The New York Herald Newspaper, February 9, 1856, Page 2

2 THE IRISH BUFFALO CONVENTION. | A GBNUINE EMIGRANT AID MOVEMENT THE CATHOLIC CLERGY LEADING THE W’ ; 1, Movements of Various Meetir .. ; United States and the C “& the APPOINTMENTS OF ‘pELEG ATES. Ta CONVENTION, &., &e. or tor Buffalo. ¥ gxtine af HAMILTON, C. W. meet in St. Mary’s church, Jan. 18, ete, te cakEiste, conssseresion what action skould be Taken, Gy the Cacholiss of the city ef Hamilton in the forahcon ing convention te be held at Buitalo, “tne Very Wverecd Edward tordom, VG, in the ebsir, and Wr. James Ryan acting a4 secretary. Tae Chairman having explained tue object of the con- venticn, be called om the Key. Mr. Cacayon, who read the sying papers :-— het Dntg oraviane’ thet it will be an urgert duty fer the coming conyentiom to discuss, to tind am to se- lect a tract of country somewhere for the triah Cachslies | CoPvention, which sesembles tn that city on tne 12ch of te settle on, to make there an independent kome, and thas form,as it were, a national nocieus in North Amerioa— ‘This meeting wishes to express the hope thet every de- legate will briog w:th him to ths convention an ample stock of reliabie information respectlug tks lands ne 1s eupected to propose for a sottiemeat; that infor- mation #1! be both very covrect, and #t the same time extensive, embracing the quality of the soil, its ciimare, ite commercial prospects, ics disposactlity and ita actual waive. 2nd. It being our common impression that the settle. ment, though {{ shat! be opened to ail classes, yet ix ehietly intended for those of dur countrymen who are aut farivg well in the presect state of things, namely, fur our rsizoad makers, cansi builders, street straggisrs, and all such, who, most of them, are really peor. And it our cenvistion besides that many of these, always revived ie cities, towers, or puoke works, will easily te induced to go 16 the wilderness to clear a farm, with mash hardship aud ‘oil, umiess some pecaniary en- eouragement is given tnem— Thir meeting wiehes to express its strong conviction, that the convention, in crder to: eventuate in praccdeal wesults, must of necessity devise ana adopt a means to weive money—fur pecuniay moans are necessarily re- quired to assist ac ieast two-thirds of the settlers who re really poor; and also to induce oubsre, who, thoagn | in Irish emigration, and favorable to tte promotion of ‘hey may have some means at thelr command, still. we | aciua! seitlement ia the interior, axeoinbled a Detroit ou eau foresee, will not go to the bush except @ pecuniary eneouragewtnt |s given to then. Now, without presuming that we have discovered that the most deriracie means which, ta our oviniea, is in fact the touch stone of the undertaking, we would ham bly suggest that which has cccarred to our minis; our ‘vows, we are fuily aware, may not meet the plias of wen wiser than ourselves; bat we are ready to son’ew thst, in expcsivg our ideas, we desire not to press thea wpon te winds of otherr; all we design is siaaply t2 show that the coming convention must not of neoessary prova a taiinre, ors Uropis, but that it may and really can Dring about most happy results, if it be jurliciously coa- pored and wisely concusied. Thes meeti: ¢ would then suggest: — ‘Thats soci-ty he formed throughout the breadth and —_ of North America, and that every member of this ty shall pay annually a fixed sum during a ce-teia mumoer of years, in ora enable a settling commises Doth to purchase the lands and to assist the poor settlers at least for afew years. This society, we wish to observe, may be wade either a Denevo'ent ora joint stock society, as the convention may deem best to establish; for Vila, as @ wetter of @ourse, must be Jeft to the wisdom of the de'egates in eonvention sasembled. It sutlices for ug to expréss our opinion that we believe that either of these such societies would be effective, if it were put into operation; aud that elther ean be put into operation we entertain no douds, for we bave faith in the will of our countrymen fora moble cause. Aud truly whosoever will alloy his thoughts to consider the macter must be struck wita Ahe ¢. nv iction that torces icse!f upow our minds, wit! gard to the effec ivences and the practicability of a society such as the one just mentioncl—for any maa powesn of ever so litte knowledge as t the numbers ani mos. ich we command in North America must necesse-! perceive that if a general seciety a: was formed, the moneys required intended settlement could be ri few years. We believe that there is not sn Imshman in North America, if a spatk of patriotic fire remained yet Breast, but can eestly spare two dollars per annum at Teast during a few yenrs. wW, the trifling instalmeat of two dollars per annum paid ry by every Trisbman able to work, would piace into the hands of 4 settling eommiitee the means, and more than the means, nired for purchasing and colonizing the sattlement. us Suppose. ergo, that we reckon in North America only five bundred thousand Irishmen avle to work. Let Us Suppose, on the other hand, trat every man ot shexe wil pay to the society the small instalment of two dol- Jara per annum, at the end of the year the total aggre- te of these instalments, triiling as they are, will sul! equal toone million of dotiars. will then be placed in the hands of a settling commit- tee, within twelve months after the vosiety is formed. But it is manifest that this reepectaole sum—one million dojlars—is quite enficient 20 purcaare « tract of country wide enough f.r all the Irish Catholis famisdes in Nocti America to settle on, if they choose 89 to do. Were wild land to sel! at the highest rate which we oan reasoua- biy anticipate-viz.: at the rate ot two dollars pez wcre—still, even at this high price, no less than live hundred thousand acres oc be purchased. Hat what is more probable, if instead of #2 per acro, wild land could be bought at the rate of $1, or evon fifty ce per acre, 4 the case might be; then au area of 1,090,000 ‘or even 2,000,000 of acros could be bought, nay, paid off, within twelve months, datiog from the day the society was organized. ‘Thus, ‘the first year’s working of the so- would enadle the Settling Committee to purchase im North America a home, a farm of ove hundred and eS two hundred acres, for every destitute Irish tholic family living on the Nocthern continent of the Mow World. ‘The recond year’s working of our accicty would give egain the round figure of $1,000,000; now (the land hay- wg been Lacroveme Siig $1,000,600 might be entirely ap in cee fa jose of the settlers who are destitute of means, apd as such require 4 pecuniary sssisiaace during a ‘ew years. Let us suppose, then, that the Set- flicg Commitiee makes ita law togive a pecuniary ae- alstence to setters who are destitute of means, during a eontinued period of four yours, in this wanoer, vic :— $200 co every family during each of the fires two years, ‘an2 $100 dnring ench of the two following years, upcn con: dition always that settlers thus assisted will be bound to clear no iess than five acres of iand each year of these four years. Well, great as this encouragement is, the 3¢t. ‘ting Committee could atford giving it at once to no les than 5,000 of sueh families. Afver two years th @omm itree could give the same encouragemsnl vo 2,4: families more. £0 that within the «hort period of ir 7,500 families destitute of ceans could be com Trtablyrevtiea, ‘And, if we shall suppose thet the rich farcilies ‘hat will settie also within that period one-third comparatively to the poor fumuies, tnem we will have the-ound number (all being pat togcther) 10,000 families—ten