The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-02

important move was made in the House by Mr..
Boyce for committee to take into consideration the
reduction of expenditures, the navigation sws and
the abolition of duties on imports The committee
was appointed.
The full advices from Mexico, which we publish
elsewhere give truthful picture Of the state of
affairs in that republic. This may be summed up in
few words Gen. Comonfort has receded from the
plan of Tacubaya and, uniting with the liberals. has
placed himself at the head of the army to operate
against the reactionsts, who have proclaimed Santa
Anna by this move Chief Justice Juarez becomes
President of the country, and as the enemy are in
partial possession of the city of Mexico the govern
ment IL to be transferred to Ceago, city between
Queretaro and Guanajuato. famous for being the
place where Iturbde raised the cry of independence
which drove out the Spaniards AS the clergy are
at the bottom of the reaction, the liberal party is
prepared to issue general decree of confscation
against the church property as soon as it shall
have put down the Santanistas In the meantime the
parties are gongto fight it out in the City of Mexico,
having made comfortable arrangement to have q
three hours truce every morning, to enable every
body to go to market Some of the brigand leaders
had already into the capital to take part in the
game and had joined the Santa Anna party; while
forces from the north and from Pueba are said to be
on their way to assist the liberals. Vera Cruz in the
meantime is determined not to let Santa Anna in;
and so his friends have issued plan of salvation"
from Havana the amount of which is that the nation
calls him back to reorganize the country just as he
pleases. All this is very pretty kettle of fish.
Our Havana correspondent writes us, under date
of the 27th ultimo, that the slave schooner which
drove of the boats of Spanish man-of-war, when
nndaa to hos
boats sent to board her. landed her cargo to the west
ward of Hayana-oficers and crew safely housed in
that city, ready again for action. The squadrons which
left f short cruise have not returned The health
of the city was pretty good. Business met dam
per by last northern advices No purchasers for
sugars. Exchange as last advised; not much done.
Freights-No anxiety to get vessels for this week.
We give elsewhere full report of the speech of
General Walker at Mobile on the 25th ut., on the
whchled to the failure of the Nicaragsan ex.
petition.
In the Board of Aldermen last evening commu-
nicaton was received from the Counsel of the Cor
poration setting forth further abuses against the
city. The Committee on Frauds augmented by
two additional members. Three messages were re.
ceived from the Mayor, from the Street Depart
ment, and one from the Chief Engineer of the Fire
department. A proposition to pay the members of
the Board 81 900 year each was adopted. The an
nual report of the Central Park Commissioners,
showing balance of 1926, l6s 9s was received and
ordered to be printed.
The Committee on Frauds had another meeting
yesterday on the alleged frauds in the contract for
tagging Fftyfourth street. Ex-Alderman Mona.
CHAN was examined by the committee, and made
some serious charges against the City Surveyors.
The Alderman did not appear TO entertain very
high opinion of these gentlemen, and said that so
far as salary was concerned, he would rather be
city surveyor than President of the United States
The report is interesting to taxpayers. and will be
found elsewhere.
The Special Committee Of the Board of Council
men, appointed to consider the estimates for the
construction of the reservoir, met Yesterday
AL the parties whose estimates are under conshlera
tion were either present represented by counsel,
who advocated the claim of each proposal, and af
ter the committee had heard what was to be ad-
vanoed in favor of each, it adjourned
The Finance Committee of the Board of Alder
men agreed yesterday to appropriate one hundred
thousand dollars in addition to the eleven hundred
thousand dollars previously appropriated this year
TO the Board of Education. Comptroller Flagg came
before the committee, after being sent for by the
chairman, and said good deal, but little to show
whether the Board of Education had any right to
the sum that the committee decided to appropriate
The trial Of Maurice O'Connell in the Court of
Oyer and Terminer for the murder of Teresa Spitz.
len, in Greenwich street, proceeded Yesterday
Counsel for the prisoner and the people summed up.
occupying six hours, when Judge Ingraham de-
vered his charge, occupying but thty-fve minutes,
and presenting clearly the facts and the law rather
leaning in favor Of the accused At nine O'Clock the
jury returned, and asked the effect of a recommended
tion to mercy attached to a verdict of guilty The
Court informed them that it could only operate upon
the Executive of the State, and could not affect the
sentence. They also asked information a. TO whe
Their they could render verdict of granddaughter in
the flint degree, TO which the Judge replied that
they could convict for either murder or granddaughter
in the first or fourth degree. He however called
them back at halfpa nine, and informed them
that they could not convict for manslaughter in the
first degree, but only for mansaughter in the fourth
degree murder. No agreement being effected at
ten o'clock, the Court took recess until halfpast
nine this morning.
The February term of the Court of General Sos.
sons commenced yesterday. After the Grand Jury
had Teen empsDneled, Recorder Barnard called
their attention TO those particular subjects required
by law. He was very pointed in his remarks on the
law relating to usury and said that the cases in
which defendants pleading usury had verdcts
were exceedingly rare-that the law, in fact. was
almost dead letter. The Recorder went into quite
a financial argument, and gave as his opinion that
the law offered strong inducements 10 commit per.
jury, and that money should be free and unshacked
In abiding TO crime. the Recorder remarked that il
steadily on the increase-in fact, greater than
might be expected from the increase Of population;
and that the only way TO check was by the united
action of the press and those entrusted with the
administration Of the laws
Complaint was made yesterday to the Recorder
by the friends of Mrs. Frances A. d. Marie that she
had not been seen at her residence, les Greene
earf1t sinre carly and that f,,,I