The New York Herald Newspaper, December 14, 1870, Page 6

6 ; NEW YORK HERALD Cee eee saad GROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON. BENNETT, ; PROPRIETOR, Volume XXXV. vs ou AMUSEMENTS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING, OLOBE THEATRE, 728 Breadway.-Vagigtr ENTeR- VAINMENT, A&C. Matines at 23g. FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE, Tweaty-fourtd street.— MAN AND Wire, BOWERY THEATRE, BRING OF PEARLS. BOOTU'S THEATRE, 234 a Biv Van WInkux. Bowery.—Neck asp NroK— NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—Tas SPECTACLE oF Tux BLACK Crook. WALLACK'S THEATRE, Broadway and 13th street. CoqunrrEs, LINA EDWIN’S THEATRE, 79 Broadway.—LirTLe Jaok Surrraun. GRAND OPERA ROUSE, corner of 8th ay. and %d st.— Les BRiGANDs. OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway. Wee Wintix WINKIE, Matinee NEW YORK STADT Ovena—RIGOLETTO, THs PANTOMIME OF WOOD'S MUSEUM Broadway, corner 80th at.—Perform- ‘ences every afternoon and evening, Matinee at 2 MRE, PF. B. CONWAY'S PARK THRAT! x Whigy Cincue—Avae HALLOW Eve kor STOO STEINWAY HALL, Fourteenth stroet.—ANTONY AND OLnoraT@a, TONY PASTOR'S OPERA MIR1TY ENTERTAINMEN'. Mat! USE, 201 Bowery.—Va- 1 wb 2g. om THEATRE COMIQU! asm, NeGzo Acts, 4 Broadway.—-Comie VooaL- Matinee at 21. REL HALL, $85 Broadway.— 5, BUBLESQUES, &o. BAN FRANCISCO MIN. Nrq@no MiNSTERLSY, Fal BRYANT'S NEW OPERA HOUSE, O84 st., between 6th avd ith avs.—Nuuno Mixururier, Kookntuieirigs, 40. APOLLO HAUL. corner 98th street and Broadway.— Dz. Coumx’s DIORAMA OF IRELAND. HOOLEY'S OPERA BOWSE, Brooklyn.-Neano MIN- SUERLSY, BURLESQUES, £4 BROOKLYN OPERA WOU Warre’s MINSTRELS. ~14 —-Weiom, Socmes & ILLE ART GAL ¥, 22 Fifth avenue-—Day ¢—WONDERS oF Tuk ARTIC KEGIONS. NEW YORK CIRCUS, Fen: sux KING, ACROLATS, Ao. Mul th street.—SomNRs IN 28 Bs 254, DR. KAHN'S ANATOMICAL BCLEKGH AND ART. 'SEUM, 745 Broad way.— NEW YORK M SEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway. SCIENOK AND ART. New York, Wednesday, December 14, 1870. CONTENTS OF TO-DAYS HERALD, Pacr. ris 5 i I—Adverisements, Bm Advemisements. %—France: HERALD Special Reports of the Polltl- cal Situation; A German Programme for Peace; Agitation in Havre at the Proximity of the Germans; A Battle Imminent Near Monti- viliiers; Map Showing the General Situation, 4—‘roce dings in Congress-—Butler, Porter and the Farragut Flag—the Fire Fiend’s Werk for | 4 Year: Annual Keport of Fire Marshal M n—Aimost a Disas Near Hoboken—Ocean C: Tetegrapi Enterprise; Reduced Rates Promaised—Deparyment of Public | Works— Smaipox—Whiskey Fraud— ai Affray—The Erte Track in ult of Intoxication. ary Ceiebration of the iliant Gathering at the Addresses by Charles Shocking Ac- : A New THEATRE, 45 Bowery, —Geruan New YORK HERALD, WKDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14. 1870.-TKIPLE SHEET. that oartied in foreign voss:ls—$567,000,000 | Coxtedis Yesterday—The Arlington Fre- to $25,000,000. In 1869 the positions were | perty, the Franking Privilege, tho Fish- We publish this morning » map of the soene Feversed—$586,000,000 in foreign vessels to | eres and the Land Grants. ~ Oar Shipping and Foreiga Commorce—How- to Reyive Ut .«c , Congress seems te be waking up to the ne- cessity of doing something to restore our ship- ping interests and the former maritine prestige of the country. During the last sessien sev- eral bills were intreduced fer this object, but nothing was accomplished—no, not even when the President called upon that body at the last hours ef the session te remain over a short time for the purpose of seizing the opportunity afforded by the European war te increase our shipping. It may be, however, a hopeful sign that Congress has begun thus early in the present session to work upon this subject. On Monday Mr. McDonald, of Arkansas, intro- duced a bill in the Sonate te said the Mediter- ranean and Oriental Steam Navigation Com- pany; Mr. Ramsey, ef Minnesota, to supply ocean steamship lines for the transportation of the mails betwoen the United States and Europe; and Mr. Schenck, in the House, the sarhe or a similar measure to that of Mr. Ram- sey, Without geiag into the merits of these propositions at the present time, we do net hesitate to say that the time has ceme when something should be done to restore the mari- tine iatereats of the country, and that while Congress sheuld not favor any jobs it ought to strain a point on the side of liberality where our skipping can be increased and the public service premoted. The subject of our foreign commerce is now before three committees of the House of Rep- resentatives. The Commitiee of Ways and Means got control of it