Col. Benton on Banking.
Col. BENTON comes out, in a letter to the
National Intelligencer, upou the subject ofbauk
iug.
The letter contain a fair, logical treatment
of the imperfections of the present banking sys
tem of the country, and points out measures of
correction, which should, in his opinion, be
adopted by the Federal Government. We re
gret that the length of the letter will not ad
mit o f our giving it place in our columns, hut
will, in some measure, supply the omi.isiou I)}'
giving a brief synopsis of its contents.
He commences by defending Gen. Jackson
form the unfair quotations which have been
made of his opinions, expressed in favor of the
National Bank, at the beginning of his Presi
dency. He explains that such opinions were
expressed befoie there was a prospect ot res
toring the constitutional currency, and that
after such prospects was seen, nothing more
was ever scid lv him in favor of ba iks, Natioi -
al or State. "On the contrary, he labored
during the remainder of his public life to res
tore and preserve the hard money currency,
which the founders of our Government had
secured (asthcy believed,) for us." lie states
the plan of that restoration and preservation
as follows
Ist. To revive the gold currency by correct
ing the erroneous standard of 1791
2d. To create u demand for hard money by
making it the conclusive currency of the Fed
eral Treasury.
3. To make sure of the hard money by keep
ing it in its own treasuries.
4th. To suppress all paper currency under
twenty dollars by a stamp duty.
2. To wind up all defaulting banks by a
bankrupt law against delinquents.
The three lirst of these has been accomplish
ed—the first under the Jackson administration,
the two last under VAN BIREN'S. TO
the accomplishment of these he ascribes our
twenty years exemption from bank suspension
and depreciated currency, and to the want of
the two latter, he charges our present difficul
ties.
He strongly advocates the adoption of these
measures now : the'suppression of issues under
twenty dollars by the imposition of a stamp
duty, and the passage of a bankrupt law against
delinquent banks.
In regard to the objection of the first, of the
expense and difficulty of collection, a simple
plan is proposed—the appointment of a eloik
in the Treasury Department to superintend the
business, and making it the duty of the clerks
of the Federal Courts to deliver the stamps re
ceived from the Treasury.
The money power he considers a most fitting
one to be taxed. The duty should be the same
upon all notes, and large enough to prevent
nnv but the higher denominations from support
ing it.
He defends the Bankrupt Act from the ob
jection brought by lawyers,that merchants and
traders were the only proper subjects lor such
legislation, that both in Roman and English
law, the bankers were the original objects of
the bankruptcy process.
He maintains that banking in the United
States is tlie most unsafe and unrestrained in
the world ; not only from the lack of these
two safeguards, but the absence of any proper
requisition for keeping a proportionate amount
of hard money on hand. He compares the un
restrained license which exists in this respect,
to the requirements of the Bunk of England,
the fundamental condition of which'is the hold
ing in coin an amount equal to one thir 1 of all
its liabilites, both of circulation and deposit.
Below that Doint the bank does not deem it
self safe ; a fact which has been sworn to bv se
veral governors and directors.
Not only is this proportion required, but it
must be shown continually.
With us there is not only very limited re
quirements for holding hard money on hand ;
but the basis of the currency, instead of being
reliable specie, is insecure stocks and notes of
other banks. Paper upon paper is the princi
ple. Returning to his former argument, he en
umerates the evils arising from small issues.—
These are too well known to require a state
ment.
The soundest portion of the letter is that
which he devotes to the question of the amount
of hard money required for conducting the bu
siness of the county.
