The New York Herald Newspaper, February 11, 1875, Page 5

JOHN BRIGHT'S SPEECH AT BIRMINGHAM The Veteran Reformer Reviews the Situation in Great Britain. / CHURCH AND STATE. The Condition of the Government and of the Churches. The Privileged Clergy “Sole Venders of the Lore that Works Salvation.” What Should Be Done for the Cause of Religion. [From the Birmingham News.) Mr. John Bright, M. P., on January 25, made a long speech in Bingley Hall, mainly in reference to the future of the liberal party on questions con- cerning tbe relations of the Church of England to the Crown. Alter discussing wnat had been done in the last session of Parliament on ecclesiastical questions, Mr. Bright said:— Just,over 200 years ago there was a very celebrated act passed, whicn has gone by the Dame of “the Act of Unitormity.’? Under it at least, 2000 men, the bulk of them learned and pious men—clergymen of the Church of Engiand— were rejected from that Church. That!was a most blessed secession for the country—(app!ause)— becwuse no doubt It laid the foundation of a party which have ever since been consistent friends of freedom and improvement in our legislation, (Applause.) Under that act persons who were Fejected were toose who were t.e furthest trom Kome. Now, under the act passed last session the persons who are to be restrained ana, 1! possible, Fetained, are those against whom it 1s charged that they are nearest and continually goiug nearer to Rome, (Laugnter.) There ts a great disap- ointment—it must be to every thoughtiul and rue man and woman in the Church of England and to many outside of the Church im this state of things—because you koow, all of you who have been accusiomed to read on matters of this kKind—you know quite well that one of the reat arguments in favor of the Estab- hed Church 18 that it represses all zeal which tends to disorder, and not only represses geal, but that it is the bulwark against that Couren irom which our foreiathers separated themselves 300 years ago. They say what the Church wants 1s not zeal, but a gentlemanly con- formity to it—("Ob, ohl”)—and they are ver: gngry now that somehow or other this zeal is creeping into the Church, (Hear, hear!) Well, it | crept into the Scotch Courch about thirty years Bo. At that time the iermentation was so violent that the hoops of the barrel or hogshead gave way, ane the staves tumbied together, and there was al lmmeasuravle quantity of sound ecclesiastical Nquor lost, (Laugnter.) Well, the yery same thing is now happening, to @ certain extent, in the Church of kngland. I donot say whetuer the sea! 18 Wise or not—tiere 18 very much zeal that 1s un wise—there 13 hot Very much that is wise at all times. Ido not say whether it ts wise, but I | @o say it 1s earnest and conscientious—(‘“Hear, | hear !”)—and probably it is dangerous, but not so | dabgerous, perfups, to the Charch as to the Political associations connected with it. | (Hear, hear!’’) Then it 1 said, and very fairly—and a not object to lo those who say it—that the Church of this coun- try 18a State Churca—an Act o1 Parliament Church— that, in point of fact, it is not religious only, bus @ political institution; that 1t 1s—an it nas been | described by a member of the House of Peers of | iy acquaintauce—a branon of the civil service— (aughter)—and that 1 must obey. (Laugnter.) And if you want to hear about the very last utter- ance upou that polnt—! mean about the obedience of the Church—1 will read three lines trom the speech O1 @ learned friend of mine, aelivered only | the other day in the city of Oxlord—tue late Solic- itor General to the late government, He was Very strong last year lor this bill, and be is strong, | I béiteve, tor succeeding measures following in its | track, He says 11 one set Of priests—I am o non- palate Teed OG ier ait Lendeavor to speak tly upon matters of this kind—but Sir William | jarcour: sald thig:—'*I! one set vi priests reluse | to conform, we shall find others—as We have found | belore—who wiilovey the national faith.” Now, he | does not say who will obey their conscience, or who | will obey the law of God as they read it, but who | Wul obey the national taith. Now, some years 1go, _ I recollect a somewhat irreverent wag suggest- | 1ng, O8 & matter of economy, that, when our | juages were too old to continue their duties effectually as judges, they sbouid be translated to | the Bench of Bishops. (Langhter.) But then | bear in mind that by these acts of Parilament you | cannot touch the hearts and reason and con- | ences of the people. (Applause.) ‘The pulpits are tree everywnere. Your prayers are written and printed, aud fixed; but tue sermons are leit lo the judgment and to the conscience ot tie preacher, aba you may rely upon it that amony the vast number of the clergy of the Church of Eugiaod any attempt made to bind them down in @ sort of siralt-walstcoat of this Kind, though tt may tell for tbe moment, would most ultimately and wholly tail. (Applause.) Now, it 1s said there 20,000 ministers in the Church of Euplana. half the population of England od Wales are connected by association and by aifection with that Church, there are 10,400,000 persons connected with it. Now, if it is to be saia that within the borders o1 the Church No latituae is to ve allowed, that only outsiae avy freedow Of Opinion and practice 1s to be permii- ted, then i venture to say that the days of the Establishment are numbered. (Cueers.) You | muy fely uponit that zeal will not ior all time sacrifice freedom, even to keep the emoluments aud tue dignities of tae State Charch. Now, I am not deleiaiug the bew manners, the new prac- tices and the new opinions—{ have no sympathy ‘Wiin them whatsoever. Ican dispense with sume things that I tuimk are superstitious, even in the Ccurcu of England, upoo the view of the evan- orgie par! aud, there.ore, J should oe the very ast Wa to add anytuimg to them. But I am eu | geuvoring to show you that the course woicu tne goverpment has eutered upon aod which Pariia- ment, accepting thetr imvttation, followed them in last yeur, is a perilous course, aud i is worth while for the peopie of Lng- Jand—the religious peopie of England— pevpie inside te Church quite a8 much as those Outeide—to consider this question in a different ght, and to ask themselves whetner tuis vast question can be longer committed to the care aud | disposal and the management and the votes and the speecues of the two Houses of Parliament? | (vheers.) But there are other symptoms wiica | are troublesome, and which are perilous if they are bot actually hopeless and iatal. Now, shail T | Mention two or three recent instances which do | strike me very lorcioly in connection witu this | qtesiion? Your lect a short while ago thata | bishop made an exhioition of pimseit pot favora- | ble, as I shouig say—(laughter)—in the question | | | Whetver a respectabie aud worthy Wesleyau muin- | ister should have his name on a tompstone the word “reverend”? However, I toid and [ nope (Laughter) with betore It, — (Laugbter.) you that 1 do not speak strongly, 1 bever speak evil of dignitaries. | But wy learned friend, Sir Wiluam Harcourt, in bts published speech, alloding, I Presume, to this Bishop, speaks of him 48 u “learned simpleton.” (Laugiter and cheers.) ow, I would not use such snguage. What the Bisnop did appears to mie almost naturally the | outcome of bis position and the pretensions of lis orde (Cheers.) He calls bimseil, or allows uim- | sell to be called, Rignt Reverend Father; and yet, | a8 for this Wesleyan—munister thouga he preienus | to be—he shall not have the word “reverend” pre- | fixed to bis name on any tombstone, in any chureh- yard over whicn | have control, shame!") tf you read now, then, some of those beautiiul epls- ties Which are fuund in the New Testament, you will Hud that of. Peter, m speaking of St. Paul, speaks Of him as “our veloved brother Pani.” He never once, to my knowledge, uses the term “Rigot Reverend Father.” (Luughter.) If the | bishops—if tunis very Bishop who, being learned, | Must Know sometning, I take it, of the episties— | (laughter) —I he were moved by the same spirtt | by which Peter and Paul were moved. is it | not reasonavie to think that he would at | | | least ot ovject to give to this Wesleyan Minister any title which he thought it roper tO assume tor himself. (Hear, tear!) Bistops, sO lar as I believe, are generally exceient Men, and generally goxious to do tue duty i | the best possible Way that opens to them. But it Is an instance of that kind o1 arrogance which comes irom the saceraotal spirit within the Churen. (Cheers.) it is a Kind of presumption | Which i8 borm o1 privilege, and which does not | come from the pride of the man or from gis dislike | | | to his lellow-men; but tt comes trom the up tunate circumstances in which he is pla breatning @ mind and a@ spiru, s judge, whoily contrary to th Which Was in the apostic trom whom I have quoted, (Lond applause.) [t is not to be won- ered at, then, that the privileged clergy, as one Of your poots says, priests— Sole venders ot the lore that works saivation— it is not to be wondered at that, with these privil+ eges, endowments and preferments, this obvious | and coustantiy prociaimed it 18 nol unreasonavie as these that u despise the ian, th whose labors have 0 pan wind and the spirit superiority—{ say to expece such things happening, that they shoud homole, hard-working ma been #o Wonderiuly bles ed of Leaven, Who seemed to intrude tuemseives into their privileged place. (Uheers.) Let us for one moment just review the privileged thing, Is there | order there or is there contusion? li tt be wrong | to Hud suca {anit with those outside, mignt tt vot be well and wise to try and arrest the mischief whic was obviously spreading inside. lt bave Shown you, | take it for granted it might be as- BumMed, that there is a Widespread strife between the clergy and congregatipn, thag at least there Would be ho pretence or Aecessity for the bill of last year, But there 1s alsu sirife between the Clergy and tne pistons themselves, You have | Neard lately that a Bishop, 4 man of eminence and | | occasional and remarkable and admirable excep- | ministers of | and they may ve, and are oiten, bought and sold | ot the church; Q | bishops stumping the dio | warned everybody wi NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY Il, 1875.—TRIPLE SHEET. far country on s message Of justice and mercy— (a) Stenpece Message of justice and mercy ween Thope, has not been without its etfect— (‘near!")—and I trust the statements which are made ofthe manner in which he has been receivea and his cause listened to by Lord Carnarvon, the Colonial Secretary, are not at all exaggerated. (“Hear!’) This Bishop comes to this country and 1 lergyman in the city which my 1 Hagin ey represents, to p: ent but the Bishop of the diocese immediately issues au orcer ‘that the colonial Bishop should not preach in the courch, (“Shame!”) What does that clergyman do? In perfect order apparently he submits at once. The colontai Bishop 13 Not permitted, but he hands the sermon he was going to preach in the church, and the minis reads and preaches the very sermon which the colonial Bishop woula have read. (Laughter.) Another Bishop forbids bimin another diocese—the metropolitun diocese—to preacn there, and what immediarely follows? [ suppose the best known and most eminent clergy- man in that diocese—although not under ths jurwdiction ‘as it happens, still within ‘What I call the geographical limits of the dioce: he invites this very ex- cludea colonial Bishop to preach in the Abbey church of Westminsver. The Bishop so exciuded and invited, not wishing to promote disorder and contest, declines the in- vitation and, therelore, does not preach. And I am told that another Bishop has signified bis wish, at least his willingness, that, if he chooses, he should preach in hia diocese. Now, yousee you have before you here, in a few moments’ discus- sion, the painiul arrogance of that Bishop with Tegard to the Wesleyan minister, you have the sort ol charity there exists between some of tho bishops in this country and the Bisnop from Natal. You have, at the same time, an instance of the order which prevails when the minister accepts tne mandate of a Bishop excinding @ colonial Bishop, bat escapes through it in reauty by read- ig the colonial Bishop’s sermons, (Laugiter.) Abd tnen you have the sort of uniformity there ia in the Church ot England when the Bisnop of London would not allow the Bishop of Natal to officiate in bis diocese, and the next great man in the diocese, the Dean of Westminster, Invites him to preach ip the Abbey church o1 Westminster. For ail these grievances we have the bill of last year. 1 will tell you how serious is the position ol the Church by reading an extract from a speech of Sir William Harcourt's, He says, “Legislation of this kind shouid only be resorted to in the greatest necessity.” He says, “I am satisfied there 1s such @ necessity. In my opinion the present condition of vbings in the Church is s.mply intolerabie.”’ He says, ‘The remedy may prove severe, but the disease is critical.” 1 believe the capita: operation is necessary to extirpate the cancer. if not the atient will sureiy die. (Laughter and applause.) Ptake itor granted that the remarks oi Sir Wil- liam Harcourt go to presage still more severe ex- amples of legisiation. ‘Lhe bili of iast year is tivial—it makes no alteration in the law; it is merely establishing a court before which informers irom all parishes can come and lay charges, i{tuey Please, against ministers of those parishes. But it | does not cecide what is the law. Itleaves that de- | cision to the Judge, who is—or is soon to be—ap- pointed, But, sir, they can deal only as you see with vestments and iillivery, with position, with ceremonies. They cannot touch the sermons, ‘They may deal with the question of the hght that comes from the candles, but they cannot deal With the question ol the light that comes trom elo- quence and power and earnestness and Godly sin- | cerity of the men who preach to tne people. (Ap- plause.) But, then, we are brougnt face to lace with tnis great !act—and that is really what I wish you to consider—which is, that the State Chureh, as we have 1i now, 1s not, and cannot be, in nar- mony With tne uge. (Loud and continued ap- plause.) Lshvuld like to ask you what there is in the Church Establishment existing in the reign of Queen Ehizaveth that is in harmony with the reign of Queen Victoria. Why, tue difference be- tween the two queens is enormous and cannot be | measured—the arbitrariness, the absolute power | and the insolent assertion of 1t with the Queen | 800 years ago, and the moceration, the justice, kindness and sympathy which you nave in the Queen of our own day. (Applause.) And take your House of Commons O1 that day and the House of Commons of this day. The difference can- not be calculated and cannot be measured. [ Was reading a day or two ago a remarkabie bouk, avlished iately by an od friend of mine, Mr. jndsay, WhO Was lor many years, as you know, 1n Parliament, and in bad health out of Parlia- ment had employed himself in writing a great book—a history of the merchant shipping and commerce of past ages. And | was reading a de- scription which he gave of woat took place in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, More than one-half of the English shipowners establisiied on the south- erp coasts ol England were engaged in piracy, or their ships were either pirat6 ships or corsairs, and Ido not know the aiiference between them. ‘That the Church, waich was established in an age like that, should have been able to continue itself in that form, and m its present orm, until the time in waico we live—but the Church, whether you consider it asa political institution or a religious insutu- tion I fear 1s greatly out of harmony with the times. I won’t complain, thouga 1 might com- | plain. | think itis a strong argument in tne case | that wherever you fud the Church of England owerlul there you find the opposition to legis- | fanve or administrative reforin most powerlul algo. We have received no service from the Caurch of England as a body. There have been tons, but as a body we have received no service in all tue great measures of change and improve- ment which have 80 Diessed this country during the last half century. But, thea, if you look at it a8 o religious mmstutution what do you find? You lind at one end of it its payments and salaries are excessive and enormous. You find at tne Other end of 1t that they are scanty and inade- quate and altogether a disgrace to a great na- tional inatituiion. (Loud cheers). You find, fur- ther, that, contrary to what existe in every other government department, there is no such thing known in it—speaking of the rule and in the general, as promotion by merit. (‘Hear, hear.”) Promotion in the Churcn is promotion through interest—(‘‘Hear, hear!?’)