The New York Herald Newspaper, February 18, 1871, Page 4

¢ NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. All business or news letter aud telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York UERALD, Letters and packages should be properly sealed. Rejected communications will not be re- turned. THE DAILY E ear, Four cents per copy. price 812, RALD, published every day in the Annual subscription Volume XXXVI -No. 49 AMUSEMENTS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENINS. WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway and th street.— Tak CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. Matinee—MONEY, A EDWIN’S THEAT! ; 720. Broadway Down; On, THE TWO Ltv ov Mary Lrie! Hunren Matinee. GRAND OPERA ROUSE, corner of 8th av. ana Wd #t.— La PRuiouOLE. Matinee—GranpE DUCHESSE. OLYMPIC THEATRE. Broadway.—Ta RiomE.irv oF Tex PERop, Matinee at 2. BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—Pomr; on, Way Down SouTH—MAN AND TIGR. FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE, Twenty-fourty street.— SAMATOGA. Matinee at GLOBE THEATRE, 128 Broadway.—VaRiety ENTER. TAUNMENT, &C.—-GREEN BANNER. Matinee at 255. pNEW YORK STADT THEATRE, 45 Bowery.—Jane ROOTH'S THEATRE, 234 st., between 5th anc 6th avs.— Kine James V. Matinee -RrouELinu. WOOD'S MUSEUM Broadway, corner S0cb st. Perform: ances every afternoon and evening. FOURTEENTH STREET THEATRE (Theatre Francais)- Tur EurtN Star. Matin NIBLO'S GARDEN, Rroadway.—Tne Serevact THE BLACK CROOK. Matinee at 13g. ee MRS. F. B. CONWAY'S PARK THEATRE, Brooklya.— DAVID CorPERFiELD—POOAHONTAS. .STEINWAY HALL, Fourteenth street.-Miss MAnie KREB'S PiANOFORTY RECITAL. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 201 Biviy ENTERTAINMENT. Matinee at 23. THEATRE COMIQUE, 514 Broadway.—Comrc Vooat- IsM, NEGKO ACTS, &C. ‘Matinee at 23. Bowery.—Va- SAN FRANCISCO MINSTREL HALL, 585 Broacway.— NrGuO MINSTRELSY, FAROES, BURLESQUES, £0. BRYANT’S NEW OPERA HOUS and 7th avs.—NeGRo MiNsTR HOOLEY'S OPERA HOUS! KELLY & LEON's MINSTRELS. APOLLO HALL. corner 28th street and Broadway.— DR. Coxry’s DIORAMA OF IRELAND. NEW YORK CIRCUS, Fourteenth street.-SORNES IN THE RING, AcRoBaTS, &c. Mutinee at 2g, ASSOCIATION HALL, 234 street and 4th ave.—GRAND Conorrr. 234 st., between 6th Kocenthrorries, &¢. » Brookiyn.—HOoLer's AND SOMERVILLE ART GALLERY, €2 Fifth avenne.—Ex- UIBITION OF Wokas oF NEW YORK MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Broadway.— BoreNoR AND Axz, DR. KAHN’S ANATOMICAL MUSEUM, 745 Broadway.— ROLENCE anv ant. New York, Saturday, February 1S, 1871. CONTENTS OF TO-DAY’S HERALD. Pace. eh eh eee t—Advertisements. 2—Adve} ling Article, “Th bate in ‘the Dominion Partiame High Commission”—Amusemen' eries De- —The Joint Announce- ments. 5—The situation tn France—The Joint High Com- mission News from All Parts of Europe— i. Domingo—Business Notices. in Congress—The State Capital— y ‘New York e: dler—Out- rage Robbery—On Time—The Divorce Business—Arrest of the New York Bogus Di- vorce Lawyer—French Ballooning—The High- landers, —Marshal Sharpe's Deadlock: The Collector of the Port and the Marshal ef the District en their Muscle—Billiardists in Court—Manhattan Mar- ket—Woman’s Suffrage—Taxing Science in Willtamsburg—Tue Cotton Market—Financial Commercial Reports—Marriages and Deaths, §—News frem Washington—News from Europe— Congressional Investigation into Custom House Affairs—The Bussing Legacy Case—The New Hambarg 0 ‘ne Peabody Funa— Shipping Inteili vertisemenis, A Proposition For A RIVERSIDE AVENUE, along which steam cars can traverse the city on elevated tramways, has been introduced in tho Legislature. Itis an excellent idea, and will be just the thing for West street when the mew docks and piers are finished. Satisriep.—The Boston Post expresses it- self as being satisfied with the High Commis- sion as it stands, notwithstanding Charles Francis Adams is not upon it. ‘The brethren are all satisfied.” Tue TENNESSEE.—A steamer has been reported off the coast of Hayti, supposed to be the Tennessee, but the rig does not corre- spond with that of the latter vessel. Whether it was or was not does not change our opinion in the least. We believe the Tennessee is safe, and that when the next advices are received from St. Dominge it will be found that every- thing with the Commission progresses favor- ubly. The croakers then will be nowhere. Jue Berisa Lion anp THE Brack EaGie.— An English statesman, Sir Henry Lytton Bulwer, sees “mischief” in an English Par- liamentary resolution on the subject of the Franco-Prussian war, for the reason that its adoption by the House of Commens ‘‘would ir- ritate Prussia.” A most remarkable concession to the power of the new ferce which has been evolved on the European Continent. But which is the most dangerous—the acknow- ledgement, or the fact on which it is based? Srare Honor anv State Crepir.