The New York Herald Newspaper, February 5, 1866, Page 4

4 JAMES GORDON BENNETT, , EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, OFPICE N, W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU *ERMS cash in advance. Money sent by mail will ‘| hor treaty with the United States, that the subjects of NEW YORK HERALD. either nation exercising priyateering against either of them were pirates.” Tp consideration of the fact, announced in our last South American news, that Peru has formed an alliance with Chile against the Spaniards, the sketch which we give srs. from a Valparaiso papor of General Prado, the young Peruvian Dictator, ia just now rendered additionally in- be teresting. He ts lauded as being equally wise and capa- ble in civil affairs, and brave and skilful in war, anda athe risk ofthe sender. None but bank bills current in | peithant future is prophesied for his country under bis Yew York taken. THE DAILY HERALD, published every day in the year, Foor cents per copy. Annual subscription price, $14+ administration by his sanguine eulogist. THE CITY. Yesterday formed no exception to the general rule THE WEEKLY HERALD, every Saturday, at Five | Which during » considerable portion of the present cents per copy. Annual subscription price: One Copy... 93 Three Copies, Five Copies. Sie Postage five cents per copy for three months. winter has prescribed for us in this region a dose of extra cold weather on Sundays. The mercury was well down in the twenties through the day, and at twelve o'clock at 5 | night had fallen to elghteen degrees above zero. ‘The skating in the Park yesterday was oxcellent, and the continued frost promises to make this a gala week. ‘A grand carnival takes place at Sylvan Lake to-day, while a skating match comes off at Union pond. A Any larger number addressed to names of subscribers | shadow dance at the former place on Wednesday even- $150 cach. An extra copy will be sent to every club | ng, and two matinees at the Fifth avenue pond, com- \dreas, 1 inced, of ten. plete the week's programme so far as yot annou! Peng eintartics coe, Teh eee ‘The present condition of the house market, and the and any larger number at same price. An extra copy | great increase in rentals demanded for business places will be sent to clubs of twenty, These rates make the | and offices in New York, have attracted the attention of ‘Warxiy Henan the cheapest publication in the country. ‘Tho Evrorzan Epimos, every Wednesday, at Srx cents the public, and there is considerable excitement upon the subject in the minds of those who haye to pay rents as woll as those who mtend purchasing roal property. Per copy, @4 per annum toany part of Great Britain, or | Aan article giving somo interosting figures hinging upon $6 to any part of the Continent, both to include postage. | the matter appears in this morning’s Hua. Volume XXXI...... seeeeereeeeeee weeeeee No. 36 AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING, BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway, near Broome atreet,—SoLon SainGue—Live Inpiax. LUCY RUSHTON’S NEW YORK THEATRE, Nos. 728 and 730 Broadway.—Tae Buack Domivo—Betwaex You AND Mx aNp THE Post. WOOD'S THEATRE, Broadway, opposite the St. Nicholas Hotel —Tux Desurawre—Guanca at Naw Yore—Inisu 'UTOR, SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS, 595 Broadway, opposite Metropolitan Hotel.—2rmiorian SINGING, DaNciNa, dc.— ‘Tue Fixing Trapeze. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 201 Bowery.—Sixa- 1a, Dancing, Buauesques, &0.—Tux Mountain Devin. GEORGE CHRISTY'S MINSTR Tux Oup Scuoou or Minstretsy, Bactaps, Mustcan ( , at the Fifth Avenue Opera’ House, Nos, Zand 4 West Twenty-fourth st. BRYANTS’ MINSTRE way.—Dan Brva: muxs, BURLESQUES, lechamtes’’ Hall, 472 Broad- ‘rump Seeou—NxcRro Comicait ‘ut HAND-a-Lone Brornens. HOOLEY’S OPERA HOUSE, Brooklyn.—E tarortan Mix- STRELSY—BALLADS, BURLESQUES AND PANTOMI Mus. NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.< Open from 10.4. M, till 10 P.M DODWORTH HALL, 806 Broadway.—Granp Concert BY Tux CONTINENTAL GLEx CLUB. CLINTON HALL, Astor Place.—Miss Miwa Grarv’s Bauwap Concent. New York, Monday, February 5, 1866. THE NEWS. EUROPE. A mass of important and interesting information is ‘Contained in the Heratp despatches and extracts from our foreign files by the steamship Africa published in our columns to-day. The state of anxiety in which all Paris, and conse- quently all France, awaited. at the date of our latest ac- counts, the anticipated oracular remarks of Napoleon on the Mexican question, at the opening of the Chambers, on the 22d ult., is well deecribed in our correspondence from the French capital. The Emperor was himself de- A fire which broke out between twelve and one o'clock yesterday morning in No, 206 Chatham street, and ex tended to Nos, 204 and 208, caused damage to the three buildings and stocks of goods therein estimated at about six thousand dollars, the principal part of which is covered by insurance. Anexplosion occurred about seven o'clock last evening, in ene of the stills of the new oll