The New York Herald Newspaper, February 18, 1857, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1857. NEW YORK HERALD. SABRES GORDON SEREBPE, BDITQR AND PROPRIETOR. OFF OB HK. W. CORNER OF NASSAU AND FULTON O85 Wodume KE... 2... --scerenererereee Oe 48 AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. SROABWAY THEATRE, Broadway—-Wuuiau Te - ‘Dawes 108. MIBLO’S GARDEN, Brosdway—Ticir Rorr Feap—La Bove vETIEVE—MverNs. BOWERY THEATRE. Bewery—Uncs 8. mbese ov rem Tomsotunax iiss OF Baum. tian BURTON'S BEW THEATRE, Broadway, epportio Bond — Ress purion—Pous Pasxtoue—Tus RogsnTeo ‘mn WA LAOK’S THEATRE, Brosdway—Caenuie—Wosy0. MunpEs. LAURA KEEWE'S THBATRE, €8 Breadway—Sr Z waxes Rox Desr— Love € case. sada BARNUWS AMMRICAN MUSEUM, Broatwey—atter- move and Eveaing - Qi Forks at Home. GRO. CHRIBTY AND WOOD'S MINSTRELS, 444 Bread- ; el Pemrosmances—Warvo, Tu: SBNsIBLR BOOKLEY'® SERENADERS. Miwstxeisy—H oxox 10 Di ARCBANICS’ HALL, ae., oy MueEeuS OF TRE 595 Broadway—BrmsorLas Broadway—Npeno Mmopims Onions Cuasry’s Moverners a Bow York, Wednesday, Febraary 15, 1657, Mails for Kurope. WEE MEW YORK HEKALD—ERCION FOR EUROPE, ‘The Curard steamship afrioa, Onpt. Shannon, will leave ‘thls port to-day for Liverpool, ‘Fhe Puropean mails will close tm thie city at balf-pact fa o'clock tm the morning. ‘Yee Snropean oditioa of the HmxaLp, printed in French fund English, will be published st tcz o’olock im the morn. fag. Bingle copica, in wrappers, eixpence, Sadsoriptions ard advertissment for any edition af the Wew Yous Asniw wi! be received at the following (pipees ta Forope — 1 q | ema Rane pee * Bg Dong ae . do. 9 Chapel streot. Wsvenroci—Jjonn Hunter, 12 Exohange street, East. Maves—Aw. & European Exprees Oo, 21 Rue Corneille. ‘he contents of the European edition of the Hmm {BAP combine ihe aows roocived by mail and tolegraph at She Office during the previous week, and up to the hour M peblication. — The News The Senate yesterday passed the Army bill, which ‘ow only awaits the signature of the President to become alaw. The bill gives an average increase of salary to cach officer of $500, or in all, $525,000. Daring the discussion of the bill in the Senate the galleries were crowded with the wives of officers, all anxious as to its fate. Accounts from Wheatland state that Mr. Buchanan had not fully decided on bis Cabinet, and that his determination would not be made known for several days. The French Minister has made a demand on our government for indemnity for losses sustained by French residents at Greytown during its bombardment by Captain Hollis. Important de Spatches were received by our government yester- day from Peru, but their nature did not come to hight The Investigating Committee are expected to make their report to-day, whether the expected witnesses from this State arrive or not. Owing to the bad working of the Southern lines our Congres- jona] report reached us in a very imperfect and con- fused state. We give the report relative to the At antic Telegraph bill as it reached us, though a spe- ial dispatch informs us that the bill was finally re. eommitted to the Committee of Ways and Means by ag vote of 112 against 74—thns indicating the proba- ble success of the bill afver it shal! have been slightly amended, as proposed by its friends. The Disunion Convention at Aubarn held another session yesterday. The day was consumed by Mr. Garrivon end others in denouncing the federal con- stitution, the various political parties, the press and the church. Little progress had been made either in advancing or suppressing the revolution ia Peru. Cuzeo and ‘Tacna still remain faithful to Castilla, and his forces had a taken possession of Trujillo; but to of set this Vivanco had taken the Chincha Islands and seemed to be in possession of the sea. Our corres pondence in another column gives a very interesting account of the proceedings between Castilla and Vivanco during the visit of the latter to Callao Vivanco has advertised for proposals for the expor- tation of guano to countries with whom contracts exist. The British Minister was suspected of being favorable to the Vivanco party. A new treaty has been made between the government of Chili and our Minister. At Quito a remarkable shower of earth bad taken place, causing much alarm. It was supposed to have come from the crater of some volcano. Advivyes from Kansas state the commissioners ap- pointed to investigate the charges against Surveyor Geners! Cadwallader, have reported in his favor. Gevera) Clarke, charged with killing Mr. Barbour, bas surrendered himself, and entered into recogni- zancrs to anewer the charge. The excilentent consequent upon the riot at Ber- gen tunnel bas not yet abated. Tye Hoboken Ar. tillery were on duty on Monday night, arid were re- Beved yesterday by the Montgomery Guard. The Greenville Guard were stationed at the Court House last night, where they will remain until this moro ing. An investigation of the affair was commenced yesterday, ard from the testimony elicited the riot tems to have been premeditated. A quantity of fire»’ms and other weapons were seized on Mooday night—the muskets, fowling pieces and pistols being waded and capped. We learn by a telegraphic despatch from Mr. McColium, General Superintendent of the New York oud Erie Railroad, who is at the break a the Delaware river, that everything will be in readiness for the parsage of trains, both passenger aad freight, thir evening The Legislature of Michigan adjourned on Mon- @ay. Among