The New York Herald Newspaper, December 22, 1858, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. ‘advance. Money sont by mail will be at the ‘Postage stomps not as subscription OFFICE N. TERM. cask in Tile DAILY HERALD, two conte , $7 per annum. THE WEEKLY HERALD, coory Saturday af eka conte per copy. or SS per anmam: she Biropean Raison 94 per. annum to ‘part of Great Britain, or $5 (0 any part of the Continent, boo Tuk MOULY HERALD, every Wednesday, at four cents per ‘or $2 per annum. SOLUNPARY CORRESPONDENCE, containing important mews, Of the world; if used, will be y . FORuRIGN CORRESPONDENTS Ane PaxricULaRLy R&QUESTED TO Smal ali Larrans aND Pack: ‘Sant Us. *%K0 NOTICE taken of anonymous correepondence. We lo not retwrn reected pe. (RINTING executed with noatness, cheapness and de- . No. 354 MUSIC, Fourteenth street.—Moxsten omnes UXtAID OF THE Foxp or THE MouNT VERNON ASSO or lation. BROADW THEATRE. Broadway.—Afternoon and Rung. Rovporaiassu area jocko, TH BRazi- Liak APE. Buck Evrro Svtas— ‘THEATRE, Sr = VALENTINE AND ORSON. Pocanontas—RUBE, THE Ral RTON’S NEW THEATRE, Broadway—Afternoon— Uncle Tow's Cann, vening“LAby OF LYONS—AtL TH Wor.n’s A Stace. WALLACK’S THEATRE, Brosdwey—Mencuanr oF Vu. wwe. LAURA KEEWE'S THEATRE, No. 6% Broadway—Ovn Ameni0an Cousin—Tux Carrarn is Not A Miss, BARNUM’S AMERICAN MUSEUM, Broadway—After- oon amd levening—La Fete Dansant—Woman—Uvrip Axo ‘His Frowes. WOOD'S MINSTREL BUILDING, 861 and 553 Browwas— Ermiorias Sonos, Dances, dc —SouTHERs Lire Iniustratep, MECHANICS’ HALL, 427 Broadway—Brrants’ Minstrers: —Neeno Sones axp BuRiesques—I Aint GOT TIME TOTARRY CAMPBELL’S MINSTRELS, 444 Broadway—irmorian ACTERISTICS, SONGS, &¢.—Macic Guitar. New York, Wednesday, December 22, 1558. WAILS FOR EUROPE, my The New York Herald—Edition for Europe. ‘The Cunard mail steamship Persia, Capt. Judkins, will leave this port this morning for Liverpool. ‘The European maile will close in this city at half-past ‘seven 0’clock this merning. ‘The Buropean edition of the RerAtp, printed in French ‘and English, will be published at seven o'clock in the morning. Single copies, in wrappers, six cents. Subscriptions and advertisements for any edition of the New York Hxatp will be reseived at the following places in Eurepe:— Lowpon.... Sampson Low, Sou & Co. 47 La Ail ‘Lansing, Starr'& Co., T4 Hoag Wil lam street, Pasun..... Lansing, Baldwin & 6o., 8 de a Bourse Lavexroot..lansing, Starr & Co., No. 9 Chapel street. R. Stuart, 10 Exchange street, East. Gave... Lansing, Baldwin & Co., 21 Rue Corneille. Banana. . De Chapeaunge & Co. The contents of the European edition of the Hrxat will combine the news received by mail and telegraph at the Mce during the previous week and up to the bour of ublieation. ‘The News. The proceedings of the Board of State Can- vassers yesterday at Albany are very important. See telegraphic despatches. In the Senate yesterday the debate on the Pa- cific Railroad bill was continued by Messrs. Seward, Ward and Wilson. After the transaction of other business of no general interest the Senate held an executive session. The President sent to the Se- nate a list of the names of the naval officers de- capitated by the Retiring Board whom he con- siders deserve to be restored to the service. Of the fifty-eight cases submitted to his consideration thirty-eight are reported upon favorably- —twenty- six to be placed on the “active” list and nine on the * list. The names of the retired officers are given in the despatch of our special correspondent. The Senate, in secret session, pro- ceeded to discuss the appointments thus made, bat postponed the subject until to-day, when, it is be- lieved, they will all be confirmed. In the case of eave pay” Commodore Stewart, who was virtually dismissed by the first Retiring Board, and who refused to ap- peal to the revisory boards, the President had no discretion. Accordingly, Senator Hale presented a resolution authorizing the President to restore the gallant veteran to hi tatthe head of the navy. It will come up for action in due course of pro- ceedings, and will, no wbt, be adopted. The House Old Soldiers’ Pension bill. iil under consideration was pr its provisions all who served was © A suby sented. By in the War of 1812, including the marine corps, for a od of sixty days or upwards, receive Pr ws:—For twelve months service or uy for six and not more than twelve , $75; and for sixty days and not service, $50 per annum. In servic more than six months case of the death of pensioners, the widows receive the pension during lifetime. The substitute was accepted by a vote of 132 to 61, and pending the question on the passage of the bill the House ad- journed. We publish in the advertising colomns the offi- cial statement of the Board for County Canvassers of the number of votes cast of each candidate for office at the recent charter election. Candidates for political advancement can now ascertain pre- cisely how they stood in the public regard at that eventful crisis in our municipal history. The steamship Black Warrior arrived here yester- day afternoon from Havana, with advices to the 16th inst. Senator Donglas had landed with his family, and was well received. Mr. Buchanan's Message was looked on as rather stringent in ¢ Cuban and Mexican policy indicated therein. T! city was perfectly healthy. The sugar market wa dull, with twenty thousand boxes on hand. The Opera was flourishing, to the great profit of Maretaek. Onur correspondent at St. Thomas, writing on the Ist inst., states that the ship Messenger was then there with coal for the vess of the Paraguay ex pedition. She was waiting for orders. General Banta Anna had sent off some trusty frionds to Mexico. Mr. Buchanan's age was anxiously looked for. The public health, crops and trade, were excellent. By the arrival of the