The New York Herald Newspaper, February 9, 1872, Page 6

2 NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1872—TRIPLE SHEET, NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. Volame XX XVII. ++No. 40 AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. ‘WOOD'S MUSLUM, Broaa 1 ‘ances afternoon poy eer | ean itd WALLACK'S THEAT! = Pe rea RE, Broadway and 18th street. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway, atreeis.—Biadx CRoug” a BOWERY THEAT! —' = ‘aan ‘RE, Bowery—Tu® Forsaken—WILL ST, JAMES’ THEA’ - ames TRE, Twenty-eighth street and Broad. STADT THEA’ - l- sy TRE, Nos, 45and 47 Bowery.—Der TANN. OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway.—' POMIME OF HUMPTY Duupre ia! 0 BOOTH'S THEATRE, Twenty.th ey se o. RE, ty-third st., corner Sixth ay.. GLOBE THEATRE, 72 and 730 Broad on, Cure tux feciiuen Melina He ie 7 —-PEDESTIN; FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE, | z im Tux Naw Deana or Divonon” Ser UP evan, See THEATRE FRANCAIS, 18 —] OB Que Dois—Liskz Baveaae ii aa dg GRAND OPERA HOUSE, corner of Sth av. and 38a sh= EUROPEAN MirroTHRATRIOAL COMPANY. ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Fourteenth strect.—ENOLISH —MARITANA. MRS. F._B. CONWAY'S BROOKLYN THEATRE. Man any Wire, PARK THEATRE, opposite City Hall, Dakine Dick, THe BroguryN DETEOTIVE. THEATRE COMIQUE, 18M, NEGKO Acts, XC. UNION SQUARE THEATRE, Fourteenth st. and Broad- way.—N2EGRO AOTE—BURLESQUR, BALLET, 40. THIRTY-FOURTH STREET THEATRE, near Third ave- Que.—VaBiETy ENTERTAINMENT, TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE. No. 201 Bowery. — NxeRO Eocenturerrixe, BURLESQUES, £0. Brooklyn.— Broadway.—Comio Vooat- VORCED. BRYANT'S NEW OPERA HOUSE, 284 st., ween and iihava--BRYANa's Minstane: 1" between 6th SAN FRANCISCO MINSTREL H. — ‘THE San FRANCIs00 MINSTRELS, i atl br NEW YORK CIRC Fourteentn street. an ke Aenea arene ee NEW YORK MUSE! FF —— rahe Rose 'UM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway. DR. KAHN'S ANATOMICAL MUSEUM, 745 Broadway. — (Ok AND ART. TRIPLE SHEET. New York, Friday, February 9, 1872. = sate —— CONTENTS OF TO-DAY’S HERALD. ina j= Advertisementa, 2—Adverusemenis, 3—News trom Washington—Tne Dead Primate: General Sorrow in Baltimore Over the Loss of Archbishop Spalding—The Japanese at Salt ke—Disaster to the Steamship Colorado: Collision With a Steamship in the Mersey; Five Passengers Lost—European Cable De- Spatches—Tbe War in Mexico—The Latest from Albanv—The Louisiana Investigation— Miscellaneous ‘Telegrams, edings In-Conyress—A Singular Petition— Death of Archbishop Spalaing—Obisuary— The Custom House Committee: Unvetiing the Mysteries of tne Weizher'’s Pay Kolls; Some- About Government Sales; Striking Back @t Horace Greeley—The Haroor Masier’s In- juiry—The Methodist Book Concern— A Fourth ‘ard Meeting—Terrors of the Sea—Ugdens- burg Malls Burned—The Police Accused of Blackmailing. . S—The State Capital: Crowding the Lobbies of the ature; A Bill Passed Over the Governor's Veto; The Contractors’ Bill Knocked i the Head: Brooklyn Affairs; The Ferries; the Reform Charter; A Field Day on the Andit Pill; The Seventy’s Charter Reached —Investi- tion of the Charges Against Senator Wood— the State Medical Soclety—The Fish Cul- ‘turists—The Masons in Councl!|—United Amert- can Mechanics—Virginia: Governor Walker Again on the Warpath—Sad Domestic Bereave- ment—City Intelligence—The Jersey City Frauds—Corneita Townsend's Claim — St, Francis Xavier College—Politicai Row in mewater, S L—National Trotting Asso- ciation. G—Editurials: Leading article, “The Issue Be- tween England and the United States—The Sacredness of ‘Treattes!—Personal _Inteili- —Amuseruent Announcements, ‘ton Treaty: British Opmion of the Crisis; The Public Sentumeni in tone’s Position, but the People Consequences—The Feeling in Senator Edmunds’ Intention Resolution of Inquiry— “Case:’? ae First the Geneva ribunal; =A of Treaties: Wash.ngton: fo Preas ‘the she Word Plea in Abatement—The Sanctity England's Assertion of tne lnviolabtlity of In- Brush fernational Compacts im 1870—Business ices, S—The Concert Saloon tells: Justice Defeated by Legal Stupidity—Pacifo Mati Matters—The Snowbound Ratlroad—Miller’s Insurance Rec- ord: Utter Failure of Public Prosecutors Barnes and English So Far—Drainage and Ventilation: Defects of the New York System Pointed Out—Frozen to Death—The Missing Man—American Institute—Brooklyn Affairs. Louisiana Humbug: The Congressional Committee of Investigation Poking Amon; Political Filth—An Incident Growing Out o} the Jeff Davis Sleeping Car Scandal— Ball on the Ice—Pennsylvania Politics—Depart ment of Docks—The Comptroller's Omice— treet Cleaning Commisstou—The Unpaid City Clerks—Dectsion Against the Government— Financtal and Commercial Reports—Domestic Markets—Marriages and Deaths. WO—The Washington ‘treaty (Continued from Seventh Page)—The Arion Ball—Art Saie— European Markets—Shipping Intelligence— Advertisementa, {£1—The