The New York Herald Newspaper, October 23, 1868, Page 6

6 ee _—ssseemmnma nea eee eee niall an NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1868.—TRIPLE SHEET. the proper construction of the law of Congress au- NEW YORK HERALD | %cormtst mse conor nano BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR All business or news letter and telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York Heratp. Letters and packages ehould be properly sealed. Rejected communications will not be re- turned. Volume XXXUIE.......0:.0000. seeeseeeN@s 297 AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING, WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway and 13th street. Tar HONEYMOON, BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Crimeon SHIELD; Nyarus oF THE Rartow. bids PIKE'S OPERA HOUSE, corner of Eighth avenue and 3d street.—La GRANDE DUOHESSE DR GEEOLETEIN, FRENCH THEATRE, nue.—GENEYIEVE DE Bi NEW YORK THEATRE, Broadway.—Tox Duama oF OUT OF THE STREETS. OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway.—Homrrr Dumpty, with NEW FEATURES. BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway—Tur New Drama or L’ALIMT—THRICE MARBIED. Fourteenth street and Sixth ave- RABANT. ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Irving place.—Cuaza Louise KELLOGG’s REPRESENTATIONS. GERMAN STADT THEATRE, Nos. 45 and 47 Bowery.— Dig VERSOUWOERUNG DES Fiksco ZU GENUA. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway—Epwin FouRest ‘as RICHELIEU. BRYANTS’ OPERA atreet.—Erniorian MI: 8E, Tammany Building, Mth ELSY, 40., LUCRETIA BORGIA. KELLY & LEON'S MINSTRELS, 720 Broadway.—ETm10- PIAN MINGILELSY, BURLESQUE, &0.—GEAND Duton “8.” SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS, 585 Broadway.—EtH10- PIAN ENTERTAINMENTS, SINGING, DANOING, &c. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE 201 Bowery.—Comio Vooa1isu, NEGRO MINSTRELS, &c. THEATRE COMIQUE. 514 Brosdway.—Tar Gear Oni- GiNaL LINGARD AND VAUDBVILLE COMPANY. WOOD'S MUSEUM AND THEATRE, Thirtieth street and jroadway.—Afternoon and evening Performance. PIKE'S MUSIC HALL, 284 street, corner of Eighth avenue —MOEVOY's HIBRENICON. APOLLO HALL, Twenty- ith street and Broadway.— JamES TAYLOR, THE GaEat Lonpox Coto. NEW YORK CIRCUS, Fowffteenth street.—EQuESTRIAN AND GYMNASTIO ENTERTAINMENT. GREAT EUROPEAN CIRCUS, corner Broadway and 30th #t.—EQUESTHIAN AND GYMNASTIC PERFORMANCES. CENTRAL PARK GARDEN, Seventh arenue.—Tuxo. TaoMAs' POrULAR GARDEN CoNnoERT. MRS. F. B. CONWAY'S PARK THEATRE, Brookiya.— Henny Vill. ae ees HOOLEW'S OPERA HOUSE, Brooklyn.—Hoo.er's MINSTRELS—TURN Him Out. ALLEMANIA HALL, No. 18 East Sixteenth st.—Lro- ‘TURE—EARTH AND Man. NEW YORK MUBEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.— SCIENCE AND Aut, TRIPLE w York, Friday, October 23, 1868. SHB NIWS. Europe. The news by the Atlantic cable is dated yesterday afternoon, October 22, ‘The Cen‘ral Junta of Spain dissoived, recommend- ing many reforms. The exiled royal family will re- side in England, Consols $4'%, money. Five-twenties, 7514. Cotton quiet. Breadstads and provisions duit. South America. Our Panama letter is dated October 14, The politi- cal muddic on the isthmus was becoming more complicated than ever. Correoso was unable to send a force agaist Chiriqui because the steamer Montijo required $8,000 down for the charter, and the soldiers refused to go without Correoso went with them. ‘The first di:t!culty was a'most surmounted by fore- ing a loan from the prominent merchants; but when this wus done the Montijo raised her price to $12,000, which Corfeoso could not pay. All the ports of the State were declared closed and a clearance to the Montijo for Costa Kica was refused. An armed force took possession of the American newspaper, The Chronich d were supposed to be looking for the Spanish editor. Some 200 stand of American arms, the property of a New York firm, were seized by the authorit.es on the 11th and carried off to the bar- racks, ‘ihe laws of the Colombian Congress defining the rights and obligations of foreigners had been issued in the oMciai builetin of Panama city. Japan. ‘The Yokobama, Japan papers report the appear- ance of a tidal phenomenon at that city, on the 15th of August, similar to those which have recentiy ac- companied earthquakes, Australasin. We have ictiers from Melbourne dated August 29 and from Sydney September 2, The excitement con- sequent on the attempted assassination of Prince Alfred by O'Farrell had been revived by a speech of Henry Parkes, the leader of the Colontal administra- tion in New Sonth Wales, in which he claimed that the attempt was made at the instance of a Fenian organization, one of the members of which had been murdered because he was considered untrustworthy, A tidal disturbance had occurred in the colontes, the water at some points rising two and a half feet in fifteen minutes and ebbing again with equal audden- ness, Considerable damage was done to the ship- ping, and silght shocks of earthquake were felt. The solar eclipse was visible on the 19th of August, and meteors and electrical