The New York Herald Newspaper, February 4, 1865, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, OFFICE N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. Ea TERMS cash in advance. Money sent by mail will be fat the risk of the sender. None but bank bills current in Now York taken. "qm DAILY HERALD, Foun cents percopy. Annual gubsertption price $14, THE WEEKLY HERALD, every Saturday, at Fiva ‘ents per copy. Annual subscription price:— ¢ ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Irving ALIA — Matinee at Iu Poutuz0 PATA: Oath \ BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Daxn Tuort—Micuax, NIBLO’S GARDEN, —Laxss ov Kriianner— Yanan Covursuir. rama pr | BROADWAY THEATR: Broad Co luvs - wian—Pave Par. = caliiad ag WINTER GARDEN, Broadway.—Hamuer. WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway.—Szcrers Wonrm Eowins. : ,OLYMPIO THEATRE, broadway.—Tux Streets oy New Yona. NEW BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Sanat ann LASSADESEGISMAR—IiMOTHY TO Tux Ruscus—Harry BARNUM'’S MUSEUM. Broudway.—Two Mawmota Fat OMEN—=LivING SkKLETON—Dwanr—Lica i Bor—Tus Umion Puisonen—Day and Eve BRYANTS' MINSTRELS, Mechantes’ Hall, 472 Brond- Yay.—Ennorian Songs, Dixons, BuaLusquns, &0.—Bu.r ATTELSON. WOOD'S MINSTREL H 514 Broadway. —Steeets oF Naw Youa—Tnw Vuay Biv THLOPIAN SONGS, DaNcrs, &0. SALLE DIABOLIQUE, 5% Broadway.—Ronert Heuien’s V's ux Magic, VAN AMBURGH & ©O.'S MAMMOTH MENAGERIE, GWand dil Broadway.—Open from ly A. M. to 10 P.M. HIPPOTHEATRON, Fourteenth _ street.—Fquestnran, Gruxastio anv AckopaTio Extentainaxnts—ilAucequin Bivepsaun. AMERIOAN THEATRE, Panromimes, BuRLESQU ss. 444, Broadway.—Bauusts, ie Magi Tecurer. HOOLEY & CAMPBELL’ TRELS, 199 and 201 Bowery.—sonas, Dancus, Bui seuxs, &o.—lliGu Davy. NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.— Open from 10 A. M. till 10 P. M. ‘ YANNUCHI’S MUSEUM, 600 Broadway.—Movinc Wax Ficonzs. New York, Saturday, February 4, 1865. se THE SITUATION. Nothing additional has yot been made public regarding the progress of the peace conference between President Lincoln and Secretary Seward, on the one side, and Messra. Stephens, Hunter and Campbell on the othor, though many rumors of an extraordinary charac- ter are ourrent. The three latter gontlemen trrived im Hampton Roads on Thursday afternoon, on board one of General Grant's special despatch steamers, alongside of which immediately ran the River Queen, having on board Secretary Seward, and the two ‘veasels were anchored together in the stream, in which position they continued during the remainder of the day. What transpired between their istinguished passongors remained a secret at the Gate of our latest advices, We have yet no &nnouncement of President Lincoln's appearance on the foene of negotiations. Qur despatches give most inter. esting eocounts of the progress of the rebel commission- ers to City Point, and of the onthusiasm of the soldiers on both sides when they entered the Usion lines. All firing was suspended, and the opposing pickets entered lato free convorsation. ‘The State Legislatures have taken hold of the const!- tutional amendment for the abolition and prohibition of Blavery in good earnest, Those of the following States have already ratified !t, and others have taken it up and havo its adoption pending:— 1—Now York. 6—Michigan. 2+Venneylvania, 6—Maryland. 3—Massachusetts, 7—Rhode Island, 4—Iliinois, 8—West Virginia. —In the Lozislature of this State the passage of a bill is necessary to complete action on it. This bas not yet Deen enacted; but still, as both houses have adopted by a decisive vote a resolution in its favor, we may con - sider the matter virtually settied. In the Senate the rosolution received seventeen affirmative and eight nega- tive votes, and in the Assembly seventy-two allirmative and forty negative. Now Orleans despatches of January 25 are farnihed us by the transport steamship Empire City, which arrived here yesterday. In accordance with the prociamation of Governor Hahn, the 24th ult. was observed as a general holiday throughout all that portion of Louisiana within the Union lines, in honor of the abolition of slavery in Louisiana, Maryland, Tennes- eo and Missouri Tho offices of the State and Gity governments were closed, and work on the planta- tions was suspended. In New Orleans the negroes turned out in procession, with music, banners, regalia, &c. In late febel raid on tho plantations im the neighborhood of Concordia lake, La, nearly everything of value was destroyed or carried Off. Rebel deserters from Mobile who recently feached the Union feet in the bay etated that it was the general belief that the city would soon be evacuated, with. out waiting for the advance from Pascagoula of General Gordon Granger, whose force they represent as having Deen Increased to twenty-five thousand men. Burley, the alleged Lako Erie raider, was delivered up to United States officers by the Canadian authorities carly yesterday morning at Suspension Bridge, near Nia- gare Falls, in this State, The Allon bill, which bas passed the lower house of the Canadian Parlia- ment by the almost unanimous vote of one hundred and four to four, is designed to pre- vent rebel raids from Canada into the United Biates, Asynopsisof it was published in yesterday's Henatp. It confers great power on the Governor Geno- gal in the mattors to which