The New York Herald Newspaper, December 21, 1857, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. TON AND NASSAU BTS. ThE BAILY HER Tub WEERLY. HERA: ov. win HERALD, every We! om yon es ra G executed with neatness, eheapness and dee wine RRTISEMENTS renewet every day: advertisements in “ALD, Famtcy Hexary, and in the AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. BROADWAY THEATR: Broadway—Faestxian, ZO0L0- Sica. any Hirrovksawanie Seesetasntenes, NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway Foo, Tun BRA7IAN Arg—Ticur Kors Frats—Gurex Moxstem, BOWRRY THEATRE, Howery—Eavesratn, Qrunasnic ano Ecarhantine Feats—M. Decnacumr an, BURTON'S THEATRE, Broadway, o ‘Tus Dowasee—You'he AxoTuRR—AX Ph asada THEATKE, Broadway—Tuz Poor or Naw posite Bond street— IDLE INVESTMENT LAURA KEENE'S THEATRE, Brondway—Tax Coxsicas Beornnns—Tane Cann or Dow ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Fourteenth street.—Rosext Le ABLE AMERICAN MUSEUM, Broadway —After- 1ON—Cav ALIENS AND ROUNDKEADS. Evening, arm WOOD'S BUILDINGS, S61 and $63 Broadway—Grorcr Cayiste & Woon's MINsTREIS—My FRIEND BLACK GEORGE ynow WHITE PLAINS. MECTPANIC’S FL —Eraiorias Son , 472 Broadwi —Ravant’s Minsrxess OTLEY BROTHERS, New York, Monday, December 21, 1857. MAILS FOR THE PACIFIC. New York Herald—California Edition. ‘The United States mail steamship Star of the West, Capt. Gray, will leave this port this afternoon, at two o'clock, for Aspinwall. The mails for California and other parts of the Pacific ‘will close at one o’clook this afternoon. The New York Weexty Hxeratp—California edition— coataining the latest intelligence from all parts of the ‘world, will be published at ten o'clock ip the morning. Singia copies, in wrappers, ready fer mailing, six cents. Agents will please send in their orders as early as pos- sme ‘The News. The steamship Adriatic, which left Liverpool on the Sth inst., had not made her appearance off Sandy Hook up to a late hour last evening. Her ar- rival may be expected at any moment. She will bring four days later news. The bill authorizing an issue of Treasury notes passed the Senate on Saturday evening, after a pro- tracted debate, in which the currency question and the present condition of financial affairs were fully discussed, by a vote of thirty-one to eighteen. It provides for an issue of twenty millions of dollars, in sums ef not less than one hundred dollars, bear- ing an interest of six per cent or less, in the discre- tion of the Secretary of the Treasury. The opera- tion ef the act is limited to the Ist of January, 1859. ‘The bill, as it passed the Senate, was published in yesterday's Hgxauy. The Treasury note bill intro- duced in the House was also discussed on Saturday in Committee of the Whole, and the measure will doubtiess pass in that body in a day or two. The Naval Courts organized to review the action of the famous Retiring Board have nearly finished their labors. The result of their action so far is made known in the telegraphic despatch published today under the appropriate head. One captain, ten commanders, thirteen lieutenants, two masters and three passed midshipmen, sre restored to the active list; twenty-two officers are transferred from furlough to leave pay; and five officers “dropped” by the Board are transferred to the reserved list. ‘The nominations have been sent to the Senate for confimation. Of the one hundred and nine officers who have appealed to the Courts, and whose cases have been acted upon, fifty-six have been nomi nated; the balance, it is presumed, will remain as they were previous to the organization of the Courts of Inquiry. A number of extracts, showing the state of politi- cal affairs in Kansas, are given elsewhere in our columns. The vote on the Lecompton constitution will be taken to-day in the Territory, and it is be- Ueved that the Legislatuge of Kansas has. at its spe- cial session, ordered a vote to be taken on the To- peka constitution at the same time. | We publish in today's paper a minntely detailed | narrative of the voyage of the steamer Fashion and the landing of Gen. Walker at Punta Arenas, NEW YORK HERALD MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1857. the new crop have been yet received, either for Rag- land or America, which is considered a bad omen by the planters. The weather is very fine, with occasional showers of rain, which are of infinite service to the growing crops and to the salubrity of the island. The steamship Black Warrior arrived from Ha- vana yesterday morning, with news to the 1th inst. There was nothing interesting in politics. Trade was generally heavy, and money exceedingly scarce, commanding an enormous interest. Sugars had slightly advanced, in consequence partly of the re- ported injury of the Louisiana crop by frost. There were ninety thousand boxes on hand. The new crop would be unusually large. A few boxes of it had been sent to market. Exchange on New York was at three per cent premium for first class bills. Two cargoes of negroes had been landed from American vessels. The Havana Diario dela Madra of the 15th inst. contains advices from Yucatan to the 5th inst., re- ceived per steamship Union, from Laguina and Sisal, That paper learns from passengers that the revolu- tion in Campeachy had been suppressed, the island of Carmen having submitted to the government. It