The New York Herald Newspaper, December 26, 1859, Page 4

Peach” 5 4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GURDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. city treasury. The receipts at the Tax Commis- sioner’s office last week were only $10,135 27, against $230,137 69 the previous week. Upon the tax levy, $9,860,124 09, there still remain unpaid $1,650,000, which the law requires should be pald SRCURN EERE Corr ee OrriCs ¥. W. CORNSK OF NAMSAU AND FULTON 8TE | before the let of January, Those who fail to pay Ain advanse Money ee ERE ter Powige stamps mot re-rived we ewvcription mony, THe DAILY HERALD two tants per copy, $i per annum. fae WEEKLY HERALD every Extentey. af phe cente or Biyer annum; the Bi Eitition every Wotvesday, venls Por copy. 4 per annem to any part of Grout Brita Gienk gard UF the Continent. bothtbe tnckude poaiage Ue Duk vonta Mdition on the Sth and Beh of each month at wiz conta 8) per annum. bares ehh HERALD on Wednesday, at four cents per ‘or $2. per annum. Moron: RRESPONDENCP, contrtntng important ne, sldad from any Whe orld, Wonk, ol Merally paid for, pgm Our Fornion CORRESPONDENTS ARE Parroviac.s Bequestep To Skat aut Larters anv Face Oxxt Os sOTD NOTICE taken of arcnynioue correepondence, We do no return rejected communicutions AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. ACADEDY OF MUSIC, Fourteenth street,—Iratais Orera Euan. WIBLO'S GARDEN, Gtapiarons—Raovt. "HEATRE, Bowery.—Afternoon—Sawta (1) 5 man, Rvening—Ss Laus—Yewxre Taxs—Eron Bor— Love uv Aut Cornnens—E ANGER. WINTEE GARDEN, Broadway, opposite Bond street — OcroRoon—Afternoon and evening. WALLACKI8 THEATRE, Broadway.—Evenrsopr’s Fauxp—Kocas axp Nosrs. LAURA KEESE’S THEATRE, 62 Broadway.—Distant Briations. NEW BOWERY THEATRE. Bowery.—Afternoon~—Mr Two Fatarrs—Inen Turox—Motara Goow anp Tae LDH Spuvine. Evening—Lirrux Dev.—Morase Goose anv rue GoLpEn Ecc ~S' SWALSS—OMNIBUS. Broudway.—Vivarorsgg—Tiere | vent hy ma wilt deatthe | their tax arserement by the Ist of January will be charged twelve per cent interest from the tine their taxes fall due. We lay before our readers this morniag all the affidavits, letters, &c., which were read in the Uni- ted States Circuit Court, on Saturday last, in the case of Dion Bourcicault against the public admio- trator and the leasee (of the Winter Garten theatre for an injunction to restrain them from the furtber performance of the “Octoroon,” a play of which he claims to be the author and proprietor. The evidence is of a very conflicting natare, and gives an interesting view of this theatrical squabble. The purser of the steamship Arie! informs us that the passengers by the steamship Northern Light, from this port Sth inst., went through to San F isco on the steamer Cortes. The steamship rth Star, from this port for Aspinwall, was sig- | nailed December 22, at four o'clock P. M.,in lat. 30 N., lon 73 40 W., steering south. The schooner Col. Satterly, Capt. Hall, from Charleston for this port, went ashore on Barnegat Shoals on Saturday morning, about four o'clock. Tho Col. 8. was laden with cotton and rice, and consigned to McCready, Mott & Co. A fire occurred yesterday morning at a stable in the rear of No. 329 West Thirty-sixth street, by which two valuable horses belonging to Mr. James Millward were burned to death. ‘The sales of cotton on Saturday embraced 6,000 bales, in- cluding 8,200 in transit. The market closed steady on the FRENCH THEATRE. 695 Rroadway.—Cowsx’s Mcmca | basis of 1c. per Ib. for middling uplands. Flour was eNt—Afterzoan and eveulag. BARNUM’S AMERICAN EM, Broadway.—After- noon—Anapin. Evening— : pS—ALADIN. BRYANTS’ MINSTRELS, Mecdanics’ Wall, 472 Broadway— Afiernoon and evening—BvRLES@UES, SoNGs, Dances, dc.— | Bornxs at Pustons, NIBLO'S SALOON, Broadway.—Gro, Curisty's Mix- grees ix SonGs, Daxcrs, Buxcxsques, &¢—Afternoon aud Eveaing~ Brack Statue. WOOD'S MINSTRELS, 444 Srondway.—Ermiortay SONGS, Dances, &c.—New Ysax Corrs. CHATHAM AMPHITHRATRE—Kavrsrmux Penronu- ANord—Afiernoon and Evening—Hoxe axo THe Hoxenxss, New York, Monday, December 26, 1859. MAILS FOK EUROPE. Whe New York Herald—Edition for Karope. ‘The Cunard mail steamship America, Captain Millar, ‘will leave Boston on Wednesday for Liverpool. ‘Tho mails for Europe will close in this city to-morrow @fternoon, at half-past one o'clock, to go by railroad, and Mt three e’clock to go by steamboat. ‘The Evxortax Evrmoy ov rus Henarp will be published Subscriptions and advertisements for any edition of the Maw Yous Hanaxp will be received at the following places tm Europe:—~ Lenpost,, ..Sampeon Low, Son & Co., #7 Ladgate Hill. Lansing, Starr & Co., 74 ee aoe, ++ -Lanaing, Baldwin & Co,, 8. Bouree. Kiresroct.