The New York Herald Newspaper, February 12, 1857, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 12, 1857. NEW YORK HERALD. 72K EF GORDOR BERNEPS, BDITOR AND PROPRIBTOR. MB cosh 4B Daily , 2 ents per copy, Lp Ha PRINTING cnenuted toUth eases Mecpncr and dee = THE WEEKLY ) every , a8 6% conte pear pa, Smuodon, annum, 10 pe samantha en oY the Continent, ‘&O NO taken ef anonymous comsnmications We do Be veturn 1 AOVERTH: T'S renewed every day. Ne. 42 SROADWAY THEATRE Broadwayv—Foun Vovsent—Tus Bemis ov Mapew— Mantes’ Exsxcisas—Tus Coorsns, BIBLO'S G4 RDER Wroadwer—Jesrwerre AND JBANNOT —Tront Gore Prare- Tearsiovens—Mupina. BOWORY THEATRE ewere—Macic Haar or Arten- puno— ALL Kicht—Binak His oF KRIN, OTETONS NEW THEATRE. Broséway. fy ae Reresmesion— KecestRie Li Comeby oF ERRORS. WALLAOK'S THEATRE, Breadway Casmus—Wircr ‘Mosprs. AU3A EREXWS THBATRR 624 Broe@way—Srmi ‘Waress Run Derr—Love Caase. BARRUM'S AWXRICAN MUSEUM, Broad’ eee Romsees Wire Qurve a7 Hae, ' tvening— ee — afer PLAN'S OBO. CHRISTY & WOOD'S MINSTREL, 44 Broadway— moran PRreronesroe- Tne Ove Crock, WOCKELEY’S SEREMADERS, “5 Broadway- Eraerus Bmrosnasces—oxon to Dn Kane. Roxo MMLOpaRs, races , BY er °§ MINSTRELS. BO. 37] BROADWAY, opposite Broadway Theare—Any- pees, THE SEARED INvaNr, BALL, 472 rosdw: or rex OsGiR AL Ona Bow York, Thursday, Fenrusry 12, 1857. The News. The steamship Texas is now due at New Orleans with news from Nicaragua. ‘Teree steamers are due from Liverpool—the City @f Baltimore, which left on the 28th ult. for New York; the Anglo Saxon, which left the same day for Portland; and the Europa, whicp sailed on the 31st Ser Halifax. Congress has got into a dilemma. In accordance with law, boch houses met yesterday in convention $e count the votes for President and Vice President. ‘Tee ceremony is of iteelt of po practical impor- tance neually, but in this instance a point of much fatersst has orisen. It is well known that in @oneequence of a svere snow storm, which Docked up ‘he roads, the Wisconsin Pre- sidertial Electors were unable to reach the eapitalof that State on the 3d of December and vote fur President apd Vice President, as required by law. Their proceedings were unavoidably post poned till the 4th of the month; «nd the question is, @hail the vote of Wisconsin be ruled out? After ar- guing the point in joint convention for some time, ‘the Senate retired, and subsequently the debate.was kept up in both houses until the hour of adjourn- ment without any decision being arrived at. A motion was made in the House yesterday to re- eonsider the vote whereby the oceanic telegraph bill was committed to the Post Office Committee, bu no action was taken on it. Nothing specially important occeurred yesterday with reference to the Bond street tragedy. Our Report of the testimony of Mrs. Cunningham will, however, without donbt, excite universal attention. By telegraph we have news from Mexico to the Ob alt. With the exception of occasional exhibi ‘tions of refractoriness on the part of the clergy the country was tranquil. Several of the rebellions priests had been severely dealt with by the authori- ties, and it was rumored that the Apostolic Nancio would demand his passports and leave the country. enor Soto had retired from the ministry. Senor Berdo de Tejada, before leaving the ministry of finance, signed onthe 2¢ ult. a circalar enjoining that the property of the clergy, not yet disposed of im the States, shall in foture be seld in Mexico. afr. Iglevias, formerly one of the editors of the Sigto, has been appointed Secretary of Justice. The Republicen Central Committee met last even: ing, but did not succeed in doing anything remarka- bie beyond passing resolutions endorsing the choice of Preston King as United States Senator from this State, and complimenting Hamilton Fish for his rervices during his career im the Senate. A petition was received in the Board of Aldermen last evening, from the Dry Dock Comp ny, com- plaining that the Committee on Markets had adopt ed a report in favor of a site, at the foot of Sixte rut) street, East river, for an up-town market, with ou affording them an opportunity of being heard re- specting very suitable lands which they offered for that purpose, located between Tenth and Eleventh #treets. A resolution respecting the insufficiency of aecommodations in the city railroad cars was re- berred. In the Board of Councilmen last evening a resolu tion was oflered providing for specie payments in the transections of the city government, and for abolishing the present system of depositiog the funds of the city with benks for safe keeping. In accordance with (he Mayor's sugestion, the Board laid aside a report in favor of increasing the sulary of the Mayor and other city officers. The Councilmen Committee on Streets met at the City Hall yeste:dsy to consider the petitions in regerd to widening and extending Worth and Franklin streets. They listened to the arguments Of the parties pro andeon, and adjourned to visit the lorslities and decide for themselves upon the merits of the petitions. The case of