The New York Herald Newspaper, September 4, 1859, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. OFFics N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. TERMS, cath tn adeance, Money sent mail roill b at the wish of the sender. Postage stamps not vr ved us subscriptions rAILY HERALD, to cents per copy, 81 per annum. WHER EY HERALD, every Saturday, at whe cents per per annum; the Buropeun Biition cerry Wedn sper copy, SA per ininuin touny part af arent Brite part oF the Continent, both to tactude the tition on the Sih and BOK of euch mouth at six conte $1 per ananin. LY HERALD on Wednesday, at four cents per cy annua ¥ CORRESPONDENCE, containing important iL from any quarter of the world; if used, will be I Yor.” pam Oun Foran ComKesPONDENTS Ale LY REQUESTED TO SEAL alt LETTERS 4xD Pack- My Bierelly P Fauricveants or O1ICH taken of anonymous corremponstence. We do not return rejerted communications, es se! ISEMENTS renewed every day: ADVERTS. renmeed every doy; auivertisements fv. ‘and Eusopean Baliions. the Werxty enaip, Fawlty PRINTING executed with neatness, cheapness and de- AMUSFMENTS THIS EVENING, EN AND HALL, Fourteenth atreet.— NTS TO-MORROW EVENING. ARDEN, Broadway.—Evonvtions oN tas tia DONN4—ASPHODEL, ROWERY THEATRE, Rowery.—Husxny, tax Fouxn- wanc—JOckO—MULINERS—ENave OF Heanrs, WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway,—Geratpnvg, LAURA KEENK'S THEATRE, 624 Broadway.—Hovss anv Home—Nine POINTS OF THE Law, NEW BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Oraxoe Gm or Vexicr—Four Lovexs. NATIONAL THEATRE, Chatham strect.—Rosmra Mea- pows—New York MecuaNic—Ligur FiNcxanp CLows. pM'S AMERICAN MUSEUM, Broadway.—After- ening—Kosisa Meabows. Mechanics Hall, 472 Broadway.— 40.—Cuaw Roasr Brrr. PALACE GARDEN AND HALL, Fourteenth street— Musical SOIREE AND MuLITARY ConcERE. ATHENAUM, South Brooklyn—Woon's Mrxstreis ut Erurorian Sones, Dances, &¢.—Danxies on tux Lever. New York, Sunday, September 4, 1859, SSS NOTICE TO THE ADVERTISING PUBLIC. Owing to the great increase of trade in the city at the present time, and the consequent increasing accumulation of our advertising business, we are compelled to ask our friends to come to our aid and help us to get our paper to pre: in their advertisements at as early an hour in the day and @vening as possible, All advertisements should be handed in bef abled to get to press at a reasonable timo, and of course This they can accomplish by sending nine o'clock at night. We would thus be en- to send out the paper at an earlier our, which would not only be a ralief to us, but a service to the advertisers, the importance of which must be apparent. MAILS FOR THE PACIFIC. New York Herald—California Edition. The United States mail steamship Moses Taylor, Captain MeGowan, will leave this port to-morrow afternoon, at ‘two o'clock, for Aspinwall The mails for California and other parts of the Pacife Will close at one o'clock to-morrow afternoon. The New York Weexty Hxxarp—California edition— Containing the latest intelligence from all parts of the World, will be published at ten o'clock in the morning. Single copies, in wrappers, ready for mailing, six cents. Agents will please send in their orders ag early as pos- Bible. The News. The Arago, from Havre and Southampton, has been intercepted off Cape Race. Her advices are to the 24th ult., four days later than those brought by the Africa. Our telegraphic summary of the news states that consols were quoted at 95} a 95§ for both money and account—no change. The Cotton market was without erseucht variauon, while breadstuffs and provisions exhibited a de- Clining tendency. By the arrival of the overland mail at St. Lonis we have news from San Francisco to the 12th ult., and late intelligence from Oregon, Carson Valley and the Fraser river country. There had been no arrivals of vessels from Atlantic ports at San Fran- visco since the sailing of the steamer on the 5th. In Oregon the Indians were harrassing Lieutenant Mullen’s wagon road expedition by destroying the mile posts and burning the grass at the camping grounds. The Carson Valley people have declared themselves independent of Utah, framed a consti- tution for a provisional government, and called their Territory Nevada. The accounts from Fra- Ber river are said to be encouraging. The report of General Harney’s taking possession of the island of San Juan is confirmed. Governor Douglass claimed the island for Great Britain, and had des- patched armed vessels and soldiers there. It is Btated however, officially, that the island will re- main in the joint occupancy of the troops of both nations until their respective governments can be advised of the proceedings. We have advices from Rio Janeiro to the 16th of July. No change in the position of affairs had taken place in the Oriental republic. The war pre- parations of the agents of Urquiza at that place Still continued. The question of the fortification of the island of Martin Garcia by Buenos Ayres had given rise to much discussion unfavorable to Buenos Ayres. The most active movements of troops were taking place in Paraguay, and war steamers were preparing for some unknown ex- pedition. It was thought that Lopez would not ally himself with Urquiza, though these move- ments of the Paraguayan government, together with the fact that large reinforcements had been sent to the fort of Hamaita, betoken some war- like undertaking. The Nacional of Buenos Ayres, in an article on the nentrality of Brazil, censures that government for being indirectly favorable to Drquiza, and threatens the Brazilian agents in Buenos Ayres. A concession had been granted to Messrs. Hopkins & Ocampo for the construction of arailroad to San Fernando. Both of the bellige- rent armies