The New York Herald Newspaper, January 9, 1874, Page 5

THE BAZAINE TRIAL. The Responsibility of Bazaine Before tory—What He Did and What He Should Have Done.. Duty of Military Commanders Henceforth: ‘ A Warning to Generals im All Lands. Panis, Dec, 21, 1878. Before Marshal Bazaine’s trial assumes the dim- Ress of a historical event it may be well to take a last glance at its main bearings and to consider the permanent impression which it is destined to leave on the minds of the French army. There is the more Yeason for so doing, as the opinions of French mili- tary men will but reflect those of soldiers the ‘whole world over, for all of whom this trial will be of lasting impoftance. The era of human wars 4s mnbappily tar from closed. Any general, French ‘er foreign, may be placed before long in the posi- ‘Mon which Bazaine occupied three years ago, and, mnder such circumstances, the precedent of Ba- gzaine’s case could not fail to be used, either by ‘the General himself as a guide for his conduct, or ‘by a court martial sitting In judgment on tne Gen- eral, if he repeated any of the offences and errors for which the ex-Commander 0! Metz has been con- @emned. The Trianon court have, im fact, laid down aclear code of military duties, and it con- cerns officers of every nation, and to a certain, de- gree civilians also, to know accurately what those Guties are. THUR COUNTS OP THE BAZAINE IMPEACHMENT. Bavaine was virtuaily condemned on nine omts, although these nine were nominally con- @ensed into four :— First—For having capitulated with an army with- outhaving done ali that was possible to acieat the enemy, or, at all events, to inflict heavy losses on Seoond—For having surrendered a citadel under similar conditions—that is, before having ex- Rausted ali the means of resistance, Third—For having surrendered his citadel with- @utL destroying its fortifications, arsenals and Stores, and bis forces without having previously ‘burned their flags, caused their rites to be broken and their guns to be rendered useless. Fourth—For having spoken in discouragtin terms to iis subalterns and even to private sol- diers, with a view to impressing upon them that Fesistance was useless. Fith-—For having, at @ council! of war of the imcipal generals under his orders, concealed ym these generals that he had already entered into negotiations with the enemy and having con- Bequently induced them to approve cerfain resolu. ‘tions of his, under wrong iniormation. Stxth—For having dishonorably tried to shield (Iais own responsibility behind the approval of the nerals WHO, a8 above suid, had been deceived by Seventh—For having entered into negotiations of ® military and political character with an indi- 1 who had no credentials to show, and for ing informed this person, who turned out sub- mequently to be a spy 01 the enemy, that the cita- -@ei and garrison could not hold out beyond a speci- ‘oghth:—Kor having previously to the blockade in ‘Metz acted tu defiance of certain despatches, ‘which adjured him to march to the rellef of Metz; and for having on mia part forwarded untratniul eeeeanenees declaring that such @ march was im- Piyinih--For having sacrificed his military duty to ‘political considerations, and having in particular Feiused to recognize and act in co-operation with @ government that was being obeyed by tue ma- Jority of the nation, and wilch was de Jacto the government of the land, the Emperor being a Prisoner and the Empress having fled from the country. WHAT BAZAINE SHOULD HAVE DONE BEFORE THE SIRGE OF METZ. As it is scarcely probable that a general of any MMportant country outside France will ever find Iumsell in Bazaine’s political predicament—that is, be under the necessity of transferring his alle- giance toa revolutionary government, sprung up im the midst of a war—we may dismiss the ninth count, and, examining only the first eight, proceed toconsider what Bazaine should have done. In ‘the first place, then, alter the Rhine army of 160,000 men was entrusted to his care he should have spread it over several roads ip order that it might each the Meuse the faster and there operate its Jenction with MacMahon’s forces. Had he done this, instead of massing ali his men on a single Foad, the Germans would never have had time to head him at Mars-la-Tour. But, granted that by a watracle of promptitude the Germans had still suc- eeeded in placing themselves between his army ‘and the Meuse, then Bazaine, after defeating them at Mars-la-Tour, as he actually did, should have attacked them on the following day before reinforcements had arrived to their rescue. Prince Frederic Charies acknowledges tnat if Bazaine had followed up his advantage &t Mars-la-Tour by coming to action early the next morning the Germans would have been obliged to Fetreat, not being numerous enouga to oppose the ‘160,000 men, and, as a consequence of their retreat, Mazaine and MacMahon would have been able to ‘Join ther armies and mage a stand on the plains of Ohalons, where, with 300,000 men between them, ‘they would have been almost invincible. Far from @oing this, Bazaine spent the day alter Mars-ia- ‘Tour in complete inactivity, then began a back- “ward march upon Metz. The Germans, reinforced ‘by this time, accordingly went in pursuit of bimy @efeated him at Gravelotte, and, having thus per- Manently cut of his communications with the ‘Meuse, drove him into Metz and set to work to ®lockade him. ‘WHAT BAZAINE SHOULD HAVE DONE IN METZ. Bazeine’s incapacity—putting the most favor- able construction ou his negligence -thus caused the defeat of MacMahon, by allowing the latter to ‘De outnumbered, But admitting, for argument’s wake, that after doing his best to reach the Meuse ‘Basaine had been vanquished by superior forces strategy or by a combination of unfortunately @dverse circumstances—admitting, in fact, that his retreat into Metz had been inevitable—then what should have been his conduct once he was Dleckadea? Here bis duty became clear. To have attacked the Germans on the morrow of Mars-la- Tour perhaps required a certain dose of genius for the absence of which o general cannot be beld eriminal ; but to play his part worthily inside Metz it only needed the common sum of good sense Which must lurk in every office of high rank. ‘The German army around Metz never at any time Rumbered more than 200,000 men; and, having in all no less than 170,000 men under him in Metz, Bazaine should have attacked the 200,000 without Fespite, at all points, every day and night. He should have ordered sortie after sortie, kept the enemy continually on the lookout, risked any losses ‘on his own side in order to inflict losses on them, harass, fatigue and dishearten them. In the solitary sortie of any consequence which Bazaine @ia make, but 10 days only before the capitulation (October 10), the Germans suffered such loss as Proved conclusively what would have been the re. @uit had these sorties been commenced and re- peated without cease since the beginning of September. But the Germans themselves ad- mit that if Bazaine had offered a deter- mined resistance the consequences must have been these: the Germans could not Rave kept up the siege with 200,000 men, and would ihave been obliged to send for reinforcements and © weaken the forces around Paris and on the Lotre. Meanwhile the French armies on the Loire having less or no hostile forces to contend with, ‘would bave been in a position to relieve Paris, which ‘Was only blockaded by 180,000 men, and the Ger- mans, too prudent to risk a straggie with the Loire @rmics and with the garrison of Paris at such un- @qual odds, would have raised the siege of the capital. Indeed, as it was General Moltke doubted at the beginning of October whether it would be Possible to continue the siege of Paris, and was making preparations for retreat. The siege of Paris was only commenced under the supposition that the Parisians would not resist. Once it pe- came evident that they meant to hold out, it would Rave been impossible to blockade them effectu- ily had the army in Metz done its duty. General Maltke waa too shrewd to expose himgelf to a NEW YORK HERALD, FREDAY, JANUARY 9, 1874.—TRIPLE SHEET. Gefeat under the walls of Paris, for such s defeat must have degenerated into a rout. ‘WHAT BAZAINE SHOULD HAVE DONS IF FORCED TO CAPITULATE. “But,’’ it may be orged, “if Bazaine had prop- erly defended bimeelf in Metz he would only tave succeceded in massing the entire strength of the Germans round his citadel, and be weuld nave been forced to yield in the end.” Possibly; but a general’s duty is to consider how best he may serve the common interests of the country, and tne prospect of losing bis own entire army has no busi- mess to check bis operations. If Bazaine had forced the Germans to raise the siege of Pans the capitulation of Metz would have been but of sec- ondary importance. He was bound, however, to prolong his resistance tn Metz until it was abso- lately impossible, irom want of food and ammu- nition, @ hold out any longer, and, when the capitulation joomed shead as unavoidabie, then he should have opened negotiations with the enemy and stipulated that all his garrison should march out with the honors of war—that is, free to go away with their arms under pledge o1 not fighting again during the campaign, If the enemy had been kep* in ignorance of the exhaustion ot sup- |. plies inaide the city it is probable they might have acceded to these terms; but had they not done so, then it was Bazaine’s duty to act as Todleben aia at Sebastopol—blow up his fortifications, destroy the arsenals and casemates, smash all his rifes and cannon, drench his ammunition and burn his fags and stores, so that nothing whatever should have fa}ien into the hands of the enemy. Thus the capitulation of Metz would have been one of the | grandest, most heroic on record, SUMMARY, ‘Now, suppose Bazaine had acted in the manner above sketched, the Germana, in possession of dis- mantled Metz, would have one of two alternatives— they might either have marched back upon Paris or have offered to conclude peace, and ail the probabilities are that they would have adopted the latter course, To march back and face the Loire armies and those of the North, arrayed with the Paris garrisons under the walls of the capital, would have been a measure demanding more men nd more energy than the Germans would have been able to bring to bear after a protracted war- fare round Metz, The armies under Paris would have had time to organize themselves, to fortity their positions, to establish themselves securely on every river and eminence around Paris, and the Germans would bave known well that it they at- tacked these reorganized armies unsuccess'ully their retreat from France must have resembled the rout of Napoleon’s Grand Army in the Russian campaign of 1812, Therciore, Count Bismarck would have offered peace ; but a peace offered with @strong and undeicated French army stil) in the field could have comprised no humiliating condi- tions, At most a smail war indemnity would have been stipulated, but there conid have been no talk of annexing Alsace and Lorraine or of subjecting France toa foreign occupation. It follows, then, from all this, that Bazaine is really responsible tor the loss of two provinces and for atl the cruet depradations which have accompanied that loss, He may urge in extenuation—and, indeed, he does so—that he could not foresee all that would happen and did not order sorties because he wished to save bis army from being uselessly deciminated. But the answer to this is one which @ general must henceiorth lay to heart:—He 1s bound to defend himself to the death without counting the losses he may imcur. Waris nota humanitarian game, bat if it were, humane con- siderations should still have prompted Bazaine to attack the enemy without mercy and without regard for himself, seeing that every man slain in defending Metz would have spared twoor three lives in other parts of France—to say nothing of the tears that have been shed over the loss of Alsace-Lorraine—tears which must count for something in computing the horrors of war. HISTORICAL PARALLELS TO BA- ZAINE’S CASE. Seven Marshals of France Sentenced to Death in Four Centuries. Paris, Dec, 23, 1873, Everybody in France is still ander the impres- aion of the sentence pronounced on Marshal Ba- zaine, and we are likely to be so for yet some time to come. The commutation of the prisoner’s penaity and his transfer to the State Prison of the Island of Ste. Marguerite will prevent the ex-Com- mander of Metz fading out of people’s memories, as he might have done had he been shot, the French being proverbially hasty in forgetting the dead. Solong as he lives his name, his fortunes, his errors or crimes will be matters of household taik wherever two or three Frenchmen are gathered together to discuss the events of the late war. It is as yet too early to judge what perma- nent effect the trial of the “great scapegoat” will produce on the minds of the nation. For the pres- ent the immense majority of the French peopie have heartily ratified the verdict of the judges, but whether they will continue doing so after the first gust of excitement has blown over, 1s anotner question? There is so much mercuriality in the French that there is no prognosticating to-day what may be the public mood to-morrow; least of al is it safe to prophesy when the point at issue is one invoking so many burning political topics. This much, however, one may say—namely, that the commutation has generally been considered an act of weakness on the part of President MacMahon, When Rossel was tried for his participation in the Commune he declared that he had thrown up his commission in the regular army because he was convinced that Marshal Bazaine, under whose orders he had served, had betrayed Metz; “and after that,” added he, “I could have no further confidence in any of our chiefs.” To this Colonel Merlior, who presided over the court martial, ap- swered, with indignation:—“Youp. suspiciousness of treachery does but aggravate your crime. It showed ® tortuous, unpatriotic mind; for how dared you suppose that a Marshal who has attained to the high- est honors by his bravery and his loyalty would be guilty of anything unworthy? But even if you had known for certain that your commander had betrayed his trast it was your duty to walt until he was judged by the laws of his country. For our laws are the same for all.” Now, Rossel was shot and Bazaine, his chief, is to spend 20 years in a sunny island, where his wife and chil- dren will be allowed to reside with him; where he