The New York Herald Newspaper, December 24, 1855, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPR EXOK AND SDITOR. MOPIOE X. W. CORNER OF NASEAU AND FULTON 87S. TERMB, cash in atoance, $7 per annum. ,, at 04 conte per per annum, to 1 Continent, both taining import used wilt be Csionne XX., ;MUSKMENTS THIS RVEMING. AROADWAY THEATRE, Srosdway- Po Pan snp Back rom £5. a OnaRuine— SIBLO'S GARDEN, BY Mvs5—NEDINA BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery—Tax Cur Boy or tue Day DOCK EQUESTRIAN ISM BURTON'S TORATES, 0 Sovenvon—Fatse ues WALLACK’S THREAT a Wus Taxan’s 4 War Broadway—Gope sx -Tuw Ise oF bers stzeet—Tne Ow Doron Broadway—Watre Tnenr’s HON-TAS~THR Smower, LAURA KEENE’S VARIETIE: Piay at raat Gawe—Parsce On. WOOD'S MINGTRALS, 44 Broadway Srmioruas Pes POT ANCES. Broadway—Two Cis NO. SUCKLEY’S PORLESQUE OPFRA HOUSE, 139 Broad- way —Buuiesqvn OvERs AND NwGKO MINSTRELEY, AOADEMY HALL. 653 Rroadway—Xrm0r1am MUSICAL AND MBUPACHORAAN ENTHRTAINMENTS. NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, D¥CEMBER 24, 1856. i i lt CR ALLL LLL LLL LLL LA CCL ET ‘been passed, Rev. Charles S. Deems, D. C., of Green- boro’, N. C., rose and charged Rev. Wm. A. Smith, President of Macon College, with “ falsehood,” “immorality” and “slander” towards him, (Dr, Deems,) a8 specilied in six counts, Testimony was taken for five days, and over fourteen hours were spent in summing up for the prosecution ard defence, during which time the +pecta- tore were edified with an amount of legal and | theological argument and a display of clerical per- sonal tilting not unworthy of the days of Hildebrand himeelf, Reverend Dr. Smith was acquiited, and u about preferring charges against Dr. Deems, bu 1to come up tocall. The friends of both gentlemen were overjoyed, and they were presented with walking canes, Bibles and silver pitchers, sufficient to setup a small trader here at the North, It was the slavery question which stirred up the fracas. Rhe Next Presidency—Principles and Mea- sures Involved in the Next Contest. While politicians are laying adroit plans and arranging programmes—trimming the ship and setting the sails to meet the popular cur- rents—the people of the United States are quietly settling upon great principles and measures by which they will be guided in the next contest for the Presidency. First-—-Tbe Union against agitators and abo- littonists, Second-—The progress of the country by the annexation of Cuba, Mexico and Central Ame- rica. Third—The building up of a great navaland commercial power. News for the Pactfic, ‘The rteamship Northern Light, Capt. Tinklepaugh, #i) ‘ave this port this afternoon, st 3 e’clocir, for Puata buenas. cus New Yous Oeraty—Oalifornia edition—contain- ing all the latcet news by mail and telograph from all yorte ef the world, will be published at eleven o'clock iow morning. Agents will please eond in their orders v« early as porsibie. The News. pecial despatches from Washington give the d speculations with reference to the Speakership. After three weeks of voting, de- bating, caucusing and attempted dragooning, there appears just a dim prospect that an organization may be effected to-day, by the national Know Nothings dropping Mr. Fuller and the administra- tion men throwing overboard Mr. Richardson, and both parties uniting upon some democrat who is un- committed to the Congressional anti-American plat- form adopted by the inflexible “ seventy-four.” On the other hand, the black republicans confidently ex- pect that the stringency in the money market, and the known influence of “blue Monday” upon cer- tain weak headed individuals, will place them in a majority. Such being the state of affairs, there is, therefore, as we said before, just a dim prospect that an organization may be effected to-day. We publish this morning an account of the detec tion of a secret filibustering movement against the State of Nicaragua, which has been in progress for some weeks past in this city. It appears, so far as the circumstances have transpired, that over three hundred men were already enlisted for six months’ fervice in that country, for which they were to re- ceive pay at the rate of twenty-five dollars a month, and at the expiration of the term a grant of two hundred and fifty acres of land. The whole force were to rail to-day for their destination in* the steamship Northern Light, which was also to con. vey a large quantity of munitions of war to the belli- gerents under Colonel Walker. Information of the whole affair was given to the United States District Attorney, Mr. McKeon, who has taken the necessary steps to prevent the departure of the men; but it still remains to be seen if he can detain the vessel. The Nicaragua Transit Company, it seems, are deeply inte- rested in the matter, and had furnished each member of the purty with a free ticket to San Juan, and their counsel, Mr. Joseph L. White, was ad- dressed in a written communication by the District Attorney, who, we urderstand, has sent on to the President for instructions as to how he shall act in the case. Until he receives these he cannot inter fere in any way, either to detain the steamer or prevent the men from leaving. Oar accounts from Kansas confirm the reports, heretofore received, of the triumph of law and the restoration of tranquillity in that Territory, if it can be said that each a thing as tranquillity was ever known there. The rebellious spirit fomented by the abolitionists has been effectually