The New York Herald Newspaper, January 18, 1862, Page 4

4 ‘hile the: of Cor ‘Th fiom Reaction in the South and | recommendation will be NEW YORK HERALD. peop ap brite xs Peirce rire 00 oo Desperation of the Rebel Leaders. '. JamEus Gonpon EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. basement Fo COE. OF SN SO: AGRA AN AMUSEMENTS 11 THIS EVENING, NIBLO’S GARDEN, Broadway.—Dawox ano Pytuias— ‘Hongymoon. WINTER GARDEN, Broadway.—Natap Quaen—Dor, PR al THEATRE, No, 84 Broadway.—Loxpow LAURA KEENE’S THEATRE, Broadway.—Ove Averi- cam Cousin. WEW BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Rarazuiz—S Bwaine—Nacie Tauaret— catia ia BOWERY THEATRE, Howery.-Sniocuer's Nationat Omovs. Afternoou and ne AMERICAN } MUSEUM. Broadway.—Day and (a—Hirrorotaaus, WkaLs, ano OTKxe OU- : erg Mechanics’ Hall, 472 Broad- B ux Oup K-y-xr. pEOOLE SE MINSTRELS. Stuyvesant, Inatitute, No. 660 ‘ MELODEON CONCERT BALL, No. 639 Broadway. Bowes, Dances, Bumuzdqhus, £0. bousutax Git. URY MUSIC HA (585 Broadway.—Sox oSARISL IES SS sharmine—eone ilhanaeanis ‘Ss Apvantvl OM, 616 Broadway. eae aSATETIES, CONCERT, ROOM. ei Bradway. MRE Ss P. 40.—GRost IN 3FD WSTAL PALACE OE CONCERT Balt, No. 45 Bowery.— Pd oy Danoxs, 4¢.—Sdiuato's Oars. PARISIAN CABINET OF oe 863 Broad: -_ Open daily from 10 A. M. ti ~ ic Ne TY MI rl} rea ed Mau, “616 Broadway. BURLESQUES: jway.—Soncs, Bat or Hinsacr. ATHENZUM, Brooklyn.—Anromio Fantmt's Coxcent. New York, Saturday, January 15,1862. _ == THE SITUATION. ‘There is nothing new to report from the army of the Potomac. The severity of the weather still precludes drilling the troops in large force, but the evening parades are kept up in the different regi- ments. Some of the remaining vessels of the Burnside expedition left Hampton Roads on Thursday They comprised the bark John Tracks, with the D’Epineuil Zouaves on board; the schooner Colo- Rel Slatterly, with the Signal corps; the hospital ship attached to the expedition, and several other Vessels. | Golonel Harvey Brown opened fire from Fort Pickens on the 1st inst. upon the rebel steamer j : 68 , while 1 serssat the DessscclaBav}.| unanimossly adopted. The bill authorizing the Ward. He was provoked to adopt this course by the fact that the rebel batteries at Pensacola had ‘been firing for some days previous at our small oraft. Tho rebels returned the fire, several of | their shells bursting within Fort Pickens, but ‘wounding only one man. The firing was continued tntil evening, when the last shot came from Colo- wel Brown's guns. One of the shots from Fort Pickens made a breach in Fort Barrancas, and during the day the town of Warrington was set on Gre by our shells, and continued to burn unti the Might of the 2d, when the Mhode Island left. With regard to the expedition at Ship Island, in | the Mississippi Sound, we learn, by way of For- | tress Monroe, that the gunboats St. Louis, New London and Water Witch had proceeded towards Bilox#, on the 31st ult., and that, at latest accounts, the New London was returning with three schooners {fm tow, evidently prizes taken from the rebels. | ‘The steamer Rhode Island, from Galveston, which brogght this news to Fortress Monroe, captured the rebel schooner Venus, off Galveston, bound for Franklin, Louisiana, with s cargo of tin, lead, copper and wood, from Port Isabel, valued at $10,000. She was sent to Ship Island. The expedition down the Mississippi river from Cairo is being rapidly reinforced, but no skirmish with the rebels had taken place up to last night. ‘The columns of Generals McClernand, Cooke, Paine and Grant have all united at a point twelve mniles from Columbus. It is stated in the Louisv@le Journal, on the au- thority of its correspondent in Munfordsville, Ky., that the rebels were destroying all the ponds and ‘wells in that vicinity, by throwing dead cattle into them, im order to deprive the Union troops of ‘water suitable for drinking. The movement of troops from St. Louis to Cairo is considerably retarded by the ice, which prevents ‘the ferry boats from crossing the river. The ‘weather was moderating yesterday, however, and © prospect of the breaking up of the ice was pre- wented. CONGRESS. In the Senate yesterday, Mr. Jacob M. Howard, Genator elect from Michigan, in place of Mr. Bing- pam, deceased, was qualified and took his seat. The joint resolution from the House, declaratory Of the purpese of Congress to impose taxes which will yield $150,000,000 of revenue, was adopted, Mr. Powell alone voting against it. The House Dill allowing sailors and marines to send letters through the mails, without prepayment of postage, ‘was passed. A bill providing for the better or- ganization of the artillery of the army was referred. ‘A resolution to allow Mr. Stanton, the unsuccess- al competitor of Senator Lane, of Kansas, the ‘usual compensation, was adopted. A resolution eppropristing $1,000 for the funeral expenses of ‘@he late Senator Baker, was referred. A bill ‘Baving reference to the volunteer service in any .partioular State was introduced. The Committee on Public Bulldings reported resolution ordering the removal of the army bakeries from fhe Capitol. Mr. Trumbull presented a petition from Mr. C. L. Sandford, who represents himself ‘es & contractor with Messrs. Cnmmings and Tacker, in which he says that he received informa’ ‘tion from the War Department that they (Cummings and Tucker) were authorized to act, but is now ‘wurprised to learn that Mr. Cameron says, ‘‘that ‘the heads of the bureaus made all the centracts.”’ ‘Mr. Sandford asks the passage of 4 law to legalize the contracts made, so as to prevent lossto honest contractors. The petition was reférred. The Benate held an executive scssion, confirmed the ‘ppointment of Mr. Cameron to the Russian Mis pion, and afterwards adjourned. 4 In the House of Representatives, a bill trans- Torring the Penitentiary building to the War De- partment, for the use of the arsenal, was referred. More than one hundred bills from the Court of Claims were referred to the Committee on Claims. Tn the Pennsylvania contested election case, the MHonse declared Mr. Lehman, the sitting member, entitled to his seat. A bill authorizing the estab- vi henene of branch post offices in cities was passed, enate’s amendments to the Dead Letter concurred in. de a report regarding Mar- 1 were ct ttee Lamou's jal r ve The District of s, to the effect that NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 1862. tion of the House, and hence the committee ask to be relieved from further consideration of the sub- ject. Mr. Stevens reported the West Point Academy Appropriation bill, and stated that he had been in formed that numerous libelling letter writers had been finding fault with the Committee of Ways and Means for not reporting an equitable tax bill. The committee, however, he said, are gathering facts, and work for hours after attending to busl- ness in the House. He desired to say that the criticisms and libels of the press would notmake them move one minute faster than a due regard to the public interests will permit, The Fortification Appropriation bill, as originally reported, was passed. It appropriates between five and six millions of dollars for the completion of defensive works already commenced. Resolutions were re- ported from the Contraet Investigating Committee, calling on the Secretary of War for a copy of the contracts for purchasing horses for Colonei Wil- liama’ cavalry, and directing inguiry respecting the contracts for Enfield rifles. Both Houses adjourned till Monday. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. Captain Billings, of the brig Maria White, arriv. ed at this port yesterday morning, reports that on the 15th December, off St. Thomas, he was spoken by the rebel privateer Sumter, but was not board” ed by her. Mr. Adams, our Minister at London, under date of the 4th inst., writes to Collector Barney, of New York, that the Sumter had arrived at Cadiz, having burnt three vessels. We publish under the appropriate head highly important and interesting extracts from late rebel newspapers. On the 30th ultimo a large train of wagons left Jacksonport, Arkansas, for Osceola» Missouri, with supplies for the army of General Sterling Price, whose headquarters are at the lat- ter place. Besides an abundant supply of pro” visions, eight rifled cannon were sent by this train. Flour was selling at $10 50 per barrel at wholesale at New Orleans on the Sth inst. Several federal gunboats made a reconnoissance of Proctorvie, La., on the 2d inst. The Flordia Legislature re- cently passedan act prohibiting the exportation of provisions from the State. A Cleveland paper says that Edwin M. Stanton, the new Secretary of War, has more of the old Napoleon in him than any other man in America, and that “the army will move on now, even it goes to the devil.” The Albany Journat hopes the new Secretary of War will immediately suspend the further enrol- ment of cavalry regiments, as there are several now getting up in this State entirely for specula- tive purposes. In the State Senate yesterday, the concurrent resolutions in favor of the State assuming the col. lection of ita quota of the national tax were unani- moaely adopted. The resolution in favor of Con- gress abolishing the franking privilege was also Supervisors of Kings county to provide for the support of volunteers’ families was passed. Fa- vorable reports were made on the bills to regulate | the dividends of fire insurance companies, and to | amend the act incorporating the same. Bills were introduced to amend the act relative to opening streets in this city north of 151st street; to amend the Revised Statutes in relation to unauthorized banking, and making appropriations for the canal debt of 1862. The following were made the com- mittee on the part of the Senate for apportioning the State anew into Congressional districts:— Messrs. Connolly, Ramsey,’ Ganson, Bell and | Turner. Next Thursday was appointed as the day for the election of a new State Superin- tendent of Public Instruction and a Regent | of the New York University. The Senate ad- | Journed till Monday evening. In the Assembly a report was made from the Ways and Means Com- mittee, in favor of Congress levying an additional direct tax, and for the State to assume the collec- tion of its quota of the tax levied by the last