Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-01-19

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE. M .uIrsk'
Lectwes-A Washington letter in the New
York Observer says:
I'VE have had two lectures this week
the Smithsonian Institution, which hay,
drawn crowded houses-one by lion. G.. +
Marsh late Minister to Turkey, on Cons.an
tinople and the Bosphorus; the other, by DIR
Robert Bard, on the History of the presen
WARM Europe. President Pierce and FAM
ly, with other distinguished personages, DC
cupled the platform at the former lecture. -
The room viii hold two thousand hundred,
went away unable 10 get a place even "a
stand. MIR. Marsh's lecture was the first O,
series to be resumed in February. He
confined himself mainly to aphysicai view of
the Turkish capital aud the adjacent country
though he SAID enough OF the people to show
that he entertained great hopes of their i'm.
proyenent without any serious modification
Of the prevailing social and political system
He placed The character Of the Turks and
modern Greeks M strong contrast, giving the
former a position far above the latter. and
stated that II would be matter to be depre.
Gated by the whole christian world, if tbs
contest now raging between The Western
Powers and Russia should result in es,ab.
fishing Greek Government and institutions
al Constantinope.
WAsHINGroN, Saturday, Jan. IL. 1855
NO notice Of the death Of Mr.. Mason, our
Minister TO France, has been received nv
Inc Government mere. Their last adylces
were dated at Paris. 18th December. < p
NJ and represented him to be then in crit
cal condition from an attack Of paralysis.
The Star of this evening says that Gov.
Seymour Is spoken OF as NJ mister to Paris.
IN the event Of Mr. Mason's death being
confirmed.
The redemption of the public debt at the
Treasury Department, lest week, amounted
to 100000.
The regents of the Smithsonian Institu-
ton met again to day. The question before
the Board was the adoption OF Mr.. Meach-
ans resolutions, submitted at the last annu-
al session. These resolutions say that the
law of the Institution requires the formation
ola llbrsTy by an annual appropriation of
valuable works upon all the departments of
knowledge and that committee OF three
be appointed to superintend the expenses
Tor that purpose. The resolutions were re-
Jected by vote of three for, and ten against
them thus sustaining the course ofProf.
Henry. The Regents voting for the resolu-
tons were Messrs. Douglas, Choate, Meach-
am; against them Chief Justice fancy,
Messrs. Pierce, Mason, English, Stuart,
Hawley, BeHien, Rush, Bache and 'rotten-
Mr. Towers absent. The subject was fully
argued by Messrs. Meacham and Choate for
the resolutions, and by Messrs Mason, Pierce
and others, against them.
WAsuiNGroS, Jan. 4, 1855. The proba-
bilnies are in favor Of the passage of the
Pacific Railroad bill by the House on the
18th but as three of the select committee
in the Senate have respectively independent
plans Of their own, it will probably 90 back
from the Senate 80 altered that the House
may not concur.
Recent advlces from Central America
promise the expeiitionists an entrance into
the confederacy, with such boundary lines
as they may desire, and other privileges,
upon such conditions as will be complied
with BY MIR. Kinney and his associates.