"All power is inherent in the people: all free governments are instituted by their authority, and for their benefit, and they have a right to alter and reform the same when their safety and hap

piness require it.

the Caledonia; yet some writers, both in England | of them being copied from the State Constitutions and America, express the opinion that the worst of the United States. The spirit of the whole of the mercantile crisis is past, and that a change may be inferred from an extract: for the better may now be shortly anticipated. The Liverpool deputation, mentioned in our last, had an interview with the Prime Minister, who expressed much sympathy and regret for the condition of the country, but held out no hope of Government relief. Fourteen additional failures are reported, ten of which occurred in Liverpool. There is a slight improvement in the Corn market: Cotton has declined about d. per pound. Everything seems to indicate a renewal of suffering in Ireland the ensuing winter. riots" have occurred in several places, and much lawlessness and insubordination are manifested by the people in many parts of the Island. Much destitution also exists among the manufacturing classes in England, and in particular, the condition of the population of Lancashire threatens to be scarcely above that of the inhabitants of Ireland

itself.

"All men have a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences, without obstruction or molestation from others; all persons demeaning themselves peaceably, and not obstructing others in their religious worship, are entitled to the pro"Foodtection of law in the free exercise of their own religion, and no sect of Christians shall have exclusive privileges or preference over any other sect, but shall be alike tolerated; and no religious test whatever shall be required as a qualification for civil office, or the exercise of any civil right.

A civil war appears to be impending in Switzerland, where the Protestant and Catholic Cantons are respectively mustering their forces for a bloody

conflict.

The emancipation decree of the King of Denmark—mentioned on page 79 of this journal-has been proclaimed in the Island of St. Thomas, in a form not exactly concordant with our previous

accounts.

The famous Girard College, which has been fourteen years in building, may now be considered finished. On the 13th inst., the Building Committee formally transferred the possession of the buildings to the Board of Directors. The latter give notice, that on the 1st of First month next, the college will be opened for the reception of orphans.

LIBERIA.

"The powers of this government shall be divided into three distinct departments, the legislative, executive and judicial; and no person belonging to one of these departments shall exercise any of the powers belonging to either of the others. This section is not to be construed to include justices of the peace.

"The liberty of the press is essential to the security of freedom in a State; it ought not, therefore, to be restrained in this republic. The printing press shall be free to every person who undertakes to examine the proceedings of the legislature or any branch of government; and no law shall ever be made to restrain the rights thereof. The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the invaluable rights of man; and every citizen may freely speak, write and print on the subject, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty.'

The Legislative and Executive branches of the Government are made conformable to our own; except that the President and Vice-President are to be elected every two years. The Constitution concludes thus:

The Republic of Liberia now takes its place. among the independent nations of the earth.The constitution has been received at Washington, as adopted by its Convention, and fills over seven columns of a printed sheet. It opens with a rapid historical sketch of the establishment and the prosperity of the colony, which concludes-N. American and U. S. Gazette. with the following speech:

"Done in Convention at Monrovia, in the county of Montserrado, by the unanimous consent of the people of the Commonwealth of Liberia, this 26th day of July, in the year of our Lord, 1847, and of the Republic the first. In witness whereof we have hereto set our names."

"Therefore, in the name of humanity, and virtue and religion-in the name of the Great God, our common Creator, and our common judge, we appeal to the nations of Christendom, and earnestly and respectfully ask of them that they will regard us with the sympathy and friendly consideration to which the peculiarities of our condition entitle us, and to extend to us that comity which marks the friendly intercourse of civilized and independent communities."

FOUR SLAVERS CAPTURED.

A French steamer from St. Thomas, reports the capture of four slave ships. Three of them were taken by the Ferret; the first, a Brazilian brigantine, on the 27th of June; the second, the Sebasticano, three weeks later; and on the 16th of July, the Faiska, a new ship from Hamburg and Liverpool. Capt. Dixon, of the Rapid, captured a Brazilian brigantine, on the 6th of July.

Next follows the declaration of rights-many | Christian Observer.

THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.

