The New York Herald Newspaper, January 19, 1857, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR Ad) PAOPSIRTOS, Prick HW. W CORNES OF NASSAU AND POLTON 863 EW enh im avicanes. D2 per copy, $7 per anna. THE Oe NRK ALD. 1 Saturiay, ik Bhy conts per apy, BS pe aumum, he an ederon, Oh ac unui, f bin or 65 60 any pact of Oe Continent, rAd hela 1 includ: pretcae i = sig an QRRESPONDENCE, containing impor pata i (quarter af the world-— wild be ‘Bar Ok POFBIGN CORRESPONDENTS Ai a8 AND P. saber of anonymous communications, Wede teed DUERTISBMENTR renewed every lav. mot JOu'PRINTING executed seith neutace, cheapness Gnd dee- peer. AMUSEMENTS THIS BVENING, NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 1857. (bem with a market at their door: and the beet | suing be can do for himself is to toy ia some way . or otber to annex that part of Jersey in which | created a few yeare since by the appraranee of a they are sitaate, to New York. Bat the idea of whining against New York oa account of the Quarantine removal, or wanting to extend the Jersey blight over any of this S ate— reaily, Captain Rodman Price, we did not think you such @ goose, Exploration of the River Le Pista and Tri- outartes—Its Cummexeial and Peiitical Im- portance. We have received a copy of the report made by Captain Thomas J. Page to the Secretary of the Navy, of the exploration made by bim with the United States steamer Water Witch, ia the South American rivers emptying inte the river La Plata. The report ie a very meagre and con- BROAOWAY THRAPRE, Broadway -Macsera—Narune | dened accouat of the voyage of the Water amp PB LOSOrEY #TATO'F OS RDEN, Requsx Orexs—Tur MovrTAN By re. Brow BOWERY TE EATRE Bowery--87. Mino—Oowe cum or Moxeow. BUBTON'R BEW THEATRE, Aroncwar, spposite Sead m View axp Vinrue—Waspenixe Miners Bi WALLACE'S TE? er MAKING Oden 48 2 Uvcum ,AUR« KRENE'S Tirates, 64 Hroadway -Manris ‘Mxant—Youne Baconys ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Powwenth st.—Iraiaan Ormrs— Leoneza soncis BARNUM'® AMERICAN ‘veurs awn Waones Brening—buan Heszeus— OO. CHRISTY AND WOOD'S away Rracorisn Pas Porm aNcRs— UeEUM. Broadway—Aftar- Wow an--PUn Lamaniok Sov. wp Scor. INSTREL®, 444 Brosd- yw Yeam Cains, MUCK) EY PERENADERS, 885 Brostway -Ermor s+ Moeremsy-Bonimecue on Tum Irauiae Oren, de. Rew York, Monday, Januasy 19, 1857. a OO Mails for the Pnoifle. WEW TORK HSPALD- CALIFORNIA EDITION. © United States mail steemehip George Law, Capt. Be-sden wtil leave thir port to morrow afternoon, at twe o'clock for Aspinwall Witch, but while it wives us au idea of the great extent of the river navigation practicable in those regions, all the detail and scientiGe obser- vations op population, climate, topograpsy and productions are necessarily omitted. The country examined is, next to oar owa val- ley of the Mississippi, one of the moet interesting in the world, not only from iss peculiar charac- teristics, but from its probable future as the ceat of a mighty empire. A vast population bas already gathered upon the banks of the Uruguey, Parana and Paraguay rivers and their tributaries, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and the Argentine Confederation hold their several political eystema upon their banks, and look to their wasers as. the destined means of opening the markets of the world to their productions, While in many things this vast plateau, extending from the east- era elope of the Andes to the Cordillera, running Parallel to the coast of the South Atlantic, ia iden- tical with the great valley of North America, there are others which make it, as it were, the ob- verse oi the medal. In the valley of the Missis- sippi the temperate climes lie upon the bead- ‘The mails for Cai/fornia and other parts of the Pacife | waters of the ziver courses, and these carry their ‘WW close at ouc o'clock Tne New Yorx Warkiy Exrarp~Caittornia editor Sentsining ihe inter! intelligence from ail parts of the World, will be pubivbed a Wn o'clock to the moruing. Bing’ copies, in wrappers, ready for matling, six pemoc. Agents #1! please send in their orders as carly as pose ic ‘The News, Up to nine o'clock yesterday forenoon, the Ame- vioa, from Liverpool 3d inst., had not reached Hali- fax. No communication wes had with Holifax later in the day, owing to the breaking down of the teecroph wires. The weather, at all times a subject of remark was yesterday the particular topic of conversation. It was the coldest day of the winter, and the first products to an outlet within the burning zone, where the Caucaraian is unfitted to labor. Ia this great valley of South America it is the torrid zone tbat jies upon the headwaters of naviga- tien, and the water courses carry its products to ® more temperate elime. Here the seat of white population grows around the focus of a great in- jand commerce under a congenial climatic intlu- ence, and is thus better adapted to extend its energy and enterprise over the seats of riverine empire. These considerations bave occupied the attention of Haropean statesmen for the last twenty years, and many of the aumistakable snow storm of the season commenced | ™0*t able representatives of European diploma- about noon, accompanied by a stinging northerly gale, which continued without signs of abatement ap to the time the HeraLp