The New York herald., 1866-08-07

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himself and to take stronger position before
the country than any Of his predecessors ever
had, If he will make himself thoroughly ac-
quainted with the subject and lay the facts be-
| fore the people. The Philadelphia Convention
should direct its attention especially to this
| matter, for it is the vulnerable point at which
to attack the radicals; the stump orators all over
| the country should use IL vigorously in the ap-
| preaching elections, and the President should
| make such plain sLatesmanlike exposition Of
| it that all may understand and be led to elect
q different and better class OF men to Congress.
| The Atlantic Cable and the London Des-
patches.
A good deal Of conjecture and speculation
and no little doubt surround the future USE
fulness Of the Atlantic cable II has, however,
been the means of furnishing some important
news from Europe, for which the public are in
| debted entirely to the HERALD. We published
| the first special despatch from our correspond
ent in London which contained any important
news relating to the critical situation of affairs
in Europe the announcement Of four weeks
armist:ce between the hostile Powers. This
was the first newspaper despatch that came
over the cable. An attempt was made by some
of the small journals TO prove that it was not
genuine. We need hardly say that subsequent
news has confirmed it bsyond a doubt. We
rec ived on Sunday afternoon, and published
yesterday, another despatch from our London
correspondent, dated from the Queens Hotel
on So urday, containing news of still graver
importance the conclusion OF peace
between Prussia, Austria and Italy, with all the
details upon which the negotiations were based.
This information was obtained hy our corre-
spondent from various points in Europe at our
expense. 1t was sent Especially TO us, and yet it
was published simultaneously in the other
papers as On Associated Press despatch. The
agent of the Associated Press had that despatch
seven hours before it was sent to us, and he
kept 1t back all that time. The public were
thus deprived of this most important intelli-
gence until yesterday morning, when the infor-
maton--for which we, and not the Associated
Press, bore the expense Of gathering through
out Europe-was given in all the city papers.
The Executive Committee of the Associated
Press do not know any ything about the manage
ment Of that institution, and they accordingly
leave it in the hands Of their agent in this city,
who knows still less about it. They pay their
share Of the telegraphing, 1t is true, but they
do not pay any part Of the expense OF obtain
ing the news which we have established sys-
tenn OF procuring all over Europe for the
benefit of the public.
Mr.. Field or the managers Of the cable are
not to blame for the fact that important news
is withheld from the American people. They
are not collectors of news for the newspapers,
but managers of cables They know how to
manage a cable very well, AZ events prove,
but they do not know how to provide news
for the press. That is the business which the
agents of the Associated Press undertake to
perform. and how imperfectly they fulfil their
duty the fact to which we refer as occurring on
Sunday sufficiently proves. II was Of vastly
more importance to the public to know that
peace had been concluded in Europe than to
receive incorrect quotations OF the price Of
| cotton and Of stocks which have been fur
nished from day to day from Liverpool
and London, while the former intensely inter
esting political intelligence is withheld for
seven hours by the Associated Press agent In
this city, who alone Is responsible for the
dereliction Of duty in the matter. We fur
nished news Of the utmost public interest, col
lected at our own Cost, from all points ON the
European continent, which the people should
have received at the earliest moment and
which they would have had on Sunday had our
| dispatches not been detained from early in the
day until halt-past eight O'Clock in the evening
by the agent Of the Associated Press, at which
time they were furnished to all the other papers,
who, Of course, gave us no credit for them.
We have for long time had cause to COM
plain Of the manner in which the business OF
the Associated Press is conducted, and II has
now become endurable no longer We viii
give il q little more trial and II the system is
not thoroughly reformed We will most assursdly
smash the concern up and establish system
for ourselves. BY which the country will not be
shut Oh from important news through the in
competency Of executive committees or agents.
We have means enough at our command to do
IL, and II the Associated Press do not change
their method Of transacting business and con-
trive to do justice TO the great American public
we will undertake II ourselves in the public
interest We will take care that the large
newspaper reading community Of the country
shall not be kept In the dark as TO momentous
events transpiring In the Old World, with
which our interests, commercial and political
| are intimately connected, so long a. there Ia .
perfect telegraphic communication preserved
between the two continents, and there IL IN
influential and widely read newspaper like the
HERMD TO circulate It. We do not want to
interfere with the Associated Press If 1t Is
properly conducted. 1t Il not the interest Of .