The New York Herald Newspaper, February 8, 1854, Page 4

et NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDOY a BENNETT, PROPRIETOR AND EDITOR. m bi BROADWAY & Minsewy en Niow URTON’S THEA u's Dixam— Fi WATIONAL THRATRE, Chatham street —Afernoon and Byening Uscix Tex's CAnix WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway Lover a Maze— How ro MAKE Howe Barry. AMERICAN MUSEUM—Afternoon—Tne SrRancen— Bvenicg Gawncen’s PRo LASHER AND CRASUE A. BROADWAY MENACERL mxse Twine any Wii EASTS, hold the accused tc tion of the Commissioner was fully authorized and jostifed. The Judge refrains from making any com- egainst the prisoner on hia trial in England, and confesses that the simplicity of manners and general bearing of the young man, would induce him to de- and Mr. Commissioner Nelson having the nr day decided that the fai dduced before the Commissioner wes sufficient to all likely th awit mple of atrial, and that the determina- Y ™ gt Nicholas will set the examp submissior | to fate? Nor a 6 gonsible signs wanting to show the immine gee of the crisis, Men of all parties and 2’ {yanks in Europe regard war as inevita- ble. From Constantinople, from Paris, from Vir inna, from London,.our advices are equally ©C nfident, and eqnaty precise. In France, we nents on the evidence, fearing they might be used re his acquittal. His duty, however, compelled him | to declare that the accused must remain in the cus |) aye the pregnant fact of the increase end re- tody of the Mariha Commissioner. was brought before Judge Mitchell, of the Sapreme { activity. Above all these things, for the first Court, of this city, on a writ of habeas corpus, whilst the proceedings were pending before the U.S Commissioner, and the State Judge directed th a under the warrant issued by the It will be recollected that Heilbronn organization of the army. In England, the dockyards present a spectacle of unexampled » | time since the commencement of the struggle, ‘the last news presents the ominous conjunction ofadecline in the fands, arise in breadstulls ann A ia titled t a sacha S aiahaat cea a i . i" baad | and afajlin cotton, These things show clearly ever, refused to obey the order of the State J uige, enongl what the people of Europe think. Is onr government prepared for its share of the danger? ive should be given uy ¢o the | CHRISTY'S AMERICAN OPERA HOUSE, 472 Proad- | Brivish government, the President, on r yyiowing The International Copyright Treaty. eT NOUL AN MERRY Tew wane the case, issued from the State Departme’ yt yhe go | Arter some twelve months neglect, our tele- Woop's TRELS—Wood’s Minstrel Hall, 44 Broad: | y, ndate for bis extradition. a ahitcice || a. eae pacar, he way- bans MINSTRELSY. j Siders a ba . = aad owe ee a oe | graphic intelligence from* W ashington informs BUCKLEY'S OPERA HOUSE, 532 Brosdway—Bver- ) Oe) ae Trorthe? cuemerwrlt | gs ihat the famous International Copyright uev's Eruioria® Orena Toure. | of habeas corpus, and re-ai a he , bird timethe | treaty thas at: lengiti igen etated and Iald’be- vv. Py 0 prits of the efore the United f tos District | 4 BANVARD'S GRORAMA, 570 Brondway—Pawonawa | Merits of the case before t states District | e ; oy Tie Hory Gann. Conrt, and the we have sta’ jed, This case, fore ie members of the Senate. A copy of the RHENISH GALLERY, 668 Broadwey—Day ond Eveninz. | arising out of a petty act of alleged f' pzery, involves ireaty, as discussed last year between Messrs. BIGNOR BLITZ—frevvesarr Institure, 655 Brosd- way. ACADIMY EAL, 85 Pranan’s Girt Ex- MMTIONS OF THE SEVEN Nive i some very importsnt points, not only , go to the fair tween the United S: Everett and Crampton, will be found in another column. It is not, however, the project on which the Senate wHl now be called upon to decide. In order to meet the views which were on of the Ash’ snd a fore ovolves, to us, a still more momen and honest conetr ourton treaty, be- dgn power, buat it tons consideration, NOPE CHAPE: Broadway-Jowss’ Paxtorerre. | gna that rer the State C jontte can interfere | yrged so strenuously last year by the book- Ce OE Nana | eee ee 8} ston in with a ba- | celling and publishing interest, an amendment beas corpus behind the dec! sof the United States Malis for Europe. HE NEW YORK WEUKLY HERALD t ‘Yee roral mai! eteamehip Asia, Capt. E.G, Lot, will Yeere thie port this afternoon, at half past one yo’clock, Jor Liverpool. Bubecriptione and advertisements for xy edition of the New Your Hrmiup will be reoerved at the following piacsa tm Barope m= ‘Tnvenroc:-—Johm Buster, No, 2 Paradins treet, Lonpox—iwards, Seaiiford & Co., No, 17 Oorahill, ‘Wm. Thomes & Co, No. 15 Catherine strest, Fars<tivingston, Wells & Uo., 8 Pisce Gs ls Bourse, We Beropean mails will clase ate querter to eleven Pobok This morning. The Wamciy Bre {printed in Poemch sod English) ‘WH ) published a: hali-past nine o’clcok thie morm- eg. Bingle copies, in wreppore oir noe. Om L.GENTS IN ‘Wie beg lerm> to rtate toc ARIE, FRANOR renders and patrons ia Pavia, and Brrops generally, thet Hr. B. Hi. Revol, 27 ne de la Ors jn, Paria, ts mo longer conmexed with tho ine Yous Brann, elther an orrespondent or agent. ‘Mesnrs }‘rugrton & Wells, 8 Tlace de ta Boursa, ero Wer only xgrote in Paris, both for edveriisomente ome Pedsvcriptin: s. The Nows, By telecraph from New Orleans we have a syrop- wis of two weeks’ Jater advices from California, the intellige: ce baying been eyed from