thonsand thmilies ‘se: establishing the with ease in a very years, datiog from the day ihe work of coloaization has eommenced. Allowing now that the avecage number iv 8 family is Give members, we will fini thet 10,000 fami Mes have brought to the settlement no iors tham 50.000 souls. Thus it is man! est that wore the society to exist erly during five years, a great result could be obtained— Ist, An immecte cstate, guffleient for all the Iriab Catholic families in North America to settls upon. 95. No jeas than 10,090 families, two thirly of whom are supposed to be destitute of means, would be e@mfortably scttied in that short ume, Gd. A Forious capital of 5,900,000 dollars would be esia- Einved which being left in the hands of « settling C-mmittee, woulc serve for an indefinite number, of years to continue the work of colonization ia a propor ‘ra @qual and even greater to whai can be effected du ug the existence of the Hociety. This glorions capital of $5,000,000 would be the gift of the members of our benevolent society, who, ne we sup- pored, pay $2 perarnum during five years. These $5,000,- 000, as we said, would be lent, at first, by the committee ‘to the settlers who have wo menns at their command when they goto the rettlement. Bat, withia a fixed time ‘not exceeding ten — the settlers who would have Scavananed should be made to refand the moneys which ‘they received as loan from the sommi tee. And truly, the settler who, in a rich soll, has clewred twenty or trenty-five acres of land, ean, without distressing him: wel, refand to the commit ee, by instalments, the amouat which be received, in instalments, from the committee. So that the $5,000 600 which the Settling Commirtee would have disbursed during five yours, for the benolit of fhe sett ers, would be refunded to the committee by the sevtlers ia an equal nomber of years, and -bus itappesrs ne woobserved before, that the $6,001,000 wonld remain in the hands of the Sevtling Committee, as a capital anificivnt for carrying on the work of evloniza‘ion during aa i, finite number of years. Moctings and Appointments of Detegates. NEW YORK. Brew York Crrv.—The Irish Society of this city, for fo warding emigrants to the Western States, have appointed T. D. M’Gee a delegate irom thi» elt: ALBANY —Ma‘thew MoMabon, aq, attorney-at-lnw will be present frem Albany: other gentlemen and gymen from the interior citios—' then, Byrnonse, Roches er Kimira, Lockport, Oswego, care tleo expected NEW JERSEY. Bev. Mr. Kelly, Pastor of Jersey (ity, one of the oiler and most influential clorgymen in the diocess of Nowa 8 t0 be present at Buffalo. Theremay be other deloga'y @f whom wo have not yet heard. onto. Coucnrrs, Ohio, Jan, 20, 1856. The following resolutions werg adopted by the Ga hoiica of St. Patrick's congregation fn this city, Oar exompla- ry and patriotic pastor, the Rev. James Moigheg, in ac- cordance with # numeronsly signed rejatetticn to that eflect, convened and presiled over a meeting of his poo- le this day, in one of the spacious rooms of the new and Pesutife sehcolbouse which he has erected. ‘The Rev, Chairmen having opened the meeting by ng the objects for which it wns called, ins brief vat touoning and eloquent speech, expressed his high apora bation of the 0 movement that now Jills the minds ail true Cathol » Union. Hise in t On mction, W. Neghton was appointed Secretary t> ‘ue meeting, and ra J.D, Clark, B. Bergin, T. W. Par ee.) J. McNamee, and M. Quaaley, 4 commi: to dratt resciutlons, Resolved, The! ve hall with delivht the announcement that Beonvention OF ce ague aby y the Catholics of these bu dalo, ov Monday, the objeo! the formation of some na lc plan to enable many of oar f# wm, Cahoiles to become 0 eners er the sol, where they an # x- ereise their industry, nnd labor for their Gwa benefit, and #0 sure an inberitance for their chidren. _— appatn rnary, havi nized dnd wy re- | the one mentioned | One “million dollars | y a Re ns Tiere the Protimes in eareving ‘ug’ aed on Bygtuo vote | yome Suhecise tn the West. SO ee. m ecroraance with Ue preceding re‘ci~ | Hesotved. That we, ree reapecthuly And Wransy Taqnest our asteomel | pastor 0 aitwod che camvencun as dotdgate trom Wis, the 64) ot O10, wei ved, TERE RY are uNGMANReAIy In favor om Ioeation jn | one of the Western Sales of Hs repAd! are decidedly of | Gp.wion (bat tire Catholics of rate wi wer emigrate to | gee parc of fhe Canadam, . Reenved. ¥ ‘nab & commities ot sixteen bs eppainied, wine he 'o fim gut and raport io oar reverend dele mber of Cath iis in this cily who sre desirous wo | eroomapwion to whicn they are (aave- | RPK the dneuat of capitel thay p reaess. and rally ves and | sach ufhey orrect aa may be deemed requisite. | Resored. That we } ‘another genera! meetug imme distely alter Vesperstn gext Sunday, WW HAMPSHIRE. ‘Tee Rev. Father ("Donne!l, of Nadhea, has been ohos- en us delegate from that town. There will be no mar in the conventiom %~ho will bring w ‘larger experience, a more sincere pagina or ror intellect, to bear ‘upon its cownctis, than the rev. pestor of Nashua. WISOONS™). _Sillwaukiowill be represemted by a couple of her bevt eit izens. From Pertage City, they will have the Rey. James Pa vid Roche, « clergyinan of large experience in Western stlals, ged wany other towys ta this Stave are preperivg to send equally fitting depeties. MASSACHUSETTS. The Pilot of the 2d inst. says :— We have not been apprised of any movement among our Cathclte rocietio: to send delegates to the Baffilo February. Boston, sheuld certainly be represented. The Fenigront toy ME ay take this matter up. Informa- tion as regards deat localities for settlers may there be obtaiz ed, whieh it is necessary should be in the pos- session of thet society—that is, if ic wishes to fultil tt wbdject for which it was formed. ‘The Chsvitable Insh So- ciety, the oldest With crga: ization iu Amorica, should also terd & repreventative there. We boe some one will ‘Ee this subject upon the atienton of the mea ders. atl fails, why will not the Young Catholics’ Friend Society, which has just comploted @ succesaf 1! ecurse of lectures, move in thit mater? Here are three societies which we have named, each ene of whom should sexd one delegate, We would snggest to the ebiet offi cers of each to lay the watter before their societies and obtain some action ip relation therete. Tha time is sbort. The convention sesemb'es on the 12th inst., and Boston should not be unrepresented. Rey. Mr. Roppas is, we learn, to represent his psople ot Randolph and Quincy, and Rey. Mr. Rvchs, of fastua, is to represent his district. SALEM —At s peering at the Lycenm Hall, Salem, ou Friday, Feb. 1, Rey. Mr. MeNulty ia the chaic, Messrs, Thomas Looby and James McGeary. Hsqs , were daly em: powered to represent the me 4 the conventiom MICHIG A Derrort CREDENTIAL.—A' a meeting of citizens interested Tuesday, January 20, 1856, Haga O’Beirne, Fag., and Dr. | W. Hassett were duly elected deingates to the coavention | called at Bniialo fur that purpovw, on deb. 12, 1856. CANADA WEST The Mirror of the Ist tust. saye:— We have no appreheasion that there will be sav Aifiewlty in selecting aelegaies; ve fear rather 4 too warm recepiion, Inthe first place, calied as the moeting ig, under the auspices of the Young Men's St. Patrick’s A sociation. that society may reasmadly export te have « delegate chosen from among its members. In the se cond piace, it may be objectea that ago, wealth, aud ex- perience, ure the qual ficutioas necessary to a ch ice— that in gach a case, you", talent and vigsrous manhood go for nothing. To the Bret propositioa—that tbe Yonng Men’s St. Patrick’s Association havea right to a voice in the selection of -u delegate—wegussent. The delegate {rom Montreal, B. Devin, sq., is wember ot the Asso- | ciation im that eity—its President ia fact for many | ears, From the apathy which seems to prevail here on | the question, it seems to us that had net the Asaociation | taken the matter up, it wight have been dropped. Bo- | | Sides, this society, composed as it 4 of merchants, me chanics. ¢lerks, and students ia law or medisin re- sents fully one-jourth of the fababiianta. It has a right, therefore. to a delegnte from its ranke, and unloss it ex- ereises that right it will pet work in harmony with the preeent society of Montreal.” d BRANT¥orD.