The New York Herald Newspaper, October 14, 1865, Page 4

= i a - NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. OPFION N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU Br8. anny ‘TERMS cash in advance, Monoy sent by mail will bo ‘at the risk ofthe sender. Nove but bank bills current in Now York taken. THE DAILY HERALD, published every day in the year, Four cents per copy. Annual subscription price, $14. THE WEEKLY HERALD, every Saturday, at Five Annual subscription price:— Comte per copy. Postage five cents per copy for three months, Any larger number addressed to names of subscribers @E 50 cach. An extra copy will be sent to every club of tem. Twenty copies to one address, one year, $35, and any larger number at same price, An extra copy wilt be sont to clubs of twenty. Thee rates make the Weeaty Hunan the cheapest publication in the country. ‘The Evroruax Epmion, every Wednesday, at Six cents per copy, $4 per annum to any part of Great Britain, or 6 to any part of the Continent, both to include postase. ‘Tho Carsronnta Enition, on tho Ist and 16th of each month, at Six cents per copy, or $3 per annum. Avvextismaeyts, to a limited number, will be inserted inthe Wexkir Henarp, the European and California VOLUNTARY CORRESPONDENCE, containing im Portant news, solicited from any quarter of the world; if ‘used, wili be liberally paid for, ge Our Forniax Cor- (RESPONDHYIS ARB PARTICULARLY REQUESTKD TO SEAL ALT ‘LATYRWS AND PACKAGES BENT US. NO NOTICE taken of anonymous correspondence, We do not rovurn rejected commu Volame XXX. BROADWAY THEATRE. Broadway.—Sau. Matinee at Ono o'Clock, ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Fourteenth street.—Faneweit Penvouwanck Or HXKRXANN THE PRESTIMGITATEUR, HIPPOTHEATRON, F Grwnastic YaaTs—Tne Riess 284 aClock. SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS, 585 Broadway, opposite Motropolitan Hotel.—: OPIAN BINGING, DaNcina, &¢.— Youn Avwioa on Tux Tarenk. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 201 Bowery,—Sixa- ina, Dancing, Buruxsaues, &c.—foxr Pastor's New Budaur. Matinee at 24 o'Clock. UESTRIAN. AND . Matinee at nth stroet,— or DODWORTH HALL, ‘ay.—BLino Tom’s Piano Cononurs. Matinee ut 1) VANNUCHI'S MUSEUM, 600 Broadway.—Moving Wax Fiaunes oF Pusat Lixcoun. Juge, Davis, &c. TOMY, 618 Broadway.— NEW YORK MUSEUM OF Open from 10 A. M. till 10 P.M. tober 14, 1865. New York, Saturday, Oc NEWSPAPER CIRCULATION. Receipts of Saics of the New York Daily Newspapers. OrrictaL. Year Ending Name of Paper. May 1, 1865, FIBRAbn. . 2... cece ree eeees sepaesacnees $1,095,000 ‘Times... 368,150 252,000 169,427 100,000 151,079 90,548 New Yous Henato....... ‘Times, Tribune, World and Sun combined.. 871,229 TO MAGONS, IRON, MARBLE AND DORCHESTER STONE WORKERS. Propoaals will be reecived until October 26 for a Fire- Proof Wuitding, to be erected for the New Yore Hrnaup Eerincimment, on Broadway, Park row and Ann street. Plans and specifications may be seen and examined at the office of JOUN KELLUM, Architeot, No, 170 Broadway T HE NEWS. TRIAL OF WIRZ. ° Ronjamia F. Lilley, of Pennsylvania, who testified for the defence, was the principal witness examined before the Wirz Military Commission yesterday. He was trona- forred from the stockade to Wirz's office, where he acted esa clork, Ho had never known Wirz to shoot or beat mon 4o that they died, though he was cross and exc'teble, Dut know of his condemning as undt for use provi-ions pont to tho prison, and threatening to have the senders court martialed. This witness made some statcmonts regurding the heartless and cruel conduct of the rebet Burgoons, and tostified to the vaccine matior being im- pure. He had scen men die in the prison pen for want of food, aad the majority were: suffering from the same cause. He had seen one of the doctors strike men in the face with Iris heavy pistol merety for tatking to the guards, and another steal the buttons off the clothes of asick prisoner. Numerous instances ven of tue brutality of the man Duncan, one of the prison guards, ‘whom tho defence introduced some days ago as a wit- ness, Bad who wag locked up by order of the court on cargo of inhumanly treating and killing prisoners. Dun- can appears to have been a kind of adviser of Wirz, and suggested to the latter different forms of punishment and torture for the national soldiers, Bucking and the ball and chain were Du 8 prescriptions for mea who spoke in favor of President Lincoln, ¥. W. Hille, who was also a prisoner at Andersonville, ‘was produced by the prosecution to impeach the evidence of Reynolds, alias Ross, alias Fechnor, who testified for tho defence on the 4th and Sth inst, and told the won- dortul stories about the business activity in the stockade. Mr. Hillo said that Fechnor was a gambler and satler in the prison, was known by all as a mean that he would cheat wis comrades out of all they hod, end that he refused food to dying men because they had not money to pay for it There are indications that the trial is drawing to « Clos, both the prosecution and defence intimating on lay that they had only afew more w “eto | MISCELLANEOUS. | ‘The committee appointed by the South Caroling Con | vontiow to intercede for Executive clemency in bebaif of | Jefferson Davis and other leading rebels yesterday had an extended interview with President Johnson, ond an important and interesting Conversation