The New York Herald Newspaper, January 8, 1866, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, OFFICE N. W. COBNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. TERMS cash inadvance. Money sent by mail will be atthe risk ofthe sender, None but bank bills current in New York taken. THE DAILY HERALD, published every day in the year, ‘Foor cents per copy. Annuai subscription price, $14. THE WEEKLY HERALD, every Saturday, at Five eents per copy. Annual subscription price:— + $2 Postage five cents per copy for three months, Any larger number addreased to names of subscribers $1 50 cach. Anextra copy will be sent to every club often. Twenty copies to one address, one year, $25, fand any larger number at same price, An extra copy will be seat to clubs of twenty. These rates make ‘he Waxxrr Hrraup te cheapest publication in the country. ‘The Evrorgax Bpmos, every Wednesday, at Six cents ‘per copy, $@ per annum to any part of Great Britain, or 6 to any part of the Continent, both to include postage. ‘The Cauurorsta Epmos, on the Ist and 16th of each month, at Sxx cents per copy, or $3 per annum, Apvsrtzawenrs, toa limited number, will be inserted inthe Wexxix Heratp, the European and California ditions. VOLUNTARY CORRESPONDENCE, containing im- portant news, solicited from any quarter of the world; if used, will be liberally paid for, pge OUR Forex Con. RESPONDENTS ARE PARTICULARLY REQUESTED TO BRAT. SLL LETTERS AND PACKAGES SENT US. NO NOTICE taken of anonymous corresponéence. We ACADEMY OF MUSIC +, Irving Ploce,—Batewan Con oxurs—Pane want oF M Panwa EY RATIONAL orn GYNNASTIC AND AL Bromweas, ae SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRE Broadyay, 0 ‘Metropolitan, Hoel MG, Dancts, Tur Drixg Bi 20) Bowary. —Sixc- PieNs’ Escape; oR, GEORGE CuRistY’s MINst 472. Browd- Kino COMICAL ND STREET THEATRE, corner of Grent and strecis.—Dkama, PaNroMiny aNd Batiot—Tun , Daonzann HOOLEY'S OPERA HOUSE, Brovklyn.—Ermorian Mix arnutsy—Bat.taos, Buxtusqvas and PaNtoumtes. NEW YORK MOSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway. = (Open from 18 4. ul ary sy 1866. NEW: SPAPER CIRCULATION. Receipts of ‘Sa jes of the New York Daily Newspapers. OFrriciaL. Fear Ending Name of Paper Moy 1, 1965. IN os oh dieins + dynisevieee sein cee sales $1,095,000 ‘Times. . 368,150 Tribune 252,000 Evening Post... 169,427 World 100,000 151,079 90,548 ‘New Yors Herat... Times, Tribune, World and Sun combiued., $71,920 THB NBWwS. When tie presemt cold spell of weather set in, on Fri day last, aud the mercazy in the thermometer weut down, iu this city and vicinity, to about twenty degrens above zero, the sudden change from the previow ly mild tothe sudden frigid temperature mace all think that winter had finally come upon us in earnest, and we were entirety unprepared for yesterday's and last night's almost polar severity, which was of a character not often experienced in this region. The thickest of overcoats, the heaviest of fare, cloaks, scarfs and ehawls, the stout- est of gloves and mittens, hare pot been in euch demand of 50 popalar for many a day hefure, and it seemed im possible to get on a euperabundance of clothing. On the wtrect the movements of pedestriaus were greatly accelerated, and some astonishing time wee made, white indoors the fires could not be two hot or too closely gathersd around, and the coal dealere, if nobody elar, were larly ben the congequent mmereased consumption of Tnel. Under such cireum stances, of course, the weater becomes o far more than ordinarily general ard interest,\ug topic of conversation, ‘and talking about it does not, as u."Wally, indicate # pancity of colloquial subjects. At two o’ k yoxterday after- noon the mercury stood at fourteen d.Tcre above zero, and by nine o'clock in the evening it had fallen to three degrees below zero at various points through out the city. ‘The night, however, wan cloudiess, and the a. though bitterly cold and searching, was healthful and bra ing to those who were sufficiently protected against its atta. Ss ‘The following gives the indications throughout the might Of o thermometer at the Hanato office: aremely cold weather at various points north, east, south aad west. In Bostos the mercury wan down in the morning to five degrees below zero; im Portland, Me., to ten below; at Ratland, Vi., to twenty below ; at Burling. don, Vi., to twenty-three below; at Worcester, Mans fen o'clory Inst night, ten below; at New Haven, woven below, and at jladelphie it ranged throughout the day at from eight to tem degrees above. ‘The continaaace of the frost bas placed all the ponds fe and around the metropolis in » skatable condition. ‘The tall will be ap thie morning, an@ & Ge season will kes be opened to the skating public. ‘The two houses of Congrees will reassembie in Wash. day A Geqpatch from Chitnabia, Metico, of December 2, de clty of Mexico by way of Vern Cruz, and (@oticnd ia our columns a few days ago, that Chihuahua been recceupied by imperial troops. The President appointed