it has reference, and its en- forcement will probably render nugatory all rebel designs for future raids across the border. It {s supposed that as goon as It becomes a law our State Department will no longer enforce the passport system so far as relates to Canada Our despatches from the Upper Tonnesseo river repre- went the troops of General Thomas’ army, both cavalry and infantry, ae finely located and in @xcoliont condition, impatient for another advance Mmovoment, Rebel deserters there, as in every other region whree the national soldiers are stationed, are con- tantly coming into tho Union lines. General Thomas’ commissarios have to feed a large number of the inhabl- tants of the country, as the guerillas have destroyed or carried off tho greater portion of their provisions, ‘Wo have alroady published the announcement that the noted rebel cabalry loader General Roddy had abandoned the rebel service and apptiod for the pardon of the na government. We havo now tho etatomont that Yo other generals, who bave for some time been prom!- fmont in the Western rebel armies—Chalmors and Mor. NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY '4, 1669. plies to their applications to be permitted to return to tholr allegiance to the Union. A gang of twenty-six rebel guerillas dashed into Mid- way, Kentucky, on Thureday evening, burned the rail- road depot and telegraph office, robbed the stores and citizens, and then made their escape. ‘The crew of the rebel pirate Florida, seized in Bahia Bay by the United States steamer Wachusett, and acci- dentally sunk in James river, Virginia, have been re- leased by the government from confinement in Fort War Ten, Boston harbor, They number about thirty mea. ‘They were taken from the fort and placed on board the British steamer Canada, on which they sailed for Halifax or Liverpool on last Wednesday. By our files of iate Southern newspapers {t appears that the rebels, now that all their able bodied men have been forced into the army by conscription, are rather singu- larly callizig for volunteers, and @ Dill has been intro duced into their Senate urging all except those already in the army and deserters, to form military com- panies to serve during the war, the members to be permitted to seloct their own officers, Mr. J. L, Pugh, @ member of the Miitary Committee in thelr House of Representatives, in a letter which he has written, gives the outlines of @ bill for the conscription of all males between cighteen and fifty-five years for the placing in the army of all men between these ages now ex- empted under dotailment for other service,and for reduc- tion to the ranks of all officers without command. Tho statement made some time ago that Beauregard is to command in person the army lately under Hood, and now under Dick Taylor, {8 repeated. One thousand pa- roled Union prisoners from Richmond were on Tucsday last detained in James river by the iee, CONGRESS. In the Senate yesterday, the Houso bill providing for the construction of aship canal around Niagara Falls, and the payment of o gratuity of three hundred dollars to Revolutionary pensioners, were read twice and appro- priately referred, ‘The bill in relation to the enrolment act was made the spocial order for to-day. Bills provid- ing for bridging the Ohfo atj Louisville and Cincinnati were made the special order for Monday next. Tho Secretary of the Navy, on motion of Mr. Hale, was called on for information as to the employment of do- tectives, and whether sald detectives were instructed to inquire into the business affairs of members of Congress. Committees of conference were ordered on the Military Academy and Deticlency Appropriation bills, The con- sideration of thejjoint resolution to exclude States in re- bellion from the next Electoral College was then resumed, thequestion being tojexempt Louisiana fro mthe provisions of the resolution. This was discussed at considerable length, but the motion to exempt Louisiana was defeated by a@ vote of fifteen yeas to twenty-three nays. A substi- tute to the resolution was then offered, declaring that the people of no State declared to be in Insurrection shall be qualified to choose Presidential electors until such insur- rection shall be suppressed, or until said State shall be represented in Congress, And this was debated tiil the adjournment. In the House of Representatives, the Naval Appropria- tion bill was taken up in Committee of the Whole, and Mr. H. Winter Davis delivered a set speech, attacking the administration of the Navy Department, especially in reference to the construction of Monitors and other iron- clad vessels-of-war. Mr. Rice, Chairman of the Com- mittee on Naval Affairs, replied, and upon the concluzion of his remarks the House adjourned. THE LEGISLATURE. In the State Senate yesterday bills for the Central Park, North and East River Railroad; the Sheep’s Head ‘and Sea Shore Railroad ; the Dry Dock, East Broadway and Battery Place Railroad; and regulating the fees of physi- cians and surgeons in certain cases, were reported favo- rably. The Attorney Generalsent in » communication relative to the action of the Hudson River Railroad Company in running horse;cara betweon Thirtieth street and Chambers street, giving it as his opinion that the company has the right to run horse cars over that por- tion of their road, and charge persons taking the