The New York Herald Newspaper, February 6, 1859, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDOP SGaanEgTT, EprTos 4ND PROPHEETOR. eee QUTLGE H.W. CORNES OF FULTON AND MABBAY - 8 Se — —___ ————OOOOO AMUSEMENTS THIS BVENING. BROADWAY THRATBS, Brosdway.—[vaxnon—Buve Beare. yway.—O1n008 PaRFORMANCES— Sates _nceeneeeciintee innate STBLO’S GARDEN. efiane Hones, Mois, BOWERY THEATES, Bowory.—Fauate Forty Tainvese— Yanawe Jaon—Fortows’s a NEW THEATRE, Broatway—Love Axo Prd FRustm AMERICAN COUSIN—SKATCURS 18 Dou—Haery Max. ALLAOK'S THRATRE, Brosdway.—Tus Verenax ; 08, pease app Atuamis. URA KEENWS THEATER, No. 68 Brosdway.—Ovs azuewan Oocsu—Litrus Sivace, BARNUM'S AMBRIOAN on aod Bvoning—Neceo BUILDING, 661 and 665 Broadway— wooD'’s MINSTREL ys i Cais. SUM, Broadway—Afier- uinsnnisr—Ounionrnns, 20. NTS ELS, MMUBLANIOS' BALL. 427 Bross wareieona ones i ‘Buwsesaves—Wips AWAKE. SNIVFEN'S NSTRELS. 444 Brondway.— Mavonies, Comasewes, be. Spoons Bropep Room. ———— New York, Sunday, February 6, 1859. ‘The News. ‘A caucus of the democratic members of Con- gress was held at Washington last evening. Mr. Garnett, from the committee appointed at the former meeting, reported a resolution that means ought to be provided for the payment of the Treasury notes now maturing; that the de- ficiency in the treasury should be met by & reduction of the expenses of government, and proposing a redaction in the estimates of va- rious departments of the public service. Quite a spirited discussion arose on the resolution, but the saucus finally adjourned without taking a vote. The Pennsylvania democratic members met ina separate caucus, and passed resolutions endorsing fe President's recommendations, declaring their opposition to a national debt, and repudiating the acts and proceedings of the other democratic cau- cus. Areport of the proceedings is given on the firat page of our paper. ‘The steamships Kangaroo and Asia—both fully due at this port with a week's later news from Europe—had not been heard from at two o’clock this morning. Tne Kangaroo left Liverpool on the 19th and the Asia on the 22d ultimo. The following named European steamships are atsea this morning, bound to American ports— provided they left regularly on their appointed days, viz.:— Shaps. Where From. Where Bound. Day of Sailing. Circassian..... Galway New York. a Jan, ti {New York...... Jan, 19 Kain! Ania. Indian Americ! Liverpool Bremen. . Bremen. Prince Albert. Galway....... Ni is The bids for proposals for the loan of $373,400 towards the Central Park fund stock, authorized by an amended act of the Legislature Feb. 13, 1857, and approved by the Mayor Dec. 30, 1858, were opened at the Comptroller's office on Friday last. There were a large number of bidders. A list of the names of the bidders, with other particu- lars, is given in the money article. The rates of premium offered ranged from one to two per cent. The bidders will be required to deposit with the Chamberlain of the city the sum awarded and wovered by the bid, together with the premium thereon, and in presenting the receipt of the Chamberlain to the Comptroller will be entitled to receive a certificate for the par value of the number of shares, bearing interest from the date of deposit. We publish in to-day’s Heraup a number of interesting letters from our correspondents in Cuba which correctly reflect the state of pub- lic opinion on the island with reference to the important question of its annexation to the United States. Our Cuban friends will see that we have been obliged to cut down largely the letters they have sent us on this occa- sion. We do this because our space is very valua- ble, and we cannot give it up to long discussions of side issues, vague prophecies of what is in the future, and bitter personalities against the colonial authorities. They will do wellto remember that the cause they wish to advance can be best served by a plain statement of facts, concise argument, and the avoiding of all personal attacks on men who are, after sll, the mere instruments of a system. According to the report of the City Inspector there were 423 deaths in the city during the past week—a decrease of 8 as compared with the mor- tality of the week previous, and 6 less than occurred during the corresponding period in 1858. Four deaths from old age are reported. One of these was a colored man named Simon Chapman, a native of the United States, who died at the Colored Home Hospital, at the advanced age of 104 years. ‘The other was a native of Ireland, named Mary Hays, who died at No. 23 Pell street, aged 100 years, The following table shows the number of deaths for the past two weeks among adults and children, distinguishing the sexes:— Men. We , js. Girls. Tutal. Week ending Jan. 29, 10882 162 89431 Woek ending Fob. 5. sl 80 135 127 = (423 Among the principal causes of death were the following:— Diseases. rive Feb. . a aL 15 4 4 Marasmus (infantil) ( 26 Bearlet fever... 16 21 There were also 4 deaths of disease of the kid- neys, 4 of blecding of the lungs, 10 of congestion of the brain, 8 of congestion of the lungs, 14 of croup, 8 of debility (infantile), 6 of typhoid fever, 9 of disease of the heart, 7 of palsy, 7 of scrofula, 6 of tecthing, 9 premature births, 32 stillborn, and 7 from violent causes. The annexed table shows what portions of the human system have been most affected:— Diseases. Feb. 5. Bones, joints, &o. 1 2 Brain and nerves 82 7768 Generative organs. 