The New York Herald Newspaper, February 20, 1867, Page 6

6 NEW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BEN VErT. OFFICE N. W. CORNER OF FULTON AND WV. Volumo XXXII AMUSEMENTS THs iway, near Broome ScAMP—CINDERELLA. THEAT Tue BROADWAY street, —ALADDIN, way, opposite New York onrHt, NEW YC Hotel.—Pucer Gure Broadway.—Staxets or New OLYMPIC THEAT You. DODWORTH'S HALL, 806 Bi wits Perroum His Mimacus Tux Inpiax Basket TRtcK—! way.—Proresson Hanrz MaD IN THE AiR— STEINWAY HALL, East Fourteenth strect and Fourth avenue.—Last Porvcak VocaL aND INSTRUMENTAL CON- cent—OrEKa Nicut, BAN FRANCISCO MINSURELS. 535 Broatwar, oposite he Motropoliian Hotel—Iy taeia Erarorias BN TSQrAlye yrats. SINGING, DaNcINo aND Bunuusques,—Tue Back Coox. KELLY & LEON'S TRELS, 720 Broadway, oppo- site the New York Hotel tiei Sonos, DANoss. ECoRN- mnicitixs, BURLESQUES, Tax Two Puma DONNAs—Cix- pek-LeoN—MapaGascaR Batver Toure. FIFTH AVENUE OPERA HOUSE, Nos. 2and 4 West Twenty-fourth street.—Guurris & Curisty's Mixstarts.— Ermorian Minstaersy, Baicaps, Buruxsquss, &¢.—Tow Ocean Yacut Race, ' TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 201 Bowery.—Cowrc Vocausm, Necro Mixsteetsy, Bacuer DIvenrisemenr, &c—Tnx New York VoLunteErs. Matinee at 23 0'Clock. \ CHARLEY WHITE'S COMBINATION TROUPE, at Mechanics’ Hall, 472 Broadway—ix 4 Vamury or Ligut Comrs ps Batter, &c. axp Lavewasue’ Exrertatsat Poss in Boots. CLINTON HALL, Astor pla‘ xian Lectures oN Pxocuts THE RUNYAN TABLE Union. Hall, vorner of Twenty-coimd sireet and Broedi —Moving Mirror or Tux PiLgRia’s Paocress—Sixty MAGNIFICENT SCENES. sy —De. Hespanp’s Pxco- < NEW YORK MUSEUM OF Hrap axp Rigut Arw Twins—Woxpers 1x Natunat Lecrunes Dany, Open from TOMY, 613 Broadway.a- STORY, SCIENCE AND ART. MM. Ul 10P. M. DERBY’S NEW ART ROOMS, 845 Broadway.—Grano Exuipimion oF Parntines. a’ Bornkun’s Horse Far. VOOAL AND INSTRU Finst Pres Witt Bartist NTAL CONCERT. at tur TRIPLE New York, Wednesday, February 20. By the Atlantic cable, under date of yesterday, the 19th instant, in London, we are told that the Fenians Jately in arms in Ireland have all disappeared, and that they never numbered more than one hundred and’ twenty men. No arrests have been made from the rebel ranks, Earl Derby is disposed to treat the case with impartial, yet strict, justice. The Chief Secretary for Ireland does not apprehend a now “rising.” There are three British war vessels in Kenmare river, and regi- ments of Lancers and Guards are being sent to the island from England. John Bright denounces the Derby Reform bill. North American confederation is making rapid progr'as in the British Parliament, Spain is about to inaugurate a plan of retorm for Cuba. There is much agitation among ail parties in Ttaly in view of the approaching élections for the new Parliament. " In London yesterday consols were quoted at 91 for money, United States five-twentios were at 74. On the Frankfort Bourse United Statea securities closed at TTA, and were quoted in Paris at 8344. In the Liver- pool market cotton was nnchanged. Breadstuffs and provisions were firm. Our special correspondence from Florence and Lon- don embraces interesting details of our cable despatches fo the 2d of Febraary, including a concise history of the extraordinary and romantic case, although real, of the Tichvorne baronetcy claim, which will soon come Defore the English law courts for decision, of the. posses- sion of $500,000 a year, with one of the most ancient titles in Great Britain, CONGRESS. In the Senate yesterday a memorial asking that col- ored regiments in the regular army be officered by col- ored men was referred to the Military Committee. The Dill amending the act providing forthe safety of pas- sengers on vessels propelled by steam ant other bills of a strictly personal character were passed. Tho action of the House on the Sherman substitute for the Reconstruction bill, refusing to concur and asking fora conference committee was announced. After a lengthy debate the Senate insisted upon its amendments. In the evening session the bills regulating tho disposition of an unclaimed fund for colored troops; abolishing the system of peonaze in New Mexico; relative to oilicers in the regular army appointed from the volunte r sor- vice; for the relief of drafted mon; for the abulition 0° tmprisonment for debt, and for the temporary increase of tho pay of army officers were passed. ne Senate then adjourned. In the House the consideration of the bill for the more efficient government of the rebel Siates was pro- ceeded with, The Senate amendments were none in- curred in by a vore of 98 to 72, and a commities of con- ference was called for. Messrs, Stevens, Sheliabarger and Blaine were appointed tho committee on the part of the House, The report of the committee of conference On the Tenure of Office bill was agreed to, The Indian Appropriation bill was passed after two houts’ discns sion, The bill to provide for the organ zation of the militia was then taken up, and, pending its consid- eration, the morning hourexpired. The Senate amend- ments to the bil! providing for the election of a Con- gressional printer were concurred in. The Army Appro- Priation bill war considered in Committee of the Whole until the hour of recess