The New York Herald Newspaper, December 18, 1855, Page 5

p 4 NEW YORK HERALD. | J4MEBS CORDON BE ur, FROPRISTOR a80 BOITOR SFIOB KR. W. CORNKE OF NASSAU OND FULTON OFS | AMUSEMENTS THIS BVENLNG. BROADWAY THEATRE, Browway Masam Raae~ Beaury anv THE SRAST—LOAN OF 4 Loven. FAULOS GARDEN, Broatway-Pous Loveut—Tuase mand Pas—MEDISA, wOWSHY THEATRE, Bowery—Love's Sscemmen—Loous Fa BOMGIAS ‘ SURTONWS THEATHR, Chamders streel-An Larvoner Pervy—F aise Paemexcns. WALLAOK’S THEATRE, Broad way—A Bow Srkomy roe A Burnanp—B anon FoR AN Houn. yond MINSTRALS, 44 Broadway-Brmeortas Pax LEYS BURLETQUE OPERA HOUSK, 58 Bread QI weap —BUALRSGON O1 EBA AND Necno MixsTaxisy. AQADEMY HALL, 663 Broodway—Brmiorias MomoAs AND rupee nBaN ExTuATALNMENTS. ‘Whe Cunard mail steamship America, Capt. Lang, will wave Boston on Wednesday, at noon, for Liverpool. The Kuropean mails will close in this city at » quarter & two o’cloek this afternoon, the Haw (printed in English and Freneb) will be prlished at ten w’elock in the moroing. Aing!e soples, tm Wroppers, nixpence. thubscriptions and advertisements fcr amy edition ef the ew Yors Hens will be received by the American and Raropean Express and Exchange Company at the tokowing 17 and 18 Cornhill. 8 Place dé Ia Bourse, . 7 Rumford street. will eanbrace the news received by mail aud telegraph at the office daring the previous week, and to the hour of pablioion, The News. Our despatches from Washington are interesting. Inthe Senate Mr. Foote presented a petition from Oaptain-Grahan, complaining of the action of the Naval Retiring Board. Mr. Foote took occasion to animadvert severely upon the course pursued by the Board—gross wrong had been inflicted on many meritorious officers. The petition was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. Notice was given ofa bill for the modification of the patent laws. In the House an exceedingly interesting discussion took place upon the Speakership. Three balottings were subsequently had, with the same result as previously. Pending a motion offered by Mr. Thorrington, black republican, of Iowa, to adopt the plurality rule, an adjournment was agreed to. The friends of Mr. Banks feel confident that the rule will be adopted, and that their favorite will be elected to-day. . The steamship Empire City arrived yesterday morning from Aspinwall. She brings more than a million of treasure, and the California mails to the 20th ult. ; also the mails from the South Pacific and 3 full complement of passengers. The intelligence from California has been anticipated by the North ern Light. Our New Granada files are dated at Panama and Aspinwall, December Sth. Very heavy rains pre- vailed on the Isthmus. A long expected cargo of ice had arrived at Panama. Senor Obando was still ‘on trial in Carthagena, and Senor Plata, Secretary of the Treasury, had resigned. The steamer Henry Wells had been snagged whilst running up the Magdalena river. It was said that the New Grana- @a Congress would soon entertain a motion for the abolition of the standing army, and the suppression of the office of Secretary of War. Bolivar’s birth- ay had been celebrated with great joy. The sea- gon at Bogota and anniversary of the independence ef the Isthmus, iad been duly observed. The rail- vead was in good order. From the South Pacific we have news dated at Valparaiso, October 31; Lima, November 10, and Psita, November 15. Three Peruvian war steamers, built in England—the Apurimac, Loa and Tombez— had arrived st Valparaiso. The republic of Chile, continued peaceful, and its resources were being ra- pidly developed by a contented people. There is hardly any political intelligence. An American had been caned by a native superintendent of a railway, bat afterwards knocked him down—a fact which ereated some excitement. The Coulino mole was quite finished, and vessels and steamers discharged there with great ease and despatch. The bank buildings were progressing rapidly—they are fixed on the rock on which the Arethusa was lost many years since. Manufactories were extending. From Liana we have a report that Arequipa and some of the southern cities of Peru had declared in favor of Gen. Vivanco. Mr. Compton, British consul at Islay, was dead. In Bolivia the Avila revolution had been put down, and the country was again quiet. Trade was much more brisk in Valparaiso. During the month of October Peru had exported twenty-eight thousand two hundred and seventy-two tons of guano. Our Callao correspondent, writing on November 10, Rives a heartrending account of some of the hor- rors incident to the Chinese labor slave trade. An American ship had recently arrived in port with a cargo of such miserable beings, and it was found that as many as two hundred and one of them had either died from sickness or committed suicide dar- ing the voyage. Four thousand persons had been earried off in the province of Pataz (Peru) by an epidemic clasved hy the physicians as a fever of a new type. The steamahip Cahawba, from Havana 12th inst., arrived last night. There was no news of import- ance. Our Havana correspondent, writing on the 0th, notices a grand religious celebration which took place in the church San Carlos, with a view of impressing more firmly on