Con. gress. This report was discussed, and afterwards made the special order for Wednesday next. Bills were introduced to regulate the sale of hay and straw in New York and Brooklyn, and in relation to the Canvassing Board of this city. A number of bills were noticed for future introduction. A motion was made, the consideration of which was laid over, that a bill be prepared for the punish- ment of persons attempting to bribe members. A resolution was introduced in relation to the re. organization of the militia aad providing for the defence of our coast; also one in relation to cor- ruptien in our Common Council. The Sengte reso. lution for an exchange of prisoners was called up and debated, but laid over. The Assembly also adjourned till Monday evening. The ball was up yesterday, and skating was al- lowed on the Central Park from early in the mora- ing till after ten o’clock last eventRg. After dusk it became very dark, and the contiactor for light- ing the pond failing in his duty, the skaters had to make the best of it by the light of their lanterns | and those outside the skate -and refreshment tents. The number of visiters throughout the day and evening was estimated at sevenieen thousand per- sons, male and female. The signal flags over Knox (the hatter’s) store and at other points have proved a success, as visiters yesterday went to the Park from Hoboken and other distant places without disappointment, tal@ng these flags as their guide. Several skating matches are inthe course of ar- rangement, full particulars of which we will give in due time. Curling has been duly patronized this season, as usual, if we except the fact that most of the curl- ers are at Port Royal with the Seventy-ninth New York Volunteers. The members of the Caledonia Club of this city intend to play a match to-day, at one o'clock, on the lower pond of the Central Park, for a pair of curling stone handles. They invite the members of other clubs of the city and all other curlers not members of any particular club to join in the contest. b By the last annual report of the Counsel to the Corporation it appears that one hundred and thirty- three actions have been finally disposed of during the year 1861, and of these but sixteen have been decided adversely to the city. There are forty- three actions and special proceedings which have been tried or argued in the past year, but are not yet finally determined. The jury in the case of Antone Holz, who was tried for arson in the second degree in the General Sessions, rendered & verdict of “‘not guilty” yes- terday afternoon. George Smith was indicted and placed on trial for a felonivus assault upon officer Hersch, who, while on duty at the Five Points, was fired at by the prisoner. He pursued him, and, on examining his person, found a large knife and some burglarious implements. Fortunately there was no ballin the pistol, which, if loaded, would have caused the death of the officer. The jury convicted Smith of an assault with intent to do bodily harm. Judge McCann remanded the pri- soner for sentence. The cottom market was quiet yesterday. The sales were confined to 160 bales, included in which were 60, on the wharf, at 333¢c., and the remainder at about 84c., in etore. With the present reduced supplice not much is expocted to be done until further intelligence from Liver. pool, The flour market was steady, with a modernte de- mand from the domestic trade. There was litle or no- thing doing for export. Wheat was heavy aud quiet, and no sales were reported for foreign shipment. Corn was dull and lower, while sales were quite limited at 650. for ‘Western mixed. Pork was rather firmer and more active, with sales of new mess at $12 « $12 26, and at $11 764 $12 for old do., and $0 25 « $0 60 for new prime, and $13 60 for city prime mess, Coffee was more active, and sales aggregated about 7,000 bags of Rio, within the range of 18¢. 4 210., chiefly at 19¢. a 1910. a 21e., and 500 bage Ceylon at 280. Sugars were steady, with sales of 450 bhde,, 000 boxes and 6,000 bags Manila, at rates given in another column. Freights were steady, with a fair amount of ongagemeuts. Our returning soldiers from the tobacco warehouses of Richmond are in general demand, from the fund of interesting facts and anecdotes which they bring with them from the head- quarters of Jeff. Davis and his rebel confederate rulers. But by all odds the most interesting in- formation we have thus received is that of the existence in Richmond of an extensive and irrepressible Union sentiment, notwithstanding the relentless despotism of Davis against every citizen suspected of Union sympathies. The same story (always excepting South Carolina) comes up from every rebellious State. We are thus assured, that if we can only keep our radi- cal abolition faction in the background until we shall have gained avictory overthe rebels in arms which will undeniably open our way to the heart of the cotton States, there will hardly be any necessity for another battle in order to bring this rebellion down into the aust. Open the way to their protection, we are told, and the Union men of the revolted States will soon bring the rebel government