was reactied. The second sec- tion of the bill provides that the headquarters of the Gonoral shal! be at Washington, and he shall not be removed or assigned to duty else- where without the previous approval of the Senate, In the ovening session the Senate bill to provide for the payment of compound intorest notes was roferred to the Committee on Banking and Currency. A Joint resolution directing the Secretary of the Navy to fasign a public vessel for the transporiation to Savan- nab, Charlesron. and Mobile of stores and supplies con tributed to the dostftute people of the South was jasted The debate on the Army Appropzlation bill waz thep tontigued = Committee of the Whole, but flaaily gave way to the regular order of bosiness, which~wa: tho Measage from the Senate announcing that it insisted on its amendmonts to the Reconstruction bill. A filibuster- ing movement was commenced by the democrats, on Mr. Biaine moving that the House rec sda from ite Ais Agreement, Mr. Stevens vottog with the filibusters. The Mowss Quiny ayourned at goven o'clock without taking action of the message from the Senate. THe CITY. The Chamber of Commerce yesterday adopted roso- lutions of respect to the memory of the late Professor Bache, and Mayor Hoffman ordered that the Governor's Room bo opened for the reception of the remains on their passage through this city to-day. ‘Tue Comrmission appointed by the State to test and re- Port Upon the best breech loading arm, assembled at the Stato Arsenal yesterday and tried several now weapons, The Exeoutive Committee of the National Board of Fire Underwriters met at their rooms yesterday, A re. Port from the Committee on Local Boards was received, &nd other business of importance transacted A Correspondent offers some saiutary advice to the Me- Aropolitan Fire Commissioners in papers another column this morning. He suggests as @ moans towards proventing the recurrence of such destructive fires as have recently destroyed so mach valuable Prop- erty in this city, that steatmtuze and ferryboats should be supplied with apparatus to resist in extinguishing fires among the shipping; shat (hero should bo no alana struck further than 18 necessary to inform the tremen tnd police of the locality of the fre; the appointment ot & preventive inspector, a change in the duties of the Fire Marshal, the issue of written instructions among the Gromon, and their frequent dril in mancuvres suitable to contingencies at fires. The Fenian excitement in this c’ty ia shaping into Derious action, The discouraging cable telegrams wore Gisbelieved, and volunteering was brisk, The Brion Hora; St. Lawrence, O'Toole, Tara and other circles held Cathusiaatio meetings during the evening. The Right Rev. James Roosevelt Bayley, Catholic Piso of Newark, N. J, doliversd aw loctare lust night PIN ia sak Ok Ss aad ni ak onst—Tue WaAsiincton NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1867.—TRIPLE SHEET, Drooklyn, His subject was, * Why the Catholic Church 5 Always in Trouble,”” The proceeds of the lecture are to be devoted to the charitable fund of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Elizabeth Cady Stanton lectured last evening in the Academy of Music, Brooklyn, to @ small audience, on “Equal Righta,” Her arguments in favor of woman's right of suffrage, Impeachment and reconstruction were attentively listened to and frequently applauded. The chairman made a fow pertinent remarks in introducing the lecturer. Further particulars rezarding the tragedy in the Twen- tieth ward have been obtained. Schnobel, the alleged murderer, confesses the stabbing, but says that it was done in self defence, In tho Supreme Court, Cirouit, yesterday, the case of Henry W. De Puy va Oliver P, Murford, ¢ al, was commenced, This isan action for libel claiming dam- ages in the sum of $10,000, The plaintiff was formerly Indian agent on the Pawnee reservation, in Nebraska, and the defendants were traders at that point. The al- loged libel consisted of two letters written by defendants to Indian Commissioner Dole, at Washington, and the agent who succeeded the plaintiff after bis removal from office, stating that two vouchers filed by him at the De- partment in Washington were forgeries. Case stil! on. Wellington Wilmet, a lawyer, and William Rogers wore charged yesterday, before Commissioncr Betts, with having forged certain papers respecting the dis- charge from the army of ono James Allen. After some evidence had been taken Rogers was discharged, and the further hearing of the accusation against Mr. Wilmot will be resumed-to-day. if ‘The trial of Charles B, Manual, indicted for the mur- dor of Henry Schiezsor, in Thompson street, on the 29th of December last, is progressing before Judge Russel, in the General Sossions. It will be finished to-day. ‘The National Steam Navigation Company’s steamshIp Virginia, Captain Browse, will leave pier 47 North river ‘at noon to-day for Liverpool, calling at Queenstown. ‘The Cunard steamship Australasian, Captain Cook, will leave her dock at Jersey City this morning about clght o'clock for Quoenstown and Liverpool. The steamship Gulf City, Captain Stewar', will salt this afternoon from pier 20 East river, for Galveston, Texas, Tho stock market was firm yesterday. Gold