The New York Herald Newspaper, March 5, 1858, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EBDIVOR AND PROPRIETOR. OFFICE N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. —————eerr FRONTS VENA, oo cous po copy pr onmam THE WEEKLY HENALD. ceery etalon 86 ed go att ‘pint Y HERALD, every Wednesday, at four cente per BLY Kaguestep ro NT OTICE taken of anonymous communications. We do not .- ; | advertinemante 4 y MENTS romesved day; is ine wie Wannuy Hnean. Famity are te ia and “bs PRISTING executed ‘ith meatness, cheapness ant cea tea, Votume XXIII............ sanaoacaskasereas cilia AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. — BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway—Koussrauwisu By Oxivenazed Mais axD Famals Autists—Van Amsunon's Manaceais, 40. | te gall THEATRE, Bowery—Ricuagp III—Lost Son— rrrTE. RTOW'S THRATRE, Broad: , Opposite Bond strest— a Brnvecen ros Gous Cassie's Love. — ALLACK’S THEATRE, Brosdway—Jesme Brown, on heer or Luckwow—Swiss Swans. LAURA KEENR'S “HEATRE, Broadway—(Gusan Busuxs —Unrnotr crap Fruate. BARNUM’S AMERICAN MUSEUM, Broadway—Afternoon rrrt ‘Evening—Pacs or Historr—Poon Cut oF MBULIST. New Youx—Tue Actaess. INGS, 561 and S63 Brondway—Groxce un rs Woovs Mistruau>Pevan Piraa PaiTue Poous. — MKOHANICS’ HALL, 472 Broadway—Bryant's Minste cis —Kruerias 50rGt—Berant's DRBoM OF SHOVEL-AY. New York, Friday, March 5, 1858. MAILS FOR THE PACIFIC. Wew York Herald—California Edition. ‘The United States mail steamship Moses Taylor, Capt McGowan, will leave this port this afternoon, at two e’clock for Aspinwall. ‘The mails for California and other parts of the Pacific ‘will close at one o’clock this afternoon The New Yoru Weexry Herato—California edition— qrutaining the latest intelligence frpm al parts of the World, will be published at ten o’clock in the morning. Bingle copies, a wrappers, ready for mailing, six sents Agents will please send in their orders as early as pos- Bible. . MAILS FOR EUROPE. wees @he New York Herald--Edition for Europe. ‘The mail steamship Arago, Capt. Lines, will leave this port to-morrow, for Southampton and Havre, Teo European mails wil! close in this city at half past ton o'clock to morrow morning. ‘The European edition of the Henan, printed tn French nd English, will be published at ten o'clock in the morning. Single copies, in wrappers, six cents. Subscriptions and sivertisements for any edition of the New Yorx Hexaip will be received at the following places fm Kurope:— Loxvow..,. Samson Low, Son & hot ha _ LS Pars, me cise ~an Express Co.,8 Place dela Bourse Liveroot, . Am.-European Express Co., 9 Chapel street. R. Stuart, 10 Exchange street, East. eal Am, European Express Co., 21 Rue Corneille. The contents of the European edition of the Herat will combine the news received by mail and telegraph at the office during the previous week, and up to the houro publication. The meeting of the democracy at Tammany Hall last night to endorse the Kansas policy of the ad- ministration was unparalleled in the enthusiasm and unanimity which characterized it, The old Wigwam was absolately packed, so that hundreds could not obtain convenient access. Hon. John A. Dix acted as President, assisted by a list of officers, neluding many of our most prominent merchants. Appropriate resolutions were adopted, and speeches were made by the Chairman, Hon. Mr. McLane, of Baltimore, Mr. John Van Buren and Hon. John Cochrane, and altogether the tone of the meeting ‘was such as to satisfactorily show that the admiuis- tration has the hearty and unflinching support of the democracy of the metropolis. In the Senate yesterday the bill providing for the admission of Kansas was discussed by Messrs. Ham- mond, of South Carolina, and Doolittle, of Wis- consin. Mr. Toombs submitted bis proposi- tion instrneting the Judiciary Committee to Inquire into the expediency of a general and aniform | ankrupt law. It is said that this mea- gure meets with the approbation of the administra- tion. In the House the resolutions introduced re- cently, having reference to executive interference with the legislation of Congress, were discussed and finally laid on the table by * vote of ystwo to eighty. Gen. Quitman then delivered a speech advo- cating his bill authorizing the employment of a regiment of mounted volunteers on the frontiers of Texas, and also empowering the President to raise four regiments of volunteers for other service. A caucus of Southern members of Congress was beld at Washington yesterday, but without transact ing any business it adjourned till next week. The Brooklyn asseéement ten thousand dollar bribery affair ocoupied the attention of both branches of the Legislatnre yesterday, and both houses ordered select committees to investigate the case Commodore Matthew C. Perry died at his resi- dence in this city yesterday morning, after a severe attack of chronic rhenmatism of about ten days duration. A biographical sketch of this distin- guished officer may be found in another column. A military court martial has been ordered to con- vene at Carlisle Barracks on the 10th inst., to inves tigate the difficulties subsisting between Gen. Har. ney and Col. Sumner. The agent of the California Steamship Company informs us that the departure of the steamships Moses Taylor and St. Louis, for Aspinwall, has been unavoidably postponed until two o'clock P. M. of Saturday next. The Grand Jury presemted a number of indictments yesterday in the Court of General Sessions, and re. tired to resume their duties. Samuel Levin,a Metro- politan police officer, was acquitted of a charge of amault and battery, alleged to have been committed on Frederick Freck. Catherine Carroll pleaded