UEW YORK HERALD
BROADWAY AND ANN STREET.
JAMES GORDON BENNETT,
PROPRIETOR.
THE DAILY HERALD, pvbHahtd evrry
day in tt?' y*?r. Four cents per copy. An
imal bubhinption price $12.
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VOLUME XXXIX NO. 357
M THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
r.LOBB THEATRE,
Jtrnadwav -VARIETY, at 8 P. M ; closes at 10:30 p. Jl,
Mauuec at 2 P. M,
GERM AM A THEATRE.
J'>urtep.nth street.?PUKl'StilC'SHEs sntAFRECHT, at
b P. M.
LYCEUM THEATRE,
Sourteenth utreet and Sixth avenue.?LA KILLE OE
ADAME ASUOT, al 8 P. M. j clows at 10:10 1*. M Miss
uiiiy .-oldeue.
WAI.LACK'S THEATRE.
HAUGHRACS, at 8 l' M ; closes at
Jirnaciway ?Till'. SHAUOI
a.(i .40 1*. M Mi Boucicaiilt.
WOOD'S Ml SKC*.
"B^oadwav, corner ol lhirtie'n siffK.-THF. CaR
EPBNTEIt Oh KOL\ N, at 2 i\ M. AKRAH NA POtit li,
alttf. M.i llliX'a ul 10 :4S P. M. J. U. luisull
METROPOLITAN THE A THE.
?No 581 Broadway.ARIETY. at s P. M.. elo?es ai 10:30
.P. M. Maline* at2ju P. M._
OLYMPIC THEATRE.
? "14 Broadway.? V aR| ETY. at b 1'. M. ; closes at 10 :4f>
P.M. Matinee at 2 30 P. M.
GRAND OPERA HOr-E.
Twenty third ?trvfi and Eighth .(venue.?THE BLACK
?_R00K, ai 8 v M.; clOMtt at 11 P. M.
TONY PASTOR'^ OPERA BOD E,
Bowery.?variety, at 8 P m. ; closes at 10:45 P. M.
PARK THEATRE,
itrnadwav, between Twenty-first and Twenty second
Hreeti?GILDED A<iE, al S P. M. ; ciubk* at 1U JO P. il
All. J * tm T. liajOKKd.
THEATRE OOMIQCE,
>0. 514 Brna hvuv. ? V \RIEXY, aid P. >!. : closes at 10:30
.P.M. JJa iaee at 2:30 P. M.
BOOTH'S THEATliE,
corner of Twentv-thtrfl street ana >tx!h avenne?THE
Jil.KO OK t HE HOUR, al 8 P. M.; closes a: 10 :40 P. M,
Mr. Heuri Muart. .
NEW YORK STADT rflEATRB,
Bowery ?LUCINDE VON THKATEi:, at s P. M. ; closes
a'. iU JO P M. Miss Lina Mayr.
ROMAN HIPPODROME,
Twenty-sixth -treet ami Fourth avenue? BLUE
Hl ARIiaud FETE AT PKK1N, Httertioon anO evening,
hi - ami i
TIVOLI THEATRE,
Tltchth street.?VARIETY, at 8 P M.
FIFTH AVENUE IHKATRF..
Twenty-eitrhth .-treetand Broadway.?a NEW WAV TO
PAY OLD DEBT.-, at8 P. M ; elo.-e- at 10 JO P. M. Miss
?Davenport
BRYANTS OPERA HOt'^E.
"We*t Twenty.third Hired. near Six?h avenue ?NEC.RO
MIMilTR&LaY. At., at, 8 P. M.; cloatu at 10 P. il. Dau
Bryant
METROPOLITAN M t'Sl.TM OK AffU
?Fourteehth streeu ? Open from 10 A. M luil'S
NIBLO'S,
Broadwsy. ?JACK AND JILL, at 8 P.*
BROOKLYN THEATRE.
Washinfftou street.?AH YOtJ LIKE IT, at 9 P. M Mr.
>iauk i.oach, Mr*. I <>?? av
SAN FRANCISCO MIN>TRELS.
Troadwav, corner of Twentv ninth -trreu?NEGRO
MINhlRfaLSY , at 8 P M. ; closes at 10 P. M.
ROBINSON HAI.L,
Sixteenth street?BfaOONfc DULL. CARE. Mr. Mac
catie.
WITII SUPPLEMENT.
NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1874.
hYom our reports this morning theprobabilities
are thai the vxalher to-day tcill b? dear.
Wall Stkebt Yebtebhat.?Stocks were
firmer and higher. Mouey oil call loans was
quoted at 3.J per cent. Foreign exchange was
steady and without feature.
