The New York Herald Newspaper, February 14, 1859, Page 4

4 _— NEW YORK HERALD. | JAMES GORDON BENNETT, OFFICE N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. (s in advance. Money sent by mail will be at the cn a vnder.” Domige ange wat ‘aa subscription money THE DAILY HERALD, too cone per copy, St per annum y WEEKLY HERALD. at. xix cents pony $3 per annwn; penn Edition every Welnesday ‘enc cents per copy, $1 per annum to any part of Great Britvin, SPS crams) part OF the, Continent, both to inclusls postage; the California "dition on the Sth and 2h of euch month, at six conte copy Linc annum. PoHE ‘eon Y HERALD, every Wednesday, af four cents per copy or $2 per annum. 7 IRRESPONDENCE, containing important p's NEARY Co ‘any quarter of Copa 74 tiberall id ‘OUR FOREIGN COBRESPONDBNTS 4K Pacncccsue Ruger to Seat aus areas ASD PACK: ENT US. A OF NOTICE taken of anonymous correspondence. We do not return rejected communications. Volume XXIV.. AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. BROADWAY THRATRE, Broadway.—VuLaGeRns—Aven- Gex- Kiss wy the Dark. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—Cincos Perroruances— Traiven Horses. Moines, &c. BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Gio, tuk Auwoaek OF Our Federal Expenditures—The Question of Retrenchment and Reform. We transfer to this paper a leading article from the Washington Union on “the Public Ex- penditures,” and another from the same journal on “the Mormons, the War and the Army Con- tractors.” The first embraces some usef 1] sta- tistics: but the second, ia answer to the opinions of the New York Hxeranp, concerning “the in- trigues of army contractors,” in the creation of these Mormon and Indian wars, is a somewhat vague and unsatisfactory explanation. According to the last annual report of the Secretary of War, the expenses for the fiscal year of the Quartermaster’s department amount to the round sum of ten millions of dollars, the bulk of it chargeable to the Mormon rebellion. It ap- pears that “when the government determined to adopt measures to enforce the laws in Utah, an- ticipating a large increase of transportation over the Plains, it advertised for proposals in the usual sty, and took special pains to invite various parties to put in bids to do the work required.” Tyne—Eron Bor—Turnsse. Broadway—Ovr FawaLe DENER. BURTON'S NEW THE. Amenican Cousix—Kixa’s WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway—Tux Veteran; oR, FRANCE AND ALGERIA, LAURA ERENR'S THEA’ Auexican Cousin—Litrie 8. No, 624 Broadway.—Our ie. PS AMERICAN MUSEUM, Brondway.—After- oot taf Hteniog’-Nuuno MistrmeisY--Ccmvoatries ke. WOOD'S MINSTREL. BUILD (NG, 561 and $63 Broaiway— Brmoriax Sones, Paxces, Mystic Srnut. BRYANTS' MINSTRELS, MECHANICS’ HALL, 427 Broad- wayehuano Songs axv RuxLesques—Wine AWaxx. “New York, Mon ‘The News. Neither of the European steamers due at Port- land and Ral had been heard of up toa late hour last night. The steamship Tent en the 9th instant, has arrived at New Orleans with important news from Mexico. Zuloaga abdi- tated the Presidency on the 2d instant in fi t Uiramon. The latter immediately on assu power arrested all the political prisoners liber by Robles, turned adrift all the officers who took partin the deposition of Znloaga, suppressed the forced loan ordered by Roble ym: menced preparations to march ag tionalists at Vera Cruz with a force of five thousand men. Meantime, it is reported that Degollado was threatening the capital with an army of three thou- sand troops, At Vera Cruz the constitutional government had succumbed to the menaces of the French and ish squadrons. The high tariff was to be re: forthwith, three-fourths of the proceeds of which is secured to England and France. The American Consul had promptly pro- tested against their proceedings. There was sn enthusiastic celebration at Wash ington on Saturday evening on the occasion of the passage of the bill in the House admitting Oregon into the Union. The President aud Vice President, and all the prominent supporters of the measure i Congress, were complimented with a serenade. The President and Vice President, in response to the calls of the multitude, made pertinent speeches, and Mr. Breckinridge expressed himself in the strongest terms in favor of the acquisition of Cuba. In the cases of Day against Cary, Howard & Sangers, and several others, we publish to-day a brief epitome of the opinion of Judge Ingersoll, of the United States Circuit Court. The Judge de- cides that Day has no right whatever to make, use, sell or apply Goodyear’s invention of vulcanized rubber for the manufacture of other than the * shirred or corrugated goods,” or to grant licenses for other than the same shirred or corrugated goods. The exciusive title to all other elastic rub- ber goods, except as to suspenders, is vested in Mr. Williaa Judson, Mr. Goodyear's attorney and counsel. By the arrival of the Empire City at New Orleans we have advices fram Havana to the %th t. ‘There was no political news of interest. Sugars were firm—stock 65,000 boxes. The Church of the Puritans was crowded to cess last evening by a fashionable audience to hoar Dr. Cheever's #econd discourse on the slave <ys tem as affecting the welfare of the nation. We supply an abbreviated report in another column. The annexed table shows the temperature of the atmosphere in