The New York Herald Newspaper, December 26, 1871, Page 4

4 i Kiar vekad OMe Waldopotian! gy i PowdeGfitaditt, Sttespd’y, “edible 6 tei : " Medical Metvors tana fertitory), eltmated in this tee Proportion ol HERALD : ad ibl 1d i Thin, © red with Ours. : tom of Commissions. kage Bi Gea Company should h ry up their arrange- NEW YORK As the, winter net fn. ad, the, rgora of | wild bolt, in the lat. trsibly cold |. WBtn Comoe A ose Bee a OT watt BROADWAY AND ANN STREET, JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. Volume XXXVE AMUSEMENTS THIS EVEWLNG. cage OPERA HOUSE, corner of 8th av. aud Bid ot— Ticket or Laave Max, woop’s MUSBUM, Bronaway. corntr Sith wt. —Pertorane ances afternoon and evening,—BRNEDIO7 ARNOLD, &C. FIFTR | AVEN! kTRE, Twoaty-fourth street. — Tur Tae Dest on Diroeoe, ' t 4 WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway and 1th street.— Joun Gana. NIBLOMS G, Houston ‘etreete.—B! OP.) MUSEO, Fourteoeth street—-iraLian 1. TROVATORE.... BOWBRE THESTRE, Bowery.— Marerra ~ Gane Bareceyry, ‘ OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadwey.—Tan Ba turn Pan: TOmEYS or Bumrry Dusrrt, ROGTH'S THEATRE, Twétty4hira ot., corner Mixih av. — JULIE, CmeaR STEINWAY HALL, Fourteenth strect.-Tar READING or Hamuer. 7 R. CONWATS BROOKLYN THEATRE.— GUARDSMEN. BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Moatague street — PosTma.JOn oF LONI UMRAU. . fy) Detween Prince and Aci OrrRa— MRS OF. Tur Tamer Riek oJ COMIQUE, 514 Broadway.—Cowiw VooaL 18M8, NEGRO ACTS. aC. UNTON SQUARE THEATRES, Fourteenth st. and Broad- way.—N¥onrd AoTS—BURLESQUR, BALLET, &0. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE. No. 901 Bowery.— NrG@Ro EOornTRicrtizs, BORLESQUES, £0. Matinee, BRYANT'S NEW CPERA HO SE, 334 at., bet ween 6th and 7th eve.--BRYaNT's MINSTRELS, SAN FRANCISCO INSTREL HALL, 685 Broadvway.— Tar Sax FRanoisvo bi apie: INBTRELS NEW YORK CIRCUS, Pourtesntn eras. -SOBNRS (10 THE RING, ACLOBATS, ko, Matinee at 274. NIXON'S GREAT SOUTHERN Cl 5 Broadway.— SOENES IN THE BiNG, &0. Matinee it _ DR. KAHN’S ANATOMICAL MUSEUM, 745 Broadway. — SorgNo® AND ART, low Work, Tuesdny, December 26, 1871. CONTENTS OF TO-DAY’S HERAL! Pag, 1— Advertisements, 2— Advertisements. 3—Arv in Washineton—The Accident on the vinctn- pail and Indianapolis Junction Railroaa—The “Negro Outrace in Arkansas—Polltical Move- ‘Ments and Views—Clubping a. Wife—Stanbing ‘Assault—The Treasury Ring: Secretary Bout well preparing His Defence—Homictde in Brookiyn—The Death of Catharine Canhil— The Courts—\mancial and Commercial Re- ts. Norials: Lending Artici¢, “Medical Me:eor- ology, & New Scicnce’—The Grand Duko Alex’s—Burglars, Beware--The TERALD and Dr. Livingstone—The Commune Up the Hud. son—A Little Election in Georgia—Suiciae at on— Amusement Announcements, $—Telegraphic News from France aud Spain— Judge Lynch in Obto—Riilroad Disaster in dowa; ine Fog on the River Last Night—The Weather Throuzhont the Country—Telegraphle News—Music and the Drama—Literatare— Gtterary Chit-Chat—News from Washington— Fire in Thirty-fourth Strcet— Business Notices, 6—Christmas Day: Celebration of the Festival of the Nauivity at the Churches ; Te Denms and tiymns of Praise: Grand Choral Services at Episcopal and Cataolic Churches: Sermons on the Birth of Christ; Christmas Fare and Fes- uvity in the Prisons, the Public and Charita- hte Institutions; Gifts for the Homeless Wan- derers; Re:olcings and Christmas Joility at the Cathollc and Protestant Orphan Asyloms; Connalty’s Festal Dav in Prison; How Christ- ane Pag) Kept in Ludiow Strect Jail and the ‘ol 7—Christmas Day (continued from Sixth Page): Christmas Quarrels—The Lack of Gas—Sunday Skating on the Huason —News from Cutracoa— ‘Women Beaten, Scalded and Siabbed—Views of the Past—Birtns and Deaths—Adveriise- ments, 8—Startled Spain:—The Truth about How Cuba 18 Governed Discussed in Madrid; The United States and England Feared; The Spanish Management of the Ever Faithful Isle Worse than Tammany Ha)l—Interesting from France—Paraguay: A Coup d’Ftata la Louis Napoleon by the President of Paraguay— Brookiyn Barroom Assaults—Ritot in Chelsea, Mass. — Shipping Intelligence — Advertise- ments, Ax AMBASSADOR's LaMent—"* ‘Little Emma,’ thou art no longer ‘mine.’” A Rior Ooovnrep in Chelsea, Mass., early Christmas morning. The City Marshal was stabbed and another man killed ‘dead as Chelsea.” A Nrero Revorr against the authorities in Curagoa, which was undertaken on the 24th of November, was promptly met by militaty fire and many of the would-be insurgents killed. Martial law was proclaimed subse- quently. Assistant ArrorNey GeNeraL Bristow’s resignation is reported as having been ac- cepted by the President. District Attorney General Noble, of Missouri, has been offered the appointment. ‘‘Presto! change!” seems to be the magical command at Washington about these days. Sawra Gravus ro Caurrorsta.