the ects passed by that body was one for a benking law, granting aid to Michigan emi grants in Kan-as,and organizing an independent Sapreme Court. EK sin favor of admitting Kaneas as a free Stet e also adopted. We have advices from the Mauritias to the 27th of December. The shipments of sugar to all parts wince the let of ember had reached upwards of 100,006 000 por and had been 2 and t France 16,000 tons. The deficiency in the United Kingdom will, it is afirmed Beach 15,000 tons. There had been some heavy rains, which had impeded sugar making: but the growing crops hed been much benefitted. The use of guano op the sugar plantations had been found so highly beneficial that the consumption was rapidly increaring. The Overland Fried of China of 15th of Decem ber, in its report of the operations at Canton, says: — One gallant brothers in arms, the Americans, have been leaw successful in their operations on the Bar rier Forts taan we were at the Folly—the indiscreet use of a crowbar on a charged mine sending three to eternity at once, and wounding half a dozen others who were standing by. Nevertheless, they too. have weil performed the work o! destruction, if it can be thought well to destroy forts (the two southernmost especially) that might have been easily beld, and would bave proved useful The Committee on Ferries of the Board of Alder men met yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of investigating the affairs of the Union Ferry Com pany. After an exat tion of several officers of the company the investigation was postponed until Monday next, when it will be resumed. An invite tion was extended to the Brooklyn Ferry Committee to be present. We give a report of the proceedings before the committer elsewhere. Moa. Martha Ano Patten and her husband, Captain Patten, of the ship Nepte Car, have arrived in s city pug ape now a) \le Battery lotel. Captaig Patten is dangerously ill, the fever having neverleft him. He is now both blind and deaf. The ship Neptune's Car left this port last August for San Francisco, and when near the Straits of Magellan Captain Patten was seized with disease of the head. The first mate being incompetent to assume the management of the ship, Mrs. Patten took charge herself and brought the vessel safely into San Francisco. For fifty-six days this lady not only had entire command of the vessel and made the ne- cessary nautical observations, but was unremitting in her attentions to her sick husband. An interest- ing account will be found elsewhere. The Board of Ten Governors met yesterday, but the business transacted was of no great public in” terest. A debate was had on the appointment of & keeper to Blackwell's Island, which elicited cor- siderable feeling. The number of persons on the island was 6,750, being an increase of 43 since last week. Mr. Commissioner Morell was not prepared yes- terday evening to render his decision on the motion to dismiss the complaint against the alleged Nica- ragua filibusters, and the matter stands farther ad- journed. Inthe Court of General Sessions yesterday the trial of Dr. Moore, a physician of this city, who is charged with conspiring to murder Mr. Alfred S. Livingston, of Trenton, N. J., was commenced. A copious report of the proceedings will be found in another part of this morning’s paper. In the @peeial Sessions yeeterday morning Capt. Rynders appeared to answer a charge of assault and battery preferred against him by Mr. Robert Freeman; but at the request of both parties the case was put over till March. At Singapore, E.1., on 23d of December, gold dust rated as followe:—Malavan, per bunkal, 27 50 9 28 50; Australian, per bunkal, 29 25 a 30. The cotton market was firm yesterday, while sater roached about 3,(00 bales. Fiour was dull and sales Nmited, and the market c'osed with the turn of prices ‘n favor of purchasers. Wheat was firm ‘or the better qvabties, with sales of Missouri white at $177 a $1 80; (Wimois do., at $1 76, and Chicago spring at $140. Cora wanin good demand, with eales of Western mixed trom TL¢e. @ 72e., apd at 730. a 7830. delivered. Pork was Qrm and in good demand, at $21 60 for new mess, and at $2060 for old mess. Sugars were in fair request at steady prices, with sales of 4C0 » 600 bhds. Cuba mus eovado on terms given io another column. Coffee was in better demand, and since the 17th uit. the market has advanced about %c. per Ib. A cargo con sisting of 3,236 bags Rio was sold in Hampton Roads, de ‘iverable in Philadelphia, ex ship, at llc. By the woek- ly elreular of Wm. Scott it appears that the stock of Rio st this market yesterday amounted to 89,809 bags, and the number of packeges of all kinds embraced 105,998 bags and mats. Freighis were heavy, with more grain offering for Liverpool, to which port about 60,00 bushels of corm were engaged in bulk, chiefly ai 64., with @ considerable portion at ¢%4. Washington Lobby Corruptions—Neport of the House Comunittee. The special committee appointed by the House of Representatives to inquire into certain alleged corruptions of the lobby operators, and to report thereon, after several weeks of industrious appli- cation to their task have made up their case, and are ready to present their report or reports to the House. One of our special correspondents has already given us the salient points of the disco- veries made by the committee in the premises, Among these discoveries is the lamentable fact that our incorruptible New York Seward politi- cians—including several rather