The New York Herald Newspaper, December 15, 1872, Page 8

, NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR, AMUSEMENTS TO-MORROW EVENING. Y SQUARE THEATRE, Broadway, between Thir- teunth and Fourteenth streets. —AGNES. FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE, Twenty-fourth street— Maunixp Lire. WALLACK'S THEATRE, street.—Oon Anxnican C Broadway auc Thirteenth Ne THEATRE COMIQUE, 514 Broadway.—Arrica: on, Livingstone AND STANLE' BOOTHS THEATRE, Twenty-third street, corner Sixth avenue.—Tax Litty or Fran OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway. between Houston and Bleecker sté—La Bruix Heexe. STADT THEATRE, Nos. 45 and 47 Bowery.—Orera— Tux Merry Wives oy Winpsor. BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Mazerra~Mx. anv Mas. Paree Waite. WOOD'S MUSEUM, Broadway, corner Thirtieth st.— Banks tx tae Woop, Aiternoon and Evening. GRAND OPERA HOUSE, Twenty-third st. and Eighth av.—Kounp tax Ciocn. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway, between Prince and jouston Leo ann Lotos. BRYANT'S OPERA HOUSE, Twonty-third st., corner AV.—Nxcro Minstaeisy, Eocen tRIcitTY, &c. ATHENEUM, No. 585 Brealway.—Sriexpip Vanterr or Novertixs. CANTERBURY VARTE’ tween Bleecker and Hou: TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, No. 201 Bowery.— Granp Variety ENTERTAINMENT, &C. FAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS, corner 28th st. and Broadway.—Etuiortan Minsrreisy, £c. . STEINWAY HALL, Fourteenth street.—Lecrore, “Tum Angonavts or °49.’ THEATRE, Broadway, be- .—VaRieTy ENTERTAINMENT. BARNUM'S MUSEUM. MENAGERIE AND CIRCUS, Fourteenth street, ncar Broadway.—Day and Evening. NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.— Ecrence AND ART, QUADRUPLE SHEET. New Yerk, Sunday, Dec. 15, 1872. THE NEWS OF YESTERDAY. To-Day’s Contents of the Herald. “SPAIN AND CUBA! THE FREEDMEN OF THE UNITED STATES RISING TO THE MAIN QUESTION" —LEADER—EiGnTH PAGE. HENDERSON’S CUBAN MISSION NOT A FAILURE ARRIVAL AT CHARLESTON AND DEPARTURE BY RAIL FOR NEW YORK—PERSONAL NEWS— Ninra PaGE. EUROPE BY CABLE! EXCITING DEBATE ABOUT DISSOLUTION IN THE FRENCH ASSEM- BLY: BISMARCK’S RESIGNATION: THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH STORMS—Nintu PAGE. 4NARCHY FOR OFFICE! FURTHER PROGRESS OF THE NEW ORLEANS OFFICE SCRAM- BLE: PROPOSED IMPEACHMENT OF WAR- MOTH—Firta PaGy. THE WRATH OF THE STORM KING! THE DE- STRUCTION IN THE NURTH OF EUROPE FROM GALES AND FRESHETS—Frrri Page. THE FALL RACE MEETING OF THE LOUISIANA JOCKEY CLUB— AUSTRALIAN PROTEST AGAINST THE COOLIE TRADE—A FEAST FOR ANTIQUARIANS—FirtH PAGE. PEDERAL CAPITAL NEWS! UNEARTHING FOUL LINEN IN THE CREDIT MOBILIER SCAN- DAL—Firta PaGE. PRESENTATION OF A HISTORIC BATTLE FLAG TO THE SPANISH VOLUNTEERS IN CUBA! THE EXTRAVAGANT DELIGHT OF THE DONS: THE BLOT OF SLAVERY—TWELFTH PAGE. AIDING THE WIDOWS AND ORPAANS OF DEAD COMMUNISTS—BROOKLYN LOCALS—MARI- TIME NEWS—TWELrrH PaGE. FASWION’S MINISTER'S! WHAT SANTA CLAUS AND THE FICKLE GODDESS HAVE OR- DERED FOR THE LADIES AND THE LITTLE FOLKS: NO END OF NOVELTIES—Sixtn Page. THE FEATURES OF BUSINESS AT THE WALL STREET EXCHANGES! MONEY: EASIER: INCREASED IMPORTS—ELEVENTH Pace. FUNERAL OF THE FIFTH AVENUE FIRE VIC- TIMS! THE GIRLS’ REMAINS INTERRED WITH DUE CHRISTIAN OBSERVANCES— SEVENTH PaGE. RESUME OF THE RELIGIOUS FIELD FOR THE WEEK! PROTESTANT, CATHOLIC AND JEWISH SERVICES AND TOPICS: MINIS- TERIAL DOINGS—THIRTEENTH PAGE. A REVIEW OF THE REAL ESTATE MARKET! THE SALES AND OUTLOOK—CORONERS' WORK—ELEVENTH PaGE. A BITTER OPERATIC WARFARE! HERR WAG- NER’S -FESTAL THEATRE, AT BAYREUTH, GERMANY: IS THE GREAT COMPOSER IN- SANE? LISZT AND OFFENBACH—SixTH Page. A SHAKSPEARIAN ESTIMATE OF MISS NEII- “FREE LAN CRITI- CIZES THE “LADY OF LYO! —MUSICAL AND THEATRICAL—SixTH Pace, TEMPEST-TOSSED MARINERS! SUFFERINGS AND SAFE ARRIVAL OF ONE MORE OF THE MISSOURI'S ILL- FATED HUMANITY— TENTH PAGE. EDWIN FORREST'S LIkE WILL AND THE AGED ACTOR’S ASYLUM— PARAGRAPHS ABOUT HORSES AND BOAT- ING—TENTH Pace. A FRENCH MURDER MYSTERY! ARREST OF BERTIN, ALIAS DUTOT. CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER IN FRANCE: WHAT THE PRISONER HAS TO SAY—Sgvenrn PAGE. PROCEEDINGS IN THE COURTS—SKATING— SEVENTH PaGE. MAMMOTH MARTS FOR THE METROPOLIS! THE IMPROVEMENTS AT WASHINGTON ABD CENTRE MARKETS—NEW YORK CITY NEWS—UNCTUOUS OSTRANDER—Tenta Pas. MR. AND DEATH! HIS Ovr Late Comamsstoner To Cuna.