—The uneasy mortals of the Golden State should now be happy that they have at last bad the good storm of rain and wind they bave been so angrily expecting, and that it came so near the festive season. It should keep them in good hamor until the next earthquake comes along. Santa Claus tipped the wink to the clerk of the weather, and they are happy. Spanish REINFORCEMENTS are still being despatched to Cuba for ‘the suppression of the insurrection” in the island. Minister Topete announces that he will reform the volunteer organization system in the Antillés, The last project will be exceedingly useful ; the military reinforcement plan appears to be useless. Pree SEI Tee ‘Yue Cuicaco Fire.—Tho first spectal re- port of the donations made on account of the Chicago sufferers shows the following en- tries :~— Oot. 19—Citizens, by NBw YORK HERALD... $10,523 66 Nov. 4—Coniributed by New YORK HERALD 3,076 94 Nov. 16—New Yorkq Bekaip OMice fund,. 8,000 00 Tota! from New Yore Henarp to No- re vember 16.. ++ $21,600 00 Tus Frexon Leorrimsts in the National Assembly have announced their disapproval of the Orloans Princes as parliamentary pariy leaders. ‘The legitimists prom'se to act gén- orally with the members of the Right Centre in the Assembly, preserving at the same time their right of independent voting. The cause of Orleanist royalism does not appear to pro- gress very materially among the French people, “Nonopr nt."—The President of the Mctropolitaa Gas Company makes this quota- tion from the lamented Lincoln in referring to the late explosion and the consequent envelop- ment of a large part of the city in Cimerian darkness. This ts certainly a cheerful way of putting the thing. Wonder the company have not bad the modesty to tell the gas cousumers that the whole affair was only an innocent and novel way they took to make their customers a vretty lite Chyjatpaas present. Boreas made themaslves 0. keenly felt thou- sands of the sickly and invalided clagses were looking for serene and milder skies. In old times it was not possible for the consumptive. to vary bis climate with the change of season, but now the Immense facilities of locomotion and the endless variety of climate in America enable the victims of lingering disease to pro- long life by quick and easy changes of gesi- dence. It is a subject of profound congratulation to suffering humanity that the researches and observations of our day enable us to project the outline ef a new science—a science of health—bearing directly upon the needs of the race, which we venture to oall medical meteorulogy. The facts and laws upon whick this science is to be ereated are not completely unmasked, but enoagh ts already known to warrant several highly practioal and invalu- able generalizations. “ fe . The great problem of» geographical kind foveselees ake a ‘the medical world bas been to find an equable and yet genial climate for the-enfeebled- or diseased patient. It is. well known that regions of exocssive humidity and great bygrometrio and thermo- metric changes “are very fatal. The statistics of disease and death show the superiority (for wasting discases) of insular and Mediterranean climates to those of continental interiors. Thus the islands of New Guinea, Australia and Tasmania are notably exempt from all op!- demics. Although in closest and most con- stant commercial communication with India— the birthplace of Aslatic cholera—the islands of the Southern osean are strangers to this disease; typhus and other fevers, when im- ported, lose their virulence, and palmonary consumption is unknown among the natives. It is the inaular climate of England which, as Professor Tyndall has said, ‘‘makes her fields 80 green and gives the biessom to: her maidens’ cheeks,” while the climate of such inland regions as the Thibetian plateau in Asia is thought to be unendurable by most constitutions, New York, the island city, ‘whose temperature in midwinter is mitigated both by the sea and by the air of the warm lakes, fed to it thrragh the Mohawk and Hud- e6n River valleys, has doubtless thus obtained her splendid climate, the best to be found in America east of the Rooky Mountains, But while there is muoh to choose in the geographical position of \ifferont regions and even in different oifica of the same region, however small, thero is reason for belleving that the selection of olimate for medical pur- poses bas been heretofore based upon a wrong principle, or, rather, upor a generaligation too narrow, The temperature varies widely from sum- mer to winter in every extra-tropical latitude, but the tropics themselves are deadly to a large class of patients and. cannot be resorted to. But great as is the variation from season to season in all extra-tropical regions, it does not compare in severity with the variations which occur during the passage over them of. a serious storm: or cyclone, snch as. we have every week passing