Marshal MacMahon has suspended Cassag
nac's paper, I.e Pays. This shows that the
Marshal is disposed to take sevare measures
with the Bonapartists, whose interests I.e Pays
represents.
The Action of District Attorney Phelps in
enforcing the excise laws has had a good re
sult The liquor dealers have promised to
take out their licenses and refrain troin any |
organized opposition to the law.
The London Times, as will be seen from
our special cable despatch from London, has
issued a declaration of independence of
Renter's news service, on account of having
been furnished a despatch giving an untrue
account of the text of President Grant's Mes
sage conctrning our relations with Spain.
The Times declares it will henceforth trust ita
own sources of news. Baron Renter promises
never to offend again. This important evi
dence of the independent spirit of a great and
lree newspaper does not come to us from the
Associated Press.
Mr. C. K. Iioss, the lather of Charley
Itoss, prints in our advertising columns, un
d^r the head of "Personal," a card saying
that he in convinced the burglars killed at
r. vy Ridge were the kidnappers of his eon.
il ? will pay five thousand doi are to any one
who will return his son to any one of certain
addresses in Philadelphia, Baltimore or New
Y rk that are specified in the card. It would
he a most gratifying Christmas event to every
home in the land if this unfortunate lad could
ke returned to bis parents.
The Sen at* spent a useful session yester
day in discussing the financial question. The
bill relating to th? resumption of specie pay
ments was taken np, Senator Sherman making
an elaborate and forcible speech defending
it* proposition#. But as our readurs will see
from the debate the measure is rather a po
litical manoeuvre than a measure of finance.
It was finally passed by a strictly party vote,
Mr. Schurz voting with the republicans. Mr.
Sherman assured the country that it would
be a happy Christmas that would give us a
bill that would settle the business of the coun
try. But we are far from feeliug that the pas
sage of this bill would realize the Senator's
holiday anticipation*
President Vrant'i MUnUtlppl Procla
mation.
The President has acted with inconsiderate
precipitation in re?ponding at once to the ap
plication of the Miaaiasippi Legislature tor
asustance in suppressing domestic violence,
It is ridiculous for him to oomiu:uid "said dw- j
orderly and turbulent person* to disperse and
retue * jieaceably to their respective places of
abode within five days hereof,' when there is
no disorderly collection ot people in the State,
either aimed or unarmed, to whom such a
command can be addressed. It is true that
the law requires him to issue a proclama
tion containing such a command before em- |
ploying troops in a State to put dowu resist
ance to its government That provision fixes
the interpretation of the law. It limits the
authority of the President to eases of actual
resistance by assembled bodies ol insurgents. |
The very terms of the law preclude him trom
interposing uulcss the State government is
assaih'd or threatened by men who may
properly be commanded to "disperse" and
?'retire to their respective places of abode. |
Eut how can they disperse if they have not
assembled, or retire to their homes if they
have not left them? The law obviously
never intended that the President should ful
minate proclamations against fictitious or
merely constructive insurrections. It requires
this preliminary action iu ord?r to prevent
hasty intervention and needless expense. By
prescribing the substance ot the proclamation
it defines the conditions that must exist to
justify its issuance. It is not legally permis
sible for the President to act under circum
stances which render the prescribed proclama
tion absurd and ridiculous, as General Grant
has done in the present instance.
A great English statesman once protested
against "making the extreme medicine of the
constitution its daily food." The inter
vention of the federal government to
protect a State ? against domestic violence
is the extreme medicine of our constitution, to
be resorted to only in those rare desperate
cuses when all the ordinary remedies have
been employed and have failed. Every State
has its own militia, of which its Governor is
the commander-in-chief. The State Governors
are charged with the execution of the State
laws, and have full authority to call forth the
militia for that purpose whenever resistance
becomes too powerful to be put down by a
sheriff's posse. The federal government is to
be applied to only asjijast _resoujrcej_ when
the military force" of The State~under the
command of the Governor is inadequate to
subdue the insurgents. Why did not Gov
ernor Ames call out the Mississippi militia ?