The proof of the existence of sufficient is
ample, and the argument is so sound and elab
orate, that we copy the entire, rather than
mar it by extracts :
"Twenty odd years ago, when we were la
boring to restore the constitutional currency
to the government and the people, the ready
objection, repeated by all the friends of paper
money, was, that there was not gold and silver
in the world to carry on the business of the
United States ; and the ready answer to that
objection was, that there was precisely enough
would come to the United S'ates if we would
create a demand for it by correcting the gold
standrrd, trial e it the government currency,
and suppressing small paper. Only a part of
these things have been done, and there have
flowed into the United States, or been obtain
ed from our own mines, about four or five times
as much gold as the business of the United
States could employ The supply has been
nearly a thousand millions of dollars, and the
business of the United States would only em
ploy nlxmt two hundred millions. Tnis is not
guess work, but bottomed upon authentic data ;
for the statistics of political economy show
that nations can only use certain amounts of
money, some more, some less, according to
their pursuits Thus, a highly manufacturing
country, where the employer needs money in
cessantly to carry on his business in the pur
chase of raw materials, and the payment of
operatives, and in the construction or repair
of buildings and machinery, and where the op
eratives, themselves need money daily for the
support of their families, the quantity of mon
ey required is far greater than in any agricul
tural and planting country, where the farmer
raises his own supplies, and has his crops and
produce to pay large d -mauds. A ltd there
fore England, the foremost manufacturing
country, requires the greatest amount of mon
ey ; and has it, to wit, about eleven dollars
Q head ; and Russia so largely agricultural, re
quires the least amount of liionev, and can em
ploy but about four dollars a liead. So the
United States in small part manufacturing and
largely agricultural and planting would find
her maximum demand for money somewhere
half way between the two—say, eight dollars
aheul ; which at tho present amount of the
white population, (say twenty-five millions,)
would give two hundred millions as the nation
al demands ; always remembering that the
great payments are nude with crops and bills
of exchange founded on the proceeds of indus
try. And thus it bevotn-.a a proposition de
monstrated that the L nited States, since the
correction of the go! I standard twenty-three
years ago, have received a supply of gold to
four or live times the amount which the busi
ness operations of the people could employ.—
Of that amount the leading banks estimated
two hundred and ninety millions to be remain
ing the country at the commencement ot the
present panic ; and since that time more than
twelve millions have arrived, and very little
gone out ; so that three hundred millions would
be the present estimate of the amount of gold
and silver ill the country —being one hundred
millions more than the business of the coun
try would employ. Three hundred millions is
exactly fifteen times as much as the United
States possessed in the time of the late Bank
of the United States. Twenty millions was
the whole amount at that time, and that all in
silver—not a particle of gold being then in cir
culation. And it is exactly thirty times us
much as the whole Union possessed at the
time of the termination of tiie first National
Hank—the whole supply being then but ten
millions, and that all silver."
Our State Government.
A knowledge of the structure of our State
government, and of the organization and du
ties of its several departments, is what every
citizen is supposed to possess. And yet, when
it comes to the test, we are surprised to find
how many are at a loss to answer the simple
question relating to the officers in the service
of the Commonwealth, and their several func
tions. For the information of such, the Nor
ristown WaLhmm has taken the pains to pre
pare a brief sketch of the State government as
it is at present constituted.
The chief officer of the Commonwealth is
the Governor, who is elected every three years.
James Bollock, of Northumberland County,
holds that office now, having been inaugurated
on the lirst Tuesday of .January, 1853. lie
receives an annual salary of £3,500. The
Legislature, last winter inserted a provision in
the General Appropriation Act, restoring the
salary of the Governor, after the expiration of
the term of the present Governor, to what it
was previous to the passage of the "Reform
Bill " of 1845, to wit : 84,000 a vear.
Andrew G. Curtin, ot Centre county, is Sec
retary of the Commonwealth, at an annua!
i salary of $1,700. lie is appointed by the
Governor, and holds his place during his plea
sure.
The Secretary was formerly also Superin
tendent of Common Schools, but the Legisla
ture at its late session, separated the State and
School departments, and made the Superintcn
tendent of Common Schools a distinct and in
dependent officer. The present Superinten
dent, is Henry C. Hickok, of Union county,
who holds his office for three years from the
first Monday of last June, lie is appointed
by the Governor "by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate." His salary is $2,400
per annum, and he is liable to be removed by
the Governor for misbehavior at any time.
Henry S. Magraw, of Lancaster, is State
Treasurer, at a salary of $1,700.
This officer is elected by the Senate and
House of Representatives in joint convention,
on the third Monday of January, in caeli and
every third 'year. The present incumbent is
serving Lis second term.
The Auditor-General is the " watch-dog" of
the Treasury, an i is the most important of
any to the tax-payers of the State. It. is his
duty to keep the account> of the Common
wealth correct, to enforce the collection of the
revenue, and to see that no plundering hand
has entrance to the Treasury. Jacob Fry, of
the Trappe, Montgomery county, is the pres
ent incumbent.
