The New York Herald Newspaper, June 17, 1874, Page 6

6 NEW YUKK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 1874.—TRIPLE SHEET. NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR TERRACE Gpanex TREATAR, ie ees Fifty-eighth street, near Third avenue.—Cones ram- Ate’ aad Operang Performance, at 8 P. M., closes at il | Pi FOES AND NEUK’ at SP. M.; close y.—NECK A OK, al ¢ 3 eid rea Et Swoon und Mariod Sommers. BOOTHS THEATRE, Twenty-third street and Sixth avenue.—SAUL, at 8 P.M; | closes at LP. M. manee Salvin. WALLACK'S THEATRE, Broadway and Thirteeath stree.—FATE, at 3 P, M.; closes at 1 P.M. Miss Carlotta Le Olereq. OLYMPIC THEATRE, Broadway, between Houston and Bleecxer streets.— VARIBTY ENTERIAISMENT, at 7710 P. M.; closes at | WASP. M. WOOD'S MUSEUM, Broadway, comer of, Thirtleth strect —MONDAY ; OR, JACK HARKAWAY AMONG THE URIGANDS, at’ 2 F M. closes at 4:30 P. atsP. M.; closes at 10:30 ¥. M. Hernandes Foster. eeXTBLO'S GARDEN, Broadway, between Prince and Uouston streets. —THE ORY! TTOGRAM. “OR, LOST AND WON, ats P. M.; closes at 10:45 P.M. Mr, Joseph Wheelock and Miss lone Burke. TONY PASTOR'S OY ERA HOUSE, Powery.—VARIETY ENTERTAINMENT, ats P.M; closes &t 10:30 P.M. Matinee at 2 P. BRYANT": ERA HOUSE, Tyrenty.thin! street, near Sixth avenue, “NEGRO MIN- RELSY, éc., at 8 P. M.; closes at 10 P CENTRAL PARK GARDEN, Fifty-ninth street and =eventh avenue —T'HOMAS! CON- CERT, at 8 P.M. ; closes at 10:30 P.M. CULOs: Broadway, corner ot Thirty. NIGHT, at 1 P. M.; closes closes at 1) P.M. ROMAN HIPPODROME, avenue and ‘twenty-sixth ‘street.—GRAND ANT CONGRESS OF NATIONS, at 1:3) P.M. and ‘street.—LONDON BY 5 P.M. Same at7 P. M.; TRIPLE SHEET. New Labia Wednesday, ane 17, 1874. Teces our ur reporia this morning the probabilities are that the weather to-day will be cloudy, with | light rains. | Wart Srreet Yesrerpay.—Gold opened at 110j and closed at 111}. The stock market | was feverish and lower. Mayor Havemeyer is gone ont of the city. Unfortunately, however, he returns next week. Tae Trrat of Police Commissioners Char- | lick and Gardner, on the indictments found | against them, has been set for next Tuesday, in the Court of Oyer and Terminer. | Tae Casz involving the constitutionality of the present Police Justice law was on argu- ment before the Court of Appeals yesterday, but a decision is not expected before the 22d inst.. The argument on the appeal taken by Comptroller Green from the decision of tte General Term of the Court of Common Pleas ‘n the case of James Ryan was also argued. Fresh Trovstz m Kuxoxanp.—The new trouble in Khokand encourages the belief that Russia will find fresh cause for interference, | and possibly for conquest and annexation, in | Central Asia. Russia, it is said, remains neu- tral, but it remains to be seen whether, under the guise of neutrality, she is not actually fo- menting the trouble. The British govern- ment, in spite of marriage alliances, has much need to be on its guard. Sooner or later the struggle for empire in Asia between those two Powers must come. Tas Brooxtrn Yacut Crus Reoatra.— The splendid qualities of our American yachts were well shown yesterday on the occasion of the Brooklyn Yacht Club re- gatta. The weather was most pro- pitious, the strong breeze filling the sails of the graceful cratts that swept in friendly contest over the waters of the bay with swanlike motion. After a spirited struggle the Tidal Wave rounded the winning point, and carried off the palm of victory. This splendid craft was also the winner in the New York Yacht Club race last week, Porrmc 4 Gmprte Rounp tHe Eanta.—A cable despatch informs us that the steamer | Africa has successfully laid a large section of the cable destined to connect Brazil with Portugal. The line is in working order as faras the Cape Verde Islands. As soon as this line is completed we shall be able to have daily communications with South America. | Its influence on the civilization of the Souta American republics cannot fail to be healthy. | It will undoubtedly have the effect of develop- | ing trade and industry and be the means of | spreading enlightenment over the pampas of the South. One of its most immediate effects | will probably be the direction of a larger | portion of European emigration to South | America, A Svacxstrvz Inpication.—The Baltimore American, & newspaper whose loyalty to the President has stood every test of wind and weather, bas ‘‘no scruples against the election of @ popular President for a third term.” If General Grant will only do as well in other things as he has done in appointing Bristow, “there would be no occasion for office-holders packing the convention for a third term.’ | There would be honor in the ‘willing recog- nition of the party,’’ but none in an office- holders’ nomination. ‘One would be Ceesar- ism,” says the American, ‘‘the other republi- canism."’ We presume there is a distinction, but it does not appear to us. Cupan Wan News.—From Spanish sources comes & report of the deposition of the Mar- | quis of Santa Lucia and the appointment of | General Gomez as the President of the Cuban | Republic. This story has probably been in- | vented to discredit the Cuban canse and pro- duce an impression abroad that the insurgents are divided among themselves, It bears, how- ever, the impress of untruth, and is not likely | to deceive any one conversant with the actual | condition of the Cuban insurgents. General | Gomez is a Dominican, and would be | excluded by that fact from the Presidency for reasons of policy. One of the Spanish com- manders reports that he marched from Moron to Jucara with four battalions without en- countering the enemy. This, however, only proves that the valiant officer selected his route prudently. He can scarcely expect us | to believe that the soldiers of Gomez, who repulsed five thousand Spaniards a few months ago, have evaporated in the meantime, Per- haps they have died of ennui, waiting for the Suaniards to issue out of their fortifications, - | bation with which it will be regarded by the | plainant, is entitled to a fair trial by an im- | partial tribunal, | would be summoned by an officer deriving | him of his office is interested. Washington is | the last place where a fair trial could be ex- | again after the trial, might be fleeced and | never dare to make a righteous exposure of the | | have a ‘son old enough, he could make A Dangerous Assault by the Senate on the Freedom of the Press. The proceedings of the Senate published yesterday report the passage by that body of a bill which is fitted to arouse and alarm the country beyond anything attempted in Con- gress in many years. The bill in question is crafty and insidious, and does not wear its full meaning on its face, but in purpose and intent it is a deadly thrust at the freedom of the American press. It relates to the serving of process and the place of trial in civil suits brought in the Courts of the United States. It provides that when any corporation, busi- ness firm or individual has an agent in any State, Territory or District, notice of a suit may be served‘on that agent and the trial may take place in the District where the agent is found. This would work great hardship in other cases than libel, since, under its opera- tion, a business firm in New York, having a travelling agent or runner in San Francisco, would be liable to go with their witnesses to the Pacific coast to maintain their defence. But it was not cases of this kind which the authors of the bill had in contemplation. It was framed with reference to the newspaper press. All the leading newspapers main- tain correspondents or agents in Washing- ton, and the real object of the bill is to facilitate libel suits against public journals and compel them to make their defence in a Washington Court before a Washington jury. Senator Bayard offered, as a very proper amendment, the exception of cases of libel and slander from its operation. But such an amendment would have taken out the pith of the bill, and it was voted down by a large majority. It is proper, before this Dill is acted on by the House, | that the public sense of its character should be expressed in language so un- equivocal as to leave no doubt of the repro- country. defiance to such laws and stake everything on & practical assertion of ita freedom. In a country really free the press will never renounce its right to expose abuses and to censure public officers who are unfaithful to | their trust. The people who elect these officers are the sovereign power, and they have a right to full information relating to the conduct of their servants. It is their right—it is their duty—to decide whether public officers have been faithful to their trusts and deserve re-election, that they can acquire the information which | should guide their judgment. But a press ls virtually edited by ® Washington jury; a | press liable to pay heavy damages by the ver- dict of a jury who are tools of the govern- ment, and in as many oppressive, vindictive suits as government pets and favorites choose to bring, has no real freedom. Unless its | editors are patriots who are willing to risk all for their country and sacrifice themselves in | the public interest they will succumb to power rather than confront pecuniary ruin, and the | appointed sentinels of liberty will be subdued or seduced into instruments of usurping power. We protest in the name of the press, in the name of liberty, free institutions and responsible government against this Senate bill for making a servile Washington jury the judge of what the newspapers of the country may legally publish in censure of the govern- | ment and its officers. Music in the Publie Schools. The Board of Education, after many prom- ises and portentous announcements, still ignore the