The New York Herald Newspaper, January 2, 1860, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EMLCOK AND PROPRILCOR, OFFICK N. W CORNER OF NASSAU AND FULTON TERMS, cok in adores wih of Oe weraler THE DAILY WH. THE Wa apy or 88 pe toil be al the Money vont be nr cription Pow; mpe Wot part of Grea B "" bot to tnetucte posterge Gud BMA of cach month ul wiz cons LED on Wedneeday, at four cents per $2 per amnion NTARY ORRESPONDENCE contatning important {from amy quarter of the world; 4 useib, twill be paeid (or BA OK FOREIGN OMLeVONDEATS ARE Pewriculaecy BeQuauren To NEAL at. Lerries exp Pace ¢ 9 Sut OS. NO NOTICE taker: of Db, ant in the op pean Be TING executed with ratrcor, cheapness and de :No. 2 Volume XXV. AMUSEMENTS THIS RVENING. KIRLO'S GARDEN, Brondway.—Tice Roes F Poncummrize Gowen hou “ue BOWERY THEATRE, owery —Aftarnoon—Coo a5 4 vs Vavvin—Cowwunn leesipasr—Box oF CaLivorsia~Am @asrct nert—Kosmer Macaine = GARDEN, Brondway, opposite Bond stroct.— WALLACK’S | THEATRE, Broadway.—Kvxayrour's Prumno--diarer Max. LAURA KBENE’B THEATRE, 6% Broadway.—Guacy R NEW BOWERY THRATRE, Howery — W-A-Lamr—MoTHRR Goose Aap THe Mae—Sueer breauee. fventwe- 1 Be Goowe any TA GouwES KM Pappy Caney, «“ The Newsnor— SAAD a Lame PRENCH THEATRE, S86 Mrosdway.—Cowri’s Muscat Enrenta:n weer. BAKNUM'S AMERICAN Lost Sox. Afiernooa—Or Trev Keating Faure ii BRY \NT#& MINSTRELS, Mecvavics’ Bal! LESQUES, BONGS, Dances, &c.—New Yi SIBLO'B SALOON, ggg 4G ne oe mee Dancers, KIS QUES, ies. Dar's Bow Yess Cats ror 1500. . . WOOD'S MINSTRE'S 444 Broadway.—Ermortan Sonaa, Dances, &e—afternoon and Evoning—New Yeas Causa, CUATHAM AMPIITARATRE—Rqurstmax Peoronu ome seD TEs LomELESS ODEON, Willismeburg.—Draytow's Parton Orzras— Onivena. HOPE CHAPEL. 7% Broedway.—Waven's Iraua. New York, Monday, January 2, 1560. MAILS FOR EUROPE. The New York Herald—Edition for Eavope. The Cunard mall steamship Asia, Captain Lott, will Jeavo thio port on Wednesday for Liverpool. ‘The mails ‘Will clove at 11 o'clock. The Evrorsan Eprnon or rm Hxnarp will be published ‘af ten o'clock in the morning. Single copies in wrappers ax cents. Subscriptions and advertisements for any edition of the New Yorn Hzzate will bo received at the following places in Karope — Lospon,...Sampeon Low, Siu & Oo , 47 Ludgate Hill. Lansing, Starr & Cs,, 74 King William street. ‘Paxws......Tansiog, Bulawin & Uo., 8 praco de la Bourse. Levexroor. Lansing, Starr & Co , No. 9 Cuapel street. R, Stuart, 10 Exchange street, Kast. Havne..., \Lansing, Batawin & Co , 21 rue Corneilic. ‘Hamnuna. De Chapeauronge & Co. Tho contents of the Evrovaan Enrrow ov ae Henan Will combine tho news recoived by mail and telegraph at tho oftice during the previous week and up te the hour of Publication. The News. By the steamship Canada, from Liverpool 17th alt., which arrived at Helifax on Saturdey, wo have threo deys leter intelligence from Europe The European Congress would not assembio uati the middle of January, and nothing of importance had transpired relative {to it, A hastily summoned Cabinet council was held in London on the Lith alt., and it was believed that urgent circumstances Telative to the Congress were the cause, Tho esrly retarn of Lord Clyde from India was an- Nouneed, and it was said that he will be succeeded by Sir Haogh Rose. General attention was attract ed to the renewed efforts in behalf of the Saez canel. Four sailors belonging tothe American ship Roswell had been urrested in Liverpoc mutiny. It was reported that the port of Adooi in the Red Bea had been ceded to ce. It was said that the Emperor Napoleon had refased to Marshal McMahon permission to accept the sword being got up for him in Ireland. Ramors were current that Napoleon would inaugurate the new year with fresh demonstrations of a pacific c! reported that the En; ntemplated abdication. The rep iage of Gari- baldi is pronounce A despatch from Copenha: ated the royal to be in flames. The determined to pursue rd Hungary,and a conflict 2 Protestants and the im- perialists was dreaded. The Spanish expedition to Morocco had been reinforced. A holy war had been proclaimed throughout Morocco, and it was thought thousands of Moors would flock to the seaboard to defend their country. In Liverpool cotton had slightly declined. The breadstuffs and provision markets. were reported dull. In London consols were quotod at 95{ = 957 for account, ex- dividend. We give in anc rT portion of today’s paper our Karopean correspondence. The London letter of the 13th ot December wilf be read with interest all over the Union. In it the writer fully expoees the yrs of England against the integrity of this ropubli nd her hopes tional severance through abvlition agents. writer states that about one million of dol been set apart by the British government in order to influence the next Presidential election in favor of an anti-slavery candidate. The card of Mr. Branch in relation to the @'fi- culty between Mr. Grow and himself, and whieh is to’be published in the Washington pavers this after- sBoon, will be found in our specis! despatch from Washington in this morning's paper. ‘Mow branches of the municipal legislatare will Ineet to-day noon, as Peguired by law, and organize, after.which, it