The New York Herald Newspaper, April 27, 1869, Page 8

8 NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. Letters and packages should be properly sealed. Allbusiness or news letter and telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Tar SkvEN DWARFS; On, HARLEQUIN AND THE WORLD OF WONDEUS. BROADWAY THEAYRE, JACK AS FALSTAFF. BOOTH’S THEATRE, 234 st., between Sth and 6th ava,— OTHELLO. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—Tak BUBLESQUR Ex- TRAVAGANZA OF THE Forty THIEVES. Broadway.—-Mn. Joun H FIFTH AVENUE THE Fifth avenue and Twenty- fourth street.—La Gaanve ESSE. WALLACK'S THEATRS, Broadway and 1th street.— SouooL. OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway.—Humrry Doerr, with New Features. GERMAN STADT THEATRE, Nos, 45 and 47 Bowery— ALTE JUNGGESELLEN, GRAND OPERA HOUSE, corner of Eighth avenue and sireet.—Tak TEMPrst. WAVERLEY THEATER: Bunvrsqux Company—J WOOD'S MUSEUM A! Broadway.—Aliernoon a: Broadway.—E.ize HO.T's TIA Borat, M. D. THEATRE, Thirtieth street and weaing Performaace. MRS. F. B. CONWAY'S PARK THEATRE, Brooklyn.— SrRekTs or New Yoxk. THEATRE COMIQUE, 514 Broadway.—Coaic SKETCHES anb LIVING STATUES—PLU10. SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS, 585 Broadway.—Eruto- Plan ENTERTAINMENTS—TH2EE STRINGS TO ONE Bow, TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HO 'SE, 201 Bowery.—Comto Vooa.ism, NEG20 MINBTRELSY, &c. NEW YORK CIRCUS, Fourteenth street.EQuESTRIAN AND GYMNASTIO ENTERTAIN MENT. HOOLEY'S OPERA HO''SE, Brooklyn.—Hoo.er's MINGTRELS—LEAP FOR Lire, £0. STEINWAY HALL, Fourteenth street.-Du CHALLU’S Leorurg, “THR CANNIDAL TRIBES, &c.” MEXICAN EXHIBITION PARLOR., No. 765 Broaaway.— CHRISIIAN MARTYR AND CUILD, &0. NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 613 Breadway.— SOENCE AND ART. QUADRUPLE SHEET. New York, Tuesday, April 27, 1869. — TO ADVERTISERS. All advertisements should be sent in before eight o'clock, P. M., to insure proper classifi- cation. THE heRALD IN BROOKLYN. Notice to Carriers aud Newsdealers. BrooktyN CARRIERS AND NewsMen will in future receive their papers at the Brancn Orrice or Tue New Yours Heratp, No. 145 Fulton street, Brooklyn. ADVERTISEMENTS and Svusscriptions and all letters’ for the New York Henatp will be Teceived as above, Europe. The cable telegrams are dated April 26. ‘The Newmarket races were inaugurated yesterday in England, The event of the day was the handicap race for the Prince of Wales’ stake, which was won by the Duke of Newcastle's horse Silenus. In the House of Commons, in committee, yesterday, the consideration of the disestablishment question was taken up. Mr. Pim, an Irish liberal member, offered an amendment discarding the sections in which Provision is made for the maintenance of certain church buildings as national monuments, which was adopted, The conscription law nas been carried out in ‘Spain to a successful close. There were no dist urb- ances save in Seville and Avila,and these were easily put down. The Mazzinian conspiracy discovered a few days since in Milan, Italy, was far more extensive than at frst supposed. A number of documents and a con- siderable quantity of arms and ammunition have been seized. A project is on foot, started by the Tariff Com- mittee of the Federal Council of the Zollverein, with the view of taxing ail imported petroleum into Germany. France and Belgium will, after all, have a Com- mercial Conference. China. The British Minister in China says that the Chinese do not desire progress. It is reported thet the Cath- olicm.s:tonaries and several hundred converts in the province of Sechuen have been masacred by the natives. Cabool, The Afghan chiefs have given in their adhesion to Shere Aaii, the reigning Ameer. The son of the de- posed prince has fled the country, and no further efforts, it is thought, will be made to create any dis- turbances, The Legislature. Tn the Senate yesterday the concurrent resoiution previding for a reduction of canal tolls on certain articies was adopted, Bills relative to grading Eaghth avenue and electing Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police to fill vacancies were passed. The bill to Increase the Metropolitan Police force Was lost. A concurrent resolution was offered and tabled under the rule providing for a constitutional amendment changing the present time for the as- sembling of the Legisiature to the seoond Tuesday in December. In the evening session a message was NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 1869.