The New York herald., 1867-03-21

The financial stwinter Of our discomfort must
follow the order of nature. We must patiently
endure its diminishing rigors until golden
prosperity shall return. The premature re-
sumption Of specie payments would cause
disastrous panics which would postpone
indefinitely the good time coming.
The Foreign Policy Of the Emperor Napoleon
Debate In the French Chambers.
According 70 one of yesterdays kilograms
the foreign policy Of the Emperor had been
vigorously attacked in the Corps Legislatif,
MN. Theirs and Favre declaring that the
encouragement which the Emperor had given
to the unidcation of Germany and Italy had
proved hostile to the interests of France.
Count de Chambord, the chief of all the Bour-
bons, has already with much seriousness and
sorrow told France and the world the Same
story. Such therefore, it may be taken for
granted. is the general conviction of the legit-
mists. N. Theirs may be regarded as giving
expression to the general sentiment Of the
Orleanists. Nor is it possible to doubt that
M. Jules Favre speaks in the name of very
large proportion of the liberals of France. It
is not difficult to understand the position
assumed by the Count de Chambord. The
position of the ex-Prime Minister Of Louis
Philippe is equally Ineligible. 1t is impossi-
BILE to deny either the one or the other the
merit Of consistency. How the leader of the
French liberals should adopt such course it
would be less easy to understand did we not
bear in mind that there is nothing which
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justice and reason as that which touches
or seems to touch the greatness OF his
country. With q united Germany on the
one hand and . united Italy on the other
every intelligent Frenchman sees that his coun-
try can never again occupy the same proud
and prominent position which she has been
wont to occupy in the European system, and
be materially lessened. II is our conviction,
therefore, that MN. Theirs and Favre have
bat echoed the general sentiment of the French
people of all grades and sections of society.
There are many thoughts to which this view
Of the situation gives rise. One is that the
Emperor has been slightly outwitted. He is
entitled to all praise for his policy towards the
the unity Of Italy rebounds to his lasting honor.
But the Emperor did not calculate that united
Italy, which he encouraged, and united Ger
many, which he did not encourage, should
spring into existence at one and the same
time. This is the difficulty which the Emperor
equally with every intelligent Frenchman feels
Another thought is that foreign war which
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would not be unpopular in France. We're it
not for this Exposition which, fortunately or
unfortunately, he has on hand, we do not be-
lieve that either his inirm health or his ad-
vanced years would prevent Napoleon from
engaging in some such enterprise.
Tho Ferry Leases and City Franchfses.
We perceive that lease OF the Staten Island
ferry has been granted to Commodore Wander
bilt for the next ten years at the insignificant
sum Of one thousand dollars year. Now, the
income from this and other ferries is part Of
the property Of the city, which goeoto tighten
taxation. The Staten Island ferry, which in
fact embraces three or four ferries, could be
leased for one hundred thousand dollars .
year, and there are, no doubt, companies who
would gladly pay that price for the Lease. But
unfortunately the law requires ell parties oSsr-
ing to lease 1t also to purchase the boats and
other property Of the present owners and at .
valuation which, under the circumstances,
might be inconvenient and improbable, -
some Of the boats are pretty well worn out and
the docks and landings In very Indifferent con-
dition. It is notorious that under the present
management no attention is paid to the safety
or comfort of the public on the Staten Island
ferry. It il run for the profits which it returns,
and nothing more. It is therefore to be regret
ted that this ferry should be left in the same
hands for ten years more. The lease Of the
Union Ferry Company of Brooklyn is pro-
tected by the same provision, requiring pur-
chasers Of the lease to buy the property Of the
company, and in order to keep the lease in
their own hands the company has for some
time past been erecting costly buildings ct
each Of the four ferries under its control, so a.
70 render the purchase Of the lease by outside
bidders too expensive, and thus keep the
monopoly in their own hands II the law
upon this point was altered four times the sum
which the city now derives from these ferries
could be realized, and the meney which now
goes into the hands Of . few millionnaires would
70 into the city treasury, where II properly
belongs. We presume that II ID in the power
Of the Legislature to change the law upon this
subject Of the city franchises, and We trust that
they will give some attention to II before they
adjourn.