the alleged fillbusters was continued yerterday before Commissioner More The de velopements are very curious and very interesting. Bee our report elsewhere. The case of the prisoners who are charzed with eommitting frer ypon the Northern Railroad of France, was brought up before Commissioner Betts yeaterd: After a short consultation all the parties dagreed to adjourn the case until Monday next, at}! o'clock A. M., #0 as to pive the counsel for the prisoners time to examine the affidavits sent from France, which are to be given in evidence. Marshal De Angelis, sasisted hy officer Devoe, ar. rested, on Toesday, Edward David, also charged with being implicated in the embezzlement. The Commissioners of Emigration did not succeed im getting together yesterday. Their books show that 7,000 cmigrants bave landed at this port since the Ist of January, being an inereave of 6,510 as compared with the same period leet year. The overdraft in hank amonnts to $13, Th e movements of the French naval forces in the Chinese seas are of importance jast at this time. We jearn that Rear- Admiral Rigault de Genouilly ie soon to leave France for the Indo-China naval station, where be will supersede Admiral Gaérin, who will retorn in the frigate L’Virginie, leaving under cam. mand of his successor the frigate Nemesis of fifty gune, the large steamers Phiegeton and Primanguet, two transport ships, and four gunboats. ‘The tresheta io the rivers and the obstructions to railroads have been seized upon by the castle spe u- lators as good cause for advancing the price of every description of animal food. At the market yester- day beeves of ordinary quality brought as high as 114 cents, 12 cents and 12} cente per pound, being fan increase of |) cengs per poand on prev. us ra es, Swine was very scarce, an¢ commanded as high as 4 cents and &) cents per pound. Sheep and lambs, weal calves, Ac.,are of course effected by the up- ward movement ‘The sales of cotton yorterday embraced about 9,800 eles, the market closing frm. Fiour was im fair de- mand, with enies to the home trade and for export, at steady prices, aroong the purchases for export wae e lot Of Genesee extra ai 50 00. Wheat war in good request, swith sales of Canadian and Wertern whive at $i 76. In- diane red a1 $1 bi); Southere do. ai $1 68, ana Chi. tales of good Weste » mixed from store at 7%. @ 140, Por was in better request, falco of new meses at $21 <0 a $2 +0, do., ot $20 3009204. Lard demand. Among the ales arrive, at 1830. Sugars were stead’ embraced abeut 160 boxes and 360 hh's., ofall kinds, rates gtven in amother column. ©! ihe 6,000 bags Rio coffee advertised for sale yesterday, ,600 # ore with- drawn, and 8,500 were sold, at prices ranging from Spoils and Plunder Corruptions at Albany and Washington. Of the corruptions of the lobby at Albany and the lobby at Washington the worst will never be known. It is beginning to be pretty well under- stood, however, that an exorbitant per centage of the State loans made from time to time to com- plete our Erie and other canals, has been appro- priated by the spoils and plunder jobbers of the lobby at Albany. It is calculated that of the last ten or fifteen millions appropriated to the account of the still unfinished canals, some three or four millions have been seized and disbursed for the immediate private uses of these lobby spoilsmen and their retainers, the leaders of this lobby horde being the prime ministers of the Seward party of this commonwealth. So shame- less and brazen-faced have these conspirators at length become, that the offices in the appoint- ment of a Seward Governor, or within the reach of a Seward Legislature, have become a regular article of sale and purehase in the market, like mountain mutton or “ Albany beef,” at so much per pound. We have bad a sample of this thing, to some extent, in the appointment of the Harboe Masters of this city; bat we need never expect any definite report, or any confessions, of the rich spoils and plunder pickings of the canal funds Let it suffice our tax payers that these unfinished canals have been too profitable to the plunder jobbers to be finished short of another heavy loan or two, of six, eight, or ten millions or so, by- and-bye. Within the last year or two, however, it has neen discovered that the limited scope of the financial transactions of our State Legislature uffords a field of operations entirely too small aad contracted for the genius, experience, and com- rebensive spoils capocities of our Seward and Weed politicians. The rise of the republican varty, and their success two years ago in secur- ng & majority in the popalar branch of Congress, were, therefore, not overlooked by these spoils- mongersat Albany. On the contrary, with the ‘irst signs of the golden opportunity they procesd- +d to arrange their plans and pack up their traps tor a lobby campaign or two in Washington, in zreai force and upon a large scale. Accordingly, tor the Jast two years the main instruments and managers of the lobby at Albany have been transferred to Washington, where, through