refinery, on the corner of South Eighth and Provost streets, Jorsey City, and the building was soon after enveloped in flames; but its most valuable stores were saved, and the (otal loss ia estimated at only about five thousand dollars. The flames which followed the explosion lighted up the sky over this city, and for a considerable distance around, most brilliantly. The steamer Kill Von Kull sunk at the foot of Fortieth street, North river, yesterday afternoon, and about one hundred cattle on board of her were drowned. A sermon was delivered by Archbishop McCloskey last night at St. Teresa’s church, corner of Rutgers and Henry streets, the subject being taken from the Gospel of the day. The church was crowded, and a large sum was realized from the proceeds of the tickets sold at the door. The object was to assist the church in liquidating the debts entailed on it, A lecture on the Greek Church was delivered last evening to a crowded audience, in St, Joseph’s Catholic chureh, by the Rev. Father Hewit. The Arion Society held their fifth and last soiree of the carnival season last night at the Germania Assembly Rooms, in the Bowery, which were crowded on the occa- s.on by a merry throng of both sexes. MISCELLANEOUS. The conversation which took place between Secretary Seward and President Baoz, of St. Domingo, during the recent visit of the former to that republic, and some por- tions of which have already been furnished our readers by our West India correspondents, appears at length in our columns to-day. “Baez gave an account of the man- ner in which he had been called to the Presidency, and said that, his country being now free from the Spanish invaders, it had fair promise of continued independence and prosperity, but that in order to insure the stability of its government the recognition of the United States was indispensable. Mr. Seward explained that neither the republic of Hayti, which had existed for noarly fifty years, nor that of St, Domingo, which was established as long ago as 1824, had received any official notice from our government till after the commencement of the re- sirous of ignoring the matter entirely in his speech, but, | bellion bere, because up to that time the slavery interest in deference to the unanimous advice of his Cabinet, had | dictated our governmental policy; but he gave President consented to touch upon it, and the supposition was that | Baez to understand that whenever a Dominican minister he would promise a withdrawal of his troops from Mexico * at the earliest practicable period—within a year at least. Our correspondent also gives an account of the grand ball ‘at the Tuileries, with a list of the Americans present and intresting pen pictures of several of the leading European notabilities whoymingled in the throng. Among ‘our countrymen the lion and the one receiving most at- tention from their Majesties was General Schofield. To the General the Emperor expressed his pleasure at the meeting and told with what interest he had followed the march of Sherman, and to Minister Bigelow he passed a vory neat compliment on the beauty of American ladies. By the next arrival from Europe we shall no doubt learn precisely what Napoleon did say to his legislators about Mexico. The particulars of the recent sudden and unexpected withdrawal from its Mediterranean rendezvous of Admi- ral Goldsborough’s American squadron, which has caused a considorable sensation among European politicians, are given in our Florence correspondence. This movement, taking place in midwinter, when every one supposed the fleet was snugly laid up in quarters till spring, has naturally given rise to much speculation as to the cause, the leading idea in the diplomatic circles of the Italian capital being that the step has been taken owing to the Supposed delicate relations at present existing between the United States and France, and in order to prevent should be sent to Washington he would be received and placed on the same footing as other foreign reprosenta- tives. As our readers have already been informed, Presi- dent Johnson,.since Mr. Seward’s return to Washington, has nominated to the Senate a minister to tho republic of St. Domingo. |, A rumor bas gained circulation in Washington that if the Freedmen’s Bureau bill shall pass in’ the House of Representatives in the same shape that it was received from the Senate the President will issue a proclamation declaring the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus re- stored in all the border States. Generals Grant and Sherman yesterday paid a visit to Admiral Porter at Annapolis, Md., and were entertained by a review of the midshipmen at the Naval Academy. ‘A movement is projected for holding in Washington in a fow days a meeting of prominent politicians to organ- ize @ national party, in opposition to the radicals, to bo composed of Union democrats and conscrvative repub- licans. The details of the loss of the Australian steamship London furnish a tale of horror almost unsurpassed, relieved by acts of heroism worthy of being borne in per- petual remembrance, A perusal of