schooner U. A. Griffen Capt. Borden, we have files from the West Indies dated at Grenada on the 4th inet. The St. George's Chro- of that day contains the following:—During the week there has been eral arrivals of Ameri. nicle can vessels with provisions, lumber, and stock. Some fine mules met with a ready sale, and will be a valuable acquisition to the estates. A gentleman in Sierre Leone writes to his firm in Grenada that he could have chartered a large ship and sent on 400 laborers for this island, had he ble to obtain the services of a surgeon. In addition to this there is a fair prospect of getting laborers from the Canaries. Henry Percin, D., of the bar of the Royal Court of St. Lucia, a gentleman of deep erudition, had died in St. Lucia. Yellow fever had appeared amongst the English troops at Antigua. The examination of Wood, Rady & Co., charged with being imterested in the Dela: and Georgia lotteries, was continued yesterday before the City Judge. Interesting testimony was elicited, a fall report of which will be found elsewhere. The in- vestigation will be resumed this morning. In the Court of General Sessions yesterday, Wil- Liam Tillotson, jointly indicted with Dennis Croly, Madden McCarty and William Young, for the homi- cide of Christian Mathewback in a grocery store, corner of avenue A and Second street, on the 12th of August, was placed on trial for the alleged of fence. The evidence for the prosecution was com plicated, bat it appeared that the accused parties commenced to quarre! about an absent party, when the noise awoke Mathewhack, the deceased, who was sleeping ona barrel in the store. He peremp- tordy commanded the men to be quiet, whereupon Tillotson struck the deceased with his fist. He died some time afterwards through compression of the brain. The case will be finished on Wed" nesday. At the meeting of the Board of Aldermen yea- terday a communication was received from the Comptroller urging the speedy passage of an ordi- nance for the issue of Central Park six per cent stock to the amount of $373,446 06, being the ba- lance of the sum authorized for the payment for lands taken for said park. It was referred to the Finance Committee. The resolution in favor of en- larging the area of Central Park by extending it from 106th to 110th street was adopted. The re- port adverse to extending Albany street through Trinity churchyard was adopted by a vote ofeleven tofour. An ordinance granting the Harlem and Now Haven Railroad Companies privilege to run jocomctives on the Fourth avenue track for a period of thirty years was adopted. An or- dinance reorganizing the Finance Department, by fixing the salary of the Comptroller at $5,000, and providing for a Deputy Comptroller and Chief Clerk, at $3,000 and $2,000 per annum, reapective- ly, and defining the duties of the last named officers, was presented and referred. The Board of Supervisors met last evening and received the report of the Committee on Annual Taxes, in relation to the bills of Charles W. Baker for stationery supplied for election purposes, in which they state that the prices charged are too high, and they recommend to reduce one bill from $1,474 54 to $948 48,and another from $1,962 to $627. The report, after some little debate, was referred back to the committee. The Board ad- journed to Tuesday next. The Board of Ten Governors held their weekly meeting yesterday, but the business transacted was of little importance. A lengthy discussion took place on the question of the appropriations to which the Mayor had objected, and at the next meeting the matter will be’brought up. A meeting principally composed of medical doc- tors was held last evening at the Cooper Institute, to organize a society to be known as the “New York Sanitary Association.” Dr. Batchelder, Presi- dent of the Academy of Medicine, presided. The form of a constitution was submitted by a commit- tee appointed to draft and present it. The prin- cipal features of this were two statements of the objects of the association—“the promotion and in- vestigation of facts and principles relating to per- sonal domiciliary and public hygiene,” and “the diffusing of information on the laws of health and life, and the best means for their application.” The other portions of the document related chiefly to the laws which should govern the society, and were the origin of a discussion, which continued till the meeting adjourned. One medical gentle- man mentioned that from 6,000 to 9,000 persons die needlessly every year in this city. Another meet- ing will take place next week, when the adopting of the constitution drawn up by the committee will again be considered. It had been advertised that the lease of the Wil- liamsburg ferries would be sold at noon yesterday, at the City Hall, by Comptroller Flagg; but though the red flag of the auctioneer hung out for some time from one of the columns in front of the City Hall, no sale took place. The indisposition of the Com ptroller was assigned as the reason. The sale was postponed to the 20th of January. This is the second time the sale has been postponed. The gales of cotton yesterday embraced about 1,000 bales; the market closed quietly at about 12c. per Ib. for middling uplands. Common grades of State and Western flour were less buoyant and rather easier, while good to prime extra brands were firm. Southern flour was steady, with a fair amount of sales, Wheat was firmer, and in rather better demand, Corn was also firmer, with sales of Western mixed at 760. a 77}¢c. The foMowing table shows a great falling off in the exports of breadstuffs from this port since the Ist September last, compared with the same period for the three previous years:— Flour Uis. Total from Sept. 1, 1858.. 