■WEBjSTESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1868. "The printing presses shall be Iroe to every person who undertakes to examine the pro- 1 ceedlngs of the legislature, or any branau of government; and no law shall ever be mode to restrain the right thereof: The free commu nication of thought and opinions is one of the Invaluable rights of menrand every citizen may freely speak, write and print on any sub -lect; being responsible for the abuse of that liberty.' In prosecutions for the publication of papers investigating Uie official conduct of offi cers, or med in public capacities, or where the matter published Is proper for public informa tion, the truth thereof may be given in evi dence.” The Signal Corps, which perform ed such valuable services during the war has been entirely broken up. But it will soon be reorganized on a more permanent footing, in connection with the Regular Army. The new five cent fractional curren cy will be issued'next week. About $BO,OOO worth of defaced and mutilated currency is destroyed by burning per day, and $50,000 worth printed. Ar rangements are nearly completed to tnake the amount of the latter equal to that.of the former. Only 'two survivors of all those who participated in the war of the rev olution so far as known by the Com missioner ofPensions, remain, namely: Wm. Hutchings, of Penobscot, Han cock bounty, Maine, aged one hundred and jme years,’ and Lemuel Cook of Clarendon, Orleans County, New York, aged ninety-nine years; and only five widows of revolutionary soldiers draw pensions from the government at a yearly amount of two hundred and ninety-three dollars. The Richmond correspondent of the N. Y. Herald states that it lias recently come to light that the government made a mistake in the arrest of R. B. Winder, ■who iB now confined iu Libby- prison on charge of being implicated in the Andersonville outrages on Federal sol diers, W. S. Winder, whofhas made his escape from the country being the person wanted.', John Ca.mpiikMjdied in Cecil,County, ' Maryland, lately, at the great age of US years. II was very deaf and almost blind, and so irksome was his manner } of conversation that his friends never informed him of the existence of the war, in blissful iguoraiiee of which he therefore lived and died. The statement telegraphed from Washington that Gen. Grant was about to sail for the Rio Grande in* the Hag ship of the Gulf squadron, says The Washington Star, is without authority. The General simply designs visiting Mew Orleans for the purpose of inspect ing the army under Sheridan, ami so far from sailing in < 'oinmodore Wins low’s flagship at once, will not leave for some time to come. Owing to the press ing duties requiring his attention in Washington, helms not yet determined* how soon he will visit New and when he does go it will be by the most expeditious route. A short time ago, a parly of tors of lands on Junius Island, Soutti Carolina, started from Charleston in a boat for the island, accompanied by officers of Gen. Sickles’ stall, but were unable to effect a landing—some sixty negroes having appeared on the shore and threatened to lire op the first man who should attempt' to land. The negroes refused to listen to the officers, and threatened to kill the negro oars men if the boat should not immediately, leave. The boat was followed for two miles along the shore. Two companies of the sth Regulars have been ordered over to,arrest all who oiler resistance* — These are the results of Gen. Bax ton’s inceirtliary To those, and others of the same kind of lawless blacks, Senator Sumner pro poses to denote all the coast islands and the fertile lands along the rivers for thir ty miles inland. A pretty paradise they would 'make. 'Tin; old King of Belgium died on the hth iusl.T'aged 75. lie was an able man and a good king.. He was an uncle to both Queen Victoria and her late hus band Prince Albert, and married f5) he was chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. ' Any one unacquainted with the man or his age, looking at Mr. Davis a month ago, would have pronounced him not over thirty years of age"; yet at the time of his death he was turned forty-eight. His extremely youthful appearance was chiefly due to his light complexion and hair, and to a well-preserved, tall, man ly and graceful figure. He had a grace ful agility of carriage, and affected a certain neatly negligent style of attire. ,His eyes wer6 deep set, black and ex pressive, and bis hands were small and delicate like a woman’s. As a speaker Mr. Davis at one time stood very prom inent among the orators in Congress.