The New York Herald Newspaper, May 5, 1874, Page 6

aentiaebameiel 6 NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. THE DAILY HERALD, published every day in the year. Four cents per copy. Annual subscription price $12. LONDON OFFICE 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.... UNUSEENTS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING —_>+—_____ MRS. CONWAY'S BRQUELYN RERATES. Washington street, near ton reet, Brook! -_ BEN MU ULLUGH, at SP. M. Mr. Oliver Doud syrou. OLYMPIC THEAT! Broadway, between Houston and ‘ker streets. — VAUDEVILLE and NOVELTY ENTERTAINMENT, at 7:45 P.M. ; closes at 10:45 P. M. BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway, opposite | Washington lace. HUMPTY DUMPTY AT ROME. &e., ater. M.; Gloves at 1 P. Mw GL. Fox. Matinee at2 FM. Sixth, i Toeenia street.—SPAR- avent corner ‘wenty-thil - TAOUS, at 8B Ms closes at 1045 F. M. Mr John McCulloug! METROPOLITAN THEATRE, No. 985 Broadway.—VARIETY ENTERTAINMENT, at 7:46 F. M.; closes at 10:30 & M. LYCEUM THEATRE, Fourteenth street, near Sixth rats Es FOR SCANDAL, at 8 P. M.; closes at 1 P. M. Coombs. SCHOOL ‘Mise Jane ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Fourteenth street, corner of Irving ‘place.—Strakosch Italian Opera, Coiapany Sorakoooh's Benet a dima di Murska, Lucca, Capoul, Vizzani, Del Puente, Nannetti, =colara. WOOD'S MUSEUM, Broadway, corner of Thirtieth stree.—AURORA FLOYD, atz P.M; closes at 4:30 P.M. JARLING, at 8 P.M; closes at 10:30 P. M. Sophie Miles, Marietta Rowe. PARK THEATRE, Broadway and Twenty-second street.—LOVE'S PEN- ANCS, at 8P. M.; closes at 11 P.M. Charles Fechter. GERMANIA bo roe Fourteenth street, near Irving place.—PECH-SCHULZE, atsP. M.; closes at ll P M. NEW PARK THEATRE, BROOKLYN, CHARITY, at8 P.M. Miss ada Gray. DALY'S FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE, swenty-cighth street and Broadway. MONSIEUR ALPHONSE, at 8P. M.; closes at 10:30 P.M. Miss Ada bres Be Fanny Davenport, Bijou Heron, Mr. Fisher, r. THEATRE aoe No. 514 Broadway.—VARIKTY ENTERTAINMENT, at 8 P.M. ; closes at 10:30 P. M. WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway and Thirteenth street.—SCHOOL, at 8 P. M.; closes at ll P.M. Mr. Lester Wallack, Miss Jeffreys Lewis. TONY PASTOR’s OPERA HOUS!) No. 01 Bowery.—VARIETY ENTERTAINMENT, at 2:30 bs _ closes at 5:30 P. M,; alsoatS P.M; closes at li BRYANT’S-OPERA HOU-E, Tw« ntv-third stree' ar sixth avenue.—NEGRO MIN- STLBL.Y, &c., at 8 P. closes at 10 P. M. ROBINSON HALL, Sixteenth street.—ART ENTERTAIN MENT, at 8 P. M. COLOSSEUM, peeeeay. corner of Thirty-firth street.—LONDON IN were: ‘M.; closes at5 P.M. Same at7P. M.; closes ROMAN HI?PODROMR, Madison avenue and Tweoty-sixth ‘street.—GRAND a cat OF NATIONS, at 1:30 P. M, and TRIPLE SHEET. New York, Tuesday, May 5, 1874. From our reports this morning the probabilities are that the weather to-day will be cloudy, with rain. Sprme continues, and we may look cheer- fully for the buds and blossoms. Ar Last.—The news is that canal naviga- tion is open, and that the boats will begin to run to-day. This means spring and summer at last. Tene is now a proposition to abolish the Territorial government of Washington and re- mand the city to the care of Congress. Boss Shepherd will probably become another Belisarius. Anxansas.—The latest phase of the Arkan- sas question is the arrest of two judges by the partisans of Baxter. The exponents of Jaw’s majesty were marched off with cocked pistols at their heads. In the meantime the dirty chimney burns, and the President looks on in silent abstraction. Tue Atremprep SHoorine or Pr y Marcaun is one of those odd things we now and thensee in Spanish politics. Pi y Margall holds about the same relation to the Serrano government that Wendell Phillips does to the administra- tion of General Grant. Spaniards generally shoot with a political motive, but what inter- est could possibly be served by the death of Pi y Margall ? Curva.— There has been another trouble in China. This time a Chinese mob has sacked the French quarter in Shanghai. It seems that some French engineers were building a road near the Chinese cemetery. The surest way to introduce European civilization into China would be the inculcation of the doctrine of cremation apon the Oriental mind. Tue Inpiaxs Rarpixe Acar.—The despatch published to-day from General Custer, in Da- kota Territory, to the Adjutant General of that department, shows that the Indians are raiding again upon the settlers. But Custer’s cavalry followed them swiftly and recaptured the animals and other property taken. No soldiers were lost or injured, and, so far, but one Indian is reported wounded. In Wyo- ming Territory the Sioux have become trouble- some, firing into the camps of the military scouts, and in Texas the Indians from the reservation fired into the camp of the Tenth cavalry at Augur. Nothing, seemingly, will make these savages behave themselves but the severest military measures. Smgnrano’s Success.