The New York Herald Newspaper, July 8, 1860, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JANES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. (QPFICE HM. W. CORNER OF NASSAU AND FULTON OTS. TERMS, cash tw nines, Monay cont dy matt will be at the hak of (he vender” Postage stampa not recebwod. ce eubscrsption Tile DAILY AERALD two cents 1, BT yor Fuk WEEKLY UELALD. every Saturdty, a! stx conte | or annum : the Biition ever, Wein a ES at ge | = nt eee ‘the Continent, both to Galitovnda shieton'on the BA cred Hh of each month at per or $1 80 per annum. FAMBLY HERALD on Wednesday, at four conte por sopy.or $2 per annum. AMUSEMENTS TO-MORROW EVENING. NIBLO’S GARDEN, Brosdway.—Courasvs—Et0x Bow, WINTER GARDEN, Broadway.—Cousen Baw, WALLACK’S THRATRE, Brosdway.—GRmat Eastenx— Taisa Lion—Y avxxk HOvsKkexrnn, — INE'S THEATRE, No. Broadway.—Tr- ones ee Avie AND OLD wR. Jy AMERIOA’ Broadway.—Day and peARN OBS Hear Navan Wow Pain Labr—Dunnoun- wor is A Sock Paock—Presvarnivs Evipsxce—Duas Man or Mancuestem—Livin§ Curiosities, 40. ANTS? ‘Mechanica’ Hall, 72 Broadway.— Bruaven Bowes, Dascua. (40.—Souwas at Finxsonovan. NIBLO'B SALOON, Brosdway.—Gro. Cuxurr’s Mut- Brazis i Boxcs, Daxors, Bourasauas, ao.—status Loren. NATIONAL CONCERT SALOON, National Theatre.— Damcus, Boatesques, dc. PALACE GARDEN, Fourteenth street.—Vocat amp Ln- Concent. CANTERBURY CONCHRT SALOON, 663 Broadway.— Bones, Daxces, Buntxsques, dc. New York, Sunday, July 8, 1860. ————————— The News. The old case of MeCotter against the city, to ®ompel them to perform their contract for the pur- chase of lands on Ward’s Island, made with him by the Common Council, was reported on by the re- feree in favor of McCotter to the amount of nearly $140,000. The decision of the referee was filed yesterday by Mr. McMahon on behalf of Mr. Mo- Cotter. We give an abstract of the lengthy report; It is interesting to every contractor and to every taxpayer, and if the agreement had been closed Jong ago it would have saved the city the expense of much litigation. The Commissioners of Emigra- tion have occupied a large portion of the McCotter property for years, and another portion was occu- pied by private parties. The Common Council, gome years since, instituted an inquiry into the pro- priety of purchasing the whole of Ward's Island for corporation purposes. Reports were made in favor Of the purchase, but difficulties arose as to the va- Tue, and the matter was submitted to arbitration; Dut as their award was considered by Mayor Tic- mann 8a Oxcessive, Mr. McCotter made a reduction, and the Comptroller was directed to purchase the property. Other difficulties then intervened, and the present suit was brought to compel the city to complete the purchase, and it has resulted so far in verdict against the city for the sum above named. In the Court of Oyer and Terminer yesterday, James Carroll, found guilty of arson in the first de- gree, was sentenced to imprisonment for life at hard labor. Itis strange that the punishment of these heinous offences does not prevent the perpe- tration of crime. Incendiarisms, however, are diminishing through the vigilance of Fire Marshal Baker, and the energy and promptitude with which he follows up those offences. To Mr. Baker the community are greatly indebted for the punishment of the offender in the present case. Michael Roake, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the second degree, committed in one of those public house brawls, was sentenced to five years at hard labor, Several other prisoners were admitted to bail, and the Court adjourned sine die. Nothing definite transpired yesterday with refe- rence to the assassination of Messrs. Walton and Mathews. A week has now elapsed since these two citizens were murdered, and yet the affair is Btill involved in a profound mystery. The police detectives have, however, been actively engaged, and some interesting revelations are expected when the Coroner's jury resume their investiga- tion. We publish in another column the will of Mr. Walton, by which it will be seen that he be- queatbed all his property to his children, leaving his wife only an allowance of seven hundred dol- lars per annum. ‘The steamship Kangaroo sailed from this port yesterday for {Liverpool, with 260 passengers and $205,592 in specie. The steamship New York also pailed for Southampton and Bremen, with 14s pas- Bengers and $265,720 in specie—making a total of 08 passengers and $471,312 in specie. The Brooklyn City Mills, located at the foot of Fulton street, Brooklyn, were totally destroy ed by fire between three and four o'clock yesterday morning, and the adjoining buildings were slightly damaged. The loss is estimated at between twen- five and thirty thousand dollars, The Hayes Arctic exploring expedition sailed from Boston at half-past three o'clock yesterday afternoon. The Police Commissioners yesterday appointed Captain James Leonard Inspector, and John C. Helms, of the Broadway squad, Captain, to fill va- eancies. No other business of importance trans- The thirty-sixth session of the Board of Excise Commissioners took place yesterday afternoon. Twenty-eight applications for licenses were re- dived, all of which were granted, on the usual financial terms. This makes the whole number of Licenses granted this year 441; and