The New York Herald Newspaper, December 24, 1868, Page 6

NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR ‘ peeeeenaEreroseeS ‘All business or news letter and telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York HERALD. Rejected communications will not be re- turned, Letters and packages should be properly sealed. te ees sig a ‘THE DAILY HERALD, published every day in the year, Four cents per copy. Annual subscription price $14. Volume XXXIIE......+.+++++ aeeceesese NOs 359 AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. NEW YORK THEATRE, Broadway.—Tae BURLESQUE OF BAnbE BLEUE. £8 OPERA HOUSE, corner of Eighth avenue and aud steel. —CHANSON DE FoRTUNIO—LES BavagDs, OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway.—Humpty DvMPryY. wit N&w FEatunes. BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway.—Ta®t EMERALD Rin WALLACK’S THEATRE. Broadway and 43th street.— ‘WonDER, A WOMAN KEEPS A SECRET. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—APTRE DARK} QB, LON- DON bY NIGHT. BOWERY THEATRE, Bows Jenny Linp—Tus STRING OF IRELAND AS Ir Was— ARLE. MRS. F. B. CONWAY'S PARK THEATRE, Brooklyn.— ALADDIN. BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC.--GENEVIEVR DE Buabant. ay WOOD'S MUSEUM AND THEATRE, Thirtiey atregt aud Broadway.—Afternoon apd evening Perforsiad rates BRYANTS’ OPERA HOSE, 2, Tammany Building, Mth street.—ETHIOPIAN MINSTRELBY, &C. KELLY & LEON'S MINSTRELS, 720 Broadway.—ETH10- TIAN MINSTBELB8Y, BURLESQUE.—BARBEB BLU. SAN FRANCISCU MINSTRELS, 885 Broadway.—ETH10- PIAN ENTERTAINMENTS, SINGING, DANGING, &e. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 201 Bowery.—Comto Vooa.iaM, NEGRO MINSTRELSY, &c. HIBERNIAN MINSTRELS, Apollo Hall, corner of Broad- way and 28th st.—O'FLAuzRTy's DRRAME. NEW YORK CIRCUS, Fourteenth a AND GYMNASTIO ENTERTAINMENT. Matinee as 234. CENTRAL PARK GARDE! Tazo. THOMAS’ GRAND PROMENADE CONCERT. HOOLEY’S OPERA HOUSE, Brooklyn.—HOOLEY’s MINSTRELS—“SANTA CLAUS,” GIFTS, &C. HOOLEY'S (E. D.) OPERA HOUSE, eee HOOLEY's MINSTRELS—“SANYA CLAUS,” GiFTs, &C. NEW YORK M"SEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.— BOIRNCE AND ART. TRI PLE SHEET. ‘New York, ‘Thursday, December 7 24, 1868. 1868. Europe. fhe cable telegrams are dated December 2. ‘Tne Greek government has made a demand on the Chambers for credit to the amount of one hundred million drachmas. Troops have been levied, the National Guard mobilized and towns fortified. The Turkish Admiral has announced to the authorities at ‘Syra that his intentions are peaceful. Active movements are being made by the great Powers to prevent bioodshed over the Eastern ques- tion. The report of the proposed conference is ‘fully confirmed. Sefior Olozaga has been ofmcially received by the Emperor Napoleon. Carlist manifestations have occurred in Navarre and a number of persons have been arrested. The Spanish government intends to make material changes tn the colonies. Cuba. ‘The steamer Montezuma arrived at Havana yes- terday from Nuevitas, bringing eighty sick and wounded soldiers and thirteen prisoners. Four thousand troops, with ten pieces of artillery, have atarted by various routes to attack Bayamo. We have correspondence from the tnsurrectionary districts and from Havana up to the 19th inst. con- taining a full résumé of our cable despatches. Count Balmaseda had returned to Nuevitas with reinforcements and supplies, In accordance with reported instructions from Captain General Lersundi ‘he will probably remain inactive until the arrival of Dulce, who has already sailed to supersede Lersundi. ‘The insurgents and the Spanish troops in the neigh- ‘borhood of Santiago de Cuba both exchanged salutes with the United States steamer Penobscot on her arrival at that port. Two of the telegraph operators who accompanied Balmaseda from Puerto Principe ‘were shot by his order for having acted in the inte- Testa of the insurgents. Paraguay. By the Atlantic cable we learn that Lopez's situa- tion has been made very difficult by his complica- tion with the United States, and he is seeking a reconciliation in consequence, He still shows a de- termined front to the ailies. Our Rio Janeiro letter is dated November 29, The Brazilian Ministry had urged measures looking to- wards peace with Paraguay upon the Emperor, but he refused to acquiese inthem. A financial crash was considered inevitable if he remained obstinate. At the seat of war a reconnoissance had shown the Paraguayan works to be very formidable. Our Buenos Ayres letter is dated November 14. The American squadron was about to move up the Para- guay river. It was the intention to demand the sur- render of Bliss and Masterman. All the Paraguayan prisoners of war in Buenos Ayres had been released by President Sarmiento. Ve ela. Mail advices of a late date are to the effect that informal elections for President in place of Monagas, deceased, had been neld in the States, but the result 13 still unknown. Congress will make the