The New York Herald Newspaper, February 14, 1866, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR OFFICE N, W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. Volume XXXI “ ee at AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. e BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway, uear Broome street.—SoLoN SaunGue—Live Inpian, LUCY RUSHTON'S NEW YORK THEATRE. Nos. 728 and 730 Broadway.—Tax Buack Domino—Between You axp Me AND THe Post. WOOD'S THEATRE, Broadway, opposi N Hotel. —Rir Van Winkte-Hawe "Lrawee on han “Gaear Wester. Matinee at 1g oClock, TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 201 Bowery —Sina- ANG DANCING, BURLESQUES, &.—Live IN Mexico; on, Tie Patnior's Davauren. Matinee at 23 o' Clock. GEORGE CHRISTY’S—O1p Scuoo. or MINsTRELSY, BavLaps, Muswar Gems, &c.. Fifth Avenue Opera House, = 2and4 West Twenty-fourth street.—BaL Masquz DES SAN FRA’ et itn Tae Bevexace BRYANTS’ MINSTRELS, Mechantos’ Hall, 472 Broad way. Dawn Bryant's New Stour Searo—Nedno Comcaut- Tims, Buxiesques, &c.—Tur Live ixuin. MINSTRELS, 585 Broadway, it ETOP aN SiNuisa, Dawe ben CLINTON HALL, Astor Plice.—Tax Bump Arrists. HOOLEY'S OPERA HOUSES, Grooklyn.—Erutorian Mix- STRELSY—BALLADS, BURLESQUES AND 1 ANTOMIMES, BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC.—Wizaaxp Sxurr— Warr or Wis Toy-Wisn. NEW YORK MUSEUM O° ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.— Open from 10 A. M. ull lo Pw New York, Wednesday, Febraary 14, 1866. Ta2B NEWS. CONGRESS. In the Senate yesterday the credentials of ex-Provi- sional Governor Parsons as a Senator from Alabama were presented and laid on the table. Several petitions were _ Presented for an equalization of soldiers’ bounties, to in- crease the duties on imports, for equal civil and political rights without color distinction and to permit negro soldiers to vote. Another proposed constitutional amend- ment, empowering Congress to make the necessary laws to protect all the people of a State in the enjoyment of equal civil rights, and to seeare to the citizens of one State the same priv sin all the other States which “they enjoy in thei: own, was intro- duced and ordered to be p! i. The Dill to ex- tend the time for withdrawing goods from public “warehouses was debated for time, and then laid over tll to-day, The Dill * ago introduced by Mr. Wilson, {xing our military poace establishment, was reported by him from the M ry Committee, with amend The consideration of the Reconstruction Committee's representation bacis constitutional amend- ment was resumed and continued up to the close of the open session, the greater part of the time being occupied by Mr. Henderson in a speceh in which, while assuming to defend President Johnsov, he opposed some of the chief ative measures. He was frequently inter- rupted by other Senators, and had not concluded his remarks when the adjournient took place, An execn- tive seasion was held, in which some Presidential appointments were acted npon In the House of Kepresentativos Mr. Whaley, of West Virginia, offered a preamble and resolutions reaffirming the Congressional declaration of last session, that this country can never tolerato, aud should resist with all its power, the establishment of an imperial government in Mexico, and suggesting that the President take measures Tor forming an alliance opinst i of all the repablics on this continent, which were referred to the Foreign Rela- + tions Commitee, A resolation to procure a large number of copies of the work containing the tacts connseted with the assessination of President Lincoln, reports of the procecdings of public *s ii relation thereto, nd orations on his Iie and death, was mtroduced and referred to the ringing Committee, A motion to admit to the privileges of the floor dames M. Johnson, ciecte# a¢ a Representative from Arkansas, and who served curing (he war as colonel of @ Union regiment, gave vise to an earnest debate, in which the theory that the Ia rebellious States are de- fanct was again urged by Mr. Stevens and reprobated by other republicans, The motion to admit Mr. Johnson was flaally tabled by seventy-cight to seventy. The kame proposed constitutions! amendment which was presented in the Senate was reported from the Recon- struction Committee, and, «ler diseussion, semt back to that committee. The remainder of tite session was taken up in hearing the majorily and minority reports of the Cowmittee on Elections on the contest between Messrs. Baldwin and Trowbii«!ge for one of the Michigan seats and debating their resy ivi, ‘The majority report was in favor of Mr. 1 ridge; but final action way not taken by the Hote THE LEGISLATURE. ted in the State Very little business was tran Senate yesterday, Remonetrances were — presented against giving owners or te: of wharves and slips in thia city exclusive 1 of the same, A bill was introduced providing for ind speedy egress o * from places of ment, churches, &. dings of the les very interesting, nearly ( lengthened session being + mbly were exciting and le of an unusually in discussion of the was received from wt that the Albany Common Council have complied with the legislative re- quirements in relation to the wetion of a new Capi- tol building, and recommending an carly appropriation by the Legisiature for the purpose, ofter which the Health bill was taken np as the spooial order, im Committee of the Whole, and a long debate on it followed. For some time the speaking was movepolly jusively by the republicans, the radicale and vatives being arrayed on opposite