General Regules commander.in-chief of fepublican Army of tbe Centre, ar succemor to Gen. Arteaga, assncspated in accordance with the decree Ghuiverary of General Jackson's ric ighe rewards offered for the capture of the Washington pumtoston conspirators, and has designated the right ‘Gul claimants, whose names, it # supposed, will be given fo the public in a few days, The entire amount of smoney, which is sald to be ready for distribution, ig about three hundred thoussnd dollars. Tag esata tbroughout yg South generally make @ EE a ee a ae _ NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1866. grand holiday of New ‘3 Day. From our Charleston and Savannah correspondence it will be seen that the freedmen of South Carolina and Georgia enjoyed aa upusually lively time ou the occurrence of the first anniversary of the proclamation abolishing slavery which they have been allowed to celebrate. They had processions and barbecues at Charleston and Orangeburgy made speeches, and were addressed by General Saxton, the Fifty fourth New York Volunteers. These speeches, with the comments of the negroes and thelr replies to the imtorrogu tories of the speakers, will be found highly interesting. By correspondence which has recently passed between Governor Pierpoint, of Virginia, and one of the members of the Legislature, copies of which are furnished in our Richmond correspondence, the people of the State are informed that the collection of their taxes dub to the national government is to be proceeded with. ‘The Governor recently had a conference on the subject in Washington with the Secretary of the Trea- sury, when the latter stated that he had no power to postpone collection, though he has directed that no sales be made at present by the tax commissioners for non- payment. he Governor bopes that, in consideration of the general impoverished condition of the people, the Legislature will pass an act by which the State shall assume the payment, which course, it is thought, would be perfectly satisfactory to the national authorities, General Lee is to visit Richmond to-morrow, to solicit of the Legislature financial aid for Washington College, over which he presides. We give to-day some further particulars of the recent editorial and triangular pistol fight in the Virginia Capitol. The safes of the Adams Express Company on one of the trains between this city and New Haven, Connecticut, on Saturday night last, were robbed of money and bonds amounting in value, so far as can be ascertained, to half @ million dollars, Tho Hearn correspondent whom our readers have al- ready recently followed in his travols with so much in terest, through the medium of his letters, across Egypt, Arabia and in different portions of the Kast Indies, now sends us another instalment of the narrative of big Journey in epistics from the distant regions of Australia and Tasmania, which appear in this morning’s issue, They present an account of his experience, and much valuable information in reference to the country, the people, productions, manners, customs and general trade and commerce, A very gratifying statement regarding the pas, year's crops generally of Minnesota, but especially that of wheat, is given by our St. Paul correspondent. The wheat yield is said to be unprecedented, it averaging twenty-seven bushels to the acre, and the entire crop being estimated at twelve million bushels, which is forty-eight bushels to each inhabitant, man, woman and child, of the whole Sixie, Wheat is the principal agri- cultural production of Minnesota; but extensive crops of corn, barley, oats and potatoes are also grown, Tn accordance with « resolution adopted the Metho- dist General Conference held at Pbiladelp! in May last, all the churches of that denomination in’ New York and Brooklyn held special religious servic terday, preparatory to the celebration of the centenary of Methodism in America. Sermons appropriate to the in teresting event were fdclivered by the pastors of the respective churches, and devotional exercisos were en- gaged in by the laity, invoking the Divine blessing on the anniversary. ‘The subsequent celebrative meetings, and the great collection, which is expected to amount to Uuree millions of doliars,'will not take place till October. @ The Rev. Dr. Harris, Secretary of the Methodist Epis- copal Board of Missions, yesterday delivered a discourse in the Seventh street Methodist church, on the neces 6} increased efforts to extend missiovary operations both at home and in foreign countries. The remains of ihe late Rev. Dr viewed yesterday morning by the children of the Catholic schools of the city, some sixteen hundeed and seventy iu number, at the pastoral resideuce, aud at soon were enureyed in solemn procession to the aliurch, where they are now lying i A brief but boautifal eulogy was pronounced by ¢ y. Dr. MeGlynn, after which the congregation moved past the bier. The per- song who visited the church yesterday were computed to have passed the bier at the rate