The New York Herald Newspaper, November 25, 1875, Page 6

6 NEW YOKK HERALD, THURSDAY, NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR, NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS.—On and after January 1, 1875, the daily and weekly editions of the New Yors Henaxp will be sent free of postage. i te 7 a All business or news letters and telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York | HERALD. | Letters and packages should be properly | sealed, Rejected communications will not be re- turned. Pee AL ee nt THE DAILY HERALD, published every | day in the year. Four cents per copy. | Twelve dollars per year, or one dollar per | month, free of postage, to subscribers. LONDON OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK HERALD—NO. 46 FLEET STREET. PARIS OFFICE—AVENUE DE L'OPERA. Subscriptions and advertisements will be received and forwarded on the same terms as in New York. VOLUME Xi.- USEMENTS THIS APTERNOON AND EVENING, | _——--+ PARK THEATRE, * Broadway and Twenty-second street.—THE MIGHTY DOL- LAR, at5 P.M. Mr. and Mrs, Florence. Matinee at 2 P. M. METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, No, 128 West Fourteenth street.—Open from 10'A. M. toS UE THEATRE, jroadway.—THE NEW LEAH, M. Miss Clara Morris, Mati- FIFTH A ‘Twenty-eighth street, m atS Po M.: closes at 1 nee at 1:30 P. at. E HEATRE, Broadway and Thirty street. VARIETY, at 8 P.M. Matinee at 2 P.M. STADT THEATRE, Nos. 45 and 47 Bowery. —VARIETY, at 3 P.M. Matinee at er.M. GLOBE THEATRE, Nos. 728 and 730 Broadway.—MINSTRELSY and VARIETY, at SP. M. Matinee at 2 P. WOOD'S MUSEUM, Broadway, corner of Thirtieth street.—O'NEIL, THE AVENGER, ats P. M.; closes at 1045 P.M. Matinees at TLA-M. and2P.M. Mr. Joseph Proctor. TONY PASTO! Nos, 585 and 587 Broadway ee at 2 P.M. THEATRE, RIETY, at 8 P.M. Mati- LYCEUM THEATRE, Fourteenth street, near Sixth avenue.—LES DEUX OR- PHELINES, atSP.M, Parisian Company. Matinee at E THEATRE, eth and Thirty-frst streets.— Y, at 8 P.M. Matinee at 2 MINSTRELSY and VARIE' eM GERMANIA THEATRE, Fourteenth street, near Irving place. —LEMONS, at 8 P. M. BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC, Brooklyn.—UNCLE TOMS CABIN, at 5 P.M.” Mrs. G. C. Howard. TIVOLI THEATRE, Fighth street, near Third avenue.—VARIETY, at 8P. M. Matinee at 2 P.M. __. BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—DAN EL BOUME, at 8 P. M. ' Joseph P. Winter. Matinee at 2 GRAND OPERA HOUSE, Fighth avenue and Twenty-third street.—VARIETY, at 8 %.M. Matinee ay 2 P.M. Olympic Company. " uM, y.+-PRUSSIAN SIEGE OF to SP. M. and7 P.M. to 10 co} hirty-fourth street and Bt ARIS. Open from 10 OLYMPIC THEATRE, Foens Broadway.—VARIETY, at 8 P.M. Matinee at 2 WALLACK’S THEATRE, and Thirteenth street.—CASTE, ut 8 P. M.; closes Mr. Harry Beckett, Miss Ada Dyas. Matinee Broadw: pt 10: 1:30 P. Bixteenth street. near Broadway.— Matinee as 2 P.M. s Fourteenth street.—R Sv.M. John J. Ci ILMORE'S ¢ GILY RT GARDEN. ate Hippodrome.—ATHL! PORTS, at 5 P.M. SAN FRA! Sew Ongga House, Bro: SPMD Matinee at 2 THEATRE % Fo, 14 Broadway. VARIETY, at 6PM. Matinee ot 2 BOOTH'S THEATRE, | Pre’, third street and Sixth avenue.—PANTOMIME, at 8 | MG. 1, Fox. Matinee at M. RTEN vor Is No, 199 Bowery —VARIETY, at 8 P.M. Matinee at 2P. M. ACADEMY OF | T NEW YORK, ——— ~ pecaeaaet - From our reports this morning the probabilities | are that the weather to-day will be clear and cold. Tue Henarp sy Fast Mam, Traiys.—News- dealers and the yriblic throughout the States of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as | well as in the West, the Pacific Coast, the North, | the South and Southcest, also along the lines | of the Hudson River, New York Central and Pennsylvania Central Railroads and their con= nections, will be supplied vith Tun Henaxp, free of postage. Kxtraordinury inducements offered to newsdealers by sending their orders direet (o this offic 4 opened and closed at 114 1-4, with intermediate sales at 114 1-8. Money on call was quoted at 3 and 4 per cent. Gov- ernment and good railway bonds were firm. Rag paper is worth $7.51. Mone Hypnayts. Fire Department is of great interest. most important exposition is the unanimity of opinion on the insufliciency of the water investigation of the Its supply for any great emergen Ixsaxrry anp Menpen.—In the Scannell | trial the whole effort is to prove the insanity of the culprit. The most valuable ‘evi- dence thus far given to that end is the declaration of a medical man, who testifies that he recommended the confinement of John Scannell some months before the murder. A Bostox Wan.—On the excellent authority of a tanner the world has heard that ‘there is nothing like leather,” and it is, perhaps, equally natural for Boston to believe that all the wars in the world must be about fish. But people in Washington think lightly of the danger that seems to have disturbed the Boston soul Apvutrenation.