The New York Herald Newspaper, February 1, 1859, Page 4

JaMES GORDOS EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. eee QEFION WM. W. CORNER OF FULTOW AND MASSAU OTS ee “Zavunoe. Money sont by mail will be at the ae TENS Saeter” Peatage stamps et "as oubscréption rome neg Pind tnainent, hath ho tackede Pose the on the Sth and 30th of each month, al ex cents . annum Oe oN SLY TI ICA LD, very Wednesday, at four cents por nee conte, every or $3: annem, wk ‘OnPaRY CORRESPOND ENOR, covtnining, trportond far. it Ooxxesro! san therally paid IGN Parrov:akLy Requestap ay mr au Lartans amp Pacm- sae NOTICE taken of anonymous correspondence, Wedo nat potern VERTISEMENTS renewed every |; adeerteements tn. wane A the Weraiy ete finee Uataes oon inthe Caivorri, Editions, ‘JOB PRINTING executed with neatness, cheapness and de ——$$————————— Tedame EKIV.. 0.0.00... cecereeeese sce cere Oe BL plea assent aMUSEMENTS THIS SVENING. BEOADWAY THEATRE droadway.—Town ann Coun- phy—Catagact oF THE Garces. NIBLO’R GARDEN. Brosaway.—Crnces PerrormaNces— ‘Tuainsp Hoxsss, Mousa, do. BOWERY THEATRE, Sowery.—Tan Taats Fast Mex, ox, tax Femare Bosinson Cnosons, BURTON'S NEW THEATER, Brosdway—Ovr FAMALE Asznicamk Cousin—Poruak Farce. WALLACK’* THBATRE, Grosdway.—Tas VETERAR ; O8, Fuance asp Alenia. LAUBA KEENWS THRATKE, No. Aunui0an Covsus—Aums CHARLOTrS’s RICAN MUSEUM, Sroady pm Aes sen inono Minvrunisr’—Ouniourmes, £0. Brosdwsy.—Oun Maw. moon and WOOD'S MINSTREL BUILUING, 561 and 563 Broadway— Brmsories Goxos, Dances, £0. —New Yan Calis, BRYANTS’ MINSTRELS, <s0HANICS’ AALL, 437 Broad: way—Nuono Sonos ann Buetesaves—Tas VETERAN. NIP MPBELL wiNSTRELS, «4 froadway.— wstarear Beucasoves, 4e.—Dovste Beppep Room. New York, Tucsday, February 1, 1859. MAILS FOR EUROPE. {rhe New York Herald—Edition for Europe. The Cunard mail steamship Europa, Captain Leitch, will eave this port to-morrow for Liverpool. The European mails wil! cloze in thia city at a quarter past ten o'clock to-morrow morning. ‘The Europeaa edition of the Herazp will be published at half past nine in the morning. Single copies, in wrappers, six cents, Subscriptions and advertisements for any edition of the New Yor Herat will be received at the following places ppt oe agate Hill. ., 47 Lndgate mealies re 8+ Son Ga tog. William street. .++++Aansing, Baldwin & 0o., 8 place de la Bourse, Liverroot. Lansing, Starr & Co., No. 9 Chapel street, 'R. Stuart, 10 Exchange atreet, Haves,....Lansing, Baldwin & Co., 21 Rue Corneille. Hamoure ..De Chapeaunge & Co. The contents of the European edition of the Hxrap will combine the news received by mail and telegraph at the office during the previous week and up to the hour of publication. ‘The News. A large steamer, supposed to be the Cunard ship Asia, which left Liverpool on the 22d alt. for this port, passed Cape Race at five o'clock on Sun. day afternoon. Ifit was the Asia, she will arrive here on Thursday morning next. She will bring a week's later news. Our European files by the Arabia, which reached this city yesterday morning from Boston, contain some interesting details of the news which appeared in the Herap last Saturday morning. The speech of the King of Sardinia, and the accounts of the scene which took place in the Chambers on its de- livery, are worthy of perusal. In Congress yesterday the Senate discussed the conduct of Com. Paulding in capturing the filibus- ters. Mr. Foot offered a substitute to the committee's report on the subject, commending the course of the Commodore, and declaring thathe acted within the spirit of his instructions. Mr. Seward offered a joint resolution, that the President be directed to intervene for the defence of Com. Paulding im the suits against him arising from the performance of his duty. No action was taken on either of these pro- positions. Mr. Bigler offered a resolution declaring in effect that as the present revenues of the govern ment are insufficient to meet its expenses, Congress should without delay adjust the tariff so as not only to meet the deficit in the Treasury, but also pay off the existing indebtedness. The Indian appropria- tion bill was taken up, and an amendment providing for the future abolition of the reservation system was adopted. A report from the Naval Committee upon increasing the efficiency of the navy was pre- sented. In the House a preamble and resolutions setting forth that there is strong reason to appre- hend that the laws for the suppression ot the Afri- can slave trade are to be set at defiance, and their violation openly countenanced and encouraged by the citizens of a portion of the States; that the existing laws against the slave traf: fic should remain unchanged, and that the President should at all times be sustained in en- forcing said laws, were read, and a motion made to suspend the rules to permit of their being intro- duced. The motion was defeated by a vote of 84 yeas to 115 nays. The House refused, by a vote of 73 yeas to 127 nays, to suspend the rules for the in- troduction of a bill authorizing a loan of $20,000,000. In reference to this subject Mr. Covode stated that the Pennsylvania delegation will not vote for an appropriation of money until some measure is adopted to supply the empty Treasury, or, in other words, that a loan bill and an increase of customs duties must be coupled together