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

ee - % NEW YORK HERALD. JamMBS GORDON BEVNETT, SDITOK AND PROPRIETOR, Orrick #. W. CORNRE OF NASSAU AND FULTON ort. sh in adeounce Money sent By matt wil? be as the eS it, age amiga ak recchond ae nabecripton Boney 7% DALLY ARKALD. two cents per copy $) per annum THE WEEKLY UERALD ccory Saturday al mz cents sop, oF 83 per annum; the Buropean Bdition cvery We Bt ats conta er conry $4 per annum to,any part of Gren’ Brdiatn, or to any Caf the Continent, bain f indtade ponnast GaWornie Bition om the bth and Bi of sash ‘at 150 per annie EAE RANIL) HERALD om Wadnenlay, at four conte per copy oF $2 ver annem MOLUNTARY MOKRESPONDENCR, contawning mportant ‘solicéted from uny quarter of the world; Y weed, will be Aity paid for SQ U0R FORKIGN OORRSSFONDERTS ARB aRviCULaRLY Reavestan TO Smal als Larrems amp Paos-+ nT OR. MONO NOTICE taken of anonymons correspondence We do not Peturn rejerted communications d ; advertisement ‘and én the "ADVERTISEMENTS. renrwed every serted in te NEUEN HERALD; FAMILY Obivornéa and European ps. PRINTING eaecuted with neatness, cheapness and de — tis AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING, NIBLO’S GARDEN. Kroadway.—Coome’s Borat Aurut- wurates, BOWERY THEATRE. Bowers .—Consscam Baorunns—A ‘Taiz or Bioop—Goop Narvnap Gawtiamax, WINTER GARDEN, Broadway, opposite Bond street — Ouiven Twist, WALLACK’8 THEATRE, Broadway.—Romancs or 4 Poon Yours Man. LAUBA KEENE’s THEATRE, 6% Broadway.—Jaams Daas. New BOWERY THEATRE Bowery.—Ovp Man or Tus Movntain—Goipen Axe—Mipnicut Consrizatoxs. BROADWAY BOUDOIR, 444 Broadway.—Ikecanp As ‘Tx Was—Foun Sisrans. THEATRE FRANCAIS, 685 Rroadway.—La Jois De 1a Maisoxn—Un Monsiaun at yxe Damn. BARNUM’S AMERICAN MUSEUM. Broadway.—After- nooa—Sormer Dansanre—Gouven Fakuan, Evening—La Toon px Nesue—Lovaie Beppro Room. BRYANTS’ MINSTRELS. Mechanics Hall, 472 Broadway — Bon.esques, Sonos, Dances, Ac —We Come From tus Hits, NIBLO’B SALOON, Broadway.—Geo. Onerery’s Min- LS us Sones, Dances, Bumiesques, &c.—Mus. Dar’s Raw Yeas Cais ros 1360. COOPER INSTITUTE —Lecrone sy Henry Waep Bexcuer, Luoy Stone anp Rosext Dare Owen, New York, Thursday, February 2, 1860. The News. The news from Washington this morning is high- ly important. The struggle for the Speakership of the House ended at three o'clock yesterday after- noon with the election of Mr. Pennington, of New Jersey, a republican of moderate views. He re- ceived 117 votes, exactly the number necessary to effect an election. He was conducted to the chair by Mesers. Bocock and Sherman, and delivered a well conceived address to fhe House. The members were then sworn in by delegations, A proposition to proceed to the election of a Clerk, another to ap- point a committee to notify the Senate that the House was ready to proceed to business, and the introduction of a bill making an appropriation for Post Office deticiencies, were severally offered and discussed ; but the House, without acting upon either subject, agreed to adjourn till Friday, and in the meantime the candidates for the subordinate offices of the House will be selected. Nothing of importance occurred in the Senate yesterday. The news from Albany is interesting. Among the bills introduced in the Senate yesterday was one amending the Metropolitan Police act. From the synopsis of this bill, which we publish else- where, it will be seen that the projectors of this measure contemplate a complete remodelling of the Police Commission. It provides for an entirely new Board of Commissioners, and excludes the Mayors of New York and Brooklyn from all par- ticipation in the Commission. Superintendent Pillabury is alao to be legislated out of office. In the Assembly, among the bills reported was one authorizing New York city to raise money by tax andloan. A Pro Rata Freight bill was reported, and after a long debate made the special order for Thursday next. The State Senate, in executive seasion yesterday, confirmed the appointments of Messrs. Schults, Benedict, Anable, Whiting and Masten as Harbor Masters, and Mesers. Thatcher and Seaman as Port Wardens. The steamship City of Manchester, which left Liverpool on the 11th, and Queenstown on the af- ternoon of the 13th ult., for this port, put into St. Johns, N.F., yesterday, for a supply of coal. She experienced unusually rough weather. By this ar- rival we have one day’s later European news. It ‘was rumored that the European Congress would meet on the 15th inst., that Cardinal Antonelli has resigned his post in the Papal Ministry, and that &@ commercial treaty had been concluded between France and England. The French funds were buoyant; the directors of the Bank of England had held a meeting, and adjourned without raising the rate of interest, and the news of a stringency in the Wall street money market had slightly in- fluenced the English funds. There are four steamers, with six days later news from Europe, now due at American ports. They left Europe in the following order, and, as will be ween from their days of sailing, must have had very rough weather:— Name. Jan. 18.. |Portland. Jan. 18..