goilty to stealing #57 in money from Nicholas Hines, of 232 East Thirteenth street, and was remanded for sentence. Wm. Severe was jointly-indicted with her and pleaded not guilty. The most of the day was occupied in investigating » charge of rape pre- ferred against Jobn Huncken by Vermilia Eckle, the details of which are unfit for publication. The pro: secution abandoned the case, Mr. Spencer having conclusively shown that the complainant endeavored to force the defendant to marry her. Joseph W. Watson, a very respectable looking man, charged with stealing property from A.T. Stewart & Co. pleaded guilty to an attempt at grand larceny, and Will be sentenced on Monday. It is said that at one time Watson was a wealthy English merchant and Was worth $250,000. The investigation in the case of Smith and Fitz. patrick, charged with embezzling money from the Comptroller's office, was continued yesterday before Recorder Barnard. We give a full report elsewhere. Marcus Tullius Cicero Stanley was yesterday ar- rested charged with selling lottery policies Captain Squires, of the Thirteenth ward, was yesterday arrested charged with libelling Justice Connolly in hie recent letter to the Hwracy con: cerning the Nye bouse and lot testimonial At the monthly meeting of the American Geo. graphical and Btatistical Society a very interesting paper by Dr. Gulick, who is now residing in Ascen sion Island, the principal of the Caroline group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, was read by Rev. Joa. P. Thompson, DD. The subject of the paper wee tbe reins which the island contains, thei NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 1858. origin and their utility to the persons by whom they \c *hevalier reproves Masea Greeley for his “vitu- were constructed. ‘The Board of Aldermen met yesterday afternoon. | A communication was received from the Mayor | vetoing resolutions authorizing the leasing of a strip | of land adjoining the premises occupied by Hook | and Ladder Company No. 9, in Twenty-sixth street, and other matters connected therewith. The Mayor is convinced that the building now occupied by the company is inadequate for their accommodation, but does not think that the Common Council would be Justified in erecting a large building on the lot, as the lease now held has only about twelve years to run, with no prospect of its renewal at the expira- tion of that time. He recommends a sale of the lease, and the purchase of a lot for the erection of a suitable building for the company. The Mayor also announced to the Board that the tax levy for 1858 had received his signature, not because he approved of all the items in the bill, but because further delay would cause serious embarrassment to the creditors of the city, as well as actual loss to the Corporation by reason of suits brought against it for claims to which no successful defence could be interposed. A report denying the application of the congregation Shaaraz Hashamond for relief from tax was adopt- ed. A resolution was adopted that contractors be paid interest on money due them for work per formed, from and after the expiretion of thirty days after such work shall have been accepted as com- plete by the heads of departments until the confirma- tion of the assessment list therefor by the Common Council. Appropriate resolutions with reference to the death of Com. Perry were adopted. The Board, after some discussion, notwithstanding the Mayor's veto, passed the resolution ia favor of paying each member #1,000 per annum, by a vote of twelve to four—Measrs. Tucker, Davis, Starr and Lynes being the minority. The consideration of the report of the standing committee on frauds was postponed un- til Monday next. The preamble and resolution of the Board of Councilmen, annulling the agreement made by the Common Council with the Harlem Railroad Company to run small carson the Fourth avenue, were laid over and made a special order for Monday next. The majority and minority reports respecting the grooving of Broadway were laid over until next meeting. The Chamber of Commerce met yesterday and adopted resolutions requesting the Secretary of the ‘Treasury to take some measures to enable merchants to get their goods out of the Custom House without going through #0 many forms ag are required at present. Resolutions expressive of the regret of the Chamber at the death of Commodore Perry were also passed. Tke sales of cotton yesterday embraced about 2,000 bales. The market closed with loss buoyancy, and on the basis of about 12c. for middling uplands and at 125. for middling gulfs, showing a falling off equal to about ‘ic. from the highest point in the fore part of the week. F.our improved about Sc. per barrel for good shipping grades of State and Western, while all descriptions showed increased stiffness, with more doing, embracing sales of Southern and other brands for export. Wheat was firm and quiet, with small sales of Southern red at $1 22%, and of white do. at $1 40 @ $1 60. Corn was active, with sales of yellow and white, chiely for export, at 660., 6630. and at 68¢., with a small lot choice white at 69. The sales yesterday and the previous day em- braced about 150,000 bushels, which pretty much absorb- ed the late heavy arrivals from the South. Pork was firmer and higher, with sales of moss at $16 75 a $16 80, and at $13 & $13 25 for prime. Sugars were firm, with sales of about 1,500 a 1,600 hbds. New Orleans and Cuba muscovados at full prices. About 1,260 bbls. New Orleans molasses were sold at 290. a 31c, Freights were unchanged. To Liverpool, about £0,000 bushels of corn were engaged in bulk, at 4d , with a small lot in bags at 6d. Other engagements of