The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-01

OuR MINISTER AT THE HAGUE AND THE Aus
TRAN LIvERY.-We are almost tired Of being
good natured-our weakness in that respect
sometimes leading US into grave mistakes. The
other day, at the solicitation of some OF Mr..
Belmont's friends, we made the an'ende homo
yoble regarding statement which had been
pretty widely circulated, that our resident
Minister at the Hague managed to make his
position pleasant and profitable by turning the
official residence into shaving shop, and nego-
tiating loans and notes of hand at short dates"
as Mr.. Micawber felicitously expresses it. Our
denial of the correctness of this assertion, to be
sure, had not much better foundation than the
fact that Mr.. Belmont had declined dscounting
q small loan for Captain Gibson, upon the per-
sonal security of the Captain, pending the set
Element of his claim. But We now take back our
recent retraction, and are forced to adhere to
the original belief of our Minister being money
changer and an agent Of Rothschild Our Paris
correspondent in yesterdays HERALD makes a
further allegation, that Mr.. Belmont, not con-
tent with sy mpathizing with the 'tyrants of the
Old World, }" and loaning them money, has abso-
lutely donned the livery of the most ou'ra-
geous of them all, and his furniture, plate, car
riages and servants are now adorned with the
Austrian arms As matter OF taste, our min
listers abroad might rest content with the arms
Of the United Sta'es, somewhat Ornamented, OF
course, SO as to hide rs much as possible the
vulgarity OF the eagle, by making him resplen-
dent in feathers and not wanting in beak. We
would even 60 further, and in such case as
that of Mr.. Belmont, where ancestral pride Is
as natural as it is commendable, waive the
eagle, and say never word at the substitution
Of the three golden balls pendant. But COM
mon decency suggests that where an American
minister 80 far forgets his position as to assume
the livery Of q foreign power, he should
at once be relieved from the painful necessity
ofcontinuing to serve two masters. There is
Scriptural authority as to the Ill effects of such
double responsibility; and although it may find
very little respect at Mr.. Belmont's hands, it is
amply sufficient to meet the requirements Of
the case. What says Mr.. Pierce?
The WHITE House AND THE CHILLs AND FE-
vER.--It is reported that the ague and fever
have again made their appearance at the White
House at Washington, and that the President is
suffering from the malaria. Very likely. From
August to December the situation is unwhole-
some. The White House is upon hill, COM
handing from its southern front fine view for
ten or fifteen miles down the broad Potomac.
But the broad Potomac at Washington is but
little better than shallow lake Of halt stag
nant fresh water. Its opposite bank (site Of
Jackson City, is marsk, as pestilentialin the
fall season (though in milder form) as the
Roman Campagna. The southern winds blow
ing over this marsh and ever the rank and de-
caying vegetation which covers four-ifths of
the immediate river when the tide is dewn,
carry the malaria to the range Of low hills, upon
the most conspicuous of which is the White
House, and this poisonous infection lodging
there in the night, is only lifted away in the
hape. of thick fog by the sun in the morning.
As the river fills up with the dispositions from
the upper country, the malaria increases, uu-
til, we may say, the White House has become
mittent feyers, &C., in the autumn.
What thenf Why, nothing less than q
ummer end autumn residence, removed
rom this malaria, should be pro-
vided for the President. Mr.. Fillmore fed for
refuge to an humble but snug little cottage on
he heights Of Georgetown, above the drift of
this malaria. Congress should provide some
such retreat for the executive family during
the summer and fsA. There are plenty of can
didates quite willing to run the risks of the
White House all the year round, for the sake
of the salary, the patronage and the honor
the highest in the world-which the Office con-
fers upon the incumbent But if the situation,
during one half the year, is found to be I'M
wholesome, pestilential-in fact, it is the duty
of Congress for this interval to provide house
in healthier locality for the executive and
bis family. The heights of Georgetown offer
the desired retreat There the executive, &C.
cessible for business, would be to q great e.S-
tent, relieved from the pressure of Office seek
ers, and would have more time to devote to
such important matters as the occupation of
Greytown and the acquisition of Cuba We
call the attention Of Congress to the subject.
The UNION FERRY MoNoPoLY-It is rather
curious that while the great railroads announce
that their expenses will be less this year than
last, and the ocean steamers do not pretend they
are greater, the owners of the Brooklyn ferries |
should insist on exacting double rates from |
their passengers, on the ground that it costs
them to run their boats this year twice as much
IS 1t did last. There must be some strange
somewhere. The Erie railroad |
estimates for the coming year set down the |
working expenses at less per centage than
they have usually reached: the Union Ferry
Company say that theirs will be double the
usual figure. The Erie railroad report Is en- |