The New York Herald Newspaper, December 15, 1850, Page 2

Intmuiegnce rrom Havaxa.—We have re ceived, by the steamer Isabel, arrived at Charles ton, our files of the Diario de la Maria and Furo The Fulton Ferry Company and a Renewal of their Lease—The Contract System. The lease of the Fulton Ferry Company being NEW YORK HERALD. | Cheap Pestege-testing ot the Mewshants Yesterday afterneon, at one o’clockh, a meeting was ZaMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR AND BDITOR, @*PICE % W. CORNER OF FULTON AND MASSAU STS. DAILY HERALD, 2 cents per copy st annum, bd WEBKLY HERALD, ney as Rr ag sent pr . 7 annem, bay i pat of rcat ra, ‘and $3 to any part ef the Con” laine tage. “ILL LETTERS by mail, /or vubs:reptions, or with adver sivements, to id, or the ‘postage will be @aducted from RRESPUNDENCE, contatning important seliciied from any quai of the world; if used, will be Bicrally paid for. R Fexsign Comnasronnants Ane Pawricuranty Requperxp 70 $mAL alt Lerrens 4xD PACKAGES SENT TO US. NO NOTICE taken net return thoue 1 “ADVERTISEMENTS renewed every mornin JUB PRINTING executed wih neutace Peper. Gnonymous comma ications, [We do “heaprase ond AMUSEMENTS TO-MORROW EVENIN VRALIAN OPERA, ASTOR PLACE—Gwwua »: Vuncy, BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery—Ricuamp Ill,—Funse Dercnman. BRO. ¥ THEATRE, Broadway—Parn Owe wirn rue 6 yr Le Les QoaTRE—Les Miauckee—Mr Pew un rex BTR. WIBLO’S GARDEN, Bros¢way—Tieut Rore—So.pgen ron Leve -Marvum. BURTON'S THEATRE, Chambers street—Reav ro Rui — Brew Bor. NATIONAL THEATRE, DPaventar—Macic War CURISTY'S MINSTRELS, Mechanics’ Dail, 473 Breadway —Bruoras Minstaxisy. FSLLOWS' OPERA HOUSE, 441 Bros¢way—Eruorian Mower a £18. AMERICAN MUSEUM—Amvune Pesvonmayces Arter- moon Arp EVENING. WEW YORK AMPHITURATRE, 57 Bowery—Equnernian Peisoamaxcrs, WASHINGTON HALL—Paronams oF Prronm’'s Pao- enue, Cha Bquare — Cvnare’e SATTLER’S COSMORAMA, corner cf Thirteenth etreet sad Broadway. New York, Sunday, December 15, 1850, Summary of Intelligence. Neither house of Congrees having been in ses tion yesterday, our intelligence from Washington w of rather a meagre character. As to this time no butinees of any consequence has been done, we ‘rust that members wil! bear in mind that this is the short session, and that they have abundance of werk before them The proceedings of the Georgia Convention, on Friday lest, were of a very important character, at will be seen by a telegraphic report of them wm another column. It will be perceived that a series of resolutions were offered, which al! the rational and well-meaning people of the North and the South, of the East and the West, will concur im, and respond to most heartily. They breathe a deep attachment to the Union, and consider it as secondary only to the rights and prineiples which m wae designed to perpetuate. This is vood erthodox doctrine. Those resolutions further *tate, that the present position and future pros- pects of the people of Georgia will bind them to she Union as long as it continues the safe- guard of those rights and principles. This is equaliy good—that whilst Georgia does not wholly approve of the compromise measures of the last session, she 4s willing to abide by them. This is better. That Georgia ought to resist any act suppressing the slave trede between slave-holding States; the refusal to admit as a State any territory because of the exist- ence of slavery therein, or any act prohibiting the jatroduction of slgyes into Utah or New Mexico. ‘This is ae good as any of the rest If, however, Utah er New Mexico should form a State Goverment, and the people should declare that slavery shall not exist in either place, we have no doubt that the Georgians would be as well satisfied as if the reverse were the case—the majority, of course, reling in each instance. The last resolution is, “hat in the opinion of the Convention, the pre- servation of the Union depends upon the faith- ful observance of the Fugitive Slave bill. We are perfectly well satisfied that the North are willing to abide by those resolutions. ‘Th i no gasconade or treason about them. They are based on the constitution, and are no more or no Jese than what Georgia should declare. Every man of the North, without respect to party—we mean all Union men, and they have a vast majori ty im this region—will respond to those resolutions and abide by them, come weal or come wo. The sentiments therein embodied are the sentiments of the law and order loving people of the North, and if ever unfortunately the time should come when whe principles in those resolutions are not recog- nized and faithfully adhered to by the North, the Union, if not formally dissolved, will be so virtu- ally. We are willing to make the repeal of the Fugitive Slave bill a test question; but so sure as it | is made such, so sure will the Union and the con- stitution triumph. t is undisputabdle that the noble State of Georgia will not desert the Union as long asa plank of it remains. As we yesterday announced, Gerrit Smith has issued a circular to his abolition co-laborers, a sy- mopeis of which will be found under the telegra- phic head. It is, as we anticipated, replete with all that is subversive of society, morality, and Obristianity, and is a fit emanation from an arch- disorganizer te his feliow-traitors and their deluded followers. It will be observed that Gerrit has turn- ed the cold shoulder upon, and attempts to read out of the abolition ranke, bis ally and principal mouth- paece of hia party in the Senate chamber, W. H. Seward, who has arduously assisted in bringing about the present state of excitement throughout the country. When rogues fall out and expose each other's tricks, it is generally