Why should the federal government be sub
jected to the expense of sending troops from a
great distance to do the work which, under the
regular operation of our political system, be
longs to the local militia? Wny should this
great reproach and scandal be brought upon
republican institutions? The great merit
and chief beauty of the republican theory is
that the government, being the free choice of a
majority ot the people, will always have the
preponderant physical strength of the com
munity on its side, and is, therefore, sell-sus
taining, except in very extraordinary emer
gencies. If an insurrection should spring up
in one of the counties of New York or Massa
chusetts it is inconceivable that the Governor
would make such a disgraceful display of im
becility as to assemble the Legislature and
apply for federal assistance as the first step
toward its suppression. Instead of this he
would call forth a lew regiments of militia,
order them to the county in which the dis
turbances existed, and make short work of the
local opposition to the laws. Why was this
not done in Mississippi? Governor Ames ,
makes a practical confession either of his own
utter incompetence or ot the inability of the
militia of the whole State to cope with one
insurgent county. It is preposterous?it is ,
absurd to the degree ol being grotesque?for a
Governor, with all the militia of the State at ,
bis command, to get frightened out of his wits
and paralyzed into imbecility at a movement
in one town of a single couuty, and summon ;
the Legislature to make a pusillanimous ap- (
plication to the federal government for help.
This reasoning proceeds on the hypothesis ;
that there is an actual insurrection in the city
of Vicksburg. But it is a hypothesis which has
no foundation in fact, and the trepidation and j
poltroonery of Governor Ames and his Legis
lature is even more contemptibly ridiculous
than if he quailed in terror before a?mall
local insurrection. If the negroes of bis own
party who assembled in the rural towns of the
county and marched to Vicksburg with arms (
in their hands for an illegal purpose bad re- ?
mained at their homes there would have been
no disturbance of the public peace. As soon
as these negroes were " dispersed and
compelled to retire "to their respective
places of abode" tranquillity was at once re
stored, and Vicksburg has since been as quiet
and orderly as any town in the United States.
When the Mississippi Legislature assembled,
under Governor Ames' call, to make an appli- I
cation to the President, there was no insur
rection anywhere within the boundaries of the
SUite. The President is in danger of making
himself a butt of public derision if, at the
beck of every inefficient State Governor, he
feels bound to warn insurgent* to disperse
when it is notorious that no insurgent* are
assembled, and to bid purely imaginary peo- I
pie to retire to thvir respective places of abode
under penalty of being fired into by federal
troops.
What does President Grant propose to do
when the live days have elapsed which he al
lows tor this fictitious dispersion ? Will he
fight this visionary insurrection, this figment of I
an over-cxciU-d political imagination, this
| shadow, with the same zeal with which he bids
itavauntV If he Bends federal troops to Vicks
burg at a heavy public expense bow will he
employ them? Not in dispersing insurgents,
for none are collected there; not in restoring ?
order, for no city i? more orderly; not,
surely, in restoring the negro Sheriff, Crosby,
lor he has resigned, his resignation has been
t duly accepted, and he lias no better title to
the offl?e than any other negro in the btate.
Thero will be nothing for federal troops to
do at Vicksburg if President Grant should
improvidcntly order them there. The pre
tended insurrection is a mere chimera, |
against which bayonet* and discharges of
musketry would be ridiculous.
It the President absurdly thinks he is bound
to accede to every application of this kind,
whether it has any foundation or not, he is
I ?orely in uovd of so and legal ftdvujcra. i,'U?
. AW does not declare imperatively that he
I m?*t interfere, but only pensively that ho
may interfere in rospot>*? to such applioa
t.. employ troops i? the ?ftlll.luw,
to U"?We?? ,h, Ilut
* ,m,w? >?? mtcriemi0? ma i,?
.t*" "" ? commanding
0?manrgent, to ,u<|wtH, ttl|J retire _?
toth?r ,,,poc,i,e pWes of abode, ,-toch is,
???",; ^
th^T.T?, "" * ""I?
li re !*"lle" of wsmgenta artaally us.
-ambled u, hoatiluy the Stat, gcermnent.
W..?, Iheretore, of the opinion tbat 1W
nt Grant bus in tbis instance acted wi.b liaate
and prec.p.tauon and ?Wrstepp,j u,? |imili
ol lua legal authority.
I. U Pacific M.U or BhtkMll 1
We have only a feeling of contempt for the
honor, \ f?r 80 Ion? a tin- ^ dis.
honored American enterprise by their man
agement ol the only American hne of steam
ships that crosses the seas. We do not refer
to one set of directors or another-to this in
terest or that. As Mercutio .aid, "A plague
OU both your houses.? Nor do * e enter into
ciL'mIT VLe Prt'Sent CODfr?vcwy in Pa
cific Mad. We only know that a great inter
est-one in which the credit of our country is
involved-has been dishonored, and great
scandals have arisen. That is a national
concern.