— He at all times exhibited a great deal of mental and physical activity, his man ner often bordering on restlessness, be ing noticeable for disquietude even when at his desk listening to ottTgfs* speaking. He was, without being par ticularly contemplative or reflective, quite reticent, and did not pass for one ofthe sociable M.C.’s. It was, perhaps, particularly unfortunate for his orator ical reputation that Mr. Davis was always a member of the strong party in Congress, for every indication of his mental quality and characteristics which were betrayed in his short career led his admirers to believe thathe would have best exhibited his powers in oppo sition than in advocacy of principles, particularly if part of a hopeless minor ity driven to bay by a strong, confident and derisive majority. His organ of combatlvencsM was inordinately large, and be would have preferred to fight his way, inch by inch, than (to unwar rantably change the simile) to “walk over the course.” Tiie vote on negro suffrage in George town, D. C., resulted as follows : Seven hundred and thirty-four against it and one for it. The Fenian Senate have published a letter from Head Centre Stephens, denouncing O’Mahony, the number of railroad accidents in this country during the past year was one hundred and eighty-three, against one hundred and forty the year previous. The fatality, however, was .in favor of 1865, the number of lives los: during that year being three hundred and thirty-five, against four hundred and four in 1864. We here find somereason for congratulating the public. Although the number of accidents the past year was above that of the previous year, it seems that the fatality was considerably less. We do not know to cause this may be attributed, other than that railroad companies are becoming more careful about the lives of passengers— a consideration, no doubt, superinduced by the amount of pecuniary damages they may be mulcted iu. The Strong divorce case in one of the New York City Courts was finally brought to its teiminutiou on Sunday, but in a manner rather unsatisfactory to the-parties concerned. The jury, af ter being in delibeiation for forty-eight hours, came into court and expressed the opinion unanimously that it was impossible for them to agree. They were therefore discharged by Judge Gar vin. The pointof disagreement was on the question relative to the adultery charged against M)r. Strong, ten of the members being in favor of rendering a verdict declaring his innocence, and the other two refusing their assent thereto. All of them agreed on a verdict in favor of Mr. Strong on the the charges of adultery against Mrs. Strong. A St. PAULcorrespondent of the New York Herald claims, for Minnesota the credit of being the healthiest State in the Union, especially for persons trou bled with pulmonary affectious. The correspondent tells how, despite the cold winter temperature incident to the high latitude of the State, the dryness of the atmosphere, the peculiar character of the soil, and the almost total absence of fogs and moist winds renderit a most favorable locality for consumptives, thousands of whom from the East hre now scattered throughout its extent in all directions. Figures and data are given to prove that no oneafilicted with consumption who removes to the State before the disease has progressed too far in the system fails to experience relief and to be rewarded with a materially lengthened life. The Pulmonary Bri gade of the city of St. Paul is one of the marked institutions of the place. Governor James L. Orr, of South Carolina, the Executive chosen by the people of the State at their recent elec tion, issued on Monday week his pro clamation announcing his assumption of the duties of office, by permission of the President, and Instructing the citi zens in regard to the Commonwealth’s present status. He informs them that though civil governmentis-restored, the habeas corpus still remains suspended in the State, and the military power is therefore paramount in all matters of which it lias special supervision,among which is the adjudication of all contro versies in which fhe freedmen are in. terested. The Governor gives the blacks and whites both some good advice, tell ing the former that on theirown sobrie ty, industry, honesty and good behavior alone must they now depend for happi ness, and counselling towards them on the partof the latter kindness, human ity and justice A remarkable Thanksgiving gath ering took place in York, Maine, at the residence of Daniel Mclntyre, Esq. Four generations were present. The venerable grandfather is eighty-two years of age, and wluit is remarkable, weighs but scccnty-tivo pounds, with not even a gray hair intermixed with his black locks or whiskers. He car ries on his farm in person ; last summer he worked with the hands mowing in thfe field, and now performs the duties connected with the care of two yoke of oxen, five cows, one hundred shtfep, &c., &c., assisted only by a young lad. Fie reads his newspaper regularly with out spectacles. His bigger and better half is hale and hearty, weighing two hundred and twenty-five pounds. They have had twelve children, eleven of them being alive; ten of them were present at the Thanksgiving feast; one, nothavingquite his growth, measuring six feet three inches, with lots of grand children to make grandmother’s goodies disappear somewhat rapidly. Information having been received by the government that parties in New York, in the--, interest of Maximilian, were engaged in shipping articles, con traband of war, to Mexico, the Secretary of State has directed the United States Attorney to keep a vigilant watch on all vessels sailing for Mexican ports, and to seize all contraband articles. The gov ernment is determined to break up this sort of traffic. The parties engaged in this business allege that they have a car rier route, entitled, Maximilian Express Company. Some facts will shortly be made public, showing up the matter more definitely. A public meeting of the citizens of Chamber sburg, says the Repository, was held in the Court House on Thursday evening last, to memoralize