|New York. If the John Bell left Glasgow on the 4th of January, as advertised, she has been at sea twenty- Dine days to-day. The steamship Africa sailed from this port yes- terday for Liverpool, with 31 passengers and $335,- 000 in specie. We have interesting letters from our corres- pondent in Buenos Ayres, dated on the 16th of December. England was pursuing her difficulties with Paraguay, and one of her naval officers had ac- tually seized the Paraguayan war steamer Tacuari, as asort of reprisal for the sinking of the British merchant vessel Little Polly, in the Parana, in 1858. The war steamer was again released, how- ever. General Cushman, United States Minister to the Confederation, had arrived in Buenos Ayres, with his secretary, Mr. Brent, and Mr. J. C. Brewer, of Newark, an American tourist. Railroads and steamship communication were making rapid ad- vances. Political agitation still prevailed in Buenos Ayres to some extent. Many newspapers were being started or revived. There was a brisk de- mand for wool, at good prices. At the meeting of the Board of Education last evening a resolution was adopted authorizing the leasing of premises in Robinson street, in the Third ward, for five years, at $1,000 a year, and appro- priating $2,000 to fit them for the establishment of 8 new echool there. No other business of interest ‘was transacted. The Whig General Committee of this city met last evening, and agreed to send a committee of five to attend the Virginia Whig State Convention to be held at Richmond on the 22d inst. ‘The Commissioners of Emigration held their regular meeting yesterday at Castle Garden. An a ‘was received from Dr. Gunn, asking that the money which he has paid for rent be re- fanded'to him, on the ground that the law allows him & house, rent free. The paper was referred to the Gastle Garden Committee. His rent since the 1st of May amounts to about $1,100. The weekly ptatement showed the number of emigrants landed there daring the past week to be 624, which mikes G6 Besreed Shy Se Aas od Judiasy 2,145. The NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1860. Bo:rd have an apparent balance in bank of $23,455 73, but their indebtedness to the various counties of the State amounts to $19,669 44, besides the loan of $50 000 recently contracted. In the Court of Oyer and Terminer yesterday the jury in the case of John Crimmins, tried for the murder of Dennis McHenry, rendered a verdict gf guilty of murder against the prisoner, with a re- commendation to mercy. The prisoner was re- manded for sentence. The trial of Mortimer Shay, indicted for the murder of John Leary, on the Five Pointe, on the evening of the 23d of November last, waa then proceeded with, and will be con- cluded to-day. ‘The trial of James Tracy, of Jersey City, charged with attempting to commit an outrage upon Sarah A. Roddick, a girl twelve years old, in October last, was commenced yesterday in Hudson county,N.J., Court ef Oyer and Terminer. The case will proba- bly be concluded to-day. Among our business notices will be found a statement of Messrs. Goodyear and Judson in regard to the disputed title to the elastic vulcanized rubber goods, We and the public are wearied with ‘this endless controversy. Why do not Goodyear and Day settle this question in the courts between hemselves, and let innocent purchasers and the public alone until it is ascertained who owns the right. At the various cattle yards yesterday beef cattle were in active demand at an advance of jc. a 4c. per pound, prices ranging from 6c. to 10}c. a Llc. Milch cows were plenty, and in moderate request at $25 a $50 a $65 per head. Veals were moderately active at 3}c. a 7c., including all kinds. Sheep and lambs were also active at $2 50 a $5 for inferior to good, and $5 25 a $7 for good to prime and extra. Swine scarce and active, at 5c. a 6fc., including all kinds. The receipts amounted to 2,649 beef cat- tle, 129 milch cows, 417 veal calves, and 6,812 sheep and Jambs. The cotton market yesterday was tame, and the tone of the market considered more favorable for purchasers, though without any decided change in quotations. The sales embraced about 1,200 bales. The receipts at tho ports, since the first of September last, have reached 2,708,000 bales, against 2,839,000 in 1859, 1,873,000 in 1858 and 1,948,000 in 1857. The exports have reached 1,606,000 bales against 1,199,000 in 1869, 777,000 in 1853, and 802,000 in 1857. The stock on hand amounted to 1,040,000 bales, against 900,000 in 1859, 675,000 in 1858, and 817,000 in 1857. Messrs. Wright & Co., in their cir- cular by the Africa, state that the public sentiment at the South has settled in a great degree upon a crop of 4,100,000 bales, and it is supposed that, after February has passed, the receipts will begin to decline. Exports are large, showing an excess over last year for the same period. ‘The exports to France are in excess of last year, and will 800n increase, as there are fifty-four vessels loading at Southern ports for that country, against thirteen