The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-27 00:00:00

son. lam prepared to stake my reputation, and
I am confident that I may stake that of the firm of
Messrs. Neill, Brothers, and Co., in which I am a
partner, on the correctness of the opinion. In order
to show I do not speak at random, I may be par-
doned for referring to the results of the report
which I made last year on the State of Texas. In
consequence of that report my Firm, in their crop
circular of November last, estimated the supply
in that State at 190,000 bales, whereas the general
opinion among local authorities was that it would
not exceed 125,000 to 150,000. The crop may now
be said to be all in, as only driblets or 200 to 300
bales per week are now reaching the ports, and
the receipts till date amount to £lBB,OOO. It would
be very easy, were it not that would trespass too
much on your valuable space, to give facts and quote
authorities to prove that in each State which Dr.
Forbes particularises the crop may, and with a late
frost and good picking season, probably will, double
his estimate. I know nothing of Dr. Forbes, and
it is painful for me to be compelled so emphatically
to challenge his report and dispute his conclusions.
I have no motive whatever for doing so except my
interest in the general prosperity of the trade, but I
feel that the trade at large cannot stand another sea-
son of losses like that from which we are just emerg-
ing, and, having had the experience of several years
t 6 enable me to judge of the cotton crop, and so
lately as last month the opportunity of seeing how
it was progressing in several States, I have felt it
my duty to protest against the fallacies (as I con-
sider them) which are so authoritatively put forth.
—I am, your obedient servant,
Manchester, Aug. 20." " C. M. TODD.

We hear from Washington that the Secretary of
the Treasury has, under a law passed at the late
session of Congress, appointed J. Ross Browne
commissioner to collect mining statistics in the
States and territories west of the Rocky Mountains.
He proceeded to the Pacific coast by steamer on the
11th inst. This is an important mission, and will
embrace .statistics of the products of bullion, the
population engaged in mining, description of
mineral lands, capital, cost of labour and yield.
Similar statistics are collected by the British Go-
vernment in Australia at great expense, also by the
Governments of Spain, Prussia, Austria, and others.
France has already had a scientific and statistical
report made on the mineral resources of California
and Nevada.

The New York Daily Tribune states that Colonel
Herman is to have 5 per cent. of all the bounty
money collected for New York soldiers, under the
recent Bounty Bill, which will be a " big thing"
for Colonel Herman.

The Democrat has a special despatch from St.
Joseph, saying that the Indians in Idaho are getting
quite troublesome. They made a raid on Boulder
Creek and Ruby City on the Ist of July, but were
surprised by United States troops. A fight occurred
and seven soldiers and thirty Indians were killed.
The latest advices state that Captain Jennings,
with 40 men, was surrounded by 300 men and
fighting desperately. Reinforcements were hasten-
ing to him.
We are indebted to the kindness of Colonel
Norton, agent for the Commission appointed by
New York for the Exhibition at Paris, for a copy
of the proclamation of Governor Fenton to the
citizens of the State; and we consider it a duty to
publish it in full, to show the interest felt by the
Government and the authorities of the United States
toward this undertaking :

EXHIBITION AT PARIS.
PROCLAMATION OF GOVERNOR FENTON.