final choice in January. Sutherland had left Maracaibo for Curacoa and Pulgar had taken possession. St. Domingo. General Ogando’s revolution is stitl progressing. He had been joined by other chiefs at Las Matas and ‘was preparingto march on Azua with 1,600 men, Cabral had defeated Baez's troops at Guayubin. Baez's downfall is considered certain. His agent, Jesurun, was unable to rais@ funds in Europe and Mr. Fabens, it is sald, is coming to New York to raise money by the sale of Samana. Misccliancous. An army guide just in from the Plains reports that General Sheridan intends to eat his Christmas din- ner with Major Inman, ac Camp Supply. He has been joined by the Kansas volunteers, who have had & very hard campaign, all their stock having been driven off by the Indians and many of the men be- ing badly frozen. Our correspondence from the Plains, published this morning, gives a full account of the recent movements of General Sheridan. He ‘was to have left the forks of Beaver and Woif rivers On the 8th for Fort Cobb, 100 miles further into the Indian territory. He has written a letter to General Sherman to prove that Black Kettle’s band, defeated by General Custer, were on the war path. Eighty convicts in the New Jersey State Prison refused to work on Tuesday afternoon on account of the alleged tyrannous conduct of a temporary super- intendent. They were so persistent and determined in their demands that 1t was found necessary to re- lieve the obnoxious superintendent, whereupon they ‘went to work with lusty cheers, It is said by the relatives of George 8, Farrar, of Laconia, N. H., whose wife is in custody on the charge of attempting to poison him, that she and her female friend and alleged accomplice wanted to get him out of the way in order to commence keep- ing a “fancy” house. The Idaho Legislature met in Bolse City on the 9th NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, inst. Governor Ballard, in his message, recom- mends a revision of the mining laws, and complains of the mismanagement of postal affairs in the Ter- ritory, many routes receiving double service, while many large towns are wholly without mail facilities. There are remaining in the Territory from 5,000 to 8,000 Indians, all favorably disposed towards the whites, The Chicago Board of Trade has determined to bring before Congress a plan to connect the head waters of the Mississippi, Illinois and Ohio rivers with Lakes Superior, Michigan and Erie, and to erect alevee along the Mississippi river from Cairo to its mouth. A distillery in Boston, owned by the Suffolk Lead Works and valued at $150,000, has been confiscated to the government for evasion of the Internal Rev- enue law. The tobacco factories of Pike county, Ill., have been seized for violations of the Revenue law. The Episcopal church at Lansingburg, N. Y., was destroyed by fire yesterday morning. Loss $10,000, Two white men were killed on the Ogeechee river, Georgia, yesterday, by a party of armed negroes. ‘The planters of that section declare that they will be compelled to leave their homes unless they are protected. An engine and one passenger car on the Boston and Maine Railroad ran into an open draw near the State Prison bridge, at Charlestown, Mass., yester- day evening. None of tlie passengers were injured. ‘The engineer and fireman swam ashore unhurt. The City. Mr. Samuel Bowles, editor of the Springfield Re- Dpubdlican, was imprisoned in Ludlow street jail on Tuesday night on a charge of libel preferred by James Fisk, Jr., of the Erie Railway. He offered large security and his friends applied personally to the Sheriff, offering security for his appearance next morning; but all failed, and he was compelled to undergo imprisonment in a cell for the night, pay- ing, besides, nineteen dollars and fifty cents fees re- quired by the officials. He was released yesterday ‘on $50,000 bail. In the Watson & Crary distillery case yesterday Judge Blatchford charged the jury, who, after an absence of yf twenty 1 minutes, returned with a verdict tor the g government. A stay of proceedings to pre- pare a billof exceptions was granted counsel for defendants, William P, Wright was charged before Justice Hogan yesterday with selling fraudulent pas- sage tickets on the railways running west. A twenty dollar Chicago ticket was sold by trim for fourteen dollars, He bad charge of what purported to be arailway ticket office at 206 Broadway, and an assortment of implements for the manufacture of bogus tickets was seized on the premises, The ex- act dimensions of the fraud are incalculable at pre- sent. Wright was held for examination. In the Brooklyn Court of Sessions yesterday, in the case of a man charged with rescuing a prisoner from a policeman, the jury were charged that a policeman had no right to arrest without a warrant when he had not witnessed the felony complained of, and a verdict of “not guilty’? was rendered in accordance with instructions from the Court. The North German