will have @ fine suit of rooms, all the necessaries, and even as many of the luxuries, of lite as he ‘Chooses to pay for, and where he will be under no other restraint than that of not leaving the five Square miles of field, garden land and sandy beach of which the island iscomposed. To the popular mind this seems an unequal apportionment of pen- alties—the more so as there are thousands of hum- ble Communists far less guilty than either Rosset or Bazaine, and who yet have been transported to New Caledonia for the term of their natural lives ‘and live there as close prisoners. But there have ever been two sets of scales in Justice’s hand—one for great culprits, who get short weight of punish- Ment; the other for the small ones, who never fail to obtain tne utmost particle. HISTORICAL PARALLELS. Bazaine is the eighth Marshal of France who has been condemned to death since the fifteenth century, when the rank of marshal was first Created, He is, however, the only one of the eight who obtained a respite, for all the others under- went their sentence in its ignominy. The frst wos. GILLES DE LAVAL, MARSHAL OF RETZ, born at Machecoul in 1404, He distinguished him- self greatly in the wars against the English, and especially at the siege of Orleans, headed by Joan of Arc, in 1420, Butin time of peace he allowed his thirst for lucre to get the better of him, and having murdered two of his cousins and his wife to obtain possession of their property he was tried by the Parliament of Brittany and sentenced to be hanged like @ common felon and afterwards burned, He pleaded hard to be beheaded, accord- ing to the prerogative Of his rank, but his judges refused this request, and Marshal de Retz was hanged to the public gibbet of Nantes in 1440, The people had surnamed him Blue Beard. The second ill-starred marshal was LOUIS QF LUXEMBOURG, Count of St. Pol, Grand Constable of France, who was bara in 14/3 and beheaded on the Place de Greve in Paris, im 1475, for conspiring against Louis XI. ‘This marshal did not go to the seatrold with @ brave face, He screamed and struggled, nd the executioner struck him four times with the axe before severing his head from his body. St. Pol’s execution was intended by Louis Xf. to act as a warning to the entire French nobility, had been growing very turbulent. It was blow struck at the feudal independence Violamility of the nobles, and it suceceded its object. CHARLES DB GONTAUT, DUKE AND MARSHAL BIRON, Was the next French marshal who suffered death at the headsman’s hands. He was the intimate friend of Henri IV., who had thrice saved his life 3n battle; but, being of a restless temper and un- scrapulously ambitious, he was constantly dab- bling in conspiracies against his king and bene- factor. Twice Henri IV. detected and pardoned nim; but Biron’s third conspiracy was ex- ceptionally grave, He lent himself to a Plan batched by Spain and the Duke of Savoy for morselling France into several small States, and bis reward for this disloyal co-opera- tion was tobe the sovereignty of Burgundy and the hand of the Duke of Savoy’s daughter. When thia conspiracy was brought to light Henri IV. sent for Biron and promised he should not be pun- ished ifhe made a iuli confession, But he obsti+ mately refused to speak, and so the King aban- doned him to his fate. He was tried by the Parlta- ment of Paris, sentenced to death, and beheaded inside the Bastille in 1602, at the age or 40. Ifever @ marshal justly suifered death iL was assuredly this Biron; nevertheless Henri IV., 1m the excel- Jence of his heart, repented to his dying day not having once more pardoned the man who had so ongratefully requited his numerous benefits, He used tosay, “Poor Biron, conspiring was a second nature with him.” The next two marshals were Victims of Cardinal Richelieu, HENRY I1., DUKE AND MARSHAL DE MONTMORENCY, and premier peer of France, was the commander of the Huguenot faction, Made a prisoner at the battle oi Castelnaudary, where the Protestants suf- fered acrushing de.eat at the hands of Louis XIII.’s Cattolic troops, he was tried for high treason, con- victed and executed in the court yard of the Capi- tol at Toulouse, in 1632, He was 37 years old. MARSHAL DE MARILTAL was another Hugnenat. He conspired against Richelieu and was kidnapped by stealth at night from the midst 0! ais camp, and beheaded in Paris in 1632, We come now to two victims of the Rev- olution, MARSHAL BARON DR LUCKNER was of German origin, He served under Frederick IL, in the Seven Years’ war, and inflicted great Josses on the French. But at the peace he settled Im France, got naturalized and was raised to the marshalate. At the Revolution he was given a commund in the French armies; took Constrat and Menin and deieated the Austrians at Valenciennes, but the Revolutionary tribunal decided that a marshal, baron and an cx-German could be no true republican, ani so gaiilotined nim in 1794, PHILIPPE DB NOAILLES, Duke and Marshal de Mouchy, was born in 1715, and was one of the most distinguished soldiers of the last century. In 1789 he was appointed Goy- ernor of Versailies, and when the mob came from Paris, on the 6th October, to carry of the royal family, he fought in defeave of his sovereign until wounded and overpowered. The terrorists re- membered this In 1794 and guillotined him like his colleague, Luckner. ; MARSHAL NEY, who was shot in 1815, was the seventh Marshal of France who suffered public execution. As is well known, his crime consisted in having de- serted to Napoleon’s side when he was sent by Louis XVIII. to check the Empe- ror, who had fled from Elba. He fought at Waterloo and was promised amnesty by the terms of the capitulation of Paris, but party spirit among the royalists was too hot against nim, He was tried by the House of Peers and sentenced to | death with but one dissentient vote. This vote was that of the late Dake de Broglie, father of tne present Krench Premier. MECHELLA’S LAST DAY. AM Hopes Fled—The Gallows Waiting For Its Victim—The Condemned Man Caim and Seeiuded. This is the last day for Mecitella, the murderer. upon this earth. At three o’clock yesterday after- noon the preparations tor the execution were com- pleted. The executioner tested the rope, the noose and the weights in presence of 30 odd gaping spectators, The new gallows worked well, thought every one of them, while the man of death hauled down the rope, chuckled and felt satisfied, Up the wall from the outside ciumbed an adventurous youtn, who wanted to see what was going on, but he was hauled down by the leg, and the imprecation that followed gave rise to some levity altogether unpardonabdie among those standing in presence ofthe machinery of death. All through the day small groups visited the jail yard and lingered around the building, Every visitor desired to see the condemned prisoner, but the prohibition pre- viously published was strictly eniorced. The se- ciusion of tue uniortunate man had a salutary etfect, for he became at once tractable and calm, Deputy sheriff O’Brien, aided by two prisoners, kept watch over him during the day. He sub- mitted to the terrible test of being fitted by a tailor with clothing tor the grave without any Vist- ble emotion. Norton, the boarding house keeper with waom Mechella boarded just previous to the commission of the