the public mind a belief im the doctrine of the immaculate conception. A three days’ pageant was closed, on Sunday, with cock fights, bull fights and military parades. News had been received from Mexico to the effect that Ruropean diplomats were steadily pursuing a course of action designed to add to the executive and poli- tical difficulties of that country. The sugar market was active. Freights were dull. Health of Havana good. Our correspondent at Caracoa, writing on the 19th alt., states that a dronght of two months’ duration had serionely affected the salt yield of the island. Vessels arriving from ports in Venezuela were sub- jected to quarantine in consequence of the preva- tence of cholera. The misunderstanding between ‘the merchants and the United States Consular Agent wlll continued. ‘Capt. Hutton, of the bark Clara Winsor, arrived yreterday from Port an Prince, informs us that the fever was still raging, particalarlg among the ship- ping. On board the ©. W., at one time, all hands were sick, and a seaman named John Shields, a native of Ireland, died. very vessel in port lost more or less men. The schooner Susan had lost two, schooners Leon and Excelsior two each, and the captain of the schooner Samuel Rankin had @ied. All the English and French vessels had lost two or three meneach. The Emperor Paustin 1. intended marching om the 9th inst., with bis entire army, against the Dominicans. He would first attack Lascapobas. and contemplated entering the city of St. Domingo on New Year's day. ‘The Board of Aldermen met last evening, and dis- posed of considerable routine business. Nothing of general importance was done. ‘The Board of Councilmen last evening adopted a revolution calling for an ordinance fixing the salary of Collector of Assessments and deputies. A commu- ication wae received from his Honor the Mayor re- fusing to concur with the Board in paying extra eempent\ion Ww detailed policemen in the Nine- tenth ward. All these matters will be found else- where. The sales of cotton yesterday embraced about 00 NEW YORK BqRALD TUESDAY DECEMBER 16, 1855 8 1,000 bales, without change in prices. fF loar was @ ver for inferner and commen grades, while sues Of of) Binds were moderate. There was more doing im wheat, while prices favored purchasers. Comm wos in fair demand, at Sde.a Me. for new mixed yellow and white; and at #7e. a 99}c. for old West- ern mixed from tore and delivered, Rye was tole- rably active, with pretty free males for export. Pork was doll, with moderate sales, at rather easier prices, Beef was heavy, without change of mor ment in quotations, while lard was firm, with «ales at fall prices, Coffee was firm, with small miles, Segere were Ormer, with sales of 700 a 800 hhds. Cuba museorndo, and about 900 a 1,000 boxes were wold on tervs stated in another column. Jn freights there war « fair amount of engogements, though for grain to Liverpool rater were rather easier. To Joudon aud the Continent they continued drm. Congrem=Thirtecnth Day—No Speaker Yet —A Presidential View of the Question Baplaing (he Squabbie. The proceedings in Congress yesterday were much tivelier, more diversitied, more interest- ing, fuonier, more exeiting and more exera- ciating than on any day since the commence- ment of this singular, inexplicable and mo- meptous triangular squabble for the Speaker of the Houre, We think, however, from the reneation which is rising among the contest- ing parties, that the issue is coming to a focus, and that it is possible that the plurality expe- dient, by some convenient ebuille of the cards, may yet be adopted before Christmas, as in 1849, Our views and suggestions of the last two weeks conceruing thir delicate, perplexing and important struggle for the Speaker, have beea amply sustaived by subseqnent events and movements at Washington. For example, we suggested that Weed, Webb and Greeley, of the negro fusionist lobby corps, were a dead weight to their party; and so they have proved to be. Weed, accordingly, left Washington the other day for the more genial climate of Albany, very much disgusted with the intract- able reprobates of the Fuller and Humphrey Marshall varieties. Greeley was called to account yesterday in the House, by Mr. Dunn, of Indiana, from whose testimony it appears that our Wourierite philosopher is regarded as but little better than a nuisance by the anti-Seward members of the anti-admin- istration majority. Gen. Webb, on the other hand, seems to keep unusually quie! ¢ n of his active habits of mind and iy be that he has not yet defir ded whether he is, or is to be, a blac a Know Nothing for 1856, and ix ing, “ Where am I to go?” Again: It will be seen that the House yes- terday infused an agreeable variety into their ordinary day’s work, by adopting our recom- mendation that the dull, dry voting for the Speaker be suspended for a time, and that they proceed to discuss the subject with a view to the enlightenment of each other and the coun- try in relation to the ugly snarl of parties and factions which Mus tied them up, just as the in- fatuated Samson was tied up and betrayed through the blandishments of the infamous De- lilah. We must confess, too, that our recorded discussion of yesterday is