Lloyd's steamship Main, Cap- tain von Oterendorp, will leave Hoboken at two two o'clock P. M, to-day, for Southampton and Bre- men. The mails for Europe will close at the Post Office at twelve o’clock M. ‘The fine sidewheel steamsflip Magnolia, Captain M. B. Crowell, of Leary’s line, will sail at three o’clock P. M. to-day from pier No. 8 North river for Charleston, 8. C. The stock market yesterday was greatly depressed by the extreme activity in money. New York Central sold down to 148 and was followed by most of the general list. Gold was very dull and deciimed to 13454 after the board, whence it rallied to 134% a 14% at five o'clock. Prominent Arrivals in the City. Senator 8. C. Pomeroy, of Kansas; Postmaster General Randall, of Washington; Judge Lowery and — Milholland, of Pennsylvania; ex-Senator E. M. Madden, of Middletown, and James F. Crosby, of Albany, are at the Astor House. Senator W. M. Stewart, of Nevada; Colonel James Houghton, of Boston; Colonel Stagg, of San Fran- cisco; Senator E. D. Holbrook, of Idaho, and Cap- tain G, V. Keiser, of the United States Navy, are at the Metropolitan Hotel. Professor W. Wells, of Schenectady, and Captain Wm. Mills, of the United States Army, are at the St. Charles Hotel. Count Miranda, of Rio Janeiro, and T. Mac de Friate, of Spain, are at the New York Hotel. Judge Black, of New York; Captain sternbell, of the United States Navy; Senator C. Cole, of Cali- fornia; John 8. Weed, of Washington; George Pea- iy Russell, of Salem; Dr. W. M. Ballard, of Mas- sachusetts; General F. Starling, of the United States Army, and Fred. H. 8, Swan, of thé United States Navy, are at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. General W. ©. Clark, of Washington, and M. Videll, of Louisiana, are at the Hoffman House. Cushing’s Mission=— The Isthmus Canal. We are at length enlightened as to the whereabouts of Mr. Caleb Cushing, who turns up at Panama, en route for Bogoté, We sur- mise that the object of his flying visit to Nj Granada is to make a ship canal treaty with tint Power, that We tay Si Semmenee the great work which is to unite the Atlantic and the Pacific. There has heretofore existed some doubt as to the right which New Granada has to concede the transit through a State of that federal republic. This, perhaps, arises from the fact that the States of néarly all the Spanish American republics have an inordi- nate idea of their own reserve powers to make concessions for public works, In Mexico, for instance, the States claim to have withheld this right from the general government, and the latter has in some instances both cor- tested and conceded the claim. The constitu- tion of the United States of Colombia, sanc- tioned May 8, 1863, is, however, not very clear on this point. Under the head of ‘Bases of Union” and ‘Delegation of Powers” it is conceded that the general government has— ‘‘Article 6. The regulating of all the inter- oceanic routes which exist or which may be opened in the territory of the Union, and the navigation of the rivers which bathe the ter- ritory of more than one State or which may pass to that of a frontier nation.” Panama signed this with the other States; and from the fact that the Panama Railway obtained its original charter and the renewal of it from the central government, it is fair to suppose that the law quoted is a recognized principle of the government. @ertain parties in Panama, however, have been disposed to dispute the clearness of this part of the Colombian constjtution, and it would be advisable to have it well explained before large amounts of money are invested in so costly a work as that now contemplated. The clause referred to is certainly not to the point, whatever may have been the intention in its origin. It was but a few weeks since that our ambi- tious Secretary of State descended from his Presidential dream to more practical matters, and concluded if he could glide to his political grave through a Darien ship canal he could rest ‘contented. He appointed certain promi- nent men to sound the warket for subscrip- tions, with what success does not yet appear. With unusual activity he starts Mr. Cushing to negotiate for the right of transit. We hope that any treaty made will be general and on Caleb DECEMBER 24, 1868.