The New York Herald Newspaper, February 19, 1854, Page 4

_NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT. PBOPRIETOR AND BDIIOR, OVVIOE HM. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU ATP. TERMS. cash in adeance. HE paiLy Heats "scents per, copy—87 per annum THE WEEKLY HI BARD cosy, Lag Ry Ted 3 30 Dt Edit a Som To on} rt af Grea tli one Toto any part of Me ot to include portage 4 x 2 u Subscriptions or with A@ver- bioements fo be peat ehd"or the pvtaye lb deducted rom money d, . *GOLUNLINY CORRESPONDENCE, containing impor booms set jwarter of d; if wed will ARE YARTICULARLY HEQTESTED TO SEAL ALL LErTey AND PACKAGES sxNT US NO NOTICE taken of anenymous communications, SOE PRINTING cectuted with neainess, dhoa,mest, Wedo and AMUSBMANTS THIS BVSNING- BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery—Unoim Tom's Canim. Breedway—Litrie Porvus ‘so Demam, By) OADWAY THPA massa Mipsummae, Nu RTON'S THBATRS, Chambers stroct—A Mrosea an Tour's Dugan—Ovrn Best Roopery, NATIONAL TABATRE, Chatham s\reet—Afverzoon— Tax GAmnLen Svening- Urere Tom’s Cane. WALLACK’S THRATRE, Broadway - former's Count: mur—Gane oF Lire. AMERICAN — Oxy Forus ar Hoste. BROAD VAY MENAGERIB—Siamese Twree any WD D-asrs. UMRISTY’S AMBRICAN way -Brnorian oo) WOO!’S MINBTRELS— Wood's Minsicel Hell, 444 Brond- way Bemorian MinerRecsy. BUCKLEY'S OPERA HOUSE, 639 Breadway—Bvox- woe'e Bemoriax Ovens Trowrs. BONVARD’S GEORAMA, 596 Broadway—Pawonama ov rms Hour Laxp. BHANISH GALLERY, 663 Broodway—Day and Bvoninc BiQNOR BLITZ—Srovvesanr Inerrrvrs, 683 Brosd- way. RA HOUSM, 472 Broad. mRueTY’s Mrxcranis. DEMY HALL; 063 Broadway—Poamam’s Girt Ex- pisrmens OF Fax BRVEX MILE AUNROR, BAYAN GALLERY OF OBRISTIAN ART—&3 Broad: way. Slew York, Mails for the Pacific, SH NEW YORK HERALD—OALIPORNIA EDITION. ‘The United States mail steamship George Law, Captain MoGowan, will leave this port to merrow afternoon, at two o'clock, for Aspinwall. The-mails for California and other parts of the Pacific, ‘will close at one o'clock. ‘The Now Yorx Wruxcy Haritp, Californis edition, com taining the latest intelligence from all parts of the world, will be published at tem o’o.0ck to morrow morning. Single copies sixpenee. Agents will please send in ‘Mhoir orders as early as possible. The News. Mauch of our spaze is to-day necessarily devoted to @very full report of the proceedings at the anti-Ne- braska gathering at the Tabernacle last night, to which is appended sketches of the transactions in similar meetings elsewhere. We have commented at length on the subject in a leading editorial. ‘The mails of the steamship Canada reached the sity about two o'clock this morning—too late to ena- Die us to give very extended details of the news this morning. We however make room for much inter- esting information that had not already been furnished Dy telegraph from Halifax, and shall hereafter pub- Beh our letters and such other matter as may be deemed of importance. From the synopsis .of the debate upon the war question in the British House of Lords, it will he seen that several of the honorable gentlemen echoed the belief that they were on the eve of a general ‘war in Europe, and that there should no delay in fully preparing for the emergency. jotwithstanding the extreme caution ot the Cabinet Ministers, their remarks tended to confirm the im- gpression that the crisis had arrived, and that the great problem of peace or war would be decided in short time. The Collins steamer Baltic, which is mearly du’ at this port, will, it is expected, bring news that will set all doubts at rest. ‘The rumor that Smith O’Brien, the exiled Irish patriet, had escaped from Australia, is contradicted by a letter from that gentleman himself, dated Oct. 1, in which he declared that, having no intention of escaping, he had received a ticket of absence for six months. So tar as the welfare of the people is concerned, it ‘would have been about as well for our State Legisla- ‘ture to bave followed the example of Congress, by ad- jearning over frem Friday till to-morrow. The case of ‘the contestants for a seat from this city was the only matter actually disposed of by the Assembly yester- @ay. Mr. Clark, soft shell, was ousted by a vote of Seventy-seven to nine, and Mr. Maguire, hard shell, ‘was authorized to fill the seat,by sixty-five to twenty: ‘me. The former gentleman, however, can console hhimeelf for the disappointment with the fact that he has drawu pay for half the session. The contested ease in the Senate is still in abeyance. Owing to the fact that the initial G. was placed in the centre of Adam Storing’s name, on a portion of the tickets ‘in the Eighteenth district, a certificute of election was given to Mr. Blakely, a whig, although it was apparent that the friends of the former gentleman, who is a democrat, were largely in the majority. On reference #0 our despatch, it will be seen that an- sther project has already been started to take more money from the people for canal expenditures. The citizens of Buffalo desire a number of bridges built, at an expense of some thirty thousand dollars, over the canals in that vicinity. Should their request be granted, all the other cities and towns in the State through which the cavals pass, will demand similar favors. No matter: the people are rich, and millimns re nothing to them, as was proved by the result of the election last Wednesday. By the way, it is iati- mated that some of the whigs at Albany are quite indignant because’Mr. Clinton, a national democrat, has taken the wind out