The New York Herald Newspaper, April 8, 1868, Page 6

6 NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STRERT, JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR, hours’ detention were released. Mayor Heath and Chief of Police Williamson, Officiias of New Orleans, appointed by Sheridan, have had a disagreement, Williamson having refused to order a certain disposition of his force, intended, he says, to influence the political contests, which were directed by Mayor Heath, and being suspended from office by the Mayor in consequence. General Buchanan interfered yesterday and restored William- 8on to his position, == The New York East Methodist Episcopal Confer ence, meeting in the Summerfield Methodist Epis- copal church in Brooklyn, reached the sixth day of its session yesterday, and the business transacted was of considerable interest, Reports were read by the elders upon the condition of the churches under their charges, the valuation of church property, salaries paid, &c, Resolutions were adopted to the effect that the present Conference concurs with the General Conferences of 1860 and 1864 in their decla- rations in regard to the lay representatives, A singular accident occurred yesterday morning AM USEMENTS THIS EVENING, BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—GLENDORME—SUSAN Horuex, BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway,—OUE AMERICAN Cousin at Home—Tne Viorin, srRexon THEATRE.—La Bruun HELENE. OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway.— . Mettoge at hig. E, Broadway.—Humrry Dumrry. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—Tne Whitt Fawn, WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway and 18th street.— Claimed to belong to a base ball club, and after a few negroes and to organize the white conserva- tives in the Southern States, so that, even in the elections necessary to complete the work of Congressional reconstruction, the tables may be turned against the radical managers. results in Connecticut and Michigan may, per- radicals and conservatives in the Senate into an open rupture, resulting in Johnson's acquit- tal and a break-up of the republican party on the eve of the Presidential battle, But we think it more likely that the plea of party ne- cessity for the removal of Andrew Johnson, in order to patch up the outside Southern States and to secure the spoils under ‘Old Ben Wade” for immediate use, as a bond of cohe- sion to the party, is a plea which will lose none of its force in this impeachment in consequence And what of the impeachment? These | haps, widen the differences between republican , OciveR Twist. EQUESTRIANIGM, &c. _NEW YORK CIROUR, Fourtcenth street.—GYMNASTIOS, Matinee at 254. a THEATRE COMIQUE, 514 Broadway.—Batirn, FARor, KELLY & LEON'S MINSTRELS, 720 Bi Song KOCENTRIOITIES, &c.—GRAND DutcH Rgaecwey: bd SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS, 59 Broadway.—ETH10- PIAN ENTERTAINMENTS, SINGING, DANUINGy 4c. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 201 Bowery.—Comto Vocatdsm, NEGRO MINSTRELSY, &c. Matinee at 2}. DE GARMO'’S HALL, #2 Fifth avenue,—Mas. F. M. CaRTER'S READINGS, DODWORTH HALL, 6 Broadway.—Gro. VANDEN- HOFY'S READINGS. mo MRS. F. B, CONWAY'S PARK THEATRE, Brooklyn.— DOMBEY AND SON—POCAHONTAB, at the corner of Fifth avenue and Twenty-first street. Brooklyn, by which two men, named Rudolph Pouch and Joseph Freisch, lost their lives. They were at work upon two small frame buildings, and in re- moving some braces the buildings fell and crushed them to death, The investigation of the Gould contempt case in connection with the Erie litigation was resumed yes- terday before a referee, when the examination of Mr. Horatio Otis, secretary to the company, was con- tinued. The case was further adjourned till Thurs- day next, An investigation was held yesterday in the Four- teenth ward homicide, The victim was a man of twenty-two and the accused is a boy of fourteen. It appears that the deceased took umbrage on Monday night at something the little fellow—whose name is Tony Branagan—had said to him, and struck him of these election reverses to the republi- cans. A copperhead contemporary proclaims it that the ‘impeachment is smashed” by this Connecticut election; but in thus making the impeachment a party test this organ forgets that the two parties in the Senate remain un- changed. Andrew Johnson will be removed by the republicans because his removal, as a party necessity, is still demanded ; but then, in taking their position and in defining their policy for the Presidential contest, we dare say that this apple of discord—negro suffrage—will make an opening in the republican camp for a decisive political revolution in November. HOOLEY'’S OPERA HOUSE, MINSTRELSEY—BURLESQUE C1noU! NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.— SOIENGE AND ART. Brooklyn.