The New York Herald Newspaper, January 31, 1866, Page 4

NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. ‘M. W. COBNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. b> +s Srerrerererrreerrrrrery (to 3 AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. 3 BRoapway THEATRE, Broadway, near Broome | LUCY RUSHTON’S ‘Broadwa\ ‘anv Mu np tax Woon" ‘TRE, Broad: Bt. Nichol: Beaten on D Wire inde ar New Yont—inisn ‘at Two 0” GAN FRANCTSOO MINSTRE , opposite Se Tg ee ee TA fasminaton. Matinee at 2}¢ o'Clock. , GEORGE CHRISTY'S MINSTRELS.—Tae Orv Scmoon INSTRELSY, BaLuaps, Musica Gm: ., at the Fifth venue Opera House, Nos. 2and 4 Wé nty-fourth st. SRYANTS' 3, Mechanics' Hall, 472. Broad- ‘way.—Dan Barant’ ‘sus, Boriesquzs, NEW YORK THEATRE. Nos, 728 ‘Tuz Buscn Domuno—Betwaex You New Stump Sregcu—Ni OMIOALI- tus Hor or Fasmion ' 081 .—Ermrorian Mi HOOLET'S OPERA HOUSE, Brookiya orian Mew. Pr Bay) iM OF ANATO! G8 Broadway. @pen trom 10 SPurae Ba _— ‘ DODWORTH HALL, 806 Broadway.—Recrrations sr Mus. Hanex 0, Watson. BROOKLYN ATHENAUM.—Roseat Heutxe's Guanp ‘Boinse Dissowiqus—Srurnx New Yerk, Wednesday, January 31, 1866. NEWSPAPER CIRCULATION. Receipts of Saics of the New York Dally Nowspapors. OFFICIAL. Year Ending Name of Paper May 1, 1865. Heravp. eee e+ $1,095,000 368,150 252,000 169,427 100,000 151,079 90,548 New Yoru HERALD..........0005 see eees++$1,095,000 Times, Tribune, World and Sun combined., 871,229 ADVERTISEMENTS FOR THE COUNTRY. Advertisements for the Wzex.y Hexatp must be handed tm before ten o'clock every Wednesday evening. Its cir- culation among the enterprising mechanics, farmers, merchants, manufacturers and gentlemen throughout the country is increasing very rapidly. Advertisements in- serted in tho Waexty Heraxp will thus be seen by a large portion of the active and energetic people of the United ‘States, n) CONGRESS. Fame p yegterday Me, Wilson introdnoed an im- portant u the organ:eation of a uniform national militia thtoyghout the country. It provides, among ‘other things, for enrolling all the able bédied citizens, and those ve declared their intention of becoming Guch, between 4wenty and forty-five, in all the States and Territories, any number or the wholé of whom may be called out by the President in case of foreign war or Insurrection, to serve for six years or during tho con- Binuance of hostilities; that cach Congressional district Bhall have at least one organized rogiment of militia, ord that the work of organizing the entire force shall be’ feneadgeu bya War Dopartmont bureau to be created. Phe bit wos terenc’ % the Military Committee, sPoti wore presented for oatsllantion of. so}. “tte bouniies, a%4 for abolition of All colt distine- tions, ‘The petition of the Colorado Cwugressional dele- gation, asking admission, was also presentéd. Resolu- tions were adopted appropriating ten thousand dollars to pay the Reconstruction Committee's expenses, calling ‘pn the President for General Sherman's report of obser- ‘vations in the South, and directing the Postal Committee €o report on the propriety of the Post Office Departinent ‘assuming control of the telegraph lines along the prin- cipal mail routes, The Judiciary Committeo submitted report declaring Hon. John P. Stockton entitled to the eontested New Jersoy seat in the Senate, which was ordered to be printed, A resolution to print five thou- sand copies of the report of the Internal Revenue Com- mission was introduced and referred. The remainder of the session was occupied in a continuation of the debate on the bill to guarantee the civil rights of the freedmen, the question being on an amendment offered by Mr. Trumbull, declaring the negroes entitled to ail the rights of citizenship, Several Senators spoke; but no vote ‘was taken. In the House of Reprosentatives messages were re- ceived from the President furnishing information relative to the surrender of the rebel corsair Shenandoah, and the enlistment of one hundred days troops. Bills wore introduced and referred for the better organization of the navy and for a sbip canal to connect the Mississippi and Lake Michigan. A resolution to extend the courtesy of seats on the floor to the members elect from Arkansas ‘was defeated, and one to print twenty thousand copies of the Secretary of the Interior's report of the manu- factures of the country was adopted. The Deficiency Appropriation bill for the curren year was reported from the Appropriations Committee and made the special ‘order for next Tuesday in Committee of the Whole. The Reconstruction Committee's proposed constitutional amendment to régulate taxation and Comgressional repre- sentation was again taken up, and, after some debate, Mr. Stevens withdrow his demand for a vote on {te adoption, and expressed the hope that it would be sent back to the committee without instructions, which disposition