The Treasurer of the Trustees of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church acknowledges the receipt of the following sums for their Theological Seminary at Princeton, N.J. during the month of April last, viz.

Of Rev. Dr. John M'Dowell, a donation from Mr. Josiah Bissell, jun. of Rochester, New York, for the Contingent Fund

Of Rev. John W. Scott, a quarter's rent, for do.

Of Rev. Dr. Samuel Miller, a donation from "A Female Friend of the Theological Seminary in Morristown, N. J." per Rev. Mr. Barnes, for do.

Of Robert McNeely, Esq. from Trenton Church, for the Synods of New York and New Jersey Professorship

Of Rev. Jacob Green, collected by him in North River Presbytery, for do.
Of Alexander Fridge, Esq. subscriptions in Baltimore for the Synod of Phi-
ladelphia Professorship

Of Rev. Dr. J. J. Janeway, on account of his subscription for do.
Of Mr. Joseph P. Engles, in full of his do. for do.

Of Rev. Thomas J. Biggs, on account of his do. for do.

Of Rev. George C. Potts, from the Endowment Society of the Fourth Presbyterian Church, for do.

Of Augustis Moore, Esq. in full of the subscription of the Church in Augusta, Georgia, for the Southern Professorship

88 00

42 34

2970 00

150 00

200 00

120 00

5 00

100 00

View of Publick Affairs.

Total

$3826 45

EUROPE.

GREAT BRITAIN. Advices from Great Britain have reached us, of as late a date as the 30th of March. The parliament was still sitting, but was to adjourn over the Easter holidays, till the 12th of April. A variety of important measures, relative to the domestick concerns of the nation, yet affecting other nations also in their consequences, have been discussed, and some of them adopted by this parliament. That which we deem the most important of all, relates to the removal of the restrictions on commerce. This may be considered as the final triumph of principle, truth, and science, over error, fortified by prescription, deep-rooted prejudice, and short-sighted calculations of advantage. It is long since Adam Smith's "Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" has satisfied scholars and enlightened politicians, that matters of commerce always regulate themselves, better than they can be regulated by the wisest laws that human ingenuity can devise. This doctrine, however, was opposed in Britain, by the existence of a host of protecting duties, as they were called; on which it was believed that her unrivalled prosperity in trade and manufactures, essentially depend ed. It is now believed, and we think demonstrated, that the prosperity in question, so far from depending on restrictions on foreign competition, or on protecting duties, was only maintained in spite of them, by the free institutions, genius and industry of the British nation. It has been shown that the repeal of numerous taxes, by removing the motive for smuggling, has not diminished, but considerably increased the revenue; and that foreign competition has had no other effect on manufactures, than to stimulate the British manufacturer to excel his rivals in the excellence of his fabricks. It appears that the whole system of restriction is to be abandoned ultimately, and trade to be left to take its course freely, with very little regulation by statutes. This, however, is not to be done all at once, lest the shock should be too great; yet as rapidly as circumstances will admit. These measures, in the first commercial and manufacturing nation in the world, cannot fail to have a wide and powerful influence; and we have noticed them a little particularly, because we think they are interesting, and ought to be instructive to our own legislators and citizens.

The bill to suppress the Catholick Association of Ireland has passed; and the Association has avoided the penalties which the act contains by adjourning sine die-accompanying their act of adjournment with cheering. This cheering, it appears, was produced by the hope and prospect that the very relief which the Association was formed to obtain, would be voluntarily granted by the British parliament. A bill has accordingly been brought in, removing a great part of the grievances and disabilities of which the Irish Catholicks complained. It has passed both houses of parliament, and of course become a statute of the realm.

