JHB PRESS, wcsaeSSP DAILY (BNNBAY6 Exczmoi »T JOm W. FOBXBT, <jyy[o*. so. m SOUTH FOURTH STRUT. WHS DAILY PRESS, rirnas com Pd Tin, payable to to* ant!** to Subwrttaw oat of the elty at Say** DouJ« , mnni Tian Soutane akd Piftt o*k*» fo» Sac Jjo*T3Si on Dolla* i*D Bbvbvtt Fry* o**W TOM Bibbs lonn. Invariably In advance for tie time or- lnserted at the nram rate*. “* uSSoOßtUtotooNiun. on* VRI-WEHKXiY PIIKSS, Mailed to Bubewiber. out of th« oltf at Poun PouAM PninniVi to * d,M '*- «H AMP PKY-GOOPS JOBBERS. 1864. BPBm<s 1864. DRY GOODS l SIEGEL, WIEST, & EftYO, IMPORTERS ABD JOBBERS OP DBY OO OJO «, JTO. *7 F- TBIBD STREET, PBILA.DBLPBIA. Have now In stow, ud aw daily in reoelpt of. all kind, of FRESH SPRING DRY GOODS. OP THE TEST LATEST BTTLBS. -Have a Pull Stock of all the different kind, of PHILADELPHIA-MADE GOODS. Merchants will And It togoffer” hem* ÜBEaij' AMiKD .-Amine oar etock, m we can oaer »u mW-am I IIDUCBMBNTB. ~«»» WATSO*. _ SSAHffLtH JAK«T. SILK HOUSE WATSON & JAIET, No. 333 HABKKT STREET. WHOLESALE DBALBKd IB ’ BILKS. SJRBBS GOODS, SHAWLS, WHITE GOODS, EMBROIDERIES, &C. To wMsh they reepoctfnlly invite the attention of ..finyera. mW-Sa 1864. BFBm(i ’ 1864. JAMES, KENT, SANTEE, & CO., " IMPORTERS ABB JOBBERS OP DR Y GOODS, SfW.S3O and Ml NORTH THIRD ST., above Raeu. Bare now opes their venal LARGE AND COMPLETE STOCK OF rCSEIQM AlU> DOMEBTIO DBY GOODB. l»lnvited to ourassortmentof PHILADELPHIA-MADE GOODS. , 0.11 assortment of Oml.b good.. Ac. fell Sm |pw CASH HOUSE. goods bought and sold fob oash. LITTLE & ADAMSON, 355 MARKET STREET. Invito attention to tholr entire new and Splendid Stock SPRING DRESS GOODS. black silks, mourning silkb, FANCY SILKS, POULT DK SOIES. SEASONABLE SHAWLS, GLOAKING CLOTHS, MANTILLA SILKS, MANTILLAS, Manufactured by themsalve. from lat. Pari* Stylo*. yn~hl»9m ' 1864. 1864. SEEING DRY GOODS. GREAT INDUCEMENTS TO CASH BUYERS. HOOD, BONBRIGDT, & €O., Wholesale Peelers la FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC lIKY GOODS. MMV MARKET Street, and 536 COMMEBGfi Street, PHILADELPHIA. Would respectfully invite attention to their LABGB - STOCK of leading >- DOMESTICB, DRESS GOODS, MEN’S AND BOYS’ WEAR, and many popular foods of ' PHILADELPHIA MANUFACTURE. - mh2-2m „ JJELLOR, BAINS, * MBLLOB, Nos. 40 and M NORTH THIRD STREET, I3CPOBTBXB or HOSIERY, SMALL WARES* AND WHITE goods. manufacturers of SHIRT FRONTS. feS-Hm - 1864. SPRING, EDHMD YARD & CO., 9*. *l7 CHBSTJTDT AND No. 614 JAYNE STREETS* ?tT9 sow in Store tieli BPEINO IHPOBTATIO] Of BILK AltD FAHCI V DRI GOODS, ooKgiarnro or DRESS GOODS, 07 ALL KINDS; -SLACK AND FANCY SILKS, FATIHS, IiLOVKS, MITTS, RIBBONS, DRESS TRIMMINGS. ALSO, WUTE 60008, lISEHS. EHBBOIDIBIEB, ABrtJ LACES. A lute and handsome assortment of SPRING AND SUMMER SHAWM. BALMORAL SKIRTS, OKU grades, A«. Which the? after to the Trade at thi LOWKBT FRICKS. ia3Mm £}HOICE SPRING IMPORTATIONS, 1864. DAWSON, BRANSON, & CO., 501 MARKET STREET^ CORNER OF FIFTH, Hare now In store, and will be constantlyJrecoiTtn*• during the season, an attractive line of PARIB, GERMAN, AND BRITISH DRESS GOODS, BLACK SILKS, STIFLE ADD FANCY SHAWLS. &o„ ho. All of which will 1)9 sola at the CEDAR AND WILLOW WARE. .QBEAT OPENING OP CEDAR AND WILLOW WARE. THE LARGEST STOCK IN THE CITY. NOW SELLING AT BARGAINS. . S.OOO DOZ. CORN BROOMS. 3,100 BOZ FANCY FAINTED BUCKETS. LOGO NESTS CEDAR WASH TUBS. 2.000 CEDAR STAFF AND BARREL CHUENS. 1,000 DOE- WILLOW MARKET BASKETS. 3,000 BALES COTTON-WICK AND TIB YARN. 2,000 BALES BATS AND WADDING. -SBTICULE BASKETS. OIL CLOTHS. - LOOKING GLASSES. CORDAGE. «... he. All floods are sold at the Manofactnrer’s Lcwctt Cash Olden promptly filled. ROWE & EISTOY, 15T And 159 NORTH THIRD STREET, mil- 2m ■ Three Poore Below Raco. GAS FIXTCKES, dec. JyJR. CHARLES PAGE, Favorably 1 nown tor the last twenty year, as Prlsci, ’Dal Designer of GAS FIXTURES tor MESSRS. CORNELIUS A BAKES.. is this day admitted a Partner in onr firm. We wUI contisne tt a sale and manufacture Of GAS FIXTURES Quder the firm name of VAN KIBK & CO., MANUFACTORY AT FRANKFORD. SALESROOMS— GIB ARCH STREET. F.brnary 1. IBM. fel9-tow2m OF REMOVAL. TI? undersigned wonld inform their Mood, —tiu SPLENDID NEW WAREBOOMS, Mo. OIS ARCH STREET, Where they will continue the .ale of jSAS FIXTURES, CHANDELIERS, COAL-OIL BURNERS, &c. LKEMi ?SSc£s tte mo# <?vKf flQbvrafa vtaincet to VAN KIRK <6 00., Ho. 9U ARCH STREET. 1864. LOWEST MARKET PRICES. VOL. 7.—NO. 201. CURTAIN GOODS. gPBINd DAMASKS, VESTIBULE lace curtains, AND A LARGE INVOICE OP BROWN SHADES, OF ENTIRELY NEW DESIGNS. I. 8. WALRAVHK, (SUCCESSOR TO W. H. CXSRTL.I KASOXIC HALL, 719 OHEBTHUT STREET. WATCHES AMD JEWELRY. Jx WATCHES! WATCHES* SNGIiISH, SWISS, AND AMERICAN GOLD, SILVER, AND PLATED. LADIES’. GENTS’. AND BOYS'. THE CHEAPEST AND BEST IN THE CITY. AT 3>. W. CLARE’S, No. GOS CHESTNUT STREET. WATCHES. CHAINS. RINGS, ✓ PENS, j PBNCIIft. STUDS, BUTTONS. TOOTH PICKS. LOCKETS. CHARMS. THIMBLES. BRACELETS. TEA SETS, CASTORS. ICE PITCHERS. WAITERS. CALL BELLS. GOBLETS, CUPS. SALT STANDS. SPOONS. FORKS, KNIVES. LADLES, FISH AND FIE KNIVES. BUTTER KNIVES, NAPKIN RINGS. Ac., Ac. We keep a large assortment of the above goods, to gether with each goods as are usually kept at a first clftSß store, Our prices will be found much lower than at any othtr establishment. One call will convince aU that the place to purcnace WATCHES. JEWELRY, AND BILVBR-PLATED WaBB IS AT P. W CLARKS, No 609 CHESTNUT Street WATCHES and JEWELRY carefully repaired. * Engraving of every description at short notice. mh22-tnthf2in GENTS’ FURNISHING GOODS. JOHN O. ARRISON, Nos. 1 and 3 NORTH SIXTH STREET, MANUFACTURER OP THE IMPROVED PATTERN SHIRT, FIRST OUT BY J. BURR MOORE, WARRANTED TO FIT AND GIVE SATISFACTION. ALSO, Importer and Manufacturer of GENTLEMEN’S FURNISHING GOODS. B.—All articles made in a superior manner by hand and from the best Materials. ial4 QEORQE grant. No. »!• CHESTNUT STREET, Sm bow ready A LARGE AND COMPLBTB STOCK GENTS’ FURNISHING GOODS, Of bto own importation and manufacture. HU celebrated “FBI2H MEDAIi &HIBTS,” ■UiifMtTurtd tutder Ike Buperintedence of JOHN F. TAQGBBT. (Formerly of Oldenberg & Taggart, > are the mo«t p«to*k-fitting Shirts of the if A MR. Order, promptly attended to, jal3-wftn-6m DINE SHIRT MANUFACTORY. C »...^b™^dA«lt. g atto^tontoth rf r 9Uah thay make a iPMlallty in their buelnee*. AI*«» iM«tantl^rM»irte^ og di WEAR. BToSP‘* Mo. 91* CHESTNUT STREET. MEdf Four doora below the Continental. PAPER HANGINGS. PAPER HANGINGS. HOWELL dc BROS., Ninth and Chestnut Streets, Wonld offer to their onatomera and the public A SPECIALITY IN PAPER-HANGINGS, EXCLUSIVELY THEIR OWN MANUFACTURE, VIZ. SILK INSERTINGS IN PAPER HANGINGS. To which they aok the attention of parties Backing RICH DECORATIONS FOB PARLORS, &C., HOWELL & BROTHERS, S. W. CORNER NINTH AND CHESTNUT. We would also respectfully invite the .attention of onr customer, to onr New Style, of PAPER HANGINGS, DECORATIONS, Ac., Ac., for Parlors, Halls. Chambers. Ae.. Ac. mhl6 wfm3tfp 1864. PHILADELPHIA IS (J 4 . PAPER HANGINGS. SOWELL & BOURSE, MANUFACTURERS OF AND WINDOW CURTAIN PAPERS, COB. FOURTH AND MARKET STS., PHILADELPHIA, If. B. —A fine stock of LINEN SH ADBS constantly oh hand. . fe27-2m fp Paper hangings—john h. LOWG6TBBTH, No. 13 North THIRD Street. Ha ving the sole aesney for several of the largest Eastern m&nufhctnrorß enables tus to chow an unequalled variety of new designs, which will be sold at manufacturers’ prices. The first floor will be devoted to retailing. Dwellings decorated in first-class style, and the hang ing department probarly stteudsd to. JOHN H. LONGBTBBTH, fe27-ltn* Wo. 1.9 North THIRD fltradt CXOTHING. gPRING GOODS. EDWARD P. KELLY, JOHN KELLY. T A I L O R S, 612 CHESTNUT STREET, (JONES' HOTEL.) LATE 142 SOOTH THIRD STREET, Hay* jnat received a large atoek of choice SPRING GOODS. TO LET.-BOOHS UP STAIRS, 812. 611 CHESTNUT STRBBT. «»» *f rkUEBN OF BEAUTY W WHITE VIRGIN WAX 07 ANTILLES. Anew FRBNCS COSMETIC for beautifying, whiten ing. and preserving the complexion It is the most wonderfal compound Of the ago There is neither chSkfuowder, m&tneßii. faismutm nor talc iaito com unMtlon it being composed entirely of pure Virgin Wax; Eence its extraordinary qualities for preserving the skin makingltsmooth, felr, and transparent It makestheoldappearjonng. the homelrhandeome.tlie handsome more beautiful, and the “91* Prim as and fiD cants. Prepared only by HUNT ft CO.. ?stome“ *1 South EIGHTH Street, two door, above ChSSu.and 133 BouthIEBVENTH Street. aWe Wal- niICQUOT OHampagne. L 100 ease. WIDOW CLICQUOT 2* SKIMS jnat received, and for sale to the trade at the lateHuw *«. UD-tf No. *Ol South FRONT Street FRIDAY, MARCH 35, 1864. THE WAR. A> Explanation of Hie Florida Campaign. [Special Correspondence of The Press.] HBADQUARTBRB DISTRICT Off FLORIDA, Jacksonville, March 11, 1864. The fragmentary and haatily-written aooounta ot the Federal occupation of Florida, which have ap peared In the Northern pre.., are quite n likely to confute aa to initiuot the reader. A. this State and tbla part of the theatre of the war are to play a prominent part in the campaign now opening, it la a matter of importance that the publio understand eorrectly the nature of our mlaalon and the opera tion. Of out army. There is no State more assailable than Florida, or more eaaily wreated from the Confederacy. Our gunboata have accesc to all itc eeaport town., and to every important place in the interior, except Tallahassee. Key West) Tortuga., Fort Jefferson, Fernandina, St Augustine, Fort Pickenc, and St. Mary’s have been in our po.aeaaion during the last two yean. JackaonvlUe and Falatka are now oc cupied by the loyal forcea for the third time. With ■ theee advantages to begin with on our part, while the rebels have not a Stronghold In the State, lti conquest and occupation ought not to be considered a difficult matter. Our Government haa long known that. FLORIDA IB Off VAST IMPORTANCE TO THBREBELS, as its everglades, prairies, and natural pasture land, are relied upon to supply their army with bacon, pork, and beef. It was not till Texas wa< lost to them that they felt the Importance of holding on to Florida, and keeping open their communication* with the Interior. Thete view* have been abun dantly confirmed by the circular found at Sander son at the time our army occupied that plaoe. This offloial document represented that the sucoe** of the Confederacy depended upon the liberality of the fEople in supplying the rebel army from their rich artures with an abundance of beef. All other part* of Secenia were represented aa being utterly exhausted. The widest EXTREMES Off opinion Are to be found among the people of'this State. The old Spanlah element exists in rather a fossilized state, and is mostly solicitous to be found In the day of settlement on the winning side. But the popula lationof many places is made up of the extremely Northern and'fire-eatlng Southern classes. All the politician! were Southerners; most of the moneyed capitalists and active business men were from the North. This may have been the ease to a greater extent in Jacksonville and a few other towns than In the State at large. The rebel element, of course, was In the ascendant at the outbreak of the rebel lion; it was frantic and furious, and loyalist* had to suffer the burning of their property, banishment, and every conceivable horror. In the war of politi cians upon business men, the latter stood no chance of race; as, as the whole poor-trash rabble was against them. To make THB LOTAL ELEMENT Off FLORIDA available, our army must take permanent posses sion opa place, and give the people good evidence that It Is no more to be abandoned to the ravages ot the rebels. Our policy and practlae in this respect, So far as Jacksonville is concerned, has been veiy bad. It would be lar better for us now were this our first visit- A careful discrimination should be made between the truly loyal. and time-iervers, liars, and hypocrites. None should be trusted ex cept such