took place. Tho President was very frank, plain and straight- forward in bie remarks, He assured them that no disposition for persecution or thirst for blood ex. tated on the part of the government, but said that if trensow was committed there ought to be some text to dotermine the power of the government to vindica‘e fiself and to panish the crime, even if pardon were inter posed afterwarts. In the pardoning business, he said, asin many other human affairs, there can be no fixed rule. Discrimination must be exercised, and the matter must be proceeded with gradually and according as circumstances will authorize. The members of the Golegation said that the peopie of their State bad ac- copted in good faith the results of the war, that the con- vention had emancipated the negroes, and that they felt sare proper laws for their protection would be passed, but expressed great fears of the freedmen becom. fog vagrants. The President thought that there was not 90 much danger of this os they ap- Prehended if the colored man was allowed the privi- Jogos of the civil courts, and if laws were passed afford. dng bin the same protection of person and vroverty as ; shares in national banks are taxable by State authority, NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, OUTOBER 14, 186% was secured to the whites The South Carolinians Sx-) the utmost confidence im the President “and promise of’ change inthe of Jef. Davis. Secretary of the Treasury McCulloch, in a speeoh on naiiopal | aw, which he delivered at Fort Wayne, In- diana, on Tast Wednosgay, said that, wnile he regarded an exclusively metallic currency as an impracticable thing, he looked upon an trredeemable paper currency ag au evil which, though circumstances may render it meces- sary for a time, should never be permanently adhered to a8 a matter of policy. Our prosent inconvertible cur- rency, he said, which was a necessity of the war, now that peace has been restored, should be brought up to the specie standard as soon as practicable, and he aw no way of doing this but by withdrawing @ portion of it from circulation. He regards the extreme high prices ‘Row prevailing a8 indicative of an unhealthy condition of the business of the country, and believes that unless Congress, at the next session, shall authorize the funding of the legal tender notes, we shall ultimately be visited by widespread bankruptcy. ‘The majority of General Hartranft, republican candi- date for Auditor General of Pennsylvania at the election held in that State on Tuesday last, is now estimated at twenty-three thousand. We have some additional returns of the election for members of Congress and the Legislature in Virginia on ‘Thursday; but they are rather fragmentary and indefi- nite. The constitutional amendment removing the disa- bility to hold office from prominent rebels has been adopted almost unanimously. The North Carolina Convention has, among its other labors, redistricted the State for Congressional represen- tative, There are seven districts altogether, and, as they now stand, our Ra'eigh correspondence puts down the First, Third, Fourth and Fifth ag sure to elect una- dulterated Union representatives, and the Sixth and Seventh as a little doubtful, though the Unionists are confident of being able to carry them. The Second dis- trict is sald to be strongly secession. It is believed that an uncompromisingly Union Legislature will be elected. Alexander H. Stephens and John H. Reagan, rebel ox- Vico President and ex-Postmaster General, two of the five prominent rebels who were liberated on parole by the President's proclamation of Wednesday last, were released from Fort Warren, Boston harbor, on the follow- ing day, and immediately aiter left for their respective States—Georgia and Texas—within the limits of which they are fur the present to remain, subject to any official calls which may be made upoa them. Governor Fenton transmitted his decision yesterday to the city officials in regard to the charges on which a hearing was had before him. The allegations as to the street cleaning contract are dismissed, and counsel will be heard on the remaining charges on the 19th inst. The Court of Appeals of this State has decided that although the capital is invested in. government bonds. The question will now go to the Supreme Court of the United States for final decision. Internal Revenue Assessors from New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and probably Ohio will meet in cohvention at Albany, October 24, to present their views of the working of the Internal Revenue law, with the express purpose of recommending such alter. ations to Congress as wilt simplify its workings and Tender its burthens more equal. Recorder Hoffman sentenced a number of prisoners yesterday in the Court of General Seasions. Thomas Howe, a sailor, who pleaded guilty to an assault with o dangerous weapon, was sent to the State Prison for three years, his Honor remarking that, although the prisoner was intoxicated at the time, it was necessary that men who used knives on unoffending citizens should be pun- ished with severity, Charles Johnson’ and Edward Green, who were convicted of stealing @ quantity of boots and shoes from the store of Charles Schnarr, were each sent to the Sing Sing Prison for three years. Two witnesses were produced by these fellows to. show that they pur: chased the boots