wun, only leves a mark, as the ort poker does on the flore; and wen my turn cums to sleap, it's no longer trying this side and then that, and then rolling back again, a-trying and not being able, for thinking and talking; but sleap cums on afore I can ly down, and all the pelisse at Bo Street woodn't wake me no more than a corps, wen I am wunce down in ernest. If I wasn't in a urry, I'd stick them up with wurking like a orse in the mail, that runs day and nite and never stops. It woodn't be long 'afore I'de nock off a bolt, or skru, or nut, or sumthing of that kind, which ud cause them to let out steam and repair, which wood give half a day's rest to wun, but as it's the first and the last of my stokering, why the sunner there is an end to it the better. No man cood identical me with a safe conschience, and no perjury,so if the yankees spend their munny, as I ar hurd till sinse I tuck passage, on thur backs insted of carrying it in their pockets, i may return after a short alibi, to you and the children, which will depend on ou you aul up in time, and keaps out of Low cumpany; that is, barring accidents, for there is no noing what may appen, for them as carry booy nives behind the kapes of their cotes, and pistuls in their pockets, insted of pistoles, are ugly custumers, and a feller may find himself delivered of a mistake afore he noeth where he is, for they are apt to save the law a job are them nives, so they are, and I'de rather trust to a jug missing fire, or not hitting his man, anytime to side-arms, for them big wigs oftener ang fire than ang a man. They are bad things them cut and thrusts, for both sides, as Tom Hodge used to say, "He who stabbeth with his tung, is in no danger of being ung, but he who stabbeth with his nife is damned apt to lose his own life.” When you receive this litter go to Blackfriars to the swimmers, and in the four foot of the bed, in the left room in the garrit as I used to use when bisnis called, you will see the same oller is in your bed sted, and take the gold sneezer as is there, which will raise the wind; and be careful, as there is no noin' when we may meet, or whether I will av time to send you any Blunt or no, which will depend on how you conduct behind my back; i don't mene this by way of discouragement, but to int you are too fond of drink, and keeping company with needy mizlers, to kepe secrets for any wun without bringing him to the crap, and now that I'me in another wurld I expect you will give luse to your one inwenshuns, which will be the ruin of you yit, as well as of them as has the pleasure of your ackwaintance, in wich case you don't ear agin from me, and I luk for sum wun as nose how to place a proper valy on advice when they gets it, which wasn't your case for sum tim gone. My present sitivation has all cum of not noing ou to be silent, or bill Sawyer cudn't av ruined me in my business; but never mind, it's a long lane that has no turn in it, as the chap sed to console himself in the tredmill. Remember me to Jim Spriggins, who is the primest ruffin cove I ever shared a swag with, tell him I'me no transport, tho' I'me bound over the watter, for I'me just visiting furrin parts as the gents do on account of havin lived too free at home, and that I ope to nap many a reader yet, of providence blesses our undertakings. So no more at present time from your loving friend, BILL HOLMES.

FROM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN TO HIS FRIEND AT BANGOR.

DEAR ICHABOD,

As I shall cut off to Harrisburg, Pa., to-morrow as soon as I land, and then preceed to Pittsville, Ma., I write you these few lines to inform you of the state of things in general, and the markets in particular. Rice is riz, tho' the tobacco market looks black; cotton is lighter, and some brilliant specks have been made in oil. Pots hang heavy in hand, and pearls is dull. Tampico fustic is moderate, and campeachy a 37 50 4 mos. Whalebone continues firm. Few transactions have taken place in bar or pig, and iron generally is heavy. Hung dried Chili remain high, but Santa Marthas are flat. The banks and large houses look for specie, but long paper still passes in the hands of individuals and little houses in the city. This is all the news and last advices. But, dear Ich, what on airth are we coming to, and how will our free and enlightened country bear the inspection brand abroad? Will not our name decline in foreign markets? The pilot has just come on board and intimated that the vice-president, the second officer of this first of countries, was not received with due honour at New York. He says that the common council could not ask him to thread an agrarian band of Fanny Wright men, Offin men, Ming men, and all other sorts of men but respectable men, for he would have had to encounter a slough of Loco-Focoism, that no decent man would wade thro'. It is scarcely credible that so discreditable an event should occur in this empire city, but it is the blessed fruit of that cussed tree of Van Burenism, which is rotten before it is ripe, and, unlike other poisonous fruit, is not even attractive in outward appearance, but looks bad, tastes bad, and operates bad, and, in short, is bad altogether. But of all the most appalling information I have received per this channel was that of the formation of twenty-four new hose companies. "What," said I, "twenty-four new hose companies? Is the stocking business going ahead? Is it to cover the naked feet of the shoeless Irish and Scotch and English paupers, that cover with uncovered legs like locusts this happy land, or is it for foreign markets? Where does the capital come from? Is it a spec, or has it a bottom?" "No," said he, shaking his head; "it is a dark job of the new lights, the Loco-Focos. To carry the election of chief engineer of the firemen, they have created twenty-four new companies of firemen, called hose companies, which has damped the fire, and extinguished the last spark of hope of all true patriots. It has thrown cold water on the old fire companies, who will sooner resign than thus be inundated. This is the way the radicals of England wanted to swamp the House of Lords by creating a new batch of Peers baked at once, though the persons for Peers were only half-baked or underdone; but they did not, and were not allowed to glut the market that way. How is it this stale trick should become fresh and succeed here in this enlightened land, this abode of freemen, this seat of purity, and pass current without one solid genuine ingredient of true metal? It is a base trick, a barefaced imposition, a high-handed and unconstitutional meaIt is a paltry manœuvre to swindle the firemen out of their right of election. Yes, Ich, the firemen is swamped, and the sun

