The New York herald., 1844-11-29

Cry RRroRM.- number of the democrats Of
the 9th Ward held meeting the other night, and
passed long resolutions about the necessity OF re-
form and Reorganization Of the city government
All this Is quite according TO the use and wont OF
the political factions. IL has always been the prac
uce tor many years past, OF the "old Hunkers,"
the trading politicians OF all parties, to make
great iuss and outcry about city reform, for some
months prior to municipal election. 1t is all
stalking to Buncombe" We do not want new
laws or new municipal regulations What we
want is an honest and upright administration of the
city government, as il is constituted The "na-
tives" had it fully in their power to have satisfied
the public, and secured to themselves the ascenden-
cy over both the old factions. Had they fulfilled
their pledges to the community, we should have
heard nothing of this renewed agitation of city
reform by the locofocos.
But il is clear that an fort must again be made
by the intelligent and independent masses Of the
community, TO obtain something like an efficient
and salutary administration OF city affairs. When
we look at the corruptions Of our police SYSTEM
the utterly defective regulations for the lighting,
watching, and cleansing ci this great metropolis
at the mlserably paved sreets-at the confusion and
disorder prevalent at the steamboat landings-at
expenditures, producing an almost intolerable bur-
den of taxation-at the utter absence of any thing
like an intelligent, active, and efficient supervision
and management of city aflairs-the melancholy
fact forces itself upon us that although the citizens
of New York are annually obliged to contribute an
immense sum for the support of municipal gov
ernment they are yet almost entirely destitute Of
the benefits and blessings which ought TO result
r. - L..L L. - L.,.s
were in proper hands.
The present time is, we must confess, favorable
for renewal of the agitation for city reform. We
have had settlement OF the Presidential question.
National and State politics. which have hitherto
been introduced with such pernicious effect into
the municipal election, cannot now exercise such
an evil influence, in dverting the attention of the
citizens from matters which really affect SO closely
their own interests We are therefore glad to per-
ceive an effort made in any quarter to turn the at
tention of the people Of this city to this aimpor-
tant subject 1t is evident that it is now too late
to expect anything from the party at present in the
ascendant in the corporation. The expulsion OF
tho apple-women from the Park-the immortal
idea Of the tin cups around the Fountain on the
Fourth of Juy-and the prosecution Of poor BARRIERS
for enabling Christian to clean his teeth on Sun
day-make up, we believe, the exploits of the pre-
sent corporation in the way of achieving city re-
FORM 1t is now time to devise ways and means
of getting something little more useful and bril-
liant than this. Is it not?
CURIOUS PHENOMENA AT SEA.-We learn from
Captain F. A. Crocker, OF the ship North Bend,
from Batavia, that he met with singular pheno-
mena while on his passage TO this port.
1t appears, that about the 10th Of October, when
in lat. IL NJ, lon. 3s w., great number of grass
hoppers aghted on the deck and sails OF the ship,
and also on the sea. They continued lowering
about the vessel for two three consecutive days,
and then disappeared. 1t was supposed, from ap-
pearances, that there must have been thousands, if
not millions, within the space Of few miles,
They were like the grasshoppers Of this section of
the world, except in color, and that differed only
in shade-those seen at sea having been ol
deeper red
Who can explain this phenomena! 1t was an
extraordinary one; for these insects seldom fly
more than two hundred yards at time. In the
above instance they were seen seven hundred
miles at sea. Il is thought that they were carried
to that distance by hurricane into the higher cur
rents Of the air, and then falling into an adverse
current or strata, they alghted board the North
Bend. II this opinion be correct they come from
South America.
TIE ANTI RENTERS. The Governor of New
York has issued hisproclamation, offering reward
Of five hundred dollars, for the apprehension of
those men, disguised as Indians who recently way
laid deputy sheriff, in the town Of Sandlake;
while on his way to summon witnesses before the
grand jury Of Rensselaer, county, took his papers
from him by violence, and threatened him with
personal injury. What good will this do?
The LONG ISLAND ACCIDENT. Miss Almeda
Smith, the young lady whose limbs were so dread
fully mangled by the Long Island Railroad cars at
East New York on Saturday last, while in the act
of getting out, died yesterday morning at about
seven o'clock She was asattended by Doctors Wade
and Edmonds, of East New York, DR.. Nissan, of
Jamaica, and Drs. Mason and Hurd, of Brooklyn;
who agree there has been no time since the acci-
dent, which would justify the operation Of ampu-
tation without causing immediate death.
SHIP BUILDINa.-There are now several vessels
of the largest class on the stocks in this city. At
Brown Bells yard the keel of packet ship to be
OF thirteen hundred tons in size is laid atWilam
Browns, steamer for the North river, to reach
from here three hundred and thirty feet up that
river, is building and Smith & Damon have just
laid the keel Of another steamer, to be three hun
dred feet long, This latter boat is to be one Of the
outside line 10 Newport and Providence
ARRlvALs-The following members of Congress
arrived at the Franklin House yesterday :-J Col
lamer. OF Vermont; o. Hungerford, of Jefferson
Co. John M Niles, Of Con. AT Howards Hotel
John Stewart, Of Con. David s. Seymour, Of
Troy; A. Dana, Of Ithaca L. D. Carpenter, Of
Waterville; John Cramer, of Waterford G. s.
Benton, of Mohawk; G. Kathuin, of Herkimer
P. Dillingham;, Jr., Of Vermont; A. Smith, OF
Batavia; s. Stetson, of KeeseviIe.
THE SKAsoN.--Winter has set insupon us at the
right day this year. In good old times it was al
ways expected that the first snow would fall on or