MONTHLY RECORD OF CURRENT EVENTS. CONGRESS adjourned on the 30th of Sep-President, Mr. Granger, leaving the chair, and tember, in accordance with the resolution organized anew elsewhere. One of the Vice noticed in the last number of the Magazine. Presidents took the chair thus vacated, and the Very little business of general interest was Convention, after completing its business, and aptransacted in addition to that of which a record pointing a State Whig Central Committee, adhas already been made. The appropriation journed. The seceders appointed a committee to bills were passed, and in one of them was in-issue an address, and adjourned. The Address serted a prohibition of flogging in the navy and soon after appeared, and after reciting the histoaboard merchant vessels of the United States, ry of the Syracuse Convention, aiming to show which received the sanction of both houses and that its approval of the course of Senator Seward became a law. A provision was also inserted, deprived its doings of all binding force, concluded granting land bounties to soldiers in the war of by calling a convention of delegates, representing 1812, and in any of the previous wars of the those Whigs who disapproved of the action at United States. The passage of the bill involv- Syracuse, to be held at Utica, on the 17th of Ocing, directly or indirectly, the slavery issue, of tober. Delegates were accordingly elected in which we have already given a full account, nearly all the counties of the state, and the restored a greater degree of harmony and of Convention met on the day appointed. Hon. calmness to both branches of Congress than had Francis Granger was elected President. Resohitherto prevailed, and the same influence has lutions, setting forth the position and principles had an important effect, though to a less extent, of those represented, were passed, and the canupon the country at large. didates nominated at Syracuse were adopted. The political incidents of the month have not The Convention appointed another State Cenbeen without interest. A State Convention, tral Committee, and then adjourned. It will be representing the Whigs of New York, assem- observed that the only point in which the two bled at Syracuse, on the 27th of September, for conventions came into collision, so far as future the nomination of State officers. Hon. Francis political movements are concerned, is in the Granger was chosen President, and a committee appointment of those two committees. Each was appointed to report resolutions expressing will, undoubtedly, endeavor to exercise the orthe sentiments of the Convention,-Hon. Will- dinary functions of such committees, in calling iam Duer, member of Congress from the Oswe-state conventions, &c., and thus will arise a go district, being Chairman. The resolutions direct conflict of claims which may lead to a were at once reported. They expressed confi- permanent division of the party. Hon. dence in the national administration, approved WASHINGTON HUNT has written a letter in the measures recently adopted by Congress con- reply to inquiries from Mr. GRANGER, in nected with slavery, and declared the respect of which he declines to express any opinion as the Convention for the motives which had ani- to the differences which arose at Syracuse. mated the Whig Senator from New York, and So far as that difference relates to the merits the majority of the New York Congressional of individuals, he considers it unworthy the delegation in the course they had taken upon attention of a great party, each individual of them. By a vote of the majority, the Conven- which must be left entirely at liberty to ention proceeded to the nomination of State offi- tertain his own opinion and preferences. He cers-the minority refusing to participate in the considers the Whigs of the North pledged to current business until the resolutions should oppose the extension of slavery into free terrihave been acted on. Hon. Washington Hunt tory, and refers to their previous declarations was nominated for Governor, George J. Cornell, upon the subject, to show that the South must of New York City, for Lieutenant Governor, not ask or expect them to abandon that position Ebenezer Blakely, for Canal Commissioner, He says that the terms on which the Texas Abner Baker, for State Prison Inspector, and boundary dispute was settled, were not altoWessel S. Smith, for Clerk of the Court of Ap-gether satisfactory to him, but he nevertheless peals. After the nominations had been made, cheerfully acquiesces in them since they have the resolutions were taken up. A substitute for become the law of the land. He expresses part of them was offered by Hon. George W. dissatisfaction with the provisions of the FuCornwell of Cayuga County, expressing confi- gitive Slave bill, thinking it far more likely dence in the ability, patriotism, and statesman- to increase agitation than allay it, and says ship of President Fillmore, and approving of the that it will require essential modifications. He course pursued by Mr. Seward in the Senate of very earnestly urges union and harmony in the United States. The latter resolution passed the councils of the Whig party.The Antiby a vote of 76 to 40; and the minority im- Renters held a convention at Albany, and made mediately withdrew from the Convention, the up a ticket for state offices, selected from the nominations of the two political parties. Hon. | creased by a new colony of about 300 members, Washington Hunt was adopted as their candi- who are now on their way from Sweden, and are expected soon to arrive with a considerable amount of capital, the fruits of the sale of their own property, and the property of their brethren already here.