of it was agreed to by the House, The resolution instructing the Claims Committee, until otherwise ordered, to reject all claims presented to them of citizens of the lately rebel- Hous States for damages inflicted by the army or navy in the suppression of the rebellion, was, after discussion, adopted. A resolution was also adopted instructing the Reconstruction Committee to consider the propriety of submitting to the State Legislatures for adoption a pro- posed compact which in effect provides that no State shall over scoede from the Union, that the negroes shall bave the same rights before the courts and the same privileges and protection for acquiring and holding pro- porty as the whites, and that no debt contracted to ald the rebellion shall ever be paid. The Senate bill to en- large the powers of the Frocdmon's Bureau was taken up and considered for.a short time. An effort was made ‘by the members of the House to hold the first evening session of this Congress; but at the hour for assembling, half-past seven o'clock in the evening, there was ruch @ slim attendance that those present agreed to adjourn without transacting any business, THE LEGISLATURE. In the Senate yesterday the bill to amend the act re- garding proceedings against railroad companies for dam- ages was unfavorably reported upon from committee, and afterwards laid on the table. Bills were noticed to change the route of the Broadway and Seventh Avenue Railroad, to amend the Croton Aqueduct act in reference to the grade of Eighth avenue, and to give owners of piors, wharves and slips in this city more exclusive con- trol of the same. Among the biile introduced was one to incorporate the Manor House Hotel Company of West- cheater and Now York counties, The bills rogulating the formation of contracts by our city Corporation, mak- ing appropriation for canal debt payment, and submitting to the people the quostion of revising the State constitu. tion, were passed. The Metropolitan Health bill was then taken up, An amondment giving our Mayor fall power in regard to the inspection of weights and measures was adopted, and one making the President of the Metropolig tam Police Board, the Health Officer of the port, and three other persons to be appointed by the Governor, the Metropolitan Sanitary Commissioners, was rejected, as wore also others, An evening session was held, during which the discussion of the bill was continued, and it was made the special order tor to-day. In the Assembly the reporta of the Pilot Commissioners and the Trustees of the New York Infirmary were pre- gented, and a communication was received from the Canal duditar ta reweapey jy 4 revo'utiom of inquity ’ NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY ‘31, 1866, the amounts of money paid to canal contrac- tors. A resolution was adopted giving to each member, officer and reporter fifty copies of the Secretary of Btate’s preliminary report on the census. The Assembly also held an evening seasion, but the business transacted was not of general interest. " Some interesting facts which have not been divulged in dhe legislative debates, regarding schemes for econo- mizing the State funds and relative to the agitation for investigating the affairs of the now Court House in this city, are furnished in our Albany correspondence, MISCELLANEOUS. ‘A rumor was current in Washington yesterday, and for & time received considerable credence, that Secretary of War Stanton had positively reaigned his position, and would vacate it to-day; but the report appears to have had no reliable basis. General Sheridan, in accordance with instructions from ‘Washington, on Mouday prohibited emigrants leaving Now Orleans for Mexico, though he did not prevent the departure of vessels for Mexican ports, In the corre- spondence relative to the late capture of Bagdad which passed between General Woltzel and tho imperial com- mander, General Mejia, the former states that the Amori- can troops despatched to the town by him after its seizure were merely sent in the interest of humanity and order, while the latter gives notice that he has trans- mitted the particulars of the effairto Maximilian. Tho commander of the French squadron in the Gulf has entered his protest against what he terms am invasion of Mexico by United States soldiers. ‘The Ranchero, the tmperial newspaper at Matamoros, says that on the 17th inst. there were still two commands -In Bagdad—one being a United States force and the other & Mexican republoan one; that Cortina was soon to as- sume command, and that works were being erected and cannon mounted for the de- fence of the place both by water and land. Part at least of this statement is incorrect, as we have already been informed of the withdrawal by General Weitzel of the troops sent thither by him after the raid to preserve order and protect Americans. Three