s also understood that the report of the bombard- ment aud capture of Sisal, which arrived here some days since, is false. We have news from the West Indies dated Trini- dad on the 24th and Demarara on the 29th of October. The revenue of Trinidad for tho year is set down at £121,845, exceeding last year's by £5,472, and the previous year’s by £18,770. The number of deaths re, gistered in Demarara during the half year was 3,961, but of these 3,090 died of cholera. Deducting these as being exceptional, the number of deaths from other causes is reduced to 871 during the six months, being en average of 14 to every 1,000 inhabitants. The Demarara Gazette says—The intelligence which has reached this city from the gold mines at Upata, is encouraging to gold seekers. About 2,000 ounces found their way to Bolivar during the month of September. We have files from Bermuda to the 9th inst. The Bermudian observes—The unusually heary rains and high winds have seriously affected the young crop of onions. In some places the plants have been completely swept from the ground, and in others we hear of but afew straggling blades existing. The stormy weather described has subsided. Since then the weather has been mild and quite warm. Our advices from Manilla are to the 26th of Sep- tember, The export of sugar for eight months end- ing Sist of August was as follows—To the United States, 70,000; to Great Britain, 205,500; to Aus- tralia, 167,000; to San Francisco, 27,500 piculs. The latest quotations were—sugar, current quality, $8 25 per picul; salt in great demand, and worth $1 50 per cavan; hemp, $6 50 a $6 75 per picul; silver, in bar, worth 21 per cent premium. The value of foreign goods imported at the port of Boston during the week ending L8th instant. amounted to $409,946—showing a decrease of $482,129, as compared with the imports for the corresponding period last year. ‘There was rather a better feeling in cotton on Saturday, and the sales embraced about 600 bales, chiefly to spin ners. Tho market closed at an advance of about per lb, Flour was again dull, and prices for common and medium grades were lowor, by about five cents per bbl Common grades of wheat were quite heavy, while choice lots were held above the vews of buyers. The sales were confined to email lots of common grades, at prices which afforded no critericn of the market, Cora was cull, and sales confined to a few cargoes of new at S6c. a 65c. Old mixed Was nominal. Pork was steady, with sales of uninspected and inspected mess at a$16 Sugars were steady, while were mode being confined té about 200 bhds. Cuba mascovade and 46 # 50 bhds Porte Rico, at prices given im another column. Coffee was in lin mand, and prices uncharged. Freights were steady for Brit'sh ports, with moderate engagements ‘The Kansas Apple of Discord and the tn- pending Dissolution of the Democracy together with an account of the subsequent move- menta of the filibusters, down to the latest advices from that quarter. In connection with this subject, our readers are referred to an interesting article from the London Post—the organ of the British Premier—on the treaty recently negotiated between Nicaragua and the United States. The Commissioners have awarded the contract for Duilding the new State Arsenal to Richard Carlow dJr., who was the lowest bidder whose sureties were unexceptionable. Thr cost of the building, accord ding to his bid, will be $63,700. The site for the arsenal chosen by the Commissioners is at the cor- It i« ner of Seventh avenue and Thirty-fifth street to be plain, «nbstantial, roomy building. The annexed table shows the tempe Qhe atmosphere in this city during t She range of the barometer, the variat: currents, and the state of the weather, at three periods during each day, viz. at 9 A. M., and 3 and deb tt re P.M. : reel T] ti wean ws [mais WwW Sey We w €9)4a]N reapany| Tye and one Saturday—Cioar all day and might Sunday—Cirar « | day and night overcast, nigtt Wedneaday—Overcant Thursday—Overcast ali day. thick for and rain during all day the evening and night Fricay—l ing, overcast with fog. afternoon, cloudy Saturday—Mornmg, clear Parot, who was sentenced on the 25th of Septem ber last, by the Cour d’ Asvisves dela Seine, to re- fund the value of a certain nomber of shares stolen from the Nowbern Railway Company of France, eppesied from that decision. The Court of Cassa- tion, in ite sitting of Nov. 27, denied his petition. Our correspondent at St. Thomas, writing on the 27th ult Basiness is rather at a stand still which is not entirely attributable to the genera! panic in monetary affairs, bot to somewhat of a mis says noderstanding Letween the Freuch and English Con fuls on commercial relat The subject of dix pute hae been declared in r of France, but, antil Lord Palmerston's instructions ar: remain in abeyance. The crops received, matters are very promising, f@nd both here and at St. Croix the best health is Deing enjoyed. Much gayety and cheerfolness pre vails aebore and we ulivened by the prose ©f naval officers and crews belonging to the Unit tates, France and Eugland, who occasionally and Shere on ermiaing among the islands. There ix very aie bets Solus, but ae orders iva When, by the French revolution of 1848, Louis Philippe was hurled from his throne, and when he was on his way to England in the disguise of a pea-jacket, one Odillon Barrot, in the Legislative Assembly, moved by the appeals of the Duchess of Orleans, proposed that her infant son, the Count de Paris, be accepted as Regent. It was the last despairing effort in be- half of the royal family; but it was instantly answered from all parts of the House— Trop tard!’ “trop tard!’ —too late! too late! So it is, we fear, with the democratic party of this country. Mr. Buchanan, with the magnanimity of Barrot, has proposed a compromise with the revolutionary factions; but Mr. Douglas and Walker cry out, “ Too late! too late!’ and this hoed and re-echoed from democratic politicians by the hundred, from Boston to St. Louis. We apprebend, therefore, that as it was with the whole family of the Bourbons, so it is with our national democracy—their days as the great and governing party of the country are numbered—for they are in a atate of demoralization and dissolution, North and South m which, we fear, they can never rise again. Read the extracts which we publish this morning from t Louis Democrat on this Kansns difficulty. They bear the pecnliar coloring of that free soil journal; but the facts therein set forth as to the strength of the Dougls he Northwe movement ampng the democracy are amply sustained by the party journals of that ailing spirit of the fre- age that taking place vailing tone of the are What chance » Lecompton constitution in the House of Representatives? From present it would fall through in that bods : 1d be clearly shown to ceived a decided majority, bona fide, of the popu- sppentene es ‘ have s it oc lar vote of Kansas. But the prospect for this decided majority ie not half so encouraging as Gen. Wal ® nees, slim as they are, for the re-conquest of Nicaragua. Itis useless to dis- cus this point, however, in advance of any imfmmation of the reeuit of the Lecompton con- stitutianal election appointed for thie day. This election moy be neutralized by a counter move- ment of the free State party, acting under the authority of the Territorial Legislature; and it is possible that the conflicting movements of the Lecompton Convention and the Territorial Le- gislature may result in scenes of¢ violence and of confusion among the belligerent factions of Kaneas, worse confounded than ever before. We are dealing with this Kansas apple of | discord in reference to its consequences to the party as a national organization la this view we adhere to our opinion that, ax “popular sovereignty” is but the pretext of Mr Douglas for a premeditated rupture with the fire-catem, and that a« “Southern but the false pretence of the fire- eaters for all their noisy clamor, there will be a pit in the party, no matter how we may settle Kansus question. Admit Kansas upon the sof her Lecompton constitution, even as a dem Southern rights” i bi State. it will oot satisfy the “popular sove- | reignty Mr Douglas aad the Northwestera dew Admit Kansas under a new pri pramn free State hy virtue of a demand fre nine-tenth legal voters, and the n fire-cat fat a tangent iato opes rebellion against administration and the treacherous sholition democracy of the | North € ent hject with Mr. | Ladlog ‘ y her soak ty Ce 4 tam nople’’—which means that Utopian millenium of ® Southern confederacy, with its abound- ing supplies of spoils and plunder. The theory of these fire-caters, a8 we understand it, is exceeding!y simple and exceedingly foolish. They desire—we say desire—to drive the North | into consolidated party against them on the { slavery question. This accomplished, a North- ern President. opposed to the further extension of slavery, is the next inevitable result. Then the time will have arrived for a Nashville Con- vention upon a grand scale, including a formal act of secession of the United States of the South from the United States of the North. Next, it is supposed, that to avoid a fratricidal war the Northern States will consent toa treaty of se- paration, including the rendition of fugitive slates and the protection of slave property on the border slave States. All this being nicely arranged, the Southern confederacy, “based upon military principles,” will proceed to the business of annexation, and prosecute it at their discretion, according to their means and their opportunities. Such, we believe, is the mblime programme of Jefferson Davis; and to ‘hese great ends he and his confederates hsve been sapping and mining for the last tea or fifteen years. We apprehend, however, taat their “road to Constantinople” will never be completed, and that they will never get to th€ end of the jour- ney. Suppose that with the solution of this Kansas difficulty—no matter how—there is an irrecon- cilable split between the Northwestern demo- cracy and the Southern fire-eaters, and that the latter set themselves up as an ultra sectional party for the succession, what can they accom- plish? According to the results of their ex- periments of 1850-51, they will accomplish a consolidation of the Southern Union conserva- tives of all parties, which will speedily reduce the rebels to submission. The slaveholders of the South, in the mass, are a body of conservatives, and they do not care to risk their property and their personal safety if any such wild goose chase as that of a Southern confederacy. We think it as likely as anything else, that this Kansas disorganization of the democracy