The New York Herald Newspaper, March 23, 1874, Page 6

NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. THE DAILY HERALD, published every day tn the | gear, Four cents per Cop). Annual subscription | price $12. All business or news letters and telegraphic despatches 0 ust be addressed New York | Heracp. Letters and packages should be properly sealed. Rejected communications will not be re- turned. LONDON OFVICE OF THE NEW YORK | HERALD—NO. 46 FLEET STREET. Subscriptions and Advertisements will be | received and forwarded on the same terms as in New York. | Volume XXXIX.,., | AMUSEMENTS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING | OLYMPIC THE coker, streets. — Broadway, between Houstor VAUDEVILLE and NOV. SNTERTALNMENT, at 745 P.M. ; closes at 1043 BROOKLYN PAR THEATRE, opposite City Hall, Brookly1 NELL AND THE MAKUUION EDs, at P. P.M. Lotta. BOWERY TE Powery.-REVEN.E, und VAR ENTERTAIN- M.; closes at 11 P.M, METROPOLITAN THRATRE, No. 5% Broadway.—VAKIETY ENTERTAINMENT, at 7:45 P.M. ; closes wt Lu 330 P.M, MENT, Begins at 8 P ARDEN, nd Houston streets —DAVY s atlvwow. M. Mr, Frank | NIBLO" Broadway, between I rin CROCKETT, at SP. Mo; Mayo. LYCEUM THEATRE, | Fourteenth street, near >ixth avenue. nch Opera Boufle—LA VIk P i SP. loses at 10:45 v.M. Mile, Marie | OR, THE closes at | | ot! —-RUM 2 P.M. THEATRE COMIQUR, No. 5 Broadway. VARIETY ENTERTAINMENT, at 8 2, M.; closes at 10 230 P. STADT TH Bowery.—Grand German cluses i 1 P.M. Mme. Luc RE, | era—FAUST, at 8 P. M.; | BOOTH’S THTATRE, | Sixth avenue and Twenty-third street ~THE COLLEE: | “Gideon’s band” failed to see the way | | “faith” in such a measure. It required the | of the city. The question of where, how and The Amxious Band of Rapid Transit Legislators—How Honest Men Should Vote. ‘We have had a great deal of trouble," says Assemblyman Lincoln, who was last year a member of the Erie Investigation Com- mittee, “in deciding upon the respective merits of the different rapid transit projects,” but ‘we have all along been anxious to pass rapid transit bills.” Mr. Lincoln speaks for the Assembly Committee on Railroads, of which he is a member, and the people will believe what he says. The ‘‘trouble,” how- ever, seems to have suddenly vanished when the wealthy Third Avenue City Railroad cor- poration and the wealthy President of the Harlem Railroad made their appearance in Albany, and the “anxiety’’ to pass rapid transit bills seems to have increased about the same time. The “merits” of the Third Avenue and Vanderbilt projects were made speedily and strikingly apparent. Prior to their happy advent the incorruptible Lincoln had been a sceptic. The inducements to faith | in any proposition were inconsiderable. to glory. Gilbert and Beach and Gardner, and the rest of the small fry, might do to dally with, but not to tie to. The session was progressing. No wonder that Lincoln | and his merry men, as ‘‘willin’’” as Barkis, should be torn with anxiety and bewildered on the question of “respective merits.” A way out of their dilemma was open to them, itis true. Mr. Eastman had introduced a bill | which would relieve them of the trouble of deciding between rival projects and insure the success of rapid transit, tor which they are so “anxious,” by placing the whole sub- | ject in the hands of a commission to be ap- pointed by Governor Dix. But they had no persuasive arguments of two wealthy cor- porations to remove their doubts and per- plexities. The corporations arrived. So did the arguments. Lincoln and his merry men are now true believers, and Vanderbilt and Squires are their prophets. Now, wemake no appeal to Mr. Lincoln, but we ask members of the Legislature who | have respect for their reputation to consider these plain facts. The rapid transit franchises | for the city of New York belong to the people by whom steam railroads shall be built in the city are questions in which they are directly | Algiers, and if the vonerable conservatives who oppose any improvements above Canal street wish to stifle the growth of New York and send all the tides of business and life across the two rivers they have but to adopt the policy of arresting the improvement of Manhattan Island. The old Ring robbed New York; the new Ring, under Mr. Green and his friends, would smother it, and in the end we question which would be the worse fate. What we want is neither penury nor extravagance; neither pa- ralysis nor highway robbery. We do not expect to build Rome ima day, nor to open boulevards as far as Albany. But we do believe in a generous policy, one that will knit together New York and her natural suburbs and in the end make the city, by the policy of rapid transit and suburban imprevements, a metropolis