The New York Herald Newspaper, February 26, 1879, Page 6

NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. a JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR, in the year. dollars per fifty cents int Jar per year, free of post- drafts on New ther of these dletter. All insure atten- vd must give age. NOTICE TO SU York or Post Ottice NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, Americans in China. The Chinese bill has passed the House, although by a somewhat smaller majority than in January. ‘Lhe total vote, however, was greater. In January 227 members voted, and 235 voted on last Saturday. On the original passage of the bill in the House 155 votes were given in its favor, but only 140 on Saturday, while on the first vote 72 members resisted the measure, but 95 opposed it on the second vote. It is to be borne in mind by those in this country or in foreign countries who take a critical interest in this legislation that the bill ae it came before the House for a second vote was materially different from the bill as first approved by that body; for in the Senate Mr. Sargent moved an amendment to obviate a criticism in regard to notice to the government at Pekin. ‘That amend- ment made the seventh and last section read thus: — Srcrion 7.—That this act shall take effect from and after the 1st day of July, 1879, and the President of the United States shall, linmediately on the approval of this act, give notice to the government of China of the abrogation of the articles 5 and 6 ot theadditional articles of the treaty of June 18, 1868, between the United States and China, proclaimed February 5, 1870, commonly called the Burlingame Treaty. When the House first voted it was possible for a member who approved the measure to argue that it would not be a violation of the treaty to punish astherein proposed a vessel, or its master, who brought to our shores more than fifteen Chinamen at one time. Sucha member might petsuade himself that, under pRK HERALD— 0E LOPERA. DA VACE. will be received and ‘ew Yor ACADEMY OF MUSIC THEATRE COMIQU Banker's DavcaTen RtupixG Hoop. Detective. IBLE the treaty, the United States could thus regulate the immigration of Chinamen. But under the pressure of the Senate debate the California advocate of the measure threw aside all disguises, and openly as- sailed, and endeavored to annul, two arti- cles of the convention. In one aspect that amendment may be an advantage, because now the President has before him the naked question whether the public interest and the national safety will, in his opinion, be benefited or injured by an Executive ap- proval of the bill. Under the constitution a bill becomes a law without the President’s signature if he fails to return it, with his objections thereto, to the house in which it originated, within ten days of its presentation to him, ‘‘unless the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not bea y ATRE PARK THEATRE-E BROADWAY Firri av Coxons. Lun PICTURES. EET. TRIPLE. IT. York, WEDS Zhe probabilities ave that the weather in New York and its vicinity today will be warmer and cloudy, with rain or snow and southerly lowesterly winds. To-morrow it will be warm and cloudy, | law,” with rain, probably followed by colder and clear- ing weath WAL Ste YESTERDAY. ¢ stock market Was active and stronger, closing at the best prices of the day. Government bonds were steady, States dull and railroads irregular. Money on call lent easy at 2 a 3 per cent, advanced to 31g per cent and closed at 2 a 21g per cent. Tue ABANDONMENT by the Lehigh Company of the coal combination is a case of desertion we all can commend. mtiary, the pun- ishment meted out to the Fifth avenue diamond thief, Pender, is not calculated to encourage that line of business. Tue First Srer toward testing the legality of the reduction of the pay of the police force was taken yesterday in the Supreme Court. The cage will hardly rest short of the Court of Appeals OsrexsipLy THE CmireF Question before the Brooklyn Bridge Legislative Committee yester- day was whether the wind could raise the bridge. The real question was, How can the bridge raise the wind? Tue Extension of the Metropolitan “L” road to Eighth avenue warks another step in our rapid transit development. In a few months the whirr of the cars will, it is to be hoped, be heard in the solitudes above the Central Park. Tue CominG Potro Season promises to be the best and most brilliant we have had in years. There is a large increase in the membership of the different clubs and extensive preparations ave on foot to make the summer programme of this interesting aud exciting sport as attractive as possible. Tue Lance ATTENDANCE at the meeting of the American Fish Culturists’ Association yester- ‘day goes to show the growing interest in this important question. An excellent influence has been exerted by the association not only in this State but throughout the country. Several valuable and important papers were read. Ix OnepieNce to the command of the caucus some time ago the democratic majority in the House have tacked upon the Deficiency bill amendments abolishing the office of supervisors of election and repealing the Jurors’ Test Oath Jaw. An attempt was made by the republicans to defeat the bill by filibustering, but it failed under the ba eralship of Mr. Hale. At Three LOCK esduy morning the United States Senate found itself without a quorum, and the answers of the absent mem- bers who were summoned to attend not being exuctly parliamentary the interesting question arose, How could the Senatorial bodies be con- stitutionally produced? It was proposed at first that the myrmidons of the Senate be directed to break the Senatorial doors down; but, happily, less warlike councils prevailed, and the Senatorial dignity was fortunately saved. It was a grave crisis for the country. Tne Weatnrr.