phenomena were ob- served ali through the month. A meteor fell over the stern of @ ship at Crowdy Head on the night of the 19th aud burst, killing the steersman. Sandwich Islands. The reported subsidence of the southeastern shore of tue Island of Hawaii is confirmed, The Rev. Mr. Coan states tat the subsidence ts plainly shown by trees which were once on dry land being now in the sea, and rocky islets once five feet out of water being now submerged. Feejee Islands. In the Feejee Islands, the new Trading ana Bank- ing Company, which, in consiferation of certain rights and privileges from King Thakambou, had agreed to pay the debt df $15,000 due the United States, was finally in operation and the whole of the first installment was soon to be pail, Many Europeans were settling in Feejoe. A newspaper is soon to be established and machinery tor crushing Sugar cane is expected. Cuba, Despatches from Havana state that the insurgents in Tunas were conscripting all able bodied citizens, white or black, in the province. They were re- sorting to incendiarism and robbery, and had de- sola‘ed @ large portion of the country around La Vegita. An incendiary call on the negroes to rise and assassinate the whites had been discovered, Miscellaneous, Additional particulars of the earthquake in Caii- fornia show that it was not 80 destructive aa at frat reported. The lose is now estimated at $300,000, Governor Seymour spoke to an audience of 4,000 people at the skating rink in Bu‘faio last evening, He argued against the idea that his election and that of General Blair would resuit in revolution on the ground that a republican Congress and a republican General-in-Chicf of the army would be in power to oppose them. In regard to the national finances he contended that the republicans declared in favor of equal taxation, but had failed to put the idea in prac- tice. He denounced tie national bank system and the Congressional scheme of reconstruction. Gov- ernor Seymour and his party wili visit Cleveland, | Chicago, Volumbus, Pittsburg and Philadelphia, reaching the latter city on Friday, Attorney Geueral Evarts hae venterat an opiaton, thorjzing & contract with the New York Steamship Navigation Company for the transportation of the foreign mails, The intent of the law, according to Mr, Evarts, is that this company shall carry all the mails, As the company can run but one steamer weekly to Europe they have agreed to content them- selves with the postal earnings on such mails as may fall to their share. Mr. Randall is considering this view of the subject, but has as yet made no con- Our correspondent writing trom Helens, Ark., gives a general account of the situation throughout the South. Reconstruction in Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, ho claims, has proven en utter failure. In Mississippi the old slaveholding whites are in full power and have defeated all radical Measures with the negro vote alone. In Arkansas radicalism has gained a foothold by fraud, which it retains only by coercion. In Louisiana the demo- crats, with a little sagacity, might sweep the State, and in Texas reconstruction has resulted in nothing but expense. The West Virginia election came off yesterday. ‘The returns are meagre, but the vote is much larger than in 1866, and shows a large democratic gain. The republicans, however, claim the State and all their Congressmen by a reduced majority. The City, The Protestant Episcopal Convention had their fourteenth day’s session yesterday. Of the many things transacted the most important and of most general interest outside of the church, was the Proposed new translation of the Vicene creed and the resolutions passed in educational institutes to be founded by the Church. Upon the latter proposition Rev. Dr. Littlejohn, of Brooklyn, delivered a lengthy essay, reviewing the errors of Puritanical individu- alism and of tne spiritual despotism of Popery. The Convention will probably remain in session until Thursday next. To-day the provincial system isto be debated and the “ten points” submitted by Mr. Samuel B. Ruggles will probably form the frame- work of the discussion. The County Convention of the Tammany demo- crats was held last night at Tammany Hall. The following nominations were made by acclamation:— For Supervisor, W. M. Tweed; for Register, Michael Connolly; for Judge of Supreme Court, J. G. Bar- hard; for City Judge, Gunning 8. Bedford, Jr. Members of the East River Improvement Associa- tion and others interested in connection with im- proving the East river boundaries in the removal of the rocks obstructing Hell Gate held a meeting last evening at Cooper Institute. General Newton ex- plained the late surveys In regard to the obstructions in the East river. Important resolutions were passed, looking to the future operations of the Asso- ciation, including memorializing Congress and a thorough overhauling of the subject of our city piers, docks and sewers. A motion was made yesterday at Supreme Court, Chambers, for a writ of inquiry to assess the damages im & conceded libel upon plaintif in the case of Courtney