through the reference of the President’s special Message to Congress in the expiring hours of the last session. The Committee on Commerce has got control of it through the reference of that portion of the President’s Inst annual Message which relates to the decay of American shipping; and the select committee on the subject, which was appointed at the first session of the present Congress, on the 22d of March, 186%, has special control of it. These three committees are expected to hold a conference together and agree to some definite plan for the revival of our foreign shipping interests. It will be recollected that the bill reported at the last session from the select committee proposed to remedy the evil by the remission of duties on all materials entering into the consiructio& of ships, and also by a system of subsidies under which American vessels en- goged in the foreign carrying trade for more than six months in the year should be paid out of the federal Treasury at the rate of from a dollar and a balf per registered ton for sail vessels up to four dollars per registered ton for steamers, besides being allowed ship's atores and coal free of duty. That bill was discussed at pretty considerable length, but failed to receive the support of a majority of members, The bill reperted from the Com- mittee of Ways and Means in the last hour of the session contained the principle of allowing a drawback on the material used in shipbuilding, coupled, how- ever, with the more important principle of allowing foreign-built ships to be owned and registered by American citizens. This bill failed for want of time—a few dilatery motions being all that was necossiry to prevent the i a ae oe ee $289,000,000 jn Amerioan vessels. These facts and figures show the desperate & measure that will promise effectual relief. Let not the United States government be tho only enlightened government that refuses to let its citizens buy its ships wherever they can be bought the cheapest and best. As the compe- tition for the commerce of the world is with all other nations, Jet our citizens enter into it on at least equal terms. Let us no longer by our stupid legislation weigh them down and impede them in the race. Let us remove all these antiquated restrictions on our commerce. Atthe same time give the shipbuilders an equally fair chance by letting them have their materials free of duty. And if still more is necessary, let Congress grant liberal subsidies to steamship lines. Ina this way American commerce may be revived and our former prestige as a great maritime nation restored. The War Situation im France. Severe battles are still going on between tho Army of the Loire and the army of the Duke of Mecklenburg. So far the victory lies, as usnal, with the Germans. Gambetta, it seema, has not yet lost hope. The report that he had asked for an armistice is denied. General D'Henceourt has amived at Lille by balloon from Paris, and gives favorable accounts of the situation inside the city. He is charged with the duty of organizing the French forces in the Nerth. The bombardment of Paris is said to have been positively desided upon, and will probably commence on the 19th inst. The long range guns on the heights about Paris will be able to send shot inte the heart of the capital. The chureh of Notre Dame will serve as a target, and about its neighbor- hood are clustered the palaces of the Louvre and the Tuileries, the Mint, the Palace of Justice and some of the finest bridges in the city. Being near the centre, on the Isle de Cité, the missiles that can reach it can be even more readily hurled iuto the magnificeat edifices that stand aearer the outskirts, Tho Luxembonrg Palace, the magnificent churches of St. Sulpice, St. Clothilde, and the Madeleine, the Hotel des Invalides, the Legizlative Hall, the Arch ef Triumph, can all receive their share ef the bon-bens which the festive Ger- mam preposes to shower upon the gorgeous city all through the holidays, Havre is preparing for a close siege. The forces that recently captured Rouen are advancing rapidly to invest the city, which, however, is well fertified and will be defended by about fifty thousand troops. Reports come from Bordeaux that troops from the extréme south of France are being hurried forward rapidly to the front, and another report says that the Army of the Loire has already been reinforced by forty thousand men. Prussin te Enter Luxembourg. A special cable telegram, which reached us last night from London, states that the Prus- sian army has been ordered to enter and oc- nts. m Sixth Page)—Per- rance (continued from mbourg: Movement for Prassia—The Bastern Ques- News—Business Notices. nuation of Testumony for the reement of the Jury; They Are in Rhode the ts—Political © Fight in Pennsylvania. “Go Ib While Yowre Young.” Fro: Birth and Heart 10—News from Wa cord—Shippis Jzeex Dunn's trial is erided, and the jury have been locked up all night in the jury room Seiiberating on their verdict. Goverxor Hoxpen will be formally im- peached to-day before the Senate of North Carolina for high crimes and misdemeanors in bis raid agains: u Klux last summer. BEGrxNinc or THE Hormay AMUSEMENTS my Groraia.