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Miscellaeo s. Correspondence of the CharIcston Courier.. WASHINGTON, Feb. 18. The Supreme Court Room is now, and for some time promises to be, the most at tractive part of the Capitol. The Missis sippi slave case is on trial. Mr. Clay -and Mr. Webster are counsel on one side, and Mr. Cilpin, M r. Jones, and Mlr. Walker, oh the other. The constitution and laws of Mississippi prohibit the introduction of slaves into the state for the purpose of sale and traffic. The suits are brought to va cato the contracts of sale in such cases. Messrs. Clay and Webster sustain the va lidity of the contracts. Mr. Clay's argu ment yesterday was of surpassimg clo quence and power. Mr. Webster will probaWy be heard to-morrow. The Court Ias been crowded every day. The Am istad case comes up nexi. The House was engaged chiefly to-day, on the general civil diplomatic appropria tion bill. There was a Georgia war, dutiag the morning, which amused the house very much. Mr. Cooper, Mr. Warren, Mr. Al ford, and others of the Georgia delegation compared notes and defined positions. A hot debate afterwards took place on that part of the bill which limits the fees and emoluments of Distriet Attorney. Mar. shals, and Clerks, of the several Di tricts of the U. S., to a certain sim left blank. It is intended to move to ill.the blank witl: six thousand dollars. Mr. H unt, of N. Y., moved to strike out the provision. M r. Evac3 and other.w higs spoke in favor of striking out. . The whigs will not agree to reductions which arejust now proposed. because they are coming into a share ofthe spoils. For the last year, the fees and emolu ments of the District Atiorney of the South ern Judicial District of New York, were $2S,000. and of the Clerk of the same, $19,000. During the same year, the fcs of the Marshal of the Southern District ,u1 Mississippi, were $S7,150. It is time that the pruning hook was applied to these enoripous monopolies. llow the louse will decide the question is very doubtful. There will also be a proposition to limit the compensation of Collectors. rhe Virginia Legislature was, I believe, to determine this day, whether to go into the election of U. S. Senator or not, at this session. Mr. Wise, it is reported, Its gone down to Richmond to promote the election of Mr. Speaker Hunter to the sta tion. The Extra Session has been agreed up on by the whigs, and has received Getter al Harrison's sanctiou. It is to take place on the 17th of May. The Bank question is the most impor. tant one to be decided at the special ses sion. It is reduced almost to a certainty, that on this question there will be a tie, in the Senate, unless Mr. Preston should vote for a Bank, as he probably will do. With his vote, a National Barnk will ccrtainly pass the Senate. The House is rather doubtful on this question. Feb. 19. There was a very unpleasant personal collision in the House to-day, between Mr. Stanley of N. C., and Mr. Pickens of S. i ion the1 Whole, animadverted with much severity on the politics and politicians of South Carolina, but, at the same time, disclaimm ed all personal allusions,or personal disres pect. This morning, as soon as the Journal was read, Mr. Hlolmes of Chalestonl, asked leave to offer some explanations in reply to Mr. Stanley. Mr. St anley objected and insisted that the gentlemtan should reply in Committee of the Whlole, where he could rejoin. Mr. Campbell said in sub stance, the member of N. C. is unworthy of notice. South Carolina has nothing to fear from his putty arm. Mr. Stanley re joined-it is strong enough to reach von. Subsequently, after the House had gone into committee, (Mr. Eveans in the Chair) Mr. Pickens took the floor and miadeC some severe personal remarks on M1r. Stanley, at the same time vindicatinig South Caro lina front his assault. Mr. Statnley replied in the most abusive and insultitng series of remarks that can well be conceived. WVhat he said was chiefly, particularly and per sonally pointed at Mr. Pickens. The scene became violent and excited-hoth parties mnenacinig and tiefying eachi othfer. The regular debate thent wvent on wvitht out further interruption, and,. I presume,. that the matter wvill not again be brought forward in the Ihouse. There is a rumor that Mr. Pickenis sent a message of a technical character to Mr. Stanley, shortly after the collision. It is mnuce