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WASHINGTON. ? Liberty and Union, now and Aimer, one and Inseparable." SATURDAY, APRIL ID, 1845. THE UNITED STATES AND BRAZIL.' | Our readers are freshly reminded, by the com ment* upon it in the British Parliament which have reached us by the last steamer, of the Message of President Tyler to Congress, founded on commu nications received here in February from the Min ister of the United States at Rio Janeiro, touching the prosecution of the Slave Trade by citizens of the United States as well as British subjects, notr withstanding the penal laws and the existing treaties between the two countries for its prevention and abolition. This remnant of the Slave Trade, it is under-1 sW6d, our Minister (the Hon. Heney A. Wise) had, under a sense of duty as the representative of his country, and with something of that vehemence which 10 be mwparable from his public cha ractcr mingu 1 arl y the reverse of the tenor of his private life1 ???at himself about extirpating, by a pro ceaf IftOr* ?tunmary than was entirely acceptable to I the Go*-rrtHnent to which he waa accreiited, and, I Recurrent reports are well-founded, by means] rather more energetic than the uaual course oi diplomacy. Of what haa actually passed between our Minister and the Brazilian authorities we hare no doubt that our Government is well-informed, by communica tion^ from Mr. Wise, if not also by remonstrances from\he Government of Brazil, and that the country will in time be informed, upon proper authority, what is the true state of the case. At present, however, our information o* the sub ject, through the medium of extracts from mercan tile letters which find their way into the newa?pers, is very indistinct. We can only infer certainly from these accounts that a really serious difficulty has arisen between our Minister and the Govern ment of Brazil, for the history and consequences of which it is proper that our readers should hold themselves prepared. The foUpwing letter, written apparendy by a| young officer on board of one of our vessels ot war, | though far from satisfactory, affords the clearest! glimpse we have yet had of the occurrences in tfie harbor of Rio Janeiro early in February, being some five or six weeks later than the date of Mr. Wise's despatches transmitted to Congress by the late President: A Letter published in the Cleveland Plaindealer. I Rio dk Janeiro, FasauaaT 9, 1845. The Brazilian Government have insulted our Minister heie, I and also the Consul, and in fact the American officers and the I flag daily. The Minister has written on to Washington about I it to know how he shall act?whether he shall declare war or | not, and to send him out a larger fleet. The Brazilians are I fitting out all their ships of war, and preparing their forts, so that I every tiling looks like war here. They are impressing men I every day on board their vessels of war, and come out boldly 1 and say to our commander and officers they are ready to go I to war and give the d ? el ^ ankees a licking. The English I ulit I the French here are laughing in their aleeves at it. H e took au American ?l?? brig called the Porpoise of brunswvk a fortnight ago, with the slaves on board, and $80,000 in gold and silver, with $20,000 worth of gold duiU. Wi kept her fjr a week, under charge of the frigate, but the authorities here demanded Iter, and in fact made the Minister and Com modore give it up, or they would have sunk us. They had all their ships around us, and their forts double-manned, and their guns double-shotted to blow us out of water if we at tempted to resist, so that we must have a war, or recall our navy home and jiocket the insult. We learn from " tha Constitution" that William H. Stiles, a Representative in 'the last Congress from the State of Georgia, has been appointed by the President of the United States to be Charg6 d'Affaires to Austria, and Auoustf. Davezac to the same diplomatic rank to the Netherlands. THE PROGRESS OF ANNEXATION. No observer of the course of things since the be ginning of the annexation movement needs to be told that the acquisition of Texas is intended as the initiative of other acquisitions of Mexican territory. The following paragraph from the Nashville Union has its own significance : ii The last advices from California inform us that the pro vince is in a state of revolution?the naUves wishing to expel the Mexicans, and having every prospect of succes*. The struggle will be short, if it has not already terminated. We learn also that many of our citizens who emigrated to Oregon have fallen down and settled in North California, and that they have found the most delightful climate and a rich soil. They affirm that Oregon is but a bleak, barren waste, compared with California. We refer to these facts to show that it is not at all unreasonable to suppose that California may be in a con dition at a very early Joy to be axxmsd to our Union." A more convenient mode of conquest was never devised than the one which has given us Texas, and which promises to secure California. Our set tlers go into a Mexican province and take up their abode ; others follow them ; they take occasion to ihs local authorities, sure of assistance from their countrymen in the United States; the struggle is for liberty. They prevail, and then they and the country are in a condition to be annexed. This is more convenient than a warlike invasion. [Baltimore American. HAYTI. V ' The Kingston papers announce the determination of Heeaed, Ex-President of Hayti, who has been for some time sojourning in Jamaica, to return im mediately to Port au Prince, with the view of re gaining the Chief Magistracy. Herard has been persuaded to this step by a deputation which re cently arrived in Jamaica from Hayti, for the pur pose of inducing him to abandon hia peaceful pri vacy far a career of ambition. He is under the im preasion that he will be made President once more without bloodshed ; but we expect to hear of fresh troubles when he effects a landing at Port au Prince.?New Orleans Picayune. Pennsylvania.?'The bill authorizing the New York and Erie Railroad Company to connect their work with the Pennsylvania improvements, was lost in the Pennsylvania Senate on Tuesday, by a vote of 12 to 