The New York Herald Newspaper, September 6, 1875, Page 3

' BEECHER. The Largest Audience of the Season in the Mountain Tabernacle. Scathing Reply to an Attack of the Religious Press, THE SABBATH QUESTION CONSIDERED. A Sermon on the Cross of Christ in Ancient and Modern Days. ‘Twix Mountaix Hovse, Sept. 5, 1875. To-day, notwithst¢nding the unpromising aspect of the weather, an audience very largely In excess of that Which has assembled here on any previous Sunday Pathered under the great tent to listen to the fifth of the present series of the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher’s mountain discourses. ‘There were forty-five cars in the | Various trains which came from Stanstead, in Canada, and from White River Junction, Plymouth, Lancaster and other places, bringing passengers from the numer- ous stations on their respective routes, The number of vehicles that came from neighboring villages aud hotels | ‘was 145, Not only was the tent full, but it is estimated | that 1,000 of those who came by the latest trains, being unable to tind accommodations inside of the can- ¥as, remained outside. The seating of the vast congre- gation was a more diffleult task than on either of the previous Sundays, but it was efficiently performed by the enlarged corps of ushers that had been organized for the purpose. The singing was admirably conducted. by L. O Emerson, of Boston, As usunl, on the plat- form were several vases of Veautiful flowers and leaves, A large portion of the interval—oceasioned by the late arrivals of several of the trains—between the hour ap- Pointed for the exercises to commence and the time when they bogan was occupied by Mr. Beecher with Temarks respecting attacks which have been nade upon | the services held here from Sunday to Sunday, and | ‘Upon him as officiating at those services. AN ANSWER TO ATTACKS, He said:—I will call your attention a few moments to the attitude ofa portion of the religious press on the abject of these meetings in the mountains, ‘That on the Sabbath day there shoult be preaching among the houses in the mountains, where men resort for summer rest and recreation, seems to plain and unlettered men us a thing for deyout thanksgiving, and we should be- forehand, if we were not acquainted with the religious Press, suppose that, above dill other papers in the coun- try, they would express thanks that the great crowd of | pleasure seekers had an opp), amity on the Sabbath day, however far from hes», to worship God, to hear the truth spoken and to ive and beur back with them, it might ‘be some salatary moral | intuences. I do not undertake to charge ‘the whole body of religious journals with an improper spirit, for shave not seen hem, but there are two jour- Hals that have thought it ioot to criticis. this. ter, whose articles have been ji) my hand. One of them ls the Congregationalist, of iy, and the other is the Vermont Chronicle, Both of tiem are most estimable | religious journals. Ido not know how it is with the vthers, but one of them is conducted by men whose ames are eminent in the Church, and whose good | Wallties Tam glad to recognize. I, therefore, think it | lair for myself, for the gentlemanly proprietorsof the Twin Mountain House and for the respectable and nota- _ ble congregation that assemble here from Sabbath to Babbath, to mark with emphasis the spirit of the criti- isms that have been made. Let ime begin by Baying first that of all our mere external institutions | Done ought to be cherished more sedulously and none Ought to bo better loved than the seventh day of every , Week, or the first day of every week, or one day in seven, In every community where the Sabbath is lost Bight of that community may be said to be almost like an , observatory out of whose telescope the object glass has “fallen, and which cannot reveal worlds afar off, That Which degrades the Sabbath weakens its power and treads it under foot. Whatever it be, no patriot, and certainly no Christian man and patriot, ought to hesitate for a moment to condemn it, We can spare a great many things, but we cannot sparo the Christian Babbatt, Now, in the progress of civilization, in the introduction of new agencies, all business is trans- formed, the relationships of the community are thanged, and things which were impossible and needless a hundred years ago have become common Bnd indispensable, and the consequence 1s that HOW TO KEEP THK SABLATH day is a very serious and often a very perplexing ques- tion. I don’t find fault with any teacher, editor or | preacher who desires to discuss the expediency or pro- priety of any particular custom which may obtain in | regard to the Sabbath day. But what I ask is that they | When years ago there was great distress in New York | carry | is-« grief to multitudes of Christian people all through | have tried to believe him innocent of the great sin charged shall not discuss it till they have taken pains to know the facts about which they talk; that they shall not at- tempt to preserve the Sabbath day by violating the spirit and the letter of the decalogue themselves; that they shall not undertake to keep God’s Sabbath and yet disown every one of those feelings which mark the Christian character and Christian disposition, I myself say that the running of trains on the Lord’s Day to camp meetings or to places of | preaching is to me #0 comparatively new that [am not | prepared to express approval or disapproval of it. It is | ‘A question about which I wish more facts and more lime, If it shall be found, on the whole, to weaken the noral affections with which people hold the Sabbath, [shall uot hesitate to join those who would dissuade ny fellow citizens from such a practice, Butif it be found, not only that it is harmless, but that it conduces to the great ends for which the Sabbath itself was cre- ated, then I shall defend the custom, 1 shall not ask what is the best thing for men who are well off and have their own wagons and carriages and property, and live above want and trouble, and are ers Of their own time through the week, I shall ask what is best for needy mien. for workingmen, for men who are under the bondage of employ ers during week days and who have no free command of their time? What is best for them on the Sabbath day will comport with the spiritof our Lord and Master, who said that the Sabbath was made tor man and not man for the Subbath. If you can preserve the Sabbath only by sacrificing the interests of the community KILL IT DRAD, for there is nothing on the broad earth in law or govern- ment or organization that has value comparable with the welfare of the living people who are under law, ander government and under organization. We must ask, what 1s best for the great mass of the common peo- ple? If the running of trains to religious services on | Sunday is found to be prejudicial to them it can be tasily stopped, but it cannot be stopped when such a tpirit is brought to bear upon it as lam sorry to see manifested in the Vermont Chronicle, from which I pro- pose to read to you, My friends, fellow citizens, Chris- tian men, I propose to read to you @ paragraph from this religious journal, and ask you is it manly? Is it Christian? Is it decent? I will not put the whole of it into you. After going on with geveral remarks of dis- approbation, which are well enough, ft says ‘There are three parties who are mainly responsible