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About The Oregon Argus. (Oregon City [Or.]) 1855-1863 | View Entire Issue (May 2, 1857)
THE OREGON AKGUS, rvlLIMIIO (TMT HTl'SIMf NOBXINO, ' BY WILLIAM L. ADAMS. OfEce-Good'i Building, Main it, Edito .1 rial Room in first story. TERMS Tht Aaous trill t furniihei at Three Dollar! and Fifty Cenlt per annum, ta lingl lubtrribmThret Dollar ' , tack la eluk of tin at an tjfirt. jy Two Dollar for tit mouth No tuhterlp' liant united for a Uit period. If A finer diteontinued until all arrearage ' art paid, unlet at the option of the puliliekrr. d. For t lit Ar gut. The Kiamlaallea al Belkcl lasllt , , Ked Riugi Farm, April 0, 1857. Mr. Editor Having had die pleasure of attending the examination and exhibition at Botbol Institute on ibe 3d of tin's month, I can lay tint it was much superior to any 1 have ever atlonded in Oiegon, and ilia school can be tafuly recommended to com munity ai one which ii equal to any, and inferior to none, in the Territory. The tirne occupied in the examination of the pupili wb too iliort to do justice to the teachers and icholar, but thorough nnugh to convince all that the method of instruction is good, and that icholar do not acquire a mere surface knowledge of their studies, but are ninJo lo understand everything as they advance. The tenchers appear lo understand their business, and lo do all that could reasonably be expected to advance their pupils. The interest ta ken by the people in the school was mani lasted by I ho crowd that was in attendance during the day and evening. The present prospects of the institution are good; there will be a large inoressein the number of scholurs the coming summer. The Institute is located nn a beautiful prai rie, in the midst of an intelligent and moral neighborhood, and a village is fast growing up around it. Bethel, unlike the majority of high schools in Oregon, is free from any sectarian influence), but is a school built by the people for the benefit of the people. Too much credit cinnot be awarded lo those who have labored so fuithfully, and have so frcclt given " ma terial aid" lo establish an institution of learning in our country, which bids fair lo surpass any institution in Oregon. Al the present time, when all the world is hur ry iug onward, when the times appear lo de mand that every one should be educated, is it not strange (hat any one should b so lost lo his own interest, as to oppose or hold buck, when his aid may secure to his own or his neighbors' children the means of acquiring a popular education. It has been truly said lhat "if ever our free insti tutions perish, lha cause will be found in the ignorance of the people." If then tho perpetuity of our "free institutions" depends upou the education of the masses, and as it is the duly of every country to prolong its own existence, it is then the luty of ours to establish schools for the people, and to encourage schools in our midst, as the only means of preserving our civil and religious liberty. Yours, &c, b. a. lmporual Declstoa. Belew we give an abstract of one of tho most important decisions which has ever been rendered by the U. S. Supreme Court, ft is in the case of Dred Scott, a man claimed as a fugitive slave. The opinion of tho mnjority of the Court was delivered by Chief Justice Taney, and decides the following important poind : Washington, March 6. The opinion of the Supreme Court in the Dred Scoit case was delivered by Chief Justice Taney. It is a full and elaborate statement of the views of the Court. They have decided the following all-important points : ' 1. That negroes, whether slaves or free, that is, men of the African race, are not citizens of the United States by the Con stitution. " . 2. The ordinanco of 1787 had no inde pendent constitutional force or legal effect subsequently to the adoption of tho Con stitution, and could not operate of itself to center freedom or citizenship within the Northwest Territory on negroes, not citi zens by the Constitution. 3. The provisions of the Act of 1820, commonly called the Missouri Comprom ise, in so far as it undertook to exclude asgro slavery from, and communicate free dom and citizenship to negros within the northern part of the Louisiana cession, was a legislative act exceeding the powers of Congress ; and void and of no legal effect to that end. Is deciding itiCse main points, tiie .Su preme .Court determined the following incidental points. .v 1.' The expression " Territory and oth er property of the Union," in the Constitu tion, applies in terms only to .such territo ry of the Union possessed at the time of six adoption of the Constitution. 