The New York Herald Newspaper, December 23, 1875, Page 6

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 York Henaxp will be rent free of postage. 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. 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. All business or news letters and telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York Hera. Letters and packages should be properly sealed. Rejected communications will not be re- turned. VOLUME Xi. r NO, 357 AMUSEMENTS TO-NIGHT. WOOD'S MUSEUM, Broadway, corner of Thirtieth street. KIT, at 8 P. M.; Closes at 10:49 PML Matinee a6 2B. M. F. 8. Chanfrau. GLOBE THEATRE, Nos, 728 and 730 Broadway.—VARIETY, at 8 P. M. BOOTH’S THEATRE, Twenty-third street and Sixth avenuc.—COONTE SOOGAH, ator M Mr. and Mrs, Barney Williams. TONY PASTOR" Nos. 585 and 587 Broadway.. LYCEUM THEATRE, Fourteenth street and Sixth avenue.—CHEVALIER DU PINCE-NEZ, ut 8 P.M. Parisian Company. THIRD AVENUE THEATRE, ~ Third avenue, between Thirtieth and Thirty-first streets.— MINSTRELSY and VARIETY, at 8 P.M. COLOSSEUM, Zhirty fourth street end Broad .—PRUSSIAN SIEGE OF bch Be trom 1 P.M. to4P. M. and from 7:30 P.M. jo 10 P.M. WALLACK’S THEATRE, Broadway and Thirteenth street.—CASTE, at 8 P. M. ; closes ®¢1U40 P.M. Mr. Jobn Gilbert. PARISIAN VARIETIES. Fixteenth street. near Brosdway.—VARIETY, at 8P. M. Matinee at 2 P.M. BROOKLYN THEATRE, — street, Brooklyn.—HENRY V., at 8 P.M. Mr. ignol UNION SQUARE THEATRE, Eroadway and Fourteenth street—RUSE MICHEL, at 8 . OLYMPIC THEATRE, No, 624 Broadway.—VARIETY, at 3 P.M. FIPTH AVENUE THEATRE, Twenty-cighth st ar Broadway.—P1QUE, at 8 P. M. Yauny Davenport. - THEATRE COMIQUE, No. 514 Broadway.—VARIETY, at 5 P.M.” PARK THEATRE, Broadway and Twenty-second street.—THE CRUCIBLE, as SP.M. Oakey Hall’ EAGLE THEATRE, Broadway and Thirty-third street.—VARIETY, at 8 P. M. GERMANIA THEATRE. Fourteenth street, near Irving place—DER WESPE, at 8 BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—1776, at SP. M. Mr. Stetson. TIVOLI THEATRE, Eighth street, near Third avenue.—VARIETY, at 8P. M. SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS, nen Figs House, Broadway, corner of Twenty-ninth street, 3PM NEW YORK, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1875, = From our reports this morning the probabilities ure that the weather to-day will be partly cloudy. ‘Tue Henarp sy Fast Mart Trarns.— News- Gealers and the public throughout the States of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as in the West, the Pacific Coast, the North, the South and Southwest, also along the lines of the Hudson River, New York Central and “Pennsylvania Central Railroads and their con- nections, will be supplied with Toe Henatn, free of postage. Extraordinary inducements offered to newsdealers by sending their orders direct to this office. Watt Srreet Yesterpay.—Gold opened at 113 1-4 and closed at 113 3-8. Money on call rated at 1-32 in addition to the legal in- terest. Investment securities remain firm. Government bonds dull. Stocks were active, feverish and showed a declining gendency. Tar Dievomatic Corps at Washington will have to make room for two newcomers, Messrs. Chen-lan-pin and Yung-heng, who will represent the Celestial Empire at the Court of Ulysses, " Price Prerre Bonaparte, who has put bimself forward in Corsica as a candidate for the Assembly, is what may be termed the rowdy of the Bonaparte family. His promi- aence in public affairs in France will not help his party. Tae Britisu Navy is suffering almost as many mishaps as though engaged in actual warfare. After the Captain and Vanguard disasters, and the Iron Duke's accident, which so nearly sunk her, we learn that the training ship Goliath was burned yester- day morning. A Pertivent Question.—Among the ques- tions proposed to candidates asking to be admitted to the sacred lodge of the O. A. U. is, ‘Are you opposed to Roman Catholics holding political office?” We should like to know what answer Mr. Blaine made to this question when he was initiated into the dark lantern Order. Tux Covnse or Farner Grace, of Newport, R. L, in refusing to perform burial rites over the remains of Geneva De Fray shows to what extent surly bigotry can be carried. He was willing to allow the body of the child to be buried in the Catholic cemetery, but he could not pray over the girl's grave, good man. She had, it appears, attended a Prot- estant school before her fatal sickness, prin- zipally because the Catholic school was too far for one in her weakly condition. The imposing burial services performed by dig- nitaries of the same Church over the