and its armiey and supporters to @ capitulation to the old flag of the Union. This direct testimony of witnesses who speak from personal observation as to the existence of a still living, hopeful and widely diffused attachment to the Union throughout the South (excepting South Carolina) is strongly corrobo- rated by the desperate expedients of the rebels to bolster up their sinking cause. For ex” ample, the Legislature of Tennessee the other day resolved that all and any propositions from the United States for a reconstruction of the Union “should be met promptly and unhesi- tatingly by our indignant rejection;” “that the secret sympathizers of Lincolniem in the South deserve to be branded as traitors to the South, and enemies of their country;” and that “any commissioners appointed by the Lincoln Con_ gress to the government of the Confederate States, having for the object of their mission a reconstruction of the old Union, should be at once promptly rejected;” but, at the same time, these fellows confess themselves extremely anxious for peace, upon the basis of Southern independence, This idea of peace commissioners from Wash- ington seems to have been derived from the resolutions on the subject some time ago offered in our federal Senate by Mr. Saulsbury, of Delaware, a Union man suspected of seces- sion proclivities. But the vindictive spirit with which this proposition was pounced upon by the managing rebels of the Tennessee Levisla- ture shows that they have their fears upvx the subject, and that they consider it judicious to stifle at once any impressions of a probability of peace through a joint commission upon the platform of “the old Union.” The Tennessee Legislature, in its ferocious resolutions on this question, virtually confesses the existence in the State of a dormant Union sentiment, which, at all hazards, must be kept down to the last extremity of resistance. But again: In the leading editorial article from the Richmond Bxaminer which we pub- lished yesterday, we have what we think we have correctly designated as “the Death Wail of the Rebels.” The despairing editor in ques- tion deplores the inactivity of the rebel army; the defensive attitude in which it has so long remained; the consequent demoralizations of the rebel camps, and the fact that “the enemy (the United States) have found themselves at perfect leisure, in the very presence of our legions, to devise, mature and make trial of any plan of campaign or assault which they have thought expedient;” and that “nowhere have they been thrown by any movement of ours into a moment's alarm for the safety of any army, or any district of country in their possession, except on the memorable oc- casion of their panic for the safety of Washing- ton city, which the same evil genius of defence prevented from being taken by our forces.” Our melancholy rebel editor further charges that this defensive policy of Davis has caused the loss by camp diseases of “ten thou- sand heroes who, if led against the enemy, night have escaped the dangers of the d,” after winning important victories; he declares that “that cannot system of warfare which never ventures an aggressive moyement, or even a Latile, and which, though expecting at- | tack y day, yet decimates its armies by in” This is a gloomy picture of the rebel cause, | as painted by a rebel artist; but he has not re~ vealed one-half the dismal story. The simple | truth is, that, in every point of view, this re- beilion is upon ita last legs. Tis armies, badly fed, badly clothed, and “decimated” by sick- ness, are in no condition to withstand the pres- sure of our udvancing columns, East, West and South. The people of the revolted States, despoiled of their young men, their negroes, their cotton sales, their cash, goods, produce, horses, cattle and clothing to supply the rebel armies, are in no condition to prolong the war in the face of one or two crushing defeats. The finances of the rebel States, Confederate and local, are reduced to the chaos of a flood of worthless shinplasters never before known in any civilized community. It is simply im- possible, with the advantages of the good “old Union” still held out before them, that the sensible people of the South can much longer endure this horrible despotism of Davis in its hopeless resistance against the rightful autho- rity of the United States. Let our armies and naval expeditions ad- vance, carrying with them the wise policy and the conservative principles of “Honest Abe Lincoln,” and we shall very soon hear of a popular Union movement in our revolted States which will determine the downfall of this rebellion. Let the President hold our abolition disorganizers in check for another month, and the abolitionists themselves will be made to realize the folly of their destructive programme of “emancipation or separation.” PenisnMent or Fravps on Tae Government.