—The storm centre from the West has now entered and is slowly traversing the Ohio Valley, attended by a general snow- tall north of the lower Jakes and from the Mis- souri Valley to the Atlantic coast in about the eine zone of latitude. Pressures are low south- westward from the main disturbance to Texas aud the Western Gulf. A sub-centre of low ba- rometer is again issuing from the Southwest, with fresh southerly and warm winds over the Lower Mississipp! Valley. In the Northwest and | West the barometer has risen quite rapidly, with steep gradients and high northwesterly winds and gales through the Missouri Valley. ‘The burometer has also risen over Northern New England and Now Brunswick. Cloudiness is general from the Missouri Valicy éastward, north of the parallel of thirty-eight degrees. Rain has failen south of the lakes from the Mis- sissippi to the Atlantic coust. The temperatures in the ventral valley districts and in the South continue anscasonably high, they are gradually rising along the Middle Atlantic coast, are low over the upper Jukes and Canada and very low -in the Northwest. The winds are northerly to northwesterly beyond the Mississippi River, northeasterly to easterly over the lakes and Canada, southwosterly to southerly over the ,Bouth Atlantic and East Gulf States, and southeasterly to southerly in the Middle States. A sharp northeast gale will prevail during to-day ou the New England const. Heavy northwest winds will also bo experienced over the Jakes and southward to Tennessee, The weather in Kew York and its vicinity to-duy will be warmer and cloudy, with rain or snow and southerly to westerly winds. To-morrow it will be warm and cloudy, with rain, probably foflowed by colder and clearing weather. Thus the President can, since the 4th of March is so near, easily defeat the bill without uncovering to China his own views thereon. must not only give the required notice to the Emperor of China, but he will be cut off If he signs the measure he from any benefit in any attempted new ne- gotiations of the plea that the Executive in this matter differs in opinion from the legis- lative branch of the government. But the conduct of the Executive therein must largely depend on what thé State Depart- ment has already said at Pekin on the sub- ject. intimated, if it did not openly declare, to Many months ago Congress distinctly Mr. Evarts its views about the treaty, and urged him to press diligently now negotia- tions to remedy the evils complained of. What Mr. Evarts has said thereon to Pekin is. not yet disclosed to the country. If he has vigorously entered upon new negotiations and has clearly warned the Emperor of the tendency of opinion in Congress, and that the President sympa- thized therewith, then a line of diplomacy is open to him which it may be difficult to successfully pursue if no efficient repre- sentations have as yet been made to China. If the Department of State has not formally opened the question at Pekin, then the action of Congress in denouncing two articles of the treaty of 1868 may startle the Emperor like thunder out of a clear sky. It is not easy tor intelligent Euro- peans to understand the working of our dual governments—State and national— and of our three departments—executive, legislative and judicial—in the transaction of business with foreign nations, and it must be doubly difficult for the most learned Chinese or Asiatic ruler or states- man. Of the purely internal or domestic aspect of the Mongolian question we have not time to-day to speak fully. It is a fact, however, that our laws forbid any one of the colored races to become a citizen by naturalization. A black man of African descent can be naturalized, but not a Mon- golian or even an Indian, no matter whether the latter be foreign or native born. The government welcomes Africans to citizen- ship and to the ballot, but murders the na- tive Indians, treats them as worse than white or black aliens, since it repels their citizenship and refuses to deal with them as entitled to the benefit of our general laws. It also excludes the Mongolians from citizenship, and now it proposes to prevent them from landing on our shores, Possibly if the Chinaman and Indian hada vote the case would be very different, and possibly the real issue on the Pacific coast is whether the Chinaman shall be thus ex- cluded or have access to the ballot box. But, for the moment, we are looking only to the foreign or external aspect of the problem presented by the bill pending be- fore the President. ‘The measure denounces only two articles of the Convention of 1863. Can we with- draw from these and preserve the remaining articles, such as the fourth, for example, which secures for our citizens the right of sepulture, liberty of conscience in religious matters and exemption from restraint in re- gard