—We are glad to see the movements now progressing in Minnesota and North Carolina—the one to do justice to the holders of the repudiated bonds wf 1858-9 and the other te extricate the finances of the State from their present de- plorable condition. Every statesman in the country should remember the ignoble fame which Mississippi won for herself by repudia- tion. It is a matter for curious investigation how far the bad faith of his native State was instrumental ia undermining the loyalty of Jeffersen Davis to his country. Repudiation fathered a great many bad children, Toe Bit to ExTenp the powers of the Court of Special Sessions so that it may punish a criminal as severely as the General Sessions for the same offence is an excellent measure. Judge Dowling, the man ef the long memery, has heretofore shown the will to root out the criminal classes, but his powers haye heen cramped. Give him full swing and many an old burglar, who hap- pened to run afoul of the Judge twenty or thirty years ago, will find something nearer his deserts than a few months in the Peni- teatiary. A Y NEW YORK. HERALD, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1871. The Fisheries Debate tm the Dominier Parliament—The Joint High Commis? sion. Tho Dominion Parliament spent much time yesterday in discussing the fishery question, Sir A. T. Galt thought that it was highly important that Parliament should give expres- sion to its opinion upon this grave question. Sir John A. Macdonald, who, being a member of the Joint High Commission, is supposed to be posted on the subject, insinuated that the Dominion Parliament knew very little about it, and that it might as well be left to the properly constituted authorities to settle, The “opposition,” speaking through its leader, Mr. McKenzie, took up the old tune, and abused the press, the President and the citizens of the United States for certain offensive lan- guage used towards the Dominioa because “‘it occupied a semi-independent position as a dependency of the British empire, which they desired to change by annexatien to the republic.” Now, we are not at all anxious about the matter of annexation. That is a subject which touches the interests, nay, the very vitality, of Canada, and it is for the people there to decide when and how they shall come over to us. Canada, for instance, is not self-sustaining. She is notoriously a burden to England. The statesmen of Grent Britain frequently and even as recently as under Gladstone’s government so declared it. Her value to us, therefore, would not probably be much more than that embraced in the abandonment of the outrageous system of smuggling which prevails on the frentier, by which articles of British manufacture, especially in the iron trade, are stolen into this country. to the great disadvantage of our own manu- facturers. We have loug since come to regard the British provinces on our northern frontier as of exceedingly small account, whether in their old condition of colonies or under the more pompous title of a ‘‘Dominion.” We have always been content to await that inevitable feature in the history of the North American Continent when Canada and the whole British possessions should come into the fold of the United States, there to find peace, comfert and prosperity—to find relief from the perpetual paltry political excitemeats, the hopes, fears and terrors under which they have been suffering for so many years. We use the words hopes, fears and terrors ad- visedly, because we believe that our colonial neighbors have been in a most unhappy and unsettled condition as to their future destiny. They had to take several uncompromising soubs from the mother country, and swallow them without sugar coating. In fact, they submitted to an amount of humiliation that under the same circumstances any people with a germ ef pluck in them would have reseuted—the contemptuous slights of the home government—and declared their independence long ago. The British government showed its utter contempt of the Canadian colonies by refusing to send troops to defend them, by throwing upon the colenies the whole respon- sibility of their own support—leaving them, in fact, to seek protection wherever they could find it. They were deserted by a master who had too little respect for them even to oppress them. But how did the colonies comport themselves “all this time? They bullied and blustered about everything which appeared in an Ameri- can newspaper touching the affairs of the Dominion of Canada. If, fer example, the HeRacp published a sensible article criticising events aeross the border a whole wasps’ nest of wicked editors, big and little, was