The New York Herald Newspaper, January 8, 1869, Page 6

6 NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR ollitate the conveyance of possengers and baggage 1m New York and Brookinn, and to amend the regis- try law by the appointment of additional canvasscrs of elections in this city. A petition was presented and two bills of little importance introduced. A resolution was adopted calling upon the Comils- sloners of Charities and Correction to report what additional legislation is needed for the relic? of the poor of New York city. The Senate adopted the concurrent resolution of the Assembly and adjourned until Wednesday, the 13th inst. The Governor transmitted several reports to the All business or news letter and telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York Hea. Assembly, which were submitted, A number Sf i roperly | were introduced and resolutions offered, a!! Letters and packages should be properly = soapy goon ee sealed. representatives in Congress to use their influence tu Rejected communications will not be re- | obtaining from the government an appropriation suMicient to remove the obstructions in Hell Gate turned. eet was tabled under the rules. The Committee on Rules was announced, after which the assembly adjourned until Wednesday next. ‘The annual report of Comptroller W. F, Allen on the finances of the State will be found clsewhere in our columns this morning. Miscellaneous, General Porter, aide on General Grant's stad, has oMcially reported to bis chief the result of his inves- tigations into the Arkansas difficulties, It appears that for months previous to the Presidential election the ex-rebels of the State had sworn to overthrow the radical State government, and for that purpose had commenced such a sweeping system of murder that Governor Clayton and Senator Rice were cora- pelled to sleep in the State Capitol, guarded, to save their lives, After the election Governor Clayton, who is a man of nerve, organized his militia and de- clared martial law, being opposed in the measure by Geueral Smith, commanding United States troops in the State, who has since expressed himself as highly satisfled with the result of the movement, The Governor instructed his militia to live off the coun- try, giving vouchers only to loyal people, and tS try by military commission all offenders, three of whom bave been executed—one of them being a negro member of the militia. i Ip our ship news column this morning will be found our usual report of marine disasters, happily much shorter than that of yesterday. The brig Milo Townsend, heretofore reported lost, was run ashore onthe Mth ult. at Winging Point beach. She was bound for Boston from Sidney. The ships Columbia and Great Western arrived at this port yesterday from Liverpool, having experienced westerly gales during the entire passage. William Jackson, sea- man, of the Great Western, was lost overboard. The brig Minnie Abbe, which arrived here from Buenos Ayres, had her fore and maintop masts ¢arried away on the 14th ult., and the captain thinks It was done by an earthquake, as the sea immediately com- menced to run very high. She was in latitude tive degrees north, longitude thirty-seven degrees forty minutes at the time, with the wind northeast. A small military force was sent to Princess Anne county, Va., by General Stoneman yesterday to assist the Sherif in serving warrants of ejectment on cer- tain negroes, A fight occurred, in which a ser- geant was mortally wounded and three negroes were kilied. Application has been made for rein- foreements by the commanding officer of the detach- ment, who reports the negroes arming and threaten- ing another attack. General Rousseau, commanding in Louisiana, is seriously ill, Senator Stewart, of Nevada, has been renominated by a republican caucus in his State Legislature. This insures his election, as there are only nine demo- cratic members, General Heintzeiman will probably be nominated for General Hooker's vacated brigadier generalsiip. William N, Woolley, convicted of the murder of Uartshorne Fleming on the 10th of August last, was hanged at Freenold, N. J., yesterday. The culprit made no confession or denial of the murder. In the New Hampshire Republican Convention yesterday Onsiow Stearns was nominated for Gover- THE DAILY HERALD, publishea every day tn the year. Four cents per copy. Annual subscription price $12. Volume XXXIV. AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway.—Tax EMEraup Ring. NEW YORK THEATRE, Broadway.—THE FitiD OF ‘Tax CLOTH OF GOLD, WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway and 18th atreet.— MONEY. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—ArTRE DARg ; On, Lox: DON BY Night. BOWERY THEATRE, Room—Ronert MACAIR! Bowery.—TEN NiGHTS IN a BAB z. PIKE'S OPERA HOUSE, corner of Eighth avenue and ‘M3 street.—La PERIOHOLE. FRENCH THEATRE. Fourteenth gus.—GENEVIEVE DE BRABANT. street and Sixth are- OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway.—Humery Dcxery. wir New Fratuaes. WOOD's MUSEUM AND THEATRE, Broadway.