The New York Herald Newspaper, March 2, 1859, Page 4

— 4+ “ NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GOROON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. OFFICE M. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. BROADWAY THBATRE. Rroadway.—Rosiws MuAvov'— Paxxcu Srr—T ns Poexournoy. NIBLO'S GAKDEN, Bronaway.—Afternoon and Evening— Cimcon Faaroes ances - Paty SrectacLe OF OINDERRLLA BOWERY THEATERS. Bowory.—Watrina ox ram WALi— Baovi—Ronsnt Macaike, WALLACK’s THEATRE, Broadway—Tum VaTekax ; OF, RANOR AND ALGERIA. A KEENE'S THEATRE, No. 6 Broadway —Ovm Aveucss Gousin~luueraations OF Tus Lire OF WASH: iwarox. "8 AMERICAN MUSEUM, Brosdway.—After- nove aod. Evening -Lovise Don't JUDGE BY AFFEANANCEE. BUHLDING, 561 and 563 Broadway— EMQoUE Boner Daxcas, bo —Mrst0 SPELL NTS’ MINSTRELS, MCHA NICS’ HALL, 427 Broad- wREYANTS Sones ano Buavesgues—Hs WOULD ai Ax AcToR. _——————————— Hew York, Wednesday, March 2, 1858, MAILS FOR EUROPE. Whe New York Herald—Edition for Europe. ‘Tue Cunard mail steamship Africa, Captain Shannon, wil) Ieave this port to-day for Liverpool. ‘The European maile will close in this city at a quarter post ton o'clock this morning. Toe European dition of tho Herarp will be published at ten o'clock in the morning. Single cvpies, in wrappers, six cents. Subecriptions and advertisements for any edition of the New Yori Huan will be received at the following places 4 Panw,.....Lausing, Baldwin & Co., 8 place de la Bourse. Livgaroor. Lansing, Starr & Co., No. 9 Chapel street. R. Stua't, 10 Exchange street, East. Baver.....Laueing, Baldwin & Co., 21 Rue Corneille. Huanone De Chapeaunge & Co. The contents of the European edition of the Hxratp will tombine the news received by mail and telegraph at the office during the previous week and up to the hour of publication, The News. The excitement caused by the tragedy at Wash- ington continues unabated. Mr. Sickles has, it ts stated, concluded to waive an examination before a magistrate, and await a final trial of the case be- fore the Criminal Court, which commences its sit- tings on Monday next. Mr. Butterworth has made ‘a statement showing his connection with the affair, and detailing minutely all the circumstance of the fatal meeting between Mr. Sickles and Mr. Key. It is given in full in another part of to-day’s paper. The funeral of Mr. Key took place yesterday at Baltimore. Congress was mainly occupied yesterday with the appropriation bills. The Senate had under con- sideration the Post Office Appropriation bill. A number of important amendments, among them the abolition of the frauking privilege, and an increase of letter postage to five cents, were agreed to, and the bill finally passed, The Naval Appropriation dill was then taken up. The House passed the Miscellaneous Appropriation bill. The bill making appropriations for the ocean mail service was de- bated in committee, reported to the House, and then laid on the table by eleven majority. Bills provid- ing for the fulfilment of treaty stipplations with the Yancton and Tonawanda Indians were passed. The Senate’s amendments to the Army Appropriation bill were discussed in committee, and will be acted on to-day. A resolution appropriating $10,000 for the expenses of the various investigating commit- tees was adopted. The screw steamship City of Baltimore, which left Liverpool on the i6th ult. in the forenoon, reached this port at half-past two o'clock yesterday morning, making a very rapid and pleasant passage. ‘The news is four days later than that received by the Canada. The English funds had fluctuated about one-fourth per cent from the 12th ult. Consols opened firmly on the 15th ult., and, after a slight reaction, closed at 95j a %} both for money and account. Breadstuffs were very heavy in Liverpool, and flour, in sacks, was two pence cheaper. Cotton was quiet at an advance of from one-sixteenth to one- eighth of a penny per pound. There were more sellers than buyers in the market. A very interesting debate took place in the House of Lords on the 14th ult. on the right of Bearch question, during which Lord Malmesbury detailed his conferences with Mr. Dallas, and said he had hopes that a new maritime code for the verification of national flags would soon be agreed ‘on by England, France and the United States, which would end all doubts and international dis- ‘agreements on the subject. ‘The tenor of the news from the Continent is still warlike, and Europe, though wishing for and be- lieving in peace, seems to be slowly tending to- wards war. Austria professes herself satisfied with the pacific intentions of Napoleon, as expressed in his late speech. ‘The annual meeting of the European and Ameri- can Steam Shipping Company was held in London. ‘The disputes between Messrs. Croskey and the com- pany appear as little likely to be settled amicably under the new Board as under the old. Our files from Mauritius are dated at Port Louis onthe 27th of December. The Gazetie of that day has the following summary:—The sugar crop is well advanced, and shipments are continuing without interruption. The weather has been dry, and the plantations for the next crop have suffered, but abundant rains that have fallen within the last week willrepair the harm. The news of a slight decline in the markets has had no effect here. We have increased our Indian population by about 20,000 immigrants during the year. Sugars rated as follows:—Vacuum clairced, first quality, $7 25 a $7 50; very fine yellow, $6 60 a $6 66; low do., % 154 $5 25; fine gray, $6 a $6 10; low brown, $5 a 25. At Singapore on the 4th of January gold dust rated as foliows:—Malayan, $28 50 a $29, and Aus tralian $31 per bunkal. The schooner Nightingale, Capt. Martin, has ar- rived at this port with advices from Caracoa to the Sth ult. A letter says salt was abundant at thirty cents per bushel, with but few buyers, and no ves gels to be had to take it away. By an arrival at this port we have intelligence from Port au Prince to the 14th ult. Everything remained quiet at that date. The Aldermanic Committee on Streets met yes- ferday to consider the application for widening Broome street and extending it from Laurens Btreet to the East river. A petition signed by nu- merous property owners on and near Broome street, in favor of the improvement, was read by the clerk of the committee. J, A. Williamson ar- ued that the opening and extension of Broome Street would be a useless assessment on the pro- perty holders