The New York Herald Newspaper, October 24, 1859, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMKs GORDON GENNETT, gorvr AND PROVRURTOR, © rick x. W. onven OF NASSAU AND PULTON STS. toance, Moncy sed By mail wilt be at the on ri SOS ‘Pecos teas et ne nichorrd pion hue santo per Bi per anne. D, every Sutyrdiy, at ste onta pee or ropenn Elition every We tical: FS Tay ag ey el or $5 to any part of the. Conti hath (0 tnolude ponte; Oe California ‘ittion om the Nh tn Meh of cach wonsh at via rene or tie “ann nm. PT AR PMI Y HERAET on Wedtnealay, at four cents por cnsenn conbaat CORRESPONDENCE, contadning important pews, collind from ey ihe iP enh wilt Kaberally proid Ban Sen Powman Conmesroxneyts ane Pangrciamy Reopeerep te Bean 41. Ueerkns 4x0 Paoe ‘4098 SENT OR . BO NOTICE token fan corvespontence, We down rom canttoms MBUPRTISENENTS cenrced cvery day: adoertlaemente in nevtad tn the Wenner by oe Famiy Hanan and in the oe ae Neko RS AMINES T TS wn, ares cata pk WVotume XXIV AMUSEMENTS TGIS EVENING, ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Fourventh street—Tracian Ore- Ka—RivoLstro. HIBLO'S GARDEN Readies Tre Fay Omerr—Aw Hove i Savi ares? rrom New Yous. BOWERY THRATRE, Rowery—Tum Rese Cuise— DuKe's Jesten—Satron’s Dura: WINTPR GARDEN, Broadway, opposite Bond street. (sso Ur—Cuamoomt tun Taikp, WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway.—Fast Mex or ras OLoEN Trak—Ra rane, LAURA KRENP'S THEATRE, 624 Broadway —Mmsvu wee Nigut's Dicom NEW ROWERY TRATRE, Rowery.—Srmrca Devonue— Macte Barket—Dow Casik ve Basan, BARNUWR AMERICAN MUSRUM. Hroadway.—After. noon— Writs avn Wars. Beening—Wius arp Wave—Tar- Log or TaNWoRTa z WOOD'S MIN TRELS, 444 Brosdway.—Bratortan Soncs, ¢ Danors, 4 —Dawow ano Pyrnias. i BRYANT'S MINSTRELS, Mechanles Mall, 472 Mroadway.— Bomssques, Soxas, Vancrs, Ac. Scenes at Puacon’s. MOZART HALL, 683 Broad Anve. ‘mropon’s THEATRE OF HOPE CHAPEL, 720 Rrondway —Wana: New York, Menday, October 24, 155 Traut. The News. By the arrival of the Anglo-Saxon in the river St Lawrence yesterday, we have advices from Liverpool to the forenoon of the 12th inst., four days later than the accounts previously received. The news is interesting, as will be seen by our telegraphic summary, published elsewhere. The Zurich Conferences continued in session, but their prorogation at an early day was expected. | They seem to have accomplished little towards ef- fecting a settlement of the questions bronght be- fore them. It is stated that Napoleon bas become diagusted with the course pursued by Austria, and | also that the Vienna Cabinet, while endeavoring to win over Napoleon to its views, is at the same time preparing a coalition againathim inGermany. Na- poleon had made a speech at Bordeaux, in which he expressed his views quite freely with regard to Italian affairsand the course of the Pope. The Pope in turn has ordered the priests to preach for the restoration of the Italian Dukes. There were rumors afloat of difficulties in the | British Ministry, growing out of the Chinese affair. The mammoth steamer Great Eastern had made | ateip from Portland to Holyhead. Her performance | ‘was quite satisfactory. She will proceed from Holy- | head to Southampton, where it is probable she will | remain until next spring. \ The Liverpool cotton market showed animproved | demand, and closed firm, but without any actual | advance in prices. At Manchester prices of all | kinds of goods were slightly lower. Brokers’ cir- culara report flour sixpence to one shilling per bar- rel higher, and wheat firm at an advance of two- pence. Beef was steady and pork dull. At London consols on the 11th inst. were quoted | at?5j.a 95} for money. There wag no material change in American securities. We have files from Turks Island dated on the Ist inst. The Royal Gazette says :—“ Although our advices from the United States are not very favor- able, yet the demand for salt has been good during | the week. The weather is, occasionally, very eqnally,and we may reasonably presume that the end of this year’s salt season is near at hand Price, 74 cents.” Our advices from San Domingo, by way of Turks Islands, are to the 19th ult.,and we learn that the Dominican republic is on the eve of another revo- lution. The movement is said to be in favor of ex- President Baez. Captain Cooper, of the bark Eliza Barss, has supplied us with files of Bormada papers to the 11th inst. Two hundred convicts from the establish- ment at Boaz Island had sailed for Southampton, their term of penal servitude being about to ex- pire. The Royal Gazétte says:—“ The British war steamer Gladiator, Commander Hickley, arrived on Saturday last, with Commodore Dunlop, on his way to Jamaica. The Gladiator left Halifax on the 2d inst., and on Wednesday encountered a cyclone, which lasted until Thursday morning at daylight, doing considerable damage to the vessel. The storm revolved from southeast, round by west to north, its direct course being to the north.’ The Ameri- can steamer Albert Horn, ef and from New York, out five days, arrived at St. Georges on the Ist, on her way to Porto Rico for coal, and proceeded on the 2d. The British bark Majestic left the port of St. Georges on the 6th inst., bound to London, and when outside the port, with a pilot in charge, she struck the ground, which caused her to leak so badly that the master determined to return to port. On 8 survey, it has been recommended that the cargo be discharged to repair damages. Public curiosity having been awakened on the question as to what was to become of St. Anne’s church and its congregation, since its pastor, the Rev. Dr. Forbes, has signified to Archbishop Hughes his withdrawal from the Catholic communion, one of our reporters called at St. Anne’s church yester- day. The church was open and service performed as usual, a Catholic priest officiating. Dr. Forbes has not officiated for the last three or four months, the Archbishop having taken the church off his hands. We publish this morning interesting statements of several persons who participated in the conflict between Old Brown's party of insurgents and the citizens and soldiers at Harper's Ferry during the recent outbreak at that place. They will give our readers a better idea of the rise and progress of the insurrection than any account that has hitherto been published. A fire occurred on Main street, Louisville, Ky., on Saturday night, which destroyed the stocks of oods of Messrs. Wilson & Starbird, Watson & Co., Porter & Buchanan, and others, involving a loss of Toperty estimated at upwards of one hundred housand dollars. The cotton market on Saturday was firm and active; the rales embraced about 2,800 a 3,000 bales, part in transitu; Prices closed firm on the basis of 11%. per Ib. for mid- dling uplands. The flour market was again active and firmer for common and medium grades, with sales of about 33,000 bbls, including some purchases for export. Southern flour was also in good demand, and prices closed quite firm, with sales reported of 6,000 bbls. Wheat wag iu better demand and more active, closing firm, with sales of about 45,000 bushels. Corn continued scarce and firm, with sales of mixed and yellow at $1 04 a $106. Pork was in moderate demand, with sales of mess at $15 25 a $15 30, and of prime at $10 80.4 $10 873%. Sugars were firm; the sales ombracod 460 a 500 hogsheads avd 70 boxes Cuba muse: 08 at full prices. Coffee was quiet butfirm. Freights continued firm; among the engagements were cotton t Liverpool at 8-164, , 18,000 bushels wheat at p. t. ;oil cake at 208., spirits turpentine to London at 66., rosin at 4s., and cheese at p. t. NEW YORK HERALD, Our November State Eloction—The Great Iseue Before the The lute ieretble abolition emeutoat Harper's Ferry, in the midet of an unsuepecting slave- holdivg community of a border slave State; de- mands from the people of the North a prompt and emphatic repudiation, Itso bappens, how- ever, that the Northern States, excepting Massa- chusetts, New York, New Jersey and Wiscon- sin, havo held their elections for the présent year, and that, excepting California, all these concluded elections indicate the prostration of the Northern democracy, and the strength of the republican party as 4 seotional anti-slavery organization, Had this Harper's Ferry explo- sion occurred in September, we should, no doubt, have had a different report from Penn- sylvania and some other States; but still, to the great State of New York is reserved the Qppor- tunity and the power for rebuking that Presi- dential programme of her arch-agitator which would involve one-half the Union in the fire and slaughter of a servile insurrection, and both sections in all the horrors of a civil war. The State of New York, in our November election, may, if ehe will, in this important view of the subject, inaugurate a great and bonefl- cent revolution, Thus, the defeat of our republican State ticket, upon the teat ques- tion of Seward’s infamous and bloody Rochester manifesto, might be made a result of the highest moment to the peace and stability of the Union. Under other cir- cumstances we might confidently predict this result, for we know that an overwhelming ma- jority of the people of this commonwealth are loyal to the Union and the obligations of the federal constitution. But, elas, the trickeries, treacheries and un- i serupulous sharp practices of the Albany do- mocratic Regency for the ascendaney in the Charleston Convention, the ruffianisms and eorruptions of Tammany Hall, and the impla- cable p@ponal feuds between this olique and the equally unscrupulous clique of Mozart Hall, all taken together, with the general drift of the late Northern elections, and the over- whelming defeat of the New York democracy last year, leave a very small margin for a de- mocratic triumph this fall. Indeed, we still adhere to the opinion that the republicans will carry the day; but let not the friends of law | and order, and sectional harmony, North and South, in view of such a result, conclude that there is no hope for the Empire State. Demoralized, disorganized and broken to pieces, a8 the democratic party of New York is to-day. from a long continued system of inter- nal abuses, corruptions and factious quarrels over the spoils, itcan hardly be expected to come cordially together upon a fortnight’s no- tice. Nor is it to be supposed that, upon a sudden alarm like this from Harper’s Ferry, the elements of our disbanded Amorican party can all be brought to the rescue. Their hos- tility to the democratic party, and their bitter enmities against