ef four thousand per hour, General Sweeny bes issued au address to the Brother. hood, in which he takes exception to the fuleo light in which he ha been placed before them in consequence of alleged incorrect reports of the fourth day’s proceedings of the Fenian Congress in this city. Ho states that after being earnestly solicited to attead, he did 80, contrary to his own wivhes, and, though pro- mised a cordial and courteous reception, was treated ina most unfair and insulting manner. Au official cireular recently sent forth by the authorities of the Chicago district Fenians to their sister circtos throngbont tho country appears in our columns to-day. It embodies an intereating history, purporting to be an account of the Quancial and genera! operations of Fenianism for six veers under Mr. O’Mahouy’s management, The case of Mr, Edward Ottis, am orchestra tansician, PFS "9ST arr eaeaernea . Cummings were ©, when the taking of evidence and hearing of counsel were concluded. ‘The testimony contained some statemeuts indicating a aovel style of conducting business. The Justice announced that he would render his decision some time during the present oners of this y five hundred i of the business of + ur 1866 shows that m ftasion Was made seme ¢ espondence to the Texas Mier expedition ° ago ar once som at whieh hae started old Texaus famous quite a controversy among some of the ideutiied with the history of the Lone Star repud. Nc, and the chronological, politicn! and military data presented by them aro so conflicting as to incline interested parties to escape from the dilemma by the conclusion that there never was any such expedition at all, We published some days ago a communication from Mr, Albert Lombard, fixing the ill-fated enterprise about the year 1835, and this morning we give the stare: ment of Mr. Edmmud Laubie, one of the participants who anys thut it did mot |e rhe un 1t—aoven 3 ears after, aed S 72 = a : ZB New Burcptves iy rae Merroro.is,—Now that ue war is over and public attention is again direvied to our local affairs, we find that the enterprise and growth of this metropolis did not slagken even in the midst of our tremendous civil conilct. In the upper part of the city dozens of blocks of new dwellings are just completed or in process of erection, and some of them are of considerable architecture} beauty. Of the publie buildings which are now being pushed rapidly forward there are some of great local importance. The new Court House ts one of these; the new French theatre is another. The new Stock Fx- change has been finished but a short time. The new Herato office will be one of the chief ornaments of the lower part of the city. Mr. A. T. Stewart is erecting a marble palace on Fifth avenue. Dr. Chapin's congregation are about to build a new church, and several other religious edifices on Park avenue sre in various stages of completion. The Harlem Railroad Company are building a new depot, which is to cover a block of | thony and the two Lanes. Basing our caloula- ground. Three new up town hotels, of | tion upon this statement, the President will colossal dimensions, are in contemplation! Down town we have Brown Brothers’ new store, the new office of the Mutual Life Insurance Company, and the new edifice for banks and offices on Nassau street, running from Pine to Cedar streets, as specimens of | the Senate, but there is one vacancy from lows, what may be called the mercantile arebitecture of New York. These new buildings are patent proofs of the growth and enterprise of the metropolie; and when we remember that the country has but just emerged from a long and exhausting civil war they seem as miraculous as Miss Rushton’s new establishment, which was transformed from « church to @ theatre | sent. It is clear,then, from the appearance of ba Abe very bricl space of cixteen days, >. Reform Measures for This City im the Legislature. It is evident from the message of Governor Fenton that he has abandoned all ideas of general reform in the government of this city. Instead of adopting or recommending measures which would lead to that result he bas ac- Colonel Korslay, Chaplain Dewey and Surgeon Root, of | cepted the plan long in vogue with the hungry politicians—such legislative action. as will provide places for an army of political favor- ites, Of this kind of reform the least we have the better it will be for our city and our tax-ridden citizens. It is popnlar with the hungry politicians who hope to obtain fat offices under it, and the Governor seems to have more regard for the wants of that class than he has for people of this city. This result is not what the public expected from the hands of the Executive of this State, after his numer- ous promises and professions of reform. It is but little consolation for our citizens to urge reformatory measures upon the Governor and Legislature, and then see the steps which they have taken in that direction made the basis for fastening an army of hungry politicians upon them with large