—and through importunity. (Cheers, and ‘“No.”) A fricnd of mine not long ago—understand ine, 1 am only DOW speaking the voice ot thousands of curates— (cheers)—I am not making a ciaim on behalt of the Nonconiormists—a Methodist minister does not trouble himself about that—lam only speak- ing Wita @ voice whicn will flod an answer to- miurrow in the hearts of thousands o! curates, (Protracted cheering.) A few years ago—within the last teu years—a irieud of mune had occasion to apply to the Lord Chancelior jor some small preierment for a most devoted and excellent mupister, Whose circumstances were to the lass degree urgent aud pressing, and ta Lord Chancellor told him, as 1 ‘understovd—or bis potronage secretary, 1b might be, told him— that be had on nis list 70 names ot curates and clergymen—that 1s, ordained the Church of England—asking that they might bave something irom mis (ihe | Loru Chancelior’s) inexXhausuble stores of patron- | age; and they all believed their case to be as hard and their claim as strong as the case and claim of tue poor minister tor wom my friend interceded. Now, 1 need not tell you that many oi the livings ot the Church of England are private property, 1n the open or secret market, the Exchange at Liverpvol, you sell metais in the | Exchauge at Birmingham; but from day to day, allover the country, there is going on u trattic in | the most sacred and solemn oftices— applause) — and farther, the clergy—and { think this will ve Jound a@ great difliculty—tne clergy tuemseives, when appomied, are freenolders and immovable, We seli cotton on | post. of tne Church. I nave no objection at ail for those who love the Church to stand op int jefence, but I think they should be a little better tempe: e with some of us who take a different v The Qburch, according to their own sho’ nationalinstitution, We are no inco! rable por- tion of the nation, We have a right arly to dis- Dave no intention o/ doing anything Our proposition 1s that all thought eople should consider this subject, and il they believe the Church 13 not carrying vs 1n the direc- tion of Rome—if they think it 18 a great, sound, Protestant institution—t! they believe it makes the 8 is a great tate and the people religious, then let them reserve the burch; but they come @ different conclusion surely the people and Parliament are at iiberty to make whatever change they think proper. (Cheers.) The Church Delence Association reminds me of anotrer meeting held the other day, with Which Birmingham was connected. ‘There was a meeting of licensed victuallers {n Salford. and & Birmingham man—a great friend of mine, tf 1 may say 80, Jor | have often had the pleasure of meet- ing him on deputations—Mr. Wadhams was tne chairman of this meeting. I fnd Mr, Wadhams and bi3 irlends take exactly the same course as Lord Dartmouth and his iriends take—vnhey are petulant, bad tempered, rather call names. (Laugnter.) They say the temperence people Want to ruin the publicans by the proposition— which is probably the next assault—that public houses sbould be closed on Sundays. Every seusi- ble man knows and maby publicans know that the persons who would be the most benefited by the closing of public houses on Sundays would be the pubiicens and their families, (Cheers.) But Lord Dartmouth and bis friends, and Mr. Wadhams and his friends, are in the possession of monopoly—the one to teach us morals and religion, about which they cannot agree, and the other to have—(laughter) — the undisputed and the almost uncontrolled right Of dispensing to the people as much as they like of those articles, which 1 have described oefore, which promote disorder and crime and madness to a great extent. AN APPEAL TO CHRISTIANS. Tam not assaliiug the Church, [admit that much may be said in its favor. Ihave admitted, and I assert, that there are thousands of excellent men who are at work tn the various parisnes of England as ministers of that Church; but then there would be thousands of excellent men if it were not under the cuntrol of the act, any one of whom would do just as much good if he were a member and clergyman o! a Free Church as he can do tn his present conaition in connection with the State. Now, 1don’t recommend to this meet- ing, or any constituency, that they should pleage their candidates to vote for the avoli- tion of the Esta‘lished Church, 1 do not, in the least aegree, recommend or approve that any body of nen should complain that a parliamentary or party leader wuo is chosen has not formed the same opinion that I bave upon this question. It 18 & question which has not come near that point yet. Itis one of the gravest questions which the eople have ever had toconsftler, It 1s a far more mportant question than the question of free trade, and far more important and iar more dificult than the question of the extension of the tranchise or the redistribution Of seats. (Cheers.) It 18 @& question that goes deep down in the hearts of hundreds and thousands and millions of good men wrench make a disturbance o/ chis kind. What you have to do 1s to discuss it with fairness— Jainess to the Church and Jatroess to its minis. believe to be good to your country and to the religion which the country professes, 1 bave said nothing to-night about the point to which our chairmun referred—the condition of the ltberal party. (Applause.) ‘The result of my more than thirty years’ oxperience is that a po- litical party somehow or other gathers ttself up when it 1s wanted, and by the time that it ig wantea—(‘Hear, hear!”)—and thereiore [ shall not go into a discussion of tue present posttion of the iiberal party, conscious, as I am, that at least we of that party have succeeded so lar in implanting wise aud just seeds—seeds of wise and Just policy and just measures in the minds of the peopie oi England—that I believe there is no other party in the country who can reverse the judg- ments to which you have come. 1 have satd noth- ing, and it ts not my intention to say more than one sentence wWiti regara toafact which has startled and palued many throughout the king- dom during the last two or three weeks. I reier to the abandonment by Mr. Gladstone— (loud appiause)—or the leadership of the beral_ purty. They who have seen him jor many. aiaDy years in the House of Commons, as 1 have—they who have sat witn him and seen him in the counsels of the Cablnet— toey only are abie justly to estimate the magni- tude of the loss which the party in toe House of Commons and the country have sustained by his Witharawal, (Applause.) I will say nothing in auswer to wngeherous things which lave been said and done—(*Hear, hear!”)