The New York Herald Newspaper, November 20, 1853, Page 4

NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR AND EDITOR, BFFICE N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU 81%. TERMS cosh in advance. THE DAILY HERALD 2 cents per cory—87 | er annum. THE WERELY HER LD every Sa vrday at 6% cents per copy. or $3 per annum; the Euro, ea: Bdit om $1 per an zum (0 any part of Great Pritein, and % to any part of the | Continent both to inclule postage, ALL LETTERS (y m+! for Subscri tions. or with Adver tiecments to be post paid or the postage will be deducted from 1 money remitted. VOLUNTARY CORRESPONDENCE conta'ning i tant news d from any quarter of the world; i used will | be Tidervily pai OunFoneiGs Con ResronnesTs ¥ REQUESTED TO SEAL ALL LETTERS AND Wedo Akx PARTIOU Pack acrs set " NO NOTICE taken of anonymous communications. ‘not return those rejected. JOB PRINTING executed with neatness, cheapness, and despatch dBVER TISEMENTS renewed every day. ‘}MUSEMENTS TO-MORROW EVENING. Ff BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery—Cyanetine - Don Caan pe Bazan WROsLWAY THEATRE, broadway--Faz10—Snocuine Byexrs BULTON'S THBATRE, Chambers street—Davip Cor- PRK VIELD--YOUNG ACERESS. eas THEATRE, @hatham street—Uncix Tom's pAwiN WALLACK’S THEATRE, Brosdway—#ouoo ror Scan pai—Kaising THE Wixv, AMERICAN MUSEUM—Afternoon—Dvex tv THe Dark -Hovss Doc. Kvoning—Uncre fom's Camy. FRANCONT'S HIPPODROME, Madison square—After- = and Rvesing—Aseuims Srserne Crase—CHARior OANG, &e. BOWERY AXPHITHEATRE, 37 Bowery—Equestriay Perxronmances, CGRISTY’S AMERICAN OPERA HOUSE, 472 Broadway —Ermiorias Meropis by Cunisty’s Minster es. WOOD'S MINSTREL ' way—Lrmiorian Mins? ‘ood’s Minstrel Hall, 444 Brosd- ¥ BUCKLEY'S OPERA HO , 639 Broadway—Buckiry's Eruiorian OpeKA TROUPE. BANVARD’S GEORAMA, 596 Broadway—PanoRrama or ux HoLy Laxp. EHSNISH GALLERY, oadway—Day and Evening. SIGNOR BLITZ--Sruvvesanr Institue, 659 Broadway. ACADEMY BALD 663 Broadway—-Pernaw’s irr Sxur BITION OF THE SVEN MILE MIRROR. POWELL'S GREAT NATIONAL PAINTING ron Tux GoveRxmenT 1s NOW OPEN AT THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF Broadway. HOPE CHAP? L, 718 Broadway—Jones's Panroscore. BROADWAY MENAGERIE—Siawese Twivs axp Win Beasts. en Sew York, Sunday, Novembcr 20, 1853. Matls for the Pacific. YHH NEW YORK WEEKLY HERALD. ‘The United States mail steamship George Law, Captain MoGowan, will leave this port toc orrow afternoon, at ‘two o'clock, for Aspinwall. The mails for California and other parts of the Pacific, Wl «lose st one o’clock, Tho New Yous Waeeiy Exxawy, California edition, con- taining the latest intelligence from all parts of the world, will be published at ten o'clock to-morrow morning. Bingle eopies sixpence. Agents will please sond in ‘watr ordera as early as possible. The News. We publish today an account of the commercial, political, and social condition of Australia. The ima- givings of fabulists have failed to depict anything at all comparable with the realities of th's extraor- dinary region, to which our modern Ophir on the Pacific is as nothing. New spots of gold-yieldiog land ere almost daily discovered, each more prolific than the last. But the most remarkable point ex- hibited is the progress of commerce. At the port of Melbourne, for the six mouths preceding August las’, there had entered of shipping no less than two hun. dred and sixty-five thousand tons, an amount pro- ably not exceeded’ by any other port in the world, excepting Liverpool; and the total value of the im- portation for the quarter ending Jaly 5, reached over twenty millions of dollars. Of t amount there was received from Baltimore £5, Boston, £297,441; Salem, £6,751; San Francisco, £9,520; New Yorks, £299,004. As far as the poli- tical aspects of the colony can be learaed from the article we have alluded to, the utmost apathy and indifference prevailed on the subject amongst the old colonists; but with the diggers—the real la- borers, the pith and marrow of the people—the case was far different; they had -become tired of the neglect cf the governmest, and had assumed an attitude of defiance. Should the conservative and democratic elements come in eollision, we may ex- péct to see a new empire arising which will one day act no undistinguished part in the affairs of the world. Our rews from Washington is somewhat impor- tant. It is announced that Santa Anva, having completed his arrangements for a supply of “mate rial aid,” wil! assume a belligerent attitude towards this country at the earliest favorable opportunity. Additional inteiligence has reached the State De- partment from the Hague in relation to the case of Captain Gibson. Judge Douglas, for “ want of time,” bas as yet remained silent on the quarrels of the democratic factions. Goy. Gorman, of Minne- wota, is said to be out of fayor at the capital, in con- sequence of certain injudicious speeches alleged to have been made. We are informed that the Sec- retary of the Navy, in his forthcoming report, will xecommend important reforms in the manner of con- structing ships of war, particularly steamers. An increase of the navy will be asked for, and also a board of commissions to examine machinery, &c. Our despatches