though there are yet fourteen meetings to take place before the Commission closes, the number already granted is Mauch in excess of that of either of the two years immediately preceding. The tales of cotton yesterday embraced about 800 bales, closing 00 the basis of 10%c. for middling uplands, 10%. for Florida and Mobile middling, and at Lio. for New Or- Jeans and Texas do. The receipts of flour were light and prices were firmer, with fair sales to the domestic trade and for export. In wheat the market was heavy and prices easier, while sales were fair for export and for milling. Corn was also less buoyant, while sales were Limited, at prices given in another place. Pork was drm, with moderate sales, jacluding new mesé at $19, and new Prime at $13 87 a $14. Beof was heavy, while lard was firm and in good demand. Sugars wore steady, while the wales reached about 1,700 bdda. Coffee firm but not ac Rive; sale of 400 bags Maracaibo were made, and 700 do. (Costa Rica, at full prices. Freights were frm, with a mo- Gerete amount of engagements, Wheat, in bags, was a@gnin take to Liverpool in ship's bags at 8Xd.,and four eh 2s, 64. por barrel. A Genmay View or tue Britisa Mirarr Syrerex.—We publish in another columa a very Pateresting article, translated from a French aallitary organ, the Spectateur Militaire, giving we German view of we pilitery system of Eng- Jand, taken from a series of articles appear- fing in the Darmstadt Military Gazette, It pre- ponte ia rather a disadvantageous light the pre- gent power and organization of the British army, and the capacity of England to defend herself against a French invasion, should the Yhird Napoleon ever decide upon carrying out the designs of his uncle in that direction. The militia and yeomanry of England are represen}- ed as wholly inefficient to act as soldiers In time of need, and the entire system of recruiting the regular army is very generally condemned by this military critic, who appears to understand what he is writing about. We commend the article to the attention of our readars. ‘The “Irrepresstble Conflict” Among the Democracy=The Revoiuation Progress ing. Our democratic reaiers have doubtless pe- rused and inwardly digested the manifesto, which we published yesterday, from the Hon. Miles Taylor, of Louisiana, Chairman of the Douglas National Democratic Executive Com- mittee at Washingtov, denouncing any joint stuck arrangements with the Breckinridge fac- tion “at any time, in any place, or under any circumstances.” The reason advanced by Mr. Taylor for this decree is, that the antagonism between squatter sovereignty in the Territories and the protection of slavery therein by Con- gress, which broke up at Charleston and at Bal- timore the National Convention of the party, is an antagonism which atill continues, “and is such as must preclude the possibility of any union” between the belligerent factions “in the support of a common electoral ticket in any State, no matter what may be the probable re- sult in it without such a union.” It is thus apparent that all the movements and overtures and propositions among our de- mocratic spoils politicians to bring about a joint stock electoral ticket in Virginia, Penn- sylvania, New Jersey, New York and elsewhere, must all end in smoke--that there is an “irre- pressible conflict” between the Douglas and Breckinridge divisions of the democracy which must be fought out. Ina word, we now per- ceive that the split in the party camp, com- menced at Charleston and consummated at Bal- timore, was not a temporary alienation between the Northern and Southern wings of the demo- cracy, but a permanent rupture, marking” the final dissolution of this old democratic party. As matters now stand, it is probable that while Douglas will leave Breckinridge in a slender minority of the Northern democratic vote, the reverse will be the case in the South. We should not be surprised if by November there should be a pretty solid concentration"yof the Northern democracy upon Douglas, and a general abandonment of Douglas for Breckin- ridge in the South. In any event, we may con- sider the days of the democratic party of the last thirty odd years as ended, and that the broken fragments of thig exploded party and of the old whig party are now drifting about for a permanent lodgment in some new organization of parties. That we shall have a reconstruction of par- ties, very shortly after this Presidential elec- tion, is morally certain; and that in this recon- struction the controlling party for the future will stand upon the conservative Union sen- timent of the country, we have no doubt. But we must await the issues of this Presidential campaign. If we could bring the conserva- tive popular elements of this State alone into “a happy accord” against the sectional republi- can party, the defeat of Lincoln would be secured; but between Bell and the broken up democracy the conservative popular majority of New York will most probably be frittered away. So in the South, if the conservative democratic element there could be combined with the conservative opposition vote the coa- lition would be competent to carry every Southern State except South Carolina, But from the division of our Northern na- tional conservative elements into three sepa- rate party camps, the sectional