Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-02-19
News Brevities.


has lately placed herself in China far in advance
Of other Powers. For long time she has had the
monopoly of she overland trade with that empire,
and for that reason has been excluded from the
privileges of commerce by sea extended to England
America, and France But, by late arrivals, we
learn that she has at last obtained from the Court
of Pekin the right to trade at the five ports open to
other nations In addition to this, she enjoys what
no foreign Power has yet been able to secure-the
advantage Of permanent legation at the capital Of
the empire. 10 view of all this, it is not likely
that England will retire from the present conrover-
sy with China until she has obtained equality Of
privileges-and we may expect ere long 10 see this
stolid, bigoted Empire gradually yielding to the
laws of modern civilization.
80. The Southern Christian Advocate says
"The family of Bishop Capers is DESTROYS of col
lecting all his letters, and whatever else may serve
the purpose of giving to the Church a complete
biography of this venerated minister. Any Incl
dents in bis history, that may be 10 possession of
those at distance, viii be acceptable. Letters
may be addressed to Maj. F. w. Capers Charleston,
or to the Editor ofths s. o. Advocate"
-. Poets-from Milton down to Mrs-Clon,
20 interValo) have abounded 10 figures of speech
to represent the mournful, the dismal and the lu-
gubrious-but the neatest smile that we remember
90 have heard was quoted the other evening by
Brown, from some anonymous bard--or possibly
was the invention OF his own fertile brain:
g. cherries as pew
In cold church, without lase in view"
-. A traveller in the interior Of Africa Chas.
L. Zeyher gives an account, in Rockers Journal
of Botany, of a serpent which spits poison, known
by the natives as spsgg-sIang or splitting snake.
This serpent is not rare he says in the southwest
districts Of Africa 1t defends itself by throw.
ing out very caustic acid having the odor Of for
mic, which is sure 30 blind a person il is touches
the eyes. he gives instance of one of his dogs,
which was poisoned by of these snakes, and
which recovered after having been forced to swAl.
low great amount of new milk.
-. Mr.. Tyson, of Philadelphia, has presented
to the House OF Representatives the memorial of
more than one thousand merchau IS and others, cit
liens Of Philadelphia, representing the prospects Of
the trade with Africa. They say that, of the en-
tire trade with Africa which is believed to amount
TO the annual sum Of one hundred millions Of dol"
lars, Great Britain enjoys from the West Coast
alone full twenty-five millions, while the trade of
the United States with the entire continent lie
only little more than three millions of dollars
The memOralistS propose, as measures likely to
increase it, lst the substitution Of steamers in the
place Of sailing vessels in the African SQUADRON
I'd, the admission, free of duty, of all commodities
Of African growth and production directly entering
American ports; Sd, the establishment of a line OF
stesm-propelers to carry mails and passengers to
the West Coast of Africa
.... French writer has said, that to dream
gloriousy, you must act gloriously when you are
awake; and to bring angels down to hold converse
with you in your Sleep you must labor in the
of virtue during the day.
-. The Providence Journals publishing his
tory of lotteries in Rhode Island, from which it
appears that there is scarcely church or religious
society in that State which did not, at some period
OF its existence, derive advantage from Them how
ever shocking il may appear.
80. We learn by telegraph from Buffalo that
q boiler connected with the machinery used to
to drive pumps on T. D. Barton's section Of canal
enlargement near Black Rock dam, exploded
about one o'clock Thursday afternoon, totally de-
molishlng the building in which il was enclosed,
instantly killing John StOughtOn, engineer, John
Redir, foreman and FIVE lsborers who were work.
ing in the canal near the building, and seriously
injuring several Others The explosion was terrif-
ic, tearing the boiler into shreds and scattering the
pieces in every direction. The windows and doors
the Vicinity were completely demolished from
the concussiOn and flying OF fragments.
-, Attempts have been made in the Indiana
Legislature TO abolish corporeA punishment in the
State prison at Jacksonville aud subs ttute there's
fore the showerbat or solitary confinement It
was finally resolved that the mode of punishment
be left discretionary with the superintendent Of
she penitentiary.
80. Should there not be "church discipline"
for the stomach DR.. Hail. in bis spunky aud sp-
cy Journal Of HEALTH says-"It is a notorious fact
that the principal editor Of one of the largest and
most extensively circulated religious weeklies is,
personally, in private life Of the most amisble
Of men, but, as editor, hurs against his antag-
onist, whether public man or of private station,
epithets so hard severe, unfeeling, so unfor-
bearing, 30 vindictive, that wO all see he needs
only the power to make him an inquisitor. Taking
{ his man's piety for grated, in connection with
his known previous Amiability Of temper, the only
solution OF the incongruisy Is that applica-
zion has made him dyspeptio; and this il is that
has vinegariEed the whole man, which has made
hima Loss plead among the delightful characters
of his time"
80. An extraordinary seizure for custom duties
occurred short time since at Elgin, the village
stths Canada end Of the Niagara suspension bridge.
1t no less than the seizure OF set Of tssik,
which the ofsciAl alleged were Of American man.
sfAeture, although the gentleman had worn them
over in bis mouth The mAsucatOrs had been res
moved by him after dinner, to be cleaned, but
were grabbed" by the wAtehful o;sciA 10 a twink
ling.
-. Owing to the vast amount Of public do
main In Minnesota, the land Office agents have fre-
quenty TO travel from three 10 seven hundred
miles, to prosecute their business. There are In
Minnesota ninety. ne million acres OF public land
enough 10 lake three States OF the size OF Iowa.
-. The French beat Us in our New Years VS.
lis. They give one day 10 making calls on { be
dead The second Of November is this pOsthu-
nous anniversary It came shis year on Sunday,
and the day being bssu.ful. the usual Paris prom
en- ,des we're quite deserted for the fashionable
cemeteries.
-. The Sparta CsorgiaA says: The average
tempcrasure Of the weather for tbe week endihg
s4lh snuAry Vas q degrees, lower temperature