The New York Herald Newspaper, April 26, 1871, Page 6

6 NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR, All business or news letter and telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York HeERaw. Letters’ and packages should be properly sealed. Rejected communications will not be re- AMUSEMENTS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WALLACK’S THEATRE. Broadway and 13th street.— ‘Tax Lian—Tue Nenvovs Man. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway.—TH® SPECTACLE OF ‘Tux Lire anv Drata or RicHanp ILI. LINA EDWIN'’S THEATRE, 720 Broadway.—ComEpY OF PLUOK. Matinee at 2. GRAND OPERA HOUSE, corner of 8b av. ana 93d st.— ‘Lks BRIGANDS. BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—ScuNIDER—NEW SONGS AND Dances. FIFTH AVFNUS THEATRE, Twenty-fourth street.— ‘Tux CaiTIc—A THOUSAND A YRAR. GLOBE THEATRE, 728 Broadwav.—VAarinty ENTER. TAINMENT, &C.—PRARL OF TOKAY. Matinee at 235. OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway.—Tuk DRAMA OF Houizon. Matinee at 2. NEW YORK STADT THEATRE. No. 45 Bowery.— GERMAN OrrRa—TuE MrERY Wives Or WINDSOR. BOOTH’S THEATRE, 234 at., vetwoen 5.2 and 6th avs, — A WovteR’s TALE. WOOD'S MUSEUM Broadway, corner Sith st.—Perform- ances every afternoon and evening, ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Fourtecnth street—ADRIENNE Lxoovvreur. MRS. F. B. CONWAY'S PARK THEATRE, Brooklyn.— PAL Pry—Roast CLams at Conzy Is.anp, SAN FRANCISCO MINSTREL HALL, 585 Rroa‘way,— Sateuma’s ROYAL JAPANESE TROUPE. Matinee as 214. BRYANT’S NEW OPERA HOUSE, 234 st, between 6th and 7th avs.—N&GRO MINSTRELSY, 40. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 2m Bowery.—Va- RIETY ENTERTAINMENT. Matinee at 235. it THEATRE COMIQUE, 514 Broadway.—Com1o Vooa.- Ismé, NEGRO ACTS, &0. Matinee at 25. NEWCOMB & ARLINGTON’S MINSTRELS, corner 28th Bt and Broadway.—NEGRO MINSTRELSY, &C, DR. KAHN’S ANATOMICAL MUSEUM, 745 Broadway.— Borne D ART, New York, Wednesday, April 26, 1871. & CONTENTS OF TO-DAY’S HERALD, Advertisements. 2—Advertisementa. B—News trom Washmgton—Boutwell’s Budget— Murdered With a Rung—Obituary—Amuse- ments—News from Central and South America—The President in St. Louts—Warn- ug to Shipmasters—The Mississippi Crevasse— Miscellaneous Telegraphic News. 4—Proceedings in the Courts—Brookiyn Burglars’ Benefit—Financial and Commercial Reports— Marriages and Deaths—Advertisements. S—Advertisements, 6—Editoriais: Leading Article, “The New Decision of the Supreme Court on the Legal Tender Act—What the Politicians Say and Wnat the People Will Say'’—Personal Intelligence—Fine Arts—Amusement Announcements, ‘7—Bloody varis: HERALD Special Reports from the French Capital; An Armistice Agreed Upon to Bury the ; The Versailles Gov- ernment; Guizot—Miscellaneous Teiegrams— ‘the National Game—Tne Camden Murderer— (uba: HERALD Special Reports from Havana— The Turf tn England—Business Notices. S—Advertisements. 9—Advertisements. %O—Another Nathan Mystery: Brutal Murder of an Old and Weaithy Citizen of Petersburg, Va — Tne Coal Troubies—The Tigers’ Trip—‘‘Fatty? Davis—Suipping Intelligence--Advertisements, 1.1—Advertisements. 12—Advertisements. Wane, toe Campen, N. J., MURDERER, who was to have been hanged on Friday next, has hada stay of execution granted, and will have 8 new trial. Tue Presivent left St. Louis yesterday on his return to Washington. He accepted no public demonstration in St. Louis, his visit being one of private business only, A Private Despaton from the Salt Lake ‘and California excursionists announces that the name of the drawing room car ‘William M. Tweed” had been changed to that of the drawing ‘‘cork” room car. “A Wuerry Goop Inga,” as Sam Weller would say, is that of General Grant to have a wherry of his own at Long Branch the coming summer, It will be so hardy to have in the family if he wants to send any of bis up Salt river. GeNenat PLeasonTon has telegraphed an ‘answer to a question of Chancellor Lowe, of England, that the match tax works very well here and yields two million dollars revenue ‘annually. Chancellor Lowe must remember, however, that the people here comprehend why the tax is placed upon them, and are not disposed to chafe at the fair demands of goveroment, Tae Death or ScHamMyL.—Schamyl, the once famous Circassian chief is no more. His special history is little likely ever to be known, or at least fully appreciated, until bis countrymen of the Caucasus begin to run cotton mills, work coal mines or print newspapers. What Wallace was to Scotland, Tell to Switzerland, Abdel Kader, of more recent memory, to Algeria, Schamyl ‘was to the Caucasian tribes. When he fell it ‘was not until after he had fought nobly and suffered much; and it is gratifying to be able to state that since 1859 he has lived with his family, in peace and plenty, as a subject of the Russian empire. Schamyl was born in 1797. Even amid the rush and fury of what we call modern civilization it is not good for us to furget such men as Schamyl. Goizor aNp THe State or Francre.