The New York Herald Newspaper, October 17, 1876, Page 7

NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR, esate a emda THE DAILY HERALD, published every Jay in the year. Four cents per copy. Twelve dollars per year, or one dollar per month, free of postage. All business, news letters or telegraphic despatches must be addressed New York HeRavp. Letters and packages should be properly sealed. Rejected communications will not be re- turned. PHILADELPHIA OF FICE—NO.112 SOUTH SIXTH STREE' LONDON OFFICE OF THE N RK HERALD—NO. 46 FLEE’ PARIS OFFICE—AVENUE D. REET. LIOPERA. Subscriptions and advertisements will be received and forwarded on the same terms AMUSEMENTS TO-NIGHT. PARK THEATRE. SWEETHEARTS, a5 THEATRE, GE: BGMENT, at 8 P. OPERA HOUSE. 8PM. Mra Howard ; THEATRE, G UNCLE TOM’s CAz: BROOK BOHOOL FOR SCAND. NIBLO'S GAi BABA, at 8 P. M. THEATRE. BO ACROSS THE CONTIN P.M. Oliver Doud Byron. Woop'’s LOTTERY OF LIFE, ats P. UNION SQUARE THEATRE, TWO ORPHANS 8 TRE, BOOTHS TE E. Begpameratcs, ats. M. pangs and Mrs. Agnes jooth. LYCE TRE. ROMEO AND JULIET. Louise M. Pomeroy. CHICKERI HALL. PRESTIDIGITATION, at 1:30 Cazencave. KELLY & LEON'S MINSTRELS, usP.M, OLY ) THEATRE, VARIETY AND DRAMA. 45 P.M. AMERICAN INSTITUTE. ANNUAL FAIR, GILM BARNUM’S CIRCUS A A ands P.M. THE, VARIETY, at 8 P. M. Open from 9 A.) TONY PASTORS THEATRE, VARIETY, at 82. M. Matinee at 2 I’, M. TIVOLI THEATRE. VARIETY, at 8 P.M. THIRD AVENUE THEATRE, VARIETY, at 3 P.M. SAN FRANCISG ) MINSTRELS, ate P.M. CHATEAU MABILLE. VARIETY, at 8 P.M, Matince at 2 P.M. PHILADELPHIA THEATRES, FOX'S AMER RIRALFY'’S ALIA AROUND THE WORLD THE 4 Daily, from & Maia Expositi THEATRE, OF PARIS, +. east of the Philadelphia PHILADE Nivth and Arch street From our reports this morning the probabilities are that the weather to-day will be warmer and clear or partly cloudy. Warn Srreer Yxsrerpay.—Gold was steady at 109 1-4. Money on call rated at 2 1-2 and 11-2 percent. Speculative stocks were higher, and well sustained at the advance. Government and railway bonds were firm. First class investment securities generally showed improvement. Anorugr Fauryx 1x Inpra is reported by cable this morning, but it is to be hoped that the suffering will not approach the severity of the famine of last year. A Crape Caste for the East River Bridge is now on its passage across the river, If it were not for incidents of this kind we might forget that there is to be a bridge between New York and Brooklyn. Gneat ApaTuy seems to prevail in the State canvass in the western part of this State, and our despatches this morning re- port the rural democrats as depending upon the city for a majority for Tilden. ‘Tue Turks are answering the refusal to accept the armistice by prompt attacks on the Servians and Montenegrins. The victo- ties are claimed for the latter, but the news somes from Belgrade and Ragusa. Ar tae Rervpuican Mrerine at the Cooper Institute last night Mr. Blaine made the principal speech, basing his arguments mainly upon the attitude held by the two parties with regard to legislation in Con- gress and upon the relations of the rac2s in the South. A Stxcutar Domestic Tracxpy was the killing of House, the divorce lawyer, by his wife, in New Jersey in June last ; but the singularity of the home lite of this remarka- ble couple, as it is shown in the trial for manslaughter now in progress at Trenton, Js the most noteworthy part of it. Frrz Greene Hatieck was an excellent poet, notwithstanding he sung the glories of Tammany Hall. This, however, was before the order submitted to the one man policy pf the organization at the present day. We trust ‘‘reformed” Tammany has suflicient respect for its old time laureate to see to it that the statue which is to be erected to his memory in Central Park shall be provided with a pedestal. . Tue Weatuex.—The area of high pressure tas diminished considerably and is now tentral in South Carolina and moving toward the coast. In the Northeast the barometer has fallen to 29.20 inches at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, the gradient of pressure in that direction being very steep. High winds prevail along the river in the direction of the storm centre, and it is probable that very bad weather is ex- perienced over and in the vicinity of Newfoundland. In the Northwest another depression is advancing enstward toward the upper lake region, but with mod- erate accompanying winds. Indications of severe disturbance in the Gulf presented themselves yesterday morning, and high ‘winds prevailed on the Florida coast, The weather at New York to-day promises to be warmer and clear or partly cloudy, with winds from southwesterly an? southerly “points, NEW YUKK HERALD, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1876.