meution the arrival and arrange- ments of Congressmen. A merry time is anticipated in the fashionable world ot the capital daring the coming winter. The nutwber of deaths in New York last week, ac cording to the report of the City Inspector, was 341, which is 33 less than that of the previous week. Of these, fifteen were caused by smal! pox, fifty-nine by consumption, twenty-three by convulsions, nineteen by croup, twenty-seven by inflammation of the lungs, and fifteen by marasmus. There were twenty- one cases of still-born, and seven of premature birth. The deaths among ehildren under one year amounted to one bundred, which is a decrease of twenty on the mortality among infants during the preceding week. Of the deceased, two hundred and seventeen were natives of the United States, seventy-three of Ireland, twenty-nine of Germany, eleven of England, and six of Scotland. A statement, containing farther particalars as to tue whys and wherefores of the recent opera rumpus in Detroit, may be found elsewhere. In the case of James L. Hoare, indicted for the murder of Susan McAnnanny,a verdict of guiky was rendered. An abstract of the arguments of counsel and the Judge's charge will be found else. where. The sentence in the case of De Corn was delivered yesterday inthe Court of Oyer and Terminer, by Hon. Judge Edwards. The prisoner was rentenced to two years end ten months i: mn De Corn read a statement of facts in his case, which will be read with interest. Capt. Wm. Homan, of the clipper Winged Racer, formerly of the New York ship Atlas, died at Mar. blehead, Mass., on Saturday. Thomas G. Atkins, an old merchant of Boston, died in that city yesterday. The store of Tuttle & Jackson, and reveral ad- joining builainge, at Council Plufft, Mo., were recent ly destroyed by fire. Loss, $30,000, Insared tor $6,000. Hon. H, Benning has been elected Jadge of the Supreme Court in Georgia. Flour slightly improved yesterday, with a better deme Wheat was in fair demand and steady. TLe attempt to lay down railroad tracks through the city of Brie, Pa., of a different gauge from that allowed by the city ordinance has caused a great excitement there. The Mayor had issued a procla- gation calling og the citizens to assist him in mein- taining the law. M, Soule at Madrid. | We trust that none f our readers failed to pe- | ruse the account of M. Sou!é’s progress through Spain and reception at Madrid, contained in our correspoudenice of yesterday. So accurate a historiographer was worthy of so great a statesman. And our only tope is, that the ' | people of this country will prove worthy of so , sagacious and so politic an ambassador. It * will need some gratitude on our part to render justice to the admirable self denial with which ! ‘a petit maitre like M, Soulé consented to * ap- | pear in court in a suit of black velvet, shaped ala Franklin, and richly embroidered with | silk,” in order, as he beautifully remarked, “at once to satisfy the exigencies of republican simplicity, and the requirements of courtly etiqnette.” years make eny notable change in our relations towards Spain, that “suit of black velvet, é la Franklin, richly embroidered with silk,” may possibly take as imposing a place in history as | Napoleon’s three-cornered hat or Charles the Twelfth’s boots, and there is mo saying what may not happen under the reign of Ambassa- dor Soulé. . Already, says our correspondent, he has caused a sensation. His journey from Bayonne was a triumphal procession. His entry to the capital was quite theatrical. “The most emi- nent men of Spain sought his acquaintance.” The knowing ones saw at a glance that “he would have more influence with the government than any other foreign ambassador.” The Queen was struck with his appearance, and told her courtiers that “ there was something highly delicate and tasty in the manner and dress of the Amerigan diplomatist.” Our readers will see how prodigious a part that suit,d@ 7a Frank- lin, is going to play in political affairs. Who knows but that, aided by the winning grace and polished manners of its wearer, it might steal its way to the royal heart, and the gordian knot of Spanish politics mignt be finally cut by M. Soulé? Whatever destiny is reserved for this re- markable garment, our ambassador's tactics are now quite clear. Mr. Soulé has shed his filli- bustero skin. He has done with bluster, fan- faronade, and bragadocio. Henceforth he is a model of discretion, reserve, and prudence. Talleyrand is his beew ideal, and he hepes to surpass him. He sees Spain on the verge of a | crisis. The Queen is unpopular—has even been hissed at the theatre. The Queen mother still continues to plot at Paris; but her name is so odious to the people that she will risk some- thing if she ventures to leave her present re- treat. Spain does not contain a single states- man of sufficient nerve anc talent to cope with the impending crisis. The late cabinet was notoriously feeble. Lecsundi’s imbecility passed into a proverb; Narvaez could never be popular with more than a small section of the people; San Luis has not brains enough to drive a donkey-cart; Calderon lives in terror of his life, and will probably withdraw from pub- lie affairs. Al) these