this city during the past week, the ge of the barometer and thermometer, the aviation of wind currents, and the state of the weather at three periods duringeach day, viz: at 9AM 3and 9 o'clock P. M.:— 94 ML ch left Vera Cruz spas ay fo sho Wed...) 9.30.17 /36)N- ‘Thur. [10/30 05/30|N. W. Fri... !11 30 72/25| 8. W Sat... )12/50.53/28)8. B KEMARKS. Satorday—Ciear all day. Sunday~Morning, overcast; 10, and continued all day. Monday—Clear all day. Tuceday—Overcast ali day Weonerday—Overenst alt Morning, cloudy "4 Ms commenced snowing t, rain. abt, rain. fternoon, clear and cold; Friday—Morning, cloudy; snow during evening and ight. ‘Saturday—Morning, overcast, with light snow, The sales of cotton on Satarday were confined to about 600 4 600 bales. Dealers were more disposed to await the receipt of later foreign news from Europe, We continue to quote middJing uplands at 11$fc. a 11%c., the latter figure, however, being more or less nominal. Holders were not offering any fine cottons of moment. Flour was firmer, and clowed at an advance of 5c. a 10c., and in come cases rather more, with a fair demand for domestic con- sumption and speculation. Wheat was held above the views of buyers, which checked sales. The transactions toade were at steady prices. Corn wns unchanged, and sales limited, Pork wag firmer, with sales of new mess at $15 50 $18 6234, old do, $18 123¢, and prime at $13 6234 » $13 75. Sugare were quiet and eales limited, ‘though at steady prices. Coffee was inactive, and sales trifling. Freight engagements were moderate and rates unchanged. The tea gale held yesterday drew a good and spirited company, and the whole catalogue was pretty well sold out, and at an advance for both the green and blacks over previous rales. Tue Ricumonn Question.—The Exquner on tue Cura Richmond nguirer, the do- voted organ of the democratic principles of | Governor Wise, keeps up a raking fire on the Cuba Thirty Million bill, One of the writers for said paper, at the close of a late article on the Cuba question, marked “No. 3,” cays: —“My mind is impressed with the sincerest conviction that the whole scheme, both in its objects and its means, is fraught with error and mischief.” Let us wait a few days, and perhaps there may be a change in this music. The Enguirer bas some- what contemptuonsly repudiated the leading recommendations of the President's message, in- eluding those in reference to the Pacific Rail- road, a revenue tariff, a general bankrupt law, Mexico, Central America and Cuba. But shonld a democratic Congress lead off with this Thirty Million bill, Governor Wise inay, perhaps, dis- cover that the Presidential road to Charleston js by way of Cuba. But will not this discovery thus be too late? Let the Governor be careful, at all events, lest he may wander 0 far from the track as to be unable to reach the train in sea- 60n when the bell rings. Dut no volunteers could be found willing to un- cdertake this service, requiring an outlay of two millions of dollars. And so “the department closed an agreement with Messrs. Russell, Ma- iors and Waddell, the old contractors, at rate: which were deemed fair and just to all parties.” Weare further told that “their outlays have mense, and their profits, it is believed, not larger than what justice and fair dealing would have awarded them.” This may be so, We do not pretend to deny But we should have been better satisfied with some of the figures of th penditures made by these contractors vis-i-vis with their ills against the department. Without, how- ever, implicating these contractors or any other portics specifically in our original opinion, we here repeat it, that this Mormon war, and all our frovtier Indian wars, have, to a great extent, wou instigated by the intrigues of contractors, obbers, speculators, lobby operators and needy politicians. From these sources of frontier in- fon, we apprehend, the War Department was drawn into a more formidable military movement against the Mormons than would have licen attempted had al) the facts been known in season concerning the defeuceless coudition of Brigbam Young. Next, we should like to know it, how many additional thousands or millions of transportation were required in consequence of (bat mistake of the contractors in sending on ue supplies of Geu. Johnston's corps in advance of the troops. Those supplies, we know, were thus sei ade pd by a few prowling Mormons and . Jobnston all winter at Fort Bridger, when (he middle ot November should have found bim ult Lake City. But, as the contractors and the department eballenge the scrutiny of Congress upon this whole subject, and as there is evidently a fine inargin in the gross expenses of the army for re- trepchment, we trust that this most expensive item of transportation will be sifted pretty thoroughly. The Secretary’s estimates for the military service for the ensuing fiscal year amount to eighteen millions of dollars. But, con- sidering that the Oregon Indian war is ended, and that one thousand men are fully competent to keep the Mormons in order, it strikes us that this aggregate of eighteen millions for the en- suing year might be judiciously cut down to ten or twelve millions. We dare say that the sub- sistence of every soldier in Utah and Oregon costs the department as much as if he were boarded at any of our first class New York hotels. At this rate, as