cars ten conts, but denying their right to charge through passen- gers additional fare. A bill was noticod to incorporate the New York Dental Colloge. Bills relative to the man- ufacturo of gas; relative to the Department of Public Charities in New York; authorizing Brooklyn to exchange cortain lands for lands belonging to the United States; and increasing the salaries of tho New York Receiver of Taxes and his clerks. In the Assembly tho Sonate resolutions ratifying the constitutional amendment eo as to abolish slavery throughout the United States was adopted—yens 72, nays 40. A bill was reported for the appointment of commis- sioners to remove the capital from Albany. Bills to in- corporate the Central Rallroad Company of New York relative to the clerks of Kings county; amending the charter of the New York Medical College; for a horse railroad from Hunter’s Point to Calvary Cemetery; au- thorizing the Yonkers and New York Railroad Company to extend their tracks from Kingsbridge to Fifty-ninth street, and incorporating the Long Island Savings Bank wore noticed. Bills were introduced to amend the act relative tothe savings banks in New York and Kings county; incorporating the Bay View and New York Ferry Company; amending tho charter of Brooklyn; to regu- late convict labor; incorporating the Long Island Savings Bank; also incorporating the Ellsworth Social Club of Brooklyn. MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. In a communication of the 2d inst. to General Hinks, Acting Avsi#tant Provost Marshal General in this city, Provost Marshal General Fry gives bis oxplanation of the manner in which our quota under the President's last cali for troops has been increased, He throws the blame from his own shoulders on to those of Supervisor Blunt, whom he chargea with making incorrect statements and misrepresenting affairs to the people of the city. He intimates that frauds have been practisod by some per- son, but that he himself is not the man, and says that our citizens have been misled as to the actual number of men which they are required to furnish. General Fry, how- ever, in closing, confirms the statemont published in yesterday's Hxuauo by announcing that, until furthor orders, the President has directed thatra dedyction of twenty-five por cent on the quota of each Congressional district in this State be allowed. Our city quota, there- foro, will be in the noighborbood of sixteen thousand. The Street Commissioner has been notified by the Man- vattan Gas Company that unless their demand of fifty- ‘aree dollars per yoar for each street lamp is complied vith they will on Monday next cease to supply the city vrith gas. A diagram of Savannah is published in this morning’s limnatp, It shows the plan of the city and tho portion ‘burned over by the two recent disastrous fires, graphi- cally desoribed in our editions of yesterday and the day Difore, It will prove interosting to persons familiar with tho localitios, A ‘The akating stil! continues, notwithstanding there has ‘been considerable moderation in the temperature of the at:nosphere during tho past few days, The lovers of the sport have now bad avery extended season for the enjoy- meat of their favorite amusemement, The ice on some of the ponds was not in as good condition yeeter lay as on the previous days, it having becom siderably cut up; but still there were tho usual crow attendance, Yesterday about noon, om some porsons entering the apartments of a family named Van Buren, consisting of wix persons, residing at 228 Washington streot, Brooklyn, they found the rooms filled with gas and all the inmates lying insensible and ajmost lifeless from suffocation. One, an infant, soon after expired. None of the others had died ap to last evening; but it was thought that the father of the family, Mr. Van Buren, could not recover. It whs hoped that the other four mombers might. It ap+ pears that on retiring to bed the previous evening the family had left the gas flowing from ao unlighted burner. Tho Committees on Health of the Legislature at Albany held a moeting on Wednesday evening to hear the state-~ ments of diftinguished physicians regarding the now provalont diseases of smallpox and typhus fever. The evidence of these gontiemen indicated that these drend- ful pestilences have assumed an established form in this olty, and are spreading in the intorior of the Siate with great rapidity. Mr. Charles M. Walker, Fifth Auditor of the Treasury, was married in Washington on Thursday evening to Miss Claire Albrecht, the ward of Chief Justice Chase, who performed tho part in the interesting ceremony of ‘giv. ing away the bride.” The wedding was of course what is termed a very fashionable ono. A man namod James Devlin, alleged to be a notorious bounty jumper, was yesterday shot to death on Govor- pow—hare followed his example, and are awaiting re- | nor’s Island for the grime of desertion from the army. ‘The Missouri State Convention has been for the past two days principally occupied in discussing « proposition to strike out the words “white male’ in the constitu- tional section defining the qualifications for Governor. A resoiution directing their Judiciary Committee to inquire into the expediency of celling another convention has been adopted almost unanimously in the Senate of the Mis- souri Legislature, on the ground that the present one 1s wasting