against George A. Fitch. The defendant acknowledges that the libel. which consisted of charges against United States District Attorney Courtney in his oficial capacity and conduct of the Binckiey revenue fraud trials and which he sub- mitted to the President of the United States, was false, and gives ag his authority for the state- ments in the libel Binckley and Mra, Stephena, the authoress, both of whom desired tie removal of Commissioner Rollins, The court reduced Fitch’s bail to $4,000, Before Commissioner Osborn yesterday the case of Benjamin W. Rosenberg, charged by Marshal Murray with making fraudulent naturalization papers, came up. The court room was crowded, the case having excited considerable interest; but after argument a motion to postpone until Saturday morning was agreed to at the request of the defence. in the Court of Oyer and Terminer yesterday a special verdict, acquitting Sergeant McCready of assault and battery, was rendered, on the ground of variance between the proof and the indictment. The indictment charged the prisoner with assault and battery on one Banst, instead of Baust, and the Court held the flaw to be fatal A new indictment will be found. ‘Yhe case of Cornelius K. Garmson, against the ex- rebel General Mahone, was on trial yesterday in the Supreme Court. The action ts brought for the re- covery of $30,000 damages for the alleged unjustifla- ble detention by defendant of one of platntiirs steamers at Norfolk, Va. Cuse still on, The steamship City of Baltimore, Captain Leitch, of the Inman line, will sail from pier 45 North river at one P. M. on Saturday, 24th inst., for Queenstown aud Liverpool The European mal's will close at the Post office at twelve M. to-morrow. ‘The National line steamship Virginia, Captain ‘Thomas, will leave pier 47 North river at twelve M. to-morrow noon (Saturday) for Liverpool, calling at at Queenstown to land passengers, ‘The Anchor line steamship Columbia, Captain Carnaghan, will sail at noon on Saturday from pier No. 20 North river, for Glasgow, touching at London- derry to land passengers, &c. ‘The stcamship Merrimac, Captain Timmerman, will sal to-day (Friday), for St. Thomas, Para, Per- nambuco, Bahia and Rio Janoiro, leaving pier 43 North river about noon. ‘The stock market was irregular yesterday. Gov- ernment securities were firmer, Gold closed at 135% @ 135%, Prominent Arrivals in the City. Captain J.D. Harty, of the United States Navy, and Major A. D. Pratt, of the United States Army, are at the St. Charles Hotel. Genera W. B. Franklin, of Hartford, is at the New York Hotel. Congressinan John V.S. Prayn, of Albany, and Captain Cook, of the steamship Russia, are at the Brevoort House, Major G. C. Cram, of the United States Army, Is at the Clarendon Hotel. General George W. MeCook, of Ohio; Colonel F. F. Flint, of the United States Army, and General J. F. Giimore, of Georgia, are stopping at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Senator ©. Cole, of Oregon, and Charles J. Mc- Dougall, of the United States Navy, are at the Metropoiiian Hotel. The New York Democracy—Its Present Policy and Fatare Prospects. The recent turmoil in the democratic mena- gerie and the general stirring up of the animals with the long pole of the New York copper- head organ, although it has occasioned a hideous uproar and a frightful swearing and tearing in the cages, promises to be pro- ductive of some good results after all. It has brought the lion tamers who manage the show to a realizing sense of the importance of infusing some new life into the concern. The nominations of the democratic party in this county are well chosen and of « character to commend themselves to the support of the citizens. At the convention held last night Michael Connolly was nominated for Register, Gunning S. Bedford for City Judge, George G. Barnard for Justice of the Supreme Court, and William M. Tweed for Supervisor. Judge Connolly will receive a large outside support, independent of Tammany Hall, and his friends have been clamorous for his nomination to the office rendered vacant by the death of Miles O'Reilly, It seems appro- priate that the position held by one inde- pendent democrat, through a popular election, should be filled by another independent demo- crat who belonged to the same party with the deceased, and whose efforts did much to se- cure his election. In Gunning S. Bedford the city secures the services of a rising young lawyer and a citizen of unexceptionable charac- ter for the leading criminal court of the county. Judge Barnard has rendered himself indispen- sable in the Supreme Court by his bold and prompt action in all cases that have come be- fore him and by the efficiency with which he dis- charges the duties of his office, William M. Tweed has become a necessity in the Board of | The Earthquakes at San Francisco—The | Seymour Speaking Against His Own Election. Supervisors, and is as much a part of the fixtures of the great chamber as is the famous bust of the democratic war horse, Elijah F. Purdy. By these nominations the leaders ap- pear to have recognized the