im- perial war vessels were lying not far from tho town, and a report, which however proved incorrect, at one time prevailed that they had attempted its recapture. . Accounts from the interior of Mexico represent the con- dition of the people, under Maximilian’s rule, as daily growjng more deplorable. The imperialists are pursuing the republican guerillas, chasing them to the mountains, and executing all caught, in accordance with the imperial decree. It is said that the republicans of Cortina’s force, captured some time ago and taken to Matamoros, and against the execution of whom General Weitzel pro- tested, have been shot. A plot to overthrow the imperial authorities has been discovered in the State of Michoacan and frustrated. In response to the Senate resolution requesting infor- mation relative to the passage of United States troops across Mexican territory, from Guaymas to Arizona, in 1861, the President has submitted correspondence show- ing that full and free permission to so transport them was given by Mr. Romero, the Mexican Minister. In con- nection with this matter are also given letters of Secre- tary Seward and Mr, Romero, written in 1861, in which the latter called attention to a reported project of South- ern rebels for seizing a portion of Mexico and re-estab- lishing slavery there, and wished our government to enter into a treaty to defend the integrity of the Mexican boundary, and the former replied that no such scheme could succeed unless the rebellion in this country did, and stated that Mr. Corwin, then our Minister in Mexico, was instructed to establish such relations with that and the other American republics as would enable them to maintain their independence, Tho steamship Evening Star, from New Orleans and Havana, arrived here yesterday. Our Havana despatches by this arrival give very interesting dotails, additional to those published in yesterday’s Hunan, of the move- ments of Secretary Seward at different points in the West Indies; his interview with the Mexican exile, Santa Anna, in St. Thomas, and particularly of his enthusiastic reception in Havana, and his entertainment by the Cap. tain General. . Jamaica advices announce the arrival at Kingston on the 6th inst. of Sir Henry Storks, the new Governor. The trial of the remaining prisoners charged with com- plicity in the lato rebellion, about one hundred and fifty 4m number, was fixed to commence on the 23d tnat. An offort ie making In the Virginia Legislature to de- Glare the election of Senators Underwood and Segar iegal. Governor Pierpoint and John Minor Botts are talked of for the succession. Both his friends and enemies are trying to get Governor Pierpoint to resign—the former PN order that a military Governor may be appomted, and the lacter that Robert E. Lee or some other prominent rebel may .0¢ elected. On intelligenos Feaching Washington of the ¢x-tevel pirate Shenandoah hay.8 t0 put back to port after leav- ing England for this country, ‘D8tructions were sent to our Consul in Liverpool not to stars er again, if he had not already done so, during the present tempestuous season at sea The case of the United States against William Chase Barney, Reginald Chauncy and Benthan J, Fabian, charged with committing certain forgeries on Custom House bonds, was aga'n up yesterday before Judge Ship- man, in the United States Circuit Court. In censequence of aclerical error in the indictment, the case was post- poned till this morning, to give defendants’ counsel time to amend their pl@Mfing, deemed necessary on account of the alteration made in the indictment. In the case of Lewis E. Amsinck & Co. against Simeon Draper, for the recovery of certain duties alleged to have been illegally exacted on an importation of merchandise known as “orchilla weed,” the Court yosterday ruled that the act of Congress exempted the article in ques- tion from the payment of duties, and directed the jury to render a verdict for the plaintiffs for the amount claimed. The suit for the recovery of fifty-two thonsand dollars damages, which bas been on trial in the Supreme Court, Circuit, Brooklyn, for some days, before Judge Gilbert, and in which Thaddeus B, Curtis, a weaithy resident of that erty, was plaintiff, and Messrs. Seyton & Wain- wright, stockbrokers in Wall street, wore defendants, was brought to a close yesterday, whem a verdict was given for the defendants, The case related toa sale of certain railroad and other stocks. Acase was also tried yesterday before Judge Gilbert, in Brooklyn, in which Moses Green was plaintiff and the Brooklyn City Railroad Company were defendants. The jury rendered a verdict for the plaintiff for two thousand dollars, besides an allowance for counsel. The suit was for damages from falling from the platform of an over- loaded car. At the second meeting of the stockholders of the