quelled, and with. out the interposition of any other authority than that found in the laws of the Territory. There are con- flicting statements going the rounds as to the terms of the surrender of the abolitionists at Lawrence, but the facts are well authenticated that the belli. gerent forces have been disbanded and hostilities have ceared, for a time at least. This is an impor- tant result. The point gained is, the execution of the laws of Kansas upon the persons who had set those laws and the government at defiance. Our report of the proceedings at the New England Festival on Saturday night, at the Astor House, will ‘be read with interest. It will be seen that President Pierce, Governor Clark aud the Press, were rather shabbily treated, the two former in being passed over incontemptnous silence by the company ,and the latter in not being mentioned at all in the regular toasts. A strong auti-Know Nothing speech was made by Richard O'Gorman, President of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, which was loudly ap- planded by the New Englanders. General Nye made a semi-abolition speech. Hon. George Ashmun, of Marsachusetts, and Hon. A. T. Hazard, of Connecti- cut, also spcke. There was a good deal of the juice of the grape and very little of the juiee of the pamp used on the occasion, and altogether the affair was Pleasant, piquant nd profitable, to all concerned See the report. Mr. Pliny Miles sends us another valuable commn- nication on the subject of our postal anomalies, which we publish to-day. This letter has reference to the absurd scale of rates now charged for the carriage of printed matter by mail, and the extraor- dinary and scarcely to be understood difference which is made in the postage fixed for publications of equal weight, on account of the period at which they appear, viz., monthly, quarterly, or anuually. ‘The destination is also a cause of dissimilar charge, as is the fact whether they contain advertisements or not. Mr. Miles ably advocates the “uniformity postage system” of Mr. Rowland Hill. The value of foreign goods imported into the port of B ston during the week ending 22d inst., amount ed to $646,232, Sales of cotton on Saturday reached abont 1,000 a 1,200 bales, the market closing firm. Flour closed with firmer feeling, and at about $5 25 for common State. Howard street sold at $9, and Ohio extva at $8 50 a $5 57). Wheat wag without change of moment, while sales were moderate. Among the transac- tions were 4,000 bushels Canadian white at pri- vate terms. Corn was dull and lower, and Western mixed at Yic.a vie. Rye was steady, with a good export demand. Pork was sold chiefly at $20 for mess, with light transactions. Beef was inactive. Lard was unchanged. Coffee was firm, with light sales. The inclemency of the weather checked sales in seagate, which, however, continued firm. Molasses were also in good demand, both on the «pot and to arrive. A purebase was 0 avvive at 8c. Freights were steady, with ate engagements. mic From Petersburg (Ve.) we bave a moat graphi and interesting report of the proceedings of the Con- ference of the Methodist Fpiscopal Charch, lately held im that city, at which one hundred and twenty- fire clergymen attended, aid about one thousand ja ties and gentleman were present. Afler the usual ebnte 12 the memory of deceared elereymen bad | Fourth—The restoration of a constitutional, uniform currency. Fifth—The re-organization of the tariff, 80 as to give permanency to foreign trade and home rmoanufactures, , Sixth—The final overthrow of every species of faction, and the enforcement of the consti- tution, as the only chart of our existence as a nation. If the last two years have not been enough to show how utterly demoralizing and paraly- tic are the results of domestic agitations on the subject of slavery—if they have not served to ex- hibit how, by their influence, the government has been weakened—how it has been disgraced —how it hasbeen made the plaything of foreiga diplomacy—how it has alike distracted oar councils of legislation, weakened the executive arm, introduced into our entire political sys- tem the elements of anarchy—how it has ar- rayed section against section, impaired the pub- lic confidence, and caused distrust and suspicion by one department against another—if these fruits are not enough to teach the people the folly and madness of further agitations, and of the great necessity of returning to the Federal Constitution as the guide of our ac- tions, then experience is thrown away and national morality and wisdom are utterly de- throned. Under the impetus given to anarchy in 1854 by the abolitionists, effected on account of the repeal of the Missouri compromiece and the pas- sage of the Territorial laws, the present lead- ers of faction were enabled to gain Congres- sional control over thirteen States of the Union—States having one hundred and thirty- three members of Congress—a decided majori- ty of the popular branch of the national legis- lature. Since that time the excitements grow- ing out of the Kansas measures having sub- sided, the popular verdicts of the following Statee have been set aside, and not only new trials granted, but a total renewal of judgment awarded :—New York, Pennsylvania, Maine, New Jersey, Indiana and Wisconsin, having eighty-three representatives in Congress. These States, deducted from the one hundred and thirty-three—the aggregate force from the States carried by the abolitionists in 1854— leaves