anti-slavery re- publican party has all the odds against them; and so, from the division of the national conser- vative elements of the South into the two party camps of Bell and Douglas, the Southern ultra pro-slavery sectional democracy will be apt to turn out the strongest. But these divisions of the conservative forces of the country will disappear after this election, in the formation and crystalization of a new nationdl Union party, broad enough and strong enough to combine the discordant Union factions of the present day into a single homogeneous party. ‘Then, as our Northern republican party begins to dissolve under the fervent heat of a new ad- ministration, it will subside again to a mere contemptible sectional faction; and then, too, that Southern sectional democratic party which has been so clamorous for disunion, a Southern confederacy and the African slave trade, will be silenced by the immediate presence of a more powerful Union organization. The first work of a revolution is the over- throw of the old order of things. That has been done in the destruction of the democratic party. The next thing is the establishment of @ new order of things, That work will be practi- cally commenced very soon after this Presiden- tial election, in the reconstruction of our politi- cal parties. The existing divisions and confusion of parties can only be settled by the Presiden- tial election. As it is, we see on all sides that we are in the midst of a revolution, and that it must go on to its consummation. Artistic Am To GarmaLpt.—The perfor- mance in aid of the Garibaldi fund will take place at the Academy of Music, on the evening of Wednesday next, under the direction of Signor Muzio, who has been delegated by the Italian Committee to superintend the arrange- ments. The artists at present in the metropolis have come forward most promptly, and the pro- gtamme, which, with the letter of Garibaldi to Gen. Averzana, will be found elsewhere, is of the most attractive character. Signora Frez- tolini and Signor Masiani will sing in “Lucia di Lammermoor;” Madame Cortesi, Signori Er- raniand Susini will give “Lucresia Borgia;” and Madame Colson will sing the famous “Bo- lero,” from the “Sicilian Vespers.” ‘Thus we see combined in one programme the best works of the modern Italian schools—the chefs dorwvre of the favorite masters, Donizetti and Verdi, whose compositions represent Young Italy in its artistic feeling, as Guiseppe Garibaldi is ite political exponent. The night of the grand performance should be made the occasion of a grand demonstration of admira- tion for the Italian people, who are now en- gaged in a struggle for their national exist- ence—a struggle in which all our sympathies tre, of necessity, with the gallant General Gari- baldi, the Italian Marion, and his followers, We have no doubt that this appeal for material aid, made under such circumstances, will be promptly and Hberally responded to, The sub- ject is one upon which we might enlarge. There are many good reasons why the Ameri- can people should come forward and aid the Italians in their present extremity; but such an effort would be superflnoyg, Every sensible bereos in this country understands the Italian question as it is. What is wanted no® is mate- rial aid, not argument; and every movement that tends to the all important end should be duly encouraged. We trust that there will be no Facant places at the Academy on Wednes- day night. NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, JULY 8, 1960, England and Her Coldénies—The War in New Zealand. By the latest accounts from New Zealand we find that a bloody war was raging there be- tween the British troops and the native popula. tion. New Plymouth was the principal seat of the fighting, and large numbers of the Maoris had been killed, including fourteen of their chiefs. This looks like a revival of the calamitous acenes which followed the early colonization of the islands, when the aborigines—a tall, well formed and valiant race—were mowed down in thousands by the military, and indiscriminately shot by the other colonists. It was their exter- mination that was aimed at; but the New Zea- lander was endowed by nature with too much physical and mental stature to be so quickly and remorselessly swept from the face of the earth, in order to leave the rich lands of his in- heritance in the undisputed possession of a par- cel of unscrupulous invaders, whose hands were in too many cases stained with murder, to the lasting disgrace of themselves and their coun- try. The prime source of England’s great political power unquestionably lies in her colonial em- pire, upon which, as they say in Albion, the sun never sets. But the acquisition of these domi- nions was not achieved by her without vast cost both of men and money, and the perpetra- tion of massacre after massacre upon the com- paratively defenceless bodies of the aboriginal inhabitants. The colonial history of England is associated with unnecessary bloodshed, and if it were truly written would convey horror to the mind of every reader. It is @ dark page in the eyes of the philanthropist, and a terrible record against the nation which caused such deeds of slaughter and rapine to be enacted. The British wars in India were monuments of unholy carnage; s0 were