The New York herald., 1865-01-20

ism in republic, established under the inspi-
ration OF our own successful system, must be
vigorously disputed. Both France and Spain
must be served with twelvemonth's anotice
to quit Mexico and st. Domingo. All the ma
tions Of Europe must be taught that the United
States are in position to exercise protecto-
rate over nations enjoying selfgovernment on
the whole of this continent and the adjacent
islands, from Labrador to the Horn. As for
England, opportunity will not be wanting to
inhict condign punishment upon that treach-
erous Power, and it will fall hot and heavy
when the time comes.
Such is the future which this war has marked
out for u.s. The experiment to divide the coun-
try into sections, and yet maintain its prosperity
and greatness, has failed as it has ever failed in
past history. The right of secession once
admitted, and there would be no limit to it.
II is net one, but dozen seeded sections we
would have before many years, each one weak
and contemplate in ITSELF Such was the result
when the great Roman empire was broken up.
It's vast dominions in Southern Europe were
split into separate sections, not one of which,
after many centuries, has attained the grandeur
of the old empire. The result was the same
when, at later period, the immense consoli-
dated power Of Charlemagne was frittered away
and his empire divided into innumerable petty
States.
Thus, then, this sanguinary war, which the
enemies of republicanism so fondly hoped
would prove the grave of republican institutions,
will leave the United States stronger than ever
to assume the championship and assert the
supremacy of democratic government
The City sewcrs-The Necessity That
Something Should be Done.
In another column we give an extract from
the annual report Of the Croton Aqueduct De-
partment, calling attention, with very COM
mendable sharpness and force, to the disgrace
full condition of this city in respect to sewers.
No city in the world, as the report justly says,
possesses greater natural advantages for the es-
tablishment of perfect system of sewerage
than ours-built as it is practically, on strip
Of land washed by tidewater on both sides
yet the fact is that but few cities are worse of
than ours in this respect. Our sewers up to
the present time, have been constructed with
out any regard to scientific principles or to
system, and also without any regard to eco
nomy. The result is that, though they have
cost the city an outrageously great price, they
are utterly ineffective, and do not accomplish
their purpose They do not carry away the
city filth. So far are they from doing this that
in many instances they merely act as great
wells for the accumulation of this filth in i'm
mense masses, and these reeking masses fiji the
cellars Of many houses in the city with 'pes-
tilent congregation of vapors' that is certain
death. Physicians can trace some of our city
sewers by the fevers they breed; and there are
certain houses in the city that from this cause,
are almost as fatal as the npas tree was thought
to be. In this way the city is worse in some
districts than it would be without any sewers
at all.
For the construction Of sewers in district oi
four hundred acres in extent it costs, under the
plan upon which our sewers have been hitherto
uselessly built, the sum of $l,793,074 80. The
! Croton Aqueduct Department estimates thai
the same district could be well and effectively
severed for $679,946 80. BY this the city
would save $1,1l3,lN 81. Now, here is the
whole trouble. Here is a million dollars to be
distributed by the Common Council, and that is
the reason why we have no sewers that will
drain the city. The matter must be taken out
of the hands Of the Common Council. At pre-
sent the city sewerage belongs to the Croton
Department, subject to the orders and direc-
tions of the Common Council" Before we can
have decent sewerage it must be given to the
Aqueduct Department entirely. This is q mat
ter that the Legislature should take up at once.
in any view of the sanitary interests Of this city
Our sanitary arrangements are all atrocious
and need to be stirred up from the bottom
but there Is no fact in city life that is worse
in a sanitary point Of view than this one o
the sewers Pestilcnce is bred under every
street. that money may be corruptly dispensed
to contractors, and there must be a change.
ARBITRARY ARREsTs-A PROPER INvEsrIGA.
TIoS.--Thc Military Committee of the House oi
Representatives are now acting under resolu.
ton Of that body directing said committee "a
ascertain "the number Of persons confined in
the Old Capitol and Carroll prisons, the dates
of their arrests and confinement, the charges
against them; whether any army officers are
among them, and, If so, whether the laws fol
such cases made and provided have been re-
spected; whether any persons are confined in
said prisons without written charges, and
whether any Of those prisoners have had 9
trial." &c., &c. For the purpose Of fcrreHna
out the truth in these inquiries the committee Il
papers.
After the adoption Of this proposition Mr.
Thaddeus Stevens moved q reconsideration, In
order 10 amend the resolution so as to limit the
committee TO the "cxpedicncyr Of the proposed