—We heave accounts of a deape- tate fi_ht at a po L gathering in Georgia, in the course of which five persona were killed and woundei, The fight was occasioned by gome absurd remarks made by a negro in re- gard to Colonel Neilson Yift, the democratic candidate for Congress. We fear this is but the beginning of many eangoinary broi will occur daring election ¥ mas holiday week—in which nezroes are sup- posed to have unrestrained license ia rioting and whiskey drinking. N Caveous.—The question was discussed ver Tox Repus of general amnest nestly in a repub 3 of the members of the House yeet.rday. The remarks, so far as received, indicated a divided opinion, a majority favoring the ope ded poliey of fall forgivendss and amnesty, The Schurz movement wags spoken ry kindly by one of the am other side from the spir radicalism ba of the vident nd day and will go down ad none It i aucus that bitt * Tar BLOOKADE IN THE Goww Manaer.—- the receipt of some later news despatches through the cable yesierday inapired the gold brokers with a hope tbat thoy weuld at last get some intelligence of the London money market ; but they were doomed to disappoint~ ment. The freshes) ‘London quotation” is several days old, and as « “‘broath may mar” speculations based on such venerable news the market bas settled into stagnation, The extreme fluctuation yesterday was only one- eighth of one per cent, which is pretty nearly as little as it may be, considering that the vules of the Board forbid a finer subdivision of the quotation. After the Board, however, &od pending it, sv) rosa, sales were made at the intermediate one-sixteenth per cent, which shows that the gold brokers can ‘split daira” equal to legal capillary dissectors, ‘ Coan To Gru.—The Cardiff Giant bas deen seized ander process of attachment while on ita way to Syracuse. It is not stated whut the said attachment amounted to, but if any one should steal the entire humbug ho could hardly be convicted of petty larceny ia any Jew court. House voting upen it before the hour fixed for the final adjournment. It will be seen that the bill, as reported from the select comnittee, was one which aimed at reviving our foreign commerce through the cheapening of American built vessels and thus giving a stimulus at the same time to the shipbuilding interest of the United States, while the bill coming from the Ways and Means aimed at more immediate results through the purchase and registry of foreign- built ships. The two propositions, it will Seen, although made composite by the Committee of Ways and Means, are diametrically opposed to each other. If our shipping merchants be permitted to purchase ships built on the Clyde aud Thames there will not be much ship- building done on the Kennebec or the Hudson; and while our foreign commerce may revive there will be no corresponding advantage to our shipbuilders. This presents the great difficulty which yet awaits its solution. The shipbuilders claim that the impetus must come from them. The shipowners claim that aoth- ing but free trade in ships can ever restore to the United States the prestige which it once held in the carrying trade of the world. Ys the meantime all the great shipping yards of the country are closed up. The Webbs and the Westervelts and the Mc- Kays—once se famous for the unrivalled ships launched from their yards—have ceased to put new veesels on the stocks; and nothing abso- lutely is being done in that line except in the way ef building and repairing for the coastwise trade. Tt would appear, therefore, that any ion from the shipbuilding interest to the policy of free trade in ships would be a sort of | dog-in-ihe-manger policy. The ships that now command the commerce of the ocean are ofa class that have never been built ia this coun- try, and in which, even with all the materials free of duty, our shiphuilders cannot compete with those of England. The era of wooden vessels has passed as completely as that of sail vessels, The iron screw propeller has taken their place. Tho shipyards of Maine and New Brunswick may atill find work in supplyiag coasting and fish- ing veseels; but the vessels for long