in many respects more valuable than all the ballotings which they have had for Speaker put together. We apprehend that the motion of Mr. Mc- Mullen, of Virginia, (dem.,) that a pro tempore Speaker he elected, that the regular appropria- tion bills be passed, and that all the members of the House shall then resign their seats and return home for another trial before the people absurd as the proposition appears npon its face touches, point blonk, the great difficulty which lies at the bottom of all this business, to wit: the importance of this House and the Speaker ship in reference to the next Presidency. Letus state the case. The Presidential con- test of 1856 may be a scrub race—the three candidates, democratic, Know Nothing and black republican, (neither having a majority of the Electoral Colleges,) may be carried into this House of Representatives for a decision. In view of this*contingency, and the three parties as they stand in the House, the Speaker now to be elected may have a most important and influential part to play in bringing about the final result. He may, by his decisions upon points of order, questions of precedence, &c., either prolong or shorten the contest in the House, as may best subserve the interests of his own party, to say nothing of the possi- ble contingency in which the Speaker him- self may become the President of the United States. Furthermore, in the appointment of the standing and special committees of the body, he will be immediately invested with o very great power in the shaping and directing the legislation of this session in reference to the Presidential campaign. Thus he may soft- en or inflame the slavery agitation, as the in- terests of his party may require; and so with regard to a)] the other issues which will enter into the Presidential canvase, and divide the maszes of the people in the election. Then, again, the House Clerk of this Con- gress, with the unlimited franking privilege, powers and perquisites of this officer, and the Printer of the House, with his net profits amounting toa princely fortune in a single year, will be most valuable Presidential ac- cessories to the party that may secure these functionaries on this occasion. The Clerk can save thousands upon thousands of dollars to the central club of his party in the franking of their electioneering pamphlets, papers and speeches; and the Printer will, of course, be able to contribute a liberal per centage from his liberal share ofthe plunder, for the good of the cause and the continuation of his offi- cial services in the next Congress. These considerations are sufficient to show that this contest for the Speaker’s chair is the beginning of the struggle for the White House, and that these partizan divisions upon Banks, Richardson and Fuller are something more than personal or temporary distractions, involving, in fact, the active opening of the battle for the Presidency between the demo cratic party, the national Know Nothings and the black republicans. We entertain, then, neither surprise nor disappointment concern- ing thisdelay in the election of a Speaker, though for the sake of the President and his message, (which is fast getting cold,) and for the sake of the members and their mileage, (which they will need for their New Year's expentes,) we do hope they will, by some com- promise, dodge or circumlocution, give us a Speaker, white, black or brown, before the end of the week. Let Greeley follow the example of Master Weed, and let General Webb continue modest, quict and passive, and we guess the thing can be done. The first question to-day is the mo- tion of Mr. Thorington (Banks man) for a plu- rality election. isan or { inguir- Central Americem awaira—The Condition of the State, and their Relations. Recent evrets in Central America have awakened ba the United States a deep interest in the territory embraced in the States of Nica- Tagua, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras ond Sen Salvador, Oar design, at this time, is to Bive a condensed statement of the affairs of these republics, and their relations to each other and to foreign Powers, ‘The territory of Central America lies be- tween the eighth and sixteenth parallels north latitude and Mexico,on its northern border, the Caribbean Sea on the enet, the Pacific Ocean on the west, and New Granada on the touth. Its climate is mild and healthfal. Its mineral and agricultural wealth, is said to be unbounded. Ite population, estimated at two millions, is about one-twelfth whites, four- welfths mixed races, aod seven-twelfths In- dions, In 1503 it was taken for Spain by an agent of Cortez, and in 1821 it was formed into an independent republic. The confederation embraced the five States above mentioned, and the following table gives the statistice:— Whites, Ladinost 100,000 150,000 70,000 200,000 60,000 200,000 110,000 220,000 125,000 - 20.000 10,000 605 1,900,000 685,000 475,000 740,000 white fathers and Indian mothers, aud There was a dissolution of this union in 1839, and in 1842 a treaty of confederation between Guatemala, Honduras, San Salvador and Nicaragna, and Gen, Rivera Paz was ele- vated to the Presidency. In 1845 there was an uusuccessful attempt at revolt