The New York Herald Newspaper, January 24, 1853, Page 2

IMPORTANT INTELLIGENCE FROM FLORIDA. BECOMMENCEMENT OF THE SEMINOLE WAR. Billy Bowlegs Throwing the Gauntlet to the United States. Rumored Massacre of Gen. Hop- kins and His Party, de., dic., ee ‘We published a paragraph in yesterday’s Heratp, taken from the Savannah Courier, in which it is | stated that oor old savage enemy, Billy Bowlegs, @hief of the Seminole Indians, has formally declared ‘war against the United States, and has resumed hos- ‘tilities, which had been previously interrupted by ‘the provisional treaty entered into between the In- @ian warrior and General Blake. The intelligence is @erived from a letter written from Florida, whieh adds ‘that a rumor was prevalent at that time that General | Bopkins and his small force has been massacred. ‘The Florida Legislature had assumed a defensive attitude, and had taken measures to repel the incur- sions of the savage, foe ‘=== the monster Brandt With all his howling, desolating band.” Previous to their adjournment, they had passed an at authorizing the Governor of the State to organ- ize two regiments, to be tendered to the United States gevernment, and providing that if their services were rejected, and that the Indians were not removed nm the first of May next, the Executive should pro- eeed at once to effect their immediate removal. Je porsnance of this act, Major A. G. Johnson, for- merly of the Thirteenth regiment in Mexico, was eboven Brigadier General, by an almost unanimous ‘vote, He was in Hchol’s regiment, and is repre- sented a8 a brave and meritorious officer, worthy in every respect of the important trust committed to his barge. Mght on this subject which our information affords, | jury to the State of Florida victorious “the le ex: indeed. The boat bri the news came up ‘the river, r ir river, displaying ber masthead Tomer the “stars and stripes,” while bank of the river stood @ portion of that t hi army, (companies E, G, and B, Ist Artillery,) ready to do honor to either man who should be elevated to the chi istracy of our glorious Union; and the election of General Frank. Pierce was hailed with joy by some who could bear witness to his gallantry in the field, by more who have viewed with pride his services to his State and nation as @ jurist and statesman, and by all for his patriotism, sound principles, and spotless character, asa soldier, statesman, and citizen. Certainly we all e: todo honor to General Scott, as our next ient, ekg for granted his long and arduous services to country, his bearing a3 @ i chieftain and gallant soldier, as a public man and a high minded gentleman—in a word, world-wide fame for all that is noble and generous— that his election was sure. But the People have willed otherwise; and may their choice fi their highest expectations, his administration prove a blessing to our common country, and the name of Franklin Pierce add new lustre to that roll of great and good men, at the head of which is placed that of our own beloved Washington. More anon. Yours truly, Bitty Bow es, JR. As still further bearing upon this interesting sub- ject, we think it proper to republish the communica. tion laid before Congress last week by the President of the United States, which shows the animus of the existing government in relation to the Indians of Florida:— Wastaxcton, Jan. 18, 1883. To THE SkNaTe AND House or REPRESENTATIVES or THE Untrzp Sratis:— Ihave the honor herewith to transmit a report from the Secretary of the Interior, from which it appears that the efforts of that department to induce the Indians remain. ing in Florida to migrate to the country assigned to their tribe west of the Mississippi have been entirely unsuc- cessful. The only alternative that now remains is either to compel them by force to comply with the treaty made with the tribe in May, 1832, by which they agreed to migrate within three years from that date, or toallow the arrangement made with them in 1844, referred to in the Seeretary’s report, by which they were to remain in the temporary occupancy of a portion of the peninsula until the government should see fit to remove them, to con- tinue. It canngt be denied that the withholding of so large a portion of her territory from settlement is a serious in- and although, ever since the = | arrangement above referred to, the Indians have mani- For the purpose of giving to the public all the | f we append the latest communication received by | we from our correspondent in East Florida, whose | ‘mom de plume, curious enough, appears to be Billy Bowlegs, Jr :— Onur Florida Correspondence. Fort Myers, East Flori( Caroosauarcuee River, Dec. 20, 1 J. @. Bexnert:— Sim—It is now some time since I have perceived 4 your columns anything in the shape of a communi- cation from here; and, as I deem the news in this re- mote qnarter interesting to many of your readers, and ‘the public generally, I trust this may prove a sufficient reason for their publicity through the columns of yo world-renowned paper. As a matter of course, the most interesting features of the news I have to com- manicate isin relation to the ‘red men of the woods,” in whose midst we are stationed, and who continue % roye through theiy much loved hammock, swamp, ‘and barren, unretarded, unrestrained, and unintlu- | enced to this day, the efforts of the government and its agente to the contrary notwithstanding. ‘The visit of the famous Seminole chief and snite to your city, some weeks since, has not, I pres sme, been entirely effaced from the memory of your citizens and yeaders. They have returned to their forest home, wuch improved in personal appearance, and deeply impressed, no doubt, with the knowledge they have ebtained of the power and numbers of their stronger brothers, the “pale faces.” Their interview with ‘tbeir Great Father, at Washington, has not, seeming- Jy, been attended with the good effects hoped for and expected from it, that is, the emigration of the tribe West; and, what is leas to be wished for, their conduct of late seems to reveal their determination to stand by their primitive homes to the last, at any hazard, and, if necessary, to seal their devotion to it with their blood. Billy Bowlegs, evidently, has not had the least idea of emigrating West, since the commencement of ne- between him and the government agent, gotiations although numberless have been his promises to that | e@eet. Immediately upon his arrival here from Wash- imgton and the North, he assumed that determined east of countenence which the phrenologist would @eseribe as ed only to the savage when under the impression that his rights are trampled upon and disregarded, and his home and family in danger of annihilation. That he has deceived the government and its agent is no more strange to the most of us than true. He pledged his word to Gen. Blake, the agent, on leaving this place for his village (distant miles), to return in a specified time, or, in case @f his inability to do so, to depute one of his chiefs, for the