voyages wil! be built elsewhere and of irom, not wood. Gur merchants have realized the fact and are therefore convinced that their chance for re- gaining the foreiga carrying trade which they have lost lies, not in the fosteriag ef the ship- building interest at home, but in the procuring abroad of the ships which they need. The facts presented in the report of the select committee show the urgency for adopt- ing @ policy that will be speedy and available in its effects. : In 1861 the value of American shipping en- gaged in foreign commerce was estimated at $108,000,000, and the gross earnings therefrom $36,000,000. In 1869° its value had fallen to $70,000,000 and its earnings to $23,000,000. In 1860 the American tonnage entering our own ports from abroad was in excess of for- eign tonaage entering our ports by 8,567,374 tons. In 1863 that excess had fallen to 1,974,820 tons. But in 1869 the relative po- sitions were reversed, and the excess was on the side of the foreign tonnage by 1,945,026 tons. In 1860 the value of imports and ox- ports carried in American vessela was double cupy the territory of Luxembourg. The move- ment is to be undertaken, it is said, as ‘‘a mili- tary necessity,” to prevent the supply of ma- terial and support to a portion of the French troops from er through the duchy. We are told that the order te occupy was re- ceived direct from Berlin, A ‘‘military necessity” is a very convenient excuse for great military nations. England made the fact of the robbery of a hatchet and a goat the excuse for a ‘“‘military necessity,” which brought on the Kaffir war, and ended im the conquest ofthe Cape Colony, the securing of the Cape roate to India and the monopoly of the diamond fields of Africa. A ‘‘military necessity” is a first rate contingency at times. It may prove so to Prussia in Luxembourg. The New Capital of France, There is probably nothing se disconcerting to the French people at this time as the evidence of a peripatetic disposition on the part of the government of France, That it should flee with all its historic archives and its bright records, and with the high flush of a débutante of power still on its hopeful brow, is bad enough; but that it should go from Tonrs, which is, comparatively spoakiag, in the front, to Bor- deaux, two hundred and fifteen miles away to the rear, is enough to fill every Frenchman in France with disgust and every Frenchman in Germany with laughter. Outside of the ridi- cule attached to the movement Bordeaux is one of the most appropriate tewas in the nation for the receptien of the fugitive gov- ernment. It is one of the most flourishing cities of Europe in commerce and the cultiva- tion of the arts and sciences, has an immense manufacturing business, larze commercial interests, and lies in the very heart of the Medoc wine region, whence comes the famous Chitteau Margaux. Ii is situated on the Garonne river, sixty miles from where it debouches into the Bay of Biscay, and there- fore lies accessible to the protection ef the heaviest French men-of-war. Its bridges, quays and shipyards are famous all the world over. Bordeaux is an ancient city—the Bordigala of the Romans—and has a histery full of gallant and patriotic memories. It has been in its eventful time under the dominion of the Romans, the Goths, the Saracens, the Nor- mans and the English. It has been taken and sacked in turn by each of these, and in the time of Louis XIV. it was closely besieged by Cardiaal Mazarin for harboring the beautiful wife of the Great Condé. That lady, flecing from her persécutor, begged th® protection of the citizens of Bordeaux, and they re- sponded so heartily to the calls of helpless beauty that Mezarim was foiled in his attack upon the city and was compelled to raise the siege after a few weeks. Helpless beauty, im the form of the Tours government of France, again throws itself upon the protection ef Bordeaux, though not with the grace of the lady of Cond¢, and doubtless the gallant city will respond with her ancient grace and courtesy. Very Couriou: hat the most conspicuons men now in tbe service of the French provi- sional-government should be the three Juleses, of the Directory, and two Italians, Gambetta and Garibaldi. “Tow have the mighty fallen” The audience in the Senate galleries yester- day had the treat of listening to a rather ex- merly the property of General Robert E. Lee, and now the eteraal camping ground of thou- sands of dead soldiers of the Union, to Mrs, Lee. The most objectionable part of the pro- position was the disinterment and removal of these who lie buried in that national cemetery. If no such insuperable obstacle to the restora- tion