is expectéd, Mayor Wood's message will be sent'in. The Aldermen stand, politically, twelve defifocrats and Gye republicans. The Presi- palace at Frede government o| a vigorons policy ¢ between tho Hung dency of t d, itdg.stated, as agreed upon in 8 privlite’s , Will devolve on Alderman Peck. The ‘@ Councilmen is composed of eight ‘Mozart Hal #Fmocrats, eight Tammany democrats and eight repmblicans. There has been quite a “@ead lock” will probably prevent to-day, and, it jpthought, for some time: to come, unless somo ‘omise is made in the premises. - . Inell probability no éhange will bo made in the Clerkships of either The beginning of the new year was onthusiasti- tally chserved yesterday by many of our citizens, Dotwithstanding the puritanical sacredness of the day. From & late hour on Satarday night anti! we go to press, the boliday tin horns have been every tow and then heard sending forth their discordant sounds, to the great annoyance of everybody ex- cept the urchins who blew them. The day was inte cold—the mer@ary in the thermometer ia the morning marking eight degrees above zero. On New Year's eve, according to custom, all the Methecist Episcopal churches wore open for a service. The services began at balfpast eighto cock, and were contioned until the your 160 made tte adveot dn some of the churches the Rety Communonwas edisiowtered, aud iu others there were presching, praying, siuging and ¢xbur tater, Nevieation on the North and Kast rivers was somewhat impeded by the heavy masses of fasting tce, which caused the trips of the ferry and steam hoats to be quite irregular. The sidewatks in many places Gere covered with sceven ice, whick cau-od. 0 peaestrigns to bead to their mother earth The travel during the entire day was quite large, and geverally epeaking, religiously aad otvilly, the new year was well inaugurated, with & prospect for ite continuance to-day. In order to give our employés the largest latitude to enjoy the New Year's festival, no paper will be issued from this cffice to-morrow morning. The regular evening edition wit! be issued as usual. The United States sloop-of.war Vandalia, Com. meander Sinclair, from Valparaiso, arrived ut this port yesterday, and immediately proceeded to tho Navy Yard The Vandalia has been in commission twenty-+ix months, and during that time cot a death has occurred on board of her from casualty or disease. By the schooner Hiawathe, Capt. Hutchings, from Inagua Dec. 12, arrived at this port yester day, we learn thet the French ship Salley hid been on the rocks at that place, but had beea got off in a leaky condition. Balt was very plenty, and selling at eight centa. The letter from our correspondent in New Moxi- co, published this morning, will inform our readors of the doings of our citizeos in that portion of the republic, Mr. Otero bad been elected asa dele- gate to Congress. The corn crop had partially failed, and as it was the principal meaus of support, totch suffering wus anticipated among the people The government coral had been plundered of a quantity of stock, principal y sheep. Our Guaymas correspondent, dating on tho 28th of November, furnishes a detailed account of the late action of Cxptain Porter, of the ship St. Marys: with referevce to the vindtcation of our flag from the insults offered to it there. A report of his in- terview with Governor Pesqueira is ulso given. Our Havana correspondence is dated to the 25th of December. Trade was dull in cousequence o+ the observance of Christmas, The Captain Gene ral, with his Countess, was at Cienfuogos on his provincial tour. The United States steamer Crué sader was still in port. , The United States ship Mississippi was at Port Louis, Mauritius, on the 12th of November, on her way liome from China by way of the Cape of Good Hope. She had made very good running time Jobn L. Soheeble, of New York, loader of the band of the ship, died on board on the 24th of October of chronic dyseutery. Trude was very brisk at Port Louis. Twenty-six of the Southern medical students who left Philadelphia went to Charleston, S. C., and en- tered the Medical College in that city. We publish this morning our annual summary of the passages of the different steamships rauning between this country and Europe during the year 1859. Two steamships have been lost duriag the year—the Argo of tne Galway line, and the Indian of the Montreal and Liverpool line, by which lattor casualty a number of the passongers and crey lost their lives. The Year 1560—fhe Presidential Pro- blem—Our Political Parties, Sections and Factions. We have crossed the threshold—we have en- tered the vestibule of the year 1860. We pass from a year of political agitation, excitements, distractions and ugly developements of ecction- al discords into the year which is to decide for us, North and South, a pezce or an armistice upon the slavery question, or the premature dissolution of this great, powerful and prosper- ous confederacy. The “impending crisis” of our Presidential election will undoubtedly settle this problem of Union or disunion; and while we all know that an overwhelming majority of the Ameri- cen people, of all sections, are in favor of the Union, we know that our