14. The bill to revive the charter of the Girard Bank was lost in the House?yeas 36, nays 39. The legislature adjourned sine die on Wednesday. The " Nantucket Inquirer" and the "Nantucket Tele graph," both daily papers, have both been purchased by En w**n W. Cork, who has been for sometime connected with the former paper, and who will now unite the two under the nam* of the Inquirer. It is computed that the whole number of buildings erected in Boston during the past year is not less than two thoutand. The number put up in some parts of the environs, particularly pharlestown, Chelsea, and Cambridge, is even much larger. There has been no official annunciation, for some days past, of removals from office or new appoint ments by the Executive. Judging from notices in distant papers, however, the " reform" is still going od the guillotine is still at work. Among the re movals which is reported is that of Hon. N. P. Tall*ado* from' the office of Governor of Wis consin, to be succeeded by Gen. Henry Dodoe, late Delegate in Congress from that Territory, and heretofore its Governor The publication of the Jilbuny Daily Advertiser ceased on Monday last, the subscription list having been transferred to the Evening Journal. We re gret the demise of the Advertiser, which has been always distinguished by a genuine Republican spi rit, and in general conducted with marked ability. Gratifying evidence of the prosperity of the New York Courier and Enquirer is the fact that, although already perhaps the largest paper in the country, its dimensions have been just now enlarged, by the addition of four columns, to make room for its ad vertising customers. The New York Express very handsomely vin dicates the character of the City of Washington from the reproach of unhealthiness cast upon it by the correspondent of another paper published in that city. Says the Express: " Ttiere ia not a more healthy city in the Union than Wash ington. The Congressmen who assemble there generally change their habits of living entirely after leaving home. Some of them are men of dissipated habits, and many of then live ao irregularly, both as to the hours of eating and sleeping, and labor and exercise, that it is impossible that many of them should not be ill very frequently ; and yet we have our doubts if the writer is correct in what he says. In & ten years' resi dence at Washington, during the seamons of Congress, we have but upon two or three occasions seen the time when eve ry member of Congress was not in his seat when any question of great importance required their attendance." r ? APPOINTMENTS BY TIYE PRESIDENT. Lewis Sanders, to be Navy Agent for the State of Kentucky, vice James Hamilton, removed. Daniel Pierce, to be Naval Storekeeper at Portsmouth, N. H., vice Ch??s. W. Cutter, resigned. J. F. H. Claiborne, to be Live Oak Agent for Louisiana, vice A. G. South all, removed. ? [Constitution. ARRIVAL OF THE VANDALIA. Our readers were informed by our yesterday's Ethat the U. S. ship Vandalia had been in I with the yellow fever at Port au Prince, and that a large number of her crew were sick from it. The Vandalia arrived in Hampton Roads on Wed nesday, and it is now our painful task to add, that the disease, since her sailing from Port au Prince on the 1st of April, has been direful in its results. Many of the crew are on the sick list, and nineteen have died. Among the deaths are the following officers: George Mason Hook, 1st Lieutenant. Lieut. James M. Lockklt. Surgeon D. 8. Greex. Purser Robert 8. Moore. Johx Overman, Carpenter, (before reported.) 8amcel Crow, Sailmaker. The Vandalia has been towed up to the bight of Craney Island, and her sick sent up to the Naval Hospital. There are only about forty or fifty sick, and most of them are out of danger. The sloop ot war Fairfield was ordered down yesterday to reccive on board the healthy part of the crew, and the ship has been ordered to quarantine, where she will remain until, in the opinion of the Health offi cer, she can be safely permitted to come up to the Navy Yard.?Norfolk Herald. - Maine.?The Legislature of the Suite of Maine has just closed it# annual session, which was con tinued for ninety-eight days. Amongst its acta is one repealing the law which laid a tax on railroads and railroad property ; bo that the stock only is now taxed as fiersonal property to the holders in the place of their residence, and railroad buildings and the land on which they stand are taxed as other real estate. Recent town elections in Ohio show great Whig gains, compared even with the contest last fall, and give assurance that the Whigs will sweep every thing before them in the next general election in the State. The annual chartcr election was held in Newark last Monday. Isaac Baldwin, Whig, was elected Mayor, having received 1,244 votes, against 1,076 for James Miller, Democrat. Fourteen of the sixteen Aldermen are Whigs ; last year twelve. An election was held in New Orleans on the 7th instant for members of the City Council. The con test did not altogether partake of a party character. In the first municipality six Whigs and six Locofo cos were chosen, and in the other two municipalities the Whigs have large majorities. The United States Bchooner Flirt, arrived at Norfolk from Carthagena, which place she left on the 20th ultimo, brings news of the election of Gen. Mosqitera to the Presidency of the Republic of New Granada, by a majority of three electoral votes. The soap factory of James Buchan, in Elizalieth street, New York, was destroyed by fire, with its contents, on Sunday. The loss will amount to Sift,000 or $20,000, of which but a small portion is covered by insurance. The post office at Webster, in Maine, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday night, about eleven o'clock, with all the blanks, mail bags, (lc. Jacdb Hill, the postmaster, lost all his private papers, library, dcc. The Rulivo Passion &rnoxo rn ? Water.?A week or ten days since, on the arrival of the steamer Smith at Al bany, Georgia, a general rush was made by the merchants for the boat, to engage freight; one, more daring than the rest, attempted to leap upon her deck before she reached the wharf; in this he failed, and was noon submerged, head and ears. While the astonished crowd stood breathless with apprehen eion for his fate, his head rose high above water, and he cried out, "I say, captain, tare room for my three hundred bales /"?Apalacnicola Gazette, bth. Fatal Railroad AccinENT.?As the four o'clock train waa proceeding towards Frederick on Sunday evening, and when about twelve miles from Baltimore, passing a short curve near Bussard Rock, an old gentleman named Abel Chapman, who resided in that vicinity, was sitting upon the track, and the train approached to within twenty yards of him before he waa discovered hy the engineer, when it was unfortunately too J*** check the apeed of the engine, which pasaed over him, killing him inatantiy. Norfolk, April 15. . Naval?The U. 8. sloop of war Ot. Mary's, Commander I g?