to religious worship in China? The sixth article guarantees to Americans the same immunity to visit China and travel therein as China concedes toan Englishman or a German, but that article Congress en- deavors to abrogate. ‘The second article of the Convention of 1868 stipulates that any privilege or immunity for Americans in re- spect to “trade or navigation” within the Chinese dominions, which is not regulated by treaty with us, shall be at the sovereign will and pleasure of the Chinese govern. ment, which seems to prevent the United States from demanding the security afforded by the public law of Christian States. On first examination of the articles of the treaty of 1868 they seem to be interdepend- ent, and if the fifth and sixth fall all must fall. If so, our treaty relations with China will’stand on the treaties negotiated by Mr. Cushing and Mr. Reed, of which that made by the Jast named diplomatist relates chiefly to customs matters, ‘ihe one made in 1844, by the late Caleb Cushing, is much more general and important, and no one can study its provisions under the light of re- cent events without a glow of admiraticen for the diplomatic skill and statesmanship which, under the circumstances, negotiated that arrangement with China thirty-five years ago. If Caleb Cushing had done noting else in his long career of public service that treaty would be a monument of honor for the American nego- tiator, and it would at the date of its vatification have been looked upon as a crown of glory for Mr. Cushing had it not been for the party prejudice of the day against the President, Mr. Tyler, under whose authority it was accomplished. Is that treaty to stand? Does the government at Pekin really wish to maintain treaty re- lations with the United States, to tolerate American missionaries and to continue the exceptional jurisdiction of American con- suls within its jurisdiction, or does it pre- fer to fall back on the condition of inter- course before Mr. Cushing opened it to the European system? Does the Emperor wish his subjects of the coast and near to the British settlement at Hong Kong to emi- grate to California and the Pacific coast of America? Cannot the government at Pekin obtain all of material benefit which it cares to obtain by cultivating friendly relations with its British and Spanish neighbors on the shores of the sea? Will not the Em- peror be rejoiced to be rid of the treaty negotiated with America in behalf of China by an American? That is the question to which we are soon to see the reply. Shere Ali and the Doctors. Shere Ali, the wandering Ameer, wascon- demned to death by a Russian surgeon many days since, and the said surgeon for- warded to the Russian authorities a medi- cal report on the case said to be exception- ally clear and categorical; but at the same time an Afghan doctorin the suite of the royal patient did not take so gloomy a view of the case as was taken by the Muscovite sawbones. Dismayed, perhaps, at the change in their status which would follow upon their sovereign’s death, the ambassadors of the Ameer at Tashkend have evoked the oracle and obtained news of the condition of Shere Ali—news three days later than that from the Russian doc- tor, and news buoyant with the history of agreat cure. An abscess had formed; it has been opened; the results are favorable, and His Majesty will be out in a day or two. Upon this news the Russian doc- tors at Tashkend have held a solemn inquest, and have deliberately declared that they do not believe it, and that the errant potentate must, shall and will die in order to do full honor to the original Russian diagnosis; that it would be unbecoming, undignified and unworthy of a great prince to live wretchedly on in contempt of a categorical medical judgment beyond the period at which a doctor had said he would die. We are ourselves of opinion that it would be shameful for the Ameer not to die in the circumstances, if in fact he was originally ill, But there may have been some error at the start. It may have been one of the Ameer’s little games. In Ori- ental politics it is a great mistake to die. One never wins that way in the East. But sometimes one plays dead to great advan- tage, and in that train of ideas one may play that he is about to die, and, if deter- mined on‘such a scheme, he could probably deceive avery acute person, Besides, if ill as described, there may be resources in Afghan medicine beyond the reach of West- ernart. But ina day or two the telegraph will tell if there has been any dupe, as well as who he is. A Dragging Enterprise. Captain Paul Boyton complains vigor- ously and justly in another column of the delay that has marked the supposed enter- prise for turning ‘‘Nanthe Newsboy,” and his associates into a permanent and effec- tive life saving corps on our river front. ‘Lhe Captain naturally feels uncomfortable about the matter because at one time his own name was associated with the undertaking, and public blame for delay and neglect is always likely to fall upon the most prom- inent personage that appears in the matter. It is certainly time for the committee which took the local life saving enterprise in charge to either do something or admit their incapacity by resigning their work into abler hands. After the assurances which the boy received it will be a disgrace to the city if whatever