was put to press. The storm has extended over a large extent of country. It was very severe in Boston, and as fur South as Washing‘on. We are prepared vo hear of terrible Cisasters to vessels on the coast. Ove we are already advised of. An unknown brig went on shore at eleven o’slock yesterday near the Ocean House. Every efiort was mide by the wreck ers on the beach to succor the unfor‘anate crew, but severe! of them, at last accounts, hed perished, and 4 ere were faint hopes of saving the remainder. An arrival yesterday reports the schooner Emeline, of Marblehead, wedged in the ice on Nantucket Shoals on the 17th inst. ‘he snow drifted with the wind, aud somewhat + mbarrassed trave! on the city railroads. Owing to time accumulations of floating ice in the mvers, the trips of the ferry boats yesterday were made at long intervals, and ow several of the ferries the boats erased running altogether. The Staten Island boat made but one trip daring the day. There was no boat from Qurrantine, in consequence of the heavy portheast wind forcing immenre mases of ice apon She ebore. At one time the Narrows, from Long Island to Staten Is'and, was completely blockaded, thereby preventing the srrival and nre 0} sels. A change of tid’ and a varia he wid, however, goon partiaily cleared the neti Ds. ies of Queens ¢ on Friday ar man on tuepicion of comm the receut sJamaica. He is said a farm ser n the neighborhood o! the family of the Iman. The nuiure of the evidence against ramspired. Hi. P. Edwards, which wa S Olive yesterday for proof. i young man went to Canton, and having m a © le 1, he returned and set up business ia city. Becoming embarrassed in businces he went to China a second time. About a year ego he returned home ogain, having made a seond fortuae to the amount of some hut sind dollars, On the last of June, 1850, 1 kd, aud oa Hi asioned by a hie death be was din haf varently in es cood health a he ever was in his life. Mr. Edwards is the son ¢ © ernor Edwards, of Connecticnt, and brother © tie late Henry Pierrepont Edwards, Jndge of the Sopr nected with the Hon. 0% & Taw sud the old President Jonsthan Edwards, tor brated divine. The will will be proven mn the 5th ot February next The value cf foreign goods jinported at the port Warhi as hour, i marke ’ sing in the afternoon atl firm bef ar Ww moderate aales at evn price Ate the news holders ee F 1 : ab ooo w els ¢ Wee * d all grades were r th i nee ’ we nich vttn wale of new mers $2 7), closing at #21; ao. ol at £1 @ #19 87, Sugars contisued firm The trans 00 Ux, Coffee was with free sales of boxes at fail prices. tions ih the two part days amounted to for refining, (m terms stated elsewhere Mealy. A partofa ” of 4,100 bags of Rio sol@ on private terme, and 940 do., with 200 mate Java and 200 bage Ceylon, on terms given in another co- Freights were steady, with light engage mente. Cotton was firm for Liverpool, and wa again taken at jd. for compressed. There is a large amount of miscellaneous freight offering for Sonthern turn. ports, and for New Orleans § cents per foot is readi jy obtained. Rates both for California and Australia were inactive, at about 25 cents per foot measure- ment (inOANS FF ! ‘ ce, the Governor of th State of Cam a 0d Amboy, has a message to his I elacur ¢ cba for Howk, which our people want to have » Quarantine, Jersey should beve Staten Island, and perhaps aleo a slice of Manhattan, Cap tain Rodman Price is simpleton. The best thing be can do for his State is to surrender the jurisdiction over Sandy Look, aad eo mike the cy have been stationed there. Walewski, Lord Howden, Beron Gros, Mr. Gore, Sir Charles Hot- bam, Mon. St. George aud others, have succes- sively represented their governments there during the past ten years. This pregnant fact called the attention of our own government {o the scene, and in 1552 it was determined to send out a sur- veying expedition to examine the rivers, ‘The Water Witch, a steamer of about four hundred tons, and drawing nine feet of water, was detailed for the service, and sailed from Nor- folk early in 1853. Tl) adapted asa sea-going steamer necessarily is for river exploration, still she ascended the Paraguay 2,000 miles from the fea, to the nineteenth degree of south latitude, where she was stopped, not by shoale or bars in its cbannel, but by political considerations, ‘Tributaric# were also examined for huadreds of miles, and their adaptability to steam navigation pericetly demonstrated. The couutry produces vast nuunbers of cattle, and some wheat, sugar, cotton and tobaceo—the latter of a very superior kind—and “yerba,” or South American tea, which, from the bold it has upon the native popa- pposed to resemble cofive aud eupon the human system, and koown may rival the Chiuese leaf when better snd be the ohjcot of a vast commerce. Throughout t r region examiued by the WV Witch expedition a sparse but very hospita ve was found, and Captain Page was e received with open arms, His euwn- balled by the press and by the peop wevent of a new era to them, and the pra of the “itluetrions North American goverament win every mouth, We are glad to see from the extracts from newspapers printed thousands 4 visited—which that Captain inland in the count accompany the re of mile extracts Page did pot withhold the successful results of his observations from the government and people try of the ¢ The good effect of this polic vi inevery line of the repo in it Captain Page bas given @ practical lesson to our government, which we trust will not pass va- heed « it bas been too much our practice w send to the countries of Spanish America rep.