through some part of this country. Formerly physicians sent the con- sumptive to St. Paul, Minnesota, for its sup- posed uniform dry and cold temperature. Oa the 3dinst., during the passage of the recent gale to the eastward of St. Paul, for an example, the Signal Service reports show that the thermometer, at twenty-five minutes to eight A. M., read fifteen degrees (Fabrenhelt) above zero, and at the same hour thenext day itread nineteen degrees below zero, showing a change of thirty-four degrees in the course of a single day (the next day it changed thirty-eight degrees), which is at least half ‘8 much as the entire annual variation at St. Paul, taking the means for July and January. Then, again, we have had the most remark- able and extreme change within the last few days, from Arctic rigor of cold to a mild spring temperature. In other words, a patient at St. Paul would be racked and tortured with the change of temperature as much in a single day during ‘the passage of a storm centre as he would be in the apace of three months from merely seasonal changes. It is evident, therefore, without giving further illustrations, . which could be indefinitely multiplied, that the problem of temperature for the invalid is not so much the determination of those regions where the forces of solar and terrestrial radia- tion work most powerfully (although this is an important question), but it ‘reddces itself rather to a determination and avoidance of the great storm tracks on the Contiaent, along which. the diaraal oscillations both of tho barometer and thermometer are excessive and almost terrific. Doring his first voyage of discovery Columbus pointed out in the North Atlantic a region of oceanic calm, to which geographers have given the name of the Sargasso Sea—‘“‘a sea of rest”—around which the great carrents of the ocean circulate and into whioh they throw off their weedy and floating mit- ter. We know that such sargassos also occur in the South Atlantfo, the [udian and Pacific oceans, But, what is more to the purpose, the rescarches Se raets rology now show the existence Of wimilar atmospheric sargassos, around which the storms and cyclones circulate, but which aro themselves aerial. seas. of rest, and whose thermometric ‘variations are not exces#ive or trying on the human frame. In winter Florida lies in-one of these stormless rezions, and as the hurricane season inthe West Indies is then over Florida and its adjoining sister States are peculiarly grateful to the iovalid; so that itis no wonder the story of the ‘Fountain of Youth" was located by the early Spantsh ex- plorers there, and tempted old Pones de Leon to encounter fearful sufferings in the search for it. Another of these atmospheric sarzasaos, now opening up, exempt from sudden oscilla- tions of climate, and offering a winter home to alarge class of the diseased, is in Montana and along the line of the Northern Pacific Railroad, in what has been called “the mild winter belt,” a region extending into British Columbia, the Valley of the Saskatchewan River, and as far south as the forty-fifth paral- lel of north latitude—whose température’ is due to the lowness of the Rocky Mountains giving free passage to warm west winds of the Pacific—and is so dry, mild and ¢equable that the cattle feed in the open alr.all the winter. Strange as it may seem. Virginia City wenther showed, by the Signal Service re- ports, for several days a ‘iatathee of ‘forty degrees and forty-three degrees Fahrenheit, while the thermometer at Memphis was twelve degrees, and at St. Paul, in the same latitude as Virginia City, stood at nineteen degrees—a Gifference in the latter cise ‘of sixty degrees in favor of Moritana, There canbe ho doubt that the stiidy of this subject, which we may venture to'dall anew science, will lnteter ineatimably tothe com- fort of the thousdads of: sick afd-davalid Americans, It i not -meceasary for them ty go abroad, Tha climate of the sous of France, long held in such high. r@pite as a ‘winter home for the infirm, is warm enough ; bat France, and, especial! the South of the country, ia diceotly inthe of the Atlan. tic stormy. which come from ‘the ‘west and curye around the Azores toward the Mediter- Faneno—a * clroumatane which —originilly, doubtless, gave name to the Gulf of Lions as the gulf of tempestuous winds, From the fer- tile researches of our Sigaal Ssrvite the facts and generalizations necessary to pursue and perfect this new branch of medical. study oan now for the firat time be easily and amply eliminated. 