77,788 Toabout same p'rd wm. 361,090 515, 5,759,320 2,077,939 2,550,002 — 1,048,549 There has been a large falling off this season in the re- ceipts and shipments of Canadian wheat and flour at this port, compared with the twoor three previous years, there having been a considerable @version in shipments direct by way of the St. Lawrence. If we assume that the average price of the Hour exported haa been $5 per barrel, wheat $1 25 per bushel and corn 80 cents por bushel, we shal! find the following comparison in value, as well as in quantity, of the two years, as follows — Flour, rel Since Sept. 1, "58. 77,788 Doe. do. "6 000 Dec. in '58.....283,802 2,371,828 2h 269 ‘The average prices on which the values are estimated may be too low in each ouse; but such a result would not vary the relative values of the two seasons. Rye is not included in the above table. Last year there was a large export demend for Germany, which has been measureably withdrawn this. The general range of prices for grain and flour may have beom some higher the past season than the present; but this, if admitted, will only show a wider range of difference in values. These figures account, to a great extent, for the depression in pet freighting business between this port and and also for the falling off in the receipts of rail- roads centering in Chicago, ove of the principal grain markets at the West, and likewise for the diminution of canal toil in this State. This state of things it is believed can have but atemporary existence. Tue West, however, is benefitted by the good prices obtained for hog products. Pork solis high, attended by a specula. tive movement. Within two months to ten or twelve weeks t is believed that the total quantity sold for delivery within the first seven months of next year has not fallen much short of 60,000 bbls, besides considerable quantities: The market cloxed firmer yesterday, with a and for feture delivery. Sugare were quite Jes,{n conseqnence of the storm, were light. ady, with moderate sales. Freight engage. ments were limited, while rates were unchanged. of Jard Specific and Ad Valorem Duties—Thetr In- fluence on Trade and Kevenue. One of the most important questions which the present Congress is called upon to discuss, and perhaps to settle, is that of the manner of raising our revenue. The immediate point now at issue is whether we shall continue the present system of ad velorem Aaties or return to that of specific im- posts. In this question every trader is inte- rested, and we believe there is hardly a tithe of our intelligent merchants engaged in foreign commerce who have not become, through prac- tical experience, the advocates of the system of specific imposts. In the general principles involved ia the tariff diecussion there is much less diversity of opinion now than formerly. It is generally admitted that a tariff is simply a means of revenue for the government, the protectionists having abandoned their old ground of direct prohibition and as sumed that of incidental protection only. But in all the tariff systems that have hitherto claimed the public attention, it bas never been pretended that any of them should be made the means of oppression, or even annoyance, to the trader. Governments everywhere have recognize the fact that the importer,who pays the stipulated duties on his goods is merely the channel through which the duty is collected from the consumer. Acting upon this principle, no go- vernment claims that the merchant shall ad- vance to it the amount of the duty to be col- lected, and wait for reimbursement until he has sold his goods. In some countries long credits for the amount of the duty are given to the im- porter, to enable him to realize before being called upon to pay. In others the bonded sys tem is established, so that he can place his goods in the public warehouses, and pay the duty only as they are taken for immediate distribution and consumption. Ia both of these systems the great principle is recognized of so collecting the duty that it shall be the least possible labor and ex- pense to the merchant engaged in foreign com- meroe. ‘This we believe to be the first and most im- portant point in the question of specific or ad va- lorem duties; and, as we have already said, we | are convinced that nine-tenths of our merchants who are practically acquainted with the subject will give their voice against our present system. The second potnt of importance in the ques- tion is the effect of each system upon the reve- nue. First among the objects in raising revenue by a tariff upon foreign goods imported is that the yield shall be as stable as possible under the ever varying character of commerce. In the ad talorem system this object is entirely lost sight of. Based upon the market value of the mer- chandise to be taxed, a large r-yenue is Ubtained during a period of expansion of prices, and a diminished one, when prices contract. As expand- ing prices are an indication of great commercial movement, it is evident that the revenue is still further increased while they prevail, by’ the greater movement of goods between the pro- ducing and consuming markets, When, on the contrary, prices begin to contract, the commer- cial movement becomes languid, and the revenue suffers a double depression under the ad valorem system. This result was shown in an eminent degree in the effect produced upon our revenues by the commercial revulsion of last year. During the panic prices gave way, and the revenue was suddenly cut down to such an extent that the entire finances of the government were thrown into confusion. Mr. Cobb, instead of hav- ing a full treasury, was obliged to present to the world the anomaly of a great and powerful government having to come into the market as a borrower, in order to meet its expenses in a time of profound peace. Prices have not wholly recovered from the contraction caused by the