purpose of making the necessary arrange- ments preparatory to the immediate emigration of himeelf and tribe. The time came, and King Bow- | Jegs, or his Vi apace iled to make their appear- ance, although all were looking tor him with interest, | bat doubtful of the honesty of his intentions. Some days elapsed,and the agent despatched a portion of | the Arkansas delegation to his village,for the pur- pose of reminding King Bowlegs of his promises, and obligations; but on arriviug there found the vil- Jage mostly deserted, and no tidings of him to be ob- tained. "This, of course, dampened the prospects of the agent in his laborious mission, and tended to eause his suspicion of the treachery of the chief, bat did not by any means dishearten him, for a few days after he despatched the delegation a second time, headed by Jumper, (a chief and cousin of Bowlegs,) on the same mission, but was destined to meet with like results, with only the addition of a message from the king, through a messenger, that “if anybody wanted to see him they would tind him im the bush;” reminding one of General Taylor's laconic reply to a Mexican demand to surrender self and army: “Gen. Taylor never surrenders’ Billy’s former intimacy with the “hero dep: would lead one to the magnanimity pervaded the breasts of both. It is now conceded on all sides—in fact, has been en—that inducements and persuasions, so free! Evishea upon this tribe to effect their removal W have failed, utterly failed, notwithstanding the few hopes of success which have from time to time been entertained by those concerned, and there seems to be no recourse left but their immediate expulsion by force of arms; thus oy to King Bowlegs the truth of the words of his Great Father, at Washing- ton, while holding their big talk there, that vefueal to emigrate will prove the utter annibi ef yourself and tribe.” To this, no doubt, they have made up their minds; ond with an instinct invaria- ble among the human family, but highly pro! in the Indian character, a love of country outweigh- ing evey other consideration, and with ‘4 firm con- vietion of having right aud justice on their side, they have, no doubt, nerved themselvea to the resolution to occupy the hunting nds of their futhers un- trammelled, or to leave their bones to bleach thereon, ‘neath the genial sun of their native clime. Thus matters stand at Re nt. Gen. Blake is to proceed in a few days to Tallahassee, to make arra ments with Governor Broome for the immediate transmission of the State volunteers to the Indian nation, of whom there are about a thousand raised, waiting for the word “forward.” Operations, it is i in Febraary next. Many more will necessarily h to be raised, and everything is being done fér a vigorous prosecution of hostilities, but with what success time alone can reveal. Certainly the number of indians is compara- small when compared beside the force to be ht against him; but qnite sufficient, nevertheless, to cost ms much treasure, and, what is more to be deplored, the lives of many @f our fellow citizens. To conclude this part, { here a few words from a speech made General Pierce, our President elect, delivered fm the U. S. Senate, January Sth, 1840, on the armed occupation of Florida. ye It isa very easy thing to discourse here of sweeping a eountry, embracing 45,000 square miles, situated jn the tropical regions, with a climate genial to the mavage, but deadly to the white man—portions of #, still unexplored, abounding in Visions suited to the habits of the Indian, and retreats, known and accessible to him alone—bat to do it is an impossi of our patriotic ¢ Bike water, the lives of many of our most able officers and faitiful soldiers have Leon sacrificed, and the resources of the nation b h drained, in a hitherto fraitless attem; emove cruel, artful, and treacherous bands of savages, whom no treaty ob- and arted’’ lief that the same spirit of Tigations can bind, and whove tender mercies are | manifested in the deliberate and imiserimiaate mourder of helpless infants and defenceless mothers,” This is all too true, as experience has tau roved to ws. But the people of t! seem determined to overlook all so-called bilities, and choose the lesser evil of encour 4 the savage foe and virtually expelling him from thei Btate, rather than be longer retarded in their ad vancement and progress by their unwelcome pre- ence in their midst Apropos of General Pierce. The new: tion was received here with great apy y of the command—indeed, [ sanctioned almost unasimously eccurring among men eonceived a sort of veneration fested a desire to remain at peace with the whites, the presence of a people who may at any time, and upon any real or fancied provocation, ‘be driven to acts of hostility, is. source of constant anxiety andularm to the inha- bitants on that bo ‘There can be no t, also, that the welfare of the Indians would be promoted by’ their removal from a ter- ritory where frequent collisions between them and their | moré powerful neighbors are daily becoming more in- | evitable. | to Congress for ad | would not | promises, and that the engagements which the adminis- | | which she snapy ‘urnishing secure | And again: “The blood | s has been poured out there | On the other hand, there that any manifestations fori ry reason to beliew ign to remove them b, f the territory allotted to etalinted by acts of cruelty a ants. remaining the State is, it is be- extent of ation to their proportioned to el thera ut owing to the them, and i far te foree not their removal, or to survey the ter- lotted to them, some addition to it would be ne- Yy, as the government but a small force ayail- ‘or that service. Additional appropriations for the wt ofthe army would also in that event be neces- emed it proper to submit ‘or such action aa they ma; deem best. MILLARD FLLLMORE. As the fiiale to these important pieces of infor-- on, we give the following editorial from the Washington Union of the 21st instant, all which will suffice to enlighten our readers on the war in } which our government is about to re-engage with the relies of the Seminole nation, and which must, as an inevitable consequence, terminate in the ex- pulsion of the red meu from their ancient hunting grounds:— THE PLORIDA INDIANS. We publish to-da i Seminole Indians, w sentatives on Wedi by the administ not competent to deal with the handfw! ch hold a large portion of the peninsula of Florida; for it turns the subject over after nearly four years of inefiicieney and ith the Seminole savages, and applied » and direction at an earlier day, we e complained. But the anoual estimates have been sent in; the Committee of Ways and Means has made its report: and but six weeks of the session remain, while many grave matters demand the attention of Congres: Our readers will remember that we have from time to time foretold the result of the policy which was being pursued toward the Seminoles, and urged more vigorous measures, on the score of economy, and in justice to the people of Florida. Some