—TRIPLE Federal Interve m im South Caro- The President is reported to have said in a conversation about South Carolina affairs on Saturday that “he was determined that the colored republicans in that State should vote in accordance with their honest con- victions, if he had to order the whole army into the State to enable them to do so.” If he had uttered this threat with an accurate comprehension of South Carolina politics, Mr. Chamberlain, who has called on him for troops, would be a very badly scared man. What Chamberlain wants is not that the ne- groes shall vote according to their convic- tions, but that they shall cast a solid vote for Chamberlain, conviction or no convic- tion. ‘The unfitness of the federal authority to interfere by arms or in any other way in elections is clearly shown by the attitude of the President in this case. He hears but one side, and there are in South Carolina not two, but three, sides. Three parties are there in the field—one for Hayes and Cham- berlain, one for Tilden and Hampton, and a third for Hayes and Hampton. To the last named a considerable num- ber of prominent and _ influential republicans belong, and under their guid- ance and instruction large numbers of col- ored men have determined to vote that ticket. We believe they are right in doing so. In fact they are following advice which the Hrnatp gave them several weeks ago, and for the best of reasons; it is to the in- terest of the colored people of South Caro- lina to take General Hampton at his word. | He has promised them solemnly equal and complete protection in all their rights ; he is a man of character and determination, who will keep his word, and he will do what Chamberlain, as every negro in South Caro- lina knows, has never done. Whether the negroes are right or wrong in voting for Hampton, however, they havea right to do so; but this federal interference attempts and is meant to deprive them of that right. It not only deprives them, but it also interferes with the rights of those negroes, very considerable in number, who mean to vote the demo- cratic ticket outright, Tilden and all. Wherever federal troops or federal interfer- ence in any of its shapes are felt in the South there the intolerant and lawless republican negroes are encouraged to persecute their brethren who manifest democratic or inde- pendent leanings, and these fellows go about very freely and openly threatening the lives of colored men who are even suspected of an intention to do anything but ‘vote de straight republican ticket.” This kind of intimidation is going on now in South Caro- lina, as it has been carried on in Louisiana, in Alabama, in every Southern State. No white intolerance 1s half as bitter or half as prutal and cunning as this negro intoler- ance, and it is encouraged and em- bittered wherever federal troops are placed in the hands of republican politicians to use for political purposes. In 1874 an Alabama negro speaker addressed crowds of negroes and advised them to hang any negro who should offer to vote the dem- ocratic ticket. He advised the women to have nothing to do with such a man; his wife ought to leave him, he said; his sweet- | heart ought to scora him ; the Church should spew him out; nobody should employ him or speak to him. The same thing is now going on in South Carolina in the Chamber- lain interest. A Charleston correspondent of a republican organ here makes this con- fession:—‘The fact is, the negroes do intim- idate a man of their color who desires for any reason to turn democrat. They will turn him out of their churches; none of the women will marry him or talk with him; the men also ostracise him, and if he is caught where there are no white men he is sure to be mobbed, stoned and beaten.” A corre- spondent of our own, writing from Aiken, sends us two affidavits of democratic negroes showing actual threats of assassination, and the problem is well stated by one black man, who asked ‘‘who would protect him if, hav- ing voted for Hampton, the State should happen to go republican?” The Southern plantation negro has no political convictions such as General Grant speaks of. He has mainly fears, groundless fears, imposed on him by unscrupulous re- publican leaders. He is taught that his white neighbors mean to re-enslave him, that General Grant is his only protector, and that the republican State candidate, as in this case Chamberlain, is General Grant's representative, for whom he is bound to vote because those are the orders of General Grant. Thatis his whole political catechism, When he begins to doubt, as multitudes are doubting in South Carolina this year, he leans toward the democratic party. At this Chamberlain calls for troops. Why? To protect the blacks? Not at all. His ad- herents do not need protection. It is to in- timidate those who are about to oppose him; he calls on General Grant for troops ; they come, ‘and behold every negro is ant once persuaded that really “General Grant's man,” and that the blacks must support him. That is the meaning of this trick of ‘‘calling for troops,” Its object is simply and only to intimidate the black voters ; and when we see a report that Major Merrill is to be sent into South Carolina~a man hated and despised there and everywhere in the South for his con- duct at other times, and an adept in just this misuse of troops—it seems but too plain that the men who are misadvising the Presi- dent in this matter are engaged in a dis- graceful and dangerous plot to carry the State for Chamberlain by wholesale and adroit intimidation of the black as well os white voters. But this question relates not to South Carolina alone. This unconstitutional