The New York Herald Newspaper, December 28, 1859, Page 6

6 NEW YORK HERALD. ——aeeee JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. GYVION *. W. CORNER OF NASSAU AND FULTON GTS 101 be at the ‘TERMS, cach bah heoription tm advance, Money sent visa the condor, Postage stamps not rr ‘HERALD. 31 per ann. Ton WEAELY HMMLLLD. osory Babar, ota, cons oF $8 por annum: the European Button cory’ Ws Sitks conte per v, Sh per anu to any porto 7) pee ihe Geneed Shah’ coeh month a eke mts rat Ya HEY HERALD on Wednendoy, ot four conte per cong, $3 pe cama, mee ay eee ee Bo oe Wedone ADV! sonueel cary Oe s adeartioanents in- pe a ey F. PRINTLYG eoeouted Bpeta, neatncss, eheapmess and de and én the Wodeame XXIV......:::sseeseesseceeseee Oe 359 AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. ACRE OF RO, Doesinnaihsioeth—tesntes OPek Gruss Vesrens. ; GARDEN, Broad - Rors Faate— NIBLO'S \way— Trent BOWERY THEATER, Bowery.—Sawes CLivs—A CoLones ‘Pasewest—Yanxes Tans—Goop NaTuRep GEnv.eman. WINTER GARDEN, Broadway, epposite Bond sirect.— —Rvanreopr's LAURA KEENE’S THEATRE, 624 Broadway.—Duzst Butions. \NUM’S AMERICAN MUSEUM. Broatway.—After- Pear and Kveniog—Tauor or Tamworta—ALapoun—NzR- vous Man. BRYANTS’ MINSTRELS, Mechantes’ Hall, 472 Brosdway— Bun.zsques, Soxes, Dances, £c.—Souwes at PusLons, NIBLO'S SALOON, Broadway.—Gno. Cnarsty’s Min- reas in Soncs, Dances, Buuiesques, &0.—BLack Statve. WOOD'S MINSTRELS. 444 Broadway.—Eruiorian Songs, Danczs, &c.—New Year Cars. CHATHAM AMPHITHEATRE.—Eqvestaisn Penrorx- anons—Home ax THE HOMRLEss. NEW OPERA HOUSE. 72) Broad: .—Dearron’s Par- Paovanss. TRIPLE SHEET. New York, Tuesday, December 28, 1859. THE STATE OF THE UNION. We do to-day what has never before been done by any newspaper since the beginning of the government. We publish entire, in one sheet, the message of the President and the reports from all the departments, thus enabling the people at this critical juncture of our political history, to see at a glance, and at the cost of two cents, a panoramic picture of the whole state of the Union. The salient points of these important documents are given in the several editorial articles referring to them; but those who wish for more minute information can read the reports themselves. They are highly interesting and instructive to all who are con- cerned about the condition of the country, and at this eventful time they will command the at- tention of the majority of our readers. The accomplishment of this feat—the publication in this city of the President's message and all the reports of the heads of departments on the next morning after their delivery to Congress— marks a new era in journalism, and shows that the press has kept pace with the progress of the country, and is not only a mirror and a re- flex of the times, but is itself part of the growth of the nation, one of its great institutions, in- creasing and developing its resources like the Union whose daily history it daguerreotypes. ——=_ The News. The readers of Hegaup will find in the colamns of to-day’s paper the following important public documents:— ‘1.—The annual Message of the President. ‘2.—The annual report of the Secretary of the Treasury. 3.—The annual report of the Postmaster General. 4.—The annual report of the Secretary of War. §.—The annual report of the Secretary of the Navy. 6.—The annual report of the Secretary of the Interior. As these documents embrace the history of the na- tion for the past year, and also contain very im- portant recommendations affecting the material interests of ail classes of citizens, they will com mand universal attention and careful perusal. Both houses of Congress were in session yester- day. The Senate, after the reading of the Presi- dent’s Message, adjourned till Friday. In the House, Mr. Smith, of Virginia, delivered a speech on the relations between the North and the South. A ballot for Speaker was then had without effect- ing a choice, and the House adjourned. The West India mail steamship Karnak arrived at this port yesterday evening with news from Ha- vana to the 20th, and from Nassau, N. P., to the 22d inst. There were no freights to be had at Ha- vana. The United States steamship Wyandot, Commander Stanley, when entering the port of Cienfuegos, with a distressed vessel in tow, was fired at with muskets from the fort and brought to, by order of the officer in command. The Governor subsequently made some sort of an apology. ‘Trade was dull at Havana, but the city was healthy ‘The Northern Light came into port last evening, from Aspinwall, with two hundred and sixty-four passengers from Sen Francisco, a lot of gold dust, and some of the ore from the new mines at Washoe, California, consigned to Havre. We have an A® pinwall letter, dated on the 19th inst., two days later than previous advices. The American clipper ship Mataro was burned at Taboga on the 19th inst. She was from Liverpool, bound for Callao, with lime, patent fuel and coal, and it was thought that she caught fire from spontaneous combustion of the former material. Dr. Edman, surgeon of the Eng- lish