Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-04-23

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II COMMERCIAL.
The COMMERCIAL end monetary afFairs 81
this country are il state hardly less satisfac-
tory than at the sailing of the racket on the
4th. The railway system has fastened its
claws upon all the ready money afiuat, and the
magnitude Of schemes now before Parliament,
with the immense sums Of which the Accom-
tant-General is still the recipient. together with
the heavy requirements 70 meet the expenses
Of the lines now in process OF formation
these causes have rendered apparently poor
and needy the richest country in the world.
This is one prime feature Of the prevailing
embarrassment; another may BE- found in The
suspension Of MANY important branches Of bt,-
siness until the safety OF the Government ulea-
sure is past conjecture; and to render the
siringency complete, the tcklish state of our
relations with the American Government inn
pedes operations, and acts as a barrier to the
revival of confidence. Failures in commercial
circles are, therefore, by no means rare. and
firms find their way into the government Ga
zefte which were held to be as safe as the old
lady IN Ihreadneeale street--as Goblet used
to call the Bank of England. Many trades
men are also being whitewashed through the
faculties Of the law of bankruptcy.
These individual losses, involving, in many
instances, individual ruin and the utter pros
traton Of wears of industry and success, may
be attributed, in the majority Of cases, to that
desperate system Of gambling in railway stock
Of the most moonshine, starlight description,
to which we had frequent occasion TO revert in
the autumn Of last year A painful penalty
these unfortunate fleeced ones are now paying
for their insane attempts to amass riches per
saitum. The proverb which declares that
those who strive TO realize fortune In six
months are generally penniless before the end
of the year, has found many victims recently
to illustrate its truth.
The admission o. Indian Corn, buckwheat
and rice at a nominal Interpretations which
the Government have wisely taken to arrest
the dreaded dearth, will be found Of infinite ser
vice IN the present position OF the country. A
large quantity of Indian Corn, now under
lock in this and some otherofthe English ports,
will be released at a-duty Of one shilling per
quarter, the parties giving bond, as we have
elsewhere animated, that if the new Tariff is
rejected BY the House of Lords, Of which there
is not the least fear, they will pay the present
rate of duty.
The popularity of Indian Corn as an article
of food is daily on the increase, and the 100000
quarters which the Government have purcha-
sed for the furnishing poor in Ireland, will give
the peasantry taste, there is every reason 10
hope, for a superior and economical article OF
daily lie-Esgopean Times.
PEEL'S POLICY.
The first and most important part of Peel's
scheme which relates TO Corn, has already
passed through its mostcrtical stage--the Com
mittee. The second reading OF the bill will
take place in the course of the present week.
Nothing can prevent the measure passing the
popular branch of the legislature.
Business continues to feel the stagnation
contingent on the intenegnum, and every
days delay creates pecuniary loss.
The question still asked is, "What will the
Lords do ?" On this point some little dversi-
ty ofopinion prevails. But the preponderance
OF opinion is, that the Lords will pass the bill.
Every day adds the weight Of probability to
this concurrence Of opinion.
Thrir Lordships know well that they must
OF necessity, he worsted in the conflict with
the nation, and they viii not, il is now gener-
ally asserted and believed, push to the extent Of
a dissolution by regulating the new CONNER
cial policy.
A Sunday semi official organ of the Gov
eminent asserts unhesitatingly that the Gov
eminent have a majority Of more than twenty
in favor of the ministerial scheme Before the
bill is ON the table Of their Lordships' House,
this number will have considerably increased
Mr.. Walkers Tariff, now before Congress,
is viewed with some interest there, but the fee
ling is not absorbing, because il is assumed,
as a matter OF business, as matter OF self in
terest. that a greatly extended reduction on
British manufactured goods will. nay, must
follow the consummation of PEEPS policy.
The critical state of the two countries res
pecting the Oregon, throws all other questions
connected with the United States into the
shade at the present moment. Once settle
that bone OF contention, no matter by what
means, and attention would be directed exclu-
sivey to the Free Trade policy Of the United
States.
The same causes that divert the attention
from matters purely commercial on the part
OF American citizens, would then be concen-
trated on their own Tariff.
The protectionists, on the evening of Mon
day, in their timid fears, protested alarm lest
the reduced duty on American hops would
drive the home grown article out of the market
Sir Robert Peel refused to participate in these
fears, and boldly adhered to the reduced duty.
| in which he succeeded.
The Silk trade afforded the same parties a
pretext for upholding the present duties, but
here, too the Premier was nexorable.--EtTo-
pedn Tunes
THE OREGON QUESTION.
We have given in another column the
conversation which took place in the House of
Lords relative to the state of our relations with
America, between the Earl of Clarendon and
the Earl of Aberdeen, on Tuesday evening
last. The speech of the Foreign Secretary,
ii will be seen, was conciliatory but determin-
ed. He expressed the strongest desire for
peace, coupling it with the assurance that il
could yet be preserved, and intmating thatno-
thing would be left undone to preserve it, con
sisient with the honor of the country. But he
gave no information as to the state Of the nego-
tiations he refused to produce all the papers
asked for, and only consented to submit por-
ton Of them TO the House, alleging, as rea-
son, that the public interest would suffer by
the inspection of the whole. Nothing can be
inferred from the tone of this conversation as
To the turn which matters are likely to take on
this mooted subject
ltwould be folly however, to regard the bland
and polite language ofthe British Minister as
expressing the feeling of the British nation
We regret to state that anger and irritation
have lately been called into existence by the
news from America; and every day is calling
into existence amongst us a war party as
fierce and unreasonable as the most furious