provisions, flour and rosin were made to Liverpool and London at about previovs rates. Popular Opinion in Favor of the Admission of Kansas—The Two Late Mectings. On Tuesday evening last a large meeting was held in Mozart Hall, in this city, in favor of the speedy settlement of the Kansas question by its admission into the Union asa State under the Lecompton constitution. Last night another larger and more important meeting was held at Tammany Hall, when, by an unmistakeable ex- pression of the popular voice, it was demanded that the Kansas imbroglio should be at once brought to an end by the admission of that Ter- ritory into the Union, and leaving all the re- sponsibility of settling whatever difficulties exist there to the people of Kansas themselves, who will be clothed with full power to do so the moment she becomes a State of this Union. In the political history of New York she never witnessed any demonstrations more im- pressive or more emphatic than on these two occasions. There was a great assem- blage of people present at each; men, too, of all classes—sober, calm, business men, a& well as those who usually compose great political assemblages, At the Tammany Hall meeting last night lettre were read from the members of the Cabinet, and speeches were made by Hon. Jobn A. Dix, Hon. R. M. McLane, Mr. John Van Buren, Hon. John Cochrane and others, in favor of the settlement of this Kansas nuisance by the only short and direct mode in which it can be settled—the admission of Kansas as a State under the Lecompton con- stitution. The sentiments of both letters and speeches were calm, business-like and firm, declaring. in a simple, common sense way that this mischievous Kansas agitation should be put 4 stop to, and the country be permitted to at- tend to its proper business; that the whole question should be excluded from Congress, and Kansas be lef} to settle her own troubles. These two meetings may be taken as a fair ex- pression of the opinion of the metropolis. A short time ago another meeting for the purpose of protesting against the settlement of the Kaneas question, and keeping the country still longer in a turmoil, was attempted to be got up at the Academy of Music, but it failed. A second attempt was made a few nights after | at the Chinese Aseembly Rooms, and that failed also. These meetings were originated by a set of discontented office beggars, headed by the Reverend George Bancroft and a few others of less note. Having failed twice it is doubtful whether they will ever get up a meeting now. But ae it is but fair that there should be an expression of opinion on both sides of the ques. tion, we would ask the black republicans and Know Nothings of thie city where are they? Why don't they say something at this impor tant crisis? If the country is in euch a des- perate condition as their journals are telling us every day, why don't they show themselves? Are they afraid of the immense preponderance of public opinion in favor of the admission of Kansas at once’ Or are they afraid that if they came out it would show the weakness of the opporition to that meaeure Tae Wrart or Massa Greeny ayn tHe Crevarten Wenr.—Can nothing be done to often the terrible wrath of Massa Gre eley and the Chevalier Webb againat the President and the Lecompton constitution. They really seem to be resolved by their virulent abuse to make as great a hero of “Old Buck” as was made of “Old Hickory” by his abusive enemies. The Chevalier Webb, however, knows the difference betwixt “tweedledum and tweedledee” in thie matter, which is more than can be said of Massa Greeley. The latter indiscriminately beepattors the Preeident and all the supporters of Lecomp- ton, lacluding cur New York merchents. The perations” against our merchants, but joins him heartily in all that ie eaid against the Presi- dent. And why so? Simply bechuse the Che- valier is a Wall street man, and ali in the vats of Wall street are sacred to him, from « bonus of $52,000 down to a yearly advertisement. Thus, while Massa Greeley is a raving fanatic on Lecompton, there is a method in the madness of Chevalier Webb, and he may be saved. Who will head the subscription? Senator Seward's Last Kaneas Speech. Senator Seward’s course has been sufficiently erratic of late to impart some little interest to the speech he delivered in the Senate on Wed needay last on the Kaneas question. The inde- pendence of party which he proclaimed in his reply to Senator Hale, and illustrated in his support of the Army bill, may perhapshave led some to expect that new and startling ground would perhaps be taken on the important ques- tion of the admission of Kansas with the Le- compton constitution. Those, if any such there were, have by this time perceived their mis- take. The new speech of the New York Sena- tor differs in no essential particular, so far as doctrine and idea are concerned, from the speeches which he has been delivering on the topic of slavery for the past ten or twelve years. It is the same speech, in general terms, as the one he delivered in Ohio in the Taylor campaign; as several which he made in the Scott canvass; and as the oration he pronounced at Detroit and elsewhere in favor of John C. Fre- mont’s election to the Presidency. There arenew facts introduced, and the history of the slavery controversy is brought down to the present day. Kansas is described according to the latest ad- vices. But, in all respects, so far as doctrines and opinions are concerned, the speech is, in matter, manner and shape, a very familiar old story. Mr. Seward’s pet theory with regard to the two great divisions of this country is that the South is an oligarchy, where all the power and influence