‘Tansing’ Stare & Co., No. 9 cpaos ‘The contents of the Eczorsax Epox or ras Heri ‘will combine the news received by mail and telegraph at the office during the previous week and up to the hour of Our special Washington despatch this morning Gives us the particulars of a secret caucus of the | leading black republicans at the Astor House in this city last week in advance of the meeting of the Republican National Committee. We are informed that at the caucus some forty or fifty prominent republican leaders were present, and after discus- sion, it was almost unanimously agreed that the times called for more liberality and conservatism; that the “irrepressiblo confict” aud Seward must be ignored for the present, and all the elements of wpposition united on some such man as Bates of Missouri. The formation of a Cabinet, in cage of success, was also discussed, and the names of those likely to form it are given in the despatch. We publish some additional information from Central America, contained in letters of our cor- respondents in Guatemala and Nicaragua, this morning. A copy of the statement of Hon. Mr. Wlarke, United States Minister, which preceded his protesta—given in the Haman» yesterday morn” ing—to the Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs onthe acquisition and control of new territory by Great Britain, in violation of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, will be found elsewhere. It is an important Paper. A good deal of agitation prevailed in San Balvador in consequence of the Presidential elec- ftion canvass. It was thought that a considerable excitement would be produced in Costa Rica by Mora’s advent from New York. Nicaragua was Taking seme legislative efforts at municipal and Bdacational progress, as also better rules for the qualification of professional men. Aletter from the United States ship Roanoke, Gated on the 12th instant, states that of the crew ach day every division exercises, either at great guns, muskets, carbines, artillery, or in boata ‘There were only about a dozen of men on the sick list out of seven hundred A report of the late run of the United States #teamer Lancaster from Valparaiso to Panama will be.found ip this paper. She had ship boy drowned wverboard. Flag Officer Montgomery had trans- ferred his flag to the Lancaster from the Levant. A court martial was to assemble on the Lancaster for trial of cases of mutinous conduct and serious stabbing. WEAn account of the enthusiastic reception of a Portion of the seceding medical students at Rich- mond, Va., with a report of the speech of Gover- mor Wise on the occasion, is given in the letter from our Richmond correspondent in this morn- Sng’s issue. ‘The steamship Prince Albert, from Galway on the 20th of December, via Newfoundland, arrived in this port yesterday morning. She haslanded an Irish Cargo valued at $100,000 and brought out two hun- held with more firmness, and for common grades of State and Western an advance of 5c. 0 10c. was demanded, | and the market closed with increased buoyancy. Southern | flour was unchanged, while sales were fair. Wheat was } quite firm, and the views of holders being above that of | buyers, the sales were moderate, Corn quiet, aud prices | frregular: new yellow Jersey and Southern ranged from Sic, to 85c. for the former, and S6c. a 860. for the latter; | old was scarce and nominal. Pork was firm, with | sales of mess at $16 123 9 $16 20, and of prime at | $11 62340 $11 75. Sugars were firm but quiet; sates were confined to 250 hhds, reGning goods at 740. Coffee was | quict and eales limited: 400 bags Maracaibo were sold at | 120., and a small Jot Jamaica atthe same figure. Freighis were firm, with a fow engagements for Eiverpool and London. The Vital Question of the Day—Great Union Speech of Gov. Wise. From our special reporter at Richmond we have received the graphic report, which we publish this morning, of the great Union speech of Governor Wise in said city, to the two hun- dred Southern medical students who lately eva- cuated Philadelphia and returned to the south side of Mason & Dixon's line, on account of the menacing aspects of the present slavery agitation. The speech in question is the most remarkable of any speech of any Southern man evoked by this terrible sectional disturbance. We all remember that Governor Wise, in 1856, threatened, in the event of Fremont’s election, to march a Southern army upon || Washington to seize the treasure and archives of the federal government, and to march off with them, and set up an independent Southern confederacy. But now mark the revolution which these stirring times upon this very ques- tion of disunion haye brought upon the reflec- | tive mind of Governor Wise. Now he declares that instead of fighting to get out of the Union, he is prepared to fight to maintain the Union; that if any are to be driven out, it shall be those who seek to drive him out; that he agrees with General Jackson, that “the Union shall be preserved,” and by force of arms if } necessary. This is good. It has the ring of the genuine silver. The great of the people, North “and South, will cordially re- spond to such sentiments. The prominent idea of Union thus suggested by Governor Wise deserves to be written in letters of gold. It is thus, that instead of permitting our revolutionary Northern aboli- tionists and our reckless Southern secessionists | to drive the South out of the Union, these two classes of sectional disturbers of the public peace should themselves be driven out or put down. Why should they remain in the Union if they can no longer endure it? Let the aboli- tionists and their republican instructors in the tricks of abolition treason clear out to Canada and take up their quarters among the fugitive slave colonies of that region, where they will be in their most congenial society. On the other hand, let our Southern salamanders, who will not be satisfied with anything but fire