—Afternoon and evening Thirtieth street and formance. THE TAMMANY, Fourteenth street,—Lrs Foturs— Page's REVEL—NICODEMUS, 40. MRS. F. B. CONWAY'S PARK THEATRE, Brooklyn.— Paar o' Dax. x KELLY & LEON'S MINSTRELS, 720 Broadway.—ETH10- PIAN MINSTRELSY, BURLESQUE.—GIN-NEVIEVE DEGRAW SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS, 585 Broadway.—ETu10- PlaN ENTERTAINMENTS, SINGING, DANCING, &c. BRYANTS' OPERA HOUSE, Tammany Building, Mth aireet.—ETHIOPIAN MINSTRELSY, £0. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 201 Bowery.—Comio Vooa.is, NEGRO MINSTRELSY, &c. NEW YORK CIRCUS, Fourteenth street.—EQumsTRIAN AND GYMNASTIC ENTERTAINMENT. STEINWAY HALL, Fourteenth strect.—Panrra-Rosa Concerts. HOOLEY'S OPERA HOUSE, Minsraeis—Tuc DuTcuMAn's Fre Brooklya.—Hoorey's HOOLEY’S (E. D.) OPERA HOUSE, Wilitamaburg.— HOOLEY'S MINSTRELS—PROGRESS OF AMERICA. NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.— BOMENOE AND AzT. TRIPLE SHEET. » New MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTIONS. The Datty Heraup will be sent to subscribers for one dollar 4 month, The postage being only thirty-five cents a quarter, country subscribers by this arrangement can receive the Heraty at the same price it is furnished in the city. nor. Atthe District Convention the present Con- 9 gressmen, Ela, Stevens and Benton, were renomi- ; TART nated. THE NEWS. | Among the Indian curiostties discovered at Rock Taland, IL, is the statue of an Indian maiden. Its Europe. pedestal is of copper and is seven feet high, the obe- The cable telegrams are dated January 7. lisk being of solid brass. The Luropean p al news yesterday was unim- | Anaffray occurred in a ballroom at Central City, portant. | New Mexico, a few days ago, in which three colored ‘The Sultan has asked for a postponement for eight | soldiers and two white ones were killed. It is said days of the conference on the Eastern question. | the negroes afterwards burned down the building. ‘The reported discovery of a Commanist conspiracy The City. dn S6ren ASI Pasaiaes SpsNtiy, Se DMN. The Board of Supervisors organized for the en- Agrarian violence ts reported in mauy parts Of | caing year yesterday by the election of Supervisor Treland, and the feeling of the tenantry toward the | Roche to be President. Jondholdees ta bitene. ‘The county budget for 1899 was forwarded vy Mexico. : Comptrolier Connolly to the Board. The aggregate Our news from Mexico is to the effect that the re- amount required for the year is $10,386,715, to be nsed for the expenses of the legislative, executive | and judiciary departments, the county charitable institutions, and for the payment of the county's quota of the State taxes. The estimated revenue of the general fund is $80,000, Governor Hoffman has suspended the order direct. | ing the First and Third regiments of cavalry and | the First regiment of artillery, of the First division, pupiic is on the eve of @ revolution. General Ala- torre is spoken of as the leader, the purpose being w place Porfirio Diaz at the head of affairs. The People were disgusted with the Juarez administra. | tion. There was no security for Americans, one ot Whom was murdered at Vera Cruz just before the steamer left, and although the assassin was known he was permitted to escape to Havana. The Mexi- cans were much incensed with the United States, | yatjonal Guard, to parade on foot. some of them being clamorous for another war with Johnny Newberger, a boy of fifteen, was com- aad Cuba. mitted to answer yesterday by Justice Shandley for rs ° | throwing snowballs at passers-by in the street By order of the government of Cuba the statues in the Express companies case yesterday Jndge Of Queen Isabella and other symbols of ihe Bourbon | ing-aham, of the Supreme Court, granted an injan¢ dynasty lave been removed from the sqiares and | pubite buildings. Captain General Dulce has issued his proclamation promising to the people ali needed reforms, including liberty of the press, Count Val- maseda was marching towards Bayamo. The rebels closely besiegea Gibara in large numbers. At the funeral of a murdered Cuban seditious cries were raised. . We publish this morning letiers irom Havana dated January 2, which contain in detail the news ‘we have received up to that date in abstract by the telegraph. The revolutionary Junta, in their letrer to the Heeap, report that a cargo of arms and emmunition had been successfully landed for the patriots, who were also Casting cannon at the copper mines near Villadel Cobre. An imposing demon- stration was made in Havana at the fuuera! of Cepeda, an insurgent who died in Tacon prison. Haytl. General Soget has a force around Port au Prince and has commenced @ vigorous siege. Salnave uar- rowly escaped being captured while in a church at Miragoane, His personal attendants were cut to pieces. The revolutionists appear to be working very energetically, and are reported having pur- Chased a steamer in New York, tion atainat the consolidation of the Morvianta’ Union Express Company with any other, restraining the officers and agents of the