The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-03-10

The News.


The ship DE Witt Clinton, Captain Funk, which
left Liverpool on the Goth of January with merchan-
disc and passengers for New York, was discovered
ashore eight miles south of Sqnan Inlet, New Jer-
sey, yesterday. She lay broadside on the bar. The
Quaker City, from Havana, while ON her way to
New York, saw a number Of persons on deck.
Boats were being manned from shore to take them
on, which it thought could be easily effected.
Captain Shufeldt, Of the Quaker City, sent the
steam-tug Jacob Bell to the aid of the ship, when
OIL the Highlands. very heavy snow-storm sud
denly set in about the time Of the occurrence of the
disaster. The passengers Of the De Witt Clinton
were all taken on board the pilot boat Christian
Bergh, and we're probably landed at Quarantine
last night.
In Congress yesterday the Senate passed bill
granting pensions to the widows of Generals P. F.
Smith, Macomb and Riley. bill was introduced
providing for the enlargement of the Capitol
grounds. II stated that the committees Of
both houses Rave agreed upon q plan Of enIarg.
ing and ornamenting the public grounds. The
case of Hyatt, the contumacious witness in
the Ea.pers Ferry affair, was taken up
Mr.. Hyatt appeared before the Senate, and
replied in writing to the questions propounded,
denying the authority of the committee
and its Jurisdiction. Considerable discussion ensued
as to whether Hyatt's volumiuous reply should be
read, hut the reading of 1t was ordered by vote
of forty to twelve and the Secretary completed his
task to empty benches. We give the substance of
Mr.. Hyatt's paper, together with the remarks Of
bis counsel, in our report of the proceedings.
Finally Mr.. Hyatt was rcmanded to the custody of
the sergeantat Arms to await the further order of
r. a Al ~
the Pacific Railroad and on the charges against
the administration were announced. With one ex.
ception they are the same as given in our special
despatch yesterday. Mr.. Carter endeavored to
make some explanation respecting the reception
Of the Seventh regiment on the occasion of the late
Inauguration of the Washington statue, but he was
decided out Of order. The Committee on Printing
reported joint resolution dividing the printing of
the Executive Department between the Senate and
House printers; but after long wrangle the sub
ject was laid on the table by vote of % to G5
Both houses adjourned till Monday.
But little Of importance transpircdin the State
Senate yesterday. great portion of the session
was taken up in explanations of Sen relative to
the caucus upon the Seventh Avenue Railroad bill.
Senators Bell and ?. P. Murphy presented protest
against hat they regarded as an undign6ed course
on the part Of the majority with reference to
the BILL Little notice, however, was taken of
the protest, the Senate refusing either to place it
upon record or have it read The bin for assessing
the damages at the Quarantine fire was pa ssed to
third reading. In the Assembly the New York
tax levy was presented. The whole amount Is
A,3I5,2ia. This, however, is but one of the tax
bills. The bill telling railroads was passed, and
several other bills were acted on.
We have some additional news from Europe. re-
ceived by the Nova Scotian, which arrived at st.
Johns on Thursday. A convention at the Vatican
had decided that the King Of Sardinia should not
be accommodated from the church, whatever
political events nigh. transpire. II was rumorei
that the King Of Sardinia was fomenting insurrec
ton in Naples and Sicily. Severe gales had pre.
vailed along the English coast, but we do not
learn Of any disasters to American shipping.
The Excise Commissioners have commenced the
issuing Of forms for licenses TO be taken ont dnrno
the present year. They intend to prosecute the
business of their commission vigorously and an,ici
pate large amount of work. They feel positive
that the late investigation dodge Mt Albany was
neither more nor less than a move on the part Of
the black republicans to place the New York liopo-
dealers completely at the tender mercy Of the po
lice Board.
In the Court of General Sessions yesterday
Judge Russell sentenced Alexander n. Elliotta
convicted Of rape on Kate DndenhofFer, child Of
seven years Of age, to imprisonment in the State
prison for fifteen years and seven months.
The Impressions and experience Of an independ
emf traveller In the principal Southern States da.
guerreotyping, as 1t were the state OF public OPT
mon in reference to the slavery agitation at the
North, as published in another column, cannot fail
to prove interesting to the mass Of our readers.
Some valuable hints about hotels and railroads,
and the condition Of the slaves, are also given as
also description Of some Of the principal South.
ern cities.
The Post Office Department gives notice that the
single rate Of letter postage between the United
States and Switzerland, by the Bremen mall has
been reduced from twenty seven to nineteen cents,
prepayment being optional, as heretofore This
reduction goes into effect Immediately, and is the
result Of recent reduced rate Of German and Swiss