is to be done falls finally to Captain Boyton, a non-resident, and with no more responsibility in the matter than he may in his good nature and sympathy assume, Impeachment in France. As President Grévy and the Ministry are decidedly opposed to the project for the impeachment of the Duke de Broglie and his associates in the famous Ministry of the 16th May it is very’ certain that any motion made to that effect will be voted down by a satisfactory majority. Indeed, we cannot see that this motion has had any serious chance for success in the recent turn of events. An inquiry was ordered to be made into De Broglie’s conspiracy with a specific object in view ; but that object has been accomplished in another way, and those who could have used that inquiry in a way dangerous to De Broglie know this and are disposed to hang the now useless weapon on tho wall ; but the contankerous men of the Left want to get the old blun- derbuss off, if only at dead game. With MacMahon in the Presidency--and in an attitude of defiance toward the will of the nation, and with the political elements of which De Broglie is the type behind him— there was a constant menace and a possible danger to the republican constitution daily flaunted in the eyes of the nation, — But the strong republicans knew how to con- jure that danger, They knew that the last reactionary Ministry was compromised before the law by its actions, and they proposed to fight this enemy with the im- peachment process, But that enemy is dead, and the reactionary conspirators ate as much out of the game of contem- porary French politics asthe Merovingians. It would be only folly, therefore, to dis- turb’ public tranquillity with them how, and the Assembly will not permit that foliy. 2 i x FEBRUARY 26,°1879:-TRIPLE SHEET. cs A General Political Survey. Our special correspondent in Washing- ton, who is an acute and experienced ob- server, and has perhaps better opportunities of intercourse with politicians of all shades than any other journalist at the national capital, sends us his impressions of the political situation as modified by the events of the session and as likely to be affected by the views of parties and the as- pirations of candidates. Wedo not claim for our correspondent, nor would a man of his sense and sagacity think of claiming for himself, the gift of prophecy. He merely states the situation as it exists to-day, and points out the present tendencies of party action, But politics are like a kaleidoscope, especially at a period when the whirling and eddying waters have not yet taken the strong set which betokens. their permanent direction. ‘he main streams of political tendency into which all the lesser streams will flow and be absorbed can as yet be only conjectured, but not marked out with the certainty of a hydrographic survey, It is impossible to doubt that our corre- spondent is entirely correct in the estimate he has formed of the rising hopes of the republican party. hat party has become a unit in its policy, having no longer any divergencies of opinion on the more important questions, and particularly the currency question and the Southern question, Our correspondent makes it plain that there will be no jurring sentiments to disturb the harmony of the Republican National Convention on points of party policy, and that the only contests in that body will be personal contests re- lating to candidates, Whether Grant or Blaine or Sherman or some other man gets the nomination it is already certain that all the candidates will seek it on substantially the same basis of political principle. Our correspondent does not overrate the im- portance of this advantage, and he cor- rectly attributes to it the great ac- cession of confidence among the re publican leaders. There is no stronger bond of unity, there is no more hopeful prognostic of success, in a political party than complete and decided unanimity on great public questions, The republican party has attained this uzanim- ity and has consolidated its views since the meeting of Congress; and it is not surpris- ing that its half despondent mood has been replaced by a tone of confident hope. Our correspondent is probably not in error in supposing that this revival of party confi- dence weakens the ‘chances of General Grant for the republican nomination. If the party believes that it can succeed with any good candidate the nomination of Grant will not be accepted asa political necessity. ‘lhe consequence is that Blaine stock is rising and has become buoyant, as was shown forth in the large batch of Washington interviews which we printed on Monday. Our correspondent’s estimate of demo- cratic prospects are very suggestive, whether we accept or reject his interpretation of the facts. The democratic dissension and dis- traction which he so forcibly depicts no doubt betoken squally weather for the democratic canvass; but we incline to think that out of this very chaos there will arise a certain kind of order.. In con- sequence of these dissensions and this “confusion worse confounded” it wilt be found impossible to concentrate the demo- cratic choice upon Bayard, or Thurman, or Hendricks, and Mr. Tilden will have the great advantage of playing off his rivals against one another, and of presenting the only issue in which democratic harmony is possible. That he was elected