political parties and Presidential elections bave fallen under the control of recklees sectional agitating politi- cians, resolved upon the accomplishment of their own selfish purposes of ambition, power, spoila and plunder, regardless of the conse- quences. We see that these desperate seotional demagogues have already destroyed the old onal party organizations of the country ; that the only original Presidential parties re- maining have each assumed the position of a sectional camp, and that thus our Presidential contest for the succession thre: to assume the revolutionary form of an “irrepressible conflict” for the subjugation or maintenance of the Southern inatitutionof slavery. From the ruins of the old whig party, and from the disintegrations of the old democratic party, the presont overshadowing Northern antislavery republican party has arisen. It threatens the complete occupation of the Northern Stutes, upon this “ one idea” of hos tility to slavery and the “slave power.” On the oth nd,as the democratic party has heen bro! up or borne down in the North, under the pressure of this anti-slavery senti- ment, the same party has supplanted the oppo- sition in the South, until we may safely declare that, as matters now stand, every Southern State may be placed on the democratic side in our estimates of the Presidential election. And what thea? Including the embryo State of Kansas, the Presidential electoral vote of November aext a will be as follows:— Total clectoral voto. ames She + 06 Necessary to cltet a Prevident... - + 1s Northern electoral vote, 126 Southern clectoral vot... From these suggestive figures, it will be seen that in a purely sectional contest the North ean spere thirty-two electoral votes, and still elect their President. We can give the South Peansylvania and California, or we can throw out New Jersey, Indiana and Illinois, and still be victorious; but the loss of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, or of Pennsylvania, California and Oregon, will settle the question the other way, allowing that the South will voteasa unit. But the vote of New York alone, if against the republican party, will not only de feat it, but destroy it What is the prospect of this Northern balanee of power? We must first havea settlement with the Albany Regency at Charleston before we can definitely count upon the vote of New York. The results of our last State election, including the reserved popular vote, show that New York, upon a broad national platform, may be recovered by the democracy. The re- publican party does not hold the States of New Jersey and Pennsylvanis. They are held each by a temporary opposition coalition un- der a difierent neme, and upou more conserva- tive principles than those of the republican platform. To secure these two indispensable States, therefore, the republican party must make some important concessions of a conser- vative and practical character, or the interven- tion of a third party may repeat the election of 1856, Dut, while 4 republican triumph will thus demand (be repadistion of Seward and his ‘ave ider” of war upon the “slave pawer,’”? bo tLe triumpt of the deaworatio party cun only he scoured theough a reorganization apoa scanethiog broader than the “ave idea’ of the Southern democratic ulteas of the protection of rluvery by @ Congressional slave code for the Tertitovies. The generat policy marked out by Mr. Buchanan’s last auoual mos- kage to Congress thus becomes the true poticy for the Charleston Coavention, Let this policy be adopted, and fet a democratic candi- date be cominuted, of aaticoal antecedents, and 4 man whe bas not been mixed up in these late ‘otional and factious quarrels and divisions of the purty, and let him be selected from the great West, and the battle may be virtually do cided before the meeting of the Chicago Re- publican Convention. In default of some such democratic pro- gramme, the only remaining expedient for the defeat of the republicans will be through the interposition of a third party, as im 1856, but moet probably with the different result of the trancfer of the election to the House of Repre- sentatives. This is the paramount idea which underlice the present etruggle for s Speaker; and coneidering the manner in which the balance of power in this contest, held by the anti-Lecompton faction, has been played off, we are at a log to conjecture whether the game of this faction is for the Charleston or Chicago Convention, ora third party in the North of the Van Burea typo, All things considored, while it is evident that the Presidency is within the reach of the democracy apon the platform of the administra- tion, it is equally evident that our factious dnd seotional democratic leaders are disposed to rush into a sectional fight, upon the doubtful chances of an election by the House of Repre- sentatives, or the defeat of the republicans upon a candidate and a platform which they may abandon. Meantime, where is this new national party, the materials for which, North and South, are so abundant, and the candidate and platform for which have been go strikingly indicated in those late Union and popular de- monstrations in behalf of Gen. Scott? The ma- terials are at band, but they are afloat. Organi- zation is demanded, end our independent con- servative men all over the country, who know what is required to give effect to their opinions, should move in this work of organizatiou at once, or the golden opportunity may pass away. Justice to the Free Negroes=Truc and False Philanthropy. Owing to the revolutionary shape which the anti-slavery agitation of the North bes lately assumed, and the consequent ex- citement produced im the Southern ‘States, & proposition is made to the Legislature of Maryland to enslave the 90,000 free negroes in that State, as may be seen by the memorial to the General Assembly, printed elsewhere in our columns to-day. Formerly it was pro- posed to pass alaw to drive the free negroes outof Marylaad. That proposition foll through, and the present one, we have no doubt, will share the same fate. An attempt was receatly made in the Ten- neseee Legislature to expel the free negroes from that State, or compel them to go into servitude, when Judge Catron, of the Supreme Court of the United States, who is a citizen of Tennessee, denounced it in a strong letter, as cruel, uppatriotic, impolitic and unjust He ehowed that it would react to the prejudico of the State, and operate against the interests of the South and the peace and harmony of the whole country. In the Tennessee House of Re- presentatives the Hon. Wm. Ewing delivered a vehement speech against the bill, showing from the constitution of the United States that afree negro cannot be enslaved unless for crime. We believe this oppositon on the part of the friends of the negro race, and of mo- deration, has killed off the movement in Tennessee, as it is doing in other States of the South, where the folly and wick edness of Northern agitators are endangering the welfare of the free negro population and driving a portion of the Southern people to extremes. The provocation is indeed great; but the Union sentiment, profound respect for the constitutien and the ‘undamenial laws, the love of justice, and true friendship for the negro, which exists only in the South, will prevail over tbe violence and rash counsels of the few. As an illustration of the esteem in which the negroes are held, and the confidence re- posed in them at the Sonth, wo may refer to a fact mentioned by our Richmond correspon- dent, that it is in contemplation by the promi- nent members of the Virginia Legislature to organize @ regiment of free negroes to repel any future invasion like that of John Brown. This is in happy contrast with the proceedings attempted in Maryland and Tennessee. In truth, the negro race are loved by the whites of the South, and the best proof of it is that they are taken goed care of. In the North there is a vast amount of negro philanthropy ventilated in words, but there it ends, for the African race is hated, and the Northern States do not take care of their negroes, but allow them to die of starvation. It isonly afew days agothat & poor negro was frozen to death in Brooklyn. Deaths of negroes by such heartless neglect do not occur at the South. turns to our list of centenarians who died during the year, he will find the majority of them of the happy negro population of the South, but not a single one of them of the colored people of New England. Charity begins at home; and if ihe aboli- tioniste would just seta good example, in the shape of practical benevolenco towards negroes about their own doors, not forgetting the oppression of the poor factory girls of their own race throughout the New England States, hey might get some credit for their professed sympethy for negroes one or two thousand miles distant from them; and if the phileathro- pists of Exeter Hall would only use the samé exertions to ameliorate the condition of suffer- ing humanity around them which they vainly expend on behalf of a happy race of darkies on this side of the ocean, they would pro- bably be more successful, and the beastly prectices and horrid degradation of the mines would be abolished, and the vast amount of squalid misery and poverty and hunger which cxists in the British metropolis, sinidet boundless wealth and splendor, would be somewhat diminished, and then this world- wide philanthropy might venture with some consistency to talk to us across the Atlantic about our negro slaves. Well would it be for millions of whites, and all the blacks at the North. and thrice bappy would be the condition If any one. i of the majority of the Cancneian race in Great Britain and Lrelaod, if they were half as well provided for by law as are American slaves, aud if balf the reat affection which prevails at the South for the African race existed among the British aristocracy of birth aad of wealth for (be men bora around them with a skin colored like their own, ‘The Ratiroad Interest of the Country— How Disumion Will Affect It. Acoording tv the annual report of the New York Ceutral Railrvad for 1859, that iastitution bas been doing « marvellous business, It ap- pears that fur the last seven years the company bas realized the enormous sum of forty-five millions and three-quarters of dollars from pas- sengers and treight; and that during the present year no less than two