The New York Herald Newspaper, December 25, 1867, Page 4

— = — ~ee een i er NEW YORK HERALD. BROADWAY AND ANN STREET, JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. Volume XXXII... AMUSEMENTS THIs RVBRING NEW YORK THEATRE, opposite New York Hotel.-« Unvex tux Gasiicur, Matinee at 2 OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadws.—4 Mipsumues Niont’s Dawa, Matinee at 13g. WALLACK'’S THEATRE, Brosdway and 13th street. — Dovs.s Gartant. ar BROADWAY THEATRES, Broadway.—Lapy Avo1er’s Sroget. Matinee at 1, FRENCH THEATE#, Fourtecuth street.—Tux Ducuxss. GRann BOWRRY THEATRE, Bowery,—Eiur Pisces, After. noon and evening. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Brosdway.~Buack Cnoor. ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Anne—Cowe Hece, BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC,—Ticker or Leava Man. BANVARD'S OPERA HOUSE AND MUSEUM, Broad. wuy and Thirtieth street.—Ovux Murvat Furexp, Matinee. Fourteenth street. ~Marte NEW YORK CIRCUS, Fourteenth strect.~Grusasrics, Equestaraniss, &c. Maiinee at 24, FIPTH_AVENUE THEATRE, Nos. 2 and 4 West %ih sueol.—Ja Guan QuxEN Buss, Maiineo, THEATRE CoMIQUR, 514 5 & Suianrtey's Minsreeis, Matt) KELLY & LEON’S MINSTRELS, 720 Danoxs, Eocenraicitizs, BuRuesques, away. —Wurre, Corrox e wt 23g. ad way. —SONGS, Matinee. SAN FRANCISCO MI PIAN ENTERTAINMENTS, 5 RELS, 58 Broadway.—Eruo- DANCING AND BURLESQUES, TONY PASTOR'S OPERA SB, 201 Bowery.—Comio VocaLisu, NxGRo MiNsrRELsY, 40. Matince at 2g. BUTLER’S AMERICAN THEATRE, 472 Broadway.— Baier, Farce, Pantomime, &c, Matinee at 2, BUNYAN HALL, Broadway and Fiftoenth street.—Tnr Pirin. fIGHTH AVENUE OPERA HOUS street.—Minarnetsy, Faxces, ac. 6TEINWAY HALL.—Graxp Oratorio. HOOLEW’S OPERA HOU Muvsreuisy, BALLADS aND Bun B, corner Thirty-fourth, Brooklyn.—Ermorray aves. Matinee at 236. NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.— AND Ant, New York, Wednesday, December 25. 1867. THES NAawWs. EUROPE. By special telogram through the Atlantic Cable, dated in Florence yesterday, we learn that Genoral Menabrea, who had resigned the premiership, has been commis. sioned by King Victor Emanuel to form a new Italian’ Cabinet, The debate on the new Army bill was continued in the French Legislature, the opposition denouncing it as a measure preparatory to war. Tho Fenians made attompts to blow up the gas works in Glas- gow, Scotland, and Warrlogton,* near Liverpool, put were unsuccessful, The English authorities wero | extromoly vigtiant, aud the kingdom is reported quiet. The Duke of Wellington's message on behalf of the Royal Polytechnic, of England, to President Jobnson, | with Mr. Johnson’s reply, is published. The Jowish | Emancipation bill has passed tho Austriin Parliament, The Cabinot crisis in Italy rewfored France uneasy, and the Bourse was fint. Tho British troops in Abyssinia were in steady and favorable advance, The people uf Formosa promise to the foreign officers to treat shipwrecked sailors more humanely in future, and tho Chiaese government guarantees their good faith. Consols closed at 927¢ for account, and 921; for money, in London, Five-twenties were at 724q in London, and 70% im Frankfort. Tho Paria Bourse opened flat. ‘The Liverpool coon Market ‘closed dull at a decline, middling uplands rating at 73 ponce, The trade advices from Manchester are unfavorable. Breadatufs quiet and steady, Provisions dull and steady. Produce | ateady. * The steamship Cimbria, at this port yesterday, fur- nished very interesting mail reports in detail of our cable despatches to the 12th of December, The French Legislative debate on tho German policy of Napoleon was exceedingly animated, the opposition | Deing quite bold, M. Garnior-Pages assorted that France was “loft alone in Europe, with every nationality and | people against her,” and that the United States bad also | deen ‘aliouated’? from her, Sir Cation Bardly,an English baronet, was arrested and taken to the Bow street police office, London, on a | charge of bigamy proferred against him by the father of | a lad: 1 McGee, whom, it is alleged, ho married in | Calvary church, New York, prior to a marriage con: | tracted by him in England. | MISCELLANEOUS. To-day is Christwas, It will be celebrated in all sorts of ways by all sorts of people, Among the churches | the grandest and most impressive services will be per- | formed in honor of the birth of tho Founder of all of | them. At the charitable institutions the poor will be | fed in accordance with His ivjunctions, and at all the | hearthstones jollity and good cheer will preside. | {2 Our Hayt: correspondence is dated December 4. This | Italian people must again | of the Pope. | will be glad of a favorable opportunity to NEW YORK HERALD, WEPNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1867. The pau! Crisig im Italy—General | changes may have, we have not yet learned. | triple alliance, The women continue to work | it Those who are gifted wit abundance un package wo hems tore ibSiuiad Gael Meunbren