remains of the actress Defazet in Paris the other day are a rebuke to such narrow intolerance as that displayed by this country ecclesiastic over a schoolgirl’s corpse. new YORK HERALD, THURSDAY DKEUEMBER 23, 1875—TRIPLE SHEET. Secret Have Light. It is not surprising that the country should be astounded at the exposure in the Heap of the society known as the “O. A. U.” For some time past there have been rumors @| about the growth of this organization, its purposes and its leadership, but they never took serious shape, because our people, who have a good deal of common sense, could not believe that in this enlightened time free- thinking and fair-minded Americans would go up into a dark room and bind themselves together with grips and passwords and oaths to stimulate religious excitement, to force a third term upon the people under the pre- ‘tence of ‘uniting the Protestants against the Catholics” and ‘saving the schools from the Pope.” The history of all secret political societies in America has shown that our soil is not congenial. They grow rapidly; some- times they have threatened to overshadow the land. But the growth was like that of the gourd and sure to go down in anight-be- fore the rising sunshine of a virtuous public opinion. We do not share in the objection to secret societies which is urged by many thinkers even when they confine themselves to social objects, Woe have sometimes thought that social intercourse and charity could be served as well by societies with open doors as by those which meet with ceremonies and passwords and lodge rooms. But the imagination enters largely into the pursuits of men, and if our people choose to become Masons, Odd Fellows, or even members of the Columbian Order, and call themselves “Knights Templars,” ‘“‘Sachems” or ‘De- scendants of Solomon ;” if they find com- | ganize and protect their religion. fort in these harmless games and exhibi- tions, far be if from us to deny them. But when secrecy enters into politics it offends the genius of our institutions. The excuse for such a_ society is the effort to overcome tyranny by a union of the friends of freedom. This was the excuse of the leaders of the republican movement in France and Italy under the old Bourbon reigns. History shows that it would have been far better for the people to have submitted even to the reign of the Bourbons than to permit the government to pass into the possession of irresponsible se- cret clubs. In a republic like America, or in any free country indeed, where there is liberty of press and speech and action, the secret society is in itself a confession of weakness or wrong intent. Suppose that some of our citizens, spurred on by the fer- vor of deep religious conyiction, believed that there was a movement on the part of the Catholic Church to interfere with the schools or take possession of the country, can they not do as much toward antagoniz- ing that influence in the open air, through the public press and platform and the pul- pit, as in a dark room? If the Catholic Church were a paramount body in America we might see a reason for Protestants to or- This is not the case, The Catholic Church is only a fraction—a moderaté fraction—of our peo- ple. It is not a growing Church with us, except as it grows from emigration. So far from its controlling the country there is a latent Protestant feeling which makes it im- possible for any Catholic to be elected to any national office. Mr. Kernan found this when running for Governor, and with the exception of small, isolated sections like New York and St. Louis, and New Orleans apd Baltimore, there is not a part of the country where the Catholic faith is an ad- vantage in the race for preferment. Therefore the allegation that it is necessary for Protestants to form into a secret political society to “atrest the machinations of the Catholic Church” is a lie. There have been movements of this kind before, and every one ended in disaster. It was seen that the men who inspired them were not earnest, God fearing, religions men, but shrewd poli- ticians who, knowing how deeply seated in the Anglo-Saxon heart is the sentiment of respect for religious institutions, summoned up all the bitter memories of the past for political ends. The disaster which befell Know Nothingism and Native Americanism, the contumely that is visited upon all who took part in that erratic movement, was so widespread, that for the last gen- eration, at least, every honest politician, without regard to party, has made it a fundamental maxim that to attempt to bring religion into politics or to control political action by secret societies