The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-24


at ALL is clearly one Of those cases which in
fringe upon the liberation guaranteed by it.
1t has been 40 decided in California and one Of
our Western States, and we believe that If the
question comes to be fully and fairly argued
before the Court of Appeals the same conclu-
sion will be arrived at
The Great Event Of the Day-Heeaan At
Large-Our Foreign Relations In the
Prize Ring.
The foreign news received by the Austral-
asian yesterday has rarely been equalled and
never transcribed in importance. On Sunday
we were compelled to announce, with the most
poignant sorrow, that the chosen representative
of the governing classes of the model republic,
to wit, Mr.. John G. Heenan, had been arrested
on vulgar peace warrant that it was possible,
as warrants mean something in England, that
the fight might be prevented altogether, and the
great question of the day, the affair upon the
issue Of which depends the future of both coun.
tries, the contest which attracts the undivided
attention and involves the dimes of thousands
of persons more or less respectable, on either
side of the Atlantic, might remain unsettled for
an indefinite period. The CONSERVATION caused
by this announcement was terrible. The arrest
of Heenan was considered in the light of ma
tional calamity, and personal insult offered
by the British Lion to the American Eagle.
There was more hard swearing among the gov
erning classes than would have been created
by any other circumstance, however distressing,
that could happen. Yesterday, however, later
and more joyful intelligence came to hand.
Early in the morning it was announced upon
the HERALD bulletin that the Child of Benicia
was as free as the breezes that kiss his manly
brow; that simple cautionary bail of fifty
pounds had been exacted from him; that it had
been Immediately given, and that there was no
reason why the fight should not come of on
the day named. AL day the bulletin was sur
rounded with an earnest, anxious crowd, and
nothing else was talked of but the fight. The
Charleston Convention was altogether in the
shade The name of Mr.. Heenan was in every
mouth, to the exclusion of that of Mr.. Douglas,
while Mr.. Sayers' drove all thoughts of Mr..
Hunter from the public mind.
1t appears that Heenan was taken before the
magistrates at Derby on the 7th instant; that
he apologized for any naughty words that he
might have used with regard to the magis-
trates. Heenan's counsel hoped the Court
would be guided by the station in life of the
parties in America-Heenan was black
smith-and make the bail as light as possible"
The Court made it fifty pounds, whereupon
there was cloud applause" The Court stated
that the injured infant of Benicia could not be
again molested by the law, unless he actually
broke the peace. There scerns 70 have been
some dispute in sporting circles as to the cause
of the arrest; but it was at last decided, as
in the case of railway accidents, that nobody
was to blame.
1t is probable, then, that before this time the
fight has come off, and we ought to have the
news in a day or two BY Thursday Of the
present week the public may be relieved from
its suspense and informed upon whose head
the eagles of victory hover.
In view of the new aspect which has been
given to the affair, we make haste to award due
apologies to the British Lion for any reflection
we may have cast upon his traditional pluck.
lieve that he is anxious to meet the represen-
tative of Columbia's ruling powers upon the
field of glory. People who walk about the
world with their eyes shut see nothing in
this contest but a vulgar and brutal en-
counter between two bruisers; but we believe
it has very great bearing upon our foreign
relations generally, and our British cousins
particularly. Is it not highly probable that
some very exalted personages at Washington
and in Downing street are at the bottom Of all
this disturbance? Is it at all likely that mere
prize fight, the chosen amusement of the scum
of the community, would attract SO much at
tention as this affair unless there was some
thing important behind ii? We have had two
wars with England, and among many of our
people there is a hereditary inclination to
pitch into the British Lion on the smallest posi-
BILE pretence. On the other side, there are not
wanting persons who, through absurd jealousy,
would be glad to cripple the young republic.
But war is like dollhouse grapes and early
Standardization expensive a luxury for COM
mon folks, and so the bad blood has no oppor-
tunity to get out, and it poisons the whole sys-
tenn more or less. 1t would be idle to deny
that everybody here secretly hopes that Sayers
may be we'll thfashed; while on the other side,
we have no doubt that the four estates of the
realm have similar feeling with regard to
the Yankee Vulcan. And who can say that
the whole affair has not beenegotten up with
the knowledge and assistance of our govern.
ment at Washington and the British Cabinet
Who knows that the Prime Minister of England
and the Secretary Of State Of the United States
have not, by their emissaries, secretly en-.
eouraged this affair as the cheapest and best
way of settling up old scores between the two
countries getting rid Of all the bad feeling
and taking fresh start, with nothing but ami
cable relations? Who knows that this new