The New York Herald Newspaper, February 1, 1858, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. ETT, JAMES GORDON B EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. OFTICE X. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU 6TS. cash om wtwinice. SHE DAILY HERALD, to conte per TH WEEKLY HER AL : apy. or Bi ger anon, he pay bow hl THE FAMILY RERALD, every Wadnenlay, at four cents per e OF BL per rmmwen Role N TARY CORRESPONDENCE, containing (mports eves, solic tad Prom amy quarter of the sworid. if macdl will he lie fully paid for. Bar OOK Foreign Conkesrnnents she Paw Fecrsecy Requests ro Beat ais Lerrens axD PackaGus NT US. No, 31 AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. —_—— BROADWAY THEATRE, quenemme—Aterneen- Saree Evening—GYM astics— Fine Feats —Crevends jon, Tro wms, &c Bqussrsianie—Fveriay YR GARDEN, Broadway —Eare*rriantew arp Gye gasraPenronaise Burvockkos, Mvues, Eixrmayr, ann JOusEs. Ac. BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery —Pact (uvroRD—SketcHEs Ey Inpia—ALOnz0, THE Baavs. , BURTON'S THEATRE. Brmtwny, opposite Bond street Manay Wives or Wixpsox—Pacawontas. WaLLacCk’® THEATRE Broadway—Tus Vicag oF Waxeristp—A Drcipen © osm, the steamship Ariel, by a passenger, who expresses the utmost satisfaction at the conduct of the officers and the staunchness of the ship. From Key West we have @ full account of the arrest of Col. Frank Andereon and a party of thirty- nine of Walker's men, by the United States Marshal, on the affidavit of Commodore Paulding, and a ©: the trial as far as it had progressed. Some of the accused claimed to be citizens of Nicaragua, while others refused to testify. A letter from George Seward, Esq., Secretary of | cracy. the Atlantic Telegraph Company, Jannary 15, says :—* Our arrangements here for the completion of the work we have in hand are pro- gressing eatisfactorily, and I trust and believe that our next attempt will be crowned with success. The machinery is being overhauled under the direction of English and American engineers, and experi- ments will be carefully tried before sailing next time, with a view to meet every known or antici- pated difficulty. The English government has again granted us the use of ships; and the manufacture of new cable to supply the place of that which was lost is going on satisfactorily. It is intended at present to take out 2,800 miles of cable, being 300 miles more than was thought sufficient last time.” We have advices from the West coast of Africa, dated at Sierra Leone on 18th of December. Trade was dull, with an exceedingly high market for hides, and in Congress, throughout every department of her State organization, becomes a free State’ ‘There can be nothing to agitate against the*slave power,” with the “slave power” and slavery en- tirely removed frm Kansas. In this view the Lecompton constitution would hardly serve as a bugaboo to frighten the most nervous of the old women of the Northern abolitionists, mach leas to weaken the ranks of the Northern demo- In fact, with the admission of Kansas, dated at London | and with her people thus left “perfectly free to regulate their domestic institutions in their own way,” this censeless agitation . will cease. The South will be satisfied in having carried their abstraction, and the North will be content with the full possession of the prize. A power- ful prestige to the administration, the harmony of the party, and the peace of the Union, will follow in their regular order. Thus, looking to the campaign of 1860, we regard the succees of the democracy, from pre- cent appearances, as lying in the opposite road to that indicated by Mr. Douglas. We believe that the adoption of the Lecompton constitu- tion, instead of breaking down the Northern de- mocracy, will result in re-uniting all the ecat- LAURA KEENK'S THEATRE, Brosdway—Wairz Lixs— | paimaoil, and other produce. Two American vessels | tered fragments of the party, North and South, Bractkx BRiEGROOM. WARNUM'S AMERICAN MUREUM, Broadway—afternoor | so advanced that it was feared the ventares would | ministration, —Byoxer Swoup. Evening: Pionmen Paruior. WOOD'S BUIDINGR, 661 and 663 Broadway—Grorae Frans &Woop's Muxstuxis—Tae Toovigs, wita Cavpie FOTO RRA BUCKLEW'S SERENADERS, ‘% Msc opens a? > BURLESGUES— DOV: Brondway—NzcEo ARAMA MECHANTIO'S BALL. 472 Rroadway—Revanr’s Moverneie ~Ermoriuy Sonks—GawEs OF Tee CURRICU UM “few York, Monaay, Febraary 1, 0858, The News. The Lecompton constitution brought by Mr. Clark- son to Washington will be submitted to Congross by the President to-day, accompanied by @ special mes- sage. A caucus of democrats opposed to the Le- compton censtitution was held on Saturday evening. The House Committee on Naval Affairs, we are in- formed, will disapprove of the conduct of Commodore Paulding in arresting General Walker in the territory gua, and assert that he went beyond his in- ons. The tariff Investigating Committee are progressing slowly with their labors, and for the last four days bave had Mr. Stone before them. A few facts begin to leak out, and new developements are made ¢ day. The report that the Hon. John Appleten had been appointed to succeed Mr. Forsyth us Minister to Mexico is contradicted. By the steamship Isabel at Charleston, we have news from Havana to the 25th of