is the lowest kind of demagogism. Therefore, when we see this attempted, not by small-beer poli- ticians seeking place in the Legislature or the Board of Aldermen, but by the Presi- dent of the United States himself and the heads of a great political party, we feel that we are in the presence of a danger the gravity of which cannot be exaggerated. We see the President of the United States and the leaders of his party in accord. First we had the Des Moines speech, in which the President practically said that the agitation of religion was about to take the place of the agitation of slavery. Then we had Mr. Blaine’s letter throwing the firebrand of “free schools and no Popery.” Then came the President's Message, urging the anti-sectarian amendments to the con- stitution. Then came Bishop Haven's promfunciamento in favor of Grant for a third term. All these events, which appeared isolated and inexplicable at the time, be- come plain in the light of present dis- closures. Instead of a curious and eccentric political movement, we are in the presence of one of the most formidable conspiracies against the liberties of the country that we have seen during the lifetime of the Re- public. Of course it will be said that the Ameri- can people have too much common sense, too much devotion to the flag of the country, to be carried away by these midnight secret lodge conspirators. This feeling of over-con- fidence has been the beginning ot disaster to many countries. The history of liberty in every land shows that a free people must show eternal vigilance. If they allow the slightest departure from the cardinal prin- ciples of fraternity and equality and inde- constitutional prerogatives, there is no know- ing where it will end. [tis like the crumbling of the dyke which only precedes the coming in of the sea. So far from this secret society moves on to its purpose. It assumes every day a newer and a graver shape. In the light of this exposure of these lodges, grips and oaths, we now see the meaning of the Cwsar- ism agitation, of those violations of the con- stitution which were pardoned to the Presi- dent because of inexperience, of the growth of the military power around the White House, of the steady cor- ruption of the publie service, of the robbing of the Treasury for partisan and political ends, of the debasement of the Senate and the ostracism of leading republi- cans. It is all plain and clear. It is our duty as citizens to strike it down as treason tothe Republic, believing, as we do, that when secret societies are necessary to ‘‘pro- tect” our liberty or religion, neither of them are worth saving. “Financial and Commercial,” The reader of the articles headed ‘‘Finan- cial and C@mmercial”.in the daily news- papers of this city cannot fail to be struck by the ominous similarity of each morning's report of the transactions of the previous day. Either ‘‘great dulness prevailed in the dealings throughout the day” or ‘‘the stock market was rallied this morning” but ‘closed weak and irregular ;’ and it must be ex- tremely irritating to those patient souls who last winter prophesied an active summer, and last summer were confident that busi- ness would reappear with cold weather, to “stand and wait” with lessening prospects of any revival of stock speculation and its attendant profits and evils. These conditions are not only the natural sequence of violent and unnatural specula- tion, but they are the healthiest and most cheering signs of the return of capital and trade to the channels of the legitimate busi- ness of the country. The war and the enormous issues of paper money resulting from its prosecution, its duration and its cost, brought about—in a lesser degree, perhaps—a condition of so- ciety analogous to that produced in France by the pernicious influence of John Law on the regent Philippe d’Orleans; except that in that case the reigns of Louis XIV. and Louis XY. had depleted the country and left France without commerce, without agricul- ture and without resources, so that the mo- ment speculation halted confidence was de- stroyed and the entire fabric crumbled to | nothing. In the United States the greenbacks, paid out so lavishly by the government for con- tracts or for payment of the troops, rapidly found their way to the money centres of the country, and not only produced the wildest forms of stock speculation and bubble enter- prises, but stimulated the establishment of factories, rolling mills and every organized form of industry for which the government offered a ready and lucrative market. We are now only repeating the well worn history of every country