—-TRIPLE SHEET. — for a certain dis- th seas, This can- ise than an unwar- transit, to the detri- tance along the coasts o! not be considered othe: rantable monopoly of one route until most made. As yet the ex: Holiday Books. We invite special attention to the rapid but tolerably completessurvey which we have elsewhere given of the provisions made by several of our principal publishers and book- sellers to supply the active demand for holiday books, It will be seen that, although European and American publishers have, as we remark, made less extensive special preparation than usual during the past year for novelties in this line, very costly and elegant novelties are nevertheless offered, together with an abun- dance of standard works printed, bound and entirely preliminary a Of the numerous d we have that of Nicaragua, Chiriqui, fanama, Darien, the Atrato and others. e Atrato has been more thoroughly examijed than either of the others, excepting, perhips, the impracticable Nicaragua route; but) the Atrato requires an enormous tunnel o} nearly five miles in length. No one can question the immense advan- tages to be derived bythe world’s commerce through this enterpri From New York to Calcutta we shall save ),600 miles, to Canton 10,900, to Valparaiso 8100, to San Francisco 14,000, to Melbourne 2830. The value of the commerce which wouldpass through the gap would for the United Gates be two hundred millions ws —— fot England very nearly the gam _Frange |somié seventy pilljons, In Pi ae trad{ affected by the canal would not be less than five hundred millions of dollars annually, w: le the estimated annual saving to the world ¥ould be, | by a reliable estimate, some fifty nilions of dollars. We are not alone in our present efforts in this project. France las M. Felix Belly, of Nicaragua trinsit fame, en route to negotiate for the control of this particular line, which, it will be remembered, was the one which once attracted the attention and pen of the French Emperor. The mor¢ canals the better; although we feel that the work should be broadly international, and not, in this age, narrowly confined to one people. Prussia and the Eastern Question—A General Conference. From London, Paris and Berlin our cable despatches of last night assure us of a Euro- pean Conference on the Eastern question, and that the initial movements come from Prussia and Russia. We detect in this .the presence and the brains of Count Bismarck. The Eastern question really has become serious. Greece is preparing ‘for war. The sympathy of Russia with Greece and with the Christians of Turkey is already so pronounced that there can be no doubt as to the tendency of Russian sentiment. It does not mean nothing that Russia has ordered her flag to be used for Grecian purposes. It grants to Greeks the favor that the Western Powers have denied. A European war is, therefore, rendered the more a possibility. No Power in Europe has more to gain by peace and less to gain by war than Prussia. War creates dangers and involves heavy expenses. Peace has for Prussia, in particular, easy and certain conquests. Count Bismarck knows the fact, and, as it appears, is not slow to make use of the opportunity to advance the cause with which his name must be lastingly asso- ciated. Austria and Italy are tied up by their debts and their dangers, and hence they readily side with Prussia. This Conference, in fact, means to us on this side two things. It means, first of all, that, unless the great] Powers ip*Tpose to prevent it, the difficyity betyeor, Sacdes and and Greece con- tains Within it the germs of a European war. It means, secondly, that the honor of settling European difficulties shall no longer belong excluaifely to Paris and to the Emperor Na- poleon. In other words, it proves that just as Bismarck played off Napoleon on the nation- alities question and made that question’ as much his own as Napoleon's, so does he now intend to play off France on what we may call the Paris question, ard make Berlin, so far as he can, the Paris of the future. . What will Napoleor do? To him this pro- posal must be a surprise. In his estimation he and Paris, not Clrendon and London, not Bismarck and Berlin, ought to have settled this fresh Eastern difficulty. What will Napo- leon do? He does not want war; he does not, he cannot object to a congress. If a con- gress is good in itself it ought to be as good in Berlin as in Paris. Itis, after all, a new phase of the question. It begets new difficulties, while it does not mitigate the severe character of the old, How the affair will end it is hard to say. Meanwhile it is not easy to resist the conviction that Bismarck has stolen a march on Napoleon, and that Prussia and Kussia have taken the vile of France. A Word for Our Sailors: We publish in our triple sheet a plain- spoken but sensible exposition from Captain Low, of the American schooner E. A. De Hart, showing the manner and unreason of the seizure of his vessel by some of the petty arbiters of the human race in Hayti. We would call the attertion of the government to this case in particular§ and to the unreason- ableness * general of leaving our enterprising and hard-working seamen to struggle alone, and without countenance or assistance from their home goverrment, in their difficulties with the petty rulers and revolutionists whose ephemeral sway in nany of the South and Mid- American ports gives them opportunities to rub and protects them tom the slow retribution of justice. nature, can ever rach these rascals; and it is incumbent on the government to adopt a policy in the instructions fo commanders of our ships of war abroad to remedy the evil. The case in poist is