The New York Herald Newspaper, January 5, 1873, Page 6

NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 1873—TRIPLE SHEET. a NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. Volume XXXVIII No. 5 — i Sea dai AMUSEMENTS TO-MORROW EVENING. GRAND OPERA HOUSE, Twenty-third st. and Eighth ay.—Rounp tax CLock. NIBLO'’S GARDEN, Broadway, between Prince and Houston streets—Lxo anp Loros. UNION SQUARE THEATRE, Broadway, between Fhirteenth and Fourteenth streets.—Aruxriky Count. WALLACK'S THEATRE, Broadway and Thirteenth street.—Bromer San. BOOTH'S THEATRE, Twenty-third street, corner Sixth avenue.—Ricuaxp Jil. THEATRE COMIQUE, 514 Broadway.—Dine Doxa Bru. OLYMPIC THEATRE, B: and Bleecker streets.—Li way, between Houston NDS. BOWERY THEATRE, Ox, Secrets or City Liv GERMANIA THEAT! Qv.—Den Meineippace! ATHENEUM, No. 58 Broadway.—Tax Twaxe Huyen- BACKS. ery.—Two Sronts—Caime} urteenth street, near Third MRS. F. B. CONWAY'S BROOKLYN THEATRE,— Drvorce. STEINWAY HALL, Fourteenth street.—Lxcrone— “Gossir, Its Causxs ann Cunx.”’ ASSOCIATION HALL, 23d street and 4th ay.—Lee- yurE—“Taux Metuop oF Learning Frencu.” BRYANT’S OPERA HOUSE, 6th av.—NuGno Minstax.sy, TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, No. 21 Bowery.— A Mover’s Lire. SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS, corner 28th st. and Broadway.—Etuiorian Minstneisy, £c. enty-third st.. corner RN TRACITY, &C. Ecrmnce AnD ART. New York, Sund E SHE Jan. 5, 1873. THE NEWS OF YESTERDAY. To-Day’s Contents of the Herald. “THE CITY FINANCES! ARE THE PEOPLE TO LOSE THE INTEREST ON DEPOSITS?"— FIRST EDITORIAL ARTICLE—Sixru PAGE. CRITICAL CONDITION OF THE EX-EMPEROR NAPOLEON! A SUCCESSFUL SURGICAL OPERATION: NO UNFAVORABLE SYMP- TOMS AS YET—SEVENTH PaGE, STOKES FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE! THE FINAL ARGUMENTS AND THE CHARGE: THE PRISONER EX- CITEDLY DENOUNCES OPPOSING COUN- SEL: SENTENCE DEFERRED—THIRD PAGE. LOUISIANA’S LEGALLY ELECTED ASSEMBLY AND GOVERNOR TO BE INSTALLED ON MONDAY! ARMED CONFLICTS NOT AN- TICIPATED—SEVENTH PAGE. ANNEXATION IN THE PACIFIC! HAWAII FOR THE UNITED STATES, FIJI FOR AUSTRA- LIA—CUBAN INSURGENTS CAPTURED BY SPANISH TROOPS—SEVENTH PAGE. BY CABLE FROM EUROPE AND AFRICA! THE AUSTRO-FRENCH ALLIANCE FOR WAR: THE KAISER’S CABINET: THE AMBASSA- DOR OF FRANCE TO LEAVE THE PAPAL COURT: BARTLE FRERE EN ROUTE: LON- DON FAILURES—SEVENTH PAGE, WINTER'S TINTINNABULUM! A BRILLIANT CAR- NIVAL SCENE IN PARK AND ON THE ROAD: THE SPEEDERS AND WHO HELD THE “RIBBONS” —Firri Pace. DISASTERS IN THE FOG! TWO VESSELS ASHORE ON THE MASSACHUSETTS COAST— OFFICIAL REPORT ON THE BURNING OF THE MISSOURI—FirTH PAGE. MAYOR WAVEMEYER CALLED UPON BY A HERALD REPORTER! HIS POLICY OUT, LINED: OPPOSED TO COMMISSIONS: GOV- ERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE—TeNTH Pace, (QNTERPRETING GOVERNOR DIX’S MESSAGE! VARIOUS THEORIES: BEWILDERED OF- FICIALS — MARITIME INTELLIGENCE — TENTH PAGE. PISAGREEABLE SLUSH DISAPPEARING SLOWLY! YESTERDAY'S PROMISE OF SPRING: THE DUTIES OF HOUSEKEEPERS AND THE AUTHORITIES—FirTiH Pace. Money RATES, THE BANK STATEMENT, CON- SOLS AND ERIES IN THE WALL STREET SUNSHINE! STOCKS DECLINING: A RAIL- WAY “BREAK"—EIGHTH PAGE. WHE CENTRE STREET AND FIFTH AVENU! FIRE HORRORS—CITY CHARTERS— YORK AND BROOKLYN LOCAL ITEMS—- FIFTH PaGE, g RESUME OF THE RELIGIOUS WORLD! PASTORS AND SUBJECTS FOR TO-DAY: PUBLIC BIBLE EDUCATION: WHAT THE MINIS- TERS ARE DOING—Fourtn Pace. MR. TWEED, IN THE HANDS OF HIS LAWYERS, DECLINES A CONFAB ON POLITICS—MORE ITALIANS—FOURTH Pace. DOINGS AT QUARANTINE AND IN THE CUSTOM HOUSE—A NEAPOLITAN LOVE TRAGEDY— | THE FOURTH AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS— THE ROSLYN SHOOTING—E1GuTH PaGE. ‘BUSINESS OF THE MUNICIPAL BOARDS—AID FOR THE SUFFERING DANES—FIRE FROM CARELESSNESS—NINTH Pace, ‘Tae Wee ms Watt Sreeer was dull and uneventful. The intervention of the New (Near’s holiday checked operations at the Btock Exchange, but prices remained firm pantil the close yesterday, when there was what was facetiously termed ‘a January thaw.’”’ As the bank statement was a good ‘one and money relaxed to very easy rates, the fact suggested suspicions of ‘‘a scoop,’’ as the brokers termed a raid to break prices down. Gold left off at 111}, with a firmer feeling fol- lowing the heavier line of imports for the week, which ran up to $6,286,904. Tae Lovistana Trovsies appear to have been slightly exaggerated, at least with refer- ence to the contemplated programme of the fusionists to-morrow. The determination of the latter to instal the Legislature claimed to dave been elected and inaugurate their Gov- ernor does not necessarily imply bloodshed, riot and the thousand evils pictured by sen- sational paragraphs in the local press. In n interview with Governor Warmoth and Colonel McEnery, the Governor elect, our cor- respondent, whose