of thelr sails with regard to the preparation of a bill for the completion of the oanals. We may expect a lively controversy on this question before the close of the session. The Senate passed several bills of no general importance. We elsewhere publish biographical sketches of all the gentlemen who have served as United States Se nators for Ma ine, together with a variety of interesting incidents connected with the history of that State ‘Those desirous of keeping fully posted up with re gard to passing events, should not fail to peruse these reminiscences, and also to preserve a copy for the fatore reference and instruction of their children A dinner was given to Capt. Watkins, commander of the late steamship San Francisco, by the ship owners of Boston, yesterday. We regret to state that there was an increase ol forty-one in the mortality of the past, as compared with the previous week. According to the official report of the City Inspector, the whole number of death s for the week ending yesterday, was five hnn- dred and thirty-seven, of which no less than 71 were produced by consumption; convulsions, 42—only two adults; croup, 13; congestions, 21; diarrhaa, 16; Gropsies, 32; fevers, 47 cases, of which 26 were scar. Jet; inflammations, 72; marasmus, infantile, 18; pre. mature births and stillborn, 44, and small-pox, 42. This shows,a decrease of fifteen in the last named disease, which, in reality, is the only sickness of an epidemic nature in our city, and this would no doubt speedily dimipish, if not altogether disappear, ‘were the proper precantions adopted. While mpon the subject, it is proper to remark that New York is not by any means the only city ia- fected with the small pox. This dreadful pestilence is raging in almost every place of note in the conn try, and doubtless will continue 9 to do until the Legislatures take the matter in hand and make it ob ligatory on the local authorities to see tha r r #on is vaccinated, and re-vaccinated whenever occ, sion may require. Perhaps none, so far as business concerned, are more immediately affected by of the existence of this disease than our me: ile eommuni'y, whose trade must suffer largely, for the «0B that country people have the utaost dread, the jBUM—Afverncon— Hor Conn - Rvening not guilty of the dreadfal etrife (hat was about to commence. About s month has elapsed since these awful warhings were first shouted in our ears, During the whole of this time, the Nebraska bill has been fairly and squarely before the country. Norihern men and South- ern men, Western men, and men from the Hast have read, studied, ay.d discussed it. Editors have published it, #.nd canvassed it in every sense; hundreds of ‘thousands of crticles have commented on its merits. and girls, nearly all of whom were, of course, born in this country; while of the total num- ber three hundred and seventy-three are classified as natives of the United States. From Ireland there were 86; Germany, 38; England and France, 6 eack; Scotland, 7; West Indies, 3; Switzerland and Italy, 2each; British North America, 5; and Denmerk, Sweden, Poland, Isle of Man, and Scuth America, 1 each. Only one person died in the Second ward, while forty-one died im the Sixth and fifty in the ‘Twellth. The South and Wes are fast regaining their noto- riety for horrible steamboat disasters. Scarcely a day passes that we do not hear of loss of life by burning, sinking, exploding, or other accidents on the waters of those regions. Tho or three persons were lately killed by a collision between two steamboats on the Alabama river. Wm. Ransom has been awarded a verdict of four teen thousand dollars against the Erie Railroad Com- pany, by the Supreme Court, for injuries received by acollision at Chemung, last July. A few more ver- dicts like this would have a tendency to greatly di- minish the number of railroad accidents in this State. The trial of James Saunders fer riot in the Ninth ‘ward, on the Fourth of JulMast, was continued yes- terday in the Court of General Sessions, A large number of witnesses were examined for the defence, among them several a&izens not members of the society of which the @fendant was marshal. Their testimony tended to show that the defendant en- desvored to prevent the riot as much as poasible, and that the poliee and other citizens were the origi- nators of the disturbance. The Chinese interpreter—Leong Aghew—has written us a letter relative to the affairs of the dramatic company, which we give in his own words. The following are simply the headings of a few of the most interesting articles with which our columns are crowded this merning:—Description of the inka, bitants, animals, resources, climate, &c., of the island of Papua, or New Guinea ; the Alleged Preparations for Arming Russian Privateers in American Ports ; Another Queer Letter from “‘the Man who Nominated policy? wealth and station on their side? plain indignantly answer No! Where is the excite- ment? Where are the signs of the thunder storm that wea to barst on us? Where are the levies for the war that it was to pro- voke? Alas, #t seems it was but a mountain in labor after all, and the meeting of last even- ing was one +f the smallest of the litter of mice. Look where you will, and who are. the men whose voices are raised against the termination of the slavery controversy by the formal and definite establishment of the non-istervention Do we find among them old conserva- tives of either party? Can they count in their ranks any of the men to whom the country looked for patriotism