may result in 1860 in the organization of three great parties for the Presidency—a Northern anti-slavery party, a Southern pro-slavery and secession party, and an intermediate and overpowering conservative national Union party, taking its departare from the calm and conservative administration of Mr. Buchanan. A few days hence, with some’ definite intelli- gence from Kansas, we shall be enabled more clearly to perceive the exact drift of this ques- tion. In the interval, Congressional speeches and newspaper discussions of the Lecompton constitution are labor thrown away. ‘The Seizure of the Sportsman by the Chilian Government—The Demand of Our Minister. For several weeks past every semi-monthly mail from the South Pacific has brought intel- ligence that the case of the ship Sportsman, now under seizure by the Chilian government, had not yet been acted upon. The facts of this case are as follows :— The ship Sportsman, Captain Thompson, of Boston, cleared from the Bolivian port of Cobija with permission to go to Santa Maria, and there to ship copper ore, under the superintendence of a Bolivian Custom House officer, who ac- companied her. On arriving there the cap- tain of the Sportsman began receiving ore, and | had already taken in some twenty odd bags, when the steam frigate Esmeralda, of Chili, came into port and seized her on the ground of violating the Chilian revenue laws in loading ata Chilian outport without a Chilian clear- | ance. She was taken to Caldera, a port in the province of Atacama, where she still lies, under the guns of a Chilian frigate. Immediately on the arrival of the Esmeralda with her prize in | tow at Caldera, the Intendente of the province saw the mistake that had been committed, and offered to return the ship to the captain; but | the latter refused to receive her until repara- tion for the damages sustained had been offered. and a demurrage of one hundred dollars per | day been paid Mr. Beeler, our Chargé in Chili, on being put in possession of all the factsin the case, at once | addressed a note to the Minister of Foreign Re- | lations, and demanded that the government should immediately order the Esmeralda back to Caldera, there to salute the flag of the United States in the presence of the Sportsman, return her register to her captain, and pay him one hundred dollars per diem for the delay caused i him since the day of his seizure. The govern- ment argued the point with Mr. Becler, but he | was immovable. He told them plainly that the Sportsman should ret at ber anchorage unless the demand was complied with. “But there is no precedent,” says the Minister. “Well, then, one must be mode of this case, to prevent in all future time such arbitrary outrages against the flug of the United States,” was Mr. B.'s rejoin- der. His note was replied to on the very eve of the dissolution of the old ministry, and Chili refused compliance with his demand. At this stage Gov. Bigler, the new Minister to Chili, | arrived. He endorsed most cheerfully the | grounds token by Mr. Beeler, and wrote to that effect to the Chilian government; but no reply | had been received up to the last dates we have from Santiago The question is probably one of the plainest that has ever beea presented for the considera. tion of our government. There is no map, chart. geography or public document, from the days of the vice-royalties of Spain on the Paci- fic const--no ordinances of post roads, no Spanish-American historian, no writer, not even a Chilian—who does not make the point of coast where the outrage occurred, Santa Maria, belong to Bolivia. Even the more modern work of Mr. Gillis gives, in the admirably drawa maps accompanying it, Santa Maria to Bolivia, The very constitution of Chili makes the southern shore of the great desert of Ata- ! cama the northern boundary of the republic. Only a few years tince. when the guano fever was beginning to rage, and when it was thought that guano had been found on an island close to Santa Maria, did Chili send a man-of-war there, and finding not a single Bolivian within miles, landed some marines and planted a flag, which they afterwards withdrew Bolivia at that time, as now, was embroiled in intestine wars, and notwithstanding that sent ister to Chili to demand damages for the | Nothing was completed, however he way of a settlement, owing to the withdraw of the Minister by the overthrow of his go- veroment. Sbortly after Chili sent a Minister | © Bolivia on the same errand, but Bolivia re ed to him until proper reparation | tn | vitrag: in | ‘ receive iad been made; and thus the case terminated | for the time. Bolivia went on exere'sing jarie- | diction over th ¢, issued perni'!s hy the tred . - ¥ th lvare of Sperteaaa, 7 a leks mings ne | representative men of the South. and we hope = | to see them take hold of it at once. | of emigrants from joining Walker in Nicaragua, | ral, whoever he may be , Office these permits, and paid tribute to Bolivia. The seizure of the Sportsman was a mistake—a State blunder; but, once committed, Chili’s national pride thought it would be a good opportunity of venting her time-treasared spleen against the Yankees. The case is one that calls for an carly and earnest attention on the part of our govern- ment, and it is to be hoped thet it will receive it from our experienced Seeretary of State, General Casa. ‘The