—In another column we print a brief despatch from Mr. A. Boyd Henderson, dated yester- day at Charleston, 8. C., where he had just arrived from Hayti. It would appear from this despatch that he has not failed in the object of his mission, as we were at first led to believe from his apparent abandonment of his post. In a few days Mr. Henderson will arrive in this city, and we shall then be en- abled to set forth at length the story of his travellings and their net result in the way of | actual, impartial information on the state of the insurrection inf the beautiful Queen of the Antilles. Tae Incweasx of popular power in Austria is illustrated by the announcement in the Enstern Budget that the government bill for enlarging the number of members of the Reichsrath, and electing delegates thereto directly by the people, hud been prepared by tho Ministry and would be submitted to the Emperor at the next Cabinet couuciL NEW ‘YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1872—QUADKUPLE SHEET. Spain and Cuba—The Freedmen of the United States Rising to the Main Question. The meeting of our colored citizens at Cooper Institute on Friday evening last, called to take action in reference to the “érrepressible conflict’ in the island of Cuba, was the beginning of a movement on the part of a political clement in the United States which, on the main question involved in ref- erence to tho action of our government, can wield the balance of power. The black popu- lation of this country embraces seven hundred thousand voters, and upon an issue which, outside of Spain and Turkey, commands the sympathies of the civilized world, these seven hundred thousand cdlored voters have only en masse to define their position in order to determine the action of Congress and the administration. Nor can it be ques- tioned that the voice of this Cooper Institute meeting is the voice of all our citizens of African descent, including especially those four millions lately released from the shackles of slavery and invested with all the rights and privileges of civil and political equality. What, then, is the position which these col- ored. citizens have assumed in behalf of their brethren in the island of Cuba? They declare themselves on the side of ‘the Cuban patriot, who have already decreed and put in practice the doctrine of the equality and freedom of all men."” They “view with abhorrence the pol- icy of the Spanish government for the last four years’ in the island of Cuba, ‘both for the unnecessary and inhuman butcheries that have taken place under its rule and for the tenacity with which they cling to the barbarous and inhuman institution of slavery.” Our colored citizens further declare that ‘‘it is our opinion that the success of the Spanish arms will tend to rivet more firmly the chains of slavery on our brethren, re-establishing slavery where it does not now exist and restoring the horrors of the African slave trade and the coolie traffic,” and that, on the other hand, ‘‘the success of the Cuban patriots would immedi- ately give to the whole inhabitants of the island freedom and equality before the law.’ And the line of action asked of the President and Congress, after four years of patient wait- ing, is “to accord the Cuban patriots that favorable recognition to which these four years’ gallant struggle for freedom entitles them.” In other words, the freedmen of the United States, in behalf of their enslaved brethren in Cuba, ask the concession of bellig- erent rights to the Cuban insurgents. It appears, too, that agents and sup- porters here of the Spanish authorities were quick to take the alarm from this movement of our colored citizens, for at this meeting a printed circular was scattered about the hall addressed ‘To the Colored Citizens of the United States,’’ and warning them of the folly of S¥pporting the Cuban rebels. To this cir- cular was appended the name of the editor of the Spanish paper HI Cronista, José Ferrer de Conto, and his appeal is that of a loyal Span- iard deeply in earnest and really frightened. He warns our colored citizens of ‘‘some cow- ards’’ from Cuba, who have come here to live upon their wits and to induce white and black Americans to go to Cuba in their places; he says that these Cubans are now agitating the abolition of slavery in the island, ‘when the Spanish government has just decreed abo- lition ona plan a great deal better organized and much more advantageous than the one which made so many victims in the Southern States of this Republic ;” that ‘those hypo- crites who talk to you about fraternity and of rights’’ and all that, “have all their lives lived off nothing but the labor of negroes,” and that our colored people ought not to be deceived by these Cuban “loafers,” nor allow “the rogues now appearing before you to put you down as fools.’’ Mr. Pindell, however, answered this circular apparently to the satis- faction of the meeting, in quoting from £1 Cronista numerous advertisements for the sale of slaves; and an excited young Cuban clinched the nail by proclaiming the pub- lisher of this Spanish document as the author of the “Negro in Slavery,’’ the “most pro- slavery book ever written.’’ We discover here that there were some Cubans at this meeting, from which we may infer that they are at the bottom of this move- ment; but even conceding the accusations against these men as cowardly and unscrupu- lous adventurers, their participation in this colored meeting does not shake the argument on the main question of African slavery in the island of Cuba. Nor will the plea avail that “the abolition of slavery in the Spanish Antilles is a fact already decreed and intro- duced by the government at Madrid,” and that for the colored citizens of New York ‘‘to take action now upon the subject is the most ridiculous and useless step to which they could induce you who want to prey upon your savings by similar nonsense.’’ The idea here is that these penniless Cubans are aiming to collect money from our colored citizens on false pretences; but it does not appear that these colored men enter- tain any filibustering designs. Their plan of action is to appeal for official intervention in behalf of liberty in Cuba. They do not pyo- pose, andwe presume they will not be led into, the folly of subscribing money for Cuban filibustering expeditions. They ask the con- cession of belligerent rights in behalf of the Cuban insurgent cause because they think this concession in point of law would be right and because it embraces liberty and equality to the half million African slaves of the island. This is the main question to our citizens of African descent. The freedom which they now enjoy they wish to be enjoyed by their brethren elsewhere; and while the British government is striking at this relic of barbarism—negro — élavery—in Africa, in consequence of the astound- ing disclosures of Livingstone and Stan- ley, these black citizens of the United States call for the intervention of their gov- ernment for the extinction of the evil in Cuba, and by such action as they hold to be within the law of nations. We dare say, too, that this Cooper Institute movement is due more to the suggestions touching slavery in Cuba thrown out in the President's late annual Message than to the intrigues of Cuban emissaries. We suspect that our colored citizens hove seized the idea from General Grant's opinions thot slavery in Guba still prevails; that the civil war in the island still goes on; that there is no prospect of its esrly termination one way or the other, from present indications, and that meantime we can only hope that the present liberal government of Spain will put an end to this curse of slavery. Upon these hints, we apprehend, our colored citizens have come forward and defined their position. They may have been further inspired by the encouraging remarks of General Banks in Congress on the bill. providing for those half a dozen improved ships of war. But, in any event, let the freedmen of the United States submit their ultimatum to Congress and to the President in a flood of petitions on this subject. Let them keep up their fire hot and heavy, and decisive action will follow. Public opinion throughout the civilized world would justify a proclamation from Washington of belligerent rights to the Cu- bans, or even armed intervention there, in the cause of humanity and civilization. But there are other measures through which we may bring the Spanish government to terms and thus give the finishing blow to slavery in Cuba—such measures, for instance, as a per- emptory demand for reparation and indem- nity in consequence of the Spanish out- rages in Cuba upon American citizens and upon our commerce in_ the Gulf committed during the last four years, resting our cause upon the troubles arising from Cuban slavery. Doubtless, too, a resolution from the House of Representa- tives asking of the President such official in- formation as he may possess as to the decrees and purposes of the Spanish government in reference to the abolition of slavery in Cuba would operate to bring the Cabinet of King Amadeus to reason. It is reported that Sefior Zorrilla has recently declared that Spain would move no further upon this matter of slavery in Cuba until the last insurgent shall have surrendered. If so, the dominion of Spain in the island is the dominion of slavery. And, indeed, as the abolition of slavery is the corner stone of the insurgent constitution for Cuba, we cannot doubt that the removal of slavery involves the independence of the island. So itis understood and accepted by our colored citizens, and, from their strength in our body politic, they have only to pour in their petitions upon Congress and the Presi- dent in order to command a hearing and definite and decisive action. France=The Petitions from the People and the Debate in the Assembly. It was known to us yesterday that the Right inthe French Assembly would make a bold effort to prove that dissolution in present cir- cumstances would be unwise, impolitic and even dangerous, until the territory of France was utterly freed from foreign occupation. It was known that the Right would make an effort to prove that the Left was responsible for the present agitation. It was also known that there was some dangerous