UNITED STATES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 591, 3 July 1858, Page 5

UNITED STATES.

The Kansas question continued under discussion in Congress. The Senate sat from the morning of the 15th March to half-past 6 o clock i on the following morning. During the sitting two senators, Green and Cameron, gave each ■other the lie direct. The Vice-President interposed, and mutual apologies were made. A memorial from the Legislature of Utah was presented to the house of Representatives on the 16th. The reading of it was listened to with much attention. Some of the language caused laughter, while other portions induced members to move that further reading be dispensed with. The memorial, however, was read to the end, including the names of the signers. The memorialist! represent that at the last session of their Legislature resolutions and a memorial were adopted, setting forth their grievances as to the appointment of Federal officers for Utah, but the only response to them has been the pending of a new set, backed by an army claiming to have been sent by the President. If the army has been sent by authority of the Government, they j should like to be informed of the fact; and they want further, to know why their remonstrance is treated with contempt, and a hostile course is pursued against them. They say they will not submit to the misrule of demagogues, who spend their time in creating disturbances between them and the United States Government. They narrate their sufferings in Missouri andL elsewhere, and, claiming to be. a portoon of the American people, and asserting that they have therefore the right to demand justice and the enioyment of their civil rights under the constitution, they -ask the Government to retrace therr course to withdraw the troops, and to gLye them a voice in the selection of their officers, thus showing its willingness to extend to them peace rather than war. The appointments for Utah, they say, were hawked around until at last were found a set of officers reckless and unprincipled, who have attempted to come into tiie territory supported by bayonets. All they want is fair play. The administration has been imposed upon by designing men. They will not, it expected to do so, renounce their religion. J-hey will maintain it in defiance of earth and hell, and are better prepared to defend themselves now

than when they went to the Territory. They beg to be excused if they do not entertain a favourable opinion of the army. If some of them nad their due they would be pulling hemp by the neck, or occupying positions in prisons. They, among other things, ask reparation. _ An extraordinary instance of criminal desperation had occurred at Alton Penitentiary. A convict named Hall, who was serving out his second term, watched his opportunity shortly after breakfast, and when no other guard was in the hall surrounding the' cells, except Crabb, a turnkey, knocked him down and stunned him by a severe blow on the head, then dragged him into one of the lower cells, tied his hands behind his back, fastened the cell door by means of a stick of timber previously put in the cell by some confederate, then drew a huge knife from his bosom, assisted Crabb to rise, put him against the door, and threatened him with death unless he were allowed to go at liberty. This most daring attempt was soon known, and promptly brought Colonel Buckmaster, the governor, and his guards to the spot. The convict threatened Crabb with instant death if any attempt was made upon the door, holding his knife within a couple of inches of his breast. For upwards of an hour Colonel Buckmaster and his guards watched an opportunity to shoot Hall, but, there being but one opening in the door, and that quite small, he kept Crabb constantly between him and the opening, so that he could only be reached through his body. Thus matters continued until noon, when Crabb made some effort to open the door, but was immediately cut severely in the hand by the convict. During the day the convict stated his terms of submission to be a revolver, loaded by himself, a full suit of citizen's dress, 100 dollars in money, and to be driven out of town in a close carriage, accompanied by Crabb, to such a place as he should designate ; all of which were of course inadmissible. In the meantime, however, Colonel Buckmaster procured a pardon from the government, to be used at his discretion. All day the guards were on the watch to shoot the scoundrel, but as he had positively declared he would kill Crabb if he was not instantly killed himself, great care had to be taken for fear he might put his;threat into execution. About 11 o'clock at night one of the guards got a shot at him, but averted his fire upon a change of position, for fear of shooting Crabb. The entrance to the cell was very narrow, the door 'of plate iron, with a small grating at the top for ventilation. The door opened inward, and was very strongly fastened. During the day great fears were entertained that he would kill the guard, and for fear of that active operations were not pushed forward. In the evening everything was done which could be done consistently with Crabb Js safety. No chance would the convict give for any injury to himself,ashe either studiously kept the guard between himself and the grating, or lay down against the door, and out of the reach of a shot. He professed to have no illfeeling to Crabb. Everything was done during the night to surprise the convict into a capture, but he was vigilant, and amused himself from time to time by pricking his ■ victim with the point of his knife. At 9 o'clock on the following morning Mr. Rutherford, the State superintendent, and Colonel Buckmaster undertook to get into the cell of the prisoner by stratagem. Breakfast was set at the door in vessels of larger size than ordinary, but the convict refused to oj>en the door until the hall was cleared, which, after a brief consultation, was done. The governor, superintendent, and guards were on each side of the cell, but out of sight and motionless. The convict slowly opened the door nearly enough to admit the food, when a crowbar was instantly inserted. The governor cried out to Crabb to fight for his life. He accordingly sprang to the opening of the door, and at length dragged himself through, but not before he was stabbed by the convict nine times, seven times in the back and twice on the arms. When the poor victim was dragged out, the convict barred the door again, and refused to yield. He was then given a few minutes for reflection, and was, after much dodging and effort to get out of the reach- of the fire, shot by the governor. The ball struck his skull just below the left ear, and, glancing around, lodged under the skull. He fell instantly, and was dragged out of the cell, and was thought to be dead, but soon recovered and talked as sensibly as any man could under the circumstances. After the convict was taken out of the cell his knife, about eight inches long, with a double edge, was found in the cell, and on his person was found also another larger knife, with a blade four inches long. Crabb, the wounded guard, was immediately taken to the hospital, and his wounds were examined and dressed. The convict was laid on a mattress in the prison hall. He said he hoped Crabb would live, and in the next breath said he had put five men in the same fix he was in.' himself. He did not live long. The ' Times ' correspondent writing from New York on the 23rd March, gives the following account of the great religious revival now taking place in the Northern States. You have, perhaps, noticed that the New York journals for some weeks past liave had a daily paragraph on the "Revival;" and, if I am-not mistaken, I have more than once alluded to it in my letters. It has now become so widespread as to merit more extended notes. One of the religious convulsions which shake communities periodically, in which the believer sees the finger of Providence, and which the unbeliever finds it difficult to accouut for on sound psychological principles, is now agitating, not New York alone, but the whole Northern States. It began with the revulsion of last year, which threw out of employment many young men of active life, but with minds untrained to anything except business. Their previous habits stimulated excitement, and made it a necessity. I do not know that the young men of America are more luxurious than those of other countries The glances into the social life of some of the swindlers whom London juries have recently brought to justice would lead one to supZ ethat they are not so. Whatever may be thcTr comparative state, their positive state was one of constant excitement for the sake oi maas pStophtal « >'»J' °» «■<= cimm>st»ce S al-

