The New York Herald Newspaper, May 14, 1874, Page 4

6 NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. THE DAILY HERALD, published every day in the wear. Four cents per copy. Annual subscription rice 912. i All business or news letters and telegraphic tches must be addressed New Your | Letters and packages should be prop- ‘erly sealed. Rejected communications will not be re- ‘turned. laces a ie LONDON OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK HERALD—NO. 46 FLEET STREET. Subscriptions and Advertisements will be received and forwarded on the same terms ea in New York. NEW PARK THEATRE, BROOKLYN, HL Stoddart, THE LONG BTRIRB, atsP.M. J. Ring- fold, Rock wel DALY'S FIFTH AVENUE THEATR! Piya on pong by pe Poa euige sae BP. ) closes at x S A yas, Misa Fann, Davenport, Bijou Heron, Mr, Fisher, Mr’ Clark. if THEATRE eee ‘No. 514 Broadway.—VARIETY ENTERTAINMENT, at8 P.M. ; closes at 10:30 P.M. WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway and Thirteenth street SCHOOL, at 8 P.M; uP. Jeffreys closes at li P. M. Mr, Lester Wallack, Lewis. OLYMPIC cme iy Brewer, tween Houston and Bleecker streets — = and BoveLrr ENTERTAINMENT, at 745 P. loses at 1046 P, * bagi So Fe roadway, opposite | Washin; v BOT ie TOMS aan, G. L. Fox. BOOTH’S THEATRE, ‘ixth avenue, corner of Tweuty-third street—SPAR- TACUS, at§ P. M.; closes at 45 P.M. Mr. John McCul- Dough. i METROPOLITAN THEATRE, No. $8 Broadway.—VARIETY ENTERTAINMENT, at 7:45 P.M. : closes at 10:30 P. M. WOOD'S MUSEUM, Broadway, corner of Thirtieth stree’ M.; closes at 4:30PM. WILS) OAT, até P, at 10:30 P.M. Sophie Miles, Marietta Ravel —DEBORAH, at? M4. ; closes Fourteenth street near Irving pincer DER KaBNK ourteent et, near Irvi — Ni LIEUTENANT, at 8 P. Mj closes at il x. ae: . BOWERY THEATRE, iBowery.—Beneft of Jones, at 6 P. M. TONY PaSTOR'S OPERA HOUS! 201 Bowery.—VARIBTY KNTERTAINMENT, at 2:30 |. | Closes 30 5:30 P.M. ; also at 8 P.M.; closes at li BRYANT'S OPERA HOUSE, -third street, near Sixth avenue.—NEGRO MIN- YY, dc., tS P. M.; closes at 10 P.M. ‘Twen BTBE NWAY HALI STE) L, ‘ourtee! — e LI remy street—Matinee Concert. at 3P.M. Canissa, CENTRAL PARK GARDEN, THOMAS’ CONCERTS, at 8 P. M. Fi oth PES peel ain or bobs le ‘ourtee! et. corner of Irving place.—SOIRE! MAGIQUES, ats P, Me Protewor Herrmaniy ees COLOSSEUM, fBroadway, corner of Thirty-fittn street—LONDON IN ere BtAh Micloses a6. ¥oM. Same at7 P. M.; closes a * sail ROMAN HIEPODROME, Madigos avenue an wenty-sixth street —GRAND PAGEANT—CONGRESS OF NATIONS, at 1390 Pa. and ‘TRIPLE SHEET. ew York, Thursday, May 14, 1874. From our reports this morning the probabilities are that the weather to-day will be cool and parlly cloudy. Wan »—Gold yesterday sold down to 111 7-8, but closed at 112 1-8. The stock market was dull, fluctuating and finally weak. Tae Visrr or THz Czan or Russta To Lox- pon.—Imperial personages are liable to be superstitious. The mishap which has befallen the imperial yacht, although of a trifling character, is not unfitted to inspire supersti- tious fears. On the occasion of his last visit to Europe the Czar narrowly escaped with his life. Times have greatly changed since then; but a Bergowski is not an impossibil- ity. We are willing to believe that the Czar will have pleasant times in England and that all things will go on well. ‘Tue Mussissrrr1 OvenrLow.—The President, as will be seen from our news of this morning, has signed the act enabling the Secretary of War to carry out the act of April 23 for the relief of the sufferers by the Mississippi floods. The President could scarcely have done other than he has done, for the suffering occasioned by those floods has been almost beyond par- allel. Such a calamity, covering as it does so wide a district of country, calls alike for public | charity and for the interference of the national | government. Tar Spans .Moustrr.—We print this morning the names of the members of the new Spanish Cabinet. Some of our old friends appear, but some of the names are new. Za- balla, Sagasta, Ulloa are well known. We miss Castelar and Figueras and Pi y Margall, { men devoted to the Republic. The new Cabi- net compels us to believe that a compromise has been effected, and the compromise is not, in our opinion, favorable to the republican cause. Sagasta is the most slippery of Span- ish politicians, and as Minister of the Interior he will be able to exert a powerful influence for evil or for good. As we said some days ago, the question now to be settled is whether the republic or the monarchy is to be the form of government in Spain. Things begin to shape themselves, and the question will soon be answered. A Paotoncep Dzpare on the financial ques- | tion, which has just been taken up again in | the Senate, is probable. The debate com- menced yesterday on thg Banking bill, when much interest was manifested, and Mr. Sher- man