** '? 8acri?ehb, dropped down to Hampton Roads on ? ''i""*WrrcB?We have noticed already the ar Tr. . .w "*nd"?me little iron steamer from Washington, which is intended to be used for towing the public vessels and t* * em*" '"."p J?'"" placed under the command of Mr hdmund F. Olmsted, master's mate of the Pennsylvania, who had previously had charge of the steamer Engineer, em ployed in the same senrice. The Engineer has been turned over to the Navy Yard. Almost immediately on her arrival the Water Witch had a job to perform in towing the Saratoga down to the Roads, which she performed in two hours and forty minutes against a strong head wind and tide. On Sun day she tackled to the St. Mary'a and towed her five miles down the river, when, Uie wind being fair, the ahip spread aail and the steamer cast off. The Water Witch is fitted with Hunter's propeller, to which she does ample justice, her speed averaging eleven miles an hour. She ia exactly the thing she is intended for. Her engine we learn is 160-horse power, and her tanks are of the capacity of 2(1,000 gallons. In case' of a fire she has four force pumps sufficient to supply almost any number of engines, ana with the facility of running alongside of wharves or shipping, which is peculiar to Lieut. Hunter's propeller, she woulid be found most useful in snch an emer- j gency.?Herald. LATE FROM MEXICO. The arrival at New Orleans of the iehooner I Waitr-Wxtch has put us in' possession of intelli-1 gence from Vera Cruz to the 31st ultimo, anil the city of Mexico to the 22d, which we compilel from the New Orleans papers as follows : Santa Anna still remains a prisoner at Perote, I awaiting the action of his Judges. The treatment he received was much mitigated, and his lriends in I the different Departments were gathering Btrength and courage to a degree that was believed to cause some apprehension to the existing Government, aiu I to induce the delay and hesitation which are evinced I in disposing of hiin. Indeed, it is not considered I improbable that, under the pretence of prosecuting a war with the United States, he may yet be in vested with the command of the army, and through 1 that means reinstate himself in power. The British sloop-of-war Eurydice sailed from Vera Cruz on the 29th ultimo for Galveston, with! despatches for the British Minister in Texas, and also, it was reported, for the Texan Government. I A great many rumors prevailed with regard to the nature of these communications. It was generally 1 credited, however, that they contained a complete recognition on the part of Mexico of the indepen-1 dence of Texas, on the condition that she rejected the proposed annexation to the United States. The Texas question, as may be supposed, creates much excitement in Mexico. I On the 21st of Marcli the Chamber of Deputies took into consideration the subject of annexation. I Resolutions were introduced, and warmly support ed, for declaring the provisions of the Treaty of 1831 (ratified in 1832) at an end; for closing the ports of Mexico against all vessels of the United States, and prohibiting the introduction of our manu factures ; and, finally, that no proposition from our Government for the restoration of friendly relations should be listened to, save upon the condition that the United States should renounce altogether the plan of annexation. . . At the last accounts, the passage of the resolutions 1 through the Senate was known, but their final passage through the House, as amended, was unknown. I The press appeared disposed to think that the House I would not accept them. There is, of course, much indignation expressed at the idea of annexation, and I many harsh things said of this Government. ?/l Monitor Constitucionel, a journal commenced im mediately after the last revolution in support of the existing Government, indulges in a philippic parti cularly violent. It is sadly at a loss to know how I " a miserable majority of two votes' in the Senate should be allowed to plunge the nation into war with so redoubtable a country as Mexico. Nothing, j it declares, can prevent hostilities ; and it accord ingly exhorts all Mexicans to die together, rather than suffer degradation and loss of honor. The whole of the Press is extremely pugnacious. Senor Gomkz Pedraza has been declared Minis-j ter Plenipotentiary of the Republic to Franee, to set tle with that kingdom a treaty between the two countries. A letter from Ojaca, dated the 13th March, states that, on the afternoon of the 9th instant, a frightful earthquake was experienced in that city, which lasted but two minutes, producing considerable in jury and destruction. Not a single edifice, public or private, but was overthrown or damaged by the violence of the shock. Fortunately, very few per sons were injured. The next day the shock was again felt, but more slightly. The escape of the city from absolute destruction is ascribed to the short period which the convulsion lasted. 