Mr. Buohanan’s administration, are perhaps as strong in the aggregate as their inflexible spirit of party revenge against W. H. Seward and his Albany engineers. But with these considerations before us, we shall not be disposed to*the conclusion that with a republican victory in New York in November | the issue of “an irrepressible conflict” in 1860, in the shape of a Presidential contest between two monopolizing sectional parties, will be fixed beyond redemption. On the other hand, it will be some time yet before the comprehensive and all important lessons involved in this affair at Harper’s Ferry will be thoroughly appreciated in this section. A current which has been long and steadily flowing in one direction cannot be suddenly reversed. Thus, perhaps, the first positive re- action from the North against the treasonable sectional programme of Seward and its bloody tendencies will have to come from the new Congress which meets in December. But there, upon the momentous question of the organiza- tion of the House, the republican party may be brought down from the bloody platform of Seward, or reduced, by the formation of a new opposition party, to the insignificant dimensions of a mere abolition faction, like that of Birney, Van Buren or Hale. Thus, while we would admonish our law- abiding and conservative readers of the North and South not to expect too much from the demoralized democracy of New York in No- vember, against the republican party in power, we would also advise every member of Con- gress, of every party, who is opposed to Sew- ard’s revolutionary and disunion principles, to prepare for the organization of the House. Let this organization be made the test question of the reconstruction of the repnblican par- ty, or the organization ofarival opposition par- ty, and before the end of the present year the great battle of 1860 will be taken out of the hands of Seward and his followers, In the meantime, let the people of New York remem- ber that upon this great issue depend the peace and safety of the Union, and they may still accomplish enough in November to initi- ate the good work of a reconstruction of par- ties in 1860, under which the slavery agitation will be crushed ont. Tue Pruvt on tHe “Innernessmir Con- Fract.”—We had expected that the recent out- break at Harper's Ferry would have been eagerly seized on by many of the abolitionist Sharp’s rifles parsons of this vicinity as a text on which they might weave incendiary dis- courses. Our reporters were consequently de- tailed to the churches of some of the most prominent of these clerical fanatics. Strangely enough, however, the parsons seemed to be afraid of the subject, and most of them avoided handling it. In this cautiousness they imitated the organs of the black republican party, which do not know absolutely what course to steer in the tempest that has been awakened at the bidding of Old Brown, of Ossawattomie. There were, however, a few exceptions to this general reserve. In the Shiloh Presbyte- rian church, where the congregation is com- posed of colored people of all shades, a sermon was preached last evening in which it was de- clared to be the duty of every man who loved the cause of freedom to declare that the Hgr- per’s Ferry movement was right, and that any one who Would not say so boldly had much better say nothing at all—a piece of advice which we submit to the black republican jour- nals here and elsewhere. John Brown was placed by this colored preacher on the same footing with George Washington, because both had drawn their swords in the cause of human freedom, and the curious arithmetical question Was suggested:—If nineteen white and colored abolitionists can subjugate a population of two thousand, what extent of population could be subjugated by a force of fifty thousand aboll- tiouiste, or of a million? The solution of this we leave to Governor Wise, The performances at Hope Chapel were also of an interesting character, consisting less of ro- ligious observances than of a freo and open dis- cussion of the various degrees of human slave- ty. Madame Ernestine Roce took a hand in the discussion, and showed that we want Harper's Ferry outbreaks North as well as South, As indications of public feeling, these matters aro of much interest. Black Republican Support of Rowdyism. Our amiable contemporarics of the Courier and Enquirer, are, with all their overflowings of charity, excessively silly, Kindly as the feelings of that paper aro towards its shouldor-hitting allies of “auld lang syne,” when $52,000 was not a circumstance in the secret service a0- count of the United States Bank, we had judged more favorably of its prudence than to have supposed it could desire to awaken such awkward recollections, Nevertheless, it came out last Saturday, with a certain circuitous open- nees,indefence of gladiator Sewardiam, and the “thieves and vagabonds” of Tammany and Mo- zar€Halls, in a manner which shows, either that itis greatly alarmed, or most totteringly “old fogy.”’ We rather think the Courier is fright- ened. One of the very ablest politicians of tho interior, wrote a letter, received here the other day, expressing a belief that the uprising of the worth, respectability and intelligence of New York city, would change thirty thousand votes at the approaching election. It is, most likely, in view of this fact, that our veracious friends of the big sheet of Wall street have j felt justified in indulging in an unusually ex- ‘tended amount of imagination, and bave been lees cautious than usual to give to their misstatements the advantage of a “hedge.” We regret to announce that the statements of the Wall street black republican blanket, are almost without exception false. The only truth its article contains is copied from the Heat, and is, that the “more honest, more virtuous, more decent, and cleaner” of the men of the democratic party, are utterly disgusted with the monopoly of “ rowdies, shoulder-hitters and thieves and vagabonds of that ilk, who have so long robbed the city and State.” This proposition, which all goed men ought to ac- cept, the Courier considers abominable, It thinks that its acceptance would make Mr. Wil- liam H. Seward President of the United States, and that, therefore, it isasham. It luxuriates in abuse of Mr. Isaac Bell, Jr., and consumes several “ gullies,” in animadversions upon the Registry law, as though either had anything to do with the vast uprising of our respectable men to save the city, State and country from future misrule. The cecret tribulation of the Courier, in its vituperations upon the action of the seventy-five thousand upright voters of New York, against the brutality and cliquedom tyranny of a minority of not more than fim three to five thousand of the most depraved outcasts of the community, is, “that the move- ment is got up under the auspices of the New York Herastp;” (this phrase occurs several times in its article) and that “it is under the thumb-screw of the Herauy.” Now we happen not to be personally or politically acquainted with a single individual who is prominent in the ranks of the “New York Democratic Vigi- lant Committee.” Their road diverges in many respects from ours. None of the gentlemen en- gaged in this patriotic movement have consult- ed with us, and we have not sought counsel from, or held any intercourse with them. If we have appeared to support, simultaneously, the same object, it has been because the dangers whioh menace the country, the utter rotten- ness of our municipal government, and the violence, depravity and corruption of black republican, Mozart Hall and Tammany cliques, are apparent to all alike. =: The large cities of the United States have gradually permitted the most abandoned class- es in the community to assume the reins of gov- ernment. New York is not any worse than are Baltimore, New Orleans, St. Louis, San Fran- cisco, Philadelphia and Chicago. The one is the counterpart of the other. The industrious portion of the population, inclined to the steady application of its energies to the accumulation of property, and to acquiring education, ease and intelligence, has, too long, considered politics lukewarmly, and as a secondary and inferior matter, A terrible shock was requisite to awaken it toasense of ita position, and to an ap- preciation of the fact that, either the densely inhabited places of America must share the fate of Rome, Athens, Sparta, Florence, Venice, Genoa, Pisa and the Hanseatic towns, or else warning must be taken by their example. These commonwealths prospered, so long as men of influence and wealth retained in their hands the power to put down the efforts of a minority rabble to destroy them; but they fell when the respectable masses became enervated and negligent, and their sway was usurped by the ignorant, vulgar and debased. Itis troe that what have been called “reform” movements in New York city, have, heretofore, failed. They have been rare, badly managed, and frequently gotten up to promote selfish ends. But if a thousand efforts ina right direc- tion had fallen to the ground, it would only be a reason for increased zeal and perseverance, and not for discouragement. If the informa- tion we have obtained is correct, the combina- tion of citizens connected with the New York Democratic Vigilant Association, is such that, with unanimity and a moderate degree of ac- tivity, it cannot fail to accomplish immense results. Hundreds of repnblican merchants have signified their adhesion to its principal objects, and neither the puerile mendacities and slanders of the Courier and Enquirer, or the slang of the Leader, Tribune and News, will obfuscate their intellecta, divert them from their purpose, or prevent the snecess of their undertakings. The problem to be solved is one of life and death for the city of New York. It is whether small gangs of bad men shall monopolize pow- er, or whether they shall be crushed out from among us, into the penal establishments pro- vided for them by the laws. The State, and the country are equally interested. New York is the great metropolis of wealth, thought, in- tellectual greatness, and moral power, which supplies, ae from a reservoir, the rest of the Union. What is done here is pondered over and copied, throughout the length and breadth of the land. The present uprising of the honest and upright masses, is an exemplar by which Savannah has been already reformed, and other large cities promise to be. It will be opposed by the vicious organs of parties and MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, cliqnee, and