7 : We commend it, as the Hgrarp's tribute of sympathy, to thousands of our invalid readers, to all classes in soaroh of health, and espe- clally to thé earnest and trath-seskting physi- Clans of the Country. How. Another Christmas Was Spent. Tf one conld compute the merriment ejoyed all over the broad face of our Union yeater- day by the wishes for ‘A morry Ghriatmas and many of them” that. lived on every lip from midnight-to midatght then were all citi- gens jolly indeed, Seldom can we chronicle such delightfal.weather at this soason as that which this year blessed the great festival of the Nativity of our Lord. Those who enjoyed a walk in the afteruoon and let the mildness of the air mingle with the mild influence of this season of souvenirs were all the better able to enjoy thelr turkey afterward. The great old German saint was nover more gen- erally honored on this Continent of. ours, where he has. ereoted his toy altar of Santa Claus, on which we (place latterly so many of our household gods. How many sweet friend- ships were cemented yesterday by the inter- change of appropriate presents !—small things, perhaps, fn themselves, but, taken as types of sentiment, what large and symmetric propor- one they assume among the loved idyls of Then, too, the groat Saviour Himeslf was honored and.thought. of. The Episcopal churches held solemn services, imbacd throughout with the spirit of the mighty mys- tery which in the inoarnation of our Lord made the world no longer the place of trial for a chosen few and a wilderaess of spiritual darkness for the Gentile, but proclaimed in omnipotent tones ‘the sublime announcement that God was for the whole world and the Gospel for all’ men. The Catholic churches were ablaze with all the pomp and glory which its gorgeous ritual associates with all the triumphs of God's jourtiey’ upon earth, and, as it holds the Nativity only sec- ond in importance to the Resurrection, the services were many and brilliant and attended crowds of dovout worsbip- pers. In the churches the services commenced with high mass at four A. M., in whioh on this day the divine hymna, ‘‘Adeste fidelis,” is introduced, and from seven o'clock were gontingeg hourly until ten o'clock, when high aa Wan yan bung rene apt The poor, the erring and the needy sick were made to feel somewhat the joy of the day, Atthe Five Points Mission, the Howard Mission, the Shoeblacks’ Lodging House, on Ward's Island and Blackwell’s Island, a good substantial diuner was provided and appro- priate exercises gone through. We oan turn from these works of morcy to the theatres, and caff relate that, although it wus an even- {og of home joys, there were plenty left to enjoy ‘Jobn. Garth” at Wallack’s, ‘Julius Cesar” at Booth’s, and, passing over the long intervening list of ‘Black Crooks” and “Humpty Dumptys,” to see Miss Fisher once more in ‘‘Mazeppa.” And 60, with joyous tickings of the telegraph telling how happily Christmas was spent from Maine to Califoraia, wo congratulate the world that no terrible war is raging, and that there is. some application to the present in the message of ‘‘Peacy on earth to men of good will.” Tax Proposep Rerrat oF THR {xoome Tax—Wnuere Art tas DeMocrats?—-The Ways and Meaus Committee of the House of Representatives, it appears, were in session the other day on the President's recommenda- tion forthe repeal of the income tax, but it seems they came to no conclusion. It is gon- sidered doubtful if the committee will report ‘in favor of the repeal, inasmuch as the West- ern members,’ and particularly the Western democrats, lean the other way. The propor- tion of the taxes collected from incomes in the West is light compared with the amount col- looted In the East ; and, East and West, the tax falls heavier apon the Faptbliosn thai upon the democratic party. But, again, tho repub- lican party in the West is faclined more to a reduction of the tariff schedules ‘than to & repeal of the internal taxes, while the Westera democracy, in order to have frée trade, would increase our internal taxes as far as needed to meet the wants of the Treasury, At all events, from present appearances the Commit- tee of Ways and Means fs tied up on the repeal of the income tex; and, perhaps, the shortest way to gel at it would be through a resolution in the House instructing the com- mitiee to report the bill. Wo suggest to the friends of the repeal a trial of the experiment, so that we may know how the Iand lies. Tar Caoaco Republican, in reply to an inquiry as to what disposition has been made of the relief fund, simply responds, ‘Trot ont Dexter." Does it mean to insinuate that fast time” has been made with any of the cash? If it be a joke we suppose it must be taken for what it is “Wirt,” Ir Is an Ox Satine that ‘Christmas comes but once a year.” But if every Christmas Day should bé a8 balmy and beautiful as yesterday all people, we doubt not, would not care how often it came, ihe lation’ of the Bank of France “for the relief of trade and commerce,” as the bill before the French Assombly expresses it, has called forth a great deal of discussion, both in and out the legistative hall, as well as some apprehension. The question fs atill pending. The committee having chargé of the measure as to the principle of