the Legis lature in behalf of the despoiled people of Chambersburg. Col. D. (). Gehr [ire sided, and ,T. W. Douglas, Esq., report ed a memorial to the Legislature, which was read and adopted. It is a temperate, able representation of the peculiar suf ferings of the people of Chambersburg and while it does not claim restitution at the hands of the State, it appeals to the generosity of a Commonwealth whose treasury is overflowing, for tem porary aid to enableourcrushed citizens measurably to recover from the destruc tion of July 80, 1804. A resolution of thanks to the generous people of Car lisle, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadel phia, Pittsburg and other points, who kindly contributed to the sufferers im mediately after the fire, was adopted, and D. O. Gehr, J. McDowell Sharpe, Geo. W. Brewer and A. K. McClure, Esqs., were selected to go to Harrisburg and present the claims of our people before the proper committees of the the Legislature. Speeches were made by Senator Duncan and Representative Stumbaugh heartily endorsing the movement and expressing their pur pose to devote their best energies to give it success. President Johnson is getting a breathing spell at last. The number of visitors at the White House iadaily diminishing. The daughters of the President, Mrs. Patterson and HMrs. Stover, will do the honors of the White House and receive their friends on New Year’s day. No other reception than this will be given until February, a month being required to place the Executive Mansion in complete repair. Mesdames E. Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone and Susan B. Anthony, all of them ardent ad vocate9of women’s rights have addressed a petition to Congress, asking an amendment of the Constitu tion ofthe United States, thatshall pro hibit hereafter the States respectively from disfranchising any of theircitizens, on the ground of sex. They claim that fifteen millions of white women have quite as much right to be invested with the suffrage, as four millions of blacks. The total losses by fire the past year amounted to over forty-three millions of dollars, against about twenty-eight find a half millions the previous year. " Tie^^paWieaß^iSy^mT^pi tSr ‘ That the Republican party will soon be split in twain is as certain as any thing can be. Even if it could hang together on the question that now threatens it with speedy disruption, it would'split up as soon as that question is disposed of. The old Tariff issue is showing signs of life, and upon this it will be impos sible for the Republicans to agree. Those in the New England States not satisfied with the enormous profits they are making now, will insist upon raising the duties. Senator Sprague, of Rhode Island, has already made a move in that direction in the United States Senate. The Republicans of Pennsylvania will follow their lead, but thoseofNew York and the Western States will insist upon a reduction in stead of an increase of the Tariff. There has already been a Free Trade League organised in New York. Its leading and mostactive members are influential Republicans, and its principal organ is the New York Evening P*st t whose ed itors may be classed among the fathers of the Republican party. Thecommercial interests ofNew York would be promoted by a reduction of the duties on imported goods. The same is true of the agricultural interests of the West. Branches of the Free Trade League ofNew York may therefore be expected to be organized in the west, where they will supersede the “Loyal Leagues’’now or lately in existence. With the Republicans ofNew England and Pennsylvania struggling for anjn crease of duties, and thoseof New York and -the Western States fighting for “ free trade,” a permanent division oft that party would seem to ba altogether certain. On this, as on all other questions, the great body of the Democratic party happily hold uo extreme views. They hold, and have always held, that a Tariff which will afford sufficient reve nue to defray the ordinary expenses of an economical administratiou of the government, will also, iflevied with dis crimination, afford sufficient protection to the American manufacturer to give him a fair profit on his goods. Courage in the Absence of Dauger, The Louisville Journal , noted for the keennessof itssatire,and theaptitudeof its iuuendos, relates that “ though Carl Shurz lias recently traveled extensively through the South, he did not get there during the war.” This is unkind of Prentice. For, if Shurz had exposed himself to danger, an unlucky shot might have deprived President John son of the invaluable service of that political charlatan, as given in his long winded report. It is well remarked by the Buffalo Courier, that the whole of that document “ instead of being what the President asked from him—a state ment of facts—is a partisan argument against the President’s policy, in some parts so offensive that it must have re quired great magnanimity in the Presi dent not to have thrown it into the fire. Shurz even goes so far as to argue for enforced negro suffrage, and to reply to the position taken by the President on that subject.” This is all that could have been reasonably expected of one more distinguished by his words than by his deeds. Should he aud Butler unite in their opposition to the Presi dent and General Grant, it is hard to tell what would