The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-02-25 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

. .
The correspondent who has sent us an account of a " Pedes—
trian Fete" (query " Feat") ought to have given his name
as a voucher. How are we to How that it is not a hoax t
We shall feel obliged if " One of the Agents" will call at
our dike to explain one or two statements in his letter.
We have not lost sight of Mr. Whitehead's communications,-
but we have not yet been able to obtain answers to some
inquiries which we have found it necessary to make on the
subject.

Erie kfinrpoof tatiTiarb.

TUESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 25, 1840.

By the packet-ship South America, we have received
a file of New York papers to the 3d instant, inclusive.
The letters and papers brought by the- South America
arrived in Liverpool on Sunday morning, via Cork,
Where the passengers landed on Thursday last.
~..The Commercial intelligence in the papers before us
48'1; 1-a chequered character. We proceed to give as
full and careful a summary as our limits will permit.
On the 27th of January a limited business was trans-
acted, and stocks ingeneral advanced. At Baltimore
the market continued dull. At Philadelphia business
had again become inactive. At New Orleans cotton
was dull, and rather on the decline. •On the 29th of
ever
stocks at New York continued to decline ;
every stock dispoSed of being. at a reduced rate. On
the 30th stocks were still down. On the 31st ult. the
arrival of the packet-ship Patrick Henry, from Liver-
pool' produced an unfavourable reaction upon the
money market, The market was, however, tolerably
briskn
British exchange. Very large amounts were
sold at lon to 1081 on London, and Southern, not
endorsed, at 107 to 107 i. On the Ist instant stocks
experienced a further decline.
The Daily Express of the 3d instant states that the
favourable character of the news from England had
produced a good effect in the United States. The ces-
sation of the drain of bullion from the Bank of Eng_
land, and the favourable turn taken in American secu-
rities, had contributed • • econfidence.
'l to inspire
The almost entire absence of any new business had had.
the effect of lessening the active demand for money.
Good paper, having a longer time to run than 90 days,
had been purchased at New York for 1
per cent, a
month. There was, indeed, a considerable demand for
first class paper, and the supply was very small.
The same journal states that the situation of the
currency, during the preceding month, had not much
-improved, although the value of domestic exchanges
was rising gradually. This improvement is not at-
tributed to any real corresponding improvement in the
currency; but to the increasing demand for cotton in
the South, which was more active than usual at the
same season of the year. As soon, however, as the
cotton purchases are made, exchange will fall back.
The currency of the country, it is alleged, is deficient
for the ordinary purposes of business; and until some-
thing is done to increase public confidence, and give it
stability, there can be no improvement. From a state
of repletion the currency has sunk into
_a state of ex-
haustion: and although a feeble and fluctuating- busi-
neSs may be done, under existing circumstances, there
can be no sound and active state of trade until there is
a prospect of a stability in the domestic exchanges.
The circulation of the specie. paying banks had been
reduced to the very lowest possible limit,
The condition of the New York banks is said to be
sound. Their loans and discounts had scarcely ever
been nearer to_ their capital.

The Maine boundary question continued to occupy
the attention of the United States Senate. An addi-
tional correspondence of much importance had been
communicated to the Senate, from the President, on
the 29th -ultimo: The correspondence is made up of
letter from the British Minister to the President, and