was firm also, and closed at 136% after selling at 137. ‘There was more activity in commercial circles yester- day, there being a good demand for both domestic produce and merchandise, though the former generally was disposed of at a decline, while the latter remained firm. Coffee was firmly held. Cotton was dull, even at a decline of 340. per pound, Qp ’Change flour was firmer, with more doing. Wheat ruled dull and nominal. Cora and oats declined le, though the demand was active. Pork ruled firm andactive. Beef and lard were in fair demand at steady prices, Whiskey was quiot. Fre'ghts unchanged. Potroteym was generally dull and quite nominal. Naval stores firmer, with a fair demand. Wool ruled heavy. MISCELLANEOUS. By the Atlantic cable we learn that the Brazilian fleet had bombarded the town of Carupaity, in Paraguay, and sailed subsequontly for Humaita. A cable telegram from Hong Kong, via Suez and Lon- don, reports the arrival of the Pacific Mail Company's steamship Colorado at Yokohama, Japan, on the 23d of Janvary and Houg Konz, China, on the 30tn—thus deli- vering through mails from New York within ‘fifty days, in spite of unusually heavy weather during a portion of the voyage. Our correspondence from Puebla, Mexico, is dated February 1, aud from Hermosillo December 31. Interesting sketches of Miramon, Marquez) and Diaz aro furnished, the two former being Maxtmil- tan’s matin supports and the latter being the 1 soldier of the Wberal army. An engagement was gotng on at Matamoros Azurcar between Gcweral Tamaris and a portion of Diaz's forces, A description of the agti- eultaral resources of Sonora, “the Garden of Mexico," ia furnished by our Hermosillo correspondont. John H. Surratt was taken from tho Swatara at the Washington Navy Yard yesterday by Marshal Gooding, on a bench warrant issued by Judge Fisher, and confinod in the Jail. He was dressed in his Zouave uniform and handenffod. No visitors will be allowed to 300 him but the Jail officials and his council. Mr. Seward, under date of February 73, sends a com- munication to Geperai Saigar, the Colombian Minister at Washington, protesting against the decree of Mosquera relative to the adjudication of prizes in the Colombian Courts as contrary to the laws of nations, and gives his government notice that as far as the interests of citizens of the United states are concerned suob decreo wilt bo considered null and void. Aman named Massey was attacked by a gang of ex- rebela, under the leadership of a sheriff namod Davis, at Waynesvill:, North Carolina, recently. He was fired ‘upon forty times without being injured, and returning the fire injored a man named Underwood. Ho then os- caped, but the Sherif says he will call out the county to take him. Mavsey was engaged during the war in pasing recruits through the lines to the Union army, and stands indicted for that offence. This was the cause ofthe attack, =. A woman named Kays was brutally murderod on Sat- urday at Stewartaville, New Jersey, during the absence of ber husband. The murderor is not yet in custody. The Hitch in © Democratic Reserves. The hitch between the two branches of Con- gress on the-Senate bill fur the reconstruction and restoration of the outside rebel States is due to the democrats of the House, who, upon this question, as upon various others during the last two years, have joined the extreme radicals in the desperate game of wid§ing ind deepening instead of closing up and set- tng. our scotional discords. Upon the ques- n of agrecing to the Senate bill the Mouse wae divided 7310 98, the democrats almost un- broken, and the extreme radicals making up the vote in the negative. The bill thus thrown ack upon the Senate by democratic votes em- braces, no doubt, the most liberal terms which the unreconstracted States will be able to obtain, and the easicst programme that can be expected by President John- son. The democrats, therefore, had they looked to their true policy as the friends of Mr. Johnson and the South, would upon this mea- sure have joinod the conservative wing of the republican camp, instead of turning the seale in fayor of Stevens and his ultra radical fac- tion. 0 nrmenmans sgremeette sors : What defence have Messrs. Ancona, Chanler, Finck, Eldridge, Le Blond, Niblack and Com- pany for the course they have pursued? They plead the plea of constitutional principles, of course, The bill proposes the ‘Pe-ostublish- ment, temporarily, of martial law over the excluded States, These democrats hold that this is unconstitutional—that said States are duly reconstructed as they stand, The bill, moreover, provides for universal negro suf- frage and for the ratification of the pending constitutional amendment, as conditions of restoration—propositions which are totally in conflict with democratic principles, But still the rule of common senso is the policy of states- manship—when you cannot obiain what you want, take the best terms you can get. This bill was manifestly framed as a peace offoring to President Johnson and the South. If, as it came before the House, it re-established martial law in the rebel States, it placed the appointment of the officers, &c,, in the President’s hands; if {t established uni- versal negto suffrage it allowed the equivalent