let loose, and made a horrible noise, although they in- flicted very little sting. When a few hundred wildly patriotic Irishmen, who mistook Canada for England, invaded the sacred soil, all Canada was in a flurry of terror. She drew upon her local military resources as far as the militia would stand to her in the emergency. She sent up a doleful cry for help to the mother government, but it was disregarded. Canada asked for bread, and the Foreign Office gave her a stone. Who saved Canada from invasion when the Fenians made their rash attempt? Who rendered the part which Canada played on those occasions a farce and a byword? It was the Executive of the United States, who, in obedience to international law, seized the arms, munitions, and even the rations of the imvaders; thns leaving them a mere unarmed, unfed, dis- organized crowd when they reached the fron- tier—a crowd which the gallant Canadian volunteers had very little trouble in subduing or running away from, as circumstances con- trolled the fate of battle. However, we recol- leet all these events distinctly, and many others besides, which naturally lead us to inquire upon what grounds this Dominion of Canada, with the antecedents which we have sketched, assumes a bold and defiant attitude upon any question relating to the interests of the United States ? The Joint High Commission appointed by the government of England and by our own government will assuredly settle the fishery question to the satisfaction ef all parties con- cerned, as it will the difficulty about the Ala- bama claims. Both are national questions. Neither Canada nor Ben Butler’s Congres- sional district, although he fathers the claims of every fisherman in Gloucester, will have much to say on the subject of the fisheries when it comes to be treated in the Commis- sion. Suppose England to-morrow were to with- draw her flag from the Dominion, as she has already withdrawn a large portion of her army, what would become ef the Dominion? It would have to drift into some harber for shelter, and if the politicians and statesmen up in those regions do not see that the time is about near at hand for this consummation, in view ef the fisheries question and the Alabama claims, and the action of the Joint High Cem- mission, they must be blind leaders of a blind people. We advise them, therefore, to aban- don snarling at their neighbora, to admit the very humiliating position they occupy in sack- cloth and ashes, and to look manfully to the future which is written on the folios of the Fates. Cottector Morpny anv MarsuaLSHarre.— A dispute recently arose between the Collector of the Port and the Marshal of the district as to which ef these two officers of the federal gevernment should have centrol of property seized under process of the United States Court. This dispute led to some em- | barrassment In the conduct of public business in the Collector's and Marshal's departments. jA sort of deadlock esued, and finally the question was brought to the notice of Judge } Blatchford, who yesterday rendered a deci- sion setting forth that the Collector is the officiat keeper of the property for the court after precess is issued, and that the court, after process is issued, has full control over it in the hands of the Collector. The decision, which will be found in another column, is an important one in many respects, and it re- lieves the departments mentioned from the deadlock which the action of the Marshal has had the effect of putting upon them. M. Thiers as the Hend of the New Pro- visional Government. Aecording to all our latest accounts M. Thiers is the coming man hh France—not the man who is to remain, but the man who, more than any other, is to give shape and character to France under her new conditions. The reso- lution introduced in the Assembly propesing M. Thiers for Chief Executive is clear and unmis- takable proof that France is not wholly lost to reason—that in the midst of all her sorrow and all her madness she is neither indifferent to her in¢erests nor blind to the way of escape which promises better times. M. Thiers is one of the great men of Europe, who is dear to us for the reason that his father was a working blacksmith, and that he himself is a man who owes his immense success in life to his own genius and his own industry. M. Thiers is @ man of letters and a _ statesman. He has written for the press with success, and through the press his first triumphs were wen, As a lawyer his success was not great. This, however, is net to be set down as a fault, for at the time that Thiers was attempting law he was engrossed in those historical studies the result of which we have in the ‘History of the Freuch Revolution” and the ‘‘History of the Consulate and the Empire.” No man has written so