importance of making the art of music a regular branch in the public schools. While other cities, notably Boston and St. Louis, vie with the admirable communities corresponding to them in Europe in the thoroughness and efficiency of their systems | of teaching music, the metropolis of America, through an inexcusable shortsightedness and | While we regard the liberty of the press | as the most solid guarantee of political rights | we will never defend its licentiousness. When | a wanton and libellous journal makes unjust | attacks on reputation it is right that it should be held responsible in exemplary legal | damages; but the press, as well as the com- | and no justice could be | expected from a Washington Oourt by a de- | fendant in a libel suit brought by an incul- pated officer of the government. Every jury his appointment from the President, even if the Marshal of the District should perform his duty fairly, which is hardly to be expected | in suits where the authority which can deprive pected in any case in which the federal officers might wish to make an example of an assailant. | The people of the national Capital subsist upon | the government. The presence of the govern- ment is the only reason why there isa city | there at all. A majority of its citizens quali- fied for jury duty are either employés of the government, removable at will, or shopkeepers | | and mechanics, whose best customers are in some way connected with the government, | There is little necessity for the federal marshal | to pack juries in such a community. Citizens subject to jury duty are already under sostrong & bias that no defendant in a suit for libelling government officers would have any chance of justice. The defendant, being a stranger whom the jurors would never meet | mulcted in any amount of unreasonable dam- | ages without any apprehension that he could sooner or later get even with the jurors asa member of the same community. Having once | fleeced him they need never expect to encoun- ter him again, whereas his prosecutors, on whom the jury depend for their daily bread, are the most influential part of their own neighbors, whose good will they have every | motive to conciliate. If the Senate bill should become a law the editor of every newspaper | in the United States who shall hereafter ex- pose and comment on rascalities like those per- petrated by the infamous Washington Ring will be liable to trial beforea Washington jury, and subject tosuch heavy damages as the pol- luted atmosphere of the federal capital might embolden a servile jury composed of depart- | ment clerks to award. If such a bill accom- | plished its purpose every newspaper in the | land would speak ‘‘with bated breath,’ and swindling rascalities which might be discov- | ered under the protecting shadow of the Cap- itol. Nothing could be more shrewdly contrived | for smoothing the advent of Omsarism than a | law like this intended to shield the officers of | the government from public criticism. Cwsar- ism will make its approach by guarded and | stealthy steps, and if its designs can be screened by silencing a vigilant press the | country may be saddled and mounted by its future rider before it is fully aware of the change. There has never been a period when | such an attempt to gag and intimidate an out- spoken press would have been so dangerous | as when a large portion of our citizens believe | that the President is scheming for a third | term. To overcome the press of the country | isa natural preparation for Cesarism. Free | government cannot be maintained without a free press, and if the press of a country can be subdued into servility there is no Project | of ambition which may not succeed in a coun- try nominally free. If, by cowing and silenc- | ing the press, a President may be elected | thrice, he might, with still greater ease, be | elected o fourth, fifth or sixth time, every new | election Strengthening his hold upon power, | until at last, if he should happen to | that son his successor. ‘It is only the first | step that costs.’’ Once get over the opposition which public sentiment interposes to the third election of a President and the obstacle is broken down to as many successive re-elec- tions as the incumbent may desire and his control of the federal patronage enable him to secure. Let the press be silenced as to the first attempt and it can make no effective | opposition to bold aggressive Casarism after- | wards. Once establish the rule that every editor of a public journal whose attacks and exposures create a wish to crush him may be summoned to the federal capital to taste the | tender mercies of a Washington jury, and | Cwsarism is already securely in the saddle, unless @ courageous confidence in popular support shall emboldem tho wreas to hid | | speech made at a school commencement yes- by mistaken ideas in regard to economy, occn- piesa very