that hearty good feeling, which had resulted in his election, and so far did he command the love of his constituents as well as their respect, that his death, occurring under such solemn and impressive circumstances, spread a general gloom. His political opponents, universally, showed the most manly and candid willingness to applaud his personal character and conduct, and in common with the rest of the people, regretted the dispensation which the nation had suffered in his death. Throughout the country, funeral ceremonies were performed in his honor, with every solemnity and emblem of mourning which the general sorrow could suggest. He was buried at Washington, with imposing solemnities, miles in length, and was marshalled on its way by officers on horseback, carrying white batons with black tassels. The utmost order prevailed throughout; and, considering the very great concourse of people collected, the silence preserved during the whole course of the march was very impressive. The burial service was performed over the body at the Capitol, according to the rites of the Episcopal Church, by the Rev. Dr. Hawley. The procession moved under the fire of minute guns to the Congressional burying ground, where the body was placed in the receiving vault, Dr. Hawley reading the service. Volleys were fired by the various bodies of military troops in attendance, and the procession returned to the city. on the 7th. A procession was formed consisting of On the 10th, similar solemnities took all the public officers in the District of place in New York. All the population Columbia, of all the members of Con- of the city joined in the general mourngress who were present, of the ex-Presi- ing, and a large procession was formed, dents, the companions in arms of the late under escort of the military, to proceed President, of the foreign ministers and all to the Park, where an eulogy was to be those citizens who desired to show their delivered by Chancellor Frelinghuysen. regret for the loss of so good and great a A funeral urn was borne in the procesman. Among others the Legislature of sion by sailors from the Constitution. A Maryland attended in a body. Under the severe snow storm prevailed through the escort of all the military of the district, greater part of the day, which detracted militia and regulars, this immense col- from the magnificence of the pageant, umn conveyed the remains of the Presi- and prevented the delivery of the eulogy. dent to the tomb. The body had lain in On the 20th, the funeral ceremonies took state in the East Room for some days, place in Boston. A long procession as in and the procession moved from the Capi- other places, bearing emblems of mourntol. The funeral car was of large dimen- ing, marched through the principal streets sions, in form an oblong platform, on to Faneuil Hall, where an eulogy was dewhich was a raised dais, the whole cov-livered by Hon. Rufus Choate, Senator in ered with black velvet. From the cor- Congress from Massachusetts. The cernice of the platform fell a black velvet emonies in Philadelphia were performed curtain outside of the wheels to within a on the same day. A procession, consistfew inches of the ground. From the cor-ing as was supposed of about 10,000 perners of the car, a black crape festoon was sons, marched through the streets to formed on all sides, looped in the centre Christ Church. The various emblems of by a funeral wreath. On the coffin lay sadness were displayed in the streets and the Sword of Justice and the Sword of along the line of the procession; a riderState, surmounted by the scroll of the less horse, arrayed with military trappings Constitution, bound together by a funeral was led along in the solemn pageant ; the wreath, formed of the yew and the cy-military escort was large. At Christ press. The car was drawn by six white Church, religious services were performhorses, having at the head of each a col- ed, and a sermon pronounced by the Rt. ored groom, dressed in white, with white Rev. Bishop Onderdonk. On the 26th, turban and sash, and supported by pall the citizens of Baltimore united to show bearers in black. The effect was very their respect for the illustrious dead. The fine. The contrast of this slowly moving streets of the city, which, not a year bebody of white and black, so opposite to fore had been thronged with the enthusithe strong colors of the military around astic crowds of those who had assembled it, struck the eye even from the greatest in convention to encourage each other, distance, and gave a chilling warning be- and the country, to strenuous effort to forehand, that the corpse was drawing procure General Harrison's election, were nigh. how clothed in mourning, and filled by those who were deploring the national The entire procession occupied two full calamity which had so soon removed him | from the Presidential chair. Every house by which the procession passed was hung with emblems of mourning, presenting a painful contrast to the brilliant appearance of the whole city on the 4th of May, 1840. It would be quite impossible to give a detailed account of the different ceremonies which were devised in different places, in evidence of respect for the President, and regret for his death. Hardly any of the large towns did not join in some such solemnities, those of the legislatures which were in session took public notice of the afflicting event; and every public demonstration of mourning which could be suggested was carried out. On the 13th inst., President Tyler issued a "RECOMMENDATION," inviting the people of the United States to unite in devoting the 14th of May as a day of fasting and prayer, when they should join in religious services, that the lamented bereavement of the nation might not pass unimproved. April 5. An adjourned meeting was held at Philadelphia, of the stockholders of the Bank of the United States for the purpose of receiving the report of the committee of investigation, appointed on the 4th of January. The report was long, containing a history of the leading transactions of the Bank since it became a state institution, and disclosing many acts of mismanagement on the part of the directors, by which it had fallen into its present embarrassed