panic, and in a gene- ral way may be estimated at twenty-five per cent leas than they were in the financial year ending 30th of June, 1857. In quantity we shall proba- bly import quite as much during the present year as we did in that of high prices, but the revenue will be cut down one-quarter through our system of ad valorem duties, Thus, while the people will consume just as much sugar, silks, and foreign kickshaws generally, the government is reduced in its income by clinging to an erroneous eystem of collection, and has to set about the work of laying new taxes, in order to meet its obligations. In 1857 the country was agitated in a contrary sense, because under the great expansion of prices the ad valorem system gave us too much revenue. At that time Con- gress simply reduced the per centage of duties to be paid; but the reduction of the revenue was far greater than was anticipated or desired, because prices fell at the same time. Ifa remedy is now sought by simply raising the rate and clinging to our present vicious sys- tem, we shall only have a repetition of our past experience. Regular periods of expansion and contraction mark the great commercial develope- ment that characterizes the present era in the world’s history, and are, in fact, the normal law of its progress. By their natural operation we shall be under the constantly recurring neces- sity of diminishing or increasing the rates of our tariff as long as we continue the ad valorem system. Nothing is more prejudicial to the trade of any country, or more annoying to its merchants, than a constant recurrence of change of tariff. It interferes with the calculations of commerce, and clothes every adventure of any distant realization with doubt. Congress should at once reject the present absurdity of our revenue system, and give both to taxation and income a greater stability than they now possess, by a return to the plan of specific duties. It cannot confer a greater boon either upon commerce or the government. Mr. Spratt on THe Arrican Save Trape.— In that remarkable compilation of nursery rhymes known as “Mother Goose’s Melodies,” we are told that Jack Spratt could eat no fat, And his wife could eat no lean; And licked the plater’al ; But Mr. Spratt, of the South Carolina Legisla- ture, without assistance, clears the platter on the subject of African slavery —fat, lean, bones, gravy and all. On a series of resolutions in behalf of the revival of the African slave trade, submitted by Mr. Spratt in said Legiskature, he lately made an exhausting speech, in which he earnestly advocated the African trade as the very corner stone and cure-all of Southern in- stitutions and Sonthern glory, honor and power, In the course of his remarks, in commenting on the degenerate an@ debasing democracy of the rest of the civilized world, Mr. Spratt said:— But from this source of evil the slave society is free there can be bo march of slaves upon the ranks of masters. They have no reachings to a higher sphere. There ie no contest of classes for the satne position; each is ip ite order balanced, and I have a perfect confidence that w France shall fall in into the delirium of liberty—when the pecrage of England hall have yielded to the masses—when democracy at the North shall hold its carnival—when all that is pure and boly shall bave been dragged down—when all that is low and vile shall have mounted to the sarface—when woman shall have taken the places and habiliments of mao, and man shall have taken the places and habiliments of woman—when free love unions and phalansteries shall pervade the land— when the sexes shail consort without the restraints of marriage, and when youths and maidens, drunk at noon- day, and balf naked, shall reel about the market places, the South will stand serene and erect as she stands now— laves will be restrained by power, the master by the of a superior position—she will move on with a measured dignity of power and progress as conspicuous ne it is now: and if there be a hope for the North—a hope that she will ever ride the waves of bottomless perdition that roll around her—it is in the fact that the South will rtand by her and lend a helping hand to rescue and to save her, Good. There is hope for us yet. But as our safety, North and South, depends upon a fresh supply of niggers from Africa, according to Mr. Spratt, be must hurry up his work, or we shall all go to the bottom. Orry Raitroap any Omxreus Fank.—We give eleewhere a communication from a stage pro- prietor, in which he attempts to prove that the city railroad cars cannot be profitably ran for less than five cents per passenger, and that omni- bus proprietors must charge six cents to realise any profit. In support of his position he gives the statements of the secretaries of the reapective railroad companies made to the Comptroller in 1854, together with some facts from his own experience on the subject of omntbus fare. Apart from the interested character of these statements, there are a few facts known to the public which go to show that they are not entirely reliable. The stock of all the city railroad companies is above par, with the single exception of the Second Avenue Company, which has the repute tion of being the poorest, although it pays two per cent quarterly on its capital stock, The Eighth Avenue Company has declared as high as fifteen per cent per annum; and, in the midst of the financial panic of last year, its stock was in demand at 125. The other city railroads yield eight ond ten per ceut dividends, and their stock | 1s in demand at high prices It may be pre- | Mature as yet to ask fot a reduction of fare to | three cents ; but in view of these large profits, it | is mot too much to ask that the public should | have better accommodations than they have at | present. At least one-third more cars