in order to secure their votes for the supplies. Nothing of importance was done in the State Senate yesterday. In the Assembly the bill pro- viding for the widening of Seventh avenue and the extension of Central Park was reported upon favor- ably. The resolution calling for information re- specting the salaries of New York county officers ‘was discussed, and a resolution was presented for a statement of the receipts and expenditures of the Pilot Commissioners. ‘The Board of Aldermen met last evening. Re- Ports from the Street Commissioner and the Cen- tra] Park Commissioners, detailing the general con- dition of the departments under their charge, were presented, and ordered to be printed. The resolu- tion to rescind the resolution providing for the pur- chase of land at Ward's Island from McCotter and othera was adopted. Mr. Thomas Cummings, Jr., sent in a proposal to relay the Russ pavement in Broadway in the Belgian style for $120 per yard, and 30 cents for the bridge stones. This is 30 cents less for the pavement and 5 cents less for the bridge stones than Mr. Waterbury’s bid. The sub- ject was referred to the Committee on Streets. The Board of Councilmen met last evening, and took up the report of the Committee on Finance on the tax levy for 1859, and proceeded to adopt i: item by item. Pending the discussion of the ordi nance the Board adjourned till Wednesday. Comp troller Haws sent in an important communication, in which he states that the amount due from th city for valid judgments is $913,104 12, The Aldermanic Committee on Ferries held « meeting yesterday afternoon to consider the reasons for not running boats on Pavonia (Jersey City) and Chambers street ferry. In 1954 the franchise was granted to.the Pavonia Avenue Com- pany atan annual rental of $9,050, but no boats have been put on the route. Testimony was taken, and the facts elicited showed that the original company had amalgamated with other companies, #1. also that obstructions both legal and other- ‘wise, prevented the consummation of the terms of the grant. Complaints were also heard against the Twenty-third street ferry, in regard to the ir- ac larities of their trips. Several parties came deivre the committee and stated that the Division Axcane Ferry Company to Williamsburg were in Undisturbed possession of the slip at the foot of Grand street, rent free, for which they were pre- pared to pay an annual rental of $10,000. The trustees of the New York Infirmary for In- igent Women and Children held their fifth annual meeting last night at 64 Bleecker street. The number of patients treated during the past year ‘Was 3,072; the expenditures were $3,600; receipts, $4,385; balance on hand, $3,672, All the officers and committees were re-elected. Females are taught the practice of medicine in the Infirmary. ‘he friends and admirers of Thomas Paine cele- brated the one hundred and twenty-second anniver- sary of his birthday last night, at the Chinese As- sembly Rooms. Mrs. Rose was the great light of the evening. Mr. Joseph Barker and Mr. Vale de. livered addresses. Bridget Leddy, a servant “girl in the employ of Mr. Barnard, at No. 21 Third avenue, was acciden- tally shot by her master at an early hour yesterday morning, and her wounds were of such a dangerous character as to render her recovery almost impro- bable. The particulars of this lamentable casualty are given in another column. The Coroner's jury called to investigate the circumstances acquitted Mr. Barnard of all blame. By the way of Havana we have dates to the 26th ult. Sugar was steady at the rates before re- ported, while lard had advanced a quarter of a cent a pound. We have received files of Bermuda papers to the 11th ult., but they contain nothing of interest to our readers. The sales of cotton yesterday were confined to 600 a 700 bales, which closed quietly ou the basis of about 126. for middling uplands. Flour was less active and common grades lower, while good to choice extra brands continued to rule Orm with a fair demand, Whest was moderately vealt in. The chief sale embraced Western mixed at $135. Corn was casier and sales limited, at 85c. for fair to good Western mixed; white and yellow Jorsey, 80c., acd Southern at 81c. a 88c, Pork was firmer, with sales of new mees at $18 1234; old do. at $17 75, and prime at $13 50 $13 6234, with a small lotat $13 75, and at $18 75 for March and April delivery. Sugare wero stiff, with sales of 1,400 a 1,500 bhds. and 200 boxes at prices given (a avotber place. The stock of hhds. amounts to 8,844, against 3,844 at the same timo in 1858; 691 boxes, against 8,760 lost year; $2 bhds, molado, against 4,618, and 8,840 bags, against none at the same time last year. Coffee was frm, with limited sales, The stock of Rio embraced 12,200 bags. The total of bags of all kinds were 26,440, and 52,875 mats. Freights were without change of mo- ment in rates, while engagements were moderate. ‘The Administration, Congress, and the Demo- cratic Party. We have at Washington a democratic admi- nistration, good and true; but where is the democratic party? Destroyed in the North, and divided in the South into half a dozen Presiden- tial cliques. Where, next, is that powerful party representation which was carried under the wing of Mr. Buchanan’s popularity into this Congress? With its first organization