—As delegates are to be elected. the Mirror | farther recommends the selection of the other two from the citizens a 5 A meeting the Catholice of Brantford was held on Sunday, Jan. 27, for the purpose of choosing deiogatas to | represent this town in the fortheoming conven:iva to ve | helé at Buifslo on the 12th of Februsry next. The Rey. J. Ryan was cailed to the chair. Mr. R.P. Carian was requested vo act as Secretary io the meeting. The Kev, Cuamuax having expleined the objost of meeting, and being de irons to lorward the vie ¥s of the Very Kev. bean Kirwan, the promoter of the evnventi he hoped that the matter would be taken up by their lordskips, the Bishops of this province ant ti ing republic, who should be respectful leod their influence toso good aud greats work. Ho also suggested that the celegates should be reminied of the necessity of impressing on the members of the convention that the colonizatix should be made aure and permanent—that a grven number of intead- ing settlers should be accompanied with a scbcolmaster—that they should pos able them to erect a church and @ sch: | tral locality, remarking that it would b | ment to intending rettless, and be a mea: the surplus population of our country rosds, the eanala, the overcrowded towas, where, too often. they are tewp'ed to commit excesses eir religion and ountry are agsailed, colpnization would have the eilect of removing. He hoped, also, that this movement of cvionization would not by any means weaken or divert publlo attea- tion from one still more impertan!—"‘ Freedom of Hi aca- { ! | ion.”” The Rey. Chairman was listeced io with marked atten tion—his remarks were hucia and practical. ‘The followicg resolutions were then moved and car ried :— 1. That this meeting approves of the objects eontem plated by the Buifalo Convention. 2. That the Rev. J. Ryan and sir. K.P, Cari gatex to represent Brantford in the Convention. 2. That the foregoing resolutions be publishe im the leading Catholic journals, Mr. Joseph Quinlan was called to the chair, when & vote of thanks was unanimously passed to the revareut chairman. Kinasros.—A meeting of the Iriehmen of the city of Kingston. was held at the Nations! Hotel on Tuesday. the 26th January, tor the purpose of taking into cbusiders- tion the expediency of sending delegates to the conven tion to be aeld in Builalo on the i2tk of February next, for the pucpore of encouraging ewigration to tais oan: ._ James O'Reilly, Fan., was called to the ebair, ani Mr. Hugh Cummins was appointed Secretary. Tue fol- lowing retolutions were adopted:— Movod by the very Rey. ?. Dollar’, Vicar General conded by Mr, Jeremiah Meaghor, Taat this mesting fully | aprreves of the objects esntempiated by the convention 16 de lield at Buffalo on the 12ch proxima, Moved by Dr. James Merguer, seconded by Mc. Deter Kildu’t, That this meeting deem it expedient thal the | Irishmen of the eity of Kirgston be reoresented at the Buifalo convention, and that two delegates be nominated for *hat purpese, Moved by Ma'thew Ronrk, faq., and seconded by Mr. Alderman “Baker, ‘kat the very ev Angus MeDoanell, Vicar General, be one of the delezaue to represant ont iaterest at the said convention. Moved by Mr. Jeremiah sfc Alderman Harty, that Jobn ? cond delegate, Upon motion, Mr. O'Reilly was moved trom the ehair, and Mr. Roark ealled thereto. The thanks of the mecting were then given to Mr. U'Rerlly for hus effisient conduet while presic the sneeting. He wne then moved by Mr. Aldecman Hat'y, seconded by Mr. Councillor Campbell, thet the proceedihzs of this meeting be published in tha Morning Herald and Dri Whig newspapers. A collection was made for the the expenses of the delegates, SAO 5s, was paid in. Cheers were then givea for the (usen, amd for Canada, | when the meeting disperse: The Twelfth ot Batfalo. [From the New York Auertean Celt.] After publishing with much pleasure for the past three or four weeks, the proceedings of local meeiicgs to | elect delegates to Buliaio, and while rejoicing in the com parative fulness of the represeatation, we mu even now, & protest against all ex‘ravagant expe This convention is without © dele see: seconded by Mr. reom, EaK., ‘be the xe purprse of dotraying when in a few minutes short; many cf and to all delibezacive do we ventare to quaintance of anne years with several of the dep that the proceegings wili be characterized t & courtesy, gravity and good taste mization from the most covtirmed ¢ for self government. If thero were no other guarao for that, the presence of some twenty dletioguinhed®) gymen on the bencher of the convention w: ensure it, We have hoped for the presenge there of one Inen, whose attendance will, at the present sessio llude to the wealthy Irishmen of o lass, taken ait gether, is not large, yet its th is siderable. Those who de men and upwards -ararage F futolgoers of equal moans Some of them are conapiowous for their nove cvarities all of them cherish the national virtue of hoepitality, Bur it is not inviduows to aver! that there is little active sympathy between them and the great bnik of their | countrymen. Thelr associations and those of thoir en imperceptibly ostrange them from ‘ the maeas:!? compensate themselves with social Ipxucies and te benevolence for their and denomiastoaul ot of | insignificance : they have 1} publle spirit, and co not esre to be bothered with nursing it up 2 themselves or others. e “middie ela of (our cmigramtse—those who porser trom $10,000 to $100,000. in contact with thelr own pertpia | feel more for them, grieve more, blu think more for them. #4, An4 the people, the eow e] ne of conduct ical enterprize, Tt indeed by | or lay, Into pnblie 1 hes to their dec 8 & puolicity y and ia harmopy with révigion. jang, a8 well as Americans, are pew away every imagination of partizan pur s'ruct the ignorant, to euce i @ are the sverod Liege; ond how can these be properly exred tor . some, at iesst, of the priests of the people aro there } clerical gater, wenre, and st partance, ba char! With them there is no danger of ‘ disunion’’—t), naéaal evil of mere popular rings, Ac we waid, w Yave not the smallest appreiteutions om that agore, ihy salty ant Bier aponaraie wih | iinve ‘our Tet On scraagera ee a yy pita shah at oaccuaetully any oan wah moa, te sts fous, the coms itvengy toa dlverse. ‘the representa ion too Liq, to permis smail timg, v> Mbsnwe uptue icipoctan whics t: the oommom cau of such disunion, Our )¢a@@rs mig dismiss atl auxivty on that heac, we are vite 4s cec@in of good Lumar and Good sense prevailtuy as thet the convention sill be held. this day week the result wid be &n own throage the Caily journals: but the detatls wit mot probably be given in full, anlev® in the pro Irish pers cf Pebcuary 2. Tne aay previous to that ni, avd yen citizens, will cets- y of Washington, wha, uuder Ged made thiztean colonies “tree amd indesmdent Staves.” The vials of sectaciam wrath, we may be sure, wil be freely etoptied by the preachers of proscription ou the heads of foreigh born Catvolics, Tet them rail on. If we are but true tq sarsetves, we will soon bo able to lwugh proscription to scorn in these old States and citien. The convention wil puint the way to # total oousation of ‘these periodical social wars; it will inaugurate a new era for the most expored class of foreign born Catholics; i: will do all that can be come by such an instramentall y for such apend. 