While returning to the Cuba question, let us at this early day chronicle a prophecy of Mr. Everett. When, in a late conversation, his opinion was asked as to the fate of the administration and the destiny of Cuba, he replied as substantially, that the Cuba question would not be settled until toward the end of the presidential term, when the matter will be pushed to a final conclusion." "Yes, war if necessary," he replied: "and the excitement of such a war, in such a cause, will possibly swallow up all other issues and carry the administration again into power." Or if we may be allowed to condense Mr. Everett's words: "We will acquire Cuba, towards the close of the term of this administration-peaceably or by war." When Mr. Soulé returned to the United States, he resumed his former intimate relations with the President. Mr. Marcy he did not call on, still making a personal affair of his resignation. The Secretary meanwhile continues his diplomatic labors, new issues are made, and new points raised, thus perhaps commencing the delay predicted by Mr. Everett. It is too much in advance of the next presidential election for an "extra session," or it possibly would be called. There is no telling, however, how these things will result. The death of the late Emperor of Russia may have a bearing on the question. Peace in Europe would probably lead to an attempt on the part of "our Transatlantic Cousins" to put in execution threats, originally intended only to intimidate. Late occurrences in Europe have prepared us to receive without astonishment any new move on the part of the Allies. In any event, the acquisition of Cuba by the United States is fixed as fate. It remains to be seen if, according to Mr. Everett's prediction, Cuba is to be held back as a trump-card in the grand game of the election of 1856. SONG. PHILANTHROPIC AND PIRATICAL. WE'VE borne too long the idiot wrong of Cuba's tyrant masters, Nor pray nor speak, but let us seek redress in tones of thunder! To arms and up! we brim the cup to vengeance and to glory! Let Spanish Dons now learn for once how great the power they've slighted: By guns and swords, not pens and words, must Cuba's wrongs be righted. They've chained our men, they've seized our ships, their yoke around us twining; Our "Stars" are in a long eclipse-we'll bring them forth more shining. What pulsing starts from youthful hearts to hear the tocsin pealing! Then, brethren, up! one parting cup to Washington and Jackson. By Freedom's God! our lavish blood shall water it to blossom! No foul garrotte shall press our throat, though balls may pierce our bosom ! UNCLE SAM'S LITERATURE. BY COLONEL EIDOLON. Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon, made under direction of the Navy Department, by Wm. Lewis Herndon, and Lardner Gibbon, Lieutenants United States Navy. Part I. By Lieut. Herndon. Washington: Robert Armstrong, public printer. 1854. 33d Congress, 1st session. Executive Document, No. 53. 417 pp. Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon, made under direction of the Navy Department, by Wm. Lewis Herndon, and Lardner Gibbon, Lieutenants United States Navy. Part II. By Lieut. Lardner Gibbon. Washington: A. O. P. Nicholson, public printer. 1854. 33d Congress, 1st session. Executive Document, No. 53. 339 pp. THE publications authorized by Congress are voluminous and bulky. The growing commercial interests of the country prompt surveys and explorations, outlets for trade, and objects for traffic. Literature, science, and art are all cared for, in these national publications. Year after year we receive, by the kindness of Congressional friends, a mechanical or an agricultural Patent-Office Report, in which every thing pertaining to those subjects is learnedly yet popularly discussed. Disquisitions upon grazing and silk-growing, wool and iron ore, wheat and forest-trees, are contained in these books. Results of long years of experiments on all matters connected with farming, rotation of crops, and the proper manure for soils; horticulture in all its branches, the cultivation of the grape in all its multitudinous varieties, is freely vouchsafed to the citizen, by the liberality of Uncle Sam. A scientific expedition to the Dead Sea and the Jordan is proposed and carried out with the most complete success; increasing largely the actual knowledge of us all, with localities whose names have been familiar to us from childhood. On the ocean and over the land, from the winds and tides of the Atlantic to the rivers and rivulets of the great West, either individual enterprise or the liberality of the government, in a wise direction, is yearly increasing our knowledge and our resources. We are always grateful to our friends for "Pub. Docs."; because, although some of them are barren enough of entertainment, yet there are none out of which some information may not be gleaned. Some of our shelves are full of these welcome favors, and we are very far from counting them among the trash, which, with the greatest care, even where economy is a necessity, will gradually accumulate upon the hands of book-buying men. Among those which we have read with the greatest gratification, are the two whose title-pages we have quoted at the head of this article. It may be as well, before proceeding further, to give those who have not seen the books, a short history of the expedition and its objects. Lieutenant Herndon had been ordered to proceed to Lima; and, collecting there what information he could upon the subject of the expedition, to hold himself in readiness to carry out the instructions of the Navy Department. On the 4th of April, 1851, Lieutenant Gibbon arrived at Lima, with orders from head-quarters. We copy a portion of the letter of the Secretary of the Navy, for the purpose of explaining the objects of the expedition, and of confirming our remark in regard to the importance of the project, and the naturally and necessarily interesting nature of the reports: "The Government desires to be put in possession of certain information relating to the valley of the river Amazon, in which term is included the entire basin, or water-shed, drained by that river and its tributaries. This desire extends not only to the present condition of that valley, with regard to the navigability of its streams; to the number and condition, both industrial and social, of its inhabitants, their trade and products; its climate, soil, and productions; but also to its capacities for cultivation, and to the character and extent of its undeveloped resources, whether of the field, the forest, the river, or the mine. . . .. The geographical situation and the commercial position of the Amazon indicate the future importance to this country of the free navigation of that river. To enable the government to form a proper estimate as to the degree of that importance, present and prospective, is the object of your mission." This was but a small part of the business of the expedition; but it will serve to show the nature of the information sought by the department, and the subject-matter of which the book is composed. The choice of the route having been intrusted to Lieut. Herndon, and being in a strait between two, he came to the conclusion to divide his party, sending Lieut. Gibbon with the one, and directing the operations of the other in person. Accordingly, they parted at "Tarma, a small town in Peru, by Alpha and Beta, centauri in latitude 11° 25′ south, situated in a rich, well-cultivated, narrow valley, between the Andes range of mountains on the East, and the lofty Cordillera chain on the west." From this point of separation, Lieut. Herndon took a northeast course, striking the river Ucayali, a branch of the Amazon, in the northern part of Peru, and following it to its mouth. Lieut. Gibbon turned to the south-east; and, coming upon the Madeira River, followed its course to the Amazon, and thence to its mouth. The former consequently passed through the northern part of Peru and Brazil, in his route; while the latter describes South-Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. It is easy to be seen, therefore, what an amount of information, anecdote, and adventure is to be found in the volumes of the two Lieutenants. We shall content ourselves by extracting from these books the fun and adventure, by placing before our readers those pictures of life and manners with which they became acquainted on their route, and leave for another occasion, if haply that time shall ever arrive, the collating and putting in more compact form those particular matters of information which induced the Government to send out the expedition. We may remark here, however, that the results of the observations of the two Lieutenants were highly satisfactory to the department; that the commercial and trading facilities of the South-American States, and their general anxiety to open and retain closer connection, in every respect with the United States of North-America, are in the highest degree flattering. The consequences of the late trip of Herndon and Gibbon can not be fairly calculated; but that they will be most decidedly advantageous to both extremes of the American continent is certain. Herndon complains very bitterly of the indolence, laziness, and drunkenness of the servants they were obliged to hire on their routes. In those countries, the want of ambition in the citizens, and the tyranny of the governments, together with the mixture of the races, are any thing but favorable to the development of the human animal. There is here nothing to stimulate them to make any exertion, either physical or men |