and sword, “bombs, guns, drums and batteries,’ pack off to Mexico, where they will find plenty of that sort of employment, Thus the peace of the Union will be restored, as the peace of a great public meeting is often secured by the removal of a few belligerent rowdies. One thing is certain: these ‘sectional agitators of disunion, North and South, must be silenced or put out, or they will hurry the country head- | long’ into alf the horrors of dissolution, anar- chy and civil war. Every government broken to pieces by intestine disorders has been ruined through the intrigues and conspiracies of a few ambitious and reckless disorganizers. But there is another very suggestive view of the subject taken by Governor Wise, and one which, for some time past, our statesmen and public journalists have some- what overlooked. We refer to the malign in- fluence of Old England im behalf of the dis- ruption of this great confederacy. Upon this point, Gov. Wise, we think, very truly says that “the real root of the disease is the foreign in- @red and forty-seven passengers—a large amount fluence of Great Britain ;” that our external Yor this season of the year. Her news ‘has been | commerce, our exports and imports, and the Suticipated by the Asia. The debt of Piedmont, | constant intercourse between New England and which was £4,000,000 ($20,000,000,) ia 1848, had in. Greased up to the present time to £31,000,000 €4155,000,000,) and the stipulations of Villafranca have caused a further increase of about £12,000,000. ‘The total debt is now upwards of £48,000,000 (9240,- 000,000,) but of this sum about £4,000,000 has been Old England, beget a sympathy between them, prejudicial to that stateof harmony and good will which should be the paramount law between. the North and the South. Upon this question there can be no dispute. It is the interest, and it ©ontracted for the construction of State railways is therefore the policy, of England to encourage nd other improvements. the dissolution of this powerful confederacy: The Galway Kzpress of the 10th of December, re- | Her naval andcommercial supremacy, and even marks of the Prince Albert:—For many months | her manufactures, must in the course of évents, Past the Prince Albort has been in Liverpool, where Bhe has been completely altered. She is now Buew ship. It has been said by same of the moat xperienced slipowners of the day that her fit. tings are even superior to those of the Great East" @rn. If she does not excel those of tho Gaeat Bast rn in eplendor, we doubt not that they are supe- wior as far as thoir durability is concerned. Wo Gnd that not only has the passenger sccommoda- Qion of the ship been augmented, but her power Shas been considerably increased. With such a ves- pel as the Prince Albert the company can compete ‘with any other ship afloat, either as regards swift- ness or splendid accommodation. A description of the Christmas services yester- Gay at a namber of our leading city churches, and synopsis of the sermons of the pastors, will be found in our columns to-day. ‘The week before Christmas, however favorable to shopkeepers in the pleasing augmentation of their receipts, has been decidedly otherwise to the and at no distant day, be overshadowed, and to a great extent absorbed, by these progressive United States, if they keep together, Break them up, and’ we reduce them to the chronic revolutionary disorders of Mexico and the States of South America, and England will be the gainer in commerce and manufactures, in Proportion to our losses and our necessition, We thus recognise the force of this opinion of Gov. Wise, that the real root of this disease of Northern abolitionism is the foreign influ- ence of Great Britain. In this connection, his ; #!tuefons to Canada as the house of refuge for such abolition conspiracies as that of John Brown, for the overthrow of our Southern in- stitutions and Southern society, and the Union itself, afford a hint which the government at Washington might pro- fitably take into consideration. The posto which Bngland holds towards us on the siaeery question, in Canada, is not con- sistent with pesce or good will, or good faith to our country. It is the position of a fellow conspirator with our abolition traitors and in- cendiaries, and the sooner we bring her toa definite understanding upon this subject the better. Gov. Wise calls upon the President “to notify the British government that (Cana- da) their asylum of fugitives from labor and justice shall not be allowed to foster dissension and disunion in the United States,” and we think that the ventilation of this idea in Con- greea would really develope the main root of all this existing mischief. In fact, if our Presidential candidates of the Senate (of whom there are at least a half dozen) would not have the wind taken out of their sails by Gov. Wise as a popular rival, they will profit from his anawer, when asked, would he, if elected President, make this aforesaid requisi- tion upon England. His answer was—“Try me. If you want to find out, all you have to do is to put me there!” His allusion toa Vir- givia regimen >.ssing three times by the White House, wii. wut inducing the President to poke his head out of the window, was in bad taste, and betrayed, we fear, a little sourness of temper still existing, which the Governor