warmly of the empire, nor has any man who bas written of the empire written with more caution. He was the favorite Minister of Louis Philippe, and since the downfall of the kingdom, in 1848, all the world has looked to him as the undying friend of the House of Orleans. The coup d'état of 1851 sent M. Thiers into exile, although there were inany who thought that the eulogist of the firstempire would be the first Minister of the second. Since 1848 few have doubted that the great historian and the great statesman was at heart an Orleanist. It has been impossible to doubt his proclivities, His appearance in the Corps Législatif under Napoleon the Third’s reform marked the begin- ning of the dowafall of the empire. He has always been in favor of France having re- stored to her the Rhine boundaries of the first empire ; but he was opposed to this war, be- cause, as he said, France was not prepared to fight with Prussia, far less with united Ger- many. With his European tour and his efforts for peace we are all familiar. Should he suc- ceed te power we have no choice but say he will restore to the throne of France the grand- son of Leuis Philippe. Because he loves his country even more than he hates Louis Napo- leon or loves the house of Orleans he is not likely to talk any more about Rhine boundaries. M. Thiers as Chief Executive means the restora- tion of the House of Orleans and peace for France. Congress Yesterday~The Appropriation Bills—The District of Columbia. Both houses were engaged yesterday on ap- prepriation bills—the Senate on the bill for the legislative, executive and judicial ex- ‘penses of the government, and the House on the bill for the support of the army. The dis- cussion on the latter bill brought up again the question of military interference in the State elections, which afforded Mr. Brooks an op- portunity to get off one of his extraordinary specimens of oratory, in which he drew a fear- ful picture of the terrors into which the women and children of this city were supposed to be thrown by the presence of a regiment of infantry on Governor's Island, or some other place in the vicinity of New York on the day of the last election. It also gave to another shining light of democracy—Mr. Jones, of Kentucky—an opportunity to imitate the example of his Senatorial celleague, Mr. Mc@reery, in asserting the claim of Mrs. Custis Lee to the Arlingtom cemetery pro- perty. Fortunately for Jones, the House passed incontinently to the consideration of another subject just as he was about to feel the terrible weight of Ben Butler's sarcasm and invective. The remainder of the day’s session in the House was devoted to the busi- ness of the District ef Columbia. The report of the conference committee on the bill to create a Territorial government for the District of Columbia was agreed to, and the bill only awaits the signature of the President to be- come alaw. Under the new system the Dis- trict of Columbia will have a Governor and Council, appointed by the President, a House of Delegates, and a delezate in Congress elected by the people. The legislative power is lodged in the Coun- cil and House of Delegates, with the veto power in the Governor, A remarkable bill was also passed yesterday by the House, under which the wife or children of an ine- briate may sustain an action fer damages against the person who gives or sells intoxi- cating liquors to the husband or father. The House held a night session for debate on the bill to establish a national system ef educa- tion, It was a dull and dreary entertain- ment. There was nothing of importance in the Senate proceedings. Tae Taytor Witt Casz.—In_ referring most briefly to the Taylor will case, which bas occupied so much of the time— net unprofitably, it may be presumed—of counsel, and of the litigants themselves, contra, and of the ever excitable mind of the public, it may be to the interest of all to inti- mate in advance—through our usual mysteri- ous avenues of knowledge—that Surrogate Hutchings will deliver his decision on this day two weeks. The werthy Surrogate, in limiting his time, has kept in view the great issues— not the dead, but the live issues—that are at stake, and with most commendable industry and zeal—to once more get over the “long agony,” and to declare upon the will—whether it is the right will in the right place; and with this inteat has fixed upon this early day for his decision. The Rev. Dr. Vinten on 6t. Demingo— Strong Testimony for Annexation, The letter on St, Domingo, of the Rov. Dr. Vinton, of the Trinity Protestant Episcopal church of this city, which we publish this morning, furnishes some very strong testimony in behalf of the annexation of that beautiful and fertile tropical island. In reference to the advantages which we