from a man walking along Broad- way; but the testimony for the prosecution showed the statement to be a fabrication. Samuel Har- ris, guilty of an attempt at grand larceny, was sent to the state Prison for two years and six months, and Thomas Murray, who pleaded guilty to burglary, was punished in like manner. Wm. Conway, jointly in- dicted with the latter, was sent to tho Penitentiary for two years. Wm. W. McCarmann, convicted of embez- aling thirty-seven dollars from Adams’ Express Company, was sent to the State Prison for one year. Catharine Concannon, the domostic who was found guilty of steal. ing diamorid earrings and other jewelry, was sentencod to one year’s imprisonment in the Penitentiary, Wm. Jones, guilty of an attem.pt at larceny, was sent to Black- woll’s Island for threo months. John Wilson pleaded guilty to an attompt at burglary, and was sent to tho State Prison for two years and six months. James Mun- son and James Neleon, who burglariously entered the honse of James Marriner, in Forty-ffth stroet, while the family were out of town, ploaded guilty to burglary in the third degree, and were remanded for sentence. Cecilia Austin, who was charged with stealing a valuable gold watch from Alexander Platt, in a house in Greene street, was acquitted. The examination of witnesses in the Harria divorce case, at New London, Connecticut, closed yesterday, and the summing up by the lawyers was to have bogun yoa- terday afternoon Mrs. Harris, Mr. Harris and tho family physician were examined, but nothing now was elicited. Mr. Harris explained the @ircumstance of throwing water on his wife and child by saying he was in the habit of doing 80 “for fun.” ‘The case resulting from recent difficulties between A. T. Aelmbold, of Broadway, and the managers of the American Institute Fair was expected to have been tried yesterday before Judge Smith, at the Jefferson Market Police @ourt, but was dismissed by consent, the partics having come to a satisfactory and friendly arrangement, Fourteen wills have been admitted to probate in the Surrogate’s Court during the present week, including thet of James A. Suydam, in which deceased bequeathed fifty thousand doliars and. all his pictures to the New York Academy of Design. The wil] of the late Captain Percival Drayton, of the navy, has also been admitted to probate. The Inman fine steamship City of Washington, Cap- tain Brooks, will sail to-day at twelve M. for Queenstown and Liverpool, from pier 44 North river. The mnils will closo at the Post Office at haif-past ten A. M. ‘The United States mail steamship RR. Cuter, Cap- tain Pollard, of the Cromwell line, wilt sail at three P. M. to-day for New Orleans direct, from pier No. 9 North river, The mails will close at the Post Office at balf-past one P. M. ‘The yachts Henrietta, of the New York Yacht Cinb, and the Palmer of Philadelphia, will compete on Mon day next ina race from Sandy Hook around the !eia- ware capes, A number of the vessels of the New York Yacht Squadron will be present to witness the start, and it is expected that some of them will accompany the contestants, At a recent meeting of the New York Yacht Club Rear Admiral C. H. Davis, of the navy, was elected an honorary momber. . At the meeting of the Fire Commissioners yesterday two new steam fire engine companies were organized, to be known as Nos, 12 and 25, the former to be located in the house of volunteer Engine Company No. 13, in Wil- Kiam street, and the latter in the house of volunteer En- gine Company No, 26, at 148 East Fifth street, Full appointments for both organizations were made. The officers and members of volunteer Engine Company No. 43 tendered their revignation in a body, and the matter was referred to the Committees on Appointments and Discipline, The officers and members of volunteer En- gine Company No, 13 were relieved from duty, Other inatiers of minor importance were acted upon, after which the Board adjourned till Monday. The grand firemen’s parade will take placo in Phila- delphia on next Monday, and visiting companies will be presen m various parts of the country. Some of the firemen of this city who design participating in the demonstration will take their departure to-day, and others will leave to-morrow. Carl Mills, a young German diamond setter, wag yester- day arrested charged with having stolen from different persons a number of diamonds and pearis, He confessed to the theft of two of the diamonds, one of which, valued at one hundred and fourteen dollars, he said he sold to Marcus Jacobs, of 459 Pearl street, for twenty-five dollars, and the other, valued at one hundred dollars, he said he sold to Louis Balenverg, of 168 Canal street, for twenty dollars. Mills was committed to the Tombe, and Jacobs and Balenberg were detained for examination on charges of receiving stolen goods. Three diamonds and thirty-six pearls alleged to have been stolem by Mills have been recovered. The Episcopal Convention in Philadelphia was princl- pally engaged yesterday with suggestions and discus- sions regarding proposed alterations and amendments of the prayerbook and bymabook of the Church. A meoting was held by the Fenians tast evening in the hall of St. Lawrence Circle, in Forty-second street, at which sveeches wore grado Ye the Stele Centro aad , ph baanleapes fied Thursaay" font witnout any; AO iggondiary” fre™in” Botfast, ‘Walne, on