beneficial to the eommunity. Viewing Gerrit’s letter in this light, we are inclined to think that it will open the eyes of many enthusiasts who have been led astray by the silly tales of conspirators, and serve to strengthen, instead of weakening, as intended, the bonds of the Union. News from Across the Water. Our correspondents in the several great cities of Europe are a busy and intelligent corps of assistants, who neglect no subject or duty that may be bene- ficiai to our journal or tothe public. The letters of eur London correspon ‘ents are always remarkably interesting, and to-day we present a letter from one of them, which supplies a bird's-eye view of affairs in Europe. Our Paris correspondent, also, far- niehes quite a large armount of novel and enter- taining information. ‘The letter of our Berlin correspondent, tegether with the speech of the Kiag of Prussia, permit us to form a reasonable opinion as to the character of events which are likely to arise in the heart of Eu- Tepe. \t is possible that the whole movement may be checked by some diplomatic mancuvre; but should the parties in the field remain in an anti gonistic position till next Mey,a serious warfare may be anticipated The letter of one of our Irish correspondents pre- sents some Very important facts with respect to the harbors on the western coast of Ireland. Wehave given our opinion, on more than one occasion, on the value Which would accrue to Ireland by the establishment of ports for the great steamers. The Irish barbore are the matural termini, of mail steamers; and when they are made so by the com- mereial world, Ireland will boast of an improved condition, socially, morally and politically. There is too much justice, however, we fear, in the hints with respect to the insincerity of the British vovern- ment with regard to this project. Eight years ago the subject wae agitated in England, and there has not been any important step taken yet. All the government movements have resulted in nothiag bot talk, talk, talk. Anprriora. rnom Mrweo,—By the way of Hava we have jurt received news from Mexiew, and learn that there it mot « 0 doubt about the elestion of Gene- rel Ariste to the Presidency of this republic, for the mext term. D. Sr. Luis de la Roca, at present Mexican Minicter at Washington, hed been eleeted Governor #f the Btete of fam Lule. Br. Riva Paiacio bad been re- eleoted ar Oovernor, by the Legislature of the State of j Mexico aboutto expire, application has been made, or is about te be made, to the Common Council for a renewal of it for ten years, from the firet day of May next. The rent which the company at present pay for the privileges which they enjoy, on both sides of the river, is thirty thousahd five hundred dollars a year, which they think is too large a sum to be fixed for the future. Instead of paying this amount» the company say they are willing that the surplus income, over and above ten per cent, shall be paid into the treaeury of the city of New York. If the Common Council, however, should not entertain this proposition, the company say they are willing to pay the present rate, or any reasonable sum, for the ferry privileges. If the former plan should be adopted, the company agree that the Chairmanofthe Ferry Committees of the two Boards of Aldermen shail be ex-officio members of the board of manage- ment of the ferries, in order, we suppose, that those gentlemen may see that the city treasury shall re- ceive the surplus of receipts, after deducting ten per cent on the capital etock, which, it is said, ig not more than enough to repay the revision of ferries so extensive. At firet sight, this would appear to be a very fair offer on .he partof the Fulton Ferry Company; but with our consent the Common Council shail not granta renewal of the compasy’s lease on any tuchterms. The income ofthis ferry is, as every one knows, enormously great, aod we hate no doubt | that if the receipts over and above ten per cent on | the stock invested were paid into the city treasury, they would amount to avery handsome fund. | We have no faith, however, in corporations ful- | filling their engagements, if they can avoid doing so. | Corporations, itis said, have no souls; they can com- mit acts with impunity whieh would banish indivi- duals from society. Corporations, however, can do anything. | enrplus would be honestly paid inte the city trea- | sury, we would have no objection to a renewal of | this lease on the terms proposed; but we are per- | feetly eatiefied that, even if the chairmen of the | Ferry Committees were made ex-officio managers | of the company, the city treasury would not get a | single dcilar, or, if it got any at all, the sum | would not amount to one-half or one-tourth part | of the rent which the company now pays. The company would, no doubt, find a method of di- verting the funds to some other purpose that would inure to their benefit, rather than pay so much into the city treasury, notwithstanding the very great watch whieh, we are sure, the chair- man of the Ferry Committees of the Common Coun- cil would keep on the accounts of the company. Notwithstanding the grave charges of bribery and | corruption that were, on a former occasion, made against the Common Council, in connection with the lease of the Willismsburgh ferry, and which, by the way, have not been refuted to this day, doubt, always will be, models of integrity and honor. Seonerthan receive a bribe of a few thousand dollars,to mystify the accounts of the ferry com- pany, so that even a clairvoyant could not see through them, our Common Councilmen would j tufler mertyrdom, end submit to be burned | at the stake. But they are fallible, like all other mea, and might, very