He was elected by the people, last fall, took
his place on the first Tuesday of May—holds
office three years, and has an annual salary of
$1,700.
John Howe, of Franklin county, is Survey
or-General, having been elected last October.
His term also began on the first Tuesday of
of last May, to continue three years, at a sal
ary of $1,400 per annum.
Thomas F. Franklin, of Lancaster city, is
Attorney-General. He holds his office by ap
pointment of the Governor. An act of the
last legislature has made a great change in the
powers and duties of this officer. Under the
law as it existed sii.ee the creation of the of
fice of District Attorney, the Attorney-Gen
eral's office was one more of honor than of
trust or influence. His duties were merely
nominal, and he received a salary of only S3OO
a year. But the act of 1857 reconstructed
the ollice entirely, and it is now one of the
first importance in the administration of our
public business. Under this act the Attorney-
Genera! is required to have his office at Ilar
risbnrg, to prosecute all suits against all de
faulting public officers, to collect all debts due
to the commonwealth, to act as counsel in
all cases into the Supreme Court wherein the
commonwealth is a party, and to give opinions
on questions of law submitted to him by the
Governor, Auditor-General, State Treasurer,
Surveyor-General, or Canal Commissioners
He he must give bond in the sum of $30,000
as security for the faithful performance of his
duties.
lie is allowed a clerk, and receives a sal
ary of §3,000 a year. The present Attorney-
General will hold his office until a successor is
appointed.
The public works are controlled by a board,
consisting of the tiiree Canal Commissioners,
one of whom is elected every year, to serve
three years. The board consists of Ilenry S.
Mott. of Pike county, Arnold Plainer, of Ve
nango county, and George Scott, of Columbia
county. They have the appointment of a
State Engineer, whose salary is §3,000 a year.
Edward F. Gay, of Philadelphia, is the pre
sent engineer. The board had a large amount
of official patronage before the disposal of the
Main Line, &<•, to the Pennsylvania Ilaiiroud
Company. Since then it has become much
curtailed.
APPOINTMENT BY THK GOVERNOR—DAVID
WiLJior, of Bradford Comity to be President
Judge of the TUirteeiitli Judidial District.
The district is composed of the counties of
Bradford and Susquehanna, and is the same
district Mr. WTI.MOT represented on the Bench
previous to his resignation of the office last
summer, when he proposed to stump the State
with Gen PACKER for Governor.
ON Mr. WH.MOT'S resignation, DARIUS BUR
DOCK, Esq., of Bradford county, was appointed
by the Governor to fill the vacancy. I lis np
pointiuent was made on the Bth of August, to
expire on the first Monday in December inst.
Mr. WH.MOT'S commission commences on next
Monday to expire on the first Monday in Dec.
1858. In the meantime, an election of a
President Judge to supply the vacancy that
will ocmr in December next, will take place,
when Mr. WILMOT, if he desires it, will be
nominated by the Republican party and re
elected.—Harrisburg Telegraph.
ilniiiforit Importer.
O. GOODRICH, EDITQfi.
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Jod-AYobk— Executed with aecuracy and despatch, and a
reasonable prices—-with event facility for doing Books,
Blanks, Hand-bills, Ball tickets, 8,-c.
Movev may be sent by mail, at our risk—enclosed in an
envelope, anil properly directed, we will be responsible
for its safe delivery.
Congress met on Monday, and suc
ceeded in organizing by the election of Oku
as Speaker of the House, and Fitzi at kick as
President pro tem of the Senate. The Presi
dent's Message was probably read on Tuesday,
but up to the time of our going to press, we
have not received it. It will probably be a
lengthy document.
fc£r The friends of Hon. G. A. GROW in
this Congressional district, will be pleased to
learn that he was supported by the Republi
cans for Speaker of the present Congress, re
ceiving St votes. This is a compliment of
which both he and his constituency in iy well
be proud. Mr. GROW has acquired an envia
ble reputation in his Congressional career, dis
charging with great ability the important du
ties confided to him. Tne people of this Dis
[ trict have adopted one Southern " institution"
at least, keeping their Congressmen at Wash
ington until they are thoroughly conversant
with parliamentary usages and the tactics which
have always rendered the Southern members
so powerful even when in the minority.—
As a debater and a tactician, Mr. GROW ranks
with the oldest stagers in Congress, while he
enjoys the respect of his political opponents.