for it | and especially interested in it, First, there are the keepers the Mountain hotels, who find it « to sell a finner on Sunday to hundreds of those who are drawn there mm that day, and having been riding all the morning find Meuselvers possensed oF @ wood appetite, Besides muking | the Subbath peculiarly the most profitable day of all the week, the coming of stich numbers and the newspaper notices Mieited thereby most effectually advertise their business, Now, in the first place, I wish to say that these Sab: bath convocations were not got up; they grew. Five years ago, coming to this retreata refugee from hay fever, I felt, although it was my vacation and I had no Mtrength to spare, that I could not see 200 or 260 people in the wilderness without any service on Sunday, and Mt the request of the boarders of the hotel 1 agreed to told a Sabbath morning service, As soon as it was tnown there began to come trom the Fabyan, from the | Crawford, from other neighboring hduses and from Bethlehem men, women and children, and the parlor won became too straitened for us, Nevertheless, for four years wo attempted to accommodate those who came ag fur a8 it was poxsible, every year the stress being greater, until this year it has become unendurable, and this tent was procured for the relief of the servants and ali that labor (athe house, In regard to proiit, I say that the promt bo this hotel is not as groas as the trouble; for, alskhough | no answer to give t | couple of hymns and a prayer, there are a few who remain to dine, the vast majority do not Not noar so many remain to dinner since the traing commenced running a8 were Hecustome - fore, Although the days on which these services are held are days on which enyious and uncharitable per- sons may say that they are seeking their interests, I say, and it is due to the Messrs Barron that I should say it, that they go against their interests by shutting up their bar and permitting no drinking at their house on Chose days, and making no extra provision in any way what- ever to lure men to their table; but feeling it, on the whole, to be incommodious to their stated guests, and submitting to it because it seems to be desired by their guests. Ido not believe that, so far as pecuniary con- siderations are concerned, they bave ever made any considerable sum—anything that can be worthy of a thought as a motive for all the trouble that they have been patto, have also a word to say about t vertising their business. This ting is simply mean, ix a fling which no gentleman making once in your par. lor would be found in your parlor again to make. ‘Tf you poeta have piety in Christian men you ought at least to have ORDINARY DECENCY AND COURTESY, If it doos advertise their house 1 am glad of it. for food, Mr, A. T. Stewart, a milliounaire, opened asoup chamber or room in his large store, where thousands and thousands of the poor of the city received nutri- ment; but many men, through the newspapers, tlung ut Mr. Stewart and said, sneeringly, “Oh, he knows how t6 advertise Wis business, ” My reply then was and iy reply now is that of all way’s of advertising business the one that I like best is that im which you bitch humanity to your busi- ness und make your selfishness serve the wellaro of mankind, and if any = merchant is willing to become’ noted by the abounding Kindness | with which he conducts bis business, or if a howl | keeper is willing, for the sake of advertising his house, | to help five thousand people to hear the Gospel preached, and so promote the good of humanity, then L say let them have all the advantage which they can | derive from such # course, ‘This paper goes on to say ;— | ‘The railroads adopt the sume view of the matter that the | hotels do. They their trains on the Lord's Day, contrary to their usual custom, because of the expected additional pecuniary gain, It gives thei n days in the week in Aghich to replenish their treusu end of six. Tn order to this plan, both hotels and the rail. | row Nave to 'y a large number of | ervons in secular labor on the Sabbath, taking them away from their homes and their ordinary oF worship, be: sides disturbing the peace and rder in hundreds of villages; enticing people, under to | spend the sabbath on a pleasire excursion without, perhiips, | after all, giving them any opportunity to seem to sanctity. | their holiday by coming where they could hear the voice of prayer or praise. ‘There you see the cast of mind. Not one effort to find a good motive; not one single statement of any advantage; alow toned imputation of sinister motive; not only to the railroads, but to you, saying that you cover your desire for a Sunday excursion by a pretence of prayer and praise in this tabernacle. Now, || do nol suppose that railroad corporations would run their trains purely and merely for th sake of promoting the public welfare eyen in preaching. But I believe that the gentlemen who éontrol the great railroad corporations are men who, while running their | trains somewhat with an eye to profit, are glad that | their profits come int the way of brmging men to meet. | ing. I believe that they have, as we all have, mingled motives, and that among their ‘motives is the real belief ‘that good is done by the running of their extra trains. T have been accustomed always to look for the best motives among men, but then I am not orthodox. I certainly am not if sich a man as wrote this arucle is. He says still further ‘The third party vo this desecration of the Sabbath is Mr. Beecher. If it were not in accordance with his wishes to increuse the business of the hotels on the Sabbath; to have the railroads run excursion trains on that day to his Doarding place; too scores of depots wally shut on God's. ‘sacred and to break the solemn stillness of the Sabbath along’ hundreds of miley of railrouds by the seraeehiug of engines and thundaring of trains, none ol ‘That I preach these things would be done, Look at the style of the imputation, not because 1 love mankind; not because I love Jesus Christ, who is more to me than futher and mother and brother and sister; not because my: whole heart is bound up in the welfare of any fellow-ten, but for the sake of helping this hotel, That is the Christin editor, It [saw that man T could pray with hii, and I could love him. have only an abstract idea before my mind when I speak bitterly of him. It is not the personal man, I have no donbt that he ts a good fellow, but he is using the wrong stops in his organ, He coutinues:— de word from bi We re- e the whol cs «with the understanding thut they of the hotel, and for those living in the “immediate wel:chbor nood who could not well be accommodated elsewhere, it would put an end at once to ull these Sabbath trains, this ex- tra work and this Sabbath journeying. In other words, when a man preaches the Gospel he is responsible for all those incidental evils Which accom- pany it, If a man’s horse runs away with him when © is golngto the village church, such an editor as this says TTF that minister did not have seryico on Sunday, the man never Would go, and he would run no risk of Being run away with.” If & man journeys and gets dust on him, the mnfer- ence is, according to such logic, that he likes dust, or he would not make a journey,’ The bringing of 5,000 people here to attend religiols worship has its inci- dental inconveniénces, no doubt, but it