low of accounting for a very extraordinary moral phenomenon. The present " revival," as if intense religious excitement is technically called by those best acquainted with its operation, began in small meetings called in almost the only Church remaining in the business T)art ot New York, to be held daily during the hour usually devoted to the unspiritual lunch. They were first held in a small vestry room. This soon overflowed, and larger quarters were demanded ; fcfaen other churches began to open their doors. The feeling extended from the business quarters of the men to the fashionable quarters occupied by the other sex. The weekly meetings became semi-weekly, then daily, the daily almost continuous. Scarcely (if any) a downtown _ church of orthodox tenets was or is without its placard announcing the 12 o'clock prayer-meeting; and at last, finding the churches too small for the numbers, a vacant theatre has been put to uses that must have astonished the musty- properties that stil occupy the stage. Here, at 12 o'clock, tinder the very shadow of the_City-hall, and in the very centre of business, excited crowds meet to pray and exhort. Fancy the Strand theatre moved into St. Paul's churchyard, and,at mid-day (or the corresponding hour in. the later calendar of London) Lombard-street, Cornhill, Bishopsgate and Cheapside, all turning towards it, crowds of women joining in the rush, and you will have a correct idea of the corresponding localities and things in New York. Before the hour of meeting the building is cjsowded to its utmost capacity; every bit of standing ground is occupied, and hundreds are turned away. (The latter find their way into a vacant tippling-shop and oyster-saloon, and commence singing hymns). The moment the big bell of the City-hall is struck for the hour of npon the leader, who shifts with each day's peiJesßiance, rises, and calls a hymn. The congregati»n join in singing without accompaniment, tHe air is a simple one, and a3 they sing in excellent time, the effect is impressive. While this goes on you look about; the building is lighted with gas, the only aperture for daylight is through the door. The curtain is dropped upon the stage. In front of it are a table and three chairs, —the latter filled by the leader and two others—like the Anabaptists in the Prophete. On the one side you see a placard asking all young men to feel at home, and to join in the exercises; and on the side a notice of all controverted points being excluded, and that no person can be allowed to pray or exhort upon the same day; and hi the centre a warning that only three minutes are the alloted time for each, and that the inexorable leader will " call time." When the singing is over, the leader, who seems to be exempt from the operation of all these rules, prays; then reads from the Bible, and then prays again. Meanwhile, the audience are passing up mysterious pieces of paper to the stage. The mystery is explained when the leader takes them in his hand and reads them. They are petitions for remembrance in the prayers and exhortations of the meetings. An aged widow asks prayer for her impenitent son; two clerks for a fellow-clerk whose mind had been awakened the day before. The blessings of Heaven are invoked upon " the liquoi'-dealers and rum-sellers," that they may see the error of their ways. A wife asks that ncr husband may be remembered; a husband for a wife and their children. Few of the multitude ask prayers for themselves. One newly married couple acknowledge gratitude for their conversion. Only one contrite sinner confesses how heavily the load of his sins weighs upon him. "When these are read, and another hymn is sung, the leader announces the meeting open; a dozon spring to their feet, but one taller and stouter, and with stronger lungs than his competitors, and whose years show that he has had greater experience, shouts louder than anyone, " Let us pray," and the other voices are silent while he pours forth a torrent of intercession. He exhausts his three minutes; and a fourth goes, and you wonder whether he is to go on. " Time!" says the leader quietly from the stage, and down sinks the prophet of the moment, to be succeeded by another and another until the hour is exhausted, when the multitude depart, many of them to go through the same scene again and again before the day is over This excitement is not confined to New York. It extends throughout this part of the country. All the local journals are full of it—how many ■were " awakened" here, " converted " there, or " baptized " in another place.