things Mr. Soulé has seen and weighed during his short stay at Madrid. He sees at a glance the advantages he may derive from Spain’s misfortunes ; and his mind is forthwith made up. The British and French ambassedors must he thrown into the shade; an easy task, as both have recently ren- dered themselves particularly obnoxious to the bulk of the leading men at Madrid. His rivals thus disposed of Mr. Soulé will make it his busi- ness to secure the favor of the two queens. The “black velvet suit, @ 7a Franklin,” has already done the business with one of the pair; our am- bassador bas but to follow up his advantage with some fresh evidence of his nice taste in fancy drees, and Isabella’s heart is his. We need hardly add that a man of Mr. Soule’s ex- perience and pretensions will not be at a loss to place himself equally well with Maria Christina. Nor is it necessary to do more than suggest that his dexterity will soon provide him with other allies, male and female. at court. Thus entrenched and fortified. Mr. Soulé will recommend to the Queen a coup d*état. He will bid her dissolve the Cortes, and try her hand at despotism. Ifhe suceeeds, a new government, in which he will wield very considerable in- fluence, will be established. The first want of such a government will be money. There will be revolts to check, soldiers to pay, commercial interests to relieve, a State to support ; and for all these, money will be required. The Queen will go to Soulé formoney. Then he will turn round to her, and offer, out of his pure regard for the Spanish government and Her Majesty's person. several millions for Cuba; and it will be difficult for the Queen to refuse the bargain. On the other hand, should Mr. Soulé fail in securing the good will and esteem of the Queen and court, or having obtained it, should he be unable to induce them to part with Cuba, he will at once adopt a different couree. He will espouse the popular cause. He will stimulate and foster a spirit of disaffec- tion and revolt among the masses, and his warm heart will boil over with sympathy for the oppreseed Spaniards. A’ democratic revolution will be his dream, with such a Tal- leyrand as he to plot it, and such combustible materials as the masses in Europe to work upon, the task will be easy. He will himself apply the lighted match to the mine. In the midst of the disorder and confusion, he will procure the passage of a decree declaring the Island of Cuba independent. Less could not be expected from a generous people, flushed with power and success; and thus, either by one scheme or another, the aim of his mission will be attained. : Such are the plans that are fermenttng in Mr. Soulé’s mind, and gilding the futare with a radiant tinge. Such are the visions which are making his heart beat and his blood run quick under the black velvet plagiarism from simple Ben Franklin, Tue Sup Sovrnenner ayy Tun Late Unirep Stratis Consut av Lonpoy.—We have received and publish to-day. in our columns, a long letter from a gentleman who had been Clerk in the United St Consulate at London, denying the truth of the statement made by the captain the ship Southerner, and heretofore publishcd gu courte of Colonel A The writer ¢ papers, reflecti and our ex-Consul at London the colonel from the asser ved ev in the Con: Mr. ve a directly contrary opix of the twg gentlemen entertains the truest idea as to what constitutes real courtesy and gentle- manly bearing. The public will have seen both their statements, and those who are interested n the maticr may judge fur themselves, Should the events of the next few | The Comity of American Polities—Can Marcy Remain tn the Cabinet t This is an important inquiry. It bears upon the comity as well as the eth’es of American politics, It has a foreign and a domestic as- pect. It invo'ves a point of administrative policy—a favorite hobby of the present Cabinet. The problem is now to be solved whether there is any com'ty in American politics? Whether there is any other than n comstim- tional tenure for Cabinet offic'als? Foreigners will look with interest upon this discussion, and by its solution they will be able to detr.y. mine the mere courtesies of the spoilsm7'n at Washington. It is, perhaps, a little re.arkable that Governor Marcy, of all the provuinent men in this country, should be called upon to decide this question, one of stricé comity, in the de- cision of which the law is presumed to give place to mere conventionalities. The result of the eiection in New York has dy fair intendment placed the Secretary of State at the head of a mere faction. It has | taken from him the moral power of numbers. | It has utterly condemned his course as a poli- tician. It has derided his power, spurned his bribes, sunken his influence, and debased his - name. The friends of the constitution are his enemies, and they are triumphant, They have achieved a sublime victory—a victory of the citizen over the officer, of patriotism over spoils, of freemen over traitors, The moral force of this conquest has no counterpart in American politics. It is the green spot in the desert of our political agriculture—a constitu- tional triumph over the most fatal brood of de- coy politicians that