The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-22 00:00:00

AMERICAN'

NI f]WS.

ARRIVAL of the GREAT NVESTIERN.
LIVERPOOL, THWRSDAY ENEYING.
The steam-ship Great Western, Cal otain Matt h# ws, arrived
here this evening, in fourteen days, from New York. She
brings 138 passengers, and papers fro tat that c.it,y to the 7th
inclusive.
The papers by this conveyance ar 6 enf ,irely destitute of
inflrest.
The news taken out by the C.andkr. of April 19th, had
• 1 sensat on (si
not produced any material 1 .ther the commercial
or political world. - •
Our affairs with Mexico remain v Without change. The
latest advices from Vera Cruz are tc the 16th ult. The
British steamer Tweed, from Havann; ib, had just arrived,
haying among her passengers one of G eneral Almonte's se-
cretaries, with dispatches. The Goner; 11 himself, although
appointed Minister to France, still rem. lined in Havannah
where also Santa Anna was quietly pass ing his time. Prey
aident Paredes meanwhile was strengthening his adminis-
tration in Mexico. He had recently issued a proclamation
setting forth the state of the country par ticularly in reference
to its difficulties with the United States, which furnished to
Mexico, as he contends, just cause for war, but devolving
upon Congress, when they shall meet, •the resvensibility of
declaring war if they should see fit. Meantime he assures
the nation that he will resist, with all the meatus at his com-
mand, any attack by sea or land, of the: forces of the United
States. As no such attack will be made on our side, and, as
it is explicitly declared by Paredes, that he will confine him-
self to defensive preparations, we adhere to the opinion here-
tofore expressed, that no collision is likely to occur between
the Mexican and American forces; and that an amicable

settlement of their controversy will be the necessary conse-

quence of that with Great Britain about Oregon.

_
Congress has not yet entered upon the discussion of the
Revenue Bill; and the opinion seems gaining ground that

its success is more and more doubtful. If Sir Robert Pee]

shall suffer defeat in his free-trade policy—as the advices by
the Cambria seem to render not wholly improbable—the
chances would be increased against the anti-Tariff Bill on
this side. The next few weeks will develope the position of
the question more completely, and enable us to shadow forth
with some precision the fate and character of the commercial
and financial measures before Congress. This much, how-
ever, may be now taken for granted, that the Revenue Bill,
th►e Warehousing Bill, and the Sub-Treasury Bill—the latter
of which only has been discussed and passed by the House
of Representatives--will stand or fall together.
The produce market has undergone little change in conse-
quence of the last accounts. Cotton may be said to be some-
what firmer, and a tendency to a decline in prices to be ar-
rested—but there has been no rise, and parcels are readily
altered at quotations.
Flour is held at 4,56 dolls. to 4,62 dolls.; wheat at from
1 doll, to 1,06 dolls. per bushel ; and Indian corn (best) at
66 cents. The growing wheat is of great promise.
Money has become somewhat easier, after a pressure of no
ordinary severity. Exchange ranges on England from 91/
to 10, and on France from 5 2614 to 5 27. There is no dis-
placement of specie at present rates. Freights to Europe
have impioved latterly, and the alarming accounts of scar-
city in Ireland will cause the shipment of considerable sup-
Plies from here of Indian corn and corn meal.

The following reached Now York, by magnetic telegraph,
Just before the Great Western left the wharf :

IMPORTANT FROM THE ARMY.
LIEUTENANT PORTER SHOT !—BLOCKADE OF MATA3IO-
- RIGIDLY ENFORCED !—We have dates, by telegraph,
from the army under Gen. Taylor, to the 19th of April,
which announce what may be called the first act of hostili-
ties between the opposing forces. The blockade of Matamo-
ros is continued, and is more strictly enforced. The schooners
Epuity and Florida, which left New Orleans March 28th
for Matamoras, returned to New Orleans on the 28th
ult., having been boarded off the Rio Grande by the brig
Lawrence, which, with the Flirt, is off the coast, carryin-g
out Gen. Taylor's orders, and turning back all provisi:Jns
destined for Matamoras.

The steam-ship Telegraph arrived at Galveston, from
Brazos St. Jago, brings information that, on :lie 19th ult.,
as Lieutenant Porter, of the 4th Regimes t, was out on a
fatigue party with ten men, they were surrounded by a party
of about fifty Mexicans, some in uniform, and that the
Lieutenant and four men were shot. This occurred very
near the American camp. Lieutenant Porter was the son of
the late Commodore Porter. About fifty of our men had
deserted, and several Were shot when crossing the river. The
rumour is confirmed that Gen. Arista is to succeed Gen.
Ampudia in the command of the Mexican forces.
Freights have improved a little, and there is an increased
quantity of both flour and cotton going forward to Liver-
pool.

