The New York Herald Newspaper, January 28, 1867, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 1867. NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BEN VETT, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR OFFICE N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND NASSAU STS. THE DAILY HERALD, published every day in the year, Fourcents per copy. Annual subscription price, $14. JOB PRINTING of every description, also Stereotyp- tng and Engraving, neatiy and promptly executed at the owest rates. AMUSEM TS THIS EVENING. BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway, near Broome stree.,—ALADDIN, THS WONDERFUL SCAMP—CINDERELLA. NEW YORK TREATRE, Broadway, opposite Now York Hotel. —CxnDRi.ton. DODWORTH’S HALL, 806 Broadway.—Prorxsson Hants Witt Perron His Mmacius—Tae Hxap iN THE AIR— ‘Tar Inpian Basket Tuc. RICHINGS' ENGLISH OPERA COMPANY, Olympic theatre, Broadway.—Tux Rose or CastiLe. SAN FRANCISCO MINSIRELS. 535 Broadway, opnostte the Metropolitan Hoiel—Ix tacin Grnoriay ENTERRALM. ments, Srvoinc, Daycivo 4xp BUKLESQUES.—MIDNIGET SusstOw oF Concress. FIFTH AVENUE OPERA HOUSE, Nos. 2 and 4 Weat —Guirrix & Cursty’s Mi — Bauavs, Buniesqves, 50—Mube CAL STUDENT. KELLY & LEON'S MINSTRELS, 720 Broadway, oppo- site the New York ‘fotal.—Lw tuxie Jonas, Daxoes, Koonn- TRictis, BURLESQUES, &c.—OpDs AND ENDS—CINDER-LEON— Mapacascan Batugr TROUPE. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE," 901 Bowery.—Comro Vocatism—Nroro MINSTRELSY, BALLET DrvertisseMEnt, 4c.—Toxy Pastor's 1ouR AROUND Tax WoRp, CHARLEY WHITE'S COMBINATION TROUPE, at Mechanics! Hall, 472 Broadway.—in 4 Variety or Licut ano Lavcnante ENTERTAINMENTS, Corrs px Bauer, 4c. ‘Tax Fexian’s OATH, OR THE LDIOT OF KILLARNEY. MRS. F. B. CONWAY'S PARK THEATRE, Brooklyn.— Pacvarrre—Mr. axp Mus. Waits. HOOLEY’S OPERA HOUS§. Brooklyn.—Ermiortan Min- ereRtsy, BaL.aps AND Lesqves.—A Hunran Tir AxounD tux WoRLp. BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC.—Taz Nina Monpay Porvcar Concxrr. COOPER INSTITUTE, Fighth street.—Dr. Hxssarn’s Intustratxp Lecrures on Heaura. CLINTON HALL, Astor place.—Humorovs Lucrore Mx. [ycxnrsoLt Locxwoop. NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY. 618 Rroadway.— Heap axp Rigut ARM or Prosst—Tur WasHINGTON ixs—Wonpers IN Natorat History, Science axp ART. Leorvres Dairy. Open from 8 A.M. till 10 P.M. York, Monday, January 28, 1867. THESE NEW 3. MISCELLANEOUS. By mail from Europe we have advices dated to the 17th of January, in detail of our cable despatches. The main points of the reports were published in the Hzunat > yesterday morning. . To day we give our special corres. pondence, with a compilation from our files, embracing matter of interest and importance, The Excise law was again rigorously enforced yester- day,and the Sabbath passed off quietly and soberly, theré being but few arrests for violations of the law either iniseliing liquor or using it too freely, A large meesting of influential German citizens was held at Cooper Institute last night in favor of a strict enforce- ment of the law.’ Resolutions apprépriase to the pur- pose ‘were adopted, and speeches’ were made by Pro- fessor Schaff and Dr. Wedekind. Captain Tremble, formorly an officer of an Illinois regiment, engaged in planting in Bowie county, Texas, was recently shot and wounded by citizens of that county, He went to New Orleans for assistance and returned with twenty cavalry to find his wife and child driven from home and the negroes who had been work- ing for him manacled and driven through the streets, ‘The rioters were so numetons that the small force of cavalry wero forced to fall back. Mrs. Tremble died of the effects of her exposure, and the captain was ina Pr carious condition. } ‘The report of the Canadian Minister of Customs is published in synopsis in our columns this morning. He recommends that American vessels bo refused the privilege ot passing through the Welland Canal for a few months. By doing this, he says, “we will bring the Americans to reagon."” Orders have been issued forthe removal of Lynch, McMahon and the other condemued Fenians to Kingston Penitentiary. Irvin A. Denson, formerly master at arms on the United states gunboat Cayuga, committed suicide by shooting himself through the head yesterduy in the back yard of a boarding house, No. 60 Main street, Brooklyn. Depression consequent on the death of his wife and loss of employment since bis discharge from the navy was the cause of the rash act. The steamer R. R. Cuyler, the fastest propeller in the merchant marine of this country, was sold Saturday to the Colombian government. She is being equipped as a war vessel, and is receiving a battery on board at the {oot of Fifth street, East river. Advices from the Plains state that the Indians are mov- ing southward in large numbers, Ola Indian fighters say that this means war, and that the soldiers will be evaded by the redskins, who are well posted on their movements. It appears that Head Centre Stephens has not yet sailed ior Europe, Our Washington correspondent says that a bill has been framed for introduction in the House of Represeuta - tives providing for the appointment of General Grant to be acting President in case of the