The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-26 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS.-FRIDAY

The feuing of entailed estates for churches &c. (S ;otland)
bill went through committee, and the report thereon was
ordered to be presented on Tuesday.
The Marquis of NORMANRY moved that the insane pri-
soners custody bill be committed; but in consequence, of a
suggestion by the Duke of Richmond, the Marquis of Nor-
manby consented to postpone the commitment.
Many petitions having been presented, and the orders of
the day disposed of, their lordships adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY.
Lord ELLIOT presented a petition from merchants regard-
ing New Zealand, praying for the interference of parliament
to secure good local government there ; and in a subsequent
part of the evening he gave notice that on Thursday, the
27th instant, he should call attention, by specific motion, to
the subject.
Lord MORPETII gave notice, that on Tuesday the Attorney-
General for Ireland would move for leave to bring in a bill
for amending the system of registering voters in Ireland !
a notice which called forth tremendous shouts of laughter
from the conservative benches.
Sir G. CLERK called attention to the conduct of Mr. Hors-
man, in having addressed his (then) constituents of Cocker-
mouth, on the 18th inst., stating that a lordship of the trea-
sury had been offered to him, and that he had accepted it,
but that he 'should not vacate his seat until after the division
on the Irish registration bill. According to the act of Anne,
the acceptance of office vacated the seat; the right hon. hart.
therefore, held that Mr. Horsman had offended against the
constitution of the house. He asked Lord J. Russell for
explanation.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that he feared his answer would
not be of a very " precise description." On returning to
town on Monday, he learned the office of a lord of the trea-
sury had been offered to Mr. Horsman, and that he was
disposed to accept of it. His lordship added that he had no
further
explanationuic
afterwards
t o give.
observed that he would repeat
the inquiry on Tuesday ; perhaps, by that time, there might
sir G.
be the means of giving a more definite answer.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that he very much doubted whether
he should have any other answer to give.
Mr. AGL loyal( asked whether Feargus O'Connor had
been removed to York Castle, to be treated according to the
rules applicable to felons ?
sentence of the Court
sent to York Castle agreeably to the
Mr. Fox MAULE answered that the prisoner had been
were framed by the magistrates, and the
of Queen's Bench ; and that as the rules of the prison, they
government had no
control over them.
,
Sir C. LEMON gave notice of his intention to move for
returns regarding the treatment of children at the Cape of
said
that VILLIERS, in answer to inquiry from Mr. Darby,
.
Good Hope, sent there from the Children's Friend Society
that it was his intention to brinz forward his (second) motion
on the subject of the corn laws on the 26th instant.
Lord SANDON said that considerable uneasiness was felt
by parties connected with steam-boats at the frequent appli-
cations made to the Board of Trade, either for the privilege
of limited liability, or being excused from liability altogether.
In order to relieve the doubt and the anxiety which prevailed
on the subject, he had thought the best Course would be to
ask whether in the principle acted on the President of the
Board of Trade was governed by the minute which had been
laid before the house by his department of the Board of
Trade.
Mr. LABoncllicitz answered that he was rather surprised
that any doubt could prevail on the subject, for he had
always acted on, and always intended to act on, the principles
laid clown in the treasury minute—that the board ought not
to grant the principle of patent to any company the object of
which could be equally obtained by individuals.
Sir R. BATESON asked whether the Irish estimates would
not be brought on earlier this than last year, when they
were not brought on till most of the Irish members had left
town for the assizes?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he could not
name the day.