against Carrera, a balf breed, who had been elected Captain- General, and war broke out between Honduras and San Salvador. The last named State soon aiter made a treaty of alliance with Guatema- la, and a congress was held to settle the difli- culties between the States. It was unsuc- cessful. Guatemala (in 1844) withdrew, and Carrera has since been hostile to the other States, although his time has been pretty well taken up in chastising the Indians in his terri- tory. They are very troublesome. * Honduras, San Salvador and Nicaragua have generally diy. Costa Rica is very much under lish domination. Guatemala, the largest, wealthiest and most populous of the Central American States, joins Mexico on the north and Honduras on the south. We find the population variously esti- mated, but think the above table nearly cor- rect. There are only seven or eight thousand whites; the remainder are natives, or mixed races, Its principal source of prosperity is the cochineal trade, but it exports silver, maho- gany, &c., to the amount of a million yearly. Its imports are about the same. Its exterior debt, generally in bonds held in England, is $400,000—interior, $800,000. It has a stand- ing army of one thousand men, and a militia force of five thousand. Its government, ac- cording to the new constitution adopted in 1851, is vested in a President and Legislative Assembly (fifty-nine deputies). The judges and archbishop sit in the Assembly, which elects the President once in four years. Ra- phael Carrera, the present President, is of mixed Indian and Spanish blood, and is said to be a military despot. He is a good soldier and a etern ruler. He was a great friend of Santa Anna, and is terribly prejudiced against the North Americans. His sympathies were entirely with the aristocratic party in Nicara- gua, and he was preparing to march to their aid when the democrats under Walker took Granada and ended the war. He has, how- ever, succeeded in subjugating the party op- posed to him in Honduras, and given that republic a President of his own choosing. Car- rera is the worst enemy in the way of the pre- sent government of Nicaragua. San Salvador is south of Guatemala, north of Nicaragua, and west of Honduras, It is the smallest of the States, is divided into five departments, and has a trade nearly equal to that of Guatemala. Its government is vested in a President and Legislature—twenty-five members, This isa quietand peaceable little State, and was for some time mediator be- tween Guatemala and Honduras ; but finding the task a hopeless one, it was dropped, and the authorities have since been engaged in the more pleasing and profitable duty of attending to their own affairs. Honduras has Guatemala on the north, San Salvador and Nicaragua on the west and Costa Rica on the south. It has extensive mi- neral and agricultural resources. Its govern- ment is vested in a President elected by the Legislature, which consists of two chambers. General Trinidad Cabanas was chosen Presi- dent in 1852, but he was recently ousted by Guatemalian troops,who named General Lindo President. The fate of Cabanas is unknown at present. The trade of Honduras in mahoga- ny, hides, &c., is very valuable; but on account of the disturbed state of politics it has been nearly all monopolised by the English, who 03- cupy a tract in the north called British Hon- duras or Belize. The English government has also attempted to possess the Ruatan Islands in the Bay of Honduras, and this weak repub lic bas thus been in danger of extinction, be- ing bullied on one side by England and on the other by Guatemala; and having only the little State of San Salvador for its ally. An attempt has been made to build up Honduras by a railway to run across the Isthmus of Te- huantepec, This is purely a North American speculation. The road will be one hundred and twenty-five miles in length, and will con- nect the Bay of Honduras on the Atlantic side with Fonseca on the Pacitic. The charter by the government of Honduras gives the com- pany the right of way on each side of the line of the road for two hundred yards—the exclu. sive right for seventy years—a grant of 1,250,000 acres of public land. The company agrees to finish the road in cight years, to carry the mails for one-third of the postage and to pay the State one dollar for each passonger. The Honduras railway willbe the best com- munication with the Pacific, as it has good ports on both sides, and several hundred miles north of Panama, The surveys have been complet- ed and the construction of the road will soon be commenced. Nicaragua has the Atlantic on one side and the Pacific om the other. Honduras joins it on the north and Costa Rica on the south. Its government is a Legislature and an executive officer, called Supreme Director. General Chomorro was elected to this office in 1851, for two years. There had been two parties con- tending for supremacy in the State since 1838, The constitution then adopted was liberal, bug it wos set aside by the Chomorro or aristocra- tie party, who desired to remove the election of President entirely from the people, give him the power of a dictator, and otherwise make laws ofensive to the democratic party. The Jeader of the