of the property had existed, perhaps there would have been a feeling in Congress and among the people in favor of letting Mrs. Lee resume the patrimony of her fathers; but, under the circumstances, the idea was one not to be entertained, and so thy Senate took the very unusual course of refusing to allow the bill to be intréduced. There were but four votes for giving permission. ‘The House has again taken definite action in the way of abrogating the franking privi- loge. Last session it passed, with only thir- teen negative votes, a bill for that purpose, but the Senate mamaged to give it the go-by and to avoid direct action upon it; for even that body was not prepared to rum so counter te public opinien as to reject the bill. But the question has come up again in a bill to revise and consolidate all the laws relating,to the Post Office. Last week the House struck out of this general measure everything on the subject of franking, which was « virtual abo- lition ef that privilege; but yesterday a direct and positive proviso for its abolition, to take effect on the Ist of July next, was incerpo- rated by @ vote of one hundred and three to sixty-five, the only exeeption being in the few cases where the _privi- lege was specially conferred by act of Congress, as upon Mrs. Polk and Mrs, Lin- coln, The exchange of newspapers and peri- odicals reciprocally between publishers is still to have the freedom of the mails, as also weekly, semi-weekly and monthly newspapers to actual subseribers in the couaty where such papers are published. We donbt the pelicy of even these exeeptions. The thing ought to have been blotted out at once and forever. The prospect does not look very promising for the public land monepolists. The first land grant bill that came before the House this session was yesterday pestponed, against the votes of its supporters, and a large num- ber of similar bills that were on the Speaker's table since last session were allowed to remain there, not even having the slight advantage of being referred to committees. General Butler appears te be marshalling his clans against the Canadian enemies and rivals ef bis cod fishery constituents. He yesterday presented in the House a petition of the Gloucester fishermen, asking Congress to adopt various retaliatory measures to punish the Canadians for interfering with American fishermen. Porientous as this war cloud may appear, we hope it will pass over without serious consequence. We doubt whether, in the present tendency of public opinion in Canada towards annexation to the United States, any hostile legislation er action on our part, even in the cause of the Gloucester fishermen, would be a proof either of good statesmanship or kind, neighborly feeling, If our fishermen have serious cause for com- plaint against Canadian officials it may be remedied -by the usual diplomatic means of remonstrance,and negotiation, without blusier or assuming a belligerent attitude. Cruelties on Shipboard. The trial of Captain Grindle, master of the ship Old Coleny, for bruial treatment of two of his crew, reveals the details of a savage system which is known to prevail in our mer- chaat marine. The evidence of the poor sailors, both Cubans, tells a horrible story of torture inflicted upea them by the monster who cemmanded this vessel. As he is on his trial we will say nothing which might prejudipe the case. A fact suggests itself, however. These defendants were entrapped on board an American. ship supposing her to be a Spanish vessel. They signed ne papers. They prayed to be put ashore at Valencia, whore they ehipped, and again at Cadiz, where the vessel touched. If we had an efficient navy abroad these outrages might be prevented ; but our navy is not properly represented in foreign ports. While Congress is indulging in the petty, jealous pastime of abolishing tho rank of admiral and vice admiral, through hostility to an efficer who it seems has given offence by some former action of his in con- nection with the staff and lino officers, it would be better employed in increasing the have into a better stale of repair and dis- cipline. We may expect soon to seo the rank of rear admiral and commodore and vice commedore and so on alelished, until we shall have « demoralized navy, with ell sailors and no officers, if petty party jealousies are to become predominant in Congress. There is imminent need just now of a largo and efficient American navy. It is especially necessary thatour flag sheuld held a conspicuous place in Europe and should be backed by the force to command that respect which, we are eorry to say, it does not receive in tho full degreo te which it is