National March South and West—Filibus- terfam and Squatter Sovereignty, We have frequently alluded to and published numerous proofs of the unanimity in public sentiment that prevails at the South regarding General Walker and his return to Nicaragua; and could we afford the space in or columns, we might present day after day evidences of this fact, as complete and conclusive as those we gave yesterday. But this is not necessary. It is with the fact itself that we have to deal, and to examine its influence upon our national progress, - There must be some great cause for its ex- istence, for it is simply ridiculous to ascribe it, as the British journals, and some of our own abolition prints do, to a widespread and uni- versal moral tergiversation. Where a whole people are animated by one sentiment—and that people amoral and highly cultivated one, as the people of our Southern States are—there is some general impulse pervading them that gives rise to such a unanimity of sentiment. And moreover it is not alone men of Southern birth and Southern education that are ready to take a part, and even the leadership in enterprises similar to that of Walker. Men from the North, even from the cold re- gion of New England, are just as ready to become filibusters as those of South Carolina or hardy Texas. This great cause does exist; and it, is none other than the na- tional impulse of self-developement, as filibus- terism and squatter sovereignty, that pervades our whole people. In the North it crrries them westward, and urges them to build up new States with magic rapidity. But there is an isothermal line that crowds our Northern peo- ple, and north of which they will not flow. ‘This and the great sterile plateau a few degrees west of the Mississippi is crowding them down upon Missouri, Kansas and New Mexico. The South holds the same impulse as the North, and in obedience to it has built up’the States of Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas. Her emigration, pressed southward by the advancing northern column, and checked by the reservations of the civilised Cherokees and Choctaws, and the great sandy desert, is seeking the only outlet open to it, and that is southward and southwestward. In this she obeys the natural law of her expansion, just as the North obeys its law in extending into Kan- sas; and being driven from this Territory, it is most natural that she should turn her hopes in the direction that seems to promise the earliest relief. That promise is held forth by Walker and Nicaragua, and thither all her hopes con- centrate. Any violent action, therefore, that shall tend to destroy the centre.of these hopes will produce great sectional irritation at home and fan anew the flames of discord. It is these great truths that should lead the Southern people and their representative men to reflect upon their true position and their evident duty. They should at once weigh the great difference that exists between a movement national in its character, and developed under the protecting wing of the federal government, and one purely sectional and individual in its form. This is the true point at issue between the administration and the fire-eating admirers of Gen. Walker. The course that Mr. Buchanan has recommended in his Message will make the Americanization movement southward and | westward one of national character, amd give | a far greater impulse to our progress in that direction than can the most unrestricted private filibusterism. Let them move at once in the _ abrogation of the Clayton-Bulwer humbug, anit pass the laws authorizing the President to use the land and naval forces, under treaties of guarantee and protection, like that he has just made with Nicaragua. This is all that is wanted to make the whole movement a national one, and this is what the South should do. The London Post, Palmerston organ, com- menting upon the new treaty of the United States and Nicaragua, which we give elsewhere | that treaty, and truly says that “if the United States government is to be empowered to send troops to Nicaragua in case of foreign invasion, civil insurrection or other domestic causes, the Central American republics will, we suspect, re- main but a short time without the assistance of their powerful northern neighbor.” the British government to obtain like treaties; but we care little if it does. a question of what Lord Clarendon smoothly calls “spontaneous settlement,” under the na- tional sanction, we shall bave little cause to fear the result. All of these things indicate the true course that should be pursued by the As for the tales that are bandied about in re- gard to a joint blockade of the San Juan river or the harbor of Greytown, and the preventing these are weak inventions of the enemy, in order to induce the hot bloods from the South to secede from their more sober but equally trae companions, and bolt for the wrong track. The idea of nt blockade of any portion of Central America by British and American forces is simply ridiculous. Until some new law is passed by Congress, the President will have no power to declare a blockade there under any circumstances; and as for a joint one with England, the idea will not be entgr- tained for a moment hy any man of sense, As for stopping emigration there, the government has only power to stop armed expeditions or military organizations, and this it will do right in exercising. R is not compatible with the honor of any country that private armed expe- ditions should be got up within its territory? Let us have, therefore, a# much emigration and “spontaneous settlement’ as we want, but let it be ander the guarantee and protection of the United States, and not of any individual Gene- Tur New Cory Post Orrice.