Columbian Marino Insurance Company, held yesterday afternoon, the committee appointed at the previous meet- ing made their report. The document oxhibited facts which had a depressing effect on the hopes of the meet. ing. Inthe view of the committee the amount to be considered as the net assets, after the payment of ‘all liabilities, was some nine hundred and ninety-three thousand dollars, consisting of three hundred thousand dollars of their own stock and six hundred thousand dol- lars of claims against Great Britain. The approximate annual statement of the company was read by Mr. Morri- son, who claimed for the assets ore value than the com mittee seemed inclined to place poi. them. A meeting of the Health Com iniewi mers was held yes. terday, when Resident Physician S:)\0 reported on his visit to Albany in reference to quarantine accommoda- tions, and a series of resolutions were adopted relative to vaccination, &c, The weekly report of the sanitary police was presented yesterday. ‘The new act ordered to be prepared by the Board of Education, which will place all the colored schools of the city under the control of the Board, has been drawn up by the Clerk, As it is interesting, we publish it this morning. Judge Hosmer, Chief Justice of Montana, delivered an address last evening before the Travellers’ Club on the resources and prospects of that Territory. The speaker's remarks, while embodying statistics and information of great value, were not lacking in fluency and descriptive powers, A large and enthusiastic public meeting of the Dalton Williams Circle F. B, was held last evening at the hall corner of Thirty-fourth street and Eighth avenue, Able Addresses were made, revolutionary lyrics recited and a numerous body of recraite enrolled. A despatch from Cincinnati etates that the boilers of tho steamer Miam! exploded on Sunday, in the Arkansas river, and that one hundred and ves were lost, including some members of B, Thirteenth Tegalar cavalry. ‘The boilers of the steamer Miasourl exploded yesterday Morning a fow miles above Evansville, on the Ohio river, and eighty lives are reported lost, The vessel ie a com- plete wreck. A fire and explosion occurred yesterday in Charters’ petroleum refinery in Newark, N. J., destroying the estahtichmont and seriously injuring three of the work. men. The damage is estimated st twenty thousand dollars, A large fire ocourred yesterday morning ia a book of buildings on Water street and Delaware avenue, below Vine street, Philadelphia, which destroyed a large amount of flour, grain, produce, &0. It ts reported that the jail at Marietta, Georgia, was re- cently destroyed by fire, and that thirteen of the prisoners were burned to death. ‘Tne notorious Jack Sheppard, Jr, made his escape from the Sing Sing State Prison yesterday, passing out boldly in broad daylight, dressed in citizen's clothes, and, stealing a horse and sleigh stending before the prison, drove off, The stock market was firm yesterday and prices ad- vanced, Governments were stronger. Gold closed at 140%. ‘Tho further advance in gold had the effeot of impart- ing still more buoyancy to the markets yesterday, and caused somewhat more activity. Foreign goods were generally held firmer, in sympathy with gold. Groceries were quiet. Dry goods were dull and heavy. Petroleum ‘was dull but unchanged. Cotton was steady. On 'Change flour was unchanged. Wheat was firmer but no higher. Corn was higher. Pork was irreguiar. Lard was dull and heavy. Whiskey was entirely nominal. ‘With continued heavy receipts of the ordinary grades of cattle, the market again ruled in buyer's favor this week, though prices showed no marked change, varying from 930. to 17}¢c. a.480., as to quality, There war. soarcity of prime cattle, and this kind sold at véry full prices. Milch cows were irregular and dull, prices varying from $45 to $125 a $160, Veals were steady at 10c. a16c. Sheep and tambs were active and higher, varying from $4 to $8 a $12 Hogs were plenty, heavy and lower, selling at from 103{0, to 10%. The total re- celpts were 4,828 beof cattle, 120 cows, 516 veals, 17,282 sheep and lambs and 10,18}, hogs. Municipal Affairs—A Complete Revolu- tion of the City Government in Pros- pect. The national Congress is no the only legis- lative body engaged in considering the subject of reconstruction. While Congress is debating how to reconstruct the Union, the Legislature of this State is commencing the work of recon- structing the govermment of this metropolis. On Saturday last @ vote was taken upon the motion to refer the resolution relative to the investigation of matters connected with our new Court House to the Committee on Cities. During the debate a member stated that, with one exception, the New York delegation did not desire any action to be taken upon these resolutions, thus indicating that all the Asscm- blymen