time ago we announced, on re- liable authority, that the Indians would not fulfil their tration prevailed upon Billy Bowlegs to enter into in this city would be repudiated, and the ridiculous proceeding end in nothing. W would be delayed, so as to throw upon the next adminis- tration a task which th istration now ir power ly more dificult by mismanagement. By ians engaged to ge West rt for them. A large portion of them and now occupy the lands which were n by the government in lieu of those in Florida which y stipulated to leave. A fragment, consisting of not more than five hundred souls, remain under the tem perary arrangement of 1842, whose presence is a great wrong to Florida, and a serious eheck to the prosperity of that § y period of General Taylor’s a/ininistratiou an outbreak oecurred which demanded prompt action on the part of the government ‘There was a great show of and vigor, but nothing ree was moved from distant po cos and then withdrawn in order to give full scope to a stroke of yolicy which was worthy of the whig party. The regular troops were not allowed to mareh against the Indians, and the Stat ori were not permitted to take the sary steps to force the Indians to e: ‘0 the West to induee a commission, and It required 10 foresee that su try. Since the fai rze am! f money Not that dilatory de- ilure also, as no doubled lent, within « of the end n, gives up, and appeals to Congress, under which afford no time for adequate half the conduct of the whig m. But we for ith its long course of inet s of blunders, ng out to be a tien. would | Ficur witt a Jaguar, on Amertcan Ticer.— Acorespondent of the Galveston News gives th following account of a desperate fight between Mr. Absolom Williams, who is about seventy age, his wife, and an enormous tiger, which occurred abont the 1st of December, at Mr. W.’s residence :— ‘The tiger was first discovered on the premises of Mr. James Dr who lives in the north portion of Jef- ferson where it entered his enclosure, at- and killed one, besi wounding While th er was committing his de- predations y of the proprietor of the premises, who fired a shot gun at it, wounding it in the but not dange- Th t and Mrs, (the rest of the i ting in their ily being absent,) they ein the yard, in front struck his dog. The dog then g r, and retreated. on Mr, Williams away from In an instant the tiger and g him by the he old = ined to giv rough and tamble fight” in his power, aving no weapons within reach, he seized er by the throat with his other hand, and, his whole strength forward, erushed the tiger to the ground, both falling side by si At this time Mrs. Willi ame tothe resene, with a gun, at the tiger, but, there being no priming in the pan, it did not go off. Mr. W. then, with one arm round the tiger's body, and grasping its throat with his other hand, an effort disea- gaged himself. The tig versary in the attempted to gr it struck and lacerated her breast with She tried to avoid the monster, but was round. The tiger made another grasp o fie upper teeth penetrating at the top of he and sliding along the bone, peeled off the it leaped into the ho The door was immediately closed, and the mouster ed. Mr. W. was exhausted from tl f from which the blood flowed not so his better half. When she tual foe thas attempt to take posse he determined to fi n the by jon of p, and, hetunding the feverity of her w her dress y torn from her p nd covered 1, she rately took the gun, and, shak powder from the barrel into the pan, placed le be the opevings whieh the d fived with s killed. W nity be t iy and Had the administration confessed its | 0 stated our belief that matters | was accomplished. A | 0 Florida, where it was kept inactive for a while, | | publi | th | for two reasons—it would create competition, b: ; the distance. | return, secure them 2 monopol | laid on the table, the bi Our Washington Correspondence. : Wasnineron, Jan. 19, 1853. Bill for @ Branch Mint in New York—Opposition on the Part of Pennsylrania—Necessity for a Mint in that City—Obstruct i to Business—New York and Washington Railroad— The House ina OF. “urther Action om the Mint Bill. Yesterday the morning hour, which should have been devoted to the reception of reports of commit- tees, was frittered away by a discussion upon an obsolete claim of Mr. Cullymore, for compensation as a member of Congress about forty years since, which was ultimately very properly tabled. The result of the delay thus occasioned, was to prevent the con- sideration of the bill establishing a branch mint in the city of New York, which was reported from the Committee on Ways and Means by Mr. Brooks—Mr. Chandler, from Pennsylvania, having objected to the second reading of the bill; and before a vote gould be taken, the morning hour expired, which, in the estimation of the Chair, sent the bill to thy Speaker's table, to increase the lumber which has already ac- cumulated there, and whence it would probably not be resuscitated. There is something very illiberal, and I may add unpatriotic, in this continued and pertinacious op- position to the measure by Mr. Chandler, on the part of the State which he represents, arising from a most absurd jealousy of the pire City. As has been often remarked, immense quantities of bullion an- nually arrive at New York, which must be sent, at considerable risk and expense, to Philadel; , to be coined, and afterwards returned, thereby incurring a delay and risk which works vast injustice; and there cannot be a greater proof of the Sasaeis for a branch mint in New York, than the kit ion which is offered, arising from a conviction that a large propor- tion of the business of the mint at Philadelphia is the conversion into coin of the gold and silver arriving in a crude state from the Empire City. Mr. Brooks was addressing the House against the rejection of the bill, and it evidently must come uj as the unfinished business of yesterday. Indeed, such was understood to be the opinion of the Speaker himself, notwithstanding his previous decision, when the House took up the special order, If Congress is ever to transact the business of the country, and to act upon the various important sub- jects that are continually recurring, it must be ef- fected by the abrogation of the present absurd rules, which prevent the consideration of any measure, however uagent, if a solitary member objects; and when the sense of the House is taken, it requires a two-thirds vote to suspend their operation—and which were framed, I presume, in the same spirit which re- quired that the statue to be erected to Washington should be inthe Roman costume, and executed by a fo- reign artist—when no conception could be formed of the great increase of public business calling for the ac- tion of Congress, on the amazing progress of the re- , in intelligence, maguitude, and advancement arts and sciences. Itis just a month since I sent you a synopsis of the bill which Mr. Doty intends to submit for the con- struction of a railroad ona direct line from New York to