—The deputation of the Common Council which proceeded to Washington for the purpose of completing the ar vangements for the I on of the new Post have effected an agreement with the t, by the terms of which, if federal governme the city authorities in Common Council agree, the lower end of the City Hall Park will be se: lected ag the site. as the President, Post- maeter General, Sceretary of the uty and oiut yomumittys of thy Couumou Cyuur | in our columns, sees at once the whole gist of | rior, greatly to the damage of It urges | When it comes to | concerned, the arrangements are complete. The papers are prepared, and Secretary Cobb is ready to hand over the purchase money as soon as the bargain is ratified. Should the Mayor aud Common Council or two-thirds of both Boards consent, Park place will be extended through the Park, eonnecting with Beekman street, and the south end of the Park, opposite the Astor House, will be conveyed to the govern- ment for the new Post Office. This would neces- sitate the removal of the fountain, through which the new street would pass, and would af- ford a continuous theroughfare from river to river. The committee is expected to return from Washington to-day, and the final transfer may be concluded or rejected at the meeting of the Common Council to-night. Tue Fauuine ory iy tax Recurrts or Pro- bUCE AT THE SEaPoRTS.—In a previous article we showed that the falling off in the receipts of produce at the seaports, from the interior, in- cluding breadstuffs, provisions and cotton, amounted in value to about $30,000,000. Thia smount has been swollen since then by a fur- ther falling off of 17,000 bales of cotton at the seaports, while there has been no material aug- mentation in the receipts of breadstuffs and provisions, of importance, by the canals. There has also been a large decrease in the receipts of Canadian produce at this port. The receipts of Canadian wheat at this point from | the opening of navigation to the 15th instant, from the best data we can obtain, only em- braced about one-third of th: last year, or about 184,954 bushels, against about 554,562 bushels for the same period last year. Giving a decrease of about 369,908 bushels, which at an average cost of $1 20, would show a decrease in value of about $440,889, The crop, it said, was a full aver- age of last year’s growth, though not equal to it in quality. We have not been able to obtain the | exact amount of decrease in the quantity and value of Canadian flour at this port, compared with that of last year, yet we venture to say that it was about two-thirds less, or only about one-third of last year’s receipts; which, if added to the decrease in value of wheat, made a gross aggregate of decrease in value, compared to that of last year, of not less than $700,000 to $800,000. ,A small amount of this decrease is to be accounted for by the direct ship- ments from Canadian po ‘ope through the agency of steam propel, &c. The hea- viest receipts of breadstuffs at New York | coming direct from Upper Canada, we arrive at the conelusion that the disturbance in banking and monetary matters, and the consequent un- settling of the exchanges with the interior, had their effect in keeping back Canadian as well as of American produce. If we add the decrease in the receipts of Canadian lumber and other products to breadstuffs, the falling off may be safely computed at over $1,000,000. The receipts of American grown tobacco ut this port for the months named below exhibit a material decrease compared with those for the same months last year:— RECKIPTS OF TOBACLO AT THE PORT OF NEW YORK IN 58, 1857, September, hds..” October... November. Taking the aggregate value of the decrease of products at this and other seaports, it proba- bly does not fall much below about $40,000,000. This falling off in receipts was caused ina great degree by the sudden and enormous con- traction of the banks, which unnecessarily crippled the country banks at the very mo- ment that produce of this year’s growth had commenced moving freely towards the sea board. In other words, they injudiciously and largely expanded when there was no produce to come forward; and then, when the crops had been gathered and had commenced moving, they suddenly contracted some fifteen or twenty mil- lions of dollars in a few weeks, adding greatly to the panic which had legitimately set in from thq effects of prevjous expansion and over- trading. The evil did not stop here. After alarge number of houses had suspended. they, them- selves, were compelled to suspend. The result was, that the fall trade was in a measure anni- hilated, and millions of dollars worth of pro- duce which should have been forthcoming to make the amount equal to that of the previous year, was retained in the inte- the busi- ness in our seaport cities, and especially in New York. The effect has been to throw many draymen and other laborers out of employment for the winter. Large warehouses, taken