—If the speculative milk- man has to pay one bundred dollars every time he fills up his cans with water he will not be able to see very clearly the profit of that —and the mifk of the city breakfast table will be purer; wherefore the of fines, as reported elsewhere, - will doubtless meet-the ccneral approval of the vublice | hension, the somewhat rapid concentration | of our fleet abroad, the ordering of some | fact, during the whole of General Grant's ad- | 1870. | American policy by quoting President Mon- 1 Applying this test to the Cuban insurrec- Cuba: Is It “Sell or Fight!” From Madrid the Hunatp'’s correspondent | reported three days ago that the next words | of our government were “anxiously awaited.” Later, the correspondent of the London News telegraphs that ‘there can be little doubt that the ultimatum of the United States to the Spaniards will besellor fight.” Here, mean- time, the air is full of rumors that the Presi- dent will, in his Message to Congress, or in some other way, take some new and strong ground in regard to Cuba; and, though the administration organs industriously put forth quieting words and assurances that, ‘‘so far as is known,” there is no cause for appre- ships to the home station and the prepara- | tion of iron-clads and heavy wooden vessels | in our navy yards do not serve to calm the general apprehension. Under these circumstances it has occurred to us to look over the published correspond- ence with Spain and the messages relating to Cuban affairs for some years back—in ministration—in the hope that we might find some light, some guide to a gness at the next step in our relations with Spain. We are surprised to find how patient our gov- | ernment has been toward Spain ; how ready | the Spaniards have been to promise relief to American citizens wronged in Cuba; how often the Spanish performance has fallen short of the Spanish promise, and how dif_i- cult it is to deal with a government which is liable to sudden and revolutionary changes, and where the American Minister may any day find himself face to face with a new Ministry, and even with a new form of gov- de novo, But it would be a mistake to suppose that our patience with the Spaniards in Cuba has been entirely or merely good nature. When we came to read one of the most remarkable documents in the whole long list of those relating to Spain, one of the clearest and most statesmanlike presentations of all the questions involved, we began to see that if our government has been long suffering and gentle in its dealings with Spain in the rela- tion of Cuba, this was not merely because we are a powerful and she a weak and revolu- tion-ridden nation, nor because we could not afford to appear to the world to bully a weaker ‘Power ; but because the President saw what, perhaps, people not so well in- formed as he did not comprehend, that decisive and conclusive action toward Spain must involve us in extremely serious annoyances and difficulties, which, moreover, the condition of the insurrection has not warranted. The document of which we | speak is the President's Message on Cuban affairs, sent to Congress on the 13th of June, In this remarkable State paper the whole subject of the relations of the United States toward Cuba and Spain is presented in a compact and Incid manner, and we can- not do bette? at this moment than to quote its principal passages, the more as, though written more than five years ago, its state- ments and arguments appear to apply ina | quite remarkable manner to the present day. | Of the Cuban insurrection President Grant at that time said:— The condition of the insurgents bas not improved, andthe insurrection itself, though not subdued, ex- hibits no signs of advance, but seems to be confined to an irregular system of hostilities, carried on by small and illy-armed bands of men, roaming without concen- tration through the woods and sparsely populated re- gions of the island, attacking from ambush convoys and small bands of troops, burning plantations and the estates of those not sympathizing with their cause, f Butif the insurrection has not gained ground it is equally true that Spain has not suppresged it. Climate, disease and the occasional bullet have worked destruc- | tion among the soldiers of Spain, and although the | Spanish ayhorities possession of every seaport and every Yown on th J, they have not been able to subdue the hostile ng which has driven a con- siderable number of the uative inhabitants to armed resistance against Spain. This appears to us to present an accurate and correct account of the present state of Cuba. The deadlock still continues. Five years have not apparently changed in the least the condition of the combatants. Next, the President speaks in language of con- demnation of another matter:— During the whole contest the remarkable exhibition has been made