The New York Herald Newspaper, August 13, 1854, Page 6

“NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS, Purry Years ~ Bore HexisPHeres; on, Resmiscences or 4 Former Mercuant. By Vircexr Notre. Translated from the German. Redfield, 1854—Vincent Nolte was well known in this country. Sprang from a mercantile family and educated among the first merchants of Europe, he had imbibed early the grand | notions of mercantile importance which bave distinguished the Hopes, tue Barings, and other | merchant kings. To Nolte’s mind, the mer- | ehant, the buyer and seller of cotton, and the @ealer io exchange, is the leading man in the @ommonwealth. The State is his customer: the public his obliged servant. No military glory or political rank can counterbalance the merit his wealth impart~ to him ; between Napo- Yeon and Ouvrard, Nolte obviously gives the palm of genius to the latter. Himself a mer- ehant on a grand scale, though too circum- seribed for his ambi‘ion, he long figured as one of the celvbrities of New Orleans. His house was, as he says, the leading firmin the South. As gorrcspondent of the Barings and many other extensive European houses, his command of eopital was unlimited ; his mind could grasp the vastest combinations; and his incessant activity left his competitors far “behind im the distance. Aiter fourteen years suc” cess, however, the evil day came at last. In the commercial crisis of 1825-6, the house of Nolte tell: and from that hour his sun set forever. Poverty, neglect, imprisonment, await- ed him who had stood at the head of the com merce of the Southern States. Failare was his het in everything be attempted; and though his energy never left him, it was with the utmost 4 fiiculty he gained a livelihood for himself and family. His biography is full of instruction, and will be studied with profit by every reflect img mind. Not the least interestiog portion of the work, to us here, is the narration of Nolte’s iater- eourre with our great men, and his piquant and occasionally ill-natured notice of their faults and foibles. Read the following sketch of Jobn Jacob Astor, for instance:— This man was John Jacob Astor, the founder of the American colony of Astoria, on the northern coast of the Pacific Ocean, which has been so graph- ically and picturesquely described by the pen of Washington Irving. Astor was born at Heidelburg, where tie origizal name of his family is said to have been Aschthor, and had come to New York aa a far- vier’a apprentice. His first savings, that it to say, the wages he govin the peltry warehouee, for beat- ing out and preparing bear, doe. and other skins, he invested in the purchase of all kinds of peltry, bear, mink, and rabbit skius. which he >t ea the In- dians, who at that time wandered about the atreeis of Mew York; and as soon as he bad collected a cer- tain quantity, he sent them to Europe, particularly to the Leipic fair. There he traded them off for Nuremburg wares, cheap knives, glass beads, and. other articles adapted to traffic with the Indians on the Canadian frontiers, and took them himself to the latter points, where he again exchanged them for fars of various kinds. As be has often told me with bis own lips, he carried on this traffic untiringly for tweive long years, going in p:rson, alternately, t> the Canadian frontiers, and thea to the Leipsic fair, acd lived all the while, as be had ever been accus- tomed to do, humbly and aringly. At leagth he had managed to bring together a considerable capi- tal, and gradually became ao freighter of shipe, and fitted out expeditions to the Northwest coast. to trade with the Indians of Nootka Sound for fara. Another circumstance contributed to the increase of bis means. At the peace concluded im 1783, between England and her revolted colonies, the thirteen United States, many acres of land in the State of New York, some even in the neighborhood of New York city, were voted by Congress to the German soldiers who had fought in the American army. The Matter were chiefly Hessians and Darmstadters. Most of them died in the course of the year, without having succeeded in converting this property into ee but the relatives and heirs they lef: behiad them in Germany did no! forget these little inherit ances. Upen the occasion of a visit made by Astor The following, of Stephen Girard, will be in- ( teresting to Philadelphians :— I cannodiet thie opportunity sli without sa; ing something abet toaner moron abt the United jes, viz.: Btehen Girard. This man ' waa born in a village near the banks of the Garonne, He was the son of a peasant, and had left his own | country as a common sailor. Having gradually risen | to the post of second mate, he cameas each to Paila- | \ delpbia, where he remained, and ed a tavernon | the banks of the Deiaware for such of his couutry- men as were engaged in the West India trade, par- ‘ ticularly that witn St. Domingo. Tce revotution in | St. Treaingo caused an emigration which continually | brought bim fresh customers, and, having built some small vessela to bring bis ry countrymen away in safety from the island, he bartered flour and mea) for collze, until his capital, which hed been scarcely worth mentioning at first, gradually in- creased, and ensbled him to build larger vessela 2nd extend his spirit of enterprise in all di His frugality bordered on avarice. Sailor’s fare was to him the best, and the freighting of vessels nis favor- ine pursuit. The success which attended his exer- tions at length became unexampled; for he never hed bis ships insured, but always chose ssilful and experienced captains, thus saving bimse’f the hea expense of taking out insurance policies, and con- tinued acting on this principle, graduaily increas- ing his capital more and more, unti) it flually swell- ed to an enormous amount. literate, as a French common szilor must needs be, and scarcely able to write bis own name, he called all his ships after the at authors of his native country, and thus en- yed the sensation of beholding the American flag waving above a Montesquieu, a Voltaire, a Helye: tius, and a Jean Jacques icacan, His shi 3, Which | he was in the habit of sending successively to the island of Mauritius, at that time the [sle de France, to Cuicutta, and Canton, and each of which cost from $40,000 to $60,000, brought back cargoes worth from $100,000 to $200,000 to Philadeiphia, and ther Europe, particularly to Messrs, Hope & Le Amstercum, aud were never insured. Re marksble good fortune attended all these enterori- ser, Until the