difference in the Committee of Thirty with regard to the proposal that there should be organized a second Chamber. The Committee of Thirty has not yet re- ported, but yesterday the debate in the As- sembly took place on the petitions from the people in favor of dissolution. The debate seems to have been keen and spirited. M. Duval, who was one of the first speakers, boldly asserted that the petitions brought for- ward in favor of dissolution were irregularly signed and evidently the work of agitators. Gambetta, who replied, denied the charge. The people had again and again given unmis- takable evidence that they were opposed to the policy of the Assembly, by returning, when they had the opportunity, even from monarchical centres, ‘republican candidates. The late crisis, he said, had taught the people a lesson, and the popular desire for dissolu- tion was universal and invincible. It was a calumny to say that the petitions were got up by foul means or under false pretences, and he defied the monarchists to establish a monarchy which a king would accept or a people ratify. M. Andiffret Pasquier followed, on the part of the Right, in a speech in which he violently attacked the radicals, declaring that the horrors of the rule of the Commune were the fruits of their own principles of gov- ernment. It has long been our opinion that France should submit to the present government until the soil was freed from the invader. Any serious trouble would but tighten the grip which Germany now has upon France. If, however, France will not content herself under the present government, the only thing to be done is to dissolve the Assembly, coupled with an appeal to the people. Cupa’s Consouations From Maprm np Spanisu Fuss in FurtHerance or Stavery.— One of the Heratp special correspondents in Cuba supplies the interesting letter, under date of Havana, December 7, which appears in our columns to-day. The insular loyalists were moved simultaneously by feel- ings of fuss, military fury, devotion, street holiday enjoyment and gain. The artillery corps of the citizen militia of Madrid had presented, by deputation, a flag to the volun- teers of Cuba, and the ensign, a historic one, was received with universal demonstra- tions of joy, duly blessed by the clergy and deposited in the Temple of Columbus, Through the sparkle of the popular glitter it is easy to perceive, notwithstanding, the sickly sheen of the pale, disastrous planet which symbols the black flag of slavery. Coolie ships were arriving from China, and what re- mained of the Asiatic chattel cargoes after the voyages was being sold in bulk to the highest bidder. Bull-baiting during the Sab- bath was strictly maintained as an excellent sport school, well calculated for the hardening of the pzople'’s heart to the proper degree which enables it to endure the brutalities of the coolie trade. King Amadeus’ Cabinet re- mains, evidently, concerned with respect to the matter of the administrative rule of Cuba in the future, so that it is likely the Habaneros will soon have a new executive deal, followed by now hands all round. Harp Ox tHe Bavres.—Dr. Lankester, a London Coroner, lately stated at the inquest of an infant smothered in bed by its mother, who fell asleep while nursing it, that throe thousand innocents are thus killed yearly in England. As emigration has so thinned the population of the British islands that human- ity has value, the Coroner therefore suggested the propriety of having the rndiments of phy- siology taught in the public schools, so that the rising generation might avoid those errors and abuses which unnecessarily destroy so many lives. Disestablishment of the Church of England. The English press is now engaged in dis- cussing the question as to whether the Estab- lished Church has the right to be considered the Church of the people, or, at least, the Church of a majority of the people. The Non- conformists, comprising nearly all those who are not in communion with the Episcopal Church, hold, on principle, that there should be no union between Church and State, and are now showing that for the same reasons that disestablishment took place in Ireland a similar course should be followed in England and Wales. The denominations that agitate this matter are the Congregationalists, Bap- tists, Independents and Methodists, who num- ber seven or eight millions of the most earnest Christians in the Empire. Their leader is Mr. Miall, a member of Parliament, who at its last session proposed a resolution looking to- wards disestablishment and who intends to bring the subject again before the House of Commons after the recess. The Roman Catholics, Presbyterians and Universalists have not yet declared against a national Church, but the broad, equitable and intelli- gent principle that the civil law shall make no distinction between one citizen and another, and that all should be