The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-27 00:00:00

THE UNITED STATES.

NEW YORK, MAY 14.

Since the adjournment of the American Senate and
the inauguration of the new Administration there has l
been the usual lull in political excitement which follows
those quadrennial periods of our history. Although our
journals make scarcely an allusion to what is actually
occupying. the attention of the Cabinet, the President
has been constantly and anxiously occupied with our
foreign affairs. The Cuban matter has been one that
called for the early attention of the Government, and on
several occasions, and for hours in succession, the dis-
cussions of the State Council have been devoted on this
subject. Although Vie difficulties of San Juan de Nica-
ragua were temporarily settled by the intervention of
the commander ofan American-sloop of war, still matters
are there held in abeyance, which happen at the present
time to be the subject of correspondence between the
British and American Governments.
Another matter has excited a good deal of interest in
the Cabinet. A difficulty has been felt in the choice of
a commissioner for the Sandwich Islands. The present
administration deem it to be a matter of a good deal of
importance to watch the political aspects of those
islands, and General Pierce is desirous of instituting new
and more intimate relations with their Government.
There is a considerable party in this country looking
with interest to the annexation of the Sandwich Islands,
and it is quite possible that some slight collision may
occur with Use French authority there during the pre-
sent year.

But far beyond the Sandwich Islands—some thousands
of miles—other scenes are opening which seem to sug-
gest subjects of still deeper interest. In anticipation of
the sailing of the American squadron to Japan, several
splendid clipper ships have been put in requisition at
San Francisco for a commercial expedition to accom-
pany the Government ships, and it is said that upwards
of 1,000 of the citizens of California are prepared to ad-
venture themselves in these vessels with the idea of
private speculations. It is even said that, perhaps, with
the impatience of delay which characterises that new
region, the clipper ships may have already reached the
chores of Japan before the squadron makes its rendez-
vous there ; and I have seen one gentleman who has
risked a large sum in this expedition, who informs me
that the movements of our national vessels will have no
necessary connection with those of the fleet.
But nearer home, on our frontiers, we are likely to
encounter difficulties with Mexico of a somewhat serious
character, unless the Dictatorship of Santa Anna is cha-
racterised by a spirit of moderation he has never before
shown. The dismembered and broken state of that Con-
federation presents a lamentable picture to the world ;
and I fear that inordinate temptations to aggression and
possession may inflame an inordinate spirit of cupidity
on the part of our people.
In the meantime, the Spanish question, and the mis-
sion of M. Loup, the newly appointed Minister, form
the subject of conversation in nearly all political circles,
although far less ls said about it in our newspapers than
might be expected.

I hare often been surprised, during the last year or
two, that the recent and rapidly increasing intercourse
between us and the Americano-Spanish nations, has not
attracted more observation and elicited more remark.
A vast number of families of pure Castillian or of mixed
blood, from Mexico, from Central America, and from
the States of the Southern Continent, are pressing in
upon us this spring, and I have observed that all those
I have conversed with seem to feel that there is but one
country in the western world which promises much poli-
tical security for life or property, and that that country
is the United States. Capital is flowing in every month,
literally by the million, from the Americano-Spanish
world. lam not sure whether the sale of estates and
commercial interests in Mexico, Central America, for in-
vestments as well as emigration to the United States du-
ring the last four years, has not been nearly as great as
our entire importation ofgold from California. There is
hardly a seminary for young ladies, or a classical or
scientific school for boys in our whole country, that does
not number some children of such families among its
pupils. Marriages between the people of the United
States and persons of those nations have become quite
common, and I am disposed to think that no writer,
and perhaps few observers of society, have given due
importance to this admixture of races of which I speak.
To the future historian this will be a subject of very
deep interest, and to the philosophical statesman it must
even now present, or soon will, matters of profound in-
terest. In this case it seems to be the destiny of our
Anglo-Saxons in America to overshadow their neigh-
bours in political, in commercial, and in social influences,
as this same race has overshadowed other nations where
they have got their foothold in other portions of the
earth.

The Government has already got one of the surveying
parties of the three great routes for the Pacific Railroad
into the field, and the other two will soon be started.
A munificent sum was appropriated by the last Con-
gress for the purpose of surveying three different routes
to the Pacific. This appropriation was made under the
impression, which has now become universal, that no
great period of time can elapse before a railway will be
begun (and perhaps several) to the Western Ocean. So
great is the demand for topographical experience, that
the Government has, with all the pains it has taken to
train' up a corps of engineers, found it exceedingly diffi-
cult to get the necessary companies together. Foreigners
of talent and experience, without regard even to citizen-
ship, are crowded into these expeditions ; and there is
reason to believe that we shall have during the next two
years a flood of light poured over the topography of that
vast region that stretches from the Mississippi to the
Pacific Ocean.

