The New York Herald Newspaper, December 22, 1871, Page 6

NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. SAeearneneretinne eee JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR, All business or news letter and telegraphic @espatches must be addressed New York HERALD. Letters and packages should be properly NEW YURK HERALD, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1871.—TRIPLE SHEET The Prospect of Returaing Payments. Gold in its steady decline has fallen below 109, the lowest point reached since July, 1862, the second year of the war, when the difficulties and cost of that stupendous struggle began to send the pre- mium up higher, This was nearly ten years ago. The fluctuations have been great during that period, and were governed principally while the war lasted by the varying successes or failures of our armies, Since the war to Specie oenled, closed the tendency has been downward, though there has been at times a spasmodic Same XXXVE es eseseeseesrseesesses NO 356 | ine caused by. Wall, slresk speculations: AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING, BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—FaT—BroTHER BILL AnD BRoTHuER BEN. OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway.—Tar BALLET PAN- TOMINE OF HUMPTY Dupry. BOOTH'S THEATRE, Twenty: se @aniee E, Twenty-third st., corner Sixth av. GRAND OPERA HO! . and — SAND QEBRA HOUSE, corner of Sth ar. and 23d st WOOD'S MUSLUM, Broadway, corner #th st.—Perfora~ noon and evening.—SATAN IN PARI8, &0. FIFTH AVENUE THEA Tur New Drama or Div LINA EDWIN’s THPATRE, No. 720 Broadway.—OPERA Bourrge—Baaor BLEUR. WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway and 13th street.— Joun Gata. NIBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway, bet! Houston seels.Brack Gnook, Ween Prince and MRS, F. B. CONWAY'S BROOKLYN — ROMANCE OF 4 Poor YounG Man. SER Twenty-fourth street. — ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Fourteenth street.—TuE GREAT Rerubiic. BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Montagu — Irauian OPERA—F aver. i parws THEATRE COMIQUE, 514 Broadway.— 18M8, Nxexo ic py Miz: eat EERE UNION SQUARE THEATRE. Fourteenth st. and Broad- Way.—NEGRO AOTS—BURLR6QUE, BALLET, &0. a TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, Ni Bowery.— NEGRO EOOENTRICITING, BURLESQUES, pa A BRYANTS NEW OPERA HOUSE, + det and 7th ave.—Baxant's MINSTRELS, uae Paull aa a SAN FRANCISCO MINSTREL H: — THE SAN Feanoieoo MINSTRELS miaesong NEW YORK CIRCUS, Fourteentn strest.—Soexzs IN TE Ring, AcRoBATE, £0. NIXON'S GREAT bOUTHERN CIRCUS, 728 Broadway.— SOENES iN THE Ring, £0. beg a TRIPLE SHEET. Now York, Friday, December 22, 1871. CONTENTS OF TO-DAY’S HERALD. Pace. 1— Advertisements, —Advernsements. 3—Dr, Livingstone: The Expedition of the SEW YORK HERALD in Quest of the Great African Traveller; Description of the Undertaking; Personnel of the Enterprise and the Forces Composing It; Into the Wilds and Travelli Among the Savage [rives of Africa; The Terri- bie Makata Swamp; Sickness, Death, Deger- tion aud Losses on the Route; Livingstone Reported at Ujiji; Special Report of the HERALD Commussioner Directing the Expedi- tion—Literature—General Granv’s Paraéns— Badly Burned—Bishop Versus Priest, 4—Christmas Shopping: How to Get About It and Where to Go; the Philosophy of Giving Pres- ents—Holiday Literature: Songs, Stories and Sketches for People of All Ages—Art Matters— Puolic School Receptions in Harlem—Free eight in @ Gin Mill—“‘Nobby Clark” Again in §$—Europe: Thanksgiving Day in the Capital of the German Empire; The Russian Press on Prince Alexis’ Reception in America; Ropert Kelly’s Second ‘Trial; The Row Among the London Republicans—Congress: Sumner’s Presidential One-Term Amendment to the Constitution; The Ampesty Bill in the Senate— Abdul-aziz-Khan to Plus 1X.—The North Pole—Burgiars Batied, G—kailoriais; ceening Article, “The Prospect of Returning to Specie Payments”—Personal ln- telligence—Aumusement Announcements, ‘7—Telectaphic News irom Spain, Russia, Germany, France, England, Algeria, India, China, Japap and Cuba—The Cold Snap—alexis and tie Canadians—Business Notices. §=The Wharton Trial; The Second Analysis of the General's Stomach; Discovery of Anti- mony or Arsenic—Kenouncing the World— Department of Public Docks—Kapid Transit— Affairs at the Pubilc Departments—Ex-Comp- troller Conno!ly—The urth Avenue Man- trap—Brookiyn Pubitc Places—The Proposed Storage Reservoir for brooklyn—Another Jersey “Ring’—ihe Arkausas Revolution— Third Avenue Car Transfer Tickets—rhe Kentucky Pubtic Library Lottery—Billiards— Snocking Railroad Accident—Prevent the Horses trom Slipping. 9—Our Shipping loterest: Iron Steamship and Ferryboat Building at Chester, Pa.—Impor- tant Decision in the United States Supreme Court Relative to Commercial Travellers— Navy Reiorm—suicide of an Emigrant—carry- ing Concealea Weapons—Assault Upon a Po- iceman —Financial and Commerctal Reports— Domestic and Kuropean Markets—The Yerkes Case—Marriages and Deaths. 