of universal suffrage to. rebels, the next thing to a general amnesty; and lastly, if the bill required the adoption of the pending constitutional amendment it only teaffirmed the ultimatum of all the Northern Stated! It the democrats of the House, there- fore, bad beon controlled by @ desire to serve the Preatdent or the South so fat as they could they would have acted for the sucodss, and not for the defeat, of this measnre, ba We Wile. We have the infyemayion shot they have commenced in the House again the usual filibustering of the minority to gain time and to defeat a compromise between the two houses. From the sirct party vote obtained, however, upon a motion to lay the Sherman Senate bill upon the table, it is apparent that the House is resolved upon an agreement. We expect, accordingly, that the bill, with some modifications, will be passed; but to give the President bis constitutional ten days for its consideration (deducting Sundays) he may hold it now till after the ex- piration of this Congress, which will be killing the bill by what is known as a pocket veto, But we cannot perceive that he will gain any advantage by this experiment ; be- cause the new Congress meets on the very day and hour of the expiration of this Congress, and will, if required, probably on the 5th of March, be ready to send the bill back to him— tor approval or a regular voto, or the alterna- tive of permitting it to become a law by retaining it his ten days, with the Congress passing it still in session. We would urge again upon Mr, Johnson, if this bill shall be presented to him to-day or to-morrow or next day, or on any day this side the 4th of March, substantially as_ema- nating from the Senate, the saving policy of signing it, He will thus effect a treaty of peace with Congress ; and in coming into co- operation with the two houses he will bring the outside Southern States at once to active measures of restoration upon the terme laid down. Otherwise impeachment will be the next thing in order; for the Congress soming in will be, so far as be is concerned, no im- provement on the Congress going out, Reform in Eugland, At a meeting held in the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, on the evening of Febmuary 1, the reformers of Great Britain and Ireland were solemnly and publicly united, John Bright acting a3 representative on the one hand, and the O’Donoghue, the hope of the more senstble portion of young Ireland, acting as representa- tive on the other. It scarcely required this public demonsiration to convince the intelli- yent observer that the movement known in the one portion of the Queen’s dominions as Reform, and in the other portion as Fenianism, was substantially one and the same in its origin and ita objects. We do‘not say that the views of the O’Donoghue will be subscribed by every Irish malcontent, any more than we say that the views of the great English tribune will be subscribed by every lover of reform in England and in Scotland ; but we do say that the case of Ireland, as put by the O’Donoghue, has not been put so clearly, 30 sensibly and 80 effec- tively by any other native.of the Green Isle in recent years. The causes of disaffection in Great Britain and in Ireland are not in every particular the same. It would be absurd to say that they were. There are grievances in Sootland which do not exist in England. There are grievances in Ireland which do not exist in either Eogland or Scotiand. But there is one grievance which is common to thein all and which lies at the root of all the evils now com- plained of. What is this common grievance? What is this radical evil? It is the land tenure system which prevails, with certain local modifications, all over the United Kingdom—a system which in England robs the farmer of independence of thought and makes him the political slave of his lord, which has converted some of the finest portions of the Highlands of Scotland into sheepwalks and dcer pastures, and which in Trelend has all along fettered the very springs of industry, and from time to time sent forth millions of the native born population to seek a home and a living in other lands. No real cure will ever be effected in the political body of Great Britain and Ircland so long as this radical cause is overlooked. It is, as we have said, the frui‘ful source from wh‘ch all the other evils have sprung. The condition of England, in fact, at (he present time is not dissimilar to the condition of Rome in the days of the Gracchi. The whole of the public lands were in the hands of the nobles. The posi- tion of the free citizen without lands was more wretched thin that of the bondsman. The Gracchi saw the evil and sought to remove it. This they proposed to accomplish by taking from the rich ihe excess of public lands held by them above a certain limit, and distributing ihe lands thus acquired among the landless poor. The nobles nata- tally enough were indiguan’. In the struggle which ensued the Graccbi, younger and older, perished, but the causo with which their names became jdentified triumphed a few yeara Ixter, in the person of Casar—triumphed, however less to the advantage of liberty and less in the interests of the nobility than timely concession would have secured. Nor