- sentatives who neither understood the In: por compreh od the advantages we might draw from enlightened diplomacy We may also add, that when oar representatives have learned by observation aud practice, and Hpen ow io government any mo heit commaay wered in th policy, © ¥ of act ons and lie w holes of the 8 © be a fact, a rowded kr een and pro- W if the d wittog ‘ ih this respect is ex! of President Lo he Pe how 2. of Pare ent by arran tain matters there, whi ported |n poblie chae er nt recog. hives external capacity only in those countrics a overnments which it culivates relations of commerce and friendship. Tell your Holy F w that T have had enow f Jesuits, and tu at 1 do not accept the relations of a commerce of religion which he offers me, because they are Micit in the eyes of a well understood morality.’ With this region and these nations it te desir. able that hould enlarge our commercial in- we teroourse and extend the bounds of our political | Nothing can better conduce to this | than diffusion of knowledge in relation to them, and we hope that the valuable data gathered by Capt Page will not be suffered to Me tn the government pigeon holes or in bis own portfolio. Let us have a fall report of the observations of the expedition. Commerce, policy, science and civilization want the information, and ax we have paid the greater cost of getting it, we can certainly afford the lesser but useful expense of printing it. The present report is meagre and unentisfactory in the extreme, and only serves | to whet our desire for fuller information. yetone of the Monmouth farmers ty supplying | Saleide and tis Gauses—The Que Absorbing “Passton. Our readers recollect the seneation that was atallow but pretentious work, entitled the “Vee tiges of Creation.” Its authorship was rarround- ed with almost as much mystery and excited al- wort as much speculation as that of the lettersof Junius. It was attributed to about a dozen dif- ferent scientific men, and amongst others, to Hugh Miller, the eminent geologist. To disebuse the public of this impregsion, or it way have been to realize an object contemplated by the treatise itself, Miller published his “Footprints of the Creator,” a work in every way superior to that towbich it was intended as @ reply, and which aaded in no small degree to the fame of its au- th In another column will be fonsd an ac- count of the suicide of this remarkoble mar, oc- casioned by the intense meotal labor to which he has for years subjected biraself. He bad beenfor tome time past engaged in the preparation of o work called “The Testimony of the Rocks,” in which be had undertaken to settle some of the theories in diepute amongst modern geologists Day and night were unevasingly devoted to the accomplichment of his task, uatid his overwronght brain could no longer resist the demands made on it, and he finally, it is believed, put an end by his own hand to sufferings which the intensity of hie devotion to his favorite pursuit had brought upon him. This calamity is the more to be la- mented from the fact that be had just completed bis work, and.conld have afforded to give him- self the repove necessary to recruit hie exhausted | powers, We do not allude thus specifically to this caso as prerenting any features remarkable in them- telvee. The causes that led to the death of this genticman are but too common among persons of his class to excite wonder. The penalty that men must pay for literary or scientific distinction is inevitably associated with shattered nerves and disordered mneptal action. It is in vain to remon- strate with persons who covet reputation more than life itself upon the folly of thus prodigally wasting their vital powers. They are aware of the punisbment to which such unreasonable demands upon their strength will subject them, and they ast be content with the compensation which they find in the world’s applause. Not so with another and more numerous class, who have no such rewards to look forward to, and to whom our remarks are more particularly intended to apply. We allude to thore Mammon seekers, whose sordid souls are so absorbed in the acquisi- tion of wealth as to find no time for the health- ful recreations and intellectual enjoyments which are necessary to keep the body and mind in their proper condition. This passion has of late years become eo general a characteristic of our ecmmunity that it is likely to bring a physical curse upon our people. We no longer see the bale and robust frames and cheerful countenances which formerly greeted the eye in our commer- cial baunts. Men are now so much engrossed by this absorbing desire to grow rich that they give themselves no time even to cat or sleep, The thirst of competition has become so strong in them that they will not rest eatisfied with a com- petence sufficient to afford them all the rational enjoy ments of life. And to what purpose does all this self-denial and incessant labor tend? The illustration which we had the other day