The New York Herald Newspaper, December 31, 1857, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. naan JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. OFFICE N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. TERMS cos) &» adwonce THE DAILY HERALD, too conts per , $7 per annum. THE WEEKLY HERALD, every Saturday, at six cents per fopy, oF $8 per annem: the ettiom, r annun to " ‘ Sue partes bran Britain, or Sto any part of the Continent, bath fe pncbide po THE FAM. ILY HERALD, every Wetnemlay, at four cents per per remem PARY CORRESPONDENCE, containing important ted from any quarter of the world, if used will be libe for | B™ OUR FORRIGN CORRESPNDENTS ARE PAR ReQuEsTED TO SBAL ALL LETTERS ayD Packages NTS THIS EWENING. BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway—Farstaian, Zoo. S10AL AnD Hirropmamatic ENTERTAINMENTS. WIBIA’S GARDEN, Broadway—Pare Cuauretas—Tar Evoremsst—Coipes Euc. BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery—Eqvesta@ian, Grunaaric Asp ELEPSANTINE PEATS—JOCKO, ROURTON'S THEATRE, Broadway, opposive Bond street— —Deuicats Grounp—CoLouaus—You'kr ANOTHER. seen THEATRE, Broadway—Tax Poon tx New ‘ORK. LAURA KFENE'S THEATRE, Broadway—Taz Corsican Baoruses —Hawinguin Bice Beg. BARNUM’S AMERICAN MUSEUM, Broadwa! —Inien Assunayce axp Yanxae Movesty, BNTINE AND OxSON. WOOD'S BUILDINGS, 561 and 58% Broadway—Gronce Afternoon ning: Vat- Canute & Woop's Minstngis—New Year Cais. BUCKLEY'S OPERA HOUSE. No. 685 Broadway—Eruto- Piay MELODIES—DOWD LN MississiPPt. MECH NIC —Barant’s MinstRes —Ermori. Us. EMPIRE HA’ ADVENTURES IN Dromama or Da. Kann's New York, Thursday, December 31, 1857. Government Advertising—Rejection of the Post Office Lette: Mr. Fowler, the Postmaster of this city, has notified us ‘ we shall be obliged to go through another tedious pro cess of making up statements .and producing affidavits re lative ta our very extended daily circulation, in order that we be entitled to receive the underpaid and beggarly tising of the Post Office of this city for the ing year. We shall do no suck thing, The aster of this city, and the public in general— both here and in Furope—know, from the best authorities, that the New York Hgnauy has the largest daily cireula tion in the United States, If the government of the United States, or any membeP@ it, don’t choose to avail them- selves of that circulation at a fair price, in the transaction of their own business, that is a wnatter for them to settle with their constitue customers Gpox solid and more important grounds to us, we shall beaceforth total xclude from our columns advertise ments of the Post Office of this city of the lists of uncalied for letters, unless the usual rates are compiied with. On former occasions, during the administration of poor Pierce, we refused the advertisements of several of the departments for the same reason that we pow reject the advertising of the Post Office of this city—that is, becanse the government does not give enough for them to pay for composition of the types, to say nothing of paper and The government of the United States, in its asiness as arranged by Congress, is too poor 7 its own confession, to pay the same ade. ation for labor performed on its account as by merchants, mechanics, chambermaids, n s whd have occasion to olumnus of a daily newspaper like ment of the United States ars solid gold surplus in its t acted toward the bus’ newspapers in the | and most contemptible way, while it lavished job and lobby men. to be more rous now, when its Trea- y < it has to issue shinplasters to pay its monthly expenses 7 In the marks we exempt the Presidest and his Ca. | bad twenty Treasury mean binet from any complicity in this matter of deuying the | workman the worth of his work. It arises solely from »t method of trans eas which has prevailed in Congre ¢ last ten or twelve yeare The News. movements of the filibusters and their sup- rs are the absorbing topic of the day. The ex- the South is ap to fever heat. Meetings the public indignation at the seizure of ven, Walker have been called at New Orleans and recruiting for Nicaragua is going on ac- A large force is already en- ody of eight hundred men left Texas on inst, to re-inforce Col. Anderson. Whether I sy in reaching their destination re- > beseen. Gen. Walker is still in Washing- pre he is surrounded by sympathizing friends, among them Senators and members of Congress. Tbe Southern men are enthusiastic in his cause, and preparations are in progress for a discussion on the merits of his case upon the reassembling of Congress, Gen, Walker will, it is said, demand in eemnity for his losses, and also that bis men shall be sent back to Nicaragua, and his flag saluted by the 2 States vessels of war. It is reported that nmodor Paulding will be recalled. ve four days later news from Europe, t by the steamship Arago, which left South on the afternoon of the 16th instant, and at this port last evening. Our advii are of view; but ring in the poli London money market was t cn the evening of the 15th instant, and 180 osed at 91.4 91j. Cotton was unsettled the Liverpool market, and experienced a decline one-fourth of a penny on some descriptions. edingly dull in the manufacturing of England. Flour had advanced about yarrel. Large sums of gold were being into the Bank of England; but notwithstand favorable reports from the Stock some of the oldest firms failed and the heavy