side, ond the speakers of ecoch wing being pretty severe on those of the other. The conservatives iy favor the bill as it has been passed by the Seouie, inaking the proposed Health Commission consi«t of the Metropolitan Police Commissioners and four physicians, while the radicals support the amendment agreed to by the Assembly cau- cus, giving the Governor the ptment of the Health Commissioners, When the ¢ nition between these factions had lasted for time, a democratic member from this city took the floor, and, after remarking that «ppearaucess indicated that the Honse bad been turned into a republican caucus, proceeded to strongly oppe<e the whole Health Commis- sion project, denouncing it as » device of the republicans to inerease their political power, ond imaisting that the city of New York, if left alone by the Legislatare, is fully able ftself to twk* care of its health, The debate then became genera! and was continued with mach animation, and considerable bitterness and excitement, up to midnig'it, » & vole was taken on the bill a8 it passed the Senv'c, and it was rejected by sixty-nine to forty-four, The bil! with the House amend ments was then taken up, and the disenesion atill con. Wawed at an vorly hour the morn The indications are that the amended bill will be -pecdily passed. THE CITY. United States Marshal Murray yesterday made a retarn in the case of the stélimer Meteor, recently seized in this port on suspicion of being a Chilean privateer, setting forth bis seizure of the vessel, and that he still held her subject to the order of the Court, Counsel for the owner appeared, when United States District Attorney Dickin- fen signified to the Court his readiness to proceed with the examination, but, in compliance with the wish of the counsel on the other side, the case was indefinitely Postponed Ad action was commenced in the Superior Court yester- day against Thurlow Weed aud others, who, it is charged, madertook to dispose of rights and privileges in connee- Gon With the construction of a now telegraph line from New Orleans to California, which were not exclusively thetra, An injunction fn the case has boon issued by the Court to reatrain them from carrying out their intentions. The tong ponding case of Jobn J. Baker and others versus Greene C. Bronson, formerly Collector of this port, ‘waa finally concluded yesterday in the United States Cireait Court, before Judge Shipman. The suit was Drought for the recovery of alleged overcharge of duties oa imported brandies, the amount of which was paid at the time under protest. The jury returned a verdict for the government. ‘The investigation of the case of Sueannah Abrams, ac- cused of having participated in the iseurnes of counter. fer (wemty-five cent notes representing $he amount of on thowaand dollars, waa com'inued yesterday ner Osbora, Couamel on } property NEW YORK HERALD, W her behalf cross-examined the witnesses who had given testimony againat her on the previous day, and raised the point in her favor that she had acted in the matter under the compulsion of her husband. The further hearing was adjourned till to-morrow. John Moran, examined some days ago on a charge of passing counterfeit money, was committed for trial yes- terday, in default of seven hundred and fifty dollars bail, by United States Commissioner Betts, Commissioner Stilwell stated yesterday that he would take bail im the case of John D, Slater and Charles Miller, charged with having passed fraudalent fifty cent cur- rency, A verdict forfour thousand eight hundred and fifty dollars was yesterday rendered in the Supreme Court against Messrs, Wm. B, & Charles Jaudon, stock brokers in this city, in favor of Mr. George W. Markham. The plaintiff, as appeared on the trial, employed defendants to purchase several hundred shares of Erie and Cleve- jand and Pittsburg stock, which, it was claimed, they sold without his knowledge or consent. The case lasted two days. The case of Zeno Burnham,, accused of having de- frauded a lady of one thousand dollars by certain alleged fraudulent practices at an auction, was resumed yester- day in the Court of Oyer and Terminer, before Judge Barnard. The trial lasted during the whole day, but was not concluded, and will be continued to-day, An action was brought yesterday in the Superior Court by Catherine Hurley against Cornelius Burns for sum- mary dispossession of a house under void proceedings. A verdict was rendered for the plaintiff for five hundred dollars, In the Court of General Sessions yesterday Abraham Van Orden was convicted of outrage upon a little girl nine years old, and was remanded till Friday for s2n- tence, James Smith pleaded guilty to an assault upon Officer McCullough. Sentence was postponed. Joseph Henry, charged with stealing an ovércoat, was acquitted. Michael Cassidy and Samuel Thompson were convicted of stealing one hundred and fifty dollars worth of rope from a vessel in the North river. Judge Russel stated that he would hear a motion in arrest of judgment in the case on Friday. The Nineticth New York (Brooklyn) regiment arrived in this city yesterday afternoon, and took up their quar- tors at the Battery Barracks, where they will remain until their grand reception by the military and citizens of Brooklyn this afternoon, a programme of which will be found in another part of our paper. That this is Valentine’s Day few of the readers of the Henacy who have been through any of the retail streets within the last week need to be reminded, as tho profuse displays of pictorial missives suggestive of