shall secure and give to the island with this desirable acquisition, the learned doctor brings forward an inteili- gent volunteer witness whose experience of forty-one years in the West Indies qualifies him to speak as by authority on the subject. This witness is the British Governor Walker, of the Bahama islands, the capital of which is the flourishing little commercial city of Nassau, N.P. Governor Walker earnestly hopes that the United Statos will secure the Island of St. Domingo; first, because the introduction of our civilization and culture will redeem the society of the West Indies; and, secondly, because the soll and productions of the island, surpassing those of any other, not excepting Cuba, would enrich our country beyond any cost that its acquisition would demand. But the evidence upon this poiat, from Christo- pher Columbus down to General Grant, is overwhelming, and so we need not enlarge upon it. Next Dr. Vinton, from the hint of an old sea captain, calls the attention of General Grant to a chart of the West Indies, if he would be convinced of the naval and commer- cial importance of this splendid island, in view of a ship canal across the isthmus of Darien or Panama. The enthusiast of our distinguished divine for this annexation carries him so far that he wishes his old friend and schoolmate, Senator Sumner, would give up his opposition to the scheme and see the matter in a different light. We fear, however, that Sumner is past praying for, and we are quite sure that the good work can and will be done without him. But our learned doctor, in the very outset of his interesting letter, suggests the acquisition of St. Domingo as a sanitarium—a winter re- sort for our invalids; and he says that the uni- versal wish of those at Nassau is “‘for a resort on American soil in the West Indies for the benefit of invalids”—a wish expressed in a long- ing for the annexation of St. Domingo. To many of our readers who have learned te asso- ciate St. Domingo only with the yellow fever this wish of American invalids at Nassau may seem somewhat out of the way; but St, Do- mingo, especially among its beautiful and fertile mountains, which cover a large portion of the island, enjoys a charm- ing and salubrious climate. We have no deubt that within a year or two from its acquisition its winter resorts for our Northern invalids will be occupied by thousands, and that a new lease of life will thus be gained to most of them. We have east of the Pacific slope no desira- ble winter resort on United States soil for the invalid who wishes to escape our dreadful winter winds. They sweep down through Texas and to the Gulf coast in its whole ex- tent, even at times to the southern extremity of the peninsula of Florida. For instance, we have noticed in our telegraphic reports a dit- ference of fifteen degrees in the winter between the temperature of Key West (which isin the midst of that string of small islands which extend out into the Gulf Stream from the southern cape of Florida) and the tem- perature of Havana, a hundred miles only across the water. This difference comes from our cold northern winds, the chill of which is felt even at Key West, but is never felt at Havana, because of the intervening warm atmosphere of a hundred miles in width rising from the Gulf Stream. St. Domingo, lying several hundred miles still farther south, is, of course, entirely exempt from chilling winds, and January among her mountains is softer and mere delicious than June in Virginia, and her July temperature never rises to the maximum of Long Branch. We therefore cordially approve Dr. Vinton’s idea of St. Domingo as a sanitarium for our invalids who wish to escape to some island refuge under “the old flag,” thank God, free from the chill- ing and searching winds of our continental winters. “Cramming” in Oar Public Schools. Quite a formidable movement is in progress among the divines, physicians, lawyers, mer- chants and other influential classes in Boston to abolish the system now in vogue in the pub- lic Latin school in that city of ‘‘cramming” the scholars. It seems that they are so heavi- ly stuffed with all sorts of learning, and that their hours for study are so continuous, both in school and at home, that they have no time for recreation, either for body or brain, Cases of insanity are alleged to have arisen from this exhausting system ef instruotion, while, according to the testimony of experienced physicians who had sons in the institution, the youths grew up dwarfed in body, weakened in intellect, and, suffering under a variety of dis- eases, drop inte a premature grave. This is a movement in the right direction, and the ex- ample might be followed with benefit in our own public schools. In the words of a learned Scotch