would it be difficult to discover a resemblance between England of the present day and France, which witnessed the assembling of the States General under Louis the Sixteenth. If, as some historians would have us believe, it is the curse of France now that she has too many proprietors, it was undoubtedly the curse of France then that she had too few. Tho lands were all but entirely in the hands of the noblesse, nor were they very evenly divided even among them, If it was the poverty of the people whiet pre- clpiiated {he revolution, Sarge the wealth of the nobility which gave birth ts that poverty. As it was in Rome in the times of the Graccbi, aa it was in France in the times monopoly of landed property implies a mo- nopoly of power. Land, in fact, is power. If land is equally div.ded, power is equally divided, and rule is likely to be just, If land is in the hands of a few, power is in the hands of a few, and rule is all but certain to be par- tial and unjust. We have had proof of this within our own borders. The landowners of the South, not contented with absolute power in their own States, sought to lord it over the entire Union. England will never get rid of her troubles until this radical cause be clearly perceived and effectually uprooted. Partial remedies will tend to temporary cure; but the old cause will still remain and the disease will reappear at intervals, It is in the power of the present government to do much to defer if not to prevent the coming crisis. If, how- ever, the great families of England refuse to yield, there is nothing for it but revolution— revolution ending, perhaps, like so many others in military despotism. Cesarism fol- lowed the ruin of the nobles in Rome. Cmsar- ism has followed the ruin of the nobles in France. In both the one case and the other, however, Cesarism might have been prevented and the nobles saved by wise and timely con- cession. Encroachmenta om the Harbor of New York. The Secretary of War has furnished to the Senate a very valeable report of the Chief of Engineers showirg that the capacitics of the harbor of New York are péing gradually cramped by deposits nd obstructions. We cannot afford t> bave our water facilities in- fringed npon in this great commercial eity. We want as deep a channel and as extensive a water front as we can procure. As far back as 1856 a commission was appointed which fixed the limits of our shore lines beyond which no obsirnctions should be placed. The State of New York accepted their report, but New Jersey rejected it because certain obstructions in the railroad interest were of material ad- vantage to that State. Itis now recommended that the encroachments upon the flats below Jersey City should be resisted by the govern- ment. If the flow of the tide over all the flats and swamps around the harbor could be stopped by some cffectual syatem of diking— say an impervious iron wall—wlich could easily be done, it would have the effect of deeponing the channel, besides giving us the very space required by the report of General Newton for docks and basins “ convenient and desirable for commercial and business in- terests.”” We would gain more than this by such an under‘aking, because thousands of acres of now worthless land would be converted into arable farms and taxpaying property. This is just what is most demanded to relieve the cramped condition of this istand by giving more space for people to live on and at the game time increasing the depth of the channel from Staten Island up both rivers where the largest portion ot our river and harbor naviga- tion is concentrated. If Holl Gate could be cleared of its obstructions in addition, we would have a harbor somewhat commensurate with the wants ofthe metropolis. Fires and Fire Insurance Companies. A committee of the State Assembly is in session at the Metropolitan Hotel investiga- ting the management of the New York Paid Fire Department and inquiring into the cause of the unusnal destruction of property by fire since the old volunteer department was abol- ished. Atthe same time the fire insurance companies furnish the public with a practical illustration of the advantages they have se- cured through running steam fire engines as political machines, by raising the rates of in- surance on mercantile and storage risks, buildings and contents, from ten to twenty- five per cent and adding fifteen per cent to the tates on some other descriptions of property. We have very little faith in legislative in- vestigating committees. From some cause or another they seldom accomplish any good and generally terminate in a whitewashing report in favor of the party whose acts are made the subject of inquiry. A great many of these pre- tended investigations are started for the pur- pose of defeating rather than promoting the elucidation of the matter to which they refer. When damaging rumors are in circulation con- cerning some favored department, and ugly facts obirude themselves on public notice it is a very common trick to raise an investigating committee and to bury the whole subject in that catacomb of official delinquency. It is to be hoped that this remark will not apply to the committee now in session in this city. That the present Fire Department, for some reason, ia