The New York Herald Newspaper, February 16, 1866, Page 6

4 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, OFFICE N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. TERMS cash in advance, Money sent by mail will be None but bank bills current in ‘atthe risk of the sender, New York taken. Volume XXXI, AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. BROADWAY THEATKE, ‘roadway, near Broome Street.—SoLon Suingux—Live Inpian, LUCY RUSHTQN’S NEW YORK THEATRE, Nos, 733 730 Broadway.—Tuz Buack Domixo—Betwren You AnD Me AND THE Post. WOOD'S THEATRE, Broadway, roamed the St. Nicholas AD. Hotel.—Rir Van WiNKLE—AcTING GEORGE CHRIS’ "SOLD Sonoon ARIONS, BAN FRANCISCO MIN. 5, 535 Broadway, opposite Metropolitan ETHIOP:AN SINGING, DANCING, &C.— ‘Tas Beveusce Gavcrns. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 201 Bowery.—S1xa- ave Dawxcixc, Burtesques, &c.—Lirx in Mxxico; ox, Tax Parmior's Davauter. BRYANTS' MINSTREL way.—Dax Bryant s New wes, Boxuesques. &c.—I' 5 ics’ Fall, 472 Broad- we ot—Negeo Comicaui- we Live Inou. BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC.—MassanrEi10; on, THE ERUPTION OF Vhou rive. ‘ ROOLEY'S OPERA HOUSE, Brooklyn.—Ermrortas Mine srkmnsy—BalLaps, BURLESQUES AND PAaNTOMIMES. PROOKLYN ATHENAUM.—Harry Sanperson’s Farms WELL CONCERT, NEW YORK MUSE''M O¢ ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.— MENT. WITH SUPPLE New York, Frida; cbrauary 16, 1866. NEWSPAPER CIRCULATION. Receipts of Salcs of the New York Datly Newspapers. OFFICIAL. Year Ending Name of Paper May 1, 1865, BRRAE iis ok Wiiecesnantvaes ces cacmeecd $1,095,000 ‘Times. . 368,150 Tribune. 252,000 Evening Pos: 169,427 World. . 100,000 Sun. . 161,079 MOP, PN ee. AM fap olen Oe & 90,548 New Yorx Herat. $1,095,000 871,229 ‘Uimes, ‘Tribune, World and Sun combinod., THD NAW Ss. EUROPE, ~ Tho German steamship Hremen, which touched at 8 -uthampton on January 31, arrived at this port yéster- uy, bringing news from Europe three days later. In consequence of the publication in America of the documents relative to Mexico, the French government hu resolved to give to the world their share of the correspondence; and the despaichos sent by Druyn de Lhuys, the French Foreign Secretary, to M. Montholon, Freuch Ambassador at Washington, had » en laid before the Corps Lezislatif. This correspon. dence, which we reproduce in the Hxxacp this morning, és both interesting and important. M. Drayn de Lhuys ®peaks out his mind with the greatest frankness, ard in one dospateh protests aguinst “interpellatio:s @spressed in a threatening tone and founded on © yilvocai documents.” It is noticeable that in a despatch @ tod the Vib of January inst, M. de Lhuys informs M. M atholon in almost the exact words used thirteen days 1 weer by Nepoleon in his speech from the throne, that his imper'ai Majesty was “making arrangements wits the Beaperor Maximilian for the withdrawal of the French sroops. Our Paris correspondence states that ® feeling of hos- tility to the United States prevailed in that city. The Spanish government rema ned bent on war to the kuifo with Chiie, andthe Ministers were said to have iasued instructions of the most sauguinary character to a, however, of the serious nature of the conflict they had entered upon Degan to impress itself on the Spanish people. Five Admiral Pareja’s successor. Some Chilean privateers, uli of them jron-ciads, were re- ported to be preying on Spanieh commerce, and it was regarded as a foregone conclusion that Pera and the other South American republics would make common cause with Chile against Spain, In the London money market on the Sist ult, United States fiv ¢-twenties were quoted at 66 4 66, CONGRESS. In the Senate yesterday the bills fora bridge over the Mississippi at St, Louis and epprop -sting six and three. quarters millions of dollars to reimburse Missouri for ber War expenses were reported from comniitioes, A resolu. tion of the Ohio Legislature opposing the assumption by the national government of tho State war debts was pre- sented. A memorial of the colored delegation who Jately visited the President agains: the adoption of the proposed representation amendment to the constitution was also presented, as well as petitions for an increase of army officers’ pay and to permit negro soldiers to vote. A bill was introduced renewing and extending for ten years the grant to the States of Missouri and Arkan- sas of lands and the right of way fora railroad from the mouth of the Ohio river to the Texas boundary. A de- bate of some length took place between the friends respectively of the bill to fix the numerical strength of the standing army and that for the admisasion of Colo- rado, as which should be taken wp, each party desiring Finally the was called up, read, and thon laid over, and the of the ropresentation constitutional amendment was continued, Mr. Williams, of Oregon, Other Senators also The bills relinquish ing government title to certain lands