should be placed on the Eighth Avenue road, and the other | lines should add largely to their present comple- | ment, to prevent overcrowding. An agitation on the subject of reducing the fare to three cents might open the eyes of the companies on this 6ubject, and lead to some reform. With regard to omnibuses, we know that the Phenix, Knickerbocker and other lines run for five cents, and pay a profit; and we presume all the remaining lines could do likewise. At any rate it would do no harm to try the experi- ment. ‘The Winter Crop of Pickwickian Duels, The evil effect of wicked associations and bad examples is beginning to tell fearfully upon members of Congress and their political friends. The national Legislature has but just finished the second week of its session, and the fighting calendar has no less than six entries of affairs more or less belligerent. The ball was com- menced, before the opening of Congress, by Mr. Ashmore, of South Carolina, who has been eleoted to fill the place ofMMr. Orr. It appears that Mr. Ashmore was opposed by an indepen- dent elector—Mr. Maxwell—and after the canvass along correspondence ensued. In the end Mr. Ashmore lost his temper, and called Mr. Max- well bad names. The whole matter was then referred to a “ colonel””—whether militia or regu- lar we cannot say—and the affair was there left, with a strong smell of gunpowder about its skirts. The next rencontre was between Mr. English, a member of Congress from Indiana, and Mr. Montgomery, a member from Pennsyl- vania, The latter cut the former on account of an old quarrel about the eternal Kansas ques- tion. The cut member struck the cutter with a cane, and he was severely injured. He reco- vered sufficiently, however, to throw a brick at his opponent. So the case is one for pistols or police courts. They do these things better in France. Very recently a young nobleman was entering a theatre, when he recognized and sa- luted a man of equal rank with himself. The saluted made no sign, whereupon the saluter said, “ Monsieur le Duc, why do you not return my salute?” To which the other replied, very naturally, that he did not choose to acknowledge it. “ Then,” said the other, “I shall force you to do 80,”’ at the same time taking the hat of the saluted from his head and going through the pantomime of polite recognition. There was a quiet little duel, in which nobody was badly hurt, and doubt- less a dinner for four at Phillippe’s afterwards. That is much nicer than the cane and brickbat style of doing business. But to return to our Washington matters. Cotemporancous with the English affair we find the lie exchanged between a member from Alabama—Mr. Shorter—and a member from Illinois—Mr. Washburne. The latter, we believe, distinguished himself in a pretty little fist fight which occurred in front of the Speaker’s chair during the Kansas debate last session. Blood or ink must flow between the chivalrous Shorter and the hard hitting Wash- burne. It is cheering to know that the Empire State is not without a representative in the Washington squabbles. Mr. Daniel E. Sickles, whose quarrels with Mr. Secretary of State Tucker have already occupied a good deal of space in the journals, has been the re- cipient of a verbal challenge from the brother of the Secretary. That officer, although his name is Gideon, prefers the pen to the sword, and sensibly confines his duels to paper pellets. But the brother, thinking that Mr. Sickles had impugned the honor of all the Tuckers, sent to the member from New York a rather curious note, which might mean an invi- tation to the fieldof Mars or might not. The diplomatic Sickles declined to proceed unless the challenge, as he termed it, was with- drawn. The irate Tucker amiably complied, at the same time asking Sickles for an explanation of a “charge” contained in the first note. Now, as the first note had been withdrawn there was no “charge,” as the Sickles party delicately suggested. Without advancing a step further, Tucker has apparently retired from the field. Like his distinguished namesake, he has got out of the way for the present, and the chances are that the valua- ble services of Mr. Sickles will be preserved to his constituents in the Third district. The coun- try can go on easier after this. But it would be wrong to confine all this sport to the lower house. Senator Slidell evidently thinks so, for in a letter relative to some negroes over whom Senator Douglas, as executor, has a patriarchal care, he (Slidell) uses the following sharp expression:—‘ Mr. Douglas has, by author- izing and countenancing anonymous attacks on me, through a person officiating as his private secretary, lost all claim to the explanations that I would otherwise have promptly volunteered to give him.” Here is a direct charge against Mr. Donglas, and, as a matter of course, he will call on Mr. Slidell for an explanation. The end is not yet. Now, who, after reading the record of this plentiful fortnight’s crop of duels, can say that the days of chivalry are over? To be sure, the parties do not exchange cartels with the panc- tilious courtesy of Bayards or Byrons, and the issues of the duels do not carry distress into the households of the opponents, or make widows weep and orphans howl; but is not the Pick- wickian philosophy, after all, the best? Isn't it nicer to eay if you didn’t mean that, I didn’t mean the other, and #0 become stronger friends than ever. The scratch of the pen is not half so un- pleasant to the sensitive ear as the click of a hair trigger, and it is much easier to write outa quarrel than to fight it out. Government finds the stationery, franks are plenty, and so let the honorable gentlemen fire away on paper. A horrible thought, however, suggests itself. If the short session is so full of personal quarrels, bricks, canings, and so on, what are we to ex pect from the long one? In any event, we hope that the honorable warriors will settle all their affairs in time to pass the appropriation bijls— the only business which en be expected from them this session. Avotuer Porv.ar Soverstanty Movemewt.