The New York Herald Newspaper, October 31, 1870, Page 6

6 NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR, All business or news leiter and telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York Heratp. Volume XXXV. ; AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING, WALLACK'S THEATRE, Broadway ana Joun Bot. LINA EDWIN’S THEATRE, 720 Broadway. —ALADDIN— BL EYED SUSAN. NIBLO'S. GARDEN, Rosk OF Cavity ik treet Broaaway.-Exetiuen Orrna— STEINWAY HALL, Fourteenth street,—GuanD NrL680N Conornt. RA ROWSE, corner of Eighth avenue and tur FAU IRAND Ls OLYNPIO THEATRE, Wer Wun ¥ Broadway.—Tue PANTOMIME OF Woop's M ances every ait SEUM Br corner 20uL st, riovu and evening. form BOWERY THEATRE, Cock or THE Wii Ss Rowery.-Dvty—Tue Gane— FIFTH AVENUS THEATRE, Twenty-fourth st.— axp WIPr. MAN BOOTHS THUATRE, 23d st. be:ween Sth ang 6tb avs.— Kur Van WINKLE. —Vanrery Exren- FAN SEA, EO TREAT N= NYY MRS, ¥. 3. CONWAY'S PARK THEATRE, Brooklyn, MAN AND WIPK. kK TONY P. 1 Bowery.—Va- TOR'S OPERA HOUSE, MENT, 514 Broadway.—Comto Vooat- LL HALL, $88 Broadway.— BURLKBQURS, eC. LEON'S MINSTRELS, No. 803 Broadway. — x Leox—La Roan DE St. FLOUR, 40. BROOKLYN Wurie’s Mi OPERA sTRrLs—C Werron, flvonrs & rs Foucut Nou.y, NEW YORK CIRC ThE RING, ACKoW Fourteenth street, —Scznes IN NSTITUTE EXMIBITION.—-Eurime i und Sixty-third street. AMER RINX, ATOMY, 018 Broadway,— NEW YORK M NEw YORK HERALD, MONDAY, OCTOBER 381, 1870.—TRIPLE SHEET, The Diamond Fields ot South Africa— Another Great Impulse to Civilization. From the horrors of the war in France, from the crisis to the beleaguered clty of Paris and the French republic, from the European perplexities of the peace question, and from the senseless clamors of New York politics, we invite the attention of our readers in this article te the more pleasing subject of the new discovery of the diamond fields of South Africa, In the voluminous and interesting budget of miscellaneous matters in yesterday's HeRarp we gave a page of letters and news- paper extracts relating to those diamond fields, from which we are satisMed that they are a great reality, and that, under the encouraging conditions of a wholesome climate aud the liberal colonial syatem of England, they are destined in a wonderful degree to build up in South Africa civilized communities and cities over an area of five hundred thou- sand square miles. At this time the organized while seitlements in that quarter—Datch and glish, of the British colonies, the Dutch republic and other free States—cover an area of three or four hundred miles in width and over a thousand miles in length, from the Cape of Good Lope northeastwardly to the north end of the Trans-Vaal republic; and the attrac- tions of these diamond mines will soon develop and enlarge these settlements into a prosperous naion, “with all the modern im- provements.” These diamond fields are on the Vaal river, the head stream of the great Orange river, which forms the chain of dividing mountains flanking the Indian Ocean, fows easiwardly for more than @ thousand miles into the Atlantic, in south latitude twenty-nine. The products of this vast region between tho Orange river and the southern sea coast include cotton, sugar, coffee, indigo, wheat, Indian corn, sweet potatoes, grapes, oranges and pineapples. But cattle and sheep furnish the chiof articles of export. Tho Cape coloay alone has produced in a single year eight mil- lion pounds of wool. The Vaal is a beautiful river among the hills, the water clear and delicious, the climate healthy as Culifornia, the country charming in its natural attrac- SCIENCE AND Att. DR. KAHN’S SOIRNCE AND ART. ATOMIC 745 Brondway.— isements, sements. L $ of Bazaine’s Capliniation in is Denounced as a Tral- Excitement tm Tours; In- ~ Ho ble n Among the Soldiets; Fui- of the Surrender of Metz; in the City; Fritz and harles Created Field Mar- 7 A Sequel to “the Myste- the Police—News froin Cuba be Choice and Delicate Morsels of plrstual Refreshments Dramnming for Heaven; The Joys of S ‘ving the Horrors of Taman Depravity; The Romain Beast; A_ Pulpit View of Woman Sutf- frage and Our City Government; Aesthetic, F ¢, Practical, Doctrinal and Dogmati¢ Prisoner”? and Me een (Continued from Fonrth Page)—Masic and the Drama—The Engitsh Stage: What Is Leing Done in the Theatres; Hopeful Celeh- rities, Pérsonal Notes—Highway Kobbery m Brov mh Boat Haud’s Kevenge, 6—Editoriais; Leadto ng. Article, The Diamond Fields of South Africa, Another Great Im- pulse to Civilizailon—Amusement Announces ments, 7—Edtiorlais—Telegraphic News from all Par the World— Washingt: Looking = Alter. New the Census of the Geneval } Artilery Sc rors and Students—Attempted Suicide in a Ceil-—Business Not cea, 8—Sunda. . 