The New York Herald Newspaper, February 16, 1869, Page 6

6 NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, NEW YORK HERALD | wa tpremantion rolaive to New York gas companies BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR Volume x xiv. Ne. 47 AMUSEMENTS THAIS EVENING, nt THs THEATRE, Te Twenty-third st., between 6th and ABATRE, roudway.—MERCUANT OF NIDLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—Turz BoRuesqcs Ex- aeavaGanza OF THE Forry Tuieves. KOWERY THEATRE, Bowery. Rac Woman ann Hts Dog FLING Dagouma x. D OPERA HOUSE, corner ot Eighth avenue and fia street, —ORPURE AUX EX Fi THEATRE, Fourteenth street and Sixth ave- nue. GENEVIRVE DE BRABANT, — ALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway and 13th street.— Mvot ADO ABOUT NOTHING. PROUGHAM’S THEATRE, Twenty-fourth ot, —AN Tris SikW--DEAMATIC REVIEW FOU 1388, OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway.—Humprr Dowpry, with NEW FRATURES. Woop's MUSEUM AND THEATRE, 1 Tairtoth street and Broadway.—Atternoon and evening Pei WAVERLEY THEATRE, °220 Broadway.—LUCRETIA BoRGIA—A Purvry Piece OF BUSINESS. THE TAMMANY, pwer—Kim-Ka, 0. BROADWAY THEATRI MAN'S CONSTANCY. UNION LEAGUE CLUB THEATRE.—EIN Giase Wassrn. MRS. F. B. CONWAY'S PARK THEATRE, Brooklyn.— Avres Dark, THEATRE COMIQU! bag prendenge —Comic SKET ORS anv Livixe STaTURs—PLUT SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS, 585 Broadway.—ETa10- FIAN ENTERTAINMENTS, SINGING, DANCING, Se. rosdway.—NiTa; OB, Wo- BRYANTS' OPERA HOUSE, Tammany sireat.—ETUIOPIAN MIseTRELSY, &o. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA tat ‘201 Bowery.—Comio VooaLisa, NEGRO MINSTRELS’ NEW YORK CIRCUS, Fourteenth street.—EQuESTBIAN AND GYMNASTIC ENTERTALSMENT. STEINWAY HALL, Fourteenth street—Granp Com- PLIMENTARY CONCERT. COSMOPOLITAN HALL, Third avenue and Sixteenth Btreet.--GRAND DOUBLE CONCERT. HOOLEY'’S OPERA HOUSE, Brooklyn.—Hoo.er's MixsrRELé—TaE Dooror OF ALL CANT ARAL NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 613 Broadway. BorENCE AND Arr. TRIPLE SHEET. New y Yorks, babar ss wine ea nist 1869. “Note to Herald Carriers and News Dealers, Heracp carriers and news dealers are in- formed that they can now procure the requisite number of copies direct from this office without delay. All complaints of ‘‘short counts” and spoiled sheets must be made to the Superintendent in the counting-room of the Heratp establish- ment, Newsmen who have received spoiled papers from the Hexa.p office, are requested to re- turn the same, with proof that they were Miscellaneous. alo ne sme Brooklyn, who was convicted of whiskey frauds about a year ago, has been signed by the President and will probably be issued to-day, ‘The remains of Harold, the assassination conspira- tor, have been given @p to his friends by order of the Presidefit, The United States Supreme Court yesterday, Chief Justice Chase delivering the opinion, decided that gold contracts must be satiafied with coin. Whiére the kind of currency is not mentioned then legal tenders are lawful in such connection, The court has ordered a certified copy of the proceedings in the case of Jeter Phillips to be produced as pre- liminary to the argument on the application to issue a writ of prohibition against Judge Underwood, The application for a writ of habeas corpus ip the case of Spanglerand Arnold, Dry Tortugas prisoners, la to be argued, Sol Smith, a theatrical manager for over thirty years, died in St. Louts yesterday, Trains on the Centrai Pacific Railroad are delayed in the Sierra Nevada mountains by a heavy snow storm, A man in Paterson, N. J., who was bitten by his own dog on New Year's day, died of hydrophovia yesterday. The bite was @ mere scratch at first, The City. Tn the Board of Aldermen yesterday the resolution appropriating $20,000 for the célebration of Wash- ington’s birthday was reconsidered. In the Board of Assistant Aldermen a resolution Fourtoonth street.—Covarm Sours | was adopted increasing the pay of keepers of the public parks to $100 per month. Donations of about $1,000 were made to St. Luke's Hospital and the Macdongal street Baptist church; and resolutions appointing a cierk to the City Librarian, at €1,500, and an index clerk to the Board, at $2,500 per an- num, were The Pneumatic Despatch Company have been busily tunnelling under Broadway for about three weeks, ‘and no one outside of the company was aware of these operations until a day or two since. The pro- gress is very slow, being only about ten inches a Building, Mth} day, as the earth is not dug out but is forced ahead. Ata meeting of masters and owners of vessels engaged in the coasting trade held yesterday after- noon, at No. 50 Pine street, preliminary steps were taken for organizing @ permanent association for their mutual protection and benefit. The meeting was quite numerously attended. An