The New York Herald Newspaper, January 3, 1869, Page 6

6 NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPR IETOR, All business | or news letter ae telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York Heratp. Letters and packages should be properly sealed, patel do THE DAILY HERALD, published every day tn the year. Four cents per copy. Annual subscription price $12. THE WEEKLY HERALD, every Saturday, at Five Cents per copy. Annual subscription price: OO GO a wnghcdetn nm acden cnsciccs anew ncnncoances, ‘Three Copies. .. Five Copies. Ten Copies.. Any ty number addressed to names ra sub- scribers $1 50 each. An extra copy will be sent to every club of ten, Twenty copies to one addresss one year, $25, and any larger number at same price. An extra copy will be sent to clubs of twenty. These rates make the WEEKLY HERALD the cheapest pub- lication in the country. Postage five cents per copy for three months, ‘The EUROPEAN EprTion, every Wednesday, at SIX CENTs per copy, $4 per annum to any part of Great Britain, or $6 to any part of the Continent, both to include postage. The CALIFORNIA EDITios, on the Ist, 9th, 16th and 24th of each month, at SIx CENTS per copy, or 83 per annum. ADVERTISEMENTS, to a limited number, will be in- Serted in the WEEKLY HERALD, European and Cali- fornia Editions. RELIGIOUS SERVICES TO-DAY. BETHSEDA CHAPEL, Third avenue and Thirty-fifth street.—Puor. NatHax Buxrraxv. Evening. CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.—REv. JAMES D. WiLg0N. Morning and evening. CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION.—Rev. Dz. Fiaca. ‘Morning and afternoon. | COOPER INSTITUTE.—LecTone ny THE REY. FATHER ‘Perston. Evening. \ EVERETT ROOMS.—SrreiTvaLists. Mns. BYRNes ‘Morning and evening. | FORTY-SECOND STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.— Rev. W. A. Scorr, D.D. Morning and evening. \ ' FREE CHURCH OF THE HOLY LIGHT.—Rev. East- ‘BURN BENJAMIX. Morning and evening. \_ FIFTH AVENUE REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH.— ‘Rrv. De. Hopkins. Evening. } PRESBYTERIAN CHURCR, Twenty-second street.—Rev. Groner M. MCEcKRoN. Morning and evening. } gr. PETER'S CHURCH, West Twentieth street.—REV. Gzo. F. Szxmovn. Evening. UNIVERSITY, square.—BisHor SNOW. ‘afternoon. TRIPLE SHEET. New York, Sunday, January 3, 1869. ‘Washington Europe. ‘The cable telegrams are dated January 2. The news irom Spain confirms the defeat of the insurgents in Malaga. Four hundred of the rebels jwere killed and 600 taken prisoners by General De ‘Roda. » The insurgents fired on one of the boats belonging ‘to the United States gunboat Swatara that was en- gaged in conveying a party of Americans on board. It is believed when the citizens in the provinces are disarmed a movement, which Serrano, De Koda ‘and Topete favor, will be made in favor of placing \Montpensier on the Spanish throne. ‘ at the proposed conference on the Eastern ques- jtion all the European Powers represented at the Court of France, including Turkey and Greece, will ‘be present. M. Lavallette, the new French Foreign ‘Secretary, will preside over the conference. * A despatch from Athens, received yesterday, an- mounces that Hobart Pacha has demanded the sur- render of the Greek steamer Erosis. \ War between the two Powers is considered inevit- ‘able in Athens. The Patrie newspaper of Paris yesterday has an article on the Chinese Embassy, stating its objects, pointing ont the advantages to arise froma wise treaty and wishes success to the mission. The London Express proposes that owners of English yachts of equal tonnage with the Dauntless accept the challenge to race across the Atlantic. Japan. Despatches from Hong Kong received in London yesterday confirm the re-establishment of the Mikado’s government at Jeddo. Miscellaneous. General Sheridan has arrived at Fort Cob with Custer’s command, and in a letter to General Sher- man says (hat he came upon a camp of Kiowas who had a letter from General Hazen stating that they were friendly; but, discovering evidences of treache- ry among them, he seized Santanta and Lone Wolf and threatened to hang them if all the Kio- ‘was did not repair to Fort Cobb. The Kiowas were already coming into Fort Cobb, and he proposed to to punish all of them who have been concerned in maurders. The Cheyennes are very humble and Gen- eral Sheridan thinks that the novel idea of carrying on the war in winter time, will bring ali the hostile tribes to terms. A conference of distinguished Virginians has been 4n session for two days in Richmond and yesterday they decided upon a preamble and resolutions, set- ting forth that to secure harmony they are willing to accept negro suffrage, provided it is coupled with universal amnesty. A committee of nine, with A. Hi. H. Stuart at the head, was appointed to lay their views before Congress. Alabama is desirous of annexing West Florida to mer territory, and commissiovera have been