the plundering elements of eociety will, of course, be oulnaged by it ; but it will eventually combine with it the conservative force of all occupations, ang it will result in the purification of the various departments of local and general government. The Harper's Ferry Insurrection—Will Gove! rv Morgan Sarrender the Acces sories before the Fact? Before the lapse of many weeks, and, perhaps, of many days, new and grave political compll- cations and issues must grow out of the recent rebellion at Harper's Ferry, for which the pub- lic mind cannot be too seriously prepared. The shockingly fippant tone of a portion of tbe press, iu relation to the murders that have been committed, and the conspicacy to create a servile war throughout the South, which has been discovered is greatly to be censured. It proves that, where black republican sentiment is not wholly depraved, it is deaf and blind to the dangers which menace the peace of the country. The confessions of Brown and his accomplices, and the documents that have been seized, make it apparent that the insurrection wae celiberately planned, with the coguizance and connivance of prominent abolitionists and black republicans in several of the Northern’ States, and especially in the State of New York. The letter of Gerrit Smith affords strong presumption of his complicity in the matter, and there is little room to doubt the guilty participation of Fred. Douglass with the originators of the rebellion. The former Kansas correspondent of the Tribune, who pro- bably inflaenced, in a measure, the disposal of the free State fund, abont which there has been so much mystery, is said to have been one of Brown’s rank and file who were killed. When the circumstances which led to and accompanied the deeds of violence and lawless- nees, of which Harper's Ferry bas been the scene, have been sufficiently investigated by the Virginia authorities, it wit be the duty of Governor Wise to demand from Governor Morgan the extradition of all, in this State, who have been accessories before the fact, of the crimes that have been perpetrated. Gerrit Smith and Fred. Douglass are two of those whose delivery, in accordance with the laws which bind the States together, will almost beyond a question be insisted on, that they may be tried in Virginia as aiders and abettors of murder and insurrection, offences punisha- ble by death. The responsibility will then de- volve upon Governor Morgan of one of the most important decisions which any State exe- cutive ever had to make. He will be compelled to choose between obeying the statutes requir- ing him to surrender Smith and Douglass to the outraged laws of Virginia, or assuming the position of supporter of “irrepressible con- filot” politics, in their first actively aggressive stage. Firm and wise statesmanship will be needed to meet the dilemma in which Governor Mor- gan will soon find himself. Whatever his ac- tion may be, a convulsion of public feeling will be the necessary consequence—in the one case salutary, in the other futal. Should he deter- mine to be guided'In his conduct by the laws he has sworn to uphold, the republican party will be instantly rent in twain. The more coa- servative of the party who sustain him, will vir- tually tear themselves away trom past aboli- tionist associations, while Sewardism will stand bare and naked before the people, in all its hideous proportions. In this case, it will be well for Messrs. Smith and Douglass to betake themselves speedily to “parts unknown,” for if they are taken down to Virginia they will in- dubitably be hung. We should be sorry to see Gerrit Smith, who is, personally, an amiable, charitable, estimable personage overtaken by such a destiny; though for Douglass, who is a rascally black demagogue, few would have the smallest sympathy. It is to be feared, however, that the black republican harness may keep Governor Morgan so closely in the “irrepressi- ble conflict” traces that he will not dare to act upon a question of murder, committed in behalf of niggers, ashe would do if white men only were concerned. It is to be feared that, ill ad- vised, he may protect the criminals instead of surrendering them, and thus commit an error, which, if endorsed by the people, would be equivalent to the secession of the State of New York from the federal Union. Should Governor Morgan decline to give up to the authorities of Virginia the persons of Gerrit Smith and Fred. Douglass, if demanded by Governor Wise,such a refusal would be tan- tamount toa formal disavowal of the funda- mental laws which unite the States. It would be asolemn declaration that New York is not bound by them, and will not obey them. It would be the commencement of the gravest political crisis that the country has ever been called on to encounter, and’ one whose deve- lopement would be equally rapid and inevita- ble. It would cause a change in the relations of North and South, and of parties with each other, and would affect materially the next election for President of the United States, It is to be hoped that Governor Morgan will do his duty, at whatever sacrifice of feeling, It behoves every citizen to consider, however, what he will do if the Chief Magistrate of the State acts,in the coming emorgency, as a parti- san, and