The Late Cold "snap."

i no first day of Januury, 1864, will ; long bo romorabered hereabouta as tho j coldest day know to tbo " oldest inhabitant." Thursday afternoon aud cvening it raincd fiaely, with the uiercury about 40abpve zci-o. At 11 o'clock, P. 31., the rain had cbanged to snow, tho wind Waa oaded with "shivers," and the rncrcury commonced running down. At 7 A. M., New Year's day, our thermometer registerod 6 below zero, at 8 A. M„ 0 below, at 12 M., 12 below, at, 4 P. M., 15 below, at 6, 8, and 10 F.'1 M., 16 below, and at 8 Saturday ; ning 20 , after which it ran up to 6 i below, at about which poiut it remained during Saturday and Saturday night. - Duriug both days a tharp, biting northwest wind prcvailed, aud it was decidedly uncotnfortable out o' doors. Now Year's was a dull, tedious day, andpleasure oxcursiona aa well as all out-door business was suspended by general oonsent. Many of our citizens reported frozen ears, noses, etc, but wo hear of no aerious results iu this vicinity. Tha Btorm was widcly extended, and in the western part of this State, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, &c, was aceompanied by snow iu such quantitics as effectually to bloekade the railroads. On both the Central and Southern roada the trairss wore all snowed and frozen in between Calumet and Chicago, nnd great suffering was experienced by passengers. Thursday's train west did not get through to Chicago until Friday night, and no through traías passod over the roads either way on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, but on Monday tiey resuuied their regular trips. At Chicago tho uiercury reached 24 below zero, at Milwaukeo 35 , at St. Louis 24 , and at Louisvillo the same. TLe Mississippi froze sufficiently hard at Cairo to permit crossing on the ice. Much suffering is reported in camps and among tho poor everywhere. The week has averaged cold enough. About four inches of snow feil on Monday night, which has made good sleighing until this time. L3?" Congress convened again on Tuesday, and forlhwith commenced work on tho military billf". Tbe President nerit in a special message recoramending (Jungrese to roconsider ts action stopping larga bounties after the 5tb inst., and that they be continued at least to February lst. Á. resohition passad the House on Wednesdav continuing them to Maroh lst, and we presume it papsed tho Senate yesterday. A largo nurnber of propositians to amend tho national force law - tlie law under which the drait is now pending - have been introduced intoboth House. We can hardly prediet what the legisution will be, but appearances indícate that the causes of esemption will be eStened; tho 8300 commutation reta'.ned ; enrolled men be prohibited as eubslitutes; and drnfted men held responible for their eubstitutes - which would nuiko substitutes a " scace " articie. In thia shape the law would )ccome siruply a financial measure, and avze bounties would be relied upoa to jroduce vo!unteers. P Not believing that a newspaper diseussiou of the vexod University question, and of tbe comparntive mcrita of this or that President, Professor, "or any other man" is calculated to promote discipline at the University or subserve tho best intercsts of the UBtitution, we have abstained therefrom, and shall continue so to do. If our Detroit cotemporaries can not agrco vrith us, they should at least require their anonymousQontributors to deal in truth, and should not excludo responsible persons from their columns simply because they do not endorse the ciuso they have with ever so good faith cspoused. And, certainlv. when assuming to report the procecdings of the Regents, they ehould do it impartially and faithfully. In their reporta of the proccedings of the late meeting of the new Board, both the Free Press and Tribune give at length the memorial asking the reinstatcniont of Dr. Tappan, with the number of signatures appended, but singulaily omit to say that a memorial almost as uumerously signed, remonstrating agaiust eueh reinstatement, was also pïesentcd. Ruch omissions show a partÍ8ansl)ip not creditable to a reporter. - A report should show what is done ; commeuts of approval or disapproval have their proper place, whieh certainly is uot in the body of a report.