The New York Herald Newspaper, December 28, 1860, Page 4

Aa 4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BE SNETT, CORNER OF FULTON 45D NASSAU STS. errs NIBLO'S GARDEN, 2 i GLAMAro WINTFR GARDEN, Broad’ Bir Van Wixnie—Consve RY THEATRE, Bowery aces Taours—Monstex oF Si, Micwars. WALLACK'S THEATRE, Broadway —Fasr Mix ov vu Oiosw Tine LAURA KRENE'S THEATRE, No, 624 Brow ‘Sean SisTeRs, NEW BOWERY THEATRE, rine—Larerre, opposite Bond stree!. . Bowery.—Poryan Sri BARNUM'S AMERICAN MUSEUM, Broadway.—Bay out Frening—Tue Ska or log—Azree Cxivones—Livine Con ‘OsiTiEs, aC, BRYANTS' MINSTRELS, Mochanios' Hall, 472 Brows way. —Buntesquus, Songs, Daxcns, &¢.—Jack Uap & CAMPBELL'S MINSTRELS. ~-Eemrorean Boxas, Daxoxs, w YRAK. The most intense exci throughout the conntr; from Charleston mander of the fortitica city, had abandoned F lort Sumpter—a more fore leaving the fort b ed th men were left in che getion ef Major An Charleston, the excitement was intense. # were ordered out, and it is re- Anderson, the com- n the harbor of that t Moultri and occupied position. Be- ked the guns and burn- ain Foster and a few » works. When the came knows in Several wilitary ¢ ported that m been ordered to Cha news in Washington net together for delibe: last night, however, th no official ioformatic quently could not vom the interior have ». On the receipt of the Vresident called the Cabi- Up to ten o'clock government had re ont bject, and ec It is ysed that « nvinieation bety Major Anderson and the ¢ tal has been cut off The South Carolina Conumis- sioners to Washington were highly indignant when thes heard of the abandonment of the fort, regard- ing it as a violation of certain pledges alleged to lave been given by the administration, and as an overt act of war, Both houses of Congress were in session yester- day. In the Senate a bill to provide for the Terri- torial government of Arizona was taken up. Mr. Brown, of Mississippi, moved as an addition to the Dili that the act of the Legislature of New Me for the protection Of slave property be ia force in Arizona, Mr. Trumbull, of Illinois, maved as au amendment that the Mexican law in force at the ‘time of annexation remaiu in force t Ddecomes a State. Mr. Doolittle took the floor and delivered the present troubles of th " \ Brown and Green alo tock part in ‘the ary count sion. Adjourned till Monday, In the Mr. Stey from "Territory, r: n of privtl to a charge in a Boston paper connecti treckinridge jonel Committee with the reeent frouds on the Interior Department. He repelled the slander with considerable warmth; but as the House bas decided that newspaper articles are not privileged questions, no action was taken on the subject. On motion of Mr. Morris, ch an of the select committee to investigate in refi the Interior Department robbery id 1 to sit during the sitti the How ngion or elsewh wuLto employ er. In committee the Indian Appro- » bill was taken up; b ut the House a ommitt as there was no wenstown on the tearly yesterday morning. Her ipated. 5 da, which arrived at Bos reached this ession of Eure ty yes. 15th inst morning very interesting ac- of Pekin a the suckin, » by which it will be ela large amount of spoil, Freuch lars of the capture and treatment Vinglish and the deat wil id with interest. In consequence of the pressur lumns this morning, we are compelled pe veral int ng patches from our correspon- dents in principal cities of Europe. From them we learn that the great Powers are actively preparing for a struggle in the spring, to be ina 1 gureted by Garibaldi's promised attack on Veune- tia. s corre ent states that the re ement was on the ure between th wthorities was imminent. onti The Engl cession que an cent effusions of the Low citing topic. The com ant, the main points havi als upon that ex cial news is not import lready been given. O'Neil by Louis Harsh, at Williamsburg, on Christ nas day, was conclude: sterday witness was the father of the accused, who posi lively testified to the stabbing of O'Neil by his eon: The prisoner was committed on the verdict to swait the action of the Grand Jury. The Commissioners of Public Charities aud Cor rection have adopted a new system of dispew relief to the outdoor poor. The applicai # paper with all the usnal questions printed on it, which is to be returned with the necessary an sewers. If these are found satisfactory, npon the sit of the examiner, the relief is handed to the ap plicant. As the number of applicants for relief at the office of the Commissioners is very considerable this season, the regulation saves much labor, time and trouble. The number of persons un care of the Commissione: rection at present is 8.28% ~0n Increase of 162 within a week. The gumber admitted to the pole jnstitutions daring the past week was 1 und those discharged, transferred of deo the seme period numbered 1,791. The Board of Aldermen held their regular s rion at the usual hour yesterday afternoon, Co ' bie diseussion took place as to the condition of the city roads and the «amgef money appro priated