salaries. This legislat- ing one set of officials out for the sake of pro- viding places for another set is not the reform whioh our people have asked for. The sooner these gentlemen understand that fact the bet- ter it will be for all concerned. That there are abuses in our city govern- ment, abuses of great magnitude, which call for prompt action to correct, no sensible person will deny. But it is equally apparent that we never can secure the much needed reform from the hands of Governor Fenton, if bis message presents the mode that he intends to adopt to bring it about. The duty of the Legislature in this respect is very plain and simple. It is so plain that there is hardly room for doubt on the part of the most stupid member in that body, much less for a person occupying the poatifon of Chief Magistrate of the State. It can never be accomplished by abolishing one set of officcs and establishing new bnreans in their place. The reform which we need ean be brought about in a much easier way and a great deal sooner in another form. The complications which now exist render it almost impossible for us to get atthe culpable parity. No person i pon- sible, so extensive has been ihe tinkering of our charter and municipal laws, for the benefit of the politicians, under the very policy which the Governor scems to he anxious to continue. The evils of which we now complain be remedied by the appointment of a commission, in whom shall be vested all power of removal and ap- pointment of such officers as are provided for in our city charter, who are nol elected by the people. Of this commission the Mayor should be, ex officio, the chairman. This system was in existence in the State administration prior to the adoption of the gonstitulion of 1821, and was known as “the Council of Appointment.” What we now want imthe application of this system, in an improved form, to this city, until the abuses which now exist are removed. If the Albany philosophers desire and are anxions to bring about a reform, let them pass a law providing for the appointment of five commissioners, of whom the Munyor shall and give them full power to overhaul the affairs of every department, to remove all officials who are derelict in their duties, and to appoint capable and efficient menin their places. They should have power to cut off all the sinecure places which are now so numerous. to order that the system may be made effective. the appoint- ments should be made without any reference to the Common Council. All voice or power of confirmation should be taken away from that body. This will make the commission responsible for the fuithful administration of the city government, and Jurnish a speedy remedy for any abuse which. may arise, The very best men that ean be found should be appointed to these positions, and if the clothed with the proper authority they aaceriain where the blame rests, but see what legislation will be necessn vent a repetition of the abr an ‘mmediate reform can be secured which will be practical; at the same time evi- dence can be accumulated thai will enable the Legislature to adopt such measures as will secure an efficient city government for all lime to come, This plan is tar preferable to the xys- tem of legislating one set of men out of office to give place to another. No honest oficial will be disturbed; and if there ix an officcholder who is trying bis best to administer the duties of his office honestly ang faithfully, but ix prevented by some other official, the facts necessary for the Legislature to apply the remedy will be at hand, and the evil can thas be corrected at once. The guilty person can be punished and the honest officeholder strengthened. There is no ebuse in the city government which cannot be reached in this way sooner than in any other, and with far less expense, We have in the person of Mr. Hoffman just the man for the chairman of this commission, aud it seems to us that this ig the opportune time to try the experiment. This Is the only commission that thie city asks for or requires from the hands of the Legislature. Any other will tucrease, fnetead ot relieving, our present difficulties. With the adoption of this simple mode and the appoinément of the Executive Council of five an immediate remedy can be applied which will be pradtical and secure the reform so long looked for and #0 etrenuonsly demanded by our suffering people. Hick SV Presipext Jowwson’s Srranora om tux San- ate.