—EtHi0PtaN | once or twice, whereupon Tony stabbed him with his penknife, severing the walls of the heart and causing death almost instantly. The jury rendered @ verdict accordingly. During the investigation the boy, aluiost wild with grief at the terrible deed he had committed, sat next to the father of the de- ceased, an old man, who moaned and groaned, rock- ing himself to and fro over his bereavement, +» New York, Wednesday, April 8, 1868. “NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS. The Connecticut and Michigan Elections and Their Important Bearings on the Presidential Contest. The confident hopes of the republicans of a great victory in Connecticut have been signally disappointed. They have not only failed to recover the State, but have failed to prevent a significant increase of last year's democratic majority. Before the election all the advan- tages of the contest were apparently on the radical side. Under the flag of General Grant as their Presidential candidate they were all brought into line and worked harmoniously to- gether. Their working politicians were further encouraged by the prospect of some immediate rewards in a new division of the federal spoils with the removal of Andrew Johnson; they were relieved of Barnum and his menagerie, and the bright and balmy skies of election day gave them every facility to bring out all their reserves in the rural districts. On the other hand, the democrats, without a Presidential champion and uncertain where they would find one, had an uphill battle to fight against the great Union hero of the war. How is it, then, that they have won this remarkable victory ? They have won it upon the broad and general issue of hostility to the excesses and revolu- tionary schemes and tendencies of the party in power, including, especially, universal negro suffrage. The popular verdict of Connecticut, it may be fairly claimed, is against the impeachment and removal of President Johnson. The radi- cals made their fight to a great extent upon this question. But the paramount, underlying issue upon which they were defeated is, after all, this issue of universal negro suffrage. This proposition they adroitly attempted to cover up; but it was skilfully kept in the foreground by the democrats, and this has turned the scale in Connecticut.. We want no better proofs of the fact than are furnished in the Connecticut republican platform, taken together with the results on negro suffrage last fall in Ohio and New York, and with the result on that distinct proposition in the shape of a constitutional Advertisers should bear in mind that, in order to insure the proper classification of their business announcements, all advertisements for insertion in the HERALD should be left at the counting room by half-past eight o'clock P.M. THE NEWS. CONGRESS. In the Senate yesterday a petition from three thou. sand Southern negroes was presented, asking aid in immigrating to Liberia, A bill in relation to the charter of the city of Washington providing for the appointment by the Common Council of all officers heretofore appointed by the Mayor was called up and considerable debate ensued upun it, the democratic members condemning it as intended to provide for the filling of all offices by negroes. The bill was amended and passed by a strict party vote. The bill to remove political disabilities from R. R. Butler was referred tothe Committee on the Judiciary. A bill making appropriations for the expenses of the im- peachment trial was reported. It places the expenses at $10,000, Discussion again ensued on the Naval Appropriation bill and the Senate adjourned. THE LEGISLATURE. In the Senate yesterday bills were passed to pre- serve order in public meetings and to protect public halls; opening Park ayenue, Brooklyn; for the im- provement of Brooklyn Heights, and numerous others not of general interest, A message was received from the Governor requesting that the New York tax levy be sent to him for his signature at least three days before the close of the season. A bill rela- tive to actions in the Marine Court was introduced, The Underground Railroad bill was considered and ordered to a third reading, having received several amendments, In the Assembly the Committee on Cities gave notice that the New York Tax levy would be taken up in committee on Thursday. A motion to have it reported immediately was lost. The message of the Governor relative to the levy was here received, and Mr, Jacobs moved that it be returned to him as in- sulting. The motion was modified, however, and the message was referred to the Committee on Cities. ‘The bill appropriating $500,000 for a new building tor the College in the city of New York was loat by @ vote of 53 to 3% Several bills of a personal or private character were passed. The bil! relative to the publication of legal notices in New York was dis- cussed and lost by a vote of 18 to 77. The Great Gaines Case. On Monday last the Supreme Court of the United States, in three decisions in her favor, finally settled the great and remarkable case of Mrs. General Gaines. These three deci- sions were made upon appeals brought up from the Louisiana courts touching the right and title to vast amounts of real estate in New Orleans and in the State of Louisiana, the con- testants, including the city of New Orleans, claiming said properties upon transfers resting on a will of Mrs. Gaines’ father, Daniel Clark, made anterior to that, bequeathing her all his estates. But she had a more serious battle to fight in the outset, upon questions raised by the holders of the property as to the fact of the will upon which she based her claim and touch- ing her legitimacy as a daughter of Daniel, Clark. She first heard of this will accidentally, some thirty odd years