It is astonishing to observe the amount of monied capital employed in Britain on domestick enterprises-one of which is to form a large tunnel, or passage-way, across and under the bed of the river Thames;-and in forming companies in South America, for working mines of gold and silver. In anticipation of the success of these companies, calculations are made, that the value of the precious metals will be greatly diminished; and that this effect would follow such a success as is anticipated, is certain; because it

is that which the product of these mines has heretofore actually produced. But still, the event may prove that all these anticipations are nothing better than golden dreams. FRANCE. The French are making preparations for a most splendid and imposing co.." ronation of their new monarch. It is manifest that they are ambitious to outdo the late outdoings of Britain, in what we, simple republicans, think was, and will be, a wanton and foolish waste of wealth, that might be applied to a thousand better purposes. It is said that prince Talleyrand, who, it seems, is master of ceremonies for the occasion, has given a general invitation to the British nobility to be present. The outfit of the representative of the British court is enormous-we forget how much, and do not think it worth while to take any pains to ascertain the sum which has been squandered on such a pageant. In the mean time, we wonder a little how our ambassador will lock, and act, at this royal gala. They may affect to despise him; but if he deports himself as he ought, and as we trust he will, they will respect him in their hearts, in spite of themselves quite as much as if his equipage had cost half a million of dollars.

The act providing for the indemnity of the emigrants was not, it appears, carried in the chambers, without a large minority that voted against it-some from dislike to the measure, and more from the manner in which it was to be carried into effect.

SPAIN. The king of Spain has been very ill of the gout, and has got well again: and the best part of his subjects are leaving the kingdom as fast as they can, to escape the effects of his tyrannical and cruel edicts. Such is about the amount of the intelligence which has been received from Spain within the past month.

PORTUGAL. Tranquillity, or apathy rather, seems at present to exist in Portugal. The probability of obtaining some indemnification from the Brazilians, as the price of their independence, seems to be increased. It is even rumoured that their independence is actually proclaimed.

THE POPE. We have heard nothing very recently from his antichristian Holiness : and should have passed him without notice, but that we think it important to remind our readers, that he is using all his art and influence, which are not a little, to prevent the diffusion of the Holy Scriptures; and that this is a powerful reason why he should be counteracted by the exertions and the prayers of all who love the volume of inspiration-the source of all saving knowledge, the charter of all our Christian privileges, the ground of all our eternal hopes.

TURKEY. The Grand Seignior has lately had serious trouble with his Janissaries. It appears that they were near deposing him. They are however for the present subdued. But the tyrant appears to be still in fear; and there is a rumour, which however we do not credit, that he thinks of removing the seat of his empire into Asia. That, if alive, he will be driven out of Europe before long, we have little doubt. He contemplates, it seems, another campaign against the Greeks-Our hope is that it will terminate in his fall.

GREECE. We have no very recent accounts from Greece. So far as we know, all the affairs of this interesting republick-shall we call it ?-continue prosperous.

In AUSTRIA and the NETHERLANDS, the destruction of property and of human life by unusual inundations, has been extensive and most distressing-It appears that the Germans have engaged in the competition for the Mexican Mines. We believe they are the most skillful and most experienced miners in the world. There is a "German American Mine Company" formed at Elberfield, that has excited much attention, and whose agents have been well received in Mexico. The capital of the company is half a million of dollars.

RUSSIA. We are unwilling to believe that the Emperor Alexander has been deliberately hypocritical, in the countenance he has given to Bible societies, and the favour he has shown to evangelical missions. He probably did not foresee, what he has since learned, that the knowledge of the whole revealed will of God by the common people, and the diffusion among them of pure evangelical truth, can never consist with their remaining contented and quiet in a state of vassalage: and his love of arbitrary power has proved to be stronger than his regard to the word of God and the happiness of his people. Besides this, the secular nobility and ecclesiastical dignita ries of his empire, by whom he is surrounded, and who in general are less enlightened and less humane than himself, have, in a sort, compelled him to adopt measures more decisively hostile to the Bible and to missionary labours, than he would otherwise have chosen. He no doubt remembers the fate of his father and his grandfa ther, and is aware that he must take the nobility and clergy along with him, in whatever he does; and they are a most corrupt, licentious and tyrannical race, and many of them withal extremely ignorant and wonderfully superstitious. Hence the changes that have taken place. The pious and enlightened Prince Gallitzin has been obliged