those against the Caffres at the Cape of Good Hope, and the Maoris alluded to in New Zealand. Cases of monstrous individual cruelty on the part of the soldiery abounded by iens of thousands in these campaigns. Helpless native women and children were shot down without mercy when- ever they were met with. As late even as the recent Indian mutinies numbers of the cap- tured rebels were arranged in long lines, and tied to the mouths of guns, from which, at given signals, they were, batch by batch, blown to atoms, which filled the air like a shower of snow for several seconds, and nu- merous other almost equally diabolical acts were committed about that period by the British army in Bengal. England may rest assured that she did her cause no good by this display of inhumanity, for the people of British India now nurture a more deadly feeling of revenge against their conquerors than ever they did before. The aborigines in the settled districts of Australia have dwindled almost entirely away, owing to the murderous treatment of the English colonists. Kinahan Cornwallis, in his “Panorama of the New World,” gives the fol- lowing instance of their mode of dealing with them:—‘I met with a squatter at Melbourne,” says our author, “who deliberately confessed that he had joined, on several occasions, a mounted party to hunt down ‘the blacks,’ part- ly for the sport of the thing, partly to rid the district of them. This hunting consisted in shooting as many of them as they could over- take; men, women and children were indiscri- minately murdered by these demons on horse- back, and their bodies left to lie where they had fallen, beneath the silent heaven.” “We some- times used to shoot a dozen or two before break- fast," was one memorable confession of the squatter alluded to; “but even that didn’t keep them away; they'd come in the night, and if there was anything they could lay their hands on they'd plunder it; so, said I, waita bit my boys, and I just poisoned a bullock carcass or two with the stock arsenic, and had them left out for the gentry. That dose, two or three times, ridded them off better than anything else.” The people of our own country, we are sorry to say, have shown but little forbearance towards the red men; nevertheless, we never heard of their having committed such atroci- ties as these diabolical wretches in Australia have done. We think, after all we have heard and seen, that England, instead of sending missionaries to convert the aborigines, ought to send some to convert the colonists, for many of them are sadly deficient in the practice of the Christian virtues. If we are not mistaken, England will yet find that her colonies will cost her more than she has gained by them; for the more extensive the distant possessions of a nation become, the more danger is that nation exposed to both at home and abroad. A Cvniocs Fourtu or Jcry CeLesratioy.— We learn from one of the abolition organs that there was to have been a celebration of the Fourth of July over the grave of John Brown, at North Elba. All of the Browns, and some of the blacks, were to be on hand:— Inde! Cheever, of New York; Heary D. Thoreaa, Mass.; Judge W. M.'F, Arny, of Kansas, and That is what might be called a very nice tea party. Will not somebody send us a report of the celebration? It must have been ‘rather unique than otherwise. Where was Hon, Mas- sa Greeley ? Harner Marnwgac on Resstay Ewanctra- iow.—Harriet Martineau has written a charac- teristic letter, which we give elsewhere, on the failure of the scheme for the emancipation of the Russian serfs. According to her showing the Russian emancipation scheme has failed for two reasons:—First, because it provided no le- gislation under which the new multitude was to live; and, second, serf-ignorance of the meaning and uses of property in land, which prevents their seeing why the landowner must be for the land which must be taken for their sct- tlement, and incapacitates them to discharge their liabilities and to use their new privileges. Here we have the very difficulties whioh at- tend the fine spun theories of the black republi- can abolitionists for the emancipation of the four millions of negroes now held in domestic servitude at the South, The black republican lawgiver, Spooner, proposes to emancipate the Southern slaves by habeas corpus when a black republican President is elected; but he goes no farther than the act of emancipation. He does not consider the practical social difficulty, where they are to get land to settle on when they are once emancipated, nor who shall make laws to govern them during the period of their intellectual inferiority. Will some of the black republicans tell us what they propose to do with the four millions of negroes in the Southern States after they have set them free by habeas corpus? ‘Tux Execution or Hanpex—A Lamentasie Spxctac.e.