despatch is published else- where, learned that resistance to the United States troops was neither contemplated nor apprehended; that probably the colored militia, if too meddlesome, might mect with some Ifttle resistance, but that the movement had for its aim the fulfilment of o certain legal form necessary to insure an impar- tial investigation by Congress of the whole couse of the difficulties. Acting Governor Pinchback yesterday issued a proclamation threatening interference in case the fusion As- sembly should meet, and some preliminary action was taken in the Legislature; but neither Pinchback, Kellogg nor any other au- thority would risk a physical conflict under @ugh insignificant cizcumstances. The City Finances—Are the People to | original law gives the Chamberlain the direct Lose the Interest on Deposits? We take credit to the Hrnatp for having been remarkably successful and useful in its réle asa discoverer. The spirited leader of the Hxnaup Livingstone expedition succeeded in unearthing the distinguished African ex- plorer after he had been lost for two or three years and given up by the greater part of the civilized world for dead, and thus benefited the cause of science and advanced the cause of civilization, both of which might have other- wise lost forever the advantages secured to them by Livingstone’s long years of devotion and perseverance. Our Swamp Angel com- missioner penetrated the mysteries of the Lowery gang, by whom the authorities of a State had been for months set at defiance, and laid the groundwork for the final dispersal of the outlaws. Our Cuban commissioner found Cespedes, for whom the Spanish troops and the vigilant volunteers have been vainly search- ing for four or five years, and gave to the world a truthful account of the condition of the patriots who are struggling so bravely for their freedom. The sharp eyes of the Hzraup discovered and dragged up from the depths of official circumlocution the fact that the city had lost nearly or quite a quarter of o million dollars interest on the city and county depos- its through Comptroller Green's neglect, in- competency or personal jealousies. The charge we made several days ago, that no interest had been paid into the city treasury since Chamberlain Bradley’s retirement from office, has been fully established. The people have discovered that they are the losers by some two hundred and twenty thousand dol- lars, and that the loss has been occasioned through the singular hostility of Comptroller Green to an arrangement beneficial to the city, simply because it seemed to reflect credit upon those to whom he was unwilling credit should be awarded. When our disclosures were first made Comp- troller Green strove to plead ignorance of the fact that the interest on the deposits had not been collected. Failing to make good this plea, he has since attempted to shift the re- sponsibility for the omission on Chamberlain Palmer. Some of our contemporaries, prob- ably in good faith, are unable to understand how the Chamberlain, who is also, as Presi- dent of the Broadway Bank, the holder of the deposits, can evade the responsibility for the loss of the interest, or how he can get over the proposition that the interest always follows the principal, and must be drawn in the same manner as the principal. They fail, however, to acquaint themselves with the facts. The law regulating the official powers and duties of the Chamberlain was passed during Cham- berlain Devlin’s term of office. It pro- vides that the Chamberlain shall have the full control of his subordinates, ap- pointing and dismissing them at his will, and that the banks holding the city and county deposits shall, in consideration thereof, pay the expenses of the Chamberlain’s office. The exacting of this consideration actually fore- goes the payment of any interest, so far as the city is concerned, and was intended so to do. Its object was to give the Chamberlain the legal power to put the interest into his own pocket. Chamberlain Devlin exacted four per cent from the banks, on a private arrange- ment of his own, received some millions of interest during the heavy war deposits, kept the money for his own use, and justified the act by the law. Attempts were repeatedly made to pass a new law requiring interest to be paid to the city ; but the large fund secured by the Chamberlain was always sufficient to defeat such a measure at Albany, and from our knowledge of Legislatures we may feel certain that had the practice prevailing in Mr. Devlin’s time been suffered to continue there would not have been any possibility of changing the law, at least up to the present moment. Chamberlain Sweeny migbt have easily realized over a million dollars interest during his official term by keeping the balances up to the usual standard, and with this fund in hand