it, but had not determined what amount.of augmented circulation should be authorized. It was supposed the committee vould recommend an increase of two thousand seven hundred millions of francs—equal to about five hundred and forty millions of dol- it is pogaible some mistake ga fo fhe figures has occurred in transmitting the telegram. Still it is evident, from the financial situation of France and the recent Message of President Thiers to the legislative body, that a very large increase of circulation is contemplated. A portion of this ‘fy to be tn small notes, something like our fractional currency, only, perhaps, of a lower denomination than circulates now among us. The drain of specie to pay the war indemnity to Germany, and the exigencies of the government te meet the enormous demands upon it, have brought France to the necessity of inflating the our- renoy. The effect is glready.seen io the de- preciation of bank notes. True, the premium on coin is. not great, but the tendency must be to inerease that unless the Freneh financiers prove more skilful than ours did in a almilar orisis.. Notes of the; Bank of France used to be ata premium compared with gold and ail- ver. Now it is ocherwise, though the differ- ence is yet small, Mr... Michel Chevalier, in discussing the national finances of France and the proposed measures of relief, makes some excellent re- marks and a coniparison between the finan- cial condition and policy of his own country and of the United States. He says France will bave to negutiate: other large loans, and that it will be difficult to place them except upon very onerous conditions, unless the prosent process of or tendency to depreciation be checked. To obviate the diffloulty he pro- poses to follow the example of the United States in paying the interest of the debt in coin .and of providing for thet by making customs’ duties payable in specie. He thinks the depreciation of paper money would be checked and the cradit of the government be. sustained by expressly stipulating to pay the interest on loans tn coin. We began this policy late, and after our green- backs “Wotd fnuch depreciated. Perhaps France might check.the depreciation of her paper circulation while it is» but little below the par of gold by such @ policy, There is one remark made by this able political econo- mist which deserves special notice and which Is full of instraction for us. “One of the means,” be says, ‘for restoring the value of the bank! note is to act upon the course of exchange so that it shall be favorable to us while it really is against us. Each successful effort we make to convert foreigners into our debtors will modify the course of exchange in ‘our favor. Now the exportation of French. goods would evidently have that effect ; there- fore, it is our interest to ‘facilitate the devel- opment of our export trade.” This is the principle upon which England has aocted all through her successful commercial history, and which has made her the richest nation as regards capital in the world. She began this in the dawn of commercial development in Europe, when the Bank of England was In its ‘and when that great institution began sy of regulating the exchanges of. the world. By the cunning device of trans ferring ‘capilal, even wien not. needed for trade, to certain’ polats, in order to make the exchange favorable to London, the Brit- isb, at sa. early period, turned the financial centre from Holland ‘to their own metropolis. By the profits of exchange aad the advantage of capital thus acquired they began to develop their manufactures and exports. They bave. held this position throughout, and now hold the greatest power over the flnances of the world. Miohel Chevalier .understends .the value of the lesson given: Inorease your exports, he says to Fratice, and thus become w creditor nation ‘ingtead of belog a debtor one, tor a.debtor sation is always dependent and the exchanges against it, Do we not need thie advice as mach as France? Are we not all the time piliog up 9 greater debt abroad through the excess of imports over exports? This is a subject of vast importance, which our government should well consider, With the vast wealth, productions, resources and wonderful development of this country we ought to establish such a sound policy as will not fait to stimutate exports and turn, at no distant day, exchange in our favor. That would establish.a specie basis, with no fear of a revulsion, and we should cease to be at the meroy of foreign bankers, the accidents of war abroad or any other European influence. Tuy Arg Quotine Sortrrure ont Weat in support of the democratic passive policy, The St. Louis Republican quotes from Moses, Exodus xiv., 18—‘‘And Mowes said wnto the people, Fear not, ‘stand atill,’ and see the sal- vation of the Lord”—and insists that standing still is nothiog else thao the.passive policy, But, adds the Republican, if