ap- pointed by Governor Smith to negotiate for the pur- ‘The new suspension bridge over Niagara river, a short distance below Niagara Falls, was opened to ‘the public yesterday. Its span is 1,268 feet, the long- est in the world. James Tillinghast, Superintendent of the Buffalo division of the New York Central Raflroad, has been appointed General Superintendent of the Central road, and has eutered upon his duty. General Gillem, late Commander of the Fourth Military District, and General Reynolds, late Com- mander of the Fifth, uave beea ordered to Washing- ton. A \arge fire occurred in Bangor, Me., on Friday, by Which several buildings, with their contents, were Gestroye!. The loss is estimated at $250,000. ‘The repair shops of the New York and New Haven Railroad in New Haven took fire on Friday and ‘were destroyed, with two locomotives. The loss is estimated at $100,000, Dr. Newman, an eminent New Orleans divine of Northern proclivities, 1s reported to have challenged D. Dennett, tie editor of the St. Mary’s (La) Planters’ Banner, to peronai combat. He defends his belligeréncy by saying that* Moses, Joshua and Devid fought, and none of ‘hem had to contend ‘with such children of the dev!\ as the rebels of that country. At a prize fight between Pat Ov(eatey and Dan “Carr at New Orleans on Tuesday, ©’ Meaiey was terri- Diy used up and lost the fight, and bis adversary, who hardly received a scratch, was given a subserip- tion purse by the crowd, Carr is but litte known in New Orleans, and since this fight the “fancy” be Heve that he is a champton of English light weignts tncoa. Governor Brownlow, of Tennessee, informs all NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 1869. —TRIPLE SHEET. whom it may concern that he will not take any part in the scramble for office under the present adminis- tration, but when Genera! Grant is inaugurated he Proposes to take a hand, A romantic young lover near Ashland, Tenn., Stole the dead body of his sweetieart while it was lying in its comin at her father’s house on Christmas Eve and hid it in a cave. He was not detected unul they went to bury the coffin, when he confessed and was forgiven. A clothing firm at Omaha has failed with liabilities ranging from $50,000 to $60,000, Joseph M. Davis, a Boston broker, has disappeared, and his accounts at the bank are reported to lave been overdrawn by $10,090, ‘The Soldiers’ Home at Chicago ts to be kept open until spring by the local board of managers, who in- dignantly protest against General Butler’s action closing the institution. ‘The troubles between the whites and blacks on the Ogeechee river in Georgia still continues, and the citizens of Savannah are organizing. A force of United States troops, under General Sibley, are on their way to put down the disturbances, Caleb Giles, @ famous rifle shot in Toronto, Canada, was accidentally shot and killed at a shoot- ing match near that city on New Year’s Day. Henry Emerson, an orthodox deacon, of Reading, Mass., committed suicide on New Year’s Day. One Adam Titus, of Shippensburg, Pa., has been arrested for the alleged murder of a stranger named Henry Steel, who was found buried, with his throat cut, near Titus’ residence, On our triple sheet this morning will be found our Sandwich Islands letter, with details of the news up | to December 5; our letter from the Dry Tortugas, an exiract from a Japan paper, giving a glance at the political aspect of that empire, and a lot of other interesting reading matter. The steamboat A. G. Brown collided with the steamship Teutonia, below New Orleans, on Wednes- day, and was immediately turned bottom up. Everybody and all the valuables were saved and the Teutonia was uninjured, The City. At the final meeting of the Board of Councilmen yesterday donations were made to fourteen churches: and schools amounting in the aggregate to over $20,000, and several up town and one or two down town streets were ordered to be paved with Beigian pavement. The compensation of the clerks of both boards was increased. The usual complimentary resolutions were passed and the Board adjourned sine die, The Cavalry Brigade of the Firft Division, National Guard, of this city, has been ordered to do duty here- after as infantry. Mr. Rogers, who was stabbed in front of his own residence on Twelfth street, a day or two ago, died yesterday. A reward of $500 is offered for the arrest of the murderer by the police authorities, who pro- fess to know who he is. Elsewhere in our columns this morning we give an interesting description of the dwellings of our lead- ing citizens on Fifth avenue. We also publish an instrnctive account of the pub- lie libraries of the city this morning. The stock market yesterday was steady and firm. Gold advanced to 185%, but receded. to 190%. The weekly bank statement Is regarded as favorable. Almost all of the markets were extremely quiet yesterday. Coffee was in moderate demand and prices