The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SAT URDA Y EVENING,

country, ablve the level or tl,e Gll'i of the b:d of
great r:wrs.
" 2d. The nature of the soil.
" 3d. The climate, as it rep-cts terup ra°are, rainy,
and ninde.
" 4th. The food and water.
" 5;11. The temprance and eleanlineia of the >p'o,..

" 6th. The appjarance of the couni ry."
We cannot better close cur allusions to the inte-
resting little volume before ua th:in by transcribing
from it the following vivid and charming portraiture
of the general appearance of the province :
"In N. E. Texas no barren rock nor arid waste, nor
offensive marsh exists; but the spirits and the mind are
healthfully excited by the appearance of a country haying
a beauti'ully undulating surface, agreeably diversified by
woodttnd and prairie, and with an infinitude of little rip-
pling rills, bre:aking it up into hills and valleys. The
surface is everywhere covered with the most lux-
uriant vegetation. The foliage of the trees and
shrubs has a variety, beauty, and symmetry, unknown
to less genial climes. Flowers of the richest hue, and
suited to every taste, adorn the prairie; and even the
unsightly river bottoms are rendered more detestable by
the twining of the beautitul cactus, and other climbers,
which form the ornaments of European hot-houses. The
birds flitting from tree to tree are very numerous, of
elegant form and of beautiful colours; and wally of them
warble too. The ground, and the gratis, ar,d indeed
every thing, swarm with insects of beautiful forms
and colours unknown to us. The birds of prey, even,
as the goshawk and the forked-tail hawk, are lovely
creatures. The dreaded rattle and mocassin snakes
have most beautiful painted skins, and tho tarantula,
to my eye, an elegant form and colour. Nature
there exists in a million forms to which we are strangers;
and every where she clothes herself in beauty.
You cannot but admire the green-headed prairie fly,
which maddens sour horse in the mid-day sun; and the
mosquito which torments you at night is unsurpassed
in lightness and elegance of form. So soon as the evening
sets in, the grasshopper, locust, and other insects,
fill the air with their beautifully tuned songs ; and
the tree frog, and the various kinds of night
birds pleasingly swell the chorus. To my mind no
country offers so much beauty and luxury. and it is
probable that the poet and the painter will ere long rank
there as ordinary inhabitants; and whilst Texas has an
indisputable right to its title of the Italy of America, it
also lays claim to the not less enviable one of the garden
of the world.

No description of a remote country could be at once
more circumstantial and more fascinating than the
one here given by Dr. Edward Smith of the province
of Telma, one of the most fruitful, beautiful, and
salubrious countries in the whole extent of the
American Continent.

CITY ELECTIONS.
BRIDGE WARD.

Yesterday being Sr. nutrias's Day, a vvardmate of the
freemen and home holders of the ward of Bridge was held
at noon, in the Vestry-room of Sr. Magnu4 Church.
Fish street hill, for the election of Common Councihnen
and other officers for the ensuing year; Alderman Sir
Chaprn,n harsh ill in the chair.
At ter the clerk had read the precept,
Sir Ch APMAN MARSHALL said they were all no doubt
aware that since they met last year for the election of
officers a new Act of Parliament had been passed
(the 12th and 13th of Vic.), which altered the elective
franchise and the mode of voting, and be was happy
in being able to congratulate them that these
alterations would conduce to the benefit and welfare of
the respective wards of the city of London.
The election of the inquest, whose duty it is to sup-
press all nuisances, to prevent the using of fals, weights
and Does -urce, and to report to the Gaut of Alderne.n
the names of ad persons carrying on business in the
ward without being freemen of the city, was then pro-
ceeded with, but excited no opposition.
Mr. HENRY' GIBBS said, as the different Ilr'inbeTS of
the Common Council whose term of office had just ex•
Fired offered themselves for re-election, he had very grt at
pleasure in nominating Limn again as eandit!ates for the
Ake for the ensuing year; but in doing so he bad no in-
en t ion whatever of shutting out any other gentleman who
ightthiek fit to present himself, and he was Lctuated only
by the conviction that every inhabitant of the ward telt
proud of the sincerity, worth, and ability of the class of
gentlemen who composed the Common Council of the
past year. He begged, therefore, to propose the follow-
ing gentlemen:—
James Lowe, stationer; Thomas Pewtress, stationer;
William Knott, haberdasher; John Hills, net dlemsker;
Jacob George Cope, fishmonger ; Henry Mathew,
stationer ; William Chadwick, builder ; Charles
Whetharn. leather-seller.