should have kept to himself. But, upon the main points: indicated, and upon mang other points, we recommend this remarkable ‘speech of Gov. Wise to all our readers, and especially to the Presidential candidates and President makers in Congress of the democratic party. They have been skimming the surface of the political evils of the day. Gov. Wise probes to the bottom; and first and last, peace or war, he will not be driven out of the Union. He would silence or drive out the disunion agita- tors, and he would bring old England to a set- tlement. These points cover the whole ground. The News from Central America—The Protest against English Usurpations. The last mail from Central America brings us the protest of Mr. Beverly Clark, the American Minister in Guatemala, against the treaty between Great Britain and that republic, signed on the 30th April last, and recently rati- fied by the contracting parties, and proclaimed in full force and effect. It will be remembered that this treaty cedes Belize, anda large tract of adjacent territory, in sovereignty to the British crown. When the news of its negotiation first reached this country, we took occasion to cen- sure Mr. Clark for permitting it to be consum- mated without demanding a consideration of American rights in the matter, formally acquired under the Clayton-Bulwer convention; but it now appears that the negotiations were con- ducted in a clandestine manner, and with a studied concealment of the purposes had in | view, in flagrant disregard of international comity, and with an evident conscious- ness of the utter inconsistency of the provi- sions of the treaty with those of the convention between the United States and Great Britain. Mr. Clark has very justly made this ex parte and secret arrangement a ground of complaint and protest; but the manner of the act, however unworthy and contemptible, is, after all, subor- dinate to the serious disregard of good faith and pre-existing treaty obligations which it involves. We doubt if, in the whole history of the tortuous and stultifying policy of Great Britain, there can be found a parallel to the duplicity and meanness of the present trans action. Look at the facts, In 1850 Great Britain and the United States entered into a mutual obligation not “to oc- cupy, fortify, colonize or assume or exercise dominion over any part of Central America.” It is not now a question whether that was a wise or prudent agreement. So far as the United States is concerned, we regarded it then, as we do now, as partial in its effects, and in every sense unwise and impolitic. But we have felt bound to recognise its obligations, and have faithfully complied with its provi- sions. What, on the other hand, has been the conduct of Great Britain? Wet the fact of her seizure and colonization of the Bay Islands in 1851, and her late clandestine treaty with Gua- temala, answer. The convention of 1850 for- bids “colonization” in Central America by either party. Yet she has since organized, and still maintains, a colony on undisputed Central American soil. It forbids the acquisition of territory and the exercise of dominion over any part of Central America; yet she se- eretly bargains for a large tract of Cen- tral American territory, and unblushingly proclaims her acquisition. We do not now allude to her persistent hold on the Mosquito shore, since the clause of the convention re- lating to it issomewhat ambiguous. Inter- preted by the spirit which pervades’the con- vention, however, it would imply an imme- diate abandonment of her pretensions here. But we have yet to learn of the first bona fide movement on her part to that end. It now becomes a serious question as to what course the United States should adopt to vindicate her dignity in this matter, and relieve herself from the one-sided obligations of the Clayton-Bulwer convention. It is all very well for petty nations to complain and protest; but the United States ought to hold the tone of @ peer in her dealings with the most powerful nations of the globe. But two lines of con- duct are open to her: first, to demand from Great Britain a literal compliance with her treaty obligations, and support the demand by an appeal to arms if necessary; or, second, to at once formally abrogate the convention by which the second party to its provisions re- fases to be bound. The latter is clearly the easiest and most rational course; for it may welt be doubted if the people of this country would go to war for the purpose of keeping alive and binding a convention which they never approved, and which improperly and unnecessa- Tily limits their legitimate expansion and in- fluence, Perhaps, after all, we ought to thank Great Britain for having, by her own acts, re- lieved us from overy obligation to respect or abide by the conveatien; and it may perhaps be claimed, with reason, that, like the European treaties of 1815, it is practically explodicd, dead and inoperative. Great Britain, it is possible, may not object to this view, now that she has obtained and consolidated all that she can ever hope for in the way of territorial acquisition and political influence in Central America. But she should not be allowed to escape thus from the consequences of her duplicity. The government of the United States owes it to its dignity to proclaim to the