The case in Washington stands thus--Air
m2\T ath?D? hme UU ?fflcer of
M ' l Steamship Company. He retired from
that service some time since. He makes a
statement to Congress to the effect that when |
servant of the company he drew from its '
're?sury a large sum of money. He admits
tith^t? H m?Uey- What did he d0 I
W'th It? He says he expended it in
Washington for the purpose of inducing Con- 1
gross to vote a halt million dollars yearly for
ten years as a subsidy to the company. When
asked to whom he paid this money he declines '
to answer ! He throws upon the Congressmen
who voted for the subsidy the suspicion of
hanng been bribed and there stops. Bevond >
that his ' 'honor' will not allow him to go. j
The country is asked by many journals upon '
ev.dene, u, tbi. chancer to regard Urn Jtag ,
A the subsidy as a corrupt act and the men
ho voted for it as having committed a crime.
rhere may have been and no doubt was much
corruptions bullet us have the proof before
we condemn. To arrive at such a conclusion I
npon evidence of this character would be a 1
great injustice. Any man may say that he
paid a large snm of money to effect legislation- j
but how are we to verify the statement? And '
what remedy can any man in public life have
rom a system that may become the most
heinous form ol blackmailing?
Suppose an officer of this company, like
1 mT?' m ?0lJusinn w'th otter officers,
b ould take Irom the treasury a million of
dollars and put it ,n their pockets. Suppose j
upon being asked for a statement of their
disbursements they should answer that they
had expended it in the procurement of lecns
lation. How could we confirm or deny "the
statement ? Are we not boun(J to
until the country knows from Mr. Irwin an
exact account of what became of every dollar
he obtained trom the company, to whom be
P it, to w hat Congressmen or friends of 1
Congressmen, we are bound to deal with him
and his associates as though they had ap- j
propnated the money to their own uses
Unless Mr. Irwin tell, us frankly what he did !
with this money we must assume that he has
it m his pocket, and that his attitude is that
of a confessed and contented blackmailer
There is no avoiding this dilemma. Until
this confession is clearly, fully and circum- '
stantiallv given, Mr. Irwin muat accept the >
severest condemnation, and as a witness his !
word cannot be considered for a moment so
far as it affects the public estimate of Con
gress. The question to be asked is Are we '
dealing with Pacific Mad or blackmail ? I
i
The Coming Holiday*.
On every band we have evidences of the
approaching holiday season. The shop win
dows are gayly decked with toys, and, if we
were to judge from the displays of Christmas 1
presents everywhere to be seen, the cry of
"hard times" would be pronounced without !
foundation. In the churches as well as in the
homes of the rich and the poor preparations j
are making for the yule-tide feast Our i
Christmas, like our city, is cosmopolitan. I
We deck the churches with evergreen after the
fashion of the English. We have the Christ-' .
mas tree and make presents like the Qeruxans.
The St. Nicholas or Santa Claus of the Dutch
is the children's tutelar saint, taking the '
little ones and their wants into his sole charge j
on Christmas Eve. But for the boar's head of
England, when it was merry England, we '
have the innocent turkey, and the Christmas
dinner is with ns also the great feast of the j
year. The holiday season, as it ought to be, !
is a season of rejoicing and of good works.
Wo have it from that old gossip, Pepys, 1
that he heard Eishop Morley preach on ,
Christmas Day two hundred and two years
ago, and Pepys, who thought the sermon a [
poor one, says the Bishop "did much to j
press us to joy in these public days of joy and I
to hospitality. But one that stood by i
whispered in my eare that the Bishop do not ,
spend one groate to the poor himself." We
wish to commend the sermon, but not the ex
ample, of the Bishop. Among the prepara
tions for the coming holidays none is more ,
important than to prepare to give?to be
ready to add charity to hospitality. He will i
not well deserve his Christmas dinner who I
fails to give a Christmas dinner to another
who would otherwise go without. Soon the
coming holidays will have come, but if we all
vie to make the season one of general joy
fewer men and woman will b? compelled to
take up the
burden of life again,
Saying only, "It might nave been."
The coming holidays offer grand opportuni
ties for doing good, and this is indeed the
only way by which most ot us can realize our
anticipations of a merry Christmas and a
happy New Year.
The Committee of Seventt of Loaisiana
have addressed an appeal to the country for
justice and lair play in their sadly used State.
Robert Dale Owen would do a great deal
toward restoring confidence in bis spiritual
manifestations it he could find some phantom
from the other world who would tall ua where
we wight hud (Jharlyy Uou*
I A tUr Chamber Caniidomlion of (He
Budget ? for 1875.
