The packet-ship Henry Clay arrived at Liverpool yesterday, with advices
from New York to the 6th instant.
The most important news is from Texas. It tends to contradict the pre- vious reports of General Taylor's defeat: despatches had been received from him down to the 20th August, when he was fortifying his position on the East side of the Rio Grande. The Mexican troops were assembling on the West bank, but had as yet assumed no threatening attitude.
The Houston Telegraph of the 20th contained a letter from Mr. Allen, Acting Secretary of State, to Mr. Ashbel Smith, informing him that the Senate had rejected the preliminary propositions to negotiate a treaty with Mexico on the basis of separate independence for the Republic, and telling him that under such circumstances it was unnecessary for him any longer to continue to discharge the duties of Minister to the European Govern- ments.
The National Convention of Texas was still engaged, on the 29th Ag- gust, in shaping a constitution, in order to the incorporation of the pro- vince with the Union. One of the provisions adopted prohibits the urea- tion, renewal, or extension, of any corporate body with banking or discount- ing power. Another section prohibits the Legislature from contracting debts above 100,000 dollars, except in case of war, or to repel invasion or insurrection. The seat of the State Government was fixed at Austin until the year 1850.
The Convention had also adopted this preparatory resolution- " That the Committee on the General Provisions of the Constitution be in- structed lo inquire into the expediency and propriety of incorporating in the Con- stitution the following provisions.
"Slaves.—First, The Legislature shall have no power to pass laws for the emancipation of slaves without the consent of their owners, or without paying their owners, previous to such emancipation, full equivalent for the slaves so emancipated. They have no power to prevent immigrants to this State from bringing with them such persons as are deemed slaves by the laws of any one of the United States, so long as any person of the same age and description shall be continued in slavery by the laws of this State; provided that such person or slave be the bona fide property of such immigrants; and provided also, that laws may be passed to prohibit the introduction into this State of slaves who have committed high crimes in other States or territories. They shall have full power to oblige the owners of slaves to treat them with humanity, to provide for them necessary food and clothing, to abstain from: all cruelties to them; and in case of their neglect or refusal to comply with the requisitions of such laws, to provide, by law, for the sale of such slave or slaves, for the benefit of the owner or owners. "Secondly, In the prosecution of slaves for crimes of a higher grade than petit larcen,s, the Legislature shall have no higher power to deprive them of an
im- partial trial by petit jury. "Thirdly, Any person who shall maliciously dismember or deprive a slave of life, shall suffer such punishment as would be inflicted in case the like offence had been committed on a free White person, and on the like proof, except in case of insurrection of such slave."
Entries of United States goods had been made under protest in the Customhouse at Galveston; the parties intending to try whether they were liable to duty, upon the question whether Texas was or was not, at that moment, a part of the United States.
From the United States there is little more than chitchat.
Mr. Van Buren had published a letter signifying that he should support the Administration in a war with Mexico, if it were inevitable.
The Journal of Commerce of the 6th instant reports, that there had lately been shipments of wool to England to the extent of 100,000 pounds; and adds, that there are farther orders in the market
The Anti-Rent outrages in New York State continued, and had assumed the shape of midnight incendiarism.
A Belize paper of the 16th August announces war as actually begun be- tween the States of San Salvador and Honduras; Guatemala having sup- plied the former with money and ammunition.
Advice& were received at Liverpool yesterday, from Monte Video, to the 10th July. The British Charge d'Affaires had officially stated to- his countrymen, that on the previous day the British and French Minister at Buenos Apes had demanded a categorical reply to their note in seventy- two hours.
The American screw-auxiliary bark Mamoru arrived in the Mersey from New York at one o'clock yesterday morning, after a passage of twenty-three days and a half; and bringing some forty or fifty passengers. The length of the voyage is said to have arisen from injury to the propeller: it was made of wrought copper; and being struck by a heavy sea shortly after leaving New York, it was so much damaged as to be rendered not only useless, but seriously obstructive; it was bent out of its position, and had to be dragged after the vessel throughout the greater part of the passage. The Marmon% is handsome in its build. It is to go to Constantinople, and to be placed at the disposal of the Turkish Government.
Previous page