sta- pendous Western railroad land grants, patent ex- tensions, the repeal and refunding of millions of duties upon railroad iron, a new system of gol- dicrs’ bounties, and various other devices, great and small, they have been working to fleece the public treasury, to monopolize the public lands upon false pretences, and to tax the community ad libitum for inventions, the monopoly of which has already enriched several generations of specu- lators, Of one or more of these patent extension companies Mr. Seward himself was, we believe, or manny years the attorney at law: and if he ever forgot this contidential business relation in his discussions of patent extension cases in the United Stateg Senate, we have yet to learn the fact. lt is this lobby movement of the Albany Seward gang to Washington which has given to be lobby of the present Congress such a tre- mendous impetus and momentum as to satisfy many inquiring minds there that the power be hind the throne, which is greater than the throne itself, is the lobby. The members of Congress are generally poor, and between oyster saloons, gambling dens, and other nocturnal drawbacks in the federal city, a considerable number of our national law makers are always “hard ap.” The first cless lobby agent of the Albany or New York city pattern, on the other hand, is always flush of funds, is the prince of good fellows, occupies his hired house— sometimes two of them—gives free drinks to all visiters, splendid parties, royal dinners, rides in bis carriage, and altogether does up the agreeable upon a financial basis obly eclipsed by the princely magnificence of those bankers who hav grown to be a power at Washington from the mere flogering of the money of the Treasury Department. Even the second class of the mo- dern lobby live and flourish like wee garden, They occupy the best rooms at the mos fashionable hetels, they dine and wine and enter- tain members ef Congress in a patronizing way. and carry on the business of go-betweens, lobby brokere and agente e style vo graphically described by Simonton himeelf, in his lamenta- tions over his detention in custody by the House. We understand that there has been furnished the clearest evidence before the Congressional Commitice (whove report be sent in n a few days) that most, if not all, these great schemes and corruptions at Washing ton may be traced to the original fountain head at Albany, and to those experienced, unscrupn- lous and comprebensive millionaire operavors who bail chiefly from Albany and New York city. These corrupt agencies, too, are the legiti mate fruits of Sewardism behind the scenes; and Seward leaders, Seward philosophers, Seward high eburchmen, Seward journals and agente of all descriptions. appear to form the groundwork of that motley epoile end plander crew ai Washington comprehended in the lobby. Singu- lar to relate, also, we understand tvat in this company of lobby bybrids, harmonizing for the spoils, should the committee inqaire into the mat- ter, the Kitchen Cabinet, and even poor Pierce himeelf, will be found. wil lobby Wao is To Buawe !—Certain cotemporaties, religious and profane, are pleased to account for the murder of Dr. Burdell and other similar out- bursts of crime in our midet by ascribing them to the bad government of the city. Thore may be some truth in this. Only we must take care that we do not mistake a beam for a post, or a merit for a defect. That the governme st of the city hae defects, and monstrous ones, n) one | who has lived here for a week can doult. Bat | some of our cotemporaries, who do not believe that a man can possess any virtues or qualities of any kind unless he belong to their political | party, are travelling beyond the trath when they | insinuate that the municipal government is an. swerable for these faulte. If these cotempora ries had charged that the superabundance of crime wae traceable to the lax administration of | justice in the city before Judge Russell made his onge epring 1 $1 40, Corn wae in fair demand, with | appearance on the Bench, there would have been a color of plausibility im the statement, For it cannot be denied that over fifteen hundred, near two thousand indictments are on file in the office of our District Attorney, none o! which are prosecuted; and also that some two hundred indictments procered by the Mayor and Police against gambling and other illegal houses have been treated with like neglect by the law officers, on the ground that the acts under which they would have to be prosecuted were unconsti- tutional. Whether this sort of thing is likely to Jead to an increage in crime, the friends of the District Attorney and Recorder Smith can judge as well as any one else. The Bond Street Blunder—Dogberry and Verges Redivivus. If there have been any doubts as to the univer sality of the genius of Shakspere, the close similarity between some of his fictitious charac- ters and the idiosyncracies of the principal actors in the great drama of real life now being enacted in this city would at ance dispel them. In Con- nery and Capron we have Dogberry