fieaT" The strike at Piermont, N. Y.. among
the freight laborers and brakesmen on the Erie
Railroad which commenced on the first of
December, in consequence of a ten per cent,
reduction in wages, is about over. Nearly two
hundred car loads of freight had accumulated
on the eastern division by Saturday last, aud
what few trains were dispatched westward
last week, had to be loaded by the clerks and
agents at the pier head. The strikers drove
off one large force sent down from along the
line of the road on Wednesday, had sundry
fights among themselves, and finally some vi
cious scamp spiked a rail road bar across the
track, which threw a locomotive ofi', breaking
it up and nearly causing an awful destruction
of life. The train contained 300 emigrants,
bouud west. Fortunately no one was killed.
The insurrection was brought to a termination
on Saturday by the sudden appearance of
Sheriff STEPHENS at the head of the Ficrmont
Guards with loaded muskets and the appari
tion of twenty-seven policemen from New York.
Most of tiie laborers turned on Saturday, but
the brakemeu still held out.
The lecture of RJV. GEO. LANDON on
Tuesday evening last, was attended by a very
large audience. The subject of the lecturer
was " Life in Earnest," and it was handled
with masterly ability. Tiie suggestions of the
speaker were eminently practical, while many
of his glowing and poetical illustrations elicit
e 1 the applause of the audience. Tiie senti
ments it contained were creditable to the heart
and brain of the lecturer. The course may
embrace lecturers of wider reputation than Mr.
LANOON, but we venture to say, none who will
address themselves so plainly to the men and
the necessities of the times.
The Third Lecture of the Course will
be delivered on Monday evening next, by Dr.
TURNER. Subject—" The Dritish iu India."
At a regular meeting of Franklin Fire
Co., Xo. 1, held at Fireman's Ilall, 011 Satur
day evening last, the following officers were
elected for the ensuing term :
FOREMAN—JAMES M KIXSMAV.
LS£ Assistant —J. V. GEIGER.
2d Assistant —ANDßEW SEEHICII.
Pipemin —ll D. ROCKWEM,.
Treasurer—. A i.l ,EN MTCKAN.
Secretary — JAMES 11 . NEVIXS.
At a regular meeting of NAIAD NO. 2,
held at the Firemen's llall, 011 Friday evening
last, the following officers were elected for the
ensuing six months :
Foreman —J. Bnx MEANS.
Ist. Ass't —L. D. MONTANYE,
2d. Ass'l —J. A. WILSON,
J 'ipema n —E. G1 ixisi'i E,
Secretary —l). 11. BAUSTOW,
Treasurer —O. WICKHAM.
fteg- The people of this County, without re
gard to political predelictions, will regret to
learn that 11011. AARON CHLBBITCK has resign
ed his office of Associate Judge, and will short
ly remove to the neighboring county of Tioga,
N. V. Mr. C possesses the respect and con
fidence of the whole people of this County, as
an honest, sincere, upright man, and will
carry with him their best wishes for health
and prosperity.
Zteo** W. T. Tuekerman, formerly treasurer
of the Eastern Railroad at Boston, was ar
rested Sunday night at New Haven, for mail
robbery. He is now in jail and confesses his
guilt.
TEACHERS' INSTITUTE AT TERRYTOWN.
The Institute was organized Monday, Nov.
•2d. About fifty Teachers were present. In
the course of two or three days the number in
creased to sixty-two, which, for the district
represented, was very large.
These were formed into a class, in the man
agement of which, by the Superintendent, an
example was shown of order and thorough
discipline that cannot fail to exert a great iu
fluence upon the schools of the district.
The branches to be taught were reviewed,
and the manner of teaching them so discussed
and exemplified as to expose the errors most
common, while the true principles of the art
were placed in strong light. The evenings
were devoted to debates, Essays, recita
tions and lectures, and at these sessions there
was usually a full house. The lectures were
generally excellent, and those gentlemen who
gave them, some of whom came from a dis
tance for that purpose, received the most
heartv thanks of the Institute.
