The New York Herald Newspaper, August 12, 1851, Page 4

ImAL ARTICLES The Methodtet Church. ‘The origin of Methodism, is one of the most im. Portaat subjects in the history of modern sects. It @prung up at a time when some new system or other (eras strongly called for. But the literature of the en century is an index to its moral character. ‘ loose wit of Congreve was in the zenith of its ‘popularity. Such men as Swift and Sterne were in be church. Dryden was a companion for the par- Bor. The works of Hobb»s, Chubb, Tindal, and ‘Shaftabury were in circulation, reinforced by the Ahree giants, Bolingbrook, Hume, and Gibbon. On “The Encyclopadists were attempting to eradicate | every vestige of moral truth from the circle of the Beiences. The Frensh works ef Rousseau, Voltaire, gnd others of the same school, swept across the @bacrnel, like a deadening siroceo, withering the very instincts of humanity itself. Natural religion ‘was the chief study of the clergy, many of whom knew n0 more of what they should have known than Mahomedans. As Southey says, they had Yost all that authoricy which might command the @ppearance of respect; and, according to Burnet, they were under more coatempt than those of any Other church in Hurope. Leighton speaks of the Obaurch itself, as a fair carcass without a spirit. ‘The rise of Methodism, at such a crisis, exhibits an Instance of the deathless energy of those principles which set it in operation, and which, when their fadiaace seemed almost extinguished, and their @ficioncy exhausted, prophecy, with unfaultering emphasis, declared to be unconquerable. The sun, when his rays are intercepted, still wheels on his fiery chariot above the clouds, and finally bursts @ut and reveals himself with greater splendor; and the dame great principles which struggled victo- Fiously with the classic Polytheism of ancieat Rome, | ‘Wore equally adapted to combat and finally over- ome, the learned heterodoxy, polished scepticism, and dizsoluteness of later times. Historians of the American revolution speak ‘with astonishment of the wonderful set of men that Dbappened, just then, to come across the stage; <conomists, generals, heroes, moralists, legislators, @nd statesmen, fur exceeding those of the old @orld, men of large firmuess and benevolence, who wore ovidently raised up by Providence, for the erisis. The same may be said of Methodism. ‘There we see John Wesiey, with his talent of eccle- Piastical legislation, constructing the economy of » System which, while it fixes itself to the smallest Tooalities with the utmost detail, isso general in its previsions as to reach the ends of the earth, ‘with its unity of spirit and of discipline. While Jobn was adjusting the aggregate and integrants, Charles was embodying its tenets in verse. Whit- field was rousing the popular sympathy by his elo- quence. Fletcher was bringing the power of his yogic to bear upon its theology. Coke was devising plans of foreign conquest. Asbury was applying da energies to the circumstances of this newly dis- covered hemisphere, while Benson and Clarke were phowing, or trying to show, its scriptural founda- tions. The press was employed, of which Wesley was one of the firs: to discover the importance. Poetry, histery, philosophy, all were put into re- quisition. “Ten thousand cares,” says Wesley, **are no more to me, than ten thousand hairs upon may bead.” ‘ t was not the design of Wesley to separate from the national church, but when he was ejected from the pulpits of the establishment, nothing remain- ed but to do as te could. The system of his go- ‘Vernment was not coaceived a privri. Methodism ‘was no hot house production, shot up in haste, bu: @ bardy plact, nustured in the tempest, and signi Gcantly called, “ the child of Providence” Every thing in it was incidental; and legislation provided @5 the occasions for it arose, not excepting the itine- raat ministry itself, which is the heart of the sys- tem, sending its pulsations through every member | of the body. For whatever John Weeley might be m other respects, he certainly did possess the power of arranging and combining details, and Biving system to complicated results, which is the | ‘teve acme of philosophical genius. In reviewing the fabric he reared, we are to consider his means for building it; be had to do with only small things; od his financial system was based on penny-a- week | Bubsoriptions. And yet the constitution, as we have it cow before us, is a vast system of wheels @ithin wheels, all in barmonious mosion—a general conference, once in four years—an an- mual conference—a quarterly conference—a leat ors’ meeting every month—a class meeting every | week, and something or other covering all the puccersive intervals—bishop: traversing the conti- ment; presiding elders moving over sectional dic- triote; circuit preachers riding round less extended fields; missicnaries carrying ite proposals onward to the villages of the red man, and pioneering the | advance of population; with local preachers, ex* hhorters, leaders, and teachers in abundance. It is the most perfect and efficient system of contrivance | wo know of. No other Protestant body, re member, in this.country, have ever been able to found & pure cocleviastic organization where the olergy slone should govern. Even the Protestant Episcopalians, disinclined as they must have been» | from the very genius of their system, were unall® @ forme convention without admitting laymen to ® seat init, and a share in the legislation. Put the Metaodists have done thie. Their annual confer- ence consists of elders and deacons; andthe quad- renpial, of elders deputed from the annual ; and 40 far, the highest courts known to them are bodies purely ecclesiastical The first Methodist connection on this continent, like the first Baptist one, appears to have sprung up spontancously, without the knowledge of Mr. Wes- j yey; for though the Wesleys came over in 17! with a design of preaching to the Indians in Georgia, aad were soon followed by Whitfleld, the party returned without accomplishing any very important object. The system, however, land spread in Ireland, and was introduced into ca, by a party of Irish emigrants, who landed York and formed @ congregation under | preacher. belonging to the Pricish army, then stationed in Albaay, came down to encourage them, and, it i: said, preached in bis uniform, with his sword lying before bim on a table. A house o} - was Chay beik in Jobn street, and called Wee pel But this war o single congregation only, not a cburch organization. Mirsionaries were afterward: gout over, who labored in different places till 1773, when the first ministerial conference was held in blnerys 7 oe And in 1744, after the acknowledg- meat of ican Independence, Mr. Wesley pro of discipline and church service for his societies, appointed Lr Coke, a presby- the church of England, as Bishop, with in- Mr. Ashbury as jo anized were 40 numerous lm anoual conference, for which reason they insti tated a general conference, to be held every four 7 . consistin, ty one members of an annual conference. And in 1444 the ministry was