and public virtue in case of:danger to the Union? Is the mercantile community represented in their host? Have they anything more than a faint sprinkling of Can the boldest falsifier of the band claim as theirs any substantial portion of the thew and sinew of the land, the workmen, mechanics, operatives, and sons of toil? A thousand voices from every city, every country village, every hill and From Chicago to Boston, the only indivi- duals who have openly taken the field in any numbers against Mr. Douglas’s bill havé | been the abolitionists and the free soilers —partics whose opposition was so essential to the success of the measure, that had it been wanting, every one would have sus- pected Mr. Douglas’s sincerity. We shall not do the glorious old city of Boston the injustice to suppose that the speakers who occupied the time of the meeting those on Thursday can be regarded as representing either the respectabi- lity, the wealth or the intellect of the capital of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Rev. Amos Tuck, and the Rev, Theodore Parker are no doubt very worthy members of society ; but till Choate, Wintbrop, Bigelow, Hildreth, and others whose names will at once suggest themselves to every mind have spoken, we think we may safely say that the Bay State has uttered no word. Her fame stands too high to allow us to suppose that on this momentous oc- casion she has chosen the Reverends Tuck Frank Pierce;” Washington Territory and Califor- nia Correspondence; Medical News; Religious, Poli- tical, Commercial and Miscellaneous Intelligence,dsc- Progress of the Nebraska Campaign—The Meeting Last Evening. The second attempt of the New York anti- slavery party to kindle some show of enthusi- asm among the opponents of the Kansas-Ne- braska bill has proved as abortive as the first. Last evening’s meeting can have rendered no service to the cause. The Tabernacle was full, indeed, and the audience very patient and good humored: Mr. Blunt was as prosy as usual, Mr. Hale as funny as is his wont, and Mr. Beecher as fanatic as he always is. But new light thrown on the question there was none. No arguments were adduced that have not been refuted over and over again: no points made that were not borrowed from the debates in the Senate. If the audience of last evening was composed of men who are in the habit of reading the newspapers, the speeches must have seemed very stale repetitions of threadbare ar-’ if the bulk of Mr. Blunt’s hearers relied upon him and his coadjutors for their in- formation on the subject, their notions of the Missouri compromise and the Kansas-Nebraska bill must be tolerably confused. We should guments : like to ask any of the gentlemen who made the Tabernacle ring with applause last evening what they would say if Congress were to at- tempt to legislate slavery into the future State of Minnesota? If any Southern Senator in some future Congress were to introduce a bill declaring that the new State—Minnesota— should only be admitted into the Union on the condition that he and his friends should be allowed to migrate thither with their slave property? What an outcry we should then hear about the independent rights of the States, and the tyrannical assumptions of Congress! “How the West would ring with de- nunciations of the arbitrary impudent attempt of the federal authorities to wrest from the new State her inalienable rights! And yet this is precisely what the speakers of last evening would have Congress do with regard to Nebras- ka. It may do very well for Mr. Hale to,tell a public meeting of abolitionists that the ordi- nance of 1787 was a prohibition of slavery, and was formally recognized as such by the First Congress: but every man who is well readin the history of the country knows that that ordi- nance was in point of fact inoperative from the first—that for # period of several years, the whole Norwestern Territory was slaveholding territory, and that the States abolished it when they pleased. So we all know that the First Congress ratified the ordinance simply from a desire to avoid disputes and strife. Our early fathers saw the danger of splitting on the rock of slavery, and allowed the ordinance to pass, trusting to future statesmen to correct the error when the foundations of the young republic were more firmly established. Most of us know too—though perhaps Mr. Hale does not—that in ratifying that ordinance as the grantor of the territory, Virginia expressly omitted the sec- tion prohibiting slavery therein. Fallacies so easily exposed as these of Mr. Hale’s might be safely left uncontradicted. They receive a practical refutation from the striking coldness with which his efforts and those of his party are received by the community at large. Indeed, nothing is now clearer than the fact that an excitement cannot be got up on the ques- tion of Nebraska among the conservative portion of the North. A few isolated journals here and there, which have hitherto advocated the conservative whjg side in politics, have broken ground against Mr. Douglas’s measure; but in every instance their opposition has been mark- ed by hesitation, timidity, and every symptom of reluctance and self-distrust. The moment they abandoned the field of calm discussion, they found themselves fighting side by side with the open foes of the Union: and an iu- stinetive aversion to so repulsive an alliance immediately compelled them to draw back We have heard threats and ominous predic- tions by the score, about the ¢ enadous ex ce which the Nebraska bill was