year 1816, not one of his ships was ever Jost or captured. It will be easy to form an idea of the amonntof 4] accumulated by this saving cf imsnrance p) ms, when oue reflects that tre Jatter went us high as from ten to fifteen, and even twenty per cent, Girard’s right hand was a countryman of bis, Lamed Roberjeot, sho, however, bad’ received bia mercar tile educstion entirely at Hamburg, ander the tutelage of Professur Bisch. This Ruberjeot was the only man whom he now ani then, but no oftener than now and then, tuok imto his especial confieence, and be had worked in the house of Gi- rard, for arespestable, yet very moderate salary, during the lapse of twenty years; frequently some- thing was said about increasing it, but nothing of the sort was ever done. Roberjeot, who had some desire to be taken care of in hia old age, re- solved to let his patzon know that if he desired to keep bim any longer, he must take that matter into serious consideration, and give him a handsome sum, that he might put aside and tarn to good ac- count. Girard, a little nettled by this, replied that he would give him ten thousand doilara, but Rober- ject demanded sixty. He was told to wait until the next day, when, without hearing another word in relation to the matter, he received what he had asked for--sixty thousand dollars, Mognanimous as Girard could be in many things, he was, on the other hand, equally poy in many others. Of his numerous relatives in Frauce, who were all poor peasant folks, he would never hear a syllable mentioned. When some of them, upon one occasion, ventured to cross the ocean, and visit hin in Poiladelpbia, he immediately sent them away again, with a trifling present. In one particnlar in- stance he exhibited unusual bharé-beartedness. His captains had received tne strictest orders not to bring either strange goods, passengers or letters back with them. Oce ot his ships was returning from Bordeaux, and through another, which had hurried on before it, he learned that it was convey- ing bim some relations of his as passergers. He in- stantly sent to Newcastle, on the Delaware, where the ships coming in from sea usually touch, an order to the captain, forbidding him to fand any passen- ers, but to remain at that point until another had een procured to take them back to Bordeaux, when he might come up to Philadelphia with his cargo. The captain was then replace by another peraon. He, however, made sn exception in favor of two nieces, the orphan daughters of a brother who had died in poverty. He allowed these girls to come to him, and gave one of them permission, along witn some twenty thousand dollars, t» marry the brother of General Laliemant, who had emigrated to Ame- rica upon the restoration of the Bourbons, after the battle of Waterloo. In bis will he bequeathed to the other an equal sum. He learned a sharp lesson from his favorite cor- respondents iu Europe, Messrs. Hove & Cv., of Am- #terdam, who pos:essed his entire conideace. Not- witistanding ‘he reliance he placed in them, be had sent a Quaker, by the name of Huichiason, to Am- sterdam, with explicit insiructions to watch tho-e gentlemen closely, aud see that they accounted for to Heidelburg, in later years, most of the parties last referred to, as inheriting the allotments of the de- eeased German soldiers, aud residing in Heidelburg, united and made our friend their legaily authorized attorney, in order to realize something, if possible, from tieir hitherto useless acrca. But the hoped for increase of the value of this property was, on the whole, rather slow in coming, and the beirs wanted Money, money, quick and seady mouey. Astor hav- ing been applied to on this score, told them that in order bo get ready mene they must reckon up the resent value of the cash itself, and not an: imagined value of the land, and that only serous pretty covsiderable sacrifice could they get cash for the same. Thereupon the parties advised with each other, and finally Astor received peremptory orders fo cell without furtuer delay. Unknown specula- tors were found; the proceeds were sinall, but toc heirs got what they wanted—money. At the present day, many of those pieces of xround are among the most valuable and most important iu tse city, and have gradually passed through Astor into other hands: the nnknown speculators, however, have faded from the memory of everybody. Astor, atthe mowent of the embargo, was in the Possession of severa! millions, sothat he was able to ive his son, William B. Astor, who was educated at ottingen, the magvificent hotel on Broadway, called te “Aster House,” which cost the sum of The permission (procured by Parish) to send out ships in ballast, to bring home silver, bad given As- tor the idea that the same privilege might be ex- tended to vessels dispatched for the purpose of bringing home the amount of debis due abroad, in - oe With this view he went to Washington, aud re, under the preteace that he had an importaut of teasat Can‘on, obtained the desired per- ion to send a vessel thither in ballast. This step, however, was only the forerunner of another one. Astor, in reality, owred no depot of teas at Canton, and hence it simply came tojthis, that he would, ac- cording to the usual custom, send money thither to purchase the article. ‘The exceptional favor of sending schooners in bak last to Vera Cruz, which Paris hac ap to this time enjoyed, which was now graduully extended to otier vessels, whose destination was not to bring back gold and silver values, but goods on American account, sufficiently showed that under ce:tain circumstances, there was no indisposition to t free exit to ships in ballast for a porticalar object. Ani now arose another point namely, beg ere Open | veasels, which, however, had sil ver on board, could be regarded as in ballast. The precious metals are, in most coun- tries, not locked upon as wares, although in some hey are so classified. It was not exactly advisable to bring on a discussion of the question whether the exportation of silverin otherwise unladen vessels should depend upvn it or not. Tuequery was, whe- ‘ther a foreign creditor, who had come to culle:t the moneys owed hic by Ame ican merchants, would be permitted to take the funds really thus received back with him. In Washington, there appeared to be every disposition to allow this. Now, it was well known in the nothern portsof the United States, that the leading native merchants of Canton had never hesitated to accord their regular correspond- ‘ents, returning year out and