The New York Herald Newspaper, October 8, 1871, Page 6

© AMNGEMENTS TO-MORROW EVENING. ri nT P. , nareD. Broadway.—Tuz BauLet Pan- .C Fanares. Broadway and 13th street.— a Fe, Fourteenth street.—ENGLIsH USEU corner 30th st,—Perf: - at ay ne CHILD STEALER THEATRE, a st, between Sth anu 6th avs —- ‘we DENY OF Mus bY THEATRE, Bowery.—Darau oF Drstiny— O'S GARDEN, Broadway, between G@rects.—Tux’Stausts oF New Tom” st OPERA HOUSE, corner ot Sth av. ana 23d st.— In’s THEATRE. No. 730 Broadway.—Frencu @ THEATRE, Nos. 4 and 4 Bowery.—Orrea L AVENUE THEATRE, Twenty-fourth street.— ‘oF Divonce. 1 SQUARE THEATRE, Fourteenth st, and Broad ACTS—BUSLESQUE, BALLET, 4c. IE THEATRE, Brookiyn, opposite City Hall. —Va- ‘RTAIN MENT. esas id fF, B. CONWAY'S BROOKLYN THEATRE,— OL FoR SOanDat. E, opposite City Hall, Brooklyn.—Tzan, FRANCISCO MINSTREL HALL, 58 Broadway.— wut ban ‘Francisco MIN: Ls. ee NTS NEW OPERA HOUSE, 384 st, between 6th ave.—Bryaxr's MINSTERLS. PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, N. Be Ss RocENTaicitiay BORLRSQUTS, te. cus aah STBINWAY HALL, Fourteenth street.—BAuLap Con- a PAVILION CIRC! Fourteenth id end venuce, “EquasTatasion, ee ART GALLERY, 8 Fifth avenue.—Ex- OF FINE PaxtiNes. INSTITUTE EXHIBITION, Third avenue istreet.—Open day and evening. SRIPLE 8 iNew York, Sunday, October 8, 1871. CONTENTS OF TO-DAY’S SHEET. HERALD. ‘Paaz. Se Advertisements, Advertisements. aa ye Complications: Important Action of ity Comptroller; Abolition of All Sine- cures—The ‘Keyser Rises to Explain: Hus Pretended Confession 4 Falsehvod—The Frauds: The ot James H. In- gersoll in the Superior Court—The Coming Sensation—Murpny’s Meditations: An Honest Omctal, Who Knows How it ts Himself—obitu- aty—The Courts—North Carolina Ku Klux— ‘The Grand Fete Champetre at the Fashion Course—: on Lake Ontario—Yachting lotes, 4-—Religious Intelligence: The Religious Pro- gramme for To-day; Forty-fourth Street Syna- Copal ‘Conventions: Impartant iReport U vention: Importan' rt by the House of Bishops on tne Uniformity of Ritual—Murder and Suicide: A Saloon Keeper Kitls His Wife and Then Hangs Himseif—The Ruastan Minster: Catacazy itises to Explain— Financial and Commercial. G—Finanotal and Commercial (continued from Fourth Page)—Naval Intelligence—the Grand ‘Duke Alexis: Preparations for His Reception the American Men-of-War—Betrothed, Birth and VDeaths—Advertise- from France, England, Spain, Beigium, hoa ene ene t0e Cholera mm ve rom Mexico—The Wes! Japen—Australssia-the Argentine “Repuby - e Argentine Repub- terme Crisis—Miscellaneous Teie- ents, iews from Washington—Local Intel- ‘9—Adverusem ents, A ogg heal Leading Article, «The Committee ~ Seventy and Mr. Keyser—A Singular Misre- Personal intelligence— Weather —The NEW YORK HERALD in Jersey Amusement Announcements. @—Jerome Park i: Opening Day of the Au- tumn M ; Fine Attendance, Elegant 'fo- letg and Six Capiial Races—Shipping Intelli- lost pmaaaata vertisements, . Tas Heeatp’s News To-Day.—In the ‘ignaxp to-day we present to our readers news _ Ofmany instances up to last night, from all parts 4m Earope, from China, Japan, Australasia, ‘Africa, South America, Hayti, St. Domingo and Mexico, as well as from every portion of our own Continent and Canada. The Hexatp to- Gay is o striking illustration of the high point ‘to which steam and electricity, made available enterprise and liberality, have raised the > ‘Tae Venezvetan Government and troops _ @arprised a party of armed revolutionists near | Bio Chico the other day. They vanquished them in the field and then slaughtered every man of them to death. That's the way in ‘which they get rid of ‘‘opposition ticket” ‘voters in South America. _ Tae Orp Lapy wo Tareapneepir Steet ‘Bppears to be greatly agitated over the ship- of her specie by the French to pay the ‘ity to the Germans. On Thursday the ‘Beak of England rate of discount was raised ‘to four per cent, but this failing to stop the ‘outflow of lucre the directors got together in | ‘hot haste yesterday and raised the rate to five _ percent. rie Tue Frencn Government is debating the propriety of abandoning the colony of Algeria. The nativist agitation is exceedingly trouble- some to the officers of the republic. What's to be done? Give it up, perkaps. French- men have never been successful colonists. sailed to Algeria ‘‘in freedom’s name ;” ‘but, having conquered, they _ Nestled in the pirate’s hold; a Aercer pirate tar. Ewpezzune Pveiic Fonvs is no longer either a safe or respectable business. Pay- master Hodge, of Washington, who made way with half « million which belonged to the government, bas been convicted of the and a severe punishment inflicted upon ‘ ; and yesterday Major General Bowman, ‘Aste Deputy Collector of the port of Baltimore, was found guilty of a similar crime. The iy tion is keeping a sharp watch upon subordinates, and appears determined to 4 the President's promise of an honest © ollection and disbursement of the public re- oh bi Capinet and Copa.