The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-31 00:00:00

AMERICAN NEWS.

(FURTHER RXTR4CTS FROM THE AMERICAN 'PAPERS.)
THE RIOT UPON THE LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD.
—We have obtained- from the officers of the Corn-
pany.the following statement-in, relation to the diffi-
culty. which oc9urred.in the tranTortatiou of persons
from Brooklyn, to witness, the
„great rage on Tuesday.
The trains commenced running at daylight, at one
shilling fare until 8 o'clock, from which time until
half-past 11, two' trains continued to run about ever'
40 minutes, with two thousand persons in each train,
drawn by two locomotives each, At this hour the
press became. so great upon the cars, upwards of one
hundred and fifty persons piling themselves upon
cars calCulated only for forty, that it entirely pre-
vented the revolution of the wheels. The only alter-
native left was to detach a number of those over-
loaded, on doing which, those persons left, some
four: or five hundred, became impatient, and pushed
the ears to a desoending grade beyond the Red-
ford depot. Here they were remonstrated with,
and told of the imminent danger in which their
lives would be placed by running, without control,
cars down the grade from this point, and the dread-
ful possibility, and even probability, of meeting the
two down trains; but entreaty was vain and worse than
useless. They started, but soon became affrighted
at their own velocity, and many jumped off and
were more or less injured. One poor fellow, named
John Maney, a.hatter of 141, West-street of this city,
had his leg broken. On the approach of the trains,
they compelled the engineers and conductor to re-
turn to the course, and they were obliged to yield,
leaving thousands of persons at Brooklyn, waiting
anxiously the return of the trains. In the meantime
no means were allowed the agents of the Company
to communicate with the office at Brooklyn ; and
the trains being momentarily expected, they continued
to sell tickets. At about one o'clock the trains were
disengaged and reached Brooklyn, and took off
about 4,000 persons, still leaving many to whom the
money was returned. Returning, the same difficulty
and others of a more serious character occurred. The
trains, after running twice to Brooklyn, became en-
tangled in the crowd, who filled the cars to overflow-
ing, leaving the track covered for more than a mile
with persons ; and they were again compelled to pro-
ceed to Brooklyn, leaving several thousand persons
at the race-course who had paid their money, with-
out any means of getting through. This continued to
be the case for several hours ; and to prevent the
cars returning, stones and timbers were placed upon
the track, and three passage cars were upset and de-
molished. At ten o'clock the obstructions were so
great, and the water station being demolished, it was
thought prudent to stop entirely the running of the
trains. The Company had provided the most ample
means for the transportation of every person who
purchased a ticket, and could have done so without
disappointment, could they have kept the control of
their trains, and the track clear. Those who wit-
nessed the departure and safe delivery of trains of
2,000 persons each, cannot doubt that it could have
hen done safely, and within a reasonable time.
SINGULAR DECISIONS IN BANKRUPTCY.—SOMe
curious decisions in bankruptcy have been made re-
cently by the United States Court, affecting the
jewellery awl necessary ornaments that the wife
of a bankrupt is authorised to retain in her pos-
session. It appears that the wife of one of the
applicants had in her possession diamonds worth
10,000 dollars, which she brought with her into the
marriage contract, and which were considered once
suitable for her station in life. This she is allowed to
retain. I'Ve like this decision. It is a step in the
march of civilization, when the women will possess
rights equal to those of the men. Why should a wo-
man's property go to pay the debts of a speculative,
thoughtless husband ?
THE TF.MPHRANCE MANIA.—It is an old swing,
but we doubt its truth, that " reformed rakes make
the best husbands." We presume that the Hon. T.
F. Marshall, of Kentucky, had heard of this adage
when he introduced at a late meeting of the 'Wash-
ington Congressional Temperance Society, the
following resolution :--Resolved, that the custom
at public entertainments, or fashionable dining
parties, among gentlemen and ladies of pledging
each other, and drinking healths in wine, is a
serious obstacle to the advance of the temperate
cause among those classes where it prevailS, and has
no foundation in the natural principles of good taste,
true hospitality, or refined manners. We are the
friends of the temperance cause ; but we eschew fa-
naticism in every thing. Fanatics and hypocrites
invariably injure every cause to which they at-
tach themselves ; and the cause of temperance
cannot be aided, and may be seriously injured,
whorl a crusade is attempted against the use
of wipe in moderation. At all events, modesty and a
little self-respect—in occasional reflection upon the
past--ehoald teach the Honourable Mr. Marshall not
to make himself too prominent in such a crusade.—
New York Courier and Enquirer.
THE SLAVER AND THE MAN OF WAR.—We men-
tioned yesterday, that a British brig of war had been
beat off- by an armed slaver. The New Orleans
Crescent City says the engagement took place
so near the port of Havannah as to be wit-
nessed by nearly all the inhabitants. The Sol-
way, one of the West India' mail steamers,
fired up -on perceiving' the engagement, with the
intention of going to the assistance of, the brig,
but relinquished her object on seeing the result
of the engagement. The New York Herald
says We are acquainted with this formida-
ble slaver. We believe her to have been at one
time the barque, Isaac Ellis, of this port. We
know she was sold for a slaver ; , mounted with
six twelve-pounders, and a long Tom. And it is our
impression that
,she is owned by the Captain and
owner of the Clara, which was brought into this port
by H. B. M. brig Buzzard, in the summer of 1838.
He escaped then, and vowed vengeance against the
British."