10—Wasliingion: Prociamation by the President on Spanish Reciprocity; the Senate's Set-To 02 Amnesty—The Havana Butchery—Presentauion to Judge Barrett—south Carolina—Ratlroad Accidents—Shipping Intelligence—Advertise- ments, U1—Indian Pension Frauds: Interesting Report of the Commission Appointed to Inquire Into Matters Among the Unerokees—The Yorkville Police Justiceship Controversy —Proceediugs in the Courts--Trial of Miner, the Alleged Coun- terfelter—The United States Mint at Philadel- hia—Fighung the Tiger—The Eighth National ank. 12—Brooklyn Affairs—Death of One of the Japanese Studens in Troy—City Goverument—Adver- tsements. Gotp 108}.—Gold declined yesterday to 108}, the lowest point since June 25, 1862, when the price ranged from 108} to 108}. New Orper or Sournern ARistooracy.— A correspondent of the Mobile Register, writ- ing from West Florida, refers to a class of society there known as the “logocracy.” It is said to be the peer of the cottonocracy in wealth aud influence, and to be of the regular “ive oak” stamp. Tux SuFFERINes OF THE Poor in this fear- fully cold weatber, with their scanty supplies of food, clothing and fuel, must be dreadful. The time has come when our charitable socie- ties and citizens, who can and are willing to afford relief, should proceed to some syste- matic relief measures. The great revolution in our city government, among its immediate consequences, has stopped the usual winter supplies to thousands of poor people, and should this bitter weather continue we shall have before long an unprecedented amount of distress among our destitute classes and a cor- responding increase of crime in all its various forms. thropists. Necro Raws in tug Sovtu.—We have reports from Arkansas and Texas which show that the negroes are making raids into the small towns and ahooting down white people In Lake City, Arkansas, a indiscriminately, mob of negroes shot dead several persons and took possession of the town, which they held at last accounts, white citizens having fied for A letter from Tyler, Texas, reports safety, that a raid was made into that place lately by gaarmed negro mob, who shot rizht and left mong unarmed white people, killing two prominent citizens and wounding others. This fs a dangerous business for Sambo, for it is likely to lead to ® reaction which will in- evitably drive him to the wall, if it do not ex- “Peace” Is mani- terminate bim altogether. festly the negro’s, as well as the white man’s, policy in the South, and the sooner they agree upon that point the better it will be for all classe EO Systematic measures for the relief of the destitute io this view of the subject should be at once undertaken by our active philan- political affairs at home or troubles in Europe. This, however, was but temporary, and the general tendency, as we said, has been down- ward all along. We are now in the seventh year since the war ended and have nearly ap- proached a specie basis again. In fact, if the difference of exchange between Europe and this country be not taken into account, we are within a fraction of the specie basis of the rest of the world. There is no reason, then, why we should not soon return to specie pay- ments. It took England eight years more, after the prolonged and exhausting wars with the first Napoleon, to restore specie payments. Seve- ral efforts were made by the British govern- ment, between 1815 and 1823, to accomplish that object, but without success, It was a forced measure at last, and perhaps forced rather prematurely, for the nation experienced several financial revulsions subsequently, and within the course of afew years, Times have changed a great deal since that period. While the United States piled up a larger debt in four years than England did from the Napo- leonic wars, and the destruction of property with us was incalculably greater—civil war being much more destructive than war outside a nation’s territory—the condition of this country and the circumstances of the times are more favorable to an early resumption and maintaining a specie basis, We have grown up steadily and in a healthy manner to the present improved state of things. Specie and our paper currency have been approximating to par without the intervention of govern- ment, and through our resources, industry and the laws of nature and trade. There has been at times a disposition in Congress and the administration to force specie pay- ments by contracting the currency, but this was checked by the voice of the people and the interests of trade. We have over and over again since the war warned Congress not to be too hasty, and have asserted that the laws of nature and trade and the natural decline of gold would point out the time for resumption, Facts have justified us in our arguments and prediction. Had the