last year. To other places the exports are slightly behind those of last year, but promise soon a considerable increase, as there are seventy-three vessels loading in Southern ports for other foreign countries, against fifty-one at the same time in 1857, thus showigg that there are no less than 127 ves- sels loading with cotton for foreign markets in the South- ern seaport towns. Flour was in some better request, and sales were to a fair extent, chiefly to the domestic trade, while prices were without change of moment. Wheat was dull and prices were nominal. Corn was firmer, while sales were moderate. Pork was in good re- quest and at firmer rates; new mess sold at $18 12}, new prime at $14, and old do. at $12 a $12 25. Sugars were slack, and sales confined to about 300 hhds. at rates given in another column. Freights were firm. Among the engagements to Liverpool were 4,500 bushels of wheat, in bags, at 634d., 500 bales cotton at 7-32d., with cheese, beef and bacon at steady prices. 600 bushels wheat were taken by steamer, for Galway, on private terms. The Election of Speaker=How it was Done and What it Teaches. The defeat of Sherman and the election of Pennington as Speaker of the House of Rep- resentatives, is the first step in the march of the great conservative elements to victory over the revolutionary designs of the aboli- tionized black republican party. We saw long since the danger into which fanaticism and demagoguism were hastening the country, and, regardless of the outcry which we knew would everywhere be raised against us by scheming politicians, we sounded the alarm, and gallantly has the national spirit come to the rescue. The election of Speaker was the Malakoff of the fight. The black re publicans. entrenched themselves under the banner of Sherman, on the outrageous prin- ciples of Helper’s incendiary book, and, con- fident in their numbers, proclaimed that they would not give him up till the trump of Gabriel sounded. For eight long weeks they held their ground, hoping, by pertinacity, to live out their opponents; and at last, when they were routed on Friday, they surrendered, and hauled down their black flag. Had certain Pennsylvania and New Jersey members held themselves truly to the virtue they professed to have, a national man, unaffiliated in any way with the republican party, would have been elected; but their sudden throwing off of the cloak of hypocrisy gave the republicans time to retreat from their advanced position, and by throwing overboard Sherman, Helper, and Seward’s irre- pressible conflict, to bring forward a candidate untainted with the fanaticism of his party. And in his election there is an anomaly which should not go unmarked. It was brought about by the defection from the support of the democratic candidate of a man who represents a constituency which, with the exception of some pure Southern district, is as much op- posed to the principles of the black republi- can party as any other in the country. Mr. Briggs is not only a member from the great commercial metropolis of the Union, but his district comprises those wards in this city where a very large portion of our merchants dwell and vote. The Ninth, Sixteenth and Twentieth wards, running from Sixth avenue to the North river, and from Hamersley to Fortieth street, are inhabited to a great extent by those prosperous New York merchants who are too busy in making money down town to lose an hour or two on election day to vote. They have, therefore, the pleasure of congratulating themselves that, not- withstanding their Union meetings and their vociferous anti-republicanism when trade is in question, their neglect to go to the polls has been the main cauee of the partial success of the anti-commercial party in the House. The event, however, marks an era in our po- litical history. During all the time that the republicans clung to Sherman, they insisted that they did so because he could poll a stronger vote than any other member of their party. On this plea Seward and Thurlow Weed urged his retention; the Tribune shrieked, stormed and implored in his behalf, and the fanatics strained every nerve to save his en dorzement of Helper’s book. But the weight ef treason grew heavier and heavier, until at last it sunk him. The immediate effect of the election of Pennington is the overthrow of the programme of Seward, and the breaking of Thurlow Weed’s Congressional slate. On its black surface were written the names of Sher- man, Forney and Bowles, as Speaker, Clerk and Printer, respectively, of the House. The rottennesss and weakness of this combiaation have been shown in the defeat of Sherman; and if the republicans now support Forney, who Goues from an adjcising State, and represents virtually the same political elements with the Speaker elect, they will lose all the credit for political tact which past successes had ac- cumulated for them. Besides this, the election of Forney as Clerk, with all his corrupt antece- dents, his long continued antagonism to the party whose support he now seeks, and his very doubtful present position