— Mr. Kellogg, of Illinois, moved yesterday, in Con- gresg, to instruct the Committee on Territories (of the House) to report a bill providing for the election of all local Territorial government offi- cers by the people, the Territory to pay the ex- penses, and providing, further, for the admission of a TerrKory asa State when she shall have sufficient population for one representative in Congress, and shall have submitted a constitu- tion duly ratified by the people, A similar mo- NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1858. tion to this was made in the first week of this session + Mr, Morris, of Mlinois, and doubtless Mr. Dovglas himsel is at the bottom of the scheme. Of course, no idea can be entertained of the success of any such proposition for some time to come; but this movement may serve its purpose in another direction. Mr. Douglas has been formally put in a back seat in the demo- cratic church; but it is evi ently his purpose to maintain his position against the administration, even to the extremity of setting up a little “popular soverei nty” party of hisown. Hence this new scheme for an clection of the Governor, judges, &e., of the Territories by the people. It is a fling at the administration, and a wedge in- tended to split off a slice of the Northern de- mocracy, as a sort of Van Buren balance of power for Mr. Douglas. But who bets on Doug- las now? He is down, and who will lift him up? Day Breakino at Last,—A few daysago a little private convention, supposed to be in the interest of Mr. Crittenden for the Presidency, and called together by one Nathan Sargent, assembled in the city of Washington, and talked over the af fais of the nation. The speakers and speeches of the occasion have not leaked out; but the dig- nified and cautious old National Intelligencer assures us that the gathering was a highly respectable affair, of staunch uvion men from thirteen differ- ent States, and that there was no such notion among them as the advancement of “the preten- sions of any individual to the Presidential nomi- nation.” We are further assured that “no doubt was entertained by the meeting that a basis of union can b: indicated which will enable the conservative men of all parts of the confederacy to act together in the contest of 1860.” Nor is this all; for “it is probable that at a future day a more formal and numerous meeting may be as- sembled to give full and public expression to their patriotic purposes.” All this may be very satisfactory, but to us it is very mysterious. All that we can make of it isa movement of the rump of the Know Nothings for another Fill- more operation against the black republicans, under a new name. But let them hurry up that meeting. The pot is beginning to boil. Tux Tax Levy ror Next Year.—By the estimate of the tax levy for 1859, presented by tie Com} troller to the Board of Councilmen on Monday, it would appear that the taxes for next year were to be reduced. For example: the levy for this year was $8,620,920 72, while that for 1859 appears to be only $7,840,174 28, showing an apparent reduction of $780,746 44. But this decrease would be considerably altered if the Comptro)ler had included all the appropriations in the ordinance; but he has left “to the disere- tion of the Common Council” to add about a quarter of a million of appropriations required by different departments and individuals, which he does not put down in his document. This, added to the fact that the Common Council did last year inc:ease the Comptroller’s return of the tax levy to the amount of some ,three hundred and fifty thousand dollars after it had been accepted, leaves very little expectation indeed that we shall see any Jon: fide reduction in the taxes. The Common Council have the power—and they will not fail to exercise it—of swelling the expenses of the city to almost any amount they please, by authorizing all kinds of jobs, increasing salaries, and so forth. It appears that the branche: of the city expenditures which are represented as requiring a smaller appro- priation than before are those for the Institution of the Blind, the Central Park interest, interest on revenue and assessment bonds, street paving, and real estate; while those which demand an increased amount are: for the Almshouse, aqueduct repairs, school tax for the State and city, fire and police telegraph, city rents, and the police force. The Comptroller's reported tax levy, how- ever, is no criterion whatever of what the taxes will really amount to for 1859 That question is to be decided by the new Common Council, and if that body administers its portion of the government economically and honestly, people will be compelled to admit that the days of miracles are not past. But we entertain no idea that it will improve in any degree upon the Common Council that retires on the 3st of December. EEE THE LATEST NEWS. Our Special W: Despatch, THE PRESIDENTS REPORT RELATIVE TO THE RETIRED NAVAL OFFICERS—LIST OF THE NAMES SENT TO THE SENATE FOR CONFIRMATION— «\MMODORE STEWART TO BE RESTORED BY ACT OF (\ NORESS— OFERATIONS OF THE SPANISH FLERC AT TAM- PICO, ETC. Waanrsoron, Doo. 22, 1868. ‘The President transmitted to the Senate today thirty- five names of retired naval officers for confru ation There were fifty-cight cases before the President Twenty-three remain unchanged. The following are those recommended to the active list: — T. Paine. W. Chandler. W. Ramsey. R. W. Meade, N. Inman. A. Gibson L. W. Lecom Rolando. T. Brownell. J. ¥. Abbott. J.P. Hat. J.C. Carter. 