of the vicinity, and that the alleged improvement is unnecessary. He stated that if those opposed to the project had sufficient time allowed them, they could procare thousands of sig- natures from property owners in that section of the city to a remonstrance to the petition. Several parties endorsed the remarks of the speaker, but mone appeared for the petitioners. The committee adjourned, to hold another public meeting in refer- ence to the matter some day next week. The regular weekly meeting of the Board of Ten Governors waa held yesterday. A petition was presented, very numerously signed, and headed by the names of Archbishop Hughes, John Kelly, Richard B. Connolly, Isaiah Rynders and others, complaining that the children on Randall's Island, & large proportion of whom are Roman Catholics, NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY MARCH 2, 1869. are deprived of the advantages of religious instruc- tion in the faith of their fathers, and asking that means be provided for remedying the dofect. Whereupon resolutions, designed to accord with the prayer of the petitioners, were offered, and ordered to lie on the table and be printed. A resolution providing that the children in the charge of the Gvve nors be placed in such of the city institutions as will receive them, until the Foundling Hospital is com: leted, instead of being put out to nurse, was adopte}. The resignation of Dr. Charles D, Smith, visiting surgeon of Bellevue Hospital, was received and accepted. The weekly return showed 8,273 inmate: n the various institutions to the 26th of February, being a decrease of five on last return. The Hamburg mail steamship Saxonia, Captain Ehlers, sailed yesterday for Hamburg, via South- ampton, w-th the mails for Germany and ninety- three ;assengers. During the winter the S. ha, been in port, and was thoroughly overhauled and had her damaged propeller replaced by a new one from the Fulton Iron Works, Under the influence of the European news by the City of Baltimore, and advices from the South giving accounts of some decline in the receipta, the cotton market advanced yesterday about 3¢¢. por Ib., with sales of about 4,000 ales, oa the basis of about 12c. per Ib. for middling up- lands. Flour was firmer and more active, especially for medium and better elass of brands. Southern flour was also firmer and in good demand. Wheat was firm, with tolerable free sales. Corn was rather better, and more reely dealt in. Pork was heavy and lower, with sales at rices given in another column. The sugar market was fiom, with sales of 750 bhds. New Orleans by auction, and 560 do. Cubs to the trade, at rates given elsowhere, The prices established by Messrs. R. L. & A. Stuart will bo found in another place. The public sale of coffee yester- day embraced about 4,500 bags Santos, at an average of 113¢¢., and 1,800 bags were afterwards sold at 114¢c. a 11X%¢. Freights wero steady; about 1,100 bales of cotton Were taken at 6-32d, a 8-16d. to Liverpool, with other ar- ticles noticed in another column, Europe Drifting Into Another War—The Secondary Position of England in Euro- pean Politics. Every one who will examine recent events and the present condition of political affairs in Europe by the light of past experience will be convinced that it is drifting into another war of a similar character to that of 1854-’55. When Louis Napoleon gave the coup d’état in December, 1851, and established the Empire in France, the relative positions of the several States were very different from what they now are. In Western Europe, England predominat- ed. The influence of France, which had so long disputed political sway with her among the minor States, had disappeared under the folly of Louis Phillippe’s scheme of the Spanish mar- viages and the inanity of the republic. Russia loomed up in the East, under the sway of an iron will, in the person of Nicholas I., who had de- termined to carry out the policy of his prede- cessors with a Jacksonian vigor, and secure his seat of empire on the Bosphorus. Austria, Prus- sia and the other States were too busy recover- ing from the shaking that 1848 had given them, and securing their own thrones: to think of interfering with the external schemes of the two great Powers. Nicholas in Russia, and the Coburgs in England, had set- tled the partition of “the sick man’s” effects to their own satisfaction, but without saying Tur- key once to France. But they had underrated the new actor who had Jaid his hands upon the map of Europe. Nicholas even went go far as to refuse to admit the legitimacy of his new cousin in the family of emperors. With him rulers who held their claim to thrones “by divine right” were récognized, and he held the old policy of ignoring govern- ments de facto. Louis Napoleon marked out his own course, and pursued it with consummate skill. He knew that he could do little without the support of England, and that he determined to have. English politics and English prejudices were as well, if not better, understood by him than by the tory ministry that then ruled Great Britain. He began by pandering to the English popular sentiment, assuming the defence of the liberal idea. Turkey was a prey to the despot- ism of Ruseia; every free impulse in the bosoms of men dictated that her freedom should not be destroyed; the free Powers of Western Europe should fight their own battle in fighting that of the Russo-oppressed Sultan. England was soon convinced—and even in this country the im- pression gained ground—that the cause of liberty required that Russia should bo stopped in her despotic career. Lord Aberdeen was overthrown in England, and Palmerston came into power. The popular sentiment was stimulated by the publication of Sir Hamil- ton Seymour’s confidential despatches from St. Petersburg; but the secret arrangements with the English Coburgs which led to these confiden- tial expressions by Nicholas were kept back. Then came the Anglo-French alliance, with Lord Clarendon’s celebrated announcement that the policy of the allied cabinets would rule the policy of every government in both hemispheres. ‘This had its expected effect in tickling the pride of John Ball, but it curdled at once every American sympathy that had grown up in favor of the asserted liberalism of the Western Powers. During all this time Louis Napoleon played his cards with great skill and an unerring know- ledge of the British people. Now came a war speech, and then a peace one—now a storm, and