January. The se- cond division of the Spanish fleet went to sea on the 20th ultimo. It consisted of three war vessels. The weather was very favorable for naval practice in the Gulf, the ostensible reason of the movement. The slave traders were making preparations for an ex- tended traffic. A murderer was garroted just as the Isabel steamed out of port. The health of the city and harbor was good. Trade was heavy and sugar unchanged in price, with 55,000 boxes, including 20,000 new, on hand. Freights slightly im- proved. Excharige was dull, rating’at 2j a 34 on | New York. H The Mereurio, of Valparaiso, of 12th December, states that the mail steamer Valparaiso, on the pre- | vious voyage @elayed her departure from Panama | eight hours in order to bring the mail from the | United States, the arrival of which at Aspinwall had | been announced, but without success, as the Ameri- | can agents on the Isthmus would not deliver it. She | therefore departed without it, although she took pas- | scngers aud papers that left New York on the 5th of | were in port loading with hides, but the prices had end in serious losses to the owners. Our traders do not exhibit their usual experiewce and caution whéu in the African traffic. 5 We publish this morning a curious story about Louis Napoleon, which appeared in the January number of Graham's Illustrated Magazine. If it be true, the present Emperor of the French, instead of. being the son of Louis Napoleon and Hortense, is a Yankee. It will, however, repay a perusal, and we give it for what it is worth. The value of foreign goods entered at the Boston Custom House for the week ending 29th ult. was $847,515, which isan increase of $835,928 overthe corresponding week in 1857. The principal articles of import were groceries, linseed, and saltpetre. The cottm market was firm on Saturday, with sales of about 2,000 bales, closing at 104jc. a 10%c, for mid- ding uplands. The trancactions for two days have ‘orted up abort 4,600 bales, which, estimated at $44 per bale, would give a value of about $190,000. The flour market was dull, and again Se per bbl. lower for common grades of State and Western; and on low grades of Canadian there was a deciine of about 10c. pr bbl. Low grades of Western and Southern were also cheaper. Wheat was quiet and nominal, no sales of momont having transpired. Corn was without change of moment, while sales were limited. Prices ranged from 661;c. 2 68c. for sound new, and prime dry white was held at 70c. Pork ‘was rether frmer for lots on the spot, and sales of 2000 300 bbis. were made at $15 a $15 26. Sugars were quiet, but firm, owing to the extremely light stock in this mar ket, which comprised only 3,544 hhds., againat 5,837 last year, at same poriod (1st of February.) and 4,618 boxes, Against 18,171 last year. The only excess was in molado, which amounted to 4,760 hhds., against 998 last year. The importation of molado sugars last year were in excess of demand and beavy; losses were sustained on them. Ris believed that during the present year this description of goods will be imported in much smaller quantities than was the case last reason. The finer grades of New Orleans sugars are always popular with the trade, and wid have & good run; to compete with which Cabans will be com peiled to rend forward a better class of gco4s, and greatly reduce their supplies of inferior articles. The sales yes terday were confined to about 220 hhds. and 250 boxes at rates given in another column. There was @ movement in coffec on Saturday, with greater firmessin prices. The sales embraced about 7,500 bags of Kio at §44c. a 10°¢., chiefly at $e. ac, Showing an advance of about 3,¢. per Ib. The stock of Rio was 71,452 bags, and of al! kinds of pachages 91,979. Freight engagements wero moderate, and rates without change of moment. uponthe general policy of Mr. Buchanan’s ad- and in a great democratic vietory upon new and leading practical issues which will be brought into the foreground. But it is perfectly idle to talk of the future of the democracy if the party abandon the administration, and break up into little sectional cliques before the expiration of the second year of Mr. Buchanan's term of office. The States admits that “the South is almost unanimous in favor of the Tecompton consti- tution. And why sot Clearly because of the great coustitationa!l principle and the great po- 1 issues involved. If the said constitution is rejected, M will be because of its recognition of slavery. Mr. Douglas may plead a different plea; but this will be the real cause. The South | will thus construe it as the verdict of the North against the introduction of any more slave States. For if the North cannot concede the empty abstraction in this case, what can the South expect in apy new case involving the substance as well as the shadow of slavery ? We may safely assume, therefore, that the re- jection of the Lecompton constitution will be but the beginning, instead of the ending, of the troubles of the democracy and the dangers of the slavery agitation. Reject thisconstitution, and the first result will be the humiliation of the administration as the visible head of the church. The next thing will be, from the course which will inevitably be pur- sued by the Southern democracy, the complete disruption of the