Washington, but which, under the rules that prescribe the routine of business, he has, as yet, been unable to introduce. This is an important measure, which the present monopoly would be destroyed, which renders the route between New York and the capital of the Union, that every person from the north must traygl who has business at the capital, the worst capita, most inconvenient and ¢ Union, and would greatly shorten At present, a traveller bas to ay seven dollars and a half for a “ance of only two hundred and thirty iniies, when he can go from New York to Montreal, which is three hundred and eighty- seven, for six dollars and a half. It is true that the States of Maryland and New Jersey pick the pockets of the public, by exacting each of them fifty cents as a toll from travellers; but even with this imposition, the fare should not exceed six Collars. The tax is an unconstitutional one, and were it resisted would cease; but the companies pay it, whose interest it is to propitiate the State Legislatures, which, in their ly. This would be destroyed, a8 linave already stated, | by the bill in question; but which, it is probable, will | not be Lrought up this session, and if it is, it will be | at too late a period for efficient action, owing to the | existence of the antiquated rules that exist. The House got into a rather amusing “fix” at the | close of the debate on the Small Notes bill, the mem- | bers voting not forming a acorn when the yeas and | nays were moved. These having subsequently been | called, the Speaker decided that they could not be taken on the bill when no quorum was present, for- getting that the required number which was undoubt- edly present, would do away with his objection. Mr. Stephens, of Georgia, appealed against this de- cision; but the Speaker still adhered to his view of the subject, and refused to entertain the appeal until it should be ascertained that a quorum was present. After considerable time had been spent, and much excitement created, the Jee ot Mr. Stephens was id 0 , was passed—the clock | pointing ominously to four, of which the stomachs of some gentlemen afforded, I presume, sufficient? indi- cation, and the House adjourned, members doubtless | having a better appetite for dinner than the manu- ure of “‘shinplasters.”” his morning the Speaker decided that Mr. Chand- ler had a right to speak in support of his ohjection to the second reading, although Mr. Brooks had not re- linquished the floor yometcey who proceeded to argue at length in support of his position, and who pega that his object was to prevent the bill from having an undue preference, but who really meant to dearest line in tl “use up” the morning hour. Wasurncron, Jan. 21, 1853. Congressional Mode of Killing Time—The Speak er's Table—The House in Another “ Fix” — | New York Branch Mint Bill Discussion—Mo- | ticn to Sit with Closed Doors Negatived—Proba- | bility of the Passage of the Mint Bill, Among the effectual modes of killing time, which can be adopted in the House of Representatives, that | of taking the ayes and nays, and appointing tellers, | are the most so; the former of these, besides, has the appearance, on the journals, of doing business, and | the constituencies in this way have an opportunity of | | ascertaining if their representatives are present, and | it was discovered by Francis Drake, son | ne next day, | | stage of the proceedings—and a motion to that effect in what way they voted. This course was succesfully pursued on Wednesday, when the ayes and nays were repeatedly taken; and a short time before the | House adjourned, there were no less than four votes | to that effect pending at the same time, andatan | fe hour too late for any fresh business to be taken up, | This will be perceived, when I state that one was for going into Committee of the Whole on the State of | the Union—another was to take up the business on | the Speaker's table—the third was on a call of the House, and the fourth was on the motion to adjourn. ‘The time taken up in calling the roll averages from twenty to twenty-five minutes; consequently the de- termining the first and two last of these propositions —the latter being privileged motions, which had to be put in preference teany other—completely “ used | up” nearly an hour and a quarter ; and having been decided in the negative, the remaining question that had to be disposed of, was with reference to going to the Speaker's table. Now, the Speaker's table, if one might jndge from his hospitable and abundant display on the Fourth of July, and Christmas, and New Year's day, must be rather attractive an affair, to which few members, un- less they had the terrors of the Maine Liquor law before their eyes, would have any aversion; but to be groping among a profusion of dry and statistical papers in the House, at an hour when the stomachs of honorable gentlemen are rather in an uproarious and inaubordinate state, is quite a different matter; and the only alternative that remained was again to listen to the not over mellifluous voice of the clerk calling the roll or to adjourn—the only move that re- mained to prevent being “ check-mated"’ at this aceordingly prevailed, the entire bnsiness of the day being comprised in the hour devoted to the conside- ration of the New York Branch Mint bill, which was consumed by Mr. Cliandler, in a rather erratic speoch against the measure, On Thursday, the morning hour was again devoted to the same subject, when Mr. Tuck, of New Hainp- shire, came out in ‘opposition, purely on pecu and was ably replied to by Mr. bri who ¢: i i the city authorities heii rymonr followed, who handie thout gloves,’ and treated the ques | al and patriotic point of view, and he original establishment of @ mint 1 to its being at that time the seat of | government, and the prevalence of those monar ideas, of which the people of this coun- try had not ¢ d themselves. The seat of goveri- | ment, he contended, is in the hearts and will of Me | American people, and its nomingl location at Wash- ington, he said, must be changed, whenever the ex- tension of territory should lire the choice of a entral posit morning had Hon before he » the busi- French » Chair reached expired belonged, sip is the last but the Union, yurposes, and at the usual hour the sitting terminated, during which the ayes and uaya were taken only four times. ; ‘This being private bill day, the House took ae bill granting relief to David Myerle, which has n before Congress for about’ seven: ape who claims having sustained loss by the rejection of water-rotted hemp which he agreed to furnish the government. ‘The yeas and nays were taken on a motion to lay the bill on the table, which was negatived, and on the final passage of the bill, which was carried by a ma- jority of four. fe y, to recon- At this stage of newed a motion which sider a vote referring the of the President and report of the Secretary of State, in relation to the seizure and confiscation of the and Susan Loud, to the Committee on Foreign Relations, rofessing