Weekly National Intelligencer

EDITORS' CORRESPONDENCE.

New Orleans, February 28, 1846.

The news by the Cambria was received here to-day, and of course was very acceptable, both as to its pacific nature and the prospect of opening the ports.

I think some of our war bullies, in and out of Congress, particularly the former, must feel very cheap, and at any rate they appear so in the eyes of the nation, in comparing their own conduct as connected with the Oregon question, with that on the other side of the water, where all parties (Ministerial as well as Opposition) conduct themselves with so much dignity, courtesy, and respect on this exciting subject; and I sincerely hope the example will not be lost upon us, and that such a humiliating contrast will not again be offered.

The boon of a repeal of the corn laws and the general reduction of duties on provisions has always been over estimated in this country. In salt provisions, cheese, butter, and lard, we can probably undersell other nations in supplying Great Britain; but in breadstuffs, particularly wheat, the Baltic and Black Sea can and will drive us from her markets. Wheat can generally be shipped at Dantzic, and of very superior quality, at about 75 to 80 cents per bushel, our money, and from Odessa and Taganrog at 50 and 60 cents per bushel. Can our farmers furnish their wheat deliverable at our seaports, at such rates? And, besides, it is only in seasons of bad harvests that England will require any large supplies. Indian corn, as the cheapest article of food, will probably find a considerable outlet, though it must first overcome the inveterate prejudices of the English people against it as an article of human food; but if they even took ten or fifteen millions of bushels, (which would be a large quantity,) it would bear but a small proportion to our entire crop of 600,000,000; nor would the "dollar and cent" account be of much importance in a national point of view, when it is recollected that our Western farmers receive only 10 and 15 cents per bushel for it.

We are still anxiously looking for the new Tariff bill, and are at a loss to know why it is so long delayed. Are the features of the bantling so hideous that they are afraid to display them to the people? The unofficial outlines that we have received certainly show absurdity and inconsistency in a most eminent degree, such as no practical man would ever have ventured to propose, always of course excepting those who blindly yield to party feelings and prejudices or to the dictation of their official superiors. Has the party in power been playing the war game, and frightening the nation with the prospect of disastrous hostilities, in order the more easily to reconcile them to the sacrifice of the tariff as a quid pro quo to Great Britain in settling the Oregon question? It certainly looks something like it, though I entirely acquit the Southern wing of the Democracy from any such motives, for they have met the question boldly and manfully, and have not hesitated to express themselves openly; nor have they endeavored to obtain an evanescent and prurient popularity by fanning the war embers.

We have nothing later either from Mexico or Texas, though daily expecting to hear from both. To-morrow is the day fixed for breaking up the encampment at Corpus Christi and moving forward to the Rio Grande. The supplies and all the arrangements are completed for the operation, and there is nothing but the weather or some unexpected event that will prevent it. Some persons are anticipating an attempt by the Mexicans to check the advance of Gen. Taylor. I have myself, however, not the most distant idea of the kind, as I do not believe that they have any such intention, or that they can muster a force that could look Gen. Taylor's command in the face for ten minutes.

The Mexican Vice Consul in this city has received orders from the Consul General in New York to re-open his office here.