Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-12-04
WHOLE NO. 335.

lraVei IN tnat Countfy, uuilng parts OF the years
1851, 62, '63, and "a and Historical Notices
of events connected with places visited BY
Robert A. Wilson. 12mo. 81. Harper Il Bro
theirs, Franklin Square, New York.
1t is with great pleasure that we commend this
book to all desirous Of understanding the past the
present, and the future of Mexico. The book v IL
be found to possess large fund Of original matte
The country as il appears to the passing traveller,
the people by the wayside and in their churchea,
are well brought out before u.s. The evils Of civil
and religious despotsm, while they exist and thoec
that follow them, too when they have passed
away as in the Mexican States, are skilfully por-
trayed. The character and situation Of the Peor
his belief his wrongs, and his hopes, are recorded
and with them sundry dark limitations which tho
unseen future can alone sustain or prove untrue
The last pages of the volume are dedicated to a
survey of the province of Sonora, and its miner
wealth. The Imagination Of an eastern romance
writer can alone parallel the magnificent propot-
tions Of our author; if we are to trust his pages
riches beyone the widest dreams Of ayarice are
there, awaiting only the hands to gather them
Whether this is plea for the Southern Pacific
Railroad and new treaty with Mexico, or simply,
sober truth, we will not stop to determine now
our author has fortified his opinions with docu-
mentary evidence, at least as startling as his owa
statements.
But the crowning, let us say, singular object of
this work, is we-considered and Nie5uhr-like as
sault upon all that has yet been written on the
early conquest of Mexico, by Cortez and his fol-
lowers.
Bernal Dias is made to testify against Cortes
sH- -E Z E4-T.
With the acuteness Of an examining counsel, he
finds flaws and crevices in the double story diff
culties impossible to reconcile with each other
and worse than all, with the unchanging face of
nature itself. Robertson and our own Prescott
have told their story before in burning sentences
but neither visited the soil or doubted the purity
OF the fountains from which they drew Judg,
Wilson has done both !; and let US say, in sober
earnest, the watchfnl eye of the lawyer makes sad
havoc with the myths We have so long called his
tory.
The authors style in quaint, as peculiar MS his
views, but strai ght forward and honest sentences
are fairly tackled together throughout In descrip-
ton he sometimes rises above his general style;
we must not quote now, but the reader will under.
stand US when he visits Jalapa, Puebla and Perote
in his company. The book Is not without faults
but the most Of these little closer proof rcading
would haveprevented.
Perhaps il will not be out of place here to men
ton that several months SINCE the written opinion
OF All eminent literary gentleman, to whom the
Harpers referred the manuscript, was so decided
as to induce that distinguished firm TO enter int,
arrangements for the publication of an Immense
number Of copies while the author was to be
compensated by a per centage, increasing with
every additional 5000 copies sold
Better to carry out their purpose, the publish.
ers put down the price from 81 25--the ordinary
price for volumes OF that size-to 81, and added
to the attractiveness of the volume by inserting
dozen or more engrayings, while the book is, IN
other respects, done up in their very best style
To accommodate persons residing at a distance
from book store, the publishers win send, free of
postage, copy Of this work to the post.ofice ad-
dress Of any person who viii enclose dollar by
mail to Harper Brothers, New York.
NEw ENEMY TO wnEAr-L. A Alderman, of
Greenbrier county, Virginia, writing to the Green.
brier Era, says that his young wheat has been at.
tackled by myriads Of small bugs that are likely to
destroy the whole crop. They confne themselves
to the blade and exhaust the sustenance Of the
wheat. They are smaller than the wheat chinch
bug, and not SO fat; are, at first OF pale green
color; then brown, and finally become winged
and fly OIL. They seem very tender, and the ffostg
Of winter may probably destroy them; but If they
re-appear i'm the spring, Mr. A. looks for the de-
struction of his entire wheat crop.
The Grand Jury in New York have indicted the
directors Of a mining company for fraud, in de-
olaring dividends not earned. Such swindcs are
often resortcd to, to keep up appearances until
large stockholders can sell out their stock In this
State we believe such course renders the drec-
tors individually liable for all debts Of the corpo
ration, should It Gil--but resort to the criminal
law seems to us a better way Of stopping such
frauds. Declaring round dividend, and borrow
ing money at two per cent month to pay il, is
kind of fnancering which should consign the per-
petrators to the although too often
resorted to, all over the country.
SECTIONAL RETALIArIoN-A bin has been intro
duced into the Legislature of Georgia entitled "a
bill to provide for garnishmcnt in certain casesn
the intention Of which is to retaliatc those Of
the Free States in which the Fugitive Slave law is
lnoperau1e, Dy conDscatinB ior the pcncnt OF own
ers Of fugitive slaves the debts due by citizens Of
Georgia to citizens Of tho State in which fugitive
slaves may have found harhor.
FARMING IN TExAs,--Texas presents great in
ducements to farmers of small means.
One man can easily make six hundred bushels
Of corn, four hundred bushels Of sweet potatoes,
two hundred bushels OF Irish potatoes, one hun
dred bushels ofonions, besides variety ofother gar
den vegetables. All the productions just mentioned,
will, II near a market command on an average
dollar NOR hnahol adding ttvo, hondrod JnI