love as well as other passions {not so commendable have already fur- nished the information. The observance of this anm- versary has been less attended to in late years than for- merly, but there is evidently to be something of a revival to-day, aud the appearances are that it will be very ex- tensively celebrated in its peculiar way. ‘The third lecture of the ‘Fraternity Course” was de- livered last evening in the Brooklyn Academy of Masic, by Wendell Phillips, of Boston, His subject was “National Affairs. ”’ The annual reunion of the New York Medical Uni- versity took place last evening at the University building in Clinton place. The President read a report of the work done during the past year, and Dr, Hachonberg Tread a paper on the nature and treatment of the cholera. ‘The steamship George Cromwell, Captain Vail, of the Cromwell line, will sail to-day at three P. M. for New Orleans direct from pier No. 9, North river. The mails will close at the Post Office at half-past one P. M. The steamship Eagle, Captain Lawrence, sails at three P. M, to-day for Havana from pier No. 4, North river. Mails close at the Post Office at half-past one P. M. There were several very extensive egies of real estate at the Exckange Rooms, 111 Broadway, yesterday. There was a very large attendance, the bidding way spirited, and the prices procured wore exceedingly large. Quietude was’ the prevailing feature in commercial circles yesterday, and business was, as @ general thing, only ina retail way. Both imported and domestic mer- chandice tended downward, in sympathy with gold, and quotations in some instances shoW a decline. Petroleum wag dull, Cotton was more active and firmer. Groceries were steady. On 'Change nearly everything was quiet. Flour was without decided change tm price, Wheat was a trifle lower. Corn, oats, pork and lard were also lower. Beef was steady, Whiskey was dull and nominal. at MISCELLANEOUS. President Johnson was yesterday visited by a delega- tion of the Baltimore branch of the Methodist Episcopal Charch South, the annual conference of which is now being held in Alexandria, Va. The visitors were much Pleased with their reception. In the Texas Reconstruction Convention, now in session, a resolution requiring all the members to swear to sup- port the national constitation, was adopted on Saturday last, there being sixty-six votes in favor of it and eleven against, and the oath was administered to the delegates on masse, Provisional Governor Hamilton gent in a message recommending, among other things, the repu- diation of the rebel State debt. The various committees were appointed, and several propositions wero presented and referred. The chairman of the Constitutional Com- mittee is Judge Roberts, who was President of the state Secession Convention. The office of the Richmond Ezaminer was coved last night, by order of General Terry, under directions, it is eajd, received frow General Grant, The protest General Ortega against President Juarez’s extension of his term of office, which bas been frequently noticed in the Hznaw recently, is given in full in our issue of this morning. Ortega is Chief Jus- tice of the Mexican Supreme Court, and, according to the constitution of the republic, as interpreted in his behalf, Js now entitled to the Presidency, it being provided that in dofault of an election to fill that office the Chief Jus. tice shall succeed at the expiration of the term of the elected incumbent, Juarez alleges the exigencies of a state of war, special Congressional action aud the ap- proval of the chief civil and military officers as justifica tion of his course in continuing to act as President. This Ortega denounces a3 a dictatorial assumption, and says the Mexicans are Agyting for Mexico, not for Benito Juarez, Additional incidents of the recent West India tour of Secretary Seward are narrated in our St. Domingo corre- spondence of January 15. While in St. Domingo City Mr. Seward, after his interview with President Baez, already fully described in our columns, was conducted through the old and now ruinous town, and shown many Duildings possessing great interest on aceount of their antiquity ana their association with the discovery of this continent, including the cathedral built in the beginning of the sixteenth century, where the ashes of Columbus and his son Diego reposed for two hundrod years. The visit of the Secretary is looked upon by the Dominicans as am event most significant and auspicious for the stabihty of their republic, and, while the authorities fe: immensely strengthened, the populace are wild with. delight over it. Quiet prevails in the country, which is said to be rapidly recuperating under the government of Baez. In the lower house of the Maine Legislature yesterday General Shepley introduced resolutions in favor of negro suffrage and approving the proposed constitutional amendment of the Congressional Reconstruction Com- mittee for excluding freedmen from the basis of repro- sentation in all States where they are not permitted to vote, The Federal Relations Committee of the same body, to whom was referred a resolution relative to the punishment of treason, have reported that the matter is one which should be left to the national authorities, and their report has been accepted. The Fenian alarm in the British provinces is stated in our correspondence from Hamilton, Canada West, to be over for the present, though the government authorities are still continuing their extensive warlike preparations. It in believed there that the apparent split