not as a patriot and statesman. If, after the usual course of legitimate action, on the part of the courts in Virginia, the extradition of Mr. Gerrit Smith, Fred. Douglass and others should be demanded by Governor Wise, there is no doubt whatever that the same line of conduct should be adopted in this as in every other criminal case. But, if an exception is made by the State Executive, in favor of black republi- can theories, and abolitionist practices, the people of New York will be called on, at the election that shall follow, to decide upon an entirely new issue, namely, whether they will remain in the Union, or secede from the Union. Should there be a popular endorsement of so gross @ violation of the laws which rule be- tween the States, as would be committed in de- clining to surrender, at once, accessories “be- fore the fact” in trials for murder, arson, con- spiracy and insurrection, the preservation of the integrity of the confederation would be next to impossible, and civil war itself might be inevitable. The brigand epoch of “irrepressi- ble conflict” has been inaugurated, and it will either he stifled in its birth, or spread like a raging fire through the Union. Tae Surv Acarst Tie Brsttor or Ruope Istanp.—We publish in another colamn a com- munication from Providence, defending the Bishop of Rhode Island from the charges against him, in a suit brought by a Mrs. Han- nerty against the administrator of the lute Bishop for money alleged to have been loaned 1859, to the latter durieg his lifetime, the dooument- ary evidence of which bad been lost. Tho statement of our correspondent sets forth the facts of the evidence in a light so strong that the assertions of the platntiff are completely overthrown. Mrs. Haanerty’s claim seems to have originated with the loss of the late Bishop in the ill-fated Pacifico, and though at first set at $500, it gradually grew until it attained the amount of $3,000, which wae sued for. It appeared in evidence that at the time when the late Bishop is alleged to have re- ceived the money he was in the cathedral singing mass and preaching, and that the late Gen. Carpenter, who was said to have witnessed the transaction, was not at the place stated at the time specified. Other circumstances of an equally strong nature militate against the state- ments of the plaintiff, and although two ofa jury refused to find for the defendant, thore can be little doubt that the claim is un- founded. Centralization of Commerce. We have been latterly extending our ar- rangements for receiving commercial intelli- gence of various kinds by telegraph; among other matters, we are preparing to receive weekly returns of the foreign commerce of the various seaports of the United States, which, when the organization is perfected, will enable us to present in the money article of the Monday Herap a statistical picture of the foreign trade—not of this port only, but—of the whole United States for the previous week. In the meanwhile the first of these despatches which have come to hand illustrate beautifully the gradual progress of commercial centraliza- tion which is going on around us, Time was when Philadelphia and Baltimore were’ consi- dered marts of part of the foreign trade of the United States, and even in a measure rivals of New York, Where is their foreign commerce now? Let the Custom House tables answer:— a TRADE OF TL WEEK Pesan ocr, 22. . s. Imports. reports. New York $4,07¢,747 2,680,092 i] 138,340 2,800 49,783 324,064 Upon such figures comment is unnecessary. At this rate, one such ship as the Vanderbilt or the Kangaroo would suffice to do all the trade ofboth Baltimore and Philadelphia, by only calling at either place once a month. Several times this summer a single Cunard steamer has arrived at this port with as much cargo as, ac- cording to these figures, Philadelphia and Bal- timore receive, both together, in three months; and as to exports, two or three steamers (to say nothing of sailing ships) clear from New York every week, each with a cango as large as the exports of both these towns during a whole month. So the work of centralization goes on. Phi- ladelphia is following in the wake of Perth Amboy, which was once supposed to have greater capabilities than New York; by and by, neither it nor Baltimore nor Boston will have any foreign commerce at all. As the Bi- ble says: “To him that hath more shall be given; but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.” The fact illustrates the folly of the specu- lators, and local patriots who have been build- ing railways and digging canals terminating on the seaboard at Philadelphia and Baltimore. The Pennsylvanians, for instance, not centent with throwing an immense sum of money away onan utterly unproductive canal, have latterly built an enormous railroad all the way from Philadelphia to Chicago. In like manner the Baltimoreans have been extending their Balti- more and Ohio road and its connections, in order, as they say, to compete with the New York and Pennsylvania trunk routes from the West to the seaboard. Just in the same way,a party of Englishmen have been spending im- mense sums on the Grand Trunk Railroad in Canada, which, they assert, will compete suc- cessfully with the New York roads and canals, and will build up