the extracts which we publish elsewhere, will give the reader some idea of how terrible a thing a shipwreck is. The bonds of the O'Mahony branch of Fenians are said our ships from being shut up in the Mediterranean by | to be still selling freely among those who are supposed French iron-clads in case hostilities should actually break | to know something of what is going on, and there appears out botwern the two countries. All that the quidnunes | to be general confidence and hope among the whole fra- Positively know, however, is that the Admiral acts in obedience’to orders from Washington, and that his ships will spend the remaindor of the winter in the Tagus, at or near Lisbon. Our correspondent states that there is at present a great rush through Florence of American tourists, mostly on their way to Rome, whore there is an fmmense number of our countrymen this winter, and where American society is just now the gayest of the 7, and leading the world of fashion to such an extent that the Ttalians are beginning to fear our Petrolian princes, Ike the Getns and Huns of old, have como to take possession of the ancient capital of the world. Another meeting of the English holders of rebo bonds was beld in London on the 18th ult., when the Tesolutions submitted at @ previous meeting were adopted. According to a statement made by one of the sufferers, the Mesers. Erlanger, the Paris bankers who engineered the loan in question, have netted the neat littie sum of twoand ahalf millions of dollars out of the affair, while the unsophisticated cate who pulled the monkey's roasted chestnuts out of the fire, have only their burnt paws to show for their part in the trans action. MEXICO. ‘The correspondence already alluded to in our columns, betweon Generals Weitzel and Mejia, regarding the Bagdad raid, is given im our Brownsville letter pub- lished this morning. General Weitzel informs the imperial commander that he sent troops to the town, after its capture, solely in the interest of humanity and to prevent further scenes of outrage and disorder, ‘and that if the investigation which he has ordered shall show that any of bis men were engaged in the foray they shall be punished. It is very apparent that if the American troops had not been despatched for the protection of the inhabitants of Bag- dad the place would have been completely sacked, if not destroyed. The Mexican chief Cortina, on learning of its capture, immediately procecded thither with a party of his men for the purpose of pillaging, but was Prevented executing his design by the American officer in command. To General Weitzel’s letter Mejia replied very briefly, merely stating that he had laid « full Sccount of the matter before his government. Tho commander of the French Gulf fleet also submitted his Protest against the occupation of Bagdad by Americans, General Escobedo, having for a considerable while held thechief command of the Mexican republicans on the Rio Grande without being able to effect the desired of action among his several subordinate chiefs or to achiove any great fuccess, haa left the frontier for the interior, and the improbable rumor that he has joined the Imporialists has been set afloat ternity. The Valley Worsted Mill, at Providence, R. I, was almost totally destroyed by fire on last Friday night, in: volving a loss of between two and threo hundred thou- sand dollars. Many of the operatives in the mill were severely injured by jumping from the windows, and it was rumored that some of them wero burned to death. A tire in Onwego, N. Y., yesterday morn’ng, destroyed about forty thousand dollars worth of property. The Union City Flour Mills, at Waterloo, Indiana, vatued at twenty thousand dollars, were destroyed by fire yesteriay. The boilers of tho steamer W. R. Carter exploded om Friday last, at Island No, 98, on the Missiasippl river, causing the death of several persons, and rendering the boat and her cargo a total loss. The vessel alone was ‘valued at one hundred thousand dollars, The boiler of the towboat Baltic, at Now Orleans, ex- ploded at her wharf on Saturday morning, and imme- diately after sank. Four or five persons were killed. A prize fight for two thousand dollars took place on the 16th of January, a few miles from London, England, between two pugilists named Rooke and Ryall, which “lasted two hours and fifty-six minutes; but only thir- teen rounds were fought daring that time, owing to the fail of a drenching rain and the muddy state of the ground, The fight was finally adjourned to the 22d of Fe>ruary. The men showed little punishment. A de- tailed account will be found in this morning’s Henao. A “friendly meeting” for the pugilistic championship of Montaua took place in that territory on New Year's Day, between Patsey Marley, of New York, and Con Orem, the Colorado champion. Ninety-nine rounds were fought, oocapying two hours. Orem was the victor. ‘This was the third meeting between these men. Precautionary Sanrrary Mxasvnrs.