condition. The report was accompanied by a number of explanatory documents and accounts, to illustrate the course of the transactions of the bank, and its present condition. The statement of the present condition of the bank, represents the aggregate of debts as amounting, Dec. 21, 1840, to $36,959,539. The debts are under the following principal heads, viz. : Circulation and Post notes, Bank, &c., Due State Banks in Philad., Active assets, Stock on hand in U. States, do. in hands of Alsorp & The gross amount of assets at the bank, offices and agencies, were as follows, viz: do. Pennsylvania loan, Balances at Bank and Agencies, 697,428 $12,187,111 9,799,800 8,624,074 3,106,871 14,450,906 2,724,814 287,487 3,663,673 $69,531,742 Estimated losses on the above, as valued by the committee. Deduct circulation, suppos- 819,906 578,195 557,847 8,714,800 1,148,102 2,171,723 1,206,920 5,049,211 7,069,409 467,066 158,356 350,000 3,316,604 87,310 $17,751,946 450,000 17,301,946 15,270,256 Balance of Assets, The stocks above named, as belonging to the bank, are exclusive of 21,714 shares in Bank of the United States, held by the bank. The above balance of assets, divided among the 325,286 remaining shares would give the value of each share at $46 94. The actual value, and the sufficiency of the above estimate of losses, must depend in a great measure on the ultimate value of the stocks, a great $11,223,659 part of which are at present unsaleable. 3.164,354 The meeting was further adjourned to the 13,077,224 following Thursday, when the chairman 633,643 stated that six vacancies in the Board of Directors, including Thomas Dunlap, 2,491.750 Esq., the late President, had been sup6,334,221 plied by the choice of William Drayton, J. M. Claghorn, George Thomas, Joshua Lippencott, William Rawle, and John Cooper. William Drayton was elected President. The committee reported a 'number of resolutions, which were adopt 36.959,539 ed. It was proposed that the name of the Bank should be changed, and the capital reduced to $14,000,000, valuing each share at $40. It was resolved that the committee should apply to the Legislature for the necessary changes of the charter for a release from the residue of the bonus which is unpaid-from penalties for the suspension of specie payments, &c. Also that the banking operations be confined to the Bank in Philadelphiathat the discounts be confined to business paper-that the salary of the President be reduced to $5000-and suitable reductions be made in the salaries of other officers. The meeting adjourned to the first Tuesday in May. The following table, from the documents accompanying the report of the committee, shows in what proportion the stock is distributed among residents in the several States, and among foreigners. The statement exhibits the state of the books on the 1st of January last. It does not discriminate between what was held in England and that held in France and other foreign countries. The amount set down for Pennsylvania must embrace the 24,714 shares held by the Bank itself. In many instances doubtless stock may held by individuals residing in other States than those in which the stock be stands. 12 3 New York do. 264 154,520 197,551 4,735 350,000 April 6. The Vice President of the United States. John Tyler, accompanied by Mr. D. Fletcher Webster, who had been despatched to inform him of the death of President Harrison, arrived in Washington at 5 o'clock in the morning, from his residence in Virginia. At 12 o'clock, the Heads of Department waited on him, and they were received by him with the politeness and kindness which mark his character. He expressed his deep feeling of the public calamity which had been sustained in the death of President Harrison, and his profound sensibility to the heavy responsibilities which had so suddenly devolved upon himself. He spoke of the state of affairs with great concern, and expressed his desire that the present Heads of Department would continue to fill their respective places, and his confidence that they would afford all the aid in their power to enable him to carry on the administration of the government successfully. He then took the oath, prescribed by the Constitution to be taken by the President of the United States, before entering on the execution of his office. The oath was administered 330 by Judge Cranch, of the District Court of 374 the District of Columbia. The Vice Shares. 6 378 President, on taking the oath, intimated an opinion, that he was not required to take any other oath than that which he 4,682 had taken on entering upon office and as272 suming his seat as President of the Senate; yet for greater caution, as doubts might arise, he took the oath as at ove mentioned. The Constitution is silent 2,671 as to the title by which the Vice Presi 74,084 dent shall be designated, when exercising 1.342 the powers and duties of President, but 11,487 827 as that instrument places him in all res6,990 pects in the situation of the President, he 901 decided on assuming the title. 27,118 April 8. The steamship Acadia arrived at Boston, after a very boisterous passage 19,131 of 18 days, with violent head winds, having received no damage. She brought 79 passengers from Liverpool, 28 of whom 161 landed at Halifax She brought no news 70 from Europe of importance. 