—QUADRUPLE SHEET, Washington in appreciation of bis services in aid of workiagmen and the Eight Hour law. ‘The steamer St. Elmo exploded in Mobile bay yes- terday morning. One person was killed and six or eight were wounded. o A row of buildings on North Clark street in Chicago were destroyed by fire yesterday, volving @ loss of $150,000, The New State Houso Commissioners of Dlinois already have serious charges of gross fraud and cor- ruption preferred against them by the late secretary of the Board, The City. In the spirit photograph case yesterday the prose- cution was reopened and one or two experts were produced, who made a Very clear exposition of how photographs to resemble spirits might be taken by @ combination of two pictures in one, The case was again adjourned until to-morrow. Mr. Edwards Pierrepont formally assumed the Dis- trict Attorneyship in the United States Circutt Court before Judge Blatchford yesterday. He immediately called up the case of William Fullerton, which, after some debate, was fixed for trial on the 14th of June, ‘Tho Coroner's inquest over the Long Island Rail- road disaster was continued yesterday. Consider- able testimony was taken, and the inquest was again adjourned until Wednesday. The condition of some of the wounded is reported much worse, while others are improving rapidly. The Coroner's jury in the case of Patrick McCor- mick, who was killed m a@ barroom affray in Mul- berry street, rendered a verdict yesterday that his death was the result of stab wounds received at the hands of William Nicholson. The accused, who ts only nineteen years old, was remanded to await the action of the Grand Jury. He claims that the deed was done in self-defence. Captain John S: Young’s case, in which a demand is made tnat the juagment dismissing him from the police force shall be vacated, came up and was argued yesterday before Judge Cardozo; but at the conclusion the Court reserved its decision. An investigation was held yesterday into the murder of Thomas Hughes in New Chambers street on Saturday. The verdict charges the murder on Emil Butts, a mild, inoffensive German, who 1s in custody. The Hamburg American Packet Company's steam- ship Holsatia, Captain Ehlers, will leave Hoboken at two P. M. to-day for Hamburg, touching at Ply- mouth, England, and Cherbourg, France, to land: passengers, &c, The mails will close at the Post Office at twelve M. to-day. The steamship Manhattan, Captain Forsyth, will sail from pler 46 North river at four P. M. to-morrow (Wednesday) for Liverpool, calling at Queenstown to land passengers. The steamship Bellona, Captain Pinkham, will leave pier No. 3 North river at seven o'clock to-mor- row (Wednesday) morning for London direct. ‘The stock market yesterday was very strong and active, New York Central touching 173. Gold was steady, closing finally at 1335. Beet cattle yesterday were only moderately sought after, and, being in fair supply, the market was heavy at 16c. @ 17c. for prime and extra steers, 143;c. al5c. for fair to good do., and 10¢c, a 14c. for in- ferior to ordinary. Milch cows were steady in value, with a fair demand, chiefly for prime and extra, which were selling at $90 a $125 each. Fair to good were quoted $75 a $85, and inferior tocommon $45 a $70. Veal calves were plenty and lower, prime and extra selling at 11c. @ 12c., common to good at 8 4c. @ 10c., and inferior at 6c. @ 8c. Sheep were only in moderately active demand and heavy at the following quotations:—Sheared—Extra, 8c. &8gc.; prime, 74c. a7Xc.; common to good, 6c. a 7c., and inferior, 4c. a 5!gc. New shorn—Prime and extra, 83;c. a 93¢c, and inferlor to good, 63gc. @ 8c. Swine were in moderate request and steady in value, the prices current being 10%c. a 10%c. for prime, 1034¢. a 103%. for fair to good and 10¥c. a 10%,¢. for common. Prominent Arrivals in the City. General French Tilghman, of Maryland; Senator Stewart, of Nevada, and Major W. C. Beardsley, of Auburn, are at the St. Nicholas Hotel. ad General Lafin, of North Carolina; C. D. Willard, of Washington; John E. McDonough, of Philadelphia and Col. F. Memogyei, of Mexico, are at the Metro- politan Hotel. Captain W. Grace, of Washington; McKean Bu- chanan, and Major E. D. Colgin, of Saugerties, are at the St. Charles Hotel. General J. Hamblin, of Chicago, is at the Maltby House. Captain Kennedy, of the steamship City of Paris; Judge J. W. M. Harris, of Vicksburg; Andrew Low, of Savannah, and Robert R. Prentice, of Fifeshire, Scotland, are at the New York Hotel. Congressman Robert ©. Schenck, of Ohio; D. cInnes, of Canada, and W. Appleton, of Boston, are at the Brevoort House. General Robinson, of the United States Army, is at the St. Denis Hotei. Governor T. F. Randolph, of New Jersey, and Dr. J. T. Heard, of Boston, are at the Clarendon Hotel. Judge J. M. Buchanan, of Philadelphia; John Mere. dith Read, Jr., of Albany; E. Quincy, of Boston; L. L. L’'Hommedieu, Judge Stanley Matnewsa, Colonel J. J. Slocum and D. McLaren, of Cincinnati, are at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Lieutenant J. Campbell Morrison, of the Unitea States Army; R. S. Gratze, of Philadelphia; General Franklin, of Hartford; Thomas Oxnard, of Boston, and Fred. Zerego, of Savannah, are at the Hoffman House. Prominent Departares. Governor Evans, for Colorado; J. M. McCullough, for Pittsburg; C. Averill, for San Francisco; Major D. Wray and W. Sturges, for Washington; George 8. Gilford, for the Sandwich Islafids; General E. W. Wickersham, for Memphis; Senator Conkling, Gen- eral Barnum, M. P. Bemus, George 0. Jones, Jacob Sharp and A, Van Vechten, for Albany; A. B. Cornell, for Ithaca, and W. F. Griffiths, for Philadel- phia. Mr. C. G. Kiug, of the firm of Charles Unger & Co., sails to-day for @ summer tour of the Continent of Europe. Tue Nationa Ovrrace Cror.