and dangerous practice of federal interference in elections goes on now, in the midst of the canvass, with the consent of the republican party managers and with the silent assent of the republican candidate for the Presi- dency. It is a part of the policy of the party ; indeed, its chief and only policy, for its speakers profess no desire for reform. They soy nothing of hard money, of civil service abuses, of economy; they tell us only ofa “united South,” and boast of their des- patch of troops to different States. Are we, jose to have another four years of this per- ilous interference by the federal power in elections? So far as any citizen can tell by Chamberlain is | | | Vantage. reading the republican party organs or lis- tening to republican speakers such is the determination of the party leaders. They are determined to reinstate themselves in power by these means. Who shall assure us that four years hence they will not use the same means, the same force, once more to re- elect themselves and their corrupt Southern allies? The question is very grave; it has many serious sides to it. It forebodes dangers so much greater than even the most “inspired” republican orators tell us would follow a democratic victory, that, taking their words for it, a prudent voter, having a stake in the country, would risk the democrats rather than such a republican policy. Governor Hayes and the party managers ought to know that the use of troops and all this federal interference in the South is causing a vague feeling of alarm among thoughtful voters. They ask themselves, where and when is this toend? The war closed eleven years ago, and here is General Grant openly threatening tc send the whole army into South Carolina for no other ob- ject than to re-elect a partisan of his, con- trary to the will of the majority of the peo- ple of the State. Here are the republican managers using the most dangerous and un- constitutional measures, not merely to per- petuate their own power, but to support and re-elect in the Southern States aset of men who have for years kept those communities in turmoil, have robbed them and have misled and misused the poor negro to his own destruction and their selfish ad- Nothing is more certain than that if the republican party is to continue its league with the Packards, Kelloggs, Spen- cers and Chamberlains it ought to be beaten. No party deserves success or can safely hold power over the country which deliberately continues its alliance with and support of such men. If Governor Hayes cannot now control his followers, his fellow leaders, how can he, with the best intentions, be expected to control them after election? If by silence he now consents to such dangerous and violent interference is he not fatally com-. mitted to it? And is it safe to elect a Presi- dent who is silent at such a time, and thus consents beforehand to the most extreme policy of the most extreme wing of his party? Is it not, on the contrary, in the highest degree dangerous to the country? The iniquitous habeas corpus and Force bill was defeated with great difficulty two win- ters ago. But the very men who then fa- vored and urged that monstrous act, and who have ever since regretted that it was not passed, are now the leaders, the con- trolling managers, of the republican party. If they are successful in November will they not regard their policy as approved, and go on for other four years with Southern lege islation whose only consequence would be to create permanent civil disorders over a large part of the Union, to prostrate indus- try and perpetuate hatred and discord? And will they stop with the South? Will they hesitate hereatter to attempt that in Northern States which now they so vehe- mently do in the Southern? Indian Frauds and Hostile Indians. Our Indian news this morning, while it hints at important movements to be made against the hostile savages during the winter, fails to afford us any hope of a more satisfac- tory result than attended the summer cam- paign. In order to fight the Sioux success- fully the army must practise something like the famous part of the recipe for cooking a hare—first catch the hare. Before the In- dians can be punished it is first necessary to find them. Experience shows that this is next to impossible. If left to themselves, however, they will soon return to the egen- cies, as has been the case already with many of the bands which pretended to hunt early in the summer, but only went into the hills to join Sitting Bull in his campaign. Most of these cannot subsist throughout the win- ter, and starvation, if nothing else, will drive them in. When they arrive the coun- try does not desire that Bishop Whipple and his brother Commissioners shall take them by the hand and insist upon feeding them that they may be fully fattened for the next cam- paign, The agents would like this policy, no doubt, for it would open the way to more plausible frauds on their part by enabling them to count the predatory bands as part of the permanent residents at the agency. How far this is practised is shown by our news despatch from Standing Rock this morning, where a little over two thousand Indians have been counted as seven thou- sand