Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-09-23
.foretol Nous.
ARRIVAL OF THE BRITANNIA.

ARMY AL Or t16 bttl AINTNIAs
The steamship Britannia arrived at South
Boston, on the morning of the 10Th inst, bring
ing intelligence up 10 the 18th. She met with
dangerous accident on her passage, in consc.
quence of dense fog which she encountered
rear Cape Race, near which place she struck the
shore but by the promptncss and skill of Capt.
Harrison and his officers and men, was eXtricated
without serious injury.
Hon. r. G. Winthrop of Mass. returned home
in the Britannia from tour in Europe.
The European Times says, that the coniinued
pressure in tle money market, and The numerous
failures which have occurred in the corn trade,
still renders it out of our power to announce any
improvement in the general trade OF the country.
Our corn market, since the 10Th ult., has again
experienced decline of prices. The top price
of the best description of wheat was at that time
quoted at about 67s per quarter; the same quail
ily will not command at this moment more than
SOS while the best American flour in Liverpool
barely sells at 25s per Dbl. Since the sailing Of
the Caledonia the Cotton market has been in
very dull and inanimate position, and prices for
American descriptions have rcceded from l-Sd
to lid.
The accounts from Ireland respecting the pc.
tato crop differ but from the various statements
which reach us, it is evident that wherever it
has reappeared, the disease has assumed less
destructive form, and in many instances potatoes
original soundness.
The reports of the grain crops, north south
east and west are of the most cheering nature,
and field operations are affording ample employ
ment at this time to the people.
FRANcE.--The capital of France has been the
scene of most horrible catastrophe, which, I'M
I'll its melancholy termination, has engrossed the
Partisan Press and excited the attention of Eu-
rope, not less on account Of its moral enormity
nf ~ n
mesc life Of the higher circles Of France, and
the political influence such an event Is calcula-
ted to exercise upon the masses of society in
that country, already strongly excited against
the aristocracy, by the scandals disclosed in the
recent trials.
The Duke de Choiseul-Praslin was the com.
panion Of the late Duke of Orleans, the friend
OF the Duke of Nemours, Chevalier dhonneur
Of the Duchess of Orleans, member of the
Chamber of Peers, and relation of the most
revered and ancient families of France. His
wife, a lady Of the highest rank, the daughter
Of Marshal Sebastian, the friend of Madame
Adelaide, and the uioher of large family ar
rived with her husband at the family hotel on the
18th inst. to attend the examination of the school,
where some of their children were educated,
previous to the commencement Of the summer
holidays. The family retired early 10 rest-the
unhappy Duchess, it is presumed, had fallen a.
sleep, when the father oil her children. after an
unsuccessful attempt to strangle her, and then
to destroy her life with poniard, which was
broken in the death struggle, completed his crime
with the butt-end Of a pistol. Her expiring
strength was exhausted in ringing the chamber
bell. The domestcs found their mistress insen-
si6le, and in few moments witnessed her death.
Suspicious were speedily awakened against the
Duke, who was placed under arrest, but not be-
fore he had swallowed large dose of arsenic
so large as to produce excessive vomiting, which
was treated by the physicians as cholera, until,
on Tuesday, the Oath instant, he sank under the
renewed energy of the poison, and thus escaped
the trial tor which the Court of Peers had been
promptly summoned, and the ignominous death
to which popular Indignation had already con-
signed him.
The miserable finale to the whole is the re-
cent dreadful sacrifice of the life of the pare nts,
The happiness of their offspring, and the fearful
risk, that in the present temper of the popular
mind it may yet light the train to such an ex
ploslon as shall shake the foundations OF the So
cial fabric. AS it is, public confidence is shaken !;
six journals, in fact all the opposition press, have
been seized Tor throwing upon the government
the responsibility of the corruption and immor-
atty thus brought TO light Louis Phllippe has
returned to Paris, which he may overawe by his
forts, as he may control the country by his
troops; but these means can only postpone, un-
til his death, the crisis which it is yet in his pow
er to avert, by making the representation of the
country in some degree coextensive with the tax
alton, and by honestly carrying out the great
safety-valve principle of popular government,
the appointment Of ministers really responsible
TO the representatives of the people.
On Sunday last, another peer of France, the
Count Alfred de Montesguieu, cheyaler dhon-
neur of the Queen, and ex aide-de.camp to Ma
polean, committed suicide.
To complete the weeks picture of Partisan
life, so famed for the gaity of its fashionable
circles, another peer, the Count Eckmuhi, has
fled from justice, after inficting what he lnten-
ded TO be death-blow on the person of an In
dian female, with whom he had for some time
associated.
very unpleasant feeling was excited IN Pa
rls, on Tuesday, by report that prince (sor
of one Of Napoeon's marshals) had attempted &c
murder his mistress.