in the Fenian camp is merely a ruse to deceive the British govern- ment, and that the periodical of alarth along the Canadian border are designed to serve the same purpose. The Canadian Parliament, which was to have bled this month, has been prorogued till the 20th of March and will not meet even then for the despatch of busimess. — The history which we give this morning of the rob- bory of the National Bank of Concord, Massachusetts, and the labors of the detectives to discover the robbers, forms most interesing chapter of sxiifal and ingenious crime and of adroit, patient and onflagging pursuit of criminals, The bank was robbed on the 26th of last September, in broad daylight, of over three handred thousand dollars, and from that time until recently, whea one of the alleged thieves was taken into custody, in this city, the officers of the law, though keepmg a close watch on the movements of certain suspected indi- viduals, were unable, owing to the extreme caution ot the fatter, to effec t any arrest, Additions continue to be made to the recon! of this ‘Winter's marine disasters, already extremely heavy, both in (he number of vegsels lost and the sacrifice of life and fue ship Hamlet, from Calcutta for Hostom, was wrecked in the fog of Monday night on Cape Cod, and, with her cargo, together valued at two hundred thousand dollars, will prove a total loss) The crew were saved. Two schooners were sunk by the ico in Provi- dence bay on Monday night; but no lives were lost. The Right Reverend John B. Fitzpatrick, Catholic Bishop of Bostoa, died on Monday night, at the age of fifty-three years. Asketch of the life of this eminent divine is given in another portion of our present issue. The Next Presidency—Mr. Johnson's Po- sition—The Radical Chase Movement. President Johnson is not a candidate for the , Succession, The summit of his ambition, he has publicly declared, has been reached. His personal aspirations are satisfied. He has now no desire as a public man beyond the consum- mation of the work of restoring the Union, “so that we can once more proclaim peace and good will among all the people of the United States.” He is thus free to sink the partisan in the patriot, and this is the line of policy which he has adopted and is now pursuing. He stands, in reference to the Presidential suc- “cession, as Abraham Lincoln stood at the end of the first year of his administration. Mr- Lincoln was not a candidate for another term, and at that time it was generally supposed among the rank and file of the party who elected him that there was hardly a chance of his be- coming candidate. But as the war went on, enlarging in its proportions until it became manifest that there could be no Union and no peace short of the suppression of the rebellion by force of arms and the extinction of African slavery, the re-election of Lincoln came to be regarded as the only course of safety to the loyal States. His claims were opposed by most of the re- publican leaders and by the leading republi- can journals East and West, and this opposi- tion continued down to the Baltimore Conven- tion of 1864. He was the favorite of the masses of the party, however, and thus, without an effort, all the well laid opposition schemes of his Secretary of the Treasury, Chase, and his co-laborers, and of Fremont and his radicals, were broken np. The party State Conventions held in reference to the national gathering at Batimore, one after another, showed that Mr. Chase and all the other leaders desirous of a change bad been counting without their host, and that their intrigues against Lin- coln’s popularity were so feeble as to be contemptible. His own illustration, that the people of the loyal States did not think it safe to swap horses while crossing a flooded river, was the .ruling popular idea. In other words, the people thought it best not to change their experienced pilot at the helm fora new and in- experienced one while the ship was struggling umong the breakers. Upon that one all-absorbing and all-suff- cient idea, the suppression of the rebellion, Mr. Lincoln secured his renomination and re-elec- tion. President Johnson now, in regard to the euceession, stands, we have said, as his prede- cessor stood at the close of his first year in.the White House. Mr. Johnson is not a candidate for another term; but circumstances, as-in the case of Lincoln and as in the case of Jackson, may overrule him. His reconstruction policy may make him the enndidate of the adminis- tration party in 1868. But, instead of a single and all-absorbing issue in this next contest, we shajl have several important issues on the negro question, the moncy question, and upon questions affecting our foreign policy. Chief Justice Chase may still be,, the Presidential ghampion of the repul radicals. Upon the negro question his co-laborers in Congress are carefully plant- ing their stakes to hold their ground against the old pro-slavery elements of the countey, How far they will succeed in this direction time and experience only can tell. Upon the money question a powertul ays- tem of political machinery has been established which it will be difficult to shake before the Presidential election of 1872, assuming that ,ncither Mr. M’Culloch nor Congress meantime will attempt impossibilities. Upon the shaping of all these issues, in connection with the work of Southern reconstruction and restoration, will depend the candidates and the issues for the next Presidency. President Jobnson, as the champion of a new conservative Union party, may be set up for another term. Chief Justice Chase, as the can- didate of the republican radicals and money- changers, may be set up in opposition to John- son. But what of the army? What of the mil- lion of Union soldiers returned from the war, and the hundred thousand sailors of the navy? What can be done with them, should they set up the army and navy ticket of Grant and Farragut? This isa question worthy the attentive consideration of politicians on all sides. In any event, Presiden’Johnson is right as he stands, and will be supported by the country in regard to his reconstruction policy, and all the more cordially because of bis em- phatic disclaimer of any design or desire for another term of office. Tae Ficut Asovr tHe Heaura Brut.