The Eighth Annual Report (or that for the year 1847) of the British and Foreign AntiSlavery Society, which has been recently received, contains some startling disclosures respecting this odious traffic. From that branch of the report the following is extracted:

those which have succeeded in carrying off their cargoes and landing them on the coast of Brazil; and our last accounts from Rio de Janeiro tend to confirm this belief, as they mention that no less than thirty vessels were in preparation for the eastern coast of Africa alone.' The Commissioners at Boa Vista, Cape de Verde, after stating that 12° north of the line had been left unwatched, observe, That the slavers destined for Sherbro, or Gallinas, have been sent with almost equal ease to the wholly neglected ports of Rio Pongas, Cacheo, &c., and the losses of Pedro Blanco, and the slave-dealers of the former places, have been counterbalanced by the increased gains of Kyeten (Don Caitano Nozzolini) at Bissao, and his confederates in the Cape de Verde Islands.'

ading squadron.' H. M. Commissioners at Rio remark, 'If all the arguments are good which are brought forward to prove that the total suppression of slave-importations would at once ruin the agricultural interests, it must be conceded, that during the last four years those interests have prospered, because the importation of slaves has undeniably augmented on this part of the "There is no reason for believing that the Brazilian coast;' and they add, It would appear slave-trade has been less active during the past that there exists a brisk demand in the inland year, than it was in that which preceded it. On districts, supplied from this seaport and others the contrary, the Committee are convinced that in its vicinity.' The Commissioners at Sierra it has increased rather than diminished in extent. Leone write that The trade still continues to be The introduction of slave-grown sugar into the carried on to a considerable extent from the British markets has greatly increased the demand Portuguese possessions in Mozambique; and for that article, and consequently the demand for that under whatever colours the vessels engaged slaves. From the Slave-trade Papers for 1846 therein may sail, the negroes who are carried we make the following extracts, which will off are destined, for the ports of Brazil.' Alshow its recent movements. The Commission-luding to the capture of slavers, which had been ers at Sierra Leone say, that The Cuban slave-made, they say, 'Of these vessels, eight were trade, which, under the honourable administration taken in the Mozambique, but we believe that of General Valdez, had been almost annihilated, these cases are few in number, compared with has latterly been revived to a very lamentable extent.'. In reference to the Brazilian slavetrade they observe, that 'The number of vessels engaged in it exceeds that in any previous year since this British and Brazilian Mixed Court came into operation;' and they add, 'It is probable, also, that the list of Spanish vessels would have been even larger than it is, but for the temporary depressing effect which recent disturbances among the slave-population of Cuba has had in creating a want of confidence on the part of the slave-factors on this coast, and deterring them from making large shipments to the Spanish colonies on speculation.' They further observe, notwithstanding the activity of the increased squadron,' and the addition of effective steam vessels to the cruizers on this coast,' still we believe that the slave-trade is increasing, and that it is conducted, perhaps, more systematically than it has ever been hitherto." The same authorities say, 'Nearly all the former noted slave-haunts appear to be still frequented, and in spite of the stringent measures adopted by the British commodore, with the powerful force under his command, there can be no question but that there has been a very large number of slaves transported both to Cuba and Brazil.' Her Majesty's Commissary Judge at the Havanna, after stating the fact that 10,000 slaves had been introduced into Cuba, during the year 1844, observes, Great, however, as this number may be considered, I regret to have to state that, if it has not amounted to the average of the importations in the years previous to the administration of General Valdez, the cause must be ascribed to the smaller demand for slaves, rather than to the diminished activity of the dealers, or prohibitory measures of the government.' Speaking of the slave-traffickers, he says, 'If it suited their interests to send vessels, I doubt whether they would be deterred by the fear of the block

Great expectations were raised, that the combined exertions. of the British, American, and French squadrons employed on the coast of Africa for the suppression of the slave-trade, would prove effectual for that purpose. Had facts been taken into account, those expectations would never have been indulged. The American squadron can only capture vessels actually engaged in the slave-trade bearing the United States flag. The French squadron is restricted to the capture of vessels bearing the French or the British flag. If a fleet of slavers covered by other flags were to sail into their midst, they could not be captured. It is the British squadron alone that can capture the vessels of all nationsthe American excluded-by virtue of the treaties which this country has with them, giving her the right to do so. Referring to this point, Commodore Jones, in his reports to the Admiralty, says, In carrying out the objects of the squadron, it has been found necessary to rely entirely on our own resources, with little or no reference to the assistance which might have been looked for from the joint cruizing with the

foreign ships of war which were expected to combine with us in the suppression of the slavetrade.' The French cruizers do not appear to have made a single capture.' . . . The American squadron employed on this station has made one capture.' The Commodore further says that, French merchant vessels act as carriers for cargoes of slave-goods between Brazil and the factories on the coast.' It is, however, the American vessels which more particularly aid, abet, and even carry on the slave-trade. Under cover of the United States flag, the slavers frequently defeated the object of the British cruizers,' because it is declared unlawful to visit their vessels on the high seas.' At present the Committee are informed that the whole of the American squadron is withdrawn from the coast of Africa, in consequence of the Mexican war."

