New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-05-11

present unable to give. Perhaps the circum-
stance that the Government did not honestly
appeal to the generosity of the people ac-
counts for their remissness on this OCCASION
No one doubts that the war is extremely popu-
lar, and that the Russians will contribute 10
the comfort of their own troops as Literally aS
they did for the relief of the Servians
A light seems breaking at last through the
chaos of the new code in which the LeslSla-
tme has involved the State. The conference
committees of the two houses have agreed
mon Sent. | as the date to which the oper-
alton of the new code ought to be deferred
and have also agreed that the amendments
shall be passed TO go into effect on the same
date. This report the Senate has adopted ana
the conspicuous opponents of the code IN the
Assembly are said to favor. The Legislature
will do well to remember the general disgust
lis laundering in this matter has aroused ana
do as much as possible to remove 1t by prompt
and discreet action now.
Common sense and buster are strangely
c0nfoundcd in the speeches on MIR. GladstoneS
resolutions i'm the British House of Commons.
The Government has declared that it will de
fend the Suez Canal guard Egypt and main
tain the freedom of the BosphOrus. None
of these being mcnaccd, prudence would
dictate mder language than that of Mr. Chap
lin, who would "sweep the Mediterranean
to prevent Russia from barring the road to
India. On the other hand, Mr.. Courtney, the
new Radical member, proposed to join Russia
in Remembering Turkey. Amid these con-
Gictng opinions it is quite probable the House
will, as clearly as it can, disavow Mr.. Glad
stones policy and at the same time instruct
Lord Boaconsfeld to wait orders.
Fighting was renewed on the Danube yes
tcrday al Ghiacet The COssacks for the first
time crossed the river. and attacked the IT.
regular troops stationed at this point. which
is opposite Galatz. The affair was probably
indecisive, as must be all the fighting in that
quarter, the Turks having resolved to eyacuate
the D0bIudja and form their first line OF de-
tense at the railway extending from Cerna-
yoda on the Danube to Kustendjc on the
Black Sea. This will be subsidiary TO the
fua stand within the precincts of the quad
rangle formed by Rustchuk and Silistna on
the north and Shumla and Varna on the
south. This is the best strategy Abdul Kerim
could adopt, since il is not possible for HIM to
defend the full length of the Danube. The
position may however, be turned by force
landing above Rustchuk and advancing thence
Oh Shumla. That the Turks are i'll at ease may
be Judged from their having decided to
strengthen the dcfenses at COnstantinOple.
The bill establishing q Board of Railroad
and Telegraph Commissioners has been or
dcrod to a third reading in the Assembly, bat
the la 2ness of the session doubtless pTccludes
the hope of its final enactment, especially in
view of the fact that the Senate has a har-
denod Railroad Committee. Some of the argu-
ments used against the bill are worth noting,
however as illustrations of the pTctcXts with
which some o. our representatives, think they
can bcguilc their cOpotitue It's. Mr. Ecclesine, for
instance. thought the railroads understood
their interests best, and " as they had opposed
cit, they surely would not be benefited" Mr..
Ecclesine has never heard apparently of that
important entity, Che travelling public, and has
never had any reason TO suppose that there
are reforms which the travelling public would
be likely 70 seek with greater zeal than the
railroads. When logic OF this sort was backed
up by MIR SDinola's rant, it is a matter for
surprise that the bill not passed at once.
Mr. Woodn's vindcatiou by the Senate was
n foregone conclusion. The charge came indi-
Tectly from those who werc found to be unwll
inc. at the time, to Substantive it. Both Mr..
Tweed and Nh Fairchild refused to follow up
the charge which MIR. John Kelly says he got
from ore 10y way Of the other, and the Commit
tee being unable TO obtain any evidence show
ing vcnality on Mr. WOOdin's part, have very
properly reported that the charges have ." in
"noparticular been sustained" Their additional
declaration that "thc testimony allirmatvcly
"disprovcs the charges and " establishes that
"thcy are entirely without foundation" or, in
other words, that they cannot hereafter he
shown TO be true, is a curious one to make
respecting almost any accusation Of this kind,
and is little less than extraordinary in view Of
the fact that the public is waiting for Tweed's
evidence to know just what the charge i, II
there is any, and just what proof there 10 TO
support il. While the uuanimity of Mr.
Wuodns justification and the cOrdiahty of
his Democratic colleagues must be gratifying
to him, he surely cannot mistake the shadow
of an acquttal for its substance. The Senate
could take no other action with respect to
brother Senator upon the testimony adduccd,
but the public, knowing many things 10 which
Senators must be officially blind, will wait
until the real trial of the charge before pro-
nouncing its verdict, one way or the other