—When- ever the public mind becomes excited on a question involving international intercourse the crop of national outrages always becomes large. That is the case just now in our con- tact with the Spanish authorities, and we notice that the Associated Press has fallen into a wonderful facility—in which we regret to find some of our own correspondents have received from the new Post Office Commissioners, asking the passage of an act authorizing certain ex- changes of ground in City Hall Park, consequent on the change of the site of the new Post Office. Ano- ther veto message was received from the Governor, disapproving of the bill to supply vacancies in the oMice of justice of the peace. A bili requiring ferry companies to have an extra engineer, pilot and hands for emergencies was reported. The Niagara Ship Canal bill was then discussed and progress was reported. ln the Assembly bills removing the capita! of the Slate to New York and facilitating the transporta- tion of passengers between New York and Brooklyn were ordered toa third re@ing, the frst by a vote of 44to 28, Mr. Frear being the only New Yorker who voted “no.” The Passenger Transit Company bill was discussed and recommitted, with instruc. tions to strike out all relating to Brooklyn. Miscellaneous. A complete reconciliation has taken piace between Sprague and Abbott. The latter wrote to Mr. Sprague to know whom he meant by “puppy dog,” and received in answer that he did not mean Mr. Abbott, Thereupon Mr. Abbott wrote requesting his hasty words relative to Sprague’s skuiking might be considered unsaid, The two are now said to be the happiest men in Washington. It is now stated that the iron-clads being newly fitted out are not intended for Cuba, but the fleet already there will be reduced by aseigning two of the vessels belonging to that sguadron to some other stations, Two men, one a ship captain, were imprisoned in Foston yesterday for casting away the schooner ‘Twilight on the high seas. The offence is said to be punishable with death. A petition asking that Fred Douglas be appointea Minister to Brazil is being signed In Boston. ‘The armories of Springfield, Mass., have tendered Senator Wilson a public reception on bis return from followed—for discovering ‘outrages on the American flag.” We would caution our own and the Associated Press correspondents alike to be a little more judicious in their nomencla- ture. This magnifying every little event tothe proportions of one of national importance does no good and is ridiculous in the extreme, Tue Rient Sort or Ramway Staven- TRRS—Governor Hoffman's vetoes. Tnat Raw. axp Tuat Five Mixotes.— Every train for months past on the Long Island Railroad passed over that damaged rail, making it a little worse, but going on. It needed—to break up the rail entirely, to crumble it away like mouldy cheese—only the greater impulse of. a train five minutes behind time and trying to catch up, and this it had in the train that met with the disaster. Such negligence on the part of those entrusted with so many lives as the failure to remove euch a rail is murder. Tur Bexerrr to Cona.—Cubans will be able to see some excellence in English law if, as alleged, England intends to recognize their belligerency in order to be consistent with her recognition of the confederacy. Such action, if taken, will be mainly aimed to convince us that England had no animus against us, to show that she treated us no worse than she will treat Spain. Although this will have little effect on us, we will be glad to see Cuba get the advantage of it, Genoral Grant’s Appointments—Where Lies the Responsibility ¢ Much is said in the newspapers and more is heard among the unfurtunate spojls-hunting politicians expressive of regret, surprise, chagrin, contempt and disgust in reference to General Grant’s appointments to office. They tell us that he runs the party guillotine like a butcher; that nobodies and nincompoops are advanced to high places; that men of intelli- gence, capacity and experience are displaced to make room for backwoods ignoramuses; that notorious drunkards are promoted by the removal of upright, sober and trustworthy men; that rogues and lobby jobbers find favor with an