—but of this 1am well aware—Mr.Glaqatone, like an ola and noble Roman, can be content with deserving the praises of his Kerry even though some of his country- men should deny them 10 him. Now, sir, in con- clusion, 1 say 1 am not asking you or your constit- Uencies, Or any party or section of u party, to plunge {nto a violent agitation for the overthrow of the establishment of the Church of England. I think it would be a@ great calamity indeed that a great change like that should come by violent natred und dissension, and shouid be accomplished in a tempest which 18 almost like the turmoil ofa great revolution. I ask you onty to consider it—and I appeal not to you who may be nonconiormists, who do not care about Churco—but I appeai to those who do care about it, who do care abcut Protestantism and religion. | It 18 not for me io lead or to join you tn any cru- sude against the Church. I have offered to you to- night my homely contribution to the discussion of the greatest question of our time. (‘Hear, hear a Ii 1 am able to jorm any just judgment upon it should say that it will be @ great day for ireedom pa country and for Protestanusm and for Christtanity which shall witness the tuil entran- chisement of the Church within the realm of Eng- land, (Applause.) Tue right honorable gentleman then resumed his seat amid loud cheers, having spoken irom ten minutes to eight till five minutes past nine, POLICE MATTERS. PRECINCT. Eighty-one cases of violations of the rules of the department by members of the force were tried yesterday at the Central UMce by Vommis- sioner Voorhis, Roundsmen Healy and Wood- ward were put on trial for having received, one a said to nave been prominent in the presentation were put on the stand, amd they swore they knew nothing about it. Sergeant Slater, of the Seventh precinct, charged OMmcer Kternon with drinking in @ saloon. In his defence the oMcer showed that the com- Plaint was made to oreak down the force ol complaint against the sergeant for beingin the station house when he ought to have veen on Superintendent Walling will be insiructed tomake @ charge against the sergeant and to summon the roundsman who watched him and and, unless there be some scandal, there 18 scarcely any neglect or betrayal of duty which either the law or congregation can touch, “Then, great com- plains now 18 that the Zeal which is not denied 13 noving in the Wrobg direction, and i¢ is carrying | t ergy and some Of their more simple-minded followers im the direction of Rome. Aud wi have @ sort of feeling that there is reat danger | lor we archvishops and 30 In aeience of the | Courca. [saw only the other day that the Arch. bisnop of Cauterbury, in a speech which was ad- mirable in tone—a speech which no one could Tead Wituout interest and pleasure; yet ne Was at ail doubtful as to the wisdom Of maintaining the Kstavlishment ag what would be the resule if the Lstablishment were notmaintained, They always potnt to that very old man—it may be ‘his successor—in the city of Rome, (Laugater.) in fact, Sir Wiluam— (aughter)—Sie William Harcourt. He says:— “Lam of opinion that a Protestant estabushment | 1s the only power that can effectually cope with the organized forces of Rome.) te says, | further, ve must be &@ parbiind politician who does | not understand tnat the residuary legutee of disestabliskment would be the Cnurch of Rom Weil, but then, unfortunately, we are in this po tion—that the fort which was intenaed to derend And protect us has turned its guns against us. But, toen, sir Williazn Harcourt says, tn answer 10 that, “Ou, yes, you may change the'garrison, dou’t biow up the fort.” (Laughter) Tue: that the garrison and the fort ate inseparab! unless he could get r0 of some thousands of the clergy, and pat in their p seme thousands Oi aiS Iriengs—the vVacilluting and changeavie | lawyers—I don't KuoW how we can have aiort or deienders On Whom We can rely, (Laugnter and cheers.) Let me 48k you how—and there will be persons tn this mecting, | know there will be some, Who muy quesuioa very much the force of What Ihave been saying; but kK them to look around—take the Presoyterian bodies in England otland; take the Wesleyans, take the Inde- ents, take the Baptists, take any of the Smaller sects of which I need not take’ account. Do you find that the ministers of th various bodies ave constantly, in their sermons, in tueir | decorations, in tet’ postures, in their cer monies, in their confessions, in weir ex- hortavions to thelt people—do you fad they are graduaily, but surely, going’ over to Rome? (“No.”) No. T have read—l always tead with Very great interest—some of the transactions of | the Wesievan Conferences, some of the Congres gational Union and of the ‘great meetings of the Baptists, but | never And tu theie speeches, in their repor:s or tieir documents an tocessant complaint that a percentage of tueir ministers and peopie are constantly every year going over to | Rome, (NO, NO." It is ouly througn the hierar | ehical and preiatical Chureh that inere are con- Veits to the Caurch of Rome. And more, it may be said, and i say tl without hesitation, that L | hold Pariamenut to be beipless in this matter at | present, und the people aiso to be pretty neariy | Helpless; und Loelieve the State bouds an which the Charen is bousd cause the nusehiel and tie | heiplessness of which we complain, (Cheers.) One or two sentences more aud ‘E Wwill trouble you longer, (Loud cries of “Go on.’ The other day there was a meeting in this town, over which Lord ) held Dartmoutn 01 great learning, Las been 1a tals coumtey Irom @ | bresided—(iaughter)—a meeting ior the defence | | close up tie Aun | & Special detective sent out by tae Oficer Kiernan as witnesses, Complaints have been laid before the Commis- | Sloners against the captain of the Sixth precinet. The charges are made Sixth ward, and by citizens of the these persons are now gathering evidence to produce at the ap- Proacning trial of Captain Lowery. has been busy with the actions of Captain Lowery ever since he was raised to that grade, monta caca irom two gambling bouses in the Sixta ward that were in the havit of paying him hull that amount, ‘the people interested “grume Died at the Increased demand, but Wen told they would be suit up they paid it. Not long after Com- missioner Voorhis insisted that all gambilng should be puta stop to, and these games were closed at the same time as tue others. The men, feeling wey had been badly used by the Captain, went to Mr. Voorhis and eXxpiained the whole ter, Another indictment against Captain Lowery 1s that he caused aunself to be presented With wn Ulster coat and sei skin cap by a resident of ms precinct. This was effected tarough an omMcer named Vorsay, Who 1s called the “Clew” in the precinct, aud who the Captain detatied tor detective duiy in the ward in violation of the rules of the department. Captian letty endeavored to explain to one of | the Commissiouers that it was very diMicut to trect games ot (aro. Board was sit- ting In ove of these ames and heard the following conversation between tue partners, proprietors of he game :— Who Was that?” “So and So,” naming the oicer on special duty in the precinct. “What's up 1" “Nothing; only he sald the old man sent him up | to say that we ougnt to be careiul about strangers and let noone in we didn’t know; to keep tne blinds well closed and not allow the gas to show too ciearly through. He says that nigger ought to keep a sharp watcn on the stairs. Tnere’s a good deat of howiltn’ up town.” there are a number of poticy shops tn Captain Potty's precinct, and the Commissioners are de termined that they shall be closed up at once. THE SALOON KEEPERS. ACTION TO GUARD AGAINST AN ICE MONOPOLY. The German Saloon Keepers’ Centrai Committee, composed oi delegates of the diferent ward organi- zations, organizea to insure protection under the operations of the Excise law, held a mecting atthe Germania Assembly Rooms yesterday. Jobn Fricke presided, and a report from acom- mittee appointed to visit the State capital was Teccived, to the effec the 1 that the bill introduced in isiature providing jor @ unuorm excise aud reducing (he license lee, Will become a Meastites were next discussed to jisure protection agains’ any combination on the part of the ice companies, tenuering to render the ice traMe a monopoly during