within the San Fran- cisco city limits and imposing heavy penalties for kid- papping freedmen and carrying thetn out of the country to be sold into slavery, were parsed. An executive ses- nominations con- firmed, were those of Mr. Roliins as Internal Revenue Commissioner and Mr. Van Dyke as Sub-Troasirer in yrive measure to have precedence, form consideration speaking at length in favor of it. spoke; bat no Vote was reached. sion was held, in which, among tly this city. Postal affairs engrossed a larce portion of the attention of the House of Representatives yoeterday. The annual Post Office Department Appropriation bill was reported from the Appropriations Comsuittce ond made the special © appropriations are one bandred and fifty thousand dollars for the steamship line between this city and Arazil, two handred and fifty *housand doliars for tho line beiwoen San Francisco, China and Japan, and nine hundred thousand dollars for order for next Thursday. A the California Overland mal service. An extended de- bate took place on the bill authorizing the Postmaster General to appoint agents fog the sale of letter stampa, ‘and the bill providing, among other postal amendments, for selling stamped envelopes at the price of the stamps aione, was reported to the House, Further considera. tion of both these measures was postponed for Petitions for increase of import duties exemption of photographs from stamp tax wore presented. The Misceliameous Appro- priation bill was taken up in Committee of the two wooks, and for Whole, and some time was devoted to its consideration, the members having a rather humorous debate over por- tions of it. Among the amendments agreed to war one providing that in futuro only American carpets shall be parchased for the public buildings, Final action was not taken on the Dill. An evening sossion was held, which was consumed in the delivery of speeches on re- construction. THE LEGISLATURE. The field of the Metropolitan Health bill contest was yesterday changed from the Assembly Hall to the Senate Chamber, and an interesting and excited session in the latter was the result. After a few miecellaneous matters: wot of general interest had been noticed, that bill, as it called op, and a motion to A debate, immediately com. tence! and occupied the remainder of the day, the oo boing, asin the Assembly, confined to the op. Finally a vote pansed the lower house, war non-concer in ite amendments was made which soon became very animat povow actions of the revub! can oarty or MinstRersy, Ractaps, Musica, Guas, &c.. Fifth Avenue Opera House, ‘Nos. 2and4 West Twenty-fourth street.—Bat Masque Dks NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1866.—WITH SUPPLEMENT was taken and the motion to non-concur with the other house was agreed to by nineleen yeas to eleven nays, after which the Senate adjourned. No great amount of business was transacted in the Assembly. The annual reports of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and of the Trustees of tho Deaf and Dumb Asylum were presented. Some bills were passed, among them the Annual Appropriation Dill and those confirming the action of our city govern- ment in regard to contracts, extending the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police Commissioners over Richmond county and increasing the Brooklyn police force, to pay the principal and interest of the canal debt, and to ex- empt the Soldiers’ Home from taxation, Some other affairs, of only minor importance, received attention. The two houses of the Legislature will to-day in joint session elect a Metropolitan Police Commissioner to suc- ceed Mr. William McMurray. Caucuses of the members of both parties were held last night, when Mr. Benjamin F. Manierro was nominated by the republicans and Mr. McMurray by the domocrate. THE CITY. Tho fresh spell of cold weather which set in on Wednesday night and continued through yesterday, though giving us a sudden and sharp change of tem- perature, wasa welcome supersedure of the mild, moist, clammy atmosphere, its attendant rains and drizzles, and the filthy and almost impassable condition of the streets which prevailed for ¢he several preceding days, The present cold snap has vastly revived the spirits of skaters and inspired them with hope for a grand renefral of sport. At eleven o'clock last night the mercury at the Herald Building stood eighteen degrees above zero, and at two o'clock this morning at fourteen above. From other portions of the country we have accounts of extremely cold weather and a severe snow storm. At Cincinnati yesterday morn- ing the mercury was at zero, and at Leavenworth, Kan- sas, sixteonfdegrees below. The City Assembly Rooms and American theatre, in Broadway, together with several stores adjoining, were destroyed by fire yesterday, entailing a loss of about two hundred thousand dollars, The Board of Councilmen met yesterday. Ordinances were proposed and referred making it unlawful for city railroad