worthy of the State and the nation. The Massachusetts Senatorship. The division existing in the republican | party in Massachusetts promises to make the contest for the vacant Senatorship extremely interesting and exciting. Although the dem- ocrats are in a hopeless minority a combina- tion for the election of Judge Curtis, the dem- oeratic candidate, is considered among the probabilities. The strife between the admin- istration republicans and the mass of the that any accommodation can be effected be- tween them, So far they have found it im- possible to agree upon a candidate, and the difficulty is increased by the scarcely con- Butler. The apparent understanding between do not think the interests of the country are suspicion that Mr. Dawes over to the Butlerites has him so much in the estimation of many of | his old time friends that they will not venture | to support him. Nor are the chances of the | aristocratic element any better, and the pro- posed union of parties for the election of Charles F. Adams may be looked on as ex- ploded. Men admire Mr. Adams very much, but he is too superior a being to be brought | ing influence of politics, He is, therefore, very likely to be left on his virtuous pedestal, | while rougher spirits, whose delicacy is not | easily shocked, will be sent into the politi- cal arena to fight the battles of their con- | cealed patronage of Mr. Dawes by General | the two men has alarmed the republicans who | served by being placed in the hands of the | supporters of the administration. The mere | has = gone | damaged | BAWN, at 7:45 2 M.; closes a: 10:46 &.M, Dion Bouci- | , i caul | interested, and which they should be allowed | WAL TRE, to decide. It is proposed to create a commis- Broadway and Thur CENTRAL PARK, at |. . Se 8 P.M. ; Closes at LP. rv Wallack. | sion ot leading New York citizens, to be ap- MRS. CONWAY'S BROOK THEATRE, | pointed by Governor Dix, whose appointments Washington street, near Fulton street, Brooklyn.— FAZIO; OR, THE ITALIAN WIPE, ats P.M. ; closes at MP. M. Miss Kellogy, Mr Frank Roche. | all claim popular approval, which shall have | the right to decide between the different | projects for steam railroads and to insure the | construction of such roads. Both Mr. Van- derbilt and Mr. Squires would have the right | to go before such a commission with their | schemes, and if they should be found to be | the best for the city and for the public accom- | modation they would be allowed to construct their roads. What honest objection can there be to the creation of such a commission ? But Mr. Vanderbilt and Mr. Squires want | special and exclusive charters from the ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Fourteenth street—Strakosch Italian Opera Troupe— LOMENGRIN, at 8 P.M; closes at If PM Mine, Nilsson, Miss Cary; Campanini, Del Puente, Nannetti. GERMANIA THEATRE, Fourteenth street, near Irving place.—SINGVOEGEL- CHEN, DIE WikN BOTIN, and FORTUNLO'S LIED. Begins at 8 P.M. ; closes at ii P.M. TONY PAS No. 201 Rowery.—VAk. ‘Mj closes at LI P. “NEGRO MIN- | TWENTY-SECOND RMORY, Fourteenth strect cert of Gil- is’ “fri bj Sneat Bont on: oy eres Legislature. They make ‘friendly bills, br | join teams and ask for franchises COLO: M, | for two rapid transit lines—one on Broadway, f shirt -fitu cot.—PARIS ‘ MOONLIGHT nt TPM. + closes ar OEM cae at? | Third avenue, the other on Fourth avenne— M.; closes at 1) V, Ml. TRIP starting from the same depot, stopping at the | same points and ending at the same terminus. 4) Lik | Can two such lines, only two blocks apart, be LE SHE “New York, 1 Monday, March 23, 1874. use of city travel? There is a little colored boy somewhere. Either Mr. Vanderbilt's line is intended only as an extension of his present Fourth avenue nuisance, for the accommodation of the freight and passengers of his through roads, or the franchises are sought for the purpose of ‘plastering’ the avenues and killing all rapid transit. There is at least danger of this, for the proposed ‘‘for- feit’’ is im each case a large sized manikin; and this should be quite sufficient to make all honest representa- tives vote against these special and sne- picious charters and in favor of the commis- From our reports this morning the probabilities | are that the weather to-day will be cold and cloudy, with tendency to snow. Tue Sons or Coan anp Eno are indignant over the recent autopsy, as will be seen by their statement to a Hrraxp correspondent in Philadelphia yesterday. Santa Crvz Caprunev.