the avti-passive men had lived in the time of Moses they would have sald, “That is possum.” There in a pretty well wora quotation that « certain indi- vidual ‘‘can quote Scripture to suit his pur- poses,” Perhaps this is & oase in point. Crnommati is getting #0 moral. and virtu- ous that all the judges are resigning. Bellamy Storer and Alpbeus Taft have stready done #0, and now, according to the Hnguirer, Jutige Hagans talks of doffing the judicial ermine, If the orimtnal business is 80 poor in Cincinnati we think some of these Judges from Porkopolis might get « little to do if they emigrated hitherward, A Texas Parse having asserted that two white boys in Fort Bond oounty raiaed this yoar soven bales of cotton and seven hundred busbels of corn, an Alabama’ paper rejoins that that may be pretty good for white boys, but a couple of black boys tn’ Alabama could “valse” twice that amount and not half try, “oven if they had to go to the penitentiary for it.” Poor Sambo! Ho has no friends any~ whore, EEE OO EE fn regard’ to'the provisions of's uew city charter deserve fair consideration at the hands of the citizens of New York and of the State Legislature. The committee is com- posed of business men, who have given their time and influence to the cause of municipal reform, and who ‘have sought the opinions of many competent persons to sid them in arriving at thelr conolusions, Nevertheless, it naust not be forgotten thatthe Seventy are for the main part inexperienced politicians and somewhat, visionary. in their ideas of govern. vment, They are, moreover, nearly all mem- bers of helena imati ray aume ei iy 08 gito-tt rd f the bent @ Olly. 5S fotos tous an honest’ and economical government, {t is possible that they: may: place a little too much importance upon the virtues of a minority, and thus ‘fall into the old error of rendering the machinery of the municipal administration too complicated, and not sufil- ciently strengthened by direct’ responsibility. One. good feature of the committee's propo- sitions is that which suggests, the vesting of all legistative’ powor in a Board of Aldermen so elected as to insure the presence of a fair number of opposition members, _ It would be sufficient protection Of the interests of the oiti- zens to give a body so composed the control over all the expenditures of the several muni- cipal departments ;'the supervision of all pur- chases and contracts made on: bebalf of the city ; the confirmation of the tax levy by = two-third vote, and the sole money-raising power of the Corporation. But it is of ques- tionable expedienoy to confer upon the Board of Aldermen the appointment of heads of de- partments, or, indeed, to retura at all tothe exploded system of creating bulky commls- sions in the several. subordinate departmen's of the goverament... The one proposition opens the door to all manner of Largainings and tradings in the Board, besides giving the money-raising power too immediate an interest in the departments, while the other destroys the important object of direct and concen- trated responsibility. It seems to be easy enough to form a thor- oughly good charter if those engaged in the Isbor >of, preparing it would only lay aside every political considera- tion and set about the work as they would about their - own individual business, The people care nothing about politics or politicians so far as the ofty charter is concerned, and the experience of the recent election should. be accepted as a guarantee that no exclusive partisanship oan hereafter be safely indulged in by those who may obtain control of the local government. A fow main points kept in view, and the drafting of a charter that wonld be acceptable -to the citi- zens and effective in securing a competent and honest administration of our municipal affairs, would be a work of comparative ease, These are :—The concentration of all legislative, and money-raising power ins Board of Aldermen 80 elected as to seoure # minority representa- tion; the election every year ofa Mayor, who shall be the real head of the city government, appointing one exeentive head of every de- partment, and having the power to remove all appointees at his wil! ; the weekly publica- tion of every expenditure made, of every Usbility incurred, and of all cash balances in 6¥ery department of the olty government; the publication of all proposed ordinances, appro- priations, contracts, d&o., by the Board of Aldermen at least two weeks before their pessage; the public gszetting of all appoint ments, with the amount. of salary paid every branch. of bd ity government; ihe Prohibition of ab oles “Galding in any shape whatecever ‘by ‘any ‘employé of tion of the olty lettin-gtooin by the late explo- slon, The darkness of, last, night in, the up- town portion of the clty between Third avenue and the river was a tempting bait to the row- dies and ruffians of the community, who would Jbavoe no.scruples about eajoying alittle pilfor- ing pastime, or evenisome warrotieg, by way of Christmas amusement. | \The store: keepers, we suppose, mast burn kerosene and bear it. It is bard, cnough. to, have badigas at a high price; but when. that, too, is gone citizens must, congple themselves with the thought that thelr misfortune. mey dorsonstrate the nécessity for reform ta thi directlon.’ ‘The “monopoly tn’ gis ‘supply’ Ia nothing compared with ely in dark ness a Saab dm g.panogely ats gAs'house‘has ‘brought’ about. “Lot the polloe throw the light of their legal eyes sharply round the dark corners, —_— 4 Ovz Orr tag Fres.—In.,the draft..of the charter proposed by the Committees ‘of Seventy we find several foot notes suggesting’ ‘amend- ments and reforms In our county affalra, to bo made, of course, the subject of 9. separate law, | But. we do not see any allusion to: the propriety of outting down the endrmows feew now pocketed by the Sheriff, Relister and County Clerk, The unreasonable emoluments’ of, these offices have done much to reader them mere political placers. Asa reform ‘obantpion is about to titke possession of the Rogister’s office—the profits of which are about seventy- five thousaad dollars » year—we shall, expect to see him apply:at once for ‘a ‘law Grtag bis salary at & réeatonable amount—siy ten thou- gand dollars—and giving back the rest £0 the citizens. Thia will be a good, reform com- mencement, and: will set.a precedent: to: be followed in the cases of the Sheriff and Oonnty Clerk. THE GRAND DUKE ALEXIS He is Ogled at the Opera, House by the Buffalo Gala. ** Bor¥ato, Deo, 95, 1872. ‘The Grand Dake drove ont to-day, and made a tour of the entire city. He visited Fort Portor in the afvernoun and received an appropriate salute, He expressed himeelf highly pleased with the city ‘and ita magnificent private residences. To-night he accepted an Invitation of the ploprictors of the Academy Of Music to attend Parepa-Rosa’g opera of “Martha.” The private box Is gorgeously fitted up for the occasion. ‘The We; rt 10-day is a3 mild 43 spring, Nota vestiao e jate deep snow is to be scen any- wuere, P BURGLARS, BEWARE, Tho Trap Gua Tragedy in Newark—Core- Inqnost, Yesterdny—ix. Parker Ex. evcraied from Blame iu Causing Healey’s, Death—He Should Have Warned the. Pel aad Hiremen, However—A Verdict Lateroute ing to Burglars, In Newark yesterday afternoon, it veing found thatthe rats had not eaten the body of ‘Billy the Burglar,” an inquest, was held touching bis death by Coroner Vreeland and a Jury of ten men, of whom Mr. Jacob F. Remer was foreman, The inquisition took place in the office of the late Justice Pierson, Mr. Wiliam B, Francis acting as Coroner's Asalst- ant. The relatives of the dead may, were present ta. force. The evidence taken was simply a repeution Of the facts as detailed in the HERALD yesterday, THE EVID Detectve. P. C.,, Smith, who, with Detective Stainsby, Aldormaa.Stainsby aud Mr, Parker, saw, the burglar sitting dead in the foundry, was the first witness called, He testiied to Mr. Parker's having notified the police of the finding of Healey and to visiting the scene of the tragedy with the gthers named. He described the position in whick Healey was fount. Deceased’s eras olasped tne legs of the Inthe beach. The string which ea the trigger of the trap gun was found broken, The balance of his statement was descriptive of the dead man's condition and the removal of tis effects and the gun aad piunuer to the station house. Gilet wes eco sprvbonseg Sms mae, Flt man Upham gave aonié unimportant evidence. ’ Mr. George E. Parker was sworn, He stated that the city government; and. the. principle of.| he nad been ih business in River street four years: public bids for all contracts mado with the city and for all supplies furaished to any city department or public institution. With these main provisions underlying the details of a oharter we should secure; first, control over every oullay of money and. over the expenses of all Gspartments by a non-partisan legisla- tive body; secondly, an efficient and responsi- ble executive government, so concentrated as to bp capable of betng reached evory year, from the highest to the lowest office, by the votes of the electora; and, thirdly, perfect security against aay jobs, collusions and extravagant or unjust expenditures, by ‘means of the publivity given to all the Anancial apera- tions of every department of the government. Sach a obarter as this would be the death-blow of polittcatcorruption, barzaluing and jobbery; and such’é charter we shall probably secre from a strong partisan State Logislatare jast as goon as tho Millennium arrives, but not sooner, JAPANESE RevorM iN ACTIVE Progress, — Our mail advices from Japan, dated at Naga- saki on the 8th of Ooctoder, asstre us of the fact that the work of executive reform which has been lately’ instituted’“by