2. Tin tijfbts of citizens of the United 8utes,esBigrmling into any Federal Ter. titory and the power of the Federal Got eminent therein, depend on the general provisions of the Constitution, which de fines in this at m all other respects the power of Congress. 3. As Congress does not possess power tuelf lo make enactments relative to tbe cerions or property of citizens of the (United States in a Federal Territory, oth er than such as the Constitution confers, so it cannot constitutionally delegate any such powers to a Territorial government, organized by it nnder the Constitution. 4. The legal condition of SI its in ibe Sti't of Missouri, is not affic'od by tb A Weekly Newnpniwr, devoted Vol. III. temporary sojourn of such slave In any other Stale, but on his return bit condition still depends on lite laws of Missouri. At the plaintiff wai not a citizen nf Missouri, he therefore could not sue in tha courti of the United States. The suit must be dis missed for want of jurisdiction. The delivery of ibis opinion occupied about three hours and was listened to with profound attention by a crowdod court room. Among the auditors were gonilo men of eminent legal ability, and a due proportion of ladies. Judge Taney stated (he merits of tbe case. 1 ue question was wneiuer or not the removal of Scoll from Missouri with his master to Illinois, with a view of tem porary residence there, worked bis emnn- cipalion. lie maintained mat tbe ques tion depended wholly on the law of Miss ouri, and fur lhat reason the judgment of the Court below khould be affirmed. Judge Catrou bolieved the Supreme Court has jurisdiction to decide the merits of the case. He argued lhat Congress could uot do directly what it could not do indirectly. If it could exuludg one spe cies of property, it could another. With regard lo lha Territories ended, Congress could govern them only with the restrict ions of the States which ceded them, and tlie Missouri Act of 1830 violated the lead ing features of llw Constitution, and was therefore void. lie concurred with his brother Judges that Scott is a slave, and was so when this suit was brought. Several other Judge are to deliver ihuir opinions to-morrow. OPINION OP JUSTICE N'U AN. Washington, March 7. Associate Justice McLean proceeded to express bis views in the case of Dred Scott against Sandford. After slating the facts relative to the subject, the pica as to jurisdiction is radically defective. It had never been held necessary that to constitute a citizen, a man should have the qualifications as an elector. Femules and minors may sue in the federal courts, and so may an individ ual who has bis domicil in lha State in which he may sue. Tho most general definition of a citizen is a freeman. The pica docs not show Died Scott to be a slave. It docs not follow a mnn Is not free whose ancestors were slaves. It was said colored citizens aro not agreeable members of society; but this was more a matter of taste than of law. Several of (heStntes have admitted such persons to the right of suffrage, and rec ognized tiiein as citizens: anu tins nas been done in slavo as well as free States. On the subject of citizenship we have not been very fastidious. Under the lute treaty with Moxicn, we have made citizens of all grades, combinations and colors. Tbe same was done in the case of Louisi ana and Florida. No one ever doubted, nor a court held, that the inhabitants did not become citizens under the treaties. They have become citizens without being naturalized. Throughout ihe continent of Europe, without exception, it has been held that slavery can exist only in territory where it has been established, aud beyond that the master cannot sustain himself save by some express stipulation. There is no nation in Europe' which considers itself bound to return the master his fugitive slave, under the civil law or the law of na tions. The slave is held to be free where there is no treaty, obligation or contract to return home to his master. In the case of Prigg against the State of Pennsylva nia, the state of slavery is deemed to be a mere municipal regulation, founded and limited to the range of the State which enacts it. Ilns was the decision in me case of Somerset, in