for their repair, A communication was received from the Comptroller, requesting the transfer of certain funds, amounting to the «nm of £24,086, to some other accounts whose appro priations have been exhausted. Referred to the Committee on Finaner. A proposition from the Counelimen to procure a new carriage for Hose No, 1) was agreed to. It wae agreed that two Yamps be placed in front of the German Lutheran charch. A question then arose as to the necessity for extending the time for building a new station house; but in the midst of the discussion Alderman Brady made o motion to adjourn, which was car ried. It is understood that the Japanese bill yes. terday received the signature of acting Mayor Peck, Mayor Wood being absent at the time. The Board stands adjourned to Monday next. The Board of Councilmen were in session last evening, when {1 * Comm! loner sent ina t i t that the ag —Seaupiva & Rouen’s | The principal | renaes fn laying owt Reservolr square have amou to $2,492, and that the park j can be opened to the publie about the | ist of Jume, The’ Corporation Counsel, ia re- jpiy to @ resolution of inquiry, stated that the Fire Commissioners had not the power to dis- | band a company, but that they could expel indi- vid wnbers, The Board concurred with the | Aldestecn in refusing to ratify the decision of the Ve Commissioners disbanding engine companies Nos. 13 and 21, A resolution remitting the assess- St. Luke's Hospital, amounting to ), was adopted; also a resolution appropriat- 3,000 to purchase @ steam fire engine for En- | gine company No, 24, The Street Commissioner was | directed to purehace five thousand feet of Greno- ble hose for the Fire Department, They concurred to appropriate $1,600 to purchase a hand engin? | for Engine Company No. 3. After disposing of a large amount of routine business, the Board ad- | journed till Mon A special Association ws | ment upon | ¢ ig ws of the New York Sanitary eld last evening, for the purpose reports on the formation of fe- n societies, forthe purpose of ructing the families of the ignorant the princi- sles and practice of domestic hygiewe. The Rev. iy. Bellows, Hon. James 1. Brady, Hon. Mr, Conklin, Dr. Post, and a host of other celebrities, addressed tl he reports were adopt- ed, and at jjourned. The Police Commi re yesterday dismissed from the force A, S. Hotehkiss, patrolman, and received the resignation of Captain MecKilney, _ both of the Twentieth ward. Thomas Houston, patrolman of the Sixteenth ward, sent in his resignation, James MeSiren was appointed roundsman in the Seveateenth ward, and officer Joseph Teabve placed upon the pension list. No other business was transacted. ‘The Blackman will case was up before the Sur- » yesterday again, to the exclusion of sl other business thronghout the day, The evidence elicited, however, was merely corroborative of the » Herarp. yesterday, and ed stock in this mar- eck sales from store, and the heaviest transit, ‘The transactions embraced es, including about $,000 in transit. W® ¥ quote middling uplands at 11\e., which shows « gain over the lowest depreseion of Lye. per tb, This, ou the supposition that about three millions of bales remain in the country unsold, amounts to $6 75 per bale, or equal to $20,250,000 when applied to the whole amount, ‘The restoration of peace in China will open up an active demand ‘or cotton goods, both from this country and from Europe, which will tend to inerease the demand for raw cotton, and toadd to the anxiety regarding its future supply. Vilour was in good request, and shipping brands of com- mon to meditim grades of State and Western wore firmer, and closed at an adyance of about Se. a 10c. per bbl., and in some cases as much as 16c, Wheat was in good re- quest, and from a 2c. per bushel higher. Corn was firmer and more York was firmer, with sales of new meets ot $16 4 $16 25, and new prime at $12 50, and ul dy. at $10 25. Sebi Fiosoa with more steadiness, with a fair amount of ergagements. Sugars were in bet- th sales of 1,200.4 1400 Nhs. Cubs, at in anoih The Revolution South Carolinas Abandonment of Fort Moultrie by Major Anderso! Ye the whole was thrown inie a tate of Line doubs vr the news reached the y intelligence from Cha uimost excites moot the mand destruction of Fort Moultrie, nd on impression prevailed for some time that the fort had by the citizens of South Carolin tut on ipt of Inter news it turned ont that had not tucked, but by M Anderson, both for military and po- litical reasons. He removed his troops to Fort Sumpter at night, ond left « small force to spike the guns, burn the gun carriages and dismanthy Fort Moultrie, Tt was believed at Chatleston that it was intended to blow up the works, but our latest advices do not mention that this had been done The military reason assigned for removing the troops to Fort Sumpter is, that Fort Moul- trie conld not be held with Fort Sumpter in possession of the revolutionists, the latter fort commanding the other, owing to its greater elevation, and besides being considered of