is not this man’s idea that I preach the Gospel in the hope of see- ing you m God's Judgment day better men and better women, His idea is that I preach to help the hotcl, and because I like to hear the roaring engine during the meeting. Well, there is another passage here that is, I think, exquisite:— Do any of these parties suppose Mr, Beecher himself is so puifed Up ay to tuagine that the Gospel of Christ is not preached as truly and evangelically.by the pastors in all the towns through which these trains run us itis by himself t ‘a supposition is hardly conceivable. Mr. Beecher may greater powers of illustration, more of the gifts of | oratory, more of the exeelleney of speec und the enticing words of man’s wisi thau the pastors of most of but what | evidence iy there that h Muster and preseats more traly tI n they ? Certainly the revelations which the ears have past, two given o his principles and manuer of life would hardly war- Fant the conclusion that he had attained toa greater inoral excellence than his more humble brethren in the ministry, is better qualuied to preach the Gospel in its A religious service on the mountain, with preaching Beecher, cannot be urged us alld reason turning the Sabbath into «day ol tras by thousands, when every individual who hears him could hear the Gospel at his own home. We cannot underst how Mr. Beecher should be willing to pursue « or towns, disturbing their Sabbath worship, railrodds und others to necessary labor on the Lord forward the desecration of | it, encouraging | co, ot ae day, and helping We have hoped, we upon him, He would help our taith in him mw ellously if he | would conduct himself more like # inan conscious of his own innocence, and not like one who needed constantly to be us- sured that others believed him innocent in order that he night be vatistied. Haye the events of th tored in him such « morbid craving for the ine praixe and applause that he cannot pass even his anual va- cation in quiet, but must have the pre of numbers doing him homage to sutisty his restless feeling and insure his peace of mind ‘There is Christianity—a lovely instance of it, Thave If that man dies in the spirit of miud in which le now 4s I shall never meet him, but if he changes and goes to heaven the first thing be’ will say to me there will be:— “1 ain sorry for that mean article I wrote,” Now L ask you again, ladies and gentlemen, Christian citizens, is that the Lomper in Which we are to have the | Sabbath question discussed? Can any good come out of such guardians of public peace and purity as men that have a disposition like that? Is it not morbidly wicked Is it not conceived in the LOWEST TENTS OF MEANNESS? I shall be glad to see the Subbuth question discussed, and shall take part myselt ere long tu its discussion, all the time seeking how best to preserve the Sabbath and to bring out of IL the good that is in it, But Lappeal to you Whether the Sabbath question, with its perplest- ties, can be discussed properly if there are wo be mixed With the discussion all mauuer of personalities aud im- 18 of motives and criticisins of conduct and cer which are vord of truth which mis- present tacts, Are such men triends of the Sab- | bathy Are they not detiling ity Are they | not trampling it with hovis “into the ground? | 1 am not speaking of the individual; Tam | speaking of the abstract man called an editor. ‘I should | be guiMy of an omission if did not say taat Ue Con- regationalist is tur more decent; that while it repro Rites 1 does hot: by a thousand degrees, approach the bud quality of uhe Spirit ot ( crticle, parts of which L have read to you, lor the Congregationalist 18 comely and, generally speaking, I think 1 makes a great deal of honey, but it must admit that at the working end there is w litte mstrument Unat does not make honey, ‘At the close of these remarks the regular exercises of e morning began, ‘The sermon was preceded by a In the prayer occurred u the following passage :— UE PRAYS VOR OUR ENEMIB: “We beseech of ‘Thee, if we have enemies, not only that Thou wilt forgive them, but that Thou wilt bless them im changing tueir nature or their dispositions. Lf | We have wronged others may we make haste to mak a@tonement; Hl they have wronged us may that bea | Teason Why we should beseech in their behalf the merey | we pray that, though the adversary impute | to us evil intentions, this day, in this place, inay be a | day to be remembered ax loug as we live for the im- | pulses toward gooduess Which we shall receive, for the | uplifting of our desires to God and for the reestablish. ment of our purpose Lo live godly and sincerely in this | present evil world.” ‘The thoughts of | THE SEEMON | took their origin in the sixteenth verse of the first chapter of Kowans—For 1 am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto sul tio to every one that be 4; to the Jew tirst, and also to the Greek.” ‘he tirst part of the discourse con- sisted Of an explanation of the iast clause of the wxt, Which, the preacher swid, Was in some respects the Doldest part of the whole passage, although ihad init no meaning to us, In expounding the urst clause he showed that, while in our day the gospel of Christ is popular, in the time of the apostles noviing was more unpopular, and that, theretor words were written they Speaking of the cross, he said:—"We put it im gold, but it. was dragged through the mud from Jerusalem to Calvary; it 18 carved and worn as an. ob. ject. ‘of beauty, and) a thousand throbbing, bosoms heave atid find that the cross is en when itis in diamonds and pearls and gold Dut the old cross, the. original cross, a man on his back. It was not fastened around bis neck or to his bosom. He was fastened on it, and by the pain which it administered, by the hutuiliation of it, it dis closed its glorious power ne fidelity and hei y and light wnd silver, ud to Wear m of Paul in proclaiming the Gospel of Christ in the tace of opposition and persecu- tion were strikingly portrayed. A considerable portion of the sermon was devoted to an untolding of those ¢lements in which the power of the Gogpel consists, Various minor toples growing out of the abo discussed, and the sermonas a whole was an ab logical treatment of the general subject of the text. ‘the discourse being ended a hymn was sung, after which the wudienee was dismissed with a bemediction by the Rey, W. B. Wright, of Bostom | upon’ you this moment, } thi | York merchants are proud of the Henan. | it be, gave no signs of an uy NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER MOODY. OPENING OF THE GREAT EVANGELIST'S LABORS IN AMERICA—AN ELOQUENT AND SEARCHING EXHORTATION TO HIS FELLOW TOWNSMEN—A GREAT REVIVAL PREDICTED. Nonrurrenp, Mass, Sept 5, 1876. Mr, Moody, the celebrated evangelist, who, in com- pany with his friend, Mr, Sankey, stirred up such a religious commotion in Europe, has commenced to-day the work of evangelizing the American people, The initiatory effort was made here, in his native town of Northfield, and it can be truly described as eminently successful. The idea of a public reception to Mr Moody by his fellow townsmen having been aban- doned, the celebrated revivalist consented to commence his missionary efforts among those who were anx- fous to hear him, for the name and fame which he had earned abroad, ‘The orthodox church of the village, a modest little structure in its way, was