The New York herald., 1866-12-30

several States promises TO work yet more
thorough revolution in this direction. The gas
thus supplied would be. purified so as to Afford
q better light than is now supplied BY the gas
companies, with one-half the quantity now con-.
sumod. The cost. would be- diminished TO one
fourth Of the present rates. The scheme il
entirely feasible and is endorsed b. the lead
ing scientific men Of Tie age. We shall be
enabled shortly to place such facts before our
readers as viii assure them that before three
years have passed they will receive their sup
ply Of gas In this city direct from the coal fields
Of Pennsylvania, and that they will be able to
burn better and purer article than they are
now using at ccst of not more than one
dollar or ten shillings for the thousand feet
The Com nsressional Southern Excursion Gcne-
raj Beaurcsard's speech,
In no quarter of our vast country can winter
be considered pleasant season or adapted to
pleasure excursions Even in remote corners
of the sunny South snow and ice are to be met
with, while the condition Of the railroads and
highways In Dixie, together with the absence
Of many of the comforts which make travelling
more endurable elsewhere, are not calculated
10 invite tour for mere pleasure. Pleasure,
however, is the ostensible motive which has in
duced Senator Wade and his Congressional
brethren to undertake q Southern tour, and
we bear Of them spending pleasant evenings at
Magnolia, where they were the recipients Of
whatever hospitality that impoverished coun
try can offer, and again at New Orleans. They
had been met previously at Canton, on the
Mississippi and Tennessee Railroad, by General
p. T. Beauregard, President of the New Or
leans and Jackson Railroad, where they
listened to speech from that gentleman
which must have caused them as much sur
prise as he courtesy which the Southern peo-
pie everywhere extended to them, in manner
unexpectedly frank and cordial. 1t is fortu-
nate for the interests Of the country, North and
South, on the eve Of the assembling of Con-
gress, that the rigors Of this inclement season
have not deferred these Congressional excur-
sionists from making this tour. They set out
under strong conviction that fierce desire
10 renew the late terrible conflict burned IN
Southern bosoms; that there are but few
"Union men" scattered thinly throughout that
entire section, against whom every system Of
persecution was devised and directed by the
majority Of the people, under the guidance ef
those chiefs who so recently led the armed
hosts OF the extinct confederacy to battle, and
that those chiefs are prepared to so lead them
once more. To cherish this wicked and ma
licious delusion millions Of copies Of news-
papers are daily distributed and read by the
population Of the Northern and Western States,
cngendering hatred and spirit of vengeance
which strive, WITH unhappily, too much sue
cess, to find vent in further aud endless per-
secutions Of ruined, helpless and misrepre-
sented people. AT such q juncture General
Beauregard's speech at Canton is most oppor-
tune and important Standing upon ground
still moist with fraternal blood he tells the
national legislators that the South has thrown
behind her forever the doctrines and princ-
Piles for which she fought so long and 20 OBJ
stinately. He tells them that he expresses the
sentiments Of the fighting men of the South
when he says that he favors q consolidated
government, that the doctrine Of State rights
Is buried out Of sight and that slavery can
never be re-established, even II the power to
do SO existed. Geneyi Beauregard Is In
capable of practising petty deceit, and
what he says may be relied on. He is, more
over, immensely popular at the South,
and as good mouthpiece for those
who recognize bis leadership as any
man from the Potomac to the Rio Grande.
We know that his speech made q most favor
able impression upon those 10 whom be
addressed II, and that with the echo of his
last word there arose in their minds feelings
Of confidence and reinsurance. To this Sem
ator Wade bears testimony. Taking, then, the
character Of the speaker into consideration,
VIC must believe that the majority OF the South
ern people, the sense and sinew Of that section,
are DESTROYS Of peace and concord and en-
courage no Wild dreams Of insurreciion. II
there be any who think otherwise the speech
of General Beauregard Is calculated to lead
them 10 better thoughts. But all the duties Of
peace and goodfellowship do not devolvc upon
the South alone. The people OF the North
have their share TO perform The South has
suffered infinitely more, and Jet, with
courage and manliness worthy the descendants
Of heroic sires, they struggle to forget bitter
recollsctions for the common veal According
to their manner Of thinking they have much
to forgive and forget-for they have been
sorcly punished; but they promise that CON-
plcte oblivion shall shroud the past Tbey
are willing that the severed country should be
reunited, and are anxious 10 lend their cid
to the great and good work Of recous,ruo-
ton. Why are they thwarted, and who are
they that thwart themi Men who would
make history write for the information OF ell
coming time that the North was less msgnani-
mous and patriotic than the weaker sister
men who stick 70 the wretohed, childish idea