— The man who would be so unprincipled and un. patriotic as to practise imposition upon the government at a time of national peril and em- barrassment like the present is deserving of more than ordinary punishment. We are therefore glad to observe that the Committee on the Conduct of the War have resolved to advise the immediate passage of a bill to inflict the penalty of death upon any person who commits ® fraud upon the government whereby a soldier is bodily injured—as, for instance, in the sale of unsound provisions; also to punish with im- prisonment and confiscation of property con- tractors defrauding the government in the quality of goods sold or services rendered. This acted upon and | in view the limitation of our legitimate influ- | insipid ani Beecher not half so entertaining speedily become law. The first Napoleon | ence on this continent than the liquidation of | after Mrs, >.Vood’s debut! Certainly he was had a summary way of dealing with fraudulent characters of this description, and the fear of having a speedy termination put to their ex- istence had a very salutary effect in deterring the contractors for his army from the practice of dishonesty. The shoddy aristocracy had better take care, or some of its members may find themselves very soon in @ position-so awk- ward that their lives and property will not be worth a month’s purchase. Too much fraud has already been practised with impunity by individuals who have traded upon the misfor- tunes of the country, and the interests of the republic demand that some check should be promptly and efficiently applied. Important from Mexico—The United States Secking to Extricate That Re- public from Its Dificulties. Some few weeks since we announced that negotiations were pending between the go- vernments of the United States and of Mexico for the loan by the former of @ sum sufficient to enable that republic to resume the payment of its obligations to its foreign creditors. The statement at the time attracted but little atten- tion, 93 the public mind was then excited by the near prospect of a rupture with England. We publish this morning a letter from one of our correspondents in the city of Mexico, giving the full details of the arrangements connected with the proposed loan. It may be as well to state that the facts as thus given to us are per. fectly reliable, as our correspondent has access to sources of information in the Mexican capital that render the information thus obtained entirely trustworthy. It would appear, then, that last September, in accordance with sugges- tions transmitted to Washington by Mr. Corwin, instructions were forwarded by Mr. Lincoln to that gentleman to negotiate a treaty with Mexi- co for the advancement of a loan by the United States sufficient to enable her to pay the interest on the debt due by her to the three governments that are now pressing her. After frequent interviews on the subject with M. Zamacona, the Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs, the result of which was to cut down the amount of the loan originally proposed from eleven to nine millions of dollara, a treaty was drawn up, by which it was agreed that the latter amount was to be advanced by our government, in the following manner, viz:— Five millions to be paid in monthly instalments of one-balf million per month, and a further sum of four millions, to be paid at the rate of one half-million every six months, the whole to be secured by the pledge of all the public lands, mineral rights and nationalized church property of the republic. The term of five years was fixed for the repayment of the amounts thus advanced, and a board of five commissioners—three to be named by Mexico and two by the United States—was to be ap- pointed under it to realize the amounts loaned by the latter from the sale of the public lands and nationalized mortmain property pledged for their repayment. The rejection of the British treaty by the Mexican Congress, and the prospective seizure of the Mexican ports, defeated for a time the completion of this arrangement. When the letter of our correspondent left the Mexican capital, however, it was understood to be the intention of Mr. Corwin to renew his propo- sitions, should the allies offer to relinquish the ports of which they might have taken possession, as well as ail further claims upon Mexico, on the payment of the interest on their debts and the obtainment of a satisfactory guarantee of the payment of the principal. Thus the matter stood at our last advices. It remains to be seen whether the three Euro- pean governments interested will be satisfied with the simple securing of the amounts due to them, without exacting in addition indemni- ties for the expenses incurred in fitting out their respective expeditions. It is not impro- bable that England will be disposed to exhibit moderation towards her unhappy debtor, the more particularly as she must by this time be convinced that both France and Spain have had ulterior views in engaging in this crushing demonstration against her. Spain is herself but the catspaw of France; for it cannot be believed that if she is allowed to enter inde- pendently upon her long cherished design of the reconquest of Mexico she will ever be able to accomplish it. It requires but unity on the part of the Mexican people—and their | hatred of the Spaniards will insure that—to engage her in a wasting war which must ulti- mately bring upon her bankruptey and ruin. ‘The