conspicuous members of Congress—several public journals, and a horde of outside camp followers, pipe- layers, brokers, go-betweens, decoy ducks and stoo) pigeons, “ whose name is legion,” are the pith and substance of the lobby. With the re- ports of the committee to the House we shall doubtless be able to present our readers with the material testimony of the principal witnesses ex- amined. In the meantime, we apprehend that bis testimony and the recommendations of the committee will be apt to create a panic in the Seward camp, and a sensation throughout the country, The growth of these government spoils and plunder corruptions has Leen very remarkable. The defalcation or deficiency of some four thou- eand dollars on the part of Auditor Tobias Wat- kins, under the administration of John Quincy Adoms, was considered an enormous example of corruption by the Jackson administration in its first gloss of rustic innocence. But thea came the disclosures of the United States Bank Investigati luding that extcaor- dinary subsidy of $. } toa Wall street editor; then came a serie: of extra allowances to mail contractors; then a succession of heavy de- faloations by Collectors of Customs, Land Receiv- : and thea the meinorable epoch of the pet bank bubble, involving all sorts of specala- tions and then the grand nding up with the general bavk- rupt law of 1841. Then, to the credit of Cap- tain Tyler be it spoken, the public treasury, the public lands, aud the pockets of the people en- joyed a comparative rest of two or three years from the outside spoils and lobby managers, ex- cepting a few money brokers, who realized their thousands and millions as custodians and bor- jowers and ienders of the DUvlig funds in the absence of a national bank, pet banks and a Sab- Treasury. The Mexican war occupied the moet of Polk's administration, including innumerable wastages of the public money, and the production of a new crop of spoilsmen of the largest dimensions, A Cabinet officer of General Taylor, to begin with, introduced a new class of claims in the Galpbin operation, of some two hundred thousand dollars, which inaugurated a new era, and opened that il- limitable field for the lobby which has since been so extensively explored. Encouraged by the success of the Galphins, a conspiracy of ewind- lers brought before a special board appointed to settle Mexican claims, the infamous Gardoer and Mears claims, amounting to seven hundred thou- sand dollars, and by perjured witnesses and forged papers secured the money. Mr. Fillmore’s Secretary of the Treasury—Mr. Thomas Corwin, of Obio--ie understood to have received some $80,000 of this money as counsel for Gardner: bat we do not recollect that since the exposure of tbe fraud he has returned one dollar of this money to the treasury. The legal fees in con- nection with this claim believed to have been pocketed by Major Lally (the son-in-law of the chairman of the board adjudicating this class of claims) and by other distinguished gentlemen to the tune of ten, fifteen, twenty or thirty thoa- sand dollars each. remain also, if we are not tnistaken, still to be refanded to the government. With the advent of poor Pierce's administration thie Gardner claim was taken up for examination. Some noire was made over it; but it died away, whole concern rapidly and mysteriously disappeared from our sight. With this sort of proeequi in the Gardner case, and under the direct of the Washington upon a larger ecale than ever. ere, Ke neial corruptions crash of 18 and t auspices of Pierce, the lobby commenced business at En- epoilemen couraged, directly and officially, by the ad- ministration, the railroad land jobbers came in ond seized upon millions of the choicest public lands; and patent mono polists, with oll the means and appliances f corruption upon a broad margin, proceeded industriously to work for an extension ef this or that patent monopoly, equivalent to millions » dollars in taxation upon the mechanical industry of the country. At this juncture, the New York Heraxp, as in the Galphin and Gardner caces, raised the note of alarm; and in obedience to public opinion, a Committee of Inquiry was appointed concerning the lobby appliances used in behalf of the Colt pistol patent extension. The results were beautifully illustrative of the rapid progress of the lobby under the auspices of poor Pierce, and with all the “ modern improve- ments” from New York and Albany. The Nebraska bill next, resulting in the elec- tion of a Northern republican Congress in 1854, brought down upon Washington the moat for- midable, experienced, unscrupulous and the best appointed lobby army of all. It was the Albany lobby, with all its equipments and wire-workers transferred to Washington. It was the transfer of the camp followers and vultures of the Se- ward party, with the transfer of their centre of power to Congress. Hence the unprecedented ebby eperations of the last two or three sessions of Congress—hence the enormous schemes of lobby spoliation which, from time to time, we have exposed to the people—hence our campaign of this session against this Seward black republi- can e@poils lobby, resulting in this Committee of Investigation, and in the astounding rascalities they have detected. From its revolting origin over the dead body of a counterfeit Morgan, through all its subse- quent phases of demagoguism and deception, this thing of Sewardism has been at least con- sistent in its lobby operations for the spoile. The members