se- lected for the purpose, and the interior was most elab- orately decorated with floral tributes by the ladies of the town, Nearly the whole community turned out and many came from long distances in carriages and business vehicles to participate inthe services. ‘The crowd was so large in fact, that it was necessary to abandon the church, und Mr. Moody was obliged to preach in the open air. THE PRELIMINARY EXERCISES: consisted of the singing by the assembled multitude of a series of devotional hymns, Mr, Moody, however, re- fraining from joining in this portion of the Subsequently a fervent prayer was offered by Rey, Mr. Stevens, of Bernardston, and then, after more singing, the great evangelist’ commenced his ad- dress, Ho wore a stylish straw hat during the greater part of his exhortations, and his striking and genoral | work-life appearance was not such @s to indicate him tobe the great champion of retigion that he really is. Ue read a few passages from Holy Writ and then an- nounced this his text from Acts, xi, 14—“Who shall {oll thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.” THR SERMON. He commenced at once to encourage his hearers to realize their danger in living an indifferent life, and cited the example of Cornchus as a fitting one for them to consider, He talked in very plain language, and intimated that there | were many people in Northfield and the surrounding | towns who were very wicked and profane and that unlike God, they failed to keep their word or to always pay 100 cents on the dollar, As the expounder of the great religions truth proceeded in his remarks he be- came strikingly eloquent, and his gestures and move- ments indicated’ that he had a genuine aud enthusiastic interest in his choice work of rescuing mankind from sin and. perdition, His hearers were involuntarily charmed and interested from the beginuing, and on several oceasions there were mations which indi- cated that his words were proving quite eflectual. His ANKCDOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS were very pointed and at times aimusing, and he all the thine, kept the idea prominent that he Was talking to people who needed enlightening on the matter of salva- tio: “If, he said, ‘the Angel Gabriel should come down ou should ask him not for weultli, but for eternal life.” ‘The gospel, he believed, to be something that they should not turn away. from, but which he hoped all Within his hearing would em? brace, and that the word “Eternity” would be written on the eyeballs of every one of them, Toward the close of his remarks Mr, Moody became very ailecting and eloquent, and during the tinal prayer which he olfered there was a reverent silence and attention which it is impossible to deseribe, A LITTLE INCIDENT at this time was the perching of a couple of doves upon the beliry of the holy editice, where they retained mo tionless Until afer the benediction was pronounced, ‘Tho services, Which were commenced at about hall-past five, concluded with the approach of twilight’ and it is seareely necessary to add that Mr. Moody was warily congratulated by all who had listened to his et- ctive words, He scarcely regards this event, how- , as anything more than a preliminary service, but next week the Work of evangelizing will be coramenced in thorough carnest, and. it is predicted on all hands that there Will ensue Gue of the most prominent re vivals witnessed inthis country for many years. Mr. Sankey will arrive here on Wednesday, accompanied by Messrs, Bliss and Whittle, and meotings will be com- menved without a moment's delay, the principal one being held ina grove in the neighborhood on Sunday next. Mr. Beecher, independently from Moody and Sankey, however, will preach here‘one week from next Sunday, aud the probabilities, therefore, are that the Connecticut Valley evangelization movement will be looked upon with’ considerable interest by the rest of the country, NEWS AND COMMERCE. [From the Board of Trade Gazette, Sept. 4.) Apart from the mere politician, the merchant, banker and manufacturer are most dependent upon the news- paper, The lawyer, doctor and priest may possibly be well read in their text-books and then be content with their professional experiences as the only remaining means of further information required for the perform. ance of their duties. Alike in war time as in peace, the pulpit, bar, and pestle and mortar are resorted to, and preacher, advocate and physician earn their money. But the merchant, banker and manufacturer are obliged to watch with keenness the political horizon, near and distant, the markets of the world, and moral, social, physical and financial conditions of the universe. The most faithful and value able if not the only assistant in the daily study of values, credits, prices, conditions of supply and de- mand, personal, local and national responsibilities, is found to be the newspaper. Personal observation may gain much, private correspondence may be of great ser- vice, and yet without the daily paper the banker, mer- chant or manufacturer would work in the dark, and a | thousand times increase the risk of failure. The London Times is a ponderous, reliable, steady, respectable, well circulated sheet, Compare any num, ber of that journal with the New York Hxraup of tho same date and in five minutes the reasons appear why the leading journal of Europe is unequal to the leading Journal of the United States, The cexresponding ager and the circulation of the great American paper are alike ubiquitous. Mighty potentates, whose presence is hedged in with pomp and ceremony, and whose power is so appreciated by their ennobled subjects that even rank and title tremble at their utterances—these same emperors and ezars are interviewed and catechised by “Hekanp reporters.” When empires rush into furious war the HeraLp representative is writing bis report of the carnage on cavalry saddle or on the very cannon that is sending out death to the foe, What a miserly government in the Old World failed to do that the Herat, with unprecedented munificence and pub- lic spirit, aid, when, from Broadway, Stanley was com- missioned to form an expedition to discover the long lust Livingstone, and thus advance etvilization and give an example of American tact, pluck and gereros- ity, We have not space even to allide to the many spectal achievements of the New York Heratp, any ‘one of which would have been a great historical fact in the career of any other | paper. The extraordinarily free, early and iMustrated reports of the recent rifle mateh in Treland, the newly appomted special train every Sunday to Niagara, whereby our Western cities have been brought al realy nearer to us, and the Postmaster General has becn shown how the United States government can do daily what the Heraxy does weekly—these and many | like administrative feats prove that if our metropolitan city government were as well administered as is the business of the HxraLp we should years ago have had apid transit, a public library, a better supply of water, decent markets, convenient docks, more public baths, a more worthy police force, improved paving, better terminal fueilities, fewer official ves in the publie departments, less taxation, a lighter debt and a much more prosperous city, New Its unsec- tarianism and impartiality in religion, its independence in politics, and 1t# fearless advocacy of the rights of