2: A Sabbath Stndy of The Rel.gious Aspect of the Most Street in the World; lta Temples, an’ Worsluppers; the Faiths and of Moaern Aristocratic Piety—Art aval Fading | Self-Confessed st Is—The Queens merci Reports—Brookly: y » art Calendars tor To- Dae aeingee and Pas Advertisements. ritish Neutrality; The Lascerbij eared ments, te Advertisement& Q— Advertisements. “Kise Victor EMANUEL offers, as we are told by the cable, “tempting terms” of con- ciliation to the Pope. Tempting a Pope! This will never do. His Majesty the King must read his Bible and learn the reply of the great High Priest to the first tempter who would give him the “kingdoms of eartl if he fell down and worshipped him. The life of St. Anthony would also afford profilable instruc- tion in the royal | nee ary. Tie ResToRATION oF THz German Em. pme.—It is now confidently stated that the various German States, North and Soath, have agreed to invite King William to assume t title of Emperor of Ger The (rerman empire, which had las h var from the days of Otho the First, tenth century under the pressure of the Napoleon, The pre: William will take his } with Otho, with Cuarl leon the Firat. It is no louger ao impossibility that under Prassian guidance ao empire will be established eclipsing ail the empires which have existed in Europe since the days of the Roman Cwsars. Tue Orceanists Movinc.—The fate of Meiz bas to all appearance imparted fres) life to the various political factions in France. The imperialists have made a sad fiasco. The re- publicans now in power do not seem to be able to save the country. The Orleanists, who all but abandoned hope when the Emperor granted his recent political reforms, seem to think that they have found in the present condition of things a fresh opportunity. Such leaders as MM. Thiers, Guizot, Grevy, Montpeyrouxe ng fortune rly in the » was formally dis: the First ption now is that armies 0 ace with roe, Charlemag es the Fifth, with Napo- Ived in 1806 | tions, and living cheap, from the astonishiag abundance of caitle and of wild game of all kinds. Gordon Cumming has pronounced South Africa the hunter's paradise. His cata- logue of wild animals slain in that quarter, from the lion, the elephant and rhinoceros, to the buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, wild boars and gazelles of many varieties, is enough to excite the envy of every young Nimrod in the world who has not shared in his good fortunes, What, then, to the adventurous spirits of the Anglo-Saxon race will be the limit to the rush to South Africa, when, in addition to all the other attractions indicated, we have this irresistible magnet of the Vaal diamond fields, where the precious stones, along the river hills and water courses for five hundred miles, are picked up, varying from five hun- dred to five hundred thousand dollars in value—where thousands of diamond hunters are moving about like ants over an ant hill, and where, from the lucky findings, the host of fortune seckers increases every day? Our reports from that now famous region recall to us the stories of the first rush of “‘the diggers” to the California‘gold placars in 1849, Nay, the mind is carried back to the vast migrations of bold adventurers from Spain which followed her first explorers in search of the ingots of gold and silver with which the new Continent then abounded from Mexico to Pera, and to the whole chain of Spanish Amer! States thus founded, and to the decline of Spain in her resuiting exhaustion and demoralization from her proud place as the dominant kingdom of Earope to the weak- ness of a third rate Power. We are carried back to Sir Walter Raleigh, and to the dreams of gold placers which contributed to the colonization of North Carolina and Virginia, and to the discovery by De Soto of the Mis- sissippi river, and which even affected, to some extent, the Pilgrim Puritans of Massa- chusetis and the French pioneers into Canada, Acadia and Louisiana. From these hopes and dreams of speedy wealth in discoveries of treasures of gold and silver, which contributed so much to the early settlements of America, North and South, by Europeans, we are brought down in this chan- nel of history to California and Australia, and thence to the later discoveries of gold and silver in our new Western States and Territo- ries of Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colo- rado, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming and Montana, and to the amazing results of the development of their mines in the expansion of the conquests of