to create nth b; we have been warned to prepare ourselves for a sirugg red to which th Calpaign of 184 whole country hag b those innocent lumbs~ a skirmish; tl and Parker to be her organs. What is true of Massachusetts is still truer of New York, None of us would ever think of contesting the high social standing and individual worth of either our Irish friend Judge Emmet or the in- defatigable Mr. Girard ; but really they cannot be supposed by any one on this side the Alle- ghanies to be empowered to deliver the senti- ments of New York on a great political ques- tion. Much less can the Rey. Henry Ward Beecher or the brothers Blunt aspire to that honor. The former is notoriously identified with the most ultra section of the abolitionists ; the latter have had the misfortune to play subordinate parts in political party strife for many years, and are very unlikely men to be entrusted with the delivery of the sentiments of any public community. Who, then, are the opponents of the measure ? Neither New York, nor Boston has registered its dissent; the country is silent: east and west look on with indifference; who are the real enemies of Mr. Douglas’s measure ? Henry Ward Beecher, John P. Hale, John Jay, John G. Palfrey, and their coadjutors in the Se- nate—Seward, Chase, Sumner and Wade? Why, their names have been household words in the newspapers for ages. We knew half a dozen years ago, that they had sworn to uproot slavery, and would try it on each and every opportunity. Can we wonder that they avail themselves of the Nebraska pretext? And when we find that they stand alone at the head ofafar smaller party than they led in 1848, when we see that conservative men on both sides shrink from contact with them, and keep themselves carefully aloof from their move- ments, can there be a doubt of the failure of the plot to overthrow Douglas’s measure ? Shall we not pronounce the threats of the anti-slavery men mere idle bombast, and langh at the grim faces with which they buckle on their armor for the imaginary fight? The Awfal Condition of the Streets of New York. As our late respected Street Inspector has disappeared in the mud, and no better chance exists for his successor, we have at last conclu- ded to make report upon the state of the streets and the general physical condition of the city, for the information of the new reform Common Council, who seem to have no time to attend to anything but their own affairs, such as eating, drinking, talking, and the spoils. Let us begin, then, down by the Battery, go- ing along Battery place and taking a look up Greenwieh, Washington, and West strects, as they have existed during the past week, and ag they will again appear on the next “soft” day Battery place is one of the most used thorough- fares in the city for drays and all kinds of heavy cartage—as it"is almost the only practi- cable channel of communication between the wharves on the North river side and the whole eastern and southeastern portion of down town. Well, in Battery place the mud in soft wea- ther is kept by the continual stirring up of wheels and hoofs, in a sort of semi-liquid state, about the consistency of hasty pudding. It is here from three inches to a foot deep; and from Broadway to the river there has not been during the week, before the frost of Friday night, a point where you could cross into the Battery’without going in over your India rub- bers. To reach the Camden and Amboy depot, or the Port Richmond boat, was almost impos- sible—literally so—without wading ancle deep in this liquid mad. From the best information we can obtain, there has not been a broom or cart seen in this neighborhood for six months past. There are several taverns and eating- houses here, and of course all their ashes, lemow peel, and other rubbish, lies ia little mouads along the gutter. Greenwich street we partly described some time ago; but it has, like its neighbors, been growing worse and worse. Here, and in Wasbiggton and West streets, it is perfotly wwful, The mud in the middle of the streets sup to the hubs of th heels, and on each side, where the gu 1onld be, extends 4 continuous mound of abe’, manare from - PanIIT DET ED EI EERE DERSLER IE POLE LOALE LIE IT ELLA LE VERE AE LE LLPLELEL most perfect horror, ‘of this lostheome peat. The same may be said (ff our sister elty, Philadelphia, where deaths from ‘mall pox are recorded weekly. Were merchants to take the matter in hand and use their influence ‘ secure the passage of a law enforcing yeccination, they might do much towards ridding ts of the abomination. As for the terrible mortality caused by consumption, convulsions, inflammations, &c., that is accounted for by the fact that the past week bas been by far the severest of the season upon persons whose lungs are affected. The dense fog in which we were most of the time enveloped, or, as it were, completely submerged, combined with the circumstance of the frost evaporating from the ground, rendered the atmosphere damp and chilly, and extremely unhealthy, particularly to foreigners. The mortality among adult Americans continues so small as to excite the surprise of every- ‘one. On referring to the record we find that three hundred and forty-four of the deceased were boys stables, and other nameless filth, baked sslidly together, and evidently undisturbed for months. Every warm spell ft thaws a little, and sends up such clouds of reeking and nauseating odors that it makes'one sick at the stomach to pass along, even im winter. The first warm flush of spring must produce the most frightful malaria here. The little side streets—Thames, Rector, Albany, Liberty—in fact, all the way up to Washingten Market—are, if possible, worse than those we have described. They are full of deep gulleys, into which the wheels splash, sending the mud flying, and spattering the doors, windows and wails of the houses and covering the narrow sidewalk with layers of mud. And then, think of the basements and cellars in all this neighborhood !