The New York Herald Newspaper, December 15, 1858, Page 4

4 --- - + ooo NEW YORK ‘HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. OPFICE M. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU OTS. HRMS, cash in advance Money tnt by malt will be at the viskef the andor’ Postage sama net revived as eubsoreption 1B DAILY HERALD, two conte per anit Brune HERALD, every Satur the Buropean Bdstion Fae of Uren Britata, or 88 any part of the Tey Y HERALD, evory Wednesday, at four cents per PMN hinT con CORRESPONDENCE, containing {mportent Ae ree Saree i ames, from ld; if sed, Fre paid’ for vn Foanias Coninsronpexte ans sw Requestep to Swat ald Larrens any Packa- eNO "NOTICE then of anonymous correrpondencs We do not ADP! TISEMENTS ronsced every j_ advertisements ine othe Warsir Herat. Fauuy Yisnat, and én x and Buropean Editions. AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. BROADWAY THREAT! ‘RBvoning— Kavestaiasism— 3 WAN AFR. Afternoon and Broadway “ jOCKO, THE BRAZIL NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—Four Lovers—Tignt Bors Frats—Biaxoo BOWERY THEATRE, Marteo FaLcons—Wizaxn Sxirr. BURTON'S NEW THEATRE. Broadway.—Unciz Tou's IN—ALL THE WORLD'S 4 StagR. WALLACK'S THEATER, Broadway.—Mencnsnt or Ve- -—Riomagp Horruan— LAURA KEENE’S THEATER, No. 6% Broadway.—Oun Axsuicas Covsin—Tus Bosues Paces. . pany AMERICAN MUSEUM. Broadway.—After- _— Agas Gin—Jexny Jonzgs—Tux Bits woop's Pct Lag a 561 and 563 Broadway- Brwirian Boxes, Dances, Ao, —Sovineus Lire LivsreiteD. MECHANTO’S HALL, 427 Broadway. ~-Naouo Songs any BuRLesques—I —Revants’ Minsrrecs ‘Gor Tims To Taney. CAMPBELL MINSTRELS, 444 Rroadway.—Ermiortax Dmanacrmaisrios, Roxas, £¢.— Maio Gurtan. New York, Wednesday, December 15, 1855. = The News. Nothing transpired in the Senate yesterday be- ‘ond a discussion of the Pacific Railroad bill. The fouse occupied itself principally with a debate fxthe impeachment of Judge Watrous. But little ther business was transacted by that body. News from Vera Cruz to the 2d inst., contirms the defeat of Zuloaga, as also that of Ruelas in the neighborhood of Guanajuata. Several wealthy mer- chants in the city of Mexico had refused to pay the contributions demanded by Zuloaga. The Spanish Consul at Tabasco had expressed his determination to keep a vessel of war in that port, for the protec- tion of her Catholic Majesty's subjects. We are authorized to state that the story about the yacht Wanderer bringing three hundred slaves to this country is simply ridiculous, from the fact that she could not possibly accommodate more than half that number. The truth of the matter, as we are informed, is, that she had on board but eighty negroes, who were selected on account of their health, vigor, size and strength; that they were treated with the utmost care on the voyage, and finally landed in good condition at some point between Florida and Georgia, where they readily brought seven hundred dollars each—making an aggregate of fifty-sixty thousand dollars. It will be seen, on reference to our letter from the coast of Africa, that the Wanderer was up the Congo river in October last. Although the general impression here and in Great Britain is that the Indian Empire was lost during the late gales which wrecked so many ves- els in the North Atlantic, yet we understand that at the agency here she is by no means given up. ‘Unless destroyed by fire, she is probably yet afloat. Bhe was once out from Havre to this port for thirty- two days, and then she was not in as good condi- tion as she has been since being purchased by Mr. Lever. Letters from the other side inform us that the company have contracted with Palmer Brothers for three new and powerful steamships for their line, guaranteed to make the passage between Gal- way and St. Johns in five or six daysat the outside, and they will be on the line in time for the next bummer travel. So much favor is shown it, not only in Great Britain but on the Continent, that it is believed it will emerge into a fleet of splendid vee fels, competing strongly even with the oldest and most successful lines. The Prince Albert, which left here on the 4th, touched at St. Johns on ge way homeward, and took ont a summary of the President's message and the latest news. She will leave Galway on the 6th of January for New York. ‘The Circassian, which left that port on the 9th inst., is now six days out, and will leave again on the 50th inst. The Legislature of South Carolina on the 10th inst. elected, on joint ballot, Colonel William I. Gist, of Union district, Governor of South Carolina for the succeeding term of two years. Colonel Gist ‘was for many years a member of the Senate, and in 1548 was Lieutenant Governor, daring the term of Governor Seabrook. He never qualified as Lieutenant Governor, but continued in his Sena- torial seat, where he served for several years