come of it. Church Raids. A few months ago there were exten sive raids made by the “ truly loj’al” Bishops and Clergy of the different de nominations, down South, to capture churches anil confiscate them to their own use. Bishop Scottof the Northern Methodists, took the Potomac route, and Bishop Simpson the Mississippi. They were quite successful so long as they had bayonets and negro troops to help them, but since the civil authorities have got into operation, these stolen churches are being returned to their rightful owners. But the “ confiscating” propensity does not yet-appear to be crushed out. We find the following account of a difficulty in the Shenandoah valley, in a late num ber of the Baltimore Cazcttv : “ Sometime since a Rev. Mr. Lloyd came to this place (Berry ville),and rep resented that he had been appointed to the Berry ville Circuit by Bishop Clarke. The people told him they had a preach er, one who had remained with them during the troubles of the past four years; that they ‘were satisfied with him, etc. ; that they did not desire his (Lloyd’s) services; that they would not hear him, nor contribute to his support, i&c. Still he remains and continues to impose himself upon the community who do not services. The opposition of the people to Mr. L. is not because he is loyal. A numberof the leading members of this charge can present as fair a record of loyalty to the Governmentduringthe rebellion as any man. Their loyalty has never been called in question. They refuse to re ceive this gentleman because they do not and cannot endorse the position of his Church. The chief organ of that Church, the Christian Advocate and Jour naif* has raised black flag of amalgamation and negro equal ity. It says, Jji a late editorial: ‘This godless prejudice against' ne gro equality deserves diviue punish ment. She (the church) must cease to loath and dissociatednen on account of color. She must give her brethren of the despised hue her cordial fellowship ; in her churches, her schools, her count ing rooms, must they move freely and unnoticed,’ &c. Now a church which departs from its appropriate work of spreading Scriptural holiness and turns its attention to politics, and which sub stitutes fhe negro in the place of the Gospel, is not the church we prefer,and the people of this section will not receive as its pastors men who may be sent to them from such a source.” This is to the point. The misfortune is, for the Northern clergy who have adopted the infidel dogmas of New England, that these churches could not be carried away. Some of them made out pretty well in “ confiscating ” libraries, watches, plate, jewelry, &c., but these churches have to remain. The anxiety of Maximilian’s govern ment to encourage emigration to Mexico from the United States is shown in the strong inducements tosettlers held forth in the documents recently issued for widespread circulation by his “ Imper ial Commissioner of Colonization,” the American ex-Confederate Lieutenant Maury. Maury presents in glowing colors the wonderful natural resources of the country, which only need Anglo- Saxon brain and muscle for their de velopment. Meantime, both Maximil ian and the republicans are awaiting with the greatest anxiety the action of the Congress of the United State rela tive to their affairs. The republicans are sanguine that they will soon be re inforced by an army from this country, while Maximilian expresses great desire for the most intimate friendship with us and our government, and hopes, though not at all confidently, for recog nition. He thinks, however, that if he could have a private conference with President Johnson and Secretary Seward he Could soon bring them over to his side. There is said to be a very decided disposition on the part of Members of Congress to increase the number of Na tional Banks, most of the members be ing interested in securing such favor for different parties. The probabilities are, therefore, said to be that an additional issue of one hundred millions of curren cy will be authorized. Sunday next, January 9th, will be celebrated throughout the United States by the Methodist Episcopal Church as the 100th anniversary of the establish ment of the church in this country, lwnierwcMier on Papernoney. “ The very man,” said Daniel Web steiy.‘ f ofall others who has the deepest interest in a sound currency, and who suffers most by mischievous legislation in money matters, is the man who earns his daily bread by his dally toil. ' A de predated currency, changes of price, paper money falling between, morning and noon, and falling still lower be tween noon and night—these things constitute the very harvesfc-timeof spec ulators, and of the whole race of those who are at once idle and crafty ; and of that other race, too, the Catalines of all times, marked so as lo be known for ever by one stroke of thehistorian’spen, men greedy of other men’fe property and prodigal of their own. Capitalists may outlive such time. They may either prey on the earning of labor by their cent, per cent., or they may Hoard. But the laboring man—what can he hoard?' Preying on nobody, he becomes the prey of all.