The New York Herald Newspaper, December 17, 1866, Page 4

A NEW YORK HERALD. AMES GORDON BENNETT. | \ EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, W\W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU 8TS.. THE DALY BXRALD, pudtis ec et ' = Foorcents py copy, Aunual eubscr ‘iption price, Side THE ean y HERALD, every Saturday, ab Five Annual subscription price:—~ cents per copy. Any larger numb‘ addressed to names of subscribers $1 50 cach. An oxira copy will be sent toevery club often, Twenty copiea to one address, one year, #25, sadany larger nuDder gt same price. An extra copy will be sent to clubs yy twenty, These rates make the Wuracy Henarp the cheapest gublication in the country. 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AMUSEMENTS 1 BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway, near Broome greet —Tus Harriest Dar or Mx Live—Tux Psorux’s LAWYER, NEW YORK THEATRE, Broadway, opposite New York Hotel. —Cxxvrinton. GERMAN THALIA THEATRE, No. 514 Broadway.— Die Keorunt’s Tocater. GERMAN STADT THEATRE, Nos. 45 and 47 Bowery. as? APPRARANCK OF OrTiLix Ggnge IN Four Dirragent MABACTENS. DODWORTH’S HALL, 806 Broadwav.—Puorrsson Hawes wie Pxvonm mis Minacurs.—Tag Heap in THX AlM. STEINWAY HALL. Fourteenth street.—Grorax W. Mar- @an’s ANNUAL Coxcxrr. SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS. 585 Broadway, opnoatio the Metropoliian Ly Tue ErmioriaN ENrkerax. wants, MNGING, Da AND BURLUSQUES=CENDRIWDN BY rux Four SENsns, FIFTH AVENUE OPSRA H Pwonty-fourth street. —Bcpworr: Minetemisy, Baveaps, BuRiesques. noms. #, Nos. 2 and 4 West seeKLs. —StMtorcae ct nwAT EXPRETA: KMLLY & LEON'S MINSTRELS. 720 Broadway. oppo- sito the New York Hotel.—Ix rein SoNnas, Dances. Eecen- vaorees, Buniusques, &¢.—Scumire with a Y—Horx. P AvmiguE. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 2M Bowery. —Come Vooaussn—Nraro Mrvsrextsr, Batter Divertissxweyt, de. AMERICANS IN TURKEY. Y WHITE'S COMBINATION TROUPE, at Mechanics’ Hall, 472 Broadway—in a Vanrery oy Licur al AVGHABLE ENTERTA! ts, Corrs pe Barrer, &o, 7 utr Bors or Inet MRS. P. B. CONWAY'S PARK THEATRE, Brootlyo.— Tas Wu.ow Corse. HOOLEY'SOPERA HOUSE, Brootlvn.—Ermorias Mie ernuisy, BauLaps, BURLESQUES AND PaNToMiMeEs. SEAVER’S OPERA HOUSE, Williamsburg.—Eratortas: Minstaxcsy, Battaps, Comic Pawtowtmes, ac. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, corner of Grand and Crosby streols.—Gusat nO Fai i AID or Tue HALt axD Asriuvm Funp, N&W YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broxdway.— wrra tae Oxr-Hroroges Microscorr twice zap ap Ricur Ana or FRonst. Open from 3 2.8, tH 10 P. CTARLE’ Now York, Monday, December 17, = NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC. The public are hereby nutified that the silver badges heretofore used by the rogular reporters of the New Yorg Huratp have been recalled, and will no longer be used as a means of identifying the attachés of thie oMcs THB NEWS. EUROPE. Ry epecial telegrams through the Atlantic cablo wo have important intelligence from Ltaly and Russia, dated on the 15th instant, in the evening. Kiog Victor Emanuel opened the session of the Itat- jan Parliament in Florence. In his speech from the throne bo said Italy would respect the territory of the Pontifical States; that he wished the Pope should re- maio independent in Rome, and that the moderation 0” tho people and wisdom of the Holy Fathor would “re- move all diflerences,’’ Signor Torelli, the special envoy from Italy to Rome, bas had an audience of the Pope, which is regarded ae “auspicious."” The Imperiat Russian Commission, of which the Czar is Peosident, Is chagged to carry into effect the royat plat of reform in Poland. James Stephens is said to have been arrested in Nor- folk, m the cast of England. The identity of the party in custody Js yet dubious, M. Deal's address in reply to the Emperor of “Avetr.a bas been adopted by the Hungarian Diet Oar apecinl correspondence from Florence, Venice and Prague, dated on the 28th of November, contains de tailed reports of the national progress and consolidation going on in free Italy, as well as of the political distn- fegration and bitter quarreis of race which are observable and are being fostered in Bohcmia since the termination of the German war, The extracts from our foreign files, also pubilBhed to-day, are of av interesting character, MISCELLANEOUS. One city of Mexico letter, dated November 20, says that Maximilian is as unstable ws wator, and it is atill un- settled whether he will abdicate or resume his empire. ‘The council meetings at Orizaba did not result very satisfactorily, Tho idea of Amorican intervention is un. popular among all parties, and Juarez himself had float moat of his adherents becanse of a report that he had granted a portion of Lower California to the Unived Sates. Our La Pas lettor contains the particulars of oar of the innumerable revolutions that occur every now and then im tho State of Lower California, The French column retreating from Mazatlan was completely ca! ott from the capital by the combined forces of Lozada and Corona, and had embarked for France, Our Fortress Monroe correspondent says thal Jot Davis (4 highly gratified at the arrest of Joba H Sur- rau. He soos his way toa full proof of bis innocence, {\ s asserted, through Surratt’s testimony, and, even