were steady. Cotton was in active request from all classes of buyers and prices were 3c. ; higher, closing at 263;c. for middling uplands. On ‘Change flour was only moderately active but un- changed in value. Wheat remained dull but steady. Corn was in fair request and a shade firmer, while oats were quiet but held a sbade higher. Pork, though quiet, was firmly held, while beef and lard were quiet but steady. Naval stores were more sought after and @ snade firmer, Petroleum was quiet but firm at 313¢c. for standard white and 18}¢c. for crude, in bulk. Freights were firm, The Chinese Embassy in in -London—Another Treaty, 2 As an early result of the offices of the Chinese Ambassador in London we have the broad admission and promise that England does not ‘‘desire or intend to apply any un- friendly pressure in order to induce China to advance more rapidly in her intercourse with foreign nations than is consistent with the safety and feelings of the Chinese people.” In other words, England abandons entirely the position she formerly held with regard to China, and takes her place side by side with the United States in the resolution to treat the ancient empire in all respects as a responsible nation- ality. In order to see her own progress Eng- land has only to compare her present attitude toward the Eastern Power with the attitude she assumed in the opium war. That was in essence a war made to force on China a trade not “consistent with the safety and feelings of the Chinese people,” and the most glaring example of “unfriendly pressure” known to the history of civilized governments. British: traders could make money by the cultivation and transportation of the seductive poison. True, its use implied more degradation and misery than millions of British missionaries could sufficiently denounce ; but the men to be made miserable were only Chinese, and the government that made laws against the trade was only the government of China; so that honest and moral Power, Great Britain, fostered smuggling on the Chinese coast, supplied the smugglers with armed boats to fight their way in, and finally covered with its flag a war intended to substitute the will and wishes of Great Britain for the will and wishes of China in the government of the Chinese people. That was the most striking example of the British policy. British policy has been the same ever since, although somewhat less glaring in its assumptions of superiority to all law and morality. It was left for Americans to set the first example of justice, humanity, toleration and even international decency toward the gov- ernment and people of China, We were the first of the civilized Powers to treat that nation as we would require that other nations should ‘treat us—the first nation that did not make a cant of honesty and consider that the rules of right that governed our conduct in Europe or America were of no account in Asia. Our own laws had taughtus tolerance toward every man’s peculiar views, and not the narrow les- son of endeavoring to change the world be- cause it was nét measured out and framed in accordance with our notions. In short, our diplomacy, being the newest and latest diplo- macy of the world, had in it more of the enlightenment, humanity and comprehensive statesmanship of this age than of the selfish traditions of the time that has passed away. Approaching the Chinese government in this spirit we naturally had at once great advan- tages over other Powers. It was perceived that our motives and morals were different from those of the European Powers. The Chinese saw that we did not want to colonize, did not want to force trade, but only encourage its growth, and-that we were willing to accord anadvantage for every one extended. From the friendly relations thus established grew the treaty recently made between the Chinese government and our own. One of the more remarkable results of that treaty was that it practically introduced a new member to the family of nations—brougit China into the in- ternational circle, supported and guaranteed e the en and friendship of the United States. i + This is the result that England more par- ticularly recognizes in her present action. China is guaranteed by us against unreason- able wars, and England, accepting the necessi- ties of her position, relinquishes gracefully all intention and desire to use against the Chinese in the future such “‘unfriendly pressure” as she has never ceased to use since she gained her first foothold on the Chinese coast. She assents to the necessity of observing existing treaty stipulations; promises in any case of alleged grievance to lay these grievances honestly and fairly before the Chinese govern- ment proper, and not build up quasi potentates as her fancy may distate and hold China to their bogus treaties; and finally agrees that the British flag shall not be used as a cover for warlike operations in China without direct authority