its time in fruitless debate, Thomas J. Hand, of Port Huron, Michigan, was yester- day committed to jail by one of our police magistrates, fn default of ten thousand dollars bail, om charge of false pretences, preferred by a Cortlandt street mer- chant, who alleges that Hand, in August last, on the representation that he was a man of means, purchased from him five thousand dollars worth of goods, which bave not yet been paid for. Some of the European troops Maximilian ts importjog into Mexico are of a very loose and demoralized charac- tor, From a detachment of six hundred of his Belgian legion who were recently shipped from Europe s num- Der deserted at West Indian ports, and the most of the remainder appeared to be destitute of discipline, many of them having to be put under arrest for disrespect to their officers, The beof and pork packing season for 1864-5 has vir- tually closed at Chicago, the great packing mart of the West. 750,147 hogs and 92,459 beef cattle have been packod—showing a decrease of 154,512 hogs, and an {n- crease of 22,373 cattle, compared with the busineas of last sBcason. The Chief Engineer of the Buffalo Fire Department gives it as tho result of his experience at the recent ex- tonsive fire in that city, that it is not good policy to try to stop the flames by blowing up buildings, This experi- ment resulted in weakening the building which had been mined and setting it on fire. Tho stock market was firm yesterday, and quotations advanced. Governments were steady. Gold opened at 206 and closed at 20844. On ’Change the flour market yesterday was quiet, but prices wore without material change. Wheat was in Imited demand but steady. The corn market was very firm, but only a moderate business was transacted. Oats were moro active and higher. The pork market opened active and firm, but closed dull and heavy. Beef was unchanged, while lard was firmer, with rather more doing. Whiskey ruled dull and heavy, while froights Continue quict at provious rates, Jeff, Davis and His Peace Commission— A Deep Game of Diplomacy. The. departuro of President Lincoln from Washington to join the Secretary of Siate ina conference with the three distinguished rebel peace commissioners awaiting their arrival at Fortress Monroe is the great event of the day. The movement, at this time, is well calculated to inspire strong hopes of peace; from the des- perate situation in which the army of General Lee is now placed; from the increasing demor- alizations, dissensions and divisions among the rebel rulers and their disheartened followers; from the utterly hopeless condition of their worthless paper money system; from the inevi- table extinction of slavery, and from their relinquishment of all hopes of foreign inter- vention. And yet we are apprehensive that at this impending or pending peace conference the chasm between submission and recognition will still be found too wide to be bridged over without some further assistance from the pon- toon builders accompanying the armies of Grant and Sherman. The mountain is in labor again; but the immediate result, we suspect, will be the old story of a ridiculous little mouse. -We have but little faith in the honesty of Jeff. Davis in this peace business. As a con- cession to the bold and threatening peace party which has sprung up in his mutinous Congress, ho has been constrained to try the experiment of @ peace embassy. From the same pressure he has been compelled to appoint on this em- bassy men of established character, weight and influence. But we cannot believe that he has clothed them with any discretion except upon the basis of Southern independence. On the other hand we suspect that he contemplates and expects nothing more from his peace com- missioners than some pettifogging diplomatic advantage which may be construed into e re- cognition of his government, or some con- venient quibble which may serve as an excuse for fighting to “the last ditch.’ The Richmond journals confess that in the Niagara Falls peace conference, and in those of Kirke and Jacqass, and old Mr. Blair, with the rebel chief at Rich- mond, the “low cunning of Lincoln” was too much for the diplomacy of Davis, and that con- sequently Jeff. has failed to remove from his shoulders the burden of the war and the burden ot slavery. Davis, therefore, in this new peace embassy is: simply endeavoring to turn the tables upon Lincoln, as the great obstacle in the way of peace. Let us suppose that those three rebel peace commissioners—Messrs. Stephens, Hunter and Campbell—are brought face to face with Presi- dent Lincoln and his Secretary of State. What follows? Mr. Lincoln is informed by these gentlemen from Richmond that they came on a mission of peace, and they present their credentials, He reads, and finds these ambas- sadors sufficiently qualified, formally or inform- ally, to proceed to business. He inquires what terma have they to propose? They answer that they are prepared for an armistice or for a treaty of peace on the basis of the recognition of a Southern confederacy, and that upon a pinch they will not be particular as to its boundaries, in accordance with the principle that half a loaf is better than nothing. “Old Abe,” compre- hending the point of the joke, says, “Gentlemen, heretofore the great difficulty in the way of your restoration to the Union has been your institu- tion of slavery. As