companies to throw snow from the tracks, and tocompel them to have lights on all their cars after dark, under a penalty, in both classes of cases, of two hundred and fifty dollars, A resoiution was adopted de- claring that a charge of moro than five conts fare on the Eighth Avenue Railroad is an unauthorized assumption of power, as well as a premoditated fraud upon the public, aud directing the Corporation Counsel to enjoin the company from charging a greater fare than is speci- fied in the charter granted by the city government. The vaval race between the steamers Winooski and Al- gonquin, for the purpose of testing the relative powers of their engines and their speed, has, for the present at least, summarily terminated, both vessels having re- turned to the Navy Yard yesterday afternoon, The Wi- nooski, on the completion of her third heat around Falk- ner’s Island, was seventy miles aheud of the Algonquin, but owing to a severe storm which set in on Wednesday n'ght they were both compelled to seck anchorage. A complete account of the race appears in our Suppicment sheet. A decision in the case of the United States against the Formers’ Loan and Trust Company was yesterday ren- dered in favor of the government by Judge Shipman, in tho United States Circuit Court. This decision, in ac- cordance with which the defendants and other similar bodies or corpora'ions are required to take out licenses as bankers, and to pay such fees therefor as the Revenue act prescribos, is one of great importance both to the government and certain financial institutions. Our Sup- plement sheet contains an interesting report of this case. The trial of Zeno Burnham on charge of having de- frauded a Indy of one thousand dollars by mock auction operations terminated yesterday, in the Court of Oyer and Terminer, in the eonviction of the accus:d, and he was sentenced by Judge Barnard to the State Prison for two years and six nonths. Burnbam’s counseljntend to file a bill of exceptions to the Minding of the jury. The proceedings of this trial also are fully reported in to-day’s Hararv Supplement. x The counsel for the parties to the suit in the Mercer- Washington Territory female emigration scheme were yesterday directed by Judge McCunn, in the Superior Court, to appear on Saturday for a settlement of the order issued by the Court in the matter, Susannah Abrams, who has been several times brought before Commissioner Osborn on the one charge of hav- ing been concerned in the issue of fourteen thousand dollars worth 0G counterfeit twenty-five cent fractional currency, was again up yesterday, when the Commis- sioner intimated that he would dispose of the matter to- day. General Coolbaugh, who says he is in the Mexican ser- vice, was lately errested in. St. Louis and brought to this city on charge of defrauding a Cortlandt strect hotel keeper of nineteen hundred dollars, and was yester- day arraigned in the Tombs Police Court and committed for examination. In our Supplement we give the affida- vit of the hotel keeper, which contains some very iuto- resting statements regarding bigh living and finc sup- pers. The will suit in which Julia G. Tyler, widow of the late ex-President Tyler, is appellant, was commenced in the Supreme Court, in Brooklyn, yesterday. The case is an appeal from a decision of the Surrogate of Richmond county, before whom the will of Mrs, Gardiner, mother of the appellant, was entered f.r p obate, whove decision was adverse to Mrs. Tyler's interests. The trial of John Cahill, charged with the murder of oMicer Duryea at Jones’ Wood nearly two years since, was commenced yesterday afternoon in the Court of General Sessions, Six jurors were obtained, and a new panel was ordered, returnable on Monday, when the cave will be resumed, James Logan, convicted of burglary, was sent to the State Prison for three years. The testimony in the case of Mre. Moody, who sues Mr, George A. Oxgood for damages for injuries received in being run over by a sleigh, was concluded yesterday, and council on both sides will sum up to-day, when the case is to be given to the jury. Some interesting evi- dence, which appears in our Supplement sheet, was elicited yesterday relative to fast driving ana “life on the road.”’ Tho masked ball of the Liederkrang Astociation toat place last night at the Academy cf Music, and proved a grand affair, presenting a rare combination of gorgeons decorations, deleiout music, a brilliant throng, rich doses, ludicrous masks and effigies and unbounde! humor and general enjoyment. Colonel James B, Murray, and old New York merchant, died at his residence in Washington place on Wednesday evening, in the seventy-seventh year of his age. The silk manufactory Nos. 417, 419 and 421 West Thir'y-fifth street was entered and robbed of twenty-five hundred dollars worth of goods on Wednesday night by a party of burglars who, before commencing operations, in order to secure the silence of the watchman of the building, beat him go sevorely that hw recovery is doubtful, and loft him lying insensible on the sidewalk. ‘The villams escaped ; but there is @ prospect that they will yot be arrested. Burglars on Wednesday night effected an entrance at 143 Broadway, and stole sixteen hundred dollars worth of silks and clothes, A man giving his name as John Morgan was arrested and committed on suspicion of being one of the burglars, and three hundred dollars worth of the stolen goods were recovered. During the fire in Broadway yesterday the pickpockets availed themselves of the fine opportanity which the at- tendant crowd presented for carrying on their operations. Three of the light fingered gentry, while busily at work, were arrested by the police. ‘The New York and Schuylkill Coal Company yesterday sold at auction, at 111 Broadway, six thousand seven hundred tons of coal. Grate coal brought from $6 75 to $9 1214, showing a decline from a sale of two weeks ago Of about one dollar and forty cents per ton. The sales of real estate wore continued yesterday at the Exchange Rooma, Broadway, and a considerable ad. ditional amount of property was disposed of at as high rates as those of previous daya. The stock market was strong yesterday. Governments wore firm. Gold closed at 197%. ‘There was no emential change in commercial affairs yeatorday, business being generally depressed. But little was done in foreign merchandise, and trade in domestic goods was irregular, but gencraliy email. Pe- troleum was dull and heavy. Cotton was nominal. Groceries wore steady. On ‘Change flour, wheat and corn were dull and lower. Oats wore lower. Pork was irregular, closing firmer. Beef was steady. Lard wase shade lower. Whiskey was altogether nominal, with no business. MISCELLANEOUS. Havane advieos of the 9th inst. announce the arrival there of « special commissioner from the Emperor of France to Maximilian, This is no doubt M. Sailiard, who it has been understood wae semt out by Louis Napo- Jeon to inform bie imperial srotagh in Mexico of the in- tended withdrawal from that country of the French troops. The Mexican Minister in Washington has intelligence from E! Paso, Mexico, to the 20th of January. President Juarez and his Cabinet were still there, and no attempt to molest them had been made by the imperialists. The republicans were inaugurating military proceedings for an attack on the imperialists at Chihuahua. In our isaue of to-day will be found the correspondence furnished by the President in response to a Congressional resolution of inquiry concerning the Imperial Mexican Express Company, extracts from which have already appeared in the Heratp. Mr, Romero, the Mexican Minister in Washington, originally protested against the organization of this company, and maintained that its object was the assistance of the imperial plans. He protested more particularly on the ground that the company bound itself by its charter to transport war material for Maximilian. ‘Mr. Seward, in reply, says that the United States will not permit the relations of friendship with the republic of Mexico to be endangered by any acts prejudicial to those relations, and in another communication instructs United States District Attorney Dickinson to watch the operations of the company. Clarence A. Seward, nephew of the Secretary of State, who is trustee, secretary and counsellor of the company, receives # significant hint from his uncle in one of the documents, General Grant expresses the belief that the company was forming for the undoubted purpose of aiding the imperial govern- ment of Mexico, The New Jersey Assembly on Wednesday parsed tho bill ratifying the lease of the Morris and Essex Railroad to the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad Company. The same body yesterday passed the bill providing for a new railroad line between this city and Newark. The first crossing of the Hudson river bridge at Albany by a railroad engine was made yesterday. A bank in tho little town of Liberty, Clay County, Mis- souri, was robbed on last Tuesday afternoon by a gang of outlaws, who boldly entered the banking house, and, with drawn pistols, forced the attendants into the vaults, where they were kept imprisoned till the robbery had been completed. The robbers, being provided with horses, succeeded in making their escape, though a large force of citizens was soon in pursuit of them. The Republican State Convention of Con- necticut—Sailing Close to the Wind. The Republican State Convention of Connecti- cut has done its work and adjourned. Its State ticket, headed by General Joseph R. Hawley, & popular soldier from the war, is a strong one, and its platform is carefully contrived to float between Seylla and Charybdis—the President and Congress—without being broken upon the rock or engulfed in the whirlpool. In other words, the republican party of Connecticut, with the dash of a trained equestrian, under- takes to ride both horses, and to hold them neatly together