The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-13

ment ''he city is mulcted In fifty millions of
dollars in taxes which go partly into the
Treasury and into the pockets of few favored
classes Assuming thiz to be true-and the
tariff Is full OF abuses--we cannot perceive
the necessity or the value of the fact In de-
fence Of our city administration. We expect
the Mayor to plead the cause In showing the
working of our city government, and he does
it very well without entering into the tariff
question. In ent ring upon that question he
resorts to a bit of special pleading which is not
in the bill and which is not only superfluous,
but calculated, as diversion from the main
question, to weaken his case
What we want from the Mayor is to know
from the official accounts whether our new
city government is or is not an Improvement
upon the loose, mixed and irresponsible sys-
TEN it has superseded. The Mayors report
of receipts and expenditures, aud of the ma
chinery and the operations Of the several city
departments, Is, upon tho whole, satisfac-
tory report in favor Of the new government
We may say, indeed, it is more than simply
his part the Mayor is 50 well satisfied that he
challenges Investigation. He ''begs the citi-
zens to look around the city and observe for
themselves if there has not been marked i'm
provemcnt in its affairs throughout the past
year" In regard to the streets, the public
health, the police, the Gre department. the ad-
ministration Of justice, the public charities
and the general development and prosperity Of
the city. In looking about us as thus re-
quested we are free 10 say that, all things
considered, our new city government has
been aud Is doing very well, and that In all
its departments there is a manifest desire and
purpose to do well. We are sure, too, that in
order to prove great and glorious success it
is only necessary that every department Of the
experimentation, keeping in view the develop
ment Of the city from its great improvements
under way, shall be governed by the resolu
ton Of our worthy Mayor ''that if the city
government cannot absolutely command sue
cess it will do its best to deserve it" II is not
a rerenchment in our general outlay, but city
improvements aud value received for moneys
expended, that the people now desire.
The Treaty OF Washington in Both Houses
Of Parliament.
As we anticipated, the Treaty Of Washing
ton has passed the ordeal of hostile criticism
in the House Of Lords. The debate on the
subject was opened by Earl RusselIs motion
to present an address to the Queen, asking
her Majesty not to ratify the treaty unless
the arbitration be based upon the inter-
national and British laws in force at the time
when the Alabama escaped. This, practically,
would take away all grounds for adjustment
and amount to q rejection of the American
claims. Lord Russelrs ha,angue about Eng
lish prestige is simply absurd. OF all the
Prime Ministers of England he has inflicted
the heaviest blows on English prestige. A
pretty way he had Of keeping mp English pres
tiye by lecturing and bullying almost every
European Power, and being snubbed and
laughed at for his labors by every one in turn.
The Earl of Derbys speech on the treaty is
as significant as IT WAS unexpected. 1t shows
that the tory leader holds his countrys welfare
dearer than the ends of party. II also sets at
rest the suppostion that the tories had
organized an opposition against the ratifica-
ton of the treaty. Earl De Grey's defence
of the Joint High Commission does justice
alike to the English and the American
Commissioners. He secuted the idea that the
English negotix.ors had been frightened into
acquiescence, or that there was any attempt
on either side to overreach the other. Earl
Russell finally withdrew his motion. Now
that all opposition to the treaty has exhausted
itself in the House of Lords we expect every
moment to hear the announcement Of its off,
cial ratification by the English government.
In the House of Commons Mr.. Gladstone
went into explanation about the sixth article
of the treaty concerning prohibition to supply
arms to beligercnts from neutral ports. The
arguments of Mr. Gladstone in favor Of sub
hitting this article to the adoption of Euro
pean Powers carry with them the weight of
equity and sound reasoning.
The Resignation of jules Fnvre.
II has been repeatedly rumored of late that
Jules Favre was on the point Of resgning his
portfolio as Minister OF Foreign Affairs. Il
now appears that the resignation has passed
into the region of fact. The cable announces
that Jules Favre and NJ Valentin, Project of
the Seine, have rendered their designations to