that has been at war. Stock speculation and legitimate commerce are now alike going through the inevitable and long reaction consequent upon, in the one case, the reckless ‘‘watering” of stocks, the almost unlimited issues of bonds called by asad misnomer securities and the estab- lishment of speculative companies which never had a single raison d'étre, andin the other case upon the vast overproduction of goods alike unneeded and unmarketable. These wild speculations of the war at- tracted to the Stock Exchange and its sur- roundings numbers of persons from all classes of society eager to participate in the large fortunes so easily gained, the roll of its members was more than doubled, an epoch set in when money was the only good, all the efforts of intelligence, all the plots of rascality were in motion for its acquisition, and the corruptions of the time introduced a number of artificial necessities which led in their turn to the defalcations and robberies, public and private, which are generally clas- sified by the delicate euphemism of ‘‘breach of confidence.” The commerce of the country, its ever in- creasing exports and the credit enjoyed by the United States abroad, havg prevented or palliated the ruin that followed Law’s finan- cial operations, but the same process of slow return to sound principles must be gone through with and suffered. Railroads must the benefit of the stockholders alone ; the last melancholy resting place, and the num- ber of those operators who look to the daily fluctuations of stocks to gain a precarious living will be sadly reduced before a healthy stratum of confidence and a restoration of sound business can be reached. It is an acknowledged fact to-day that this number is about double that required to execute the real transactions of Broad street; and it will be found then, on the Darwinian theory, the Stock Exchange will be regenerated by the survival of the fittest. The remainder must probably cease to be consumers until they can return to their old trades and become in some form producers. A Pentinent Qvestion.—In initiating members of the secret society of the O, A. U. among fhe vows imposed upon the candi- propose nor second a proposal, nor initiate nor cause to be initiated into this Order, any Romanist or Papist, knowing him to be so.” Postmaster General Jewell ison the record as having joined this secret Order. Has the Postmaster General taken this oath? Waar New Yors Enpvres from its hack- men is a subject of special wonder to the stranger, and to the American citizen who, regular tolls and accountability for property carefully watched over by the authorities, Here the hackman is a lord and master, and | charges what he can extort in utter defiance | of the law. In London last year thousands of dollars’ worth of property was handed over to the police, having been left in cabs by their owners. the like in New York? The story recited by | Sessions, about the transactions of the ruf- | flans, Reilly and Coffin, is more within the | experience of New Yorkers. It is some con- pendence, if they allow the least invasion of | solation that these fellows were sent to Sing | Sing for four and five years respectively. | Their conviction may have a momentary | effect, but while it may diminish absolute | robbery it will leave other and more common being the isolated freak of a few addle-pated, | offences untouched. be managed for the public good and not for | mountains of worthless bonds must find their | dates for membership is this :—-‘I will never | having been abroad, has seen a system of | Who ever heard of | Mr. Elma yesterday in the Court of Generaf | Societies im Polities—Let Us | idle politicians, it is part of a vast plan. It |The Democratic Mot d’Ordre—“Imbe- ellity to the Front.” There is a strong family likeness be- tween Speaker Kerr's selections for im- portant stations and Governor Tilden’s. Governor Tilden tried his hand in the Dem- cratic State Convention—which was sur- rendered to his control—and it is safe to say that his choice of candidates was such as would not have been made either by the free choice of the convention or the spontaneous preference of the democratic masses. Con- sistent democrats, who had stood by the party through good report and evil report, who had acquired experience in its ranks and possessed its confidence, were set aside and ignored to confer honors on men who had no standing in the party apart from the favoritism of the Governor. ‘‘Little Charley Fairchild,” a small fourth rate attorney, was nominated for Attorney General over the heads of fifty strong democratic lawyers who would