humiliating position on this sub- | ject. The Board of Education must neces- sarily be obtuse to the demands of our music loving public, otherwise it would have decided long ago the question so long under its con- sideration. Probably its President, in a terday, struck the keynote of the real policy of this Board. He said that the subject of music in the public schools was in process of incubation. We fear that this process of in- cubation, as far as fulfilling public wants, is like other promises of the powers that be, to do right—of interminable length and uncertain results. Mr. Neilson and | his associates in the Board of Education | should not let this all-important department | over which they have control in this city be | placed behind provincial towns in a musical | point of view. We have suffered enough from | | old-fogyism in other municipal departments, but when a deliberate attempt is made to put | a bar to all progress in music in the schools, | because wooden-headed policy cannot see how it is necessary to-day when it was not called | for a quarter of a century ago, then it is time for a public remonstrance. New York is con- siderably the inferior of St. Louis and Boston, weare sorry to say, as faras music in the | public schools is concerned. Occasionally we find an exception, as in the case of the Twelfth street grammar school, but the want of a general and fixed system is sorely felt. ‘The remedy is easy. Place in the hands of a competent musician the entire charge of music in the schools and put the department on the same footing as other branches now regarded as essential to a course of school education, and the work is done. As for the | process of incubation to which the President | of the Board of Education alluded, it is un- | worthy of a live city like ours, and only re- minds one of the extraordinary revolution which revived, in Rip Van Winkle shape, mu- nicipal authorities who were supposed to be long ago quietly inurned, to use a cremation- ist’s expression. Let us pray that no such | policy may ever again prevail in this city. The New Comet. This new cloud of cosmical dust is to be- come in a few weeks one of the most splendid meteors ever witnessed. It was first discovered | on April 17 ultimo, by M. Coggia, at Mar- seilles, small, but having an intense nuclear condensation. Its polar distance was about | 20 degrees, 15 minutes and 23 seconds, and it was moving slowly towards the southwest. It was first visible in tho early morning, but is now also visible in the evening. It has been increasing in brightness, and, by a sharp and somewhat practised eye, can be seen in the constellation | | Camelopard in right ascension about seven | | houre and declination about 70 degrees north. It is now receding from the sun and is dimm- ishing in actual size and brightness, but as it | is approaching nearer to us its brilliance is apparently augmented. This luminous meteor, which is named | Comet II. of 1874, is wholly outside of the | earth’s orbit, but, as it moves on ite fiery track, will on the 3d of August attain its maximum beauty and brightness for us. When first descried by M. Coggia ita brightness was only one in the scale, now it is nearly seven; but after the 1st of July it will reach a much | higher degree of luminosity, and on the 3d of | August will have a brightness of two hundred | and forty-five. These figures will afford the | | reader an idea of what an astronomic treat he may look forward to in August. Some preliminary, but not perfect, spec- troscopic examinations have been already made of the new wonder, for which, no doubt, scientists and the public generally will | wait eagerly. There is something so wonder- | ful to the human mind and so surpass- ing . all attempts to fathom in these enormous volumes of cometary matter | whirling on fixed paths through | planetary space that every effort should be | made to analyze and spectroscopically test | their nature. Already the telescope has re- | yealed nearly seven hundred comets, and every year we have one or two new ones, Greater activity among well equipped star- | gazers would probably show a much larger number rushing along on or near the earth's orbit. The disturbing effect on the earth's atmosphere of such @ comet as Halley's, whose tail was nearly ninety thousand miles long and whose temperature ~was more than | twenty-five thousand times that of the noon- | io |The Decision of the Court of Ap and it is only through a bold, unsparing press | has ever received. As yet it does not appear that Coggia’s comet, the second of 1874, is associated with the stream of August meteors; Wut that also remains for investigation. Let our astronomers and spectroscopists make the most of this new visitor from the distant fields of the stellar world, and, if | possible, remove the reproach which the | ignorance of the constitution of cometary bodies has so