rest in the hands of the slaveholders, and the laboring population are counted as no- thing ; while thé North, on the other band, is « democracy, where every man is the equal of his neighbor, and none are before or above the other. Surely, reflection ought to have by thie time satisfied Mr. Seward of the folly and super- ficiality of this statement. That the South is to some extent an oligarchy, that is to say that the control of its affairs is in many parts wholly and generally mostly in the hands of the landed proprietors, and that persons who are not owners of land or slaves exercise less apparent influence than the same clase are sup- poeed to do here, cannot be well denied; but where is the evidence to show that the absence of negro slavery in the North excludes the pos- sibility of an oligarchy there also? So far from oligarchies being excluded, in fact, it must be abundantly evident to every judicious observer that the Northern States are thorough- ly and helplessly in the hands of oligarchics which are infinitely worse to serve than the landed proprietors of the South. The pri- vileged clases here are not men, but corpora- tions; railway companies, banks, and other financial institutions, which by the aid of their immense means obtain sove- reign control over the legislature. The theory is that the people of the North elect their Legis latures. This is only nominally true. In many parts of the North the ruling corporation of the State nominates and elects the Legisla- ture; where this is not done, it buys them up when they are elected. At any rate, it owns and controls them. It is notorious that with rare exceptions the legislation of every North- ern State is permanently under the control of some moneyed eorporation, such as a bank or a railway company; events have shown—is not independent of the power of these institutions. They are the Northern oligarchy. Whether such an oligar- chy as theirs—based upon money alone—is a happier system to live under than the particu- lar system of the South, every man of common sense can judge. One thing is certain: so far as the laborer is concerned, he is better off un- der a system by which he has a lien on the soil, and is cared for in bad as well as good times, than under one which, looking to no other ends than immediate profits, naturally leaves him to starve when it ceases to pay to work him. And Senator Seward would probably find it no easy task to persuade the Southern laborers that the Northern form of servitude was so much the more desirable condition. Mr. Seward considers that the proslavery doctrines have killed every party which ever adopted them: and he deplores the destruction which be sees impending upon the present administration and the democratic party. Mr. Seward is not precisely the person who will be expected to burst into tears if ever the democratic party should go to pieces. Tis interest in that party is considered small, and | his sympathy with its fate remarkably slender. When, therefore, he expresses sorrowful concern for the prospects of the party. one may well question his sincerity. The fall of the demo- | cratic party might be the signal for the triamph of the party of which William H. Seward has | been for so many years a prominent emndard bearer, and whose Presidential candidate he might prove. ‘There are other persons in thie country whose interest in the fortunes of the democratic party is at least as large as Mr. Seward’s, who differ with him on this romewhat important crisis in | political affairs; and who, after maturely weighing the case in all ite bearings, have come | to the deliberate conclusion that the admission of | the, State of Kansas under the Lecompton constitution will do more for the democratic party than anything that has happened since the compromise measures of 1850. These per- sons do not disguise from themeelves the proba- bility that many who have hitherto been classed as democratic leaders are likely to be “dropped from the service,” in consequence of their oppo- sition to the policy of the party on this essential question. To this extent a reconstruction of the party would seem inevitable; but, thus purified, they see no reason for sapposing that it would go into the fight of 1860 one whit the weaker because the settlement of the Kansas difficulty bad been left to Kansas, On the con- trary, judging from experience, they argue that the final eettlement of the Kansas question by the admission of the State under the Lecompton constitution will have a like effect apon the democratic party as the compromise measures of 1860, growing out of the California question, then exercised ; and that it will enter the arena in 1960 with just as much strength as it had in 1862, when it elected Franklia Pierce by so overwhelining @ majority even Congress—as recent | Mr. Seward ix not just to himself | | when he would lead us to believe that he | mourns over the prospect of that event. ‘The Wew Bankrupt Scheme of Or, Senator ‘Toombs. We are glad to know that Mr. Senator Toombs, from the Committee on the Judiciary, will shortly bring in a bill providing for a general and uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States, for the protec- tion of creditors, the relief of insolvent debtors and to regulate the commercial intercourse of the citizens of different States, including banks and all corporations. He submitted o re- solution yesterday as an initiatory step to such measure. The bill, as we are in- formed, will embrace both voluntary and in- voluntery bankruptcy, and will compel both in- dividuals and corporations to pay their debta or become bankrupt. It will secure the people against bank suspensions, and will no doubt