impeachment or re- moval of President Johnsen. Six men were drowned at St. Charles, Missonri, while trying to cross the river im.an open boat, the ice crushing the boat like an eggshell. Ex-Governor Alien, of Louisiana, was buried in New Orleans yesterday, his remains being followed to the tomb by a large procession of citizens. The Baltimore harbor was opened yesterday by pri- vate enterprise, and the flect that has been ice-bound for the last week will probably sail to-day, the channel easily permitting of the pa sage of vessels. The revenue cutter Masswood was burned at Balti- more yesterday. Tho Pats sco Chemical Works, consisting of three large buildings at Locust Point, near Baltimore, were burned down yesterday, Three thousand carboys of sulphuric acid and thirty tons of sulphur were also destroyed, Tho loss is estimated at $60,000. One of the proprietors Of the ostablishunent died on Saturday, Ap » Hudson River Railroad ran off th ¢ Hyde Park all th nger cars, including ping car, wore thrown off, nobody was hurt. . The winner of the Crosby Opera House sold out to Mr. Crosby, the former propr.ctor, on Saturday for $200,000. The balance sheet of the proprietors of the gilt enterprise shows a total profit of $650,000 on the undertaking, Tho steamship Generkl Meade, Captain Sampson, from New York for New Orleans, fell in with the brig G. W. Barter, Captain Allen, from Wilmington, N. C., bound to Now York, which had struck on Cape Lookout Shoals, lost her rudder and was in a leaky condition, and towed her to Beaufort, N. C., har. ‘The brig Shooting Star, from New York to Aspinwall, was abandoned at geaon the 12th inst, All the crow were taken off. The Mayor of Galveston telegraphed to Goneral Shori- dan asking him to countermand the order of General Griffin refueing to allow the burial of the rebol General Johnston with civicfdemonstrations, but General Sheri- dan declined very sharply to grant the requost. Official advices received by the Mexican Consul at San Francisco contain information of the éapture of Ortega, Gonzales and Hatoni by the Governor of Zaca- tecas. Juarez oxpected to be in the city of Mexico in March, ‘The Rev. Charles B. Smyth loctared at Argus Hall, on Broadway, yesterday, ou “The Times We Live In, or the Vicissitades of Life,’’ The Rev. Dr. Littlejohn repeatea his sermon on the “Demoralizing Literature of the Day,” and the Rev. J. T. Hecker delivered his lecture ju “The Duties of Catholics in the Present Moment in ‘he Great Republic.” Various socicties and boards hold beir regular meetings. Rev. Joel Lindsley, the preacher who whipped his hild to death im Orleans county last eummer, has been Jnvicted of manslaughter in the second degree, A descent was made last night on the gambling house No. 762 Broadway, and John C. Heenan, aaid to be the Breprictor, was arrested, besides sevoral others, Southern Restoration—Curious Array of Dis- turbing Forces, Wendell Phillips, in the State House at Boa- ton the other day, devoted himself to an argu- ment against the ratification of the pending constitutional amendment by Massachusetts, on the ground thet while its adoption will be bind- ing on the North it will be practically a dead letter in the South. The third section, disfran- chising certain classes of rebels, he holds, can- not be executed in the South. The only rem- edy, he contends, is to put seven hundred thou- sand negro votes into the scale. He is in favor of disfranchising prominent rebels, but if he can give the negro the ballot he will be will- ing to trust Wade Hampton. He says nothing of fixing in the constitution, as this amendment proposes, the binding obligations of the na- tional debt and the repudiation for evermore, as utterly illegal, null and void, of all rebel debts and all claims for emancipated slaves,and he overlooks the condition which requires the concession of the suffrage to the blacks by the several States, in order to count them in the popular enumeration for Representatives to Congress. In truth, from certain’ declarations of Phillips heretofore, he is ready for the alter- native of universal repudiation, if he cannot obtain universal negro suffrage, as the all-heal- ing panacea of Southern restoration. All this means that Phillips is opposed to any scheme which promises a speedy settle- ment of this vexed question. He has his own theory of the advantages to be gained by delay. He has his own visionary projects of recon- struction, which can only be reached by re- ducing the country to chaos and then in begin- ning anew. There are various other leaders and factionists and fanatics who are driving for the same point of departure, although by dif- ferent roads. The leaders of the Northern democracy are opposed to the pending amend- ment, because they think that in staving off this settlement “something will turn up”’ to bring them, in conjunction with the South, again into power. The ruling old pro-slavery class of the South are opposed to the amend- ment because they entertain similar expecta- tions. President Johnson himself may be placed in the same category. Greeley, accord- ing to his last pronunciamiznto on the subject, is with Phillips as to the infallible specific of universal negro ‘suffrage, but