around the course. The Convention in this achievement first puts in a resolution declaring -that “we gladly ex- press our confidence in the integrity, ability and patriotism of Andrew Johnson, who braved secession in the Senate and defied armed rebel- lion in Tennessee, who sprung from the people and is identified in all their interests, and we do pledge him our hearty support in his labors for a just, complete and permanent restoration of the Union.” This is “as broad and general as the casing air,” yet it shrewdly avoids all specifications. But now look at the. other horse—the resolution upon Congress—to wit: “That in the Union majority of the present Congress we recognize a noble array of true and tried defenders of the principles of con- atitutional liberty and order, and that we re- pose with confidence in their wisdom and pa- triotism for the settlement of the questions Sppropriately pertaining to the legislative de- partment of the government.” Very neatly done. ‘As neat a specimen of balancing be- tween the two horses as could be desired ; and yet it is difficult o imagine that Andy Johnson and Thad Stevens are running so harmoniously jut this is not all. The republican party of, Connecticut further declares its reliance “apon all the departments ot the government to co- operate in securing by every necessary gua- rantce the measures that have already been indicated by executive and legislative action— namely, the extinction of the doctrine of seces- sion, the repudiation of all pecuniary obliga- tions incurred in support of the rebellfon, the sacred inviolability of the national debt, the complete destruction of slavery in fact as well as in name, and the enuctment of appropriate laws to assure to every class of citizens the full enjoyment of the rights and immunities accorded to all by the constitution of the United States.” In looking into this meal tub there is nothing visible but meal, and yet an old rat would be apt to suspect that there was a cat concealed in it. “Thegenactment of ap- propriate laws” may mean this thing, that thing or the other; but as this is the universal irick of party platforms on dangerous party is- sues we may let it go. In such cases Talley- rand’s secre of diplomacy, that words are employed to conceal ideas, is always followed. In their hearty endorsement of Andrew John- son, however, the republicans of Connecticut show that they understand the drift of public opinion. They know that his policy of South- ern restoration has taken a firm hold upon the popular mind, and that if they break with him they go to pieces. They shrink from any recognition of the extreme measures of Thad- deus Stevens; they have nothing to aay of the bill providing for unqualified negro suffrage in the District of Columbia—nothing in sup- port of the doings of Stevens and his recon- struction committee. They deal in “glitter- ing generalities,” but they “gladly express our confidence in the integrity, ability and patriotism of Andrew Johnson.” The Con- necticut republicans, in brief, ignore Stevens, and warn him that his fanatical party policy towards the South will not go down with the Northern people against the policy of the administration; and the republi- cans in Congress, if they wish to hold the reins of power, will do well to shape their course ac- cordingly. How the election (first Monday in April) will go in Connecticut isa doubtful question. In .the interval some issue may be raised at Wash- ington which will decide it one way or the other. In the Presidential contest of 1864, the vote of the State stood:— For Lincoln... For McClellan. Republican majority “9406 This was & pretty close fit, considering the tremendous Lincoln majorities in most of the other States, Butin the election last spring for Governor the public odium attached to cop- | mda teed de Backingham - For Seymour ~ and “tee But in this election there was a deficiency in the aggregate vote of over thirteen thousand, of which eleven thousand were stay-at-home democrats. This democratic reserve, copper: headism being cast off, will this spring, in all probability, be brought out, and this may so- count for the tact of the republicans in sailing #0 close to the wind. They know that thoy can succeed only under the wing of Andiww Jol paca Oficial Correspondence With France Relative to Mexico, We publish in another column several despatches between M. Druyn de Lhuys and Mr. Bigelow, and from M. Drayn de Lhuys to the Marquis de Montholon, the French Minister at Washington, relative to the representations made by our government about matters transpiring in Mexico. Mr. Bigelow, acting under the direction of Mr. Seward, called the attention of the French gov- ernment last November to certain acts or re- ported acts of Maximilian in Mexico, such as that of a plan to induce the immigration of ne- groes, and to place them in a state of peonage, that relating to the Yturbide family, and that regarding the severe penalties