necessity of study- ing and respecting the popular sentiment, and have evidently sought to satisfy the masses of the people rather than to subserve the ends of selfish politicians or to promote personal interests, This is the more gratifying since the great strength of the democratic party in this city and county renders the success of their local ticket almost certain, and too often induces in the leaders indifference as to the character and capacity of their nominees. The present rulers of the Tammany organi- zation are shrewd and able political managers. They know that with all the moral force of the early elections against them; with cowardice or treason sapping their own position; with the record of their national candidate driving all loyal men away from their ranks, and with the blundering folly of their national conven- tion pressing like a dead weight upon their party, they need strengthening at every point in order to make any show of a fight in the coming election. Their majority of fifty thou- sand in this State last fall was made up of two elements upon which they cannot reckon with confidence in the present contest—the liquor question and the disaffection of the conserva- tive republicans. Their last hope of success lies in the selection of young, active, honest men for all positions not already unexception- ably filled ; and it is to be hoped that the good judgment evinced in their local selections will be carried into their Congressional and legis- lative nominations. But they must not stop here. There is in this State a floating vote of sixty or seventy thousand, which always goes with the party bearing the prestige of former victories and likely in the ordinary course of events to be successful in the final struggle. The certainty of Grant's election—now beyond question— will turn this important strength over to the republican side for President, Governor and local officers down to a townconstable, and will in all human probability reverse the result of last year and give the State to the republicans by twenty thousand majority. Under these circumstances it is the part of a wise and prudent statesman to lay his grasp upon what is within his reach, thus securing a foundation for future operations, and not to strain after results that are unattainable. General Bismarck Sweeny, who is the com- mander-in-chief of the democratic forces, with Brigadier Machiavelli Tweed for his lieu- tenant, should make himself master of the situation by just such an adroit movement. Seymour is overboard, and the stump cannot save him. Hoffman is altogether too unim- portant, a candidate to waste time over, and he is doomed to share the fute of Seymour and Blair. But the Congressional and Assembly districts are still disputable grounds, and in these lie the nucleus for the future resusci- tation of the democratic party, with the solid vote of the Southern States at its back, and ite old follies and blunders no longer dragging it down to destruction. Sweeny has already distinguished himself above all the politicians whose names and deeds are recorded in the history of parties, by voluntarily giving up to the taxpayers of the city the fees of an office previously in his possession, amounting to over two hundred thousand dollars a year and destined eventually to reach millions, He has now an opportunity to render himself as famous as a far-seeing states- man as he already is as a practical re- former, by boldly ignoring his Presidential and State candidates and concentrating his time, ability and means upon securing the return of conservative representatives to Con- gress and the State Legislature. He is justi- fied in such a course by the past history of the Tammany organization, which stood firmly and consistently by the war for the Union when Seymour and the copperhead organs generally were sympathizing with the re- bellion and attempting to paralyze the strong arm of the government. Let him now shake off all the old associations with copperheadism forced upon the party by evil counsellors and arm himself for the future. He will clect his local ticket by an enormous majority, and with a solid strength in Congress, the State Legislature probably in his hands, and the large patronage of the city government at his disposal, he will be in a position to build up a glorious structure of democracy upon the present ruins and to restore the party in the next Presidential election to something of its pristine glory. A Crisis in Wall Street. The situation of affairs in the money market at the close of banking hours yesterday was ofa character to excite the liveliest appre- hensions of each merchant and business man as he goes down town to his office this morn- ing. An artificial stringency bas been pro- duced in money which threatens to lead to most serious results. A prominent firm on Broad street, for the purpose of breaking the stock market, resorted last Tuesday to the expedient of locking up some eight or nine millions of greenbacks by procuring a loan at one of the banks on collaterals. The money thus obtained they deposited in other