British government been guided by like views after the Napoleonic wars, and not been too eager to force specie payments, England would have been spared those terrible revulsions which followed resumption. We have passed the Scylla and Charybdis of national financial diffi- culty and may now prepare to return to specie payments, Several movements have been started in Congress since the present session commenced with a view to bring about resumption. The House Committee on Banking and Currency have been considering the question, and bills that have been introduced relating to it have been referred to a sub-committee for examina- tion and a report. It is said that this sub- compittee will be prepared to report shortly after the holidays and that there is an impression the report will be strongly in favor of some measure for resumption. Mr. Sumner, in the Senate, is intent on urging an immediate return to specie payments. Other Senators are seri- ously considering the question. it is clear, too, the President and Secretary of the Treas- ury are favorable to resumption, if that can be accomplished without deranging the national finances. The tendency is in every direction to that end. The very action of Congress, if determined and able to provide for resuming specie payments, will have the effect of bringing down the premium on gold lower than it is at present, and will make the change easy. We should not be surprised to see specie and greenbacks at par during the progress of legislation on the subject. If no ex- traordinary event or disaster should happen— and there is no reason to anticipate that—we should return to specie payments, probably, as quietly and insensibly as the dew falls upon the ground, and people would then wonder at the facility of the operation. There is one mistake, however, which Con- gress seems disposed to run into, and which must be avoided. Congressmen appear to have the impression that the legal tender greenbacks are in the way of resumption, and that they must be got rid of, or a large amount of them, at least, be withdrawn and cancelled. This is the old theory which the specie payment question have been harped upon all along. Yet they learn nothing from the fact that the existence of the greenback legal ten- ders has not prevented the steady decline in gold and graded approximation to a specie basis. It is a question whether we should not have reached specie payment before now, if there had been no other currency than that of the legal tenders, The object has not been and is not really to contract the paper circula~ tion of the country by withdrawing the green- backs, but to substitute national bank notes in their place, The true way to reach specie pay- ments is to make the national banks redeem their notes in coin and not to interfere with the legal tenders, A portion of their reserve might be in legal tenders, with a sufficient amount of specie to meet any demand upon them, The greenbacks, in such a case, would be instantly at par; would be as valuable and as much sought as are the notes of the Bank of England; for they represent the credit of the government, and the banks would find these greenbacks more convenient and desira- ble to the people than specie, The converti- bility of national bank notes into specie or legal tenders, at the option of the holder, would make gold io littl, demand, for legal tenders would oe tucnd nore convenient and the peo- ple wold prefer them, There is no necessity to extit guish the legal tenders and thus add twenty millions a year to the interest of the debt. The consequence of withdrawing the greenbacks would be, not to diminish the vol- ume of paper circulation materially, if at all, but to give it to the national banks and add to the interest of the debt and burden of the peos | ple twenty millions or so ayear, The proper way, as was said, is to make the national banks redeem their notes in specie or in greenbacks, compelling them to held enoush for whichever might be demanded, and then, we venture to say, little specie would be called for and the legal tenders would be always at par with gold. But to facilitate specie payments and main- tain them it is important to reduce taxation to the lowest point possible, to remove this bur- den from industry and to give an impetus to production and trade. The immense revenue and expenditures of the government are de- pressing. They have no effect in improving ils credit, but tend rather to damage it, If the government would cut off a hundred mil- lions or so of taxation, come down to strict economy in all the departments and call only for a small surplas revenue for a sinking fund for thé national debt, we have no doubt its credit would rise greatly both at home and abroad, and specie payments would be estab- lished without fear of a revulsion. We have boundless resources—resources which are in- creasing yearly in an extraordinary degree— and the