ever misled an honest people. The truth stares us in the face. that ; Governor Marcy has been, an@ is, the head of the fallen and disgraced faction. Can he longer remain in the Cabinet of Gen Pierce? The discussion of this question will deter- mine whether in the ethics of the White House a “notice to quit” must be positive or may be constructive? Whether there is such a thing in the formula of the Cabinet as taking “a hint without a kick?” Whether the constitutional advisers of the President hold their offices by imprescriptable right—a tenure of “mere abili- ty,” or not? Inshort, whether “we have a states- man among us,” under the law and comity of Ancrican polities, It must be admitted that the Sceretary of State holds his place by a two-fold tenure: that which the constitution and laws regulate, and that which is determined by the comity of gen- tlemen. At least this has been the impression of the country. The only point involved in the present controversy, is whether Gov. Marcy re- cognizes the latter as a governing principle of his official life. The readers of the Heratp will bear us wit- ness that we have advocated no blind subser. viency to the forms of European politics, and especially those connected with the organic routine of their governments. With them a de- feated minister finds a sure descent to private life. It cccurs tous that the present eaquiry bearing upon the probable couree of the Secre- tary of State, can hardly be said to embrace more than the principles which are supposed to control men of honor everywhere. This brings us to consider the peculiar character of the office of state which is occupied by Gov. Marey, and the untoward circumstances in which we find that very confidential member of the Cabinet The office is executive in its nature. The in- cumbeut is the adviser of the President--one of his privy counsellors—and on all oceasions is supposed to express his will and to enforce his opinion. The office is private and confidential in its very nature, having no original pow- ers and bearing no responsibilities. In the hearing of the law-ear of the coun- try, i¢ has no voice of its own. It is en ofice of essential comity, bearing the trusts of an agency, with no prescriptive rights. It is true that in the multitude of executive bu- siness great latitude and responsibility are al- lowed to and ineurred by the Secretary of State. This proves rather the extreme delicacy of the position, the courtesy of the office and the eheracter of its tenure, than any independ- ent power it possesses, It is precisely this fact which should make that officer sensitive to the honor and success of the President, and to the condition of public sentiment, to which the lat- ter alone is responsible. The constitutional and legal character of Goy. Marcy is not in dis- pute. The question is a higher one ; simply be- cause legal and constitutional remedies seem harsh in their application to such a case. The delicacy and forbearavce of the President to exercise his acknowledged power to remove from his counsels an obnoxious officer, or one whose complications with abhorred associates had destroyed his powers of usefulness ag an executive adviser, however otherwise accepta- ble be might have been, should not fail to make its impress upon the object of such courtesy. A regard to the delica- cies of their official intercourse, to the credit of the administrtion, to the feelings of the President, and to the harmony of the party by whose votes he was elected, and must, if at all, be sustained, and, above all, the honor of the incumbent. would seem to require of that oe something more than a consideration of the legal bearings of his place. Let us see. By no fair criterion can the Secretary be said to have any party at all in his own State. In the recent election the patronage and power of the na- tional administration, with its army of Custom Honee dependents, embracing half of the whole disposable force of hirclings in the country, and these set on by ao brutal and shameless order from the blundering head of the Treasury, by whom they were directed to hound the de- mocracy—the active force of the State adminis- tration—the unscrupulous use of the canal pa- tronoge—daily edicts from Governor Marcy's organ, the Union newspaper, at Washington-- every appliance of force, intimidation, entreaty, corruption, fraudulent promises and false pre- tences, were brought to bear to sustain the Van Puren dynasty. It failed. Governor Maroy was its head. He used the power of the national government to carry out his schemes of in- trigne in New York. He thus mixed up the President in a local controversy, and hy it h hes nated more of the fr 8 of General ‘ee than Governor fever pow d. If there is any eo y tobe viered by the President, in the coming ongrers, he may find the canse of it in the course which his Secretary of State has If the administration is weakenod io the confidence of the country, if the wisdom or the patriotiem cf the President is questione fore! « are indulged, if defection has heen generated, their source may be traced to the attempt to follow the constitutional triumph of 1852 with the fatal restoration of the Von Burens in 1853, The