the answer of the President to the letter of Mr. Fox.
The British Minister, on behalf of the Colonial Go-
vernment of New Brunswick, denies many of the ru-
moured allegations touching the oceppancy of the
disputed territory by the British. He reduces the
number of the British troops, said to be at Lake Temis-
couata, from four regiments or • four companies, to
two companies. • He denies that any extensive for-
tifications have been made, or that any barraCks
have been erected, within the limits of the dis-
puted territory. Everything of that description had
been done only within the limits of a territory
indisputably belonging to Great Britain. While
Mr. Fox asserts that no infraction of strict neu-
trality has taken place, he, at the same time, distinctly
intimates that the future actions of the Colonial autho-
rities will depend upon circumstances. Mr. Fox Very
justly complains that the language of the Governor of
Maine, in his letter to the President, was extremely
violent, and recommended action, contrary to the letter
and spirit of the agreement entered into in the month
of March last. He recommends, in conclusion, that
the whole question should he left with the negociating
powers of the two Governments, and not to any minor
power. Thus left, he believes that the whole question
would, at no distant day, be amicably adjusted.
The President, in his reply, states that he is
glad to be officially informed that rumour 'had
told more than truth in regard to the extent of the
possession of the territory of Maine by the British.
He expresses his regret, however, that the Colonial
authorities intended to act as circumstances might dic-
tate.
He says that he believes that. when the autho-
ritieS in England hear of this determination, they will
not only discountenance it, but demand the withdrawal
of the troops on the disputed territory, though there •
may be only twn companies stationed there. He con-
cludes by expressing his anxious wish that the amica-
ble relations now existing between the United States
and Great Britain may be strictly preserved.

On the Ist instant there was a tremendous snow-
storm at New York-7the severest experienced this
All out-door business had been suspended in

season.

consequence.

The Lexington investigation, after nine days' patient
hearing of Witnesses, and going through a mass of
conflicting testimony, had terminated in the Jury
bringing in a verdict and presentment. They ex-
onerate the captain from all blame after the fire had
broken out, but strongly condemn the present system
of fitting up and inspecting steam-boats.
A very destructive fire had occurred on the 27th ult.
at New York, by which an immense amount of pro-
perty had been consumed. It broke out in South-
street, and destroyed a great number of stores or ware-
houses, one of which was 50 feet in front and rear, by
nearly 200 feet deep, and.five stories high. The accu-
mulated destruction of property from this fire is esti-
mated at TWO MILLIONS OF. DOLLARS. Of which very
little was insured. Another fire also broke out in
Pearl-street on the evening of the same day. The loss
from this catastrophe is estimated at .150,000 dollars.
There must be something egregiously Wrong in the fire
police system at New 'York,
There is no news Of any importance limn Canada.
By an arrival from Rio de Janeiro, news had been
received that two French bomb vessels had reached
that place at the end of November, and that from two
to three thousand troops were daily expected.

The villanously ungrateful conduct of the respective
governments of Spain and Portugal towards those un-
fortunate British subjects 'xvlio have been instrumental,
more or less, in the overthrow of Don Carlos, in:tilie'
one, and Don Miguel, in the other, of these distracted
countries, is such as must excite the indigination of
every man who has the least spark of feeling, or the
least degree of respect for honesty of principle. The
case of those British subjects who entered the service
of Don Pedro is, if possible, even worse than those
who were inveigled into theservice of Queen Christina.
We rejoice to find that,l,'OM Sandon called the atten-
tion of the House of`Commons to the condition of
those poor men who are still claimants on the Govern-
ment of Portugal. His Lordship's speech, on intro-
ducing thissiibject, will be found in another column.
He -said that the men who had been induced,hy the
policy of this country, to enter into the service of I)on
Pedro, in 1832, had afterwards been called upon by
the Portuguese Government to abandon the conditions
upon which they had entered the service, and to accept
others in their stead. That, however,. they had re-
fused; and in consequence of that refusal they have
been subjected to the most gross and brutal indignities.
They have been put into dungeons, deprived.pf every
means of= subsistence, and almost reduced to a state of
nudity. This is the sort of return with which they
have met for contributing to place the present Queen
of Portugal upon the throne. This is a characteristic
specimen of liberal " honesty and gratitude. These
men, who had, in many cases, shed their blood, and,
in all cases, risked their lives, on behalf of Don Pedro
and his daughter, have been refused every farthing of
*their pay from 1833 to 1835—not Ilcause the means
to Pay were not in the hands of the Government, but
'because they refused to submit to fraudulent imposi-
tions of the most scandalous description. It is true
that Commission after Commission had been apPointed,
'for the alldged purpose of inquiring, into these claims:
but the real objects of each 'of these Commissions
were, undoubtedly, delay and chicanery. From 1835
to the present time nothing has been done towards
satisfying the just claims of these unfortunate indivi-
duals. They have been compelled to wander about
the streets of Lisbon in the most destitute and misera-
ble condition. Their appeals even for temporary relief
from the government have been treated with contempt.
Many of them, goaded on by despair, have committed
suicide. The representations of the British Govern-
ment on the subject of these claims, have throughout
been contemptuously disregarded. This is not to he
wondered at. England, under the present Adtninistra-
tion, is uniformly treated in the same manner, not only
by Portugal, but by every other petty government in
the world. As was very properly remarked by Lord
Sandon, " we hear nothing of French claims, or Bel-
gian claims, or American claimS." The claims of
other countries readily obtain satisfaction, while those
of Great Britain are contumeliously postponed or
refused. This is one of the blessed results of Whig
ascendancy.