them just about the number that voted for Campbell on the qpening of the present Congress. Here, then, is the rice and fall of abolition- ism, or rather its spasmodic existence as a par- ty for little over a single year. Its fruits—-its effects upon our domestic peace—upon our le- gislative councils—upon our government at home and abroad—upon the North and the South, as great opposing interests in the federal Union, are distinctly visible. That it must be put down, if we would keep up the compact of the States, is obvious. There is but one bond that can bind a free people together, and that is of friendship, of kindness, of concession, and above all, of justice and faith. These are thrust aside by the agitators, and in their place are criminations, bitter assaults, jesuit denun- ciations, an assumption of higher morality, purer politics, greater intelligence. The first condition of union, then, is that ihe abolitionists shall be put down. They are the curse of cur system—ihe miasma of our political atmosphere. Having driven out the agitators, the couutry is left free to perform its great work of legal an- nexation in Cuba, Mexico and Central America. Those countries have already been conquered, subdued and put under practical subjection to our industry and enterprise; it now remains only to bring them into political union and equality with the free mind of the Union, The movements of Col. Walker and Col. Kinney, whatever may be the immediate effect of their efforts to introdace our ideas into San Juan and Nicaragua, will serve to hasten on the great issue whether the United States is destined to rule supreme north of the Isthmus, or not That isene is submitted to the British and French governments for their decision ; mean- while the progress of this country in the last ten years has decided the matter in fact, and there is not a statesman in the world that does not know it. It was decided not by our arms in Mexico, not by the acknowledged prowess of our people and their resistless force on this continent, but by the great army of our indus. try—an army saving more lives in comparison with other systems than are lost by the flerce wars of al} the great governments of Europe, many as they may be. The conquest of Cuba, or rather the annexa- tion of that island, is a foregone conclusion. Strife and contention with the States of Ea- rope will effect it sooner than peace. The power and the disposition to have it are un- questionable. It is oure by contiguity—ours by Its position—by its possible occupation by ahostile State—ours by the very injury it is capable of inflicting upon our institutions—in other words, ours as much as the fortifications of Newport and New York, and the territory of Florida and Louisiana--far more ours than are California and Oregon. The cause of ha- manity demands its incorporation into the fe- deral Union—the interests of the people of Cuba demand it—our own internal peace de- mand it--our national strength and indepen- dence demand it—ond our relations with the great States of Europe demand it. The position of the country ang the pon-eet to find that the Methodist Conference of South Carolina does not concern itself about the in stitutions or the state of the poor in New York or Massachusetts. It is doubtless owing to the ‘ackward condition of the South that the preachers of the Gospel to the slaves fail to perceive that it falls legitimately withia the province of their duty to revile the city where Poole and Baker massacre each other, and to admonish the people of the North that they must mend their ways and take example from their Southern brethren under paia of exclu- sion from the pale of the church. It must, too, be a source of pity to those Northern clergymen who read the report of the South Carolinians, to perceive that it does not contain one word about politics. The omis- sion will be a severe shock to the three thou- sand clergymen of New England who protest- ed ugainst the Nebraska bill. It will be time, however, for them to denounce such conduct in the language it deserves when any one of thos? three thousand can show that he habi- tually rides ten miles and preaches five times on the Sabbath to people who do not pay him tlement of the line of policy by which it is to be guided in reference to coterminous and contiguous ‘territories, more than even the Turkish and Italian questions, dis turb the councils of European States. Un- til the issue ehall have been precipitated, and our designs and purposes made executory ia this reepect, our relations with England and France will continue to be distracted, the in- terests of trade depressed and alarmed, and the cause of humanity iteelf crippled and pa- ralyzed. Meanwhile, the basis of our action has been fixed and our destiny determined— we are to absorp Cuba, Mexico and Central America, aud bring them into the great league ot American States, and secure the absolute political unity of the continent of North Ame- rica, Canada has already assumed an inde- pendent position, and been brought into actual political, social and industrial connection with our people. Having thus settled the fate of the States of Mexico, Cuba and Central America, and given full scope to the operation of our political, commercial and social ideas, we are prepared to build up a great naval and commercial Power—a Power, be it remembered, based up- on industry, upon peace, upon non-interven- tion—upon tho essential foundations of inde- pendent labor