sub- bequently. Southern Kansas is represented as the scone of much dis and lawlessness. House burning, robberies and other depredations are of frequent occurrence. Meetings have bec. held for the sup. pression of these outrages. The reports of abun dance of gold at Pike's Peak are confirmed. An election for members of the Kansas Legislature had taken place at the mines, and a delegate to Con- gress had been chosen with a view of organizing a new Territory. Mr. Davis, th® new delegate, is bow on his way to Washington. the last two days subsided yester- ng rain, accompanied by a thick h rendered navigation of ly dangerous. Many an account of which will be e was much detent at the rienced in the its. ate w Jetained last evening, and ¢ ve until the fog clears up. Maltby G. Lane, one of the jurors in the Cancemi case, was yesterday charged by Simeon S. Kimball, a fellow jaror, with having had some impro- per transactions with the prisoner Cancemi. Lane is stated by Kimball to have said that he bad, either directly or indirectly, loaned money or discounted paper for the benefit of Cancemi, and to be used in his defence. These charges are denied by Lane, who says that he never knew or saw Cancemi until he saw him in court during his trial. The charges will be investigated by the Court this morning. The Board of Ten Governors met yesterday after- 1 but transacted little beyond routine business. ‘The Warden of the Almshouse sent in a communica don complaining of the great number of paupers in that institution—1 667—an increase of 144 over the seme time last year. The Board appropriated $275 for the celebration of Christmas and New Year on the Island. A report on the erection of a Foundling Hospital by the city was presented by the com tuittee to whom the subject had been referred nearly two years ago; and ordered to stand over until the next meeting of the Board. The Commissioners of Health held a meeting yesterday, for the purpose of receiving the report of the Committee on Quarantine lighterage. The re- port was accepted, and ordered to be printed. in the General Sessions yesterday, a youth named Edward Conner, who was indicted for man- slaughter in the first degree in causing the death of his father by kicking him, pleaded guilty to the fourth grade of that offence. The Assistant’ Dis trict Attorney consented to accept that plea, as there were mitigating circumstances connected With the aseault, the father being a brutal and in- temperate character. The defendant's mother was jointly indicted with him, but the magistrates never The stor day into a and diss bt the rive wit red re " t delay ex ‘The affray took place at 17 Willett street, on the | and the clashing aad wrangling opposition f>- 30th of August. Conner will be sentenced on the last day of the term. Peter K. Breen was tried for stealing a horse and wagon on election day, the property of John Keller. It was shown conclu- sively that the accused merely used the vehicle for electioneering purposes, and the jury immediately acquitted him. Henry Campbell was charged with a similar offence, and also declared not guilty. The Grand Jury came into Court with a large bundle of indicuuents, and stated that the rooms set apart for their use were damp and not sufficiently ventilated. The Recorder promised to furnish them with other apartments, Fire Marshal Baker, it appears, has a remarkable case of arson under investigation. A liquor dealer named James Leahy, keeping store in Water street, and a boy named William Stapleton, have been ar- rested on suspicion of having fired the store. A brief account of the case will be found elsewhere. An adjourned meeting of the Board of Represen- tatives was held at Firemen’s Hall on Tuesday night. On calling the roll it was ascertained that there was no quorum present, and the Board ad- ovrned till the 27th inst. The Pacific telegraph line has been completed to Lexington, Mo., three hundred miles west of St. Louis. The continued inclemency of the weather yesterday tended to check transactions in some articles of produce. The sales of cotton were confined to about 500 bales, while prices were unchanged. The receipts at tho ports amount to about 1,850,000, against 726,000 at the same ‘\ime last year, showing an increase over 1857 of 624,000, and over 1866 of 242,000. The total increase in exports over 1867 amounts to 246,000 and over 1856 to 258,000 bales. Of the exports, Great Britain has taken 386,000 bales, against 263,000 last year, and 211,000 in 1856. France has taken 181,000, against 61,000 last year, and 102,000 in 1856. The stock on hand amounts to 644,000 bales, against 379,000 last year, and 361,000 in 1956. Much uncertainty yet hange over crop estimates. At New Orleans, by late accounts, some parties were dispose?to reduce their estimates from their highest figures. Most Southern calculations range between 3,400,000 