ago, from an eye witness of its execution, her father’s best: friend, at that time living at Havana, and who had heard of her whereabouts, Mrs. Gaines was then, we believe, the wife of a Mr. Whitney, a worthy and enterprising man, and the news to her was a complete surprise ; for her father had died when she was a child in years and her guardians had kept her in total ignorance on the subject. She forthwith pro- ceeded to an investigation of her case; but before she had unravelled its mysteries her husband died, from the violence and persecu- tion of her enemies ; and she, in the struggle for existence, was left a poor widow, with three helpless children upon her hands. In this extremity, though resolved to estab- lish her good name and her rights as the one great purpose of her life, she was shortly brought to the verge of despair, when Major General Gaines, of the United States Army, learning of her story and her distress, and believing in the justice of her cause, sought her out in her humble lodgings at New Or- leans and volunteered his assistance. Such an offer at that crisis, from such a man, was like the veritable appearance of a good fairy. The General was captivated by the fair widow; but, a chivalrous soldier, he stated that con- sidering the disparity in their ages he could not presume to talk of marriage. He would leave her perfectly free upon that point, but in any event she might count upon his services in her cause. The young widow accepted the offer and the man, and as the wife of In joiut legistative ballot Abram B. Weaver, nk 1h Wea “ democrat, was elected Supervisor of Pubilc Printing, | @™endment in Michigan on the same day with EUROPE this Connecticut election, The republicans, even i so late as last fall, held Michigan by some twenty- ‘The news report by the Atlantic cable is dated yes- | °° aga 7 y terday, April 7. nine thousand majority ; but on Monday last this ‘The tide of emigration from Germany to America | proposition of universal negro suffrage, although has opened for the spring with increased volume, Admiral Fi rut is at Messina, Consol a%3),. Five-twenties, 72 and 75%) ‘¢ in Frankfort. Cotton steady, with middling uplands at 12)d. a 12d. Breadstuffs and provisions steady, ‘The French mail steamship St. Laurent, Captain Bocandie, from Brest Mare! , arrived at this port at half-past twelve k this morning, brings yur fies. in detail of our cable despatches, to her day of sailing. Emigration into Denmark has, according to a Fiensburg letter in the Hamburg Nes, cousidera- bly fallen off; on the other hand, that to Americ: has never been so great as during the last few months, in London MISCELLANEOUS. Three days? later advices from Uruguay confirm the reports of the murder of President Flores. Colonel Battie had succeeded him without opposition and the country trangni) English’s majorit reported to be 1,6 in te Connection’ election Is Charter elections on local issues were held in many of the towns of Ohio, Indiana, Matne and other States, yesterday. In Clueinnati a republican majority of jess than half what it was last year is reported, Cleveland reports a rey Jean gain and Sandusky @ democratic victory. sville, Ind., whieh has gone republican for several years, went democratic yesterday. Calais, Me., went republican and two or three Long Island towns went democratic, Several republican gains are reported, St. Paul, Minnesota, elects the republican ticket for the first time in seven years, and atown in Wisconsin counts a gain of three hundred for the reputi Mr. Wells, the new appointee of Governor Schofield, was inaugurated Governor of Virginia yesterday. He afterwards visited the Convention, where Judge Underwood endorsed Vis political views and he tn Jurn pledged himself to the republican party. D'Arcy McGee, the Canadian politician and states- man, was shot through the head and instantly killed in Ottawa before daybreak yesterday morning, just as he was entering his door, The night was clear, but no one appears to have seen the assassin, Con- siderable excitement ensued among the Ministry, who profess to believe that a society is in existence in thetr midst tor the purpose of disposing summa- rily of all antl-Penian members of Parliament. Two arrests have been made on suspicion, and $14,000 1s offered as a reward by various provincial govern: menté in the Dominion for the arrest of the real murderer. ‘The newspaper contempt case in Memphis, in which the editors of the Avalanche are charged by one Judge Hunter with contempt of court in abusing him editorially and were imprisonsd therefor, has assumed @ new phase. Recently another Judge, Waldron, released the editors on a writ of habeas corpus, and now Judge Hunter has procured the ar- rest of Judge Waldr8n for unlawfully interfering General Gaines, worth a quarter. of a mil- lion, she soon brought her case before the courts. His fortune was sunk in the litigation, and she, in the lapse of years, again was left a widow without the means needed to cope with the powerful league of her wealthy ad- versaries. Upon the strength of her cause, however, she still contrived to fight them from court to court, frequently baffled, often penni- less—but never dismayed—an indomitable little woman, dispossessed, engaged in the unequal contest of the law against the holders of twenty millions