- A good deal of excitement prevails in some of the Northern States in regard to the execution of the new law for the recovery of fugitive slaves. The first instance in which it was carried into effect occurred in New York city, where a fugitive named James Hamlet, who had lived in Williamsburgh for some two years with his family, was apprehended, taken to Baltimore, and restored to his owner. The process was so summary that no resistance was offered or excitement created: but after the whole was over a great deal of feeling was elicited, and money enough was speedily raised by subscription to purchase the slave, who was returned to his family amidst great public demonstrations of rejoicing among the colored population. In Detroit an attempt to arrest a fugitive excited a popular resistance to suppress which it was found necessary to call out troops of the United States; the negro was seized, but purchased by voluntary subscriptions, Large public meetings have been held in various cities and towns, to protest against the law, and to devise measures for defeating its operation. One of the largest was held at Boston on the 4th ult., at which Hon. Josiah Quincy presided. The tone of the address and resolutions was less inflammatory than in many other places, as obedience to the law while it stands upon the statute book was enjoined; but its spirit was warmly reprobated, and the necessity of agitating for its immediate repeal was strongly urged. Fugitives from service at the South are very numerous in portions of the Northern States. Many of them, since the passage of the law, have taken refuge in Canada, while others depend on the sympathy of the community in which they live for immunity from the operation of the law. The law undoubtedly requires modification in some of its details, but the main object it is designed to secure is so clearly within the provisions of the Federal Constitution that its enforcement is universally felt to be a public duty.-JENNY LIND, whose arrival and public reception in New York were mentioned in our last number, has been giving concerts in that city, Boston, Providence, and Philadelphia. In each place there has been a strong competition in the purchase of the first ticket for the first concert. In New York it was sold for $250; in Boston for $625; in Providence $650; and in Philadelphia $625. The evident object of the purchaser in each case was notoriety. Her concerts have been densely crowded, and the public excitement in regard to her continues unabated.Intelligence has been received from Rome, that the Pope, at the request of the late council assembled in Baltimore, has erected the See of New York into an Arch-episcopal See, with the Sees of Boston, Hartford, Albany, and Buffalo, as Suffragan Sees. The Right -The General Convention of the Episcopal Church has been in session at Cincinnati. The House of Bishops, to which the subject had been referred by the Diocese of New York, has decided against the restoration of Bishop Onderdonk, by a vote of two to one, and the General Convention has provided for the election of an Assistant Bishop in such cases.- -Conventions in Virginia and Indiana are in session for the revision of the Constitutions of those States.The U. S. Consul at Valparaiso has written a monthly steamers between that port and Panama. Since the discovery of the gold mines in California, he says, the travel and trade upon that coast has increased fivefold. For the last ten years there has been in successful operation a line of English steamers plying between Pan ama, in New Grenada, and Valparaiso, in Chili. with a grant from the British Government of one hundred thousand dollars per annum, for the purpose of carrying the English mail; which, together with the immense amount of travel, in the last four years, renders it a most lucrative monopoly. The charter, originally granted to the company for ten years, has lately expired, and the liberal Republics of Chili, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia have peremptorily refused to renew the monopoly, and have generously opened their ports to the competition of American steamers. Between Valparaiso and Panama there are twenty-one different ports at which these steamers stop, in performing their monthly trips to and fro, for freight and passengers, leaving Panama on the 27th and Valparaiso on the 30th of each month. The voyage is punctually performed in twenty-four days. The feasibility of establishing an American line of steamers upon that coast is strongly urged. The wealth of the silver mines of Copiapo is so great that every English steamer at Panama transmits hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth to England in solid bars. Rev. Bishop HUGHES is, of course, elevated to the dignity of Archbishop. The brief of the Pope is signed by Cardinal Lambruschini, and is dated on the 19th of July last.