Mr. EATRY seconded the motion, expressing a hope
that they would enjoy health and prosperity, and be
enabled long to fulfil the duties of their office.
Mr. TUCKER wished to know whether Mr. Lowe and
Mr. Pewtress were qualified to present themselves as
candidates for the office, and whether the new law did
not render their election illegal.
The CLERK said that those two Honourable Gen-
tlemen were perfectly qualified. The ancient law
of the city was that any inhabitant householder
who was properly rated could offer himself as a common
councilman, and the new law did not in any way
destroy the right or alter or vary the nature of the quali-
fication required, but it brought into existence a new
class of persons who could stand for the office, and this
was done by opening up the Parliamentary register.
He apprehended that it did not now matter whether a
candidate was of one ward or of another.

After a discussion with respect to the wretched state
of the drainage in the neighbourhood of Hart-street,
Lombard-street, which it was alleged had placed the
lives of several persons in jeopardy, and to which the at-
tention of the Common Council was invited,

Mr. TUCKER proposed the name of Mr. W. Gain, felt
maker, as a common councilman.
The CHAtestArt then put the names of the candidates
seriatim, when the number of bands held up for each was
as follows:

James Lowe ... ... ... 36
Thomas Pewtress ... ... ... 34
Wm Knott ... ... ... 34
John Hills ... ... ... 30
Jacob George Cope 30
Charles Whethara ... ... ... 30
Henry Mathew ... ... ... 26
Wm. GAin ... ... ... ... 25

Wm. Chadwick

The CHAIRMAN then declared that the first eight gen-
tlemen were duly elected common councilmen of the
ward for the ensuing year.
Mr. CHAnwxcx said he would not give the
wardmote the trouble of going to a poll, and, in
perfect good feeling, he thanked them for the
trust and confidence which they had reposed in him
during the past year, and bowed with all submission to
their present election of Mr. Gain in his place, for
owing to his long residence in the ward and his ether
qualifications, he would no doubt serve them better than
be hid done.—(Cheers )
_

After the transaction of some other business the ward-
mote separated.

ALDERSGATE.

Alderman Sir P. Laurie presided. Some discussion
took place upon the sutject of the Act recently passed
with regard to City elections. Mr. Beasley complained
of it as disfranchising one-third of the voters of the
ward, whilst the number was small enough before. The
warantote then proceeded to
,the election of Common
Councilmen; the votes were as follows :--.Mr. Wood-
ward, 65; Mr. Da Jersey, 54; Mr. Godson, 66; Mr.
Stacey, 58; Mr. Lorking, 50; Mr. Norris, 70; Mr.
Wood, 73; •Mr. Chaplin, 66; *Mr. Allcock, 38.
Sir PETER LAURIE declared the first eight gentlemen
elected; whereupon a poll was demanded on behalf of
Mr. Al!cock. It takes place to-day (Saturday) be-
tween 10 and 4 o'clock.
BILLINGSGATE.

The following gentlemen were elected Common Coun-
cilmen :—Mr. Curling (Deputy); Mr. B. Bower; Mr. J.
Knill; Mr. J. Robtrts; Mr. R. M. Phillips; Mr. W.
Williams; Mr. W. G. Baines; Mr. J. Carter.

iltnnt for the ward:—Mr. Briggs, Mr. R!dhearl, Mr.
Young, Mr. Airchcson, Mr. Turnbull, Mr. Buckley, Mr.
Ws lie,- and Mr. Ward.
VINTRY.

Sir W. Me.pay pre,,ided. The following Common
Councilmen were re-rlec,e,':--Mr. Archer (Deputy),
Mr. Spragu, Mr. Lepa:d, Mr. D. White, Mr. Mason,
and Mr. Coleman.
Mr. Coleman wished to move votes of thanks to the
Ci!j7 Court of Sewers and to Mr. C. Pearson, for their
services on the late gas mov,,ment; hut Sir W. Msgnny
declared the subjscts to be out of order, and declined to
receive them.