millions two huadred end forty thousand persons travelled over the toad—more than half the entire population of the State—affording » total receipt, including treight, of six millions and a quarter. Taking the New York Ceatral aga standard, (though it is, perhaps, the most profitable road in the country,) what an immense railroad traffic there must be throughout the whole Union There are now ia operation about two hundred and forty railroads in the United States, run- wing over twenty-five thoussnd miles, aud the aggregate amount of passengers travelling over them annually must be nearly twoaty millions; and the receipts cannot fall short of from two to three hundred millions. These facta prove what a locomotive people he Americans are, travelling all over the couu- try—North, South, Kast aad Weet—for business and pleasure, at such a rate that almost half the population is continually ia motion; and it proves, furthermore, that the railroad interest is one of the highest importance in the country. The railroad business, it must be remem- bered, f# just such a one as depends entirely for its prosperity upon the maiatenance of union and good feeling between all the differ- ent States. Destroy those sentiments of har- mony which bind the many into one, and the railroad interest must rapidly decline. The growth of the prevalent sectional feeliag throughout the country threatens the mvat direful consequences to this immense branch of the prosperity of the Union, as well as to all the other interests which coutribute to place thie country in so exalted a position among the nations, Yet we see men foolish and wicked enough to trifle with and imperil the very mainstay of the life of the republic—the con- cord and harmeny which unite all sections in one common aim ang destiny. At this moment we stand within view of the presaged ruin; bitter sectionalism is rife throught the land; it teems in the national counells, in the local legislatures, in the par- tisan press, and in the pulpit. Our present po- sition admits of a fair comparison with that of the Roman republic in days of old, when at times it was divided between two rival factions, the patrician and plebeian; when disunion seo. timents ran so high that each party stood at bay, and threatened to secede from the other, and rend the republic in twain. Butin these eventful crises Roman virtue, and wisdom, and patriotism, raised their voices above the tur- moil of seotionaliam, and a compromise was made which averted the impending disaster. Some leading man in whom both parties could place confidence was usually chosen to the office of Dictator or some other controlling po- sition, and harmony was restored. Let us strengthen the analogy by imitating the pru- dence of the Romans in this greatemergency, and unite upon such aman for President as General Scott, whom the whole country honors for his services and his wisdom, who is above and outside all parties and factions, and who will put sectionalism to rout in every quarter of the country. A New Revolutionary Element in Caba—Landed Tities There to be Over- hauled. Among the recent official ohanges that have been made in Cuba by the removal of General Concha and the advent of General Serrano to the government of that important island, there is one that seems to us pregnant with trouble to the Cuban proprietors, and which may pos- sibly create a new revolutionary excitement in that island. This is the appointment of an officer by the Court of Spain to examine into the titles of the landed proprietors, and to set off and define the lands supposed to belong to the crown. Brigadier Pinzon has arrived from Madrid at Havana, with authority to search the ar- chives of the government and the several municipal corporations of the island, for the purpose of determining the extent of the grants made in former ages to private individuals. When we take into consideration the fact that none of these grants were made within the last one hundred years, and that many of them were made as long ago as the sixteenth cen- tury, when the geography of the country was imperfectly knowg,end little care was taken in the specificndiam @f courses and distances in the surveys, it wil readily be seen what a field for trouble and discontent is about td be laid open. This is still further increased by the manner in which the old grants of haciendas were mede by the Spanish authorities. Instead of adopting @ plan of survey, and granting lands with a defined boundary, a point only was named, and the grant covered all the sur- rounding land within a given radius from that int. Pethree centuries of quarrels and litigation among the proprietors have in a measure set- tled the boundaries between individual posses- sors in the most populous parts of the country; but the appearance ofan officer from the Court of Spain, with power to inquire into the title upon which possession is founded, and to de- termine what belongs to the individual, and what to the crown, is nothing more than the ap- plication of a new squeezing process to the wealtby {ohabitants of Cuba. Every landed proprietor may perhaps be obliged to purchaso, either with favor or money, a new title to his estates, and what such a necessity implies un- der a corrupt colonial government, four thou- sand miles distant from a court whose ears are ever closed to private ‘complaints, requires no prophet to foretell. The present object is said to be limited to the examination of the titles to the uncultivated lands of the island, for the purpose of securing to the government the foreste of timber and cabinet woods which are now being appropriated by individuals; but when titles that have been held for gene- rations once commence to be disturbed, the ebain of operations is continuous, and great efforts can only prevent ite being followed to the end. ‘The present sovement tn regard to the laad, NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, “JANUARY 2, 1860. ed property is mot divsimitar (rom that initiated by General Peenela in 1853, ia regurd to slave property in Cuba, which produced auch s universal agitation im the island. Ismay be slower in it developement, and the results may not operate so directly ia danger to society; but it ia open to far greater official abuse, and the constaat watchfulness of Gea- Serrano, the new Captain General, will be re- quired to prevent it degoaerating inte a mere system of oppression and spoliation. The Gret operation of the measure is to put ia doubt every title to lands in the thinly inka bited parts of the island, and to render inse- cure the landed investments of its contiaually edvancing population. If it is pushed to ex- tremes it may produce a revolution in Cuba, for there is nothing so stimulating to rebellion as interference on the part of government with long respected titles to preperty. Tae Sreeer Derarrumnt—Report or Com- musionke Surra.—The management of the Street Department has always been the chief difficulty in our municipal govern- ment. Through the complex machinery of that branch of the government nearly all the frauds, informalities and mystifica- tions which characterised the administration of local affairs found an easy developement. Bat since the accession of Commissioner Smith to offce an entire reform has been accom- plished in the Street Department; frauds have ceased to be committed, and the gigantic mass of informal and fraudulent matter which he found there upon entering upon his duties has been carefully overhauled and skilfully ad-- justed. At the las{ meeting of the Common Council in 1869, Mr. Smith presented his annual report, which appeared in the Herston of yesterday, as an appropriate part of the history of important events for the past year. Mr. Smith states that the present condition of his department is as perfect and satisfactory 28 it is possible to be under the lawe now governing it. The work- ing of its machinery throughout the year has been systematic and cconomical, upon a plan introdeced by Mr. Smith, and based upon that of the Bureau of Construction ander the Trea- sury Department of the United States. Daring the year requisitions have been drawn upon the Comptroller to the amount of one million five hundred and ninety thousand nine hundred and ten 89-100 dollars, of which one million two hundred and ninety-one thou- eand eight hundred and fifteen dollars were for objects and purposes provided for by fax, and two hundred and ninety-nine thou- sand ninety-five 87-100 dollars were on trust 8C- count, The City Treasury will be reimbursed for the latter by assessment apon the property benefitted. All the bureaus of the department have been efficientiy conducted by their several officers, except the Bureau of Roads, in which a diffe- rence was found between the amount of certain materials furnished for road covering and the amount charged for in the vouchers of the Superintendent. An investigation led to the resignation of that official, and Mr. Smith promptly azd properly put the whole matter into the hands of the District Attorney and Superintendent of Police, thereby discharging his portion of the duty in a manner which it would befit those officials to imitate. Mr. Smith entered upon his office in the midst of difficulties, after a series. of disgraceful con- troversies and legal actions which left the de- partment in almost inextricable confusion. The mismenagement of his predecessors had left the affairs of the office in such a condition that he hed much to undo before he could com- mence his own duties. For years if over be- fore, the Street Department has not been con- ducted with the same ability, industry and integrity which Mr. Smith has manifested, and wehave no doubt that he speaks correctly when he says:— Notwithstanding that many trrogularitice have almost necessarily occurred in the various branches o this com- plex cad extended business, nothing within my know ige bas been done which did ‘not admit of ready correc- ton, or the prevention of a repetition, oxcept in the matur of the Bureax of Roads, to which allusion has aiready been mado. Mr. Smith has established a rule the impor- tance of which will be perceived when we con- sider that a million and a half is expended an- nually in the Street Department, and when we remember that previous Street Commissioners claimed the books and papers of the office as their own private property, and used them ac- cordingly. He says :— In the administration of the business of this depart- ment since my Orst connection with it, the followiag prin cipks bave Deen constantly insiet-d upon and rigidiy ad- that an of! Written rocera siouid be plain as to require ao exphi- howid at all conycnient times ota, corrouponionce, and Papers of eery hia’, ‘par tines fo this Sopereaan, Sitieuht Ue kuoun ani Wate uo pubhic property belonging to the oilice, and not to the Officer. - Mr. Smith’s term of office does not expire until next November; and if at that time Mayor Wood should see fit to take any change in the Street Department, we only trust that he will select a successor to the present incumbent equally qualified to perform the duties of Street Commissioner. If he does that, the public and the taxpayers will have reason to rejoice, for Mr. Smith’s administration has proved catirely satisfactory in redeoming the dopartment from its worst evila. Ovr New Momerar, Apvemtstrartoy.—The new municipal administration, with Feraando Wood at its head, goes into office to-day, and, as far as’ the offices of Mayor, Corporation Counsel and Comptroller are concerned, with every prospect of satisfactory results. In Wood, Bronson and Haws the city has an offi- cient and responsible triumvirate, in whose hands the administration of the government will be perfectly safe, if the Legislature con- sents to amend the charter so as to place suffi- cient power in them to govern according to their own judgmenta. The exciting character of the late city clec- tion haa fixed the attention of the whole coun- try upon Mayor Wood ; the promises of reform with which be entered upon the canvass have Jed our citizens to expect much from him, and his official career will be watched, at home and abroad, with rigid scrutiny. He is not indiffer- ent, neither are his colleagues, to the Tespon- sibility resting upon them, and we doubt not that a respect for their own character and known ability will induce them to a faithful performence of their duties, The principal duty of the Mayor will be to watch the Com- mon Council, and restrain, as far as possible, all jobbing and squandering of the public moneys by that most delectable body of legis- lators. Let him look after it. : A Govenxok Wise ww Viaornta.——Jobo Browa: and the late great Uoivn speech of Governed’ Wise, at Richmond, appear to bive created: quite a furore wqong the conservative Virginia democracy in favor of the Governor for the Presidency. ‘Thus we God ia 4 single number of the Richmoud Kaquirer two or three closely printed columus occupied with reports and let ters of various Wise meetings in different towas apd counties, Where are the Albany Regeney bow, and what will be their next card for the overthrow of Wise and Wood? _—————— The Brasch and Grow Affatr—Onrd ef Mr. Brameh te the Pablic— Pho Contest for the Spranership—In vestigation tate the Affairs of Utah and New Mexico ‘TES PUBLIC. 1 have been kindly furnwhed by a friend with an authes tic copy of a. card of the Hon. L. O'B. Branch, which wit ‘be pablused to-morrow in the city papors, in regard to publication of opprobrious epithets or injurious werds. The law t very stringent. MR. BRANCH'S CARD. In the House of Represoutatives, oa Tharoday last, the following colloquy occurred between Mr. Grow of Poam- eylvapia and myself:— Mr. Grow--And bad the (Mz. Brancb) beea vs Gnd parliamentary from North Carefian with tho constitutions law 5 - ii if ‘a ¢ é: 2 i A e : & j apa ly courteries bived 1D | dehberakive aneasce It needs no to perliamentary law (o that. The rst rule of meptary law is that po gentleman haa tho right tbe motives of anotbor. Mr. Braxc —I desire to ask tho gentioman whother he Meane Dy that language to impute to me any coaduct al tinpute to me any conduct that becoming? Mr. Grow Ten gansirmsae charged the other day that T bad defeated ‘be Post Oftice Appropriation bill in order to compel the Presicont of the United States to call aa extra seasion of Congress. Tsay that such an tmputationes, Iny motives was not gentlemanly under periementers tow, Ir. Pranca—] repeat the question which I have aaked the geutheman from insylvania, whether be de- igus in those remarks to impute to me any conduct uabe- coming 2 gentleman? A tailure to respond I shall assame to be a effi mative aoewer, Mr. Grow—Mr. Ccrk, T take tho language of the genthman; what i have oaid on it is plate English, and there ft stands. The gentleman the other day im my motives of action on the Post Office bil. The ment of motives in a legatauive body i evorywhere ri not only as 5 ‘98 ungeoticmanly, oder parliamentary practice law, Mr. Baancu—I ri Fee ee oe Ir. GRow—I will read 2's Own from the Globe of Monday kot Immodiately after the occurrence I addressed te Mey Grow, ard handed to my friend Mr. Winslow for de: Livery, a note, of which the foituwing is a copy:— Sr—WIll you please pame a tume and place, the District of Columbia, at which you will receive from ‘me a communication in writing, Very resvootfully, Hon. Gaivama A. Grow. L. O'R. BRANGEL On the copy of this note, retainod, is an cadorsement by Mr. Winsiow, in these words:— ‘The note, of which this is a copy, was handed to Mr. Branch immediately uftor the "oo