and 3,500,000 bales, and very few exceed the latter estimate. ‘The highest figures seem to be kept afloat in New York. it will require a more advanced stage of the season before much can be known with certainty regarding the amount of the crep. Flour was less active, while sales were moderate and prices without change of moment. Wheat was firmly held, while sales were liinited to small parcels, chiefly white Canadian and white Southern, at full prices. Corn was heavy and sales limited at 7630. for Western mixed; new white Southern at 72c. a 74c., and New Jer sey yellow at 77c. a 78. Pork was dull and lower, with ‘small sales of old mess on the spot at $17 60 a $17 65, and new prime at $13 75: free sales of mess were made for delivery in February and March next at $18, Sugars were steady and in good demand, with sales of about 1,200 bhds. and 200 boxes, at rates given in another place. Coffee was quiet: the stock of Rio in this market amounts to 15,019 bags, 41,600 mats, and 9,754 bags of Java, mak ing a total of bags and mats of 75,373. Freight engage- ments were light and rates were unchanged. ‘The Sad Case of Douglas—The Democracy and the Opposition. Mr. Douglas, by steamer from New Orleans, will be bere within a few days. There has been some talk of a grand democratic reception, in view of his late victory in Illinois, as the great leader of the democracy of that State. But several recent events have given to his cause a complexion so gloomy in a democratic point of view, that it is quite likely his reception here will be limited to private congratulations and expressions of condolence. The events to which we refer are: First, the tabling by the late Democratic State Convention of Virginia of a resolution congratulating Mr. Douglas on the result of the Mlinois election. ‘This resolution was laid on the table because of the objection that the victory in question was not in reality a democratic victory, but rather an individual snecess outside of the lines of the general party organization. Thus, Mr. Douglas was plumply cast aside by the democracy of Virginia. The next event which tells aguinst him, and very decisively, too, is his removal from the chairmanship of the Committee on Ter- ritories of the federal Senate by a caucus of the democratic majority of that body. In this act of expulsion bis cause appears, indeed, to be a hopeless one as a would-be dictator of the party, and decidedly unpromising even as a camp follower. The inevitable result, therefore, would appear to be a complete separation of Douglas and his adherents from the regular democratic church, and their organization into a little independent “ popular sovereignty” faction on the “ glittering generalities” of the Cincinnati platform, or something of that sort. Indeed, independently of Douglas, the democracy, since the organiza- tion of Mr. Buchanan's administration, have been so demoralized and cut up into cliques and factions by reckless and aspiring leaders, that but for the saving nucleus of the adminis- tration they would stand in the utterly hopeless position, of a miserable disorganized and wrangling minority. To the factious leaders and cliques of this State—Tammany and anti-Tammany—Mr. Sew- ard is indebted for the choice of Morgan as our Governor; for with a proper spirit of harmony the democracy could have carried our Novem- ber election. So in our more recent munici- pal contest, the ticket of Tammany Hall, on account of these intestine squabbles, waa re- pudiated hy one-half the democratic party, and received lors than half the party vote in the election, because our respectable citizens, even of the democratic faith, were so disgusted with these disgusting party brawls and the dirty ma- chinery that controlled these party nominations, that they could stand them no longer. And, as in New York, so in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Vir- ginia and elsewhere, we find these democratic feuds and personal contentions ripening into the broadest issues of division and open war. In this condition of things the prospects of the democracy even for 1860 would be hope- less, but for the fact that the opposition forces, re- presenting a decided majority of the people, are equally demoralized, and with less of the ele- ments among them of reunion and consolidation. ‘The union of the opposition factions in the re- cent Northern elections was from accidental and temporary causes, and for temporary purposes. In reference to the great question of the succes- sion, the republicans and Americans, aod the floating materials which have affiliated with them, are all in the most beautiful state of chaos and conflict. And thus, upon Seward, Banks, Chase, Crittenden, Bell, or any other outstanding party man, or sectional man of the opposition camps, North or South, there is no prospect of union, but every prospect of such a