tue summer season, and a Commitice Was formed lo conser on the subject. apd women in this country, and you cannot by a | ters—and that the sole object of doing what vou | the | CHARGES AGAINST THE CAPTAIN OF THE SIXTH | gold watch and the othera chain, irom the men | | Under their commana. Three policemen who were Kumor | Itis now | charged that he demanded a revenue of $100 a | That nigne | HOME RULE. | How the Municipal Guillotine is Officially Worked, THE TWO EXECUTIVES. The Powers and Duties of the Mayor and Governor. To rae Epiror or Tag HeRaLp:— The HERALD bas become the recognized channel througao which members of the Bar have learned to communicate with the public upen questions of the day not before the courts, but of a nature half legal, half political, and exciting daily comment tm the editorial columns of either the Heratp itself or of other leading newspapers. I venture, therefore, to address you upon a subject to which Ihave given care!ul consideration, and which has. an immediate ipterest to this community, The views here expressed were those which guided Governor Dix tn his action upon certificates of re- moval of officers of the city government sent to him by the late Mayor Havemeyer or by Mayor Vance. Their correctness was never questioned until from time to time during the last few weeks by the appearance of edi- torials on the subject, the work of ill-informed or inconsiderate writers in one or other of the city newspapers. The HERALD has, as usual, taken the sound view of the matter, and it is to be supposed that Governor Tilden, if he has had occasion to think of the question at all, has al- ready reached the conclusions arrived at by Gov- ernor Dix, aaa that, if cases are brought before him for action, will adopt the preceaents and forms whicn his predecessor established, atter that careful consideration he was accustomed to give to all matters requiring oficial action by him. The question, then, is one presented by the twenty-flith section of the present charter, being chapter 335 of the Laws of 1873, and which con- tains the following provision :— The heads ot ali departments, including those ro- talued as above, and all other persons whose appoint- his tion provided for (this includes veariy allthe hundred and one petty officers of the city gov~ ernment who are appointed atid not elected), may be removed by the Mayor for cause and after opportunity to be heard, subject, however, before such removal shall take effect, to the approval of the Governor. ex pressed in writing. The Mayor shall in al! cases coni municate to the Governor in writing his reasons for sach removal. Whenever a removal is so effected the Mayor shall, upon the demand ot the officer removed. make in writing a public statement of the sons therefor. That provision {8 pew and, in some respects, five rules to be followed in any proceeding tor the removal by the Mayor of any of the designated officers. The removal must be—frst, for cause; second, alter opportunity to the officer to be heard. It isto be—third, without effect until ap- proved by the Governor; fourth, accompanied by & written communication to the Governor of the Mayor’s reasons for having made the removal; it, by publication of those reasons, The removal is made, not by the Governor, but by the Mayor, ‘Who 1s here constituted the principal actor in the proceeding. He makes a removal, not by or with the consent of the Governor, and as a co-ordinate authority who shares in the prosecution of the undertaking, but the Mayor himself independently and completely determines Whether or not an inculpated Shall be removed, Having so determined, he makes the removal and thereaiter transmits to the Governor the information of the fact of such romoval and the statement of reasons therefor. The Governor takes no part inthe removal until ithas already been made, and then his action is already taken. To be sure the effect of tne Mayor’s decision is saspended until the Governor shall approve of it; but, when approved tt 1 still the act of the Mayor, not of the Governor, It A. draws &® check payable to the oraer of B. the | paper 1s without vaiue or effect until indorsed by B., and yet, after indorsement, it is still the check or A. and not that of B. or thatof A.and B. This discrimination is important. In determining the question’as to the material upon which the Gov- ernor and Mayor most respectfully acwmuch aid relations respectively to the act of removal. act is the act of the Mayor, not of the Governor, The actors and their relative positions being determined, tne next step is to ascertain the Iimi- tations imposed upon the several acting parties. | While the principal object of the section ts to se- | cure ag efficient, responsibie and harmonious city | government by giving to the Mayor the right of faithiul and competent officer against the un- reasonable and caprictous assaults of an arbi- | trary Mayor. This is accomplished by providing assign @ cause and give him an opportunity to bo heard. Tnis being done, the Mayor, in a case re- | quiring It, pronounces judgment of removal and | then awaits the approval of the Governor. | But this executive, like the Mayor, 1s re- Strained irom the exercise of an arbitrary power. He cannot, any more than can the chief magistrate of the city, periorm his functions by merely pronouncing *‘sic volo,” or “sic non volo.” He has a double responsibility; on the one side, to the officer removed, that the removal shall nut become operative except for cause, and that a duties, and in the conduct of a government, in some respects more burdensome than those of the State. Itis his especial obligation so to exercise carelessly to bring odium or censure upon a muni- cipal government of witch the head is the Mayor. To secure both these ends the law gives to the Governor @ certain discretion. It does not con- stitute the Governor an appellate tribunal. His | Junction 1s one which must be exercised whetver the officer who has been removed appeals or not. Neither has the Governor a right of or a auty to make any originalexamination, He has no power to cite witnesses or hear counsel; but the law gives him the right and exacts of him the duty merely to exercise his own sound discretion in approviog or disapproving the judgment of the Mayor, and that upon an examination of one, and only one, instrument, which is the Mayor’s written comuumecation of his “reasons” Jor the removal, ‘This, to the Governor, presents tao entire case upon which he 1s to act Hverything else is de- hors the record, It becomes, therefore, a matter of considerabdie consequence to determine of what that recoid shall consist, As beiore suggested the question will be answered in a great degree by the deler- mination oO: the true relation of the respective parties to the act of removal; and, as bus been aircudy indicated, tt 1s the Mayor, and not the Governor, Who makes the removal. It 1s the tor- mer Who must ascertain the tacts of the case, aud it is tue duty aad privilege ot the Governor to ac- | cept bis statement ot tuem, sented th support of this view, The question is, | What and how much must be communicated i writing to the Governor by the Mayor as ts “reasons” for removing a head of a depart- ment?’ The word “reasons” certainly means a siatement of the cause for which the officer nas been removed; does it aiso cover cue detailed e ldence adduced tn the investigationy By # strict construction of language, tue | making a removal are definite, and sustained charges sufficiently grave tm their character to warrant such a judgmeut. ‘The evidence operates | the charges are true, and then toese cuarges theme selves become the “reasons” for removal, An illus: tration of tis distinction 18 turaished in re ent municipal history. Charges of violation of Election law, in removing an inspector withous previous written notice humber of citizens, pre Commissioue, ear to the then ot Police. ‘The charge Was conceded to be irae, yet Mayor | | Havemover deelin to remove tie Come mussioner: His ecason” jor the reiusai | Was Hot tie evidence, hor the lack of evidence im | the case—that was admitted to be suMicient; bur | | 1t Was the Character of tne charge 1iseli Which in. duced the Mayor's Inaction, Had be, en the other hand, granted the pernuon for ‘removal, ms | Sreason” for so doiug would have beev bis optus | Jon Ol the softicieacy of the enarge the petition made, ‘The gravity of the “eu ould have thus becone bis “reasons” for removing the Com- MiteswNers, WHO escaped, aS IL Was, NOLWIthscand- ing the undisputed verity of the charge. In de- ; termining the Meaning of this word “reasons” | here ased in the statute, resort tay be had to | Several rules of legal interpretation, of which tha { drst ts:—The meaning of ® Word Shall be deter- extraordinary. It will be noticed that it presenta | and fifth, followed, 1f the officer removed demana | omer | only in confirmation or disapproval of the. step | ay be derived from a consideration of their true | This | Temoving his own appointees, it also protects a | that before the Mayor can remove an officer he shall | Teasonable one; on the other, to the Mayor, that | he may nos be embarrassed in the discharge of | his power in the premises as not needlessly or | there are several considerations to be pre- | yor's reasons tor | only fo mduce the Mayor's mind to the belief that | the | were, by petition of a | mined from its surroundings (noscitur a soctis). This word “reasons 1s thrice used this act and im this conaection:—In twenty-flith section, “the Mayor | communicate to the Governor nis reasons for such | Femoval,” and “the Mayor shall make in writing & | Public statement of the reasons therefor.’ In the | twenty-sixth section:;—*In case of removal (1. @ | of a clerk), a statement showing the reagon there Jor, shall be flied tm the department.” These are Uses O: Lhe word In almost immediate collocation, and it ts not to be supposed that, in these several uses, the word haga Varying sense. “evidence’ in one instance, it had that meaning in ali; and it seems palpabiy clear that the Legis- use of the word without @ delinite purpo: The purases “proceedings,” “evidenc “min- Utes,” “records,” recur at once as t proper and usual terms by which to aeserive the record O14 trial, Ail these words, however, are disre- garded in this statute, and the duty imposed avon the olficer making the temoval is required to be performed by giving “nis reasons” therefor to the Executive of the State, to tne people of mu- Dicipality, and 1p certain instances to bis suores- sors in oMce, by entering the same upon the records of the department irom whico the re- moval has been mauve. itis absurd to suppose that the Mayor is by that provision of the law calied upon to make & | written transcript ot all the evidence for the use | Of the pubic; be stands or falls beiore it, oy the Suillciency of his ‘“reagous,’' in the strictest sense ot the word, The man raised by the public to the | iUto the extent that it does not require ‘tu rein- Vestigate al! the questions of jact on which he has | Passed. Tothe public, therefore, he states lis conclusions as facts, aud by them be justifies the Judgment of removal, It 18 equally absurd to suppose that in depart: ments employing hundreds of clerks none can be | discharged except ihe flies be encumbered wita the evidence taken upon the trial of every minor delinquency, The aisiature intended, with regurd to such matters, to confide tn tue discre- tik Of these superior omcers, and created them competent and final judges as to tne Jacts pre- sented. It also intenued to create a responsidiity tothe Governor, to the puolic or to succeeding administrations for the character of causes ud- | Signed for removal. As has been said of the opinions written by judges of courts of last resort, “It must excite great cau- tion when the name of the Judge, his | decisions and his reasons are placed on record.” Even so the Governor and the public are enabled, the one to anuiltty with his vote, and the other to ridale with its criticism, an jusuiticient “reason” by which @ removal is at- tempted to be justified. There is no difference in the meaning Of these diferent uses of the word “reason,” and in noue of them does it fairly seem to mean “evidence.” A second ruie of interpre- tation tor such @ case is this:—in the construction of a remedial statute regard must be had to the detect iu the former law, It Js this defect whic the Legislature sought to supply, abd which must reveal the intent of the | iegisiative mind, Within sixteen years the city of New York bas had three new charters—the frst that of 1857, the second that of 1870, the third that Under discussion, passed in 1873. ‘fhe deiect im the charter of 1870, which this (the twenty-filth) section of the law of 1873 was intended to supply, | was this:— | | In the preceding charter (that of 1870) the Mayor | had no power to remove, but could only impeuch, | heads of departments, Who were thereupon to be | tried by the Court of Common Pleas. ‘That method Was Jound, however, to be too cumbersome jor practice, id to fetter the course of a Mayor, who was responsible jor the government of the city, by fastening upon him subalterns whom be could not control. ‘To remeay that evil the Legislature of 1873 re- turned substantially to the provision of the twen- ty-first section O1 the charter of 1867. ‘Nnore the | Mayor, by and with the consent o! the Bvard of | Aldermen, could remove the ofilcers wnom he tad | appointed with tuer consent. | officer, however, was given no vpportunity of de- | fence, which is specifically provided ta tne char- | ter of 1873. ‘The Mayor was to communicate to | the Commoa Council the removal and the ‘cause’? thereol, while itis bere provided that he shall, | Mstead, communicate to the Governor in wriling | bis “reasons,?? | itis evident that the substantial change from | this section of the charter or 1857 was supposed | by the Legisiature of 1873 to be a concession tv the | Governor mereiy 0: @ discretion of approval or disapproval of aa act already performed, in place Of ihe right of concurrent action formerly given to the Board of Aldermen. In no respect can it | be claimed that the Governor’s rights are larger than were those of the Bourd of Aldermen, aad 1t seems that the reasons to be communicated to the | Governor are simply the “cause? iormerly com- | municated to the Board of Aldermen. Even if it be a term of larger meaning, the judicial construc- ; Won Of the word “cause’?in that charter, given | before the mecting of the Legisiatare o! 1873, 1u- Gicates that the remedy, WU any, was sought py the change of the word. “cause” to the word | “reasons.” In the case of The People vs. Stout (11 Abb, 17, | 8. c. 19 How. 171) the General Yerm of our Su- | preme Gourt distinctly held that the only ob- | lagation upon the authority making the removal | Wa. to assign some Cause; and thas there was no | power Oi revision in tbe Court (and, theretore, | Mone whatever) to pass upon the sufficiency or nature of the cause; “because,” as the Court | says, “the statute does not designate any cause, and there ts no standard or rule of definitiun by | Or according to Which we can determine the assigned cause to be good or sufficient.” We may, | theretore, conclude that the seciton in the char- | ter of 1873 was adopted to remeuy two defects in | former laws, tu give the Mayor the power to re- move his own appvincees, in which respect the charter of 1870 was at fauit, aud to i- sure the assignment by the Mayor of a | goog, Micieut und reasonable cause tor his 1» 8 | action, which, as we have seen, was not required | by the cuarter of 1857. ‘ne first ovject o! the new Jaw, therefore, was to enlarge tne powers and | responsioility of the Mayor. it cannot be that | the second was to divest him of all right to pass upon the evidence, and to reduce bim to the posi- tion of w mere referee to take testimony, and to | report the same, with his