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?? i mrnm?m?mmmrnammm r??????????????????p?^^ VOLUME VIII. CHER AW, SOUTH-CAROLINA, TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1843, NUMBER 10, ' By M. MACLEAN. Tsaitai?Published weekly at three dollars a year; with an addition, when not paid within three months, of twenty per cent per annum. Two now subscribers may take the paper at fire dollars in advance; and ten at twenty. Four subscribers, not receiving their papers in town, may pay a year's subscription with ten dollars, in advance. A year's subscription always due in advanee. Papers not discontinued to solvent subscribers in arrears. Advertisements not oxcoeding 16lines inserted f>r one dollar the first time, and fifty cent6 each sibsequont time. For insertions at intervals of 4wo weeks 75 cents after the first, and a dollar if the intervals are longer. Payment due in advance Tor advertisements, wncn me iiuuiult of insertions is not marked on tho copy, the adrertisninent will be inserted, and charged till ordered oat. 0*The postago mast be paid on letters to the editor on the business of the office. From the Western Farmer and Gardener. AN ESSAY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF LIME IN SOILS.?NO. II. BY BAKU'S LAMIAM, CIVIL ENGINEER. Hi ving, in the Conner number, attemp. ted to show that lime is an essential constituent in all soils devoted to the culti. vation of such plants as arc used by mm and beasts for food, in consrjucnce of its ^ entering into the composition of such plants, and that nil soils destitute of calcareous matter are comparatively barren and unproductive ;?I shall,in the present number, offer some reasons to establish the fact of the importance of lime in improving the fertility of soils, linsed upon A ..I its chemical and mechanical enecis wnen present in the soil. Every soil capable of producing plants, contains organic substances, cither of vegetable or animal origin, or both?but chiefly of vegetable origin. No soil wholly destitute of organic matter can support living vegetation.* It is, therefore, evi. O O ' dent that the presence of organic matter in the soil is essential to the production of vegetation. And it is also shown bv o ? every day experience, that the constant growth of plants, without the addition of organic matter, hy the application of manure, or other means, will sooner or later completely exhaust the soil of its power of sustaining vegetation ; and that by the addition of organic suhstam-.es to the soil, This power is again restored, provided ail Other essential ingredients be present. Lfntil very recently, the nature and properties of the organic substances contained in soils, had received hut little attention from those engaged in the inCi o vestigations of agricultural chemistrv.? H O ? Within the last few years, however, the o?;antlfip rlipmists has been nUt'llUUll *91 0Vlvi?%?Mw especially directed to the examination of the organic substances found in soils, and to the peculiar states in which they should exist in the soil, in order that they mav he appropriated hy the living plant to the production of a new vegetable organization. W All organic matters, and especially vegetable substances, when deprived of vitality, and exposed to the action of air and moisture, undergo various chemical changes, and they arc ultimately converted into a brownish or black mass, that has bcon honored with a great variety of names, but which chemists have now pretty generally agreed to distinguish hy the name of humus. Klaprolh first discovered this substance in the gum of an elm, and thence gave it the name of ulmin. Bcrzelius found the same substance in all barks. Braconnct found it in saw.dust, starch and sugar ; and Sprengel and M. Pollydore Boullny found it contained in all soils and ma? - t r nures, and thence called it numus, irom soil. Berzehus, the celebrated Swedish chemist, continuing his researches upon this substance, considered it identical with npotheme, and abandoned all the previous names it had received, and call, cd it geine, (from earth,) or extract of mould. The insoluble portion of geine he called carbonaceous humus. In 1832, Bcrzelius discovered in the waters of Porla spring in Sweden two peculiar acids, which he named crenic acid, from the Greek, lcre.nc a fountain, and apocrcnic acid, meaning from the crenic ; and upon further examination he discovered that the substance which had received the names of uliuin, humus, geine, apotheine, extract, &c., was identical with the erenic and apocrenicacids found in the water of Porla spring; so that all the former names may be discarded, retaining only, for the substance formed by the coinbin. ution of crenic