in politics,will amount to a tacit admission on the part of the republi- cans that there is nothing sound or legal in their own party, and will give a new impulse to their waning fortunes. The necessity of changing from Sher- man to Pennington, from an ultra black republican to a more conservative man in their party, amounts to a complete over- throw of the Seward programme in the repub- lican tactics. ‘Sherman was his candidate, Helper ic his follower, and a teacher of his creed They have failed, and with them disap- pears the brutal and bloody philosophy of the Rochester manifesto. The republicans have been forced to seek for aid in the commercia! metropolis of the Union, and that aid dared no come to their assistance so long as they ad hered to the ultra positions and abolition affili- ations into which Seward had carried his fol lowers. The men who combined to prevent the subjection of the conservative majority in Con- gress to the rule of a factious and fanatical minority have done their work well, and won the firat great victory in the rising contest be. tween the right andthe wrong in politics. It is the presage of further triumphs and of the ultimate rule of reason and the conservative elements in the Union. The Charleston Convention—The Note of Preparation. The National Convention ef the democratic party which will assemble at Charleston just two months from to-day is now the point to which the eyes of all the politicians in the country are turned. The work of the Conven- tion has already been commenced. Mr. Doug- las opened it in the Senate last week with his famous speech, wherein he recanted all his for- mer heresies, and came fairly and squarely upon the administration platform. Mr. Doug- las’ friends throughout the North and West have been much elated with this speech, and think that it will clear his coast at Charleston. That remains to be seen. It is a little too near April for the South to take Mr. Douglas’ last speech as the law and the gospel. The resolution introduced by the Senator from Illinois remains, however, as the standing subject for debate in the Senate, end as it re- fers directly to the state of the Union, it gives all the Presidential aspirants an opportunity to put themselves right on the record. Among them is Mr. Robert M. T. Hunter, of Virginia, who made an elaborate speech on Tuesday: Mr. Hunter is a conservative democrat, a calm, quiet, undemonstrative, practical politician— a marked contrast to his dashing and fiery rival, Governor Wise. The latter is con- tinually making speeches and writing mani- festoes. The work he does in this way is some- thing wonderful. Mr. Hunter, on the con- trary, speaks little and writes less. Without doubt Mr. Hunter’s speech on Tuesday was carefully prepared, and is intended to bear directly upon Charleston. On the ques- tion of slavery proper, Mr. Hunter takes the strong radical ground on which Mr. Charles O’Conor stands—namely, that it is a beneficent institution. He demands that the Territories should be open to free and slave labor alike, and argues from the Seward speech and Helper book that the black republican theories favor the abolition of slavery from the States wherein it now exists. Although strongly Southern in his sentiments, Mr. Hunter does not go so far as several of the Senators on the other side of the line, and say that if a black republican President is elected the South will secede im- mediately from the Union. On the contrary, he draws a glowing picture of the future of the republic, if the goverament continues to be ad- ministered according to the spirit of its founders, and pertinently inquires, “Are we to be dieappointed of such a destiny as this, in the mad pursuit of abstractions by moonstruck theorists and crazy fanatics?” He believes not, and puts his trust in the conservatives of the North, who are very quiet until election day, but who will not fail to vote on the side of law, Union, fraternal concord and the Union of the States aceording to the constitution. Such is Mr. Hunter’s platform—a very sound, sensible and good one. Like Mr. Douglas, epeech, it is a bid for Charleston; and as there are several other Senators looking in the same direction, we may expect similar offers from Davis of Mississippi, Slidell of Louisiana, Toombs of Georgia, Johnson of Tennessee, Bright-of Indiana, Lane of Oregon, and so on. There’s no objection to this. While the House of Representatives is quarrelling over the spoils, it is well to see the Senate taking a con- servative and patriotic attitude. With a pru- dent, firm and able Chief Magistrate, and the check of an administrative majority in the upper branch of Congress, the squabbles in the House can do but little injury. As far as the question of the succession goes, however, these Senatorial aspirants are build- ing air castles. With the single exception of Mr. Douglas, who stands better for 64 than 60, not one of them has any strength where it is most needed. .The man for Charleston is Mr. Buchanan. His administration has been so firmly and wisely conducted as to win