from New York were in some way controlled by the parties who have charge of the Court House job. But the member might have added that, without exception, the tax- payers of New York are anxious for an investi- gation, and are not at all satisfied with the manner in which affairs are being conducted by that ring of republicans and democrats, called the Board of Supervisors. How- ever, the Assembly supplied this deficiency in the remarks of the member by voting to send the resolutions to the committee above named; and, as the vote stood seventy-three to twenty-one, we may regard this as a very emphatic expres- sion of the sentiments of the Legislature upon the necessity of municipal reform here. The country members have evidently been aroused by-the urgent appesis of our citizens, and al- though the delegation from this city may vote almost unanimously against the wishes of their constituents, still the members from other dis- tricts will carry through the contemplated re- form measures. It is a singular fact, and a striking proof of our municipal. corruption, that this metro, /thus deserted ‘by its own representatives, should have to depend upon strangers from distant localities for protection against the manifold abuses of the present sya- tem of government, But the vote to which we have alluded is most significant when wo semember that the Committee on Cities is now maturing o bill, which will be reported in the course of a few days, which may completely reorganize and revolutionize the city government, This bill creates a Board of Commissioners of Control, consisting ‘of nine members, eight of whom are to be inhabitants of this metropolis, appoint- ed by the Governor and the Senate, to hold office for eight years, and the ninth is to be the Mayor ex officio. Any vacancy in this Board is to be temporarily filled by the remaining mem- bers, during their term of office, and per- manently by the Governor and Senate at the next session of the Legislature after the va- cancy occurs. The Commissioners are to file an oath of office with the Mayor, and are sub- ject to removal by the Governor, in the same manner as sheriffs. They are to choose a President and Treasurer from their own num- ber, and are to adopt an official seal. It is suggested that, with the exception of the Presi- dent, Treasurer and Secretary (who is not to be a member of the Board), the Oommissioners shall receive no salaries, The duties of this Board of Control are to examine and investi- gate the official acts of all municipal officers, including all the Metropolitan Commissions; to remove all officials who are guilty of gross neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, the vacancies thus created to be filled in the man- ner now provided by law, and the Board to be empowered to send for and examine witnesses, exercise other judicial functions and compel obedience to its decisions, which are to be final. Besides this, the Board isto examine and audit all bills and accounts—super- seding the Mayor, the Supervisors and both branches of the Common Council in this duty— and no greater amount ig to be appropriated or paid than the Board of Control directs. Finally, the Board will take charge of the Sink- ing Fund; and none of the real estate of the city can be sold, leased or given away except with the sanction of this Board, which is to ren- der detailed statements of ite operations to the Governor once # year, and to send to the Legislature an annual estimate of the amount to be raised for the city and county of New York by taxation. It is deemed advisable to restrict the current expenses of the Board of Control to twenty-five thousand dollars a year. A careful review of these provisions will streets and keeping the docks and repair—which are delegated to it ceedings and audit the accounts and investi- gate the conduct of the managers. The Board will not be able to make laws nor to originate expenditures, since these powers remain with the officials who now possess them; but it will veto such laws as appear injudicious, cut down such expenditures as seem extravagant, and endorse everything that is correct, judi- cious and for the best interests of the city. It will not disturb those heads of departments who are competent, but it will weed out those who are incompetent and dis- qualify them for holding office again for three years, Although it can make removals, it can- | . not appoint the successors of those who are removed, for that is to be done ‘by the people or the Legislature as the present laws provide. ‘The information in regard to our city affairs which this Board of Control will obtain may be of incalculable value to the next Constitutional Convention, and-may, perhaps, lead to » com- plete political revolution in the metropolis; but its effects are intended to be practical— not political—and to