in 1876 and cheated out of the office is a point on which all democrats agree, and the party, as a whole, can hardly be said to agree on any- thing else. The jarring elements of the party could more easily be united on him than on anybody else. Anybody who sup- poses that Mr. Tilden is looking out for some other candidate,‘ like General Mc- Clellan, in case he should fail, mis- conceives the character of the man. Mr. ‘Tilden is for himself first, last and -always. He is entirely confident of his own‘success, and it is not in his nature to be a jackal for some other candidate. He is indifferent who is nominated if he is not, and he has such undoubting confidence of his own suc- cess that no question has arisen or can arise in his mind as to how he will dispose of his strength in the event of failure. , Rapid Transit Crossings. So long as the “L” railroad companies divided the passenger traffic of this city be- tween them in accommodating the east and west sides by the New York Elevated and the Metropolitan railroads respectively there was little difficulty in regulating the running of trains so as to insure safety. But now that both companies have their roads over common sections of route on the east side the serious question arises whether public safety will not be endan- gered by such a combination. In selecting the routes for the *L” roads the Rapid Tran- sit Commissioners very unfortunately and injudiciously planned a crossing at Chatham square which circumstances and the ordinary needs of rapid transit render im- practicable. Assuming that the trains of the two roads intended to pass over this section common to the two east side routes were despatched from the stations above and below Chatham street at the intervals required for the accommodation of passen- gers it would be impossible for them to pass each other at that point. By decrens- ing the number of trains to one quarter, and thereby reducing the accommodation seventy-five per cent, the crossing would still represent a point of danger which under no consideration should be per- initted to exist. We print elsewhere to-day an article on the subject of rapid transit crossings which fully explains the diffi- culty to be overcome in regulating the traffic on the east sido without incurring the risks of grave disastors, On rival roads crossing each other on tho same level disaster is merely a question of time. It isimperatively necessary, there- fore, that such roads should neither cross each other in that manner nor have a com- mon section of track. To insure against eOllisions and other dangers, as well as in- terruptions of the whole rapid tyahg} system Myre on the east side, the roadways miist be kept entirely separate. But in doing this there are certain important considerations in- volved. The chiet of these may be recog- nized as the rights of way of the companies acquired under their respective charters and by virtue of the decisions of the Rapid Transit Commissioners. Instead of the dis- tinct “L” railroad systems being practically concentric they are excentric, and the cir- cumferences of their great loops through the city intersect each other, rendering crossings of the tracks unavoidable unless mutual con- cessions can be made to remedy the blunder of the Commissioners, What makes these concessions the only menus of avoiding danger is that the grade, which rises sharply toward Chatham square from the south, will not admit of one road being carried over another, as is arranged for the inter- section at Thirty-fourth ‘street and Second avenue. By making the City Hall station the terminus ot the New York Elevated Road, and rearranging the tracks over Chatham square, a through connection cin be made with the Battery by the Metro- politan road from Division street over the structure now extending south, via Frank- lin square and Fulton street stations. The Metropolitan would, therefore, abandon all traffic from the City Hall, whilé the New York Elevated Company would abandon all traffic from the Battery to Chatham square. At present both companies have rights in common to these sources of traffic. The Forty Days’ Fast. There begins to-day a religious obser- vance the spiritual significance of which is probably more clearly discerned in our age than ever before, yet which has in outward manifestations changed to o degree that once would have been regarded’ as very wicked and decidedly detrimental to pros- pects of felicity in another world. ‘In the early days of the Church the fast of the Lenten season, covering forty days, like that of Christ and Moses, was a period of the strictest abstinence. No more food seems to have been allowed than was necessary to sustain life, and the quality consisted only of bread and water, and no exceptions to the rule were permitted. Regarded at one time as ‘in itself a meritorious act fasting often consisted of entire ab- stention trom food for days at a time. Later in the history of the Church the re- strictions as to quantity of food were re- moved, but the quality remained the same, ‘and there were doubtless devout people who trembled for the fate of Christianity when the rules of fasting were so far re- laxed as to prohibit only flesh, eggs, cheese and wine; but somehow men continued to worship and church after church was built, At the present day, although nearly all churches