The New York Herald Newspaper, January 12, 1876, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. nn JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR Silene THE DAILY HERALD, miblished every Cay in the year, Four cents per copy. ‘Iwelve dollars per year, or one dollar per month, free of postage. All business, news letters or telegraphic despatches must be addressed New Yor Herarp. : Letters and packages should be properly sealed. Rejected communications will not be re- turned. panei 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 New York, as in WOOD'S MUS: . corner of Thirticth stre +i closes at 1045 P.M. Broadwa: E CUT GLOVE, te Keon, Matinee at Jule GLOBE THEATRE, Nos. 728 and 730 Broudway.—VAKIETY, at 8 P. M. nee at2 P.M. Mati- BOOTH'S THEATRE, Twenty-third street and Sixth avenue,—JULIUS C.ASAR, ALSP.M. Mr. Lawrence Barrett. |. Matinee at 2 THIRD A Third avenue, between Tl PANORAMA, at 5 P.M. THEATRE, Thirty‘first streets. — Thirty-fourt! « RUSSIAN § PARIS, Open from 1 P. M. to4P. M. and from to 10 P.M TIVOLI THEATRE, Eighth street, near Third avi —VARIETY, at 8 P.M. WALLACK’S THEATRE. Broadway and Thirteenth street.—MARRIED IN HASTE, asi, Ml. ; closes at 10:45 P, ‘Mr. Lester Wallack. PARISI VARIETIES. Sixteenth street, near Broadway.—VARIETY, at 8 P. M. z BROOKLYN THEATRE, Washington street, Brooklyn.—OUR BOYS, at SP. M. Mr, Jobu BE. Owens. UNION SQUARE THEATRE, Broadway and Fourteenth street.—KOSE MICHEL, at 8 OLYMPIC THEATRE, Ho, em Broadway.—VARIETY, at 8 P.M. Matinee at 2 FIFTH AVE: Twenty-cighth street, near Fauuy Davenport. E THEATRE, roadway.—PIQUE, at 8 P.M. TONY PASTOR'S NEW THEATRE, Nos. 585 and 587 Broadway.—VARIETY, at 5 P.M, PARK THEATRE, Broadway and Twenty-second street.—THE WIDOW HUNT, ac3P.M. Jobn Dillon, FAGLE THEATRE, rty-third street.—VARIETY, at 8 P. M. a MANIA THEATR M HEL! . Broadway and Thi Matinee at 2 P.M. E, Fourteenth street. E. at sr. M. BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.—SUNSHINE, at 8 P.M. Lillie Wilkenson. SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS, New Opera House, Broadway, corner of Fwenty-ninth street, atsPoM, WITH SUPPLEME a, 18) From our reports this morning the probabilities are that the weather to-day will be partly cloudy and slightly warmer. Tux Henatp py Fast Mar. Traws.—News- dealers and the public throughout the Slates of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as in the West, the Pacific Coast, the North, the South and Southwest, also wong the lines of the Hudson River, New York Central and Pennsylvania Central Railroads and their cone nections, will be supplied with Taz Heraxp, free of postage, Extraordinary inducements offered to newsdealers by sending their orders direct to this office. Watt Srreer Yestenpay.—Gold ranged be- tween 113 1-8 and 1123-4. There are, how- ever, good buyers in the market. call loaned at 7 per cent gold, and, later, at 5 percent currency. Stocks were firm, and the cliques for the moment are in supreme | control. Transactions, however, are chiefly confined to the local speculators. Tar Srrvck Jury in the Tweed cases is the liveliest topic in the courts just now. Whether it will be possible to obtain a jury at all under the present system is becoming A very grave question. Generat Porter's Conrmmation as Com- misg to fail, in spite of the arguments of Mr. Bel- mont on Monday and Mr. George Ticknor Curtis yester The Ly. Board of Aldermen has agreed to report against him. Queen V. mus is beginning te take a more active interest in public affhirs than has been her custom since the death of Prince Albert, and it is said she will once more open Parliament in person. If she emerges from her retirement altogether she will greatly please her people. German MaGyrannanry is something unique, if the case of Cardinal Ledochowski isa speci- men. This eminent prelate is to be liberated anconditionally when his term of imprison- ment expires, and not to be imprisoned again unless he again infringes the ecclesias- tical laws. Anything less than this would have been a disgrace to Germany and the Empire. asking the re- lease of the Fenian prisoners is ridiculed by the London press, which refuses to accept a popular dramatist as a trustworthy judge of State questions. Unfortunately for this view of the subject the world generally will re- gard his suggestion as a wise one, and will uot respect it the less because Mr. Bouci- cault has earned fame as a dramatist. A Sprctat Despatch To tHe Herary this morning gives the substance of the letter published by the crew of the Jefferson Bor. den, complaining of the harsh cgnduct of the Captain and the unseaworthiness of the vessel. The letter, doubtless, is intended to affect the trial of the men accused of mutiny on the previous voyage ; but, whatever the . 