1 way not, and should not, pudlts’ every part of ite piem before exeouting avy part; a wise reserve is exemvial to stecess; there are things to bedons and to be sac: but the wmimum of tire to the max. mum of perfermames, is the proportion to be owerved by such a bedy. Sew Project tu Connect the Atinntic and Pa- cific Owns by a Ship Canal—Inicresting Engtncermg Report. In November, 1854, Mr. W. Kentish, civil engi neer, received instructions from Mr. F. M. Kelley, @ merchant of New York, to proceed to Pauama and followtown the course to the southward, witha view to-diecover a good harbor in the vicinity of lat. 7 deg.N.; from the harbor (if found) to proceed east- ward towards the dividing ridge of the country, and to search for such a line as will admit the construc- tion of an open cut, without locks, for a ship canal that-shall connect the waters of the Pacitic Ocean with the Atrato river, near its confluence with the Truando river. The result of Mr. Kentish’sexplora- tion and survey was publisjed a short time since. It is of great importance, and presents features of great interest to the commercial world, as it demonstrates the entire practicability of a caual for the passage of vessels of the Jargest class without lockage. Almost céeval with the discovery of the continents of America, the most earnest endeavors have been made to find a passage to the Pacific by a shorter route than that of Cape Morn; the manifest inutility of @ northwestern passage has concentrated. atten. tiom to'the more genial locality of the isthmus that divides the two continents. Jt will be necessary, in order to convey 4 just estimate of the importance of the present report to refer slightiy to the explora- lions and sarveys which, from time to time, have been made public. The most prominent were as follows:— The Tehuantepec route—Among many iutere: explorations, one is recorded by J. J. Williams, Esq., civil engineer. The distance from ovean to in by this route, from the Pacific to the Atlantic side, is 186 miles, but ne water exists in suflicient quar- tities at the requisite level to render this route prac- ticable fora canal hy lockage, and the enormous depth and length by a through cut precludes the possibility, commercially, of such an undertaking. The Honduras route, explored under tue direction of EG, Squires, in 1953, commences at Puerto Ca- bullo, on the Caribbean sea, and terminates at the Bay of Fonseca, on the Pacific. The length of the route is 160 statute miles; here, also, although the waters of three rivers paas each othe: several miles on th the necessary sammit water does not exist by which lockage could be formed fora trade of any considerable extent. The next important line of communication tween the two oceans ocenrs hy way of Nivara, This line commences in the Bay of Sun Juan de N camugns, on the Atlantic, in lat. 11 deg. north, and lon. 53 de » west of Greenwich, and runs in a nerthwe uirection across the continent. The summit el is the Lake Nicaragua, the surface of which at ordinary stages of the water, is 105 feet above the low tide of the At- lantic. ft was proposed to reach this summit by 14 lockages in a distance of 119 infles. After cutting through a considerable ridge the descent wos tobe made tothe Pacific at Brito by another flight of fourteen locks in a little over nine miles—the whole distance being one hundred avd ninety-four miles. In consequence of tho abundant supply of water on the summit this route was con- sidered very desirable. Col. Childs in his report sug- gested a canal fifteen feet wide at the bottom and seventy feet at the top, having seventeen feet of wa- ter the entire distance from occan to dcean. At though of cemparstively small dimensions, it be- ing intended for the transit of but one vessel at a time, except at the trunouts, and that vessel draw- ing lees than seventeen feet of water, the estimated cost, as compnted by Col. Childs, was thirty-one and a half million of doliara. In view of the Tength of lockage, its depth aud width, it is extremely proba- ble that it would not be found sufficiently capacios to accommodate that portion of the trade of the whole world for which thia canul is intended. Southeast ot Nicaragua is the well known route of the Isthmus of Panama, the ee supply of water atthe summit level and for lockages must ever Page: ie the possibility of connecting the two oceans is point. South of Panama numer surveys and explorations have been made along the Sierras Lloranas—the vast range of mountains that traverse nearly the whole length of the Isthmus—with 8 view to discover come depression in the range through which an open cut without Jocks, fr: ‘van to ocean, might be made: but nothing of the sort has been shown to be practical the results have been unsatisfactory, and the researches have shown. that the Sierras Tloranas extends in an nnbroken chain to the Gulf of Darien; here the tield of research on the continent of North America and the Isthmas terminates: but the northernmost portion of the conti- nent of South America, with ite numerous rivers and streams, having their rise in the cordilleras, offers a new flel for exploration. It is somewhat remarkable that the route indicat- ed in Mr. Kantish’s report was referred to hy Baron Humboldt, bat explorations in that quarter had heen comparatively neglected until taken up by Mr. Kelley. {he report of Mr. Kentish ix of considerable length, aud contains tables of the amount or excavation, with copious statistical information hy Mr. N. W. Stone, of the @nount of trade between Puropean States and the Pacitie, together with an able confirmatory re- port from Mr. E. W. Serrell, consulting engineer. A. more comprehensive idea may be formed of the character of the route by first tracing it as it is presented by nature, and thon describing the R work necessary to transform it into a canal, or a8 it is ‘termed in the report, a river aqueduct. The total distance from ocean to orean is 125 miles. More than half the diatence is hy nature ready for the passage of the largest clas of vessels. It Is proposed to for an open cut without locks, Passing from the ribbean Sea between the eighth and ninth degrees of north latitude, inte the Galt of Darien, the della of the river Atrato is arrived at. This river empties itself into the gulf by nine mouths, called Bocas: the several streams are called Canos. It is proposed to enter the Cano Coqnite; here low tide there is abowt four feet water, The water gradaalty deep- ens, and at two miles it is thirty feet. From thence for sixty-one miles it isnowhere les: forty-#" 3 feet. Following course of the river, whici is nearly south for three miles, the confluence of the river Truanfo ts arrived at. Tereis the sum ot level, or the highest part of the whole Hue, It is ifteen feet above the m level of the Athwutic and Pacific oceans. Diverging from the Atrato and foi lowing the course of the Truando, the Pacitic is an- proweh a svuthweetdirection. Atthe contluen » of the Troando the depth of water is eighteen {eet heyond this it has an average depth of fourteen f The course of this river is followed for thirty.six tuiles; the line thea diverges into the valley of the Nirqua, aud the rewaintag distance of