profess to keep the great fast, and some individuals obey to the uttermost the promptings of severe consciences, the strictest Church rules allow, practically, better food and more of it throughout the whole Lenten season than the religious in the earlier cen- turies enjoyed in any season of the year. Abstention from meat is 4. privation to be endured with calm resignation by the faith- ful who have all the other stores of market- man apa grocer to draw upon. A better or more timely sanitary measure could not be devised than the declining of heating food during the period in which the season changes from'cold to warm ; for this reason the most consistent of matorialists and in- fidels would be benefited by subjecting themselves to Church rule during Lent, but so far as actual physical suffering from hunger is concerned the Lenten fast has lost all its terrors. A Message to the Governor, We respectfully invite the attention of Governor Robinson to the character of the gentlemen who take a lively interest in the prosperity of the Blissville stables, us mani- fested in their treatment of » Henaxp re- porter, whose story will be found in another column, and of the doctor employed in ex- amining the unfortunate animals that are rotting in that pleasant retreat for diseased cows. We also beg the Governor to mark the conduct of the deputies of the Sheriff of Queens county who are intrusted with the duty of currying out the quarantine regulations entorced by order of the Executive of the State for the public protection. The character of a business may be pretty correctly judged by its surroundings. We might ex- pect to find gangs of rowdies and ruffians standing up for the supposed rights of a disreputable gambling den or .disorderly house, while we should bo astonished to meet such company at a church or a school house. ‘he vagabonds who threatened the Henratp reporter with assault at the Blissville pest house are just the sort of creatures one might expect to encounter at a depot for the sale of swill milk and dis- eased cow beef, The Governor has no in- terest in their actions, except so far as they tend to confirm the expediency and justice of the prompt steps he took to put a stop to the Blissville nuisance and peril. But he hfs some interest and ought to have something to say in the matter of the disgraceful inefficiency or indifference of the Sheritf uf Queens county in carrying out the Executive orders. There can be no efficient quarantine at the offensive stables when crowds of ruffians are allowed to invade the premises without permits, and to insult and threaten those who are there in pursuit of lawfal business. The Sheriff's deputies, in failing to keep the peace and to enforce the proper regulations, prove that they are ignorant of their duties, indifferent about obeying orders or incapable of filling the positions they hold. The Sheriff is responsible for the acts of his deputies and answerable to the Governor for his official conduct, “his is the particular point to which we desire to direct Governor Robin- son's attention. A Ripple of Ventilation, The Board of Education sent a fortnight ago w circular letter to principals and teachers requesting their opinions upon the condition of their respective schools in point of ventilation, and doubtless by this time the replies ‘have all been re- coived and safely pigeonholed! “It would be interesting, however, to know what particu- lar aualifications the teachers have for de- termining upon this subject, as a great deal of the trouble that has always been caused im our city school rooms by bad air is due largely to the ignorance or carelessness of the very persons who by the Board’s letter are appointed to be their own judges. If they have of late been taught anything new about the laws of ventilation, or been stirred up to use such knowledge and facilities as they Possess, and have no fear of the Board’s displeasure before their eyes, their reports will be interesting reading; but all this is too much to be hoped for. The proper persons to ascertain the condition of school xoom air would be physicians, builders or other specialists who kuow something of the movements of air, and who can judge of its quality by the appearance and symp- toms of those who breathe it. Wedo not question the intelligence of New York teachers, for it is generally known to be of high grade, but men and women of a generation in-which even the most intel- ligent stifle uncomplainingly in homes, churches and theatres are not the persons to decide upon a question so vitally affect. ing another generation, which every one hopes will be an improvement upon the present one. ‘The worst that the teachers will probably say is likely, for the various reasons we have suggested, to come far short of the truth. ’ The Railroad Telegraph Line. The refusal of the Senate to strike from the Army Appropriation bill what is known as the Butler railroad telegraph amend- ament may be regarded as insuring the pas- sage of that measure. There’is, of course, the constitutional way of defeating it by a veto, but such a course on the part of the President may be looked upon as an ex- ceedingly improbable event. In passing the amendment the friends of this new tele- graphic legislation profess that they are actuated entirely by a desire to build up a rival line to the Western