murder, was admitted to see him, but alter the excuange Of a few sentences, Mechella appeared tired of the interview and told Norton to call again, Norton, however, will take age a of the body after death and oan vey 2 to New York. The funeral expenses will be defrayed by the Russian Consul. iter Norton and the tailor leit, the doomed man walked up and down, with folded arms, in a very quiet mood, the irons having been removed for the day, For the sake of his peace of mind no turther announcement 0! his approachin, death will be made till tnis morning. If he shoul become boisterous and violent he will be bound and carried to the gallows; but this course, the Sherif thinks, will not ‘be necessary, as the prisoner 1s troublesome only when visitors ap- proach his cell. Contrary to expectation the Sheriff has issued passes to 250 persons, including 30 members of the press, 31 freeholders, 37 physicians and all the county officers. With such @ crowd the mainten- ance of order within the small yard of the jail will be a work of some diMiculty. Deputy Sheri Cronan was the only officer who seemed to have any regard for the convenience of members of the press, for, in order to relieve them from bein; hustied and crowded out he caused the erection o} seats on the roof of the washroom, within the yard, Coroners Reinhardt. and Mahan were in the jail severa: hours, and they complainea bitterly of the manner in which they have been treated by County Physician Buck, who intends to take charge of the body and give a permut for burial after deatn. The Coroners declared that they will not tolerate such interference, as the usurpation of their functions under a recent en- actment is an ou on the community, If any scandal should arise out of the quarrel between the County Physician and the Coroners to-day, that enactment will be swept out of sight at the com! session of the Legislature. Loud com- plaints were also made against the Sheriff ior his discrimination in issuing pi but this was to be expected. Judging irom the calibre and social standing of many of those who flourished their passes yesterday, the Sheriff made some an- fortunate selections, It is to be regrettea that Judge Bedle did not issue the customary warning to the Sheriff to have the execution conducted as privately as possible. T under command of Lieutenant Colo- nel yy, will form in line at the j* at eignt o’clock this morning. ‘The oMcers of the Court will preserve order within the jail, A wooden fence on the wall of the ain and an awning over the gallows shuts off the view from out- siders, No person will be allowed to ap- proaoh the walls on the outside, As the prisoner’s brother took his final leave of him Phas no person will be permit roach him, except the Rev. Messrs. Hedstrom and Rice, up to the final moment, His brother held a long conversation witha group near the jail a few days ago, in which he stated that his ther and mother in Finland knew nothing of tue fate: of their wretched son, nor will he inform them for some months, He will then write simply that Jacob ia dead. At & late hour last oe the prisoner was pecoming resigned and realize: his awful position, The deputies in charge stated that they predicted this long ago. Mechella finds that the authoriti in earnest with him at Jas! THE MORRISANIA HOMICIDE, The investigation in regard to the death of Edward Donobue, who was injured at Melrose on the 16th ult. by ® young man named Michael Tierney, was concluded at Morrisania on Wednes- day evehing. Although evidence was given showin: that the aecused used undue violence towal deceased on the day named, the jury thought otherwise, as they rendered a@ verdict of “death by congestion of the brain, superinduced by intem- perance,”” Tierney was accordingly discharged, THE WORKINGMEN'S DEMONSTRATIONS, Another Meeting Yesterday at Tompkins Square—What the Police Authorities Intend Te Do—Views of Chief Matsell and President Smith. Another grand workingmen’s demonstration ‘Was announced to take piace yesterday in Union square, but at eleven o’clock only a few hundred men were present. They behaved in @ quiet, erly manner, and, hearing that there was a large German gatnering in Tompkins square, they marched thither, Instead of German workingmen, however, they fownd that the square was held by @ squad of police, who denied them admission, Still, some of the men had already entered through another gate, which the police had not watched, and therefore no turther attempts were made to prevent a meeting from being held. A strong posse of police, under command of Captain Walsh, remained on the ground to prevent apy disturb- ance. Mr. Maquire, of the Seventeenth ward, ad- dressed the workingmen, He dilated upon their great sufferings, and said the authorities and the Board of Assistant Aldermen were principally \o blame. A series of resolutions were then adopted demanding work for the unemployed, the rigid en- Jorcement of the Eight Hour law on public and private works, the abolition of the contract system under the city government, and the reduction of house rent 25 per cent for the benefit of the uncm- ployed, and its total suspension until May! ‘The assemblage hurrahed and shouted when these resolutions were adopted, and then ad- journed till Tuesday next, when they will take part in another demonstration arranged by the Committee of Safety. $ As it was rumored that the workmen intended to march down to the City Hall, and as fears of violence were entertained, Captain Leary had 160 men at the City Hall police station, and General Duryea himseif superintended their movements. The workingmen, however, dispersed peacciully at Tompkins square, without wailing upon the authorities at the City Hall. ‘ACTION OF THR POLICE AUTHORITIES. There Was a great council of war held yesterday morning at the oftice of the Superintendent of the Police, with reference to the demonstrations of the workingmen. First Mayor Havemeyer was in secret consultation with the Chief, then the District Attorney came aud was closeted with the latter for quite a while, and the Commissioners also talked the matter over when they came down stairs. A reporter of the MeRALD obtained the views Of our great city diguitaries on this subject, WHAT MAYOR HAVEMEYER SAYS. Mayor Havemeyer said the police were ready to Meet any emergency that could possibly arise, aud the recent order of the Superintendent, requiring all men not on duty to report at their respective stations at once, and to be held in reserve until further notice, was issued in view of some such emergency. While the ngeds of the workingmen should be attended to it Was necessary to protect the city against any excesses which some mis- chievous men among them might be led to com- mit. He recalled the time in 1857, when the faiture of a large insurance company ied the then Mayor (Wood) to propose that tne “working- men” should be supplied with an enormous quan- tity of four, There was certainly no desire on anybody's part to see an honést workingman suffer, and he felt sure that everybody would be giad to help poor men who showed that they were willing to work. However, he did not approve of their using threatening and intimidating language, and thought that some of the men who were clamoring the loudest were men who had never done a week’s work in their lives. A great many men were always out of workin 8 city like this, and particularly in the winter. It could not he helped, and the honest woreenen always saved sometning against these hard times. While ne was willing to ao tor them all that was in his power it Was necessary that measures should be taken to forestall any disturbances or excesses, and he thought the men who held tnese demon- strations understood this perfectly, He could not say more, as it was not well “to be too wise.” WHAT CHIEF MATSELL SAYS. Superintendent Matsell said nis recent order was certuinly issued with a view to ,gerong any possi- ble excesses or disturbances by the “working- men.” Their watchword was ‘Always ready!’ and every blow they struck was for the maiute- nuance of law, order and peace, When asked whether he apprehended any violence on the part of any of.the workingmen be sald he always did in every case, as it was his duty to apprehend vio- lence every day and every hour and to keep the force constantly ready to meet any emergency, In regard to the rumored secret couclaves of Work- ingmen he said be had heard a great many stories and rumors to this ea and it was is duty to investigate every rumor Which floated round, He could not say more, he added jocularly, as @® good general never disclosed all his plans, This much was certain—the po- lice would always be found ready to quell any disturbance within 80 minutes’ notice. ‘The men who had made these demonstrations and tnreat- ened to throw the Aldermen out of the windows were not the honest workingmen of the city, who were too orderly and peaceable to make use of such threats. This morning they were unable to draw more than 600 men to their meeting, although they had been talking 01 thousands of sympa- thizers. WHAT PRESIDENT HENRY SMITH SAYS. President Henry Smith said 1,500 policemen would be ready any time, day or night, to quell any riot, and by the arrangements now in force this number could arrive at any given point within 80 minutes. The Commissioners were determined not to allow aay body of men to use meendiary Janguage, and if Banks wouid again use his usual inflammatory language in public he would be ar- rested, People Were arrested for bribing or at- tempting to bribe legislators, and why should they allow any body of men to coerce the Board of Aldermen or any legislative council? The means which these men, who called themselves “workingmen.” but who were not workingmen, had endeavored to use were means Oi downright coercion. They had marched into @ legislative body ard demanded that the members should vote for certain bilis even if they violated their own conscience by dog so. They had not asked them to pass cercain bills if they deemed them just or reasonable, but they de- manded that the Aldermen should pass these bills, whether they deemed them right or wrong. The police would not allow such uniawiul inter:erence in the future, These men were not workingmen— it was @ misnomer to call them so, He did not be- lieve that one honest workingman in the city was in sympathy with them. To-day they had had about 600 at their meeting, and if all the working- men who were out of work were in sympathy witn them they would have had a gathering 01 10,000 at least. He was satisfied that these men were not half an inch ahead of the police, and that the lat- ver were masters of the situation. What these men wanted was not honest work, but plunder, ‘the ele when they once struck the first blow, would strike heavily, and if tue “plunderers” were caught in the slightest viola- tion ot the La oe etd they would be imme- diately arrested. . Smith did not expect any outbreak at night, but thought they would choose the daytime, so that the thieves, who followed in their wake, might have a good opportunity to lunder. He alluded to the€hreat that they would row the Aldermen out of the windows, and said they would not permit them to go solar. When asked whether any steps had been taken to insure the co-operation of the militia Mr. Smith said this ‘was Not necet }, a8 the police were perfect mas- ters of the situation. He did not anticipate an: trouble this week, as the ‘“‘workingmen” woul not hold another demonstration until next Tues- day, and they would surely wait until they were massed together in |: numbers beiore asing violence. However, the police ‘‘woula be there. Commissioner Gardner said, indignantly, that men should not be allowed to threaten Aldermen with throwing them out of windows; but Chief Matsell told him that he had already consulted the District Attorney in regard to this matter, and that he had advised them to wait for the first overt act of violence, so a8 tv be sure to be in the tight. ‘The District Attorney stated to the HERALD re- porter that he had no doubt tue police were using all aue Vigiiance to prevent any excesses. “THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT.” Judge A. J. Requier, of this city, will to-night de- liver @ lecvure for a charitable purpose in the Church of the New Jerusalem, Thirty-fiith street, between Lexington and Park avenues, on the above unique subject. The theme, while sugges- tiveof much that is humorous and facetious, is more likely to be treated ina vein that will em- body the results of research, (amiliarity with an- cient lore and truths which We of the present day have either forgotten or ignored. The interest attaching to the subject has elicited the attention of many of the most distinguished men in York, and they will doubtless be present to enjoy the literary and historic pieusure to be afforded by one of their own number. ARREST OF AN ALLAGED DIAMOND THIEF. Detectives Riggs and Butts, of the Brooklyn police, visited New York yésterday, armed with s warrant for the arrest of John Thompson, who is charged with larceny from the person. The complainant in the case is Mr. John Standard, of No. 381 Franklin avenue, who was robbed of a diamond pin of con- siderable value while riding ona Fulton avenue car about two weeks ago. The jewel was taken out of the shirt bosom of Mr. Standard and the suspicion of that gentleman fell upon the prisoner, The latter, who 1s 36 years of age and a native of this city, 18 sald to belong to. gang of pickpock- ets who operate on the cars and on the streets. Thompson, who is now in the Washington street station, will be arraigned for examination to-day, The property has not been recovered, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. PS Cae Which had months before passea out hands. The jury found him guilty and he was'tn ‘the full amount 01 the value of the sugar and costs of Court, amounting to over $54,000, Not a§ once settling, he was arrested at mid Regular Monthly Meeting —Important Ques- | though Fe f age, dragued by rouse oticend tions Under Consideration—The Bankrupt and Revenue Laws—Memorial and Reso- lutions To Be Presented to Congress— Report of the Special Committee on “Collisions at Sea and the Use of Electric and Other Lights.” ‘The regular monthly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday afternoon, at their rooms on William street, Vice President Samuel D, Babcock tn the chair. Following the approval of the minutes of recent meetings, regular and special, Mr. William J. Mc- Alpine, op nomination of the Executive Commit- tee, was elected an Bonorary