The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-12-30


ry for the Past Week.
The advices brought from England Icy
| the America, which arrived at Halifax on
Saturday, and the Arago which passed Cape
Race, and the unexpected return of General
Scott by the latter steamer, from Paris, have
been the absorbing subjects of discussion for
! two days, and rather gloomy conclusions
1 have been deduced The general impress
sion is that Gen. Scott, having perceived
! that there was great danger of a rupture
| with England, has returned to give his ad-
vice and counsel, or that he has been placed
| in possession of important intelligence re-
| garding the designs of the French Emperor
| which can only be impaired in person. If
the feeling of the English people against
the United States is as bitter and malignant
as the leading papers of that country indi-
cate, war between this country and that
is simply a question of time. Still we think
it is not possible that an immediate war
will take place, simply because Eagland is
| not prepared for it on the one hand, nor
does this country desire il on the other, and
will use every means in the power of the
Government to avoid it. The news had
depressing effect upon business generally
and merchants and bankers are greatly agi-
tated.
The question of suspending specie pay
ments has been discussed by the New York
bankers during the week, and it seems to be
pretty generally admitted that in order to
prevent the export of specie, which has al
ready commenced, since sterling exchange
went up 10 10, this must be resorted to
sooner or later. Importations of foreign
goods will rapidly fall off under the present
state of uncertainty and insecurity, so that
should the export of specie continue, it viii
be the result of fear rather than the laws of
trade. 1t can not be denied that the cloud
of trouble which has settled over our coun-
try grows thicker and darker, and the con-
temptation of the future sadder and sadder
from week to week.
The demand for money continues light
and for short paper the market is easy at
l0@l2 per cent. Long contacts are
avoided.
The demand for exchange has been mode.
rate, and the market rules steady at pre-
MUM selling rate. An increased demand
for gold, and rates are up to f@l prem.
selling rate. Wequote;
New York ............... par prem.
Gold...... ........,.594 prem. a9l prem.
The specie in the New York banks is
rapidly decreasing. Some has been shipped
to Europe, but the great bulk Of the de-
crease has been withdrawn by depositors
The reduction of specie for the two weeks
ending last Saturday, is seven million
dollars
On Monday q bill reported from the
Committee on Ways and Means, increasing
the duty on coffee ! cent per pound, tea
cents per pound, mollasses cent per gallon,
raw sugar cent per pound, refined sugar
i cent per pound, passed the House of Rep
4
Senate. This increase will make the duty
on coffee cents per pound, on molasses 6 |
cents per gallon, on raw sugar % cents
per pound, and tea 20 cents per pound.
An ADVANCE has Ps8ssQ ESTABLISHED ig M ifIll
crease Of duty, partly in anticipation of this,
but more especially owing to the antici-
pated war with England, which would stop
our foreign trade effectusly, and produce
q large advance in the prices of all foreign
goods.
The positive assurances given by the |
Secretary of the Treasury to the New York |
banks that there would be no war with |
England, consequent upon the Trent affair, |
oxcited an assuring influence in business |
circles in New York last week, but the news
from England and the return of Gen. Scott, |
to which we have already referred, have |
more than counteracted this.
In the forepart of the week the tempera-
turs was too high for pork packing, but it
became cool Friday, and since then has been |
as favorable as could have been desired |
Large receipts and the weather depressed |
prices toss; but when the weather became |
cool the receipts fell off, and this decline
has, in part, recovered.
Yesterday the receipts were light and the |
weather good, but there was no life in the
trade, and the market closed languid at
So lOG,3 20. The sales were