disintegration and decomposition of the old parties were sufi- ened ciently apparent, by which the fine gold of na- ! triotism was set free ; but they had no afiaity \ for the spurious mercury of the Van Burens; and hence the Secretary of State holds in his hands nothing but «” n the Cabinet? ™ “aloy, Can he remain ta | : wes he recognize the comity of | See nt Who now tells the President that | v Sustaining his Secretary he is strengthening | his ,dministration? There is another feature of the case which should not be overlooked. The Secretary of | the Treasury came into the controversy as au eleventh hour volunteer, He staked his politi- cal capital upon the result of the war. He had little to lose-hat that little is gone. He was an adventurer, taking rank, but without skill. He embarked in a bad cause, and has now the infamy of defeat and disgrace. He, too, is in the Cabinet. Can he remain there? Can he add strength to the administration—give it character, assure its success? To say he can is to impeach the President of positive imbecility and more positive weakness; to turn the go- vernment into a common vagrant, below friend- ship, beneath enmity. Does the Secretary of the Treasury acknowledge the comity of Ame- rican politics ? The American people and gentlemen, every where, will look with interest, upon the discus- sion of this question ot courtesy in politics, by William L. Marcy and James Guthrie. The Deeimal System In Coins, Weights and Measures. During the month of April, in the present year, a select committee was appointed in the House of Commons, oz the motion of Mr. Wil- liam Brown, the well known member and banker of Liverpool. ‘to take into consideration, and report to the house, the practicability and ad- vantages, or otherwise, that that would arise from adopting a decimal system of coinage.” The committee was composed of fifteen mem- bers, among whom were Mr. Tuffwell, Mr. Ball, Mr. Matthew Forster, Lord Stanley, (who, as Mr. Stanley, recently travelled in the United States,) Viscount Goderich, Mr. J. B. Smith, Sir Wm. Clay, Mr. Dunlap, Mr. Kinnaird, and Sir W. Joliifie. é They had some fifteen sittings, and examined twenty-nine witnesses, and their report, with tle evidence in full appended thereto, filling one hundred and eighty folio pages, presents much more of interest and value for our mercan- tile classes, and indeed for our community in general, than usually belongs to parliamentary blue books. The thoroughness of the investi- gation into the subject submitted to them, might be advantageously adopted by our own Con- gressional committees. The first gentleman summoned as a witness was Mr. Hankey, late governor of the Bank of England. who was ex- amined at great length, and who, in referenceto the purchase or sale of bullion, declared that a more complicated system than that lately in use, and one more fraught with incidents to er- ror, could hardly be conceived. Three elements entered into the consideration—the weight, cal- more than one-half of the labor would be saved, | and i many om@eless more than four-Atths. 1a the course of his examination, which was & pro- longed one, Mr. de Morgan remarked that within our recollection the United States have changed the gold coinage three times. That * in the first instance they called the pound ster- ling four dollars forty-four cents; at a subse- quent period raised it to four dollars and, | think sixty-seven cents; and it is now received at the banks as four dollars “eighty-four cents; that at this moment they are deteriorating the silver seven percent; and that consequently, if we were to adjust the coins of the world to the same quantity of fine gold or silver, there would be no certainty of their remaining so adjusted for any length of time.” Mr. Strugnall, a grocer and tea’ dealer, and several other tradesmen, testified that they thought there would be no difficulty among the poorer classes in carrying out the decimal coinage. Mr Beavan, of London, banker, be- lieved that its great advantages could be re- alized with but little inconvenience, and made practical suggestions for dealing with speciflic tolls, and the penny postage, which latter he would advance from four farthings to five mills, Mr. George Arbuthnot. of the Treasury office; the Duke of Letnster, Mr. William Miller, a cashier in the Bank .of England; Mr. Henry Tay- lor, the author of a book on the Decimal Sys- tem; Mr. Rowland Hill, the author of the peany postage; Mr. Bennough, a commission ware- houseman. doing a large business with France and America; Mr. Beard, an architect and engi- necr; Mr. Bagley, President of the Chamber of Commerce at Manchester; and other gentlemen, representing the tea and grocery trade; the civil engineers, the professional auditors and ac- countapts;.and Dr. John Bowring. formerly con- sul at Canton, and Superintendent of Trade at Hong Kong, and for many years a member of the House of Commons, completed the list of witnesses. The last named gentleman spoke of the sys- tem of accounts in other countries. The sys- tem in Spain is as absurd and inconvenient as most other non-decimal systems, but its colo- nies have adopted the decimal system, and it is found in Portugal the moment