belonging to the citizens of the United States, without any pretence of their having violated any law either municipal or national. They had been invited into the Neapolitan ports by the minister of foreign affairs, and when enticed in that manner into the power of Murat, they were seized under the Berlin and Milan decrees. The cargoes were sold and the vessels also, (except some which were taken into the royal service,) and the proceeds put into the public Treasury. The proper return for this violation of our national flag, after a suitable demand of redress would have been reprisals or a bombardment of the Neapolitan capital, but yielding to the councils of timidity, no decisive steps were taken by the American government to enforce these claims, until after the conclusion of the treaty, for the adjustment of similar claims upon France. An ill conceived attempt was indeed made at negotiation by Mr Pinckney in 1816, as he was hurrying to St Petersburgh; but it was feebly followed up, and the American envoy was diverted from his purpose by the finesse of the Neapolitan Court, and the mission proved a complete abortion. A demand too was made during the administration of Mr Adams by Mr Appleton, who was sent as agent to Naples for that but it was not folpurpose, lowed with any results.

After Mr Livingston became Secretary of State, he thought it advisable to renew the negotiation for the adjustment of these claims, and arrangements were made to demand satisfaction in an imposing manner. John Nelson of

Maryland was appointed minister at Naples, with the rank of Charge d'Affairs in October, 1831, and was directed to require an explicit answer from the Neapolitan government. Knowing the effect, that a suitable demonstration of force would produce on that government, the vessels of war belonging to the United States then in the Mediterranean, were ordered to assemble in the harbor of Naples; leaving it to the imagination of the royal advisers, to divine with what motive a powerful fleet was concentrated near their capital at the critical moment, when a demand of redress for spoliations upon American commerce was renewed for the third and last time. The ordinary objections, which had been before urged against their allowance, would no longer answer. mark and France had admitted the validity of claims similarly situated against their respective governments; and treaties had been concluded, by their stipulating to pay specified sums as indemnities to the United States. Naples was therefore obliged to choose between the admission of these claims, or the enmity of the United States, whose fleet was then in a situation to inflict ample vengeance on her capital, for the unatoned insult to the American flag.

Den

With these considerations full in their minds, and the ominous name of Nelson (a name fraught with recollections of bombarded capitals and exacted indemnities) at the end of each despatch, the Neapolitan ministers hesitated to assume the responsibility of rejecting the demands of

the American minister, and the negotiation progressed rapidly towards a favorable conclusion. Some difficulty indeed occurred as to the amount to be paid to the United States, and at one moment the negotiation seemed to be at an end; the American minister having demanded his passport, and made his arrangements to go on board the fleet; but the Neapolitan cabinet finally concluded to yield that point, and the negotiation was resumed, and the sum of $1,720,000, or 2,115,000 ducats was inserted in the treaty, as the indemnity to be paid by Naples to the United States for her spoliations upon American commerce, in nine equal instalments with interest at four per cent from the ratification of the treaty.

Equal success attended the efforts of the administration in the negotiation with Mexico.

For several years past, that republic had regarded the United States with great jealousy, which, although unfounded, had nevertheless proved an insurmountable obstacle to the conclusion of any satisfactory treaty.

Two parties, originating in a masonic feud, had distracted the Mexican capital for many years; and from the circumstance, that the American Minister had procured the charter of one of the lodges from the United States, he was identified by the other party with the Yorkinos, whose charter he had procured. A local prejudice was thus excited against him, which the agents of Great Britain were not unwilling to foster, with the view of promoting their own rival interests.

This spirit displayed itself not only in threats against the American minister, but also in an unwillingness to enter into any treaty with the United States.

The ratification of the treaty adjusting the boundary line between the United States and Mexico, which had been agreed upon in 1828, was thus delayed for several years after it had been signed by the plenipotentiaries of the parties. By that treaty the same boundary was established, that was described in the treaty between the United States and Spain, concluded February 22, 1819; but the difficulties above alluded to, prevented its ratification.

In order to remove the obstacles arising from the unfounded prejudices entertained against the American minister, the President concluded to substitute one of inferior rank. Under his auspices the treaty was ratified.

