In 1848, Mr. R. went to Europe, as the agent of the Consolidated Association and the Citizens' Banks, to obtain from the holders of the bonds issued by the state in favor of those institutions, then under protest, an extension of time for the payment of the interest already due, and a renewal of such of the bonds as were either due or were to mature, before those institutions could provide the means of meeting them. The task which he had undertaken was performed to the satisfaction of both banks. Louisiana has, from that time, ceased to ap

purpose whatever, except for defraying the expense of war, or for the purpose of repelling an invasion of the state by an armed force, or of repressing an insurrection," he made some remarks which seem to indicate that he had foreseen, at least in part, the difficulties which have since been felt from the action of the legislature being so much cramped by the restrictions contained in the new Constitution. He said, "he apprehended that the desire to limit the power of the legislature was about to be pushed to a dangerous extreme. . . . Those delegates that are fearful of the power of the legisla-pear in the list of the states who fail to ture, and who do not wish to place the slight est confidence in the discretion of that body, deny practically the feasibility of a republican form of government." (See Journal of the Convention, p. 254 and seq., and Debates in the Convention, p. 879.) On the final vote for the adoption of the Constitution, he was one of the very few delegates who voted in the negative.

fulfill their obligations. During his stay in Holland he had an opportunity of examining the manner in which that country has been rescued from the ocean by those mighty dikes, which form so extraordinary a monument of the industry of the Dutch. The greatest part of the notes which he collected on that subject have been since published in the pages of our Review.

EDITORIAL AND LITERARY DEPARTMENT.

1.- FENNER'S SOUTHERN MEDICAL REPORTS. | promising to furnish hereafter for our readers

VOL. II. 1850.

IN our last number we mentioned the receipt of this interesting work, and promised an elaborate notice of it in the present number. We have endeavored to fulfill the promise, but absence from the city, and many other engagements, have prevented.

The work is one of a series which was at first intended to be annual, but which will now be quarterly, to accommodate it elf to the new postal arrangements. It includes reports from all of the southern states by able writers upon medical topography, meteorology, and prevalent diseases, &c. The editor says of it: "If faithful records of the origin, progress, nature, symptoms and treatment of endemic and epidemic diseases, with suggestions of the best means of preventing them, do not constitute the elements of practical utility, we would be glad to know what does: and such are the objects and aim of this work. It is designed to be useful to the planter, merchant, lawyer, politician and heads of families generally, as well as to him whose special attention is devoted to the treatment of disease in all its various forms. Every effort will be made to teach the important lesson, that it is not only the daty, but the interest of communities to promote such investigations as tend to discover the causes of disease, and the best methods of counteracting their direful effects."

We can only at present give the list of articles included, premising that the cost of the work is only $2 50 cents, 500 pages; and

many

valuable extracts from its pages. 1. Reports from Louisiana.-1. Editor's Journal of each month of the year-His Report on Fevers in New-Orleans-Report on Cholera in New-Orleans, &c.-On Lead Poison, &c.-2. Report on the Meteorology, Vital Statistics and Hygiene of the State of Louisiana, by Dr. E. H. Barton. This is a paper which places the author in the highest rank of vital statisticians, and is deserving a close examination. We promise it a large place hereafter.-3. The Hydrograply of the Mississippi, by Professor Forshey.-4. Medical Topography, &c., by Dr. Kilpatrick. This gentleman has done the State of Louisiana great service by his statistical labors.-5. Parish of De Soto, by Dr. R. T. Gibbs.-6. Sanatory Condition of New-Orleans, by J. C. Simonds, M. D. friend, Dr. Simonds, attacks with boldness and force the course pursued by our Board of Health and city fathers, and demonstrates an amount of disease and death in New-Orleans which is frightful. We intend to examine and present his facts and figures very fully.-7. Diseases and Peculiarities of the Negro Race, by Dr. Cartwright. In this paper the Doctor confounds the opponents of his theories and deductions by an array of authorities which are incontrovertible. We shall copy this paper entire.

Our

II. Reports from Alabama.-Diseases of Mobile, Huntsville, &c.

III. Reports from Georgia.

IV. Reports from South Carolina.-Statistics Charleston, &c.

V. Reports from North Carolina. VI. Reports from Mississippi-Management of Negroes, &c., by T. Affleck, Esq. VII. and VIII. Reports from Arkansas and Texas.

IX. Reports from California, &c.

2. THE RAIL-ROAD CONVENTION IN

JANUARY.

In our August number appeared the elaborate address of the rail-road committee to the people of the Southern and Western States, urging a large representation and attendance at the great New-Orleans Rail-road Convention in the first week of January next. We published in September the call of this Convention, with some additional information.

IMPROVED COTTON PRESS.

On the second page of the cover of our Review, Labor-Saving Cotton Press, which is now being appears an advertisement of the McComb adopted throughout Louisiana and Mississippi, to the exclusion of all others. We visited the manufacturers' establishment the other day, at Memphis, Tennessee, and found a large aud efficient force actively engaged in the preparation equal to the capacities of supply. The use of a of these presses. The demand is already nearly large foundry is secured for the iron work. The press has now been proved upon three crops, to be the cheapest from its great durabil ity and power, and will, no doubt, effect a great revolution in making the planters their own press-men, thus obviating the expense of repressure in the commercial cities. One of these presses may be seen at the Pickery in NewOrleans, in the rear of the Gas Works. We recommend the improvement to the attention of the whole cotton interest.