—The defeat of the Car- lists before Bilbao is now fully confirmed. Serrano entered the city on Saturday. Of course there was great rejoicing, both there and in Madrid. On Saturday night, as will be seen from our despatches of this morning, Bilbao was illuminated, and Serrano and Concha, the two successful generals, were con- gratalated by the municipality. The Carlists, it would seem, have retreated in great disorder towards Guipuzcos. According to later ac- counts the demoralized Carlists are sur- rendering in large bodies to the republican troops. The long-beleaguered town begins to assume somewhat of its old appearance and trade is reviving. With the relief of Bilbso Spain has been restored to herself, and it re- mains to be seen what direction national politics will take. We have not yet much hope of united sction on the part of the various factions, NEW. YORK .HERALD, TUESDAY, MAY 5, 1874.—TRIPLE SHEET, Political Conditions and Possibilities— New Parties or Sow Candidates. Viewing it after the lapse of a little time, with the dust settled and the amoke cleared away, we see that the battle over inflation was an instructive event, and that we have reason to feel encouraged at the result. It gave ® proximate measure of the forces likely to be found on either side in @ more general con- flict over the topic that has for the people at large a deeper interest than any other likely to present itself. It indicated the subject on which the interest of the people can be rallied in a great political contest, showed the nature and extent of the danger that menaces the people, and proved that, with earnest purpose, @ great triumph may be achieved against an insidious enemy of the general welfare and the national honor. Our politicians, with a timely wisdom that they are seldom without, have taken the meas- ure of this danger, and are fully disposed to respect it. They hope to charm away the rising storm. Good old Cotton Mather was of opinion the Evil One might have sufficient skill in chemistry to get up a thunder shower, and these gentlemen, with greater taith, believe it is in their power to disperse the gathered clouds and calm the embattled ele- ments, Already that lofty and pompous spirit which swelled and strutted and bullied in the inflation camp sings very small. One scarcely hears its voice, and it would not be astonishing if ina little while it should be only with difficulty that an inflationist could be found. “Inflation” measures now offered in Congress thunder somewhat in the index, but scrutinized closely they are found to have no true expansive power, but rather the con- trary. This is the way of the politician, to yield, in fact, where he knows he cannot pre- vail ; but to yield always with a bullying air which seems not to yield, and so saves his credit with his immediate admirers. In the House yesterday a typical measure of this character was presented in the name of Gen- eral Butler. Altogether it would appear as if the array of actual power and of moral influ- ence on the side of a sound financial policy had thoroughly frightened the demagogues who hoped to sail into lasting popularity on @ rising tide in favor of ‘‘cheap money,” and who, of course, cared nothing for the disasters that might follow. They know now that it is the losing side, and they are solicitous only as to the means of getting on the other side with the least possible appearance of a too sudden conversion. Indeed, the collapse of the cheap money balloon amounts almost to a mysteri- ous disappearance ; and it is even doubtful whether or no the good fight that was antici- pated in favor of the sound doctrine of re- sumption and the maintenance of the national credit will not fail for want of an adversary. If the inflationists recede altogether and per- mit the passage of a law to properly settle our money difficulties, it will be very well; but it might prove a more satisfactory result to have them still resist and have the issue gu to the country. But though the threatened debasement of the currency and dilution of the national pledges is the subject of the greatest interest now before the country, it is not the only topic that looms largely in the political hori- zon. Reconstruction is also there with its many attendant causes of disquiet, and an equally fertile source of solicitude is the condition of our civil service, if not, indeed, of political life itself, as shown by the disclosures of re- cent investigations. Reconstruction has passed out of reach of the dominant party, which cannot recall and can scarcely remedy what it has done; but its acts stand recorded against it as crimes for which it must answer to the people. Osten- sibly