A treaty of commerce and navigation was also concluded for eight years, and thence until one of the parties should give one year's notice of its intention to terminate the same. By this treaty, the commercial intercourse between the two countries is placed upon the same footing of liberality and reciprocity, that is observed in all the commercial treaties with the United States.

A better understanding was thus produced between this country and Mexico, and an opportunity afforded to the people of that country to ascertain, by experience, how groundless were their suspicions of the feeling and policy of the American government towards them.

Origin

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THE year 1832 will be long remembered in the United States, as the era of the first appearance of the Indian or spasmodic cholera upon the western continent. This extraordinary disease, which, after having been subjected to the observation of the medical profession in the old and in the new world, seems almost as little understood as when first it appeared in India, had long been spoken of as one of the most formidable diseases of the Asiatic continent; and within a few years past, it had forced itself more particularly upon the attention of Christendom, by its advance towards the northern portion of Europe.

The suddenness of its attack; the shortness of its duration; its malignancy, and the difficulty of cure; all combined to impress the public mind with an undefined but overwhelming apprehension of a pestilence, of which nothing was known except that its approach was gradual and sure, and that while no effectual remedy

could be prescribed by medical skill, certain death must ensue unless some relief was afforded. This disorder, though it sometimes attacked its victims in the streets, and when walking or riding, more frequently manifested itself in the night, and towards the approach of day. The person was suddenly seized with a sense of nausea and oppression, or of exhaustion in the stomach, followed by a commotion of the bowels. This was sometimes so instantaneous, that it seemed as if he had been struck by a musket shot. A feeling of coldness immediately pervaded the body, and vomiting and purging took place simultaneously. This commotion was generally attended with pain, though sometimes the patient was merely exhausted. An insatiate thirst then ensued, and a general listlessness and languor began to manifest themselves-the pulse contracted, and at the same time became more rapid — the skin lost its natural warmth, and the patient began to complain of in

creasing rigor and of a buzzing in the ears, and manifested great drowsiness. The abdominal muscles were contracted, and spasms ensued, more particularly affecting the muscles of the feet and the hands, but sometimes those of the body.

An unnatural perspiration appeared on the skin, and the temperature of the body continued to sink the voice became feeble, the countenance pallid, the skin shrivelled, the eyes invested with a livid circle, the tongue cold, the pulse tremulous, until the victim sunk, (with a mind generally tranquil and undisturbed,) from the rapid exhaustion of the physical powers. About one third of those attacked fell under the violence of the disorder, within twelve and many within four hours. The efforts of the healing faculty were directed to restore the natural secretions, which seemed to be totally suspended, and if that could be accomplished, hopes were entertained of the patient's recovery; otherwise his fate was certain. No rational opinion could be formed concerning the natural causes of this visitation upon the human race. Atlhough it originated in Hindostan, it had extended itself to other countries, and had raged alike in the islands of the Indian ocean and in the interior of the Asiatic continent, until, passing over the lofty chain of the Caucasian mountains, it established itself in the heart of the Russian empire. Even the frosts of a northern winter, which had put an end to other plagues, although it diminished its power, did not destroy this pestilential miasma,

that slowly but gradually advanced from the spot of its origin to the centre of Europe, in spite of all the precautions of governments, and regardless of the rules, that human wisdom had assigned as the laws of its communication and progress.

In some countries warmth and moisture were deemed to be the causes of the epidemic; but when it raged in the depth of an arctic winter, it was concluded that other agents must be regarded as having some efficacy in its production. Filth, which in most cases had aggravated the severity of the attack, did not seem in London to have produced such an effect.

It advanced along the channels of human intercourse, but no investigation could discover the mode of communication; and numberless instances were adduced, shewing, that it was not easily communicated by any intercourse between man and man. The healing faculty was equally at a loss, as to the means of prevention and cure. Quarantines were generally condemned by its members, as futile and unnecessary; and yet the appearance of the disease was so invariably preceded by intercourse with places already infected, that the almost unanimous testimony of physicians failed to satisfy the community, that the cholera was not a contagious disorder. The treatment, which at one place was considered successful, was condemned by subsequent experience as positively injurious; and all that medical science had gained by the appearance of the cholera in Europe, after long and close