New-York tribune., 1872-12-07

.ecopJ section Of an castward- bound tram
,op,iug M from behind upon the hrst section
,rbos. exnress trains, it will be understood,
o-3 divided into parts or sections, ana lhc
g.. qua was ovcriaken and crashed into by
tho second Five persons were killed and
number were wounded. The theory 0l tho
case is that as The first train was behind tiinc'
il WIS run into by the second one (also ia'e)'
the conductor of which supposed" II was
ont of the way. What right had he to sup
nose anything of the sortf VIII railway man
acer, never learn that all trains should he
run by telegraph, leaving nothing to the sup
position of bclaied conductorSf
One of the grayest questions in connection
with life insurance has been raised by the
action of the Mutual Life Insurance Company
of N,.w-York in reducing its rates OF premium.
Various opinons thereon viii he found on our
second page. Some are disposed to hold that
its action is unjust to its present pohey-
holders; many others, that 1T Is unsafe
for itself as well as unfair to rival and
less strong companies. Certain consulting
actlaries, headed by the well known Ellzur
Wright. enter vigorous protest against the
general policy, asserting that it is the virtual
abandonment of those cardinal principles OF
security and equity upon which the claims OF
the Company to the confidence of policy
holders and the community have rested On
the other hand the Company vigorously de-
fends its action, makes what seems the fairest
proposals 20 old or present policy-hoders. aud
oh
every one of its outstanding contracts. In
any ease there can be 10 doubt of the serious
nature Of the problems involved in this action
3f the Mutual Iife, and of the crave attention
/ they demand from the whole body of the life
Asuling public.
| The letter of Carl Schurz to the Chairman
o. the Democratic caucus, concerning the
desire of the Democratic Senators, i'll cOnse-
! qucncc of his exclusion from the list OF Re-
/ publican Senators on the Foreign Relations
/ Committee, to which he has heretofore
/ belonged that he should take the place
on that Committee hitherto awarded to
Il Democratic Senator, furnishes an adj
mirable statement Of a political position
which cannot but grow in favor with all right
thinking men. Says Carl Schur, referring to
the principles which with the exception OF
RevcnUe RefOrm) were embodied iii the Gin
ciunati platform, "FOr the realization of the
principles laid down, and the measures OF policy
" advocated in that platform, shall faithfully
work without permitting myself To he
/ " diverted by other considerations II the
" Administration does anything to promote
those ends. | shall then support II. In
'whatevcr the Administration may he
in the opposite direction, shall
earnestly oppose it. l sball, thOrc-
fore. not make opposition to the Adj
ministratnn under any and all circum-
Stances nor support it under any and all cir
! cunStanccs, but in such support, as well as
'such opposition. be governed by my sense of
duty. without considering myself bound by
"pary interests" II any Republican can
( formulate a souudcr position for Republican
/ senator 10 occupy, We should be glad to see it.
The situation IN France gives reason for
grave apprehcnsions. The committee for
which the Government asked as a means of
/, withdrawing the consideration of the corstitu-
( tional questions from the reactiOnary commit
tee on the address, is reactiOnary AZ its
predecessor. II is asserted that the Commit
I zee OF lNlftN VIII, Dy ItS ItcOnlmcnudl loIsj
endeayor in every way to circumscrbe the
power of the Government. The Ministers are
to be absolutely responsible to the Assembly,
and the President, after being deprived of the
right to appear in the tribune, is only to be
compensated by limited right TO the veto.
I'm their anxiety TO retain the power To which
they have no legal right the Conservatives
are scarcely willing TO agree to a partial re-
newai of the Assembly once in every year or
two. Our dispatches this morning contain
some cOnjecturss Oh the probable course of the
Government in case the Committee is able to
effect its purposes; but it is scarcely neces-
sary to say that, even ut the scene of conflict,
ii is impossible to form all opinion on this
point which is at all justified by circumstances.
At this juncture the greatest moderation is
shown 10y the Extreme Left, which has de-
cided not to move for the dissolution of the
Assembly until tho Right has been brought to
its senses by the pressure of public opinion.
/ From the number OF petitions that are pour
ing iut0 the Assembly it may be imagined
! that the members of the Right will need all
their courage in adhcrng 10 their effort to
retain the power which they have clutched
with so much avidity.
Z