Courts: Interesting Proceedings in the United States Supreme, Brooklyn and New York City Courts; The Jume) Estate; A Patent Suit; A Custom House Trial; The Lilienthal Tobacco Case; Motion for a New Trial; Al- leged Fraudulent Bankruptcy; Tue Stolen Youchers ; Recollections of Ex-Coliector Bailey; Decisions—Brooklyn’s Fire Record— New York Athletic Club—Racing Notes—Col- lege of the Cuy of New York—An Unmanly Outrage—Advertisements, 19— Advertisements. Premigr Giapstone’s Speecn for ‘“bun- combe” on the opening of Parliament ‘‘brought down the house.” Let him follow it up, and he will bring down both houses, and the British crown and the British empire. On Turspay Mornine Next, first thing in the Assembly, Bill 118, the Committee of Beventy’s city charter, comes upas the special order of the day. Very good. We all want to see ‘what you are going to do about it.” A Vore By Batxor Bru for England passed fits first reading in the House of Commons yesterday—an excellent democratic result for the people of England, coming from the agitation of the Alabama claims question. Tae INTERNATIONALE IN France is spread- Ing, especia!ly in the Southern departments. The work of reorganization is going on in the different Sections and the members are pre- paring for coming events. Has Gambetta’s visit to the South of France anything to do with this? Gotp sold at 110} yesterday on a reported general decline in consols and five-twenties in London, but receded to and closed at 110} ona rumor that the Washington administra- tion bad decided to accept the gross sum of thirty million dollars in settlement of every- thing in the shape of an Alabama claim. Mr, Wasuecrng, our Minister at Paris, is coming home on a short leave of absence. He is entitled to it; for be has fairly earned it in his patriotic, courageous and generous public services in Paris, from the déchéance of the empire, through all the trials of the German siege and the terrors of the Commune; and he will meet, as he ought to meet, on his re- taro, with » generous welcome, ‘The Issue Betweon England and the United States—The Sacreduess of Treatics, In yesterday's HgraLp we summed up dis- passionately the case of the United States, as submitted to the Geneva Conference, in order to show that no extravagant, demand has been advanced by our government, and that no position has been taken by us that is not justi- fied by the letter and the spirit of the Treaty of Washington. “We have repeatedly stated— and the fact should always be kept in mind in any consideration of the subject—that our case is not offered in the shape of an ultimatum, but is laid before the tri- bunal for its deliberate consideration, close scrutiny and final judgment. We do not insist that England shall pay us either direct or consequential damages; we only make out our plea, recount our claims and leave the result ir the hands of the Con- ference. The British government is at liberty on its part to controvert our positions; to ad- vance arguments in justification or extenuation of its acts ; to show cause why some of our de- mands atleast are untenable and should be disallowed. Judzing from the case presented by England, which will be found in the HeraLp to-day, her advocates do not lack ingenuity in framing a plea or plausibility in ar- guing it; and should they be able to con- vince the keen and unbiassed arbitrators who sit in judgment between the two nations of their exemption from liability for the acis of the Anglo-Confederate privateers, the peo- ple of the United States, however chagrined, would submit to the verdict of the tribunal. But when England demands that we shall not present our case at all, unless in a mutilated and insufficient manner; when, upon ascer- taining what our line of argument is going to be, she insists upon our modifying it so as to accord with her views; when she raves against even the presentment of claims which she affects to regard as pre- posterous and untenable, she not only offers an insult to the nation, but induces the belief that her violent oppo- sition to the consideration of our demands by an impartial tribunal arises from her convic- tion of their force and justice. The British government would scarcely venture to impute dishonorable intentions to the Geneva Con- ference, and the more unreasonable and exor- bitant our claims the less prospect would there be of their favorable recognition by fair and upright arbitrators. The true issue is not, however, between the justice or injustice of the American case, but between the honorable observance and unwarrantable violation of a solemn treaty. When the controversy familiarly known as the Alabama claims ques- tion first arose between England and the United States the former government indignantly repudiated even the discussion of the subject, and only a few fair-minded men could be found in the whole nation disposed to do us anything like justice. The insolent tone adopted