1S | whether the forcible pacification of Cuba, as “| school question some victorious general or Money on | sgioner of Public Works is almost certain | committee of the | , in a state of complete efficiency, whereas our NEW YURK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1876.—WITH SUPPLEMENT. | Tne Arpproachipg Presidential Con- test—A War with Spain. Ev hing done or omitted to be done by | the President or Congress during this ses- | sion will be done or omitted because of its supposed bearing on the success of parties or candidates in the Presidential canvass. | Of course good things as well as bad things | | may be attempted with this view, for there is no reason why a good project should not | be popular, The art of canvassing is a hunt | | for popularity, and the methods of seeking popular applause are as various as the men- tal peculiarities of the men who engage in a chase for office. If Govewnor Tilden hangs out the banner of reform, if Mr. Blaine dis- plays a sudden zeal for non-sectarian schools, if President Grant tries to push the country into a foreign war, their respective hobbies are means, not ends; it is the Presidency which lies at the bottom of their efforts. Each yalues the horse and his caparison only | as a means of reaching the goal. And yet reform is not a bad thing because Governor | Tilden rides it out of breath in pursuit of the Presidency, nor is non-sectarian educa- tion a bad thing because Mr. Blaine has adroitly slipped into the saddle in the place of him who brought out the steed; and | proposed by President Grant, is a bad thing depends on its success and cost. It is quite possible that all these Presiden- tial steeds will unhorse their riders. Gov- ernor Tilden has made so many democratic enemies that his control of the State Conven- tion for appointing Presidential delegates is | more than doubtful; the report that Mr. | Blaine was bred a Catholic throws an ex- quisite air of ridicule over his new | born zeal to cut out President Grant jon the rehgious question; and it is | altogether probable that if the President puts forth his hand to shake the tree of war somebody else will gather the fruit. What | Mr. Blaine has done for him respecting the admiral might also do for him in relation to | Cuba. It is a hazardous game to play from motives of personal ambition. The democratic party played a similar | game thirty years ago in the Mexican war, and lost. Although that war was successful | and brilliant—a career of victories without | an important reverse—the democratic party was defeated in the next Presidential elec- tion. A popular whig general carried off the prize. Even a successful war does not necessarily aid the pdlitical party that begins | it, but an unsuccessful war is necessarily fatal. We suppose nobody doubts the ultimate result of a war with Spain, but | the chances are more than even that we should encounter humiliating checks in its | early stages, and a tide of discontent would | set in against the administration, If we had had a Presidential election in the autumr of 1861, after the Bull Run disaster ; in the preceding summer, with President Lincoln as the republican candidate, it would have resulted in a political Bull Run for him and his party. If President Grant forces the country into a war with Spain during the coming spring, and the campaign should open with reverses, the republican party would be past praying for in the Presidential election. It is altogether probable that, in a war | | about Cuba, the first successes would be on ‘the side of the Spaniards. Spain is in a | | state of efficient preparation, military and | She has been dealing for several | | years with a formidable rebellion on | the Peninsula and another formidable | | rebellion in Cuba, which have brought ‘her armaments to the highest point | | of efficiency warranted by her financial | condition. Our own preparations for a war are yet to be made, and it isa work which | naval. | requires time and effort. We cannot |inerease either our naval or our | military force until war shall have been declared, and Spain would accordingly | have every advantage of us at the beginning | of hostilities. She would be at the maxi- mum of her strength at a time when our | armaments were yet to be created. In the | | course of six or eight months we could be- come infinitely her superior both on land | and at sea; but meanwhile, taking advan- | tage of our transient weakness and want of | preparation, Spain might strike sudden and | effective blows which would be a severe shock to our national pride. The