motives that have prompted this tripar- tite crusade against Mexico have become so traueparent that Great Britain, on the first de- retext offered her, will in all probability y from it. It has been Louis Napoleon's ct, from the moment that our domestic | troubles offered the prospect of a safe induce- ment, to engage all the military and naval re- sources of England in a double war with this country and Mexico. He tickled the ambition of Spain with golden visions of a future in which she was again to resume her ascendency over the Latin races of this continent; for Spain is becoming a naval Power of some magnitude, and her institutions and her traditions are likely to draw her to the side of England in any far- ther complications that may arise out of the am- bitious designs of France. The field thus left clear, it would not be long before the characte, and extent of these designs would manifest themselves. The dynastic policy so emphati- cally and significantly urged in the French Senate by Prince Napoleon, and never to this moment repudiated by the organs of the Empe~ ror, would find its first developements in the ad- vance of a French army upon the Rhine, the invasion of Venice by Italy, the simultaneous rising of the Poles and Hungarians, and, finally, a general European war, in which Gibraltar and Malta would be wrested from England, and the command of the Mediterranean transferred to France. ‘These prospective dangers have not been lost sight of by the English Cabinet and people, not- withstanding the self-delusive earnestness with which they try to place faith in their formidable ally. To that lurking suspiciousness may be traced the excessive pleasure with which the first indications of a desire on our part to pre- vent the rupture threatened by the seizure of Messrs. Mason and Slidell have been every- where received in England, as well as the readi- ness with which Sir Charles Wyke, the British representative in Mexico, met the views of the Juarez Cabinet in the treaty which was so un- fortunately rejected by the Mexican Congress. All these concurrent facts go to prove the wis- dom of the policy pursued by our government is the first useful thing we remember the com- mittee to have done, and we hope that their jn regard to Mexico. It offers the only chance of breaking up a combination which has more claims, the major part of which have bees built up in fraud, and are now sought to be enforced through unnecessary rigor. Great Moral Revolution in the Faubourg de St. Henri Beecher. As yet we have not had any great battle upon the Potomac ; but, in its stead, we have had the great mill between Beecher, the Brooklyn Pet, and Grau, the great Unknown, upon the other side of the East river. The result was as we predicted. The Brooklyn Pet, most sum- marily and ignominiously vanquished, threw up the sponge, and Grau pocketed the stakes. Brooklyn is like April—half smiles, halftears— in consequence. That part of the city settled by emigrant pilgrims from New England is hung in black, and ‘wears sackcloth and ashes. That portion of Brooklyn where vagrant New Yorkers lodge is garlanded with roses, and keeps open house. The old battle between roundhead and cavalier has been refought, and roundhead is beaten, battered and bunged more than usual. Grau is no longer unknown! He is immortal! He has led the moral revolutionists of Brooklyn on to victory! Let him henceforth be hailed as the Washington, the Bolivar, the Garibaldi, who enfranchised the publio sentiment of Brooklyn from the thraldom of the dramatio, despots of the Academy of Music committee. The old Puritans and Knickerbock- ers mever agreed very well in colo- nial times. Their descendants settled in Brooklyn agree worse. The Knickerbock- ers are gay, lively, go-a-head people, who regard New York as a terrestrial paradise, and think it no harm to be amused. The Puritans are sour, severe and sombre folk, who regard New York as a modern consolidated Sodom, Babylon and Gomorrah, and think the chief end of man is to go to Beecher’s church and sing about Plymouth Rock—the only genuine Rock of Ages. How two such diverse sects manage to live in the same town it is impossible to say. Possibly the Knickerbockers, who predominate, stay there because they like it and save taxes; and the Puritans, who, like a mule team, make up in dbstinacy what they lack in numbers, live there because they believe themselves elected and foreordained to do so. The Knick- erbockers have tried to make a city of Brook- lyn. The Puritans have tried to keep it a village. The Knickerbockers have instituted a little City Hall, with a little park circumja- cent, and a little, dirty, dry fountain in’ the park—a copy in miniature of our own Corporation edifice and grounds. They have also started city railroads, pro- cured a limited supply of imitation Croton water, and opened a Central Park with exclu- sive skating ponds—all like our own, but much smaller. Indeed, had it not been for the width of the East river and the high price of Albany legislation, they would have built a bridge across to New York, superseded foggy voyages in ferryboats, and annexed Brooklyn to this metropolis