far as practicable, it is the manifest policy of the government to bring the troops near their supplies, instead of trans- porting their supplies a thousand, fifteen hundred | or two thousand miles over inhospitable deserts and mountains. With regard to other retrenchments, we think that in the expenses of Congress, (including an important item omitted hy the Union—the public printing,) and in the reorganization of the eral executive departments, and in various contingent and miscellaneous expenditures, ju- dicious savings might be effected, which, in- cluding the indicated army retrenchments, would present an aggregate of fifteen millions less than the total estimates of the heads of the several executive departments for the ensuing fiscal year. But here the question recurs: What are the chances for these or avy retrenchmenta from this Congress? The prospect is dubious; but, considering the intense opposition of the South- ern Gemocracy to any practical tariff scheme for replenishing the treasury, they have no other alternative before them than the reduction of its expenditures. We fear, however, from the Presidential divisions of the democracy and of the opposition upon every important question, and from the pressure of the heavy business of the session at the eleventh hour, that this Con- gress will adjourn with®ut providing the needed relief to the treasury, either by retrenchinents or increased receipts, In this event, the whole duty of inaugurating a new epoch of retrenchment and reform will devolve upon the President ; but, fortunately, he possesses the power to make the movement practical and effective, The programme we have already fore- thadowed. It is simply a reconstruction of his Cabinet and of the whole personnel of every de- partment, from Washington to the extremities of the Union; the call of an extra session of the new Congress, and the submission to it of his new sppointments and his new policy of re- trenchments, as embodied ia a special message, and in the new arrangements and estimates of the heads of the executive departments. Thus, in default of any satisfactory financial ways and means from this Congress, a grand coup Wéiat, comprebending a wholesome revolution of re- | form, is within the power and the discretion of Mr. Buchanan. Should the exigency require it, | nothing would contribute ¢o much to the glory | of his edministration, and the defeat and confu- sion of the disorganizing politicians of the day as (he bold and fearless exercise of this power and this discretion to the fullest extent of re- trenchment and reform, Tne ApMIssion or Onncon.—By the action o the House of Representatives at Washington, on Saturday, on the Senate bill for the admission of Oregon, that Territory has taken its place us a sovercign State inthe American Confederacy, making the thirty-third State in the Union. Ra- pidly and steadily the extent of our dominion grows, adding to the moral power and material proeperity of the nation. We now count under rignty of the people thirty-three States, five Territories, and the District of Columbia, while three new Territories are at this time in progress of organization, and will ere long be defined and admitted—namely, Dacotwh, Ariz na aud Jefferson, Within a few years the Terri- tories of Oregon, Washington, Utab, New Mex- ihe sove roy ed—a loss which caused the detention of NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1859. Zé t ico, Kansas and Nebraska were organized. | Meanwhile California, our first State on the west- | ern coast of the continent, was established, and now Oregon, seated in queenly pride on the shores of the Pacific, bas entered into the sister- | hood of States, In the natural order of things, and in obedience to the law of progress s0 em- phatically developed on this continent, the others will soon follow her example. When this shall be accomplished, and the Territories of Daco- tab, Jefferson and Arizona are added to the Union, we shall have to alter the national ensign to em- brace them ell in one constellation, either by making our dag larger or by reducing the size of the stars, It will require a large ficld to ne- comn.odate forty-two stars of such magnitude as the Stutes of the American Republic. Meantime, welcome to Oregon! The News from Mexico—Instalation of Mira- mon as President, The news from Mexico received by the ‘Teunessee, and published yesterday, is of a bigbly important character. As we expected, the husband of the spirited lady who de vlared that her General should be President, or that she would not be Madame Miramon, has fultiled the conditions of her domestic pro- gtawme, He bas compelled Zuloaga to abdicate i favor, dismissed all the officers engaged in dcposing’ that personage on the former occasion, and re-arrested all the political prisovers libe- rated by Robles, He has also suppressed the freed Joan of a million decreed by the latter, and is about to march on Vera Craz with a force of tive ‘bonsund men, leaving Zuloaga to act as ad iaterim President during his abseuce. On the other hand we learn that Miramon’s brother had been deteated at Zncatecas, that Degollado was threateniny the capital with a re-organized force of four thousond troops, and that the ca, ture of Jan by the liberals is confirmed. The most important feature of the whole, however, is the fact that the communders of the