the cause of the war, I have considered its abolition as an indispensable condition precedent to your restoration. Con- gress, however, having provided a constitu- tional amendment which covers the ground, I am willing to receive the States you represent back into the Union, just as you are, upon the basis of a universal amnesty. The war on our part is for the Union, nothing less, but nothing more.” The rebel Vice President Stephens replies that as the Confederate States government has no power to treat for its own abdication, it could grant no such authority to its ambassadors. “Your ultimatum, then,” says Mr. Lincoln, “is Southern independence—mine is submission;” and 20 the conference is brought to. an end, and the deadlock of these peace commissioners is turned over again for a solu- tion to General Grant and his peacemakers. This, we are inclined to think, will be the gum and substance of this peace conference. ‘We know the idea is entertained in official cir- cles at Washington that the constitutional amendment just submitted to the States from Congress, in removing the difficulty of Southern slavery, removes the only serious difficulty to peace and rounion, We know, however, that Jeff. Davis is prepared to sacrifice not only slavery, but the Southern-States themselves if he can, to European vassalage, and is even ready to “die in the last ditch,” or ‘to “asso ciate with hyenas, rather than reunite with the hated Yankees.” There is no amnesty which, with tho restoration of the Union, will avail Jeff. Davis, He must have his confederagy or . leave the South. Hence we regard this pease commission of his as nothing better than a trick’ to quiet the peace faction at Richmond, and to gain some quibbling advantage over Lincoln, in view ofa vigorous effort from the Southern people for the spring campaign. Before we can have peace, Davis must be expelled from Richmond, either by General Grant or by the hostile anti-Davis factions in his political household. Let this be done, and the last im- pediment to peace will be removed. Mean- time, ifby these peace conferences Davis can conciliate the hostile factions in his own camp in favor of another desperate campaign, he will accomplish his present purposes. Such are our impressions concerning this new and imposing peace conference. We class it with that flag of truce sent from Santa Anna to Old Rough and Ready in the midst of the battle of Buena Vista. We consider it a trick to gain time. We shall, however, be none the less gratified if this great peace conference shall open the door to peace, although we fear that it will end in smoke. The Removal of the State Capital—New York the Only Metropolis. ‘The Legislature has appointed three commis- sioners to receive proposals from the various cities of the State in regard to the removal of the State capital to some other location than Albany. This removal appears to be an exceed- ingly popular idea, The Heraty’s statements of the claims of New York city to the position which Albany now holds have been everywhere endorsed. It only remains for our Common Council and the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund to take decided action in the matter, and present such advantages to the committee of the Legislature as New York can well afford to offer, and with which no other city in the State or the country can begin to compete. A free gift of a suitable plot of ground and a dona- tion of enough money to erect the necessary buildings ought to do the business, The legislators are getting excessively tired of Albany, and their constituents have never cared to go there. That little Dutch village lives upon the Legislature and the legislators. The inhabitants deliberately contrive to fleeco our Senators and Assemblymen out of sufficient funds during the one hundred days’ session to support themselves during the remaining two hundred and sixty-five. They lie in wait for the members, like highwaymen for their vic~ tims or tigers for their prey. For everything a legislator buys at Albany, he is obliged to pay a double price. At the boarding houses he is charged thrice the usual rates. At the hotels everybody swindles him, from the land- lord to the bootblack. The salary he receives from the State hardly pays for his cigars. If he be a man of moderate means he must either resign, run in debt or sell his votes, He escapes from the sharks of the lobby to suffer from the bloodsuckers at hisinn. He spends ail his money and gets nothing for it. The Albanians overcharge him, and then give him bad victuals and drink. All the small meannesses of a country village surround and annoy him. His pockeis empty, his stomach filled with ill- cooked food, his head aching from cidery champagne, how oan he legislate for a great State like a great statesman? But Albany not only fleeces the legislator— it also ignores him. Our correspondent—who ought to know, since he has himself suffered— assures us that there are but two private houses in Albany of any social standing to which members of the Legislature are admitted. The Knickerbocker clique—always little in numbers and in mind—shuts the doer in the face of the represen- tative of the people, and leaves him out in the cold. In the evening he has literally no where to go. ,Tbere are no theatres in Al- bany, no places of amusement except billiard rooms and bowling alleys, and