mail steamer Solent, had died of yellow fever. The Solent had put into Aspinwall from San Joan del Norte, but brought no news from Central Ame- rica. The United States frigate Sabine had sailed for San Juan del Norte from Aspinwall. The American ship Margaret, of Portland, Hen- ty A. Merryman, master, from New Orleans bound for Glasgow, with a cargo of 1,340 bales of cotton, was lost on Little Bahama Bank on Sunday, the 18th inst., at two o’clock A. M. The cargo had been saved, with the exception of a few bales, all Gry but the lower tier. Part of the cargo had ar- tived at ‘Nassan in several wrecking vessels. A banquet was given by Mr. Fernando Wood, the indefatigable Mayor elect, at the Astor ‘House, on Saturday evening last, to the members of the Common Council and Governor of the Alms house elect. Mr. 00a aelivgted a speech, in which he -ooagha hes to bring about an honest edministration e city government, and his de- teorminstion to combet every effort which may he (nde to cheok his progross in the accomplishment Of that desirable object. ‘The Board of Bapervisors met last evening. The Ordinance, which had been referred to the Commit. éeeon Annmal Taxes, to appropriate the sum ot $11,440 38 in addition to the amounts heretofore appropriated, was called up, and adopted vy a vote! of 8to2, The Committee on Printing, &¢., recom: | tion of his inventions and insinuations, impll- mended the passing of the bills, amounting to $1,340 77, which was adopted. The resolation of Sapervisor Bell, to inoreage the salaries of the Judges of the Supreme Court, Superior Court, the Common Pleas andthe Surrogate, to the extent of $1,000 in addition to their present pay, to take effect from the lst of January, 1860, was again called up, disoussed, and finally lost by a tic vote of 6 to6. The report of the Committee on Crimi- nal Courts, in favor of increasing the Metropoliten Police force to fourteen hundred men, was adopted, notwithstanding the veto of Mayor Tie- mann. After some routine business the Board adjourned, to meet on Friday next at three o’olook. Atthe meeting of the Board of Aldermen last evening, Alderman Brady presented a resolution to the effect that it aas proper that on the arrival of the Hon. Wm. H. Seward in this oity, ita inhabi- tants, who constitute a large proportion of his con- stituents, should, through their representatives in the Common Council, evince their appreciation of his worth and public services by tendering him the use of the chamber of the Aldermen, in the City Hall, in which to receive the congratulations of his friends, and providing for the appointment of a named Aldermen Brady, Tuomey and Smith as such committee. The Tax Levy was made a spe- cial order for Friday next. Resolutions appropri- h for the portraits of Mayor Tie- mann and ex-Governor King, wore presented and laid over. The report to change the name of “ Buena Vista” to “ Fort George,” on the Worth monument, to conform to historical fact, was con. curred in. A communication was received from the Comptroller for an ordinance authorizing the iague of additional Croton water stock, to the amount of not more- than $1,000,000. The report in favor of donating $500 to the Opthalmic Hos- pital was received and laid over. The report in favor of donating the sum of $4,423 for the Co- lored Orphan Asylum was adopted. The commu" nication from the Comptroller recommending ad- ditional appropriations was called up. The Board then adhered to their former action, and refused to concur with the clause inserted by the Councilmen appropriating a further sum of $20,00 for print- ing, &c. The Board of Councilmen disposed of a large number of routine papers last evening, all of which, however, were devoid of general public interest. They concurred with the Aldermen in granting the use of their chamber to Senator Seward to receive his friends on his arrival from Europe. A petition of Engine Company No. 7 for a new engine was granted. A resolution to increase the salary of the Auditor of Accounts in the Finance Department to $3,500, was adopted. The Board adjourned till Fri- day afternoon at two o'clock. In the absence of a quorum of the Board of AlmsHouse Governors yesterday, no business was disposed of at their meeting. The number in the institutions at the present time is 7,883, an in- crease of two over last week. The number ad- mitted during the past week being 1,245, and those who died, were discharged, or sent to other institutions, numbered 1,243. ‘The sales of cotten yesterday reached about 2,000 hales, The market closed with steadiness, on the basis of llc. for middling uplands. The receipts atthe ports since the Ist of September last have reached 1,944,000 bales, against 1,623,000 for the same period in 1858. Estimating the crop of 1859 at 4,000,000 to 4,200,000 bales, it will be perceived that the receipts by the Ist proximo will ap- proximate one-half of the wholo crop—a result, reached so early in the season, without precedent. Of the sup- plies we bave exported in the same timo 994,000 bales, against 819,000 in 1858; and, at $50 