banks, and by drawing their checks against the amount and having them certified suc- ceeded in withdrawing nearly ten millions of currency from circulation. They failed of their main object, however. Stocks refused to go down as far as they wished. The screw was applied again, and yesterday three and a half millions more were put under lock and key. The effect was immediately felt in the tightness of money. The merchants and bank- ers wishing accommodation were compelled to pay interest at the rate of seven per cent in gold, with, in instances, a commission of one- eighth of one per cent, or from ten to twelve per cent in currency. The provoking feature of this state of affairs is that the stringency docs not spring from any derangement of monetary credit, but is entirely artificial and a portion of a great stock gambling scheme. The curious fact has been elicited that four of our banks have lent themselves to the ques- tionable strategy of the stock gamblers. It is, indeed, a pertinent inquiry if a crisis or panic is not impending in Wall street, Unless the other banks come to the assistance of the dis- tressed to-day there is danger of a serious financial crash, Volcanic Chain of America. The earthquakes at San Francisco on Wednes- day last, some twelve or thirteen in num- ber, extended, as it appears, pretty much along the whole coast line of California, and back to the foot hills of the Sierra Nevada, or snowy mountains, which are part of the great vol- canic chain of the American Continent. Earth- quakes come from some volcanic disturbances, and we dare say that all these volcanic per- turbations in both hemispheres since May last may be traced to the grand eruption of that month of the terrible Mauna Loa of the Sand- wich Islands, the king of all the earth’s vol- canoes. That eruption, we conjecture, caused such a commotion of ‘the fiery fluids enclosed within the thin shell of our globe that they have been, from time to time, breaking out at various chimneys and shaking the earth more or less severely at various thin places ever since. « It is a remarkable fact, while from the 13th to the 15th of August Jast those fearful earth- quakes came upon Ecuador and Peru, involv- ing in rain numerous towns and cities along the coast for hundreds of miles, that on the 15th of August the same phenomena were felt and seen at Yokohama, in Japan, and along the southern and eastern coast of Australia, and that on the 20tha pretty severe earthquake shook down a number of buildings at Peshawur, in India. These almost simultaneous disturb- ances were doubtless the result of the pressure of the internal liquid fire from one side right through the heart of the earth against the other side of the shell. These shakes which they have had in California came from the agitation imparted to the lava which underlies the comparatively thin crust of the western section of our Continent. East of the Missis- sippi river we repose upon a thick, solid and reliable crust. We have no volcanoes in this section, because we have no use for these safety valves and escape pipes. We are all right. But in 1811, it will be remembered by some, there was an earthquake at New Mad- rid, on the west side of the Mississippi, from which some forests went down and some little lakes were created. From the west side of the Mississippi, therefore, we may assume, the crust of the earth to the Pacific, especially in the valleys, is comparatively thin, and the two sections otherwise are as widely different as Europe and Asia. The Continent east from the Mississippi is like Europe, and west like Asia. But we have spoken of the great volcanic chain of America. This chain of mountains and subterranean fires extends from Cape Horn and Terra del Fuego, or the land of the fire, up to Mount St. Elias, in Alaska. Through South America it is the backbone of the Continent; through Central America and Mexico it is scattered about, but abounds in voleanoes‘and earthquakes, At the southern boundary of the United States two great chains branch off to the northward, the Rocky Moun- tains and the Sierra Nevada. The Rocky Mountain chain is the backbone proper of North America; but it is no longer volcanic. It was in ages gone by, but its craters have become extinct and are lakes. West of this backbone chain, on the way to Great Salt Lake, we have Fremont’s Great Basin, an isolated region of some five hundred miles wide and seven hundred miles long, the water courses of which are lost in the sands of the desert, or, expanding into lakes, are evaporated by the sun. This Great Basin, from the water marks on the mountains of the rim, was at one time an arm of the ocean or an inland sea like the Caspian; but was at a later period lifted up by the flory forces inside the earth and made dry land. All thia vast and inhospitable region, with the region northward to Oregon, was aptly described by Fremont as a volcanic region hardly yet corled down—‘‘a land of fracture and violence and fire.” The numerous hot springs in the mountains and valleys and thé volcanic chemicals of the ashy soil of the Plains