a flagrant one and calls tor immediate action. There are three gov- ernments now in Hayti—that of Salnave, at the capital, one headed by Domingnez, at Aux Cayes, and one at St, Mare, presided over by Saget—all having fall cabinets with corre- sponding lists of generals, comandantes and diplomatists, each poor and hungry for prey. terms that will do credit to the statesmen of | Colombia, who are fully impressed with the movements of civilization in the direction of their country, owing to the prominent geo- EEE EEE The whole thing of these negro governments is 4 farce, and the sooner our government pro- tects our citizens who may be induced to trade at their ports the better will it be for us and them. No diplonatic action, from its slow | illustrated in so superb a style as to render them peculiarly suitable for holiday gifts. The stock of juvenile works seems to be ex- traordinarily large and extraordinarily good. Books of every description, and interesting to Persons of both sexes and of all ages, are to be found in profusion on the counters and shelves of our enterprising New York book- sellers. All departments of literature and science are represented in this splendid ex- hibition. The very latest improvements in printing, in paper and in binding have been applied in their manufacture. And if recently published books, with but few honorable ex- ceptions, are less remarkable for what they contain than for their superior outside ap- pearance, this may be partly accounted for from the fact that the intellectual activities of the age now seek expression for the most part in the newspaper rather than in the book. The newspaper appeals more directly and more speedily to the minds and hearts of the present generation, and is thus constrained to assume the office ed in slower days to the Patiently elaborated book, The latter must be reserved chiefly for the setting forth of the results of prolonged historical and scientific study and research. For the daily immediate uses of practical life the morning newspaper— which, after all, printed in another shape, would constitute a volume in itself—must suffice, and, in fact, is sufficient. But the young and the old have leisure for the book and take delight in it, especially when modern inventions have enabled publishers to make of ita real work of art. The application, for instance, of photography to the illustration of holiday books is a noteworthy feature in many of the publications which have appeared this year. The book trade in the United States has opened before it afar more illimitable field than our American publishers—too many of whom are singularly short-sighted and narrow- minded individuals—have any conception of. Our rapidly increasing population will make it difficult for the publishers to keep pace with their demands. The large number of rare and costly works exhibited for sale in New York and in all our chief cities during the, present week attests that our people have already at- tained a wonderful degree of intelligence, taste and wealth. A Bohemian Raid on Grocers and Butchers. During some few days past there has been a band of Bohemians dut among the grocers and butchers, These fellows have been intent on winter groceries and mutton. They have bought cinnamon, and cloves, and citron, not knowing exactly what people eat who live on other things’ than whiskey; or maybe hoping to get up a mince pie among them. They have also bought a little buckwheat and an immense amount of sugar and heavy quantities of tea. They have bought these things, and, we suppose, paid for them— counting that money as a sprat cast to catch a mackerel—for th we the gro- ceries thus bought opiy to make a list for blackmail purposes. This thing has been Gon’ vith, but the public seen’ Hot yet to be suffcigatly fasnilics Sie FR Te age | pe vre the war a man made in this city, for tion in the South, a list of firms that were sound on the slavery issue and of firms that were not sound on that issue. It was under- stood that not to be sound on that issue would immensely damage any house in its Southern business, And every house was so put down that did not ‘‘meet the views” of the man who made the list. Inthe same way a list has been made of properly qualified physicians in this city, and every doctor who did not sub- scribe was kept out of the list, that it might be understood there was some reproach against him. Now we have this old means revived with a grand flourish of trumpets against the grocers, because the poor Bohemians are hungry and hardup. Theelection has damaged these fellows badly—left them high and dry—for the city elec- tion was too sure a thing for anything to be made on it, and the Presidential election went the wrong way. Who, then, shall suffer? Why not the grocer and the butcher at once? For all plunder is for the means to live, and much of it for the means to pay these necessary merchants, So away goes the Bohemian to make a black list of grocers, and to