dislocation and division of the opposi- tion legions as will leave the necessary ing, if that way inclined, for the reunion eae of the democracy. The only hope of the opposition for 1860 is in the absolute abandonment of their present schemes, plans and conflicting parties, factions and candidates, and a cordial reunion upon such anational, conservative, Union patriot as General Scott, after the fashion of that grand opposition consolidation which carried, as by a whirlwind, the carnival election of 1840. But, while such as we have described it is the tone, the adininistration has gathered streag*l fiom all these party weaknesses. It has sen its worst days, 1t stands before the country stronger to-day than it stood a year ago. The worst has come to the worst, and the President, weathering the storm, has righted ship, cleared the decks, and is ready for action against al! emergencies. In all indispensable measures he will doubtless have the support of the patriotic mea of all partica; and upon all issues affecting the honor and glory of the country, we kuow that he will have the cordial support of the people, whatever may be the cliques or the factions organized in Congress againet him. We know that there are sectional aspirants and scheming demagogues in the democratic party, in addition to Douglas and his immediate adherents, who consider the administration as standing in their way, and who will leave no stone unturned to defeat its policy and to destroy its prestige in the general camp. Considering this mischievous tendency of these disorganizing schemers, in a party sense, it may soon prove to be the true policy of the opposition to co- operate with the administration upon cer- tain leading issues—first, for the sake of the government and the country, and secondly, in order to ascertain exactly the sub- stantial strength of the democracy for 1860. ‘The administration, in auy event, is secure. But the real strength of the party cam be safely measured by its allegiance to the administration, and to test this strength it is manifestly the game of the opposition to bring all the scheming aspi- rants for the Charleston Convention to the exact test of the administration platform. With the cutting off of Douglas, the democratic party has lest its tail; and now, if it can only be proved that it is without a head, it is reduced to a dead carcass, leaving a free road to the ad- ministration for the present, and the whole field to the opposition for the future. Tue Moytatempert Truat—A Fresi Dancer yor THE Entente Corprae.—The result of the Montalembert trial bas thrown the English jour- nals into a state of great excitement, and for the moment the good understanding between the two countries seems again in peril. It is not be- cause the freedom of the press or individual liberty is invaded in the person of this gentleman that our English contemporaries are so moved to wrath. His case exhibits no fresh feature in the system which, aided, it must be owned, by the countenance and friendship of England, has reduced the French nation to a condition of sla- very more abject than that of the Russian serf, No, the sympathies of English writers are in this instance aroused by the fact that the pamphlet which brought M.de Montalembert within the toils of the Procureur Imperial was remarkable less for its patriotism than for its exaggerated estimate of English institutions. Some of our American journalists have fallen into the same error of apotheosizing M. de Montalembert as a martyr to liberty. Little as we admire the despotic system by which France is at present governed, we can- not see any great personal hardships or injury to the principles of popular freedom in the muz- zling of this gentleman, English writers, in the fullness of their gratification at the eulogiums bestowed by him on their country, forget that he expresses in the same breath his regret that their institutions are no longer regulated by the sys- tem of ecclesiastical polity which, previous to the revolution, placed English liberties in as complete a condition of subjection to the Roman Pontiff as are those of the French at the present moment to Louis Napoleon. Of all men in France M. de Montalembert is, perhaps, the least entitled to complain of the re- strictions placed upon the free expression of opinion under the present régime, With antece- dents which should have kept him aloof from the author of the coup d'état, he and his party have been the great instruments by which the latter has been enabled to subjugate the popular impulses to his will. It is undeniable that, without the aid aud support ef the priests, Louis Napoleon could never have succeeded in stifling the moral sense of the French people, shocked as ft was by the violation of all his pledges and the inordinate aims of his ambition. Ata time when the army was known to be, al- most