night, destroyed over Gné hundred houses, entailing a loss estimated at over half a million dollars. Another sale of government cotton took place yester- day at 111 Broadway, at whiob twelve hundred bales of sea islands, Georgia and Now Orleans kinds were dis- posed of, at an advance in prices on the last previous sale, Best quality of sea islands brought one dollar and sixty-five cents per pound, good middling Georgia sixty- six cents, and good middling Orleans sixty-five cents. A genuine volcano has been addod to the other institu. tions and wonders of our great Pacific States. A San Francisco despatch says that Mount Hood, Oregon, has beon in a state of eruption since the 23d of last month. ‘The stock market was heavy and unsettled yesterday morning, but buoyant in the afternoon. Governments were firm. Gold closed steady at 144%. ‘The depresaion in gold extended to most kinds of mer- chandise yesterday, and the markets were generally heavy, and prices were either lower or tended downward. Imported goods were generally quiet. Domestic produce was irregular. Cotten was vory quiet. Groceries were steady. Petroleum was dull and lower. On ‘Change flour was active and higher for all brands. Wheat was firm, with a fair demand. Corn was depressed by heavy receipts and lower. Rye, oats, barley and malt were without material change. Pork was irregular and decid- edly lower. Lard was firmer. Othor descriptions were without noticeable alteration Whiskey was steady. Seorctary MecCulloch’s Speech on the Financial Condition ef the Country. The Secretary of the Treasury, Mr, McCul- loch, made a speech at Fort Wayne, Indiana, on Wednesday, on the subject of the national finances. He took the ground that the present currency, which he terms inconvertible, was a necessity of the war; and that now the war is over, and the government having no necessity to be a borrower, “this currency ought to be brought up to a specie standard; and he saw no way of doing it but by withdrawing a por- tion of it from cigculation.” He said “he had no faith in a prosperity which was the effect of @ depreciated currency, nor could he see any safe way to tread but that which leads to spe- cie payment.” : This is en important declaration coming from the Finance Minister of our government. He avows himself in favor of contraction of the currency on the ground that we are in an un- healthy condition—living under a fictitious prosperity. The Secretary does not prove this—he merely asserts it. He does not seem to take into consideration the extraordinary developments in the country within the last fonr years, and the greater demand for money to carry on its business. Nor does he appear to reflect upon the capacity of the country to advance rapidly to sucha degreo of prosperous trade as will require:all the present amount of currency. Our present financial condition, and what effect it is going to produce upon all our indus- trial pursuits, commerce and the value of every- thing, is a question every one is ready to ask. Its importance is not to be overrated, and the time has come when the subject begins to press upon our attention and will require an early consideration. Gold and currency to-day bear the relative value of one hundred to. one hundred and forty-five, or about that. While the war lasted, and particularly near the close of lt, when great events were hanging in a balance, the value fluctuated greatly. This was the natural consequence of the feverish state of the public mind, which hope and fear and the uncertainty of events produced. As soon as the war was closed and hope was in the ascendant the currency became appreciated, till the difference between it and gold was much less than at present. Many, who did not understand the laws governing the value of paper money relatively to that of the precious metals, believed we were going to return within @ short period to specie payments. The extraordinary decline of gold or appreciation of the currency at that time was.as much the result of an unhealthy excitement as the great rise of gold or depreciation of the currency had been under a different state of things. Those who were ignorant of the subject, therefore, were much disappointed when a reaction took place and gold went up again to “forty- five.” “How is it,” they ask, “that gold went up when we supposed it would go down?-—when the vestiges of war are being cleared away, the army is being disbanded, the expenditures of the gov- ernment are being rapidly and greatly reduced, and the restoration of harmony sad prosperity are progressing 60 hopefully?” The answer is a plain one. The redundancy of currency or paper money ts the cause of its depreciation. It ig the same with everything else, Cotton, provisions and manufactures, all things, arc re- duced in value in proportion to their abundance. The precious motals are the standard of value, and are admitted to be so throughout the world. Wheu the war compelled the government from necessity to increase the volume of paper money the relative value of that money and gold was disturbed. 