The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-02

Hobbies commended that war was the natural
state Of man. 1t seems, indeed, endemic to the
globe which he inhabits. Sporadic cases of it
are Of not unfrequent occurrence even during
the longer or shorter intervals Of comparatively
| general peace. But sometimes these intervals
are suddenly and violently broken by war,
which assumes the characteristics and proper
tons of an epidemic. 1t arises, RACES and
| spreads from land to land, uninterrupted by
mountains or seas, and often, after spending its
fury, subsidies and disappears mysteriously,
leaving behind it, however, its destructive
traces, and probably the germs of future cpl
denies of the same dreadful form The causes
Of war are more or less involved in obscuriiy,
like those Of epidemic diseases They some
times remain latent and smouldering for long
period, until some chance spark kindles con-
aagration which spreads swift ruin far beyond
the boundaries Of the country where 1t first
blased forth. An old superstition which still
fingers in the human mind associated with
wars the same ominous signs, the magnetic
storms, meteors, earthquakes and atmospheric
disturbances which usually preceded the
black death, the dancing mania, the
sweating sickness and the plague during
the Middle Ages, and the yellow fever, tho
cholera, the typhus, the influenza and other
epidemics in modern times. That the mind is
liable, like the body, to epidemics, is shown in
religion, in politics, in monetary affairs and in
fashions. Opinions and practices spring up,
prevail and subside, like genuine epidemic.
The Crusades in the fourteenth, the Reforma-
ton in the sixteenth. Puritanism in the seven
teenth, Methodism in the eighteenth centuries
were religious epidemics. Crcdulity in the
Middle Ages was an epidemic, as scepticism is
now. Laws Mississippi scheme the South Sea
Bubble, and dozen other financial bubbles in
Europe and America, together with the panics
in which they resulted, might be cited as
epidemics in the money world. In the world
of fashion the crinoline and the waterfall
manias are among the latest epidemics. In
politics the revolutionary agitations in the
latter half Of the eighteenth century, and
the reform movements in the present century,
were epidemics. And to the latter we may
add not only the pestilence of war, which
so lately ragged four years throughout our own
broad country, devastating the cities and
plains Of the South, but also the mania which
seized certain European governments to take
advantage of what they deemed, because they
desired, the prospective downfall Of our great
republic impelling France to pounce upon
Mexico, Spain upon first Dominica and then
Chile, and even Brazil upon poor little Para
quay. Happily they were ell mistaken and
disappointed, and this epidemic at least bids
fair to subside. The recent European war was
an epidemic which spread with marvellous
rapidity from the shores of the Baltic to those
of the Mediterranean. It's contagious influence
threatened at one moment to overspread oil
Europe and, suddenly, as 1t seemed to sub
side, after having swept through Prussia, italy,
Austria, Bavaria, Saxony. Wurtemberg. Han
over and the little cluster of Northern States,
there is no telling how soon it may again burst
forth with fresh and redoubled fury. With
the guns Of Gambia booming again on our
ear, we listen for Russian cannon that may
roar in a new Crimean campaign. In the busy
hum Of industry In all the armoriss and arsenals
of France, in the universal ornaments in
progress throughout Europe--Russia swelling
her ranks by three hundred thousand recruits,
Prussia organizing four new corps, Austria re-
modelling and reforming, all States, large and
small, infected with the mania for "big battal-
IONS" testing new weapons and discussing
new military systcms-in all these signs OF the
times we see premonitory symptoms OF another
epidemic OF war. Instructions in Spain, and
last, not least, the Fenian outbreak In Great
Britain, together with dull rumors Of an i'm
pending war between that country and the
United States, are additional Illustrations Of
war us an epidemic. The millennium which
shall cure il has not yet dawncd.
The ELECTION FOR C0MPrROILER-A CURIOUS
STATE OF THINGs.--We have taken very
little interest In the charter election, for the
reason tbat the general character of the nomi-
nations FOR Aldermen and Councilmen is so
bad as TO render il immaterial who wins while
the contest for city Comptroller has become q
sort Of scrub race. According 10 appearances
Richard b. Connolly is the best man in the
6cld but the chances Of success are probably
with the faction that can manage to do the
greatest amount OF cheating. We give a curl
Gus extract from the editorials Of the New York
Tribune on the character Of its candidate,
Richard Kelly, and no one will doubt the com
potency Of the witness. II will be found
slightly at variance with the Trib,alc's present
tone. and will DO read with some interest by
ide taxpayers, to whom that journal Is con-
atautly aDpcaling One phaso Of this election
is the most curious We have seen in forty years.
experience as n jourualist-the only Office Of
real Importance in the city government now
left for election by the people Is that OF Comp
troller or head Of the Financial Department
II is a singular fact that for this Office three
Ii