modern civilization, Thus ihe overland railway from the Atlantic to the Pacific, or rather from St. Louis to San Fran- cisco, which was iu 1850 considered utterly | impracticable, is in 1870 in successful opera- | tion; and thus we find regions, pronounced | jot jong ago as worthless as the Desert of | Zahara, now sprinkled with prosperous towns and rising cities boasting their daily news- | papers. thage; her western equatorial coast regions of boundless fertility need only the stimulus and discipline of civilization to her native blacks to develop in timo a trade greater than that of India; her groat oquatorial basia and upper valley of the Nile may be made to yleld hundreds of thousands of cattle and mil- lions of bales of cotton, and the broad, fertile basin of the Zambezi on the Indian Ocean side, may be made to rival in its tropical products the valley of the Amazon. South Africa, how- ever, from its inviting climate and its great variety of products, is surely dostined at no distant day to bring into the front rank of civilized States a prosperous, independent con- federation. England, as a naval outpost and commercial depot, may alill hold fast the Cape of Good Hope; but as sho has gained the amplest profits in trade from the United States as an in- dependent nation, so she will in good time find it her true policy rather to encourage than resist the will of the people in the New Do- minion, in Australia and in South Africa. In- deed, the basis of a republican confederation already exists in those free South African States, England, meantime, can do nothing better than to encourage in every way the settlement of the New Dominion and of South Africa from her redundant population at home. But, whatever she may do or may fail to do, we expect these diamond fields of South Africa to play the same 7éle in the enlarge- ment of civilization as that of the gold fields of California and Australia and the silver moun- tains of Nevada. The War Situatlion—Tho Surrender of Metz. Tho despatches to-day indicate that France, notwithstanding the crowning disaster at Metz, accepts a coutinuance of the war. The Oon- stitutionnel calls upon Gambetta to accept an armistice and provide for the election of a Constituent Assembly, and there may be other appeals for peace from the French people of which we, as yet, have no information, But the war still goes on. The Francs-tireurs have made several successful raids on the railroad communications of the Germans, and no important movement toward peace is reported. On the contrary, M. Thiers bas declined the Prussian safe conduct into Paris, because he is required to go by way of Vorsailles, and thus for a mere abstraction delays and possibly defeats what might be the decisive peace negotiation of all. Count Bismarck’s circular is dreadfully suggestive in con- nection with this action of M, Thiers. He states that, if Paris hold out until the inhabitants are compelled by the immediate approach of starvation to surrender, the Prus- sian army will bo unable to supply them— nearly two millions of people—with rations for a single day, nor will they be able, owing to the destruction of bridges and railways and the consequent obstructions to travel, to reach the provinces, where plenty yet abounds, in time to stay starvation. The alternative is Political and Oiher Sermons Yosterday. It is noteworthy that every year, just about election time, some of the preachers take the stump and lug in the Almighty in aid of the radical party. However difficult it may be to discover any connection between our local politics and religion, the sermons to which we have referred are so certain to be preached that we have almost begua to believe that Providence takes a hand in the election game every autumn. Of course this would be detrimental to Christianity if the Providence of the political preacher were the Providence of the Christian; but as He happily is not we cannot say there is much harm done. How many votes for Woodford and Ledwith Mr. Hepworth gained yesterday by his discourse on the polilical condition of New York we cannot imagine. If the number be in proportion to the freshness and originality of the argument it must be sadly discouraging to the friends of the candidates named. Atout the same thing may be said of the “sermons” of Rev. Dr. Aiken and Rev. Mr. Frothingham. Never- theless we havo drawn quite a picture from the language of these gentlemen. It represents Tweed as the devil, with the fammany sachems as bis imps and Jim Fisk as a kind of Satanic clown driv- ing the chariot of State to the infernal regions as fast as they can. In the background are the republican angels making a pious effort to get possession of the city treasury. Now there probably is not a vast amount of Chris- tianity in this picture, but every impartial reader will admit that it contains quite as much as can be found in the sermons of some of our preachers, From the enormities of the Tammany ring and the purity of republican putriots to the boundless grace of the Creator is a great ascent, which, however, must be made. On this subject Rev. Merrill Richardson preached. It is consoling to know that sal- vation is within the power of all religious sects, and that even the heathen, including the heathen Chinze, wo hope, has a chance to be saved, Dr. Chapin thought that the material- ism of the age was due to outward causes, but that the “inward life” was spiritual and re- ligious. Dr. Evarts, a Chicago clergyman, discoursed on the tendencies of mon to differ in their ideas and opinions, whereby a union of churches was rendered impracticable, Rev. Mr. Smith, of the Jane Street Methodist church, preached on the temptations which beset humanity in the wilderness cf life. He held that “‘one of the best things for a Curis- tian or anybody else to do when tempted is to sing sacred songs.” Satan does not like singing, and when he hears it he departs say- ing, ‘‘This is too dry for me;” and, candidly, considering what some of these “sacred” songs are, wo do not blame him. Even angels would weep to hear them. Brother Beecher began a sermon on the Apostle Paul as a worker, and then drifted across the Atlantic Ocean to London and lost his demo- surrender with plenty on hand or starve even after surrender, and it is a dreadful aiierna- tive, which nothing but the early, almost immediate, success of peace negotiations can avert, We give in our special telegrams an inter- esting account of the surrender of the troops at Metz. The brave army that had held the fortress for sixty-seven days against tho terri- ble enemy, starvation and sickness, marched out as prisoners and were received by their captors with that respectful dignity with which brave men greet foomen worthy of their steel. The army of Prince Frederick Charles will be sent partly to Paris to press the siege there, and partly southward in the movement against Lyons, the Prince himself taking com- mand of this southern expedition, The Campaign in New York. If it were not for the personalities that have been thrown into the political campaign in this State, and the fuss and flurry created by the movements of the government to sustain a law of Congress, we should hardly be led to think that we are almost on the eve of an important State election. It is true that in some Congressional districts a bitter excitement prevails; but as a general thing, judging from the tenor of our correspondence and the tone of the interior press, the 8th of November next is likely to prove as quiet an election day throughout the State as any that have preceded it for a number of years. The Tammany regency in this city have been uncommonly successful in the selection of pop- ular men as nominees for the several offices— from Robert B. Roosevelt for Oongress in the lower to Fernando Wood in the upper dis- tricts. Mr. Wood’s experience in political life, and especially in tho halls of Congress, and his knowledge of the wants of the people in every part of the city of New York, use- fully as well as ornamentally, eminently enti- tle him to re-clection—which he will un- doubtedly attain, In Mr. Roosevelt the city will have a genial, intelligent and worthy representative. There will be no danger of trouble with Great Britain about the “fishery” We have seen, too, that with the exception of the gold washings of California her people are developing enduring sources of wealth in her wheat fields and vineyards, and that as the gold placers of Australia are exhausted new sources of prosperity are opened in her | boundless sheep and ca tle ranges. So will it be with the diamond fields of Sonth Africa. The diamond districts of Brazil have failed to attract any effective emigration because of the drawbacks of the climate and the obstructions of the government. In South Africa, on the other hand, where the freedom and health of | California prevail and the abundant blessings | of the hunter’s paradise, we expect some won- derful results in the expansion of civilization | and commerce from the attractions of those | diamond mines. It is the realization of that diamond story of the Arabian Nights; and | why may not the adventurer to the Vaal dia- mond fields dream of coming away with a sin- gle pebble in his waistcoat pocket that makes him a miilionnaire ? and Portalis have come promiveatly forward. Their purpose is no longer concealed, and a new journal uader the title of La Constituante is about to be established as their organ. The elections, which must take place at 00 distant day will reveal the strength of the different factions, and will go far to setile the question whether France is to be a republic, a mon- archy or an empire. Meanwhile, each of the three great parties will do its utmost to raako vlotory secure. The great Continent of Africa, which boasts the oldest and grandest monuments of ancient civilization, has been through all time and remains to this day, excepting a small section here and there, in a state of barbarism. Its capabilities, however, for human subsistence and luxuries are illimitable. On her northern coast, embracing Algeria and all those States, Africa has still the resources for the creation of a greater commercial emyjre than wae Car- question in case he should be honored with a seat in the next Congress. What ‘the does not know about fishing” is scarcely worth knowing. Of course we may expect some changes in some of the interior Congressional districts, This will result in a measure from the tendency to greediness on the part of some republicans who have held seats for several terms in past Congresses and do not like to surrender the reins of power and the prospects for more pub- lic plunder. These cases, however, are really but trifling family quarrels, and we should not be surprised to hear that they have all been healed before the period of voting arrives, In any event, we advise all parties to keep cool—especially democrats, who, in their hos- tility to the new Election law of Congress, should remember that there was another law coming from the same source, which they de- manded should be rigidly enforced—namely, the defunct Fugitive Slave law, Tax Census or New York Crry.—The Pre- sident, in view of Mayor Hall's charges against the enumeration of the population of this city by Marshal Sharpe, has directed that the cen- | mutiny. cracy at the Court of Queen Victoria. We are assured by the reporter that he concluded wiib ‘‘seyeral practical lessons and encourage- ments to those who are workers in the field of Christianity;” and we hope the reporter is correct. Dr. Deems was quite eloquent on the importance of Divine truth, than which there is certainly nothing more important ; while Rev. Mr. Talmage, in Brooklyn, called upon the unconverted to come up and be regenerated, as this was the accepted time. Bishop Snow blew several loud blasts from the horns of the Beast, and charitably scorched and shrivelled up everybody connected with the Herarp. In tue Catholic churches and in all the Protestant places of worship in New York and Brooklyn not specially referred to the sermons were able and impressive. Wash- ington and Jersey City were also rendered less sinful by numerous discourses well calculated to lead the sinner to repentance, Everywhere the attendance was good; so we may safely conclude that the proceeds of yesterday’s religions business in saved souls were un- usually large. The Alleged Treason of Bazaince. The provisional government of France at Tours have issued a proclamation setting forth the facts of the fall of Metz, and strongly denouncing Bazaine as guilty of unparalleled treachery to France and of disgraceful intrigues in favor of the “Man of Sedan.” If the Marshal were to ap- pear in Tours to-day his life would hardly be worth an hour's purchase. Itis not wonder- ful that the republicans, and indeed French- men generally, should feelindignant. Solong as Bazaine held out there was hope. But having before us the full details which have been furnished us by our special correspond- ents, and looking at all the facts of the case, we can see mo good foundation for so vile a charge. That Bazaine might have held out a little longer no one will deny ; but to hold out longer was only to prolong and aggravate misery. His soldiers were on the verge of The poor citizens were dying by thousands, Nor was there any hope. Day by day as the Marshal looked from the heights he saw that mighty host on every side. His re- peated attempts to cut his way through the enemy, well conceived and skilfully conducted as they were, had one and all proved disas- trous failures. It was humanity, if not stern necessity, that induced Bazaine to give up a useless and cruel struggle. The fall of Metz— a fortress so strong, so well provisioned— leaves us but little encouragement to hope that Paris will long resist the foe. A few weeks more, if an armistice is not meanwhile con- cluded, and King William will have established his headquarters in the Tuileries. JEFF Davis IN ALEXANDRIA. —Quite a cor- dial reception was tendered the ex-chief of the confederacy, by the citizens of Alexandria and bis old friends in that historical old Vir- ginia village. The reception took place in the village hotel—probably the same one wherein Ellsworth was killed at the beginning of the war. The former President of the confederacy and present life insurance agent is said to hold his own remarkably well, and tolook as young and hearty as be did three years ago. He foes. Neither England, Fraove nor Prussia, the three other most enlightened nations on the globe, would dare permit such honors to a8 prominent a rebel as Jeff Davis. It is only & republic that {s strong enough to do it, City PoliticeThe Caldron Bubbling. The political excitement, in view of the approaching election, daily grows hotter and hotter, Torchlight processions, target excur- sions, parades and meetings are multiplying. What with the busy preparations of Marshal Sharpe to enforce law and insure order, with the struggle of the Young Democracy to flank Tammany and of Tammany to flank the Young Democracy, and with the determination of the republicans to cast as large a vote as possible, a very lively triangular fight is going on. Among the latest party demonstrations the most notable are the meetings, on Saturday evening, of the Young Democracy of the Twentieth ward, of the Sixteenth ward adher- ents of the Young Democracy and of the Republican County Convention. At the first of these meetings Mr. William C. Barrett used what he said might be regarded as strong lan- guage from one who has been a member of the General Committee of Tammany Hall, flercely denouncing ‘‘thieving, public plunder and deception of our fellow citizens, as practised by the Tammany Ring,” but declaring that he felt it his duty as a naturalized American citi- zen to expose the wrougs of the party with which he has been engazed for the last thirty years. General W. S. Hillyer interspersed bis eulogy of Judge Ledwith with personali- ties more piquant than polite, going beyond even the wide license which an electioneer- ing campaign concedes to partisan abuse. Judge Ledwith declared that ‘if proper justice were dealt to some men who hold high posi- tions State Prison would be their doom,” and announced himself the champion of ‘‘tho people arrayed against the moneyed aristo- crats and thieves of New York.” Judge Ledwith was also present at a later hour in the Sixteenth ward Young Democracy meeting, and in a brief speech expressed his thanks for the honor proposed to be conferred on him. At the meeting of the Republican County Convention Mr. Charles Spencer complained of what he termed ‘the meanness” of the opponents of his party in securing the Cooper Institute for every night during the campaiga except one, and cheers were loudly given for the Sixty-ninth regiment, an Irish regiment, who had resigned to the republicans the use of the hall for a ratification meeting on that night. Another lot of meetings is set down for to-night, and, in fact, for every night until election day. One good thing about the meetings which have already been held by all parties is that they have not been disgraced by any disturbance. We hope this will con- tinue to be the case until the closing of the polls. Against the active and strenuous exertions of all the opponents of Tammany the Tammany turnout the other evening was a perfect crusher, threatening inevitable and overwhelming defeat by sheer force of num- bers, The Influence of Railrond Corporations in Political Mutters. Important as was the cotton interest in pre- vious years in political matters in this coun- try, the railroad corporate influence is becom- ing every day more and more powerlul. The consolidation of railroad corporations, with their immens2 capitals, in all sections of the country, and the pretentious power they exer- cise, afford indications that the policy of the managers of these corporations is to grasp control not only in State but in the national legislaturcs. Take a few examples. Com- modore Vanderbilt holds in the palm of his | hand three such great railroad institutions as the Hudson River Railroad Company, the Harlem Railroad Company and the New York Central Railroad Company. ‘he Erie Rail- road, with its gigantic proportions, is managed by an adroit railroad manipulator named Gould, with an untiring adjatant in the shape of an opéra bouffe director, the manifi- cent Seiior Jim Fisk. The Pennsylvania Cen- tral is a huge political machine, one of whose branch offices may be said to be located in the Senate of the United States, where the New Jersey Camden and Amboy monopoly has had a central bureau for more than a quar- ter of a century. The Baltimore and Ohio corporation has about as much to say in regard to railroad transportation toand from the na- tional capital as Congress itself; bui its en- croachments upon the prerogatives of the people to the “‘cight of way” over their own domain have not been quite so extensive as some others of our large railroad corporations. The New England railroad corporations have a heavy political influence; while the rebuild- ing of the Southern roads gives to the railroad monarchs in that part of the country—whose operations, however, are largely based on Northern capital—no little political power. Then we have the great Pacific Railroad corpo- ration, with its iron bands spanning the Conti- nent and pointing the way of the whole world to the riches and commercial wants of the once ar Indies. Anon we shall have the stupendous ‘Longitudinal Railroad” stretching in time gll the way from Behring Straits to the Isth of Darien, the veritable “backbone” of the Con- tinent, and uniting its extremes in the embrace, and imparting on its Titan-like mission the healing influences, of civilization and Chris- tianity to people now almost hidden from the lights afforded by the wonderlul progress of the present age. Now it is possible the American people may not be alarmed at the probable effects a com- bination of the capital and influence of these vast railroad corporations may have upon the future of the country—upon the permanency of its institutions and the perpetuity of its po- litical liberties; but, in view of possible con- tingencies, we think we are justified in cau- tioning the people against the possible creation of a railroad oligarchy here tWat may prove 43 dangerous to the nation in times to come a8 was the Southern cotton oligarchy in times past. This subject is one of considerable interest to the American people, and the elections of members to the next Congress should be says he is tired of politics and is going back te his home in the Mississippi canebrakes to sus be taken over again immediately after the coming election. This action on the part of the President is highly commendable, and will doubtless result in a complete rectification of the evident errors and omissions in the census dust tar rest in quiet. The reception thus tendered to the leading statesman and the funeral honors lately paid to the leading soldier of the rebel- lion present most astonishing indications of how secure the Union feels in its great strength pod in ity generous treatment of jig domestla graduated accordingly. | over, that, in several instances, Our Sgecial Letters from rea Progress and National Reconstruction. The special European correspondence which @ppeared in our columns yesterday embraced an interesting exhibit of the actual situation of Old World affairs, as it presented at some of the chief centres of political and diplomatic action on the 15th instant. Our writers dated in London, Berlin and Dublin. We had also an important communication from Constanii- nople, which was despatched on the 4th instant, and which may be regarded as coming frons the grand central point of attraction towards which the general movement of tho outside executives is directed, the contre of hope for the eyes and hearts of the peoples—of the suf- fering democracies who starve for bread, but have small chance of beholding a repetition of that miraculous beneficence which once fed the multitude by the multiplication of a few barley loaves and two small fishes. From London we learn, by this correspond~- ence, that the course of policy which has been pursued by England, under cover of her decla- ration of neutrality inthe European war, has been such as to give offence to the Prussian government and the people of France equally. Folding herself in her newly fashioned garb of non-intervention Great Britain presented a veiled and muffled countenance to France in the hours of her almost friendless exigency, while at the very same moment she stood revealed be- fore Prussia with open pocket and grasping hand in order to receive her profits from the secret arming of a belligereat. Count Berns- storff has exposed her “fawning duplicity” to- wards his royal master and the German people in his circular addressed to Earl Granville—a document couched in such sharp and pun- gent yet truthful language that it almost tempts one to anticipate that the paper eon- tains on its face the germ of the very next war which will be foughtin Europe, The question of peace absorbed the miad of the Prussians, The people were fatigued by the war. They had enough of death; suflicient of victory. Bismarck was about to change his poliey. Like a prudent statesman, as he is, the Prus- sian Premier moves with the tide of public opinion ; he can control a political whirlwind, but is attracted and won by the gentle aspira- tions of the people in their demand for reform— for the extension of the principle of legitimate right based on the soiid foundation of moral force. There is little doubt that North Ger- many will experience another grand politico- revolutionary movement soon after the close of the war. Ireland remained agitated. The people of the Green Isle were attracted towards the cause of the Pope, distracted by the news of the reverses which had been experienced by the arms of France, moved by radical agita~ tors at home and troubled by military inquisi- tion, taxes and so forth. Provincialized in their government, the Irish people cannot evi- dently effect much in the way of public change, 80 we fear that the patriots of the kingdom will be forced to fall back on their old) resource of prayer, accompanying their devo- tions with the heavenly enjoined caution of watching, as did the man who hung up a new hatin a fashionable church, remarking at the moment, “We are told to watch as well ag pray.” Before, indeed above, all these other mat- ters looms up the Eastern question, as wad seen from the special communication of our writer in Turkey, which appeared in our columns yesterday. This question demands a eviutien. This solution will have to come, and soon. Then will pe aevtava ina fate of the once great empires of Turkey and Austria, and with France, Ausiria, Turkey, Italy and Rome reconstructed, the Old World will take a new loase of public life, Asia and Africa will then be brought before an enlightened, allied and reforming tribunal for instruction and regeneration. The Word will go forth from the holy shrines and be heard and obeyed from the Himalayas to the shores of the Red Sea. A Wholesome Example. The execution of Margaret Waters, a profes- sional child murderess, in London, took place on the 11th of October, The jury could not resist the conclusion that she had been for a considerable time engaged in carrying on a regular system of obtaining money by pretend- ing to ‘‘adopt” or take charge of children, mostly illegitimate, with a deliberate intention of destroying them as soon as possible, in order that a large part of the money paid with them should remain to her benefit, and, more- she was actually guilty of murder. She was sentenced to death, The Lord Chief Baron, who tried the prisoner, informed the Home Secretary that he could not see any circumstance that would justify an interference with the carrying out of the sentence. The London Post saya that it was pretty well understood from the first that the authorities considered the offence of such a fearful character that, in the event of a conviction, they were determined to make aterrible example, in the hope that it would have the effect of putting an end to the fright- ful system of wholesale and deliberate murder of infants which they had reason, from the evidence that was disclosed, to believe existed in London, There is too much reason to believe that a similar atrocious system exists also in some American cities. The hanging of Margaret Waters may prove a wholesome example to guilty parties not a thousand miles from New York. Mr. J. D. Cox, Tux Secretary oF THR InrEenior, publishes his letter to the President tendering his resignation. He states rather vaguely the reasons for his withdrawal. He | says that some of his reforms in the Interior Department were opposed by the political managers in Congress, especially where their patronage was involved, and he thought it best to relieve them of his irritating presence. If such was the case Mr. Cox did very wrong to resign. He should have consented to stand as a breakwater against this flood of anti- reformers, General Grunt’s administration is, strong to enforce his policy of honesty, economy and the enforcement of the laws ; but his hands must necessarily be weakened by the defection of so sterling and honest a man as General Cox. Kine WintiaM or Prussta acquiesces in the right of the Spanish people to nominate and choose an Italian prince as their King. His expression has been conveyed to the Cab- inet In Madrid in the most graceful terms, It ja “Jawfal te learo from the enamy.* Toe Loxpon Treatres Reyitwev.—The London theatres are specially reviewed in the interesting communication from that city which appears in our columns to-day. Tha fella us of what ja being done and what