financial revulsion has #0 nearly overwhelmed the trading nunities of Northern Europe continued with nabated pressure. Hamburg still suffered severely and it was suid that a few leading houses still safe would have to meet calls in that city estimated at $20,000,000 in January next. In France the alarmed financiers were, it was asserted, about to unite, both in means and design, in order to ward off the crisis if powsibic We have to record the following list of failures which occurred from the 12th to the 15th in LONDON Rew, Prescott & Co. Tah & Co Toldorph & Oe, WAADFORD AND BALIFAX 8 ©. Luter prewioname Thos Hook, Pemberton & Co , Wright & North Baaifield Brothers ARAL Constantine Ralli and auother Greek house ‘The liabilities of four of the houses are stated at $5,515,000. ‘There is no later news from India. General Have- lock furnishes a most interesting report of the action of bis troops in relieving Lucknow. The attempts to launch the steamship Leviathan progressed very slowly. Some details of the loss of the packet ship Nor thumberland, while on the voyage from New York to London, are given elsewhere. ‘ The Prince of the Astarias had been baptised in Madrid. He is cailed Alfonso, Francisco de Assis® Joan, Mariano de la Conception, Fernando, Pio Jaime, Pelayo i The steamship Niagara is now fnlly due at Hall fax with news to the 19th inst Hon. Townsend Harris, Consu! General of the United States in Japan, hae concluded a commercial Convention with the Emperor, the text of which ia Given in another column An arrival at Charleston reports the lows of the United States supply schooner Cobb, of Abaco Point, on the 13th inst. Her officers and crew have a! arrived in safety at Charleston. Under the telegraphic head may be found a brief NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1857. — summary of the report ef the cominittee appointed to investigate the affairs of the Middiesex Milla, a manufacturing corporation in Massachusetts, and the alleged defalcation of Lawrence, Stone & Co., the financial ‘agents of the concern. The report states thet their agents paid $87,000 to secure the passage of the tariff bill through the last Comgress, of which amount $8,000 was disbursed by the New York branch of the company for printing, editorial service, &c., but that no satisfactory explanation has yet been afforded of the application of the balance of the funds. Here we have an insight into the manner in which these manufacturers con duct business, and the way in which their stock- holders are swindled. After much bluster and terrible threatening the factions in Kansas have at last come to hard.knocks. The free State and pro-slavery parties in Bourbon, county engaged recently in a regular pitched battle, in which there was one man killed, several wounded and priseners captured on both sides. General Lane has entrenched himself at a place called Sugar Mound, and asserts his intention of fighting the United States troops if they are sent to dislodge him. While this bleody work is going on, the free State delegates to the Lawrence Convention are at loggerheads upon the question of participating in the election for State officers. The committee to which the subject was referred have reported three distinct propositions. The majority advise letting the election go by default. A moiety of the minority ave in favor of nominating and supporting a full ticket, while the balance of the committce desire to go into the canvass for the sole purpose of defeating the pro-slavery nominees. The Secretary of the Navy has formally notified the Atlantic Telegraph Company that the steam frigate Niagara will be again detailed to assist in laying down the submarine cable in the spring. Chief Engineer Everett, formerly of the Niagara, has been granted leave of absence, and will proceed to England to arrange the preliminaries for laying the cable. Our despatch says he is to have entire charge of the work. _ The proceedings of the Common Couneil last even- ing were unusually interesting. After the transac- tion of some routine business in the Board of Alder- men, and just as the session was about to break up, a communication from the Corporation Counsel was read, giving some startling developements impli- eating Street Commissioner Devlin and Mr. Turner, his deputy. The salaries of these officials are fixed by ordinance at twenty-five hundred and fifteen ban dred dollars per annum respectively; but by the document alluded to ¢ appears that they each have, under affidavits, drawn compensation at the rate of five thousand and twenty-ive hundred dollars per annum. It furthermore appear® that the Corpora- tion Counsel, on learning the facts referred to, in- duced Messrs. Devlin and Turner to make restitution of the amounts overdrawn. There are probably cir- cumstances connected with these transactions which have yet to be brought to light, and which may put a different aspect on the matter. The Board of Councilmen were in session last evening, but in consequence of a rencontre between Councilmar Van Glahn and a clerk of the Board of Aldermen, ne wo hours were lost, the business of the Board ng been suspended unti! the com- mittee appointed to investigate the case reported that they could not make uff their minds as to the facts, and asked to be discharged. The request was acceded to. Remonstrances against the sale of a portion of the Park for a Post Office were presented by Mr. Warner and laid on the table. Alex. T. Stewart proposed to give $500,000 for that portion of the Park which the Common Council: are about giving to the general government for $250,000. The paper was laid on the table. The réport of the special committee on reorganizing the Finance De- partment was called up and gave rise toa lengthy and acrimonious discussion, during which Messrs. Warner, Ottarson, Brady and Kennard were placed under arrest, aud Messrs. Avery, Hemphill, Chap- | man, Noyesand Franklin were committed for con. tempt, having refused to vote, ut on motion they were subsequently released. In Committee of the Whole the report was recommended to a third read- ing today, to which time the Board adjourned. They will meet at one o'clock. The Board of Supervisors held their last meeting yesterday. The salaries of police justices were in- creased $1,200 in addition to their present pay; also the salary of the naturalization clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, from $900 to $1,200Jper annum. A proposition to increase the salaries of the Judges of the Supreme, Superior, Common Pleas, Surrogate’s and Recorder's Courts, and of the City Judge, was referred to the appropriate committee for the new Board to act upon. A reso- lution to appoint ex-Senator Barr a Tax Commis- sioner, in place of G. W. Allen, was laid on the ta- ble. Resolutions of thanks to Mr. Steers, the Presi dent, and to the clerks and reporters, were adopted without dissent. The new Board of Supervisors will be organized,in the chamber of the Board of Aldermen on Monday t 10 o’cloekein the forenoon. action for libel at the suit of the Austrian Consul General of this port against the proprietors of the Express, was set down for yesterday before the United States Circuit Court, but was postponed until Wednesday, for the accommodation of the de- fendants. Mr. Buooks and his attorney made af davits that the defendants could not safely go to trial in conseqnence of the abwence of witnesses. The postponement was at first opposed by Mr. Jas, T. Brady and Mr. La Roque. The libel, which was, they said, « gross and slanderous defamation of a highly honorable gentleman—the commercial repre sentative of Austria at this port—had been pab- lished in 1854, and the action was nearly three years on the calendar. Judge Ingersoll did not think that the affidavits showed sufficient ground for a post- ponement, and denied the motion; wherenpon Mr. McKeon, United States District Attorney, who was associate counsel for the defence, said that when he was engaged by Mr. Brooks he expected to be out of office before the trial came on, but holding the position he yet holds, he could not appear as counsel against the representative of the Austrian government, and would withdraw from the case. Mesers. Brady and La Roque then consented to the cause going over until Wednesday of next week. Mr. Jas. Brooks, who was present, said he was taken by surprise at the course Mr. McKeon had felt it ne- cessary to adopt: but as he had every confidence in the juries of the Court, be would defend it himself. ‘The Judge ordered the case to stand over to Wed- nesday next, on the consent of the plaintiff's counsel. ‘The members of the Legislature elect, yesterday, hy invitation of the Board of Ten Governors, visited the institutions on Blackwell's Island. This annual visit is always provided for by the Governors, with a view of impressing on the minds of the inaipient legislaters the imperative necessity of the appro- priations asked of the Legialatare by the Almshouse Department. The customary dinner and speeches took place yesterday, and doubtless attained the de sired effect. ‘The Metropolitan Police Commissioners met yes terday and decided upon a number of charges against policemen. A series of rules for the gov- ernment of the surgeons was adopted; the district was divided into surgical districts, and a surgeon assigned toeach. A number of amendments to the present plan of detailing men were propaged, but upon motion they were postponed to the next meet ing. In secret session the resignation of officer Van Tassel was accepted. The Board of Fdncation closed up their busines for the year last evening. A large number of re porte were acted on, none of them, however, of gene ral importance. The usual complimentary resolu- tions to the presiding officer wnd the clerks were adopted The Emigration Commissioners met yesterday. The only business of importance transacted was the adoption of a report deciding not to give out- door relief to emigrants, but to send all who were destitute to Ward's Islagd. The experieage of past ~~ years waa referred to, which showed that outdoor retief would impoverish the Commission, and would do but very little good to the destitute. The num: ber of emigranta arrived at this port during 1857 waa 183,228—an increase of 40,886 as compared with 1856, On the Ist of January, 1857, the Com- mission had overdrawp their bank account to the amount of $9,202. y have now a balance on hand of upwards of $40,000. The receipts of beef cattle during the past week amounted to 1,472 head, against 2,247 head the week previous. The supply was the shortest since last winter. The demand, consequently, was very active, and prices advanced one-half to-one cent per pound, the range being from 8c. to 114c., according to quality. The scarcity and advance in beef pro- portionately enhance the demand and