civilized world the treachery of which it has been made the sub- ject, and to characterise, in the most formal and impressive manner, the bad fnith and disregard been guilty in this whole Central American transaction. An attempt has been several times made in the Senate to carry through a resolu- tion to this effect. We hope it will be renewed; and we feef sure, if there remains any feel ing of self respect or national honor among the representatives of the people, that this time the attempt will not fail. We hope there will be no delay in the passage of a resolution abro- gating the fatal convention of 1850, with a pre- amble setting forth in clear and direct terms the grounds on which the proceeding is found- ed,and in which the circumstances attending the late negotiations in Guatemala will be pro- perly characterized. Tux Gotp anv Sitver Crorp—Goip Receirrs yor 1859.—We have now received the last ship- ment of gold from California which we shall get for the year 1859, and the record of our gold re- ceipts for this year is most cheering and satisfac- tory. Itshowa a considerable increase over that of the two previous years—an increase of near- ly four millions over the shipments of 1858, and six millions over those of 1857. The fol- lowing table will show the receipts by the dif- ferent steamers for the present year:— PASSAGRS OF CALIFORNIA STEAMERS IN 1859, AMOUNT OF TREASURE. oe Am. of | 238 8258 8 Ee pone ee ar 3 May 26|/May June 13}May 20) June 26/June SBESESEYSELESSERBNES |? a Re: Total for 1867. ‘The latest mining news from California is high- ly favorable, and promises well for the gold crop and recently discovered silver crop of 1860. So also the goldnews from Oregon represents everything in that quarter ina flourishing con- dition. From Arizona the intelligence about the rich silver mines of that Territory is quite satisfactory, and it is probable that with the facilities for transit which the new Mexican treaty will afford, we shall soon have the silver of Arizona pouring in as abundantly as gold from California. But while the crops of these precious metals are thriving in this quarter of the world, it appears thatthe gold products of Australia are decreasing. For the first three quarters of every year since 1856, the yield has fallen off at the rate of a hundred thousand ounces for each year, a-deficiency which has not been made up in the remaining portion of these yeara. Not- withstanding this fact, the number of miners in Australia has been increasing, but no fresh fields have been discovered for some time past. Thus, while the auriferous deposits in Aus- tralia are becoming less abundant, those of California are becoming more so every year. Tur Great Eastern Pronouncep A Farture.— After much delay, doubt and mystery concern- ing the prospects of the monster steamship Great Eastern, the question seems to be now definitely settled by the report of the surveyors appointed to inspect her. The splendid hopes and promises with which her completion was hailed are, it appears, not to be realized. The Great Eastern, after all, as she now floats, isa failure. Sheis pronounced imperfect and insecure, not available for an Atlantic voyage, not up to the mark of an ordinary first class passenger steamship, and not constructed ac- cording to contract. In short, she is unfinished, and cannot be put in safe condition without great additional expense and considerable time. The principal points in which the surveyors pronounce her defective will strike any one as being very material ones. They say:— With reference tothe intimation that Mr. Russell al- leges that his contract is completed, we mark that the hull of the ship, to which our survey has been specially direct- ed (exclusive of the engines) ig not either to the “general scope”’ or the ‘details of a firstclass ger ship, such as those of Cunard’s Tine or the Royal West india Mail Company, and that, in her present state, it would be imprudent to send her to sea ona voyage. And again, the decks are of very inferior quality, and some of the planks are shaky and defective, not well beara nor of sufficient thickness for a ship of her mag- nitude. Additional strength is required in the large cargo com. partments forward and afte gine The arrangements for taking the water from the seve- ral compartments, and the paces between the two skins, require to be €0 completed that any one compartment can be cleared exclusive of others, by the engines or by hand if ‘necessary, and all the valves and cocks to be so placed ‘and fitted a8 to be oponed-and shut from the decks. The joiners’ work, materials, furniture and fittings are gene- rally of an inferior description and very slight; not at all of @ first class character. The chain lockers require ad- ditional security. ‘The steering gear is insufficient, and no spare tiller (of wood). Small rudder pendants must be fitted. There is no steam power for steering, aa re uired in the contract, nor cargo, winches at hatchways. re is no steam power for coaling purposes. The screw shaft is quite exposed, and, when the hold is filled with cargo or stores, will be quite inaccessible. A substantial protection should be made, ao as to prevent danger when in motion. The five funnels require particular attention to have a sufilcient “clearance” at the decks and wood- work, to