from London. These provisions will prevent the troubles that have always been between China and the Powers that sought her shores for commerce, if straightforwardly acted upon, and it is satisfactory to see that there is some Power in the earth to force. a recognition of the right kind of progress upon such anold and case-hardened sinner against all international rights as England has ever been, It will be seen from a cable despateh which we publish this morning, that the success of the Chinese mission in London is but an earnest of the success which will attend it in every capital of Europe. The Paris Patrie, in an editorial yesterday, regards the mission with favor and speaks hopefully of its success. Spain—The Insurrection in Malaga. In this morning’s Herap we publish special cable despatches giving fuller details of the late rising in Malaga. The insurrection seems to have been more serious than we had been led to imagine. Happily the rising has been put down, but not until on the part of the insurgents four hundred were killed and six hundred made prisoners. The joint strength of certain war vessels lying in the harbor and the forces at the command of General De Roda proved too much for the undisciplined masses, and after a brief and, as far as appears, unequal struggle tranquillity was restored. One unfortunate circumstance seems to have taken place while the tumult lasted and, as appears, immediately before fire was opened..onm,tbe insurgents. One of we boats of the American gunboat Swatara, having on board an American family, and while proceeding from the shore to the ship, was fired into. We call this unfortunate ; for an insult thus offered to our flag is very liable to produce in this country a feeling hos- tile to the popular cause in Spain. It is grati- fying to know that General Serrano, without delay, expressed his regret to our Minister that such vandalism should have been com- mitted, assuring him at the same time that the offenders would be brought to justice. We shall be glad to learn that there has been some mistake in the matter, and that the insult was not intentional. In stich a case it will be oe Minister’ duty ¢ to plead for mercy. We have nothing to gain bya blind and unreason- ing vengeance. For the present it is needful that we suspend jue igihent. We have at the same time a curious announcement to the effect that it is the inten- tion of the provisional government to disarm the citizens throughout the pro- vinces before the assembling of the Cortes, and, 80 soon as the disarming is completed\and before the Cortes have had time to act, to place Montpensier on the throne. Serrano, De Roda and Topete are said to be in favor of this step. Prim opposes it. If this rumor has any foundation in fact it shows that the gov- ernment dread the result of the elections. The people generally are supposed to be in favor ofa republic; but they are completely under the heel of the military power which governs Spain now with an authority quite as high- handed as inthe worst days of the past. Ifa coup @état be attempted in favor of Montpen- sier, Prim not joining it, or rather opposing it, the army is almost certain to be divided, and, as was'the case in ancient Rome and in mod- ern France, the successful general will be left master of the situation. It will not be won- derful if the dictatorship of Prim be yet ad- mitted to be a necessity. Spain has not yet reached the goal; it is doubtful whether she is near it. Tue New Year Srorm.—By the oldest in- habitant, white, black or copper-colored, we doubt whether there can be mentioned a more inclement and inhospitable Alaskan New Year wintry storm than that of the opening of 1869 in this metropolis. ‘‘All hail,” it was from Morn to noon, from noon to dewy eve, under a fierce nor’easter. At Washington it was ‘“‘rain, mud and slush ;” at Philadelphia it was rain and sleet ; here it was all fine, sharp- cutting sleet; in Boston, Albany, Buffalo and Chicago it was all snow—interesting facts which show the gradual sinking of the ther- mometer from Washington northward, From the reports before us the storm extended in one direction from Southern Virginia and from Kentucky into the British Possessions, and in the other at least from the Mississippi river into the Atlantic ocean. It was one of those great nor'easters peculiar to the zone of the Northern States between the Atlantic the Mississippi, the base of operations of which is the Gulf Stream, whence these great storms strike in between Cape Hatteras and Fortress Monroe upon the land, South of Cape Hatteras they are governed by another system of storms to the Gulf of Mexico. Tux Corser Grocerizs ANp tie Boan- mtAns.