16 the extent of the dis- proportion created we anticipated the future productions of the country and the healthful wants of commerce. Hence, now the excite- tient of the war is over, and the country is re- turning to iis normal condition of trade, gold and the currency are settling down to their relative value, irrespective of extraneous causes. Whether ihe relation they hold to each other to-day is the true one, or that there must be a greater or less disproportion, we are not able tosay. We think, however, it will not settle down to @ greater ifour finances be managed judiciously. The inflation and fluctuations of the currency have disturbed the original value of everything. Real estate and property of all kinds have risen, and in many cases to a much greater de- gree than the rise of gold. It takes much longer to bring these things back than paper money to the correct standard ; still, they will follow in time the same absolute law of relative values. Ifgold and paper money should settle down to the proportion of one hundred to one hundred and forty-five, real estate or other property cannot remain at two hundred. It will assimilate to the proportion. ate value of the currency. Taking these facts as irreversible, what ought to be the action of government in order to avoid a financial crisis, and to keep the country moving on smoothly and prosperously in all its channels of trade? Certainly not to expand the currency still more; no, not even for any temporary relief, should there appear to be a pressure requiring it; for that would only increase the evil and add to our embar- rasements, Expansion would make a few tich, but would become a great evil, in the end, to the mass of the community. Shall we contract the currency? Shall we re- duce the volume of paper money, in order to return more speedily to specie payments? This is the real, vital question of the dav, ‘nd itis ate to handle it, Members of Congress gene- rally know little about the matter. We hope they will endeavor to raise themselves to the height of the subject. The effect of contraction must be disastrous, Nobody but the fund- holders or bondholders would be benefited. The wealth of every one, all contracts, debts and obligations of every kind are based on the currency. It is easy te see, then, how the con- traction of it would reduce the means of all. Universal bankruptcy, suspension of intinstrial pursuils and general suffering would be the consequence. The resources of the country would be diminished and the government em- barrassed to meet its expenses and interest on the debt. In fact, the effort to return to apevie payments by contraction would defeat the object in view, and, by throwing us into finan cial and political convulsions, prolong the period for doing so. While the condition, resources and history of this country make our situation an excep- tional one in many respects, we are subject to the same general laws that other nations have been, and we may learm from them. The attempt to do this in France, under the influence of the fundhelders, after the revolutionary government had Sooded the country with assignats and mandates, ereated the greatest suffering. The same result followed a similar effort in England after her long and exhausting wars with Napoleon. And though our'resources are much greater than those of either France or England, we should not escape like consequences, In our case, certainly, the only way to get out of the difficulty is by letting the currency alone. Neither expand nor contract it. Time will work the cure, The amount of paper money in circulation to-day is not more than will be needed ten or fifteen years hence. Our popula- tion will be fifiy to sixty millions, our wealth doubled, our trade trebled, probably, and the amount of precious metals vastly increased. Every year the- currency will become gradu- ally, safely and healthfully appreciated, and at the end of fifteen years, if not before, gold and paper will be at par from natural causes and without any financial revulsion. This is the plan we propose; and we call upon the President and statesmen of the country to adopt it. Let us have no tinkering with such a delicate and important matter, but let its solution be left to the operation of nataral causes. Mr. Johnson, in his able: and statesmanlike course, is adjusting the political difficulties arising out of the war. The Southern States, under his wise rule, are working out their re- demption. Every one of thom, as. the Presi- dent said in a letter to a gentleman inthis city, will be ready to take its place in the council of the nation next December. The Congres- sional delegations of all will be in Washington prepared to take their seats, eo well is the work of restoration progressing.. We: lave no fear with regard to our political’ situation. Let the eame wisdom be exercised about our financial condition and all will be well... New York— The Politic paign General Apathy. The political campaign in reference: to aur November State election drags heavily.. The people seem to take no interest in it, Perbaps they think that as both parties. stand upom the same. platform it is all the same whether the election goes one way or the other; and per-' haps, in the grand game.of money making, they have more important fish tofry.. In any event, although we have a plentiful supply of fighting generals on both State tickets, General Apathy seems to be master of the situation. It was supposed among the democrats that the opening campaign speech of Jotun Van Buren would kindle up quite-a lively excitement throughout the State; but John has made his apeech, and it has passed away 6.8 nine days’ wonder. On the other side, it was