were constantly being reinforced. Chile at last accounts remained pacified, but the local papers say the peace which has come upon the country is one in which they cannot rejoice, in consequence of the torrents of blood which has been shed to secure it. An explosion of a maga- zine had occurred in Valparaiso, killing eighteen men. The investigation into the charge against Mr. Bimon Mayer, an assistant clerk of the Board of Aldermen, and Mr. Henry Erbe, of illegally issuing United States passports, was had yesterday before Mr. Commissioner Newton, and resulted in the honorable acquittal of the accused. It was shown by the United States District Attorney that the Privilege of issuing passports is expressly restricted, by act of Congress, to the Secretary of State, and that for any other person to grant any instrament in the nature of a passport to a citizen, or to any bne cls ining to be or designated as such, is a crimi- Dal ofc. Butitappeared from the documents produc’ ot the investigation that the accused par- ties did. (issue passports, put merely certificates of iden’ y, which do not come within the precise Meaning i the act, or, at least, which the act does not cover. It isa common practice for notaries public to issne passports, and it is thought that the present investigation was ordered more with the view of checking this unlawfal proceeding, ana of having the law on the subject clearly announced, than for any other purpose. The Coroner's jury called to investigate the cir- cumstances attending the Goerck street catas. trophe yorterday concluded their labors by render- NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1859. ing a verdict exoncrating they engincers, and others connected with the establishment where the explorion took piace, from all blame.» We give @ report of the testimony in another colamn. ‘the weekly mortality of the City Inspector shows that the deaths for the week ending on Satur- dey last numbered 581, a decrease of 51.08 compared with the mortality of the week previous. Of the deaths last week 76 were men, 76 women, 216 boys and 213 girls. As compared with the corresponding week last year there is a decrease in the number of deaths of 11. Of the whole number of deaths last week 403 were of ten years of age and ander, while the week before the deaths of children of the age mentioned numbered 430. The roport in- forms us that there were 254 deaths of diseases of the stomach, bowels and other digestive or: gans, 96 of diseases of the brain aud nerves, 106 of disease of the lungs and throat, 25 of skin and erup- tive diseases, 27 stillborn and premature births, 25 of general fevers, 1 of old age, 12 of diseases of the generative and urinary organs, and 2 of the Lones, joints, &c. Nine deaths arose trom violent causes. The nativity table shows that 468 were natives of the United States, 73 of Ireland, 20 of Germany, 6 of England, 2 of Scotland, 3 of France, 4 of British America, and the balance of different ‘oreign countries. The mail steamer Bremen, Captain H. Wessels, left this port yesterday afternoon for Bremen via Southampton, with one hundred and twenty-one passengers, Among them are Q. W. 8. Nicholson, United States Consul at Tunis, lady, three children and servant, and Dr. Lane, Surgeon in the United States navy. The Bremen took out only $1,500 in specie. Edward Kelly, the man who was shot in the drinking saloon corner of Whitehall and Bridge streets, on the night of the 31st ultimo, while en- goged inadrunken row with Jehn Hays, died at the New York Hospital yesterday morning from the effect of his injuries. Coroner Schirmer, who had previously investigated the matter, held an in- quest upon the body of deceased. The testimony was lengthy, but no new facts were elicited. A number of persons witnessed the occurrence and bore evidence of the prisoner's having shot de- ceased. The facts are still fresh in the memory of our readers, so that it is unnecessary for us to re- capitulate them here. The jury rendered a verdict against the prisoner, who was thereupon com- mitted to the Tombs to await the action of the Grand Jury. In his examination before the Coroner, Hayes stated that he was thirty-six years of age, was a boatman by profession, and lived at No. 11} Bridge street. In answer to the charge preferred against him he said, “Itis correct in some points.” A meeting of the friends of the late Hon. Horace Mann, late President of the Antioch College, resi- dent in this city, was held yesterday noon in the Broadway Bank. Richard Warren, President of the Board of Education, presided. A Committee on Resolutions was appointed, who reported a set of resolutions expressive of the sense of the meeting, in which they resolved to holda public meeting and select a speaker to make an address on the life and writings of the deceased. ‘The cotton market yesterday was quiet, and sales con- fined to 200 a 800 bales, without change in quotations. The stock in this market has been ascertained to amount to 43,462 bales, of which 35,278 remained on hand unsold, sold, but not d , 3,718, and on shipboard, uot cleared, 4,456 bales. s took from this port, during the year ending September 1, 223,081 bales against 196,170 last year. The flour market was less active and buoyant, and closed dull for most descriptions. Wheat was heavy, and nominal for all grades, except good to prime new milling lots, which were unchanged. Corn was inactive and prices without change of moment, while moderate sales of new mixed Western wore made at Sic. a 82c. Pork opened with some irregularity, but closed with more buoyancy. Sales of new mess were made at $14 75 a $14 95, and of primo at $10 6234 9 $1075. Sugars were quiet but unchanged: the sales were confined to about 300 