as aie willing to lend their influence in any capacity to the Union forces to aid in arushlng the rebellion. The great mistake la this eampaign thus far baa been in granting favor and indulgence to auch aa were the enemies of their country though they had taken the oath of allegiance. The loyal element is not strong, not go strong as has been sup posed, and what there Is seek* seclusion unless an atmy is piesent to protect it. THB YALUB Off FLORIDA TO THB UNION will be manifest when we consider that ita supplies of beef sustain the same local relation to. our South era armies that they do to those of the Confederacy. Bad we a force at Pampa, or at the head of naviga tion on the Suannee river, It would be easy for us to keep the rebels from the greater part of the State. The immense herds on which they now depend would all be our own. From this source our army, forts, and blockading fleet could be supplied. It re quires no great sagacity to see the Importance of Florida to the success of the Union oause, and were the rebel aim; out of the way there would be no difficulty in organizing a government-among the people. It was A GREAT MISTAKE our generals and some statesmen made when they aupposed Florida was of no value, or of little value, -to either contending parly 1 And when the Herald (N. Y.) insinuates that our occupation of the State is a political movement, inaugurated by the Presi dent forth* purpose of securing ita electoral vote, it displays its usual ignorance or maliciousness. The rebels taught us at Olustee what their opinions Were, and, from our experience, it Is to be hoped our own will he corrected. It was not till that fatal battle was fought and lost that our commanders be lieved that the rebels were really in earnest In hold; ing the State. This mistake Is the key to our late and tenlble disaster. The Confederacy can better afford to lose the whole of exhausted Virginia, Rich mond and all, than Florida. But, great as our de. feat and loss are, all is not lost. The object of the eampaign may yet be accomplished. Before the time comes for removing stock In large quantities, we may be in a position to prevent it altogether, only at we wtut it for our own use. AB A 8A832 OX OPERATIONS in a movement against Georgia or Alabama, Florida is of incalculable value. In such a cue, we ought to hold Tallahassee, With that plaee in our posses sion, only small garrison, would be needed in all the central and southern part of the State. As we advanced northward from that point, the supplies for our army would be near at hand. No part of the fighting element of the State would be in our rear. Prom such a position, co-operalioa with Grant, Sherman, or whoever may be operating in Georgia and Alabama, would be of the most effective kind. THE ABIT? OF FLORIDA Should be heartily reinforced, and not allowed at present the respite of a moment. The season now is splendid for campaigning, and what we do should be accomplished before the furnace-like days of July and August come. No more furloughs should be granted, and all the veterans now at home should hasten back to the field again. The rebel force is underaied , and a succession of disasters to our aras is to be feared. The rebels here report that Jeff Davis will have, by the first of May, an army 900,- 000 strong in the Seld, and make a final death-strug gle to crush our armies. Appearances indioate that the nest three months are to be the bloodiest our country has ever witnessed—il not the most fierce, savage, and exterminating, ever known.in the an nals of time. OUR PRESENT POSITION . is one of security, bat not of much activity, Jack sonville is fortified by a line of intrenehments about two and a half miles in length. Other preparations have been made, which must not be minutely de scribed to make our position secure. Two deserters came into our lines to-day, who report that Finn!, gan is fortifying about eight miles from here. They represent the rebel foree as about seven thousand strong, and that preparations are in progress for at tacking this plaee. I think our commanders are a little anxious to have them come on and try the temper of their men and their steel. AN ADVANCE has been made up the St. Johns seventy-five miles, by Colonel Barton, commander of the 4th Brigade. Falatka, the pir.ee occupied, Contained but one man. His rebel sympathies being a little too manifest, he was made a prisoner and sent to Jacksonville. About nine miles from 'Falatka the rebels have a camp, and squads of soldiers were in the habit of visiting the place as often as once a week. Colonel Barton will clear the country of aU such lawless troopers. Besides garrisoning the plaee, it is under stood that this force Is to be but one thread iu a network of militsry combinations which, when matured, may do something to retrieve the past. We have the pleasure of witnessing the arrival of PRBBH TROOPS AHD SETURKinO YBTERAMS nearly every day. All indications of active service are heartily welcomed by soldiers generally. What we now need ie a battle whose results will do some thing to blot from our memory Pocotaligo, Secas sionville, Wagner, and Olustee. OfIUaOHES AND SCHOOLS have been opened in Jacksonville; stores filled with goods; and matters are assuming a social, civ il and business-like appearanee, LENOX. Mr. Beecher on Slavery. In a decidedly revolutionary sermon, delivered by Henry Ward Beecher, at his church in Brooklyn, Sunday night, that reverend gentleman said: The statistics of opinion on the subject of human liberty it would-be difilcult, and perhaps unpleasant to take. A powerful party has sprung up in the North who, for the take of peaoe, would adopt ala very with all its horrors. It is time something should be done to counteract them. Slavery is dead, say some, say many. Is it dead 1 We know that within the lines of the frontier army there are three million slaves. As yet we learn they are do cile, amenable to the will of their masters, patient, and tubttrvlent. This state of things exists where war and its desolations surround them, where in ducements, civil and military, are held out to them; what, then, will be the fact when peaoe is come, and war is at an end 1 i Do you suppose there is less lust, less of laziness,less oi avarice in the South than there was before the wart Lust, avarice, and laziness are the basis on which slavery has ever rested. Will not the value of the slave be as great as ever as an article of commerce? Can he not pick cotton and cut sugar-cane, and grow corn as well at ever ? Don’t be deceived. Slavery i. sot dead. We must havea constitutional amend ment prhibiting forever the introduction or existence ol slavery In the country. A convention of tne States ekeuid be called, and the whole question SBt at rest foiever. so that no pliant court oan misconstrue it, no avaricious leering towaid Southern (fade violate 11s spirit or its meaning. This course it already un der way in New Yoik, ana I promised that I would ask m) chUich to assist in the movement. Mr. Beecher spoke as follows of the Southern sol dieis: “ Where shall we find such heroic self-denial, such up-bearing of physical discomfort, sueh patience In poverty, in distress, in absolute want, as we find in tbe Southern army. They fight better In a Dad cause than you do with a good one; they fight better for a passion thsn you for a sentiment. We believe them to be misguided, but we must do them the credit of saying they fight well, and bear up under trouble nobly ; they suffer, and do not complain; they go In rags, but do not rebel: they are in earnest for theip-personal liberty—they believe in it, and if they esn they mean to get it.’’ FBRBMABOSB- may be curious' to know their strength in. the world’s population. From very ao curate statistics,, we.can state that in the New and in the Old World there are 6,268 lodgei, with 699,000 Active EeCiben, The number of non-active and those who have withdrawn is nearly 3,000,0004 PHILADELPHIA, FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 1864. THB STATE. [Special Correspondence of The Press. 1 Harrisburg, March 33, 1884. POLITICAL GHOULS. The present position of the Democratic party 1* not an enviable one, and Ita only hope or success ought to cause their cheeks to tingle with shame. In a conversation, last evening, with a sound orthodox Demoorat upon the coming Presidential campaign, he very frankly said: “ The only hope of Democracy lies In the defeat of the Union armies during the coming season; that every Union vlotory is another nail driven into the coffin of his party, and that none regretted the humiliating faot more keenly than him self." And he uttered a great truth wbleh should politically damn bis party now and forever. ■ Every intelligent man will see the force of hie remaik, and such has been the ease from the beginning of the war. The Union defeats at Bull Run, Ohickshoml ny, he., gave the Democracy an ascendancy In the elections of 1862. The glorious victories of Vicksburg, Port Hudson, Jackson; Gettysburg, and Lookout Mountain, re sulted In a defeat to the self-styled Democracy from oneendofthe country to the other,'and myfriend just referred to, reasoning from past results, sees the death of his partyln the great armies of the Union, Wbleh we hope and trust are about to maroh forth to vlotory. What a commentary upon a party i It can only Nee when the nation dial Its only hope of success Is the undecided continuation ol a war which is aimed at the vltala of the republic! When the Stare and Strlpea wave triumphantly upon hard contested battlo fields, they mourns; when our brave loldiera are defeated by rebel hordes, their hopes revive I When the hopes of the true Union man cornea up, Democracy goe* down, and yet, for party’s sake, men will yet cling to It. THB UNION PABBHNGEB RAILWAY COUNTRY OPPOSITION. One of the most sptcy debates of the session took place in the House last evening, upon the introduc tion of a bill to incorporate the YJnlon -Passenger Railway of Philadelphia. The delegation from your, city-axe divided upon the question, and the country members seem not disposed to meddle with it. The friends of the bill endeavored to force it under a suspension of the rules, without ita being previously referred to a committee, and taking its place upon the .'Calendar, The country members opposed its passage, until they had an opportunity to ascertain ita hue features, for the reason that oeitain papers In your oity have already charged that a combination baa been formed to effect its paaeage, and impliedly. If not expressly, charging them withcorruption. None of them expressed an opposition to the bill, but only the manner by whioh ita passage was sought to be effected. 1 understand that the-contemplated road la twenty-four miles In length; completes an entire oireutt of the city, and “stops at the place of beginning." Ido not pretend to speak of the merits of this bill. It may be de manded by people of your olty. The country mem bers will support the bill if suob Is the fact. They have no desire to meddle with the looal legislation of your olty. Yet they do not care about being charged with wholesale corruption In advance. THB UKFATBKTBD LANDS. A bill is now pending before the Legislature which should have been passed many yeara ago. There are now in this State many thousands of acres of tin. patented lands. Warrants have been taken out.fbr vaeant lands, and then suffered to remain without a patent being taken out therefor. If this bill be comes a law, and is enforced, it would bring tome $6,000,000 into our treasury. It Is simply an aat of justice. There can be no reason why owners of this land should not perfeot their titles, and certainly the State could not call upon the owners at a more favorable time. The State needs money to meet the great drain upon her resources. The country It full of money, and let us hope that an act may be pasted by virtue of whioh the owners of these lands may be com pelled to peifeet their titles, and pay to the State that which they have so long withheld from her. THE mUUCCBATIO STATS CONVENTION. The legislature has just adjourned over until Monday evening to enable the Democratic mem bers to attend their State Convention. Democratic politicians from different portions of the State have been here for a day or two watching the “ current of events." FRANK. Covert Treason. [From the New Yoik Tribune. 