company from enforc ing the payment of the last assessment and requir- ing them to answer on the 18ta Instant. In the United States Cirenit Court, before Jurge Benedict, yesterday, the case of the United States v«. Jacob and Moses Dupuy was commenced, ‘The hear- ing of the case occupied the whole of the day and was adjourned over tii] Saturday. The bail of the defendants was tm the meantime increased from $1,500 to $5,000. The Stevenson cotton case was resumed m the United States District Court, before Judge Biatch- ford. Counsel for the government opened the case, the hearing of which will be resumed this morning. In the Superior Court yesterday, Judge Friedman, the new appointee to the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Robertson, took the oath of office and his seat. The National line steamship England. Captain Thompson, will leave pier 47 North river, at one P. M. to-morrow for Liverpool, calliag at Queenstown to land passengers, Ac. The steamship Europe, Captain Lemairie, will sail | atnoon to-morrow, from pier 50 North river, for Brest and Havre. The mails for France will close at a the Post OMfice at half-past eleven, 9th inst. The position of Baez was again becoming critical. | 7ye Merchants’ line steamship General Meade, General Adou has crossed the frontier and joined Captain Sampson, will leave pier No. 12 North river Genetal Ogando's rebel Soroes. ac toree P.M. on Saturday, 9th inst,, for New Orieans St. Thomas. direct. A fearful storm is reported to have occurred re. | The Black Star line steamahip Huntavitle, Ca: cently, and four vessels were compelied to put into | Crowell, will sail at three P. M. to-morrow, ob Yost, ‘St. Thomas in distress. from pier 13 North river, for Savannah, Ga. Venezuela. The steamship Isaac Bell, Captain Bourne, will leave pier 37 North river, at three I’. M. to-morrow, ‘ee whet comnny sematas wrangen. for Norfolk, City Point and Richmond. Congress. The stock market yesterday continued strong, and prices, for most of the tist, were active. wached 126%. Prominent Arrivals im the City. William H. Seward, Jr., of Auburn, N. Y.; J. Edgar Thompson, of Philadelphia, andl. ©. Lord, of Crocinnatt, are at the St. Nicho las Motel. J.B. Alley, of Massachusetts, is at the Astor House, General Biair, of Missouri; Paymaster Beaman, of the United States Navy, and Gelusha A. Grow, of In the Senate yesterday Mr. Nye introdu A bill to facilitate communication between the Fastern and ‘Western Continents by laying @ cable between the Pacitic coast and China, The bili reported frora the Judiciary Committee to prevent the holding of civil omices by military officers or of two offices at once by the same person was taken up. After some de bate on the last clause the bill went over on the ex- Piration of the morning hour, After some further uolmportant business the Senate adjourned. Pennsylyania, are at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. In the House the bill to increase the efficiency of Lieutenant Commander U. H. Gorring, of the the mediral department of the Navy wis Iatd on the | Cited States Navy, and Sem Hale, of Maine, are table. A bill appropriating $1,000 for the removal of | a1 the Hoffman Houre. the remains of Mr. Coggeshall. jate Minister to Kcua- judge Frank Butts, of Providence, R. 1.; General Got, % bis home in Ohio anda similarfappropriation | J. B. Jones, of Albany; Dr. Woodhull, of the United for the relliel of his widow was passed, A resolution | states Army; Hrastas Clark, of Utica, and s, W. Stopping payments tof Weils, Fargo & Co. for carry- | Groesbeck, of the United States Army, are at the ing the mails overiand to the Paciic coast was Metropolitan Hotel. Gere’ vy Mr. Washburne, but after a lengthy de- Colonel William Stewart and Captain F. Hen- bate upon It objection was made. In Committee of | dricks, of the United States Army; Dr. Fessenden, of the Whole Mr. Coburn made a speech on the reaump- | Dover, Me., and Captain R. Lawson, of the Canadian thom of specie payments, aid Mr. Shaoks on bis pro. are at the St. Charles Hotel. prised recognition of Creve, The House soon afer TL May, Of Philadelphia, is at the Matroy etyporen The House. ‘ Lesiiatave, Surgeon Reed, of the United Mates army; Captain Rat iictle baainete was done in the Stare | % Green, of Macon, Ga, and Colonel M. Mackens, Peweriay Me Commer wave gotice of a vuito fe | of Stamford, are at te St Julien Motel Tho Postmaster General on the Tele- _Graph—A Halfway Remedy. Our readers of all classes interested in the subject—and it is « subject which deeply af- fects the interests of all classea—have doubt- leas been very much edified and encouraged with the report to Congress from Post- master General Randall, which we pyblished yesterday, on the proposition of bringing the telegraphic system of the Union under the management of the government, in connection with the Post Office Department. The general argument of this report, with the strong array of facts presented, is conclusive and unan- pwerable in favor of the government. We think, however, that the remedy proposed