—One of our recent Washington des- patches informs as whal republican Senators ere considered booked tor opposition to the tadical programme of Sumner, and conse quently ia teyor of the President’s policy, on the reassembling of Congress. The Senatore named ere Doolittle, Morgen, Harris, Cowan, Stewart, Trumbull, Dixon, Henderson, Aa- can be one, In this way bave to hegin with twenty-one votes out of forty-nine—that is, these eleven Senators named and the ten democrats, who will undoubtedly sustain bis reconstruction policy, Thore are twenty-five States represented in leaving the total number of Senators forty- nine. There. are two Senators from the new State of Colorado waiting to take their seats, but as all the necessary preliminaries have not been gone through for the admission of that State these Senators will not take any action in the proceedings of Congress at pre- thiags just now. that the President ono be the veto power, if by no other means, defeat the radical opposition. To overcome his veto there must be thirty-three votes, or, in other words, he requires only seventeen votes in the Senate to defeat the radicals. Now, according to our calculation, based on the despatch re- ferred to, he will have twenty-one votes—four more than he needs. We think, however, the President will have more strength than this. Our classification of the Senate, from the best information at com- mand, is :— Total number of Senators. - at Out of the twenty-seven moderate republi- cans we think there will be found more to sus- tain the administration than the Washington despatch indicates, Many of these men are on the fence, ready to take any side their interests point out, Asshrewd politicians they will see the utter hopelessness of opposition; they must see that the President will be able to carry out his restoration programme and negative the radical measures of Sumner and his confreres. We should not be surprised if the President should have a clear working majority of the Senate in aupport of his restoration policy. We remember once seeing a medai which was struck in honor of William Pitt, which had for its emblem a rock in the midst of the ocean, pee which the waves and storms beat in- tly without moying it, The cool, steady 2 rm altitude of Mr. Johnson réminds us of this. Congress opened with a storm, when the fierce Jacobin elements raged threateningly against the rock in the White House. He stood unmoved, however, and now the siorm has expended its strength, the winds are subdued and the waters are becoming calm. The pros- pect is that the ultra radicals wilt be left out, a small faction, in the cold, powerless to do more harm, and that an overwhelming new administration party will be formed of all ihe conservative ele ene rand old Ee Our Proposition for a Couccse: of Nae tions. Some time ago, and on several occasions, we made the proposition for a congress of the great Powers to determine what is or shall be the law of neuirals, to establish an inierna- tional code of maritime law, and to settle ex- isting difficulties arising from Enropean occu- pation and intervention on this continent. [it was shown during our war that the rules of mariiime law—if, indeed, it can be said ibere are any positive and universally recoguized rules—are very unsatistactory. While this is the case nations are constantly liable to dis- putes, or even to war, from different interpre- tations and conflicting interests. We could not see any other way of establishing such fixed and general law as is needed. We thought, too, that'snch a congress might find a solution for the issues that have been raised during the war. A referee, arbitrator, or even & weighty counsellor often enables an indi- vidual to escape trom a dilemma in a graceful manner, when be could not otherwise get out of it without a cont or by sacrificing his amour propre. (isthe same with nations. Believing it not improbable, therefore, that the Mexican question, and other questions, in which Euro- pean Powers are involved on one band and the United States oncerned on the ot her, might he settled am iy in this way, so tain the fixed policy and honor of this country without subjecting those Powers to nnneces- sary humiliation, we proposed a congress of nations. Since we first siarted the idea we have no« ticed the press of Europe bas taken it up and beguo to ventilate it. brings remar Almost every mail and suggestions on the subject. The London Times of the 16th ult. says:—«if such # conference should take place (on the Anglo-tebel corsair ims) there does not seem to be any good reason why it should be contined to England and America. <A code of rules for the fuiure guidance of neutral nations ip time of war would be of great value to all maritime ns up by an in ional commission represent- ing all the great Powers ® similar mivunde iT again.” ‘The proposition, the qu © or commission of the great Powers. Th very well os far ae it goes; and we have no doubt our govern meat would enter into a conf ve to draw ap a code of rules which wight prevent the oceur- rence of a similar misunderstanding in the future to that which exi nthe subject. We do not ask for or want » ference or commis- sion simply to say whether we are entitled to indemnity or not for the depredations of the Alabama. ‘Tht we have decided ourelves, But there might not be any objection to the question of the amount of indemniiy being lef to the arbilration of » general conference met for the more particolar purpose of establishing rules of maritime law. The Tines saya nothing of the otber