1 The latest announcement that has been made by
American journalism comes. from the chief organ, in
New York, of all fanatical organisations, that the free
trade, which England and the democratic party in the
United States are so industriously attempting to diffuse,
is the chief obstacle to the emancipation of the American
slave. This monstrous idea is sustained by no proof
and enforced by no argument ; and even this same jour-
nal attacks with very great virulence the notorious
negro orator, Frederick Douglas, because a day or two
ago, in the Anti-Slavery Convention in this city, he
advocated the doctrine of free trade. But, despite all
this raving, the policy of free trade has become one of
settled conviction in the minds of the American people,
and the time has come when we can no longer travel
back on the road to monopoly and protection. —Times
Correspondent.

SCIWOLS.—A return which has just been printed in
pursuance of an address of the House of Commons, on
the motion of Mr. Bright, gives a comparative view of
the number of day schools and Sunday schools, and of
day scholars, in England and Wales, in the years 1818,
1833, and 1851, with the population of those years, and
the proportions they bore to the population. It appears
that the number of day schools in 1818 was 19,230 ; in
1833, 38,971; and in 1851, 46,114; and that the num-
ber of day scholars in 1818 was 674,883; in 1833,
1,276,947 ; and in 1851, 2,144,377. The number of
Sunday schools in 1818 was 5,463, with 477,225 scho-
lars; in 1833, 16,828, with 1,548,890 scholars; and in
1851, 23,498, with 2,407,409 scholars. The proportion
of day scholars to the population was, in 1818, as 1 in
17'25 ; in 1833, as 1 in 11.27 ; and in 1851, as 1 in
8'36 ; and the proportion of Sunday scholars to the
population was, in 1818, as 1 in 24.40 ; in 1833, as 1 in
9'28 ; and in 1851, as 1 in 7'45.

A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.—The following appears in
an Austrian journal :--" The judicial authorities of Lisko,
in the circle of Sanok, in Gallicia, received information
a few days ago that several dead bodies were secreted in
the cellar of the house of a Jew named Leib Fried. An
examination of the cellar was immediately ordered. It
was found to have no door, but the entrance to it was
blocked up with a considerable quantity of firewood.
When the wood was removed the staircase was seen to
be broken down. The cellar was, however, entered, and
it turned out to be very deep and large. By the side of
one of the walls was a quantity of earth, and lying on
it was the naked body of a woman aged about 40. Near
another wall the corpse of a young girl aged about 15
was discovered ; it was covered with rags. In the centre
of the cellar was the dead body of another woman,
covered only with a chemise. The two'former vrere
lying with the face downwards, and were in a perfect
state of preservation ; in the latter, putrefaction had
commenced. Medical men, on examining the bodies,
could discover no trace of violence on them, and they
declared that the woman had not died from hunger.
The Jew Leib Fried asserted that he did not know that
the bodies were in the cellar ; but he was arrested, and
a searching but secret investigation has been com-
menced."

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY LITERARY SOCIETY....A
report, embracing a variety of interesting details respect-
ing this newly-formed institution, has just been issued
by the committee. It is gratifying to find that the facts
disclosed reflect no less credit on the employes of the
company than on the directors, and that while the latter
not only sanctioned buteffectively promoted the formation
of the society, the former have eagerly availed them-
selves of the advantages placed within their reach.
The society started in March, 1852, with 113 members,
and now it possesses 178. At that time the library con-
tained 730 volumes, but it has since been gradually in-
creased to 1,376 volumes. The funds of the society are
also stated to be in a very flourishing state, and the cir-
culation of the books has steadily increased. The report
contains a long list of donations in money, books, &c.,
received by the society in response to an appeal from the
committee to gentlemen connected with the company.
COLONEL SIDTHORP "AT HOME."—The South Lin-
colnshire Militia assembled at Grantham last Tuesday,
for 28 days' training, causing no little commotion in the
town. The men mustered tolerably, and many appeared
smart lads. On Wednesday, Colonel Sibthorp, who
commands this regiment, arrived on the ground at about
eleven o'clock. After the names had been called over,
and the articles of war read, he made a spirited address
to the regiment, in which he expressed a hope that each
individual would feel as he did, that it was an honour
to be a soldier; that they would cultivate and endeavour
enforcement
painof
discipline.
He to maintain a friendly and brotherly feeling with the in-
habitants of the town ; that, by a cheerful performance
havingf
talietyhoNrvioty for theuldspareenhfim rc
tool. exercise duty,ciseh authority
He said it should be his study impartially t
the comfort and happiness of every one in the opromote
regiment,
promised that they should have a band,
most gallant allusion to the fair sex. The
and made a
dress was cheered by the men, and colonel's ad-
much gratification to the civilians appeared to afford
pro-
nounced him a "brick." The present, who
the civic body, the officers, and the
has been feasting
seems to enjoy the fun, especially men, and everybody
benefit from the generous those who reap any
spirit of our gallant M._ outpourings of the martial
P.—Lincolnshire Timm