regarded alike, finds among the masses of the people sympathy and support. The immense revenues of the Church of England are enjoyed by Bishops and Arch- bishops, and thousands of well-provided-for clergymen, who, as a matter of course, set their faces against such a proposition, which they regard almost as sacrilegious. The tory party upholds their views and denounces the Dissenters, who are preparing for a grand assault on this cherished institution, The Dissenters, on the other hand, argue that dis- establishment, so far from being an injury to the Church, would be a direct benefit to it, It would have to change its name and abolish its relations to the State, and thereby throw off the chains thatimpede its usefulness, and march on to higher results. The Establish- ment does not see the matter in that light at all. Defence associations have been formed, congresses held, and meetings of the clergy convened to resist the designs of Mr. Mialland the Nonconformists. It was freely asserted by them that dissent was waning while the Church was gaining strength; that the latter had passed its lowest point and was advancing at such arate that it must soon become in reality, as well as in name, the Church of the nation. This bold statement brought the Nonconfor- mist, the leading organ of the Dissenters, to the front. It set to work to prepare statistics of the churches and sittings in the principal cities, and has already published several tables that tell a different story. It appears that no enumeration of the religious professions of the people was taken in the census of 1860, the only official figures being those gathered ten years before that date. When the proposi- tion was made in Parliament to obtain the re- spective number belonging to each denomina- tion in 1860, it was opposed and defeated by the tories, who no doubt feared that it would show the Establishment to be in the minority. The Nonconformist, aided by Mr. Miall, first commenced with fourteen cities, each with a population of one hundred thousand and up- wards, to ascertain the number of places of worship and their accommodations. Twelve years before, as stated, an opportunity arose of setting the matter at rest, but, as far as the Dissenters are concerned, better late than never, for the tables now published show an astonishing progress of free churches in Eng- land and Wales. In fourteen years following 1851 the Congregationalists alone expended in London one million eight hundred thou- sand dollars in chapel building. It is also demonstrated that the Establishment is retro- grading and must be prepared to abandon or at least part with its pre-eminence. In six cities of the fourteen referred to the number of sittings provided by the Dissenters exceed that provided for by the Church by 77,514; and in the eight others the Estab lishment falls behind, instead of gaining ground, and the genéral result is that the Church only provides thirty-three per cent of accommodation instead of forty-two, as in 1850. The second table, issted on the 9th instant, embraces statistics of twenty cities, having a population of 50,000 and less than 100,000 and having an aggregate population of 1,440,000. The relative accommodation of these twenty cities is as follows: —Established Church—places of worship, 292; sittings, 222,878. Non-established churches—places of worship, 809; sittings, 443,665. In favor of Non-established churches—places of wor- ship, 517; sittings, 220,687. These results prove that the Church of England, with its immense revenues, only provides for one-third of the population, and that two-thirds, who are not in communion with the Establishment fund, provide minis- ters and churches for themselves. So far as the statistics, carefully gathered during the present month, show, the Establishment is responsible for thirty-seven per cent in a population of 4,345,000—about one-fifth of the entire population. These inquiries are to be pursued further by the Non-conformists, the object being to place beyond doubt that their is no reality in the alleged revival of the Church of England, of which so much has been heard. : The arguments to be based on the results are expected to silence those who have here- tofore claimed that the Church is that of a majority of the people, and further that as disestablishment took place in Ireland because the Church was that of the minority, the same ground must hold good in England and Wales, particularly in the latter principality, where nearly the entire people are Dissenters. It is admitted that the Episcopal Church is a venerable institution, that has taken deep root in the hearts of many of the people ; but it is held that that is no reason why a majority of Englishmen who attend public worship should be placed, by its existence, in an inferior posi- tion before the laws of the country. They claim the same justice as has been extended