yesrin, fromthe Btates, certain credits whict amounted to consider- able tums. Upon this Astor based bis plan. He onted up, among the Chinese sailors, or Lascars, ee the sbips lately arriving from China, a fellow muited to his pw , dressed him as a Mandarin, him to Washington, where he had to play the part of the Chinese creditor, under ‘tthe name of Hong. Qua, or Kina-Hola. No one @reamed of suspecting the Mandarin’s identity, and pushed his scheme eafely through. The $200,- 000 he vent to Canton were expenied there in tea and other Chinese articles, and within a year after- returned in that shape to Astor’s hands, and used by him toexcellent account. A atroke of had been achieved, whose morality no onein the United States doubted for a moment. Astor bas left a fortune of about $12,000,000,chi to his only son. His mind was incessantly bu ‘with the increase of his resources, aud had no other direction. He was compelled, by a physical inirm ity, to.repair to Paris, where he could avail himself of the skilfal assistance of Baton Dapuytren. Tae latter thorougbly restored him, and advised him to ride out every day. He frequently took occasion himself to accompany bis patient on these rides. One day—and this avecdote I have from the Baron's own moutli-—when riding, he appeared by no means dis} to hey Soa not a word could be got oat of him; and at length Duputien declared that he mast be suffering frum some secret pain or trouble, when he wonld not speak. He pressed him, and worried him, until ly Astor loosed his tongae— «Look ye, Baron,” he said, “how frightfal this is! [ have bere, in the hands of my banker, at Paris, about 2,000 000 francs, and crnnot manage, without gcat effort, to get more than 2) per cent perannom @1it. Now, this very dey I have received a letter from + son in New York, informing me that there the it acceprances are «t from one and a hal! to two pe cent per month. Js it uot enough to enrage aa"! the real prices received by them for his consign ments, &c., &c. It was a rule in the honse o Messrs. Ho. e to compute one-eigh'h percent mora than the daily noted rate of exchange, when send- ing the regular reccipts to bank, and this was done to cover a variety of minnte oflice expenses, which could not be brought into w stated nt for justance: Mr. Hutchinson waa they bad solda thousand bags of coffee from the cargo of the ship Voltaire, and at so much per cent. Hereupon, that gentleman came next day to the counting-room, and interrupted Mr. Labouchore ia bis meditations, ard, running his finger along the printed price-current he held in bis hand, poimted out to him that the rate must be put at one-eighth per cent Jezs. The oft-repeated hints Mr. Labou- chee bad given the young Quaker, who invariably came in with bis hat on his head, and, withou: por mission, ma: ched directly up to the door and pushed -on into the private counting-room—the sanctum sanctorum of Dutch mercbants—had all proved of no avail. At last Fey eee to Jet him stand there, without paying any attention to wha: he had to say. He then wrote to l’biladelphia, to his principal, who dictated, for his benefit, the most offensive letters to Messrs. Hope, whick finally decided the latter to let him know at once, that there existed so wide a dif. ference between their ways of doing busisess and his, and all attemsts to teach bim better had go sig nally failed, that, for the sake of their own comfort and tranquillity, they should be compelled to decline any further transactions with him. There thea came a kind of apology,a promise to mauage dit: ferently in fature, &c., Kc, Bat the house in Am- sterdam remained firm in the resolution they had taken, offering, however, to do him the favor of re- commending to him as his future correspondents Messis. Daniel Crominclin & Sons, their neighbors. The astonishment of these latter gentlemen them- selves, when the first important consigaments began to reach them from Girard, and the surprise of the whole Bourse of Amsterdam, that auy one could re- ject such business ag his, requiring no advances, may be readily conceived. The Messrs. Hope had, after the annexation of Holland to the empire, withdrawn, or ratber had in a measure been compelled to withdraw, from all trade in goods and wares, since the famous Berlin and Milan decrees of Napoleon had thrown great dlfticulties in the way of trade, and much impaired the security of commercial intercourse. However, when, after the fall of Napoleon, iu 1814, Holland ‘in obtained ber independence, and the honae of essrs, Hope, baving been established on a new ba- sis, resumed its former rank, Girard was anxious to renew the connexion which had been interraptei for several years. Upon this occasion the assurance was once more given, that the style of correspon dence to be carried on between the two house? should be altogether changed. But Mr. Labouchére was not accustomed to alier histone. He took the pen in his own hand, and replied to the desire ex- pressed by Mr. Girard, with the regret that he could not consent, feeling convinced that the latter gen- tleman might indeed reform his language, bat not his principles, and that hence the best course would be to regard the acquaintance as having terminated. His description of Jackson's arrival at New Orleans, and bis arrangement with Edward Li- vingston, author of the Code of Louisiana, is go0d:-~ General Jackson bad a Captain Haines and a Ma- jor Reed, of the militia, for military adjutants, and ‘a Colonel Butler, of an American regiment of the line, for quartermaster. Not one of these gentlemen, Jackson himself included, understood one word of French, which was the Jenguage thea generally ken in Louisiana ; much ‘were they in the lightest degree acquainted with the way of think- ing, ideas, manners, and cus:oms of the population, which was chiefly of Frenc’ origin. Upon this oc- casion the lawyer, Edward Livingston, whom I have already mentioned, and who was then residin; at New Orleans, renewed his acquaintanceship wi! Jackson, who at once saw of what invaluable eervice this skilfo) and experienced man, who had for more than ten years lived in close contact with the mixed population of Louisiana, might then be, and after wards become, to him. Again, the General knew moch better how to handle the sword than the pen, and although he bad been both a lawyer and a judge, wrote his native tongue ina very imperfect and unorthogra- hic eal : how, then, could he bave hitapon a tter band to prepare his cespatches for the gov- ernment, than the author of