The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-02-25

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The SLEGmNG CARNIvAL.-The long pent up
enthusiasm Of our sieighing population has
found ample vent during the past two days.
Before this snow storm people began to believe
that winter had neglected us this year. The
seasons seemed to sympathzs with the dis
tracted condition of the country, and were
dreadfully confused, so that we had bits Of
summer weather in December, and February
came in smiling like spring The beautiful
snow has made all this right, however, and for
two days we have had a semi-carnival on rum
ners. The streets, avenues and Central Park
have been crowded with elegant sleighs of all
sorts patterns and descriptions, and both old and
young New York have been as jolly under the
fur robes and behind the jingling bells as was
proper during such excellent sleighing. On
Monday evening, when the fireworks blazed in
the parks in honor of Washington--whose patri-
otism all eulogize and few imitate-the scene
was one Of fairy land. The gorgeoqsly varied
hues Of the pyrotechnics were brilliantly re-
Aected from the dazzling surface of the snow
the clear cold air was filed with balls of vari-
colored fire eclipsing the stars--the skyrockets
marked their fiery paths upon the dark blue
sky-the tinkling and jangling Of thousands
of slelghbells made most merry music,
with which the voices of the gay carnivalsts
mingled sweetly and cheerily-sleigh after
sleigh dashed past in quick succession, or
paused, with half affrighted horses, among the
crowds at Union square-and no stranger, visit
ing this metropolis for the first time, could have
been induced to believe that all this splendid
merriment and costly display was during the
most momentous crisis of the most desperate
civil war which ever troubled the world Such
is life, and such are the Americans.
BRITISH COMPLICATIONS WITH BR,zL.-We
publish in another part of this days paper the
detailed particulars of a threatened imbroglo
between the British Minister at Brazil and the
government of that magnificent empire. AL
though there has not yet been any evidence Of
an actual casus bel, it does seem that the griev-
ances of the imperial government and the no
less naughty claims of the British Minister may
hereafter lead to very serious troubles and COM
plications. According to all appearances gather
ed from the evidence before us, it would appear
that the British Plenipotentiary in Brazil has
been endeavoring to extort the acknowledge
ment of a manifest injustice from the Brazilian
government. Now, Brazil is weak nation,
when we come to compare her with the great
maritime Powers of the world But she has a
power among the nations, from her moral and
material wealth, that not even England can af-
ford to despise. 1t is matter worthy of remark
that the revolution in our own country has led
the European and weaker American nations.
We're we not involved in great sectional
war neither England nor France would have
dared to assail the rights or independence of
any of the South American republics, which,
properly speaking, have hitherto been under
our care and protection.
In reference to this Brazilian complication, it
it is to be hoped that the imperial government
will maintain its rights under all circumstances.
But it is possible that, being severe
ly pressed by England, she may be
unable to defend herself in the last
extremity. In such a case all that the
Brazilian Cabinet can do will be to comply
with the unjust claims made upon it, under the
solemn protest of wrong and injustice. The
time will come when the united power Of Ame-
RIGA may be heard and felt in vindication of the
wrongs of South America. This Brazilian out
rage, it appears to us, is much like the innova-
ton of the French in Mexico. The people aud
the press of the South are now being awakened
to the schemes and intentions Of the astute En-
peror who they imagine is their friend. The
rebellion is now drawing to a close. Let peace
be once restored to our own borders, and we
shall soon see whether the Powers of Europe or
the free principles Of popular government in
America are to rule on this continent In the
meantime we think we may safely leave Mr..
Christie, the British Minister in Brazil, who has
been the chief cause Of all this trouble, to the
tender mercies of General Webb, the American
Minister to Brazil.