member of the Chamber. ‘The resignation of Mr. A. A. Low as chairman of the Executive Committee was submitted and laid on the tabie. The Executive Committee submitted the resigna- tion of Mr. Charles A. Macy as trustee of the Insti- tution for the Savings of Merchants’ Clerks, and on recommendation it was accepted and Mr. Charles Lanier unanimously eiected to fill the vacancy. The committee aiso reported the decease of Mr. Jonn Armstrong, a trustee ofthe same institution, appointed by the Chamber, and nominated Mr. © James M. Constable to fill the vacancy. ‘stable was unanimously elected. The committee submitted a letter from Mr, Ben- jamin B, Sherman, President of tne New York Cheap Transportation Association, in reference to the objects of the association, which was referred to Committee No. 7 for consideration, THE BANKRUPT LAW. Mr. Exuiorr C, Cowpin, of the Executive Com- Mittee, submitted the following memorial for the consideration of the Chamber :— To me HonoRanie Tux SENATE AND Hoos or Rerne- SENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES :— ‘the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York respectiully represent to your honorable bodies that, in their opinion, the repeal of the existing Bankrupt law Mr. Con- would be highly detrimental to the best Interests of busi- hess men of all ciasses, whether debtors or creditors, thr That they believe that wyhout the entire country. x these interests will be best promoted by amending the existing law, in some important particulers, racher than Ly is 'total repeal. that they regard’ as among these amendments @ provision that sail require a larger Proportional share of creditors, both in number and amount, to pul a debtor into bankruptey than is meces- sary under the law as it now stands, and that greater safeguards than are now furnished be provided tor se- curiug Lo creditors the property of @ bankrupt, and ior preventing a waste of his assets in expenses and unnec- essary litigation, and especially that siringent provis- ions be incorporated into the law to avold those delays {n sts administration, now so prejudicial to both debtors and creditors, SPEECH OF ELLIOIT C. COWDIN. In support of this memorial Mr. Cowdin said that covert and very energetic efforts are going on to procure the repeal of the Bankrupt law. The recent hasty action of the House of Representatives does not, in his judgment, reflect the enlightened Opinion of the country. lt seems to bea sudden offshoot of that impatient spirit which would re- form a system by destroying it. For a long period the foremost nations of Europe have maintained a bankrupt system, which, though often amended, has never been abolished. Two primary proposi- tions should be held—first, a unilorm »auonal bankrupt law and not a@ variety of State insolvent laws meets the exigency; sec- ond, that the national system should be a part of the settled policy of the country, There are equally good reasons for having a per- manent bankrupt system that there are tor having & permanent system oi limitation in regard to the time at which suits can be brought. Mr. Cowdin clbeen @ very argumentative speech in these words :— Believing as I do that its total repeal would be highly injurious to the trade and industry of the natian, and that its defects can be remedied by judicious amend- ments, it seems to me to be the duty of this Chamber, as the representative of the frst commercial city of the county, to present to Congress a respecttal memorial, urging, ite moditication, but against the absolute repeal of the law. Mr. RUGGLES desired to amend the memorial with whe introduction of “and also sateguards tor bona fide purchasers from the bankrupt,” which was accepted by Mr. Cowdin, when the memorial was unanimously adopted by the Chamber. THE REVENUE LAWS, Mr, JONATHAN STURGES, On the part of Committee No, 4, submitted the following in relation to the subject of the Revenue laws:— Your committee, to whom was referred the general sub- Ject of the Revenue laws, have given these la wegreat con- sideration during @ period o¢ months past, and have had the results of the labors of an exvert in these laws and their administration laid before them The subject i vast one, and the committee have felt that it isnot siraple ‘for the Chamber to enter into it in de- tail, as if preparmg an act for the levying and collection of a tariff Such a labor would be immense, and probably its practical effects ot but little value.’ But the committee are decidedly ot the ‘opinion that the Chamber should pronounce, in no equiv- ocal manner, ust the abuses which have sprung up under the re laws, and should earnestly call upon the Congress of the navon to amend these laws 80 as to terminate the inducement to these abuses and render their continuance Linpossible, We have seen the United States, with every facility for dealing honorably wiun importers and at the same time justly entorcing its laws, hold its ‘rod of ter- Tor over the commerce of the country and offer the nope of large pecuniary rewards to designing and unscrupu- lous or oor and @varicious officers in its own employ- ment. When the tmporter presents his invoice of goods and the goods themselves to the United states am what amount of daty he shall pay the answer ought to be prompt and final. The United States, supplied with the quotations of every market in the world, requiring its own Consul to’ certify to the correct: Beas of every invoice in the place of exportation, appointing ité own appraisers in the port of importation ana requiring the oath of the importer, ought, with all these sources of iniormation and appliances for detect- ing fraud, to give, within # reasonable ume, a tinal answer to'the question, “What duty is to be paid on this invoice?” But such is notthe practice. The merchant is lett in a state of uncertitude. In many cases he neither knows whether he sells at @ profit or loss, or whether he may not, months aiter complying in good faith with ety, demand or the United States, be branded as a de- frauder oi the government, the sacredness ot ils private domicile invaded, his books arbitrariiy seized aud his property confiscated. uch an operation oi the law works a hideous tyranny. In no civilized country, far as your committee has been able to learn, is the any stich uncertain, unequal, oppressive set of jaws as these Kevenue laws of our boateed tree Republic. When goods are about to be confiscated under these Jaws there is generally @ compromise effected. But is this compromise tor the beneiit of the government? or helps 1. to @ purer administration of the laws? Ur does itdeter intentional acts of fraud by importers? By no Means, itis a premium held out to dishonest importers, and half the amount ot the compromise goes into private pockets of intormers, Who are aided by a minute and Toolish amount of technicality in the laws, whieh are of uncertain meaning, and decisions upon which are con- tinually conthcting. » The commitiee therefore content themselves seppetent with reporting that reiorms should be demanded by the Chamber, and they submit the following resolutions and recommend their adoption :— Resolved, That in the judgment of this Chamber the Jaws under which the customs duties are now collected are complex, cumbrous and dificult to understand, and, 4m