by Lord John Russel; the vulgar im- pertinence of Laird; the cold, diplomatic courtesy of Lord Clarendon; the bluster of the English press, and the indignation of the British people whenever any attempt was made to induce their government to so far atone for the cruel wrong she had done to a friendly power as to express regret for the escape of the Anglo- Confederate privateers, and for the aid and sympathy they had received in British ports during their careers of pillage and murder, are fresh in the memory of our citizens. When the peace of Europe was threatened with disturbance and when the condition of Ireland grew alarming there was some abate- ment of the lofty tone of English statesmen and journslists, and an anxiety was mani- fested on the part of the British government to get rid of the disagreeable and dangerous precedent furnished by their own ac- tion during our rebellion, and to make their peace with the American republic. After several ineffectual essays at an adjust- ment of our differences the easy and amiable Reverdy Johnson was appointed our repre- sentative .t the Court of St. James, and during his term of office came the well known vonvention in which Lord Clarendon 80 cleverly managed to get the better of the American Minister and to bring down a great controversy, involving the national honor and the peace of the world, to a mere question of dollars and cents. As soon as it was found that the Con- vention contemplated only the settlement of a few paltry claims of individuals for losses and damages resulting from the depredations of the English-built privateers, that no men- tion was made in it of the more important claims of the American nation, and above all, that England refrained from expressing her regret for the escape of the rebel ships or her sense of the injury she bad inflicted upon the United States, the Senate refused to ratify the Convention. While the question of its accept- ance or rejection was pending Lord Claren- don agreed to an _ additional article, in which the proposed tribuoal for the adjustment of the American claims was authorized to consider those of the United States government as well as of individual citizens. This, in fact, admitted the conse- quential claims now so loudly denounced ; yet every one remembers the howl of indignation raised all over England when the news of the final rejection of the Convention by the United States Senate was made known. That the act of their representative in London should be repudiated by the Sen- ators, after he had been epecially authorized by the President and the Secretary of State to make the settlement he did, was a thing unheard of among civilized nations. Yet there bad been no assembling and deliberation of any High Commissioners ; no delegation to them of the powers of the heads of the nation; no treaty carefully drawn and solemnly rati- fied by the two governments, After the failure of the Reverdy Johnson Convention England declared that the end of friendly negotiations had been reached. A nation that would not abide by the action of its duly accredited Minister could not be ex- pected to keep faith in any compacts, It was not long, however, before the interests of Kags land prompted a renewal of overtures, and our government, after the experience of the Claren- don-Jobnson transaction, very wisely refused to reopen negotiations except at Washington. The High Commissioners and Plenipotentia- ries of Her Britannic Majesty were in conse- Commissioners of the republic at our national capital. The Treaty of Washington was the result of their joint labors, In that treaty, as plainly as words could express it, the United States government was authorized to present to the Geneva Conference, created by the treaty, ‘‘all claims and complaints,” not alone for the direct depredations of the Anglo-Confederate privateers, but ‘growing out” of their acts. We cannot too often im- press these facts upon the minds of our read- ers. This solemn treaty, signed by Commis- sioners who were specially charged by the Queen of England to make the concession the nation had theretofore haughtily refused, and to express her sincere regret at the escape of the privateers ‘under whatever circumstances,” was ratified and exchanged by the two govern- ments and became a binding instrument upon both. From that moment neither could recede from it without dishonor, It is this treaty which the English Queen and government are now urged to repudiate because the Ameri- can case, as presented to the Geneva Con- ference, created by the treaty to hear impar- tially and to determine justly all claims and complaints growing out of the acts of the privateers, does not meet the approval of the English politicians, As an interesting and instructive subject, bearing directly upon our own case, we pub- lish to-day the answer of the British govern- ment to the famous circular of Prince Gorts- chakoff, in which the intention of Russia to