— His property is in his hands. His re liance, nis fund, his productive freehold, his all, in his labor. Whether he work on his own small capital or another's, his living is still earned by his industry ; and when the money of the country be comes depreciated and debased, wheth er it be adulterated coin or paper with out credit, that industry is robbed of its reward. He then labors for a country whose laws cheat him of his bread.” The above should be inscribed in let ters of gold upon an immortal tablet. They are words of wisdom, that the class to whom they are addressed are prone to forget, greatly to their disad vantage and to theirsorrow. The whole financial system of this country is now based upon an irresponsible paper cur rency—more vicious and worthless in its relation to gold than any Mr. Web* ster saw during his political career. The laboring men have been foolish enough to sustain, by their votes, this policy, which is consuming their small resources and rendering the maintenance of the most frugal existence almost impossible. Will they ever awake to their true in terests, and demand that this public swindling and robbery shall cease ? Cunning By-Play. In Thad. Stevens’ late speech, one of the most noticeable paragraphs is as follows : Nor do I regard with any respect the cunning by-play into which they de luded the Secretary of State, by fre quent telegraphic announcements that “Sou tli Carolina had adopted the amend ment” —“Alabama has adopted the amendment, being the twenty-seventh State,” &c. This was intended to de lude the people and accustom Congress to hear thenamesof these extinct States as if they were alive, .when, in truth, they have no more existence than the revolted cities of Latium, two-thirds of whose people were colonized, and their property confiscated, aud their right of citizenship withdrawn by conquering and avenging. Rome. The radicals —or, more properly speak ing, the infernals, says the Cincinnati Enquirer —were caught iu their own trap, when they insisted upon forcing the Southern States to adopt the aboli tion constitutional amendment. In their eagerness to adopt it they did not see that it overthrew their theory that the Southern States were out of the Union by their own act, and should be treated as such, and denied representa tion in the Union. They got the amend ment at the expense of cutting their jugular vein, through which their polit ical current flowed. They have recog nized the Southern States in the most imposing and public manner, and must now take the consequences. The Test Oath, The argument of Reverdy Johnson in the Supreme Court, in the case of Gar land denying theconstitutionalityof the 'test oath, is attracting a good deal of at tention among lawyers, and is univer sally pronounced one of the finest efforts ever delivered before that bench. At the close of his argument, Senator Johnson addressed the court as follows : “Will the court indulge me with a word or two more ? Every right-minded man—every man who has within his bosom a heart capable of human sym pathy—who is not dead to the kinder and nobler feelings of our nature—who is not the slave of his own dishonor—of low, degraded passions, of iiatred of his countrymen, or of political partisanship, solely for its own wretched triumph— reckless of the nation’s welfare; but must wish, but must make it the sub ject of his daily thoughtamlof his pray ers to God, that the hour may come, and come at once, when all the States shall be again within the protecting embrace and shelter of the Union, enjoying alike its benefits (and greater were never vouchsafed to man), contented and happy and prosperous, sharing in its duties, devoted to its principles, and participating in its re nown. Aud when the people through out our almost boundless domain may be seen coming together as brothers, with one love of country and oue hope ofacommon destiny—ofsafety, welfare, aud national glory—with one determi nation to achieve it by uuited’efforts —inspired and strengthened by an equally pure and ardent patriotism, for mer differences forgotten, ami nothing remembered but their ancient concord ami the equal title they have to share in the glories of the past, autif to labor together for the even greater’glories of the future. And may I not, wth truth, assure your honors that this result will be expedited by the bringing' within these lemples—the courts of the United States —a class of men now excluded, who, by educatioon, character and profession, are especially qualified by their example to influence the public sentiment of their respective States, and to bring them, if any doubt yet exists, to the conviction which, it is believed, they unanimously entertain —tiiat to support and defend the Con stitution of the United States, is not on ly essential to their people’s happiness and freedom, but is a solemn duty to their country and their God. May it please your honors, depend upon it, that in that event they will be seen gathering around the altar of the Union, resolved to support it, under every exigency, at all hazards, as one mankind with oue voice be heard invo king the blessings of Heaven for its maintenance' and preservation till time inself shall be no more.” Intemperate United States Senators. A Washington correspondent, in alluding to the exclusion of Senators Saulsbury, of Delaware and McDou gal, of California, from the Standing Committees of the Senate,on the pretext of their habitual intemperance, says: “But why suspend the ax of reform when the work is but half accomplished? Why make invidious distinctions by re proving