support Fremont in this description. On the west side of this Great Basin we have the Sierra Nevada, or the continuation of the living volcanic chain from South America. It runs along parallel with the Pacific coast, a hundred miles off, more or less, all the way to Mount St. Elias, in Alaska. This chain has humerous peuks, rising from twelve to seven- teen thousand feet above the sea, and two of them, Mount Hood, in Oregon, and Mount St. Helens, further north, were reported to be smoking last autumn from volcanic combus- tion, At all events, under this mountain chain in its whole length the volcanic forces of the earth are comparatively near the surface, and so, for centuries to come, perhaps, all the countries on both sides will be liable to earth- quakes. Hereafter five and six story build- ings will be rather a risky business in San Francisco, at least fora year or two, though such a shaking as they had on Wednesday last may not occur again, perhaps, for fifty years to come. Terrorism iN Cusa.—By our despatches from Havana it will be seen that there are some disaffected elements in Cuba not dis- posed to let the opportunity of a revolution in the mother country pass away without a demonstration of their love of barbarous li- cense, We are not precisely informed whether this is the way that the love of liberty and hatred of the Bourbons manifest themselves in the ever faithful isle; but it may well be that the Bourbon rule and the peculiar civilization of a mongrel race have so brutalized parts of the Cuban population that it can find no other satisfaction in troubled times than the desola- tion of the country by incendiarism and mur- der. Since these terrorists are sufficiently strong to conscript the population of certain districts it would seem that disorder is making greater progress than was thought possible in view of Lersundi’s vigor. Fravups Nn Exeorions.—A great deal of fags is being made just now about alleged in- tended frauds in the democratic party in regard to naturalization papers for the approaching election, This is ail balderdash, There is no doubt that frauds have been committed by both political parties in every State of the Union at election time, and it is‘probably im- possible to prevent ‘bad men from attempting to cheat on both sides in an excited political campaign. But there has never been a gene- ral election in which frauds have not been charged on all partics by the opposition, and we have yet to learn of a single case in which such frauds have beon brought home to the offenders and properly punished. There was s democratic demonstration at Buffalo last night, and the democratic candidate argued the situstion much as he did the night before at Rochester, Governor Seymour in his speech st Roch- ester made the strongest argument against his own election to the Presidency. He said he would be powerless if elected, for ‘those statute laws which to-day shackle and hinder the action of Andrew Johnson would equally shackle a democratic Executive. Our repub- lican friends will control the Senate; they will control the House of Representatives ; they will control the army, for their candidate is the General who commands that army.” He argued, then, that “there can be no danger from an Executive thus shackled and power- less.” And Mr, Seymour might have added there could be no good or usefulness from President thus situated. But would there not be danger or prolonged trouble to the country in having an Executive in antagonism to the other departments of the government? It may be useful sometimes to have the power of Political parties distributed in the government so as to keep each other in check, but when the legislature is overwhelmingly powerful and can override a hostile Executive, as has been the case with Mr. Johnson, a deadlock is created, the government is paralyzed and trou- ble follows. We have only to look back at the unhappy results of the conflict between Mr. Johnson and Congress during the last three years to form an idea of what’ might occur if Mr. Seymour were to be elected. Should we not have the strife continued? Should we not be further from peace than ever? An over- whelming opposition Congress has not only made the Executive a comparative nonentity, but has invaded his constitutional prerogatives and endangered the institutions of the country. Would this all-powerful party in Congress take the back track if a democratic President were elected? No, it would shackle him still more and virtually take all power away from him. The country would be kept in a state of agi- tation and disorganization. Mr. Seymour's argument that he would be utterly powerless if elected is the strongest that could be made against his election. What the country really wants is a change in Congreas—a reduction of the radical representatives and a largely in- creased number of democratic members. This would give a healthy check to party excess and a proper balance of power. Seymour’s speech last night repeated the above argument as applied to Blair. The Governor stated the notion that he would be pushed aside if