—The government of Macampo promises the “‘national authority” in Cuba. Balaguer, Acting Minister of State, has assured Captain General Valmaseda at military “‘reinforcements will be promptly to the island to ‘‘uphold the nati authority and preserve the integrity the Spanish dominion.” The Spaniards are well accustomed to this Ministerial ‘They get s dose of it on every occa- ‘change in the Cabinet in Madrid. The of a false feeling of national duty p dangerous experiment for placemen in 4 | Macao's \ i VSB vite ‘We publish to-day a letter from Mr. Jobn H. Keyser which places the action of the Com- mittee of Seventy in regard to that gentleman in a very singular light. It was announced in yesterday's morning papers, on the authority of Mr. Jackson Schultz, that Mr. Keyser had appeared before the committee at a secret session, made a confession that he had defrauded the city out of a large amount of money, assigned property to the value of six hundred thousand dollars in par- tial restitution, and pledged himself to give up all he possessed, if it should be needed, to restore the whole sum out of which he had robbed the treasury. The sjatement was com- mented upon in the daily journals, the alleged dishonest contractor being. of course, severely assailed, and the committee lauded for the efficiency it had displayed in securing the repayment of six hundred thousand dollars of the people’s stolen money. It now appears that there is not a word of truth in Keyser’s pretended confession; that, on the contrary, so far from admitting that he had wronged the city out of a single dollar, he avowed that all the work for which he had been paid had been honestly performed, and that instead of having defrauded the city, it was at this moment his debtor to the amoun: of $300,000. Equally false was the state- ment that he had made restitution of six hundred thousand dollars, as alleged by the committee. On the contrary, he had simply assigned this amount in the conscious- ness of innocence, to be held in trust until his accounts with the city should be finally settled, because, as Mr. Keyser states, he was annoyed by the uowarrantable attacks of the news- papers and the persistent reports that he was about to abscond or to make away with his property. So far from the money being restored to the public treasury, Mr. Keyser expects to receive back every dollar, together with the three hundred thousand which he claims to be justly and honestly due to him for work done and now under contract. It would therefore appear, supposing Mr. Keyser’s statement to be correct, that the members of the committee have allowed an honest man to be unjustly accused and abused in order to obtain a false credit for themselves. If Keyser is to be believed the claim of the committee that they have made any discove- ries in his individual case, or caused him to make any restitution to the city, is entirely unfounded. One rascality has, however, been brought to light through the instrumentality of Keyeer himself, and that is, that a number of accounts purporting to have been presented by him to the city have been passed through the Comp- troller’s office, have been audited and allowed, the warrants drawn and the money received, not one of which is genuine. From first to last they have been forgeries. Some person has made out the accounts in his name, has received the warrants and has forged his mame to draw the money. Now it is very plain who is the culprit in these infamous frauds and whole- sale forgeries. The committee need not look for him in the Mayor's office, or the Depart- meant of Parks, or elsewhere. They have him under their own thumb; he sits at their elbows, consulting and advising with them day after day, and aidiog them in the address they are preparing for the electors of the city, in connection with the Republican General Committee. The whole rascally business must have been concocted and car- ried out inside Comptroller Connolly's depart- ment.’ Could he have been innocent of it? Was a bogus account for thousands upon thousands of dollars put into bis office by a stranger without discovery? Was it passed through the Auditor’s office, of which Watson was Auditor and Connolly, Jr., was Deputy Anditor, without detection? Was the war- rant for enormous sums handed over to some unknown party instead of to Keyser, in whose favor itwas drawn? And did the Comptroller himself, the bead of the department, a shrewd and able financier, know nothing about it? The people will now demand that the Com- mittee of Seventy shall rigidly perform the duty it has taken upon itself, or dissolve and go about its business. It has been talking loudly of punishing the guilty; now will it give Richard B.Connolly an opportunity to prove his innocence in the matter of these Keyser forgeries? If his examination is to implicate and convict others, as we are told, it must do so in a court of justice. It is there an accused party must turn State's evidence, and not in a secret committee room. The fact that the Comptroller allowed millions of dol- lars’ worth of these very vouchers and war- rants, now alleged to have been forgeries, to be stolen by his Auditor, and not only con- cealed the theft but retained the offender in office up to the time of his death, is of itself a fact sufficiently suspicious to warrant the arrest of Connolly, By what right does the committee screen this suspected public officer and stand between him and justice? It will be a dangerous experiment for these seventy gentlemen to attempt to select their own vic- tims and to turn the power entrusted to them by the people to political and partisan pur- poses. They are asking money from the peo- ple, who care nothing for politicians and par- ties in this great battle for city reform and for the punishment of dishonest officials, They are seeking to enlist the Attorney General of the State in suits against against such persons as they chose to designate. They have gone through the farce of summoning the Mayor of the city to a Police Court, on a long string of technical charges, only to bow him out again with a long string of compliments. They have stopped the public works and inaugurated a crusade against certain of the departments, to the hazard and injury of the city. Now, will they cease all this nonsense, and bring the matter of these wholesale forgeries in the Comptroller's office to test and an issue, by initiating proceed- ings in a court of justice against Richard B. Connolly, the responsible head of that office? Watson, the Auditor, is dead. Con- nolly, Jr., the Assistant Auditor, has— goue to Earope. The Comptroller is in the hands of the committee, and the peo- ple will not suffer its members to screen and shelter him for their own political pur- poses. We know nothing about his guilt or in- nocence, but it is certain that, by the showing of the committee itself, the most brazen and infamous frauds and forgeries have been com- the people that he should be placed ins position to prove his innocence og to suffer if guilty. His examination before s court is the only real and practical method of getting at the truth in regard to this vile muddle of corruption and plunder, and every hour the committee delays hie arraigament it defers by so long the justice demanded by the people, We re- peat, let the committee do its duty, or go about its business. Reception of the (iraud Ouke Alexis— Visit the Navy Yurd and Men-of War. The great preparations making for the re- ception of the Grand Duke Alexis and the Russian squadron must convince the public mind that the visit will be cordially ap- preciated. It will be the first occasion afforded the government of the United States of returning the regal hospitality extended to Admiral Farragut and the officera of the Franklin. Orders will, of course, be issued to Vice Admiral Rowan, who will command the receiving squadron, and the Commandant of the Navy Yard, to entertain the Russian Duke as well as all the officers of the approaching fleet. As yet, how- ever, we have heard of no provision having been made by the government for that parpose. Surely the authorities at Washing- ton cannot possibly expect that the Vice Ad miral or the Commandant of the Navy Yard will defray the expenses necessary to be in- carred out of their comparatively wretched pay. It isa fact well known, and one, by the way, that has been frequently and severely commented upon, that during his stay in Rus- sia the heroic Admiral Farragut dispensed over fifteen thousand dollars out of his private purse, reciprocating the gorgeous entertain- ments given the American officers and sustain- ing the dignity of the United States. Totally indifferent, however, to the sensitiveness of the high-minded and honorable behavior of that gallant officer, who had nothing to gain but respect for his country, the United States government failed to reimburse him to the extent of a dollar, And this leads us to a point upon which our naval officers have good reason to feel sore and sometimes ashamed. Every government in the world possessing vessels of war makes a liberal allowance to the commanders of fleets, and even of single ships, of what is known as “‘table moncy,” wherewith to receive official visits with becoming hospitality. The United States Navy stands forth alone, with its ‘poor navy,” as it is piteously termed in some countries, and with a contemptible economy, sufficient to dishearten the bravest of the brave, commands its officers to be