—It is customary with the provincial press to reproach the city of New York with its immorality, to represent any violerce, disorder or crime which may occur among its rowdy class in the most heinous light, and to picture the metropolis as 8 united Sodom and Gomorrah—a terror to the peaceful dwellers in the rural districts. But a spectacle was wit- nessed on Friday, in the little village of Belvi- dere, New Jersey, nestling in the very heart of @ beauteous country, where one would suppose the softer and finer feelings of human nature might be nurtured, and that insensibility to emotion which the demoralization of a great city so often generates might be unknown— aspectacle was witnessed in that village on Friday last which New York, or perhaps no city in the Union, ever did or ever could pre- sent—a scene calculated to shock the feelings of the least sensitive, and make us wonder that human beings anywhere within the reach of Christian civilization could be so utterly lost to asense of that decency and solemnity with which, even among savage tribes, death is in- vested. We refer to the scandalous occurrences which took place at the execution of Harden around the Court House at Belvidere. The chronicles of Newgate and the Old Bailey, in the British metropolis, furnish many melancholy examples of human degradation, and the depth to which the hearts of men and women can sink in the slough of corruption. The orgies around the gibbet have there been commenced at mid- night, the eager participants, men, women and children, awaiting the dawn to welcome the horrible spectacle, and vice and crime have plied their trade in every shape, amid jests and blasphemy, in the presence of death itself. Bet happily in American cities such scenes are never Witnessed. However desperate the criminal, or however loathful the crime, the people accept the infliction of the penalty as a vindication of the law; and, though curiosity may gather its hundreds in the vicinity of the place of execution, the victim is permitted to suffer in peace—if peace come to him upon the scaffold—unmocked and unmolested by the coarse jests, the heartless jeers and discordant laughter of a vulgar crowd. Women, even of the lowest class, rarely if ever present them- selves on these occasions, and children only when they belong to a class over which parental care or guardianship of any kind exercises no control. But how different was the scene in this litfle interior village of New Jersey! Except in the vicious character of those comprising the Lon- don mob who beset Newgate and the Old Bailey, the comparison between them and those who assembled to witness the execution of Har- den would perhaps tell in favor of the former. Ribald jests and vulgar epithets were bandied about from one to another; coarse mirth seemed to vie with eager curiosity in characterizing the scene, and the wretched victim actually stepped from life to death—from the vigor of youthful manhood into the shadow of the grave—with shoughts of laughter ringing in his ears, which drowned the last prayer to God upon his lips for mercy. Women were there to gloat over the pangs of a man whose evil and uncontrolled passions sent one of their sex to an untimely grave; and children, upon whose young hearts that scene of mingled agony and desecration will leave a scar for many a day to come. But perhaps one of the most revolting features of the ease, and one that speaks painfully of a vindictiveness which neither age nor respectability could quench, was the request of the father of Har- den’s wife to be permitted to witness the exe- cution of the law’s vengeance. One would suppose that the old man had had communion enough with death already, and that the know- ledge that his unhappy daughter was avenged would have sufficed to close up the pages of that dismal tragedy. Thank God, such lamentable scenes as this are never witnessed even in our largest cities. Tt was reserved for the rustic community of a country village to present an example of human degradation which outrages every conceived idea of the simplicity of a rural population, and puts to shame the worst manifestations of the vice and hardheartedness of a metropolis. Tue Drexcrors or tur Great Easters Com- NG To Tem Senses.—We are glad to announce that the persons in charge of the big ship have seen the folly of their attempt to carry out the high price system for visiters, and have reduced the tariff one half—that is, fifty cents for adult visiters, and a quarter for the little folie. They have also appointed Mr. H. C. Jarrett, a clever entrepreneur, to take charge of the visiting de- partment of the ship, and arrange excursions to her from all the principal cities and towns throughout the country. It is also stated that in the course of the month the Great Eastern will make an excursion to some point on the ; | seaboard—we suggest Cape May—returning the next day after her departure. 7 All these things loek well and sensible. The new régime, under which the ship is entirely in the hands of persons acquainted with the pecu- liarities of our people, will begin on to-morrow, and during the next month we may expect to see the city flooded with strangers who will come to see one of the greatest wonders of the world. The directors of the Great Eastern have taken the proper step just in time, Tux Pourican Revoucriony tw New Eva- Lanp.