altogether. The Puritans regarded these innovations as the result of infidel ten- dencies, inveighed against them as exasperating Providence, and opposed them bitterly. Only when these improvements were brought under religious control, and it was agreed that neither cars nor Ridgewood water should run, and that both City Hall and Central Park should be closed, on Sunday, did the strife cease. For a little while then it could truly be said, “le fau- bourg de St. Beecher—e’est la paix !’”” But the Knickerbockers could not be content to go only to church in Brooklyn and steal a while away to New York for their other amuse- ments, They desired an opera house at home The Puritans indignantly asked, what unde? the sun they wanted of more places of amuse” ment than Greenwood Cemetery and Beecher’s church? All the old feuds were forthwith re- newed, and again compromise was found ne- cessary, and the Knickerbockers offered to give Beecher entire charge of the affair. Beecher having declared himself anxious to re- form the ballet, learn what became of the dramatis person after the curtain dropped, and see life behind the scenes generally, the Puritans withdrew their opposition, and the house was built. All the Brooklyn yeople attended its inauguration, in full dreas—i. e., with all the good clothes they had. Beecher preached a sermon about it, acted as stage manager for the moral “Don Giovanni” and kicked the immoral “Traviata” out at the back door. Chittenden, in a white cravat, played call-boy with cherubic grace. Morally the thing was as successful as a fashionable church; but pecuniarily the moral opera didn’t pay. The moral philharmonic concert; the moral horse taming show; the moral lecture; the moral soiree de magique, all had the same moral,and the same pecuniary result. Then some one suggested the moral drama, and again there was trouble in the Brooklyn camp. Finally, another compromise was agreed upon, and a moral committee of three moral cen- sors was appointed, and the drama admitted to the moral Academy. At first no plays could be found moral enough. All had immoral drinking, or fighting or love scenes in the: *. The ghost damned “Hamlet;” for the Puritans insisted that ghosts had been immoral ever since the ancient Puritans burned witches at Salem, Massachusetts. Besides this, there was immoral poisoning and stabbing in “Hamlet,” and the grave digger made grave subjects mat- ters for jest, in contravention of the standard rules of Greenwood Cemetery. This was Chit- tenden’s idea, and he made a speech upon it- At length, after a great deal of talk, as the case stood—old plays or closed doors—the censors permitted a few old tragedies and comedies to be performed, and the public were duly grateful, and went to see them. But managers are mortal, and Manager Fleming thought he saw that plays with the spice of what the Puritans called immorality about them drew better and paid better than heavy, religious works. He therefore engaged Mrs. John Wood, the most popular of eccentric eomediennes, and proposed to allow her to sing and exhibit her handsome face and figure in «Jenny Lind” and “Cinderella” to the Brooklyn folks. The dramatic censors were horrified; and even Judge Greenwood, much as he loves the drama, and comparatively little as he is befogged by Puritan prejudices, roundly de- clared that such plays, though well enough for wicked New York, “were not suited to the pre- sent condition of public sentiment in Brook: lyn!” Whether the Judge meant that the Brooklyn public was too good to laugh at a burlesque, or not good enough to be trusted with the fascinations of Mrs. Wood's pretty face and saucy airs and graces, we cannot decide: poor judge ,of human nature if he imagined that he could keep the Brooklyn public from Mra. Wood by keeping Mrs. Wood from the Brooklyn Acaden"Y- The story .of Mahomet and the Mountain n tight have taught him bet- ter. But the Judge’ Would not listen to reason, and would not permit’ the Brooklyn public to decide for itself what it liked. There would have been no appeal ftom this extra-judicial deoision had it not been ;for Grau, the immor- tal! Grau boldly flung his hat into the ring? Grau decided to produ’ the much abused “Traviata!” The committe? Went frantic; but opera was interdicted from their censorship. They wrote Grau a note, beggi vg him, for his own and his pocket’s sake, not \to produce such an opera. Grau knew his owa' business and his own pockets best, and was ,firm ss Ply- mouth Rock itself! The comnsiktee wrote @ circular against “Traviata” and distributed i¢ in the city cars! They besought their own per- sonal friends not to goto the awful opera! ‘They threatened every one who went with ostracism from “our set!” They did all they could to make good their assumption as representatives’ of “the present condition of the public sentiment of Brooklyn!” St. Beecher took up the gloves and offered to excommunt- cate Grau on the spot. Grau dared him to do it, and went on undaunted. Now, what was the result? Why, the Brooklyn public gave a most brilliant protest against its self-constituted cen- sors. The house was crowded with a splendid audience to hear “Traviata.” Grau