The Board of Apportionment baa reeeutly
adopted the objectionable policy of consider
ing the city estimates in secret session. The
people are thus kept in ignoranco of the con
templated action oi the Board on the several
appropriations until the amounts have been
finally determined upon. Public opinion
cannot be brought to bear upon the Board to
control ith decisions, and the people are de
nied any voice in, or knowledge of, the
amount to be levied on them by taxation until
it is too late to suggest desirable economies or
to protest against extravugauce. Those star
chamber meetings originated with Comptrol
ler Green when, in conjunction with the late
Mayor, he sought to force upon the Board of
Apportionment such budgets as suited his
own purposes; budget* in which he could crip
ple departments not n anaged in his interest
and lavish extra\ugont appropriations on
such as he controls. It was expected that the
change in the personnel ol the Board would
have put an end to these secret sessions, but
yesterday the meeting was held with closed
doors. If any public good were to be sub
served by excluding the representatives of the
press from the deliberations of the Board no
one would complain of the practice; but it is
notorious that the appropriations to some of
the departments are exorbitant, that the taxa
tion ot the city is unnecessarily high, and that
undue influences are brought to bear on the
Board to prevent proper reductions. Secrecy,
therefore, is injurious to the public interests.
The people are entitled to know what argu
ments are used to justify improper appro
priations and who is responsible for opposing
economy.
Most of the public departments have become
huge political machines, and half the amount
expended by them is thrown away on personal
or political objects, and is not spent in the
service of the city. This is especially the case
in the Finance Department, where Comptroller
Green has complicated the machinery,
stretched the law and increased the labor un
necessarily in order to swell the patronage.
With the new administration we shall no
doubt have a new Comptroller, capable as well
a3 honest, who will simplify the business of
the department, restore the office to its legal 1
position in the city government, and yet give |
us what Mr. Green has not the capacity to {
supply?a clear, sensible and settled financial
policy. As the estimates now receiving the
consideration of the Board of Apportionment
are for the expenses of the city government
for 1875 the members of the Board should
bear in mind the fact that we are on the eve
of a financial reform. They may as well re
member also that star chamber proceedings
cannot protect any member of the Board of
Apportionment from full responsibility, for
every item of taxation imposed on the city
must be confirmed by a concurrent vote.
Prise Pigs.
Our readers are probably not aware that on :
the 7th of January there will be, at the !
Academy of Music, in this city, "an inter- ;
collegiate literary contest" Representatives ,
from six colleges?Lafayette, Williams, Hut- ;
gers, the Hew York University, Princeton and j
Cornell?will be present and deliver speeches ,
before a committee of three distinguished {
citizens, who will decide upon the merits of ,
the orators and award the prizes. These
prizes are to the amount of four hundred dol
lars. The principal one will be "a silver bay
wreath, and the successful competitor is to be
known as the wreath man." Mr. Evarts, we :
understand, will presid^, "and the boxes will |
be sold at an early day."
The first point we observe in this is the j
small number of the colleg&B represented, j
Neither Yale nor Harvard nor Columbia take |
part. In the second place, it is a cruel test j
to which to submit the students. To bring a
fresh-faced lad from college into the Academy
of Music, filled with a curious audience, and
to ask him to make a speech before a com
mittee of gifted men for a prize, is to 1
impose upon him a task requiring, above all j
things, assurance and courage. True genius j
for oratory or any function of this kind would i
be more apt to shrink and falter before such a |
tribunal and in such a presence.
The whole business of taking our young
men from their studies and bringing them
thus early before the world is unhealthy. It
tends to make prize pigs of them ; and those
who know anything ot agricultural fairs know
that there is no pig in the world more useless
than a prize pig, fattened for the show, who
rolls about his pen for a day or two and finds
no future but ham, side-ribs and lard. Let
our young men grow naturally ! Let tbem
learn oratory in their own societies and
schools. Let them give aB much time as they
can to outdoor amusements, and not waste any
of their leisure hours in forcing themselves
for an exhibition in the Academy of Music.
It is also rather a serious thing for any
young mau to win a silver wreath in the be
ginning of his career and to be doomed to be
known through life as the "wreath man."
His Majesty the King of Hawaii will leave
Washington this morning on the fast train,
and arrive in the city about four this after
noon. Mayor Vance will have the supreme
felicity, during his short term of office, of
doing honor to a real king. Mr. Ottendorfer
and Mr. Brucks, representing the two munici
pal boards, will meet the King at Jersey City
and escort him to his hotel. It is not yet
known what will bo done with His Majesty;
but we can promise him a good time. The
metropolis of the Atlantic will do royal honor
to a royal prince of the Pacific.
' The Case of Wiujam M. Tweed, who is
now beuting against his prison bars to secure
his liberty, was heard yesterday before Judge
Barrett in Oyer and Terminer. The lawyers
had quite a wrangle over the matter. Judge
Barrett refused to liberate Mr. Tweed and
alio declined to admit the prisoner to bail.