the Criminal Code in Louisiana, bis friend, the renowned writer and orator, Edward Livingston? This was sofficient reason for a joyful acceptance of his offer to act as Jackson's volunteer aid and private secretary. L'v- ingston bad himself dubbed colonel, and, in atdition to his services, those of his brother-in-law, Davezac, elsewhere mentioned, and of two othor lawyers, A. L. Duncan and John R. Grymes, by name, along with i arebal, or five persons in ail, capacity of volanteer adjn e two lawyers with the tisle of colone!, and the district marshal and L'vingeton’g brotncrialaw ness!” Li verse sense, “ Writing, not fi 9 ‘business !”” Again, as to this , the reader will learn, i the course of the present history, with what zeal the volunteer adjutants, of whom one showed any real bravery, applied themselves to the work of Heap a Yo ad contemporaiies and posterity after them of sonal prowess, The excellent pro- clamationa ssed by Jackson to the country, to the inbabitants of the city, and to the citizen mili- tia; afl the despatches sent to the President, at Washington, in relation to the events and operations trapspiing until the invading British force bid withdrawn, were from Livin: vapen. The des- itch at the cloee of the campaiga ia from the and of Mr. Grymes. Though Mr. Nolte sneers frequently at the American people, he by no means shares the opinion of some of his countrymen with respect to our fighting qualities. He says:— The Americans in war are peculiar. In Napoleon's day, the French fought for the “ glory of the great pation,” Now peri they fight for “ the glor: of our arms.” The Britian fight for “ king an country,” or ‘God aud country;” but Ameri- cans “for tue good of my country.” After the peace, an officer ia this war, the Marquis of I veed- dale, who was takes prisoner on the Canadian fron- tier and brenght to New York, said tome: ‘I hope it will never fall to my lot a to fight Aweri cans; every ove of them always figh.s his own indi- viduel battie, and is a most dangerous enemy.’’ He makes some exceptions, however, such as the <Aides-de-Camp Duncan and Livingston, whose friends must feel flattered by the follow- ing allusion:— After the military council of the 7th, Livingston bad retired to the city on pretence of a violent colic, I,’ myself, who was sergeant, commanding the piquette, had the bonor of opening the barrier for his. There he remained until next day, io his dressing gown, upon the balcony of his house, until he heard of Jackson’s success, when the colic left him and he re-appeasred in the camp. His comrade, Duncan, who quit the camp at daybreak on the 8th, to look for reinforcements, ride about the streets at a gallop as long as the fight lasted, crying out, “Up! up! the foe is upon us. To the field! to the field!” Allactive people were in the field. A corps of veterans, many of whom had net yet seen thirty years, guarded the bank and arsenal, My heroic antegonist, Mr. Cashier Saul, already frequently named in these volumes, had, a8 the story goes, for the truth of which I do not however vouch, the greatest possible difficuity in restraining bis warlike ardor. Indeed, an order, obtained by bis friend Duncan from General Jackson, was found absslately neceseary to keep him in town, where his preseace Was essential to the safety of the bank, I would not have spoken of these casual instances of cowardice, were it not forthe fact, that in the report of this battle, contained in the despatches of General Jackson to the President of the United States, and which were drawn up by Livingaton himself, the General thanks his staff and his milita- ry and volunteer adjutant, for their cool and delibe- rate bravery. When’! first saw this paragraph, it was impossible for me to suppress the thought of whata queer look Duncan and Livingston must have exchanged, when they read it together—those two birds of a feather—those two scoundrels who played so well into each other’s hands. We could multiply amusing extracts by the score, but we think enough has been said to show the interesting nature of the book. Mr. Rediield has made a lucky hit. Tre Exeuisu Exvoy ar rae Covrt or Nica- ovas I, By Miss Juni Corser. Riker, Thorne & Co.—Mies Corner is favorably known to the public by some historical works of considerable merit ; but we believe that this is her first ac- knowledged effort in the realms of fiction. The title of the book is calculated to deceive the public into the impression that it is purely po- litical in its character and objects. but on tarn- ing over a few pages of it, it will be seen that the tale has been wriiten to fit the title, and not the title to fit the tale. This has now become ihe common prac'ice with the London publish- ers, who seck to direct the talents of authors into the channel of their own mercenary views without considering or caring for the injurious and depreciating influence which such a sordid abuse of their position is calenlated to exercise upon English literature. The present (pag- nates of Paternoster Row are a griping, grasp- ing, money-loving race, very different in their notions ard dealings from the Murrays, Bal- lantynes and Cadells of former days. Unlike those liberal minded and generous patrons of literary talent, the London publishers are, by a system of grinding parsimony and ill-judged interference with the better taste and judgment of authors,- gradually degrad- ing the literature of Eogland to the level of their own narrow understandings. They either seize upon tozics of present political interest, for the staple titles of their lighter works, with- out reference to their fitness and strict relation to their subjects, or they select a list of at- tractive captions and give orders to their lite- rery hacks to write books to them. This bas, no doubt, been the case in the present instance. The conspicuons part played by Sir Humfltop Seymour, the late British Minister at St. Pe- tersburg, in the contidential correspondence that took place between the two courts relative tothe prospective partition of Turkey, evident- ly suggested the title of The English Envoy at the Court of Nicholas 1,” as a popular and a taking one, for be it remembered that Le § don publishers of the present day place more dependence on the cutside than on the inside of their publications. They pay the same com- pliment to the cultivated tastes of their fash- ionable readers that Sterne did to that of an empty headed pedant, who, he said, “committed the titles of bocks to memory. in order that he might boast of their