of her property, At length, in 1860, she gained a decree from the Supreme Court of the United States, es- tablishing her claim as the legitimate heiress of her father and the validity of his will be- queathing her his estates. Then the war of the rebellion interposed and cut off for five years all further proceedings. At its close claims of a rightful possession by the city of New Orleans and other parties of large amounts of her property, resting upon a pre- vious will, were brought into the local courts and carried thence up to the Supreme Court of the United States, where they were decided in her favor on Monday last. Thus she be- comes the wealthiest woman in the United States, and still apparently not over sixty years of age. Her case is one of the most remarkable of its class on record ; her history, embracing her successes and defeats, her troubles and trials in connection with this case, is one of the strangest of romances. She has become, through her long experience, a learned lawyer in the most difficult branch of the profession and is still one of the most charm- ing of her sex. She has fought one of the most unequal and unpromising conflicts in all the annals of litigation ; she has achieved one of the completest and greatest victories, and long may she live to enjoy it. there are only some twelve hundred negroes in the State to be affected by the result, was voted down in Michigan by a decisive majority. Negro suffrage, then, has swamped the republi- can State ticket in Connecticut. The popular antipathy to universal negro suffrage has proved stronger in Connecticut than the popularity of General Grant. We may safely assume, then, from all these experimental elections, last year and this year, that from Connecticut westward to the Pacific Ocean the majority of the people in every State are opposed to this radical shibboleth of uni- versal negro suffrage. Nay, more ; we may as- sume that if the democracy, as they did in this Connecticut election, keep their copper- heads in the background and bring forward as their Presidential candidate a popular man, identified with the war for the Union, they may upon this issue of universal negro suf- rage beat even General Grant; for was not General Scott, the most distinguished soldier of that day, beaten in 1852 by poor Pierce, a subordinate general of volunteers in Mexico, and was he not beaten simply because Pierce was supposed to be safer than Scott on the negro question? But what champion of the war for the Union will do to put in the field by the conservatives against Grant as the radical candidate? Admiral Farragut is the very man. He wants no platform, in addition to his war record, but retrenchment and re- form and a qualified negro suffrage in opposi- tion to universal negro suffrage. The de- mocrats of New Hampshire, profiting from their late defeat, are acting upon our hint, and like practical men, in taking up Farragut, they propose vigorously to dispute with the radicals the election for the succession. But may not the radicals take the back track on negro suffrage? It is too late, we believe, for that. In their Congressional system of Southern reconstruction they have carried this cure-all of universal negro suffrage too far to be now abandoned. If they do abandon it they will drive off the ultra radicals into an independent Presidential faction. They must, however, do one thing or the other, and in any event they will need the votes of these still unreconstructed Southern States, But in Jnve Davis.—Not a Bap Ipga.—It has been rumored from Washington that Jeff Davis (who, after reporting himself lately at Rich- mond and being released till the 2d of May, has sought again the exile’s refuge of the New Dominion, ) has expressed the opinion that with the removal of President Johnson, and the promotion of ‘Old Ben Wade” to his place, he, the aforesaid Davis, will report bimself no more at Richmond. His reason is said to be that the elevation of Senator Wade to the hurrying in those States on the basis of universal suffrage to the negroes and white disfranchisement, the danger is that the re- action on this business may cost the radi- eals more in the North than they will gain in the South. Unquestionably these Connecticut and Michigan elections will ope- rate to demoralize the white radicals and the with his court, To complicate matters it is thought that Waldron will immediately have Hunter arrested, A descent was made on an alleged Ku Klux Klan in St. Louts op Monday night, when twenty persons, mostly boys, were arrested and a constitution, which stated that the object of the order was to drive the ruling robbers and inurderers ont of the South by assassination if necessary, was discovered and also a few implements of their paraphernalia, The parties White House in the manner proposed will be unconstitutional, and that accordingly, as a NEW ‘YORK ‘HERALD, ‘WEDNESDAY, APRIL'S, 1868--TRIPL The Assassination of Arcy Motiee. There was a great deal of excitement in the | City yesterday upon the arrival of the news ' from Canada that Thomas D’Arey McGee, member of the Canadian Parliament and late member of the Ministry, had been assassinated ‘in Ottawa yesterday morning while return- ing to his home from the House of Parliament. It appears that the intelligence caused quite a panic in