so mamerous that the annual conferences alone amounted to thirty three The government of this church is said to be eplecoye tin the same sense as the Loman Catnolic, or Protestant Episcopal Chureb. It is called a Moderate lrosbyterian opacy, the | a the bishops originating from the presby he grades of the clergy are bishop, el and deacon, ordained: and preacher, not ordai bur but officiating by lice The order of eharoh officers is bishop, presiding elder, travelling elder, mvelling deacon, travelling preaeser, local elder doeal deacon, local preacher, exierter, class render, #voward and trustee Ani the con pene ral, annual, and quarterly conteronces, the al cbareb, and the class ‘One great feature of Methodiem, is the contin change of the ministry. Many of the men employed especially in former times, were lit preach statedly to the same people tpring of kmowledge they contain cave run dry, But this difficulty is <caroely any one individual ( #e are to possess vuch @ variety of om nent quired for the instruction o congregat vot the needful might be furnished by the mini« st iarge The apostle, it i# hinted, ba ) some enon state of things, when he raid, © are ;” end that by a diversity of talent ant aitelnment, mon of every grade of education A Captain Webb, | t they could not meet together | 5 of a delegation of one from every | and intellect, might be benefitted. But, how- ever rent ¢ ~=Methodist ro uy formerly have been, they kaew more than the ‘did of what they pretended to teach no small share of natural oratory. | And what they lacked ia knowledge, they made up | in warmth. bird would not sit on the top of a | while a methodist preash- | eburch and peck all day, er Was at seers inside.” Besides a learned ministry was inno demand. After the revolution, mon were too busy in adjusting their political and oivil rela- tions, to attend to much else. lor while the great moral revolution was going on across the wants a litical revolution wae going on amo! Ourselves. | While Wesley was reviving ( bristioaity there, Washington was reviving liberty hore. It was the | American Kevolution developed the vast resources | ofthe country, and e all nations; the Methodists were bat just in time | to be ready when the movement to tae west bo- an. From ths influx of the vast multitudes that | came pouring ia upon us, it was found that a loug | preparatory training for the muiistry, would be in- | ! | consistent with the immediate wants of the com- | munity; and Methodism had to call into existeace } ami less trained, but equally efficient, whicn | | ae . poenteesr she oes, S08 Semee toa st ef unique in the annals of man- kind. This mining was suited for the time, aad, altogether, com, see ugain. Mr Wesley showed that learning, was nowhere in’ the New Testament, as an essential qualification for the miaistry. And iq pod wae now to Range all but regular! ucat men, & ge proportion this Vast continent would be uusupplie religious instisutions. As the oxigency for a learned ministry arose, it was met ; aud the supply now is equal tothe demand. The uorthern portion ef this church alone, nay three universities, six colleges, thirty-eight ucademies and high sshools, an extensive " in New York, with a capital of nearly a million of dollars, and another at Cincianati, for the purpose of diffusing knowledge at the cheapest possible | rate; and tae southern portion is well supplied. | tt must be supposed that so extensive an organi- zation, reaching over every region and terrivory of the United Scaves, must exert aa immense influence on the condition of the country, especially when #e realize the concep:ion of its intinerant ministry, which met, in the only way possible, the circum | stances of the case. Who canestimate what would bavo been the result of our rapid advance of popu- | lation, beyond the usual! provisions, if what was then our frontier, but has since become the most important part of the Union, had been suf- fered to pass through its forming period without the bumanizing iufluence of Christianity? The Methodist itineracy has been seen in the van of emigration, threading the trail of the savage, cheering the loneliest cottage on the furthest fron- tier, sealing the Rocky meuntains, and gatoering more of the children of the forest withia the pale of its discipleship, than any other sect. The mis- sionary spirit of the aggressive principle are the life and soul of the system diffusing @ potency through its membership, and sendiug out a genial influeace for subduing the hardoess with waich it comes in contact. It is true the Methodists have beea | If so, they seldom succeed in it. The members rarely come from other communions, but are stocks taken from the wilderness. Whence then, they ask, this cry about schism; and tell us chat instead ot saying “* Altar against altar,” we should say, “Altar where no altar was;” that whatever might be said of the Church or her children, there were wandering millions without her pale; that no other shepherd's voice had been heard amongst thom; that they had covenanted at no visible altar, nor fellowsbiped with any other communion; that the multitudes were neglected; that they themselves opened the sluices, because the streams had been stayed. One great result of Methodism has beea a successful opposition to infidelity, in its different garbs of philosophy, politics, &e.” They showed that philosophical infidelity was reason run mad— that political infidelity was liberty without re- straint—that vulgar infidelity was indulgence of the grosser passions. A nacion of infidels could not long exist, but would soon be numbered amongst the things that were. oer! has seized the press, flooded the country with bo pamphlets, and periodicals—turus colporteur, missionary, preacher, teacher, prophet. No power on earth bas done more to oppose it than Method ism. We argue with it; they meet it on the old plat bey bave done much to uproot that American selfishness which, if carried out, would threaten the very existence of the social system. What does the Frenchman, De Toqueville, say of us! ‘A native of the United States clings co this world’s goods as if he were never to die. He clutebes everything, he holds nothing fast, but soon loorens hia grasp to pursue fresh gratificati A man builds a house to spend his latter years in, and sells it vefore the roof is on; he plants a gar- den, and lets it just asthe trees are coming into hearing; he brings a field into tillage, and leaves 4 fession and gives it up; he settles in a place which Tea | be soon afterwards ves to cat his longings | elsewhere” Is not this true? And how are we to secure & different state of things’ If the people , become corrupt and selfish, will not the elements of the social compact be dissolved! And how are we , to prevent it, without attention to the moral cha- | racter of our citizens? Ifcbristianity is foiled upon ' American ground, how could our institutions live a single day’ The Church has a battle to fight, in | which the Methodists are destined to play a dis- tinguished part. No men have been more uzcess- ful im promoting morality and carrying out the principles of total abstinence and good order than they; and, in general, if they can do nothing with @ man, we may set him down for a lost case. Their political tendencies are to be sough: in the general character of their sectional jurisprudence; and it isno very casy thing to say what fonn of go- vernment this favors. Some liken it te an aristo- | cracy; others, toa limited monarchy; others, to a House of Peers, with the Chancellor on the wool- sack; whilst some m akind of holy alliance, or diet of allied zove: making laws for the cir- cuits they supervise. ever unique or non- descript, the tendency ir to absolution; and wemay — their political opinions generally, and their influence, are in that direction. It is remarkable that the O'Kelly soceders took the name of republ.