world is conscious of that. It is only necessary to show that we know how to use them properly in order to inspire confidence. And this really is the great question, Finan- cial success with nations depends upon confi- dence, as with individuals. To reach and sustain specie payments does not require an enormous revenue and a Treasury full of un- profitable capital, but a wise and economical administration of the national finances. All the circumstances of our condition and the times favor a return to a specie basis, and Congress cannot do better than to turn its at- tention seriously to this subject. We see no reason why there should not be resumption next spring or summer, at the latest, and if the measures can be matured this might be reached earlier. Universal amnesty and a return to specie payments will close up the war effectually and impel the country on in its career of progress and prosperity. Congress Yesterday—General Amnesty Again Deferred—The One-Term Principle im Office—More Light Wanted. The discussion on the House bill of last session granting general amnesty and grace to all persons implicated in the late rebellion occupied the Senate all day yesterday; but wo regret to say that the time was spent, not in action, but in talk, and that that great measure of peace and good will, whose pas- sage would have been so appropriate to this Christmas season, has been deferred until after the holidays. The case of Mr. Vance, the Senator elect from North Carolina, had something to do with the failure of the bill, because there is a manifest desire in some quarters to prevent his getting a seat in the Senate. Mr. Logan referred to that fact in some remarks, in which he spoke of the buttonholing of Senators by per- sons who were advocates of gémeral amnesty, but who, for the reason intimated, did not want to have the bill passed at present. And thus, through some contemp- tible motives of personal or partisan hostility, the Amnesty bill has miscarried in the Senate, with no great probability of its being passed for months, or perhaps for years to come. Mr. Sumner seems to be of the opinion that with all the matters of inquiry which have been ref-rred to the Committee on Investiga- tion and Retrenchment that body may still have some idle time on hand, and in order that that shall not be so he has devised still another matter for its consideration, and that is as to the leasing of the Bay of Samana by our government, and as to the sources from which the money paid on account thereof has come. The Senate gratified Mr. Sumner to the extent of ordering the inquiry to be made, but with the understanding, doubt- less, that the party who prefers the indictment will be prepared to produce evidence to substantiate it. Mr. Sumner owes it to his own character and position to be ready to make out at least a prima facie case in support of this and the other charges and insinuations against the President of which he has made himself the mouthpiece, If not he will have placed himself in an unenviable position before the country, and will deserve a fittiog rebuke from the body of which he isa member, The other proposition which Mr. Sumner made in the Senate yesterday is one for which praise rather than blame is to be ascribed to him. It is a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution so as to make a President ineligible for a second term. We agree with him that such a provision would be a long stride in the way of civil service reform, although, perhaps, some of the reasons which apply to the Chief Execu- tive are equally applicable to Senators and members of Congress, If the one is actuated, in the dispensing of patronage or in his official course, by an ambition for re-election, will it be denied that the others are equally so? We think not. But, however the one-term princi- ple may be decided, there can be no doubt of the necessity of such a reform in our civil ser- vice as will remove the question of appoint- ment to or retention in office entirely away from the influence of politics and politicians, With such a reform effected the main argu- ment against a second term in the Presidential office would lose most of its force, and the constitutional amendment proposed would even be a measure of doubtful propriety, The order of the day in the House yester- day was what has come to be technically de- nominated ‘speeches for buncombe.” Some half a dozen members declaimed in turn to empty seats and galleries garnished only with negroes whom the cold weather and want of employment drove there. Both houses have adjourned over till Mon- day, the 8th of January. Toe Mrkapo oF Japan has visited s num- ber of the foreign residents in the empire. His Highness enjoys this new phase of his everyday life vastly. He will become still more popular in consequence. About New Year's Day of 1873 he will have learned what silly non-progressives and ridiculous old