—all thickly inhabited, too, by poor, filthy, ignorant emi- grants and negroes, with no conveniences in the yards, no water, nothing but the floor and the street for every thing! The Hottentotsare infinitely better housed and lodged. We no proach Washington market—the very sink-hole of the city. Fora wide space around it, you encounter nothing but hills of muck and rubbish, composed of rotten cab- bages and other vegetables, the offal, the fish scales and oyster shells, and the general excre- ments of the market. Inside, everything is so close and unwholesome, so crowded and mixed together, that to put one’s nose in for a moment is enough to give » man a distaste for his meals for aweck. The passages and walks, when we waded through them on Thursday, were afloat with the same liquid mud we’ have described; and on three sides isa regular cordon of manure and the remnants of horse feed, charmingly diversified with swine’s hoofs, clots of hair, and tails and fins of decayed fish, the whole arranged in picturesque little hillocks, like one of ——’s pictures. Carts and wagons, boxes, barrels, and every imaginable sort of obstruction, crown this rampart of putrifying ordure, and complete the chevaux de frise by which our principal household market is bulwarked. But behind the market, jutting out upon the river, there is another long, dirty, narrow, dark ehanty, filled with dead hogs and other delicate comestibles, and kept in a still more disgust- ing state than the market itself. It is impossi- ble to convey any adequate idea of the abomi- nable filthiness of this place. It makes us shud- der to recall it. All around the eastern, north ern and southern sides of the market, the opposite sidewalks are almost entirely covered with open barrels of mackerel, pérk, cheese, butter and other raneid and rank smelling commodities, filling the air with a compound stench, and leaving only s narrow winding Some of their names we have already men-" tioned. Their allies, like them, belong to two classes; they are either free soilers abolitionists, or broken down politicians, who are ready to es- pouse any side in the hope of regaining their Pa- radise lost. What need we say of such men as path for the pedestrians to twist ‘and wriggle along among them. This description will ap- ply, with slight variation and considerable abatement, to every market in New York. It is actually astounding that any city ‘composed of cleanly and respectable families, in any ra- tional proportion, can put up, year after year, with such a state of things. Passing from the market, we plunged again into the mud, and entered upon a region which, nearly one whole year, was absolutely blocked up by the buildings going up or being pulled down. Barclay, Murray, Warren and Chambers streets, and Church street as far as Chambers, were all this time impassable for vehicles, and almost so for foot passengers. The entire streets, sidewalks and all, were covered with rubbish and building materiale—the rail cars were withdrawn, and ended their trips at the corner of West Broadway and Chambers—the rails were broken short off in several places, and the whole region appeared like a small seetion of Moscow after the conflagration. This state of things is now partially remedied— though still the whole of this neighborhood is an outrage and a disgrace, and threatens to remain so for an indefinite period. Of the side and lateral streets running up town, west of Broadway, we can only say that if they are not all as bad as those we have de- scribed, it is because they are not so much fre- quented, and because their populations are more cleanly and decent. The avenues, especially from the Sixth to the North river, are, however, bad enough to make up. Most of the buildings on the avenues are tenement houses, with shops in front, and the upper stories occupied by nu- merous families, with only a narrow hall and a mere hand’s breadth of yard for all. Generally these houses have no drains, and consequently no communication with the street sewer. The inmates, therefore, of necessity are compelled to throw their slops and garbage into the gutters; for, should they even attempt to keep a slop-barrel on the sidewalk, it would be of no use, as the scavenger carts never come along. As to the avenucs on the eastern side of the city, some of them are infinitely worse ; especially the Third, above Forty-second street, where the building of sewers and the excava- tions of the railroad company in changing the course of their track, have not only torn up the pavement, but left yawning caverns and unde- fended abysees, into which carriages and horses are daily plunging. On Friday no less than three vehicles were precipitated into these pits, and it was a miraele that lives were not lost. As it was, two wagons, a carriage, and a valu- able horse, were destroyed, and several per- sons seriously bruised. The Street Commis- sioner has been directly appealed to on this subject, but he declines to interfere. In nearly all the cross streets above Four- teenth, a great deal of building is going on; and such