The citizens seemed to take a great interest
in the proceedings, and to be highly pleased
with them. At a meeting held by them they
adopted resolutions in favor of the oflice of
Countv Superindeut and ot the plan which
Prof. Cußi/nx had adopted of holdingjTeacher's
Institutes, together with others, which were
read at the last evening session.
The thanks ot the Institute were tendered
to the citizens of Tcrrytown for their kind feel
ing and hospitality manifested towards its
members, and to Prof. Coburn* for his earnest
exertions to improve them in the art of teach
ing.
All were agreed that the ten days were most
profitably and pleasantly spent, and would
have been glad to remain together tor a longer
period. The Institute adjourned on the 12th,
to meet next at Wyalusing.
THE ELECTION' OF MAYOK IN NEW YORK. —
After one of the most severe contests ever ex
perienced in New ork, DANIEL F. TIEMANN
I.as been elected Mayor of the city of New
York by a majority of 2,642 over his com
petitor Fernando Wood. Wood lias held the
office of M ivor for three years, although his
first acts gave abundant promises of good, his
administration soon degenerated to one of the
most corrupt that ever cursed the city which
lie presided. All honest men therefore rejoice
at his defeat. Tiemann is a Democrat, but in
electing him all party ties were loosened, and
Republicans, Democrats aud Americans rallied
to his support.
The steamer lin I tic arrived at New
York on Monday last, with four days later in
telligence from Europe. There is a she lit im
provement in financial affairs, ar.d an increase of
Bullion in the Bank cf England. The politic
al views is unimnortant.
TIIE BANK PERJURY CASE IN I'mnnKi.pniA
KXIJKD—MR. WAIXWRIGHT DISCHARGED.—IN
the Court of Quarter Sessions held iu Phila
delphia on Wednesday, Judge Conrad decided
the case of Mr. Wuinwright, late President of
the Commercial Dank, arrested on a charge of
official perjury ; dismissing the complaint and
discharging Mr. Wainwright from the custody.
Judge Conrad held :
The act under which this prosecution lias
been instituted, requires that the officers of the
bank shall take an oath that they "will not
knowingly violate or sanction or willingly permit
any of the provisions of the law to be violated,
and in the penal section following, denounce
the punishment of perjury against any ofiicer
who shall willfully violate any provision of any
act of Assembly applicable to the bank.
If this were a proceeding against the Corpo
ration itself, it would he difficult to gather,
from the testimony, evidence of a willful viola
tiou of the law, for it seems that the institu
tion consulted Counsel and acted under instruc
tions ; but we look in vain, in the present
case, for the slightest evidence against the de
fendant tending to prove a willful offense.
Ignorance of the law will not, of course,
excuse him ; but there should be some evidence
of a willful spirit and a corrupt motive to sus
tain a charge so grave as that of perjury.—
Here there is none. On the contrary, I am
unable to discover anything iu the facts, as dis
closed by the evidence, which either proves an
offense or shows anything iu the conduct of the
defendant insonsisteut with the most guarded
and irreproachable integrity.
£635"* The Boston Journal says that the Hon.
X. I'. Banks will take liis seat in the United
States House of Representatives, which meets
next week, and hold it for n month, as the
new state government of Massachusetts, of
which lie will be the chief, cannot come into
existance until the bth of January next. His
resignation from Congress will take effect on
the Ist J January. By this means Mr. Banks
will lend his voice and influence to the Repub
licans in the incident struggles of the House.
Among the leading Republican candidates
for Mr. Banks's successor in the Speaker's
choir, we hear the name of Hon. G. A. Grow
of Pennsylvania, the successor of Wilmot, and
commonly known as "Great Majority Grow."
Mr. Grow ablv and faithfully served as chair
man of the important Committee 011 Territories
in the last House of Representatives, and well
deserves this mark of confidence from lii.s po
litical friends, lie is of the stuff whereof
Speakers should he made.
SAD ACCIDENT. —The Easton Express of last
Monday tells the sollowing painful story :
A lad, the son of Mr. Christopher Sharp, of
Bclvidere, in running across the play ground
of the school in which he was a pupil, ran
against another boy coming rapidly towards
him. Their heads came in contact and he was
struck in the temple, lie went home and in a
few hours became delirious and died in three
days afterwards.