opinion, to the Gover- bor. So imconsistent a construction is avoided only by declaring the Mayor to be tne final judge as Co the tacts. A tuird rule or method of construction in such a | case Is this:—Compare the words and expressions | Of a law with those of other laws upon the same or cogoate subjects; the diferences of expression Will Indicate (ue difference im inteation, A Cureial examination Nas disclosed no constitu- | tonal provision, and no law of Uns, or of any other | State, or o. the United States, which gives to an Executive (instead of to toe courts) the rien to r upon the judgment ot any wuchority oeore Whol a triaiis had. A solitury apparent excep- Mou 18 iouud mM the muitary code of the United | States army. By the articies of war relating to a ceriain class of courts-martial, 1t is provided— | (Brightley’s Digest, page 83, section 279)—rhe | proceedings and sentence of the said Court shail | be sent Mirectly to the Secretary of War, to be by | hin laid belors the Presidens ior his confirmation or approvai or oruers in tne case.” Yhere itis | distinctly provided ‘nat all the proceedings ub | go up to the President, and suco Would have been he language of the Legislature, in the section of our sta.ute now under discussion, ad a similar course been deemed necessary, ‘Tne omission of | the word “proceedings” would have sent up to | the President ouly tue sentence of the Court, with | a statement ol the caarge anu specification which had ocen found trae. Lhisis belicved to pe just What 1s required o: the Mayc mmuni- | cate to the Governor the charg? agalast tie odicer | Who bas been removed, With a specification vl the | Jacts (not tue evidence of those facts) Whica show | fia to ve guilty of the cha! ‘This, in the case | of the Volice Commussiouers besere reterred to, | the communication would have been | Moved—xeason or cause—Violation o: the governing elections in the city vt New Yor | Specification—Lney turned out of office an inspec- | tor oi election, Witnout frst serving upon nin the | written notic: required Ly the law to be served. uch @ discretion in an Executive being ioreign to tie spirit and ordinary course of American leg: isiation; being found vniy im our eity charter of 873, and Io articles of war, (here snouid be a care- ful scrutiny of this anowalous provision, and it | May propery be insisied tac tue invention o1 the | Legisiati be strictly confined to 118 expression, A fourth rale of the construction m such a case 18 If it means | lature did not make this irequent and continuous | highest municipal position iv certainiy trusted by | incuipated | | as tins :—Words are to be tuken in their ordinary and | usual meaning. Bat the ordtuary aod usual mhean- ing of the word “reason” ts not Lhe same as cual of wie Words “evidence” or “proceedings,” ner is | such its legal acceptation, lhe rearoms to o¢ given by tie Mayor ure such as might bo given by & court of last resort in ren | wering = an opinion. = There the facts, hot vie evidence, are tutes, section 3,304) : | ing the yen, Says Bouvier (instil urts of error, in revder- Y JUdgmMeNts, Usually give the ‘reasons or | motives Whicu induce tuem on one side or tue otner, The collection ot by a judge 1s culted his opinion, such opiuion | Ougat to be @ perfect syllogism, the major ol willeh should be the law; the minor, the fact (not the evidence Of the fact) to ve decided, aud the conse- quence the judgment which deciares taat (the | lact) to be coniurmable or contrary bo law.” rhe meaning of the word “reasons” in the same | connection as that in Which tt ts used in tue caar- | ter of 1873and with reference to tue same ques tion Whicn We are bere considering has received | Judicial construction in ihe courts of Pennsyi- Vania. By the act of 24th February, 1806, section 25 (laws | Of Pennsylvania), it was enacted that in “ail cases * © * ‘1 eisuer party require it, 1t shail be tue reasons tius delivered | duly of the 8a.d judges respectively to reduce the | opinion so given, with their reasons theretor, to | writing, aud to tie the same of record in the | cause,’” Among the several cases in which that law was explained the first is of Some value to this discus. | 6100, as showing ihe true purpose of suci a state- ment, either when made by the Mayor jor the public or the Governor, or When made by a court 1 last resort, In Burd vs. Darnsdale (2 Binney B., 90) Court, coustruing that statute, said thas the pur bose of the provision Was “to therease tue respon- slollity of judges in making tueir decisions, Lt Tus! excite xreat caution wien the name of the Juuge, its decisions and nis reasons are placed on record, ‘That this was the ovject of the Legis lature may be strongly inferred from this ter, that the law is expressi¥ appiicavle to the jndges holdtug the Supreme Court, irom whieh there is no uppeal.”? How apvosite are these last words, in View of that statement of reasons sunilar to That offered to the Governor, which tie Mayor | bust submit to the puolic! In the case of Bassler vs. Niesiy (1 Serg. and Raw. K., 431 aud 432) it was | contended py counsel that vy that act of 1806 “the Oourt w directed by neces. | sary implication to state the evidence, and the that when the defendant requested Dim to reduce his opinion to writing it was to be une derstood thavthe request exiended to tho evi dence also.” While the Court indicate a way in waich evidence ulay be presented to the appe.late court tue decision distinctly negatives the prope osition that the Word *reasons’ in t ch meant evidence.” Says Judge lighman, “1 see no pre tence for such construction, a8 there is not one word like t¢ tm the law, That a judge should write his own opinion is proper, but fiat ne should be ovliged to muke a transeript of all the evideuce referred to in fis charge 16 unreasonadie.”” The Court accordingly hed that “a judge who files his op'nion underthe Act of 24tn February 1506, cannot be compelled to return the evideice on which that opinion was fouuded,” {his ruling was fuly sustained in the case of Munderbach sgainst Latz (4 & i, 125) and seems never to nave been questioned. it therefore appears from the natural, usual and ordinary sense of the expression, aud irom =the only discovered judicial con siructiop of the phrase im thts connection, that the word ‘reusons” does not incluge or inzan “evidence.’? To all these rules of strictly legal construction may be udded several ot political Importance, which will here be only indicated. A construction of the law whica makes the Gove erpor the juage OF the lacts as well as of the “rea. sons’’ or cause, Would render tne Mayor bimself jess secure in his tenure of omMce than is not merely the head o: @ departments suburdinate to him, bat even ea of the hundred and one petty omcers who can be actually removed by the Mayor only by approval o/ the Governor. li the Mayor is charged with an offence the tu: quiry into the charge is had before the Governor, who, in that case, passes, without review, upoa both tue charge and tue evidence, il the Gover nor passes upon the facts tn the matter of charges prelerred by the Mayor agaiust a head of depart. ment or against a petty oflcer of the city govern. ment, then these latter have two trinis—the one betore the Mayor, the second betore the Gove ernor—winle tie Mayor himself, in case of pro ceedings agaist mim under the statute lor bis own removal irom ofMice, has but one trial or heariug. P iv is (ne general object of laws relating to courts Of appeal to restrain tuem as nearly as possiv:e to an examinution of the questions 01 law, and to | give to tue courts of original jurisdiction, beore Whom came the living witnesses, the excilsive right to pasa upon questicns o! fact. The rule @ Wise one, and there is nO reasou Why it should not app.y in the present instance. The Mayor comes in contact ti toe living witnesses and listens Lo the arguments or counsel, while neitver canapproacn the Governor, Why, then, shouid not the fudiugs of iacé by tue Muyor ve