The New York Herald Newspaper, January 4, 1877, Page 4

‘NEW YORK HERALD |™ BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR. THE DAILY HERALD, pultished every day tn the year. ‘Three ‘ ~ day excluded). Ten dollars pee jar per mouth for any period less Six months, or five dollars tur six months, Sunday dition included, tree of vostace, All business, news letters or telegraphic despatches must addressed New You Henao. nt ‘and packages shoald be properly xenled. Hiajected cousmuntcations will not vo retarncd. ea PHILADELPHIA OFFICE-NO. 112 SOUTH SIXTH LON. POERICE, OF THE NEW YORK HERALD— Panis OFFICE—AVENUE DE I/OPERA. (AVLES OFFICE—NO. 7 STRADA PACE. Subscriptions and warded day in the year. f 2 Bi 3 A advertisements will be received and for- ‘on the game terms us in New Y« _ VOLUME XLIL seseeene NO, AMUSEMENTS TO-NIGHT. WaLLACK’S THEATRE.—Tux Smavonnaon. BROADWAY THEATRE —kir Van Wiece, UNION SQUARE THEATRE.—Miss Muzron. NIBLO'S GARDEN,—Az1 BOOTH'S THEATRE.—Day't Davcr, MELLER'S THEATRE.. EGYPTIAN HALL.—A»: COLUMBIA OPERA HOUSE. THEATRE COMIQUE.—Vanier TIVOLI THEATRE.—V EAGLE TREATRE.—Pantowme, Santa CLAvs. WITH SUPPLEMENT. THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 1877. NOTICK TO COUNTRY DEALERS, The Adams Express Company runa special news- paper train over the Pennsylvania Railroad and ite ponnections, leaving Jersoy City at a quarter past four A.M. daily and Sunday, carrying tho regular edition * ofthe Hexazp as far West as Harrisburg and South to ‘Washington, reaching Philadelphia at a quarter past six A. M. and Washington at one P. M. From our reports this morning the probabitities gre that the weather inNew York to-day will be cold and clear or partly cloudy, WALL STREET YESTERDAY.—Stocks were strong and active. The principal business was done in Lake Shore, Delaware and Lackawanna and Michi- fan Central. Gold opened and closed at 107, with gales meanwhile at 10714 2 10674. Railway and gov- ernment bonds were firm. Money on call loaned at 7 gold and 4 and 5 per cent currency. TRUE TO HIMSELY.—See poor Eph Horn’s last joke. TUE OREGON ELECTORAL MUDDLE {8 encouraging to stockholders in lunatic asylums. The ATTEMPT TO ORGANIZE an inquisition, with telegraph operators for victims, was begun by Sena- tor Morton yesterday. ‘TuE BoaRD OF TRADE decides that tt will not be ‘well for the city to seil its docks, and kindling-wood dealers are despondent again. THREE HEADS Dnorrep into the basket in the Comptroller's office yesterday, but their owners’ boots were refilled in advance Goop NEWS FOR FREEZING TRAVELLERS.—Mayor Ely has no donbt that the Aldermen have power to compel the heating of street cars. Governor Hayes TuInks “The Complete Letter Writer” does not sell as well in the South as it should. See our Columbia despatch. Ir Tats Wortp Is a Star our despatch on “Com- bustible Stars” will awaken new interest in the orthodox theory of the end of all things. Concnprum.—If, as is alleged in “A Lottery Litiga- tion,” a stockholder in a lottery fails to get his own. share of the money, what are the chances of a ticket- holder? * Tne Heap of the Street Cleaning Department Bays that with sufficient money he could give us clean streets in twenty-four hours. Such a sensae tion would be cheap at any price. AFTER THE SHAM BATTLE at Princeton yesterday the troops partook of an elegant collation, and yet there are people who say the American people have degenerated since the days that tried men’s souls, If the shade of any old Continental viewed the pro- ceedings after the battle yesterday he must have Jonged to come back and re-enlist. THE INTERCOLLEGIATE CONTEST last evening was Bvery creditable exhibition of oratorical ability, and was encouraged by the presence of a good au- dience, including many distinguished men of letters and representatives of prominent colleges. We hope the interest in this annual competition may increase, and that next year may witness more competitors aud even greater enthusiasm. Mr. HeEwrrr is not to be laughed at after all. A gigantic system of mail robbery has just been dis- covered, of which we give full particulars to-day, ‘The only fault which attaches to the postal officials 1s that the robbers could remove or cut open muil bags without the outrage being discovered. Busi- ness men would cheerfully submit to the small delay which would be caused by a careful system of checks in the handling of mail bags. CaRreT-BAGGeRs IN City Orrices.—Mr. Gerard introduced a bill in the State Senate yesterday re- quiring that all employés of the city government of New York shall be citizens of the State and city. It is a bill which ought to become law, chiefly because it will prevent bargains between city officers who have schemes to prosecute in Albany and members of the Legislature who have rural friends to provide for. The bill makes an exception in favor of en- gineers and of persons employed on the Croton Aqueduct. <i re Si | Tae Weatnen.