to a man, disaffected towards him, the only means left him of influencing the popular mind was through the clergy, and it was notoriously by the promises made to them and the adhesion of such men as M. de Montalembert, cager only to advance the interests of the priesthood, that he succeeded in consolidating the despotism of which this latter gentleman is now a self made victim. It must not be forgotten, moreover, that M.de Montalembert is one of the most zealous and energetic leaders of that rabid section of the French church which acknowledges implicit de- ference to ultramontane sway. It seems to us, poor logicians that we are, that the advocate of asystem which has set up the Index Prpurga- torius a8 the limit of free publication has but little right to complain when the French Emperor chooses to impose similar bounds to the expression of sentiments depreca- tory of his policy and dangerons to the stability of his dynasty. If the trenchant blade of M. de Montalembert’s eloquence cuts both ways, he must be resigned to bear the conse- quences; but men of consistent opinions, and more especially republicans, should not be called upon to effer the homage of their admiration to the firmness of a mistaken courage, or to regard the principles of free discussion as at all endan- gered in his person. The only result that has the least interest for us in this prosecution is the effect which it is likely to produce on the popular mind in Eng- land. If the sentiments expressed by the Lon- don journals at all reflect the prevailing ideas in regard to it, it seems to us that Lord Malmes bury will have some trouble in keeping te rela- tions of the two countries straight. Tue Brooxtyy Ferry Moxorory.—Com- plaints are continually reaching us of the insufficiency of the accommodation provided for the Brooklyn people by the Union Ferry Company. Now that they have succeeded in saddling the public with the two cent fare, they have diminished the number of their bonte, and increased the difficulty of crossing at the South and other ferries, At the South ferry they only run two boats in place of three, and a de- lay of half an hour is thereby frequently caused to the passenger. This is scandalous.¢ When the ferry company pleaded poverty and the high price of coal, there might have been some color for such proceedings; but now that they are known to be realizing enormous profits, they ought to show a little conscience, and give the the public accommodation in some de- gree commensurate with the heavy tax which Our Naval Strength—The Necessity of Real Refo.m—Let us Have a Steam Navy, ‘The peculiarly critical condition of our affairs in the Gulf of Mexico at this particular time. aa well as the expedition to Paraguay and the re- | cent operat'‘ons of our war vessels om the coast of China, show the great necessity of converting all our sailing veesels into steamers, and of still | further increasing: the efficiency of our navy by the construction of additional ships ef the same character, Two or three years ago an attempt was made to reform the navy; but it utterly failed, for the simple reason that it was directed exclusively to ita personnel. A committee of fif- teen officers of three different grades, forming a secret council on the character, services and competency of their fellow officers, was ill cal- culated to effect a reform, whatever injury it might inflict upon the esprit du corps and force of the service, The result of the action of that council has been made known to the country, and, independent of the general feeling of dissatisfaction it created, it has deprived the navy of the services ofsome of ita best and most capable officers, It was shown that but two minutes could have been given to the case of each officer; and yet, with so short « time to consider the exparte evidence on whioh it was tried and adjudged, they swept from the active list a large force of excellent and able men, some of whom had obtained high and well deserved distinction in the service. And yet the proceed- ings of this secret Court of Inquiry were given forth to the world as a great reform, and the public were congratulated on the happy results which were to follow therefrom. Had this council directed their attention to the mata instead of the personnel of the navy, and had they pointed out the inadequate force and inefficient condition of our ships, they would have conferred a real benefit on the coun- try. At such a time as the present, when we are threatened by a war with two of the greatest naval Powers in the world, we could better appreciate the value of their labors, and might take advantage of the result of their investigations on that head. A reference to our Navy Register shows that while on paper we have one of the largest fleets in the world, we are really only a fifth or sixth rate Naval Power. Here is a list of all the vessels named therein, with their tonnage, armament and date of con- struction:— Name. Where built. When To- Guns ‘SHIPS OF THE LINK. built. 