reduce our expenses and have the municipal business better done in- stead of wasting money in building up a party and neglecting the public health, safety and comfort for the sake of a political organization. So far as we have examined the bill we en- tirely approve of it, and hope and expect that it will pass by a larger vote than that upon the Court House investigation resolution. Comp- troller Brennan is a very good man, City In- spector Boole is a very good man, Street Com- missioner Cornell and Deputy Tweed are very good men, and so are all the other officials and heads of departments, and we have no desire tor the removal of any one of them, for we pre+ said all of them to be perfectly competent. We like the present officials well enough, al- though we object to the system; but we shail like these officials even better when they are well watched by the new Board of Control. The New Revenue Plan—Whiskey and Sugar. While the general features of the recommen- dations in the report of the Revenue Com- mission are quite acceptable, there is one point which we think is open to some objec- tion. For instance, the Commissioners propose to reduce the tax on distilled spirits from two dollars a gallon to one dollar, while they in- crease the tax on sugar half a cent a pound. Whiskey is an article which the people can live without, but sugar is an indispeneable commo- dity. Of all taxable articles which come within the category ot luxuries, whiskey is perhaps the one which should be made to bear the heaviest taxation, not merely in a commercial, but in a moral point of view. It is probable that the Commissioners have arrived at the conclusion that a larger revenue can be derived from this article by imposing a lighter tax upon it, inas- muéh’'as there will be less temptation to | fraud; and they certainly have a pretty good basis for the idea in the tat. that the largest frauds committed upon the government in the whole scope of internal revenue operations hitherto have been in the manufacture of whis- key. The articlé can be produced at a very low figure by the manufacturers, and the in- crease in its value by the addition of a tax of two dollars a gallon leaves a tempting margin of profit for the dishonest manufacturer. Seve- ral seizures of whiskey havo been made, to the amount, in some cases, we believe, of over a million of dollars, This, of course, has been confiscated and sold at auction, and bought up at greatly reduced rates, often by the original owners, In this way frauds have been com- mitted with comparatively little loss to the perpetrators. It may be that the Commissioners looked at the matter in this light when they recommended a reduction in the duty. However, we dare say that the whiskey clause will be made the subject of extensive jobbing before the bill gets through Congress, and we hardly expect to see it come out in its present shape. There will, doubtless, be con- flicting interests brought to bear upon it. Those who hold or have contracted for large stocks of whiskey will manipulate to retain the pres- ent duty, and those who want to buy will advo- cate the reduction. It is said that when the present Internal Revenue law was before Con- gress and the tax of two dollars a gallon was imposed on whiskey several large holders of the article formed a league to get the clause inserted exempting from duty the stock on hand. For this purpose they raised a fund of @ million dollars, which was so efficiently used in Washington that the clause was got into the bill, and the adroit confederates made some five or six millions by the operation, realizing a clear profit of some eighty dollars a barrel upon the several thousand barrels which they had in store, and which they bought up with the security that their investment in Washing- ton would result precisely as it did. The proposition to reduce the tax on whiskey, therefore, may be expected to lead to sundry jobs and speculations before the bill goes through Congress. How to Pay tae Nationa Dent.—The amount that can be saved by the government in issuing its own money as currency, in place of lending its credit to the private corporations called national banks, will pay the national debt in thirty or forty years. Which do the people prefer—fostering a gigantic monopoly that will surely bring upon us unparalleled financial troubles and grind the industrious classes to the extreme of forbearance, or the removal of their present burdens by liquidating the debt? The alternative is presented, The yearly interest on five hundred millions, the mount of circulation the national banks would probably reach, at six per cent, would be thirty millions. This the government can save by issuing its own currency instead of that of the national banks. It has the constitutional right to do so under the power to coin money; for putting its stamp