value of other descriptions of stock. Cows and e¢alves are quoted at $25 a $65; vealcalves, 44c. a 7e.; sheep and lambs, $3 a $6 50, and swine, 4jc. a Sit. ‘The extreme inclemency of the weather yesterday in- terferea, to some extent, with outdoor busingss. The eales of cotton embraced about 300 baies, chiefly to spin- ners, at irregular prices, being chiefly based upon mid dling uplands, at 94je. a 9e.; and 350 bales strict mid- dling were sold, ia transit from New Orleans to Liverpool, with freight at }4d.,a:8%c. Flour was agaia heavy and lower, especially for common and medium grades of State and Western, while sales were to a moderate extent, being mostly confined to’ the local and Eastern trade Wheat was quiet, with sales of small lots Tennessee red at $1 17, aud Southern white at $1 25. Corn was steady for new white and yellow at Sic. a 601c., the latter figure for that in shipping order; a small lot of old sold at 65c. Pork was steady, with sales of old and new mass at $15 50 a $16, aad prime at $15 25. Beefhams soldat $15 0a $16, and about 2,000 packages shoulders and bams were sold at 6c. a 654c. for the former and at 8c. ab 4c. for the latter, and chiefly at the outside figures. Sugars were steady, with sales of about 260 hhds. New Orleans and Cuba, with 1,250 boxes for refining, at rates given in another place. Coffee was quiet. Freights were steady. To Liverpool corn in bulk and bags was taken at 58d. a 6d., and wheat in ship's bags at 64¢d., with flour at 2s., aud tierce beef at 4s. 8d.; to Londou cheese was taken at 50s. ,and packages of bacon at 253. ‘The Legacies of Poor Pierce to Mr. Bucha- nan’s Administration, All the difficutties which now surround the administration in reference to Kansas, Utah, Central*America, Spain, and the financial em- barrassments of the treasury and the people, may be set down as among the legacies be- queathed by poor Pierce to Mr. Buchanan, in- cluding acodicil or two in the handwriting of Senator Douglas. Mr. Pierce’s election was a great triumph, and his administration might have been a great success had he not gone out of his way to cre- ate trouble for himself and his party. But, un- fortunately, Mr. Pierce was a candidate for a se- cond term, and Mr. Senator Douglas was a rival worth looking after. As a bold stroke for Southern capital, Mr. Douglas hit upon the Kansas-Nebraska bill. Instantly Mr. Jefferson Davis and Mr. Senator Mason whispered into the ear of poor Pierce that he must support this movement or be supplanted by Douglas. Poor Pierce was at first incredulous, and then he hesi- tated, and then he surrendered at discretion. The bill was passed and approved, and the Pan- dora’s box of the Kansas agitation was thus opened upon the democracy and upon the coun- try. Thus the legacy number one from poor Pierce to Mr. Buchanan was created by the sectional rivalries of Douglas and Davis for the succession. Next, with regard to Spain, Cuba, Central América and the filibusters. It was from the want of harmony, decision and backbone in the Cabinet of poor Pierce that all this business was not brought to a definite solution during the Russian war. That war afforded the golden opportunity for enforcing the Monroe doc- trime ¢o its fullest extent over all Central Ame- rica; and for persuading Spain to sell us the island of Cuba for a good round sum ; but alas! poor Pierce, courageous one day, was frightened the next, and with his shilly-shallying and dilly- dallying, from day to day, month to month, and year to year, he frittered his opportunity away, and left our affairs with Central America and Spain worse confounded and entamyled than ever before. This was legacy number two—in- cluding Gen. William Walker, whose authority was recognized or repudiated, approved or con- demned, as the wind happened to blow over poor Pierce and his Cabinet. ‘The third legacy involved the present finan- cial embarrasaments of the treasury, and the country, and the civilized world. This revul- sion isthe result of an excessive specalating mania and paper inflation ; and this rage for speculation and paper and confidence, and credit substitutes for mouey, was to a great extent the result of the railroad land grants and other heavy speculating lobby jobs of poor Pierce's administration. The beginning of this business, however, was the famous Gentral Illinois Rail- road bil. pushed through Congress by Mr. Doug- jor to the Pierce administration. By this bill the company gecured a grant of the public lands, valued in September last at some thirty millions of dollars. It is also understood that among the specu- lators concerned, Mr. Douglas by this bill was made a millionaire, or at least a half a mil- lionaire. The great success of this project brought upon Congress, under poor Pierce's encouraging Kitchen Cabinet dispensation, that enormous catalogue of railroad land bills and ether lobby jobs to which we attribute the epide- mic for Western land and gil other speculations, which culminated in the general explosion that followed the collapse of the Ohio Life and Trust Company. Legacy number three. Thus, with twenty-three millions surplus spe- cie in the treasury a few months ago, and with atreasury estimate of forty millions surplus for the current fiscal year held out to the encourage- ment of Mr. Buchanan, the first necessity of his session of Congress has been a call for twenty miilions of treasury notes, with an