The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-03-08

It is significant fact that the rebel papers
have not given their readers any further
account Of the movements Of that "heavy
force" Their silence Is confirmation of the
report of Sheridan's victory. From Sheridan
we may not hear directly for some time yet,
unless it shall prove that he was able to send
his prisoners down the valley at once.
Another Railroad Slaughter.
II would seem that the chronicles Of disaster
In war find rival in the disasters by rail
road accidents. Scarcely . day passes that
we have not to inscribe red mark in the
record of events for some loss of life or some
fearful mutiation on our railroads. Another
slaughter occurred yesterday morning, on the
Camden road, by which nine lives were lost, in
collision between the trains from Washington
and this city, near Bristol station, and some
thirty people were seriously injured. It APP
pears from the facts stated to us that this dis
aster was the result Of gross carelessness on
the part of the railroad employees in not show
ing signal lights-a not uncommon but most
reprehensble omission on night trains.
Many Of the victims on this occasion were
soldiers returning home on furlough, and some
who had been prisoners in the Libby tobacco
"black hole" in Richmond. II is sad refec-
ton that our brave soldiers, who have passed
through the dangers of the battlefield and suf-
fered the horrors of rebel dungeon, should
return, full Of hope and expectation, to renew
the associations Of home only to meet death OF
mutilation in the peaceful State Of Pennsyl-
vania at the hands Of avaricious railroad COM
panies. The scenes recounted in this disaster are
| horrible to contemplate. In fact the record Of
railway accidents within the past few months is
absolutely frighttul It necessarily excites q
feeling Of alarm, not only among those who are
obliged to travel by railroad themselves, but by
their families and the friends they leave ct homo
when they start upon these perilous journeys.
The number Of passengers in trons;tu every
twenty -four hours by railway trains In the
North arc Ut least two hundred thousand; and
the great amount Of anxiety the insecurity Of
travelling by this mode daily causes may be
readily imagined. Probably not one-ffth of
reported in print.
We are overwhelmed with communications
from respectable parties urging upon legis-
lators, both national and State to adopt some
stringent measures to secure . better degree
of saSsty on all our railway passenger trains.
Various suggestions are made; but most Of our
correspondents concur in the view that railway
managers must in the first place, be held to
stricter personal accountability for all acct
dents. They must be compelled to cease the
highly reprehensible habit of saving money to
declare dividends that should be devoted to
repairs and improvements on the roads. They
should also be compelled to secure the services
Of men Of intelligence and responsibility as
signalmen, switchtenders, &c., at all danger
ous points on route, by giving proper COM
spensation for proper men. Persons compe-
tent to inspect locomotives, tracks, trucks,
brakes, cars, bridges, and everything pertain
ing 10 railway trains liable to get out Of order,
should constitute permanent board of exami-
nation on every railroad. The breaking Of the
axles Of locomotives is very frequently the
cause OF accidents, which might in many cases
have been avoided had the imperfect axle been
properly examined and tested. One cor
respondent suggests that commission Of three
practical mechanics and engineers should be
appointed TO exercise general supervision Of
the roads in this State in so far as relates to
the public safety. Another suggests, and with
excellent judgment, radical change in the
running gear, by the application Of larger
wheels and the suspension Of The cars on the
trucks at the cxtremities, instead Of being
bolted to them in the centre, as they now are
an Improvement which we indicated in our
o~exs
yet been made that render iron or steel abso-
lutely reliable, and careful and experienced men
are required to recognize these imperfections.
Now, IL our legislators, national and State, or
either. would call up and investigate the sub
jcct Of railroad safety, the interests Of the
travelling public and railroad owners would be
largely promoted. Ohio Is already agitating
move in q direction calculated to prove of such
vast public benefit
We receive fearful warning every day that
some Legislative action is absolutely necessary
| If we would not have our railroad cars con-
verted into itinerant slaughter houses, where
human victims are daily offered up to the greed
of railroad companies.
MACMILLAN AND THE PoPE.-From the Pope's
published letter Of instructions to Macmillan
In reference to the government Of Mexico IL
appears that he was enjoined to maintain, to
tho exclusion Of all others, the Catholic Church,
to make IL the law Of all the educational insti-
buttons Of the country, and to see that the
Church estates and claims Of property shall be
fully protected. But instead Of obeying these
instructions, Macmillan, 1t appears, has declared
in favor Of freedom Of religion in Mexico and
has confirmed the sequestration 10 the State Of