—The Board of Health of Brooklyn, assisted by a large committee of physicians and citizens, are about taking some excellent precautionary measures against the cholera, should we have the misfortune to be visited by that pestilence in the coming summer. They propose to make a thorough examination of every house, street, lane and alley in the city, with a view to re- moving everything that is calculated to impair sicians have volunteered their good*work. This is an movement, which might be adopted in the me- NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1508 The Troubles of England, France and Spain—Retribution Comes at Last. France, England and Spain conspired against the United States when this was in the throes of civil war. Our national existence as one Power was seriously imperilled, republican institutions were underroing the severest trial, and that grand destiny which we believed Pro- vidence had promised to us seemed as if it were about to be cut short. In this, the darkest hour of our history, the three Powers named com- bined to give us an unfriendly kick in the dark, with a view of completing our ruin and cutting short our glorious career. The successful example of republican institutions on this con- tinent was a standing reproach to monarchy, aristocracy, oligarchy and class government in the Old World. The oppressed people there began to cast their eyes across the Atlantic and compare this free government and great and happy land with their own countries. The comparison could have no other effect than to make them dissatisfied and to long for a change in their own institutions and condition. Their rulers had the. sagacity to eco this, and feared the consequences to themselves. These monarchs and privileged classes, doubtless, would have taken steps before to have clipped the wings of the soaring eagle of republican America had they dared to do so, or would have found a pretext, but they were not able. When, however, we were plunged in civil war, they believed their opportunity had come, and they were not slow to take advan- tage of it. We do not know yet, and may never know, what were the terms of this secret alliance or understanding among the European Powers, or how many of them entered into it. Some, it is probable, as Russia and some of the smaller States, who had nothing to fear from the growth of the republic and who had always been friendly to us, were not parties to the hostile combination. But we know, from the acts of England, France and Spain, that they proceeded in accord with each other in the general policy laid down or under- stood. England hastily recognized the rebels as belligerents, giving an example for other Powers to follow, and cheerfully consented to the spoliation and destruction of our sister American republics, thus aiming a blow at re- publican government over the entire continent. France, or rather the Emperor Napoleon—for we make a distinction belween him and the French people—undertook to blot out the re- public of Mexico and to erect a monarchy on its ruins, Spain combined with him at first in this great national outrage, and finally took upon herself a separate réle in attacking the other republics of America. These were the parts which each of the three Powers to this most unholy alliance, conspiracy or combina- tion took, and in which two at least have not yet ceased-acting. True, they disagreed about the spoils soon after they commenced to carry out the programme, one trying to overreach the other, but each continued to be moved by the same spirit of hostility to the United States and to republican institutions on the American continent. Now they are suffering the fate of all who follow blind ambition and ignore the principles of right and justice. Influenced by their own passions and selfish policy, regardless of the well-being of the masses of mankind, these monarchical and aristocratic rulers, listened to false prophets and believed a lie. They, were told that the great republic was broken up, never to be restored, and they believed it But it was not written so in the book of fate, which was closed to their eyes. The republic is pre- served, and is stronger and mightier than ever. The ripple which a few agitating fanatics make in our domestic political affairs will be calmed down soon, and we shall become more firmly united than heretofore. Our destiny, so fur from being circumscribed or arrested by the events of the last few years, is enlarged. We have loomed up to be the first Power of the world. On the other hand, those who combined against us are full of trouble. The thorn is in their side. Retribution has followed them. England is sorely disturbed both in the United Kingdom and in her colonies by Fenianism. Arebel apparition haunts her slumbers now. A widespread organization which was sneered ata few months ago turns out not to be so con- temptible, and no one can tell how serious it may become. There are, too, other latent causes of trouble both in Canada and Austra- lia, The financial condition of the kingdom also is evidently in a very deranged condition. Then there is the difficulty with this country about the Anglo-rebel claims hanging over her. With regard to France, the