sure.

of liberty has gone down angry, extinguished in the waters of popular delusion. Then, for heaven's sake, look at Vixburg. Everything looks worse and worse there. In several of the counties they have quashed all the bonds, in some there are no courts, in others the sheriffs pocket the money, and refuse to shell out to any one. In one instance a man tried for the murder of his wife escaped because he was convicted of manslaughter; and in another, a person indicted for stealing a pig got off because it was a chote. They ring the noses of the judges instead of the pigs. From cutting each other up in the papers with pens, they now cut each other up in the streets with bowie knives, and, in my opinion, will soon eat one another like savages, for backbiting has become quite common. The constitution has received a pretty considerable tarnation shock, that's a fact. Van Burenism and Sub-Treasuryism have triumphed ; the Whig cause has gained nothing but funeral honours, and a hasty burial below low-water mark. In England, Biddle retiring from the bank has affected the cotton trade, and shook it to its centre. They say, if it paid well, why did he pay himself off? If it was a losing concern, it was a loss to lose him; but all are at a loss to know the reason of his withdrawing. I own I fear he is playing the game of fast and loose. The breaking of that bank would affect the banks of the Mississippi as well as the Ohio, and the country would be inundated with bad paper, the natural result of his paper war with Jackson, the undamming by the administration of the specie dammed up by him for so long a period. Damn them all, I say. However, Ich, if we have made a losing concern of it, the English have got their per contra sheet, showing a balance against them too. They are going to lose Canada, see if they ain't, as sure as a gun; and if they do, I guess we know where to find it, without any great search after it, either. I didn't think myself it was so far gone goose with them, or the fat in the fire half so bad, until I read Lord Durham's report; but he says, "My experience leaves no doubt on my mind that an invading American army might rely upon the co-operation of almost the entire French population of Lower Canada. Did you ever hear the like of that, Ich? By gosh, but it was worth while to publish that, wasn't it? Now, after such an invitation as that, coming from such a quarter, too, if our folks don't go in and take it, they ought to be kicked clean away to the other side of sun down, hang me if they hadn't enough. It is enough to make a cat sick, too, to hear them Goneys to Canada talk about responsible Government, cuss me if it ain't. They dont know what they are jawing about, them fellows, that's a fact. I should like to know what's the use of mob responsibility when our most responsible treasurers fobbed five millions of dollars lately of the public money, without winking. Where are they now? Why, some on 'em is in France, going the whole figure, and the other rascals at home snapping the fingers of one hand at the people, and gingling their own specie at them with the fingers of the other hand, as sarcy as the devil. Only belong to the majority, and you are as safe as a thief in a mill. They'll carry you thro' the mire at a round trot, as stiff as a pedlar's horse. It's well enough to boast, Ich, of our constitution afore strangers, and particularly afore them colony chaps, because it may do good;