chances | would be altogether against us in the earlier | | months of the contest, and during those | earlier and unsuccessful months the Presi- | dential canvass would be virtually decided, | and, of course, decided against General Grant if he should be the republican candi- | | date. | Spaniards are excellent fighters. What | the Castilian blood lacks in dash it makes | wp in obstinate vigor, and, man for man, | | with equal numbers and advantages on both | | sides, a Spanish force is no contemptible | | enemy, even for Americans. Spain has at | | present a well equipped army of two hun- | dred and sixteen thousand; our effective army does not, exceed twenty thousand. Spain has two hundred and two war vessels ships of war amount to only one hundred and sixty-six, all told, including the old | tubs and vessels in a state of dilapidation, which figure in the statistics, but are of no value for service, We should be no match for | Spain on the sea during the first six months | ofa war. We should, of course, triumph in the end, because our resources are so ex- pansive, and victory, in the long run, perches on the standard which is supported by the longest purse. A war with Spain | would probably be disastrous during the | | tions. | tenor of our later despatches that an accom- | hold the Ministry together by inducing M. | ready for trial. | news columns this morning that a very im- | of the Rapid Transit Commissioners to desig- | | nate a route for the roads through the public by them politically. Crowned with fresh laurels the winner of victories would be the popular idol, and with the tendency of our people to reward military success with political promotion, it would beSherman or Sheridan, or a successful naval commander that would be borne to the Presidency by the enthusiasm of a grateful and admiring people. But all the probabilities are against such a turn of affairs, because the perfect preparation of Spain would enable her to fight to advantage while we were getting ready, and to win early success, which would raise a storm against the administration, making President Grant's re-election as im- possible as President Lincoln's would have been in the next autumn after the battle of Bull Run. A war with Spain would also play into the hands of the democratic party by enabling it to bridge over the chasm which separates the Eastern and the Western democracy. A new war would tend to expand the currency. At the very least it would put an end to efforts for contraction. The logic of events would give the Western democrats all they have ever asked for. With the currency question taken out of polities during the war the divided democracy would become harmonious, while the naval and military disasters likely to attend the beginning of a war with Spain would furnish them with topics of denunciation and invective of overwhelming force against the administra- tion. We submit these obvious probabilities to the reflection of President Grant, asking him to consider whether a war with Spain in the interest of a third term would not be a blunderbuss whose first discharge would ‘kick the owner over.” Collector Arthur, A day or two ago we printed some stric- tures upon Collector Arthur, based upon a report that the Collector had procured a place in the Department of Buildings for a politician named Haw, on condition that Haw should relinquish control of the repub- lican organization in the Twenty-first As- sembly district. It now turns out that, although Mr. Haw succeeded in obtaining the office under Superintendent Adams, it was without the assistance or even the knowledge of General Arthur. The organi- zation of the Twenty-first district was not involved in the appointment, at least 80 far as the Collector was concerned, and it seems that the whole statement was erroneous, We are glad of this. General Arthur has filled the important post he now occupies so capably and honestly, and has been so ac- ceptable in every respect to our merchants and business men, that it would be a matter of regret if he should turn aside from his more important duties to interfere in the petty disputes of local ‘‘leaders.”” Our readers will learn with pleasure that he has not | done so in this instance. The story of his | connection with Haw's appointment was | started by interested and inimical persons, | and it only needs a denial to set it at rest. That we should say this much is due to a | faithful and capable official, who has not for- gotten his high trust to meddle with the | local disputes of self-seeking politicians, Tae Frencu Exxcrorat Canvass.