spoke. When this maiter was up before there seemed to be no end to the discussion, and it is doubtful if the Senate is much bet- ter prepared to solve the difficulty. oe Peeters Wa Ane Ratuen Incurmep to support the memorial presented to Congress asking that body to adjourn, The judgment of the me- morialists is that “the uncertainty, disquictude ond hazard which prevail in the business com- | of this year. If the democrats should make | munity touching financial and other legisla- tion would be best and most effectually ended by an adjournment of Congress.” Congress could do many worse things than adjourn. The weather is becoming warm and the statesmen must long for the pine forests and the Tacky Mountain breezes. | turely weigh his chances of success before | he cannot, on any sufficient data, estimate the NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, MAY 14, 1874.—TRIPLE SHERT, Taking the recent statements with all proper allowance for defect of authentic evi- dence, they have nevertheless sufficient color of probability to justify a discussion of General Grant’s chances for a third nomina- tion by the republican party if he desires it. It is his chances fora third nomination, not for a third election, that we choose to con- sider ; for if the republicans do not take him for their candidate the other question is pre- cluded. Nobody supposes that he could be elected as an independent candidate. Nobody believes that the democratic party will nomi- nate him. Unless the Republican National Convention shall again propose him fp the people for their suffragas there will be no Place for the third term question. General Grant’s prospects fora third nom- ination are more favorable at present than they were previous to the recent veto, Before that act, whose political importance is only less than its fimancial, all the republican aspirants, East and West, had a common in- terest in preventing his renomination. He stood in the way of them all even more than they stood in the way ofone another. But the developments of the winter and spring in relation to the currency have changed the situation. It the Republican National Con- vention were to be held this year, all the the renomination of President Grant. Morton, with all the inflationists to back him, would easily secure the nomination against Conkling, though probably not against Grant, This is a fair, logical inference from the in- fiation and anti-inflation votes in Congress. The inflationists were found on trial to have a large majority in the House and a small one over the veto only because it required two- thirds of both houses instead of a simple ma- jority. In the National Convention a ma- jority would control, unless the republicans President Grant and « Third Term. | hold its own, or very nearly hold its own, in the lection; of this year, President Grant might think it safe to exert his power of controlling the Republican Convention by filling it with a majority of his personal supporters. He can doubtless pro- cure the nomination for himself if he chooses to have it, but, he would not wish to incur the humiliation ef a defeat by the peuple. It is very possible, that the actual result will be either a democratic President or a third elec- tion of General Grant. For, if this year’s elections should go far. strengthen the demo- Eastern candidates would readily consent to | in the Senate. They failed to carry their bill | crate that Grant would have no further desire to run, the indications would point to s demo- cratic triumph. Tt is needless to inquire whether General Grant would like a third term if he could be sure to get it, There is no Judge of the Supreme Court who does not think the office more valuable by reason of its life tenure. There is no Judge in this State who does not prefer the prevent fourteen years’ tenure to the former tenure of four years. The Prosi- dency is a more valuable, more powerful, more responsible, and therefore, when well filled, nore honorable and tempting office than it has ever been before. The salary has been doubled. General Grant receives as much for four years’ services as any of his predeces- sora were paid for eight. Washington and Jefferson, each of whom declined a third term, had become old; Grant is still in his prime. Perhaps at this date the shrewdest guess re- garding a third term would be that if General Grant refuses to take the nomination again, it will probably be because he has no hope of getting the office. ‘The Beginning of the End in Arkansas. We begin to see the end of the troubles in Arkansas. A quorum of the State Legislature met yesterday, and to-day the contest will probably be decided so far gs the general | vernment is concerned. The Legislature ving convened, it is the proper authority to | should adopt the two-thirds rale which pre- vails in the Democratic National Convention. | Tt was only by the operation of this rule that | Pendleton failed to receive the democratic | nomination in 1868. It is certain that such a | rule could not be adopted by the republicans | sa means of defeating Mortow. The rule itself would have to be adopted or rejected by & mere majority vote. Its purpose would be well understood, and the inflationist majority | of the Qonvention would vote it down at once. Morton's chief purpose, as the foremost champion of inflation, was the same as Pendleton’s in advocating pay- ment of the public debt in greenbacks. He expected it would give him a majority of delegates in the Republican National Conven- Aion, and until the measure was wrecked on the Presidential veto that seemed a shrewd calcu- lation. The inflationists would be somewhat | stronger in a republican national convention than they are in Congress. The House, being fresher from the people, more accurately rep- resents their strength than the Senate. Inthe House a majority of the democrats voted against inflation, so that, without some changes in public opinion, @ republican convention would contain a larger preponderance of inflationists than the House of Representa- tives. There can be no doubt, therefore, if such a convention were to be held now, that the supporters of an inflation candidate from the West would outvote the supporters of an anti-inflation candidate from the East and succeed in nominating him. But so strenuous is the Eastern opposition to inflation that the success of such a candidate in the Convention would split and destroy the party. Should the relative strength of the infla- tionists in the republican party continue to be as great as itis at present the renomination of President Grant might be advocated by his friends as the only means of preserving party unity. The Eastern anti-inflation candidates | would lose nothing by relinquishing their | pretensions. They might support Grant as the only hope of saving the party from the control of Western and Southern inflationists, If it be said that the inflationist majority of the Convention could as easily defeat the | nomination of Grant as of Conkling, the an- swer is obvious. Conkling has not Grant’s facilities for giving the desirable color to the | Convention. The Executive patronage, skil- tully used, could control the election of a sufficient number of Western and Southern delegates to turn the scale in his favor. There is no reason for believing that the renomina- tion of President Grant would lead to an open republican bolt. The President no doubt sagaciously per- ceives that recent circumstances have given him the winning cards for the nomination, if he chooses to play them. But he must also | know that a nomination so obtained might not be equivalent to an election. As a third term candidate he would necessarily weaken his party and increase the chances of the opposition, But the loss might not prove so fatal as the great split and schism that would ensue on the nomination of a Western infla- tionist. In the latter case the democratic party would take the highest anti-inflation ground and elect their candidate. But against | Grant they could make little of the currency | issue. The Eastern republicans would unan- imously prefer a third term candidate to an | inflation candidate, if reduced to that aller- | native. The democrats would have to fall | back upon tariff reform, which, although | dividing all parties in the East, is popular in | the West, as 8 prominentissne. But their chief | advantage would lie in their ability to rouse | and slarm the country against the great snd | dangerous innovation of electing a President | for a third term, and thus putting him on the way of holding the office for life. General Grant will probably hesitate long and ma- publicly avowing his willingness to be again | a candidate. Events seem conspiring to put | the republican nomination within his reach, but he will try to satisfy himself as to how much depletion the republican party can bear, before he decides to take the doubtful chances of its remaining a majority with such an un- wonted load. Supposing him to desire another election, | possibilities of success until after the elections formidable gains, the republican party will be | too much weakened to bear the further estrange- ment and losses which would be the inevi- | table consequence of running a candidate for decide between the claimants to the Governor- ship, and we suppose the whole question will be left to the constitutional de- termination of the body now in session. Any other course in the present condition of | affairs would only protract the difficulty with- | out any good result whatever. It is not to be expected, however, that absolute quiet will be immediately restored. The partisans on both sides are too*much excited and exasper- ated to disperse without a repetition