empty treasury as the apecic basis for the issue. Legacy number four is Brigham Young, the Mormon Governor of Utah—a legacy from poor Pierce to Mr. Buchanan, and from Fillmore to poor Pierce. The expenses of this legacy to Mr. Buchanan will probably already cover five or six millions of dollars, and the sum may possibly be swelled to twenty millions before the close of the present session of Congress. A rather incon- venient legacy this, when the weekly treasury receipts from the customs at this time have been reduced to the average of about thirteen millions for the year. Cut downto the narrowest prac- tical margin, the treasury expenses for the en- suing fiscal year will be some seventy-four millions, while the receipts from all sources will probably not exceed forty millions. Thus at the end of another year there must be an issue of forty millions of treasury notes, or a heavy loan, or a heavy taxation of the people, to make both ends meet. Such, then, are the ¢xpeftsive and troublesome legacies inherited from poor Pierce by our pre- sent amiable and honest chief magistrate. He may overcome them all; but what from the in- conveniences of extra expenditures and an ex- hausted treasury, and what from (he glasking las ant schemes and interests of democratic leaders and factions and sections, it will be a fortunate thing should Mr. Buchanan weather the stormy elements around him and before him without shipwreck. But while his aims and his policy are for the good and the peace of the country, the people will sustain him, whatever may be the consequences to party leaders or factions or sections, Let him look to the people and the interests of the country, and leave the wrangling democracy to take care of themselves. ‘The New Nicaragua Imbroglio—What should be done and Who do tt. Our despatches from the South to-day give telling evidence of the excitement there conse- quent upon the arrest of Gen. Walker, and the partial breaking up of his expedition. The meetings at Mobile and New Orleans, the rapid enlistment of men in those places, and the re- ported departure ‘of eight hundred men on the 26th from Texas, are but the beginning of a movement that will yet supersede the Kansas agitation in the intensity with which it will roll through the Southern portion of the Union. In connection with this subject the present condition of affairs in Nicaragua be comes of great importance, and we publish a series of very interesting translations from Central American papers, which show that, far from being settled, the questions that have kept those petty States in perpetual broil are more irritating than ever. All the facts demonstrate the urgent neceasity of the interposition of some stronger influence than is held by either of the demoralized native governments or parties. The provisional executive of Nicaragua, in the address te the Constituent Assembly of that republic at its opening ‘session, recognizes the great fact that the whole of the Central Ameri- can republics are involved in the rapid vortex of political, commercial and social develope- ment of the maritime and industrial nations, and that if they do not advance with equal step, they are in danger of being overwhelmed. A similar recognition of one of the greatest truths of the age was contained in the address of President Mora to the Congress of Costa Rica, something more than a year since. The series of translations which we to-day publish evince the manner in which they propose to keep step with the march of the world. Costa Rica claims, in virtue of possession, the province of Nicoya or Guancaste, and the right bank of the San Juan river; and Col. Cauty, under her flag, is levying war upon the shores of Lake Nicaragua. The government of Nicaragua ac- cepts the war thus virtually made, and is pre- paring to invade Costa Rica; while both go- vernments are negotiating with the agents of certain shrewd speculators in New York for the exclusive privilege of the Transit route grant, under which the men in power all hope to line their pockets with gold. While these things are passing between the native governments and the speculators, a se- ries of strange events occurs to complicate still more the state of affairs. Col, Frank Ander- son, by a movement unrivalled for gallantry, decision and success, has deprived Costa Rica of the possession of the key of the San Juan river and of the steamers upon it. One day more and Gen, Walker would have been on a triumphal march to Granada, which could only have been compared to that of Napoleon to Pa- ris on the return from Elba. But that one day was fatal. Commodore Paulding, with the strong arm of the United States, stops the tri- tunphal march of Gen, Walker, and abandons the gallant Anderson to the power, not of Nicaragua, but of Costa Rica. The first act of Commodore Paulding, in invading the terfttory of another State, and seiding its presumptive chief, cannot be upheld upon any principle of international law, but may yet be defended under the curious and conflicting provisions of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty. His second act, in abandoning Ander- son and his gaNant companions, after having deprived them of that chief and his forces by an act of war, is one of unmitigated inhumani- ty, and can only lead to greater complications. By this course on the part of the United States Commodore, another revolution may be created in