fogies his imperial ancestors have been, A Russtan Orrictat Press Oncan, which has just appeared in St. Petersburg, explains Minister Catacazy's removal from Washing- ton on purely personal grounds, while it reaf- firms the fact of the existence of ‘‘good rela- tlana between Russia and the United States.” The New York Herald’s African Expedi- tion in Senrch of Dr. Liviogstone. We print in this morning's issue a report which, in point of interest and variety of detail, will take rank among the most interesting documents that from time to time it has fallen to the lot of the Herarp to place before its readers. It is now nearly two years since one of the HERALD correspondents travelling in the East received orders to prepare and fit out an ex- pedition, and then “find out Livingstone and get what news you can relating to his discoveries.” Dr, Livingstone, as our readers are doubtless all aware, left England in April of 1865 to again. engage in exploring the unknown wilds of the great African Con- tinent. ‘Two years after the great traveller had = quitted England a report of his death was received, but the rumor could be traced to no reliable source. Since then information at various times has been received regarding him. In 1867 an ex- pedition left England to ascertain the where- abouts of the distinguished explorer; but little resulted from the enterprise. At length, wearied with waiting and occasionally bear- ing reports of the man whose energy, courage and perseverance led him to attempt so much for the ends of science and the enlightenment of mankind, the press, true to its mission of universal benefaction, resolved to solve the problem and set at rest and forever the query on which scholars and investigators have for long years been perplexed and at variance, and determine absolutely whether Dr. Living- stone is alive or dead. On the 6th day of January of the year now drawing to its close the HERALD correspond- ent entrusted with the mission arrived at Zan- zibar, and commenced his preparations for the arduous and difficult undertaking he had been ordered to execute. A month’s hard work and a portion of the force neces- sary for the undertaking was collected, and the arms, ammunition, boats and merchandise were purchased. On the 5th day of the following month the expe- dition set out from the island of Zanzibar, and after a short sail of twenty-five miles arrived at Bagomoyo, on the mainland. Here the travellers disembarked and commenced their preparations for marching into the interior. After a stay of nearly three months in this dreary place, which time was spent in obtaining a number of carriers, known as pagazis—a race who inhabit the Mountains of the Moon, and who are invaluable in the transportation of merchandise over the sterile wastes, arid wilds and rich’ and luxuriant plains of interior Africa—the caravan began to move, and the enterprise was fairly launched upon its perilous voyage. The expedition, when it began its march, may be estimated as follows:—Three white men, twenty-two sol- diers, four supernumeraries, with a transport of eighty-two pagazis, or carriers—in all one hundred and eleven persons, twenty-seven donkeys and two horses. The merchandise, presents for the natives, necessary material and equipments consisted of fifty-two bales of cloth, seven man-loads of wire, six- teen of beads, twenty of boat fixtures, three of tents, four of clothes and personal baggage, two of cooking and eating utensils, one of medicine, three of powder, five of bullets, small shot and metallic cartridges ; three of instraments and three of small imple- ments and other necessaries. The weapons of defence were one double-barrelled smooth- bore No. 12 cannon, two American Win- chester rifles, two Starr's breech-loading car- bines, one Jocelyn obreech-loader, one elephant rifle, two breech-loading revolvers, twenty-four flint-lock muskets, six single- barrelled pistols, three axes, two swords, two daggers, one boar spear, twenty-four hatchets and twenty-four long knives. Leaving Bagomoyo amid the curious gaze and noisy demonstrations of the natives, the hardy little band set out with gladsome hearts, for any change was a relief to them, and, with not a little anxiety for the future, entered upon a mission as adventuresome as it was dangerous and as enterprising as it was meritorious and praiseworthy, The American flag was borne in the van, to be carried over anknown lands, across uoex- ‘plored plains, paraded on the summits of rugged mountains, exhibited to the gaze of strange, uncivilized people, who would look upon it for the first time, and pos- sibly be the ha:binger of bright hope, relief and rescue to the man whose name is written in honor on the pages of the world’s history. The first night out saw the expedition en- camped on the banks of the Kingani River. The following morning the journey was pursued. The strange people in the still stranger