Montreal, which city the late honor- able member represented, and the act was not only set down to the Fenians, but the story was circulated that it was but the signal for a general Fenian movement in Canada, which is, of course, sheer nonsense. The probabilities of the case are that the act was committed by some poor crazy wretch to whom Mr.’McGee had become inimical. That he had many po- litical enemies is well known. His adherence to British government in Canada, the fact that he lately held a portfolio under the colonial administration, and the rumor that he was about to receive a lucrative office worth five thousand pounds a year from the home gov- ernment, in return for his denunciation of the Fenian raid on Canada, may have led to the cowardly attack upon his life which has ended so tragically. Assassination is the weakest weapon of any cause. It recoils upon the in- stigators with unerring retribution. It has never yet, since the days of Julius Cesar, accomplished any permanent good either for governments or peoples, and it seems almost incredible that any one could be found stupid enough to resort to the assassination of a pri- vate gentleman holding no rank higher than that of a popular representative as a method to advance a political idea. Mr. McGee was a manof very decided talent, which displayed itself through various chan- nels, He was an impressive orator, a genial poet, and a writer of great force and elegance. The fact that he was not popular with his countrymen for many years past, and was regarded as recreant to the professions of his early life, does not seem very clearly to account for his assassination. Of course there may have been many personal causes for hostility that led to his sudden taking off. These are common events that pertain to the history of any man ; but if it should turn out that the murder of Mr. McGee was the result of any motive Anstigated for political purposes, it will outly prove the folly and guilt of an organiza- tion that, being too weak to accomplish any good, has turned its hand to evil, most cow- ardly and detestable. The Board of Audit and Accounts. We publish to-day the decision of the Board of Audit on the accounts of three of the city journals for Corporation advertising—the Heratp, Tribune, and Journal of Commerce. The two former have been allowed by the Board and the latter disallowed. The reasons for this conclusion are plain and satisfactory. The Heratp published the Corporation pro- ceedings and notices by virtue of the law of 1863, which provided absolutely that the four daily papers having the largest circulation should make such publication for the benefit of the people, and gave the selection of six other papers to the Mayor and Comptroller. As the report of the Board says, ‘‘the Heratp had the largest circulation of all,” and hence could not be deprived of the right of such pub- lication, while the rate for advertising—forty cents per line—in view of the value of the space in our columns and the large circulation as compared with other papers, could ‘‘form no proper objection to the allowance of the claim.” The HERatp’s account, amounting in all to some twenty-four thousand dollars, has, therefore, been ordered to be paid. The report states further that ‘‘in the case of the Heratp very few objectionable items appear in the claim, but in the cases of many other official papers the claims have been largely reduced on examination by these Boards.” All the city advertising that ap- peared in our columns was inserted in good faith. So far as it was desirable that the peo- ple should see the advertisements, notices and proceedings of the Corporation, their pub- lication in the Heratp was of more value than in all the other official papers combined. We charged our regular rates, not being de- sirous of making a single dollar out of the city to which we were not justly entitled, and not recognizing any obligation to give up our valu- able space to Corporation advertising for a less price than we can command from private par- ties. The money due to us was fairly earned, and the payment of our account is simply the discharge of an honest debt that should have been settled long ago. In the case of the T'ribune, its claim is allowed because it was one‘of the journals selected by the Mayor and Comptroller, under authority of the law of 1863, as an official paper of the city. The Journal of Commerce was not designated as an official paper, and hence its account is disallowed. These deci- sions of the Board are clearly just and will be approved by the taxpayers. If the Board of Audit will settle all honest debts owing by the city without black mail, and will finally discard all bogus claims, it will do a good work and remove a very prolific source of municipal cor- ruption, The Military the Newspaper and the Southern Secret Societies, - The order of General Meade providing for the suppression of the ‘Ku Klux Klan” will meet with the approval of all who espouse the cause of order and good government. But the General must not exercise his power on that organization alone. He must rigor- ously suppress the secret ‘Loyal Leagues” of negroes; for they are equally, if not more, pernicious in their influences than the white men’s society. The arrogance of the negroes and their attempts to reduce the whites