—The celebrated Santa Cruz, who bas made so nnenviable a reputation in the present Carli been arrested by the French officials on the frontier. He is a treasure in himse is to be hoped the French author: take every precaution for his safe keeping. For we are now between two classes of tyrants. There are the street railway companies, who have their Jong time franchises, and who op- pose rapid transit as earnestly as the old stage coach proprietors opposed railroads, who saw Tue Inptans.—The border is sti!l threat- ened with an Indian war. The red man is hungry and must get beef, or he will take it. So far the temper of the noble savage seems to be daily growing more insolent. Suspicions | are entertained that some of the tribes have been cheating the government by drawing more rations than they are entitled to. This struction of landed estates and local village life, of hares and pheasants and foxes. They | find the possession of their railways a revenue, _ and they oppose any plan that may limit their is the natural effect of allowing Indians to | revenue, no matter how much it may be de. visit Washington. As scon as they touch the | manded by the people. On the other hand we capital they get corrupted. Tsar Scounprers Yorept Tan James anp | the doctrine that there should be no improve- Youncer Buoruers, whose exploits are told in | ment of the city unless in the business honestly needed or honestly intended for the | evidently | sion which the people of New York desire. | have the narrow-minded old fogies who preach | another column, are alive, is due to the unpar- | donabie cowardice ot the whole community pemnitting them to live. These Gadshill heroes, who have su; p) ated highway rob- bery by murder, should be visited by a prompt and informal coramitice that would exercise the vigilance employed in California, Arkan- | sas needs a like tribunal for advocates who Reuiatous Ivtonzrance 1s Mexico. tion, political or religious, is sea looked for in a country like Mexico, inhabited by a mongrel race, for the most part steeped in ignorance. The news of an attack on a | Protestant place of worship and the stoning of the minister can scarcely be regarded with surprise. Though the mob went no further than breaking some windows and pelting the minister with stones it is an ugly indication of religious intolerance, Forta- nately the number of unbelievers in Mexico is very small, and they are generally in such situations that they cau be protected by the government troops. Tae Temperance Oxvsany.—Che advocates | of temperance seem to carry on the war against the drinking customs with continued energy. Meetings all over the country have | been held with the object of inciting to tem- perance, and yesterday the pulpits rang with denunciations of the use of strong drinks, On the other hand, the Nquor dealers are about organizing to resist the attempt made to injure their trade, so that the crusaders may look out for foes worthy of their prowess. We fear that in the end the wicked will prevail; for beer appeals to the sympathies of millions to whom no amount of eloquence can make water valatable. | for widening ; cannot begin to say how much New York | owes to that resolute spirit of enterprise and built-up sections; that all plans streets or building boule- | vards are against the spirit of true economy. This is the argument which was made against the Central Park, and if it had been accepted that beautiful garden would now be a wilderness of rocks and | marshes, of shanties, goats and geese. We | owes to Central Park, nor how much she which has done so much to improve the upper part of the island, rescuing it from waste and decay, and making it the homes of taste and wealth. The men who wage this incessant war upon tue spirit of enterprise and growth are the same who complain that business and home life drift over to Brooklyn and New Jersey. Tables are prepared showing that while New York has been receding in growth New Jer- sey and Westchester have advanced. Now and then the panic-stricken patriarchs distress us with admonitions on this paralysis of growth, this atrophy of the metropolis, and propose bridges, tunnels, balloons, | | French flats, anything to save the great city | | to the island. But the city cannot be saved unless the island is made worthy to be the home of a metropolis. We must do as the Romans did, as the French have done in | our own time. Highways are the arteries | of civilization, The railway through the | desert or the Indian country makes a peace | that no Quaker agents could coax and no armed soldiers conquer. The road through the town or the township marks the line of growth and civilization. New York with- out roads and wide outlying boule. } vards would become as Pekin or | stituents. This is the sad result of too much | respectability. If Mr. Adams were not | placed on so high a pinnacle of virtue he | might be more useful to his fellow