carefully provide against all frauds and all pre- ferences, and compel an honest division of the bankrupt’s assets among his creditors. The reader will thus perceive at a glance that this measure will cover a more comprehensive and a more important field of practical matters of legislation than any other measure intro- duced into Congress since the organization of the goverement. The scheme, in fact, as indi- cated, embraces nothing less than the recon- struction of the financial, commercial, banking, corporation and individual business relations of all the United States upona general and uni- form system of checks and balances, safeguards, securities and settlements. The broadest grasp of the human imagination would be incompe- tent to embrace the vast extent, and ramifica- tions, and consequences, for good or evil, of some such general law, according to the pre dominant wisdom or folly that may give it shape, form and vitality. From the banks and financiers of Wallstreet, from the frailroad and manufacturing corporations of the North to the day laborer in the remotest recesseafof the Al- legheny mountains, a measure like this of Mr. Toombs will be of vital importance. « It comes home to the family and the pocket of every man in the United States, rich or poor, bond or free; and at least the grand object of the bill, the protection of honesty against roguery, will com- jaand the almost unanimous appi'hatlon of the American people. But the great question here interposes itself, can a measure of the stupendous proportions of this scheme of Mr. Toombs be reduced to any valuable practical working shape? Our pe- riodical bank inflations and revulsions, our wild goose speculating epidemics, our financial ir- regularities and conflicting systems as between one State and another, our bankrupt dodges, extensions and accommodations of all eorts, cer- tainly suggest the imperative necessity of some general measure of reorganization like this proposed. We await the introduction of the bill. We have had one or two general bankrupt laws, but from their imperfections they were speedily abandoned when reduced to the test of practice. Mr. Toombs will have had the lights of experience to guide him; and the lessons of the late revulsion perticularly, and the symp- toms of another ruinous inflation now at work, we doubt not have been thoroughly considered by the Senator from Georgia. From the pettifogging objections of the learned Senator to the Army bill one would be inclined to doubt his capacity to comprehend the prodigious work he has undertaken in this general bankrupt scheme. But it may be that Mr. Toombs was somewhat bewildered upon the Army bill by the fascinations of Mormon poly- gamy, which it is the intention of our bachelor President to abolish, if Congress will assist him. The privilege of half a dozen, or a baker's dozen, or thirty, forty, fifty or a hundred wives, | is an attribute of “ popular sovereignty” which | may have its temptations to a marrying man. But let us get this Lecompton constitution , through, and let Mr. Toombs give us a general | bankrupt law which will practically answer all the great ends which he proposes to reach, and let that bill become a supreme law of the land, and we may forgive him al! his late aberrations upon Mormon polygamy. Let the Senator nbrig forward his bi Phe Isothermal Line tn American Polttics— Cube, Mexice and the Great Northwest. A short time since Mr, Doolittle, of Wiscon- sin, presented a memorial of ninety-seven of his constituents to Congrees, praying that some measures be taken to obtain the admission of | the island of Cuba to the Union. This movement on the part of a few distant citizens in our Northwestern States is not an isolated indication of opinion on the part of a small fraction of the people of that portion of the country, but is one of the numerous evi dences of a strong under current in the public mind that are continually being exhibited. Every one who studies the signe of the times perceives that this tendency of public opinion in the valley of the Mississippi is founded upon the solid and permanent basis of material inter- ests, and that these constituents of Mr. Doolittle have really given expression to a thought that | in fact pervades, to a greater or less degree, the minds of all the inhabitants from the Alleghanies to the verge of civilization west- ward, and following the courses of their natural water highways down to their outlet into the sea. The same question in one of ite phases agitated our west- ern territory before the expiration of the | last century, and among their thinly scattered | population there was a strong party which look- ed to # separation from the thirteen colonies, and the formation of anew empire, with its seat of government at New Orleans, then in posses- sion of the Spaniards. A critical examination of the fhotives that led to this apparently grasping desire shows that it is really @ natural obedience to the instinct of paramount interest. Throughout the civilized world the communities of the temperate and tropical zones are mutually dependent upon each other. Northern Europe requires the su- gar, coffee, tobacco, cotton and other inter- tropical products, which are” necessaries of life for its inhabitants; while, on the other hand, the tropical communities rely upon those of more temperate latitudes for their meats, fish, grains and cotton fabrics. The industrial develope- ment of these different zones follows each the Jaw of ite natural capability, and the exchange between them constitutes the most perfect com- merce—the exchange of producte without rival- ry of production. But while Europe, from na- tural causes, is forced