administration pledged to honesty, retrenchment and reform; that, in a word, we have never had before this present demoral- izing exhibition such a remorseless and reck- less turning out of office-holders, nor such a motley array of hungry office-seekers—whites, reds and blacks—taken into the government service; that Grant in two months has done more in chopping off heads to make places for Tom, Dick and Harry than was ever done in the first two months of any other five Presi- dents put together, and that he has done it with a looseness which is not only ludicrous and preposterous, but scandalous and alarm- ing. Such is the indictment of the displaced, disappointed and disgusted politicians con- cerning General Grant's appointments ; and it is argued that with such a beginning it needs no prophet to predict the ending of Grant's administration. “But admitting that the party ‘guillotine has been run day and night as if by a high pressure steam engine, that many good men have been sacrificed and many unfit men promoted to positions of honor and profit, and that the spectacle is a scandal to the country, where lies the responsibility? It does not rest with General Grant. He did not seek the Presidency—he did not want it. Nor was he wanted by the radical managers of the repub- lican party. But they saw that his overtop- ping services in the war had exalted him a head and shoulders over all other living men in the hearts of the people, and as it was feared that if passed over by the republican party he might be taken up and elected by the demo- cratic party, he was made the republican can- didate. What next? In accepting the Chicago nomination, he said, ‘‘I endorse your resolu- tions”—that is, he signed the republican pro- gramme. He reaffirmed itin his inaugural address, and, having no desire to repeat the follies or to run the gauntlet of Andy Johnson, he declared that whether he liked the laws of Congress or not he should enforce them faith- fully, and that the best way to get rid of an obnoxious law is to rigidly execute it. He has followed this course. It has manifestly been a leading object with him to cultivate harmony with the two houses of Congress ; and we see that he has adhered to this purpose, notwithstanding the discovery that the powers and authority of the President, as recognized and exercised down to the revo- lutionizing conflict with Johnson, are powers which exist no longer. Under the new order of things, in fact, Congr s hag lefy fhe Presi- dent very little to do, even in the distribution of the spoils, beyond obedience to existing laws or to the wishes of the House or the orders of the Senate. The government is not whatit was. The Presidential office is not the office as it was under Lincoln. It was the fountain of authority in the matter of appoint- ments; but it is so nolonger. Grant has not been restored to the status of Lincoln. Under the general expansion of the powers of Con- gress, even in the constitution itself, he is still largely subject to the restraints and drawbacks imposed upon Johnson. The responsibility, then, for this demoraliz- ing scramble and division of the spoils rests with Congress. General Grant has made very few appointments without authority from a batch of members of the House or the Senate. This distasteful business, no doubt, he desired to get off his hands as soon as possible; for he saw in the outset that there would be no peace and no other business until the ravenous hordes of office-beggars infesting the White House and all its approaches were disposed of and dispersed. If we assume, then, that from his ignorance of the individual merits or demerits of the thousands of strangers reeom- mended by Congressmen, asking for their party rewards, General Grant, as the shortest plan, decided upon his nomination by the first name for this or that office drawn from a hat, we say he did as well as any man could do under the circumstances not possess- ing the comprehensive wisdom of King Solo- mon. We say, too, that General Grant has acted wisely in getting rid of these trouble- some office-beggars as fast as possible, and wisely even in his general clearing out of office-liolders; so that nothing may be left for members of Congress to wrangle about in the White House, not even a petty village post office of a hundred a year. The exhibition is truly shameful and demoral- izing, but the responsibility belongs to Congress. The President has industriously labored to be relieved of this unpleasant job of parcelling out the spoils and plunder. Anxious to pro- ceed to more important business, he has adopted the shortest course to reach it. He has done everything that he could do to secure harmony between himself and Congress and between his administration and all the factions, colors and races of the dominant party. Therefore, if they are not content, let him take his own course henceforward, and let Congress and the demoralized party behind it take care of them- selves, This is the course to which the miller in the fable on a journey with his boy and donkey was at last driven, after vainly trying every device suggested to please everybody. He Conreasrs.—Upon the nomination of the humorous editor of the Sun to be Appraiser the Tribune said, ‘At last!” Now that the philosopher and friend of humanity and pro- tection is nominated to inspect the Pacific Railroad the Sun retorts, ‘At last! At last!” This little phrase rankled, then, Tue Remepy.—The only chance the public has against the railroad management is to hang some one. Whoever is responsible for this last railroad murder must be hanged or the public must give up travelling by rail, Companies will not spend their earnings in keeping roads in repair when they can use the money in Wall street unless the responsible men find that neg- lect in this varticular may involve » halter, Spraguo and Abbott. In Washington they have had a terrible time—a time that tries men’s souls, spoils their appetites, puts their heads together on all the corners and keeps the reporters up till four A.M. There has been nothing like it in iour generations of articulately-speaking men, as Homer would say, for one naturally falls into the manner of Homer in touching upon the contention of heroes, the wrath, rancor and wrangling of the chiefs of man, and the mighty preparation for combat that fills the universe with portentous din. We speak advisedly when we say the universe, for of course what is said in Washington reverberates in tho remotest corners of the earth, and even has an echo in North Carolina and another in Rhode Island. This echo travels by the telegraph at about ten cents aword. Washington has of course been ina fume, a fass, a fury, a fret and a fizzle oyer the great doings, It recails to men’s minds the times when-the enemy was in the valley or when the gyascuticus was reported to have broken loose from Van Amburgh’s menagerie— only that Early was but a fool to Abbott in adventure, Stonewall Jackson a silly sheep to Sprague in heroism, and the gyascuticus, the hugag and the harp ofa thousand strings as nothing to the two together. It began about Brown & Ives. Brown & Ives is something that grows in Rhode Island. Rhode Island is the country to which the United States is a sort of backyard, the New Dominion next-door neighbor and the mon- archies of Europe the fellows over the way. Sprague opened on Brown & Ives with the Rhode Island thunder and Jersey lightning of his eloquence. Brown & Ives talled out sev- enty-five thousand volunteers and gave the command to General Burnside, who organized the whole force as the First Rhode Island regiment, every man of whom was worth a million dollars tohis lawyer. Burnside moved on the enemy, got stuck in the mud, lost tre- mendously and retired in good order—and all Rhode Island came out to welcome him as a conqueror and to cover the baldness that he shares with Julius Cesar with a prettier laurel (laurus nobilis) than the florists of Cmwsar’s time knew how to make. In these days we use the laurel more freely than they did in the time of Cwsar. It is the sweet bay. We make from its berries an aromatic oil with which we flavor an article of commerce called bay rum, which is poured over our heads when they ache. Thus are we crowned with laurel in solution in this practical age. Thus was the ample brow of Ambrose crowned, aching from his contest with Spraguey. Abbott came in when Brown & Ives and Ambrose went out, as a sort of rotation rouser—the best dog not dead yet, or the next fowl well heeled—tar-heeled, in fact, as they say in his adoptive North Carolina. He came in, not because he had anything to do with it, but just in wanton exuberance of pug- nacity. He wanted to knock a chip off some- body’s shoulder, and had an idea that he could not get glory cheaper at any other shop than at Spraguey’s. Sprague, in the course of his indiscriminate thundering, had said “puppy.” Abbott said to himself ‘That means me—that must mean me; there is no other person here whom the word 20 felici- tously describes; and although I don’t care a button personally, North Carolina will expect me to resent it.” He accordingly resented it at once by going home and sitting down in his parlor and waiting for Sprague to send hima challenge. They kept fighting it out on that line for a considerable time. The killed and wounded were but few, and Sprague had the best of it, because it was not possible for him to go wrong unless he moved. At length, as the country at large, and, it may be, other countries also, remained on the tiptoe of expectation as to the issue of this dreadful misunderstanding or ‘almost fatal fray,” Senator Abbott initiated the interesting ex- planatory correspondence with Senator Sprague which we publish to-day, and which terminated, most happily, inthe disappearance of both the ‘‘mastiff” and ‘‘puppy dogs” from the scene, and the happy substitution of the nursery rhyme greeting between the old wo- man and her pet dog of “‘the dame said good morrow, the dog said bow bow” for “‘pistols and coffee for two,” as between Messrs, Sprague and Abbott. A SnaRp GAME.—Stokes plotting againgt Senter in Tennessee. PurrranisM Giving Way Brrore Pro- GrEss.—A Sunday steamboat line has been established between New York and Boston, via Newport. Who would have dreamed of such desecration half a century ago? Where are the ancient Uriah Heeps of the Hub? Echo might answer, ‘‘ Making their heaps!” “Lient From tHe Tomns.”—Read our copions and very interesting report elsewhere in this paper of the proceedings in court yesterday on the Mumler (Mumbo Jumbo) spiritual photograph case. Srais Maxine Reapy.—The conscription for the reinforcement of the Spanish army has been completed. The people made opposition in only two instances, at Avila and in Seville, the disturbances being quelled easily. Does it mean Cuba ? Travian Untry.—From Florence we have, under date of yesterday, the old story of the discovery of a Mazzinian conspiracy, extending in @ wide range from Milan, and the seizure of arms, ammunition and documents. The Italians must be ‘‘used to it” by this time. Victor Emanuel would most probably die of some inward congestion did he not experience the political counter-irritant of a “conspiracy” everynowand then, Tre Svrerintenpent’s Virw.—It is evi- dent that the Long Island Railroad Company needs another superintendent. The present one ‘‘cannot conceive” how the recent accident occurred, and he can present several reasons to show that it was impossible :—‘The track was relaid last September, and new ties and new iron have been put in this spring. The cars of this train were in good condition, hav- ing new trucks, new wheels and new axles, and had only been out of the repairing shop a short time, I cannot attribute the accident to any neglect or carelessness of the employés. I consider that the road is in better condition than it has ever been before.” Clearly the accident could not happen. We must all be wrong; but how about the spikes that were palled out by hand, and the crumbled frag- ments of the broken rail? A Railroad Bill Which Ought to Be Passed. The bill now before the Legislature, en- titled “A bill to anthorize the South Side Railroad Company, of Long Island, to build one or more branches from the main track to Newtown creek, and to operate its road with an improved steam dummy within the city of Brooklyn.” Crowded as we are in this city we want all the facilities we can get for quick communications with the surrounding country on overy side, and especially from the north to the south side of Long Island. We are as- sured that the branch road or roads, with the improved dummy contemplated in this bill, will shorten the time from Brooklyn to the south side of the island at least forty minutes, or say nearly two hours going and coming, a very important item of time to business men who wish to have the chance of spending their summer nights by or near the seashore with- out losing their business hours in town. The improvement would be a godsend to thou- sands of our business people who cannot spare the time or money for a trip to Europe, Sara- toga, or even to Long Branch, and would be a corresponding benefit to the property holders On old Long Island's seagirt shore, and generally to the citizens of the State and the Union drawn to an exploration of the island. The Governor will doubtless sign this bill with pleasure, for it covers a good work for the people. Enauisn News rrom Caina.—The British Minister at Pekin, Sir R. Alcock, gives posi- tive assurance to his government, in special contradiction to Mr. Burlingame, that the Chinese do not desire “progress.” This is where the shoe pinches. When the nation adhered to its hoary traditions England sold her opium and carted away the specie. Mr. Burlingame has stopped that game, but they won't believe it. ‘ ANOTHER CHANCE FOR GREELEY ON MILE- AGk.—The appointment of the venerable friend of Jeff Davis as one of the commissioners for the Pacific Railroad will afford him another fine opportunity to enlighten the country on the iniquities of mileage. It is to be hoped he kept copies of his ancient speeches on that subject. TAXATION OF THE GAS MONOPOLIES BY THE Lossy.—It is reported that the gas companies have $250,000 in Albany to spend in the de- feat of the bills before the Legislature respect- ing gas. It is quite possibly true. We have expected all along that this would be the re- sult, and our only hope is that members will put the price of a favorable vote very high, so that the companies may have to spend half a million rather than a quarter. With such a tax demanded every year, may be they will after a while find it easier to satisfy the people than the lobby. A Goop SuaGxEstion, IF PRacticaBLE.— The Albany Hvening Journal very truly remarks that ‘‘no greater evil can befall a young man of ordinary capacity than to have conferred upon him a petty office, and yet tens of thousands are to-day seeking what, if they find, will prove their greatest misfor- tune.” Ibis unfortunate, however, to reflect that if a suggestion of this kind emanates from a friend of the party in power it is apt to be regarded as unasked advice usually is and to be based upon an unworthy motive—that of lessening the number of applicants for office in order that there may be a clearer field for favorites ; or if they come from the party out of power they are likely to savor vastly of a fruit well known in fable as ‘‘sour grapes.” Rirvauism.—The philosophy of display in the accessories of religious worship is that the Church must keep itself in relation with popu- lar taste in its appeal for popular attention. In an age of Black Crookism doctrine also must make a gorgeous appearance. Goveryor HoFFMAN AND THE DEMOORATIO RixemastErs.—The Albany Heening Journal asserts that the evidences are conclusive that “Governor Hoffman has broken with his own party and now relies on the republican party to save him from being overridden by the Legislature.” This is like getting out of the frying-pan into the fire, or, more literally, off the gridiron jobs into equally as corrupt canal jobs. The fact is, one party is as bad as the other, and the rings in each are equally as dead set in their determination to prey upon the public treasury. The corruptions of the Tammany ring in this city are the more glaring, inasmuch as they are confined to a more lim- ited sphere than the rings of the republicans, whose operations ramify not only over the whole State, but over the entire country. They are a bad set all round. How tHe Law Comes Ix.—Taken alto- gether our small police courts are tolerably fair tribunals, and where the judges are not too anxious to cut a figure justice is well rendered. But it happens very often that a dispute or difficulty fairly adjusted here by judgment against the wrongdoer is brought up in one of the higher courts, where a lawyer shows that the decision is inconsistent with some old legal technicality and it is set aside. Must legal technicalities always defeat justice ? Tue Prvsstan Brus Boox.—It is asserted that the reason why the contents of the Prus- sian Blue Book are now allowed to come to light is because, as every artist knows, any- thing done in Prussian blue is, on exposure, apt to turn out exceedingly green! Axorner Fiant on His Hanps.—It never raifs but it pours, Torrents of cats and dogs—puppy dogs and mastiffs, ‘Tray, Blanche and Sweetheart, little dogs and all’—and each bearing a challenge in his muzzle, are now yelping after Senator Sprague. It now appears that Captain God- dard, of the bold carbineers of the First regiment of Rhode Island, is out in a card, in which he stigmatizes Sprague as a ‘‘liar, a calumniator and a poltroon,” and, moreover, bluntly states that he so pronounces him “with a full apprehension of the words he uses.” Here is blood and thunder, and no mistake, A Sovtnern exchange is not astonished to see Foote alarmed when he sees Andy John- son “swinging around on a Southern circle.” Perhaps it thinks Foote’s concern arises from the danger of his swinging, not around on a Southern circle, but from 9 Southern perpen- dicular. The Rage for Leagues. If our people keep on their present pace in the formation of “leagues” it will require “seven league boots” to keep up with them. For example, there are the ‘Union Republican Leagues,” or administration rings, all over the country; then there are ‘‘Reform Leagues,” l@king to trade reforms, besides ‘‘Free Trade Leagues,” ‘‘Protection or High Tariff Leagues,” “Eight Hour Union Trade Leagues,” “Southern Emigrant Leagues,” “Woman's Rights Leagues,” and some fools are talking about ‘‘imperial” and ‘“‘anti- imperial” leagues, It would seem the American people would league themselves with the very Old Harry himself to satisfy their cravings for sensational secret organiza- tions. It isdoubtful, however, whether such a league would stand for any length of time; for if ever a Yankee should belong to it he would be sure to get up an ‘‘anti-Beelzebub league” in a very brief period. Yes, and if the ‘“Sorosis League” should attempt to establish a branch down there some envious Puritanical blue- stocking would be sure to get up an “‘anti- So-roasters’ league,” and then there would be hot times! ImporTaANT TO THE QuaKER INDIAN AceEnts.—It is not necessary for our worthy Quaker friends to go to the Indian country to enjoy the luxury of being scalped. Let them take a trip on the Long Island Railroad. That will settle their hash far more expeditiously than a visit to the Plains, InconsIsTENT.—An exchange declaims against office-holding as a misfortune to a young man, and yet congratulates a brother editor named Rew upon his good fortune in being appointed revenue collector in some small interior district, But perhaps this is an exception to the general rule and that Mr. Rew will never rue the day he accepted official position, Runnine Riot.—According to a published list of diplomatic nominees the name of C. N. Riotte appears in two places—in one as Min- ister Resident to Nicaragua and in another in the position for Costa Rica. If appointments are running riot in this way in the State De- partment can not Mr. Secretary Fish find some other position for Mr. Riotte? But perhaps that gentleman will only accept one outfit and asingle salary, and that will'be a cheap way for Mr. Fish to run our diplomatic system, you know. AttTHoven something of a military man Sprague very properly objects to being an- nye-hilated by any infant-ry tactics. He Draws His Satary Nosry.—A Nash- ville exchange remarks that ‘‘men may criti- cise Grant’s appointments as they will, but there is one that will survive any test. The commander of the Grand Army of the Republio in this region will be found, in every emer- gency, standing nobly at his post with his drawn salary in his hand.” He is better off than many local office-holders in this city, who have neither drawn their salaries nor the “sword of Scotland” for many months past, on account of the failure of the Legislature to pass the tax levy. This makes a good busi- ness for money lenders, who, taking advan- tage of the necessities of the poorer class of office-holders, purchase warrants on the city treasury for salaries due at the modest rate of fifteen per cent discount. Tue Bennettaville (S. C.) Journal is talking about the uncertain status of the ‘‘negro bond question.” What's that? We had supposed that the constitutional amendments had knocked all negro bonds, including shackles, handcuffs,’ nose rings, and so on, higher than any kiting in Wall street could send any description of bonds. Again we ask what are those negro bonds in South Carolina ? Boaus CoRRESPONDENCR FROM CUBA.— Several of our contemporaries have been in- discreetly led into the publication of letters pretending to come from Cuba and to give reliable intelligence from insurgent sources. To any person having a knowledge of Cuban geography and of recent events in that island these pretended letters carry_conviction of fraud apon their face. We have received many of them also, but the perusal of a single page of their crude compilings generally suffices to carry them into the waste basket. The fili- busters can do better business anywhere than sending such inventions to the Hera. Harr a Biock.—We doubt the fairness of that new rule for assessment in regard to street openings now before the Legislature, by which the limit of assessment is rigorously confined to half a block, Surely the benefit is more extensive. Exrraorpinary Cask or Memory.—Tae Buffalo Courier recalls an occurrence in the New York Legislature about eighteen years ago, when the present Secretary of State was the whig candidate for the United States Senate in place of Daniel 8. Dickinson. The vote in the Senate was a tie, but the unex- plained absence of a democratic member gave the whigs a majority and Mr. Fish was elected. Strange as it may appear, a gentleman strongly resembling this absentee democrat of eigh- teen years ago turned up in Washington re- cently, and, spurning all red tape circumlocu- tion, had a private audience with the Secretary of State—the same Mr. Fish—and soon after reappeared upon Pennsylvania avenue with the commission for a fat consular generalship im his breast pocket. This isa remarkable case of memory in a politician, whose rewards as & class are generally actuated by a lively sense of favors to come, not past, especially after so long an interval as eighteen years. ‘The Sorosis. Tea! Tea always was ® hobby with the American ladies ever since Boston harbor was flavored with Young Hyson and Sou- chong. It was very natural, therefore, that the ladies of the great Sorosis should resort to tea upon the occasion of celebrating their independence last Saturday evening at a Now York eating house. The admirers of the ‘society gathered inlarge numbera, for it was a free lunch, and the Bohemians are always ready upon such an occasion to fill their haversacks for a long march, A prominent member of the Associated Press was present 5 also a leader among the monopolists of great enterprises ; also the ‘‘decisive battles of the war;” and a number of literary jay birds lit in the Sorosis cornfield, and, despite the scare=