you cross the frontier, and all money operations are recorded there with great facility. In Russia the deci- mal system prevails, by the division of the rouble into 100 copec!.s, and the accounts are kept with clearness and accuracy—but not so in Germany. In Japan the accounts have been kept in decimals from time immemorial. And the Chinese system, also, is one of great sim. plicity; the integre is an ounce of pure silver, which is divided into 1.000 parts, and called cash or ¢chien. The extraordinary facility and rapidity with which the arithmetical operations are conducted and recorded, had frequently ex- cited his admiration aud astonishment. He never could approach his servant in the celerity with which he kept his accounts. Mr. Bowring described a little instrument, the abacus or culated in troy pounds and ounces, penny- weights and grains; next, the quality of the gold, subdivided by carats and itseighths ; and lastly, the element of pounds, shillings, pence, and farthings. The great inconvenience of this system in- duced Mr. Hankey to invent a system of deci- mal tables, discarding altogether the pound troy, and using simply decimals of the ounce, which have since come into general use, and le- galized, as regards the new weight, by act of Parliament. By the adoption of a decimal coin- age. all calculations in bullion would be ex- tremely simplified, The next witness was Mr. Jas. Laurie, engaged tn the wine trade, and the author of ‘Universal Exchange Tables.” who testified as to the “im- mense digadvantage” from«the want ofa deci- mal system in regard to foreign exchange, aud the effect of a change upon the custom duties. Sir Charles Wm. Parley, K. C. B., Lieutenant General in the Royal Engineers, and the au- thor of a work on weight, measure, and money, recommended that the pound sterling be re- tained at the mint, and divided into a thousand equal parts, and that the mode of reckoning be by the pound and the tenth, hundredth and thou- sandth of a pound. ’ Professor George Biddell, acting Astronomer Royal, and chairman of the commission for eu- perintending the construction of standards of weights and measures, which has not yet made its report, gave it as his opinion, that an altera- tion in the value of the pound would unhinge every estimate and every contract in England, while the matters dependent on the penny were insignificant, even to the lowest classes. He re- commended, in the event of the deeimal system being adopted, gold coins—sovereign and half sovereign; silver coins—one of two hun- dred mills, equal to our American dol- lar; one of one hundred mills, the present Englich florin or two shilling piece ; and one of fifty mills, or one shilling; one of twenty-five or thirty mills, and one of ten mills. He re- marked, that it gold were adopted as the stand- ard of value by other countries, it would be possible to make such international arrange- ments as would make the coin of different coun- tries interchangeable at a fixed rate. Sir John Herehell, master of the mint. con- firmed the statement that the present monetary system of England was very irregular, and gave rise to great labor and lability to error in the keeping of accounts, and recommended a deci- mal coinage as the only substitute. The first step should be to familiarize the public with the idea and denominations of the system. The florins and half-florins should have upon therm the number of the mills they represent. About 700,000,000 pieces would require recoining, and some time would be necessary to complete so ex. tensive an operation. The decimal system should be extended to the colonies, althongh Canada might probably prefer an assimilation to that of the United States. A decimal system of coins thould be accompanied by a decimal system of weights and measures, and the adoption of both systems would reduce immensely the labour of “cholar and teacher in our schools, and would be of the greatest benefit in calculations gencral- ly, All statistical, revenue, and general comnaer- cial computation would be facilitated, and the eequisition of clear views of the mutual telatipns of prices, imports and exports, duties, taxes, ke. very greatly go By Gisencumbering the element of computa- tion of the infinite complexity of denomi- nation under which they are now presented, auniversal systertiof and measy mon to all countries, is very desirable—but ly practicable. The French system, which roughly decimal, has been extensively a “Mr. Augustus de Morgan, Professor of mathv- matics in University College, believed that the adoption of the decimal coinage would be a very important labor-saving machine to the ccuntry-—that in ihe move cuiiplivated parts of ordinary businees calculation, considerably swanu-pan, used in China, and also in Russia, for teaching children to make calculation, and he believed more could be learnt in one day with the decimal system and the abacus, than would be learnt in twenty with the complicated system of pounds, shillings, pence, and far-, things. The report of the Committee, based upon this array of evidence, exhibits a careful considera- tion of the whole subject, particularly of the only point on which the witnesses were divided in