citizens. | As it is, the contest is likely to remain between Mr. Curtis and Mr. Dawes, unless some man comes up unexpectedly upon whom the whole republican vote can be concentrated.. But- ler’s encouragement of Dawes is regarded with suspicion by many asa move intended only to deceive. The democratic candidate and the Essex statesman are old and fast friends, | and there is a rumor in circulation that at the | last moment the Butlerites will unite with the | | democrats to secure Judge Curtis’ election as Senator. It is not likely, however, that even | | General Butler would attempt openly to sacri- | fice the interests of his party to personal | feeling. | Fizzle of the Street Cleaning Investi- gation, The mountain after much labor has brought forth a mouse. The committee of the Legis- lature which has been investigating the sub- ject of street cleaning in this city and the | working of the Street Cleaning Bureau gives | up in despair. It has examined a number of know nothings, and, consequently, cannot find | out anything. It might be inferred from this | abortive investigation that every man in New | York has a pecuniary interest in street clean- | ing jobs. Yet there must be a great many | intelligent citizens who could give useful and practical information, and who are interested | in no other way than to have the city kept | clean. We do not believe there is as much | difficulty about this matter as has been pre- | tended. Politicians in power and others who want to make rich jobs out of street cleaning | have darkened the subject and bewildered the | committee. Will not some public-spirited | citizens devise a plan and give the Legisla- | ture the light it needs? Mr. Eastman said it | was the desire of the committee to help the in the approach of the new enterprises the de- | people of New York out of their difficulty, | | but, so far fs he was concerned, he knew but little more than when the investigation com- menced. Will not some one give him the | necessary information? | Revrvan or tHe Dick Turpry Era.—The | account we published yesterday of the daring | highway robbery in the suburbs of Cincin- | nati reads so much like the stories of Dick | Turpin and other notorious highwaymen of England, in old times, that we can hardly realize it is an actual occurrence in this age of advanced civilization. Our Bowery thea- tres could not give a more faithful resem- blance. Only these modern footpads lack the heroism of their ancient prototypes, and show a more brutal nature. Mr. Bepler, the gentle- man who was robbed and seriously shot by the scoundrels, exhibited great courage in resisting them, though he had not much val- uable property about his person. We sup- pose he was beyond the limits of the city po- lice; but if the police of Cincinnati are not more efficient than ours sometimes the out- rage might have occurred within their pre- cincts. Had Mr. Bepler been armed he might have punished the highwaymen and escaped unhurt, With such savages in the midst of civilized society, people should be prepared to defend themselves. Let us hope the villains will be captured and an example made in their case by the severest punishment that can be inflicted. Tar Ente Laponers’ Srrixe.—Some appre- hensions are entertained that the railroad laborers on strike in Jersey City may commit a breach of the peace. Ample precau- tions have been taken by the military and civil authorities to suppress any rioting, but we hope the men on strike have too much good sense to render it necessary to use force for the preservation of the peace. In connection with the dispute between the laborers and the company @ report comes from Binghamton of en attempt to throw the eastern bound express off the track. No clew has yet been found to the perpetrators of this cow- ardlv outrage, | party is so bitter that there appears little hope | the lives submitted to its care. } | | Presbyterianism from which dt came. NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, MARCH 23, 1874.—TRIPLE SHEET. i Life Really Worth Something—Steam Lanes Across the Atlantic. It will be seen from our news columns this morning that an initial step has been taken in the British House of Commons in the mat- ter of ocean routes for the Atlantic steam-" ships. Mr. Anderson, one of the members for Glasgow, gave notice on Saturday that he would on Monday ask the government whether it was willing to co-operate with the govern- ment of the United States in fixing tracks for vessels crossing the Atlantic between the two countries. This is a step in the right di- rection, and we earnestly hope that the matter will be heartily taken up by both governments. Navigation has been reduced to such an exact science that ocean