——In no other country in Europe could a Cabi- net Minister fall into such trouble as that which has overtaken M. Léon Say. ‘The inef- fectiveness of coalition Ministries is prover- bial in dealing with domestic difficulties, and the Buffet Cabinet is already shaking to pieces at the first preparation for the general elec- The only wonder is that it has held together so long. The unsettled state of parties causes endless embarrassment, and when the government issues official instruc- ‘tions to the prefects to support such and such a list of candidates con- fusion is likely to be more con- founded. It is not to be wondered, then, that two Ministers—M. Say and M. Du- faure—find themselves on tickets which M. Buffet has given orders to oppose, or that the position they felt bound to assume should result in the disruption of the | M nistry. It appears, however, from the modation* of some kind will be arrived at. The MacMahon government cannot alienate | two such strong supporters as Say and Du- faure without risking defeat in the general elections and making the Chamber of Dep- uties a republican body extremely hostile to the Septennate. A conservative policy seems to commend itself to both factions, and this fact, more than anything else, may serve to Buffet to forego the programme which has | already caused so much trouble. Tur Cutcaco Wutskey Cases were all de- | ferred yesterday, none of the accused being An interesting point in our despatches this morning is the system of | marking “crooked” whiskey employed by | the dealers. ‘C." stencilled on the barrel meant “crooked ;” “G.,” ‘grapewine,” and | “K. O. B.,” “keep off books.” Every day | adds to the revelations of the vastness of the conspiracy to defraud the government. Governor Bepiz, of New Jersey, goes | further even than President Grant in his | views on the school question. He thinks that to exclude the Bible from the schools | would be retrogression toward heathenism. It is plain that the heathen, and a great many people who are not heathen, are to re- ceive no consideration from the democracy of New Jersey. Rarw Transrr.—It will be seen from our portant question arises in regard to the right | summer and early autumn months. It would prostrate the administration and the | political party responsible for beginning and conducting it. If the Presidential election | were to take place one or two years hence a | war with Spain begun now might bring al great harvest of military glory and political capital to the administration of President Grant; but as an electioneering device for | the Presidential contest about to open it would be a blind and extra hazardous tempt- | ing of fortune, with twenty chances to one | Against its success. But if, by some extraordinary stroke of | | cision is reached. | | best. | parks. The question is one of expediency as well as of right, and the whole subject should be carefully canvassed before any de- | Avprrorn Tuayer has resigned his office, from which he was recently suspended by the Governor, in a long letter, to the argu- ment of which his resignation is a rather | singular corollary, We print his letter, and, | of all its other opponents to inflict. | centennial year. | have voted for the appropriation. company in London would be a very dif- whatever the force of his reasoning, agree that his final determination is wisest and Governor Emxeny's Messaoz to the Utah purpose, the administration of justice can luck, our army or navy should make brill- | Legislature, judging from the brief abstract scarcely suffer, even if the desire of the iant achievements in the first campaign, it | we print this morning, isa document that signers of this document is allowed to de- , would not bo President Grant but the naval | will be widely discussed by both factions in | American company to London? There can lay the cases. or military hero of the day that would profit | the Territory. The Amnesty Debate. Mr. Blaine has made a parliamentary suc- cess but a political mistake. .The adroit way in which he overreached and outwitted Mr. Randall in getting a chance to deliver his prepared speech and open the sluices of de- bate shows that he is no ordinary master of parliamentary tactics; but it would have been better for his political prospects if he had lost the opportunity which he extorted. It is too late in the day to rake open the de- eaying animosities of the late war with personal or political profit to any disturber of the kindly feeling between the North and the South. It is absurd to the degree of being ridiculous for any sane man to affect to think that it makes any sort of difference to any public interest whether Mr. Jefferson Davis is re- lieved or not relieved from his political disa- bilities. There is no chance of his election or