it would have been an easy matter to have controlled the Legislature and held the law unchanged. He gave up the interest to the city voluntarily, and has been engaged ever since in explaining away this action. Chamberlain Palmer was willing to do the same. He urged the Comptroller to allow him to do so, but Mr. Green obstinately refused. ‘These are the plain facts, and no amount of sophistry can alter them. Why did Mr. Green decline to allow Mr. Palmer to pay over the interest as it had been paid over by his two immediate predecessors ? Was the money any less valuable to the taxpayers_because it was drawn out of the banks as interest by the Chamberlain at the close of each month and paid over as a separate fund, which, in fact, it was, to the credit of the gesteral fund? Oh, but, says Mr. Green, the Comptroller's warrant is the only authority for drawing money, and so the in- terest shall be credited by the banks to the several funds to which it belongs, and shall be drawn only by the Comptrolle m the proper form. This would be all very well if the money belonged to the city—if the law had not, in fact, given up all claim on the part of the city to interest and designated the consideration the banks should pay for the deposits. If the banks had not been required to pay the expenses of the Chamberlain's office the city would have been compelled to do so, and hence this was the city’s recom- pense for the use of its money. We say noth- ing in justification of this law. It may have been very proper that the city should have received interest on its deposits and very improper that the Chamberlain should ever have been allowed to put the in- terest into his own pocket. Nevertheless, the law was and is as we have stated, and Mr. Green, when he stopped Mr. Palmer from pay- ing interest as it had been paid by Chamber- lains Sweeny and Bradley, knew that it would be paid in no other way; that he never could enforce its collection by legal proceedings; that it was never credited and could never be credited in the manner he chose to dictate, and that while he gratified a petty personal spite he sacrificed nearly a quarter of a mil- lion dollars, which, but for him, would have been paid into the treasury by Chamberlain Palmer during the last twelve months. Chamberlain Palmer's refusal to accede to the Comptroller the right to make all the ap- pointments in the Chamberlain's office we regard as legal and proper. The the- ory of the government is to hold the two offices entirely independent of gach other, Zo this end the authority over his subordinates, and the pres- ent charter specially deprives the Comptroller of the power to remove or suspend the Cham- berlain, although the latter is the head of a bureau in the Finance Dopartment. _ It is ob- vious that the design of the law is to prevent the Comptroller, who gives bonds in twenty- five thousand dollars only, from obtaining any direct power over the office of the Chambor- lain, who gives bonds to the amount of over two millions. If the Comptroller could ap- point the Deputy Chamberlain the clerk of the Comptroller would become Chamberlain in the event of the death or incapacity of his chief, and the plain intent of the law would be defeated. We regard it as eminently proper that the two offices should be separate and independent of each other. It would be deemed a very unsound principle to unite the offices of State Comp- troller and State Treasurer, or to give the former the power over all the subordinates of the latter. Indeed, Mr. Green’s monomania for intermeddling with other public officers and for the concentration of arbitrary power in his own hands needs explanation, Last year he sought to make himself a municipal dictator by means of a blind clause cunningly inserted in an appa- rently essential law. Failing in this, he has been assuming powers foreign to his office ever since, and has occupied his time more with lawsuits and newspaper controversies than with the large duties of his position. Pny-rolls have been left neglected; assess- ments to the amount of millions have been culpably suffered to remain uncollected ; public improvements have been brought to a standstill and the interest on deposits has been lost, while the timo of the whole Finance Department has ‘been occupied in scrutinizing the monthly bills of Patrick O'Reilly and Jane Smith, and the genius of its chief has been wasted on petty slurs at the old Park Commission, on snappish letters to the heads of other departments, and on lawsuits that* benefit none but the legal gentleman who has been fortunate enough to secure the personal favor of the Comptroller. It is time these follies should cease. So far as the interest on the city moneys is concerned, we understand Chamberlain Palmer to be ready to pay the same into the treasury if the Comptroller will withdraw