connection with the demoralizing system of rewarding informers by moieties, and with arbitrary powers vested in ofticera Who are themselves informers to seize books and papers toons too commonly serve as a trap tor honest importers and au encourageinent to corruption, oppression and private bribery. Kesolved, That these evils are so great and are exert- ing so destructive an influence on the morais of trade that we respevtiully ask of Congress, in the name of the commerce of the country, at once to do away with all awards to informers and. All penalties and confiscations for the benefit ot salaried officers of the customs. to take Jrom such officers ali powers ot arbitrary seizure ot books id papers, and to entorce the sacredness of private cor- Tespondence when entrusted to the nation’s keeping in ¢ mails, Resolved, That the difficulty of understanding « com- plex system of customs, and the facilities for fraud afforded by them, are cousiderations which imperatively call for the abolition of ad valorem duties and of com- pound duties, and substitution for them of simple ppecific dniies wherever possible. Resolved, ‘ihat @ committee of three be appointed to present these resolutions to Congress, in the naine of the gheeisers and to take such other measures as they may leom subject roper to secure reformatory legislation on these SPEECH OF JACK8ON 8. SCHULTZ. ‘The report of the committee being accepted, Mr. JACKSON 3, SCHULTZ spoke at th in tavor of the passage of the resolution: le said that he was a Willing witness before the community and the country of what he Knew and had seen. ‘The last year had revealed the fact either that there was great depravity among the merchants of the country or the revenue officials had been particularly nt and faithful. He instanced the great and eparable injury done by the wrongful seizure of books of mercantile firms and their iair names tarnished and reputations as men demanded amend- of probity destroyed forever, and ai that the exis laws ment. The m jes received by informers when judgments are found agelast defend- ant shared alike by ali officinia, from the Collector of the Port down to the Clerk of the Court that empaneis the jury. He thought that whatever share of this plunder had been re- ceived by the government should not longer defile the public treasury. That \ to informers could not now be reached, but that in the hands of the government can be and should be. The speaker then instanced tie class of revenue cases that had come under his observation, First, were the dia- mond cases, under this head was that of a ese precious lk ki maufcl steps in al nown the matter, Sach a8 apprising the Collector, he found at last that the diamonds had been seized, at expense that he could final; and it was at obtain them. jd then, too, @ letter which the Collector had been notilied would be sent to the fatter wan upprined of tts Tece ape Suc practoes 8 er WAR B) ol r were strongly denounced, Second, were the sugar cases, and 8 rich placer for iniormants. Under this he outrages were also recounted; one being that of a West india merchant, who for 26 yeara had a in swear- Pr certain. course ing to vhe quality of the sugar cargoes he had received, but at last government detectives caused suit bronght against him jor the under-valuation @f a certain cargo toa dirty prison. Alter searching through tw States to ascertain the amount of property tl merchant had in his name the matter was com, 7 mised for the sum of $10,000, his entire availabi proceeds, Other cases of wrong and injust were cited, and Mr. Schultz moved the adoption the resolutions, which received the ananimoi vote of the Chamber. une committee calied sgh M peepers See Foool ions to Congress were M appoin t Chair, being Jackson S. sSohuitz, auaee hs 4 Stranaban aud Joseph Seligman. COLLISIONS AT SEA, ir. JOHN AUSTIN STEVENS, Jr., on the part of thé special committee to whom was referred resolutions on the subject of ‘collisions at sea an the use of electric and other lghts,” sabmitte copies of memoriais to Com praying for | establishment of an “Interpational commission o! we Muritime powers, to consider, she suniect ol ‘ollisions at sea, and their and alsoa port, in which they say :— ene - In the ease of the Ville du Havre, though the on avoided, which phe itselt might not have been avi 8 amer's course immeasurably: Probable, bad a brillant lishtshown the the chances of escape w yeen, ingreas ye Would have 1s natural, then, to inquire why, if such advantages can be secured by the use of powertat lughts, they have n steams Ines A nuy, all suc! i costly, both irom the complicate nature of the optical instruments ana the nature of thet substance consumes the Drummond light is the projection ihe principle « of an oxbydrogen tiame upon line, the inte cane} descence of the limestone emitting light of extremel brilllancy and powcr. ut ihe production of the mecese sary heat is so costly in this light, and its mat Fequires #0 much sclentide oure, thavit has"uen Bee oll practical use at sea, Later discoveries in electricity, or rather in the appli=: cation of its properties, have done away with the necese fity of any combustible mater. ‘Tne princ “electric fight” is the production of inteuse interruption of the clectriew! circuit, the heat rend incandescent the carbon cones which terminate the wir conductors at the opposing points of separadon. Un quite recently, however. the production of the carrent Ot electricity has involved a chemical proces of to9 nic @character to be readily or continuously carried on ag sea, But within « iew years a way hag been found to develope the electrical’ current by mechanical F| brought to bear upon magnetic bars. A simple machin contains a number of powerlul magne’s, distributed o1 an immovable frame, their poles toward the centre Within the group of "magnets are coils of soft fron, enclosed in copper wire and Wrapped with silk. These colls are attached to aa axle, which, as it is turned u Motive power, presents or withdraw’ the end of eac coll to or trom a pole of one of the tixed magnetay ‘The currents thus established are of great power, Lecause! of great rapidity. All these separate coil currents ara combined am one single current of enormous power, wach isin turn carried to the carbon points of interrup= tion, and produces a light which, bemy constautly maine tained from the short iniervals at which the curent are rives and passes from poiut to point, has all the characte ofa fixed light, O1 course iho intensity of the ight dos pends wholly upon the rapidity wih which the axle moves, This, one of the most important and valuable of the recent discoveries of selence, is ca.ied the “magnet electric” lignt, ‘The light developed in this manner claimed to be equal to that of 860 carcels, the ordinar; mole of measurement, and to be only 24 times less than sunlight, and to be capable of penetrating a tog tor & digs tauce of wo miles, " Successtu! experiments were first made with this light by the French government during the fall of 1870, thet year of the war, (rom the Phare at St, Adresse, Havre, Letter known a3 the “Cap de la Heve,” and it is said to} be visible irom this clevated position st 40 miles! distance, its peculiar advantages over all other powerful lights! for steninsinp vessels constst in the