England, which was decided before me American Revolution. Congress has no power to interfere with slavery in the States, or to regulate what is commonly called the slave trade among the several Stales. We know that James Madison that crest and good man was particular to o 0 regard slaves escaping from service or la bor as " persons," and not as property. While he (judge McLean) agreed that this government was not made for the colored race, yet many of them in the New Eng land States exercised the right of suffrage when ihe Constitution was adopted ; and it was not doubted that its tendency would be to ameliorate the condition of that race. Many of the States look measures to abol ish slavery'; and it is a Well known fact that the belief was cherished, by leading men both of the South and North, that the insiitution ef slavery would gradually de cline, until it should become extinct. All slavery has its origin against natu ral right. If in making tbe necessary rules and regulations respecting tbe public lands, a j opinions of the court on questions not le-j ibis treason territorial or temporary government is)gitimately before il to be binding. Hej Jjoa 'j rnnite. Cenerese has tbe power to es-1 believed, however, thai the court basju-1. in . tablisb it. The power to acquire carries with it tbi power to govern. Congress can ex-rclse no power prohibited by the! urn n to the Principles of JeHersoniun OREGON CITY, OllEGON, MAY 2, 1857. Constitution, nor has it power lo regulate turn to that Slate. There was nothing in the Internal concerns of a State. If Con- tho history or In the langungo of the con gress deem slaves or free persons ef col- , stitutioo which restrains the power lo make or injurious to a territory, it has the pow- all needful rules and regulations respecting er to prohibit them from becoming sott'ersj the territory of the Uuited Stales, to such therein. Where a territorial government! territory only as was owned by the United has been establi.hcd on slavo torritory, it Stales at tho lime of the adoption of the has uniformly remained in lhat condition ; : constitution. ITo was not aware thai such so when ihe torritory was free; and this a suggestion had ever before been made, was attended with satisfactory results. Four distinct acquisitions of territory have Tbe sovereignty of the federal goTeramcfil been made, and six States formed upon extends to all territory of ihe United States. If we have ihe right to acquire : territory, we h'avo the right to govern it ; and Ibis hss always been exercised. Tho-Constitution was framed for the' whole country, and tbe prohibition of, slavrry north of 30 30 was constitutional. Where ihers is no local law ubolishing slavery, the master cannot control Ihe will of th slave by lorco, and the presumption is in favor of freedom. The master, in going into a territory, does not carry with him tbe law of the Slate from which he ; removes. Slavery, ho rspeatod or prop-1 erty in human beings does not arise from the international or commea law, but from a mere municipal regulation. There was no just ground for the argument that ibis was exclusively a Missouri question. Dred Scott and his family were free under decis ions given within ihe last twenty-eight years. A slave wno acquires ins irecooin by bis removal to another State, cannot be reduced to slavery by bis returning to the State from which be emigrated. So far from this being merely a Missouri case, it is one which comes under ihe twenty-fifth section of the judiciary net, and therefore, may be brought for the revision of this Court from the Supreme Court of ihe State of Missouri. OriNlON OF JUSTICE CURTIS. Associate Justice Curtis gave his rea sons for dissenting from ihe majority of the court. The question is, whether a person of African descent can be a citizen of ihe United States. The constitution uses ibe language, "citizens of the United States al the lime of the adoption" of that instrument; referring to those who were citizens under the confederation. It may, therefore, be safely said, the citizens of the several states unucr me conieucrauon were citizens of the United Ststes under the constitution. It is a fact that all the free native-born subjects of New Hump shire, Massachusetts, New York, and N. Caiolina, descended from the African race, were not only citizens, but possessed the franchise of electors on oqual terms with other or white citizens. Thoso colored persons were