and apocrenic acids, and by the decomposition of organic substan* ces, the generic name of humus. Profes, sor Hitchcock and Dr. Dana prefer toretain Berzelius' name of geine. Prof Liebig and others adopt the name of humus. Considerable discussion is still going on, among scientific men, relative to the natUFe and properties of humus. It is not surprising that men should difiTer in * The few cases in which plants have been forced to vegetate in charcoal, arc not considered exceptions V) this remark, as they require to be watered abundantly with rain water, which ten taint* "rg.tnic matter. opinion about a substance which, from its origin,- must necessarily assume, during the various stages of its formation, differ-1 ent forms and appearances, as well as different properties ; or that it should have j received such a variety of names, from : ? as many different experimenters, who j were probably describing the same sub- ' stance under as many different forms. i Hitherto, the organic matters contain- , cd in the soil, have been considered by J writers on agricultural chemistry, as the j source whence plants chiefly derived their fond fn n rorr?nt nuhlication on ormin IWVM* W | O ic cherpis'ry, IVof. Liebig has controvertcd this opinion. But his conclusions he. ing contrary to the experience of practical agriculturists in all ages, it is difficult for us to yield our credence to his rca. i son ing. * ' " JmS ** t Dr. Samuel L. Dana, of Lowell, Mass., whose original and ingenious investiga- ! tions on this substance, bus produced a J new era in the science of agricultural ! chemistry,defines "geine" to be "all the I decomposed organic matter of the soil." j It results chiefly from vegetable decomposition : animal substances produce a si- J milar compound, containing azote. Ge- j ne exists in two states?soluble and in- j soluble ; soluble both in water and in al- j kali, in alcohol and in acids : soluble ge- j inc is the food of plants. Insoluble ge- j ine becomes food by air and moisture.? 1 Air converts soluble geine into solid geine, which is still partially soluble in water, wholly soluble in alkali. Insoluble geine is the result of the decomposition of solid geine; hut this insoluble geine, bv the long.continued action of air and ' moisture, is again so altered as to hecome soluble. It is speedily converted, by the action of lime, into soluble geine. Soluble geine acts neither as an acid nor an alkali. It is converted into a substance Lsr 'nyr\rir>r'if>e htilhp nrtinn nf mi IlllL lllty Ul<(U in<? wrv vivr?"? ^ .... alkali, and in this state combines with earths, alkalies, and oxides, forming neu-, tral salts, which may he termed geales. ; These are all more soluble in water than ! solid geino; especially when they are ! first formed. Their solubility in cold | water is as follows : beginning with the easiest, magnesia?lime?manganese? pcr-oxide of iron?alumina?baryta. The geates of the alkaline earths are decom. posed by carbonated alkali. The geatcs of alumina and of metallic oxides, are soluble in caustic or carbonated alkali j without decomposition. The grates of j the alkaline earths, hy the action of the carbonic acid of the air, become supergeatcs, always more soluble than neutral ; salts. By the action of growing plants upon silicates contained in the soil, the potash and other bases are set free, and coinhin- j ing with geino, renders it soluble and tit 1 for the food of plants. Air and moisture j are, however, considered hy Dr. Dana as the principal solvents of gein?, which will j finally he wholly dissipated in air, leaving only the inorganic buses of (he plants j with which it was once combined. The | action of the oxygen of the air upon gc- j ine produces volumes of carbonic acid; ; and likewise the oxygen of the air unites j " . with the hydrogen of the geine, and forms j waler, which in its turn again disolves j more geine. I)r. Dana is of opinion that geine is a definite proximate principle, whose separate, independent existence, whose properties, combinations, and uses,are as wHI establised as any facts in chemistry ; arid he believes that geine existed before organic matter; that it was an original formation, dating its birth from the dawn' O ing of time, when oxygen, and hydrogen, ' and carbon were created. Professor Liebig, in his recent work on i O * Organic Chemistry, defines humus to he j "woody fihie in a state of decay," and i says : The opinion that the substance j called humus is extracted from the soil by j the roots of plants, and that the carbon I entering into its composition, serves, in j some form or other,to nourish their tissues, i is so general,and so firmly established,that | hitherto any new argument