Nicaragua, Anderson in possession of Castillo Viejo, the strongest pointin all Cen- tral America, and of all the river and one of the lake steamers, may yet make common cause with Jerez, Chillon and others, known opponents of the present government of Nicaragua, who are at Rivas with 700 men, and reinstate the democratic power in Nicaragua. Frank Ander- son may yet be the Napoleon of Central Ameri- ca, or he may hold his present position, awaiting the return of Gen. Walker, which will probably be unhesitatingly demanded by popular opinion in the South. If the reinforcements which are said to have left Texas on the 26th should reach him, his position will be an impregnable one; if they are stopped by the Susquehanna and the Fulton at Greytown. and sent back, still ‘greater complications will en- mac. Whatever course things may take, either in Nicaragua or among the South- ern filibusters, it is evident that the manner in which the republics of Central America shall keep step with the march of progress does not lie in their own intestine bickerings, nor in am- bitious and avaricious squabbles over the sale of the exclusive privilege of the Transit route to a set of Wall street sharpers. There is but one way to settle this whole question. The government, in view of the facts that daily develope themselves, must awaken to a sense that this movement isa much greater one. than a mere private adven- ture, and recognise the truth of the views so frequently put forward by the Henan. It mast decide at once upon its policy, and act with energy and decision. The Transit route grant is the shirt of Nessus for both Costa Rica and Nicaragua, and each is striving its utmost to put it on. To place all these questions at rest, the principle that none of these governments shall be allow- ed to tax the commerce of the world for the right of peaceful passage across its territories must be laid down and maintained by our gov- ernment; and as a corollary to this undisputed principle of international law, it must insist that no exclusive privilege for the carrying of pas- sengers and goods across the Isthmue shall be granted to any one. Let it, then, proceed at once to ratify the late treaty with Nicaragua, establish its navakdepots at the Atlantic and Pacific termini, and extend its moral guarantee over the line. The Clayton-Bulwer treaty, if it be found to conflict with the pacification of the Central American States, must give way tothe greater need of the nations. Such a course will settle the whole batch of these com- plicated questions, ayd dispose of Walker and the Transit route in a way that will be satisfac- ba Ay all. for the half beged Gommunitigg that fie upon the Isthmus taking any measure} that will enable them te keep up with “‘the rapid political, commercial and social developement of the ma- ritime and industrial nations,” their whole past history demonstrates their utter fhcapacity for such a course. Day after day, and year after year, not only the communities of Central Ame- rica, but the mixed breed nations of al) Spanish America, have exhibited a rapid decadence in their industrial and social civilization: The white clement is rapidly being absorbed and ex- tinguished by the large preponderance of infe- rior races, and with the white element every- thing except a hollow imitation of the forms of civilization is disappearing. If our govern- ment will not accept the mission and the destiny that is before it, it must give way to the fili- busters; for imperative reasons of internal as well as external policy demand the extension of our influence southward. ‘The McFiimsey Interests Again on the Sttr— The Project of Removing the City Hall Up Town. The partiaans of the project for the removal of the City Hall to Madison square are making renewed efforts to enlist sup- port for it. They are hawking about a peti- tion for signature, to which some few persons have been induced to append their names. There are, of course, some to whom it is a mat- ter of no consequence whether the city offices are up town or down town. Thereare othersto whom a park or a square is a8 much an object of indifference as was the primrose to Peter Bell. ‘These persons have nd permament interest in the welfare and prosperity of the city, and they are ready to sign this or any other petition that may be presented to them, just for the fun of the thing. To the great body of our citizens, however, the continued and persistent agitation of this scheme is a matter of some importance. It shows that the interests that originally started it are determined to strain every effort to ac- complish their ends; and judging from the suc- cess thus far of the influences that have been brought to bear on the sale of the Park, we must not count too confidently on our means of defeating them. Any scheme not positively prohibited by statute can be carried throngh our city Boards by the weight of personal influence @nd money; and if it were seriously proposed to transport the City Hall to Morrisania or to Spuyten Devil, we believe that by proper engineering it could be effected. Pre- posterous, therefore, as is the idea of removing this building to Madison square, we are compelled to treat it with the same gravity as if ite promoters were persons of unquestiona- ble honesty and public spirit. It seems a waste of time to repeat the objec- tions that we have so repeatedly offered to this scheme. The idea of