very measures the Emperor Napoleon took to check the United States and to inerease his own power in America have proved his greatest trouble. The fruit bas turned to ashes in bis mouth. He has become aware that he cannot remain in Mexico, and that his experiment of erecting an empire and making an emperor is a failure. He does not know how to get out of the dilemma without disgrace. The loss of his prestige for sagacity and statesmanship might materially weaken his hold upon the French people and his power in Europe, to say nothing of the cost of his effort to manufacture imperialism. All this may strengthen greatly tho opposition, which begins to show vitality, and, amid the revolutionary elements that are fermenting in Europe, might endanger his dy- nasty. The retributive hand of Justice is raised over his head, and makes him feel very uneasy about this Mexican business. Undoubtedly he wishes he had not touched it. Asto poor Spain, her quixotic part of the European intervention with America is proving equally disastrous. She came out of the St. Domingo affair, as well as out of the Mexican, in » humiliating manner. Her attack upon the republics of South America is involving her in the greatest difficulty. The prospect is that she will be compelled to succumb in the struggle. Under any circumstances she «annot come out with credit. At home the whole kingdom is in & ferment of revolution, The dynasty of Isa- bella itself hangs upon a slender thread. Thus, we see, the avenging Nemesis pursues also this other monarchical conspirator against republi- can liberty. The United States is not only e gteat republic in itself, but is the representa- tive of republican ideas and of freedom for the people of all nations, and any assault upon our government, openly or insidiously, must recoil upon the assailants; for the people everywhere are our friends, if the crowned heads and privi- lodged olasses are not. Tas Rervsurcan Pasty Basaxwwe Ur.—The outrageously radical measures ot Sumner and Stevens are breaking ap the republican party, which could have raled the qquntrr for the next century had it been properly managed. It elected Lincoln over McClellan in 1864 be- cause all the soldiers and the friends of the soldiers gave it their votes; but now we see that all the great generals, like Grant, Sherman and Thomas, have declared against the radical policy in their reports, and that the soldiers are indignant at the efforts made for immediate, universal and unconditional gegro suffrage. The result will be the organization of a new conservative party that will annihilate the re- publicans as they annihilated the democrats. The only military men who endorse Sumner and Stevens in their crusade against the Presi- dent are Ben Butler and Carl Schurz. These are all the soldiers, if they may be called sol- diers, that the republicans now retain in their party. . Internal Revenue Tax Paid by this city. We notice by the official returns of the Inter- nal Revenue Department that the citizens and business interests of this metropolis have paid the enormous eum of thirty-seven millions of dollars of internal revenue tax during the past year ending with the ist of January. There was collected in this city, under this law, during the year 1864, eighteen millions, The amount received by the government for 1865 is, there- fore, more than double that of the previous year. Thus this metropolis, which bore the great financial burden of the war and opened its financial vaults at every demand of the government for the sinews of war, is now, on the return of peace, foremost in meeting the nation’s obligations. The entire tax collected under the Internal Revenue laws throughout the country in 1864 was, in round numbers, two hundred and eleven millions, and this city paid one-eleventh of this whole amount. The six New England States- paid only five millions more than this one city. For the year 1865 the total receipts of the govern- ment from this*source will foot up nearly three hundred millions, of which New York city has paid one-eighth. These figures speak for them- selves. But, while every New Yorker has good reason to feel proud of this record, according to the constitution it is an injustice to the busi- ness interests of this city. That instrument specially declares that “Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers.” If the internal revenue tax for 1864 had been levied in accordance with this provision, even excluding the eleven Southern States, this city would have only been required to pay about seven millions, instead of eighteen. Applying the same rule to 1865, the amount required of this city would have been less than ten, instead of thirty-seven millions. The enormous increase during 1865 is no doubt owing to changes in the law, and its more efficient administration. But there is great room for improvement in the practical application of the revenue Inws. The special commission give it as their opinion that at least one-third of the tax is not collected. From facts in our possession we consider this state- ment below, rather than