1 FROM THE WRECK OF THE SWALLOW. ! TK? Albany Argae of Tuowd.y says ?. " The Sfiiafa- Com ! mittee returned yesterday afternoon from the wreck. From the Chairman we understand that no more bodies were found ! yesterday, though men are still raking the river for some dis tance below the rock on which the Swallow struck. The , great depth of the water ill the channel (from thirty to sixty feet) renders the chances of raking up the dead very uncertain. ??The time (a consideration of some importance) in which i the Swallow was sinking seems U? be in much doubt. The testimony of those present ranges between ten and fifteen minutes. The instinct of self-preservation is so strong and active under such an emergency, that the hope may l>e in dulged that there are not so many souls in that ill-fated wreck as natural apprehensions suggested. " Whether this l?e a well-grounded hope or not is not likely to l>e very soon ascertained, so far as the interior of the boat can show it, for there are yet, notwithstanding the public anxiety, no preparations for raising the wreck. ' A correspondent of the Boston Atlas gives a very interest* ing account of the rescue of Miss Com**LI a Platt from the Swallow, by her own coolness and the heroic courage of Mr. James A. Hicks, under whose care she hail been placed. They were in the cabin whon the l>oat struck, and Mr. Hicka had just secured a settee and told the lady to cling firm ly to it, when they were swept into the river by a rush of WIThey floated first towards Hudson, but had gone but a little way when a little girl, four or five years old, floated against them. Mr. H. seized hold of her and drew her upon the set tee. Her added weight overturned the settee, and in the struggle the little girl, who had not uttered a word, but had displayed great coolnesa, was lost and drowned. The two then changed their course for Athens. They had the utmost difficulty to ksep the settee fiom overturning, and were repeatedly grasped by persons struggling in the jntn around them, and whom they were forced to beat off. With one man, who attempted to take the settee irom them, Mr. Hicks had a severe struggle. ? . , When they had been in the water half an hour, a l?at ap proached, and after sinking twice they were taken on board. When sinking the first time, Mr. Hicks debated whether he should let go or cling to the settee. Fearing if he let go he could not find it again, both sank together, and on coming up the lady, though insensible, still clung to the settee. By great exertions he kept her head above water a moment, and called to them in the boat to nave her and let him go. They were both rescued and recovered. Miss Platt, dur ing the whole fearful struggle, maintained the most perfect self-possession < and Mr. Hicks certainly behaved with the most devoted and unselfish courage. Such incidents, credit able in the highest degree to human nature, should not pass unnoticed.?New York Courier. ? e Loss of Lirit i* Pittsbchh.?The Garette says that fire persons are now pretty certainly supposed to be lost in the great fire. Samuil Kikostow, Esq. and a woman employed as a servant in the family, perished in his house on Second street. A poor woman, of German extraction, perished on Third street. A married woman, the mother of two children, named McOowly, perished on Third street, and a man named Johnson is supposed to have been lost in Wood street, having last been seen in a burning building. There are also reports of the loss of others, which cmnn?t he traced to any reliable sourre. Such was the intense hat of the fire that it consum - ed the remains of its unfortunate victims in most instances en tirely. The Pittsburg City Reguktor states that the burnt dis trict covers fifty ocTes in the city and six acres out of it. si thk Curat FiRr.?A committee appointed by the Pittsburg Councils, after a fall examination of the burnt district, having minutely visited every part of it, have arrived at the following result: 982 buildings burnt, value $1,566,500 Value of personal property burnt 1,913,450 479,950 This does not include money or personal property of young men or persons not keeping house. In calculating the value of real estate, the committee have estimated the cash value of the improvements as they were before the fire, and not what it will require to repair or rebuild them, which must exceed the above estimate at least twenty-five per cent. Those who stood on the wharves of Alexandria on Tues day afternoon, just as the sun was going down, enjoyed a most lieautiful sight. The bree*e was light and the tide favorable, and under their combined influence, the gallant barque Gen. Harrison, surrounded by a fleet of twenty-one not I of Poto mac river craft, came up into harbor. The river for a mile was whitened with canvass, and the scene was animating in the highest degree.?Alexandria Gazette. THE LATE FIRE AT PITT8BUR0. The following in a list of some of the most va luable buildings destroyed at Pittsburg by the great fire of Thursday last: City On* Work*, Monongahela bridge, Merchant-' Hotel, American Hotel, Mononguhela House, Globe Cotton Factory, three Insurance Office*, Doula. Iron Work* in Pipetown, Bakewull'* glass warehouse, Associate Reform Church, May or's office, Pittsburg Hank, Weatern University, Cook a [>e riodical office, 14 commiaaion and forwarding merchants, 26 wholesale and retail groceries, 7 druggist*, ' '* dry ^tKX'K "lcr chants, 3 oil factories 6 hardware merchants, 2 quoenswure merchants, 4 Iwokaellers, 8 newspaper and job printing offices, U paper hIoh's, 7 confectioner# anil baker*, 9 iron and nai ac lories, 4 foundries, 8 cotton factories, 1 soap factory, 6 tin an sheet-iron factories, 5 glass factories, 6 comb and brush stores, 15 shoe stores, 7 hat stores, 3 watchmakers, 6 tobacco and cigar factories, 17 hotels and coffee-houses, 3 bell ?nd brmw foundries, 3 white lead factories, 4 livery stables, 12 cabinet and chair factories, 10 physicians, 8 tailoring establishments, 3 exchange brokers, &c. &c. <Stc. The loss is variously estimated at lrom eight to twelve million of dollars. One paper says : It is 4 impossible to calculate the loss. Merchants, me * chanics, workingmen?all, all have been ruined. 4 Nor do we believe that the insurance offices will 4 ever be able to pay one hundredth part of the pro 4 perty insured by them. Ruin stares hundreds ol 4 families in the face that yesterday morning rose 4 from their beds with plenty of this world s goods, 4 and they have now no place to lay their heads or 4 bread for themselves and children. All the m 4 suranee offices are broken up?they will not be 4 able to pay two per cent. Only about ? 