abrogate of its own will certain obligations of the Treaty of Paris, was first announced to the world, and the comments of the leading English journals upon the alleged dishonor- able conduct of the Russians. Earl Granville ably argues upon the injustice of any one Power undertaking to emancipate itself from those stipulations of a treaty which it thinks fit to disapprove. “It is quite evident,” he says, ‘that the effect of such doctrine would be the entire destruction of treaties in their essence; for whereas their wholo object is to bind Powers to one another, and for this purpose each one of the parties sur- renders a portion of its free agency, by the doctrine and proceeding now in question one of the parties in its separate and individual capacity brings back the entire subject into its own control and remains bound only to itself.” Earl Russell, the Hotspur of the Alabama controversy, says:—‘‘It seems to me that we ought to stand as a unit upon the ground that Lord Granville has taken,” The London Times says it is no excuse because a treaty is found to be objectional for breaking its solemn obligations: it is our place to see that a treaty is such as we desire before we sign it; but ‘to accept the principle that a treaty can be denounced and violated at the will of any party to it would be an overthrow of public law and the most deadly blow to the political system under which the States of Eu- rope have been enabled to maintain them- selves at the head of civilization.” We com- mend the able comments of the London jour- nal upon the turpitude of Russia in proposing to violate an obligation of the Treaty of Paris to the perusal of those who are at present contemplating or counselling the repudiation of the Treaty of Washington. When the representatives of the Great Powers met in London to consider the reconstruction or- modification of the Treaty of Paris Lord Granville procured on the first day the passage of a preliminary declaration “that the plenipotentiaries recognize as an essential principle in the right of nations that no single Power can shake off its treaty engagements, or modify the stipulations of those engagements, except with the consent of all the high contracting Powers, obtained after a complete and friendly understanding of the merits of the case.” We do not, however, believe that England will repudiate the treaty. It will be too costly an experiment to her, for it would close all negotiations forever, and the amount of our Alabama claims, as they are called, would then be fixed" by ourselves and ocol- lected at the proper time without the abatement of a single dollar. Besides, as our Washington despatches state, there has as yet been no direct and official threat of withdrawing from the Conference and repudiating the treaty on the part of the English government. We are confident that the firm position of our government—a posi- tion from which there can be no receding— will recall England to a sense of the duty she owes to the world and the respect she owes to herself. The Treaty of Washington is as binding as the Treaty of Paris, and we cannot believe that the English government and the English people will desire to draw down upon themselves the sharp, clear con- demnation of Earl Granville and the thunder- ing denunciations of the London Times, Tug REVOLUTIONISTS IN MEXtoo are running on their mad career with varying fortunes, They appear to be just strong enough to com- pletely paralyze the government of Juarez, yet not sufficiently strong to acquire a permanent ascendancy and to substitute a government of their own. Our latest special despatch from Matamoros reports more turmoil and trouble. Piedras Negras, a fortified town on the Amer- ican frontier, containing a small body of gov- ernment troops, is besieged by a su- perior number of revolutionists. The commander of the former is reported to have appropriated property belonging to American citizens, in spite of the protest of the agent, to whose care it was confided. This wanton outrage, added to the many others already committed by Mexican banditti of all stripes upon American citizens, renders armed {nter- ference on the part of the United States a duty of self-defeuce, If the- present trouble with England should “blow over” the belli- cosé feeling now engendered in the United States will have to seek vent in Mexico, Tue Exciremest 1x Lonpon over the Ala bama claims continues unabated, and the Eng- lish are anxious to hear from Washington, We presume they have heard by this time of the remarks and the resolution of Mr. Edmunds in the Senate, and, if 80, no doubt the excitement “on ‘Change” has been in- creased. SS Looxma Up—The chances of ex-Congress- man Wilson, of Towa, for the Vice Presidency on the regular republican ticket. Several Western papers have recently pronounced in quence appointed, and they met the High | pis favor, The British “Case.” We present in another part of the paper the arguments