New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-22

would be built now, she Will carry gums OH" .
fac and be better than nothing to represent
the United States in foreign waters.
There appears to be disposition on the part
of the prosecution in the Guiteau case to stretch
Tho trial ont TO an unnecessary length. The
weakness of the testimony for the defence III
support of the theory of insanity, was so par
pable that there is no need OF multiplying eA-
pert evidence to demolish it, much less OF con-
verting the court into symposium lor us,
cussinp the whole science of diseased anu
eccentric brain action and airing al the various
theories of alienists on the subject OF the moran
responsibility of the insane. That Gulleau was
sane and responsible when he shot freslueIt
Garfield is as well established already as 1t
would be if a regiment of doctors were put oh
the witness-stand.
In view of the almost daily reports OF I'M
safe buildings discovered by the inspectors
the question may well be asked whether leRis-
lation should not be adopted to compel Vne
tenants of such structures to quit tne premises
as speedily az possible. A notice served upon
Them that they are in danger is not always
effective. Many carelessly take the risks OF
of moving, and i'll numerous cases the ieSSeeS
carry on manufacturing and employ work
people who have no voice i'll the matter, ano
would have no means of earning living II
they gave up their situations because OF the
condition of the building in which they labor
Because an employer is willing to endangel
his own life pending tardy alterations and re-
pairs of an unsafe building he ought not &c
he allowed to keep those of his wOrkmen ana
woTllwomen in constant peril.
The Virninians are q queer people. ihcy
adopt stringent laws against duelllng, Du'
when the laws are violated they all with one
accord rise up and apologize for the offender,
on the ground that they are gentlemen aho
members of the first families who should moi
be made to suffer for defending their honor
Among the penalties provided by the virginia
statutes for fighting duel or sending chai-
lengc is disability to hold a public Office II
the excitement of the recent political campaign
number of high-tOned gentlemen OF botl
parties incurred that irksOme penalty AS they
all hold Office, or expect to, something hau u
be done for their relief, so bill has beer
passed removing the disability. The whole
nroceedjng is farcical. If anybody deserves
punishment for violating the law, it is the
| iudces. Congressmen and editors who were
| aware of its provisions and knew OF its I'M
port2nce to the welfare of civilized society
| Yet these men are absOlvod from the penalties
| of q statute which some OF them, no doubt
belped to make, and which all woulC
see applied to any obscure offender Withou
| RAISING the slightest objection.
PROMPT action has been taken by the State
and Navy Departments to succor the survivors
| of the Jeanette with money and bring then
home. The talk in Washington about sending
vessel to search for the missing crew Is pre-
mature. The whole of the Siberian coast Is &
mass of ice by this time, and no relief expedl
tion going by water would be able to gel
within q thousand miles of the place where
the boats parted company before next June
All that can now be done is to urge the Rus
sian Government to take measures by cOmmu'
nicatiOn with the tribes east and west OF the
mouth of the Lena TO learn whether the miss
| ing men have reached the shore. Perhaps
naval search expedition can wisely be DIS
patched in the spring, either by way OF th'
| North Cape or by Behring Strait, but the Des
| dependence for the discovery OF the casta"ays
if they are still alive, must be upon the Rus
sians who are very friendly toward the UniteC
| States and will delight in an opportunity t.
! show their humanity and their liking for thu
country at the same time. Three routes arr
| open for the return of Captain DE Long ant
| the party which reached the Lena-eastWarC
| bv sledges to a port on the Sea Of Okhotsk
southwestward by sledges up the Lenato lrkutsl
and thence across Siberia and Russia to st
Petersburg, or from Illutsk down the Amoo
by steamer to its mouth. The winter season
is the most feasible for travelling in Siberia
and the Russian Government maintains com
munication by system of sledge routes ant
stations which will be at the service of ID
Longs party as soon as they are able T.
travel Perhaps they are already on thei
way either to the Okhotsk or to lrkutsk. If Sc
further news may shortly be expected iron