oq) portly’ 4 and Mr. Grow. No opportanity occurred of deli it, without etuacting uodve attention, until 1 met Mr, Grow at tho Capitol on fo WARREN WINSLOW. During Friday evening I received from Mr. Grow, through the Hon. R. I. Fenton, of Now York, a reply ef which the following is a copy>— Wasmunaron Crrr, Dec. 30, 1859—7 P. ML Sin—Your note of the 20h instant was placed im my bance by your friend, Governor Winslow, at 12 0’clook M. o-day. I know of nothing that maxes it for me oO pame a time and place outside the Mstri-t of Colum- bia to receive from you a communication in writing. Your note was doubtlesa—as nothing elve bas occurred betweem pe—bared upon Temarks made by me in debate in the Houso of Representatives in reply to your poy oe my motives and tho integrity of my acts a8 a legislator. On that occasion I used no in violation of parliamentary iaw and not warranted by your remarks thus impogning my conduct. If your note is to be coneidercd of @ biotile cheracter, then I have this to reply. Regarding duolliug as af variance with the precepts of the Christian religion and the sentiments of a Christian people, and it being prohibl- ted sad declared a crime by the.‘awaenasted by ce tony of which we are members, I cannot recognise it a8 & juetilablo mode of settiidy ‘difiicnitice among mon, even m cases of unwarrantable provocation ; but my nersenall rights, aud the freedom of debate guaranteed by the coe- stitution, Telall defend whenever they areassifled. Very respectfully youre, GaLUSHA A. GROW. To How. L. O'B. Brance. By those who are acquainted with the penal code of this district, to which my attention is drawn by Mr. Grow in his letter, it will be readily understood that noother course {3 loft mo than to publish this narration, and leave the whole matter to the impartial judgment of honorable men of all sections of the country. L. O'R. BRANCH. Waswacron Crrv, Jan. 2, 1860. ‘THe CONTEET POR HPKAKER. ‘The new year dawns upon an cnorgaptzed Congress, with no more prospect of getting a Speaker on Tussday, by a majority vote, than existed tho first day of the sea - sion. I am satisied that absentecism will not accompiisie the result which seme supposo, as the democrats will in- eivt, as they have done all along, that when one of their members is absent some ropebiican shal! pair: off with, him—othorwise no ballot will be allowed. I understand that Mr. Morris, of Dlinoia, after pairing with Me. Roy- noke, of New Yorir, eays his friends will not consent te the arrangement, and has so nolided the friends of Mr. Roynoida, who is absent: Morris’ friends view Mr. Rey- Bolds as an opponent of Mr. Shorman. Thisienot Mr. Rey- olds’ trus position, as be has invariably stated that when his vote would elect Mr. Sherman he should caat it ia that dircetion, and {t is understood that ho asserted whea he left hero that in pairing him he wished to be vidwed as a Sherman man against apy administration maa, Mr. Sickles boing also absent, without any pair, will reduce the total vote two, but will roduce the number necessary to @ choice only ons, so that Mr. Shermam on the next dallot, shouk! one be allowed without pairing the above ‘absontess, will come within three of an election. This is the second time im the higtory of tho government that so much valuable time eed ‘moncy havo been wasted in @ quarrel between factions. Every House has been or- ganized bofore the Ist of January, except in the Thirty- fourth Congress and tho present. ‘The prevailing opinion Is that the present ctate of atairs wil] never bo ropeated if the House is ever organized. A Jaw will bo passod providing that after tue trial of a rea. sonable number of ballots, and ft shall appear that a ma- rity cannot elect, the plurality rule shall then take efect. Tho most serious objections to the operation of the plurality rule in the present House are made by about twenty domocrats who were in the Thirty fourth Cya- gress, They cotertain the opinion that they were de- ceived under its oporation at that time, believing when they voted for it that they would secure the’election of Mr. Aiken, of Focth Carolia, and assert that tho clection of Mr. Banks was a surprise to thom. Thoy Ceclaro that they will not be chested again; that thoy know tho adop- tion of the plurality rulo will elect Mr. Sherman, aad cam- not eloct any other person, anil it is therofore the tast thing they will yield. Under pariinmentary law Uhoy can Prevent the adoption of the plurality rule just as long as they.can obtain votes onough to demand the yoxs and pays, which requires only cno-fifta of the mecubers ‘voting. ‘Tho Stakes newspaper of yostorday has a sigcifeant ar- ticle, to the effect that the plurality rule will not be aliow- ed to operate for weeks to come. In connection with thie announcement, which is considercd good authority on tho subject alluded to, there is a report tonight that Mr. Brown, of Kentucky, the momber who has not yot roted Decause he is pot of constitutional age will Bo old enough to take his seat on the fifteenth of the present month. I is paid that Mr. Stalworth will be here before the 15th instant, ead then the democracy, having its cleoted eirength on the ‘oor of the Howe, wil ytel@ ay"