—The small politicians are in a terrible hubbub about the Health bill—not because they are very greatly concerned about the public health, but because they are very much exer- cised about the disposal of offices and patron- age. It is a little amusing, though a good deal disgusting, to see the way Thurlow Weed and Greeley are pitching into each other on this question, each charging the other with dis- honest designs in the distribution of patron- age. We have no doubt that they are both quite right. A bill which should have for its object the sanitary interests of the city is mant- festly pothing but a piece of machinery to ob- tain power for certain political factions. The people do not care in whose hands the ap- pointing power is deposited. That is a ques- tion in which the small politicians in New York andAlbany alone are interested. What is really desirable is not a Health bill, manipu lated by partisans for political purposes, but 4 board of control, which will be responsible for the proper government of the city. If composed of the right kind of men the sani- tary condition of the metropolis will be properly taken care of, as well as all its other interests, A cotemporary has suggested that the Court of Appeals should appoint such « board, This is a practical suggestion, The Court of Appeals is the highest authority in the State, and is presumed to be free from partisan predelictions, A board of control ap- pointed from this source would probably be acceptable and effective, We want, above all things, a board which will be effectual in its operations; and we care not from what source the appointing power emanates. Let us have a good board of control, and the Health bill becomes of very little consequence. At best it appears to be only » bone of contention for HDN Thurlow Weed, Greeley and a host of small politicians, Bancroft’s Eulogy Upon President Lin- colin. The oration delivered by Mr. George Ban- croft at Washington on Monday is very capital reading. Asa whole it is far superior to any- thing that this gontleman has done before. The pages of the history upon which he chiefly rests his claim to fame are dull and uninterest- ing compared with the spirited sentences of this production. His eulogy upon President Jackson was by no means so vigorous, 80 graphic and so condensed. Mr. Bancroft was invited to deliver this oration after Secretary Stanton and other distinguished persons had declined; and the selection, we must confess, took the country somewhat by surprise. No one eould see then, and we doubt whether any one can explain now, what special ap- propriateness there was in: requesting Polk’s Secretary of the Navy to offici- ate upon this occasion, But if chance guided the choice of the Congressional Com- mittee the chance was certainly a every fortunate one; for the oration read by Mr. Bancroft before the imposing assemblage at the Capitol is composed in the style of the arti- cles in old Blackwood, and is, consequently, sure of popularity. To simply eulogize is really very fatiguing work, and Mr. Bancroft has relieved his labor by sharp, spicy hits at everything and everybody; so that we foel none of the dreariness of the funeral sermoa while perusing his oration, but are able to enjoy all the liveliness of a smart political review. It to some minds this characteristic may seem outof place in the solemn ceremonial in honor of the Martyr President, it is evident, on the other hand, that Mr. Bancroft fully succeeded in catching the spirit of his audience, and that the sentiments which they greeted with such constant and’enthusiastic applause could not have been more shrewdly stated. Mr. Bancroft begins, like an historian, by tracing the growth of the American re- public, and does not arrive at Mr. Lin- coln’s epoch until his oration is: one-third over. Had he been more of a philoso- pher and less of a practical man he would doubtless have commenced at the crea- tion of the world, and to this no one would probably have objected had he rendered an- cient history as entertaining as he has modern. Then he broaches the slavery question, and quotes well known and unknown authorities to prove that some of the framers of our govern- ment disliked this now extinct institution, As he has made all the world hinge upon the American republic in his opening paragraphs, so here he shows that the whole American re- public hinged upon slavery, summing up this extraordinary view of our history by the re- markable statements that Washington, Jeffer- son and Madison died of despair of the aboli- tion of slavery, and that Calhoun died in des- pair at the growth of freedom. Poor Chief Justice Taney is then dragged from his grave and soundly abused for his Dred Scott decision, possibly to the gratification of Chief Justice Chase, who sat listening to the eulogy. Then