account of the Proceedings will be found elsewhere, Charlies H. Ludlam, of Marcy avenue, Brooklyn, died of bydrophobia yesterday. About a month ago a little dog which he owned bit him on the hand, but tne usual remedies were applied at the time and the wound apparent healed. On Saturday, how- ever, unmistakable symptoms of hydrophobia ap- peared and he died in great agony yesterday. An inquest was held yesterday over the body of Sylvester Denton, who died from the effects ot arsenic in his food, while staying at No. 67 Madison street, Brooklyn, with the family of Mr. Alfred Pinney, who were ail poisoned at the same time. The cook testi- fled that the arsenic was placed on a shelf*in the kitchen closet and was used by her in mistake for corn meal. The jury found a verdict accordingly and’ censured Mr. and Mrs. Pinney for carelessness in having such a potent poison accessible to any one in the house, A coroner's investigation of the circumstances at- tending the death of Margaret McLaughlin, who was killed by Catharine Shay, a lunatic, in a cell of the Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s island, on Friday night, resulted Iu a verdict in accordance witb the facts, In the United States Circuit Court yesterday, be- before Judge Benedict, Jacob Dupuy and Moses Du- puy, father and son, convicied at the present term of the court of illegally removing whiskey from a distillery, the property at the time bemg under obtained from here direct, and have their money refunded. SpoMed sheets must not be sold to readers of the Heratn. MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTIONS, The Dairy Heratp will be sent to subscribers for one dollar a month, The postage being only ‘thirty-five cents a quarter, country subscribers by this arrangement can receive the Herap at the same price it is furnished in the city. r: Ba N z ws. Europe. The cable telegrams are dated February 15. A number of changes has been mac. in the Turk- tsh Ministry. Omar Pasha has been appointed Gov- ernor of Cafidia. Ali the insurgent chiefs in Crete, it is reported, bave given themselves up to the Turk- ish authorities, ‘The new Grecian Ministry has issued an order countermanding all the recent orders for warlike preparations. Arrests of Carlists still continue throughout Spain. Numbers of volunteers are offering their services for the suppression of the Cuban revolution. China, A collision 1s said to have taken place between the crew of the English gunboat Grasshopper and the Chinese inhabitants of Swatow. Many persons were killed and wouaded on both sides, Japan. News of the friendly reception of representatives of the foreign Powers at Jeddo by the Mikado has deen received. ‘The ceremony was one of great pomp. Paraguay. By the Atlantic cable we learn that Asuncion has been evacuated and Lopoz has fed with lis army to the forest. Cuba. 8 of yesterday state that Trinidad 4 in a state, of siege. A fight had ocew near Maucargua, but the losses are not kuown. Congress. In the Senate yesterday Mr. Morton, from the ect Committee, presented the replies of General aker Colfax to the notification of their nm. tin bis reply General Grant says that ‘ongress and those who elected him will have no cause to regret their action, Mr. Howard, from the Committee on Ordnance, reported a vill to consoll- date the Ordnance Department with the Artillery. A bill to authorize the payment of certain Treasury officers in the Southern States who could not take the test oath was called up and produced some dis- cuasion, it was, however, postponed and the Indian Appropriation bil was taken up, The evening ses- sion was devoted to discussion on District of Colum~ bia maiters. In the House the ueval number of bills were intro. duced and referred w jer the Monday call of States, Mr. Hubbard prese a bill supplementary to the National Banking act. Mr. Jniian’s joint resolution to prevent the further sale of public lands was re- ferred to the committee by a vote of 103 to 70. A re- solution to pay Jolin D. Young, of Rentucky, $2,500 for his expenses in contesting Mr. McKee’ seat was adopted. Mr. Brooks presented a peti- tion from Florence Scannell, the refrac. witness from New York, asking for his When the petition was being read it cided to be disrespectful and was laid on the . The Senate amendments to the joint resolu. Lou providiug for a new constitutional amen ment were taken irom the table and non-concurred in, + committee reported the replies of the President and Vice President elect to the notification of tholr ejection. A bili for the relief of @ large numer of persons from political ataabilities was re- ported. Some discussion ensued, but no action was ne the evening session the Tax bill was The Legislature. In the Senate yesterday a bill was introduced by bir, Hall to au bribery. Item ie esseutial points of the new constitution on ¢ ect. In the Assembly bills were introduced to Incorpo+ Fate Wie Social Macunerchor of New York city; and providing wharfage in New York city exclusively for cwnaivoais and barges, Tho resolution for am seizure by the government, were sentenced, Jacob Dupuy-to two years? imprisonment on Blackwell's Isiund aud a fine of $600, and Noses Dupuy to twelve months’ imprisonment and @ fine of two dollars. In the same court the trial of John D. McHenry, charged with perjury in the case of tho United States va. Commissioner Rollins, in which he was the principal Witness some monits ago, was called on and some progress made. The trial will be resumed this morning. In the United States Commi stouer’s Court, before Commissioner Osborn, the case of the United states vs, Z. F. Tucker, chargea with accepting a bribe from T. F. Ray, a distilier, was resumed. Ray, the principal witness against Tucker, was bim- self brought up on @ warrant before Com- missioner Stilwell on a charge of attempting to bribe arevenne oMicer, the oificer being the afore- said Tucker. ‘The Hamburg- American Packet Company's steam- ship Westphalia, Captain Trautmann, will leave Hoboken at two P.M. to-day for Southampton and Hamburg. The mails will close at the Post Office at twelve M. The steamship Rising Star, Captain King, wiil leave pier 42, North river at twelve M. to-day for Aspinwail, connegting at Panama with steamer Golden Age for San Francisco, The stock market yesterday was very dull and at the close weak. Governments were again very ex- cited tn consequence of a further advance of five- twenties in London. Gold was dull between 135 and 1304, closing at 13544. Prowinent Arrivals in the City. C. K. Meeker and EB, M. Shepherd, of the United States Navy; Judge W. A. Carter, of Fort Bridger; J. 8. Stevenson, of Valparaiso; B. Bigelow, of Mas- sachusetts; L, H. Day, of San Francisco, and George T. Garman, of Nevada, are at the Metropolitan Hotel. Dr. George E. Cooper, of the United States Army; Senator Lyman Trumbuil, of [itnois; W. G. Themp- son, of Detroit, and BE, A. Buck, of Butfaio, are at the HotTinan Touse, Capiain J. R. Cummings, Judge Thomas L. Davis, »lonel Corning, of Albany, and , Of Baltimore, are at the Fifth Ave- | Theoflore R. HM, Jieutenant J, vor. | burg, of Jackson, and Robert Newman, of Vicksburg, | Slaw, are at the St. Charies Hotel, i. , of the United States Army, and Clar- | ence King, of Washington, are at the Brevoort House, Ezra Cornell, of Ithaca, is at the Astor House. | - General Grant’s Programme—Another Jacks son—A Decisive and Independent istration. Since the advent of General Jackson as the head of the nation no event has occurred at Washington of greater importance, as the fore- shadowing of a new epoch in the management of the government, than the little speech of General Grant on Saturday last ‘to the Con- gressional committee informing him of his election to the Presidential succession. It has already made an impression upon the leading political and financial circles of both hemi- spheres hardly less remarkable than the little hint of Louis Napoleon to the Austrian Am- bassador on New Year's Day, 1859, fore- shadowing the expulsion of Austria from the basin of the Po and the unification of Italy. As a man of deeds more than a maa of words, we know that this brief speech of Gen- eral Grant admits of the broadest interpreta- tion, And what does he say? He says :— “Lean promise the committee that it will be my endeavor to call around me as assistants such men only as I think will carry out the principles which you have said the country desires to see successful—economy, retrench- ment, faithful callection of the revenue and Admins ws for the suppression of | Payment of the public debt.” These will be the great objects of his administration, and they involve the twelve labors of Hercules. In economy and retronchment he will have to fight the many-headed hydra of enormous jobs, wasteful expenditures aod poworful combina- tions of politicians, capitalists and adventurers of every stripe. In the faithful collection of the revenue he will have to grapple with whis- key rings, tobacco rings, Custom House rings, Indian land stealers and railway bond and land jobbers—in short, all the rings of Trea- sury thieves, whose aggregate spoliations have doubtless exceeded two hundred mil- lions a year under Johnson's tied-up ad- ministration. But if Grant can put a stop to these spoliations the payment of the public debt will be a simple and easy matter, even with the removal of half the burden of our present taxatidns, How does he propose to accomplish these reforms? He says that his first endeavor will be to secure faithful and competent assistants, and that “‘if I shall fail in my first choice, I shall not at any time hesitate to make a second or even a third trial, with the concurrence of the Senate, who have the confirming power, and I should just as soon remove one of my own appointees as the appointee of my prede- cessor.” In other words, saddled with the responsibilities, he will, like Jackson, be the master of his Cabinet and his policy. His ministers will not be, as were those of General Taylor, his equals in Cabinet council, but his staff officers or subordinate generals. He will not be, as the amiable Lincoln was, continually harassed by the clashing intrigues of his Cabi- net; nor will he be a mere follower of his Secretary of State or Secretary of the Treasury, after the fashion of Johnson. He expects in his removals and appoint-° ments the concurrence of the Senate. At all events, as occasion in his judgment may de- mand, he will not hesitate to try them, Tenure of Office law or no Tenure of Office law. He will give his reasons under the law, and if in any important removal the Senate shall refuse to concur he may mako a case of it for the ‘Supreme Court, in order to have an authori- tative judgment upon the constitutionality of this law. Johnson, it was said, at the. time of Stanton’s peremptory removal, was aiming at a case for the Court, but he went the wrong way about it and was caught in ‘the impeachment trap set to catch him. Grant has no such trap to fear ; for the present Honse is with him, and the new House, on the 4th of March, will be with him, and, best of all, justice and the ‘people are with him. As a mere creature of the re- publican party, Johnson, accidentally advanced to the White House, in assuming to have a policy of his own was regarded by Congress as an upstart and a talse pretender. He had no right, they said, to be anything but a ser- vant of Congress, and they fought him upon this issue and mastered him. Grant, on the other hand, was taken up at Chicago as a neceasity, and bis name saved the republican party in November last from a crushing de- feat. He is rightfully, thorefore, mastet of the situation and properly indicates his pur- pose to be so. In order to be perfectly free in his selec- tions he notifies the Congressional committee that he has come to the conclusion ‘nut to announce who I am going to invite to seats in the Cabinet unti! I send in their names to the Senate for confirmation,” or if he says any- thing about it it will only be two or three days before sending in their names. Why so? Be- cause he has discovered that in proclaiming in advance any seven mon oui of say five hundred expectanty there will be «a clamor raised against the mea chosen by all the friends of the four hundred and ninety-three {eft out, and. he wants to “have peace,” at least till he is harnessed for battle. This reminds us of an incident in the beginning of General Jackson's Presiden- tial policy. It was before his first inaugura- tion. A number of his party leaders called upon him to offer him their assistance in-Cabi- net-making. ‘I thank you, gentlemen,” re- plied Old Hickory, ‘‘but though I cannot say anything about it just yet, my Cabinet is already appointed.” So, we guess, is that of General Grant. But in this significant speech of Saturday lust General Grant saya nothing of reconstruc- tion. This is a remarkable omission, espe- cially when Senator Morton, the mouthpiece of the official committee, expressed to the Gene- ral the highest hopes that “during your ad- ministration the work of reconstruction will be completed and the wounds of civil war healed.” Perhaps the General thought recon- struction sufficiently complete to say nothing about it. It is enough, however, that his mind was preoccupied with “‘economy, retrench- ment, a faithful collection of the revenue and payment of tbe public debt.” It is enough that he regards these as the paramount objects of his administration, and that in carrying them forward he has chosen his line of operations upon which to fight it out, as in the campaign of “the Wilderness.” We conclade, then, that we are to have another Jackson, and not another Johnson, in General Grant. At Worvs anp No Ipgas.—We have re- ceived an invitation to subscribe for ‘The Basic Outlino of Universology,” whatever that is, At first sight of these big, far-fetched words we thought they might be the name of some new Yankee invention, a fresh quack medicine or something to give perpetual life ; but on looking over the prospectus we found it to be the title of a book which the author has brought forth from the deep recesses of thirty years of abstract contemplation. Only think of the ordeal of reading thirty years’ abstrac- tions of any man! We have an impression that this is one of those interminable and pro- foundly metaphysical works which the more and longer a person reads the more he be- comes befogged and the less he knows. The would-be philosophers and metaphysicians of the present age have a surprising faculty for stringing together words without ideas. Wo suspect the author of this book is about as accomplished in this respect as the rest. We live ina practical age—an age of telegraghs, steam power and ideas—and these men of mere words are out of time, Tae Gasnuno Hovans,—What ® fine ac- tivity there is on the part of the police against the gamblers—that is to say, the small gam- blers! We suppose they mean to take hold of the big ones by and by. Rut when? - To- morrow or next week? Broadway is lined with gamblers, who “spread themsclves fo splendid prosperity, and there are complaints on record against every one. Whon will they be broken up? “Senate. General Grant, the Senate and the Tenure of Omeo Law. In the few but very weighty words that General Grant addressed on Saturday last to the committee of Congress he gave the first place to what he had to eay in regard to filling the offices. He told the committee what kind of men he would try to gather around him as assistants, and, further, that he should not be content with any appointment made if it proved a failure, but would appoint to the same place the second or third time, till he found the right man, By these words it is seen that General Grant attaches a proper degree of consequence to the necessity of having honest and efficient men in all places of trust, and that in the ,history of the new administration the relations of the President to the Senate as part of the appointing power will be of unusual importance. General Grant seems to assume that these relations are what they have always hitherto been in the case of Presidents newly entering office, Hitherto it has been a popular recognition almost as definitely accepted as though it were a law that with the beginning of a new Presidential term all the offices were vacant. No man abandoned his place pr refused to take his pay, but each felt that he held his post in the grace of the Executive. If he was spared it was a peculiar act of favor, or he was for- gotten; while if his head fell it was a matter of course, the common fate, and what he hag counted upon for four years. But this is different now. There are no va- cancies, General Grant is the first President who comes into power under the law made and interpreted to tie the hands of Andrew John- son, and in virtue of which it will be a waste of time and paper for him to send in any list of appointments to office unless he has pre- viously had his understanding with the Senate on each particular name. Every person now holding an office not limited by law is entitled to hold thesame until the Senate shall confirm his successor. Only an act of the Senate can affect his tenure. He is as little dependent upon the President as upon the Khan of Tartary. He isa perpetual incumbent, for all that the Presi- dent can do or say—so long as he can master sufficient influence to prevent a vote in the Senate confirming his successor; and it is a crime for any other person to endeavor to per- form the duties of his office until such suc- cessor be qualified. But the President can make removals for.cause? Within very nar- row limits he can. He cannot remove a col- lector or other subordinate because in his opin- ion auch person does not honestly do his duty ; for if the Senate has a different opinion as to the man’s performanee of his duty in he goes again. For misconduct, crime Or any disquali- fication that the law can lay hold upon the President may suspend officers ‘‘in such case and no other.” That is the limit of his power. And that reduces his power to the minimum ; for itis clear, in view of such yotes as we have seen given in the Senate, that a man can hardly commit crimes enough to get the con- demnation of the Senate if he does his party spiriting gently and shrewdly. With the President's power thus cut down to nothing in appointing to office, how must we understand the fact that General Grant re- gards the appointment to offices as the first im- portant function he has to perform? Will he disregard this Tenure of Office law? There are some good reasons for believing that he will, and that he does not fear the result of a congict with the Senate on the constitution- ality of that act. He will appoint, in a straightforward spirit, honest men to office, and leave upon the Senate the responsibility of rojecting these men and keeping dishonest ones in their places, He will suspend rogues wherever he catches them, and let the Senate take the responsibility for reinstating them. Rnough of this will be done to show the coun- try who means well, and then it will be seen that there must be an end even to that. The Senate can take the responsibility for much corruption and be none the worse, and Grant, owing a duty to the country, must then fight that great defence of all official villany—the He will pat good men in place or rognes out without regard to this law, and make a case for the Supreme Court to have a determination on the validity of this mischiev- ous statute. What, then, can the Senate do? There can be no impeachment ; for the House is with Grant in its opposition to the law, and the vote already given on the proposition for repeal indicates his strength there. In this conflict the President will have all the advan- tages against the Senate; he will have the sympathy of the country and the confidence of the House, Already, with a political strategy that gives good promise of the future, he has fairly surrounded the Senate with influences inimical to its pretences, and that body must either effect a timely retreat from the position it holds on this question or become ridiculous, of the Fanny Revelation Operatic Anirs, Italian opera is vainly endeavoring to rise from the tomb to which gross mismanage- ment has consigned it. Opéra bouffe itself seems tobe decaying and falling to pieces, For 4 moment the magnificent Fisk promised not only to renovate and to expand to mar- vellous proportions the fantastic fabric which Bateman had founded, and from which, with his wonted shrewdness, he had seized a favor- able opportunity to withdraw, and which the evergetic Grau is still striving to sustain, but algo to attempt the revival of Italian opera. But Fisk is so completely absorbed in Erie Railway speculations and other stupendous financial schemes that he cagnot devote more than a small moiety of his time and attention to operatic enterprises, and it is at least donbt- ful whether his splendid promises will evor bo fulfilled. Belmortt, another Wall street prince of finance, has not yet abandoned, it is said, his intention of eclipsing the most brilliant of Fisk in the operatic line. It would require all his genius and exceptional advantages to carry out successfully the grand schome which, it is rumored, he has formed. Meanwhile av extraordinary opportunity is left to Vanderbilt, who has won his golden spurs in the competition for knightly distinction and kingly power, and who now reigns supreme in the domain of steamboats, railways and horses, to distance both Fisk and Belmont, He hae it in his power to command the services of the boat operatic talent in the world, by the aid of which slone Italian opera can be revived in Now York. Who knows but that in his old Progrons in +¥ \ FEBRUARY 16, 1869.—TRLIPLE SHEET. age Vanderbilt may find a new vent for his irrepressible energy and his vast resources in assuming the direction of Italian opera? We shall watch and duly note the progress of the impending funny financial revolution in operatic affairs. . The New York aud Washington Air Line Railroad, Tt appears that there is some hope that this much needed and long talked of route will be built soon, Congress has taken the matter in hand, and, breaking down the petty barriers opposed by the States which cling to the old State rights theory, are determined to connect the political with the commercial centre of the nation. This is a road in which the nation itself is interested. Had it existed during the late war many millions of dollars would have been saved to the national treasury, and pro- tection to both cities would have been promptly rendered in time of need. We now want some of our really practical railway kings te take hold and push the road to completion. Drew will not answer ; for he uses all his stock-gambling profits in attempts to propitiate the Lord by building churches; and so that his soul slips through purgatory to the chimeg of the Drew church bells he cares little if New York and Washington are four or fourteen hours apart. Fisk, too, can scarcely be counted fit for such an effort; for, besides letting the Pennsylvania. railway king out- general him, Erie has put its last mortgage bonds on the market in the shape of opera houses and pretty legs. Erie can hope no longer to be quoted for its legitimate earnings, but for its illegitimate ones, We naturally turn to Vanderbilt for a solution of this rail- road problem. He had the genius and the means to set a train of cars to running over the new line in less than eighteen months; while as a result the fare would be reduced one-half and the time to one-third. As to the rights of States to interpose with their thousand and one local isms, it is time they were completely ignored in the matter of railroad building. It all worked well while the country was engaged in a local and nota national development. We have grown latély, and find it necessary to draw bold lines at a single dash clear across the Continent. We find that we want to connect great political and commercial centres. It is not for a little local point called a State to step in and pre- vent it. The time is rapidly approaching when the whole railway system of the country will be bronght under a general law and governed without reference to any but the general good. Railroads will, by their own natural growth, force themselves into the hands of the general government, the same as the telegraph lines are about todo. The step taken by Congress to draw a straight line from Washington to New York is an indication of this tendency. It is an indication that the system of intercommuni- cation must be shaped on broader principles than those which are tainted by the local isms that cling to State legislation. Let the Senate follow the lead of the House of Repre- sentatives and give us at once tho Air Line road to the capital. General Grant on the National Finances— Effect of his Remarks.“ Government securities have taken a bound upward. When General Grant said, in his short address to the Congressional committee which officially notified him of his election, that he was for ‘‘economy, retrenchment, a faithful collection of the revenue and payment of the public debt,” he struck a chord which was instantly felt at thia financial centre, and which will be felt wherever our national securi- ties are held. The public creditor now sees that he has something more substantial to depend upon than the speeches, flourishes and finan- cial theories of Congress. The President elect represents the people, is just elected, and has four years in which to carry out the policy he has avowed. In four years of such an administration as he prdmises and as the country expects the national finances can be placed on a satisfactory basis and the credit of the government brought up to the high- est point. It is confidence in General Grant, in the honesty of his expressions and purpose, and in the conviction that he will carry out his views, that has given such an upward movement to government bonds. We shall soon hear of a similar effect being pro- duced in London and other financial centres in Europe, and probably a greater one than has been produced here. Indeed, the five twenties, which are the ruling bonds in the market, and which all others follow, have been gradually rising in Europe for some weeks, The election of General Grant gave a sense of stability and security, and the movement in Congress declaring that the national debt shall not be iucreased gives confidence abroad. The five-twenties have risen from seventy-three and seventy-four, where they stood a abort time ago, to seventy-eight. The demand for them in Europe is large and in- creasing, and there is every reason to believe they wiil continue to advance, General Grant said nothing about jumping to specie payments or any other theory for curing the evils we labor under, but like a sensible and practical man went to the real source of these evils and the true remedy for them, ‘Economy, retrenchment and a faithful collection of the revenue” were the words he uttered. He knows well that the frightful extravagance of Congress and evory department of the government for the last few years was enough to swamp the credit of any hation and to utterly demoralize the com- munity. He knows, too, that @ fourth of the revenue bas been stolen by the whiskey ring and other robbers of the government, He is determined to demolish this gigantic system of frauds, to place men in office who will execute the laws and collect the revenue, and to hold them, as he does officers in the army, respon- sible for a faithful exeontion of their duty, ‘The Senate may throw its shield of protection over the plundering rings, as it has done, and may refuse to repeal the Tenure of Office law for that purpose, but General Grant will do his duty to the country and will be sustained by tho people. By thorongh economy and retrenchment a hundred millions a year at least could be cut off from the present expendi- tures, and a like amount, or nearly #0, could be saved in the faithful collection of the revenue, Then our heavy taxes conld he reduced and a large sum ,yoarly applied to tho liquidation of the debt. Let General Grant stick to his motto of ‘economy, retrench- “ ie inca ment and a fulthful collection of the revenue," aud he will become as great and honored as Prosident of the republic as he is for his military achievements. ‘The Sermons on Sunday Last. There are few positions in life comparable in point of dignity aud power to that of the popular preacher. How lofty are his themes— Life, Death, Immortality! How many there are who entrust their consciences to his keep- ing and who receive the law at his lips! The pulpit is a great and growing institution. In certain ages of the past it has been very pow- erful. It was'so during the Puritanic period in England. It was so during thé early years of New England history. It has not always used its power well. It has ever had the ten- dency to degenerate into a tyranny. We are not without good reason for believing that » harvest time is coming for the sacred orator. Gospel themes were never more popular than now. The popular preacher will be able to command any price. First class oratorical ability, if it seek pecuniary reward, can find no more congenial sphere than the pulpit. We shall expect soon to hear that the ambition ot fond fathers and doting mothers, so far as favorite sons are concerned, is universally pointing to the pulpit. We hail the prospect. It will furnish a new proof of Christian ac} tivity. There is certainly room for improve- ment, Among the many sermons which were preached last Sunday and of which we gave an account yesterday we have found but little that indicated first class ability; we have found much that indicates weakness of intel- lect, the absence of culture, and ignorance of the wants of the age. There is no reason why the pulpit eloquence of America should not put the pulpit eloquence of all other older countries completely into the shade. It is our intention to watch it and to do what we can to'develop it. We are already doing well in the direction of sacred music. We wish to seo a similar improvement in sacred eloquence. Go.p Coyrraots -LeG@atizep.—An impor- tant decision was rendered yesterday by the United States Supreme’ Court. Ina case on appeal from the highest court in our own State it was decided that there are two kinds ol legal tender-—gold and greenbacks—the former where coin is specified, and the latter where it is not. The Germana and Naturalization. The report we published on Saturday of the action of the republican and democratic Ger- mans upon the subject of a revision of the naturalization laws is suggestive. These an- tagonists in the political arena unite for the purpose of influencing Congress to adopt their views, which are calmly but firmly expressed as being: That the European immigration is of the utmost importance to the country, and should be fostered in accordance with the in- terests of the country; that naturalization should be facilitated in the liberal spirit of the times; that the term of probation for citizen- ship should be shortened, and that the power of the State courts to naturalize should not be abrogated; while they pledge their hearty con- currence with all proper guards that may be adopted to prevent illegal or fraudulent natn- ralization. These views are so far unobjection- able; but that they are now presented by the representative bodies of the Germans of both parties shows conclusively the truth of what we said the other day—that the Germans are beginning to be aware of the political influence they might exert by their increasing numbers and acknowledged intelligence. They seem to be resolved to abandon the leadership of Pat and strike for independence within the po- litical lines of party. This movement, begun here, will not rest here, but is soon to extead over the whole country. When the time for a new formation of parties shall have ar- rived the increasing influence of the German elemerg will have to be more largely taken into account than ever heretofore. Latest From Cntwa.—A cable despatch which we print this morning, dated London, the 15th, informs us of a terrible struggle which had taken place at Swatow between the Chinese inhabitants and the crew of the British gunboat Grasshopper. The fight seems to have been desperate and bloody. Which party was to blame we are not told. The presump- tion, however, is that, in spite of Mr. Bus.ta- game and his gospel of peace, the Chinose w.t have to accept the new civilization at the can- non’s mouth. Events point in that direction. The Chinese, we fear, are a little too slow and a good deal too stubborn. Tar Corrain Drawn. —The curtain is drawn a little, so that the people get a glimpse of the figure of the next President. The glimpse gives satisfaction. We see that the main lines of the figure are strong and clear, and it has the pose of one who means to rule— a man of heart and will and innate authority. GPERATIONS GF THE PNEUMATIC DESPATCH COMPANY. English Miners Tannelling Broadway—Proe gross of the Work. It is no doubt generally known that at the last session of the Legislature the “Pneumatic Despatch Company” obtained a charter conferring on them the privilege of constructing @ pneumatic railroad under certain streets in New York city, with a view of facilitating the delivery of parcels and letters. About three weeks ago the company determined to commence operations secretly. Moses Beach, who is the president of the company, hired the cellar beneatit Deviin’s clothing store, corner of Broadway and Mu street. Hi the necessary ouinery wen a tad co aaa aoe nel_comineaced, the cars are propelied to return by the creation of @ vacuum. tng thet 6 perarions 8 to the conveyance of parcels whether they will advempt to — Ce oe ie of wonine : 0 ei \. by th bag | = tunnel, ts fitted ich i cet car. aie on ale will be sty iM en Li - Sg Wheels worked