the poorest citizen who pleads for justice, all help to in- crease its popularity, It is at once the leader and the servant of the great public; and when great railroad corporations are bankrupt, the foremost bankers fail ing, mills, mines and factories closed, ordinary trade profitiess, and our city treasury empty, there remains at least the pleasing fact that the net revenue from the Hera is suilicient to maintain the establishment of a prine The Evening Telegram, vy its spirited daily London market report, has lately become of increased value to our city merchants and bankers, THE PENITENTIARY CONSPIRACY. ‘The precautions taken on Hlackwell’s Island by order of Commissioner Brennan against a revolt among the prisoners were continued yesterday. Owing to the day being Sunday, however, aud no work being done, th efficacy could not so well be tested as on a working da So far‘all Was quiet, and the slumbering vole: aval, Tho pr and it is expected that the nexi few days Will tell whether the desperate characters contined in the Penitentiary are really conspiring to make u bold attempt to recover their liberty or nob will be continue | Hes A PAGE OF HISTORY. The Origin of Our Revolution Noted by a Venetian Ambassador. CURIOUS LATYERS OF THE LAST CENTURY, Shrewd Comments on America’s Strength for Rebellion. “THE KNIFE BY THE HANDLE.” Vesice, August 17, 1875. Looking over some old books in a friend's library in Venice, I came across a folio volume of manuscript let- ters written by an ancestor of the family in 1764-06, ac: credited Ambassador of the Serenissima Republic to the British Court, and the impartial, matter-of-fact way in which he narrates the course of events has a charm which cannot fail to attract American readers. The letters are addressed to the Serenissima Principe Doge Aloise Mocenigo IIL, and the writer is a true Venetian diplomat, keenly alive to all that can inter or hartn his beloved country. Nothing escapes him. ures hew models from the dockyards after long patience and watching; gives minute details about vacci- nation on the day that the King has the experiment tried on his children; relates every phase in the strug. gle made by the silk weavers of England to hinder the introduction of French and Italian silks; advises repri- sals, exhorts Venice tor refuse British woollen good: and ft one letter gives the statistics British commerce with the entire world. W regard to the American struggle, he evidently feels neither love nor hate for the’contending parties, save that Pitt is is hero, henee ho is inclined to sym- pathize with all that enlists the support of that states. | man. ‘Tho sixty-sixth letter of the scrtes is the first that re- Jates to the colonies, and in his exposition of the motives that induced the mother country to levy the obnoxions tax, ho hits the right nail on the head with great naivelé, “A very serious and important affair,” he writes on the Ist of November, 1765, “is that whieh, dur- ing these latter duys, has disturbed the minds of the English Minivtry, The revenue of the British crown | amounts to £9,000,000 per annum, while the public debt amounts to £150,000,000, and the interest on this sum, the expenses of exactions, &e., detracted from the rov- enue, but £4,000,000 per annum remain, Now, consti ering the grandeur and the extension of these realms, it isclear that the royal exchequer can ill sustain the claims mado on it for the maintenance of the royal family, of the army, of its formidable navy; hence it is easily understood that all the stadies and efforts of this government are directed to discover sources whence to draw new funds and so balance inerease and =~ expenditure. ‘Thus last winter Signor Grenville, first Lord of the Treasury, finding a deficit of 100,000 guineas bethought himself increasing the duties on cef@ain drugs that pass through | the Custom House, and moreover imagined the imposi- tion of u tax on all law documents by introducing stamped paper into America, believing thus to produce an income of £60,000 per annum. Having caused Par- Mament by eloquence and flattery to swallow this spe- | cious proposition, it was passed unanimously by both houses, then sent for execution to the respective gov- eruments of the American colonies. Now it cannot be denied that from the point of view of British necessities the project was plausible, bat, founded on the nneertain resignation of a distant people, ft met with difficulties | from the first and engendered speedily tumults and in- | surrection. Onthe night of the 26th of August it ‘seems that the inhabitants of Boston, the capital of New England, sacked and destroyed: the houses of the Custom House Inspector and of the Chief of the Ad- miralty, and carried off the money from both depart- ments belonging to the Crown. ‘The motive’ alleged by the Ami¢ricans for these excesses is the infringement of their privileges by THE IMPOSITION OF THE STAMP DUTY, and now they maintain that it appertains to their Gen- eral Assemblies and not to the British Parliament to impose taxes and burdens on the colonies, and they re- fase to submit to the new law in the first place, and de- mand that for the fature the colonies shall send men bers to the British Parliament, even as Scotland does, or that a law be passed depriving that Parliament of the power to impose taxes and burdens on the colonies, ‘This spirit of independence, the alarm at the proten- sions of the mother country, is not confined to Boston, but is shared by all the inland and seaboard cities of the new continent. What makes the affuir so serious is that whereas the actual Ministry is compelled, for the dignity of Parliament, to adhere to the resolution taken, it isan affair of snch nature as admits neither a com- promise nor modification. If the Ministry yield the prestige of Parliament is forfeited; if it persist, as it will do, an appeal to arms, always of uncertain issue, is inevitable, Inland and seaboard cities united, a people who feel themselves owners of rich products, who have begun to traflic independently of the mother country, who have arts and trades, who, since their late war, are sufliciently versed in arms, are no mean antagonists."” ‘The writer here narrates the vast preparations mate in England to increase and strengthen her fleet, ostensibly for the African expedition; notifies the death of the i Duke of Cumberland, and begs for a subsidy for the expenses of mourning. In successive letters he gives THE NEWS OF THE DAY; dwells on the efforts made by Great Britain to secure the alliance of France, Austria and Russia; deplores the persecution of Catholics, whose charches, hitherto tol- erated, have been closed on account of the tamults’ ex- cited by Philps’ life of Cardinal Pole and his stric- tures on the Protestant religion; notes the failure of the efforts made to induce Pitt to enter the Cabinet; enu- merates the English difficulties with the people elamor. ing for a reduction of taxes, Spain refusing the two mill jon crowns, France dismantling Dunkirk, Canada with the question of the letters of marque unsettled, and in- sists that the aftir of the stamp duty is the gravest question of all, “Only in case of war,” he adds, “could Mr. Pitt be induced to form a ministry. He is the only man who has credit with, who enjoys the c fidence of the nation; the only minister who could in- duce Parliament to vote the necessary funds.” On the 13th of December he writes ‘The question of the American colonies becomes every day more seri- ons, Two hundred of the principal merchants of New York have deliberated that, unless the act be revoked; they Will reject all the merchandise belonging to British subject." The populace have destroyed the house of the Governor, and, unable to seize hin in person, have burnt him in effigy. Hence, the Governor has prudently informed the citizens that he shall not attempt to exact the obnoxious tax, and shall immediately inform the home government."