'Mr. CARPENTER, having painted these portraits, was invited to the President's, and supplied with the spacious studio we have spoken of, in order to facilitate the painting of his own picture and portraits of the gentlemen of his Cabinet.

'Upon my entrance, with much surprise I saw these aspirants for the White-House all in a row, looking out from the canvas, life-like, as if asking the question of their Lords, 'Is it I?' We hope none of them will prove themselves ISCARIOTS, should they reach the height of their ambition. Beside these portraits, Mr. CARPENTER has with him here, the portraits of the late Presidents, TYLER and FILLMORE. To all these he has recently added a most marvellous picture of Governor MARCY, and one singularly felicitous of Gen. CUSHING.

'Our friend, Col. SEATON, on seeing these portraits, after having spoken of their eminent fidelity, said, 'There,' pointing to ex-President TYLER's picture, 'I can almost hear him saying, 'Come, Seaton, let's take a drink!''

'Mr. CARPENTER has risen to the highest line of his profession almost at a bound. He has painted a full-length portrait of President FILLMORE, for his friends, and is now engaged on one of President PIERCE, who sits, at the request of his friends in New-Hampshire, for a full-length picture.

'I had the pleasure of an interview with General CUSHING, during his first sitting. He is certainly one of the best-read men of the day, as well as one of the best talkers. His learning is encyclopædical. Col. BARNES, the Marshal of the United States for the District of Massachusetts, was asked by a gentleman in earnest pursuit of Mr. CUSHING, he at that time being the Supreme Judge of Massachusetts:

"Can you tell me, BARNES, where I can find Judge CUSHING? I have been everywhere in search of him.'

"Yes, yes,' replied BARNES, in his squeaking tone; 'I know where he is. You will find him up in the Athanæum Library. He thinks there's a book up there which has got something in it he does n't know; but I guess he 'll find himself mistaken.'

'The President very kindly brought the pardon into the studio-room and presented it to me, saying, as he did so:

'You must now get Governor MARCY to sign it,' this being according to the forms of office.

'Finding that the Governor was not at his office, I ventured on my long acquaintance to go to his house and send up my card. He sent for me at once, and received me in his private office.

"What has brought you here so early?' asked the Governor.

'I told him 'the President had determined to have pity on a poor prisoner, and could not consent to do this act of clemency without giving him the opportunity of sharing it with him.'

"That's like him,' replied the Governor, taking up his pen to write his name; 'he knows I'm always ready to do acts of marcy.'

'With my best wishes for the long life and prosperity of 'Old KNICK.,' I remain,

They say a very bad pun is the best!

'AN OLD CONTRIBUTOR.'

It was no argument in favor

of slavery, per se, but it was very funny, notwithstanding. It occurred in this wise: As you come down the Ohio, (it is the same in going up, of course,) your boat stops for any passenger or passengers who may shake a handker