the secession dogma is taken up; the election of 1860 is described, and at last Abraham Lincoln is brodght upon the scene and a vivid synopsis of his life tersely and eloquently recited. From this point one would anturalty suppose that-all was plain sailing for Mr. Bancroft; but it is not long before he gets foul of Buchanan, and even collides with the veteran Lieutenant General Scott, The great uprising of the North when Fort Sumter was attacked 1s painted in a few strong, telling sen- tences; and then, without further preliminary than a glance at the diplomatic gallery where Sir Frederick Brace and the representatives of the French legation were seated, we oome upon a scathing review of the history of Great Brit- ain, a severe rebuke tor her conduct during our war, a savage condemnation of her aris- tocracy, a series of animadversions upon Napo- leop’s invasion of Mexico, a stirring vindica- tion of the Monroe doctrine and an incidental attack upon the Pope. We had no idea that the limits of a personal eulogy could be so widely extended. Mr. Bancroft, who has temporarily forgot- ten the late President in the ardor of these remarks, returns to him again in connection with the emancipation proclamation. Of this document he of course approves, and, ignoring Mr. Lincoln’s own declaration that it was like a Pope’s bull against the comet, he conclusively demonstrates that it practically ended the war. Lord John Rus- sell here receives several stinging blows, and Russia and China are complimented. ‘he oration concludes with a discussion of the character of Mr. Lincoln ana a comparison be- tween him and Lord Palmerston, much to the discredit of the latter and the chagrin of Sir Frederick Bruce. But, lest the radicals should consider the observations of Mr. Bancroft upoft siavery too complimentary to them, he now interpolatés a glowing tribute to the State of Tennessee, and an unqualified endorsement of President Johnson’s reconstruction policy, both in regard to his recognition of the se- ceded States as repentant members of the Union, and in regard to his opposition to im- mediate and unqualified negro suffrage. Thus, having touched upon every subject which could possibly suggest itself to any mind, and having praised Asia, Bright, Cobden and the American people, and administered reproofs to all the Powers of Europe, to all the parties of this country and to all the prominent men of every party, Mr. Bancroft at length closes his oration, which, when it comes to be read attentively, will please everybody and offend at once like and dislike it. Mr. Bancroft has spared nobody—not even himself; for he distinctly abjures and repro- bates opinions which he openly avowed not many years ago. We see in his oration, however, a marked and agreeable contrast to the prosy and stilted utterances of most fune- real orators. If Edward Everett had been alive and had consented to deliver this eulogy, we know the beautiful but scentless wax flowers of rhetoric which he would have displayed to us through the glass case of his clear, cold lan- guage; but we find nothing of the sort in Mr. Bancroft’s speech. With many of the happy phrases of Henry Ward Beecher hé combines something of the passion and the invective of Wendell Phillips and s great deal of the philo- sophical egotiem of both these speakers. The chief defeot of his oration is that it would have anst ered just as well for a magazine article or ® popular lecture, As a funereal culogium it ia really unique, ISDAY FEBRUARY 14, 1866. The Close of the Winter and Opening of the Spring Season. But a few more opportunities remain to, trip the light fantastic toe in public, Lent com- mences to-day, and during {ts continuance pub- lic balls and private parties are ignored by a large proportion of our community, Still the grand balls of the Liederkranz, the Eighth regiment, the Melochoreans and the Purim ball are yet to come off, and they will secure as usual a very large attendance of those classes who do not recognize the observance of this period of fasting and prayer. The winter sea- son has been exceedingly brilliant. Almost every week an immense ball has been given in cne of the largest halls in the city, and the pri- vate soirées and receptions have been num- bered by hundreds. At all the public assem- blies an unprecedented display of gorgeous costumes and costly jewels has been notice- able; for the war seems to have diffused un- bounded wealth among the people, and during the very crisis of the national sufferings we have taken astounding strides in luxury and extravagance. Americans have yet to learn, however, how to manage great public balls. At present such entertainments appear to be mere fashionable mobs, composed of gallant gentlemen and superbly dressed ladies, but mobs, nevertheless. Compared with the stately and orderly assemblages of twenty or thirty years ago these balls are open to just and severe criticism; but everything that lavish expenditure, profuse decoration and a too luxuriant taste can do has certainly been done to render them splendid and enjoyable, and we hope by another ball season to find that order and regularity introduced which will enable this city to surpass even the Parisian capital in this form of popular amuse- ment. The welcome presence in the metrop- olis of many brave officers of the army and navy, of numerous distinguished civilians, and of not a few foreign notabilities, has added de- cided éclat to the season which & now clos‘ng. But while the pious keep their fast an the gay and giddy dance out