- can Methodists, by way of dis'inction from the ori- ome body. But the character of the system is eet given by Dr. Bascom, (Weekly Herull, May Bly. It is essential that the classes should re- ceive the leaders that are appointed by the preach- er, that the societies should receive the preaciers that are stationed over them by the bishops, that | the annual conferences should receive the bisho that are sent to them by the general conference Again, “A bishop who decides «li questions of Ps | in annual conferences (Lord Chav -rllor); who of bis mere motion and will, controls the work and | the destiny of four thousaed miners (sutocrat); | who appomte aed changes at pie he spiritual ides offour millions of souls (i.copscor of all tae Luss iat); that the depository oi tnese vast powers” —Stopa moment, De stor; is this an absolute, or a limited monarchy, or what would you call it! |. The impulsive character of such @ numerous body, and the fanaticism obserrable in their camp- moctings and revivals, bave impressed an influence | on the izporition of our people, and done much to under the name of movementsof the masses. Both Whitfield and Werley were impulstve, and to a considerable extent, fanatizal. When Whitdeld preached in Scotland, the excitement was #0 great that the cool-beaded Scotch divines wrote a book to ove it was from the [evil, and appointed day of fasting for his being in Scotland. Whitfield bad gifts of the tongue; not of govern- ment. Wesley had both. But the impulsive dis position seems to bave been #0 thorough y made na- ture, as to become hereditary. One t we mast not forget, in «=! ing the practical influence of the Methudiste that is, their effect on other bodies. Whentbey came onthe stage, both charch | and dissenters were dead; the rapid spread of the new syetem obliged th her to some to life, or buried They finally came to life; and it is ob- able that the numerous benevolent stations whieh are the glory of the age, did not begin, till | they were made neceseury by the operations of the methodiet body; and but for these, they had uever been at all John Wesley, amongst all his other qualities, was the uncompromising enemy of American very. “Of all the slavery under the Sun” said he, “ American slavery is the worst.” And this feel | ing isiargely inherited by bie followers, promoted, as some think, by the lowe femete, in imitation of the ogoyoi of the primitive churel Bat this qu tion of slavery, not to be touche nly, mor baste, was too mighty a business fur the Methodists to vettle. Slavery ie recognired in the Seriptures, and though it was regulated by laws whiohc osdera biy modified ite severity, the home born servant might not go out free. No sect has suffered more P a from the *lavery question than the Methodits When Method sm was introduced into the Southern States, slavebolders were admitted, contrary to becnuse, in many causes, they were not able to rel But, in 1744, stringent laws w: manumit pted by the Condere requiring ¢vory met ber to eman- ipote his slaves within five years, and pronouno- ing all children born thereafter fr but the laws could not be enforced = Inthe year 1%), it was en- acted that when any travelling preacher became the wher of slaves, he -hould forfeit his ministerial anding, if he dia not execute » deed of manumis- on, which could pot always be done. Conti jisturbances took places in the annual ovaferences; and the matter of siavery was astended wich con feratle difonlty and embarrassment. A large vabe avelling preachers South had be- come | A ot and were indispoved to any legit ¢ rubject About the year 154 the church was #1 turbed by the abolition movement, in prodacin which many of the members and ministers hed (akon aa Sotive part. Petitions wore powed Late sh dis | | Conference confirmed the sentence | drews was found to be in a similar position; neither made it the gathering place of | a class whion we shall never | with | ological institution, a book concera | charged with aiming to proseiyte from other sects. | oks, | other men to gather the crops; be embraces a.pro- | predispose them for those excitements that go | the Conference, and thousands of members left the eburch on account of its connection with slavery. ‘The crisis soon made its a . In 1844, Rev. ‘nay possessed of slaves, Mr. Hi ied a whieh, by the laws of Maryland, be could not emancipate. For this, the Baltimore Conference suspended him from the ministry, and the ‘ieneral Bishop Aa- | could he manumit. The Conference requested that | he should desist from exercising his Episcopal func- | tionsso long as he held slaves. ‘Tne Southern mem- bers entered a prote leading the compromise of | | 1804 and 1816, that while both North aud South | | were to aim for the final extinetion of slavery, the | =oem was not to exaluie from wlciiry oF MOS RO ip, persons holding slaves inthe South, whe: a as — practicable, nor the liberated | slave permitted to enjoy freedom; that tae church | was divided in opivion on the question, and two se- parate ies had always existed. They then an- nounced the intention of the South to separates ar- rapgements were made for vstablishing dividing | line, and for sharing the funds, if the annual Con- | ference should ye wishons wich no ewe} af eburch rty could take place convention of Lay 79 Sates met at Doaisvitie, and arranged for holding @ Southera General Conference for 1546. The Northern annual confereaces looked upon the Southemn organization as a secession from the church, and refused a division of church property. The South brought a suit against the Norsh to o! tain a share Fag Book Coucern in New York, hich has a capital of $750,000, the profits of whica | are for church objasia: a qvarrel so pitifully small, that the Judges almost begged leave not so give a | | decision upon it, but recommended them to settle it | | by arbitration. On this singular strife, or rather | war among the saints, in which the combatants are | as r, as if the thing st issue were their owa, — other persuasions are looking h earnestness, | who have amongst themselves divisions of the same | character, which they will never be able to settle | till they lay aside their sorldliness, andabstracting — themselves from the political excitements of the | day. do as they teach others to do. Ii is lat ta- | ble to see great sections of the