country through which the white man’s caravan passed gazed in wonder and astonishment as it pur- sued its course. Days and nights came and departed, and still deeper and deeper into the wild entanglements of African waste did the American expedition continue its course, now skirting the shores of rivers, again marching, Indian file, through dense forests, and at other times crossing plains, for which the sky served as a boundary, and the loneli- ness of which impressed all with awe and reverence. The scenery at times was grand and beautiful, and as well as bleak and desolate. On the 28d of April, being then twenty- three days’ march from Bagomoyo, the expe- dition had travelled one hundred and twenty-five miles and had reached Sini- bawennl, Here the travellers experienced some trouble with the Sultana of Sinibawenni, which, however, was soon adjusted by the firmness of their leader, The terrible swamp of Makata was shortly after reached, and here the difficulties to be overcome seemed almost insurmountable, Forty-five miles of water and black mire was enough to daunt the heart of the bravest, There was, however, no halt- ing, no wavering, no flinching; onward was the word, and onward pushed the indomitable little band, Death, destruction and an- nibilation stared the travellers in the face. For five days they continued their march through this life-consuming slough, and when the passage was made Death had drawo his line through their ranks. Sickness weakened others, desertions reduced the native followers and a quantity of merchandise was lost in the transit, Rehermeko was reached at the close of the rainy season, From the time the ex- plorers had left Bagomoyo until the Makata Swamp had been crossed It rained almost con- tinuously, By the 24th of May over two hune dred and seventy-eight miles were traversed, and the dangerous land of Wagogo was entered. Up to this period the countries of Wakarni, Wakwere, Wadoe, Wasegura, Wasa- gara and Wahehe had been gone over; the rivers Kingani, Ungerengeri, Little Makata, Great Makata, Rudewa and Mukondokwa had been crossed; the sources of three rivers found out, and one lake discovered. The Arab village of Kwihara, in Unyany- embe, was reached on the 30th day of May, and in this place the expedition halted, after having travelled five hundred and twenty-five miles in eighty-four days, it is from this Arab village, far away from civilization, in the wilds of Africa, amid a stranze people and hemmed in on all sides by the surround- ings of barbarism, that the Heratp cor- respondent writes us the first tidings be has heard of Dr. Livingstone. ‘I saw the Mus- ungu at Ujiji, last year, He lived in the next tent to me. He has a long white mus- tache and was very fat,” said Salim bin Rashead to our correspondent, ‘The Mus- ungu has gone to Marrierna,” replied the Sheikh Abdullah bin Wasbib to the queries puttohim. “I lived with him at Ujiji. His men have deserted him. He had nothing with him to buy food for a longtime. He is a very old man and very fat, too,” answered Skeikh Thani bin Massoud, These and like answers did the correspondent receive from the native chiefs regarding the great traveller. From all the information reccived, which is detailed in our correspondent’s report in an- other page, there is every reason to believe that Dr. Livingstone is alive, and though age, fatigue, hardship and want bave laid their marks upon him, yet he lives, and the labors of bis years will yet enrich science and add to the general information of the world. The work of the expediiion, however, is not yet completed, the journey not yet ended. The point, however, has been reached from which anew departure will be taken. Onward is still the cry, and deeper still into the wastes must the journey yet be carried. The mission 80 favorably commenced, so energetically per- severed in, so courageously upheld must crown its enterprise with euccess ere the an- nouncement can be made to the world that the goal is won, and that the great traveller whose name is a home word throughout the universe has been savod or has sunk toa lonely grave among the wilds of Africa, Tho Unsettled Condition of Spain. Our felegraphic columns this morning reveal the fact that a new ministry has been almost completed in Spain. Sagasta is President of the Council and Minister of the Interior. Mal- campo, who has retired from the first place in the Cabinet, reappears as Minister of the Marine. Admiral Topete and Sefior Angulo hesitate as to whether they will serve or retire. In this new programme of a Cabinet we are sorry that the name of Zorilla does not appear. Zorilla is a popular tavorite; and so long as he is left out, or chooses to remain out in the cold there must be trouble. It is a pity that a great na- tion like Spain should be ruined by miserable politicians. The present troubles of Amadeo are the result of political jealousies, and of nothing else. The