his absurd opposition and accept it as it has been hitherto received. If Mr. Green offers further technical and spite- ful opposition to this settlement he will be held doubly responsible for the loss of the money, and will convince even his most par- tial friends that he is unfit for the office he at present holds. The Sandwich Islands—No Joint Pro- toctorate. From the tone of thd remarks of the British press on the Sandwich Islands, and the state of things there in consequence of the monarchy being vacant by the death of King Kameha- meha, and from the transfer of British war vessels to these islands, there seems to be a movement for something like a joint protecto- rate of England and the United States over that interesting portion of the Pacific world. England could not expect either to take pos- session of tho islands or to exercise a control- ling influence over their destiny at this partic- ular crisis in their history, as the foreign population is largely American and as the people of the United States have the greatest interest in their future; but, true to her national policy, she wants to take part when she cannot get the whole. British interests in these islands, either now or pros- pective, are inconsiderable compared with those of the United States, and, therefore, our government should have. most to say in establishing a government. The London Times admits ‘that the Americans will eventually people the Sandwich Islands, which will become a valuable colony between San Francisco and China and Australia;’’ but it questions ‘‘the right or propriety of any nation taking possession of them by filibustering annexation.” A good deal is implied in this term ‘‘filibustering annexation.”’ It means, we presume, that England wants to have a hand in disposing of the destiny of the Sandwich Islands. Now, we object to any joint protec- torate, to any entangling alliances with Eng- land or other Powers with regard to this or any other foreign territory. Whatever action may be deemed prudent or necessary for our government to take should be taken independently. Complications ond difficulties would be almost certain to grow out of a joint protectorate or other joint action. The proper course to pursue is for our government, in connection with the large body of American residents, other toreign residents and the leading natives of the islands to secure a fair expression of opinion as to the nature and form of govern- ment desired. We are inclined to believe this would lead to the establishment of a republi- can form of government, and would conse- quently put an end to the anomaly of a large white civilized population being ruled through the farce of a native colored and semi-civilized monarch. Monarchy there has been merely an absurd and counterfeit imita- tion: of the article in Europe. We do not want annexation, but we do want to see a gov- ernment in the Sandwich Islands that would not be farcical, that would insure progress and development in civilization, production and commerce, and that would make the islands, with a similar government to our own, a valuable and friendly neighbor to the United States, Srrance Srrmes have occurred in England before now, but the latest is still the oddest. Richmond's four curates adopted the popular argument of refusal to perform their duties against their vicar. As they formed the entire force of that class of laborers in the town the curates ‘went out’’ ona Sunday morning, con- fident of a decisive victory. They did not, however, place a proper estimate upon the vicarious resources of capital and of modern invention which has made lightning an errand messenger. Their energetic superior ordered up reinforcements of curates by telegraph, and in spite of the defection of his reapers in the harvest field of souls was able to get through ten services in two churches. in the course of the day. Those striking curates were them- selves struck, and learned too late that the at- tempt to deprive the people of spiritual light, like the plot of the gasstokers to leave Lon- don in the dark, was futile, while themselves were the persons wost injured by their contu- macy: The Verdict of Murder Aguinst Stokes. On the last day of the year which has rolled by since Fisk fell mortally wounded on the stairs of the Grand Central Hotel we are called upon to announce that the law has adjudged Edward 8. Stokes guilty of the murder charged upon him. Yesterday the able defence said its last word, the prosecution uttered its last appeal, the impartial Judge oharged with clearness, and the jury retired. Those who have felt the solemnity of the moments that follow at such times; who have traced upon the prisoner's face the torturing alternation of hope and fear that lifts by turns its bright-browed spirit or ite affrighting ghost, will need no picture here of the