elected and Blair put in his place, and then made it clear to his audience that with all power practically in the hands of the republicans Blair must bea very great man if he could do any harm, or the republi- cans very great fools. This is the argument of a ticket that stands before the people on its defence, not that of one commending its ad- vantages to the nation. Mr. Seymour was happier in his arguments against the taxation of the republican party, and happier still in his onslaught on reconstruction. But oratorical happiness will not save the case. The demo- crats should give up the Presidential contest as hopeless and exert themselves to elect members to the next Congress. It is their only chance of acquiring any power in the government. If they do this they may lay the foundation for success and a long lease of power in the future. Tue Court oF APPEALS ON THE RicnTs oF Exzorors.—We publish in another column the salient points of an opinion delivered by Judge Miller in the Court of Appeals in the case of Green versus Shumway and Coates, appealed from the general term of the Sixth district. The question raised in the lower court was the right of the elector to sit in the convention for the re- modelling of the State Constitution because he declined to take the ‘‘test oath” as prescribed by the Legislature. The decision of the higher court was in substance that the Legislature had no constitutional right to impose any such obligation upon an elector, because if there was any guilt incurred by giving aid to the rebellion the overt acts were committed before the statute was passed, and the law of the Legislature was therefore in this case an ex post facto law, created a new crime, which is con- trary to the spirit and letter of the federal constitution, and that the statute in question violates the constitution of the State of New York. The Court of Appeals, therefore, with the exception of three dissentient voices, has confirmed the judgment of the general term defining the rights of an elector. Tak New York Streams Navieation Company.—Whatever else this company may or may not be able to do, it appears it knows pretty well how to have its laws made. At- torney General Evarts has given his opinion to the Postmaster General that under the law as it stands this company is entitled to carry all the European mails. The Postmaster, however, stands on the fact that the company cannot do what the business interests of the country require, and therefore he will not make the contract. Under Evarts’ opinion the company could, perhaps, come at Randall with a mandamus and other legal machinery; but it is not inclined to insist on all its rights, expressing, on the contrary, a readiness to take peaceably what it can get—a circum- stance that may seem to many to indicate a want of backbone. Aw Tatk anp No Civrr.—Governor Seymour has taken the stump, and will talk in his own behalf from now until the day of election. Well, Seymour was always good at pretty speeches, but lamentably defi- cient in action. The late Dean Richmond, in his plain, blunt way, once said to the Gov- ernor, “By G—d, Governor, if you would only act as well as you talk you would be fit for the kingdom of Heaven.” But Governor Seymour is now speaking before the people of the United States; and not before Dean Richmond. His remarks render one thing certain—that it would be entirely uscless to elect him President, and that if he held the reins of government in his hands to-morrow he would be powerless to control the radical legislation of Congress. Of what use, then, would it be to place him at the head of the government? Far better to elect Grant, who can exercise some control over Congress, and to trust to his conservative views to shape the | future policy of the United Statea. Spain and Napoleon. The telegraphic and mail news which we have been printing from day to day bas been full of encouragement as to the condition and prospects of Spain. Serrano as well as Prim has declared in fevor of a monarchy, and the presumption is that monarchy, for the pre- sent, at least, will carry the day. It is impos- sible to disconnect this Spanish movement from those great agencies, the railroad, the telegraph and the printing press, which, after all, are the great reformers of modern times, French influence and enterprise have long been active in Spain; but French influence and en- terprise are identical with Napoleonism. It is as certain as it will be easy for Napoleon to roll this Spanish ball to suit his own convenience. Frenchmen have been loudly complaining that the revolution in Spain has been got up by Prassian money. It will not be wonderful if, when the actual facts come to be known, French gold has been more actively em- ployed than Prussian in getting up and carrying through this revolution in the penin- sula. Spain is at the present moment vir- tually in the hands of Napoleon. However the revolution may end, it is manifest now that no other than a constitutional government can be established. Napoleon is too astute a ruler to force matters in any direction; but