A singular fatal accident happened to
Mr. Henry Lingo, of Mercer county, Pa., one
day last week. He had been eating buck
wheat cakes, and had partially swallowed a
needle, that stuck in his throat. Every effort,
was made to extricate it, but without avail,
and he died from the effects of it in u day or
two afterward.
XXXVTH CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
WASHINGTON, Monday, Dec. 7.
The weather here to day is charming. Dense
crowds are in the galleries and other parts of
the Capitol, and the greetings between mem
bers and friends are pleasantly exciting.
SENATE —Fifty Senators were present when
the body was called to order bv the Secicta
ry, who read a letter from the President, stat
jug that he would not be able to reacli asli
ington at the commencement of the session.
On motion of Mr. Benjamin, a resolution
was adopted that the oath prescribed by the
Constition be administered to the new Sena
tors by Mr. BRIGHT, the oldest member present.
ANDREW JOHNSON, of Tennessee, and Dan
iel Clark, of New-Hampshire, new members,
took their seats, and the Senate proceeded to
ballot for a President, •pro. /em.
Hon. Benjamin Fitzpatrick, of Alabama,
was chosen, and returned thanks for the honor
conferred upon him.
The usual resolution to inform the President
of the United States that the Senate was or
ganized and in readiness lor business, was
adopted.
The Senate then went into Executive ses
sion and confirm d George W. Bowman, edi
tor of the Bedford (Penn.) G' izettc, as Super
intendent of Public Printing.
The Sen ite adjourned without transacting
any other business.
HOUSE. —On the call of the roll at 12 o'-
clock 221 members answered to their names.
A quorum having thus been ascertained to
be present, the House proceeded to the elec
tion of Speaker.
James L. Orr, of South Carolina, was nomi
nated by Mr. Jones, of Tennessee, and lion.
Galusha A. Grow, of Pa., by Mr. Banks, uf
Massachusetts.
The vote was taken, with the following re
sult : Orr, 128 ; Grow, 84 ; Scattering, 13.
and Mr. Orr was elected. The annunciation
of the result was greeted with applause.
The Clerk appointed Messrs. Stephens, of
Georgia, and Banks of M dssachusetts, a Coin
mittee to conduct Mr. Orr to the Chair. The
oath was administered by Mr. Giddings.
On assuming it, Mr. Orr expressed thanks
for the honor conferred upon him ; said the
delicate and responsible duties of the Chair
would be comparatively light if lie should be
so fortunate as to secure tiie cordial co opera-
tion of members in dispatching business, and
upholding the dignity of the House.
He promised to administer the rules which
may be adopted with firmness and impartiali
ty. The great business confided to tliem ad
monished them to cultivate patriotism as ex
pansive as the Confederation itself. He cher
ished the hope that business would be transact
ed to promote the interests and happiness of
the entire people ; that the Constitution would
lie maintained in its integrity, and that their
legislation would quicken the greatness and
glory of our common country. (Applause.)
The members were then sworn, advancing
by delegations with that purpose.
condition of trade in England and
Scotland is daily descending from bad to worse.
In the manufacturing districts of Lancashire A
Yorkshire trade is nearly at a stand still, and
spinuers have been obliged to take incredibly
low prices—even in some cases at the rates
they would have given a few weeks ago for
the raw material. The stocks among spinners
and manufacturers are fast increasing, con
tracts having almost expired. This state of
things is felt at Blackburn, Manchester, and
Burnley,and to such an extent that at the lat
ter place out of ninety manufacturers there are
only two working full time. Tiie finer spin
ners at Bolton are likely to yield, too, to the
pressure, and at Leeds the merchants are wait
ing the turn of events, while at Halifax par
tial stoppage and short time have been resort
ed to.
A lettt-r from Manchester says : " The
news fronitA'oerica hy t)ie Yanderbilt, the
further advance of discounts, and advices of
failures at Liverpool, Sheffield, and other pla
ces, have all exercised a mo-t unfavorable iti
ll uciice on the market this morning, and sales
are nil but suspended."
The cotton and woolen trades, it will thus
be seen are in a very depressed condition.—
The silk trade is represented as equally bad.