hhds. , neluded in which were Cuba at 6c. and Porto Rico at 74¢c. | Coffee was steady, with sales of 1,100 bags Rio and 1,300 do, St. Domingo. Freight engagements were limited, but rates were steady and unchanged. acuzn of the Canals—Forty Millions of Debt to be Paid by Taxation, We transfer to our columns to-day an elabo- rate article from Hunt’s Merchants’ Magazine for the current month, on the canals and railroads of this State, showing conclusively what the sta- tistical returns of the canals have fora long time been foreshadowing, that the canals have gone to ruin in a financial point of view, leaving the people of this State saddled with a debt of some forty millions for their maintenance, to be paid by taxation, for the canals themselves, no longer available property of the State, are manifestly doomed to meet the fate of the canals of Pennsylvania: namely, to be sold for what they will bring, and that sum may not amount to over six or seven millions, Looking at this condition of the canals as a fixed fact, proven by figures, which are stubborn things, and admitting that the canals have been made to succumb to the railroads, let us see by what mischievous and treacherous agency they have been brought to it. The Erie Canal—certainly one of the greatest achievements of the age in which it was con- ceived—was conatrucied thirty-five years ago by the energy and perseverance of De Witt Clin- ton, in the teeth of the strongest opposition from all the political factions, Clinton was more of a statesman than a partisan, more of a patriot than a politician; and he was met, as such men always are, in every step of his career, by the in- trigues and antagonism of the leaders of the two factions, whigs and democrats, who then, and ever since then—called by different names at dif- ferent times—haye so miserably misgoverned this State for their own private Personal gain. In spite of all opposition Governor Clinton ad- vanced to the highest position in the State, and he succeeded, too, in uniting the waters of Lake Erie with the Hudson river, the shores of the Atlantic with the prairies of the far West, by means of the Erie Canal, in the year 1824. No sooner were the canals established than the leaders of both fagtions—alike in their rapacity and unscrupu- lousness—seized upon them and used them for their own purposes, sinking them year after year into debt, until they became not only unprofit- able as State property, but a heavy burden upon the shoulders of the people. When the railroad nterest grew into importance these eame con- ecienceless scoundrels took hold of it, ag likely to afford a richer placer for their avarice, and ran down the canals, which they had previously ab- sorbed with the same motives. The State debt to-day is swelled over forty millions by the criminal mismanagement of the canals, and we boldly affirm that one-half of that amount has been pocketed, deliberately stolen, by the leaders and wire-pullers of both fuc- tions at Albany. The infamous Central Railroad monopoly, which seeks to govern alike the poli- tics and the commercial interests of the State, is the creation of the Albany Regencies, and so also is the onerous canal debt which has been accumn- lating for years, until the canals have fairly sunk under its weight. There are two Regencies at Albany. The or- gan of one is Confidence Cassidy’s Atlas-Argus ; the organ of the other is Master Thurlow Weed’s Evening Journal—the former of whom would sell the private letter of any man, friend or foe, for twenty picges of ellver, and the latter would be- troy the prigdlples he pretended to maintain for five thousend dollar “free wooi ' douceur. : ‘Theee ure the fellows, aud their cullaborateure in treachery, wid have saddled forty millions ot a canal debt upon this over-tax-d State, It is not the act of any oue party or faction, but the result of the joint raseallty of the intriguing leaders of both the Albany Regencles, for both are qjike rapacious, unprincipled and dishonest. “We eclewnly believe,” says the writer in Hunt’s Merchants’ Magazine, “our canuls have seen their palmiest days. We do not see how they are to recover the business they have lost. Henceforth, in our opinion, they are to be a tax upon the property of the State. In ne way can they be made to pay their way, atill lese will they ever be able to discharge the indebtedacss created on account of their construction.” And eo we stated in the Henatp months ago, Tne Albany Regencies have destroyed the cansls, sunk us deeply in debt, and are striking at the root of the best interests of the State for their own eelfich and wicked sims; and it is well that the public should know what mischief these trick- sters can accomplieh by their underhand combi- nations if they are not exposed and checked. Meautime, we may expect to see our canals, Iike those of Pennsylvania, go to the hammer, end be sold for a few paltry millions, leaving the people to pay by taxation the heavy debt they bave accumulated through the agency of a few scheming politicians. The Telegraph System of the World—Laid and Submazine Lines, We publich this morning an interesting and valuable article on the World System of Telegraphs. Many of the facts embodied therein are now presented for the first time in print, and, taken altogether, they ex- hibit the most remarkable enterprise avd pro- gress in this important branch of human science and discovery. Twenty years ago there was not a mile of telegraph in this country, nor, in fact, in any part of the world; yet to day the number of miles of land aud submarine lines is estimated at one hundred thousand, while at least twenty- five thousand additional miles have been pro- jected. Such a work, in so comparatively brief a period, seems almost