unintentionally indeed, cemmit an error which, while it made the city treasury poorer by fifteen or twenty thousand dol- lars, might, at the same time, in some inexplicable manner, make them five thousand richer. Such extraordinary occurrences have taken place before this, and might, we suppose, take place agaia. The best way, however, of avoiding those unplea- sant things, and to preserve our highly patriotic, ond from the suspicions which low and vulgar people attach to them, in consequence of these mysteri- ous coincidences, is to have nothing to do with any such “ hide and go seek’ agreement as tha, which the Fulton Ferry Comnany rrannesa to enter into with the Common Council." But badinege aside, any person who has watched the course of events in this city for the last fifteen or twenty years, cannot but be convinced tha; there has been @ vast deal of swindling, corruption, and rascality practised in the way of getting contracts and making agreements with the city government, and in no instance has it more apparent than in ferry contracts. The city has lost, over and again, by such means as are now attempted by the Brooklyn Ferry Com- pany. The question arises, what other system can be adopted by which the interests of the city will be protected? The answer is simple and ready. Let all contracts to which the city government are @ party, be advertised in the pub- lic newspapers, and disposed of to the highest bid- der at auction. Let all our ferry privileges be dis- posed of in this manner, and we shall hear less of corruption than we now hear, and have less of the real thing. The contract between the city government and the old gas company will expire ina year or two, and that, too, should be diepored of at public auction. That company has made the city government and our citizens | Pay immesse sums of money ; and petitions, eigned | by thousands of the people, have been presented to the Common Council, praying that body to not only refuse to renew the contract, but to de- clare that which is at present in force null and void, in consequence of its provisions having been disregarded by the company. So far from any ac- tion having been taken by the committee to whom the petition was referred, they have entirely disre- | garded the voice of the people, and have actually drawn up a@ report, which they are waiting for a favorable opportunity to present, granting a new contract to the same company for another term of years. Of course, we do not wish to imply that any outside intluences have been brought to bear on the members of the committee, for they are aly honorable men, but if that report be submitted to the Common Council, and another contract be en- tered into with the gas company, we will wager our existence against a pint of peanuts, that we will hear of one of those remarkable and unac- countable eceurrences taking place to which we have already referred. But what are the commit tee afraid of, that they do not present their report 7 They know very well that they kicked the people's petition out of doors, and set to work with their report, recommending a renewel of the contrac wiht 8 company for twenty-one years. We have refrained from saying anything on the subject | for sometime past, on purpose to see what the com- mittee woul d do, and we now call vpon them to send it to the Common Council at once, #0 that the public may have a sight of it, and assure them selves of the great care which they have taken of their interests. The contract system must be abolished in the form in which it now exists. The city will never receive justice until ite ferry privileges, gas, and other contracts, are sold by auction to the highest bidder, the purchaser giving ample recurity for the performence of his undertaking. | | Cunar Postace—Maxtine at te Exctianon — In another part of our impression will be found a report of the proceedings of a meeting of the merchente and other citizens, held yesterday at the Exchange, in favour of the reduction of postage The meeting, from defective arrangements in cailiog it, Was not so numerous es might be expected from the vast importance of the subject; but, if the numbers were not great, the argument was strong, and, in our opinion, very conclusive. We nmy add, that we do not believe there is a oolitary exti, | zen who is not a friend of the proposed reform—a measure which ought to have been long since enacted by Congress, with the unanswerable logic of the facta and figures of ten years experince of | the system in Great Britain, and a partial trial of it j in this country. Dut better late than never—and now even, at the eleventh hour, the contemplaied change will be hailed throughout the United States as one of the greatest boons ever conferred upon a free people. We trust that the advocates 6f this bill (and their name is legion), will leave nothing undone to secure ite passage in the present Session & Congrese, been | If we were certain that the designated | Common Ceuncilmen alweys have been, and, no | extremely honorable Common councilmen | ° 2 S & 5 | foeain | after Indust ial de la Habana. to the 8th inst. We trans late the moet interesting items from them. The Island of Cuba was perfectly quiet when the Isabel left Havana, and the Governor-General, Concha, continued to visit ihe military poets and fortresses surrounding that city. The cholera still lingered im certain parts of the island. The city and environs continued free, but it was feared that it would visit every locality. Numerous demands had arrived from Spain for sugar, and the prices of this article had improved, in anticipation of the new ¢rop. We read the followisg in the Diare de la Ma” rina: Distincursmep = Arnivars.