shrinks with fear and trembiing from President Johnson’s im- peachment, which Phillips holds to be the first indispensable step to “liberty, equality and fraternity.” Such are the disturbing forces operating against the pending amendment—the North- ern abolition fanatics of the school of Wendell Phillips, the weak-kneed reformers represented by Greeley, the old hide-bound Northern dem- ocratic leaders, the old ruling class of the rebel States, President Johnson and the hold- over Dred Scott ‘expounders of the Supreme Court. These disturbing elements, in many things conflicting and arising ont of different ob- jects, are all working together for delay in the settlement of our existing troubles. Phillips and Greeley desire to sacrifice the amendment in order to secure universal negro suffrage; Vallandigham and the Seymours, Wade Hamp- ton and all ‘the old Southern political mana- gers still remaining on hand, together with the administration, are laboring to defeat the amendment because, if adopted, it will inaugu- rates new dispensation and an entirely new organization of parties, and because under President Johnson and the Supreme Court the hope is cherished of still another reign of the Bourbons, State rights, slavery and all. Thus it is that the main body of the dominant party in Congress is confronted on every side by hostile factions, and thus among other dangers this dominant party is threatened with dissen- sions and divisions which encourage all these opposing forces to hold their ground. How is Congress to baffl2 and overthrow all these opposing combinations? Not by delay nor masterly inactivity; for that is their game. Not by hedging and ditching to the end of President Johnson’s term of office; for that is his policy and theirs, to bring the rebel States, as they stand, into Congress and the next Presidential election, under a decree from the Supreme Court. There remains to Congress, then, only the policy of pushing through the amendment as the basis of Southern restora- tion; and as it is now made manifest that the amendment is mainly blocked by President Jobnson, his impeachment and removal will become the first and the main question with the new Congress which mects in March. Whatever else Congress may deem ne cessary in the way of reconstruction, the securities of this amendment must be fixed in the constitution, Otherwise, with Southern restoration a repudiation party will at once be developed North and South. It is hinted that Chief Justice Chase and Greeley favor a compromise on negro suffrage with the President ; we know that Phillips goes for his iinpeachuent to secure negro suffrage ; but there can be no security tor anything short of the adoption of this amendment. How the re- publicans now stand in the two houses upon this question we cannot tell, but with the meet- ing of the new Congress fresh from the people we expect that, mainly in behalf of this pend- ing amendment as the great issue of the recent elections, the impeachment will be pushed to the removal of President Johnson. Upon this line there will be force and con- sistency in the impeachment; but in diverging to negro suffrage as the only issue to be settled, as the only security needed for the future, Wendell Phillips, as of old, is again playing into the hands of Wade Hampton, and Greeley is strengthening the rejected policy of Presi- dent Johnson. Upon the basis of the amend- ment the party in power will be supported by the North even to the removal of the present Executive and # reconstruction of the Supreme Court. Then, with the settlement completed and with the Suuth restored, we shall have a reconstruction of parties involvirg new issues, new men and new combinations of sections and factions and whites and blacks. Let Congress, on the other hand, try the substitute of negro suffrage as presented by Phillips and Greeley, and it will prove to the republicans the ad- mission of the wooden horse within the walls ef Troy and a restoration of the Bourbons. Nay, more, we must fix the amendment in the constitution or prepare for the new party and the chaos of universal repudiation, as the price which Wade Hampton is ready, no doubt, to exact, and which Wendell Phillips is ready, we conclude, to pay for universal negro suffrage, ‘Whiskey Coxriscation.—A motion was made by Mr. Darling in Congress on Saturday re- questing the Secretary of the Treasury to eus- eee pend the sales ef confiscated whiskey unless the price offered be equal to the tax on the article. This is a very good resolution, and is, no doubt, intended to restrain certain opera- tions of government officials and others in the purchase of confiscated liquor; but Mr. Dar- ling should have gone a little further by sus- pending the sales in cases where the market price was not realized. This, we opine, would effectually cure the evil intended to be removed by his motion. Mr. Morrill em Our National Finances. From the position Mr. Morrill occupies in Congress, as taking » leading part in sll mat- ters relating to the national finances, currency, revenue and the tariff, and because he really brings a great deal of knowledge to bear upon them, his speech delivered last Thursday is worthy of special notice. This speech