the Mikado’s government, was being carried into. effect with vigor.. The number of official retainers. In the district had been reduced to less than a tenth. The priests had been reduced in'a similar manner, even those hitherto. specially held in the Prince's service to perform the periodical ancestral worship, The’ whole of the idols dedicated to Buddha and placed in numerons joss honses bad cither been removed or were in the course of removal to the temples, ouly those appertaining to the Sbin~ too religion being allowed to remain in public, The majority of the townspedple appeared quite indifferent abont their removal, but the rural population viewed the new order of things in the light of religious intolerance. “] Hap A Dream Wao Was Not Att 4 Dream,” wae Byron's first line in bis poem on darkness. This remark was repeated by an enthusiastic Obristmasist in thinking of a tag at his watch ohain In the gasless portion of Gotham last night, when he tried to account for tho loss of his watoh to his better half. A Sovrnenn RaproaL paper thinks’ that in case a Greeley and Hindman ticket were run, Greeley would be the Hind-man—and Greeley has done 80 much for radicals, too, Tom Atvorp is very buxlous to, be Speaker of the next Assembly at Albany. Toig is ® promising prospect for a “‘reform'. diate Legislature. on Sunday about three o’clock. he visited his foundry, fora the door panei broken aud Healey in a sitting posture in tlie shop; without stopping to examine the body he'started to. notify the police; on Saturday nigat he wna the iast person to leave the foundry, aud before’ going tixed het ae himseif; a workmail had toaded the gun; the charge con- Slsted, lle supposed, O1 About 81x oF cight buckshot, each a3 large a8 & pistol bullet; all Ris work. men, seven in number, tad ' deem apprised ot the serting® of tie gun, as were |. also a Mir. Kay, Mr. » @n insurance agont, apa the peop'e at witness’ ding ROUSe; but nO nouiication had been riven the pdiice, the tiremen aud the private Wattninan; the gua was not wet every night, but ouly whon he apprenened ourgine rious visitations; a fireman might, witness aaa ‘Dave met the same tare as Heaiey, County Physician odd, the last witnéss sworn, whoge absenée delayed the inquest nearly an nour, testified that che fatal Wound severed the external iuiao avery, which wos ‘suillciont 10 cause deatls sooner than hud Beatey’s shroat been cut. After about: titeen minutos’ deliberation the jary found as follows: ‘ 4 1) ‘FAG WRBDIOT, “Woe, the jurors: find that Wiliam Healeycame to is deth trom the edects of a gnasiot wound, tn- ficted py his own act Walle in tho act of rovbing the brass: soundry of George K, Parker, im) the reat Oj No, 28 River street, said gan beng piaced there for the protection.o! ‘his (Parker's) property, in tae city of Newark, on the night of saturday, December 2% and» we warm ail honoraply discharged. prisoners and burglars from attempting any Act of. & sinilar nature. While we think Mr. Parker should havetuken the precaution of nottiying oue Police and Fire Department, we exonerate hing from all blame in causing Une death of sald Wallians enicy.’ ) ene bo ly was otakon charge of by Mra. Mary Shannon, deceased's aunt, Who resides tu Academy sireet. At night 1 was thesadject of an, did-fash- ‘toned “wake"’ there. . THE HERALD AND DB. ° LIVINGSTONE. {From the New Bedford (Mass.) Standard, Deo 13.P Mt rather puts to the shame the British govera- menvand tho enterprise of ritish people that an American newspaper, tie Nuw Yort Hananp, Ghould be left to organizs Bud carry out an expedl- tion ino the heart of Africa, to ascertain the where abouts of the celebrated Dr. Livingstone, It seenis that sore two years ago the HBKalD Instructed one ‘Of Ils correspondents traveling in the East to At ous” | such sh expedition, which Rad veed done at #* Dretty large expense. 1 THE COMMUNE UP THE HUDSON, Another Incendiary Fire—An Ingine Homo Burned. Hivpeon,, .N. Y., Doc, 25, 1691. The old engine houseana machine shop on the Bos ton and Albany Railroad, located at the dock th this, onty, Was destroyed by fire this evening, Tho luss ‘on the building is about two thousand dollars, A quantity of hay, belonging to Mossté. Clatk’® Mavi, jand, was stored in the building , aud was also de- atroyed; 108s about one thousand dovars, Tne fire ‘was the work of an incendiary. A LITTLE BLEOTION iW @£0RGI, Rome, Ga., vec, 26 1871. Tho election to-day resulted In the chaieo of the entire people's ticket,” as follows:—H, D, Cociiran, Mayor; T. M. Gates, W.T. Mapp, KR. T. Hoyt, J. W. Robie, © G Samuel and F. J. Stone Aldermen. ‘The eleotion pa.sed of quietiy, there being no dte- turbante of any kind, A iui vous was” polled, There & great rejoicing, SUICIDE AT BOSTON. nalts BOSTON, Deo. 26, 1871. On Saturday night William Pailon, who Was am Femed for An G990OR with an @xd, commited suicide In the police statiod.