—M. Guizot has again appeared before the public in a communication on the state of France. The veteran ex-Minister has still a hope for the fature of his unfortunate and humiliated coun- try. He finds consolation in the fact that, although France has endured many revolu- tions since 1789, ‘‘she has always redeemed herself, and more than once with honor.” M. Guizot has a good word for the Republican Assembly at Versailles, ‘On the whole,” be says, ‘the National Assembly and the Execa- tive have acted with intelligence, prudence and justice.” We are glad to hear these sen- timents coming from so able and expetienced fatatesman as M. Guizot, and we hope that the final triumph of the republic over the dis- orders which now exist in the capital will prove still more glorious than any heretofore acoomplished in the bistory of the French Ration The New Decision of the Sapreme Court on the Legal Tender Act-What the Politicians Say and What the People Will Say. From several sources at Washington, and in terms so positive that we cannot doubt it, we have the information that the majority of the Supreme Court of the United States have agreed upon an opinion, and that on Monday next they will declare it in open court, afirm- ing the validity of the Legal Tender act of Congress of 1862, not only in reference to contracts made subsequent to the passage of the act, but also in reference to contracts made before its passage. The question sub- mitted to the Court, after argument oa a rehearing on Tuesday last, was whether the so-called Legal Tender act is valid or invalid under the constitution in its application to debts contracted before its passage; and, of course, in deciding upon this question in the affirmative the Court affirms the validity of the act touching debts contracted after its passage. Something over a year ago, after long, exhaustive and exhausting arguments on both sides, the Court decided, five to three, Chief Justice Chase delivering the opinion, that the Legal Tender act could not apply to debts contracted before its passage, and that accordingly all such debts must be paid in coin. This opinion did not touch the question of the legality of the act in relation to debts contracted since its passage ; but there was*an impression abroad at that time that if this question had been brought before the Court its decision would have been that this Legal Tender act is unconstitutional in reference to the payment of all debts—past, present and to come. Mr. Chase, as Secretary of the Treasury, was the author of this act, which Mr. Chase, as Chief Justice, as far as called upon to decide, declared to be beyond the authority of Congress. So far, at least, he has not been able to reconcile his necessities as Secretary of the Treasury in the war for the life of the nation with the constitution of the United States. During the war, however, the carping politician mey say, Mr. Chase was regarded as the head and front of aggressive radical- ism, while in 1868 he was a candidate before the Democratic Convention for the Presidency, and that this change of base may have thrown new light upon the mind of the Chief Justice on the Legal Tender act. At all events he is reported now on this new decision to be with Justices Nelson, Clifford and Field, all demo- crats, in the negative; while in the affirma- tive are Justices Miller, Davis, Swayne, Brad- ley and Strong, the first three appointed by Lincoln and the last two by President Grant. But can it be possible that party politics or personal schemes or interests have anything to do with the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States? It is pretty broadly charged by two of our city contemporaries that personal interests or party affiliations are potential even in this Supreme Court, For example, the Z'ribune, after approving, with terms of high admiration of the Chief Justice, the opinion of the Court of last year on this Legal Tender act, and after declaring that this new decision will ignore the poor and put ‘immense sums in the pockets of the rich and flourishing few corporations,” and after reciting some facta in connection with this new decision, says, ‘‘Not only will the above circumstances be mentioned in deroga- tion of the Court, but the further one that the two Judges (Bradley and Sirong) who were instrumental in reversing the action of the Court, to the great advantage of the great railway and moneyed corporations of the country, were themselves interested in rail- roads at the time of their appointment.” Now, here we have a side