the applause of the whole country—the politicians who have been disappointed about the spoils alone excepted. In the pre- sent crisis of the republic the people look for acta, not words. They find Mr. Buchanan’s acts a part of the history of the country, and they will command more votes than all the speeches that ever loaded down the weary and long suffering columns of the Globe. The conser vative Union men of the great Central States wil demand a man whose election will allay the foolish slavery agitation, restore confidence between the North and the South, insure the permanence of our institutions, and promote the material prosperity of the republic. Mr. Buchanan is this man. He will call outthe full strength of his own party and the independent reserve vote. Mr. Buchanan, then, sbould re- ceive the Charleston nomination by all means. InsrFiciNcy oF THE Excise Coumissioy.— We publish to-day two curious communica- tions in reply to an article which appeared in our columns a few days ago relative to the inefficiency of the Excise Commis- sion, one of them being from a commis- sioner himself. From these letters we are put in poesession of the fact that the attorney of the Commission bas commenced six thousand suits sgainost delinquent liquor dealers, of which we shall bear more as soon as they are reached on the calendar; and further, that about a thousand judgments have already been ob- tained, but owing to the fact that the law makes no provision for paying the fees of the clerks who sign the judgment rolls, the judg- ments cannot be satisfied, and the county is thus deprived of a large fund. ‘ On the other hand, we are told by Mr. Com- missioner Kerr that over seven thousand suits have been commenced, out of which four thou- sand have been settled or compromised for the costs—say from five to twelve dollars for each suit—making a fund of some $3,000; but that this entire sum has been retained by the attor- ney of the Commission for his own fees, and the county treasury has not got a penny of it, If this be eo, Mr. Kerr is about right when he says that it would be better to abolish all license laws than to submit the people to such charges for the personal benefit of the officers ap- pointed to carry them into effect. In any case, the statements of both correspondents only confirm what we said, that the Excise Commis- sion shows a very small return for what it costs to maintain it. The Effect of the Anti.Slavezy Crusade om Property ana Commerce at the North, The effect of the anti-slavery orusade of the last twenty-five years, which is now reaching its culminating point, will be to ruin the pro- perty and commerce of the North. Already the work of destruction is begun. The correspond- ence of our Special Reporter in North Carolina: which we published on Saturday last, demon- strates this fact. He says Massachusetts alone sends $1,000,000 worth of shoes into that State annually, but that the probability is, even if there should be no secession and no blows, not half that amount will be taken next year, and the demand for other articles will diminish in the same ratio, whether there be disunion or not. The truth is that the Southern States are now put upon their mettle, and their pride will not permit them to recede, even if it were for their advantage. It is like throwing the Brit- ish taxed tea inte Boston harbor at the time of the first revolution; and the universal under- standing which there was to drink none of that beverage, rather than receive it from England. The same patriotic sentiments prompted our Revolutionary fathersto rejoice in the plainest garb made of homespun, rather than wear the costliest and finest raiment of English manufac- ture. The eame is now being done in the Southern States. The South regards New England, at this moment, very much in the same light that New England regarded Old England about the year 1775. The South regards New England as its enemy and oppressor, and it ig determined to fight it first in a war of and commerce, and af- terwards, if necessary, with gunpowder, the rifle, the bayonet and cannon. Old England, with her vast resources, did not frighten the Colonies, nor can the fanatics of the North, with their boast of eighteen millions of in- vaders, scare the South into submission to tyranny. “North Carolina,” says our corres- pondent, “isdetermined to strike a blow at New England which will be felt, and she is able to do it. Acts of unmistakeable hostility msy be looked for at any mo- ment.” Southern capitalists and manufac- turers, taking advantage of the times, will fan the flame, and establish native factories in every State. Cotton, woollen, fron and leather will be wrought in every shape and form, and the South will soon establish its independence of the North as completely as if a wall of brass were built up to heaven on Mason and Dixon’s line, New England will feel the effects of her folly most; but New York and Pennsylvania will also reap the bitter fruits of the injustice to the South which is now being perpe- trated by the citizens of Northern States. Un- less a war should prematurely precipitate the coming calamity, it will take some time to accomplish the complete destruction of Northern commerce. But it will sink, day by day,and hour by hour. The railroads will soon feel it. The shipping interest en- gaged in the carrying trade’of the South, three- fourths of which is Northern, will feel it. Real estate in New York will not bring twenty- five cents om the dollar of its present value. Stocks will be depreciated, and every interest will suffer. The South will build its own ships and carry its own merchandise; and till that can be achieved, English, French and other foreign bottoms will obtain a preference over those of Yankeedom. Thus will manufactures and commerce receive a new and mighty im- petus at the South, and its vast resources become so developed in a few years as to daz- zle the world; while, on the other hand, the commerce and prosperity of the North will rapidly fall, and the population, from wealth and prosperity, sink into poverty and decay. Other great republics have fallen by their folly and their crimes. Let not the Northern States be too confident that they may not soon share the same fate. The desti- ny of the North hangs on the will of the South. Our statesmen have often said that by an act of Congress refusing to sell England cotton, that country could be ruined and driven to revolution in six months. By a refusal of the South to sell cotton to the Northern States the same effect would be produced here. And to this complexion it will come at last, unless the gulf that now yawns between North and South is speedily bridged over by returning to the principles on which this complex government was founded, and giving the South the same verge and scope for its institutions which the Northern States claim for tpeirs. There are many who think the present ex- citement will pass over, like former dangers, without any injurious results. But the present crisis is different from all that have gone before it. Its practical nature in the South brings home forcibly the feelings, sentiments and acts of the American Revolutionists of eighty-five years ago; and those whovwait to see it pass away may find themselves, at last, in the predicament of the clown who, standing on the brink of the Missis- sippi, far from any bridge, waited to see the river flow away, and its bed become dry, in order that he might cross to the other side. The King of Floods continued to flow, and will flow forever; and so will the present revolution roll on in an impetuous current, and prevent all intercourse from either side, unless, by the hearty good will and co-operation of North and South, the mighty stream is bridged or diverted from its channel, as,in the remote ages of an- tiquity, Cyrastarned aside the Eaphrates, which veparated him from Babytoa. i . aastesiith semanas Inegounarrry or Tue Sovraern Maws.—The delays to which the Southern mails are sub- jected have long formed a subject of complaint and remonstrance. The more that is said about the matter, however, the worse the evil be- Comes. The contractors seem utterly indiffe- rent to public censure, and the Post Office De partment, which has the power of holding them to the strict performance of their agreements, takes no steps to apply a remedy. Whilst the Pacific mails by sea and overland are trans- mitted with unfailing regularity, those between New Orleans and New York are.subject to de- tentions of the most capricious and annoying character. As an example of the wayin which the system works, we may mention the fact that our newspaper exchanges of the latest dates frequently arrive a week or ten days ahead of the previous issues, so that, were it not for our telegraphic despatches, it would be impossible for us to follow up continuously the chain of events. The same irregularities pro- vail in regard to the letter mails, although, being lighter, one would suppose that an efor, would be made to forward them in. time. The loss and inconvenience cause by these detentions to our merchants are the subject of daily outcry. They cannot see any reason, nor do we, why the mails from St. Louis toSao Francisco, carried for the most part through a desert region, should travel with certainty and punctuality, whilst those between New Or- leans and New York can never be counted upon within a week or ten days after. they are due. As regularity in the transmission of the mails is one of the first conditions of success to a commercial community, our business men natu- rally chafe at a state of things for which no valid excuse can be offered, and for which no one but the department can be fairly held responsible. To show how injuriously to mer- cantile interests the system operates, we have only to take the case of a cargo of cotton despatched from New Orleans to an English port and drawn against by a bill of exchange. The first letter of exchange is usually accom- panied by the bill of lading and sent on here for negotiation. It occupies ten days or a fortnight in transmission, owing to the deten- tions to which it is subject by the irregulari- ties of the mail contractors, and thus the parties to the transaction are cheated of 86 much interest for that period—the frequency of these occurrences making up a heavy aggre- gate of losses at the end of the year. There is no doubt that the persons who take these mail contracts sacrifice without scruple the convenience of the public to their own in- tereste. We can hardly blame them, however, if the supervising power appointed to watch over such matters neglects its duty or connives at their neglect. As a general thing, our go- vernment does not pay sufficient attention to the intimate relation which exists between regularity of postal communications and com- mercial activity and success. Abroad these things are better understood, and in Great Britein, especially, there is never any hesita- tion in appropriating large sums to such pur- poses, in the certainty that they will return in another form vastly more than the outlay in curred. Unfortunately, with us political mo- tives but too frequently stand in the way of this wise policy. The neglect and bad faith of contractors and official subordinates are wink- ed at, because they may happen to control a few votes in their respective neighborhoods. Such laxity, it is needless to add, is ruinous to the interests of any community which devotes teelf specially to commercial pursuits. Tae Non-Inrercourse ExcrreMent At THE Sovru.—Our correspondence from the Southern States has been latterly teeming with com- mercial projects by which itis intended to as- sertand maintain their commercial indepen- dence of the North. Many of these are being actually carried out, and large amounts of capi- tal are being invested in them, in the belief that the indignation excited by the John Brown raid, and the aggressive designs of the black republicans, will lead to a permanent severance of the interests of these two sections of the Union. In New Orleans cotton mills are about being put in operation, and pledges are being entered into by the merchants of that city to import all their foreign goods direct from Eu- rope. In Virginia, as has been seen, a non- intercourse bill has been reported to the House of Delegates, which renders the sale of Northern merchandise next to impossible. In North Ca- rolina it is stated that the large tanners are es- tablishing shoe mannfactories in connection with their works, for the purpose of supplying the negroes with brogans, thus killing a lucra- tive branch of Massachusetts manufacturing in- dustry. We have received on this subject the following letter, which indicates the earnestness of the conviction that prevails at the South as to the expediency of this non-intercourse policy:— TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD. Norvoux, Va., Jan. 30, 1860. Your Raleigh (N. C.) ident in last Saturday's HERALD states that several of tanners of North Caro- lina have established shoe manufactories in connection oF post offices. ‘Will you therefore be #0 kind as to give which are made in Massachusetts. Now, as I consi that State vastly more inimical in spirit to us of the South than Great Britain—even in time of actual hostilities— ever was to our whole country, I am unwilling, as a Southern man, to contribute any longer my mite—as I have long been doing—to the aid and sustenance of such unnatural enemics, and neti to pay the North Carolina manufacturer even $2, or more, for his shoes, if that shall be found necessary to establish and continue business. Hence my application to you to be put en rapport with your Raleigh correspondent. {Name and New York references enclosed. ] It remains to be seen whether the back track movements of the black republicans will suc- ceed in arresting the steps which are being taken all over the South to secure its commer- cial independence. The wound inflicted by their suicidal proceedings evidently rankles deeply in the Southern breast, and it will take time and a good deal of soothing before mat- ters can be restored even to the unsatiefactory condition in which they stood previous to the John Brown foray. Tan Crry Ratroaps anp THE LEGisLATCRE.— power inthe hands of the Legislature. They think it very unfair that they should be thus of such a placer of jobbing, and that the Legislature at Albany and the lobby should enjoy a monopoly of- the diggings in which such large lumps of gold have been found by former Common Conneile. The next step will probably be the dis- posal of the ferry question in the same lo If the Legislature can do as it pleases with gard to our city railroads, what is to it doing the same in the case of the fe The Common Counoll, by its corruptiow many years, and its disregard of the inte: ef the city, has invited this invasion of rights of New York. Had it been faithful its trust, and let the ferries bona fide to th highest bidder, and sold railroad grants on same condition, the Legislature would not to interfere with those sources ot legitimate’ revenue to the city. As the matter now stands, the public have little interest in the dispute, for it is of very little consequence to the people by which class of robbers they are despoiled. That they will be plundered by one or the other is certain; and it is only a choice of evils, ' of which it is-very hard to say which is least. Tue Rercpuicay PresioeNtiaL Convention axp W. H. Sewanrp.