per bale, of the value of $49,700,000. The stock on hand, by latest mail dates, amounted to 884,000, against 700,000 in 1858. Flour was moderately dealt in, and priees were without change of importance. Wheat was firmly held, while sales were light. Corn was unchanged. Pork continued to be held with firmness, with sales at rates given in another column. Sugars were in more active demand, and prices were firm. The sales embraced about 2,650 hhds., a part of which were sold on Saturday afternoon. For prices we refer to another column. Coffee was firm, with moderate sales of Rio, including a small lot of Mage caibo, at full prices. The stock of Rio embraced 17) bags, 36,500 mats, and 1,000 bags Java, giving a total of all kinds (including 4,886 bags Ceylon) of 61,252 bags and mats. Freights were firm, but engagements were quite imited. y of Mr. Buchanan’s Ad- ministration. The President's annual message to Congress is at length before our readers. After waiting three weeks for an organization from the dis- cordant elements of the House, we think that Mr. Buchanan has acted wisely in reference to the wishes of the American people, and with a proper regard to the dignity of his own posi- tion, in resolving to wait no longer. The mem- bers of the House can read and inwardly di- gest the solid figures, the sober truths, and the reasonable, judicious and patriotic recommen- dations of the message, as well without a Speaker as with one. We hope, too, that the broad national and conservative policy of the administration, as thus laid down, will soon be marked by good results in the House. We are confident that the message, at all events, will receive a large and cordial endorsement from all sections, parties and classes of the country. In the outset the President touches upon the late abolition foray at Harper's Ferry with be- coming gravity; and in that lofty spirit of con- ciliation for which he isso distinguished, he expreases the firm belief that this deplorable affair “will be the means, under Providence, of allaying the existing excitement, and pre- venting future outbreaks of a similar charac- ter.” Upon this point he is very powerfully sustained by the uprising Union sentiment of the country, in all directions. Next, upon the subject of slavery in the Ter- riteries, the President takes especial care that there shall be no longer any pogsible excuse for a misconstruction of his platform. He accepts the decision of the Supreme Court as conclu- sive that the Territories are alike open to the North and the South during their Territorial condition, and that pending this interval “neither Congress nor a Territorial Legislature, nor any human power, has any authority to an- nul or impair this vested right,” This position May not be satisfactory to Mr. Douglas and his followers; it may net come up to the extreme demands of the Southern fire-eaters; it certain- ly will be denounced as rank heresy by the re- publicans; but until some better plan shall be proposed than this, of absolute non-interven- tion touching slavery in the Territories, for the preservation of law and order therein, the pat- riotic reader of every party will be apt to re- cognise the superior weight of Mr. Buchanan's views. They suggest a platform upon which the democracy of all sections may harmonious- ly stand; nor can they agree upon any other. Upon the African slave trade the m emphatically refates and rebukes all those un- founded partisan libels which for the last twelve months have charged the administra. tion with a guilty complicity or connivance in the matter of the revival of this infamous traf- fic. We especially commend the message upon this subject to the careful and honest consider- ation of Mr. Thurlow Weed, of the Albany Journal, and to all others of our newspaper cotemporaries who haye assisted in the circula- catin the administration with these African slave traders, Referring the reader to the otherwise satis- factory condition of our foreign relations, 25 detailed in the message, our attention is par- ticularly called to Spain, Cuba, and the affairs of Mexico. Upon Cuba the polioy of a liberal fund with which to open negotiations is ad- hered to, from which it must be evident that there is good ground for the belief that the ex- periment suggested would be crowned with success. In the affairs of Mexico it appears “there has been no improvement” since last December. The clear and highly interesting explanation of these “affairs” which is thon given fully justifies the recommendations which follow in favor of the recognition of the liberal government, and for a law “authorizing the Pre- sident, under such restrictions as may be deem- ed expedient, to employ a sufficient military force to enter Mexico for the purpose of ob- taining indemnity for the past and security for the future.” : Here wo have the only practical solution 0 this Mexican problem, short of the occupation of that country by some European Pewer, or the rapid descent of the Mexican States to the condition of so many camps of savages. Here, too, the President suggests = coup d'état, promising the happiest results to us in our do- meatic relations, and the most brilliant advan- tages in the extension of our political and com- mercial power. Hore we have a programme bold, patriotic, practical and progressive, which can be made to sweep the country in November next over any and all other ques- tions combined. Let us, therefore, hope that the President this time will be actively second- ed by the democracy in Congress, and that this Mexican question, now fully ripe, will be speed- ily reduced to a practical test with the ene- mies of our national advancement. The message recommends a Territoria| go- vernment for Arizona. Very good. We are not aware of any objection. Our Central American affairs have been settled in several treaties, which it is thought will be satisfactory to all concerned. Let them be ratified. Pro- tection to our citizens and property crossing the Isthmus of Panama, &c., is demanded. Let it be given. The idea that it will involve a surrender to the Executive of the war making power is simply ridiculous. The facts and precedents cited by the message, including the Paraguay expedition, are conclusive. The Pacific Railroad enterprise is again ear- nestly urged upon the favorable attention of Congress, for the reasons assigned by the President in his last two annual mes- sages. We apprehend, however, that the conflicting parties and factions in both houses have too many other irons in the fire, nnd are too much divided upon the route and the ways and means, and the power to construct such road, to agree upon any scheme this side the Presidential election. Having fulfilled his pledges, Mr. Buchanan, in any event, need not trouble himself any further upon the subject. The somewhat practical question of our federal finances has been very industriously attended to by the administration in all its departments, as the reports of the several Secretaries will show. Some encouraging )»7- gress has also been made in the work of 1 trenchment and reform, which gives the Presi. dent the right to demand the co-operation of Congress. But whether they will co-operate or not is quite another thing. Again: for the purpose of avoiding for the future the beg garly expedients of loans and treasury notes, the message adheres to the policy of anin crease of the revenue from the customs through such modifications of the tariff schedules as will secure the double purpose of more mo- ney to the treasury and some incidental pro- tection to our home manufactures, Such are the salient points of this message. In ita essential features it is a reproduction of that of last year, and in every respéct it bears the marksof a calm, thoughtful, earnest and in- dustrious chief magistrate, in the discharge of his great and manifold responsibilities. We see that nothing has escaped his supervision, and that in everything he is the faithful public servant. We know that his administration has been steadily gaining ground, and we feel as- sured that from this day it will still more largely command the respect and confidence of the American people. The Condition of Our Navy=The Report of the Secretary. We publish in full, in another column, the re- port of the Secretary of the Navy for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859. After a brief sur- vey of the Paraguay expedition and its satisfactory results, the Secretary refers to the efforts for the suppression of the slave trade, to which the services of eight steamers have been devoted—four on the coast of Guinea, and the same number on the coastof Cuba. During the past year, the squadron on the African coast have seized three American vessels engaged in the slave trade there, and sent them back to the authorities in the United States. Mr. Toucey is of opinion that the presence of these two squad- rons will render the slave traffic so dangerous that few American vessels will be willing to embark in it. A further increase of steamships is earnestly recommended, as well as an increased force of marines, midshipmen, naval surgeons and pur- sers, to meet the requirements of the service. Since the commencement of the present admi- nistration, twenty steam vessels have been added to the navy. The seven screw sloops of war au- thorized by the act of Congress of June, 1858, have been launched, and are all in commission except one, and they are all reported as well constructed and satisfactory. Two of them were built at Pensacola navy yard, and one at the navy yard of Mare Island, California, thus demonstrating that vessels required for the Pa- cific service can be constructed on that coast thereby avoiding the danger and delay of the voyage around Cape Horn. The cruisings of the various squadrons form an interesting feature in the report. The duties of the Home Squadron were chiefly confined to the Gulf of Mexico and the Central American and Mexican coasts, where they had enough to do during the troublesome times there. The Pa- cific Squadron was occupied in looking after the interests of our citizens in the South Ameri- can porig and the Pacific