and Verges over again—in the style of the investigation we realize the cutting satire conveyed in the criti- cisms of the Grave Diggers in “ Hamlet,” upoo “crowner’s quest law.” Connery is the pom- pous constable who alternately amuses, bores and disgusts the town with his antics, while Capron is the tedious Verges—the old man that will be talking—the adviser who suggests that the Coroner goes not the right way to examine this matter—and both are willing to bestow all their tediousness, were it ten times as great, opon an indulgent and long-saffering public. They are dealing with one of the most mysterious and fascinating crimes ever committed. They are endeavoring to elicit evidence against parties evidently much su- perior to them in mental acumen. They are watched by the argus eyes of a public excited to the highest pitch, and kept au courant to every word and every minute circumstance of the iu- vestigation. For the time being, they monopo- lise public attention. Several important matters which under other circumstances would have ex- cited universal remark are passed over in silence, Among these is the examination of the alleged fihbusters, the Stafford seduction case, the great tresbet, the Scott and Davis correspondeace. But ali these matters are overlooked to discuss the question, “Who killed Doctor Burdell ?” The moet trifling circumstances connected with tne affair are snapped up with the greatest avidity. Over ove hundred columns of evidence and com- ment have been given in this journal: the public devours all that, and cries loudly for more. The excitement permeates through every grede of society, from the highest to tte lowest. The murder in Bond street is the tole topic of conversation in the street, the emnibus, the saloon, at the theatre: eating, drinking, walking, riding—nothing but Bond street. The public sups on horrors, dreams of murders, and gets up the next morning with a renewed appetite for the same food. For the time being the murder abeorbs every other topic, and the subject seems altogether inexhaustible. Its horrible atrocity and the mystery which sur- rounds the perpetrators, combined with the antics of the Coroner and his officious adviser, are essentially dramatic, and there is a rumor that the whole affair will be represented on the boards of one of the minor theatres. No broader con- trast could be imagined than that presented by the cool atrocity ef the murder, the reticence of the persons immediately under suspicion, and the blundering stupidity, the laughable ignorance, tbe wretched attempts at wit and the tedious verbosity of the parties having the matter in charge. Cervantes, when he sent the Knight of La Mancha forth upon his adventures, never could have fancied anything half so ludicrous as the floundering ef Don Qnixotse Connery and Sancho Panza Capron. They have attacked more windmills than one, and have always come off second best. Some acci- dental circumstances have been developed, but not through any efforts of the Coroner or his jury. ‘Their endeavors have tended rather to muddle the matter than to clear it up, while the counsel for the prisoners hovers over the acene with Mephistophelean acutenes, taking advantage of every little slir of bis opponents. The Goroner showers his nndertaker’s jeste, his disjointed sen- tences of legal slang, his pompous, floundering speeches “to the press and the jury,” his ludi- crous blunders in attempting to expound his ideas of law, medicine, surgery, aaatomy and sciences, while outside the crowd howls its execrations upon the prisoners, against whom there is as yet but little positive evidence, even for the purposes of a preliminary investigation. So the great drama moves to- warde its d nowement. What that will be no one can eafely attempt to predict. ‘The evidence taken yesterday is of no great consequence. The medical testimony has already been laid before the public in these columns. Another witness corroborates the evidence of Doctor and Mrs. Main as to the smell of burninz woollen in Bond street, but fixes the time at an carlier hour. We preeume that the end of this “grand inquisition,” as the Coroner calls it, ix near athand. To-day the result of the chemical analysis will be given in, and we presume tha: the Coroner will take a day to sum up the cas, That will be his greatest effort, and we suppose that the reporters will give it verbatim et litera’ “et punctuatim.”” The Era of Speculation in France, Count de Morny, the confidential adviser of the Emperor of the French, and a prospective Prince of the Empire, returns to Paris this week to show his bride to his friends of the Imperial Court, to answer in person a ult for breach of promise, damages four millions, and likewise to pull the nore of the Right Honorable Sir Robert Peel, a lord of the Britise Admiralty. It may be safely averred that the latter is the duty the illustrious ambassador is most anxious to dis charge. For, though the Princess Troabetzoi is very bandeome, and the Count’s old love very rapacions, the charms of the one and the terrors of the other sink