7 bt Heart and ‘nag So F ut Lungs, throat, 4 Old age.... +... 5 26 Bkin, &c., and eruptive fever 22 41 Btitiborn and premature births, 83 53 ch, bowels and other digesti 56 45 Uncertain seat and gereral feve: 41 7 Urinary orgaoz..,..,,., tenes 9 ei ‘Total. veveceees M1 423 The number of deaths, compared with the cor- responding weeks in 1857 and 1858, was as fol- Jows:— ‘Week onding Feb. 7, 1867 ‘Week ending Feb. 6, 1868 Week ending Jan. 29, 1850 ‘Week ending Feb. 6, 1869. ‘The nativity table gives 312 natives of the United States, 70 of Ireland, 25 of Germany, 5 of England, 4of Scotland, and the balance of various foreign ‘countries. In another part of this morning's Hear will be focnd some interesting and, we hope, not unpro- fituvle reading, under the leading head of “Four Chapters in the History of Criminal Love.” The first chapter points to the trial now pending in Chi. cago of Henri Jumperta, who is charged with the murder of Mrs. Soph Worner. The particulars will be recollected from the fact that the remains of the unfortunate woman were found in this city in o barrel, cut up and nicely packed, and in that man- 437 437 431 428 Asry: NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1859. ner had come by railroad from Chicago. Mrs. Wer- | will they admit of a stable government, through ner had deserted her husband, and for some time previous to the murder had been living with Jum- Pertz unlawfully. Chapter two refers to the Har- tung murder case, now on trial at Albany. Mrs. Mary Hartung had been led into the illicit embrace of @ male acquaintance; and*so strong did her love at last become for her paramour that, in order to rid herself of her husband, she administered to him Poison, and thus caused his death. Chapter three contains the particulars of the recent elopement and suicide case in Vermont. Mrs, Sanders, resid- ing comfortably in Springfield, a few days since eloped with 8 younger brother of her husband, was caught the following day, and, to hide their shame, both of the guilty parties, at the moment of their capture, swallowed strychnine. The brother died and the wife recovered. Chapter four refers to the celebrated elopement and defalcation of Harlow Case, Government Collector of Sandusky City, Ohio, which took place some twelve years ago. The accounts given of this affair are more thrilling than any tale of fiction which could be related. In each of the cases it will be noticed that the mar- riage covenant was broken by the woman. The examination of Carmina Biagi, who is charged with uttering debased five dollar ggid pieces, was resumed yesterday before Commissioner Bridgham. The history of this case has been already published. Dr. Kent, of the United States Assay office of New York, was examined, and testified that the coins were originally genuine, but had been debased by some illegal process, and about 5} or 6 grains of gold abstracted from each $5 gold piece. The ex- amination was adjourned to Monday. The sales of cotton yesterday wore conflued to about 500 » 600 ba‘es, chiefly in transitu. The market was un- settled, and dealers awaiting later foreign news. Flour closed rather firmer for common and medium brands, while other kinds were unchanged and sales moderate. Wheat was more armly held, and sales moderate, at rates. given in another place. Corn was in fair demand, and sales fair, at 793¢c. a 80c. for new white Jersey and South- ern, 80c. for yellow Jersey, and 80c. a 813¢c. for Southern do.; Western mixed was held at 87c. Pork was less buoyant, while sales of new mess were made at $18 50, of old at $18, and of prime at $13 60a $13 6234. Beof was steady. Lard was active and firm, including sales on the spot and to arrive at full prices. Sugars were firm, and the sales embraced about 1,100 a 1,200 bhds., with 60 melado, at full prices. Coffee was steady, with sales of about 1,600 bags of Rio, part at Lic. a 114¢c. Freight engagements were moderate, and rates without change of moment. The News from Mexico—What 1s to Become of that Republic?—The New Movements to Arizona and Southward. The condition of affairs in Mexico, as exhibit- ed in the news from that republic, shows that the onward course of anarchy there continues with- out check or change. Thisstate of things arises from several causes, in which all parties are as much implicated as any one of them. Firat stand the ambitious claims of many incompetent leaders, each of whom attains a little sectional influence, and then aims to rule the whole country, or to defend himeelf against others equally ambitious and in- competent. Then comes the church, the only remnant of conservative organization in the re- public, striving to maintain its vast hold upon the material and religious elements of the coun- try, against which the political adventurers on all sides preach a crussde of the reddest repub- licanism. Sympathising with the church as a conservative element stands the remnant of the old military organization, battling for its anti- quated privileges of special tribunals