viously, but that they had disappeared, and he believed them to be optical illusions similar to the mirage. It was then, for the first time, so perfect was the deception, that I conjectured the probable fact that these figures were the reflection of our own images by the atmosphere, filled as it was with fine particles of crystallized matter, or by the distant horizon, covered by the same substance. This induced a more minute observation of the phenomenon, in order to detect the deception, if such it were. I noticed a single figure, apparently in front in advance of all the others, and was struck with its likeness to myself. Its motions, too, I thought were the same as mine. To test the hypothesis above suggested, I wheeled suddenly around, at the same time stretching my arms out to their full length and turning my face sideways to notice the movements of this figure. It went through precisely the same motions. I then marched From the Louisville Morning Courier. deliberately and with long strides several paces; the figure did the same. To test it more thoA DAY IN THE DESERT OF CALIFORNIA. roughly, I repeated the experiment, and with the (Concluded from page 120.) same result. The fact then was clear. But it During the subsidence of this tempest there was more fully verified still, for the whole array appeared upon the plain one of the most ex- of this numerous shadowy host in the course of traordinary phenomena, I dare to assert, ever an hour melted entirely away and was no more witnessed. As I have before stated, I had dis-seen. The phenomenon, however, explained mounted from my mule, and, turning it in with and gave the history of the gigantic spectres the caballado, was walking several rods in front which appeared and disappeared so mysteriously of the party, in order to lead in a direct course to at an earlier hour of the day. The figures were the point of our destination. Diagonally in front, our own shadows, produced and reproduced by to the right, our course being west, there appeared the mirror-like composition impregnating the atthe figures of a number of men and horses, sine mosphere and covering the plain. I cannot here fifteen or twenty. Some of these figures were more particularly explain or refer to the subject. mounted and others dismounted, and appeared But this spectral population, springing out of the to be marching in front. Their faces and the ground as it were, and arraying itself before us heads of the horses were turned towards us, and as we traversed this dreary and Heaven-conat first they appeared as if they were rushing down demned waste, although we were entirely conupon us. Their apparent distance, judging from vinced of the cause of the apparition, excited the horizon, was from three to five miles. But those superstitious emotions so natural to all their size was not correspondent, for they appear- mankind. ed nearly as large as our own bodies, and consequently were of gigantic stature. At the first view, I supposed them to be a small party of Indians (probably Utahs) marching from the opposite side of the plain. But this seemed to me scarcely probable, as no hunting or war party would be likely to take this route. I called to some of our party nearest to me to hasten forward, as there were men in front coming towards us. Very soon the fifteen or twenty figures were multiplied into three or four hundred, and appeared to be marching forward with the greatest action and speed. I then conjectured that they might be Captain Fremont and his party, with others from California, returning to the United States by this route, although they seemed to be too numerous even for this. I spoke to Brown, who was nearest to me, and asked him if he noticed the figures of men and horses in front. He answered that he did, and that he had observed the same appearances several times pre

About 5 o'clock, P. M., we reached and passed, leaving it to our left, a small butte, rising solitary from the plain. Around this the ground is uneven, and a few scattering shrubs, leafless and without verdure, raised themselves above the white sand and saline matter, which seemed recently to have drifted, so as nearly to conceal them Eight miles brought us to the northern end of a short range of mountains, turning the point of which, and bending our course to the left, we gradually came upon higher ground, composed of compact volcanic gravel. I was here considerably in the rear, having made a detour towards the base of the butte, and thence toward the centre of the short range of mountains, to discover, if such existed, a spring of water. I saw no such joyful presentation, nor any of the usual indications, and when I reached and turned the point, the whole party were several miles ahead of me and out of sight. Congratulating myself that I stood once more on

tural, unearthly dreariness of the scenery.