? He then dilates on the emptiness of the King’s speech at the opening of Parliament; says that to hide from the people the serious state of affairs in America he at first decided not to speak at all, and, finally, that he should touch vaguely on all matters; and the Chambers, in reply, should promise that as soon as the papers be laid before them they would do ail that lay in their power to adjust the affairs with the colo- nies, Later, he states that the colonists have re British merchandise for the value of 700,000 guineas, and that they affirm that they will no longer trade with Great Britain; and this, he adds, “has roused the tre o¢ British merchants, damaged so seriously in their interests,”? for the largest profits of this commercial nation are derived from the American « The country gains enormously by the sale of its own goods and manufactures, and also by the rich merchandise which it receives in exchange, Allsorts of wares are shipped off to. the colonies, good and bad, useful and harmful, Happy is this nation, which has safe and certain markets for all its superflul- ties, which receives precious merchandise for its old and often smoke-dried wares, Their tra with their American possessions, islands and mainiands, amounts for the subjects of Great Britain to the annual sum of five millions of pounds sterling, employs incessantly six hundred ships and thirty thousand sailors, As yet it is not known What expedients will be resorted to, as all is governed here by party spirit, Many are the parties— many will be the projects, All that is certain is that the Admiralty has sent pressing orders to the dockyards of Portsinouth and Plymouth to get ready as many ships wud frigates as possible, in caso Parliament decide to 6, 1875.—TRIPLE SHEET. of | ected | 3 bring the mutineers to obedienee by force. Meanwhile Prince Frederick William, THE KING'S BROTHER, DIES, and puts our poor Ambassador to fresh expense for mourning, and the Irish rebel against fresh taxation, and Parliament opens on the 4th of January in the ut. most pery y, each party presenting eontrary and Y Opposite propositions, On the 2th of the Atnbussador transmits Pitt's famous of the colonies, and observ “This eloquent alar baran; ered in the Lower House, two effects—(1) It has proclaimed th vocation of the stamp duty, proving that the act is ileal and unjust; (2) it hus reawakened in the heart of the nation a desire to see Mr. Pitt in- trusted with the reins of government, he being consid. ered the only subject to whom the Crown can safely confide its affairs. In short, the publ talks: unreservedly of the revocation of the act and of the downfall of the present Ministry.” | Oa the Ist of Janua he deseribes the struggle between the two parties in Parliament; tne | tremendous excitement throughout the country? the indecision of the existing administration whose mem bers se to side with whichever party wins; the fear of the influence of France in the colonies; ‘the vain | tempts made to keep the details of the rebellion a secret from the populace; the triumph of the party which in sisted that all the papers and documents should be read to the House; the comments of Mr, Pitt during the reading; Lord Grenville’s exclamation;—*You, sir, are the trumpeter of the rebels; you deserve to be arrested | and the Tower.” He aflirms that there are four cout First, the party which sustains the | Fights of the sovereign coute qué coide; second, Pitt's | party of liberty and patriotism; third, the party of the we Cabinet, authors of the uct; fourth, the party of | the actual Cabinet. “Day and night the debates goon, | biting, flery, furious, and the full’ point gained is a vote with uly five nays against 120 yeas that the Parlia. mont of Great Britain possessed, possesses and ought evor to possess the right of laws, regulations for the governnient of the colonies and’ the people of America who are dependents and subjects of the ritish crown.” Again Pitt's speech is praised, in which he affirms that even as the fr . people of Great Britain have the right of voting their OWN Uexes b) so imeans of their respeetive members, even © American colonies ought not to be regarded as conqucred countries, butas countries inhabited and cullivated by 60,000 English families who went forth to those remoie regions Tor the progress of commerce and for the beneiit of the nation, that they retain all » rights and privileges passed by them in the mother , and that, being unrepresented in the British Parliamont, the free constitution, the laws of the realtn | forbid the infliction of taxes and burdens against their | will and without their consent, He next describes THE CONDITION OF THE COLONIES, | with a population of 2,000,000, of which’ 60,000 are capable of Dearing arms, observes that for the’ mother | country to seek to weaken her own subjects is unwise, that the British troops sent to subdue the colonies may | be easily” seduced, by prowise of lands and tacilities for boticring their condition, to lay down their arms, or to | turn them against the realm, He notes that the ques. has so disturbed the King that he has had to be | copiously twice, and that serious fears are entertained tor his health, He adds that owing to scant harvests it 18 forbidden to export gram from the King- don; that supplies from the colonies are anxiously ex- pected, | On the 28th- of February the Ambassador gives a con- cise, cloar and extremely impartial statement of the re- lations between the mother country and her American | colonics, and notes that the colonists can dam: Great Britain as effectually by withholding their own produce as by reusing British merchandise, “And their proceedings,” he continues, *unake inanifest their deliberate Intention to profit by' this occasion to throw olf the yoko of Great Britain, to repudiate their debt of £5,500,000 to British merchants, and to abolish their commerce with the United Kingdom,” rly, the writer thinks that the colonists have the “knife by the hundle.”” Should they earry out their in- | tentions, “this nation,” he continues, Would lose its richest ‘branch of commerce, that which renders it | wealthy and powerful, and would lose in great part that sploudid merehaut service which in ease ‘of need would prove the chief detence of Great Britain, Hore tho writer in successive letters traces the gradual dectine in the House of P: tof the ty- rannical and disdainful sprit which dictated the vote against Pitt's rst motion, “Trade is depressed, the | once wealthy merchants languish in misery, the people | clamor in vice and idleness, The act musi be revoked, and though the House will persist in proclaimmg its | right to impose taxes and burdens on the colonies, its imetubers will Link twice before they vote laws ‘that may provoke another protest such as this.” He then | narrates furmily how the Duke