of Congress indicted by this House Committee are of the Seward republican school, disciples of the model Seward lobby institution at Albany. They belong to that class of lovers of freedom who are outraged at the public sale of a nigger, but who all the while are engaged in the buying and eelling of white men on the most easy terms. We see, too, that such pinks and patterns of Fourierite philosophy or paper shaving and stockjobbing morality asthe New York Zribune and Times, are preity extensively mixed up with these lobby disclosures. Altogether, the developements of this commit- tee on lobby corruptions are calculated to con- firm the suspicion that Sewardiem is a deception, a trick, a cheat, a counterfeit Morgan, from be- ginning to end—n party conspiracy for gulling the public and for obtaining the public money upon false pretences—a base political imposture, and nothing more. Signs of the Times—The Disunion Conven. ton at Utica. An Anti-Slavery or Disunion Convention open- ed on Monday at Utica. If it is not worth notice on account of any novelty or merit in the senti- ments that were elicited from the speakers, it claims a passing glance as,a sign of the times. The successor and, so to speak, the continuation of the Worcester Disunion Convention, the Utica gathering shows which way the wind is blowing ina part of the North. The wave which elected Mr. Buchanan did not, as that statesman is reported to have said, kill out the abolitionists. On the contrary there is reason to believe that they never were so confi- dent if not so vivacious, as they will be in the course of a few months. The recent election has given them strength, hope, consistency, union— everything but numbers, They control no more minds, at present, than they did a year ago; bat before 1860, there is no saying where they may not be. One thing only is certain: they are alive, they are vigorous, they are hopeful; and, with the help of the old serpent, they expect to have a good time in 1860, On the other band, the sectional movement in he South is equally marked. From various quartere we note a gradual gathering up of the strength for a contest, a silent preparation for a deadly struggle, a severing of interests which might interfere with civil discord, and above all, in every quarter, a noisy frothing of treasonable talk from the lips of certain politicians: and we see, in the journals which affect strong loyalty to the Buchanan administration, a desire to play fast and loose, a preparation for events which might necessitate the throwing off all allegiances, and the rupture of all personal and party ties, which can- not be understood otherwise than asa preliminary to « joinder of issue with the national goveroment on questions of sectional character. Indeed, in one sense, the Southern sectional movement is far more noteworthy and more alarming than the Northern. Theee disunionists of the North have no vital interest in the matter other than poli- tical power. One man attends their conven- tions in order to have the pleasure of hear- ing himself speak: another in order to be abused in the papers; and the mass out of a vegne general sympathy with the oppressed and compassion for the negro. But vanity and pity are very poor materials of war: they soon wear out, On the other hand, the Southern interest in slavery is real and actual. The follower of Prudhon, who proclaims that property is robbery, is not more obnoxious to the New York or Paris millionaire than the abolitioniet is to the slavebolder. For the slave holder, the older he grows, puts more of bis money and more of his heart into his slaves They are a complement to his land, as necessary to it as tools or manure, or sun- shine. They are bis riches; each additional slave adds to his income, which neither land nor tools nor machinery nor even capital can do. The slavery quarrel, for him, therefore, ix one for his bread and his hearth. He goes into it av a man defends his house, with the thorough consciousnees that his enemy is a burglar, Re- treat tor bim is ruin. Defeat means starvation. Such a man will fight well, and a party consti- tuted of euch men will be very dangerous indeed. When we look around, and try to find what basis there is for an opposition on the part of the national conservatives to these two sectional par- jes, we are bound to admit that the prospect is slen- der, The whigs are really dead, aud we presume that even Mr. Fillmore would be satisfied with a decent suit of mourning for his friends the Know Nothings. But are the democrats any better off? So far as can be judged at present, the invincible demooracy are undergoing « process of disinte- gration which will soon make it impossible to find the domicil of the party. It is gradually Aivsolving into ite elements, some men falling to right, some falling to left, some retreating, and come advancing #0 far as to be beyond the call of the commander and outeide of the piqueta. What then do theee signs mean’? They mean that, withont some astounding and unexpected change, such as a war with England, we shall have, in 1860, the most terrible sectional contest that the confederacy has ever endured. That the past old parties will disappear from that contest altogether, and make way for new ones, the tri- umph of either of which will and must be the suin of the Union. Our Relations with England—The New | al and professional abnse. British Mintoter We have it om the moet unquestionable an- thority, that the appointment of Lord Napier, the