UNITED STATES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 488, 8 July 1857, Page 5

UNITED STATES.

The "New York papers contain glowing accounts of the inauguration of the President, Mr. James Buchanan, at Washington, on the 4th of March. The Courier dcs Etats TJnis, a New York journal, printed in the French Language, gives the follwing report of the inaugural ceremonies :—

Splendid weather has at Washington as well as at New York favoured the 4th of March, and up to the present all the auguries are favourable to the administration of Mr. Buchanan.

The procession which accompanied the new President from his house to the Capitol, and from thence to the White House, was, if we may believe the telegraphic despatch, the most brilliant and numerous that had ever been seen in the federal capital.

A military detachment, under the command of General J. A. Quitman, headed the procession. Succeeding this, the national standard—a magnificent piece of drapery, was carried in tront of an open carnage in^ which were the President and vice-President elect. On the left of the carriage marched the marshals of the day, and on the other side the United States marshal for the district of Columbia and his deputies. The Senate has passed the bill to expedite the telegraph to the Pacific, appropriating 30,000 dollars annually for ten years for the establishment of the line.

The Dallas treaty has failed of ratification in the Senate, and has been laid on the table, to be taken up partially at the after session succeeding the 4th March. The bill establishing a State, Government in Minnesota has passed the Senate, after being amended by "restricting the suffrage to citizens of the United States.

The bill increasing the pay of the army has passed Congress and been signed by the president.

The president has signed the Submarine Telegraph Bill. The Appropriation Bills have passed the House without debate. They include thirteen millions of dollars for the army, twelve millions for the navy, six millions for the civil service, two millions for fortifications, and a million and a half for ocean mail service.

The new president, Mr. Buchanan, has appointed General Lewis Cass, of Michigan, to bo Secretary of State —that is, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief of the Cabinet- There was a time when such an act would have been received in England as a most serious demonstration. General Cass is" seventy-five years old, and during that term of his political life he has been a Minister at home, a representative in Europe,

and for a number of years senator from the State of Michigan. . But whether at a bureau in Washington, at a levee at the Tuilleries, or amid the clearings of his Western home, he has ever been the vehement denouncer of England, her ambition, her hatred of liberty, her designs to thwart the development and disturb the peace of the United States. The life of General Cass has been nearly contemporaneous with the acknowledged independence of his country ; he remembers America thinly populated and a second-rate power. The struggle of 1812 found him a young man; the long war of abuse between Tory England and the touchy young Democrat of America is still fresh in his recoflection; and, like many a man of strong feelings and deeply-rooted prejudices, he has carried the traditions of one age into another that has little in common with it.

The Boston Journal of the sth March says. " AH eyes are now turned towards Washington, which is filled to overflowing with politicians, office-seekers, and others, who have assembled to witness the inauguration of the new Administration. * * The appointment of General Cass to the Premiership of the new Cabinet excites a good deal of surprise among all classes. To say nothing of other disqualifications, Gen. Cass is passing into the sere and yellow leaf of life, and has seen his best days of intellectual vigour.- He has been known heretofore as a belligerent statesman. When foreign questions have assumed a threatening aspect, his voice has been raised the loudest for war. He has been possessed by an insane hatred of Great Britain, and there are few of our public men in whose cool judgment upon questions pending with fchat nation we would not sooner confide. But we are told that the Michigan Senator will not carry into the administration which is to rule the country for the next four years, the inevitable war policy with Great Britain, but will favour peace not only with our foster-mother but with all the world. "We should be glad to believe this, and that the new administration will resistthat fillibustering policy which seems to be finding more and more favour, and which has contributed to the rejection of the recent convention with England. But the antecedents of the Premier tend to discourage the hope that the foreign policy of the new administration will be peaceful."

There have been rumours at Washington for a week past of a new treaty having been effected with Mexico, which stipulates for the payment of a large sum, either as a largess or loan, out of the overflowing coffers of Uncle Sam. Such a treaty is said to' be in the possession of the administration, but it will he left for the action of the new administration. The latest report in regard to it is as follows : —" The treaty is not perfect, but there is authority here to perfect it. There are three or four parts to this treaty, commercial, postal, and the satisfaction of American claims. Those who are authorised to speak say that there is no cession of territory, and no preference of individual claims against Mexico. It says nothing of Tehuantepec, or of Sonora, or Lower California, but the fifteen millions which the Mexican Government are desirous of getting looks to a cession of territory on their part, and parties here are authorised to perfect that part of the treaty which it is said is imperfect, provided our Government accept the proposition."

The papers say there will be a desperate conflict between the " ins " and " outs." The former believe in permanency in office holding, the latter have great faith in rotation in office. There seems to be a general belief that very many of Mr. Pierces office-holders will have to give place to new occupants.

It appears that the new President and some other gentlemen have had a narrow escape from poisoning. The circumstances are thus stated by the 'papers:—When Mr. Buchanan went to Washington, he put up at the National House, where J. Glancy Jones, John L. Dawson, and others were stopping. It appears that this hotel has been infested with rats of late, and one of the boarders—as the story goes—conceived the idea that they ought, to be disposed of effectually before the day of inauguration. Accordingly he procured extra large doses of arsenic, which he disposed of in the most tempting manner about the house. The rats ate the poison. It is well known that when rats partake of arsenic they put directly for water. There is a large tank of water in the upper part of the hotel referred to, and into this the host of rats plunged, drank, bursted and died. From this tank the house is supplied with water for drinking and cooking purposes. Twenty or thirty of the guests were suddenly, and some of them severely affected, from the use of water thus impregnated with the poison. Mi-. Buchanan left suddenly for Wheatland, where he arrived suffering from diarrhoea. He was, however, less severely affected than the others, and in a short time recovered sufficiently to receive visitors —but the fatigue incident to entertaining two or three hundred persons made it absolutely necessary for him to husband his strength "by refusing to see any but his most intimate personal friends —a rule which was rigidly'observed up to the hour of his departure this morning. Dr. Jones, of Berkes, was more severely affected and has been lying in a critical condition ever since. The most severely affected were John L. Dawson, and Mr. Porter of Washington. The Losses' of Walkek in Nicaragua.— A Nicaragua correspondent of the JVew York Times says, that since General Walker has been in that eountiy he has received not far from 5000 men. Of these about 1400 are living, which makes his whole loss S6OO. All concur in saying, that the graveyards and pits of Granada contain 1500 filibusters, and many place ii as high as 2000. "

Postal Arrangements. — Congress has authorised the Postmaster-General to contract for the^ conveyance of the entire letter mail from the Mississippi to San Francisco in four-horse coaches, at a cost not exceeding 300,000 dollars per annum for semi-monthly, 450,000 dollars for weekly, or 600,000 for semi-weekly service, the contractors to have the right of pre-emption of 320 acres of land at each point necessary for a station which are not to be nearer than ten miles from each other. Among other amendments adopted is one appropriating 23,000 dollars for the laud mail service in Washington territory.

Kansas.—Westport, 21st February, 1857.— In-my last letter I mentioned that an indignation meeting would be held at Lecompton, on Monday the 18th, and that a disturbance was apprehended. The meeting came off, and ended in a tragedy. W. T. Sherrard, the. sheriff of Douglass, was mortally wounded. One of my informants left his brains oozing" out from the bullet hole in his head, and he was insensible. The meeting originated with O. C. Stewart, mayor of the city, in the chair, and its object was to condemn the conduct of Sherrard, and sustain Geary. A committee, who was appointed to draft resolutions, split, making two reports. The majority report condemned Sherrard,and after some vote on it he, being present, got up and denounced all who voted that way as " scoundrels and cowards." A man named Shepherd said " You ought to have been censured." Sherrard says " Who is that ?" and seeing Shepherd, drew his pistol and commenced shooting at him, and was shot in return.

Nicaeag-tfa.— From Nicaragua, says the San Francisco Globe, we are in receipt of intelligence which indicates an early termination of hostilities, and the restoration of peace and quiet in that war-ridden country. The report of the evacuation, by the Costa Ricans, of the important post of Port Serapiqui, is confirmed, and there is little room for doubting that Walker is by this time in peaceable possession of the entire transit route. Should the rumour of the withdrawal of the Honduras troops prove true, there would be nothing left to the Costa Ricans but to make peace with Walker upon his own terms. We are told that the statement relative to the fitting out of expeditions from St. Mary's and Saratoga, for the release of neutral Amei-icans taken prisoners by the Costa Ricans, may be relied on.

Weecks in 1856.—1n the year 1856, 1,153 ships were wrecked or met with casualties on and near the coast of the United Kingdom, between 49 degrees and 62 degrees north latitude and mid-channel, and 12 degrees west longitude. The burden of these ships were 229,235 tons, and the number of hands employed 10.014. The largest number of casualties occurred in January, February, November, and December. Of these ships 884 were British, registered at home; 32 British, registered in the colonies ; and 237 foreigners. 546 were sailing ships over sea, 434 coasters, 139 colliers, and 35 steamships. 5Q6 wrecks &c, occurred on the east coast, 307 on the west coast, 119 on the south coast, 100 on the Irish, coast, 12 off the Scilly Islands, 11 off Lundy Island, 5 off the Isle'of Man, and 38 off the northern isles. 261 of the ships were commanded by masters holding certificates of competency, 290 by masters holding certificates of service, 297 by masters of coasters, 95.by persons whose qualifications are unknown, and 201 by foreigners. 454 ships are reported as insured, and 179 uninsured. The causes of accidents involving total loss include 148 cases of stress of weather, 10 of mistaking lights, &c, 36 of unseaworthiness, 38 of fog or current, 5 of defective compasses, 3 of defective charts, 12 of errors in judgment, 3 of ignorance of coast, 7 of errors of pilot, 3 of want of pilot, 21 of neglect of the lead, 11 of want of caution, 2 of interference, and 9 of general negligence. The wrecks of 1856 exhibit a decrease of 6.38 per cent., as compared with 1855, and the collisions an increase of 27.94 per cent., as compared with 1855.— Times. To Corkespoxdjents.—We beg to call the particular attention of correspondents to the following rules, which will save much trouble and ensure their communications beintj printed with accuracy. Write with black ink, on white paper, widely. Make the pages small, one-fourth that of a foolscap sheet. Leave the second page of each leaf blank. Give to the written page an ample margin all round. Number the pages in the order of their succession. Write in a plain, bold hand, with little respect to beauty. Use no abbreviations which are not to appear in print. Punctuate the manuscript as it should te printed. For italics, underscore one line; for small capitals, two; capitals, three. Never interline without a caret to show its place. Take special pains with every letter in proper names. Review every word, to be sure that none is illegible. Never write a private letter to the editor on the printer's copy. ■ The Daily News remarks on the present absurd fashions in dress : —We will venture to whisper a plain truth to cur lady readers—that we do not know a man of an3 r age, or any order of taste, who admires the present fashion of female dress. • We are not thinking particularly of husbands who have to pay; Ahe bills, or fathers who sigh to see their;daughters make themselves ridiculous. We speak also of mere observers — of men of taste, versed in art, and cognisant of beauty wherever it exists. As far as we know, such men, and all men, agree that there is no beauty in a style so far removed from; nature and reason. Pernicious confinement of the waist, in painful contrast.with the pipfusipn of petticoat; the exposure of the head/to the. wintry air, and of the face to the common gaze, in a: state of society in which women prpfess > to wear bonnets when they go abroad, are shacking;

to good sense and taste; and so is the amount and variety of things put on. Our ladies, whether in the open air or the ball-room, look like walking wardrobes, from the weight they carry, and the amount of furnishings, one on the top of another. Both the fundamental principles of dress forbid this. • Such a costume neither discloses the general outline of the form, according to the one principle, nor possesses the warrant of manifest or ostensible use, according to the other. Nor is there any excuse of classical association, •or special convenience, or, indeed, any pretence but mere whim, for the fashions which have offended all rational people for tho last two or three years. It is believed by many that all things recur in cycles, from periods of the highest wisdom to the lowest folly of men. It certainly seems as if the extremest folly of dress had come up again, in an age which prides itself on its doctrine and fact of progress. If it be true that, as the Lancet says, a free use of belladonna, to give brilliancy and fascination to the eye, is a " fashionable abomination " of the day, there was certainly|no period before the popularising of physiological facts when more offences were committed against health, by means of dress, than at present. The days of hoops and tightlacing, of powder, rouge, and enamel, were not more fatal to the health of the ladies of England than are the practices of the passing hour. The weight hung from the waist—instead of a reasonable dependence from the shoulders, the exposed head and chest—the treatment of the eye, the hair, and the skin, from false notions of beauty, are a disgrace to the knowledge and judgment of our time. When we have to add the consideration of unpaid debt, from the prodigious expensiveness of dress, and the oppression of the working class from its elaborateness, caused by the selfish thoughtlessness of our belles, beside a multitude who have been or would fain be belles, we do not see what can be said for the heart any more than for the civilization of a generation which is sufficiently .forward, at least in its pretension.