have been glad of the office since the salary was doubled by the last Legislature. Mr. Fairchild, who was barely competent for the subordinate office he held as the Attorney General's deputy, was promoted over the heads of able democratic lawyers be- cause Governor Tilden wanted a tool. The Governor's first selection for State Engineer was Horatio Seymour, Jr., an estimable young man without the requisite experience, whose wiser uncle persuaded him to decline the nomination. The ticket was made up of men who had no strength in the party and depended on the support of the Governor to keep them in favor. If he should frown they have nothing in the demo- cratic party to fall back upon, These polit- ical neophytes are mere vassals of the Gov- ernor, whose wishes they dare not cross, be- j cause it would be political annihilation. This revolting form of Casarism, which seeks to crush official independence and subjugate all wills to one master, is anti-American and anti-democratic. Public officers should stand upon their ability and their weight with the people, and not on servility toa man who can destroy them with his breath. We have just had in Washington the same comedy that was acted in September at Syra- euse, though with different costumes and scenery. ‘The proper title of the play is “Small Men in Great Parts; or, Talents to the Rear.” As Governor Tilden wanted puppets in the State offices, so puppets are wanted in Congress. A democrat of ability and independence as the leader of the House during this session might break a great deal of contraband Presidential crockery. A man competent for the place would be apt to act on his own judgment. A puppet was wanted whose motions could be controlled in the interest ofaclique. Morrison was selected for Chair- man of Ways and Means on the same princi- ple that ‘Little Charley Fairchild” was se- lected for Attorney General. There is no danger that men foisted into places above their capacity against the party sense ot fit- ness will take the bits into their mouths and carry their riders where they do not wish to go. Such small and contemptible politics will have but a short-lived success. A Pertinent Question.—One of the vows imposed upon the foolish people who form | the secret Know Nothing lodge of the ‘Order of the American Union” is as follows :—‘I will not permit my children to be brought up in a Romanist school of religious or secu- lar instruction.” Senator Morton, of Indi- ana, is among those who are said to have joined this seoret lodge. Has Senator Mor- ton taken this oath ? Tur Repvction or Ramroap Freicuts between this city and the West will, of course, be transient, but it is likely to con- tinue until it has accomplished its object. Under the new rates the roads will do busi- ness ata loss, but the Grand Trunk Road and its Boston connections will undoubtedly be brought to their senses, and then a paying schedule will be mutually adopted. The New York Central is determined to prevent a diversion of business from New York by underbidding roads, and it is strong enough to succeed. The contest cannot bea long one if Commodore Vanderbilt is in stout earnest, as we have no doubt he is. Tue Removan or Vataasepa to give place | to General Jovellar does not seem to please the gallant Spanish soldados whom he will | leave behind him in the island, A number | of these gentry were anxious to leave with | him, but he feels that it is his duty to tear himself away and leave them to the Mambi. As throwing a little light on this sudden de- sire of the patriotic Spaniards to serve their country at home, it may be stated that the chances for those stealings which were known in our war times as ‘‘perquisites” are not expected to be as numerous under Jovellaras they have been under the outgoing Captain General. Oxpv Kentucny.—Kentucky is a noble old Commonwealth, remarkable for the genius | and courage of her sons. The annals of the | Legislature show no prouder record than that of Clay and Crittenden and their com- peers ; but Kentucky never had as proud a day as the present, when she sees four ex- members of Congress, men whom she once honored as her Representatives, drawing | pay as humble servants of the House. The ' State which remembers that she was served by Crittenden and Clay must rejoice that the | successors of these great statesmen are wheeling documents into the folding room and keeping calendars or scratching around the Clerk’s desk, modestly earning their pittance, Sxexvtons.