and rations drawn for that number. Peace commissioners and Indian commis- sioners and agents of every kind can do no good in the management of the Indians, and their control of the Indian Department only leads to frauds such as those which are now so fully exposed. Evidently the only rem- edy against the frauds of the whites and the hostility of the Indians is to turn the whale question over to the War Department, to charge the officers of the army with the duty of caring for the supplics, and let the In- dians suffer the consequences of their acts when they choose to go upon the warpath, One winter in the hills will teach true peace principles to the savages more effectu- ally than oll the sympathetic counsels of Bishop Whipple. A Cruel Rumor. The rumor of Mr. Vanderbilt's death, spread yesterday by some unscrupulous persons, was received by the public with general regret. Fortunately, it proved to be unfounded, and there is reason to hope that Mr. Vanderbilt may be vouchsafed a long lease of life. There can be little donbt that this cruel rumor was put in circulation by some designing parties with the object of affecting the stock market, but its authors were disappointed in the result. We can imagine nothing meaner or more contempti- ble than this playing with the sanctity of death for the purposes of speculation. Al- ' though the fluctuations caused by the rumor were very slight and the losses consequently small, we are glad to learn that the Govern- ing Committee of the Stock Exchange will try to discover the authors and deal with them as they deserve. It is even thonght that a clew has been found to the guilty parties, and, if'so, we sincerely hope that it will be followed up and an example be made of the guilty. The public will be glad to learn ay that Mr. Vanderbilt is in better health than he has been for months, and was able to promptly contradict the rumor of his demise. The Mayoralty Nominations—Tamma- my’s Opportunity. The adjournment of the Tammany County Convention until next Thursday gives a breathing space to the democratic managers, and affords them a further opportunity to reflect upon the importance of putting into nomination for the Mayor's and other local offices such candidates as will unite the broken ranks of the New York democracy and satisfy the people that the election of the Tammany ticket means good government for the city. Some apprehension has been ex- pressed that the postponement of the nomi- nations might be designed to cripple the organization of a popular opposition to an objectionable ticket; but we are unwilling to adopt this view of the matter. ' We prefer to believe that Mr. John Kelly desires to | allow time for full and careful deliberation on the situation now that the formal negotia- tions for a union with the anti-'‘lammany Convention appear to have fallen through. Indeed, we already have an indication that the delay has been beneficial, in the well authenticated report that Mr. Augustus Schell has evinced a disposition to decline the honor of a Mayoralty nomination if it should be tendered to him, should it be decided that his candidacy would be impolitic and harmful to the pros- pects of the democratic party at this time. This sensible and unselfish determination is useful, inasmuch as it will teach the ‘Tam- many managers that the necessity of respect- ing the popular sentiment—which last year repudiated the attempt to drive Recorder Hackett from the Bench—is recognized by shrewd politicians among their own follow- ing. Mr. Schell, notwithstanding his excel- lent personal qualities, has been so identi- fied with the ‘one man power” machinery that he would not now be an available can- didate, and, as he appears to be sensible of that fact himself, there is less danger that the blunder of his nomination will be com- mitted either through the stubbornness of the leaders or the heedlessness of their fol- lowers. It is also significant that since the ad- journment of the Tammany Convention last Saturday the qualifications of probable can- didates for the Mayoralty have been freely discussed by the delegates, without regard toany slate or to the programme of any leader. Among the names that have been brought into prominence by these discus- sions is that of Smith Ely, Jr., a Representa- tive in the present Congress. We are glad to be able to classify Mr. Ely with those citizens we have already designated as available and desirable candidates for Mayor of the city of New York. He is s successful business man, and in his political career has been always identified with reform movements and with a certain degree of independence in his official action. Mr. Agnew, Mr. Babcock, Mr. Grenville Kane or Mr. Ely, would either of them make a good chief executive of the city, receive the confidence of the people and unite the democratic party; especially if an accept- able candidate for Surrogate should be put in nomination on the same ticket. Mr. John Kelly has a wide field to choose from, and if he should determine to lead in the movement to nominate either Mr. Agnew, Mr. Babcock, Mr. Kane, Mr. Ely, or any other equally acceptable candidate, he would show his good sense. He ought not to go wrong inthis