—The insurrectionary abolitionists of Mas- sachusetts celebrated the national anniversary a Framingham, and they improved the occa- sion to take the backsliding black republicans to task for having tried to purge the platform of “Old Abe” from some of its most odious nig- gerisms. The New England black republicans are beginning to be afraid of the effect on the people of whet the Tribune calls “the half- truths-of Douglasism,”’ and on several occasions have softened their antislavery enunciations. A new black Douglass, from Chicago, came for- ward at Framingham to attack Lincoln and the political abolitionists as unsound, and Senator Wilson took up the cudgel for his friends. He proved to the satisfaction of the assembled in- surrectionists that the new black Douglass was in the wrong, and that “Old Abe” and bis fol- lowers were John Brown men up to the hilt, and good enough insurrectionists, at least until Cn aS ee, after electinn. The fact is, a political revolu- | not be too often applied to them; but for the tion is going on in New England, where the people are abolitionists enough to hate the Southern political nigger drivers, and too shrewd business men to love the John Brown principles of the black republicans, If the Douglas leaders there have the wit to play their “half-truths” skilfully, they will take half of New England clean out of the black republi- can camp. Senator Wilson, with Sumner and John Brown in his boat, is sailing between the Scylla of insurrection and the Charybdis of Douglasism, on the rising and roaring tide of 8 political revolution. Tue News rrom Mexico.—We give elsewhere to-day the full particulars, as far as received, of the reported defeat and capture of Miramon, and of the movement of Vidaurri in Nuevo Leon for the recall of ex-President Comonfort. In both of its aspects this news is important, but it requires confirmation. As regards the report of the capture of Miramon, we will only say that it is a characteristic of the present contest in Mexico that whenever the constitu- tional party has suffered a severe defeat in the interior, as was recently the case at Guadala- jara, it has been immediately followed by a report of some grand victory, like the present one of the capture of Miramon, of which we never hear anything more. The reported move- ment of Vidaurri in favor of the recalljof ex- President Comonfort, though requiring con- firmation, is not without probability. Recent events in Mexico indicate that an early period will be put to the disastrous Ocampo-Degollado policy, which has so long ruled the Cabinet of President Juarez. The separation of Lerdo, the ablest financier and statesman of the day in Mexico, from the Cabinet, leaves that disastrous influence without a check in Vera Cruz, and affords to Vidaurri an opportu- nity to revenge upon Degollado the course the latter took in driving him from his State last year. That Doblado and Traconis may have united in this movement may be possible, as it is well known that they in common with all the active generals of the constitutional party, were strongly opposed to the return of the ill- starred Degollado to the interior as commander- in-chief. In view of the doubts that hang over the course of affairs in Mexico, we can only give the reader the true rule for ascertaining probable rcsuns—Teaect whet, uader given cir- cumstances, would occur in any other couniiy; and the opposite will happen in Mexico. Terie Tres For Orrice Honper.s—Federal office holders—those men who. perform, or are supposed to perform certain very easy routine duties in and around the custom houses, post offices and navy yards throughout the country— are in a terrible state of bewilderment just now. Between Douglas and Breckinridge—the two democratic aspirants for the Presidency— they know not on which side to lean. They have no defined notion ad to the answer they should give to the question— Under which king, Bezonian ? for, if they declare their preference for Douglas, the chances are heavy against them that they are removed from office; and if they should lean towards his Kentucky rival, they may offend their immediate superiors, and run the same risk of losing their bread and butter. It is a trying position to have these unfortunate office holders in; and the worst of it is that, at heart, they do not care a fig for either candi- date. It matters little to them whether Breckin- ridge or Douglas makes his way to the White House, provided only that he be a representa- tive of the democratic party. If they thought that they stood an equal chance of holding their little subordinate offices, they would cheer as lestily for Lincoln or for Bell. There is no principle in the matter with them. It is not natural to suppose that there should be. Their business is not to make Presidents, but to try and make outa living for themselves and fami- lies. We really do not know of any public mea- sure that would be more beneficial in its effects upon the whole community, and that would re- fect more lustre upon the administration that inaugurates it, than the passage of a general law which would give some degree of perma- nency to the holding of subordinate positions under the government. There is no reason why aclerk or laborer in the Custom House, Post Office, or Navy Yard, should be deprived of the employment on which he may have been de- pending for years, simply because the man who is chosen President prefers to be called repub- lican rather than to be called democrat, or vice versa. Leaving out of view ther the fact that a man who has been or four years in the post may fairly be pre- gumed to be better able to discharge ite duties than he whose only recommendation