doubtless supposed that the appearance on the stump along the Hudson of the radical Senator Wil- son, from Massachusetts, would stir up an active rattling among the dry bones; but Sen- ator Wilson has come, and has opened bis budget, and there bas been no pepular sensa- tion. Where Wilson is to-day, or where he may be to-morrow, appears to be a matter of no con- sequence, Tt was thought that the October elections in Pennsylvania and Obie would pro- bably wake up the people of New. York to the clamors of the politicians ; bat those elections have passed over, like a sluggish -breeze over the Great Salt Lake, without raising a ripple upon the surface of the heavy waters. We have never known « State canvass in New York in which the people have shown so little interest, or so much indifference, as in this. They bave sometimes at @ race course a con- test of mules or donkeys in which the effort among the contestants is to come in Inst. Among the rank and file of each party in this State there is a considerable faction working for a similar result-—the Greeley radical faction on the republican side and the Ben Wood cop- perhead faction on the democratic side. The result in November will thus most prohably be determined against the republicans by their disaffected radicals, or against the democrats by their disgusted copperheads. Greeley fol- lows Raymond with provisos and protests, and Seymour subscribes to the Haskin platform to keep up appearances. Such are the drawbacks on both sides, and it only remains to be seen on which side they control the balance of power. Upon the heavy popular vote of this State of 730,000 on the last Presidential election, Presi- dent Lincoln’s majority, in round numbers, was 7,000—a close contest upon so large a vote, According to the average falling off in the late State elections elsewhere we may have in our November elections a deficit of at least a hun- dred thousand on the popular vote. With equal losses the two parties will stand as they stood last November. The issue, then, resis with General Apathy, and that party will be defeated over which his influence is most powerful. The odds against General Apathy appear to be in favor of the republicans and the “cohesive power of the public plunder;” but, on the other hand, while the republicans have become fat upon the spoils, and portly and lazy, the demo- crate, from their long fast, have become lean and hungry, which is the best condition for ‘ cient Board of Fire Commissioners, and ap- point a new board.of practical, energetic and active men, The wigter is epproaching; end the city will bein constant danger of confla- gration. High winds and frozen hydrants will be even less perilous thaw inexperienced, un- organized and incompetent firemen. When the Museum fire occurred the entire block would have been utterly consumed hed it not been for the forty men of the Hgnato Fire Depart- ment, who knew just what to do, did it and saved the buildings. Had that fire’ broken out on a cold winter's night, with a nor’wester blowing, the present Fire Commissioners and their disorganized department, ignorant how to deal with the conflagration and waiting for somebody to direct them, could not have pre- served: the lower part of the city from destruc- tion. We should be subjected to no such risks again. bet Governor Vemton give us proper Fire Commissioners. Sports and Sporting fa America. , We have just chronicled the fastest trotting, ‘time on record. It was aveomplished by # horse named Dexter, of the cefebrated Hamble- nian stock, on Fashion Course, Long Island, a mile being trotted ‘in two-minutes and eighteen and one-fifth seconds. A: fiftl of a second is cutting time pretty closely, and it is difficult to imagine’ how it cam be com- puted. This extraordinary feat has created quite » sensation in'sporting circles. It recalls to the memory of old’ sportsmen: the days of Eclipse and Sir Henry; Fashion; Joba Bascomb, Post Boy and: Boston, among’ theold racers, and the later triumphs of Dutchman, Lady Suffolk, Flora Temple, Ethan Allen, George M. Patchen and many others well known to fame, among the trotters. We are glad'tornotice this healthful revival in'American turf sports, and are pleased to see that it is: not alone confined to trotting, but that racing in-its most approved and exciting form is becoming a fashionable and popular entertainment. The-races at Pat- erson, New Jersey, under the patronage of the Passaic County Agricultural Society, are notice- able from the number and’ respectable charac- ter of the spectators. As many as‘twenty thou- sand people have witnessed some of the racing matches on this course, and «mong the member were many ladies. Whole families, including fathers and mothers, wives and daughters,sons and brothers, were to be seen, in carriages or on foot, in attendance upon these Paterson races. Racing is one of the native sports. of America. Whatever may be said of the racing temper of the English, we think the Americans are in ad- ‘vance of them in the earnestness with which they enter into and the relish with which they en- joy the sport. We are not 60 perfect in our hurdle matches or steeple chases as the English; nor do we have the glitter of nobility, nor the splendor ‘and patronage of royal courts, to add brilliancy to our racing meotings. But we can challenge comparison for elegance and fashion with any