incredible, and had we not the incontrovertible evidence presented to us in the article which we this day publish, we wight well question the veracity of the state- ment. Skepticism, however, has received so many severe lessons of late that the race of old steadfast and obstinate unbelievers is rapidly becoming extinct. The practicability of the Atlantic telegraph, although its success was rendered temporary by causes already fami- liar to the public, put the quietus on the great body of them, so that a real, genuine, original skeptic is a sort of fossil that might be prized on account of its rarity, if for nothing else. In this, the last and greatest achievement of human genius, which will befere another year elapses become @ permanent success, we have the strongest guarantee of the establishment of the world telegraph, by means of which all the nations of the earth will be put ia immediate communication. Our readers will perceive that two routes are already laid out for this great work, One by way of the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, India and the Eastern Archipe- lago to Australia, from Ausiralia to the Sandwich Islamds, and thence to San Francisco, where the connecting link with the Eastern hemisphere will be formed by a line stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast, and unit- ing with the great ocean telegraph which isto be waanext summer. The other route will extend acroes the whole continent of Asia, the longest part of the line running through the cheerless wilderness of Siberia and terminating at the Amoor river. From this point a cable will most probably be laid across the seas of Ochotsk and Kamschatka to the Russian possessions in Ame- tica, from which a land line could be construct- ed sufficiently far southward to meet and con- nect with the transcontinental telegraph that is to unite the castern and western ex- tremes of our republic. The great Asiatic telegraph that is to form so important & part of the electric girdle of the earth has already been commenced by the Russian government, and will extend a distance of nearly eight thousand miles, commencing at the ancient capital of the Muscovite empire. ‘There is still another route which will soon be surveyed, so that should a favorable report be made in regard to it, we will eventually have three world telegraphs. The bark Wyman, in which the survey will be made, sailed from Bos- ton on Monday, the 29th inst., having on board Col. Tal. P. Shaffner, one of the projectors of the undertaking. The route on which the cable will be laid is by way of Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Isles to Scotland, the whole distance be- ing about eighteen hundred miles. The longest section of cable which will be required on this route is five hundred miles. Mr. Shaffaer has ob- tained the exclusive privilege from the King of Denmark of landing a cable on the coasts of Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, which will form intermediate stations between the ter- mini of the line. When this line shall have been successfully laid, we will have two great north- ern telegraphs—the one just described, and the other by way of the seas of Ochotsk and Kam- schatka. The third, as has been already stated, will he by Australia and the Sandwich Islands. The Anglo-Indian telegraph is rapidly ap- proaching completion, and we are informed on Teliable authority that in less than nine months all the great cities of Hindostan will be brought into connection with the seat of government in London. England is certainly making rapid strides in the establishment of telegraphic com- munication, and, as we have seen in the case of the Atlantic Telegraph Company, gives the most substantial encouragement and aid to these en- terprices. The government of Spain, we also per- ceive, has iseued a decree granting a provisional concession for the construction of a telegraph to connect with the Island of Cuba; and, in fact, nearly every government in Europe is promoting the extension of telegraph communication, either by legislative enactments or by special privileges and material sapport. The uses to which the telegraph is capable of being put were exhibited in a remarkable manner by the fertile genius of the French Emperor during the campaign in Italy; and it is now a well ascertained fact that it played an important part in contributing to the succces of the French arma on the obstinate- ly contested field of Solferino. In Algeria tele- graphs have been erected, so that all the import ant parts of that conquered province are brought j2 Communication with Paris, just as in the Cri- mean war the French camp was placed in close proximity with the head of the imperial govern- ment, who was thus enabled to direct the move- ments of the besieging force and to plan and direct that last terrible assault by which the Ma- lakoff was carried. All this, in connection with the important ‘elegraph im the commeroial, mer- yh Sates and general busiaess trnaeactions of tic World, gives peculiar prowl nence to the atticle which we this day pubiish, and which will X% reed with more than usual ia- terest, vatarian Despetism on The Effects of aga ‘Pwo or three of our pia Contemporaries, in- cluding one of the Auinids'® Sleek type, have expressed great satisfaction at the police being partially euccessful in closing the Public houses on Sunday in St. Louls, and from xhis achiewe- meat they anticipate wonderful bene“ to the cause of public morality and soci’ order in that town, and argue that still greater reeulig would flow from a complete clomig up on Sunday of all houses of public ea tertainment in New York. There can be no greater delusion than this. Experience has proved that Sabbatarian despotism, so far