twenty-six miles is on the soiid ground, through rock enti! passing throngh an elevation of 506 feet by a tunnel 54 miles in length, and dehouch on the Pacific eoast at an inlet newly discovered by Mr. Kev and named by him Kelley Inlet. The author observed, in reference to the {ytivr fortion of the route, that, “as this portion of .o country has never before been visited by a white man of any nation, my route is here doubtless apen to more minute exploration, and a more careful egy vey tay suggest Corodor, or newly uamed Hum beldt’s Bay, as the Pacific terminus.” ‘The route, as presented by nature, traced. The mggys proposed to make avails natoral advantae of the route, and the Inbor nec cessary to convert it into a channel for the pascave of vessels, will now be referred to. Por the fips 49 miles to the junction of the Truendo, no impedi- ment offers to afree navigation, except the war at the entrance of the river; thik it wonld be ne y to excavate. The river iv ascended against a current of 2.6 miles per hour, with a mean depth of water of 60 feet. As before stated, the point at the jnnction | of the river Atrato with the Truando is the summit level of the line, it being 15 feet above the meme to- tal level, the datam line being the natural jewel of the two oceans, It was contonded by the author but, we believe, not nntil lately generally admitted’ that the nataral level of the two oceans wa 4 preciae ly the same at mean of half tide, although tho tidal w in the Pacific is tweive feet six inches in epring tides, while it does not exceed twa rong at the propored terminus on the Atlantic, Now, from thenatare of the country 't would be impossi. ble to ascert#in by the aana! instrumental me. ertain and precise result of the equality or nce of level within few feet; the anthor therefore draws his positive inference from natural data, namely: that the waters that cover the groat beds of the oceans, when at rest from lunar indy. ins NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY. 9, 1856, ence, ‘vy the laws of gravity, at the same dis- tance Fs ‘ue ceptye of the earth; that (he tidal wave ts governed by the p of thy moon over ‘the earth, and if land did not intervene, the wave would follow uniformly one hour after the passage of the luminary. Now, onthe Pacific voast the re- lar progtess of the tidal wave is obstructed by nd, but the wave flows ou with the accumulation aud momentum, or with the aggre gate force, which would otherwise have spread over the eatire surface occupied by the projection of land. The river Traan- do sow flows in a northeast direction into the Atrato Mr. Kentish here proposes to du what at first ap- pears to be a paradoxical impossibility—to cause a iver to flow back towards its source. To accomplish ‘this it is proposed to cause the waters of the Truando wich now flow into the Atlantic through the channel of the river Atrato, to flow into the Pacitic, by cutting a tumne! three and ope quarter miles long through the ridge on the Pacifie coast. The Atrato river would then become the teeder to the Truando in its reversed current direction and increased volume, when it becomes for 36 miies the channel of the now river aqueduct. The average depth of the mver Truando is apout 30 feet, and its width 120 feet; to°suit the require- ments of the vew river, ® uniform depth of 30 feet and a width of 200 feetjs necessary; to accomplish this will require the removal in round numbers of 35 million yards of alluvial soil, and 23 yards of rock. On diverging from the channel of the Tru- ando, the line encounters the chain of the cordil- Jeras, and for 26 uiflea the cutting is through solid rock. For the necessary tunueiling through a base of 3} miles, two tunnels are recommended, for the reagon that, to prevent the increase of current, the width of the taniel must be equal to that of the river—-200 feet—and one aech sprung overthis great space would be too expansive to ensure safety; two arches are thercfore substituted, which would be of such a height thet frigates and merchantmen enerally need only lower their — topmasts. The amount of cutting for this last 26 miles is estimated—ot rock, (trap) £7 millions of yards, and of alluvial soil 23 million yards. Such is an outline of the bold and original means pr by_ Mr. Kentish for the accomplishment of this work. They are compatible with the vastness of the enterprise, and the great resulting benefits which, on its com- jetion, would accrue to the commerce of the world. it may be justly conceded that no ronte has yet fern found and, fiasing from past “peice never that possesses the advantages ot this. The most prominent are as follows:— First. ‘Chat the oceans can here be united by canul, through an open cut, without locks, guard gates, or im) nts of any kind. Second. That while it is one hundved and twenty- five miler from ocean to ocean, more than one-hulf the distance is, by nature, ready for the passage of the largest class vessels. ird. That excellent harbors exist at either ter minus, requiring but tittle improvement to moke them as desiruble as any in the world. Presenting no very extraordnary engineering difficulties, nor any features but those eminently practicable, yet from the aggregate amoudt of rock and soil to be removed, the estimated cost is no less than two hundred millions of dollars. Great as this sum is, it is but one-sixth more than the cos! of the Great Northern Railroad of England. Some estimate of the great commercial value of an infer- oceanic canal may be gathered from the following: — A vessel from the poe of New York, sailing at the ordinary rate of 110 miles per day, via the inter. oceavic cana lin ker voyage out and home, would wave in time 254 days and a distance of 19,00) miles In the ycar 1853 one thousand and twenty-eight voevele arrived at San francisco from the Atlantic porte. Allowing the average expenses of theve ves- sels to be $1,500 each per month, there would have been a clear saving in expe] of $12,984,000, be- sides interest on the value and cargo; and this is bet a small part e le of ihe world through the Pacific. CHARLES |'UNTEZ. The Sonthern Commercclal Convention. ITS ADJOURNMENT—ITS LABORS AND THEIR RESULTS “LETTER FROM GEN, GREEN. Ricnonn, Va., Feb. 7, 1556. 10 THE KDITOR OF THE HNRALD. On reviewing the labors of the Southern Conyen tion, which closed its animated and harmonions se:- sionat 4 P.M. to-day, the only advantages [ can discover as likely to arise is the developement of more ettention and effort towards building up an in- dependent Southern trade, both foreign and domestia- Ex-Governor Floyd, of Va., offered resolutions in favor of creating ‘“‘a line or lines of first elass steam ers from Southern ports,” which, asa policy, had the unanimous sympathy of the convention; and al- though it run off on abstractions, in the end they were adopted in ali their force. Col. N.D. Morris, of Va., offered resolutions, which were unanimously adopted, recommending the South to use Southern manufeectures in {bent te those of the North; to patronize ut Soathern watering places, and to educate their children in Southern schools and colleges. Resolutions were aleo offered requesting Congress to repeal the duties on railroad iron. Gen. Green, of Texas, introduced resolntions re- commending the Southern States to sustain and as: sist a national highway tothe Pacific, oa the line of $2 deg. North lat., (that is the line of the Texas Weetern Railroad Compauy, as surveyed by Col. A B. Gray,, which was adopted with but one dissent- ing voice. General Cazneau, of Texas, offered resolutions a broader scope. They demand the attention of the generil government to