3 The Metropolitan Record is commended to publio favor as “ ii. Catholic Family Paper," and is sup ported in good part out of tbe treasury of our oity, through the favor of her Common Council. It mui; be deemed capital reading In Jeff Davis’ family, but not in that of any loyal citizen. Here is a specimen ol its editorials from this week’s issue: THB ADDRESS OF THB [REBEL] LEGISLATURE OF virginla. We recommend to the earnest consideration or those who stilt suppose the South can be conquered the eloquent and thrilling address of the General Assembly of Virginia, that grand and gallant old Commonwealth, the mother of States and of states men, tbe birthplace of Washington, of Dee, and of Jackson. The defiant tone in whioh it treats of the efforts to enslave the people ol the South, and the eloquent language of denunciation in whlah it refers to the barbarous system of waifare pursued by the minions of the Washington despot, will meet with an echo In the heart of eveiy man who loves j ustice and hates oppression. We trust In God we shall never see the day on Which the glorious old Com monwealth will be subdued and given over to the spoiler and the plunderer; to the Butlers and the Sohencks; to the licensed burglar and incendiary, Incited and enoouraged by “ the best Government on the face of the earth.” Ai to the freedom and independence of the South, we have no apprehension*, tier people can never be conquered , and, if that were possible, Abraham. Lincoln is not the man to accomplish that subjugation. The address of the Virginia Assembly is a proof that the resolution which animated Virginia all thftmgh this war is as unbroken a* ever, that there is no faltering, no wavering. In the eloquent words of this great document, “ Virginia takes no step back* ward.” * * * Grand old State! May we never sea the day when you shall have to bow beneath the yckfe of the oppressor. If that day should ever come, then will-the friends of freedom, the lovers of true heroism snd manhood, mourn over the" sad fate of a great people, who fell while fighting for liberty and independence; fell on the same sou that gave birth to Washington, to one whose name should have been suffioientto save the great Commonwealth from the tread of the heartless invader. Such is the spirit of a journal that will zealously support McClellan for President. Having decided that the rebels never can and never should be con quered, it want* a man at the head of affair* who it is certain will never conquer them. Underground Railroads* The New Voik Evening Post earnestly favors the tunneling of Broadway for a line of railroad from the Bowling Green to the Central Park, a bill to this effect having been introduced in the New York Legislature: “The undertaking appears formidable; but any one who ha* been in London within a year or two nerd not be told that it can be done, with profit to tLd city and to the company. The narrow and ciooked streets of London are ;not fit to have rail road tracks laid down upon them. Mr. George Francis Train, who expected to earn a million ster ling and a statue as a public benefactor by Introdu cing horse railroad* in London, wa« legislated out of the place as a cumberer of streets. Bat no one would deny that meant for rapid locomotion were needed there* An ingenious engineer had already constructed a railroad from the city to Biaekwall, running over the tops of the houses* and trains drawn at good speed by stationary engines $ and at last it occurred to aome one to run a tunnel under the streets, and lay an iron track in that. Thorough trial has proved this to be, on the whole, the safest, pleasantest, cheapest plan—the greatest relief to the overorowded streets, and the most successful of all that have been tried, for the convenience of trade and passengers, “ There is at present in London a tunnel road five miles long, connecting Farrington street with Pad dington station ; a double track i* laid, and the com pany ha* already carried about five millions of pas* sengeri. The tunnel is thoroughly ventilated, dry, well lighted, and in every way comfortable; to ride through it is very much like walking through one of the great store cellar* of a Broadway drygoods house. The rate of speed attained is twenty miles per hour. Entrance and exit stations are provided at short intervals, a staircase leading to the street above. “ The success of the Underground Bail way in Lon don has been so decided that Parliament ha* char tered companies who intend to surround the city with tunnel roads, and connect all the railway sta tions. It is said that twenty millions sterling have already been subscribed towards this vast enter prise. The cost of tunnelling and laying the track ready for operation, is about a million dollars per The English Press on American Topics. The London Spectator , a journal which treats of American affairs from a point of view friendly to the Union, has a long artioie upon 11 the Reconstruc tion o( Society in Louisiana,” a topic which is eli citing mueh discussion in the English Journals, The Spectator regards the proclamation of General Banks with favor, although it disapproves'of the clause in regard to treating “indifference as a crime,” and criiiciaet some of the language. It says: Apart from the one evil clause, and the blemishes which are purely of form, it is an order of which the boldest'' statesman in Europe might well feel proud, an order full, not only of that audacity which only revolutions and aristocracies breed, but of that constructive capacity, that foree which belongs to founders, which is too apt to be miserably absent from both. The Spectator regards this war as on the whole favorable to American statesmanship, and sees already the signs ol the hardening process, by which general principles will come to be the guide and test oi practical efforts to shape political and national policy. On this view It sums up the characteristics of a few of our leaders. It says: Abraham Lincoln’s proclamations, rough-hewn as they still are in thought, and wholly unshapen in form, ar e beginning to have in them a quality apart from the sturdy uprightness which was always tLere, one of wbloh, if it were but a little more po lished in expression, all England would recognise a* statesmanship. Mr. Seward, of course, fs unteach able:foroppoSUion^thoughitelioits,cannot impart capaeily; but Mr. Welles, though he has not built a Warrior, has organized the blockade of three thousand miles of coast, and moiquito fleets which control ten thousand miles of river; Mr. Stanton, though rot a Carnot, keeps half a million of sol dieis well armed, well fed, and well contented 5 and Mr. Chase, though not a heaven-born financier, has induced a people impatient of taxes to double their taxation, to contemplate quadrupling it, to bear with an Inconvertible paper currency, to run up a national debt equal to that of France, and to distri bute that debt in morsels so small that a proposal to repudiate would provoke a civil wan Is 1958 there was not a man in the Union outside the little ciroie of Southern leaders who really knew what “go vernment” meant, who had ever considered for ten minutes how to hold down a hostile population, or what manner of resources a great war would require, or in what way opinion could be. made an armed as well as an executive force. Fair lor the Soldiers* To the Editor of The Press: Sib : The oolored people of this city have been prompt to respond, in various ways, to their coun tij )g call for help In this time of her need, tad have proved their loyalty to a Government from which they have never yet received full protection in all the rights of citizens. While their men have given themselves to our army, their women have been diligently working, as nave other loyal women thioughout the land, for the inmates of our military 1 capitals, A few months ago, they held a fair in this city, and presented the ohief part of its pro cteds to the Sanitary Commission. They are pre parirg now to hold another fair, which is to be •mined in Concert Hall, on the3Bth of this month. Will not their fellow-citizens aid their efforts by generous contributions, and by filling the hall with purchasers during the time of the fair? W. OITY BOOUNOILS- The regular stated meeting of both branches of tho City Counoll* was held yesterday afternoon. SELECT BRANCH. President Rend (U) in the ehair. Tbe reading of the journal was dispensed with. A communication from Riehard Vaux, Esq-, Pre sident of the Board ofTMreotora of Girard College, was read, transmitting the annual report of that college for the year 1863. The communication was laid on the table. The annual message of the Mayor was then read by the clerk. The Message. To the Select and Common Councils of the City of Philadelphia: In conformity with the requirement of the act which consolidated thle city, I present to jon a statement of the finances, improvement!!, and soverameit of Philadel phia doling the past year. The unprecedented events of that period, which must he long remembered for the general excitement they caused, were through a kind Providenoe unattended among no by tumult or violence; while the ready acquiescence In the unwanted demands of military service, by which thie community was spe daily distinguished, gave assured confidence in the en joyment of private rights, and In the maintenance of public order. ... Looking hack to the grave emergencies which, for a time, seemed to be fraught with danger and disaster, and remembering that the anticipated calamities were wholly warded from ns. we are called upon to recognise our common dependence npon the merries of the Almighty, and humbly to acknowledge that ••except the Lord , keep tbe.elty the watchman waketh but la vain." , ' THB CITY DEBT—-FUNDIMG AND TAXES, &0. The fended debt of Philadelphia, at the end 011863, amonntfd to *24,(83,806 84. which wae represented.by »1,856.-467.800 f five, per ctnt. loans, and *22.797.808.04 of these bearing six per cent. Interest. Tils sum inolnded *891,349.22 of matured debt whioh had not been present ed for its redemption; and the original imperfect registry. of certificates, which no diligence has been able to reme. dv; nmkesit impracticable to_ ascertain the respective owners of the over-due loans. Every annual statement of thfimnnlcipal debt mast, from this oause, be for a long time (hence only an approximation of its true amount, attalnin g.however, each successive year, greater aeon- Tasyas errors shall be gradually eliminated. ' jSLaddltton to such outstanding Indebtedness, #1.379,- ICO Abe-balances of various loans remained unneg.