of the South to political vassalage by means of their ‘Loyal Leagues,” and the many outrages that have been committed by these same Leagues, are equally as dangerous to the peace and safety of society as are the retaliatory actions of the “Ku Klux Klan.” We perceive that General Shepperd, com- manding the sub-district of Alabama, has also issued an order in relation to the same subject. We approve of the purpose intended, but we stickler for the constitution, he (Davis) cannot | protest against the monstrous idea that ‘*citi- give his consent to a trial under Wade's ad- ministration. Very good. The constitution will do, so that Master Davis, with “Old Ben ' Wade” in the place of Johnson, may keep on the avrtu side of the Canadian line. zens not holding office” shall be held respon- sible for acts committed by a secret organiza- tion, It is not only ridiculous, but it contains | the very essence of despotism. There should be no discrimination or partiality between the SHEET. two races in the South. Any attempt to sup- press the ‘‘ Ku Klax Klan,” without attempt- ing the same with the ‘‘ Loyal Leagues,” will be a positive step towards placing the unhappy whites of the South yet further in the power of their negro antagonists; and the exaspera- tion which will necessarily follow such a one- sided policy will not fail to precipitate a conflict. Suppress secret organizations by all means, but let the suppression apply to all classes and races. The Irish Church and the Progress of Religious Liberty. The bishops of the Irish Church have taken alarm, Gladstone has stricken them with terror. They see nothing before them but ruin, They have, therefore, it is said, united in & piteous note to Disraeli urging him to sac- rifice one-half of the revenues of the Church establishment in order, if possible, to save the other half. Better halfa loaf, they think, than none. They are unquestionably wise in their generation; but it is doubtful whether their wisdom has not come a little too late. We are afraid that their chances of enjoying even the half loaf are but small. The Irish Church establishment is doomed. Gladstone is committed to its destruction. His exclama- tion, ‘The Irish Church must cease to exist,” was applauded to the echo in a House crowded inevery part. He has put his hand to the plough; he may not look back. For the Irish Church we care little except in so far as its present condition illustrates a modern revolu- tion—a revolution which is world-wide in the range of its influence, It is one other unmis- takable indication of the fact that the tide has set in against State endowed establishments of religion, Church and State were long sup- posed to be two essential parts of the same great machine. Through the long process and sufferings of the ages a contrary opinion has been engendered. It is now pretty gene- rally felt all over the world that the alliance of Church and State means pampered privilege to one class and grinding oppression to an- other. The alliance is no longer tolerated but with impatience. In many instances and in quarters where it was least to be expected it has been shaken off as an unbearable yoke. The example set by the United States of favor to none and toleration to all has already been widely contagions, The contagion will spread more and more. In Mexico, in the South American republics, in almost all the old European monarchies, the potent influence is being feli; and unless we greatly mistake the day is not far distant when the al- liance everywhere will be completely sev- ered, and when both Church and State will be freer as well as animated by a more health- ful energy because of their independence of each other. The Irish Church must go to the wall. The English and Scottish establishments will follow in time. The Crops of 1868. We publish to-day reports of the growing wheat and other crops in various parts of our widely extended country. Although rather early to form a positive estimate of the ulti- mate amount of production, sufficient indica- tions are afforded to warrant the belief that the abundance of the yield of breadstuffs the pres- ent year will exceed that of any previous year for a long period. The past winter has been a remarkable one, so far as the winter planted cereals are concerned. Notwithstanding the long and biting spells of cold weather in some parts, the snow defended the roots of the grain from sudden and sharp frosts, and when the genial rays of the spring sun, accompanied by the warm rains, came, the snow was gradually melted and the young shoots began to sprout and grow until they finally beame, as it were, frost proof, and are now beyond danger. In other parts of the country, particularly the West, the winter sown wheit was somewhat damaged, but in these localities the farmers have planted a goodly exten of spring wheat, which at last accounts vas flourishing in an, unexampled degree. The floods and other phenomena usualy attendant upon the breaking up .of a hard winter have had but trifling efect, comparatively, upon the river bottoms, where the spring cereals are in the highest degne of vegetation at this season in the West, In some parts of Western New York thereare complaints even of # too ‘plentiful lack’ of water; so there need be but little apprehasions of the planted seeds or the young