from preventing vice and crime, has the contrary tendency. The only countries in Christendom in which the rigid Puritanical Sabbath has ever been kept are England, Scotland and the United States, Now in those countries it has been pro- ductive of immense moral as well as physical evil—bypocrisy, gloomy epirits and bad health, secret indulgence in vice, to compensate for the unnatural external restraint of Sunday. An egent of the Sabbath Committee of this city, who travelled over Europe, reports that io no country did he see the Sabbath so thoroughly observed as in Scotland; and in Glasgow, the commercial capital, “the external observ- ance ef the Lord’s dsy was almost as com- plete as in a New England village of the olden time.” It was the very “ideal of a Christian Sabbath for a large city.” Now, what is this ideal? “The priaciple line of railway—from Glasgow to Edinburgh—entirely closed; a day of general rest and worship; a home, apparently, tor everybody, and everybody ut bome; churches for the people, and the peo- ple at church; all dramshops effectually closed trom 11 P. M. on Saturday till 8 A. M. on Mon- dey.” Butisthisall? By no means. Let ue see the admissions of the “Corresponding Secre- tary of the Sabbath Committee.” He candidly saye:—“Of course there would be darker shades to the picture; probably there are thousands of Sabbath-breaking, unevangelized souls in such acity. I speak only of the external aspects,” It is well that he speaks only of the “external aspecta.” If he spoke of anything else, and epoke truly, his argument would not have aleg to stand upon. The statistics of vice aud crime in Glasgow would overthrow his “lame and impotent conclusion.” Perhaps in the Christian world, in proportion to its population, there is not another city in which there is so much drunkenness and other vice as in Glasgow. “The darker shades of the picture” are so nume- rous and so deep that they completely preponde- rate, and present on the whole a very gloomy and dismal picture indeed. The language of the agent of the Sabbath Committee shows what is the true idea of all the Sabbatarians—“external agpects.’ They may indulge to any excess in drinking in their own houses; only let nobody see them, and it is all right, no matter what filthy vices they may revel in. How like the whited sepulchres—beautiful without, but within full of all manner of uncleannees! In Scotland the ingenuity of man was exer- cised in enacting and enforcing Sunday laws. Persons were appointed to hand over to the criminal courts all children and othera who were found walking in the streets on Sunday. The result was what might be expected—men could not be forced into a religious life, Instéad of religion, there was cant; instead of trath, nypo- crisy. Cromwell said of the Scotch about Edin- burg in his day, “The people generally are given to the most impudent lying and frequent swearing, such as is incredible to be believed.” Among the causes of a solemn fast in Scotland, in the year 1653, were the following: “The growth of sin of all sorts, particularly pride, uncleanness, contempt of ordinances, oppres- sion, violence, fraudulent dealing, the most part of the people growing worse and worse, and re volting more and more.” The Sabbath super- stition was then only fifty years in Scotland, and yet euch were its fruits. How appropriate is that description to the Pu- ritanical Sabbatarians of this country who have imitated the Scotch hypocrisy! Cotton Mather, the historian of the American Puritans, speaks of cheating, robbing and stealing as abounding among them, litigious suits scandalously multi- plied, secret filthiness in church members, and young men debauching the societies to which they belonged. Again, he says, “ Have not many of us been devils one to another for slandering, for backbiting, for animosities? It is high time to leave off all devilism, when the devil him- self is falling upon us.” Such were the effects of Sabbatarianism, and they continue to a vast extent still. If there is any improvement, it is because the rigid Sabbath ob- servance of “a new England village of olden time” has gradually given place to an approxi- mation to the joyous Sunday festival as it is ob- served on the Continent of Europe and is be- ginning to be observed in England itself, William Howitt, an English writer, says of the Sunday observance in Germany:—“Shops re- main, in a great measure, open; all sorts of theatres and places of amusement are open; la- dies sit knitting, in company, as usual; the peo- Ple look on the strictness of England as a spe- cies of gloomy, ascetic severity, which makes no part of religion.” The Baroness de Stael says: “Religion in Germany exists in the very bottom of the heart.” Laing, in his “Notes of a Travel- ler,” cays of the French, who keep Sunday in the same way as the Germans, that they are a more honest people than the British. “The beggar,” he says, “though hungry, respects the fruit on the roadside within his reach, and practical mo- rality is more generally taught in France than in any other country in Europe.” In France the average number of criminals is one to every 6,000 of the population. In Massa- chusetis, on the contrary, we learn from its cri- minal statistics, the number of convicts is stated to be one in every 2,257 of the population. It is only two or three years ago since Theodore Parker, in his sermon on “the Perishing Classes,” stated that “during the past year more than one- twenty-fifth part of the inhabitants of Boston were committed to watch houses for criminal offences.” Yet, in no city in the Union is Sun- day kept eo strictly as in Boston. In no city in the Union is there so much drunkenness as in Boston, in proportion to its population. In no countries