put forward by the British government to the arbitrators at Geneva in support of its immunity from the payment of our claims, It is careful, cautious and generalizing, and evidently prepared with a view of awaiting the appearance of our statement before taking decided ground on the subject. The complete absence of reference to the consequential damages, a8 they are called, shows at least that if England had any doubt as to whether these ‘indirect claims” came within the scope of the treaty, she was certainly resolved not to be the first to open up so grave a matter. But from many inherent indications it would seem that the British government cherished the belief that this country had abandoned the most important branch of its claims, This will appear from the generally mild and apologetic tone in which it brings forth its arguments with a self-depreciation not at all characteristic of John Bull earnestly on the defensive. Gratified at the ratification of a treaty which, fully and faithfully carried out, would remove a source of future fear that has caused her many misgiv- ings since the triumphant close of our civil war—namely, the destruction of her commerce by privateers in case of war—she seems in every carefully worded sentence of her ‘‘case” to say, ‘We will pay you the moderate sum you will demand, which is a mere bag- atelle to us, we do not care to wrangle about the cost of friendship.” With this kept strictly in view the careful diplomacy of the ‘‘case” can be accounted for, and on no other grounds, The ‘‘case” is simply a plea in abatement of a judgment which it seems to anticipate being decided against her. It professes a sincere desire for peace, and declares itself ready to sccept the award of the tribunal, whether favorable or unfavorable, Read by the side of Premier Gladstone's bitter and insulting char- acterization of our ‘‘case” it shows how Eng- land’s traditional insincerity proclaims the hollowness of her professions of friendship. So long as the treaty was a cheap insurance on her shipping and commerce for all time to come she was content to balance our terrible losses with expressions of lip regret. Now that the rate of insurance on her com- mercial future seems likely to run as high as our marine policies ran when her pirates were abroad during the war, the haughty head that lay bowing its regrets to the dust bristles up with the rage of a bully discovered in a humiliating hypocrisy. More than ever, in face of the circumstances as daily devel- oping, must our case be maintained in its integrity. The treaty was of their ask- ing; our case is clearly within its provisions ; in their case they record their willingness to abide by the result of the arbitration, and itis our plain duty to hold them to it. The clamor that England now raises, ‘‘like a very drab,” unpacking her heart with curses, is pro- bably of a piece with the demurrer that will follow on the English side, if the ar- bitration is allowed to proceed. If, however, the treaty is thrown overboard, it will not surprise us 0 much as the result of leaving the question for a future day to settle will as- tonish them. Morz War News FROM THE ISLAND OF St. Dominco.—The pretended war news that is constantly arriving from the black republic of Hayti, or the mulatto republic of St, Do- mingo, is perfectly farcical. A few semi- nude negroes are banded together by some negro fellow calling himself a general to scare the people. As soon as they have done this they retreat, and then, when there is no chance of being overtaken, a pursuit is made by the so-called government troops. No battle ever takes place. It is all marching up the hill and down again, and that with an insignifi- cant number of ragged negroes. This is called war, and this is the war news with which the columns of the American press are burdened. “Tae BroatED BonpHOLpERS” among the Southern carpet-baggers defy competition in the magnitude of their contraband operations in bonds, and in State bonds and railway bonds especially. They have by these opera- tions beggared North Carolina; they have made the State credit of South Carolina a byword and a grim joke in Wall street; they have thrown the finances of Georgia into con- fusion, and the same story will apply to every State all the way through to the Mexican fron- tier. The latest reported case of these bond speculating carpet-baggers ‘“‘bronght to book” is that of Governor Reed, of Florida, im- peached for certain “high crimes and misde- meanors,” in the unlawful issue of large amounts of railway bonds, &c. In short, the carpet-baggers, from North Carolina to Texas, inclusive, in their bond issues and bond ope- rations throw the Tammany Ring inthe shade. “And the cry is, still they come.” CoMPTROLLER GREEN, through the Board of Audit, has been paying out some of the moneys due to the men of the Fire Depart- ment, the laborers on the parks, the ‘‘small pipe men,” &c. We are glad to hear that among