The ATTORNEY.GENERAL intimated that, instead of
moving for a clause in the Poor-law Amendment Act, as he
intended, to exempt stock from being rated to the poor, he
should bring in a bill for that purpose.
Mr. DARBY hoped the bill would be limited to that single
object.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL. intended that it should be.
Lord INGESTRE asked whether the government had re-
ceived any despatches from the expedition sent out to explore
the north-west passage?
Admiral ADAM answered that there had been some private
letters, but no official despatch.
On the motion of Lord J. RUSSELL (in consequence of
Monday being her Majesty's birth-day), the house, at its
rising, it was ordered should stand adjourned until Tuesday.
Lord STANLEY deferred the committee on the Registra-
tion of Voters (Ireland) Bill till June 4th. His lordship
remarked that the government had at last thought fit to
bring in a registration bill, the effect of which might be to
obstruct the measure already before the house. He added
that he had no objection to the house and the country hav-
ing the opportunity of comparing the different plans.
A discussion followed on the second reading of the Cus-
toms, &c. Duties Bill, one of the measures resulting from
the Chancellor of the Exchequer's budget. The bill was
eventually carried by 107 for the second reading, and 15 for
the amendment ; majority in its favour, 92.
The other orders of the day were afterwards disposed of,
and the house adjourned till Tuesday.

THE MURDER OF LORD WILLIAM RUSSELL.
THIRD EXAMINATION OF THE VALET COUR-
VOISIER.

On Friday last Courvoisier, the valet of the late ill-fated
Lord William Russell, was brought up at Bow-street, for
re-examination. Sarah Mancel, the housemaid, was again
questioned at great length. Her replies related chiefly to the
conduct and bearing of the prisoner on the morning when
the deed was discovered. The only entirely new point elicited
was, that she heard him say, about a week before they went
to Richmond, that " Old Billy (meaning his lordship) was a
rum old chap, and if he had his money, he would not be
long in England." Mary Hanwell, the cook, gave testi-
mony, but it was unimportant. Thomas Selway, a servant
at the house which joins his late lordship's, described the
back of the premises, and showed, that it was plainly indi-
cated from appearances that no one had got over any of the
walls. William York, the coachman, was examined. He
stated, that he had seen the prisoner shave himself; his
razors had white handles. James Leach, who had been
fellow-servant with the prisoner at another place, deposed to
the fact of his having been in the habit of wearing white
cotton gloves. Emanuel Young, butler to a family in Nor-
folk-street, Baldwin and Rose, police-officers, Inspector
Tedman were examined at considerable length. Their evi-
dance, with the exception of Tedman's, was nothing more
than a recapitulation, dwelling more at large on minute
points, of the circumstances which occurred on the morning
of the discovery. Tedman, it appeared, had since searched
the prisoner's portmanteau, and found in it a pair of white
cotton gloves spotted with blood. Mr. Hobler, solicitor for
the crown, intimated, that he had five more witnesses to re-
examine. The case was adjourned till the following morn-
ing. On Saturday the investigation was resumed. The first
witness called was Inspector Pearce, whose testimony re-
lated chiefly to the marks on the safe, in the butler's pantry,
and on the back door. Some of the indentations corre-
sponded exactly with the chisel and screwdriver found in the
pantry, and with the poker and tongs found in other parts
of the house, both of which latter were bent as if they had
been used in some work of violence. It was this officer who
found the notes, purse, ring, &c. in the pantry, and the
locket, &c. in the prisoner's pocket. He also examined the
prisoner's boxes, and looked over his shirts, without any
particular discovery. He threw the things which he examined
on the bed. The prisoner was afterwards taken into that
room, and witness saw him returning the things back again
into the boxes. George Collier, a police-officer, agreed with
the last witness in thinking that the marks on the door had
been made from within. This witness it was who found the
seal, ring, and a sovereign secreted in the pantry. On Thurs-
day he examined the prisoner's portmanteau, on the top of
which two handkerchiefs and a shirt front were found. The
handkerchiefs were spotted with blood. The shirt front was
a good one, and had been torn off a shirt. It was buttoned,
and several of the prisoner's shirts had fronts resembling it.
Witness could not find the body and sleeves. Constable
Shaw deposed to having found a locket with hair in it be-
tween the floor of the pantry and the hearthstone. Consta-
ble Cronin.described minutely the manner in which he found
the watch' concealed in the sink. Ellis, who was formerly
his lordship's valet, identified the watch, rings, and various
other articles found, as his lordship's property. Ellis said,
when he left his lordship's service, he gave the prisoner a
list of the plate. The prisoner, it appeared, had said he
could not find that list, nor had it been found. Ellis pro-
duced his own original list. He had examined the plate in
the house by it, and found several forks and spoons missing.
Mr. Hobler observed to the magistrate, that he thought he
had made out a sufficient case for the committal of the pri-
soner; to which the magistrate assented. As the depositions
would be of great length, the prisoner was remanded till
Wednesday.
At the close of Courvoisier's examination he was taken
into the private room of the Bow-street-office, for the pur-
pose of having read to him, by Mr. Nobler, a foreign letter
which purported to have come from his sister, who is residing
in Paris. The letter, which was extremely long, was written
in French. It alluded to the reports touching the murder of
Lord Wm. Russell, and to the disgrace which such a crime
would bring upon his family and connections ; and expressed .
a hope that the rumours of his guilt were unfounded: But
if such a calamity as to be suspected of the crime had over-
taken him, she trusted that he would bear up against it, and
prove his innocence, of which she entertained no doubt. She
recommended him, in conclusion, to place his trust in Con,
and quoted many passages of Scripture in support of her ad-
vice. When the letter had been read through, the prisoner
exclaimed, " I knew she would write such a letter ; she knew
I could not be guilty of such an act." The letter waa hantl..il
to him.

On the arrival of the van, the prisoners who were to depart
with it were brought from the cells to the waiting room in
front next to Bow-street, which was crowded by policemen
and other persons. The first that was brought into the wait-
ing-room was Courvoisier; he walked into the room without
noticing any of the persons by whom he was surrounded;
and while waiting there until everything was ready he never
looked around him, but confined his gaze to the ceiling or
the floor, seeming quite thoughtful and dejected, standing
with his hands elapsed behind him.. After the other pri-
soners, three males and two females, had been brought in,
and their names called over, the two females and two of the
males who were also going to the Westminster Bridewell
were conducted in the van. The gaoler then beckoned to
Courvoisier, who instantly came forward with a firm step ;
but the instant he appeared in sight the crowd set up a yell.
He at the moment appeared unmanned, and hastily descended
the office steps, ascending those of the van followed by the
remaining prisoner, and the van instantly drove off for its
destination, amidst the cheers of the crowd, and a clapping
of hands, in which several females joined. The crowd then
dispersed. _ _

During the day many persons collected in front of the re-
sidence of the late Lord William Russell, showing great
anxiety to ascertain if anything of a decisively criminating
character had been discovered against the valet, Courvoisier.
We are assured, no discoveries had been made beyond those
detailed in evidence at the examinations of the prisoner ; al-
though on Friday morning, at the early hour of three o'clock,
the whole of the iron gratings connected with the drains in
Norfolk-street were taken up, and the drains leading to the
sewer most closely and rigidly searched by experienced adepts
at such work, in the hope of finding the instrument with
which the dreadful deed had been committed, and which
from its being no where found in the house it was considered
might have been thrown down one of the drains for the pur-
pose of concealment. No trace of it could, however, be
found.

MEMOIR OF COURVOISIER, THE LATE LORD W. RUSSELL'S

VALET.

Francois Benjamin Courvoisier was born at a small village
of Switzerland, called Monte-le-Ville, in August, 1816, and
he will, consequently, complete his 24th year in August next.
His father, whose name is Abraham Courvoisier, and who is
still alive, is a farmer working a farm which is his own pro-
perty. Francois was early placed in one .of the common
schools of the village, in which he received all the education
which he is possessed of. After he left school he was en-
gaged in assisting his father up to the period of his attaining
his 20th year of age, when in (1835) he left Switzerland and
came to this country, with the language of which he was,
however, wholly ignorant; and it is probable he might have
remained long unemployed had he not had an uncle in Eng-
land filling the situation of butler in the establishment of a
worthy baronet, through whose influence he obtained a situa-
tion as footman in the establishment of Lady Julia Lock-
wood, now residing at No. 100, Park-street, Grosvenor-
square, where he remained about seven months. He left Lady
Julia Lockwood in March, 1837, and entered the service of
J. M. Fector, Esq., M.P. for Maidstone, who was residing
at Dover, where he remained as footman for three years,
ieaving that situation ou the 31st of March last (1840,) pre-
vious to which he had been engaged by the late lamented
Lord William Russell. The manner in which Courvoisier
was first brought under the notice of his late lordship was as
follows :—Lord William Russell, happening, in the course of
conversation with Lady Julia Lockwood, to mention that
his valet, Ellis, was going to leave his service, she recom-
mended Courvoisier to his lordship, who, on applying to Mr.
Fector, received from that gentleman the highest character
for his conduct and competency to fill the situation. His
lordship accordingly engaged him ; and it was stipulated he
should receive at the rate of £45 per annum for the first six
months, and, if he then suited, it was to be raised to £5O
a year. Having been with his lordship but five weeks pre-
vious to his tragical demise, Courvoisier has received no por-
tion of his wages, it being customary to pay them quarterly.

EFFECTS OF A THUNDER STORM.—During a severe
thunder on the 14th instant, two very large ash trees, grow-
ing near Branteth, in the neighbourhood of Springkell, were
completely broke down and split to pieces by the lightning.
No other injury has happened.—Scottish Guardian.
LEAD ORE.—It appears by a return to an order of the
House of Commons, that the quantity of lead and lead ore
imported into the United Kingdom in the year ending Janu-
ary, 1840, was 6,439 tons, 1 cwt. 251 b. on which a net duty
of X 217 13s ld was received. The total amount of British
lead and lead ore exported in the same year was 12,991 tons,
3 cwt 1 qrs 11 lbs. Besides this, 3,736 tons, 7 cwt 3 qrs 111hs
of foreign pig lead, and a small .quantity (under 2 tons) of
foreign white lead were exported.
FLORAL CURIOSITY.—A very singular horticultural pro-
duction, which we presume is but rarely met with, was lately
cut in the garden belonging to Mr. Birch, surgeon, Stalmine,
namely, a double tulip, consisting of two perfect flowers or
heads separately proceeding from one stein. During the last
year, we had occasion to advert to a case somewhat similar,
that of two perfectly formed dalhias on one stem, and sub-
sequently of a double tiger flower, (terraria pavonia) but we
think that in point of curiosity, this tulip exceeds them both.
—Preston Pilot.

CURIOUS FACT.—A few weeks aegobaiesssmhairlel,lamnidsesdedptrhoe-
prietor in the parish of Kirkurd, pe
not inconsiderable sum of £27, which he had deposited in
the case of his eight-day clock, considering that to be a place
of greater security than either his desk or drawer. The
clock-case hay.ing been regularly locked, and the key never
having been out of his possession, he was utterly unable to
weights of the clock , at-
tachedconjecture who pie thief could be, when one day lately he
discovered, to his agreeable surprise,
regionsthe missing property
slow slowly
tod tesrenhdoinogk ofrfoomne of the
ethe upper

DREADFUL SUICIDE.—On the afternoon of Saturday last,
Mr. Samuel Buckley, of the Star Inn, King-street, Oldham,'
was discovered in the cellar lying on a timber tier, with his
throat cut from ear to ear, and quite dead. A razor that be-
longed to himself lay near. He had been observed to be in
a state of despondency for about three weeks, and had evi-
dently been in a state of derangement when he destroyed
himself. The deceased was in general of regular habits, and
was about 36 years of age : he has left a widow and one child.
—Manchester Guardian.

NAME. Passen- P.mile P.mile Passeng.
gers. Cash.
pr.wk. p. day.; per day.
X. X. X.
Birmingham — 15275 136 19
Grand Junction ...' 9008 921 131
Liverp. and Manch. 4955 159* 221
Great Western — 3784 106 , 15
South Western — 4806 624 9
Newcast. & Carlisle
Greenwich 24896 871 2284 324 3557
Birmg. & Derby — 1113 29 4
Manchester &Leeds 11217 824 61 8t 1602
Croydon.. • 11450 694 664 91 1636
York &N. Midland 2174 391 27 4 311
Midland Counties 4500 563 15} 24 643
Glasgow Sc. Ayr 4993 832
Eastern Counties 5161 278 261 4 737

EXTENSION OF CONSERVATISM.—SO rapidly and exten-
sively have conservative principles spread in the city of
London, and such degradation have the whig ministry brought
upon themselves by the scandalous mismanagement of national
affairs, that there is scarcely a respectable merchant in the
city who is not opposed to them, or who does not look with
coolness or indifference at the pending fate of the wretched
ministry. Their doom is sure, and will be speedily completed
in spits of all O'Connell's blarney.
HINTS FOR HALIFAX !—The electors of Halifax have been
betrayed. They returned, as they thought, a true reformer
—and this true reformer joins the party that would uphold all
the abuses of the church, check education, and grievously
oppress Ireland, now the most peaceful portion of her ma-
jesty s dominions. Can Halifax submit to the disgrace of
being represented by a renegade ? We have some influence
in that quarter, and when opportunity offers, it shall not be
exerted in vain.—Sten, Radical paper in the horrors.

TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 26, 1840.

By the arrival of the Great Western at Bristol, on
Sunday morning, we have received New York papers
from the 2d to the 9th instant, both inclusive. This
splendid vessel• has once more accomplished the passage
across the Atlantic in fourteen days and a half. This
is her second return trip since she was refitted. We
proceed to give a summary of the news contained in

the papers before us, commencing with the monetary
affairs of the States.

The Courier and Inquirer of the 9th instant states

that on the preceding day there was a better feeling
pervading the stock market than had for some time
been experienced, and considerable sales were made
at a slight improvement on previous rates. United
States Bank closed at 73, an advance of .1 per cent.,
and North American Trust were at an improvement of
1+ per cent. Money was very abundant,.and readily
obtained, when the security was undoubted, at 6 to 7
per cent. per annum, an extraordinary low rate of in.;.
teresitifor New York; and indicative of the circum-
scribed amount of business going forward. The large
houses were entering into new engagements with cau-
tion, and their paper was, consequently, little seen and
readily absorbed by the banks. It is added, that this
diminution in mercantile operations could not be at-

ributed to any cause of a public nature, but chiefly, if
not solely, to the unprecedentedly low price of cotton,
which, by curtailing the amount which the merchants
were able to sell, reduced the amount which they were
able to buy. The spring trade in dry goods had, in
conseqUence, been small, as well as the importa-
tions : nor had this been compensated, to any material
extent, by a foreign demand for flour or grain, of which
the supply had not yet become large, and of which the
prices were low, affording but a poor return to the
agriculturist, after being burdened with the cost of
.ransportation from a great distance, as was mostly the
The depression of trade was attributed with the
greater confidence to the state of foreign markets, be-
cause it was not possible to find a cause for it in any
local circumstances. Foreign exchanges were all in
favour of New York; and, therefore, there was no
want of inclination or means to profit by any fields
which were open to commercial enterprise; but, un-
fortunately, none could be found.

case.

The excessive reduction which had taken place in
rents, especially in situations where mercantile tran-
sactions were almost entirely carried on, was considered
by some an unequivocal sign of the decline of business.
The Courier and Enquirer, however, attributes this re-
duction to the extraordinary increase of stores and
offices, which was the consequence of the high rents.
The burnt district and all the vicinity had been filled
up with buildings of an unusual height, and advantage
had been taken of every inch of ground, so that the
supply far exceeded the demand.

In short, the declension of business, according to
the paper from which we have deduced the preceding
observations, was considered attributable to extrinsic
causes, which, if once removed, would be followed by
renewed activity.

There had been several transactions of great magni-
tude in the stocks of the State of New York and Ohio,
and some few in Indiana. It is said that among the
passengers of the Great Western there were several
individuals commissioned by the States for the sale of
their stocks in the European markets.
Treasury notes, bearing interest at 6 per cent., per
annum, were at par; and it was reported that the
Secretary of the Treasury had made an arrangement
for the disposal of one million, payable in one year, at
less than 5 per cent. interest, and at par. In foreign
exchanges there had been heavy transactions for the
Great Western, both on London and Paris. The fol-
lowing were the rates :—London, 107 f to 1081 ; Paris,
5,261 to 5,25 ; Amsterdam, 30 to 40; Hamburg,
35i to 351; Bremen, 77 to 78. Although these ex-
changes were in favour of New York, the Courier and
Enquirer says that the Great Western took out half a
million of dollars in silver, and that the Havre packets
had taken out a considerable amount of Spanish and
American dollars. It was surmised that these ship-
ments of specie were for some specific object, "perhaps
for the English Commissariat in their hostilities against

China, or for the French in their war on the coast of
Africa."
The foreign demands for specie had not increased its
value, and the banks are said to be most abundantly
supplied with it. Inland exchanges were in limited
demand, and the rates showed a depreciation in the va-
lue of most of the local currencies.
The Courier and Enquirer of May 9th, in its weekly
review of the markets, notices an advance of 1 cent
per lb. in the price of cotton, in addition to a previous
advance of the same amount the week before. The
sales of the week, which had been principally for ex-
port, embraced 7,600 bales, of which 4,500 bales of
Upland brought, for very ordinary to middling, -61 to
; fair to good, and good, 9 to 91 ; Tennessee and
Alabama 61 to g; and New Orleans, 6 to 91.
The shipments of wheat in':England still continued.
The arrivals of Southern' corn had been light for a
number of days. -
In freights; it is remarked, that the packets to Liver-
pool filled readily at 11-16tlis.for cotton, 4s. to 45.6 d.
for flour, and naval stores, •4s.
The proceedings of the Congress of the United Stat6s
had been of very little importance, if we may except
the introduction of a motion for the release of William
Lyon Mackenzie, the " patriot," and for the remission
of the fines imposed upon him for his violation of the
neutral obligations of the United States.
The Courier and Enquirer of May 5 publishes another
long correspondence relating to the Maine boundary
question. It consists of several documents recently
communicated to the House of Representatives of the
United States, and includes the instructions issued from
the War Department to General Scott, authorising him
to proceed to the North-eastern frontier to assume the
command there, and to place himself in communication
with the Governor of the 'State of Maine. In these
instructions General Scott is directed "to abstain from
all armed interference, and from entering the disputed
territory for any other Purpose than to restore peace,"
but empowering him, in the event of a certain contin-
gency, to call for the co-operation of the regular troops
and of the militia of Massachusetts mid Maine. The
rest of the correspondence has been long since
published.
The great cloth seizure case had recently come on for
adjudication at Philadelphia; and had been decided
against the goods on eleven counts out of thirteen,
which forfeited them to the government. The goods

seized amounted to 726 pieces of cloth, cassimeres,
&c., mostly fine, but of various grades of value. They
were estimated to be worth near 100,000 dollars. The
trial occupied nine weeks.

Fires continued to be of very frequent occurrence in

various parts of the United States. A cotton shed had
been burned down at Mobile, on the 25th ultimo,
and about 2,500 bales of cotton destroyed, the whole
of which was uninsured. We learn also that the
village of Pontiac, in Michigan, was entirely destroyed
by fire on the 30th of April. The loss of property is
said to have been immense.
The St. Louis Bulletin of April 27 furnishes an ac-

count of the loss of the Steam-boat Bedford, in
descending the Missouri river, near the mouth. Nine
persons were drowned, five females and four men.

Five of the bodies had been found.

The news from Canada is very meagre. His Ex-
cellency the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada
had been making a tour of the Province, for the
purpose of inspecting the troops in various quarters.

From Quebec we learn that several vessels had arrrived
in the port, the river having become partially cleared
of ice.

Jamaica papers had been received at New York to
the Bth ultimo. They were filled with complaints of
the conduct of the Baptist missionaries in relation to
the negro population. One of these papers stated that
a vessel from Carthagena had brought intelligence of a
disturbance having broken out there, and that applica-
tion had been made to the British Commodore and the
Governor for some vessels of war to protect British
property and subjects.

Advices had been received at New York from
Montevideo to the 25th of March, and from Buenos
Ayres to the 21st of the same month. According to
accounts received a few, days previously to the latest
arrival, the blockade by the French squadron continued
to be strictly enforced, and Rosas was apparently un-
moved. An official account had also been received,
giving the particulars of the battle near Montevideo,
between Echague, the Buenos Ayrean commander, and
Rivera, commanding the Montevidean forces, in which
the former claims a complete victory over his opponent,
and states that nothing had prevented his assaulting
his trenches on the succeeding day, but he found his
ammunition was • expended. The Montevideans, ac-
cording to their own. accounts, also claimed to have
gained a complete victory.
The latest accounts from Buenos Ayres state that
General Rosas had been re-elected by an unanimous
vote of the House of Representatives to be Governor
and Captain-General of the Provinces. The British
Packet, published at Buenos Ayres on the 21st of
March, contains an account of a conference held on
board the British ship of war Acteeon, between Don
Felipe Arana, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Ar-
gentine Confederation, Mr. Mandeville, Minister Ple-
nipotentiary for England, and the French Rear Admiral
Dupotet. The conference lasted four hours. Its ob-
ject is supposed to have been the adjustment of the
differences between the Argentine Republic and France.

The result was not known, but it is added that Admiral
Dupotet had sailed to Monte Video. Letters from the
latter place, to the 25th of March, state that it had
been determined not to accept the terms offered.
Hopes were, however, entertained that a reconciliation
would shortly he effected.
The New Orleans Bee of April 28 furnishes us with

some important news from Mexico and Texas. It is

said that the Mexicans had invaded Texas by crossing
the Rio Grande. The central army was about 2,000
strong, with eight pieces of artillery. They were fast
approaching Bexar, which they threatened to destroy
and plunder.
Letters from Vera Cruz represent the state of com-
mercial affairs as very distressing. Trade and business
were almost at an end. In the interior the long pre-
valence of civil war had paralyzed industry and agri-
culture, and spread desolation and poverty over the
land. From Yucatan the accounts were flattering to
the Federalists. In the province of Tobasco an insur-
rection had occurred, in which the adjacent states were
expected to join. The town of Campeachy still held
held out at the date of the last advices, but was soon
expected to surrender. It was beseiged by an army of
4,000 men by land, and the port was blockaded by
three vessels of war.

Panama papers had been received at New York to

;he 15th of March. A revolution had broken out in

the southern provinces of New Grenada, particularly
Patia and Pasto, Naguera and Espana were the first
movers in the business, but they were afterwards joined
by General Jose Maria Obando. This General had
attacked Popayan with 400 men, but was repulsed by
600 who defended the city.

Arrangements had been entered into by Alfonso
Morel, agent for the house of Salomon and Co., for the
construction of a carriage road between Chagres and
Panama, thus effecting a convenient communication
between one ocean and the other.

News from Lima had been received to the 13th of
February. Business was very dull. Active prepara-
tions were being made to forward troops to the south,
destined, it was supposed, to invade Bolivia, although
no declaration of war had been made. The expedi-
tionary army of Chili had not been withdrawn from
Peru. The Peruvians were only waiting for an op-
portunity to throw off the Chilian yoke, and banish
once more Gamarra from its soil. His message to the
Congress had been received with universal dissatisfac-
tion; and his not recognising the treaties made with
the United States and England had not caused much
regret, as commerce was at so low an ebb as to receive
little good or ill from its effects.

Of all the instances of the wasteful expenditure of
the public money, of which our Whig " economists"
have been so notoriously guilty, since their accession to
office, we know of. none more scandalous than the
enormous sums which have been periodically bestowed
upon that pink of political quacks, Dr. Polyglot
Bowring. This conceited but superlatively shallow
and brainless pretender bas been paid, during the
interval between September 1831 and October 1839,
the sum of eleven thousand pounds and upwards, under
the heads of remuneration and expences, for his
" services" as commercial agent on the Continent and