to Reconstract the Cabinet. Italy has passed through a ministerial crisis, @ political phase which has become almost chronic in the present history of her states- | manship. As we informed our readers yester- day by special telegram through the Atlantic cable, Gencral Menabrea, the Premier, placed his resignation in the hands of the King, in consequence of the adverse opinion expressed by the Parliament on his Roman policy. To- day we are specially informed from Florence that this action has induced a reconstruction of the Cabinet, not a dissolution of the ministry. King Victor Emanuel appears to have commissioned Menabres to form a new Cabinet, the General retaining tho position of chief adviser of the Crown. This will load to a partial change of officials, but, as is indicated in our special despatch, the. party prin- ciple and policy of the Premier are likely to be maintained. The situation as thus expressed by the Executive will be very pleasing to tho Pope, and much more in accord with the views of Napoleon than if the great seal of State had been confided to.Ratazzi or any other of the more progressive Italian nationalists. This ministerial orisis in Italy was evidently tending to a more serious state of affairs, During its pendency France was much agitated lest a Cabinet hostile to the present ideas of Napoleon towards Rome would be formed in Florence, the Paris Bourse was flat, and the legislative opposition characterized the new bill for the reorganization of the French army as a measure anticipatory of an immediate war. This grave aspect will scarcely be re- moved by Victor Emanuel’s attempt to form a party coalition or neutralization of the oppo- sition in the Legislature. By reconstructing the Cabinet under Menabrea the King is still in antagonism to the national will with regard to Rome, and if he affords a full expression to this will he again offends France. The premiership of Italy involves an anxious- ly oppressive trust, and it may be that the King did not find many persons over ready to take up a government which—as our mail advices published to-day show—is boing carried on with a treasury deficit amounting to over nine hundred millions of francs, and in face of a most troublesome and suspicious diplomacy from Paris. No one who has taken pains to make himself familiar with the presevt condition of Italy but is fully convinced that the Italian people are of one mind as to the necessity of having Rome for the national capital. The voto of 1861 has been substantially reaffirmed, and if the Italian Chambers at all represent the national will the lered to have emphatically dec! “We must have Rome for our capital.” Ratazzl retired be- cause such was his opinion, and because pres- sure from without compelled Victor Emanuel to differ from him. Ratazzl will probably re- turn to power in the end, becauso his senti- ments remain unchanged, and because pressure from within compels Victor Emanuel to agree with him. ‘The return of Ratazzi to power would place Italy in direct antagonism to France; for France is just as determined that Italy shall wnot nave Nome as Italy ts Gotermined that she shall. What will follow then? France will march her troops from Civita Vecchia to Rome. The Roman territories will be guard- ed by French bayonets, Collision between the soldiers of France and the soldiers of Italy will be inevitable. In such a case it is not difficult to foresee that Italy, it left alone and unaided, must succumb to the superior strength ot France. Much, however, depends on the | question whether Italy will be leit to fight the battle alone. Among the European Powers Italy is not without warm and sympathizing friends. Some of them are already putting to themselves the question whether they have not the same right to come to the assistance of Italy that France has to come to the assistance Prnasia, as we have often said, come to the assistance of her former ally. Russia is deeply incensed against France for her recent policy in the East. Louis Napoleon is more than a match for Victor Emanuel, but it remains to be seen whether Louis Napoleon is equal to the forces of Italy, Prassia and Rus- mainly confirmatory of our special dospaiches from | gin combined. there by the Cuban cable, Saluave had made a general | and indiscriminate conscription upon the streets and bad sailed from Port au Princo for Cape Haytion. The gov- eromeat was placed in charge of General Ulysse, a Diack man, who ruled with a most despotic band, | The delay iu ordering an appropriation for the pur. chase of St, Thomas has had a dubious effect on the Danish Commissioners recentiy at Washington, One of them has returned to St. Thomas ostensibly to attend to the election of the people on the question of annexation, and another is going to Europe for some purpose unknown. ‘A proposition is before the House Committee on Mili- tary Affairs to reduce the regular army, the first heavy reduction to take place when the frst Southern State is returned to representation, and