—The lake region snow area ex- ) tends southwestward as far as St. Louis, but the heaviest precipitation eccurs around Lakes Erie gnd Ontario. Very light snow has fallen at afew ) Scattered points over the region of low pressure in ‘ the Northeast, which is yet affected by the recent Gulf storm, in the Northwest another storm centre is moving toward the lakes via the Upper Missouri Valley. ‘The pressure is decreasing rapidly in Da- kota, and we may theretore look ior the storm with ite high winds and snow on or about next Saturday. Arise of temperature will probably start the ice in the Western rivers, and ice gorges may be looked for. ‘The highest pressure 1s now in the Lower Mississippt Valley, and the lowest im Nova Scotia, Hxtraor- inary cold prevails throughout the whole country. Yesterday morning the temperatnre was below zero at Washington, D. U.; Knoxville and Nashville, 5; Tenn.; in the Northwest and in the St. Lawrence Valley, and very low along the Gulf coast. A sharp northerly wind prevailed on the Texas coast, due to the high pressure northward of that region. It is certain that another storm is developing in the Western Gulf, and will come within the urea of observation in a day or so, We therefore warn our readers of its approach. Its course will be somewhat similar to that of the Jast storm, and it will be characterized by heavy rain and sleet in the Guif Statés, and heavy snow and high winds as it ‘advances northward. Tie storm which we pre- dicted for the English and French coasts has alrendy geached there, a gale prevailing,at Holyhead. The weather in New York to-day will be cold and clear . NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 1877—WITH SUPPLEMENT. v Wheeler's Views on the Politi- cal Situation. The interview with Mr, Wheeler, which we printed yesterday, deserves attention not only because he is the republican can- | didate for Vice President, and has, there- fore, a strong motive for gaining correct knowledge of the facts, but also becatse he | was personally and conspicuously con- nected with Louisiana affairs in the win- ter and spring of 1875. It be- \ gins to look as if the decision of the Presidential contest will finally hinge on the votes of Louisiana, and Mr. Wheeler's former acquaintance with the politics and politicians of that State should enable him to form a better judgment of the immediate situation than any other Northern man who has not been on the ground to investigate the recent election. A great deal of the democratic argument rests on the former conduct of the noted, not to say notorious, Return- ing Board, but the action of that Board on former occasions is a subject which Mr. Wheeler has examined 1n an official ca- pacity, and on which he was called to form a definite opinion. His present judgment | is, therefore, likely to be respected by men of his own political party. And, after all, it is what the republican party thinks of the re- sult in Louisiana that is likely to determine the action of the Senate upon the question in dispute. Mr. Wheeler has no doubt that the repub- lican candidates for President and Vice President are elected. He thinks that if the election had been fairly conducted in Lou- isiana Mr. Hayes would have carried the State by a majority of fifteen thousand. “In the five bull-dozed parishes,” he says, “the very registration shows that these parishes belonged to the republicans,” the evidence, as he explains it, con- sisting in the large preponderance of negro voters. Whether his premises support his conclusion is a question on which opinions wil! widely differ ; but the important point practically is less whether his view is sound accept it and stand by it. Ifthe m&jority of the Senate should act on it with unyielding tenacity Mr. Tilden will not be the next President, since there is no_possibil- ity of any man exercising that office whose title the Senate refuses to recognize. Mr. Wheeler is doubtless correct in saying that “‘the main fight will be over Louisiana;” and, accordingly, everything which throws light either on the merits of that cardinal feature of the case, or on the view of it which the republican Senators will finally adopt and persist in, is of deep public con- sequence. Mr. Wheeler expresses himself with vigor- ous emphasis in opposition to all talk or proposals of a ‘‘compromise,” meaning by that word such a shaping of the controversy as would make Mr, Tilden President and himself Vice President. We suppose he thinks it a point of personal honor and fidelity to his associate on the ticket to express himself in this way; but there is nothing in his own history which binds him to take this ground. He is himself the author of the most noted political compromise in this generation; indeed ‘the Wheeler compro- mise” is his chief title to distinction. The compromise he brought about in Louisiana, by which the Governor was conceded to the | republicans and the Legislature tothe dem- ocrats as the wisest way to settle the dis- puted result of an election, is in singular contrast to Mr. Wheeler's present vehement denunciation of such a mode of settlement. ‘I donot believe,” he now | says, ‘that the suffrages of the American people can be made the subject of dicker