the legislator is thus driven to drink and gaming for that re- lief which every thinker requires after tho fa- tigues of a hard day’s work. At home he may be a man of social position and influence; but at Albany he is condemned to be cut because he is a member of the Legislature, and mem- bers of the Legislature are “so common.” Thus shunned on the one hand and swindled on the other, it is no wonder that our State representa- tives should be anxious to remove themselves from a locality already dull enough in all con- science, but which will subside to the condi- tion of a mere railway station so soon as the bridge is built over the Hudson and the Central Railroad whirls its passengers through the de- serted village at the rate of forty miles an hour. In contrast with Albany this metropolis offers the Legislature the splendid enjoyments, refine- ments and elegancies of the best society in the country. Messrs. Munger, White and Hum- phreys, the Legislative committee, found them- selves introduced to a most magnificent hospi- tality during their recent visit here. Make New York the capital of this State, as Boston is the capital of Massachusetts, and here, asin Boston, the houses of the first citizens will be opened to the gentlemen of the Legislature. We have the opera, the theatres, concerts and amusc- ments innumerable to fill up their hours of recreation, and the addition of one hundred and sixty temporary residents to our poupulation would be so little felt that prices would not vary a single cent during their sojourn. As for the lobby, they have that now in Albany. Let them remove to this city and the lobby will of course follow; but # will not be near so large, so audacious or so corrupt. In multitudes there is safety, so far as such influences upon legislation are concerned. Then the press of New York—which is the press of the nation—would print the proceed- ings of the Legislature in full, and members would no longer be doomed to the oblivion of unread pamphlets. Onevery personal account, therefore, New York is the preferable city for the capital, and the offects of a winter passed here would be observable in higher tone throughout the whole of the State, We present the argumentum ad hominem thus forcibly and at length because wo are satisfied that our municipal authorities will make their proposals #0 attractive in all other respects as to practi- cally settle the question at once, Such a con- summation is devoutly to be wished. Tas Orry axp Tas Gas Comrantes.—It is stated that the directors ot the Manhattan Gus Company have threatened that, unless the Street Commissioner gubmite to their exorbitant terms for lighting the street lamps, they will turn off the gas after to-morrow evening. ‘This is an illustration of the manner in which this great motropolis is bullied by corporw tions, The Common Council should meet to- night, resoind the privilege which the Man- hattan Company now enjoys of laying mains in our streeta and bestow that permission upon \ some arrogant meo-German Em: The Manhattan Company ts bound by con \, The attempt on the part of the Emperor of traot to ght this “city, and that contract has | the. “*en0h to set up an empire fa Mexico, and three years to run Common Council was up that agreement and make another upon whatever terms the company pleased. Comp- his ultima te ritorial bon ‘Ddarles of the United States. Many persons erro, 2eously suppose that Louis Napo- leon, in seekh \g to convert Mexico into ® prov- ince of France —for at present it is nothing more nor less— has done so with the view of establishing his, ower on this continent priew to the recognition of the independence of the States of the Amer, ‘can Union now in rebellion against their legitin ‘ate government. Nothing could possibly be fus ther from the true objects of the invasion of Me: ‘ico. That Quixotic em terprise was undertak, ‘2 by England, France and Spain because they knew that the United States could not at the th ue interfere with thets attempt to overrun the Ii berties of a free re publican people. The rei ellion at home de manded all our efforts for i suppression, and Mexico was unable to def ‘nd herself against the concentrated naval an@ military force of three powerful European natis ‘08. The English and Spaniards, however, soon found that the beginning was not the end of tis ‘difficulty; that there were serious complications i looming up in the future, and, with more wisdea m than they generally evince, sought the first awailable pre- text to get out of the dilemma. In this way they saved their credit and threw the whole re sponsibility of the invasion and the sa\>sequent founding of the empire on the shoulders’ of the Emperor of the French. In clinging to his Mexican {dea so partsist ently—an idea which he himself declared would eventually be acknowledged to be one of the greatest of his reign—the Emperor had no design upon the welfare of the United States, Louis Napoleon knows better than any one could tell him that the nation he govorns can have nothing to gain in a war with the United States. On the contrary, the loss would be all on their side. In giving his aid to the empire in Mexico he has acted upon more practical notions. It is well known that the finances of the French empire have never been on a very satisfactory footing. All the skill and ingenuity ‘of the best French financiers