McDougal.aud Saulsbury for a fault that exists to a greater \extent in theson-in-lawof the Chief Jtu&Hceof the United States—a title by which one of the Rhode Island Senators is much better known than as simple Mr. Sprague. It is a fact patent to every Senator, and every one fa miliar with the doings of the Senate, that Mr. Chase’s son-in-law is the most bibulous youth in Washington. It is known that he was non eomjyos mentis during the most eventful hours of the last session, and that he exceeded all other legislative tipplers in the amount of amusement he created for the galle ries during some of the night sessions last winter. Now, why this partiality that rebukes Saulsbury and McDougaly and has not a word to say against the son-in-law of Mr. Chase?” The successor of General Cass, Chand ler, of Michigan, is also in the same category. The reason of the discrimi nation against McDougal and Saulsbury is, they are Democrats; Sprague and Chandler are Republicans. Mr. Stevens’ Position Throughout the whole of the late war, when the rebels had entire possession of from seven to ten States, the Govern ment and the people of the United States maintained that those States were still in the Union ; now that the war is over and the rebels have been conquered and their bogus governments displaced, and we have possession it is proposed to con sider those States as out of the Union. — This is an absurd position, and yet it is the one that Mr* Stevens desires to put the country in.—Fhila, Ledger. ArrfralofCapt. Semmesit Washington. Raphael Semmes, late Commander of the Alabama, arrived at Washington on Thursday night, in charge of Lieut. LymanP._French and. Sergeants Cas-. sidy and Jones, Halted; States Marines, and was at once taken to the Navy Yard, where he was placed temporarily in a room hastily fitted up in the dispensary building over which a guard was placed. He will, however, be moved from his present quarters to more commodious quarters adjoining the Chapel, now be ing fitted up for him. From the /Star we take the following in relation to his arrest: . ' He was arrested at his place, Spring Hill, about four miles from Mobile, Ala., on the evening of the 15thj inst., by Lieut. French and the sergeants aboye named, on an order from the|Navy De partment, as he was sittingiquietly in his parlor reading a paper. Lieut. French, on entering the house, at once informed him of the Object of hiß visit, at which Semmes expressed greatastoh ishmetu, and claimed that he had been paroled, and that this arrest was in vio lation of the parole'. Lieutenant French made the Circumr staoces attending the arrest as pleasant as possible, aud informed has prisoner that he would allow him until twelve o’clock the following day to arrange matters with his family, which privi lege he accepted, and at noon* on the 16th he announced himself as ready (having taken leave of his wife and three daughters) and the party at once proceeded to New York via Mobile and New Orleans. On the passage he was quite cheerful, and talked freely about his arrest and of his conduct during the war, and his prospects of an early trial expressing himself williug to stand the trial, and arguing against the legality of his arrest. Semmes has the same look of audacity for which he was noted in his younger days here. He wears a moustache and imperial, which are per fectly white, while his hair is yet dark. He is now about 50 years of age, and is about 5 feet 8 inches high, of rather slender built, and is dressed in a pair of grey pants, vest and coat, and a dark overcoat. The Pittsburg Commercial, de cidedly the ablest Republican journal in Western Pennsylvania, is earnestlyand actively combatting the wild and de structive theories of Stevens and Sum ner. The following articles are from its issue of Friday : Scnaffir^bu/unL,-. —The special mes sage of the President lias been the sub ject of much discussion in the Senate, principally, however, by Senator Sum ner. This gentleman, in his character istic manner, has seen lit to apply gross epithets to the views and efforts of the President on the subject of restoration, aud he draws his facts, such as they are, from newspaper correspondence and from the private correspondence of men as radical as himself. Nooue questions his privilege to do so,, but does he not betray a' lack of faith in the Executive officer of the Government? The Pres ident’s policy has been formed r and di rected upon information obtained through official channels—from officers of the Government in whom the people have the greatest confidence and who are not tainted with even the suspicion of intrigue or personal prejudices. Eith er the President and his subordinates are unfaithful to their trusts, or Senator Sumner and liis allies are unjust, if not unscrupulous, in their action. Wcif/hty Ti'mimony. —The testimo ny which General Grant gives concern ing the temper of the South while it may not square with that of persons in less responsible positions, and less can did in their utterances, is not to be dis missed lightly- His concluding words are as follows: “The citizens of the Southern States are anxious to return to self-government within the Union as soou as possible; that while recon structing they want and require from the Government. they think,is required by the Gov ernment, aud isnothurailiatingto them as citizens; and that, if such a course was pointed out, they would pursue it in good faith.” He regrets that “ there cannot be a greater commingling at this time between the two sections, and particularly of those intrusted with the law-making power.”