or barter. What right have any men to fore- stall the constitutional settlement of the question by bargain, arrangement or com- promise—call it what you will?” We do not sm why this language is not precisely as applicable to the com- promise which he effected in Louisiana in 1875 as to any other. Were not ‘‘the suffrages of the people” the subject of the “bargain, arrangement, or compromise” which the State ot Louisiana accepted from him and which the country at large warmly indorsed? Of all the public men in the country Mr. Wheeler is the last whom we should have expected to find bitterly stig- matizing an attempt to settle an election difficulty by compromise. Mr. Wheeler’s Louisiana adjustment was a real compromise, a ‘‘dicker or barter,” to borrow his own words, relating to ‘‘the suffrages of the people.” But a result which should make Mr. Tilden President and Mr. Wheeler Vice President could not, in strict propriety of language, be called a compromise. It would be the neces- sary legal consequénce of ao failure of choice by the electoral colleges, It is the constitutio which de- clares that the House shall choose the President and the Senate the Vice President when there is a failure to elect in the ordi- nary way. Both houses. may yet become convinced that there was no legal election in Louisiana in November last, as the President declared in a message to Congress that he believed there was no legal election in that State in 1874. If there was no legal election it would be the duty of the two houses to refuse to count the Louisiana votes, and should it then be held that it re- | quires one hundred and eighty-five electoral votes to make a constitutional majority the choice will be transferred to the House arfd Senate respectively by the force of the con- stitution, not as the result of a bargain. Ifthe two houses should stubbornly differ respect- ing the votes of Louisiaua the easiest solu- tion would be not to count them at all, and each party could consent to this result with less sacrifice of pride than it could admit that its opponents had carried the State, Mr. Wheeler denounces the attempts that the Louisiana Returning Board on evidence said to have been furnished by himself. He denies that he ever accused that body of fraud, and declares that the Louisiana re- port, which he signed in 1876, may be searched from end to end without tinding any more — serious | charge against the members of that Board than a mistaken view of the law under which they acted. We have gone than whether his own political party will. have been made to asperse the honesty of | through that report and find that Mr. Wheeler's denial is true. The minority re- port, signed by Messrs, Wheeler, Hoar and Frye, emphatically disclaimed any inten- tion to impugn the motives of the Board. “Several of them,” the report said, ‘‘had held high positions. Wells, the President, had been a large and wealthy planter before the war; had remained loyal throughout the rebellion, and had been true to his country when driven to the swamps and hunted.” However inconsistent Mr. Wheeler may be on the subject of compromise, there is no inconsistency between the opinion he now expresses respecting the character of the Returning Board and that stated in the Louisiana report which he signed. Arctic Exploration — Captain Failure. An article from the Saturday Review, re- printed in our columns, expresses some eminently just opinions on Captain Nares and bis recent “hasty dash” at the North Pole. No person competent to judge, and disposed to express himself plainly, will differ from the Review in the opinion that this expedition ended ina most discredita- ble failure, and that Captain Nares per- sonally is distinctly responsible for that result. Indeed, while the mistaken judg- ment of Captain Nares led him to give the greatest consequence to a part of his expedition which was not contemplated by his instructions as the most important part, the specific act of his may be named which rendered it impossible that even in that part his expedition should bo success- ful. “The collapse of the expedition at o critical moment,” says the Saturday Review, “was due to Captain Nares’ decision on a question on which he was ill informed.” He provided for the failure of his sledge expeditions by insuring that the men sent on them should be weakened and crippled with scurvy. And this he did by ordering that lime juice should not be in- cluded in the stores packed for those journeys—an order given, as it appears, in a mere spirit of arrogant ignorance. As for the primary purpose of the expedition—the attempt to reach the North Pole—that seems to have been regarded as a merely fictitious pretence ; one of the traditions of Arctic explorations that Arctic explorers should laugh at quietly, as the ancient augurs were supposed to laugh with one another over the pretences of their science. It was a foregone conclusion with the expe- dition that the Pole could not be reached ; “they were ready to believe at any moment,” therefore, that their conclusion was right, and to give up altogether