to sock this exchange of necessities in the most distant regions of the earth, either crossing the Atlantic to tropical America, or circumnavigating half the globe to India and China, the contrary is the case in re- lation to the valley of the Went. Within casy distance of the outlet of its thousands of miles of river navigation lie the climates and the communities requisite | to prodnee the tropics) neereenries for her A very few figure ..u. show ibe truc importance of thece natural relations to each other. It is estimated that the States lying upon the Missie- sippi river and its tributaries consume at this time ten millions of dollars worth of sugar alone. In exchange for this they send to Loui- siena a vast amount of meats and flour. But these products of our Western fields are ex- cluded from both Mexico and Cuba, where they are largely consumed. The island of Cuba alone imports annually fifty millions pounds of meats and half @ million barrels of four for ita neceseary consumption, of which not one- twentieth part goes from this country. But the requirements of both the Western States and of Cuba are rapidly increasing, and they must look eventually to each other as the na- tural sources of supply for their wants and markets for their surplus production. In these exchanges alone there exists the most powerful elements of commercial alliance and po- litical sympathy. And it is not alone for grains and meats that Cuba and the tropical regions of Mexico may look to the Western States of our Union. The rich fields of those regions are underlaid by immense beds of iron and coal, and the banks of many of their streams are already blazing with the fires of their forges and mills. The future supplies of coals, metal in all its forma, pottery, and fabrics of every kind for the intertropical re- gions of America must come from there. These are the elements that exist in each, and which gives life to the idea of political extension southward among the thriving cémmunities of the West. When looked upon inits geographical light there are no two similar portions of the world so advantageously placed toward each other. Europe has no tropic, and the regions of North- ern Africa, which are the nearest to her, are waste and desert by nature, and have no great natural highway connecting them, as have tro- pical America and the valley of the West. Asia, with perhaps the single exception of Chi- na, though possessing a most prolific tropical region, has only an elevated, bleak and barren waste in her temperate latitudes. Even the Pacific empire which we are building up rs | only th4 arrow stretch oF fhe western foot of the vast range of mounta'ns that runs through Southern and tropical America in close proximity to the Pacific shore. It isin this valley of the West, where an immense empire is rapidly growing up, and in Cuba and Mexico, that these geo- graphical relations of the temperate and the tropical zones are best developed. It isno won- der, then, that the West forced Jefferaon to pur- chase Louisiana, and is now urging still further extension of our frontiers in that direction. The great material interests of a people always govern and direct its political impulse and policy, and these will shape the principles of our Western States. The West will soon have the preponderance in our federal politics, and then, if not before then, Cuba and Mexico must be opened to reciprocal trade with it. Burton's Theatre—“A Struggle for Gold.” First attempts are always entitled to a large measure of that mercy which tempers justice. Such clemency, how- ever, should be exercised with due regard to the public olaim for justice. In reference to the new domestic drama under the above title, which was played “for the first time anywhere’’ at Burton’s last night, wo perceive this divided duty. The play itself is a remarkable production, as may be seen by the following brief réiswmé of the piot:— » bert, @ merchant (Mr. Ms Saath), Gre on only daughter, Marian (Mrs. pacer, and an only son, {Her ir. Fisher). Boing Dlessed with those children, his only aim in life—which is, we believe, quite in accordance with conventional rvles—is to make them mi- serable. Accordingly we Maid Mirian in love with Mr. Richard Wilder (Mr. E. L.. Davenport), which passion Papen agg hy A ondag pre mage the close of the first act. But the prompter’s bell rings and the orebestra have assumed a working attitude, the elder Whicer has contrived to get rid of all his money and blow hip brains out; at which pleasing junctioa of ‘affairs, Mr. Wilder, Jr., arrives bome from coll and is informed by @ gentleman named Banks—who does not figure in the ‘Dill—tbat his parent is ben = | ae cal After such oatrageous conduelon the part of Wilder, senior, Mr. Herbert cannot, of course, think of bestowing bos ghter’s band on Wilder, Jr. Stormy interview be- tween Maid weno Waka pen, Maid Marian in- ewte on marrying Wilder, Jr. declares in the Joftiest forma which the capable of assuming, that bo off with a shilling if she does anything of sort. Compromise is effected, and Maid Marian declares that if sbe is not asked by pater familias to marry a Mr Stephen Koss (Mr. Moore), whomi she de- tests, that she will consent to see Wilder, Jr., no more. Wilder, Jr. and is insulted by Walter Herbert, who bar a drunken hat on, and afterwards requeated:by: Maid Marian to proceed immediately in search of a large fortune, which, when found, he is to make notes of, and return therewith to her and the necessary pater familias, Here commences ‘‘the struggle for gold."’ We find in the second act that Mr. Wilder, Jr., has accumulated somo money, which, however, he’ loses in the same scoue by the failure of some unaccountable stock, intelligence of which is communicated to him in the presence of his best fend, Bihesd Wade Lg gees ag a yard and shalt of telegraphic paper. Being ruined on the spot, and having previonsly informed his beet friend tbat Kat Ma. rian has proved false, the best friend instantly produces & large pocketbook (best frieu’s always bave them) and lenda the unhappy man a thousaa, é#, which seems w relieve his mind. The momont, however, that the beat friend vanisbes our unbappy friend resolves to steal his heart and devote bis Uime to gambling. The curtain falis his trying # new way of “coppering ' the King and ‘on the “ace tray” ® third act Wilder, Jr beard. That is to sa win \ and ay With four aces he turned gambler, won much ot. mt pok ome Dothing on barbers, and rnins Walter Herbert, who has stoloa mouey to game wit, whilejwe would be saying Jack Robinson. beard does not become Mr. Davenport. After naving had four ces in bis band ata poker party and won the pile, Mr. Wilder judiciously retires, but is followed oe rate Walter, who waylays him in the street; endeavors to draw an ineffectual pistol, 5 an ineffectual blow, and, marvellous to relate, i+ lees by “couveyed with care, this side up,” to his own house by the bearded Wilder and a com; a Here, of course, ing ts made i. The rob. person tarna out to be a friend of the Rote oe who would rather be robbed than not. rian true as the needle to the pole. The Waiter ar. hie bair and never to do eo again, and of his beard, which murt have ‘been uncomfortable under any circumstances, and be holds one of the brightest futures looming in the dintance. “May they be bappy’’ is the concluding benevo- lent remark of paterfamilias. Buch ia the story of thia remarkable strugglo—a struggle for author, actors, audience and all. The inconsistencies and anachroniems in the piece are too numerous to be mentioned. The construction is inartistic, the language verbose and almost always dull, and the whole affair is 20 exceedingly absurd as to be very amusing. The sonti ‘ment is of that order which is found in cheap novels and hebdomanal romances. The characters have no special force or individuality, but were quite well acted. Mr. and Mre. Davenport were artistic as ever in characters quite below their powers, and Mr. Fisher played with much spirit. The underplot was well worked up by Mrs. W. H. Smith and Mr. J. Seymour, who partially succeeded in giving a touch of nature to characters that were entirely ¢on ventional. At the end Mr. and Mre. Davenport were called out, and Mr Moore, the stage manager, announced the picce for re , civing the name of Mr. Henry Morford, of this city, ae the author. Mr. Morford being domanded, he ared in the boxes and made a speech, acknowledging e compliment paid to him by the audience, and said that it would incite hjm to still further efforts. Mr. Morford must study to make hia dialogue more con- clre, and must be careful not to forget that there is but the sublime to the ridiculous. His play is all affair, without even the excuse of a to wt the absurdity of ite the old path, introduced the worn out situa- tions, and, it seems to ns, bas not even succeeded in that. fhe doal verdict, however, must be pronounced by the public. The house was not full and the audience not par ticularly enthusinetic. Farat Resera ov mmm Late Accipest iv Ponte Sonoot No. 90.—The late accident by fire at Public School No, 30 |. Mise Sarah 8. Lewis, the young lady whose sad misfortune was noticed at length in yes. terday's Hamat, died at » inte hour on Wednesday even. ing, ater residence, No. 100 Weet Eighteenth stron, frees effects injuries received. Coroner vot hott am gen om the body. The evidence adduced before the went Siay teaterea vor, Gonet \Deeth trom” taro ecoidentall: received by ber clothes taning fre at Public Schoot No. 30." deceased waa 18 years of ane, nue wae a native af New York. She bad only been appoived 4 leachit bul We days yevwue the accident THE LATEST NEWS. arrams ar THE NATIONAL CAPITA. Our Special Feiegraphic Despatch, CAUCUS OF SOUTHERN COM TRESEMEN—THE PROPOSED NEW BANKRUPT LAW—TA™ CHICAGO POSTMASTER SHIP A STRICT PARTY QUESTION—AFPAIRS IN MEXICO, BTC., BTC. ‘There wore about thirty-five You.hern members pre- eent at the caucus in the Capito! this merning. ‘There ap- pears some little opposition among the extreme Southerm men to the proviso which Mr. Toombs proposes to offer tm the Sonate, of amending the Lecomptom constitution oe as to allow the people tochange it whenever they see a. ‘The caucus adjourned without taking any definite action im the matter, and will meet again next week. Mr. Toombs to-day submitted his resolution the Bonate Judiciary Committee to inquire into the oxpe- diency of a general and uniform Bankrupt law. I uader- wtand the Dill ls now before that committee, and will shortly be reported to the Senate for its action. Rise very elaborate bill, covering all the points, and moots the approbation of the administration. ‘The Senate was in execative session but a short time te day. Nothing of importance transpired. I: was unéer- stood that the nomination of « Marshal for this distries ‘would go into the Senate to-day, but it still hangs fre. Kt will be decided in Cabinet. council tomorrow. It lies be- tween Robert Ould, of Georgetown, and Walter Lenox, af this city. ‘The contest in the Senate on the question of confirzeing Mr. Cook’s nomination to be Postmaster of Chicago will show [distinctly party lines. One of the republican seaa- tors had resolved, and so stated, that he would from per- onal friendship vote for Cook; but it appears that, after a secret caucus of the republican senators on the question, this