and productions, It will give us a monopoly of the great staples of sugar, cotton, rice and tobacco, from slave labor; of wheat and corn, of pork, beef and fruits, in the free States. It will build up an internal trade between the States of the Union greater than the present external commerce of the world; an educational system capable of enlightening every mind. It will foment invention, stimu- late a taste for the arts and sciences, promote morality, religion and order, secure peace, and above all, mark out upen the map of the world “the laud of the free and the home of the brave.” These are among the fruils to be gathered from an early determination to ex- tend our political system over the States named from an early closing of the great controversy now agitating and disturbing our political relations with the European govern- ments, They will be followed by our restora- tion to a constitutional and uniform currency. Anticipating these results, aud looking with the eye of the prophet and the statesman to the future, it is the duty of Congress promptly to signalize their coming by a re-organization of the tariff, so as to give permanency to fo- reign trade and home manufactures, Our legis- lation in this respect has undeniably been too Suspected Filibustering Expedition Dilsco- vered=District Attorney McKeon and Cot, French, We publish on the first page of today’s pa- per an account of the detection of a supposed armed expedition to Nicaragua by the United States District Attorney, Mr. McKeon. Whe- ther this can properly be regarded a violation of our neutrality laws, and coming under the strict construction of the act providing against such hostile movements on the part of our ci- tizens, remains to be seen; but due credit must be awarded to Mr. MeKeon for the untiring activity and vigilance he has displayed io the performance of what he has conceived to be his duty, It appears from the particulars of the affair, that in his endeavors to sustain and enforce the laws he has plunged fearlessly into coal yards and into drill rooms, in pursuit of the euspected partics, attended only by two of his assistants. All this he has done without the sbightest regard to the danger he incurred by coming in contact with a set of reckless filibusters, armed to the teeth, and preparing themselves for a hos- tile descent upon another country. If they were not s0, he believed they were, and for the courage, as well as for the energy and perse- verance he exhibited in the discharge of his duty, he is, we say, entitled to all praise. But this is not all. Mr. McKeon did not stop here. Not content with visiting the secret meeting places of the supposed desperadoes, he called upon Col. Parker H. French at the St. Nicholas, with whom he had quite an inter- esting interview, an account of which we also give. His conversation with this gentleman ‘was, as will be seen, very animated, and forms arather pleasant and amusing feature in the affair. Without spending any useless time in remarks about the weather and su h common place matters, Mr. McKeon commence the business on hand at once, by telling the Nicaraguan Minister, in substance, that he had found him out—that there was 1» use in his denying the fact that he was at the head of a filibustering movement, and that he did not and would not recognise him as Minister from Nicaragua. To all this Col. French replied that his government had a perfect right to hold out encouragement to peaceful, usefal emigration--that they did so for the purpose of developing the resources of their country— and that, although Mr. McKeon refused to ac- knowledge him as its representative to the United States, he was so nevertheless. He at the same time disclaimed, coming as he did in that official capacity, any intention to violate our neutrality laws, asserting that his course and that of his government were not in conflict with them, Now, to what Col. French claimed for his country asa right, no person can take excep- tion, not even the District Attorney. Our government has adopted somewhat similar means to encourage emigration in the passage of the Homestead bill, which was devised, we should think, for that particular purpose. The same policy has been pursued by some of the South American States, and we have published in the Herat their official advertisements, of- fering certain privileges to actaal settlers on their uncultivated lands, In adopting this course they have pursued the best policy, per. haps, that could be devised to secure the end in view. The further movements of the District At torney must depend upon whatever instructions he may receive from Washington. In regard to the Northern Light, which is to convey “th colonists” to Nicaragua, it is hardly probable that her departure will be prevented. The de- tendion of that vessel, and the loss which would be incurred by her owners in consequence, might eventually be productive of considerable expense, inconvenience and trouble to the go- vernment. It is somewhat different from the seizure of a vessel fitted out expressly for a hostile expedition, as the Northern Light 1s employed in the transportation of a large number of passengers,‘ whose business is a peaceful one, and a large quantity of freight, besides the munitions of war which she is said to have on board. In view of these considera- tions we do not think it likely that the Presi- dent will cause her departure to be interfered with, and the whole affair may end in smoke, after all. Meantime, we shall look out for the further developements of this interesting and complicated affair, fogitive and experimental in its nature; it has been directed largely by personal interests, by class demands and profits. It is time that it should be settled ung principles looking more to permanency, {o justice, to equality—- to the triumph of a great nation resting its foundations on the popular mind and working out its destiny by its independent labor. It is thus that we have grouped before us the prominent inducements for the utter and final overthrow of the abolition agitators—the great enemies of our free institutions. Tur Horas Are Here Acaiw.