the winter, and Con- gress persists in dividing the Union which we have sacrificed so much to restore, the masses of the people begin to look eagerly forward to the enjoyments of the future. Spring is coming. Already the bright sun tempers the chilly air, and after the storms of February we catch something of the balmy breath of April. Soon all the vexations about rents will be settled for another year, and the troubles and annoyances of the May moving will be happily or unhappily over. Soon kind Nature, more practical and less expensive than Mayor Hoff- man’s contractors, Messrs. Brown, Devoe & Knapp, will give us once more clean streets and a comparatively healthy city. The sun- shine’s golden key will unlock our ice-bound rivers and release the graceful yachts that now rest dismantled in our harbors. The New Yacht Club has held its annual meeting for the election of officers, and Mr. E. A. Stevens, much to the regret of his associates, has with- drawn from the position of commodore, which he has filled so longand soably. Mr. W.H. Mc- Vipkar is now the Commodore of the Club; Mr. Alexander Major the Vice Commodore, and Mr. Anson Livingston the Rear Commodore, Several new schooner yachts are being built, and the club, thus substantially reinforced, has every prospect of a season more brilliant than any which have preceded it. Instead of the annual regatta in the old style, which was de- signed to please the ladies but only succeeded in making them seasick, the more admirable idea of a review at the Horse Shoe, which was inaugurated last year, will be again adopted. The squadron cruise will take place in the month of August, when the yachts will proba- bly visit Boston. Hitherto only the owners of the yachts and their intimate friends have participated in the delights of this cruise; but arrangements are now being perfected to charter a steamer for the members of the club so that they may accompany the squadron upon this excursion, as they do at the regatta. There can be no doubt that this will vastly increase the popularity of the club and the enjoyment of its members. It is, perhaps, too early to announce the preparations which are being made by the base ball and cricket clubs for the out-door sports which will soon be in order; but it is fair to presume that these games, which have become as truly American institutions as the bald-headed eagle or the skating pond at the Park, will flourish as healthily as ever. The spring races will be unusually attractive, Trotting races, which have maintained their place in public favor for so many years, are apparently about to be susperseded by the more exciting and faster running races to which our sportsmen are devoting their at- tention. Courses are now established not only on Long Island, but at Bath Gates, Westchester county, and at Hoboken and Paterson, New Jersey—ali within easy distance of the city—and private tracks are to be found at frequent intervals on the Harlem road. Before long we shall have our Derby, our Epsom and our St. Leger, and the contests here will prove to be sifficigntly famous and remunerative to indace Engtsii and French turfmen to bring their studs to this country, ad the American turfmen now take their horses over to win victories and money at the great races of Eng- land and France. Our yachtsmen will also be called upon, before many years have passed, to take part in international con We ought to have yacht squadrons from Philadel- pliia, Baltimore and Boston as complete, if not so large, as that of New York; and after the agreeable competition between these squad- rons have perfected them in seamanship, they should cross the Atlantic and engage in friendly rivalry with the yachtsmen of England, both in ocean races and in those European cruises which display the skill and the enterprise of young Englishmen. The America has given the yachts of this country an enviable reputation abroad, and we have no fear by the club as 8 champion cup, for which yachtsmen of all nations are invited to contend. The popularity of outdoor sports in has rapidly increased during the past sons, and during the winter all the few 8ST. VALENTINE'S DAY. Its Observance, Origin, Abuses and Bene- fits. From the gay and variegated appearance of all the stationors’ windows yesterday, one not well posted as to the great occasion to be celebrated to-day would have supposed that all New York had suffered from a kind of eruption of gold leaf, cupids, laces, flowers, butter- flies, birds, and all manner of sweet, soft, pleasing and enjoyable material of the fancy dealers’ manufacture, imitating equally beautiful natural objects. Young la- dies were out in all their strength of youth and beauty selecting such missives as best suited their tastes. Even staid and sober matrons were not forgetful of the occa- sion, and bought a valentine to put spouse in mind of the day when he sent her the few lines which brought about their wedding. Boys of all ages, from ten to twenty, thronged the stores and shops in search of some- thing to send to theirdulcineas. There were others who hunted up the horrid and monstrous to uso in venting spleen or revengo or iy aye upon those who had incurred their displeasure, It is to be hoped that the latter class was but sparsely represented. THE VALENTINE TRADE extensive one, Orders have been filled in thig city during the past season from all the principal cities in the North, West and South, and also covering a great portion of the Eastern an¢ Middie States. Charleston was the great depot for the Southern States, but