such strength that a bombardment from Fort Moul- trie could have no effect upon it. Fort Sumpter was only ocenpied by a few troops and labor- ers till, Major Anderson took possession of it, and it might at any moment have fallen into the hands of the people of Charleston. The political reason assigned by Major An- derson himself is, that this movement loosed the Gordian knot, and put an end to the danger of an immediate collision between the United Siates troops and thove of South Caro- lina. For Fort Sumpter is impregnable against any armament which the Palmetto State can at present bring against it, though Sullivan's Island, on whieh Fort Moultrie is situated, commands the onter entrance to the harbor, and is regarded by many military authorities as the key of the place. It was here, in 1776, nm captare been | that Colonel Moultrie, in obedience to Gover- | nor Rutledge and his own genius, won for him- The Coroner's inquest on the killing of Patrick | elf imperishable renowa by defending the | fort, contrary to the advice of so able a military leader as General Lee, who regarded it as ut- terly untenable against the British fleet. It was a mere rude work of earth and sand and palmetto logs: but, commanded as it was, it defeated nine Britikh ships, one of which was burned. We perceive from our report of the revolutionary Convention, now sitting at | Charleston, that the question of the State taking immediate military possession of Fort Moultrie and Sullivan's Island was being considered in secret session TIN « late hour last evening lt was believed here that Major Anderson had acted wader the special instructions of the President. Bat by an important despatch we received from Washington, dated eight o'clock, we learned that Major Anderson not only acted altogether on bis own responsibility, but contrary to express orders, for which it is posible he will be removed from command of the station, as the citizens of Charleston are greatly exaspe- rated, and consider it an act of war unless dis- avowed by the President. It appears that Mr. | Buchanan, adhering to the poliey of his Mes- | sage, directed the commandant to act only on the defensive, and not to remove the garrison or take any steps unless he was attacked. Had the course which Major Anderson adopted been in obedience to the orders of the | President, it would have brought the revolu- tion in South Coroling to a crisis, and that State would be compelled either to recede or come to an immediate collision with the federal government. As the matter now stands, @ collision fs not inevitable, and time may bo gained for the restoration of amicable relations. Our despatch says it will be next to impossible to prevent a collision, and that an attack will be made on the forte by the exelted people. But it is to he hoped the citizens of Charleston will be | restrained hy wheeg connecl: from any course NEW YORK HERALD. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1860. — wh'ch may precipitate civil war. Besides, it i ot in their power to take Fort Sumpter w bout ships of war, nor perhaps even with them, It is a curious fact, illustrative of the present revolutionary condition of South Carolina, that, up to the date of our latest advices from Wash- ington, the President had received no official statement from, Charleston touching the events which had taken place there, communication having been cut off from Major Anderson, and the telegraph being ip the hands of the revoln- tionists. Mr. Buchanan was indebted for his information to a despatch received by the Com- missioners from the revolutionary Convention, Thus does the revolution adyange with rapid strides. How or where it will end, Heaven only knows. Meantime, such is the situation of affairs, that it requires the prompt interposition of the statesmansbip, the wisdom and the patriotism of the country to avert the horrible calamity of civil war. Whe South Car@lina Treaty Commis- siomers to Washington. The State Convention, now in session iu South Carolina, assuming the functions of an inde- pendent national government, has detailed three special commissioners, or envoys extra- ordinary, to Washington, to arrange, if possi- ble, the terms of a treaty of peace The Com- missioners, Messrs. Barnwell, Adams and Orr, are empowered to treat with the President for the conveyance of the mails through South Carolina; for the surrender of the federal forti- fications within her limits to the State; for the recognition of her independence, and for re- ciproeal commercMl regulations between the United States and the seceded State, as, for example, between England and France. The three Commissioners entrusted with these comprehensive duties have arrived in Wash- ington, are quartered “in a fine mansion on Franklin row, near the President's house,’ and come prepared there to remain for ouly a few days, or for many weeks, as circumstances may require, The President, it is understood, will receive them informally; will hear what they have to say, and will submit the facts, in s