The " tyranny" of the liberals only matched by

their consummate impudence. Never were these
odious qualities more completely or unitedly developed
than in the instance of the Middlesex county meeting
of freeholders, to petition ,for the liberation of Mr.
Sheriff Evans, which was held on Friday last, at the
Freemasons' Hall, in London. That meeting was
convened by Mr. Sheriff Wheelton, in compliance with
a requisition, most numerously signed by the magis-
trates, freeholders and electors of the county. The
object of the meeting was most distinctly and empha-
tically stated in the advertisement by which the meeting
was convened. That object was declared to be, the

liberation of the Sheriff now in custody, under the
charge of the Serjeant-at-Arms, at the instance of the
House of Commons. To attain that object it Naas
proposed. that the meeting should proceed by an ad-
dress to the Crown, or otherwise,.as might be deemed
most advisable. It is necessary to make this explana-
tion in order that the character of the extraordinary
scene which we shall presently describe may be the
better understood. The meeting was convened for a
specific purpose, which purpose was clearly defined and
well understood. It -was, therefore, a matter of Some
surprise to find that, before the appointed hour for the
meeting, Mr. Hume, Mr.,O'Connell, Mr. Warburton,
Mr. Wakley, Mr. Tuffnell, Mr. `rigors, and Mr.
Pryme, all members of Parliament, backed by a horde
of Precursors, had taken possession of the room.
There could have been no objection to the presence of
these gentlemen as mere listeners at the meeting : but
it certainly appears to be the very height of impudence
that they should take an active part in the proceedings.
Such, however, appeared to be their determination.
One of the most prominent topics to be brought before
the meeting was the conduct of the House of Corn-
mons,Or rather of the " tyrant majority," in reference
to the Sheriffs of Middlesex. The House of Commons
was, in fact, to be put upon its trial, before the bar of
public opinion. Where, then, was the decency or the
delicacy of those members of the Commons who thus
obtruded themselves upon the meeting ? But why ask
such a question ? No rational man would ever expect
either decency or delicacy from such coarse and vulgar

buffoons as O'Connell, ITutne, Wakley, and others of
the same kidney.

111011 S :---

CAPTAIN CLEGG.—We perceive that Mr. Brotherton,the
member for Salford, has given the following notice of a
motion for Wednesday, (to-morrow,) in the House of Coin-

" That an bumble address be presented to her Majesty,
praying that her Majesty will be graciously pleased to con-
fer upon Captain Clegg, coraniander of the merchant ship
the Huddersfield, of Liverpool, some mark or title of dis-
tinction suital?lc to that peculiar heroism which braves dan-
ger,in the rescue of human life—a spirit of humanity so
worthy of encouragement, so congenial to our nation, and so
becoming the character of a female Sovereign to notice, and
which was scr nobly exemplified towards the crew and passen-
gers, of the steam-ship the William Huskisson, from the
wreck of which the captain of the Huddersfield,andhis ship's
company, saved 93 persons,• including 15 women and some
children, from inevitable death."