in December, 1857, bad we not every reason to expect that between the broad and liberal conservative policy laid down by the new President, and the powerfal numerical majority representing his administra- tion in both houses, there would be that “happy accord” which could not fail to consolidate the rank and file of the party? And how have these expectations been defeated? Simply through the conflicting schemes, intrigues and factious movements of ambitious and unscrupulous poli- ticians, to compass the honors and emolamerits, the spoils and plunder of the succession. ‘This disorganizing game was commenced with the very first day’s proceedings of the last ses- sion; and very soon thereafter such sectional and factious defections were disclosed as to satisfy the opposition that their most powerful allies for 1860 against the administration and against the democratic party were among the leaders of the democratic camp. Thus, upon the Kansas question, the filibuster question, the army appropriations, the Utah question, and other questions, the ‘measures of the ad- ministration at the last session would have fallen. through but for the patriotic assistance secured from the opposition side. Practically, the demo- cratic majority in the House and in the Senate was, from the first week of this Congress, reduced to a minority, and so it has continued to this day. From the very moment when, through the policy indicated in Mr. Buchanan’s Cabinet and inaugural, it was manifest that he intended to be the head of his administration, these mischievous plots to rule or ruin him were contrived. The treacheries and the defections of the last session were thns but the developments of premeditated combinations, The divisions and discords among the party at the present scasion are but the ripened fruits of these conspiracies. Upon the understanding that nothing is to be made of this administration, this leader, that and the other have ignored it, and turned their whole | attention and directed all their movements to the game of the jugglers for the Charleston Conven- tion. Thus the administration has been left with- out a party in Congress, and thus the party throughout the country has been torn to pieces. Thus, in all probability, the democracy have lost the last chance of the next House of Repre- sentatives, and have thrown away the last chance for the next Presidency. Certainly there is no other hope for them than the common rallying point of the administration; while from the de- cision of the late democratic caucus of the Senate on the tariff it would appear that the Southern leaders of the party in that body have decisively pronounced against the administration. With this decision before us, all the financial relief that can be expected of this democratic Congress is another loan or another issue of notes. This “lame and impotent con- clusion” will throw upon the President the duty of calling an extra session of the new Congress, in order to provide a seasonabls modification of the tariff for the relief of the treasury and the country. At the extra session thus called, there will be a sufficient majority in the Mouse to pass the tariff bill indicated by the President, to the fullest extent, and, no doubt, a co-operative ma- jority in the Senate. But the result will be another split in the party, and the addition of another Presidential clique or two to the number already in the ficld. The difficulty isa tariff policy which will be acceptable to Pennsylvania without sacrificing Georgia; and as Pennsylvania insists upon protection, and will have nothing but protection, a compromise is given up, and the party in the Senate have agreed to dispense with Pennsylvania. The Senatorial democratic caucus resolation, that “it is inexpedient to make any change in the tariff law at the present session,” amounts to this; but, in abandoning Pennsylvania, as a State lost beyond recovery, what posible hope can be reposed in the Charleston Convention? In the very outset its weakness will confirm the existing divisions in the camp. It will break up in a row, and the last inglorions struggle of the demoralized aud disorganized democracy will thus be in the shape of a miserable and disor- derly scrub race of two or three candidates against two or three candidates of the op- position factions. Between the three highest candidates from such a contest transferred to the House of Representatives for an election, an ah- yupt dissolution of the government woyld be as ping ag happen as the choice of a President wired constitutional majority of all the Siatea ns The only regular scrub race for the Presiden- cy which we have ever had was that of 1824, be- tween Jackson, Adams, Crawford and Clay ; but that was a race of national statesmen. If we are to bave a scrub race in 1860, it will be arace of sections, and factions, and cliques—of juggliog demagogues and small politicians—so that the least of evils to be apprehended will be the ele- vation to power of a horde of rapacious and un- scrupulous spoilamen. With the dissolution of the old whig party the democracy walked over the course; but now, with the remnants of the old whig party still in a state of chaos, and with the democratic party broken into hostile factions and fragments, there is nothing of any solidity or nationality left us except