Christian ld broken into fragments; but it remains a question how far these wholesale organizations. with their | spiritual courts, which are the curse ofether coun- | tries, and accumulation of large estates, are con- | | sistent with tne true genius of our republican insti- | | tutions. We hope for the best; and shall only add — | of this church, that it contains, North and South, | 42 annual conferences; 10 bishops; 13.620 min‘stors, | of whom 5.684 are travelling preachers; 1,154,101 | | communicants and probationers; with missionaries | and teachers without end. | | Soutbern | | American Sculptors in Rome, | The first art which, in times of antiquity, arose, after the spear and javelin had been laid aside, from the choas of barvariem, was the art of sculpture. Form, more than color, seems to have impresse! | the uneducated mind; and the ancients were far | | advanced in the art of sculpture long before any | ; mention is made in their records of the art of © | painting. | | Between the ancient Greeks and the modern | Americans, there is it affinity of character, | the same vivacity, the same spirit of enterprise, | and the resemblance, seems destined to become a | very important one with regard to the fine arts. | The Greeks were the fort most of all nations in the noble art of sculpture. Their schoul is even yet the mode! for all students; and as yet, the moderns, so fur beyond the ancients in the positive scionces, | | have not, in the fine arts, attained the perfection of | their predecessors. The Americans, of all modern people, seem intuitively to have understood that | art which first saw light in Greece. | arise from @ peculiar organization, somewhat | from the grandeur of the scenery around; perhaps tothe influence of climate, for, most assuredly, the first settlers did not bring either the taste or th® art from either England cr Holland, neither coun- | tries having, in proportion to other European | nations, ever been 1cnowned for their sceulp:ors. | But it is from America that will come the suc. | cessors of Thorwaldsou and Canova; and the Greek | Slave of Powers will cre long stand side by side | with the “statue which enchants the world.” | As the artistic world looke to America, it is but | right that America should know whom sho has now within the walls of the eterval city already main- | tnining the high standard of Columbian genius, as | well as those on whom she can roly for her futuro | glory in that art. | Foremost in the liet stands Gibson—calm, re served, and rad; as with his deep set eye he gazes on his works, @ smile, as of incredulity, plays around his lips when enthusiastic raptures, inspired by his works, greet his ear. What to others seems | the summit ofart, is to him, its infaacy ; his grasp- ing mind, and vast conception, being far beyoad | what his hand exec Each statue of Gibson is | a poem worked out in his mind for months before he ever moulds the modelling clay. Hence the versatility of his genius. Mus works, aa you stand in his estudio, seem not to be the work |} of one hard or head. In this, be rises far above Canova, whose ideal was ever, in a | different garb and attitude, the same, from the voluptuous danzatrice, to the holy vostal— | the features vary but in their expression. In Gibson, | even when the subject has some analogy, the con- ception is entirely different, and is working out of an individual thought. Aurora descending, thought a heathen goddess and a perfoct model of the | female form, ix totally unlike bis Venus. In the studio near them, stands a hunter holding back his dog which is full of nervous strength; then, again, his Narcissus is a younger brother of Apollo; hiv Wounded Amazon, combining mur- | cular force with the rounded grace of womaahvod; | hie Sleeping Shepherd, @ pastoral poom in itself, so | gentle, so full of tender dreams is that sweet face, so full of youth and vigor are the limbs, even in sao | utter repose of sleep. One of these statues (he has two) isfor Mr. Lennox, of New York. Lo bas been | epgaged this winter in modeiling his statue of Sir Revert Peel. He has made three, from which the Committee are to choose. Llappily, they cannot go | wrong, for an Englieh jury on the subject of fae | arte is Ss very enlightened. All the ) ait statues he executes are in classical costume. He bas orders for, and will speedily commence, group of Queen Victoria, seated on » throne, be- tween clemency and justice. ler Majesty of kng- | land bas already sat to him forthe hoad, and (iibson, with the poetry of an artist, which iu any other por- | fon might have passed for the flattery of a courtier, | has, without destroying the likeness, so idoalized | this really plain face, a* to produce # beautiful and lassical bead. In one of his leisure moments bo made a medallion of himself, whieh is admirable, and too precious to be left inti, own hands, for Gibson is subject to fits of depression aud discen- tent with himsedf, which might lead bim, in a ano- ment of decouregement, to destroy #hat, to the prevent and future generation and will be, most precious. in the studio, which bewpged once ' to Thorwaldsen, is now anotber eoulptor (Mac- donald), worthy cf inhabiting the watie etill filled with the tor mory of thie son of gecius Tbe rvome (there are two) ore flied with three of foar bundred busts, Wbich tis tie. bas + acoueo—hu porter tion att grece, in this rpecial brauch of the art, having brought under bis chive! must of the tricus and vel brag of ty vation Tempted. by t dimacat and very high prices, Mac | doraid bus be bi ged to wegivet (he ideal, for he Be tist of pr id teeing ana deep thought, bke Gibeot, aid would not give ty the world any immature skeichy statue, out, like citbsoo aod Powers, the porm is composed in bis brain, from hich, Minerva hke, the statue ti te come forth complete, in ali but the material labor, when he takes pty chise! in band to execure it There it, bowevir, showing bis full genius, a ote tue of Uljrses, at the moment he is iecugnited by bis dog. Liysses bee the graudeur of the HH serie hero, Jet there ie oo much of surrow i the tace that the heart melts as pou gare Lere, too, an Audro mede chamed to the rock, and a stacuc (4 portrait) ot Lord Kulmoray 1 guiebed tor all the British F ports, pugilievic ard others. bas « wortalired as an caplet be figuro uw somi-oude, full of strength, displaying # fluc wucevlar form ia the prime of powih Crawtord ia, of cours ” perdons Washington ond Jefferson @ ady med wtr y on about | Hietbigh & made bin negh ct the at of Hebe ava Car te, t Boston, will ob pring td bis native land One of the tac tere id > vieit at Rome is g epiris has floc that o w tthe wa “ work, wh r bation it ou L ! ' . ie eof Pewoiope, the iace and torm be of resolution mingled ve and Aout many other #ratues Wyatt's favorite subjects we the ny ophe of Trana’s train—the tet besutiful hese is i the great Labibition. Wyatt s gowius was | a ful and delicate a4 Canovas’—he coscmbics This must , PTT aaa — moet | mi common with the y respects—bis delicate health, rent Italian genius, influencing the works of both in the same way, by