a ‘lementable failure, is now gene- relly admitted. -Tardiness in getting to fires, incompetency on the past of the engineers, un- willingness and indifference on the part of the men are the qualities that make themselves apparent at every fresh conflagration. When an alarm sounds in the city no person now ex- pects the flames to be subdued until they have exhausted themselves and consumed as much property as is within their reach. Sgme per- song velieve that the fault lies with the engi- Beers and foremen, who are selected from poli- tical considerations, and not on the ground of competency and merit. Others ssy the force is not strong epengh. Some denounce the paid avatem altogether, and argue that men who of emulation that existe antong volunteers, and refusé to overexert themselves Or to take any risk that they can by any means avd. It is that imnisdiately preceded the revolution of | certain that somewhere there is a fault, and ’80, so is itin England now. The whole lands of the United Kingdom are in the hands of a miserable minority, and that minority is year by year becoming smaller. About the period of the accession of William of Orange the land owners of Great Britain and Ireland numbered somewhere about 450,000, At the present day they scarcely exceed 45,000. The lesser gentry or yeomanry which in times gone by proved such an effective bulwark against the encroachments of the crown on the one hand and.ot the nobles on the other, have entirely disappeared. On ® memorable occasion when John Hampden, thongh threatened with arrest, fearlessly went up to his place in Parliament, four thousand freeholders of Buckinghamshire rode up to protect him. “Where” exclaims 4 celebrated writer and reformer of the day, “are those four thousand freeholders now?” The fine old stock is practically extinct. Their places are empty, . The gulf which they formerly spanned yawns unbridgod between the very rich and very poor. In this more than the committee of the Assembly should thor- oughly probe the matter and above all things endeavor to ascertain whether political con- siderations are suffered to interfere with the working of this important department. A change in officers should be insisted upon; for no further evidence than the actual events of the past few months can be needed to establish the fact that the department is at present under the control of men utterly unfit to handle a force at an ordinary fire. So far as the fire insuranco companies are concerned, they have only themselves to blame for their present difficultics, It was stated at the recent meeting of the Board of Under- writers, convened for the purpose of raising the rates of insurance, that owing to the heavy losses of last year some companies whose stock was quoted two or three years ago at from one hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty per cent are now actually encroaching on their capital to pay their liabilities, A large share of these losses may be attributable in any other canse is to be found the secret of | to the ineffictoncy of the present New York Fire the political disturbance of the time. Department, which owes ita existence mainly to It is a fact which is not to be gainsayed, a | the insurance companies; but the reckless tat ybich all histpey ostablishes. that 9 [manner in whiek the Gre (mutance businoss , caus of plarm bas subsided, as the Bultbh . has been carried on, lies at the foundation of their difficulties, Competition has induced new companies to take almost any risk that offered, and agents, scattered in every part of the country, have been ready to insure any property, however hazardous and combustible, in order to obtain ~their commission. This looseness in the manner of doing business is a serious evil to the community. It is a direct temptation to the terrible crime of «rson and endangers the lives and the property of inno- cent parties, It would be well if the Insurance Department could be empowered at will to investigate the character of the risks accepted by fire companies and to wind up the affairs of any company that may be found to have issued policies to any extravagant amount on doubtful property or to have insured any buildings that are evidently unfit to be in- sured. It is certain that the paid department needs some sweeping reform. If it can be secured in no other manner Governor Fenton had better at once remove all the Commissioners and appoint others in their places. Perhaps that would be the best method of arriving at the root of the evil. The old department had its faults ; but the petty thefts committed at fires, the occasional fights among the bunkers and buffers of the different engines, the “hi! hi! hil” of the red-shirted “Inddieg” ug they rushed through the streets, were but trifling annoyances. when pared with the heavy losaes entailed upon the public by the inef- ciency and indifference of the present depart- ment. Mr. F. W. Seward’s West Lodiq Misston— Another Diplemaile Fizzle, The present administration is, it must be admitted, rather unfortunate in its foreign missions. If their object does not happen to be Quixotic, the conduct of those intrusted with them not unfrequently renders them so. Thus the Mexican“mission—which was a very well meant thing