the present doubtful and uncertain position in which he is left. After this, the said secretary to Commodore Hull was directed to read the letter hereunto appended, from His Excellency, A. Stevenson, United States Envoy, dated "London, March 8th, 1841," and from John Hare Powell, Esquire, dated "London, March 11th, 1841," when the follow ing views and sentiments were expressed by Capt. William Compton Bolton: That he had reflected upon this subject and was at first impressed with the belief that the squadron should at once proceed to Toulon, but that, on further consideration, he was convinced that the proper and only available course to pursue was to leave the Mediterranean, and to proceed outside, where information of events, and the actual state of affairs could be learned, by.or from vessels traversing between the United States and Great Britain; and if hostilities were to be resorted to, the squadron would then be so situated as to be enabled to render efficient aid at sea, or it might proceed to the United States where its services would be available on the coast, or in our harbors; the ships might be converted into moving harbor batteries, to be manned by militia or soldiers, and our seamen disposed of on the lakes, or to advantage otherwise. Another very great consideration is, that by taking this course, the policy or plan of our Government in conducting the threatening war, and of which we are now entirely ignorant, would be ascertained. And in case of a favorable termination of the existing difficulties, the squadron could return to the Mediterranean, and resume its station there. The views of Captain Bolton were fully assented to by Captain Elie A. T. Lavallette, and by Commodore Ralph Voorhees. And to which Commodore Hull replied, I am prepared to pursue that course. It was then suggested by Captain Wm. Compton Bolton, that definite action on the movements of the squadron, had better be suspended until it should be ascertained if a French steamer from Toulon, then about entering the harbor of Mahon, brought later news than was already at hand, which suggestion was adopted, and the council broke up. 16th of February. I send you the Times of this morning, In haste, believe me, dear sir, your obedient servant, Commodore ISAAC HULL, Care of Fitch, Brothers & Co., Marseilles. [CONFIDENTIAL.] LONDON, March 11, 1841. When war is threatened, the hero of the Constitution is present to the mind of every American. I refer you, my dear sir, to the enclosed extracts from the ministerial and opposition journals, the Chronicle and Times. My opportunities certainly are not small, as I am in daily converse with members of both Houses of Parliament, and I regret to find that in private, as well as in debate, the most decided tone of clared in the speeches of Lord Stanley and Sir Robert Peel, hostility prevails through all parties. The tories have deof Sir Henry Harding, of Mr. Smith O'Brien, their fixed determination to defend the position taken by the Cabinet in relation to the demand in regard to McLeod. Lord Palmerston stated, in the House of Commons, on the 9th of February, that the ultimatum had been sent that night to Mr. Fox. Lord Melbourne stated in the House of Lords on the same evening that measures had been taken to uphold the honor and dignity of the nation, and to "succour McLeod. These remarks produced in both Houses from all sides loud and continued cheering. 39 It having been ascertained that the French steamer brought no information to change the views already formed, expressed and assented to, the officers before named ; again met on the Mr. S. and all men agree as to the meaning of the term same day in Mahon; at half past one o'clock, P. M. when a in "succour," when applied to a man in prison and in a verbal order was given, by Commodore Hull, to the follow-foreign country. Notice the preparations for defence, the ing effect, viz: that every preparation should be made to proceed to sea to-morrow, the 25th day of March, A. D. 1841. The foregoing minutes contain the views expressed, in corroboration of which, we hereunto affix our names. Done in Mahon, island of Minorca, the 24th day of March, 1841. W. C. BOLTON, Captain, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Attest Naval Force in the Mediterranean. The foregoing is a true copy. LONDON, March 8, 1841. Dear Sir:-Although I am ignorant of your plans, and take it for granted you hear regularly from our Government, I yet deem it proper to write and apprize you of the excitement which prevails here and the fears which many entertain that we may be forced into war with Great Britain. Although, in my opinion, such will not be the immediate result, it is by no means improbable that this may be the case. The affair of the Caroline steamer, destroyed at Schlosser in 1837, and the imprisonment of McLeod, together with the boundary question, are the immediate causes of the excitement which now prevails in both countries. The arrival of the "U. States" packet a few days ago, and the West Chester last night, bring accounts to the violent and warlike tone of the Committee of Foreign Relations, the reports and resolutions in the Legislature of Maine, the paragraphs of the ministerial journal, the Chronicle, stating that workmen are employed in relays by night and by day to force into readiness the steam frigates for the American coast. Read the report that ten sail of the line are ordered to assemble at Gibraltar in consequence of the trial of McLeod. I am aware that the American Minister wrote to you two days since; but in his absence from London for the day, I venture with the approval of Mr. Rush, the Secretary of Legation, to communicate the news just arrived. Mr. Rush's brother, of your squadron, has many of the facts in this im portant question. You will pardon an American whose intrusion proceeds from a desire that Hull shall be prepared for his enemy, to add lustre to his name and glory to his country. I