-A_GiticuLTßE.—A most Important fact for agriculturalists has been ascertained by our goahead friends in the United States, who have discovered in the nitrate of soda a most valuable manure, and its extensive use in England lias proved its great utility. Not only does it largely fertilize the laud and nearly double the cereal and other crops, but its application is destructive to grub and other insects; by strengthening the land it will prevent the blight, which has proved so injurious to the horticulturist. It may be used alone, in combination with sulphate of magnesia (Epsom salts), or with sulphate of soda (Glauber salts), and is more advantageous when thus combined. The following memorandum forwarded to an agricultural association in England will show the fertilizing effects of the new manure:—" Upon a field of potatoes nitre of soda alone gave an increase above dung alone of 3i tons; sulphate of soda alone gave no increase, while one-half of each gave 4J. tons; sulphate of magnesia alone gave -*- ton; andonelialf of this sulphate and one-half of the nitrate of soda gave 6-| tons per acre! thus showing the superior effect of the latter combination. The quantity to be supplied to one acre is one hundred pounds mixed well together.—An agriculturalist regrets the intended shipment -of a quantity of guano from the colony of South Australia for the Mauritius, and expresses a conviction that if farmers would only give this description of manure a trial, they would find it to their interest to prevent so valuable an article from being exported from a colony where it may be so advantageously employed. As an instance of the wonderful proporties of guano compared with bone-dust, he states: " I bought of Younghusband last year half-a-ton of guano, and sowed it at the rate of 2 ctft. to the acre on barley and oats, with great advantage. Although it was the last week in July when I sowed the barley, and the ground very wet, yet I got 30 bushels to the acre—the best barley I ever grew; on land that with no guano produced Sf- bush-

the sample tK> lfe° thC °fchor in tlie ™*&* of til WW on - Oa-Xs were sown a week before Jho fK Ss^e 27 bushels to the acre, and I also ?r1 J J STXan° P™**** 12 bushels. 1 also tried it v^itlx potatoes, against good rotten manure from tlxe pigsties, row for row. Where is lh, wit*V rorti ***c Pig manure, 1 had 1 cwt. 15 lbs with the guano; and with pens it showed equally as well. X did well with all but carrots, -nd killed every- seed-not one came up. The guano was put in a rut, and the carrot seed on the top of flifiguano. I got some bone-dust, and ukethToihJr; 110 a- Cre- » did good, but nothing

_ 1 kws inPaei set Oectjuciies.—Yesterday morning a meeting of clergymen and laymen was held at Manchester, tlxe Hon< Colonel Lindsay in the ciiair to'promote a restoration of the free use of parish churcxies at large. The following resolutions were adop-ted c « That the equal rights of ail tnepanshioners to the common and free use of their parish- or district church in the daily public worship of -AJinighty God being the fundamental principle of the parochial system of private pews ana. tlie fatal effects of that institution upon the moral and religious condition of the Jjinghsh peo;ple cannot be contemplated with°U« ,pe Kep ? eeliriers of concern and apprehension." — mat in order to divert the attention of Parliament convocation, and the public to the fatal effects of the parochial system upon the people at large, and to promote gradual improvement in this system o y tlie re-arrangement of old churches, and tlis provision of new churches, upon the .scriptural principle of virtue, freedom, and equality, an association be now formed in Manchester ana Salford to be called 'The Society' for Promoting tlie Restoration of Churches to the people. -Mr. Councillor Bennett took the opportunity of esrpressing his opinion on the question of chTzreir-rates. He believed they were detrimental to ttie interests of the church, and ought _ to be immediately abolished. It was a duty incumbent upon Manchester to promote the restoration., wlxere practicable, of existing parish churches to the free use of the people, and where impracticable, to devote their labor, time, and money to provide free churches where they were required "by the exigencies of the population around. Times, March 11. Advertising- 33* .Ajebkioa.—Our Yankee cousins appear to "understand the art, or science, of putting.advertisements. We find in the 'New York Times, of tlie 6th of March, an entire page devoted to one single advertisement, which is printed in a square form, alternately, so as to make the broad slieet resemble a chess-board. The substance of tlie advertisement thus " damnably iterated ~ i s to the following effect :— fcvery one is reading Cobb's new story in the ' Liew York Ledger.' "