—The old proverb states ‘‘there is a skeleton in every house,” but when the ossuarium contains a discarded wife, probate proceedings on the death of thé master are likely to be lively reading. The novelists | find their stories in the Surrogate’s court, | gossips come away gorged from it, and the poor have a chance to gloat over gilded misery. Vide Brown ws. Brown in another part of the paper, Vesuvius continues her extensive prepara- | tions for an eruption on an unusual scale of | splendor, The rival theatres of Etna and | Stromboli have not as yet made any an- nouncements for a Christmas extravaganza. On our side of the globe Porto Rico is the only place at which even an earthquake has been recently bringing down the houses, | ¥ai e's Surrender—Harvard Trembling in the Balance. The principal reason advanced by Yale for withdrawing from the Rowing Association of American @olleges is that so mamy smaller colleges have forced the management into inexperienced hands. But have the latter aught else fo do than study the last three races and try to do as well? It will hardly be questioned that for the last three years Yale has had a promi- nent if not controlling voice in the manage- ment of the regatta, and yet it was delayed | in 1873 from four o'clock till dusk, and with- out shadow of good reason, The next year it took three whole days to get it off, and last summer the crews were exposed a whole hour under a broiling sun before they were let go. Does she say that this was the fault of the smaller colleges? Is it not the fact that during her four years in the association she was in last the first year, a winner the second, sent to the rear of the fleet the third and only fifth the last time? Is it not the fact that this is her present Cap- tain's last year; that he sees that it is simply idle to hope to win next season over the crews now in the field ; that he knows that Harvard will have then only her this year’s Freshman crew, and that if he can get this crew off by itself he can probably beat it; that, to make this all the surer, he chal- lenges them to row, not three miles—itself too far for so young a lot—but four miles, a longer distance than any American college crew ever in this country before attempted ? When Yale battled on year after year, and knew nothing but defeat; when, after twice winning, she was again beaten five succesive times, but still walked bravely up to the danger and took her chance, every Yale man living, and every American, too, might well feel proud. But is there anything especially creditable in her withdrawing now when her enemies is more formidable than ever ; when one, if not more, of the great British universities are likely for the first time to meet us on our own waters, and when no better reason can be offered than the fear that her younger rivals cannot manage the regatta well? To be sure, her offer to row the win- ner looks magnanimous. But does it not require just the least speck of assurance to talk about rowing the winner when the best you can show yourself is a fifth rate crew? Would it not be quite as modest to row the three intermediate crews first? But, while Yale possibly has the right to withdraw—for she has, however justly, ac- tually scored one victory—that right does not exist for Harvard. ‘Though she may devoutly believe that that victory was her's, not Yale's, she has never yet, since entering the associa- tion, except for an hour or two in 1873, been officially declared the victor. There is just one way for her to get out of the association, and that is to row out ahead. If it takes but one year all well, but if it takes a hundred she must stay in or go out disgraced. Turning away from an enemy because he is too dangerous often brings courts‘martial in military affairs, and it will hardly prove less disastrous to Har- yard's fair name now. But, indeed, this whole business of backing down or doing anything which looks like backing down— for, call it what she likes, that is what it really is—is something entirely new to her. No matter who the enemy in the old days— whether Yale or the Biglins, or St. John or the Wards, or Oxford or Cambridge— it was all the same to her—at them she went and fought them over every inch of the course till across the finish line, and respect her they had to. The word now is that she hesitates. This is bad enough, but if she wants to make every one of her thou- sands of graduates and friends again proud of her, let her leave the backing out to others, and reject with scorn any terms of separation but the unconditional surrender of every enemy in the field. A Prrrment Qvuestion.