then a lull; but all this time Europe drifted towards war. Finally itcame. England broke openly with her old friend Russia, and her fleets and armies followed Louis Napoleon’s bidding, and went into the Crimea. There she proved her ignorance of the art of war, half atoned for Waterloo by exhibiting her military incompe- tency to every French soldier, and came away when it suited Louis Napoleon, proving to the world that she was only the second Power in Western Europe. The iron will of Nicholas was broken by the new man who controlled Europe, and he died. Alexander succeeded him, recognized his new imperial cousin, and changed the policy that ruled Russia. As his father’s policy had been Jacksonian, he adopted one that is the counterpart of the policy of our old whig party. He has turned his attention to in- ternal improvements, and Russia is at this moment working under the high pressure of a stock jobbing fever in railroads, canals and steam navigation, which will no doubt constract immense works and end in a financial revalsion, just as the railroad manias of America and Eng- land have ended. Such were the course and results of the last war in Europe, which ended with the Congress of Paris and the acknowledged position of Louis Napoleon as the arbiter of its destiny. Suddenly a trip occurred, and Palmerston was toppled from power by the simultaneous explosion of Orsini’s bombs in Paris and public opinion in England. The Coburg interest at the British Court came into power again, and to-day we find Lord Derby using the same palliative assur- ances in hebalf of Austria that Lord Aberdeen had used in behalf of Nicholas. But Napoleon has stocked the political cards again, and is playing the same game in the Italian ques- Louis tion that he played in the Turkish one. Eng- land is being again stirred up by his quasi liberaliem ‘in opposition to Austrian des- potism, and an imperial pampblet artfully proves that the French Emperor does not go so far as England under Palmerston had done io her dewands in bebalf of Italy. As at Boulogne the declaration L’Empire c'est la paix preceded the war in the East, e0 honeyed words now are accompanied by immense preparations for war. ‘The past tells us that the futare will be a change of popular sentiment and ministers in Evgland, and a war between France and Austria when- ever Louis Napoleon is ready for it, in which England will join a8 a part of the tail of the Emperor. We shall have flery words like those to Baron Hubner on New Year’s day, and fair speeches like that on the 7th of February; but acts are more truthful than words. No more significant acknowledgment could be made of the seconda- | ry part played by England in European politics than that made by Lord Malmesbury, the British Secretary for Foreign Affairs, on the 14th of last month, on the floor of Parliament, when he epoke of Louis Napoleon as that powerful ruler on whoee breath hung peace or war. Tux Ricut or Searcu anp THe AMERICAN Fiag.—We publish in another column a curious and important debate which occurred in the British Parliament on the 14th ultimo, regarding the asserted settlement of the British claim of the right of search on the high seas, which is well worth a perusal by all who take any inte- rest in the inviolability of our flag, aud the sceurity of our ships from detention on the ocean. It will be seen that every position taken by the Henatp in reference to these important ques- tions, and the asserted concessions made by the British Ministry last summer, is fully maintained by the revelations made in this debate. The English government shows that it only gave up what Lord Aberdeen conceded twenty years ago, and that it not only still maintains the ne- cessity ofa police of the ocean, but claims the right to exercise it, and hopes to bring our government into an acknowledgment of this right by consenting to the adoption of certain rules governing its exercise. We hope our government will not be led into any euch dangerous trap by the wiles of Euro pean kingcraft. There is no necessity whatever for a police of the ocean. The assertion that such a thing is needful is fallaciously demon- strated by suppositious cases ; but supposi- tious cases are all humbug—they never occur, and are always got up to make a show of proof in arguments which facts do not sustain. The only real trade that can be twisted into an apparent support of the necessity of a police of the ocean is the African slave trade; and yct this trade, rightly examined, proves directly the reverse. If the several governments of the earth would cause their own laws to be respected, each in its own territory, there would be no necessity of a police of the occan to put down the slave trade, for there would be no slave trade with Africa, If the Spanish government in Cuba would close the markets of that colony to the slave dealers, there would not be a slave trader on any ocean to desecrate the American or any other flag. So, too, with piracy. Pirates, as well as slave traders, must have a market for their plunder. While England kept her markets open to her Drakes, her Raleighs, and a thousand other British pirates, piracy raged in every sea. Eng- land and France closed their pirate marts, but Spain kept hers open, until, about forty years since, the United States broke them up by farce, since when no pirate has vexed the ocean. The exercise of the claim to verify the national flag of every ship at sea, because a pirate may per- chance sail, is nothing better than a claim to make every man on shore prove his honesty be cause rogues may be about. Such rights of government accord with the despotic privileges claimed for kings and emperors in Europe ; but they do not agree with the theories of free America. Corruption in THE Peniic Prrstixa Cox- TRacTs.