three hours that preceded the whisper running round the court room of the jury having agreed. The heart-broken sobs of a sister, stabbed with tho bitterest grief that the world can bring, would alone have told last night that the verdict of the jury doomed tho guilty one to a degrading, infamous death. Society that shrinks from murder, that crios aloud for justice or for vengeance before the victim’s blood has dried, softens its heart in pity before such sorrow. The crowd dis- perses; the. patient jury scatter; even the sad grief of the hapless sister must flow in the sacred privacy of home. All that remains befpre us is the doomed man sitting alone in his iron-gated cell, with his crime and its consequences swimming before his eyes. A pitiful, moving sight! Retribution, with cold eye and im- movable face, will show you the further hor- rors that she demands before she can be satis- fied. Mercy will plead to be spared the sight, but Time will move on, and only reveal as he goes which spirit will prevail. Viewing the matter thus, we go no farther now. Twelve men have indelibly fixed upon Stokes the awful crime of murder; the law and its executives will determine the rest. We are not surprised at the verdict. A year ago all but a day Fisk, bold, reckless in- triguer as he was, died by the hand of Stoke, a man with whom he had long been engaged in a bitter quarrel. It would be fruitless just now to enter into the details of that quarrel, which covered all within its range with such a leprosy of vice. The shameless face of fallen womanhood, that blasts with its pernicious beauty so many hearts and homes, worked its share of the sin which culminated in the murder of one man and now cries for the blood of another. When once the mind falls from its self-respect in ono particular, who can tell to what depth of moral depravity the descending steps will lead? The twelve patient jurors of yesterday have fearfully answered that question in the case of Stokes. Another voice of the law will still more tearfully tell to-morrow at what cost. Though we have said above that Fisk was a bold and reckless intriguer, we do not wish it for a moment to be understood that these traits of character were at all to be considered as arguments for or against the conviction of his murderer. Counsel for the prosecution thought it necessary to call to the minds of the jury the fact that crime in New York needed to be met sternly just now, and counsel for the defence hinted that there were bad men who, once dead, no honest man would care to call to life again. Both these propositions may be true, but strict justice should regard neither one nor the other in a trial. The lives of men of questionable character are just as sacred in the eye of the law as those of the apparently best and purest, for none but the Almighty Judge can draw the line which separates the good from the bad. When it was known that Fisk died for his share of the sinning people forgot his failings awhile in the tragedy that ended so strange a career. Now, when the shadow of the gibbet falls over the few steps of his slayer, the people will not raise so hungry a chorus for his blood. Time, which soothes the sternest sorrow, effaces also in some measure the deepest hate. It is only Justice in this case which is proved to be eternal. From all these grave thoughts we are cer- tain that when the world learns this Sabbath morning of the conviction of a murderer among the ranks of the rich there will be little triumphant feeling even among the ranks of the poor. We would earnestly wish instead that the grim lessons of the story stained with man’s blood and woman's tears conld sink deeply _jnto the hearts of all. The young, the giddy and the vain who were led by the life of Fisk into a vicious love for display and a disregard of the Yacans by which it might be attained should have learned a sharp lesson in the circum- stance of his death. From the gloomy re- cesses of the doomed man’s heart in tho Tombs to-day let them learn a more terrible chapter of that lesson still. The pride, the jealousy, the lapse of moral ties, the growth of evil passions till they leaped beyond control, that made these men similar in spite of their dissimilarities, and ending for both so tragi- cally, are burning warnings, like lights upon a rock-bound coast, telling men and women not to trust themsélves too near the points where ‘‘bad begins and worse remains be- hind.” Men under the influence of evil pas- sions will murder other men in spite of all examples while humanity remains os it is ; yet, if those who learn the dénouement of this story—study it backwards to its beginning— many an evil course will be turned to better ways. It is the story of a year, having within it a hasty murder, two long wearying trials and a wretched being awaiting the death sen-"| tence in a felon’s cell. More Heavy Storms are reported in Eng- land. It has, in truth, so far been a terrible Winter for the fast-anchored island. Ovr Vrrau Sratistics.