inconveniencing the pre- sent generation in order to provide facilities for posterity, is, in the first place, so extravagantly disinterested that it is difficult to sympathize with it. In an age so practical and closely cal- culating as ours it is drawing somewhat largely on our patriotism to require of us to provide for wants that will not be felt for another quarter of a century. In spite of all the nonsense talked on the subject, that interval must elapse before Madison square can’ become the central point of the active business portion of the city. It is evident, therefore, that this scheme of re- moving the City Hall to that site can only be the offspring of the cupidity of up town specu- lators. But admitting the transfer of the city offices to some point in that neighborhood to be desi- rable, why should the square itself be sacrificed to such a purpose? The same objections which hold good to the erection of fresh buildings on the Park apply with equal force to that noble area. These squares are as necessary to the con- venience and ornamentation of our city as are any of the public buildings with which they are proposed to be encumbered. As great arteries of ventilation, they are, in fact, infinitely more important, and those who advocate their surren- der are committing a much greater sin against posterity than the withholding facilities that will only be required a quarter of a century “hence, and that can at any time be easily pur- chased. These squares once destroyed can nover be replaced; and if would be a Vandalism without precedent in the history of great cities thus unnecessarily to sacrifice epote which have been consecrated to such healthful and necessary progress. Such efforts are the more outrageous when we know that sites equally advantageous are to be purchased for less than one quarter the value of these parks, whilst the clearance of the former from their present occupants would be a great additional benefit to the community. Iustead of proceeding in so suicidal a course that which should be done by the Corporation is to purchase up the ground occupied by the Five Points, and to locate there all the public build- ings that could be brought within a common centre. Inthe area included between Centre street and the Bowery and between Bayard and Chatham streets, accommodation could easily be found not only for the City Hall and Post Office, bat for all the courts, city, State and federal. The con- centration of all these buildings would be an immense public benefit; and as regards conve- nience of site, we know no position that can compare with it. There is this additional ad- vantage in ite selection—that it coujd be pur- chased for a comparatively small sum: less by at least two-thirds than that of the value of the Park or Madison square. If these suggestions were carried out, and the Park cleared of every building that now stands upon it, future generations would indeed have reason to thank us for the foresight with which we had cared for their comfort. Those who, under the hollow preténce of anxiety for the public good, are secking to promote their own selfish purposes by raising the value of real estite in particular localities, will not of course relish our views. They are the only ones, how- ever, which are consistent with the present and proepective interests of the community, at least as far as we can judge from the experience of other cities, fo Kansas—Caniset Lerrens—Acting Gover- worn Denver's Prooramation.—We publish to- day a lot of letters on the Lecompton constitu- tion from the members of the Cabinet to the jate Philadelphia administration meeting. ‘These letters forcibly illustrate the “happy ac- cord” existing between the President and the several members of his Cabinet upon the Kan- eae question; and thus we commend these official opinions to the attention of our readers. There is, however, in the proclamation of the new Acting Governor, Denver, of Kansas, a Aecla- ration which may create some trouble in Con- gress. He declares that although the late Le- gowpton election may have gous for slavery by Nett eens Ss default, the refusal of the free State party to vote does not impair the validity of the result, This may be true, in a strictly legal sense; but we suspect that if, im the approaching election ordered by the free State Legislature, a vote largely exceeding the Lecompton constitutional vote shall be cast against that constitution, the fact will have an important weight with the President. That point will now be shortly set- tled. Perhaps on Monday next some gleams of light may be thrown upon the subject in Con- gress. We are satisfied, in the interval, to know that the farce is coming to a focus. A Hint 10 Commopore Paviprc.—We sug- gest to Commodore Paulding that his arrest of Gen. Walker may, perhaps, be justified upon @ plea which he has overlooked. When it was un- derstood at Washington that Walker had es: caped with his expedition. Yrisarri, the Minis- ter of the Martinez government of Nicaragua, was formally received by the President of the United States, which act involved the formal acknowledgment of the said Martinez govern- ment, and the outlawry of Walker. Secondly, a treaty was concluded between Yrisarri and General Cass, binding our government, among other things, to protect and secure the neutrali- ty of the Nicaragua Transit route, Now the question arises, is not the act of Commodore Paulding justified by these proceedings between the Nicaragua government and our own? Does not the said agreement bind us to keep the ‘Transit route clear of all filibusters? We sub- mit the hint in behalf of Coumodore Paulding, who seems to be in a tightplace. Let him hand over the case to the Hon. Caleb Cushing, now in the practice of the law at Boston, and he may turn it to some account; for, if we mistake not, Gen. Cushing’s opinion of Walker is about the same as that of the Commodore. Pracrican Dereat or THE CoxTRAcr ror ‘THE Sax or THE Paxk.