The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-04-17

and for the succession we can discover, North
and South, nothing but the elements Of an I'm
pending revolution. This revolution may be
pesceable and benefcent or 1t may be bloody,
terrible and disastrous. But will 1t be pace or
war? Between the opposing sectional parties
and factions Of the hour, we appeal to tie sober
and sensible masses of the American people to
decide.
The SICKIEs CAsE.-The second week of this
very important trial Is over, and there still no
immediate prospect of Its conclusion When
the cause was commenced there was general
impression hat its hearing would be concluded
in week or ten days, and that it was prejudged
to great extent. But we find, on the contrary,
that every step is closely contested by counsel
on both sides. Indeed, 90 strong is the personal
feeling, that counsel of proverbial GOODNESS have
lost their tempers and engaged in bitter wordy
wars, hardly suited, as the Court remarked, to
the dignity of the profession. It must be re-
membered, however, that the case is rather re-
markable one in its personal aspects. A new
District Attorney is trying lawyer for killing
another lawyer, and he the predecessor of the
prosecutor. The Washington lawyers are strain
ing every nerve to justify the memory of their
former confrere; while the New York lawyers
are the intimate personal friends of the prisoner
at the bar. So, for the last three or four days,
the trial has been one of skill between the law
yera while the Court, jury, prisoner, and indeed
the country at large, look on the proceedings as
fha o,,Is in mini n
heightened contest between eminent masters Of
the fence. From the questions Of law aud fact al
ready raised the case has assumed an aspect of the
deepest Importance. 1t is so regarded through
out the Union, and both lawyer and layman are
deeply interested in the precedents which it will
new evidence introduced and new issues raised;
| SO that the trial might last two weeks longer.
ATTEMPTED ROBBERY OF THE PEOPLE BY
THE LEGIsLATuRE-VEro OF BAD Bill.
BY THE GOvERNoR.-A bill to raise by taxa
ton 100000 voted by the Legislature to
the Albany and Susquehannah Railroad has
just passed the Legislature. 1t is one of
the greatest outrages ever committed on a
~ictimized people. AS far as the morality of
the act is concerned, as well might members Of
the Legislature band together to commit high
way robbery, taking the purse of any individual
they met at night on some lonely road, as thus
to vote money out of the pockets of the people
to private corporation without value received
This railroad is a money speculation, like any
other commercial transaction, and those who
embarked in il assumed the risk of loss for the
hope of gain. If they fall that is their concern,
and the people are not to make up their losses
out of their hard earnings. Several years ago q
vf three millions voted to the Erie Rail
road Company by our benevolent Legislature,
go generous about what is not its own. Then
| the bad precedent was established and where
| the infamy is to end we really do not know. In
| the infancy of State it may be good policy to
encourage, by judicious grants of public land,
| new roads which would not otherwise be under
sideraton in the end But let this be done
fairly beforehand, and not afterwards, to
indemnify spectators for their failures. The
State of New York, however, is not in
the predicament of an undeveloped State.
1t is thickly populated, and it is perhaps the
therefore not even plausible pretext for this
plumber of the people. The State Legislature Of
New York has inaugurated system of robbery
and wrong without parallel in any country en-.
joyipg free constitution and the right of self
government. The question with it is no longer,
e. r;,Lt hut
can it be forced through by votes no matter how
corrupt or fagitious it may be? Yesterday the
| Governor, very much to his credit, vetoed this
robbing bill. The Assembly again attempted to
pass it over the veto by two-third vote, but in
this it failed, the vote being only Al to AZ. We
hail this triumph over corruption.
| That LETTER OF EDWARD BArEs.-We pub
fish to-day the letter of Hon. Edward Bates, of
Missouri, to the "Old Line Wing" General Com
mittee Of this city. 1t is an "old line wing" ma
nifesto from beginning TO end, and, but for its
unjust charges and denunciations against Mr..
Buchanan's administration, would be entitled to
the distinction of calm, dispassionate and
statesmanlike letter. "But," says Mr.. Bates, in
speaking Of the administration of Mr. Buchanan,
"having emptied the treasury which he found
full, and living precariously upon borrowed
money, be now demands of Congress to trust to
his unchecked discretion the war power, the
pursc and sword"
This is what Mr.. Bates says; but he knows, or
ought TO know, that while the revulsion Of 1851
for which Mr.. Buchanan cannot be held re-
sponsible-reduced the treasury receipts some