great queations which, if left an- ous, and if one could be drawn standing could Times, speaks hardly reiterating of referring maritime law to « confes vceur in only oar mn ot settled, may disturb ihe peace of the world, being referred toa commission of the great Powers. It says nothing of Mexico, of Baro- pean intervention in American affairs, of those matters which urgently require a more imme- diate settlement, What we require is note mere conference of commission for one specitic object, but a congress to lay the foundation of ® lasting peace between the two continents, by removing causes of irritation and disagree- ment, and by confining the Powers of exch con- tinent to their own affairs, to their separate aud distinct policies, and to their legitimate desti- nies. The congress we suggest in for the pur- pose of bringing about these comprebensive results, Onr European contemporaries have begun well enough, but they have not embraced the whole of our ides, Let them take np the subject in the enlarged poiat of view which we have submitted it, and the best results may follow. ‘Tus Late Boner Exriosiox w Tax Lowar Bar.—The melancholy accident om board the tugboat Neptune, in the lower bay, lest week, should serve as @ perious warning to all having the care of steam boilers when charged with steam at anytime. By this cceurrence two or three valuable lives bave been lost, all, it appears, occasioned by the want of proper attention to the steam. No fault, we believe, is attributable to the charse- ter of the boiler, or to any imperfections in it; but the accident was simply the result of care- lessness 00 the part of those having charge of the steam. It is o singular fact that the steam- tug Resolute, on which the injured from the Neptune were transferred after the secident, should blow oat the pend of ber boiler oa ber way up to the city, inflicting more or leas tajury upon the survivors of the Neptune, Thus two serious accidents have occurred from boiler ex- Plosions within » few hours of each other in our harbor. We again caution all those having charge of steam boilers and machinery, espe- cially when upon deep water, to exercise the utmost prudence and care in the discharge of their responsible duties. aN The Weather and the ‘Winter, Sea- son. At last we have good, cold, saaaais weather. Mercury down to zero. The doleful Prophets who have been predicting “a full church yard” because of “the green winter” are now shaking and shivering from ® very different cause. The young folks are at length able to use their skates. ‘The Park ponds will be in excellent order to-day, and the private ponds in the city and suburbs are crowded every day and evening. The ball will be up at the Park this morning, and arrangements have been made fora long and busy season. Refresh- ment saloons have been prepared; there are houses for those ladies and gentlemen who suffer from the cold; there are skates on hire for those who come unprovided; there is » force detailed to assist the unlucky people who may break through the ice; there are even futl suits of clothes on hand for those who happes to get wet through. In short, everything is ready, ice and all. Jack Frost is confi- dently relied upon to put on the finishing touches, and to keep them on. Two thou- sand people skated on the Fifth avenue poud on Saturday; a fine band was in at- tendance, and the scene was as gay as a car- nival. The Excelsior pond is equally favored by the clerk of the weather, and the Brooklyn lakes are reported to be well patronized, Skating has now come to be the most popular of winter amusements, and we give a special department to this sport. The cold weather has greatly improved the me ee What redress h'as the workingman against tle cruelty or injustice of his “patron?” It amounts to this under the new system: “te workingman” is @ slave, the “patrm” an ur licensed master, and the result is theignoranc and degradation of both. Mr. Sewwd migh have extended his plea for the Africma in fa vor of the Mexican Indians, who must inevita bly fall under this odious system. We have been the moans in former times o! inflicting severe injury on the aboriginaeace of this continent, and it becomes our natura province, now that we have the power, to pr- tect them from further oppression. The opinia of the world is fully declared in favor of fre labor, and the intgrest of all countries im te material prosperity of their neighbors justifis its strenuous advocacy. We hope that hr. Seward will probe this new type of an dd disease that is being Introduced into our poli- cal circumscription, and if a satisfactory reait cannot be obtained slavery will present an ugly item of the charges against the Freich agent in Mexico. Schemes Befere the Legisiatare. The first few days’ seasions of the Legsta- ture have developed all manner of schemes for this city. Four or five railroad projects Inve already been noticed, as well as a Mdro- politan Health bill. If this commencement ie a fair sample of what is to