special message, to both houses of Congress. He will doubtless tell these envoys extraordinary that he has not & shadow of authority to recognise them as ambassadors from a foreign State; that to him, as President of the United States, the seces- sion of South Carolina amounts to nothing; that that State is still one of the States of the Union, and cannot be cut off except through the ter- rible process of revolution, and that in receiv- ing these Commissioners, even informally, he is conceding much for the sake of peace. Ii is further understood that the message of the President on this subject, when presented to the two houses, will, in each, be laid upon the table, in accordance with the practice of Alsposing of any paper of which they can iake no other notice. A motion to lay on the table admits of no debate, or otherwise this antici- pated extraordinary message would unques- tionsbly give rise to an exciting revolutionary discussion, especially in the Senate, where the active sympathizers with these Southern seces- sion movements number, perhaps, more than one-third of the body, exclusive of the two re- tired Senators from South Carolina, Under the rules of the two houses, then, this expected message will, in all probability, be so prompt- ly disposed of as to authorize the Commission- ers in question to retura home, within a day or two, and report to their State Convention substantially that. not having been received in thelr capacity of foreign ambassadors at Wash- ington, the recognition by the goverament of the United States of the separate nationality of South Carolina must be otherwise plished. We apprehend, too, that this is (he result of this commission anticipated by the south Caro- lina State Convention, and that the object of the commission is the official warniag which is deemed necessary to justify the more decisive revolutionary acts contemplated by the seceded State. We cannot suppose that there is a soli- tary member of the South Carolina Convention who entertains any hope of the official recogai- tion of these three would-be foreign ambassa- dors, either by the President or by Congress: ‘The late annual message of Mr. Buchanan on this subject of secession is conclusive. He cannot recognise South Carolina as outside the Union. On the contrary, his official oath re- quires him to “see that the laws (of the United States) are faithfully executed;” and these lews make no distinetion between the port of Charles- ton and the port of New York. Secession means revolution. The act of se- cession on the part of South Carolina is a revo- lutionary act; and, like that of our general Declaration of Independence of 1776, it is a declaration which has to be made good before it can be recognized by the repudiated general government. In this view of the subject the President would be justified, legally, in closing “the doors of the White House against these South Carolina Commissiouers, and ia wara- ing them to beware of the penalties of treason. But Mr. Buchanan is actuated by that spirit of patriotism which secks conciliation rather than coercion as the true method of restoring and perpetuating the Union. Hence he will re- ceive these South Carolina Commissioners in- formally, in order to call the attention of Congress to the actual facts involved in the present revolutionary attitude of said State, and that the two houses may be duly impressed with the necessity of the specdy adoption of some measures for the pacific restoration of the Un and, meantime, for the maintenance or abandonment of the federal authority in the seceding State or States, so far as a wise dis- cretion may suggest. Mr. Buchanan can find neither censtitu- tional law for, nor political expediency in, a resort to coercion against a seceding State; nor cam we or anybody else. The constitetion declares, however, that indi- vidoals within the United States, in “levy ing war against the United States,” or in “giving aid and comfort to their enemica,” ore guilty of treason. Under this provision, the individuals concerned fn an attack upon the federal forts at Charleston, and all others aiding and obetting said assailants, would be- comé liable to errest, trial and punishment as trattors. This is the law; but a wise discretion often teaches moderation where the law de- mands its penalties. Thus we see that Mr. Buchanan, to the full extent of bis constitu. tional limitations, fs stretching the exercise of a kind forbearance. He might bave thrown o thousand or ten thonsand men upon Sullivan's Island for the defence of Fort Moultrie; wut Instead of this exasperating measure, no additional troops were sent te Qharlesto, and now that fort is abaa- wecom- Serengeti mitre tt ti tess ei memssceesanssspep tne doned, and its garrison is withdrawn to a fort 80 far off in the water and so strong a8 not to invite an attack. Butim this proceeding the South Carolina State Convention will understand the interpretation put upon their ordinance of an independent nationality by President Buchanan. ‘This interpretation