of one of our merchants toiling until he hod become a millionaire only to lose all send of gratification from his wealth in confirmed lu- nacy, is becominy; too common not to inspire us with feelings of anxiety and alarm at this perni- cious and degrading tendency. The frightful in- crease in the statistics of insanity observed of late years is entirely to be attributed to it. When will men learn that God bas given us a variety of gifts in order to affard us a variety of enjoy- ments, and that any attempt to divert them to orthy and unnatural purposes will be certaia to meet with a painful retribution. The pursuit of wealth isin itself a legitimate one, but it was never intended that we sheuld consecrate to it exclusively all our faculties. A fair portion of our time should be devoted to exercise, relaxa- tion, and intellectual improvement. Without that man is reduced to the condition of mere animal drudge, on a level with the brute creation. It is only by the proper exercise and cultivation of our intellectual and physical faculties that we can hope to keep them in vigor, and thus falfil the purposes for which the Almighty has bestowed them upon us. Tue Woncesren Drevston Coxventtos.-Tue late cisunion convention at Worcester, Mas, and its proceed’ngs constitute one of those poll cal events which mark the inauguration of a .ew movement in politics aud parties. The cry of Cisunion isan old story; but heretotore our dis unfea conventions have been limited pretty maca to the fecession fire-eaters on the south side of Mason and Dixon's line. To be eure, the Max - chusetts abolitionists of the Garrisou fanatic 4 school have over and over again pronouno 4 their platform to be “no union with slavehoiu- and have denounced just as often our fede- ral const ion as “a league with hell aud a covenant with death: but still, if we are not mistaken, this late disunion aflair at Worcester ia the first Northern St Convention in our bis which all men wer tory to invited “who belicwe the Union to be a failur and a hepeless attempt to unite under one gov. crpment two antagonistic eystem= of society | and “who believe it to be the duty of intelligent | conservative (disunion) men to mex 4 | with wisdom ond firmnese;”” and it is the de time that any political assembl n the Nor deliberately taken up the simple f dis union as its sole p 1ture political section, ch, 9 » for have mode o diss wn Only secondary to the pri 4 y L ; f the abolition of slavery. Now, however, we find them fusing in thie Worcester dievnion movement, par arcelienee, a® Ue leaders in the plot ‘The President, Mr. Bird, (an ill-om declared the success of the slave yp | Jate Presidential election a sufficient provocation | to the fre rth to withdraw from the “ Moloch | of slavery. Rev. Theodore Parker wes good | enough to define the proper boundaries of the j @ Northern confederacy. Gen. Wilson, in riter from Washington, was bold enough to ay that he regarded all these disunion move- ments “as erimee against freedom.” Mr. Joshua | Tt Giddings, in bie letter, pronounces the Union 4 dead failore, it for the sake of liberty he i | willing to endure it alittle longer. The remarks | j of Mr. Ifig however, contained the | cream of the proceedings and spirit of the occa Take the following extract as a sample:— eineon pr to talk of Charles Sumner. tie nator in Athenrum Hal), in Bos. fnton, sion. he asked if, when be got Htorate bit words aeainet wr relied: * Reterdle veterate sun i fy ch co Worhur gun dl make the tpeech T expeat & make ’ it wnll te like fourh proof bramdy When seked what ae 4 pect to Le ahh; *Goo0 Goo |”? excla med Mr. on 10 thir—sho foremost statesman im ali the jand to bead . #wered with hullet beceuse bo bas spokea the tenth /”” Be poke despairingty of the prospscts of the repidiicaa “and has booms Ib was a fotile exosotation that the party would er 1860 There are no hepes for them aacord- sroulo exbevet the poliiical power of the North of the North for disuvion, Ths free soit @ performed that work, and now begins our Is t8 Coming, and, in God's name, let it come a y. quickly. If Mr. Sumner bas been talking in this wild way his case is unquestionably one demandiog the closest vigilance of his friends. As for the alleged opinions of Mr. Speaker Banke concern- ing the republican party, they are doubtless cor- rect. Kansas before 1860 will be admitted asa free State, and with this act the main plank of this republican party will be taken from under their feet. But the idea of Mr. Higginson that nothing is lef us but disanion, and that it is our manifest destiny, is but a plagiarism from R. Barnwell Rhett, delivered with a strong Yankoe accent. The resolutions, which we have pub- liched, are also but a modifieation of South Caro- lina secession abstractions to the peculiar lati- tude of Massachusetts—the disanioniam of Cherleston being for the protection of slavery, and that of Wercester having for its main object the “eonquest of slavery peaceably, if we can; forcibly, if we must.” Take them all together, the proceedings, the speakers, the speeches and the resolutions of this Worcester disunion convention, eclipse the very best efforts in that line of the disunionists of the South of the last twenty-odd years; and we hope the effect will be to bring our Southern brethren of the secession strife to a realizing sense of their folly. Apuinistration or Crmmnat Justice ms New York.