"Old Jenny" for some time had so far beat me in the race, as to be out of my sight, and I out of the sound of her footsteps. I was entirely alone, and enjoying as well as a man could with a crust of salt in his nostrils and over his lips, and a husky mouth and throat, the singularity of my situation, when I observed about a quarter of a mile ahead of me a dark stationary object, standing in the midst of the hoary scenery. I

terra firma, I urged my tired mule forward with | 9 o'clock, displaying and illuminating the unnaall the life and activity that spur and whip could inspire her with, passing down the range of mountains on my left some four or five miles, and then rising some rocky hills connecting this with a long and high range of mountains on my right. The distance across these hills is about seven or eight miles. When I had reached the most elevated point of this ridge, the sun was setting, and I saw my fellow travellers, still far in advance of me, entering again upon a plain or valley of salt, some ten or twelve miles in breadth.supposed it to be "Old Jenny," in trouble once On the opposite side of this valley rose abruptly and to a high elevation another mountain, at the foot of which we expected to find the spring of fresh water that was to quench our thirst, and revive and sustain the drooping energies of our faithful beasts.

more about her pack. But, coming up to a speaking distance, I was challenged in a loud voice with the usual guard salutation, "Who comes there?" Having no countersign, I gave the common response in such cases, “A friend." This appeared to be satisfactory; for I heard no report of pistol or rifle, and no arrow took its soundless flight through my body. I rode up to the object, and discovered it to be Buchannan sitting upon his mule, which had become so much exhausted that it occasionally refused to go along, notwithstanding his industrious application of the usual incentives to progress. He said that he had supposed himself to be the "last man" before "Old Jenny" passed, who had given him a surprise, and he was quite thunderstruck when an animal, mounted by a man, came charging upon him in his half crippled condition. After a good laugh and some little delay and difficulty, we got his mule under way again and rode slowly along together.

About midway upwards, in a canada of this mountain, I noticed the smoke of a fire, which apparently had just been kindled, as doubtless it had been, by Indians, who were then there, and had discovered our party on the white plain below, it being the custom of these Indians to make signals by fire and smoke whenever they notice strange objects. Proceeding onward, I overtook an old and favorite pack-mule, which we familiarly called "Old Jenny." She carried our meat and flour-all that we possessed in fact as a sustenance of life. Her pack had turned, and her burden, instead of being on her back, was suspended under her belly. With the good sense and discretion so characteristic of the Mexican pack-mule, being behind and fol- We left, to us, in our tired condition, the lowing the party in advance, she had stopped seemingly interminable plain of salt, and entered short in the road until some one should come to upon the sagey slope of the mountain about ten re-arrange her cargo, and place it on deck instead o'clock. Hallooing as loudly as we could raise of under the keel. I dismounted and went our voices, we obtained, by a response, the dithrough by myself the rather tedious and labori-rection of our party who had preceded us, and ous process of unpacking and repacking. This done, "Old Jenny" set forward upon a fast gallop, to overtake her companions ahead, and my own mule, as if not to be outdone in the race, followed in the same gait. "Old Jenny," however, maintained the honors of the race, keeping considerably ahead. Both of them, by that instinct or faculty which mules undoubtedly possess, had scented the water on the other side of the valley, and their pangs of extreme thirst urged them forward at this extraordinary speed, after the long and laborious march they had made to obtain it.

after some difficulty in making our way through the sage, grass and willows, (the last a certain indication of water in the desert,) we came to where they had discovered a faint stream of water, and made their camp. Men and mules, on their first arrival, as we learned, had madly rushed into the stream and drank together of its muddy waters, made muddy by their own disturbance of its shallow channel, and sluggish current.

Delay of gratification frequently gives a temporary relief to the cravings of hunger. The same remark is applicable to thirst. Some hours preAs I advanced over the plain, which was viously I had felt the pangs of thirst with an covered with a thicker crust of salt than that pre-acuteness amounting almost to an agony. Now, viously described, breaking under the feet of the when I had reached the spot where I could graanimals like a crust of frozen snow, the spread-tify my desires in this respect, they were greatly ing of the fires in the canada of the mountain diminished. My first care was to unsaddle my appeared with great distinctness. The line of lights was regular like camp fires, and I was more than half inclined to hope that we should meet and be welcomed by an encampment of civilized men, either hunters, or a party from the Pacific bound homeward. The moon rose about

mule and lead it to the stream, and my next to take a survey of the position of our encampment. I then procured a cup of muddy water and drank it off with a good relish. The fires before noticed were still blazing brightly above us on the side of the mountain, but those who had lighted

