Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-03-11

The INCOMING SECRETARY OF SrArE.-It is now
ascertained fact that Gen. Cass has been official
rendered and has accepted the seals of the State
Department in the incoming administrations and we
take it that it would have been difficult for the Pres
dent elect to have given a more eminenty satisfac
tory solution to the perplexng problem of his pre-.
miership.
For years the post of Secretary of State has been
filled by great statesmen. Within comparatively
short period have seen it adorned with the hon
ored names of Clay, ebster, Forsyth, Buchanan.
Clayton, Everett and Marcy-all men prominently
identified with the history of the country-a at the
time of the appointment occupying large space in
the public eye. The popular mind looked for large
object to fill this space, and would not have been
content with small one Especially at time like
this, when the country is menaced by dangers from
without and by disorders from within, was it expect
ed that Mr. Buchan would call to the head of his
council board an aged and experienced statesman,
fit to be the worthy successor of the ustrious men
that have preceded him.
Nor has Mr.. Buchanan disappointed the just and
reasonable expectations Of the people, In Gen. Glass;
we have the last of those giant statesmen who fig
ured in another cycle Of our political history with
which he is now the only connecting link left
Full Of years and honorS he carries into the State
department wisdom and an intelligence gathered
and garnered from his vast experience in public at.
fairs abroad and at home such as probably has not
been taken there by any of the eminent statesmen
who have gone before him. Notwithstanding he has
smartly passed his allotted three score and ten, he
still is in the remarkable enjoyment Of both his NOR
al and physical faculties and is capable now of
during Immense labor and fatigue. As an evidence
of this We only need 60 back to the late campaign
in which he stumped his State for Buchanan and
Breckenridge, with the ardor and elasticity of a
schoolboy.
In another aspect is this appointment of Gen.
Cass grateful especially to the people of the South.
He has lately been stricken down by abolition trait.
-. l. l,c,,. 1f
the constitutional rights Of the States. And it is
meet and graceful act in Mr.. Buchanan, to restore
him to another important sphere of the public ser.
vice where their poisonous shafts cannot reach
him.
In the appointment of his Secretary of State, Mr..
Buchanan has done well, and we think has met the
expectations Of the country
Petersburg Democrat.
EMBALM1NG THE DEAD-WoNDERFUL DISCOVERY.
DIR. Thomas Holmes, for six years examining ply
stefan for the Coroner of the City and County of
New York, after having devoted a number Of years
to chemical research and experiments for the pur
pose of finding method of preserving dead bodies,
has discovered means, formerly unknown, which
in every respect is far superior to the Egyptian mode
Of emba!ming-as no exposure of the body, reno
val OF any portion of it, or an development in deep
folds of linen required. His process instantane
ously arrests decomposition, destroys all offensive
odor, restores quite natural appearance Of the body,
and preserves it from decaying for an indefinite
period of time. The operation is performed with
no inconvenience trouble in q few moment, by
simply opening vein in one of the limbs and sject-
ing into it fluid. Experiments have been made in
this city within the last two weeks which render it
certain that this invention is all that claims to be.
We witnessed on Saturday last, at the cabinet ware
rooms of Mr. H. G. Pannell, on Main street. the
bodies of two chlldren-one mulatto child four or
five months old and the other a negro child about
five wears old-both of which had been dead q week
or ten days. yet looking plump and fresh though
lust fallen asleep. They had been embalmed soon
after death by Dr. Holmes process, by way of expe-
riment, and up to this time there has been no sign
of decay in any part. The principal physicians Of
the city examined these bodies on Saturday, and ALL
without exception, expressed themselves satisfied
that no more complete success could be desired.
One important fact in relation to the embalming
process should not be omitted. The bodies thus
embalmed grow gradually hard and firm as rock
Dr. Holmes brought with him to New Orleans one
that had been embalmed nine years. He there saweel
it through the middle, leaving the lower extremties
in possession of Mr.. p ,Casanave of that city, and
brought the upper portion with him 70 Texas We
must now render a familiar passage thus Dust
though art and to marble thou must turn. Verify,
this is progressive age! Houston 1elegraph
Ex-President Pierce on Wednesday removed his
family to the residence of the ex-Secretary Of State
Mr.. Marcy. designing to bid Washington farewell so
soon al his arrangements to that end can be
esummated and the weather will permit him to pro-
coed North with his wife. who has 80 enleased her.
self to society here We hear that he hass already
been the recipient at his new eOuarterae nj t3ie