The matter now goes for argument to the j
General Term. It seems to us that Mr. j
Tweed's counsel missed a great opportunity j
when they did not announce to the Oourt 1
! that the prisoner, before asking to be released, i
| had paid over to the city the whole or even a !
part of the enormous turns for the stealing of :
which he was sont to jail.
Paul Fai.k has been fined for disobeying
the Sunday law. While there is such a law
we must obey it As President Grant said,
the only way to secure the repeal ol obnoxious
law* i# to enforce them.
Concerning Advertisement*.
A brilliant and enterprising contemporary
ivdvancen an ingenious theory of journalism.
A majority of tlio New York newspapers, it says,
"run after more advertisements, and think
more of thein than of important news or bril
liant wit or cogent lugic in the editorial col
umns." It believea that one day we shall
have a newspaper from which all advertise
ments will be excluded, and looks forward to
the time which we trust will speedily come
when it will "refuse a great many more ad- ?
vertisemente than it publishes."
Nothing injures our journalism more than
this tendency to "run after more advertwe
mentH," to use large, glaring type and wood
cuts and Btrange designs?rat traps, pipes,
racing horses and so on?in the hope of
attracting the eye of the reader. The adver
tising business is as natural ns the subscrip
tion list. It is even more important to the
general public. The reader may look at the
ncWS columns for amusement or instruction,
but he reads the business columns trom ne
cessity. The Herald custom is now what it
has always been. We print the news,
and when wo have an extraordinary
press of advertisements we add to
the size of our sheet in order that
they muy be accommodated, or leave thorn out,
as the London Times does, until we have
room. This results in the f requent publication
of our twelve, sixteen and twenty page edi
tions. Furthermore, a journal like the
Hebald, a journal for all classes and in
terests, would omit the news in omitting cer
tain classes of advertisements, which have all
the interest and value of news.
Thus at the present time there is an artificial
flow of holiday a Ivertisemeuts mainly from
dealers anxious to close out their stocks, and
who for that purpose take advautage of the era
of generosity and good feeling. But holiday
activity in business is not natural activity.
The true business season begins with the
spring, and with the spring we have that
healthy business rise in advertisements which
compels the issue of quadruple and quintuple
editions. This is the only way to meet all de
mands of newspaper business, for the adver
tiser has his rights as well as the reader.
A newspaper without advertisements, liv
ing simply on the profits of circulation,
would be an interesting and instructive ex
periment. But a representative cosmopolitan
newspaper that refused advertisements from
principle would be like a man who cut off his
leg because he had conscientious scruples in
favor of wooden limbs.
The true way is to print the news first and
advertisements afterward; or, as the Hebald
does, to print them both together, and, if
necessary to do so, issue a sheet of twenty
pages.
Familiar Spirits.
Bobert Dale Owen has withdrawn his sup
port and turned away his countenance from
Katie King. He refuses to certify longer a$
to the validity of her ghostliness. He de
nounces her as an unsatisfactory spirit. All
this because she has :mposed upon hnn It
seems to us that Bobert Dale Owen is very i
particular. In the first place it is perceptibly
laughable for a man who believes in ghosts
and in Spiritualism generally to specify as to
one particular occasion that he was imposed
upon then. Why then more than at other !
times? Why not always, at every hour uud 1
in every circumstance of his daily life ? Jt is '
invidiou-s on the part of Mr. Owen to specify
against the imposition of one particular
spirit There is, moreover, in this notion
a pretence that Mr. Robert Dale
Owen was never imposed upon before, i
or that the occurrence is so uncommon that
it is necessary to give the public notice whan
it happens. It seems to us that the life of
ghost-seers and that sort of gentry is too I
uncertain in it# outlines for them to indulge
in pretences of that nature. If a man sets up
a sort of gospel based on the presumption
that the boundaries of sense and illusion are
uncertain ; makes a general declaration that
he is never very clear as to whether he is in
this world or the next or some other ; pre
tends that the flesh and blood about him is
no more real than less palpable entities with
which he is in constant communication, he !
does as much as ho may to blurr and even !
obliterate the lines that divide the two
worlds and to say that there are no such lines ; !
aDd for such a man to suddenly jump up 1
and announce to the public that he has been I
fooled into believing himself for a moment on '
one side the lines when, in fact, he was on the
other, is ludicrous, both because it pretends '
that the man is himself a judge as to where he '
is and also because it seems to assume that his !
whereabouts is of some consequence to the j
world at large. There is, however, this im- j
portance in the present oase?It is one case i
in which a well vouched spirit has been
caught and proved to be a very commonplace
woman ; and this may open the eyes of many j
people who are the victims of this pitiful and i
easy deception, and give the world a notion of
what flimsy sort of intellect it is that vouches
for spiritual phenomenon.