—The official report for the week is for the city—deaths, 583, exclu. sive of 46 stillbirths ; living births, 399 ; mar- riages, 179. This report, in reference to the unusual excess of deaths over the bigghs, and touching the comparatively small number of marriages, is doubtless due to our late fearful Wintry weather and to the disturbing causes of our Christmas and New Year holidays. Next week we hope to record a diminution in our weekly death report. thick fog which was simply an annoyance to New Yorkers on Friday caused serious loss near Boston. Two British steamers, in at- The Commotion Among the City Poli- ticians. Tho Hxzranp as an independent journal cares nothing for factions or politicians, and 88 @ newspaper is bound to lay before its readers the fullest and most reliable informa- tion on all subjects, from politics to religion, no matter what party or what creed may be affected by the disclosures. As a consequence it frequently oceurs that the developments made in our columns have all the effect of the explosion of a bombshell in the camps of the rival political armies, and men are seen running hither and thither, seeking this or that shelter to escape the damaging effect of the flying splinters. We have given, as a part of the political movements of the hour, a programme of the policy by which the leaders of the reformed and purified democracy hope to rebuild their shattered fortunes and carry the old party again to victory. The informa- tion appears to have dealt some of the repub- lican leaders a staggering blow, and they seem to discover now, for the first time, what ought to have been plain to every sharp observer of events long since. g Judging by the old adage, ‘To the victors belong the spoils,"’ one might well suppose that the regenerated democracy had already been triumphant at the polls, The list of prominent public officers would certainly jus- tify such a belief. Governor of the State of New York, General John A. Dix, democrat ; Lieutenant Governor, General Robinson, formerly democrat; Congressman at Large, Lyman Tremain, democrat; Mayor of New York city, William F. Havemeyer, democrat ; Comptroller of the city, Andrew H. Green, democrat; Park Commissioner, Henry G. Stebbins, democrat. Besides these we have Comptroller Green's principal appointees— General McMahon, democrat, Collector of ‘Taxes, and Morris Miller, democrat (a nephew of Governor Horatio Seymour), Collector of Arrears and Personal Taxes, one of the rich- est appointments in the Finance Department. This certainly makes a good display of power for the reformed democracy, and may well have induced the ambitious hope of Mr. Til- den that upon this substantial foundation of office, with the co-operation of the solid old democrat now at the head of the city govern- ment, the light of the time-honored party was not likely to be long hidden under a bushel. The interview of a Henan reporter with Mayor Havemeyer,’ published to-day, will give new vigor to this democratic revival. Mr. Havemeyer certainly displays no disposition to yield any of his underlying democratic principles while championing the cause of reform, and it is clear that he will prove a determined opponent of the republican pro- gramme of municipal commissions. In this he may, possibly, be committing a mistake. The republicans have won a very decisive vic- tory, and they cannot evade the responsibility for the future government of the State and of the city. A ‘decided policy’ is expected of them and is approved by Governor Dix. It is not likely that they will accept the respon- sibility and decline the power; that they will consent to be held accountable tor the effi- ciency, honesty and economy of the govern- ment, and yet tie their own hands by appoint- ing their political opponents to office. is scarcely sufficient disinterestedness in politi- cians to induce the republican Legislature to nullify the political influence of the city gov- ernment for the purpose of building up again the overthrown temple of democracy. The Ex-Emperor Napoicon III. Chiselhurst. From the cable despatches which we print this morning it will be learned that the ex-Emperor Napoleon has been prostrated at Chiselhurst by a somewhat danger- ous disease. The disease is not necessarily fatal, but, as a cure can only be effected by a series of painful surgical operations, grave apprehensions are entertained as to whether the strength of the patient will enable him to pass successfully through the trying ordeal. One operation has been performed, and it is gratifying to know that it was so far 9 suc- cess, and that the condition of the imperial patient is encouraging, his physicians having no apprehensions