appointment to any federal office, and even if he could have such chances after an act of amnesty it is impossible to see what harm he could do or would have any temptation to do more than any other ex-rebel in a public trust. The treatment of the prisoners at Andersonville is a question which belongs to history and not to politics. It isa dozen years too late for remedy,-and itis better that it should be buried out of sight with the other unpleasant and irritating events of the war. There is nothing which the liberal and generous public feeling of the country is so little disposed to tolerate as the gratui- tous tearing open of old wounds in the in- terest of political ambition. Mr. Blaine, to use a common phrase, does not ‘understand his epoch.” He forgets that this is the centennial year, and that the Presidential contest, in which he hopes to be a candidate, will be deeply colored by patriotic feelings and by sentiments of generous fraternity like those so applaud- ingly manifested at the centennial celebra- tion of the battle of Bunker Hill, when the gallant and chivalrous Southern regiments from Richmond and Charleston were greeted with a warmer welcome and received more distinguished marks of hospitality than any of the other participants in that affecting tribute to the memory of the patriotic dead. Mr. Blaine is not only out of har- mony with the magnanimous sentiment of New England as manifested on that deeply interesting occasion, but he is equally out of harmony with the patriotic sentiment of his native State of Pennsylvania, on whose sup- port he has heretofore counted in his Presi- dential aspirations. The State of his birth and the section of his adoption alike repu- diate his wanton attempt to rip up old sores and prevent the cordial fraternization of the North and the South in this centennial year. His Pennsylvania friends will be appalled at his blunder and will withdraw their confidence from so indiscreet and reck- less a man. When the appropriation for their great exposition was on the very edge of syccess he has put it in peril and dealt it a more deadly blow than it was in the power The Pennsylvanians, and, indeed, the whole country, have been courting and inviting an “era of good feeling” in connection with the Centennial Exposition. It has been the hope of all magnanimous citizens that all the un- pleasant memories of the civil war would be buried ‘deeper than ever plummet sounded” in the proud and exultant patriotism of the | And just at the point when an appropriation to promote this noble object was about to come up for the consid- eration of Congrass, steps in this ambitious Marplot to rake open the old quarrel, set the North and South by the ears, flaunt the most disagreeable and revolting topic in the history of the war, and deal a deadly stab at the success of the Centennial by alienating scores of members who would otherwise Brilliant as was Mr. Blaine’s stroke of parliamentary tactics nobody will envy him his laurels. An American Theatre in London. A dramatic company composed exclusively of Americans, is a novelty which an enter- prising American manager proposes to estab- lish in London. The originality of this idea must be admitted; but its merits are open to discussion. The ability of American actors to acquire and maintain the highest posi- tions on the English stage has been re- peatedly shown. John 8, Clarke, Joseph Jefferson, John E. Owens, Charlotte Cush- man, the Batemans, E. A. Sothern (for “Dundreary” was educated in our Amer- ican school, though born in England), the Florences, the Williamses, have made brilliant records, and some of them enjoy popularity in London not ex- celled by any English artist. If there ever was any prejudice in England against American actors—and we doubt it—it has cer- tainly no force now. But such eminent artists as Clarke and Jefferson and Sothern did not invite the criticism of the English people as Americans, but as artists. They fought their battles single handed on the stage of the world’s metropolis, and the ap- proval of the public is a tribute to their enius, not a compliment to their nation- ality. The organization of an entirely American ferent thing from individual American enterprises. It would be exposed to the suspicion, whether just or unjust, of being an effort to obtain success by appealing to national rivalries, like the late foolish war between the partisans of Mr. E. L. Daven- port and Mr. Barry Sullivan. An exclu- sively English company in New York would not meet with encouragement, not from any jealousy of English actors—for, on the con- | trary, some of our greatest favorites are from | London—but because we could not recognize