the administration of Mr. Buchanan. He will, doubtless, carry the country safely through his appointed term of office. But what then? Why, then, indefault of a popular revolution in the shape of an inde- pendent movement of the conservative masses of the people for the succession, we shall probably experience our firet lesson in the revolutionary system of Mexico. The administration, which would havesaved the democratic party, bas been abandoned by its scheming demagogues for the succession, The party is thus all adrift. It may be re-united, perhaps, upon the basis of the administration; but this prospect is very gloomy, and there is no other, The opposition forces are cut up into as many clashing factions as the democracy; but they may be consolidated upon some such na- tiona) and popular man as Gen. Scott. But here, too, the prospect of a fusion is exceedingly doubtful. Right and left, North and South, everything in the political horizon looks dark, cloudy and threatening; and from the demorali- zations, and corruptions, and treacheries, and defections of this Congress, it will require but another step or two to divert the contending factions from the ballot box to the bayonet. Under this condition of things, and with these contingencies looming up before us, it becomes the duty of the conservative body of the people, first, to rally to the support of the administra- tion, against all these disorganizing factionists of Congress; and secondly, to proceed at once to the consideration of the means and the man for the rescue of the country in 1860 from an other- wise riotous contest of sections and factions, and desperate demagogues, that may end in civil war. Aminadab Sleek on the Acquisition of Cuba— Is it a National Question or a Party Issue? Our shallow pated and jesuitical cotemporary, the Journal of Commerce, has at last discovered that “the public mind is occupied to an unusual degree with the proposition to place at the dis- posal of the President of the United States ex- traordinary means to erable him to negotiate for the acquisition of Cuba;” and in a long article, which we reprint in another column, after exhibiling its want of knowledge in the question, and its palpable desire to be on both sides of it, it, either through ignorance or malice, accuses the President of having brought the sub- ject forward as a party issue, for the purpose of favoring his aspirations to a re-election. Had this accusation been made by one of the partisan prints of the day, following, as they have done in making this scandalous charge against the President, the attacks of the black republican leaders, we should have passed it over as unworthy of notice. But, coming as it does from our sleek-faced and puritanical cotem- porary of Wall street, who not. only assumes to be a reflex of the opinion of our commercial community, but to be specially the friend of the administration, and in virtue thercof is constantly claiming some of the butternuts of the mint, it is the more worthy of attention. We do not know, nor are we disposed to inquire, from whom the Aminadab Sleek of our city press has received its hint in the present instance, and we shall deal only with the facts involved in its ridiculous statements, In regard to the feeling among the commercial community in New York, on the question of au- thorizing the President to attempt the peaceable acquisition of Cuba, and of placing the means of doing so with advantage at his disposal, we have the best reasons for stating that a very large ma- jority of our merchants are decidedly in favor of it. It is not alone those who carry on the large and valuable commerce we now have with that island—for we may say that these are nearly, if not quite, unanimous in its favor; but a very large proportion of the general trade of the me- tropolis, looking at the state of affairs with a more comprehensive view than that open to the retail notions of our shallow-pated contempora- ry, recognise the necessity of giving to the in- dustrial mind of the country a stronger stimulus than can be found in the slow returns of com- merce. In this respect our Aminadab has mis- interpreted or wilfully misrepresented the views of the New York merchants, Its accusation against the President is a gra- tuitous and heartless invention, Mr. Buchanan is not only pledged by his own acknowledg- ments of honorable considerations to his friends and his party not to seek a re-election—and he means to respect them—but, even if he were 80 unwige as to seek a renomination, he is too skil- ful a politician not to be well aware that such a course as his double-faced supporter in Wall street accuses him of pursuing would be the very one to lead him to defeat. It is only such short-sighted and treacherous fools as our -Aminadab Sleek that can entertain the supposi- tion that the President has brought forward this great measure for the purpose of seeking a re- election. Mr. Buchanan has presented the Cuba question to Congress as a national question, and not as a party issue. He has contemplated it with a statesman’s ken, and has seen that the ac- quisition of that island is a step in the progress of our national developement and destiny, and that it will be beneficial, directly or indirectly, to the interests of every man in the country Recognizing the great progress