in its favor ; has been considered unnecessary ; the j obvious ditferenoe in the growth of plants, according to the known abundance or j scarcity of humus in the soil, seemed to j afford incontestihle proof of its correctnoss. Yet this position, when submitted ! to strict examination, is found to ho un- | tenable, and it becomes evident from j most conclusive proofs that humus in the j form in which it exists in the soil does not yield the smallest nourishment to plants. (Liebig's Organic Chem., p. 61.) On page 69, Liebig states that " it isuni ! versally admitted that humus arises from | the decay of plants. No primitive hu- ! i mus, therefore, can have exis'ed, fur plants , i must have preceded humus." The following is Lielug's view of the j action of humus in the nutrition of plants, j Humus acts in the same manner in a soil j permeable to air, as in the air itself: it is a continued source of carbonic acid,' which it emits very slowly. An ntmos-1 phere of carbonic acid, formed at the expense of the o.wgcn of the air, surrounds * i every particle of decaying humttft. The cultivation of land, by tilling and loosening the soil, causes a free and tt^obstructed access of air. An atmosphere of carbonic acid is therefore contained in every fertile soil, and is the first and most important food for the young plants which grow in it. The roots p?:rforrn the functions of the leaves from the first moment of their formation ; they extract from the soil their proper nutriment, viz. the carbonic atid generated by the humus. When kept in r dry plaoe, humus may be preserved for centurion; but when moistened with water, it converts the surrounding oxygen into carbonic acid. As soon as the action of the air ceases, that is, as soon as it is deprived of oxygen, the humus suffers no farther change. Its decay proceeds only when plants grow in the soil containing it ; for they ab- j sorb bv their roots the-carbonic acid as it j is formed. The soil receives again from living plants the carbonaceous matter it j thus loses. So that the proportion of I humus in it does not decrease. (Liebig, 1 p. 19G.) Dr. Charles 'J1 .Jut kson, in his investigations connected with tho geological survey of Rhode Island, has made extensive and valuable researches and oh- j scrvations 0:1 the substance of humus ; and as his labors are of more recent date | than those of Dana or Lining, and difFer I front them in some essential particulars, ! I shall quote his views somewhat at large. Much confusion appears to exist as to the nature and names of the organic matters contained in soils, and it is probable thai in the severs.I stages of decomposition of different substances, a variety of changeable comp?unds are produced that have not yet beem fully examined. During the last \ear, (1S39,) I have endeavored to ascertain the nature of the extractive matters obtainable from the humus of soils actd from peat, and have ascertained that the principal mass of those substances, to which the names of humus, geino, anil apolhcinc have been applied, is a compound of the crenic anil apocrenic acids, which are m part combined with bases, such as the per-oxido of iron, manganese, lirno and magnesia. The soluble extract of humus is mostly composed of crenic acid, sometimes combined with lime f.nd per-oxide of iron. After the discovery of these acids in : the soils and peats of Maine, Massachu-j setts, and Rhode Island, I had the curio, j sity to examine the scils from the continents of Asia, Africa, and those from the West Indies, and from the Western states of this country. In all of them I have discovered eremites and apocrcnatcs. 1 have also detected the crenic acid in various waters from lakes, rivers, and wells,so that there can he 110 doubt of its being generally present in arubie soils. Crenate of lime is soluble in water, and is, without doubt, an active agent in the nourishment of plants. Apocrenate j of lime is more difficult of solution, hot { is slowly taken up and colors the water j yellow. It is sufficiently soluble to supplv the rootlets of plants. All the alkalies, both fixed and volatile, dissolve erenic and apocrenic acids; ashes, the alkalies, potash and soda, carbonate of am- j monia, and even the alkaline earths, ren- j der the inert cronates, and apocrcnatcs, j in the soil, soluble and active, while the 1 alkalies and acids neutralize each other, and render the soil more fertile. M .ny of the lake waters around Boston contain the crenic acid, either sepa- ( rate or in combination with linie, manganese, or iron. It is found in the water of most of the wells in the city, and I doubt not is universal. Any chemist can foresee some of the consequences that may he deduced from ; the