State of New York, Executive Department,
Albany, July 23, 1866.
The Congress of the United States—by section 2 of a
resolution passed by the Senate and the Chamber of Re-
presentatives nn the sth instant, for the object of enabling
the people of the United States to participate in tho ad-
vantage of the Universal Exhibition of Agriculture, In-
dustry, and of the Fine Arts, to be held in Paris—has
decided as follows :—The governors of States are forth-
with required to invite the patriotic inhabitants of their
respective States to organise a suitable representation of
the natural and industrial products, which constitute the
glory and wealth of our country, and also to take all ne-
cessary measures to disseminate the knowledge of the
projected Exhibition, and to assure their respective States
of the advantages which it offers.
In conformity with the section above referred to, and
the said resolution, I respectfully invite the citizens of this
State to exhibit whatever is best in America in art or iu
industry. By its happy geographical position—the extent
of its resources, the intelligence of its inhabitants, and the
importance of its progress in every respect, the State of
New York has the worth r.nd originality of a nation in
itself. These considerations alone will suffice, I doubt not,
to inspire my fellow-citizens with a just feeling of pride
and emulation when engaging to take part in the approach-
ing Exhibition, where the products of the genius and the
industry of the Universe will be found assembled together.
We have just emerged from a war which has cost us many
trials—if it has also yielded us a great success. During this
difficult crisis we have ever shown ourselves ready to meet
the greatest exigencies, and we have shown in the working
of popular institutions a power which has obtained for us
the• admiration of the world. We could not .wish for a
better opportunity than the present to show that our
dearest triumphs are the peaceful triumphs of industry and
commerce. In presenting to this Universal Exhibition
the marvels of our industry and the proofs of our
spirit of enterprise, we shall add to the impression
which was spread by the war,—the moral force of
our persevering progress in all that exalts the character,
and constitutes the true greatness of a nation. Such an
object will surely raise our legitimate pride to a just ex-
tent, and will stimulate our highest ambition. In order to
aid the liberal wishes of the general Government, and to
secure to the exhibitors of this State the advantages of a
proper representation, I have taken measures that special
agents, acting in the name of this State, shall give all in-
formation and assistance to producers and inventors, and
shall watch over the proper arrangement and installation
of the productions. All cases can be embarked at the ex-
pense of the general Government on addressing them to
A. C. Derby, Esq., general agent, No. 4, Park-row, New
York City.
I confidently hope that this appeal to the spirit of en-
terprise in the people of New York will meet with a ready
and sympathetic response.
(Signed) R. E. FENTON.

We like to record the public acts of the authorities
of the United States, for we always see by the side of
stern rules the most elevated sentiments of the dignity
of mankind. It is thus that free citizens speak. With
such a document before us, of which no doubt there
are many similar in the other States, it is certain
that America will be largely and worthily repre-
sented at the Palace of the Field of Mars. It will
be an advantage if Frenchmen, in seeing these
enterprising Americans in the field of industry and
of material progress, will be able to appreciate all
the power and force of character possessed by these
people free to give expression to their wishes under
the direction and control of moral duty.

Returns have been received from 23 counties of
North Carolina, and the vote as yet for the ratifi-
cation of the constitution points to the probability
of the measure in that State being defeated. The
numbers are 5,188 for the measure, and 6,258
against it, giving a majority of 1,070 for the rejec-
tion. There are 62 counties yet to be heard from,
so the result is doubtful.

Messrs. Neill Brothers and Co., of New York, in
their cotton circular, dated 7th August, give the
following respecting the crops in Arkansas :—" As
to the crops on Arkansas River, great improvement
has taken place in the last five or six weeks. The
spring was wet and cold, afterwards hail storms
cut down and damaged the crops, and later the;
largest freshet in the river since 1842. But every-
thing has recuperated. No doubt, on the bottom
lands, the crop has been reduced, but still there are
good prospects for what is left. On the hills -and
upland back country the small farmers will turn
out considerable cotton in the aggregate, though
the individual product will be small. Corn looks pro-
mising, and both corn and cotton much better than
in Tennessee, Northern Alabama, and Mississippi.
The information I had on White River goes to show
even better than on Arkansas ; but you must recol-
lect that White River is not, and never has been,
much for cotton ; yet they will, in proportion to
what they have planted, have a better product than
on Arkansas. I find also that, from want of labour,
and from difficulty in managing hands, there must be
large deductions from expectations at the time of
planting, and there are very few if any large
planters who have not been obliged to abandon a
portion of their crop to the grass, so as to save the
balance."

General Baird has been superseded in command
of Louisiana by General Stoneman. The President
seems to have acted in this matter without consult-
ing General Grant, who had received no informa-
tion whatever on the subject. The Mayor of New
Orleans has been informed that no official act can
be performed by him without the approval of the
military authorities. The Military Commission was
still in session on the Bth instant, investigating the
causes of the late riots, but the proceedings had not
been divulged.

The excitement described by the Chicago corres-
pondent of the New York Tribune in that city