that feature of the expedition. This is not the spirit to which the British navy owes its great achieve- ments ; and we are disposed to believe that in the old times Captain Nares would have been welcomed home by a court martial. He commanded an expedition fitted out at great expense by comparison with other ex- peditions. He sailed away with a great flourish of promises, did absolutely noth- ing, and returned full of swagger, as if an utter failure could be hidden from critical observers by a domineering tone, and o strangely mistaken spirit of contempt for earlier explorers whose achievements were greater than his. For all this he is knighted, which seems to indicate that in the British navy it is not now thought desirable to es- tablish high standards for service. Captain Nares’ return seems, however, to have stimu- lated the spirit of Arctic discovery, though not perhaps in the most practical way. ‘There is now afloat much crude suggestion on the subject in the nature of that made by Captain Howgate. This officer proposes to operate against the Pole on the McClellan system. He would choose a safe spot some- where, intrench himself and wait for the enemy to turn up; wait till there was no ice, till the sun was bright and everything lovely in the high latitudes, which would evidently be a very great while. All the hardy explorers seem to come in groups near toone another, and all the fanciful ones are apparently subject to the same rule, Nares’ The Powers of the Vice President. In 1841, 1845, 1849, 1853, 1857, 1861, 1865, 1869 and 1873, as in every Presidential elec- tion since 1797, and including that, the offi- cial record states that, ‘‘the two houses of Congress being assembled, the certificates of the electors of the several States for President and Vice President were in their presence opened by the Vice President and delivered to the tellers, who, having read and ascertained the num- ber of votes, presented to the Vice President a list thereof.” That is to say, the Vice President has never, since the year 1793, as- sumed to do anything more than open the packages and hand them, without even him- self looking at their contents, to the @ellers, who represent the two houses, In 1793, whon General Washington was unanimously re-elected, the proceedings dif- fered somewhat from all that followed. The record states that, the two houses having assembled, the certificates ‘‘were by the Vice President opened, read and delivered to the tellers appointed for the purpose, who, hav- ing examined and ascertained the votes, pre- sented a list of them to the Vice President.” On this occasion, observe, the Vice Presi- dent not only opened but read the certifi- cates; but observe also, the tellers there- upon first “examined” them, and then “ascertained”. the votes. The Vice Presi- dent assumed no power to determine the character, the validity or the result of the votes, In 1857 the vote of Wisconsin was not cast on the proper day. Inquiry was made whether it ought to be received. Atter de- bate in each house the report of the tellers recording it was adopted; but in the course ofthe debate the Vice President was bit- terly accused of having assumed the power to decide, was arraigned by members of both parties, but he repeatedly and in the most emphatic language disclaimed hav- ing done so or believing himself to be pos- sessed of any power except to open the certificates. He said that he ‘did not undertake to decide whether the vote of Wisconsin was a good vote or a bad vote;” he disclaimed “having assumed on himself any authority to determine whether that vote or any other vote was a good or a bad vote.” In the joint convention, when the objection was made,’ Mr. Jones, one of the tellers, remarked, ‘I suppose, Mr. Presi- dent, the proper way would be for the tellers to report the facts to the convention of the two houses, and let them decide.” To which the Vice President replied at once, ‘The presiding officer so considers.” In the debate which ensued after the two houses separated Mr. Seward said, ‘A mis- understanding exists in both houses of Con- gress whether the President of the Senate, acting as I hold, as the organ of the Senate, has not passed upon the question and counted the votes from the State of Wiscon- sin, and whether that may not be drawn into a precedent hereafter. I am one of that number who think that the President has not counted them.” Mr. Douglas said, “I rise to state that in my opinion the tellers have no right to authenticate the certificate until the two houses have passed upon it as being a true count. Mr. Critten- den said ‘that any member of either house has the privilege and right to object to the counting of a vote, and that it was compe- tent for the Senate and House of Represen- tatives alone to decide upon that objection.” Speaking of a supposed assumption by the Vice President to declare the vote, he said, “It involves the privilege of determining o Presidential election and devlaring who shall be President. I protest against any such power.” Woe might give a number of other