am, my dear sir, most truly yours, CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES, Gibraltar, April 7, 1841. States and Great Britain. In case of war you will use every exertion to protect yourself and command, and to annoy the enemy, cruising as long as your provisions and other circumstances will admit of, and when a favorable opportunity offers, you will run into some port of the United States and report to the Secretary of the Navy. Much, however, must be left to your own judgment. Should you ascertain that quietness has been restored, you will return to the Mediterranean, touching at Mahon, where you will probably hearing from England brings intelligence of the pacific disposi from me. Very respectfully, I am sir, your obedient servant, ISAAC HCLL, Commander-in-Chief of the U. S. Naval Force in the Mediterranean. Captain WILLIAM C. BOLTON, Commanding U. S. Frigate Brandywine, Fort Mahon. Memorandum. U. S. FRIGATE BRANDYWINE, at sea, April 10, 1841. S The squadron sailed from Mahon, on the 25th of March, after keeping company with Commodore Hull for nine days, contending, for the greater part of the time, with adverse winds, or delayed by calms, from getting out of the Mediterranean, which was a first object. I determined to make the best of my way, and shift for myself, although the Commodore had implied a wish verbally, that I would accompany him past the Rock of Gibraltar. At the time of our departure, it was believed that the ships would prove equal sailers-that we should be favored by winds have a good run out, and could easily therefore, accommodate each other. The reverse turned out the case; our ship surpassed the Ohio in an astonishing manner; and I am confident a loss of at least sixty miles ensued to us from this inequality of sailing, and my manœuvres to keep near him; which loss might have placed me, equally with himself, in the power of the heavy force reported as being on its way to capture or blockade us. Such support as I could give the Ohio would avail, comparatively, but little and it seemed to me, the surest way to avoid encumbrance to either, and to give chance for distinction, security or escape to both, was to separate. If war exists with such a power as Great Britain, it cannot be the policy of our Government to cruize in squadron on the ocean. The views interchanged between Commodore Hull and his captains at Mahon, could not have undergone any material change, else he would have communicated it by signal; or by a boat, which, on one occasion, I sent to him at sea. It was apparent to me, that he could procure no information from the vessels passing in the Mediterranean, to be relied on, because it could only be derived through interested channels such as British steamers, or sources of doubtful authority-or of a date so recent as that which came to our knowledge at Mahon. By delay danger was increasing, and by my proceeding I could more readily meet it, and, possibly, convey intelligence of it to the Commodore. The "Preble" separated from us both, under what circumstance I know not. My separation from the flag ship was first caused by bad weather at night. Whether the "Ohio" or the "Brandywine" was in fault, I cannot say. I met a detention of three days from strong head winds, in sight of the Rock of Gibraltar, which afforded time for the Commodore to have reached that point. He not doing so, I availed myself of a fine opportunity of passing through; and, persuaded that there was no American interest behind me to protect, I, on mature deliberation, determined, under my orders, to lay my course directly home, as the only point at which any satisfactory and conclusive intelligence-such as could be depended on-could be speedily gained: knowing that it was within my ability to make the passage to the United States and back again, if desirable, before I could possibly, elsewhere, be informed of the true state of the existing relations between the two countries. Respectfully submitted, W. C. BOLTON, Captain. To the Hon. Secretary of the Navy, Washington. My Dear Sir:-Understanding the cause that induced you to come this way from Port Mahon, the Quarantine Department permitting me to communicate with you, I not only send by the bearer of this a mail for your squadron, but with pleasure inform you that the steam packet this morn tions of the two governments. President Harrison was formally installed on the 4th ult., his speech bearing remotely on foreign relations. On motion of Mr. Buchanan, the Committee on Foreign Relations was discharged from considering the resolution requesting the President to communicate the correspondence with Great Britain on the North-Eastern Boundary. That there was no truth in the rumor of any angry correspondence having passed between Mr. Fox and Mr. Forsyth; that Great Britain had a sincere desire to bring things to a termination, and Mr. Clay said himself that he had not been appointed to a special [mission] to England; he thought the resident ambassador able to do all that was necessary without difficulty, and without delay. McLeod was in prison at Lockport, would be removed to Albany for trial; to facilitate his delivery, the British Governiment had justified the burning of the Caroline; hence he would be given up; but the owners of the steamer would continue their proceedings to recover the value of the steamer. All this was received in England by New York packet ship "Patrick Henry," dates to 8th ult. On the 27th ult., I received from the Legation of the United States, Londor, a despatch for your good self, to be forwarded at the earliest moment, by such mode of conveyance as would answer, the certainty of its reaching you. A steamer starting the same day for Barcelona, I sent it under cover to the United States consul for that port, with directions for want of opportunity to send it to Port Mahon, to send it forward to Marseilles, to the care of the naval contractors. I at the same time addressed a