is, that said ordinance sig- n'fics nothing, and that the federal authority within South Carolina, short of the interven- tion of Congress, can only be extinguished by force of arms. The South Garelign Commissioners will re- turn Mame from Washington unrecognized as atabassadors representing any legitimate au- thority. And what thea? Perhaps a bombard- iment of Fort Sumpter, or am assault, in order to “precipitate the cotton States into a revolu- tion.” This is the danger to be feared. In the meantime it will be seen that while maintain- ing the federal authority in South Carolina, Mr. Buchanan is doing all that he can do to avoid the responsibility of giving or inviting the first blow, which may involve us all in the horrors of a civil war, Let this Congress and the in- coming administration act accordingly, and the Union may yet _be saved. ‘The Effect Upon New York City of the Preseut Crisis. Real estate in this metropolis is valued at about five hundred millions of dollars. Range through the stores, warehouses and manufac- tories of the city, and an equal amount of pro- perty would doubtless be discovered. Count up the securities that are held by our capital- ists, in which our moneyed men have invest- ments, which form everywhere the basis of New York enterprise, on sea and on land, which enable us to decree bankruptey or well being to the central and to State governments, and another five hundred million might be casily added. It may not be amiss to put down two thousand millions of dollars as a gross aggre- gate of the property held or controlled in this contmercial capital of the Western Continent. And this prodigious, unparalleled argosy of wealth is being tossed to and fro upon the waves of sectional strife and discord, which threaten its engulfment in an abyss from whence it never can be recovered. The storm, searcely begun to rage, has inaugurated a panic which has already reduced the prices of merchandise, prostrated the stock market, alarmed holders of real estate, caused sub- seribers to a government loan to withdraw their subscriptions, driven thousands of la- borers from employment, introduced retrench- ment into every household, paralyzed com- merce, stagnated trade, closed manufactories, and thrown gloom over an entire section of country. If the evil continues for three months more, to what extent will disaster have progressed? If the peaceful administra- tion of Mr. Buchanan is succeeded by a govern- ment of ceercion: if Mr. Lincolu « shall adopt the views and the policy which ave sug* gested to him by the greater number of the republican organs of the North, what will be- come of the prosperity which has been the steady growth of the industry and sagacity of over eighty years? It is too evident that an active, mischief making republican minority are bent upon in- creasing the difficulties between the North and the South, and that under their auspices the country is not only menaced with a dissolution of the Union and a secession of the slavchold- ing States, but also with civil war. Not con- tented with belligerent manifestoes, the utra-re- publican press is daily becoming more and more vituperative in its advocacy of the extremest measures to reduce the slave States to submission to the doctrines laid down in the Chicago platform. They appeal to the inexorable logie of Sharpe's rifles, grooved cannon and the bayonet, and re- pudiate reflection, argument, truth and facts, They invent falsehoods to render the adminis- tration of Mr. Buchanan unpopular; exag- gerate abuses and magnify into undue import- ance every outburst which caters to their owa diabolical, bloody fancies. They pretend to foreshadow the policy of the incoming adminis- tration as substituting the blood red flag of civil war for the stars and stripes that float over the Capitol, and confidently predict that the “irrepressible conflict” will be carried out with a rathless barbarily which Jobo Brown himself would have hesitated tosanction. They refuse to yield one jot to the just require- ments of an incensed, outraged South, and call “idiots,” “insane,” “traitors” and “sold to slavery” all who would seck te save the coun- try from the ruin which their incendiary ag- greesions have conjured over its destinies. Yet it stands forward as the inevitable result of this long continued; moustrous tieal inis- chief making, that the city of New York is guilty of palpable suicide in permitting it to continue. If the wealth of this metropolis is two thousand iillions of dollars now, it will incur « loss of over half that amount within » year, if the fires which have already begun to burn at Fort Moultrie are not immediately extinguished. The period has passed for critical examination of the degree of blame to be cast upon any particular community, and the time has come to ask whether we must all go to wreck in behalf of « fanaticism which is gradually tending towards the direst anarchy. A little longer, and real estate will have decreased fifty per cent in value. A short indulgence further in