of the ripening of the national interests of the Union and of Cuba, he wishes to secure their fruits to all the parties concerned, without resorting to the destructive arbitration of war between any of them. All are agreed that in its highest sense it is a national question. Even Mr. Seward acknow- ledges that Cuba gravitates to the Continent. Tf it gravitates to us now, it will continue to do so with a constantly increasing force. With every increase of our material developement, with every augmentation of Cuban production, it will continue to gravitate more and more. Every succeeding year will see ita stronger na- tional question than it was in the preceding one; and for thig reason we should meet it now, and meet it purely as a national question. But it can be made o party issue if the opposition in Congress choore to accept it now ag such, They have only to endeavor to thwart its passage, to kill it by factious motions and delays, to vir- tually take away its life by amendments and eliminations, and it will become a party issue and a party slogan against them, guch as they bave never dreamed of awaken- ing. It lies, then, entirely in the hands of the opposition in Congress to make Cuba the rallying point of the now disorganized democracy, and to give them s living and a win- Bing cry for 1860. If they are wise in time, and accept it in the coming debates as. purely @ national question, and vote to place it in the hands of the President as such, to await the time of its peaceful fruition, they will escape the greatest danger that now threatens to meet them in the next*Presidential campaign. As for the puritanical Jesuit of Wall street, we advise it, the next time it wishes to be on both sides of the fence at once, and to utter the Buns- by-like opinion that it does “not deem it impor- tant that such authority shall be given at the pre- sent session of Congress, nor do we see any ob- jection to conferring it upon the President at this time,” that it take some question equal to its mental calibre, and not make a double- faced age of itself by showing its ignorance and treachery in commenting upon a great national issue which it can neither grasp nor comprehend. Decline of the Papal Power. Whenever it has suited the objects of political parties in this country to appeal to religious prejudices, we have heard a great deal of the growing power of the Pope and of the danger of his one day exercising political supremacy over our people. Chapels have been burnt down and other serious outrages have been committed under the influence of this strange delusion. Catholicism has, in fact, been invested with a mysterious sort of terror in the eyes of many, from the indefinite dangers supposed to impend over us from Rome. The bugaboo of Papal ag- gression has been made to serve the same pur- pose with grown children which the hobgoblin of nursery tales is used for with infante—namely» to coerce them into the way which their men- tors, political or otherwise, intended they should go. The poor Pope! Little does he know the dread which his name is made to inspire in vil- lage conventicles and tract and missionary tea parties, throughout the length and breadth of Protestant lands. Cooped up as he is be- tween French and Austrian bayonets on the ope hand, and republican conspirators and stilettoes on the other, he no doubt thinks himself harmless and much persecuted man. If he were to be toid that he makes the blood run cold and the hair stand on end of the neophytes of the Episcopal and dis- senting congregations of this great and enlight- ened republic, he would probably open his mild eyes and pontifical jaws in a stare of bewildered amazement. Of the political designs and dia- bolical projects attributed to him, he would no doubt say, with hypocritical resignation, that it was the province of God’s servants to submit with patience to the calumnies of the evil dis- posed, and perhaps might add, with the same admirable humility, that it was not likely that he who could not baptise a Jew child in his own dominions without exciting the remonstrances of the Protestant world would venture his insigni- ficant interference in the political affairs of other countries. i We do not believe much in clerical sincerity when the abnegation of power is concerned. In this regard Protestants as well as Catholics, Dis- senters as well as Episcopalians, aro alike Jouuiter Religious ascendancy is to all of them only valuable for the temporal benefits which it brings. We are, therefore, no more inclined to credit the Pope’s asseverations on such a point than we would be to accept as gospel the nolo cpiscopari of Doctors Cheever, Chapin or Henry Ward Beecher. Facts, however, are stubborn things, and Popes, a8 well as parsons, must be judged by them. When we find the journals of Catholic France gravely discussing the question of strip- ping his Holineks of his temporal attributes, when there is every reason to believe that Napo- leon the Third is about to carry out projects which must have the effect of reducing the range .of Pontificial sovereignty to the limits of the Eternal City, and when in no part of the Catholic world do we hear of a cry of in- dignation being raised against these profane schemes, we are forced to conclude, in spite of all assertions to the contrary, that the Pope is