1—Pennay ivania, ., Philadelphia 2—Columbus Wi BR 1—Painbridge 2—Perry ... 3—Doiphin! o Sleeo Elssssweeeesesseessnuer Eleeesssesses El eeeercers et iJ EEEEEEEE EEGEEEEE tlee slzxssss Bi osseess ‘2d clase. 2—Jonn Hancock... Charlestown, It thus appears that while our whole fleet numbers altogether seventy-eight vessels, the armament does not exceed two thousand two bundred and twenty-five guns. All this, too, it must not be forgotten, is the exhibit of our naval strength on paper only; but when we come to look into its efficiency for war purposes, it is very considerably and materially re duced. Of the seventy-eight vessels of dif frent sizes enumerated in the Navy Register but twenty-five are steamers, and of these three are tenders and carry no guns; so that, of our whole fleet, we have, compared with the naval force of England, but twenty-five really efficient and serviceable vessels. Of late years it has been the wise policy of the British government in adding to their naval strength to build nothing but steamers, while nearly all their line-of-battle ships and frigates that are at all fit for sea have been converted into screw pro- pellers. The Duke of Wellington, the Royal , and the other first cles vessels that have been built within the last five years, and which carry about one hundred and thirty-two guns cach, are all screw steamers; #0 that Great 1 the world, NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1858. ee NEUES at, DECERESE 16, | ‘Tben, iu addition to ail this, there is her powerful and exceedingly efficient fleet of guuboats, which have come to be regarded as more xrviceable than vessels of a larger clas, There is, in fact, no government except the French whtich pays more attention to this arm of her power than England, and none which has reaped more advantage and profit therefrom The Frevch navy is bardly inferior to the British in point of numbers aud efficlency, although as a commercial nation France falls far behind both England and the United States. Her navy is also composed for the most part of steamers, and as she watches with jealous interest every increase in the naval force ef her great rival, she builds a ship for every one that is built in an English dockyard. ‘The effective naval force of Great Britain numbers about six bundred and forty vessels, and she has of line-of-battle ships alone as many a3 we have of all classes and sizes in our navy. But she has, besides, over three hundred which are used as coast guards, hospitals, receiving ships, &c.; so that the whole Britizh navy num- bers altogether about one thousand vessels. Her gunboat fleet alone ts composed of one hundred and sixty-one small steamers, of the efficiency of which for war purposes naval critics bave formed a high estimate. But England is still increasing her navy, and there is always employment for her naval con- structors and ship carpenters. For every new vessel that is added to our list the English add three or four to theirs, and they never fail to take advantage of any improvement that we may make in the construction of our ships. Thus, when the Niagara, the Wabash, and the other new steam frigates were launched, they had the keels of similar vessels laid in their yards, and some of these, we believe, are now afloat and ready for sea. In view of all these facts, what is our policy? With a commerce equal to that of Great Britain, it will hardly be credited that we have not more than one vessel to every ten that she possesses. It is true that we have recently built some splendid ships—such as the Niagara and the Wabash; and it is no less true that we have the means and the material for the construction and organization of the best navy in the world. Our officers, in point of capacity and the ability to command, are second to those of no other nation, and the perfection to which the art of gunnery has been carried by such men as Captain Dahlgren proves that we might occupy the first position among the great naval Powers, as we are fast becoming the first among the commercial nations. It has been said that we don’t need a large navy, and that it is time enough to increase it when we are forced to do so by ne- cessity. Leaving the dubious nature of such a policy out of question altogether, we ask, has not the emergency which would justify that in- crease arisen, and have we the means of meet- ing it? Are we not driven to every sort of ex- pedient to make up for our want of a proper naval force? Were we not compelled when fit- ting out our expedition to Paraguay to charter steamers from steamboat companies and to fit them up, ill-adapted and unseaworthy as some of them were, as vessels of war? Indeed, so un- safe and unseaworthy were they that several