into insignificance beside the wrath which the imperial ambaseador feels opainet the Englishman who has proclaimed him the preatest gambler and speoulator in France, Worse than the accusation was the fact that it was truce. Count de Morny, stateeman and diplo- matist as he is, isa epeculator at the Bourse : no mean operator, like a president of whom the world bas heard, whom a few hundred shares, gratuitously transferred, could convert from an uneparing opponent into a zealous partian : but & grand epeculator, a sort of French Wesley & Co.. who own a paper to puff their gambling transactions in Wall street, as Morny owned a paper in Paris to do the eame on the Bourse, who made and lost his millions in his week, and, whether he made or lost, always lived like a prince. Five years ago he was no one, and had nothing. Taken up by the Prince Lonte Na poleon, and retained in the Emperor’s favor, he was not long in learning that his position and his capacities for acquiring early intelligence might be tarned to account in a pecuniary point of view; he began, like many of his predecessors under the monarchical r gime, by selling the tele- graphic intelligence from England, Germany and Spain, to brokers, who gave him an interest in their operations by way of payment. Operating euccessfully—as a person connected with the go- vernment in France is sure to be able to do, M: de Morny spent money as freely as he made it. He became noticed in France for the luxury of his turn out, the excellence of his stud, the capital dinners he gave. Rising, simultaneously, thanks to his tact and adroitness, in favor with the head of the State, his means of operating were extended, and good society opened to him her bosom, as she always does to richscampa, There came a time when De Morny was really a man of influence, wealth, and standing—when he was able to do his part toward managing the Empe- ror. That time was during the war with Russia. He was a privy counsellor of the empire, and an incumbent of various offices—but before all, he was a speculator on the Bourse. His friends and associates were all operators too. All the Imperial household, high and low, men and women, operated in stocks. It was even pretended that the Emperor sometimes took a flyer, but this haa been denied. At any rate, the war raging furiously with Russia, and De Morny and his friends being very anxious to make a bold stroke and clear something hand- some at the Bourse, they resolved to make peace. Their determination was known in a certain circle in Paris, to which the Prince Napoleon had confided it, as early as October, 1855. From that time wo the close of negotiatione, the prelimina- ries were a farce. The Emperor was led to be- lieve a thing natural enough: that the state of his finances and of his army would not permit him to continue the war; he gave his consent to the peace, and in spite of, and rather unfairly to England, it was duly signed. Upon which M. De Morny, the other members of the Cabinet, and the chief courtiers and statesmen generally, made their millions on the rise in the rentes which tol- lowed. Unexampled as is the fact of a great war being brought to a close in order to suit the private stock jobbing operations of individuals, we have no reason to doubt that the close of the Russian war was brought about by this cause and by this alone. Nor has the fever of speculation in any measure died out. In France, preposterous companies, with power to create paper eecuri- ties to almost any limit, have been enabled to circulate them by the aid of De Morny and the other friends of the government. In Ger- many the Credit Mobilier secures at a blow the whole system of the Austrian railroads. In Spain, the most desperate expedients are resorted to obtain twenty-three millions loan. In Rus- sia a scheme is propounded for the constraction by one concern and simultaneously of ten thou- sand miles of railway. In Turkey, nothing is thought of but the establishment of banks, rail- way, steamboat, and telegraph lines. All over the Continent, we find the same story—un- bounded, unthrifty, reckless enterprise, radiating from Paris and from the household of the Emperor. We do not find that this creation of fictitious wealth is accompanied by an increase in the real wealth of Europe. On the contrary, we note an actual decline in the production of several staples—wine and silks in France, corn on the Danube and Black Sea, timber in the North. And the late large levies of men for military purposes cannot but have checked peaceful in- dustry. The whole fabric is supposititious. Like the two millions worth of diamonds which Count de Morny presented to his bride on his wedding night, the speculative schemes which engros financial attention in Europe, the Credit Mobiliers, extraordinary loans, impossible railways and all the rest, have no substantial basis in fact, and will some day vanish before the hard realities of revulsion, distress, and sheriff's officers, The Rights of the Press. We notice that eome papers in Philadelphia and other thriving country towns take