let every grocer in the city know that he will be pub- lished as a scoundrel if he does not hasten to silence the hungry Bohemian. The terms on which a grocer may be put down as one who sells true weight, are that he shall replen- ish the cupboards of Bohemia, that he shall fill up that poor starved barrel, guiltless of sugar these many months, and its associate bar- rels for fleur, buckwheat, hominy, and the innumerable boxes for tea, coffee, spices, &c. In making the black list it is astonishing how little the Bohemians have been able to allege and how handsomely our city grocers have come out in the test. Nota charge can fairly be made of dishonesty on any of the Bohe- mians’ facts, They declare that their scales differ in regard to certain articles from the scales the grocers use, and in any such differ- ence we would infinitely rather trust such a respectable and responsible body as the grocers of this city than the poor slipshod, tipsy, | frozen fellows who are adopting this dodge to replenish. They allege a difference in weight; and, after all, what is the difference? Generally it is a difference of one-eighth of an: ounce on three pounds of sugar—that is, a difference of one three hundred and eighty-fourth part on a bulky and not expensive article—a difference of three mills on a dollar. Here is a mare’s nest to be sure. Sometimes the difference is less | than this. Sometimes it is one-sixteenth of | an ounce on « similar quantity, or one and a half mills on a dollar. This difference is easily explained by the particles of sugar that ad- | here to the paper and by the moisture that | dries out of it on exposure to the air for \a day. Why, if one of these Bohemians were thus exposed for a day and not re- plenished by the fluids on which he lives, it is a demonstrable fact that he would lose not less than fifteen pounds in weight. Nay, our pro- fessional chemist and mathematician, to whom we submitted the problem, have shown us in more figures than we have space for that this whole Bohemian party could by the mere pro- cess of drying be reduced to a little vile dust, not so pungent as a pinch of snuff, and fit only to plaster a bunghole. According to Bohemia’s own account there was more en in excess of weight than was kept in deficiency ; for one butcher alone gave hglf a pound over. It was clearly a slip that this fellow got into the list, for if it had suited the purpose to show both sides the errors by overweight would have quite equalled the errors the other way. The Christmas Tree. There {s nothing, perhaps, associated with Christmas more interesting to the young folks, and, for that, to a great many old folks, too, than the-Christmas tree. We speak more par- ticularly of our own happy country, where it is more generally used than anywhere else, though the Christmas tree is a favorite emblem and souvenir of this festive season in Ger- many, England ani other Christian countries. It is loved for the bounteous gifts it bears in the form of presents and bon bons, for its fes- tive decorations and the fun it creates, and it stands long after the season is over as a cher- ished object in memory of home and family joys. Of course i; must be an evergreen (as the pine, cedar a cypress), for that shows enduring life and fteshness amidst the desola- tion of winter, and it should be conical in form, for displaying to the best advantage its pendent bounties, Our ‘marketmen make a heavy raid upon the adjacent forests for these trees, as has been seen for more than a week past by the vast quantities for sale at the dif- ferent markets in the city. The mistletoe is sometimes used, suspended in boughs or in the form of a garland, under which kisses are legitimately claimed and given. In the Old World holly is very much used to decorate houses and churdhes, and particularly the win- dows. Its rich green, polished and prickly leaves, in contrast with its bright red berries, make a beautiful appearance, especially when the snow is on the ground. In all this the sentiment seems to be to mock or defy Old Winter, with his deathlike appearance, by a display of that which shows perpetual fresh- ness and life. The custom of decking houses and churches at Christmas with evergreens, and the custom of the Christmas tree, which has grown out of that, are derived from ancient Druid practices. Though now practised in celebration of the birthday of Christ, it has a Pagan origin. It was an old belief among the Druids that sylvan spirits might flock to the evergreens and re- main unnipped by frost tilla milder season. This is the reason why these evergreens re- mained where they were placed till spring ap- peared. They were the home of and sheltered the pleasant sylvan spirits during the dreary season of winter. Now they remain as the cherished souvenirs of home joys, family re- unions and the spirit of domestic happiness. In some countries, and particularly in Germany, the Christmas tree is made to convey moral instruction to