democrats was Don Patricio Ri- vas, He found himself in a peculiarly deli- cate position, The democrats were able to maintain their position if not pat down by outside interference. That interference was likely to ensue from Guatemala, One Guar- #iola, a partisan of the Chomorro party, suc- ceeded in gaining the aid of Carrera. The democrats then invited Walker and his friends in Califorvia to assist them, and sent a blank commiteion of Commander-in-Chief, to be filled up with any name they saw fit. Mr. Walker was considered the best man for the place, and the departure of bis battalion—~its success in Nicaragua—the capture of Granada—the for- mation of # provisional government, with Ri- yas at its bead, are weil known to our readers. Nicardgua isa country of immense-value in many respects. It is a depot for a large amount of property owned by citizens of the United States, and two of its ports are occupied almost entirely by Californians in transit. Mr. H. L. Kioney bas set up a colony near Grey- town; it is composed of North American citi- zens, and is daily receiving accessions. Large numbers of North Americans are preparing to join Walker’s standard, in disregard of the proclamation of the President of the United States, Nicaragua is now menaced by a fresh invasion from Guatemala, and Guardiola is busy in intriguing against the new govera- ment, which, although popular, is only an ex- periment so far. It is the desire of the demo- cratic party to bring about a union between Honduras, San Salvador and Nicaragua. A pewerful nation would thus arise, and Carrera could be wiped out, if necessary. Central America, or the larger part of it, will, if this government is firmly established, become as entirely North American 98 the State of New York; and will, no doubt, some fine day ask for admiesion as a member of the Federal Union. ” Costa Rica is the southernmost State of Cen tral America. It is one of the smallest in ter- ritory, but the richest in resources. It has been at peace many years, and its people are represented as being industrious and quiet citizens. {ts chief reliance is the coffee crop, and the exports of this article amount to four thousand tons annually. Its present govern- ment was established in 1823, The State is divided into six departments, each of which elects two deputies to the Legislature. The executive consists of a President, Don Raphael Mora, and a Vice-President, Creamuno, elected for six years. The present administration is believed to be in favor of the British govern- ment, whose agents are continually intriguing inall the Central American republics. The Nicaragua route across the Isthmus rans along the frontier of Césta Rica, The British possessions in Central America include British Honduras, the Bay Islands, otherwise called Ruatan, and the tract call- ed Mosquitia, These possessions really be- long to Honduras and Nicaragua, and the British government holds them in defiance of the treaty signed at Washington five years ago, and commonly called the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, which contains the followiug stipula- tion:— Neither Power should occupy, or fortify or colonize, or assume, or exercise any dominion over earagua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast, or any part of Central America; nor should either make use of any protection which either affords or may afford, or any alliance which either has or may have to or with any r State or eof, fr the purpose of erecting or maintaining any such fortifica- by] or of occupying, fortifying or coloniaing Costa Rica, ‘the Mosquito coast, or any part of Central America, or of assuming or exercising lon over the same. In defiance of this, the government of Great Britain holds the territory above named as absolutely as it controls the city of London, and its agents, as we are informed, are rapidly obtaining 4 dangerous preponderance in Costa Rica. We have thus endeavored to give the plain facts, in order to show the importance of the question which is now before the executive of the United States, and which will shortly come before Congress. We desire that the people should understand the matter and then Con- grees must follow. The popular voice is above treaties, and tape, and diplomacy, and Con- gresses, and Presidents, and humbugs general- ly. It is of the highest importance that our government should meet this question withont fear and without prejudice. The regularly ac- eredited Minister of Nicaragua is now in Washington, and has strong claims upon ‘the United States. Itis for the mercantile inte- rest of this republic that good government should be maintained in Nicaragua. Peace reigns within the borders of that country for the first time in many years. But its prosperi- ty is menaced by foes from without and ene- mies within. It asks for the countenance and friendship of the great Republic of the North, and it seems to us, in the present state of things, that the most rigid conservatism could not refuse to grant so proper a request. If we do not take a step in the right direction now, some of us may live to see the best part of Central America erected into an English colony and our Figget of way to the Pacific die- puted by