party into two or three sec- tional factions. We might contemplate all this with comparative indifference if the mia chief would only stop here. If one administra- tion is rendered powerless fur active service, we can substitute another ; and as our existing parties fall to pieces, there is no difficulty in re- organizing their fragments into dew parties, But the great danger to be feared is the organi- zation of purely sectional parties upon the slavery question. Let things be driven to that pass, and we are at once, North and South, thrown into the broad down bil road to in 1860, November. It complains thet this fact, which re- The Lecompton Constitution—The Democrae | destruction. veals some carelessness on the part of the American | mail agents, deprived the merchants of the South | Pacific of their American correspondence for fifteen | days, ut atime when the financial pressure made its | early delivery of great importance. | Advices from Montevideo to the 18th of Novem: | ber, state that remarkable events had taken place | there. The President dissolved Congress by force, | and banished without trial twenty persons belong- ing to the opposition. The House of Representa. | It is an appeal, however, against the acceptance | prandeur of these United States, tives was invaded by a farce of two hundred men | and two pieces of artillery, and the members were ordered to close their session. The cause of these disturbances wae the treaty of commerce and limits with Brazil, which government desired should be ap- proved. The Rosas party promoted the intrigue by «»pporting government. After this, and just when @ revolution was expected, General Don Ma cuel Oribe, of lamentable celebrity as chief of the famous siege of Montevideo, and worthy lieutenant of Rosas, the Buenos Ayrean tyrant, died. Govern- meut, being deprived of that support, has engaged in conferences with the liberal party. Our dates from Buenos Ayres are to the 20th Nov. Nothing remarkable had taken place there. The Indians had been beaten in several encounters, and the southern frontiers were well guarded. Govern- ment will strive to carry on the war with the savages until they shall be driven from the frontiers. Con- gre-s terminated their sessions on the Ist of Decem- ber, after approving the agreement for artanging the foreign debt. <tsh Aspaaities Chatdicstian: eielianad Ni-oheins Senor Paranhas was at Rosario as Envoy Extraordi- ry from Brazil to the goverument of the Confede- n. A treaty with Brazil, respecting river and e regulations. was being discussed. It seems Brazil wants to engage the River Plate pro- to take part in its war with Paraguay. In rio the commerce of direct importation was in- vondent in Valparaiso, writing on the partienlars | hile and on | the government not withstanding again t their anthority by the ehip Lavoisier. The loss of the mail via was not regretted, as the Pacific Ma Company, to which she belonged, is classed in the | old fogy order, and it was ho line would soon con A very hostile f shipmastere, owing San Francisco trader. in Velparaiso, and about to by way of the mountains. The annexed ‘table hows the temperatore of the atmosphere in this city during the past woek, the range of the barometer, the vaviation of wind currents,,and the state of the weather, at three periods during each day, viz.: at 9 A. M., and 3 and 9 o'clock P. M. -—~ 1 Steamship ithat an American so with Panama. dd towards American » the ce me Anna yp was » for Buenos Ayres 0 * «3 | rr | | wre Saturday—Mortfing. clear ani colt afternoon slightly | overonet. Sunday —Mornirg u, overcast | with rein th ' j Monday y and evening Tuesday — , Overcast and warm, with light rain during day_wicneqbloar Wecneeday—Merning, clear and p'eacan earnoon , cloudy, night, clear aod moon ght Toth Morning, clouds fer t md during evening, Friday—Overcast ail day nigh Saturday —Morning, #lichtiy Among our interest: rrespondence this 1 e | > cy—The North, the South, and the Union. That hitherto mystorious little paper at Wash- ington, The States, has at length definitely taken its position on the side of Mr. Senator Douglas. In this view, we publish today its leading ar- ticle of Friday last, touching “the admission of Kansas under the Lecompton constitution, and its probable effect on the future of the democracy.” of that constitution, which, we think, may be very readily answered. First, we are told that “Gov. Denver's pro- clamatton to the people of the Territory, show- ing that there is a majority of ten thousand of the bona fide voters of the Territory against the Lecompton constitution, is the first well authen- ticated evidence we have that the people of Kansas are almost unanimously opposed to it.” Well, what of that? Must we not still abide by the law? The election of the 2lst of December was the only one legally applicable inthe mat- ter of the ratification of said constitution, and if that election was carried by default, in behalf of slavery, the responsibility lies with the peo- ple who refused to vote. That is all. The sub- sequent January election was a day or two after the fair. It may prove that there is “a majority of ten thousand of the bona fide voters of the Territory” against said con- stitution; but the fact is of no legal value in the case, It is the majority of