Union Company and in that way reduce the cost of tele- graphing to the public. ‘The question in which those who use the telegraph are most interested is, Will this legislation accomplish that result? In other words, does the amendment in question confer the authority upon the railroad lines to com- bine so as to form a coatinuous circuit? If it does not, why itis worth very little more than the paper it is printed upon. General Butler, it will be seen from an interview on another page, is very clear in his mind that Congress has power to legislate upon this question under the clause of the constitu- tion in regard to post offices and post roads, Precisely the opposite view is held by the Western Union Telegraph Company. The railroads, they maintain, not having been chartered by the States tor the transmission of “intelligence,” cannot engage in that business without express charters from the different Stutes. The recent decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in what is known as the Florida case appears to sustain General Butler’s theory, but-it is hardly probabie that the Western Union Company will be content to rest under that interpretation of the law. Fully as the question has been debated in Congress it is likely to be still further discussed in the courts. Whatever benefits the public may ultimately obtain the lawyers, according to the present outlook, will reap the first rewards from the new legislation. PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE, Mr. Marshall Jowell, of Hartford, is at the Brevoort House, Count Andrassy keeps Austria from being the eneiny of Russia, The Atlanta Constitution says that Alexander H. Stephens permits a too free use of his name by patent medicine men. At skating carnivals in Vienna, at which Princess Metternich is a prominent figure, the fashionable beverage is mixed rum and tea. Isaac Butt, the Irish home rule leader, is suffering from acnte bronchitis. A consultation of physicians on Monday pronounced his symptoms favorable, Chicago Tribune:—The New York Henaco calls Ohio ‘the pale pancake of the universe.’ The Hkmatp evidently regards Ohio as the Buckwheat and not the Buckeye State.” A Paris despatch to this morning’s London Stan dard says ex-President MacMahon is suffering from ophthalmia, which is said to be complicated with serious general symptoms. Tho Iatie, of Rome, yesterday revived the report that Queen Victoria will visit the Continent this spring, going first to Italy, where she will spend some time at Baveno. She will afterward, it says, visit Coburg and Darmstadt, M. Lemmens is founding at Malines, Belgium, @ school for the study of Gregorian music and for the instruction of the younger clergy. The scheme has been approved at Rome; and Mme. Lemmena- Sherrington will leave England for Malines. Colonel Fay, the new deputy chief of the French General Staff, was aide-de-camp to General Bosquet in the Crimean campaign: He wrote brilliantly about military affairs in the Crimea, as well as about the military organization of Prussia; and he sug- gested after Sadowa that France might feel alarmed. “Mephisto,” the mechanical chess-player which excites attention in London because of its brilliant playing, has a hole in its back into which one may thrust a cane at any time during its performances, The moves of the figure are made with its gloved right hand, and for “check” it taps the opponent king. The mechanism is said to be under the chair, Norristown Herald:—Reading flashy dime novela induced a New York boy to steal $75 from his father and run away from home to exterminate the Indians, Such books should be suppressed. Reading a religious book induced a Philadelphia boy to go into the cellar and hang himself, Such books shotld—that is, such boys should not read such books,” The Austrian Parliament house is to be provided with a new machine for voting, invented by the wéll known engineer, Mayrhafer. A member by preas+ ing @ handle, ‘yes’ or “no,"’ on his dosk liberates @ ball which falls into an urn behind the President, and at the same time reveals the number of the voter ina board on the wall. Fraud in voting is impossible, and the time occupied is two minutes, New Orleans Picayune:—“We do not see that the people of the Southern States can do any better than to support an amendment to the constitution absolutely prohibiting, in future, the payment of-any claims arising out of the civil war, The existence of these claims and the pertinacity with which they are pressed are a continnal source of irritation to the country and are calculated to bring unjust discredit on the South.” London World:—“The tempestuous outbreaks and gusty impulses of an imperious head of the house move one to marvel by what strange law of nature the seamy side of the cloth is so often reserved toa the special edification of the home circle, Hegel parried the proverb that no man is a hero to his own valet de chambre, with the answer th t it was because the valet was a valet, not because the hero was not a hero. But the flerce light of home criticism is apt to discover the clay feet which support the ap- parently gilded idol, Break the crust of social formalism and you will, in no fow cases, find that a sweet reasonableness is assumed only to meet the uncompromising necessities of professional claims or fashionable ttercourse.””