The Centennial.?Lord Derby, the Eng- '
lish Minister for Foreign Affairs, has ad
dressed a letter to our Minister at the Court of I
St. James announcing that the English gov- I
eminent will with much pleasure tnke part in
the international celebration to be held at
Philadelphia. The letter expresses the desire '
of the British jrovernineut to do all that lies m
its power to make the exhibition a success.
This cordial acquiescence of England in our
proposed Centennial is a most important i
event, and will contribute largely to it*
success. Germany also comes into line, and
we have an imperial oommission appointed to
represent Germany in Philadelphia under the
presidency of Herr Jacobi. These evidences
of European interest in the Centennial are !
gratifying, and should inspire our own people
to renewed endeavors to make it a success '
worthy of the nation and the anniversary.
Thb Ism/Ion lime# records as a "pleasing
subject" the opening of the various soup j
kitchens in Paris. This institution dates from
the time of Louis XVI., the "well beloved"
King whose head was taken off. It began
in a winter season of historical severity. By
the operation of these soup kitchens chari
table persons aru afforded an opportunity of
purchasing tickets at the rate of two cents
apiece, which they distribute among the poor.
Each of these tickets entitles the applicant t>j
reoeive soup, w ifch meat, vegetables and brand
?ftou|(li far tkjfood jwui, and m they buy*, no
value at the wine shops or drinking saloons
they are sure to afford real relief. We should
be glad to see an institution based on this prin
ciple in New York?Buch an institution, for
instance, as would enable a generously <ii?
posed individual to contribute toward it by
purchasing tickets, which he oould dis
tribute to the suffering. (
SO'ERINTENDEST W\L.LtSQ promises to put
an end to the street car outrages on Madison
avenue. We hope the Superintendent will
have more success in this work than he has
had in the discovery of Ohurley Ross.
Bismarck proposes a new treaty of extra
dition between Germany and the United
States, superseding all existing treaties. The
nature of the contemplated measure does aot
appear*
PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE.
Professor F. L. Hitter, or Vassar College, yester
day arrived at the Everett House.
Mayor D. M. Haibert, or Bmnhamton, u so
journing at the St. Nicholas Hotel.
Proiessor J- H. Pepper, of London, is among the
latest arrivals at the Grand central Hotel.
Ex-Governor Frederick Smyth, of New Hamp
shire, is staying ut the Filth Avenue HoteL
l>r. K. J. Gatling, the guuuiaker, not of Moscow,
but of Hartford, is stopping at the Gllsey House. #
District Attorney Nathaniel 0. Mo.ik, of Albany,
Is residing temporarily at the St. Nicholas Hotel.
Major V. Sanchez, of the SpautsU Army, a as
returned to his old quarters at the Hotrmau House.
Messrs. George W. Chllds and A. J. Drexel, ot
Philadelphia, are registered at the Fifth Avenue
Hotel.
Ex-Governor Andrew G. Ourttu and family, or
Pennsylvania, have apartments at the Fifth Avenue
Hotel.
brevet Lieutenant Colonel Lewis Johnson,
United States Army, is quartered afr tue Sturte
vant House.
Colonel A. K. McClure, of Philadelphia, arrived
in tuts city last evening and took up his residence
at ibe Hoffman House.
The Pans Figaro says that a red velvet mantle
worn by the Empress of Russia Is lined with sable
fur, valued at $20,0oa
Hon. George Brown has returned to Ottawa,
Canada, from Washington, and is the guest of the
Premier at Kidean Hall.
The engineers In chargc or the British Columbia
section 01 the Pacific Hallway survey have reacUea
ogdcn, Utah, en route to Ottawa.
The '-Black Crook" has reached Guadalajara, in
Mexico, anu yet there are people who think the
Mexicans lacking in civilization.
At the inquest of two men killed by Ore damp
explosion in theWincobank colliery, England, It
was testified that smoking was common In the
pit.
Sir Walter Stewart, Master of Blantvre, Scot
land and Mr. Houston Boswell, of the same place,
nave' arrived at Niagara Falls, en route to San Frau
cisco and Japan.
Colonel Jerome Bonaparte and wife are about to
return to Baltimore, alter a two years' residence
in Europe. Mme. Bonaparte was a Miss Appleton,
or Boston, and at the time of ner marriage to
Colonel Bonaparte was a Mrs. Newbold Edgar,
blie Is a granddaughter of Daniel Webster, and
Uer husband ts a son ol Prince Jerome Bonaparte.
in Paris the Empress of Russia was the goon
lalry. Driving one morning in the Paris streets
the imperial carriage was stopped at a corner by
the luneral of a very poor person, in which a
young girl was the deepest mourner. With her
sympathies excited the Empress caused Inquiries
w> be made, and became so much Interested as to
take the girl into her service and the latter left
Paris with Her Majesty.