progressists are the most powerful party in Spain to-day. But Sagasta is a progresista, and so is Zorilla; and be- cause these two men cannot agree a great and hopeful party is losing its chances, and Spain, under what seemed at One time favorable auspices, is finding progress impossible. But how can Spain hope to succeed so long as she is without the sympathy of the civilized world? Without the sympathy of the civilized world she must remain so long as eke owns Cuba and slavery exists on that islaad. Why is the silver-tongued and liberty-loving Castellar so unpronounced about slavery ? Spain is in great and gross datkness, and what ig to become of her no man can tell. $ ce etieal Christmas Shi ing. We give to-day a couple more instalments of our usual annual articles on the more sali- ent features of Carlstmas trade. One of them deals with the general character of holiday commerce, and will be found to present a readable review of its more pleasant aspects, as well as a very good defence of the custom of a Christmas interchange of presents, We can imagine no more graceful way of honoring the birth of Him who said, ‘‘It is more blessed to give than to receive,” than by thus expend- ing a few dollars once a year in substantial tokens of kindly and genial feeling. Trifles of the smallest intrinsic value, thus presented, become dearly cherished symbols of affection and regard, and strengthen the ties of kindred and of friendship into almost indissoluble bonds. Though the custom, at least in some States, is comparatively anew one, we trust it will never in the future be allowed to fall into desuetude. Every good man feels that the most sacred treasures he can call his own are the memories of a happy childhood. Anda merest passing review of the delight with which Christmas gifts brighten the faces of the little ones of whom He whose coming we are about to celebrate ex- pressly called himself the Good Shepherd, is of itself the most eloquent and the most effective argument in favor of this pleasant custom, We especially commend to the notice of our readers the article on Christmas gift books. The stock seems this year far richer than ever before—in imitation, perhaps, of the English market, All that art and genius can do to in- struct, refine and amuse has been lavished upon these charming productions, many of which are specially appropriate to the season, and we trost that they will have a large sale. Agood and beautiful book is, after all, the best and most durable of gifts, What other present is there, except, perhaps, a fine pic- tare, that could possibly endure for hundreds of years? -Yet such is the happy fate of many @ precious volume; and we hope that many a book now damp from the press, and to be given away on Monday, will be prized centu- ries hence as a precious heirloom, From JAPAN we have the very interesting intelligence that it is proposed to send twenty- one native young ladies, daughters of Daimios, to America for the purpose of floishing their education, American young gentlemen of aristocratic tendencies must not “speak all at once.” Ladies’ educational establishments will be on the out vive, 7 The Cold Snap Yesterday. Tf our Russian guosts tad happened to have been in this city yesterday, they must have been satisfied with the Siberian and Kamschatka-like character of the weather. It was decidedly the champion ‘“‘cold snap” of the season, and if that venerable old gray- beard, the “oldest inhabitant,” can point to « severer day, let him “‘trot it out.” The aver- age temperature in the city yesterday was thirty-two degrees below that of the same day last year. Besides, the streets and the side- walks were so slippery, and the pedestrians and horses so poorly prepared for this sudden introduction of the ‘sliding scale” into loco- motion, that many a fall of human and dumb creatures was the consequence. Down went the people, down went the thermometer aud down went the gold market. The only things that appeared to have had an upward ten- dency wero the prices of Christmas turkeys, fars and fuel, although we must confess that the coal merchants, thus far the present season, have exhibited a little more of the milk of human kindness than has been their wont in similar biting weather. We refer to our weather reports this morning with full confl- dence that “Old Probabilities” has done full justice to the occasion, and, pointing to the state of the thermometer (at one degree below zero), he can triumphantly exclaim, “How is that for low?” Blamarck’s Reclamation Outrage. The Premier of Germany has despatched a note of ominous import to Paris. He has ad- dressed the German Ambassador in France officially on the subject of the outrages which are perpetrated by the French people against Against French Prussian soldiers serving in the Army of Occu- - pation. He announces that Germany is be- coming ‘‘exasperated,” and threatens retalia- tion on