—In anotheg page we publish the report of the Select Comriifttee of the House of Repre- sentatives, appointed to investigate the accounts of the late Superintendent of Public Printing: It discloses an amount of looseness, corraption and fraud which proves that the government would be less cheated if there was no Superin- tendent at all, and the whole business left to chance. The committee arrive at the unanimous conclusion that “a combination existed for the purpose of compelling the paper contractors, and the lithographers and engravers, to pay, either in the character of loans or commissions, or directly in money, for the contracts awarded to them. The contractors, of course, raised their bids in proportion—sometimes nearly fifty per cent—in order to indemnify themselves for this corruption money ; and it appears from the testi- mony of one witness that the engraving could be done for one-fourth of the price paid, and that charts which cost $157 50 cach in the year 1856, were executed in 1857 for $49 91 each. Some- times the bribe was paid to agents, and some- times directly to the Superintendent himself. Another mode by which the contractors accom- plished their ends was by lending the Superin- tendent large sums of money without security, and which they never expected to be re- paid. In one instance a loan of this description amounted to $3,550, in another nearly $8,000, and in a third $12,282. He received altogether in loans $30,000, without security. In addition to this, it appears from the evidence that he con- tracted with one firm of paper merchants to re- ceive a salary of $7,000 per annum on condition of giving them all the contracts for paper which they were able to supply. His power over the contractors was acquired in this way:—The bids for paper were to be opened in the presence of the President of the Senate and of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, But the hum- bug was, that the Superintendent had the privi- lege of selecting the paper which he deemed nearest to the sample ; and in the exercise of this discretion it appears that in one case he rejected paper offered for 13 cents por pound “because it ‘was too well finished,” and accepted inferior pa- per from another party at 13 9-10 cents per pound. Then, when there was no time to adver- tise for paper, he was permitted to purchase it according to his own judgment, For the man- ner in which he kept his accounts, we must refer to the report itself. With this portion of it the mercantile reader will be highly amused. But the moet ludicrous part of the whole busi- ness ia, that Wendell, for doing nothing at all except keeping still, pocketed the sum of $39,000 from the paper makers, engravers and lithographers. An arrangement was made by which an agent was appointed to receive the pa- per, engravings and lithographs, which was, in fact, the very bustuess for which the Superinten- } dent was bimeclf paid by Coogresa. Wendell himeelf, the printer, was appointed the ayeat, aud he charged the paper contractors -oue-half por cent, which amounted to $12,000, while he paid aclerk for doirg the work $1,200 per asnum. Tt was his business to find fault with the paper if it was not of good quality. But the $12,000 were well calculated to make him keep a close mouth, From the lithographers and ongravers be received $27,000. Ofcourse he was highly pleased with their work, One cannot fail to perceive how loose is the Congressional mode of doing business, and how they permit the country to be fleeord, though they are the paid and sworn guardians of the public treasury. Another point is very obvious, and that is that corruption in reference to the paper, engraving aud lithographing, as well as every other department of the government, ap- pears to be the settled, established rule; acd that @ man who seeks a contract is soon made tu feel that unlees he pays somebody for it, in some shape or form, he cannot get it; and that any- thing like fair competition is out of the question. We wait to see what the action of Congress will be on this important report, and how it will deal with the two contumacious witnesses who re- fused to testify what they knew about these cor- ruptions. AFFAIRS AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL. Proceedings of Congress on the Post Office, Miscellaneous, Ocean Mail Service, Army, Naval and Other Appropriation Bills. Forthcoming Message of the President on the Condition of the Treasury. RATIFICATION &o, OF THE CHINA TREATY, &o., &, Our Special Washington Despatch. MESSAGE OF THB PRESIDENT ON THE OONDITION OF THB TREASUKY—THE OCEAN MAIL SERVICE—THE TREATY WITH OHINA RATIFIED—NEWS FROM Pa- RAGUAY, ETC., ETC. Wasinscro, March 1, 1859. ‘The President has completed a meseage on the condition of the treasury, which wil be communicated to Congress to-morrow, provided no action is taken in the meantime with regard to @ change in the tariff, or re-issue of Troasu ry notes, ora loan bill. If the government is to go to pro- teat, as it must unless Congress acts, the responsibility will be placed where it belongs. It is the prevailing im- pression to night that a re-issue of Treasury notes will be authorized. If 60, it will have to be puton to some ap- propriation bill in the Senate. It is thought that in tha: case a majority of the House will sustain it. ‘The Mail Steamer bill is ins bad way. The bill report- ed to the House satisfies noone. The Havre and Califor: nia Companies are lobbying like beavers. Chovalicr James Watson Webb has arrived, in the interest of the Havre Company. Tho President bas prepared a veto to the Homestead bill in cage it should pass the Senate, ‘The China treaty was ratified by the Senate to-day. ‘There will be no action with reference to Mexican affairs till further advices are received. Information bas been received from parties in Asun- cion and Buenos Ayres stating that Mr. Bamburger, our Consul at Paraguay, though he had repeatedly written to the government, giving them full information in regard to matters and things in that country, has not received for more than a year a single line from the government. It is supposed that the enemies of President Lopez had Succeeded in some way in intercepting the communica- tions to and from the Consul. Lopez is represented as having stated that he to perfectly willing to apologise for the affair with the Water Witch, as that was caused by @ mistake on the part of a subordinate officer; but that the claim of the so-called American company te will not settle, as it is a swindle, which Commissioner Bowlin will learn if he will investigate it, ‘and that he is ready to submit it to the arbitration of some friendly power. This information is from roliable sources at Buenos Ayres. On Saturday Mr. Buchanan received a delegation of the New Jersey Legislature, who presented him with a reso- lution adopted unanimously by their body applauding his course and approving his tariff’ message. On the Ist of April the government will be bankrupt, $17,000,000 of government bonds then becoming duo, for which no provison bas as yet been made, The President will probably send in a special message