—The proprietors of the corner gro- ceries and liquor saloons of this city all sound, solid democrats, whose patron saipt is St. Tammany and who always vote the tegu- lar ticket. This may be supposed to be own business, and yet it brings all misfortunes upon their heads. Greeley with the radicals, and their own organ them as thieves, swindlers and pio because they laughed at the idea of its Bohemian editor Mayor of the city, Turkey AND Gresce—Tag Convenes Cable despatches which we publish this ing show that the trouble between Turk Greece is not yet ended, that the conference is likely to be held on an early day and that both the Powers just mantioned will be repre- sented, Another Triumph pi Nature ta Selence. At a meeting of the Lyceum of Natural History a few evenings since Professor Joy, of Columbia College, announced the probable discovery of metallic hydrogen by Mr. T. H. Graham, of the Royal Society of London, Hitherto hydrogen has been known only a8 & gas, and known in that form only for about a hundred years, and the knowledge of its impor- tance as an elementary body is extended much beyond the circles of merely gcientifte men. The people know of it in the most contra- dictory relations—on the one hand as a highly inflammable body in our common gas, and in that terribly fierce bit of fire the oxy-hydrogen blow pipe, and again, as the foe of all fire, when united with oxygen it forms water. Strange that water and the flercest fire known should be different combinations of the same ele- ments. All the world, perhaps, knows that this gas was formerly always used to elevate balloons, because it was so much lighter than the air; and the people who have worn that lesson well into their brains will now, no doubt, be rather puzzled by the science which tells them that this body, lighter than the air, has been followed through all its disguises, shifts and refuges and caught at last in its definite form as a metal, for by this name they will compare it with iron or copper, though they ought to class it with quick- silver. Tho interest of hydrogen in every enlarged and philosophical study of chemistry is at once seen in the consideration of its wonderful diffusion in nature, of its strangely dissimilar relations to other bodies and of its potential character in all these relations. Although only known as a gas, chemists have long seen that the relations of this body tended to place it among the metals. In order to properly understand this people should thoroughly get out of their heads the common idea of metals based on the knowledge of iron and lead, unless they will look particularly at one point in regard to these metals. It is a familiar fact, for instance, that iron and lead are melted by yery different degrees of heat. Any common coal or wood fire will melt lead, but not iron, In the same way other metals are fluid at very different temperatures. One metal is solid and hard at the temperature of the air, but is fluid at a very high heat and becomes vapor at a still higherheat. Another metal, solid at the temperature of the air, but not hard, becomes fluid under moderate heat, end vaporizes also; while a third metal is of such a nature that it’ is only gona at. tem- perature much lower than that of the air, and the temperature of the air may be regarded as its melting point, a slight additional heat being sufficient to make the fluid a vapor. Now, the metallic hydrogen, or hydrogenium, must be regarded as holding a position on the same line somewhat beyond this third metal—as a metal whose character is such that at the tem- perature or under conditions where some other métals are solid and brittle, some merely solid and some fluid, this is vaporized to an intense degree. Mr, Graham was led to his discovery of hydrogenium by some observations of what is called the “occlusion” of hydrogen gas, and his first paper was read, we believe, before the Royal Society in May, 1867, and subsequently printed in the Philosophical Magazine. Muth parlier experiments made by Mr. Grove “and. by Professor Magnus, of Berlin (and quoted by Tyndal), had shown what was called the “‘cooling property of hydrogen.” With a platinum wire heated to a white heat the con- tact of air only reduced the temperature toa red heat; but the contact of hydrogen quenched the wire altogether, and it required five times the former heat to bring this wire to a white heat in hydrogen gas. The fact there was that the hydrogen combined with the metal and made a new body, possessing the distinguishing peculiarity that it bore a very different relation from the pure metal to given degrees of heat. Mr. Graham’s experi- ments on the occlusion—that is, the absorp- tion—of hydrogen gas by certain metals in cer- tain conditions are in the same direction. They show that metals may be saturated by hydrogen, and that ‘they thus undergo some change seen in their different properties, and they apparently prove that hydrogen is capable of assuming some other than a gaseous form and of making alloys with known metals. Every step like this in the progress of scien- tific discovery is important for the results it promises practically in the chemistry of