in the world is there so much drunken- ness a8 in the United States and in England and Scotland. In France and Germany drunkenness may be said to be almost unknown. The reader, therefore, can have little difficulty in deciding whether the Puritanical gloomy Sab- bath or the joyous Christian Sunday has the more favorable Influence on public méfality, the social and domesilo virtues, and on true rel- giou iteelf , Smetbuset Polcening in England— bag Memarkabie forcrceh Oause. A very remarkable murder trial has been at- trectipg much public attention In England, and Las terminated in the conviction of the accused and bis being sentenced to the death penalty, We publish elsewhere the history of the case, and a report of the close of the trial, comprising the Judge’s -umming up, the speech of the pri- coner, declaring his innocence, the rendering ot the verdict, and the solemn passing of sentence by Lord Chief Baron Pollock. The facts wa developed by the (rial are these: There were two maiden sisters residing {a Lon- don named Isabella and Lonisa Bankes, The first named, who was the victim of the tragedy, bed paseed the period of life at which the tender passion is supposed to have most force. She was forty-three years of age; and yet she fell in love with a retired physician named Thomas Smethuret, a man some five years her senior, and who, to her knowledge, had already one conju- gel partuer. The wife of Smethurst, it seems, was an old lady of aeventy, who did not attempt to keep a fight rein over her husband, but as- sented to the very agreeable and unusual ar- rangement that she was to make no inquiries as to the cause of the Doctor’s repeated absences from home, All parties appear to have been in ebod circumatances, the Doctor having retired from practice with a competency, and the two Burkes sisters enjoying each an income of over a thousand dollars from invested property. This was the condition of the parties when they became acquainted, toward the close of 1858, at a lodging house where they re sided, in the euburban village of Bays- water. There the Doctor and Miss Isabella appear to have conceived a wonderful fondness for each otber; and 60 little regard did they pay to appearances that the mistress ot the establiebment, with an eye to its good reputa- tiop, required them to find accommodations eleewhere, Soon after this, ata date variously given in the reports as the 9th, 12th and 19th of Decem- ber, 1858, a marriage was celebrated between Smetburet and Isabella at Battersea church. It has not been explained how it was that this un- fortunate woman was deluded into contracting a marriage which she must have understood, from her knowledge of the existence of Mra Smethurst, was void; but it is supposed that he persuaded her that his first marriage, (contracted in 1828), was not a legal one, and that, as the old lady was so far advanced in years, it was not worth while going to the trouble of having it annulled in legal form. However it was, they were married in a public church, and took up their abode at Richmond, in the neighborhood of London. The old lady, meanwhile, gave them no trouble, asked no questions, but continued to occupy her apartments in Kildare terrace. Whether it was that Smethurst was haunted with fears lest he should be brought to account for the crime of bigamy, or whether he loved Mies Bankes’ money better than he loved herself, is one of the cecrets in thiscase. The motive will, probably, never be divulged. At all events, he resolved to get rid of one of his wives; and, strange to say, it was the youngest and appa- rently best loved whom he doomed to death. She became ill. Skilful doctors were sent for and prescribed remedies for the disease, which at firat appeared to bo dgaontery. Teo tueois our- prise, however, the medicines prescribed had ac- tually no effect whatever. They did not know what to make of it. Neither vegetable nor mine- ral drug appeared to affect the patient. At length their suspicions were aroused, and each came to the conclusion, independently of the other, that the malady was not a natural one, and that the medicines ordered by them were be- ing counteracted by an irritant poison. At their request a physician of great eminence was sum- moned, and he immediately came to the same conclusion. It is to be remarked that during the three weeks of the woman’s illness Smethurst was her tole nurse. By day and by night he was by her side, administering food and medicine, and at- tending to all the various unpleasant duties of a sick room. Her sister he kept from her on the pretence that her presence was a source of irrita- tion. It was also a very singular circumstance that during all that time no morsel of food or drink ever came again out of the sick chamber. He accounted for it by saying that he himself consumed what she did not; but the prosecution referred to it as a link in the chain of circumstantial evidence against him tending to show that all the food and drink were poisoned, and that therefore the residue was made away with by him to guard against dis- covery. Finally, two days before her death, and on the Sabbath day, he introduced an at- torney into the sick chamber, and had a will executed bequeathing to himself her whole for- tune, between eight and nine thougand dollars. The next day (Monday) the attending physicians caused him to be arrested on suspicion; but there was 80 little on which to ground the charge— his person and residence being searched and no poison discovered—that he was discharged on his own recognizance. But, immediately after the death of his victim, he was again arrested and committed for trial, and, as we see, has been tried and found guilty. In all its aspects this was a most remarkable case. The