matter, especially after the ex- perience of last year. We are willing to be- lieve in the honesty of his declaration that he desires to give the city good govern- ment, but he must allow the people to have some opinion as to what good government is, and not claim to be the sole judge him- self. It is most essentiul for the cause of the democracy that the broken ranks of the party in New York should be closed up and march to battle under one banner and with perfect harmony. If Mr. Kelly and his as- sociates of the Tammany organization value the principles of their party and the success of those principles in the national contest more than they value a few local offices and little local power, they will certainly heed the voice of the people and of the press, and make such nominations on Thursday next as will commend themselves to the approval of all good citizens and reduce the opposition to a mere display of factional discontent. Mr. Tupper Not “Indigent.” Mr. Tupper'’s letter to the Hxnatp to-day we print with pleasure, as it corrects two grave mistakes in our recent report of a con- versation held with him by a representative ofthis paper. Itis asatisfaction to know that he did not call Mr, Walt Whitman ao “pla- giarist,” with all that which the word im- plies, for Mr. Whitman might otherwise retort with ao similar accusation, and we desire that Mr. Tupper's visit to this country shall not be made disagreeable by discus- sions of the kind. The other mistake is more important. When Mr. Tupper was asked about his private circumstances, in reference, of course, to the sale of his books, he ‘answered frankly and truly” that he was “independent” This, Mr. Tupper says, can be proved by inquiring at his banker's; and, in further confirmation, he adds that the Queen has given him a pension as a compensation for having written his “Proverbial Philosophy.” But the report substituted the word “indigent” for “inde. pendent,” and all our readers must have been startled to read ench a confession. No wonder that he wishes the false impression of his poverty to be removed, and we now remove it. Mr. Tupper, however, is in error when he says that ‘the printer clearly misread the manuscript.” On inquiry we find that the word was clearly written ‘‘in- dependent,” but that the compositor thought it was a slip of the pen. Tho intelligent compositor informs us that he took it for granted that all poets were poor, and there- fore substituted “indigent” on his own judg- ment. This was really meant as a kindness, for in saying that Mr. Tupper was poor he paid him the high compliment of classing him among the poets. But the compositor wasin error. Mr. Tupper has demonstrated coming to America we are sure that his public readings here would enable him to | go home with a competency. — ?- SHEET. The Office of Sarrogate. There is a general and just sentiment that party preferences should count for little in the election of judicial officers. The judges in our courts should be entirely impartial and independent, They ought not to be selected because they are democrats or re- publicans, but because they possess fairness of mind, legal knowledge and a sense of jus- tice too deep and abiding to see anything in & case beyond its intrinsic merits. The supreme requirement that a judge shall feel no favoritism, that he shall be above friend- ship or grudges, that he shall treat political parties as if they did not exist, that he skal! be blind to persons and see nothing but the law and the evidence, while it is binding upon all judicial officers, has a peculiar application and obligatory force in relution to the court of the Surrogate. ’ The Surrogate is a judge clothed with 4 paternal as well as judicial functions. He is the guardian of orphans, the protector of widows, the shield of the helpless. He is called to administer justice and do equity in connection with the most heartrending trials of human life. Widows, in the habili- ments of mourning, who have not yet dried their tears, who feel that all matters of busi- ness are an intrusive mockery of their grief, and who lack the spirit to assert their rights like ordinary clients in a court of justice, are the most frequent suitors before the Surrogate. The rights of defenceless young children are submitted to his jurisdiction, and he is bound to see that their inher- itance is not eaten up by legal costs. He is required by law to appoint guar- dians for minors—a delicate duty which demands the utmost wisdom, fore- sight and consideration. He decides the cases which come before him without the assistance of a jury, and although appeals lie from his decisions to the Supreme Court and thence to the Court of Appeals, ag- grieved parties are seldom in a position to have recourse to this remedy. Widows are too much broken by grief and minor orphans too ignorant to pursue their rights through a long course of litigation. Unless they get justice in the Surrogate’s Court they have no chance, in a majority of cases, of getting it at all. If defrauded heirs appeal from his decision they are compelled to give bonds for the payment of costs if the case is decided against them in the higher courts, and they may be too poor or friendless