vitations, but it does not seem neces- sary at this time. War, if You Please, but No Reform. Evidently Turkey does not mean to be re- formed if she can help it ; she does not mean to correct her administration in accordance with the political opinion of Europe if there is any alternative short of annihilation ; and she will venture a little annihilation if it does not assume any more dreadful aspect that that of Russian artillery. At the same time she has no ineradicable objection to reform, provided always it is only Turkish reform, which has about the same relation to other reform as Brummagem jewelry has to the substantial production of workers in the precious metals. Turkish reform is a mild and amiable article, pleasant to a conservative people because it does not change anything and does not remove any ‘ of the good old abuses which honest Mos- lems delight in, and, above all, never sets up tbat arrant and _ horrible heresy that an infidel dog should have the same rights as a true believer. In fact the Moslems are fond of reform in that same abstract, absent-minded, inat-. tentive way in which a certain Illinois major was fond of war until he discovered that the scoundrels on the other side fired real bul- lets. ‘They like every kind of reform except that which reforms. This is the real mean- ing of the declarations they make in favor of reform at the same time that they refuse to adopt any one of the specific reforms pro- posed by the Conference of European states- men. It may be regarded therefore as certain that the Turks have determined to, accept the alternative, which clearly must be battle. It is the one point to their credit as a nation that they have never much objected to battle, and it is like a breath of their ancient spirit to see the alacrity with which they re- fuse to accept reform when they find that the alternative is no worse than that of facing | in new battles an “ancient enemy. There | are some facts which encourage the opinion that the Turks desire a rupture with Russia now, from the notion that if war is the trump suié their hand is rather better at this moment than their opponents’, They are perhaps advised by British mentors that they must some day fight Russia on the very quarrel that is now open, and that the time can never come when the chances will be more promising for Ottoman success than now. Turkey has in hand at the seat of war a large army that the short war with Servia has probably rather brought into real fighting trim than seriously shaken; while Russia seems to be at a real disadvantage in the condition of the army she has in Bessarabia, which, if current reports are true, is very likely to be beaten in its first battles. It is not unnatural, therefore, if the Sultan is ad- vised to precipitate a collision which may ‘speedily produce results that if they have no other effect will greatly strengthen him with his people. ‘Who Are Not so Biack as Represented. Our special despatch from Wyoming Ter- ritory will set at rest the fears aroused some time ago by the report that the powerful | Crow Indians intended to fight the whites, The original scare was started by military officers, but to other members of the army the Crows have demonstrated their friendli- ness by placing nearly a quarter of their warriors under Terry and Crook, and against the Sioux. It seems that the braves of this friendly tribe were not exempted from the restrictions of the law forbidding the sale ot ammunition to Indians, and as the Crows are not much more patient or forgiving than white men they naturally took offence and held informal indignation meetings, in which o great deal of aboriginal profanity was ventilated. Still more, the Crows have some little fam- ily difficulties to settle with the Cheyennes and other relatives, and such affairs con- sume as much time and energy on the plains as they do in good society, so these In- dians have no time in which to be ugly to the whites. Mr. Countryman’s letter, which accompanies our despatch, will be trken as conclusive by army officers and frontiors- men, 80 there is no possible exeuse for further apprehension among civilians. It is to be hoped that the government will | prove its appreciation of these faithful allies by removing the restrictions com- plained of. While hostile Indians cost usa million dollars apiece even when dead, it behooves us to take care of our few copper- colored friends who remain alive. Crows THF BURNING COAL MINE at L ns Valley, Pa., threatens to involve in its destruction a vast amount of adjoining coal property. The efforts ta stay the fire by turning the waters of Bear Creek into the mine have not resulted in checking Its fury, as it is evident that the upper workings cannot be reached by the water until the lower levels are completely filled. The intense heat is rapidly gen- erating inflammable gas from coal sears and converting the mine into a furnace that constantly supplies ite own fuel. We fear that a vast amount of damage willbe done by this fire, but we have reason to congratulate the miners on their lucky escave from a