The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-29

| fairs of Kansas this arrest of General Walker
| and his Southern flibosters must inevitably
complicate the sectional difficulties in which che
administration iyentanglei. But compromise,
in the shape of a'foreign policy which shall en-
Ecoursge this SoSthern idea Of manifest des-
tiny" will appeae the Scrth, without giving
any cause of offerre to the commercial North.
| We anticipate an exciting Cputhern ven ilatior
| of this Ncaragual5 Walker Business with the re-
assembling of Congress after the New Year
holidays and great events may be close at
bnnd.
Orr IMrRovEM srs-A Ors-oM House AT
| TEE BArHERY.-Wl lst the controversy il re-
gard TO the site of the new Post Office E at
tracing attention 10 the suhjsct Of city i'm
prJvements generally, there is one suggestion
thai occurs to U.s. which, if carried out VIC Md
| add greatly to the convenience and beauty of
| the lower part Of Broadway. The narrown,ss
of me approach to the South ferry, throu yh
Whitehall street, is productive of good deal
of officially during tae earlier portion of the
| day, the secumulationof omnihbses and other
vehicles frequently causing q stoppsge and d..
lay which are exceedingly annoying to business
people. Considering" the rapidly declining,
value of the house pr operty on the east side CT
Whitehall street, should say that that street.
might be widened at very small expense, and
thuoene of the chief avenues Of communication
with~Brooklyn be rendered mcre easy of pas
sage.
But there is another and more comprehensive
Improvement in this quarter wtioh would have
the effect of altering the entire character of the
neighberhood, and of redeeming large
amount Of properly which is now falling
to ruin. The inconvenience Of the stu
atioa Of the present Custom House
has long been sui. act of complaint, and the
confined space within which the extensive opc-
ratiens of that establishment gre carried on lie
equally a subject Of grievance. 1t is certain
that with the rapidly growing wants of our
commerce, the present building will soon b
found insufficient 70 accommodate them. We
shall, therefore, be called ursa before long to
provide q site fen new Custom House; ard
| whilst there is an opportunity Of securing tie
location best fitted for it, we should not Yet trc
chsnce escape US
The blocks Of houses situated to the south Of
the Bowling Green, and standing between
| Whitehall street and the Battery, are, as we
have already observed, rapidly deteriorating in
character, and there is no present appearance
| Of their ever regaining anything like their
former value. The splendid old mansions which
we're once the pride Of this part Of the city, are
now either temporarily occupied as Offices or as
boarding houses. These latter are gradually
II In.- a-<l La,,r II
into tenement dwellings. The consequence Is a
| general decline in the vsiue of properly in the
neighbour ood. In another year or two the
whole OF .hc buildings on this side of the Bat
terry vii, Nc rs ruineas and worthless as those
On the Whitehall street aide. Even rs IL Is, the
| proprietor would &c are convinced, gladly
dispose Of them TO- third of thcr original
| value.
II tne ground covered by thosc buildings
were cleared and added to the Battery Park il
would open sploadid approach to the city
from the bay, and impart additional features Of
attraction to Broadway. Besides this, il would
facilitate greatly the communication with
BROOKLYN. which. az we havo shown, is daily
becoming more dfRcult Bat in order that the
4
Improbable acquisition in pecuniary sense, a
new Custom House might be built in the centre
OF II, with a side irons facing the Bowling
Green and lie centre facing the water. There
II no situation that we know of which offers SO
many natural advantages for Custom House
a. this, whilst the building itself, forming the
boundary 81 fine park and Of q spacious new
street. would become one Of the most prominen,
architectural ornaments ofour city. When we add
TO these recommendations that II will do away
with another growing centre Of infection, and
contribute largely to the publication and ven
tilation Of one of our leading thoroughfarcs
we think that the subject is entitled to the
promp, consideration of our city authorities
Il
WEEKLY JouRsAIs.-There are two classes O
weekly journals published in this city; the on,
immoral, deceptive, degraded and dcmoralzet
to the last degree; the other independent high
toned and worthy ne support Of tn,
community. The Sunday papers, with very Few
exceptions, are the most miserable, trashy ant
vulgar specimens Of journalism that were eve
allowed to curse any community. But ther,
are weekly journals, such a. Frank Leslie's n
Illustrated Nnrspuper, Harpers' WceiSs, and Bon
ners Leiger, which appear to be conducted will
: industry propriety and good taste. They trul
: represent the progress Of journalism here, Bu