8. C. Barney. The Senate went into executive session and took up these nominations for confirmation. ( bjection was made im the case of Lieutenant Reil by one of the Senators, who was of opinion that Mr. Reil ought not to be on the “active” list, which led to considerable discussion. Finally the whole subject was postponed until one o'clock to-morrow, when it is believed they will be disposed of. There being some doubt in the mind of the President in regard to his authority in restoring Commodore Stewart, who did not apply under the act, it was left at the discre. tion of the Senate to say what should be done in his case. When the doors were opened, Mr. Male offered a joint re- solution empowering the President to restore “ Old Iron. fides” to the “ active’ list at the head of the navy. By news from Tampico to the 30th ult. I learn that two Spanish war vessels bad proceeded to the bar at the mouth of the Tampico river, there to wait for Spanish troops, which were expected on the 10th of thie month, in order to assist in their debarkation for the purpose of attacking the city. It is mid the Spanish commander had declared hostilities. The critical affairs of Mexico are giving the President and Cabinet some trouble. They are generous. ly willing 10 believe the assurances of forvign govern mente, but the course of events seems to throw doubts on their professions of neutrality and on their pretensions to good faith. Gen. Herran and Senor Milla, Secretary of State of Gua. tamala, are in Washington, on business with the State De. Partmneut. THE GEVERAL NEWerarer NEPP ATC. Wasmoton, Deo, 22, 1858. A letter has been neceived here from a commercial house in Tampico which states that the arrangement be tween the Spanish fleet and the Governor of the olty, for the settlement of their difficulties, have been broken off, and that two Spanish steamers are now blockading the barbor, and that a Spanish force was daily expected to land at Tampico and take possession of the city. ‘The form of the Pepsion bill agreed upon by the Bouse ene to-day propeses to give @incty-six dollars per annum te those who have bees in actual battle, without regard te the period of service, and includes within its provisions the regular army , State and Territorial! troops, volunteers, or militia, together with the marine corps. The are secured against attachments for debt. Hon. John Kelly has addreesed to Speaker Orr a resigning his seat as a member of Congress from York, the reeignation to take effect on the 25th inst, IMPORTANT FROM ALBANY. of the Board of State Oanvassers, SERIOUS INFORMALITY RESPEOTING THE RETURN OF CONGRESSMEN FROM THE METROPOLIS. Aupayy, Dec. 21, 1858. ‘Tho Board of State Canvassers have been in session all the afternoon. The discovery that in sevoral of the dis- tricts representatives in Congress are illegally returned a8 members of Congress, makes it likely that several of the districts will be declared vacant, including the Third, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth. Nothing certain i= known as yet, however, as, if the returns are amended by the County Canvassers, they will be accepted. The Board meot again at balf past nine this evening, whem final action will be taken. EVENING SISBION, ‘The Board of State Cunvassers re-assembled at half past 10P. M. A special messenger who had been sent to New York te ascertain the facts relating to the returns for the Con- gressional districts, presented the following report from the County Clerk: — State of New York, City and County of Nem York:—t, Richard B. pla ide i the ee ‘New York, do certify that as such clerk I am entrusted by law with the election returns for the different districts such county, for the election held in the month of November, of each fer pede yc a wa ‘That my attention ving been directed to an apparent informality existing in the statements prepared by the Board of Coun- ty Canvassers of the county of from my returns filed in my office, as in November last, du of which statements were returned the Board of State Canvassers. I examined the returns in my office, and found that a clerical informality, apparently’ of a somowhat ? had ‘beve, tase in there character reat Reronge inyyl Cr ation cither by printer or person prepari the employment authoriaed by law to have Such informality existed in of the term ‘ Member of Congress,’ when the proper de- signation of the office should have bee ‘“ Representative in » Had not the Iaw of the State, in relation to the manner and mode of conduct- ing elections, been ample and provisional in its character this difficulty or informality might have beea irremediable; but, fortunately, one of its provisions, re niring copies of each ticket voted for to be attached to the return filed in the office of the clerk, the whole mi hensions vanishes away, and ‘the infor- mality, for such it clearly ’ aj is satisfactorily explained, for by of such returns it appears that it each Congres- sional district throughout the city a copy of the ticket voted for in such Congressional district has been attached to the returnsdiled in my office, and by an examination of such ticket I find that it is regular in its form, tho following being a copy of the tickots voted for im the respective districts and attached to the re- turns :— For Representative in Congress, Daniel E. Sickles. For Representative in Congreas, Thomas J. Bara. For Representative in Congress, George Briggs. For Representative in 88, Horace F. ‘That the tickets of which the foregoing are copies were the tickets voted for in each of the respective districts to which they belonged, as appears from such eximination made on the returns filed in my office, but that im making up the returns to be filed at my office in accord- ance with the law in such case made and provieed, the clerks of the different election distriets of the city followed the defective blank returns, or statements, furnished them by the person whose duty it was by law, to furnish the same, and thus this . 