islands, Thé Mediter- raneanSquadron during the Italian war found occupation in protecting American interets in that quarter, and had previously adjusted dif- ficulties with Syria arising out of the murder of Mr. Steinbeck and the outrage upon the uuaily of Mr, Digkson at Jaa. To the Bust empires. No sppropriations having been made by the last Congress for improvement in the navy yards, the works of that desoription have been suspended, and no estimates are presented for their continuance for the next fiscal year. The estimates for the support of the navy and marine corps, and all other objeots under the control of the Navy Department, for the year 1859, were $14,616,289, the appropriations $14,508,354, and the expenditures $14,659,267. For the year 1860 the estimates were $13,500,370, and the appropriations $10,464,769, The esti- mates for the flacal year ending June 30, 1861, are put down at $11,244,845 in the present re- port of the Secretary, being two millions and a quarter lower than those of 1860. The report will be read with interest. a The Financial Ceomdition of the Nation. ‘The report of Mr. Cobb on the-state of the finances has the: merit of being shot, and we are constrained to say that it: has no other. He follows in the old system of making up a mass of figures in suche way. that-no emall ability at what 9 schoolboy calla cyphering is ne- cessary to learn how the accounts of the coun- try really stand. It was the object of the framers of the constitution that the annual re- port of the Secretary of the Treasury should present to the country a clear exhibit of the public revenue and expenditure, just as the head of any well ordered business concern would make up his annual account of income and expenses, to see how his affairs had gone for the past year, and where he stood towards his creditors. The heads of the Treasury De- partment have long since departed from this idea, and Mr. Cobb has not had the wit to get his clerks out of the beaten track. We have taken the pains to analyse his exhibit for the year 1858-59, so a8 to show the income ac- count, expense account, and borrowed money account of the federal government for the past year. Here are the figures: r ry partanen 3 it. Navy Department.........., 14,712,610 21 66,846,296 13 Actual deficit of income.....+..+.+++++++$12,041,165 12 Excess of expense over income... + $30,346,440 56 To meet this great ‘disproportion between expenses and income, resort has been had to the fallacious system of borrowing, and creating a debt for future payment. Thus stands the Borrowsp Mi Cash in hand July 1, 1868.... $6, 6 10 ‘Less cash in hand July 1, 1859. aiaa0 216 be 56 00 eo Total borrowed money in 1868-9........ $30,346,440 66 If this were the account of a private indivi- dual, he would not have credit on ’Change for | a single day; for however great his assets might be, they could not stand such financiering dur- ing ordinary business times, If we were en- gaged in an expensive war for the defence of the permanent interests of the country, which compelled us to draw upon our future resources for the purpose of securing those interests, the creation of a public debt would be pardona- ble; but that in a period of profound peace the Secretary of the Treasury should be compelled to borrow a sum nearly equal to sixty per cent of the public income, is a reproach and a shame, We need not go into an analysis of Mr. Cobb’s estimates for 1859-60, They show the same state of affairs, The Secretary figures up @ balance of nearly fourteen millions of dol- lars which he shows will stand to his credit in the treasury if—oh! that lfttle if—Congress will make no more appropriations and stop pay- ment on the deficits in the Post Office and other departments, If these deficits, however, should be paid, the cash in hand will be cut down to about three and a half millions for Congress to veer and haul on. On this basis Mr. Cobb thinks we shall not be short of money; but as we take a very different view of the probable action of Congress from what Mr. Cobb does, we are not at all surprised that the President differs from him in opinion, and opines that there will be a deficit. We yet entertain the hope of seeing in the Treasury department a man who will have the manhood to throw aside this system of smother- ing the public accounts, and who will frankly say to the country that our system of finance is shamefully inadequate to our requirements, and that if we continue much longer in the present system we shall incur a chronic habit of deficit which must eventually burthen us with increas- ed expenditures for interest, and perhaps mate- rially injure our credit. If we cannot raise suf- ficient revenue to meet our ordinary expenses under our present circumstances, we respectfully submit that either Mr. Cobb or the genius of Co- lumbia should feel the blush of shame tingling the cheek. According to the Secretary’s exhi- bit, we imported foreign products to the amount of $338,768,130, on which we collected an average duty of fifteen per cent, and we exported $356,789,462 of products in