highways can be ac- curately marked, and, under favorable condi- tions, almost unerringly followed. Steam ren- ders the heaviest seas and most destructive gales powerless to deflect the passenger craft of to-day from an undeviating track if a specified course be adopted by the navigator. We are glad to see, therefore, that the appall- ing disasters which have occurred during the past year on the North Atlantic have induced several of the companies to lay down lines to be pursued by their steamships. This idea, long urged by us, was first acted upon by the Cunard line, the management of which is al- ways judiciously eager to guard the safety of Its example was well followed by the Inman line. We observe that the Inman line an- nounces that its course, as laid down and already followed for several years, passes two hundred and fifty miles to the southward of Cape Race, claiming ‘‘much greater freedom from fogs and floating ice and the danger of navigation consequent thereon;” while the French line between New York and Havre announces the most southerly course of all, The Cunard steamers going | out do not pass to northward of the latitude of forty-two, and returning to New York keep south of forty-three. These different courses are admirably laid down, and they should be furmshed to every sailing vessel doing trade on the North Atlantic, and charts having these | steam lanes boldly defined should be gra- tuitously distributed. If it be understood in the commercial world that certain highways into contact with the degrading and corrupi- | belong to the passenger vessels and should be | kept clear in the interests of human life, we think that they would not be trespassed upon. In the interests of internatioual communica- tion the governments of England, Germany, France and the United States may some day be brought to agree upon a general treaty by which each nation shall require of the ships that carry its flag that they respect these limits so faras in any way possible. This would be a great practical step. the Church, A Council of the Congregational Church is to be held in Dr. Budington's church, in Brook- lyn, on Tuesday, which will settle the question whether Congregationalism is in any way dif- Discipline in Congregational | ferent, even in matters of discipline, from the Some time ago an unpleasant difficulty arose be- ween the pastor and two prominent citizens, both supposed to be members of Plymouth church. Charges were made against one of these persons, but he claimed that for tour | years he had not been a member of Mr. Beecher’s church. This statement was ac- copted asa fact, and the supposed member's name was stricken from the roll of member- | ship. Under these circumstances there could be no investigation into the charges against the accused person, on account of which there | was great grief in the Congregational fold, the accusations, it was understood, involving a great deal of social scandal. Some eminent divines, fired with the spirit of Knox and Calvin, were determined on having the whole matter out. If a second Hester Phrynne can be found the Brooklyn clergyman is the | man to fix the scarlet letter to her bosom and hold her and her guilty partners up to the ex- ecration of the Church. If she cannot be found it is not because the Brooklyn clergy- man has failed to look for her. A scandal is too divine a thing for some clorgymen to let pass without exposure, and the Congrega- | tional Church is to be made like other churches, that there may be possible exposure in this case. We always supposed that Con- gregationalism was not even amenable to itself. Its very name imports that each con- gregation is independent of every other con- | gregation. Joining the congregation, we thought, was a very different thing from join- ing the Church, and we supposed that mem- bership was of so frail a tenure that a member could withdraw without notice to anybody. This is what was actually done in the present case, and because it was done is the occasion of the coming Council. The accusing churches deny the right of any member to withdraw without the consenting | act of the church, previously obtained. Stripped of the latent scandal which was its provoking cause this is a very simple propo- sition, and if the affirmative of it could be practically applied there would be only one Church to-day. Luther would have been com- pelled to carry on his Reformation within the folds of that Church, and no Pilgrim Fathers would have come to America seeking liberty of conscience. Its acceptance would in itself be proof that Congregationalism is heretic to Presbyterianism, and Presbyterianism an in- defensible schism from Rome. From the Congregational standpoint we regard the posi- tion as untenable, and we suspect the propo- sition would never have been submitted to a General Council but for the disposition of one or two churches to correct the morals and discipline of another church for the sake of the scandal. It is another illustrdtion of the want of respect for that good old principle about everybody minding his own business. Brsmanck’s Views.