above data, and that by chemical means wo can bring some of those new combinations to bear tipon the art of agriculture. if the per.oxide of iron in a soil is really in combination with crenic and npocrcnic acids, then we can understand why the land is improved by means of an application of ashes and lime, which will dissolve the vegetable acids, and render thein convertible into food of plants. Carbonate of ammonia, which is known as one of the most powerful stimulants, as it is improperly called, is capable of dissolving these new acids, and will take them irom lime, manganese, and magnesia. . Hence, the value of animal manures, which generate ammonia, will he u ndnrstood.f " *1 1 '? - ' ? ? w/1 irril Inn Jf'rom an mai nns uccn sum aim about humus, geine, npothcme, ulrnin, ulmic ncid, hnrnie acid, crenic and npocrenic acids, &c., we mav conclude, that all sosls contain organic matters : and that D . that these matters may exist in the soil, in nil stages of decomposition, from the fresh and perfect vegetable and animal j substance*, down to the complete extinction of all organic structure; nnrl that dur ing the progress of this process of disorganization, a part of the organic matters arc disengaged or set free from their original combination in the form of gaseous, f Gcol"ei?jl Kf port '.*1 Rhode I saline, an 1 earthy matters, which are left in a condition to enter into other combinaj lions, and form new compounds, or be disj sipatod in tho air, or absorbed and mixed ! with the soil, or they may be taken up by j the roots of living plants and form a new vegetable structure, i When the process of tho disorganization of organic matter has proceeded to a certain extent, tho residue of tho mass, , that has not been dissipated in the form n ? i or gas, or separated in the form ot saline | anil earthy substances, assumes a fixed I and determinate character, and no further J decomposition or transformation occurs ; J and if it bo not exposed to air and moist! ure, will remain unaltered for ages, until it is again exposed to the action of air and moisture, or to the action of the alkalies | or alknljno earths, it is this substance whuM Is c tHod humus. Dr. Dana con sidci'a :f a definite proximate principle," and Dr. Jackson has discovered that it ! consists of two new acids. Both, howev| er, agree that the action of alkalies and I alkaline earths will render it soluble and I fit for the food of plants, whether it be called 44geine," apocrenic and crenio ! acids," or 44 humus." It is therefore of ! hut little importance to the practical fanner by what name the substance is called, provided he has a clear conception of the substance itself, and a knowledge of the manner of converting it into food for his plants. Air and miislurc will convert a portion of humus into a state in which it is easily .i'\l it it It* i r\ iir fi f?* r 7 j m o r*rtni'Prf<j OI/IMVIV ? II *V ?| IVI W/IO f WVU w w tho remaining portion which is of difficult .solution, into a soluble state. Alkalies convert it into a state in which it has acid properties, and in that state it will readily combine with earths, alkalies, and oxides, forming neutral salts, which arc readily soluble in cold water, and these salts are, by the action of carbonic acid, rendered still more soluble. Growing plants acting upon the silicates contained in the soil, set free the potash and other bases, which net upon the humus, and convert it into food of plants. The oxygen of the air act. ing upon humus produces carbonic acid, which forms a large portion of the food of j plants. And likewise the oxygen of the nir unites with the hydrogen of the humus and forms water,which again dissolves more humus. Ashes, which contain potash nn 1 li ne, act upon the humus to render it solubb. Atnmviia, contained in animal manure and urine, as wed as in | snow and rain-water, acts upon humus to | render it soluble. Carbonate of ammonia his a greater nihility for humus than I r j lime, iron, manganese, or magnesia.? i Gypsum, by being decomposed in the soil, by the carbonate of ammonia contained in the rain-water, forms sulphate of am. monia and carbonate of lime, both of which act upon the humus of the -soil and ^ i convert it into the food of plants. I Lime is considered by both Drs. Dana and Jickson, to he the chief solvent of ! the "geine" of the first, and the "crenie ! and apocrcnie acids" of the latter gentleman. There are, however, various other acids existing in a Dec state in the soils,! which have the effect to arrest the con- j version of woody fibre into humus, and | consequently prevents it from becoming tho food of plants, until lime has been np. I- 1 a _ ? I * Iw..-a o /?i rl j a rwl n llnti; Ifj IK'Uirilll^t; lliuoc ai/iuo nuu unv?