them had given no other signal of their proximity. | must have it, for we are the lords of the land.' The moon shone brilliantly, and Jacob, Buchan-Well down you go,' said we, throwing the rope nan, McClary, and myself concluded we would over their shoulders, and you shall have the trace the small stream of water until we could bakshish.' Nay, verily,' said they, you mean find the fountain spring. After considerable to hang us; let Jacob do what he pleases.' Jacob search among the reeds, willow, and luxuriant was ready at our command; and when he had green, we discovered a spring. Buchannan was tied the rope round his body below the shoulders, so eager to obtain a draught of cold pure water, that he received our parting instructions. We asked in dipping his cup for this purpose the yielding him to call out to us the moment that he might weeds under him gave way, and he sank into arrive at the surface of the water, and told him that the basin, from which he was drawn out after a we should so hold the rope as to prevent him good "ducking," by one of those present. The from sinking, if there was any considerable depth next morning this basin was sounded to the depth of the element. We told him also to pull out of thirty-five feet, and no bottom found. We one of the candles with which he had stored his named this spring, "Buchannan's Well." We breast, and to ignite it when he might get below. lighted no fires to-night, and prepared no evening As he looked into the fearful pit on the brink of meal. Worn down by the hard day's travel, which he stood, terror took hold of him, and he after relieving our thirst, we spread our blankets betook himself to prayer in the Hebrew tongue. upon the ground, and laying our bodies upon them, We of course gave him no interruption in his slept soundly in the bright moonshine. Several solemn exercise, as, in the circumstance of the of our party had been on the road upwards of case, we could not but admire the spirit of deseventeen hours, without water or refreshment votion which he evinced. On a signal given of any kind, except a small draught of cold coffee we let him go. The Arabs held with us the from our powder-keg, made of the salt-sulphur rope, and we took care that he should descend water at our last encampment, and had travelled as gently as possible. the distance of seventy-five miles. The Salt Plain has never at this place, as far as I could understand, been crossed but twice previously by civilized men, and in these instances two days were occupied in performing the journey. National Intelligencer.

THE DEPTH OF JACOB'S WELL.

Dr. WILSON, of England, who has recently travelled through the Holy Land, and published the results of his travel under the title of "The Land of the Bible Visited and Described," presents the following relation of his visit to Jacob's Well: "At Sheehem, Dr. Wilson found a remnant of the Samaritans still, and had some interesting conversation with one of their priests. In the immediate neighborhood is Jacob's Well, where our Lord encountered the woman of Samaria, and with simplest images instructed her in the sublime mysteries of spiritual truth. The well is situated amid the ruins of a church which once surrounded it. The mouth was covered with two large stones. Rolling away these, the travellers, with their attendants, swung themselves down to a kind of platform, where they kindled a light, and commenced preparations for ascertaining the depth of Jacob's Well.

"It was now time to disclose our plan of operation to our native attendants. Jacob,' said we, a friend of ours, an English traveller and minister, (the Rev. Andrew Bonar, of Collace,) dropped the five books of Moses and the other inspired records into this well about three years ago, and if you will descend and bring them up we shall give you a handsome bakshish.' Bakshish?' said the Arabs, kindling at the sound; if there is to be a bakshish in the case, we

"When our material was nearly exhausted, he called out, I have reached the bottom, and it is at present scarcely covered with water.' Forthwith he kindled his light; and, that he might have every advantage, we threw him down a quantity of dry sticks, with which he made a blaze, which distinctly showed us the whole of the well from the top to the bottom.

"We saw the end of the rope at its lower part; and we put a knot upon it at the margin above, that we might have the exact measurement when Jacob might come up. After searching for about five minutes for the Bible among the stones and mud at the bottom, our friend joyfully cried out: It is found! it is found! it is found!' We were not slow, it may be supposed, in giving him our congratulations. The prize he carefully put into his breast, and then he declared his readiness, with our aid, to make the ascent.

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"We found it no easy matter to get him pulled up, as we had to keep the rope from the edge of the well lest it should snap asunder. When he came into our hands he was unable to speak, and we laid him down on the margin of the well that he might collect his breath. Where is the bakshish?' were the first words which he uttered on regaining his faculty of speech. It was immediately forthcoming, to the extent of about à sovereign, and to his fullest satisfaction. A similar sum we divided among our Arab assistants. The book, from having been so long steeped in the water and mud below, was, with the exception of the boards, reduced to a mass of pulp. In our effort to recover it, we had ascertained the depth of the well, which is exactly seventy-five feet. Its diameter is about nine feet. It is entirely hewn out of the solid