The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-03-10 00:00:00

tending the protection of the American laws to the citi-
zens settled in the Oregon; would be called up by the
house without offence to England.' The duties on iron,
sugar, molasses, and clothing, are to be placed at 30 per
cent. ; on woollens at 25 per cent. ; en cotton goods 20
per cent., and spirits 75 per cent.
The latest news from Vera Cruz was to the 25th of Ja-
nuary. The government of Paredes was consolidating it-
self. It was said that Arista had arrived at San Luis de
Potore, that he had declared against Paredes, taken Tam-
pico, and levied a duty of 62 cents. to pay his troops.
President Polk's message had given great satisfaction to
the Americans resident in Mexico. Mr. Slidell bad left
for Jalapa, and was to go to Vera Cruz. The papers say
there can be no doubt that Ucatan has declared her inde-
pendence of Mexico.
Since these advices we have received New York papers
of the 16th ult., brought by the Duchess of Orleans,
Captain Richardson, which arrived at H av re on Thursday.
These journals put us in possession of the important cor-
respondence alluded to on Tuesday, respecting the joint
occupancy of the Oregon territory. The Oregon resolu-
tions, which had passed the house of representatives, were
under discussion in the senate on the 12th February; and
at the close of the sitting the house was adjourned until
the 16th, when the subject was to be resumed. Mr. J. M.
Clayton spoke at great length in favour of giving the
twelve months' notice to Great Britain. England was no
common foe. The United States were not prepared for
war. But he did not apprehend any war if the notice were
given. Respecting the report in circulation at Washing-
ton, on the 10th February, that Mexico had declared war
against the United States, we find no confirmation of it in
the papers before us. Santa Anna, however, was busily
engaged in making arrangements to return to Mexico, in
the hopes of resuming the dictatorship.
Since the above was in type the packet-ship Cambridge,
Captain Barstow, has arrived in the Mersey from New
York, whence she sailed on the 17th ultimo, bringing
three cabin passengers, Alexander Muir, Esq., and Dr.
Stewart, of Aberdeen, and Mr. A. R. Montgomerie, of
Montreal. On the 24th ultimo, in lat. 39 30, lon. 48 8,
the Cambridge exchanged colours with the packet-ship
John R. Skiddy, hence for New York.
The advices received by this arrival add little to our
previous accounts. The Washington correspondent of
the Courier and Inquirer, under date the 14th ultimo,
states emphatically, that negotiations had not been re-
sumed by Mr. Pakenham.
The new tariff had become the topic of general discus-
sion.

The cholera is spreading from Caboul to Teheran.
The Governor of Sierra Leone (Mr. Ferguson), died at
Funchal. on the 9th ult.
THE WAR IN INDIA.—The 4th Hussars, and the
Sth, 24th, and 32nd Foot are ordered to India.
On Sunday week eight persons were killed and fourteen
wounded on the Lyons railway, by a collision between a
locomotive and the train. _ _ _

THE GERMAN MOVEMENT.—Czerski, we regret to
say, has, with some other men of less note, joined the
pseudo-Christian community established by Ronge.
The finance minister of Greece has announced that he
can make no budget—that he has no money—that the
revenue books have disappeared—and that the public ac-
counts are in a state of chaos !

PROGRESS.—The Bey of Tunis has decreed the total
and immediate abolition of slavery within his dominions.
He bas even declared that if a slave from other countries
should land on the territory of Tunis he should, from that
moment, be free!
The editor of the Gazelle de France was sentenced on
Thursday, by the Court of Assizes of Paris, to one year's
imprisonment and 3,000 f. fine, for an article containing
attacks against the rights which the King derives from the
choice of the nation. .

PROMPT EXECUTION OF A RAJAH.—It was stated in
our last accounts from India that the Rajah of Putteealah
had been hanged, but there was some doubt as to the
cause. A private letter removes all doubt, by stating that
the Putteealah Rajah was discovered intriguing against
the British Government, and was hanged upon the first
tree found suitable.—Calcutta Englishman.
The addenda to the Indian despatches, published by
authority, narrate the circumstances which led to the late
conflict. They depict a licentious army and an incompe-
tent government : they show us the chiefs (women and
men) of a powerful nation sunk in the grossest debauch-
ery—the ministers not only joining with dancing girls,
but dressing like them, and dancing in public; and the
government, including the Ranee, so continually drunk,
or so continually sick from being drunk, as to be incapa-
ble of attending to the important business which the
English government endeavoured to transact with them.
The whole Sikh army were possessed of a drunken idea
that they could conquer the English in the first battle.
SWITZERLAND.—The Swiss journals publish various
documents. Among them are two despatches from Lord
Aberdeen to M. Morier, dated the 13th and 30th of Ja-
nuary last, expressing the British Government's deep re-
gret at the conduct pursued by the Government of Vaud
towards the clergy of that canton. The same prints con-
tain a manifesto, whereby the clergy of Vaud vindicate
their conduct, and also a circular letter of the seven Ro-
man Catholic and Conservative cantons, addressed to all
the states of the confederacy. In this document the agi-
tation into which the Radical party have thrown Swit-
zerland, is exhibited in strong terms, and an immediate
return to a lawful state of things is urged as the only
means of saving the confederacy from anarchy.