blow at General Grant, who appointed these two Judges, and we have a puff of the Chief Justice, from which we might infer that the Zridune is still nursing him and is working to cut out General Grant for the next Presidency. But why not, when in the first place the TZ'ribune’s specie payment crotchets are wholly at war with the maintenance of our paper money system, and when, in the second place, General Grant neglected to consult Mr. Greeley in his Custom House reorganization? Next, with their never-failing antediluvian chop logic on State rights, the editors of the Post deplore this new decision as another step to a centralized government, and then with some broad allusions to the personal composi- tion of the Court, and especially to the per- sonal opinions of Justices Bradley and Strong, we are told that ‘“‘many observers go further, and freely observe that these gentlemen, who were well known long before their appoint- ment to have formed and expressed similar opinions in the service of the great corpora- tions to which they belonged, are on the bench for the purpose of changing its judgment; sb that the decision of the Court is really nothing more or less than the will of the appointing power.” In other words, it is here suggested that General Grant, in the appointment of Jus- tices Bradley and Strong, deliberately packed the Supreme Court in order to obtain the de- cision he desired on this Legal Tender act. But have not the learned pundits of the Post been also disappointed in the matter of certain “castles in Spain?” We cannot tell, but we may remark that since the appointment of General Sickles to Madrid everything to them has gone wrong at Washington. The truth is, there is no use in being mealy mouthed upon these judgments of the press or these decisions of the Supreme Court. They are all more or less affected, where great political questions are involved, by party influences and associa- tions. Since the time of General Jackson, if not before, the appdintments to the Supreme Court have been from the party in power, and if Abraham Lincoln got in a democrat or two it was less from design than from a mistake. But coming to the real merits of this Legal Tender act decision, will it put immense sums of money into the pockets of the rich and into the hands of a few wealthy railway and other corporations at the expense of the poor and laboring maeses of the country? We think not, We think, on the contrary, that this decision will be good in its effects upon all classes, pursuits and professions, in giving security and stability to our existing financial and business system of operations, in main- taining and in still advancing the gold value of our national currency and national bonds and in putting an end to all donbts and misgivings touching the validity of the Legal Tender act in reference to contracts, past, present and lo come, On the other hand there can be no doubt that a decision from the Supreme Court sustaining the decision of last year and in addiion pronouncing the Legal Tender act voconstitational absolutely would be a disas- trous shock to the country in all its financial and basiness affairs. The constitution of the United States declares that Congress shall have the power “to coln money and to rogulate the value thereof,” aod the power to “borrow money ;” and while nothing is sald of Congress on legal tenders, the States, in their individual capacity, are expressly probitited emitting bills of credit or making anything but gold and silver » legal tender in payment of dehta. In addition to the above and numerous other express powers granted to Congress, it ix empowered “to make all lawa which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execu- tion the forezoing powers ;"” aod as some of the framers of the constitution assisted in estab- lishing the first bawk of the United States, we may assume that they knew something of these general powers of Congress which they intended it should exercise. Wis the power, then, to issue paper money, and the power to coin money and regulate its valee, how can Congress be denied the incidental power of declaring its paper money a legal tender? Next, in declaring it a legal tender, may it not be applied to all debie outstanding at the passage of the act, as an act changing the value of coin will apply, one way or the other? But, satisfied that the majority of the Supreme Court will exhaustively plead the constitu- tionality of their opinion, we drop the argu- ment. It is thoir opinion that most direetly interests us all; and, whatever the politicians may say of the influences resulting in this opinion, we believe it will be good in its effects, and wil! give great and general satisfaction to the country, We have no faith in the politi- cians on either