other country if we take the meetings on the Saratoga course the summer just:past, or if we consider the glorious racing da ys-in-the sunny South before the war. Properly conducted, racing is an exhilarating-and ennobling amuse- ment, and the Americans are making rapid progress in the matter of surrounding-it with an air of refinement. The French, as a nation, affect the-English in pretty much all their sporting: matters. We very rarely, however, hear of anything note- worthy among tho French in-regard:to yacht- ing. No French yacht, we believe, has ever appeared in American waters, while we have had several English yachts on this side of the Atlantic. In horseracing the French heve achieved some handsome triumphs, and, as the Emperor and Empress are both: admirers and patrons of the French tarf, racing may be re- garded as one of the fashionable amusements of the French beau monde. Among the French racers of note are Gladiateur, who has won several matches against full fields of English blood stock; Fille de l’Air, winner of a two thousand guinca purse; Vermouth and some others. But we doubt whether the victorious French racer— the victor over all England—can surpass some of our American thoroughbreds. just beginning to win.a repulation upon our turf. Take the American four-year old Kentucky, or bis rela- tions—Asteroid and Norfolk—and we think we could make a safe match against the French Gladiateur or any other champion racor of the English or Freach stables. But granting that this class of horses are equal for endurance and speed in Europe and America, how far ahead of all other nations is this country as respecta trotting horses? Fast (rot- tera are comparatively unknown in either Eng- land or France, with the exception of « few speedy animals in the stud of the French Em- peror. In the United States, on the other hand, a man of opulence or style is considered of small account untess he can show a pair of fleet horses on the avenue, Blooming- dale road or the Park. The English boast of their bunts; but they have only their moors and private preserves, with poor little hares and long-tailed pheasants—not bad eat- ing, by the way—while we have the buffalo, the bear, the deer, the prairie fowl, the wild turkey and wild goose, to say nothing of our unapproachable canvas-hack ducks, all roving or flying wild over our boundless prairies or in our oyster-bedded and celery-bedded bays and inlets. We surpass the English in the sports of the chase as we shall eventually in the sports of the race. In our yachting encounters we have proved our superiority over the English in their own waters; and as yachting has been reduced to a science in this country we shall not be surprised to hear before long that the American yacht squadron have achieved further triumphs over their English rivals in some grand ocean sweepstakes. The Eng- lish also have their cricket clubs and other sports of that description. But the Americans not only imitate but excel them in this sport, and besides have another of a similar characier of their own, called the national game of base ball, in the exercise of which they are un- rivalled. We do not object to the imitation by Ameri- cans of whatever there is of merit or novelty in the sports of Europeans. But there is one thing we consider in bad taste, and that is the adoption of the English terms “St. Leger,” the “Derby,” &c., in describing ope- fighting in @ fight for the spoils. The contest in New York, therefore, may still be considered in doubt, and especially as this is the question— whether the Greeley radicals or the Wood copperheads are destined to turn the balance of power against their own party. Ovr Fe Coummstovens.—We call upon Governor Fenton to remove our orggent inefli- rations on the American turf. We ought to have originality enough among ourselves to select proper names and phrases for our sport- ing affairs, But itis a pleasure in casting a glance over our sporting calendar to find so little to reprehenid and so much to applaud in American apotts, whether of the field, the froat of the oceans en’ ‘Tee Prrvare Bavaers or Tas Merropoum.—4 In another column will be found the official; returns o% the private bankers in this city of the amount of their capital and money which: they had on daposit during the fiscal year ond-~ ing with the 3oil of last June. It will be seen, that many of these “ims do an immense business in the deposit line, some of them having from twenty to thirty-seve® millions placed under their charge, while the whole amount figures up fn the aggregate to very nearly two bondred millious of dollars. It must be borne in mind that this Js exclusive of the incorporated banks and trast companies. The yanks whieh make their weekly reports to the Clearing Howse develop on she averyge one’ hundred and seventy-five naillions om deposit’ Then there are numerous benks of issue, or national’ banks, which never hare joined’ the Clesing House Association, eackt with a long line of de- positors; several trvwst compnies with enormous sums ptaced- under 'beir care, to say nothing of the numerous banks seattered through- out the city, whieh'rec\eive on deposit sume from ten cents up to thousa'vds of dollars. We ven- tare to say that thedby,-oait column of all these, : including the private: | - aggregate be far trom: - kera, will not in the hs hundred millions or about onesixth