prisoner was convicted altogether on circumstantial evidence. No traces of poison were found in the liver or body, or at least the trace was so faint as to warrant the counsel for defence in trying to have it ascribed to the ordi- nary medicines prescribed by the attending phy- sicians. But, as in the celebrated case of Palmer, and as in the case of Stephens, convicted re- cently in this city, the syniptoma exhibited before death were regarded as more conclusive than the tests for poison that were afterwards applied. All these cases show conclusively that it is no less dangerous for the murderer to resort to slow than it is to resort to rapid poisoning. We refrain now from instituting a comparison between the English eystem of criminal jurispru- dence, where the sword of justice falls eurely, inevitably and without undue delay, and our own system, where the criminal is enabled, by applications for new trials, to cheat the gallows for years, if not ultimately to esoape the doom he merits. —— Oventna ov tHe Cuurcnes—Prery np Preacnine Resvvenatep.—After a summer so- journ in the country the ministers and quite a number of the congregations of the churches have returned to the city, and to-day the seve- ral places of worship which had been closed for some time will be re-opened, and the work of sanctification commenced anew. Meantime, the churches have been burnished up, and doubt- eo rn CE CC eens the preachers have under- phew ec vom the rest and treah air of the, country, Ibis y.> be hoped that the Songregations also have brow, “Ht back » free store of piety-from their commu, °° With Na- ture; have left the frivolities of the» ‘#biona- ble watering places behind thom; in sho,» hve renounced the devil and all his works 4 pomps, and return to present a fruitful field fo.” the labors of the ministry, The eee to-day will present a novel ap- pearance, for, as the city Is full of the congregations will doubt rn goodly array of new faces, fashions and de- meanors. Visiters from abroad will be natu- rally anxious to hear the great guns of the mo- tropolitan pulpits; nor wi! they he scrupulous about the order of worship at which they af tend. Tho widest reputation for pulpit orato- ry or pulpit eccentricity will be the greatest attraction. They will Go to. church as they go to the Opera, to see and hear the novelty of the metropolis in that particular line; but whe knows for all that where the mustard seed of grace may fall? We have no Spurgeon yet in New York, nor perhaps the elements to create one, but wa have a few preachers, like Dr. Chapin, Ward Beecher and others, of Spurgeonic fame in the country parts, whose peculiar style of eloquence will be a treat to strangers, ——_—_—_—__—___ The Public Store Contracts. Yesterday morning 8 committee of laborers from the public store in Broad street, which, after Monday next, will pass over, by contract, to the charge of Mcsars. Craig & Co., waited on the Hon, Howell Cobb, Secretary of the Treasury, in the Collector's office, at the Now York Custom House, to express to him their high senso of obll- gation for the manner in which he had secured their in- terests, with regard to compensation and retention in office under the new arrangement. Mr. Michael Murphy, in behalf of tho public store laborers, was spokesman of the committee. He “‘sincere- ly thanked Mr. Cobb for his kind remembrance of and consideration for democratic laboring men,” and assured. him that it was ‘an evidence of good will which would always be gratefully remembered by them;” that they were poor, but that they endeavored to be honest, indus- trious and faithful; that they were dependent upon their occupation for a livelihood for themselves and their fami- lies, and that in guarding them from harm, as ho had done, he had performed an act, too rare in official life, of “humanity and Christian charity,’” ‘Tho Secretary of the Treasury replied to the committea that, while ho was in the Congress of tho United States, ho Lad represented a district composed almost exclusively of laboring men. They had, he said, invariably sustained him with a fidelity which had wayered under no temptation; and it was a rule of his political and Rane lite, dictated not only by a sense of what was right, but also by gratitude, to maintain their rights whenever an opportunity afforded, and to promote their interests on all occusions. He assured the commit- tee that in contracting for the business of the pubiic cease pe bad. been guided by viet ue erent be his uty to the country in securing, as as possible, am economical administration of its Anamosa; that'to be mind~ less of this consideration would be to sacrifice the first claim which he had upon their esteem, and an obligation imperative upon his conscience, and for which the whole nation would Lold him to account. He rejoiced that they appreciated his motives, and believed that all would do so when experience had shown them in how friendly a spirit to the laboring classes everything had been done. Much opposition has existed among politicians against the letting out of the public store business by contract, om the ground that doing so would prove of disservice to the men now employed, and algo to the democratic party. It has been feared that the two hundred and fifty men in 12 Broad street would either be dis- charged, or that their rights would be greatly in- fringed upon. Since the men, however, have Ds ed that they aro mi A and that the outcry on the subject has been- unfounded, they aro eo fied, as the meeting which place between Mr. Cobb and the laborers proves. It was erroneously stated by the Washington correspondent of tho Herat that the members of Congress, including Mr. John Cochrane, ex- Surveyor, were une ualifiedly ‘and