of scenes like that reported in our news col- umns this mourning. The United States troops’ will be mecessary to restore and compel order, and, fortunately, such aid can now be rendered without any infringe- ment of the rights of the State. The first act of the Legislature will probably be to ask such aid from the general government, and the President will at once see his way clear to give whatever assistance is required. We are glad that the trouble is working out its own settlement. As matters stood a few days ago the condition of affairs seemed | to demand ss a desperate remedy what can now be accorded as a matter of right. The Legislature is now the real power in Arkansas, and by the aid of the Federal troops it can calmly consider the situation and leisurely. examine and determine the rival claims of Brooks and Baxter. Reciprocity with Canada—A Disputed Question. In the course of the negotiations going on at Washington for a new or more enlarged treaty of reciprocity in trade between the United States and Canada a little stumbling- block has been placed in the way through a difference of figures. The Canadians main- tain that the trade advantages are on our side, while our government does not make out such a flattering exhibit. Our returns show, for example, that in the traffic of the three years from the ist of July, 1863, to the 30th of June, 1866, we imported from them articles to the value of one hundred and thirty-two million dollars, while their returns make the amount only eighty-one million dollars. And so on there is a difference as to other periods and the amount of oug exportations to Canada. This singular discrepancy reminds us of the pleadings of lawyers, which represent one side white and the other black, according to the interests of their clients. The Canadians talk a little haughtily of having no need to ask favors, but at the same time manifest anxiety for a comprehensive treaty, merging the fishing question and other questions, so as to place the commercial relations of the two countries on the most free and liberal basis. Crosz Ur anp Guarp Dancerous Paces. — The verdict of five hundred dollars against the city and for the little.child who was seri- ously injured by falling into an unguarded area, given by a jury in the Supreme Court, Circuit, before Judge Landon, should make the city authorities and the police vigilant in looking after all open and dangerous places. The father of this three-year-old child first sued the proprietor of the house, his next-door neighbor, into whose open area the child had fallen, in the Superior Court. This Court dis- missed the complaint on the ground that thero was negligence in permitting a child of such tender years to be in the street without some one to take care of it, Now the city has been made responsible by the verdict in the Supreme Court. It is a curious case and involves a nice question as to the duty of the city government to close up dangerous places or to prevent them being kept open. It should at least have the effect of making the police more careful to look after the many dangerous spots along onr streets. Tax Wasuincron Monument.—Senator Morrill’s proposition in reference to the Washington monument is a novel one. He proposes to take the materials now composing the unfinished monument and build an arch, “imposing in size and artistic in form, to be ¢alled the Arch of Washington." The Senator said, in offering his resolution, that there were materials enough in the monument foran arch like the Arch of Triumph in Paris. It is pro- posed that Congress should build this arch. As there ore thirty acres of land around the monament which would revert to the govern- ment it might be an economy to adopt tlie proposition of Mr. Morrill. There would be some difficulty in placing the arch. If it is built near the Capitol it will be crashed, and it would crush any other public building in its vicinity. To build an arch on the site of the present a third term. But if, in spite of the pervading discontent which at present exista in the | monument would be a blunder. It seems to us that the boundary line between Washington | public mind, the republican oarty should | and Gaorgetown would be a good site | Italian unity. | man war Bismarck set on foot various schemes France and the New German Alliance, The foreign newspapers announce that there has been an interchange of courtesies of an unusual character between Germany and Italy, and that there has been an alliance of a closer nature. One of the results of this alli- ance will be the reduction of the Italian armsa- ments. The meaning of this is that Germany, which already bas an army so large that it makes the Emperor nervous about the peace of Europe, virtually assumes a protectorate over the Italian Kingdom by promising to make common cause with her im any quarrel which may ensue, The