new British Minister to Washington, was made by Lord Palmerston on his own solici- tation. This fact implies that the new Minis- ter’s political sympathies are to some degree with us, and that he feels that the talents he poeeesses will find bere a broader and more use- ful field than in any of the European missions, A good deal of misconception seems to prevail with regard to the character and qualifications of Lord Napier. This is attributable solely to the desire of the opposition press in England to throw difficulties in the way of the government, for as- suredly there is nothing in Napier’s antece- dents which can be alleged in justification of it. The whole of his career is, on the contrary, calculated to inspire the belief that his mission here will be eminently useful to both countries The family to which he belongs is distinguished for the patriotiam and talent which its different members have manifested in the various im- portant posts in which they have served. It isa family whose honors have been fairly won On the battle field, on the ocean and in the Senate, and which cannot be said to rank amongst the “tenth transmittors”’ of titled imbecility. The course of Lord Napier himeelf has been in perfect keeping with this honorable hereditary reputa- tion. A Scotchman by birth, he early qualified bimself for his high position by « severe training in the severest and most thorough of all educa- tional probations—that of the Edinburg schools. It is thore schools which produced most of the leading intellects of the last half century, and which, through the Edinburg Review, brought about in England the greatest social revolu- tion ever effected without blood in any country. Entering political life under snch circumstances, Lord Napier could not fail to create for himself a position distinct from that witn which his rank and his family connec- tions invested him. Choosing the diplomatic profession, he soon won for himself a reputation for political capacity and judgment, which rapidly led to his promotion. His conduct as Charge d’Affaizes at Naples, in the absence of Sir William Temple, during the events of 1848-9, fully justified the high opinion entertained of him by his euperiors, and obtained for him a special recognition of’ his services by his govern- ment. Unlike other young diplomats, who dis- sipate the leisure left them by their duties on the frivolous amusements of the capitals in which they reside, to his credit be it said that Lord Napier devoted his spare hours to literary pur- suits, and it is through the medium of his works rather than of his political services that he is best known in this country. Ithas been objected to the new Minister by his political opponents that he is of an irritable temper, and therefore ill qualified for a post of so much importance as the American mission The only foundation for this assumption is the fact that when attached to the Eogligh legation at Constantinople he had a quarrel with that pompous ard querulous old fool Lord Stratford de Redcliffe. in contact with that diplomatist without being disagreeably impressed by his haughty and frac tious temperament; and the tact of a man’s serv- No one was ever known to come ing quietly under him for any length of time, would, we think, be regarded as an evidence of the absence of all character and self-respect. Those who know Lord Napier personally bear testimony to his amiable and conciliatory man- ners; and certainly his conduct in the Naples mission ration of their opinion. made to Lord Napier’s appointment, and which bas found a re-echo amongst seme of our own journals, is that he has been brought up in a too technical and conventional school of diplomacy to be acceptable to a republican people like us. Were Lord Napier’s opinions not already known to us through the medium of bis works, we could understand the force of this objection; and we have only to repeat that, judging from that evi- dence, as well as the testimony of his own coun- trymen as to the liberal and progressive character of his ideas, there is reason to believe that no selection could have been made more likely to prove satisfactory to the people of the United States, fied with the appointment of such a man from the course pursued by which many of the Senate in defeating the Central American treaty. create difficulties in advance, for the new adminis. tration. a very dangerous position for the peace of the two countries, and may lead which will demand the exercise of the great- est patience, ability and tact on the part of the new Minister. No diplomatist who was not certain of his qualifications to grapple difficul- ties of this nature, would have sought the ap- pointment; and when we consider that all parties in England, conservatives as well as radicals, now recognize the American mission as one of first class importance, we must arrive at the conclusion that Lord Palmerston mast have been very eure of his man before he gave it to Lord may be taken as full corrobo. Another objection We have the more reason to be satis The Central American business is /¢/t in to embarrassmen's Napier. The new Minister, besides his political and literary recommendations, brings with him an additional claim to a cordial reception amongst us in the person of his accomplished and amiable wife. This lady, the daughter of an English commoner, is said to be a woman of remarkable intellectual gifts, and is likely to prove the great centre of attraction in Washington society uader the new administration. There can be no greater guarantee for the presorvation of peace than female influence, and Lord Palmerston, than whom no man is said to be more susceptible to Wright eyes, bas acted wisely in sending us Minister thus fortified. The English Premier has, no doubt, made his calculations on the “unpro- tected” condition of our new bachelor President, and probably contemplates some diplomatic coup de moin wader cover of a female battery. A New Orrratic Srasox.