great cities at Montreal and Portland. Now, it is as clear as daylight that all this money is thrown away and utterly lost. These various roads may and probably will have acertain amount of way business among the re- sidents along the line of the road. But the great through traffic between the seaboard and the West must centre at New York, and must consequently travel over the New York roads andcanals. No sane Western farmer or pro- duce dealer is going to send his wheat or his corn or his pork to Philadelphia or Baltimore for sale when he knows that for a dollar’s worth of such produce wanted there, there is a hundred dollars worth wanted at New York; nor, on the other hand, is any sen- sible country merchant going to send to Baltimore and Philadelphia for his goods— when he knows that New York receives in a fortnight as much foreign goods as either of these cities in a year. Western men are shrewd enough to send their produce to the largest market, where there is the most active demand for it; andto buy their dry goods and groceries where these articles are most plenti- ful, and where, therefore, there is competition among importers, and eome chance of prices being low. We dare say that a very few years will wit- ness the almost total cessation of foreign trade at Philadelphia and Baltimore. It will not ne- cessarily follow, however, that these cities will go down. Their destiny—if their citizens are energetic and shrewd-—is to be large manufac- turing towns. Land will always be so much cheaper there than here that a number of ma- nufacturers will select them as preferable sites to New York. Hence—with energy and indus- try—the Philadelphians may make their city a second Birmingham or Mancheater, while Balti- more may rival Lyons. The sooner they frankly adopt this view of their prospeets, the better it will be for them. Sarery or Ovr Pesric Arsontes anv Forts. The recent seizure of the armory at Harper's Ferry, by a band of seventeen white men and five negroes, and their holding, not only the public buildings, but the entire town, with its twenty-two hundred inhabitante, as prisoners for nearly two days, have drawn public atten- tion strongly to the unprotected condition of all our forts, arsenals and magazines from Maine to Texas. On looking into the matter, we find that there is not a regiment of regular soldiers on the en- tire Atlantic and Gulf seaboard. We have two companies at Fort Hamilton to protect New York Harbor, one company at Boston, one just removing from Newport to the West, two com- panies at Charleston, one at Key West, and ight companies of recruits at the artillery school at Fort Monroe, on the Chesapeake. Major French’s battery has been ordered to establish an artillery achoo) at Fort Clark, in Western Texas, and another has been establisbnd at 9 » frontier point on Missourl river. Werecognise the advantages to be derived from the estab- Hebment of field artillery echools on our Western frontier, and readily coincide im the fact that the West must and should be protected. But we also think it rfyht to insist that our forte and ar- senals on the Atlantic seaboard shall also be kept in repair avd a ready state of defence. We are now oonstructizg on the Dry Tortugas am immense fortification, which has already cost millions of dollars, and which, when finished, will be the Gibraltar of the Gulf of Mexico, | Yet there it stands alene in the centre of a thou- sand miles of unguarded coast, with not one hundred soldiers along that whole extent, no citizen soldiery to rush to its rescue, and no navy to guard it if it were menseed. Withia eighty miles of it the Captain General of Caba has twenty thousand disciplined troops and twenty-five steamships and vessels of war. Im seven hours after giving the order at Havana the Spanish fag could float on its ramparts, and the monster cannon we have placed there would secure it from recapture perhaps for years, and certainly until a constant blockade should reduee its garrison to surrender from starvation. Thewhole question of our military and naval defences requires to be discussed by the next Congress with a more liberal than has for a long time been oxbibited towards them. ‘Trial of the Harpor’s Ferry Consptrators. No criminal trial has taken place in this country within the last half century that ap- proached in point of national importance the cause which is to be heard and adjudicated in afew days in tho Circuit Court of Virginia, The trial of Aaron Burr, fifty-two years ago, for treason against the republic, did not excite more intense feeling than will be called into action by the trial of Ossawattomie Brown and his confederates, -[f the Governor of this Stes be called upon, as he probably will be, to aur. render to the State of Virginia the bodies of * Gerrit Smith, Fred. Douglass and others, who may prove to have been accomplices of Brown in his crimes of murder and insurrection, the excitement already existing will be intensified to the highest degree. Ifthe demand be made and refused, then the bonds of the confederacy will be in danger of speedy and violent disrup- tion; but if the demand be acceded to, then we may look out for most terrible demonstrations on the part of the Northern fanatics who up- hold the abominable doctrine of the irrepresai- ble