obviate the danger from fire to which they are liable. The waste steam and other pipes are not secured 80 a8 to be safe at sea. The funnels are only stayed to the combings, and are Intecure and dangerous, There no arrangements for sufficient ventilation and warm- ing throughout the ahip. Such is the condition in which the surveyors have reported the Great Eastern; so that it would seem that the temporary disarrange- ment she experienced from the accident on her trial trip is not the sole cause of her being de- layed so long in port. If this report be accu- sate and unbiased, the monster ship may be safely set down as a failure, and we will have to look to some of our American ship yards to bring the grand idea of monster naval architec- ture to a successful embodiment. Tae Stavery Question IN THE TERRITORIAL LeoisLaTures.—It appears that the question of slavery has recently been made the subject of legislation, comewhat prematurely, in two ofour Territorial Legislatures. A law prohibiting slavery in the Territory was passed in the lower branch of the Nebraska Legislature the other doy. This is an assumption of squatter sovereignty which the Legislature had no right to make until the Territory had adopted a consti- tution and applied for admission into the Union. as a State. On the other hand, the Legislature of New Mexico, adopting the Southern idea, has passed a law for the protection of slavery within that Territory—a course of action which is, of course, equally illegal. Neither of these Legis- latures are justified in passing any law govern- ing slavery while the Territories remain with- out a constitution, and such laws will have to be declared null and void by the governmens if they should ever come to be enforced. NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1859. _* ——$—$—$———< $e ee heer Seeeenee enn smseneen eens i Bel eee al oftrenty obligations of which Great Britain hast S*Atimoas, Mitzsons or Havean’s Book. Nat Only does this ‘acendiary work abound with f{i¢entives to treason, massacre and bloody revolution, bas its statistios are falla- cious, and evidently prepared for the purpose of deceiving the ignorant and fanatical portion of the community, The attentive and intelli- gent reader who will take the trouble of ex- amining them closely will easily detect their fallacy. By way of showing the superior pro- ductiveness of the free States over the slave, he compares the value of their respective cereals, and gives, at page 22 of the Compendium, the following results:— $85,700,703 ‘306/931, 067 In favor of the free States... ‘$44,782,036 At page 37 the value of the other agricultu- ral products of the North and South are com- pared as follows:— Orugr AonicuituRat Propucta. Free States, Slave States. In favor of the free States........:.60+ +++ 950,109,108 The aggregate difference between all the agricultural products of the South and North thus appears to be:— ‘Tora Propvcts. Free States... Blave Btates. 462,160,482 In favor of the free States. + 108,061,744 Now the fallacy of this deduction will be made clear by turning to a table at page 71 of the Compendium, .in which the population of the free and slave States is compared:— Northern population, 18,434,022 Southern population; ++ 9,612,979 It will be thus seen that the Northern popu- lation is one and a half that of the Southern, and yet it does not produce one-fifth more. Ac- cording to the foregoing figures the North ought to yield, in order to make its productions equal to the South, $645,684,722, as any school boy can calculate by the rule of simple propor- tion, thus:— Southern Northern rt 2 He ort Teeoueas “s+ $462,160,482 ; $645,084,722 ‘The true state of the case, therefore, is: 9666,132,226 ‘What they ought to produce....... ‘What the free States do produce... 182, Against the free States and in favor of the BIBVOs.ccsccscecess Reece cece teeeeeesees $89,452,696 Again, if we take the proportion of popula- tion to the square mile, the figures will be still more in favor of the South. According to one of the tables quoted in Helper’s Compendium, (at page 71,) the population of the South is only 11.29 to the square mile, whereas the po- pulation of the North is 21.91. By the ruleof proportion, the result on this basis ought to be:— PR Beit. $462,160,482 : sacs courts. Now let us subtract what the North actually produces from what it ought to produce, on this basis, as follows:— Tan bce pate It will be thus seen, according to Helper’s own figures, that there is a balance of $332,336,950 against the free States and in favor of theslave, instead of $103,981,744 to the credit of the Northern States, as the dishenest writer pre- tends. If we add these two amounis together, the result will show that he lies for abolition to the trifling sum of $436,318,700—four hun- dred and thirty-six millions, three hundred and eighteen thousand, seven hundred dollars! Such is a specimen of his statistics, on which as little reliance is to be placed as on his other facts and arguments against the South. The book is a tissue of falsehoods worthy of the bad cause for which it is written, and its endorse- ment is a disgrace to all who have given it the sanction of their names. ‘Tue Contest For Speaker.