unconciliatory language, proud boistering, and cowardly cackling about coer- cion, of those who never would dare to shoulder a gun, and the weight in merchanidise under which our storehouses groan will be con- demned to rot there, and it will be of no worth to either producer, agent or consumer. Public securities are already shaken to their centre. Tt needs but a few steps in advance towards the era of “famine, fire and slaughter’ to ren- der them so much waste paper. Where will our metropolis be then? Against whom will the outery be direeted which points at present away from forbearance to the strong arm of martial law? The time is rapidly passing. Only nine weeks and a half will elapse before the time when Mr. Lincoln hopes to be inaugurated President of the United States, We are in tho midst of revo- lutionary disaster, and every hour is rendering the danger greater. Not only the city and State of New York, bat the whole West and Northwest, are interested to stay the progress of destruction. If ruin awaits us here, @ill greater is the peril to the country behind us, which will soon see its produce without a market, its se- curities and investments without purchasers, and its outlets for enterprise closed up. The blow which falls first upon us will shake the fare of American prosperity to its very cen- tre, and there wil be no corner of the land unaffected by it. Tt is high time, therefore, for whe people te act and take the maticr date Leis own handa, before the bloody strife actually begins and places the peaceful settlement of the quarrel between North and South beypnd their control. The news which we publish else- vhere proves manifestly that Congress is no longer to be relied on; that the government is powerless; and that unless the people of every city and town, but especially the masses of New York, arise in their might, appoint com- mittees and vigilance commitiees of public safety, and insist upon peace and harmony, there are horrors before us which the imagina- tion shrinks from contemplating. Above all things it fs In the power of Mr. Lincoln, even now, to plant himselfupon a sure, safe foothold; to consider the imminenge of the emergency; to soar above the paltry shackles of party, and to be, what Washington, Madison and Jefferson bave been before him, a father to the people. He can still, by raising his voice in time, be the instrument of guiding the coun- ry beck to its pristine condition, and, by re- commending to both South and North such amendments to the constitution 98 shall define and maintain forever the rights of each, carve out for himself a name which shall stand high in the history of this confederation. But, above all things, he should array his influence against every tendency opposed to concilia- tion, forbearance, and the largest amount of toleration by different sections of the respec- tive institutions of each. Tur News rrom Mexico—Tue Liseracs Acats Cuncxep.—A few days ago every one thought the days of the chure! party in Mexico were numbered. After the full of Guadalajara, the flight of Castillo with a small remnant of his forces, and the rout of Marquez, the road to the capital was thrown open to the advancing liberals, who, to the number of twenty-five thousand men, flushed with repeated victories, advanced on the last stronghold of their oppo- nents, who could not have had more than one- third that number with which to defend the last prop that remained to the tottering for- tuncs of Miramon. The capital was invested in the beginning of the present month, and no doubt Ortega sat dewn before its walls with a mind perfectly at ease as to the result. From the reports furnished us of the desertions from Miramon’s army and the disorganized state in which it is -epresented to have been, and which each day must have increased, we awaited with confi- dence the news of the speedy fall of the city, the annihilation of the clergy regime and the in- anguration of anera of peace. But “man pro- poses and God disposes.” We had always half suspected that Miramon had genius. That he has great energy and indomitable pluck cannot be denied, whatever may be his faults; yet, ac- cording to all human appearances, nothing short of a miracle could saye him uow. But genius and energy work miracles. Surrounded hy a force three times the number of his own, led by the best generals in the republic, his own muiinous and faithless, Miramon’s courage never for a moment quaHed; but, taking a few of the most reliable, he issues quietly from his stronghold, and, inspiring bis men with his own impetuous valor, pours down on his unsuspect- ing sluggard enemy, and retires with twelve hundred of them in his clutches, including three general officers, iwo of them being the well known Degollado, late Commander-in-Chief, and Berrivvabal. This, in a military view, is a severe blow to the liberals, who, however, never were a match for Miramon’s consummate military ability. He has always thrashed them in the field. But oa this occa- sion he has been too successful; for in taking