The New York Herald Newspaper, December 31, 1854, Page 6

NOTICES OF NEW we Carnotic Missions Amonosr or rue Unrrep Srarss—Dani- gan & Brother. The present work, notwitnstanc- wg ite sppasently avctarian character, onees & Bigh degree of interest “or the general read:r. It is a record of the efforts m»Je by the firat Catholic missionaries to ‘his continent to substitute the mild and civilizing influsnces of Christianity for the bar- Dareous religious traditions and demon worship of ‘tHe Indian tribes. In the execution of this difficult and frequently dangerous task, even those most op- posed te the-ecclesiastical system and teachings of the Church of Rome cannot help admitting that the - enthusiasm, courage, self-devotion and patience un- @er suffering displayed by these heroes of the church militant, are deserving of all admiration and re- speet. In a historical point of view, the work is ako valuable, inasmuch as it supplies us with a vast body of new and interesting facts connected with the Radian aborigines that cannot be gleaned from any @her source. Putting aside its religious object, tue glerification of Roman Catholic propagandism, we are Giaposed to view it as a most acceptable contribution te our stock of memorials relating to the early Mastory of the colonization of the American continent. Guarding ourselves against being supposed to endorse avy of the sectarian sentiments expressed ijt, we will now proceed to give a few extracts from its pages, in order to afford our readers an opportunity of judging of its merits. Opening with s aketch of the direction taken by the first inspira- tdens of missionary zeal, in the Romish Charch, we eavive at the period woen they took a wider scope, and extended their labors to our own continen! :— Let us exannme the country at the commencement 0 its mission history, the middle of tne sixteenth century Tet us, with the first missionary who then entered our domain, take our stand on the Apaluac mountains, the waterslied whence flow the streams that empty into the Atlantic and Pacific by sea-like galfs. ‘The Irish, Saxon and Norwegian missionaries had once, centuries before planted the cross at the opposite extremity, but a coa Yinent lay between the scene of his labors and theirs. Yet, vast as the region was, it was to be conquered to Christ; the Latin service, chanted from Greeulaud to Narragansett, was to resound throughout the length and breadth of that land. ‘Yhe field was one as yet unmatched for extent and ificulty. That region, “now studded with cities and towne, traversed in every direction by the panting steam car or lightning telegraph, was then an almost unbroken forest, save where the wide prairie rolled its Dillows of grass towards the western mountains, or was Jost in the sterile, salt and sandy plains of the south- wert, No city raised to heaven spire, dome or minaret; no plough turned up the rich alluvial soil; no metal dug from the bowels of the earth had been fash oned imto instruments to aid man in the arts of peace and war. The simplest arts of civilized life were unknown. In one little section on the Gila and Rio Grande, the peo- ple spun ard wove a native cotton, manufactured a rule pottery, and lived in houses or castle-towns of unburnt bricks. Elsewhere the canoe or cabin of bark or hides, and the arabesque mat, denoted the highest point of social progress. a Elsewhere the whole country was inhabited by tribes of a nomadic character, rarely collected in villages ex- cept at particular seasons or for specific objects; though here and there were found more sedentary tribes in vil- ages of bark, encircled by walls of eartu or palisades of wood, whose institutions, commercial spirit, and agri- culture, superior to that of the wild rovers, seemed to show the remnant of some more civilized tribe in a state ef decadence. Around each isolated tribe Iay an un- Droken wilderness, extending for miles on every side, where the braves roamed, hunters alike of beasts and een. So little intercourse or knowledge of each other existed, so desolate was the wilderness, that a vagabond tribe might wander from one extreme of the continent to another, and language alone could tell the nation to which they belonged. The whole country was thus occapied by comparatively small, but hostile tribes, so numerous that almost every river and every lake has handed down the name of a distinct ion. In form, in manners, and in habits, these tribes presented an'almost uniform appearance; language formed the great distinctive mark to the Euro- pean, though the absence of a feather or a line of paint disclosed to the native the tribe of the wanderer whom be met. In the field which we have selected, nine great divi- sions, it is now conceded, will include almost all the aosttered and contending tribes. The Algonquin or Alzie family occupied the whole besin of the St. Lawreace and its lakes, the western valley of the Mississippi, down to the fifty-fifth degree of latitude, and the whole Atlantic shore io about the same parallel. Beloy them lay the Mobilian or Muscolgee tribes, reac to the Gul! of Mexico. Encircled by these two t families lay two isolated groups, peculiar in all their institut destined te attain a greater eminence t “the mounta; Of tho Alen trikes all ‘ were gained in process of time to Us aacn, the map will show their chief divis Above the Lawrence, bordering on the Esquimaur ef Labrador, au stretching off towards Hudson's Bay, were the Moa- ‘ 1 Micina of Canada ng the p ntia. Maine was occupied by the Brune wic! th wibes of the Abuakis, the headwaters of tle Connectteat by the Sokonis, while along the St. Lawrence Ottaw: lay we Algonquins, properly so ca. with t sings dwelling on their own the Att: Ottawa: e, hhree Rivers. Westward still, t ‘an lay near the outlet of Lal roamed the Menomonee, the Sac, poo, the Mascouten; and around the circling su of Lake Michigan were the numerous clans of the Illi and Miamis, who have left their names to the terri which they possessed. Of these tribes we shall frequently speak; they were all mission ground. In the part occupied by the English and Dutch, other tribes of the Algonquin stock existed, to whom, with few exceptions, the gospel was never pirached, ana who have now mostly perished. New and ‘was inhabited by the Narragansetts, Peyuods, and other tribes of similar origin; the Mohegans lay on the Connecticut and Hudson, the Lenni Lenape on the Delaware and Susquehanna, while Virginia was occupied