settled the Brooklyn Pet in the first round of applause, and took the handsome stake of $1, ad receipts. What do the censors say now of “the casa condition of Brooklyn sentiment?” Will they follow the example of a defeated British minis- try, and resign? Will they learn common sense, and let the public express its opinion in dollars and cents at the door after this? Will they acknowledge that the Heratp, which they so often advised to mind its own New York affairs, really knew more of “Brooklyn sentiment” than they did? If they misrepresented Brook. lyn sentiment upon the “Traviata,” may they not be wrong also about Mrs. Wood’s burlesques? Finally, will they give all sorts of respectable dramatic entertainments a chance at their Academy, or shall we arrange for another match of $1,700 a side between the Brooklyn Pet and the immortal Grau? Mason anv SiivELt.—The information brought to this port by the brig Mountain Eagle on Thursday last, that the Gladiator had arrived at St. Georges, Bermuda, on the 9th, with the rebel emissaries on board, is subject, we think. to very grave doubts. The Gladiator, it wilk be recollected, is a vessel that was purchased in England for the purpose of supplying the South with arms, ammunition and clothing for the rebel army. On her first voyage out, being unable to run the blockade, she tran- shipped her cargo at Nassau on board the rebel steamer Ella Warley, which succeeded in getting into Charleston. As to what her move" ments have been since we have no very clear information; but it isnot at all probable that she should have picked up the rebel commis” sioners in her wanderings. That it was the Rinaldo, and not the Gladiator, whose arrival was announced at Bermuda is another sugges- tion. There are good grounds for doubting this. When the Rinaldo left Provincetown, on the evening of the Ist January, with Messra* Mason and Slidell on board, it was blowing a perfect hurricane from the northwest. Under its influence it would not have taken that vessel more than thirty-six hours to reach St. Thomas} 89 that it could not have been she whose arrival at St. Georges nine days after is reported. We regret, for the sake of the families and friends of the officers and crew, to suggest these doubts; but they appear to us to be borne out by the facts of the case. It is therefore far from certain that Messrs, Mason and Slidell have reached St. Thomas, or will ever reach England. The forebodings as to the loss of the Rinaldo have yet to be dis- pelled by the announcement of her safe arrival at either destination. Some of our contempo. raries are, we see, anticipating that the English will rush into jubilant excesses over these miserable traitors. We do not share this opin- ion. They are a practical people, and, when they find that they have been paying dearly for @ whistle which no one wanted to contest with them, they will be inclined, we think, to pipe small. The expenditure which their war prepa- rations have cost them in connection with this Trent affair has probably not been less than five millions of dollars, and they will feel tho- roughly ashamed that they should have been betrayed into such a folly by the incitations of journals notoriously in the conspiracy to pro- voke, at any cost,a rupture with this country. Lord Palmerston will have killed this anti- American excitement by appearing to go with it. Ifhe had resisted it he would have been driven from power by the tories, who had made of it the lever of their schemes for the displacement of his administration. When it comes to be ascertained that all this expendi- ture of anger and hostile preparation has been based on fulse notions of the feelings and pur. poses of our government, it is likely that the reaction in our favor will be so great that Messrs. Mason and Slidell, instead of being the object of public ovations, will be allowed to sink into the oblivion in which such contempti- ble traitors are always sure in the end to find themselves. They have already had a foretaste of this in the ignoble manner in which they have been hurried out of the country. Instead of being placed on board of a British man-of- war by the captain of the San Jacinto, and saluted with diplomatic honors, as their asso- ciates fondly hoped would be the case, they have been taken away more like a couple of convicts than political envoys about whom two great nations were so near going to war. The English government deserves credit for its manner of dealing with these worthies, Its conduct shows that, whatever may be the tone of its press, it has not entirely forgotten the obligations of international courtesy. Niwto’s Garvan.—"‘Damon and Pythias’’ will bo given to-night, to be followed by Tobin’s excellent comedy of the “Honeymoon.” The admirable manner in which the old plays and comedies are cast at this establishment is bearing its fruits in crowded houses nightly. from tle customs and tes, In ong fastancs, leas ‘according. to our aelgubor the Gas ue, they bh hw asion to contrast the conduct of *’46 United Statr® ‘ani Canadias oustome officials, and by ‘no means fayora~ Porhaps he thought that church musig would be | bly to the javier.