to entertain great apprehensions as to Their ublication, and concluded with the novel mo- tion that the House be cleared of This was negatived by an overwhelming jority, and the document having been read, was found to con- tain no information whatever. The New York Branch Mint bill did not come up to-day, and lies over till Monday; from what I can discover, and in the estimation of the friends of the bill, Iam happy to say there is every probability of its being favorably entertained peri jouse. The House adjourned over till Monday. Wasttncron, Jan. 21, 1853. The Segar Trade—One Year's Import—Amownt of Gold Alloyed in California. The following is a comparative view of the imperts of segars in tht fiscal years ’48-9 to '51-2, inclusive:— 2,.169,568 2,430,159 1433 This table is quite instructive in a politico-eco- nomico sense, as well as in reference to the habits of our people, considered as they are in Eu- rope, as the most inveterate consumers of the “ pesti- lant weed” among civilized nations. Of the 149,000 thousands of other than Cuba se- gars imported in the last fiscal year, two-thirds were received from the Hanse Towns and Holland, where the genuine article is imitated with American, or with American and other tobacco mixed—the cedar for the boxes being also imported from Cuba. It will thus be seen that scarcely one half the imported segars sold at retail, as “ Habaneros,” are spurious, and the profits obtained on them must be very great. No exorbitant tax was ever imposed upon any peo- ple that means were not found to evade it. Partly from the inferiority of the material used in Germany and Holland, aud partly from the very great saving in the price paid for twisting, and from other causes, which dealers will understand, the country is thus supplied with an inferior article so closely re- sembling the genuine as to deceive a large portion of consumers. Again, the average invoice cost of Cuba segars, under a specific duty, (1842 to 46) was $16, and the average cost under the advalorem tariff, (747 to 62) was $14, and yet it is notorious that in Havana they cannot be bought for less than $2 to $8 per. Sieve more in the latter than in the former period. In regard to one of the habits of the American people, as evinced by these tables, the entire im- portation of segars during the last fiscal year is showa to have heen 319,000 thousand, costing per actual en- tries at the custom houses, $2,985,107; if to this we add 6 per cent for freight, insurance and charges, and 40 per cent for the duties, we have a sum of $4,- 858,256; to this we may again add 74 per cent as the least probable importers’ profits, making $4,685,125; and again, to the latter 10 per cent as the lowest pro- bable protits of the jobber or second dealer, making $5,153,637; and last of all on this sum, estimate the retailer’s Lever at full 20 per cent, and we have a sum of $6,184,364—over six millions of dollars—asthe expenditure for an article wholly and entirely of Inx- ury, and which a large portion of the communit consider as immoral, Renee and unhealthy. Will any one undertake enlighten us as to the home consumption of home made segars? The quantity of gold assayed at the United States Assay office in San Francisco, and ingots issued, trom the commencement of its operations until November, 1852, was as follows Pieces of Ten dolla: $1,753,413 Twenty dol «172,815 Fifty dollars... . 19,331,946 Five hundred do! 10,849 Thousand dollars. + 10,714 BOWE. 06 os ceennes - 1,600,122 Total -$22,879,859 The pieces vary in weight according to their re- spective fineness as compared with the gold of the United States. In repeated instances of recoinage and assay at the mint at Philadelphia,no loss has been found to have been sustained. Congress has, howe- ver, prohibited their receipt for customs and other public dues. Amigo. Our Albany Correspondence. ALBANY, Jan. 21, 1853. The Trial, Conviction, and Sentence of Cotting- ham, for Robbing the Post Office of Letters. A trial has been going on for a few days past, be- fore the United States District Court, Judge Hall on the bench, which has excited very general inter- est, on account of the former good character of the | accused,and the fact that great pains had been taken | by the prisoner and some of his friends to get the impression abroad that the whole affair was the re- sult of a combination against him, on the part of the government officers and the clerks in the Albany | Post Office. I allude to the case of George Cotting- ham, a clerk in this Post Office for several years pre- vious to May last. He was arrested for purloining letters containing money, and other valuables, through the efforts of Mr. Holbrook, one of the Post Office agents, who, after tracing various previous let- ters to him, finally sueceeded in detecting him by means of what is called a “decoy letter.’ The case was first tried in October last, in the United States Cireuit Court, and resulted in the disagreement of | the jury—nine being for conviction, and three for acquittal. On the present trial, Cottingham was de- | fended, with great ability, by Hon. Ratus Peckham and D. Wright, Esq.; Hon. Horace Wheaton acting overnment, in the absence of Mr. Lawrence, «8. District Attorney, who was engaged beforethe Grand Jury. The case was given to the jnry at about four o'clock yesterday afternoon, and they came in at about nine in the evening, stating that they had not agreed, and asking for some further instructions on some legal points. They came in again at ten | o'clock, still disagreeing, and were again sent out for further consultation. At two o'clock this morn- ing, they sent word to Judge Hall that they had agreed, when the Judge very kindly repaired to the Court House, and received ‘their verdict of guilty. At nine o'clock this morning, on the opening of the Court, the prisoner was brought in for sentence; and on being asked if he had anything to say why sentence should not be pronounced against him, he addressed the Court as to some points in the testimony, thanking the Judge and the jury for the kindness shown him throughout, but calling Heaven to witness that he was entirely innocent of the offences charged. _ The Judge addressed him in a very kind and fecl- ing manner, bringing tears to his own eyes and those of many others present, remarking that the verdict ofthe jury met his entire approval—that no fair minded man, anxious to vindicate the laws of his peat could have arrived at a different result from the evidence in this case—that if he, the prisoner, had fallen at a moment of temptation, he hoped he would hereafter lead an vee and honest life, and thus reinstate himeelf in the confidence of his friends and the community; and that he should make the term of the sentence somewhat less than he might otherwise have done, on account of the evidence he had shown of previous good character. He then sen- tenced himnto ten years and four months at hard labor in the State prison at Auburn, ‘The prisoner has « wife and several children, who, of course, have the warm sympathies of the entire community. All who have attended dnring this session of the United States Court, speak in the highest terms of the ability, promptness, and impartiality, exhibited by Judge Hall, who, you are aware, has recently been appoiated to fill the place of Judge Conkling, i appointed Minister to Mexico. All predict at Judge Hall will make a most popular and dis tished Judge. Axormer Ternite Caramiry.