is that he may have carried political banners, or hurrahed loudly at a mass meeting, or had a patron in a member of Congress, these muta” tions in office are,accompanied with very grave evils, as well to individuals as to society at large. The office expectants are, at the lowest calculation, ten times as numerous as the office holders, Those who have once enjoyed the idleness of a stall at the public crib are gene- rally unfitted for a long time for the ordinary evocations of civil life, and those whe are anx- iously watching to get into office usually beguile their weary hours in loafing, attending political gatherings, and other such highly useful occu- pations. In both cases they are drones in the human hive. Put an end to these changes in the subordi- nate offices of the government, and yeu at once cut off nine-tenths of the blackguardism of poli- tical contests; you restore to industrial pursuits the thousands of lazy vagabonds who control primary elections in all the large cities and towns; you get respectable men sent to Con- gress and to State and municipal Legislatures; and, by a judicious pruning, you get, in the course of time, honest and competent officers to discharge the duties of subordinate positions. ‘We do not over estimate the importance of such change in our political system when we say that in js ultimate results it would prove of more benefit to the country at large than any other public measure that can be inaugarated by any administration. We do not expect ever to see such a principle established, either by law or by usage, so long as our politicians are chosen from among ranting demagogues; but atill there is no harm in occasionally assailing this, as we do all other abuses, and saying o word in favor of that class which is so much to be pitied at the present moment—the poor office holders. These are trying times for them. As for collectors, marshals, navy agents, and other loading, office holders, the guillotine can- subordinates there should be some sympathy and consideration. —_—_—_—_— NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL, Our Special Washingtom Despatch, Wasmuvarom, July T, 1868. ‘THE CALIFORNIA MAIL SERVICE. If the truth is ever known concerning the carrying of the mails to and from the Pacifle States, it will be asoer- tained that Senator Hale's bill for a daily mail by the most direct route overland was defeated at tho last session of Congress by powerful lobby, in and out of Congrees, in the interest of the steamship companies. Senator Gwia ‘was iacliaed to favor this bill after failing to succeed with his ‘ox-bow,’”’ or Butterfield route, but it is said he eb- tained @ promise from Postmaster General Holt that Balo’s bill should not be allowed to pass, he (Holt) would afford every facility for carrying the mails by steam- sbip via the Isthmus. Accordingly, Hale's bill did act pass. It is now asserted that three Senators, includ- ing Mr. Gwin, labored three days during with the Postmaster General to induce his promise. It is reported that very angry were uttered; that Holt was reminded of his was assured by one of the Senators that but promise to send the mails per steamships, he (the Sena- tor) could have passed Senator Hale's bill, which he would assuredly bave done, notwithstanding it would have placed the republican party in the ascendency om the Pacific. This same Senator, it is currently reported, politely informed Mr. Postmaster General Holt that but for bis official position as a his cars off. There is no doubt that the ostablishment ef overland mail routes across our own country, stead of investing the public money to open up highways in other countries, is vastly more sea- sible and economical. The greater encouragemeat the government F establish settlements along those routes, and thus facili- tate the construction of a railway uniting the States and commercial cities of the two great oceans, If the people will keep men out of Congress who lend all their energies and pecuniary means to increase the value of their own private intercets in the Panama Railroad Com- pany, the Atlantic and Paciéc Steamship Company, aad the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, instead of opening up the Territories of the United States, thus looking te the best interests of the whole people, they will take the first steps towards accomplishing the great work sug- gested. + I am informed by the best authority that Post- master General Holt promised a Southern Sema- tor that if the bills providing for overland maa service all failed, that he would take the responsl- bility to provide means to keep some of the ol@ contractors employed; but I learn now that he declines keeping his promise. If the report is teue that he bas made a temporary contract with Vanderbilt to carry the mails until March 4, 1861, it will verify the deolarations frequently made in this correspondence, that the Atiantie and Pacific California Mail Steamship Companies constt- | tute in themselves a power at "Washington greater (has Uae eumuussreston 118eIT, The arrangement with Commodoré Yanderbilt, just completed, for the transportation of the Pscifi¢ mails, trimonthly, will commence on the 11th instant and continue till the 4th of March next. He is to receive the postages, and the President is to recommend