—We have the an- nouncement of a new operatic season at the Academy, under the management of Mr. Sirakosch. The season is to commence on Mon- day next, and to continue during twelve nights. We think thie announcement is the very best proof of Mr. Strakoech’s euccces in his first eea- son, as he pays all his bills,"and is not likely to throw away any money. His direction of the Opera wes liberal, and at the same time he stopped the leaks through which the oash of his predeceesore oozed away, We bave before al- juded to the eystem of advertising introduced by Mr. Strakoech during his first season. His plan was to advertise in the Three leading morn- ing papers, having confessedly the undivided attention of the public; also in a French and German paper, That plan was strictly followed —except in one or two cases of charity—and the manager was assailed with the most gross person Nevertheless, his season was entirely successful; and had not one of his most popular artists been unfortanately taken ill, he would have netted a large sum of money. That artict—Madame de Wilhorst—has recovered, and has signed a new engagement. Mr. Strakosch is, we learn, eo far satisfied with the result of his advertising experiment that he will continue the system previously adopted, and confine his official announcements to the same journals which have published them heretofore. He is satisfied that the venal assaults of the hungry press are of positive service to him, and that so far from diminishing the attendance at the Opera, they rather tend to increase it. New Movement tn Fashionable Soclety—The Grand Ball at the Academy. All the cliques of what is called fashionable society in this city are profoundly stirred by the preparations for the grand ball which is to take place at the Academy of Music to-morrow night All the fashionable milliners, costumers and’ comfturs are up to their eyes in work for the grand event. The interior of the Academy is in the process of decoration, and no expense is to be spared to make the affair outshine anything of the kind ever eeen here. Some of our unso- phisticated readers may ask why all this is done just at this particular juncture? It is because this ball is an experiment, and if success should crown it—that is, if itsresult should maget the ex- pectations of all its projectors—it will be the first of a series of affairs of the same kind ¢e be given every ecason, monthly or eemi-monthly, and to give all the cliques of New York society an opportu- nity to meet, interchange ideas, criticise each other’s apparel, fire off their stock of small talk, and dance innumerable polkas, schottisches and mazourkas on common ground. It must be gene- rally known that while our city bas been pro- gressing in wealth, commerce and population, to an extent hitherto unprecedented in the history of the world, fashionable society has been stand- ing still. Anterior to the Revolution good so- ciety was confined to a few Knickerbocker fami- lies bolding large landed estates, and mixing only with each other. The men smoked their pipes and played their rubber of whist—the women talked about their babies and their household affairs, There were little social parties which began at eight or nine in the evening, and were overat midnight. Well, after the Revolution, the Knickerbockers found their property so far increased in value that trade was no longer ne- cersary to them. Their descendants lived upon their rent rolls, and kept up the clique of society, into which no profane foot could enter. Then came sundry sharp fellows from Boston, Nan- tucket, New Bedford, Cape Cod, and all along New England shore, who bought and sold and traded and dickered—sent New York ships to the farthest ends ef the ecarth—made great wealth for themselves and a great commercial name for the city of their adoption. But they could not go into society with the Knickerbock- ers; 80 they made another clique for themselves, money being the only passport into their circle. With commerce and wealth came art and litera- ture, Artists and literary men could not go into either of the old cliques, and with some recu- sants from tbe other sets they made a third order of society. olitics now be- came a trade, and so there was a clique of professional politicians, recruited by a few merchants, who found the funds to carry on the war. Now it has become tiresome to go to parties at the same houses—to talk, flirt. dance, eat and drink with the same people— and, worse than all, to hear the same wretched attempts at wit. So some of the leaders of all the cliques have combined together, with the in- tent to amalgamate all the coteries, and see what they look like under the same gaslight ; and that is the intention of the ball to-morrow night. If it is succesful it will break down all the old cliques, and open society to all well bred, well mannered, well informed, well born, well behaved people, whether they are mercantile, literary artistic or mechanical—always provided they have money. No person