gentleman, whose language is quoted by one of the Boston physicians on the present occasion, “It is weel eneuch to teach the young idea how to shoot, but dinna use too big a gun.” There is no subject in the world that teads to elevate seciety and establish ahigh standard for morality and civilization ina greater degree than a proper system of education; and whoever engages in the work of perfecting it can have no loftier ambition. Tae Torts For Coat Freteut from Wilkes- barre to Elizabethport over the Lehigh Valley and the Lehigh and Susquehanna railroad has been raised by the companies from two dollars and seventy-five cents to seven dollars and ten cents—a most eutrageous piece of extortion, which will affect not only the operators themselves, but the most humble consumer in this city. Such a tariff will, in fact, put a complete estoppel on the further shipments of coal either to this city or Philadelphia from the Wilkesbarre region, Unless the Legisla- tures of Pennsylvania and New Jersey can control the ravenous impulses of these railroad cerporations, it will become necessary for us to look elsewhere for coal. This extor- tionate action of the railroads, undertaken ia connection with the uniform jugglery between the operators and the miners to bull the price of coal every winter offers another telling + atgument in favor of a renewal of the import duty that prevanw as getting cheaper from Nova Scotia and keeps us in the power of these soulless monopolies. Proposed Gathering of Press Mnguates iu Ohio. We take pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of a very polite invitation from the officers of the Ohio Editorfal Association to attend, as the guest of the city, a press con- vention to be holden in the city of Akron on the 28d instant. While expressing our regrets at our inability to be present on this interesting occasion, we cannot forbear congraiulationg our brethren of the Ohio press upon the prospect of their having a jolly good time on the 234, and hope that instead of the festivities occupying but two days, as suggested, they may continue a week or still longer if the spirits of the participants can be made to hold out. It is a good thing, this meeting of our friends of the country press. They are harassed with pressing office labora all the year, and itis a pity if they cannot be allowed now and then to join hands and infulge in mutual congratulations and a general fraternal wassail all round. But we hope they will in this connection take a little good-natured advice from us in the friendly spirit it is extended. They no doubt have experienced the hardships of a journalist's life, and we trust the techni- ealities of the printing office will be pardoned when we express the belief that they have oecasionally been ‘‘out of sorts” when they have had no “‘quoins” in the drawer, or had their “forms” “‘battered” by some ‘“‘squab- bling” loafer. Ou the other hand, they have no doubt presented smiling “faces” when, having uo fears of a “‘lock-up” before their eyes, they have i “Chased” the glowing hours with fying ‘‘feet,”” and returned to their ‘‘beds” before old “Nick” has put the ‘‘devil” into their heads. We wish them all manner of happiness and success in their proposed gathering. But we must confess that we do not like the personal publicity which some members of the press on eccasions like this and at other times are prone to encourage. It is dangerous, and demoralizing to the profession. The jour- nalist should be like a sensible actor, who, when he is off the stage, discards stage dodges ; in other words, he should resemble discreet business men, who ‘‘sink the shop” when they are out of it. In short, he should be impersonal, He has a responsibility to bear before the public which should impel him to do his office work in his sanctum, and whea he is abroad he should be as modest and quiet as possible, making no pre- tensions to superiority in any respect over any other class of men. Thea he may be considered as “wise as Solomon and as brave as Julius Cesar”—(who, by the way, was one of the earliest members of the editorial profession). But if he should ope his mouth too widely there is danger of his being mistaken for one of the race of Balaam’s celebrated Scriptural companions, and his courage, instead of re- sembling that of the great Roman warrior and original commentator, be made, like that of Bob Acres, to ‘‘ooze out at his fingers’ ends.” Besides the impropriety of personal publi- city among members of the editorial profes- sion, we regret to notice by the postscript to a circular accompanying our invitation to attend this convocation of the editorial magnates of Ohio another objectionable feature. We refer to the statement of the committee that they are ‘in correspondence With