> the process of the formation of humus to proceed. Peat is a remarkable instance of this kind. The vegetable substances, by the action of acids, is prevented from becoming converted into humus, until neulrali/.ed by lime, and peat then forms on j of the best compost manures a farm er can have. The chief and most important advantages to be derived by the farmer in the application of lime to the soil, consist in applying it in contact with fresh vegetable and animal substances, either in a cornpost heap, or by ploughing them into the soil. By this method we obtain the benelit of the action of the lime upon the fresh vegetable fibre, to convert it into a state of fermentation, in which an abundance of carbonic ncid is produced, and if animal manures be used, ammoniac*! gas is likcwiso formed, both of which will be absorbed and retained in the soil by the lune, but which would otherwise escape info the air and be lost, before the vegetables intended to be grown upon the land could bo sufficiently advanced to appropriate their gases as food. The remaining portion of the manure and vegetable fibre would still pass into the state of humus, and the lime in its form of a carbonale, will proceed to dissolve the original A ? - --- 4 I* ~ ^ " ? ?/-? 11 n c humus contained in mu nu.i, na that newly formed ; and should any free acids be present in the soil, which will frequently he the case when fresh vegetahie substances are ploughed into the soil, the lime combines with such acids, and yields the carbonic acid, to the roots of plants. From Miss Leslie's Magazine. THINGS WORTH KNOWING.?No. 1. BY MISS LESLIE. To soften Sponges.?A sponge, when first pur. j clnscd, is frequently hard, stiff, and gritty. To ( I soften it, and dislodge the particles of sea sand j j from its crevices, put the sponge into a clean vessel of water, and boil it about an hour, (or more) I changing the water twice ; or three times if it is very gritty; letting the rpongc cool so that you can squeeze it thoroughly before putting it into the fresh water. When the epongo has become qt>ite j pah. m l ?h?rc ir no more appearance oi sand or grit, squeeze it out, and it will be fit for u?. A brown sponge, prepared in this way, is quite ai good as a white one. But you may bleach it bj adding to the water, when boiling, a few dropa o oil of vitriol. After using a sponge, always wash it immediate ly in clean water; squeeze it out, and let it dry. Tc clean looking-glasses.?Take a ncwspapci or a part of one, according to the size of the glass Fold it small, and dip it into a basin of clean cold water. When thoroughly wet, squeeze it out in your hand as you would a sponge, and then rub it hard all over the face of the glass; taking carc that it is not so wet as to run down in streams. In fact, the paper must be only completely moistened or damped all through. After the glass has been well rubbed with the wet paper, let it rest a few .! A J _ ? -? - r J minutes; ana men go over 11 wan a iresn ary newspaper (folded small in your hand) till it looks clear and bright?which it will almost immediately : and with no farther trouble. This method (simple as it is) is the best and most exped:tiotis for cleaning mirrors, and it will be found so on trial?giving a clearness and polish that can be produced by no other process. It is equally convenient, speedy, and effective. The inside of window panes may be cleaned in this manner, to look beautifully clear: the windows being first washed on the outside. Also, the glasses of spectacles, &.c. The glass globe of an astral lamp may bo cleaned with newspaper in the above manner. Dusting furniture.?If a hand-brush is used for dusting furniture, it should always be followed by a dusting cloth. A brush merely disturbs the dust without taking it up or absorbing it; and is only useful in dislodging it from crevices. Therefore, if the dust is not afterwards wiped up in a cloth (which should be frequently shaken out of the window) it floats about the room, and settles again; being only removed from one place to spread itself on another. A yard of sixpenny calico will make two small dusters, or one largo one.? They should be hemmed, that the servants may not regard them as mere rags, to be torn up, or thrown away when dirty. To keep a muff smooth.?Always, after putting it into its box, take hold of the top or upper end of the muff, and give it several hard twirls round. This will smooth the fur, and make all the hairs lie the same way. Keep in the box, two or three lumps of gum.camphor, wrapped in paper to retard evaporation. Camphor is the best preservative against moths. When you finally put away your muff in the spring, place about