San Tran- sisco vis. the San Juan route, ia the space of twenty- one and a half days. The news is not of yerr great Importance. Owing to the contieued drought, mi: of the miners wer and but little geld w. coming. The stes: Nevada, however, i3 repo-ted to have br dowu about one million of @olcrs in treasure on “eight, most of which will seach this cit afewdays. The markets remain- ed dull and depressed, in consequence of being over- wocked with goods. Tlour of good brands was sel- Ying at $11 a $12 per barrel, only avout two dollars | warlike aspect to affairs in Europe than any more than it is worth in New York. The Nebraska-Kaneas bill still occupies the atter- tion of the United States Senate. Altheugh they Imow that they are strongly inthe majority, some forty members baviu: expressed their determination to support it, the advocates of the measure are dia- posed to extend every courtesy to the minority, by allowing them to freely express their opinions before takiog the final vote, Judge Douglas yesterday offered an important amendment—important for the veason that it makes the bil! more cl every point for a quivble upon the subje He proposes th 1] shall, in so many wor @irectiy Ceclare the slavery section of the Misso act inusperative, and the people of the territories shall be perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, so long as their proceedings do not conflict with the constitu: tion of the United States. After this amendment had been submitted, Mr. Evere't gave notice of his desire to define his position in taking ground against the bill, but as be was not at thetime fully the further consideration of the matter was po: * poned till to- The minority, it is said, barel mumber some seventeon ont of the sixty members, including Gen. Houston, who is believed to be the only Southern Senator opposed to the measure. The Russ pavement and railroad fever hes at@ast extended fo the nsually anti-progressive cjtizans of Washington. Petitions for la: @ track in and paving Pennsylvania av-nue, were presente] to the dy took up end lan: Senate yesterday, ofter which that passed a bil) granting one million the constre of t hundred m: im Minnesota territory. P lls granting lands for rosd purposes in Louisiana and Michigan also unde went consideration, but were not fiaally disposed of. Most of the day was occupied by the House in making amendments to the Deflclency Appropria tion Dill. Considerable Luoncombe debate took place on an aniendment, which was finally carried, sppropriating ten thousand dollars for the collection vf agricultural statisti¢s and sceds, to be distributed aweng the constituents of the various members. This aforded a fine field for democrats, whigs, free Boilers and abolitionists, to give expression to their high appreciation of the invalusbie services of the | fillers of the soil, and they did net fail to syail them- selves of the opportunity. An amendment was also adopted, after some opposition from Pennsylyania,ap- propriating five hundred and thirty thousand dollars 8 of ver ore th patcbed from f has been proposed by Mr. Everett excluding from the benefit of the treaty all works printed abroad. It will be within the recollection of most of our readers that when the treaty was pressed upon the Senate last year, the advo- cates of the publishing interest complained bit- terly that, were it to pass, all our books would be printed abroad, and our printers, book- binders, &c., deprived of a living, The argu- ment was not very creditable either to the head or the heart of its author; but such pleas al- ways find timid souls to echo them, even within the walls of the United States Senate. The fear of competition in theprinting business had doubt- less a great deal te do with the postponement of the treaty. Argument being thrown away on those who oppese it upon ‘this ground, Mr. Everett proposes a compromise which will re- lieve them from apprehension, and at the same time comport with the obligations of honesty and fair dealing. He suggests that British works printed in Great Britain and imported here shal!-not be entitled to the benefits of the treaty; or in other words, that the British au- thor can claim no copyright in his works here, netionsring. Both branches of the M jopved the ameadmen tu achus¢ttts Legislature t to the State constiia- is substituted for the ry demozrats in the eed, and elected oki Isbury democratic sand inns of produce were des sburz | fur the Dast on Monday. Another steamer wi jb thirteen hundred bales of nwas borned © n tire Chatahoochee river lass cry in th m@ thermometer at Concord, N. TA, yesterday morni ag, was-twenty-six degrees be low zero. “Nearly ¢ i the rivers in the New Exgland States are frozen? ight. Almost: every 0 ther Cay we receive acceunts of logs of Tift by fire 8, Paar persons peris by the burning of a building in Eoledo last Monday We ebewhere pul a full report of the second day's preceedirigs of Military Court of Taqairy relative to the Joss of the steamship San Francisco. The ‘¢astimony of Licut. Col. Swords and Lieut. Frement. will be found highly interesting. Went of room again compels us to defer the pub- ab? ication: of many colamns of interesting local intelli. | unless they are reprinted in this coun- gente, including a report of the proceedings of the | try. The concession herein granted to Tia tans who assembled on Monday evening for the | the defenders of piracy is not