against Mexican prisoners of war. The correspondence published relates to this, But it appears that the French government reluctantly laid it before the great bodies of the State, it being deemed “of a nature to prove inconvenient with regard to the negotiations commenced,” and only did so because the documents had been called for by our Congress and published here. At the time of the publication of the docu- ments referred to we commented upon the captious and irritable language of the French Minister to our Minister, Mr. Bigelow. We think it was ummecessary and undignified for the United/States to take any official notice of the reported negro immigration scheme or the Yturbide family. We should not have meddled with such matters. But this does not exonerate the French government from censure for the dis- respectful manner in which it treated the official communications of the United States. The sub- terfuges of M. Druyn de Lhuys, by which he attempts to shift the responsibility of what was occurring in Mexico from the French govern- ment to force us to a quasi recognition of Max- imilian, and to sneer at the assumed absurd po- sition we had placed ourselves in by recogniz- ing a government “that had disappeared,” was extremely disrespectful, to say the least. Every new development of this Mexican busi- ness shows that the French government finds itself in a delicate and very annoying situation. For this it can blame no one but itself, and cer- tainly not our government, which has been pa- tient and considerate in the matter. All the world knows that the only real government in Mexico since the intervention, except the legitimate goveornmert of the republic, was that under Marshal Bazaine; and however much M. Druyn de Lhuys may object to the word “planted,” as applied to the French forcing Maximilian upon the country, every one knows that he not only was planted there by French bayonets, but that he is kept there by them. It was an insult to our common sense to assume that we did not understand this. We did not and could not recognize the imperial assumption of Maxi- milian, and could go to no other government than that of France about any matter occurring in that part of Mexico subjugated by French arms and kept so by them. The more the French government stirs this matter the worse for iteelf. If it dare not frankly confess the truth as to the object of its Mexican policy let it remain silent, But'the best and shortest way to stop discussion and cover up its fault is to withdraw every French soldier at once, and leave Maximilian to stand upon his own legs. The Chilean War—Important Spanish urs .. Naval Movements. ‘The Spanish steam war frigate Isabel La Catolica arrived in this harbor yesterday from Havana. She left that port six days ago, in company with another Spanish frigate—the Carmen—and we may hourly expect the latter vessel to join her consort in our harbor. Tt is evident that all parties to the Spanish- Chilean war mean action. By tho news from Europe which we publish this morning ‘it ap- pears that England, actuated by a love of Chilean copper and guano, as she formerly was by a love of Southern cotton, has consented to furnish Chile with vessels of war, as she for- merly served the rebel confederacy in this country; and four of the best iron-clads of the English neutrality pattern are said to have sailed from the British shores during the past month. In the meantime it is endeavored to be shown in our courts that diplomatic agents of the Chilean government have been fliting out at this port torpedo boats and privateers to prey on the commerce of Spain; and it is very evident, if the news from Wngland and the alle- gations of the Spanish Consul against Sefior MacKenna be true, that the little South Ameri- can republic of Chile is desperately in earnest. At the same time Spain is not idle, The loss of the Spanish frigate Covadonga and the sui- cide of Admiral Pareja have been used to the best advantage to which defeats and disasters can be applied by wily ministers, and a huge effort is being made by them to defeat Prim’s revolution by exciting the Spanish people in a common cause against a foreign foe. In this the Spanish ministry may succeed and bring the whole nation to a united and energetic effort against Chile, in order to make the con- test with that power short, sharp and decisive, though to all appearance Chile, aided by Peru and the other republican States whose inter ests identify them with her cause, will be a match for the mother country. It is, doubtless, steam into our safe and capacious harbor, with- out the slightest dread of being served with twenty-four hours’ notice to quit’ No “twenty- four hour rule” banishes them to the rough ‘waters and rude winds off ‘»ndy Hook ; but, under the operations of » /), bonestand strict aewsizality on our par they cnn lie auistly ty their supposed enemy’s side snd watch and ex- amine her to their heart’s coutent, and doubt- less do