to Ireland. At recent meeting of the clergy of a provincial diocese one of the bishops sug- gested the necessity of girding themselves up for the practical work that must follow dises- tablishment, as the eventual vote of the people will pronounce in favor of réligions equality. The Non-conformists rely upon the soundness of their principles, and do not doubt the nation will acquiesce ina reform that canpot .action of Judge Durell may be set aside. be consistently longer withheld. Disestab-| sptrit emd spice of Our Religidus lishment promises to be one of the great ques- tions at the next session of Parliament. The Troubles in Louisiana—Surrender of the State Government to Federal Foree. The citizens of New Orleans have afforded another striking example of the earnest desire of the Southern people to accept the conse- quences of the war in good faith and to prove the sincerity of their professions of renewed fealty to the federal government. They have yielded up what they at least believe to be their most precious rights rather than risk a collision between tho authorities of the State and the federal troops. Yesterday the State militia laid down their arms and gave up pos- session of their armory at the summons of United States soldiers, and the Governor of Louisiana, with the Legislature. and the Courts of the State, have avowed their deter- mination to surrender their trusts to the keep- ing of federal bayonets and to await patiently the developments of time, in the hope that in the end justice may triumph over brute force. By this prudent action they have merited the gratitude of their fellow citizens in the other States of the Union. A resolute persist- ence in their opposition to the Kellogg usurpation would have inevitably led to blood- shed, and the consequences, not to Louisiana alone, but to the whole South, might have been deplorable, At the same time the peace- ful struggle against the great wrong that has been inflicted upon the State has not been abandoned. An appeal has been issued to the American people, backed by the names of the representhtives of some of the leading com- mercial houses of the United States, and the committee of one hundred prominent citizens are on their way to Washington to plead with the President, despite the singular announce- ment of the United States Attorney General that the President has already decided a case that is still an open one in the Courts. The Pinchback government is thus tem- porarily installed in office by the active aid of the federal troops, but it has not a pleasant prospect before it. Apart from the few whites who are interested politically in its success and the negroes it can control by money or other means, it is utterly without a following in the State. The militia refused to recognize its authority and defied its armed police, yield- ing only to the federal troops. The people are united against it and will, no doubt, contest its right to levy taxes or to do any legislative act. While it holds on to its usurped authority it can only bring confusion, trouble and discredit upon the State, Without the federal government at their backs Kellogg, Pinchback and their associates could not re- main in power a single day, and every hour of their rule will be an injury to the people of Louisiana. The question upon which the existence of the Pinchback government de- pends is still before the Supreme Court, and hence there is some slight prospect that the We are willing to await that decision before we refer to the part played by the Attorney Gene- ral of the United States in the drama or review the action of the federal government in this and other recent political controversies in some of the Southern State governments. River Floods in France with Ruin- ously Destructive Consequences. The Paris telegrams, which we publish to- day report the occurrence of most disastrous visitations to the manufacturing, agricultural and railway transit interests in several of the departments of France by river inundations consequent on the recent wind storms. The streams which water the northeastern depart- ments have overflowed their banks and flooded portions of the surrounding country. Part of the city of Lille is under water, the inhabitants have fled to places of safety, factories have been closed, and the “general trade of that portion of the country has been impeded by the loss of many bridges which have been swept away. The crops have been ruined. The river Loire has swollen to such an extent that the quays of Nantes, with a great many buildings situ- ate in the lower part of that city, are com- pletely under water; the Custom House has been closed and the neighboring farms made desolate. The railroads which are the prin- cipal means of travel to the town have been submerged and the commerce of the section entirely suspended. This great and heavy visitation comes at a very