senator apologized for what he had said, and stated that it would be necessary, from party considerations, te sustain Judge Dougias. Despatches were received at the Mexican Legation te- day. Juarez had removed his government from Guana- juaio to Queretaro. It is believed that Zuloaga would sus. tain himself and consolidate his power in the provisional government till Congress can be called and a new constl- tution formed. The report that Santa Anna was at Ha- vana is not true, nor is it believed that he contemplates going to Mexico. Zuloaga and his Ministers, as well an Juarez and his partisans, are not favorable to Santa Anna, and therefore he would hardly run the riek of such a ba- zardous adventure as returning to Mexico, ‘The board for the examination of the senior ciaes of Midshipmen, to convene at Annapolie on the Ist of April, ts composed of the following officers:—Captains H. A. Adams, A. A. Harwood and C. Ringgold, and Commanders E. & TU B84 5. P. tee, ‘THR GENERAL NEWSPAPER DESPATCH. MINNESOTA DECLARED NOT A STATE—NEW CONDE- TIONS FOR THE ADMISSION OF KANSAS. ‘Wasuincron, March 4, 1858. Contrary to the position assumed by General Shiels and other prominent gentlemen, the Senate's Committes en the Judiciary bas completed a report; concluding with a resolution that Minnesota is not a State in the Union. This denies to Gen. Shields the right which he claims toa seat in the Senate. Senator Clark, of New Hampshire, intends moving an, amendment to the Kansas bill, admitting Kansas as a State on the following conditions:—That the power to amend the constitution shall be expreesly reserved to the people whenever they see proper to do #0, and that neither the admission of Kansas with the Lecomptoa com- stitution nor the constitution itself shall be #0 construed or have force torevive or re-enact after admission any law or regulation repealed by the Torritorial Legislature before the passage of this act without the re enactment of the State Legislature of Kansas after admission. ‘The steamer Despatch, now at New York, has been or- dered to preceed on special service, with provisions for the Home Squadron. The following are her officers:— Lieutenant Commanding Parrott, Lieutenants Newcomb, McDermot, Daniels and Hart, and Passed Assistant Ser- econ Vreeland. THIRTY-FIFTH OOSGRESS, PURST GESSION. Senate, ‘Wasmixeron, March 4, 1858. ADVERSE REPORT ON THR OLD SOLDIKRA’ HOCNTY BILL. Mr. Srvart, (opp.) of Mich., reported adversely om the bill tommend the act of March 3, 1853, granting bounty lands to certain officers, soldiers, &c. THE ADMISSION OF KANSAS SPERCURS OF SENATORS HAMMOND: AND DOOLITILE. ‘The Senate, at one o'clock, took up the special assign- ment—the Kansas bill. Mr. Hammonp, (adm.) of S. C., contended that the Le- compton constitution embodied the will of the people of Kansas, for the Convention was an assemblage of the people in their highest capacity. He said that he undar- stood the Senator from [Illinois to have declared that he was opposed to the Lecompton constitution only on cae eat, Decause he was not satisfied pA pone ied the will of the people of Kansas. : Mr. Depeuss, fore) of Til, replied that that waa not exactly his pos: . He thought there were other irregu- laritios, but would waive these if he could be assured = constitution embodied the will of the people of apenas Mr. Hasmonp had understood that Mr. mais- tained thatall the other {1 yt oy 6 sole grount of difference thought that from that error bad pro! his subsequent errors upon that subject. ‘How was it = that the Convention could be the creature of the ‘orritorial Legislature? The Convention was an assom- biage of the people in their highest sovereign bent to form the bighest possible act of sovereignty. itoral Legislature was a mere provisional govern- ment, a petty corporation, appointed and pald by Con- grens, whbowt particle of sovoreign(power, could not interfere with sovereignty , although reignt ‘was still inchoate. Congress could wi Convention. It could not confer upon the Legia- lature power to interfere with it, for is not reign. It bas no power to act outside of the limitations of the constitution, no right to carry into effect the supreme will of Fe it_it bas not been expressed in that jon. Therefore, Congress is sovereign, neither does it hola sovereignty in Kansas. That sovereignty resides in the thirty.one sovereign States. He then proceeded to argue that the Lecomptos cont was a legal instrument, even if it embodied but the will of the minority of the people of . The of this Union was made by a iy, and in power to alter or abo- $40.8 minority had in bere time six out t six States ’ To atluded to the charges that Hi il E for at { i : i i z 4 ef i He 3 i : i Hi #3 i ft : £ Wasmiwaron, March 4, 1858. RIRCUTIVE INTRRPRRENCE WITH LEGISLATION, ‘The Sraaxen announced the first business to be Mr. Heard’s resolution asking for & select committes to exa- mine into the charges that the action of members had been Influenced by the bestowal or withholding of execw- tive patronage; the question pending being, ‘Shall the resolution be entertained as & question of privilege?’ ‘Mr. Hoarn, (opp.) of N Y., proposed an amendment charging, on bis own authority and common report, the President with endeavoring to control the action of the House on the lecompton constitution by executive pa- visas Rat mde, mere te Mr. BuRwerr, = of Ky. to the wna due to Mr. Sis cements tate oe =. , ‘and his with the contem} of all ho- Dorabie men. denied having bad any coihr. ’ tian with the President or hie Cabinet, a to his vote, as. rerting that nothing of the kind had occurred, directly ow Aouar realy. Mr Bogan agalu disclaimed any party ap'rit or intontien,