to-day stating thes> facts. ‘THE GENERAL NEWSPAPER DESPATCH. Wasmunatox, March 1, 1859. The President, in replying to the call of the House for information concerning the African lave trado, says that the instructions given to the commanders of the ‘quadron are euch that seizures are not likely t® be made, except under olrcumstances which would at least insure a certificate of probable cause, if they did n6t authorize condemnation. The object has been to avoid, as far a practicable, all vexatious inter- ruptions of lawful commerce. The only instanco at pre- sent known to the department in which an officer captar- ing a slaver or suspected slaver on the coast of Africa has been sued or otherwise embarrassed by the owners, offl- cers or agente of the captured veesels, is that of Comman- der Simonds, who captured the brig Casket. In his case no damages appear to have been rendered against him, and the expenses incurred by him were refunded him under the act of Congess of 1854. Tho number of cap- tures made by the American squadron under the treaty of Washington previous to September last was twenty, of which aix were condemned, ‘The War Department has received despatches from General Clarke, of California, saying that a change in the military department bas become necessary towards the occupancy of the crossing of the Colorado at the 36th Parallel, and that a necessity exists to chastise the Indiang in that region of country. It is understood the Mobaves will be joined by other tribes, and they can muster joint- ly some @fteen hundred fighting men. Another letter from an army officer in California, dated the 2d ult., says -—“We have another war quite as big ‘ag that in Oregon, and I shall leave to-morrow to assint in Preparing my command for the fleld.”” It is considered material to supply an imperfection ia yeeterday’s report of the colloquy in the House between Meesrs. Reagan and Bryan. Mr. Reagan asked Mr. Bryan whether he intended to impute dishonorable motives to him. Mr. Bryan replied that he did not say anything which cast any imputation 1 the motives of his col- league, her whieh be prvoneded © speak of his own r bility. former advices regarding the Cass-Yrisarri treaty are confirmed by official despatches. The treaty has not been ratified by Nicaragua, and Mr. Ouseloy’s treaty is in & similar condition. ‘The net amount in the treasury subject to drafts is $6,600,000. THIRTY-FIFTH OCUNGRESS, SEUOND SRsstoN. Senate. Wasmrmorow, March 1, 1869. ‘Tho Senate, on assembling, went into oxocutive session tll twelve o'clock, after which Mr. Smmve, (am.) of Minn., presented the credentials of Mr. Douglas, re-elected for six years. THE POST OFFICE APPROPRIATION BILL was taken up, Mr. Yvan, (ndm.) from the committee, appended to this ill clause similar to that on the Post Routes bill, raising he rate of postage to five cents, and abolishing the frank Dg privilege. Agreed to—yeas 20, nays 28, as foliows:— Aves—Mesern, Benjamia, Bright, Chesnut, Clsy, (Tingen, Crienden, Davia, Bisby vltzpuiriot Oreos, Mack frond, Houston, Heater, Iverera, Jokneen cart. ouanon of enn. , , Sit dell Foombs, Ward, Wright and \ wlee—29 ; Nivs—Mesara Alien, . Broderick, Cameron, Chan dler, Clark, Collamer, Hix m, Doollitie, Dougiag, Durkee, fos erodes rome, Power, Hate, flamnitn, farina, King, Koanedy, . Bow wart, Fruhy hice. koward, bi rambull, Mr Wuson, (ove) of Maas., said the Pont Office advor- tieements appeared (n over seven hundred newspapers, which he considered was a more matter of patronage; therefore he moved that the future advertising be in the two papers of the largest circulation in each State and Tor ritory. and two iv Washington city. Agreed wo. Mr. Wirson further moved ty» amend by providing that the contract old and company betwoon St. Louie aud San Francisco be modified, #9 that the contract or# may carry the maila betwoen those termini by any route they ma; eet, Mr, Yetee stated that bis objections thereto wore, that rOcid bad a preemption of tand at certain i Pe woul! thereby be ivereared te value; also, b) by ia ktheniwg the route be avght found for ta Teaeed Compensation, or a vew route, and o ihe ,OVerbment (o eetablish military posts, oF : sansly of the mails, besides many other 12, (adm) Of Ga, showed tbat in addition it oukt cut of tive Aundred miles of mail service, via Mempbie. Air, Iverson, (ndim.) of Ga., saw in It only an attempt to deprive the South of the poor privilege of @ mail route, benedt of the Noath, and that it was wleaded ce the route of the Paoitic Railroad. Merers. tuck, Baopksicx, Puls, Bayakp and others took partin the debate. It case ows in the discuswion that the conveyance costs from thirty-five to sixty dollars n lett Mr. Wilton 8 amendment was lost by ayes 19, nays 32, Mr. Srvant, (opp.) of Mich., moved to amend, that the Butterfield overland contract’ be reduced to weekly ser- vice, wnd the pay to be $450,000 tastead of $600,000. Agreed t. Mr. Buppenicx, (opp.) of Cal., moved to amond, that the weekly mail’ between St. Joeeph and Placerville be accelerated to twenty-five days, aud the pay $110,000, Agreed to by 20 to 29. Mr. Rice (acim.) moved to amend, that « weekly mail he estubhisbed from St Paul, Miunesota, to Paget's Sound; the pay to be $200,000. Agreed to—ayes 14, nays 15, ‘The Senate hore took w recess, there being co quorum reeent, Prsunt previons to tho recess Mr. Poti presented the cro- dentuls of Mr. Salisbury as Senator trom Delaware, in place of Mr. Bates. Aiter tho recess, Mr. Rico's amendment was voted on and carrieé—yeas 33, nays 4. Mr. Bexsamix, (nd) of La, moved to strike ont the 280,000 for the monthly overland mail from Kansas City to Stockton, at the expiration of tho prosent quarter. Agreed to. ‘Tbe bill was then reported to the Sonate, when most of the amendments of tho Committee of the Whole were adopted, votes being takon ou tnoge disputed. ‘The amendment reducing Butterfield & Co.’s contract was adop:ed—32 aguipat 16. mail from St. Joseph, ‘Tbe amendment for a wook! r oe ted by 29 aguinst 22. Kaosas to Mo., to Placerville, Cal., was The amendment for ‘a weokly mail from Stockton was adopted, ‘The tection raising the rates of postage, abolishing the frapking privilege, and generally regulating the details, &c., was adopted, Mr, Gwin, (adm.) of Cal., renewed his motion for the eetabliebmeut of the weekly mail service from Salt Like to Oregon at such a compensation as the committee may determine. Adopted. Mr, Cuxamay, (adm.) of N. C., moved to give the Post- master General discretionary power to continue any over land route. Adopted. Some minor amendments were then adopted ard added to the biil, when it passed by 20 against 22, as follows:— Aves.