to be hoped that the mediation of mutual friends, the parties wtill be persua ded to make mutual concessions and re tractions, and thtus adjust the ditliculty in a satisfactory manner, withouit incurring the penalties of the anti-duelling law. From the Augusta Constilutionaust. We htave placed on the first p age of our paper, thbe report of Mr. P iekens, Chairman of the Committee on Foreignt Aff'airs, in relatiotn to the burning of the Caroline and the arrest of~ McLeod. Tis~ report produced a warm and exci:e'l de bate, which arose on a motion to print it. The motion prevailed, and it was orderedl to be printed by a vote of 1(03 against G8. Of the representatives from Georgia, Messrs. Black and Cooper voted fur the motion, and Messrs. Dawson, llabershatm, King, Nisbet, and WVarren against it. Messrs. Mford anid Holt did not vote. Much has already been written for and against this report. The federal whig members of the House of Representatives, have condemned it as improper and impo litic, and declared it to be a dheclartion of war against Great Britain ; and untder such an impression they voted against the mo tion to print it. On the othier hand it wvas raainatained that it was no dcclaration of war; and that the report containted, with regard to the burning of the Caroline nad the arrest of McLoed, buit facts which were supported by ample testimony. - We shall not enter ioto an elaborate ex - amination of this report ; but wye must of fer to our readers a few remarks upon the positions ttssumed in it. Wec have read it a'tecntively, and we must confess that we ... rm u mm rgentmed.-we rdr nt fir'd in it lhose objections for which it as been ce ured. On the contrary, we believe that qi -very American, who has Itle honor of his ai :ountry at heart, will approve lhe report, t nd the tone it assumes in vindication of st he violated rights of Americti citizens. II With regard to this position of the report, Ii1 6ve are certain that a very large portion of It he A incrican people will respond to the In elingwhich dictated it. In reference to is ihat portion of the report which alltides to i he grasping ambition of Greant Brit am, the 11 pimjrobation of the people may not be so general, though at the same time it wil he t; icknowledged that the policy of that na- ( ion is, in the reporli, truly represcnited and el Jescribed. If ithe ambition ofGreat Britain has been 11 rnly represented, why ceisure the report? i1 We say that tlie anbition of that nation i has been truly represented, and this repre- '1 sentation is supported by every matn who it has been an observer ofh eventtslor the last il thirty years. The report is supported by b almost every press in the country, in re- c< gard to the policy of the British Govern- p ment to extend its political and commer- se cial influence wheresoever it can he dome el by all the means it catn employ. The re- ol port of Mr. Pickens is the ceho of public tI pinion in this cotintry. Now tho ques- h tion is, can it he improper for Congress to v xpress an opinion almost universally en ertained by tle people, while it is not im proper for that peolIe to ex)ress it ? Fir nur own part we consider Congress as the 0 rgan of public opinion in our coIitry and whenever that body proutilgates to lie world tho well ascertained feeling and piion of the people, of whom is tle of ficial organ, it performs a function for p which it was constituted. The report was opposed in Congress by i the whigs, or, as we should say, by he i ferni porticon of tie whig party; and the it netmbrs m1ost conSliNueIUs in ibc debatc, a and who expressed themselves so warmly ' agaitst it, were Messrs. Granger, FihIore, 0 Everitt, and others. But though those getlemen opposed the rep:rt, the press of their party were at Ihe same time ltCrm10 expresioti in relard to the ainhition of P Great Britain, which sustain the posiutiots d iAsiu med itn ir. Piees' report. While U the debate was going on in the House of Representativcs, on the noton to prtltI the report, the New York Times aud Star, i of the 16th iustant, a whig paper. was is- n sued with in nr!icle upon the subject :an b 1 article ably written, which clearly shows that the writer las been an attentive ob. h server of the policy puirsued by Great Bri- c tai; since 1815. The folloniing are ex- a tracts from the artiele in the Times and Star, which the reader can compare with I