and a re- cognized superiority to the mass of s0- ciety, and slowly sinking in numbers through the ravages of battle. Then again stand out the men who In other days have been participants in the active labors of society, thelr sources of honest livelihood dried up by civil war, forced to take the road as banditti, or to plunder the country under any of the party cries that may serve their turn. And be- low all, the great mass of mixed races— Indians, negroes, mestizos, sambos, pintos, mulattoes, and twenty other castes—ignorant and brutal, who one day listen to the preachings of priestly fanaticism, and another to the radi- cal outgivings of red republicans on social equality, the wrongs of property, and the rights of man. These are the causes that have destroyed go- vernment in Mexico, broken up the bonds of so- ciety, andrendered not only a reconstruction of authority almost improbable, buta savage war of castes and races the most probable result of the present confusion. In the meantime, we are told that England and France have determined to make a forced demand on the impoverished constitutional government at Vera Cruz fora million of dollars, and to insist on the restora- tion of the old high tariff of import duties, a large portion of which is devoted to paying their subjects. Thisis nothing more than the pouncing of the buzzards of Europe upon the debris of the republic. Spain was to have been the tool in this movement, and begaa with the menacing of Tampico; but the President's message coused Spain to draw back, and look to her own affairs. Her preparations for inter- vention in Mexico were based on an intention to enforce the Spanish convention claims of 1853, and the Tampico affair was only a spirt that came up in the meanwhile. Now the Spanish Ministers announce to the Cortes that their dif- fienties with Mexico are settled, and Spanish honor vindicated. While these things are passing on the Guif shore of Mexico, another cloud is gathering in her northwestern skies. Mr. Buchanan saw it clearly, and recommended a temporary occu- pation of a portion of Chihuahua and Sonora, But Congress has refused to act on the wise recommendation of the President, and so the people are preparing to act. In the West, in Cincinnati and St. Louis and Memphis; in the East, in Boston and Providence and New York, Piiledelphia, Baltimore and Washington, and in the South, in New Orleans and Texas, prepara- tions for migrations are going on. The Laws, Colts, McCullochs, Sayles, Henningsens, and hundreds of others—men of money and men of muscle—are preparing to make Arizona the next great scene of speculation in lands, mines, town lots, new cities, rising States, immense railroads, and political and social gambling generally, A boundary line drawn with red ink on a map, stowed away in some dusty pigeon hole of the State Department, is the only barrier between these hardy pursuers of fame and fortune, and the rich placers and genial plains of Sonora and Chihuahua. A few Apaches now occupy them, with an occasional greaser ranch beyoud ; but, in the rapid and dusty march of the pioncers of our Pacific empire, who shall distinguish, at rifle shot distance, between a thieving Apache and an honest greaser ? Thus does Mexico hasten to her destiny. Civil war preying on her vitals, the navies of Europe blockading her ports, and the steady tread on her northern frontier of @ rough, hardy and practical civilization, that has no sympathy for priest or puritan, the church theories of the Middle Ages, or the red republicanism of to-day. We cannot annex her with her heterogeneous mass of mixed blood and discordant rages; nor our assistance, to what is sound and possessed of | vitality among her own. Piecemeal will she fall into the new social and political orgauiza- tion that will eventually bring her into the American Union. In endeavoring to re-establish the government of the church, the European Powers are only hastening this consumamation. ‘ene Religtous Movements of the Day. Whilst in the political world questions are in agitation which threaten to alter seriously its existing relations, but little heed is takea of the movements which are effecting such marked changes in public sentiment en religious mat- ters. And yet the revolutions in the one are no less pregnant with results than those of the other, or are more likely to exercise an enduring influence on the welfare and happiness of society, The contrast between the present position of the Romish church and that of the churohes aud sects opposed to it is one of the most significaut. evidences of this fact Whilst we find the ono gradually renoun:ing the practices which under- mined its strength, we behold the others plunging into the excesses which caused the weakness of the parent creed. Abandoning its dreams of universal domination, the Catholic churcu ia fast reverting to the primitive truths and moral and social teachings which Christ inculcated, and which for nearly three centuries formed the only canons of its faith. As the artificial system which priestly ambition and the thirst of power built up in its name is crumbling inte dust, the creed itself seems to be rising into nobler and more elevated proportions than it ever