the leading rail- roads of the State in regard to passes, and presume there will be no difficulty in obtaining free transportation for all who may desire to attend the Convention.” This means that those who attend will probably be ‘‘dead- headed” through—a not unusual mode ef rail- way transit, unfortunately, nowadays. Now, we hold that if there is anything con- temptible in the world it is the spectacle of a professional journalist seeking to pass free over railroads or in steamboats, and sponging his board and ledgings from hotel keepers. The whole system is disgraceful, and should not betolerated by respectable journals ; yet it seems to be spreading like an epidemic, as if it were the smallpox among the older or the measles or mumps among the younger mem- bers of the newspaper family. What a shame it is to see founders and conductors of in- fluential newspapers reducing themselves to the level of members of Congress and State Legislatures, and accepting a paltry bribe in the shape ofa free railroad or steamboat pass! Cannot they realize that it is the mis- sion of the newspaper press, aided by that mighty lever, Public Opinion, to move politi- cal worlds, make and unmake statesmen, cause crowns and dynasties to tremble, re- veal and lay bare corruption in high places, inspire eathusiasm in religious communities ; that it is becoming more potential in all that works the moral, social, political, re- ligious—indeed, all practical improvements of mankind—than any other agents under the sun? There are newspapers in existence that do as important a business and with as much promptness and regularity as many of the first banking and commercial houses ia the world. Their credit and standing are as good at home and abroad as those of any of the famous banking and merchant princes we hear 60 muck about, while personally they are more in- dependent in conducting their business affairs. Becoming thus so powerful an engine in pro- moting the welfare of mankind and in dnfin- encing the human mind, is it not humiliating to see decent newspaper men stooping to bar- ter away their independence by accepting a “deadhead” ticket for any purpose whatever? For ourselves we desire to have it distinctly understood that we do not thank railroad or steamboat companies, or hotel keepers or the- atrical managers for ‘“deadheading” any per- son representing himself te be an employé of the Herarp. All our attachés are gentlemen who, when on office business, are prepared to pay their way ; all others may be set down as imposters. In conclusion, while throwing out these sug- gestions to our friends of the press who are soon to assemble in the flourishing city of Akron, we sincerely hope they will enjoy themselves, that they will act with their usual professional courtesy and modesty, that they will preserve their impersonality as far as pos- sible, and, above all, that they will arouse them- selves toa sense of their own independence and dignity by casting off forever the intoler- able yoke of ‘‘deadhead” despotism. Prussinn Siege Against Turbulent Politicians The Emperor William of Germany is not enly a brave, stubborn and tenacious old soldier, but he is a most adroit political strategist besides. .When he had the war against France under full headway, just before the battle of Sedan, he found that there ex- isted in Berlin an anti-war party, a set of secessionist politicians, a peace conclave of men who liked talking much better than soldiering; parties which were likely to annoy the Executive to some extent. His Majesty “shut off” their steam immediately. Berlin was declared in a “state of sioge,” so far as the right of public meeting was concerned, and the Executive decree has remained in force since. Prussian Parliamentary elections are about to be held just now, so the Emperor has “raised the state of siege” in Berlin, in order that the citizen electoral movement may be unfettered. That is, he has “‘uabottled” the city politicians for a season, so that they may be enabled to associate, as he terms it, for the purpose of public meeting. Prisoners held in confinement fer political offences are to be set free to vote, but ‘‘without prejudice to their future prosecution.” The Emperor of Germany evidently knows how to “‘work” the voting ays- tem in Prussia. The politicians may associate under a sort of temporary habeas corpus right, and the jail men are come out to the polls with a sort of running noose ligature round their necks, The ‘“‘straight” administration war ticket will win in Berlin. The Doings of the Legistature—A Warning to the Democracy. The Legislature has taken a recess for ten days. This recess will expire on the 27th instant. The people will have noticed through the press what their representatives have been doing