(Correspondence of the Courier and Enquirer.)
WASHINGTON, MAT 4.—There is much uneasiness felt here
foe the safety of our army on the Rio Grande. The force
under General Taylor is not only much less than that of the
Ilexicans in its neighbourhood, but with the exception of
Colonel Twiggs' regiment of dragoons, and the Flying Artil-
lery corps, the rank and file is not of an efficient reliable
character. I do not question the gallantry and ability of the
commanding general, or of any ether officer, but the men
!alder their command are mostly miserable drones who went
into the army as a lazy peace establishment, affording an
opportunity for the indulgence of their idle propensities. They are nine-tenths of them, at least, dissolute and vaga-. nd foreigners, taken from the purlieus of our cities, with-
Physical abilio and without pride, an essential moral
aliment in the constitution of a good soldier. They are in
everything the worst of those men who composed the Texian
arm y at the battle of San Jacinto, and those who make the
result of that battle the standard
by which to judge of the
relative prowess of the two opposing armies, will, 1 fear, in
the event of a conflict, be sadly disappointed. So long
as our army remains within its entrenchments but little
danger is apprehended from a direct attack, but its
Position is several hundred miles within the Mexican
territory, or rather within that territory over which
Mexicanthe Government has, up to this time, exer-
cised supreme control. An extensive barren waste is in the
rear, and its only means of obtaining supplies is by a com-
munication with Port Isabel, twenty miles distact. The
Mexicans have a large and excellent force of mounted men,
and an apprehension is felt that they may cut off the com-
munication between the American camp and the Point, and
thus intercept the supplies necessary for the army. These
are difficulties, however, which may be successfully guarded
against, by prudence and energy on our part, or their safety
may result from the forbearance of those against whom a war
by authority of the Executive is now being waged; but it
is feared, if they shall escape these, that they will not be
able to escape the fatal scourge of the yellow fever,
which in the summer season rages in that region in a very
'violent form.

It has not yet been announced in the Union that the notice
has been forwarded to the British Government. I under-
stand that a notice was not only forwarded by the steamer
from Boston, l'Att that a duplicate was also dispatched by a
packet of tl•,e first from New York. Mr. Pakenham, how-
ever, was rot informed of the fact till a day or two after the
forwardirAg of the notice.
The form in which the notice was sent, I am informed,
Was to ef,t forth the preamble and resolution as it passed
Congress, and then to append to it a formal notice on the
Pert of the Government of the United States.
FROM MEXICO.

The schooner Ventura has brought to New Orleans intel-
ligence a few days later from Vera Cruz. The New Orleans
Commercial Times says that Paredes has published a manifesto,
intimating that he shall leave to the Mexican Congress,
about assembling, the responsibility of declaring war against
the United States. He states, however, that he will repel
any attack made by General Taylor, or our ships of war,
with all the force available. He assigns as a reason for not
receiving Mr. Slidell that it would have been an avowal of
ireakne%s, since, simultaneously with his presence in Mexieo,
the al'Aps of war and troops of the United States were hover-
Inf over their coasts and frontiers.
fhe Government had seized the two papers, the Contru
7742n130 and Reforma, and imprisoned their editors. They
were open advocates of the policy of recalling Santa Anna.
There was a rumour that Mazatlan would be blockaded by
the American squadron.
A letter from an officer of the United States squadron at
;Vera Cruz, dated April 15, published in the Nation al Intel-
igeneer, says—
The British mail packet Tweed arrived last evening from
lavannah, with thirty passengers, amongst whom were Al-
Innate's secretary, who evidently brings important intelligence
or iroposit ions.
The United States sloop Falmouth arrived at Pensacola on
the 25th ult. in six days from Vera Cruz, with dispatches for
our Government, but she brings no news of importance.
TEXAS DEBT.—The New Orleans Bulletin has received a
report made by a Select Committee to the Texas House of
Representatives, on the subject of the public debt. A report
of the Comptroller of the Treasury, which is also published,
gives a detailed statement of the different descriptions of the
debt. Tke total debt is set down at $9,949,007—f0r which
it is estimated that Texas received on a par valuation
$4,856,601. The following resolution is now before the Texas
Legislature :—Resolved, that our delegation in Congress be
requested and authorised forthwith to open a negotiation,
with the Government of the United States, in such form as
!,_lle y may think fit, for the cession of the public lands of
Texas to the United States, for an adequate consideration, to
enable Texas to pa h
subject to the ratizatieor public debt ; any negotiation to be
Texas, according to thellorocti the Legislature of the State of
forms of legislation.
From Texas, later, but not important intelligence, has
reached New Orleans.
irptroller, James B. Shaw, in
answer to a resolution of the
of Representatives, fur' - nished the following statemenrseas
pense of the State of Texas, in the ::Probable annual ex-
s•
mistration of the go-
Legislative ........ • .............. s39,l9lExecutive .......... .................... 46
Judiciary ................................ .. .. 2341:150 00
Pensions and annuities ........... ... 1,422 00

Total
893,763 46
The following is a statement of the amount of
the Treasury on the 18th March : I"neY in
Amount in the hands of the treasurer 1;8,400 00
„ paid ever, but not yet deposited 2,750 00

£11,150 00
THE TARIFF.—The National Intelligencer of Saturday has
the following paragragh, which contains statements of
general interest:—" From what we have casually heard in
tenversation, we think it quite possible that the tariff ques-
tion, and some others, may be suffered to lie over to another
session, and that the appropriation Bills, &c., may be passed
in short order, so as to allow Congress to adjourn much
earlier than they possibly can do, if the majority in Con-
gress should, as the Government paper has intimated that
they positively would, seriously endeavour now to pass a
new tariff Bill. The rumour to which we refer is, that it has
In been determined, at a consultation of the democratic leaders
fi,Coangresg, to make the next session begin in October in-
,s47-41 of December, and, as a consequence, to terminate the
present session at some time between the let of June and the
Ist of July
•
e INAUGURATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF HARVARD COLLEGE.
de,lopauguiation of the lion. Edward Everett, as Presi-
dent r Harvard College, took place on Thursday last. The
in;lniti)nip of. the occasion were imposing, and the preceed-
ve nteresting. Governor Briggs delivered to Mr.
the rpet_tst.h.ey siymbolical keys, and announced his election to
titate.reyVency, and Mr. E. replied briefly and in excellent
Jaau4iural address was thee delivered. It Wea a