unconditionally in fayor of the’change which has been made. ‘This is a mistake. The members of Congress, and especially Mr. Cochrane, have taken no recommendatory part in the matter, but have, when inquired of, declared that it was an experi- ment, the popularity of which would probably ultimately depend upon the care of the contractors to avoid inter- ‘arenes with the rights of those laborers who were faithful n the discharge of their dutics and to the interoste of the democratic party. The change made is exclusively owing o the determination of the Secretary of the Treasury tore- duce the government expenditure; and the advice and iuter- ference of Mr. Cochrane and others here has been given with a view to render the working out of the new plan as beneficial as possible to the working classes, as well ag to the mercantile community. Moreover, in the contract be- tween the government and the gentlemen who are to have charge of the public stores, a clause been inserted enabling the Secretary of the Treasury to rescind all that has been dono, and fall back upon the old system, if the new one does not work well. Tar Masa MxerinG AGAINST THE SunpaY Laws.—The Allgemeine Sangerbund of New York, consisting of six- teen singing societies, and numbering 800 singers, re- solved unanimously to attend the mass meeting against the Sunday laws to be held on the 18th inst. Tar SrrEeT PreacugR Fatcover.—Recorder Barnard has revoked the licenso which he had granted to the tem- Perance preacher, Edward Falconer, who was arrested on the City Hall steps last Sunday, and discharged on pro- ducing his license to preach in the public streets. Tho following notice was served on Mr. Falconer yesterday:— To Epwakp Faconze, Esq.:— Sik—After a more careful examination of the provisions of the ordinance under which license was granted to you by me to preach temperance in the public streets, squares, &c., 1 am. satistied that Thad no power to grant such License, you not belng a minister. Your teense iahersby revoked. New Yors, Sept. 3, 1899. ¥ Dy Beconier, —_—____. Tas New ORLEANS Mart Rovrs.—The agents of the New York and New Orleans mail and passenger route adyer- use in the New Orleans papers to convey passengers be- tween the two cities in four days and eight hours, and yet the very papers which contain the advertisements wera eight days on the route to this city. Ever since the schedule time of the mails was shortened two days be- tween New Orleans and New York, the papers haye been {wo days longer in coming than they were under the old contract, nt Naval Intelligence. The United States store ship Supply, Commander Henry Walker, left the Navy Yard to-day and proceeded to Quarantine, where shé is anchored. She is bound to Loando, coast of Africa, for the purpose of establishing a new store depot for the use of the squadron. The follow- ing is a list of the officers:— Commander, Henry Walker; Lieutenants, John Downes, O. F. Stanton, A. M. Reeder; Captain's Clerk, T. M. Brower; Purser, H. A. Walker. ——$<$___. The Aurora Borealis on Sunday. THE SINGULAR APPEARANCE OF THE HEAVENS ON SUNDAY NIGHT, THK 28TH INST., AS WITNESSED AT BATH, L, 1. ‘TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD, The twilight which succeeded the setting of the sun had for upwards of an hour given place to the darkness of night, when a while luminous streak made its appearance on the verge of the nortwoatern portion of the horizom. Had this been observed in immediate connection with the departure of the beams of the sun, it would not have at tracted any particular attention, but following on the utter darkness with which we had for some time been envel- oped, it became at once an object of wonder. This was increased by the belief prevalent among the small party in connection with which I made these observations, that the aurora borealis is very rarely witnessed in this Inti tude, and then only ata much farther advanced portion of the year. The light to which I refer, and which, whem first seen, was but a thin streak, suddenly diffused it- self over the whole heavenly canopy, with the exception of @ very small portion on the south and west, and ite brillisncy increased with such intensity that in a short ‘ime every gurrounding object, which had already boea buried in obscurity, was rendered distinctly visible. Every house, every irce, the waters of the wide bay be- fore us, were again reetored to our vision, and the dark outline of the distant though opposite shore of New Jersey could be plainly traced without any effort of sight; while the lighthouse lamps on Conoy Isiand and Sandy Hookr paled somewhat before the seemingly returning day, and the small stars which for » timo had twinkled down vpon us, abandoned the field to thelr larger companions, whouo light, peering through the white haze, rendered their appearance grandly intereating. The luminosity which bad hitherto been of a pale white color, nOW Chabged in the north and southeast to hues of the deepest scariet and bine, which remaining permanent to one form and piece but for a few minutes, assumed that of the rainbow ana others equally gorgeous and im| 5 but the chief grandeur of the scene, and that immensely beyond description, was when in the zenith appeared, aa it were, a focus, from which there descended, ‘atrotob' out towards tne horizon in every direction, broad bands variegated lights, making our earth appear as if in thy cen- tre, and placed under the bri(iantly colored dome 0’; some immense and dazzling pavilion. This form of trans cendental beauty remained fixed above us form space of about ten minutes, when a revolution of the bands of light took place, ouch following the ovher round in rapid suo cession and yet all univod at the common centre, This ap-