acquaintance.” It must not be supposed from these observa- tions, which are intended to be merely depreca- tory of a practice, which we regret to see is fast growing into favor amongst pablishers, that Miss Corner’s work is devoid of merit or fails in the promise of local Russian interest which its tile conveys. The tale, on the contrary, is cleverly constructed, and presents us with wel) drawn pictures of the fashionable life of the Russian capital. Although evidently not sketched from personal observation, there is sufficient of rraisemblance in them to impart a sort of political interest to the story. The fol- lowing will give some idea of the author's skill in handling historical portraits. By many the sketch will be thought to be too flattering, although we have heard Russians confirm the correctness of the traits delineated :— THE CZAR IN ONE OF BIS CLEMENT MOODS, It happened fortunately that the Emperor was now at one of his palaces 4 the neighborhood of St. Petersburg; for if he had been still at Tezorkozelo the ride would have been too long for Percival to attempt it with safety, for a Russian travelling car- riage was not the most description of wenicle in world, nor very well calculated to facilitate the recovery of an invalid by its gentle motion. Mr. dale arose earlier than was his usual custom, and, having sent an ap»logy to his ts for his absence from the breakfast tables ‘went inane. diately to Percival’s room, where he found him al- ready up and dressed with some ceremony. He looked very pale and was evidently werk and lan- guild, but declared he felt quite well and equal to his ardaous task. The two gentlemen took a hasty breakfast together, and Percival was assisted to the earriage that was in waiting to convey them to the palace; bat, although it had been prepared with careful attention to the accommodation of the inva- Nid, Mr. Riversdale could not help seeing that he felt & great deal of pain trom the jeiting, notwithstand- Hla: deed if “4 abate Mi good-naturedly placed with Per val was Hort Antal much exbausted with the ride, and availed if without scruple of a con- descension that he gratefully acknowledged; bat the very circumstance of such extraordinary favor being shown him, added to the difficulty of his position and increazed tre painful embarrassment conid not but feel at kno dias he was on the t of tw] cause Pe ging Seely ithe Scapevce inquired mi- nutely into the particulars of the’ attack that had been made upon bim, which was related as briefly ar possible; ‘and as the monarch listened his brow was contracted, bis face flushed with wrath and in- dignation, whilat a few interjections of rather a threatening character, as regarded the officers of police, escaped hia ‘Ie there any oe patemps “whom yon bah reason to suspect of a anst your Hits men can haidiy have so es an enemy with- out being conacious of it.” Percival replied that, so far from being aware that he had au enemy ecar bim, he did no: even know there was a single at St. Petersburg he had ever seen A Szoept the gentleman who came so providentially to Tescue. ‘‘But,” he added, ‘it was not to complain of the injury done wo ase that I sought this indulgence. It was to speak to your Majesty ou @ much more weighty oe ‘ban my ee life.”” ot sak as “Every man’s. ia of im ce,” said the Czar, “and Ih ve been much Erle tal if there sre not certain bright as among the ladies of St. Petersbarg thas would dimmed were any fatal accident to befall you.” Per ival colored deeply as he replied, “Whoever Majesty condescends to honor with your noti:e comes of importance in all eyes; and now may I be permitted to prefer my suit?” je Emperor seated himself in an attitude of attention, and intimated that he was ready to listen. It was @ trying moment: Percival le two or fase coe Me at to peace his’ t au appeare joy his perplexity; of pects Hg as was etd with tin. ay us of impatience, he assumed a yea: which always seems to say, “I am in no hurry,”"—a sentiment that is ordinarily expressed by placing the elbow on anything that happens to be near enough to furnish a pes? place for it, and leaning the head against the hand with an air of perfect composure, wing thus disposed himself to give a pt hearing to whatever was about to said, he fixed bis fine, dark penetrating eyes full on the face of the. peti- tioner, who saw the necessity of making @ bold stroke while he yet had the courage to do so. He drew a Icng breath, then began— “I know not why I should hesitate to k in be- half of the injured to st and mercifal a prince; yet I would crave your y’a promise to hear me to the end before you give your judgment.” “Tt does not ome much faith io the justice you speak of,” replied the Emperor, with a slight smile, “to require such @ promise; Levertheless you may consider it as given.” With this encouragement Percival went on— “There is an unfortunate individual who has un- happily fallen under the displeasure of his sove- reign for an imputed crime of which he is wholly niltlese. I apeak thus boldly because I know your lajesty has been ourself deceived by misrepre- sentation; or, perhaps, the mistaken zeal of those whe may themselves have been led into error, by not having fally investigated all the circum- stances of the case.” - “I am-always ready to atone for any wrong thit may have been done, and extend mercy where mercy is due; but if I were to pardon every offence my reign might be but a brief one. Say on.” “Your Majesty wisely; but Iam not ask- ing perdon tor’a criminal. I am asking justice for om innocent man condemned, by an unfortunate mistake, to suffer the punishment of a guilty one. T am pleading the cause of the Baron Litofsky¢’ The smile instantly vanished from the face of the Czar, and a most portentoua frown usu its place as be started from his seat with a violent gesture, expressive both of surprise and anger. “Hab?” he exclaimed, ‘the traitor who was ban- ished for cor! es against me, and has dared to return; but he shall not escape a second time. And £0 you, sir, krew that he was here. I would pater look to yourself if you cannot keep from meddling with such affair, What have you to do with this ran?” “Only so mugh as I am now doing,” replied Per- cival; ‘I never heard his name til) within the last three days, or I should not bave waited till now to lay his case before your itis Majesty, and I humbly beg to remind you of your promise to hear me to the end.” 4Tbe angry sovereign bit bis lip with vexaticn, for he Fad not at all anticipated the nature of Percival’s