if the captured fugitive should make the charges against Davie that it i# rumored be will, the latter expresses himesif fully able to disprove them. Unless sore unex pected turm of events occurs, growing possibly oat of the Surrate tri vis does not expect that his case wit Come up before next spring. A despatch from San Francisco says:—A letter has been received confirming the account of the masmere, by the Apaches and Majave Indians, of George H. Leibys, Superintendent of Indinn AMuire, and bie clerk, A. HL Evorett, while on their way from Prescott to Lapos Advices from the Sandwich Islands of November 26 state that Henry B. Rouse roprosents American interests there daring the absence of Miniter MeCook ‘The first snow of the sercon (ell ia the city yesterday and was succeeded by @ heavy fall of rain. At Baltt mote, Poughkeepsie, Albany, New Haven, Pitteburg, Cinoinaat\, and other places, the snow fell in conmder. able quantities, and at Bulfalo \t attained depth of these foot, Our Washington correspondent bar the heat authority for saying that the gamerdus reports recewwed regarding Jodian outrages on the frontiers are mainly senentional ed ey (ovcicniod iu tae Anteress Of PeTEVET \HING YyB,- 6 ption af the country, with the hope of ‘who.bas recently returned’ to Wash. It Lpke ity, reports that many outrages on ihe Gentiles by Mormogs. "The departments at Washington have received no off- / | celal information of the intention of Genoral Sherman and Minister Campbell to return to New Orleans, nor of their having done so, as reported heretofore, ‘The Canadian government iatend stationing a force on the border near St. Albans, im consequence of the mili- tary preparations of Colonel Roberts’ Fenians, The troops at Sweetsburg have been reinforced. ‘The iron-plated frigate New Ironsidos, lying at League Island, took fire yesterday morning, and soon became a total loss, The fire is supposed to be the work of an incendiary, (‘the steamer Pine Bluff was burned to the water's’ edge opposite Cincinnatl, Ohio, yesterday morning. It is supposed that some of her crew fired her, as they had attached her for wages due, amounting to $8 90, and ‘the obligation was not paid. ‘The brig Arabian, which arrived at this port yesterday, reports having seen the yacht Heurlettaon Thursday, nearly due east from Nantucket. A packing warehouse and two dwelling houses in Birmingham, opposite Pittsburg, were destroyed by fire on Saturday night. Rev. Henry Ward Boecher discoursed at Plymouth church yesterday on the experience of the apostles, and in the ovening on the career of the Apostle Paul. The Rev. Charles B. Smyth continued his sertes of lectures on the “Naked Truth” at the Everett Rooms, The Church of the Holy Innocents, on Thirty-seventh street, near Broadway, was dedicated yesterday, the services being conducted by the Most Rev. Archbishop McCloskey. Rev. J. R. Bayley, of Newark, dedicated the Church of St. Peter, founded by the late Father Kelly, in Jersey City. Forty days’ indulgence was granted by the Kight Reverend Bishop to all pergons assisting at the ceremonies. A discourse on gambling was delivered last evening in the Reformed Dutch church, Thirty- fourth street, between Eighth and Ninth avenues, by Rey. Dr. Stryker. ‘An investigation was held yesterday on the body of Tward F, Bacon, who died from the effects of = biow on tae head with a glue pot. The jury rendered a ver- dict that the blow was given in self defence, and if the deceased had received proper medical ¢reatment at Bellevue Hospital he would probably have recovered. Homer A. Nash, who was charged with the killing, was thereupon discharged, William Compton and John Blake, who were goverely burned by the explosion of gasoline at the Compton House on Friday night, died from the effects of their in- juries yesterday. This makes ten persons who have lost their lives during the past week by fires, and there are nine victims yet living who are badly injured from the same cause, and some of them in a condition that leaves but little hope of their recovery. Mr. Fairbrother, who was shot by a servant girl whom he bad discharged from his hotel, at Terre Haute, Ind., a few days since, died on Friday. The Bubblings of the Mexican Cauldron— Danger of an Explosion. “Clear!” exclaimed the pungent John Ran- dolph in the discussion of a perplexing sub- ject before Congress, “clear—it is as clear, Mr. Speaker, as the light of that window, which is not-very clear.” So it is with all the lights before us on this Mexican imbroglio. Our current telegrams from various points and the latest letters from our special correspondents in the cities of Mexico, Vera Cruz, Chihuahua and other places are full of interesting details | of imperialistic plans and movements and of the intrigues of the various fighting and squab- bling chiefs, cliques and factions concerned, from Matamoros down to Yucatan; but in regard toa pacific solution at Washington of all these complications, the case now looks darker, more embarrassing and menacing than at any time since the advent of Maximilian as the Austrian champion of Napoleon and the Latin race. It now appears that through some loophole in the mails the instructions to Minister Camp- bell and General Sherman reached Maximilian before the ship bearing our extraordinary embassy touched at Vera