—The secret so- ciety of the O. A. U. compels its votaries to swear, “I will not knowingly vote for, recommend nor appoint, nor assist in elect- ing or appointing a Romanist or a Papist, or any person sympathizing with the Roman Church, to any political office of honor or trust whatsoever.” It is said that Mr. Blaine is a member of this secret lodge. Has Mr. Blaine ever taken this oath? Savines Banxs.—The deeper the inquiry goes into the affairs of the Third Avenue Savings Bank the more stands out the out- rageous manner in which the deposits were handled. The most barefaced gambling ap- pears to have been carried on under the pro- visions of a special law, obtained, doubtless, in some underhanded way. All kinds of reckless expenditures were made, and the new receiver now states that the bank ac- count should have shown a deficit for the past eleven years. With mismanagement of this kind by the bank officers and the most careless possible system of State control, the depositors who trusted to the statements of the one and the indorsements of the other were 2 otha without protection. We hope the Legislature will make the laws concerning State supervision more rigid, and attach proper penalties to what is punished in other cases of breach of public trust as criminal malfeasance or embezzlement. OvenpornG THE INVESTIGATION BustNEss.— The democrats in Congress are in danger of turning their proposed investigations into derision by frivolity, fussiness and the reck- less exhibition of party animosity. The World printed yesterday a long catalogue of fifty subjects, each of which was said to require a committee of Congress to look into it and drag hidden iniquity to light. The speci- men we insert will serve to show with how little consideration such inquiries are pro- posed :— 23. The fraudulent Merease |n valuation of the French franc and consequent robbery of merchants, put up by Fish’s son-in-law and Hartley's son. The World must be more cautious, or it will get into hot water with some of its best friends. Does it really think that all the persons indicated in this charge need to have a committee of Congress set upon their tracks? Tue Presment enjoyed the New England dinner yosterday evening and endured the speeches without a word of protest. A slight hint from one of the speakers that the President's education had thitherto been _ neglected seemed to be the pleasant feature of the evening. Goneral Grant did not give his opinion on this or anything else. } A Bad Excuse, We learn from the weird and beauti- ful Washington correspondence of the World that there is some feeling among re- publicans in reference to the appointments made by the democrats. The correspondent explains that the republicans have no right to show any feeling, because the democrats are doing now what the republicans did when they were in power. The republicans re- moved men, without regard to their morit, to find places for political followers and strikers, and therefore they have no right to criticise democrats for doing the same thing. We regret this, for we dislike to differ from the World correspondent; but the democrats were not sent to Washington to do what the republicans did, but to ‘“re- form affairs.” Of course we know the re- publicans were all thieves or in some ring or other; that they stifled civil service; that they did all manner of improper things; and we know it was because of this that the country turned them out and put democrats in their places. What we expect from the democrats is civil service in its truest sense, purity of administration and bringing the government back to what it was under the fathers, These men were sent to Washing- ton to do what Jefferson and Adams and Washington did—to work with an eye single for the good of the country. It is no excuse and no apology for their shortcomings that they are following the example of the repub- licans, Tue Marraa Wasnincton Recrprion.—An interesting event in the centennial year in this city will be a grand entertainment, on February 22 (Washington’s Birthday), to be given under’ the direction of a number of our leading citizens, whose names are else- where published. To make this ‘Martha Washington reception” a complete success it is proposed to use the Academy of Music, Nilsson Hall and Irving Hall. The objects of the entertainment are charitable as well as patriotic, the proceeds being,intended forthe benefit of the poor, and prompt and liberal support should be given by our citizens. A Psnrrnent Question.