violence is not necessary to direct the movement in favor of the unity of the Latin races. Spanish institutions will be assimilated to those of France, and the ruler of France will be the virtual chief of the whole of the South of Europe. A con- federation or union which will include France, Italy and the Iberian peninsula is no longer the vain and empty dream which it once ap- peared to be. Before many weeks roll past it may be found that France has outwitted Prus- sia and that Napoleon is still too many for his skilled disciple Bismarck. Renewal of the Opera Bouffe War. After a suspension of hostilities for a few days, during which Field Marshal Grau has been actively preparing to execute a brilliant flank movement, the “war of the bouffers” was renewed last evening with all the pomp and cirgumstance of which so comical a con- test is capable. The contest, after all, between Grau and Bateman is but a generous rivalry as to which of their respective troupes shall minister most abundantly to the demands of the mirth and music loving population of New York. The triumphs of each troupe redound to the honor of Offenbach, with whose name, as the musical Heinrich Heine of the day, opéra bouffe is inseparably and almost exclusively identified in our minds. Mile, Tostée still reigns with undisputed sway at Pike’s magnificent Opera House, but on Saturday she will give her last matinée as Grande Duchesse de Gérolstein, and next week she will reappear in her equally attractive rile of la Belle Héléne. The opera of ‘‘Genevidve de Brabant,” which was produced yesterday evening at the elegant little French theatre in Fourteenth street with such an effective mise en scone and such splendid costumes, and with voices that interpret so finely some of the rich- est and most sparkling music ever composed by Offenbach, amply justifies all that we have already had occasion to say in its praise in both our musical and our dramatic columns. It offers, moreover, the additional charm of novelty—that indispensable requisite for suc- cess with a New York audience. Both the managers of the rival opera houses promise to favor us during the season with several of Offenbach’s operas which will be altogether new to our stage. We do not know which of them will bring out ‘‘La Pultichole,” Offen- bach’s very last opera, which created so great a sensation on its first represeniation at the Varictiés theatre in Paris on the 6th inst. The scenes of this opera are laid in Peru, and while the libretto, by Messrs. Henri Meilhac and Lu- dovic Halévy, has been most diversely judged by the Parisian critics, all unite in lauding the partition, With the exception of somewhat too many reminiscences, borrowed as usual by the composer from his own repertory, it is eulogized as being ‘‘one of the richest in me- lodious ideas and the most carefully wrought which Jacques Offenbach has ever signed with his claw of gold and diamond.” Elther one or the other of our rival managers will probably reproduce ‘I.a Pultichole” here before both finally abandon the field of opira bouffe for that of opéra comique. Grant and Mexico. The history of Mexico since the date of her independence has been one of continued revo- lution. In that republic society seems to have sunk to the depths of lawlessness and demorali- zation, The whole world has been for over a generation astounded at the endless pronunci- amientos of the greasy politicians. So long as the damage done fell only on Mexicans themselves the outside world showed no dispo- sition to meddie with them. But when the material and personal interests of foreigners fell a prey to the political bandits foreiga nations combined to put down lawlessness in Mexico and establish order there. Such was the reason of the Anglo-French and Spanish intervention which set Maximilian on the throne and sent him to an early grave. It is but right to speak thus harshly of Mexicans; for, were it not that an unusual scorn of all law and order has been for years shown by them, no intrigues or plots of foreigners could set them at each other's throats. Still, foreigners have much to answer for in the lawlessness of Mexicans. There is scarcely & leading business house in the republic that has not had a hand in some one or other of the pronunciamientoa, It has been a favorite plan for foreiga merchants to hire some petty chieftain to get up 4 rebellion against the national or a State government about the time that very valuable cargoes of goods were due at the port where said chief established his headquarters. For a com- paratively small sum advanced by the mer- chants to the rebel chief the Initer would allow the goods to be landed and sold through the republic. The money advanced to tho rebel chief would be acknowledged by certifi- cates receivable for customs. Thus tha Mexican revenue has been for years and years defrauded by foreigners. But this is not the worst feature; forthe money would be advanced to the chief in the mannor of a forced loan; and in thia, aa well as other ways known oaly to speculators, foreign govern- ments have been able to trumn an claima