. If Mr. Sumner and Mr. Stevens would go as General Grant went, and observe for themselves, mingle with the people, then speak their honest belief, they would be better legislators because better informed men. The Republican bplit. We copy the following racy remarks from the Richmond (Va.) Times: The signs that the radical iceberg which was threatening to overwhelm us is about to split in twain are becom ing unmistakable. The rupture between the jacobins and the Girondists of the party has fairly commenced, and when Grant struck the former on Tuesday last with the ponderous Thor hammer of his vast popularity, the political rats began at once to look around for safe quarters. The Chronicle has been for nearly four days upon the conservative side of the political sapling, which is an instance of political consistency without a paral lel in the history of that paper. Forney, who has not turned an “oc casional” summersault for a week in the columns of the Philadelphia Press, plucked up courage enough the other day to denounce the last war hoop of Stevens. We happened to be looking at that flexible individual with a very powerful opera glass on Tuesday last, when one of his assistant secretaries was reading the report of General Grant on tlie loyalty of the South, and it was ob vious he had made up his mind that there was very little more bread and butter in the pantries and firkins of the radicals. We then predicted the sagacious old Norwegian rat would swim off to the “conservative” ship that night, and we w< re not mistaken. There was after Grant’s report a smell of savory cheese and bacon about the conservative party which convinced Forney that there was agood time com ing in that quarter, with rich njbblings and not overmuch hard work ; and un til the radicals show that they are strong er gthan the President and. General Grant, the “ever" faithful Forney” is gone for them. ,*But the position of Mr. H. J. of Congress and editor of the New York Times, is most important. After much shifting and long hesitation, he-has broken with Stevens, Sumner & Co. He has at last nailed his colors to the mast, and ha clinched the Caliban of Pennsylvania" in* a death struggle for suprema cy. His reply on Thursday to the v ‘speeclf of Stevens was bold, strong and uncompromising. He has at last “ burned his ships,” and intends alongside of the President and General Grant to fight it out on the conservative line all winter and summer too. Ray-, mond is shrewd, well versed in the pol itics of the day, and is now the leader of the rational, intelligent and respectable wing of lii,s party in Congress. The steps of this adventurous young Tele machus are watched overand guided by that sagest of Mentors, Thurlow Weed, the man who slew Horace Greeley in a hand-to-hand contest last Fall. The disintegration of the Republican party will not be rapid, however. That fero cious old snapping turtle, Thad. Stev ens, will die hard; indeed, he will be dangerous for some months after his head is chopped off. Snow Storm In a Ball-Room, A writer in Once-a-Week gives a de scription of a Russian ball at Moscow». during which the scene in the ball-room was enlivened by the strange phenom enon of a snow-storm, produced by the sudden temperature of the room. The writer thus describes it: Theevening passed pleasantly enough, but toward the close the heat began to get intolerable, and although the gen tlemen did their duty well, it is only fair to say, in fanning the fair ones and bringing them ices, it became more op pressive. At last a gentleman, braver than the rest, (probably his arm ached) threw open the top part of a window, and now happened the phenomenon.— A cold gust of wind in through the open window, and the heat ed air which was congregated in the upper part of the room became sudden ly condensed, and descended upon the assembled party in the form of snow flakes. Probably there never was seen so curiousa sight in aball-room. Ladies and gentlemen in ball-toilette, in the midst of a dance, and snow-flakes des cending; and were it not for the incon gruity dr the attire, more like a skating party. The snow-storm, as may be im agined, was the conversation of the guests for the rest of the evening, and of the inhabitants of the town for the en suing week, Ketchum Sentenced to the State Prison Tor Four Tears and Six Hontbs—Re corder HofTman’sßemarKs,.e(e., etc. iFrom Yesterday’s N. Y. World I On Saturday, being the last day of the December term of the Court of General SessionSfEmvard B. Ketchnm, the great forger, was placed at the bar to receive the sentence of his crime. The partic ulars of the case are too well known to need repetition. APPEARANCE OF THE PRISONER. Soon after Recorder Hoffman and Judge Russel took their seats on the bench, Ketchqm was conducted to the bar. He looked pale anexact of his arrival they were unable to ascer tain, and were thus prevented by the ingenuity of Heenan from making any * display at his coming. Heenan sterns desirous to avoid notoriety of all kinds at the present time, and the “fancy” who hoped that his advent would be the signal for a grand “blow out,” were sadly disappointed on finding him so determined to keep “retired from the public gaze.” However, Wednesday morning a goodly gathering of the sporting fraternity assembled at the de pot awaiting the incoming trains from Stamford, us by some means or othei; they had ascertained that the ex-cham.