was evi- dently carefully prepared, but we are left much in the same doubt as to his precise mean- ing or what he proposes to do as we are with regard to the speeches of one of our city mem- bers. We do not know exactly where he stands. He multiplies words in generalizations and is not sufficiently clear and explicit. He is in favor of a resumption of specie payments by contracting the legal tender currency, and yet he is “ persuaded that we shall not reach the goal of resumption any earlier than the most devoted partisan of an exclusive paper money system would wish.” While the politics of the Secretary of the Treasury is distasteful to him, he approves of his financial policy. In fact, Mr. McCulloch’s views regarding contraction and sustaining the national banks are endorsed by Mr. Morrill. But neither he nor the Secre- tary has an idea different from those ‘which have been reiterated a thousand times by the bul- lionists of Great Britain and this country. The successive revulsions which England passed through after the close of the long war with the first Napoleon, in consequence of adopt- ing the resumption theories of the bul- lionists, afford no lesson to them. The perlodical revulsions that have occurred every few years since in that country, even in specie paying times, does not prevent them from pointing to the course followed there as the best guide to us, The fearful pauperism that pervades the whole kingdom, side by side with incaleulable wealth and unequalled pro- duction, which can only be the result of an unsound financial and monetary system, gives no instruction to these men of one idea, They do not see that the time has come when this new and great country ought to abandon theo- ries which have proved so pernicious and that we should have a system of finance and cur- rency adapted to our own circumstances. The whole of Mr. Morrill’s argument, as well as the policy of Mr. McCulloch, is based upon British ideas and practice, and yet we see what dread- ful consequences have followed the application of those in England. ‘The ‘great point Mr. Morrill endeavors. to ‘make is that Our circulating medium, which, is the currency, is much too large; tuat abouta third of it would be sufficient, and that it should be all withdrawn except the three hun- dred millions of aational bank notes, That is the amount and kind of currency only he would give us. To sustain his argument he refers to the circulation in England in 1844 and 1865, and to our own before the war, each of which he states was less than three hundred millions We believe he under estimates the. amount, if we reckon both the paper and coin in circulation at the same time. We will not cavil about that, however. The question is not what England has or what we had before the war, but what is the amount required under our present circumstances for the safe and healthtul operations of trade and develop- ment of the country. We are passing through as extraordinary a revolution in financial matters as in political. We think, too, that the changes this country is destined to make in the former will exercise, in time, as great an influence in Europe as it is now exercising upon the political ideas of that part of the world. The whole tendency of the financial and monetary system of Eng- land, and, indeed, of nearly all Europe, is in favor of the rich and to reduce the producing classes to the lowest point of existence. A currency contracted too much is undoubtedly the chief cause of this state of things, Mr. Morrill refers to Parliamentary reports and other authorities to show that only about three per cent of the circulating medium, or what is called currency or meney, has been used in ordinary mercantile transactions, or, to use his own words, “to liquidate payments in modern trading.” According to this state- ment ninety-seven per cent of all business is done through the medium of the banks and rich individuals and through credit. He argues, consequently, that only a very re- stricted currency is required. Docs this not rather prove that a more copious currency ts necessary to protect the mess of small traders from the power and exactions of the banks and the rich? With a large amount of ciroulating medium, and, therefore, with an easy money market, the banks are not able to hold the trading community so much at their mercy and to absorb the profits of trade to such an extent; but ace not the mass of the people thereby benefited? Of course there is a limit beyond which it would not be healthful or safe to ex pand; but we maintain that currency too re- stricted only makes its rich richer and the poor poorer. This would be the case especially under our present circumstances if the cur- rency could be contracted to a specie basis. The property of those who hold United States securities would be inoressed over thirty per cent, while the property of ali others would be reduced in the same proportion, All those who owe anything would find that their debts would be heavier and their means of payment much less. Then we should witness revulsions, bankruptcies and general distress such as the people of England experienced in their efforts to force specie payments aftor the wars with the first Napoleon. Mr. Morrill