the positions assumed by 3lr. Pickens in his report. e "But no nation has ldded so largely to her possessions, wealth and power in the last quarter of a century as Great'Britain. It may well be qiestiored whether in nuo- a dern times, in the sane period, atny civi- C lized country has ever augmented her I territory and her means of aggressive opc ratious over the whole globe, on a scale so stupendons and so well calculated for the i attainment ofuniver-;al etipire. There is scarcely anly part of tle world. in which she has not vastly extended her territory. There is no part of thte world, itn which che i4 Unit nrge threntening, by open war or rcad~~ s o overgiowii antd 3-opemrding.=- . She has looked upon the globe as a vast field for nilitary operation, and withl wen derful sagacity has seized, by force or fraud, tupotn all the strongest poiints on the c suriee of the carthi. Gibraltar, Mi3alt,, ad Joniani lsles, make hecr irresistable in b the 31editeranean. To those she is about adding Cyprus. Thew Cape of Good llope, S. Helena, Sierra Leone, sccure hter miar itie swaiy Ott the southiern and western b cost of A friea. Shie'is likewise mtediating coloiztion ott n extensive scalo thiere Australia and V'an I)iemnatt's land, wher ili she possesses powerl anid griv ing cola tie, tire infatit empires ofthemuselves. Netw (. ZenIaland she has taken poassaissiotn of, and h indeed amtong till the Islatnds of thle Paci fc. she has~ obtained the aisemdaney over f other tntione. She claims thle Oregon ti Terioary attd lhas stretched her t raing pts fromt Qutebec to the month of the b Colmibiat. Unader ihe 11ag of lhe I utdsoni's Bay Comtpauny, she hats possession ofC thai trritov. ShIe hasi fixed her eyes ott thlev Cal ifornia cotuntry. and it is said desires to h baihtnn the territory cotmpreheninug lie r Is: lmos of Panama. To lier WVest I ndiai I possessions, site is said to lie atnxious tatmadal Cuba, for the pr~ps of creating a freep negro republic there is a thorno in thIe sid lo of these states. Not satisfied with her vast s ctritoy in the two Can~ad a., anad otier provitcs shte holds aon t his conitinenit. shteh is seking~ at the hazarvd of a war tat despoil t the State of Maine of at portiont of he'r ter-d ri tor."'b h iowever passive antd inliflerentt other t ntatians maty be in view of the giganttie anm-i bitin of (;reat lirittnin, the Unitead States a canot be either. Thte time muost comeie when the rule oh Britania over the ocean . will be dispte~d by lier crowing oiffspring. Btt sotunda policy anda foresight, would seem to dictate to the world the dangter of b peritting one mighty empire to swell itt c to stch hage prriitiionts. Where is the v all grasping ambihition oif Great Britain to i termiate ? When the celestial emplirieo shah becaome butt atti of hertdeptendentcies whent Asia and Africa are almosut wholly. a iens atnd the islatndsof the Great Seas aibeye her, we shall then see her reaching hornh i for the Lion's share both of Europe and America." h it a periodl of t wenty. five years more,r should Great Britain conttintue to incrneases in poer anda territory as shte hans alone for li the last twenty five years, shte will dictate I the law of submnissioni to the rest of the 1 woral. No combhination of powe.'rs can 1 check or coittenda with lien thten. Shte utay d defy the globie etmitbal."'' "[Has ntot the period arrivead whlen the t law of sellf preservation requires the civi lized powvers ofC dhe world. commnonly dle-. noitated Christendaom, to say to Great B~ritain that t hey will not consent tat any a further acqutisition of territmry on her part, a ini ay quarter of the glaobe? Todthe rest of c the world it matters little where thme aucqui- a itions are mtadle.'' 1 "It is asked whether we ought to get to b var to arrest the atmbitiouis career of Eit- s gland ? We say, that this is a grave and cd mnomentoussubject in which othier, great C c United States. If they clb6se to ac iesce in the growth of British power, we e probably as secure from its effects as ty oilier people. But we do say that this ihject ought to be considered and made c object of careful consultation, among I n accredited or'gas of civilized Europei id America. If a mutual agreement as the community. of danger threatened, ascerlined to exist, then we apprehend cre will he no danger of war.