The weekly Columbian., 1857-01-31
Selected Items.

selected Items.
The port of San Francisco will proba.
bly, be opened to the entrance of whale
ships free of harbor-dues, by an act ofthe
present Legislature. 1t is an important
step, and is destined to prove ofimmense
benefit to the Bay city-Stochton Argus.
WHERE is HE?-We learn from the
San Francisco papers, that Mr. Hugh F.
McDermott, tragedian, left that city for
Stockton, on Friday last The news of
his departure was telegraphed to this
city, and Immediately cabbages ras ID.
ADJoURNMENT.-The Assembly have
fixed upon the 4th day of March, as
day of adjournment. Nearly so bills
have been introduced at this session, and
most of them are of local or amendato-
ry character. That which is of general
Importance has scarcely been mentioned.
-lb.
The import list of the United States
for the last fiscal year, shows a large in
crease over the previous year in woolens,
silks, cottons, laces and embroideries, ILL.,
ems, iron, sugar, etc.
The census recently taken in Russia,
by order of the Emperor Alexander, on
the occasion of his accession to the throne,
gives the number of the population at
sixty-three millions.
The U. S. Government have lately
been extensively engaged in the shipping
of live-oak from Florida to Portland,
Maine, for the purpose of being used in
the construction of government vessels
1t is stated the Supreme Court of North
Carolina has confirmed the decision of
Judge Manly, that members of the Uni
versalist Church are incompetent to tes-
tify in courts ofjustice, according to the
laws of that State.
The Scottish people are about to erect,
in the Abbey Craig, near Stirling, a
monument to Sir William Wallace,
whose name will be ever honored by his
countrymen, and by the admirers of
courage and patriotism all the world
over.
A splendid carriage. manufactured in
Boston, was presented to her Majesty,
Queen EmmaC y of the Hawaiian Islands,
on New Years, as a token of regard
from several of her very loyal subjects.
Archbishop Hughes publishes in the
Metropolitan (Baltimore) long article
on the Roman Catholic newspaper press
in the United States, in which he advises
the editors not to blend politics with their
religion.
WESTERN IMPROvEMENTs.-Itis is sta
ted that some gentlemen have project
on foot of facilitating the communication
between the Western States and the
Ocean. via the ST. Lawrence, by construct
ing canal across the Michigan reninsu-
la, which, it is said, will shorten the route
by some hundreds of miles, and save much
of the navigation of the rough waters of
Lakes Huron and Michigan.
There are now about twenty places 0
public amusement in the city of New
| York. Among these are an Italian opera
house, eight regular theatres, and two
Eethiopian opera houses holding theatri-
cal licenses. These theatres are nearly
all new, and about two million dollars
are invested in them, in buildings, lands
decorations, scenery, properties aud cos
tunes. The nightly expenses Of the ltal-
ian Opera seldom fall below one thousand
dollars; those Of the theatres will proba-
bly, average three hundred dollars pei
night.
A SENTIMENT.--IHc Ladies--May
their virtues exceed even the magnitude
of their skirts, while their faults are still
smaller than their bonnets.-LoweU Citi
zen.
PERsoNAL-The Washington cores
] pondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer
writeslDt "the gossip concerning Mr..
Buchahan's alliance with the accomplish
ed widow of a deceased President grows
stronger and actually begins to smell OF
probability. Among lady circles it is
limited that his equally accomplished niece
is opposed to the union, and wants to do
the honors of the White House herself
She presided with great credit over his
establishment in London, and, of course
she thinks herself equal to it here
SUPERIOR CoURT DEcIsroNs.-Decis-
ions were rendered in the Supreme Court
| last FRIDAY in seven cases. II, the case