reconstruction was contrived to secure “material guarantees’ in the forms and ad- ministrations of the Southern States for the future good behavior of their people; but this was not the real purpose. The only material guarantee it was possible to have was the result of the war. The fact that the Southern States, in a war of great gallantry and tenacity and involving fearful loss of life, had been absolutely and completely beaten, and that they could never again hope to renew the struggle with even so fair a prom- ise of success as they started with in 1861, was all the security we needed, and this was clear enough at the time; but a party founded upon the division of the country into hostile sections had to be kept alive, and the pre- tended necessity of reconstruction anéwered this end. Reconstruction, therefore, as prac- tised never had any foundation in the dangers of the country, but only in the necessities of a party; and as the party abused the country by pretending a patriotic motive for the divisions it kept up, so a horde of soulless wretches abused the party and covered their plundering and murdering with a gloss of political devotion. From the plundering of the Southern people to that of the Northern people and the nation collectively the transi- tion was easy, and this has now become the one function and purpose of the republican party to keep rogues in office. Can any man declare or name for it any other policy or purpose? But we regard the battle of inflation and the reconstruction troubles, and even the party corraptions, as storms of the sort that tend to clear the air. They have brought not only discredit, but inextinguishable disgrace, upon a great many men active in politics and recognized hitherto as leaders of the people in their political differences; and there is a prospect that they may bring about an un- looked for advantage in driving all, or the greater number, of these men into retirement and obscurity. They seem likely to operate somewhat in the manner of the famous ‘‘self- denying ordinance’ of the great rebellion in England and of the Revolution in France. In the latter country, by common consent, all the native politicians bound themselves ata cer- tain period not to take office in the next elec- tion, and it has been speculated that this did great harm by at once depriving the public councils of all the experienced politicians ; but enough consideration is not given to the fact that it drew fresh inspiration directly from the national life. In our own political system we could spare nearly all the experienced politicians from public life wondrously well, just as the passengers ino stage coach could spare themselves, with much satisfaction, the company of the pickpocket who may happen to be of the number. Proceedings in our de- liberative bodies and the routine in our civil service could loge but littl, for the absence of @ class of men who notoriously do not hold their places with a view to the performance of their duties, but only as bases of operation against the public purse, while, if we were fairly rid of these men, the general of new men in office would be equivalent to a revival of national vitality, New men are apt to come into office with good impulses, which soon yield, however, and then the neo- phytes are worse even than the old rogues; but with a general accession of new men, com- ing in upon the heels of a moral revolution which had driven their predecessors out be- cause of their evil propensities, the change would probably operate with more lasting benefit. In this way the Crédit Mobilier exposures were a great advantage to the country. They covered some men with shame so deep that they could feel it themselves through the rhinoceros hide that usually covers the conscience of Politicians. Others scarcely leas deeply in- volved remain braving it out, but not without @ constant remembrance of their scars. Ail the corruptions shown by the Sanborn investi- gation, the unimpeachable evidence they fur- nish that men very high in station have knowingly assisted the robbery of the public treasury, and, further, the revelations of the inflation battle, which have marked distinctly for the public instruction the men who were foolish enough or false enough to sustain that suicidal policy—from all these we may have assistance towards the same desirable end of driving from public life the men who now disgrace the country. We have not, of course, any notion that many men of this class will retire of their own accord ; but we expect to see the parties that nominate them beaten at the polls wherever they are opposed by men who, being new to public life, may afford at least some promise of improvement ; and when defeat has come often enough in this salutary way the political committees themselves. will even outrun the public de- sire in their