to resign his place as minister of religion. The Bible is to be distributed only by the clergy of the Greek church. The Persian translation is suppressed-other translations we suppose will cease. Superstition is protected and encouraged, and the evangelical missionaries, if they have not already been banished, will, we fear, be either sent out of the empire, or their labours and influence be sadly circumscribed-Alexander, some years since, gave his Polish subjects a civil constitution, in which a provision was made for freedom and publicity of debate, in the discussions of those who were to deliberate on publick affairs. He has lately forbidden the debates to be publick, and has given the Polish senators and deputies, some broad intimations not to speak their minds so freely as they had done on some former occasions.

ASIA.

It appears that a bloody battle was fought at Rangoon in December last, between the British forces and the troops of the Burman empire, the latter estimated at 60,000 men. The contest lasted seven days by land and by water. The loss of the Burmese is computed to be 5000 men, and 240, out of 300 pieces of artillery. The British loss was not great-one major, one captain, and one lieutenant were killed, and eleven other officers wounded. The whole country to the eastward of Rangoon was subjected to the British; but the natives were again assembling in large bodies, for the purpose of forcing them from that territory. It was reported that a revolution had taken place at Ava, the capital of the empire, headed by the king's brother-inlaw and the queen, who caused the king's head to be cut off in his palace. But on the same day the young prince, heir of the empire, stormed the palace, and put to death the queen, and the brother-in-law who had murdered his father.-General Alexander Campbell, commander in chief of the presidency of Madras, died on the 11th of December last.-It appears from the London papers, that a mutiny had taken place among some of the native troops in the service of the East India Company; and that the company were making the most extensive preparations to send out reinforcements to India.-We hear nothing recently of the missionaries among the Burmese, for whose safety we are solicitous; and whose benevolent designs must, for a time at least, be frustrated by this unhappy and sanguinary war.

AFRICA.

It appears that the horrible slave trade is still carried on extensively on the western coast of Africa, chiefly by the Portuguese and the French. A letter from an officer of the British ship of war Maidstone, states, that since that vessel had been on the coast, 2000 poor wretched slaves had been released. The following affecting narrative is given of what took place when one of the slave trading vessels of the Portuguese was captured, and the slaves were informed that they would be set at liberty." One vessel, of 120 tons, had 336 men and boys, and 141 women and girls; the men's room was only about twenty feet square, and three feet two inches high; the women had a place nine feet aft, eighteen feet forward, and four feet high; thus, 336 men and boys were crammed into a space of twenty feet square. When the ship was boarded, the women were on their knees crying for mercy; and fifty of the men in silence awaiting their final doom, (for so the Portuguese traders had assured them.) But when, by means of an interpreter, they were assured of protection of their lives, and of intended location in a spot where they would be free, the transition from despair to joy was overwhelming; they knelt down, they wept, they kissed the feet, the hands, and the dress of every by-stander; the scene was touching and overpowering." Would it be wrong for Britain and the United States to consider the African slave trade as such an outrage on humanity,-on all the natural rights and dearest interests of man, as to declare it to be piracy; and to capture and treat as piratical, all vessels engaged in this most reproachful and abominable traffick?. Such a measure would no doubt produce much complaint; but it would not produce war. The traffick is abhorred by the whole civilized world; and the navy of Britain and the United States is too formidable to be encountered by that of all the powers that permit their vessels to be employed in the slave trade.

AMERICA.