side; but we bave great faith in the good, practical common sense of the American people, and we believe they will say that this Supreme Coart decision is good. Dr. Dollisger and the King ef Bavaria. The King of Bavaria has jost written « note of condolence to Dr, Dillinger, The King of Bavaria is a young man of twenty six, Dr, Dillinger is an old man of seventy- two. When the layman and the priest, the king and the subject, aggressive youth and conservative old age, 80 meet and so agree, there is only one explanation—which is, that the national sentiment is not divided. No reader of the Heap is ignorant of the fact that Dr. Dillinger was, before and during the Council, the soul of the anti-infallibilist party. The sentiment against infallibility was gen- eral—it was English, American, French, Ger - man; but the learning, the exhaustive re- search, the just conclusion, came from the Munich Professor. It was he who inspired Strozmayer of Hungary, the Prince Primate of Bohemia, the Archbishop of Manich and the rest. The opposition to the dogma which, while the Council was in session, was strong, became weak directly the Council was dispersed. Our American bishops, as well as some of the English and French and German bishops, as quietly and with as much grace as was possible in the circumstances swallowed the leek. Dr. Dillinger is the one man who has stood out, and for conscience sake braved all the consequences. Loving the Catholic Church dearly, and believing that the unity of Christianity was still possible under the Catholic banner, he fought and still fights against what he considers an innovation, a wrong, a folly. For doing so he has been excommunicated. Let it not be forgotten that in bis manifesto, the full text of which we pub- lished last Sunday, he asked, in humble terms, to be heard at the approaching Assembly of Bishops at Fulda, and, if that could not be granted, before a commission named and pre- sided over by his archbishop. His argument for this hearing was that, so far as he could find out the truth, thousands of the clergy and hundreds of thousands of the laity were opposed to the dogms of infallibility. “All my friends,” he says, ‘‘are of my mind.” ‘‘Nobody believes it” is what I hear from every lip. “In face of such a request, backed up by the best of reasons, the excommunication is especially impolitic. If the impolicy of the ex- communication required further proof we should find it in the fact that the course of the learned professor and divine has been for- mally endorsed by forty-four out of his sixty- two colleagues in the University of Munich, After praising him for the course he had taken and promising to stand by him, they ask, ‘Is Ged in need of your lie?” and they answer, “We and thousands like us, emphatically like you, reverend sir, say ‘No.’” Add to all this what we said at the outset—tbat the young King is at his back. One other fact ought not to be forgotten in connection with this Déllin- ger-Papal affair. It is this:—South Germany by its union with North Germany has found at least intellectual liberty. This also is im- portant. The national Parliaments in Vienna and Berlin have both, within a few days, pro- nounced against the ultramontanists. Déllinger isa stronger man than Hyacinthe. Old as be is he may prove another Luther. However all this trouble may end, and it is not one whit less interesting to ns on this Continent than to the Europeans, we cannot help saying that this first fruit of infallibility is anything but sweet, All’s well that ends well; but the end of this play is not yet. Spain, Copa anv Tue Unitep StatEs.— Sefior Vildosola, during the sitting of the Spanish Cortes on the 6th inst., read from the New York Heratp of the 18th of March a despatch respecting the sale of Cuba to the United States for the sum of one hundred millions of dollars. The worthy Sefior asked the government for explanations on the sub- ject. The Colonial Minister, warmed to a re- spectable degree of well assumed frenzy, answered Sefior Vildosola by the solemn as- surance that the island had but one price--‘‘the blood of the Spanish army.” All very fine, Mr. Minister. The United States, no doubt, could take it at that price if it 0 de- sired; but the republic can purchase at a cheaper rate, and as it is not in any hurry to close the bargain it can afford to wait. How 18 rr that none of the Big Chicfs of Tammany went on the excursion to Salt Lake? Were they apprehensive that it might prove the forerunner of an excursion up Salt river in 1872? NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26. 1871.