—Mesers. Alleo, Benjamin, Brown, Ohestaut, Clay, OMogman, Davia, Douglas, Fiwh, Fitzpatrick, Greea, Gwin, Houston," Hutter, Iverson, Jon‘s, Lane, Mallory,’ Msson, Yesrce, Polk. Reid, hice, Sebastish, Stuart, Toombs, Ward, Wright, Yulee. Nays —Messre. Bigler, Broderick, Cameron, Obandler, Clark, Cclemer, Dixon, loolittle, Fessendes, Foot, Foster, Hale, Hewhn, Harlan, Jobnsov, of Teus,, King, Pugh, Seward, Sim: mous, Trumbull, Wade, Wilson. Mr. BRODERICK Moved to reconsider, as in his opinion Mr. Clingman’s smendment placed the whole Pacilic coast at the mercy of the Postmaster General. ‘Tho motion to reconalder was loat by 22 to 28. x ONC On motion of Mr. Hunter ‘THE NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL Was taken up. House of Representatives. Wasuuxarox, March 1, 1859. On motion of Mr. Frwrox, the House took up and passed the Senate bill authorizing the enrolmont, register and licensing of the vessels owned by the Buffalo and Lake Huron Railroad Company. ‘THR MISCELLANEOUS APPROPRIATION BILL. ‘The House proceeded to act on the amendments re- ported from the Committee of tho Wholo on the Stato of the Union to the Miscellaneous Appropriation bill, Auwong the moet important amendments, concurred in are the following :—Reducing the item of $350,000 for con- tinuing the Treasury extension to $50,000; ‘striking out the $200,000 for the Charleston, 8. C., and the $250,000 for the New Orleans custom houses; and adopting the proviso that no part of the amount appropriated for the Patent Office be paid to those persons recently assombled here by invitation of the Interior Department for consultation on agriculture. ‘The bill was passed. It makes appropriations for the coast survey, lighthouse establishment, survey of the pab- lic lands, &¢, ‘THE OCKAN MAIL SERVICE APPROPRIATION BILL. ‘The Ocean Mail Appropriation bill was taken up in Com- mittee of the Whole on the State of the Union. ‘An incidental diecussion ensued, involving the questions that bounties should be withheld, and that the postages should pay for the service; that American steamers are ready to carry the rails under it, provided that the postal treaties, which afford protection’ to foreiga steamers and ‘oppress American steamers, be abrogated, and the Post: master General be directed to send the mails by Americaa steamers only, and Fo give them tho entire service. During the debate Me. Haak, (opp ) of N.Y. said that contracts were corrupting, and that the postages should pay for the ocean service. ‘Mr. CaRk, (opp.) of N. Y., remarked that the bountios bad farmed out the ocean, and excluded all competition, and by this means the federal treasury has paralyzed pri- vate enterprise. Mr. Davis, (adm.) of Miss., desired to defeat the Dill, that one may be passed securing an independent system of our own, without the aid of subsidies. ‘The committee rose. On motion of Mr. Jonns, (adm.) of Tenn., the bill was tabled by eleven majority. INDIAN TREATY STIPULATIONS. The bill making appropriations for fuidiling the treaty stipuiations with the Yankton and Tonawanda Indians was passed. THR WASHINGTON WATER WORKS. The bill providing for the care and preservation of the Washington Aqoeduct and for the distribution of water in ‘the cities of Washington and Georgetown was passed. ‘THE ARMY APPROPRIATION WILL. The Senate’s amendments to the Army bill were then taken up in Committee of the Whole, and the appropria- tion of $227,000, the balance due Massachuseus on ac- count of the’ war of 1812, was, after debate, agreed to, Mr. SuonreR, (adm.) Of Als, offered ab amendment, which was ruled out, providing that Massachusetts pay the expenses of the enforcement of the Fugitive Siaye la in that State, ‘The twenty-eight amendments acted on will come up for final vote to morrow. Mr. Puxtrs, of Mo., introduced resolution appropriat- ing $10,000 to defray the expenses of the Investigating Committee. Adopted. ‘Adjourned. NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. Senate. Axpany, March 1, 1959, The bill to provide for the enlargement of the Clinton Prison was reported favorably. On motion of Mr. Marae, (dem.) the bill to repeal the Metropolitan Police act was made the special order for Tuesday next. Mr. Branprera (dem.) inquired whether any results havo been attained by the Committees of Investigation on the alleged corruption of the Legislature, . WHEELER would not state that there had boen any results at present, but he had several witaeases sub- ponaed, and would prove that eight or ten members of the Legislatare of 1866 had received bribes to pass the Albany Bridge bill. Mr. Braxvusta said that he had learned that the ex- penses would be at least $15,000. The committes had Special messengers running all over tho State to saopona men, and yet not a single word of the testimony he had Seen was worth one dollar to the State. He moved that: Whereas, no results have been attained by the committecs, ‘and tho investigations are attended with heavy expense; therefore, Resolved, That the Committees of Investigation be dis- charged fren the consideration of the subjects entrusted to | CLOCK. them. After debate Mr. BRanpreTH consented to lay the reso. lution on the table for a few days. The aot to increase the powers and duty of public ad- miniatrators had reported upon it, and it was made the special order a weok from to-morrow. EVENING SESSION. ‘The Senate was ed at the evening session in con- sidering the biis on the general orders. Tue business was entirely of a local char: Several private bilis ‘were ordered to a third readin, Assembly. Ausaxy, March 1, 1850, ‘The entire morning was consumed in debating the bill forming a commission to equalize the assessments in all the counties of the State, The bill was resolutely opposed at every poiat, but was finally perfected and ordered to third reading. The bill to extend the exemption law to $200 was taken up and debated at great length. Daring the debate Mr. Lirnaonny reprebended the taking up tho time of the House in speeches on unimportant billa. Six haa Gred and twenty seven bills had in introduced ; three hundred and eighty-four had been reported on in oom. mittecs, two hundred and ninety-nine had been ordered to the Committee of the Whole, and only eighty-four bad boon taken off of the goneral orders to this timo. Only thirty-tbree working days remain, and if the House pass on ten bills each day they will oaly just get through with the general orders. RVENING SESSION. Mr. Monn offered a substitute for the whole bill, which Provides that in every case where an offeace is commit. ted in any county of the State, when no indictment ix fouad in that oounty within six’ months, the parties may be indicted in any other county of the State. After debate progress was reporied, in order to give Mimo to print the substitite, fours niso considered in committee the bill to amend the Heli Gate pilot taw. ‘An interesting debate was bad on the bill by Mossra, Hutobineon, Tomlinson, 0. 