The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-19 00:00:00

AMERICAN AFFAIRS:
NEW Yonx, MARCH 31.—Although it is nearly two
years before the Presidential election takes place,yet the
campaign has fairly opened. The Charleston (South.
itisteheideitor.
Carolina) Courier has commenced a defence of Mr. Cal-
of ho
gnneeosrsatdet.rhnß,
with The Southabandoning
with
Cal-
houn, and assails in no measured terms the Witshiston
char
annodtiewniethensucrfuemeibinign!
on
no
tnhoergthneerentiomneon
the Caroling
t t' e interests
t papereres t s
slavery.
Mr. Calhoun is calling (in a speech recently made)
upon southern statesmen to organise and unite on the
existing topic of slavery, which he conceives vital to the
slave-holding population. On this ground he thinks the
Presidential question should be fought. In the 'speech
referred to he denounces a " caucus, ' or convention, held
for the purpose of nominating a candidate for the office
of President. Whatever may be said of Mr. Callioun'a
views on other subjects, his remarks in relation to party
conventions merit calm and serious deliberation. They
never fail to exhibit a scene of low intrigue, and some-
times the most profligate and audacious corruption. I
regret to add, these charges are not exclusively confined
to one political party.
The Union, Mr. Polk's mouthpiece, replies to this
assault with great bitterness. He insists upon a con-
vention to designate the candidate of the party, and is
prepared to expel as an unbeliever and a heretic the
man who does not sustain and support the usages of the
party, and this usage in particular. It is very generally
understood and believed that Mr. Calhoun is determined
to be a candidate for the Presidency at the next election.
If he consents to go into the convention, he will be
bound by its proceedings, and no matter what pledges
or assurances are given to him, he and his friends will
be voted down. This fact Mr.i Calhoun understands.
He knows he will be cheated.
Mr. Benton entertains strong hopes and expectations
that he may be selected as the candidate of the Palace.
All such hopes are worse than visionary. It was with
the view of promoting that darling object that he
struggled so stoutly to obtain the command of the
army. There are, however, so many obstacles in the
way of Mr. Benton's ascending the throne, that I con-
sider the attempt as visionary, and unworthy notice.
The aspirants in his own party are numerous, while the
feud between Benton and Calhoun is violent and uncom-
promising.
The Whig party have made no movement as yet indi-
cating whom they would peter as their candidate for the
office of President; but there is no doubt a very large
majority of the Whigs would prefer Henry Clay, if he
could be induced to permit his friends to use his
name for that office, which is very doubtful. Mr.
Clay seeks retirement, and while ho enjoys the society,
of his family and his friends, he delights in rural pur-
suits, and the cultivation of a superb farm of which he
is the proprietor and the occupant, haring settled on it
some thirty years or more, when the surrounding
country was a wilderness.
In a few days (the 12th of April) Mr. Clay will
be seventy years old. He possesses a robust consti-
tution, and is in most excellent health. His friends
in this city are making the necessary arrangements for
a large and splendid io.dival in honour of his birthday.
There is no doubt it will be well attended, and probably
by some of our most distinguished statesmen from adja-
cent states. As he advances in the number of his years,
the respect and esteem of his countrymen appear to
grow stronger,
while the asperity of party is daily be-
coming more subdued, losing its bitterness, so far as it
applies to him.
We have recently experienced a tremendous gale of
wind along our seaboard. As far as we have heard,
the disasters have been numerous, and we have reason to
apprehend that the lobs of both life and property will
prove great.
The exciting topics in this city are the Irish suffer-
ings and the Mexican war, but especially the latter.
On Friday last the Government ship the Jamestown,
Captain Forbes, cleared at the Boston Custom-house for
Cork, and sailed on Saturday. She is loaded with sup-
plies for the relief of the Irish sufferers by famine.
About the 20th of the present month we bad rumours
of a great battle having been fought between Santa
Anna and General Taylor, but no details. .Rumours,
however, were rife that the Mexicans had been repulsed
with the loss of 4,000 or 5,000 men, and that General
Taylor had sustained a loss of from 1,100 to 1,700 men.
On the 23d the National Intelligencer published a call
from Colonel Curtis, of Ohio, on the Governor of Loui-
siana for 10,000 volunteers, to be dispatched to the seat
of war with as little delay as possible. This requisition
bears date, " Camari,ro, March 2, 1847." and states
that all communication has for several days been cut
off between Camargo and the army above" (General
Taylor's army).
From the 23d of March to the present day we have
had nothing but the most contradictory reports and ru-
mours, without one lino that can be considered official,
or that can be relied on.
On the 26th of March the Intelligences received, via
New Orleans, advices from Mexico to the 27th of Fe-
bruary;
they annonnce a revolution in the city of
Mexico. Gomez Ferias has been denounced, and Salts
chosen in his stead. Santa Anna, according to the ac-
mints, retains his power and influence. The Inklli-
gencer publishes a letter from New Orleans, from which
the following is extracted:—
" We have two days later from Brazos, but nothing
later from the army—nothing further, from the enemy
being near to Matamoras, which is considered safe."
We have to report, via Tampico, of a
battle, and that Santa Anna was repulsed. The report
is without any just foundation. Every one is on tiptoe
for further adviees. God send they may be favourable."
If you should receive a dozen letters, you will pro-
bably receive doz n
• different rurn,Jurs and opinions.
I will give you mine in as few words as possible. I be-
lieve there has been hard fighting, with great slaughter
on both side‘. The Mexicans, however, are much the
greatest sufferers. In my opinion, their force was at
least double, perhaps three times the number of Gene-
ral Taylor, who has probably retreated to Monterey,
%MA he is perfectly able to hold until he receives rein-
forcements.

General Scott, before the date of this letter, has pro.
1)04 attacked and captured the city of Vera Cruz and
the Castle of St. Juan d'Ulloa. This opinion is univer-
sally entertained by the best-informed ;nen in this place.
Between the friends of General Scott and General Tay-
lor there is some unkind feeling, in consequence of Scott
withdrawing from Taylor his most efficient troops. All
parties unite in condemning the President and his Ca-
binet for leaving Taylor in a defenceless state.
—Tinges. A GENEVESE TRAVELLER.

EXECUTION OF CATHERINE
FOSTER FOR POISONING HER HUSBAND
THREE WEEKS AFTER MARRIAGE.—HER
CONFESSION.
BURT ST. EDMUNDS, SATURDAY.—The wretched con-
vict, Catherine Foster, condemned to death by the Chief
Baron Pollock at the late Suffolk Assizes, for the murder
of her husband three weeks after marriage, by poisoning
a dumpling with arsenic, expiated her dreadful offence
this morning on the scaffold adjacent to the county gaol
in this town.
Those persons who have perused the evidence adduced
at the trial have doubtless been at a loss to conceive the
motive that could have induced her to destroy her hus-
band, whom she had apparently loved from a child, and
now that her life has been justly forfeited to the law, and
her confession is published to the world, it will be found
that it contains nothing that can be construed into a
motive, and the reasons, therefore, which tempted her to
commit the murder must remain enveloped in mystery.
Earnest were the solicitations of those whose duty it was
to attend her after her condemnation that she should
divulgeo r i hth v
ca
frank avowal of her guilt, she studiously avoided allud-
;onbnuetctedwith
sehe wrals e
abouttiie to hiscutffserc
although
sheing to any circumstance which might lead to the motive
t hcrime
made
fd
fur which she perpetrated the horrid deed.
The following is a copy oilier comfession:—
" Buy Gaol, April 12, 1847.
"To the Governor,—.First of all I must confess th .t L
am guilty, and very guilty or this awful crime, and well
deserve the death that I am condemned to die; and as
I am soon to stand before my Heavenly Judge,
I wish to speak the truth. I am sorry to say I
bought the poison at the shop of Mr. 11. Ely,
chemist, Sudbury, three days before I mixed it in the
dumpling which I gave to my husband. It was served
to me by a young man in the shop. Mr. Ely was not
present ; had he been present he would have known me,
as I had been frequently at his shop on errands for my
mistress when I was at service. The act was entirely
my own. No person persuaded me to it, and any mother
had no knowledge or suspicion of it. I had nominee for
complaint against my husband. Ho was always
and kind to me, but I never had any affection for good
a,
and wished to go back to service. Ido not wish to live,
for I never could be happy in this world, and kbope,
ere repentance of this and all my sins, to obtain for-
through the' merits and blood of my Saviour, and a sin-
civeness of God, and to be received into Heaven. I die
at peace with all, having no complaint to make of any
witness that appeared against me on my trial, and full of
remorse for the crime which brings me to this premature
andion
Ithheavßeevr.eclielirv.eEd yfrroem, ftohreesitrphieriir:
(loath. I wish to express my grateful thanks to the Rev.
wishand fmorrt.hEy
w. West, the chaplain of the gaol ; the Rev. Mr. Ottley,
in-
structionsgivut attention
an d admonitions, tom y ete r n a l
shinterest,ouid
spiri-
tual parishhope andln
minister
sot en
rs
consolation
attend me in my lastre. to.
moments, and earnestly request
that he will do so.
(Signed) " CATHERINE FOSTER.
" Witnessed by—J. M'lntyre, governor.
Thomas West."
On Thursday she took her final leave
of her aged
mother ; and on Friday the condemned sermon was
preached by the Rev. rM. Eyre,
from the 32d chapter of
Numbers, and 23d verse.
This morning the crowd assembled to witness the exe-
cution was very great ; at nine o'clock the number of
persons could not have been less than 10,000. A. few
minutes before nine o'clock, the High Sheriffand Under
Sheriff having arrived, proceeded with the other autho-
rities to the cell in which she was confined, when she
walked with a firm step and unsupported to the drop,
where she stood unmoved. The preliminary arrange-
ments having been completed, the signal was given, and
the drop fell. The body, after hanging the usual period,
was cut down and interred within the walls of the prison.
The last execution of a female in this town was 47 years
ago, for setting fire to her master's house.

CIIILD DROPPING.—On Saturday information was
circulated that on Thursday evening a fine female infant,
apparently about a month old, was picked up near the cellar
door of No. 6, Raymond's-buildings, Gray's Inn. There
had, however, evidently been no intention to destroy it, for
it was well wrapped up in a calico gown, folded in several
shawls, flannel, &c., and there was some sugar in its mouth.
It had on a nightcap marked" II." The poor little thing
has been ever since in the care of the gardener's wife, and the
authorities of Gray's Inn have offered 5/. reward for the dis
eovery of the persons who deposited it when it was found.