the year 1858-9. We should think a concern doing such @ business as that ought to be able to pay its expenses. We need not go into Mr. Cobb’s crudities about commeree, nor his platitudes and over- estimates about gold from California. Nobody cares a pin about his or any other Secretary of the Treasury’s opinions about trade and over- trade. All the merchants of the country wish to know of the Secretary of the Treasury is how much revenue he requires to meet the wants of government, and how he proposes to raise it. Every merchant can at once tell how the proposed measures will affect his own busi- ness a great deal better than Mr. Cobb can. The Secretary goes on to show that the per- manent public debt is $45,155,977 66, and the temporary debt on the 30th of June, 1859, was $15,046,800 more—making a total of $60,202,- 777 66, while the public buildings in process of erection have been stopped, and no provision has been made for the redemption of twenty millions of treasury notes falling due on the 30th of June next. We do not lay the blame of this state of things on Mr. Cobb. It is only a part of the nightmare which the administra- tion of Mir. Buchanan inheriied from that of ever, seems to he no improvement WEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1859.-TRIPLE SHBRT. India Sqadrom fell the duty of conveying ard protecting our Ministers te Japaa and Chim during the negotiation ef the important com- merolal treaties which our government has seo- ceeded in making with these hitherto exolusive neatly desired to puy off by adopting a healthy policy of finance; only that Mr. Cobb has dif- fered persiatently from Mr. Buchanan in this respect, and a factious Congress has done no- thing at all but pass bills for private jobs, and thus help to make the matter worse. Important Pestage Reforms—Repert of the Postmaster General. Among the public documents transmitted te Congress by the various departments of the government at Washington, and printed in our columns to-day, will be found the able and im- portant report of the Postmaster General. The report opens with an allusion te the death of his predesessor in March last, which, together with the factious refusal of the last Congress to pass the usual appropriation bill for the department, placed the affairs of the Post Office in a state of embarrassmeat uapre- cedented since “the foundation of the govern- ment. Never did any previous Congress close ita labors with such an utter disregard of any | provision for this important publio service. It left unprovided for, in any shape or form, a deficiency of $4,296,009 26. The result of this might have been a total cessation of the mails, but that the contractors, animated with a pa- triotic spirit, took the risk of not being paid, and cheerfully continued the service, depend- ing on the next Congress to make the matter eli right., The present Congress, how- on the last; for nearly a month has now elapsed in debating about the elec- tion of a Speaker, and no attempt has yet been made to do that simple act of justice to the mail contractors. When we compare this conduct with the abuse to which the mail ser- vice is subjected by members of Congress, in sending not only their letters, but even their dirty linen, free by post, and flooding the country with their still dirtier trash of speeches and pamphlets, and such foul and treasonable books as Helper’s “Impending Crisis,” at the expense of the Post Office Department, the comparison places them in no enviable light before the people. “One of the most important points in the Postmaster’s report is his recommendation of the abolition of the franking privilege. Con- gress, by its voting $700,000 to the department for this privilege, admits that it has no right to it without compensation; but the “free matter” has so inoreased of late that the sum of $700,000 is not one-fourth of what the compensation ought tobe. It costs the department about $3,000,000, without any advantage to the country; and the cutting off of that amount, with a little retrenchment in other direc- tions, would have so reduced the expenditure that there would have been no deficiency at all at the close of the last session of Congress. The recommendation of Mr. Holt is the best ever made to Congress by a Postmaster, with the exception of cheap postage. But there is very little probability of its being adopted by such a Congress as that which now trifles with the public interests. Will Gongress, if a sense of justice do not prompt it to abolish its frank- ing privilege, at least have the decency to raise the remuneration to the Post Office Department to a figure commensurate with the burthen which Congress imposes on it? Another measure which is hardly less im- portant, and which we have urged for years, is the repeal of the act of 1825, which authorized “every printer of newspapers to send one paper to each and every other printer of newspapers within the United States free of postage,” and also the absurd law of 1852, which requires that weekly newspapers shall be delivered free of postage to all