—The Steu- benviile (Ohio) Union, of the loth inst., gives an account of anot heart rending calamity, which occurred at on f the Steubenville and Tn- diana Railroad, on , 12th inst. The eastera end of the tunne! had been driven bet about fifteen fect, and there were some ten persons in it at the tifne,omong them one of the Messrs. Salsbury, contrac- tors, when the rock roofling over head gave way, crushing five of the men to death in the twinkling of aneye, A sixth man was partly buried in the - ments of the vock, and was dug out with his | badly broken and crushed. Those who were up to the tertoination of the work in the hill ex The unfortune f sible, wvd on \ y and interred in th Three of them levve f on them for daily bre exercise of charity. ped. lies whieh w d. Weve & Voyage ‘of the Steamer Amery from Sew [Translated from the Boletia, Mereantil de Puerto Rico, . 29.) We are to be able to our readers with the joy telligence that steamer reached San Tomas on the 26th. She experienced on her trip a furious tempest, which her in the most serious danger; and had it not been for her excellent alitic sea-going vessel, and for the solidity fer machinery, aie ‘would infallibly ep pers oe Th ngers who were on board of her du the tip take delight in saying that our steamship is rf a) Festined; of to the’ pui to which she is truth of the inhabitants of the island will very soon be fully convinced. We lay before our readers an interesting commu- nication from Ban Tomas, gi an account of the arrival of this steamer, and the s of her voyage, during which she was so severely assailed by the bad weather. The public, which has always read with interest evel connected with an enterprise which is to be juctive of such advantageous re- sults, will not read with indifference the following account of the of the steamer Borinqueno, (HPeaterday? (26th), at five o'clock iu the afte 61 at five o’clock in noon, the pee Bowaqueno entered the port of San Tomas, after having suffered not a lit more than one ron her trip from New York, which latter port she left on the 11th, at half-past one o'clock in the afternoon. Fortunately we have to re- port no accident whatever, neither among the pas- ra nor among the crew, notwithstanding the culties and ota which they underwent; they are all in good and good order and harmony were maintained throughout, the provisions having been abundant to the end. About two hours eee Darn ae =. and nen the vessel was op] ly Hook, it was perceiv. Alias tis coupes. Bipe Sonveving Bie steam to the starboard boiler, did not work, and the steam was therefore confined in said boiler, and it was soon discovered that the pressure of the steam had severe- ly injured the give, at the same time that it prevent- éd the valves from working. As a consequence of this accident, and while this evil was being remedied, they were obliged to prt out the fires in the furnaves, and! lay at author till the next day, when it was thought more prudent to return to New York than to continue the voyage. This having been done, engineers and mechanics were called to xepete the damage, and on the fifteenth, at half-past one in the afternoon, it being supposed that everything was in good order, the inqueno resumed her voyage. The weather was magnificent, and the vessel, speeding along at the rate of ten or eleven knots per hour, had soon lost sight of the port of New York. The voyage continued without any incident worth mentioning until the 16th, when, at four o’clock in the afternoon, a violent wind began to blow from theW. and W.S.W. sea very heavy; the wind kept on increasing, and at six it had got to be a furious hurricane, and so much 50, that even the machinists and firemen could not resist sea- sickness, and the fires had to be extinguished. The captain and some of the passengers who had navi- gated the Gulf many times, say that ay never expe- rienced so severe a gale in those latitudes. After about sixty hours the fury of the storm began to abate, and the barometer to rise. The machinists and firemen having recovered, the furnace was once more lit up, and the machines began to work anew and with good _ success. But as it misfortunes of the vessel were not to stop so soon, on the 20th a new accident occurred to stop the progress of the vessel. discovered that the pipe conveying the water to one of the boilers, was obstructed. The fires had there- fore to be extinguished once more, to allow an in- | vestigation jnto the cause of this. That having been done, a small tin lamp was found within one of the | flues of the boilers, forgotten and left there, doubt- less, by some one of the mechanics employed in the from the ‘ inclemency of the weather, and after having escaped | seemed to be written that the | Tt was | pbuilding of the vessel, and which was the cause of | this new difficulty. The vessel was delayed once | more for twelve ours, after which they: set out again, everything being repaired, and contin ued the voyage, with the disadvantage of wind ahead anda | heavy sea. When the gale began to blow on the 16th, the pump carrying the water from the condenser to the | ilers got out of order, and though it was used dur- ing several days after, and including the 2Ist,it was no longer possible to make use of it, and they were obliged to feed the cold water boiler by means of an auxiliary pea whence it resulted that the speed of the voxel, which was originally of ten or cleven miles per hour, was reduced, whenever the water was renovated, to three or four. But this was not the end of their misfortanes. On the 25th, at ten in the morning, the vessel leaked considerably, and although the pumps, which are worked by the machinery, were set in motion, no favorable result was obtained, and the water entered faster than it was ejected by the pumps. The cap- tain became alarmed, but did not any the less on hat account fail to take such measures as he deemed xpedient. The hands were set to work with buckets at the fore-hatchway, while the passengers were directed to the hea ieee It was finally feared, however, that notwithstanding their strenuous efforts, the water was rising, and would soon put out the fires in the furnaces; under this apprehension, the captain gave orders that the boats should be prepared with- out abandoning the work, that provisions and water should be preneres and that the passengers and crew should be distributed in them. He also remem- bered to impress them with the Pearle of preserv- ing order and discipline when they should leave the vessel. About three hours after, however, such was the order