appeal, or he probably would never have given snch a promize; yet, although greatly irritated, he could not help feeling some curiosity to know how a stranger like Percivel Manley should have become acquainted with the history of the illustrious exile; therefore he reseated himself with a deep gloom on his countenance, and said—‘“ You may proceed.” Perciva} arose from the couch, feeling that, in the reeent state of the imperial temper, it would not becoming to remain in the epjoyment of an in- duigence granted per favor; but the Emperor, raf- fled as he was, put astop to this proceeding, by abruptly telling bim to s1: down again, a comman: he was very glad to obey, although it was not issued in the most amiable of tones. This point settled, the gencrous advocate related all the particulars of Litofsky’s conduct on the day of the icsurrection, as he had leard them from Cie- mentina. With eloquence that might have done honor to a well practised orator, he represented the diffic:.’: situation in which the accused was placed, the confict of his mind divided between loyalty and natural affection; the death of his uncle, and the unfortunate circomstance of bis being arrested as a traitor to his sovereign when be was in the very act of flyir gto his aid. Finally, he gave into the Em- ror’s band the two notes written by Litof uring the tumult, and anxiously watched countenance as he perused them, but he watched in vain; nothing was visible thereon but deep thought, ond the babitual sternness that generally character- ized his very handsome teatures. He read the papers twice with great attention; walked several times up and down the room with quick, irregular steps; stopped and pressed his hand to his forehead, as uncertain what to do; and, at last, he went to the door, summoned one of the officers in attendance, to whom he gave some orders in a low tone, then re- sumed bis walk, still keeping a found silence, which the petitioner was too wise to interrapt. About 8 quarter of sn hour passed in this manner, an interval which, to Percival’s imagination, seemed of interminable length. How was this strange scene toerd? What would he have given to have read the thoughts that were Rassing throngh the mind of the Czar as he walked silently to and fro, now with slow and measured steps, his eyes bens on the ground, and his lips compressed, as if he was deter- mined that no sound should escape tem that might give the slightest indication of his intentions. At length, without avy signal being given, the door was thrown open, and the nobdle exile, with proud step and stately demeavor, walked deliberately into the presence of his sovereign and judge. One hasty glance around the apartment was suffi- cient to tell him what had been passing, bat he won!d no* condescend to endeavor to leara from the locks of him who, he saw, bad been advocating his cause, whether he had most to hope or to fear. With the respect due fiom a subject to hig liege lord, ke gracefully bent his head, then stood firm ond erect with dignified composure, as one resolved to mect his doom unsbripkingly. Folding bis arms on his breast, he met fue Emperor's soratinizing eye with a calm undaunted look, it there was nothing in the steady gaze that could be construed into defiance or disrespect, ceo a deep sense of injary was strongly ma: ked in the expreasion of every feature. All the dark hair that bad served to a his countenance while he was in Eng- land bad been removed, giving place to his own pale auburn curls, and Slsplayio, to fall advantage, the high white forehead aud finely:moulded teatures ben Le tht have formed an admirable stady fora acl Is “ Are you the trait-r once called Baron Litofaky?” demanded the Emperor in a voice that would have j made mapy a man tremble, but did not disturb the equanimity of the prisoner, wh» answered without hesitation: — “ Tam Litofsky, but traitor Iam not. They who dare affirm it speak falsely.” ** Even though it be the Emperor?” said Nicholas, “ Falsehood is not truth, even from the lips of majesty,” replied a, boldly; “and the Em- peror, wire and good he may be, cannot, at all , guard against ption.” point, at least, I am not deceived,” sid the Czar; ‘‘ you are here in defiance of the law that expelled you for ever from the country, and, by this act of disobedience, Ive justly incurred a severe puniebment.”” Litofaky betrayed threat. Coldly and a my life ia at your ——_* disgosal, and am ready to surrender it, if such Paes pleasure; perhaps, were I the traitor your Imperial Highaess ha: thought fit to style me, I might also be »oward enough to ask for clemency, where I onght to look ce the boly St. Anthony, I aball know how to no signs of emotion even at this hangutit he replied, “ I know for jostis °F By if! ‘achool- | leave somone st bs say in your defence?’ to this moment the Czar stood Jeaning over the Pack of a chair. his eyes fixed keenly on the face of the prisoner; but he now seated himself, tofsky, who was not pre} exhibited some signs sae Pate was a elight quive: e tude did not foreske him, and he thus addressed the Emperor in a cleer, impressive tone-—“ If I am per- mitted to speak mer+ly to plead for a life thet would be little worta preserving, if coupled with a name sullied by the faintest surpicion of disloyalty, then let me close my lips and submis in silence to what- ever sentence your Majesty my think fit, in your wisdom, to pronounce; but if, by @ vindication, or at Jeast an extenuation of my conduct, I ma} sone | 10 be restored to the confidence I never forfeited by deed or thcugh:, speech will then be employed to a | noble end, and for one which I would willingly sacri- fice my existence.” “ Bay on,” was the imperial command. The noble mer then gave @ rapid and affect- ing sketch of the cvents that Percival had alread: related, to which the Em; listened with a3 mac! attention asif he heard them now for the first time; and when Litofaky came to the circumstance of bis arrest, he contivued thus:—My error was a few minutes of delay; for that, I was se\zed and | branded with the names of rebel and traitor, and ; forced from the performance of my cuty by the very men who accused me of dzserting it. 1 was con- demned to share the panishment of those in waose uilt 1 bad not participated, and I fled from sa un- just sentence. Conscivus of my own innecence, I did not submit to be trested saa criminai,and I now stand before your Imperial Majesty, a trae and de- voted subject, an I ever will be, a0 long as I am con- sidered in that Nght.” «Jo