have, from time to time, been exhausted to render them sound and reliable. Napoleon’s great plan—as a panacea for these evils—has always been to obiain a gold-producing country, from which large and constant supplies of the precious metals would flow into his treasury as from an unfailing source. Such a colony would be of incalcu- lable advantage to France. It would be as Cali- fornia to the United States, and as Australia te England. And where could such a region of gold, silver and pearls be found so ready te his hand asin the neighboring republic of Mexico? s The march of events in this country will, however, soon open the Emperor's eyes to the futility of persisting in any plan to hold Mexioe against the expressed will of its people. As long as the rebellion lasts there is no doubé that a shadow of empire will continue to exist there. But with the termination of the war— ® result which cannot now be delaye@ many monthe—the armies of this would at once sweep the continent clear of foreign usurpers. With s formidable foree marching on Mexico by way of the Rio Grande, and a fleet of iron-clad and wooden ships of war sealing up Vera Cruz and the other ports of the Mexican republic, the farce of an em pire would very soon be brought to a close, The government of Duke Gwin, like that o@ Sancho Panza in the island of Barrataria, would suddenly collapse, to the discomfitare of the short hived Viceroy, and all his dreams of | power and endless wealth be dissipated like » dream. Louis Napoleon, however, is too shrewd @ man to risk such an eventuality. His previous history shows lim to be more discreet. As long as there is a chance of success he will stand by the fortunes of Maximilian, but no longer. As soon as a real danger here threatens his safety at home and the security of his dynasty he will find a way to get out of the difficulty. He never yet was ata loss for an excuse where one is needed. He stopped in mid career in the Crimean war because his own interest de- manded it, and England paid the sacrifice; he closed his Italian campaign in the same way, under the walls of the famous Quadrilateraly and he will end his great Mexican dream of glory, wealth and conquest, just as suddenly, when he finds that there is real danger of a collision with the united power of this country. No danger, therefore, need be apprehended from the schemes of Napoleon in Mexico. The united republic is strong enough to gnard ite liberties, and to make republican sentiments on this continent respected throughout the world. Italian Opera—Fra Diavole. ‘The Academy last evening presented the same brillias® appearance as on the opening night. Auber's new vem sion of Fra Diavolo, as 1s was produced by Mr, Maretaait Jast season, remains fresh in memory and preserves (be fecoustomed attraction, The opera was rendered lags night with great spirit; indeed, we think s marked im provement upon all former presentations, Miss Keb logg’s Zerlina, o part which well befits her vocal capacity and charming grace of mannor, was excellent, Lott, too, exhibited more command of the music than herete- fore. He has improved by practice, end received an ag Preciative recognition of his conscientious efforte to please. The English nobleman, My Lord Alloash, « Bellini, was more natural, although more vivacious tham usual, while the admirable drolleries of Messrs, Dubremi and Weinlich, es the humor and spirit to th ‘There will be a grand t's justly favorite work, Jt the weather, be it ever #0 severe, rarely we presume the attendance no exception to the general rule, selected always commands more Thus stands the affair when tho demand double the former price under penalty of ceasing the altogether, and leaving us to darkness, burgla- ries, riots and murders, If we endure this we will endure anything. The Manhattan Company had a right to de- sire more pay, a8 other companies have done; but the proper course would have been to apply to the Common Council for relief, as the contractors for iron-clads apply*to Con- gress, and not to procure, by means well known to those famillar with city legislation, the unconditional repeal of existing contracts. Still less have they the moral right to plunge this city in darkness in order to extort money from us. We hope that the city authorities will at once devise some plan to avoid the evils which must ensue if the company executes its threats, and that the company will soon be effectually and legally broken up, as @ warning to those who attempt similar impositions upon the people. ‘The Spring Campaign—Grant and Sher=- man the Real Peacemakers. The time is near when the realities of another spring campaign will startle the country. In 1862 the campaign against Richmond began in April, and.on the 4th of that month our troops were in front of the enemy’s position at Yorktown. In 1863 Hooker moved from camp on the 26th of April, and fought at Chancel- loraville on the Ist and 2d of May. In 1864 Grant crossed the Rapidan on the 4th of May. In none of those years was there any- thing done before May—for McClellan’s first battle was in that month—and the example of those three years would seem to establish that active operations before May are not practica- ble. But in the present year the circumstances ere different, and seem to favor the probability that we shall get into active operation much earlier. Grant is already