—We understand tha- among the pasren; this city, from Ne: the steamer Obio, wes Mr. James Gord of the New York Herald, & paper ow York, and the mort celebrated in the American Union. He is accompauied by his wife, whose talents as @ writer are also very celebrated. Co- lonel de Val'demia was.also in the same steamer. Mr. Bennett is the founder ot the ebesp preas in the United Slates, and onaceount of his grea’ periodical know- ledge and activity, be is called by numerous persons the Napoleon of the press. The Italian Opera was attracting, every night, numerous audiences, ‘ Lucrezia Borgia,” *L’ Elisir d’Amore,” and “‘ Maria di Roha»,” had been performed with megnificent success, by the artists who eppeared in the same operas at Niblo’s and Castle Garden. Signorina Steffanoni, C. Badiali and Salvi, obtained the greatest iumph in “Maria di Rohan.” Several novelties, comprising ‘* The Huguenots” and “Robert the Devil,” were in active preparation, and were to be produced in a few days. Mile. Steffanoni was to have a beoetit, the composition of which weshighly spoken of. She is one of the mort favorite artists of the company, and we hope she will have a bumper. The Soe Penk of Monplaisir arnved at Havaaaon the 4thinst. They will give some performances in the capital of the island, und it is said that they will appeer at the Tucon theatre, in the divertisse ment of * The Huguenots.” A new Italian operatic company is formed in Ha- vana, in order to give some performances ia the | principal cities of the island. Jenny Lied is expected in the second week of January Great preparations have beew already made to give hera epleadid reception. Barnum’s ogent hed returned to Havana from New York, and had hired a eplendid palace, at $5,000 a year, for Jenny’s reception. City inte Drersion oy Mayon DHL is THe Oswinus (0, ~ An iuvestigation ha» been pending, for the last ertwo, before his Hopor Mayor Woodbull, ia cons quence of the arrest of Wiilam Seett, ove ef the drivers of Reynolds avd Weert’s line of stages, ran- ning through Broad’ ». Fourteenth street, and Tenth avenue, fer driving Horvse, It appears that the Mayor refused to grant & license to this line; and yet, contrary to the ordi- nance, the proprietors continwed to run their stages, nd erected a tmall box in each stage. lebriled ~ dons. tions for the poor.’ On passengers riding in the stage, and offering the fare to the river, he would reply, “Place the fare in th» peor box, if you please.” Now it was not shown by the stage proprietors that the funds thus collected in the * poor 90x’? were distribut- ed to apy benevolent institution; and the inference | onthe mind of the Mayor seems to be, that the pro: prietors pockrted the change; and accordingly con- | Vieted the driver, Willism Scott, of driving the stage | for hire, without # liceoee, and imposed a fine of $10. | It is presumed the tor will not rest here, as the stage proprietors have able cruvsrl. and no doubt the cate will ke carried, om huleas corpus, betore a jadge, Paiustens’ Daxquet—Cerneration OF Pranxcen's Binrupay —The New York Typographical Society will celebrate the ene hundred and jorty-titth anniversary ofthe birth ot Benjamin Franklin. the patriot, philo sopber, » Friday evening, January 17, 1850. by approp: rary exercises,a supper, and Cther commemorative proceed! In order to give every possible effect to ti ‘bration, Mr. Niblo’s specious buildings, ine) tembly 100m, pariors, | ig see ions of editor and pro published in hors inflaential Jadge Ed- Y Pog: pr wards bas cor sented to deliver the oration on Oo- cation, having been, in his early days, connected with ten It ted to be a magnificent affair. ee eee et Ae Tar OIL ie, fas lainps in Jobin street, vp. ‘ not been lighted for four nights psin Little Greene street were out at j and, the oll lamps at the feot of Maiden lane, in Gold, Platt, and Cliff streets, were out at the 3ew AR ET We: Tompkins, Kast, ‘ailout at 3 aaa: sie ya c arth ward, im Front and Oak were all out at ll o'clock. There pegiect som er Kuro ev THe . Discnarce or aon i eat, yesterday morning, st Jeremiah Fahy, aged t death by a 1d who 5 2.3 . Gorrek, Cannon, and Sherif, tem and Delancy, g. In th u 27 yeare, the dire in the abdor fe belong to the (Irish Volunteers. and above place on Fridsy morning with their for the ee. of a day's shooting, and were them ¢ excursion; and Thomas O'Neal, ging his gun. held it between his knees, and ‘was adjurting ® percussion cap, whem the hammer suddenly slipped, struck the cap, and off went the charge, lodging the contents im the lower part of de. cear body. The jury rendered « verdict that the deceased came to bis death by being accidentally in the ht body by a musket while in the hands O'Neal. Bony oF Richaan Cassipy Recoveren —On last Mon- bd a. ® man by the name of Ri dO was Se of Richard Uassidy ome to his residence in Williamsburgh, and on oring to go om board the terry boat, at the foot street, he fell from the dock into the river, ‘was lost. LL sey body floated to the sur. 1d was found in jock. near by where he fell over, Coroner Geer was called to hoid an inquest on the body. The deceased was a native of Ireland end 25 The of the deceased was a member and was on his return hen he mporium, ) are requested to meet, as by reference to an cavextisement in this at their lodge room, Odd Fellows’ Hall, ‘The damage was trifling om DaOwninc —A man named Bartholo- was taken out of the river. at the foot of Inst t 12 o'closk, by Mr. his cries for help. He Destrro re Crit nen —At60’slook on Friday evening, two children. named Ellen ard Catherine Daley, came tothe 17th ward station house, in « cold, destitute, and miserable condition, occasioned by the naglect of their father, James Daley. They were furnished with lodgings and supper. Fine —A fire broke out last night, at 9 o'clock. in the tobaceo warehouse of Eben Goodwin. No. 153 South street. It was extinguished with bat triding damage. MILITARY PARAD! 