to furnish such security. It is, therefore, of great importance that the Surrogate be not only a sound lawyer, but a wise, discreet, im- partial, sympathetic man, who feels the responsibility of being the legal protector of the helpless, who are often so bruised by affliction that -they have but that a poet can be independent in money | affairs, and even if he were indigeht on | little heart to. insist upon their legal rights. Of all public offices this isthe last which should be a football of party politics. If the republicans should nominate a fitter candi- date for Surrogate than the democrats all democrats ought to support him, and vice versa, There can be no excuse for making such an office political. We have suggested some good names for this important position, but we have no personal preference if we ean secure a good officer. John E. Burrill, Charles M. Da Costa, Lewis L. Delafield, Charles E. Miller and James O. Carter strike us as alist from which an excellent se- lection could be made, but any other equally good name would be quite as acceptable, All that we look to or care for is to have the office filled by an able, upright, impartial, considerate and kindly man. ‘Who Shall Replace “My Candidate ?” Mr, Kelly's column wavers and is likely to break, The pressure of general public opinion as expressed in the Heratp, a strong pressure of democratic opinion in the city, and Mr. Kelly’s lively recollection of the smashing defeat of ‘“‘my candidate” last fall, seem to be exerting a sobering influence, We judge it probable that ‘‘my candidate” of the present year will not be stubbornly pushed by Mr. Kelly, and that, with charac- teristic moderation and good sense, the re- spectable citizen whose name we have courteously veiled under this pseudonym will relieve Mr. Kelly and Tammany Hall of all embarrassment on his account by declin- ing to be a candidate. Such a course would be wise for him, considerate to Mr. Kelly and conducive to democratic harmony in the city. If the good sense and public spirit of the unnamed gentleman here alluded to should lead to his voluntary withdrawal Mr, Kelly will be released from all obligations of per- sonal fidelity, 22d may safely and wisely leave the selection for Mayor to the free | choice of the democratic party of the city. If Mr. Kelly will simply stand aloof, accept the situation and leave the Mayoralty to the spontaneous preference of honest democrats, the party may easily putin the field a can- didate acceptable to the people and play a winning card. Mr. Agnew, Mr. Royal Phelps, Mr. Kane, Mr. Babcock or Mr. Smith Ely, Jr., are a list from which a safe selection can be made. Any one of them would be cordially indorsed by all the best elements of the democratic party and triumphantly elected. Mr. Ely being a new addition to our list it may not be out of place to state the qualifications claimed for him by his friends. His honesty and ability are conceded, and wo need not dwell on these capital points. In these respects he may be the equal, but is j not the superior, of the other gentlemen in | the foregoing list. What is specially claimed | for him by his democratic triends is such a thorough acquaintance with city politicians that he could not be hoodwinked or bam- boozled by their arts. He could easily foil | them because he so thoroughly knows them. Itis also said by his friends, and said, we | believe, with perfect truth, that he was a member of the Board of Supervisors during the Tweed régime, that he was the unflinch- | ing opponent of all Tweed's schemes from be- ginning to end, that he and Tweed were not on sporking terms during the latter part of the period, and that he was in advance of Tilden, in advance of Green, in advance of everybody in fighting the old Tam- many Ring. He is o merchant | full sympathy with the classes, and has a thorough knowledge of their wishes and interests, but in this respect he has no advantage over the other in | mercantile | | by the, Times, but the important question gentlemen we have named, We do not dis- pute the claims set up in his behalf by his friends, and if he would more effectually harmonize the party than any other demo- crat of similar standing he would be a very proper substitute for ‘‘my candidate.” It is understood that Mr. Morrissey would sup- port him with hearty good will, and he hat always enjoyed in large measure the confi- dence of our German populaticn, If Mr. Kelly will keep ‘hands off” and leave the ‘ better public sentiment of the party to a free expression of its preference, it is prob- able that one of the candidates in our excellent list would be nominated and receive the unanimous support of the city democracy. at Are We to Have a Water Fanfine? From present indications there is every prospect that in addition to the discomforts ‘ of the winter season, with its ice and snow, New York will have to suffer from a scarcity of water such as has apparently never been considered possible by our city authorities. As it is we are draining the dregs of our res~ ervoirs for the extremely limited supply at present afforded us, and judging by the ex- traordinary expedient adopted by the De- partment of Public Works of cutting new