material: their indignation agains$ the uncio. y of pt-nose of exp @ iduct of the Pope's Jn addition to @ var teresting readiag, oar i.side pages contain full details of the news brought ¢:om Europe by the steamship Arabie. The Collins amer Pacific is over due, with four days’ latter ad- vices. She will ‘less arrive to-€ay. FOPC. The news we publish this day gives more all the British works of any note are usnally reprinted in this country, and thus the cases in which we shall still figure as robbers of other men’s ideas will be exccedingly rare. At all events, the leading spirits of the day, who have exercised as large and as beneficial an influence on the American as on the British mind, and whom we have hitherto defrauded of their just reward—Dickens, Macauley, Balwer, Carlyle, Alison, Tennyson.McCulloch.Faraday, Herschel —will now receive the proper wages of their toil, and a substantial token of our gratitade. The question has been so long before the country, and the sense of the public has been so often taken on its merits, that it may seem unnecessary to add any arguments to the bare statement of the fact that the projeet of an in ternational copyright is once more before the Senate. It is not twelve menths since the unanimous voice of the independent press called upon that body to confirm the treaty. The constitutional power of the Senate to settle in seeret session such matters as interna- that our columns have contained for months, So many different appearances have been pre- sented by the Turkish difficulty, and the quar- rel has passed through so many phases that the most cautious have changed their minds over and over in since the imbroglio began, and consistency has been the mo nopoly of mere obstinates. There were grave reasons for supposing, when the Russians cross- ed the Pruth, that the deed would be regarded by Great Britain and France as a legitimate causa belli; yet several months have elapsed any ixterruption of the ting between these States. So itwas confidently believed that the Czar | tional copyright, had been denied by the oppo- whose intere:ts as wel those of Russiacan- } nents of the measure; the abiest legal minds not possibly be served by a European war. in the community decided that it had that powcr. Indeed, it would never have been questioned but for the apprehensions of a few rapacious publishers, The rights of foreign authors in their works circulating in this coun- try are as clearly subject matter for a treaty as the rights of foreign vessels sailing to our ports. If we insist on Congress legislating on the one, Congress will feel the duty of regu- lating the other ; and practically the functions of the Senate, sitting in Executive Committee, will become a perfeet sinecure. We are not aware that the bread princi- ple of an international copyright™law has ever been questioned in any respectable quarter. A few publishers have iatrigued against its adoption: but they have inva- riably assailed it on some side ground, and shirked or admitied the abstract right of fo- reigners to their property in their works. Eyen among the publishers, a large section, compris- ing, we believe. a majority of the class, headed by George P. Putnam of this city, some years ago presented a memorial to Congress praying for an international copyright. The ground they took was that American authors were now aslarge sufferers by the absence of some such protection as English authors used to be. That position we take to be impregnable. Indepen- dently of the question of principle, which alone would embrace the opportunity afforded by the last note of the Four Powers to extricate him- self from the dilemms into which ambition had hurried him: yet he does not seem to have had the smallest hesitation in rejecting it. So, now, though every sign points clearly to war, the future may yet bring to light a pacific issue from the struggle: and our latest vaticinations may prove as erroneous as the first. of uct that the horizon wears a warlike hue there cannot be the smallest doubt. Of this we have rational as well as sensible evidence. Thus. we regard the instructions given to the combined fleets as strongly provocative of war. The admirals set sail, having under con- voy « Turkish squadron which is generally be- lieved to be destined for Batoum, to replace the squadron destroyed at Sinope. They are told to protect their convoy, as well as the ‘Turkish coasts from aggression by the Russian veseels, If according to the best interpreta- tion of international law, the entry of the Black Sea be not a casus belli, therecan be little ques- iion with respect to the protection of the Tarkish A more direct abandonment of neu. irality, and a more active participation in the war can hardly be conceived. But this is not all. A yessel has been despatched to Sebasto_ pol to request on behalf of the allies that the for the purchase of the buildings recently leased for the accommodation of the Assay of'ce in this The gorernment will save two huvdred and s five thousand dollars by this purchase in fifteen years. Quite an exciting debate occurred in the State Senate yesterday, scspecting (he unnecewarily heavy expentes consequent on the epening of streets in this city. It will be seen by the Cespatch from our correspondent, that the amount of fees of the Cor poration Attorney was pretty freely commented on im the course.of the controversy. & report was made in favor of rapealing