shat al) you have to say?” Litofeky bowed. i “ And shat proof can you offer of the trath of ; your statement?”” “ The word of a Russian nobleman,” replied the | Baron, proudly. “ Sucn a pledge would not always psss current,” said the Emperor, smiling, ‘‘ but in this case I ac- fon it, and mut endeavor to atone, by future debip, for the wrong involuntarily done you; and, after al} F dence in Engl to bear.” All the stoicism that had supported Litofsky | through this trying scene, vanished in an instiut. | He did not attem: t to stifle the excess of his joy, but, kneeling at the feet of the sovereign, presse: bis band fervently to his lips, and forth the | thanks of a full and grateful heart. | “You have another friend, to whom thanks are | due,” gtid the toed geh gle to Percival, who since it is no worse, a few years’ resi- and has been no very serious hardsnip was almcet as happy as the if; “and T | should advise you, if ever you should again need an advocate, to enlist bim in your services.” Litofaky directed a look of gratitude towards Per- cival, who replied, ‘“‘ The success of the cause de- pended much more on the wisdom and clemency of the py tae ee ability ot the advocate,” ‘The peror made a gracious reply, and rose, + which was & that tte conference was at an end; and he then Jed the way to the state apart- | ments, followed yy the two yourfg men, who took their leave with the accustomed ceremonies, and Litofsky, who had entered the palace a guarded | aly uate eate what mj; i pe his en Be at | surrounde \onors, One most ‘uished — of the nobles of Russia, | Tae Westminster Review. American fdi- | tion. Leonard Scott & Co., Fulton street.— | The July number of this able periodical con- tains an interesting article on “ the Russo-Eu- ropean Embroilment.”” Although far from con- curring in the general opinions enunciated by | the writer, there are some of his views that ap- | pear to us marked by a correct appreciation of what the French would call “the political situ- atien.” The following, for instance, sums up accurately the causes (of which the Turkish question is only in fact iteelf an effect) that have brought about the present unfortunate political crisis in Europe:— All thinking persons have long foreseen, in the obstinacy of crowned Gespots, a great European war of opinion, which was first avnounced from the lips of a minister, by Mr. Cenning, whea the mo- parchs bad falsified every promise made to their peoplee—when Germany and Lombardy had been deluded; Sicily and Naples crushed; Spain forced to rise in arma to regain its constitution; Hungary ruled over without parhaments; Poland deprived of the constitution which had been so ostentatiously granted it—when Frunce had rallied to the Holy Alliance—when, finally, Russia was embroilin, and temifying Turkey, and stimulating Gree! insurrection. In that crisis of 1822 Con- ess of Verona, nominally summoned to de- te on Greek intere:ta, sent the French ormies to suppress the constitation of Spain, which the tory mvnistries of England had repeat- edly ond tol cna acknowledged. Canni did not dare to assist the Spaniards; he contented him- self with a dark threat that and would put her- eclf at the head of the nationalities if the despots conspired. To save Europe from the extreme point at which it would become necessary for us to head revolution, has been the sincere desire of all our ministries, however unenergetic their action. Can- ning at length acknowledged the independence of the South American republics, to secure, at least across the Atlantic, some from European tyranny. The Duke of Wellington, in 1830, iustant- ly recognized the change of Wien France; and our whigs in 1848 as unbesitatingly acknowledged the French republic. If they had been equally de- cisive towards Rome and Hungary, they might have saved tie countless erpenes. hs reaction in 1849, with its lingering, sti‘l continuing miseries, and the new revolutions which are inevitable: in all proba- py England would thus have been spared the pre- sent war. The reviewer, as might be expected, is dis- pesed to underrate the military and financial resources of Russia. He is of opinion that a force of 200,000 men is the largest that she can march over her western or south-western fron- tier. Before six months are expired he will be likely to see this calculation belied. The point of the article may be gathered from the follow- ing significant summing up of its views:— Towards France the etrain of the war may have @ wholesome effect; namely, it is not impossible that when the Emperor calls on the nation to submit to fresh and beavy taxation, he may be forced to do it through the medium of a parliament; and his in- creasing popularity may make such an agency not too unsafe to bim. The certainly dawns upon us, that. France may in ‘way recover some por- tion of her liberties, and the contrast between the state of England and of France be leasened: bat. for the Austrian empire—a b of heterogeneous na- tionalities, temporarily held by lawless vio- lence—no sach can be entertained. On the other hand, British statesmen cannot too earnestly consider that there is no beach for Earope st Ruesia, until the frontier peoples are reconciled to their ra’ere. If this cannot be effected by the House of Hapsburg (and it bas the good sense to refuse the attempt as purely Quixotic,)--then the fall of the Hay aburgs is essential to the safety of Earope against Russia. By trying to eee them our government is prolonging misery and struggle. The three other British Quarterlies and Blackwood’s Magazine are also re-published here by Mesers. Scott & Co, The August num- ber of the latter pcriodical is particularly in- teresting. Tne VotunteEn’s ManvaL. Tinson & Co., Beekman street—Any man who wishes to be- come a theoretical soldier, can speedily initiate himeelf into all the technical mysteries of the military art by the aid of this useful manual. It will, however, take something more than books can teach him to enable him to master its practical difficulties, TREATISE ON THE Law oF Suits By ATTACH- MENT IN THE Untrep Srares, py Caartes D- Drake, or Sr. Lovis. Little, Brown, & Co., Boston.