—Thi: joyous season has fairly commenced, and it is well that we have something this year to make us glad, whether we live in a twenty thou- sand dollar house, brown stone front, and feast our friends on boned turkey and champagne, or inhabit a more modest tenement and indulge ip crullers and new cider. Everybody has gh to eat this year, and something to spare, and consequently, everybody really will have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. This is the juvenile millenium, and even the old fogies fuse with Young America in holiday times. Nobody cares whether Con- grees is organized or not; all the members will come home forthe holidays with pockets no fuller than ever, and necessitated to draw on the banks for the funds wherewith to purchase gifts for their juvenile constituents. Nobody cares much about Kanras, and Nicaragua is nearly done up until the holidays are over. Broadway, from the Battery to Union square, is filled with purchasers of articles suitable for gifts, and the appropriate advertisement co- lums in the Heratp is scanned by thousands of inquiring eyes, whose owners are puzzled for a solution to the important questions, what eball I buy? and where shall I buy it? But there is everything here that one can desire, graduated to all purses, and Wall street, being in a good humor, comes down liberally. So are the hearts of the female and juvenile por- tion of the community rejoiced—so do the fancy goods, book and jewelry trades thrive apace. We don’t know of anything more pleasant than a stroll through the Broadway shops on the day before Christmas. The trea- sures of the whole world are spread out before you. Cleopatra never wore such laces, and we will venture to say that the Queen of Sheba never saw anything equal to a moire antique dress pattern, Then the illustrated books, and the German toys, and the French clocks, and the wonderful India Rubber dolls, and —but the variety is too great for description. The markets will make a fine show to-day and thrifty housewives will be up to their eye: in preparations for great family feasts to-mor- row. Let us enjoy the good things prepared for us in all moderation. Cnnistianrry Aono THY SLaves.—It was only the other day that we heard of an effort being made to divide a religious tract society in Northern and Southern sections, on the ground that the reverend members of the Northern halt had ideas of their own on the subject of negro labor, which exercised them so severoly that they could not recopcile it to their consciences to remain allicd with Christian slaveholders. Perbaps the torrent of indignation and ridicale which the proposal met with has made the reve- rend agitators feel somewhat ashamed of them selves by thistime. Tu case, however, they still persist in playing Pharisee to the Southern pub licens, we beg to draw their attention to the report of the Board of Managers of the Misston- ary Society of the South Carolina Methodist Conference, givenin last month. From this document they may learn that, under circum- stances of peculiar hardship and financtal straits, the Methodist clergy have proseented their work of carrying the Gospel to the ne- grocs of South Carolina with such success that, besides about a thousand white mombers, they have now 10,423 colored members of the church, and 5,890 colored children, receiving religious instruction from the catechists, All of these Firth Avexve Reticioy.--The following programme has been issued as one of the at- tractions of a fashionable church in Broad. way ORDER OF THE MUSIC CR CHURCH, FOR CHRISTMAS Day, 1855 mltemus Domino. ae perce a be ha jubilate=arranged from Mozart, » Taakm "oihe-acthoged from Beciheven i do. Christwar Hyma, 45th, with “Gloria Patri,” arranged from Mozart, by do. ‘“*Tee AN BM,’’ “Show me thy ways, OLord!”’ from the Peals of David, will be sung by Mrs. Bodstein, the music composed for her by Torrente. The circumstances attendant upon the birth of our Lord and Saviour were not exactly in accordance with the ahove show. No splendid artists sung anthems about His humble cradle —no foritures or extraneous ornaments were indulged in by the wise men of the East, who had journeyed from afar to offer their hemage at the feet of the Infant Christ. But in the | nineteenth century we do things differently, are slaves. They are scattered over a large | and employ the “best artistic iaient” todo extent of country, om the various plantations; | homage to Hie name and attract worshippers and the labore of the Methodist missionaries | to His temple. In the time of Louls XV. all are euch that they sometimes preach five times | the Opera artists used to get their sins pardon- on a Sunday, besides riding many miles on | ed hy singing during Lent at the Couvent of horseback from place to place. the Sacred Heart, where they drew large and The Northern reverends will doubtless regres | faabloneble audiences, As nearly all the ma I ci ni ali lil cl sic in the above programme was composed for Roman Catholic cathedrals, and as the Grace Church people are suspected of a slight incli- nation toward the doctrines of the Mother Church, we don’t see why all the Academy artists should not have a chance of purifying themeelves at that fashionable place of worship on Christmas day. Perhaps Brignoli and Pa- tania might get indulgence for that duel. Tne Price or Foop.