a regular election, and not of an irregular one, that is decisive. But this Jannary vote of ten thousand majority ix still valuable a* a proof conclusive that theugh admitted under the Lecompton constitu- tion, Kansas, to all practical intents and pur- poses, can be nothing but a free State. Why, then, should Northern democrats tremble and turn pale when brought face to face with the mere abstraction of slavery in this case? (Our Washington cotemporary assures us that « large majority of the Northern democracy is opposed to the Lecompton constitation, on the grouml that the people of Kansas, who have the right to choos their own institutions, are oppose ed to it’ This, we think, is a premature decla- | ration. The democracy of the North and the democracy of the South are awaiting the action of Congres and the practical consequences thereof. Let the Lecompton constitution to accepted, and } neste, as she wil Go very shortly thereafter, appear before the world a Arvey the Nu:th ugautast the South, and the South against the North, upon skavery, with no intermediate half way ground of compromise, and the South must soon be pushed to the wall, or pushed out of the Union. The consequences of such a step we have before us in the con- tinually fighting military republics of South America, The greatness, glory and moral as they now stand, would thus be dissipated among, per- haps, half a dozen little repubWcs—North, South, East and West—perpetually in a state of war with each other or in a state of oivil wae between two or three military chieftains. Let us, of all things, avoid the rocks and shoals which lie in the way to such terrible disasters, Give the South their abstraction in reference to Kansas—it is all they ask. What cause of complaint will there be to the North, with Kansas practically organized at every point as a free State? Pass the Lecompton constitution, and the administration wil! be strengthened and the party will come together again, North and South; but reject this consti- tution, and the real war of the sections begina. Kansas In Congress—Inconaistencies of Sena- tors Seward and Dougias. The Kansas question will practically occupy the attention of both houses of Congress this week, and we believe the result will be a solu- tion of the whole diffieully, upon the broad con- stitutional basis which the President has advo- cated—the absolute rights of the people of Kaneas, as represented by their official acts, to regulate and adjust their own local affairs. A caucus of democratic senators is to be held in the Senate chamber this evening, to determine upon the plan of operations to be pursued, ahd it is therefore a fit occasion for a réeum‘ of the facts of the case, showing the position occupied by the two principal leaders of the opposition— Senator Douglas and Senator Seward. The dis enssion in Congress will doubtless be acrimoni- ous and personal, and all the more so from the fact that the record proves directly upou Mr. Douglas the truth of the charge of his haviag abandoned his former position, and now advocat- ing « principle which he was the first to repudiate in his official character as Chairman of the Com- mittee on Territories, lees than twg geara ago. In order to facilitate and expedite the admis free State, to all intents and purposes, and the* sion of Kansas as a State, it wasdeemed expedi- Northern and Southern democracy, and the mates of the conservative people of all other parties, will be content, aod thus the occupation of the Kanzas agitators will be gone, Sut our Washington oracle of Mr. Douglas rejoins that “the adinicsion of Kansas in defi- ance of the expressed will of ite people will, ac- cording to the reported returns, bring into the Senate of the United States two black ramibli can senat We are not #0 eure of That, Mr. John joun has not yet rend = | final report. But if, with the Lee stitution, we do admit © two black senator vill the rejection of thet coustitution keep them out! We think not. And so, when we can do no better we must even be content to take things a# we find thom--the eweet and the er together. Ah. yes, But then we are ad monished that “if we to draw any ’ enees from the prevailing opinion at the North, the democracy there must he prostrated for som: years by the admission of Kansas under such circumstances.” But again, we beg leav’ | to take a wholly diffbrent view of the subject { Admit Kansas technic ally as a slave State | what will there be tn this for Northern agita ' tion if she tmm diately thereafter, ig Kapsag ent at the commencement of the last Congress to prepare # bill providing for the election of a convention in Kansas to frame & constitution and present it to Congress. Mr. Douglas, ac- cordingly, on the 17th March, 1856, from the Committee on Territorics, reported a bill tothe Senate “to authorize the people of the Territory of Kansas to form # constitution and State government preparatory to their admision into the Union.’ This bill provided for the election | of a convention of the people, and eentained the following claus the following propositions be, and the same are, offered to the said convention of the people of when formed, for their free acceptance or reves b, if accepted by the Convention «nud ratified by the comstilu- on, W h 7? ple at the election for the auuptiin of n batt be obligatory on the United Stites and the State of Kanens. The wording of this clause made a distinction between the powers of the convention and the people. The constitution was to he accepted by convention and ratified by the peo ple. This is the ground now taken by Judge Douglae that as the constitution has only been in part sulwnitted to the people of Kansas for ra- tification, it isan assumption of power onthe part of the Convention. Divested of extraneous points, this is in brief the gravamen of his,op- portion to the Legemptoa youstitution, audMbe the ostentible reason for the course he is pursuing in Opp: sition to the views of the President. Let us «e how far his record sustains him. The bill of the 17th March remained unacted upcn, and on the 25th of June Mr. Toombs pre- sented an amendment to it, which he gave notice he would propose at the proper time us @ sulstilute, Tn thiseubstitute bill of Mr. Toombs the precise wording of the third section of Mr. Douglas’ bill (already quoted) was retained, re- cognizing the right of the people of Kansas to ratify the constitution after its adoption by the ‘Convention. About the same time Mr. Seward presented a substitute, also in the shape of an amendment, whick ignored the people of Kan- sas, either in convention or otherwise, nad de- clared that Kansas should at once be admitted into the Union as « State, if the Territorial Legislature, then in being, saw fit to accept the offer. On motion of Mr. Douglas both of these amendments were -referred to his committce, and his bill, already reported, was recommitted. One week thereafter—on the 30th June—Mr. Douglas made a lengthy report from his com- mittee, accompanied by a bill asa subetitute for the one he had originally presented. This bill embraced many of the features of the Toombs substitute, but the provision as to the power of the Convention, and the distinction between a “convention of the people” and the people themselves, was abandoned. The section was made to read-— And be it further enacted, That the foltowing propositions be, und the same are, hereby offered to tho ‘aid Conven- ton of the people of Kansas for their tree acceptance or rejection, whieh if secepted by the Convention eball be rage on the United States and upon the said Stato of Thus amended by Mr. Douglas, the absolute sovereignty of the Convention, when constituted to do as it saw fit, conceded the bill passed the Senate, receiving the vote of every democratic renator, including. of course, Gen. Cass, the present Secretary of State, and Mr. Toucey, the present Secretary of the Navy. It is out of the question-to suppose that Mr. Douglas could accidentally bave made this im- portant omission in the bill; and we bave not heard that such a pretence is set up. Indepen dent of the record itself, it was stated by Mr. Bigler, in the discussion which took place at the commencement of this session, that the amend- ment was the result of a discussion on the point which took place at Mr. Douglas! house. Mr. Douglas flew into a rage at this statement, and after insinuating that Mr. Bigler was divulging the transactions of a private conversation, mag- Danimously gave him permission to do 80; but asked Mr. Bigler if he (Douglas) was present wheu the striking out of that portion of the sec- tion providing for the subsequent ratification by the people was discussed. Mr. Bigler thought he was, but was not certain. Now all this is mere pettifogging on the part of Mr. Douglas. The fact is patent, that as Chairman of the Committee on Territories he did report the bill to the Senate, and that the bill so re- ported omitted that portion of his first bill which made a dietinction between “a conven- tion of the people” and the people—and thus acknowledged the sovereignty of the Conven- tion as the representatives of the people of the Territory of Kansas. We are informed that Mr. Brown, of Mississippi, at the meeting referred to, was the person who moved to strike out the paeeage requiring the subsequent ratification by the people; and if Mr. Nenotmn 44t-e~ ae weap his pts any way, he cancall Mr. Brown, who is still in the Senate, on the stand. The bill paseed the Senate, but failed to pase the House in consequence of the opposition of the republicans, who wanted to keep the agita- tion open. But the point is, that every one who voted for the bill is personally committed to its principles; and thet its author (Judge Douglas) is the last man who can, with the slightest claim to consistency, refuse to admit Kansas under the constitution now presented, which hae been made in strict conformity with the provisions of his own bill. He bas uo- doubtedly a right to adopt any course he may see fit; but In his present position he must stand branded as a deserter, and as such mect his fate. William H. Seward’s position is perfectly reconcilable with his whole political career. All he desires is to keep the agitation alive, It cannot injure his character to show that, in 166, he offered o bill ignoring entirely the people of Kansas upon the question of their ad- mission into the Union, and that he is now screaming at the top of his voice for justice to the poor people there, because they have only been beard through their representatives in eonven- tion assembled. He