is only a halfway remedy for he evils so plainly indicated. We see, for instance, that in the Continental countries of Europe, where the telegraph is under the direct and exclusive control and management of the government, it. works admirably‘and profitably for the government, and is partic!arly acceptable to the people, because of the cheapness of their messages. In Switzerland short despatches for distances inside of two hundred miles are sent for three cents the despatch. In France they send a short despatch six hundred miles for about thirteen cents in our currency. On the other hand the telegraph, so far, in England has been in the hands of private companies, with but little competition. Their profits have been large, increasing with each reduction of rates ; but still the superiority of the continental sys- tem had created such dissatisfaction in England that the government was constrained to take the business in hand. The British Postmaster General firat called the attention of Parliament directly to the sub- ject in a report embracing these conclusions as to the deficiencies of the private company sys- tem:—First, that, although low compared with ours, the charges of these companies were too high, and operated to check the growth of telegraphic correspondence; second, there are unnecessary delays in the transmission of despatches; third, that the facilities for the public are insufficient; fourth, that the offi- ces are often inconveniently located and open for too short a time; fifth, that little or no improvement can be expected under this pri- vate monopoly system; sixth, that under the continental system the growth of tele- graphic correspondence has been greatly stim- ulated. These are strong points in favor of the government system and against the private company system, and they will all apply with tenfold force in the.United States as compared with Great Britain. The reasons presented in favor of the government, however, were at length so convincing to Parliament as to result in the act of 1868, turning over the telegraphic lines of the kingdom to the Postmaster Gen- eral. Thirty-one years ago Professor Morse, before the construction of his first line of tele- graph, proposed substantially the same thing to our government; und since that day, from time to time, the subject has been broached, but always postponed again to a more conve- nient season. So, although first in the fleld with the telegraph, we ure left the very last of the civilized nations to adopt that great re- form. Our Postmaster General makes a conclusive case for the action of Congress, but in the halfway scheme of reform he proposes we hone the two houses will not concur. He proposes to clip the wings of any ‘‘monopoly which now endeavors to control the daily press by compelling newspaper proprietors to agree to employ one company exclusively ;” but, says Mr. Randall, ‘the transmission of the mails | has always been performed by contract, and there is no reason why the same plan should not be adopted by the Post Office Department for the transmission of correspondence by tele- graph.” He therefore proposes the contract system, and introduces some Boston gentle- men, and a special report from one of them, in support of this proposition. Upon this plan of operations we cannot agree with the Postmaster General. Contracts | for the transportation of the mails have been and still are necessary, hecause the govern- ment could not conveniently undertake to buy | alf the horses, and stables, and coaches, and steamboats, and railroads employed in this business. But the telegraph presents none of these difficulties. The government takes pos- sevsion of the wires, puts its batteries in the post offices, and puts from one to fifty persons in charge, as the case may require, and the system is complete, It works so beautifully on the Continent of Europe that it has at length superseded the private company sys- tem in England, and the contrast between the cheapness of telegraphic messages all over Europe and the exorbitant charges of our pri- vate companies is so broadly presented in Mr. Randall's report that we cannot understand his halting at the contract halfway house of reform. To use a slang phrase of the House of Re- presentatives, we fear that in connection with this contract proposition there is ‘‘a little nigger in the fence,” or ‘*# cat in the meal tub.” A contract to rn the telegraph with- in the limits of any State would be an im- | mense job, with a margin, more or less, for | pickings, perquisites and extras. Under the contract system for the government printing | at Washington millions of money were wasted. Bop spoils and plunder thus drawn from the Treasury became at length so enormous that | there was no escape but in a national printing | Ofice. To the frauds and swindles of the con- tracts for the government supplies needed tocarry on the war against the rebellion we | may charge one half our prevent national | debt. There was, however, no other way to | obtain those supplies but from the lowest bid- der, But