--- ---
RHODE ISLAND CASE SETTLED. The President
has instituted a commission, to consist of two or more
persons from each side (of the two parties) in Rhode.
Island, to meet at New York on Friday next,
to settle all difficulties pending. Mr. Pearce and
Governor I)orr, both have been here, and have ex-
pressed their willingness to compromise the whole
matter amicably; and the President has consented in
the desire of the Executive, to suppress a all difficulties,
peaceably—to countenance officially such represen-
tation of the two parties as have been agreed' on to
meet at New York.

THE RHODE ISLAND DISPUTE.
The New York Courier and Enquirer gives the fol-
lowing sketch of the Rhode Island affairs, which .
have latterly assumed so extraordinary a complexion—
" Rhode Island some one hundred and seventy
Williams,
ago obtained, under the. atuspices of Roger
Williams, the patriarch of its first settlers, a Char-
ier of Civil Government from Charles the Second
of England. • This Charter was penned by
those who prayed for it, and was of course made just
as free and just as liberal as those who asked the Royal
sanction desired it to be. It was granted, and the peo-
ple of Rhode Island lived under it in the most perfect
corAtntnient (4o fllr as the letter of the instrument was
concerned) till the declaration of American Independ-
ence released the people from any obligations to obey
it Os 4 Royal Charter, and upon the adoption -of
the -United States Constitution, so partial were
the people of the State to its provisions, and so well
satisfied were they that they could not frame a
better form of Government, that, instead of making a
new constitution, they 0444 the old one, with
11.104ifie4iglAA as were consistent with their
new relations, and the new circumstances under
which they were placed. Nor is it sur-
prising that such should have been the feel-
nags and opinions of the Rhode Islanders, for
there is not a State in the 'entire Union whose Con-
stitution is so thoroughly democratic as this same
Charter, in all its features. The most thorough; free-
dom in all matters, civil and ecclesiastical, is secured.
The broade4t liberty in every thing that relates to
plants von-kiwi, corlsiatont with the requirements of
civilized society, are guaranteed to the people, and for
nearly two centuries the citizens have enjoyed as
large a share of happiness and prosperity, social, poli-
tical and personal, as ever fell to the lot of man.

" The thirteen colonies, however, had adopted writ-
ten constitutions of their own penning, and a portion
of the people of Rhode Island have InVB fctr *lame years
el bsirou3 of doing the'iame thing ; and they have from
time to time made efforts to that end. the real citi-