hunger and thirst for fresh ma- terial. With party lines clearly drawn and well recognized party issues at stake the people who would sustain one or another side of a party division cannot usually afford to dis- criminate too nicely as to their men. They cannot give the election to the opposing can- didate because they do not thoroughly like the man on their own ticket, for what may seem the small deficiencies of their own candidate are esteemed of far less evil than the success of the principles maintained by the other. This helplessness of the people is exploited by the political managers in the filling of every office, even up to the Presidency. But as the finance issue seems less imminent what are the subjects of difference between the people that are of any consequence by comparison with the benefit of having honest representa- tives? Surely not the dead issues of opposi- tion to slavery and the ‘vigorous prosecution of the war,” which was the great thunder of the republican party, though that thunder now would scarcely turn sour a barrel of small beer. No; there is no issue of moment if the financial issue fails us; and, that failing, it seems highly probable that the universal dis- gust with the vile practices of republican office-holders may give us a roll of compara- tively new names in public life, and any change of that sort must necessarily be a great improvement. Butler’s Compromise Banking Bill. General Butler introduced a bill yesterday to provide for free banking and other things pertaining to the currency, which was referred to the Committee on Banking and Currency. Though the term free banking is used, the limit of national bank notes to be issued seems to be fixed at ten dollars a head for the population ot the United States, according to the census of 1870. That would give a circu- lation of a little over three hundred and eighty millions, or twenty-six millions more than is now authorized by law. This is not @ great measure of expansion, therefore, and shows that Mr. Butler, at least, has come down greatly from the ground he formerly took. It looks asif he is leading off for a compromise on the currency question between the President and the administration party in Congress, unless, indeed, this wily politician is covering up some trick of expansion not apparent at present. However, the measure seems fair enough as avoiding expansion toa certain extent, for it provides that the Secre- tary of the Treasury be authorized to with- draw legal tenders to the amount of twenty- five per cent of national bank notes issued un- til the legal tender circulation is reduced to three hundred and fifty-six millions of dollars, the legal tenders to be held as a reserve in the Treasury as formerly. The bill also provides that the banks shall retain all coin interest re- ceived on their bonds, which are pledged to secure their circulation, until their whole re- serve shall consist of coin. The banks are prohibited from loaning their reserve and from charging a rate of interest on loans and discounts exceeding seven and three-tenths per cent, and the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to issue notes on the deposit of gold bonds, the interest to be deducted on the return of notes. This bill would appear to meet in a measure, if not entirely, the views of the President. Perhaps Mr. Butler has been talking with General Grant and may be trying to bridge over the currency difficulty to save the republican party. Tue Lavon Quzstion.—The new difficulty which threatens to arise between employers and workingmen, owing toan attempt to force the men to give up the eight hour system, will not, in all probability, assame important pro- portions. Few of the contemplated locks-out were put in force yesterday, and we hope the employers will see the folly of undertaking a new struggle which can only produce much misery without securing to themselves any lasting profit. It is for the terest of em- ployers and workmen that the baneful system of strikes and locks-out should be abandoned ae soon as possible, and some system of arbi- tration adopted for the settlement of disputes. Genznat Burien was seriously ill yester- day, but* our latest news from Washington indicates that the ailment is under control, The suffering seems to have come from over- work. Tae Hor Growens of Oneida county want a duty of fifteen cents a pound upon im- ported hops. It would be mistake to con- cede this. The surestway to make war upon | whlsker is to soake beer shean Legislative Incapacity—The Muddle ot the Consolidation Act. The Legislature of 1874 is likely to be as well remembered for its incapacity as for its dishonesty. Many of the laws it has passed are 80 loosely drawn that they will prob- ably fail in the objects they were designed to accomplish, and those relating to the city of