15,000* 4 were taken in insurance companies in other cities. In the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Monday a special message was received from Governor Sbusk rela tive to the fire at PittsbuTg. Both Houses, by a unanimous vote, passed immediately thereafter a bill for the relief of the city of Pittsburg, which appropriates the sum of $50,000 out of the State Treasury for the reUef of the suffering, suspends the cancellation of relief notes, releases the State and county taxes of the sufferers for the present year, and the years 1846, '47, and '48, and remit* the licenses taxed upon dealers in merchandise whose establishments have been destroyed. Measures for the relief of the sufferers are in progress in al of the cities from which we have yet received information. At Baltimore, on Tuesday, the first branch of the City Coun cils passed a resolution appropriating $5,000 to be applied to this purpoee. The bill did not reach the other branch until after it had adjourned, but of its becoming a law there remains no doubt. On the same day a large and respectable Town Meeting was held at the Exchange, in the same city, at which measures were adopted to collect pecuniary contributions from the citizens generally in aid of the same object; and, a sub scription-book having been opened at the meeting, a large number of the gentlemen in attendance promptly came for ward and made lil>eral sul?scription8. In view of the magnitude of the calamity which has be- | fallen the people of Pittsburg, it is at least some satisfaction to l>e assured that they are by no means inclined to yield to despondency. The Gazette of that city holds the following cheering language : " We have carefully inquired of many of our clearest headed business men, those most thoroughly conversant with the resources of the city, as to the probable effect of this dis aster upon its prosperity, and, coupled with oitr own knowl edge of the strength of the merchants who were burnt out, the position of their circumstances, ?Stc., we are fully convinced that though the commercial prospects of the city are terribly shaken, yet it is not totally pro.itruted, and in due time will rise above it all. Our large manufactories are uninjured ; the only mills of any imj>ortancc which are burnt being the Globe Factory, which is the smallest in the city, the Kensing ton Iron Works, and Bakewell & Pears'n Glass Works. Va rious other small establishments were destroyed, but it is with much satisfaction we announce that the great leading branches are comparatively untouched, and that business, so far U3they arc concerned, will go on ?? urual. 44 As for our wholesale merchants in the grocery, queens ' ware, and dry goods branches who were burnt out, some nuinbei I of them will commence forthwith. Some are wholly ruined, many much crippled, but we believe the majority can go oil , as usual, and yesterday they were busy getting places ol busi , ness and offices. 44 It is with heartfelt pleasure we observe the fortitude with which they bear their losses. There is no. repining?no des pair?no Rullenness ; but a calm, determined spirit, which must carry them up again. The effect will I>e to set us back for a moment, hut we never had more confidence in the strength and spirit of our merchants to overcome it all in time. It must not be supposed that all the business portions of the city are consumed. Most of the dry-goods johliers are untouched ; so of the hardware merchants, slid a numlier of the heavy houses are out of the limits of the burnt district. And it for tunately happens too, that a large amount of groceries from the cast, for the city, had not arrived. We repeat, therefore, that, though the city is terribly shaken, it is neither ruined nor totally prostrated." ^ The Gazette also gives some additional particulars of the fire. It says : 44 The destruction of the second, or south ward, nearly the oldest part of the city, and one of the most populous of the five wards, is complete and overwhelming. It is left almost without inhabitants, only two or three dwellings remaining. In the morning and at noon the streets of this ward were thronged with a crowded and busy population, numbering Home nix thousand nouU?in the evening not a single inhabit ant was left on iU deserted streets and squares, and ruin stalk ed supreme. Nearly all the goods and household property in this ward were lost. The fire raged with such uncontrollable fury, and the distance necessary to move was so grrnt, that the frightened and flying inhabitants had only time to^part with one load upon their backs, or in such conveyance as they could procure at a moment's warning, and to return and find their houses in flames and inaccessible ! The more complete destruction of any ward we think was never known. 44 Kensington is well nigh annihilated. With very few ex ceptions, all its inhabitants were operatives in, or dependant on, the mills and foundries ; and, by this calamity, hundreds of them are houseless and homeless.' The contents of the vaults of the Bank of Pittsburg were found unharmed, as heretofore stated j but it now appears that most of those who depended on their iron-safe* were doomed to disappointment. The Gazette says 44 that every book and paper in the safe of Messrs. Sibbett <k Josm were burn1 up, and the gold and silver melted together. Hardly one safe out of ten, exposed to the fire in the buildings saved any thing in them. A large number were completely destroyed, with all their contents." Mr. Samibl Kimostoi has been missing since the tire. He was last seen going into his burning office. It is feared he is lost. At the last accounts the fire in Difrmal Swamp was raging with unabated fury. The captains of two schooners who passed through the canal on Thursday to Norfolk, were ap prehensive at times that they would be compelled to abandon their vessels intense was the heat. Thf. Ctclop wm a or Phacticai Mantel**, complete in ! twenty-four parts making four large octavo volumes has re cently lieen published, and is now for sale at the very low price of twelve dollar*?which is about half the price of the English edition. This work, which is a complete dictionary of practical medicine, is a standard work on that subject, and has had as contributors names of the greatest celebrity in mo dern medicine. This American edition has passed under the revision of Dr. Dunglison, who has also contributed largely to its contents. ? While the claims of the