Jones’ Wood Pari bill Majority and mioority reports were handed in from tne joint commitice appointed to examine the en- croachments upon cur harber. The majority ask for ‘the appointment of 2 commission of competent mon to fix the line beyend which piers shall not ex- tend. The Assembly resolutions providing for an pdjournment from Friday till the following Thurs- day were concurred in. This will enable tie mem- bers to take part in the constitationa? election which is to be held on Wednesday. Nothing of consequence wes done by the Assembly inthe early part of the dsy. The afternoon was, as usval, spent im discus- ning the temperance bi ‘The statement made by ns on Monday that John Van Baren bad opened a correspondence with Col. Clemens on the Nebraska-Kansas question, {s con- firmed by the letter of the ister gentieman, which we publish in another column. Strange as it may appear, the ex-Sssator from Alabama has allied himeelf with the Prince in opp shortly to pass the Senate. extraordinary proposition to Gen. Cass to line with the Northern democracy by v« gains’ the bill,* for, in the debate on Monday, the veteran Senator from Michigan expressly declared his belief ‘that the Missouri compromiee was unconstitational, end “would prefer saying soin so many words.” The case of Alexander Heilbrenn, which bas been Iecfofe ovr conrts for come months past was again de- ded yesterday in the Untied States District Somt, 7 HORE Ingersoll, who Ugriarey that the ey deaes Russian v ts shall remain in that port, ir ler to avoid hostilities. It masthave needed od deal of assurance on the part of the ies to make sucha request. Here are two Powers, Russia and Turkey, as serionely and as desperately at war as two nations can be. On jan@he latter. in the Black Sea the former has el some advant ought to be enough to decide the matter, self interest now dictates the adoption of an honest policy. We have robbed Englishmen with im- punity for many a year: they are now robbing us toan equal extent. Shall we not agree to- gether to put a stop to this system of mutual forays? Pi. ge. These foreigners now In the firm persuasion that the Senate will step in, and say to Ru * You shall not pur- | decide this matter in accordance with the plain ene y advantage: you shall win no more | dictates of honesty, we will make one sugges- victories on sea: yeu shali molest no more | tion to Congrese. The second article of the Turk adrons, more sbipe, attack | treaty begins as follows :— no more forts: and.in order to prevent your do- The stipulations of the preceding article shall also be applicable to the representation of dramatic works and to the performance of musical compositions, in so far as the laws of each of the tyro countries are or shall be applicable in this reszect to dramatic and musical works first publicly represented or performed therein, &c. This last proviso was rendered necessary by the defects of our copyright law. It is perhaps not generally known to the public that under our present law, dramatic authors have no exclu- sive property in their works, Any manager is at liberty to have them reported in short hand orto purchase a printed copy, and to perform them at his theatre without paying one cent to the author. It is difficult to conceive what can have been the motive of so unjust arule, Ia all other countries, the manager who performs a play is bound to pay a trifie to the author on each night of its performance, The theatre besefits by the creations of the author, and it is rightly held that the latter ought to share in the profits, The omission of some such rule here has doubtless militated to no small extent against the development of dramatic author- ebip and the birth of a national drama in this country. Were Congress to avail itself of this opportunity to extend to dramatic authors and would haye fallen to pieces in a few years. | musical composers the same monopoly as it There is no tendency to retract on the part of | grants to other writers, the effegis gf the change le macitiiny powers; do whore sagt render Li ay | would agen be felt, ing these things, we will accompany your ene- mies and fight by their side if you attack them. Lest you should, therefore, we will thank you shut yourselves up in an out of the way port.” This is the substance of Admiral Dundas’ mes- sege: it would have been surperfluous for him that his government‘heard with pleasure of the Turkish victories on land, as the R ns were perfectly cognizant of the fact. Gn the whole. therefore, it seems to us almost impossible for Russia to treat the movement of the fleets otherwise than asa substantial com- mencemont of lities, to be met by a frank declaration of war. This view ie strengthened rences which other events The disaster at Citale vill reach the ear of the Czar before he has de- dondhe proposals laid before him by the atobassadors. It qannot have a soothing effeet. Ile must remember tivat daring the whole cam- paign on the Danube, fortune has generally etood on the sideof his foes. He, the great monarch of one of the greatest nations in the world, has been baffled and beaten by a power £0 weak and insignificant that, if left to itself it st. Nebraska -Interesting Letter of Col. Ulemens te John Van Burt A very interesting letter from Mr. Clemens ot Alabama, to John Van Buren,on the Nebraska question, will be found in another part of this paper. Mr. Clemens takes high ground against the