at heavy rents, have been only partially filled; while ships employed in voyages to Europe have found the supplies of produce inadequate to load their vessels, even at almost nominal rates of freight. And, in the.end, the farmers, and others who hold produce in the interior, | Will feel the effects of this serious interruption to the natural flow of trade. Had their pro- duce come forward during the autumn in the ordinary way, they would, no doubt, have ob- tained better prices than they will be able to realize next spring, when it must come forward in larger quantities than usual at the same sea- son of the year. California Post Office Affairs, TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD. Formerly it was the practice of the Postmaster at San Francisco to charge $24 per annum for box rent, and $12 per annum additional for each partner, member of a firm, clerk, or employé, more than two, whose letters wore deposited in the box; and in order to compel the public to hire boxes he withheld from box-holderg letters ad- dressed to their care Of Inte the rate of box rent has been reduced two- thirds, or to $8 per annum, and to $4 per annum addi- tional for each person more than two, and these rates, he informs the Sap Francisco public, “are lower than the rate charged at the principal offices in the Atlantic States,’” albeit the rate charged in this city is $6 per annum fora box, whether for two, three, or more partuers. ‘The practice of refusing to deliver letters to the parties to whose care they were directed it seems he still adhered to. The following letter, addressed to « San Francisco house who had called the attention of Postmaster General Brown to the fact that letters addressed to their care had been detained in the Post office and advertised, shows the views of the Post Office Department on the subject :-— Post Orrick DEPARTMENT, Avrourrmest Orrick, Sept. 30, 1897. Ju answer to your letter of the 20th inst, ¢ genera! regulation of the GexTueMEs & T have to inform you that department provides for t ‘whose names are in the address, or to whose care they may be directed A departure fro t be sane tioned ex x The nttenti at San Fran cisco will be called 0 in your letter, and an explanation r spectfelly, your obedient servant HORATIO KING Firat Assistant Postmaster Goneral Fant River Mr The News states that The Aoawan, Fall Kiver and Watuppa cotton mills wilt resume operations abont the first of Jaonary. These establishments employ about 460 hands. The American Print Woras are now in full operation, and as they wil probably continue ru the of Ue cotton sail >, wil wart the ce abort forty now in full operation, em amount received | very of letters to persons | THE LATEST NEWS. Interesting from We RESULT OF THE ACTION OF TUB NAVAL PLIMBNT TO THK POSTM ACTER GENERAL, ETD. Wasusarox, Dec. 26, 2867. The folowing named officers have been restored te tae _wotive list of the navy by the action of the Naval Comte, and their nominations sent to the Senate:— Carraus—Joveph Smith, from leave pay. Commanpens—Joseph R. Jarvis, leave; James Giyma, leave; Robert Ritehie, leave; C. Ringgold, leave; Isaac 8. Sterrett, furlough; Robert D, Thorburn, leave; Samuel Lockwood, leave; Wm. 8. Ogden, dropped; Joha Colhoua, leave; and Murray Mason, furtough. Laruraxants—Wm. K. Hunt, furtougb; M. F. Maury, leave; James S. Palmer, leave; Robert Handy, furlougan; Hecry Walke, furlough; Lewis C. Sartori, furlough; Fabius Stanly, furlough; J. N, Maftett, furlough, A. D. Harrell, dropped; A. Murray, furlough; Thomas H. Stevens, dropped; Vaa R. Morgam, furlough; Abper Read, dropped; and George A. Stevens, dropped. P Masrens—Augustus McLaxgblin, dropped; W. W. Lew, leave. Passe Minsniemey—J. Howard March, dropped; James §. Thernton, dropped; Edward C. Grafton, furiough, The following named officers on the reserved list awe been traasferred from turlough to leave pay:— Carrams—Jesse Wilkinson, Thomas M. Newell, 4. & Latimer, John H. Graham, and Wm. Inmaa. Commanpens—Charics T. Platt, Houry Brace and Chas. BH, Jackson. Lrevrenants—Peter Turner, G. G. Willian, Simon B. Bissell, Joha J. Glaseon, Henry A. Steele, Wo. Chandler, Jamoi M. Gillis, John P. Parker, E.C. Bowers, A. . Paldwin, Wm. B, Whiting and M C. Marin. Masrer—R, Clarendon Jones. Passep Minamruan—Samuei Pearce, ‘The following named officers dropped have been trams- | ferred to the reserved list -— Limvrenants—W. A. C. Farragut, leave; 8. W. Meade, furlough, and Thomas Brownell, furlough. Masrer—Julius 8. Bolirer, leave: Passxp-Mipsaivman—N, T. West, ! 2 One hundred and nine officers have been before the courts. Throe more are yet tocoma. The findings in the cases of Captains Levy, Lecomte and Chauncy, and Com- mander Johnston, ! +e aot been notifled to the depart- ment. As all those officers whose positions are changed by the action of the courts have been nominated and sent te the Senate, it is to be inferred that thero has bees no change in the position of those other officers | who appeared betore the courts, whose names are as fel- lows:—P. F. Voorhees, furlougt; 8. Paine, furlouga; C. Boarman, leave; William Jauessen, leave; T. R. Gedney, furlough; J. S. Stone, leave; Jno. §. Nichols, furtough; A. H. Long, furlough; Wm: Green, furlough; T. G. Bem- bam, leave; 0. Bullus, leave; T. D. Shaw, leave; Jaa