—Congress has now been insession for three weeks, and the House still remains without a Speaker, and un- organized, though the whole of that period has been occupied in attempts to elect a pre- siding officer. The contest for Speaker has de- veloped three or four curious points. The re- publicans nominated an obnoxious man—one who has endorsed the incendiary publication of Helper—and they stand fast by him on every vote. The democrats nominated their man, and they stood to him steadfastly for a time, until they thought that, by changing to others, an organization might be more speedily arrived at. The South Americans, a kind of hybrid faction, have been playing an extraor- dinary game: by refusing to support a South- ern democrat they are virtually aiding the election of the republican candidate, an indi- vidual who recommended the incendiary book which is intended to excite the slaves and non- slaveholding whites of the South to rise up and cut the throats of the slaveholders, their own included. Then the anti-Lecompton democrats, who have no principles except antipathy to the administration, and what John Ran- dolph entitled the seven principles of five loaves and two fishes—namely, thespoils—will vote for no one who is friendly to James Bu- chanan. The whole secret of their action was manifested in the proceedings of Thursday last, when, in order to make it appear that they were anxious to bring about an organization, they scattered their votes so as to reduce Sher- man’s vote from 108 to 95; but when Mr. Keitt proposed a plan whereby some result might be had, the anti-Lecompton men flew back to Sherman almost in a flock, and raised his vote on the next ballot to 108 again. The republicans, meantime, remain unftinch- ingly by Sherman, the endorser of Helper’s book, and are determined to force him upon the majority. And it is remarkable that although the republican Senators and represen- tatives deny that they endorse the sentiments of that abominable and treasonable work, not one of them has really disavowed them. Mr, Sher- man himeelf, who says that he signed the recom- mendation of the book without knowing its contents, has not disavowed or condemned its teackiings now that he does know its eontents, though he has been repeatedly catechised upon the subject, Thus the contest for Speaker stands after three weeks waste of precious time, and to- day the struggle begins again—when to end ‘it is difftoult to divine. Joun Buiy’s ALanMs,—The Prince de Join- ville has been lately travelling about a good deal in the South of England, and during his peregrinations has had occasion to visit come of the southern ports, This circumstance throw the war alarmists into another panic, and was made the subject of @ bitter invective in a speech of Mr. Roebuck, who charged him with drawing up plans of the coast to subserve the purposes of invasion. The Prince, in a letter nena | to be utterly without foundation, as every ra- tional person, taking into account his relations towards the imperial government, must have felt it to be. It will be recollected that once before, during the reign of his father, the Prince, by a pamphlet on the French navy, gave rise to the suspicion that he entertained similar projects. When under such 8 peacefus- ly disposed monarch as Louis Philippe these chimerical fears of invasion seized upon the English mind, its jealous watchfulness of the proceedings of the present more enterprising occupant of the French throne is not to bo wondered at. The fact is that John Bull has fallen into a chronic state of disquietude, and cannot exist without the occupation of these periodical alarms. His nervousness is, however, costing him dear, for in addition to the eighty millions of dollars which were expended in providing against the danger of a rupture of the entente cordiale after the Orsini affair, we eee that it is contemplated to spend sixty mil- lions more in fortifying the southern coast. The old gentleman, it is plain, is easily seared. ‘What has become of the pluck and faith in’ his own invincibility that once made him ready te accept any odds in the shape of Frenchmen that could be brought againat him? Purwanent Art CoLLections in New Yors.— It is a pity, now that so many admirable works of-art are finding their way to our city, that we have neither public galleries nor funds which would enable us to permanently appropriate them. Had we the requisite means, we might at the present moment make, from the works within our reach, a selection which would form the basis of an important art collection. In sculpture there are, for example, of native works, “ The White Captive” of Palmer, “The Fisher Girl” of Barbee, and “The Dead Pearl Diver” of Acker. In painting, “The Heart of the Andes,” by Church; “The Home of Washington,” by Mignot and Rossiter, and scores of other admirable pictures by American artists. In foreign works there are in the Gal- lery of the International Art Association some of the finest specimens of the modern German school of painting; whilst at Goupil’s, Williams and Stevens’, and other picture dealers, there are to be found the remains of the English and French collections recently exhibited here. We are persuaded that for such a patriotic object, and for a price proportioned to its pre- sent iffcreased value, the Hon. Hamilton Fish could be induced to relinquish his interest in “The White Captive.” “The Fisher