excep- tions to the course pursued by the New York prees in reference to the Burdell murder, and ac- cuse them of violating the decorum due to the jury and courts of justice. This matter les in « very small compass, ond may be ecanned at a glance. As to the facts, The leading journals of New York have from day to day commented on the evidence rendered before the Coroner: sach com- ments being both an epitome of the leading points of the evidence, and a brief commentary on their bearing. This practice our rural friends consider “indecent if not unjust.” We do not so view it. A generation since, it was illegal to report evidence. When it was allowed, it was by the kind tolerance of the Court; and the reporters were exposed at any moment to be declared in contempt, and to be compelled to “purge them- selves by an bumble apology to the Judges. ‘These were the days when juridical corruption and malfeasance were rampant. The time came when the perseverance of the press overcame the tyranny of courts and counsel, and the common sense of the public declared in favor of public audiences, and public trials. From that day to the preeent, no one in this Mate has questioned the right of reporters to give full and authentic accounts of important trials. But, it seems, the ground must be conquered inch by inch. If we are permitted to report, that does not imply that we may comment. We may say what we like in nonparell, but not a word in brevier. That is the argument of our raral co temporaries, who get their ideas partly from the nervous whinings of some of our judges and lawyers, and partly from a feeble jealousy of the metropolitan press. Let us look into it. The only mischief which can be done by newspaper comments on pending cases is a general influencing of the public mind in such a way and tosuch a degree that a fair and unbiaesed jury cannot be found when the case comes on for trial; or, if the comments be uttered after the jury has been empannelled, that the jury may be swayed unduly and adversely to the evidence. We submit that those who say that the press ehould be inhibited by law from doing this thing pay usa great compliment. They eappore, in the firet case, that we do all the thinking of the public; and that no man ventures to form an opinion of his own until he has seen what the Henan eays on the point. This theory, however flattering to our feelings, prestimes lees of indepen- dent judgment among the public than we give our fellow citizens credit for. And as for the Graad Jury—the mischief we do hy biasing the minds of the jury—why, this is still more complimentary to us, and disparaging to the lawyers. When a ease i tried, which possesses enough importance to just 'y newspaper comment, the ablest counsel in the city are retained on either side, expresely for the purpoee of influencing the jury. Plaintiff and defendant, or District Attorney and prisoner’s eounsel expend all the resources of their intellect and their learning in trying to influence the jury. They are there for no other purpose. From the time a juryman enters the box till he renders his verdict, he is constantly subject to these adverse, skilled and tried influences. Yet we are told that a few lines in our columns on either side will weigh so much more than all that these learned men can say, that our mouths should be sealed by statute. We are aware of the courtesy that is due to courts of justice, and of the propriety of leaving, in intricate and involved cases, the duty of point- ing out the truth to Judge and jury. We have no desire to usurp the functions of the latter, however strong the temptation may sometimes be. All that we contend is that, as we are en- titled to report in full, 80 we may report in a condensed shape—give’the points of the evi- dence, and direct the reader’s mind to the appre- ciation of those which are important. The right to do this without absolute hindrance—though under a sort of grumbling protest from the bar and bench—we have exercised for some time past. Our rival friends would employ them- selves more usefully in following than in carping at our example. Look to tHe Hyprants.—Notwithstanding the pains that are taken to impress upon people the economy of prevention, as arule, we find the same unpardonable negligence constantly recur- ring in matters in which a little care might save large amounts of property. A striking instance of this is the indifference shown to the condition of the bydrants, at a season of the year when it is most necessary to pay attention to them. The snow and ice are allowed to accumulate around them, and consequently, when a conflagration occurs and water is required,a great deal of precious time is consumed in the effort to get at it, In most casesa fire has to be made around the hydrant, and during this process a building may be almost entirely destroyed. At the recent fire in Eesex street the engines were on the spot, the hose attached to the hydrant and a full force of men ready to play on the building for at least twenty minutes before a thaw could be effected by thismeans. We