predicts, as other resumption theorists predict, that all sorts of evil will come upon us if we do not contract the cur- reney and return to specie payments. This is & mere assumption, without the least founda- tion in our own experience or in the history of other countries. Contraction produces com- mercial and financial revulsion, by not main- taining a steady, copious currency. We haves not suffered and are not suffering from a re- dandancy. On the contrary, the country was never more healthfully prosperous, apart from the burdens the war has imposed upon ue. There has been some over-trading, and this, with the season of the year, may have caused @ temporary lull in business; but this occurs also in specie-paying times, and is not caused by our paper money. The development of our manufactures, mines, agriculture and all kinds of business within the last few years, shows the effect of an abundant circulating medium and easy money market, The true Policy is to let well alone and not meddle in- judiciously with the currency. The national bank system is a favorite one with Mr. Morrill, as with all-the other advo- cates of contraction and resumption. He thinks the saving of twenty-four millions a year to the Treasury in interest on the debt, by substituting legal tenders for aational bank notes, is @ trifle compared with the blessings the banks are to the country. We differ with him. The national banks constitute a great and dan- gerous moneyed monopoly which will absorb the profits of industry and exercise a powerful influence over the politics of the country. The government has given them enormous privi- leges without any consideration in return. They are, in fact, a fraud upon the country and threaten it with great evils. Nor is the twenty-four millions a year which is given to them a trifle. That amount at compound in- terest would pay off the national debt in tess than forty years. It is a greater amount than the whole revenue or expenditure of the gov- ernment a few years ago. Mr. Morrill has a great deal to learn about financial matters. We hope Congress may not be guided by his theories and erroneous views. Our Indian Tribes—Retorm in the Indian Bureau. The proposition now before Congress to transfer the management of the Indian tribes from the bureau under the Interior Depart- ment to the War Department, is one which we think is not only calculated to facili- tate the operations of the bureau, but will Telieve the country in a great measure from the odium attached to measures hitherto adopted in our dealings with the abo- riginal races. There is no doubt that a great deal of corruption, unnecessary vio- lence and inhumanity has been associated with the conduct of Indian affairs. Much of the troubles on our fronticr have originated with agents and others having a personal in- terest in perpetuating distrust, quarrels and massacres among the tribes. By taking this business out of the hands of civil agents and plaving the control of the Indian tribes in those of military officers we will remove the opportunity for corruption, which has involved the government in vast expense and retarted civilization in the Territories. The officers of the army, acting by the orders and discipline of the War Department, are held under strict military jurisdiction, and they are not 80 liable to engage in corrupt practices as* civilians, who'are. responsible to a civil department of the governme:t. Again, the officers of our { army, from their education and habits, are not ‘so prone to corruption and avarice a3 the poli- tieiaus who usually fill the offices of Indian agents, according to the present arrangement. When any hostilities occur on the frontier the military power has to be called in to suppress them, and the authority of the War Department is immediately required. Why | not, then, invest the whole maifagement of Indian affairs in this department? At the present moment large bodies ot troops are being sent to the Territories to con- front the hostile Indians. General Grant and General Sherman, in their reports on affairs iu the West, have recognized the wisdom of this disiribution of authority to the War Department, which is perhaps an additional reason why the recommendation of the Military Committee should be adopted by Congress. Our Indian affairs have been miserably man- aged, and some reform is absolutely ueeded. The Latest Phase of the Eastern Question. The telegraphic news of yesterday relating to the affairs of the East is specially interest- ing. The Cretan war is said to be ended, the volunteers having returned to Greece. Infor- mation of a similar nature has, on more tian | one occasion already, been contradicted by subsequent telegrams. It wii! not in the least surprise us if our telegram of yes.erday met a similar fate. It is notorious that for some time past Austria, much to the annoyance of Prussia and Russia, especially the latter, has been concentrating her forces in Galicia, and that the Poles in that province, righily or wrongly, are of opinion that Austria fayors the resurrection of Polish nationality, It does not, therefore, surpt ‘se ua-to learn that Prussia bus demanded from Austria an explanation of herconduct, The most important