Girl” might, we believe, be bought from Mr. Derby, for a similar purpose, at less than the estimate that competent judges have placed upon it. As to the painting of Mr. Church, the condi- tion under which it has been sold renders it easy of acquirement. If some: dozen or two of our rich merchants would come forward with ten thousand dollars each, they would not only buy up ali the American works of ‘merit in the market, but erect suitable gal- leries for their reception, and. for that of \all other productions of 9 similar character, —_——e IMPORTANT FROM WASHINGTON. - The President’s Message—The San Juan Affair—Secret Caucus of Black Repub« Mean Leaders—Their Programme for 1860—Seward and the “lIrrepressible / Confifet” to be Thrown Overboard— Bates, of Missouri, Suggested as Their Candidate for Presidemt—Their Cabi. net in Case of Success=Affairs in Mex- leo, &e., d&e. OUR SPECIAL DESPATCH. Wasninctor, Dec. 25, 1659. ‘THE PRISIDENT'S MESRAQR, It is understood that the President will communicate his message to the Senate on Tuesday next. ‘THE BAN JUAN AFFAIR—LETTER FROM MR. DAILAS, The Department of State has received a reply toGen. Cass’ despatch to Mr. Dallas upon the San Juan affair. ‘The British Minister has also received a despatch on the same subject. I am led to believe that the tenor of these despatches indicate a peaceful solution of the apprehend- ed diffloulty, and that Great Britain, while main- taining her right to the island under treaty, will hardly adhere to the pretensions first assumed by her. It is understood that General Scott’s instructions are eatisfactory to her Majesty’s govern- ment. The question naturally arises, how is this dispute to be adjusted, both governments maintaining their un- undoubted right to the island? It is reported that Eng- land is willing, in case it oannot be arranged, to callin a third Power. An application has been received at the Department for a post office at San Juan Island. It is alleged that for the importance of this place, and the accommodation of American citizens, this request ought to be granted. The Department have determined to take no action upon -the matter at present, a8 it would involve an annual expense of upwards of five thousand dollars. SRORET CA CUS OF LEADING BLACK RHPUBLICANS—SRWARD AND ‘THE RREPRESSIBLE CONFLICT” TO RE THROWN OVERBOARD — RATES, MISSOURI, @POKEN OF AS THEIR CANDIDATE—THE (CABINET LN CASE OF BUCCESS. Some disclosures have just been. communicated to leading republican’ in this city,’ whicti occurted ia the secret caucus of the leading-black. republicans convened last week at the Astor House, in alvance of the meoting of the Republican Committee. Some forty or fifty leading chiefs were summoned privately, including Governor Banks, Governor Morgan, Messts. Feesenden, Wilson, Lincoln, Cameron, Dayton, and Gov. Chase, to deliberate on the programme of 1860. Thero was much discussion on the present aspect of affairs, and great harmony of opinion that tho times called for more Uberality and conservatism; that the “irrepressible con- fiict”” must be ignored for the: present, and all the ele- ments of opposition gathered on some such names as Bates, of Missouri, for President, and Morgan or Banks for Vice-President. It was pledged that Ponnsyl- vania and New Jersey could both be relied on for Bates, his views on the tariff being acceptable t6 these States. It was pledged that thousands of old whigs now voting for democrats in Lilinois, Indiana and Ohio, could be relied on for Bates; that electoral tickets coud be rum in all the border slave States, with a fair Prospect of success. Maryland, Delaware and Missouri wore set down as certain. It was urged that Bates had never Deen mixed up with the Know Nothings; that ‘he was opposed to the extension of slavery, but nationar in his views, and to whose inauguration the South could offer no resistance. The prospect of Southern submission to Seward’s election was thoroughly canvassed.’ Some took the ground that the South would resist; but all agreed better not risk it in the present inflamed state-of Southern feeling. Weed and Morgan were unwilling that Seward should be thus cast aside, and uttered their solemn protest against it. It was at this secrot meeting that the call adopted by the Repuilican Committee waa orranged 80 a8 to untte the opposition, They even went eo far as to disonss tho question of ® Cabinee programme, being as follows :-— Banks, Socrotary of State, Cameron, Socrotary of the Treasury, Linoein, Secretary of the Interior. Pottigrew, of South Carolina, Attorney Gomeral. Rotts, Sooretary of War. Boll, Secretary of the Navy. Baker, of California, Postmaster Gencral. Tt was agreed that Seward should go as Ministos tm England, and take his chances for 1864. ‘THE SPRARKERSHTP. Yesterday, just before adjournment, Mr. Bouligny sent @ regolution to the Clerk’s desk. It was during balloting, and was declared out of order. He did not succeed ia having itread, buta gentleman who suw it ipforms mo that it proposed, after the adjournment, that no republican, member be allowed to come into the House until after it is organized by tho conservative clement. A prominent democrat, thoroughly ported, declaros that it is the inton- to the newspapers, pronounces the accusation * tion of the demooracy @ rcsist the plurality rule lta