with which both the crew and passengers applied themselves to work, that the vessel was free, | and then it was discovered that the cause of this | was that some coal had got into the pumps, and pre- vented them from working. Great were the fear and anxiety ofall the persons on board. All considered their lives in imminent peril. The recourse to the boats was regarded as very un- certain; but there was nct one among the crew or passengers who failed to do his duty. The utmost emulation was shown by all on board, and all evinced a perfect resignation to the fate which they expect- ed. At the beginning of the last trouble, the captain shaped his course towards Porto Rico, whence they | the treasure on his farm AS | were distant some ninety or a hundred miles. soon as the nature and cause of the accident were | discovered, however—and there was every reason to hope that it would not be repeated—he made for St. Thomas. The captain and passengers are lavish of their | true that the trunk was éacredi praise of the excellent qualities of the vessel. Hadshe | not possessed them to an eminent degree, she never could have resisted the violence of the hurricane. The vessel is to undergo immediate repairs, and nothing will be spared to place her in a sea-worthy coudition, with the briefest delay, after which she will repair to Porto Rico, where, it is to be hoped, she will fully and satisfactorily answer the purpose for which she is destine: BALTIMORE AND ony of the opening of road, which was cel PettipoNE TUNNEL, ON THE Oitio RaiLRoap.—The cere the Baltimore and Ohio Rs brated last week with signal success, would have | been necessarily postponed for some time, in conse- | quence of the unfinished state of the Pettibone tun- nel, but for an ingenious and bold expedient, by which the tunnel was for the present dispensed with, and the train of five hundred visiters, and thirteen locomotives of the heaviest class, made to traverse the summit of the mountain not yet fully perforated. This was done by means of 1 tempora’ cut in the face of the mountain, and rails, by means of which, sections of road called Y's, diverging from each other by switches in a reversed ection, and thus mounting above each other, at an inclination of 330 feet toa mile. Over these sections the locomotives, each drawing two long passenger cars, with its complement of passengers, ascended at a pace of fifteen miles an honr, and descended safely in the same manner on the other side, stopping at the end of each station to reverse the i The transit of the mountain was accomplishe ward trip by torchlight, and it is thus described by a correspondent of the Baltimore Arnerican:— At the foot of this mountsin the mouth of the tun- nel was erned, with the lamps of the miners glaring within. Our entire train consisted of twer six cams; and thirteen of Ross Winans’ most powertul locomotives were in waiting, puffing and panting like war horses, ready to take us across the summit of the rugged mountain before us, After some delay, during which darkuess closed in upon us, two cars were harnessed to each of the iron horses, and all be- ing in readiness, the ascent was commenced, the first locomotive turning out of the first Y,as it is | called, hefore the second one is started, and #0 on | pellan until the whole of the mountain was dotted with those fiery monsters, which, in the darkness, eda scene that was perhaps never before witnessed in the world, and probably may never be again. The ascent of the mountain is by tacking to and fro, on its side, up to its summit, and then down in a similar manner on the other side, the track being laid in | deep and broad cute on the side of the maintai ‘These tracks run 89 closely parallel with each ot but at different elevations, that at times the trains were so neartogether that the passengers could call up or down to each other, and be distinctly heard, as they passed. On reaching the summit, those in the seventh of the thirteen trains, had a full view of the six locomo' s following after them on the one side, and the six descending on the other, each belching forth fire and sinoke, whilst the miners going to heir work in the shafts, and at cither end of the tunnel, bearing hundreds of lamps, and moving to and fro in the distance at the base of the moun- tain, gave the finishin tac The western traction to this nd spec: lope of the mountain is more tous and dificult than th 1, and it wa id sight to look up and see, “ rank above the | b | ious trains tacking li ships on. own the terraced mountaii D \ aces grand never b n to the five hundred fests oF | Ohio Railroad; they will hereafter ny hem to be mere child’s play, in com: periven to! The Crossing of Pettibone’s Tunnel. resent. | i Lawes ef the United States. APPROPRIATIONS POR THE PAYMENT OF PENSIONS. len House of Repres- nited States of America, in Con- assembled, That the following sums be, and same are hereby, appropriated, out of any money in the not otherwise appropriated, for the Peyment of pensions for the fecha pte? the thirtieth a mg consnonan id Ge eed mare and fift tithes ‘or in ns under various acts, un dred and nee Peowsend dollars. For per to widows and orphans under the Vt ee fourth, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, and J jal. the twenty-first, one thousand. aes hundred and forty-eight, twenty-eight thousand r3. Fe ae Leg to sagen cise the act tot seventir uly, one jousand jundred an -€ ninety thousand dollars irelght, For pensions to widows under the act of third March, one thousand eight hundred and forty-three, thirty thousand dollars. For pensions to widows under the acta of the seventeenth of June, one thousand eight hundred and forty-four, second of February, one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, and twenty-ninth of sal , one thousand eight hundred.and orty-eight, two hundred and seventy-two thonsand dollars. For half-pay pensions to widows and orphans pro- vided for by the eleventh section of an act ap a January the twenty-ninth, one thousand eight hun- dred and thirteen, and the first and second sections of an act approved the sixteenth of April, one thou- sand eight hundred and sixteen, in addition to am. unexpended balance, ten thousand dollars. Approved, January 20, 1853. APPROPRIATION FOR THE PAYMENT OF NAVY PEN* SIONS, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the following gum be, and the same is hereby, appropriated, out of ane money in the Treasury not Da Se > for the Py, of navy pensions for the year ing the ene of June, one thousand eight hi and -four:— ‘or invalid ponent, twenty-five thousand dollars.. Approved, January 20, 1853. SURRENDER OF A PORTION OF THE CUMBERLAND ROAD TO OMI0. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That so much of the Cumberland road, in the State of Ohio, as lies between the city of Springfield, in Clark county, Ohio, and the west line of said State, and allthe in- terest of the United States in the same, together with all the timber, stone, and other materials ete a8 to the United States, and procured for the purpose o! being used in the constrentiog oe caer all the rights and privileges of every kin the United Stites, ag connected with said Meds ber and the same are hereby, transferred and surrendered. to the said State of Ohio. Approved, January 20, 1853. Feat of a Gipsy—Astonishing Delusion. (From the Washington Republic, Jan. 17.] A gung of Gipsies, consisting of three or four families, have been for some weeks occupying the large brick building near the stone warehouse, in the neighborhood of the Observatory, whither have been attracted many credulous persons—men and women, boys and girls—under a belief that these vagabonds had the power to foretell their fate in life. Other portions of the same tribe have been in Georgetown, and pamhens some are there yet. A. circumstance has lately ied the attention of our police, and its publication may tend to put people on their guard against these ee le, and alsa to dissipate the foolish credulity which induces some persons to put faith in fortune telling. ‘These Gipsies were some weeks ago encamped near Bristol post office, Anne Arundel county, Maryland, and the women, a8 we are informed, did a. thriving business at fortune telling. A store having been broken open and robbed in the neighborhood, and no clue to the robbers being found, resort was had by some of the parties to the leading Gipsy woman, to see if she could put them on the trail of the rob- bers. Amongst the many who visited her for this purpose was Captain Robert Perry, a gentleman of respectable standing, of considerable means, and hitherto considered sharp enough to protect himself from folly in the business affairs of life. Captain Perry was selected by the Gipsy as a victim. She told him that on his farm was secreted a treasure, the enormous value of which he could scarcely conceive, and that if he would grant her a private interview at his house she would dis- cover to him the means of securing it. He con- sented, and they met, according to appointment. She told him that she could proceed no further unless he exhibited to her one thousand dollars in current money. Captain P. said that he had not | that much in his possession, all he had being $835. The Gipsy was firm, and declared she could not, disclose the secret without the full sum The suspicions of Captain P. were partly aroused; ut the prospect of future wealth proved too strong for his scruples, and he promised to borrow the balance of the required sum, and pe another day for the meeting, being somewhat assured that there was no danger of loss, as the money was at no time to be taken from his possession. At the next meeting Captain Perry was present with $1,035, he having borrowed $200.. The money was counted, placed in a shot-bag, enveloped in brown paper, and again Gedied ina cotton cloth, and was placed in atrunk, which was locked, and the key taken by Peny. It was there to remain for some days. In three days the Gipsy returned, and she and Perry had. an interview alone. The trunk was opened, and the bundle was found exactly as it had been placed. He was required then to go upon his knees, in order that her incantations performed over the trank and money might have their full effect. While so engaged her cloak fell upon the trunk, but she quickly replaced it on her shoulders. The mysterious proceeding being over, Pel was called to examine the trunk, and found it all right; he relocked it, and pocketed the key. He was now told that the work was done, and that on the ninth day she would return, and if the money, &c., inthe trunk were all right, she would be at liberty to point out to him the exact location of She further told him that if she were detained by or other cause, he was to open the trunk him nd would find the necessary instructions. It can scarcely be credited that a man pomeming his ordinary senses could have been so led away by the el of gain; yet it is: iy kept, closed tor the ninth day, (a Saturday,) and the sy did not re- turn. Pr ng to receive ocular realization of his hopes by the personal aid of the Gipsy, to trusting to writfen instructions from the invisible world, he delayed opening the trunk, in hopes of her reappear- ing, tilllast Monday. He then unlocked it, took out the bundle, removed the various wrappings, and shot bag, which he hastily opened, and. me two hundred coppers and a few leaves ! The Gipsy had substituted this bundle for the one containing his mone; friends of his mis- Without informing his family hap, he obtained the services of two or three persons, and, uted, they hastened to this city in pursuit of the ¢ it heing stated they had come this way. Asc f some of them were residing in tlie First ward, he stated the above facts to Justice ev ed a warrant to search the premises of the ¢ 3 ‘The offi isited the place, and the appearance: of the parties presented the most squalid and wretched. poverty; no furniture, save some beds thrown floor, was found in the house. Two of the beds were d by women in confinement. No obstacle nted to the search; and, tied up in handker- , in tin kettles, boxes, &., the officers quantities of gold and silver coin, amount- 1, to at least $20,000. Captain Perry none of his money—the greater portion Leen in bills of Baltimore nor could he identify either of the women here, as the woman who had promised him the treasure. Since then, with the aid of several officers, he has beew scouring the neighboring counties of Virginia and Maryland, but, up to last night, had obtained na nowledge of his fortune teller, Law Intelligence. Screw Couns ov rim: Usirep Srares.—Fripay, Jan. 16. —No, 54. Mathew Cunningham, plaintiff in error, vs. Mary w Ashley, exeeutrix, et al.—The argument of this ause wis continued by Mr. Reverdy Johnson for the de. fendant in error, and conciuded by Mr. Pike for tite plain tiffin ervor. Adjourned. Covrr or Arve, Jan 20,—The argument of No. 1% concluded at two o'clock P. M. Jan, 21.—No. 200, Center, resp Submitted. L, J No. 78, (in order.) lants, agt. Halsey and others, y ‘Argued. Samuel A. Foot for appellants; Jeremiah Larocque for pondents. ‘0. 82. ill, respondent, agt. Tyler, ap- Seldon for appellant; Harry No. 85, (in order,) White, receiver: Anibler, respondent. Arzued. pellant’ R.A. Parmenter for resp i thew: and anothe Argued. Janis; Henry 2. Selden for respon No. 00, exiled end pas ed No. #1, (in order.) Kee an, ke., appellant, agt: M. '?, Reynolds for ap- lent. is 88. pondent, agt. Beach N. Hill, Jr. for appel- respondent, agt. The Wost- M. T. Rey- ern Raflroad Corporation, a lant. Argued. nolds for appellant; N. Hill Jr., for respondent. Covur or APrEATs.—Jan. 22.—No, 92 called, in order, and passed, 08 reserved No. O4. Judgment aiirmed by default. N. Hill, Jr, counsel, No. 95, Bronson and another against Wiman, appellant. Argued: D. H. Marsh for appellant, Hiram Denio, tor re~ 07 and 98 heretofore A passed. (No, 1 ed, vi 102, el reversed by verved, N appellan: rd, Jr. cou les.) ‘Tift, respondent, agt. Johan Porter, appellant, in