The New York herald., 1866-05-29

ton and also in our own immediate suburbs.
In fact drunkenness has increased on Sunday
in and around the city for the past few weeks,
although the public drinking places have been
closed. This fact is sufficient to prove that
stringent laws for the regulation of the appe-
tite defeat themselves. Police laws for the
maintenance Of public order, whether applied
to the sale Of liquors within certain hours and
by respectable parties, or for any other pur-
pose, can easily be made effective; but sump-
tuary laws or laws Unfortunately construct
ed, with exlreme and impractical provisions,
are always failure and work more harm than
good. In this latter category the new Excise
law comes and its fruits are already beginning
to develop themselves.
WAR OR PEAcE-PRosPEcTs OF EUROPEAN
CoNGREss.-As The dangers Of . general war
are thickening in Europe rumors, suggestions
and speculations in reference to peace COR
gress are multiplied. Among the latest OF such
rumors is that of the Florence Nasione Of May
Is, that note from the French government
had reached the Italian capital proposing the
assembling of congress; "that France Is said
to have declared that she makes this proposal
with the view Of preventing war, without, how
ever, pretending to impose that mode Of settle
ment," and that the Italian government is stated
to have declared IN rrp,7 e e this A' note tsst
while Italy did not decline the proposal she
would require the basis Of the preliminary
negotiations to be the cession Of Venetia.
"The cession Of Venetis," condition pre-
cedent, is, then, the ficuhy to peace con-
gress, so far as Italy is concerned, while the
exclusion Of this question from congress
would be the obstacle presented by Austria. In
the sans way, pro ana con, tho o.s o,.-ssion OF 'ne
Danish duchies operates as q bar against =
congress in reference to both Austria and
Prussia. The three Powers, therefore, that are
on the verge OF war are excluded from a
peace congress in advance by the very terms
which they severally impose as the conditions
necessary to secure their participation in it.
The chances Of peace, then, depend upon the
chances of q conference between England,
France and Russia; and the consent of Napo
leon to such conference win depend upon the
understanding that it is not to be bound by
those detested treaties of 1878. II appears
that on May Is several of the Paris journalb
reported. that there had been meeting W.
tween Earl Cowley Che English ambassador,
Baron Budb erg Russisn ambassador) and
NJ. Druyn de Lhuys French Minister of For
cign Affairs), "with the object Of bringing
about a peaceful solution Of the pending diff
culties." There was, however, no confirmation
Of the intelligence; and from the simple fact that
Napoleon stands aloof, on the plea Of neu-
trality and freedom of action, wien his active
intervention in behalf Of peace would secure
peace, 1t Is apparent that he wants war, Il pre-
pared for war and that 1t Is not likely there
will be congress to prevent war through his
agency as peacemaker. France has every
thing TO gain from war; Russia may also gain
largely and has nothing 10 lose. England can
do nothing without France end Russia, and 30
the chances for European pence congress are
exceedingly slim and doubtful We are rather
inclined to The conclusion chat war win actu-
ally be commenced in Italy while the news
papers of Paris arc still discussing the chances
Of peace and peace congress.
OENEhAL hOWAhD AMI TIE OVkhA0hS IN IhG
FREEpMEN's BUREAU. General Howard has
written a communication to the Secretary Of
War in explanation Of his attempt to screen
certain agents of the Freedman's Bureau FROM
the consequences of offences charged against
them, and says tha! Ssaid letter was written
prior to the publication of Steedman's and
Fullerton's report and only intended to vouch
Cor the officers refereed to in the private letter
received" He now earnestly recommends
that, inasmuch a. "a majority of those officers
of are officers selected from the
army, generally Of excellent record and always
vouched for by men Of the highest standing in
the community, hereafter fair trial be al
publication OF charges against them" This
request bears q suspicious aspect What
Is there in the reports OF Generals
Stcedman and Fullerton in regard to tho opera
tiOns Of the Bureau that does not thus far sup
port and endorse all that has been received
and published from private sourcesf Docs
General Howard pretend that II is necessary
the charges shall be referred to'a secret com
mission before the poor negro can be pro-
tected from the cruelty and avariciousness OF
the puritanical agents of the Bureaui Is II ne
cessary to whitewash the glaring evidences Of
rapacity concerning these agents which come
before the ..pubIic through responsible, IL not
Immediately Official, channelss II seems to rs
that General Howard, while vainly attempting
TO excuse himself from the accusation Of
screening the implicated officers from the
charges preferred has laid himself liable 10 a
more serious one, and that Is Of desire to
have the malefacton tried before q secret and
partisan tribunal, where their wrong doings
can be conveniently colored 10 suit party in
terests, II not Of public propriety. The more
the subject Of this Freedman's Bureau is ven
tilatcd the more the public win come into q
knowledge Of Ii improprieties. We publish
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