New-York tribune., 1874-10-19

Moses, who brought them MAMMA anu qudiiS
to satisfy their hunger.
The return of Miss Charlotte Cushman to the stage
is fuller of interest than any mere dramatic event
can be. She is the only representative now remain
ing of great and noble school of art which has
passed away and left nothing yet prepared to take
its place. Her mental and physical powers have
been so wonderfully preserved that those who see
her in Queen Catharine have as clear an idea as
their fathers had of the best tragic acting half
century ago. and those who witness her Meg Mer-
rifles need no other illustration of that magnificent
kind Of melodramatic acting which has now gone
out of fashion. We have no right to speak but with
the greatest of the great ragedians personal
merits But,those who go to Booths Theater during
the coming weeks will talk to those who come after
them of the pleasure they had in seeing, in her
glorious old age, a woman who will always remain
an honored tradition of the stage, which she illu-
mined with the equal splendor of her genius aud
her virtues.
Though Gen. Buffers bitterest enemy never ac-
cused him of modeSty, some of his best friends have
tried to credit him of late with disposition so re-
tiring AS to induce him to withdraw from public life
al tho end of another term. But the precedent of
his pertinacty is against it, well as the precedent
of pervrrsty and foolishness among his Republican
opponents Moreover. the General does not talk like
man who is prOnouncing his ante-mortem obituary.
In his speech to the Convention he said: Il have
many warm and faithful friends, whom shall be
glad to serve IN any way can whenever it is con-
sistent with the public service" This was heard
and frantically applauded by collectors and asses
sors and special agents and clerks, SimmOnses in
bud and Smmonses in bloom, aud looks like another
campaign for something
A letter signed "Peat-Fuel Company" calls our
attention to an old note from Mr.. Greeley saying
that he was tired Of hearing Of peat machines, and
would rather hear of peat fuel; when the first hun
dred tons came to this city for sale be wanted to be
informed of it, The Peat-Fuel Company say that 1t
has come and that it enters the market in cOmpeti
tion with the most expensive Goals whereupon they
solicit our investigation All we have to say at pres
ent is, that company which gives no signs of its
existence in the newspapers or In the City Directory
and which is so unbusness like to send a letter
without date other clue to its local habitation,
does not to to have yet started on the most
certain method of suppantng coal in the NewYork
market, desirable as that cOnsummation might be.
The following official announcement may reason
ably be supposed to have created something like
CONSERVATION In straitened households, though of
course the great public heard nothing of the incon
venience which resulted from it:
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJ. GENERALS OFFICE.
49, WASHINGTON, July 70, 1874
There will be payments made by the Freedmens
Branch of this office before the lst day Of September
1874 the disbursng officer being on leave OF absence.
We do not object to reasonable leave of absence
for public officers but if the business of every bu-
reau and department comes to a full stop whenever
its chief is away, it seems to us the Government ma
chinery at Washington must be immOyable for
about six mouths i'll the year.
The dreadful freshet at Haydenville, Mass, has
had quickening effect upon at least one Hayden
villains conscience for he has just returned to
widow of that town an old half-bushel measure
which he borrowed of her husband sixteen years
ago. What must have been the feelings of that poor
sinner when the Last Day seemed to be at hand
when Judgment threatened him with that half
bushel weighing heavily upon his soul! Perhaps he
wickedly wished it a large tub IN which he might
defantly float in safety At any rate he was scared
into restitution as aforesaid; and glad the widow
was to get the bushel for a souvenir, 1t being the
only thing of her own or her husbands which was
not washed away.
The Union League did wisely in adopting its
earnest resolutions in favor of the Constitutional
Amendments; and its action derives especial weight
from the nOnpartisan attitude of the Club. We be-
leve both the candidates favor the amendments;
and at any rate there can be no doubt of their
adoption If only sufficient interest be aroused TO
secure full vote on the subject. Three of these
amendments we regard of special value, those
checking special legislation. providing decent pay
for legislators and stopping the waste Of the States
money on the lateral canals. viii not the press
bring them more generally than has yet been done
to the attention Of votersi
eWhenever wo hear Of the Baroness Burdett
Coutts we hear some good of her. Her last bit of
benevolence has been to institute Donkey Show
at Torqusy. the object being to promote the virtues
Of patience and moderation in tho bosoms of tho
donkey drivers. II the animal ever can thrill with