Nebraska bill of Judge Douglas, and, like John Van Buren, is in favor of letting the compro. mises of 1850 stand just where they are. Mr. Clemens is also understood to be a member of the Kitchen Cabinet at Washington; and in this view his opinions have great weight, as indicating the real position of the administration on this important subject. He gives fair warning to Douglas that if he expects to make any considerable amount of Presidential capital out of this Nebraska en- terprise, he will find himself very much mista. ken. Posstbly this may turn out a true predic- tion. But still, the doctrine’of resting the ques- tion of slavery in the Territories with the peo- ple themselves, rests upon the fundamental law of the constitution, and is the only plan for a final setilement of this sectional strife coucern_ ing slavery in the Territories. Mr. Clemens further predicts that the passage of this Senate bill will re-open the flood-gates of the abolition agitation, and that the ground- swell will sweep away every vestige of the measures of 1850. Well, we shall see. Per- haps the ery fer repealing the repeal will be raised ; notice has already been given to that effect by the leading organ of W. H. Seward. Perhaps a combined onslaught will be made upon the Fugitive Slave law, as no longer having the binding obligations of a finality ; perhaps some atten pt may be made to repeal even the bill which provides for the partition of Texas into three or four slave States ; but all these contingencies may be risked in falling back upon the constitution. The debate in the Senaie is becoming highly interesting; Mr. Everett, in foreshadowing his opposition to the proposed repeal, coupled with a leading article of the ational Intelli- gencer, shows, no doubt, the position of the Webster and Fillmore branch of the whig party./Gencral Houston, of Texas, has als intimated his hostility to the bill of Douglas-- a movement which has a peculiar Presidential significancy. VBut the letter of Mr. Clemens is the most important developement of all, as most probably showing the real attitude, behind the scenes, of the Cabinet upon this Nebraska ques- tion. The Senate are resolved to have the bill, with the least possible delay; but let the friends of the measure look to their defences when this bill comes before the House. The confidential relations of John Van Buren and the New York free soilers with the Cabinet; and of Mr, Clemens, ‘with the President on his right hand and John Van Buren on his left, present @ cu- rious affiliation of politicians. Let the South look well to Mr. Deon, the fugleman of the Cabinet and the Van Buren party of New York in the House. This letter of Mr. Clemens may be at the bottom of a conspiracy to throw Doug- Jas sky-high, by defeating his bill. Railroads vs.Canale—The Important Elec. tos of tac 15th Every well informed man is aware ofthe re- sult of competition between railroads and ca- nals in Europe. After the Darlington and Stockton Railway was completed in 1625, and the Liverpool and Manchester line begun, Bri- tish canal stock fell; and thoughas usually hap- pens in such cases, the decline was exaggerat- ed, anda reaction followed, it never since gained the relative yaiue it had before the in- troduction of railways. For the forty years previous to the establishment of a rival railway, the dividends paid to the stockholders in the Grand Junction Canal averaged £9 10s. 6d. per cent.; when competi¢ion was set’ on foot, they fellto £6 per cent, and are now, we believe, much below that figure. Other canals, which formerly paid from 15 to 25 per cent, are now unable to pay the expense of their working, McOulloch—whose prejudice against railways during the first few years of their existence: is well known—confesses that the great schemes of canalisation whick were on footin France when railroads began to be introduced were im- mediately abandoned to make way for these su- perior means of intercommunication. So in Belgium and Holland. Even the magnificent propositions ad the low tells on the Amster- dam and Nieudiep Canal have not saved it from the ruinous coneequences of competition with railways. On every side the same picture meets the eye. Cenal property, which used to be among the mest remanerative of invest- ments. now ranks below real estate, houses, stocks—at the very bottom of the list. Canals are abendoned not only by passengers, but by every species of goods liable to deterioration from decay, or whose price fluctuates in the market. The reason is of course obvious. The distin- guishing characteristic of commercial inter- course in the present day is rapidity of move- ment. We buy, sell, ship, carry, exchange in a tithe of the time occupied by our fathers. Time has become one of the chief elements of value and profit. Inan article worth $100,000 the gain or the loss of a day may make a difference of $30,000. Hence the canals which were profitable enterprises, when vehicles drawn by sight altogether when a rival springs up with powers of epeed four times greater than theirs, This is the history ofall canals, as true of ours canals begun under the auspices of De Witt Clin- ton some thirty-seven years ago, has done won- ders for this State and this country. It opened upa magnificent tract ofland. peopled it, and en. dowed it with vast wealth. It set the exemple of systems of internal improvements to the the city of New York. founders and promoters