-tia tSJpShwlll Increase iksfnndiM liabilities to *26 - as the total.unliquidated debt that had been. authorised before the beginning of the prorent year. - The Commissioners of the Sinking Fond have twenty ■ three-diatwet investment accounts under thelrftarge.ln which there le a constant acomnolation of the assets that will he needed ,to pay off at maturity aU loans erected since 1E54, and also to make provision toward Ihusettlement of consolidated loans cf earlier, datas. These sinking funds hold securities that cost *10.7a7,- 02X40. with *'.86.864.62 in money, applicable to the pay ment of matured loans, or for other lnveitment. The present market price of the larger part of there securi ties is sufficiently enhanced bevona their cost to make np for the depreciation or worthlessness of the remain der, ana the property of the trust may now he reasonably veined at *11,000.000. which with the proceeds from time to time of the sales of real estate owned by the city should offer satisfactoiv assurance that ample provision has been made to maintain in the future the financial credit that Philadelphia now possesses The amount of landed debt paid off was C321.948.00.and *196.600. (0 of loans y et undue were cancelled by the Com missioners, having been purchased with the proceeds of stock in the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Daring the past year the losno ol loan* for various objects amounted to *810.900. CO. which are included In the ag gregate debt before stated. ' , , The entire amount of loans authorized from the com mencement ol the preset t municipal Governmontto the dose of the last year is *12,074 900.00. of which $1 6C0,- OCO. CO have been created to provide for the defence of the city, the enlistment of volunteer*, and. the rapport of their families, while, in addition thereto. #4.250.9)0 have been required for similar purposes since the beginning oithe current year. The receipts of the treaanry daring 1863. were $5,353. - 694 78, of which, however, only *3,868.78L73 were de rived from the nsnal sonic sa of municipal revenue, the balance having accrued mainly from the sale of olty loans and from funde borrowed for temporary ute The cash on hand, January Ist. 1883. was *1.063,704.19, making, with the receipts, *6.417,298 97. of which *6,886.420.41 have been disbursed, leaving $530.878,56 to tbe credit of the treasurer. , A mere summary of the finances of theclty can supply little practical information, and is only useful as ex bibitinglhe magnitude of the tetanus concerned, and the extent of the duties involved in their management. The taxes assented for the past year yielded the net sum if #2.884.07L96. alter allowing discounts amount ingto #193.186.64. forpromptneis in making payments. The registered taxes of previous years produced *435,- 126 89 making the total revenue from direct .'levy. #2,- 869.197 86, and leaving *6.9,236 IS of tho assessment for 1863 uncollected at its close., besides balancei of taxes due from former periods. This statement includes #l2l, - 966.40 which was paid to the Receiver of Taxes on the last day of the year, and through Inability to deposit in the treasuiy oh lhat date, conld not be credited in tne Controller’e annual report ... The Controller has estimated the deficiency of the assets in tho treasury, with other nsnal resources to meet the outstanding liabilities, at *V209,9i1-28 on the firstday of the year, including th,rein *1,367.666 66 for wairants issued in 1863, and $63,566 42 for those of pre vious years. This estimate Is based partly npon pre sumed excesses In the s xpenses of various departments that have not yet been accurately ascertained, and part iy upon other computations that will not admit of exact • PC&B in advance ; fetUii ia not improbable that the arosa deficiency orta,»o,ooowm b© fully verified. Itaamoant is malDly to be attributed to the insufficient rata or taxa tion aii d. to Ihe unrestricted appropriations of the late Conncl)#—and it is already evident that the finances of tbe current year will result in a much greater deficit, un less tbe lars er part of ita txpenaea be provided by the cen rax&ble resort to-new public loans. The delay shown by Connells In several instances in determlninttlie annual rate of taxation indneed the passage of snmoi Assem* biy, pietci ibir & that when the rate of taxes for an ansa its year was not settlec by Councils at or before their B*ccnd meeting in December* the taxation should con tinue to be levied without change of assessmant Imme diately after the adoption of each law, in April, 1802, Council a fixed for that year the rate of two dollars on each hundred dollars of assessed valuation, being the eame levy wh’ch had been authorized in the year pieoe dim, but had failed to produce adequate means, under rigid economy, to defray tbe necessary expenses of the till government. At the second stated meeting of Coun cils in December. 1562, tho same rate of taxation was ap- S roved for ihe following year, and’ it has resulted in the <?avy deficiency that now embarrastes the management Of tbe treasury. The taxation for the present year, through default of definite action by the l&8t Councils, has b**ntietermined by force * f this act of Assembly, and chas a rate that has three times proven insufficient and impo litic has been continued. The increase of appropriation to every department of the municipal Government, that has been indispensable for the payment of reasonable fc&'&rite&nd tbe purcha>eof usual supplies wid, apart ; from ahy extraordinary expenditures,cause theexpenses cf tne’year .to largely exceed thbsoof any former pa 'Xigd; aid as Ihe resources of the city have not been cor ‘ rtVpofidlbgly augmented, the resulting deficiency .will be inevitable. It is preferable that the community should eidurea temporary inconvenience from an occasional delay in fixing the rate of taxation, rather than have. tbTonih the in decision ofCouncilß.aninadvuuate levy of taxes from year to year, until it becomes necessary of draw upon a coming generation to pay ror the temporiz iigpolity of the present day; and I, therefore, recom mend ti st Councils should ask for a repeal of the act of March 8.1862, by the Legislature now in ses.ion, as the most obvious means Of preventing the financial embar msments which will certainly ensue from the ineffi ciency and neglect of duty which it tends to promote. MUNICIPAL SUITS. Tbs City Solicitor has been charged, during the past yf ar, with the management of several salts of more than usual moment to the city, particularly those to compel Payment from the patsemer railroad companies of the tfx upon their dividends, and one to obtain from the Pennsylvania fiailioad Company the flam of $9l 500, withheld by it from the city under pretence of the ordi nance of July 14,1653, rslftti&c to a nrojtctel line of tteamships to forricn porta. Two preceding bills of City Councils, having the same general Intent, but more ob j, ction&ble in some features, were returned without the Mayor’s signature, and the ordinance under which it is alieged the Company have acquired aright to retain a portion of their annual dividend, payable to the city, was suffered to become a law, that its validity might re ceive judicial determination- There having been no offer on the part of the directors of the Pennsylvania Bailroad to te»t legally its provisions, or to comply with any of the requirements of the ordinance, and there being, as it is believed, no proba r ility that it was intended to promote will be ever uadwta\en-~tfa© refusal of the Company to pay the fall cash dividend due to the city, and the subsequent assertion of a right to re tain a portion of the recent itock dividend, are both cen srrsble as acts that could only proceed from the effronte ry of a corporation. . , , The collection of municipal claims has been prosecuted by tbe Law Department with unusual succeis, and up wards of $40,C00 have, through Its efforts,been contribu ted to the city treasury* THB CITY SUHYJfiY—SBWBBAGBj BTC. The extension of the city survey has been continued by the proper department, with the field work chiefly In the Twenty-third wa»d—bnt the revision of lines and grades in other sections has not been neglected. The Bittern of sewerage has received additional develop ment by the construction of new culverts of various dimensions, some of which were ordered by Councils, bot most of them undertaken through private enter prise under the supervision of the Board of Surveys. The Insecure condition of several of the public bridges should engage the early attention of Councils. The number aid- importance of these structures demand that their supei vision should be devolved upon a joint standing committee to be special lyl and. solely charged with such subject. The Market-street bridge, which in the early paTt of the year sustained severe damage : from a heavy gale, was suffered to remain for months without the requisite repair, although the attention of the Highway Department was repeatedly called to Its condition. While the immediate injury from the storm has been remedied* the entire structure needs a thoiough examination and such renewal of material in its several pirts as may enable it to bear safely the immense weight and pressure to which it is subjected The bridges over Gunner’s run and Cohockrinc creek, whose size is not commensurate With their Importance, should be enlarged and strength ened. When the Chestnut* street bridge was com* menefd it was believed lhat it would be ready for travel early in the present year, bnt various causes have retarded it* procress, and have postponed its com pletion probably to another season The structure is massive and imposing, "and will he creditable to the city, both for the correct taste displayed in its design and for its unusual proportion and siza. It is much to be reiretted that the late Councils, upon the appli cation of those who engaged to furnish the stone work of this bridge, should have bean induced to set aside obligations into which they had "entered, and to appropriate to them, in addition to their contract price, the sum of $77,116.32, not only to recompense them for losses alleged to have been actually incurred but to anticipate thoß© which might thereafter happen in the prosecution of the work, as a precedent, there could be no greater damige inflicted upon the system of municipal contracts, ana no more direct invitation to undertake public work for insufficient terms, looking to ultimate profit from bounty awarded through sympathy of the authorities. Upon the completion of this work, the evidence of lose from changes in value that could not have been foreseen, might have been placed before Councils with confidence that equity would be done; but by the coarse adopted, the city has met with an in calculable injury in comparison wherewith the sum thus diverted from Us treasury is of slight Importance. THB HIGHWAY DBPABTMBWT. By better management than had previously been pur sued, the revenue of the Highway Department, from sewer rents, was largely Increased and a neater in come assured hereafter from that source. The paving and repair of streets and highways has bean carried on to an extent and cost unwarranted by the appropria tions for such purposes, and the Ohief Commissioner re ports a deficiency of $23,61L 09, mainly attributable to inch work The economy of the cobble-stone pave ment, now in general use, more especially since the occupation of the streets with rails for passenger cars, is very questionable—but 1 would reoemmend that the several railway companies be required to replace the roadway along their respective routes with cubical blocks, or with such other approved pavement as may be Belectcd, as a slight return for tile lucrative privi leges they now enjoy. Permission might very properly b© gives by ordinance to all desirin* in front of their p:fimi߀B a bitter or more durable roadway than that provided by the city, to have such laid at their own ex tense with approval of the surveyor of tne district. Mich psimißßion would he prob&bly availed of to the great improvement of our streets and to the increased comfort and diminished expense of the-community. ITTVKA'NfIT7gft THB STREETS, Fnder authority of a resolution approved January 3d, l i6H. a contract was entered into for the cleansing of the city, at a co*t oi $72.000, reserving > to the Mayorthe right to annul the sam* when, in bis judgment, its obligations ebon] d not be reasonably fulfilled. That power was ex ercised on the 16th of July: after repeated efforts to in duce the contractor to comply with the terms of his agreement, aa a measure demanded alike by considera tion for the public health, and to protect the treasury from unearned demands. After that date, with the exception of the removal of small quantities or coal ashes iu a few localities, no efficient means were adopted to cleanse the streets, and the year closed upon an accumulation of sshes, filth, and lefuee, in all the. thoroughfares of the city, foch as had never before been witnessed. The