—In our Paris corres- pondent’s letter, published a couple of days ago, were contained some curious statistics re- lative to the prive of articles of household con- sumption. T'rom these it appears that the price of meat and bread is higher here than in most European cities, Taking average prices of first class meats as a criterion of prices here, the chief cities of Europe will compare as fol- lows:— Veal. Mutton. 87 = BS cts per lbs. 429 “ 2% 80 “ y iated * “ a Ww 15 ae 19) (o % 82 Bh “ 3 “ It appears that London is the dearest place to live, in respect of edibles of this kind, and Rome the cheapest. All the Italian cities are cheap, as every one knows, Men live sumptuously at Florence on « couple of hundred a year, dnd many a family leads a life of unmixed bliss at Naples on what is here meagre salary for an efficient clerk. But the difference between these cities and London and New York is that there, you can live well and cheaply it is true, but you cannot make anything ; while ia Lon- don and here, if you do pay more for beef, you earn more than twice as much. The price of bread does not vary much- Taking the price of bread here at seven cents the pound, the following table shows its price in Europe :-— —This table, show that Italy is the place for poor people to live. But the two items of bread and beef are a very small portion of our domestic expense. In all others the Europeans have a great advan- tage ever us. Rent, dress, servants, furniture, amusements, and so forth, cost far more here than abroad. In England, the rule is that rent is one-tenth of a man’s total house expenses; the tenant of a house costing £100 a year is ex- pected to spend £1,000 in living. Here rent is nearer twenty or twenty-five per cent of the total house expenses of most citizens: the te- nant of a $1,000 house does not usually spend over $4,500 to $5,100, if he is fortunate enough to hove as much. So of dress and servants. In Fr .nd England, a housekeeper can keep a of servants on what it costs here to keepa cook t®at knows the difference between baking and boiling. It is needless to observe that in- comes are, as an average, three or four times as large here as in England, and eight to ten times as large as in France, Tue LicntHovse oy Savt Key.—We publish- ed a few days since a complaint from several shipmasters of the negligence of the light- house keeper at the Double Headed Shot Keys, Bahamas. We have received the following letter from the Secretary of ‘the Lighthouse Board:-— TO THR yR OF THE HERALD. My attention has cailed vo the article in the six! page of your morning’s issue column on the fourth of the 17th instant, headed ‘Something for the Lagut- house Board,” directing the attention of this office to the reports which were appended, of the master of the brigfomers, of Charleston 3. C., and others, in which it is wtatea that “the Double Headed Shot Keys light on Salt Key Bank, Babamas”’ (Cay Sal Bank on North Elbow Cay, Bahama Islands), was out on the nights of the 2°th ‘and 30th ult. (November, 1855). As you refer directly to this office, and express the hope that the authorities at Weshipgtou will attend to the matter at once, I beg to call es notice and that of your readers to the fact that this light belongs to Great Britain. THORNTON A. JENKINS, Secretary Lighthouse Boar. Although the light in question does belong to Great Britian, it seemm to us that there mast be some correspondence between the board at Washington and that at London, and we thought that the nearest way to come at the matter would be to appeal to our Lighthouse Board, and through it to the British authorities, who own the light referred to. THE LATEST NEWS. BY ELECTRIC AND PRINTING TELEGRAPHS, Affairs in Washington. THE SPEAKERSHIP—CONFIDENCE OF THE RYPUBLI CANS—PROPOSED FUSION OF THE NATIONAL MEN, rs ‘Wasmixaton, Dec 23, 1855. The republicans have de‘ermined to make a rash for the Speakership to-morrow. Their leaders say to-night they can count within two votes of an election, and those two they expect to have before morning. ‘The national Americans have expressed a willingness to drop Fuller, and take up Boyce, of South Carolina, if the cemocrats will unite with them on him. Mr. Boyce isa Calhoun man, and was not a member of the demo- cratic caucus, E. PROJECTS OP THE REPUBLICANS—FLUTTERING OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANTS. Wasmisarox, Dec, 23, 1855. The republicans intend to make one or two more at- tempts to adopt the plurality rule, and ff unsuccessful 4 portion of Banks’ friends will, I understand, leave him, under the belief that he cannot succeed. Gen, Webb, of the Courier and énquirer, has written s letter to the editors of the Union, which will apperr ia ‘Tuesday's issue, taking exceptions to the article that appeared in journal on Saturday, in which they place hint im vocal position. ‘The Dallas address in Saturday's Herarp has conaed a sudden decline ia