where the lowest hidders can so cheat the Treasury, as it was cheated, from ships and steamboats to provisions and shoddy, during the war, the government ought to have 4s little todo with contracts and contractors as possible. The Continental system of merging the telegraph and its operations in the Post Office system, and under the direct and absolute management of the govérnment, is the true system for the United States. Middle men, hucksters and contractors, in all business af- fairs, carry off the bulk of the profits, This rule is illustrated even in our national banks, with their perquisites of thirty millions, which might just as well be saved to the Treasury. We hope, therefore, that the proposed contract system, with the transfer of the telegraph to the coverumont, will uot be adapted, NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1869.—TRIPLK SHEET. Eurepe—War Prospects and Peace} Assu- Frances. In our columns yesterday we published quite a mass of matter regarding the condi- tion of Europe. The Turkish ultimatum, the address of the Greek government to France, Great Britain and Russia, the address of the Foreign Minister to the Greek deputies, the circular of M. de la Valette to the Ambassadors of France at foreign courts, and our cable de- spatches all show how peculiar and unsettled is the state of affairs in Europe. M. de la Va- lette, “from the elevated point of view whence the imperial government considers the des- tinies of Europe,” sees ‘‘the horizon free from menacing eventualities.” ‘A peace which reposes on such bases will be a durable one.” So far as France personally is concerned, ‘in whatever direction she casts her eye she ses nothing which can hinder her progress or dis- turb her prosperity.” With this in the one hand, and the ultimatum of the Sultan and the appeal of the Greek government in the other, it is difficult for the less favored observer of pass- ing events to know what to think. Not en- joying the benefit of the imperial elevation or the rose-colored medium through which M. de la Valette looks, we must be allowed to cling to our opinion that Europe, after all, is not in a comfortable or satisfactory con@ition. With Spain in revolution, with Turkey and Greece at irreconcilable enmity, with the Poles waiting for their opportunity, and with the prospect of seeing the various Powers arranged in two hostile divisions, not to speak of other troubles more or less serious, the horizon, so far as we can see it, is not clear. Time will reveal whether M. de la Valette, look- ing down from his imperial elevation and through his rose-colored spectacles, has cor- rectly read the present and divined the future. State Finances—The Comptrolier’s Report. The State Comptroller in his report, pub- lished to-day, pronounces the financial condi- tion of the State ‘‘satisfactory.” The first satisfactory point is the further reduction of the State debt. The debt that wAs $48,300,- 000 in September, 1867, was only $44,900,000 in September, 1868. In reality the figures should be still less, for there are unapplied balances from sinking funds of six millions, which reduce the real indebtedness to $33,900,000. The state of affairs in regard to taxation is hardly so pleasant to look upon. ‘Pro- perty,” says the report, ‘‘is taxed, if not to its utmost capacity, at least more heavily than a wise and liberal government ought unnecessa- rily to burden it, and labor has nothing more to spare at the call of the taxgatherer.” In 1845 the tax was two-thirds of a cént on every dollar. Now it is two cents and a half on every dollar, and the amount gathered is eleven times what it was in 1845, although the whole property is only trebled in value. As to State expenditures the Comptroller tells us (what was known before, though not on official authority, perhaps,) that there is ‘‘a fearful want of economy in almost every department.” Here are a few of the figures :-— In 1859 the contingent expenses of the Legis- lature were $32,000; in 1868 they were $128,000. In 1859 the quarantine expenses were $96,000; in 1868 they were $239,000, The Comptroller mildly believes that the greater part of such increase is without justi- fication or excuse, and we believe that it is direct robbery. In all aspects the report will be found a very interesting document. Mr. Washberne on Retrenchment and Reform. The speech of Mr. Washburne, of Illinois, in the House of Representatives on Wednesday upon the important matters of retrenchment and reform was well put. His exhibit of the retrenchments necessary in the expenditures of the government, in order to make both ends meet, was so clear in its array of facts and figures that it must carry conviction to every intelligent and dispassionate mind. As chair- man of the Committee on Appropriations he speaks by the book, and as the right hand man of General Grant he ‘‘speaks as one having authority.” No doubt this speech may be con- sidered as fairly reflecting the views of Gene- ral Grant and as an appeal in his behalf against the surrender of Congress to the swarming cormorants and landsharks of the lobby. We are inclined to think, too, that in presenting his case in behalf of economy at this stage of the session Mr. Washburne has gained a strong position against any wasteful appropriations or big lobby jobs by this expiring Congress. But, to make things secure, it will be neces- sary at every opening to keep up the fire; for the ultimatum before us is simply retrench- ment or repudiation. Cvpa—ProctaMAtion oF CAPTaIn GENERAL Du.ce.—As will be seen by our telegram from Cuba the expected proclamation of Captain General Dulce has appeared. He promises the most liberal measures, the admission of Cuba as a province of Spain and representa- tig in the Spanish Cortes, He makes an earnest appea! {2 the Cubans to stick to their old mother, who, he says, will be very kind and generous to them, and begs them to behave themselves, This is the substance of the telegraphic account of the proclamation, At the same time the Cuban revolutionists were making considerable head- way. This probably will be the sort of re- sponse General Dulce will continne to get to his fine promises, for the Cubans have no con- fidence in the Spanish government, and that government itself is in the agony of revolution and has a very uncertain future. As Important Teikarapn Bint ix Cox- aness.—Senator Nye, of Nevada, introduced yesterday a bill in the Senate to establish tele- graphic communication between the Pacific coast of the United States and China and to afford aid and facilities for that purpose, This proposition comes at the right time, just as our international and commercial relations with the vast and rich Chinese empire and with Asia generally are expanding and promising a brilliant future and just as the Pacific Rail- road ia about to draw the trade of the East across this Continent. Telegraphic communi- eation with Asia will give a wonderful impulse to our commerce there. It will place this country in the most favorable position for con- trolling that trade. The magnetic wire will then make the circuit of the globe. The pro- ject ia perfectly practicable and one of the grandest of the age. Congress should take action uvon it at once. The City Goverament. Governor Hoffman in his message frames a sounding indictment against the commission system in this city because it has ‘failed to produce good local government.” It is, un- fortunately, very much a matter of party opinion as to what a good local government is. The democratic magnates fancy that good gov- ernment for the city means that system which was developed to its own ruin in the notorious era of Fernando Wood—a system in which the Mayor was possessed of very considerable power, and in which we were absolutely cer- tain to have for Mayor that man of allin the city who was least fit to be entrusted with power; a system which nominally gave the choice of their rulers to the people, but under which the people had in fact no more voice in the choice of their rulers than they have in the choice of the Japanese Mikado; a system in which the right of governing this city was in the most absolute manner taken away from the people and vested in the General Commit- tee of Tammany Hall. That system assumed as a fact that the worse elements are, ina com- munity such as ours, the more active, if not the more numerous, and that*to be sure of success it, must pander to these; that it must take its views of law, order, economy and the liberty of the citizen from the standpoint of those who might wish for various reasons to go unwhipped of justice, and must regard popular right, not from the position of the honest masses, whose desire is to be secure in person and property against all ruffianly as- sault, but from the position of the ruffian, whose demand is that he shall have the privi- lege to cut a throat to-day and be discharged on a hundred dollars bail to-morrow, and whose advocates in the State House and else- where find that “‘popular rights” are a delusion where these privileges are denied. The other party has a different idea from this as to. good government, and so far as the working shows it seems to be § rather | better one. It gecepts, however, the first idea of thé democrats—the idea, namely, that the people of this city are not fit to govern them- selves. Tammany Hall holds that the people are not to be trusted with the choice of rulers, and its reason for holding this is the fear that the people might not always choose Tweed, and Sweeny, and Hoffman and similar arcadians for all the offices; but it supposes a superior intelligence in these men, in virtue of which they always choose one another. The party of opposition assents to so much of the democratic view as takes the choice away from the people of the city, but it differs in regard to the persons to whom the power to choose our rulers shall then be given; and while the democracy gives it to the dozen men who form conventions in the coal holes of Tammany Hall the other party gives it to the Legislature of the State. As to the government of this city by the State authori- ties, the Governor admits that ‘‘the highest court of the State” has pronounced it in ac- cordance with the constitution; but he evi- dently is not satisfied with the judgment of the highest court of the State. Indeed, he seems to regard the highest court of the State as a tribunal of somewhat inferior authority— the prime fountain of legal knowledge with the Governor being party prejudice. ‘It is generally admitted,” he says, that the legisla- tion in question is all wrong ; therefore it makes no difference what the high courts say. No doubt the public admires as it ought this de- claration of a former judge that ‘‘general ad- mission” 18 a better authority on points of law than our courts are, and admires also the pe- culiar grace with which a man from Tammany ean denounce laws that he does not like as “partisan contrivances to secure power.” As to which of the two parties hold the better view in regard to good government for this city the people have the daily opportunity to seein the working of our two systems side by side. The democratic view prevails in that part of our government that is held by what is left of the old departments—in the mayoralty and in the Common Council; the other view prevails in the commissions—in the Police Board, the Health Board, the Fire Commis- sion, the Central Park Commission, the Croton Water Commission, &c.; in other words, all that part of our municipal machinery that is corrupt, rotten and scarcely less than atro- cious in its disregard of all right, we owe to the Tammany system, while to the commission system we owe all that part of city govern- ment that is efficient, trustworthy and that accomplishes the objects expected of it. These are facts too plain and too well known to be gainsaid anywhere but in a Governor's mes- sage; and while the facts are thus we fancy that the people will hardly agree with the Governor's demand for the repeal of the com- mission laws. If these laws have not given us" “good local government” they have given us government so much better than what we had under the old system that it would be scarcely less than political insanity to deliver ourselves over again to the robbers of Tammany Hall, The Legislature is bad enough, but it is not so mm of State prisons, No Mor® Stavanterinc iN THR Crty.— The police are notified that the injunctions re- straining the enforcement of the ordinances of the Board of Health in regard to cattle in the city are vacated, and that those ordinances have therefore all the force of law. This must lead to the immediate abatement of the guisances of slaughtering in our thickly peopled neigh- borhoods and of driving cattle through our streets, view of the butchers as to their own interests prevented the much earlier adoption of this improvement. One of its first results will be & great improvement in the value of city pro- perty in all those quarters hitherto occupied by slaughter houses. Make Tux Brooxiyn Brivor.—There isa propo- sition to amend the charter of the Bridge Com- pany in some necessary pointe, They are that commissioners to represent the two cities shall be added to the machinery of the company, and that an extension shall be given, as the bridge cannot be built in the time the charter gives (two years). There should be no difi- culty as to these amendments. Now axp Tuex,—Hon, John Covode pitches into the Catholics for defeating him at the last election in his district, When recruits for the war were wanted in the same district John Covode did not stop to inquire whether the volunteer was a Catholic or 4 Protestant, Food fur powder was enough. Only a mistaken and shortsighted | Tho Age of Libel Salts. ‘Libel suite for all sorts of real or fancied wrongs are the rage just now, and for the most part they are against the unlucky editors and proprietors of newspapers. The other day a country editor was arrested and put in prison in this city on a libel suit for strictures upom one of our Wall street speculators, The Chicago Tribune has just been mulcted in seven thousand five hundred dollars damages for publishing an alleged scandal about parties in Chicago, We see, too, that another libel suit has been commenced against the same paper for ten thousand dollars damages for stating ina police court item that a person kept a disorderly house, We might refer to many other similar cases in Chicago, New York and other parts of the country in which newspaper proprietors are the victims; but these will answer for the application of the moral. Undoubiedly the malicious libeller should be punished, and the injured parties should re- ceive damages where the case of malice or intentional wrong is proved; but under libel laws generally, and the way in which libel suits are instituted and conducted, the malice is frequently on the part of the plaintiffs, and the object to make money more than to satisfy wounded honor or damaged character. Gen- erally the prosecutors in such suits are needy speculators, ta whom the chance of wringing money out of some victim is a godsend. Such persons for the most part would be delighted to have their characters called in question by @ wealthy journal or a rich individual every day. It gives them a prospect of filling their pockets through the mistakes or imprudences of others without labor, and brings, besides, @ notoriety which many of them like. Unfortunately for the victims, juries are often more remarkable for tenderness of Pa keer than for common sense orrendering impartial justice. No class of the people are so useful to the community as publishers of newspapers, and none a6 placed in such a delicate position with regard to alleged libels. In giving the news—that which is already public through the action of the courts or current conversation—they are made subject to prosecution and damages, though no wrong to individuals is intended and though in case of mistake reparation be offered. Juries are apt to forget this and to treat news- paper publishers with more severity than they would other persons. In case of a mistake, oversight or the error of employés in a damaging publication, where no malice or wrong is intended, an apology, recan- tation and the opening of the columns of a paper to explanation ought to be sufficient. This among honorable mer in private life. is deemed sufficient, But the truth is the lawyers generally do all the mischief. Libel cases are a bonne bouche to the legal fraternity, and whenever they see the least chance of getting employment they stimulate parties to enter the courts. Then, again, the lawyers for the defence generally defeat their clients by assaults upon the plain- tiffs, by labored efforts to damage the charac- ter of the plaintiffs, and, therefore, by excit- ing the sympathy of juries for the prosecutors. This is seen in the Chicago case to which we have referred. It would be better in almost all cases for the defendants to dispense with these wordy and frothy lawyers and to leave the matter to juries with a simple statement of the facts and an unprejudiced explanation. Our libel laws need revision, and the lawyera should always be avoided when it is possible to do without them. Tue Inrepressteie Conriict.—It will be seen by a telegram from Norfolk that a serious conflict occurred in Princess Anne county, Va., between an armed band of negroes and a detachment of federal troops, and that further trouble was apprehended. A ser- geant had been mortally wounded and three negroes killed. The difficulty arose from re- sistance by the negroes to the Sheriff of the county in the execution of a writ. At the same time reports from New Mexico represent trouble between the white and colored troops out there, in which several were killed. In fact, we have almost daily similar accounts from one part of the country or the other of con- flicts between the races. It is no longer an irrepressible conflict between slavery and free- dom, but between the white and black maa, and has been brought about by political dema- gogues endeavoring to subvert the laws of na- ture. If this state of things is to continue the black man must in the end go to the wall, and then he will have reason to curse the dema- gogues who, under the pretence of being his friends, prove to be his worst enemies. A Tanyge Boy iN THR Sgnats.—Honest John Scott, once a poor backwoods tanner boy in Pennsylvania, has been nominated by the republican caucus as their candidate for the United States Senate from that State in the place of Mr. Buckalew. This, of course, se- cures his election. Mr. Scott was formerly » democrat, but is now regarded as a republican of the Cameron stamp. The Senatorial agony tans veing Over id (6 Kezatotie State, why won't some poor tainér Sey tam up in this State and aspire to similar honors at the hands of our Legislature? The tanners will be at the top of the heap in the next administration. ANARCHY IN Mexico—A Sprck or War on THE Horizon.—The telegraphic news from Mexico represents that country as going from bad to worse in anarchy and threatened re- volution, The Mexicans are insane enough to threaten the United States and to murder and insult our citizens, There is, the despatch says, no protection for American residents. This is the gratitude we are receiving for saving Mexico from foreign subjugation and imperial despotism, Is it not time that our government taught these Mexicans to behave themselves, and to blot out a so-called re- public, which is only a nest of bandits and a disgrace to the world ? Toe ALBANY RatiKoay Dance.—The Al- bany Hoening Journal says the “railroad dance” bas already begun in the Legislature. That dance is neither the cancan nor the can't can't—but “‘all hands round”—to those who | are in the ring. ‘A YOUNG LADIES’ SEMINARY BURNED. F; The Wyamonck Institute and Seminary for young ladies, at Lebanon Centre, Columbia county, N. Y., ‘was destroyed by fire Wednesday evening. Thera were but few boarders in the bnilding at tho time and no lives were lost. Oniy ® ama portion of the furniture and books was saved. The loss ts quite lonvy and Whe ingurance very light, Se Te ee ee ee ee Te ee ll ee ee ee ee Shee TET Ne nr eri a a me ae et ae ee