entitled. Here is something upon which Congress could be more patrioticaliy engaged than in abolishing the high ranks of officers in the service merely to satisfy some party piques. Cooxry, the murderer of O'Day, was con- victed of manslaughter in the third degree yesterday, and was sentenced to the State Prison for two years. We think the sentence is somewhat too severe. Judge Bedford truly said that ne assault will justify killing, unless itis clearly manifest that the sesault is made with intent to kill or do bedily harm; but certainly the circamstances under which Cooney acted fully cevered these premises, A fall acquittal was Coency’s due; or if he be amenable to State Prison st all, it is evidently not because he killed O'Day, but because of the bad company in which he was found on that fatal Sabbath morning when the famous Gesperado last went ont for a “lark,” PoE TE ANN ETNS Wantep—A little more dignity among some of those juvenile lawyers who are selected to \ act aa referees im impertant law causes force of our navy and putting the navy which we | Scene ef the War in France. of operations in France, giving all the points of importance. At present public attention is mainly directed to Havre and the Loire, condition of our foreiga carrying trade, and | citing debate oman interesting subject. Sena-| Of Havre we give a sketch, including the necessity for prompt and efficient reme- | tor McCreery, of,Kentucky, was the author of | its geographical dies, We therefore beg the representatives of | a bill, which he desired to introduce, looking | and conflicting interests not to stand in the way of | to the restoration of Arlington Heights, for- situation, ita history its fortifications, as also brief descriptions of the villages of Harfleur and Montivilliers, At this latter place & battle between the French forces, commanded by General Briand, and the advancing Germans, A view of the s!tuations of Dieppe and Amiens, Rouen and Paris, Orleans and Bourges, Tours and Blois, and, in fact, of every place rendered memorable by the present war, can also be taken, By studying the map the posi- tions of the contending armies will be ascertained, and those persons who are of strategic turn of mind may, if they so desire, speculate upon the probable future movements of Prince Frederick Charles or General Bour- baki, the Duke of Mecklenburg or General Chauzy, Trochu or General Von Molike, Had not the isolation of Paris and the moye- ments of the Germans in that part of France some weeks ago partially suspended com- mercial commanication between Havre and the United States, the ulmost certain investment of the city and its possible capture would be regarded with far more anxiety by Americans than will now be the case. But, even as it is, there must be a great deal of property belonging to Americans in the city, the fate of which will doubtless excite much anxicty on the part of the owners. Fortunately for our shipping interests at last accounts but few or none of our ships were in port, so that even if the place be ‘bombarded our interests will mot suffer in that direction. ; ig pcmcia Intrigaes for the Restoration of the Bona- partes, It is now undeniablo that the restoration of the Bonapartes to the throne of France is one of the possibilities of the situation.’ Itis hard to think that Prussia or United Germany will attempt to force a raler upon the French people. On the other hand, it is impossible to refuse to admit that France is now at the mercy of Germany; that Prussia :fer the pre- sent dominates Germany and that Bismarck is the master of Prussia—the place of King Wil- liam, of course, always being recognized. Fall Paris when it may, before Christmas or after Christmas, the Germans mean to remain in France until France has settled down under some recognized form of*government, The example of 1815 will be imitated; but on this occasion the forces will not represent allies, but Germany only. What is the chance for Napoleon? There are many who think he has no chance at all. Others, again, are of opinion that his chances are great. He is King William’s prisoner. He is treated to-day as a royal guest. He has not abdicated. The Regency has retired from France; but the Regency, with the Empress at its head, is the only accredited government of the French people. The Senate, too, bat waits toact. The déchéance has been pronounced in the Corps Legislatif; but the déchéance amounis to nothing, There is only ono govern- ment which the conquering Germans can recognize in concluding «a treaty of peace, and that is the government of Napoleon. Of course King William could give France her ehoice; but will he? The allies restored