Hun‘er, Buchanan and Pleres stocks: They have, until the last few days, been quite baryaat, dD Bucning of t The steamer Seminole, running betwee Savannah oui Jackscnville, was burned to the wate-’s eJge, at Jackso . ville,on Thurecay night. About 200 bales of cotton we also consumed. The Steam Frigate Roanoke. Barruononn, Dee. 23, 1855, ‘The frigate Roanoke has been raised and towed into dock, Twelre of her beams were, upon examination ound to have been broken. Southern Mali. Barriwonr, Des. 25, 1855, New Orleans papers of Monday last are to hand, but hey contain no news worth telegraphing. State of the Weather, Bostox, Dee, 23, 1859. ‘The weather here to-day has been delightful—as clevr and as balmy as an Aprid day. Purapripays, Dee, 23, 1856. The wenther to-day is charming. Markets. New Oniean®, Dec. 21, 1856. Cotton heavy. Sales for the las’ two days, 12,009 bates; «of the Week, 70,500 bales; resciota of the wee 1 £00 bales against 7,000 last yerr The total recet up to this time are 275,000 bales over those of lat tock 905,000 bales. Colfe—sales of 9,500 bags hand, 41,000 bage; xales of prine at 121/¢. « Provinces, Cotton unchanged: demand steuiy. week were about 1,500 bales, Wool 6 lbs. Vrinting cloths activ No stock of ny smount pee Dramatic and Masical Matters, HOLIDAY PETES AT THE THEATRES—THE NEW BUS- LESQUES—TEB OPERA, ITALIAN AND NATIVE AMBRICAN (COLORED.) The holiday entertainments for this year promise to surpass anything that has yet been seen in this city. For the past few weeks the property rooms, paint rooms and carpenters? galleries have resounded with the ‘note of preparetion,” All the available “young ladies” im the city have been used up for the ba'let, and the sufferings of stage manegors may better be imagined than described. ‘We hope that all the managers will reap @ fall reward for their labor and expense, At the Baoapway Tawarae we are to have a localised. edopiation of Planche’s burleue, “ King Charming,” founded pon the Countess 1)’ Aulnoy’s capital tairy tale, 1 Oiseau Bleu, This piece was written for Madame Vestels, and produced at the Lyceum theatre five years since. It has never, to our knowledge, been acted im the United States, the expense of getting it up properly having detecre! the managers from risking {:. Mad. Vestris spent about five thousand dollars upon it, and made double that amount: We shail not describe how King Charming wes trans- formed by a bad fairy because he refused to marry am ugly princess (preferring, like a sensible man, a pretty one), cr what happened to him after that, because te do so might spoil the illusion for our young readers, whose happy faces in great numbers will iuminate the grand tier at the Broadway to-night. But as a “specimen brick” from the edifice, we quote asingle speech from the second act, where we have a guard of Ama- zone, forty young women, who are armed to deliver King Charming from the power of the fairy Soussio:— [Music Al .—A pytamid of sbells sink, and discovers, a troop of fairies, armed cap-a- pie, in tableau.) ADDRYSS A 1.A-ROLLA, My brave associates! can holiow words add vigor Unto your hearts, or help you pulls trigger? Bure judged the fCulnesh of the pies alarming! ing. vu No! you’ve the for of By w! these villains bave deluited So foul a wrong shall. no fowl of ours, wropg And Plue Biro shall be freed trom Soussie’s powers, We'll rise en masse, and prove that we have, pence, Not ore for tribute, millions for defence! We'll show, that not a world in arms Can triumph over wornan’s conquering charms. No pent up Attiea contracts our powers— ‘They bate their ruler, but we’ce spouns on ours. Charming they'd shield, as vultures would the lamob; To save his bacon, we must cure their ham. The man we honor is the people's choice; ‘The mandate we obey, the people's voice— And Souseio’l! find us fa Prines John’s geclogy, We are the bard shells of political conchology. ‘Then let’s fo arms, and battle hand and glove For that great first of “Woman’s Rights,’ the right of love: And now, to prove you twig these revolutions, Just, ala militaire; perform your evolutions. (Music —A Fairy Amazonian March—At the end of march|— id A.—Break off, break off, the sound of mortal Hence into pearly shells, or blossoms sweet! ‘This is a new effect, introduced by Mr. Blake, and al? the young ladies are warranted to have good ‘ under standings.” The whole piece has been prepared with a great dealof care. When Mr, Marshall was in London last summer, he procured mode's of the scenes as they were done at the Lyceum, and drawings of the costumes. ‘The properties have been made after the London models, and all the trick scenes have been carefully imitated, and in some respects improved upon. The work hay been going on in the extensive aleliers connected with the Broadway for some months, as the success of a piece of this kind depends uponeverything in the mechanical way being done very nicely. The last scene will be something entirely new, and it is said will surpass anything in the way of scenic display ever done here. The cast of the piece in a very good ene. Mrs. H. C. Watson has been evgaged exprersiy for the Charming hero, and her repu- tation as an actress and vocalist is a sufficient guaranty that it will be well done, Mr. Whiting does the mild monarch Henpeckt, and Mme. Poniei the tyrannous queen. Pretty Mise Manners represents the Priacess that Charming desires to marry, and Mrs. Littell plays Trou tina, the lady whom he is anxious not to