neither as powerful nor as dangerous as sectarians and politicians would wish us to believe. It may be owing to our ignorance, but we are disposed to look upon the popedom, as at present constituted, asa very harmless in- stitution indeed. Whatever it may do in the way of saving souls, it is, politically speaking, inoperative for evil. It is, in fact, just such a wreck of pontifical, as the Ruins of Tivoli, the Baths of Caracalla, and the Colisseum are of im- perial greatness. There is only this polat of dissimilarity between them—that whilst the latter might be re-constructed, it would be utterly im- possible to galvanize the former into permanent life. Curious to eay, whilst the temporal power of the Papacy is thus on the decline the Catholic faith itself is taking a wider developemont than at any period since the Reformation. In propor- tion as it is becoming dissevered from politics; its interests, as a creed, are prospering. In Great Britain, as on the Continent, it is drawing within its fold some of the most cultivated and enlightened men of the age. Within the last dozen years the number of Protestant clergy- men who have passed over to it has givena pow- erful impulse to the accession of converts from the other congregations. In this country Catholicism is also making rapid progress, as is evidenced by the number of splendid churches which are springing up in all directions, and the vast variety of publications which are being is- sued to spread its doctrines and refute the preju- dices industriously raised against them. These results can only be attributed to one cause. From a church militant it is becoming a church persuasive. Animated by a spirit of religious humility and charity, # is struggling to fulfil the purposes of its original mission. The excep- tions presented by such cases as that of the Mor- tara affair are but the dying embers of the in- tolerance generated by the necessities of its false political position. Once that source of hostility and rancor is removed, the grand old faith which served as the foster-mother to learning and sci- encein the Middle Ages will resume its sway over men’s affections. If the other creeds wish to maintain their present satus, they will have to imitate the prudent example thus set them. Their teachers will have to eschew politics, cul- tivate charity and indulgence towards cach other, and learn to distinguish what is really sinful from what is rational and jatellegtyal, It is not NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY. FEBRUARY ‘1, 1859, by reducing men’s minds to a condition of abject slavery on subjects purely conventional that they can establish the right of independent judg- ment on doctrinal points, The age of humbug and shame is fast passing away in religious mat- ters, and those who seck to perpewate ecclesias- tical systems by such influences will, sooner or later, discover that they have built on rotten foundations, f Boxouxa Leawtarion rox New Yorx Crry.— The Legislature at Albany is now engaged ia moeking and unmaking laws for this city, with its immense population, mighty interest; and vast wealth; but it is making no progress, and effecting no good for the taxpayers, who have to pay the piper, whatever may be the tune to which the “ collective wisdom” think proper to dance. It is like a horse yoked to an engine for sawing wood in our coal yards—it treads an endless chain and atill tries to ascend, but never gets any higher; or like the same animal when at- tached to a threshing machine—it goes round and round ina circle, but makes no progress, ever coming back to the same point whence it started. Thus our Legislature is ever doing and undoing—the measure of last session being re- pealed in this, and the measure of this being re- pealed in the next, or the exploded act being re- enacted. Every unfledged and ignorant reformer rans to Albany with his nostrum for curing this city matter and that, and finds at the capital quacks as ignorant and mischievous as himself. The pa- tient is now treated upon principles of homao- pathy, and now on the old approved plan of allo- pathy—now she is soothed with anodynes, and now bled, blistered and purged; but still she grows worse and worse, and her constitution-ra- pidly sinks, notwithstanding the increase of me- dicine and doctors’ bills.” Instead of wasting time and money on petty changes in detail, either in inventing something new to supersede some- thing old, or in patching up some of the decayed raiment with new cloth which, according to Scrip- wre and experience, makes the rent worse, there must be a complete revolution of the whole—an entire new garment—a new suit of clothes, What is wanted. is not the removal of one officer and another, or the modification and reform of this office and that, or the creation of new offices, or the cutting down or the increase of salaries, but responsible government, centered in one head, and all the parts made subordinate. If this is not done, the interests of the city will go to utter destruction. They have been long on the high road to ruin; and unless a grand sweeping change takes place, they will soon reach the goal of perdition. What is the legislative process which we are continually witnessing? Some individual owes ® grudge to an officer for the upright discharge of his duty—perhaps toa