ehtablisbmeat of a special department charged with the duty of attending to the cleansing of the streets, lecently enacted by Councils, gives promise of a successful system, as, under constant police super vision, it substitutes the direct responsibility of those employed for their diligence and efficiency instead of the inducement formerly held out by self interest to i ave every expense that could possibly be spared in the seeming performance of a contract to thus enhance its profits Although the advantages of this new arrangement must greatly exceed those of the former contract system, the experience of other large communities, particularly of some of the European cities, demonstrates that thorough cleanliness of the streets can only be expected where tbe removal of all refuse is made a matter of direct pecuniary Interest To this end. a )»Tger capital ie necessary than can readily b© afforded from private means, and ao extended an un der’akibs requires the various appliances of a corpora tion to make it successful; but if the exclusive right to carry away all the dirt, offal, ashes, «0., could be com m.tted by Councils to a company having special corpo rate powers. their operations to be under the control of the Inspector of Streets. It would not be : long before entrap and scientific management would produce an* nnal ix come to the city, as well as to those concerned In the enterprise. PAIBMOUUT PABK, Tbe real estate of the city, including the various public balls and Eonaree, has been well eared for, and tbe atten tion of the Commissioner of Oity Property has beenjudl ckuely btetowed upon its repair and maintenance. Some progress was made in carrying forward the plan of Fair mount Park.butno improvement of special note has been accomplished. ~ A ponlon of this park basbeen occupied by an earth; work constructed, under military supervision, which will long remain interests g for its cnrlous appearance and as v r*lio of the exciting events of the past Bummer. The property betww banding and petmsylyania aveatw acquialtioß. jf it, purekaae can ba e SSL®“ w . .? 1 r«**onabi* price, botk aax mneh-ueeisd n or?.« * " RVXOYAX. Oy RAILROADS* In accordanee Iwith the.enactment of Connells, the railroad belonging to the oity.on Market street east of BiahtWreot. anf on Dock removed • but when, by the same authority, arrangements were made to remove ita rails on South £road street the right of the city to manage ita own property, where any cor poration sees fit to assert a superior claim, has been dis puted. and the delay incident to legal protcedings has prevented a measure of great importance to the owners of neighboring property* and to the whole coxamurfty* The track cm Sroaff.tireV north of Market to Yinh street, haa been itla’.d, affording greater facilities for the transit of tho freight that ta teceaaantly pasting over ita rente. ' MARKETS, WHARVES, fed. The Department of Market Houses, Wbavas. and Land ings, shows an increase of revenue over that ofthenreesd lJ g learin each Ofim two principal sources ofincoms. The attention of Connells is directed to tne great advantages Which must ensue from unlformfregtriafions of wharfate auch aa now- obtain tn the Cities of New York. Boston, and other ports. Tbe policy-of the owners or lessees of wharves in demanding for thenseof their accommoda tions. charges tbat are calculated to injuriously affect the welfare of the city by deterring vessels from visiting tbe harbor, may well,be qneslteneiL An appeal should he m&de to the Legislature for the establishment of legal rates of wharfage or dockage .that wonld not .infringe npon individual rights in their proper subjection to pnb lio interests, but wonld proteot the owners of vessels from exorbitant demands, and, thus offer the same in ducements that are now held ent by other cities to tho giowth cf commerce.' - BMW DWELLINGS BUILT, Termite for the erection of 2:465 new dwelling houses were itsned by the building teepectora and for 330 other structures, including several for educational and reli gions purposes, and many, for industrial pnrsnits The increase in the number of “ONJ** over those erected ln the preceding year wee 81L with 74 in buildings of other **Tbe servlcee of the City lee Boat were seldom needed during the winter 0f1862-S. m the general temperatare of the season prevented any serious obstruction of the river by ice. The earnings of tbeboe* for towage were oonse q neatly much diminished from. Uum of tbe preoooding year, and the running cost made more ex- i P6 “ ,e- . ~ 'cmMim MjSfes".-.. : The attention of ctouneilscahkot be teo aarusUr given !to the adoption of some man hy which an ample supply ofwater shall be lneuredfor the present use oftheelty, and by which resources can be had and developed to 'meet hereafter the steadily increasing wants of Its peo ple. The four principal works at F»innaant. Spring Garden. Kensington, and Twenty-fourth ward raised 9.486 776.141 gallon, during the year, or an av*Wte# of 26 624.649 gallons each day: hat each amount proved in-, adequate to the need .of the community, especially to ‘the resident, of the district dependent upon the last -named works. The construction of a large reaorvolr. ;in connection with thorn works in the Twenty-fourth ward, is indispensable to their affording a proper anp ply. The gradual,filling up of the damafEarimoont is lessening the quantity of water that can be pumped thence from tbe Schuylkill, and unless due 'measures are taken to prevent an increase of thle evil, its consequences most soon be perceptible In the dimi nished efficiency of the important works located there. The recommendation of a former message is renewed' that Connell e should appoint a commission of scientific men to whom this snbjeot, so momentous to thetetnre of ear city, should be referred. The considerations In. yolved c emend the counsel of tkoeo who are well versed in the learning which pertains to a decision of the place from which the supply of water can best be had,the manner in wbieh it shall be raised or conveyed to the oil j. apd the means by which it may bo stored and dto-' The length of pipes connected with the several works exceed E 67 miles, ot which 1074 miles ware laid during th fhe wntererent* collected for 1863 amounted to 9500.- [40.16. which with arrearages, penalties, add etfieof old material made the receipts of the department # 559.678.60, exhibiting an increase both of rental and orthe aggre gate revenue. The disbursements were #187,486. © for enrrent expeneer, and #«,705.40 for incidental purposei nnder special appropriations. The ordinance prohibiting the washing of pavements during .the fonr summer months, which waa at length adopted for permanent ob servance, has been, daring the past season, beneficial In ita general reralta. It was. however, when first in force, mads the instrument of oppression in numerous instances by informers, who. (or the sake o.' obtaining the penalty incurred by Its violation, made a systematic business of extorting from any who had Ignorantly or andxsignedly infringed its prohibitions. The suggestion has been made, and is entitled to favor, that' the right to wash pavements should be restricted to certain days, accord ing to the side of the street in which they are located, eo that each side of every street should, dnring three days in the week, be alternately kept free from water. LIGHTING THB OITT, The city Is now provided with7,3l6pubUe lamps.light ed by gus, aid but eighteen remain that use the burning fluid: of thi se gas lamps 496 were added during the year, togetx er with seventy-five miles of street mains, and six miles of service-pipe -themainsnow extending4s2 miles, With 140 miles of smaller pipes attached thereto, The present capacity of the gas-works can yield but little additional accommodation to the community, while the number of new applicants Is still large, reaching9,6Sl *°ThVtrKrt2?of the gas-works received $259,212.99 from the city ior lighting and attending to the numerous pub lic lamps, and $1.085,£86.19 from private sonsnmers, and the sum of $138.760.fi8 was had from the sale of cuke and tar, \ • - The ordinary expenses of the Trust amounted 280,620.10, to which rhould be added $102,816 60 taxes paid to the Federal Government The quantity of gas manufactured was 736 million cubic feet, increasing the aggregate production of the works to 6 906 million ofcub:c feet since their commencement. The utility of the public lamps might be greatly in creased by requiring the Traateee of the Gae Works to have the name of the street and the number of the adja cent 1 oute plainly marked upon or within the glass cose, serving as a guide to passers, both by day and night. THE GIBABD ESTATE. Tie receipts of the Girard Estate for the Tear 1883 were $171,523 £9, and the disbursements $171,00194, of which the sum of sBy,s£6 09 was spent for the maintenance of 'the College for Orphans. ~ , , One hundred pupils have been added to the previous number of its inmate*, and the buildings of the institu tion sre filled to their reasonable capacity. The greatly enhanced prices of most articles of food and clothing will materially increase the cost of supporting each pupil, and, ss'the generous founder of the college de signed rather to promote th e liberal welfare of a limited number than to difinee more scanty benefactions among the many, a prudent and .met policy must restrain the dirt ctor* from any effort to extend its advantages beyond the present number of recipients. The rich coal lands belonging to this estate, after many Ttars 1 delay, premise an important income from their leases. The disposal of these valuable mining rights should only tafce place after fair and open competition, d to preclude all undue influence in obtaining prefer ence for their leasing, the privilege of occapinej should be sold at auction in this oity after full advertisement. The suit brought by the helm of Stephen Girard tgainst the city for the recovery of a large portion of Chess lauds, after a decision in their favor -by the Common Pleas of SdmylltM conn tv. was argued In Slay last before the Supreme Court of the Mate, and the lodgment of the in ferior tribunabwas reversed, thus securing this property from being diverted from the purpose for which it was devised to the city. TBB ALMSHOUSE, BOABD OP HEALTH, J*o. The maintenance of the BJOckley Almshouse with Us average population of 2.490 Inmates has required an in crease of expenditure equivalent to 2ll£ cents for their individual support each week, or the difference between $i 22)£ for each, inmate in. 1862 and SL44 during the pre sent year. The expenses of the institution were $211,688 75 in addition to Its revenue of $15,203 97. derived chiefly from payments of fines and emigrant tax The imposition of bead-money upon the arrival of emigrants at this port has been the subject of much com plaint by ship owners, and ii. doubtless, impolitic In Its tendency, yielding but trifling income to the city (the emigrant tax for 1863 amounted to $3,169. and was but $1,316 in the previous year), and probably preventing many from bring landed in the city who would other wise make it their destination. Should a line of steam ships ho fstabiished between this city and European ports* the propriety of abolishing this t&s would be mere apparent than from its present comparative ia fcisnifleance. The average population of the Almshouse was sixty lehß than in 1862 The children’s depaitment has one hundred inmates, and the advantages of its treatmanc have been marked. , , . The Lunatic Asylum has had 889 cases under fits care, of whom 634 remained uncuted at the cloie of ihe year. The statistics furnithed by the Board of Health, as compared with those of lie preceding annual report, show hut little change in the average rate of mortality With!