com nit matri- mony with. Then we have Mises Harding, Dackworth and Price as the principal fairies, and aumerous other young lacies, who will make up a perfect constellation of- the beauties of the ballet. These, with the mew scenery and panorama by Hetster, new music by Cooke, properties by Wallis, avd the hole produced under the skilful di rection of Mr. Blake, with a carte blanche from Marshall, ought to be able to give us something very nice, and we think they will. At Nunto’s Ganpen we have the Ravels and the ballet troupe, led by Mile. Robert. The bill for thie evening eludes two comte pantomimes and the new ballet, ‘The Iste of Nymphs,” which comes in like @ delici maomelet souffiée between the glacé of ‘‘Godeuski,” and the paté de Joie gras of “Medina.” The new bailet, although brief, ie. brilliant enough to merit a word, en passant. The eur tain on rising presents a really beautiful tableaux o pympbs, grouped in pictures jue attitudes, and presentia a combination of beauty s¢'dom seen at one time mn an stage, Around Mile. Robert we see assembied Miles. Pauline Genet, Lina Wendel, Marzetti, Flora Iehman Louise and Roca, her sisters, and the very best valle corps, of eixteen pretty girls, that has yet been organized even at Niblo’s. Whoever styled Mile, Robert ‘the dancing feather” hit the mark exactly. She is ligut as afr, and graceful in the highest degree. The icrepresst- ble and enthusiastic applause which greets ber in this ballet proves that this is the general opiaion of all who see her, She possesses the great art of achi»ving the most difficult pas without soy apparent eifurt. To dance, to bound, to float in the air, sppecr bat results of the will to do 0. No musov_ lar effort, no panting for breath, no eviden:s of fatigue are visible, but after a series of movements, startlingly rapid, brilliant and agile, she stands smiling before you, calm and unruffied as ever. It is really » pleasure to ree such dancing as this. Mlle. Robert is most efficiently supported by the whole ballet company, ant, taken altogether, it is by far the best troupe we have had here, Mile. Genet rescives a great deal of deserved ap- plause in this ballet, and is a capital artiste, Niblo haa a ‘sure thing” for the holidays. At Burron’s TueATRE we have a revival of the capita? plece, “The Old Dutch Governor,” in which Mr. Burton plays Von Dunder, We have always considered his act- ing in this character as quite equal to Cuttle or amy of hia masterpieces. The bili alro includes the euccessful comedy “False Pretences.”’ To-morrow night Mr. Burton produces bis boliday plese, “A Trip to Niagara,"’ and also announces a new two act drama and a new farce. No lack of vigor in this theatre. At WaiLack’s Tamara, the holiday piece, to be pro- duced to-night, is a burlesque on the well known story of Pocahontas, the aboriginal female who savet the life of the original John Smith. Mr. Brougham’s “ Pocahontas’ iy slightly altexed from Banc-oft, Hildre'h, aud other ‘‘slow’? historians, and we have no doubt that the new verrion will Le much relished by the Wallack auciences. We give an ox'ract, being the introduction of Capt. John smith (Walcot) to Pow ha-tan (Brougham) :— Act 1.—Scese 1. Powhatan's Palace Pnter Servant, SERGEANT ota Bae a there is a band — Kine, getes up)—Of minstrels? fen. —No! Of ferelgners. just cast on Castle Garden. Kinc—Oh! For this relief, much thanks, it wouldn't pay, That endiers bercarole of Poor Dog Tray t Who are th: jolks come here, without permission. a-hin to Kinney’s expedition | ‘This ranche they'd better vamouse mighty slick Old Nick's their destination, or new Aravgoa, here they must not bore us, As at Sonora with their bash Sonorous, Conquering lan¢s without a sing'e revident— = republic's clearly without 4 : R —! leader ts at hand, sire, at bis back Four knaves, at least ! me: Kine—They re found in every pack. Picduce this bold adon(urer, whose advent here With out se.f-inderest must interfere. Meanwhile we'll dip in Hoyle, ond whem you're back Knew bow to dcal with such a dirty pad. [exit Se-geamt 7 Srraren—How sball we receive them / wit? he at the Opera House, & chorus; there canuo? be © proper a hi To ret the fashion, : bahia. i i * * . * ee Captain John Smith and Retisue.) Kise—What manner of man are you! A fillybastero ? Your name and aim, what brought you there, tny hero? Swrtn— Erratic King, | might soy operatir, And, a@ (ree, a8 mellow an eramalic, My bame is— ‘Kixc—Norvei? .Surmm—No, cir! Smith, Joho *mith! Eurin—o, sre that Joh H—No, sire, that John's a myth, King—What éron fortane led you to cur shores ? Seri—dromic monarch, 'twan a of oars, Between ourselves, though, if the truth be (old, Our geal we'll reach when we have reached your wold, This will be sufficient to give an ides of the affair. The cast includes Brougham, Waleot, Phillips, Mis Bodvon, Mre. Stephens, Mrs. H. B. Phillips, and many others. Mr, Simpron, an excellent tenor, bas been engaged to give eflect to the music. The bili also includes “Where there’s © Will there's a Way,’ with Mra. Hoey and Mr. Lester, and the ‘ Secret,” with Mr. George Holland. At together a very nice bili, and one worth reviing The Vanenns, Inte the Metropolitan, Broad way, opp» site Bond #treet, will have its ivitial night ander Mice laure Keene's management, this evening, Mow Keene bas made some Important sltera'ions in the «lage ar rargemente, and also in the front of the hoore. An en tise mew set of setues amd Cayerieg bare boo” patmed, ts