subscribers residing within the county in which such papers are published. Mr. Holt advises the repeal of both these laws, for substantial reasons, The newspapers receiv- edin exchange are part of the journalist’s stock in trade, and the expense of their carriage ought to be paid for the same as other stock, and there can be no good reason why all other persons should not receive newspa- pers free through the Post Office as well as journalists. The result of this law is to over- load the mails with a vast number of trashy, useless papers, which otherwise would not be talsen; and so far from serving the regular and enterprising newspaper, it only delays its transmission to the subscribers. The same observation applies with equal if not greater force to the privilege of sending a weekly newspaper free of postage to subscribers re- biding within the limita of the county in which it is published. By what rule of justice or equity does a person residing at the extreme limit of one county receive a newspaper print- ed in that county free, and his neighbor, re- siding beyond the boundary in the adjoining county, and within a stone’s throw of him, pay postage for the same paper? As well might letters be delivered free in the same county in which they are mailed. This law is the cause of a vast number of worthless and pernicious ephemeral papers burdening the mails, to the injury of the legitimate press, and those who subscribe for its issues, Under the head of “star bids,” the Postmaster adverts ta an important change which the de- partment is making in the mode of advertising for proposals for carrying the mails. The act of March 3, 1845, declares that it shall be the duty of the Postmaster General to invite propo- sals for carrying the mails with ‘due celerity, certainty and security,” without any designa- tion of the mode of conveyance. The letter and spirit of this act have been departed from, and by this departure the department has been embarrassed os much as from any other source. The mail service has been made subservient to the interests of commerce and travel, and to the support of railroad, steamboat and stage com- panies which could not exist without them, and mail routes have been established in some places where no letters are sent, and in others expensive modes of conveyance have been advertised for, when the service could be performed more cheaply and as well by a dif- ferent mode. Postmaster Holt announces his determination to keep within the law, and not to exceed it for the benefit of jobbers. There is another reform which the Postmas- ter points out as deeply needed, but which it is only in the power of Congress to make. The conveyance of the mails by railread costs $3,243,974 per annum, besides $626,174 for route agents, &, In many instances, such as new lines and sparsely populated regions, there is scarcely any correspondence; and yet the railroad companies are permitted by law to mulct the department without rendering an equivalent. There is no reason why they should be paid more than for merchandise or tha freight of express companies; but Congress hrs fixed the rates much higher, while it compels i poor Pierce, and which the President has ho- | the Postmaster ¢0 convey the mails by raftrond, and does not auth rize him to compel contracts for the performance of the work. The railroads are paid from $50 to +375 per mile for trans- portation, when in Canad.¥ the payment is from $30 to $40, for which a sepaXale car, and travel- ling post office for sorting anct distributing, are furnished. Ifthe mails are seat as ordinary freight in Canada, the charge is tant two cents per mile when the freight does not exceed two hundred pounds. Notwithstanding she enor mous remuneration, the companies, forti'e most part, will not render any accommodation to the department; and they start at what times they please, and make such apood’ as they think fit. The change demanded: in the law is to reduce the compensation by’ least one-third, and compe? the companies te' enter into contracts with the Postmaster. Aw the law now stands, of the three hundred ang’ eighteen railroad routes in the United States, there are one hundred and thirty-seven om whith the mails are transported without cem- tract. This is clearly wrong. t By the: retrenchment effected ‘by these re-. forms, and by getting rid of useless routes, such. as the Tehuantepeo, and by the practice of: economy in somie other branches of the service the Post Office might be made a institution, as it is in England, and letters de- livered to the address without charge beyond: the postage. This would be agreat boom te the poor, and save rich and poor and the car- riers from trouble. Often housekeepers have not two cents at hand, and the carrier will not leave the letter without payment. One objeot of prepayment in the postage of letters is thus defeated, and to remedy the annoyance it would be better even to make a uniform rate of four or five cents postage, and have the let- ters delivered at the address without further charge; and all “drop letters” in cities should