Cruz, and that this will account for the pronunciamiento issued from that city on the arrival of the Susque- hanna off that port, declaring the fixed pur- pose of poor Max to fight for his Mexican “crown to the death. Hence the’ return of Campbell and Sherman to New Orleans for new observations and a new depariure. It next appears that through the counsels of Mar- shal Bazaine and of the Mexican tories, Marquez and Miramon, fresh from France, the political chiefs of the Church have effected a sort of agreement with Maximilian, whereby he is to undertake the maintenance of his government atter the withdrawal of the French troops, under a pledge of financial aid from the Church to the extent of five, ten or twenty million dollars ® year, as the case may be. His reported pro- gramme, too, is plausible and may be feasible. The bulk of the movable treasures of the Church are in and near the City of Mexico, for safe keeping. French, Belgian and Austrian merchants, bondholders and speculators, iden- tified with the cause of Maximilian, are also concentrated in the capital for the same reason. Miramon, who doubtless, as Napoleon’s chosen man, expects to succced Maximilian in the gov-, ernmeut there, knows from experience how to use all these materials. His plan is to eoncen- trate his military forces and means within a narrow circle around the city of Mexico and along the main road thence to Vera Cruz, thus holding those two cities and the communications between them, and leaving, for the present, all the country northward to the wrangling repub- lican chiefs and factions, to keep them employed against each other. ‘This is a shrewd game; for we dare say that from the heavy local financial interests and the powerful classes concerned with the Church in upholding the interests of Napoleon this able Mexican soldier, Miramon, can rnise & sufficient body of troops to hold the cities and the line suggested independently of the regular French forces. What then! The A re of Mexico north of this line thus abandoned to the repub- licans will become a field of active contentions among their clashing chiefs and factions. We recognize only the republic of Juarez; but how long will Juarez be able to stand without our military support at Chihuahua or Mon- terey, or even at Matamoros? Santa Anna is of ummixed Spanish descent He belongs to the Spanish or raling white class of Mexico, ® inst Juarea, an Indian, wnd the Indian and mixed breeds, the sympathies, antecedents and interests of Santa Anna are with the ruling class, which includes the Church party. From Escobedo, Corona, Canales or som other of the northern republican chiefs, thetefore, we may expect before very long a pronunciamiento in favor of Ortega or Santa Anna, and we may thus in good time find two rival republics set up in Northern Mexico, and perbaps thme or four. . Juarez is becoming unpopular among ihe indigenous Mexicans because of his propesi- tion to sell to the United States a portion yf the “sacred soil of the Republic’—an axpa dient for raising the wind which clipped the wings of Santa Anna in bis day of power. Unless assisted from the United States, there fove, yp fax from being able to gistush Mirameo | abandoned By the tmperfalists, On the con- trary, as this republican chief, that chief and | the other, with a few thousand soldiers to back him, may think himself as good as Juarez, it is possible that unless Messrs. Campbell and Sherman proceed at once to huat him up they will never find him, Let us suppose, however, that with the con- centration of the imperialists along the line indicated the country to the northward falls quietly into the recognition of Juarez, he will still be destitute of: the means and troops ro- quired to regain the city of Mexico against Miramon. We shall then have two Mexican republics, and as that of Miramon will hold the established capijal of the whole country, it may be not only de facto, but de jure, recog- nized by Congress as the legitimate republic, against the outside establishment of Juarez, recognized by President Johnson. In any event it is apparent that Napoleon, through his agents and emissaries, by dexterously using the Church party, the property holders and the rival republican chiefs and factions against each other, will be very apt to remain master of the situation ia Mexico until Congress shall adopt the solution suggested a year or two ago by General Grant—the practical and simple solution of the bayonet. This is the legacy which Napoleon evidently intends to leave us, unless we accept the alternative of binding over Juarez and the Mexican republic, one and indivisible, to pay off his claims. Such being the case, we think the time has come for Con- gress to take a hand in the game. Timely in- tervention may prevent a disastrous explosion of the bubbling ingredients of the Mexican cauldron. ‘The Dissolution of Our U: Armien—A Spec- taclv and a Warning for the World. “On November 1 (1866) 1,023,021 troops had been transferred, mustered out and paid, leaving in service 11,043 volunteers, colored and white.’ “Past experience shows that should any national emergency require a larger torce than is provided by the peace establish- ment, armies could be swiftly organized to at least the full strength of a million of men.” These two sentences are extracts from the report of the Secretary of War. They are plain statements of facts; yet they are pregnant with meaning and cover a history such as has never before been written of any nation of the earth. A civil war is the most demoralizing in which a country can be involved. It is embit- tered by sectional prejudice and personal vin- dictiveness, It is a war of father against son, of brother against brother. The feelings it leaves behind bear no analogy to those en- gendered by a war against a foreign enemy. The one rudely tears asunder all the nearest re- lations of life and bequeathes a legacy of hatred and revenge; the other serves to bind a people more firmly together in the bonds of national pride and of common sympathy. After five years of such a trying and demoralizing war as that through which this country has passed we now present to the world the grand and wonderful spectacle of an army of over 4 milion of men, quietly dissolved and returned back to the peaceful occupations of life, withont trouble, without excitement and without dis- turbing by aripple thesteady flow of commercial and industrial interests. Thanks to the educa- tion and the intelligence of the American peo- ple, the license of camp life is forgotten as easily as the habiliments of the soldier are laid aside. The carnival of blood is no sooner ended than the ferocity and licentiousness it are forgotten. The soldier lays down the musket and the bayonet to take up the plough, the hammer or the pen. There is no marked increase of crime; no organized bands of cutthroats and robbers prowl about the country. There is nothing, in fact, to show that a vast army has been released from the camp and the fleld and let loose upon socioty, except a simple paragraph in an official report Anforming us that over one million of soldiers have been mustered out of service and trans- ported to their homes. From the same source we are reminded that in case of a national emergency this million of men would swiftly leave the peaceful pursuits of life to which they have so quietly returned, and would spring forth again au army of disciplined and dctermined soldiers ready for the field. What a spectacle does this present and what a warn- ing does it convey to the decaying monarchies of the Old World, who, in their senility, have been calculating upon the failure and antici- pating the destruction of our young and vigor- ous republic! Tue Conressions or Scrratt.—The state- ment which we published yesterday from our Montreal correspondent fully bears out the views which we recently expressed regarding the alleged complicity of Jeff Davis and his Cabinet with the assassination plot. We never entertained a doubt of the falseness of the charge. No man in Mr. Davis’ position could possibly have lent a moment’s attention to the consideration of such a plan, for the simple reason that it would have ruined bim in the esteem and confidence of the very people whom it was intended to serve. The idea could only have originated in the brain of « funatic and been worked out by characterless and depraved instruments. The statements made by Surratt, in Montreal, before his de- parture for Europe, are consistent with the conclusions of all unprejudiced minds and are more to be relied on than any that he may have made since his arrest, seeing that the latter are, in all probability, influenced by the hope of pardon. His account of the original scheme was that it was intended to seize and carry off Mr. Lincoln to Richmond and hold him as a hostage there for the Southern prisoners. It was among the rebel conspira- tors stopping at St. Lawrence Hall, in Mon- treal, that the plan was changed to assassina- tion, Wilkes Booth offering to perform the deed. Neither the names of Jeff Davis nor Andrew Johnson were mentioned in connec- tion with the plan, and Surratt protested that neither of them knew anything of their inten- tions, It seems absurd to couple Mr, Johnson's name with this statement; but snch efforts have been made by his radical enemies to in- volve him in a previous knowledge of the conspiracy that it is but right that this emphatic contradiction from one of the chief actors in the plot should have as wide 4 cirem- lation as possible. For our own part we repeat that the éomplicity of Mr. Davis was just as probable as that of Mr. Johnson, which is as much as saying that it waa simply jppvossible, Geuth Cazcling Emigrating te Texas. gation ; but we will no < ports twelve hundred emigrant wagons ashay- | some practical solution, by the .\cientific men ing lately passed through that place from South Carolina bound for different points in Tex. This exodus might inspire some South- ern bawd to write another “Tale of Acadie,’ not les’ pathetic than Longfeilow’s “Evange- line.” ‘Yhese exiles, like the Acadians, have left behind them their dead and many a vil- lage in ruima. The fiery breath of war has swept over their homes— Waste are those pleasant farme’ and the farmors forever departed. But, like the Acadians also, they may find on their distant journey tle “compase flower” —a guide to new and happy homes. he vast and ter- tile State of Texas abounds im: undeveloped re- sources. Its future wealth is incalculable. Emigzation is precisely what it requires at present to hasten and assure “its: progress, If the self-exiled South Carolinians have