assumed in the plenitude of its temporal glories. It no longer, it is true, dictates terms to the monarchs of Christendom, but on the other hand it makes the vivifying influence of its faith felt in the remot- lest corners of the earth,! From the wildest regions of the Himalayas to the most inaccessible centres of Chinese exclusivencss, its teachings are already aiding the progress of Western ideas and civilization. Where the missionaries of other creeds wait until conquest bas opened a path for them, the untiring propagandists of the Romish faith have already occupied the ground. In short, nothing can surpass the persistent and self-sacrificing energy of the men whom it sends forth on this U mission of fraternal love. | Whaiever objections | may be taken “to its doctrines, nothing can be more admirable or perfect than the unity and discipline of the system by which they are diffused. When we turn to the countless sects into which Protestanism is divided, what do we be- hold? Dissension, jealousy, and the ever con- stant spread of the schismatic tendencies which have split them up into so many fanciful com- plexions., Bitter against the Catholic church for its alleged greediness of temporal advantages, and bitter against each other, they one and all exhibit a similar hungering after the loaves and fishes.) In Great Britain we find Episcopacy revelling in sensual enjoyments and c: with the aristocracy in ostentation, whilst the masees are left to grovel in spiritual degra- dation and ignorance. Take the agricultural and manufweturing counties of England for example, and we question whether, all the world over, there can be found a more bet unintelligent or irreligous population.’ In this country Protestantism has diverged into other and still more curious phases. There being no religious ascendency or exclusive political bene- fits to fight for, it has lost the power of cohesion. which it possessed from these causes, and is fast breaking up its already innumerable classifica- tions into smaller divisions, some of them bordering on rank rebellion to Christianity. In New England this is more particularly the case; for to that section of the Union we owe most of the “isms” which form the curse and scourge of ourcommunity. Socialism, spiritualism, freelove- ism, and the other abominable doctrines which have led astray such numbers of our population, all spring from tbat fecund source of corraption.: To the Puritanism, in short, which tabooed all the rational enjoyments of life in that section of the country, have succeeded the wildest excesses of reaction! It is the nature of man te rebel againet despotic restrictions upon his mental as well as his physical liberty, and it is therefore not to he wondered at that the New England States should have turned out some of the most accom- plished specimens of the religious reprobate which it Las fallen to the lot of any community to produce, As religious rascality loves to adhere to the formsin which it has developed itself, many of these have consistently become the apostles of the new creeds. ¢: It is remarkable that whilst the Puritans of New England have furnished a large majority of the Mormon and Spiritualist disciples, there are comparatively few tobe found amongst them from those sections of the country in which more rational ideas of religion are entertained. Still more singular is the fact that the same discre- pancy is to be observed in the statistics of social offences, The most serious crimes against the public morals are those which are committed under the unbending rule and rigorous Sabbata- rian observances of the godly-minded elders of the Eastern congregations, In proportion to the purity of the atmosphere, we suppose, does the sin smell rank. | With this tendency towards change and indif- ference to public opinion, which are manifesting themselves amongst the Protestant sects of this country, itis clear that they will not belong able to maintain themselves against the reform- ed dispositions and increased activity of the Catholic church, headed, as it is, by such able propagandists and hard workers as Archbishop Hughes, If, instead of passing continually from the extremes of asceticism and intolerance to those of infidelity and libertinism, and back again, they were to pursue an even and rational course of conduct, infringing no rights of individual liberty by their despotism, and shocking no notions of conventional decency by their sexual antics, they might hope to hold thelr own. No creed can, now-a-days, maintain ite in- fluence over the popular mind which exhibits these singular divergences, The spread of education and the decline of priesteraft have de fined eo exactly the limits between real and artl- ficial religion that it is impossible any longer to persuade people that God intended men to be mere automatons, to be moved at the beck of creatures like themselves, With all the arbitrarl- nese attributed to it, the Romish church never pushed matters to this extreme point. Oontent with exacting a strict compRance with its ob- servances, it has rarcly shown itself an enemy to innocent and rational enjoyments. The conse quence fs that it possesses the same hold over the affections which it has over