by the Powbatan clos, and the banks of the Ohiv by @ roving Shawnees. ‘The Huron-Iroquois, more agricultural and sedentary than the Algonquin tribes, with whom they were ever at ‘war, occupied a territory in the midst of them, North- most of all, the Wyandots, traders of the West, lay in their densely peopled villages, well fortified by ditch and Palisade, on a small peninsula in Lake Huron; south- ‘west Iny their allies, the Tionontates, whose luxuriant fields of tobacco won for them and their fertile hills the mame of Petuns; and south and east of these, stretching Beyond the Niagara and its marvellous cataract, lay the many clans of the Atiwandaronk, friends to the Huron and Algonquin, friends, too, to the Iroquois, and called ¥y the French the Neutral Nation, East of these, in few York, stretching from tke Genesee to th? mouth of the Mohawk, lay the five clans of the Hotinnonchiendi, whose names remain in thé natural features of New York, and who are now known collectively by the French mame, Iroquois. West of these, on the southern shores of Lake Erie, lay the far famed archers, the Eries or C tribe, who liavye melted away like a dream; on the Sus gesbanee were the Andastes or Conestogues, friends of Huron and the Swede, few but brave; and below them, amid the Powhatans, the traveller would find the wigwam of the Melierrin, the Tutelo, and the clan whom, the Algonquins called Nottoway; and still further south, in modern Carolina, ruled the tiery Tuscarora, last of tho elans of the Iuron-Iroqui Close on the last of this great family came the moun- Yein home of the Cherokee, and its sands laden w.th gold Below them still, from the Atlantic to the Miss: were found the clans of the Mascolgee—the Cr Yamassee, the Apalache, the Coosa, the Choctaw, the Chickasaw, with ti tehez and other tribes who claimed another lincage. ‘West of the Missies:ppi, from its source to the Arbansas, spread tribes of the Bakota family—the Sioux, the As niboins, the Kappas; while on the sf the New Mexican tribes, and beyond the mountai the many tribes which still people California ani Oregon ch was the field now presented to the Citholie a's nio It was one. stadded with dtmoultios and 0 staclos to the progress of the gospel, Wile spcerd as were the families of which we have spoken, they were eut up into clans, cach with a dialect of its owa, often #0 Wicely variant from others as to require sc entice analogy to show its parentage; theo, too, wars were of eonstant occurrence, even between clins of ti ame family—between the Huron and Troquois, the Dakorn and Asainiboin, the Pequod and Narragansett. Besi this, all were in a state of barbarism, and, te all appear- ance, wth an ulter want of adaptability to the usages of civilize life; avd all were ignorant of letters, destitute fey species of literature but the wildest mythological es. These fables and the morals of the people formed covher fearful obstacle. Although polytociem dit nt « cist—although they all recognized o.e Supreme Being, the Creator of all—although they preserved many of the early traditions of the human race, the idea of the fall of man, of the Redeemer, of the expiatory power of , Of the spirits above us, yet—sad spectacle of human misery !—they nowhere adored the God whom they keew—nowhere dii they offer him sacrifice or ad- dress hin in prayer. The ¢emons with which they re, these alone, in_ their fear, they ht to pesner these they offered the saccifice they ed it useless to offer to the God of good- ness and love. If the Troquois now pope Howennyin, ft is onlya rails of the teachiag of the enrly missionaries, and the name is a compound of the Fi ughout the length and breadth of th: All corroborated the words of holy writ, Dit damonia”’—‘ All the 3”? that the deities of i of tho Gentiles “are Gentiles were not phan. Fle Bg ‘cme and pr ogatives of dod, had sett ri al rerogatives of God, and det vice and passion, “With these the Indieg, fa his ti peopled tho Yorest, the lake, and the mountai i nature, animate and inanimate; those alone he ad ssed and sought to propitiate, reckless of his account ivat ex ; woman was a slave the hasband; br ‘wai unchecked even by the laws of excess prevailed. If to redeem this, iptions, theft and violence, were ty was wreaked enemy; war stranger an patie, and nealps torn from prostrate acid te resented a thousand obstacles; wild beasts, 233 i# 7 er from the roving @angor from false friends, <cisper from the tations ruyise om fivers, bt, of health, of use of motion and of limbs in the , strange life of an Indian wi Here 8 mission- ary is frozen to death, there another sinks beneath the heat of a Western prairie; here Brebeuf is killed by the enemies of his , and ‘ura by ap apostate—Denmis and Menard die in the wil ; Delbean is blown up at rea, Noyrot wrecked on the shore; but these dangers never deterred the missionary. In the language of the cig asap historian, ‘The Jesuit never receded ‘one feot.” Once established ina tribe, the difficulties were in- creased. After months, nay, years of teaching, the mis- sionaries found that the fickle savage was easily led astray: never could they form pupil to our life and manners. The ni ith century failed as the seven- teenth failed in ri up priests from among the Iro- quois or the Algonquins; and at this day a pupil of the Propaganda, who disputed in Latin on theses of Peter Lombard, roams at the head of a half-naked band in the billowy plains of Nebraska. ~ ‘These were the obstacles in the career of the missio ary, but with the word of power—‘ Go, teach all n. tions’’—ringing in his ear, the missionary rushed for. ward to execute the command—to teach all, to anneance to ail, to convert the elect, or, if such was God’s will, to labor in vain, except so far as the accomplishment of the command can never be in. The Indian tribes contributed many instances of exalted piety and religious enthusiasm to the r:- cords of the first efforts of the missionaries. Here is one celebrated in the traditions of the French Mission of St. Francois Xavier, in the valley of the St. Lawrence. Speaking of the emigration of the mission from Laprairie de la Magdeleine to the Portage river, the writer says :— Before its completion, and while Fremin was absent in Europe, Catharine Tebgabkwita arrived, and, forming a close friendship with a few pious women, aspired to the highest sanctity. Her hours were spent in labor or in prayer, and in both she seemed never to lose sight of God, Deaf