5 oar "The Gratule Guards, Captain Clar ke. Herold offiee yesterday, with Mayne's brace is between the age of rix and tweive. the 4. They The youthful sprightly had thirty six muskets, and. from the ap) the target, it was evident that they knew to usethem. They marched to edm rable style, and were accom: ied by twenty guests. The prises were ne follows —Ist prise. & gold Pret); 2d price, aefiver goblet; Sd prire a book; 4th ine, a bow and arrows; Bth prin a arrows; hb. Tth, sth. Ob and loth prises, each « wreath Poliee Intelligence Omnibus Coilision= One Driver Probably Killed —On i way, opposite Nibio’s, J.B. drivers It ine opposition lines ot d they were racing. rion. Lynch wae on the sion, the infloting In re on hie be Te talteved will cause ested by the police of ad onrelen by the me gietrate oS Fugitive Burgiors Officer Wood, of the ard, arrested, yesterday morning. two men rae of having eommittet wick. N.J., by breaking fat therefrom ® quaptily of elothira » « bargia A store and atonling wd at over $200. ‘The cflence was committed «» laceday inet; and the rog ter baving been traces to this olty, the ald of the ebore officer was obtained and they were taken into custody and conveyed back to “ew Brunswick for trial, The property was recovers) Charge of Passing Counter fer M Officer Van k, one of the vigient officers attached to the jot police, arrested cn Friday night. « man by the nome of Patrick Bracks r, on 8 «berge of p a $6 bili, on Kiijab Kine No vi Oat asouted, the ofice tity of other the nominal ri y Dim fer gjurthes tpepetoation nd reecviving fare without a | i themeclves Jamer Smith and John Thomas on | held at the Merchants’ Bxebange, Wall street, for the reduction of the present rates of postage to « uniform rate of two cents for letters prepaid, and one cent for Dewrpapere. The meeting was not very largely attend. e4, owin, Myre pyeaps im the newspapers, | and te the fact that some of the journals led the public | asteey by announcing the meeting for 10 o'clock. On the motion of Mr, Bias Woop, Mr. James De Peyster Ogden was appointed President of the meeting. The Vice Presidents were :—Btewart Brown, James P. | Murray, Elias Hicks, Oaleb Barstow, Thomas Moses | Taylor, Alfred Pell. Beeretaries :—Hiram Walbridge, Wright Hawke, Henry Q. Atherton. ‘The Pusssperr then read the call of the meeting, and seid, as the meeting was 60 small, it had been su; that it a ad be well to adjourn after organising, in order to give time for greater publicity. If any gen- tleman ie disposed to propose a motion of adjourament, the question can be taken upon it. Afters Mr. 81148 Woop, as nobody responded to the sugzes- tion cfthe President, proposed that the meeting do dressed the meeting.” this assembly was the and business, man, women and child alike to male and in the question of m the present outage meeting, in this much opposition to contend with, and their fears for the result of the move- me raid it was Quixotic, and others that at Department. the government all rnerred, and the officials of the Post Office, from the very highest down to the boy that swept out the office, were arrayed in hortility against the propoted reform. The friends of cheap portage were told that they were emugglers of letters; and, in fact, there was a very general opposi- tion. if time permitred he would give the whole his- tory of the postage movement trom the time that this Exchange was burned end the Post Office was removed to the ‘ik. The inconve: e of that arrangement being felt by the merchants, they pet! branch down t ‘The Post Office autborities co detce petition, on the condition | that o aid for every letter and two cents for every letter received, whil $4 was charged for boxes, ‘This was the state of things under their triend Amos Kendall, When Mr. Curtis and be (Mr. Bates) went to Washington to endeavor to notbur concession was asked, end the members of Congress tin vain. This was to permitthe mails to be opem t the lower branch Post By the exertions of Colonel Graham, however, removed—a fine building Office. these evils were parttall was obtained for the Post Office, and the two cent tax was removed; but the $4 for boxes still continued. Why should it be continued when in Boston the charge was only $2’ fe supposed it was because New York was richer, more enterpri- sing, and more liberal. But this was uot a solid reason for a tax which produced more than doable the rent of the whole building. Me adverted to those difficulties to stimulate them to future exer- tion, by pointing to success in the part. The state ot the Post Office prior to the reduction in 1846, was one one of bankruptey. The letters were reduced twenty-four millions, on secount | from twenty-nip of the bigh port: prers Tal It remained stationary at that figure tor seve - ars. ‘The revenue was reduced $600,000 in three Congress bad to make an appropriation to and the favorite doctrine of some that the Post Office should ot reulized. ‘The reduction of po achieved in 1845. and, in four increared $641,000, Twe changes were effected, first, reducing the rates more than fifty per cent, and reccnd, cbanging from pieces to weight. This latter Was the mort important, because a person can now send ary Dumber of pieces not weighing half an ounce as a single letter, and letters which would then cost seventy-five cents canbe now sent for five ornte, and letters that formerly cost a dollar can be sent for ten cents, As wan expected, the firet two years there was 8 felling