French avd Uuglich fleets had succeeded in enforcing their demands at Vera Cruz, The high system of dutes was to be restored forthwith, nd two-thirds of the revenue secured to igland and France. The American Con sul stated to have promptly protested agains this interference, and it is added that Ju was greatly embarrassed by it. It will be seen from the above that the chaotic aspect «f political affairs ‘n the interjor, which for some months past has almost defied all at- tempts at speculation, is beginning to assume something of a more definite character. There can be no mistake as to the objects and purposes of Miramon’s assuyption of power. It was sup- posed that he would postpone this mov tilt after he had taken Vera Cruz ; but t a failure in that attempt, and not fe that Zuloaga could sustain bis party in his ab- sence, Miramon undoubtedly considered that the time for this coup d'état had arrived. The fact of his assuming the supreme power cuts away all chances of a compromise be- tween the two great parties which are now struggling for ascendency. To show the precise position which the new President occupies in re- gurd to his party, as well as to his political oppo- nents, we will briefly recapitulate the conditions of his manifesto issued at Gau- dalajara on the Ist of January last. In ibis document he declares himself opposed to calling together the liberal Congress that was dispersed by the Zuloaga revolution; in favor of the military and ecclesiastical fueros, by which military and clerical onvnders are held responsi- bie only to their own special tribunals; in favor of the abolition of the law which taxes the emolu- ments of the clergy; against religious toleration; against the law of registration and the. law abol- ishing morimain. ‘This programme contemplates nothing short of the complete annihilation of the liberal party, and the establishment of a despotisin as bad as that which existed under Santa Anna, It shows that the church party, like the Bourbons, have learned nothing from the past, and that their insolence will always rise with their hopes. Having got hold of Miramon, a man who has es tablished a military reputation more by his reck- leseness than his judgment, and whose personal popularity with bis troops leads them to infer in him the qualities of a great military leader, they thiuk that the banner of the church thus borne cannot fail to conduct them to victory. They forget, however, that to counter- balance these supposed advantages, their cham- pion is only twenty-seven years of age; tbat he is rash, impulsi headstrong and tyran- nicel, nd that his personal ambition is capable of carrying him to any extremes, He is, there- fore, evidently not the man to restore the fallen fortunes of the church, nor to inspire confidence in those more rational minded advocates of its interests, who look upon prudent compromises as the only means of preserving them from ruin, To the liberals the election of Miramon is far more pregnant with hope. It will not only drive into their ranks most of those who are vacillating between the two parties, but it will improve their cause abroad. None of the foreign governments which have pecuniary claims against Mexico can regard their liquida- tion as probable under a high church adminis tration. They have had sufiicient experience of the faithleseness and corruption of this party to know that with them the credit and honor of the country are but secondary considerations to the advancement of their own personal interests, The constitutionalists have, on the con- trary, thus fur shown every disposition fo meet, as far as Jay in their power, the claims of the public creditor, and therefore are entitled to such sympathy and moral support as can be rendered them from outside, The fact that Juarez has acceded to the de- mands of the French and English navalcom- manders at Vera Cruz shows that we have been over punctilious about taking advan- tage of the weakness of the Mexican autho- rities, and have thereby let slip the Oppor- tunity of securing the indemnification of our own claims. Spain first, and then France and Eng- land, have not ecrupled to act with energy in the matter, notwithstanding the express declarations to the contrary which Lord Malmesbury made to Mr. Dallas Jast November ; and by this virtual recognition of the government of Juarez, these European Powers bave given countenance and strength to the cause of the constitutionalists, Now what does this intelligence by the Ten- nessee teach us? The United States should at once recognise the Juarez government; the House Committee on Military Affairs should immediately reverse its silly decision in opposition to the recommen dations of Mr. Buchanan for the military oceu- pation of Sonora and Chihnahua; our Squadron in the Mexican waters should be increased; our rights should be maintained even to the block- ade of all the gulf ports, aud, in the event of the overthrow of the Mberal party, they should be | ory reson. the botels have rather the beat of occupied until Mexico establiches a firm and | it, ‘(he srée recepsion being an informal jam, lasting government and satisfies all our claims. | t re are only refreshments, which are generally When other governments are securing the set- | not over refceching; but the liberal hotel pro- tlement of their claims we cannot be accused of | p ictors