deserve our gratitude. But, in process of time, as in all other coun- tries, a new means of intercommunication, fir superior to the canals was set up. Railroads built by private enterprise offered far greater facilities to the mercantile community; and though an attempt was made by the Legislature to avert impending ruin from the canals by in- terdicting the carriage of freight on the rail. ways, this fictitious support soon gave way,and things took their natural course. First the Central, then the Erie, and finally the Northern Railroad obtained permission to carry produce and merchandise, with what effect upon the canals the following table will show :— Focal years. Railroad Freighis. Oma! Tolls 1850. $1,122,432 $3,486,174 1851. + 2,102,458 3,772,163 1852. « 3,366,280 3,179,14> 1853, ss 4,500,000 3,168,545 This shows the result of four years competi- tion between individual and State enterprise; of both railroads and canals. Let us carry it out for ten years to come ; and for fear of giving a loophole for cavil, let us waive the usual geo- metrical progression, and suppose that the rate does not vary from that shown above. The ta- ble in 1864 will be somewhat as follows in round numbers :— ve Railroad Freigh's, Canal Tolls. $3,060,000 2,955,000 2,850,000 2/010,000 that if the state of these two funds varies in any material degree from the above statement, the variation will be an increase of railroadj freights, and a diminution 1864... . We venture to say of canal tolls. Indeed, when it is borne in mind that the rates of tolls are constantly being reduced in order to keep up a ruinous competi- tion with the railroads, it is much more likely that in 1864, the net revenues therefrom will not exceed $1,000,000 than that it will amount to the sum we have stated. We feel so con- vinced of this that we look forward quite con- fidenily to a deficiency that will require us to provide for the payment of our present State debt by a State tax. Nothing, either in our pre- sent prospects or in the history of competition between railroads and canals abroad, confutes the expectation that, ten years hence, the tolls on the canals will fall far short of the annual interest of the sum they enet It is now proposed to raise ten millions more, and sink them in the same well with the rest, In other words, we are called upon, in view of the patent decline of the canal business under the competition of railways, to make a turther investment therein. Could any proposition be more monstrous? Fancy proposing it toa man of business: advising him frankly and squarely, as he has already lost a vast amount of money inan unsuccessful scheme, and sees its entire failure imminent, to continue to in- vest in the same way, without the smallest hope of increased return. Conceive the feelings of the proprietor of an old line of stages running along the Hudson, if one were now to propose to him to spend a few thousand dollars in set- ting his line afoot again, buying new stages, finials oe fost horses, &c.,in order to compete with the Hudeon River Railway and the steamers. Just such a proposal is the one on which we must decide on the 15th. Common sense tells us plainly enough that to embark ten millions of money in a scheme which is sure of ruin is pal- pable absurdity. The whole thing is nothing more than a trick of politicians to plunder the people for their own corrupt purposes, for the elevation of a man like Seward to the highest offices of State, and their own aggrandizement out of the spoils. More or tur Scarter Lerrer.—We have re- ceived fresh evidence touching the Scarlet let- ter. Weare now informed through the medium ofaletter trom a distinguished politician of Obio to a distinguished politician of New York, whose names we have, that the Scarlet letter, or at least one of the Scarlet letters of Gen. Pierce of 1848, was a veryfextraordinary document. It referred toa proposition which had been made to Gen. Pierce to run for the Presidency in ’48 in the place of Martin Vaa Buren ; a proposition in regard to which Gen. Pierce indicated a good deal of sympathy, but not quite sufficient to take the load from the shoulders of “Little Van.” We shall give this evidence and the names of the parties con- nected with it, together with Mr. Benjamin Galbraith’s reafiirmations against Mr. John Cochrane, within a day or two. We have also evidence before us as strong as the Scarlet letter that Gen. Pierce was an ad- vocate of the Wilmot proviso resolutions, passed by both branches of the New Hampshire Legis- lature in 1847. These rezolution® were signed by Harry Hibbard, then President of the State Senate, and now the moutk-piece of the White House in the House of Representatives at Wash- ington. We have algo a copy of certain resolu- tions presented at a public meeting by Gen, Pierce, anterior to the action of the Legislature aforesaid, deploring Southern slavery as a great moral and social evil. It will be recollected that such was the burden of the celebrated New Boston speech, as reported by Mr. Foss. All summed up together, this mass of evidence is conclusive in establishing it asa “fixed fact” that Gen. Pierce was a decided anti-slavery and Wilmot proviso man down to the passage of the compromise measures in 1850. We shall make a plain case of it in a day or two. Meanwhile, as the shortest and simplest way of settling the controversy with John Cochrane, we ask again. why does he not bring out the great Scarlet letter? Has he rummaged among all the pigeon-holes, drawers, shelves, boxes, and old barrels in his office and at his house for it? We must have it. The cause of truth and justice demands it ; and if that letter cannot be found we shall not be answerable for the conse- quences, ForeiGN APPOINTMENTS IN THE SENATE—NeE- BRASKA AND THE Sports.