that Com- gress give a reasonable compensation besides. The mails ‘would have been carried by the last steamer had his do- spatch from Saratoga to Mr. Allen, his agent, been re- ceived by the latter before the steamer left. PROMOTION IN THE NAVY. Chief Carpenter Simmons, of the Charlestown Navy Yard, has been promoted to the position of Constructer im the Navy, and has been ordered to San Francisco, Cali- fornia. ‘THE ARMY SIGNAL OFFICER. Major Myer, resently appointed by the President, with the authority of Congress, to the post recently created, of Signal Officer, with the rank and pay of Major, bas ‘been ordered by the War Department to report to Licut General Scott. Major ‘Myer is the inventor of the aew system of signals to be used in the army, hence the can ferrenee of the honor referred to upon him. IMPROVEMENTS IN FIREARMB. The secret of the provision put on to the Civt! Appre Priation bill, and put through Congress by Mr. Jeffersen Davis, during the last few hours of the session, may be found in the fact that Governor Floyd, since be has bea Secretary of War, has commanded his own ship, and not followed in the wake of either of peor Pierce’s kitchen cabinet, especially that of Mr Davis, who was always averse to the purchase of Asherican inventions, preferring to leave all who made improvements in arms to go to Russia or France or Aus- tria to seek encouragement and find sale for their arms. Governor Floyd has pursued exactly the opposite course, ‘He has encouraged all new inventions in arms, afer a careful examination ef them by the proper army officers. Wherever he has discovered merit he bas It is necessary that our troops, comparatively so few im number—about cleven thousand regulars—scattered over 0 vast a territory, should be provided with as many of the best weapons as possible, especially in Indian warfare. To this end Secretary Floyd bas gives encouragement particularly to the breech load- ing rifle, a vastly superior weapon, and the army is very thoroughly supplied with it. Mr. Davis ‘was Opposed to this weapon. The result is, the United States not having the right to manufacture any of these patented arms, under the prohibition of Mr Davis’ sew law, all additional weapons for the supply of the army must be manufactured in the government armories, aad must necessarily be a very inferior model, however ex- cellent the work. It is common talk here, I know set with how much truth, that had Mr. Buchanan and Secre- tary Floyd manifested the same disrespect and contempt towards Gen. Scott that poor Pierce and Davis did, there ‘would now exist a better feeling on the part of ex-Gecre- tary of War Davis and the present Secretary. ‘ASGAULT ON GENERAL BOWMAN. Fils B. Schnabel, entering the Constitution office this morning, assaulted General Bowman with a stick, while the latter was sitting in his chair. One of the clerks ia the office effectively came to the rescue, when Schaabel made ahasty retreat, Immediate steps were taken for Schnabel’s arrest. Tho reason for the assault was the Publication in yesterday's Constitution of ae artiele re- fiecting on the conduct of Schnabel. DEATH OF RDMUND FRENCH. Edmund French, late Assistant Superintendent of the ‘Treasury exteasion, under indictment for died here this morning. His trial was to have taken Place to-day. EIAMINATION OF ABSINTANT STROSOWS. ‘The Board of Medical Officers will assemble at Balti- more on the 20th of September, for the examination of assistant surgeons for promotion, or of such candidates for appointment for the medical staff of the army as mag be invited to present themscives. There are now three ‘vacanoies in the grade of assistant surgeons. ‘Tho President bas recognized G. W. Hounings as Vice Consul of Hanover at New York. Salling of Dr. Hayes’ Arctic Expedition, Boeros, July 7, 188. Dr. Hayes’ Arcite expedition left at 3:30 P. M., i tow of the steamer R. B. Forbes. A salute was fired om the wharf previous to sailing. The name of the vessel was changed to the United States. News from Pike's Peak. Or. Jonurms, Mo., July 7, 1860. The Pike's Peak express arrived yesterday afernoen, bringing $1¢ 500 in gold dust. By thie arrival we have the following summary of Bews, which has beea detained bere im consequrace of @ severe storm prostrating the telegraph line — ‘The dates from Denver Oky are to the 28th ult, Indian depredations upoa straggling parties and upon ranches thad berome of 60 frequent eccurrence that i was eom- sidered advisable to enll a meeting of chisons te eonsider what was best to be dome ia the matter, Such a mecting was held on the afternoon of the 27th, and two of the Ar- rapahoe chiefs were present part of the time, The out- rages in the main comsiet of the Indians taking whatever they desired from partics who were unarmed or unable, from lack of numbers, to gucscssfully resist thom, tearing down fences, turning their ponies into gardens and destroyi&g thom, and in some cases shooting at the whites, one or two of whom are known to have boem killed, The chiefs thought it very hard to be held scceuntable for the bad acts not only of their own tribe but four others now in this vicinity, vis: the Cheyenaes, Kiowas, Apaches and Camanches. They promised however, that 80 far as thelr Own MeN Were COBCEred, they Would hold net officer he would cut _