PROTESTANTISM IN SPAIN.

(From the Continental Echo.)

When in Niadrid, in 1842, the Rev. R. H. Rule, who
has recently published the particulars of his mission to
Gibraltar and Spain, anticipated the pleasure of joining in
Protestant worship at the chapel of the British Ambas-
sador.

He says, "to obtain the necessary information of time and
place, I called at the residence of the national representa-
tive. The porter did not understand my inquiries, and I was
sent up stairs to try if I could be understood there. I
found a steward, or upper servant, who said that he had
been in that service eight years, but had never seen any
thing of the kind, nor, indeed, any observance of Sunday,
nor was there any chaplain. Several English gentlemen
had called from time to time, to make a similar inquiry ;
but, of course, had been disappointed. It is easy enough to
talk about the intolerance of the Spaniards, and about the
danger of meddling with their religion, while our country,
or our government, has kept it out of their power to be to-
lerant, by affording them no object for toleration ; and the
Protestant religion bas been despised in Spain with some
show of reason, whenever the representative of our Sove-
reign, whatever be his private thoughts, (and these he is
not allowed an opportunity of manifesting,) seems to be
ashamed of it, and when travelling clergymen, either
through fear or shame, or for greater liberty, go through
the country in disguise, while yet they are known by their
own consuls, and by others, too, to be frequenting bull-
fights and comedies on the-Lord's Day."
After enduring much persecution, the mission establish-
ment at Cadiz was suppressed. But had Mr. Rule been
supported by his Government—had not official pusillani-
mity dissipated the security which encompassed him on
account of his being a British subject, the Cadiz estab-
lishment might even now have been prospering.
The following circular, addressed to the vice-consuls,
will explain our meaning :—" I am directed by Viscount
Palmerston to instruct you to warn any British subjects
who may attempt, by preaching or by distributing bootie
in Spain, to assail the Roman Catholic religion, that they
will render themselves liable to a state prosecution, or
their expulsion from the country ; and that her Majesty's
mission in Madrid cannot be expected to protect them
from the consequences of such an open violation of the
laws of Spain.'
Mr. Rule subsequently remarl:s :—" We had formerly
been dealt with cautiously, as being Englishmen ; for it
was taken for granted we might not be oppressed. But
Lord Palmerston dissolved that charm."

Further on, the author exposes the unsoundness of the
policy of asking permit _ion for the exercise, by British
residents abroad, of religious worship, and shows that if
such petitions are volunteered by a British Government,
acting on false principles, or from an unworthy fear, a de-
nial must naturally be expected.
The substance of the remedies suggested by Mr. Rule
is as follows :

1. The observance of Protestant worship in the habita-
tion of the British envoy at the court of Madrid.
2. Stationing Protestant ministers in the larger Spanish
seaport towns ; to which, says Mr. Rule, " I will venture
to state that there does not exist any legal hindrance."
3. Strengthening the hands of the Protestants at Gib-
ralter, and thence extending written correspondence with
Spain.

IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE
FROM ST. PETERSBURG.

EXTENSION OF FREE TRADE PRINCIPLES TO THE NORTH

OP EUROPE.
The Hull Packet, of Friday, (whose information from
the north of Europe is, from local position, earlier than
our own,) states, from " a confidential authority, entitled
to implicit confidence," that, notwithstanding what has
been stated from hi,h quarters, nothing was to be done
with the Russian tariff this season, it is " more than
probable that, in a few days, an announcement of consi-
derable reductions in the duties on the leading exports,
and on many imports, will be made," and certainly " this
season." This is assumed to be the effect of the working
abroad of the development of the future commercial policy
of the British Government. The merchants of St. Peters-
burg had for some time thought that the example of Eng-
land would be followed ; but they did not expect the move-
ment to occur so soon. Sir R. Peel himself declared that
he expected the example of England would be followed
gradually by foreign powers, but scarcely anticipated the
change at so early a period. The determination of Russia
to advance on the ground of "free trade," will direct
public attention to her financial and commercial laws.
The taxation in Russia is nearly all direct, the mass of the
population being serfs, whom only a capitation tax can
affect. The direct taxes are those on corn, brandy, salt,
and stamped paper, which as the country is almost wholly
agricultural, press more heavily on the poor than the
rich. Our cotemporary refers the inquiring reader on
this subject to an intelligent work, published in Paris,
entitled " The System of Legislation, Administration, and
Policy of Russia, in 1844; by a Russian Statesman.
From this it appears, that after twenty-three years' adop-
tiornniosfhtahretsicylsetsemfo,r ''Ru ssian manufacturers are enabled to
fu
consumption,
which, apart from their
inferior quality, are fifty per cent. dearer than those im-
ported from England (and no cheaper than the French or
Belgian), although the charges for labour, buildings, food,
and fuel, as well as the taxes, are five times higher in
England than in Russia. Hence it becomes improbable
that goods of Russian manufacture will ever compete
with those of England." The interests of that country
would therefore be forwarded, were the monopolising sys-
tem on nearly 1,000 different fabrics considerably modi-
fied, if not altogether abrogated. From statistics fur-
nished, it is shown that the manufactures of Russia are
still in their infancy. There was, in 1843, a deficiency of