above, the mark. This is unjust to the honest tax-payer, and calls for immediate correction, if the government ex- pect that the people will bear the burthens which our enormous debt has placed upon them. With all the increase of receipts from this city, there are millions which remain ancollected, simply from the double policy of financial officers at Washington. There is one point of recent occurrence which illustrates this fact: the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Bureau at Washington has twice, within the last two months, issued positive orders for the collection ot the tax on sales of stocks made by brokers. for themselves, the same as on commission. The clear interpreta- tion of the law requires this, and some of the brokers have paid it without grumbling, but the majority have not, while some have en- tered the sales for their customers in their books as their own, and thus, while collecting the tax of their customers, have made no re- turns of the amount to the tax officials. Every time that the Commissioner has issued an order for the enforcement of this provision of the law some broker with influence has visited Wash- ington and secured an order from an official who outranks the Commissioner, countermand- ing that of the latter and postponing its en- forcement. A great injustice has been done to the tax-paying community by this action. On no class of business will the tax be felt as little as that on the sales in Wallstreet. It is purely & speculative business, and the tax levied thus does not affect the. maas of. the people or in- crease the prices of the necosgaries of life, whereas a tax on sugar, clothing and specific articles of that kind affects every family in the land, and increases the cost of these necessaries. But it is not in this sense alone that evil results will follow the conflicting policy of the govern- ment officials. Those brokers wl come for- ward and honestly pay their full tax required by law have just cause for complaint, and it will not be long before they, too, will hold back and evade a portion of the tax. When the people once realize that Wall street specu- lators can go to Washington and secure an order relieving themselves of the government tax, the Treasury Department will find that the enormous revenue tax will not be paid as cheerfully as now, and instead of roceiving hundreds of millions it will be found difficult to obtain hundreds of thousands. American Sgcurities Aproav.— While Ameri- can securities are steadily advancing in value, those of France and England as steadily de- crease. The reason of this’ is that those who desire to invest their money can do so to much greater advantage and with much higher inter- est in American than in foreign bonds, If a person in England has fifty thousand dollars in gold to invest, he can get three or four per cent interest for it in specie by depositing it with the English or French governments; but if he sends it to this country he finds it transformed into seventy thousand dollars in paper money— gold being at about forty per cent premium— and be can put this sum, at par, into bonds that pay six per cent interest ingold. Such a practi- eal difference as this may well overcome all the arguments of the London Times, a paper which endeavors to depreciate American securities by order of the Rothschild clique who control it, and whose foreign investments are injured by the present advance in our bonds. Besides this, shrewd financiers, who discount the future, plainly sce that the troubles of this country are over for ® century tp come, while France and will soon be involved in some of those which periodically occur to every counter, like Qta of sipknogs to ingividnals, ' thay say, for the negro, and out of The radicals .'% Congress are making every effort to endorse , ‘Be Views of the London Times and to postpone our prosperity; but we are assured that their ine ‘ne and unpatriotic pro- jects will all fail before . be calm conservatism of President Johnson and tu. ° People. ‘The Mexican Question—The . "Public the Last Chance for Maxims, “!*™- From the copious and interesting ,udget of Mexican correspondence which we pn, Plished yesterday our readers will have peres.\ved that the empire is not peace, that Maxin lian’s embarrassments, military, political, ec- elesiastical and financial, are too much for hin, and that the idea prevails among the French in Mexico that Louis Napoleon is about to withdraw and leave his protégé to his own re- sources. New cabinets and new party affilia- tions are talked of as contemplated by Maxi- milian, especially a close alliance with the old Church party; but this movement will not now avail him. The old Church party, in being despoiled of their vast estates and their goods and-ohattels, are in the condition of the lion with his teeth and claws extracted. The hold- ers of the epoils hold the balance of power, and they, to secure: their aré the adherents of Maximilian, and only upon this condition. Ifhe has signally failed to enlist the liberals on his side in adopting the Church policy of Juarez, he