out. lets from the storage lakes of Putnam and ‘ Dutchess counties we are likely soon to con- sume what little reserve of water remains therein. The rainfail of the coming wintes will furnish only a surface drainage supply, for the frozen ground will resist the natural infiltration of the water through the soil. If heavy falls of snow occur instead of copi- ous rains this surface drainage will be very limited until spring, and consequently the levels of the storage lakes will continue low. Now, is it not time that a proper \ investigation should be made into our water system before the evils that threaten us assume proportions too great to be coped with except at enormous cost? From time to time statements as muddy as the Croton water itself have been issued as to the prog. ress of the various public works connected with the water supply, and the people have been treated ad nauseam to official reporta that are smothered in scientific bosh. It ia high time, therefore, that we know how we stand on this vital question of water. Ifthe officials want to build another aqueduct and more reservoirs let them say so boldly. It is better that even this should be done than that an epidemic shall thin down ou population to the number suited to the capacity for supply of our present water works system. Waar Is Trvrx?—There is a Swedenbor. gian who is preaching on this theme. He says there is ‘‘no truth in the Bible or in any other book.” ‘This, we suppose, in. cludes the Swedenborgian literature as well as all other literature, and is an inside opinion that may be of interest to the buyers of books. But an extreme position on this sabject has been taken before. I was taken when a person of inquiring mind came to the Stagirite and declared his opin ion that there was no such thing as truth In answer he was told that his own opinion was either true or false. If false, it called for no consideration; but if it was true then there was something true, and his position failed. Perhaps the Swedenborgian allows room enough in his theory for his sermon, which, if not in a book now, will be, he hopes, one of these days. But if his little grain of drivel isa sample of truth and all other literature of error the world is not likely to grow fonder of the truth as time goes on. A Pawic 1x Evnore has been the result ot the Times’ leader on the Eastern question yesterday. The German and English press both utterly repudiate the position assumed behind ll difference of opinion is how far \ the newspaper represents the views of the government. It is likely, however, that the Times speaks by the card, and Russia and England may soon meet again to fight over the battles of twenty years ago. PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE, Mullet is in Chicago. Curtis will not lecture this season, Ex-Governor Warmoth, of Louisiana, is in Chicago, Baron Bleichréder, of Borlin, is at the Windsor Hotel. General Toombs has been visiting Hon. A, H. Ste phens. . Fishermen are exhausting the supply of whitefish ip Lake Erie, Lieutenant Governor Dorsheimer 1# at the Potel Bruaswick. Senator James G, Blaine, of Maine, is at the Fins Avenue Hotel. The Duchess of Edinburgh wears imitation lace om her Worth dressing gowns, Sir William Thomson thinks that the centre of the earth ts not in a molten state. Mr. J, Mabuco, of the Brazilian legation at Washing- ton, is at the Buckingham Hotel. The banker Corcoran, of Washington, has given $5,000 to the Univorsity of Virginia, Major General Danio! E. Sickles arrived at the Bre voort House yesterday from Chicago, Signor Giuseppe Dassi. President of the Italian Cen tennial Commission, is at the Gilsey House. The Princess of Wales 1s long waisted, long necked, ~~ and she wears fluffy laces about the throat, Thirteen Western States and Territories have opened accounts with the sew Stewart house in Chicago, The Pali Mall Gazette thinks thas if @ hundred peasant women and girls bave suffered ce and death there is mo reason why Europe - go to war. Cincinnati}Commercial:—“Goorge William Curtis says \ ‘a ship on the ocean is only achip with @ thought in it,’ but Watterson’s copy of Schenck don’t allude te the tact,”” It isclaimed that Barnum’s so-called tatooed mas was frescoed in his pre-Raphaelite style by the blood , thirsty Tartars, He is really the relic of a summes night Hght with Englewood mosquitoes, From the Bvening Telegram :—‘We have received @ tootheome bill of fare designed especially for the den- tists, and we hasten to publish 1, Every one of the craft will find it very Milling for the price :— EXTREES. The Prove, of course, ROAST. Bear, with Grina, VEGRTADLES, Bovled Roote—achers of them. POULTRY. “Paii-tts, neneceeoe re eeee: OAR. H'Owis, with India Rubver Filling, d la Bowery. DESSERT. “I Scream" (and so would anybody else). winns “A Pull AU’ a bottle of Tuskany, CIGARS, 3 Stumps. 3 \Drrcccecereccrererecerecessserscece spec enverererenere® —Our correspondent adds that he thought of this meni while under the influenco ot laughing gas, and has re membered it all with the exception of something about ‘Dumplings with Molarsess,’@As ft stands it g00d enough, and ean scarcely be improved.” cenencecee seeesearesce tenet tb tenses ee: ww