-Should tissin, Austria, Prusia and France unite ith the U. States, and say to Great Bri i tliat the fulit enlargenetit of her iminion, wlhercver soughl, is deemed in mpatible with the peace and safety of bristendon, nnd would never be recog ised nor permitted, we apprehend that cr united voice woulh effectually termi te the progress of British conquest. 'hose live powers, we apprehend, could, i lie present condition of the world, give le law even to Great Britain. But if that twahtty and overgrown empire should nitenn ithe voice of the rest of the wrorld, moclaitel by these five powers, then we iy let the storm of war cume. . Better to :contner it now, while their. is something eqtality between Britaii nnd the rest of ae world, than to watt and fall in detail fbre her. irresisile progress to the oni :rsal subjection of tmankind." From the I1ashington News, Feb. 251h, Aler our paper went to press, about 10 clock last night, nit alarm of fire was ven and the store of Messrs. Burton and clot on th south-west caner of the pub : square was discovered to lie in flames. ie fire having takett in the most exposed art of the town and our citizens being per ctly destitile of nty means of arresting , slread with great rapidity *in diflerent irections from ilie place of its origin until had consumtted part of the town in which -reat portion of I he 'ousinss was dlone and as only arrested at last by the most vigor us exertions. We have suffered in common, with ma v others of our fellow citizeus, but our Iss is trivial compared with theirs. Our rinmin.C establishment was luckily at a istne frotm the square and thercfre sus lined no injuiry. The principal losses were Mr. A. A. 'levetland (,tore and dwelling house burnt) urion & Pohpt, store burnt, and a house wned by Burton & Polot, anJ occupied y J. Il ian as dwelling house and shop -Johi R. Eidson store and dwelling ouse; owned by A. A. Cleveland and oc npied by Cotting & Butler asa law ollice nd Dr. Ficklen; house owned by Mrs. orhet ; & Tailors shop occupied by Wi. . Solan ; store snui dwelling house owned nd occupied by F. T. WVillis; store, own d and occupiel by McMillen & Vincent; tore owned and occupied by Win. F So ;n; store nnocenpied owned by F. T. ills; store owned by J. D. Thompson td occupied by Geo. W. Jarrett; store wied and oceupied by Johnson & Wa ehouse ; owned by W. F. Sohan ; house wncd nl occupied by John Burkes, be ides a great uimber of value out buildings. 'he losseannot be less tlan $35,OO. Fran thm Sacannah lepublican. rom Florida.-The seamer General inch, -rrived yesterday 'rom St. Augus in. We are indebted to traptain Brooks, terest are the ttibjoinaed, ivhich are ex rieed from the News: It is rumimored that the Indians lately apttured by Col. Harney, in the Ever lades, and sent to Tnmpa fLay. had again ceen sit at liberty, by the eommnanding ;eneratl. I t is also rumored, that the three Squa ws cenly caputuredl 'y u part of the 2d1 In mitry have escaped from Fort Russell. The llistory of South Carolina. from s first European Discover, to its Erectioni to a Repuliic, with a Supplemientary bronaicle of E vets to the Present Time; y William Gihinore Simtms. M1r. Simims has heeni favorably kntown ir several years as a novel writer and con ribtor to I lie leadinug literary periodicals f the count ry. WhIatever oiioni may c enterainedu of his merits as a novel riter, we thinik no one enn rise from the erssul oh Isis II istory of South Carolina, ithoat aiwuading to him high psraise as an ioriatn. It is at judlicionas a ndl mteresting ominsatlion of whant lad becen already tiblisheud, relative to thle history of our ;tate, in various forms. It is for the mrost art written in a chsaste, ai simple style, iioutgh we Itope the author in a futlure edi - ioat will renider it more so. suich a work was much needed, for there s losng existed, event among our edutca younig mtetn amti ladies, a lamesntale efcicnv of iniformmaion relative to the isorv of thaeir~ ownt Stalte. We thinik uis liul e work shotuld be a readinig book . all our Acadecmies, anid every pasrenat in sut Statse, who has sons or daughters to dloencte, shioul d have it in his library. osouth Carolinsa TJemnperance. Advocate. WVe have ofitn spoken inthie early numti ers of our paper of the value of ashes otn erin soils. From te numerous trials hich we have miade, we are inclined to 'tk ashes henteficial otn all dry soils; but i wet andia heavy grounds, they are deci ely