long entailed on the science of astronomy. peals in the Ring Suits. The able opinion of the Court of Appeals in the suits brought in the name ot the people of the State of New York against James H. Ingersoll and others for the recovery of cer- tain moneys ‘‘alleged to have been obtained by the respondent and the other persons named in the complaint, his associates and | confederates, by false and fraudulent means and devices,” will be found in full in the Heraup to-day. The broad ground of the decision is that the title to and ownership of the money sought to be recovered must deter- mine the right of action, and as the title and ownership are in the county of New York and not in the people of the State, the action should have been brought by the former and cannot be maintained by the latter. Judge Allen reviews the history of the pleadings and decisions of inferior courts in these suits, and takes occasion to comment on the confusion and reproach likely to be occasioned by con- flicting decisions by different judges result- ing in final judgment in the same action. In the case of Tweed, one of the defendants, the question of the status of the plaintiffs and their right to maintain the action was presented by the demurrer of the defendant, and the demurrer was overruled at Special Term, affirmed at General Term, thus upholding the right of the people of the State to sue. .No appeal was taken from this decis- ion by Tweed’s counsel, but the defendant answered over, and the action, so far as he is concerned, stands for trial on the issues of fact joined thereon. In the case of Ingersoll, another of the defendants, and the present respondent, certain allegations and state- ments, making about one-third of the com- plaint, were stricken out by the lower court as irrelevant and redundant so far as that defendant is concerned. The matter of which the complaint was thus expurgated still stands as against the other defendants, and Judge Allen’s opinion does -not touch the point whether that fact would so essentially change the case, so far as the others are concerned, as to take it out of the range of the present decision. Neither does the appeal in the case now de- | cided involve the right of the State to main- tain an action for malfeasance in office against | defendants who may have been in official positions and faithless to their trusts. But the elaborate argument running through the opinion, and ably maintaining, on grounds of | public policy, as well as by a careful analysis of the law, the fundamental principle that where the remedy lies with and can be en- forced by the county the State has no right of action and the Attorney General no au- thority to intervene on behalf of the people of the State, is conclusive as to the fate of all the suits of a similar character. The decision reaches beyond the present suits apd strikes a blow at that system of centralization which has found so much favor of late years with a certain class of politicians, It is, in fact, a vindication of the rights and of the independence of counties and | municipalities. If the Attorney General, in the name of the people of the State, could maintain an action for the recovery of money due to the county | of New York, and hold the same in the State Treasury, where alone it could go, why could he not claim like control over the money al- ready in the hands of the county? The his- tory of the ‘‘reform’’ movement, out of which these suits grew, is of itself sufficient to show | how dangerous a precedent would have been established had the right to maintain them in the name of the people of the State been up- held. Certain officers of the city government belonging to the democratic party, or rather to a successful branch of the democratic party, were found to have been faithless to their public trusts. Their political opponents | seized the opportunity to raise an outcry | against every democratic city and county official, and to brand them all, with- out distinction, as thieves. The Mayor was a democrat, the Aldermen and Supervisors were democrats, the Cor- poration Counsel and the District Attorney were democrats. The State officials, on the other hand, were republicans, and the repub- lican politicians, who sought to obtain power on the “‘reform’’ agitation, were resolved that no democrat should have credit for bringing the offenders to justice, but that all the glory should be gathered by republicans, Hence the suits for the recovery of the money fraudulently taken from the county must be commenced by the republican Attorney General in the name of the people of the State, no matter how willing the democratic city and county officials not involved in the frauds might be to secure restitution for the people of the county. They were democrats, and it must be made to appear that they | were in league with the dishonest officials to cheat justice, although it