The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-27

| every day on an average, and in England, until
very recently upwards of two hundred and
fifty deaths occurred every year from the same
cause France has only witnessed one serious
railway accident in the course of twelve months,
and but five lives have been lost.
= These facts are wholesome matter for refec-
tion 1t would be as easy for US to cut down
our awful mortality table to an annual list OF
five deaths as it is for France. All that we
! should require would be law framed on the
basis of the ordinance of 1916. By passing
such law, Congress would prove that our fed
| eral legislation has not altogether become a
farce.
| GENERAL PERcE's OPINIONS ON THE Ne
BRAsKA BnL.-The publication of letter from
ex-senator Clemens, which first appeared in a
Huntsville paper, giving an account of the exact
opinions Of General Pierce on the Nebr aska
! question, appears to have created great ex-
element in all classes at Washington
the White House to the purlieus of Congress.
No one, however, need be surprised at any
opinion said by good authority to have ema-
mated from General Pierce. We have already
shown by the recent Developments that
during the discussion Of the merits of the Will
mot proviso, from 1916 to 1850, General Pierce
expressed all sorts of opinions Scar
let letters to one set of politicians, and another
kind of letters to another set If the truth was
| known, we have no doubt that his opinions
would be found to be as various as they have
| been heretofore on all important questions.
| We have already shown that General Pierce
has declared to the Southern men that the Ne
braska bill was favorable to their interests,
| while to the Northern men and the softs gene
rally he has declared that the bin was pro-
posal in favor of freedom. This system of
| trickery-of holding opposite opinions for op-
posite sections-of exhibiting double and treble
and quadruple faces-is part of the tactics which
have long marked the course of the leading
men ofNew Hampshire for many years.
There is nothing novel in this discovery of
the imbecility and trickery Of General Pierce;
only it has served to make his character better
understood The consequence is, that his ad-
ministration and the party which supports it,
are rapidly caving in under every election and
every new vote taken in Congress. General
Pierce's connection with the Nebraska bill, OF
any other correct and constitutional measure,
will certainly bring about its utter ruin and
destruction. In fact, the people of all parties
and in all sections of the country regard the
administration with feelings of superlative dis
gust, and the recent Developments will help to
swell this sentiment
We are involved in the commencement of
another great political revolution, and things
are rapidly tending to that point of intense
feeling when the people will do justice to Gen.
Scott, at the proper time and at the proper
place The very intense disappointment at the
failure of General Pierce will only tend to
swell the revulsion of popular feeling which
will carry Gen. Scott into the Presidential chair
in the contest of 1856, in opposition to all
conventions, and without any convention. His
name, as matter Of pure justice, is begin
ming to be stronger than conventions or COM
pacts
GENERAL Wool IN CALIFoRNIA.-The arrival
of General Wool in California has created a
great political effervescence in that stirring
State. We have already given accounts of ban
quets in his honor, and reports of speeches
made thereat, in all of which ex-senator Foote
took prominent part We give to-day ex-
tracts from the principal journals of San Fran
cisco-one is the administration organ, and the
other inclines to the hard shell democrats
From these indications it would seem that
the democracy of California are in great trouble
and that the party there is making rapid pro-
grcss toward decomposition, as it is in New
York, New Hampshire, and in Washington. Ge-
neral Wool takes the matter very quietly; he
goes about the State doing his duty putting
down filibusters, and setting things to rights
which were before all wrong.
The crockery of most of the democratic can
didatcs for the Presidency in 1856, has been
pretty well smashed by the Nebraska excite
ment. From the effects of this almost univer-
sal wreck, General Wool seems to have escaped
and consequently he stands in fair position
TO be the democratic candidate for President in
the contest Of 1856.
THE RUSSIAN CHARGE D'AFrAIRs.-W I'M
derstand that Mr.. Edward de Stoeckle the
Russian Charge d.!Gairs to the United States,
is at present in this city. staying at the St.
Nicholas Hotel, with several other distinguished
Russian officers. Mr.. de Stoeckle was for many
years attached to the Russian legation in This
country, under the late Minister, Mr.. Bodisco,
as first secretary. lie has presented his creden-
tails, which he received by one of thu last steam
ers, tothe Secretary Of State, and has been re-
ceived as Charge d'.a6airs of his Imperial
Majesty.