not foolishly stowed away with their luggage and household gods their obi political heresies and, prejudices, which the war must have smashed into quite useless lumber, their twelve hundred wagons may bear them safely to points in Texas where they shall start afresh and hopefully towards a future as bright as their recent past has been gloomy. Even during the war its burdens and woes fell but lightly upon Texas. Vor a long time it seemed to be direetly benefited. A tide of emigra- tion early set in towards it from several of the Southwestern and Southern States. Large numbers of slaves were sent there for safety and much movable wealth was carried there by families from Louisiana, Arkansas, Mis- souri, Tennessee, Kentucky, as well as other States, even from so far off as Virginia. Io some portions of the State neither blue jacket nor gray jacket, neither greenback nor grayback, neither Stars and Stripes nor Stars and Bars were seen during the entire war. There and elsewhere, notwithstanding tho hosts of Texans who hurried off to war, in- dustry was scarcely interrupted, and in many respects it was stimulated to a degree which made gold and silver more plentiful than ever before. The blockade business was brisk and profitable, and a steady and in- creasing flow of munitions of war and provisions of all sorts for the South- ern armies was uninterrupted until Texas was pretty nearly cut off from the confederacy in 1862, when the upper flotilla of the Missis- sippi joined the squadron of Farragut, who had moved up from New Orleans to Vicksburg. Texas was effectually cut off the next year, when Grant took Vicksburg and Banks Port Hudson. The emigration to Texas was then stopped which South Carolina is renewing now. Mostly confined, as it appears to be, to the whites, it bids fair ere long to leave behind it in South Carolina only a black population. Unless the radicals in Congress desire such a consummation, in order te try on a larger scale than in the District of Columbia what seems to be their pet project of a model negro republic, the rapid depopulation of South Carolina, which is indicated by the fact that twelve hundred emigrant wagons from the Palmetto State lately passed through a single little town in Texas, calla for serious consideration from the Con- gressional Committee on Reconstruction. Guxvnas, Howarp’s Ciasstricatioy.—General Howard, chief of the Freedmen’s Bureau, di- vides the people of the lately insurgent States into four classes:—“First, those men who heartily engaged in the war, but who now give up fully the institution of slavery and its adjuncts and are anxious to exhibit their unqualified alle- giance to the government.” Second, a class of hypocritical pretenders who are making every effort to recover the pelitical power and doctrines they have lost. Third, “a class which has always been defiant and are now seeking by every effort to keep on foot a spirit of conten- tion and disorder.” Fourth, “a class that have ever been and still are unconditional Union men.” According to General Howard the first olass is not very numerous, but its good exam- ples in behalf of law, order, industry, peace and fraternity are producing a good effect. They are mostly poor whites. The fourth class is made up, with a very few exceptions, of poor whites and the whole black population. These are the loyal elements of the South. Between these’two classes stand the second and third clawwes, embracing the old implacable fire-eat- ing politicians of the South aud their followers and all the atill defiaut and vicious fighting elements of the rebellion. The great mase of the Southern women of the white race, the land- od property, nearly all the political journals and the political control of the several States cdncerned are in the hands of these two In- tractable classes, and, according to General Toward, the mildest way to reach them is through the constitutional amendment. But there are also several classes of Northerners in the South, traders, adventurers, speculators, sol- diers and poli icians; and these*politicians con- tribute not a little to Reep up and inflame the discords among the native classes, With all these diverse and conflicting classes, castes and factions at work against each other, the most terrible consequences may follow, if the ruling classes continue to stand out waiting for some- thing better than the terms of restoration offered by Congress. We agree at least with General Howard in his opinion that the only way of safety and peace to those excluded States is in the constitutional amendment, as they have seen in our Northern Sep ember, October and November elections. Tae Coutreny Exrvostoxs ww Exoiaxn.