HISTORICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS REGISTER. PREPARED BY EDWIN WILLIAMS. AUTHOR OF THE "N. Y. ANNUAL REGISTER," "GAZETTEER," &c. We propose, under this head, to give in each number of the Knickerbocker, a selection of such subjects of interest as may be most useful and entertaining for the pages of a magazine, comprising not entirely details of passing events, but desultory sketches relative to the Political, Literary, and Geographical concerns of the United States, with occasional notices of Internal Improvements, Biographies of distinguished men, and extracts from European Periodicals. LAFAYETTE PLACE. WITH AN ELEGANT ENGRAVING. There is no city in the Modern World, judging from the rapidity with which splendid structures are continually erected, has made greater progress towards the appropiate magnificence of a great metropolis, than New-York. When we recollect that the very site now occupied by the stately ranges of Le Roy Place, Bond Street, and Le Grange Terrace, were but a few years past the seat of the forest and morass, we may well wonder at the advancement we have made, and almost ask in amazement if this be indeed the city where not a century since, the gable-fronted mansions of the Knickerbockers were considered the highest achmè of architectural splendour. Of all the modern improvements which characterize our city, the sumptuous row of houses in Lafayette Place, called after the seat of the venerable Patriot, La Grange Terrace, and of which our publishers present an accurate engraving, is the most imposing and magnificent. These costly houses are universally allowed to be unequalled for grandour and effect. They are built of white marble, the front supported by a rich collonade of fluted Corinthian columns, resting on the basement story, which is of the Egyptian order of architecture. They were designed and built entirely by Mr. Geer, and all the stone work was executed by the State prisoners at Sing-sing. One of the houses was sold not long since, for 26,500 dollars, a sum greatly below its value. The President of the United States, Gen. Cass, Secretary of War, Mr. Taney, Attorney General, Major Barry, Post Master General, and Major Donelson, the President's Private Secretary, arrived in town on Monday evening. They were accompanied by a number of citizens from the district, Capt. Moore's company of National Cadets from Washington, Capt. Kinsey's company of Riflemen, and Capt. Brockett's Light Infantry of Alexandria, the Marine Band from the Navy Yard, as well as many strangers from the eastern towns. They were met a short distance beyond Falmouth by the Marshals of the day, the Fredericksburg Guards, the Rifle Company, and Fredericksburg Blues, Junior, by whom the President and suite were accompanied to their lodgings. A troop of Light Horse, from the county of Fanquier, under the command of Capt. Thomas T. Fauntleroy, also arrived the same evening. Laying the Corner Stone.-This ceremony took place on Tuesday, with very imposing effect. About 9 o'clock the President was escorted from his lodgings to the Town Hall, where he was introduced to a number of citizens and strangers, who called to pay their respects to the Chief Magistrate of the Nation. The day was fine, and the occasion attracted a large concourse of persons from the adjoining counties. The procession set out from the Town Hall at half past 10 o'clock, and moved according to the arrangement of the Committee, in the order and through the several streets previously designated, to the site of the Monument. As the procession moved up Main-street, the extended line, the various uniforms of the military, the glittering arms, the music, the dense mass that thronged the side walks, the crowded windows, overlooking the whole scene, altogether presented a view grand and imposing. Arrived at the spot, after an appropriate Prayer by the Rev. E. C. Guire, an Address was delivered by the President, and also by Mr. Bassett; the plate with the inscription deposited, and the other usual ceremonies were performed. The procession then returned to the Town Hall, where the proceedings were concluded and the companies separated.-Herald. COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES. From the last report of the Secretary of the Treasury we make the following extracts :— Exports to foreign countries for the year ending Sept. 30, 1832. Products of THE SEA, (Fish, Oil, &c.) $2,558,538 Arrivals and departures for the year ending Sept. 30, 1832. 24,039,473 $87,176,943 90,298,229 10,731,037 $101,029,266 Tons. 949,622 393,038 1,342,660 974,865 387,505 1,362,370 Of the above 298,127 tons of American vessels, and 102,358 of Foreign vessels entered the port of New-York. Died, on Friday evening, 26th of April, after a short and painful illness, JONATHAN LAWRENCE, Jun. Young, ardent, and aspiring, with a mind richly endowed by nature and improved by the most assiduous cultivation-of high promise in his profession, and endeared to a large circle of friends by a disposition the most cordial and companionable, Death could hardly have singled out a victim from among those of his age, whose fate would awaken a more general sympathy, or whose loss inspire a deeper feeling of bereavement, Although but recently called to the bar, Mr. Lawrence had already given evidence that his talents for public life were of no common order, while his strict attention to his professional duties and his general exemplary character inspired a confidence in those connected with him by the relations of business rarely accorded to one so young. Indeed, we are confident of being sustained by those fully capable of judging of his professional abilities, when we assert, that the New-York bar has lost in him one of the most promising of its junior members. But it is only they who were familiar with his stores of general reading and rich resources of original observation, with his exquisite sensibility to the beauties of poetry, his playful humour, and chastened imagination, that can unite in the full feeling of regret that one whose literary talents must at some day have entitled him to be "remembered in the line of his land's language," should be for ever withdrawn from the field of his hopes, and his promise, and bear with him to the grave the proud expectation that waited upon his young career. And yet, had he lived, the seal that sets its loftiest yet most touching association to his character, had been wanting. The ennobling incidents of his death-bed scene-his calm endurance of pain when it was so rapidly expelling life from his system-his Christian resignation to the fate that had so suddenly overtaken him-and, above all, his feeling, but manly farewell to each of the young friends that crowded his dying chamberwould never have been impressed upon the hearts of others to hallow his name in their remembrance, and kindle the wish that has been so beautifully embodied by his own fervid pen-to Like him, "when Death comes in terrors, to cast The former volume of this Magazine contained two valuable contributions from his pen-a spirited translation from Beranger, p. 139, and the verses headed "I will love thee no more,” p. 162, which were composed extempore in the presence of the accomplished friend who wrote the above beautiful tribute to his memory, and who, we are glad to hear, is preparing a volume of his works for publication. MR. BUCKINGHAM. We regret to learn that Mr. Edwin Buckingham, junior-Editor of the Courier and New E. Magazine, died on the 18th of May, on board of the brig Mermaid, on her passage from Smyrna to this port, aged 24. Mr. Buckingham was a young man of superior talents and intelligence, a ready writer, an accurate reporter, and for several years past, he has been advantageously known in this community, as co-Editor with his father, in conducting these Periodicals. His constitution has been feeble for about two years past, and, with a view of restoring his health, he embarked last October for Smyrna. On his arrival out, however, it was found that no benefit had been derived by the voyage, or change of scene, and he soon determined to embark in the Mermaid, towards home. On the approach of the vessel, the half-mast flag was observed, the melancholy signal of having lost an officer or passenger, and it proved to be in consequence of the death of Mr. Buckingham. His loss will be deeply lamented, not only in the immediate circle of his family, but by a large circle of personal friends and |