the importance of a sct system of continental highways, which, under a ja: of equal and impartial encouragement, should unite the t Maritime ports of the Atlantic, Paw- fic and Gulf of Mexico by indiasoluble bonds, aad as # collateral of this comprehensive system of national highways, the establishment on the same geucr 1] basis of equal encouragement of lines of t Sine from ali the principal seaports of ine Juion. These resolutions, which aimed to place all the practicable railroads to the Pacific and all the « ports and steam lines of the Union on an equal general footing of government favor, were tabled | , the vote of one State. These are the leading pointe, and they show as fairly and clearly as I know how to state them the objects and sentiments of the convention. The im- wwediate practical consequence of this interchange of views and pledges will be te draw away from the North the money the South has hitherto spent at Northern schools, colieges, watering places, &c., to build up similar institutions at the South, and to stimulate the capitalistsof the Sonth and the Souih- ern representutives in Congress to call mto existeae lines of stenmers and a direct trade, and with it a direct immigration to Ronthern porte. The convention adjourned to mect at Ravan ah, Gas, the second Monday of December next. A MeMpen oF THE CONVENTION. ORNERAL THOMAS J. GREEN'S TOABT, WaAksHINGTON, Feb. 6, le 55, To THP FD:TOR OF THE VeRALD, Your reporter, in the Hrxa.n of yesterday, makes atmistake in my toast at the dinner given by the city of Richmond, Va., to the Southera Commercial Convention. It was this :-— The Scuthern Republic-If driven to separation bewnced on the north by Mason and Dixon's line, ar) the south by the Isthmus of Tolmuntepsc, > Cubs, and all other islands on our Southern shore, threatens Africat ization, As this sentiment was given in response to a enn pliment to the filibuster State of Texas, of whien T am proud of being a citizen, it has a meaning in lee each and every word, and was approved by the ive company present, and I believe will be by the . ws mons sentiment of the Southern States. I as'c, ix there one so stnpid as to believe the federal Union would survive one year the Africanization of Cuba’ T think not. Sach an idea to Southern sentiment ia as preposterons as to believe that the occupants of castle would fold their arms in quiet ond await the result after the train to the magazine beneath them had heen fired. Your reporter makes me say truly that” {ama libuster, and proud of it; Lut not so proud, in the sickly, criminal interpretation as now applied to it, of yiolating the laws, and thereby offending’ Great Pritain. But I said on that occasion I was pyc d of it, as aiding liberty upon this continent— prond of it in the senso of the first, the greatest, the best of filibustere—the Wather of hix Country, whose portrait adorned the opposite wall, Proud of it in the service of Andrew Jackson, when President of this republic, he permitted mysel/ and others to purchase munitions of war, and to re- cruit soldiers with dram and fife under the flag of the lone star which flaunted in the breeze. With the great Jackson's ay pent la we marched into Texas, to “ figh for our rights.” There we struck for liberty aud redeemed on empire from des- otism. This was the work of ten long years. ‘hen in the commencement, we believed one short one would accomplish it. I regretted, ag moat other democrats of this Union did, to see our democratic administration ged from the glories of Jack- sonism, by using the federal arm to prop despotism ond suppress liberty upon this continent. I believed that our democratic President was wrong abstractly ard practically; I believed it was one of (he inho- vent rights of Americans to fight for liberty at home, ond help our near neighbors do likewise, I thanked old Virginia for the hearty responee to these senti- uents; [thanked old Virginia for furnishing an ex- alted patriot in the person of John Tyler, whose last Presidential act was the accomplishnieat of annexa- tion, which, in the language of the toost, makes the ‘lone star grow brighter and bighier in the con- stellation of States.” 10%. J, Gauen, Our Ciicinnat? Corres; Otnoiwnatt, Jan. 34, 1856. Hogs in Cincinnati-- Round the Falls”—-The Hog Market--Improvement of River Commerce~ Rail- roads—Eastern Division of Ohio and Mississip- pi Road—The Tribune’e Absurdities about Chi- cago and St. Louis, &c. Pork is the staple of trade in this city, The num- ber killed’ here the present season exceeds that of last come 70,000 head. Adding increase of weight, the increase is equal, I suppose, to 50,000 at least. Doubtless yon have frequently given the figures in the Hsnaup; yet, as you have hundreds, if not thou- sands, of new readers every day, it may be worth while to tranacribe for you the following statement, showing the number of hogs packed at this point tor twenty-four eeasons, including the pe of 200 pounds to the hog, the 70,000 increase in numbers this year is equal in value, at 6 cents per pound, to $840,000, The number ef hoga packed this season “ round the Falls "—which means at Lonisvilie, Jefferson- ville and New Albany—is about 335,000. [ have not the figures of that locality for last year, but have no doubt this is an increase. In St. Louis the number of hogs packed will be (or rather is) about 110,000, showing an increase, ag I am informed, of several thousand over lust sea- son. There isalso a general increase at the lesser points. Ata few, however, there is a failing off in the packing, but only owing’to shipments of hogs to other places for slaughter. Upon the whole, you will find that in my previous letters—from Indianapolis and St. Louis—I esti- mated correctly the hog market. It has been dull during sanuery, aud fhe season is closivg on prices considerably declined from thore of eight weeks ago. It by no means follows, however, that pork, or lard, or bacon are to tumble much, or remain down if they do. Oa the contrary, there are causes at work to Keep prices at fair rates for all who did not go into hogs in the early part of the season at ridiculous figures. Cincinuati is dull enough at present. The long continued cold weather has suspended navigation for sn unusual period. It is yet cold. There is an unusnal quantity of snow on the ground, and the sleighing is better than it has been for years. But the landing looks desolate. A large fleet of boats is in port, and be in imminent peril when the heavy ice of the river breaks, particularly if it goes cut with a sudden flood. The property at the wharf thus in jeopardy has a value of at least a million of dollars. The suspension of business, with snspended navi- tion, is x good commentary on the value of the river, both here and at St. Louis. Both cities have railroad facilities, but both find by experience that the rivers are to remain forever the highways of commerce in the heavy articles. Both tind ‘that clored rivers end limited eperations go together, This by no means proves, however, that Western tnilroads have no value, or do no business. All the Toads are doing well-—better than ever before. They are the tributaries, so far a3 the weighty prodacts of the country are concerned, to the river commerce; and the amount of additional trade which they are aiding to create, and to concentrate at the river ports, is hard to estimate. It is immense, and ix eloquent of'the future of the river and lake cities. Parties are now here in connection With the pro- posed completion of the cartern division of the Ohio ond Mississippi Railroad, from Cincinnati (or rather from Seymour, to which point, ninety miles west, the