was well known | that the suits commenced in the name of the county for the recovery of the money would soon be out of the control of the officials then in power and mast be brought to trial before an honest bench. Thus political trickery and not the good of the people induced the com- mencement of these suits in the name of the people of the State, which, after nearly three years’ litigation, have ended in disaster. It is to be hoped that the faithless officials and their fellow conspirators will not be suf- fered to retain possession of their plunder | because of the failure of these il-judged suits. It is to be hoped, also, that in future legal pro- | ceedings on the part of the county, lawyers will be found to act on behalf of the people | who are competent to do something more than draw large foes out of the public treasury. The money of which the county has been robbed should be recovered. There is no doubt of that. But hitherto the attempt to secure restitution has only resulted in taking more money out of the pockets of the,tax- payers. The present decision of the Court of Appeals should convince us of the wisdom ot employing new counsel and finishing up ‘day sun at the Equator, is a problem well worthy of mora aronrete investigation than it | The French Republic. In the French Assembly the motion of the Left Centre for early or immediate action on their constitutional programme was carried by @ majority of four only in 686 votes—a vote that recalls the proceedings in which Thiers was overthrown and suggests that it resulted from the same tactics ands similar sinister coalition. The programme of the Left Centre Proposes two parliamentary chambers, like our own Senate and House of Representatives; proposes to continue MacMahon in office as President of the Republic until 1880, and gives power to the next Assembly to amend or revise this programme in whole or in part—a power which it indeed is scarcely necessary to give, since another Assembly will have as good @ right to make constitutions as this one has, and will use it, Nevertheless this clanso was slipped in by an adroit hand, for with the law thus deliberately providing for its own abrogation the party which seta it aside will not be so likely to be charged with revolutionary proceedings, and it may be a party that has a fancy for making great changes in the name of ‘‘restoring their liberties to the people.’ All the above points, it will be seen, are the substance of the pro- gramme of the Left Oentre—the moderate re- publicans—the men whose gospel was well put by Casimir Perierin the words, ‘anion against Bonapartism and demagogues ;” the dema- gogues being, of course, the ultra republicans, who dream of the Commune, The present position is a very general polit- ical recognition in France that the ‘‘monarchy is impossible,"’ as M. Laboulaye said in the As- sembly on Monday. Too much emphasis can searcely be placed upon the enormous change that this general recognition is making and is likely to make in the deal of French parties. Both the republicans and Bonapartists thus brought face to face will go the stronger. It is not possible to say which will gain most, but it is a universal fact that an issue simpli- fied to division between two parties is always near a solution in countries which recognize the supremacy of the majority. JzzomE Pans.—The delightful weather yes- terday failed to bring os large an assemblage together at Jerome Park as might have been expected, but what was lacking in numbers was made up in brilliancy. The races were very interesting, and the contests for the prizes spirited. Indeed, every- thing points to a growing popularity of this sport. Inorder to increase the at- tractiveness of this course a hurdle race was introduced into the programme yesterday, which is a step in the right direction. A no- ticeable feature of yesterday's contests was the constant defeat of the favorites. In only one instance was the prize carried off by the popular horse. ‘Wuen Ang We to have a report of the ex- amination of the Charities and Correction Department from the Mayor's Commissioners of Accounts? The purchase of dry goods, flour and meat by the department continues, and large appropriations are asked for the balance of the year. No more money should be expended by the present Commissioners of Charities and Correction until the suspicions against their management are cleared away. The Mayor, who sleeps over a pretended in- vestigation, will not do his duty and suspend the Commissioners, and the forthooming re- port will probably be valueless. Neverthe- less, it should be speedily made, so that the people may know whether they are to take the matter into their own hands and protect themselves. A New Sicn.