the young as well as to bear presents, The tree is usually lighted up with tapers and hung with manifold gifts. Each giftis marked with the name of the person for whom it is intended, but not with the name of the giver. Atthe distribution the mother takes occasion to say privatgly (g the daugh- ters and the father to the 0% what has been qhaerved praiseworthy or faulty in their con- duck. Though the iligon of @ pegple " change and gggther civilization i on a coutitry, yet hase old os ae os gags of Christmas remain leant: | modified somewhat, but the nad habit continue. essentially the same. May the Christmas tree never cease to bear abundance of gifts to the young folks and happiness to every family circle! The Board of Education—A Scholarly Job. The reputation of a New York Board of Aldermen is notorious throughout the length and breadth of the land, but few people would expect to find any extensive jobs and profita- ble rings in the educational department of the city governnent. About election time, it is true, we hear complaints of favoritism in the selection of teachers on the part of the public school authorities and charges of extravagance against everzbody in general and no person in particular ; but the people have got so used to this sort of electioneering in the partisan papers that they pay no heed to it. There appears, however, to be a serious necessity for a thorough overhauling of the affairs of the Board of Education, not during the heated excitement of a political cam- paign, but after the politicians have “let us have peace,” and at a time when we have leisurt to inquire dispassionately into official abuses. The probability appears to be that under the specious cover of our school system, and through the instrumentality of a sanctimonious smoothness and piety of the genuine Amimdab Sleek character, the tax- payers are being more shamefully victimized in this departmeni than in any other of the city government. The burly Alderman, who is celebrated for his :apacity in the knock-down- and-drag-out busixess at the polls, seems not to be quite so complete a rascal. after all as the oily, obsequious philanthropist who professes to be such a warm ‘riend of the education and elevation of the masses. ‘ The increase of the expenditures of the school department for the past five years is startling. Is 1864 the expenses of the Board of Education were $1,787,000. In 1865 they took a jump of half a million to $2,298,000. In 1866 they increased nearly a quar- ter of a million dollars. In 1867 they were swelled by another half million, and this year they again advance a quarter of a million, and the enormous amount of three and a quar- ter millions of dollars is demanded from the taxpayers, There ‘s something of the boldness of the highway robber in this impudent plun- dering of the taxpayers, and we can now un- derstand why the office of School Commis- sioner is sought after by pothouse politicians in preferency to the Common Council or even the State I/gislature. A few years ago the whole city government did not cost as much as is now defanded for the support of the schools alone, ‘the appropriation asked for this year is emmgh to send every scholar to Rurove and to educate the whole batch there. Next year, left unchecked, the department will no doubt increase their demands to four million dollars. The ring have already raised the salaries of the principal officers to large sums, and have left the poor teachers to drudge along at a rate of pay inferior to the wages of mechanics. The Secretary of the Board receives six thousand dollars a year, while the Board meets once a month. An inspector of buildings has been created, with a heavy salary and light duties; and other abuses have crept into the system, which require prompt and decisive treatment for their removal. Probably the best method of reform is to be found in the proposition to elect twelve school commissioners on a general ticket, similar to the Supervisors’ plan—not less than seven to be elected, and the remaining five to be ap- pointed from those receiving the highest num- ber of votes. This would secure an adequate representation for the minority and. destroy the operations of the ring. No subject of greater importance to the city will be pre- sented to the attention of the Legislature during the coming session, and it is to be hoped that something will be done to put a stop to the present corruptions and to insure a thorough reform in our school system. General Grant and the Southwestern Troubles. The disorders in the States of Louisiana and Arkansas, which have prevailed for some time, are likely to receive an intelligent solu- tion through the sagacity of General Grant. The reports of conflicts between the authorities in Louisiana have been of a most perplexing character, the military powers representing the state of affairs in one way and the civil powers in a directly opposite direction. Mat- ters are still worse in Arkansas. Riot