The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-10-22
GENERAL SUMMARY.

GENERAL SUMMARY.
One of the finest illustrations of the peculiar
spirit of liberal enterprise which characterizes
the New York daily press, is found in the re-
cent decision of the Association of daily papers,
to maintain Neaos Yacht at Newfoundland, for
the purpose of boarding, off Cape Race, all the
steamers from Liverpool, Southampton, Havre,
Bremen, Glasgow, a., with the design, by
means Of the New York and Newfoundland
Telegraph Line, which is kept in admirable or.
der, to spread the European news before their
readers IN about six or eight days from the
time it leaves the English shores.
The news yacht-a substantial, well.manned
schooner Of about l0) tons-will be stationed
ten miles distant due south of Cape Race light,
aud will carry red flag, with black ball in
Its centre. At night, the yacht will display two
bold lights, and at short intervals will send up
sky rockets. Should the yacht, from any tenn
porary cause, be removed from her regular sta
ton, as above, commanders are nevertheless
requested to throw over the news parcel as near
as possible at the point indicated, in the hope
that the same may be subsequently picked up
In season to make the intelligence valuable.
Orders have been given for fitting out with
dispatch the swiftest war steamer Of the navy.
tor the purpose of intercepting or preventing
the new expedition of Gen. Walker for Central
America. These orders, probably, result from
the report that Generals Walker and Henning.
sen had arranged an expedition which was to de.
part either from New Orleans or some other
Southern port The Government, probably,
acted not merely upon rumor in the matter,
but upon Information received in response to
the circular issued from the Department of
state, about month ago, addressed to the
United States district attorneys, marshals, &c,
requiring them TO exercise due vigilance for
the detection and prevention Of any expe.
dition for Costa Rica, Nicaragua, &C., in vio
latlon OF the neutrality law. What shall con.
sutute violations of the law is another matter,
and Is to be determined upon evidence when a
case shall be made before the United States
courts.
About the end Of August last Mr.. McKeou,
UGited States district attorney for New York.
reported to the Government that he had infor-
NATION that certain expeditions were in prep
aration for descent ppon the coast of Central
America that money and munitions of war
were contributed for the purpose in New York
d elsewhere, ard hat men in considerable
numbers were enlisted for the object at ths
South.
Subsequently the ministers from some Of the
note to the Secretary of Safe, invoking the
Intervention OF the Government for the CUP.
preston of certain expeditions which, as they
alleged, were about to be directed from the
United States against countries with which the
United S!ates were at peace. Whatever was
the reply, 1t IL quite Certain that this Govern
inert will enforce the neutrality laws, and that
at the same time they about to adopt such
course OF policy towards the States Of Costa
Rica and Nicaragua es will promote their in.
ternal trar qniility and secure an uninterrupted
Enjoyment Of the Nicaragua transit to the
asel and commerce of the United States and to
the whole world.
Within the last week, several shoemakers in
Danvers have made small investments in Vir-
ginia lands, purchasing warrants for 200 acres at
the rate of 81 per acre, aud paying for them in
shoes. The State of Virginia has, it is said,
some 100000 acres of unimproved land, part
Of it old and part new, lying west of the ALE
ghsnies. The mere northern section of this vast
tract is the seat of Eli Thsyer's enterprise.
The purchasers of the warrants above referred
to may locate anywhere outside of Thayer's
domain. We are informed that several manu-.
facturers in Haverhill, and one or two other
towns of the county, have also bought war
rants-,Salem Gazette.
An instance of the terrible effect of the finan.
cial pressure is tod by the New York Post.
A few months since, the partner of a commercial
house in that city was taken to lunatc asylum,
utterly deranged, as was eaid, by his unparal,
leled prosperity in business. During the year
previous, his firm and cleared ST., 800, 900. He
died in the asylum, and his own estate was
valued at $2,500,O00 all invested in the cor
Germ of which he was a partner. The firm it.
self failed the other day, and is now said to be
utterly insolvent. One item of the assets of
the decessed's estate was q thousand shares of
the Illinois Central Railroad stock, which was
selling at the time of his decease at $40 a
share, and which was worth, after paying up
the nstalments, 100000. The same proper
ty sold on Monday last at public sale at $50, 600.
All this occurred within eighteen months-the
prosperity, the insanity, the deceasc, and the
insolvency.
There is general cutting down and cheese
pairing in upper-tendom. If tailors and seam
stresses are thrown by thousands out of employ
ment, they have the comfort, if comfort it be,
of rejecting that their sorrows are shared by
those who have been accustomed to consider
themselves their betters The Potiphars of our
fashionable localities are in truth reduced to
sad extremties. In the Fifth avenue, in Madi.
son and Union squares, aud in every other spot
where fashion loves to congregste, we hear of
nothing but retrenchment. When mansions
are not to be sold, horses and carriages have to
go by the board, servants to be reduced, and
household and personal expenditures to be
squared generally. Some are regularly cleaned
out, some hope to retrieve By overhauling their
extravagances, whilst all make resolutions of
stern self denial for the future, What pity
all this was not Gone in timel The punish.
nlent they have received is of their own doing.
Let us hope that it will bear wholesome fruit
N. Y Herald.
The Committees on Depositories and Finance
Of the American Sunday School Union have is
sued statement in reference to the recent de-
falcation of the Corresponding Secretary of the
Union, Frederick W. Porter. They state that
every dollar of the contributions to the Socie.
ty's funds has been scrupulously applied to the
benevolent object which the donors designed TO
promote, so That whatever losses or disaaters
may have befallen the business interests of the
Society, its charity fund has been sacredly pro-
tected. Distrust CT Mr.. Porter's faithfulness
was first awakened by the approach to maturi-
ty of acceptances which did not appear upon
the books, ard on investigation it was ascer-
tanned that he had used the Society's credit and
his official position for private purposes to the
amount, go far as ascertsined, of $S8, $500.