chief or wave a green branch from the shore: hence, one is often 'turned round,' as it is called, with the boat, and loses the 'p'ints o' compass.' When we were gliding along past 'HUNTER'S Bottom,' on the Kentucky side, we were 'signalized' back, and turned round. A conspicuous friend of our 'colored brethren' was expressing the opinion that the bond which held them affected the very soil on which they existed, and pointed with exultation to the beautiful line of fertility and comfort along the 'Bottom,' on the Kentucky shore, and said: 'There you see it! — look at that, and then cast your eye on the opposite shore, and you can see, at this moment, the truth of what I have been saying to you.' 'But, my dear Sir,' said his interlocutor, ' that is in Kentucky-the other is Indiana!' 'Ha! ha! ha!' guffawed a few listeners; and it is but justice to say, that our 'dissentant' joined in the laugh as loud and heartily as the rest. He was fairly caught, and did n't try to 'die game,' although they 'made game' of his argument. - - Ir gives us a thrill of pleasure to think what we have in store for the 'Original Papers' of our next number. Articles, both of prose and poetry, which had been prepared and numbered for the present issue, await publication in the October issue: among the former of which is another letter to 'Ella Ellas land,' and a most delightful paper from 'HARFANG,' upon 'Birds'- one worthy of our 'Up-River' correspondent, in his best vein we had almost said, of even IRVING himself. We trust that the October KNICKERBOCKER may be found to justify this premonitory 'gloating.' - - -- LOUISVILLE is an imposing, wealthy city. Main-street, in its entire extent, would do honor to any metropolis in America. Costly stone structures arise on every hand; and at certain periods of the day it is well-nigh as crowded as our own Broadway. The churches, public buildings, etc., are in good taste. One preeminent exception, however, must be made. The largest edifice in the city, admirably situated in an open green, would be a disgrace to any town in Christendom. As a stranger, most hospitably entertained within its gates, it may ill become us to 'break out' upon Louisville in this way; but 'wo is unto us' if we speak not the truth in this matter! That immense unfinished structure, 'The Court-House,' commenced some fifteen or twenty years ago, for the State Capitol, which was afterward 'located' at Frankfort, with all its cream-colored hewn-stone, its dignified solidity, its vast boardedup entrances, its odors of mingled myrrh and frankincense, its spacious 'conveniences,' with all these, 'The Court-House' is an eye-sore, a nuisance, which ought to be either built up or torn down. However, it was 'presented' by a Grand Jury of Kentuckymen, of which an esteemed friend of ours was a member, the very night we arrived; so let us hope that the great offence may ultimately be abated. We've a great deal more to say about Louisville City proper, but not row. A GERMAN astronomer says, that in twenty millions of years the earth will be destroyed by a comet! People may doubt and jeer at the idea: but wait till the time comes, and you'll see that prophet, as the comet whisks along, knocking the earth into a 'cocked hat,' hanging by its tail, exclaiming, 'I told you so — I TOLD you so!' But who will hear him? THE Hotels of Louisville have won

a good report from all travellers. 'The Louisville,' at which we stopped, is a stately stone edifice, and to judge from a brief experience, well-conducted. Its table is well supplied, its parlors unexceptionable, and its sleeping-rooms airy and comfortable. The Galt House,' with a less imposing exterior, is a superb and admirably-kept hotel within. Its dining-rooms, halls, suites of rooms, private rooms, spacious piazzas, etc., are all that could be desired; while the table, as Mrs. PARTINGTON might express it, would rejoice the 'most fastidguous ippecac.' The proprietor, Mr. JOHN RAINE, is held in the highest favor, alike by citizens and strangers; a popularity honorably earned and most modestly borne. There is also a 'DELMONICO's in Louisville, in the excellent restaurant establishment of Mr. WALKER, which we visited with a friend, and which, we hesitate not to say, would reflect credit upon any locale in our city, or in any other city. DON'T believe the rascally speculators in the 'staff of life!' They all 'lie like a tomb-stone.' Never were such crops seen in all the West as have been harvested, in good condition, this year. We know this, because we have seen it: field after field of wheat, of six hundred and a thousand acres, and six thousand acres of corn in one single field on the banks of the Ohio! Talk of 'short crops'! Fudge! Look at The Expressmen's Price-Current' in the 'Express Messenger,' and whistle flour and grain speculators down the wind. All kinds of crops this year, thanks to a beneficent PROVIDENCE, are preeminently abundant; and it will go nigh to be thought so, shortly.' THERE will soon be pub