—The frequency of explosions in the coal mines of England within the past few days will set scientific minds at work to discover the cause ot these fearful and death-dealing disasters, which, singularly enough, occurred almost sim- ultaneously in different parts of the country. The presence of carbonated hydrogen, or what is popularly called fire-damp, in coal mines is a usual thing, and it has been known to explode by spontaneous combustion when large quan- tities of it are released from the body of the coal and come into connection with a prepou- derating weight of atmospheric aiz: but the fact that the late explosions took place almost at the same time in pits located in different coun- ties will suggest the question whether there is not a subterranean communication hitherto unknown, or some curious condition of the earth existing, whereby the natural causes by which the gases in one mine are exploded have operated upon others at a greatly removed distance, or whether the recent severe floods may not haye something to do with them. ‘The destructive character of these explosions uns, 40 far, provented any galishictgry iuvesti- of England. The men working in these collievies, it is said, can often detect the approach of’ danger when éhey are getting near one of these’ great magazines of pent up fire-damp, and in ,wapy cages have refused to work in these directis- In some ifstances on record where the mine¥s have so refused, if we are not mistaken, the¥ were compelled by the beneficent English law to continue their operations, on the ground of alleged conspiracy against their employers, and explosions actustly took place and many lives were sacrificed. Notwithstanding that a good deal of precautiomis exercised to guard against these accidents, it appears from recent events that it all goes for nothing and that England ean only obtain her staple source of wealth— coul—at the cost of annual hecatombs of human beings. Liquor Ssmores m Massacuvserrs..-We perceive that the friends of temperance in New England are making » raid upon: the distil- leries and liquor establishments, We are told that im the State of Massachusetts two-thirds ‘of the “rum shops” have been shut up by the authorities and that the temperance reformers are about to press the passage ofa strict pro- hibitory law on the Legislature. This mea- sure will not result in any good, as we know by our experience of like legislation here and elsewhere. Maine laws and Excise laws are powerless in restraining the sale and use of liquor. As long as people want it they will find others to sell it, with or without the sanction of law: The high duty which the Internal Revenue law im- poses on the manufacture of spirits has in- creased the quantity distilled, because the profit being so great the law has been evaded in thousands of instances, as we see by the astounding frauds now brought to light all around us. The tax has proved to be only an inducement to fraud and a source of demorali- zation, precisely as has the imposition.of high duties on the distillation of spirits in Great Britain and Ireland. The proper way to dis- courage the abuse of intempefance is to edu- cate the people up toa high standard of sel! respect and good morals, and not by legis- lating against distilleries, “clearing out” liquor establishments by temperance mobs or putting heavy taxes upon spirits. All these plans have been weighed in the balance and found wanting, They have heen applied with peculiar stringency in pious New England, and yet we will venture to say that there is more drinking, with all its demoralization enhanced, done in secret in the sanctimonious city of Boston, in proportion to ite population, than in all the bar rooms of the so-called ungodly city of New. York. ad pataaatianemeitnedieeent _ Tax Fenian Scare w Great Barraix.—We are told by the last cable despatch that Fenian arrests continue to be made by the Irish authorities and that much “needless” alarm prevails throughout the entire island. This comment by the cable reporter is a curious one. is he more in the secrets of Mr. Stephens than his friends and confederates at this side, or ishe better posted than the Irish govern- ment as to the importance of the movements in progress? Neither of these assuimptions is likely, and therefore we must continue to infer from statements tbat reach us from other sources that so far from the danger being con- sidered over by the Irish authorities it is re- garded as more imminent than ever. Of course an effort is being made by the London Times and other leading English journals to appease the widespread anxiety that prevails on the subject, in order to prevent a financial revulsion, complicating the difficulty. A ran has already commenced on the Irish banks, and there is no knowing but that this may ex- tend to the banking institutions in England, un- less means of quieting the alarm can be adopted. The conviction that exists that the plot embraces England in its ramifications, and that serious disturbances there will follow the Irish outbreak, has imparted a very feverish and unsettled character to financial and commer- cial transactions throughout the three king- doms. This, coupled with the fact that the military preparations on the part of the govera- ment continue to be energetically pushed forward, and that Mr. Stephens is either now in Ireland or operating within a short distance of its coasts, does not, us the cable pretends, show that the grounds for alarm have at all dimin- ished. A couple of weeks will determine how far the assertion is justified by the facts. Until then we prefer not speculating on opinions which evidently take their color from the befogged atmosphere of the British metropolis. THE RECENT CONFLAGRATIONS. Names of the Dend and Injared. ‘The past week was unusually fruitful of disaster, no lest than two destructive contlagrations and one explo. sion baving oecurred in this city, besides a sumber of fires of mivor importance, regarded