in front of the posi- tion where the enemy must necessarily fight. He is consequently not under the obligation to wait for settled weather, and a settled soil that a general is under whose operations may in- volve many marches, and whom fifty or sixty wagons mired in a road may force to a precipi- tate rotreat. Grant is not the same slave of the elements in any respect that our generals have been hitherto in the pursuit of this same object—and he may avail himself of a little spell of fair weather in March, when a general a hundred miles farther from Richmond would not dare to stir from camp, lest a sudden storm should surprise him in the midst of a manceuvre and render it impossible either to advance or retire, Grant may begin at the first of March more safely than MoClellan did at the first of April. We have every confidence that he will bogin at the earliest practical moment. And when he does begin the storm of war that will roll over the land will be more ter rible than any the country has yet seen. As this spring campaign will be the most momen- tous of all we have had, and may be the last of. the war, so it will undoubtedly see the grandest efforts on our part that we have yet made. Our armies under Grant, Sherman, Thomas and Sheridan are in the best possible condition, and are composed in a larger degree of hardened veterans than ever hitherto. All of them will no doubt be moved with one purpose against one point, and such will be their weight and volume and the effectiveness of such # united blow that it is not possible to conceive of their failure. Grant last year, with an army com- posed in great part of green men, forced Lee to Richmond, and held him still six months. Sher- man forced Johnston and Hood deliberately backward from Ringgold to Atlanta without the loss of a battle. How is it possible, then, that Graat, now with a well trained army, and Sherman, with his veterans, can, aeting to- gether, concentrated against Lee, fail to crush the power that Lee has left. It is not possible; and even the enemy’s own organs are hypo- critical and insincere when they so noisily ex- press their confidence in Lee’s success, Such developments of the projected opera- tions as have already been made are of course contraband. But the general fact is obvious that the grand feature will be an immense at- tempt against the rebel capital or against the enemy’s only remaining army, at whatever point it may be found or forced to. Sherman is now reported within forty miles of Charleston with his whole force, and can take that city as easily as he did Savannah. He will then doubt- less move for Florence, S. C., crashing through the Btate as easily as a squadron of cavalry would through a field of ripened grain. Grant, in the meantime, will have settled matters at Wilmington and Weldon, so that Lee will receive only such supplies as come by Lynchburg, from the border counties of Virginia and North Carolina, He will also, doubtless, have roin- forced the army om the James with every man that can possibly be taken from other points; and when all this is done, and Sherman is within supporting distance, the two great sol- diers of the war will launch at Lee a blow that they will not have to repeat. It will be a tremendous campaign; and the enemy have not the least confidence in their ability to resist it, Honce they are, no doubt, in earnest in their present movements towards peace. They would like to save a little of their glory. Proud as they are, and indisposed to bend, theycan yet see how much better itis to go down than to be put down. They see that the North is at last in fighting trim, and it would give them a bitter pleasure to cheat it of the final success by diplomatic dodges, They want to come into the national councils again on a better status than they would if they suffered the last defeat, They want to come boasting that their main army has never been decisively beaten. Hence they will make peace if possible. The country, however, had better rely upon Grant and Sherman as peacemakers. We will not go 80 far as to say that it would be better am matinee, ‘will form ae the opora pary favor. ROBERT ATHOW WEST. Mr. Robert Athow West died in Washingtom day last. He formerly edited the Commercial Advertiser, on There and more at gon d the Washington Chroni¢ i He wae ‘well read and had some ability as @ writer. At the time Of his death Mr, West was at the head of ' :ne bureau of military justice im Washington. The dee eased was am Englishtman, but thoroughly republicam @ 14 American tm sentiment, Arrival of the Africa o! . Boston, Bows ox, Feb. 8, 1868, The Africa arrived. at seven @eF ook, Her mails ge forward by the half-past eight P.M. train—due in New York early to-morrow morning. Ratiroad Lit! gation. Cmcaco, Feb. 8, 1968, ven for an Injunction Notice of a motion has beg, if the men now at Fortress Monroe should not | and a receiver in Kod ard of, fi J Wadsworth at agree upon a peace; but we are of opinion that en ie Chiongs A846, Morshwestera. feaiineed the country would have o more tranquil future ‘The motion ts fot; Monday next. in the event of their failure than in the event of their success; nnd we believe that the peace that Grant and Sherman would make would wear and wash great deal better than one patchod up between the wnciont politiciang of the respedsive sides, , pany: Arrivala and Departares.