the Britieh government, Tur Frexcu Soctauists IN Tun Wesr—We publish to-day a translation, somewhat abridg- ed, of Citizen Cabet’s last half-yearly report as President,of the Icarian Community at Nauvoo, Tilinois, to the General Assembly of that socie- ty. It narrates all the leading facts in connec- tion with the origin, formation and deve- lopement of that socialist philosopher's great scheme for making mankind happy, by abol- ishing wealth and poverty, by renouncing eve- ry thing like individual property, and by hav- ing communities live in the equal enjoyment of the goods of the whole. It is based on ex- actly the same principle as those Fourierite phalanxes were, which, some ten or twelve years ago sprung into existance all over the country, and the lsst and longest lived of which ehufied off the coil a few months since, in Monmouth county, New Jersey. This icarian Community dates from 1847, It was founded under the auspices, and was car- ried on under the dictatorial sway, of Mr. Ca- bet, who had previously gained much notorie- ty as a socialist writer in France. And itisa somewhat remarkable admission which that gentleman makes in the outeet of the report— that he would not have entered on the experi. ment if he had not been invested with dictato- rial powers over it for ten years. {t is a satire upon the motto of “Liberty, Equality, Frater- nity,” which they adopt. As it was, he does uot seem to be impressed with the conviction that he has made good in practice what looked +o very fine and plausi- ble in theory. The introduction to his repor, Barbor and Charleston, he survéy of Port Royal Bar and berber. up to the town of Beaufort, was com by Lieut. Maflit during the last season. ' The following ia *Tenteant atrene ee ake ee Davideon, 5. B. Luce, R. Chant aries Cushman. Hil, J, C. Anderson, J. Under: nd C. Collier, The Lieutenant Maiitt above mentioned ig the officer who served so creditably in various ecientific explorations under the orders of Lieutenant Bache, and whose retirement on furlough, for what reason we know not, was decided on by the Board. The Charleston Chamber of Commerve, which had had frequeat. opportunitfes of appreciating his services, pro- tested loudly agaiust that decision, and the ne-, cessities of the service, as will be seen by the above extraci, have compelled the department to reappoint him to active duty. What sort of justice is this, we repeat, which disgraces » valuable and eflivient servant, by placing hiny in the same category with men who have been retired for professional or moral incompe- tency? But as we bave already said, a great many of the decisions of the Board are of the same char- acter. Tosum them up briefly, men have been removed from active service against whom not only no charge of want of professional capy. bility can be brought, but whose conduct in private life will stand the testof the most rigid investigation. Able officers, unexoeptionable heads of families, and strict members of the church, they have been placed in the sam@ black list with men whose moral qualities werg not only below par, but whose professionak characters had been frequently visited with the censure of the department, In such a state of things, nothing will nom satisfy the country but the publication of the evidence, minutes, or whatever it may be called, on which the report of the Board is founded It will not be tolerated ina free government like this, that the characters and fortunes of men ghall be thns recklessly and despotically sacrificed to the professional jealousies or ant tipathies of the members of a secret and irre? sponsible tribunal, whose constitution is foreign to the spirit of our institutions, and whose de crees are at variance with the principles of jus tice and common sense. In fairness to the impartial and conscientious members of the Board who are understood to have voted against these decisions, its proceedings should be exposed to the fullest and most searching inquiry. These gentlemen naturally shrink from the unenviable notoriety which will give to this famous Council of Fifteen almost ag prominent a place in the annals of oligarchica} tyranny as that of its deservedly execrated prototype of Venice. To justify the reversal of its decisions, no such evidence is necessary, Enough has already transpired to convince the country that great wrong and crying injustice have been perpetrated. To allow such griev- ances to go upredressed, would reflect eternal disgrace upon our republican institutions, is not very encouraging for socialistic experi- meats. He declates frankly that he is not content with the condition of things in the community, but is wearied, suffering, longing for rest, and is retained at his post merely through a sentiment of duty. He avows him- relf desirous of making « clean breast of it, of acknowledging—it may be supposed—the impracticability of the sch:me, and of con- tessing everything, in consideration of the in- terests of the race. The facts which he narrates are in them- selves eloquent in demonstrating the fallacy of the principles of communism. Schisms, differ- ences of opinion, want of unanimity, and jea- lousy, perhaps, of his despotic power, helped to thin the community. Disease, hardship, and sufferings in every form, contributed to the same end. Up to the 19th of December, 1848, the number of Icarians who had joined the community was 498, The propagandism which was kept up in Paris recruited their ranks largely, though up to what figure Mr. Cabet does not inform us; and yet, after the lapse of seven years, the colony on the Ist of January, 1855, oply numbered 452 members, Again: the sums expended in the first year or two amount to over $50,000, and from 1852 to 1855 —when we again get the figures—to $30,000. What the material wealth of the colony was at the period of this report there is no esti- mate of, but its means are confessedly small. Now, who can doubt that if these large amounts had been at that time shared in equal proportion among the heads of the Icarian fami- lies, and if they had had the faculty of using this capita) for their individual profit, and had used i¢ as industrious, practical men would, that the aggregate wealth of the whole would not be at this time, twenty, fifty, or a hundred times greater than that possessed by the com- munity! There isno doubt of the fact; and one of the most ineurmountable obstacles to profitable associativn is that men can never be got to act for a community with half the in- terest or zeal that they will act each for him- self. Selfichness is, ia that view, one of the most useful attributes of the human mind, and to ignore its operation is simply ridiculous, Mr. Cabet promises to go to Congress this session for the purpose of urging his petition for @ grant of 160,000 acres of lund, or for the sale of it on accommodating terms; but he might as well stay at home. We have too many practical, common sense, industrious, thrifty and economical individuals in the coun- try, who want the land, and who can use it to their own and their country’s good, for Con- gress to throw it away on any community of impractical socialists. Meanwhile read the re- port. Our American Coancil of Fitteen—Its Claims to Immortality. Since the decisions of the Naval Board have been made public, we have been inundated with certificates of meritorious services and autobiographical sketches from the oificers af- fected by them,.to show the injustice and harshness with wnich they have been treated. Some of these cases, we need not say, fall short of the alleged amount of grievance; but a larger part of them, unhappily, furnish strong grounds for the charges of recklessness, par- tiality and indifference to the interests of the service which have been preferred against the board. We do not atate thislightly, because a careful investigation of the merits of each case, # thorough acquaintance with the history of our navy during the brief but eventful period of its existence, and a particular knowledge of many of the facts brought under our notice by the aggrieved officers, afford us, to say the least of it, as convincing a body of testimony as that by which the board was guided to its conclusions. When we keep in view the pro- fessed objects of the bill under the au- thority of which this commission was issued, and compare with them the results achieved by its labors, we cannot help expressing our astonishment that fifteen respectable offi- cers should be content to hazard their profes sional reputations and personal popularity on & document like that to which they have affixed their signatures. There never has yet been an instance, we will venture to say, in which such important and solemn interests have been dis- posed of with so much indecent haste, indiffer- ence to established facts and utter absence of generous feeling as were displayed in this in- vestigation. The superficial, unsatisfactory and illegal character of the testimony on which the Board had to carry on its inquiries, should have rendered its members all the more con- scientious and careful in the discharge of their duties, Instead of that, we find that it only afforded them a pretext for hurrying through their task with as little trouble as possible. The incredibly short time consumed in the investi- gation of each case would be in itself conclu- sive evidence that they made exceedingly light of the grave and solemn responsibility imposed upon them by the country. The value of the decisions thus rendered has been impeached not only by the aggrieved parties and their friends, but by the sterner evidence of the public necessities. It is no ill founded sympathy, or too compassionate a tenderness, that speaks for the sufferers, but it is the fact now d@mily made manifest that the country cannot do without their services. We will not lay any strese on the ungrateful fea- ture which in more instances than one, marked the sittings of the board, namely: that at the very moment they were deciding upon the diagrace of some meritorious officer, that very individual was rendering important services to the nation. We will not in particular dwell upon the case of that gallant young officer who was fighting the battles of his country in the Chinese sens, just at the very time when his censors and judges were determining upon his removal from active service. There are other incidents which belong to what Mr. Grad- grind would call “the domain