be done for thiavity every day of the session, we shall no doubt have a railroad through, over and under every street in the city before the session adjourns, as well as special provisions to regulate the busi- ness of every man, woman and child in this metropolis. As far aa the city railroads are concemedy we have no objection to the Legislature phar- tering all that it desires, provi#—4 in so doing some little regurd is pai? to the interests of the city. More city r“lroads are needed, not only to accommodate the travel up and down the city, but also across town. We cannot have prospects of the theatres, and halls ald vgrties | too many, if rightly conducted, and given out gre more in vogue than ever, All the promi- nent halls are engeged every evening for months in advance by those who delight to trip “the light fantastic.” The theatrical and concert manageré have increased their attrac- tions, and the season will now become even more brilliant. At the Broadway Solon Shingle returns to us, noi having found that “barrel of apple sass” abroad, and will again amuse large audiences by his comical but un- availing search for his lost property. The original play, which was very trashy, has been carefully rewritten, and this new version will be presented with new scenery and a strong cast. Manager Wood’s new theatre, opposite the St. Nicholas Hotel, will be opened next week with a new comedy called The Balloon Wedding, an adaptation from the French, in which Chanfrau and the six Hanlon Brothers will appear. Miss Lucy Rushton’s miraculous theatre, which was arranged in ouly sixteen days, is still crowded by ihe admirere of legitimate comedy. The Honey- moon is announced for this week, and a new romantic drama is in active rehearsal. ‘The farewell concerts of Madame Parepa take place at the operatic catacombs, the Academy of Music, this week. Madame Parepa isa good but not a great artist, and is assisted by Levy, Carl Rosa and Mills—all admirable perform- era—-und by a full orchesira. The French Comic Opera troupe, which is performing at the New York sod Brooklyn Academies, pend- ing the construction of the new French theatre on Fourteenth street, will produce Halevy's U'keluir, and Victor Masse’s Les Noces de Jeannette. Bryanta’, Tony Pastor's, George Christy's and the San Francisco Minstrel troupes all fourish and deserve theif success, for they constantly produce amusing novelties and are always funny and never offensive. These reputable places of amusement keep the public in good humor and make the winter evenings pass most pleasantly. In spite of the Fenian tro $s, the pecu- liar perplexitice of (he Mexican muddle, the high prices, the forebodings about the cholera, and the radical schemes of Sumner and Stevens, the sensible people of this metropolis manage to enjoy themselves about as well as ever, and their happiness offers a striking con- trast to the notorious demoralization which pre- vails in certain obnoxious circles of our best and worst society. ‘Tue Re-rsTApLisuest or SLavery IN Max- 10,--Tf the elder Caxtou bad lived in our time he would have given Napoleon's Mexican idea and the interval policy of his ageni, Maxi- milian, prominent places intthe “History of Haman Error,” The decreeof the Austrian prince on peonage servitude establishes a lem of slavery that recalls the darkest periods of Spanish domination. The sabjects of ibis imperial reacript are not negroes, of whom there are bardly ten thousand in the country, nor even the mixed castes—amalgama- tions of whites, Indians and Africans— but the mans and substratum of the people, the real Americans of Mexico, This unfortunate race have grievously suffered under the various colo- nial régimes of old Spain, and it was hoped that the revolution bad secured their immu- nity, at least trom the most degrading forme of persoum' slavery. But this modern Hapsborg has come with his feadal'idens of the sixteenth century, and sees no refuge for the safety of his incipient empire save by reducing searly three-fifths of hia subjects to the condition of chattols, with- oat a chance for education, material progress aod social advancement. The basis of the peonage system that bax exieied above a quarter of @ century in Mexico is an arrange- ment of debtor and creditor, by which the former was perpetually involved with the lat. ter; until bis liability for service extended beyond the reasonable period of hamsn life. It was by 8 mere subtlety thet the creoles im- posed upon the ignorant Indians, until they had become inextricably caught in these life. long meshes. But the peons of the republic retained some civil rights; they were not slaves, nor were their wives and children bound, in eny, way, to the creditor, The new system of Maximilian binds the work- ing man, as be is called in the proclama- tion, to © dependence that would remove all chance of release; the slavery is made bere- ditary, and the heirs of s master can succeed to hie rights in the workingman. If the tlave escapes from the