opinion—the precise basis which should be adopted, and the practical measures to be em. ployed for introducing the decimal system, so as to produce the least amount of temporary neonvenience. They had no hesitation in recommending as the unit of the new system, the present pound sterling, as associated with all their national ideas of money value, and the basis of their foreign exchange; its tenth already exists in the florin. and an alteration of four per cent in the present farthing would convert that coin into the lowest step of the decimal scale—-the thousandth of a pound—to which, to mark its relation to the unit of value, they purposed to give the name of mill, the addition of a coin to be called a cent, of the value of ten mills, and equal to the hundredth part of a pound, or the tenth of a florin, would serve to complete the list of coins necessary to represent the moneys of account, which would accordingly be pounds, florins, cents, and mills. They propose torctain under any circumstances the present sovereign (1,000 mills), half sove- reign (500 mills), florin (100 mills), and shil- ling @ifty mills or five cents). The present sixpence, (twenty-five mills), might be retained, and the crown, (250 mills). The half-crown, and tbree-penny and four-penny pieces they have withdrawn, as inconsistent with the deci- mal scale, " The committee say that a certain period of preparation, destined to facilitate the transition from the present to the new system, is indispen- sable, but express their belief that no unneces- sary dclay should prevent the full introduction of the decimal system, and they recommend that the necessary preparatory measures should be entered on at the royal mint as soon as possi- ble. Inregard to the advantage of applying the decima! system to weights and measurgs, as well as to coinage, they remark, that although their attention has been incidentally directed to it in the course of their inquiries, as it was not a question embraced in the order ofreference they do not feel themselves in a position to do more than express their sense of the importance of further inquiry into that interesting subject. To the United States, in view of our extended and rapidly increasing foreign relations, every practical project for simplifying systems of coinage, weights, and measures, and thus facili- tating our dealings with foreign countries, com- mends itself as worthy of attention; and now, that the decimal system is being so thoroughly examined in Great Britain, Congress, in either branch, may with great propriety order the ap- pointment of a special committee, to consider and report whether any measures are expedi- ent on the part of this government towards the procurance of uniform national standards on the decimal system. The Journalism of Washington, The very “respectable” stupidity of Wash- ington newspapers has long since been univer- sally acknowled Dependent entirely for their support either apon the favors of Congress tration, independence, of course, cannot be ected, whilst the want of experi- ence, in the men who conduct them, must ac- ecunt for their uninteresting character as news journals. The Jntelligencer, for instance, would long since have gone down had it not been for the pap furnished it in the printing of Congress; and when it lost the regular printing, some of its friends in the Senate stepped forward and smuggled resolution through that body, au- thorizing Gales & Seaton to print the “ Annalg or the admin of Congrees”—a job on which they have ever since heen empioyed, and which will give thenr some two hundred thoneand dollars profit. The Republic managed to live four years on execu- tive favor; and when that wag withdrawn, it was snuffed out. The Union, with a circu- lation of six or eight hundred copies, does not, of course, pay expenses; but its proprietor secured the public printing, through his. con- nection with it, and therefore keeps it up, to grind duleet sounds for his employers. A new paper bas recently been established—started ie perhaps the more appropriate term—called the Sentine!, and it is understood its continuance will depend upon the success it may experience in getting the public printing away from the Union, and transferring it to itself. All these papers speak of members of Congress with the most profound respect; they duly chronicle their arrival and departure, at the head of theit columns, as highly important items; and, withal, they assume a loftiness of tone when speaking of other presses, not in the District of Colum- bia, as laughable as it is silly and imperti- nent. In a word, these papers all belong to the tabby genus, and endeavor to be as precise and exclusive as & parcel of old maids at a tex party. : The youngest of these old ladies—the Sen- tinel—of the 17th, contains an article allading to our exposure, the other day, of the interest the Washington bankers feel in the election of Speaker, because of the large contingent fund which that functionary has at his disposal, and which he deposits always* with his favorite banker. A banker with whom this fund is de- posited has the use of at least two hundred thousand dollars for two years—the Speaker's term—there always being a