the obedience of ite members. Not so with the bigots and fanatios of our New England conventicles, In their anxiety to avoid the devil they are rushing straight into bjs arms, is ' Operations of the Patent Ofice—Yankee In- genaity—Novel Inventions, We are constantly recelving communications about new and curious inventions, and yesterday we received one from Little Falla, Minnesota, offering to public notice, through our columns, the newext and most curious we bave yet heard of. | It is nothing less than an invention “ to prevent hereafter ull body-stealing from graves.” The idea was suggested, the writer says, by reading in the Heratp an article in relation to stealing dead bodies for dissection from a graveyard near Troy, in this State. He might have also read in the same paper accounts of body-stealing in this city and its vicinity, and no doubt the practice prevails more or less all over the country. It is asubject on which many of our readers are very sensitive, regarding with horror the disturbance of the last resting-place of the remains of their nearest and dearest relatives. The metbod of our correspondent is certainly novel and ingenious, though he does not unfold ‘he full details co as to enable us to form a cor- rect judgment as to its practicability, but says be is prepared to furnish any peraon applying to bim witb al) necessary information, and a coffin, after hig pattern, can be made in any part of the country. His plan, as far ashe haa revealed it, is this: “He arranges in the coffin a battery, ontaining a large quantity of gunpowder, fixed in such a manner that when any attempt ia made to open it an explosion will take place sufficient to blow one hundred resurrectionists high in air. Thus it will hereafter be impossible to open a coffin of his construction for the purpose of stealing a body therefrom without those en- gaged in the attempt being killed.” Another communication was received at the same time from Cleveland, Ohio, describ- ing an improvement in the manufacture of bread, which is the staff of lile, and on the wholesome nature of which so much depends for the health of the community. It is found by experience that good Graham bread—that is, bread made of the whole wheat, without separat- ing the bran from it—is more healthfal than that made of fine flour. Such communications as these are daily coming in to us, and scarcely a week passes that we do not receive three or four calls from inventors, with their new inventions under their arms, desiring to show us what they have accomplished ; and in connection with this, we have just seen a table of the operations of the Patent Office to December 31, 1858. Annexed are the facts :-— Applications for patents during 1858,..........+++. 5,364 Patents granted (including designs, re-issues, and ene , 043 ' additional improvements. Caveats filed..... Applications for ¢: Patenta extended... Patents expired Decet The following were the patents granted To citizens of the United States. To subjects of Great Britain. ‘To subjects of the French em| To subjects of other foreign governm« The active, busy brain of this republic is ever teeming with inventions. No country on the face of the earth gives birth so many. The reports ot the Patent Office prove this. More patents are granted in one month in the United States than in England in the co: of a whole year. Whether this arises from tyight, dry climate, which is more stimulating fhfh the dq, foggy atmosphere of John Bull, or from the Sa- perior intelligence and education of the mass of the people, or from the freedom of our institu- tions, which develope each man’s individuality more than in other nations, or from necessity, which issaid to be “the mother of invention,” or from all these causes together, the fact itself is sufficiently palpable to be placed beyond dis- pute. The American inventions are remarkable, not only for their multitudinous variety, but for their utility, ingenuity and curious nature. If ‘ny person goes into a store where they sell “Yankee notions,” he will find patent apple- parers, patent apple-slicers and corers, fly- traps, traps for cockroaches, bugs, rats and other vermin; a patent hen’s nest, and an instrument for detecting bad eggs with- out breaking them, called an “oonoscope” or “egg-detector,” warranted to be “infallible,” an “incomparable egg-beater,” “ washing-boards,” and “washing machines,” “ patent corkscrews,” “universal feed cutters,” “patent faucets,” “patent wrenches,” “Boston white and black shoe varnish,” “carpet sweepers,’ “Boston black gloss varnish,” “Boston dressing black- ing,” “celebrated furniture polish,” “liquid stove lustre,” ‘patent self-acting ashes sifter,” by which fuel and labor are saved, to- gether with other articles of the same kind— many with very queer names, and the whole too numerous to mention. Need we mention Con- necticut clocks, whose combined cheapness and superiority have found markets for them all over Europe, and, indeed, in every part of the globe? In agricultural implements, in mechanics’ tools, and in labor-saving and time-saving machines of all kinds, American invention stands pre-eminent. At the head of these may be placed the steamboat and the mag- netic telegraph. And