In its way—assumed quite a comic aspect from the adventures of the dis- tinguished soldier and accomplished diplomat employed to hunt up Juarez. We question if the mishaps of the Spanish knight errant and his faithful Sancho Panza would not be thrown into the shade by them, if they were fully nar- rated, But even still droller are the incidents that befell the Assistant Secretary of State on his recent “secret’”’ mission to the West Indies. Before the expedition got fairly under way two or three steamers were disabled in the effort. Every one wondered at this un- usual amount of ill luck, and in the absence of any explanation set it down to that favorite source of disaster, the un- propitionsness of the weather. It now turns out that it was due to the heaviness of the freight on board, the same consisting of a large amount of government specie. But the mis- fortunes arising from it were not destined to end there. When the Getiysburg got to Port ee Royal, Jamaica, the sailors, who are a super- | stitious class, discovered the source of their evil fortune, and, in order to dispel it, broke open the specie chest and got rid of as much of the contents as they could handle. Mr. Seward offered the munificent reward of one hundred dollars for the recovery of the money, which, we regres to say, did not turn up in any very largo quantities under the influence of such aliberal inducement. Finally, after coaling, the Gettysburg proceoded to her destination, which, contrary to all the speculations that had been indulged in, proved to be the island of St. Domingo. There our two diplomats, Mr. Seward and Admiral Porter, were received in great state by the President, General José Maria Cabra). On opening the negotiations it turned oat that instead ot their being instracted to purchase a coaling station at the island, as Cabral expected, they came to buy the republic itsslf. At this information the S!. Domingo President put on a long face and asked them if they really expected bim to sell his country. “Cer- tainly,” replied Porter, who is a bit of a waz, “and you ought to be devilish giad to have a country to sell.” On hearing this axiom of political morality Cabral’s face brightened and he came at once to the point. He was willing to make over the island to the United States it they world pay down the hard cash for it, He had the liabilities due to France and Spain to settle, besides some little matters of his own, and he must have the amount before they left. This was a poser to our diplomate. Tho anm named was considerably in excess of that left them after the depletion of their specie chest by the sailors, and as Cabral was firm they had to quit the island without effect- ing their object. The moral of all this is that when our government sends out foreign mls- sions it should select for them ‘men who are not likely to leave behind them either their wits or their money bags. These are not usually considered American failings. The Irish News by the Cable. Tt mast strike our readers with surprise to find snch a mesh of absurdity and contradic- tion in the despatches representing tbe state of affairs in Ireland which are perinitted by the British government to come over the Atlantic cable. If the who manipulate them were emplozed to wake falsohoods harmless thoy could not perio cit work more o solentiously. Take, for example, ‘he tel a’ of the past two days. We are informe? first that “the cause of the outbreak is buried A obsourity,” as if the cause t# Not a3 O10 and aa well known as any event in English history, and as if the government has not beon pro- pared aad watchful for the outbreak for at least two years. The news of yesterday states that everything is tranquil in the disturbed dis- tricts; but it appears that not a single armed man engaged in the revolt bas been captured. Lord Derby says that the peasants are loyal; but the same despatch says that they strenu- ously refuse to assist the government authori- ties in the arrest of the fighting men, They are willing to give every information, says the despatch, except what.the government requires, and that is the whereabouts of the insurgents, who have “disappeared” in the mountains. Again it is stated that the insurgent loader, O'Connor, and bis staff had reached “the Fe- nian vessels off Dingle Bay,” while at the samo | time we learn that threo British war steamers are lying in Kenmare river, about two or three hours’ steaming from the anchorage of the Fonian vessels, What were these watch dogs doing that they did not gobble up the enemy's oraft and capture tho Fenian loaders? is a ques tion- which will naturally be nsked. If the Premier officially announced yesterday, and there is no further apprehension of a rising, as the Irish Secretary, Lord Naas, states, what ia the necessity of ordering the Guards and a regiment of lancers on the same day to leave London for the scene of insurrection in Ire- land? Neither before nor since the time of Waterloo, when a great military crisis had arrived in the history of England, were the Guards removed from the shadow of the royal palaces in London and Windsor. There must be some cause for their sudden departure for Ireland, and we can hardly be expected to believe that they are transferred there because there is no alarm or no apprehension of a “rising.” The government officials must really Jearn to tell a more consistent story before we can put any faith in the Irish news by the cable. CITY INTELLIGENCE. Oomrrao.iue’s Orvica.