these payments the Board has not for- gotten the policemen, the families of whom, in many cases, had been reduced to want and suffering for lack of the money duo them from the city, Whatever may be his difficulties in borrowing the funds, we hope the Comptroller will never again allow our policemen to go begging for their hard earnings, They get little enough for their services, and they ought to be paid punctually. Tue RECONSTRUCTION OF TAMMANY pro- gresses slowly. At the meeting on last Mon- day night, after a boisterous session, the busi- ness on hand was postponed to another meet- ing, on the 20th, the case between the contest- ing factions being apparently as bard a nut to crack as the ‘‘American cage” on the Ala- bama claims, A Kixp Worp For Mr. Greetey.—The Asbland (Ohio) States and Union—demo- ctatic—refers to Mr. Greeley as the founder of the republican party, and says he, as an honest man, “‘cannot consent to be used to cover the frauds and misrule of the adminis- tration. He will join Trumbull, Schurz, Sum- ner and Tipton in the endeavor to cleanse the republican Augean stable.” This all looks very well just at this time; but when the regular republican nominations are made it will be seen that all these little private games of politicians will be blown higher than Gilde- rov's kite, Congress Yesterday—The Educational an@/ Srp Srarrorp Nontucors, one of the Joint Amnesty Bills, Steamship Sabsidies and Fishery an® Shipbuilding Bounties. The Educational bill, which bas attracted 80 much attention recently in the House of Representatives and in the country generally, was passed yesterday by a majority of seven- teen, The vote was not strictly party one, as sixteen republicans voted against it, while five democrats, including Kerr and Storm, who had opposed it in debate, voted for it. The bill as passed provides for the distribu- tion of the School fund on the basis, not of population, as originally proposed, but of illiteracy, which will have the effect of giving the bulk of it to the Southern States, where it is most needed, and also guards against com- pelling any State to have a system of mixed schools. This last provision was a triumph for the democratic side of the House, though it may prove fatal to it in the Senate, particu- larly if the Snmner .code of negro social equality is to prevail in that body. After disposing of this serious matter of business the House amused itself and gratified the communistic sentiment of its members by having a fresh deal for the choice of seats. Of course there were as many malcontents at the close of that performance as there had been at the beginning, and there is nothing to prevent them if in the majority, as they necessarily are, from having a fresh drawing next week, and so on from week to week till the end of the session. The Senate plodded on its weary way in the discussion of the Amnesty bill, or rather of Sumner’s amendment to it establishing negro equality on railroads, steamboats and omni- buses, and in hotels, schools, churches and cemeteries. The free religious element,.how- ever, proved too strong for Mr. Sumner. The Senate thought it would never do to put churches under the ban for excluding persons from membership for any cause which they might deem sufficient, and preferred also not to invade the graveyard in the enforcement of negro equality, Mr. Sumner’s bill was there- fore amended by striking out the reference to churches and cemeteries. The bill which was reported from the Fi- nance Committee a few days ago, for the retirement of the three per cent temporary loan certificates at the rate of three millions a month, was taken up yesterday in the Senate and passed, and a bill was reported from the Post Office Committee to double the mail ser- vice and subsidy between San Francisco and China. Whatever may be thoughtof the pro- priety of subsidies in the abstract, there can be no question as to the great commercial ne- cessity of increased postal service between this country and China and Japan. Our trade relations with those countries are growing so extensive and intimate that our merchants should certainly not be confined to a monthly mail. The steamer which was to have left San Francisco for China and Japan on the Ist of February was detained four daye in order to take out the mails, which were snowbound on the Pacific Railroad, and had eventually to start without them; and now those mails can- not be forwarded before the 1st of March, unless the Pacific Mail Steamship Company despatch an extra steamer. The mail service, if not weekly, should be at least semi-monthly. Secretary Boutwell gave his views on this and other questions connected with our mari- time interests before the House Committee on Commerce yesterday. He presented a bill, prepared by himself and designed to revive our commerce. His plan is merely a system of bounty to iron and wooden shipbuilders, and a bounty to the cod and mackerel fisher- men of