—Although the Board of Al- dermen have adopted the report of their com- mittee in favor of locating the Post Office in the lower or southern end of the Park, the con- tract may be regarded as practically at an end. The opinion of the Corporation Counsel coin- ciding with the views that we expressed yester- day, is distinctly opposed to the conveyance of the property by ,the Common Council, unless the city receives a due equivalent for it. Less than the fair marketable value of the land would not, he says, meet the requirements of the act passed in April last; and as the sum of- fered by the government’ represents but an eighth part of that value, it isto be presumed that no further efforts will be made to consum- mate the bargain. Another appeal to the Le- gislature on the subject would be met by such determined resistance that we have no fear of its power being invoked to wrest from the city this valuable portion of its estate. THE LATEST NEWS. CIVIL WAR IN KANSAS. The Niagara Detailed to Lay the Tele- graph Cable. IMPORTANT FILIBUSTER MOVEMENTS. Effect of Gen, Walker's Arrest at the South , —Indignation Meetings Called at Mobile and New Orleans—Sailing of Eight Hundred Men from Texas to Help Frank Anderson--Active Enrolment of Volunteers at New Orleans— Walker Demands Indemnity from the Gov- ernment — Great Excitement among South- ern Members of Congress, d&c. New Oncxans, Dec. 29, 1857. ‘The indignation meeting called for this evening to dis. cuss Nicaraguan affairs, was adjourned until Saturday, on account of the non-publicity of the call. Notwithstand- ing, several thousand persons were {n attendance. The adjourned meeting takes place on Saturday evening. The enlistment is still going on, one hundred and thirty- two men having offered their services today, Over four- teen hundred men are now in this city and Mobile, await- ing shipment. ‘The men from the lower part of Texas, eight hundred in number, sailed on the 26th instant. It is impossible to imagine the feeling here,as wall aa throughout the entire South, so far as heard from, upon this question. All the leading papers here express indig- nation at the course of Commodore Paulding. The people are “‘in arms and eager for the fray.”’ CALL FOR AN INDIGNATION MEETING AT MOBILE. Moanin, Dec. 29, 1857. A mecting Las been called in this city to express indig- nation at the arrest of the Walker expedition. Tho re- ported repudiation of Commodore Paulding’s course by Seerctary Cass has had but little effect. Tho excitement 4s still intense.” Judge Gale, of the United States District Court, decides against the refusal of aclearanee to the schooner Susam for Greytown, on the ground that the Collector had no ju- risdiction in the matter. The Susan had a cargo of provi- sions on board, and Judge Gale says her detention ia iMegal. GEN. WALKER'S DEMANDS FOR INDEMNITY AND BAT ISFATION—GREAT EXCITEMENT AMONG SOUTHERN MEMBFRS OF CONGRESS—LORD NAPIBR'S OPINION OF COMMODORE PAULDING'S CONDUCT—COMMODORE PAULDING TO BK RECALLED, RTC. Wasmvotos, Dec. 30, 1967. General Walker, having been released, as illegally ar- rested, claims indemnity for all his losses, and demands that the government shall send him and his mon back, re howt the Nicaraguan flag, and order it to be saluted. ‘There is great excitement among the Southern Membors of Congress, who throng Walker's apartments. Judge Gale, of the Fodoral Court at Mobile, decides that the schooner Susan wag illegally detained with her cargo of supplies for Greytown, The Collector at Mobile re- fused aclearance to the steamer Fashion, when applied for by Captain Fayssoux, on the ground that the Captain was not a citizen of tho United States. Captain Caughlin afterwards obtained it, Gen, Walker is still bere, and, I understand, will te- main some days, He is the “observed of all obserrers,’* and bas been called on by a inrge number of Sonators ‘and members of Congress, principally from the South. ‘The filibustering spirit is rampant, and it will manifest i- self in the halls of Congress as soon as they meot, Com- moore Paulding will come in for a large share of Southern indignation. There are squally times ahead. Lord Napier and Sir Wm. Gore Ouseley, in conversation Inst evening upon the conduct of Commodore Paulding in seizing Gon. Walker, said that, whatoyer forcign gov. ernmente might have thought heretofore of the aduinig- tration relative to filibustering, there was 20 longer any doubt but that the government had done all in its powar to arrest it, as this last act had shown. Capt. Engle expects to return to the home squadros og the 6th of January It is positively assorted that Commodore Paulding wil be recalled. LETTER FROM COMMODORE PAULDING TO SECRETARY Tovery. Fiae Sine Wanast, Ory AsPiNwais, Doo, 18, issr. f Sin—I have ordered Capt. Engle to proceed to ‘Washing. (ob, aud plage ia your bands Wig despatohaa I bare