so for months to come. Their presence will give America a handsome opportunity to present Europe with a brilliant example, and show her Powers how an honest nation can at once afford to be generous and great ; to disre- gard the evil treatment of the past in order to establish a good example for the future. The Season of Lent—Its Advantages Aside from Its Religious Character. It may fairly be questioned whether Pro- testantism has not gone too far in its rejection of the forms and observances of the older church. We can understand the fierce spirit which moved the Presbyterian to retort intol- erance for intolerance, and to cast away all that belonged in any peculiar sense to Rome; but we may doubt whether. his almost savage zeal directed him wisely. He went so far sometimes as to be contradictory. Thus, though he came to America as a Christian, he even denied Christmas, and in Massachusetts threat- ened a penalty of fine and imprisonment against any one who should be found keeping Christmas. Day; and though he believed in the efficacy of humiliation, fasting and prayer, even to the extent of naming special days for it, yet he en- tirely rejected the season anciently set aside for that purpose. There is the more reason to regret this denial of ancient observances when we remember that so many such institutions have in every age had in them more than a purely religious significance; that they have been often unpalatable but necessary usages, com- mended to the people in a religious guise— whether it be the Ghristian Lent, the Moham- medan Ramadan, or the strange sorrows of the Eleusinian mysteries. Perhaps even Sunday is of less value for its religious significance in the Christian scheme than as a day of rest for the people—a little season of salvation for the worn down body and the burning brain. The great Hebrew legislator, who studied the necessities and hap- piness of the people in all the moods and tenses of human life, named a Sabbath to be kept holy in one grand way—by abstaining from labor; and he gave as the reason that God also gave up his labor and rested on that day. It was primitive idea of God, but a great statesman’s idea of the necessities of the people. Christianity names another day for another reason, and so through all creeds, Every day in the seven is kept somewhere, and whatever the reason given, the people everywhere got a day of rest. Human necessity is thus respected by all the religions. Moham- medanism endeavors to enforce tempe- rance. All the religions of hot countries enforce cleanliness by making the bath almost as important as prayer. The Jews and some others were forbidden to eat swine, becuse the ancients doubtless knew as much as modern science does of the diseases communicated by that animal, and tess of the means to pro- vide against them. Seasons of fasting are good things on the same principle, They are an enforced physical purification. The great Oriential fast of Ramadan, instituted, as its name indicates, for the hottest season, was simply a provision against the indulgence of the stomach in so dangerous a time as the ter- ribly hot days. Food could be taken at night only. So with Lent, whether instituted, as alleged, by the apostles. or centuries Inter, or whether the modification of an ante-Christian usage, it was established to regulate.gbe sys- tems of gross eaters and drinkers, and tosecure public health by preparation for the changing season. There was in those times but little other provision to be made for public health than such regulations, and there was no power but the Church competent to enforce suc : rules, Lent has its own peculiar adaptation to our society, though we are not as a people so ad- dicted to the pléasures of the table that we need much restraint in that respect. Accepted by the Episcopal, as well as the Catholic Church, it comes with authority to the larger part of the fashionable world and sets an easy limit to the dissipations of the winter. It cuts short that round of delusive gayeties that saps the vital powers of so many a brilliant belle, and restoring for a time the almost primitive habits of our ancestors, the regular daily routine and the early hours, it gives many « life one more chance. We cannot doubt that in this single respect, and quite aside from its effect as a religious observance, Lent does much good in onr society. There- fore we regret that the sweeping negations of Protestantism have deprived so many of its benefit, and we are glad to see that it is more and more observed every year. Rea Estate Sprecu.ation—Speculation in real estate appears to have assumed all the wild and rash features of gold speculation. It is the ruling madness of the hour, as the late auction sales pretty clearlyshow. There seems to be neither caution nor judgment exercised by the bidders, as we can infer from the im- mense jumps which the bids take the moment a desirable piece of property is put up. For example, bids have risen