- -Public sentiment in Texas seems to be decidedly in favor of accepting the terms offered in the Boundary Bill. No official action has yet been had upon the subject, but it is believed that the Legislature will either accept the proposition at once or submit it to a popular vote. Mr. KAUFMAN, one of the Members of Congress from that State, has addressed a circular to his con-letter concerning the establishment of a line of stituents, refuting many of the objections that have been urged against the bill. The area of Texas, with the boundary now established, is 237,321 miles, which is more than five times that of New-York. An interesting official correspondence between our Government and that of Central America, has recently been published, mainly relating to the subject of canals and railroads across the Isthmus. Mr. CLAYTON's plan appears to have been to encourage, by every constitutional means, every railroad company, as well as every canal company, that sought to shorten the transit between the American States on both oceans. For this purpose he endeavored to extend the protection of this Government to the railroads at Panama and Tehuantepec. It was not his purpose to exclude other nations from the right of passage, but to admit them all on the same terms; that is, provided they would all agree equally to protect the routes-a principle adopted originally by President JACKSON, in pursuance of a resolution of the Senate, of which Mr. CLAYTON was the author, while a member of that body, on the 3d of March, 1835. The principles of this resolution were fully sustained by General JACKSON, who sent Mr. BIDDLE to Central America and New Grenada for the purpose, and were afterward fully adopted by President POLK, as appears by his message transmitting to the Senate the treaty for the Panama railroad. General TAYLOR followed in the same train with his predecessors, as appears by his message of December last, thus fully sustaining the views of the Senate resolution of the 3d of March, 1835, the principles of which may now be considered as illustrating the policy of the American Government on this subject.- -In accordance with the provisions of the treaty recently concluded with the United States, the British Government has withdrawn all its demands for port and other dues from the harbor of San Juan de Nicaragua, and the navigation of that noble river and the lakes connected with it are fully open to American enterprise.-A shock of an earthquake was felt at Cleveland, Ohio, on the 1st of October. The shock lasted about two seconds, and was so violent as to produce a jarring and rattling of windows and furniture, and was accompanied by a rumbling sound, like distant thunder, which lasted three or four seconds. On the same night a very brilliant meteor was observed in the Eastern States, and a very remarkable aurora at sea. From CALIFORNIA We have intelligence to the 15th of September. The disturbances at Sacramento City, growing out of resistance to the land claims, have entirely subsided, the squatters having been dispersed. Three or four persons were killed upon each side in the riots of which we have already given an account. A gentleman had arrived in California deputed by Mr. LETCHER, U. S. Minister in Mexico, to attend to the settlement of land titles. He had expressed the belief that most of the grants made by the Governors before the acquisition of California by the United States will be confirmed by our Government, on the evidence Mr. Letcher is prepared to furnish from the official records in the city of Mexico, as to the invariable practice of the Mexican Government in this particular. His assurances upon the subject had given general satisfaction.-Early in September there was a complete panic in the money market at San Francisco, and several of the nost prominent houses had failed. Confi the treatment he received at the hands of the dence, however, had been fully restored at the traces of Sir John Franklin's expedition. The Palmerston, the Board of Trade, and the Cham- From ENGLAND there is no intelligence of Lord Clarendon has been making the tour much interest. The reception of Baron Hay- of Ireland, and has been received in a very nau by the brewers of London has engaged the friendly manner by the people of every part of attention, and excited the discussion of all the the island. He took every opportunity of enorgans of opinion in Europe. Most of the En-couraging the people to rely upon their own glish journals condemn in the most earnest language the conduct of the mob, as disgraceful to the country, while only a few of them express any special sympathy with the victim of it. The London Times is more zealous in his defense than any other paper. It not only denounces industry and character for prosperity, and into effect.A Captain Mogg has been tried | warrantable assault of the Review upon the and fined for endangering lives by setting the character of this distinguished author. It is wheels of his steamboat in operation while a stated that Mr. James intends to become an number of skiffs and other light boats were in American citizen, and that he has already taken his immediate vicinity.The ship Indian, a the preliminary legal steps.