of a serious result. The ex-Emperor is now in his sixty-fifth year, and although it is well known that he has a sound and vigorous constitution itis impossible ta refuse to admit that his advanced age and his Fo ae misfortunes of recent years diminish hig ghances of ultimate recovery to perfect health. ~ ee st at — In this the hour of his sore trial the ex-! & Emperor will not be without numerous warm and sympathizing friends. It is known that he hag not gtven up the hope of roturning in triumph to France at an early day, and there |, are thousands of Frenchmen whose fortunes are linked with his and who share the Em- peror’s hope. His death at this crisis would most unmistakably be felt to be a serious blow to the imperial cause. The ex-Emperor would no doubt continue to be the centre of attraction to the devotees of the Empire, and the fond hopes which are entertained of his youthful son and heir would sustain and cheer them. In spite of the many misfortunes which the house of Bonaparte has brought upon the French people that house has a firm hold on the national heart; for the French will never forget that the Bonapartes, both under the first and under the second Empire, gave them greatness and glory. The star of \Austerlitz is only under a cloud; it is not ‘yet extinguished. Immediately, however, the death of the Emperor would be a great loss to all those who look forward to the early res- toration of the Empire. He is the one man whose influence President Thiers dreads ; and it is the Empire, not the monarchy, which is the bugbear of the republicans. His death could hardly fail to be a gain to the republican cause ; for, although it might stimulate the monarchists to increased activity, their cause must he regarded as hopeless so long as their camp is divided by the conflicting claims of the Count of Paris and the Count of Cham- bord. Leaving political questions altogether aside, we join with those who sympathize with the fallen Emperor in his present fresh affliction, and we shall rejoice to learn that the means now being used to restore and re-establish his health have been attended. with complete tempting to reach the harbor through the be- wildering haze, ran ashore and will probably suffer severe damage before they are got off. Fortunately, so far as is reported, no lives were Jost in the wreeks success. Sowmrmno Lr a Fartune.—That of John F. Pawson & Co., of London, dealers in Man- There | Beautiful Slush. If in his desoription of the heavenly Jeru- salem the devout writer had added ‘there is no snow there, neither is there any slush,’’ he would at least have stood the chance of being more widely appreciated by the New Yorker of to-day. Seas of glass, gates of pearl and streets of gold are doubtless very well in their way; but it would have been pleasant to be informed on unimpeachable authority that the white robes of the sainted never could be flecked with slush or the music of their golden harps distracted with a spray of mud, A youthful wit is said to have embroidered upon the scriptural fact that man is created out of the dust of the earth the fancy that humanity is only mud with the water squeezed out, This may be; but humanity don’t like to have its origin continually thrown in its face. The slush-swaddled New Yorker intuitively looks forward to a future where snow broth is un- known, and where the public highway loses its oleaginous character. The sybarite sighs after a crossing as dry as his own Sillery. Say what you will about a New York thaw—such a one, for instance, as we had on Friday and began to recover from yes- terday—it requires unlimited optimism to ac- cept it with equanimity. To thank Providence for a slushy day is like feeling gratitude for disease, Let us at least be honest grumblers rather than hypocritical gratitude mongers. If the shepherd of Salisbury Plain was equally thankful for all meteorological changes, de- pend upon it he was a canter at heart. All the wool upon his entire flock wouldn’t succeed in blinding our eyes to this deduction. Thekind of men who affect to survey whn placidity the Broadway of yesterday and Friday are the kind who crewd stages and cars to the detri- ment of womerand children, and monopolize the ladies’ cabins on the ferryboats. Not but that a cheerful equability in the midst of im- measurable mush is a beautiful and whole- some spectacle—one of the few amenities which redeem the world from the contempt that so much sewerage is apt to bring it into. But genuine equability of this descrip- tion is so seldom exhibited that when itis its possessor dilates into a hero. No doubt there were to be found among Noah's relatives in the Ark parties who smiled with imbecility at the Deluge after it was over. Possibly Lot’s wife may have simpered over Sodom. There are good creatures whose con- stant refrain is that