—It is an indisputable fact that the office of Judge of the Criminal Courts is one of the most important offices in our city government, and for the proper discharge of its duties re- quires a rare combination of gifts and an unusual amount of administrative talent. In such a city as New York, where the elements of which it is composed are 80 heterogeneous, and where, to a certain extent, the habits, customs and idiosyn- eracies of foreigners are introduced, it is indie pensably necessary that the criminal officer should be acquainted not only with the mysteries of the law, but with all the phases of city life ; and thus by long experience acquire the requi- site discrimination to dispose of the multifarious complaints presented for his adjudication. Heretofore, men have occasionally occupied this position who were better qualified to preside over a small tea party of garulous old women, or @ woman's rights assemblage—men who dis coursed like philosephers on the relative proper- ties of fruit trees, but exhibited the ignorance of babes when they attempted to disentangle the knots of ingenious and unprincipled counsel, or equally ingenious and more unscrupulous rogues. Some of Judge Ruszell’s predecessors were notable illustrations of this fact. They seemed to have a profound knowledge of the benefits of cold water, and embraced every opportunity to enforce their peculiar views en that subject upon the unfortunate individuals who were arraigned before them—“ talked temperance” to the con- firmed toper with a commendable zeal, and took occasion to enforce wholesome moral leesons in the minds of the young culprits, which, how- ever appropriate in a country meeting house, when delivered in a crowded court room, where it is necessary to try prisoners with as much expedition as an ordinary business transaction is effected, were pearls cast before swine. It was really amusing to witness the expreesions of sympathy and condolence m \- nifested when the various troubles of aggriev 4 old maids were poured into the ear, to see hov implicitly were trusted the statements of plr «i- ble and cunning rogues, and to behold ‘ue earnestness with which they listened to tne ste reotyped addresses of the loquacious and igno rant pettifogger. But we congratulate the public on the se ec. tion of a man, who from his extensive knowledge of criminal law and perfect familiarity with New » the onerous duties of City Judge promptly and impartially. Since Judye Ruevell assumed his position—whieh is only two weeks ago—over two hundred cases have been disposed of at the Special Sessions, and forty jury trials have been held at the General Ses- sions. Almost the firet sentences pronounced by him were upon those with whose previons ca- reer in crime be was conversant ax a practitioner at law. He was especially severe on old offend- ers, froquently expressed his determination to protect the police in the discharge of their duty, and on one occasion resisted the most strenuous appeals of men who were instrumental in pro- moting his election for the mitigation of the punishment of a well known barroom rowdy po- litician. His decisions of mooted questions of law have been impartial, clear, prompt and con- clusive; his charges brief, pungent, and to th+ point; and his sentences just, severe, and y merciful. Conscientious, firm, prompt and ur bane, be will do more during bis term to vin cate the majesty of the law and to suppr crime in our midst than two thirds of the whole police foree of the city. “My stars!” said one of ibe attending policemen one day last week, “if Judge Ruseell goes on at this rate for a year he will render the police force unnecessary and | useless——my stars! what are we coming to!” Ove Trane Wrrn FE e-New York tHe Great Extrerot or tre New Wortn.—The orri- val of the steamship City of Washington at this port on Saturday has excited some eurprise. This vessel belongs to the Philadelphia line of steam- ere, and people naturally wonder why che is sent here. Many suppose that it is because the Delaware ie frozen up and that the vessel cannot reach her usual port of destination; but this is not the cause of the change. The fact is that the British line established to run between Liverpool and Philadelphia, and which with com- mendable enterprise and perseverance has been kept up for a year or so, has, notwithstanding the efforts made totustain it, proved a losing concern, and the company find themselves compelled to modify their plan. They have discovered to their cost that Philadelphia cannot support an exclu- sive line of steamers; but rather than give up Philadelphia entirely they have divided the line and rent part of it to New York, and the other pert will in all probability soon follow So it ie with all the other lines of Kuropean steamers. The Cunard line, it will be recollected, wae first started with the intention of making Boeton ite port of destination. It was the first ocean steam line that met with any success; but when competition commenced it altered the cha- racter of the enterprice, and the increase of the mail facilities between the two couatries readered it Decetsary to send the additions made to the lipe to New York, thus making it in facta double Jine—all thia, too, in face of the competition with the steamers of the Collins, the Glasgow, the Bremen, the Havre, and the Antwerp tines. The truth is that New York is now recognised to be the great commercial centre of the New World, aod no enterprise of this kind which attempts to ignore the fact will ever pay. These changes will convert Boston and Philadelphia into mere dependencies of and tributaries to New York of tearcely greater importance in 2 commercial sense than-any of our interior cities, Now anp THen.