of the naval officers who were sent on board of them were unable to get their livee insured. We ask, in view of all the facts which we have presented, what is our policy? Is it not to in- crease our navy so that we may be prepared for any emergency that may arise? The Naval Committees of the two houses should take up this matter at once. Out of the navy as it is, they can give us twenty or thirty ad- ditional war steamers at the same cost that it would take to build twelve new ones. By down our line-of-battle ships and fri- gates, and converting them into screw propel- lers, as has been done in the case of the Frank- lin, the strength of our navy would be more than doubled. In this policy our government would have the hearty support and approval of the whole country. When the line-of-battle ship Pennsylvania was launched, in the year 1837, the occasion was one of general rejoic- ing, and people from all parts of the United States flocked to Philadelphia to see the spectacle. She was the laxgest vessel, at that time, in the world, carried one hundred and twenty guns, and her measurement was three thousand two hundred tons. Since then what a change bas taken place in the construction of war vessels! The Niagara—the great historic cable ship-—registérs, according to government measurement, four thousand six hundred and cighty-three tons, and yet carries only twelve guns, but those twelve are of such immense size, throw such heavy metal, and have such a long range, as to place her on an equality with the largest line-of-battle ship. It is said by those who are conversant with such matters that one of ber shells, which weigh one hundred and thirty pounds each, is effective at a range of four miles, and that it it should strike a vessel amid. ships and explode, it would sink or completely disable her. A vessel of this character, and with such an armament, would prove invincible against @ sailing ship, no matter of what dimensions or force of guns. A mere gunboat, with one Dahlgren gua, would, by means of her steam power, be absolutely more than a match for the frigate Sabine, which has been sent on the Paraguay expedition, al- though she carries fifty thirty-two pounders, The present state of our relations with Mexico, and the threatening position of affairs in the Gulf, must convince Congress of the urgent necessity of a reform and an increase of our naval force. We want a steam navy, and we should begin by converting all our sailing vessels into steamers, and by building none but screws hereafter. As we are one of the greatest com- mercial nations, we ought to have a navy suf- ficiently powerful to protect our commerce in every part of the world, as well as to defend our interests against any league that may be formed by European Powers for the enforcement of their policy on this continent. Members of Congress, think of it. * Tue Pestic Privtine Jon av Wasittworos—A Case ror a Commrrren.—Aco to all ac- counts the lobby spoils combination, concerned in the nice job of the printing of Congress, has come to a focus which imperiously calls for a special committee of the House. A man by the name of Steadman, from Ohio, at the last session, was olected House Printer for the term of this Congress. This election, however, involved a lobby game of compounding, which required the payment of @ liberal share of the plunder to ench of several other parties concerned, includ- ing a Virginia country newspaper politician of the name of Banks. Steadman, it seems, was a mere man of straw, having neither the materials nor the capital re- G Wondell, boweva®, had both the materials aud | cach, and was just the very mao Steadman wa ed. Indced, the cage is open to the suspicion tt Wendell’s name having fallen from grace in | House, be simply used the name of Steadmaa compass the job, At all events, Wendell boug out Steadman for a price; and from that day this, he has been de facto the printer to the Hou Steadman being nothing more than de jure, ' man of straw representing that fanctionary. Lastly, it appears that Steadman, not havi received sufficient pay for the use of his nau called, like poor Oliver, for a little more so Whereat Wendell grew wrathy, it is said, a it were a case of black sail extortion. Ste: man was importunate, Wendell inexorable; a 80, to bring his customer to terms, Steadm placed his resignation, as House Printer, in | hands of a House member, a proceeding whi: if carried out, would have bdown up the wh of this lobby concern. At this crisis, howev the inexorable Wendell, it appears, wilted dow and compromised the difference with a douc to Steadman of elevem hundred dollars, cheap transaction; for at this point a shary man than Steadman would have made it fi seven, or ten thousand,, saal doubtless wou have got the money. Banks, meantime, havi pocketed his allowance, goes on his way reje ing. Such are