amounted to 81,920,452 dollars, of which 64,781,896 were of domestic materials, and 17,138,556 foreign.
A report from the committee on manufactures was presented to the legislature of the state of New York on the 20th January, which recommends, for the encouragement of the infant manufactories of the United States, particularly of woollen and cotton, either a permanent augmentation of the duties on their import, or a prohibition of all such as can be supplied by the home manufactures.
BRITISH AMERICA.
By the Newfoundland Gazettes, we learn that a question of great importance attracts the attention of the inhabitants of that island, and one which is of much interest to the inhabitants of Great Britain. The validity of marriages solemnized by dissenting ministers has been disputed, and reference made on the subject to the statute law of England.
The legislature of Jamaica, it appears, have strictly complied with the request of his Majesty's government, to prevent any infringement of the laws for the abolition of the slave trade.
SPANISH AMERICA.
The cause of the insurgents in Spanish America ebbs and flows with such rapid and uncertain vicissitude, that it is extremely difficult to give any thing like a correct view of the state of the contest in these widely extended regions. We see them defeated, and driven from place to place,—rallying, returning, and victorious in their turn; but no decisive advantage seems as yet to have been gained by either party, nor does there appear, in the accounts which have reached this country, sufficient materials from which to form a decided opinion on the future progress and final results of a contest which is marked by want of system and energy on both sides. Whatever may be the result of the present struggle, however, the time cannot be far distant when these extensive countries will form several rich, powerful, and independent states, a consummation devoutly to be wished—for their own sakes, and for the general prosperity of the civilized world, of which they are probably destined to form one of the most valuable and interesting divisions.—Lord Cochrane and Sir Robert Wilson are said to be about to embark in the cause of Spanish American independence. Such strongly constructed and unquiet minds seem to be necessary to the progress of human affairs; and in this scene of trouble, their energies may produce a happy effect upon the hitherto feeble and unenlightened subjects of one of the worst governments that ever oppressed and degraded the human race.—Sir Gregor McGregor who has so much distinguished himself in this contest, is the son of the late Captain Daniel McGregor, a gentleman of Argyle shire in Scotland, who was long an officer in India. He is under thirty years of age, served as a captain with the British army in Spain, was afterwards colonel in the British service, and had a Spanish order of knighthood conferred upon him, and was allowed by the Prince Regent to assume the title in his native country.
The Portuguese troops have invaded the territory of Monte Video; but whether in consequence of an arrangement with Old Spain, or with a view to conquest on their own account, does not seem to be very clearly ascertained. It is not likely that their interference will materially affect the general result, except in so far as it may have a tendency to curry the flame of revolution into their own transatlantic territories.
HAYTI.
We have received what is called the revived constitution of Hayti, or rather of that part of the island which is under the government of Petion. It is comprehended in 11 articles, which are subdivided into upwards of 200 sections; and, like most other exhibitions of this sort, it makes a sufficiently respectable appearance on paper.
The Haytian Royal Gazettes notice the king of France's proposals to Christophe, and the indignation of his sable Majesty and his minister the Duke of Marmalade, at the insolent superscription of the papers, which, instead of being most respectfully addressed to "His Majesty the King of Hayti," were directed only to "Monsieur the General Christophe, at Cape François." The letters were returned unopened.
Asia
East Indies.—Calcutta papers announce the agreeable intelligence, that Captain Webb has crossed the several ranges of the snowy mountains, and entered Tartary. It is his opinion that he might, without great difficulty, from the situation whence he last wrote, penetrate into the heart of Russia. Much may be expected from Captain Webb's scientific skill towards a correct knowledge of these stupendous heights, whose summits have been found to rise more than 28,000 feet above the level of the sea, nearly 8,000 feet higher than Chimboraze, the loftiest of the Andes.
At a late meeting of the Asiatic Society, a curious document was communicated, respecting several classes of robbers and murderers, known in the south of India by the name of Phanaegars, and in the upper provinces by the appellation of Thugs; the peculiarity of whose practice is the employment of a noose, which they throw round the traveller whom they have fallen in with on the road, apparently by accident, and whom they thus strangle and rob; they live in a regular society, and roam the country in gangs, under a regular sirdar, or chief.