* the city. The interments were 15 788, being 691 more than the returns for 1862, but. d«dncting from the regUtrtes of both years the number of still-born and also of persons who died out of the city limits, tbe diffarenee heiWeen the two periods in the ratio of deaths to the SopnJa'.ion is hardly appreciable; the mt rtality in 1863 eihgloio4Bs inhabitants, and 10 to 432 in the year pre ceding. This estimste is in the latter instance based upon tbe census of 1860. bnt tbe other computation in cludes the supposed population of Philadelphia daring the year just closed. The registered births were 16,293, showing an Increase of 552, and the marriages that were recorded numbered 5,471 or Sl2 more than the previous annual statement. There was no epidemic or other occasion requiring any quarantine regulations during the past season other than a formal inspection, although the arrival of foreign S&seengers greatly exceeded the emigration in 1862, as id ihe number of vessels that were visited. Many of the quarantine laws now upon the statute book nave become obsolete, while others of them are ill adapted to existing usages, and it is therefore recom mended that such modification of their enactment* as experience proves to be desirable should be bought during the present session of the Legislature. The subject of burials Within the densely-peopled por tions of the city has been repeated y presented by me for the consideration and action of Council*, bat X cannot refrain from again urging the prohibition of such prac tice at a measure of great sanitary value, and too .well attested by the results of scientific research to admit of any question as to its expediency. , _ . _ , The benefits of vaccination have been afforded to 4.028 persons in accordance with the ordinance making pro* vision for It by public expanse. A MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL. The commissioners charged with the erection andma nf gement of a municipal hospital have seleetel JOr its site premises on Hart lane. In the Twenty-first ward, belonging to the city, and have effected, such of property with the owners of adjacent land as will se cure io the institution an entire square or ground. A cjntract has been made for putting up the Ineeesiary ac commodations foT patients with contagions diseases, and tbe buildings will oe completed during the present year. Appropriations amounting to $50,000 have been made to the commission ol which $623 62 were expended for in cidental purposes. THB PIBH DEPAjRTMBNT* The payments from the treasury towards the expenses of the Fire Department have, amounted to $BB 089 .9, which was mostly disbursed in the maintenance of 86 steam fire engines, 88 hand engines, 117 hose car riages, and 10 hook and ladder tracks. Tbe ambu lances. S 3 In Bomber, belonging to several compa nies, have continued to - render valuable and humane in carrying sick and wounded soldiers upon their arrival In tbe city to tbelr destination. The ability and promptness of tbe derailment In extinguishing fires and preventing wide-spread conflagrations, have been mflde repeatedly apparent, and have sustained its repu tation fox efficiency The force of the department has been Increased by nine steam fire engines, adding, ac cording to the present rate of appropriation, eighteen thousand dollars to Us yearly expense. The opinion ex pressed in former messages, that the steam engines in service for exceed those required for the public security, is still entertained, and the long continnance of the pre sent system will in a great measure depend upon the ex clusion of other companies applying to be located with steam apparatus, and thus adding to the already oneroae cost of the department. tbh police and prisons. Tbe commitments to the county prison were 17,219. be ing 2,6t3 more numerous than those iu the preceding year, of which increase the proportion of female prison ers largely preponderates. The cost of the institution wss $52,048.84. showing the economy which continue* to rule its present management. The revenue amounted to $16,322.57, from the proceeds of labor, and from the keep of prisoners held under Federal authority The amount expended for the Police Department was $433,286.20, being $1,983 62. les* than its cost for the pre ceding year. Do addition hss been made to the corps, although the steady extension of population and im provement. particularly in the First. Fifteenth, Twenty firtt. Twenty second, andTwenty-flfih wards, demands a police supervision that it is wholly irnDractisable to afford, unless by withdrawing the patrol from their usual duties in tbe older portions of tbe city. Since the reduction of the force in 1856, more than 17,250 new buildings have been put up within the municipal bounds, but only twenty-one additional policemen have been authorized, and that specially for sev service in the harbor or in the parks. The drill and discipline of the force have made it competent and reliable In any emergency whereits co operative power shall be needed, but its numbers must be increased to enable its officers in their patrol capacity to offer reasonable protection to ptTeona and property in the districts lately bnllt np, and 1 lhexefore recommend that authority be given to ap fwisfc at least one hundred additional policemen, bo leving such measure to be demanded by every prudent and really economital consideration of the pnblle wel fare. The conttxuelien of a new station In the Seventh Po lice District was postponed in consequence of the insuf ficiency of the appropriation to meet (he Increased ex pense of building, bnt it is believed that more favorable arrangements will be made to accomplish that purpose. The arrests reported by the several lieutenants num bered S 4 W 0 which with 696 made by the officers charged with the repression of vagrancy, and 661 by the Detec * tives, live the aggregate of 36,197, or 7 002 more than - were made in the preceding year .... _ The classification of these arrests and their comparison with similar returns for 1862. afford the following mult * : 1862. 1863- Breach of peace and disorderly conduct-. 14.G8S 16 8-g Assault and battery-.- y 2-38 J liwo Misdemeanor* • - Pa**ln« counterfeit money —■ - 111 W. Disorderly houses.. - I®9 223 IS Kiotl'or Incftiie th.reto.... 85 93 Picking pockets.. 85 75 Burglary*".* 53 43 Murder.#***-****--"* 28 Arson Iff • 7. Other crimes, or, breaches of ordinance. 1.609 2,306 28,195 35,197 The first three items of the foregoing statistics exhibit a deplorable Increase, during the past year, tn the num ber oi person charged IhtdXUatldh, Of WUfi its three cents. conß«iiieneM, amonntinE to almost Mv-Bovantha anooVropori." 1 016 »T«rtl«Wtf tSJKESK These arrest*were distributed as follow, excln.lre of the retainsi of the detectives and of tie office™ f.tiUod to prevent begcun: ColoredmtOeej...-.- 2,078 6ißfil6 17.571 n nde' twenty years of age.. 5.345 Over twenty years of ace.* 28.70 c Matfresof “ Germany 2.287 •“* Engliud * 1,59! “ Scotland. 186 “ France* *» ♦ £ otter countries..... -•**-* 37 The temporary accommodations pi the station-houses were sought for a night's lodging by 30.668, persons, being a decrease of 3,749 from those who received their shelter in 1£62, and numbering3o,hBl less than the lodgers in 1861 within the same stations. These word reported as: White males*. .. 16,636 ** females Colored males*. .«••» 1 774 _ females 1»840 Born in the United States 9,416 m , ■* foreign countries 21,222 foe arrests by detective officers numbered one hundred mo }e than those reported for 1862, and the amount of gtojeoprcperfy recovered was $72,288.26, being a corre sponding increase. Tfeebeagar detectives arrested 274 adults and 822 chil dren, tj-oid the latter of whom sixty two boys and forty one girls were placed in the House of Kef age: There *2?°, forty seven children sent to the Northern Borne, sixty to the Union-School, seven to the Industrial Borne, twenty-three to Bt. Vincent's Home, seven to the House of the Good Shepherd, and thirty-eight to Bt. ■John s orphan Asylum, besides several to other public IDSllttitlOßfi. The report of tbeFlreMarahal shows a decrease offifty twoln the nember of fires, there having occurred but 3b2 within the city limits at all worthy of note* and of thete, many were attended with but trifling loss. The total estimated destruction of value bv fire amounts to s4oo*ooo* of which about $240,000 was covered by insu rance. . During the year 1668 it Is known that one hundred and twenty-three persons out of the population of this city were fatally or seriously burned by accidents from the careless use of burning fluid, matches* Ac. 'besides many cases that have never.been publicly reported. - THS STOBAOB Of PHTBOLBCK. y TJm 1* dill* bMomtax Bruits, to, the punca. of an act b» th. O.neral Aiaambi* of tho Btato, to pro tect property In this city from the dangers attendant up on. the storage and transportation oi petroleum. The desire of individual gain should not be suffered tile? paidlze so eminently the interests of the community, aid the restrictions which have been placed upon, the housing and sale of gunpowder might* with few altera tions, be advantageously and properly extended to this new commodity of almost equal risk In its possession. The Police, and Tire Alarm Telegraph pasted 46.302 messages over its wires, assisting* among other valua ble results, to restore 3,168 lost children to.their homes* and 1*266 missing adults; to give 453 descriptions ofcoun terfeit notes to storekeepers, and to recover I*l4l stray animals, and 428 lost vehicles. An extension of the fire alarm to the engine houses yet unprovided there with.will sub»erve the public interests, and the conve nience of members of those companies whose apparatus is kept there* and should be accomplished as soon as a Wise economy will permit. The committing magistrate authorized by the Mayor to sit at the Central Btstfon has heard 2.060 charges; and m 21 other cases the proceedings were* had before the Mayor. Jl house or OOBBBCTION. The projected establishment of a house of correction has, from various causes, been postponed from season to reason until its actual contraction appears hopeless* end yet its urgent necessity is greater to day than it ever has been. The great evil of the present time, that of in temperance only excepted* so far as relates to the police administration of a large community* is a want of pa rental restraint over the children who fill the streets and lanes, and who receive their first lessons in lawlessness and. contempt for all anthorlty from their own homes. The experience of the last three years warrants the as sertion that more than one-half of the eer «ises of the po lice force have been required toprotect the- community from the petty depredations and miaohievout propensi ties or practices or boys under fifteen year* of age. For this class of young < senders tbe discipline of a house of correction would present wholesome terrors, while for that older and larger clasr. who would eat the bread of idleness* although well able to labor for their mainte nance* such an institution would make of them pro ducers instead tf mere consumers. COMrLIWBUT TO THE FOLICK SBBVtCE. The deportment and services of the police force are constantly before their fellow-citizens, and whilst I deem it dne to its members to express my own entire confidence In their trustworthy and efficient perform ance of the duties with wbieh they are charged. I will ingly leave their reputation as a body to the apprecia te not the community whose property- they h&v* pro tected. and whose peace they have preserved uninter rupted, through scenes of imminent peril. I may not, however, refrain from stating that when in Junelatta rebel invasion threatened an advance upon the capital our State, it was with much effort th by far tbe greater number of the police were stared from hastening to join those who were in arms for the common defeico -til Who could possibly be spared with due regard to the Immediate interests of the city, were permitted to vo lunteer their services, and whilvt absent they - eflscted cj edit upon their organization* by their discipline [and conduct. WAS COMMISSIONS, BOUNTIES, AND PENSIONS. The