sprous being drowned out. Throughout the South and Southwest the wheat fields have been fessed with favors to an extraordinary extent The papers in Ten- nessee already boast 6 champion stalks of wheat, and are exulting 0 the hopes of an un- precedented harvest. ‘n Missouri we have reports of wheat being sowed in the ratio of ten acres to every oneacre planted last fall, while the amount of laxd given up to tobacco is diminished. Louisiaa papers give glowing accounts of the produ¢iveness of vegetation, and pronounce the fdications surpassingly favorable for » hountifa yield of all the staples of that luxuriant regiot We repeat, that it is rather early to be able # prognosticate what the season's products may :ventually be, but suf- ficient is known to putihe people, the consum- ing masses, on ther guard against the periodical cries of crokers and the schemes of speculators upon jhe baseless plea of bad crops. i aaill Irian Emicration;+The letter which we published yesterday tom our special corre- spondent confirms ot predictions that this spring would witnessin emigration from Ire- land to the United Stees at least equal if not superior to that of 166. Four transatlantic steamers had been advertised to sail for America. One steamer left for New York on the 25th ult. with thre hundred emigrants on board, and it was ated that one thousand would leave by thethree other steamers if there should be s@iciont accommodation for them. Queenstowhwas crowded with emi- grants, and parties numbering from fifty to hundreds were to bemet with on the thorough- fares leading fromtthe termini of the Great Southern and Westen Railroad, and from other railroad depots, en route for ‘‘the States.” Nearly all of thesé@ migrants are described as i can a ee ee prizes cap best be seenred, to say nothing of all the fat offices in New York, which might well satisfy the ambition of Fenians of every degree, and which seem to have been specially created for their behoof. Great Britain and Mexico. A special despatch from Havana, published in our issue of yesterday, gave the interesting information that a British gunboat had been making soundings at the mouth of the Rio Grande. This looks as if ,Mexico’s trou- bles are not yet over. For some time past the tone of the English press and authorities has been quite belligerent towards the neighboring republic on account of the virtual repudiation of debts due to subjects of Queen Victoria. We will not, therefore, be surprised if force is used to bring Mexico to a sense of her duty. The political and social condition of the re- public has been a cancer upon democratic institutions, and if her relations with foreiga Powers should again become complicated she need not expect the sympathy and support of the United States, We are aware how quickly we are appealed to for aid when, by miserable misgovernment, the Mexican government man- ages to plunge itself into wars with powerful enemies, But the day for American interven- tion in its behalf has passed. Henceforth we wash our hands of the whole concern. Never ending anarchy and despotism have destroyed all feelings of commiseration on the part of the people of the United States for Mexico. We are justly jealous of any interference by Euro- pean monarcliies with the affairs of this Conti- nent; but we can no longer defend a people who are incapable of governing themselves or of acting honorably with others. If, therefore, Great Britain should declare war and seize a few Mexican ports for the purpose of com- pelling the payment of her claims, we will neither remonstrate with that government nor attempt to prevent its course. Mexico must hereafter fight out her own quarrels unaided. Tae Emigration Commutation Tax.—A bill is before the State Legislature to fix the commutation tax on emigrants at two dollars, and to compel the Commissioners of Emigra- tion to support all pauper emigrants during their stay at quarantine out of the moneys re- ceived by them from such commutation. The bill is a very proper one and should become a law. Last year the Legislature was induced to increase the emigrant tax to two dollars and a half, thus imposing a needless burden on commerce, The amount of money in the hands of the Commissioners is greatly more than ia required by any demand upon their funds, and the emigration promises to be extensive enough the present season to largely increase the bal- ance on hand. It is the policy of the State te make all such burdens as light as possible, whether they fall upon the ship owners to whom we are indebted for the commerce of our port or upon the poor foreigner who seeks a home and a country upon our soil. There should be no delay in the passage of the bill. new YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY. ° The monthly meeting of this society, held last evening at the society building in Second avenue, was quite numerously attended, notwithstanding the unpropitious weather. Mr. Hamilton Fish, the President, occupied the chair. After some unimpor- tant preliminary routine business Professor Henry B. Smith, of the Unton Theoiogical Seminaty, read a very interesting paper on “Increase Mather and His Times.” All the prominent events in the career of this most remarkabie man of the early Puritanic times, his long years of faithful duty as pastor of the old North