elder cultivators of medical science have not been forgotten, the labors of modern writers of Great Britain and Ireland, with those of French, German, and Italian pathologists which have measureably changed the whole face of practical medicine, have received due attention. No such work has before been published in this country < and physieans should not lose this opportunity to possess i work of so great value, and which, as a work of dsilv reference, will be to them of such incalculable service. [Halt. Patriot. Whilst the steamboat Josephine was on her passage up the Ohio river, on the 8th instant, and near Madison, Indiana, one of her boilers exploded, and a fragment of it was driven with tremendous force through the cabin deck into one of the state-rooms passing thence through the hurricane deck and disappearing in the river. A gentleman, Mr. James Ellis, of Alleghany county, Pennsylvania, was so severely scalded that he died s.wn after reaching Madison. No one else was injured. Monk Natchi* 8c*Slt*.?The Natchez Courier says: 44 On last Friday week, at the Globe Hotel in this city, a ren contre took place between a man named Gadl<erry and an other named Farmer. Farmer died on Saturday night ln?l ,i? is supposed from the effects of the shot. Gadberry was com mitted for trial." EDITORS' CORRESPONDENCE. New Orleans, April 9/1845. We are without any thing of great interest here. Some anxiety is felt to hear from Mexico after they know of the final action at Washington on the sub ject of Texas, ^fhe recent revohiionary change of Government there, and the general situation of Mexi co, render it improbable that she will resort to hos tilities aguinst the United States; still it is very pos sible that, in the irritation of the moment, aud with out wailing to deliberate on the consequences, she may take steps that will lead to a collision between the two countries. Should such an event occur,all the privateersmen of the world will be let loose on our commerce under the Mexican Hag ; and, though I perceive some writers, and among them Mr. Cushino, contend that we could and would execute summary punishment on all such foreigners that fell into our hands, I cannot see or understand with what face or show of justice we could do any thing of the kind, particularly if Mexico makes or declares them to be her citizens, which she has the undoubted right to do. No one denies the right and power of our Congress to modify and change the naturaliza tion laws, and, insteail of the five years' residence now required, to declare every foreigner to be a citi zen who may enter our itrmy or navy and take the oath of allegiance, without other or previous for mality; and how can we deny the same power and right to Mexico, or consider such persons, when I captured by us, in any other light than prisoners of war, particularly as they never owed any allegiance to the United States ? In the last war with Great Britain we very justly threatened a dreadful retalia , tion if that Government carried into effect her threats of treating as traitors any of her own natural-born subjects that she found fighting against her in our ships ; and yet we are gravely told that we ought to treat as pirates any foreigners that may be found fighting against us under the Mexican flag! This kind of reasoning is quite too common among us, and when Mr. Cushino advances it, he shows that he is scant well read in the school of Grotius and Puffendorf, and has not yet got through the A B C in his diplomatic education. Such a course as he suggests would not only be grossly inconsistent, but would soon cause us to be outlawed by every civil ized nation of the world. A war with Mexico, however small her own means, is not going to be such a holyday game as many seem to imagine; and I most sincerely hope the good sense and dis cretion of the new Government will prevent it. In the end, of course, they would get the worst of it to a great extent. Texas securities continue very dull and low here ; the notes 1I| to 12 per cent.,and the interest bonds 19 to 20 per cent. There appears still to be some opposition there to annexation, bnt I do not believe it is extensive or influential, nor do I suppose there will be any serious objection to the measure among their DeoDle. Judge Leonard died here yesterday of the wound received inthe duel with Mr. Toca some time since. He was the leader of the Locofoco party in the Parish of Plaquemine, and Mr. Toca a prominent Whig of the same parish, and this unfortunate re sult grew out of the recent election in that parish ; the immediate cause, I believe, l>eing some testimo ny that was given on the subject before the commit tee appointed by the Legislature. Mr. Leonard was a prominent citizen, being Judge of the above parish and a member of the Convention now sitting in this city. The affair has created great excite ment and feeling among us. Shall we ever see the day arrive when these kind of personal meetings will be regarded in their true light, as the relics of a barbarous age, and disgraceful in a civilized and Christian community ? The practice can only be put down by public opinion, as laws are perfectly inoperative on the subject. In the present instance the parties fought with puns at forty paces. The recent heavy advance on almost every kind of produce has had a most favorable effect, and saved this city not only from great pecuniary embarrass ment, hut probably from many and extensive failures ; and we may now safely look forward to a satisfac tory close to the business of the season. Within two months sugar has advanced at least 50 per cent.; molasses still more: the former is worth from 5 cents for common to 64 cents for good ; molasses 28 to 29 cents 011 the levee. Cotton also lias im proved, in consequence of European advices and the repeal of the duty in England, notwithstanding Mr. McDitffie's theory that consumers pay theduty. It now ranges here from 5 cents to 7| cents. Pork has advanced 50 per cent, in the last few weeks ; mess, that was at $9, is now at $14 ; chine, from $7i, is up to $12. Lard, from 5' cents, has risen to 7{ cents. Coffee also has participated in the general advance ; Rio commands 8 cents, which last month was selling at 6 to 6 J cents. Breadstuff's alone seem stationary; Hour $4 ; corn 35 cents per bush el ; l>oth, however, are destined to advance very shortly. Our receipts of cotton thus far amount to 820,000 bales, and will probably reach this season 975,000 bales, against 850,000 last year. Freights are rather firmer, though still very low: to Liver pool ?d. sterling, and to Havre j to I cents. Ex change on London 8 to 8? per cent.; Paris 5.30 ; New York 1|.. , They are doing a fine business at the Fi?h Wharf in Alex andria, the great depot for all the Potomac Fisheries. The demand ha* been good throughout the season, and the price* have kept up, notwithstanding the supply has been large. The custom has been extensive?wagons flocking into town from all quarters, some from counties in Pennsylvania, dec. We hope that the season may be a profitable as well as a busy one to all concerned.?Gazette. The New Orleans papers announce the death of Judge Gtlrert Leoxaro. He died on Tuesday week from the effects of the wound received in the late duel with Mr. Tor*. The duel had it# origin, it will be recollected, in the " Plaquemine frauds" at the late Presidential Election. "Fire ih the Mocktaixb."?The Rockingham (Va.) Register of the 12th instant says that the burning mountains in Pendleton and Bath counties presented a grand and beauti ful spectacle for several nights during the past and present week. We were in the midst of the mountains, and had the best opportunities for witnessing the grand spectacle. The weather has been exceedingly dry for some time, and the fire spread from one point to another with fearful rapidity. We saw the flames darting up in long narrow stripe more than a mile in length. We have never seen a grander or more beauti ful scene than these burning mountains presented afler night. A great deal of fencing and burning timber has been destroy ed. The mountains were probably fired by hunters, for the purpose of clearing the woods of the undergrowth and brush. We notice in our exchanges up and down the Valley, that the mountains on either side of us have l?-en on fire for the last eight or ten days. The fire in the Blue Ridge is said to have extended for one hundred miles in length. The loss in the destruction of valuable timber must be very great. The fire has not altogether been confined to the mountainous dis tricts, but in numy instances descended to the valleys, destroy ing barn*, fencing, Ac. The dry, windy weather has render ed all attempts to prevent the spread of this fearful and devas tating element unavailing. Hraiors Firk m Newark.?Crane's cabinet-maker's establishment in Broad street, Newark, was burnt down on Monday night, ami Quinby's carriage maker's shop injured to the amount of $1,200. I'he loss on the cabinet establish ment is estimated at f I .">,(100. Great Fire at Miiwavkie.?Two squares, containing alwut thirty houses, were destroyed by tire at Milwaukie, Wisconsin Territory, on the mornim^ of the 6th instant. The principal suflerers are, Arnold A Co., John Winter, James Kneelsnd, Bryan A Co., D. Upmnun, Duggrtt A Richard- I son, John White, Holman & Janes, of the Tremont House, Sanger A Co., Cramer A Co., Payne A Van AUtyne, and Messrs Mabbit, Wheeler, Cook, Johnson, Ac. The entire loss is stated at upwards of f40,000. A number of persons were seriously injured by the explosion of powder in one of. the atorea. ' PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE RELIEF OF THE PITTSBURG SUFFERERS. At a public meeting of the citizens of Washington, conven ed on a call of the Mayor, at the City Hull, on Thursday af ternoon, the 17th inatant, fox the purpose of adopting suitable measures for the relief of the sufferers by the recent calamitous fire at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, on motion of Dr. William Ouktox, W. W. Sr.*-?*, Mayor of the city, was called to the chair, and Charles A. Davis appointed secretary. The object of the meeting was stated by the Chairman ; ailer which, propositions were severully submitted by Dr. Gi Jf to* and Messrs. Hohab, Liaox, Swkekt, Davis, and others. The following preamble and resolutions were finally adopt - ed as a modification of the several measures proposed : Whereas the city of Pittsburg, in the State of Pennsylvania, has been recently visited by a most extensive and disastrous conflagration, by which several lives liave been lost, a vust amount of property destroyed, and many families deprived of all their earthly possessions j and whereas it is most commend able and proper to sympathize with the afflicted and to extend as far as possible relief to their necessities; and whereas a strong desire has been expressed by many of the citizens of Washington to manifest that sympathy and to extend such relief to their brethren and friends at Pittsburg : Therefore? 1. Resolved, That the Mayor of this city be and he is here by requested to communicate to the authorities of the city of Pittsburg the expression of our deep and heartfelt sympathy, in the overwhelming calamity by which they have been over taken, and our ardent desire to aid, as far as in our power, those who have been thus unexpectedly visited by a sad re verse of fortune. 2. Resolved, (as the sense of this meeting,) That pecunia ry aid to the unfortunate sulferers at Pittsburg ought to be promptly rendered by this city ( and that, for this purpose, the Board of Aldermen and Board of Common Council be re quested at their next meeting to pass an act appropriating two thousand dollars, payable out of the general fund j and that the Mayor be requested to communicate to the two Boards of the City Council, at their next meeting, a copy of this reso lution. 3. Resolved, That a committee of six from each of the Wards of this city be appointed to wait on the citizens of their respective Wards as early as practicable, and receive collec tions and subscriptions in furtherance of the objects of this meeting. 4. Resolved, That the Pastors of all the churches of this city be and they are hereby earnestly requested to take up public collections in their res|>ective congregations as early as practicable in aid of the object herein indicated. 5. Resolved, That the Mayor of this city be and he is here by requested to act as treasurer of this fund ; and all moneys collected in this city shall be paid over to him, and remitted to the Mayor of Pittsburg, or such other person or perrons as may be designated to receive and appropriate such contri butions. 