—TRIPLE | SHEET. The War Against the Reds—Our Latest Despatches from Paria and Versailles. Our latest despatches from the seat of war around Paris are dated on the 24th and 25th inst, Atthe time they were sent hostilities were being prosecuted with vigor, but it was asserted that a truce would be declared the day following. Whether this is for the pur- pose of considering proposals for peace, or merely to bury the dead, we do not distinctly understand. The bombardment from Fort Mont Valdrien was continued with vigor and increasing accuracy. The Porte Maillot is almost destroyed, and the insurgent artillery- men have tobe cautious how they expose themselves, two having had their heads carried off by shells. Shells are falling in the Avenues des Ternes, Elysées and Josephine, which are swept by the fire of the mitrailleuses, The spectators and inhabitants are flying in every direction and the Nationals are seeking shelter bebind the barricades. In the Rues Cas- tigtione and Rivoli enlarged preparations are being made for a desperate resistance. Notice has been served upoa all persons between the ages of nineteen and forty that they must be ready to march immediately or be tried by a court martial, The National troops are dis- heartened and had refused to go out. Natives of Alsace and Lorraine are exempted from service upon their producing certificates of birth, All persons would be thankful if the Germans would interfere, such is the misery and distress within @e city, The Communists state that the day before a battalion of the line laid down its arms at Asnires, intending to join the rebels, but were stopped by six hundred gendarmes, and that at the southern forts another battalion advanced with the same object, but it was misunderstood by the Nationals, who fired upon the line which then fled. But little reliance should be placed upon these statements; there is probably no trath in them, From Versailles we learn that M. Thiers had a long interview with Prince Albert of Saxony aud General Fabrice on the 24th inst, The reason therefor and the result have not been given publicity. Fort Charenton has been oceupied by ao detachment of the government troops, notwithstanding the assertion of Prince Bismarck that none of the forts would be evacuated by the Germans until the final treaty of peace is signed. It is stated, and we think it quite probable, that a strong reaction in favor of the Emperor Napoleon has set in in the provinces. General Ducrot has resigned and bis command bas been given to General Douai, It is the intention of the government to bombard the city as soon as all the forts on the north and east of Paris are in its possession. M. Thiers, ina circular dated on the 24th inst., says that the last few days have been employed in construct- ing batteries and ether engineering work, and in concentrating troops. New corps have been formed at several points, composed of the veterans who fought at Gravelotte. He fur- ther announces that the late engagements at Bagneux were successes for the government troops, and says that the great movement will soon commence. A slight movement favoring the reds had occurred at Dieppe, but it was instantly suppressed and had no effect upon the populace. On the 25th inst. (yester- day) a heavy fire from the government bat- teries was opened upon Forts d’Issy and Van- res and the ramparts at Point du Jour. A despatch of the same date from Paris says that hostilities had been sus- pended at Neuilly to allow the inhabit- ants to remove, The Commune has made requisitions upon the vacant houses in Paris for lodgings for the people flying from the bombardment. The Germans are abandoning the left bank of the Seine and some of the forts, and the troops of the Commune at- tempted to occupy the latter, but upon notice of the German commander they were ordered to be evacuated by General Cluseret, Upon the whole the situation looks very favorable for the government. It is advancing and strengthening its positions, and increasing its forces in the field. The reds, on the contrary, although showing a bold front, are evidently becoming weaker, and we shall not be sur- prised to hear that they have been compelled to withdraw from their positions and seek the shelter of the city walls and barricades. If they hold out much longer the great assault will be made, and the result of that is easily foretold. The red rebellion must end and the control of Paris be restored to the govern- ment, Tug Stockno-prrs or THE COMMONWEALTH Fire Insrranoe Company at their meeting yesterday discussed the reported defalcation of the Secretary, and some of them declared that Mr. Haws, the President, was culpably negligent. The lesson of the misfortune of this company is the old, old lesson of too much confidence in the honesty of tempted subordinates and too much negligence of business on the part of the high officials. The result is that the innocent policy-holders, and not the guilty officers, are the sufferers, A Bressino ix Diseurse.