letter to those agents directing them, in case of their receiving the letter, and aware of your leaving the Mediterranean, to return it to me. Allow me to add, and express the hope that the pacific have to visiting this port, being now so immediately in the news from England will remove any objection you might neighborhood. I am, my dear sir, your friend and humble serv't, Reply to the foregoing. U. STATES SHIP BRANDYWINE, My Dear Sir:-I have received your communication of yesterday's date, addressed to "Com. Hull, or the commanders of any of the U. S. ships of war in the Mediterranean." I am in possession of the principal intelligence communicated, but I am not the less obliged for the attention of transmitting it. What I have received from you will not influence my movements. I am on a cruise, and shall not visit Gibraltar. Very sincerely, your friend, H. Sprague, Esq., &c. &c. W. C. BOLTON. THE DROUGHT, The late Joseph Parker Norris. In the death of Mr. Norris the community has lost one of Under this head you published in your paper of Saturthe few remaining old fashioned men who are fast disap- day last an account of the present prospect for the early harpearing from this scene of action. Having occupied a pro- vest in Ohio, Michigan and Western New York. We too minent station in society, he should not be suffered to de- are suffering severely in this neighborhood, particularly in scend to the tomb without some passing notice of his worth.regard to grass and the early garden vegetables. On referring He was descended from one of the oldest families of the to our records of the rain fallen during the last two months, State, his ancestors being the personal friends of Penn and and comparing them with the records of the same months among the first settlers of the province with him. Like for a series of years, I was struck with the comparative small them he was a member of the Society of Friends. Having quantity of the present season. It is but about one-half of received a good liberal education he was afterwards educated the least quantity in the same months for the last 17 years, for a mercantile life and entered the counting-house, of an and about one-third of the average quantity. I enclose a eminent merchant of this city, where he made himself prac- tabular view of the whole period which you are at liberty tically acquainted with the principles of trade though he to publish if you think it of sufficient importance. nover embarked in it. For many years he filled the office of President of the Bank of Pennsylvania. This situation was as honorable as it was responsible. The history of his public life is the history of that bank, for he was identified with it. With the exception of one year, he was a director from the incorporation of the bank in 1793 until the death of Mr. Fox, in the spring of 1809, when he was elected president, and he continued to preside over it until shortly before his death, when he resigned the office after an administration of thirty-three years, and after having been an officer of the bank for fortyseven years, a longer period of time it is believed than any similar office has ever been held by any individual in this country. His accession to a place which he filled with eminent ability for so many years, constitutes one of the most memorable eras in the history of the bank. During the administration of Mr. Norris, embracing periods of great commercial revulsions and financial vicissitudes, and during the violent excitement of great political contentions, the management of that institution equalled the desires of all. A leading object in the establishment of the Bank of Pennsylvania was, to promote the regular, permanent and successful operation of the finances of the State as well as to benefit trade and industry generally. With this view her capital was then deemed very large, and the State retained a large interest in it. After the experience of half a century it may be safely asserted that the object of the institution has been fully answered. The loans she has made and the facilities she has rendered to the Commonwealth in obtaining pecuniary assistance, especially in sudden emergencies, are well known, and as her financial agent, her important dutics have been long and most faithfully performed. [Extracted from the Inquirer. The Speaker laid before the House a Message from the President of the United States, enclosing a memorial from citizens of New York, praying the passage of a bankrupt law. The memorial was signed by 3,000 persons. The Message was read, and is in the following words: To the House of Representatives of the United States : The accompanying memorial in favor of the passage of a bankrupt law, signed by nearly three thousand of the inhabitants of the city of New York, has been forwarded to me, attended by a request that I would submit it to the consideration of Congress. I cannot waive a compliance with a request urged upon me by so large and respectable a number of my fellow-citizens. That a bankrupt law, carefully guarded against fraudulent practices, and embracing, as far as practicable, all classes of society-the failure to do which has heretofore constituted a prominent objection to the mea. sure-would afford extensive relief, I do not doubt. The distress incident to the derangements of some years past has visited large numbers of our fellow-citizens with hopeless insolvency, whose energies, both mental and physical, by reason of the load of debt pressing upon them, are lost to the country. Whether Congress shall deem it proper to enter upon the consideration of this subject at its present extraordinary session, it will doubtless wisely determine. I have fulfilled my duty to the memorialists in submitting their petition to your consideration. WASHINGTON, June 30, 1841. JOHN TYLER. The message and memorial were referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and the message was ordered to be printed.-Nat. In. |