to all offers of marriage, she lived by the work of ber hands, 9 hazardous experiment for an In- dian, but from her skill and industry successful in her case. What leisure her labor permitied she spent in the chapel, edifying oll by her modesty, recollectedness, and voluntary poverty. Her first desirg, formed ay she sat beneath the village cross with Theres Teguaiagenta, gazing upon the rapid river which hurried by them, was to lead, with some others, a lifelike that of the ‘nuns at Quebec; but this being impracticable, she resolved to avoid all the vanity of her countrywomen, and observe the utmost modesty in dress and life, Ki the Indiaus were, they had their belles, w as a8 anxiously ‘cared foros in any polish A manuscript of the time deserites the I en, with her well oiled and neatly parted h ing’ in a long plait be- hind, while a fine mis@ewas met at the waist by a neat and well trimmed petticoat reaching to the knee; below this was the rich leggin, and then the well fitted asin, he glory of an lroquois belle, The neek was ‘th beads, whic the crimson blanket enveloped the whole form. All the finery of dress Catharine renounced; the ordi nary blue banket, now universally worn by the women, served her use; ber other garments were plain. In sum- mer and winter alike her face was muflled, 60 that no brave of the village had ever looked her in the face but one, who rudely put aside her blanket to see her blush with shame. Butit was not enough to renounce plea- sure, A she kept the vow of chastity, and re- solved to assume the painful austerities of a penitential life to liken hereelf to her Redeemer. ‘* Who will teach me,” she would exclaim, ‘what is most agreable to God, that I may do it” "Two days in every week she fasted, while scourging and chains were in constant use, the former even to the effusion of blood. ‘These austeri- ties were indeed moderated by her directors; but as they were evidently prompted by the spirit of God, those which the missionaries were forced te concede to her fervor, rank her among the most austere, After one winter spent in the woods, her desire of attending all the offices of the Church made her + nounce the advantage of the hunting season, and re- main in the village, where she supported herself by sew- ing and the manufacture of various articles of wood and bark, which she made with great ingenuity. The servants of God are ever tried by persecution. Pure as was the life of Cxtharine Tehgahkwita, she did not ccs pe the breath of calumny, under whieh ‘she long suffered in silence, unable to dispel the suspicions against her. Her self-imposed pains did not equal this sorest trial of her life, Her pilgrimage was, however, drawing toa close, Towards the end of 1679 her healtli failed; a long march on the ice led toa malady which proved fatal,’ During the winter she was often unable even to drag herself to the chapel. As spring came on, the out-door occupations of the rest left her sole oczu- pant of the cabin, where the missionary, to conscle her, would frequently assemble the children to instruct them in their religion, and such branchea as the more settled state of the village now enabled him to undertake. As Holy Week came on, she sank rapidly, and it was found impossible to convey her on a bark litter to the chapel, nccording to custom, for the last sacraments. For the first time, the Viaticum and Extreme Unction were acministercd in a cabin. ‘The novel sight, and the general esteem for Catharine, drew all around the priest as, accompanied by the acolytes, he bore the sacred host to her dying couch. She received the body of her Lord with the most tender devotion, but intimated to tie missionary that he need not then anoint her, as her death would not take place tilla moment which she Norse on Dvsis axp Dveiipve :—Crosby, Nichols & Co., Boston—This is am exceedingly carious book, presen'ing, from the earliest siagle combats recorded in Bibliea! history cown to the last Californian affray, an elsborately compiled his tory of the institution of the duel/o, tast most ber- Dercus of ail the conventional obligstions imposed by society om man. Whether the object of tie writer—that of diminishing the evil by the influence of the examples set forth in these tales of blood avd crime--will be attained by his book, we must leave ite readers individually to determine. As re- garés our own view of it, we cannot help exprese- ing a fear that it will havea directly contrary ten- dency--just am the spectacle of a public execution bas the effest of elevating its victim in the eyes of the multitude, into the dignity of a hero. If it should possess no other utility, it will, at all events, serve as a book of precedenta for the arrangement and decision of all doubtful and disputed poiate arising out of what are called ‘gentlemanly diffi- culties.” We have space only for one brief exiract, which gives @ curious but not overdrawa picture of the tone of Irish society previous to the Union. It ie the bistory of an “affair” of the well kaown Sir Jonah Barrington—himeelf the chronicler of all the noted Irish duels of his time:— In the one case, Daly, wo was & barrister, gave the challenge. Barrington had never spoken a word to him in his life, had scarcely spoken of him, ang was wholly unconscious of any cause of offence: but inasmuch as this was the first invitation he had received, and as public sentiment in Ireland then required that such a challenge should never be declined, he accepted without any inquiry as to the reason for being called out. . The met in the field of Donnybrook. A brother of Sir Edwd. Crosby, Bart., was the iriend of Barrivgton, and John Patterson, nephew to the Chief Justice, mpanied Daly. Crosby, without salutation or conversation, immedi ately cried out, “Ground, gentlemen! ground, groun: damp measurement!” The second of Daly advanced, and said that bis principal could not thin: of going fur. ther in the busimess; that he was mistaken, and was sory for having occasioned so much trouble to sir. Bar ringion and his friend; and that be hoped they would excuse him and shake hands with him. To this Barving- ton had no sert of objection, but Crosby said, without hesitation, “We cannot do that vet, sir; Isbow you we can’t” (taking a litle manuscript book out of his breeches pocket.) “*There’s the rales—Jook at that, see No. 7: ‘No apology ean be received after the meet, without a fire” You see there’s the rule,”’ contt- nued Crosby, “and @ young man on his first blood connot break rule, particularly with a gentleman so used to the sport as Mr. Daly. Come, gentlewen, pro- ceed, proceed!”” Daly appeared much displeased, but took his ground in silence. Barrington did the same. ‘They fired; Barrington took no aim, but wounded Daly. Barrington required to know the cause of his challenge: but it was now Daly’s turn to cite a rule, and his friend qnoted No. 8: ‘Ifa party challenged accepts the chal- lenge without asking the reason of it, the challenger is never bound to divulge it afterwards.”’ But this absurd cuel ended here, In the affair with McNally, Barrington was also the challenged party. McNally was a short man, “and nearly av broad as long, his legs were cf unequal length, and he had a face which no washing could clean,’’ an was a good-natured, hospitable, talunted, dirty fellow. The parties mot in the middle of the review ground, Phoenix Park. Barrington was attended by Henry Hard- ing, “ah wicked, fighting Kings county attorney,” and by ibbon, a surgeon. His ball struck McNally in the side, who cried out, “I am hit.” Barriogton’s surgeon instantly ripped up his clothes, and found that the bullet bad struck the buckle of his gallows, (suspen- ders), and had not entered his body, Harding exclaimed, “By J—s, Mac! you are the only rogue that I ever knew that was saved by the gallows.’’ McNal y had been in so bad odor among gentlemen of the bar that no one would fight him, This duel placed him on fighting ground. He had been universally insulted, but indigni- ties were suspended, and he often said that Barrington’s t was his salvation. In Curran and his Contempora- , there is an amusing description of his unfortunate position previously — 4 His distress at one time was truly being able to induce anybody to fight him. Being, it seems, under some cloud, Harry Grady, who wounded everybody with whom he fought, refused that favor to McNally,» Everybody followed this inhuman example. The peor man could get nobody to shoot him, and was the picture of misery. Inevain he fumed, and fretted, affronted, All seemed determined on being guiltless of his blood. Never was an Irish gentleman so unforta- nate. At length Sir Jonah Parrington, out of Christian charity, accepted his cartel, and shot him into fashion. MeNally was @ man egain Hanrver’s MaGazixe fcr January contains fewer articles than usual, but they are chiefly of the class which combires instruction with entertainment. The pitiable, at not and ned, ‘Til! that moment her lowly couch 1 and arning in her death toe deo jowly away, and on We about three o'clock, she uttered h names of Jesus aud sfary: then a slight ough her frame, and she fell into her a fo the last, ahont balf an hour afte Yast 90 CAINVY, SO premverutty ythens as surrounted by To. ep ried beside the church, and her grave be net of those who wished to thful servant of God. It bs the prelte and the viceroy exalted virtue, as charge the bless otion was not unrewarded that it was pleasing Heaven, while they enkindled anew the devotion to holiest of the childzen of the American forests ‘The mission especially was renewoe by so holy a death. Her example and her life rerved, in a series of paintings, to rouse the lukewarm and confirm the fervent in their struggles against the world and self. In connection with the subje:t of the above werk, we icke the opportuvity of ssying a wordin com- men¢éation of Laity’a Catholic Directory, pubtished by Lucas Brothers, of Baltimore—the nunber tor the new year having just reached us. It seems to be carefully ard accurately compilad, and furnish« « us with some “valuable statistics regarding the Roman Catholic population and institutions of tho United States. We subjoin the following useful table, aa a specimen of its contents :— SUMMARY OF CATHOLICICITY i She was bu Diocksi=. Baltimore, A 120,000 Hartford. st Philadelpli 7 40° 175,000 Charleston, - 5 5,000 Richmond. _ — — 4 9,000 Pittsburg. _ — 1 17% 40,009 Wheeling. a =" 1 9 Ten Savannah. _ — — == 1j0d0 bri wee - a, >, - 3,900 Totals...... 367 99 64 11 249 379,000 New York, Arch. 47 30 1 41 280.000 Boston Oe poate is Albany 87 50 3B aa Buflato 100 = 1 Shi LL i-l dd oS Brooklyn « n Ss 25,000 “o ‘BO 2 112 490.000 Fos 1 9 196, ra 1 8 11600 40 “ 19000 Galveston Natehitoche eebt eh he ineennes Cleveland, Covington Totals . St. Louis, A: Nashville 32 Oregon Cy Arch Nesqualy....... } Fe .f 10 8, Franciseo,Are 28 15 33 Monterey....... B = 7 Totals...... 61. 15 + 88.000 | Nebraska Ter., | ApVie...... 8 WH (8 = — F800 v ichigan, yo eee ae ees fot 18° HM Ie 41 diocesses, 2 Ap. V: 824 6781,559 172 37 690 = This emer exhibits the statistics of each diocess and of each ecclesiasticml province. Some of the figures in the table will be found to vary from those in the re- capitulations of the respestive dioceses, owing to cor rections that have since been made. From the summary “here statements, it follows that in 7 archbishops, 33 bishops. churebes, distribute? among 41 diocese ani 2 apostolic | vienrates, and showing for A weed year Qf increase of | 2 bishops, 129 priests, and 112 churches. Dacing tim | year 27 priests departed this Iie, 2 were rlevaced t the | episcopacy, and beeides these, aboat 69 whose names rere the catalogue of 1853 aro not re oor Birented, and preceding | United States there are 1,704 priests, and 1,5: 854; whence it appears that the total acevssion s Curing the year was upwards of 206 ‘The figores of population in the table are (hose re- | turned by the Rev.and Rt. Rev, Bis ops; but as sale ae lete, we forbear any hypothotival esti mate of the total namber of Catholics in the United in r ‘to thereexists 80 vast a differ: ence of opinion, | nliy was to 50 initial paper is a spirited sketch of Andrew Jackson, by a pen famiiiar with the stirriag scenes of Ameri can history—po prosy review of his chara aud political career, but @ lively collection of auecdotes illustrative cf tae character of tze hero, froma his refusal to clean Major Coffia’s bots, wen a boy, to lis commit witn tanvurpy, tie~meryliewtonart, on board the Fredericksburg ateambont, The illus trations which accompany the article a-e among the best the magazine has contained. Darley’s bold eketch of the Indian chief, Weatherford, ia Jack- son's tent, and other cuts by Dople-, refiect cvedit cn both artista. Tne concluding chapter of Abbott's Napoleon comes next. Itis mainly devoted to av exposilion of Napolcon’s faith ia the Christian reli- gicn, and tke proofs sre taken froma little work publicked come time since from the notes of Count Mentbolon. One extract is worth giving. Bar trac d cc mpared Christianity with Paganism : Napo- leon replied :— I know men, and I tell you that Jesue Christ is not a man. Superficial minds sce a resemblance between Christ and the founders of empires and the gods of other religions, That resemblance does not exist, There 1s between Christianity and whatever other religion, the distance of infinity We can say to the authors of every other religion, “You are néither gods nor the agents of the Deity. You are but missionaries of falsehood, moulded from the sume clay with the rest of mortals. You are made with all the passions and vices inseparable from them. Your temples and your pries! claim your origin.”