reduction of the Italian armaments will give the kingdom a financial support of which she stands greatly in need, and as the only countries with which Italy can conveniently quarrel sre Austria and France, Germany virtually takes upon herself the duty of keeping them in order, The relations between France and Italy have not been harmonious since the war with Germany. Italy took advantage of this war to pounce upon Rome, and there js a large party in France that would regard the reoccu- pation of Rome in the interest of the Pope as almost a sacred war. Then the annexation of Savoy and Nice, which was unwelcome to the Italians at the time, has assumed a new importance from an incident, trivial in itself, but calculated to produce important results. It seems that at a dinner recently given in Nice, M. Piccon, a Deputy to the French Assembly, made an address, in which he said that he was “confident that before long beautitul Nice, this heroic Iphigenia, the victim of Italian independence, would be restored to her trae country.” To that end he was prepared to sacrifice all of his interests and those of his beloved family. Furthermore, he added, when that desired end came his electrified ashes would rise and rejoice in the general feativitien. ‘We donot know that there is much desire among the people of Nice and Savoy for reunion with Italy. These provinces were alwaysas much French as Italian, and when the annexation to France took place there was a plebiscitum, the result of which was favora- ble to the French union. This was under- stood to be the price paid by Cavour for the aid given by Napoleon to Victor Emmanuel, and without which there would have been no During the French and Ger- for the recession of the provinces, and en- couraged Switzerland with the idea of extend- ing her dominions at the expense of France. But Italy and Switzerland wisely declined to have an Alsace and Lorraine question with France. M. Piccon, however, was not permitted to express his longings for Italian reunion in peace. As soon as the text of the speech came to Paris there was an unusual uproar. So long as Alsace and Lorraine members proclaimed their affection for France in a German Parlia- ment it was patriotism. But for an Italian who was ‘“‘annexed”’ to France only a few years ago to express his love for Italy was treason, The orator wrote a letter saying that his speech about the heroic Iphigenia was made ata private dinner—that it had been incor- rectly reported, and he formally repudiated the text and sense of the speech. But this was not satisfactory. Gambetta’s journal thinks he has committed treason. The Temps, a mod- erate journal, demands that the offending Deputy tell France what he really did say, that people might know what he thought about Iphigenia. Other journals demand his prosecution, and a movement is made to expel him from the Assembly. What the result will be we cannot say. ‘There will, we fear, be some extreme action. It would seem to us that if France is anything of a republic she could afford to overlook the rhetoric of an ‘‘annexed’' Frenchman who found himself dining on the beautifal shores of the Mediterranean and had uncontrol- lable memories of the Italy of his youth and his ancestors. Journals in Italy and Ger- many are giving the incident new life. The Italians are ‘‘susceptible’’ over the idea of an Italian, who was formerly o professor in an Italian university, being punished for doing what Frenchmen call patriotism in Alsace and Lorraine—namely, expressing his love for the land which gave him birth, and from which he was torn to satisfy political exigen- cies, The official organ of the German gov- ernment makes an ominous comment upon the incident, ‘France, we are told,-desires to show by some act her friendly sentiments for Italy. Those sentiments would be seri- ously confirmed by the realization of t&e hopes expressed by Deputy Piccon at the ban- quet.” This threat is understood by the French journals to mean that any war be- tween France and Italy would result in the farther dismemberment of France by restor- ing the two provinces surrendered to Napo- leon by Count Cavour. The question is only a shadowy one at pres- ent—simply a cloud upon the horizon. But this sky of European politics has been cov- ered with so many angry portents that we aro accustomed to watch every new appearance to ‘see whether it means peace or war. Taz Squassie Over tae Scaus Women.