believe that an easy remedy might be found for this difficulty. What is to prevent, for instance, a patrol being established to visit all the city bydrants and work them at brief intervals, day and night, so as to prevent the frost from closing them? The Fire Department should take upon itself this task, for certainly no part of the duties which they so cheerfully and efficiently discharge is more important or necessary. By some simple arrangement of this kind they would spare themselves the risk, loss of time and apnoyance which the delay in obtaining water from the frozen bydraate invariably occasions at this season of the year. THE LATEST NEWS 6Y PRINTING AND MAGNETIC TELEGAAPES, ‘The Expected turopean Steamers, Baurax, Fed. 11—P, M. ‘The steamship Europa, now in her twelfth day out, has not yet been signalled. The weather is clear and intenso- ly cold, with a strong wind trom the northeast. PoxTLanp, }. 1110 P, M. ‘The steamship Avgio Saxon has not yet been beard of. She ‘s in ber fifteenth day out. Interesting from Washington. THE LATEST CONGRESSIONAL DILEMMA —THR KANSAS CONTESTED BEAT ONCE MORK, ETC. Wastunctow, Feb. 11, 1867. We bave bad one of the most exciting and interesting day’s proceedings ever known in the American Con- gress. Under the requirements of the consitution, and © previous joint resolution, the Senate entered the Repre- sentaitve hall a little afer noon, preceded by the Presi- dent pro tem, who was escorted to a seat on the right of the Speaker Before the Senate came in quite a spirit of merriment prevailed. A number of propositions had Deen submitted and everruied. Mr. Marshall, of Ky., Fose, and with great mock gravity inquired if nothing Wwuching the public interests was in order on this solemn occasion? (Bursts of laughter.) Mr. Elliott asked if it would be in order for the American party to withdraw Mr, Fillmore. (Uproarious merriment), Mr, Whitney wished to inquire why the Pablic Bailding In- vestigation Gommitiee was notetill alive. Mr. Letcher Proposed, as « compromise, a committee to make @ port mortem examination, The Speaker raled compromise eepecially out of order. (Roars of laughter.) But order being restored the Senate entered, and the count Of votes cast for Presiden! and Vice President was commenced, beginning with the State of Maine, and reading at length the certificates of election. The vote of Virginia boing reached, on motion of Mr. Cass the reading of the certificates was dispensed with, and Mr. Bigior, ene of the tellers, rising om tiptoe, announced to full tone ‘ Virginia votes for James Bachanaa.’’ The count wee then rapidly progressed with until Arkansas was announced. She voted for “James Buchanan, who is note citizen of Arkansas.”’ This an- Bouncemert was followed by roar of Iaughter from both bodies, The vote of Wisconsin being reached, Mr. Letcher objected to ita being counied, but Mr. Mason—the presiding otloer—deckied the objection out of order. (Great sensation) The count was then resnmed and com pleted, sm ataiot by Mr, Jones, one of the tellers, and announced to both houses by the President of the Senate, se follows —*‘Boohanen, 174; Fremont, 114—In cluding Wisccnain, which voted om the 4th of December, instead of the 3d, as required by the constitation; and Filmore, 8,”’ &e. Intense exciiement pow prevailed, as the Presiden| de cided be woald entertain no motion to Inquire into the valid'ty of the Wiscomsin vote, thas assuming to decide the question hime:l. The question mignt become one on which would depend the choloe of President, and « Bumber of both bouses protested against the dorimicn of the Chair, and appealed; but he would not put the vote on the appeal. He considered his power st an end, as be bad counted and announced the voto, The tallers bad done thor duty and be had done his, No other motion would be entertained. Fifty men were now upon their ‘eet, aud soreaming at the very top of thelr voles, Toombs of Georgia, Dongias of [ilinois, Orittencen and Mareba!| of Kentucky, and many others Protented against the action of the Chairman, and another such a scene of confusion was never witnossed in ale wialative ball, Messrs. Orr, Cass, Dougiag, Stantoa, He ‘you, Cobb, Butler and others, all epeaking at once or oy turns, a8 thoy Imagined there wasan opportunity of being beard, the Chairman making more speeches than any one else. Hie ineflicteney had cresied the contusion, and bis explanations (nveriably made bad worse ‘The great question was, who could decide apon the le gality or illegality cf votes? Tt was evidently a case not provided for by Jaw, and bence all the difficulty, The Chatrmen ened the parpense fer whlch the Renate had en tered the ball bad sccompliabed, ani at his tion they sgain lof and rene te their water, ir own ouamber, ipeaker,” cown afier the tepsration, continued without mi The Senate, tn the meastime, propriety of their course until shove diffenity is dodged by the adoption 10 ROPOINE A COM mittee to walt on the /’resl Presicent, and intorm them of ther election will now bh on the subject, so that £1 out of the proseedings