The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-05

without due confederation. We know that
Arista was maintained In power in Mexico
solely through the indemnity he received from
US by the treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and
that 30 soon as that fund was expended he tell,
and anarchy succeeded him. Santa Anna now
possesses % large measure Of authority as
he can desire The whole country-C Church,
soldiery, and peasants-is passive at his feet.
he requires but one thing to make his tenure
Of power lasting. and that is money Fifty
millions of dollars would secure him con-
tinuance Of his despotic sway for some years to
come; and it would be, perhaps, logical act
on his part to surrender fraction of his empire
in order to perpetuate his sway over the re-
mainder. Some such motive was doubtless the
secret of the Gadsden treaty.
1t is now for the people to say whether they
they will or will not avail themselves of this
opportunity to spread the United States flag
over q new territory, Astounding in wealth aud
resources. and bring their government to a
final stand on the subject of the compr omise
and the rights Of the South. Here is prac-
tical question which cannot be evaded. Whe-
ther we accept Santa Annals offer or no, it
will enable us to predicate with certainty the
principles on which the present administration
ia based, and this is Of sufficient Importance to
causes us to hail the event with joy. There are
men, like Jere. Clemens, who honestly believe
the Cabinet is right at bottom. The Gsdsdcn
treaty will show whether they or we are correct
in our opinion. and, therefore, we demand that
it be brought to light without further delay.
THE ERIE RAILROAD DHFCuLTIEs.-As will
be seen from the petition Of John A. Tracy.
President Of the Erie and New York Railroad,
to Gov. Bigler, Of Pennsylvania, published else
where, every exertion is being made by the
officials of the road to obtain justice from the
Pennsylvania authorities. We regret to find
that they are not met by corresponding zeal
on the part Of the latter to sustain the charac-
ter Of the State. Mr.. Tracy saw Gov. Bigler
twice but could not prevail upon him to act
The excuse he offered was an alleged desire
to consult with his Attorney General. It must
be borne in mind that Mr.. Bigler is candidate
for reelection, and that large section of the
citizens Of Pennsylvania are opposed to the
rights of the railroad company.
1t right that we should add to what we said
yesterday that at the present moment the pend
ing contest hinges, not on the law of 1851 but
on the subsequent law of1S53 authorizing the
railroad company to adopt uniform gauge on
the three roads constituting the line from the
West to the seaboard. The animus which is OF
the bottom Of the strife was first publicly de-
veloped in the law Of 1851, by which the Legis-
lature of Pennsylvania resolved that the gauge
Of all roads west Of Erie should be four feet ten
inches. and that Of all roads east Of Erie either
Tx feet or four feet eight and half inches.
The object of this law was twofold: first, to
render atranshipment necessary, and to promote
the interests Of the eating house keepers and
store proprietors ct Erie; and, second, to make
It as cheap for owners of produce landed
at Erie to carry 1t to Philadelphia as to New
York. We need hardly observe that this tran
shipment, dictated by the selflshness Of the
people Of Erie and the shippers Of Philadelphia,
was serious drawback to the prosperity Of the
Erie road, and inflicted an actual, though per-
haps not an apparent, injury on Erie itself
The railroad company apple ed for the repeal of
the law, and, in the session of 1853, succeeded
in having new act passed, by which they
were authorized to make the gauge Of the con-
Meeting roads uniform, so as to dispense with |
any .transhipment. This law was sanctioned
and signed by Governor Bigler. When an
attempt was made to carry it into effect the
whole people Of Erie, headed by their magis-
trates, and countenanced by their authorities,
resisted it by force, tore up the rails, destroyed
the bridges. and assaulted the railroad officials
The injured company have applied in vain to
every authority in Erie, and to the Governor of
the State. There appears to be no chance what
ever Of their rights being asserted or the law |
indicated.
Under these circumstances, with amob at our
doors defying the law with impunity, and the
highway of travel to the West interrupted by
q band Of lawless rioters, cannot Congress in
terfere? If from no higher consideration, can
not the federal government protect our ma
tional character, and prevent the impression
going abroad that in the United States the laws
may be broken and trampled under foot with
impunity
Our RAILROAD SrATIsTIcs.-The Baltimore
american desires that we should correct our
statement in regard to the number Of accidents
which occurred during last year on the Balti-