Degollado from the liberal army he has done « signal service to that cause. From his imbecility as a leader, bis meddle- some and imperious conduct, Degollado has done more mischief to his party than would half a dozen such disasters as that which Miramon has just inflicted on them. If the liberals could just manage to get all their troublesome and incompetent leaders off their hands in the same manner they would advance their cause no little, They may thank their stars they have got rid of Degollado. Notwithstanding this check, the liberal cause is not retarded in the least; for, with all his prestige and genius, Miramon can do nothing, unless backed by material aid, which he sadly needs, and we still expect to hear of the fall of the city and the flight or capture of the “Young Lion” of the church; unless, as is pos- sible, the morale of the liberal army should be injured and the men affected by a cowardly dread of Miramon’s very name, and that terror in the presence of an enemy saperior in geuius and skill which is common enough in the military annals of the world. A Worp to rae Cenrrar Park Cows. stovens.—In our younger days, before people improved upon nature, built bridges for no earthly purpose except to spend money, and planted trees where they would not grow, the boys used to count upon skating when the weather wos clear and the thermometer for several days in sw ion stood below the freezing point. It remained for the Cen- trai Park Commissioners, their agents or ser- vants, (o change all that. They regard nature asa humbug, and her operations, summer and winter, as utterly stupid. Natare feels dis- posed to give the skaters some of their sport Christmas day, and as many as ten fifteen thousand people go to the Dark. either to join in the sport or to lock on But nature is not al- lowed to have her own way. The Central Park authorities might easily have prepared the lakes on Monday by sweeping the ice and then letting on an inch or two of water-—nature would have done the rest —and many prople who may not have another skating holiday daring the winter would have gone home in a pleasant state of mind. As it was, everybody was dis- gnsted, and used very strong longnage, all of which we endorse. never can have a public work conducted oa the simple plan which ts adopted by business men engaged ino private enterprise, ‘The Park Commissioners jicke # great parade of their arrangements, ond give the public everything it desires except jee to skate apon. The public will be very ghd to forego the other wrrangements provided they can Me on or the jee. Why will not the Commissio ap- point a special skating committee to the Christinas blander does not sia, = to ascertain why, in such fine ing we as we have had since last Spetey, °° rd opportunity for the M * manly aport upon its own (a mn that the title to the Park ats nots °°" thr gs - the Commissioner peer gill come irter | “a It is very odd that we. = Progress or Revowvtion Np REVULSION. ——The political revolution is progressing, and, as day after day passes without hope or pros- pect of amending the condition of the country, we are drawing nearer to the vortex, on the verge of which we stand to-day, South Caro- lina has already gone out of the Union and calls herself a foreign nation; other Southern States are only biding their time to follow her. The border States of the South are at this moment taking counsel on the question of pre- venting the inauguration of Lincoln, and every- thing in the future, so far as any one can see, forebodes civil war. The prospect is gloomy, discouraging and alarming. Meantime, apace with the revolution, grows the commercial revulsion, hourly extending its influence to every branch of industry and com- merce. Factories are suspending work, busi- ness is declining, and operatives are being dis- charged. Within a few days three or four sugar houses in this city have failed, and perhaps as many more houses in other trades. Failures to the amount of four or five millions of dollars have occurred in this great metropolis alone almost, we may say, within one week, and necessarily the number of people thrown out of employment must haye been proportionately large. There is a peculiarity about, the fallure of the sugar houses, and that is, that it was brought about by a depreciation in the price political causes. So, too, undoubtedly, houses in other branches of business have suffered from depreciation in the value of staple arti- cles, for depreciation of property is the order of the day. In the present doubtful aspect of affairs it would be impossible to expect that the old system of credit could be maintained. In a time that knows no defined future there ean be no such thing as credit. Unstable at all times, as it has been employed in this country, it be- comes worthless in this crisis; and, although money is plenty, as it rarely wad ever before— though we received some six millions of gold from Europe within the past few weeks, and will probably get as much more in the two or three weeks to come—of