is simply following out his character as a demagogue and an agitator. It is contended én some quarters that the peo- ple of Kansas had no right to form a constitu- tion either by convention or otherwise, unless with the consent of Congress Where do the advocates of such a course find their authority? Not in the constitation of the United States; and certainly not in the doctrine of popular eovereignty—the great primgiple which it is eserted was endorsed in the Kan- sas-Nebraska act. As a mere matter of expediency, to expedite the action of the people of the Territory, an “enabling act,”’ as it is termed, would have done no harm. Bat in the absence of any such actin the neglect of Congress to pass it, if it were negessary—the Legislature of the Territory had an undoubted right to provide, ae they did, for the election of a convention of the people to frame a constitu- tien. That Convention, when organized, repre sented the sovereignty of the people of Kansas, and had a right to submit the result of theirde- liberations back to their constituents for rat! fica- tion, or not, aa they might determine thomatyee. As for its organimtion outside of the Convention no question could be raised as to the legality of the clection of its mom- bers; that was a question which the Convention had alone the power to determine. Each house of Congress is the judge of the qualification of its own members. This is aright guaranteed by the constitution. If we are to take the constitution as our guide, we must recognise this principle wherever it can be presented. If members of the Convention were illegajly returned, it was for the Convention to repudiate them. Congress cannot go behind the record withont usurping a power in direct conflict with its own existenee— and for that matter repugnant to our political existence as a nation. As @ shave State, Kansas practical being. It is the principle o is contended for- the absulute righ Y the peo- ple to make their own local regulations The fact that a convention of the people framed a constitution, and that that constitution, with the official vote of the people of Kansas at tached, is now presented to Congres: donial of the right of Conyress to wo bebind the record and inquire into the Fyularity of re- turns. officially certified to there are the points of ihe cacy. Onge aduai tke people gua can never have a ne whieh and & ___NEW YORK. HERALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1858. ameod thelr constitution as they may choose, notwithatanding any prohibition in that instru- ment; for the right to alter and amend their constitution is a right of sovereignty from which they cannot be debarred. As for Judge Douglas, his own record kills him. There never was a clearer case of politi- eal suicide. His only hope is to make a speedy recantation, confess his error, and assist the President in restoring harmony and allaying sectional excitement. Judge Douglas is a man of ability ; but, like many other able politicians, ambition and personal griefs have been his stumbling blocks. It is to be expected that the opposition.will fight hard to reject the constitu- tion now presented. It is with them a question of life or death—of political supremacy or po- litical and personal defeat. By the close of the week we will perhaps be able to record the result. Mentcrrat. Corrcrtios.—The public are anx- jously waiting to hear of the resignation of Aza- riah C. Flagg, Comptroller of the city. Of couree, after that functionary’s confession that the grossest frauds had been committed in his own office, under his own nore, without inter- ference, or even suspicion on his part until it was too late, the only thing that he could do, to be decent, would be to resign, and seek some quiet retreat tq hide his disgrace. There are those, however, who pretend that Mr. Flagg bas no intention of resigning ; that he is by nature the last man to give up anything that he could keep, no matter in defiance of what duty or principle ; that if the gily in a body went down on its knees to him, and besought him to vacate the office for which his own confession shows him to be quite unfit, he would clutch his desk and his treasury chest more energetically than ever, and, like Jim Bage, refuse to “move on” under a decent sum. Comptroller Flagg knows “the wally of peace” and comfort as well as any one. Whatever Mr. Chemung Smith's sins may have been, they are mere atoms in the mass of the defects and deficiences in the adminis- tration of the Comptroller's office. If Mr. Che- mung Smith, as the Comptroller tries to make it appear, has cost the city ten thousand unne- cessary dollars, who is to amswer for the other thousands which the city has lost, by leakage in the Comptroller’s office since Mr. Flagg took office? Several hundred thousand dollars, so saith popular notoriety, would not reimburse the city for the waste and lealmge in this de- partment within the past few years; and this is quite independent of the losses, defalcations and other dispersions of money which were consid- ered in the late report of Councilman Franklin, and estimated at no less a sum than eight millions of dollars. Chemung Smith can- not answer hs a scapegoat for all this; though he might, no doubt, if he chose, set the public on the right track to discover a