give a good supper, and even fashiona- a desire to embarruss the constitutional or any | viv people are not above eating. Indeed, the other party by measures which in the end may | wore sarbinnable ihey mre the more exigeant do Prove advantageous to their interests, ticy become on the question of food and drink. The hotel hops bring together people from all BecHens of toe country, and present a very a:reeable and novel feature in the gay life of the Empire city. The proprietors of the Me- ‘ropolitan Hote} bave issued ecards (which are wt transferrable, and which required to be en- loved by the hulder) for next Wednesday even- No doubt the party will be brilliant, se- 1 ct and agreeable, tana me gold, that people began to believe. Since those few grains of dull and unattractive metal were subjected, ten years ago, to the scrutiny of she curious and the tests of the scientific, six hup- dred millions of dollars, in pure gold, buve been: distributed throughout the world from the gulches and placers of California. At this day, and for teu years past, the steamships of the California line have been the bearers of thou sands of anxious hearts and well nerved arms to the rich mines which invited labor and enter- prise, and the bearers also to these shores of that precious mineral which has saved the nativa al- most from tankruptcy, and contributed so much to the material prosperity of the whole country, The contrast between the events of 1848 an@ ‘ 1858, as regards California, is indeed striking | and significant. na Stare Swinpixe or New York Crry, axp Tax Rewepy.—The treatment of New York city at the Capitol at Albany savors more strongly of the deapotism of Russia, or France or Austria, than of the action of a Legislature elected by the people, and keeping in view the great demo- cratic principles of equality, and justice and freedom on which the American system is founded. The last act of injustice to New York attempted to be perpetrated was the seizure of the unclaimed funds in our city savings banks, in order to complete the canals of the State. When this failed, and the conscientious legislw- tors knew that, after squandering nine millions of dollars as they did, they could not venture to raise any more money from the people at large, they now again single out New York as their lawful and devoted prey, and by one fell swoop Propose to take awny West Wasbington market, heretofore regarded as the property of the city, and sell it to the highest bidder, in order to raige funds to carry on those public works in the interior of the State in which the city has only a comparatively small interest, and which are chiefly designed for the benefit of needy and greedy politicians, On Thursday last Senator Ames, of Oswego county, taking the bint from the Commissioners of the Laud Office, who leased this ground last April to Mesers. Brennan and Taylor, brought ip a bill to Confirm the injustice and sell ont the alleged in- terest of the State in the property. Ii’ this pro perty fairly belonged to the State, why did not the State authorities claim it long ago?—why did they allow the city to incur the expense of reclaiming and improving the ground under water and adapting it to acity market? They wait till the city makes a large expenditure, to render the lots the more valuable, aud then they assert a title to the whole concern, Is this fair or equitable? Supposing the ground under water did belong to the State, the Legislature ought to have ceded it to a city which is the source of the State’s importance, and without which it would cut but a small figure among the States of the Union. The only remedy for this—the only way to meet the continual injustice to which New York is subjected—is for this island, with Long Island and Staten Island, to form a new State, and cut the painter from the northern and western part of the State. The new State of the Three Islands might be called the State of Man- hattan, from the original name of the most important of the three. Thus, Long Island and Staten Island, without attempting to rob us, could share the glory and the benefit of being incorporated with the Empire City, des- ‘ined to be the commercial centre of the world. ‘The Recent Revolution in Haytt. The remit of the revolution in Hayti, which was published in full in our columns on Saturday, opens a new chapter in the history of the misgoverned island of St, Domingo, Once before Hayti wes a republic; but by the cunning of the negro Soulouque an empire was erected in the westera part of the island, and after an existence of ten years it has fallen; the standard of the republican party now floats over the capital of Soulouque’s quondam residence, and the ex-monarch, like many another before him, has sought the sbelter of a foreign flag. From the time that Hayti came under the go- vernment of the negro race its retrogression has been towards barbarism, Every interest in the country, except tbe private ones of Soulouque, has been declining. Favored with a fine climate and @ productive eoil, St. Domingo, under a good government, would be one of the richest aud fair- est islands in the West India group; but under the blighting influence of the mongrel race into whose hands it has fallen, it has lapsed into com- mercial insignificance and political degradation. Five and twenty years ago Hayti exporied near- ly fifty