Maine and Massachusetts. He is averse to the plan of drawbacks, as facilitating frauds, and also to the plan of subsidies, as being too special and restricted in their effects. He was modest enough to confess his diffidence in the efficacy of the measure proposed by him, if it should become a law, but thought that it should have a trial before falling back on what he deemed the last resort—but which is, nevertheless, the only feasible resort—of letting our merchants buy their ships in the best and cheapest market. There Is no use in losing time and money and trade in any half- way, miserable expedients, We must, if we would re-establish our commerce, be placed on an equal footing with all other maritime Powers. The protective system may do within our own domain, but on the ocean there must be free trade and free ships. Too Muou.—They have an idea in London that the “‘American case” will probably exceed the indemnity exacted of France by Germany, which is nine hundred millions of dollars; but our claims, we think, will be something less than eight hundred millions, What is the use, then, of all this English uproar? Tae Empzror WitiaM on Cuvron Gov- ERNMENT.—The Bishop of Strasbourg has been fretting in his mind on the subject of the exact value and force of the French Concordat with the Holy See in the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine under Prussian rule. Prince Bis- marck relieved his Lordship by the transmis- sion of a despatch, dated in Berlin, in which he informed him that ‘the Emperor of Ger- many will undertake, independently of such & measure, the Church government of these provinces.” Enough said! Emperor William is not, as we have before remarked, anything of a theologian or polemic, but he is a gentle- man of equitable mind and liberal disposition, and will do the “‘fair thing” towards the mem- bers of all religious congregations subject to his rule, Tae Count pz Cuamnorp, previous to his departure from Frohsdorf, will issue another manifesto. These Bourbon manifestoes are becoming periodical affairs, So the announce- ment surprises no person. A Work oF Supzrgrocation.—In the Ag- sembly last evening the republican majority declared, by resolutions, in favor of the pas- sage of the fifteenth amendment. There was quite a debate upon it, and one of the demos crats so far forgot himself as to declare that the amendment was a good thing. Now let the Assemblymen signify in the same manner their approval of the passage of the Red Sea. cibcnaitnnninuseaiasaa al Lat Us Have an Open Sxsston when the Legislative Committee comes here for the purpose of investigating into judicial corrup- tions, No “Star Chamber” examination, but one in which the press and the public shall be occult witnesses, and the scoused parties shall have a fair hearing. High Commissioners, in a speech in Parlia- ment last August; as it appears, on the Ala- bama claims, said that the Washington Treaty “narrowed the question at issue very * closely, by confining the reference solely to losses growing out of the acts of particular vessels, and so shutting out a large class of claims upon which the Americans had hereto- fore insisted.” But the treaty provides for the settlement in these very words, to wit:— “The high contracting parties agree that all the said claims, growing out of acts committed by the aforesaid vessels, and generally known as the Alabama claims, shall be referred to a tribunal of arbitration,” &. ‘All the said claims ;” and this is the American case. Orp Dreprich KNIOKERBOOKER had «@ quaint idea of his own regarding treaties be- tween nations, There is much wholesome matter to be found in the chapter taken from his profound history of New York which will be found elsewhere in our columns, What was true when the great Dutchman, Peter Stuyvesant, surnamed the Headstrong, swayed the destinies of Manna-hata, will find much curious vindication in the grievous troubles which disturb our minds in this day of conse- quential damages and Alabama treaties, Tre Mirter Investication (Superintene dent of Insurance) must not be overlooked among all the investigations going on. So far Mr. Miller seems to be getting along very well, and he is fighting like a man who knows he has a good case. * Personal Intelligence. E. W. Rice, ex-United States Consul at Shanghae, is stopping at the Everett House. Governor J. W. Stewart, of Vermont, yesterday arrived at the St. Nicholas Hotel. Judge Richard Busteed, of Alabama, is domiciled at the Sturtevant House, Judge N. J. Bradish, of Boston, w registered at the Grand Central Hotel. Colonel H. H. Ham, of Texas, is staying at Earle’s Hotel. General James Craig, of Missouri, is quartered a& the St. Nicholas Hotel. Senator J. F. Pruyn,, of Waterford, N. Y., is among the lace arrivals at the Metropolitan Hotel. General Q. A. Gillntore, of the United States army, has rooms at the New York Hotel, General Lewis Barney, of Iowa, is a guest of the Westminster