6. Resolved, That a copy of these proceedings be furnish ed to all the papers of this city, with a request for their publi cation. W. W. 8EATON, Chairmen. C. A. Davis, Secretary. NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE. New York, April 17, 1845. The report which created such a panic in our stock market on Monday, relative to the hostile ac tion of the Mexican Government, having been con tradtcted, confidence has been partially restored, and to-day there was a slight rise in Vicksburg and other stocks. Pennsylvania fives rose two and a half per cent, over yesterday's quotations. The stock market is in so peculiarly sensitive a state at this moment that we may look for great and sudden fluctuations. After a drought of nearly a month's continuance, we are visited by a cold easterly storm, accompa nied with rain, which is much needed. In conse quence of the dry weather, the pine-woods on Long Island and in some parts of New Jersey have been in flames, de stroying a considerable amount of property. Our atmosphere has l>een much affected by the kinoke arising from these con flagrations, and on Tuesday the sun had a blood-red appear ance in consequence of the paitial obj uration produced from this cause. The commercial news by the Great WVtVra luk h<ul effect upon our cotton market; and holders have in some in stances submitted to a reduction of a quarter of a cent. Ow ing to the aMition of the duty in England, which took place on the -'2d of March, the fall in price in Liverpool was natu rally to Ih- expected, and it has not operated here to create any aiaim. A* we have received no intelligence by this arrival <>f tl?e missing packet-nhi})* England and Uuitrd StuJe.i, the insur ance otliies have given in>tice of their readiness to pay loaaes. The packet for Havre takes out forty thousand dollar* in sjH'cie. Double that amount in Ameiican half-dollars wa* sent up the-river yesterday for Montreal. About fifty thou sand dollars in specie was received from the Western States, the greater portion from Indiana. The health of our city is pretty Rood at the preaent mo ment, with the exception of a prevailing influenza, which ap pears to be epidemic, and to spare neither the robust nor the sickly. The number of deaths last week, according to the report of the inspector, was 199, of which by far the greatest proportion were deaths by consumption. Our climate is not fit for persons with pulmonary affections until about the mid dle of June. The influx of strangers into our city appears to be on the increase, and the hotels are fuller than ever. Mr. Wcbstcr left us yesterday fot Marshfleld. There was a meeting of carpenters at the Tabernacle last evening, at which Dr. Land^eh is said to havi* made an ex cellent and instructive address. The Doctor in on the point of returning to Europe., No more bodies have been recovered from the Swc/Jiw. The committee appointed by the Senate to investigate the cir stances of the catastrophe went to Athens on Monday < and have given notice to the pilot, captain, and engineer of the ill-fated boat of their wish to interrogate them. A novel from the German of Zachokke, entitled " Veroni ca, or the Free Court of Aaran," ia published to-day by the Harpers. It ia translated by Dr. 8pm*?, of thia city, author of "Giafar al Barmeki." Meaara. Wiley 4" Putnam an nounce the "Travels of Countess Huhn-Hahn in Sweden." The poem* of Mrs. Witnr, of Louisville, who writes under th? name of " Amelia," have been published, and are com manding an excellent sale in thia city. " Antigone" is still played at the Opera House. In Dub lin, on it* first production, they called for the author, and the manager had to come forward and assure the audience that Mr. Sophocles had died two thousand years before. Jeremiah Mo?to*, Esq., has withdrawn from the can vass in the Ninth Congressional District in Virginia. He addressed the people at the last Leesburg Court and at the conclusion of hia speech withdrew his name aa a candidate. The contest will now be between Col. McOa*tt and Mr. Pe*dlito!*, aa the Locoa say they will not run n can didate.?Alexandria Gazette. I**A!ti Astlim.?A bill making provision for the erec tion of an asylum for the insane, to be located within ten miles of Harrisburg, paaaod the Senate of Pennsylvania on Friday by a vote ol 20 to 9. Having originated in the other branch, it will be a law as soon as it receives the Governor's signature. , Elictho-Maoxktic TKi.BnRAm.-r-Our readers were maJe aware some time since that Professor Morse had devised a plan for conducting the electric fluid across rivers by means of the water itself. Aa the particulars of thia plan have not l>een pre sented to the public through the papers, we annex a descrip tion of it furnished by Professor Mor*e himself to the Secre tary of the Treasury at Washington. But lie fere doing so it may he as well to state the facts which led to it. In the au tumn of 1842, at the request of the American Institute, Pro fessor Morae undertook to give to the people of New \ ork a demonstration of the practicability of his invention by connect ing Governor's Island with Castle Garden?a distance of one mile. For this purpose he laid his wires, properly insulated U-neath the water. He had just commenced operating, and received two or three characters, when his intentions were com pletely frustrates! in the destruction of a part of his conduct ora by a vessel, which drew them up on her anchor, and cut them off. It was during the sul?sequcnt night, whilst suffer ing mortification at this failure, that he conceived the plan of arranging his wires ^)on? the banks of the river so as to cause the water itself to conduct the electricity across. An experi ment was made s<s>n after at Washington on the canal with success; ami a series of experiments, made lust fell, developed the law governing the jvassage of the electricity. WAKTrn.?A shopkee|>er in Philadelphia the other day stuck upon his door the following laconic advertisement : "A hoy wanted." On going to hia shop the next morning, he behekl a shining little urchin in a basket, with the tollnwing pithy label; " Here he ts !"