Commission instituted in the month of April, 1861, to superintend the distribution of pecuniary aid to tho families of volunteers from this cl y, h&s, during tbe last year, disbuired $611,923.92 for such purpose, in cludii g $3,442 39 f’r the expenses incident to their trust, ai d have made 210,894 payments to families entitled to the relief provided. The total amount distributed by the&oiriniESicn from its creation la 1861 to the end of 1809 has bten $1,626,796 40, requiring on tbe part of tboee who have stared in its labors a watchfulness* patience and zeal that cannot be to highly estimated. In July last Councils appropriated hair a million of do'jars to provide for tbe Immediate defence of this city. Of that sum $80,932.25 was expended by the Mayor ru der tbe requisitions of the several generals who were eucreMiyely detailed by tbe Federal Government to euperin’end the erection of necessary fortifications and earthworks The oishurgementg were chiefly for the pa 2 of laborers, and for the materials required la the construction of the defences, a part of the appropriation bting used to deiray the cost of a careful topographical survey of tbe city and its vicinity. The expenditures for this object should be reimbursed to the citv by the General Government, and it is be lieved that when presented, with the proper vouchers, such payment will, in due time, be made* The claims of the owners of property taken possession of for the sites of defensive works have not yet been Bottled, bat have been deferred in the expectation that the Gutted States will assume tbe whole cost incurred. The prompt offer by Prof A. D Bache, superintendent of the United States Coast Survey, upon the first alarm ofdsngertoofircity. of his own services and those of the corps under hie charge and the zealous and untiring interest which he displayed at great personal Incon venience without remuneration, entitle him to the grate ful remembrance of the Councils and people ofPnlla delphia.' From the last-named appropriation tbe sum of $96,600.00 was also paid in bounties, of $B5 each, to vo lunteers from this city* for the defence of the State, who did not receive an equivalent from any other /and. Since the commencement of this year claims for $3,050 for this bounty have been proven and paid. In Decem ber an ordinance was passed, appropriating $1,260,000, lo encourage the enlistment of recruits under the then recent call of the President, by payments of $250 to eich -volunteer who should be duly credited to the quota of Philadelphia. A commission of five gentlemen was formed for the proper distribution of this fund. The payments made prior to the close of the year amounted only to $69,000, but under supplementary appropria tions. the disbursements which have been made to the present date Inciease that amount to $3,282,248 S 3. The report of the brigadier general commanding the " 1 Borne Guard. ” gives an extended statement of the in cidents connected with the rebel invasion of Pennsylva nia. and their threau&4d approach to Inis city in Jane last, and also of the numbers, equipment, and condition of the military force under his charge. With in the last three years, repeated efforts have been made to Induce the citizens of Philadelphia to organize for the protection of their city and State, against the pus -Blbie incurstins of a desperate and vindictive foe. These efforts have been attended with but parti4 and spas modic results: and. after two occasoas of alarm, within successive? ears, this whole community has relapsed Into the paralyzing apathy of fancied security, perhaps, to be again aroused by dangers ytt more startling than any which have heretofore occurred LBAGUH ISLAND, The tender to the Federal Government of Lcagae Island, sb tie site for a proposed navy yard, has not yet be<n accepted; hut the manifest superiority of this lo cality ov> r all rival places induces the belief that the Untied States will avail themselves of such offer. THB MUNICIPAL CODB* The I truer portion of the code ofmunicipal ordinances, prepared wlm gieit research and discretion' by to-e commissioners appointed in 1869 for encb duty, yet re- Emins unadopted. The importance of its enactment can best be appreciated by thoße who are daily called to en force the Jaws of the city, and are obliged to vary their decision in cases of similar Infractions, according to the particular locality in which the offences have been com mitted. lhe duty and necessity of abstaining from all new enterprises or improyements which are not Immediately essential to the ciiy cannot be too strongly impressed upon the attention of the Councils. The expenses that have already been occasioned by the existing war have added more than eight and a quarter millions of dollars to the city debt, /Which previously bad outgrown the limits of a pruddnt policy: and larger appropriations may jet be asked to meet the pro-eminent claims of other efforts io promote a vigorous prosecution of the overthrow of the rebellion* INCKBASB OP DIABUXTIBS* Besides the large pwmanent debt previously existing or thus incurred, the deficit of the past year and the now unavoidable embana»ment of the current finances will probably result In the further increase of four millions of dollars to the funded liabilities. The yearly taxation that will be required to provide for the interest on this accumulated debt, and for Us ul timate redemption, will nearly equal that which has heretofore sufficed for all the annual municipal expendi tures. ECONOMY ADVISED. The growing tendency of representative bodies to au thorize a profuse expenditure of public money, which is to be mainly attributed to their unaccustomed dealing with sums of wealth that surpass the most extravagant conceptions of former limes, but have become the fami liar contemplation of to-day, should be sternly rebuked and checked, and the utmost thrift that may comport with the welfare of the community should shape every legislative act. Thirty years hence, the generation that is to follow must be called upon for the principal of the municipal debt which It now created. The'burden that shall be thus devolwul upon them tor the sake of a just war will be their proper contribution toward the cost of national prosperity snd honor But, let not the impro vidence of those now charged with the municipal go vernment heap an indebtedness upon posterity that should be honestly defrayed by those who have had whatever benefits it has afforded FATBIOTISM AND OB DEB OF THB CITY. The record of Philadelphia, from the beginning of the war that lias for almost three years scourged the land, may justly call forth the pride of its people. From the first summons for aid to cnetatn ihe national honor, ad other community has responded with more aiacrity to every appeal for the services of its volunteers, or for the contributions of Its treasure. In no other place has the cheer of hospitality been more generously given to all wio march' under the fi&g of the onion, and nowhere ‘ has there been more kindly care for the i ick or wounded defenders of our country’s cause. _ The excitement of popular commotion hue never sub* verted the good order of the city, or aimed to despoil its wealth, and the hand of disloyalty has not been raised within its bounds for,impotent resistance to the sove reignty of Federal power. . . t , ~.. The unfaltering patriotism and zeal which hitherto have distinguished this city, give assurance that its strength and wealth will be freely contributed to our country’s need, until all resistance to constitutional au thority shall be overcome, and the honor of the nation be completely vindicated in its confessed sup-Lenucy throughout the land- AhEXAifbKB HBNRY. Office op ihe Match of the City of Philadelphia, March 34.1864. Another message was read, containing hie veto to the ordinance making an appropriation to pay bounties to volunteers. In his message was inclosed a lengthy letter to him from the Bounty Fund Com mittee, which states that the two objeoti to be ob tained by the ordinance cannot be aooompUsneu. Mr. MTLT.BB (TJ.) said It Is a crying wrong that. While the sew recruit* receive the city bounty oi $260, and the ward bounties, by some rcd*t«pe ma nagement the veterans cannot receive their boun ties. This is entirely wrong. The argument of the veto message in regard to inequality applies to au bounties. He hoped that the veterans would re- (U.) the veto orthe Mayor, snd moved that tt he referred to the Commit tee on Defence and Protection. The motion wae loet by a vote <£* “ a X*; The ordinance then passed, notwithstanding the objection, of the Mayor, by a vote of 11 yea, to 4 “Tcommunleation from the Oommluioner of Mat. het. wee read, and referred to the Committee on frl arhetfl. 1 A communication from Henry Simon., relative to laving water pipe, in certain atreeta, wa. referred. several petition! were preiented, and referred to appropriate oommitteei. The bill In reference to the removal of the State capital to thle city wa. then taken up. The flrat .estion then pasted. Mr. Miixbb (U.) moved that the bill be referred to the Committee on Law for the purpoae of ascer tain inf. whether the legislation removing the capital here will be binding. Mr Davig (U.) .aid they would be «o comfortable when they get here that they would not think of moving away .gain, The motion to refer wa. lo.t. The .eoond .cotton paned. . . A motion waa made to strike out the third Motion. which wa. not agreed to. The third and fourth sections also^fj-fd. On motion to suspend the rules for * third rMdUg the bill fell, there not being » two-thirds vote oo- and resolution. of in -SSSsss p«» r aa Tl u. mint with iron pipe, £ig lesd, tallow, oil, Btc., for th fresolution THE WAS. PBSSa. fPUHr.ISHKII WKKKT.V,) tin tiii rua wUI In HBttoßUiMiibanbr in advam,) *1... f, *• tihro»»ort**..- • QV ht»:«Bpi«*-— —*** T.n *o*to*. H turn. Olnh* th*E T*n Will b« .«h*rnd *t th* hub* nta.lLSOMr*ODr. The moneu metet aleeave aaxmpaim the order . aen <* ho instance cam thee* term* be deviated from, oeOm nford very Uttl* more that* the ooei 0/vaster. . _ Po«tmMter. *r* tnowM to Mt u AimU fot Teb W*b fuss. •W-To the roter-sp of th* Club oflu or twoatr. a* eltr. *opy of the P»p.i will b« rlroo. Jo lay w»terpip* in Eighteenth itreet and 3uyden fog? Twentieth ward, whloh puiea. Mr. GtawoDO (0), on leave, preunted an ordt. oanM appropriating $i«.94 to the Qirard college, l or tbe punwieof paying the «»]»rj of one female te meber for balance of year 1884, Agreed to. t'-he eonunlttee on atreet oleanlng, to whom wa* referred tbe bill relative to the laborer* employed by b. 1 Smith, reported tbe bill back with Instruction. that it be referred to the Committee os Finance, The kill' wit. .0 referred. The ordinance making ha appropriation to tbe Deportment of Highway*, bridge*, aewera, Ao., to poy for the grading of Broad afreet, from German lo®n ro»d to Tlaher’a lane, then paMed. „ (U. ). then Mated that he and another belonging to tin Bounty Fund Commit- Va*hfngton, a tew day*'rinee, for the- Foundnni,..".' training the quota of the olty. They thi?oi”f hnt or oonoeaiment there a* it 1* In thl. 01.5, but were received with the-greateat kind oitva* nublShed iS , ?h!? B<l ,hBt 1118 loota of the about 1,000, leaving the uu® be furni.hea 18,000, The quota under the enrolment wa* 13 080 Secretary Stanton aa.ured them that PhiiLioinM* would have her right.. They »a«r&ined U ?hSi P «fc! New England State, had agenta emoloyed in the army to aeome men who were roenli»<i o / « n d thev therefore, deem it Imperatively neaauwy tor the oitv of FhUndelphle to employ * perm who would give the matter hi* whole attention. * “ The Spbakbb then Offered a resolution inatruet-- ing the Oommittee on Detenoe and Protection to te commend to the Mayor, and that the Mayor be re queited to appoint a peraon, at a aaiary not exeeed itig twelve hundred dollaia per year, to vi»lt Waah ington and make aueb lnveatlgatfona a* may be ne oeaaary to aaoertaln the credit of tbe-elty and the' quota. The