the arts and philosophically and speculatively in the chemistry of .nature and creation. Dis- covery is constantly revolutionizing the world in all spheres, and a discovery of this sort, like the discovery of the clue in a labyrinth, may some day suddenly open men’s eyes toa knowledge of their real relation to many sur- rounding mysteries and wonders, and it is not their least interest that they may yet help us to some dim guess of the steps by which the great globe itself was condensed from chaotic vapor. And then the question will be, where did the vapor come from? The Brooklyn SGridge. Apparently we may now regard the building of a bridge over the East river as certain, and may even contemplate an early commence- ment of the work. Five million dollars are ready to begin with; for it is understood that the subscription of a million and a half dollars by this city is to make up the amount that must be subscribed before the Brooklyn sub- scription is due. The total cost of the bridge proper is to be eight million dollars, and its termini wilt be, in this city the open space just east of the City Hall, the junction of Chatham and Centre streets, and in Brook- lyn the junction of Fulton and Main streets. Passengers will be propelled from one end to the other of this line in vehicles moved by stationary engines. Practically this grand structure will make Brooklyn and New York one city, and that city will inevitably be the greatest in the world. By making the points at the two ends of this bridge only five minutes apart and not subject to the accidents, delay and other nuisances of ferry or ordinary street car transit we overcome what has hitherto been & great obstacle to the proper growth and expansion of this city—namely, the want of room in the proper directiom The East river is no longer a limit. There is still room on the upper end of New York Island, but it is inaccessible. Now the whole of Brooklyn, Williamsburg and the suburban districts, as are open to the crowding population of the metropolis, to the great amelioration of the condition of the people. We believe this bridge is only the first of a series. We shall by and by look upon the East river as only an American Thames or Seine, and join the cities on its shores by as many bridges as span those intramural streams. It is proper that our Thames and Seine should be on a rather grander scale than those in in Europe. General Butler in a New Character=A Famous Scene in the White House. General Ben Butler has come to be almost universally regarded as. a flerce, remorseless and implacable partisan politician, and as about the last man among the ultra radicals to make a special complimentary social call upon Andy Johnson, But this opinion can no longer be entertained; for most conspicuous among the thousands of distinguished persons who called upon the President to pay their respects on New Year’s Day was General Butler. An eye-witness testifies to the fact, and says that ‘“‘the meeting was extremely cordial on both sides;” that ‘Butler grasped his political foe by both hands, shaking them with the utmost warmth;” that, ‘President Johnson reciprocated heartily,” and that “both stood face to face for at least five minutes, with clasped hands, chatting and smiling like the oldest and closest of friends ;” that Butler’s eye twinkled, that Johnson's eyes twinkled likewise; that ‘Johnson's face was allover smiling and happy,” and that Butler’s ‘‘was radiant as a full moon, beam- ing with mildness, benevolence and affection.” “Behold how pleasant a thing it is ‘for men and brethren to dwell together in unity.” What a beautiful illustration is here of General Grant’s motto—‘‘Let us have peace!” Itis a subject for the finest artist, with pen or pencil, to set to music or to give to posterity in oil colors this ‘Happy New Year” meeting and greeting between Butler and Johnson—the great impeacher and the great impeached. And what is the interpretation thereof? It is this: that Butler is not’the hor- rible radical ogre he has been repre- sented, but an amiable man, who draws a line between his political and his social rela- tions and between his partisan and his per- sonal duties. This manly proceeding on his part shows, too, that he thinks and acts for himself; that he has a mind and a will of his own, and has no fear of the consequences of acting according to his own judgment. And there may be a still deeper meaning in this White House New Year call, which in due season will be developed. But where was General Grant meantime? He spent his New Year day in Philadelphia, and it is generally understood purposely to avoid a New Year call upon yh piesa But there is a pes carat of veracity pending bei 688 iaab, is personal matter, and which must as settled before there can be Personal courtesies between them, or at least before General Grant, a soldier, touched in his tenderest point, can take the initiative. We have, therefore, a