here we may mention, by way of parenthesis, that all the telegraphic sys- tems in operation throughout the world are American inventions; and recently, when it was found by the government of Louis Napoleon that a patent could not be legally granted to Mr. Morse in France, the Emperor, in order to meet the equity of the case, ar- ranged with the other Powers that a donation of $80,000 be presented to the inventor of the telegraph. But Americans are not satisfied with even the speed of the telegraph and the steamboat; for now we are told there is a flying-machine in progress of construction, and almost ready to wing its way to Europe. We hope the fate of the voyagers will not be like that of Icarus. Action and speed are the great characteristics of an American. He does every- thing quick, and he makes a pleasure of the toil of business, Yet he prefers to work with his head rather than his hands. Curiosity and in- quisitivencss are highly characteristic, An Eng- lishmen purchases a clock or a watch, and uses it, but never troubles himself about its springs or wheels, or the principles upon which it is con- structed. But the moment a Yankee gets hold of anything of this kind he is determined to penetrate “the heart of its mystery,” and acts his wits to work to discover its defects, and to see how he can improve upon it. Ilis motto fs that of the State of New York—“Excelsior.” By the system of division of labor and deficiency of education for the industrial classes, an Matish mechanic rarely excels in making more than a portion of a piece of mechanism—he is as igno- rant of the rest of the machine as any other man. Not so an American, who makes the whole article, and not only understands what he makos himself, but almost everything lee that otbor mechanics and machinists construct. Hence, when he goes to the backwoods he can do every- thing for himself, even to the building of his own Ege house. His knowledge is all of the praotical, ueeful kind, and his inventions for the most part partake of the same character, Tae Miniria Law Nuwancx—Wuers Doxs tae Money Got—The manner in which the mil- tia law has been carried out in this city for many years is caloulated to convert that necessary and proper portion of our legislation into » mere farce ; and, indeed, iu many respects it has be- Come a nuisance, It is essential to the proper defence of the State, and in accordance with the spirit of our institutions, that the male popula- tion of » proper age to serve should ooatribute to strengthon the State forces by a small contri- bution, merely suffloient to insure an enrol- ment of some kind, and it was with this view partly the militia law of April 17, 1854, was framed. By the provisions of this law persons liable to serve are bound to either appear at “company parade,” as it is called, on the 14th of October in each year, or to pay @ commutation tax of seventy-five cents to the Receiver of Taxes. Failing to do this the law imposes a fine of three dollars on the delinquent party, and it is in the attempt to collect these flnes that our citi- zens are continually subjected to annoyance at the hands of the apparently irresponsible partics calling themselves a “court martial,” who often hold their “court” in some filthy den or grog shop, between the hours of seven and ten o'clock at night, where few decent people would like to venture to save double or treble the fine. This irresponsible and raggamuffin “court” summons persons to appear to defend themselves, and issues warrants, year after year, indiscriminately toparties who have paid the commutation tax, or who are not liable to military duty by reason of their age, profession, or other causes, for which the law holds them exempt. It would be interesting to know where the moneys collected by these courts go to. The law provides that they shall be paid to the county treasurer, and the amount vouched for upon oath. How much of it is so paid in, and how much is invested in oyster suppers to comfort the inner men of the “ Qvurt Martial,” isa question which should be answer- ed for the satisfuction of the people. The com- mutation tax is duly received by the Receiver of Taxes, and by him handed over for the main- tenance of the uniformed militia, in accordance with the provisions of the law. Last year that tax, as we learn from the Tax Receiver, awounted to $7,200. The amount collected for fines and extorted by the threatening summons aforesaid is probably more than double that—not one- fourth of which, if any at all, is probably ac- counted for. We repeat, the militia law, as now pretended to be enforced in this city, isa great nuisance, and the Legislature should at once amend it so as to make it effective for good, and at the same time protect the citizens from the annoyance and extortions ofa set of harpies, who, if report speaks true, apply all the fines they can lay hold of to purposes of gorging and guzzling, and not to the uses of the State. Rea Estate Specunation—THe Natvrat Laws or Heauru.