off in the revenue, but not 80 great as to re- quire the whole cf the appropriation of $760,000 In ded the expenditure; 691.000, and in i Of $1,132 045, and mses of the depart- sit a million ta the rs. t the deticiene < ovomis' P this. potwithstending that the ex; ment bave inere: than bject, the eral d a third from Mr. Buchsnan, who says he is in favor of universal pre payment of two cents. The President himeelt is with us, I sew him a few days ago, when be told me that, if we juired the present surplus revenue to meet any deficiency arising from the propored reduction of . the money could not be better employed than in diffusing knowledge. (Cheers.) That sentiment was worthy ot President, who thus explodes that old, obsolete idea that the Port Office should support iteelf. Why should it sup- port iteelf, the of by members of the House of R It be been tried py epee as succeeded. It not #0 high as revent people from writing, nor so low as not to yield revenue. In. the ‘ret your, the increage of letters will be at least 100 per cent. I do not go so far as Great Britain, where the increase of letters im the first year was 122 per cent. This would ive us 140 millions and @ revenue of of $3, ; in the third year, an forty-two millions more of letters, meking, 224 ‘millions of letters, and yielding @ reven' $4450.000. To meet the deficiency, the surplus on band will be nearly sufficient—$200,600 wil) be saved in dead letters, and the revenue from ship letters will imerease, ro that at the end of three years there will be little or no deficten Wheat has m the result in Great Britain ’ 10 the letters have in- creased from 74 to 366 millions, and the account of xpenses stood thus in 1849:— Britich Post Office in 1849. . $10,718,679 Expenditure of management. 7,016,250 lus revenue. . es vee 89,702,420 millions of letters have been written by 30 rit can! pS Then t are ® m) ie country, who would write to their kindred and Ny dollars for services: jand thie, according to resident, could not be better Py qesenee seca this meetin, be #0 email? in the ), that what fe Saye beceaes is nobedy eon es oe every man ought to lend « helping every mancan do so without sscrifice. inte. reste of your e! in the sobievement ines. timable benefit for we took. had an oppor- tunity of describing the Ley he bed ToS how 4 3 i f i : cheated. Aw upon a letter | sometbing before we repar: arene is ’ The civil and ¢iplomatic bill is now betore it, and i will ceaupy at least © fortnight to pase it. The mint Dill. for New York, is before it, the horbor bili, and and other bills, besides the postage bill. [n the im. terim, let ue be active and @ ‘tic, and we rhail fucored, But it may be said that the Postm Geperal Teeommended it, and that, therefore, t! is no danger of the measure. Iam not 0 eure of that, A regacious editor Mr. Gales, onee remarked to me, that we are not always sure of amensure recommended by the Preside: \d from some indications at Wash. | ingtoo, 1 have beard of, I | eret hestility to it there, Let meetin, A | 4 everywhere, petitions signed, and rent to end = mein bere ae be Ipudlir vote all nebleve the ohjoot we ba ries of rerolntions, which Generel Walbridge Resolved. That while we are gratiseg with the report of the Postmaster General, which exhibits the prospe- rity of the Peet Offices Department, and bie recommen. ‘tion for & further radical reduction of the rates of eon letters and yy we are fully ratis. the rureet mode of increasing the revenue of ite urefaluers. pat Citizens in every seotion of the is to adept a uniform rate of two cents. prepaid, on ere, and one cen’ Beye pe 4 mended by the Hon, Mr. Rurk, in behalf of the Senate tment from estate of bankruptcy under yb rates, amd euabling it not only to pay its \y im expenses, but to leaves surplus of wore than eleven hundred thourand dollars. immediate passage of the following Dill reported at the last session:— A BILL FOR THE REDUCTION OF POSTAGE ON LETTERS, PERIODICALS, AND PAMPHLETS. “Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represen- tatives of the Upited States of America, in C a «mbled, and after the first day . eighteen hundred and pay, the postage on all letters sball be as follows:—All ke ) NOt exceeding half an ounce in weight, conveyed any distance within the United States, shall be changed with two cents postage, and « like sum for every sdditienal half ounce, or fractional part |, the postage being pre paid, in ail cases; and all drop letters or lettars to be delivered at the office where deposited, shall be charged with one eent @, to be pre-paid. “Sec. 2—And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Postmaster General to pro’ rT Die letter sta tor the pre payment of postage, of the ceveral denominaticns of two, four and ten cents, and such others as he Rey hee 3 expedient, and cause them to befurnished and kept for sale, ineaeh of the post offices ef the United Btates; and any hay we postmaster why shall fail by his own neglect to have the same for sale, to apy person applying therefor, shall be liable to @ penalty of five dollars for every such failure, to be recovered by the persen #* apply- ing. That apy person who shall counterfeit, alter, or forge, any letier # *#, or shall knowingly bave in his possession any 61 false. forged or altered letter stamps, with intent to sell or use the same as genuine, shall be deemed to be guilty of felony, and be punish- not exceeding five huodred dollars, or by nt not exceeding five years, And be it further enacted, That the post: hall be charged, for avy distance in the ne cent; and periodicals and pamphlet half @ cent for each ounce, and the nal part thereof; handbills aod ciroulars shell be charged le:ter portage. pre-paid. and