- pion would be on one of them. After waiting patiently for two truins, they made up their minds they had been sold, and dispersed, spoiling for some body to vein their spleen against. Nev ertheless, the 1“ o’clock train brought Heenan with it, and, as the gentlemen who had expected him on the previous trains had gone home, lie waseuabled to reach his even if I ever felt so well inclined I would never think of it again.” Heenan’s personal appearance as late ly given by certain English journals who described him as “ fast falling avvuy under the ravages of consumption,” is far from the truth. He is as straight in in his walk as'ever; his eye has lost none of its old brilliancy, and the ruddy hue of his cheek is not the flush of dis ease, but the bloom of health itself. His voice is the same us of old —full, round and sonorous. With the exception of a cold, caused by the changeable state of the weather, he is as able and hearty as on the day when he stood in the ring Avith Tom Sayers, “ the observed of all observers.” Wild Doings, A correspondent of the New York Timex gives an account of the reasons for the removal of Brevet Brigadier General Wild, of Massachusetts, from the superintendence of the Ereedraen's Bureau in Georgia, as given by Genera] Steadman, military commander of that department. He says: “He (Wild) was, no doubt, an honest and conscientious man. But there was no practicability in him. He proposed to redress the multiplicity of slumber ing wrongs which had been spent for a century on the unfortunate blacks; he was inclined to instantaneously square up for the innumerable cruelties inflict ed upon this oppressed people for an age —in fact, he fallaciously and mischiev ously went to work to educate and ele vatethe black man with an utter disre gard of the feelings and rights of the white race, who, at least, had claims, if only as equals. “ He mounted a hudy-of black men. who rode at large over the country ami committed excesses of the most in famous character. The people generally suffered at the expense of every man who lnul a black face. A perfect reign of terror was rife; everything became unsettled; and an implacable hatred between the two races was the natural offspring. He not only did not co-ope rate with the commanding general, hut he zealously worked to clog his efforts in all particulars. " Two outrageous acts of Gen. Wild are broughttonotice. For some alleged reason or other, h e caused an old gen tleman, weighing over two hundred pounds, to be tied up by the thumbs until the entire flesh was torn from the ?bones. Only a few days before General Wild was relieved he arrested two of the first ladies of the county, and had them stripped -naked and examined by .two colored women, an indignity I nev'er heard of before during the war. “When General Tilson took charge the direst disorder prevailed, and nearly sixty thousand indoleut blacks were be ing kept and supported by the Federal commission. He issued an order, the enforcement of which set matters right at once. Throughout the whole State General Tilson Ims but a little over a thousand paupers, ami most of these are sick in hospitals. He says that he is hound that all able-bodied negroesshiill be made to work.” Confederates In Canada. A correspondent of the Cincinnati firvjuircr, writing from Toronto, Canada, gives the following information con cerning several Confederate officers: “ I met here General John C. Breck inridge, Genera] McCausland, Colonel Harry Gilmore, Major John Castleman, Captain, llinde, and others who bad been officers in the armies of the Con federacy. General Breckinridge looks and is in perfect health. It was repre sented during the war that his hair had turned from jet black to silvery white. That was a mistake. A few gray hairs are perceptible about the locks, that is He Ffkeeping house in an humble, retired way. He is much respected by the citizens, and is invited to two or three parties a week at the residences of the first families. He is a great walker, walking from six to-ten milekaday, while the weather permits such exer cise. He is a hard student, reading a greatdeal. All thegentlemen here from the Confederate army conduct them selves with great propriety, and are treated with respect and attention by the citizens.” Five Daughters. A gentleman had five daughters, all' of whom he brought up to some respect able occupation in life. These daugh ters married, one after another, with the consent of their father. The first married a gentleman by the name of Poor, the secoud a Mr. Little, the third a Mr. Short, the fourth a Mr. Brown, and the fifth a Mr. Hogg. At the wed ding of the latter, her Bisters witfi their husbands were present. A/ter the cer emonies of the wedding were over, the old gentleman Bald to his guests : “ I have taken great pains to educate my daughters, that they might act well their part in life, and from their advan tages and improvements, I fondly.,' hoped that they would do honor to family ; and now I find that all my pains, cares and expectations have burned to nothing but a poor , litU$ r short , brown , hoggP