tacts, that there is no’ combustible matter necessary to its use: that no cal agencies are required, and that the mechanical fore requisite tor the development of the electrical current, may be supplied without additonal cost by the motive, power of the steam engine itselt, Morcover, this light has bad the advantage of @ prac tical trial at sea. 1t was im succeastul use on board the, steamer st, Laurent of the French Transatiantic. It in the suminer of 1870, and was only removed trom. vessel by order of the French government, who pl itupon the fortitications of Paris, where its power en- abled the defence to arrest the raising of Prussian bat teries at might at the points thus illuminated. » Mr. Mackenzie, ‘the esteemed and worthy agent of the French line and member of this Chamber, in reply fo a communication addressed to him on the ‘subject of, “the probable cost of this light,” writes, “that while un< able to positively say What the cost of using the light ‘was per day (on the 5t. Laurent)” he thought ‘that it wag Not much, as the power to work the machine was de~ rived Irom the steam required for the propulsion of the, steamer without any additional consumption of coal’® If it bo thought desirable to separate the power to works the machine trom the general steam power of the ship, ‘a two-horse engine will supply guificlent driving force,, at an expense of a tew bushels of coal per day. ‘Whe patent of the “magneto-clectric” light for the American Continent is now eld by the American Mag- heto-Electric Light Company of New York. Upon appl- cation to them your committee was intormed that the: original cost of the machine is about $2.00), and that the, running expense where motive power exists is about three cents per hour, In the bellet o1 your Committee, the facts hero ‘stated fully warrant them tn urging upon the Chamber of Com= merce the propriety of requesting Congress to pass am act, requiring that all steamers shail carry a lght equal in Drilliancy and power to that herein described. Should any better or cheaper be devised, It would naturally take its’place. None in the knowledge of your committee at present competes with it in erther of these respects LIFE RAFTS. Mr. STeveENs also offered the following resolutiong, bearing upon the same subject, which were adopted :— Resolved, That in the opinion of this Chamber it shoukk be required by law thatevery steamship, carrying pas- sengers, be providod with’ lie ratty for the further. satety of life, the tent of boat accommodation being notoriously inadequate, and the lau: ching so uneertain, while the alinost totai absence of any wood or soating material in modern iron constructions leaves the unfor- tunate victim of acciaent without other means of even transient gatety than the boats afford. Resolved, ‘That in we opinion o1 this Chamber there no better form of lite rait than that which is xm as the,Monitor Life Saving. Ratt, which has re< ceived the prize medal at the Paris Exposition and at other exhibitions in this country, and hasthe warm en dorsemevit of high ofiicers ot the United states Navy. solved. That these resolutions be transmitted to Congress, with a request that they ve lald beiore the In- ternational Commission on Marine Disasters, tor the es tablishment of whieh the Chamber recently memorial- ized Congress, or take such other course as Inay seein to it wise to order. The Chamber then adjourned until to-morrow aiternoon at nall-past two o'clock. Politics and Finance in Andy Johnson's Home—Railroad Burdens—Crop Move- ments. — NASHVILLE, Jan. 4, 1874. The political atmosphere here is quiet just now, though tlhe parties are arranging their jorces for the elections of the present year, ANDREW JOHNSON has been with us for the last two weeks, His aims and purposes have not been well defined, and tne leaders of both parties are disinchned to-take him up. Asan independent candidate he can accom-: plish nothing. He developed his ful) strength m the last election, receiving about 35,000 votes. His course embittered the democratic leaders to such an extent that they will never aMiiate with him again, He is the first prominent politician that has openly and boldly denounced the late civil war. The republicans are Kindly disposed towards Mr. Johnson, bubhis hostility to Weneral Grant drives them from him. ‘The republican party in this State feels that it owes to him its success in the last Congressional election; but his star ia evidently declining; he will stuk between the two parties. THE FINANCIAL PROSPECTS OF THIS STATE are not bright. Its outstanding bonds with their funded interest amount to $30,000,000, A revenue law was passed at the last session of the Legisia- ture to meet the interest in July and January, which will amount to nearly $1,800,008, The reve- nue agsessed will be sufficient to pay the interest, but not the current expenses of the gov- ernment. The State offic are already, under an act of the Legislature, reserving the money to pay the July interest, and are issu! warrants tor the ordinary ee which pass in the mar- ket at a discount. This state of things will not long exist, as the people will become clamorous for the payment of their claums. The reissuing of the ponds and the iunding of the accumulated in- terest by the last Legisiature have become excecd- ingly unpopular. ‘The annual INTEREST OF THE STATE DEBT 18 INCREASED to $300,000, and it 1s looked upon as a scheme of the bondholder and the railroad monopolists, The bonds were secured by statutory mortgages on roads; aud they having been sold, the purchasers were anxious to. be relieved; and the bondholaer wanted interest on ‘unpaid interest, and hence, throt their influence and that of the Governor and his Mriends, who were warm advocates of the measure, the bill was passed. The present State officials have lost the confidence of their party, and there is “none so. poor as ao them reverence,” unless it be an office holder or seeker, There ts an unwillingness on the, part of the great body of the people to repudiate the debt of lex sane ine C4 cnors, PALL to some extent, and the tightness of di it, By the evenue inwi h disconten eins, horses, cattle, &c., are taxed wi were hereto fore exempt, and consequently all classes of per- sons are brought to feel the law’s burdens. Fits necessarily renders the poor man dissatisfied, and’ I'much fear 118 ultimate effect upon the Honor Ne Ge a in sold, amounting to about $40,000,000, which was al the debt to be aid by taxation. Nothing but im- migration and increase in the value of our lands will save the State from tion of her debt, Our city hag recovered from the scourges of the past year and BUSINESS TAS RESUMED In its wonted swing. Cotton is com! i in in vast quantities, but is not bringing re! ive: prices, agit costs the producer at least 13 cents» it the farmers are hopeful and are for’ the coming crop and looking for better times inthe spring. QORONER'S INQUESTS IN NEWARK. An inquest was heid in Newark last evening og the body of one John Rauger, who was found, ‘at nis house under suspicious circumstances, doctor's evidence showed that death resulted excessive drinking. A verdict was, cordingly. In the case of William Sipp, who round dead tn the house of Kate McLaughian, the Inquest will be concinded today. The woman i heid without bail. .