unsparing in their attentions and courtesy to those with whom they come in contact in foreign lands, yet niggardly with- holds the wherewith to accomplish that im- portant end. Such miserable policy cannot fail to have the most depressing effect upon the minds of those whose honor is at stake when accepting official invitations or receiving kindnesses which they ought in duty but cannot occasionally from sheer impecuniosity return, Something must be done to rectify this manifest injustice to the officers of the American Navy. The arrival of the Grand Duke Alexis is an event which calls for a sub- stantial recognition of the sterling friendship shown by Russia for the United States; and the private, and, perhaps, by no means heavy purses of our Vice Admiral, Navy Yard Commandant or other officer to be officially visited, ought not to be drained in order to celebrate an event which it should ls» the pide of the Navy Department to make memorable. The coming occasion is one that will demand something more than ordinary civility, and as the royal visitor will doubtless take an interest in inspecting our men-of-war and navy yards he must be re- ceived in some manner commensurate with the unbounded liberality and munificence ex- tended to our officers at the time of their visit to Russias. We have little doubt, however, that the Secretary of the Navy will at once see the propfiety and importance of allotting @ sufficient sum from the contingent fund for the purpose mentioned. The Mormon Crisis. By telegraph from Salt Lake City we are informed that the Mormon capital remained tranquil yesterday. A warrant was issued for the arrest of Elder Can- non, apostle and foremost aspirant for the succession to the office of high priest. It was executed just before our advices were for- warded. The official paper represents Elder Cannon as being a very ‘‘bad sort of man” in his love and admiration for female society. Aco-laborer in the work of love and *‘true religion” named Lawrence was made prisoner along with Cannon, and had been already placed on trial under an indictment charging him with acts of licentiousness and adultery. These events produced very consider- able excitement in the Tabernacle dur- ing the session of the conference of the Charch. Brigham Young was slightly invalided in health, but expected to preach, if convalescent, to-day. The political circles were unmoved. There was a very heavy trade in bullion, both gold and silver, A large quantity of the precious metal was sent East. The general monetary transactions of the week were the heaviest ever known in Utah. Hoygst Tom Murray knows more and says less than all the republican wirepullers in the State. When he speaks he talks up to the subject, as his conversation with a HgRaLp representative, printed elsewhere, fully proves. President Grant understands Murphy and Murphy knows Grant. The Collector is in a position to laugh at the attacks of his enemies and to ask his persecutors, gui bono? The President was long since made acquainted with the charges against Mr. Murphy, and pro- nounced them absurd. Tue Success of the Union and Central Pacific railroads has stimulated the energies of the slow-going Canadians to similar under- takings. It is reported that an eminent Eng- lish firm has offered to build the Northern Colonization Railway, which is intended to be made the eastern extension of the Canada Pacific Railway, on the basis of two million five hundred thousand dollars municipal sub- scriptions and a land grant by the colonial vovernment, Ro One might feel almost assured, in view of the enormous amount of official demoralization: recently disclosed, that our religious contem- Poraries would have been overburdened daring the past week with homilies on the enormity of crime in high places, and that they would have suggested the remedies necessary to purge the body politic of its present foetid impurities—and there are a number of articles touching on the subject. In the columns of the Christian Union, Henry Ward Beecher’s paper, we find an editorial under the heading of “Honest Men for Leaders.” But this does not touch upon Tammany corruptions at all. Mr. Beecher seems to have turned a sharp corner on the rottenness at the New Court House, and gone straight toward the Custom House, where he speaks of ‘Honest Tom Murphy” in the following irreverent manner:— It 18 not the question whether the Collector has been faithful in his prosent office, nor whether be has served tue repub! party with fidelity, nor whether he 18 a skilful political manager, nor whether be 18 useful to this or to that partisan chief in the republican party. The question is larger. Is it right to put a dishonest and dishonored man at the head of affairs, and to compel honest citi- zens to follow him, or else to withdraw frum