The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-06-01
gislation VIA therefore be necessary To pre-
vent this drain on the already exhausted popu-
lstion of Ireland.

vent this drain on the already exhausted popu-
lstion of Ireland.
The Cattle Plague In New Engtand-Its
AlsrR1ng Chsracter.
The cattle disease In New England, which has
existed there for upwards Of year, still CONT
nues, and that to such an alarming extent as to
call for an extra meeting Of the Massachusetts,
Legislature and q message on the subject
from Governor Banks-aa interesting document,
which will be found In our columns this morn.
ing. The importance Of the COW a. . domestic
animal, for It's supply Of milk, butter, cheese,
beef and veal, can hardly be oyerestimated. A
disease, therefore, which sweeps 1t away In such
numbers, and at the same time endangers the
health of the community by unsound milk,
meat, &c, is truly formidable, and "comes
home to every mans business and bosom" It
is q very proper subject for Governors mes
sage, and 1t becomes matter of deep interest
to the whole community, 90 - that whenever
the distemper makes its appearance in . par
tcular locality, prompt measures may be taken
to arrest its progress. At present it is confined
to New England, and chiefly Massachusetts,; but
none can tell how soon its ravages may extend
to other States, and all, therefore, ought to be
prepared for Its first appearance. A small
effort in the beginning may extirpste this
plague. The greatest efforts may fail when it
has spread over q wide extent.
The disease, in It's appearance and effects, re.
sembles pleurapneumoDia, which is inAamma-
ton of the lining membrane of the lungs, ex-
t.nd;r0 IN fhA s,,hstapcn of {ho Iur~s than,
selves The peculiarly of 1t is that It is either
infectious or epidemic, and moves in the atmos
phere, like cholera yellow fever, or the plague.
1t appears to be a kindred disease with muir
rain, the old and well known plague of kline
which Moses describes as one Of the ten plaques
of Egypt judgments on Pharaoh; and if we
were supeYtidous, we might regard the COW
plague in Massachusetts, as q Divine judgment
on the politicians for setting on foot and keep
ing up the antislsvery agitation. Authorities
attribute murrain to long continuance of dry
weather, and there can be no doubt that that
is unhealthy both for man and beast
In Massachusetts,, and New England gene.
rally, the weather this spring has been dry
beyond all precedent while here the season
for the past two months has been the most
rainy ever known. Whether the drought in
Massachusetts, has had anything to do with ex-
tending the disease we cannot determine.
But it does not appear to have originated it, as
ago. On the Esd of May, 1859, IT seems to have
been brought into the State with an importa-
ton of cattle from Holland. 1t had previously
ravsged the continent Of Europe, particularly
Germany. In Asia, too, 1t had been very de.
strucdve. Its career seems to be as mystic
rious and destructive as cholera
The attention of the Massachusetts, Legisla-
ture was called to the matter In Its last session,
when an act was passed appointing commits
sion to investigate the disease and take mea-
sures for its determination. They were en-
powered to kill and bury al cattle which were
diseased or belonged to diseased herds and to
appraiee the value Of the cattle killed which
were apparently free from the disease, In order
that the owners might be paid for them, out Of
an appropriation Of $4,000 made by the lie.
gislature. The appropriation made by the Lee
eislature was soon exhausted, and the awards
made by the commissioners for s42 head of
cattle amounted to $40, 432-double the sum.
The balance was not only made up by private
subscriptions Of patriotic and public spirited
all of $4,000 had been placed at the disposal
OF the commissioners. But the disease had
spread over larger area than was at first sup
poeed, and, being unable to cope with 1t, they
requested an extra session of the Legislature
to be called, which was accordingly done, and
the message Of the Governor, which we pub
llsh, laid before both houses. Its recommend
ed that the powers Of the commissioners be
enlarged, and that authority be also given to
towns to adopt measures to stop the spread Of
the disease. Among these measures perfect
isolation of cattle suspected Of the plague Is
deemed the most important lifts progress be
not speedily arrested 1t may extend over the
whole country.
What vas, interests are involved in this ques-
ton may be estimated by the fact that the cat
tie In the United States number some twenty
two millions, Of which over seven millions are
mich cows. The annual product In butter,
cheese, milk, labor Of oxen and slaughtered
cattle In 1850 was $50, 100000, to which add
the value Of the cattle themselves, and the
property was worth $400,000,000, to which
must be added In 1850 twenty per cent for in
crease. But II is not the money value alone
that Is at stake, but the comfort, the luxury,
the health Of many millions Of population, and
even the very existence of children.
DIoGESEs AMONGST THE BLACK REPrBLIcASs.-
No political party has ever made greater use
of the aims and shortcomings Of those OPP
posed to i. than the republicans. Half Of the
strength that II has gained has been secured
BY the outcry which 1t has raised against the