of large numbers of Cubans escaping land, and, avoiding the risks of war, con- this country, endeavoring to make war shores, to urge our people into the fight which they avoid, and to embroil this government in complications and possible hostilities with Spain. It can scarcely be doubted that this last result is | the real object of these parties, although carefully | covered under the deceptive and apparently plausibie demand for a mere recognition of beliigerency. It is stated on what I have reason | to regard as good authority that Cuban bonds have | | been prepared to a large amount, whose payment is | | made dependent upon the recognition by the United States of cither Cuban belligerency or independence. | The object of making their value thus entirely con- tingent upon the action of this government ts a subject tor serious reftection. Speaking further of the duty of this gov- ernment toward struggling and new States, he sums up what he regards as the true roe’s language in regard tothe revolts in Spanish America:—‘‘As soon as the move- ment assumed such a steady and consistent form as to make the success of the provinces | | probable, the rights to which they were en- titled by the laws of nations as equal parties to a civil war were extended to them,” and adds: fi | There rees acting in accor | the roles and customs of war; flags of tra exchange of prisoners, And to justify a recogni erency ther st bea de facto political pn of the insurgents sufficient in | | and ources tO constitute, If left to itself, | among nations, &c. tion General Grant remarks :— ernment, and must begin all his negotiations views or policy, there would appear to be no cause for the apprehension which is felt by the public of trouble with Spain. If he has changed his mind the people of this country will expect him to give substantial and con- clusive reasons tor such a change. They approved of a peaceable and expectant policy then, and they do not know of any circum- stances which would justify a change at this time, when many and important causes con- cur to lead us to favor peace. Certainly there are no reasons now known to the pub- lic. There have been no changes in the sit- uation in Cuba ; there is no commercial rea- son, for the export of sugar and tobacco from the island goes on, showing that production has not been seriously interfered with by the troubles there, and it would be much more sensible to negotiate a more favorable com- mercial treaty with Spain to relieve our conf- merce with the island from injurious restric- tions than to fit out a fleet of iron-clads and heavy ships at an expense of several mill- ions, as the Navy Department has been doing for the last few weeks. What the American people want is not war but peace, William 8B. Astor, The decease of this wealthy citizen, at a ripe old age, is rather fitted to excite remin- iscences of the growth of the city, which has been so marvellous in his time, than to draw attention to the personal history of a man whose life has been so quiet and unos- tentatious as to have attracted little observa- tion in this busy community. The career of his father was full of incident and adven- ture, and afforded large material of biograph- ical interest, but the son came into the pos- session of a large estate at the age of fifty- six, when he had already passed middle life, and the subsequent twenty-seven years of his life have been spent in the management of an immense property, with very little contact with the general life of the city.. Mr. Astor's social relations are not a proper topic of public comment, and his private charities, which are said to have been large and liberal, shunned the general gaze, in conformity to the Christian precept that in such matters the right hand should not be permitted to know what the left hand doeth. His enlargement of the Astor Li- brary, founded by his father, entitles him to the gratitude of the scholarly class, and was almost his only point of contact with the general public. His distinction was that of being the wealthiest man in America, and his management of his vast fortune was such as to make him a model of business pru- denée, Like his father, he had a profound faith in the tnture greatness of New York, and his chief investments were in real estate in this city, a species of property which, though subject to temporary fluctuations, is certain to advance steadily, in the long run, and always to be more valuable at any date than it was twenty years before, Mr. Astor was an example of all the private and do- mestic virtues, and will be sincerely mourned by such of our old citizens as were admitted to his intimacy in the kindly hospitalities of social intercourse, The Dream of the Turkey. The Turkey sat upon his roost. He felt that he was supreme. What would Thanks- giving Day be without the Turkey? His im- portance he thoroughly