the reductions to cous tinue as the military districts aredone away with, Ia the Suprome Court yesterday Jadge Jones granted Mra, Forrest, the divorced wife of Edwin Forrest, tho | tragedian, the alimony ($100,000) which ehe claims as having been unpaid since the divorce wai Colonel Parker, of General Grant's sta to Miss Winnie Sackett at Washington on Monday even- ing, the coremony being performed very quietly, Gen- oral Grant giving away the bride, A large crowd assembled at the Church of the nany yesterday | under the impression that the ceremony was to take | place thors, but they were doomed to another disap. pointment, The Assistant Commisvoner of Freodmon in Louisiana Das issued an order making important changes in the operations of the Bureau in that State. All legal quoe. tions are to bo adjadicated altogether by the civil courts, | the Bureau agent baving no farther power than that of | an attorney for the negro, Coutwadictory reports are current in Montreal of the Joas of the steamship Hibernia. The Louisiana Convention yesterday adopted an ordi. nance levying a direct tax opon real and personal prop- erly. A committee was appointed to negotiate a joan 40 relievo the immediate necessities of the Convention, | The steamship Mississippi of the United States and | Bazil Mali Line, wall eatl from pier 46, North river, at twelve AM., to-day (Woduesday), for Rio Janeiro via St, Thomas, &c., taking the place of the steamer North America. } Tho stock market was duli, but stoaty yortortay. | Govornment sécuritios were yuiet, Gold closed at 19374 ait ‘Trade in commorcial circles was unuvoally light, but there were fow | tant Changes in value, Cotton was | moderately activ about Ac. per Id, , while | coffee was duil and heavy, Om ’Change flour was firmly | beid, while wheat was inactive and nomiual, and corn quiet and 20, @ 3¢ lower, Onta were stendy. Pork waa | aabade better, Boof end lard were unchanged. Petro. | Joum tas dull, and a trifle lower, Wool was quiie freely | doait inand Grmly hed. i} It is quite possible, however, that the other | Powers of Europe may stand aloof and leave Napoleon, Victor Emanuel and the Pope to setile matters as best they can. In that case it will not be difficult for Napoleon to dispose ‘of Italy and Rome entirely to his own satisfaction. A material vigtory, however, is sometimes a moral defeat. Napoleon may yet find it so. Tn re-establishing a French garrison in Romo and otherwise humiliating Italy he undoes much of the work which he has done, lowers his reputation as a statesman and renders necessary at no distant day another and more humbling evacuation, Mexico seriously dam- aged his prestige; he has not, in fact, been the same man in the eyes of the world since; but Rome may prove his rala, at least the ruin of his dynasty. Our telegrams by the Atlantic cable, pub- | lished to-day, inform us that tho recent fresh eruption of Vesuvins ts continually increasing in power and splendor, No such oruption has occurred, probably, for centuries. Many people in the neighborhood of the voleano had left their homes, foaring an earthquake or sume other terrible calamity. It is evident from the | simultaneous volcanic actlon in this and other | old craters at different paris of the globe, ns well as from the vast area of the subterranean distarbance of the earth’s erust, that there is some extraordinary cause at work. Yet these earthquakes and eruptions, which certainly have a connection, however remote one may be from the other, seem to recur at cer- | tain periods in time. Science bas not yet fully explained this extraordinary phenomenon. Why does the earth sleep for ages, and then suddenly tremble from the poles to the equator and spout forth its hidden fires? We measure the motions and times of the heavenly bodies 80 accurately that we can tell for agos to come when an eclipse or other astronomical event will take place; but we have not discovered | either the periodical or spasmodic causes of earthguakes ap2ralcanic eruptions. Wo know in general that they arise from the force of ‘The offerings of beef cattle at the Communipaw yards Jeatorday wore about 1,000 hoad, soiling at prices rang- | Jog at from 190, to 160, por Ib The swine market was | ‘withdat material change, being quiet and heavy at O°. | 8 6%. for common to prime, The receipts were 650 hops ot Communipaw, and 1,700 at Fortioth street, pent up gases or matter in the bowels of the earth, or, ps, also from the contraction of the earth’s crust in conseqnence of its cooling; but why they occur at one time and not at an- | other, and what offect meteorle or atmospheric The Frosh and Grand Eraption of Vesuvius. | We seem to bo just now passing through one of those extraordinary periods of disturbance which come only at long intervals of time. Christmas. Christmas comes but once a year, according to the old song. When it comes, ‘however, nowadaya, it is more widely and more heartily celebrated than ever. No longer s mere Church festival, it stjll retains