cot only included with the body of white persons in tho adoption of the constitution, but bad the power to and did act in its adoption. Under the consti tution, every free person born on the soil of a Slate, and mudo a citizen by force of its constitution and laws, is a citizen of ihe United States. Having stated tho ground of his opinion, and explained tbe provis ions of the constitution, he said lhat evory citizen at the time of the adoption of that instrument was so recognized, and no pow er was conferred lo discriminate between color or deprive any one of its franchise It is not true in point of fact that the con stitution was made exclusively by and for white people. The preamble openly de clares that the constitution was formed in order to secure lo the people of the Uni ted States and their posterity the blessings of liberty, and as for the colorod citizens, in five of the States they were among those for whom the constitution was or dained aud established. Color, in tho opinion of the framersof ihe constitution, was not necessary to constitute citizenship under the constitution of the United Slates; and it might be added that the power to make colored persons citizens has been acted upou in repeated instances in the treaties with the Choc taws, the Cherokees, and lhat of Gaudalupe Hidalgo, in 1843. And he arrived at the following conclu sions 1. That the free native-born citizens of each State, at the formation of the consti tution, became citizens of the Uuited States. 2- That free colored persons born within some of the States, and citi zens of those Stales, were also citizens of the United Slates. 3. That every such citizen residing in any State has the right to sue and be sued in the federal court of ihe State in which be resides. 4. As the plra to jurisdiction in this case shows no fact except as to African descent, and as this fact is not inconsistent with citizenship of the United States, the decision of the Circuit Court for Missouri was incorrect. He therefore dissented from the opinion t ,Uiemar'U " : : the ma only of ihe court, lhat a person of of the African race cannot be a citizen of, ibe United States. He did not believe the riadictioo in the case, and maintained that, under the law of Missouri, Dred Scott and his family 'wen free jersoni on their re- St Democracy, and advocating ll'em have been admitted into the Union Such a contracted construction as that to which ho referred was inconsistent with tbe nature and purposes of ihe conslitu- lion, ao exprcssod in Its languoge. He ould construe that clause of the comditu- lion thus : Congress shall have power to make all needful rules and regulations respecting those tracts of country without h limits of the United Ststes, and which tbe United States have or may acquire by cession, ss well of jurisdiction as of soil, so far ai ihe soil is lb property of ihe parlies making the cession. Congress has power to legislate with regard lo tha terri tories until they shall apply for admission into tbe Uniou as Slates. Tho laws must be "needful," and are left to legislative discretion. There are two classes of acts; and in eight distinct instances, beginning with the first Congress and coming down to 1849, Congress has excluded slavery from the territories; and there are six distinct instances in which Congress has organized governments for territories and recognized slavery and continued it there in, also beginning with the first Congress and coming down to 1822. These acts were signed by seven Presidents, coming regularly down from Washington lo John Quiucy Adams, thus including all those who were in public life when the constilu. lion was adopted. This should have much weight on the question of construction and it would be difficult to resist tbe force of the acts lo which reforcnoe was mado. His opinion was, (he decision of the circuit court for Missouri should be reversed, and ihe cause remanded for a new trial. More, Outrage of Brlfham Young. Editor of the Sun Francisco Herald : I wish to call your attention to a few of the recent outrages of the people of Utah territory, and particularly to the course ol llrigham Young, the Governor of Utah, who has taken nn on 111 to support the Constitution of the United Stales, and, as Governor of Utah Territory, to see that the laws are faithfully observed and ex ecuted. Has he ever done it I Look at the facts and see : In March last, Wiu. A. Hickman, Alexander