but I hope I may be most particularly cussed if I wouldn't undertake to drive a stage-coach and four horses thro' most any part of it at full gallop. Responsibility! what infernal nonsense! Show me one of all our public defaulters that deserved hanging, that ever got his due, and then I'll believe the word has some meaning in it. But the British are fools, that's a fact, always was fools, and always will be fools to the end of the chapter; and them are colonists arnt much better, I hope I may be shot if they are. The devil help them all, I say, till we are ready for them, and then let them look out for squalls, that's all. Lord, if they was to invade us as our folks did them, and we was to catch them, we'd serve them as Old Hickory did Ambristher and Arbuthnot, down there to Florida line-hang 'em up like onions, a dozen on a rope. I guess they won't try them capers with us; they know a trick worth two of that, I'me a thinking. I suppose you've heard the French took a pilot out of a British gun-brig; when called upon for explanation, they said they took this man-of-war for a merchantman. No great compliment that, was it? but John Bull swallowed it all, though he made awful wry faces in getting it down. As our minister said, suppose they did make such a blunder, what right had they to take him out of a merchantman at all? and if it was a mistake, why didn't they take him back again when they found out their error? He was such an everlastin' overbearin crittur himself in years past was John Bull, it does one good to see him humbled, and faith he gets more kicks than coppers now. It appears to me they wouldn't have dared to have done that to us, don't it to you? Then they took one of their crack steam frigates for a Mexican. Lord, that was another compliment, and they let drive into her and played the very devil. Nothing but another mistake ag'in, says Bullfrog, upon my vird and onare very soary, but I did not know you, my goot friend ; no, I did not, indeed, I took you for de miserable Mexican -you very much altered from de old time what went beforevary. It was lucky for Johnny Croppo our General Jackson hadn't the helm of state, or he'd a taught them different guess manners, I'm a thinking. If they had dared to venture that sort of work to us in Old Hickory's time, I hope I may be skinned alive by wild cats if he wouldn't have blowed every cussed craft they have out of the water. Lord, Ich, he'd a sneezed them out, cuss me if he wouldn't! There is no mistake in Old Hick, I tell you. If he isn't clear gritginger to the back-bone-tough as whitleather, and spunky as a bull dog, it's a pity, that's all. I must say, at present, our citizens are treated with great respect abroad. His excellency the honble the governor of the state of Quimbagog lives at St. Jimses, and often dines at the palace. When they go to dinner, he carries the Queen, and Melburne carries Duchess Kent. Him and the Queen were considerably shy at first, but they soon got sociable, and are quite thick now. He told the company there was a town to home called Vixburg, after-(Melburne says ahem! as a hint not to go too far-Governor winks, as much as to say, no fear, I take you, my boy,) so called from Vix, scarcely, and burg, a city, which place had become famous throughout America for its respect for the laws, and that many people thought there was a growing resemblance between England and it. Melburne seed the bam, and looked proper vexed; and to turn the conversation, said, "Shall I

have the honour to take wine with your Excellency Mister Governor of the state of Quimbagog in America, but now a guest of her most gracious Majesty!" They say he always calls it an honour when he asks him, and pays him the respect to give him all his titles, and when he asks other folks, he says "pleasure" and just nods his head. That's gratifying now, aint it? The truth is, we stand letter A. No. 1 abroad, and for no other reason than thisthe British can whip all the world, and we can whip the British. When you write to England, if you speak of this ship, you must call her the Great Western Steamer, or it may lead to trouble; for there are two Great Westerns,-this here ship, and one of the great men ; and they won't know which you mean. Many mistakes have happened already, and parcels are constantly sent to his address in that way, that are intended for America. The fact is, there is some truth in the resemblance. Both their trips cost more money than they were worth. Both raised greater expectations than they have fulfilled. Both returned a plaguy sight quicker than they went out and between you and me and the post, both are inconveniently big, and have more smoke than power. As soon as I arrange my business at Pittsville, I shall streak it off for Maine, like lightning, for I am in an everlasting almighty hurry, I tell you, and hoping to see you well and stirring, and as hearty as brandy. ELNATHAN CARD.

I am, dear Ich, yours faithfully,

P.S.-Keep dark. If you have a rael right-down clipper of a horse in your stable, a-doing of nothing, couldn't you jist whip over to Portland on the 20th, to meet me, in your waggon? If you could, I can put you up to a thing about oil; in which, I think, we could make a considerable of a decent spec, and work it so as to turn a few thousand dollars slick. Gineral Corncob will accommodate us at the bank with what we want; for it was me that helped him over the fence when he was nonplushed last election for senator by the democratic republicans, and he must be a most superfine infernal rascal if he turns stag on me now. Chew on it, at any rate, and if you have a mind to go snaks, why jist make an arrant for something or another to the Bay, to draw the wool over folke's eyes, and come on the sly, and will you back heavier, I guess, than you came by a plaguy long chalk, that's a fact.

go

Yours, E. C.