—No one who has paid much attention to the career of the Man of Tron would be likely to pay much heed to any- thing he might say for the purpose of being reported. Except, therefore, as a glance at the mode of life of a great man the informa- tion given to us by people who visit the Ger- man Chancellor is not of much real value in judging what his views or intentions may be. The interview between him and the Hun- garian journalist, which we publish elsewhere, exhibits Bismarck in a kind of Mesphistophe- lean character, and it is difficult to refrain from the suspic:on that he was amusing him- self at the worthy editor's expense, The Hun- garian evidently felt as much, though he A Dogberry on Uptown Improvements. [could preach about it for a weell Comptroller Green declares himself op-|®24 we should be no wiser thax posed to any further prosecution of the “up- | Whenhebegan, Somehow Dr. Portoous might town improvements” for which “the people | 88 Well have called his sermon the Deluge, are clamoring," and especially those which | °F the misfortune that befell Lot's wife or the are advocated by ‘the rather noisy circle of | ™@rriage in Cana, Preaching of this kind | with the coming freshness of spring and grave could pot be sure of it, west side property owners, of whom Mr. William R. Martin is the mouthpiece." It is not surprising to find Comptroller Green op- posed to any public improvement, because his narrow-minded, obstructive policy, which he mistakes for economy, is notorious. But the reasons he gives for his opposition to up- town improvements in especial are curious specimens of logic, First, says our financial Dogberry, “the downtown streets are, in respect of their pavements, in a most dis- gracefal condition,” and ‘Church street is standing unpaved;”’ ergo, we must not open, improve or complete any more streets, ave- nues or boulevards in the northern area of the city. Next, the lines intended for ‘ornamental thoroughfares,’ whatever these may be, are as yet vacant lots, and when “tesidences begin to appear there’’ then it will be time enough to think of opening boule- vards and avenues, making roads, providing water and gas and doing such work as is neces- sary in order to render the houses habitable. It is difficult to understand what the paving of downtown streews has to do with the laying out and improvement of the upper part of the city ; but certainly to Comptroller Green’s ob- structiveness is, in a@ great measure, due the present disgraceful condition of our pave- ments. Our rotten wooden roads and loose cobble stones are legacies left us by Tammeny. These might have been replaced by good pave- ments long ago but for the steady opposition of Mr. Green. The inactivity in the real estate market and the stoppage of building in the upper part of the city are due solely to the fatuous policy which opposes all progress, in the stupid belief that stagnation is economy. Mr. Green first blocks the wheels of private enterprise and then says, because private en- terprise does not go on, public improvements must stop. It is generally supposed that people do not build residences until streets are opened and the improvements of a neigh- borhood completed. But by this new light we are informed that we must build our resi- dences beiore the streets on which they are to stand are opened, graded and paved. Every great improvement in the upper part of the island is a bencfit to the whole city. If | we render our northern area habitable and accessible we improve downtown property | and put money in the pockets of downtown owners. Provide the crowded inhabitants down town with cheap and healthful homes up town, and the tenement house rookeries that occupy so many streets will give place to fine business buildings. Increase the assessable value of property up town, and the rate of tax- ation on downtown property is correspond- ingly lowered. We’ have desired that the Park Department should have the control of the streets immediately adjoining the parks and places on grounds of public policy. But no squabbles between depart- ments should be suffered to obstruct works of public interest and importance. We have had enough of personal jealousy and of blundering, incapable policy in our municipal affairs. Taxation and debt are largely increasing, while we have no progress, no