horrible death, PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE, The Southern Pacific Railroad is being pushed. Mrs. Secretary Fish wears lace over black velvet. Tennyson wears blue spectacles and is shock headed. Rebuses are now substituted for monograms on note Mrs. Secretary Morrill wears violet, trimmed with Pearl, ¢ The population of Berlin has doubled in sevent years. “Timothy Titcomb’’ has made $250,000 by his literary work, Tho population of Wyoming Territory has doubled in six years, Boston sleighs its thousands and New York its tens of thousands, The new city government swore in on the Ist and swore off on the 2d. Mrs. Secretary Robeson is fond of wearing black lace over rose-colored silk. At London weddings the frock coat is being abol- ished in favor of the dress coat, Sir Michael Shaw Stewart has been reappointed Grand Master Mason of Scotland. Jim Mace jammed a Nevada man up against a side scene until he had the Jim-jams. Burmah is becoming tho rice granary of the world, and without any ‘protection.’ It is the want of motivo, says George Eliot, that makes lite dull and makes men feel old. A San Francisco man bought ata toy shop a violin which, from an inscription, appoars to be 256 years old, A Cincinnati critic says that Maggie Mitchell’s new character-part fits her like a glove. But Maggie is no longer a kid. Miss Emma Abbott, who refused to sing in tights, does not like to sing ‘As the hart panteth after tho water brooks,’”” Boston Glove, Jan. 1, 1877:—‘Tho Vienna lager becr continues to be as popular as ever. Asa healthful and invigorating stimulant it has no superior.’’ Said u man in a strect car yesterday, ‘Don’t forget the baby; give my Jove to him.”’ Said the other man, evidently a Londoner, *”E aint aim, ’e’s a ’er.”” Hon, Jobn Delano, of Washington, is on the way to Denver, accompanied by his family, He expects to take up hig residence in Colorado and engage iu the stock business. The San Francisco Chronicle doce uot believe that John Morrissey has ali the honorable virtues and pleasant generosity which belonged to Brot Harte’s character of John Oakhurst. Norwich Bulletin :—‘A woman,’ remarked a Pres- ton oMcial, “Orst loves a fast man, thon a good man, and finally any man,” Then his wife appeared in the doorway, and he went back into the cellar and began to split up kindlings tn an abject mannor, Atarevent private sale in Constantinople a Circas- sian girl of fourteen, with chestnut hair and blue eyes, brought £200, Turkish; another of eighteen, who played the violin, brought £130; a Georgian girl brought £120, while a black girl, a good cook, brought £38, Judy :—Roctor (just returned from a tour through Palestine)—Now, for instance, take the valley of the Jordan; it is really most interesting—in tact, 1—— Churchwarden Clodrush (who has already stood about half an hour’s scientite description of the tour)—Ah! it mun be all vara wonderful; ana pray how might tonnups be a-lookin’ i? them parts, sir’ Spectator:—‘*While in their different ways Dr. New- man and Mr. Maurice always icave you with a mind at peace, Mr. Martineau stirs you into ardor, exalts you into wonder, goads you into resolve, contutes your poor excuses, tears to picces your wretched sophis- tries, convinces you of the reality of the spiritual life with which he is dealing, and yet is apt to lesv« you with the feeling that rest is beyond the limits of this lower sphere, and that the nearest approach to it is the stretched wing on which the hovering soul is poised between the intervals of its flight.” Evening Telegram:--Fablo.—Once there was a Little Boy who was hard pressed by Robbers. He betook himself to & Cave in the Wooda, where he crouched in Terror. A Philanthropic Hen, who was working at that Time a fine Lay of her own, came every morning to the Cave and presented him an Egg, with the Com- pliments of the season. The Little Boy ate so many Biled Eggs that bo became Bilious and sighed fora Change of Diet. So one morning be bad Broiled Phil- TELEGRAPHIC NEWS From All Parts of the World. THE CRISIS IN THE EAST. Turkish Obstinacy a Cause of Surprise in England. THE PROSPECT DARKENING. A Ministerial Crisis Expected in Tarkey— Midhat Pacha Threatens to Resign. RAILWAY DISASTER IN DENMARK. [BY CABLE TO THE HERALD. ] Lonpoy, Jan, 4, 1877. Most people, here are somewhat disappointed at the rather unexpected turn which affairs have taken inthe East, and tho newspapers devote lengthy editorials to the subject. Those journals which have steadily de- fonded the Porte seem to be confounded at its stubborn obstinacy and regard the situation as almost hopeless, {7H PALL MALL GAZKTTE ON TURKISH OBSTINACY, The Pall Mall Gazette yesterday alternoon in a lead- ing article said:—'‘We have good reason to believe that the outlook Eastward is at least as dark as the telegrams make it appear. We were not prepared for tho thoroughgoing obstinacy of the Turkish attitude, Evon ifthe Turks desire a rupture with Russia it was unnecessary for them to almost court general denunciation by rejecting everything, They might simply have presented counter