poll- tics? * * * Will General Grant insult the men of honor and integrity in the republican party by giving them for a leader a man whose alleged doeds should have consigned him to the Penitentiary? [5 this the roa to the permanent influence of the re- publican party? ere is no middie ground ; Mr, Murphy must either be cleared or cleared out, In the midst of the excitement attending the shortcomings of wretched Tammany it must be refreshing to the public to know that there are still other fields from which the stubble of corruption should be rooted out. The Christian Union exhibits an apprecia- tive sense of the subject it treats of when it saya ‘‘there is a good deal of talk about the waning power of the pulpit,” and continues: — The secular press, especiaily in some of its repre- sentatives, seems to Consider Itself as the established successor to the deposed monarch, ‘I'nere are tew things more edifying than to read the Monday morn- ing comments of some of our city daiiies on the preaching of the day before. By turns they pat tne clergy on the head as humble assistants in the great moral work in which the press is chief agent, ana severely reprove their sins of woridliness, self-seek- ing snd ineficiency. On the whole, we get the im- pression that preaching is a medieval relic, not without good uses, but rapidly losing its power in comparison with the nmeteenth century forces of steam, telegraphs, and, above all, aewspapers | This kindly reterence to the Heraup's Mon- day morning reports of sermons delivered the day before would be more highly appreciated were it not coupled with a first rate notice of some bound volumes of sermons printed some two or three months, or perhaps years, after the time of their delivery. Steam, telegraph, and newspapers, to which Mr. Beecher refers, have but few way stations nowadays. The motto is progress—‘‘go abead"—even if it include the solemn freightage of religion. The Methodist glories in the ‘‘ Downfall of the Ring,” and continues :— We must now, while we are reforming. reform ; thoroughly, ‘The rogues speak with knowleage when they say they expect that all this troubie “ will blow over.) ‘They know New York, ana well understand that New York 1s shockingly indifterent to its own adiairs, The lawyers, the merchants, the mechanics, the retired vusiness men and tae clergymen, must give more attention to the city aamintstration. low that we are saving New York, we should determine to keep it safe from spoliation. The Methodist wants New York managed without regard to the distinctions of political party. “The Devil,” it says, ‘‘never invented a prettier device for arraying honest men against each other than that which obtains in our present method of making city nomina- tions.” We have thought for a long time that Satan must have had some hand in making certain local nominations, but we never have had such sound religions authority for the fact before—and spoken out so boldly, too! The chief feature, however, in the Methodist this week is the leading editorial on the Padject of “Mormonism and Methodism,” a topic equally as live as that of our local politics. According to the Methodist several Christian denominations are already hard at work in the Territory and with the best prospects. The Protestant Episcopal Church is singularly energetic. The Methodists only want a suita- ble edifice and material aid to get up a lively revival among the Mormons, whose heresies are fast succumbing before what Brother Beecher would call ‘‘steam, the telegraph and newspapers,” aided, we might suggest, by the Gentile logic of Judge McKean and the not quite so gentle logic of Uncle Sam’s artillery. The Zablet—Catholic organ—in reply toa letter from Mr. W. Seton, written in Munich, Bavaria, says :— We are struck, even shocked, at the ignorance of the populations of old Catholic countries, not of the forms, but of the principles, of their religion and the grounds on which it rests. * * * We tind another fault with Continental Catholics, say io France, Italy, Spain and Austria, ia giving up the management of public affairs to mere nominal Catholics, Protestants, Jews and Infidels, as if they had no responsibility for the government of their respective countries, Under Paganism Catholics had not the power and Were not responsible ior its exercise; but when power passed into the hands of Catholics they became responsible for the acts of the government, and were even bound to manage public affairs in accordance with the principles and interests of their religion, The Goiden Age—Theodore Tilton—touches on “‘municipal anarchy,” and says :— If the leaders of the Ring cannot be brought to Justice through the courts they must be impeached or compeiied to resign. The government must be snatched out of their criminal hands and given to men in whom the people have contidence. Nothin: short of this will satisiy the aroused and determined temper of our people. They demand that now a blow shall be struck Which shall smite down all offenders and make a repetition of their crimes im- possible; and 1 the Committee (of Seventy) stops short of this 1ts members will find that ihey have played with fre over a magazine of powder, The Observer calls for the ‘combination of good men against the conspiracies of the bad,” and remarks :— The time has come for goor men to assert them- selves in their political associations, and, by main- taining their integrity among bad men, compel their action to promote honesty. If good men are pow- erless In such associations to secure the success of the right, then let them band themselves as the frienas of virtue, order and truth, and demonstrate by their votes that they wil! not be used as the tools of the wicked. The Hoangelist says nothing about the Ring, but exclaims, right joyfully, “Mormonism is doomed.” The Independent is out with a well-executed woodcut in its monthly illustrated edition, in which we are happily reminded every month that the lamented Lincoln once had a Cabinet. Its principal editorial lays out ‘‘The Duties of New York Republicans,” in the course of which it says :— The contribution which Mr. Murphy, the Collec. tor at the port of New York, may and shoud make to the harmony of the republican party con- sists in retiring from his oficial position. Mr. Beecher’s magnanimity in wanting to give the Tammany sinners a chance to repent before they are sent headlong to the bottomless pit is regarded by the Independent as ‘‘mis- placed.” The Independent itself is frequently the victim of misplaced confidence, particu- larly when it imagines that lumbersome pro- portions, and not brains, constitute a newspa- per, clerical or secular, Saint Peter is especially eulogistic upon what it calls ‘Judge Bedford’s able Roman Catholic charge to the Grand Jurorg of New York” on ve Ey 4 quotes th response thereto, Oar brethren of the country religious preas furnish us with nothing new or novel in their line. ‘The Fires of the Northwest. While the tempest has been at work on our seaboard the furies of flame and fire have been sweeping the extreme Northwest. We recur to this subject again because it is one of the highest moment in reference to the future of our Western States and Territories. The immense and yet unextinguished conflagration in Wisconsin is without a parallel, unless it finds one in the immense fire at Miramichi, some thirty-five years ago, on which occasion, according to Marsh, six thousand square miles of woodland were destroyed. In the latter instance the soil became a cinder, and a quar- ter of a century scarcely effaced the marks of the calamity. For some weeks this fire in the Northwest has been steadily expanding. Smoke, rising from the scene of consuming forests, has been reported far and near in radial lines, varying with the prevailing wind, and for some days, in the valleys of the Mississippi and the Ohio River ‘‘dense smoke” has been reported by the signal observers. Recent northerly and now fresh northwesterly winds are precipitating this smoke eastwardly and spreading out as a black pall over the country. The losses by such_a disaster are not to be reckoned by the destruction of artificial prop- erty, nor yet by the fall of the noble forests, of value beyond estimation. The climatic changes that may result are likely to be of the most unfortunate character and greatly to impair the future growth and prosperity of this region. In Italy the clearing of the Apennines is believed to have seriously altered the climate of the Po valley, and now the African sirocco, never known to the armies of ancient Rome, breathes its hot, blighting breath over the right bank of that river in the territory of Parma. The similar removal of the pine forests near Ravenna, about twenty miles long, induced this same desolating wind, which continued until the wood had been allowed to grow again. There is no doubt that in France the removal of the old forests of the Vosges sensibly deterio- rated the climate on the plains of Alsace; and it is a historic fact that the ancient destruction of the forests of the Cevennes, under the reign of Augustus, left the large and rich tracts near the mouth of the Rhone exposed to the steady violence of the mixtral (or north- west wind), before which the area of olive culture has retreated many leagues, the orange is confined to a few sheltered points on the coast and fruit trees can hardly be reared in places where they were famously prolific. The curtailment of the rainfall is a well known consequence of the disappearance of forests; and in Egypt, where during the French occupation, in 1798, not a drop of rain fell for sixteen months, and from time