The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-12-15 00:00:00

SECOND EDITION.

Standard Office, Twelve o'Clock

By the Britannia, which

left Boston on the Ist in-

stant, we are put in pOssession of papers to that date
from Boston, to the 3d instant from Halifax, and to
the 30th of November from New York.

The Great Western arrived at New York on the
morning of the 24th ult., having left on the 7th of the

same month

The British. Queen reached the same place on Satur-
day, the 21st. The log book shows that she experi-
enced the worst kind of weather during the voyage.
Captain Roberts, of the British Queen, nobly rescued
five men from an untimely grave in the middle of the
Atlantic. The sufferers were the master and the four
survivors of the crew of the brig Margaret, of Severn,
bound from the Bay of Chaleur to Leith, and found
totally wrecked on the 6th November. The men had
been 52 hours exposed to the tempestuous elements
without food or raiment.

The Caledonia, Capt. Cleland, arrived at Halifax on
the 17th November, at 3 P.M., and sailed at 9 P.M.
for Boston, which she reached at one o'clock P.M. of
the 20th.

General Harrison would have 234 votes as Presi-
dent, and Van Buren 60.

Eight persons were killed and many wounded by the
explosion of a steam-boat near Mobile.

The following are the most important extracts from
the papers we have received :
(From the New York Herald, Nov. 30)
STATE OF THE COUNTRY.

This country is in a very interesting condition, as "ladies
are who love their lords." General Harrison, the new Pre-
sident, does not take office till the 4th of March. His cabi-
net ministers, and his chief appointments, are the principal
topics of discussion among 500,000 politicians, the rest of
the population, nearly 15,000,000, looking on or attending to
their own business.

According to the best sources of information the Clay in-
fluence in the cabinet will prevail over Webster or any
other. If so, John Sargeant will be Secretary of State, John
Davis Secretary of the Treasury, and three friends of Clay
will fill the other cabinet_posts.

The Collector of New York is the next important appoint-
ment, and for that the Clay influence has selected R. C.
Wetmore, and the Webster influence named Edward Curtis.
But a great matey changes may take place before next March.
These are the probabilities now.
Next Monday Congress meets. Mr. Van Buren delivers
his last message on Tuesday, and the leading topic will un-
doubtedly be the embarrassed state of the finances. A
bankrupt law will again be attempted, and in. the absence of
political excitement, it may pass—but what kind of a one no
one can tell. A revision and increase of the tariff imposts
will probably be postponed to the new congress, which does
not meet till December 1841, unless General Harrison should
call an extra session. If he does, he cannot get one together
sooner than September next.

There is some anxiety in regard to the probable action of
the legislature of Illinois, in regard to means necessary to
meet the January interest on the debt of that state, and also
in regard to the case brought before the Court of Errors of
this state, against certain holders of Illinois stock. The
mere fact of the institution of this suit caused many con-
tracts for the stock of Illinois, about being closed in the Lon-
don market, to be cancelled, and the credit of the state has
suffered severely. She has now but a few weeks to appro-
priate means and raise money to pay an instalment on her
debt. Last year she was in the same predicament, and
was saved only by the interference of those interested
in the preservation of her credit. She is now again in
the same position, with a far less chance of being pre.
served by the same means. Pennsylvania, last spring,
was similarly situated, and was compelled to pass a tax bill
to raise her credit. The only course open to Illinois, if she
expects to he able to borrow the money requisite to the
finishing of her state works, and thereby rendering her past
outlay available, will be to appoint a special commissioner to
settle the pending lawsuits. She must select one who will
not be disposed to compromise the interests of the state, in
order to show half the proceeds. Having done this, she
must pass a tax bill sufficient, at least, to place the prompt
payment of the interest beyond a shadow of a doubt. She
may then, with some chance of success, make application,
in the market, for means to pay the arrears due to her con-
tractors, and to finish the public works.

In commercial and business affairs the country is improv-
ing every day. There is some doubt about the resumption of
the United States Bank in January next, and if she does
resume, there is more doubt about its permanency. But in
spite of these untoward events, the nation was never richer in
produce and manufactures, and we must do well.