Mr. Tryall, Holcroft, silk manufacturer, states
"that independently of the distress prevailing
at Macclesfield and Middletown, where many
families were literally starving, no less than
8,7~>0 mill hands in the silk trade in and around
Manchester have been entirely unemployed
during the last four to six weeks, while the re
mainder, upwards of 2,800, have been only
working two to four days per week for three
or four months past. Xo means at present ex
ist for estimating the distress among operatives
in the cotton trade, but it must very far ex
ceed that in the silk trade, and is daily extend
ing by the closing of mills in every direction
over this extensive district, and the resort to
short time, as the only means apparently left
to employers of-avoidiug loss uud ruin."
THK BANK OK PK.NNSYI.VANIA— Report of
the Commissioners. —The Pruts of Saturday
says : The commissioners appointed by Gover
nor Pollock to examine into, and report on the
condition of the Bank of Pennsylvania, have
concluded their labors for the present. The
partial report of the commission was sealed on
Wednesday night, the 25th inst., and sunt to
Harrisburg. The commissioners, Judge J. T.
Hale, Eli Slifer and J. C. Bomgardner, met in
this city on the 17th inst, a..d proceeded at
once to tho discharge of their duties. The in
vestigation was conducted with due diligence,
and the result, thus far, is in the possession of
the Governor of the State.
We were informed yesterday that the ascer
tained liabilities of the bank amount to about
tiro million dollars, while the assets will figure
to the amount of tiro million seven hundred
thousand dollars. These assets consist of hills
receivable, bonds, mortgages, real estate, ic.,
and the liabilities, of indebtedness to the city
and country banks, circulation, deposits, checks
marked good. The report sent to the (Jover
nor contains a classification of these assets and
liabilities. The commissioners will probably
resume their investigation in tho course of fif
teen or twenty days.
WISCONSIN EI.ECTION. —The Madison State
Journal of November 12th, publishes a full
list of the Senators and Representatives elect,
according to which the Senate will contain 18
Republicans and 12 Democrats, and the House
52 Republicans to 45 Democrats. The Mil
wnukic Free Democrat gives returns of the Go
vernor vote from 56 counties, 29 of which are
official, showing a majority of 380 for Randall,
Republican, over Cross. Democrat
From Washington.
WASHINGTON, Thursday, Dec. 3, 1-57
The Timtt is quite right in doubting the
truth of the representations that have heeo
made of the President's position on the Kan
sas question. They have done him, as well as
Gov. Walker, great injustice.
The Message will express a distinct appro,
val of Gov. Walker's entire official course in
Kansas. The President will also, in that doc
ument, express the opinion that the Convention
should have submitted the whole Constitution
to the popular vote, and his own regret that it
did not pursue this course ; while he will also
say that in his opinion the spirit of the Kan
sas-Nebraska Bill has been carried out in th e
submission of the question of Slavery, which
has been the principal topic of controversy.
But the President will not recommend the ad
mission of Kansas under the Lecomptou Con
stitution, or even suggest any specific action
upou it. He will merely lay that document
before the legislative body for its considera
tion.
It has been stated that the President desires
Governor Walker to return to Kansas, hit
that he declines to do so. This conveys an er
roneous impression, it is perfectly well under
stood here that Governor Walker is not only
willing, but anxious, to return to Kansas, pro
vided he can do so without any departure from
the course lie iias hitherto pursued. His in
structions, us he understood, thtm warranted
him in assuring the people of Kansas that trie
whole Constitution should be submitted to
them. If the President will assent to this in
struction of them, and permit Governor Wa.it
er to act upou it, us he has done hitherto, he
will start for Kansas at an hour's notice, atij
do everything in his power for tae preserva
tion of the public peace.
The indications here are that the entire D„-
mocracv of tiie .North and West will resi>t, ai, 1
of course, the admission of Kansas under ai.v
Constitution not distinctly, and entirely si>
mittcd to the judgment and the vote of Un
people.
WASHINGTON, Thursday, Dec. 3, h;7.