—We understand that there is good reason to believe that the whole catalogue of Gen. Pierce's foreign appointments, still unconfirmed, will be duly ratified by the horses were their only competitors, drop out of Senate, including Belmont, Sickles, O’Sallivan, and all therest. Mr. O'Sullivan is now at Wash ington, lobbying actively fer Douglas, Nebraska, and the repeal of the Missouri compromise. He as of those of foreign nations. Our system of | Will be a proper man for Portugal. He will be convenient for giving advice and assistance to Mr. Soulé at Madrid in getting up a Spanish coup d'etat, or in concocting such a treaty as will leave a loop-hole of escape for future fili- bustering operations against the island of Cuba. It is rumored that Gen. Cass has no other States and stimulated similar works in | particular fecling of veneration for Mr. O’Sulli- our own. It had no small effect in building up | Van, or George Sanders, or Sickles, or Bel- For these benefits its | mont, or Daniel, or Leon, but as they have the old General pretty mnch in the fix of «the buxom Widow Green,” there is no help for him. She was compelled to put up with an “old fogy,” and the General must knuckle ua- der to Young America, secession, or “ mani- fest destiny,’ as they happen to come. It is hard, but such is the fate of war. The administration is absolutely impregnable upon the spoils. Aftera single demonstration against the Cabinet organ, the Senate has sur- rendered at discretion. The overruling ques- tion for the time is Nebraska. It will soon pass the Senate; and the indications are in its favor in the House. Col. Benton, whose opposition was most to be dreaded, is understood to be in favor of the bill, The free soil Van Bu- ren administration spoilemen in the House are disposed to be fractious, and they, under cover of Dean’s proviso, and the conni- vance of the Cabinet, may possibly bolt. The ne~ gotiations sata to be going on between John pug indicates pretty glearly the xate of progress | Yan Buren ang seme of the leading politicians among the spoilsmen at Washington, may re- sult ina split. But there need be no fear of the House upon Nebraska, unless there is treachery on the part of the administration, or treachery among the Southern members against their own section. Let the bill be passed—let the foreiga ap- pointments be confirmed as fast as possible. The spoilsmen are hungry, the spoilsmen are impa- tient tocommence the campaign upon a large | and comprehensive scale for the five hundred millions of the public plunder, Tue Connecticur Frocawe Case—T TruTH or THE Marrer,—A paragraph has been going the rounds of the newspapers, to the ef- fect that Dr. J. C. Fitch. principal of the Semi- | nary at South Windham, Connecticut, had go cruelly whipped a lad of some seventeen years | of age as to bring on an internal hemorrhage, i from the effects of which it was feared the youth | would not survive. Having given currency to + this accusation through our columns, we are | gratified to say that upon an investigation by t the trustees, the teacher has been honorably acquitted. The flogging. it appears was com- , paratively light; and from Tuesday, when it | was administered, to Saturday, the lad con- ; tinued his attendance at school; but on Satur! day, while skating, he fell upon the ice, and, ac- cording to the report of the trustees, “was ta- ken all at once with bad breathing and spitting ‘ of blood, and said he felt something give way , in his chest when he fell.” We understand he has since died: but as the accusers of the teach- * sarrare prencn4 at. and perticinated in the in- ' vestigation, and as no report has appeared in- * validating that of the trustees, we have no t doubt of its truth. ‘ Mr. Pease AND HIS Mrsslon—More Dowa- ‘ Trons.— The following note received at this office yesterday morning, we commend to the special | attention of Mr. Pease :— New York, Feo. 7,1854. + James Gorpvox Bexnerr, Esq.:— Dear Sir—Please hand the enclosed “ si; collection” of the clerks of the American Exc! Bank, to Mr. Pease for the ‘‘ Five Points Mission,” (six dollars,) and oblige the Donors. P. 8.—Suggeated by your remarks of this morning. It is pleasant to be the almoner in behalf of k } the charities of our fellow-citizens; but we 1 suggest for the future that donations to Mr, Pease be sent directly to his office at the Five Points. They interfere with our excavations for the Scarlet letter very much, The following note explains itself :— New Yous, Feb. 7, 1854. James Gorpon Bennetr, Esq.— Dear Sir—The insertion of my letter to Md of the 3d inst., has been the means of directing the at- tention of a charitable person to the situation of my- self and sisters. The sgent of the houze of Thomas de la Rue & Co., of London, having read my letter, called on re, and, in behalf of his principals, present- ed me with the sum of sixty dollars, which he in- formed me was a part of the amount which the firm | of De la Rue & Co., of London, had received in set- { tlement of a prosecution of a certain party. for un- , justly and illegally ee name and tras ‘of De la Rue & Co., of London, and selling inferior goods fraudulently in the name of Dela Rue & Co., and which sum he had been directed to apply to some charitable purpore in the city. Thi kindness to usI hope you will acknowledge in your paper, and oblige yours, with our greatest reepects and thanks, Ipa STERN. e a t t ’ ' ' Broadway Theatre. 