proposals which General Ignatieff could notaccept. On the other hand, it may be that, having determined to fight rather than submit to more onerous demands, the Ministers think it will serve them best witn their own people to reject all menaco of interference in one word. And then we hear that General Ignatieff is instructed to listen to no counter proposals at all, Ifso, the next session of the Conference will probably be the last, and by the end of the week Lora Salisbury will be on his way home,’? WHAT THE TIMES SAYS, ‘The Times, ina leader this morning, thinks there is bare possibility that the Port@Mmay yield, though the prospect is certainly t cheering, All hopo of peaco need not be abandoned, even should the Conference -break up to-day; but Turkey would then have to buy peace at a higher price than is now asked. THY KASTERN SITUATION CONSIDERED GRAVE IN PARIS, Atelegram from Paris says that Prince Orloff, the Russian Ambassador, had a lengthy interview with M. Jules Simon yesterday. The Eastern situation is considered very grave. A Cabinet council, under the presidency of Marshal MacMahon, has been sum- moned. WHAT 18 THOUGHT IN BERLIN. A Borlin despatch says notwithstanding the serious turn affairs at Constantinople have taken no imme- diate rupsuro is apprehended, It 1s quite certain Midhat Pacba ts ready to fight if he must, and that the Russian government do not wish to tight unless they think it unavoidable, It is expected the negotiations will continue while the weather renders war all but impossible, Even the departare of the delegates to the Conference would leave matters unchanged, as nego- tiatiuns might be continued by the Ambassadors. What will happen in spring or toward the end of winter is 8 different question. THREAT NED MINISTERIAL CRISIS IN TURKEY. A Constant: ple despatch dated January 2, and coming by way of Vienna, says that in consequence of the great influence brought to bear tho agreement of the Turkish Cabinet council is less complete than be- anthropic Chicken for Breaktast. Moral.—Boware of j, fore. Midhat Pacha, the Grand Vizier, threatens to doing too much of a good thing. LITERARY CHIT-CHAT. The London Bookseller has two columns of editorial praise of the art work in American chromos of flower groups and feminine figures, Two rival editions of Smith's big ‘Dictionary of Christian Antiquities” are already in press, buth being reprints of the London edition, We do not hear of any rush to reprint Mr. William Morris’ new poem, ‘The Story of Sigurd the Volsund and the Fall of tho Nibelungen.” A Paris publisher bas issued the oration on religious liberty delivered by Castelar last summer. The latest French fantasy in itilustrated publications is a book entitled ‘Les Va-nu-pieds,”’ illustrated with -hirty engravings. Professor W. D. Whitney has written a valuable text book, ‘Essentials of Eaglish Grammar,’’ which Mossrs, Ginn & Heath, of Boston, will publish, A splendid illustrated work on the “Wild Flowers of America,” with colored plates by Sprague and letter press by Professor Goodale, of Harvard College, has been commenced in numbers by Hurd & Houghton, The great French encyclopedia of Larousse, entitled “Grand Dictionnaire Universe! du X1Xme Sidcle,”” has been completed by the publication of the fitteenth vol- ume, The price of the whole work is 626 francs, and the amount of matter it contains is more than double that of any existing cyclopedia of modern date, M. Charles Livet has written gnd printed “Les In- trigues du Moliére et celle de sa Femme.’” Among books on the prolific subject of domestic economy forthcoming 1s “The Economical Cook Book; or, How to Prepare Nice Dishes at a Moderate Cost,” which Alvert Cogswell, New York, will bring out at the “moderate cost’’ of thirty cents. Macmillan & Co. huve just ready Canon F. W. | Farrar’s sermons, entitled ‘In the Days of Thy | Youth,” The Boston bookselling firm of Crocker & Brewster, which began business more than halfa century ago, have just withdrawn from trade, Hurd & Houghton wil; publish their books, which inciuse Andrews? Latin series, Robinson’s “Palestine,” Scott’s “Commentary” aud other solid works, A pesthumous addendum to Professor Agassiz’s contributions to the watural history of the United States will soon be printed, illustrating the North American star fishes, MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC NOTES. Mr. Bandmann Js playing “Hamlg@ in Berlin. Rosst wet with success in Brussels betore Christmas. The Philharmonic Socicty have a public rehearsal at the Academy of Music on Friday afternoon, At the Prince of Wales’, London, ‘‘Peril”’ Is an over, whelming saccess, Strange title for a theatrical hit, The bonefits in American theatres for the sufferers from the Brooklyn calamity still continuo in the provinces, Mr. Maurice Strakoseh is gradually unfolding to pub- lic view the magnitude of his International Opera House scheme. Jow Jefferson seems inclined to settle in England permanently, Ho isengaged for the Princess’, Lon- don, for next season. ‘Adelina Pattt reappeared in Moscow a fortnight ago as Dinorah, and the Russian public went into ecstasies over the performance, A Boston critic says that Miss Palma’s ‘main lack is a pleasing quality.” Miss Palma sung at the “Hub,” during the Kesipoff concerts in the Athenian city. Speaking of Liszt, Schumann once said of him, with a mixture of admiration and irony, ‘He is as brilliant asa flash of lightning; ho bursts on you like the crash of thander, and he leaves behind hima strong smell of sulphur.’