The Church of the held was large and

lished, under the capable supervision of his son, JOHN C. HAMILTON, Esq., the well-known numbers of 'The Federalist,' by ALEXANDER HAMILTON, with the added authentic papers, the authorship of which has sometimes been disputed. The work will secure, at this time, a wide circulation. Its wise teachings were never more needed. WHILE in Louisville, we went one evening, with a northern friend, as late as eleven o'clock at night, to A Negro Fair, for the improvement of the finances of Colored Messiah' of that city. The hall where it was well filled. The 'fair' had been kept up for two weeks, and was to last one week longer. The articles, many of them tastefully made, were all admirably arranged. The 'tables' were presided over by the sable attendants with perfect propriety, not to say grace: and no hundred and fifty persons, of both sexes, we ever saw gathered together, behaved with more courteous politeness, or were more apparently happy. For the black doll and icecream which we bought, all the change was brought back, and ‘Massa might hand back the price.' We remarked a colored BEAU BRUMMELL among the audience, whose organ of 'language' must have been large. In reply to a specified charge for an article of trifling value, he said to the shinyfaced tradeswoman: 'Do you assume to tell me, Madam, da-da-dat dat article extensifies to dat extreme waluation in dis market?' But all this is as nothing compared with a brief 'colored' oration that was made to us in the vestibule of the Louisville Hotel by an umquhile sable correspondent of ours, of which we may say something hereafter. - - BECAUSE Mr. BARNUM has 'owned up' to humbugeousness in certain things, heretofore, it seems to

be thought by some people that he can propose nothing that is not humbugeous. Now this is a great mistake. We consider his contemplated Gallery of Beauty,' and the splendid volume which is to be founded upon it, as not only in all respects unexceptionable, but as an admirable idea, which, if properly carried out, will prove a deservedly popular attraction. That it will so prove, we have no doubt. WELL, here we are at home! After all, there is no place like our good old Gotham! There is but one Hudson River: with no 'deceitful sand-bars, nor treacherous currents, nor insidious rocks: but a stream deep as it is broad, that bears with honorable faith the bark that trusts itself to its waves.' No muddy banks; no floating flood-wood; no sticking down spars to pry vessels over shallows. Look with us from the sanctum at the clean and beautiful shores of the Tappaän-Zee. How things have grown, too, since we left! Our eight peach-trees are groaning under their burthen: 'water, mush, and other millions' have over-run all the ground allotted to them: crisp cucumbers are too plentiful to be esteemed: Lima-beans flaunt their green banners from two-score standards: very succulent and sweet is the 'green-corn in the ear:' and the tomatoes, red and yellow, blush and gleam upon a thousand gold-dusted stems. Fàder, where is you?' That is our little hopeful four-year old, Master ELLIOTT-BURNET, out on the lawn. He wants us to come and 'play horsey' with him and the clothes-line, and we are going. MR. JOHN WEIK, of Philadelphia, has issued the first number of 'Pictures of Travel,' translated from the German of H, HEINE by CHARLES G. LELAND, and heretofore announced in these pages. We have the best authority in this metropolis for saying that the work is most faithfully and admirably translated from the original. As no living German writer has exerted an influence comparable to HEINE, and as no author has penetrated so generally through every class of society in Germany, we shall lose no time in entering upon a consideration of the merits of the much-desiderated volume under notice. It is in a convenient form, and neatly executed. Ir ever man returned to a resumption of his avocations with renewed delight, we are that 'party.' The consciousness of an affection in the public mind toward the 'Old KNICK.,' of which we have had so many gratifying proofs in our late tour, not only repays the toil of twenty-three years in its service, but makes us more solicitous to retain for the future the 'good will' and almost personal friendship of our readers. Welcomed everywhere by our brothers of the press-the most genial fellows in the world, as a general thing-cordially received and most hospitably entertained, where we could only have expected a 'stranger's welcome,' we desire thus briefly to express our appreciation of kindnesses as grateful as they were undeserved and unanticipated. --- GENIN'S 'publishing day' is the first of September. On that day will be issued 'The Fall Hat' of the season. Report says for rumors of such events will leak out that it will be the most elegant and recherché affair of its kind in the 'known world.' 'We shall see anon.' THERE 'lie over' until our next several pages of 'Gossipry,' including many things intended for the present number: among them, more travel-gossip; 'rail-road smoking-cars;' an obituary of the late ISAAC A. COLES; Amateur Dramatic Festivals in England and America, together with notices of several new publications, etc., etc.

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