—We give in auother place a couple of inkotypes of the military condition and prowess of old Virginia as she was in Octo- ber, 1856, and ae she is in January, 1857. Both extracts are from the Richmond Enquirer—high anthority--and we bave placed them side by side, like the miniatures of Hamlet’s father, What a contrast do they present. The October Virginia was bursting with military ardor which could hardly be restrained. She had guns, can- nons, bayonets, minie rifles, swords, pistols aud sabres without number. She had such men as those Napoleon had at Austerlitz and Wagram. Under the lead of the gallant Wise—a Suwarrow in arms and a Metternich in council—these con- scripts intended, in case Fremont was elected, to march to Warhington, batter down the Capitol extension, dissolve the Union, close the concerr, and hand over the cash on hand to Brooks, of South Carolina. This was in October. Mark the report for January. Look at the decline of the ancient Commonwealth in three short months. “Easy,” says the Latin proverb, ‘is the descent into per- dition,” but Virginia must have gone down by electric telegraph. In October she has a com- plete military establishment ; in January she has not even a police force sufficient to put dowa an insurrection feared from the same negroes who before the election were eager to join their mas- ters in annihilating the abolitionists at the North. It is shocking state of things, and should be remedied at once. It is barely possible that the first article wasa piece of braggadocio on the part of the Enquirer, intended to frighten some weakebacked people at the North, but we don’t think the Znguirer or any other journal at the South would be guilty of such a thing. It is not at all in their way. Per- haps the Enquirer can explain, in its usual lucid style, how such a terrible misfortune could have overcome Virginia in so short a time, and how the State happens to be left in such a helpless condition. If not, we don’t care to hear about the prowess of the South for four years more at least. Tue Corruption InvesticaTiING Commirrer.— The Committee of the House of Representatives appointed to investigate alleged corrupt legis- lation, has taken a very narrow and limited view of its duties to the country. The mere corruption of members of Congress by bri- bery cannot amount to over a few hun- dred thousand dollars per session, and it only amounts to a very small per centage on the business actually transacted. There may be at the highest estimate some thirty or forty mem- bers of both houses who make it a business to push small jobs through and pick up a few dol- lars here and there, but it is not the personal cor- ruption of a few members that is so important, as the atrocious system of legislation they have inaugurated, by which nearly three hundred mil- lioas worth of public property, chiefly in land, are to be given away to speculators. We have already enumerated the several railway and other schemes which cover the above amount, and that is the real evil to be dealt with. It is no wonder that with such temptation weak men in office should lend themselves to specula- tors, and use the power with which they are invested to enrich the few at the expense of the many. It is no wonder that the speculators should take advantage of the oppor- tunities offered them, and that the country should be swindled right and left. No, the committee has gone to work at tbe wrong end of the matter. Reform first the cor- rupt and loose system of legislation, and then there will be no difficulty in reforming the per- sonal character of the legislators. Tow Communciat Case ix Kivostox, Jawaics —We put- Mehed the other day an article copied from a Kingston Paper, in reference to an arbitration case which hes recently been decided between a party doing business 1a Jamaica and a commercial house in this city. In this country such dieputes are usually referred to toe Cham ber of Commerce and disposed of privately. The Jamaion people, however, do things didorentty, and the care to which we allude has becn made the subject of commentary by the press. Sinoe the appearance of the romarks of our Kirgston contemporary in our colu we bave been waited upon by Mr. Bertrand Clover, member of the firm interested in thie decision, who has given use version of the facts somewhat difforeat from thoee published. He says that his house refased to aoc bills drawn ad Iiitum and without authority, They pre ferred to submit to @ small lore of £440, instead of £1,800 es sinted. It will be remembered that |)uncan, Shermaa & ‘ere censured for not accopting the drafis of Page, Bacon & Co. under somewhat similar cironm=tances, We 0 the explanation as made to ux without uater taking 10 decide on tho correctness of the commercial prine!ple acted @pon in (hk case Turortant Lirgrary Work.