million pounds of coffee, a million and a balf pounds of cotton, and over two mil- lion pounds of tobacco, annually. Ten years later the exports fell to thirty million pounds of coffee and balf a million poucds of cotton—the tobacco trade having even before that period been wholly destroyed. The population, too, has been decreasing—a fact which affords the strongest evidence of the de- cline of any country. Thus it will be seen that the history of Hay ti, like that of Mexico and the South American States, gives confirmation to the idea that no country in which white blood does not predominate can progress with equal foot- steps with those nations where that spirit and enterprise which we are wont to call Auglo- Saxon prevails, The normal condition of these nations is one of disorder aud confusion. Upon the verge of chaos, they are always trembling, and until the white race takes the place of the half barbarous people who govern them, these countries, with all their mineral wealth, their truittul soil and glorious climate, must remain as they now are, undeveloped. Under the new order of things in Hayti there may be a chance for the people to prove whether they are capable of redeeming their country ander a popular form of goverament. There may be wisdom enongh among them to consoli- date the two republics of Dominica and Hayti under one bead, and, by adopting a prudent and peaceful policy, restore to the island its com- merce and its prosperity. But we confess that we do not expect to see such a result. On the contrary, we incline to the opinion that the Geflrard émeue is but the beginning of a long spell of disorder and bloodshed, and that the negro republic will afford no better ex- ample of good government than the negro em- pire whose pillars have just been pulled down, The negro is an imitative animal, avd we ehould not be surprised to see the course of Goffrard followed by half a dozen others, until, like Mexico, there shall be a host of lead- ers, each contending for the mastery, and tear- ing their unfortunate country into shreds. Besides, the hostility which has always existed between the Dominican republic on the eastern side of the island, whose population is com- pored of the remnant of Spanish dominion intermixed here and there with the negro race, and the empire of Hayti, has not subsided with the change of government in the latter. It is a deadly animosity, born of the prejudices of race and the memories of for- mer persecution, whieh, in the breasts of a semi- barbarous people, cannot be easily allayed; and as long as the nation occupying two- thirds of the island, as Dominica does, is inimi- cal to the interests of the other third, and ready at any moment to come into armed collision, there can be no progress forthe country. In- ternal dissensions and the ambition of a brutal race of leaders are insurmountable burriers to the advancement of any people. St. Domingo possesses every advantage necessary to prosperi- ty. The island contains an area of 29,000 square ‘The Progress of California, The annual message of Gov. Weller, of Cali+ fornia, is before us; and from that document, as well as from the State Register for the present year, just issued, we learn that the material prosperity of the Golden State bas considerably increased, in spite of the comparative anarchy, lynch law and vigilance committees which have existed in rome portions of it, at intervals, for the past few years. ~/ The population has been steadily increasing— so that, from the estimate of 1849, of 26,000 peo- ple, it has grown to 538,000 in 1858, On the other hand, the assessed value of property has fallen off two millions since last year, and six- tecn milliens within the last four years. This depreciation is put down chiefly to the discovery of gold in the Fraser river region, The agricul- tural prospects of the country are rich and promising in the extreme. California has over forty-one million acres of Jand adapted to agri- culture, thirty millions fit for grazings, and five millions in swamp and overflow lands. Of this, there are now in cultivation 756,734 acres—an increase over 1856 of 244,771 acres—and in grazing 1,159,813 acres, The statistics of agri- culture show, says the Governor— That the number of sheep now in the State is not less iden 050,000; bemg more than double the Lumber we fan in 1856, The increase iu horses during that peciod is 43,- (60, avd in cattle, 120,000. ‘The exports of hides daring ihe past year amounted to $516,712. The crop of wheu for the year 1858 fs set down at 3,608,669 bushels, and thet of bariew 406,882,717, This is 248.798 more Dashes of barley than the amount raised in the whole Union in 1850, according to the census. Tu vine growing and the manufacture of wiae and brandies, California is far in advance of avy State in the Union—her climate and soil both being peculiarly adapted for that purpose; and it is evident that her people are determined to avail themselves of these natural advantages, for it appears that vine growing bas increased a hundred and fifty per cent in two years. Last year three} hundred and eighty-five thousand gations of wine, and ten thousand gallons of brandy were manufactured in that State—the number of vines altogether amounting to four millions, whereof two-thirds are growu in the county of Los An- geles alone. The yield of gold fluctuates but