everything is for the best, and who are especially gifted at detecting blessings in disguise. If the recent slush is one of this class of benefits we are quite willing to admit that the disguise is perfect, and that no other plan could have better suc- ceeded in bafiling average human discernment. Still, if any one can say a witty or a pleasant thing about slush, in the name of toleration let him have his little fling. It is not for us to set the limits of human badinage. If the seats im cars and stages during the last two days have been as hotly contested as though they were seats in Congress, let us hope that somewhere or other graceful kindnesses lurked as genuine as the blush on a negro’s cheek, though scarcely more visible. When Chicage and Boston were burned more than one cler- gyman tried to prove that the horror of those conflagrations was compensated by the gene- rosity and self-sacrifice they evoked. . Happy is the temperament which can find consolation in such shallow reflections. Let those wha will apply them to the plague of slush. Pos- sibly Pharoah’s heart would not have hardened with.such extreme facility had the climate of Egypt permitted slush to make one of the series of calamities with which he and his people were afflicted. A few months ago a writer in an English magazine maintained that the earth was diseased. This theory would go a little way toward supporting the fancy that our metropolis is stiff in its jointa and needed the cold embrocation which Fri- day’s thaw so lavishly supplied. Any theory will answer that supplies genuine comfort. Was it not Joshua Reynolds who advised the neophyte in art to study a stone wall till it became beautiful to him? And shall not we, tyros that we are in the probabilities, muse over crossing and gutter until they fairly gleam with pulchritude? And, ina spirit of noble generalization, we fancy we discover “music in mud, mire in our very mirth, dactyls in dirt and slush in everything.” The Press, Pulpits and the New Year. The religious papers come to us this week with fall announcements that we have entered upona new year. As will be seen below; veral of our exchanges speak also of the recent fires in this city, though no new light is thrown upon the subject by the wisdom of our religioug brothers. Sectarian bitterness, except lia fow Inatances, seems to be so far forgotten, perhaps fu the lingering fulness of holiday good will. The Independent appears in & trew and im- proved shape, and with a green cover, an- notmeing “a happy New Year.’ It is now the sume size as Harper's Weekly. Its leading editorial subject is ‘‘Monasticism,’’ which it undertakes to'show has affected a portion of Protestantism. It ascribes to mental infirmity the restriction of legitimate social pleasure, and asksif the Creator was so ignorant wher making man as to leave reconstruction for these sapient ascetics. Mental deformity is, indeed, a much more com- mon thing than bodily deformity, and it is a la- mentable fact that much of it is due to perverted notions of the religious life. When, therefore, man protests that he cares nothing for laughter recreation he only indicates that he has saccsededd in impairing his own inanhood. He may be a very, devout and excellent man, but be is not a com- plete man, and his.expericnce is no law for other. people. r ¥ ‘ Among other articles in the week's. issue ara, “What Do the People Expect?’’ by the Hon.» Henry Wilson, and ‘Thoughts for the New* Year,”’ by the Hon. Schuyler Colfax. The Christian Union, in speaking of the new’ year, impugns the accuracy of the traditiom. which preachers so delight in dwelling upon— that the Saviour was born in the Winter sea- son. New Year's Day with us is only second to Christmas, and to the most stolid it is am epoch—a new departure: — If we would, we could not escape the influence’ of New Year's Day. ‘The most morally thriftiess of us Will take some meagre acceunt of his spiritual stock then and open anew atcount with Heaven, though all the vld bad debts be carried over the page, and the best of us, meaning to be better, cannot quite keep up to the high level of his aim. So that thereis @ deep sevse of iriendliness in the knowledge t¥at all the werid is about the same er-* rand—the making of a better chart for the mortal journey at fle same tims; and this sense 1s deep- ened by Ld equal Knowledge that all these charts ‘ will fall a dttle off, The wise man said, “It is better that vhoushouldst not vow than that thoa shonidss vow andnot pay.’ but, looking at humanity tox gether, /t sceins clea: that the very act of aspira- tion afd resolve is ennobling, and that, failing back fom it to lewer periormance, the perform. chester goods, whose liabilities are reported at | ance & less low by reason oO! the high resolve. fiffeen million dalam. Tro Golden Ag begins ® pew volume with