on paper, which then becomes offered in the one house or the other to secure the blessings of civil and political equality, re- of race or color. The Northern radi- cals, of the school of Thaddeus Stevens, seem to be governed by the same pettifogging and quibbling notions of the constitution that con- trolled the Southern fire-eaters and seceasion- ists of the age before the flood. Stevens and his followers, though on another tack, are still floundering in the mire of Calhounism, and do not seem to know that through the late war and its consequences we have not only changed the interpretation of the constitution as it was, but the thing itself, to meet the new order of things. The war has established the sovereignty of the United States, and has swept away the Southern heresy of State sovereignty. It has . given full scope to those powers of the general government which before the war were sup- pressed or disregarded, more or less, by the States. ‘Thus the power to enforce in all the other States fhe equal rights of the citizens of any State as citizens of the United States; the power to suppress the emission of bills of credit by any State; the power to regulate commerce between the States, and the power and duty of Congress to secure to each State a republican form of gov- ernment, now stripped of their old South Caro- lina interpretation, are understood to mean exactly what they express—the power to do the things indicated. This is among the results of the war, that last appeal of nations and can- spiracies, and the decision is final and com- prehensive in favor of the supreme power of the nation, This is what the war has done in establishing a clear and potential interpreta- tion of the constitution in reference to the powers of Congress. The Union is supreme; the States are siscrdinats, But the war has also resulted in a change of the cogstitution which amounts to the greatest political revolution of modern tines, The amendment abolishing and probibiting slavery or involuntary servitude throughout the States has compassed this revolution. With this abo- lition of slavery all the civil and political distinctions in the States depending upon race and color are abolished; for the constitution knows no distinctions of color, and. the only race of .men mentioned in it are “Indians not taxed,” in their exclusion from the basis of representation, As the constitution now stands, with slavery abolished and interdicted in all the States, there is nothing in the su- preme law to justify the exclusion of the blacks from the civil and political rights of the whites as citizens in any State, “ To the several States is reserved the right to regulate the elective franchise; and hereto- fore, in exercising this right, the States, with- out an exception we believe, have made their discriminations against the blacks. But all these discriminations rested upon the constitu- tional recognition of Affican slavery and the civil and political disabilities imposed in the States upon the whole race for the security of slavery. The abolition of the institution car- ries with it all these disabilities. They, too, are abolished. The blacks born in this coun- try become, as “free persons,” parts of “the people of the United States,” whose rights are superior to the reserved rights of the States. The first words of the constitution declare that it is the work and in the interest of “we, the people of the United States,” and, from first to last, there is not to be found the word white or black. The States no longer, therefore, have the right to make any civil or political discrimi- nations on account of race or color. They may make any reasonable standard of educa- tion, intelligence, residence and property the qualifications of their voters; but they can no longer, unless by consent of Congress, dis- criminate between whites and blacks. The government of the United States was the “white man’s government ;” but with African slavery his monopoly is abolished. Whether this is for good or evil we are not now discussing. We are simply dealing with the “fixed fact”*in the constitution, the supreme law of the land, as it now stands, Why, therefore, all this constitution tinker- ing in Congress to secure the blacks their civil and political rights? They have them, and Congress has the power to enforce them in the supreme law. Mr. Senator Trumbull, of Mli- nois, who is something of a constitutional lawyer, seems to have made this discovery. His bill, introduced in the Senate the other day, and turned over into the tomb of the Ca- pulete—the Reconstruction Committee—seems to us to cover the whole case. It provides sub- stantially that whereas all State laws, regula- tions, &., making civil or political distinctions of race or color on account of slavery have gone down with the abolition of slavery, there- fore be it