— The act to consolidate the city and county of Now York was intended to secure greater harmony and. economy in the municipal gov- ernment. The first act of Comptroller Green under the new law has been to provoke a squabble over the appointment of scrub women and. other employés. of the county buildings.. Although. it.is-not. his business to interfere-in: the .matter,. Mr. Green has taken it upon. himself to instruct these employés that their appointment is in the hands of the Com- missioners to complete the new Court House building, and to declare that he will not pay them their wages and salaries unloss they recognize his interpretation of the law. This will entail additional litigation on the city, The Mayor wisely refuses to indorse the absurd proposition of the Comptroller, and it is to be hoped that an opinion on the subject by the Corporation Counsel will speedily put a atop to the ill-judged attempt of Mr. Green to embarrass the operation of the law, ‘Tux Western Press anp Taz Veto.—Tho sentiment of the Westin favor of inflation is not so general as the Logans would have us believe. Ont of 933 journals in nine of the Western Btates 514 sustain the President’s veto, while 408:oppose it. Bleven take no sides. What is more remarkable still is the faet, that the papers sustaining and opposing General Grant's action are about. eqnally divided be- tween the two parties. Of those sustaining the veto 295 are republican to 217 democratic. and of those opposing it 234 republican to 174 democratic, The inflationista in Congreas pretended to be acting according to the will of the people. These figures show that the peo- ple of the West, as well as the people of the East, are opposed to further issues of irre- deemable currency. The Case of the Virginius—A Defence from Gemeral Burricl. Our correspondent in Madrid sends us 8 letter written by General Burriel in explana- tion of the Virginius massacre. This letter we print elsewhere in justice to the General, whose conduct in that unfortunate affair seemed an outrage upon civilization. The General ex- plains that the number of the prisoners ex- ecuted was. not as large as is generally sup- posed; that fifty-three were executed and the remainder given their liberty. He says farther that he did not permit the interference of the foreign consuls because he acted under peremptory laws and regulations, which com- pelled him to inflict “prompt and exe: ob punishment upon all insurgents, He q another order, directing all insurgent vessels in port or on the high seas to be treated as pirates, As to the charge that he showed un- usual rigor in carrying out these cruel orders he says that, while he might have shot his prisoners gimply upon “identification,” he gave them all a fair and patient trial ; that it was eight days after the capture before the last of them were slain. As to the protests of the American consular office, the General says he had only his duty to perform as a soldier. If the laws of Spain are too severe it is not for him to amend them, but for the governments, by treaty and reclamation. Nor is it true that he yielded to the menaces of the volun- teers; for, a8 he relates, there was a time when alone he defied the volunteers and com- Pelled their assent to the laws of Spaiv. He denies that he disobeyed any order of M. Castelar to suspend the executions. General Burriel then assures us that in the United States only the mob favored war; that “high financial and commercial inte- resta,"’ “lawyers of universal fame,” ‘‘the genuine common sense element” recognized the right of the General to shoot his anfortu- nate prisoners. That, furthermore, the Vir- ginius was justly captured as a pirate and its passengors properly condemned and exe- cuted. There is really nothing in the statement of the General that is new to us. The orders that controlled his actions were brutal enough, and only exist from the extraordinary toleration of the American government, which seems to see no harm in any decrees of the Spanish authorities in Cuba, no matter how cruel, It isdue to M. Castelar to say that with prompt humanity he commanded the executions to cease, and it does not seem that General Burriel disobeyed that order. The American government was, of course, | bound to recognize the spirit which prompted the action of M. Castelar, to respond to it in the same temper and to accept the surrender of the prisoners as an atonement for the exe- cutions. But General Burriel sadly mistakes the temper of the American people if he sup- poses that there was any feeling but one of horror and detestation at his course. This is the sentiment of the civilized world. The desire to deal gently with Spain and not to add to the embarrassments which surrounded and in time destroyed Castelar largely influenced our action. Our people some- how seemed to feel that a war upon the Cas- telar Republic would have been in some re- specta a fratricidal war, and, as a result, the utmost forbearance marked the whole negotia- tion. This is a point which has escaped the attention of the General. The tone of his letter shows that he feela uneasy and unhappy because of the judgment passed upon his ac- tion at Santiago by the civilized world. But this is a Nemesis from which men like Gen- eral Burriel cannot escape. His victims are