—Some demo- cratic papers are affecting to make out their defeat in Connecticut a “blessing in disguise.” They argue that if after their victory in New Hampshire they had carried Connecticut triumphantly, instead of by the skin of their teeth in electing the Governor alone, the cop- perhead and unreconstructed democrats would have become so rampant that there would have been no holdjng them, rendering an easy victory to the republicans in 1872 almost cer- tain. In that view of the case the practical defeat of the democrats in Connecticut may be considered a blessing in disguise—but we re- spectfully suggest that the fewer such bless- ings the democratic or any other party has the better it will be for their political supremacy. Tox Rivat Rock Is.anp RatLnoaps at Peo- ria, IIL, baving a litigation amoog themselves, have taken to the arbitration of force, and on Monday night had their locomotives butting at one another for the possession of the track. When these tyrannous corporations become confident enough in their own strength to treat law and order with such utter contempt it is time for the high dignitaries of the land to look seriously to a curtailment of their extraordinary powers. Severas Surrs ror Women Surrrage are in court in Washington. Women’s suits have cost the mena great deal of suffering ever since the days of Adam. to make it appear that the national debt has been greatly reduced, while the burden of taxation has been relieved and the government has been very economical. This, in fact, is one of the planks of the Presidential campaign platform on which the administration, Senator Morton and the other leaders of the party rely. What are the facts, os shown in the article referred to? The receipts of the Treasury, from all sources, for the year ending June 30, 1869, were $370,943,748. The next year, ending June 80, 1870, they were 411,255,477. The increase of taxes or receipts from taxes amounted, therefore, in that year of General Grant's administration $40,311,730, Did this look like a reduction of taxation—like taking the burden off the people ? The amount of taxes collected the first six months of the present fiscal year—that is, up to the 1st of January, 1871—was $200, 198,351. This exceeded the amount of the correspond- ing period the previous year, which shows -that taxation has been increasing and not decreasing all along. Indeed, there has been raised in taxes from an over-burdened people over a hundred millions a year more than was necessary to carry on the government, to pay the interest of the debt and to provide for the sinking fund. How can we believe in the promises of a party to reduce taxation which has all along been cheating the public by mis- representation? It may be traly said of this party that it imposes burdens grievous to be borne and will not lift one even with the little finger. And what is the pretext for this overwhelm- ing taxation? To pay the debt, which ought to be left principally to the future. The present generation bore the weight and brunt of the war, and has paid already a stupendous sum in conducting that and in paying off the floating debt. Twenty years hence the peo- ple of this country will be better able to pay two hundred millions than we are to pay one hundred millions. But the real object in wringing sucha vast amount of taxed! from the people has been to get the credit of pay- ing the debt and to have on hand all the time an enormous surplus fund for political pur- poses. It is impossible to prevent corruption and extravagance with such a stupendous unnecessary revenue. Mr. Boutwell and the administration organs boast of paying $204,754,412 of the debt during the two years of General Grant’s term of office, and of saving $11,537,461 of annual interest -to the country. But we have seen by the figures quoted that if this were truc—if this amount of debt had been paid and interest saved—it has not led to the reduction of our taxes. The fact is not, however, as Mr. Boutwell states. Over two hundred and seventeen millions have actually been expended, but $23,528,948 were paid for premiums on bonds bought and $68,793,150 more for bonds "purchased on account of the sinking fund, as provided for by law. This leaves only $125,027,600 as the special fund applied by the voluntary action of the Secretary to the purchase of the debt, and, consequently, only a saving of a little over seven millions and a half of interest, instead of $11,537,461, as falsely represented. It is useless to talk of honesty when the finan- cial statements of the government are thus garbled to cheat the public. No confidence can be placed in promises to reduce taxation and to practice economy in the face of the facts we have presented. It would hardly be possible