is the well known neglect of the street department, that builders impudently tear up the sidewalk and leave.a whole block impassable for months, because they know that nobody will trouble himself to interfere with them. In Twenty-fourth street, between the Eighth and Ninth avenues, and in Twenty- fifth, between the Seventh and Eighth, the foot- way has been all winter absolutely impassable. In the latter street, a church is being built on one side, and a row of new houses directly op- posite, and the church seems to have vied with the layman to see which of them could most completely impose upon the- convenience and good nature of the neighborhood. In fact, in many of these streets it is impossible to go on foot from one avenue to another. Neither they nor the avenues have been touched by hoe or broom during the whole winter. As to Broadway, everybody knows about that. It depends entirely on the state of the weather whether you can get in or out of an omnibus without wading through the mud. It is the same with Fulton street, which is one of the most crowded and important thoroughfares in the city. Nassau street is, for a good por- tion of its distance, a great mu® gulley, now banked up on this side, now caved in on that All summer and winter the old Bible House improvement blocked up the west sidewalk ; aud now the rebuilding on the corner opposite our office threatens another six manths’ stop page of foot travel, as every inch of the side- walk is torn up, for the purpose of digging the ‘cellar. Beekman street will take another six months before it can serve at all as a thorough- fare ; and the whole newspaper district, be- tween Fulton and Spruce, Broadway and Wil- liam, is a vast mud hole. We ought to have reserved our strongest ex- pressions to characterize the condition of Cen- tre and Pearl streets, and the crossways which pass them. From the slope of Centre atreet, past the Tombs, the market, and so on through Broome ‘street to the Bowery, in- cluding the whole of that dire space bounded by Chatham street and the Bowery on the south and east, the instant the frost relaxes its icy grasp it is all one uninterrupted quagmire of filthand abomination. The physical horrors of that locality would turn the stomach even of the “Hot Corn” man himself, We do not in- tend to describe it at present, but merely to in- dicate this as well asthe other terrible quar- ters of the city, and to point out the nuisances which it isa matter of life and health to the citizens to have abated before the warm weather sets in. Little better is the whole East river side of the city, from Peck slip to the Dry Dock. In the vicinity of Catherine market, stretching away behind the National theatre, there is a region where the streets are, at this moment, of no use whatever as thoroughfares—not even drays can possibly make their way through them. The whole neighborhood is squalid and vile, consisting of little shops and sailors’ lodging houses, many of them in cellars, and the whole in every way uninhabitable for de- cent and Christian people. We have been through entire streets there in which there is not one decently inhabitable dwelling; and yet the whole district swarms with population. Farther along the East river, lined asit is with rotten wharves scolloped with mountains of rubbish and filth, the streets are all in the same state. In fact, there is throughout the city no mitigation to the horrible alth and de- graded physical condition of this metropolis. In any other country, any ether government under heaven, we do verily believe that such a state of things would cause a revolution. Here: however, we are better natured. We wade pa- tiently through the mud when the weather is and look hopefully forward to its freezing up. When the warm weather comes on, and the bills of mortality begin to swell by hundreds per week, we stuff our noses into our pocket handkerchiefs, send wife and children to Long Branch or Saratoga, and trust to luck for taking us safely through the sum- Meanwhile, we cheerfully pay hun- dreds of thousands of dollars a year for cleaning the streets; and there you may see, all neatly entered on the Street Inspector’s books: that the streets all have been cleaned according to contract, and that everything is all right and tight. Meanwhile, we challeage proof that, in the portions of the city through which we have just taken you—faintly sketching the ‘state of things as we passed along—there is seen a scavenger ora cart onan average of once a month ; while, for the most part, the vilest and most abominable quarters, where the pestilence breeds and death lurks in every poisonous cave and corner, the mud ‘and obscene offal with which the streets are encumbered is not dis- turbed from one year’s end to another. How thawing, mer. long is all this to last ? general. which would adapt itself to all the conditions and requirements of the classes which it was intended to benefit, it became evident to reflect- ing minds that vast numbers would be exclud- ed from its advantages, unless some effort were made to reconcile its rules with the demands which the-daily necessities of life make upon the time and attention of the artizan. It was wisely resolved to give such comprehensive- ness to the system that not only would the children of the working classes, but the parents themselves be induced to benefit by it. By thus extending the scope of the origina! plan, there was ahigh moral purpose to be gained. The opportunity of intellectual culture and re- laxation afforded to the