dead, his country has been released trom the consequences of their death, new honors have fallen upon him because of the vigor and promptitade with which he executed barbarous decrees. But his name will be remembered in history, with that of the Duke of Alva, as one of those cruel rulers who were silent to every thought.of humanity. Better be with the dead. adventurers who sleep in the soil of Cuba than to live and carry through life the name and fame of Burriel. The Promised Reduction of Taxation. Comptroller Green has promised the tax- payers of New York a material decrease in the rate of taxation, as a result of the law author- izing the reopening of the city and county apportionments. The rate at the amount heretofore authorized is $3.40 per cent. This is calculated on the valuation of real and per- sonal estate for last year; but on the valua- | tion of 1871 it would have been $3.70 per | cent. The increase in the valuation since | 1871 has been as follows on real estate: — Assessments on real estate in the city of New York for 18 + $86,693,380 Assessments vf real estat 169,306,410 Increase in 1873 over 1871,........... $67,380,070 | The owners of real estate will judge for themselves as to the propriety of the addition of $67,000,000 to the valuation of real estate in 1873 over 1871. But it is very certain that no further increase can be made this year without gross injustice to property owners, The promised reduction of the rate of taxation must be on the valuation of 1873. It would be an imposition on the taxpayers to decrease the rate and increase the valuation, just the same as it would be an imposition to lessen the enormous taxation of the present year only by driving over until ote . that the new consolidation act is intended to secure a large reduction of the expense of keeping the city and county accounts, and this advantage should be secured at once, whatever doubt there may be about other pro- visions of the law. - Opeming the Public Parks. It is a popular delusion that the parks have been established for the benefit of the public. At least the persons charged with the care of these breathing places seem to act on the no- tion that the parks were established merely to afford them easy situations. If this idea is not altogether shared by the Park Commis. sioners they make a mistake which produces similar results, With them the public parks are regarded as ornaments, but their real use as the lungs of the city and the natural resting places of the work- ing classes seems to be completely lost sight of. During the day the men and women confined in workshops ‘cannot avail themselves of the wali 9 of fresh air offered by the city parks. It is, therefore, manifestly unjust to close up these healthy resorts just at the hour, when the working classes and their families might be able to enjoy a few hours’ innocent recreation. What reason can exist for closing parks which are maintained at the public expense, pre- sumably for the benefit of the citizens, in the early hours of the evening? It is not done in any of the large European cities. In Paris and in London the workingman cam stroll freely in the puwite gardens and parks until nine or ten o’clock at night, and there can be no good reason why he should not en- joy the same privilege in thia city. We area democratic people, but there are a good many things we could learn with advantage from the “effete” monarchies, and one of the most important is some care for the happiness and wellbeing of the humbler classes, Tax Yztxowsronsg Exrtorine Exreprriom has failed through the hostility of the Sioux. These gentle savages evidently need o few peace commissioners among them. But the news that there are rich mines in the Big Horn Mountains is likely to introduce an ele- ment among the Indians unfavorable to the increase of the tribes and in a year ortwo we shall probably have a war for the proteo- tion of the settlers. PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE. Ex-Governor Baldwin, of Michigan, 13 in Eng- Jang. General E, & Greeley, of New Haven, is at the Winchester House, Senator Dorsey, of Arkansas, has had a county named after bim. Captain Fairlie, of the British navy, is at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, Vice President Wilson will leave Boston for California on Friday next. Commander Henry Wilson, United States Navy, is at the Westminster Hotel. Ex-Congressman James M. Marvin, of Saratoga, is staying at the Windsor Hotel. mA Rev. Olympia Brown, of Bridgeport, Conn. ig | stopping at the Westminster Hotel. Governor Washburn, of Wisconsin, has erected s — $250,000 Hour mill at Minneapolis, Mino, Revs. J. H. Wilson and J. C. Bowers, of Edin- burgh, Scotland, are at Barnum’s Hotel. General Clinton B. Fisk, of St. Louis, is among the recent arrivals at the Union Square Hotel. Bishop Charles E. Cheney, of the