from two thousand to ten thousand dollars in less than two minutes, Five or ten thousand dollars advance is regarded aga mere trifle. This may not be recklessness, but it savors strongly of wild speculation. We presume that we shall soon have real estate quoted like stocks in the market, and sales con- ducted like gold—selling long and selling short ; buying at sixty and selling at thirty, and so forth. We may have by and by = real estate evening exchange, and real estate transactions on the sidewalk, after the manner of the stock brokers and gold brokers. This real estate THE STATE CAPITAL. Exciting Debate in the Senate on the Health Bill. Refusal toConcur in the Assem- bly Amendments. Caucuses to Select a Candidate for Police Commissioner. McMurray tho Choice’ of the Democrats and Manierre of the Republicans, &e. &e. &e, Asany, Jan. 15, 1866. THE POLIOR COMMISSIONERSHIP. ‘The Union mombers of the Legislature held a caucus to-night to select a candidate for Police Commissioner in place of Mr. McMurray, whose term of office expires on the 1st of March. Benjamin F, Manierre received the nomination. Several’ candidates were urged, among them Inspector Dilkes. The democratic members alse had acaucus, and Wm. McMurray was nominated with- out opposition. The election will take place to-morrow. THE BRIDGE OVAK THE HUDSON. A locomotive passed over the Hudson River Bridge for the first time to-day. It was the engine Augustus Schell, of the Hudson River Railroad. NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. Senate. AtBany, Feb. 15, 1868. REPORTS, By Mr. Low, (rep.) of Sullivan—To rogulate the com struction of the Metropolitan Railroad in Brooklyn. By Mr. Fouarr, (rep.) of Ontario—To amend the char- ter of the United States Watch Company ; also in case of Judge Smith, of Oneida county, that the compluinant and accused be present with counsel, and that an inves- tigation be conducted before the Judiciary Committee of the Senato, which was agreed to, By Mr. Hart, (rep.) of Steuben—To provido for canat repairs after the expiration of the present repair.con- tract, By Mr. Pansoxs, (rep.) of Monroe—Relative to the dock at the foot of Broome street, New York. By Mr. Wirre, (rep.) of Onondaga—Relative to New York Library Society. ‘THY WRALTH PILL. The Health bill was announced from the Assembly, with amendments g ving the Governor power to appoint commissioners und strikiug out “ police commissioners. ’” Mr, Foorr moyed to non-cone.r in the amendmenta, 4 Bav, (rep.) of Richmond, took the fluor and argued at length in faver of the Assembly am*ndments, ‘The bill was a rep blican measur: and they must be held msible for its passage or failure. The polce board all they could attend to already and they should not be connected with ‘his commission. If the Senate would concur in the amendments of the Assembly the bill would become a law before sundown. The people want a health bill. They care not whether it is the Senate or the Assembly bill; the prime object is not public patroo- age but public beulth. Eighty-four Assemblymen and thirteen Senators had voted for the bill as umended. Was it not too much to axk that fourteen Senators shoul@ throw aside prido of opinion and concur tn these amend- ments. ‘vr. Forasr said it had been stated that there were thirteen men hero who would stand by their positions like adamant, Ho was not such a downright fool as to suppose that anything he could say would change them, The Assembly am ndinent did not originate here or in the Assembly, bu powers or croate a sanitary police as large ea the Police Department; and it was would undertake to put upon the tax- Wow York such an additional and 0x: inst the commissioner fi they were included in this bill; but he did ae with those who thought there would be clashing. law requires the ope bor igh spleens ordin- ana they woul amenable to prosecution t thoy "ney or retused to perform that duty, The law compels them to execute all the laws that exist in the metropolitan district. This bill does not provide for & new police—for a health police; it simply takes from Street Department and rds of Health duties now exercised by them. The Sanitary Commission are to issue their orders and regulations, and it will be for the Police Commissioners to see that they are faithfully exe- cuted, He contended that the Senate bill was not parti san, and that it was not policy of the party in por to create non; in commissioners. The Police Com- missioners bad al been a partisan board until Gov- pod Seymour's administration made it necessary te change it. Mr. Axpnews, (rep.) of Otsego, spoke at length against concurring and in opposition to the Assembly amend- ments, Mr. Wuwtx had no des're to trace the bill through any turnings. The Chamber of Commerce, Union ie Club and @ great poblic meeting in New York in favor of the Senate bill; and who against The party orvans, radicals and conserva- ia iy i I if 2°53 Es : | 5 ? Hy 8 : sik if i nf r 32 al Eenieyte