little from the average of the past five years. The latest relia- ble return we have is up to December, 1857, and that chows the yield to have been $65,550,000, being nearly five millions less than that of 1856, and three millions more than that of 1853, The total gold yield of California since 1848, to the close of 1858, is estimated at $600,000,000, and that is probably correct. The yield from Aus- tralia since 1851 is about $40,000,000. The Governor remarks, as to the mining prospects of the country:— The prosperity of the gold mining may be found in the vast tuorense im tho number of milisand | ditches. There are vow five thousand geven hundred and twenty-six miles of artitivul water Courses coustrucied tor int Purposes, at an expense of thirteen and a half mill ng of dollars; and this will be very much extended during the present year, ws there are thousands of 8 of rich mineral ‘lauds nudeveloped for want of water, These diches are mainly constructed by the miners, aud are snil owned by them=-very few having as yet falien into the hands of capitalists. The quartz imining has become more permavent, and has increased in importance durin the past year. The improvements in machinery, whicl are coustantly being made, will soon placo this interest amongst the firet iu the State. In April, 1857, the number of mills is stated at 138, with an aggregate of 1,521 ftamps—the cost of erection $1,763,000. the Ist of November, 1868, the number vi mills in operation was 279, with un aggregate of 2,610 stamps. ‘the cost of ma- chinery ig esttuated at $8,275,000. Tn addition to this, there are 519 arastras, some of which are connected with the quartz mills. To prove the extraordinary richness of the quartz in some localities, it is stated on reliable au- thority, that, from eixty-three tons, taken from a vein in Nevada county, $22,000 were obtained, The State debt of California is only $4,150,000; the expenditures for last year were $992,533, and the receipts $1,215,128. The criminal statistics, as may be supposed, present no very commenda- able features, The State prison at St. Quentin contains 585 convicts. To this fact the Governor refers in the following language:— ‘This large number canuot fail to excite attention both at home and abroad. Wo would sufler very much by a com- Cuarces or Corrvrtion In THe Sats Senate—Artrempr To Cover up rae Tracks— ‘On another page will be found a highly interest- ing despatch from our Albany correspondent, ia which he gives « report of the debate in the Senate of this State on Saturday last, from which it appears that a Scnator in his place, Mr. O. B. Wheeler, made a specifié charge of corruption against amember of the Legislature, and also against a member of the lobby, in connection with the passage of the Albany Bridge bill, and insted of the Senate courting and demanding investigation into the purity of its owa acts, a most disgraceful attempt was made to stifle inquiry, though Mr. Wheeler repeated the charge again and again, and offered to produce the proof of his allegation. Suspicion has long attached to the manner in which that bill was carried, and vague, undefined gencral accusations have been made. But now for (he first time a man comes forward boldly with a specitic charge against a member of the Legislature and agaiust a leading lobbyman. Parison with other Siates in this regard. The discovery of | He says openly and above board that 7 i ii i id op this coast threw a large number of young mon . +, a miles, The climate acting ae eee pon us ftom the Atlantic Statex--many of them ardent, this Jobbyman bad offered him, as chair- Cuba. The soil is very productive, as the sta- experienced youths, who had been tenderly raised undor'the | man of the Committee of Investigation tistics above referred to abundantly prove, | Parental roof, but wh), inding tat gold » as then go easily inquire Y PLOVE. | oyisined, forgot the leseos which they had been taught, | appointed to inquire into corruption in Sugar, coffee, tobacco and cotton can be raised } and became aadicte there in large quantities, It bas several fine harbors, inviting an extensive shipping trade. Yet, with all these, its commerce is going completely to ruin. Its financial affairs are inextricably confused, and its people were, under the rule of Soulouqne, the most oppressed and degraded probably in the world. Soulouque adopted the same despotic course as Dr. Francia did in Paraguay, and Lopez is adopt- ing there now, and with like results. He absorbed all the trade of the country in his own private speculations, enriched himself at the expense of every interest in the nation, and mercilessly sacrificed to his avarice and his ambition all who opposed his schemes. But in spite of his tyranny, the position of Soulouque was comparatively firm until the financial crash came upon Hayti, about a year ago, which originated with the swind- ling operations of M. Reimband, a smart broker, with whom it was alleged Soulouque had been engaged in some fivancial transactions. Dull and spirit-broken as the people were, the wide spread commercial ruin which followed the flight of Reimbaud, who, it is said, abseonded with five millions of dollars, roused them toa sense of the oppression under which they were suffering. This was the beginning of the dis affection which finally expanded into a revolu- tion, and eventuated in the downfall of the egro Emperor. Tue Gay Seasox.