will more signally fail in the experiment of overthrowing the liberals by a return to the Church party. That Louis Napoleon intends to abandon Maximilian appears to be settled by all our latest advices from Mexico, from Paris and from Washington. Before the close of this | week we may perhaps have the official views and purposes of the Emperor of the French, with the report of his speech to his legislative chambers, which doubtless assembled in@aris on the 22d of January, pursuant to his call. It does not appear, however, from any fore- shadowings of this imperial speech, that Napo- leon contemplates the abandonment of the empire of Mexico with the withdrawal of his troops. His idea seems to be that, unless inter- fered with by the United States, Maximilian is in a condition to sustain himself, and that for the sake of peace our government will prac- tice the rule of non-intervention, until, with the removal of every vestige of the republic, we shall have no alternative left us but a recognition of the empire. But the remonstrances of Mr. Seward cover the establishment of Maximilian as an offen- sive usurpation, which in no event can be recognized by our government. That in this view the administration speaks the almost unanimous public sentiment of this country cannot be questioned. Maximilian is only tolerated by the United States for the time being as an offensive interloper, to whom a reasonable margin of grace may be allowed on the condition of his peaceable departure. But neither as the protégé of Napoleon, nor as the representative of the House of Haps- burg, nor as the’ crowned head of an inde- pendent empire, can he establish himself in Mexico. But by adopting the republic and by securing his election, after the old Mexican fashion, as President, he may succed not only in holding his ground without further assist- ‘ance from France or Austria, but he may, per- baps, secure a recognition from the United States. His simplest plan, and safest, how- ever, would be to sell out to President Juarez for a good round sum in cash, and retire to his comfortable retreat on the Adriatic, there to enjoy the proceeds in the philosophy of retire- ment, and as a public benefactor. The happy reign of Sancho Panza over his peaceful island is not reserved for Max in Mexico. With the failure of Jeff Davis this Mexican enterprise became a failure, and as an offshoot of our late Southern rebeltion it must sbare the same fate. Congress, meantime, satisfied with the stand taken by the administration in behalf of the Monroe doctrine, is undisturbed by any agita- tion of Mexican affairs; but should the forth- coming speech of Louis Napoleon to his legis- lative bodies fall short of the prevailing expectations on this side the Atlantic, we may reasonably predict a movement in the House of Representatives looking to a decisive under- standing between the two governments. The American Congress is waiting to hear from Louis Napoleon, and is less disturbed by party lines in reference to Mexico than upon the issues of Southera reconstruction. Geverat ‘Saeruan on THR Position oF vme Necro Sovra—Tas Rapica, ars Oxtr Enewy.—The communication addressed to the the General has to say at present on the stato of the Southern people, and is not to be fol- lowed, a8 has been thought possible, by a more elaborate exposition of the great soldier’s views. It sums up the whole case tersely, and contains all that a man of clear ideas need say:— “The negroes in Arkansas can all find profitable and lucrative employment, and are protected in all their rights and property by the civil authorities.” Here is a great fact that gives us the position of reconstruction in that State at one view, and General Sherman states it on his own credit, like a man who knows that the | country will believe what he says. So far as the niggers go, then, reconstruction is all right out there. No nigger need starve if disposed to labor, and none is deprived of justice. More than this cannot be required until the country is prepared to build every darky a house, put his name on the income list and give his wife a piano. Not only are all secure in Arkansas, bat they also feel secure. “I met no one, citi- zen or soldier, who questioned or doubted that their freedom was as well secured in Arkansas as in Ohio.” We cannot doubt, then, that the to in 8 state of anarohy end confusion, and all, born determination to have their own way. ff the South, to secure quiet, has finally to give to the negro more than its judgment believed him entitled to, that gift will excite terrible passions, and will be eventually a dear gift to Sambo. Sambo can stay in the South quietly and happily in his present natural position; but, force him into another position—a position that will every day excite the passions of the superior race—and he cannot stay in the South- ern States at all. The radicals are doing their crazy utmost to force him into this higher, dangerous, impossible position, and they there+ fore are his only enemies, Thus we see & etwange fact in the history of parties; but one not entirely without parallel. The radicals first became a party in virtue of their crusade for the good of the nigger, and now they are the only party ¢hat will not let this poor mig- ger enjoy what quiet he cam in the world, but insist upon forcing bim forward and upward to his ruin. Reouiatine THE Rattroaps.—Mr. of Erie, has introduced s bill into the Assembly that looks a little as if there were some thought in Albany of making now and then s law for the good of the people. This bill is “for the better protection of life on railroads.” Judg- ing by the title only, we would suppose that the author of this bill had glimmerings as te the real functions of a State Legislature; that he did not think members were sent to Albany merely to be bought and sold, to concoct schemes for private advantage only, and that have no other application to the public except as they plunder it, We know nothing of the above bill save its title; but we know that the presumption is always against a bill brought out at Albany. It has first to be proved and shown that it is nota job before any one cam trust it. Our State legislation is, as a rule, such notorious jobbery—every bill has so many corrupt affiliations--that the public is wisely suspicious of even those whose titles promise best. But if Mr. Williams’ bill is really an honest attempt to render life safer on the rail- roads within our State, it deserves the support and encouragement of the whole community. We hope it will go ahead all right, that it will apply to all roads equally, and that it does not cover any job. It should contain some provi- sions to render life tolerable, not to say safe, on our city railroads. It should, at all events, compel these city roads to adhere to their own rules, and run according to the regulations they have made for themselves. Half the dis- comforts of the publjc on the city cars, and all the accidents, are due to the violation of the rules that the companies ostentatiously print all over their cars. Nothing is mare notorious than that persons are forbidden to ride on the platforms, and yet the platforms are never empty. No one. is permitted to enter or leave the cars by the front platform, and all the acci- dents occur by attempting to enter or by leav- ing the cars at that point. The companies: should be required to enforce their own regu- lations where they are good. Thus a car should only have one entrance, and the front door should be locked by the starter. Then the chains beside the driver would make the front platform an inaccessible place. Smoking on the cars, which is forbidden, but not stopped, would then be put am end to. It is true the companies would thus lose the opportunity to carry six or eight more passengers at crowded times; but perhaps then they would put om more cars. Nor should any person be permit- ted to stand on the rear platform, whether the car be full or empty. Ladies cannot use the cara at all on account of the crowded state of those platforms. They are also the chosen re- sort of pickpockets. This is so notorious that two or three men, seen crowded on these plat- forms when there are plenty of seats, are now always supposed to be pickpockets. It.is cer- tain that the light-fingered gentry ply their trade at that favorite point with great success. On some other points the rules of the cars are not so excellent, and these are the rules that are enforced; but against these the courts far- nish a remedy. Thus the Supreme Court of Brooklyn, a few days ago, gave a just verdict of $2,500 damages against the Brooklyn City and Newtown Railroad, on which Dennis Sheri- dan,a boy, was killed by having been de- prived of his seat after he had paid his fare, and forced by the crowd to the front platform, from which he fell under the wheel. In some respects, therefore, the cars may be left to the courts; but there are many others dn which they need legislative regulation, and it is to be hoped that some provisions in reference te metropolis. New York ts the centre country, as Paris is of France and London of England. People rush to it from all parts of the United States to make money or to enjoy the ‘elegances of life. If they have to pay dearly for its advantages the majority of them are perfectly willing to do so, while the perity of the city. Just as a store om Broadway is more valuable for business pur- poses, and consequently commands a higher rent than a store in some unfrequented alley, so a residence in New York is worth more and costs more than a residence in any other part of the country. The increase of twenty, thirty and forty per cent now required by landlords over the rents for last year is certainly onerows; but the law of supply and demand regulates rents as it regulates the prices of sugar and broadcloth. Our hotels are more crowded when they charge. five dollars a day, than they were a few years ago when they only charged two dollars. Houses are very dear, but they are also very scarce, even at the high rates, and this scarcity makes them the more If one person is not willing to pay the advanced rent another person is; and although i F A