read is now open) to Vineennes. When the link from Feymour to Vincennes is open, the line to St. Louis will be complete. Whether the arrangement proposed as most desirable will be carried out, is not yet finally decided; but probabilitios are in its favor. Whether it is carried out or not, however the road is certain to be completed—as, if the plan now in itation will not work, the property will pass into the banda of the bondholders, and their own inte- rests will require its completion. A glance at the map will show any of your readers the importanse of the line. It will be one of the leading roads from New Yerk to St. Louis. . The Tribune recently had on article intended to show that Chicago is to, eclipse Bt. Lonis. I reside in the latter place, and know the temper of the poo- ple well. They cherish friendly feelings towards Chi- cago, (except so far as negro stealing is concerned,) and are proud of heras a smart Western town. But they are not much alarmed at the prospect of her taking away the commerce of St. Louis. They know that, wonderfal as has been the growth of Chicago, the history of St. Louis in the past is equally, if not more, wonderful. The T'vilune edi- tor may therefore nears the thought that Chicago is going to outstrip St. Louis and Cincinnati, if he pleases. The St. Louis folks are not concerned about the future. Whenever Chicago shall have caught up with us, we shall consider the race hegun; but we fear thet the 7'rilune editor will not live to_see thet day. If he ean walk fast and far enough to reach the horizon, he may rest easy in the faith that Chicago will overtake St. Louis; but it is hard- ly safe to indulge that idea until ne can reach the horizon, Jonn Brown. Crvcrenart, Ped. 4, 1856. Ohio Polities—Eighth of January Convention— A Secret Douglas Move Discovered. Knowing well the extended circulation and great influence of the Hrraxp, nnd its valuc as a medinm of political information, and also that at this time everything bearing on the Presidential struggle of 1856 is expecially interesting and important, I send you a chapter of the public and secret operations of the politicians and wirepullers of Ohio. I am aware of the small interest and influence which has heretofore attached to everything relating to Ohio politics—the fault, to a great extent, of her own politicians. But since che has now, so far as ‘he democratic party is concerned, purged herself of | & abolition heresies, and come into the great national fold of the Union, and especially as her old political Taanagere and wirepullers have been pretty much killed off, or assumed new characters in the drama, I hope she will be allowed the proper position which her great wealth and population, and the number of her electoral votes entitle her to. She will certainly do that, if the men who are now trying to regulate her affairs do not succeed in building up a new re gency worse than any we have ever been cursed with. The “spoils” at Washington are, of course, s‘ he great object ; and the chief.point to be gained is to get control of that share which ought to belong to Ohio. This is the stake which is now being play- ed for, and has been for a year past, hy some of our would-be sharp fellows. The “little giant,” you know, is to he the next President nolens volens. But it is io be given out that he is not a candidate. He is to “put vale the crown” in the true Julian spirit. Coss, Buchanan, Pierce, Hunter, Rusk, any- body who turns wp, is to be put forward apparently, snd each in turn to be supported ostensibly, But the ropes are to be so managed that none of these gentlemen shall get a nomination for several days afler the Cincinnati Convention assembles; a muss has heen kicked up, and Douglas is to come the Polk and Pierce gome over all the cundidates and be the nominee. The “little giant” has been en for months pastin setting the traps for this snag little operation in several States of the Union. Ohio has been the subject of special management. Some weeks previous to the late democratic convention, Donglas came into the State, sojourning a day or two in Cincinnati, two or three at Columbus, and ever since at a water cure establishment near Cleveland. James b, Stedman, ex-member of the Board of Public Works, who has songht to control all the power of the State for some years pest, gave a capper to him in Columbus. The great point was to secure delegates to the Cincinnati Con- vention, who should be puppets in the hands of Douglas’ peculiar friends in Obio—men who, a) pearing to support Bachanan, Pierce, or any other mon, could yet, at the nod of the chief managers, be transferred from one to another, a4 occasion might reqnire, so a8 to stave off & nomination matil the critical moment, when the “ tittle giant” was to tuin rp under the political thimble. The men here who assume to be the peculiar friends of Douglts, and have taken up the securing Obio for him in the National Convention, are James B. Stedman, of Toledo; Henry B. Payne, of © eve- Jand; Samuel Medary, of Columbus; H. J. Jewett, of Zanesville, (United States District Attorney of the Southern Obio District); Wayne Griswold, of Circle- ville, (member of the Board of Public Works); A. P. Miller, of Butler county, (ex-member of the Board of Public Works, and now of the Ohio Tfouse of Representatives); and Washington Mclean, Cincinnati. . The Cincinnati Lnquirer, Columbus Statesman and Cleveland Plaindealer are of course in the se cret. The disastrous result of the late eloction, and atimely movement at Dayton, in a large publi: meeting, and @ speech by Q. 1, Vallandigham, of ot | | de Janciro, reports the wreck of aa Ame j ber 19. She was about 160 tons borthen, | were o | be saved, butt that taking streng Nebrasxa and anti-cboltion ree ad prepared the democracy pretty tho- roughly to receive the full Nebraska doctrine. This was the first point to be secured, and these gentlemen have not been slow to avail themselves of il. ‘The next thing was bee for themselves; and the State was accordingly partitioned out between Btedman and Payne in the North, Medary in the certic, and McLvan in the South,as delegates to represent the State at large in the Cincinnati Con~ vention. The ceveral Congressional districts were equally well cared for. ‘The next step was to secure the dele; to the: State Convention. Stedman held the Northwest in his hands, and that was easily ma) . ‘To place: Payne, it became necessary to put J Wood out. of the way; and accordingly an, oftor having been conspicuous in Ohio potitics for thirty years, and Governor of the State, amd Consul to Chili, &ec., was reft a ce. inthe: delegation from Cleveland, and killed off with little remorse. In Columbus men won the day easily. Not so in old Hamilton. The enemies of WeLean were on the alert. He himself was elected, but a majority of the delegation was ageinas him. Here was bad business. The ‘‘oom- bination” was in danger of breaking down. Some~ thing must be done. The case was accordingly car- ried to the convention, and by the aid of Jewett as chairman, and adroit management in the Committee on Credentials, the msjority of the zornee delegater: from Hamilton county were choked down by the in- troduction of fourteen outsiders, elected the night hefore at the Neil House. The convention, without stopping to consider the merits of the case, ratifled the report, and the “regulars” from Hamilton “se- ceded,” leaving the field to their victorious adversa- ries of the McLean wing of the democracy. . So far all went swimmingly. Bat, meantime, the: idea of the combination and ‘the Douglas move got wind, and began to circulate freely through t convention, ovcasioning