gnee usive aud fra; character to all. any of yatt’s works were unfinished, but he left the completion of bis inspirations to his friend, a you Englishman, named Spence, who, taking the chise! as it secpped from his dying band, has followed out all the thoughts be had pe Bee during his long | artistic reveries a aeux with his constant companion | and friend. ; Seay A young sculptor, who bears a t's name, Sishioneie Wood, bas distinguished himself by most beautiful medallion portraits in marble. Gib- son, who rarely praises, not from envy, but from his exalted ideas of art, has especially noticed the exeellency of this young man’s productions. Mrs. How’s portrait first made his fame, and many other beuutitul heads, of beautiful women have con- firmed it. ‘These are the principal representatives of Amer- ica of the plastic art in lo Toere are besides many students as yet unknown to fame, whose names will one day stand as high as those recorded | here, nor will rons be wanting, for what royal | prin es do in Europe, for the few and favored Ame- nean travellers, newly all, of course, American merchants, do indiscriminately for merit of eve pation. All studios are visind by Ameri- d with a true meine of nationality they e the art in which their couotrym Nearly all the most beautiful grow 80 eXce: from American chisels, are destinod to cross the | Atlantic, and scarcely one American visiter leaves the studio of his countryman without pring ma eft in order tor # bust. One American mershant Rome, last winter, commissions to the amount of $40,000. To no nobler object can a fortune ac- quired by industry be dedicated than this of sus- taining genius, it its early and often bitter strug- gles, before the busy busimess world has yet under- | stood its power, and enriching the native soil with native talent. The former glory and ur of the Venetian republic is attested as you glide through her now silent streets, between two rows of monumental palaces. or euter her churches, crowded with the masterpieces of painting and sculpture, on which the world now comes tu gaze All were collected here by the power of wealth, borne into her ports on the aileos of her mer- chants. So, in future ages, shall the prosperity of | the greatest republic the world bas yet beheld be , attested in all the cities of America. Political intelligence. New Yorx.—The proposal for a State Conven- tion of the factions of the whig party of this State, to reconcile the differences for some time past existing, will have a most powerful effect in the approaching campaign. There is bat very little doubt but the abolition faction of the party, under the lead of William H. Seward, have the majority; and that portion of the party known as conserva- tive has virtually surrendered. This movement has met the hearty approbation of the whole whig press of the Stace, including the Albany Stute Re- gister and Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, two of the most prominent supporters of Mr. Fillmore and his administration. We have heretofore published | in full the epproval of the leading whig papers of the State. The views of the address are copied into, and warmly approved by, the Nuctmal Intelli- gencer and Boston Atlas, the latter of which, it is well known, is opposed to the present administra- tion and the measures of the compromise. Tho coalition of these factions, if consummated, will give the whig party a large majority in the Stato, and that majority will be of an ultra free soil cast. | The no:thern and western par) of the State has, for come time past, been strongly favorable to the principles of free im, and unless the democratic factions unite upon that, there is not the slightest probability but they will be further in the minerity than ever before. The movemeat on the part of the whig committees has been commended by the New \ork Tribune, and it is well known that no pclitical movement, at this time, which did not tend to the advancement of the free soil doctrine, can ro- ceive the approbation of that journal. A large ma- | jority of thore who signed che address for the as- — sembling of the convention, are the friends of Mr. | Seward. The whole of the ey tase Committe: aud one of the State Central Committees, the free soil creed, which must or that side a pre- pondey ance over the other; and there is very little prebability that the minority will be allowed to rule in the arrangements for the reconciliation. ‘This is a movement for au expression of the voive of the whig pasty fora candidate for the Presi- dency. Sleneral Scott, it is well known, is the + Choice of the free soil whig party, and the leudin; whig journals have declared in his favor. An ef- fort will be made by the Democratic Convention, to meet at Syracuse, on the 10th of September | next, to reconcile the differences existing in that | party, but there will arise a difficulty on the quee tien of @ preference for the Presidential candidate. | ‘The old hunker, or conservative party, aro still | favorable to the re-nomination of Cioneral Cass, | while tue Vao Buren scnool will.oppose him. Much depends upen the conventions to be held, though it» cortain ifthe whig parsies coalosze, they will | carry the State by a large majority. : | Pennsiivanta.—For several years past the whig | party have been in the ascendancy in this State, | but the indications of the present campaign are most ugainst ity success at the approaching election. | ‘The course of Gov. Johnston upon the comprowise | mearures has been strongly censured by many of | his own party, and there seems fo exist, in several purts of the State, an apathy on the part of the whigs, which will have a serious effect upon the | prospect of that purty. In his message to the Le- gislature, Gov. Johnston counselled a faithful | observance of the comptomise measures; but ils | subsequent action was a most embittered opposi- | tion. There is very little doubt but a majority of sthe people of Pennsyly are conservative in | their views, and desire an ond of the subjects of | a which constant! k to the perpetuity | of the confederacy. Col. tho candidate of | the democratic party, in bis recent letters, has an- | pounced his determination tu abide by and support all the weasures of the — and the provi- | sions of the constitution. The whig party contains among its members some of the most prominent pliticiaus of the State, who are opposed to (ov. ehoston, which will add to the probabili y of the success of co og y to suppore that Col. didate. ee of | | Te 1 ew York, Angus Sne—Will you bave the goodness to announce to the public, through the columns of your world-wide circulating paper, that the Post Office officials, not- withstanding their repeated threats of prosecution, have not attempted to interfere with our exp-oss mails to California, and that our next mail for let- ters and newspopere, at three cents oach, will leave in charge of Mr. Verford himself, on the Mth inst We intend to convince the public that ifthe United States wish to enjoy the mail monopoly, they must reduce their rates—ove cent posiage on ter, and two cents on a newspaper, to