The following planters have the press in use, from whom information may be had if desired: Thos. W. Beck, Rodney P.O. Jefferson co. Miss.

James Grafton, Pt. Gibson" Claiborne "

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As one of the committee, we proceeded soon after to Mississippi, and in company with Col. W. Walter, of Holly Springs, canvassed the whole country from that point to Jackson, making rail-road addresses to large and enthusiastic auditories at Oxford, Coffeeville, Grenada, Carrollton, Black Hawk, Dr. M. W. Phillips, Edw's Depot, Hinds" Lexington, Artesian Wells, Canton, Jack Capt. R.N. Downing, Raymond" son, &c. At all of these points delegations S. Worthington, Worthington's Point P. O., were appointed to the New Orleans Conven- Washington co., Miss. tion. We shall follow up these meetings Dr. E. Kilpatrick, and addresses by others at Vicksburg, Mem- Dr. J. M. Brooks, phis, Sommerville, Jackson, Nashville, Louis-John Warren, John H Robb, ville, &c. Colonel Tarpley, General Acee, Judge Martin, and Chancellor Cocke have been appointed, and several of them will canvass the eastern counties of Mississippi to the Tennessee line.

There can be no doubt that the era of railroad progress in the South-West and West has, at length, dawned, and that an immense concourse of delegates will attend the convention in New-Orleans from almost every one of the states within this region. Come one-come all, gentlemen! New Orleans will welcome you with a grasp of the hand, and we will unite as a band of brothers in the promotion of our common enterprise and welfare. We invite delegates from all the Southern and Western states.

TO SUBSCRIBERS, BINDING, &c. We have abandoned the idea of making three volumes instead of two, per annum, of the Review, on discovering that the volumes even then will be too large to be mailable under the new law. The old arrangement will therefore be observed; but subscribers who will return their numbers to the office every six months, without expense to us, can have them bound handsomely and uniformly for fifty cents each. It is our wish that every subscriber preserve the work bound, and we offer to attend to it at the actual cost. Missing numbers and volumes will also be supplied to complete sets.

We beg for prompt remittances of the subscription money for the present year. Orders on factors, payable on the sale of crop, are acceptable in the absence of the cash. Gentlemen, by promptness, save us the heavy commissions of collecting agents!

66 "

Dr. W. B. Kene, Sr., Providence P. O., Carroll

G. S. Kausler & Co., Pickery, New-Orleans,
Parish, La.
opposite the Gas Works.

Many other names might be added, but these are deemed sufficient as references, to satisfy any planter of the character of this machine.

The following persons are authorised agents: Co., Vicksburg, Miss.; 1. D. Spear & Co., Mo G. W. Sizer, New-Orleans; S. Zimmerman & bile, Ala.; J. G. Hewit & Co., Louisville, Ky.; S. P. Bernard, Providence, La.

EXTENT

ART. 1.-THE EMPIRE OF RUSSIA.*

INHABITANTS-PERIOD

OF THE EMPIRE-ORIGINAL OF THE FORMATION OF THE RUSSIAN STATE THE HOUSE OF RURIK-EXTENSION OF THE KINGDOM-THE HOUSE OF ROMANOW-THE PERIOD OF THE CONSOLIDATION AND CIVILIZATION OF THE EMPIRE-EXTENSION IN THE WEST AND IN THE EAST, ESPECIALLY UNDER KATHARINE II-RUSSIA THE LEADING POWER IN CONTINENTAL EUROPE-THE PANSLAVIC MOVEMENT, &C., &C.

WE design a series of papers upon the great powers of the world. We began with TURKEY in our March No., and now present RUSSIA. The statistics of the Russian Empire must be postponed to our next.-[EDITOR.]

The Russian Empire is one of the most powerful of either ancient or modern times. In extent it surpasses every empire which has yet existed, except that of the immediate successors of the Tartar Tchingis. Khan. In population it ranks next, among the European powers, to the thickly-peopled empire of Great Britain. It includes nearly one-seventh of the terrestrial part of the globe, or about 88,552,700 square miles, and is inhabited by 65,000,000 of people. Great Britain, with all its territorial possessions and colonies, includes an area of 4,686, 000 square miles, supporting a population of 139,000,000. Thus the Russian, though containing but half the number of people, occupies

*1. Russia, by J. G. Kohl. London: Chapman and Hall, 1842.

2. Articles on Russia in the Edinburgh Review, (April, 1844,) and the Quarterly Review, (February, 1810).

3. Turkey and Christendom, an article in the Edinburgh Review for January, 1850, in which the relations of Russia with Turkey are briefly but well del neated.

4. Russian Aggressions in the East, an article published in the United Service Magazine, and reprinted in Little's Living Age for March 23, 1850.

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VOL. I.