not a litile indi ion among the members. A competitor for the Southern district appeared against MeSean, in the erson of Vallandigham, and when the ballot way ken bore off the honors by a vote of 154 to 129 for McLean. This wasa sore blow. The charm was broken, and the gentlemen who had thought to con- tro! the polities and dictate the patronage of Ohio for four years to come, thus establishing a sort of “ Albany Regency,” were beaten on an essential. point, and a troublesome and unmannyeable cus- tomer whom they had tried especially to keep ont, -had been elected to the convention, and was under- stood to be a real friend to Buchanan. Nor did they succeed to their entire satisfaction in other districts, Ex-Governor Medill, ex- Attorney General McCook, Wn. H. Gill, William Lawrence, M. Hoagland, Judge Belden, Judge Ranney, 8S. M. Gileon, and several more of the same sort, were found among the delegation, and are snpposed to he quite refractory on the Presidential Convention. Another part of the arrangement equally fail- ed. It was preconcerted that a resolution should be passed the convention begged | a pes of the delegates to cast the whole vote of the State. A resolution to this effect prepared and one of the friends of Ju jas sat waiting in convention for a chance offer it. But « timely motion to adjourn anticipated the movement, and it went by the board. How a majority of the delegation stands, is yet to be ascer~ tained. But rather guess that it will not be a unit. This is the first chapter of the Book of Revela- tions of Ohio politics. If this is not satisfactory to the paves interested, I may open another seal, and we shall sce something further. 1 will only add, thatit is among the rumors current, that a new democratic paper, to be called the National Deno- crat, ia to be established soon in Cincinnati, in oppo- sition to the Enquirer. Nous Vsrrons. Our St. Louts Correspondence. Sr. Lours, Jan. 28, 1856. Cold Weather--Snow, Ice and the Mail Travel — Kansas ‘Troubles and Reilroads—~ Theatres, We have the usual complaint of cold weather from: the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains, and from the Rio Grande to the dominions of Great Britain. An intense spell of cold has locked everything in ite icy embrace. Heavily loaded six horse wagous are now crossing hourly in front of this city. The snow. is eight inches deep, and deepens as we ascend westward far into Kansas Territory. The ice on the Missouri and its tributaries is nearly double as thick as has been known before for fifteen years. When the weather does change I apprehend we shall have an amazing and destructive flood. ‘The mail from Santa Fe arrived at Independence- a few days since. I received a letter this morning. There is no news of very much interest in that quarter. General Garland still remains in the sonth- ern portion of the Territory. The Legislature is i session, bat doing nothing o% note. ‘ , In Kansas matters are in a very unsettled condi- tion. The fires of diseord are smothered for the moment by Governor Shannon, but the slightest spark would rekindle them into a consuming flame. A woman at Lawrenee, whose hashand the sheriff wished to arrest, armed herself with a pair of revol- vers, ar¢ defied the officer. He, however, by strata- em, contrived to have her seized, while he carried the husband off. The moment she was released she fired four shots at those who had restrained her, and: was uear killing one of them. These are the sort of women the aid societies send out. From all I can learn we may look for more bloodshed thee when the spring opens. One thing I am certain of—the pioneers slong our western border have made up their minds that.they will not have a cone of abolitionists in Kansas. Rather than submit to it they will sacrifice every dollar's worth of property they have, and then give up their lives as cheerfully as their revolutionary fathers. The: are a class of men very difficult’ to conquer. Most ips of their of them remember the trials and har Kentucky and Tennessee fathers, and all of them are familiar with difficultics and dangers. You will have geen that our Execntive, havit donbts of the constitationality of the late act in of the railroeds, bes submitted the question to the Supreme Court. It was argued several days since, but the opinion of tbe Court has not yet been given. It is considered very doubtful. Miss Herron, a native of Philadelphia, but recent- ly from Paris, where she went from California, har beer drawing immense houses at the St. Louis thea- tre. No actor or actreas, within my recallection, lias excited so much enthusiasm. She has had already three benefits, and sil ‘bumpers. The fact is, she has completely turned the heads of our theatre-going Pope See tir season has not heen a very gay one, That an not for us. It world be so considered anywhere also. The free soil faction here who have acted under the in-truetions of Frank Blair, at Washington, are pretty well ron down. xX, Oar Brasil Correspondence. Para, Dee. 20, 1865. Present Condition of Pava—Navigation of the Amazon—Scarcity of India Rubbe —Oonsular War— Wreck of an American Brig, §c., $c. After having traversed a greater portion of the Brazils, I have at last slighted here, and now hasten to give your readers, throngh your most valuable and only reliable shect, a few items concerning this much talked of city—Para. It is situated on the Para river, about tifty miles frora the Atlantic ocean, the river being « branch of the most noble and majestic Ama- zon. Tam happy to inform you those that great seourges, cholera and yellow fever, have nearly dis- appeared from ameng us, is now considered things that were; and this city has now a healthy appearance, and ofr citizens wear a smile where they formerly wore a frown. . I would inform your travelling community that we now have a first class hotel established here, with every accommodation; also a anperb line of steamere navigating the Amazon some twelye hundred miles in the interior, or if desirous of going south, we can rovide them with splendid steamships for Rio de aneiro, which make the paagage in fifteen days, touching at all the intermediate ports. The city ix +180 iniproving daily, and is now ina Hourishing con- dition; and if a few more of your enterprising citi- zens or Yankees would come out here we would soon make it the empire city of the Brazils. As for the Brazilians, they are very few—our citizens consisting chiefly of Portuguese, A werican, English and French T ain sorry to inform you that the ever elastic pro duct of this province, which you do up in so many different shapes, haa become very scarce, and con- sequently of a very high price, and will continue so for some time to come; also the failure of your most worhy and enterprising citizen, the “Professor,” in bis igs the contract from this government to eupply this city with cattle; and we fear now it will he the same as heretofore—that is, no beog, We have a regniar consular war going on here betavcen the resident foreign constls and their sub- jects, with the exception of our ow D, (i. B. Dewey,) who still holds the esteorn and Trensuhiy, not ont, of bis countrymen, but of this community in eneral 1 rend you this by the clipper brig Kana, Ht, Pitts, commander, of your city, who J com recommend halily to any of your effizons wishing to pay uae visit. ry ‘The steamer Parana, on her late pas from Rio jean her- ashore near Parahibo, on Novena painted Dlack, with a red strenk, and loaded with lamber’ and rosin. Conld not make out her namo, Men mployed in getting her, cargo out, whieh would he vessel will he a total wreck. Pe Ay Ys Mapbrodite brig,