for the present dominant party, which has revelled in enormous revenues, expendi- tures and extravagance the last ten years, to come down to moderate taxation and economy. Pepulation Statistics. Mr, Samuel Ruggles’ report on the Com- parative Progress of Population in Europe and the United States, which was submitted to the late session of Congress by President Grant, makes some startling disclosures. The rate of increase in Europe during the past hundred years has diminished from one per eent yearly, at which it stood in the early decades of that period, to six-tenths of one per cent, at which it is rated now. The increase of population in the United States for the present half of the nineteenth century will bardly assume a ratio of two and a half per cent, except in cases of unusaal emigration, and Europe will do well if her ratio is not still further dimin- ished. The causes given for the steady decrease is the dimimishing fecundity in marriage and the lax morality of the two worlds, These statements are somewhat startling, for the percentage of increase con- tinuing to diminish may soon become an actual decrease, and in a few centuries there may be nothing more substantial left of us than there is of anelent Greece and Rome, “Ie the Caucasian played ou'?” No race of people bas ever yet been obliterated except by means of its own crimes and immo- ralities, and no nations have been utterly swept away until wealth and grandeur had made them effeminate and indolent, Rome, Italy, Spain, and, we may say, France, perfection of learning, civiliza- tion, wealth and power, and thence dated their downfall. The Mabille has done that for France which the representative vices of the gorgeous empires of old did for them and which our representative vices may do for us. . Sgorrtany Sewanv's O1p ExtrRavaGANce in cable telegraphic tolls is the subject of learned and anxious discussion in the Court of Claims. The contested amount is thirty-two thousand dollars for despatches sent during a period of nearly a year's duration on subjects of paramount interest to the government, Why should there be any haggling over the debt? At the time it was incurred the tariff by the Atlantic cable was very high, and yet at the present time, when the tariff is com- paratively lower, the New York Hera pays annually, without grumbling, © sum for cable despatches more than fiva times a: large as this—a sum that would be a munificent allowance for many a foreiga prince, Financial Operations of the Goverument— Questionable Statements of Mr. Boutwell, It will be seen by a statement of the finan- cial operations of General Grant’s administra- tion, published in another part of the paper, that neither Mr. Boutwell’s figures nor the claims of radical partisans are as reliable as they pretend to be. One of the electioneering dodges of the radicals, and one which the ad- ministration orators are using a great deal since they opened the Presidential campaign, is Ee eS . Affaire ta Central and South America. By telegram from K'ngston, Jamaica, we have later intelligence from Central and South America of an interesting and important char- acter. A wonderful discovery of coal and oil has been made on the Isthmas, within thirty miles of Aspinwall. The former is sald to be inexhaustible in quantity and of a very superior quality, equal to the best imported. If this information is correct the discovery will prove of immense importanc» and must en- hance the value of everything on the Isthaas, Coal in that vicinity is an expensive article. All that is used there bas heretofore been im- ported. The consumption by the steamers oa both sides is enormous, and if the demand can be supplied from the immediate vicinity the uew mines will prove of inestimable value, We hope, for the sake of the waning prosperity of Aspinwall and Panama, that the news may prove in all respects true. Another revolutioa has broken out in Colombia, The State of Chiriqui is up in arms and the insurgents aro having things very much their own way. An American steamer has been seized by them and a United States vessel of war has been de- spatched from Panama to re>over her. From Central America we hear that the war between Salvador and Honduras is ended, by the complete defeat of the armies of the latter, The territory of Honduras remains in posses- sion of the Salvadorians, This war has been a short and most decisive affair, and now it remains to be seen what will be done with the conquered republic. It is possible that Salvador may see fit to retain control and keep both under one government, This might answer very well, One less of the namber of petty States would, we think, prove beneficial to the remainder. From the south coast we learn that the Araucanian $dians were giving much trouble