McKea, Thomas J. Johnson, and others, broke open the door of the District Clerk's office in Salt Luke City, on Saturday night before the sitting of the District Court, and took therofrom the papers, records, and documents be longing to tha Court; and after Judge Kinney instructed the Grand Jury lhat it was their duty lo iuquire into the offense, and bring the ollenders lo justice, tins man Young instructed the Grand Jury that it was a Gentile court, and, as such, the Saints of God had nothing to do with the matter, and that if the d d Gentiles had business lo settle, they must do it some other place than in Utah Territory. Noth ing was done with the offenders. Again, a man by the name of Baker, (a Mormon,) was tried for murdering a dumb boy, in Judge Drummond's court, at Fillmore city J and although the proof showed ono of the most aggravated casos, the Grand Jury, (all Mormons of course,) brought in a ver dict of murder in the second degree ; this was on Wednesday, and although the sen tence was pronounced on Uuker, and he btarted toward the Penitentiary, yet before the sixth Sabbath he had a full and com plete pardon from Gov. Young, and really never went as far as the Penitentiary ; but on ihe other hand, accompanied Gov. Young to church on tho Sabbath next af ter his trial and conviction. The reason assigned for his pardon was lhat he was a Saint, and a d d Gentile Judge should not have the pleasure of seeing one of ihe Saints of God put in prison for the murder of so useless a being as a dumb boy ; thai if people were so unfortunate as to have children that could not speak, they were incapable of becoming Saints, and it was a blessms to kill them oil and save tua pa rents tbe trouble of bringing them up, and that God required a human being to talk before he could pray Again, I have to chronicle one of the most daring and insulting national crimes ever committed in tho United States, and that, too, under the direct care and control, and nnder the immediate order aud direc tion of this man Young. Early in Janu ary, and just in advance of tho meeting of the Supreme Court, a pariy oi uie mor mons in hitrh standing in Ibe Lburcli, and under the advice of Brighnm Young, re paired to the office of the Hon. G. I'. Stiles, one of the United Slates District Judges, the law office of T. 8. Williams, Kan., and the office of ihe Clerk ef the Sunreme Uourt. ana toon mere- . . I .1 from all tlie paper belonging io in on nreme Court, consisting of record, docket, . 1 . . . .i . i a.. Wed away, together wi.h nine J f furni.be(1 bv . j.-ejera Government for the us of the Territory of Utah. The reason given for treasonous act was that Congress dmit them as a State, and lhat not allow lb federal officers to the Territory ; and that what officeri were now m the Territory musttere1 'Jj 1 f j leave as soon as grass grows, or ha will send j Buren, Harrison, Tolk, then to bell, icrof. lot. ?w, sir, cm r'H Ba''h,' the side of Truth in every issue. No. 3. you Hud a parallul to this act of treason sinco the organization of (he American Colonies I It so, please note ihe lime and place. It seems now lo be a settled fact that the laws of Congress cannot be carriod out or put in forco in this Territory the 1 nntu I ii LnAWn mm nl i n .1 ' 1 1 . .. 1 t 1 1 . .. I only law known or obeyed is ihe law of the Church, and that is tlie will of Urighain Young, who most clearly is the most bru tal tyrant now on earth, and, in point of ireaaonoui designs, without au equal. Often have tho Courts decided against the enactments of tho Utuh Statutes, but all in vain, J he Mormons go on after their own order of doing busiuess, wholly dis regarding and setting at defiance the opin ions and decisions of Ihe Supreme Court of Ihe Torritory, and openly declare that they will not obey nor be governed by any one unless he is a Mormon, and tiiat any one who thinks olhurwise can lose his life by trying tho experiment, which most em phatically will bo the case unless a strong military aid is givon by the U. S. Govern ment. In vain may one try for justice whero the mandate of one man is the su preme law of the land, when you have Mormon jurors, witnesses, officers, etc., all bound by a secret oath of hostility not oily lo all the laws of Congress, but to ward all the officers of the U. S. Govern ment, from President down to that of Mar shal of the Torritory ef Utah. At this lime (hero are five young men lingering out a weary