? Such wil be the judgment, the cry of conscience, of whoever examines the gods and the temples of paganism. Taganism was never accepted, as truth, by the wise men of Greece; neither by Socrates, I'ythugoras, Plato, Anaxagoras, or Pericles.” On the other side, the loftiest intel! since the advent of Christianity, have had foith, aliving faith, « practical faith, in the mysteries and the doctrines of the gospel; not only Bossuet and Fenelon, whe were preachers, but Descartes and Newton, Leibnitzand Pascal, Corneille ant Racine, Charlemagne and Lovis XIV. Paganism is the werk of man. One can here rea’ ut our imbecility. What do these gods, so boastful, !.uow more than other mortals? these legislators, Greek or Reman, this Numa, this Lycurgus, these priests of India or of Memph this Confucius, this Mohammed? Abgolutely noth! ‘They have made a perfect chaos of morals Much abuse has been beaped upon this work of Mr Abbott's pices if began to appear ia the pages of the megazine. He has been accused of pers erting bistory, and eceking to elevate hia hero, not only at the expenre of al! who come in contac! with bim, but at the eacrifice of truth. Some distiaction must be drawn here. No charge of direct perver- sion of facts hes ever been proven against hig. Ui til thai ts core, Mr. Abbott is entivlod to give Lis opi » whatever they may be, aad to sup rth maa he be-t can, by argament and fllastra- iv. He bast influenced throughout by a de- ‘re ‘o present b 0 ia & fevorable sed in the biog p and sorely historian of the at Neoolemn, Posteri! & cide whet! carried admiration too far. | Fea the pr enongh that—whotever his alm may fr, Abbott has furnished by | far che aw pictarvequs aad entertainiag fect the be 0 Nine tenths o the grosirg geveration wil! take theie jJess of Nepeleor ‘om Abbott. A‘oor! paper on De Sanloy’s travels in Pales iive follows nex’, M. de Sanley was sent to the Best by the Freseh government, and his travels beve rince been published in Pa ia at an enormous expenee, #hich the State defrayed. He claims tw bave discovered the location ef Sogo, Gomorrah aud the otber condemned cities; and whatever ov jection may be raised by other travelidrs to his inferences, it is doubtful whether any mau ever possessed as ample means of jadging of the matter in hond es be did. A sketch of the personal character of the Cause of the heuse of Remocr ff, frem Nickbail, the founder of the Loure, to Nioholas, occupies alerge-sbare of the magezine. Toe Ozar Paul, father of Nicholas, | ts thus dealt with: — Paul had a microseopi his thelr heads bowed t ot When be drove out, he would punish net alight from their carriages pr te themselves as he His no- of m Berd science pe ty Pale oldiers, He 0) m e 1 when the rough old Marshal POs arrow yp med, * Hatr-pow is not gun- power eur vet cannons, tailg are not bayonets’? Je wety nearly aut bin to * ia. If ene eul was nearey Mis! exit then. , it was battons on sol- Wietslerets. Te weull Walk a mile to make a sentiney _ Lufton Dis coat e trifle higher or a hole lover. Ip Big | | ‘the unusual uproar, i lod in iho hirano The now w were called Czar, aad, totally forgetting his conversation with Alex- ander, he supposed that a rebellion had broken out, and thought only of his perronal safety. When Alexander reached the palace, he found that his father had | mounted a horse and fled. Setting spurs in pursuit, he soon eame in sight of ‘the fugitive, whose terror added such 3 to hin t that he was overtaken with diffi- eulty. ul threw himself at the knees of his son, im- ploring mercy, and could hardly be persuaded that the whole affair was the result of a freak of his own. The people were as badly treated as the military. He toek a disliketo round hats, and authorized any one to tear them from the head of their wearer. He would allow no one to keep a dog near his residence. To learn- ing he had an insufferable antipathy. He prohibited the importation of French books or newspspers, and only alowed three printing presses in his whole dominions. If a man’s face displeased him, he would have him ar- rested. If his drese did not suit his fancy, he would cane him, The knout and Siberia decreed for all conspirator. his fst, and tell her—‘Madam, if you think to play the Catherine, you will not find mea Peter Ill.” So incon- sistent and absurd grew his conduct at last, that it was generally believed he was mad; and the disease was at- tributed to his disappointment at the rejection of his addrerses by the Counters Laponkin. s A congplraey, was at length formed to rid the throne o} ch a dangerous maniac. It came to Paul's ears, Count Pablen, Governor of St. Petersburg, before him, to in- quire into the affair. ‘Sire,’ said the wily courtier, ““T know it sll; to assure myself of the guilty, T am myself conspirator.”” He was in fact, and, alarmed by the king’s vigilance, resolved that the blow should be struck at once. That afternoon a letter, containing full detaila ot the conspiracy, was placed in the bands of the Czar’s friend and counsellor, Kutaisoif ; butsomchow he mislaid 1t before it was read. Another letter, con- taining the like information, was handed to the Czar while eupping with his favorite; the ill-fated man thrust it unopened into his pocket. The hand of destiny was clearly upon him. At eleven that night, ashe lay in his bed at the palace of Saint Michael, a small band of twenty conspirators effected an entrance into the private rooms; the Cossack at the door of the royal bed-chamber chall-nged them, but was instantly cut’ down by one of the party. All then rushed into the room. he bed- clothes were in disorder—the sheets were warm—but Paul was rot to be cen, The scuiile at the door had alarmed him, and he had risen and_hid himself behind a screen. His refuge was soon discovered. Dragged into the middle of the room, one of the Zubofs broke his arms with @ club; and others wounded him with their swords, A{ter a feeble resistance he was over- powered and strangled. His last words—terrible words —were: ‘And you too, my Constantine !”” ‘Thackeray’s ‘‘Newcomes”’ is as amusing as usual, ard contains among other things a variety of piquant revelations of the London press. A New York story, entitled “My Son, Sir,” is full of trath aad pathos. It should be read by all fathera who have fire yourg men for sons, who can score ever 60 inapy without stopping at billiards, aud cruel in | cognate accomplishments. A couple of other stories, and a beautiful piece of prose poetry, eati- tled “‘ The Singer’s Dream,” complete the namber. Tue GEOGRAPHICAL AND COMMERCIAL GazaTTE, No. 1.