artizan after his day’s toil, would, it was hoped, have the effect of withdrawing him from the demoralizing as- sociations of the rum shop or shilling thea- tre. It was in fact the practical application of the theory enunciated by Sydney Smith, “that the true way to attack vice was to set up some- thing against it.” In this kpirit, and with these objects, the ex- perimeft of evening rehools was tried. It was hazarded with a good deal of doubt and hesita- tion, from the many objections that were raised againet it: but the results, as demonstrated in the document before us, have completely falsi- fied the predictions of those who endeavored to throw cold water upon the scheme. The expe- rience of the seven years during which they have been at work has shown not only the vast practical benefits that are to be derived from them, but their gradual extension proves that there is no limit to the system of utility in which their operations are carried on. The project was first acted upon by the Board in the winter of 1847-'48, with six schools, regis- tering 3,224 pupils, and an average attendance of 1,224, In the second year several new schools were added, and the number registered ‘was 6,796, with an average attendance of 2,190, The best ratio pf attendance was that of the first year, the propertion being as 1 to 2.63 of the registered number, whilst the lowest rate since the establishment of the schools was that of the second year, being only 1 to 3.18, Dar- ing the last two years the ratio of attendance has been better, that of the last term showing an average increase of six hundred over the term ifhmediately preceding. The total num- ber of schools under the care of the committee is now twenty-five, and in the term just closed there were registered, of male pupils 7,061, and of female, 2,252; at the colored male school 130; at the colored female school, 124. The whole number registered was 9.5 and the average attendance was 3,319, or 1 to 2.80 of the registered number. This is the best ave- rage, With the exception of the first term, which has been presented by any report. One of the most gratifying and important features in the working of these schools is the value which appears to be attached, even by adults, to the testimonials granted by the gom- We have now lying before us an interesting document emanating from the Board of Educa- tion, which in its facts and figures bears con- clusive testimony to the effective character of the system upon which our evening schools are based. Inthe annual report of the executive committee charged with the superintendence of this branch of the institution, we find a state- ment of educational results for the past year, which cannot fail to prove in the highest de- gree satisfactory not enly to the advocates of the system, but to the friends of humanity in In devising @ scheme of popalar education mittee to those pupils who distinguish them- selves by their proficiency and regularity of attendance. It proves that there is amongst the very poorest and most toilworn classes of the community more honorable ambition than they are usually given credit for, and that it only requires to be stimulated by proper incentives: to direct it towards objects that will advance: not only their meral, but material condition, That the reaction of this system upon society must be wide spread and beneficial, it is scarcely necessary for us to point out. It will not only contribute to diffuse the blessings of” education amongst all classes of our people, but. it will place the relations of the employer and the employed in more satisfactory position. The former will obtain in this diploma a moral guarantee for the good conduct and punctuality of bis workmen, whilst its possession will more readily throw open to the latter the avenues of industry. It is clear that the man who can exhibit such a proof ot his self-denial and anxiety for improvement will always obtain a preference over those who are too idle or too depraved to. profit by the advantages which these schools hold out to them, The nativities of the female pupils, of which a tabular statement is given in this report, present one curious feature which will be found some- what at war with prevailing prejudices. Of the different nations inscribed on the register, the Irish are the most numerous, exceeding even in this respect our own countrywomen. We recommend the fact to the attention of our “No Irish need apply ” advertisers, . We regret to find that. the number of female pupils bears sosmall a proportion to that of the males. Between the ages of 16 and 21, for in« stance, the proportion is only 658 females to- *2,756 males, or little better than one to four- The importance of attending to the mental cul- tivation of their female children, cannot be too- strongly impressed upon the working classes. It is one of the most powerful safeguards that they can set up against the vice and demorali-. zation by which they are surrounded. Napo- leon once said to Madame Campan: “The old: system of education is good for nothing. What- do young women stand in need of, to be well brought up inFrance?” “Of mothers,” answer ed that lady. “You are right,” replied the Emperor. . “Well Madam, let the French be in- debted to you for bringing up mothers to their children.” We would do well to profit by the- moral of the anecdote. Russian Privateers From Unirep States Porrs.