California, will | pe |. Mr. Herford will be happy to take charge | of any business entrusted to us in Califorsia—our charge. in freight is 20 w ot loss than any othor sponsible company. papers aad magazines | n be cont in large packager ut 10 cents perlb. Yours respectiuily, | Brrrors & Co., 2 Vosey street, Astor Howse, | Great Froon in: Wiscossin —Oar town thi morning p nis distressing appearancs Last | clock the water commenced running | town, sweeping in its course wagon heu-coops, buckess, wheel-barrow: bud cordwood ; tearing up bridge ing cellars aud houses, and rough the streets, as though corks Hough's saddle sho; dation, carried down some ’ 4 devorited iathe road A gr be ngng tedobu Be Turley wi curried the rtreet. The bowling ailey attached w the | Licwe, wae torn up root and branciy, and entirely earpt away: and the livery stable telongmg to the D yore’ cetate was andermined, so that the building org bwex § or 10 feet Cole's warehouse is a por arvch—pot even the ndation can be seen: fi pid the ruins lie strewn athe road to Smith's furreeo, The bo ceeupied by the widow Ham- we wae ely dastrosed: tho inmutes barely excrped with their lives; juet as they paseed out of tie gate, the buil aod all the ture went with it; & only ouch portions may b A te iftwood along the ek a building in tewn ped injary very giound foom was flow end small of bold furniture meet one at every \ hs ard @agens lie piled up high While d chickens, plucked of every i around, balf burted in sand ntircly ruined, and such a thing be seen. Lote which yesterday d with jayoriact garden vegetables, are ping Completely paved with rocks, washed | branch, #nd not » trace of the vegetation wn be eerm. As for tos bave none—the ¢ | grcved gulied and torn in every direstion ‘Te Gamage cannot be los thaw $3,000. The loss efurnace preinives 1S crtimated at $500 — Cote joss cannot be much under $300 The whole town | owe Wes) Sowraad | | formed SERVick ArLoat aND ASHORE DURING THE Mexican War. By Lieut. Raphael Semmes, VU. 5S. N., late Flag Lieutenant of the Home Squadron, and Aid-de-camp of Major-(ieneral Worth, in the battles of the valley of Mexico. Cincinnati. Wm. H. Moore and Co. This is a remarkably interesting work. It con- tains a number of lithograph plates, and a map of the line of operation of the United States army in the battles of Mexico. The author was attached to one of the vessels ot war of the home squadron, before the breaking out of the Mexican war, and, in this capacity, he was able to find those scenes ** afloat,” which are described in his pag Sub- sequently, he was sent to the seat of the Mexican government, after the war commenced, on a special mission. In the prosecution of this purpose he | Joined the army of General Scott, after the battle at Cerro Gordo, and was on the march to Puebla. Here he became a volunteer in the staff of General Worth, and remained with him till the entry of the army into the city of Mexico. Lieut. Semmes was x months in the country, and made good use of his opportunities for observa tion. What we especially like in his work, is its manly exposition of facts. He has plainly exposed the hollowness of much vanity and flattery in the glowing accounts of deeds done in Mexico, and has given a very interesting picture of Mexico. We can best give a true character of the work, by per- mitting its pages to speak for themselves, and, ac- cordingly, select a number of extracts, as specimens of the author’s style of writing and thinking. Afwr describing Mexico, and giving a succinct and clear history of the events in Mexico which pre- ceded the war, Lieut. Semmes comes down to THE BLOCKADE OF THE MEXICAN COAST. Upon the breaking out of the war, Commodore Conner, under instructions from the government, immediately declared all the ports of Mexico.on the Gulf, in a state of blockade, It was not meant, by this declaration, to establish a paper blockade, such as we had 60 often pro- tested against, when a neutral On the conti altbough the ceclaration was gineral, no attemp: was mode to enforce it, except as to such ports as were actu- ally invested by a sufficient blockading force. Ase com- mercial pation. interested in the m of the seas, it behcoved us to set an example of liberality in this war, to the other commercial powers of the world, and to show them that the principles we had so long contended for. in vain when @ neutral, we were wiliing to carry out in good fuith, now that we had become a belligerent: It was accordingly ordered by Mr. Mason, the then Secre- tary of the Navy, not only that blockades should be de fecio, but that the whole doctrine of “constructive notice of the existence of a bleckade,” should be exploded, and that a «pecial warning before the blockaded ports should Le given im all cases previous to capture. Our favorite principle that “free ships make free goods” was also pro- claimed, and, ur formly ected upon throughcut the war. Commodore Conner. and after him Commodore Perry, carried out these instructions with much judgment and discretion, and in entire accordance with the spirit in which they bad been conceived by the government. Boon after joining the squadron, I became Commodore | Conners flag-lieutepant and boarding officer, and had | frequent occasions to admire his thorough acquaintance with the law of prize, and his diserimination aad tact, in di: posing of cases presented for his decision, Although we nade many captures during the war, there did not occur a single case iv Which he was no: sustained by the admiralty courts of the country. Some few complaints were made by one of the foreign minisvers at Washing. ton, of undue rigor and partiality; but they were based upon false and garbled statements, presented by masters of versels and other interested persons, and were always dinnissed, upon investigation, as unworthy of fu-ther notice. In the interval, between the declaration of these Dlockades and the seige and capture of Vera Crug, no du- ties could bave been more irksome than those which de volved upen the navy. During the whole of this period we were confined to our ships, and eng in the most arduous and active cruising. A rigid blockade was maintained of ail the enemy's ports, and his smal! mer- chent marine was entirely awept from the sea. During the parching heats of summer, and the long an‘ boister- ous nights of winter, our vigilance was expected to be, ® . unremitting. froquently lived on the sbip’s rations, having no other meens of «upplying oar table, and our only clean -birts were such as Jack rinsed out for usin a bucket of salt water,and bung up by « ropeyarn to rongh-ciry in the rigging. We of the fiag- ship, lay most of the time at Anton Liz arbor y several © than @ foot or two « more irksome than «ctive service on the blockade. We looked forth trom our ship, as from» prison, upon the piace specks of rand glowing like ro y farnaces wneMthg te pical sua, dey atter aay, without oth one of the blo to fil up with water and provisions, a ‘Thither we resort ward upret © hen the weather was prop tious, to ati our cramped limbs, smoke an idie ane talk over the events of the war