what avail is it? It will not relieve the pressure. Thus revolution and revulsion are advancing hand in hand ; nor is there anything being done to stay them. Congress is ineffective for good. The administration is paralyzed. The Presi- dent elect-——who, if he had the wisdom of a statesman and the virtue of a patriot, could res- cue the country from impending ruin—is silent, either through an obstinacy and miserabje at- tachment to party interests which mislead him, or an indifference which is unworthy of his po- sition. People are ting various modes to improve the sad condition of affairs, Some propose humiliation and prayer; but they will not pay notes when they fall due, nor bring manna from heaven ja these days to fill hungry mouths, Others are in favor of reopening the houses for religious revivals; but reli- gious exercises will not meet bills of exchange nor set factories to work. It is true this may produce some effect upon the abolition fanatics, who, for the last thirty years, have been work- ing to bring about the present disaster; but that is all that can be hoped from them; and if there is no trade or business to be attended to, perhaps people might as well go to the religious revivals as occupy their time in any other way. Meantime, as we say, political revolution and commercial revulsion are rapidly progressing, without any immediate prospect of being checked. We can see no opening for eseape— no light anywhere. The ship of State is drift- ing hopelessly, it would appear, with dark clouds above and fogs around, and breakers on every side, without a friendly beacon to guide her course, and no man can tell upon what rugged coast she may strike. And all this time, with difficulty besetting us—with which no na- tion whereof history speaks was surrounded — to make matters worse, we find the public offi- cinls at Washington plundering the departments confusion, where we might hope to look for as- sistance, counsel and example in our hour of trial. ——_—— The Trust Fund Robbery Investigation— Secretary of Legation at Paris—De- spatehes from the Brazil Squadron, «. Wasmnoron, Dec. 27, 1899. House Committee to investigate the facta connected with the abstraction of bonds, in place of Bucock, resigned. They may hold some of their meetings in New York. Thea to-night that the House Committee of Investiga- tion into the Interior Departineat frauds have weor tained that this is not the first {nstance in which the trost fund bends have been used for speculative par yeees. Fight hundred thousand dollars, it is said. were lomed during Mr. Fillmore's administration, and two hondred thousaad when Mr. McClelland was Secretary, and returned or repinced by others, It is not pretended that either of the secretaries profited by these opera tions. Rosell’ friends assert (hat bis Grm have now doa ‘hem from gWeramen: for services performed and pru perty delivered se hundred thousand dollars, ox elusive of « claim ore Congress of upwards of four undred thonsand dollars for property destrayed in the (tah war, whieh ts rcoommended by the department as yust. ‘The com@hittee received authority from the Howe to- day which will epable them to make an investiga'ion of (he most searching character Russell is still im jadl, ball bond not haying yet beem executed. RRCRETARY 08 TXOATION TO PAR. Robert Walab, who has cecupied diplomatic positions inthe government under different administrations, has been appointed Beeretary of Legation to Paris APPATES TN MRART. Despateh-« have been reecived at the Department of Stete from the legation at Brazil, Our Minister, Mr. Mende, is actively engaged in eodeavoring to procure an adjustment of fe claims of our citizens. Considerais exeitement prevailed in the empire ip view ©f an im portant election for Chamber deputies. ‘The struggic ia between Liberals and conservatives, the Intver claiming for the provinces a larger share in the administration of ‘he loon! offices, and the former being Oppesed to them This state of affairs ts anslaget# to our own contest between federal power and Hate rights The Navy also received despatches this morning from fag oer Sands, commanding the Brazil Rio, November 10 Seminote the command of the Seminole in place of Prenting, recalled. Com. Sands adds that with effort and small ex pone the Seminole will prove an eMoetive vesedl Affaires at Springfeld. Srmivorte, I, Dee. 27, 1960. Vaniel Uimanm arrived here to-night and will be in at- tendance on the President elect to-morrow, to present the claims of the American wing of his New York supporters. Senator Baker was publicly received by his friends th\« afternoon at the Court House, The hall was densely crowded. In an address occupying three quarters of an hour in delivery, he expressed the earnest devotion of binateit cotitnents tothe Un'on, econted the idea i publle, and declared cr of sugar, and that depreciation is the result of no certain pathway seems before us—there is, Mr. Thomas, of Tennessee, has been appointed on the « of the government, and everything in apparent ©