many shipments have been made to New Orleans, Mobile and Atalanta, Probably from $50,000 to $120,000 in this jcular branch of the stationery trade would give the fmt to the valentines sent to the South, The trade of the West is double tho money, and perhaps it is not out of the way to estimate the valentine trade of this city at nearly if not quite a million of dollars annually, Includ- ing machinery, stock and capital invested iu their production, .t cannot fail short of this apparently high figure, The quality of valentines sold hay doteriorated somewhat of late years, and the h ghest priced ones made do not now much exceed ten dollars, while the cheap comic kinds have been on the increase. The laxter, which formerly sold for about four dollars per gross, now sell for seventy-five cents, showing the effects of compe- tition. Formerly valentines worth fifty dollars were tre- quently purchased by the sender, but now ten and fifteen dollars seem to be the limit, Until recently nearly all tho ornamental parts of the missives had to bo imported, ORIGIN OF THR DAY. Saint Valentine, who wae beheaded at Rome in the reign of the Emperor Claudius, A. D. 270, was a man of most admirablo parts, and go famous for his love and charity that the custom of choosing valentines upon his festival took its mse from thence. The sccond explana tion of the custom is founded upon the fact that the birds are supposed upon this day to select their mates, People of modern times will probably most res the feathered songsters as thor excuse for f sending love missives, At least they will prese to the birds to placing it to the credit of St. Valentne. Another orgin ot the ceremony is found in the festival of the Lupercalia, held during the ‘month of February, when, among other ceremonies, the names of young Women were placed in a ‘box,, from which they were taken by the young men ac- cording as chance directed. The pastors of the early Church, finding it impossible to oxtirpate this pagan ceremony, changed its form. As once prac- tised, it was the habit on the eve of February the 14th Sc. Valentine's Day), to have the names of a sclect num- of one sex put into some vessel by an equal number of the other, and therefrom every oue diew a name, which for the time being was catled bis or her Valentine, The custom of choosing Valentiues existed very early, and was much practised among the gentry in England. There are also frequent references to it in the works of Shakspere, TO-DAY there will be no rest for the distributing clerks at the Post Office, nor for the carriers, messengers and boys. “On the drt 93 love I fly, From grocerie to grocer,” will be the motto of many a young man, and the hearts of alj the young and marelageablo ladies wiil be upon the alert until night, and oven until to-morrow. Bridget will be expecting her Valentine; the stable boy, the man of all work, the coachman, cook, and eyen the boot- black upon the corner will be looking out of the corner of his eye for the postman and the gilt-cdged, tenderly- worded missive. Poor, indved, must be the girl or boy without a valentine. OBITUARY. Bishop John B. Fitzpatrick of Boston. John B. Fitzpatrick, Tk D., Catholie Bishop of Boston, dicd in that city yesterday at twonty minutes before seven A. M., aged Mfty-three years. The immediate cause of his death was violent and frequent blecding at the nose, produced ftom apoplectic causes. Bishop Fitzpatrick was born in Boston, in Novomber, 1812. In the public schools of that cfty.he received the pre- liminary education which fitted him for college. His college isa very later, the of Bishop Fenwick, his felt "twice after having become Bishop he visited in 1854, on mattors conngoted with eburch di first and agajo in 1862 to seek retief for declining health. He ret his fast visit something over a year since, bot instead of having found relief it was evident to bim- self and friends that disease had seized him for a victim. it was thought for several days in sue- ‘te would live bat a few hours, and for preceding bis decease his death ' was ex- pected at any moment. The spark of life would seom at completely out, when he would suddenly ratively convalescent for several days. Thus he lingered for weeks, and almost months, until at longth, after passing through the su‘ferings of declining oa his spirit was geatly Sorne to its long and peace ome. His death will be seriousty mourned, not only in this where upon the occasions of country, butalso in Europe, his visits he made many biooda To the Catholic church is loas will be severe indeed, and the whole community will sincerely mourn. his death. His funeral will take place in Boston in a few days. New Jerscy Matters. A New Raitnoan prom New Yora to Newang.—A large and highly respectable meeting of the citizens of Nowark, N. J., was held in Washington Hall, in that city, last evening, Mr, James M. Quimby in the chair, ‘The object of the meeting was to promote the construc- tion of a new railroad between New York and New: in view of the fact that the New Jersey Railroad fails, and has failed for reer eve the accommoda: the two cities, Eloquent York and Newark Railroad Company, now before the New jure, were delivered by Isaac Pomroy, C. ©. Gi Jonn Whitehead, Silas Merchant, Dr. Wm. J. He | i : ii 33 Examiner OMice Closed by Order of General Grant. Ricumown, Va., Feb, 13, 1866. ‘The Braminer office was closed at nine o'clock this th il i i i u itr he has been unable to do #9 OD account of iI! health, and is ngw absent In the more genial climate of Charleqtom.