Judge for measuring out with a firm and impartial hand the just retri- bution due to crime, and necessary for the pro- tection of society. Immediately the criminal’s friends go to work for the removal of the officer or the fettering of his power, or the reduction of his income, or, it may be, the total abolition of his office. They do not fail to meet with cor- rupt tools in the Legislature to do their dirty work ; and forthwith a bill is introduced, which, if passed, does infinite mischief, and, even if re- jected, takes up the time of the Senate and As- sembly, which ought to be devoted to other objects. Or some humbug, who has an axe of self-interest or ambition to grind—perhaps some sincere but visionary reformer—preposes to attack or improve some point in our city government without reference to the effect upon the other parts, or the harmonious working of the whole machine ; straightway the bungling measure is adopted by a facile Legislature, to the disgust of the whole intelligence of New York. Thus they are always doing more harm than good, like the tinker who makes two or three holes in an old leaky kettle in which he stop’ one. The only cure for the kettle is a new one, The tinkering legislation, therefore, carried on by botches at Albany, for this great city, will not do. We want a revolution, a new machine, all of whose wheels and cogs,are in harmony, and moved by one mainspring. Then and not till then will the city government go like clock- work, without confusion, no part interfering with any other part, but each co-operating with and assisting the whole. : Tue City Inspector anp THE Boarp oF ALperMEN.—Our readers will, doubtless, remem- ber that we exposed some time ago a projected combination between some members of the Board of Aldermen and the person who now occupies the office of City Inspector, whereby the appoint- ments in that department were to be placed at the disposal of the said Aldermen—the guid pro quo being the retension of Mr. Morton in office. They will remember, also, that, although a de- mocractic Alderman openly boasted, at a meet- ing of the Board, that his friends were to be taken care of by Mr. Morton, that gentleman has denied, in the public papers, that any such com- pact existed. But it happens, and it is notorious, that the Board of Aldermen has faithfully performed its part of the stipulation, by refusing to confirm the successor to the City Inspectorship nominated by the Mayor. How far Mr. Morton has been true to his engagements may be seen from the fact which we have learned, namely: that he has, within a few days, appointed somé twenty or thirty friends and nominces of the Aldermen to office in his department, the democratic mem- ber aforesaid having received the lion’s share of the spoils, so that it was no vain boasting to say that his friends would get places from Mr. Mor- ton, if that gentleman was retained. This is all very well for Mr. Morton and the Aldermen, and particularly for the Aldermen’s lucky friends ; but what have the public to say to this scandalous conspiracy of the highest branch of our municipal legislature to obstruct the wheels of government for the furtherance of their own political or personal aims? Ovr Trape wit Great Brirats Ann France— Important Recowmenpation or Mn. Cons.—In another column we publish a letter of the Secre- tary of the Treasury in answer to the resolutions of the House of Representatives, calling for in- formation in reference to the export and import trade of the United States with Great Britain and France for a series of years last past. It appears that Mr. Cobb found great difficulty in arriving at satisfactory results, owing to the dif ferent manner in which commercial statistics are prepared and kept in the three countries. In view of this difficulty the Secretary of the Treasury deems it “unwise and unsafe to rest confidently upon any judgment drawn from a comparison of the statistical documents of different countries,” and suggests that to remedy the defect a conven- tion be called of commissioners from the leading commercial governments to establish a uniform wetbod jn preparing and keeping the statistics, i eee aud, at the same time, a uniform unit acd uni- form weighte, measures avd currency. ‘Thig would be an undoubted beneiit to every govern ment and country in the world, and there ap- prare to be no reason why the desired uniformity thould not be adopted. Let our Oongress take the lead in the matter, and half the battle is won. Trawan Agtipts iv Tak Usrrep States.