all newspapers not sent from the office of publication shall be charged oi Pp t. pre- paid: And provided, also, that bound beoks may be carried im \he mails on pre-payment of one cent per ounce. “Sec. 4—And be it further enacted. That if the pub- lishers of newspapers. periodicals. and pamphlets, de- sire to pre- the postage. co depositing them at tho port office. they shail be allowrd « discount of fifty per cent for all sueb newspapers, periodicals, or pamphlets, deporited and paid for. “Bee 5—And be it furt! enacted, That if by reason of this sect, the compensation of any deputy post- master shall be reduced brlow the prerent rate, the Postmaster Ge hereby authorized, at his dis- cretion, to inereare such compenration as far a jus: ce require, having regard for the am if labor, and the character of the service performe vided of compensation in any y mount allowed in the same ofice in the fecal yrar ending the fret day ot July, 1860 ir @ Dew post office shall be estao- aster G. | may fix the amount of compensation of ity postmaster, at a rate not larger than is allowed to existing offices re- quiring the rem nt of service, * Beo. 6 —And be it further enacted. That it shall be of the Postmaster General, at all post offices postmasters are appointed by the President of the United States, te provide for conveying letters tothe post office by establishing suitable and conve- nient places of deposite, and by employing carriers to receive and depesite them in the post office, and at 2ll such offices it rhall also be bis duty to cause let- ters to be delivered by suitable carriers, to be appoint- ed by him for that purpose, for which not exceeding one cent shall be char; nd, on advertised letters re shall be an addit charge not exceeding one it. Reo 7.— be it further enacted, That the frank- ing privilege, except so faras it may have been con- poy Congress upon individuals as a magk of re- spect and honor, is hereby abolished and the postage on all documents published by either house of Con- ail comm unicstions to or from eitker house, uring the ression, including speeches deli- vered therein. and all communications to and from the officers of either house upon public service, shall be out of the contingent funds of the reapestive uses, under such regulations as each house shall prercribe for itself; and all communications ti ty irom the general departments of the government. hargeable to the public service, sball the postage thereon be xpenses of the coverumen! —And be it farther jee it, and ly vide ent, an more effectually ‘or the ent of the eccowats ,”” or by any other law, a exceedi yg ostages of the year, — sap Ba - any Ur poses specifi 1e second sect! of the act of Lda hundred and t! ix, afore- said: athe addition to the tum 5 hall not, in actual emount of postages, exceed tl sprrencieted ‘under thi law, shall be the requisition Em eed a General a ai out oe hag money 9 nthe ‘Treasury not ap- 9—And be it further enacted, That all acts, or acts, inconsistent with this act, be, and the same are hereby, repealed,” Resolved, That we recommend to the friends of cheap postage, in every portion of the Union, to eall public meetings. tions, and forward them to Con- tess, requi Senators R tatives ae the immediate enactment of the preceding Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting, and the fri of the U, are of 332 in gratuitously [owen the columns of their papers for the disoussion of this esolved, That these resolutions be published, and a pe to each of the 8: and re. sentatives in Congress from this Btate. General ties seconded the motion for th jutions and bill, though he could that there hed been greater ity ex- upanim. 5 Gen. Wi said, he ing by: the Rolie {he mocking, wien Ro Soquested the Leesitens werye wo! 5 Supreme Court-—Spectal Term. Obief Jurtioe Edmonas presiding. THE FORREST Case Dec 14—Mr. John Van win Forrest, red om behalf of that * thet the tajenction granted to rest, restraiaing Li Og ageinet ber in th: of Penneylvania,for a divoroe, on the grounds of adultery, be dissolved. Mr. Vam aan was about to proceed with bis argument, * Mr. Chas. O'Conor, on bebalt of Mrs, Forrest, said that he was perfectly ready for argument; but as his bout 160 foltos. he should | ve a of getting it printed, and would there. be postponed for that pur- has been ted and é he (Mr. O" of binge ervice. TI © newspapers. and whi: that wor tee) in Oour' ae over for e or ie printed Mr. Van Buren, in reference to the postponement eaidthat this iment had been twice set down an put eff at the desire ot Mra. Forrest's counsel; with re- gard to the printing, he did not know that it was ne- commary to peajneee the argument for that; amd as to ige affidavit of Mr. Forrest being published. he would remark een ee i plaint aoe application for divorcee published MJ P fr. O'Conor enid they would deny that . Forrest we to do with that? Mr. n—The fact that we published our af. be iH ithe roms nto be ver: ‘votaminons ia it Hi aero srovenle wre sam anleh the vane to-dsy * How ould finish It to- Judge—Mr. Van Buren, when yeu familiar with the business of the New will find that these delays are by no means unusual. (Uaughter.) I'll give you next Friday for this case. The nt was acco! dingly set down for Friday next. . Van Buren then said that t! Ly Aery yore did not wish to serve Side. lest it would give them # pretext to apply for » = ponement ; he now wished to be allowed to serve em. Judge—I see no objection, and I shall direct tha: clerk to enter the privilege to do so, with the order for postponement. THE FRENCH PRISONERS. ‘The French prisoners, Veremaitre, Denham and Ber- nard. net with the rebbery of the property of the Countess Caumont, in Paris, were again brought before this court, tives from j tr ‘of this government the government of France, entered into in the year 1843. setae’ oe the keeper of the City Prison sets forth s warrant of commitment signed , Mr. Me’calf, one of the commis- etioners of the United States, who bas recently decided: that, under the treaty, the prisoners should be sent eS Ly eB hg Bh ny eked et oe which it is Kee we out # M Dyott and Howe appeared as counsel for Nees Barstow and Dustin for Bernard. 