it half a dozen lumps of fresh camphor, each wrapped in a paper. Close the lid tightly, and do not open it till the return of cold weather. To prevent the wadding of the inside of the muff from falling downwards, or getting into clods, keep the muff-box always ly. ing on the side instead of standing it upright. A black lynx muff is rarely, if ever, attackcc by moths. To clean white fur.?Take a sufficient quanti. ty of dry starch, very finely powdered, and silt il through a fine sieve into a clean broad tin pan.? Set the pan near enough to the fire for the pow. dered starch to get very warm, stirring it frequent, ly. Then roll and tumble about the white fur article among the starch, till it is well saturated. Shut it up closely in a bandbox, and let it remain unopened for a week or two. When you put away white fur in the spring, proceed as above, (using a large quantity of the pulverized starch,) and put into the box 6ome I lumps of camphor tied up in papers. Keep the box closely shut, and do not open it to look at the I fur till the beginning of next winter. It will then be found a good clean white. Presidential Nomination.?The following Preamble and Resolutions, offered in the House of Representatives of our Legislature, by Col. Albert Rhett, were unanimously agreed to by both branches: " The people of South Carolina have witnessed vvit/i nign graiincaiton, mo growing umpusuiuu of the Democratic Party throughout the Union, to call their eminent citizen, John C. Calhoun, to the highest office in the gift of the American People. They have been heretofore restrained from proposing him as a candidate for this distinction, by high considerations of delicacy, and by the confident belief that, in spite of temporary misconceptions, his worth and services would ultimately enforce from his whole country a just appreciation and candid recognition. But they are of opinion the time has now arrived, when justice to them, selves and to one who has served thrm so faithfully, demands that they should put forth to the world, an expression of their unlimited confidence in his abilities and integrity, and preference of him over all other men, for the office of Chief Magistrate of the Union. " The approaching election for President is one of momentous importance to the great cause of Constitutional Liberty, to which this State has long been conspicuously pledged. Our people are profoundly solicitous, ns to the result, and believe that it vitally involves their interests and dearest rights; and this Legislature would shrink from an obvious and imperative duty, and be guilty of disappointing and misrepresenting their constituents, did it adjourn without giving direct and solemn expression to the unanimous wish of the people of South Carolina. 44 They look forward with sanguine expectation to the triumph of the Democratic Parlv, but they believe it as essential to the ensuring as it is to the value of such a triumph, that the Candidate of the party should be clearly identified with the principles to which they stand so directly pledged, and should, if elected, rest his administration of ' " ? ? the Krmrl hasis of 44 Free IDC UOVCriiiuciii upv?<i ? _ Trade, Low Dudes, No Debt, 1V0 Connection with Banks, Economy, Retrenchment, and a strict adherence to the Constitution." "Should a National Convention, so timed and so organized as to ensure that the matured opinion of the Democracy of the Union shall be clearly ascertained and fairly expressed, bestow their preference on any other member of the Democratic par. ty, as a Candidate, than him who is the pre-eminent ! choice of the people of this State, South Carolina i 1 will be permitted to submit ber wishes to the gene* ral good, and render to tbe Candidate selected, her f cordial support. f | " Be it therefore unanimously Retolted, by thr I Senate and Ilouee of Representative* in Gemeri . Auembly met, That, in coosidcretioo of tbe Ion ; and faithful services, the unsullied private bono: the political integrity, distinguished abilities, feaf .! less virtue, and sound Constitutional principles * I their fcllow-bitizen, John Caldwexa Calhoun i they do hereby nominate and recommend him U . the American people for election to tbs office o4 i President of tbe United States." Our Ruined City and Country.?There i? scarcely another instance on record of a city barj ing increased ao rapidly in population, and for io long a period, as has the the city of .New York*? The ratio of increase it much larger than in the country at large, as will appear from the following statement:? porcLATiox or New York. United Stater. In 1800 60,439 la 1800 5,305,925 1810 96,373 1810 7,239,814 1820 123,706 1820 9,638,131 1830 203,207 1830 