item of in- | telligence is that the French, Russian and Prussian governments have agreed to negotiate with the Porie a settlement of the affairs of the East. What does this mean? Negotiate isa term of large significance. Has the Sultan made up his mind to barter away his disaffected provinces? Have the Powers above mentioned agreed as to their share of the spoil and the | terms on which they are disposed to secure it ? | What of Austria? What of Italy? Above all, what of England? Are they all three to be left out in the cold? Is the territory of the Sultan to be rearranged or partitioned by and in the interests of Russia, Prussia and France alone? Such we may rest assured is not to be the case. Austria, weak as she is, will not stand passively by while the affairs of the Bast are being settled. She is not yet so com- pletely exhausted as tamely to submit to such humiliation. She is too near a neighbor and too deeply interested not to sum- mon up her remaining strength—a strength which her past history shows is by no means easily exhausted, and demands that her voice be heard. Italy is but little interested and may well be left aside. But England—is it for a moment to be imagined that she will remain either indifferent or inactive while the settle- ment of this long vexed and deeply importaat question is being arranged by others? Oer- tainly not, Anxious as she is for peace and unwilling to embroil herself in continental war, the interests which she has at stake are too numerous and too weighty to admit. of such @ course, What, then, is the explanation of the present aspect of thiugs? It is manifest that there has been correspondence between the Porte and the great protecting Powers in regard to the affairs of the East, and specially in regard to the conduct of the Greeks of the kingdom. The Sultan is highly indignant at the conduct of the Greek government. Prior to the open declar- ation of war against that government he re- cently notified his intention to the great Powers, The telegrams of yesterday inform us of the result of that notification. France, Russia and Prussia’ have responded, and they are prepared to act in harmony with the gov- ernment of the Sultan in effecting some ar- rangement. England, it is evident, had not yet replied. Her reply, however, may be hourly expected. Italy, in all likelihood, was not consulted, Whether Austria has been wilfully ignored we have yet to learn. The Eastern question thus enters upon an entirely new phase of its existence. It is now fairly European in its dimensions. The little cloud in the East which we have been watching now covers the entire Western continent. The spark threatens to become @ conflagration. Diplomacy may yet prevent it. We shall see. Tenement Houses and Internal Improve ments. The attention of the Legislature has been drawn to the question of improvement in the tenement house system of this city, and we have a right to expect that it will receive due consideration. It is a subject which affects not only the inbabitants of these dens of dis- comfort, danger and disease, but, as a sanitary question, enters largely into the interests of all classes of the community. There is really no substantial reason why New York should be 80 far behind the large cities of Europe in pro- viding wholesome dwellings for the working classes, We have tewer poor to take care of than Paris or London. The earnings of our laboring population are on an average greater than the same class in Europe, yet in many portions of this city we find them compelled te live in tenements more wretched than any known in the capitals of the Old World. In London the average number of people dwelling in one house is about twelve; in New York it is twenty-two. If our property owners who have frequent opportunities to visit London and Paris would only devote a little of their time while gp their travels to observation of the dwellings where people of moderate means are domesticated, they might learn a lesson which would be profitable to themselves. If, instead of constructing buildings where a large portion of their inhabitants live under ground, in damp cellars, they would build houses four and five stories high, with ample provision for light and ventilation by means, say, of a skylight conducting light and air through the centre of the building, and furnished with eary modes of ingress ‘and egress by stone or iron staircases, a large de- gree of comfort could be ensured to the occu- pants, the danger of infectious diseases would be avoided and the community would be spared those horrible recitals of death by fire and suffocation which almost daily comprise part of our newspuper reading. It is true that we are somewhat confined for room on Manhattan Island and can hardly accommodate our fast growing population; ‘but there are many ways by which to remedy | this evil. One of them is to build higher tenements in the lower part of the city, with the accommodations and safeguards we have suggested. ‘Anothér is to make the thousands of acres of waste land which surround the city and its suburbs available by some system of drainage which will give us, for building, agricultural and other purposes, a vast area now lying idle because of