New York are almost certain to increase the confusion already existing in our city govern- ment. The consolidation of the city and county under a single administration has long been advocated, and the measure is one of great importance. Difficulties were in the way, because it is impossible to entirely abol- ish a Board of Supervisors, such a body have ing powers and duties under the State consti- tution which cannot be performed by any other authority without an amendment of the fundamental law. Among these are the re- apportionment of Assembly districts and the appointment of certain county officers whose election or whose appointment by some other county authority has not been di- rected by Legislative enactment. A well considered law would have provided for all these cases and have accom- plished what the people desired—namely, that the financial business of the city and county should be embraced under one system, 90 as to avoid complication; that the Board of Aldermen should be required to act as Super- visors for absolutely necessary purposes with- out any extra compensation, and that other expenses of a double-headed organization should be dispensed with. But, unfortunately, Comptroller Green took the Consolidation bill under his especial charge, und the conse- quence 1s that we have a muddled, ill-digested law, which is about as confused and unsatis- factory as are the official exhibits of our financial condition. We publish elsewhere to-day a copy of the Consolidation law and of the explan- atory act which followed it. It will be seen that the Board of Supervisors is recog- nized in the law as still in existence, the powers and duties of that body being trans- ferred to the Board of Aldermen, ‘except that, when by the constitution or laws of this State any action is specifically required to be taken by the Board of Supervisors of said city and county which cannot under any power conferred by this act or other- wise be taken in any other manner, such action may be taken by the said Board of Aldermen as the Board of Supervisors of the said city and county.” This certainly continues in existence the body known as the Board of Supervisors, and, as no provision is made to abolish the salaries of its members, they will continue to draw their pay as usual. Indeed, the first section of the law provides that nothing contained in the act shall ‘‘abro- gate or impair or in anywise affect any right or interest’ now enjoyed by or pertaining to the “Supervisors or Board of Supervisors of the said county of New York.”’ So the only effect of the law seems to be the transfer of a portion of the duties of the Supervisors to the Aldermen and the consolidation of the ac- counts of the city and county, while the Supervisors remain » distinct body, as usual, for other purposes, and are as much entitled to their pay and to all their ‘‘rights and in- terests” as they were before the law was en- acted. This is the sortof legislation the city hag received from men like Lincoln, of On- tario, urged on by such astute politicians as Havemoyer, Green and the Custom House “Ring.” Another Confused Law—Are the Police and Park Commissions Vacant? The blunders of the Legislature and of the venerable Mayor and his Custom House friends are further manifested in the famous “Police and Parks law,” as it is called, which reduces the number of Commissioners in each of these departments to four and gives the Mayor the power to appoint to va- cancies without the confirmation of the Board of Aldermen. This law, passed on the eve of the final adjournment of the Legislature, was designed to accomplish a single object— namely, to hold in power the persons now at the head of the Police and Park depart- ments, in the expectation and on the bargain that Mr. Havemeyer should ap- point Mr. Howland on the former Board. We publish elsewhere the text of the law. It will at once be seen that it is an open question whether the act does not vacate the commissionerships in both the Police and Park departments and create entirely new commissions. The charter as passed last year provided in section 89 that the Police Depart- ment should ‘have for its head a board to consist of five persons’ who “shall hold their offices for six years.’ And the charter in sec- tion 84 provided that the Park Department should be under the charge of a board to con- sist of five members, to hold their offices for five years. The present act wipes out these sections and provides that ‘‘on and after the 1st day of May, 1874,’’ the departments in question shall respectively be ‘‘under the charge and control of four commissioners, who shall perform all the duties and exercise all the powers now by law conferred or im- posed”’ upon the commissions, as they pre- viously existed. While the question is a doubtful one there is still enough ambiguity in the law to war- rant the inquiry whether the Mayor would not have full power to nominate entirely new Police and Park Commissioners if he should choose to do so, or whether this same power will not be exercised by the successor of Mr. Havemeyer as soon as he gets into office. In view of the eccentric manceuvres of our pres- ent venerable Executive, and of the probability of the election of a democratic successor, the question is one which is likely to create con- siderable stir among our local politicians. But as the confirming power of the Board of Aldermen is only abolished in cases where vacancies are to be filled, the original appoint- ments, as well as those made on the legal ex- piration of » Commissioner’s term of office, would still be subject to the action of that body. We Norx that what is called ‘The Decora- tion Association of Ilinois’’ has resolved that it will make no distinction on Decoration Day, but will strew flowers alike on the graves of the Federal and Confederate soldiers. This is wise and tender. Let our brothers find peace and fraternity under the roses. Game anv Gama Lawa.—Judge Daly has sustained the constitutionality of the Game lowe. We trust thay will bo rigidly enforced. The Umiversa: Alliamce-Why Wot Steamt Lanes? The important international question of ocean travel and steam lanes is suggested by the Convention of the Universal Alliance now in session in Paris, This society was formed in 1871, and its member- ship is composed of the most emi- nent persons of the different European nationalities, The President is Comte de Hondetot, and General Secretary Baron Adheinar von Linden. A special committee was appointed at the first meeting of the Alliance to collect data bearing upon the rules of all nations in the conduct of war. It was not only found tbat there isa great disparity in the rules at present existing relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, but that many nations. are governed by no fixed rules what- ever. This led to an invitation addressed to the different governments of Europe to send delegates to the Paris Congress, and a number of the Powers have responded to the invita- tion of the society. Whether the society will be able to exert a salutary influence for humanity and public utility may be judged from the results of the Convention now in session. It is to be hoped that the Alliance will meet with the greatest success, and that it will not stop until it considers the important theme of steam navigation at sea. By this means a new and independent ele- ment will be introduced into diplomacy which will have the effect of originating measures of the greatest public utility, both in peace and war. The present action seems based on the precedents existing in the agree- ments in the Convention for Improving the Condition of the Wounded of Armies in the Field, signed at Geneva, August 22, 1864, and ratified at Berne by all the States of Europe, and in the Convention for Interdicting the Use of Explosive Bullets in War Time, signed at St. Petersburg, December 11, 1868. But the usefulness of the society can. be extended almost indefinitely, and still keep within the line of great objects. The discoveries of the last half century have almost revolutionized society, and have completely overturned all the methods of life and locomotion. Steam has been applied to travel, both by sea and land, but especially at sea it needs a set of rules which shall have all the force of an international treaty and of international law. A new maritime. code is more imperatively demanded than a new code of war. One of the first necessities of modern times is a system of steam lanes on the ocean. Such a system, to be as useful as it may be made, must be absolutely perfect. We do not expect the Universal Alliance to give us such a system, but if it will include such subjects in its investigations and recommendations and press the urgency of such reforms upon the governments of Europe and America it can do a great deal of good. The object now under discussion at Paris is a very worthy and important one, but a single object does not fulfil the conditions of a Universal Alliance. Such a society should be as broad as humanity and as comprehensive as human needs. It must be the handmaiden of science and civi- lization, seeking to save life on sea and land, and bettering the condition of mankind in every part of the world by wiser systems of life and action. The world scarcely under- stands the changes which science has wrought and the new methods of political and social economy it imposes, and it is to be hoped the Congress at Paris will give these objects a new and vital force in broadening the work of the Universal Alliance. Concerning Benefits. There is much discussion in musical and theatrical circles relative to a rumor that Mme. Nilsson, at