- -The principal fine East Indiaman, was wrecked on the 4th of publishers are engaged in preparing gift-books April, near the Mauritius. She struck upon a for the coming holidays. The APPLETONS have reef and almost immediately went to pieces. issued a very elegant and attractive work, enThe utmost consternation prevailed among the titled "Our Saviour with Prophets and Apostles," officers and crew. The captain seized and containing eighteen highly finished steel engravlowered the boat, and with eight seamen left ings, with descriptions by leading American the ship: they were never heard of again. divines. It is edited by Rev. Dr. WAINWRIGHT, Those who remained succeeded in constructing and forms one of the most splendid volumes ever a rude raft, on which they lived fourteen days, issued in this country. They have also issued suffering greatly from hunger and thirst, and a very interesting volume of Tales by Miss were finally rescued by a passing ship.- MARIA J. MCINTOSH, entitled "Evenings at Two steamers, the Superb and Polka, were lost, Donaldson Manor," which will be popular bethe former on the 16th, and the latter on the yond the circle for which it is immediately de24th, between the island of Jersey and St. Malo. signed.Other works have been issued of No lives were lost by the Superb, but ten per- which notices will more appropriately be found sons perished in the wreck of the Polka.The in another department of this Magazine.Queen has been visiting Scotland.- -Some of The English market for the month is entirely the Irish papers have been telling astounding destitute of literary novelties.- -A series of stories of apparitions of the Great Sea Ser- interesting experiments has been undertaken pent. A Mr. T. Buckley, writing from Kinsale by order of Government, for the purpose of on the 11th instant, informs the Cork Reporter testing the value of iron as a material for the that he was induced by some friends to go to construction of war-steamers. When the vessels sea, in the hope of falling in with the interest- are comparatively slight, it is found that a shot ing stranger, and that he was not long kept in going through the side exposed, makes a clean suspense, for "a little to the west of the Old hole of its own size, which might be readily Head the monster appeared." Its size, he truly stopped; but on the opposite side of the vessel avers, is beyond all description, and the head, the effect is terrific, tearing off large sheets; and he adds, very like a (bottle-nose) whale. One even when the shot goes through, the rough of the party fired the usual number of shots, edges being on the outside, it is almost imposbut, of course, without effect. sible to stop the hole. If the vessels are more substantially constructed the principal injury takes place on the side exposed; and this is so great that two or three shot, or even a single one, striking below water line, would endanger the ship. As the result of the whole series of experiments, the opinion is expressed that iron, whether used alone or in combination with wood, can not be beneficially used for the construction of vessels of war.- -The wires of the submarine telegraph having been found too weak to withstand the force of the waves, it has been determined to incase the wires in a ten-inch cable, composed of what is called "whipped plait," with wire rope, all of it chemically prepared so as to protect it from rot, and bituminized. A wire thus prepared is calculated to last for twenty years.- -In the allotment of space in the Industrial Exhibition, 85,000 square feet have been assigned to the United States; 60,000 to India; 47,050 to the remaining British colonies and possessions; 5000 to China. Hamburg asked for 28,800, and France for 100,000 feet. Commissions have been formed in Austria, Spain, and Turkey.A correspondent of the Chronicle says that the great beauty of the leaves of some American trees and plants renders them an appropriate article of ornament, and suggests that specimens preserved be sent to the Exhibition; and that a large demand for them would ensue. -An edition of the Works of JOHN OWEN, to be comprised in sixteen volumes, under Of LITERARY INTELLIGENCE there is but little in any quarter. A good deal of interest has been excited by a discreditable attack made by the Whig Review upon the distinguished author Mr. G. P. R. JAMES. The Review discovered in an old number of the Dublin University Magazine some verses written by Mr. JAMES for a friend who without his knowledge sent them for publication. They were upon the clamor that was then afloat about war between England and the United States: Mr. James, alluding to the threats from America against England, had said that "bankrupt states were blustering high;" and had also spoken of Slavery in the United States as a "living lie," which British hands in the event of a war, would wipe out and let their bondmen free. The Review denounces Mr. James, in very coarse and abusive terms for the poem, and seeks to excite against him the hostility of the American people. The matter was commented upon in several of the journals, and Mr. James wrote a manly letter to his legal adviser Mr. M. B. FIELD, which is published in the Courier and Enquirer, in which he avows himself the author of the verses in question, explains the circumstances under which they were written, and urges the injustice of making them the ground of censure or complaint. His letter has been received with favor by the press generally, which condemns the unjust and un |