—The journals in Oregon re- gard the recent election as “a business men's victory." We have had many signs and tokens of the coming political revolution, but this is a new one. It seems, however, that on the occasion of the election the busi- ness men of all parties united in an agree- ment to close their places of business and go to the polls. So a new element made its ap- pearance, and there was ‘‘the absence of the open and notorious bribery which character- ized elections for some years."’ The result was the business men’s triumph, and there will always be such a triumph when honest men who earn money and pay taxes really take an interest in the men who are to super- intend their affairs and apply the taxes. We had a business men’s victury in New York when the Tammany Ring was overthrown, and we can only prevent the formation of a new ring, composed of all the darkest and basest, because the most cowardly and secre- tive, elements of the old one by the earnest, vigilance of our business men. Let them begin now by insisting that we shall have a Mayor like William Butler Duncan or Johu K. Hackett and we shall have in truth a busi- ness men’s victory. A Pram Honzst View.—The Cincinnati Commercial puts the whole case, so far as the present crisis in France is concerned, in these admirable words :—‘‘The monarchists of France are attempting to disfranchise the people and turn the nation over to the possession of the various vampires who pretend to ‘divine’ and other rights, to govern and to use and consume the property and lives of the people.” This should not be forgotten for a moment in considering the extraordinary phenomena that now transpire in France. Never before has it been seen so clearly as now, that republicanism meant peace, and monarchy war. France was at peace until the Bonapartists won an election. Then came strife, tumult, rioting and violent efforts to force a coup d'état. Srzam Powzs on THs Ente Cana Success- rut.—A partial solution of the subject of cheaper and better transportation for the produce of the West to this commercial me- tropolis has been found. The use of steam power on the Erie Canal has been proved practicable without damaging the canal, and | produce can be brought almost as quickly | that way as by the freight trains of the rail- roads, and, of course, much cheaper. A re- ward of s hundred thousand dollars was of- fered by act of the Legislature for such a dis- covery. The parties who have made it, and have thus conferred a great benefit on com- merce and the farmers, are entitled to the’re- ward, and we are pleased to see that Governor Dix has signed the bill to pay it over. Now, then, let us have grain elevators and other improved facilities for handling freight at this port and begin to provide for cheap trans- portation by freight railroads, and we need these protracted cases one way or the other without further unnecessary dalav. not fear the diversion of trade to other routes. Jt ia all a question of gost and facilities, Steamboats on the Erie Canal are the begin ning of a great revolution. Can We Legalize Theft and Cruelty? The charge of Recorder Hackett is a good word spoken in time. It is incredible, even in these days of crude legislation, that a measure should actually be paased and carried into effect like Mr. Morris’ act in reference to the dogs. It is revolting to every sentiment of reason and mercy. We can very well un- derstand how a community would take proper measures to protect itself against any danger. The necessity of interrupting commerce to insure quarantine, the extermination of a pes- tilence or a fever, the destruction of property to narrow a conflagration, all come within the law of self-preservation, of protection to the community—the highest of all laws. In the midsummer weather it has been held a matter of pradence to be careful of the dan- gers of hydrophobia. While these dangers have been largely exaggerated, and while with some it is matter of debate whether they really exist or can be compared for a moment with those of scarlet fever or smallpox or any con- tagious malady, it is proper that society should surround itself with certain safeguards. To that extent we approve the principle that underlies the act of Mr. Morris. But when this act is made the pretext for a course of action offending humanity and morality, it becomes a scandal andacrime. We honor the Recorder for his promptitude in calling the attention of the Grand Jury to its operation, and we commend Mr. Bergh for his merciful zeal. In the first place there isno such danger from hydrophobia as a disease, even if all the dogs in the community were at large, to justify this extraordinary procedure. It does not really extinguish the disease. There are dogs enough in private houses, unmuzzled and un- restrained, to give hydrophobia to thousands of people. If the law recognizes that the dog in itself is a wild, poisonous animal, a source of danger to the health and peace of the people, or of any part of them, then, to be logical, it should declare that all