imme- morial, the country has been a rainless bed of sand. Mchemed Ali, by planting his millions of fig and orange trees, has since seen his country blessed with an annual rainfall of sev- eral inches. It is painful to contemplate the sad results which must ensue from the ravages now going on—and likely to continue for some days, from the present strong northwesterly winds— in the fair State of Wisconsin. Even now in that State the wheat cannot be left in the earth all the winter, owing to the severity of the frost. The normal and necessary con- sumption of timber would of itself have in the course of half a century robbed the soil of all the wood it can spare. The present fire, unless soon arrested, must prove the doom of the horticulturist, and it may also prove a severe blow to the interests of the farmer. It will destroy the reputation of all that region for its uniform and medicinal climate, Let no effort or expense be spared to arrest the foe, even if it should require an army of laborers to fight the flames. The Alfieri Society of Italy. Among the numerous societies which of late years have crept into existence having for their object the suppression of the Catholic Church appears one of receat birth, which aspires to a prominent position among these radical institutions. The society referred to is that of the Alfierists. It was bora in Rome since tlie occupatioa of that city by the Italian government, and, if report speaks truly, it has a considerable number of adherents already. Its aims are to secure Italian unity, free thought in religion, an alliance between Italy and Germany, the removal of the Pope from Rome, the abolition of the Papacy, the suppression of the civil rights of the priests, the burning of as many churches as possible, and especially the Vatican, and many other and, to the Alfierists, no doubt laudable accom- plishments, No Catholic can become a mem- ber, but to those of every other Church or creed the doors of the society are thrown open. The work laid out by this newly-born organization is sufficiently revolutionary to attract the rebellious elements of the penin- sula. It will, we presume, flourish for a time and then give way to some other organization equally absurd, and, if possible, still more intemperate, revolutionary and incendiary. Minister Cataoazy speaks his mind pretty freely elsewhere in our columns concerning the many rumors about his unpleasantness with Secretary Fish. It is deplorable that there should be any occasion for such blunt language on the part of the accomplished rep- resentative of Russia. We think Mr. Fish, or whoever else inspired the highiy-flavored de- spatches that have come to us from Washington recently, might well have postponed them un- til after the reception and departure of the Grand Duke Alexis, Whatever peccadilloes Catacazy may have committed, surely our Premier could have screened them from the public for a few weeks. We hope there will be no more of this tempest in a teapot until our young Russian Prince makes his adieu, Masor Jounrus B. Wurerer, of the Engi- neer Corps, has been appointed Professor of Engineering at the Military Academy, vice Professor Mahan, deceased, Major Wheeler has a high reputation as an engineer, and his appointment gives great satisfaction gt West Point. fi gives us to understand that the party Progress in Bavaria has interpellated the gov- - ernment concerning its attitude on the Church question. The government, it is said, has promised to make an early reply. It is well that our readers should know what is this party of progress. It is also well that they should know what has prompted this action of the party. Let it be known, then, that the Bavarian party of progress is, to all intents and purposes, an organization opposed to the decrees of the late Vatican Council, and espe- cially opposed to the dogma of infallibility. Let this also be known, that the Vatican decrees are contrary to the laws of the Bava- rian constitution. No Papal decree can be published in that State without the consent of the government. In spite of this known law the Archbishop of Munich has been daring enough, without the consent of the govern- ment, to publish throughout his diocese the’ Vatican decrees, On the 27th of August the Bavarian goverament published a manifesto sustaining the law and condemning the conduct of the Archbishop. Meanwhile the Archbishop remains in power, and the State takes no fur- ther action, At the same time Dillinger, and Friedrich, and Hiiber, and the other ‘excom- municates” retain their chairs or their parishes, as the case may be, and the ecclesiastical authorities, without the aid of the State, can- not eject them. Things have therefore come to a standstill, Itis adeadlock, The Church and the State are divided; but neither will push matters to an extremity. In the ciroum- stances the parly of progress asks the govera- ment what it inlends to do. The government, or rather the Minister of Religion and Educa- tion, Von Lutz, promises to answer. In a few days, therefore, we shall know whether the Church or State will win, or, in other words, whether there is or is not to be another Refor= mation in Germany. : A@airs in Japae and China. By way of San Fransisco we have an inters esting telegraphic news report of later date from Japan and China, Tbe condition of affairs had not been materially altered im either empire. The government of Japan struck a decisive blow against the power of the feudal aristocracy. The order of Daimios is to be abolished—that is if the Daimios consent quietly. Perhaps they may resist, however, and abolish the Crown. A great conflict between aristocracy and imperialism will come about, sooner or later, in Japan. Its consequences may revo- lutionize the existing order of affairs in that portion of the Kast. Russia watched the progress of events, The officers of the Czar had declared the Sa- ghalien islands annexed to the Russian empire— a measure which, if it is completed, will add considerably to the naval influence of the Northern autocrat in that quarter of the world. The silk trade of Japan was declining—a fact which may produce much commercial embar- rassment. American financial interests were affected unfavorably in Jeddo by the action of the officers of the Tycoon. Railroad work was progressing favorably between Yokohama and Jeddo. Public affairs remained tranquil in China. Tien-tsin has beeu again visited by heavy floods, The hoary East is being made ripe gradually for the reception of a Chris- tian evangelism. Tar Revo.vrion wy Mextoo.—The Hgrac® special telegram report from Matamoros which appears in our columns to-day announces that the revolutionary movement is still maintained in some of the districts of Mexico. Juares was duly recognized by Congress as President, despite the efforts of bis enemies in arms. The agitation has already produced very disastrous results to the trade of the country. The fron- tier line ports are guarded, and one of them completely closed. Loyalism to the Cabinet appeared to be the prevailing sentiment in the country at the date of our latest advices, Personal Intelligence. Vice Admiral Rowan, of the United States Navy, is registered at the New York Hotel. General Varona, of Cuba, 18 quartered at the St. George. Professor D. 8, Babcock, of Connecticut, is domi ciled at the Fifth Avenue. Judge Samuel A. Foot, of Geneva, N. Y., is stays ing at the Clarendon. Governor Bowie, of Maryland, is again at the New York. General D. 8. Walker, of Washington, yesterday arrived at the St. Nicholas. General Van Vleet, of the United States Army, & among the late arrivals at the Spingier. Lieutenant Commander Reynolds, of the Untte® States Navy, is at the Hoffman. Cc. L, Kimball, President of the New Jersey Souths ern Railroad, is staying at the Glenham. Judge Landers, of Washington, is among the late arrivals at tne Astor. WEATHER REPORT. Wak DEPARTMENT, } Orrick oF THE CHIRF SIGNAL OFFICER, WASHINGTON, Oct, 7—7 P, M. Sunopsis for the Past Twenty-four Hours. The area of high barometer, which on Friday ate ternoon extended {rom the upper Lakes to Texas, has spread slowly southeastward, and ts now cen- tral between the Ohio River and the Blue Ritge. Pressure las risen along the Atlantic, with clear and hazy weather in the Southern and Middle States, Rain continued on the Kast Atlantic during the night, but is now followed by partially cloudy and clearing weather. fhe areas of low barometer in Canada and on the South As- lantic coast have moved northeastward beyond our stations. The temperature has been quice low north of Tennessee and Virginia, but is now rising. ‘The low barometer in the extreme northwest has advanced slowly southeastward, with southwest- erly winds and rising temperature from Missouri to bisa a Probabitities. Clear sud pleasant weather is probable for San. day from Michigan to Texas, and eastward to the Aulanuc; falling barometer, rising temperature and increasing cloudiness, with seuthweaterly winds, north of Kansas and Indiana; smoky haze wilh probably conunue to be general from the Lakes southeastward, THE NEW YORK HERALD IN JERSEY, [From the Jersey City Hérald, Oot. 7.) The New YorK Hewawp is doing good work for the people of Jersey City in exposing the Bumated: Ring and showing how the citizens are plundered. by infamous commissions, which @ corrupt ana shameless Lep'-lature saddled on Jersey City. ‘the stands by the rights of the peoples di and plundered taxpayers owe iks and gratitude for its timely and on, and its plain and irrefutate thieves and robbers. Lat no one 16 exposé of the Bomated bandittt aw YoRK HERALD, whigh we copy tm