4 MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. We celdom have two Shakespearean revivals in a week to notice, Thanks to the enterprize which rivalry is inspir- ipg in our managers, the last week has witnessed the pro- duction of ‘The Midsummer Night’s Dream” at two of the most popular houses in this city; and that ina style which we may safely sey has seldom if ever beem sur- passed. Tha play was performed once before ia New York, at the Old Park theatre in 1841. It was the means of saving the droopieg fortunes of the maneger of that day, Mr. Simpson. Hin audiences had been faillag off for some time, and ruin stareé him in the face, when Mr, Barry, the present stage manager of the Brosiway, pro- posed the very bold step of aitempting thia old comedy, Mr. Simpson cemurred at first, fearing that the experi- ment might prove a fsilare; but his more courageous Keutenan: overcame bis apprehensions, the play was pro- duced, and crew on the firet night » honse worth $1,400. We trust it will prove en equally profitable card ta the Breadway. The following were the caste of Monday ever fog and of 1841:— Actors, 1841, Mr. Freverick Miss M. Teyior Wheat ey, Mr, Wliam Mise 0, Caeb: Miss S Cushm! Mr. Fisher. Mra. Knig’ Mire Baloiol lagle. As the “Midsummer Night's Dream”? bas already suc- ceeded once in this city, aad is now again put apon the wage im preference to novelties by two of our most ex- perienced managers, it may seom rash to hazerd a criti- cism on the wisdom of its exhumation, It has great beauties, doudtiess. Many of eur housohold words are taken ‘rom it; the charsctera have beon familiar to us all from childhood. Sbakepeare’s imaginatiro velo was never happier, Add to this that the wholeof Mendels- sobu’s muric wae given last evenicg at the Broadway, and ® formidable array of arguments in {ts favor wiil be pre- fented, Still we cennot rejoice over its productionaswe ' would overs treasure that has been lost and is found. We cannot go into eestacies over any actor any scene, ‘We cannct take an interest in the plot, for there is none. Bottom tires us at best; even Puck is wearisome before the close, and Theseus, Hippolyta and the two other braco of lovers are positive bores. We have ploked the dia- monds out Jong before the actors have waded the trash. We want to go home when Lysander {s talk- ing gabbleto Hermla, and Theseus is declaimiag about. Thebes. Who on earth cares about any of them? To. those lovers of Shakespeare who talk of his works in tho same breath with the Bible, this will seem positive pro- fanity; but Ie) it pars, £0 far we have no reason to be- Neve that our doubts are shared by the public, Tae Broadway was crowded from gallery to orchestra on Mor- Gay evenicg; and, though we noticed few dirpleye of en- thusiasm, the oldcomecy was received with something very like a welcome, To pursue to the end our ungractous task an critics, we demur to the music. The orchestra at the Broadway dots not understand Mendelssohn, or the ovarture would bave been rendered very differently, The march wase Jingle, and ‘Ye potted soakes’’ reflected very little credit on the singing faeries. The only exosption to the rule in the matter of music wes the duet, “I kaow s bank,’’ which was very prettily sung. Most of the characters ia the “ Midsemmer Night’e Dream” are co flat, that en actor has little chaece to gain either glory or diegrace This was fortamate for Megara. Lanergan and Grosvenor, who bave not made mueb progrers sincs werne them Jast Mr. Conway isa little too energetic for Tacseus; what hee perscaded him to model himself on Andersen? Mdes, Poniei and Abbott mantged Oberon and Titania passably. Ie the comic underplot, the great character aa erery ome knows, ie Bottom the weaver. It was taken by Davidge om Mon- Ony, onda great dea) of talent displayed ia the render- ing. Still, it is {rposeibie to endorse him ss Bottom wvtil first, ho learns his per) thoroughly, snd secondly, his groterque ection and comic exelamattons approach &. little nearer to nsture, Fisk made a ospital Sous, and Starveling was excellently rendered by Catter, But the great “star” of the night was a beautifal cbild who, under the name of “Ls Petite Viola,” played Pack ina trnly feirylike way. Sach aplomb, such confidence, sark Actors, 1854. Mr. Conway. 5 accuracy of tone acd gesture, combined with visible symptome of real youlh ad (ofenting attractions, are pay | to maks little Viola ove of the greatest favorites of the cay. generally were a6 good a Leeder leads the way. inly never been ex~ of gepulos applanse th which the first act eaded; city. greeied the pansrams acd for on i acd, thet we doubt whether «. diamph fa the way of desorationsis ever any of the thest-es of Earope, fo ree that panorama end La Potite V: Broadway. le, ie well worth @ visit to the Marine Affairs. For Evopr.—The steamship Asia leaves her dosk Jerrey City, at half past one o'clock to-day, for Lirerpoow she bad abou®Atty presongere engaged yootersay: Tor Sorkw Sreamsiir Coaiew, Gapt, Samproo, sailed” yesterday for Bermpda and Bt 4,