—There isa vast amount of |. Speculation going on in this city in real estate, particularly around the Central Park. But there is no judgment whatever displayed by the speculators. Building lots in Madison square, and other localities where the ground is artifi- cial or “ made” over water which has never been drained, have the same marketable value as lots situated on the healthy eminences of natural ground, where the soil is solid and dry. When we take the item of human life into the account, the one set of lots is not half so valuable as the other; yet from utter ignorance or a reckless dis- regard of the natural laws of health, both com- mand the same prices. The vicinity of the lower end of the Central Park, which is saturated with water and extremely unhealthy, is more greedily sought after than the high and dry ground of the upper end of the Park— the portion which has been added, and which is entirely superior to the lower end, not only in point of health, but in the beauty of the situation. Lots at Harlem, too, where there is so much of fever and ague, are pur- chased at rates for which the healthiest sites could be secured. This is ridiculous, and shows a great want of judgment, or an insensibility to the value of human health and life. The three most healthy spots between Harlem and the Battery are, first, the elevated portion of Fulton street, where it intersects Nassau street and Broadway; second, Union square; and third, Murray Hill. Beyond Harlem and Manhattan- ville, but in the direction of the Hudson, is the most healthy region in the entire city and county of New York—the Fort Washington Ridge— which will be covered with villas so soon as its value and importance are appreciated. The scenery is the most picturesque to be found in the neighborhood of any city in the world; so that for health, beauty of landscape, and easy acceas to the business part of New York, it is the most desirable situation for a suburb, either on this continent or in Europe; and in a few years it is destined to be the most beautiful combination of nature and art ever seen, surpassing the environs of every other city on the globe, not excepting the Richmond Hill of London, the St. Cloud of Paris, the Fiesole of Florence, or the Posilippo and Capo Coroglio of Naples, whose celebrated bay, the finest in Europe, is not superior to that of New York in natural beauty, while it is in- comparably inferior in its exhibition of those graceful and grand creations of art, which, ar- rayed in snow white robes, “walk the waters as things of life,” and, blending the useful with the agreeable, the wealth of commerce with sym- metry of form and poetry of motion, add new interest and animation to the scene. Many Americans cross the Atlantic to feast their eyes on the scenery which surrounds the most dis- tinguished cities of Europe, and clothes the banks of its most famous rivers, while they overlook and neglect the charms of surpassing beauty at home, Tux Howesteap Brut.—There appears to be a prospect that the free farm or Homestead bill, which has passed the House, may, in some shape or other, pass the Senate during the present ses- sion. This is an agrarian measure; but os a choice between the expedient of squandering the public lands in small doses among actual set- tlers, and the policy of granting them by millions of acres in a single lobby job to railroad specula- tors, the homeeopathic system is, perhaps, a measure of reform. But it is only o half way. measure of Congresstonal philanthropy. To render it accessible to a large proportion of the population of this city, for example, it will be necessary to open the Sub-Treasury, and let all our candidates for squatters’ rights have the right also, say to a quart measure of gold coin, for transportation expenses, Next, to give all needy and empty banded an equal chance, bow ‘would it do to open the doors of our erowded State prisons and let those birds of prey thereim, confined loose upon the world again, on the om dition of accepting and cultivating a free farmt The subject is very broad and comprebensives for this Homestead bill only breaks the shell of the new line of governmental policy it involves, It is @ line of policy which can be perfected only in an equal division of everything to everybody every Saturday night; but the practical begin ning of such & work is something, and this Homestead bill is ® practical beginnins, Cuevarser Forney Sri. Howiino.—Cheva- lier Forney is ont with another bulletin or twe against the Washington lobby jobbers and their plundering operations, and against “the cobblers of the finances and corrupters of the administra- tion.” The truth of the matter {s, however, that Forney, after the glorious times which he has heretofore enjoyed inside the kitchen, will never be content while he is kept sucking bis thumbs outside the kitchen. Under poor Pieroe’s be- neficent administration, Forney, as the chief cook and bottle washer, revelled and waxed fat on the good things of the kitchen, and his perquisites from the tubs of grease, marrow bones and other odds and ends of the larder and wine cellar, yielded him dividends, by the month, which would have been considered worth pocketing even by the extravagant and high priced Chevalier Webb. With the election of Mr. Buchanan Forney, fat and flourishing, aspired to something higher than the run of the kitchen. He aspired to a place in the Cabinet, and, on appealing to us to help him, we