The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-02-11

lllsl
Democrats in the Legislature refused to cas-
their votes for Senator Jones, who supports the
Lscompton Constitution, and voted for B. M
Samuels.
Michigan.
Detroit, FEB. 5.-The extraordinary session
of the Michigan Legislature closed on the Sd
instant. The swamp land, judicial, and loan
bills, are among the important measures passed
Joint resolutions instructing our Representa-
tves IN Congress to vote for the homestead
law, and certain harbor improvements, and op
pose the Lecompton Constitution and the fur
Their extension of Slavery, were also passed.
Later from Europe.
New York, FEB. The steamer Arabia ar
rived here this evening, bringing Liverpool dates
to the 23d.
The Arago arrived out on the 2lst ult.
A week later advices from India had reach
ed England, but contained nothing important
Lord Elgin had sent an ultmatum to the
Chinese, and had given them ten DAYS for its
consideration.
The Emperor Napoleon had opened the
French Legislative Assembly with a lengthy
speech. He spoke of more repressive measures
Four Italians, chiefs in the recent conspiracy
to assassinate the Emperor, were to be tried in
January.
Heavy commercial failures had occurred at
Marseilles, including Messrs. Dulclos Co., fer
100000 sterling.
6&. Louis, Feb. 5.-Leavenworth, Kansas,
papers of the Both ult. say that General Stick.
ley, the commissioners appointed by the Presi.
dent to audit the claims of citizens who have
sustained losses during the Kansas difficulties,
has oil nod nla Il
$500, 700.
The Board of Commissioners, appointed by
the Legislature, is now in session at Leaven-
worth, engaged in taking testimony relative to
the election frauds.
DIR. Jackson. the elder, of Boston, meeting
his old friend Josiah Quincy (both past eighty
years of age) on the sidewalk, accosted him
with, "Well, Mr.. Quincy, how much longer do
you intend to liver" "Till send for Doc.
tor" was the quick reply. "Apd when did
you send for one last ?" inquired Dr. Jackson.
"Just eighty-six years ago" answered Mr..
Quincy, adding the precise date of his birth.
The Friends Reuiesc (Philadelphia) publish.
es the following passage of a private letter from
John G. Whittier:
"All that the sacred word MOTHER means, in
its broadcast fullest significance, our dear
mother was to US. A friend, helper, counsel.
lor, companion-ever loving, gentle, and unself.
ish. She was spared to us until in her seventy.
eighth year, and passed away, after a sickness
OF about three weeks, in the full possession of
her faculties, in exceeding peace, and with an
unshake trust in the boundless mercy of our
Lord. 1t was a beautiful and holy death bed.
Perfect love had east out all fear"
A Mr.. Smith, of Lauderdale county, Alabama,
has introduced bill into the Legislature of
that State, making it unlawful to iberate slaves
by last will and testament. Upon this, one of
the Alabama papers comments as follows /:
"We hope the bill will pass, for man who
emancipates his slaves is not a true friend of
the South it is a virtual acknowledgment on
his part that Slavery is wrong. If they can't
get that bill through, we hope they will pass
one compelling all persons who liberate slaves
to send them among the Abolitionists, instead
of to Liberia. We believe in fighting the devil
with fire."
The committee on banks in the Massachu.
sets Senate has made an able report on bank.
ing and currency. The remedy for existing
evils recommended by the committee is the
enactment of bill appended to their report to
prohibit the circulation of bank notes of a
smaller denomination than FIVE dollars, and to
require the banks to have in specie one fifth of
the aggregate amount of their circulation and
deposits.
The accumulation of gold in the banks
throughout the country since the panic is the
most remarkable financial event of the time.
The Philadelphia american says the aggre-
gate is now, as made up from the returns near
fn lat ain hat G,1I Il
tfUe millions of dollars, or twenty-seven mil.
lions more than at the LIST of January, 1857 /;
then the total in all the banks of the United
States, as made up at the Treasury Depart
ment, was S58, 100000; now, exclusive of
States reporting eight millions of specie in
January, 1857, the footings are 76,500, 900, all
from recently-publis returns. The returns
not here included are not accessible at the
moment, but we may be safe in supposing that
an increase rather than a deficiency in the
specie totals has been realized there also. The
whole probably exceeds $50, 900,0 900 now held
by the banks, exclusive of Californian in
crease of 1913 100000 on the high sum reached
a year SINCE during period of full prosperity
in every department of business.
An eminent French statistician states that
the land and naval forces of the European
armies number 100000 sound, picked men,
in the prime of their productive strength the
annual outlay required to keep up these armies
and the materiel of war is over $500, 900, 600,
not including the value of land or buildings oc.
cuped by Notifications, arsenals, hospitals, foun.
deries. schools, &C., moderately estimated at
SO, 00,000,000, on which, at four per cent.
interest, the yearly expense is more than
$3.50 GOO, 900. To this AID the value of the labor
which these men would productivity perform,
which amounts to more than Sl56,00O,0 900, and
we have an annual war expense paid by
European producers of nearly $500, 100000.
By private advices from Nicaragua the
Washington Star says it is satisfied of the
entire untruthfulness of the stories alleging the
probability of the rejection by that Govern
ment of the Yrissrri treaty. The cause Of the
delay in its ratification is the simple fact that
the Legislature of Nicaragua not being in ses.
sion, it cannot be Immediately ratified. The
fact that the Legislature is very soon to meet
is the only reason why President Martinez does
not call special session to that end. The
approval of the treaty is unanimous through
outevery branch ofthe Nicaraguan Government.
The Marlboro (Md.) Advocate notes the
sale of twenty-three slaves, owned by the late
Mary Berry. One man brought s ,205 another
$l,l80, and still another Sl,005. A woman
and child sold for Sl,lO5; a woman and three
children for 81 ,430, and another woman and
two children for 81, 900.
Parson Brownlow, of the Knoxville Wing,
tells rather good story of John Mitchell, the
Irish patriot" who, in company with Mr..
Swan, publishes paper in Knoxville, Tenn.
They employ in their office slave named Jor.
dan, and the story runs thus:
"Mr. Swan, in the presence of Mitchell, re-
marked to Jordan, We (meaning himself and
Mitche) have concluded to reopen the African
slave trade, and fill the country with real ivory.
tooth negroes from Congo; and, turning to Jor.
dan, inquired, How will it do2' Jordan