 1687, his Excel-
lency, with sundry of ye Council, Justices, and other gen-
tlemen, four blew coats, two trumpeters. Sam Bligh,
fifteen or twenty red coats, with small guns and short
lances in 3e top of y"', set out for Woodcocks, in order to
go to Connec'icut, to assume ye Government of yt place."
Reaching Hartford, he sent a message to the General Court
demanding the Charter. The Assembly met on the 31st
October, 1687, and deliberated long and earnestly on this
message; representing the great expen,e and hardships of
the,colonists in planting the colony; the blood and treasure
which thee had spent in defending it, end the happy results
it had afforded them. The evening came on, and still they
would not determine to surrender it. At last, Sir Edmond,
impatient of their delay, came in person to take it ; and,
when advancing to secure it, as it lay upon the table, the
lights were suddenly extinguished, the charter wa seized
by Captain Joseph Wadsworth, borne away in triumph,
and lodged in a large hollow oak tree, frontin'.; the house
of the Hon. Samuel Wyllys, in the southern part of the
city.

The people of Connecticut, immediately on the news of
the 11,volntion in England, resumed the government under
the old Charter. It had never been vacated by any judg.
went in the King's Courts against it—it hal never been
nullified by any voluntary surrender by Connecticut. The
opinions of the best counsel in England sustained its per-
fect validity.

Twice aftee the Charter was saved by Captain Wads-
worth, bills were brought into Parliament against it—once
in 1701, and once in 1715. Twice the enemies of the
colony, particularly Governor D.sdlay, of MassrebasAts,
and Lord Cn.abury, Governer of New York and the Jer-
sies, combining with certain disaffzeted persoes at home,
attempted to destroy it. But all as cults upon it were
frustrated by the vigilant activity of the colony, and the
noble Efforts of her agents in England. All the enemies
of liberty were the enemies of the Charter, because this
instrument made the colony comparatively free and in. 49.-
p,ndent„

- The Charter, though the offsprilg of Royal grants, was
republican in its principles. It was, i❑ fact, drawn up in
,rtford, by a committee of the General Court. It con-
tains the princip'e of representation, and the right of suf-
frage. I': is composed of free constituent, parts,, and the
head of the whole, is the elective governor of a, democratic
republic. From the boundaries in the Chatter, which
extended the title of C-nnecticut as to territory west of the
Pacific, came the Western Reserve, the Seb•)ol Fund, and
the blessings of education so widely diffused in the State.
The Charter carried the &ate through the wars with the
Indians, the French, the Dutch, the 'sr
rar of the Revolution,
and the second war of IndependenP,e.
The famous old Charter Oak 'of this city, so noted in
song and history, fell with a trP,mendons crash during the
g,eat storm, at a quarter bt).°.ore one o'clock this morning
(August 21, 1856.)
The noble old tree soed upon the beautiful grounds of
the liOn. Stwatt, late the Wyllys' estate, in the