Manning, leave; J. M. Watson, furlough; W. D. Porter, furlough; J.C. Carter, furlough; 8. B. Bissell, furiougia, A. H. Kilty, furlough; A. Gibson, furlough; George BR. Gray, furlough; Henry C. Flagg, furlough; D. Lynch, fur- lougb; H. N. Harrison, furlough; C. Hunter, furlough; J. Doyle, furlough; R. B. Riel!, furlough; Henry Rolando, furlough: M. C. Perry, furlough; F. A. Parker, furtough J. F. Abbott, furlough; Wm B. Fitzgerald, furlough, and R. M. McArann, furlough The following are dropped —H. H. Rhodes, L. Punaiag: ton, W.H. Noland, D. F. Dulany, J. B. Walbach, W. A. Bartlett, S. C. Barney, A. C. Rhind, Petor Wager, and Jae. P. Hall. ‘A grand serenade was given to Postmaster General Brown last evening by a number of Western gentlemen now in this city. Esputa’s Brass Band was brought into requisition. Gov. Brown appeared and returned thanks for the high compliment, and invited the crowd to partake of refreshments, A sumptuous table was spread and the wine flowed freely. Speeches were made by Hoa. J H. Savage, Hon. 8. 8. Marshall, Judge Lied, of Minois; H H. Robinson, of Cinciupati, and a number of others, THY GEVEKAL NUWAPAPER DRSPATOE Wastmveron, Dec, 20, 1867. Much interest is manifested tn Washington concerning Donnelly, now under sentence of death, who was favora- bly known ‘n this community. Several petitions oume- rousiy signed, including the names of some of our more prominent ps and of ladies, have just been trans - mitted to New Jersey, to be presented to the Court of Pardoas, asking for a commutation of his sentence. ‘This morning the body of General Newland waa founé foating in the canal. He was formerly # prominent poli tician in North Carolina, aud late Superintending Eng'neee of Harbor Improvements at Sasboygan. His death was accidental : Legalization of Suspension of Specie Pay- ment, Avavera, Ga., Dec. 20, 1857 The Legislatures of Georgia, South Carolina and Aja- bama bave legalized the suspension of specie payments ip these States News from the South, Wasminotow, Dec. 20, 1857 The Southern mai! from ail points, as late aa due, has been reccired. The Mobile Register reports th sil on of tho Black Warrior river Ofty tive fect abo water mark. Be tween four and five thousand ies of cotton had bees lost, a large numper of cattle carried away, and much other damage occasioned At @ meeting in Mobile,on the 14th ‘nst., Governor Winston presided, and addresses wore made by Percy Walker, Judge Meck ©, Langdon, Judge Hopkins and oth ers, and resolutions adopte! tayorable to the Walkee cause in Nicaragua South Carolina Leg Avoceta, Ga, December 20, 18977. ture of South Carolina has indefinitely post resolutions and reports in reference to Dramatic and Musical Matters, ‘The theatres seem to have recovered almost entirciy from the effects of the financial revulsion. The business of last week atevery house more than paid the expenses, and the holiday harvest will undoubtedly make up a good part of the losses in October and November At the Academy the iliness of Mr. Fermes quite disar ranged the programme for the Th were but two Opera nights, Monday aud Tcesday, a m Friday and the Oratorio, “The Creation,” on Saturday. The Oratorio was successful ‘a every way. The house was quite as full axon the first night of “Robert le Diable.’ Thi Ope anno’ dl to be en twice during the present week, this evening for the Ait of Mme de laGrange, who will sing the parts of Alice and Isa~ hella. Mr. Formes will repeat bis splendid impersonation of Bertrand, and the cast is otherwise unchanged. We are quite confident that Mme. de la Grange, the amiable, reliable, excellent and hard working artist, will receive a very good of the high estimation in which sh held by the public. ‘Robert’ will be repeated on Wed- newday. On Friday (Christmas day) there is to be av opera matinée, and in the evening Handel's oratorio, “The Messiah,” is announced, with the principal artists of the Academy, choruses b Harmonic Society, &e Mrs. Kemble’s Readings at the Chiversity Medical Cot lege are attracting the éite of the city, To.day Mrs Kemble gives a mornizg reading of ‘ Julius Gesar,” and during the week King Lear,” “ Measure for Measure,’* and “ The Merry Wives of Windsor.’ The new amphitheatrical order of things has thus far been highly successful at the Broadway theatre. The houses have been full every night, and the a@endance om Werdne: and Saturday afternoons is large. The bilt for this evening announces a change of performance, arc feveral taking novelties Mr. Charles Mothews’ engagement at Burton's theatre has been very successful. With Mr Mr. Prougham, Mrs. L. W. Davexport and Mr. Mark Smith, he bas played during the week several of bia most popular eharacters to overflowing houses, Mr. Mathews plays this evening in bis own comedy, “The Dowager,’ and ia the farce, “You're Another,” in which Barton and Brovgtam aleo appear. Mr. Rogers plays in the farce, ‘An Eligible Th vestment.”’ Mr. Mathew day, whes be plays Charlo: ppe good enst of forty conse Th a After ar has boon withdrawn theatre, to he re « n Brothers,’ whieh, we hear, has bee op in the careful = omoenner which gave Bem of feo” ite great success, dorian a the dei Fraseht Brothers, ond Mr nu Renaud, The row Morton wil be predwoed, wih M iu the primera! parts At Wallack's, “The Poor of New York’ stili draws well, and we can agsare the public that « th cooing f The acting od, andl tha