of York, “an not being nominated Admiral of the White Squadron, sided With the supporters of the act, prepared a speech, learned it by heart, commenced its delivery, forgot the sequel, stopped short and modestly sat down.” ‘On the 2ist of March he notities THE RRVOCATION OF THR ACT, and adds:—'Never was His Majesty King George so Jeted by the people as on that day. An enormous | ‘crowd of merchants, manufacturers and workingmen accompanied him on'his return trom Parliament with demonstrations of loyalty and shouts of joy. A. proof, all this, that the revocation insures not only mereantile prosperity, but also internal tranquillity, and that if the act had been persisted in a eivil war would have ensued between Great Britain and the colonic at home.” ‘Touching.the vote of the House of Lords he writes:—“This House, composed of Dukes and Lords, would preferred to maintain the actin all its rigor, | and to reduce the colonies to obedience by force of arms; but this furious populace vociferates, without any attempt at concealment, that if the peers fail to ratity the vote of the House of Commons they shall be sacri- ficed, one and all, at the dagger’s point, as they come out of the House.” When the news ofthe reeeption given to the revoca- tion returned to England the Venetian Ambassador re- lates the indignant surprise of the government and Par- hainent at the conduct of the colonists, who, instead of demonstrating their gratitude for the condescension of the mother countey, expressed their displeasure that Parliament should have reasserted its right to impose taxes and burdens on the colonies, “an assertion,” fused to obey.” He then sums up the reasons and motives of the conduct of the colonists:—“They say to themselves, France is the natural enemy of Great Britain. France possesses 10,000 square ules in Europe, 20,000,000 of inhabitants, gold and silver in abundance, many rich and useful products, Great. Britain, united to [rcland, covers but 6,000 square miles, has but 8,000,000 ried products,’ Hence, if she would maintain her pres- ent formidable position with regard to. Prai ouly do so by means of industry. And the industry gation with her American colonies, which, situated under another sky, furnish a variety of products and of raw material necessary to the manufuctories of the “United Kingdom, and, being separated trom her by the ocean, it is Wiese colonies which give life and motion to the British merchant servi Now,” reason the Americans, “the aim of every well regulatea govern- iment is to have « numerous population and great wealth, so that the subjects may fight” inglefence of their coun: try and with their riches pay the necessary taxes. Now, if eat Britain insist upon the act passed last your she will lose altogether her sway over the colonies, and can and Spain will avail themselves of the opportu...y enter into commercial relations with America and thus rain the commerce and shipping trade of Great Brit- ain.” THE AMBASSADORS PRARS, “And this persuasive method of reasoning has had great weight with the people and Parliament of Great Britain, and all are now auxious to come to a real aud lasting understanding,” When the refusal of the Americans to admit British merchandise to the act arrives, the Ambassador expresse: are carrying things too far, and continues— ion of the hearts of the subjects, Most Serene Prince, engenders serious apprehensions ‘in the minds of the ministers and seriously damages the ehiet trades of Lond mercantile tlass, both with regard to imports and exports, shipping grade, London, whieh only I and breathes by her commerce and shipping, 18 plunged into misery. All trade is suspended, which once Great Britain curried on with the kmgdoms and provinces of ype—the power of the Crown, the wealth of the na- tion is undermined.” With this dreary picture of the mother country the | letters, bound together by some member of the Ainbas- sador’s funily, end. | Succeeding Correspondence, as one can always gain ex- perience trom the point of view that strikes a stranger im internation:l allairs, AN ECONOMIST DROPS DEAD, TRAGIC AND SUDDEN ENDING OF AN INDUS- TRIOUS MAN'S LIFE—BANK BOOKS FoR $6,000 ON HIS PERSON. ‘Three men were sitting In the room at the rear of the liquor store of James Campbell, at No, 82 Centre street, night before Ik They were the proprietor of the store, William Carroll and James Curran, The last named man Was an intimate acquaintance of Campbell, Ho was an industrious and thrifty laborer of about fifty years of age. The three men had taken a drink to- | gether and began a conversation upon some topic familiar to all of them, Curran haa spoken several times, when he was no- ticed by the other two to suddenly stiffen his body by a sudden movement then to fall prone to the flo They immediately raised him, but found that his body and limbs were rigid.” A physician was sent for to the Park Hospital, who, when he saw Curran’s body, an- nonneed that lite was extinct and that the unfortunate man had probably died of heart disease, Mr, Campbell informed the police of the Sixth precinct of the occur. renee, and they rtmoved the body of the dead man to the station ho ‘There Curran’s clothing was examined, and in various pockets were found a small sum of money in cash and three bank books, These bouks contained records of deposits made by deceased | | im the Bivecker Street Bank jor Savings and the Ort- ental and Bowery savings banks. The entire sum of the | depc f he varliest- deposits were made | by ¢ ol bank as far back a 1545, thirty years ago. Tt was evident that Curran, wheg| was a laborer ail his life, hud in early manhood dete iained to be saving, $0 as to provide against the coming of some “rainy day,”” When he would be unable to work. u after Currah’s death Mr, Campbell telegraphed the fact to a sister of the deceased, who lives in Phila deiphia It is undeytood that she will remove her brother's body to Philadelphia for interment, It is at present in the charge of an undertaker, who has re- moved it from the station house, Curran lived at No, 403 Grand street, Tt could not be ascertained last ‘wlubt Whether or not be Was o married man, accompanied by serions disturbances | observes the sapient Venetian, “impudent, on account | of the prevalent agitation, void of sense, At amoment when that Parliament’ was compelled to re- | yoke an act which the- colonists had re. of inhabitants, less yoid aud silver, fewer and loss’ va- | she can | she can only maintain by means of commerce and navi- | nu, aud produces wnbeard of confusion im the | It would be interesting to tind the | FRANCE. The “Illustrious Forgotten” and His Quarrel. A RENT ROLL OF $2,000,000 MM. Thiers and Victor Hugo Refuse the Senate. REVOLVER POPPING ON THE FRENCH "CHANGE. Panis, Angust 21, 1875, “The Illustrious Forgotten’? (“I'Ilustre Oublié™), as some of the radicals call the Due d’Aumale, whem comparing his former pretensions to thé Presideney of the Republic with his present. political insignitieance, has been getting himself into a quarrel with a country newspaper, entitled L’ Echo du Loir et Cher. It appears that this joarnal published a statement that the Duke had claimed about $220,000 as interest and compound interest on fifty-tive shares which itis alleged he pos sesses in the Southern Canal, made by the once famous Riquet, whose heirs, so strangely wags the world, are the Princes of