and bloodshed are the ordinary occurrences of the day in that State, if reports be true, the co- lored militia committing the greatest atrocities upon the plea of keeping the peace. General Grant has very wisely decided to ascertain the’ real facts upon testimony which will prove to him indisputable and will guide him in his dealings with the extraordinary political con- dition of those States. With this view he has sent two members of his staff (Generals Bab- cock and Porter), on a tour of inspection: through both of these disturbed States, to ascertain by personal observation and report to him the actual position of affairs there. This measure is worthy of Grant's known character for forethought and sagacity. He evidently does not mean to act in this matter without obtaining a full knowledge of all the facts, and we presume that his future action int public affairs will be governed by like pre- caution. A Canoe For THE LeaistatuRE.—The proposition to water the Central Railroad stock to the amount of eighty per cent on the limited capital requires the consent of the} State Legislature before it becomes a legal act. Here isa splendid chance for our Sena- tors and Assemblymen. The claim of the directors that they have earned this eighty per’ cent of course destroys all hope or pretence’ of raising the way passenger fare on the New, York Central road—a proposition out of which: the Legislature and the lobby have heretofore! made such desirable profits ; but as the pro- posed stock dividend will need a law to legal- ize it, the folks at Albany will take care that before any such bill is allowed to pass they ard guaranteed a profit equal to that expected to be realized by the Wall street operators by means of this watering pro: Tax Supreme Ocost—Bormy, raz OL Fiitows Orr.—The !3cést Pro;osition for the reconstruction of | Suprem? Court is one sitplish that wag that can scarcely Hing project of the radicals, and, as it the natural love of rest, leisure = same some men old enough to prefer the cosey fire- side to any other place. Some of these men are only kept from resigning by the salary they receive as judges, and the plan of continuing their salaries will immediately bring about their retirement. Then there will be room for several judges who look at the law from the standpoint of the republican party. Aw Army Rive—A Svussgor ror GeveraL Grant.—Our Washington despatch touching the speculative operations of certain army officers out West in the sales of government property shows that frauds upon the Treasury are not limited to the whiskey rings, the tobacco rings and the tariff and railroad rings, but that there are rings of money~ making in the army worth looking afier. We submit the subject to the special attention of General Grant. ‘‘When the cat's away the mice will play.” A Happy Ipga.—That of a children’s holi- day party in the White House. The amiable ladies of the President's family are doubtless entitled to the honor of this appropriate recognition of the little people as the coming men and women of the republic. FINE ARTS. Sale of Rugglew Gems, Not even Ruggles’ gems can be sold at anything like respectable prices this season. About eighty orginal oil paintings and a number of pencil sketches from the prrvee collection of Mra. Ruggles were sold, or rather given away, at the Leeds Art Gallery last evening for prices which, in the majority of instances, were only a few paltry dollars above the cost of frames, canvas and colors. The sale was badly attended, and, despite the exertions of the experienced auctioneer, the bidding was tame throughout. Only second and third rate dealers were present, and, with one or two exceptions, bid- dera and buyers made their contemptible offers without blushing. The result of this sale is more discouraging than the prices obtained for the pic- tures of the Artist Fund Society. ‘The highest price was given for “The Ruined Mill,” the last picture painted by Dr. Ruggles, which brought $200. A view of Valiey Grove, L. L, now the centre of Prospect Park, painted in the autumn of 1801, was purchased for $23, In tive gallery of the New York Historical Society this picture would be worth ten times the amount. A scene in the low- lands of Holland brought $30. The remainin gems of this collection of gems sold as under:—‘Fire in the Woods," $155 “English eas * $26; Avent ney Mountains,’ $40; “Caen,” $20; “Mark Obernay,” $24; “Alpine Scsnery, $37; srkintomb ment of Christ,” ; “Autumn in the Catskills’? $23; “Among the All tes,” $27; “Old Mill,” S265 “View in Venice,’ 27; “Ruins of the Tempie ot Minerva, Rome,” $49; “dion Mary," $30. The pen- cil sketches sold at from $1 to $6. PERSONAL, Vice President elect Colfax and lady were hospi- tabiy entertained last evening at the residence of Mr. Bowen, corner of Clark and Willow streets, Brooklyn, There was a numerous gathering of the woalthy residenta of the Heights and a grand display of the beauty and fashion of the City of Churches.