without money can profane the sacred temple where Fashion is en- shrincd as the principal deity. Our readers can now understand what a terrible excitement this ball bas created in all the boudoirs about town, The movement is a very important one. Next to the new Cabinet and the Bond street murder it is the topic of the day. Heretofore, New York society has been like that of a village—split up into little family cliques and coteries, each confined to its narrow circle. Now, as the city takes rank in other respects with London, Paris and Vienna, it is purposed to make its social life equally as liberal and cosmopolitan as that of the great European capitals. These grand reunions, com- mencing to-morrow night, are the enteri:. ; wedges which are to bring about this consummation 90 devoutly to be desired. THE LATEST NEWS Interesting trom Washington. THE CABINET—THE TELEGRAPRIC DESPATCHES—TAR ARMY BILL—THE SUBMARINE TELEGR APH—KANSAS AYPAIRS— CLAIM OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT FOR INDEMNITY—REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE. ETC., BTC. ‘Waeniwarom, Feb. 17, 1887. We learn from the beat authority that at the leet ac covpts from Wheatland Mr. Buchanan bad not fally do cided upon bie Cabinet, The despatches sent from bore in favor of Walker and others, bat especially for Walker are merely for eflect, and to increase the outside pres gure on the President elect Ii ia a sort of forcing game. Robert J, Walker is too much of « filibuster for the new Administration, which i going to be expansive without being fiibustericg. The Walker clique area litte down im the mouth to ¢ay; they see that their chances aro gicomy. The Cadinot will not be announced for sevoral days yet. It ie belleved,to night, by members of Congress and o.hers, both from lottors aad verbal reports from Wheat land, that the Cebinet of Mr. Boobanan will be composed of Mr, Case, as Secretary of State; Mr. Cobb, of Georgia as Moretary of (he Trossury ; 6x Governor Floyd, as Seo retary of War; ex Governor Brown, of Tonnessoe, as Sec retary of the Navy; Mr. Touoey, as Attorney General; Mr, Jones, of Pennsylvania, as Postmastor General, and Jacob Thompeon, of Mississipp!, as Secretary of the Interior. Mr. Benjamio, from the select committee appointed by the Sonate to amend, provided they doomed it oxpe- dient, the thirty fourth rule of the Seante, to reduce the number end Increase the « (oiency of the standing oom mittees, made their report to-day, and recommond quite & number of valuable changes. ‘The Senate then took up the Army bill, The Military Committee reported a ni or of amendments, which were all voted down. Various amendments were offered by Senators, supported by speeches, all of which were ‘voted down, and the bill finally passed as ft came from the Howse, The galleries were crowded with officers’ wives, who wero watching its progress with deep anaiety. ‘The bill will increase Lieut. General Boott’s eaiary $1,828, making his yearly Compensation $10,620. It tino increases cach of the brigadier generals’ salaries $1,- 160; the ootoncie’ salerios, $800; the Heutenamt colonels’, 9660; the majors’, 9660; the captains’, $400, and the Neutenants’, $300—making their galaries respectively, $7,600, $8,000, $2,600, $2,900, $1,800 and $1,600, The average increase is $560 to @noh officer, or im All 9626, 000, Anold inw provides that any increase of pay of the army sball relatively affect that of the marine corps, In the House, 2 move was made by Mr, Wakeman to reoonsider the vcte committing the aubmerine Telegraph bill to the Post Office Committee, and it was carried. Then commenced the filibustering of its opponents. Alter two hours of fruitless labor, it was committed to the Committee of Ways and Means, whocan report back {0 the House at apy moment, and put it upon ite passage. The House then pasted Mr. Grow’s bill, which has al- ready been published in the Haraip, wiping out all the obnoxious laws in Kansas. ‘The following are the names of all the members from: non-slaveholding States, who joined the Southerners in voting against the bill in the House, deolaring the Legis- lature ef Kansas spurious, its laws invalid, and provid- ing for a new eleotion:—Messrs. Allen, Broom, Oadwal- \ader, English, Florence, Faller, of Maino; Hall, Harris, of Illinois; Kelly, Miller, of Indiana; Morrison, Packer, Peck and Whitney. The Senate Committee om Territories bave agreed to - report without amendment the House bills, authorising the jpeople of Minnesota and Oregon to form State con- stitutions, and will try to put them on thelr passage © to-morrow. Judge Harrison’s case comes up in Executtve session - to-morrow, and a spicy debate is anticipated. It is ex- tremely doubtful whetser he can be confirmed, as the frieads of Lacompte insist that he has not been fairly dealt with, Mr. Sartiges bas recently represented to this govern- ment that a jarge awount of properiy belonging to French subjects was destroyed by the bombardment of Grey- town by Capt. Hollins. The French government require that this government shall make up the losses, Tho Secre- taryiof Stat id, 1s LOW engaged upon,his reply to the French goverument. What course will be pursued {a not known; but if the demand is acceded to, the Engliah government will also make a demand. M. Beelen, ,8ecrotary of Legation at Chill, arrived here yesterday with important despatches to our government. The Investigation Committee will report to-morrow, whether the witnesses from Western