New-York tribune., 1872-08-01
The Court very properly decided that Barnard
was on trial-not his victim.


was on trial-nOt bis victim.
Our correspondent with the Hassler expe-
dition, whose letter is published to-day, writes
that the work of surveying the route from
Panama to San Francisco has just begun.
The deep-sea dredging, with all its interest
ing results has been brought to a close; but
the scientific party will remain by the vessel
for the present, and readers of THE TRIBUNE
may expect further information from this i'm
portant field of exploration.
Senator James OBrien, who, as is already
well-known. is actively intriguing in the Grant
interest, has come out for q straight Demo-
cratic nomination. The Apollo Hall Democ-
racy, at their stormy meeting, last night gave
Mr. 0'Brien an opportunity to show where MS
sympathies were; of course, they could only
be with any organization which threatens the
Liberals. He came out strong for the ancient
Democracy, pure and unadulterated, and de-
clared that Apollo Hall was not yet ready to
sell ont to either Grant or Greeley. Overtures
from Tammany Hall were rejected, ana gen.
eral spirit of malcOntent was eyinced.
1t is difficult to get at the real merits OF the
trouble in Pope County, Arkansas. 1t Is evl-
dent, however, that the lawlessness is chiefly
confined to the officials of the county, the
sheriff and his gang having killed some OF
their prisoners who were charged with rioting.
They defend this outrage by pretending that
there had been an attempt made to retake
them; so they killed them to prevent their
rescued After various suits and crOss-suits,
the opposing parties are now waiting to see
if Gov. Hadley will declare martial law, in
which event the sherif's party will have vir-
tual possession of the county, and their Oppo-
nents will be obliged to fee for their lives.
The only political direction given to this
complex difficulty is in the appearance of
Senator Clayton, who urges proclamation OF
martial law.
To-day the State contest in North Carolina
will be decided. The ticket which is opposed
to the Administration or Carpet-Bag party
was nominated before the Cincinnati Conven-
ton was held, and at time when the shape
which the Liberal movement has now assulneu
could not have been foreseen One conse-
ouence of this is that the Anti-Grant candl-
dates particularly the nominees for congress
in certain districts, do not have the support
they might have expected from the Republi-
cans had the battle been pitched two months
later. 1t will probably be two or three days
before sufficient returns are received to place
the result beyond doubt. The Eastern, or sea-
board counties, which have large negro pop
ulation and are expected to cast Administra-
ton majOrities as they have done heretofore,
will be heard from first. The Central and
Western counties, which are mostly out of the
reach of direct railroad and telegraph cOmmuni-
cation, will be late in forwarding their returns.
Since the war, the State has gone Republican,
except in 1870, when the Democrats carried
the Legislature and elected their candidate for
AttOrney-Ge General by a little less than 5000
majority. Should the power of the Federal
Government and of money carry the State to-
day, the task of carrying it again in Novem-
Der will be none the less difficult.
Gen. Kilpatricks criminal prosecution of the
Editor of The NelC- York Times for libel may
perhaps have q wholesome effect in checking
the flow of scurrilOus SANDER wherewith that
journal has been flooding the campaign. We
should have been better pleased if it
had been first given the opportunity of re-
traction but a person who has been habitually
indulging in reckless and atrOcious Gbels has
the less reason to expect an indulgence which
the gentleman libelled would have had no
excuse for Withholding from a reputable
journal. We thoroughly believe in libel suits;
and if, between this time and next
Saturday, a score of gentlemen in this
city, having equal or greater wrongs to
endure should seek similar redress, we be-
lieve the, community would be greatly the
gamer. The tendency of the Presidential
campaign to degenerate into wholesale per-
sonal vilifcation would be checked; the news
papers would acquire some sense of response
bility in dealing with mems characters
we should have fewer editors fabricating
monstrous inventions, like the Binghamton
calumny, or making slanderous af1idavits and
then retracting them, like the sweet youth of
Oneonta there might even be a chance of
getting principles discussed, instead of the
latest campaign roorback But libel suits to
be effective should be prompt and fair. In
the present case we hope for a speedy trial
and Just judgment.