improve- | ment to show for the increase. The downtown pavements are, as Mr. Green says, in a most disgraceful condition, mainly through Mr. Green’s oppo- | sition to their repair or renewal. Property up | town, as Mr. Green says, is stagnant and | building at a standstill, while Mr. Green con- | tinues to oppose those public works which alone can set enterprise in motion. Yet we are called upon to pay sixteen millions more for taxation in 1874 than we paid in 1871, and the debt of 1874 is increased forty-nine mil- lions over the debt of 1871, without including the present enormous floating debt, the sum of which still lies hidden in the suspicious disorder and muddle of the Finance Depart- | ment, The patience of the people cannot be exhaustless. The future welfare of the city must not be sacrificed to personal jealousies and official incapacity, and before long the demand for a change will be made in a manner decisive enough to compel attention. The Spirit of the Palpit. There were two sentiments pervading the | pulpit yesterday—tho hopefulness that comes | suggestions to Christian hearts of the gravity | of Len} The many happy indications which we have noticed as evidences of renewed and increasing prosperity in all business circles seemed to inspire our spiritual teachers with new hopefulness. In the Episcopal and Roman | Catholic churches the observance of Lent was made the occasion of many admonitions | as to what should be the true Christian’s duty | in the season of penance and _privation. Father McGlynn, at St. Stephen’s church, reminded his flock that now was the accepted time, and that the opportunity to embrace salvation should not be lost. Allusions were made to the late Senator Sumner and the les- son of his life. Mr. Frothingham spoke of Sumner as a Unitarian by faith and a saint of humanity. His life showed him to be a hero, | but Mr. Frothingham claimed him as a saint on account of his zealous labors to secure | the emancipation of the slaves, Rev. Dr. | Chapin dwelt with characteristic eloquence | upon what had been done by Sumner to en- shrine his memory in the hearts of the colored people of America. Rey. Dr. Fulton summed up Sumner’s life as one that would be fruitful to the ages. The Rev. Dr. Porteous, the new sensation | of Brooklyn, will be better understood when the elaborate report is read of his sermon yes- terday. The interest felt in this clergyman arises from the demonstrations against him by the Episcopal bishops. We can understand from this discourse why Dr. Porteous should | be a popular, if not an effective, preacher. He reminds us of a tinted summer cloud which sails over the ecclesiastical heavens to float and die away with the descend- ing sun. He has rhetorical color, freedom in expression, but a monotony of thought re- minding us of Tupper or the Country Parson. We follow his rhetoric closely and it makes on | us the impression of fireworks, It is pleasant ewough, but thre is nothing we can grasp, nothing we can remember. His discourse yesterday was on the ‘Pentecost’’—a hazy subject at the best, and not apt to satisfy hungry minds. A great advantage about a theme of thia kind ig that a ¢lerevman | men was demanded, ( reaglations, waich ware bears the same relation to genuine, fervid ex« positions of the Gospel that Charlotte Russe does toa dinner. It is pleasant to the taste, but has neither life nor fruit, Rey. Dr. Wild referred to the coming Oon- gregational Council in rather a contemptuous spirit, and informed his readers that he never knew a council that was even “worth a paper of pins.’” Mr. Beecher, on the contrary, prayed for wisdom to attend the delibera- tions of the conteronce, We should infer from our report that matters are becoming lively over in Plymonth church, for during the sermon Mr. Beecher was loudly applauded. We presume there will be much more to be said about this conference. It will be the ‘great ecclesiastical event of tha day, but we do not see of what value it will be to the cause of Christianity. It is these un- seemly quarrels that make the wicked and the scoffer to laugh at religion. The Currency Question—Preparing for the Fight To-Day. Our special despatches from Washington, published to-day, show that the members of the House of Representatives have girded up their loins fora fight on the currency ques« tion. An effort will be-made to get the matter fully before the House to-day, though there are two other subjects having precedence te be disposed of. Mr. Dawes intends to lead off and to test the House first on the question of limiting the legal tender notes ta $356,000,000. Failing in getting an affirmative vote—and he does not appear to be sanguine of doing that—he will next propose