neid com | clusive ? Under every rute of true democracy the cone straction here insisted upon flads support. The Mayor is in the midst of municipal affairs, conscious of the defects o: the city goverment and responsible for its success, ‘The Governor 1s territoriatly and politicatly at a distance from the city, kaowlog tts affairs only at second hand, and with only a secondary respoast bility jor tue use O. the veto power, itis not democratic that the Governor should have suck @ power as Would be vested in nim by any other view of the law than that avove con | tended tor; itis not democratic thut, inherinn, it trom a repul to use it. Loyalty to his expressed convictions would lead the Governor to cast the respoustuility of the Municipal goverument upon tie ove whom the city bas selected to govern it; the one whow every citizen can watea and ts watcuing; the one whose interests are identified with those of the city, and Whose attention 1s not distracted by the claims of the State or of tre nation, From all these consiverations it appears thas the “reasons” which tt is the duty of tue Mayor to communicate to tne Goveraor Consist ouly of @ statement of tae cause lor wie an olticer has been removed, with a specification of Uhe facts staang the cause of removal, not the evidence vu! those facts; that the removal 13 Made by the Mayor, woo 1s the flual judge as to facts, and that the Governor bas a veto power an eXercise only Witn reiereuce to tho act of removal or the reasons given by the Mayor for the removal, ‘The only right or duty the Governor has in the premises is either to approve or to disapprove the 4ct ol removal vr the suiticiency of the reasons tue Mayor may assign to him tor having per formed it, ‘Ths Governor 1a not entitied to, and shoud not be expected Lo inquire into, the testi Meny or other evideuce upon whic the Mayar ican predecessor, he should see | has arrived wt big own conclusions as to the tacté, 1t 18 nis privilegs to accep’ the correctuess Mayor's conciusious as to the 1acts, ‘FIGHTING FiLi. INTERRUPTION OF THE INDECENCIES AT THE METROPOLITAN THEATRE BY THE POLICE. Captain McDonnell, with a@ squad of policemen, made a descent on the Metropolitan Theatre yes terday afternoon and arrested eighteen females and five men. A matinée performance was going on at the time the police entered, and the audi torlum was filled with men. The fithy indecencies exhivited at the theatre for so long under the name of the “Cancan’” were at the heigats but the presence of Captain McDonnell put an instant stop to them and created an excitement in the place. Arush lor the exits Was made by the vast concourse of rougns in the house, but tue alarm Was caliued by tue police, Who desired tie men to keep order, a3 noone but those engaged in the exhibition would be are Tested. ‘I'he curtain was quickly dropped on she stage, and the poor wretched women scudded of into every corner taey could posstbiy reach Irom the police. ‘They kaa into the ceilars aud fies, and hid oebind wings, stoves, boxes and barreis; but they were ali duearthed aod arrested. A more abject or miserable looking set of poor creatares could with diticuity be jound in another place in the city than tuese women looked on the way to the station nouse incharge of the officers, As tne police weut into the theatre an immense crowd of men and boys, the buys bemng Jargety in the ase cendancy, gathered at the front und rear ene trances and watted unctl the prisoners were brouzht out. They then followed them to tne lockup, shouting, yelling aud hooting all the way. ‘The wreats amazement to the pubic who knew to what a flithy aud disgusting extent the performances Of this theatre were carried has jor a jong time been that the authorities should permit such a den to remain open. Sev. eral eiforts were made by tne police fo oreak it up, bus througa some looseness in the law t house was reopened after eaca raid, Recorder Hackett granted the warrant ander which the ar Tests of yesterday were made, and there ts no Gouot that at last the mavter has sot into the proper hands, i the exhtbitions atthe Metro- poltan Theatre were contined to the men wo usually irequented the piace very little harm would provably come through them, ‘Tne uu- dieuve was made up of persons who were past the stume of disgust. But tne theatre 1s situated in a plice where many Strangers to the city are constantly passiog, aud these persons are not lutrequently drawn 10 there under the impression It was a regular variety theuire, and taeir appreciation of metrop litan tastes aud morals may be readily guessed at. Very painiu! sights were sometimes co be Wwite, nessed af the front entrance to this hous2, Ladies, visitors to tue city, Would get caught, and aiter being a tew minutes in there, just Jong enough to sce the shamesut character of the periormance, they would rush from the place wiit their heads aii covercd up for lear any one should notice tuem, OL course these ladies were taken in by their hus bands or brochers, a3 the case may be, who were inocent of the true style of the piace as the ladies Who accompanied them, One could see the extremes Ol age there at all umes, and the fudiences were always considerable. The persons arrested yesterday gave their names as Marup Campoell, Charles F, Seabert, Aunie Luiie Raymoud, Sadie Meehan, Loutsa Muller, Lottie Anderson, Lizzy Stetnciair, Marta Goodinan, Kate Howard, Lillie Gilbert, Kate Dougiass, Jenuie Dougiass, Nelie Young, Jono Manning, Thomas De Vere, Vharies Vincent, Jona Rourk, Amelie n, Jeremy Hawlay, Jose Howafd, Annie Sherman, Rose Du Val. They will be are raigned belore Recorder Hackett to-day. TEE SAILOR MOVEMENT. It would seem that the measure brought before Congress toamend the Shipping Commissioners’ Act is not to be allowed to sleep. A committee of the sailors’ Protective Union held a meeting last evening, at which Mr. William Churchill presided, After the transaction of gome routine business it Was stated (nat matters were progressing favor. ably at Washington, ihe change proposed in the existing law and which meets, 16 Was stated, with the approval of masters and owners of American Vesseis, 1s tu have & Commissioner acting directly Unuer the control and observation of the revenue authorities, and who saould bave bis piace of busin Wituin the Custom House, The Commissioner's duties, it was contemplated, are to be strictly contined to witnessing tne shipping and dischargiug of crews, 80 a8 to remove ail grounds for charges ot alleged collection of wi Is cutled “blood money” on the pars of deput abd persons representing themseives as agihor- ized bo ObtuN crews lut vessels under the present Oct. It Was stated also that the reasons laid beiore the proper uuthorities at the nacional capt: tal, including the President, the retary ol tue Navy anu the secretary ot tho Treasury, tor ree Keving satiors trom the wrongs under which taey Qt present suifer, were as fo1lows:— ‘That sailors, under the Shipping Commissioners’ act, are debarred irom 1ecuurse to United States courts when they are wrouged and are lett abso« lutely at the merey of tae Commissioner, trom Whose action, Whatever it may be, ‘there is ho appeal. Furthermore, it 1s alleged, the operation o; the Law 1s most oppressive; tat It tiMvoses a direct tax upon the saior and his employer lor the benefit of individuals, Whose Ob+ ject I$ not to bengdt tie sauors but to enrich themselves, and this is done while the laborer on shore—who is better pald—is Hot sudject to any such imposi, Vinaily, under the law as it lormerig eXisted, protection Was extended as far as Vous Bross can proceck. ‘The committee appotnted to engage a large halt for the purpose of hulding a public meeting, to Wiltel ail classes oF citizens are tO be LaVited te consider tae claulais of sailors lor justice, are tastructed to express the desire that all se da or Loe igstay: having the mteresis or clayming to have the Interests of seamen or mar ters at beart shall bo preseat. ol tne UUN: z