appreciated. He knew very well, and so did all the harem, that without the Turkey thanks on the im- portant day of the year would be turned into regrets. “Let us see,” said the Turkey, ‘‘what we have to be thankful for. First, for the crops; then for the weather ; finally, for peace with Spain and all other nations.” He swelled himself upon his perch, as if this was quite “enough to justify the national gratitude, But still the Turkey was not contented. He thought of what Thanksgiving Day is and what it might have been. He recalled the danger of war which a week ago threatened the nation—war with Spain, for the sake of the patriots in Cuba. He thought of the weeping mgthers, the shattered fire- sides, the Dleeding hearts that would have followed such a war, as surely as the night follows the day. He recalled | the inflation of the currency, the attacks upon the industry of the country, the dangers which surround our financial policy, and he shuddered. The thunder of the wheels of | the chariots of war resounded in his ears. The Turkey trembled. Why should he not ? Upon him rested the success of Thanks- giving Day, and though his conscience was tough, he felt that it was his duty for his sympathies and his flesh to be tender. Such was the dream of the Turkey. The patriotism of that bird deserves well of his countrymen. Turkey has become in our language the synonyme of gratitude. He is a perpetual sacrifice to the spirit of American thankfulness, and can only contribute to the general festival by yielding himself to gravy. Stuffing will also be an | element in his triumph over society. The ‘Turkey reconciles many of our elements of discord. We may be ungrateful for many of our blessings, but we cannot help being thankful for this. The Turkey is in this sea- son, and will remain until Christmas, the presiding genius of the year. He dreamed that he was cooked, with sage and onions, and Heaven prevent that his imaginations were wrong. 1am unable to sée in the present condition of the | contest in Cuba those elements which are requisite to constitute war in the sense of intgrnational law. The insurgents hold no town or city, hi no established | sent of government; they have no prize courts, no o ganization for recetving or collecting mue; no se: port to which a prize may be carried, or by which ac- cess can be had by @ foreign Power to the limited in- terior territory and mountain fastnesses which they occupy. Finally the President recited the annoy- ances and inconveniences which a recogni- tion of belligerency would impose upon us:— If belligerency be recognized the commercial marine | of the United States becomes liable to search and to seizure by the commissioned cruisers of both parties. Our large coastwise trade between the Atlantic and the Gulf States, and between both and the Isthmus of Pan- ama and the States of South America, engaging the larger part of our commercial marine, passes, of ne- cesaity, almost in sight of Guba, Under the treaty | of 1705, as well as by the laws of nations, our vessels | will be tial 9 visits om the high seas. In the case | of belligerency the carrying of contraband, which now i# lawful, becomes liable to the risks of seizure and 7 h government becomes y for acts done in the insur: ® tires the right to exercise toward neutral commerce all the powers of a party to & maritime war. Though these were the words of the Presi- dent five years ago the circumstances in Cuba do not appear to have materially tion, The 3} | then, Unless therefore. he has changed his | A Commrrrez or Pustio Sarety,—Every citizen will naturally feel a deep interest in of a self-constituted authority for the super- | vision of officials in the interest of the pub- lic. It isa problem susceptible of argument | on either side whether such committees, so likely to be misused, are of any practical value, and whether some such organization is not a necessity in communities where everybody's business is nobody's business, With such names as are mentioned it is not apparent how such a body could be perverted to any evil purpose, Tae Watskey Fravps.—Justice seems to fi Public NOVEMBER 25, 1875.--TRIPLE SHEET, Opinion and Tammany Hall. Our brilliant contemporary, the New York Sun, makes an important declaration in ref- erence to Tammany Hall and its influence upon New York politics, and especially in connection with the political attitude and ambition of Governor Tilden. The Sun says :— If your horse ts to run in a sharply contested race the less deadweight he has to carry the better. Old Sammy Laird, the famous trainer of Fashion, used to say that if you could suppose such a thing as two horses precisely evenly matched, a single pound of deadweight placed upon one would e1 he other to win every time. Present appearances seem to indicate that neither side will have much odds to spare in the next race for the White House. Under these circumstances one of the first things to be avoided is the carrying of any un- necessary deadweight. 5 We regard identification with a secret political organ- ization as deadweight, We believe it wil! prove a very serious obstaclo—tirst, in the way ofa nomination by a national convention, and, secondly, in the way of an election by the poople. Tammany Hall ts such a secret organization, grasp- ing not only at the government of this city and of this State, but secking to control the politics of the nation, Is tt safe for Governor Tilden to have it understood that he is intimately connected with such a body? We think not. ‘e think it toads him with a dead- weight likely to prove fatal to any aspirant for the office of President. He can hardly act too promptly in cutting loose from Tammany Hall. We are glad to have the assistance of the Sun in the contest which we are waging against the Know Nothing, dark-lanterned, secret society of Tammany Hall. The Sun gives weighty reasons for this course when it says that identification with a secret political organization will to Governor Tilden ‘prove a very serious obstacle—first, in the way of a nomination by a national convention, and, secondly, in the way of an election by the people.” As we have shown on many occa- sions in discussing the relations of Tammany Hal] to New York politics, there was no bur- den more difficult for Mr. Greeley to bear when he ran against General Grant than the support of Tammany Hall. Governor Tilden will feel the same oppressive influence if he becomes a candidate for the Presidency with Tammany Hall as his principal supporter. It is gratifying to journalists to find that in this war upon Tammany the press isa unit. The Sun, which did such good service in behalf of the independence of the Bench as represented by Recorder Hackett, and in op- position to the one-man power as represented by John Kelly, continues its opposition to an influence which has become ‘as despotic and irresponsible as that of the Know Nothing organization when it claimed to proscribe from citizenship dll who were not Protestant in faith and American in birth. We have no doubt the New York Times, which also made a noble campaign against Tam- many, although from the standpoint of the republican party, of which it is the able inde- pendent organ, will no doubt at the proper time be glad to take part in the war upon secret societies in polities. There is no chapter in the history of the Times to which its editor can look back with more pride than that which tells of its attack upon the Tammany Ring and the part it bore in destroying it. Nothing is more natural than that the hero in the cam- paign against Tweedism and corruption should be anxious to lead in the campaign against Kellyism and secret societies in politics. We might allude also to the valu- able help given by the Evening Post. What we miss in this war is the assistance of the World and the Tribune. It is perhaps too much to expect that the World, which is the organ of the democracy, should welcome a disruption of the party organization such as would inevitably result from the war upon Tammany Hall. But we are not without hopes that even the editor of the World will see that the glorious principle of popular sovereignty, as laid down by Douglas for the guidance of the democratic party years ago, and now advocated by men like Tilden and Kernan and Seymour, is of more importance to the success of the democracy than the strengthening of the power of an irresponsi- ble political despot. The editor of the World is too astute a man‘ not to feel that the de- mocracy of New York can only win power and retain it by a reliance upon democratic principles, not by following blindly in the vassalage of one-man power, of committees of discipline; of a dark-lanterned, Know@ Nothing lodge like Tammany Hall. As for the Tribune, an able, sprightly, am- bitious and scholarly journal, strong in its news as well as in its editorial department, its place as the former champion of radical thought is in the van of the movement against secret societies in politics and against one-man power and bosom friendship in the governing of New York city, The Tribune, for reasons which we do not care to question, has found its duty in the support of Tam- many Hall ; but we are confident that before this campaign develops the editor of that journal, who has perhaps been as persistent in his support of the independence of the press as any journalist in the country, will be proud to take his place beside the Henaxp and its colleagues in this war upon the most debasing influence that we have seen in our political life since the time of Aaron Burr ; for nothing is clearer than that Tammany Hall is doomed. Public opinion has pronounced against it. Even its own democratic party is in mutiny. Those who look forward to higher stations in the party feel crippled by its support. Those who were nominated as its candidates dur- ing the last canvass were defeated in spite of their merit and the dosire of the party to honor them, because they were members of | Tammany Hall. The time has come for this to end. The independent press of New York, which after all is the mirror of pub- | lie thought, has pronounced against Tam- the movement reported for the organization | ¢ have secured a firm grip on the members of | the ‘Crooked Whiskey Ring,” and we | strongly hope that she will not relinquigh it until she has hurled them all into a pit of punishment. The testimony daily brought out in the Court in St. Louis does not cease to be of an astounding character. The cool | and business-like ways in which rogues set changed, and all that he said is as traenowas about to defraud the government are an in- | road servants, too much used up forany power of Tammany Hall, bosom friendship, teresting and ought to be a useful atudy, many Hall, and the people in their own time will déstroy it as they destroyed the friends of the Hartford Convention in the early part | of the century, as they stamped out Know Nothingism twenty-five years ago. Derectrve Sicnats,—The Erie Railway is very fortunate. pened to a freight train on that road, which might equally have happened to a crowded pabsenger train, and in that case would have caused at least a hundred deaths. It was | entirely caused by the failure of a dull-witted flagman to properly signal an advancing train, and the accidept will not be without its advantage to the public if it calls the at- tention of the railroad administrators gener- ally to the point it practically involves, which is the error made in the supposition that any human creature or any fragment of as certain as anything can be, The way for | | substance im the shape of humanity is equal to the duties of a flagman. Crippled rail- active sarviga, are put in these placa. and An accident has just hap- | this practice is laudable where it is safe ; but upon the energy, promptitude and intelli- gence of even a flagman the lives of many passengers may depend at a critical moment, and in case of a calamity this use of used-up humanity would be seen to be a poor economy. The Need of a Sanitary Service. Care for the public health is one of the functions of a good government. It is recog- nized by the existence of sanitary codes in the history of every civilized nation that it is among the least doubtful duties of authority to protect the people in all points where they cannot individually protect themselves from the causes of preventable disease. In some codes baths anda certain diet are enforced by a religious sanction; in others public health is assured by physical training; and it is a common provision of the law of almost every modern country that it provides for the scrutiny of the meat and other articles of food exposed for sale in the public markets. Quarantine to prevent the importation of in- fectious and ‘contagious diseases is older than the maritime commerce to which it is now mainly applied. Every dollar spent in sew- erage and in the construction of the ma- chinery for supplying water to great cities is public money spent in the cause of public health—to protect the people from evils in the form of disease against which individual fortunes would prove inadequate, In addition to the great and recognized evils of regular occurrence that every gov- ernment has to provide against in the inter- est of public health—the expenditures for sewerage, water supply, quarantine, &c.— there are constantly arising unforeseen dan- gers. Cholera suddenly appears, fevers as- sume a virulent and epidemic form, and these become plague-like scourges that carry off whole populations; and governments may be judged by the provision they make against this element of contingent danger to public health, Throughout England, France, Belgium, Germany and Austria there is a regular system of local and general health authorities. They perform the routine dy- ties of market inspection, ‘attend to vaccina- tion ‘and vital statistics; but they are also capable and energetic, and equal to great occasions, and do important public seryice when the need arises. Some system of this sort is sadly needed here. Within a com- paratively recent period diseases dependent upon malaria and disease either caused or aggravated by sewer gas have so largely increased in this city as to account for a very great proportion of the death rate. Here isa case where indi- vidual effort can accomplish little against the enemy; where people cannot save them- selves by flight, as they are compelled to live where their interests are; but where the combined actions of a public sanitary service would be of incalculable value. In the struggle against these sources of disease the people have absolutely no assistance from the public authorities, and this is a reproach and shame to our government. It is true we have what is called a Board of Health, asort of rose water committeo, that isa public evil rather than a public benefit in the premises; because, while it does nothing against the troubles referred to, it attracts attention to itself as though it per- formed the needed service, and thus prevents the organization of a body that would actually perform that service. There never was inany community a more immediately apparent or imperative public want than that now felt in this community for an ef- fective sanitary service, to investigate offi- cially the causes of the great mortality raging here from diseases that are believed to be in a great degree preventable, and to take meas- ures thereupon to mitigate the operation of | these maladies by all the resources of engi- neering and medical science. No help to | this end can be expected from the Board of Health ; and we call the attention of the | Mayor to this topic as one that may possibly afford him, within the limits of his functions | as Chief Magistrate, the opportunity to re- construct his somewhat damaged political fortunes. If he will boldly abandon his small squabbles with political pettifoggers and find in the functions of his office the authority to take some effective steps for the protection of the public health he may yet fill a place in the public eye that will make him a promising candidate for re-election in the spring. Arctic Exploration, “Who shall decide when doctors dis- agree?” In another column will be found an interesting communication from Dr. I. L Hayes, in which he gives an opinion on the practicability of the Northwest Passage by way of Peel Strait, and of the results of the voyage ofthe Pandora. Only a short time before them a communication from Captain McClintock, of Arctic fame, on the same subject. Captain McClintock held that the Pandora had gone as far as | was possible in the season, and that Captain Young exhibited sound judgment in returning when he did. Dr. Hayes, on the contrary, regrets that as the Pandora had | reached a critical point she was not kept since, as our readers may remember, we laid * the rights of the people. He could do this no beteer than by nominating for the office of Commissioner of Public Works our dis- tinguished fellow citizen, John T. Agnew, a man whose record is above reproach or sus- picion, With Mr. Agnew in the Commission of Public Works Mayor Wickham may feel that he has won a new title to the respect of his fellow citizens. ‘f For Commissioner of Public Works We are pleased to see that Mr. John T. Agnew is everywhere favorably spoken of for the office of Commissioner of Public Works, in place of Mr. Fitz John Porter, Mr, Agnew’'s eminent fitness for this responsible position is universally acknowledged. We regret, therefore, that our sprightly neigh- bor, the Commercial Advertiser—which is right, probably, three times in ten, which is as much as can be expected of any newspa- per except the Heratp—should call us to ac- count on the charge of deserting an old friend for a new man. The Henatp, it says, used to defend Mr. Porter; now it prefers another to him. But this shows only that the Herarp is true to the only friend a newspaper ought to have—the public. We advise the Commer- cial to adopt the course of the Hera ; to de- fend always and only the public interest ; to look solely to the good of the people. That is the true course for every journal; it has been the course of the Hxnarp sinco in its first number the following words marked out its plan :—‘‘Our only guide shall be good, sound, practical common sense, applicable to the business and bosoms of men engaged in everyday life. We shall support no party, be the organ of no faction or coterie, and care nothing for any electjon or any can- didate from President down: to a constable.” Strict adherence to such independent and faithful service of the public can alone make a journal powerful and usefal. Gratis to Some Cuban Pas triots. We notice that some of the Cubans living in this country have begun to abuse the Hizraxp for its recent course upon the Cuban question. These people seem to forget that the Hzraxp has for a long time been the con- sistent and powerful friend of Cuba ; that it has spent money very freely for correspond- ence to present the cause of Cuba fairly and fully to the world ; that it has constantly ex- pressed its sympathy with tl ttempt, hake the island froo.“and its so “Yor ri success of the Cubans., It has not changed ; but it does not propose that this count: shall fight the Cuban battle. ‘Who would be free themselves should strike the blow,” said a poet, who also was a sincere and devoted friend of liberty; and we will tell these Cubans who are now grumbling at the Hznaup an absolutely sure and effective way to free their beloved island. If they will all go over to Cuba immediately and fight the Spaniards they can achieve success in less than six months. There are in this country, according to the best accounts, nearly fifty thousand Cuban men. If they were where they ought to be they could sweep the Spaniards into the sea in six weeks. Why will they not try it? Advice Let Mr. Dana Make Record. In considering the prospects of the canvass for Mayor, which will probably take place in the spring, we have presented to the people several gentlemen as proper candidates for the succession of Mr. Wickham. There is Andrew H. Green, the fearless Comptroller, who has won his way to the highest recog- nition on the part of the people by his honesty in defending their interests against the thieves who hang around the Treasury. There is John K. Hackett, who won a great victory in defence of the independence of the Bench, and who might be induced to lead his party to another victory against the dictation of the one-man power of Tammany Hall. There is Henry G. Stebbins, whose administration in the Public Parks has done more toward strengthening that department of the city government in the respect of the people than any other influence; and there is John T, Agnew, who would make not only a first class Mayor, but a first class in- cumbent of any position to which he might be appointed. But the course of Mr. Dana in his fight upon Tammany Hall places him high up in the list of candidates. Mr. Dana has held public position. He knows the limitations and responsibilities of official station. He has made such a war upon dishonesty in high places through the columns of his paper that he would, no doubt, be only too glad to show how efficiently he could stamp it out were he ina position of civil responsibil- ity. But Mr. Dana shouldimitate Mr. Hack- ett’s example and write a letter, putting him- self upon the record in as manful a manner as Recorder Hackett did some time ago when he refused to-submit his Court to the juris- diction of Tammany Hall. A letter from Mr. Dana setting forth his opinions on city af- fairs, written with his accustomed force and precision, would be of interest now. But of how much more value wouldit be through the canvass when all eyes are upon him and all ears would be anxious to hear an expression of his views! Recorder Hackett showed great there for the winter, in the hope to get through next year. As both writers are men | of special knowledge in the subject they | treat it is perhaps not for the laity to inter- | fere ; yetit may be said in answer to. Dr. } | Hayes that we have in Sir John Franklin's history at least one unpleasant result of a win- ter passed in those parts, Furthermore, as be~ | tween the differing experts, we must remem- | ber that Captain Young, whose courage, te- | nacity and high intelligence are not ques- tioned, judged of the case on the spot, with all its difficulties and possibilities be- fore him, and that a judgment of that sort is worthy all respect. Tue Sprinc Exxcrions.—If Mayor Wick- ham is not above the ambition of running | | for Mayor in the spring he should so shape | his canvass now that he may be accepted by some one of the parties who will then strug. | gle for the ascendancy in our government. | The feeling in favor of changing the election | | from autumn to the spring is so universal | that it is not too much for us to look upon it the Mayor to win the forfeited esteem of tho | people is to take ground against the one-man foresight in making his record at the time he did, by putting before the public that cele- | brated letter, which did as much as anything else to secure him his renomination and re- election, Mr, Dana, who can write as gooda letter as anybody in the country, should im- | itate the example of the Recorder and with- | out delay make sucha record for himself now that his canvass would be strengthened beyond measure should he come before the people in the spring. PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE, Miss Louise M. Alcott will spend the hi Balti- | more. Gustave Doré receives $50,000 for illustrating Shakespeare. Mr. Coulson, the author of the “Odd Trump” novels, {s fifty-five and lives near Paterson, N. J. Alexander H. Stephens is so feeble that he will not be able to meet with Congress. His woight is still bolow ar, F ‘The Charles Francis Adams Club, of Indianapolis, is discussing the question whether or not it would be | better for a hen to have five toes. Lord Houghton left this city yesterday for Boston, Ho will return to New York in time to tako the steamor for Liverpool on Wednesday next, Rear Admiral de Casembroot, Centennial Commia- | stoner for the Netherlands, was in this city yesterday | on his way from Philadelphia to Niagara Falls, (political dictation gnd the abandopment of Governor Lugergol, of Connectiquk you wha name