had-they tentd so rnake the soilstill ire hseavy anid retenitive efmnoistire anid onseqluently they introduce mxoss. When n on the sutrface, ons heavy, claycy rounds, they will often increase the grass arvert at first. bt as their tenidency is to render soils more heavy atnd clammiy, they huld be applied to those otnly which are gt. We have hteard some farmers object to utting ashers on their dry sandy soils, lest ny should thtus render them still more ry and light, hut a very little reflection or xperience many teach any one that the anlency ofansbes is to reader light soils ore comtipact; and to make thetm retaini oistitre through the whole season. Farmers oin Long island, N. Y., htave feni puirchasedl leached ashes ini Matine, nd used them to good advantage. Mucht fte soil of tat island is sandy, and dhoseo ses have always 'here operated well. ht why wsill the farmers en thie Kenne c river sell these ashes-or why will they ttlTer the soap- hoilers to henda them to a, isancsse ! It is biecatuse mutch of the land n the h'eninchec i< clayey, and a great. rood for nothing as a manure. There is nuch land however on tl:e banks of the Kennebec that would be greatly improved )y the use of ashes, but we .vould not ad ise to put them in large quantities on any :layey soil. On green-sward land small luantities of unleached ashes may ofien he ised to advantage to give vegetation a itart. These are full of lye, and they effect very rapid decomposition of all the vege. able matter within their reaclt-therefore. :here can Ie no objection to putting small iunntities of these unleached ashes intr tills of corn or piotatoes-the lye would vork well to rot all the decomposable mat er in tite green-sward. while the quantity Ised could not much af'ect the soil, after he first seasoti. Leached ashes may be purhased in ma iv parts of btassachuserts for five or six :ents per bushel-a cart load for a yoke of )xcn cost one dollar nd a half-on any 7ravelly or sandy soils iwenty loads of hese to an acre, would le a good dressing or any crop-and their beneficial effectt vill prove much more lasting thnn any kind of stable manure-they will alter iN ome degree the nature of the soil. When ashes are used on corn hills, they dhou!d be applied as soon is the corn is tlanted-it is then less laior. and they >perate quicker ott the vegetable matter it thIe sofil-bit strong asles must not lie pt it the hill with the corn-the lye will cal >if the tender roots of the corn, and will fien destroy tle stalk.-Farmera Gazette, rCherav.) DrTROIT. .lan. 25. E.rplosion of an Infernal Machine. Some time during the last sutmmer, ; rommon soap box, directed to "Petc Weed, Wilkes Durkee, rare of bIr. Ket sey, Birinigham," Oakland county, wa left, by soic unknown person, at the Ea gle Tavern, in this city. It has remained unclaimed, and altmost unnoticed, in the bagange room ever since. On Saturday uight, however, Mr. Lawson, the keepei if tle hot1cl, having occasion to be in the bagtnge room, tossed over the boX witli his foot, when ai explosion ensued, whicl knocked the siding off from the room, tori away the partitions, broke in the sashes o six or eight winlows, tore tp the floor. se vered several of the joists, and severely injured Mr. L. particlarly in his hands, from which he will lose one or two of hih fitgers. Ati exa mination of the fragments result ed in the discovery of what had constitutei a very strong oaken box, capable of hold. ing iwo or three pounds of powder, whicl had been fastened together with two stroni iron bands. Attached to this box was steel spring, to which appeared to have been attached a small hammer, which wa! doubtless constructed to strike u pon a per cussion cap, the explosion of which woul communicate with the oaken deposite o powder-the whole doubtless designed ti explode upon the opening of the box whici encased it. The explosionti was as destructive a would have been the explosion of a kel of powder. It is a miracle that Mr. L was not killed upon the spot. Measure will doulitless he at once taken to solve th mystery which now attaches to the aff'air and, if* murder was designed, to britig th wretches to piunishment.