jar, of toils and vigils. without the prospect of ment or glory. The enemy had no navy, maritime commerce he hed once possessed, we had already, a Il bave said, destroyed. Our force was too week to undertake the attack of VeraCruz; nor was it likely that the government would reiafurce it sufficiently to epable us to do so. It was evidently its policy—in- deed the only policy—to carry on the war whoily on land, leaving the navy to act the subordinate, but not Jess onerous part of haemesing nd arnoying Lhe enemy ou his seaboard, cutting off his supplies of ‘kno munitions of war. and of aiding our land forces, in the dutics of trausport, convoy, making descents, eto Although we of the naval service ardently desired it, it would have been # great piece of folly 1 he government to huve assaulted Vera Cruz. and its castle, by sea, It wculd have been attended with great destruction of pro- perty—perbaps the sinking of some half a dozen ships— end with corresponding loss of life, Two contingencies, which inthe present century, when war ix reduced almost to the perfection of an exact science, it became adipg squads depert again on her erutse ‘only bat bern impolitic. but disereditable Designing, as it di to make Vera Cruz the base of operations agaiast t contre of Mexico, it was of mgr y ooo to us to pow sess this place until the army of invasion should be pre- pared for its descent; and then a fow days of siege would +teet our purpore, almost without loes—as events veri- fled. These were the views of Commodore Conner, and of several other distinguished naval officers whe were consulted on the subject by the Navy Department; and it redounds much to the eredit of them ail, that in oppo- sition to their perronsl interests, a# military men, they ‘h sound and patriotic advioe to the government. Ve juntors. chafed scasewhat under the curb which was thus placed on our ambition of emulating the army in itr glorious achievements; but now that the eacisnent ¢ the inated thelr cities, and lighted Boncires in the | country. in celebration of the victories of the army, the toils and hardships of the navy were not only forgotten. tn obloquy Lut this branch of the service was londed wi for not performing impo-sibilities. With the exceptiom of Vera Crug , there was no town on the whole Gulf coast of Mexico, within effective cannon range of which a sloop of war could approach. The maritime tot the enemy were more effectually defeaded by reefs, sand bere, and shallows, than were bis inland towns by redoubts and intrenchments Notwith-tanding these patural obstacles, our belligerent fellow citizens, many of whem supposed a —~ to te little ether than « high- Preseure Western steambeat, expected us to la the whale of the enemy's const. by fire and sw respectable papers i # been capable of aj niferted ad raste ng the true state of impatience at what they called our ped by these new-paper ayuibs, that I believe pediticn to storm Old Nick’ himsel? up. at any juhout difficulty. But the navy Dene the less. ec to pertorm ‘ite arduous a thankless duticr obed with rain by day and night, id & part of the time, oo an allowance of mowidy and rad the officers and seamen of the several Hicekeding ebips mever lost sight (except when ovca- siepally driven off by « mertber.) of the enemy's coast, | Although Vera Crax by reason of the dangerous ground im its vieinity, ix one of the bardest ports in the world to bicchade. especially during the violent gales of winter, I Yenture to sty tbat the history of no other blockade, pre- sents #6 few Instances of 1 euecessfal attempts of cupidity to evade the vigilance of cruisers Although ton Lirardo. where we lay at anchor in the eee me twelve miles dietant from Vera crux, cet of the morning watch—freyuently after a tempeatu- Cue night—wae cure to ree. by che aid of bis «py glass, at the bieekuding ship «tanding in under otle nil, for the frowning old castle of San Juan ‘These dution were co well pertormed hy ail the rbip: of the squadron, that it might seem ious to apnot forego the pleasure of of my admiration, and that of in which the wee uniformly jul ship &t. Mary's, Com'r Saunders wiled. Bhe performed more block ading servier than any other vessel on the station. and in fntr w tend in foul, amid teefs and shallows, she wae always found in her place ; an eye sore to the Vern trovenee, aod & terror to all adventurous master merchant chips, who came with hopes of running the bicckede, The steamer Princeton, Commander hagie, Was hieo & mest Relive aed eficiewt cruier, but she had the agvantege of the St. Mary's in being propelled, in part. by steem Dorit the two years that the war lasted many changes officer: took place ‘The wearing and harassing mature of cur service, in « pestilential climate hada powerful tfleet wpon the constitutions of ofivers and mea. Bat | #- the oid officers broke down, mew ones would artive, and 4 tender vous, which was kept open at New Orleans euppited reeruits to take the places of seamen ae J. from time te te € time, te the horpital at ner and Commodore Perry. bis command,with breken itiions. Bat war will have at with Mexico, many more y and unnoticed; And Were carried to their romantic reeting places by the sea shore un trompeted ot fame requiem was sung. not by ths beemine nnon on the bettie. Beid, but hy the eoleran. sounding surge, amd the monming Of the aerther, as it provisions | Even im the cities, which ought | ihe ook: built of | made In the attem, jexico to establish plan of warfare, and ae - ro sue coure of the war. made “no quarter to the Yankees,” get afloat a number Ape) our commerce. If Me: had this would have been vessels, and manned might bave ini syetem of Havana and other places, ‘to fill them up ‘with tt might offer. irrespeoti un ston and practi na jure of suc! vance of these priacip! iT ‘eto country. Fe jegiance to another due to citizenship under its laws, has oo up bri have y 3 whic! are no longer y to disregard, they the to disregard it, im rights, as instance. on the fended yh mu wig his quarrel, m nations, ad libitum, to in ead with Single stroke of his pen make them citizens ‘The requisites of citizenship. and in Mexico and the United States both a sidence; 24,4 previous declaration yw oy . Dasneees & eee allegiance: and 4th. oath of a Row sovereign, properly taken before e Judicial officer, The whole transaction Side, from beg to end; there must be no fraudulent intent, ei on or individuals. Great Britian waves residence, case of seamen serving in her she regards her ships of war as and & copstructive residence of the principle, Mexico, in imitation of jopted and even extended this pris % puts her merebant service “ry~ her netional marine, An; 5 actually in the service of Mexico.at the time of issuing blank certificates, by President Salas, imighvuntastindiy have been made good citizens; but it is equally clear that. beyond this limitation. every foreigner who | have been deemed to be, and would have been treated | a pirate. This unworthy attempt of Mexico, to wirike blow at us on the ocean, by means of so great a fraud, was met by the commercial nations of the world with