the Bourbons in 1814 and 1815; and the presumption to-day is that King William, acting magnanimously by a royal captive, will restore the Emperor Napo- leon, or at least compel France to submit to the Regency. It is all very well to say that France will not have it so. But France in 1814 and in 1815 had to submit; and France is more exhausted to-day and more helpless than she was in those years. The Germans wish to get home, and we may rest assured they will adopt the easiest and simplest way to complete their work. Having no evidence that the French people eut of the great cities are against the Emperor, and having much evi- dence to the contrary, we cannet say that the restoration of Napoleon is not the first among the possibilities of the hour. If France is not pleased with the government which Prussia leaves behind it, France must make the best and the worst of it. So soon as a treaty of peace is signed by the Regency Napoleon may be allowed to return to France with all his best marshals and at the head of an army of at least three hundred thousand men, At one time we saw @ chance for the House of Orleans, The prospect for that house is no longer bright. In London, to-day, it is the Empress Eugénie, net the Count de Paria, who is the object of royal attention. The republic has failed. So far as we caw see ihe empire must be re-established. Pity it should be so; but facts are facis. ge The Government Envelope and Stationery ~ Sabu. We know that many of the jobs and spec- ulations under the goverument are enveloped in mystery, but the public will he astonished te learn that one of the biggest things of the kind is the job known as the stationery and envelope job, by which the postal department is made to lose nearly one hundred and thirty- five thousand dollars per amnum. ‘his sort of thing is protested against by a number of the envelope manufacturers, stationers, book- sellers and printers of the United States, who complain against government competition in their line of business, It is reported that our well-knowa fellow citizen, Boss Tweed, is inte- rested in this matter; but how, or where, or why, or in what manner, does not appear on the surface. Perhaps the Now York Printing Company has something todo with it. Be that as it may, is there anything under the San, or over the Sun, or around the Sun, in the way of jobbery, that some poople have not an interest in it, some way or other? Why don’t our Board of Aldermen take a hand in this envelope and stationery business? Now that they are in the gift book printing line they might es well add other branches of the trade with profit to all concerned. CARNIVAL CELEBRATION IN WASHINGION ON Wassrxeron’s Biarepay.—-The Washington Repudtican states that arrangements are in progress for celebrating the coming anniver- sary of Washington's birthday upon an unusu- ally magnificent scale. Among the aitrac- tions it is expected that Mr. Bonner, of the New York Ledger, will be vresont, with his aplendid stud of hersom u © Mr, Logan's Resolgtion—The Vice Adrbe ras Promotion. Many of our Senators and Congressmen, actuated by spite or a spirit of revenge against Persons or measures, manage very adroitly to accomplish their purposes by introducing bills or bringing forward ‘‘oint resolutions,” under the garb of retrenchment or economy in the administration of the government. Such wa believe to have been the true motive of Mr. Logan in his present effort to abolish the grade of admiral and vice admiral in the navy of the United States. Urged on by those who are opposed to the promotion of Vice Admiral D. D. Porter, and thinking thereby to create capital with his constituents and the republi- can party at large, he rushes forward a joint resolution to abolish these offices, in hopes of its passage before the confirmation of Porter « can be effected in the Senate, Personally ha does not want the Vice Admiral promoted; politically he wishes him out of the way; hence his only method of accomplishing hia ends and serving the enemies of Porter is in doing what he has done, under the name of retrenchment, We hope he will not be suc- cessful, Without discussing fully the merits or de- merits of the recently published letters of Vice Admiral Porter, we can only say that, in our opinion, the abolition of the higher grades of the naval service would be a move as impolitic as it is uncalled for, Doing away with them on the plea of ecenomy is but stuf and nonsense; it is a mere quibble used ta cover the true reason that would not bear being made public. We should have in our navat service grades the same as in the navies of England, France and Russia. We hava them now, and