8. Spencer and Scholadeld. a ‘0 wtrike out the enacting clause was lost, by Numeroun motions were made to amond, and after a lenge ‘opposition, progroes was reported, Houso in committeo took up the bill to authorize the Indictment of the Quarantine incendiaries, in the counties } of Kings and New York. Mr. Cuma spoke at longth against the bill. Suicide of a New Yorker. Hautmone, March 1, 1869, A young man, named Orlando G. Parsons, formorly a clerk in the New York Post Office, committed suicide at hia boarding house in this city to day, by shooting himeolf Shrough the bead. ie had been dirappointed in an effort cure a clerkship io the State Department ot Waahiag & letter from General Cara in his pocket shower, 4 out of means, when ina Ot of despair ho com Vue rash act, CORRUPTION IV OONGRESSIONDS PRIGTHG REFORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTED! Conspirecies in the Contracts with Engrave | Lithographers and Paper Merchants. Seaman and Wendell the Prinei Dramatis Personz. FULL EXPOSURE OF THE CONSPIRA’ de, &e., a. Mr. George Taylor, Chairman of the select comm! of the House of Representatives, made the following Port:— ‘The select committee appointed to investigate the counts of tho Late Superintendent of Publio Printing port:— ‘The resolution creating the oommitteo was adopted he House of Representatives oa the 23d day of Decor! ast, but the committee was not announced until the 17 day of January. On the 1bth day of Jaquary the commit ee Organized, and, in pursuance of a resolution of House, appointed "Theodore F. Audrews their clork their examination by calling resent Superintendent, George W. Bowman, before the order to ascertain how tho office of Superintendent! | { pointment, sna Mr. Seaman, woose accounts your ¢ tee wore directed to investigate, was appointed in the fe of 1863, He was re-appointed in Owcembr, 1856, and co tivued in office until December, 1857, at which time bi ‘was succeeded by the préesout Superintendent. ‘The committog have coufined their examioation as n ly a8 possible to the period of Mr Scaman’s superintend cy—tbat is, from Decsmber, 1863, 6» December, 1857 Mach irrelevant testimony has been taken, by reason the nature of the examination and from tue necessity posed upon the committes to reeort wo every expedieat draw facts from reluctant witoesses. While the entire cord is presented for the consideration of the House, t committee base their report upon such faote only as ba beon established by direct and competeat testimony. Your committeo bave given to the subject entrusted td them as thorough an examiuation as their limited time all lowed. And they believe Wat as many material facta La been developed as was possidie undor the peculiar and on barrassing circumstances under which they haze acto They deem it proper bere to state that, both with ref rence to tho atendance of witnesses summonod (two 0 whom they felt obliged tw report specially to the Hou for contumacy), and with reference to the extrome difll culty experienced in obtaining from some of the witness the disclosure of facts evideotly within their know edge, that the investigation has been attended with dilficuities off no ordinary cbaracter; and that owing to these diflicuiti material matters are suggested in the evidenc which it has not been in the powor of the committee fully’ to disclose. HOW THE ACCOUNTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT WERE Kx?T. | It bas been found that the books of tbe late Superinten-| dent have been kept ina manner £0 loose and negligoatil as to make it almost impossible to ascertain, with a oper correctnees, the condition of the accounts between! is office and the government. | ‘The testimony of Dr. Quail shows that it cannot be certained from theee books, within some hundreds reams, how much paper was received, nor how much w: delivered to the Public Printer; and that neither these ao-/] counts, nor the account of paper on band can be balanced. | Large {nvoices of paper were received without any inspes- tion, and sometimes by an irresponsible party in the emoloy of the Public Printer. A laborer or watchman in Mr. Wea- i dell’s office a| tobave had, to a very great exteat, the charge of the delivery of the paper to the Public. Printer. His memorandums were kept on slips of] Paper, afterwards sent to the clerk, whoge daty It was to su- Perintend this matter. From these slips the official receipts | were made up monthly; but, as in the case of the other accounts, the official recelpts and the slips do not agree. Those slips have been collected and pasted into a book | for reference by the present Superintendent. Some paper described in them is not covered by any official receipt, In further illustration of the manner in which the books were kept, your committee would refer to the accounts for panes ‘urnished to the binders for waste leaves. Prior to the Ist of April, 1866, paper for those leaves was fur- nished by the Superintendent of Public Printing. Tue binders charged the same to the Senste and House, and it was paid for ut atipulated prices out of the contingont fund of the two houses. It then became the duty of the binders to py ‘back the amount so collected to the Superintendent A lic Printing, to close his account for the paper sup- lied. The accounts kept by the Superintendent with the ubtic binders a to have been closed by-double red ines drawn underp: them. Some instances occur of Jateral lines drawn across the poe below, with the words “carried forward,” tn which a reference w the pages to which suco accounts are severally professodly carried, shows no balance really carried forward, and these ac: counts, therefore, show no balances due to the govera- Jpon an investigation, the present Superintendent, G. W. Bowman, ascertained ‘these facts, that accounts pur- ing to be closed had not been in fact closed, and that ‘ge quantities of paper furnished to binders, prior to his appointment, had not been paid for. Toese accounts thas standing were made out and eent to the binders for pay- ment. The largest amount, $1,170 77, was due from Mr. Amoid, of Philadelphia, When Mr. Arnold was spoken to on the Subject, he said the account bad been settied by way of a joan to Mr, Seaman; that he had refusod vo make the loan, until Mr. Seaman promised to arrange it in the Settlement of his waste leaf account. This, however, was not done, and Jar. Arnold paid tac amount 10 Mr. Bowman. ‘The same was tho case in another bill of less amount. ‘Notwithstanding the fact that $2,791 96 have been col- lected from various binders on these accounts referred to, eince the appointment of the present Superintendent, there is still a considerable discrepancy between the quantity of per required for waste leaves and the amount received from the binders. ‘ENTRIES. DECEPTIVE 5 No account was kept between the government and the Superintendent, to stow the amount of money received for paper supplied to the binders. The only memoranda of any such money is found in connection with the ao- count of paper received from Sylvester J. Megurgee, It S1OdU4 81 to Me" Mogargoe for 1.72 reams 45 Ton: papst 4 reams 45 ios. on the 14th day of Aprily 1956, ‘The entry shows that cue id out of money collected for wuste leaves; and it appears to havo been intended to coavey the idea that the 1,724 reams of paper thus settled for ered the whole atnount used by the binders up to the st of April, 16566, which was not the case. In this in- stance the books were woll ca:culated to induce the belief that tho accounts were closed, and thus to deceive; while the testimony shows that Mr. Seaman knew that money was due on these accounts, and that long after that date his clerk, Mr. Jewett, tried to collect the same, PAYMENTS MADE FOR WORK NOT DONK. The books also diecloso payments to the binders for the House for volumes which were not credited, either in the Superintendent's books or at the folding room. Various ‘small items of this character appear, and there 1# no way to explain them. In this particular great libertics un- doubtedly were taken by the parties doing the public work. number of volumes ordered wore not always bound, and in some cases not pristed. Tho evidence of these facts in regard to the binding is positive and direct, and in regard to the printing is almost as conclusive. The accounts at the House folding room were short at the time Mr. Seaman wont out of office 2,939 volumes, but the de- liveries eince that time have reduced tho discrepancy be- tween the number ordered by the House and the number delivered at the folding room to about 2,500 volumes. Joove mauoer in which these accounts have boom kept has prevented the committe from ascertaining whether these voluines wore ever bound by the public binders; but it appears that certificates for the whole number ordered by Congress have uniformly been isaued, and in a few instances those certificates embrace more volumes than were ordered to be printed and bound. In the examination of the accounts for engraving and lithograpbing your committee found that tho books of various parties did not correspond with the amounts of the certifleates issued and charged to them. In one in- stance th’s difference amounted to about $10,000, and im auother to $6,736 76, In one or two instances tho books of engravers and lithographers woro balanced by fictitious entries; but im those cases the amounts of credited , as received from the government, did not correspond with the certificates charged to ths parties. In fact, thore Pears to have beon a singular fatality about the books accounts connected with these matters. Few of them could be explained, and none of them were entirely satws- THE CONTRACT FOR ENGRAVING AND LITHOGRAPMING. ‘and lithographing wore contracted for during tho sorsion of Congress, it was dono generally under the direction of the committee, or at prices fixed by them. Whoa the committees did not direct the employment of particular parties, they instructed the Superintendent to employ par ties to do the work at the specited scale of prices gens- rally, but in some iostances left to hus discretion. Tao chairman of the Committee on Engraving testified that Mr. Seaman had recommended the employment of cor- tain engravers and caer: on account of their me- chanical skill oF their ability to oxecnte the work, and that the committee rolled upon his judgment in those mat- Toe Chalrman of the Breraving Commit ara mittee in ba fourth Congress says that Mir, Boesoan had pots for employment P. 8. Duval & Co., John Cassin, Vau. la- & Soyder and Sinclair & Co., of Philadelpnia; A. Hoon ., of Baltimore, and Sarony, Major aud Knapp, of New York. In the examination’ your committee found that all those parties had becu employed in engraving and lithographing for the government, and that all of them bad paid commissions to agonts in some manner connected with the business, and they say that the paymonts thus made had more or lees connection with the contracts for the work, Some of theee parties state that they found that their old agents could bo of no rervice to them, and that they got the impression hore in Wi that thetr partis, and Wat upon the: Caploy eke ot ihe peeceee by ment Cera Erte ral ‘our commi ind that there was a v ioral beliof in the trade that it was necessary for them Wpay for thetr contracts in some way, and that the payment was aa et as tho beliof. Payment was mato in differont ays: In some instances in the way of loans; in other cases a per contago was paid to agents for attending to the receipt and delivery of the work a} Washington; tho no- ceasity for which fervices exinted more in imagination than fn reality, a8 the plates were always sont direct to the buperintendent, and by him were delivered to the print er, who arranged or collected thom with the sheets. In clbet cate the por contago was paid direct to the Superin- ent. THE VER CENTAGR AND THK PROVITH. The eogravors and litnographors toauify, with ono or two exceptions, that they could afford to pay ‘the per contage, und Ubat they mado a provision in their bide for the allow aver which they were compelled to make to tho agents. This tact od by « comparison of the prices paid under the late Superintondont and thowe pald by Mr, Bows