its artistic usefulness. The Londoners would feel much inthe same way. Ifan exclusively American company should be taken to London it probably would be to prove that we have as good actors as the English. But the ques- tion of merit could not be fairly tried. One reason among many why a just decision could not be reached is this: Our best actors would probably remain at home. But it may be said that there is no wish to force the question of the comparative merits of Eng- | lish and American actors upon the jury of | the London public. Why, then, take an_ “be but one other reason. and "that is, to ex- hibit its members as curiosities. But Ameri- ean actors have long ceased to be curiosities. The English stage and the American are almost homogeneous. They have the same language, the same literature, the same tra- ditions and the same origin. There is noth- ing radically different in their nature, and every year their resemblance increases. Toole finds English humor appreciated in America, and Clarke revives old English comedies in London, These facts make it impossible to defend the organization of ex- clusively English or American companies on the ground that we support exclusively French, German or Italian companies. The conditions are altogether unlike. French acting, for example, is something so different from English acting that we receive it as a novelty, It instructs us in a new school. We welcome it not as an attempt to prove the inferiority of our stage, but as an illus- tration of the great differences of style that exist upon the stage of the world. We would therefore advise Mr. Henry D. Palmer, who contemplates this plausible scheme, to hesitate, pause, reflect. The ex- periment is a doubtful one. There is no more reason why he should take an exclu- sively American company to London than an exclusively New York company to Wash- ington. Yet, if the enterprise is to be carried out, we trust the actors will all be worthy of the occasion. If it be not a great company in the true sense of the word then it would be better to have none at all. The failure to establish a distinctively American theatre in England would do much to injure the high reputation for our dramatic art which has been won by the individual efforts of our distinguished actors. Steeplechase Racing. The American Jockey Club has made a move in the right direction by increasing the weights on horses of all ages for racing on the flat; but they should have gone a trifle further, and made some rules to regu- late steeplechasing and hurdling. There is nothing in their rules that has the slightest application to the latter style of racing, ex- cept an ambiguous sentence at the end of rule 69, which is, ‘‘Winners or losers of hurdle races or steeplechases are not consid- ered ‘winners or losers in flat racing.” In Great Britain, France and other countries sweepstakes are opened yearly for across country races, as they are styled, and they are generally well filled, in some of them amounting to nearly one hundred subscri- bers, We have material enough in this country to commence the sport on a grand scale, as there area great many horses that can be put to that kind of work which are not fit for the sharp, short races on the flat ; and riders will crop up in Maryland, Vir- ginia and Kentucky as fast as they are needed—young, daring fellows, who have been fox hunting all their lives. The weights for steeplechasers and hur- dlers can be easily regulated in weight for age races, as the welter weight, added to the new scale for flat racers, would answer the purpose, as that would give an aged horse one hundred and fifty pounds to carry. But as handicap sweepstakes would most likely fill the best an intelligent handicap- per could easily bring all the horses to the post on equal terms. Tho matter of weight, however, is not so important a subject to determine as the height and breadth of the jumps for the horses. We will not pretend to dictate to the club what they should do, but will merely state that in Europe the | lowest for fences and stone walls are four feet six inches, and the water jumps twelve feet. At Punchestown, in Ireland, the stone walls and fences are said to be about five feet high, and the brooks or water jumps from twelve to fourteen feet in width. They are the same height and breadth in France ; and the horses of those countries go over these great distances with less danger to the rider or themselves than our horses go over the two anda half and three feet obstacles that are putin front of them on our race courses. The horse Lottery, in | England, is said to have jumped thirty-four feet over hurdles at Liverpool, and Chan- dler, at