—Disturnell, Broadway—The plan of this work, although excellent, will, we fear, mest with great obstadies to its being successfully carried cut. In the first place, to inspire coufideace, it should bear upon its title page the name of some | preperly qualified scientific editor. In the second, in the absence of this condition, its contents should be of a nature at once to strike public at. tention. In both of taese respects we find the open. ing number wanting. Its contributions to pbysical and p litical geography are of a character inferior to roaby of the articles on the same subject which appesr in the daily newspapers, and, in fact, we find but little in the general tone aad style of tie work which would lead us to suppose that it had emanated, as stated, from “an asz>ciation of acieu- tific snd practical gentlemen.” .There is @ well executed chart of the recent sear2h for a northwest summoned passoge given with the opening numb:-, but ths text that refers to it throws no new light upon the subject, eitner by its facts or s2ecals‘ions. Dianizs.—Amongst the disries which eeem to finé meet favor at the present seasoa we mey men: top \hare of RICR & Loutrel, Pxanois & Lontrel. aad Micbec] & Co. For judicious lou of space snd cemperdious arrangement, these diaries canzot be surpossed. NEW MUSIC. There appears t> be & great commotion in the wusio tiede just now, growing cut of g reduction inthe price of sheet music whi-h is advertised by ore of ovr leading publishing houses. This is a matter of considerable importance to the public, and therefore worthy of attention. Until withiaa few yearr, the music pu lished in America consisted merely of reprints from the works of foreiga com- posers; and as at first the sale was limited, it was necessary to affix a high price to it in order to pay the first cost of engraving. Now that the sale is vastly increased, @ reduction in price is not only due to the public, but the publishers will find it condace grea‘ ly to their ultimate benefit, inasmuch as it will prevent simultaacous republizations of the sana works by almost every one in the trade, and the de- | mend for mueis will consequently increase, and the | taste improve in proportion as it is placed withid the means of the million. Another important re- sult must ensue from this proposed change. Pu’ lishers wiil be on the look out for good c>pyrightz, and will be able to afford a fair compensation to tie composer. This will toster and elicit our native talent—a consummation devoutly to be wished for, We need only cite as an illustration of these facts the great euccess of Vincent Wa'lacs’s com- positior s, of which Messrs. Hall & Son have the ex- clnsive tight of pub‘ication. The amount which they sell of his writings would scarcely be believed but that the fact is well known in musical circles. There are few modern composers who so well ‘de- serve the populsrity he has attained as Mr. Wallace. All his works bear the stamp of original and power- fat genius. We have received from Mr. Thomas Baker a copy cf h’s splendidly illustrated musical album for 1855, cocsisting of @ great variety of popular pieces, in- cluding geveral of his own composition and arrange went. There can be no more acceptable gift at tiis on of the year than this besutifal annual. Mr. Joba Darcie has eent us severat of his resent musical pablicstions, amongst the best of which are the “Mario Schottische,” “The Borgia Valse,” J71- jen’s “Fi.cman’s Quadrille,” Jullien’s “ Farewell Vaiee,” and Jullien’s “West Park Polka.” Affairs in Cuba. OUR IAVANA CORRESPONDENCE. Havana, Deo. 23, 1854. Leclaration of M. Lacoste—Interview with Him-- Hus Admissions— Prospects of His Being Gar- roted—Mr. "Feliz, the Prisoner's Counsel—The Sleve Trade—Impudence of the Captain of a Slaver. I know not by which steamer these lines will be taken, as the captain of the Isabel states that he will leave immediately should there be despatches for the State Department by the Falcom. The Isabel entered port yesterday, bringing no intelligence and no northern papers. Mr. Lacoste,who is Mr Francisco Eetrampes, a native of Cuba, and s nataralized citi- zen of the United States, has made a declaration clearing the captain and mate of the schoomr Jobn G. White, of knowledge of the contents of the cases which he shipped by that ves" sel in New York. His declaration as to his own transactions have been fall and ex- plict, onder the fear that innocent parties might be jeopardized, and I think more .criminating for himeelf than was justifiable under the circumstan- cee—but he says, that he has only discharge! the duty of a man, and he is willing to abide the conse- quences. His interdiction cf communication was removed on the 19th, and I was permitted an inter- view with him on the 20th, atthe bars of his cell, He admits in his declarations, twice taken, that te had intreduced-arms and munitions of war by the American schooners C. T. Smith, and John G. White—that hie object was tq foment a revolution- ary movement, upon like princtples of the recent movement at Madrid, for the purpose of proclaiming Fernandez, who was the junta in New York. G. White till on board of the frigate still interdicted communication consul of the United States, or with a defence. Assoon as the eedings verr ment bave closed over eecret and his fate is determined, de facto, Commission, under the dictation of the Attorney, (Fiscal,) be will be t> see friende, couveel, &c., and the ical preparation for the cpen trie! will begin. Since writing the above, I am advised that the in- terdict of communication waa