life of misery and wretchedness, groaning beneath heavy loads of iron, in the damp and dismal Culls of the Utah Penitentiary, for no crime known to tlie laws other than expressing opinions of disapprobation of the doctrines of Mormonism, which here is the blackest crime a man can commit, li is worthy of remark lhat these young men are not Mor mons, but were passing, on their way to California, from Missouri. Poor fellows! they are doomed to a sickly and torturing death, and that soon, for it is not possible to survive such brutal trontmoiit very long. Quito recently, a young man by the name of Lewis was convicted of assault and bat tery, and sentenced to five years' impris onment in the penitentiary ; and while on the way to the prison, a band of ruffians look him away from the officer, and de prived him of his , and then put him into the prison lo die. These things are loo common lo be endured much longor; and uuless l ho Federal Government speed ily lends aid unto her officers now in this 'lerrilory, the miserable ends of both Mormons and officers of the Govrrnmcut can bo better anticipated than told.. Amicus Curijg. Salt Lako City, Jan. 7, 1857. AVhsl We Urlak. It appears from ihe report of Secretary Guthrie of tbe Treasury Department, that during the year ending Juno 30, 1630, 8,843,370 gallons of wine, spirits, and malt liquor have been imported into this country. The total value of these drluk ablcs 18 80,176,U39 ; a snug little liquor bill for Uncle Sam to foot up. Brandy, we regret to say, forms the largest item in the bill; 1,715,717 gallons have been con sumed, et a cost of nearly $3,000,000. The grain spirits importud fall a little be low brandy in quantity (1,582,132 gallons) but much below in value, ($772,070.) Nearly a million of "other spirits" besides are consumed, at an expense of $238,000. On the other hand, we are glad to see thai claret and other wines flow in a wholesome stream, thus indicating a growing inclina tion for continental beverages and conti nental temperance. Over a million and a half gallons of claret, and nearly 700,000 gallons of other red wines, were imported, at an aggregate cost of about (900,000. We have drank also 1,100,000 gallons of English and Scotch ale, which is another encouraging symptom, as showing a growing appetite, for malt liquors in preference to pernicious spirits. The importations of Madeira, Port, and Sicily wines have fallen off; tho supply of Sherry, however, has increased from 4,085 gallons in 1843, to 400,000 gallons in 1850. Tiie recent modifications In the tariff will undoubtedly increase Uncle Sam's consumption of imported drinkables. It is to be regretted, we think, that all duties on light wines, &c, A-c, had not been re moved ; no legislative step would have so hastened the growth of temperate habits among the people. JV. Y. Mirror, Moumon Skhmox. Brigham Young, the Mormon prophel, tb,us denounces one Gideon, who had tho audacity to question his prophetic character, and the purity ef the "spiritual wife" system "Who is this Gideon who has come amongst you I He used to sell tape in Si. Louis, and now he is here to blaspheme the Lord and destroy the Mouse of ls'ael. And what should ye, children or the cov enant, do in return lor Ins evil work I Out with the bowie-knives ye wore like breast-pins at Nauvoo, and, in tbe nn.,ne of God and the Prophet, give him J fell " OtT An idea of the amount of letter writing in the United Stales may bo in ferred by the number of postage stamp sold, which, during the last year, was one hundred and fifty millions. CCT Chief Justic Taney has adminis tered Ihe oath of office lo Pressdents Van Taylor, Fillmore, ADVKUTISING ItATKfl. Ono square (13 lines or lew) on iiiMrtmn, WflO " two iwwrlioiH, 4,00 ' tlmu insertions, ft.OO Kadi mWqurut incrtlon, 1,00 Reasonable deductions lo those who advertise by the year. JOB PBINTIXQ. Tirs raorsiKToa or tiis ARCH'S is irsrrr to inform the public lliul lie lis juat received a large stock of l(Jli 'J' Vl'H and ollirr uew print ing iiuiteriul, sinl will Ik in tin ie.ly receipt of nilililioii" niitcil lo all llie requirements of litis lo- entity. JIANDHIIXH, l'OKlKltH, lll.ANKH. CAKDH, (JIKCL'I.AIW, I'AMI'IILKT-WOKK and oilier kimln. done to order, on uliort notice. The Northwest la t0. The Cincinnati Knquirer estimates that the representation of the Northwest, under tho census of 1800, will bo 73, divided as follows: Ohio, 23; Indians, IS ; Illinois, 19 ! Michigan, 8; Iowa, 7; Wisconsin, 7. H'l CI . I I... K 1 ... t . These Stitics have now but Al member! in the House of Representatives. A writer in the Cincinnati Gazette thinks these Slates wilt be entitled in 1800 to 70 mem bersputting ihe present population at 7,000,000. Tbe following is bis estimate of the population founded on the recent vote : Voters. 