Warwick, jumped thirty-nine feet over water; and Lochiel, in this country, jumped twenty-eight feet over brush and water. A horse is of little use that cannot carry a man of ordinary weight, and it is sheer nonsense to prate about racing for the advancement and improvement of the breed of the thor- oughbred horse without he can be bred to carry a man weighing one hundred and fifty pounds or more and run fast also. It is a historical fact that a three-year-old thorough- bred, Copenhagen, bore the Duke of Wel- lington on his back for twelve hours on the | last day of the battle of Waterloo, and when the French were beaten and Wellington dis- mounted the colt came near kicking the Duke's brains out by letting his heels fly over the great General's head. Of such colts is this country much in need at the present time, as too much attention has been wasted on the breeding of fast short distance run- ners, instead of having them, as we said before, to carry weight | and run too, A horse that can run with one hundred and fifty pounds on his back four miles in eight minutes is an infinitely superior animal to the one that could runamile in 1:39 1-2, as Longfellow was said to have done in the first mile in the race for the Saratoga Cup with Kingfisher. And it is probable that Longfellow would not have broken down in his race with Harry Bassett had the weights been what a four- year-old will have to carry next summer, as it has been demonstrated that it is the pace and not the weight that breaks down the fore- legs of the racer. But to the steeplechaser, the horse by his style of racing that gives the greatest satis- faction to the people, and draws larger crowds on racing days than any other kind of race horse. The people from Europe, now in this country, have been accustomed to steeplechasing in their native land and like to see it still. But we do not here get the races up in the same manner they have been used to see them. We make time tho test and speed the all in all, Instead of having the jumps high enough to show the real beauty of the race, we make traps to trip and throw horses, thus endangering the lives of both horse and rider, because the horses are run with such breakneck speed that they cannot see distinctly what they are coming to, be- sides being pumped out before one-half ene obstacles are passed over. And the purpose of all this is to announce a high rate of speed on the blackboards and have the spectators believe that they have witnessed the fastest race on record. The jumping in a steeples chase should cease about half a mile from the finish, giving the horses a good chance - fora sharp run home, instead of having ® hurdle to trip them up, as is now the case, when near the goal. For instance, at Jerome Park, when the horses have passed over tha stone wall in the north field, they should then be allowed to run under the bluff without impediment and maka their way from there home, which is far enough to determine the fastest horse in the race ; but in all cases a prize should be given to the best jumper, whether he is first or not. The American Jockey Club have six stakes open for flat races, which will close on the 1st day of March next, and, as we said above, wa would suggest that they add, by way of ex- periment, a few for steeplechases, to close at the same time ; some at weight for age, tha others as handicaps. False Economy at West Point. Economy is a virtue, but it may be made ridiculous, as when a_ bankrupt spendthrift proposes to retrench at the expense of his laundress. Any one would naturally suppose that he would begin with his wine merchant or his jeweller. We have the most earnest wish that Mr. Randall shall succeed in his efforts to reduce the expenses of the government, but at tho same time hope he will have too much pru- dence to expose his policy to the sneers of his opponents. Yet we learn thatthe Committee on Appropriations proposes to begin reform by abolishing the military band at West Point, and cutting down the pay of tho cadets each fifty dollars a year. What would be saved in this manner would, we think, be insignificant compared with what would: be lost. f The law provides for the appointment of one cadet from each Congressional district, one from each Territory, one from the District of Columbia, and ten at large. This would make a total of three hun- dred and twelve, but for the sake of convenience we will say three hundred. To cut off fifty dollars from the pay of these students would be a saving, if we may dig- nify it by that title, of fifteen thousand dollars annually. Each cadet would lose about a dollar a week, or fifteen cents a day. But the loss would be far greater than this. Our