they should be retained. It is not for our government to take a step back- wards in this respect. As a great naval Power we are second to none, Then why de away with the two highest grades of our naval service that are as neceasary now aa they have been at any time ? It is now sought to influence Congress agalnst Porter by one of the most dastardly acts that man can be guilty of—viz., the pub- lication of a letter that was never intended for other eyes than those of the party to whom it was addressed. Raking it out from where it had laid undisturbed for years was a mean piece of business; but the act of publishing it to the world was contemptible in the extreme, and, instead of injuring the Vice Admiral, it should stamp as utterly dishonorable men those who have been guilty of such underhand means to accomplish their own revengeful purposes. This is the view taken of it by the President of the United States, as is shown by his promptly sending Porter’s nomination for Admiral to the Senate for confirmation. And wo hope he will be promptly confirmed, if for no other reason than to show that an officer cannot ba disgraced by means s0 utterly devoid of honor and honesty. Mentally, morally, physically and profes. sionally Vice Admiral D. D. Porter is as well fitted for promotion as any officer in the ser vice. A gallant officer, an accomplished gen- tleman, devoted to his country and to the se~ vice to which he is attached, his record stands almost unblemished. That he has faults must be acknowledged—and who has not ?—but they are not of a character to detract from the rep- utation he has gained by distinguished ser- vices before the enemy. His controversy ov collision with the staff officers of the navy was a mistake, not but that he was right in point of discipliae and desire for the well- being of tho naval service, but it was a mis. take of policy. Many of these staff officers who are now his opponents are the creation of political influence, who owe their right to wear a uniform to the relationship or friend- ship of some members of Congress, and throngh Congress they are trying to be revenged upon the Vice Admiral of the navy. This fact he should have considered, but the probabilities are that he never entertained an idea that members of tho honorable service of which he is a member would ever descend to such dishonorable means to carry out a dishonorable purpose, If General Sherman was fitted to fill the vacancy in the army occa- sioned by the resignation of Grant, then Vico Admiral Porter is fitted to fill the vacancy in the navy occasioned by the death of Farra- gut, and such we hope will be the opinion of Congress when Mr. Logan's resolution is brought forward, and of the Senate when, in executive session, his nomination is presented for confirmation. Led Ground Broken on the St. Domingo Annexn~ ton Enterpiise. The proceedings in Conzress on Monday last on the joint resolution of Geaeral Banks, authorizing the President to appoint five persons to inquire into the expediency of negotiating a treaty with the authorities ef St. Domingo for the acquisitien of the territory of that republic, &¢., as recommended in the President’s Message, are encouraging. On the test motion of Mr. Cox, of New York, to lay the resolution on the table, the Vote stood 117 10 67, which probably indicates the present division of the House on this question of aunexation. The final action of the House, in referring the resolution back to the Com- mittee ou Foreign Affairs, with leave to report atany time after five days’ notive, indicates the disposition of the House to be decidedly in favor of the moasure. We presume that General Banks, in reporiing bis resolution back to the House, will be prepared with an: argument upon the subject which will im- mensely strengthen the solid argoment of the President touching tho iacaleulable riches of the Island of St. Domingo under the juris- diction of the United States, and its valuo te ug as ® commercial centre and naval station. In s word, we loo wpon the annexation scheme a3 ® maexure which must succeed, whether considered ss @ bargata {a tropical real estate or as a great stroke of sound public policy. A Prriarerio GovERNMENT.—As the Mem- phis Appeal—Confederate newspaper organ travelled from Memphis, Tenn., to Grenada, | Miss,; thence to Jackson, in the same State; thence, respectively, to Dalton, Atlanta and Augusta, in Georgia, being pushed along from place to place by the advancing Union armies, so has the travelling circus known as the French govern ment, with Sefior Gambetia aa ringmaster, and Jules Favre as priocipal funny man, been moving from Paris to Tours, and from Tours