—In an another part of our paper will be found an article from the Courrier des Etate Unis, respecting the supposed real objects of the visit of certain Russian officers to thig. country, which was announced in the Heraup- a short time since. It is broadly afirmg@@ that these agents, who arrived here ostensibly to- superintend the construction of some screw pro- pellers for the service of the Emperer, are in- reality engaged in making preparations for the armament of Russian privateers in the ports of the United States. Our contemporary appeara.- greatly alarmed for French commerce, ®ut we shall probably have something to say on the- wabject to-morrow that may have the effect of tranquilising his apprehensions, Whe Extradition Case THE PRISONBE ATTEMPTING TO BXTRADITE HIMSELF — 4 CHASE IN THE PARK. Alexander Heilbronn, whose extradition has been sought: by the British goverament, and whe, during the legal” proceedings which have been recently going on in the: courts, has been permitted to go at large attended by am. officer, made an attempt to escape yesterday morning. It appears that while with deputy officer Phillips, crossing the-- Park about 8 o’clock, they were met by Mr, Bastesd, the prisoner’s counsel, who told the Jatter that he wished to: bave a short priate conversation with Heilbronn, Officer. Phillips accordingly left them for a few moments, and . when he returned, he found@ha the prisoner was running towards Broadway. An exciting chase ensued, which was shortly joined in by Thompson and De Angelas, two depu- ties, whe at this moment luckily came up, and the former wucsesded in capturing Heilbronn. It should be remarked « here, that the Supreme Court have not yet decided in the case, and that it is the determination of the United State Marshal to send the prisoner off in the Pacific. HIS DEPARTURE BY THE PACIFIC., Heilbronn wes celivered yesterday into the hands of the English cfficials, on board the steamship Pacific which left this port at twelve o'clock. He was taken down to the pier foot of Canal street by the U. 3, Mar:ha?: and bis deputies. Some apprehensions were entertained. that an attempt would be made to resoue him; but there: was no distubance of apy kind, and although « consider- able number of persors were collected on the pier, there - ‘was not the slightest excitem: nt. Marine Affairs, ‘Tax EreamaniP Arnica —The efforts of the steam tugs, and other means used to float the Africa, have hitherto been unsnccessfal, and she remains in about the same position as Jast reported. Owing to this aecident she will not leave on Wednesday, her appointed sailng day, The steamship America will leave Boston on that day- {antead; contequently there will bene Earopean steamer- from New York until the departure of the Hermann next Saturday. Want of time prevented the America being brought around to take the Africa’s place from this olty. ‘Toe Currre Great Rervpiic—The Boston das saye that Cept. L. NcKay, formerly of theship Republic, hae bad an offer from a foreign houre to rebuild his ohipas a steam frigite, and would leave Boston om Saturday in the new clipper Lightning, for Liverpool, to make the meses tary arrangements . Theatres and Exhibitions. Bowmnry THsatks —The drama of ‘Uncle fom’s Uabis ? Commences the sixth week of its successfal ranon M evening, and it will be continued throughost the week. The performance of Uncle Tom, by T. D. Rios, is univer- sally admired, Broapway Trkaraw’—'' A Midsummer Night’s Dream ’* remeics on the billa of this house for the whole of this week It will be played ou Menday, in copjanction with bs 8 nesta The rpectacle part of the piece works m0 Borron’s Turataa —Shakepeare’s immortal comedy, “A Midsommer Night's Dream,” isto ee Monday evening, witn its great cast and all Mende!sohs ia a masterpiroe of National ThsstTes—"'Unsle Tom’s Cabin’ is to be con- bay Nae onan One this week. It will be on Mon: evening. lay afternoon, Mr. Gere’ mors] drome of “The Gambler’ ” ia the attraction. Wattack’s Tikarre —Mr. Game of Life,” 1« to be given on reqveatof many of {ta admirers. “A Soldier's Courtship,’ is to precede the comedy, Baanta’s Mcsscm.—The drama called ‘ Hot Corn’? is to be played on Monday afternoon, and in the eveaing the favorite piece, The Old Folks at Home,’’ Bota of these. pieces are by A J. Ccnway, & popular author Ia addi- tion to these performances, the various curiosities at the: Museum will be on exbibition day and evening, Broanway Mavacrair —The whole city is flocking to fee the Lilliputian Kirg. The little fellow weight than ae andis in perfect heslth. The Sismess ~ Twins, and many other curlonities, are also to be seen. SiGwox Butz will remain at the Stuyvesant Institute. orly ® week longer. His exhibitions of magic and vem iriloqpism are very interesting. Crusty’s MixerRes No 473 Broadway, are having crowded houses 'y wight, Several novelties are an- nounced fer this aad Moncay’s programme is fall of good things Woon's Mixsraeis —At this hall, 444 Broadway, on Mouday, e new opera, “Land Ber de Sham Money.” Aly the company appear in it, and something very rich is expecte The “Bohemian Girl,” a new burlesque, is iolbe givens oo Monday, by. the Bustiers react They have heretofore been highly sucessful, Personal Intelligence, James A. Benin, publisher he Boston Posl; Georges T. Coverly, Bortow, and «8 ‘hin, New Barwisk, wore ameng the arrivals yerterday at the Cooper House, " way DEPARTURES. For Liverpool. in rteams*ip Pacific—G H Hoppest. boarer: of diepatobes NL. J bi Horriok, Mr and Mrs W H King, N ¥, HA Gennes, N'Y; H antnon, de, B Desbeow, t Mt Ke o, N¥S st 5g see be Ho L rt ord, Bre erper, S i Lieut Robert Prisale KY; Win Alésidae, AY; Wis