planter’s ranche, the public works, without compensation, must be his em- ployment until reclaimed by the owner; and to complete the burlesque of legality, the goods of an intestate become the property of his master, Has the peon any knowledge of what Gopstitutes » will or aay means of maging onet On the sight principle. These franchises are all meena valttable, and while we are in favor of the construction of additional lines we are opposed to giving this or that set of speculators all the pecuniary benefil, Some regard should be paid to the interests of the city, either by selling these franchises to the highest bidder, paying a portion of the profits into the city treasury, or else providing that after a certain number of years the ownership of the roads shail revert to the city. In some of the European countries the charters for railroads are granted with a special proviso that those who construct them shail receive the profits for a specified number of years, and at the expiration of that period the title of tha roads shall be vested in the government as recompense for the grants. Why should not that rule be applied to these valuable fran- chises in this city? The present system of farming out these grants is all wrong; but, under some such provisions as mentioned above, we care not bow many charters are granted, The reports of the roads a)ready in existence recently published in one of our contemporaries reveal the fact that the profits are enormous. | Rightly managed they must, in a few years, pay all expense of construction, with good interest on all actual outlays, Upwards of thirty mif- lions of passengers are carried over them ia one year, and the time is not far distant whem one hundred millions of human beings will annually ride on these street railroads in thie city. This not only shows the popularity of railroads as a mode of travel, and the enormous profit to be derived from an investment ia them, but also the demand for more fines. Let them be granted on the correct principle, and the more we bave the better. The city should in some way secure @ pecuniary benefit, eg the roads not be wholly monopolized by « few individuals, ua in the pust. ‘The Health bill which is now to be pusbed as a means to stay the ravages of the cholera seems to us to be poorly devised. If we are to judge of the time that it will take to put the machinery of a department of that kind ia operation by the period which the paid Fire Department occupied in getiing ready to put out fires, the cholera will bave accomplished its work of devastation in our midst long before they will accomplish anything in regulating the sanitary affairs of this locality. We aeced something that will operate immediately, in order that by the approach of warm weather the city may be placed in readiness, all ow- sances abated and all fon! places thoroughly renovated. We fear that if the- Legislature confines its operations in that respect to the famous Metropolitan Health bill, instead pf enabling us to prepere for the emergency which now threatens us, we shall be in « post tion literally inviting this scourge. Our present health laws are sufficient to meet the emergency, with more efficient Quarantine regu- lations, provided the Legislature removes the stumbling blocks in the way of their adniniv- tration. We have now two sets of health off- cers, and the daties are so divided that all efforts at sanitary reform are aimose aseler, Why would it not be well for our law makers to forego their schemes for legislating one set of men out of office jor the sake of providing places for political favorites to some other occasion, and do something that will be practi- cal in staying the ravages of the cholerat Are not the welfare of the city and the lives of its citizens of more importance than providing places, at snug salaries, to an of favorite politicians? It seems to us that this whole thing can be adjusted, aud that, too, in e satin factory and prectical manner, by concentrating all the duties and Bow vested in the hands of the Board of Health and Commix- sioners of Health im the latter. The Commie sioners of Health are nearty all meo whom the public bave confidence in and are willing to trast in on emergency like the preseat. The pamwage of n law ef one section would confer on ‘them thin power, which coulé be done in forty-eight hours, In one week's time they could arrange their work and commence at once to set the city in order, parify, cleanse and regulate it. We could then be prepared for the worst long before the hot westher set in, while, on the other hand, we have great donbts if the machinery of a metro- politan health department whieh the Albany Solons seem intent to create for us would be ready for operation before next autumn—there- fore perfectly aseless in diminishing the terrors of the cholers. Saacy Nenves.—Three Richmond editors met at the Capitol the otber day, and fired foar or five shots at each other, and yet nobody was bit except the stetue of Weghingtess