the ganction of the Church, while it has extended its influence over almost every household in the land. Evergreens and organ musio, plum pudding and Christmas gifts, haye hecome ag common in Puritanical Boston as in Baltimore, where the founder of the Maryland colony planted Catholic traditions ; in New Orleans, whore the aime traditions prevail to this day; in Rich- mond, where the holly and, at least, the memory of the old mistletoe bough are still reverenced by families of pure English descent ; in Phila- delphia, where in modern days the width of brim of William Penn’s old hat has been per- ceptibly diminished, and in New York, whose patron saint has always been Santa Claus. Christmas is now a universal holiday throughout the United States; and in this cosmopolitan city, whore every nationality is represented, the salutations of the countries of Northern Europe, “ Christ is risen,” and of Great Britain, “I wish you a merry Christmas,” have been repeated over and over again since early dawn. Tho Christ- mas tree and the Christmas stocking are es tablished institutions among us. The Cbristian churches of all denominations are open for worshippers, The Christmas chimes ring for all ears. High mass in the Catholic churches, almost equally imposing ritualism in Episcopa- lian churches, with operatic music and fashion- able toilets in churches of every name, attest the observance of this holiday by all “who call and profess themselves Christians.” And to the credit of the religious community bo it added that ample provision has charitably been made to enable the inmates of our publio institutions and many of the poorest inhabitants of the most destitute quarters of our town to share to some extont in the festivities of the day. As we have intimated, Christmas Day has somewhat lost its distinctive peculiarities as a religious festival. Few are shocked at finding how largely the theatres as well as the churches contribute towards its enjoyment as a holiday. “Tt is too bad,” said the sensible Wesley, “that the Devil should monopolize some of the prettiest tunes.” Ap he did not hesitate to set man’ us hymns to such profane ee him. Christmas Day opens not only the church doors, but the doors of al! the- theatres, During the day and in the evening the managers, as well as the parsons, aro im- pressed into the service of enlivening the joy of the public, To this end the “ Grand Duchess ” and her court must appear to the sound of Offenbach’s sparkling melodies. Old English plays, some of them sterling and some of them stale, must be admirably cast at Wallack’s. Mile. Janauschek, at the Academy of Music, must challenge comparison with Signora Ristori. The “Midsummer Night’s Dream” must supply indifferent acting by fine scenery at the Olympic. “Lady Audley’s Secrat’”’ must be revealed at Barney Williams’ Brogdway thea- tre. “Our Mutual Friend” must) be ‘found drowned” at Banvard’s, “Nobody's Child’’ must share with a “New Pantomime” tho ready applause of frequenters of the Bowery. Pfau, the unrivalied Russian athlete, must repeat his marvellous exploiis at the New York Circus. “Under the Gaslight” must be exhibited at the Worrell Sisters’ theatre, although, alas! it might seem that real railroad tragedies have been too frequent of late to require fictitiows representations of them on the stage. John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress” must be illustrated at “Transformation Hall” on Union square. Burlesques and pantomimes and all sorts of mirth-provoking spectacles must be given, from the Fifth Avenue theatre and Tony Pas- tor’s Opera House to the smallest of the minor theatres throughout the city. Negro minstrelsy must swell the concert. Even the “Devii’s Auction” at Niblo’s, with its crying bittern, its chirruping frog, its yelling alligator and all its other “water fowl,’ as weil as its captivating nymphs of “tho light, fantastic toe,” must do homage to the day. And the day must be wound up not only by festive gatherings around the family table, by cheerful parties and brilliant balls, but by the grand oratorio of “Tho Messiah” at Steinway Hall. . Let the music of this oratorio at least and that which we shall hear to-day in the churches remind us of the angel songwhich announced to the shepherds watching over their flock on a certain night somewbat more than eighteen centuries ago, “good tidings of great joy that shall be to all people :”’ “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” General Fritz In Paraguay, General Fritz, «22 fayorite of the Grand Duchess, must have commanded the Brazilians and their allies in their recent successful re pulse of the Paraguayans at Tuyaty. The general whom the Grand Duchess extempor | ized from a private soldier won his victory by “intostée-cating” the enemy's entire army. And | whoever commanded tho Brazilians on the day of the attack on the allied camp at Tuynty by the Paraguayans, on the 3d of November, waited until the latter, “whooping like men driving cattle,” had entered the camp and reached the sutlers’ wagons. Then he took his revenge for the rout which the Brozilian freedmen, the teamsiers, the women, the sub lers and all bad experienced. Let loose among the loaded wagons and deserted tents, the Paragaayans were soon overcome by drunken- ness, and then their rout and defeat in turn suceceded. The victorious allies report two thousand four hundred Paraguayans buried, and estimate their own loss at one thousand. ‘The loss of the allies has since been estimated at two thousand. If tho attacking soldiers bad not become unmanageable, and thus exposed to easy defeat, our Buenos Ayres correspondent believes that the result would have been the annibila ion of the allted camp under Genoral Porto Allogre at Tuynty, Aa it is, the allies have been greatly inspirited and the Para- guayans proportionately weakened. In Para- guay there is, indeod, no diminution of loyalty to Lopez, and no disposition to yield to. the and to provide for the army, both by cultivat- ing the ground and tending flocks and herds. Such an instance of union, pertinacity and suffering for the sake. of the country bas not been surpassed in modern times as is found now in Paraguay. But it is certain that Paraguay has her last army in the field, and that it is away under privation and the fortungs of . ._ We foar that a for more uch ete te ‘as that of General Porto Allegre, the General Fritz of the 3d of November, will utterly destroy the patriotic hopes of the Paraguayans. Significant Mevoments in the Unrecen- structed Southern States. “\ Gloomier with each succeeding day are our. advices from the unreconstructed Southern States. Our latest information from North Carolina involves a deplorable account of the depredations of vagrant negroes, some gangs of them being represented as armed and car- rying terror along their line of thieving opera- tions. In Georgia it appears the members of the Reconstruction Convention, in adjourning over for the Christmas holidays, had to leave without any money, the State Treasurer re- fusing to honor the requisition of the Conven- tion for a little bill of forty thousand dollars. A detachment of troops, however, on the 23d had left Macon for Milledgeville, supposed to have some connection with the State Treasurer's re- fusal to fork over this aforesaid sum of forty thousand to the order of General Pope and the Convention. How or whether or not the State Treasurer has managed to accumulate as much as forty thousand dollars does not appear. In the Louisiana Reconstruction Convention the members were as much embarrassed on the money question as in Georgia. A resolution providing for the payment of the members’ warrants out of any funds in the hands of the State Treasurer would perhaps meet the diffi- culty, and perhaps not. It will certainly be rather rough upon the delegates of African de- scent from the interior if they have to walk or paddle home to spend their Christmas, in consequence of no funds or credit to pay their way by stage or steamboat. In Mississippi it appears that General Ord, Commander of the Fourth Military District, embracing Mississippi and Arkansas, had ordered boards of arbitration to be appointed for the protection of laborers (the blacks), when asked for by a laborer complaining that his share of the crop has not been given him, or when called for by landlord or merchant complaining under oath that the planter has fraudulently assigned to his laborers an undue share of the crop, to the injury of the com- plainant. These specificat:ons of complaints are painfully suggestive of the general distress in Mississippi among landlords, merchants, planters and laborers, and of the tricks against each other to which this general distress has driven them. It is evident from our advices from every quarter of the South that the creation of a political black party in the unreconstructed States, in active political hostility to the white race as enemies and oppressors of the black race, is fast destroying all relations of harmony and confidence between whites and blacks, ‘and spreading the idea among the men of each race that the other will have to leave the country or fight to maintain its position on its native soil. Nor can we perceive how the two races in any of the cotton States (especially in any one where the blacks are in excess of the whites) can long remain in the same com- munity, with this idea in full operation on both sides, that whites or blacks will have to emi- grate. It-appears to us that the radical pro- gramme of reconstruction means the removal of the whites and the occupation of their lands by the blacks. At all events, the actual state of affairs in the South between the two races suggests the necessity of a trenchant message to Congress from President Johnson. The City Poor. We hear a groat deal of the depression of business, of fifty thousand people being out of employment and fearful distress existing every- where; yet it might be regarded as remarkable that we see so few poor creatures craving alms to those who do not know that we have many charitable institations and benevolent societies to step in and rescue them from abso- lute poverty. That we have such is an honor to the city ; that many of them are not well managed is a misfortune, because it too often happens that vanity and ostentation are sufti- ciently gratified without a discreet exercise of charity. What man gives toa public charity is, unhappily, more considered than how his donation is disposed of ; but the lett hand of discretion ought to know what the right band of liberality doeth ; and on this point the bad management of our public charitable institu- tions compels us to differ somewhat from Holy Writ. But it must be admitted that these societies nevertheless do some good. They might extend their benevolence to the suffering poor of the Southern States, however, where, according to recent statements, it is more needed than at the North, Let us take the various charitable societies of New England, “for example, which haye always been advocat- ing the cause of the negro. -In his servitude the black man was an object ot perpetual sympathy with these paople, but now in his freedom he is more than eve? an object of charity; for it appears that he is altogether helpless, starving and wavering between the alternatives of a miserable death or rapine and spoliation. The New England philanthro- pists have done a good deal to bring about this state of affairs for the poor negro ; there- fore it is their duty now to look afler him, aad we hope they will do so. That there is no poverty in this city, becanve it does not flood our streets with mendicants euch as the cities of Europe are afflicted with, it is not, perhaps, fair to assume; for there is personal pride in our people which insti- gates even the poorest rather to suffer in secret than to relieve their wants by applying for alms. With all the faults of our charitable institutions, and making allowance for a good deal of humbug which certainly attaches to raany of them, they do a good deal, in addition to private charity, to relieve poverty which would otherwise present itself in a very har- rowing form fn the public highways. We are not disposed to believe that great Aistress exists in the city, notwithstanding the lull in trade and manufactures, although many may be restricted in their incomes and neces- sarily in their domestic comforts. If there is poverty to be found within the reach of any one this is a most acceptable saagon to relieve usually dispose of a portion of it in their Christ- mas festivities, Let them remember the city poor, who are not as largely blessed as them- selves, The New Eugland Dinner-Yaakee Great- moss. Self-assertion is the disease of the New Eng- leuG type of civilization; and the annual car- nival of Yankee glorification indulged at the New England dinner, and which occurred on Monday night, did not fall behind its prede- cessors of former years in windy laudation of all that the Down Easter calls his own—right- fully or wrongfully, We were told that the Yankee ran to braitit, believed in the supre- macy of brain, and had so developed it as to breed “a race of thinkers not second to the Athenian.” We may agree with the orator that these Down East thinkers are “not second to the Athenian.” They are not—nor third, neither; nor fourth, nor fiftieth. They are, indeed, so far away from the intellect which they assume as their type that tho richest of New England thinkers will palm off as a fine banquet the crumbs he pilfers from an Athenian feast. We are told that the Puritans “believed from the time they landed on Plymouth Rock that the most valuable part of a man as God created him was his brains ;” yet the world knows well that under these same men there was no crime #0 great as fora man to think and express his thoughts, and that he did it at the risk of having his tongue torn from his mouth with hot pincers; not that hot ones would do it better than cold, but the heat seemed to give a fine vehemence of horror to the act. Boasters are always those who have least that they may rightly boast on, and it is thus with boasting, self-glorifying New Eng- land. Stripped of all that it has stolen from others and spoiled in attempted adaptation, New England is the poorest of all lands on the face of the earth in every sphere of intellectual labor. It boasts itself in literature without a single work of imagination that can by any stretch of courtesy be called great. In art it: has Trumbull and his pictures, and the Bunker Hill Monument, built on a plan that will enable fature generations to utilize it as a distiller’s flue. And this is brain. In ti,number of public men of the present day New England contributes such prodigies of mental endow- ment as Sumner, Beecher, Wendell Phillips, Lloyd Garrison and Neal Dow—all noisy enough, no doubt; but where Is the vein of greatness? On what possible theory can it be claimed that any one of them is great other- wise than as a nuisance? New England is fer- tile in trouble—in fanatical endeavors to force its small notions on others—and this it mis takes for greatness because sometimes it has terrible resulis, Such terrible results of New England fanaticism are now to be seen through- out the South, where a whole people is reduced to starvation; and they who glorify Yankee fame would better further it just now if they would modestly hold their tongues and spend their superfluous energy in the effort to feed the victims of their tremendous errors. Cleaning the Streete—Ice and Snow. An Alderman offered on aresolution that the Mayor be directed to hotify the strect contractor that he docé not keep the cross- walks clean, and that he cannot draw any money from the city treasury until he does his duty in this respect. The present condition of the atreets, the imminent danger to life of crossing through the snow, ice and slush, and dodging between the inextricable jam of vehicles that Broadway presents through nearly the whole day, have already sufficiently called public notice to the fact that the “cross- walks are not clean ;” but who is to blame? Isit the contractor? Contracts for cleaning streets are like contracts for many other pur- poses—there is a fair proportion of sharp practice in their making. When labor is to be given on estimates to the lowest bidder it seems sometimes that there are mon in the world who can live on air and are superior to the mundane need of money—they work so cheaply. But when the work is to be paid for the original price is always found to be smothered in such a bill of “ extras” that it dwindles to be the most jnsiguificant part of the account ; and the man who pays may wonder what tho original price was for, or why there was any original price, since every particular part of the work done figures in the largor list of “extras.” This is the dodge by which the initiated beat the less shrewd bidders for all public employment, whether building ships for the general government, hospitals for the State or court houses for the city. Simple minded men, competent in their trades, put in honest bids, and regular contractors underbid them sometimes fifty per cent, The honest builder has no thoughts of extras; the other thinks of nothing else, and knows that by his relations with those in authority he can always get his bill of extras through. By this system all public work costs five or six times its price, and yet the plan of doing work by contract was adopted to save the public purse, Analogous to this great dodge of “extras” is the other one ofexceptions. A contract, for in- stance, is made for cleaning the streets; but when the time comes for its enforcement it is found that nearly everything that is a real nuisance in the streets is included in an excep- tion, and that thus the contractor is absolved from his obligation to do half his duty, “Iee and snow”’ are, we believe, in this category in the present contract for street cleaning. By this the public may understand that the Alder- manic resolution will rest lightly on the con- tractor. So soon ag the snow covers our streets it covers all his responsibility, and he may fold his hands till the spring time comes to thaw out his labor, It is a fitting occasion to call attention to the necessity of having the con- tracts for cleaning the streets of this city made ina different form. Why except ice and snow? Is it because these give” greater trouble in our streets than anything else we ever have there? Broadway has been within a few days past almost an impracticable street on account of the huge blocks of ice and deep ruts, and yet | no provision is made for getting rid of such obstruction, We mustsit and wait for the sun- shine to help us.- Is it not nearly time that we Had done bere what is already done in many other cities in respect to snow? Others can have it carted away as soon as ft falls; why cannot wo? Hell Gate. We have already urged the necessity of clearing the channel at Hell Gate. For many years past we have*had to record numerous wrecks snd much loss of Life in that ¢bannel, disaster, involving the death of some five or six hundred people on one of the Sound steamers, - before we thoroughly wake up to the danger of navigation in this locality, The Chamber ot Commerce has been wasting its time on ap- peals to Congress with no effect Why not the merchants who compose that body raise « subscription to pay the expense of clearing away the rocks at Hell Gate, and thus opening & new and much desired channel? This is the quickest and best way to do It. Our Real Estate Speculations in the West Indies. We are told by « telegram from Havans, and as the correspondent says, “from a highly. confidential source,” that our Consul at that place had received a telegraphic despatch from the Consul at Santiago de Cubs of such a peculiar character, in relation to the St Thomas purchase, that he immediately tele- graphed to Mr. Seward advising him to defor further proceedings with regard to that island. This seems a roundabout sort of story and « little muddy ; still there may be something in it, What can be the matter? Is St, Thomas still in such a shaky condition that our con- suls are apprehensive it may sink beneath the ocean? Is that seven millions of our gold likely to be swallowed up ss promptly and as neatly as roulette, faro, or lotteries swallow up the money of unsuspecting greenhorns? Have the harbors been destroyed by the ise carta quakes, and is the island consequently no longer valuable to us? Orare the Danish colonists 80 disgusted with the negro madness raging in this country that they decline to become citi- zens of the great republic? If there be any foundation for the report we shall soon know what it is; we shall soon know why furthor proceedings on the part of the Secretary of State should be deferred, In the meantime we do not think there is any ground for alarm. The island of St. Thomas is pretty safely anchored, and the purchase of it is pretty well assured. We notice by the same despatch from Havana that a comn.'ssion was about to leave St. Domingo for V‘ashington to complete arrangements for { ansferring the Bay of Samané to the Unite. States, It is said, how- ever, in another des; atch, that an offer to lease the bay to the United States for ninety-nine years, at an annual rent of three hundred thou- sand dollars, was to be made. This telegram has also a muddy look ; for we do not suppose the Dominicans or any other persons are ao stupid asto suppose the United States would take a lease and pay an annual rental for this property. We hope Mr. Seward may soon finish his land speculations and let us know how much he has actually purchased and where itis. Our enterprising citizens and a hoss of down East speculators are anxiously walling to pounce down on the new purchases. Will the Secretary of State, then, be kind onoughto let us know what we really possess or are likely to possess, and relieve the anxiety or apprehensions of all t Mere Fenian Alnrmws in Esgland and Scotland. ‘We have reports by the cabié of an attempt... or supposed design of the Fenians to destroy the gas works of Liverpool and of Glasgow, ending in each case in nothing but fresh alarms among the people of the cities and towns of both England and Scotland and occasioning greater vigilance among the local authorities. If it be true, however, that the Fenians in Great Britain have adopted, as intimated by some of the English journals, a system of warfare limited to gunpowder plots and incon- diary fires, the inhabitants and the authorities of every city and town of any importance in the kingdom may well be alarmed. When it is considered, too, that Kelly, the es- caped Fenian from Manchester, still belioved to” bo in England, remains undiscovered, although thero is a roward of two thousand pounds upén his head, and that no satisfactory develop- ments have been reached touching the late Clerkeftwell jail and Newcastle explosions, thore is evidently 9 system of secrecy among the parties concerned in these enterprises even more alarming than their mysterious opera- tions. At last accounts all was reported quiet in England in reference to these ominous Fenian movements, but we apprehend that the worst of them in connection with all the revo- lutionary elements of England are yet to come. Christmas Compliments Between Joha Bull and Brother Jonathan. The complimentary international despatches - through the cable yesterday between the Duke of Wellington and President Johnson are very nice—jast the thing—couldn’t be better—as Christmas reciprocities in behalf of the divine and glorious doctrine of “peace on earth” and “good will toward men.” But this mutual ad- miration society style of toasts between Joha Bull and Brother Jonathan through the cable might have been vastly improved by Mr. Johnson had he said to tho gracious Duke, “Our compliments to my Lord Stanley, and say to him that after New Year’s wo shall in- vite the attention of Congress to those afore- said Alabama claims.” How strange it is that our great men should so often miss their greatest opportunities! Compromise Rattroap Cars.—It haying bees satisfactorily proved that the Angola disaster was caused by the peculiar construction of one of those cars which are built to run upon roads of different width of guage, Congress should pass a law prohibiting their use on any of the roads in this country. ——$————— THE LATE RAILROAD ) SLAUGHTER AT ANGOLA, The Cause of the Disaster. {From the Rochester Democrat, Deo. 23.] It is now quite clear that the cause of tho accident wad not a at firet stated—tho breaking of the tread of a Had that been the sole cause, it would have been regarded as an accident that human foresight Siae ~ oo making settlements as fast as sal eee cars were ruan! A 4 ‘od “compromise n the itenio ana Erie being 19 Darrow gau @ flanges rails J aig closely, and a" paasing the switeh Just of bridge, wiiere the cars went i mounted the frog and threw one of the froma track, The train was behind tine and