inopportune moment, almost in midwinter, for these poor and suffering Frenchmen. Their Christmas—as with some of their more northern neighbors—will be a cheerless festi- val, so far as the things,of this world are con- cerned; but it is to be hoped that the faith and charity which have sustained and con- soled poor earthly sufferers from the begin- ning will enable them to bear their burden pa- tiently till Christian brethren stretch forth their hands to ease them of their new and still more heavy load. Tue Trustees or tHe Mvotvat Lire Iv- surance Company held a meeting yesterday and, as will be seen by an advertise- ment in another column, put a quietus, for the present at least, upon Mr. Win- ston’s proposed reduction of rates. Very good. This is just what we have been predicting all along would be the result. It will quiet the nerves of all the quaking and shaking little mushroom companies, and we hope it will restore general confidence also in our insurance business, where everything in the shape of empiricism and quackery ought to be squelched. Therefore we say, very good. But something mors is needed. The gravest | charges have been made against the character of the President of the Mutual Company, and it is due to him and to the company that these charges should be investigated calmly and dis- passionately. If the charges are groundless, they should be retracted as publicly as they have been made; if they are true, then he is the wrong man in the wrong place. f Tae Weex wy Wau Srreet.—The leading incident of the Wall street markets the past week was the decline in gold fo 112}. Tn the speculative shares there was a heavy fail in Pacific Mail, following the news of so many disasters to the vessels of the line. At the close on Saturday expectations were indulged in that the Treasury would begin paying the January interest some time during the ensuing week, Contemporaries, There is neither much of the one nor the other in the columns of our religious contem- poraries this week. Whatever of spirit there is is not vivacious hor yet devotional, and whatever of spice there is is neither piquant nor peppery—except in a few instances, as we will proceed to demonstrate. « The Christian Union comes to the conclusion that the “world moves,” and therefore it is not a fixed concern in the pulpit of Plymouth church, Brooklyn. The installation of the Rev. Mr. Hepworth as pastor of the Church of tho Disciples is the theme for this article om mundane progressiveness. “Happy Hep- worth !’’ ejaculates the Union, “the bars were let down for thy feet to enter the green pas- tures and wander by the still waters! thou gone over the stony paths to ordination which we shudderingly remember long ere this the wolves and ravens would have de- voured thy remains." “n ”” continues Mr. Beecher, ‘“‘the fession of and i o Faith, 80 ore divided agains! , other that the jority went Uid Schooltor New School, a ing depth of the roads or the violence of the clouds. The Old School held to Gal- vintam as it developed in Geneva and in Scotland. peg ele Benaot Ble ip Cavin Ce coveoee in New England, John Knox and his school, Jona- than Edwards and his school! Between these twe fiery factions, each one absolutely ee and sure the other was abominably wrong, the candidate had to make his way. Sometimes for whole day he ran the facades pelted with questions, reed with refinements of questi pinched with yet finer distinctions, arrow brought into the range of another. was a spear in front and a spear behin which he tasted. ‘The scene usually opene: the existence and attributes of God were posed of; the inspiration of the Bible the pacea little, but not till we reach crees and the character of man, his natural in- Cr i moral ability, did one see the reat ie. «Through such a fire of examination,” con- cludes the editor-orator-preacher of Plymouth church, ‘‘came we to the liberty of preaching! Itis witha kind of mournful envy that we see Hepworth riding in a chariot drawn by six denominations, while we fought almost in blood through six mortal hours to win the prize. All hail good sense! Al! hail Christian good sense! All hail the growth of manly in- dependence joined to toleration! All hail the unity of the spirit, in spite of external diver- sity !"" Touching upon the subject of a “fitting memorial’ to the late Mr. Greeley, tho Golden Age gracefully avers that— It was @ graceful and magnanimous act on the part of the HERALD to propose a journalistic sub- scription for the beneft of Mr. Greeley’s daughters. When it is remembered that that paper has always been Mr. Greeley’s opponent, and has oftentimes criticised him and his views with merciless severity and with all sorts of weapons, the act takes on i truly beauti(ul aspect and becomes a welcome illustration of the innate generosity of human nature and its profound and ineradicabie respect for the ster! integrities of