few at least of the leaks. The best thing for him to do would be to make a clean breast of all he knows in the inte- rest of public economy; and the best thing for Flagg, as everybody is saying, is to resign forth- with. These two events might be of benefit: though, as we have often said, we anticipate but partial and incomplete reforms in every depart- ment of the city government, so long as the - i intoiea2 pre ea needed Sa fo the ears of the public and the Legislature—there can be no good government in the city of New York, un- til the public selection is restricted to the single office of the Mayoralty, and all executive of- ficers, boards, Corporation Counsel, Comptroller and Commissioners are appointed bythe Mayor, subject to the cenfirmation of the Aldermen. Morr Lossy DeveLorrments.—The Chevalier Simonton, who was expelled from the floor of the last Congress in consequence of his lobby operations, tells a very curious story about the same matter to the obecure journal in this city for which he corresponds. He states that Mr. Stone, one of the witnesses examined before the Congressional Investigating Committee in rela- tion to the $87,000 bribe, has testified that a mem- ber of the last Congress offered to obtain twenty- five votes in favor of the free wool tariff amend- ment if $25,000 were paid by the Middlesex com- pany into the hands of a certain bran-bread edi- tor in New York. Chevalier Simonton evi- dently alludes to Matteson, the member, and Greeley, the editor. It will be recollected that the last named philosopher was the stool pigeon or bank of deposit or broker in the matter of a draft for one thousand dollars drawn on ac- count of the Fort Des Moines Improvement and Navigation Company, handed by Stryker, the agent of the company, te Greeley, carried by him in his breeches pocket for some time, and then paid over to Matteson. If there is amy trath in this statement, we hope that the whole matter will be ripped up by the committee. Simonton in former times used to be very good at ripping up old breeches; and it would be a pity if he had left the busi- ness altogether. Panty Jovesatism ty THe Nortn.—The ad- ministration of Mr. Buchanan is now in the struggle of life or death on the Kansas question, and not only the administration, but the party that supports it also, In this struggle where are the party journal# of the North, and what are they doing? The Arya and Aflas of Albany, the News, of New York and the Boston /’est, pre- tend to be the principal supporters of Mr. Bu- chanan’s administration in this great crisis, What do they present’ Their proprietors and editors exhibit nothing but dirty, mean, misera- ble struggling for office and spoils. An inde pendent journal like the Hrnarn has expended more on its own account, by sending private correspondents to Kanaas, in order to procure correct information, than all the party journal- ists and party journals and miserable, sncaking party editors who crowd the avenues to the White Honse, and cry out to Mr. Buchanan, ‘4iivo ns, give us more spoils.’ | Mayor Tievann ann itis Revonws.--We have no doubt of the good intentions of Mayor Tir- mann with regard to his efforte in creating a re- form in this city; hut we have very little faith in hiv succes, Even the very instruments which he means to nse in effecting this reform are se- cretly opposed to his progress—we mean the police. There cannot be a doubt bot the bum dreds of lottery offices in New York, the bun- dreds of gambling bells, the thousands of im- proper houses, are all more or less under the private protection of certain members of the Po- lice Department, and of the Corporation itself. ‘The fact that Mr. Stanley, the client of Mr. Bus teed, was introduced to the Mayor by that offi cial. gives a color to the whole proceedings that may be taken in regard to reform. The Mayor's honest intentions in ehutting ap these establish ments will be turned aside and rendered inef- feetual by the very persone that serround him, and were particularly 'y the polis. . SS Important Naval Commission to Visit Tae Unrrep Stares—AN Amenicay Sur or War For THE TcRKIsH Navx.—In another columa we publish a letter from our correspondent at Constantinople, by which ét will be seen that the Sultan of Turkey hus appointed & commision of distinguished persotis to visit this country for the purpose of éuper- intending the construction of a large three- decker ship-of-war for the Ottoman government. ‘This commission consists of no less important personages than Kear Admiral Mohammed Pacha, who commanded the Turkish navy at Sebastopol; Hussain Bey, the aid of His Highness Mehemet Ali Pacha, and Capudan Pacha, the Minister of Marine. The new vessel is destined for the flag ship of the Ottoman navy, and it is to be honored with the name of his Imperial Ma- jesty, the Sultan. These illustrious dignitaries were to leave Constantinople on the 16th of De- cember for Marseilles and London, whence they were to start, via Liverpool, for the United States. It appears that this design has been some time in contemplation, and that a correspond- ence has been going on between the Minister of Marine and the Consul General for Turkey im New York on the eubject. The reputation of the United States as a great shipbuilding country is growing apace in the