the offenders, in her name, if the cause of complaint is not abated. The Prince- Premier states that French hostages will be seized in future in the pledged territory if the assassins, who flee'from the scene of their crime into the other provinces of the republic, are not delivered by the French authorities to the Prussians for punisnment, Bismarck delares, finally, that if these “‘horrible outrages” do not cease the Prussian Army of Occupation will be increased in force and the expense and burden of its support—which France has to pay under the treaty of peace—be doubled. In words such as these France is made to expe- rience the o@ victis of military conquest in its fullest force and severity and as it has been recorded in the earlicst history of army tor- rorism, unchanged. The exercise of the “wild justice of revenge” isa terrible crime against humanity—cold-blooded assassination _ still more horrible, The imperlalism, or impe- rionsness, of triumphant soldiers serving as an army of occupation in a foreign country is very exacting—sometimes unreasoning, fre- quently unjust, Crime is often provoked among the conquered by the conduct of the victors, The enforcement of an iron-rule martial law against a people—the innocent and guilty alike—rarely cures it. Perhaps no foreign army serving in a strange land, among persons speaking an unkaown tongue, has been kept strictly and healthily in hand by its commanders since Arthur Wellesléy led the British troops to triumph on the European peninsula and disciplined them in Spain— after some “‘looting” to be sure—for the prac- tice of self-denial at Waterloo. Grant Durr on THE INTERNATIONAL.—Mr. Grant Duff, a sturdy and learned Scotchman of the ancient Northern stock, who has for many years past honored his Elgin constitn- ents by delivering to them the best political recess sermon, bas again been In Elgin and made his annual speech. The speech is not before na, but we are not unwilling to believe that it was good. Mr. Grant Duff is the Un- der Secretary of State for India, and, so far as we know, the Duke of Argyll and himself are both doing reasonably well. Mr. Grant Doff, it seems, in his latest Elgin speech went in strongly for Cobden’s free trade policy, ‘and was the reverse of complimentary to the International. How could a man of common sense, like Mr. Grant Duff, find a place in his heart for men who murder anoffending priests and bishopsin cold blood? The International may have its harmless parades, but the thoughtful, conservative men of these times like it not, and will not have it. Personal Intelligences. General F. D. Callender, of the United States Army, has quarters at the Metropolitan Hotel. Commander R. B, Lowry, of the United States Navy, is at the Everett House. General E. W. Leavenworth, of Syracuse, quartered at the St. Nicholas Hotel. Judge Amasa J. Parker yesterday arrived from Albany, at the New York Hotel. BE, M. Hughes, of the United States Navy, has quarters at the Grand Central Hotel, Charles Marseilles, of the Boston Journal, ts among yesterday’s arrivals at tne St, Nicholas Hotel. Judge Miller, of Hudson, {s sojourning at the St. Nichoias Hotel. State Senator William M. Ely, of Binghamton, is temporarily residing at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Henry Wells, of Aurora, the head of the great irm of carriers, Wells, Fargo & Co, is among the ar rivals at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, Congressman Fernando Wood yesterday returned to the city and ts stopping at the Gilsey House. Wayne McVeagh, of Harrisburg, Pa., is stopping at the Brevoort House. He has but lately returned from Constantinople, where he occupied the posl- tion of Minister Resident, The Marquis Albert Tactsa Camerano, of Ivaly, haa taxen apartments at the New York Hotel. H, B. Plant, of Georgia, is at the Gilsey House. Mr, Plant is Superincendent of the Southern branca of the Adams Express. Speaker Blaine yesterday came to the city and took quarters at the Grand Centrai Hotel. He wil leave for his home to-duy. is Personal Notes. Miss Tenny Grog has been appointed Postmistreas at Bradford, Va, Hon. & 8. Cox, M. C., of New York, will start fora holiday trip home in a few days. Horace Greeley and Rev. W. H. H.. Murray will lecture in Winsted, Conn., this season. The “Great American Traveller,” Dantol Pratt, ‘will rest for some time in Manchester, N. H. where he has been arrested for vagrancy, Miss Charlotte Uushman is building a cottage at Newport, R, 1, which 18 to cost $20,000, It is. sa planned that all the rooms are octagonal, Hon, Samuel Hooper, M. C., of Masaachusatta, will - leave Washington immediately on the ot Conaress, to spend the holidays at Metone A Mrs. Smythe, of Indianapolis, Ind, now her fitth ausband, and yet ag ban hover hanged her name, She was born & Smith, her first nus band was named Smith, her seooud Schmidt, her jae her fourth Syuithe and ber preaeay