80 clearly and satisfacto- rily explained, arose. ta, ‘whness ‘whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal this 21st day of December, 1858. RICHARD B. CONNOLLY, Clerk of the County of New York. After a long time consumed in the business of correcting the returns and making them conform to the actual cer- tificatcs of the County Canvarsers and in desultory con- versation on motion of Comptroller Church, a certificate was agreed to setting forth the plain facts in the case and declaring that while the Board of State Can- vasserss cannot give to the members elect in the die- tricts named their official certificates in consequence of the informality in the returns, they yet recognise the fact that from the certificates of the Board of County Canvassers it appears that the members stated to have received the highesi number of votes did actually receive such highest number of votes for the office of Representative in Coa- gress. This leaves the House of Representatives at liberty to decide, as they doubtless will soon after the organization, that the members from the districts named are duly elected. A resolution was adopted reprobating the manner in which returns are made by Boards of County Canvassers, and at 1A. M. the Board of State Canvassers adjourned sone die. . This result will give the opposition the House, and as the district of Dantel KE. Sickles is contested, it may debar him from taking his seat. THIRTY-FIFTH CONGRESS. SBBOOND SESSION. Sonate. Wasmvortow, Dec. 21, 1858, Various memorials of no public interest were presented. The Senate passed the bill making appropriations for the improvement of the St. Clair Flats, by ayes 20, nays 22. ‘THR PACIPIC RAILROAD BILL. Mr. Sewann, (opp.) of N. ¥., addressed the Senae, He began by saying—The descendants of the Dutch colonists of New York keep forever bright the memories of their . Mr. Seward woold not say much the details of the bill. If he were allowed to prescribe the route and the policy of constracting a Pacifie Railroad now, he would choose a path which would be a continua- tion of the road that our great northwestern emigration has hitherto followed. He woul all employment of companies and all grants of public lands, and would build the road as a mii » postal, national highway, with the and credit of the federal government, surrender the along its route to actual settiers, free of cost. He would increase the revenues by an increase of imposte, and create a bp hy ~ to absorb gra- dually the public debt. But had concurred im ie admitted there were may objections Yo. which to mitted were 8 to whicl bill was obnoxious. Bot the time for deliberation has come to an end, and that for action is to begin. $0, boing earnest in his desire for a Pacific Railroad, he would ac- copt this bill. Mr. Seward then answered successively the general objections against the construction of the road. Commerce is ‘an incidental interest in con- |. It is wanted firet and chiefly for FAR to may, for politcal isa error to rely on commerce for suc in territories where society bas to be called ‘aoe, eNco, of that they can be dispensed with till society is created. The treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo extended the national juriediction across the Rocky Mountaing to the Pacific, and from that moment the necessity of postal and mil x4 highways across was disclosed. Our contentions fo Utah, Central American and Mexico, and with France and kagland, are mate Consequences of a reliance om the routes thi foreign countries, instead of through our own. He did not pretend to know how long we in- tend to founder on in this erroneous policy, but was sure that the interior region will not be settled till the railroad is built, and that probably the Pacific States will not forever remain united to the Atlantic, if they are not so united. The fates arc always busy in weaving a fatal web for indolent and im- provident nations, and it on the act of Ce bow, whether Washington shall femain the tapitol of the whole United States, or only of the United States of the Atlantic, while the city of Mexico becomes the capitol of the United States of the Pacific. He wonld not debate the constitntional power of Congress to authorize the con- struction of the road, Even the atrictest constructioniste admit the power of Congress in case of real necessity, to construct port roads within the unorganized territories of the United States, and in case of possible danger, to con. strvet military road. Let us impress the fact, that the American people number now thirty millions, and im. crease at the rate of a million annually of free, ambitious men. Sach a people cannot remain stationary activity is a law written in the socin! constitution of all States, Under its influence France has disturbed the two hemin- res for two hundred years, Great Britain has extended fer dominion around the carth, Spain has Jiscovered and colonized bal the globe, and Portugal has reclaimed a large portion of it, which before had been lost. The abo- and ala’ modern Europe and the to Christianity re- . Tn obedience to the renewed diplomatic conflicts are so many manifrsta- tions of the SS ae en te fe Tt is obvious this activity must take a martial or civic direction; and that do not receive the latter from the hands of the go ed clear that this peaceful acting, far more than military activity, is for sors ton safe, cheap, frugal, and in- pay hee! @ number and wealth of a nation. ‘War is hazardous and di its greatest benefit boing stunt prostion of war ti bts with ‘the pertam: practice of war nence of a system of felf government. If he were qaked why (hq British race on thin cont.