few drones here; every body is busy, with no idle, moneyed aristocrats to tyrannize over the industrious. poor. All here are strangers from different parts — all adventurers; all industrious, generally very orderly, and consequently very prosperous and happy.

ST. ANTHONY.

A thriving post town of Ramsay county, Minnesota, is finely situated on the left bank of the Mississippi River, at the Falls of St. Anthony, 8 miles by land above St. Paul. Latitude 44° 48′ 40′′ north, longitude 93° 10' west. The Mississippi here has a perpendicular fall of about 18 feet, the first which occurs in ascending the river. The site of the village is an elevated prairie, rising by a gradual acclivity, and commanding a fine view of the falls. Situated at the head of navigation on the Mississippi, and in the immediate vicinity of an unlimited water power, St. Anthony can scarcely fail to become an important commercial and manufacturing city. The University of Minnesota is established here. The town contains several houses of worship, from 8 to 10 stores, 2 newspaper offices, and numerous saw mills, besides other mills and manufacturing establishments. The post office is called St. Anthony's Falls. Population in 1850, 750; in 1853, about 2000; in 1855, about 3000.

Our correspondent, writing from this place, says that "there is a wire suspension bridge across the Mississip

pi, and that the tolls for the first year amounted to $12,500, and for the month of October, they were $1940; also that the citizens have raised a bonus of $20,000, and a Mr. Winslow has obligated himself to erect within a year a hotel to cost at least $60,000.” This adds another to the inany testimonies of the progress and enterprise of the Great West.

TEXAS.

TEXAS was formerly one of the Mexican possessions, though a distant province; being, as was generally admitted, one of the many conquests of Fernando Cortes, in the sixteenth century. At the period of its subjugation, it was inhabited by savages of the worst description. Prior to the year 1690, a French colony occupied a small district; but they were subsequently driven out by the Spaniards, under whose jurisdiction the country remained, with few or no intervals of agitation, sunk in the obscurity and lethargy of despotism, until the abdication of Charles VI. of Spain, in 1808. At this time, the people of Mexico began to assert their claim to the privilege of self-government; and in 1810 an open rebellion against the European authorities ensued. In 1813 a national Congress issued a declaration of independence; but a civil war raged for several years among various parties, upon the question as to what form of government should be established. one time the imperial party prevailed, and Mexico became an empire. This continued but for a brief pe riod a new system, organized like that of the United States, was adopted, and Mexico became a federal republic, Texas constituting an integral member. A series of revolutions succeeded, during which Texas separated itself from the confederation, achieved its

At

independence by the battle of San Jacinto, in 1836, and erected itself into a distinct republic. A constitution was formed in the same year, and the first elections under the same were held forthwith. In 1845, after a prolonged controversy, Texas was annexed to the United States, and admitted into union therewith, by a joint resolution of both houses of Congress, ratified by the Texan people.

BOUNDARIES AND EXTENT.

This state is bounded on the north by portions of New Mexico, Nebraska, and the Indian Territory; on the east by the Indian Territory, and by the State of Louisiana, from the latter of which it is partially separated by the River Sabine; on the south-east and south by the Gulf of Mexico; on the south-west by the River Bravo del Norte, dividing it from the Mexican possessions; and on the west by the same, and by New Mexico. It lies between 26° and 36° 30' north latitude, and extends from 94° to 105° west longitude. It is of very irregular form, and is computed to contain about 237,320 square miles; a portion of the original area claimed by Texas, when a republic, having been set off by Congress, at the time of its admission as a state, in the formation of the Territory of New Mexico.