? ‘The Grand Opera, Paris, has propured for the winter season a sories of four masked balls, which promixe to be marvellous for display and brilliancy. M. Halan- gior has ongaged for the series the celebrated Johann Strauss, of Vienna, as conductor of the orchestra, Mr. Theodore Thomas has a public rehearsal for his thira symphony concert at Steinway Hall this alter- noon, The progranme will consist of Mozart's sym- resign, and there is a possibiuty of a Ministerial crisis. HOPING AGAINST HOPE. A despatch from Constantinople dated yesterday says tho Plenipotentiaries do not appear to have aban- doned hope that a rupture may yet be avoided. Midhbat Pacha when visiting the German and. Italian ambassadors on Tuesday adopted a somewhat more conciliatory tone, At the present moment itis be» hheved the Porte at tho sitting of the Conference to- morrow will not give a formal refusal to the demands of the lowers. RUSSIAN VIEW OF THE SITUATION. The Russian Telegraphic Agency has a despatch dated St. Peteraburg, Wednesday afternoon, stating that the Porte’s refusal is considered certain, and General Ignatieff has telegraphed to Sebastopol for the Imperial yacht Hereclik. TURKEY WILL CONCEDE NOTHING. A correspondent at Vienna telegraphs that the Turkish Cabinet council to decide on the Porte’s answer was held on Tuesday, On Wednesday the Turkish Ambassador in Vienna called at the Foreign Office, and communicated a telegram trom the Porte according to which Turkey 18 unable to accep!) the basis upon which the proposals of the Powers are drawn up. RUSSIA AND SERVIA, A despatch from Belgrade says Russia {8 unwilling to enter into any engagement directly with Servia. |; This is considered a concession to Austria, All Ras- sian officers in Servia fave been ordered to join the | army at Kischineff. ROUMANIA AND THE CRISIS. It is reported from Pesth, on good authority, that the Roumanian government, in consequence of the re- ceipt of warlike news on Tuesday, have revoked their orders for restoring the army to a peace footing, THE OUTRAGE ON THE ROUMANIAN JEWS. Itis very probable that the Austrian government will take decisive steps with regard to the il! treatment of the Jews in Roumania, as some of the sufferers aro Austrian subjects, RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN DENMARK, A special despatch from Copennagen says the first railway accident in Denmark involving loss of life has occurred between Horsens and Aarhuus, A train conveying 100 laborers to clear a snow blockade ran off the track. Nino persons were killed and thirty severely hurt. The injured suffered greatly from cold and the difficulty of sending assistance to them, TUE FINANCIAL S:TUATION IN ENGLAND, The Pall Mall Gazette, in its financial article yestor day, says:—Demand for accommodation in open mar- ket to-day has been slightly better in connection with the requirements of the approaching settlement in consols, but the supply of money continues abundant and the distribution of dividends onthe funds next Saturday willconsiderably augment unemployed bal- | ances, Alrendy tho rate for bills has begun to give way, the ruling terms for choice throe months’ bills ranging from 144 4134, while loans on deposits of gov- ernment security were obtainable at about % a1, A LONG ISLAND FRACAS, (DY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. ] Sac Harnor, Jan. 3, 1877, C. W. Payne, President of the Village Trustees, was assaulted and stabbed about tho head and shoulders by Dr. Johnson, to-day. Johnson accused Payne of lying, and the latter attempted to eject him from his store, Vayne was seriously but not fatally imjured. Both arties are prominent in soctal and literary circles, © urrests have yot been made, SHOCKING TRAGEDY. [DY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.} Lancastex, Ohio, Jan, 3, 1877, Henry Creighton, of Bloom township, was mur. dered by his wito yesterday afternoon. The woman ig crazy, and after killing her husband with a revolver, she made the work sure by chopping off his head with ab axa A RAILROAD ELECTION, CLEVELAND, Ohio, Jan, 3, 1877, At the annual meeting of the stockholders of the Cleveland and Pittsburg Railroad tn this city vo-day, tho following directors were elected:—J. N. MeCul- Jough aod B. F. Jones, of Pittsburg; Ibomas A. scout, of Philadeiphia; August Belmont, 3. J. rilden, C 5 phony in G minor, novelletten for string orchestra, Gade; Bargicl’s overtare to “Medea” and Sebumano’s symphony, No, 3, in EK fat, Lanier, George W. Cass and Francis T, Walk York; 'R. R, Springer, of Cincinnati, J. Ye | wibbdag Jamos F, Clark and R. P. Ranney, of dleveland. " e