—One of the oaths imposed upon the members of the secret lodge of the O. A. U. is to ‘oppose the power of the Church of Rome, to oppose the election of any Papist to political office, to allof which I pledge my life, my fortune and my sacred honor.” President Grant ia among those who are said to have entered this lodge. Has the President of the United States taken this oath? Aw Actrve Proszcution of the ‘‘Ring” mage nates of Brooklyn will bring out some ex- traordinary facts; but we sincerely hope it will also bring back some of the squandered money to the treasury and bring the offend- ers to grief. On such a course of events we should congratulate the City of Churches. Tue Exp or tur Sqvuansie between the Dock Department and the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund has been a reference to the Corporation Counsel for an opinion of the question of the supervisory powers of the Commission over the expenditures of the Department of Docks. Tue Exprosion of a gas main in Boston yesterday was attended with serious loss otf life. PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE, Verdi, the composer, is the leanest of all the Ltaliam Senators, The Prince of Wales fired at two elephants in India, He hit both, Yoshida Kiyonari, Japanese Minister at Washington, has apartments at the Gilsey House, Chauncey Filley, of St. Louis, has paid $1,000,000 worth of notes which he indorsed for a frieud. ‘The President, with his son, Jesse R. Grant, arrived at the Fifth Avenue Hotel last evening from Washing. ton. Senators George 8, Boutweill, of Massachusetts, and Joseph E. MeDonuld, of Indiana, are residing tempore rily at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, Senators Morrill, of Maine, and Anthony and Burn. side, of Rhode Island, wero in the city last evening on the way home from Washington. The first number—for the centennial year—of the Manhattan Monthly, wader the business management of Mr. John Farrell, has just been issued, and has bee the subject of many laudations. Sir Anthony de Rothschild, head of the London house of Rothschild and one of the two surviving sons ot the founder of the metropolitan firm, is confined ta his bed by a very serious illness, A Danbury man, wishing to’ engage several: bushola of potatoes from a party in the suburbs, asked a ueigh- bor what sort of a man he was, “Weil,” sad the con- scientious neighbor, “I don’t know very much about him, but I should think he would make a tip top stran- er.” . “Zachariah,” said Mrs, Chandler, “what smell is that?” “Cloves.’’ “Bat that other smell?” ‘All spice.” “But isn’t there another?” “Yes—apples,”* “And just one more?” “Cider, my dear.” “Well, Zachariah,” said she, “if you'd only drink a livtie brandy now you'd make a good mince pie."’ William Alston Hayne, a son of Hayne, Webster's antagonist, sits in the California Legislature for Santa Barbara and Ventura. He is fifty-four years old, and describes himsolf as ‘a democrat of the old school.” Mr. Hayne satin the Legisiature of South Carolina just before the passage of the act of secession, and went to California in 1967, General Eaton, Commissioner of Education, has been invited to be present and deliver an address at the dedi- cation of the Fisk University (for colored persons) at Nashville, Tenn,, on the Ist of January next. The building, which cost betwoen $70,000 and $80,000, it is stated was erected mainly through the efforts of the colored Jubilee Singers, who are now in Europe, It is now sald that there is on record a letter (rom the late General George H. Thomas tn which he offered his services to Virginia om the secession side. The fettor is reported to be under date of January 18, 1861, and to contain the sentiment that he eould “never draw his sword against a State straggling for its constitutional rights.” The authority for the letter 1s General F, N, Smith, of the Virginia Military Institute, The press, almost without . exception, ridicules « Speaker Kerr's appointment of Mr. Morrison, of Lilt nois, to the head of the Ways and Means Committes. It i evident to many knowing ones that Mr. Kerr was paying off personal obligation, Mr Ellis H. Roberts, who is qualified to criticise, says that Mr, Morrison is @ man of wood or stone, and that Speaker Kerr has com. mitted a great blunder, It is added that Mr. Mor. rison’s experience as a statesman has been mainly io getting private clairas through Congress. ‘The fourth section of the fourteenth amendment oy the constitution of the United States says:—“The validity of the public debt of the United States author. ized by law, including debts incurred for payment o pensions and bounties for services in suppressing in- surrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aia of insurrec. tion or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slaves; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.'*