—From the proceedings of | the New York Republican State Central Coni- mittee, published in yesterday's Hxratp, it ap- pears that it was decided bya vote of nine against four that the delegates to the Chicago Convention be elected by a State Convention, | which is to meet at Syracuse on the 18th of April, and not by the people in their Congrea-_ sional districts. It was further determined that the distant day appointed for holding the Presidential Convention should not be changed. From these proceedings it is evident that Seward will have the nomination of the repub- licans of this State. Weed has fixed that mat- ter. Indeed, the object of electing the dele- gates by convention is not disguised—it was boldly announced at the meeting that it was to prevent difference of opinion, and to make sure that the delegates to Chicago will vote as a unit; that vote, as one of the speakers re- marked, being for Seward. Said Mr. Strong: “There was but one opinion in the party in the State, as far as he knew anything about it, and that was for Seward.” This is exactly the game played by Cagger, ' Cassidy & Co. as regards the delegates to Charleston. The Republican Albany Regency takes all power out of the hands of the people, and gives them no voice whatever in the choice of delegates. This is what was done before by the Albany Democratic Regency. Both Re- gencies want to have the packing of the re- spective national conventions, The Republi- can Regency, consisting of Weed & Co., per- ceive that among the rank and file of the party in this State there is a revulsion against Seward, and that the Union and conservative sentiment has gained ground. They fear that this would be developed strongly in the elec tion of delegates by the people in the Congres- sional districts, and they are determined not to give ita chance. They will smotherthe popu- lar voice, and rule the party with a rod of iron, and a despotism akin to that of the Emperor of Austria or of the Russian Czar. The postpone- ment of the Chicago Convention to the middle of June is designed, as we have shown in a former article, to favor Seward, by allowing time for the storm rising against him to blow over; and the election of the New York dele- Yates by convention is another measure avow- edly in his interest. Let Seward by all means be nominated. There isno man the pational and conservative ele- ment in this State so ardently desires te have for an opponent in the great contest of next November as the apostle of the “higher law,” the champion of the “irrepressible conflict.” VeRpIcT IN THE Case oF THE Late Hupsoy River Ramroap Stavonter.—The Coroner’s jury, in the case of the late accident on the Hudson River Railroad which resulted in the death of two persons, have done their duty well in censuring all the parties concern- ed, but they might have gone farther and have done better by including the managers of the railroad in their condemnation, who, according to the facts elicited, must have been aware that the engine of the damaged train was in an un- fit and imperfect condition. The jury censure the brakeman, Hartley, for not hastening back to warn the coming train of danger, and they censure the engineer of that train for running \! so fast when he knew that the train before him was propelled by an imperfect engine. Now, it is evident that if the engineer knew the loco- motive to be ina dangerous and unfit condi- tion, the managers who put it on the road, and allowed it to remain there, must have known that fact aleo, and are consequently far more cen- surable than their employés and should be held to a stricter accountability. Accidents there may be on railroads that no foresight can avert, though they are very rare indeed, but an accident occurring from any known imperfection in the road or the engines is not to be excused or pardoned. We hope in this case that the managers of the Hudson River Railroad will be dealt with as they de- serve. The locomotive which was the cause of the late deplorable disaster should not have been permitted to run one hour on the road after its imperfect condition was ascertained. The Expected European Steamers. NON-ARRIVAL OF THE AMERICA. Huurax, Feb. 1—8 P. M. ‘No signs of the America, now in her nincteenth day from Liverpool. A tremendous gale is prevailing bere. y NON ARRIVAL OF THE NORTH AMBRICAN. Portianp, Feb. 1—12 M. No signs of the steamship North American, now nearly due with Liverpool dates of the 18th ult. Weather cold and calm. ACCIDENT ON THE PHILADELPHIA, WILMINGTON AND BALTIMORE 92 _Bazrimore, Feb. 1, 1860. isaste: accident, together with the ‘storm, delayed the arrival of the train here till six o'clock. ACCIDENT ON THE GRAND TRUNK RAILROAD. Mowrrgat, Feb. 1, 1860. An accident occurred on the Portland near boundary line, yesterday. car of a tran