Reformed Episcopal Church, 18 registered at the Brevoort House. Assistant Adjutant General J. B. Stonehouse ar- rived from Albany last evening at the Hotel Brunswick, Prince Alfonse, Queen Isabella's son, is going to England, to be educated at the Woolwich Mili- | itary School. J. Hegermann Lindencrone, Danish Chargé ; @’Affaires at Washington, has apartments at the Brevoort House. Colonel George A. Forsyth, of General Sheridan's staf, arrived from Harrisburg last evening at the Fith Avenue Hotel. A relative of Mrs. Partington thinks the Pre- tender is a Carlos cuss to let poor Bill Boa fall into \ the clutches of the Spaniards, A venerable Indian chief lately died at San Pascual, California, He was named Panto and was celebrated in California for polite manners and good character. Mr. F, G. Eldridge, an American resident in Cal- cutta, has been made a member of the Legislative Council of India, He is the first foreigner that has ever been thus honored, @ Major General George L. Hartsuff, of the United States Army, is at the Sturtevant House, and ia suffering from @ severe attack of pneumonia, which prevented his attendance at the army re- union at Harrisvurg. _Mr. Rushworth, Colonial Secretary of Jamaica, who has been away for afew months administer. | ing the government of Demerara during the ab- sence of Governor Scott, has returned to Kingston and resumed the duties of his office. Cairo, lll., has a cow destined for more celeprity than Mrs. O’Leary’s. Pretty Mrs. Sands got “miffed” at her husband, and, exclaiming “If you wasn’t the lather of my children I'd serve you this way!” kicked ber iavorite cow to death. La Liberté says acertain lady of eminence in Paria has tor years been in the habit of seeing her physician daily. Tue physician always took his fee, but had never prescnbed for his patient. He called, however, a few days since and was denied admittance, The man in buttons quickly ex- plained hia conduct. ‘Monsieur le Doctor, Madame cannot receive you to-day, as she 1s indisposed,” THE MISSISSIPPI OVERFLOW. Direfal Effect of t Inundation—Huge Cottonwood Trees Torn Up by th Roots—The Course of Steamers Changed. MsmpuHis, Tenn., May 13, 1874. About daylight yeaterday morning the levee broke at Apperson’s plantation, opposite Friara’ Point, At the last account the crevasse was 160 yards wide and the water rt ice. use finest iu t! section. e den erger peiagl the Mississippi side, ts now 600 yards wide, and the water in the street of Friara’ Point is tiree feet deep. Whole tamules are moving out and the merchants ure busily en- gaged in removing thelr eri Bev coum try in the rear ie TePi' of the power of the water this crevasse by its tearing up two and @ halt feet in dia- hem over the neighbor: ‘The steumers now all come througn next year amounts like that required for the Fourth avenue improvement, instead of by an actual cutting down of the current expenses of governing the city. We have already pointed out where large teductions can be made. Smaller economies might be effected which, together, would amount toa sum worth saving. There is no. possible need, for instance, of a Supervisor, of the nondescript sheet published somewhere in 9 cellar of the old City Hall, and his salary: of five thousand dollars a year is #0 mach money thrown away. The ‘“Paymaster’s. corps’ in the Finance Department should not below the bea charge on the city, as the work per- formed by these employés belongs to the Chamberlain’s bareau, and should be paid for out of the large salary allowed to that officer. In several other instances may be applied to the advantage of the tax- payers and without injury to the city, Nor should the Piunvatiol the Counc (he Relief Fund in Boston, Boston, May 13, 1874, Tne Louisiana Relief Fund raised in Boston now amounts to $44,500. The Signal Office Report. WASUINGTON, May 18, 1874, Tho Signal OMce reports that during the pass ‘Bend cut of | twenty-four hours the Mississippi has fallen from St. Paul to Lacrosse, has risen from Dubuque to Davenport, has remained stationary, but with f tendency, trom Keokuk to Warsaw; has; irisen fitteen inches at St. Louis and fallen from ro to New Orleans, thé fall at Cairo twenty-two inches, with the water twelve feet he. flood height of 1871. The Missqart outh, except at, Lexington, where ar ine s reported. The fea River has fallen six inc siireveport and the Cumberland twent*. #ix at Nashville. The Ohlo haa fallen throughout its entire course, from Pittsburg down, the great- est changes being two feet and & haif at VANS: the pruning knife | ville and thirty-one inches at Paducah. The Alle. heny and Monongabela bave continued to fall Freud ly. ‘twenty ax one hundredthe of an inch of rain has fallen at Louisville within the Ohio water shed, haif an inch at Yankton and 15-100 Board ot Apportionment forget | of an inch at Omaha in that of the Missaarl ie