—To Ttalians of all classes America is almost a terre incognita, The higher classes know of the United. States aga sort of barbarian country to whieh they may fly if they are compelled to forsake the Arno, desert the Adriatic, or abandon Rome with all its delights, The artists recognise Yam kees as people from whom they get good ordess or fine engagements, and once in a while they leb their aristocratic countrymen know that all the art appreciation is not to be found on their side of the Alps and the Atlantic. Our sculptors anf painters have not made such a bad figure in Rome, Florence, Venice and Naples, Still, theese extenuating circumstances are considered as alto- gether exceptional, and some strong developement of the art fecling among us is required to make the Italians understand that we have any at al, Such a developement bas been made, it seems te us, in the triumph of Piccolomini ever what would seem insuperable obstacles. This prima donna, who had stirred the artistio heart of Italy as it has rarely been agitated of late years, came to us crowned with transatlantic laurels, to which the American public was not slow in add- ing o freah wreath. In this metropolis she made @ profound sensation, and caused a tremendous newspaper warfare, which added to rather than militated against her success. The “three hungry Frenchmen” who print the Courrier des Etats Unis were especially bitter and malignant in their attacks upon Piccolomini. She was as- sailed in her personal as well as in her artistio character, and no means were untried to crash her. “ It was in vain, The season which she inau- gurated was 80 prosperous in its results that double the number of announced representations were given. In the provinces, at Philadel- phia, Boston, Baltimore, Washington and Rich- mond, the scenesand enthusiasm enacted in the metropolis were repeated; and in the generous and sympathetic West, to which section the fair Siennese next turns her steps, it cannot be doubted that an equally flattering reception awaits her, Now, the Italians, whose political troutfles have kept them wide awake, are not altogether igne- rant of these things. Some of them have seem the Courrier. It is not admitted to public distri- bution in all the Italian States, but is circulated privately, and goes into the hands of Young Italy, the especial patrons of Piccolomini. They see that, in spite of all the denunciations of the hungry Frenchmen, the American people have welcomed Piccolo- mini, and they will understand that she will reap about 9 hundred thousand dollars cash enthusi- asm should she remain a year in the United States. They will learn, also, that the Gourrier presumes to be the American organ of the Em- peror of the French; and they may have some natural suspicions of the friendship that comes from a source which finds no'terms too strong to be used in condemnation of Italians in a strange land. Young Italy has now but two sensa- tions—Piccolomini and Italian unity. She is known to be ardently patriotic; and the curious fact that an organ of the French government has attempted to ruin her prospects here will natu- rally excite remark, and will not tend to strengthen any amicable relations that may ex- ist between the Italiansand the French. The pet prima donna is little enough, to be sure; but smaller things than she have, before now, upset the weightiest diplomatic negotiations. Honors to Tae Brivisu Movster.—We under- stand that a committee has already been consti- tuted in this city for the purpose of tendering to Lord and Lady Napier a grand ball at the Aca- demy of Music. It is proposed that the affair shall take place during the month of March, and immediately after ihe close of the session of Congress, when the élite of the diplomatic, poli- tical and fashionable world will be in New York. The new British Minister, Lord Lyons, will pro- bably arrive about the same time that the ball will be given to his predecessor. It is stated that the /éte will be the most magnificent affair of the kind that has ever been projected in the United States, both in the quality of the guests and the splendor of the general arrangements. Burton's Theatre~A New Yankee Comedy. Evidently the stage Yankee is going out with the theatrical Yorkshireman aud the dramatic Irishman, Perhaps it is the rallways, which soften provinglal pocu- Marities, and It may be that the progress of trade teaches even dramatic authors to make their portraits characters rather than caricatures, At any rate, the wild Yankee, as typified by Mr. Jefferson in “Qur American Cousin,” is all the rage in dramatic circles now-a-days. That remark- able play has been witnessed by we really don’t re- member how many thousand people, and its success is chiefly owing to the fact that the author, who borrowed the plot from a German play, gave rather a more favora- ble view of New England character than that furnished by his predeccesors in the same field. Pretty ncarly the wame thing, as far as giving a new view of character ig concerned, was done by Mr. Charles Gayler in his comedy of “Taking the Chances,” written for Mr. ler has put his Yankee character into petticoats, made it duly attractive thereby. ‘The action of the play takes place in the country house of an English baronet, Sir William Apploby. Ho is # type of the fife play we son (Gerald) arrives yy the American cousin relatives, and that she is a finished up and po- drawing room ornament, with no end of airs, graces, accomplishments, languages, piano, Tex Taovsanp Dounars More Pain to Mr. ‘Wasnixotos.—The January number of the Mount Vernom Record announces that on the 14th of December, the an- niver: of Washington’s death, the regent of the Mount Vernon Association caused the sum of $10,000 to bo to Mr. Washington towards the purchase of Mount Ver- vy By this payment Mr. Washington has now received, ,000 of the purchase fund. Fifteen thousand dollars more are invested in so advantageous a manner that it is thonght best they should remain untouched at A number of States, actively employed in collecting, have dot commenced to transfer Welr funde 40 ho regent of