character aud a life devoted to human welfare. The ant- mosities of politics, the rivalries of business, the violations and bitternesses of personal contact and collision, ure superficial as tne froth and foam and dashing spray on the wind-tossed tide which hide the clear, catm waters. underneath, and seem to be ali there is untit a great sorrow stills the storm and reveals a depth that isa mirror of heaven, The Age thinks the event of the installation of the Rev. Mr. Hepworth, without being re- quired to make a statement of faith, is of more significance than some of its participants seem to be aware. It indicates not only a step towards a most desirable unity of our contending sects, but a departure from the old dogmatisms and standards of faith. The Liberal Christian (Rev. Dr. Bellows) wants ‘‘a credible and credited theology,” and relates that a fortnight ago twenty or thirty of the well known ministers of this city were prea- ent on the platform from which Mr. Froude de livered his reply to Father Burke, and during which the. English historian said he would have no clergymen on the jury of arbitration to which he proposed to leave the case be- tween himself and his accusers of inaccuracy and falsification of records, “because clergy- men are always blind of one eye.” And here the Liberal Christian indignantly exclaims: — Has it come to this, that the people have come ta consider the cle! as one-eyed instead of single eyed, as half-blind guides, with a characteristic squint of reer ap t of sound judgment and candid consideration of disputed themes? And are the clergy so accustomed to this charge or so self-con- demned that they can do nothing but join good- naturedly in the laugh that assails their character as veracious, unprejudiced and candia men, or at least as much so as lawyers and doctors and mer- chants? Are the teachers of faith and morals, the examples of purity, piety, moral courage, cnarity and disinterestedness to permit themselves to be publicly ridiculed as wanting in all judicial tee wel as if it were a thing wholly admitted and too known to be taken amiss ? Referring to the Jewish emigrants from Roumania, expected here, the Jewish Mes senger remarks that the Israelites of America, being practical wen, are disinclined to defes action until a shipload of emigrants shall actually land at Castle Garden. The Messenger continues :— When the Roumanians come in bodies of ten, fifty or a hundred there ought to be an organiza- tion already matured, and nobody should be sub jected to the pan and mortification of vainty applying for aid to sociewes and individuals that disclaim any connection with the business of helping the triendless stranger. Such an organization, we believe, is already in process of formation. The Melhodist hopes that the project of a general council of Presbyterians will be car ried out. ‘Evangelical Protestantism,” says the Methodist, ‘will be stronger tor such a council. Counting the Continental churches, the Presbyterian polity is represented by a population of over fifty millions. A few of ita churches are slightly infected with the sacer- dotal spirit, and are so far un-Protestant; but taking Presbyterianism as a whole it still resta on the foundation of justification by faith alone and the right of every man to read the Scriptures and to judge of their contents for himself, under his personal responsibility to. God.” The Interior, of Chicago, has discovered a new American ‘‘deity,’’ as will appear ‘rom the annexed: — Among the polytheistic crowd of false objects of worship to ve found in our times and on our shores there is one god to whom Americans largely bow, who is no nobler in himself or in his demands ot his votaries than old Nisroch or Ashtaroth of old—the god Numbers, or Legion. The old political saw, “ the greatest good to the greatest number,’’ may now be changed to the ‘greatest god to the greatest number." ‘The Interior gives the following among other attribates of this new Yankee deity: — In the churches of the land, everywhere, almost universally, vacant pulpits are sought to be fillet with reference to what are cailed the “taking” qualities of their proposed incumbents. If by these were intended their skill in leading poor, lost sin- nera tothe Saviour of men there would be great rejoicing in heaven, and ought also to be on earth, over the uprising of such 4 divine style of pti at last, in the Charen. But no! the taking quali- ties sought are those which will suffice to draw & crowd, What theycome for is not the mattor of moment, in the case, but only that hg come; aud that the minister draws thein to his pulpit and resence in large Numbers i# ail sumciont, without Tnauiry or concern whether he aiso leads them to Ohrist and glory everlasting. ‘The Freeman's Journal demands that justice shall be done the Catholic Indians by General Grant. Does it wake apy particular differ. i]