—The Metropolis is just now made very lively with mid-winter testivities, We enter, this week, upon the last mouth of the carnival, and there will be a good deal of daucing, fiddling, cating, drinking, masking and flirting, before the beaux and belles settle down to the sackcloth and ashes, fasting, humiliation aud prayer which are presumed to accompany to the vices (drinking and gambiing) which in the early settlement of the State prevailed to such an alarming extent, and are now paying the penalty in the prison, As many of them there are under fictitious names, their disgrace is unknown to distant kindred and friends, Bat a majority of the convicts are forvigners by birth. Our proximity to the former penal colonics of Great Britain forced upon us a large number of the most deape- rate und hardened villains who ever disgraced human nature, The South and Central American States, and, in- deed, every portion of the habitable globe, contributed their share towards swelling this immense army of ruffians, ‘There can be no doubt, we think, of the trath of these remarks, The circametances attending the early history of the State were not calculated either to repress crime or reform criminals. Another evidence of the growing prosperity of California is to be found in the rapid increase in the number of uewspapers and periodicals published there. They amount now to ninety- seven, of which nineteen are daily papers, In all aspects, whether as regards her agrionl+ tural and mineral in‘erests, ov her pacific condi- tion at the present time, the prosperity of Cali- fornia may be said tobe very marked and satia factory at the opening of the new year. Her history throughout «clipses in wonder the golden dreams of the poe's who sang, and the visiona- ries who prophesied the great El Dorado; over- shadows the fabled glories which protracted the hours of the thousand and one Arabian Knights of old. Phantasies of dazzling wealth, rapid change and fairy potency enriched those days; but the solid reality—more amazing still, re- mained to be witnessed by us. Just ten years ago the bark Express left this port with what we may well call ihe first instalment of the white population of California; and what did it num- ber? Sixty men, To-day the State maintaius five hundred and forty thousand inhabitants. The Lne of steamers, whose main object now is {o carry passengers to California, was estab- lished for a different purpose—namely, to xccommodate the trade of the West Coast of connection with public buildings, large sums of money; if he would stop all further in- vestigation, and that a member of the Legisla- ture had prevailed on a friend of his (Mr. Wheeler’s) to offer any amount of money to have the investigation smothered. He said he was prepared to prove that improper influence had been attempted Yo be used over the Sergeant-at- Arms by a member of that body to prevent the investigation of the subject which the commit- tee had commenced examining. What is done by the Senate in the face of these criminal charges? As if to prove the truth of the charges, reso- lutions are offered to limit the inquiry of the committee to the action of the present Legisla- ture, when it is well known that the corruption goes back three years ago; and other technical difficulties are thrown in the way by amend- ments, calling of the roll, and other ingenious devices to shirk (he question and gain time, till it was managed to reduce the members below a quorum, and an adjournment was consequently compelled without taking any action in the premises, We think any honest man ought to blush to belong toa body who have acted in this man- ner, and we hope Mr. Wheeler will not let the matter rest, and that he will reiterate his charges till shame forces the Senators into a thorough investigation. Why should the inguiry be limit ed to the present Legislature, when perhape nothing tangible can be proved since its elec- tion?’ Why should not the people be permitted to know all about the corruption of the past as well as the present? Why should not the inquiry extend back for twenty years if necessary, as Mr. Buchanan is recommended to do in the case of officers of the federal government all over the the season of Lent, Now up town, card Mexico. Gold was not then discovered in ‘ess sadie eatina as rie a eb barkets are filled with invitations to re-| the new El Dorado. The first specimen of the people ye is will satisfy the ceptions, masquerades, fancy dress alls, | metal that reached New York, accompanied as 3 dinners, avd so on, and everybody in | is was by tales of countless treasure await- Tivkerinag Tux City Cuarrer—A bill society is engaged three deep. The hotcla have canght the general infection, and are giving bops to their guests and friends, These very pleasant reunions are equivalent to the soirée re- ception of private society, but for certain gusta- ing the hand of the adventurer, was re- ceived with doubt and distrust; and it was only when the few grains, the first re- ceived, which reached the Hrxan» office in a letter, were analyzed and pronounced genuine amending the charter of 1857 has been intro. duced by Mr. Opdyke into our State Legislature at Albany, one provision of which, as we ace, has it in contemplation to place the bureau of the Collector of Assessments yuder the control