New York arrive ornot. They have not yet reached this city, Cortain members are ip grea\ tribulation. The New York maile of this morning havo been re- ceived. All the hotels in the city are full, and hundreds. of people are arriving by every train. It is confidently ssrerted by the friends of the Minne sota land bill that nothing bas been discovored by the: committee throwing suspicion on that measure. General Shields received this assurance from a member of the committee. A petition, numerously signed by citizens of California, asking the expulsion of Mr. Herbert, has been referred: to the Committee op Elections tp the House. Disunion Convention at Auburn. Avavan, Feb. 17, 1857. ‘The Convention of Disuntonists adjourned this evening. ‘The day was consumed in speaking by Mr. Garrison and otners, who not ovly denounced the federal constitution, . the political parties of the day and the press, but tho: American church, as irrefigious, The meeting was ted} ous and the attendance small. News from Kansas. Sr, Louis, Feb. 17, 1857. ‘The Kansas correspondent of the Republican says that ‘8 bill authorizing the courts to admis to bail in certain: cares, vetoud by Gov. Geary, has been passed ovor hie. head, with but one dissenting vote, in the House, The commissioners appointed to investigate the charges against Surveyor-General Calhoun have reported in his- favor. Gen. Clarke, charged with killing Mr, Barbour, bas given himself up, and entered a recogn'zance to ap- Pear before the court in March. fHIKTY-FOURTH CONGRESS. EBOOND SESSION. Senate. Wasmoroy, Feb. 17, 1867. ‘Tau TARIFY, Mr. Seward’s bill to perfect the home valuation princi- Pile of the tariff act of 1846, was laid on the table at his» own instance, in order t? avoid embarrastmont to its consideration in consequence of Mr. Adams’ amendment © exempt railroad iron trom duty. Itis Mr. Seward’s Btention to call it up at atature day. SAFE KEBPING OF TH PUBLIC MONEY, FTO, The Serate passed ihe bill 1a addition toan act the more fectually providing for the punishment of certeia rimes agsinst the United States; also the bill to amend ibe act providing for the better organization of the reasury, and for the collection, trans‘er, anes na disbursement o ihe public revenus; also the bi 01 1g to the seversi States the swamp aad cverflowed jacds therein. PROTECTION OF TRAVELLERS. SewaRn, (rep.) of N. Y., introduced # Dill te far. e0d the act for the better security of tho lives of parsengers on roads and vessels propelied ia whole or ia THE PURLIC LANDS. Mr, Bawt, (pations!) of Tenn., introdaced.a bill tosecure fo sil the Ststes some greater measure of justice and equality in the diairioution of the public lands and their proceeas. PAY OF CPMCERS OF TRE ARNY The S nate proceeded to the consi seration of the bill to inereses pey of cilcers of the army, sod passod ib without amendment. EXPLORATION On motion of Mr, Toomn was acopted calling op the Comm! bays ba expeciency of exploring the River Niger Afrien, SIU? CANA ACROSS THE ISTIMUB OF DARIEN, On wovlonof Mr, Bxoanuwan, (dem.) of Pa., @ resola- tion was adopted directing the Committee on Commerce to inquire Into the «expediency of authorizing ries of War and ihe Navy, under di dent, 10 employ such cillcers as thoy think proper te make such oxploration and veritication of sur- veye already made ‘ors sbip canal near the isthmus of Darien, 10 connect the waters of the Paciflo with the At- lantic by the Abato and Trundo rivers. PRINT.NG THE MECHAMICAL PART OF TH PATENT OFFICE REPORT, Mr. Jonxsom, from the Committee on Printing, reported ‘p favor of prinJdng 27,000 extra copios of the mechanical part of tne report of the Commissioner of Patents. House of Representatives. Waemmcton Feb. 17, 1857, THE PUPMARINE TELEGRAPH. Mr. Waxman, (rep.) of New York, called up Mr. Bar- bour’s motion to reconsider the yote by which the Se- tion om the table. Negatived by 77 against 114 question on reconsi¢ering was carried. Mr Jonss, of Tennessee, moved to lay the dillon the he table, Negatived by 77 sgainst 121. He then ineffecteally moved to refer the bill to the Committee of the Whole cn the State of the Union, the Negatived by 74 egeust lide ieee Castremct (rep ) of Ohio, said be would Interpose no objection to the amend had been 4 pated, namely, propesing that the lino shall we epen to ‘of the United States without limit of time, nent may ed what security bave Ocean and one tink io Sereat chain. There corporations com- ing the means of communication, one mmenepely ‘of the lives extending from Nova S90!ia to New have tbat assurance by baring one line, identical ja in- torest extending ‘rom each of the two iast mentioned cities to the other. Mr. Castrne:s, of Oblo, referred to the few rema'nia® daye of the eession, and invoked gentlemen to dispose of ibis measure inorder and then proceed to the various importavt 3 Ki to this country, The gent! ‘bad no constitutional soruples ‘nat time, Sree to send © vessel with supplies to Ire jerin, famine At the Inet soteion, (he gentleman from Pennsylvania voted to send a tational vessel to Cape Verde, Fie did not know that the gentleman acted under the tore of avy corporation, but for & ular of voters, He recolleoted, too, at the of Congress the ‘& measure proposing the’ a vosset 6 kent out for evgar cuttings. Hi eral tn all this. “AB to. th vaune thing unconstitational In a! © submat teraph, it was one of the greatect schemes of the ago, has the power to aid it In the manner proposed, ancient enemy. now our