national military school would lose in its credit and self-respect. % would feel that it was treated in a mean and miserly way by the government. The injury to the spirit of the institution by such a measure could not be puid for by the reduction of hundreds of thousands in its expenses. If West Point is of any value to the nation let the nation support it with dignity and liberality. If it is useless it should be abol- ished. There ought to be no compromise in this. Ifthis great Republic is in such a desperate strait that it must take a dollar a week from the pay of the young men it is bringing up to be the future leaders of its armies we suggest that it might as well take it all, and let the Military Academy at West Point for a summer hotel. ‘Tne Grey Nuns’ Act, as it is called, has been the source of much dissatisfaction in this State, and now its repeal is earnestly recommended by the Superintendent of Education. As it grants exclusive privileges this course onght to be pursued. PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE, Sankey’s voice is failing. Ex-Senator Ben Wade, of Ohio, is in Washington. Germany tw fast converting ber silver currency into one of gold, Mr. Tilton ts very moderate in his price, only asking $150 for his services, Mrs. Grant wears black silk and velvet. Mrs, Fred Graut wears opal silk. : If reports are trae Jimmy Blanchard's mother must be spanking Charley Ross, , Donn Piatt’s tather-in law, who was very rich, has died in Cincinnati, leaving Piatt half bis fortune. Western papers talking of Governor Tilden’s physical condition say that be is not as strong as he is good. ‘The Chicago Tribune says there must have been # good deal of lye in the Babbitt-Beckwith soap case. ‘The Galveston (Texas) News says that every village wauls @ railroad and acity corporation uutil it gets one, Twelve thousand dollars’ worth of dried fish aro every mouth sent from Sau Francisco to China by the Chinese. General Sherman will be present at the meeting of the Grand Army of the’Republic at Sycamore, LiL, oo the 20th inst. “The editor of the Boston Transcript says:—“The wa- ter we drink costs five millions.” Few could make that remark without criticism. The Philadelphia Press says that Congress shouid, 1 necessary, appropriate $10,000,000 for the Centennial. Philadelphya papers are proverbially modest about ask- ing anything for Philadelphia. Within five years 70,000 Chinamen may vote in Cali- fornia, Ten thousand may vote in San Francisco and wield one-third of the electoral power. That is, they may, if they choose, name, five years hence, the Mayor of San Francisco and Governor of California. The Baltimore Gazette, under its new management, its new appearance ana its new prige of two cents, has greatly improved. If there were no Philadelphia Time we should say that the Gaze(te is the bandsomest two cent morning paper we read, Its writing is equal to its Appearance. Providence has a population ot 100,675, living in 12,24 houses, and divided tmto 21,621 families; has 47,189 white males and 50,058 females, and 1,611 col- ored males and 1,876 females. Ineach 100 of the population there are 46,82 of American parentage, and 53.18 of foreign parentage. . Emma Britton, a Lewisburg, Pa, girl, weight 140 pounds, can jump fifteen feet on skates, run 100 yards in thirteen seconds, drink, smok talk horse. Sho is a good shot and a good quoit pitcher; can easily swim half a mile and jump the highest fence, She will not marry, which is good—for the man, The New Orleans Picayune, analyzing Lamar, says:— “He is a man of more powerful passion than Morton, of a more splendid rhetoric than Conkling, and of a more agreeable wit than Edmunds. Mr. Lamar is nota Calhoun nor Webster, bat Lamar is one of the strong. est national jocrats inthe Union, and as such his party need him in the Senate.’ ‘The following 1 thé speech of the President to the crippled Union soldiers at Washington :— GextLemex—I am fully in accord with the spirit of the resolutions offered by Messrs. Fort and Cason in the House of Re; mtatives, and any measures that may be intended for your benetit. I will find a place for any of your comrades that may be digcharged from the and aid all others as fur %s lies in my power. Tom-tit journalism from the Sunday World:—‘Our special despatch by tom-tit from London to-day will be found as full of news as an egg of meat, The process by which the smallest of birds is thus trained to feteh the largest of facts is our own, At a future time wo may throw it open to public use, At present we reserve it, as we have a right to do, for the exclusive benefit of evorybody—if everybody will simply buy the World and read it carefully.”