—We perceive that Lippe cot & ©o., of Philadelphia, aro about to publish an impor. tant etanological work entitied ‘Indigenous Races of the Farth,” by the authors of ‘the Typos of Mankin Interest created amongst eclentific moa by the Dilcation is s certais guarantes of the favorable raesption Of the forthooming work by the public. Mr. Gliddon's Fgypticn researches and high reputetion aan etdnolo git ominently qualify him for the branch of solentide wiry t> which be hasdevoted bimeelf. Tne seme may bo eid of his collaboraiewr Dr whom no man stanas higher as as an There gentleman are aesisted in their pre-ent ja bers by Mesnieurn Ared Maury, Librarian of the Inetiore France, Francis Puizky, Follow Hur gariam Academy 5 1ibr the academy of N der sich anepice ! of the moet valuable and interesting «bat nas ever been contributed to this depertment of literature, Fiom Kansas, AROPET OF MEMUERS OF THR PREF eTATE Laos LATURE. Correspondence of the a. | ouls Democrat | Torexa, Jan. 7, 096 The Free stale Legislature mot at this place yeaterday. Most of the membors were present, but neither Governor Pot eon por Liewtenant Governor Roberts were at their por. atter gonticman was detained at Wyandotte, but will take his teatam soon as he can reach Topeks. Covernor Rebirton, a4 T before informed yeu, has re ce of the two principal creat ‘on among the gentlemen provent, hort #ession they adjourned, ‘Ihe United States Deputy Marahal, undor s writ issued by Jeoge Cato. arrested seven of the members om & cheige of treseon, for baving taken the oath of office on he 4b of March last, Tho arreste were made after ad ovement, and as tho members were leaving tho House, | cneerstand that they are io be immediately taken to i eh tried before Judge Cato, Upwards of ort to the writ abet in , the Bi presont, "ges ‘not wuitietont to torin & quence of ruin, ard they members clene 1) Lieoterant Governor Roberia should remain away, Trenident of the Senate will deliver the message, as ioe Governor, There ie a strorg determination on pert of a meajority of bert 10 goon with the buel- # ‘or Which they eombied . aithongh || appeare bifv! (o me that It be able to do en, Ne etiempt wae to resist the authority of ihe Mareba’, yet very strove ferling was exhibited by the people who had sarembied to @itnees ‘the organization of ibe fret Legwlacure of bbe Territory. THE LATEST NEWS, BY PRINTING AND MAGNETIC TELEGRAPHS, peepanpnesee Terrible Shipwreck on the Coast. WRECK OF AN UNENOWN BRIG OFF THE HIGHLANDS ~-ALL HANDS PROBABLY LOST. HGHLaNDs ov Nuvieivx, Jam, 18—11 A, M, A brig, mame unknown, bas just gone ashore near the Ocean House, and the sea is breaking thirty feet over her. No one from her bas got ashore, Several persone Were seen on board before she struck, HIGHLANDS, Jan, 18—5 P.M, A messenger bas just come from the brig ashore at the Ocean House, but owing to hor position was unable to: got her name. ‘She lays bead on to the beach, and will probably go to. Pieces before morning. Part of her stero hes already given way. There were six men to be seen on her deck when she: struck. One man attempted to reach shore on a hatch, but was drowned in the effort. Three others have dis~ appeared since she struck, and are supposed to be also drowned, The two rematning men are in the war rigging. Mr. Wardie and crew ars on the besch with life car and boats and huyo suxceeded in getting a line on the topsail yard of the brig, but the men on the vessel cannot Teach it, and if they could they are 0 exhauaied they ‘Would not be able to reach the shore on it. The wreck- ers are going to stay by them unt!! low water, aad if the men in the rigging live till then there ie & possibility of thelr being saved; but it ws very doudtfal if they oan sur- vive much longer. The Expected Steamer from Europe. Caras, Me., Jan 18—9 P, M, We bad despatches from Halifax up to nine o'clock: this morping, at which time the steamship Americs had Bot made her appearance. Later in the day the telegraph: wires broke down east of St. Andrews, and there ie no Prospect of being in order again before the morn- ‘we are consequently without the means of commu- Bicating with Halifax this evening. Significant News from » ELECTION OF GEN. CAMERON—EXCITEMENT SUBSI- DING—IMPORTANT POLITICAL POSITION OF GEN. CAMBRON AND THE OPPOSITION CONSERVATIVES THE REIGN OF THE DEMOCRTIC PARTY IN PENN- SYLVANIA ENDED. Hanniesvra, Jan, 17, 1857. The excitement consequent upon Gen. Cameron's elec- tion and Col. Forney’s defeat is rapidly subsiding. The more sensible and independent democrats are resigned ta “grin and bear it,” and it is onty a few of a particular Glique of interested office seekers thai refuse to be com- forted. Meantime the impression guins ground that Gen. Cameron, on conservative grounds, will be an active supporter of Mr. Buchanan's administration in the Seuate. Cameron is one ef those men who do not pim their faith to the coas-tail of any other man or any other party, long- er than it may sult thoir ows purposes, He Sgbts hie own baitles. In this view nobody here willbe surprieed should he prove, in the Senate, a staunch supporter of the new administration, and yet a vigilant enemy of the Forney clique Under Polk’s administration