-Daily Adv. plied to the subscribers to a newspaper In almtost all other professinis a man i called a cuistomer, but with ile printer al are patrons. We ought to come to som definition of this word. For my part think no man is truly a patron, except htiti whto pays in advance, H~e whlo pay within six moonthts may be0 called a goon customer~, and lie who pays before or a the ettd of the y'ear, a customer withu an adljectivc. Whlen a person furnishe: pae and pays workmen, weekly, to prin a paper fur a suibscriber, we rathter thini lie is the patron, unless he is refnoder pretty putnctttntly. Let me stare th:e ens< in futll numbers: flere are 600 persont who say to ant inidividual, if you will ex pend 15 or I8 hundred dollars thte comin yeaur, atnd hiestow your own lator. also, ws will, each of its, give you three idollars a the coil of the year, or as soon rhereafte as stilts our conrvenience. I ask if thi woui not be a moust exriaisite proposition and if~ the edlitor who mtighit accede to it wotnhl ntot be a tmost admtirahle bilockhtead Anid vet there are ntatny who thuintk they di exceedintgly well when they act this basis aitbough they have contracted to paty in ad vance. FadJ;g on Classic Groundi.--Wce leari that the venerable Jim B!/1e, who lhas lott fdked rte post of shioehlatck arnd water car rier in the Sottth Carolina College, in at tettptinrg to descetnd a flight of statirs a few mrnintiigs since. while somewhat 1dmu funtd htis head too weighty fotr that corpo real equtilibtriuim essent ial to a safe dlescetn fromt an i up-statirs room,nn wut sas sudden I prctipitted'( to the lower flootr, whlere hi wats fmmi lying insensible. Poor Jin Bltue, this is doubtless the first time i a long bong life. he ever was in a huirry andm finditng from this experiment that fes tinct. lente is the safest motto, we hope i wi' he cauotints how he htereafter puts " spur ini his htead."-Hotwever we have ni doubt liar .Jimt.lus looked quite ns digni led drunk, as his bietters do.-Tem. Advo In rte corresponidence from Algiers, th Toulannais, t he followving singular storyi related: "During the Marshal's hust expedition otne of our Chasseurs fomnd, ntear the tents of a ibe wve were ravagting, a sack of citt siderable magnitude. Wit hoot seeking tr know its couttenlts lhe fastented it Ott tht cruppier oif his horse. Er.e long, to his ut ter~ tonishtment, lie heard a human voici issue fronm his hurihein, and dismtounted t solve the mystery. On opening te sack ie discovered a beautiful fermale betweet 16 andu 17 years of age, uind a valise con aininig abourtt 10,000 frattcs. It appear: that the youing woman was the wife of ai Arah, ,vho had thtus patckedl her tip witl his money as his two greatest valutables but in his terror hadl abtandonedh them both The soldier placed his living ptize on ont of rte ammunition wagons, anid divides the money with his comrades." Fifty-seven inquests were hield by th ,,r cr N. V. city ili ring .Tnnnrv. EDGEFIELD C. 11. THURSDAY, MARcH 4, 1841. The Court of Common Pleas, will sit for this District, on the fourth Monday, (22nd,) of this nonth, and as we anticipate, a general rushing in of uar subscribers, who are in ar. rearages for two, three, and four years back, we take this early opportunity, to beg of them not to come in Cn masse" upon us, but pre serving a systeir. of perfect good order, walk boldly up to the adjustment and liquidation of all claims which we may present to them. We are supplied with a large number of printed blank receipts, which will be filled up " instan ter." To prevent all danger of collision, by passing in and out of the office, another door will be thrown open, through which those who have " forked orer," may pass as fast nas we give them our official signatures." We have deeply felt the importance of such necessary preparations, ever since we noticed nn account of the poor fellow, who was crushed to death, at the counter of the U. S. Bank of Pennsylva nia, on the first day of its resnmption of Specie payients. Ve hope and trust, there fore, that none will stay away, through fear of any accident which may occur, as they may rest assured, that all, - " Both large and small," will meet with our impartial and undivided at- c tention, and receive our hearty congratulations. Our Prospects.