dogs, no matter whether muzzled or not, no matter how carefully restrained, should dic. We take it if any citizen chose to have rattle snakes or cobras running loose in his grounds the law would interfere. Furthermore, apart from any question of this kind, we have another and very serious prob- lem. As we understand this law, whoever will take a dog running at large without a muzzle to a pound will receive a reward. The practi- cal effect of this is to turn every vagabond, tramp and pavement thief, not only into a dog catcher, but into a legally protected thief. If sn ordinance were passed offering a reward to whoever should bring a cat or a goat, a hatchet or an overcoat to the police it would lead toa system of widespread and unchecked robbery. Such an ordinance would be impossible. And yet we have an act like it in force now. A dog is as much the property of a citizen as his hat or his overcoat, and as much entitled to the protection of the law. Even if we seize upon it and keep it in custody, as we may claim to do as a matter of municipal precaution, by what authority do we destroy it? What right have we to offer immunity to every thief who chooses to enter our houses and carry away our dogs—not only immunity, but reward for the crime? Is it at all consistent with good morals or with honest government to throw these terrible temptations in the way of hun- dreds of young folks, who will gladly enough steal dogs during this warm weather, and, profiting by the lesson, turn their attention im the winter to other articles of property ? These are all grave questions. They can- not be decided by screaming ‘hydrophobia."” Asa matter of humanity alone the wholesale torture of dogs that now daily takes place at the pound is painful and revolting. The dog has long filled a useful and noble place in society. His affection, his vigilance, his de- votion and endurance, his aptness for so many offices of use and fancy, his uncomplaining fidelity to his master, all lead us to regard this cruel and wanton torture as ingratitude, The true man prides himself upon his fond- ness for the horse, his interest in the ox, the bull, the ass, the sheep, and the many beasts of burden and usefulness that Providence has provided for our economy. There is no gentler trait in the gentleman than his kind- ness and forethought in dealing with these dumb, necessary brates. Why, then, should the dog be forgotten, especially after he has earned as much, if not more, consideration from man than his fellow brutes? We honor the Recorder and Mr. Bergh for protesting against this unrighteous, inhuman and un- necessary law, and trust it may speedily come to an end. PERSONAL INTELLIGEN CE. paar nye ores Mr. John M, Forbes, of Boston, is at the Brevoort House. Somebody suggests that she should Grace Ureen- ‘wood, but then it’s cemetery-al. Ex-Congressman James M. Marvin, of Saratoga, ig staying at the Windsor Hotel. General 8. D. Hungerford, of Watertown, N. Ye has arrived at the St. Nicholas Hotel. Assemblyman Smith M. Weed, of Platteburg, N. Y., is stopping at the rifth Avenue Hotel. Ex-Governor Ezekiel A. Straw, of New Hamp- shire, 16 residing at the St. Nicholas Hotel. Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. Woods, United States Army, is quartered at the Astor House. The Engish detectives are still searching, late and early, for 4 live earl with a brick in his bat. Senator George F. Edmunds, of Vermont, was at the Fitth Avenue Hotel for a short time yesterday. Ex-Governor J. Gregory Smith and ex-Congress- man W. ©. Smith, of Vermont, are at the Windsor Hotel. Minister Bancroft has purchased ex-Senator Harlan’s house in Washington and will make it his future home. Hamilton Harris and J. W. Van Vatkenburgh, of Albany, are among the recent arrivals at the Firth Avenue Hotel. Admiral David D. Porter and daughter arrived in this ctty from Washington yesterday, and have | apartments at the Hoffman House. Viscount Paul d’ Abzac, French Consul at New | Orleans, and Captain Aafryes, of the French Lega- tion, are sojourning at the New York Hotel, One Paradise has been sued for slander by Misa Wartz, of Brooklyn, whereupon somebody re- marks, ‘That's Wartz the matter with Paradise.” Last Tuesday, Ben Oampney, of South Bay, near Lake George, encountered a 175-pound bear, clubbed him into insensibility, then bound him with withes and took him home in triumph. Mr. W. C. Stu, of the Center (Ala.) Advertiser, centred his affections upon Miss Mf. A, Senter. They were married on the 19th wt., and now thas young bride is as stiff as the law can make her. A few days ago arural couple drove into an Indi- ana city just as the village undertaker was moving | his stock of coftins into an old church he had rented. For & few minutes the old man looked at the trans- fer of the cofins to the church, and then, tarning to bis wife, exclaimed, “Sarv. by golly, its chgleral (Leva aiti