the contempt it deserved, and produced no resuite; and it was fortunate for humanity that it was so, as our > ment was prepared to adopt the view of the subjeot which I have here presented, and to carry it out with sternness, Indeed, there is @ growing disposition among civilized nations, to put an end to this disreputable made of warfare, under any circamstances. It had its in remote and comparatively barbarous ages, and for its object rather the pluoder of the bandit, honorable warfare. The cruisers bend nee Vessels, fitted out on speculation, and officered and manned H generally, by unscrupulous and unprincivied mem, | {tis inporsible for the government which come missions them, to have them under pi contre. Bonds and penalties, forfeiture of ote, are entirely powerless, to restrain the of cupidity | apd revenge, when once fairly aroused. From the na ture of the materials of which the ocews of these vessels are composed—the adventurous and desperate cf all oa- tions— the shortness of their cruiaes.ana the demorali- wing pursuit in which they are engage, it is next to im possible that any discipline can be established oF maintained among them. In short, they are little better than licensed pirates; and it behooves all civilised ma tions, and especially nations, who, like ourselves, are ex- tensively engaged in foreign commerce, to suppress the practice altogether. ITE HULNING OF THE PEIG CREOLE. Tt was during the absence of this expedition that Licutepant Parker, accompanied by Passed Rodgers and Hynson, with five seamen, pe clever exploit of burniag the Mexican merchant | Creole, under the walls of San Juan de Ulloa. | pulled in. under gover of nicht, and boarding the without opposition, her ip several places, and parted Unmolestea—although within pistol range of the castle. Some little xoise having becn imade on board the brig. when they were in the act of boarding, they worw itty baile one of the sentinels; but tenant Parkes speaking the language like a native, gave some satisfac. tory reply, and they were not further noticed. n the sixth chapter of the work, the reader will find a description of the harbor, gales, and peew- liarities belonging to THE PORT OF VERA CRey Vera Cruz is situated in about the latitude of 19 deg 10 min, vorth. or 4 little more than four degress withie the tropic. It is the only port on the whole tauif const of Mexico, where a vessel of war—other than gue brigs, and smaller craft—caa anchor, Old Bernal Dias tells as, thas the pilots of Cortez compared the harbor to a" full of hole«;" a deveription whieh gives ue « of it at the present day. The city fronts the #ea, to northeast. Beginning at the rect af sand | little to the northwai ae the Gallega, and on whi Ulloa is situated, # continuous chain of reef, and small islands, extends around, by east, toward the far ax Sacrit out three miles from the Between these reefs and islands, excellent channels baving sufficient water for the largest ships, lead inte ‘and out of the ancl e abreast of the city—heace the deseription “pocket full of holes.’ The best is within the triangle formed by the city, the castle, and a rock abreast of the former, called the Lavendera. Im this triangle, the holding greund is good, being com- posed of ooze and sand; and the depth of water is from three to five and « hall fathoms—the deepest | near the castie. Sacriticios is the usual anchorage | for men-of-war—Mexican jealousy not permitting them toapproach nearer the city, There ix, pera; too, some reason in the prohibition, as the harbor smell, and the presence of large ships of war mi incommede the rerchant-men, in receiving and dis- charging their e » ‘This * pocket full of holes'’ w open to the northwest, whieh is the quarter whence the terrible Nortrs—northwest gules—come aweeping down the coast; and is consequentiy anything but # secure anchorage during the winter season. | of Vern Crus te | built by Cortes. | dissatiafed with the cow | from the infabiced district. and the latter sfording | from the inhabited districts, and the latter him but indifferent shelter for his shipe—he directed his pilots, Aleminos and Alvarez, to reconnoiter the coast te the norhvard sud westward, in search ofa better site. They cruised a* far a* the mouth of the Panuco. | which Tampico is situated—and returning, after an ab- | sence of eight or ten days reported that, at the distance ‘cf about twelve leagues from the point where thea wore, thy y had discovered a fortified city, called petives Quiabuitian, situated about a ae from the sen-shore: and that there was a large rock in front of it, net far from the const, which would «ford tion to ships from the porthers. This rock they named Bernel—the present Bernal Chico. Alamigos, Cortez had always great confidence, having given it as his opiniom. that this port was preferable to that of Llica—which name tne adveturers nad aready given = aceon of Vera Cru:—they resolved to remove ither It mez not be amies to remark. by the way, that Cortes 5 s? i F j i s Lefore breaking up bis encampment “ pena ap ote es LY c pinent to comove to the | followed by | city iteeit A «Ts ameng whom was the doughty old 1 orian. Bernal Dias, befvre. mentioned. atte undry intrigues.revolt 1 or em had be | turtised city of Quinhnitian. apd in 7 the towering rock. known by mariners Gay, a the Bernal Chico, that the ‘first Vera Oeke waa This wae the city from which Cortes took his de parture for (he capital of Montezuma, and in which ®s left his friend, Juan de Eeealaate, to guard him agai. any “fire im his rear,” from his quagaam superior, Di | Velomyuer, It was tamed Villa rien de Vern Ccus—Rith, elty ef the True Cress—because Corter bad landed om Holy Friday, ealded by the 8} tos Holy Priday of the Ore fr beeatier Alonzo de Pucrtocerrero, in allasion te Cortes Lecoming captain general had ssid to hi WpeD landing, “behold the rich lands which you should earn verm” Siumeet ail the pames given by the & «and coniuerers Were. like this, pate Lisvories of the circumetntoes nadet aces bad been discovered of conquered. of ate but at what precios habitants of the new city, find. os. we’ to thee lewer dows the emad iw common this latter piace, to hare | city of Vera Crue t 41 moderate dimensions, 16 bot ein g from wail to wall, in reotion, more about four theucand feet, or a little of @ elatite spite, It is substantially built, of raad~ stone and ® ‘pecler of madrepore, and from » short dis tance, reavard, presents @ bewutifal aod highly pic- turesine impearance, with ite numerous cupolas ned eburet sy wering majestieally above the surrownd- atd glittering, of & bright day, Ike #@ | silver, reminding one of © Paseage in ing Whose scouts, la eXcit@d imagination, at first mistook th itew, Wales of Compowia, a neighboring towa, for the precious tal. aod came flying back, with loosened rein, to five Che gind tidings to his companions On a neater wpproach, it becomes more sombre in appearance, th» is in many places, being binckemed by damps sad iniidew nad the bevy architecture of the eaurcnes and con o one back to the fougat Boing © waived id taleenoued oity, i t's fertigation