Old World. Governments there have be- gan to réalize our facilities for that business—the excellence of our workmas- ship, the skill of our mechanics, the beauty of our models, and the fine qualities of our timber. Some eighteen yoars ago a splendid steam frigate—the Kamechatka—was constructed in this city for the Russian navy, and was sub- sequently used as a yacht by the late Em- peror Nicholas. During the Crimean war Mr. Webb built the splendid steamer America, now at Hong Kong; and he has now on the stocks a still larger three-decker screw steamship for the Russian service. Not long since a noble steam yacht— the Voyageur de la Mer—was ordered to be built in Boston for the Sultan, and she is now completed and announced to sail for Egypt. But besides vessels of this magnitude we have built some smaller craft for the Russian navy, on the Amoor river; among them two splendid models—the Lena and the Amoor—which we now remember. In Boston, recently, another war steamer, of large dimensions—the Nau- joor—has been built, at the order of the Russian government; while Austria has had for some time in contemplation a project of constructing a number of steamers for the Danube, in American ship yards. All these facts show, in connection with the present enterprise of the Ottoman government, the high position which American skill and labor in this art have already assumed in Europe. If our shipbuilders wil! only take care to maintain their reputation by turning out nothing but the best workmanship, this country will become the most important in the world in this branch of manufacture. ~ For many years our shipbuilders have exercised an influence in Burope. Some five and twenty years ago the celebrated American builder, Henry Eckford, went to Turkey, and a a Te archieSeiee wit Son sntinopie. After him, the succeeding superintendent was anothee American, named Rhodes. Another opportunity will now be presented to our shipbuilders to show what they can do with the new flag ship of the Turkish navy. We hope whoever may be the favored one will turn out a ship-of-war which may prove the envy of all the maritime nations of the earth. Meantime, we may be booking out for the arrival of the illustrious Pachas. Jcoventts Crime ty New Yore.—The reoent oase of Rodgers the murderer of Swanston, and the pending case of O'Connell, for a rape upon and the murder of Teresa Spitzlen, are a sad illustration of the tendency of our Metropolitan morals. In both these cases the culprits are boys, we believe, under twenty, with beards yet ungrown. They are not isolated instances of premature depravity. On the contrary it may be said broadly that nearly all our crime is the work of youths. The rioting, thé aseaults, the murders, the robberies, the cases of arson, the attacks upon females, which give employment to so many judges, jailors, lawyers and police- men, are nearly all the work of boys under twenty. Two-thirds of the houses that are burnt down are set on fire by these precocious vik lains. Every one who has had a large experi- ence on juries will agree that were it not for persons under twenty and tweaty-five, our crimi- nal courts would have nothing to do. In other countries youth is frivolous, reck- less, impetuous, ardent, hot headed; in New York, it seems to be brutal, cold blooded, treacherous, savage, cowardly. Abroad, the more heinous crimes of the calendar—murders, rapes, arson—are invariably the work of men hardened in crime: here they are the achive- ments of youths who are just at the age when the heart is believed to be the most generous, and the feelings kindliest. Our boys pass from the schoolhouse to the Tomba The fact that this extraordivary phenomenon ie confined, for the most part, to this city, and that a majority of the young offenders seem to be not native born, justifies the belief that this is a sporadic accident, which may be checked at once by a vigorous application ef the proper remedies, But here at the outset we are beset by difficulties When these young ruffians who are the curse of the place are detected in the vilest and most outrageous crimes, the defecta of our criminal system and the shortcomings of the bar and many of the Judgee afford them many loopholes for escape; and if these are safely avoided half the city is ready to eign pe- titions fur their pardon, which shortsighted weak Governors are only too ready to grant. It never seems to ocenr either to the signers of these petitions or to the Governors who grant their prayer that merey to the youth who com- mite inurder is most aggravated cruelty to life associates, companions and the city youth generally. It is his impunity which nurses them in crime, Were he punished as he should be they would not sin. One or two executions now would probably save a score of murders within the next two years. Tow Painn’s Fretiva.—As neual, the Tom Paine Anniversary was duly celebrated last week by a number of infidels of both sexes, and various shades of unbelief. Our cotemporary the Tribune, a8 the organ of the wet, ptblished an elaborate and complimentary «ketch of Tom Paine om the day of the meeting. ‘Tom Paine wae a type of the infidelity of the last century: the coarse, «neering, vulgar, ribald set, who took their tone from the most con- Wmpbic works of Voltaire, avd ngver redeem: