The New York Herald Newspaper, December 22, 1870, Page 7

6 v NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1870.-TRIPLE SHEKT. Protection. NEW YORK HERALD ‘The teapot Press on Free Trade and BRCADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIEFTOR. AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING, GRAND OPERA HOUSE, cor corner of 8th av, and 23d 6t.— Barur Bi kur. OLYMPIC THEATRE, - Brondway. TOE PANTOMIME OF Wee Wits Winkir, WOOD'S MUSEUM Broadw: ‘ances every alternoon and | FIFTH AVENUS THEATRE, Twenty-fourth street.— BARATOGA. GLOBE THEATRE, 723 Broadway. VARIETY ENTER- TAINMENT, kc. BOWERY THEATRE, Tux SuNcurst. BOOTA’S THEATRE, 23d at., between tb ana 6to avs.— Bir Van WINK.E. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadwi Tae BLACK CRooK. * is WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway and 18th street.— CoqurrrEs. LINA EDWIN's THEATRE, 720 Broadway: —LITTLE JaAOw SuEPPAuD. MRS. F. B, CONWA\'3 PARK T! le - Tue Emteaup RING. MEATRE, Brookira, Tad 80th at.—Perform- Bowery.Neox AND Neox— Toe SPECTACLE OF BROOKLYN ACADEMY. OF NUSIC.—Orexs Bourrs~ Lxe BEi@anps, TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 201 Bowery.--Va- RIEVY ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE COMIQUE, 514 Broedway.—Couio Vooau- 18M, Nv@ko Acts, &0.—Tux BLAO) Dw. BAN FRANCISCO MINSTREL HALL, §85 Broa ‘way. Neoko Mivszeetor, FaRoes, BUR RIQUES, eo. BRYANT'S NEW OPERA uous and 7th ays.—Neazo Mingr: a ed APOLLO HALL, corner 8th street and Broadway.— Dr. Counr's DioRaMA OF InkLAND. at., between 6th NERICLTIES, &0, HOOLEY'S OPERA Hi Brooklyn.—Neuzo MIN- STRALSY, BURLESQUES, & BROOKLYN OPERA Ht Warik's Mixsranys, -Cani ——Wriom, Araines & uk News TO Mary, 40, ASSOCIATION HALL, | 20d street and 4th ay.—GBaxD Concent. NEW YORK CIRCU: HE Reve, AcrouA’ TRIPI LE SHE EBT. bral ‘1870. strect.—ScEN@S IN New York, Thursdays December CONTENTS or F Gos ug} SRALD Xeiting Debates in the Senate | Mr. Sumner’s Personal Explana- § Rupture witn the deat; ion on the Deminican Question; | 3 of Sumner and. Morton; Sutler’s y Lill Postponed; General’ Scheack Nominated for the English Mission, 4—Forefathers’ b th Jubtiee of the Descend- ms at Plymouth Rock « i Banquet and Ball; inthrop—The Celebr - tional Exercises; Oration by Robert tion In this City: Haiph Waldo Emerson's | Address Postponed—Lauach of the Yacht , Enchantress. 5—Fechter Versus Watllack: Various Opintons by | Various People in Regard to “ine Lite Unpieas 9 atrica News trom South America au \ Wall Street War: The “8k Daniel wand Ri c ‘al Obscuration of the Sun "To-Day 2—Pudlic School rns Sun Toa Desperadoes Caged. G=—Editoriais: Leading Ariicie, “The Party Press | on Freo Trade and Frotectioa”—Aimusement Ainonneements, | Y-Eiortal (continued from 1 War in France—' Russell Urges a Question of the 8=Proc sition Frankly | Matters—“The Rare- 4sappearance—Finan- ts, lal an 10=Pr ey n Congress (continued from Yhird Page)—Horrors of the Deep: The Ship A. B. Wrinan Struck by Lightning at Sea; the Vessel and Catto Gonsymed—Shipping titel 11=North Hoide he Teena tmieos of Governor 1 Breese—The Wall- | of the People—Pub- e—The Brakemen's Strike on the Ene ‘cadl—Advertisements. 1Q—Acvertusements. Burier says Farnsworth has been wanting honesty ali his life. No one can say that of Butler. Some people not enly never want | honesty, but would not have it if they could get it. RoHITECTS OR Lanpsoape Av- Toorats ?—In view of the dictatorial manner assumed by the so. ed ‘landscape archi- tects” of Central Park towards the Park Com- missioners would it not be more appropriate | to designate them ‘landscape autocr. Tut Aportionist, Dr. Evans, leased yesterday on seventy-five thousand dollars bail, his sister and a friend named Walsh furnishing the requisite security with- out a flutter. was re- worth exhibited a rare pieve of comic acting, and Senator Sumner enacted some very fine heavy business f in the + Nevapa, it seems, has lost its population so rapidly that it is already below the minimum | at which a Territory can be admitted as a Btate, and it is being discussed whether she | cam be turned out again. The parties most interested in the matter are Senators Nye and | Stewart, whe held as influential positions, not- , withstanding the meagreness of their State, as Conkling and Fenton. + We Are Guap that S:nator Sherman has | had his little bill ‘‘correcting an ambiguity in | the law relative to the classification of the | Guties on sugar” passed. He has been beunc- | 4ng into the debate on the St. Domingo treaty atevery pause with that uneasy bill, trying to | have it passed. In all the most stirriag pas- | sages of that really stirring discussion up | would pop Mr. Sherman like the harlequio in | the play with that little sugar bill, ‘‘correcting | an ambiguity,” &c. We are glad it is passed at last. bh ; Our SRIPPING InterEsts BEFORE CoN- @ruse.—The Committee of the House of | Representatives on Commerce is at work, it | appears, on the subject of our slipping Interosts, It has not commenced this labor a fay too soon; in fact, it has been deferred too. Jong. The country is losing the finest oppor- nity that ever has occurred to reatore our fepressed mercantile marine. May we not ope that the Committee on Commerce will goon a liberal and comprehensive on this subject? Let our capitalists y ships where they can get them cheapest best and give them American registers, yre should soon compete successfully with ers io the carrying trade, and should j can bring forth. ' and exhausting civil war in this country was | nent. ! all nations. ' them for a certain class of productions. | of the other State. | where. | own interests. To read the interminable discussion and oft- repeated arguments of the party press on the questions of free trade and protection ‘is enough to bewilder the brain of any one. In this city, for example, there is dished up almost every day In the paper that assumes to be the organ of the democrats and -froe traders a quantity of stale dogmatic stuf against the protection theory, and ia the radi- cal protectioniat organ a flood of abstractions and perveried theories inst free trade and in favor of protection. en, again, wo have free trade journals that are radical in politics and some few democratic papers that favor protection, Besides there are the revenue reformers, who are for the most part radical republicans, The great cosmopolitan city of New York, being the heart of all movements, represents these parties, but they originate with and are based upon the interests of the ifforent sections of the country. New Eng- land and Pennsylvania are for protestion be- cause they manufacture, and the West and South favor free trade because their industry and interest lie chiefly in agriculture. . While the views of each flad expression and are re- presented in this commercial and financial metropolis, and while the mass of the people here are ixclined to free trade, we can take an impartial view of the subject and hold the balance between tho extremes, This contest between free traders and pro- tectionisis is not, as is well known, a new one. It is ag old as the government, and, perhaps we might say, as old as human socicty. More has been written on the subject than on almost any otber. The foundation of the frse trade theory and of all the arguments on it is be- nevolence or philanthropy—the greatest good of the greatest number the world allover. This is Christianity. It is a noble theory. It is to exchange freely, without impost or restriction, tho products of the soil, mines, sea, manufac- tures, and whatever the labor and skill of man It would make a universal brotherhood of all nations and races, and place them on the same footing with regard to trade or commercial intercourse as the people of any one nation—as the people of the Uniied States— hold with one another. The fearfully bloody | fought on the part of the Unionisis principally to maintain free intercourse or free trade be- tween the different sections of this vast Cunti- The unrestricted interchange of the | industvial productions of a people does more ‘than anything else to establish national unity and to keep alive patriotism. The system of | free trade which we have between the different sections and among the States composing the | republic tho free traders would extend among Hence, as was said, the basis of | their theory fs benevolenco—good fellowship { among the different nations and races of men— and the greatest good to mankind in the aggregate. Then, again, it is said, free trade would in- | crease the products of industry throughout | the world, ' produce just such things as they could most | cheaply andabundantly. The people of every because people would labor to nation or section of 4 country would use the advantages which soil, climate, mincral wealth, water power or acquired skill gives If it takes eight days’ labor to produce a ton of iron in Ponusylvania, where all the conditions are favorable, and sixteen days’ labor to pro- duce the same amount in another State less favored for such iadustry, it would be better ; certainly that Pennsylvania should continue to | produce iron and exchange it for the products Then another State pro- duces certain things with half the labor that it would cost Pennsylvania to produce them. If, therefore, there be a free exchange be- tween the two, each continues to employ its Jabor most economically. The total produc- tion is thus doubled. The same argument ap- | plies to nations as to States or sections of the same country. Not only would free trade be benevolent in its operation, but it would tend ly production greatly, and, as a con- sequence, to largely extend commerce. But beautiful and Carisiian-like as this theory he world has not yet reached that high state of civilization when nations wil! forego apparent special aud present advantages for the good of mankind at large, or for the sake of an abstract principle. If all nations could be induced to enter into a | Universal free trade league at once it might not be long before the advantages would be- come equalized and the benefits felt every- But this cannot be expected. This Utopia cannot be realized. Nations are selfish and study ouly what they believe to be their Most of them consider protec- tion useful if not necessary to-their own in- dustrial developement. One nation could not adopt the principle of absolute free trade while others imposed tariffs and restrictions, | excep, indeed, any one should be found that i hag all the industries fully developed within itself and able to compete with all others, Englaud, perhaps, is nearer that condition than any other country, and we see, conse- | quently, a stronger tendency to free trade there than elsewhere, Still the principle is | sound. It is in accordance with the truths of political economy. The world as it advances in civilization must tend more and more to | free trade, for that will increase production ; and lead te the development of all the re- | Sources and talents of the nations of the earth. The American republic would be in as good | & position to adopt the free trade policy as any nation, probably, if fiscal considerations did not prevent. The diversity of its productions, ingenuity and activity of its people, and its boundless, undeveloped natural resources are most favorable to such a policy. We do not | need protection for the laboring population; there are so many ways of getting a good liv- ing and even of making money. Nor is it right to afford protection to a few capitalists or toa particular section at the cost of the mass of the peeple and industry in general. That is neither seund policy in an economical point of view nor consistent with the spirit of our in- stitutions. The greatest good ef the greatest number is a maxim that all gevernments should apply, but especially in a republic where there are not supposed te be any privi- leged classes. The financial condition of the country affords protection incidentally to our our tonnage augment by many thousands tons orasy zeae ‘ manufacturers. The government has to raise 6 large revenye te vay the intercat of the debt and its current expenses, aad it could not do this very well without a duty on im- ports. Here, then, the fiscal consideration overcomes that of free trade. Necessity proves superior to principle. This is an advantage, undoubtedly, to the manufacturer; but it must not be inferred that protection per ge is right or good policy. A tariff for revenue only is a different thing from a protective tariff. This is a distinction that the party press does not make. On ono side protection is advocated as a sound principle of political economy, and on the other free trade, without considering the fiscal necessities of tho government, At pre- sent we cannot do without a revenue tariff, however unequally that may operate upon different classes and seotions; but as free trade would be most beneficial to the mass of the people and lead to the greatest aggregate production, the true policy is to approximate to that as steadily as the financial condition of the government will admit. The legislation of Congress ought to be in accordance with such views. The War Situation—The Heroism of Paris The reports from inside Paris continue to represent the people as contented and resolute, and the food supply as sufficient to last two months. Recent accounts of mobs and riots lack confirmation. A rumor of French victo- ries in the fleld is said to be as sustaining as food to the populace, and the general confi- dence in Trochu is unimpaired. When we consider the volatile and pleasure-loving dia- position of the people of Paris, and compre- hend the overwhelming monotony of a long and close siege, we can the more fully appreciate the heroic endurance of the proud capital of France, To be shut outin this age from the news of the world, to be shut out especially in the chief city of France from the stirring and decisive events going on in the provinces of France, to give up the luxuries that Paris alone can supply, and to wait in the dark for the approach of relief or doom—all this while the rest of the world is putting on its holiday attire and ringing its holiday bells for the approach of Christendom’s jubilee—is a fate harder to endure than the ills of camp life or the wounds of battle. Whether Paris eventually fall before the stub- born investment of its German foe, or Paris eventually shake off its bonds and drive its enemy forth, the world can never pay too much honor to the indomitable heroism and endurance of the men and women who com- prise the populace called Parisian. The intelligence from the armies of relief is not new or startling this morning. No im- portant changes of position are reported from the neighborhood of the Loire, and no impor- fant movements of any description are re- ported, except the” advance of Manteuffel again upon Havre. It is said that he has arrived at Bolbec, seventeen miles cast of Havre, with a much larger force than before. fue Trallan Goverament aad the Pope. The Heratp of yesterday gave, in a lengthened special despatch, fuli details of the ministerial bill, now before the Italiaa Parlia- ment, which has for iis object the settlement of the difficulty between the Pope and the Kiag of Italy. All through the Roman Papal trouble we have been endeavoring to do justice to the Pope and to the Italian govera- ment. It has always beea our conviction that the Pope should remainin Rome. His leaving the Holy City would be, and cvuld not but be, Congress Yesterday—St. Domingo aud General Amnesty. - The proceedings in the Senate yesterday were of a highly interesting character, em- bracing personal and public questions. Sena- tor Sumner was the central figure of the day. He made his appearance first in the episede of a personal explanation in reply to a newspaper paragraph which represented that the rela- tions between the President and Senator had been daily growing worse; that the President absolutely declined overtures of reconcilia- tion, and that he even went so far as to declare that bis official character alone prevented him holding the Senator personally responsible for the injurious remarks made by him towards the President im executive sessions of tho Senate, in the street cars and in other places, public and private. Senator Sumner's explanation went no _ farther than a denial of having calumniated the President or exceeded the right of fair criticism of the President’s acts. Then the St. Domingo question came up, on the reso- lation offered some time since by Senator damaging to the best interests which he so nobly represents, But the Italian government has its difficulty. It must move oa and on until moderna Italy can claim for its capital the City of the Seven Hills. At! the world shares the experience of the Italian government and the experience of the Pope. How can two kings live in the one city? 1n the days of the Holy Reman empire the Pope and the Em- peror ruled from different centres. The Pope— the Vicegerent of Christ—and-the King havo never before tried to live in the same city. The Italian government is doing its best to get over the difficulty. The King has beea induced to delay his entrance. The Parlia- ment is now asked to endorse a plan which commends itself to all sensible men. We have looked over and thought over the nine- teen articles of the bill now before the Parlia- ment of Italy; and afier some patient consid- eration we have come to the conclusion that if the bill becomes law in the shape aud spirit in which it is now before us the Pope ought to accept the situation and be thankful. A wiser arrangement, so far as we can see, is not possible in the circumstances. If the Holy Father remains irreconcilable the difficulty will be aggravated and the seitle- ment may be less to his advantage. Make peace in time is our advice. A good arrange- ment, when a worse rather than a better is likely, ought to be preferred. TrrRiBLE ExPLosion NEAR BirMIncHAM.— We print in our European news columns this morning the particulars of the dreadful catas- trophe which occurred ina cariridge factory at Wilton, near Birmingham. Eighteen of the work people were almost instantly killed and about one hundred persons are said to be in- jured. There were five distinct explosions, and the scenes which followed aro described as heartrending. A telegraph despatch re- ceived by the Liverpool Post on the day of the disaster says that ‘“‘the injuries of the suffer- ers are described as fearful. The fields in the neighborhood of the accident are strewed with the charred remains of the dead—headless trunks in some cases. The scene is awful. For a mile the roads are lined with the relatives of the deceased and injured, crying and wringing their han is the old, old story, after all. Incautiousness on the part of one of the employed, and from this want of caution re- sulted a calamity which brings suffering and grief to many a poor English household. GeneRAL ScnENOK has been formally nomi- mated to the English mission, and simul- taneously has formally notified Colonel Camp- bell, of Ohio, that he will contest his right te a seat in the next Congress. Does the General propose to fill beth these places, and, if so, will he bring the Enylish mission over here or will he carry his seat over to England? The latter seoms the most promising ex- pedient, Woo Are Riau on tHe ZooLoagioat Ques- tios ?—The Park Commissioners or the “‘land- scape autocrats?” Let us hear from the Com- gnigajonera. Morton, providing for a commission to visit that island aud report on the facility of its proposed annexation. The attempt to set it aside until after the holidays, on the ground that the House could not take action on it until then, failed, and Senator Sumner proceeded to deliver a two hours’ speech against the proposition. He said that the treaty had been got up by political jockeys— Baez, Fabens and Cazneau—who had se- duced into their firma young officer of the United States—General Babcock—who repre- sented himself as aide-de-camp to the Presi- dent, an cficer unknown to the government of the United States. He said that the pre- tocel signed by Babcock pledged the Presi- dent to use his influence privately- among members of Congress to make tho annexation measure popular, and he appealed to the Senate to bear witness how faithfully the President had carried out that pledge, not only using, but exceeding his influence. He declared that Baez had been maintained in power by the presence of American ships-of- war in Haytien waters; in other words, that he had been sustained by the United States in order that he might betray and sell his couniry. In conclusion, he protested against the annexation scheme in the name of insnlted humanity, of the weak and downtrodden, of peace imporilled, and of the African-race, whose first effort at independence had been rudely assailed. He was replied to in the evening session by Senator Morton, who took up and answered all the points of bis speech in detail, defended the administration, and showed that the passage of the joint resolution would in no manner bind Congress; that all it contemplated was to obtain informa- tion, and that no proper objection to it could be maintained, The session was continued up to a late hour, The Amnesty billis not to go out to the people of the South as a token of peace and good-will at the Christmas season. It was postponed in the House yesterday until the 11th of January, and then the probabilities are that it will be recommitted to the Reconstruction Committee and there buried for the present Congress. Its postponement may be regarded as a partial triumph on the part of those who are in favor of excepting entire classes of persons at the South from the benefits of the bill, and of thoso who ara against any amnesty bill at the present time, as against those, including all the democrats, who are for universal amuesty, or for a more general extension of the principle than is contained in the bill reported by Mr. Butler, In the discussion preliminary to the vote on postponement some personalities were indulged in between Mr. Butler and Mr. Farnsworth, which were indicative of any- thing other than of mutual esteem and respect, and which showed that the irreconcilable differences of opinion held by those gentlemen on _ the subject of amnesty owe much to their attitude of personal hostility. There was nothing else of any interest doue in the Honse, except the presentation and reference of a memorial of Mrs. Victoria C. Wocdhull, who claimed her right to vote under the fourteeath and filteenti constitutional amendments, and wants to have ali the women of the United States declared entiticd to the same privilege. The day's session closed with the delivery of eulogies on Mr. Smyth, a late member from Iowa, who died during the recess. The House will not meet again for legislative purposes‘ till the 4th of January, the meeting to-day being only to enable some members who have speeches pre- pared to deliver them to empty benches and have them printed in the Congressional Globe, that great mausoleum for the stillborn ora- torical efferts of aspiring members. Political Demoralization and Party Viv- lence in Spain. The Spanish Cabinet is about to dissolve the legislative body and appeal to the country by means of a parliamentary election. The ques- tion of dissolution was voted by the Cortes’ yesterday, the representative body being made to acknowledge its own incapacity. The resort to a general election ia cases of extraordinary national difficulty has been a favorite expe- dient with ministers uader monarchical gov- ernments dating from a very few years after the assertion of parliamentary government in England. Republican Spain has not absolved itself of the imperial tradition. The Cortes received the flat ef the executive in Madrid yesterday, amid a scene of intense excite- ment. Sefior Robledo, a royalist, hinted at a coup @état, and then announced that the members of his party ‘would save the King or perish with him”—a very uncomfortable alternative, so far as our judgment goes, both for the King and Robledo. His Majeaty elect may not want to be “‘saved.” Perhaps he will not settle in Madrid, but, seeing the dan- ger, keep away from it. An aristocrat who-was about to hiro an Irishman as coachman in- qtired of the candidate, ‘Pat, how near could you drive to the edge of a precipice in safety ?” “Be mo faith, sir, as far as ever E could away fromit,” wasthereply. The Duke of Aosta may, perhaps,.drive his state coach according to the whip rule of the other vivacious Latin. The King elect will requiro all the caution he can use inside the constitutional guarantees in order to render his seat secure. The jogtalative ex- cltemeat hes been followed ‘by political de- morajizajion ong of doora, There are notions. secret parties and leagues. jis Wh dak Moe nad we On ani eh have had mention already of a ‘‘Maccaroni” party; to day we are told of a “Sardinian” faction. Strange to say, the mémbers of both are vio- lently epposed to the Italian prince. Such eccentricity on the most serious subject de- notes the rotten condition of the social system in Spain; it is the imbecile giggle, which, in some instances, precedes dissolution, Speech of the Emperor of Germany. The speech which King William of Prussia delivered to the mombers of the National Deputation who presented him with the Parlia- mentary confederated resolution bestowing on him the rank and title of Emperor of Germany is reperted verdatim by cable telegram im our columns, The language. used by the aged monarch on the occasion proves him, if addi- tional proof were wanting, worthy of the exalted honor which has been conferred on him. Speaking within the walls of the palace of Versailles and at the head of the greatest army of modern times, his Majesty was fully impressed with a sense of tho solemnity of the occasion. He acknowledged his submission to the power of the guiding hand of God, and evidently recalled to mind the instability of all earthly glory when he opened with his touching allusion to ‘that Providence whose wonderful dispensation has brought us together in this ancient royal residence.” The Emperor accepts the responsibility which attaches to his vastly enlarged sphere of rule and increased power and duty. He reviews the circum- stances which-prompt him. He wishes to give effect to the voice of united Germany; to lead the work of Teutonic fusion to its completion, to “crown the edifice,” not with the frippery ornamentation of tu-day alone, but with those works of solid adornment which were origi- nated and moulded and beautified by the great builders of Germany in the past. For the future he knows no North, no South. He will rule over a united family at home, the mem- bers of which will be educated to a due observ- ance of the faith of treaties, a religious sense of the honor of the nation, an honest discharge of citizen duties, and the acquirement of a complete franchise education which will render the German still more domestic and economic at home, the guardian of regulated liborty in Central Europe, and a still more useful acquisition to the industries of foreign societies when he travels abroad. An Fudependent Philadelphia Scheie. Philadelphia, it appears, has resolved to establish an American line of steamers to Liverpool, and the wischeads and capitalists of the coal and iren State have combined upon this question. A railroad company is: at the head of the mevement, and the basis of suc- cas, it seems, is placed upon the capacity of the railroads to bring produce from the West at lower freights than the New York railroads are doing. Now, this is a question of compe- tition between the railroads of the two States, and they will have a good deal to say to the success of the new transatlan- tic line. That New York has no American line of steamers runniag from this port to Europe is a deplorable fact. It is more than this—it is a reproach to our spirit of enter- prise. If Philadelphia is fortunate enough to establish a paying line, so much the better. However, the scheme seems to be at present to a certain extent inchoate. No company has been organized, but at the same time there seems to be considerable capital realized by subscription. The Pennsylvania Railroad - Company, who are the controlling spirits, sub- scribed four hundred thousand dollars, and the Board of Trade contributed on behalf of the merchants of the city half a million dollars. It is proposed to build four iron steamers of two thousand eight hundred tons, two of them to be constructed at Wilmington and two on the Delaware somewhere contiguous Vs Phila- delphia. All this looks as if our provincial neighbors meant something practical. The fuany part of it is that the projectors of the scheme are so determined that it shall be a Philadelphia enterprise pure and simple that they have resolved that the village of New York shall have no hand in it. New Yorkers, wo pre- sume, cannot even buy stock in the company when the company is formed; yet it is not at all unlikely that New York capital will take a hand in, and a pretty full one, too, if the enter- prise carries any color of success about it. It is an excellent thing to see the prospect of an American line of steamships, built in our own ports and carrying our own flag, sail- ing once again upon the Atlantic. If this enterprise succeeds the whole country may well be proud of it. But what has New York to say in the matter? Is she going to play the laggard forever? Another Chance for Cuba. From the present appearance of things in Spain the advent of the new King from Italy will be the signal for revolutionary outbreaks so formidable and extensive as to make it im- possible fer the gevernment at Madrid to send another sbip or another regiment to the Cuban Captain General for the suppression of the insurrection. Indeed, it is possible that General Prim, with his new King, may soon be so entangled in his revolutionary difficul- ties at home as to be compelled to got rid of the island of Cuba in order to raise the sinews of war or to save himself by an ignominious flight from Spain. Meanwhile, the condition of things in the Peninsula is such as to war-' rant the opinion that no reinforcements to any extent can be sent te Valmaseda for months to come, and so the Cubans themselves may be able to change the fortunes of their struggle in favor of the separation of the island from Spain. As for General Grant, we ean hardly expect much from. him in behalf of Cuba, when he finds it se difficult to get the con- sent of the Senate to a paltry million or two for the splendid island of St. Domingo. The Cubans: must fight their own battle, and in carefully watching the course of events in Spain they may yet fight it eut to eomplete success, Tae Mayor Ovrvoren.—Both Boards of the City Council having passed the resolutions ordering the paving of five different streets with Hamar pavement over the veto of the Mayor, we suppose that we shall soon have the contractors hammering away on all ‘these streets. Does any ohe know what this, Hamar pavement is? The,‘property ownors itl pro- bably know all “about this Corpytation job re tha billghome in. Plymouth Keck, or the “Blarney Stone of America.” Two important events will have occurred within the last and the coming twenty- four hours—to wit: the festive gathering of the descendants of the Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth Rock, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the eclipse-of the Sun. It is a question which will disturb the Earth’s surface the most—the pork and beans junket- ing at the ‘“‘blaraey stone,” or Luna’s dash-upon the face of Old Sol. If anything, the interest of the world is more likely to be centred upon the former occurrence than the latter, inasmuch as the one happens at the “Hub of the Universe” and the other is ob- servable only upon a portion of the Earth’s surface, Serlously—which does not mean that we in- tend to be funny—this annual celebration of the anniversary of the landing of the Pil- grims at Plymouth Rock assumes an unusual feature the present year; and, as will be seen from our extended report of the proceed- ings yesterday on the sacred rock itself, our Now England brethren have been especially glorious in commemorating this anniversary of * the ever-to-be-remembered “landing.” What memories arise while contemplating that immortal day! What revelries sur- round the recollections of the achievements of that stanch old Puritan soldier, Captain Miles Standish, the founder of the institution known throughout New England, even to this day, ag “baked Indian!” Without getting chronology. rather mixed let us pause while we reflecé upon subsequent occurrences. To remember how our liberal Puritan fathers, who had fled from a cruel religious tyranny in the old fogy world, hanged Quakers and witches in the same breath and upon the same branch for uncongenial religious belief and practices— how King Philip, the gentlemanly savage of Mount Hope, founded Narragansett Trotting Park, on Narragansett Bay, and made the best time of the period—how that celebrated trotter was followed by a tribe of bis white fellow citizens, who finally brought him tothe score by making daylight appear be- tween his ribs and his vitals! Let us recall the scene when Bartholomew Gosnold and the warlike Captain John Smith had a trial of the ‘‘manly art” to ascer- tain who had the best right to the hand of the beautiful Virginia princess Pocahontas (not Boaner's fast one), about the time Powhatan founded the Manbaltan Club, or some other club that frequently attempts to smash politi- cal slates as the Indian King wished to smash poor John Smith's head—how the frogs frightened a white settlement in Connecticut just as the Prussians are frightening the frogs in poor, poor France at the present day— how the Puritan abolitionists began to rock the ‘Cradle of Liberty” until the vibration shook the Centinent—how Cotton Mather poured hot brimstone upon the heads of un- believers, and how Jibb2-je-noisy, chief of the Massasoits, or some other mild-tempered indi- vidual, broiled speckled trout and Puritans on the banks of the Merrimac—how from the loins of these Pilgrim Fathers, assisted by intermarriage with the sqaawsa of the period, sprang that race of noble republicans whose descendants fill at once the best pages: of our country’s bistory and most of the fat- offices! Therefore, is not this a day that ought to be celebrated? Precisely. To-Day’s Total Solar Eclipse. The American eclipse of August 7, 1869; and the Indian eclipse of 1868 were in several respects more important than the total solar eclipse of December 22, 1870, is expected to be. That of 1868 was specially distinguished by the exceptional extent to which the lunar disc overlapped, during central totality, the concealed disc of the Sun. At some stations no direct solar light was visible for more than six minutes. The eclipse of last year was less distinguished in this way, although the dura- tion of totality at some stations exceeded four minutes. But what rendered the American eclipse extremely important, even more im- portant than the Indian eclipse, was the fact thata large proportion of the track of the Moon’s shadow lay across a region dotted over with well armed observatories. At many stations where it was carefully observed, from Alaska to North Carolina, the atmospheric conditions were peculiarly favorable. Accord- ing to Mr. Proctor, Fellow ef the Royal Astronomical Society, it is probable that on no previous eccasion had so large-an array of practised observers been employed in scru- tinizing the phenomena of a total. eclipse; and it is absolutely certain that so many appliances had never before been employed to render the researches of the observers effective. But in both respects to-day’s total eclipse is less important. The greatest duration of total obscuration will be but two minutes and eleven seconds; and the track of the Moon’s shadow only skirts the region within which the prin- cipal European observatories are situated. In fact, the only parts of Europe traversed by the shadow are the southern provinces of. Spain and Portugal, Sicily, the southern ox~ tremity of Ltaly, aud parts of Greece and Tur- key. And of these regions only those in the Spanish peninsula and Sicily are practically available, because in the others the duration of totality will be less and the Sun will have, but a small elevation. The best places: observing the eclipse will undoubtedly those along or near the track of totality/in Algeria. The scientific party sent to the Mediter- ranean by the United States goveramony, and whose arrival at Lisbon, en route for ficily, we announced last week, will probablyfhave a large and honorable share in the obsefvatioas to be made of to-day’s eclipse, the fplans of several European governments fr sending out similar expeditions hasing /been inter- fered with by the Frafco- Prussian war. Both the Ameriean , and Epg- lish observers will be amply provided with the best means for making spectroscopy, polariscopy, photography and genéral observa- tions contribute to the obj which they have in view. Their main /object will be to dotermine the nature of thefcorona. Astrono- mets have been looking forward to tho eclipse of to-day ag likely to supply the first really reliable information yet obtained respecting the polarization, f the corona, Mr. Proctor has expressed, ‘his opinion that the ghief promise of "the expedition which was ta & a