Church of Boston, his scholarly abili- tr and religious zeal shown as President of Har- vard University, his missions to England on behalf of the colonies and the concessions of liberty in the new charter he succeeded in tting, his prevention of the secession of the Plymouth colony from Massachusetts to New York, his influence in allaying the witchcraft de- lusion, and, in fact, his whole life to its final close, at the age of eighty-four years, were graphically pre- sented. The effect of the paper was to relieve its dis- tinguished subject from the many bee eros ee from the charge of being blindly bigoted, illiberal and obstinately tenacious in his religious tenets, so fre- quently imputed to his character. The true position in American history of the old New England mothe.s and their influence on times past, and the present. and the future, was well and logically defined. He was frequently interrupted with applause, and at the close a copy requested for deposit in the archives of the society. The theme of the evening called out rather spicy and pungent remarks on the New England character, from Mr. Lawrence, Dr. Osgood and Dr. Hitchcock, including the readiug by Mr. Moore, the librarian, of a portion of a ser- mon by Cotton Mather. A portrait of William Johnson, the Supreme Court reporter, and one of the founders of the socicty, was presented by Horace Binney, Jr., of Philadelphia, and the society’s thanks given for the same, HOLY WEEK. With to-day will commence the services of the Holy Week proper in the various Catholic churches, where the solemn and highly impressive ceremony of the Zenebre will be performed. This ceremony is conducted by the clergymen and choristers at- tached to the church, who, ranged at either side of the sanctuary ,chant alternately and in a most impres- sive manner psalms and lessons which treat only of sorrow and penitence. All signs or tokens of joy are carefully avoided, and the chants are so arranged as to be at the same time most beautiful and most touching in their cadences. At the beginning of the office there are six candies burning on altar and fourteen at the left hand, epistie, side of the sanctuary, stand: triangular frame. These candles are intended present the lights of faith preached by the pro- phets and by Christ and His apostics, and the funda- mental article of the faith—the mystery of the Trint- ty—is represented 7 the triangular candlestick. ‘The clergymen and choristers ranged on either side of the sanctuary repeat alternately the verses of the psalms, and the choristers chosen for the ay ose chant the lessons while standing in the middle of the sanctuary. AL St. Patrick's Cathedra;, Mott street, near Prince, the Tenepree willbe very fine, and at several of the other churches the services will be of # correspond- ingly imposing character. THE PUBLIC HEALTH. The foliowing weekly report of the Registrar of Vital Statistics was submitted to the Board of Heaith yesterday :— the or METROPOLITAN BOARD OF HEALTH, BUREAU OF VITAL StaTistics, New York, April 7, 1868 In the week that ended on Saturday, the 4th inst., there were 463 deaths in New York, including §3 in the pubite institutions, There were 140 deaths in the Brooklyn population, exciusive of the deaths in the county institutions. ‘The taean lemperatute, 46 de- ees Fahrentieit, was seven degrees fist of the previous week. The total mortality was less by 17 in New York and by 13 in Brooklyn. There were only 39 deaths by scarlatina and measies in the two cities, a decrease of 11 in the week, New York lost 121 Se oe kd Piha or; and this was equal to 26.15 per cent of e tora number of Meathe of all . Brooklyn lost 6 nuralings of like tender age, or precisely one-fourth of all the deaths in that city, Childhood in its firsk five years is accredited with 46 per cent of the total mortatity in New York, and with only 438.57 per cent. in Brooklyn, The latter city 18 apparently gaining upon New York in its relative salubrity this spring. The x motic diseases in Brooklyn are charged with only 13.67 per cent of the total mortality there, while in New York they caused nearly 22 per cent of the total list of deaths, The Coroners tnade returns upon 33 deaths, 1% of which were by vio- Jence—4 being suicides, 3 by by drowning, There ts most culpable neglect in the public exposure and sale of poisons in these two cities. It is not the most unworthy of human lives which are thus sacrificed, worthy guarding and saving, The nainber of vioient and whnataral deaths isso great tn New York that their causes should be very thorvughly scratinized. Not a few of them can be prevented, The deathrate the past week in the metropolis compares favorabiy with that of the chief cities in Europe for the second week in March. Liverpool, Edinburg and Vienna had a higher rate than waa experienced here either in thesame Ig bayt hg st rity the nt x 1@ Last named city the rate we ney a, being between sitten and twenty-five years old. The rush of enigration is likely toexceed that which followel, two years ago, the futile attempt at insurretion made by the Fenians. Their more rece failures have doubtless ‘ ue th sf 0 af the pope | stimulated the digpysition to seek independence | i) Satie Of ta in ne ot ee Pete policed ct, and liberty in theUnited States. where these er 1.000. FB. HARRIS,