the tidal flow, which leaves them wholly unprofitable, and as easily reclaimable by the aid of a little enterprise und capital as Holland was reclaimed from the sen, and portions of England were converted from worthless swamps into fruittul farms and gardens. There is no necessity for the miseries en- dured in cellars and filthy tenements, the dan- gers to human life, the germs of contagious disease which the cramped and crowded con- dition of the city entails upon us, while we have ample space around us requiring only the application of a little energy and capital to render it available for usefui purposes and make it afford us relief in the most effectual way. The Legislature, while it is employed upon providing a remedy for the evils of the tenement house system, might profitably divert its attention to these points. The Emperor Napoleon and His Proposed Reforms. When the recent reform deeree of Napoleon was promulgated we were told that it was received with great satisfaction by the French people. Now the cable informs us that France is very generally expressing its disgust at it, Between these opposite assertions a middle term will not hit the truth. Considerable as are the concessions em- braced in the Emperor’s decree, it was not to be expected that they would give satisfaction to all parties. Nothing that he conld do, tor example, short of abdication would extort the approbation of the red republicans, The } cluuse specially levelled against their repre- sentatives in the Legislature—that discontinu- ing the address from the Chambers in reply to the specch from the throne—has, as vas to be expected, excited their turious indignation, Such men as Jules Favre and Eugene Pelletan are cut off by it from all chance of venting their inflammatory doctrines in public, To statesmen of opinions, like Thiers, the restriction is not of so much importance. They will find abundant opportunities through the other important provisions of the decree of making up for this curtailment of the privi- lege which they have hitherto enjoyed at the oponing of the session. As regards the bulk of the French people, we do not believe that any such feeling as that described in yesterday’s telegrams exists. They are fully aware that if the Emperor were to concede too suddenly the reforms de- manded of him they would at once lead to revolution. The red republicans are not to be trusted with such opportunities as would be thus placed in their hands. Between the dan- gers to which they must lead and ‘he disap- pointment of being compelled to wait some time longer for more comprehensive measures, the people prefer the latter. They have en- joyed under the political system of the present Emperor @ larger amount of material happi- ness. and a greater sense of security than they have ever before possessed. Weary of revo- lutions, they are not willing to hazard this con- dition of well-being for the doubiful future opened up to them by the theories of the red repubiicans, A» to the motives which have actuated the Emperor in yielding such important relaxations of his policy, they are to be found, we believe, in the convic- tion that his foreign enterprises have been failures and that bis infirm condition of moderate constitutional” ‘ health will not permit him to retrieve them. He is too aagacious to suppose that he can im- part permanency to the system of government which he has initiated. It would require a ruler of equal ability and daring to maintain it after his death against the assaults to which it will be exposed, not merely by domestic con- spiraciea, but by foreign combinations, What chance would a feeble woman and an inex- perienced boy have of contending against such dangers? None. And no one, we believe, ap- preciates the fact more keenly than the Em- peror. Therefore it is that while there is yet time he is beginning to experiment in the way of political concessions. He, no doubt, thinks that by reverting again to constitutional forms there may be a chance of perpetuating dynasty which has hitherto only looked to in- dividual energy and success for its hold on the popular affections. He must not be expected, however, to move too fast in this djrection. It requires infinitely more judgment and boldness to relax the restraints of a despotic system like his than to build it up anew from its founda- tions. Amenrres oF Ov Legustative Boprs,—The. floor of the House of Representatives was the scene of another violation of decorum on Sat- urday, when language wholly unjustifiable was: indulged in by Mr. Ashley, of Ohio, and Mr. . Hunter, of New York. The former gentleman, in charging members of the House with being rebels and conspirators because their political views differed from his own, transgressed all parliamentary law, but Mr. Hunter, in using the term “a base lie,” was not less reprehensi- ble. We are glad to see that Mr. Speaker Colfax for once put a stop to this disorderly conduct. He was not in the chair when the con- troversy commenced, but he immediately has- tened to his place and called the unruly gen- tlemen to order. While such bad examples are furnished by the highest legislative body in the land we cannot be surprised to find scenes of violence occurring in the State legislatures, such ag the recent collision between two mem- bers of the Virginia Assembly, one of whom was knocked down on the floor of the chamber. Parliamentary manners, like the fashions, are supposed to radiate from the centre of civiliza- tion and are copied in lesser places. It thus behooves Congress to set a better example of legislative amenities to the States. Arrroacatng Exxctioxs’ tx THE DrsTRICT OF Coompia—Movement or THE Buacks.