peace proposition to submit to General Butler. Reconciled with General Grant in reference to that affair of being “‘corked up in a hattle,” and reinstated fully in his oti kindly personal relations with Johnson, General Butler is in a good position to take the part of mediator between Grant and Johnson. Let him do so; let us see the outgoing and incoming Presi- dent riding up to the Capitol, like ‘‘Old Buck” and ‘‘Old Abe,” side by side,” and ‘‘let us have peace.” Grant and Reform. Our President elect is famous for his reti- cence, but there is one thing he is not silent about, and that is the necessity of reform in the government. He has spoken several times on this subject, and always forcibly, showing how impressed his mind is with it, and that he is resolved to bring about reform. He is going to be a reformer, and there is great need of such a President. However, it is no light work that lies before him. It is a work that will re- quire all the resolution, skill and dogged per- severance that characterized his closing cam- paign against the rebellion. Nearly every de- partment of the civil service is disorganized and inefficient. Corruption has become so gen- eral and defiant that it mocks the law and is without shame. In fact, robbing the government is no longer regarded immoral. The Treasury Department is a sink of iniquity. The reve- nue service, in connection with the whiskey ring, is the most astounding and bare- faced organization of government robbers with which any country was ever cursed. A hundred millions a year—more than sufficient to support the current expenses of government when economically admintis- tered—have been stolen by revenue thieves. This has all been the result of inefficiency and maladministration of the government. Then, Congress has shown itself to be the most cor- rupt and recklessly extravagant public body that exists or that ever was known in this country, Andrew Johnson was its convenient béte noire. While abusing him as the source of all mischief, for the purpose of throwing dust in the eyes of the people, this corrupt body has been carrying out ail sorts of jobs, increasing the burdens of the people enor- mously and saddling the country with an over- whelming debt, It has made poor Johnson the scapegoat of its iniquity. But this cannot be done with General Grant, He is fresh, untrammelled and the successful candidate of the majority in Congress. Let him follow, then, the honest promptings of his nature, begin in earnest the reforms hesees are needed in the executive departments, making the head of each responsible for the faithful execu- tion of the laws, and cut down the expendi- tures to the lowest figure. Let him do this in spite of the trammels put upon the Executive by Congress and he will placs that body in the dilemma either of having to yield to his re- forms or to bear the odium of thwarting his honest efforts to purify the government. He may by such a bold stand and by setting such anexample reform even Congress itself, At all events he will be sustained by the people and the independent press, If he should tem- porize or abdicate his constitutional power in administering the laws he will be in trouble from the start and his administration will be failure. He occupies the advantage ground, and if he be as skilful ia civil affairs as ia war yall as the level fields of the country beyond, | we shall have reform, $$$ $n ne armen Mexican Brigandage. The little settlement of Clarksville, on our side of the river at the mouth of the Rio Grande, has been the scene of a raid from a band of Mexican banditti, involving the mur- der of two worthy citizens and the logs of con- siderable property, public and private, The brigands came, overhauled the town, gathered up their’ plunder, recrossed the river and dis- sppeared, This affair serves to bring into bold relief the unsettled condition of things along our whole Mexican border, and the unsettled condition of Mexico itself, from the Rio Grande and the Gila down to Yucatan. Forty years of revolutions and fighting fac- tions have established brigandage as the favorite pursuit of the disappointed or dis- banded soldier or politician, the unlucky gambler and every order of vagrants and adventurers, especially in the short intervals when there has been no intestine wat for the Presidency and no common struggle against a foreign invader. When, in 1864, the Council of Notables was convened in the Mexican capital in behalf of Maximilian, their first plea in support of the empire, forced upon the country by Napoleon’s bayonets, was that for forty years Mexico had been governed by bandits and outlaws, and that Maximilian had come to give them a government of law and order. This plea, too, was held as a justification for the intervention by many honest people in the United States, who held that a reign of law and order was the para- mount necessity in Mexico, no matter in what shape or from what quarter it might come. But Maximilian and his ill-starred empire have passed away, the republic under Juarez has taken their place, and the revolutionary factions opposing him have been very nearly suppressed; for there are only a few local troubles here and there to disturb the generally recognized authority of his government. This general reign of internal peace, how- ever, in throwing numerous professional sol- diers out of employment operates to increase the brigands and brigandage of every State of the Mexican confederacy, for the Mexican soldier is at best but a sort of brigand. Under such a state of things the prospect for law, order and prosperous industry in Mexico is not very promising. Our Minister, General Rosecrans, may possibly do something for our sister republic (such as she is) in the way of an enlarged treaty of commercial reciprocities ;{ but this affair at Clarksville and the general Mexican lawlessness along our border ought to suggest to a diplomat of the broad and com- prehensive views of General Rosecrans the turning over a new leaf of ‘‘manifest destiny.” Mr. Jenckes’ Civil Service Bill. The Civil Service bill of Mr. Jenckes, which has been pending some time before Congress, though good enough in principle, ia altogether A presepeonry ed gpd the work spent upon it labor vain. The main object of the bill is to create efficiency in the public service by put- ting the candidates for office through an ex- amination and to check the indiscriminate and general removals that now take place under every change of administration. But this could all be done now under existing laws, if the President and heads of departments would do thelr duty otrictly with a viow to promote tha public service. The President can lay down at any time a rule for the examination of can= didates for office. Every secretary can do tho same. Even the subordinate heads of depart-' ments can, unless forbidden by their chief. It is a necessary function of administration, and if the power has not been exercised generally, or, as it should have been, the Prosident and secre- taries have neglected their duty. But it may be said that the proposed law is to compel tha heads of the government to perform this duty. Such interference with their action and dis- cretion would impair instead of improve the administration ; for it would make the subordi- nates independent in a measure of their superior and take away all responsibility. Besides, the heads of departments would neglect the law, override it or get round it in some way to suit their preferences in dis- pensing the patronage of the government.’ The effect of such a law would be to embarrass still more the action of the executive govern- ment and widen the conflict between it and Congress. The only way to make the adminis- tration in all its branches efficient is to give full responsibility to the President and the President to the secretaries, and to hold each one to that. The country would look to thd President for the faithful execution of the laws and the proper performance of all duties under his administration, and he would look to hia secretaries for the same. That is the way all properly regulated business establishments are managed, as well as governments. In fact, there can be no good government where proper discretion of action and full responsi- bility are not left with the chiefs. It is the same in civil affairs as in military. Instead, therefore, of Congress spending its time use- lessly on Mr. Jenckos’ Civil Service bill it. should repeal the Tenure of Office-act and all other acts unnecessarily obstructing tho; Executive, clear the track for General Grant and give full scope for an efficient administra. tion under his Presidency. Justick IN ENGLAND—Tox Cask or Ove- REND, Gurney & Co.—We learn by cable tele- gram from London that the directors of the bank of Overend, Gurney & Co. have been arrested and held to bail on a charge of fraud in the management of the affaire of that bank. It will be remembered that Overend, Gurney & Co. failed a short time ago, and that it had been one of the richest and largest banking establishments in the world. Its liabilities amounted to millions sterling. The directors were among the first men of England. But the highest in position there cannot escape the consequences of their rascality. With all ite faults England is apt todo justice upon the rich as wellas upon the poor when the laws are violated. Here is an example for us; for, with all our freedom and admirable institutions, tich rascals seldom are punished. Corrupt or weak judges are too often swayed by the power of wealth or unscrupulous political rings. In the impartial execution of the law we should do well to follow the example of England. PLEASANT AS A Basket or Cntrs—Tha formalities between the outgoing Governor Fenton and the incoming Governor Hoffman at Albany on Now Year's Day. . e¢ wre