to cay. Te Committee on Fectona the aesaulte of Mr. Akers, of Mo., and Mr. Cam; ot Obl, who thatthe Cathollon Bad’ defeated Hevry Oley to 1444. - The cor ruption commiitee wi!l not report this week. ‘The Seoretary of state bas recommended the 8 of $3,040 for the uppremise of the ‘asserted in ade, OB ihe and bas favorably endorsed the coptiantns tus for $80,000 for similar ne ee ee ie Lom THIRTY-FOURTR CONGRESS BBUOND 8ESSION. Benate. ‘Wasuincton, Feb. 11, 1887, ‘The Senate met at 12 o'clock, and immodiatety repaired to the ball of the House to take part im the opsning and counting of votes for President and Vice President of tho [See House report for proceedings of the joint meeting. } ‘When the Senate returned totheir chambor from ihe Bouse, Mr. Biciar, of Pa., the teller on the part of the Sena'e, made a report as to the result of the counting of the electors! votes, adding the fact that the Electors of Wisconsin did oot assemble and cast the vote of that ‘Btate till we oay after ibe time prescribed by law. Mr. Hunrar of Va., said there would be no difference im the reeuls whether the vote of Wisconsin be coanted cepcluded by makivg such a motion. The PRasiDant annoupoed that in bis declaration of the Fesulte be baa 1 ot assomed to decide the queation whe- ther the vote of Wisconsin should be counted or not, tnt baa sini. Geclared Messrs Buchanan and Sreckenridgo Mr. Novnss said that it was important to decide this question becaure a case might ocour when # similar diff- culty might aifeot the genoral result, This question must be decided by somebody. If the two houses se- Pparate and do nt agreee in their decision, who shal! de- cide the queetian? 1s should be decided by the joint con- vention of the two houses. Mr. By tar, of South Carolina, felt a little concerpe: about this matter. He disputed the right out and out to ascertain who was Presicen! excgpt by the simplest rule of addition; but ir the Convention could say which votes abou'd be counted and which should not be counted, an occasion migbt arise when such # convention in the ex- ercise cf iis arbitrary power could make a President of the United states without an election. Mr. Sivanr, of Mich., said that the subject had been ended. Preced« nts are very dangerous things, and bo objected to going on now with a sort of suppositi and makirg ® precedent which might ba relied on after. The oifliculty in the it onse was Dob of im- port be reau)t weuld not be affected b; de- cision; but it showed the tm tlopal legisiation by Congress, declaring votes which were rot cast on the day prescritid by law sbouia not pe counted im future. He could no ne- ceasi'y ior eny fortber action on the subject this time. Mr. Toomsa, of Ga, saidthet when the Senate called on to meet the House for the purpose became an were tbe electoral votes counted, it question which were votes and which ‘ws Wo decide that question? Suppose a received that ten votes had been oast ia the presiding oflloer and the tellers bad should go in and be counted, was tbat? He protested against the officer, because he hed counted the eppouncing the result, and assumed to ex of sey ng tbat Jemes Bachanen bad 114, Fremort 114 votes. Ii to ibe Seaste and House to decide which voter should be counted. ‘Mr. Brriar thought it was a po ‘trvet apy one to dccide what votes yald or al be counted. Mr. Dovoiasfeaid that e whicd ought to be done to render the action Jeo ccmpiete. The vote of Wisoousin ‘rea on the list for the day s 35 itt i : Ni af Hu 7 gE 5 i aE rel 3 5 5g aj i e tbe Electoral College on tho only duty of Congrias was to tm future. Mr SkwaRD congratulated the BO necessity for cecioiog whether Wisconain shall be counted. He hoped Wisconsin be counted He hoped, however, thas somo Will be adoptea to provide against further Mr. CoitsMan, of Vi., could not see any necessity the proposea Commitee of Conference. It was generally admiited that Mr, Buebanan was elected in a oonatiti g KH i; l if § ae eeaneee, and that was the only qeation to be mined, Mr. of N, H., was decidedly of the ‘the vote of Wisconsin should be counted. He alwaye preferred subsiacce to form. The people of that Stato ought Bot to be cisfranchised because of tbe inal or the electorafo react \ne seat of government sta oy ye, : he epeys td 5 simiter in 4 mse ee On motion of Mr Mittxx the rosolntion was tabled. aiterward the Mr. Collamar, Wasnisorox, Feb. 11, 1867. ‘TRE SCURMARIBE TELBORAIE. Mr Baxnovm moved the reconsideration of the vote by which the Senate submarine i jographic bill was referred to the Commitice cn Posi Uftices. The motion was entered, probably to be considered to- morrow. ‘THR KABA CONTERTED MRAT. gs any tis F Efe fi : i g 3 if ‘yote of Wisconsin Biate should not through time ae other ii ull i « : t : H erin I. Mr. Cass, of Mich , ald that they could take no vote here, nor could they discuss questions, The only potas eas to adjourn to their re-peotive houses, They wore ovortarning the govtrament by making © national convention, Mr, Bcri er concurred in that opinion The Prempent exld that the duty for which the two