removed as to Mr. Felix, late yesterday, but without advice or notice government to the United States vee before the defence, yesterday. As they are unknown to them, and bave not the meavs of ccmmunicating, but suet motes Hogcs ngage ey ctly under is , they | Vil-or Mr. Felix wili—decline the services proffer- ed by the government, and mske hisown defence, as be may; which wil) probably never be. attached tothe proceedinge, when they go for revis:on by the anditor of the Royal Auciencia, as was the case on the tris) of Thras:er. The persons who aie sslected to represent the prisoners before the tribanal have thst knowledge of law which obtains by induction at the paint of the sword. bey have no sympa- toies to induce honorable or trathful discharge of theix cuties, and te cbligations forced upon them by pemination of the Executive; and i; seems to me ‘werl that they bave declined a service onlyinteaded the more surely t) reach their condemustion, while they effect complience with law, and the ‘egal rights of the stranger, under treaty stipulat ons. General Concha seems ¢etermined that the satirical impu- tation of Gen. Pezuela as to hie propensities for blo: d, sball be fully verified before the world, while he claims to govern with humanity. In relation to the introduction of slaves from Atrica, the island seema to have been surrounded with slavers for the past few weeks. Of these expedi- | tions, prepared during the last administration, many have been introdu7ed, while there have beea | no sejzares. The brig Peerless, captured some time | since as a slaver, although yet remaining for adju- dication before the British and Spanish Mixed Com- mission of Justice, hes been taken into transport service by this government, having left port three | days since under tow of a Spanish war steamer, | laden with beavy ordnance, for military defence on the south and east coast of Cuba— additional guns | to be mounted on our exterior works. A captain of | a slaver—Portuguece or Brazilian—who had landed | @ cargo of Africans within the past three weeks, not pcan 9 prompt payment from the speculators on arrival at the Havana, called upon the Captain Ge- neral, with his com;laint in due form, requesting thet he would issue compulsory process for his dues, The impudence of the thing was rather too much for the nerve of General Concha, and he ordered him to prison, where he may remain until his ac- count is considered by justice, and due rendition given. As the Isabel is to leave at 7 o’clock this morn- ing, I inust refer to my letters by direct steamer for otber items of interest, which will leave probably this evening or to-morrow morning. D. Our Boston Correspondence. Boston, Dec. 23, 1854. City Affairs— Local Debt—The City’s Means— City Lands—Apprepriation for the Library Building Commission--Reduction of Work and of Wages at the Navy Yard—Run onthe Savings Banks—Mr. Banks's Speech-- Political Affairs— The Councillors—New Hampshire, §c. Asthe year craws to its close, the action of our city government, in closing up matters, becomes in- teresting. A report on the city debt was presented in the Common Cvuncil on the evening of the 21st, from which it appears that the amount of the con” solidated debt on the 20th of Decemher, 1853, was $7,843,712 77; present amount, $7,628,142 32; re- duction, $215,570 45. Of the debt, $5,432,261 11 are on account of Ccchituate water. The amount nasable on the city debt, April 30, 1855, will be $467,600; on water G-bt, $25,300. The amount of mesns on hand, at t>is date, in cash and bonds, and mortgages, is $1,324,607 67. The subject of the sale of Faneuil Hall Market Was reported upcn by the cornmittee to whic’: it had |. been referred, they recommending its reference to the next City Council, which was accepted. It will be avery good thing for the new government to quarrel over. The Land Commissioniers’ Report was made on the same evening, and shows that the value of tie land sold during 1854, thus far, is $69,722 60; expendi tures, $3,083 14; amount of land unsold, 7,708,078 tquare feet, bes'de 782,000 feet outside of the line, of solid filling of flata in South Boston. During the lost six years the amountof land sold 14 1,054,825 aquare feet,for which was received the sum of $641,- 821 63.. The Report of the Superintendent shows that in 1854 the number of square feet sold at the south end was 154,674, In company with a communication from Mr. Win- throp, the President of the Board of Commission- ers appointed to superintend the erection of the Public Library building, and relating to procuring plans and estimates, an order was presented in the Common Council, at its last meeting, authorizing the withdrawal ¢f $2,000 from the reserved fund, and placing the same in the hands of the Auditor, to be at the disposal of the Commisei mers; and the order was adopted. Mr. H.N. Hooper has de clized to serve on the commission. Some of our lsrge establishments are closing up their business, or reducing its extent materialiy, the effect of which will bs to throw out of employ- ment quite a number of men, and go increase tie suffering that al:eady is so great. The present win- ter is said to be the severest one kcown in Boston curing this generation, so far as suffering from poverty is concerned. Weges are to be redaced at our navy yard abcut ten per cent, or a litfle more. No reduction of the ealaries of officeholders has been mentioned. The run on our savings institutions has ben quite severe, though the opinion is confi- dently expressed that po great harm will follow treefrim. Most people think, however. that these ivetiiutions are altogether too loosely conducted, ond toattbey shovid be made tae objects of searsh- irg legislation. They sre allowed to accumulate too la’ g~ capitals, and are rot sufficiently carefal in their mo-es of making investments. One of them has five millions of dollars, about a eeventh of which great sum js loaned to a bank is rot considered to be of the first class of mo- neyed instituticns. Then there is a great deal of fa- vortitm shown in taking investments, and the insragers of the institutions are fixtures, remaia- ing long in office; aud what happens from that the co vriry has hsd some reason to know ia our time, end har purchased the not over agreeable know- ledge st 8 most ¢rormous figure. Jn 1862, Mr. Crocker, then Sheriff of Suffolk, reized a quentity of liquor, for which he was sued by the owner for damager. Mr, Crocker petitioned tLe