of hard facts” that render unnecessary arguments that might be looked upon as merely of an ad caplandum character. The renomination by the President of a few old and deserving officers like Commodore Stewart is regarded by many rather as an acknowledgment of past than of present effi- ciency; but other cases are daily transpiring which cannot be viewed in that light. No wholesale act of injustice can be perpetrated against a large body of men without its folly and its inconveniences being immediately felt. This rule was never so manifest as in the work- ing of the new order of things created by the action of the Naval Board. Let us take, by way of illustration, the following announce ment from the Charleston Mercury of Dec. 11;— 4s, AUSSIE teu ateaog or the sesoowers Outen: tat, tin and Bancroft, are now engaged in the survey of St. Helena Par, and the off shore soundings between thay Tux New Reservom Case.--We are inform: ed that the report of the Commissioners in the case of the property owners against the city in the matter of the new reservoir, has been finish- ed and handed into the office of the Counsel to the Corporation, The matter will be placed before the Supreme Court at an early day. ———e THE LATEST NEWS. BY ELECTRIC AND PRINTING TELEGRAPHS, The Democratic Soft Shell State Conventions Atpayy, Dec. 17, 1855. The Democratic Soft Shell State Convention at Syracuse is called for the 10th of January, instead of the &th, as at first announced. Wlsconsin State Election. Mirwavnig, Dec. 17, 1855. The State Board of Canvassers at Madison, to-day, deelared Barstow, democrat, re-elected Governor of Wis- consin by one hundred and fifty-nine majority. There is much excitement concerning it, and his election wil} be contested. ————_—_____. United States Supreme Court. ‘Wasuwrotoy, Dec. 17, 1865, No, 21.—Wm. T. Minter et al., plaintiffs, vs. Charles Crommelin, The case was argued by Mr. Phillips for plaintiffs and Mr. Bradley for defendants, No, 22.—Jacob Kissell, plaintiffs, vs. the President and Directors of the St. Louis Publis Schools, Argument wag commenced by Mr. Lawrence for plaintiff. Southern Mail Failure. Bacrimore, Dec. 17, 1856, We have no mail to-night south of Richmond, Va. Arrival of the Knorville at Savannah, Savannan, Dec. 15, 1855. The steamship Knoxville arrived here in sixty hourd. from New York. ° Markets, FOULAUELYEIA 01 STOCK BOARD. DELPHLA, Dec. 17, 1855. Stocks firm. We quote Pennay vania state Fives at 84; Reading Railroad, 4615; Long Island Railroad, 124;; More ris Canal, 1245; Pennaytvanie Railroad, 48%. New Cette 12, 1855, The sales of cotton to-day Rae: ie bales Prices have declined ‘ye. We quote ing at Bc. a 8%c. Flour $8 50 per bbl. Sterling exchange 84 per cent premium. New Ontxans, Dec. 18, 1856. Our cotton market fs w in To- age hove T1000 bale every respect, _=[—E=— ite The Native American party ef Mississippi will hold @ State convention in the city of Jackson, on Thursday, January 17. The Know Nothing State Council of Ohio is summoned to meet in Cincinnati on the 2d of January next. The Georgia Democratic and anti Know Nothing State Convention will be held in Milledgeville, on the 15th of January next, to appoint delegates to the Cincinnati Na- tional Convention. The Democratic State Convention of Florida for the ap~ pointment of delegates to the Cincinnati Convention, will be held in Madison on the 16th of April next. The Know Nothing State Convention of Connecticut i@ to assemble at New Haven on the 10th of January to nominate State officers. The American Party State Convention of Texas will ba held in Austin on the 21st of January. The New York Soft Shell Democratic State Convention will be held at Syracuse on the 10th of January. ‘The Democratic State Convention of Tenmessee will be held in the city of Nashville on the Sth of January. The Illinois Demoeratie State Convention will be held in Springfield on the first day of May next. The Know Nothing State Council of Kentucky will be held in Frankfort on the 204 ot January next. Berton’s THRATRE.—A new piece, of French origin, but lately translated and adapted for the London stage, wat presented last evening. The plot turna upon the adven- ures of Mr. John Smith, who has a bad habit of falling p love with every lady he meets and making imperti- nent advances. The incidents are very alight and hardly worth repeating. The piece was saved by the clever act- ing of Mr. George Jordan, who played the hero witts much spirit and vivacity. At the fall of the curtain Mr. Jordan was called out and Jannounced the piese for reps: ‘ition, Our Nebraska Correspondence. Fort Pinxan, N. T., Oct. 19, 1866. Military MovementemGeneral Harney't Command—Seenery ot Port Pierre—The Decotah Indians. Harney is here with four companies of the 2d Dragoons, and four companies of the #th Infantry, in addition to our regular garrison, making in all fourteen companies, when we have not quarters for more than six, and no stables whatever. There’s no telling what his plans are yet. Some say the General and his staff, escorted by the Dragoons, will leave in a few days for St, Lows, rather than subject himself to the severity of a winter here, Others say we are in for a campaign this winter ip the