conflict. In either and in all events, however, the pub- lic mind will continue in a state of the highest excitement during the continuance of the criminal proceedings instituted against the Harper’s Ferry abolition insurrectioniste. Burr’s case had nothing to do with the sla- very question, and was therefore of minor in- terest as compared with the case of Brown, who has not only incurred the penalties of treason and of murder, but has aimed at arm- ing the Southern slaves and inciting them to slaughter the whites. With one-half the Union the question involved is of life and death; with the entire republic it is a question of national existence. Therefore it is that we regard tho impending trial as the most momentously im- portant and most deeply exciting that has, per- haps, ever occurred in our history. To-morrow the trial of John Brown, Aaron C. Stephens and Edwin Coppie (white men), and Shields, Green and John Copland (colored), commences at Charlestown, the county seat of Jefferson county, in Virginia, distant about eight miles from Harper’s Ferry. The charge against them is for felonious conspiracy to make am abolition insurrection and open war against the commonwealth of Virginia, for making open war, for murdering divers citizens, and for in- citing slaves to rebel and make insurrection, The practice in that State differs from the prae- tice here in this point, that in advance of a final trial before a court and jury, there is® preliminary trial and examination before a Court of Justices, where the accused may examine witnesses and go fully into his defence. course he may also decline to go into his fence before this court. The trial to-morrow is to be before sucha Court of Justices. Brown and his associates may, and probably will, go fully into their de- fence before this court, and all the ramifica- tions of this vast conspiracy, which extended throughout Canada and the Northern and West- ern States, will be exposed. The final trial, before a jury, will follow immediately, as it is probable that indictments will be presented to- day or to-morrow. In view of the immense importance of these proceedings to the coun- try and to the werld, the Hrraip purposes to have them fully reported and transmitted by telegraph, as was done in the Sickles case. If any of our cotemporaries choose to participate in the enterprise and its expense, they may do 80; but whether they d@or do not, the readers of the Hersxp will suffer no diappointment in the matter. A Year's Record of Shipping Disasters on the British Coast. We have received the Life Boal, a journal of tho “National Lifo Boat Association,” an English publication. for the present month, containing « complete wreck chart of the British coast, which shows tho oxact locality of the stranding, foundering, dismasting and collision of steamers and sailing versels during the year on the shores of the British isles, as algo the precise location of the life boats. From the wreck rogister for the year 1868, it appears that there were 1,170 vessels wrecked on the const and in tho seaa of the United Kingdom. Of these 254 were total wrecks, 150 wore sunk by collision, mak- ing the total number of Jost 404. The number of vessels shattered and damaged 80 28 to require a discharge of pd was 515, and by collision 261, making a total of 766 discharging cargo. ‘The total losa of life was 340 for the year. There are in England 115 life boats, and 157 mortar and rocket stations; in Scotland 7 lifo boats and 22 sta- tione, and in Ircland 14 life boats and 37 stations. Durin, the last seven years thero havo been 6,076 wrecks, an 1,866 collisions, 5,020 lives lost and 1,555 lives saved. Military Affairs. TESTIMONIALS TO EX-COLONEL ABRAM DURYEE. A large number of our principal down town merchants are getting up a splendid testimonial for presentation to ex-Colone! Abram Duryce, the late commandant of tho Soventh Regiment, National Guard, as a fitting acknow- Jedgment for his eminent military services while in com- mand of the best discipliaed volunteer military corps in he world. Several thousand dollars have already been ‘ubseribed for this purpose. Somo of the daily papers, in peaking of this matter, mwittingly attributed the whole credit of the high state of discipline of the Seventh to Colonel Duryee, This fuicome adulation meets with vory little favor from the Colonel, who desires that it should he expresely understood by the public, that the high ftanding and excellent discipline of the Seventh while under his command. is attributable to the untiring labor, assiduity, tact and gentlemanly bearing of his fold pial and line officers, who reducod their principles to practice. In connection with the testimonial affair, it is but doing an act of justice to the entire regiment to stato that immediately after Colonel Duryeo’s resignation, = long before the merchants proposed to got up a testimonial, ‘a committeo was spposited, who took active steps one up a testimonial for that oMcer, expressive of the high regard % which he is held by the regiment. pido mittee acting Leven f tho suggestion of tho princi 4 officers, proceeded with their dutics ina vory ial ee ber, wiih a view not to, givo any publicity to the uitg until the testimonial, whatever it might be, ready for presentation.