balance of that amount to his credit. With true Washington toadyism, this new candidate for the publie printing holds up its hands in affected horror to think such a thing should be charged, and then, without mecting the issue, deprecates the ex- posure of such schemes, for fear the public morals might become corru; ‘1 by the know- ledge that such iniquities are practiced at the seat of government. Instead of denouncing the corrupt scheme, it contents itself with protest- ing against its exposure. In another article in the same paper, the fact is noticed that “many of the pubiic jour- nals” are foreshadowing, by the aid of their Washington correspondence, the contents of the President's message and the Secretaries’ re- ports; and in an attempt to be excrutiatingly witty, the editor remarks:— For our own part, we are content to wait. We do not know what Congress will do. We wish we did.” And a similar wish is expressed with reference to the President’s message. This being contented to “wait” is perfectly. consistent with the character of Washington papers. They always wait for their news till they can copy it from other journals, and are about as valuable, in consequence, as an old al- manac. The attempted sneer at the accuracy of the sources from whence the information is obtained—in our case,at least—is ridiculous. That there are persons at Washington engi as correspondents, who have no means of ob- taining correct information, and, therefore, de- pend upon mere street gossip, is undoubtedly true; but there are other gentlemen, there connec- ted with public journals, whose position, social ly and politically.is fully equal to that of any of the editors of the Washington papers, and whose means of information are as good, whilst their ability of applying their information is far sa- perior to that of the Washington writers for the local papers there. There is not aman connect- ed with a single Washington paper, who has ever had the slightest practical experience of the manner in which a city daily paper should be conducted; and the consequence is that Wash- ington newspapers are a mere caricature of jour- naliem in the nineteenth century. Great Excitement at Tur CrystaL Parace— Tne Jcrres at Work.—We understand that the several juries appointed to examine the merits of the various articles exhibited at the Crystal Palace, have been in session for the last week, and all sorts of influences, good, bad, and indif- ferent, have been brought to bear, to warp and control their decisions upon the works of art submitted to their judgment. These juries have been selected to decide on the artistic merits of the principal articles in the exhibition. The exhibitors, of course, must feel great interest in the verdicts which may be rendered. Many of the juries are composed of men whose capacity to decide on the subject presented to them is not the brightest imaginable. There is no doubt that ignorance and presumption will, in many cases, rule the hour. But it will be well for the members of the different juries to take good advice from competent quarters before they commit their réputation to the world in connec- tion with their decisions. Every decision will be scrutinised in the severest manner, not only by the exhibitors themselves, but by the press’ and the public. Ifa medal should be awarded to an unworthy exhibitor, the very fact being developed by public discussion, will destroy the effect intended by that medal, and hold up the act of the exhibitor to ridicule and scorn. Whereas if merit receive its proper reward in every instance, public opinion will support the opinion of the jurics, and all will go on smoothly and quietly for their own reputation and the good standing of the Crystal Palace exhibition. We are waiting to see some evi- dences of their wisdom or folly. We don’t care which. We are ready for either alterna- tive. Tus Census Returns ann THER PusLication. —About a year ugo we published full reports of the last census returns of the United States, embracing every subject of enumeration, and covering a space of over twelve columns of this journal. The publication of these refgras was made under a former superintendent, aud thoy were very important intelligence, for tho first time communicated to the public then. We see that the present saperintendent at Washington, Mr. De Bow, is now republishing a few driblets of the same returns, in some obscure journal around us, and claiming them to be exclusive intelligence of the most important character to the public interests, Tho absurdity of making such claims and giving such intelligence to the public a year after they had been given, is however, natural to the mind of a small Jitte- ratcur, possessing little comprehensive Khow- led go of great facts or principles, and less accu- racy in minor details, bi ‘In the publication made thore is an attempt to show the exact enumeration of the retigi sects in the United States. ture to say that the statement made, prc Now, we to give the enumeration of the figures of the different religious sects, is entirely unworthy of any attention, on account of its inaccuracy and other egregious blunders, or the last ton years, during the roligious snniversarics