the close of what has been an un- usually successful and fortunate operatic season, had refused to sing ata benefit it is proposed to give to Mr. Strakosch. Into the merits of any such controversy we have no de- sire to enter. As we understand the case, Mme. Nilsson has, according to the terms of her contract, sung in six benefits gratuitously, not to speak of private and public charitable entertainments. It this is the contract there should be an end of it. No one will, we are sure, accuse this distinguished and gifted lady of churlishness or a want to oblige, or to assist in any good work or in any compliment to other artists. The point in this discussionis a simple one. Mme. Nilsson is an artist engaged in a delicate and precarious profession, A thousand causes will conspire to interfere. with success as a prima donna, peculiar to that calling. An artist may attain wide renown, but very few years remain for its enjoyment. There is no more reason why the genius for harmony should be squandered in ‘‘benefits,’’ charities and pur- poseless, profitless experiments, than the genius for acting or painting, for mak- ing money or for making war. If a mer- chant desires to be charitable he pays his money. He does not give his time or his talents, which he needs for his own prosperity. There is no more reason for Mme. Nilsson giving a day or a night to a charity or a benefit than there would be for Mr. Stewart to give one day’s receipts in his store. The merchant has his business, the artist has her genius, and they are for their own advancement and pros- perity. Miss Cushman laid down this admirable rule in correspondence recently made pub- lic. We entirely agree with Miss Cushman, and approve of Mme. Nilsson’s course in fol- lowing her example. ‘Tae ‘‘Grontes or War.” —Those of our own army who have felt restive under the accusa- tion that the war in the South was mainly a question of spoon stealing and carrying away silver plate will read with grim satisfaction the announcements now appearing in the London journals in reference to the “loot” captured from the Ashantee King. This seems to consist mainly of gold ornaments and royal decora- tions, curiously fashioned, and indicating, say some of the journals, a mechanical taste and ingenuity rather surprising to those who imagined that the Ashantees were simply can- nibals and rude, wild savages, The value.of the captures may be inferred from the state- ment that one lot alone was sold tos firm of jewellers for fifty-five thousand dollars. Wo do not in the least wish to diminish the glory that England has won in her Ashantee wars, but it seems @ small business for a great na- tion to sell the trinkets of » savage king for the benefit of her civilized soldiers. The odd- eat thing about war is, tha, no mater how much we improve in our civilization, war con- tinues to be as savage and fierce as when Saledin’s followers and the Crusaders buteb- ered each other for the love of God and the Prophet, ' An Amentcan Canpinat.—It is announced that Archbishop Manning will proceed to Rome in June to be invested with a cardinal’s hat. Now-that the Pope is filling up the va- cancies in the Sacred College why does he not elevate an American prelate to the rank of cardinal? We have now and have had many archbishops of learning, genius and piety, who would make splendid cardinala But, somehow, the Pope does not seem to regard the Church in America as deserving the honor. We think the Catholics have a right to feel that the Holy Father treats his American chil- dren hke a stepfather. He could appoint a young priest of the Bonaparte family to be cardinal merely to please Napoleon, but he cannot elevate one of our venerable prelates to the same rank, although the act would bea recognition of services and gratifying to every Catholic in the country. AnorHER AtTiantic Canie.—Atlantic cables are in vogue. It is only a few days since we announced that the Atlantic cable which is to connect the Irish coast with the coast of New Hampshire was all but shipped, and that the steamship Faraday would soon sail from Woolwich for Valentia, where she would begin. to pay. Another cable, intended to connect Para, in Brazil, with the island of Demerara, was inspected on Saturday, and the vessel, with the section of cable on board, sailed from Gravesend on Sunday. Brazil, by this means, will soon ke in direct communica- tion with London and New York. Each new cable is a positive gain in the direction of modern progress. Tae Mussmstrrr Froop, though subsiding: in many places, still creates havoc and alarm, The levee broke at Glencoe on Saturday, and near Prentiss, Miss., also. Another crevasse is apprehended hourly at another point, called Pride’s. The crevasse at Catfish Point is a hundred and fifty yards wide and the water is: pouring through it. Other breaks, less