4 Toulon for the French and ernments. having heard the several counsel, de~ ertain the application. He said that a of trying the question in the federad courts of the United States hid not been resorted to, it appeared to him that it would be very indeooroue for kien to interdate, ond peuhape teing tiietan eensts imto collisic 8. ‘tre, and Messrs. Bantord, FE He could not but see by the first rece tion of the statute that the decision of the Uuited States Judge or Commissioner was conclusive, The Judge, therefore. refused to interfere with the United States court, and the prisoners will have to apply to that tribunal. Superier Coait. Present the Chief he Justices Bandford and ada, IMPORTANT Rall ROAD CASE. Dec. 14.—In the matter of sie Hudson River Reil Road P. Outhout —Same Company, vs. J. Outhost—Same vs vs. John S. Livingston — This «as a part of the Company for the appoint raisement between the comp the owners of real estate ait: ook, County of Dutchess, required by the company for the construction of their gall ro0d ‘The applicetion was renisted on the part of the de- fendants, on the ground that in Saptember last, on the application of the railroad company. Mr. Justice Browne, one of the State Judges at a epecial term held at Newburgh, appointed fit» Commissioners, who ap- praisod the premi: awarded the defendants some $16,000 a8 com: * h tent for the company to ‘he applicationts also resisted on several other grout but that isthe principal. Mr. Thompson, a lawyer ot Poughkeepsie, on the part of the railroad company, stated bea pe i gen pro- ceedings which the statue required the company to take, and read @n affidavit made by their engineer. He thi sted that ip regard to the objection taken to the Jurisdiction of the Court, the statute authorises appli- cations to be made either to the Supreme Court or to the Superior Court, im the City of New York. your lest proceedtn, of 1850, in connexion with the act of 1848, (the charter of the company ) Mr, Thompso: charter, and are not bi ttatute of 1850 rearies have rai der their by the provisions of the lotly by our oherter, and our no quertion in their papers om int. he? heeapoom in continuetion—There is also ® ques- tion in regard to certain other facts. We contend that they acquired no right to the money until the eompa- ny took steps to become seized of the lands, and not having done £0, the parties have no vested interest in the money. and the point bas been desided by the Courts of this city several times, Neither ao- quires vested rights until the company pri on the Commissioners award; coats petty remains as they were before, (18 and 11 Wendell) 1 kuow the Bu- preme Court made a contrary bat the Court ot Errors reversed it, and in fbb ped wee ot presumed that they iy, it was D oie oral: the contrary, it might turn out thet on 4 nt. and therefore. they were not however, that the change provement. But the Court will not pay much attention. to the of When we it. ling to appoint commissioners, to meet them Ln ha davits why w patio£ get eee ‘that they have taken an Jonal strip of lend, and this is one ef the poiate which wantthe Court to listen to this novelappli- cation, The fifth section of their act gives them leave to. mal 8 B ‘an examination of the’ second the indieates the alteration, is > comer We also contend that if this Court should be of opi-- nion that the alteration is within the spirit and mean- ing of the act then we insist that it z BEE i ‘beer to improve for the first time, we o the line. I say, those cirew gives usa right to hen ay) compan: om omes pase that way. before the first shonin were arsenned; this proceed - ing, that there is something fie Rowley, on the part of Peter Onthout, then rose eaid. that after whatibad been said by the counsel was ecater ly peceseary for him te would be (rouble yp er any observations except for a remark of dges This anid, Mr. jon the company has meade. If this wa application, the court would be bound only to look into their pro- ceedings, and see that they were regular; but here are two applications withoot y substantial difference, and therefore the court is bound to look in to the merite of the ense; but even if the court shold only look to regularity, then we contend that they have made no of the former line and only ede out » few feet, there- fore the alteration is not #icbin the 6th section of the (for this reason the court will look into the pro- ne if they find thers is not good faith om pert of thy company they should refase the N feoems to me that they only waste nul'on of damoges, and under sne oiroumstanors t! court will hold them toa atrict compliaaoe with the act, for evidently they have no: ther objest im com’ into this court, but to diminieh the amount of com- pensation, Mr ©. Livingston, on behalf of John 8. Livingston, then rose and said the first point he would state im tl my by the commission is based apon an nt and has the same force effect Of the verdict cfs jury fe equally binding under the set of 184088 a verdict, thie being « legal award under an agreement et the company, they are bean gh it Suppore the Compan: made acon- tract with Livingston, aed they afterwards — to zefer it to commissioners to be appointed by Jadgo = a