to limit the issue to $382,000,000, the amount now actually in circulation, $26,000,000 of the $44,000,000 reserve having been used by the Treasury since the panic. Finally, and as a last effort, if the inflationists are too strong for him he will make a stand on $400,000,000 of greenback circulation. Should the question be reached to-day there is no probability of it being decided so soon. There will be, most likely, a fierce contest, each side disputing every inch of ground. It will be of a sectional character mainly, the West and South going for expansion and the East and North for limiting the currency as much as possible. Once up, however, the subject may be disposed of in the course of a few days. From present indications we do not think there is much earnestness to limit the legal tenders to $356,000,0000, because to do so would involve the necessity of withdrawing $26,0000,000 in circulation, would reduce tha means of the government, which ara already brought low, and would call for additional taxation. It is possible the conservative members on this currency question may arrest expansion at that point, though the inflationists might carry it up to $400,000,000 and thus absorb the re- maining $18,000,000 of the $44,000,000 legal tender reserve. Beyond that it is not probable the inflstionists will be able ta go. In connection with this subject wa notice that the President has denied the published report that any measure of Congress increasing the currency would run the gauntlet of his veto. The President says truly that such an expression on hig part would have been manifestly improper. No one knowing the tact of the President and the impropriety of such an attempt to con- trol in advance the action of Congress could doubt that this was a canard. Let us hope this question of the currency will not be kept open over a few days at the furthest, so that the business of the country can be adjusted to whatever amount may be decided upon. Tue Inptans are getting more and more dis- contented. Without investigating why they should have this tendency we must state it as the emphatic conviction of the country that any outbreak will be regarded as the bad and blundering management of the adminis- tration. That the Indians have many just grounds of grievance we do not and cannot deny; yet we must have no more Modoc and Seminole wars, as would seem to be threatened in the West. The belligerent Sioux are still on the warpath, Nearly all the tribes refuse to be numbered, and the prospects of peace are cer- tainly not encouraging. Let General Sheridan act as promptly and vigorously as it may please him to do, and the couutry will sus- tain him. A stitch in time saves nine. Seventy-seven anp Divine Ricut.—The Emperor William is determined to have his way, constitutional government and popular sovereignty to the contrary notwithstanding. The German Parliament having twice rejected the Army bill, by which an enormous military establishment of four hundred thousand the Emperor now declares that he will insist upon the full quota, as necessary to “insure the peace of Europe.” This, his seventy-seventh birthday resolution, is a menace to France, and to Germany as w Spar is to have a national bank. It is to be hoped that it will be so constructed that it can revolve with every revolution ot the people. NAVY INTELLIGENCE. The Fitting Out of the Sloop-of-War Constellation—The Shawmat Repaired and Off for Key West. PorrsmouTH, Va., March 22, 1874. Orders were received at the Navy Yard to-day to proceed immediately to ft out the sailing sloop- ofwar Constellation for sea, and have her ready by May 1, to take out the Annapolls midshipmen | on their annual cruise. The Constellation hag been in ordinary here since last summer. She is a magnificent sioop-of-war and will be fitted very comfortably, The United States steamship Shaw- mnt, Commander Howison, having completed her repairs, dropped down to Hampton Roads to-night to adjust ber compass aud proceed to Key West, her Jurure station. Lieatenaut Commander Francis Morris, execu- tive officer of the Shawmut, was accidentally throwa twenty Jeet into toe dry dock last night and was paintully injured about the back and legs. ‘The steamer San Jacinto finished coaling to-; day and resumed ber voyage to Liverpool, The Worcester Arrived at Havana. HAVANA, March 21, 1874, The United States ship-ofwar Worcester Ras arrived bere, AMNESTY FOR RibL. The People App: His Behalf. Mow! 1, March 21, 1874, ‘The first of a series of meetings Which the Freach Canadians propose holding in favor of amnesty to Riel and others was held at the St. Jean Baptiste All Friday night. The attendance was largee tue Mayor of the erage peeveutad severah “