—Richard B, Connolly, Comp- trolier, has made the following additional appointments in his office:—Superintesdent of Markets, Jobn A. Dearborn; Deputy Collector of City Revenue, A. A. ‘Srrezt Darantunst.—Mr. George W. MoLean, Street Commissioner, has made no changes in his office since his appolatment, except one or two of minor dnportenes, ‘The business of the office moves in iis regular order. Mr. yet, taken 09 Bion upon the a hs Street CoBimunloner ‘William ‘Yom Rawpaca’a Ist.anp Houss or Rervar.—Acsordiog to the forty-second annual report of this institution it appears: that since the first year {t was opened (1825) 11,608 chil, dren. pogo been, lieved hy the Sootety for the tion enone Beltage its, During the past v: wore added to fhe 999 intaatce of the plats op January, 1666. 800 of whom wore 64> indentured discharged. On the 1st or January, 1367, there were 071 inmates, 4 _ MENTING Qf tau Yareraw Scorr Lira Qyanp.—A meeting of the Veteran Soott Life Guard Corps wae held last evening at the office of the Scott Monumest Committee, No. 26 Chambers street, room No. 6, with e president of the corps, General Hobart Ward, in the chair, The principal business transacted dui the evening was changing of the constitution of the or- ganization so as to admit as members of the corps those who served in the war of the rebellion of 1861-64, and who have been honorably discharced, and also male de scendants, above the age of twonty-one, of those who served in the war with Mexico, Srseta Boor anf SHon Convantrow.—The chairman of the Convention of staple Boot and Shoe Manufactarers held in 1848, Mr. J. R, Pitkin, called another convention to bo held at the Astor House yesterday afternoon. There was a rmall attendanee, and the business transacted re- lated chiefly to matters of interest only to the trade as represented by the chairman. Meguxa or Waaverns.—A meeting of the mosquito net weavers of this city was held on Monday tast, for the purpose of taking into consideration the present low prices paid for weaving, Doring the winter months the come nation ‘Tweed, platoons of the Eleventh, Seventeenth, Nineteenth, Twentioth, Twonty-third, Twenty-seventh and Twenty- ts had a drill at W: ton ee ip hg Rae Tos 9 use of arma they would tecome invincible. f Tar Beoapwar Bripas—Fatt ov 4 Denniox.—At about ‘8 quarter to mine o'clock last evening the large derrtek on tho. southoast corner of Broadway and Fulten street fell, through the breaking of a guy, crushing in ite de- respi on emer the sidewalk in front of i i df ki rE Hi Hi hi ria i fd # i Hl gs i = that direction, which Sretnes conrad aout to the acc'dent being unattended by any serious ‘Workmen were immediately Shape ge body rick, and 10 about an hour labor of raising columns was proceeded with. Free wt Canuine Sraret.—About five o'clook on Tees day morning » Gre broke out ppt figs rr store No, 35 Carmine street, owned i. Tt Tamanponad To have, bron caused by th Peels pod! lamp left borning on Damage to the stock and housebold furaiture it Ins ‘red for $2,000.1n the Con! ee Se rtd ea eh nae te ems » Company. : Darmo Buronary.—On Monday evening a daring theft took place at the residence of Jason 8, Leonard, No. 38 ‘West Twenty-second street. It appoars that the domes- tic had left the d@iaing room (which is situated on the first floor leading from the hallway) for afew when the (thieves entered the front door with and turning up the gas to its full heicht took the vines from the napkins, replacing the napking tabie, and aftor coliocting a ‘arge number of tH silver spoons, forka, batter knives, &c., made their exit, not forzettin7, however, on their outward departure, to atrunk which was ac the time standing near rack in tho haliway. ‘From appearances the “ae, . must have been alarmed at one period of th: for the trunk was afterwards found on the stoep. arrests Schirmer yesterday dield an inquest at No, 194 etreet_on the body of Miss Mary Larrien, who died sud- ‘mother and brother, ‘To° allevi were bain ae Bo mat nd ie ~~ on Monday evening eo a jis mixture, and feovet coomeres tiem the offerte of it death ensuing as stared = The jury found ‘that deceased oame to her death by an of chlore- form, whiok we believe she took the 18th day of Febraary, 1867.” Misa Larrieu was thirty. of ave and 8 native of France. Sepoction, Anaxnonanet ap Dears. —A seduction, abandonment and recently brought to the notce of and from the facts developed it seven or Cight months ago, Johanna Ash peer t in her native . America in with her seducer, 5s E i & : i Beil nil ii and attent!: Cy A g He 2. ; i Hi) i ‘Thatoner, United States Navy, aad / of Wo Ropal Beet Novy pare beeniaane. of King Kame he tended to Queen Emus on boat juary 20 state a full court ren- mn. against the captain of the the non-return of @ reaman Bedford. Tho law wit hero- whalers aud other vawed's ship- 0 i f i Hl 3: 33 F af a i ; 5 Z : z i a HF F WENT OF THE ALABAMA LEGIZLATURE ‘Tho Fagistatare adj ined gos de Uh eRe % ian ho re adjourne: ight. No Wie Wada LAGS ib RL he a '