reaolution paaaed unanlmoualy. The Oommittee on League lei and, to whom wa*- referred, at the last meeting, the blit providing lor l"?. E“ reh,,e 01 Deague lilaod at tbp turn of *840,000, reported it baok with a reaolution favoring ,aiioh an action, and appropriating the above amount for the purpoae. A debate on thta eubjeot then took place, wbiob oeeupled about two houra’ time. ■ Aimotioh was made to refer the ordinance to the - . on Finance, whieb waa loat. On the SMB paatage of Hi. bill; the vot* atoo®—y«*a IS. nay*, ffiwin. Bodg'don, Miller, and Wetherill—a. Mr. ABtATßoira (O.) pretented an ordluanoe ap propriatinghround for public purpotea, whloh waa ' referred to tne Oommittee on Of ty Property. After the traneaotion of other baalneaa of minor Importance, the Chamber adjourned. romioii brahch. President Habpebln the chair. .. ™e™*e of the Uayor and sixteenth • •auntm report of'the Directors of Gifsru Golieke were re ceived A petition from the citizens of the First ward, aslrlax for &n # &daitlonal number of policemen In the western part of the eald waid, was presented and referred. An ironical petition of cUizenß to make Deaxue Island a park was presented; It sets forth that bavlcg sesu a messagei from the Mayor, recommending the purchase of League Island *t a cost of $310,000. and in the event of its not being used as a national navy yard, that it could be adapted for the purposes of a park, they petition Coun cil that the purchase may be made; that its facilities for a skatint park are unsurpassed; that It could be flooded In a few minutes, and that its distance from any rail ways* and belagfirom eight to ten niiles from tho city, the walk thereto and therefrom would be highly con ducive to tbe health of the community. Mr. Kbrb (O) moved that the petition* being evidently intended to ridicule the purchase of thapark*be returned to the source whence it ome. Agreed to. Mr. Woleert (o ) presented a petition from the Hep* tune Hose Company* asking to be located as a steam forcing hose compaxy. Mr. Marcek (U:), a petition for the relinquishment of tbe bidge-avenue toll-gate. Mr. tTOKELtv (U ), a remonstrance against the change of one of tne precinct nooses of the Twelfth ward. Ail of the above petitions were appropriately >6' lened. Mr. Gratz(TT ). chairman of the Committee on Police, presented an oidlnance to increase the salaries of police men detailed by the Mayor at tho Central Station for te legraph duty to $7OO per annum. Agreed to. Mr. Taylor (U.). chairman on the Committee on Mar* keta, presented an ordinance to increase tbe salaries of the employees of the Department or Market Houses, as follows: Commissioner $l,BOO. office clerk $BO3, market c!e>hssdCo Agreed to Mr. Briggs (U.)» chairman of Committee on High ways, presented an ordinance appropriating $2 803 for giading and curbing Brown stteet from Corinthian ara nne to Twenty-second streit; one appropriating $1,673 21 for opening gutters and cleaning inlets from January to March. 1864; one appropriating $426 \9 repair breaks is culverts, which were agreed to. Anordinance increasing the salary of tie Chief of De tec ive Police to $1,6C0 was agreed to. Adjourned. » The Girls’ High School. To the Editor of The P**ess i Sib: As one who has no partisan ends to servei but who has had some experience of human nature* and some of teaching, I desire to state the impres sion made upon my mind by the late investigation of the affairs of the High Sohool. Havlog heard many rumors of the asserted difficulties outside, I attended the quasi-judicial sitting* at the Control lers’ Chamber. It was impossible long to avoid the conviction that, on the accusing aide, there was a concentrated and overstrained effort to make a oase where no case could be legitimately made* Since tbe myth of Justice being blindfolded is now some what antiquated, it can hardly be supposed that the gentlemen who conducted the investigation will fall to perceive it in that light. A difficulty existing,.however, between the High School and the grammar schools, where is the fault, and what Is the remedy 1 The fault U not with the principal, who has proved himself to bB a faithful publio servant and a courteous gentleman. Nor is it with his faculty of teachers, who have moat ably* as well as becomingly, sustained themselves through the whole of this painful ordeal. That the most unsparing scrutiny and Industrious research) extending over several yean, by those evidently long on the watch, to find all possible fault, should have succeeded in fioding only a few trifling over sights, is* and ought to be appreolated ai ( $ triumphant establishment of the integrity and competency of those concerned. How would the ex amination questions of the ladies of the Grammar Schools bear such a sifting as this? The writer bat had the opportunity to know that some of them would bear it badly, Indeed, In comparison with those of tbe Girla* High School. It is fortunate for them that no such cross-investigation is made* And the prompt willingness always manifested by the principal and his assistants to oorrect every unto ward accident. ought to disarm alloaptiousness were that sustained by no feeling worse than solicitude for justiee. As for the charge of ignorance) no one present during the defence of the Faculty of the High School could well imagine where room was found for its presentation against aßy onebelongiog to it. That of cruelty is yet more preposterous. No thing waa more strUppn during this investigation than the earnest zeal with which those who had been pupils of the ladies end tbe principal thus attacked, thronged to their defence* It is vain to assert that those who could thus win tbe esteem and love of all who had known them best could be guilty of tyranny towards those who were just passing tbe threshold. It is not difficult to explain the jealous? of some of r the grammaMphopl pitoipMib A a the. High School la not large enough to admit nearly all who apply, many must be disappointed, and out of this disap pointment, in minds not invariably magnanimous) grows irritation. The simplest remedy would be to .Sr,large the High School to take In all who are pre pared for it upon $ reasonable etan^ard* This remarkable trial is not yet over* Having confronted at least a part of the number of those called upon to testify against them, the principal acd the ladies associated with him await now the rtport of the committee, and the judgment of the Beard of Control. After these still, if the evidence on both sides be printed, as it should be for the pe rusal of all, the deliberate opinion of the publio will seal) we may trust, the full award of justice in a controversy the origination of which, it must be ad mitted, does no great credit to our human nature, Respectfully* “A FRIEND OF EDUCATION.” Depositories for Military Relics. To the Editor of the Press: Sib : Whilst all loyal men are exerting them, reive, to respond in a proper manner to a nation 1 , sail, and whilst duty prompt, to the alleviation of suffering and want, I think we should at least emu late the examples of tho.e who, in a proper manner, give manifestations of appreciation of the aervlcei of the tens of thousand, or thoae who peril and sac rifice their live. lor their coqptry. In Europe, lor age., proper depositories have been provided for relics ana trophies of war. The pride of a people has been in gazing on the blaokened and war-worn battle flags and armor.—and what reflea, ticn. have they awakened of the history associated with them! Every State whose sons are battling for the Union should provide suitable depositories for its war-worn flags, and all other trophies or me mentoes of this rebellion possible to obtain. The flegs of all the regiments which have returned, or may return, should be collected and plaoed in ouch place as will secure them to posterity as evidences of this terrible conflict. This appears to your eorre .pondent as the proper time to move In the matter. Will not the Union League, or some other body, inaugurate the movement 1 Let Penneylvania, with its mausoleum of the Immortal dead, provide a fit* tir g depository of the trophies and relics of her Bn mortal dead. S. A. M. PBir.AHßi.vHia., March 10,1864 A Fbmalk Yampibb, —There is a young married woman in the city, a native of the Canton of Bsrne, Switzerland, who 1« afflicted with a disease which she calls “ a dancing of the heart,” and which the physicians pronounce incurable. The lady with the dancing heart” firmly believes that shs can be cured by drinking a few drops of the blood of a man who has been executed, , , Her name is Elizabeth Mund, and she is twenty three years of age, and has been the mother of three children, none of whom survive. She has made numerous applications at the jail to inquire when there would be an exeoution, and as there has been no ease of oapltal punishment at that in stitution for several months, her desire for human blood has not been gratified. She heard that John Absbire, sentenced by oourt-martlal to be huag by the neck, was to be executed in the j - t'-yard on tbe 18th (yesterday) at It was atated in tue papers. The execution of the aentenoe, however, was sus pended, and on being informed that the man wt» notto he hung, Mrs. Mund appeared to be greatly disappointed and chagrined. Captain Bishop cheer ed her drooping spirit., however, by telling her that on the fifteenth of April a man would be hung by the neok until he was *■ dead, dead, dead,” and that ihe might then appear and obtain a dose Of the blood Of Yalentine Hansen, the murderer, provided Governor Hall did not pardon or respite the criminal, and the pbysieian would allow her to extract the curative fluid. With this pleasing at surance, Mrs. Mund took her departure, greatly oonsoled. This i. a curious ease of modern super* •tltlon.—Sf. Louis Democrat , 19/ft. Thb JTbvbb.—'This terrible disease, we regret to learn, ha. commenced lte ravagee in Kingston and Wilkesbarre. We have had but few fatal cue. In Soianton, but we are ioriy to announce that an adopted child of Dr. Squire, wa. attacked by the fever on Monday evening, and died on Tuesday night. . The editor of the Binghamton Standard, who ha* just returned from a visit to Wyoming Yalley, gives tbe following particular, of the ravages of the fever in the seminary at Kingston: “ On Monday last, at about 1 P. M., Eddy Nel son, aged about fourteen, a son of Dr, Nelson, prfnoi. pal ot the Wyoming Seminary at Kingston, PA, was taken suddenly ill with chills and pains through the body. The dootoia at first thought it was pnuo* monia, but the symptoms soon showed the disease to be, without doubt, the spotted fever, which has recently made such fearful r »”* B * ,‘iLnm ana other place* in Northern Paan*ylvama* Young Nelson sank rapidly, and died o 11 o'clock, the spot, showing them-e'jes over the * & ntJif Skinneg, To. y/.th“m 7 *Ne!son <>«u«ed » feeling of deep gloom th?Mhooi"« well «s considerable cons ter. nation that the artease would spread through the and when Knapp was taken, and the nature £f h hls ’diseale known, tbe leellng reached auoh a rmintthat, bv general consent and the advioe of the nbtsiolsns, «he pupils (two hundred and forty in number) made preparations to return to their homes. Most oi them left yesterday morning, only a few being left to take charge ot Knapp, who died at about 10 o’oloek yesterday afternoon.” An offices of the Connecticut Cavalry writing from Annapolis Junction, March 13th, says; “No fighting has occurred between Oonneeticut and Mary land Cavalry. The lie was made of whole cloth; wo aie encamped here In the woods, in good health and spirit., ana expecting dally to go to the front.” Thb census report exhibits the fact thai not oae State dcoilned in population from iB6O io iB6O. Ver mont increased the least—about one third of one per cent. The slave States iooressed faster than Now England, and, making due allowance for immigra* tion. tfco South gained, as fast as the North,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers