The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-12-16 00:00:00

AMERICA.

ARRIVAL OF THE ROYAL MAIL STEAM-SHIP AFRICA.

Atter a fair average passage of eleven days, three hours,
and , wenty-eight minutes, mean time, the Royal Mail
steam-ship Africa. Captain Ryrie, reached the Mersey
shortly after eight o'clock on Sunday evening, bringing
the usual mails, 66 passengers, and 1,425,873 dollars in
specie on freight.

The Royal Mail steam-ship America. Shannon, com-
mander, which sailed hence on the 22d ult., had not
arrived at New York when the Africa left.

The United States Mail steam-ship Washington, which
left Southampton on the 14th ult., arrived at New York
at 9 a.m., on the 28th, after a run of about 14 days.
The United States steam-ship Cherokee arrived at New
York on the 29th ult., with advices from San Francisco
to the Ist ult., and 2,265,594 dollars in specie on freight.
The steam-ship Prometheus arrived at New York on
the Ist inst., from California, with 120,677 dollars in gold
dust on freight, and 500,000 dollars in the hands of
passengers.
The Africa passed a large steamer at 7 a.m., on the 4th
inst., supposed to be the Humboldt, from Southampton
to New York. . .

C3ngress commenced sitting on the Ist instant. A spi-
rited contest for the speakership of the House of Repre-
sentatives took nlace, and ended in the election of. Mr.
Lind Boyd, of Kentucky.

THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
The President's Message was delivered on the 2d. It
is, as usual, a lengthy document, occupying some six
columns of the New York papers, The following is an
outline :
The President, in his address to the citizens of the
Senate and of the House of Representatives, congratulated
them upon the favourable auspices under which they met.
The country was at peace with all the world. The agita-
tions which had threatened their personal peace were fast
subsiding, and a year of general prosperity and health had
crowned the nation with unusual blessings. He then de-
lineated the action of the government in reference to
Cuba; emphatically declared his past and continued pur-
pose to maintain inviolate the neutrality laws and non-in-
tervention principles of the Republic ; re-affirmed the
settled determination of the government neither to grant
nor permit the right of search ; deplored the attack of the
mob upon the consul's house at New Orleans, and sug-
gested indemnification from the national treasury for the
property destroyed.
He expressed a hope that the Sandwich Islands may
soon be at peace with France ; and stated that the policy
for the independence of those islands heretofore adopted
would be steadily pursued.
He ter:on:mended that Congress should consider in what
manner Governor Kossuth and his companions should be
received and treated. _ _

The connection of the two oceans across the Isthmus of
Tehuantepec would probably be prosecuted with energy,
whenever Mexico should impart a feeling of security to
those who should invest their property in the enterprise.
The convention between the two Governments for the ac-
complishment of that end bad been ratified, and only
awaited the decision of the Executive of that Republic.
The aggregate receipts of the last fiscal year were
52,312,979 dollars 87 cents, with the balance on hand at
the commencement; making the means of the treasury
for the year 58,917,524 dollars 36 cents, against 48,005;878
dollars 66 cents. The imports for the year ending June
30, 1851, were 215,725.995'd011ar5, of which 4.967.901 dol-
lars were in specie. The exports were 217,517,130 dollars.
of which 178,546,555 dollars were domestic, and 9,738.695
dollars foreign products. Specie exported, 29,231,880
dollars. Since December last the payments of principal
of the debt were 7.501,456 dollars 56 cents, which was
inclusive of 3,242,400 dollars paid under the 12th article
of the treaty with Mexico, and 2,591,213 dollars 45 cents
awards under the late treaty with Mexico. The pUblic
debt, exclusive of stock authorized to be issued to
Texas, was 62,560,395 dollars 26 cents. The receipts
for the next fiscal year were estimated at 51,800,000
dollars, making, with the balance on hand, the avail-
able means of the year 63,258,743 dollars 9 cents. The
expenditures were estimated at 42,892,299 dollars 19
cents, of which 33,343.198 were for ordinary purposes of
government, and 9,549,101 dollars 11 cents for purposes
consequent upon the acquisition of territory from Mexico.
It was estimated that there would he an unappropriated
balance of 20.366.443 dollars 90 cents in the treasury on
the 30th June, 1853, to meet 6.227,931 dollars 35 cents of
public debt, due on the Ist of July following. The value
of the domestic exports for the year ending June 30, 1851,
showed an increase of 43,646,322 dollars, which was owing
to the high price of cotton during the first half of the year,
and the price of which bad since declined one-half. The
value of the exports of hreadstnffs was only 21,948,653
dollars, against 26,051.373 in 1850, and 68,701,921 dollars
in 1847, their largest year of export in that department of
trade. In rice the decrease this year as compared with
last in the export was 460,917 dollars, which, with the
decrease in the value of tobacco exported, made an aggre-
gate decrease in the two articles of 1,156,751 dollars.
From these premises the President drew the conclusion
that the favourable results anticipated by the advocates of
free trade from the adoption of that policy have not been'
realised.