generously seconded his proposition for the respectable and responsible office of Post- master General. But the President, knowing good deal more of Forney than we could tell im, was not inclined to pay eo dearly for this whistle ag the price demanded; and from that point we may date the rebellion and the igno- minious fall from grace and place of poor Forney. And yet, notwithstanding all his ingratitude, and all his follies and aber- rations, our bowels of compassion are moved in thinking of the present deplora- ble condition of poor Forney. Accordingly, if the President could quietly slip him into the kitchen again, upon the simple condition of good behaviour, we should have no objection. Should there be no vacancy for an extra cook, perhapa the office of bootblack for a month or two would prove acceptable. In default of some share of the crumbs and fragments from the’general feast on the federal loaves and fishes, we fear that a charitable subscription or some lunatic asylum will be the only remaining expedient of relief for poor Forney. ConornssionaL Investigations. — Investigat- ing committees, within the last four or five years, have become as common at Washington ag in the affairs of our city Corporation. Nor do we suppose that upon the question of morality there is a pin to choose between the spoils cor- ruptions of the Washington lobby and the spolia- tions of our municipal land and water sharks. ‘The two most conspicuous subjects of lobby job- bing now, each in the crucible of an investigat- ing committee of Congress, are the public print- ing, and certain contracts, &c., of the Navy De- partment. With regard to the printing, Mr. Sea- man, the former superintendent, it appears, has been subjected to an overhauling, which promises some very curious and interesting disclosures; and with regard to the navy jobs under examina- tion equally remarkable revelations are pro- mised, especially concerning the fat jobs and pickings of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Very well. Let the committees charged with these investigations do their best. They may not be able to restore anything in the premises that has been abstracted from the pockets of the people or the Treasury, but they will contribute some- thing to confirm the suspicions of the country of the debasing and demoralizing tendencies, among all parties, of that modern third estate of the go- vernment, the lobby. The Galphin claim put this ball in motion; but the splendid success of that most barefuced, astounding and stupendous swindle, the Gardner claim, firmly established the lobby in Washington, and paved the way for all its subsequent spoliations and experiments of plunder. But if these lobby corruptions have now gone too far to be arrested, let them at least be expoeed, and so let the committees in ques- tion push through their inquiries and make their reports, Progress or Cationic Lrrerature.—The new Catholic organ of this metropolis is going ahead with rapid strides. Of the first number 7,500 copies found a ready sale, and it was ne- cessary to print a large additional impression to meet the demand. We believe 10,000 copies have been printed of the second number, which well sustains the interest of the first, It has fairly got the inside of the track from the Free- man’s Journal, and will very soon drive it hors de combat. The Abbe McMasters might as well give up at once, and return to the religion of his fathers, which he has abandoned. Let him do this, and let him behave for a while like a gen- tleman, if that is possible for him, and we will recommend him to the President for a foreign mission. Let him go back to the orthodox Presbyterian fuith of his youth, which he derived from his parents in the North of Ire- land, where it almost exclusively prevails. McMasters was never intended to be a Catholic, does not look like one, and we are confident he is not, A Catholic is a good-natured, jovial, happy looking person. A Presbyterian of the good old echool is stiff-necked, grim and sour— a description which answers exactly to the long- visaged, long-eared Abbe, who, with a spice of the devil added, is a type of John Knox, having a claymore in one hand and “ the Solemn League and Covenant ” {n the other; or isa sample of a veritable knight errant, like Sir Hudibras, of whom it is sald or sung :-— Mighty he was at both of theao, And styled of war as well as peace. So some rate of amphibious nature Aro eithor for the land or water. Ses ati coh Sa Ho was in logic a great critic, i Profoundly skilled in Analytic ; Ho could distinguish and divide Confute, change hande, and stilt confute. Let McMasters make a full recantation of the “errors of Popery,” in which he does not belicve— Jet him relinquish his dalliance with the “scarlet whore of Babylon,” and thus place himself in a position tobe sent to the Eternal City to watch and report the doings of the Pope for the infor+ mation and benefit of the government, the Con- gress, and people of the United States, Let bin do thfs, and we will recommend him to Mr, Bu- chanan 9s Charge d’Affaires to Rome, hoping that the recommendation will meet with better sno cess than that which we gave the Chevalier For. bey for the consulate of Liverpool. - =