in their elfects upon life and property. The fire in the Division street tenement house was quickly followed by the terrible conflagration in the Second avenue, and the scarcely less eppaliing explosion of gasoline at the Compton House, in Third avenue, last Friday evening. It is worthy of remark that two of these disasters—the first and last—were oovasioned by by the presence of highly combustible materials on the premises, viz., kerosene and gasoline, the latter being a Waae species of benzine, much more dangerous fatal than the much complained of kerosene, The occurrence of two such disasters, one #0 close om the other, should act as jing and inoite our city authon- ‘ties to vigilance for the a of the tives of our citizens, Materials of 80 it and combustibie a character should not be allowed in houses where people sleep, under any circumstances, and seldom even in other houses, except under very lations. eR € jon, Inte proprietor of the youereer morning from the effects the sustained at the fire in his establish nent last ight, John Blake, the fireman of the bas also died, and all the otver sufferers remain in ® very critical condition, with the exception of Maryar et who is believed to be in a fair way of recovery. The following are the names of all the sufferers by ‘dhe Ores during the week -— ‘Sitin tocmmen HOUSE EXPLOSION, John Blake, fireman, dead. * Flanniga: ly Daniel Brown, ly, Danie! McGinnis, badly burned. Maryarot Brooks, badly burned. SROOND AVENUE David Sanford, badly burned. Mrs. D, Sanford, badly burned Miss Martha Sanford, ly burned, Charles Sanford, dead, Witliam “anford, dead. One child of Mr. Sanford in a crit: DIVERON STREET Danie! Phaton, dead, Mrs, Daniol Phaton, dead. Three children of Phaeton, dears, Mrs, Mary Schilling @nd infa’st, dead, Mrs Kupbemia Galpin, deat, Mies Ide Galpin, dead. Coroner Gamble Will hold -.m inquest upon the bodies of those who lost their lives by (he Compton House fire during the day. FIRE 4N PITTSBURG. / Prrvenuna, Dec. 16, 1866, p Stott REDs, Hacking warchouse sind two sveune sen in Birmingham, oppodte Labs city, were tot dosiroyed by Sreasi uighy sits Godt he. farniated ATLANTIC’ YACHT RACE. ? “A Texas jonmal, pablishod at Crockett, re- | with plenty of theories on the subject, if not The Hoariett#:Seen on Thursday. > Captain Richard, of the brig Arabian, which arrivort af this port yesterday from Arichat, reports as follows :— Thursday, eae, ba] at noen, in latitude 40 30; longitude 69 56, saw one of the yachts mn the ocean race. She'stowed a blue-flag-with something white in it. Shs also lad a house on deck. No other vessel in sight us the time. ‘Tho sailing regulations of the race required the Hen- rietta to exhibit a blue nine by three flag at sea, and tue ne reported to have been seeu by Captain Richard wap no doubt that vessel, She had evidently made for the Gulf stream, as’ her position at the time mentioned was nearly due east (rom Nantucket, FINE ARTS. Lunt Saturday evening Messrs Miner & Somervtile welcomed their friends of the:press to a two-fold enter- tainmons, & bountifal supper and an exhibition of choice pictures, at Sheir new Fine Art gallery, 82 Fifth avenue, on the southwest corner of Fourteenth stroct, Their recently An Building is one of the architec toral of the neighborhood. The art gal- lery proper is the mest spacions in town, giving an area of nearly three thousand square feet for the ox-, hibition of patutings exclusively. It is flooded with light by Large dome-toppet windows which reach: from floor to ceiling. For aight illumination gas jew imve been skilfully arranged after the modern mode. of lighting from the centre of the roof. A reflected an@ aud diffused light is thus secured, far more favorable to the best qualities of the pictures than direct rays from jets in close proximity to them, Connected with the gailery are rooms where artists may exhibit their works te friends before presenting them to the public eye. The apper pertion of the building has beom expressly constructed for studios, all of which are’ wlready occupied, Underneath the art gallery is a fine hall, which has been epgaged by Mr. De Garmo as ® salle de danse.. It was inaugurated she other evening by a fashionable ball, Still lower down Is the supper room, which secommodates three hundred guests, The foregoing description embraces only the new wing of the building. ‘The dwelling on the Fifth avenue; forming the front of the entire structure, -has deen but slightly modified from its appearance when it was the residence of the Vem Schaick family. With ite library, its parlors and special drawing: roo ms for art assemblies, it is a convenient adjunct to the gallories. The picture gallery will be opened to the public to-day with archoice collection of works. Among these the most noticeable are ‘Landscape and Sheep," by Louis Robbe; three pictures fuil of characteristic humor, by David. Col, and paintings by Van Thoren, Van Kuyck, Stroebel, Schaefels, Moulinet, Melin, Vaarburg, Willems, Troyonand Fichel. The construction of tho galleries was intrusted to Mr. Ortgies, on whose skill, as well as on the liberality and enterprise of Mr. Somervillo, they feflect great credit, In several respects, and particu larly in size, they are superior to any hitherto built im this country. ‘The third weekly reception