some of the leadiag facts in t business, as they have leaked out. Caring thing for the personal squabbles involved, { question, to which we would call the attenti of the House is this:—Does not this dem: case of lobby jobbing and Gaaeine act part of the printer of the House suggest’ | propriety of an official inquiry into the m ter, and the expulsion of the offending offic with the establishment of the charges t he was not, bena fide, on his part, elected, an¢ not, bona fide, the printer of the House, but mere man of straw, or stool pigeon of Wend. We respectfully call upon the Hon. Geor Taylor to look into this matter. He understa: it. We may be mistaken; but it strikes ust in this case there is much affecting the digu of the House, the honesty of its officers, and , safety of the public money. Tue Cancemt Case.—The conviction of C | cemi, after four trials, on the inferior count manslaughter, is a subject for general eongr: lation. Humiliating as it is for us to have felicitate ourselves on so tardy a triumpb justice, itis yet an evidence that there is « slight sense of moral obligation left amongst New York jurors. From the reports curren town immediately previous to the trial it feared that the criminal would have had ano chance of delay, if not of escape. This antic tion would undoubtedly have been realized for the firmness and decision of the Judge tried the case, and who resisted every effort throw fresh obstacles in the way of a verdict; The history of this case is strikingly illw tive of the loose way in which the criminal | are administered in this country. On the | trial the jury disagreed, although the evid: was of acharacter more than circumstanti conclusive. On the second, the prisoner found guilty of murder, but on except taken to the verdict a new trial | granted. On the third, he was convi by a panel of eleven jurors, the twelfth ha! been withdrawn by the consent of his own eel. Nothwithstanding the consent thus exception was immediately after taken verdict, and on this the case was carried 1 the Court of Appeals, and a new trial grav On the fourth trial the prisoner has been fi guilty of manslaughter in the first degree punishment being imprisonment for a pr varying from ten years to the full term o life. The theory of the jury, we presume, is, Cancemi did not commit the burglary, and he shot the deceased in self-defence. How such a finding is reconcileable with the evid it is not for us to say. ‘There are two important lessons to be di from this case. The first is, that.owing to th: perfections of our system of criminal juri: dence, money and influence can succeed in th ing such obstacles in the way of a convi+ that the escape of any offender, no matter atrocious, can be rendered almost a cer ty. If we are correctly informed, there have ; expended in this prosecution upwards of thousand dollars; and in addition to a vast amount of underhand influence has brought to bear in the case. If the State h expend such sums as these in the prosecutir malefactors, and that without any certain attaining its ends, itis clear that our ori: system is not worth the money that it « But bad as the system itselt is, it is renderec worse by the laxity and incompetency of who administer it. Thus we see on Canc third trial, the agreement entered into wit own counsel by the prosecution made the % of defeating the verdict. We trust tha scandalous protraction of this case by such will teach our judges for the future not & sent to any arrangement or concede any lege in favor of prosecuted parties which strictly in accordance with the law. It right to give prisoners the full protection » it affords them in their defence; but anythin yond this it is,as we have seen, dangero grant. Tue Ricumonn Exquinern on tur T pext’s Messacr.—The long established among the faithful, that the Virginia deme are at the head of the church, and that the mond Enquirer is its oracle and prophet, m length be dismissed, or the administration « Buchafian must be repudiated as no lon presenting the policy and principles o In a deliberate review of the Prosi sage in the aforesaid organ of Virgini cracy we find the editor declaring in the « in reference to the programme of Mr. Buel that “in our opinion, its departures the rules of political faith, laid in the platform of the democratic lican party, are too marked and frequ admit of its endorsement by the democr Virginia.” i Such is the general charge, but the sp. tions follow, thick and heavy, close bebi these are among them:— 1. That the President is decidedly wrony garding the English bill as a finality in t) of Kansas, 2. That “ there is an unpleasant side foreign relations,” and “ a complication | sible strifes, in which we can gain but Jii,, must lose much.” | 3. That the “proposition for a federal ba law which is to give the general governm mediate and paramount Nomen over ees 3 6