in Chile. Active preparations were going on to check their hostile movements, Seven earthquake shocks had occurred on the southern coast, A new steamship line has been established between Callao and China, the stock being all subscribed for. It is plea- sant to know that, while we have only one revolution to announce among these petty re- publics, we can chronicle a peace between two of them. All of those south of the equator are quiet for the present. It is announced that the losses sustained by the late flood in Peru are enormous, much greater than at first supposed. The election campaign in Colombia is without change. Hunting for an Arctic Gorilia—Du Chailla in a New Field. That irrepressible and adventurous explorer, Paul B. Du Chaillu, who is known throughout the world for his discoveries and wonderful adventures in Equatorial Africa, particularly for his discovery of the gorilla and other animals unknown before, is about to visit Lapland, Sweden, Norway and the more northern parts of Europe to make other explo- rations. This was announced to the American Geographical Society of this city, and that body at once elected him honorary secretary of the society during his proposed journey. From what is known of the intrepid character and endurance of Du Chaillu we may expect valuable contributions to science when he returns, The learned will look with inte- rest for the result of his discoveries in the new field he has chosen, while the public will expect other and amusing contributions to our popular literature. His “Explorations in Equatorial Africa,” *‘Jour- ney to the Ashango Land,” ‘‘Stories of the Go- rilla Country,” and other works which have been extensively circulated, will be supple- mented, no doubt, by an interesting book on the wonders of the Arctic or most northern region of Europe. It is a fruitful field of ob- servation, full of poetry, myths and grand scenery, the home of the sagas and primitive superstitions. Doubtless the learned socteties of Europe and the northern governments of that Continent where Du Chaillu proposes to go will afford him every facility and en- couragement possible. Here we feel particu- larly interested in his undertaking, because he isan American and because he has done so much already as an explorer and discoverer. The Central Park Commissioners should not lose this opportunity of obtaining contribu- tions to their museum through him. He will go with the best wishes of all for a successful journey and safe return. Lert-HaNpep CoMPLIMENT TO GENERAL Grant.—The Boston Advertiser, which has alwsgs been run in the Sumner interest (and that at present is hardly supposed to be the interest of General Grant), came out yester- day morning with rather a curious article about the President. At first glance one would suppose that it was a decided and out- spoken declaration in favor of General Grant. But when we read that ‘‘the republican party has gained at the hands of General Grant more than it dared ask for,” we are in doubt which to admire most, the modesty of the republican party managers or the resoluteneas of General Grant in knocking the wind out of the sails of one of those managers—Senator Fenton, for example—and that picayune affair of the New York Custom House. Personal Intelligence. General Joffh A. Logan, Member of Congress, of Mhnots, arrived yesterday at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. ‘T. C. Fields, Member of Assembly, and lady are sojourning at the Grand Hotel. Senator Morrill, of Maine, is among the arrivala at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. General N. P. Banks has arrived at the St. Nicholss Hotel from Washington. Commodore Pickering, of the United States Navy. 4g stationed at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Mr. T. L. Lafiin, of Saugerties, 1s staying at the Sturtevant House. Mr. Charies Fechter has arrived at the Fifth Ave~ nue Hotel from Boston. —ininence FINE ARTS. Hale at the Somervillo Art Gallery. Avery large number of picture fanciers, many of them ladies, who seemed to take a great interest in the proceedings, were present last evening at the sale of pictures consigned by Goupll & Co. and Mr, Snedicor, for puolic competition, The prices realized were, upon the whole, very liberal. Bighty- tive pictures, comprising about half the collec- ton, brought im the regate sixteen thousand doliars or more, Th P iciuco Which prea the highost price was “Emile Levy's Dawn ot Love,’ wien b brought $1,520, and next tn order came “The Gipsy whieh was knocked down for $1,480, and Van, reke's “Landscape and Caitle,” tor 400, ‘These pictures possess considerable mertt id were cheap at the prices pat for them. The wale will be continued this evening, when the bal ance of the consignment will be disposed of. ell