12.866,920 1840 3J 2,710 1840 17,062,566 The average rate of increase in the city of New York, is a trifle ever over 51 per cent, for every period of ten years since 1800, while that of the country at large is a little short of 34 per cent. The city has increased in a much greater ratio since 1820, than it had done previously. It will be found on trial, that for each of the two periods subsequent to that date, its increase has been at the rate of 62 per cent., while in the United States, for the same time, the increase has been at the rate of only 33 per cent, for each period. Should the city continuo to increaae at the rata of 51 per cent., for every period of ten years during the remainder of the 19th century, its popular tion, on the return of each decade, would be as follows: In 1850 472,192 ; 1860 713,009 1870 1,073,643 * 1880 1,625,730 1890 2,454,852 1900 3,706^06 * tit 1 J <1 Tf *1- J Hi _ a . - i ? anouia inc unuca rsuies increase, in future, in the rate that they have fo(leT7cd since 1800, they will have attained a population of at least 52,000,000 in 1880, and of 92,000,000 in 1900. We do not say that so vast an increase is to bo , expected, or desired. But iW?^j}ove are the nam. bers which would result from a raTlb^fin crease like that of the past. What is to becomcH^his immense population ? Is it to enjoy, as now, tWv ts. I blessings of freedom, moral and religious, or is it to ^*1 fall under the dominion of a tyrant ? Is it to bo one united people, or split up into several independent and conflicting nations 7 Is Popery to predominate here, or is the Bible 7?-V. Y. Jour. of Coin. A Powerful Microscope.?A new misano. scope was recently exhibited in London, the pow. crs of which arc said to surpass all previous instruments. It consists of six powers. The second magnifies the wings of the locust to twenty^even fect in length. The fourth, the Jting of the bee to twenty-seven feet. By the sixth, ebch lens in the eye of the fly is so magnified, that it appears to be fourteen inches in diameter; and a human hair, eighteen inches in diameter, or four fect in circum. fcrence. Boston and Cincinnati.?A Cincinnati paper . siys: When the Sandusky rail road is finished, i Cincinnati will be within 3 day* of Boeton. From Cincinnati to the Lake, the distance may be accomplishcd easily in sixteen hours; a magnificent olasm drill tlion pn/*n i vn ilia ni senn Itrif OH/) J nitOUl jJUVy tvv. I> TT 111 iflVI! IVVVtTV ?IIV |l ?ma i transport them to Buffalo in twenty bourn; and ; from Buffalo to Boston thoy will go by rail road, say in thirty.four hours; the whole ductance from 1 Cincinnati to Boston requiring only seventy hours. Does this prediction startle any one ? In a few ; years it will para into liistory, and be regarded as a very common place fact. The Deeds or Abolition.?The persons who are called a Vigilance Committee of the Aboli; tionists at Albany, have published a full report of their doings in relation to slaves during the pest year. Tncy state that they have aided about !. three hundred and fifty runaway negroes since the opening of navigation last spring, Of these fugi. 1 lives, about one hundred and fifty were men, one hundred and fifty women, and fifty children.? Most of them came from Virginia, Maryland, and j the District of Columbia, and nearly or quite e | hundred from Washington and Georgetown.? These fugitives have gone chiefly to Canada, and the sum of five hundred dollars has been expend, cd for their board, passage, and other expenses.? .V. Y. Evening Poet. We have only to say, if the " Vigilance Com. mittce" of the Abolitionists have made the avow, al ascribed 'to them in the Poet, that they ought forthwith to be indicted, tried and punished, for a direct violation of the law of the State of New ; York, of the laws of Congress under the Constitu. 1 tion of the United Sratee. They arc guilty of a i high crime by their own showing, and every owner of a slave who can identify him as one of the -? j t u:. i J- ?.:.i i j runaways inus rescueu irom ma nanus, ? wuucu to receive the full value of hit property and ex? | cmplary damages for the high-handed met of die. jwsscssion. If any of these owners can identify j their slaves thus spirited away from them, and can i bring the act home upon these " vigilant" violators j of their rights?a suit in the United States Court would very readily reach them, and make them settle their " philanthropy" throngh their pockets. It is the grossest outrage that wo have ever yet seen acknowledged voluntarily by the perpetra. tors.?N. Y. Courier and Enquirer. I 4 Hard Times.?The Galona Gazette Hooka that it is a great mistake for the merchants to ery oqt aboot hard times. They can sit by their slot*