of or vatire national debt. ‘The. bankers, undor \th® Internal Revenue Jaw, are taxed’ one twenty-fourth of one per cent on all deposits made With them, and the same amount oa ‘their capital not invested in United States sveurities,- At } this rate the pri- vate-bankers alome pay anav-enue to therxgov~ ernment on their deposits: in: tite neighborhood of eighty thousané‘dollars:. {Thus in every de- partoent fabulous sams ture uyp,.tnd the returns, show that New York is welt qntilled to be re- garded as tho finnnofal centro, in ail particulars. What raust be the ‘amdunt of eaah tal circu- lated here when we bear in prind ‘the enormous amount invested in United States, State, city, insurange, petroleum,-railroad’an@l otter securi- ties, and still have emough left \to swell the amount on deposit with private ‘bankers and the moneyed institutions to the- emormous #um. of five hundred millions: In our table of brokers’ sales yesterday there was a slight error in three of the’ firma. The amount of sales set opposite their nanies, as: will be scen by the corrections elsewhere, wasabout. eighty-four millions in excess of: the-correct figares; but even with this‘deduction the aggrey gute of brokers’ salea is about. aix. thoasand_ millions, Montcirat. Porrrics.—Thurlow Weed and Fore” nando Wood have joined hands, and/are going to run the municipal machine of thiscity.. Thim must be gratifying news to taxpayers; taxed as, they are at ‘present tothe ameunt of eighteom millions per annum.. We shal{ not be'surprised to see the amount increased to twenty-five: mile lions next year, ander the rule: of: Wood and Weed. Tammany Hall may Hang up-itefiddte, or put out a sign on the old. wigwam aflor the | following fashion:— POLO CDE NE TEENA OPES BO IOtCNO TELE tbeetbnbt | ee en, i Fo) ‘YEARS? AND OTHER RUBBISH: CHEAP FOR CASE: AEPLY TO FERNANDO: WOOD-AND THURLOW WEED. PO EDD OE OOD OLE DE LE. Mozart may nominate Wood. for Mayor, and Thurlow Weed. and his: party: support bim. They had' better nominate Jolin. Mitoltel, of some other ugpardoned rebel. But, botter than all, let Mozart nominate Blind: Tom, the pian~ ist, or some other genius. He would make a capital ram, Tae Fouty or Tax Paprisan Jovrvare—The party organs are every day making thamselvea more and more ridiculous by their silly course in the present canvass. Tho World aad News are constantly assailing General Kilpatrick, while the Tribune and its radical assseiates are attacking General Slocum. These journals would, if they could, preve that beth of those officers: are villains of the deepest dye and, vagabonds of the worst order. Here are two officers who have risked their lives io many; battlea to save their country, and were cone! nected with the same army in its glorious and! unprecedented march through the centre of the} enemy’s country, maligned by party editors who had neither the courage nor manhood to serve their country when brave men were wanted/ and kept as farout of danger at all times ae possible. Some of the number were engaged! in aiding and abetting the enemy, while others | were sharing in the spoits oC the government and were being benefited by its patronage while it'wa. protected by the bravery-and skill of such mer as Slocum and Kilpairies, ] If this does uot show the basencys.of party: journals and party editors, then we do not know what does. The Tribune ia, constantly harping about a cotton speculation in. the Weat,/ and is trymg to prove that General Stecum hadi something to do with it. Now, it bas been’ established by government inwetigations Ut. some of the members of the Tiadie Concern were dabbling in cotton and cat¥y-ing Om a clan- destine’ trade with the rebels’ watil they were shut down apon. We presume, therefore, that the whole trouble with te. philoso phers now is, that General,Sla,eum very uncere- monionsly put his foot down, jon some of their operations in the West, and.they are trying to pay Slocum off by chargingg/ that he was cn. gaged in cotton speculations, when, in reality, they themselves are guillyplol the deeds which they charge against Slocum, tis about time that these wilful attacks on gellant officers shonld cease, expecially when it is so manifest, as it is in the case of A/tpairick and Slocum, that it is done tor ray'licious purposes. The editors who stoop, to ti at style of elecdioneering injure themselves may e@ than those whom they assail. f Revocixa tum /Mnarary Forca-—Geaemt Grant is back aga nin Washingtyn, atter a visit to his native hanyo, his adopted State and his many friends in/‘all parts of the cougiry, who number about the entire Amerigan prople. No sooner did he retarn than he resumed at once the good work of/reducing the military force of the country to “s stande sd required only for the ordinary cond tion of dhe country in times of peace. This is quit’s proper, and is in keeping with the sa'zactous, policy of the President. We no longer requir an immense standing army. ‘Toe mai objec, now ts to reduce the expenses «f of the goverm ment and pay off the public debt ‘The fortific ations around Washington are also being reli syed of their garrisons, and such of them an, require to be kept will in future bo gartir yned by colored troops. This is an ox- cell gnt idea. It will give occupation to a clase 0% people, provision for whose future is one of - the knottiest points in the question of recons structioa,