-The anxious observers of the course of events. affecting the commerce, oros perity and business of the country, need not to be told by us, that our piospects still wearade. cidedly unwelcome aspect. We have notieed, for some time past, that there has been a tendency toward a a general decline of prices, of all American products. And, although we are led to indulge a hope, yea, a belief that our own staple product, Cot toin, must experience an advance in price, yet, we fear, that many of ourPlanters, who are in debt, are holding back for higher prices, tinder a belief that they could do better, while the chance they run, is extremely hazardous, and may terminate in a serious embarrassment, to them. Property of all kinds generally declines, and must decline, when money is scarce, and at such times creditors need, and are importunate for their pity. All this now seems inevitable, in our present situation, and may as well be submitted to with good grace, and becoming patience. We are of the opinion, that there should be no obstinate holding back for higher prices, at least among those who owe; others, can more justly, if not more wisely, do as they think pro per. Let every man who owes, sell whatever lie can spare, and pay his debts, it will be the best course in any event, bit especially in one which we think notimprobable-an increase of e general depression and embarrassment. Mean while business has become stagnant, and must remain so, until a change takes place. This change must be brought about, by a setulement to cv~ry ier'ectung person, UI AIVIPism OaW ry body owes every body, and all are pressing for their pay, we cannot expect a return of the days of comfort, content, and prosperity. Thec A pology teOrse than the Act.-WVe occa. sionally hear gentlemen apologizing for some Iegregious bluinder, which they have comnmit ted, or some uncalled for remark which they have made at certain periods and places, in consegitnece of having inidulged too freely in the tise of the " soul inspiring beverage." We Ihave however comie to the conclusion that all apologies in such cases, are useless, and fre quently make the affair worse, instead of bet ter, and we are reminded of a curious anecdote, that may have been before in priint, althongh we do not recollect ofhaving~ seen it. A certain king lhad a ccrtauin jester. whlom he kept according to the fashtioni of the time, to minuister to his amuscements, lby witty repartees, and ridiculotis fooleries. One day, the king was stooping down, to have his face with cool water, from a golden ewer. While dloinig this, his jester came softly behind him, and applyintg his foot suddenly to the kings, tripped him up, anid prostrated his majesty's highness flat upon the floor. Th'le king arose in great wrath, and execrating the poor fool, ordcred his itmmediate excentioni. Wiherenpon, the unhappy olbject -oh his displeasure threw himself~ uponi his knees, andl hesce ched so pitionsly for his life, that his illtnstrintus manster, consented to grant thme paltry boon oii condition That condition was, that the jester, shonl within a certaiin period, per formi an act eqnally criminal.nand instantaneous u y make an apology more criminal than the act it self. But a few hours had elapsed, before the king againm stooped to lave his tace ini cool water from the goldent ewer. Again the jester came tip softly behind htimt, and precipitated his mia jesty hieadlong to the ground. -Tempestuous was the king's rage ; bitt it in stantly subsided itnto forgiveness and laughter, whetn the jester promptly exclaimed: "Oh, dear ! I beg youir majesty's pardon !-I thought it was your wife !" Firgfinia.-Hlon. Ri. M. T. Uninter, the prne sent Speaker of the House of~ Representatives in Congress, is a volunteer candidate for re election. He declare himnself indepenident of party, bitt opposed to a Protective Trariff, a Na tional Batik, a Distribution of the proceeds of Public Lands, or anty increase of duties on Wines, Silks, &c. 1Massadcsusl.-Hon. Daniel Webster, has sent in his resignation as U. S. Seniator, to thme Le-islature ofthiis State. lion. Rnufus Chioate, of Boston, is spoken of as his successor, and will probably be elected. A little upstart of three feet stature,(mnore or less,) lately accosted a tall columun of humanity thus "Wol, now, you'd a been considerable of a tall chap. I recknnm if they had'ut turned ,town .mn mtata of enntru eg to-tike vour fe-t." Whig.) Governor of the State, has been elect. d to the U. S. Senate, for the term of six ears from the 4th of March. inst., in place of be lion. John Nuryell, (V. B.) Absence of Mind.