Governor: and Couzcil that a person mighs bs appoitted to apvear and detend case; but the committee of the Council to whom tae subject wes referred, reported ad to his . The case is still pending in the Suprome Bout. This is one of the man; cone from the the before the Sy ierenae When it was under discus. oy tis en oa to protect offi one 0! ren! officers ersecntiony as Mr. Crocker has been su! it it was voted down, for the the avowed that it came frim au enemy. * There is nothing to make a special note of in the pea world of a reliable character. We have poe bg of and Cray meni an perty; they are got up caees le are beginnin; discredit evew which ‘ore ‘well founded. “The. “clothes line’ Bz geeeiveil . The the nomination is brother-in. law of M. Brown, our Liutenant Governor Henry F. French, of Exeter, @ ALgoma. Our Texas Correspondence. BROWNSVILLE, Texas, Dec. 7, 1854. Progress of the Revolution in Mexico—Fresh Out- breaks—Santa Anna's Mock Apyex! to the Mexi- can Nation—His Desperate Positton—Commer- cial News, &¢., §c. ‘The cold weather we are now having, ié is fondly hoped will restore our city to its usual healthy state, and the present state of health both here and on the Tiver would incicate ‘that we have nothing toappre- hend from an epidemic. The line ofthe Rio Grande on bith sides continues undisturbed, and the leaders of the resent abortive} revolution in the adjoining Mexican territory con- tinue to make this place their temporary residence. As yet, the want of means paralyzes all theit move: ments. The late intelligence from the “interior of Mexico, received through private letters, from sources the most reliable, has given the opponents of the present Mexican raler new courage, as itis now known here that the revolutionists of Nichoacan, under Huerta, had advanced on Guansjasto and had elect. defeated the government troops sent from Nm city | ageing’ him. It is ccnfidently ‘asserted that ths place by this time has fallen into their hands. It_ie now corfidently rumored that the “ Vi del Maig,” in the department of San Luis Potosi bas revolted, which accounts for the late moveme! of troops from Matamoras and other places on th line, en route for Victoria. The electoral farce to solve the question—sh the actual President of the republic continue office, exercising the unlimited powers he now en joys, or not ?—came off in Matamoras on the Isto ‘this month, as provided by the Divtator’s circul: of the 20th of October last. And an election ‘was, most truly. On that day some thi patrole of soldiers paraded the atreets, a guard of fifty men was etationed at the polls, two loaded pieces o artillery were brought out, the city was divide into wards, and the G overnor appointed a eommia sary or police agent over each, charged with voting| | for bimeelf and all-the citizens in his ward, it bein distinctly understood that whoever voted again the Dictator would be banished in balf an hour: | The election was under the management of the | military, ard as provided in the election a each captain would vote for himself and for what’ | ever nomber of subordinates he would represent | being in his company. No private citizens t | | ed themselves to exercise the glorious pi ancl at night Sree nts info! them that i/ they failed to vote for Santa Anna on the next day | they would be fined in the eum of fitty dollara eas! or be sent to jail for the term of four months. Th: result need scarcely be told, and the miserable farce is too cont-m;tible to even deae.ve criticism. 1c Cepee upon ES Lip be coal and its 7 ave S-arcely raise meelves to tic dignity o! @ sible mons contempt. bad fi) of feeliog ic tat oxant: that hehe eee the wi je now, oaly question is hi 5] be can get ont of the oie at nalety, at] bis present experiment in tue soleacs of goveraws.: has been a moet miserable failure. Tke tree if known by its froit, and to know the nature of a ;) Vormment we need lace at the condition of people. Under Santa Anva’s miscriled ove. ment the conptry is distracted and torn ssunder civil turmoils, its treasury exbansted, public oof dence deatroyed; commerce, int and fe at its lowest ebb, sone Rovenmess not reap ed either at home or ‘This is an avowal facts, public and notorious. T, natio ofthe Mexi ently prejudiced misds the weakveas ake correpticn’s i s government. Q the 2d ivst., some two hurdred and seventy} one recruits for the army on this line the mouth of Rio Grande on board of sh} ice. The state of trade continues inactive, aud likely remain so until a change takes with neighbors, whoee situation renders to enter juto mercantile or other operations, un be: ir a ot Senge Cece a city continues rove « number cf Gur churches aon emia call highly speak for our morals and mental improe ‘We have: no news from the upper Rio Grant cf excitement. son ae we Meeting of the Missouri Legislayare. ne pete folowing desgatch from the St. Loi Jerrenson Orry, Dec. 25, 1854 | Legislature convened this aeerek : The te ae presented their credentials and adjourneit.. In the House, Mr. Mothershead was called toth chair temporarily, and all but nine members| swered to their names, and were aworn. No tions for Speaker were made. Robert E. Aci, anti Berton; Richard J. Barrett, Benton; and 7 Newland, whig—all d upon in caucus. -Tp| Mths Senate ‘ocnenized by cleodng’ Mecracygh race enti Benton, Secretary of the Renee; - Ef a day, anti-Benton, ageistant recretary; Wa. /| over, democrat, door! it; M. V. Harrison, «, Crat, sergeant at-arms; j H. Baber, wal au osting clerk; and Parris pipet, anti-B ton! now Nothing, enrolling cler! halons se ne ol AE Dee. 26, 18. a8 their orm jas’ night, fall arti tak ects a Rin discussion or points d as the result of this discw Std copsuitstion, they psased withous a diesentix resolutions: voice, the fol! Resol the Gener} dF, — ved, That the-whig members ot Assembl; owe it to themselves and theil enta, as citizens of a slave State, tv discoanteaan in every way, the efforts of the free soiler: , litionists, to continue the agitation of the quection, in Congress or out of it, ard that ti: will not vote for any person for House of Reprerentatives, or Senator in Cong who is not known to be of these views and pled ‘OReeclved, That we, will vols for . we no man Speaker or Senator who is not in favor of the } d at the lest session of Congress, known Kaneas-Nebraska bill, and who will not, all his infive: repeal of that _ cnlarly the section which 2 Ore Mower that 0 which provig Hin 6m oni,