enacted that no State or Territory of the United States shall hereafter in any way recognize any civil or political distinction on account of race, color or condition, &c. What he means by condition we cannot guess; but in other respects it appears to us that this is the shortest and best way to the settlement of this whole question of equal rights. We be- lieve that no further constitution tinkering is necessary, and we believe, too, that in exercis- ing their power in the direction indicated the two houses of Congress will be sustained by the President, and, if required, by the Supreme Court on the first appeal. A decision from that court on the scope of the constitutional amend- ures of which he so clearly and forcibly perceives the danger and error. Hence we say that all Raymond’s argument against the radical doctrines make a grand oulogy of them into voting for. Altogether thelr speeches and arguments would make s magnificent mass of eulogy on the acuteness of the Pennsylvania Mephistopheles. : one of the objects in calling Generals Grant, Sherman, Meade and other high military off- cots to that city just now is to form a court martial from them to try Jeff. Davis and the other rebels held as prisoners for treason and other orimed. In view of all the difficulties which appear to surround the case this may be the shortest and easiest way to solve the pro- blem. If these rebels are to be tried by court martial, our leading generals, who put down the rebellion, are the very men to be the judges. No one will doubt their capacity, honesty, or the justice of their decision. The people every- where would have the utmost confidence in such a court, and our character abroad for doing justice would be vindicated. The ac- cused themselves could hardly object to being tried by such men as Grant, Sherman, Sheri- dan and Meade. The prisoners would proba- bly be convicted; and in that case we would recommend the President to show how mag- nanimous a great country can be by romitting the extreme penalty of the law and banishing them from the country. Let them be sent to Sonora, or other parts of Mexico, to join Ike Fowler, Bradford, Magruder, Price and other absconding criminals of the secessionist and copperhead faith. This is decidedly the sim- plest ana best mode of disposing of these men and their troublesome case; and, if nocossary, we will head a petition to have it done. Danoerovs Power or THE NaTioNat BANKS.— Fifteen hundred or two thousand national banks, issuing all, or nearly all, the currency, and controlling the moneyed power of the republic, will place the people, the govern- ment and the whole industry of the nation at their mercy. The old National Bank was a pigmy beside this monster, It will have its grip upon the agriculture, manufactures and trade of the country, and its thousands of direo- tors and others interested will be able to fore- stall the markets, regulate the prices to sult their own , and destroy everybody or everything that should raise its head against them. Such is the prospect before us, unless Congress take some steps to put this dangerous monopolizing institution out of existence. If that.body can raise itself tg the magnitude of the subject it will begin at once to reduce the banks, to substitute government money for their circulation, and, finally, to break them up altogether. Personal Intelligence. The steamship North America sails for Rio de Ja- neiro this afternoon, taking among her passengers Mr. M. A. Zabriskie, the well known telegraphor, whe goes out on business connected with the South American International Telegraph Company. The accompli author’ of the capital sketches ea- titled “Our Artist in Cuba,” is about to take a trip to Lima, Peru, for tho benefit of his health, and, it is to be hoped, with a view toa future volame. He would like to have the company of any one not ‘too old or too sta- pid to enjoy the haps and mishaps of the excursion.’* Mayor General Rosecrans is at Cincinnatl. The Raleigh (N. ©.) Standard, of the 27th, mentions the arrival of tho following gentiemen in that city on the day previous:—The Hon. Thomas L. Clingman, ex- Governor Morehead, and Commodore Charles Wilkes. Ex-Governor Charles Clark, of Mississippi, formerty Genoral Clark, has settled in Bolivar county, Misa, for the purpose of practising his profession, the The Hon, Landon C. Haynes, ex-Confederate Senator from Tennessee, has reached Memphis, his future rest- dence, with his family. law. Southern Fo the resi of various @x- rebel generals aa fol I General Joseph Finnegan, who t and won the battle of Ot ue po it bas been a resident of Fernaa- dina, Flori some years, and owns a plantation near y Me ee arent fesartode paceun, aster ban bos over to him, which have converted into a freedmen’s asylum. He ta Ii Before war Mi id t i i ta i f ! 4 i Fi iG ai e i tii Hi 5 i