Hotel. General H. E. Valentine, of Hartford, yesterday arrived at the St. Nicholas Hotel. Homer Ramsdeil, of Newburg, is among the re- cent arrivals at the St, James Hotel. Ex-Mayor George Innis, of Poughkeepsie, is at the St. Nicholas Hotel. Colonel John Guthrie, of San Francisco, isa guest of the Grand Central Hotel. Colonel T, W. Moore, of Washington, 1s at the Sturtevant House, K. D. McCarthy, of Syracuse, has rooms at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Colonel H. Beattie, of South Carolina, is quartered at the New York Hotel. General 8. B, Buckner, of Kentucky, is sojourning at the St, Nicholas Hotel. Professor Maury, of Washington, is a guest at the Everett House, General C, C. Gilman, of Iowa, has quarters at the Metropolitan Hotel, C. 8. Bushnell, of New Haven, 1s domiciled at the Firth Avenue Hotel, General 8. P. Heintzelman has arrived from Wash- ington at the Sturtevant House. The General was placed on the retired list in 1869, but he is not yet too old nor lacking in spirit to re-enter the service. General ©. W. Hall, of Michigan, is temporarug residing at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. It 18 reported that Francisco V. Aguilar, Vice President of the republic of Cuba, has been recalled. from this city to resume the performance of the duties of his office, He has satisfactorily executed tne duties with which he was charged as general agent of Cuba, resident in this city, and he ts now desired at home, not alone for his notorious valor in the fleld, but also for the contingency of the aeath of the President of the repubiic. Colonel Eduardo Codina, late of the Cuban army, who was for some time in this city, under the order of Vice President Aguilar, has sailed for Colombia as the representative of a Cuban mercantile firm of this city. Itis certain that something of good te his country 1s to be the result of his journey, else his patriotism would not allow him to seem to leave her service, nor would that of the members of the firm in whose interest he goes permit them to en- gage @ recreant, THE WEATHER, OFFICE OF THE CHIgF SIGNAL OFFiogR, WasHineron, D, 0. Feb. 9-1 A. Mi. Svnopsis for the Past Twenty-four Hours. The area of lowest barometer, which was Wednes day night apparently central, southwest of Florida, has moved east and northeastward to the neighborhood of Cape Hatteras. Northeast winds, with cloud and rain, have continued to pre- vail from Southeastern Virginia to Georgia. Light northerly winds with clearing weather are reported trom the Gulf States generally. Rain has been re- ported from New Jersey southward. Threatening weather is now confined to Eastern Pennsylvania War Derartaent, } and Virginia. Clear weather prevails from New England westward to the Missis- sippl, with light winds mostly from the southwest, Anarca of low barometer has appa- rently developed from Kansas to Dakota, where tne temperature has risem since Wednesday. Light rain has continued a4 San Francisco. Probabilities, ; The low varometer off the North Carolina coast will, probably, continue to move northeastward, with increasing northeast winds and rainon the immediate coast, from Virginia to Long Island, by Friday noon, but moving to the eastward, without being severely felt on the New England coast; pleasant weather continue on Friaay very generally in New England and westward to Michigan, and thence southwestward to Texas; the low barometer in the Missouri valley continues moving eastward over Wisconsin, with northwest winds and threatening weatneron Lake Superiory southerly winds and imereased cloudiness from Michigan to Missouri. Cautionary signals are ordered for this morning ‘at Norfolk, Cape May and New York. Supplementary Weather Report. WASHINGTON, D. CO, Feb. 8, 1872 Synopsis for the Past Twenty-four Hours. Rain was reported last night frem Augusta, oats Jacksonville, Key West and Lake Uity, Mobile, Port land, Oregon aad Sen Francisco, The temperatare at Mt, Washington, N. B., and Kingston, Canada, was 2 degrees below zero, Rain continued this morn- ing at Augusta, Ga., Jacksonville, Lake City, Mobile, and reported from Norfolk, Va, ana ‘Wilmington, N. ©. Temperature at Kingstom was 4 degrees below zero; Port Dover, 6; Port Stanley, 9 and Saugeen, Canada, 1 ling this _ event at Mugusta, Fae vil iano fi Nortik and, wil- mington, N. ©., aud rep from Cape May, Thadleston ‘and San Francisco. Weather on summit Mout ington fair; temperature 10 degrees above, a wiod irom west blowing @ heavy gale. ‘Temperatare at Key West 76 degrees above, and at Punta Hasse 68 above. ‘rhe Weather In This City Yesterday. ‘The following record will show the changes in the temperature for the past twenty-four hours in com- parison with the corresponding day of last year, as indicatea by the thermometer at Hudnut’s Phar- macs, ware ems. BSP MeO oa Mh 2 OP. +880 OA. M., 2% OP, 37 30 12M... «s B4 80 «12. 36 30 Average sonporetere Up wsaene J Pir average vempet leat 3A, y