at the Studio Building, im Tenth street, was no less successful than the first aud the second. The Studio of Mr. Guy was througed by ad- mirers of his excellence as a genre painter. His ‘Young Navigator,” ‘Stolen Sweets,” and a subject illustrating the fathomless depths and boundless capacity of & boy's pocket, were specially attractive. The artista in Dodworth’s Building, 212 Fifth avenue, have also: inaugurated a series of Saturday receptions, from two to-five o'clock P. M., to be continued through- out the winter. The €fth amnual exhibition of Mr. Gambart's colle tion of works by French, Eaglish and Flemish artists, bs still open at the Studio Buildings, in Tenth street. The second aanua! exhibition of pictures by members of the French Kitching Club, is daily open at the Fine Arts Gallery, 625 Broadway. Mr. Cadart, the founderef the club, is on a visit to Boston. An important sale of European and American pictures, consigned to BL. Knoedler (Goupil & Co., of Paris), wilt take place on the evenings of Tuesday and Wednesday, the 18th and 19th of December, at Leeds’ elegant Art Galleries, 817 and 819 Broadway. The invoice embraces works by Melssonier, Plaisan, Merle, Fichel, Verborok- hoven, Achenbach, Casilear, Inness, James Hart, W. 7. Richards, Beliows, Coleman aud other eminent artiste. Ward has just finished a bust in clay of the late De. Valentine Mott, which fully sustains the reputation of Ubis well-known sculptor. We are informed by a correspondent that art gives signs of awakening life in Aluany, Anneseley and Vint have just opened a small gallery at their establishments on Broadway, where they have put on free exhibition a collection of pictures by the resident artists and others, such as Jas. M. Hart, McKEntee, Haseltine, Gay, Ferguson, Homer Martin, Wenzier, Wagner, T. L. Smith, Brevoort, Colman, Mrs , Beets, James ‘Smillie, Feirman, Lambdin, Parton. An early Boughion called “The Stage Struck Apprentice,” has considerabie humor and originality in treatmont, Efforts to revive ‘an art interest in Albany are praiseworthy, and should be rewarded. Albany has graduated many artists of real genins. The greatest ‘of these, Palmer, alone remains there, and it is said, tothe reproach of the Albasiaas, that while his work goes everywhere—to New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and even to Kurope, none remains where it 1s originated. The brothers Wil- Ham and James Hart, George Boughton, Launt Thomp, son, Homer Martin, Pickett, Ferguson, T. [. Smith an@ othors have bad to leave Albany for more appreciative climes, Elliott stilt remains in Palmer's studio. His fine por- trait of Governor Fenton ts nearly completed, as is alse one of Hon, James V. L. Pruyn, membor of Congress elcot. We learn that the Artist Fund Society, of Philadel- phia, gave their Grst reception, upon the opening of their new galleries, 1,334 Chestnut street, on Thursday ‘evening last. After years of devoted Iebor and strug- gling on the part of a fow artists, thoy now see this in- stitution ona firm footing, with a home of their own, and With every prospect that their efforts will be reward- ed by the public. It is their intention to keep their rooms constaatly open tothe public, but witha change of pictures. ° Retreating from Gun ef Lozada from the Joins with Coroun to Cat OW the Retreat ef Castigny—Embarkation of Castigny’s for France. Wevose for HEAROe-, . passcmco, Det. 16, 1806. A private letter brought by the steamer Constitution, from Agapulco, states tuat General Castigny had asrived at -an Blas from Guadalajara to march overland to the city of Mexico, with the troops recently driven out of Sonora and Sinaloa by the liberats, He found the con- templated movement impossible, from the fact that Lozada, the Mexican imperialixt commander at Tepic, disgusted at the failures of the French to Curniah relief or money to pay bia men, had gone over with hie whole force to the |i and uniting his troops with those sent out by Corowa from Mazatian, was waiting im the mountains to attack the French column io over whelming numbers. Tne forces of Martinez, 1,100 strong, would also join Lozada, and it was though’ it would march overland and would be abandoned, a» Castigny embarked his forces ior France from the Pagiie coast instead of Vera Cruz. ‘Tho United States steamer Mahoning was in Port Atapulco bound for San Francivco, and would there re main tintil the arrival of the Sowance, Positive advices have been reveivéd in this city of the landing of 4,000 new American muskets and a 0 of ammonition for the als, General Diego Alvarer went mear Acapuloo by schooner Sovereigo, and cash was paid an delive: nd the money came Acapaico uuder the noses of the tmporiat authorities Consul Godey has dispatched tho official statment of Wberal successes to Governor j.ow and Major Gen MeDowetl, WEWS FROM CINCINNATI ernervat, tee, 16. ws The steamor Pine Bluff, loaded with pig iron, Frou § Louts, arrived on Friday last, aad was atte ol by owe of her crow for wages duo them, amoanting In the ng. gregate to $8 90, and was by the Sheri ted “on - Saito thie city. The ob tie water's edyerat two.creiock. Wass mOrw she wae insured 22,000 ia sequnes te Parry, County Treasurer, nue Sixty-ceventh Ohio regiment, eee rer " of the heroes of the storming of lr Lo-day of consumption, lastened Oy wraip, aged (