New-York tribune., 1876-11-24
by no means sacred in Louisiana, either before
or after the votes have been cast.

| by no means sacred in Louisiana, either before
or after the votes have been cast.
Since the Crimean war Turkey has acquired
a formidable iron-clad fleet, which would rem
der it difficult for the Russians to repeat
massacre like that at SinOpe in 1853, when
they destroyed 10 Turkish vessels, causing q
| loss of 1000 lives. Russia has even deemed
it prudent to place torpedOes in 1.-THE Black Sea
ports, so that her irOn-clads may be at liberty
| to watch those which the Sultan has anchored
before his palace at ConstantinOple. The en-
gineering skill of Gen. TOdleben, the defender
of SevastOpO, will be valuable to Russia iii
this exigency. Already he has rendered Odessa
comparatively secure.
Perhaps the most interesting of Gen. Sher-
mans recommendations III his annual report
is that for the erection of the Military Acade-
my at West Point into a separate department,
so that the students may learn from actual
experience in this military microcosm the
whole routine of a great department. This
may look like playing soldier" but the stu
dents, when they have cOmmandant VINO
can not only order courts-martial, but can de-
eide upon their findings, and can exercise all
the powers not expressly delegated by the
articles of war to the President and Secretary
of War. are likely to conclude that it is a
pretty serious business even to learn how to
make war;
We hope it is only necessary to call the at
tention of the Police Commissioners to the
sale in various public places of pools on the
billiard matches to secure the suppression OF
this iniquity. The pools and the billiard
matches are alike devices for swindling and
ought to be suppressed under the gambling
act Billiard matches of the sort now playing
are prearranged combinations of professional
players and table manufacturers, having three
objects in view; first, to advertise particular
make of billiard table; second, to secure rs
much money as possible as admittance fees to
the exhibition and third, to enable those who
have been secretly informed who is to be per-
mitted to win to buy pools and make bets
without risk. POol-selling is form of gain
bling of the most debasing character but for
some mysterious reason the authorities of tins
city tolerate it in all its shameless publicity.
Ex-Vice- President Colfax revives in another
column the history of precedent which Is oi
interest and importance In its application TO
the question of eligibility now so much dis
cussed. Ii is the well-known case OF John
Young Brown, nominated for Congress when
still under 25 years of age, but elected with
the understanding that he should not be
sworn in until he had passed the age required
by the Constitution The House was so closely
balanced that the struggle over the Speaker
ship lasted two months. 1t was not until
IoI
Brown became of the required age, and took
the oath. His seat was not contested although
he was not eligible when elected, and although
the control of the House hinged upon one
vote, no objection was raised to his acting
after his disability had been removed. This
disability to use Mr.. Colfax's own words,
was removable by time or the act oil the
"party himself" This precedent, at least,
seems to fit the case of the Vermont and
Oregon postmasters.
The local magnate has yet to arise who has
the courage to treat this matter of the reduc-
ton of laborers' wages to the market rate ms
il ought to be treated. Tammany Hall lost
its great opportunity last year by trying to
disavow responsibility for the reduction in
stead of boldly accepting it and appealing for
support to the substantial classes of the COM
munity THIS year there seems to have been
the same shrinking from the side OF the cues
ton on which there might be perhaps the few
est votes. In May, Mr.. Martin, deeming it part
of his official duty to worry Mr. Green at all
times and all seasons, addressed him letter
as the highest financial officer, &C." asking
lis views in regard to the proposed reduction.
But Mr.. Green had his eye on three different
offices, and his delegations trained for three
different candidates., and any acquiescence in
the policy of reduction was out of the ques-
ton. So he sadly restrained his reciprocal
longing to worry Mr.. Martin, and the letter
was never answered. Now Mr. Martin, being
confronted with charges made by certain we'll
known citizens and taxpayers that the city
has been defraudcd out of the difference be-
tween what the Park Department might have
paid and what it has paid in laborers' wages,
boldly declares that he is glad "to find some
opponent willing to assume the affirmative
% in the question of the reduction of wages"
Which goes to show that the demagogues arc
not all dead yet.
TIE RETURN or TUEED.