be delivered free when bearing a postage stamp of two cents. That pays in London and other towns of England. Why not here? The total revenue of our Post Office for the year 1859 is $7,968,484. The expenses are $15,754,092. The income, therefore, is only about half the expenditure, whereas in England the government derives a considerable revenue from its Post Office, while postage is choaper than itis here. What isto prevent the great republic of the New World praotising as much economy in its mail service as any of the mo- narchies of the Old World? and what good reason can be assigned for the Post Office being a heavy burthen, instead of a self-supporting institution, in a country in which general eda- cation is far more widely diffused than it is im England? Non-Arrival of the Hungarian. Port.and, Dec. 27, 1850. There are as yet no signs of the steamship Hungarian, now fully due here with Liverpool dates of the 14th inst. ‘Weather clear and very cold. News from Mexico. New Orieana, Dec. 26, 1869. ‘The steamship Tennessee has arrived from Vera Crus 22d inst. The news is unimportant. A part of the cargo of guns and carbines ordered by the government had arrived from New York. ‘The bark Julia Dean, from Havana for Vora Cruz, was Jost on the 9th, in a gale, near Vera Cruz. The crow wore saved, but the vessel was a total loss. Degollada had arrived at Vera Cruz. Tampico was quiet, and no attack was apprehended. Marquez had been imprisoned by Miramon, charged ‘with insubordination. The liberals had surprised and captured Teotitlan, ja Oaxaca. Arrival of the Overland Mail. Maxtor's Stanion, Mo., Dec. 26, 1860, The overland mail, with San Francisco dates of the 6th, arrived here at half-past eleven o’clockon Sunday morn- ™ 337 pequably reach is, Louis to-night. i cneaee y this arrival is unimportant. ‘Tho following The Washoe silver mines continued to yield the ore averaging $4,000 to the ton. Rrasaportaonet nee Francisco cost about $105 a ton, and Preparations, » &o., about $412. It is thought that another sea” any November caused it damage on the Calaveras and its tributaries. The of cattle in San Joaquin county by the late storm is new quartz, mills of Col Fremont, in Mariposa The ni county, eee vy ihe Benton, Mills, have commenced ope- rations wi -eight stamps, making it tablishment of the ind in California. ipa er ey Genoa, are quite rich and very extensive. Assays hat bear pee age rip ome ge egy ag r ton. A meeting was held in Carson city on the 2iet ult., to in place of J. M. Crane, Resolutions, that James had offered an ingult to tho people of ‘Tel ', Were passed, and alao a memorial to setting all the and necessities of the people, and the facts upon which they found their petition for or} in a Territorial form of government ‘There had been no arrivals since last mail. ee Fire at Newark, N. J.—Loss of Life. Newark, Dec. 27, 1859. About 3 o'clock yestorday morning, a dwelling house tn Coe’s court in this city, occupied by four families, was destroyed by fire. All the inmates cecaped save one, & Mrs. Lyons, who reached the front door, but’ becoming ‘bewildered, could not opon it. Her screams for holp were heard all over the neighbor- hood, but before assistance could reach her the ontire flames. Her body was found amid the ruins two hoursafterwards. The unfortunate victim leaves Detective officer Wambold arrested a man and a wo- man, named Welsh, living inthe basement, on suspicion of setting fire to ey ae A coroner’s ing is being held to-day, and the teati- mony is very strong against ‘Lem. [ntti bE Steamboat Disasters, dec. Lovrsvittz, Dec. 26, 1850. ‘The steamer Vixen, from: Pittaburg for’ St. Louis, wa, burned this morning. The loss on the is 88, ‘and on the boat $17,000. She was yi ver, of Brownsville, Two coal boats, ar oan a burg, sunk on ureday, burg, and John Baxter, of vi , Were dri The America Outward Bound. ‘Toe malla por tho stoamship America, Tor Liverpoot ir via Halifax, TT close here.e¢ sine, o'oteck: iounecron (Wednesday) morning, but sbe will not sail unt about oon. in the tolograph office, No. 22 Wall street, New York, #0 as to reach hore by 11 A. M., ‘will be sent out in her. Burglary at Troy. ‘Troy, Dec, 27, 1880, ‘The country reekdence of W. F, Burdon, noar this city, ‘wie burglars on Sunday night and robbed of silver to the value of fourteen hundred dollars. A reward of $360 is offered. Murder In Boston. Boston, Dec. 27, 1850. . Harriet Goodnow, alias Freeborn, keopor of a brothel In Spring street, was choked to death last night by Chas. . He was arrested. H. Goodhue, Arrival of Hemry Clay's Statue, Naw Onunans, Dec. 26, 1 Tho ship Funny Forn has arrived from Havre, with the statue of ry Clay. 7 The Toledo, hogauepers and Burlington le Loaassrort, Ind., Dec. 26, 1859. ‘The Toledo, ‘and Barlington Railroad Com- pany conmleted their track on. Sat lay, and an excur~ ‘sia train left hero for Peoria to-day. ‘The Freemasons and the Unton, Pintapeneata, Dec. 21, 1850. ‘The Hon. Hen’ pas was this day (netalled ag Grand Master o| 1 Lodge of Pengeptvania, and mare avery ay o atdrcss fur the ooows