thus far. They will, perhaps, have re- marked that a principal part of the proceed- ings thus far has been devoted to the business of securing a democratic majority in the House. But what has all that amounted to? When brought to the pinch, as it was when the bill conferring feudal powers upon the Commis- sioner ef Public Works in regard to our Croton water supply was introduced, there were members enough found on the republican side to give the aforesaid Commissioner all the votes he required to carry kis point, which was considered a point gained for the demo- eracy. But if the democratic leaders had taken as much pains to secure the attendance of one of their number who did not put in an appearance as they did to secure a democratic Assemblyman in the place of Mr. Twombley, they would have saved trouble and probably expense. As the bill conferring upon a few individuals power to regulate the taxable standard of real estate values was obnoxious to the people and hangs fire, so the bill te repeal the act to widen Broadway was with- drawn by force of public opinion, and a new bill to assess anew has been introduced, and probably will be passed. The question now is, how will Governor Hoffman act upon the several measures, which not only affect the property interests of the citizens of New York, but the political interesta of the democratic party all over the coun. try? During the present recess the Governor will probably take time to reflect upon the ex. traordinary position in which he is placed; and, although he may be personally predis- posed to favor the projects of his friends and political supporters, he will undoubtedly act with that degree of discretion and sagacity which will save himself and the democratic party from the mortification of a disastroua defeat in the Presidential contest of 1872. The Japanese Mission. The arrival of a full fledged Japanese Minister at San Francisco, accredited to Washington, accompanied by his suite and secretaries, and holding in his own person the rank of a prince of the imperial family of Japan, being indeed uncle to the Mikado himself, is an event of great importance. It is the first mission of the kind that Japan hag sent forth since days now far back in ancient history. She has not had a Minister, Minister Resident, consul or commercial agent any- where among the nations of the world for many long years, and we have not yet heard of any similar embassies being forwarded at this time to any other nation than ours. In view of our increasing commerce with Japan and her great twin nation of the far East, China, this unusual expression of re+ gard for our institutions must be considered in a very complimentary light indeed; and in view of our rivalry with England for the com- merce of these two beund giants of the Orient, we have a right to credit ourselves with hav- ing the inside track. Indeed, this mission may be considered more complimentary to us than the appointment of Mr. Burlingame as head of the Chinese Embassy which was so recently roaming about Europe making trea- ties; for while that was rather a personal compliment to one of our citizens, this is a general compliment te the whole nation as the first and youngest Power of the globe from one of the oldest. CUBA. Vaimaseda’s Reception at Cienfuegos—Con- Unued Surrender of Insurgente—Cespedes Making Efforts to Leave the Isiaud. HAVANA, Feb. 17, 1871, Governor General Valmaseda arrived at Clenfue- gos this morning and was received with enthusiasm. The surrenders to Major Arragon near Colon con- tnue. A telegram from Santi Espiritu to the Diarto says that the surrendered insurgents state that Cespedes is making efforts to leave the island from the north coast. A plantation at Aballi has been fired for the third time within a month, Exchange—On London, 16 a 161; premium; on United States, in currency. sixty days, 6 a 635 dis- count; short sight, 3% a 4x discount; in gold, sixty days, 44 premium; short sight, 6 a 644 preminu. THE PEABODY FUND. PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Fob, 17, 1871. At the final session of the Trustees of the Peabody Fund this morning the report of the General Agent ‘was considered, This document gives, minutely, the details of the application of the fund for educa: tonal purposes in the Southern States. In accord. unce with its suggestions the trustees appropriated sums ranging from $300 to $2,000 for various lo- calities; and this being dene the Board adjourned to reassemble at a special meeting to be held at Nashville in October next. The annual meeting will be held in Boston in June, 1872. AUDITOR OF THE CANAL DEPARTMENT. DANY, N, ¥., Feb. 17, 1871. The Senate in executive session to-d y confirmed the nomination of G, B. Daytoa as Auditor of the Canal Depart