Cameron, you will recol- lect, as 8 democratic Sonator, was on terms of the warm- eat confidence with the Secretary of State, Mr. Buchanan. ‘There was subsequently a decisive rupture betweem them, which has lasted to this day ; but now each having gained bis point in spite of the other, there may bem reconciliation. At all events, should tt suit the purposes of Gen, Cameron to support Mr. Buchanan’s sdrinistra- ton, be will do it upon his own responsibility ; but this ‘Will not mecessartly invoive his support of the democratic party in 1860, This man Cameron looks ahead. He sees tbat with the election of Mr. Buchanan Pennsylvania is paid the debt 20 long due to her {rom the demooraiie party. Her claim te the Presidency, avd her “‘ favorite son’’ Mr. Bus chanan, have done everything to keep the party together im the State since the death of Gon. Jackson. Now, the debt being raid, tho reign of the democracy !n the old Keystone State is ended. Probably the opposition ele- ments will be fazed inio an all-powerful party betore 1860, and Cameron, doubtiessyperccives that a conservative opposition platform and national organization will be the ‘way to a certain victory over the distracted democracy im the next great battle for the succession. To this end, tbe support of Mr. Baobanan’s gencral policy may be the card for Cameron. Certainly Jwith his present snocess the Senetor elect completely obscures Gov. Johneon aod all the Seward leaders of the republican wing of the op- Position; and just as certainty will Senator Cameron give ‘Seward and bis clique very* soon to understand that if they chose to follow Cameron and « conservative pelicy. very good; but taat he cannot be counted upon to follow a He takes bis own course, and he calculates to win. From W: igton. THE CORRUPTION INVESTIGATING COMMITTER. Wasniveros, Jan. 17, 1867. I learn this evening that the }>vestigating Committee Intend to send for Mr. Raymond dior of the Timer, and If be refuses to answer the questinns they put to Bim, ae he did {a the first instance. the ocrmmittee will imprison a ‘The committeo contend, 1 understand, that they Deve power to imprison, provided the witnesses refuse to answer their questions, I hear they are making some rich developements, Mesars, Kingman, of the New York Journal of Commerce, Baltimore Sun and other papers, Pike, of the New York Tridune, and soveral Basteta pa- pere, and Mr Chase, of Now York, ox-Member of Con- grees, wore to-day examined. INPROVED CONDITION OF MR. @IDDINOS. Wasmncton, Jan. 18, 1867. Mr. Giddings. who was so suddenly seized with illeess on Satorday, ie nt in a falr way towards recovery. Affairs at Albany. NO SESSION OF THK SENATE—THE HOUSE ON DUTY— VARIOUS MATTERS FISPOPED OF—COMMIPSTONERE OF THE UNITED STATES DEPOSIT FUND HAULED OVER THE COALS, ETO. Avnayy, Jan. 17, 1867. ‘The Senate was not in session today, having adjourned Jeterday over to Monday at 7 I’. M. Various comm'tiocs of that body had an opportun‘ty of making delilverate in- ‘Vertigations of the matters referred to there, !ustead of embracing the opportur ity of going to thelr homes. As there appears to be a working disposition with members generally, it is not improbable thet any time will be Jort enmecessarily by adjoursing over two days, during the seasicn. The House mot at the usual hour, amd very vaexpeot- eély a full quorum was found to be present. The neuat routive of butiness wes gone through with, but nothiag of importance sccompiiahed Arthur Woods, who aspires 10 the leadership of the democracy—not baving Spinola to contend with this sexsion—un- dertook to raite & breeze on the bill Josicinry Committes. pranting certain ji United Sates over \nnce reerntly purchased by he gene- At the Atiantic Dock, Brooklyn, the trangolar dior be (the old Brick chnrah nroperty, i Post office. Mr. Woods wished the bill referred back to the commiltes, in order that testimony migat be iatrotuo- ed in regard to its title Mr. Foot and Mr. that tbe with tho tr ‘that was a mmter concerning the bo sold tho property and the genera! gov. ‘were the purebarers The bill finally passed oan be ran throvea the Hen- ob tresmury. ‘A dieoverton aroee on # reolation furnishing dingraine a fow aa it rooms one pe purchasing \ ‘eMioer, aud BO 0 king for ten co; , wk A pro on ? me erie, half doren lobby roome attached. Mr. why this adijtonal number should aot be Tee tahed. Mr. Leavenworth alto entered bie pro- te-t—be wae for economy the State too much ‘These diagrams always oot Thoy wore not worth over five State bad freqnentiy been floeced that amount. Mr. Prender- tere of extravagance number already ordered was ontirely »nfficient. Tt seems that (ho prosecuted, but nothing of value received has been forth. crming. There creatures are all ee ae woay of ¢ iliion ‘received dorignated ag the general bribery act Now, what to do ‘With there refractory, robbing commissioners the Aitor. vey General reems not to know. and he, thoreforo, vende bis communication of complaint to the Houne of Assemb!p, which. through ite able judiele en the State and the peo A man who would bo guilty of jering this fund, which bony 1) litera, ture, ong! to learn the foraitare news at Pan . 18, 1867. Michael Brown, colored man, and claimed by Mr, Gatchell, of Baltimore, ae hie slave, was given up to his