—The necessity of a work on the lew of suits by attachment in the United States bas been long felt, but the impression that has prevailed amongst the members of the bar, that the attachment acts of the several States were so dissimiliar as to baffle any attempt at o systematic treatise on the subject, based on the jurisprudence of the whole country and adopted for general use, has hitherto discouraged any one from attempting it. Mr. Drake, from a careful examination of the reports and legislation 9f 9 majority of the States, became satisfied that the diversity ia the statutes constitured, in reality, no. impedi- ment of avy moment to the successful’ tion of such a treatise, and the fake w labors, as displayed inthe volume before us, certainly seem to bear out that conviction. The materials wrought together are almost wholly American. and the style and general arrangement of the work are methodical, per- spicuous, accurate, and sufficiently foll. Mr. Drake deserves credit for the patient industry and acumen which have enabled him to con- tribute to the legal literature of his country, a work not only calculated to be eminently usefal to the profession, but to the public at large. Tae American Law Reoister.—The August number of this valuable work contains some in- teresting cases, amongst which is that of the People versus Collins, iovolving the questiox whether “an act prohibiting the mannfacture of intoxicating’ beverages,” and the traffic therein, was constitutionally in force in Michi- gan, or void because it contained certain sec-- tions attempting to delegate the legislative power to the people. There are also numerous abstracts of recent English cases, and a few notices of new law books. The number, on the whole, is a good one. FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL. MONBY MAQKET. Saturpay, August 12—6 v’. M. The only noticeable feature of the market to-day wat the attempt of the bull party in Erie to put the stock up at the first board The move was clumsily made. Purchases made at buyer’s option, 60 days, show too great a weakness inthe buyer to produce a durable ef- fect on the value of the stock. Accordingly, within « few hours. after the bulls bought Erie at 5034, buyer 60, | it was sold at the board at 48%, and afterwards offered in the street at 4834. The sactions in the stock were large. Severa! bears, who not understand the movement of the morning, grew frightened and took im their contracts, which produced an active market. Some 8,500 to 4,000 shares changed’hands. The stock is very, scarce, being freely borrowed without interest. The other fancicg are without change. As compared. with yesterday there waa this morning an improvement of 44 in Niesraugus, 4 in Reading and 34 in Cumber- land. This advance was lost this afternoon, and stocks closed generally 9s they were yesterday. Illinols Cen- tral bonds receded 1, and Erie bonds were offered in the afternoon at §6. In mining stocks nothing is doing. Gold Hill sells at 24, Lehigh Zinc at 13, Berdan’s Crusher at 824. Almonte’s three millions and s half were trans- ferred to the credit of Senor Aranjuez, who allows the whole to remain in the banks. “The Bank of New York pays three per cent on the share deposited in its vaults, amounting to $300,000, The other banks, viz., the Bank of Commerce, Bank of America and Phenix Bank decline paying interest on the $2,200,000 deposited with them. Senor Aranjuez still leaves the money in their hands at q Joss to his master of $421 a day. ‘ honey is growing rather more scarce. The danks are offered as much paper as they can manage; and the brokers are beginning to experience more difficulty im procuring loans on stocks. The two steamers to-day took out $542,891 in specie, as follows:— The Hermann, Alps.... The payments through the Clearing House this morn- ing amounted to $16,781,815 55. Balances, $809,518 24. ‘The Bank of Yonkers, Westchester county, E. How- land, Cashier, J. Olmated, President, has just been or- ganized with a capital of $150,000. The directors of the Southwark and Moyamensing Gas Company have de- clared.s dividend of four per cent for the last six months, payable onand after the 12th instant Tho Stuyvesant Insurance Company hus declared a semi-annual dividend of four per cent, payable on the 2ist instant The Cin- cinnati, Hamilton and Deyton Railroad Company have. declared a semi annual dividend of five per cant, scrip payable in threo years, with seven per cent interest. j J. Newton Perkins, Haq., has beem lected a director of the Dlinois Central Ra@read, te 9% a vaconcy.- ‘The San Francisco Mint drafts on the Sub-Treasury, for $240,000, were paid this dey. The following isa statement of the amountof coal transported onthe Philadelphia and Resding Railroad, | during the week ending Thuraday, August 10, 1854 : Ts. Cwt. Port Carbon. 18,604 03 ottsville.... Schuylkill Haven. Auburn,...+ Port Clinton, Total for weck Previously this year. Tosame time last year. Amount of coal transported on ‘the Schuylkill Cana for the week ending August 10, 1864, was as follows:—~ tons. Cwt. Port Carbon. Pottaville. Schuy)kill Port Clinton, Total for week Previously this year. . 616,919 06 To sametime Inst yea «+ 464,848 16 The following are the official tablea of the exports for the week, and the imports, exclusive of dry goods : Bott 16 Erie RR a Dame mis RE cae S8es8ssissssSsse 110 8 2. geese IRIS IRR 23 3 * 83x 23 Os a SECO! 2000 Hud R 1st 3i Bds 100 4000 Hud R 2d M Bis 9435 6000 Pan Bés2dis.b3 04 2000 NY CRR Bda.b3 8735 50C0 1 C RR Bés..b3 69 = 100 100 Cum Cl Co. 160 co. 50 s3 CITY TRADE ROPORT.. Sarorpay, August 12—6 P. M. Asnas were in fair demand, at $7 for pots and $5 625; & $5 75 for pearls, per 100 Ibe. Barapstcrre,—Fiour was much more actively sought after and at decid prices. The day’s transac~ after dad at decidedly IgM Erectec to, ouotee State, ec ‘tate, $775 & $0; mixed to Western, $8 608 610, and other kinds wh rvertonay rates; together with over 10,000 bbls. ‘deliverable early in ‘eptember, on terms been 2,500 Is, at ‘and 713 © 73}e. for Western per buahel. .—There was some activity in ‘he market, though Seer We wotlend sales of G00 bage Ro ee Joa 10% cents. SS argen | a few hundred bales wore reported sold, the market firm. in THe treneactions light at 66c. 8 70c. for 04 and. a @e. for new. Famanrs.—Rates to Liverpoo! were very light engagements, About 27,000 bushels wheat were engaged in ship’s bags at 41., and 50 bales or ty ap tht Th Ime 4 er ofan rs . for compressed and uncomprested. To London 20 tons of oil cake were at 20s. A vensel wae ebartered to load et James River for Venice with tobacco at 450. To Havre cotton and bone were at tic. and ashes at $6 and $8. A vessel was chartered for Jamaica (130 bene! wt $1,300, free of port x was char. tered for South Ameries and back of (183 toms) at $700, To California razes were dull, at 408 45 cents pe; foo, —————————