The New York herald., 1866-05-27

NEW YORK HERALD, s
In this event the armed intervention Of Ma.
poleon might drive both Prussia and Austria
into terms Of peace which would give the
lions share of the spoils to France. Bismark
therefore, is acting shrewdly in this alliance
with Italy; but, in any event, let war be com
menced between Prussia and Austria or be-
tween Austria and Italy, the reconstruction Of
the map of Europe is in the hands of Napoleon
and the Czar, and such are the interests Of
each that each may leave the other, with GER
tain easy conditions, to pursue his own game.
| Considerable excitement prevailed In tho
city yesterday evening, caused by the circula-
ton Of report to the effect that hosilities had
actually been commenced by Prussia making
an act Of war by the occupation Of Saxony.
The very latest dispatches by the America,
dated on the 18th Of May, make no mention Of
such an event Immediately after the sailing
of the Cuba, on the 18th of May, Leipsic and its
neighborhood were agitated by a umor un-
authenticated, however, to the effect that the
"Prussians had crossed the Saxon frontier, and
that . collision between the Prussian and
Saxon troops was imminent" We incline to
the opinion that the publication of this
despatch in full, as it appears in our columns
this morning, produced the disquieting effect
to which we refer, which agitated many of our
German friends to great extent Our tele-
graphic report goes to show that Prussia
menaces Hanover as she did Saxony, and it is
not at all unlikely that, should war be under
taken, either one or both Of these small
kingdoms will have to sustain the first shock
Of the great struggle for reconstruction or
solidifed empire in Europe.
The elements and the danger Of a general
European war still exist; nor will they disap-
6ear until Napoleon shall have recanted his de-
testation Of the treaties of 1915 and agreed to
enter into European congress or until, at
least, conference between ENGLAND, Russia
and France shall have been agreed upon.
While Napoleon remains free to take his own
course, he means war, and by war to enlarge
the boundaries given to France by the Holy
Alliance. War isnot so imminently threatened
as it was few days ago; but the political situ-
alton remains substantially the same.
THE OPERATIONS OF THE EXCISE LAw.-Some
curious features relative to the operations Of
the Excise law are being daily developed.
Over half a million Of dollars has been paid
for licenses, and somewhere near five thousand
grogshops and liquor selling places generally
have received the coveted privilege Of dis
pensing the ardent according to law. 1t would
seem that this army oflicensed liquor sellers was
sufficient to accommodate any ordinary popula-
ton; but this is, unfortunately, not the case;
for there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of
places in the city in which liquor is sold with
out license. When the keepers Of these places
are brought before the authorities for an in
fraction of the license law, their plea is that
inasmuch as they have no license they are not
amenable to the statute The courts have
so regarded the cases and dismissed the
complaints. 1t may be inferred from this
that it is better to sell liquor without q
license than with one; and as one Of the
curious operations of the law this view
of the matter IS deserving the prompt
attention of the Commissioners. In regard to
selling wines and other liquors on the Sabbath
the law is evaded in various ways; and besides
being practically imperative In many cases
it throws loose and disorderly class of per-
sons in great numbers upon suburban resorts.
At the hotels 1t is only necessary for person
to order his wine day in advance to enable
him to have all he desires. 1t appears also
that a flaw has been discovered in the title Of
the law; circumstance which, if carried
before the courts, il calculated to vitiate all
the operations under the act II would not be
the least curious effect Of the law, if this view
be sustained by high legal authority, to find
the Excise Commissioners complained of for
obtaining money under false pretences. This
whole business of excise is overdone. The
Health Commissioners, in connection with the
excise, are also running the whole subject of
temperance and sanitary regulations into the
ground. They seem 10 lay awake nights think
ing of what harmless beverage the people may
be deprived Of upon the score of improving
their health. Not content with stopping the
sale of ale, porter, lager beer and all spirtuous
compounds, they have made an onslaught
upon mineral water, plain soda and other in
nocuous fluids, and are endeavoring to Danish
them from public places. One Of the COM
missioners-no doubt learned savant and a
philosopher Of the pure water Cruel school
objects even to the use of Croton water in
sprinkling the streets II is all folly to carry
reform measures to such absurd extremitics.
The streets should be kept clean, the sewers
cleansed tenement houses purified the bone
and fat boiling, gas and the many other nui-
sances which abound in the city should be
abolished. This il proper work for the Health
Commissioners, and not, like the Board of
Excise, to make silly raids upon soda and
gingerpop fountains
COMMERCIAL FRAUDS AND THEIR CAUsBs-The