He recommended a modification of the tariff, by sub-
stituting specific for ad valorem duties where practicable,
and discriminating in favour of home industry, so as to
encourage home production without excluding foreign
competition. The low rate of duties on foreign mer-
chandise had not tended to benefit the country, by in-
creasing the demand and raising tne price or agricultural
produce in foreign markets, as the foreign demand for
the products of the American farmer had steadily declined.
The President called the attention of Congress to the
proper regulation or disposal of the mineral lands of
California; recommended that the system of internal
improvements be steadily prosecuted ; that an agricul-
tural bureau be established ; that more effectual mea-
sures be taken to suppress Indian incursions into Mexico ;
and that the penal regulations of the navy be revised.
In regard to the fugitive slave question, the President
stated, that the act of Congress for the return of fugitives
from labour is one required and demanded by the express
words of the constitution, and that the laws would be
enforced whenever their execution should be resisted.
The President concluded with a very just and appro-
priate survey of the operation of the peace measures of
the last Congress, and a renewed recommendation that
they be faithfully abide d by as a final settlement of
questions that cannot be agitated without endangering
the peace and welfare of the country.

MISCELLANEOUS

The report of the postmaster-general states, that the
gross receipts of the department for the fiscal year, were
6,786,493 d. 22c.; and the ordinary revenue 6,551,977 d.
89c., showing an increase of 999,006 d. 41c. over the pro-
per revenues of the preceding year. Included in the
gross receipts were 58,626 d. 44c. due as British postage
collected, and which had been paid over under the provi-
sions of the recent postal treaty. The gross expenditures
for the fiscal year were 6,278,401 d. 68c. including items
which, being omitted, would reduce the ordinary expendi-
ture to 6,024,566 d. 79c, The actual balance of revenue
over the expenditures of the year is stated at 703,299 d. 99c.
The publication of the report of the Secretary of the
Treasury is unavoidably delayed for some days, but it is
understood that the exposition of the present state of the
finances of the Government will be very favourable, show-
ing a heavy absorption of the public debt, during the past
year, by the investment of the surplus revenue and the
proceeds of the public lands ; the latter in the loan of
1867, for the redemption of which they were specially
pledged.
Very little was done in Congress on the 2d instant. A
most important movement, however, was commenced in
the Senate, by Senator Foote giving notice of his inten-
tion to introduce a resolution to the effect that the com-
promise measures of last Congress are a final settlement
of the slavery agitation. _ _ _

The New York Tribune states that, should the cotton
crop now going forward be equal to that of last year, and
be sold at present prices, it will realize 40,000,000 dollars
less than that of last year, or nearly the whole amount of
the increase in the whole exports of 1851 over 1850.
Miss Catherine Hayes was at Rochester, and had been
compelled to retire from the stage on two occasions, on
the evening of the 29th ultimo, her voice having altogether
failed her, from indisposition.

It appears that Jenny Lind has fixed the 12th January
as the day for her last concert at New York. She pur-
posed to sing in the interim at Worcester, Providence,
Hartford or Newhaven, and in Philadelphia. Probably
she will leave New York for this port on the 14th proximo.
As the United States steam-ship Prometheus was leav-
ing San Juan, on the 21st ultimo, she was fired into by
the English brig of war Express, and compelled to return
to her anchorage. The reason assigned was, that the port
dues claimed by the Musquito King had not been paid.
On the amount being handed over, (under protest,) the
steamer was allowed to depart.
The accounts from California are of a very interesting
character. The news from the mines is of the most cheer-
ing character. The most exciting intelligence is to be
found in the proceedings of a convention assembled to
consider the propriety of dividing California into two
states, southern and northern. The language of the
speakers would leave no doubt as to the final issue to which
this division tends. The establishment of a new slave
state is manifestly the aim of at least some of the pro-
moters of this scheme. The clipper-ship Challenge arrived
at San Francisco, on the 29th October, from New York.
Great excitement was caused shortly after the arrival of
the Challenge, from the reports that Captain Waterman,
and George Douglas, chief mate, had perpetrated great
cruelties to the crew, and caused the death of nine of them.
A mob assembled, and an attempt was made to secure the
captain and mate, which, however, failed, they having
made their escape. Subsequently, a reward of 5500 was
offered by the United States Marshal for the arrest of
Captain Waterman, who is charged with causing the deaths
of nine of his crew, and George Douglass, first mate, and
a rumour was afloat, when the Tennessee left, that Captain
Waterman bad surrendered himself to the civil authorities
the evening before the steamer sailed. The Flying Cloud
had sailed for China, and her captain, Cressy, died when
two or three days out from San Francisco.
Accounts from Upper Canada state that the elections
were fixed by the returning officers to come off about the
10th of December. Some come on sooner and some
later. On the lowest calculation the Reformers are likely
to return a majority of thirty members to the new house,
in both sections of the province.
Late advices from Havana state that General Concha,
the Captain General of Cuba, had indicated his intention
of pardoning Mr. Thrasher in a few days, giving him 20
days to settle his affairs, and then to quit the island. This
has caused great rejoicing among the American residents.
The latest advices from the seat of war on the Rio
Grande, report that General Caravajal had received a re-
inforcement of 400 Americans, and was making pre-
parations to renew hostilities on a most formidable scale.