3:iU,4(KI 230,874 230,003 Ratio. Top. . 3 3,222,32 ' b 1,31) 1,443 0 1,431,370 . f,J 711,407 fl 687,231 ' 0 530,87a Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, 125,518 Wisconsin, 120,312 Iowa, 1)2,812 Total, 2,200,347 7,003,053 . The population of the Northwestern Slates al diffurcut periods, was a follows: In 1800, 50,240 In 1810, 270,324 In 1820, 702,727 In 1830, 1,470,019 In 1840, 1,007,880 In 1850, 4,714,403 lu 1850, 7,003,033 Since 1820, a period of thirty-six years, : the Northwestern Slates have increased at the rate of 00 per cent, in each ten years 9 per cent, per annum until they are now as populous ns the entire United Slates . were in 1810; and, in all probability, I hey will bo as populous in thirty years more as the entire American Union is now. To these Minnesota must hereafter b added, which has now a population of near 200,000. Transatlantic Telegraph a Fail urk. The Scientific American publishes ' an article from Prof. Hall, and endorses it, prophesying that the Ocean Telegraph will result in a fuilure. In addition to tha difficulties of laying a continuous wire ca ble of such length and of preserving a perfect insulation with a thin coating of gutta percha, the following reason is as signed for this opinion : It can be rosily demonstrated that ft coil of wire, ever bo well isolatod, if im mersed in water, will not effect an electro) magnet with the snmo power as iT rested out of water. Tho proximity of so an tagonistic an element produces a sensible ellict upon the electric current, nnd would, in the length ofcuble proposed, entirely absorb the subtle fluid, tsppc'all all that oiuld be forced through so small a wire ai the one contemplated. Hut even admit ting a communication possible, it is known to electricians thut in submerged wires a perceptible period of lima ellipses in tho pi&sigeof tiie current, and that this peri od increases with tho length of cable, and that it requires some seconds of time be fore tlie wire is uncharged aflor each signal, In the length of cable proposed, accord ing to recent experiments, it would require over six seconds for each signal, making less thsn ha'f a column in the New York Herald for twenty-four hours work as its possible capacity not one-twentieth the probnblj demand. Death or Rev. Drt. Smith. The dontli of ono of tho most eminent American Missionaries, Rev. Kli Smith, D. D., is re ported in Kaslern journals. Dr. Smith has passed nearly twenty-five yean aa a Missionary, in the service of ibe American Heard of Commissioners for Foreign Mis sion, his field being Turkey and Syria. As ' the friend and companion of Dr. Robinson, in his researches in the Holy Land, be shares the fame of thut celebrated illustra tor of Biblical science, lie advanced the reputation of his country for intelligent and scientific men, in European circles his contributions to Geographical science being recognized as valuable by ihe sa vans of Germany nnd France. He was widely known and distinguished for his at- ' tnininenls in tho Arabic language, and for his translations of the Bible and other re ligious works into that tongue. He died al Beirut, Syria, on the litis of January last, of cancer in the stomach. Advices from Florida state that oar troops there are engngad in active opera tions against the Indians, Gen. Harney's whole force being engaged. Major Pern barton's command, consisting of Compa nies F., F and K, had returned to Fort Dallas in a starving condition, having lost their way, aud been obliged to live on horso flesh. A terrible railroad accident occurred on the Great Western Railroad, Canada, on tbe 13,,'n ult , by which sixty people wora Villtd, twenty-two injured, nnd but thirteea escspfd. The accident occurred by the breaking of ibe bridgs over Dei JardK nes Canal. CirTue CuHom Rv,auo f Canada, for the hut fiscal year amounted to $4,-. 303,000, which is an increased of $1,000, 000 over the pret ious year. This increase, has taken place under the new tariff, which abolished the 30 per eent duty, and in- created the specific duty on articles of lq,, art-.