—In ad- vance of the coming Mayoralty election in Georgetown the blacks of that city held « meeting and adopted a platform embracing perfect equality between whites and blacks, which they succeeded in getting a candidate to accept. This action may be regarded as the first practical development of the impartial suffrage system, and will probably be followed up at the election in Washington. The gist of platform are contained in the following questions :— ff ‘Will you, if elected, 80 execute laws c penn castors data utc cous or, as as the Civil Rights bili? hes ae 3a by repeereen aut distribute the labor aa oR to ter and blacks alike? This may be considered.as opening the ball on the part of the blacks, and is significant es indicating the probable, shape which impartial suffrage would take elsewhere, as well as in the District of Columbia. Tae Waisker Fravps—Ayorner Laax Srorrep.—Among the ingenious devices re- sorted to by whiskey distillers to cheat the revenue was that of manufacturing the article under the name and semblance of burning fluid. This was done by adding to the whiskey a small proportion of turpentine, which, after the article passed inspection, was extracted or entirely neutralized by a chemical agent. As burning fluid is exempted from duty the manu- facturers managed in this way to defraud the government of the tax ona large amount of whiskey. To put an end to such trauds a bill has been introduced in Congress by Senator Fessenden which repeals so much of the act of June 30, 1864, as relates to alcohol and burn- ing fluid, and which subjects to taxation all products of distillation, by whatever namo known, which contain distilled spirite .or alcohol. The.bill has passed both houses and now only awaits the President’s signature to become law. IfCongress would follow up this very proper amendment by another, reducing the tax itself to a point which would remove the inducement to illicit distillation, it would be better for the interests of the revonue as wéll as for those of public morals, MUSICAL. Never before since the opening of Steinway Hall wae such an audience congregated as at the twenty-second Sunday Concert Inst night. The smaller matinée hall had to be thrown open to accommodate the crowds that poured in from an carly hour, and at the openipg over~ ture—Schumann's Bride of Messini—thero were nearly thirty-two hundred people assembled in the spacious metropolitan bail, TLe progranme comprised selections from Beethoven, Schumana, Ernst, Mendelssohn, Cho- P'n, Lobe, Viouxtemps, Handel, Wollenbaupt and Raf, and was rendered by the principal artists of the former Bateman troupe. “Hear ye, Israel’ was splendidly sung, and the encores were frequent during the concert. Mr. Harrison's enterprise in giving first class concerts bas so far been singularly succ oss’ A contert was given last evening at St. Ann’s church} Miss Wells, olliere at which Nadatno eae, 4 and other artists assisted. Mr. Louis Dachauer, organist of the church, conducted on the occasion. The ti gramme comprised favorite selections from the Italian school, and was in general satisfactorily given. Mi Gazzanigy's rich, telling, dramatic voice appeared to great advantage in an O Saiutaris from one of Doni- zetti’s works, which she sang with Mr. Coiliere, Misa Wells also sang adwirably iu La Fede, by Bonedick. OPENING OF THE BALTIMORE HARCOR—SAILING OF THE ICE~ BOUND FLEETS. Bartimorn, Jan. 27, 1867. opened to-day by a large force of yy the city tugboat Balti aee The work was pushed through by private enter- ise. The steamships Falcon, for Charleston, and Patapsco, for Now York, sailed out, and the United States trana- port Cos litan, from Charleston, came np through The harbor was workmen, with axes, aided Alarge fleet will probably come ap to- foro, ‘and a number of icebound vessels will sai THE BRIG SHOOTING STAR ABANDONED AT SEA, Provin Jan, 27, 1867. ‘The brig Shooting Staz, Captain on the 12th inst., for Aspiowail, e1 a Ie on the 15th, and it was found n to cutaway fier masta ‘On the morning of the 17th she was aban-~ officers and crew being taken off by done. et Aibetroes, and landed at” Newport day the THE INDIAN TROUBLES. St. Lows, Jan. 27, 1°87. Advices from the plains and mc.ateins report the great body of the Indians moving southward, O1d Tadian fighters say this moans war; that the Indiang baye © knowledge of the troops which are being sent ‘out, and go thoy are moving southward to open the war fa that leas protected region, but that if the troope are sent after them they will give them the slip and dash north again, and murder and dovasiation ipoa the region thus uncovered. . THE INDIAN DELEGATION AT ST. LOUIS. Indian delegation from iiseem wertved bane > in ivi idee aaa wn saat Washiogton on the Terra (rain oomorruw,