It appears that the war in South America, which we stated in our last number to be terminated, is not as yet quite at an end. An account which seems authentick states, that the castle of Callao, contrary to an express stipulation, remained in the possession of the Spaniards on the 1st of February last. It was, however, invested closely, both by land and sea; and Bolivar was making every preparation to take it by storm, which he was resolved on doing, even if he should make, in doing it, a great sacrifice of lives. It also appears that the Spanish general Olaneta still holds possession of Upper Peru,

accuses of treachery the officers who capitulated to the patriots, and declares his determination to defend the country above the Desaguadero to the last extremity. That extremity, we suppose, is not far distant; but in the mean time there will, we fear, be an additional and profligate waste of life, and the affairs of Peru remain in an unsettled state. Bolivar has published a most flattering and animated address to the army which won the decisive victory of Ayacucho. He seems to be a man of a noble spirit, of sterling integrity, and of true republican principles. But he has to deal with enemies of a very different character, who regard neither treaties nor oaths, if they think they can violate them with impunity. He will probably inflict a terrible vengeance on the officers of the castle of Callao.

The other sections of Southern America seem to be all advancing-some more and some less rapidly-to a settled state. They are forming constitutions, organizing governments, and entering into treaties of commerce with Britain and the United States. Spain and Portugal, by an infatuated obstinacy in refusing to let go their hold on their colonies till it has been broken by force, will lose completely, for a time, a lucrative trade with them, which they might have shared in more largely than other nations, if they had entered seasonably into stipulations to that effect; which they might easily have done, as the condition of declaring the colonies independent.-France and Russia, too, will find themselves in much the same predicament with Spain, in consequence of favouring to the last her unreasonable claims.-The blind and intolerant attachment of the South American States to the Roman Catholick faith, is the greatest hindrance to their full and speedy enjoyment of all the blessings of civil liberty. There is, in fact, no such thing as real liberty, where the rights of conscience-the most precious rights which man possesses-are not acknowledged and provided for fully. But time and information will, we doubt not, cure this evi among our Southern neighbours. It is said that in some of the states toleration is already proclaimed; and at Buenos Ayres, the British are stipulating for the same indulgence to their church which is shown to the Catholicks in England. Our government ought to imitate this example. We have no toleration, but afford equal protection to all religious sects; and we probably could obtain this privilege for all our own citizens in South America.-A kind of Amphictyonick council, or congress, consisting of representatives from all the new States in Southern America, is expected to meet at Panama, in October next; to form a confederation for their mutual protection against foreign claims and invasions, and for making such arrangements of their internal concerns as may be calculated to prevent disputes, and to ensure peace and concord. This is a most important measure; and we hope the result will be favourable to the interests of pure and undefiled religion, as well as to those of civil liberty, and social happiness of every kind. UNITED STATES.-The National Journal, printed at Washington, says-"We understand that all the Foreign ministers and Charge d'affaires of Foreign Governments, near that of the United States, have presented congratulations to the President, on the occasion of his recent election. On Tuesday last, Mr. Addington, Charge d'affaires from Great Britain, at an interview requested by him for that purpose, presented those of his government, by its special direction." We consider this as little more than a matter of formal courtesy. Yet the promptitude and particularity with which it has been done, is evidence that foreign nations value and wish to retain our friendship, and to make as favourable an impression as they can on our new President. He is too well versed in diplomacy to be unduly influenced by foreign flattery; and we trust that while he reciprocates, as we are sure he will, the courtesy and friendly assurances of foreign agents, he will be steadily guided by a supreme regard to equity and justice in dealing with all, and to the interests and prosperity of the people over whom he presides, as superior to every thing, except what equity and justice to others indispensably demand. Let him have our earnest prayers that he may receive grace and wisdom from the infinite Fountain of all wisdom, to discharge all his duties with abili ty, fidelity and success; and that under his administration, virtue and piety may be suitably cherished and happily exemplified, by all who fill the places of power and trust in our country; so that the people at large may be led by them in the paths of well doing; and that the smiles and benediction of Almighty God, resting on our beloved country, may ensure its prosperity, and the continuance of our civil and religious privileges.

Since this was in type, accounts have been received that Olaneta has made his submission to Bolivar.