-An elderly gentleman valking aloig the street, took hold of a cow's al, and placing it gracefully upon her back, xclaimed, " Madain, you have dropped your iuff." A Yankee advertises wooden cakes, beauti illy frosted over, and mahogany doughouts, or parties. What rare specimens of economy iese hard times do produce. Look before you leap.-The following senti nent, is from the French of Marivaux. Those vho adopt it in practice, will be likely to avoid :tecipitate marriages;.and perhaps die scfe ass: " I would advise a man to pause Before he takes a wife; Indeed. I own, I see no cause lie should not pause for life!" Communications. AGRICULTURAL. %greeable to previous notice, a few of the :itizens of Abbeville and Edgefield, assem )led at Cambridge, on Saturday the 13th ast., for the purpose of considering on the iecessity and propriety of forming an Agri -ublural Society. On motion ofDr. Cain, WHITEFIELD FROOKS, Esqr,, wn called to the Chair, tnd Capt. RoUT. CuILD, appointed as Secretary. The Chairman explained the object of he meeting in a few appropriate remarks, i which he urged the necessity and im iortance of the movement, and the bene icial results that must ensue from the con :entration of the intelligence and energien Df the community, in the improvement and culture of the soil, in the manifold and va ried duties of husbandry, and the proprie ty of forming a Society for that purpose. On motion of Gen. Gillam, a commit ee of t-hree was appointed by the Chair, o prepare and submit a Constitution for he government of the Society. The.Chair man appointed Messrs. Gillam, Cain and 1. W. Chiles, who having retired, report id a Constitution, which was read and approved, and on motion, was taken up ilause by clause, considered, amended, and adopted. The meeting proceeded in their organ ization, by subscribing to the Constitu tion, by which they were pledged to each other, to move onward in the great cause, and their utmost exertions to promote the objects in view; and although thedaywas exiremnely cold, twenty-two signatures were annexed to the Constitution. They now proceeded to the election of Officers for the government of the Society, which resulted in the choice of Gen. Gil Vice President; Dr. T. V. CaiO, Corres ponding Secretary; Capt. Robt. Child, Recording Secretary, and Dr. Richar'd C. Griffn, Treasurer. Thte Society thus~heing organized, and the President having taken the Chair, pro ceeded to ballot for an Orator under the Constitution, to deliver a suitable address to the Society, on the first Friday in May next, which resulted in the choice of Whit field Brooks, Esqr., fur that purpose. The following resolutions were then submitted and unanimously adopted: Recsolredl, That the President appoint the Standing Cotmmittees of the Society, required b~y the Constitution at his leisure. Resolved, That when this Society ad journs, it adjourn to meet again at this place on the first Satturday in March next. Resolred, That the proceedings of this meeting be published in the Edgefield Ad vertiser, the Greenville Mountaineer, and the Columbia Sotuth Carolinian, and that we invite the co-operation of our fellow citizens to mako a comrron cause with us, in the advancement of an interest the most important atnd interesting among men, and which is, in truth, the foutndation of all othters; to aid us in our endlenvors to arrest - the progress of abtuses ; to retrieve this fair and once fertile region in wvhich Providence , has cast our lots, from the desolation that swept over it, atnd to which we are bound by so many tics, and endearing and inter esting associations ; restore its lost fertility, and make it the home of plenty for our selves and our children. Adjourned. By order of thte Society, ROBT. CHILD, Recording Secretary. Cambridge, Feb. 35. 1840. SINGULAR ADVENTURE. The night was already far spent, thne moon was rapidly sinking, beneath the western horizon, the minor luminaries, une after aniothmer, in quick succession, hid -- Imhemselves behind the distant hills, or were 'ibscured by thme thickly gathering clouds. The village lamps had all ceased to illu mine the streets, except here and there, at intervals, frequent, andi far betwveen, was observed a lamp issuing faint rays; now spritnging up, darting its beams far along the smooth pavement, guiding the steps of the weary foot man ; now sinking low, los ing all its brilliancy, enveloping him irn im penetrable darkness; now flickering, ris ing as it wvere in bubbles, bursts, and is no"