Judge Douglas and the President hadto-l.v
a full and free interchange of opinion 0:1 in-
Kansas Question, without, it is understood, b.-
ing able to arrive at the same ceri'dusion in r.
j gard to the line of policy which justice and ;
;ty require each to pursue. The interview, .
is further stated, was courteous, and they par
ted as they met, friends, regretting they couli
i not view the Lecomptou movement in the
1 same light.
Senator Douglas, in conversation with h>
I friends, freely defines his position. He stnmh,
he says, on the principle of the Nebraska-Kan
sas bill, which guarantees to each State aoj
I Territory the right to regulate their douce
institutions to suit themselves, and he will fol
low that principle wherever its logical core-
I qucnces carry him, defending it against all a>-
. sauks from whatever quarter they may co.n?.
In its application to Kansas, he insist tr n
1 ignoring both the Lecomptou and Top-iu
. movements, and securing to the people t -
right to form a Constitution for themselves
He considers the Lecomptou movement dlrt-c:
!y violative of the principles of tiie Kan?;--
Nebraska bill, and the Cincinatti Platfo.-,
a:i 1 lie will probably at an early period of the
-• -ssion introduce a bill authorizing tli ■ pjopk-.'
i Kansas to call a Constitutional Convent 011.
WASHINGTON, Friday, Dec. 4.
Tiie agent ol the Adinii istration. who repre
j seated them in Kansas during the siltii gof
the Coventioii, was Henry L. Martin, a slirtvi
and intelligent Mi-sissippian, then and 1 r
! Clerk in the Interior Department, und r Be
j cretary Thompson. Martin was constant!;
| present at the Convention caucuses, and it was
; chielly through his representations and ii.fii
■ euce that the Convention determined 0:1 0 ■
a partial submission of the Constitution to •
people. As the agent of the aduiiuistrat; .
j his credentials were strengthened by the fa t
j that he was at the same time a Clerk in tl-t
! Government service, and his influence wasp;:-
; amount. Except for his interference, it i: :*
lv believed that the Judge Elmore Party, vi:
favored a free submission of the Constitute:
would have triumphed.
it was Martin's despatch 10 Washimrt'
also, which led the President and the I
; to take their positions early in favor of t -
j Convention's action.
It is stated tliat although under (loverr.-;
Walker's influence the President struck ft a
the original draft of the Message his m •
meudation in favor of sustaining the ait nd
Convention, since the Governor left he has;*--
tored it, and is determined to take a P-i
ground in favor of the admission of Kan-,..- :
once under the Lecompton Constitution, h
would seem more probable that he will
commit himseif on the question cither way
The Democratic members of Congri>s
the X'orth-west are very decided in their
durations for the Walker and Douglas |
The rivalries for the speakership lniv.
been compromised, through the influence of" 1 '
President. The bargain is that Phelps > ■
withdraw in favor of Orr, and that the k> :
when elected—as he will be—shall app L
Phelps Chairman of the Committee of W
and Means, and J. Glancy Jones Chain)
the Committee on Foreign Relations, i
arrangement make Jones the political 3 -'
Phelps the financial leader of tjie House.
Lola Montez has had another trou J
with a railroad conductor. Aceompa nicd
a pet dog, she was about entering a car
the Pennsylvania Railroad, when the co;a"
tor informed her that she would have te
separated from her dog, on account of a
rule of the Company which prohibited ea: ;
from keeping companionship with the ri
paying passengers. The indignation et
Countess of Lamfsfelt could not be rcstr.. ;
and she unhesitatingly stated to the i >!.
tor that her money was sufficient to puivh•-
a ticket for " Gipsey," and that no taw o
part them. The conductor quieted at
and after the necessary arrangements had !i --
made, Lola and her dear " Gipsey " rod' *
triumph.
b®" The " Free Love" Colony at r r ' :
Ohio, which has been broken up, is said to. •
numbered eighty persons, thirtv of wliom * r "
females. Among their establishments tbey
what they were pleased to term the " 1
Cure," a sort of a hotel conducted on the
ctarian and hydropathic principles This! "'
was not intended, as its name indicate*;"
cure the most holy of all passions—love ; '
by proper treatment, to eradicate the
notions concerning the same, and the
appertaining thereto. They reverted > u
ul independence, holding that society I>*l '
right to enact any law or to install any
which trammels in the least the igfhvido''
tioti,