AMERICA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 562, 24 March 1858, Page 4

AMERICA.

Recent accounts from the United States re-N ported that the panic had "died out all over the country," and " money was the shadow of a shade easier." New phenomena—" hunger demonstrations "—were going on in New York. Men were parading the streets with banners, bearing the words in English of "Work or Death;" in French, "Dv Travail on laMbrt;" in German, "Fur Arbeit oder Tod." At one of these meetings, a man mounted the steps of the Exchange, and, cheered by the mob, said they must have work or bread; that the wealthy men in that street had millions lying idle, and that those millions must be circulated in- order that " the people might get some of it and buy bread."" They would not starve; though there were millions about, they would keep the peace; they would increase " in numbers irresistible in strength,"" and march day by day through, the streets, but the " boys " would keep the peace. Tn Philadelphia some excitement was occasioned by a gang of about a dozen men, armed with muskets, appearing in the streets, carrying a .banner bearing the inscription, " We will protect the poor," and with a loaf of bread pictared upon it. The police dispersed them and captured all their gnns.

Still more recent accounts from New York stated that, although monetary affairs were brighter, the public distress was still excessive. Bands of " Rowdies " continued to disturb the peace. Large meetings had been held ; some bakers delivering bread plundered, and much violent language thundered forth. On one day the assistant-treasurer telegraphed to Washington for a force to protect the sub-treasury and custom-house. It was furnished at once. The marine-corps quartered at Governor's island were brought up to the city, and are now quartered in the basement of the custom-house. The State Militia, too, happened to bo out on a parade, and made a seasonable dispU}' of strength. The " working men " had separated themselves from the " rowdies," and sought, by peaceable deputations to the authorities, to obtain employment on public works. They were promised that 1,000 dollars a d«iy should be spent until a fund of 250,000 dollars, Bet apart for public works, should be exhausted. " The foreign element" was at the bottom of much of the.rioting. In Philadelphia, the nnemployed demanded a 'safe circulating currency ;' and they proposed the issue of 10,000,000 dollars' worth of " city warrants," varying in amount from one dollar to four.

A statement has been published in the papers, founded on a correspondence between a late Minister to Mexico and the' secretary of Mr. Forsyth, the present Minister, that, Mr. Buchanan offered to Mexico more than 50,000,000 dollars for a tract of country greater in extent than the whole ai-ea of the present slave states. The late Minister, General Gadsden, denies it, not of his own knowledge, but inferenti.illy. .A budy of emigrants from Missouri and Arkansas, numbering 135, are reported to have been mnsvncm! by the Indians. J'orty or fifty of ihf eMiiy-jMisfs were capable of bearing arms. T!u< i'i!«.ni«-,> -it'iits were attacked about daylight in .the -.uorning (so say -the Indians), bjr the ceujhiiied forces of all the various tribes immediately in that section of the country. It appears that the majority of them

were slain at the first ouset made by the Indians. The remaining fores formed themselves into the best position the circumstances would allow, but before they could make the necessary arrangements for protecting themselves from the arrows, there were few left who were able to bear arms. After having " corralled " their waggons and dug a ditch for their protection, they continued to fire upon the Indians for one or two days, but the Indians had so secreted Jhemselves that, according to their own statement, there was not one of them killed and but few wounded. They (the emigrants) then sent out a flag of truce, borne by a little girl/and then gave themselves up to the mercy of the savages, who immediately rushed in and slaughtered, all of them with the exception of .fifteen infant childrenj who had since been purchased with much difficulty by the Mormon interpreters. *It is : said that the military expedition against "the Saints" of Utah is a total failure. It will not reach Zion on the Salt Lake, this winter, as it is understood it has gone into quarters at some statibxi short of the holy city," with the loss of 75 waggons, loaded with stores, on which a roving and armed body of Mormons pounced suddenly, finding the train marching without a guard, plundered it of what suited them, and burnt the rest, the waggons inclusive. The Federal troops seem to have started six months too late, as snow always sets in along the White Mountain range early in the winter. The Mormona are understood to have a kind of league with the Indian tribes of the southwest.

Kansas has again attracted attention to itself. The old territorial legislature, which would hare expired in January, has elected a constitutional convention. This bod}' has been sitting at Lecoinpton; it was a pro-slavery body, and it devised a shameful means of arriving at its ends. This device is described by the Boston correspondent of the 'Morning Post:' —"A constitution has been-formed, containing a clause which provides for the establishment of slavery in Kansas. It is further ordained that, on Monday, the 21st of Dec, the population shall vote for ' the constitution with slavery,' in which this clause will be retained, or for 'the constitution without slavery,' in which it will be omitted; but they are refused permission to vote against both forms if they so desire. Thus, it will be seen at a glance, the voters are merely granted leave to express their preference for one or the other of the two forms, both of which fully establish slavery in the State of Kansas ! For, while the 'constitution with slavery* establishes it in precise terms by the clause above-mentioned, 'the constitution without slavery' reaffirms the validity of all the laws heretofore enaetedby the pro-slavery legislature, among. .. \vliieii these for the introduction of slavery are chief and foremost.' The alternative offered is / heads t'.yiin, tails you lose.' They have gone further; ,and have established a provisional government, - consisting of the most ultra pro-slavery fanatics, which is to have the entire control of affairs during the transition from a territorial to a state government. The president of the Convention, a man named Calhonn, ha 3 been by it appointed 'Regent of Kansas,' and invested" with almost dictatorial power. The ■ '.Regent' is/to order elections, appoint electoral judges, receive returns, and decide for whom the majority of votes have been cast." This nefarious plot has naturally called down much public indignation. Tte Canadian Ministry ha* bten broken up by the retirement of the veteran premier, Col. Tache*, who has long desired to resign. All the cabinet have followed him. Mr. J. A. Macdonald, an Upper Canadian, and the leader of his party, has been called in to form a new ministry.