Rogers, the sculptor, is engaged on a group or
"The Shaughraun." It will consist of Con and
b<s dog "Tatters," who seems destined to share
his master's fame. Con is seated on a log, hold
ing his flddlo in the left band. He Is represented
la the act ol teaching "Tatters" his military exer
cise, and "Tatters," shouldering the bow ol Con's
fiddle, gravelv and intelligently listens to the m
0tractions ol Dis w&sicr#
commander Cheyne, of the British Navy, has
written to the Admiralty, officially suggesting
that, as soon as the North Pole is reached by the
new expedition, the fleet should divide Into three
parts, one or which should come back at once
Smith's Sound with the uespatciies, another
should return via Spitzbergen, surveying the
coast or Greenland, while the third should ooma
by Behrlng Straits, so that the observations may
oe as complete as possible and the means of tak
ing tnem should be Increased.
A collection of paintings, containing many works
of interest, will be sold at the Clinton Hall sales
rooms this evening. The majority or the works
are from the easel of Professor Carl Httbner, whose
earlier paintings lound many admirers in America.
But the clner interest or the sale will rest on well
chosen examples ot other painters. Several ol
our native artists not only hold their own In thil
collection, but overtop by a head and shoulder the
works of more pretentious foreigners. Among
these we mention several works oy J. U. Brown,
or more man ordinary merit. They illustrate
American life and show clearly that there Is as
much human lnteresUn the fields and farms and
?trees comers or our own country as can be lound
abroad ironly the artist can bring himseli to look
under the costume. Our lite is not so picturesque
aa that ol Brittany or oi Italy or Spain, but the
humanity is the same everywhere. Winsiow
Homer also has a charming picture or horns lire,
"The Flirtation," and Dawson (deceased) soma
clever landscapes. E. L. Henry's "On the Road
to Blarney" is full ol hie and charm.
MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC NOTES.
"Davy Crockett" nan oeen played over 400 times
by Frank Mayo. He ought to be tired.
Theodore Thomas will have a choice programme
at Stelnwav Hull on Saturday afternoon.
Max strafcosch will inaugurate the new Academy
of Music, Baltimore, oq January 7, with Mile. Al
baui in opera.
George P. Brlatow officiates at the organ concert
to be given this afternoon at the Church or the
Holy Trinity, on Madison avenue.
A rehearsal of the oratorio "Messiah," which
will be the musical leaiure of Christmas Day, take*
place this alternoon at stein way Hall, under the
leadership or Dr. Damrosch.
Miles. Maresl and Donadlo and Messrs. Debaa
Rliu and Jfiorini sing at the Academy on Sunday
evening with the pupus of the New York Conser
vatory, under Maretzek's direction.
Shall we have no more new plays? The aime
round of DavyaCrockotts, fclleen Oges and Oolieea
Bawns becomes irightiully depressing. Pana has
novelties by the busael, while a decent new play
is with us a treat.
we're to have an American salvinl in the per
son of Clprico, a new Calliornian aspirant 10 lame.
Not contenr with replacing Forrest, the O ilden
state wants to superanuate the great Italian.
Will no one turn oa a hose t
John Brougham is playing In his old game, "The
Lottery of Life." He does not appear to be aa.
fortunate aa so good an actor deserves to be.
Wuy didn't John learn to Are off pistols a act
aaw the air with bowie knives f Ue might then
have died a mlllionQaine.
Mrs. Kouaby, who has now settled at the Glacen*
don, yesterday rode In the Central Park and
pasted the evening at the Lyceum, Theatre-. To
day her labors will commence, for, tike Mme. Ri?
tori, Mr a. Koonby directs her rehotwaaia. The Araa
of " Twixt Axe and Crown" occurs at noon.
Htratosch does - not want to a? to Havana, be
cause paper monoy is not worth anything worth
?peaking of there. Why not come back to New
York and give "Le Prophete," "Tannhauuer,'*
l "Plying Dutchman'1 ana "J^onengrin" for thirty
i nights at popular prices. There's million* in it.
The Kir/.iry Brother* have made arraugemcnta
' with Manager John T. Ford lor tho transfer of the
, "Black Crook" to Baltimore, which will prevent
Ita continuance here alter the holidays. The
| Christmas ween will afford new ballets and other
t jaeiitfen. iAviu<Uog ? grand transforation kcm*