seri- ous, are reported or are imminent. There is, consequently, a great deal of suffering and. fear. The relief afforded by the spontaneous: and generous charity of the people from all parts of the country has done a great deal of good, but more assistance is needed. Ina few weeks the worst will be over, as the summer approaches and the river falls, and, there- fore, whatever is done to relieve the sufferers should be done at once. Tax New Dzat of our municipal “reform- ers,’’ towards the close of the Legislative sea- sion, had the effect of smothering the New York Street Cleaning bill. But the report of the committee of investigation, charging all manner of corruption and incapacity upon the ‘and inculpating the Police Com- mission, is still in existence and will form the basis of the new investigation ordered by the Senate during the recess, which is in the hands of Senators Booth, Fox and Woodin. There is likely to be a lively time at head- quarters with this threatened stirring up of the secrets of the department. ‘Wisr.—We like the proposition to abolish hazing in the Naval Academy and hope Con- gress will pass it. Hazing is a cruel, barbar- ous, ungentlemanly custom. PERSONAL INTELLIGENCF, Prince Napoleon is in Paris. General Von Roon, 0: Prussia, is in Rome. Mayor Samuel ©. Cobb, of Boston, is at the Wind- sor Hotel. General R. B. Ayres, United States Army, has quarters at the Sturtevant House. Congressman J. H. Rainey, of South Carolina, is registered at the Westmoreland Hotel. Ex-Congressman T. M. Pomeroy, of Auburn, N. Y., 1s stupping at the St. Nicholas Hotel. Ex-Congressman Hamilton Ward, of Belmont, N. Y., ig again at the Metropolitan Hotel. Lady Kennedy, wile of the British Governor of Hong Kong, is living at the Fifth avenue Hotel. Mr, Stephen Preston, Haytien Minister at Wash- ington, is staying at the Union Square Hotel. State Treasurer Thomas Raines arrived from Alpany last evening at the Metropolitan Hotel. Assistant Inspector General Elisha H. Ludington, United States Army, 18 quartered at the Metropoli- tan Hotel. Orlow W. Chapman, Superintendent of the New York Insurance Department, has arrived at the Filth Avenue Hotel. Prince Arthur of England nas.been transferred from the kifle Brigade to a captaincy in the Sey- enth Hussars. The ex-kmpress Eugénte is rumored to have visited Paris recently and to have made several visits during her stay. Dr. Livingstone’s body was officially identified in England by the mark ot a bite inflicted on bis arm by @ liom thirty years ago. Right Rev. William ©. Magee, Protestant bishop of Peterborough, England, argues that “increased episcopal power for discipline is needed to prevent the establishment from going to pieces.” Arch- bishop Manning is anxious to obtain some of tne fragments. The Bishops of Cambrai and Versailles have ar- rived in Rome, and handed to His Holiness Pio Nono large sums of money as Peter’s pence from France. Bismarck is becoming jealous. He thinks that Prussia should have had that little pile as in- demnity cash. The Duke of Richmond has received a deputstion on the subject of opening the public museums and art galleries in London on Sundays. Mr. Dixon, member of Parliament, stated that the Birming- bam Town Council had decided to open the Museum of Science and Art in that town on Sundays, The Prince of Wales, having attended a trotting race while at Moscow, Russia, has forwarded through the Grand Equerry of the Czarowits a large silver vase, adorned with two horses’ heads, and bearing the inscription, “The Prince of Wales to the Society of the Trotting Races at Moscow.” The Emperor Alexander of Russia is a very quiet, unobtrusive man. He dislikes noise or bustle, During the eight days he is to sojourn in Engiand he will spend most of his time at Windsor. He will not devote more than two, or at iurtheas three, days to London, and it it ts his wish to be “Jet alone’ as much as possible when he is in the metropolis. A very rich coal merchant in England has written to several of nis customers, who purchased coals of him for brewing and otber purposes connected with the manufacture of beer, regrétting that he ts unable to continue serving them, as “being au abetainer anda good templar, he cannot conscl- entiously supply coals for the manufacture of the articles of such a trade.” Mr. Brown walked in meditation; the “peeler came With determination, and both went with great animation to 4 neighboring police stadow. ‘There Mr. Brown explained tnat he was an am thor, and had been restoring his energies with exercise. He was discharged, bat the “boboy” remarked, with the dogged doubtfainess of his clasa, as Mr. Brown departed, that if the latter ‘was nota burglar he was akin to one, being cer- tainly ® plagtarist. Mr. Brown, of Brompton, now remarks irequeutly that 1.ondan yoligemen are brutes '