556 395 238 April 9. The Vice President publish ed an address to the people of the United States, announcing his assumption of 91 the government, and declaring the prin corder, the candidate of the Van Buren party, in place of the late Mayor, Mr. Varian. Mr. Morris was chosen by a majority of 398 votes In the choice of ward officers, the Whigs prevailed in six wards, and their opponents in eleven. The charter election at Albany was held on the same day. Mr. Van Vechten, the Whig candidate, was chosen by a majority of eight votes only, being opposed by an Anti-Temperance party, as well as the Van Buren party. The city council elect consists of 12 Whigs, and 8 Van Buren men. April 17. The ice disappeared from the Penobscot river, and navigation was re-opened, and active business resumed at Bangor. April 19. The steamer Columbia arrived in Boston at half past 7 o'clock, P. M., in 15 days from Liverpool. She brought no political news of importance. The apprehensions which had prevailed of war with the United States were still more quieted. Syria had been entirely evacuated by the Egyptian troops. The newly elected Spanish Cortes had convened, and Senor Aguelles was chosen President by 118 votes against 6. The steamship President, which sailed from New York, March 11, had not arrived at Liverpool, and her non-appearance justly caused alarm. No news has been received of her since her departure from New York, unless it be an imperfectly authenticated report that a steamer was seen March 20, 9, A. M., in lat. 42 35, long. 59, steering east by south, with a light north-westerly wind. Most of the ports have been heard from, which it could be hoped she would reach in case of being disabled, without any news of her. The following is a list of the passengers who einbarked in her. P. C. Pieffel, of New York; A. R. Warburg, do.; Lieutenant F. Lenox and Mr. Courtney, British army; Tyrone Power and servant, England; C. A. D. April 11. The dwelling-house of the Meisegaes, Philadelphia; S. Mails, New late President Harrison at North Bend, York; C. S. Cadet, Buenos Ayres; T. took fire, and was in great danger of being Palmer, Baltimore; Dr. M. Torner, consumed. Fortunately, by the spirited Cuba; T. Blanchor, do.; John Fraser, aid of the laborers employed on the canal New York; A. Van Lohe, Jun., Amin the neighborhood, it was preserved, sterdam; A L. Byrne, London; Thornwith the exception of the upper story and dike, New York; W. W. Martin, Engroof of the west wing. Little loss was land; E. B. Howell and friend, New sustained in furniture or other property. York; A. Livingston, New York; Rev. April 13. The charter election in the G. G. Cookman, Washington City; D. city of New York took place this day. Duchar, Scotland; B. Morris and child; The candidates for Mayor were Mr. Pho- E. Barry; J. C. Roberts, New York; J. nix, Whig, and Mr. Morris, late Re-Leo Wolfe, wife and child; Master ciples which will govern him in his ad- | Mohring. Total, twenty-seven and two children. at the rate of from 12 to 14 miles per hour, to about 10 miles outside Sandy Hook, passing round the packet ship Stephen Whitney, just arrived from Liverpool, and then in tow of the steamer Samson, and returned to the city, running a short distance up the North River; receiving and returning the salutes of the many floating steam palaces lying at the wharves; returning, passed close to Jersey City, and saluted the Russian frigate Kamtschatka, thence to their anchorage in the East river, off Brown and Bell's ship-yards. These beautiful vessels (of 650 tons each) were built by Messrs. Brown and Bell of New York, for the Spanish Government, and are intended as guarda costas for the island of Cuba. They are of the same model and of the best materials. The engines (150 horse power,) were built by Messrs. Ward, Stillman & Co., of the Novelty Works, and will bear comparison with any ever yet exhibited in this country. These two steamers sailed for Havana on the 22d, and arrived after a passage of eight days. The return of Mr. Jared Sparks, in the Columbia, from a visit to London and Paris, where he has been engaged in researches for obtaining original materials for the history of America, is an event deserving of record. His labors have been attended with eminent success. He has been absent nearly ten months, and during that time he has been constantly employed in making researches in the public offices and libraries of England and France. By the courtesy of the Governments of both those countries, Mr. S. has been allowed freely to examine the manuscripts in the different departments, which relate to the history of America, and to have copies taken of all such papers as were deemed by him important in their historical character. His inquiries have been principally devoted to the period of the Revolution; but he has likewise taken much pains to ascertain the original sources of American History previously to that period. We are glad to learn that these are numerous, and well preserved. From the public archives, as well as from the British Museum, and the Royal Library in Paris, he has procured copies of some curious and highly interesting manuscripts relative to the first settlements of this country. On a former occasion, Mr. S. was engaged abroad more than a year in the same pursuits. The results have been seen in the works which he has since published. April 22. The steamer Great Western arrived at New York in 16 days from Bristol, bringing London news to the 7th. There was no political news of importance. The steamer encountered very severe weather, and on the 18th fell in with large islands of ice, and on three succeeding days was entirely surrounded by them. April 21. The annual State election in Rhode Island, and also the choice of members of the 27th Congress were held on this day. Gov. King, and the members of Congress, Tillinghast and Cranston, were re-elected almost without op-ity of two in that body-a Whig majority position, as were all the general State of- of two in the House of Delegates-and ficers of the Whig ticket. ten administration to ten opposition members of Congress, with one who is opposed to both parties. April 22. The election in Virginia began this day for the choice of members of the House of Delegates-eight Senators-and Members of Congress. The result was the choice of four Whigs to the Senate, which secures a Whig major At New York, a number of gentlemen were invited to make an excursion in the Spanish steam frigates Eagle and Lion. About 10 o'clock, the party embarked on board the vessels from the wharf at the Novelty Works, and were soon under way. The steamers went off in fine style, and great speed, exhibiting models of beauty with strength combined, unsurpassed in the world. The vessels proceeded, against a strong south-west wind, April 26. The congressional election in Kentucky began this day, and was continued on the three succeeding days. It resulted in the re-election of eight Whig and two opposition members, and the choice of three Whig candidates in place of members who declined a reelection. The political character of the delegates therefore remains unchanged. |