Caraman-Chirnay. That is te say, the Duke is said to have required the interest. on his shares during the whole period of the duration of the Second Empire, while his property was confiscated, and this part of it wae assigned by imperial bounty to the Grand Chancery of the Legion of Honor, Censorious persons observe, that as the Duc d’Aumale has a rent roll of $2,000,000, and, as he has now re entered into possession of bis canal shares, it was scarcely becoming of him to take a step which will deprive a number of old women and ebil dren of their bread im consequence of his insisting on Payment of the arrears due him, It has always been unlucky for the Orleanists, as a political party, that their chiofs have been so very keen In money matters; and it is probable that the punishment which will now be inflicted on the proprictors of the Echo du Loir et Cher will not do much to raise their character for liber- ality. THIERS AND NUGO REPUSE THR SENATE. M. Thiers and M. Victor Hugo have both retused, as I anticipated, to form part of the new Senate. M. Thiers has decided that he can sérve his country better im the National Assembly; and M. Victor Hugo has deter- mined to stand aloof from party strife, and to exercise his great intluence solely by the pen, If a few more personages equally eminent refuse to become Senators for similar reasons a heavy blow will be struck at the importance of the Senatorial body, and it will probably dwindle down into a mere refuge for superannuated | medivcrities, However great may be the powers noml- nally intrusted to it by the constitution, however respectable may be its attributes and high its dignity, no legislative council will command public esteem in France if the eminent men to whom the populace are accustomed to look tor guidance persistently decline to form part of it. THE MONETARY SYSTEM. A committee has been forined in Paris to report upos the monetary question; and it is said that a reform, bused on the convention of 1867, will assimilate a part of the French coinage to that of the other great Powers, in order to facilitate commercial transactions and put an end in some degree to the fluctuations on ’Change. A new gold coinage is also. being issued on the model of 1848, and that model appears to have been struck after tho designs of an earlier coin, engraved under the first Republic. ‘S1L00" ON 'CHANGE. There has been a quarrel on the Parisian Stock Ex change between a M, Degas and a M. Legrand. M. Degas belongs to a respectable family; his brother 1s @ | banker at New York, and his brother-in-law, M. Morl- celli, is connected with a bank at Naples. M, Degas himself inherited a large fortune and a prosperows business about eighteen months ago, and he had pre- Viously resided for a long time with lis brother im America, M, Legrand is also a gentleman ‘ respectability. The origin of the quarrel i not clearly stated, but it is known that the two gentlemen have been on bad terms for some time, and M. Legrand having threatened to give M. Degas a beating, M. Degas informed the police | of this threat, and stated that if it were carried into | execution he would shoot M. Legrand and that he had provided himself with a revolver especially for that purpose, In England M, Legrand would have been im- mediately bound over to keep the peace under heavy | sureties, and must have kept it under pain of forfeiting them; but the Parisian police seem to have paid no attention to the warning which they had received. Accordingly M. Legrand met M. Degas on the Stock Exchange yesterday, and there and then struck him a blow across the face with a cane, M. Degas im mediately fired two shots at him, which both missed their aim, and then M, Legrand wok to his heels as fast | ashe could go. M. Degas pursued him hotly, pistol in hand, and ultimately succeeded in lodging two balls in | his enemy’s head and face. Both gentlemen are now doing as well as can ye expected, and the affair bas caused @ pleasing excitement in the Parisian mind dur- ing the present warm weather and the dearth of politica) iutelligence, WANT OF CONFIDENCE AMONG MONEY MEN. Capitalists and money dealers cannot be said to be much ini favor jast now in Paris, They and the public feel a mutual want of confidence in each other, and one | of the reasons for this paintul estrangement is that | M. Billard, who, for along time conducted a profitable trade in the Faubourg St. Martin, lately settled bis affairs with his creditors by running off with his assets, He was caught, and is now locked up in the prison of | Mazas, His dupes form quite a crowd round the jail, bent upon ascertaining if they can get back some small part of the money they incautiously confided to M Billard, But he has spent or otherwise disposed of it beyond their reach, His creditors amount to three thousand in number, RUGENIE AND THM PRINCE IMPERIAL. The Empress Eugénie and her son are receiving @ small and select party at their castle of Arenenberg, | where they are passing the holidays, The party com prises several journalists, and the Empress is doing all she can to win back her way in popularity. NAPOLKONIC INTRIGUES. Itis now pretty generally understood that the Napo. Jeous took away with them in one shape or another about $80,000,000 and that they have since spent | greater part of this money in political intrigues for theis restoration, They have maintained, and are probably still maintaining, wholly or in part, about forty news. papers in France and other countries; but their funds have lately been running short, and they are now try: ing to do whatsoever is to be done by condescepsion instead of hard cash, M. Paul de Cassagtiac, the champion of the fallen Empire, is also particularly courted both for his pen and bis sword, But the exercise of the latter has been recently circumscribed, because two journalists attached | to the editorial department of the République Frangaise, | M. Gambetta’s paper, pass all their days in practising fencing, for the avowed purpose of taking M, Paul's life, His duels, therefore, have not lately been so frequent as they formerly were, A few of the older adherents of the Napolebns gathered round the widowed Emprest and her son on the 15th inst, and the young Prince ad. dressed them with considerable tact and political ability, He said;—“‘Should the people some day recall me to power I will force all honest men to rally round | the Empire by erasing from the French language the | words ‘exile’ and ‘proscription.’ If it could only be known what lessons I have learned from the past, | What resolutions I have drawn from experience of thé events which passed under my own eyes, it would be seen how well I understand that I must only look back- ward for example and teaching, but not for objects of vengeance and bitterness. A great people is not to be governed by hatred and revenge.” These are brave words, full of fair promise, and it is only to be hoped that the Prince will act up to his principles should he ever have the chance of doing so, STABBED IN THE BACK. At six o'clock yesterday morning John Callahan, aged twenty-one, residing at So, ld Roosevelt street, reported at the Tenth precinct station house that he had been stabbed in the back of the neck by a certate Fitzsimmons, The wound was sufficiently severe for him to be sent to Bellevue Hospital. Fitzsimmons of | course escaped aud the police were unable to tad bia