Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 12, 1872, Page 4

MBER 12, ] % ,’/_‘ TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE TERNS OF STASCHITION (PATABLE I ADVASCE), = " .00 | Sunday.. Banet ST 00 Sy Parts of & yoer at the sume rzte. To prevent delay and mistalies, bo sure, and give Post Offce zddress In fall, inclnding State and County. Remittances may bo made eitlies by draft, oxpress, Post Ofico order, or in rogistered lettors, at our sisk. 1o ZERIS TO CITE SUBiCRITERS. < d v L, i l, 25 woek. Bafiz deliered; Sond Saemied: 3 cants por vtk Address THE TRIBUNE COMPAXNY, Corner Madison and Dearbara-sts., Chicago, 1l @ TRIMUNE Branch Office, No. 469 Wabash-av., in the Bookstoro of Mesers. Cobb, Andrews & whero advertisements end subscriptions will bo received, and will have ho same attention 23 if left et tho Maln Ofice. CONTENTS OF TO-DAY'S TRIBUNE. FIRST PAGE—Proceedings in Congress—Burning of the Fiith Avenne Hotel—Miscellanoons Washington Ttems—Adrertisements. . SECOND PAGE—Omaha Letter—Important Railway Do- vclopments in Nobraska—Erom Chicago to Denver feomuunication)—Chicago Harbor Improvements— The Kansas United States Seuatorship—Sun Fran- cisco Lotter—Obitasry: Samucl N. Piko—The Life Insuranco Controversy. MHMD PAGE—The Pumphandlo Homicide—3fiscel- Sangons Local Items—A. Bloody Decd: An Old Men Killed with an Infernal Machine—A Fight for Furs General Nows Items—Rallroad Timo Tablo—Ad- vertisements. FOURTH PAGE-Editorials: Tho Boston Maniclpal Eloction; Mr. Banks' Resolution; Raflrond Aid Swindles; Special Legislation—Current News Items. FIFTH PAGE—Railroad News—Tho Winelow The Law Courts—Adsertisements. SISTH PAGE—Monetary and Commerctal—Marino In telligeaco. SEVENTH PAGE—Tho Touisvillo Lottery—China: * 'Celebration of the Marslago of the Emperor— Small Adsertiscments: Real Estate, For Sale, Waated, To Rent, Boarding, Lodins, Etc. LIGETH PAGE—Foreign News—Misccllaneous Telo. grams, TO-DAY’S AMUSEMENTS. ATREN'S THEATRE—Wabash avenue, corner of Con gross streot. Engagemeat of Lawrence Barrott. **Ham- Tet APVICKER'S THEATRE—Madison street, betweon Biureand Dearborn. Engagement of Aiss Jane Coomb. ““ London Assurance.” ACADEMY OF MUSIC— Halsted street, south of adison. The Lydis Thompson Troupg. ** Bluo Beard.” TOOLEY'S OPFRA HOUSE—Randolph street, be- twoon Clask and LaSalle, New Comedy Company. . **Partners for Life.” Operatic Bagatelle. MYERS' OPERA HOUSE—Monroo streot, between State and Dearbora. Arlington, Cotton & Kemblo's linstrel and Burlesquo Troupe. GLOBE THEATRE~Desplaines streat, betweon Madl- Jeon and Waskington. The Leliz Ellis Bullad Opera Com- paass x NIXOX'S AMPHITHEATRE—Clinton streat, hetwoen Dington snd Randolph. Leo Hudson s *“Mazoppa.” BUSINESS NOTICES. BATCRELOR'S HAIR DYE. THIS SPLENDID hzirdye is tue bestin the world. The only true and per- fect dye. Harmless, relisble, and instantaneous; nodisap- iyt Bo idiéulous titits or popleasant odor. Rome- 1l effects of bad dyes and s . Prod: ‘modiately a superb black o naturel brows, and leaves the Deir clenn, soft, and beautiful. The genuire, signed W, Bateholor. by all Sints. CHARLES OTt, Proprietor, N. ¥. TheChicago Cribane, Thursday Morning, December 13, 1872. Mayor Hall has been publicly reproved by the Committes of Seventy for the appointments which, just 2 histerm is at its end, he has made o fill importent vacancies, which he should have left to his successor, under whom these offices Senator Sumner's Oblivion bill, as it is called, wrhich secks to do awey with all the official me- mentoes of our civil war, has roused the ire of & member of the Massachusetts Legislature, who Tas offered in thet body a resolution scolding the Senator for “this attempt to degrade the Joyal goldiery of the nation nnd their grand achievements.” Gambetts, together with Lonis Blanc and eighty-sis other Radicals, has issued a mani- Sesto tn which he demsnds that the Assembly, avhich he called ‘s herd of beasts” in his Grenoble speech, be dissolved, and that a new «clection be held in order to secure an Assembly Aree from the factions that diseble the Versailles Assembly, ond undivided in its support of .Thiers 2nd the Republic. The Cincinnati Gazlle sces s dreadful con- ition of things in the fact that & few of the Greeley Electors cast their votes for Hendricke #he other day,—death heving deprived them of fhe candidate of their choica. The fact that all #ho Republican members of tho North Carolina Legislature voted for Merrimon for United States Senator, and elected bim, hasnot at- fracted the animadversion of thet jonrnal. The Italiens who intrusted themselves to o Pand of emigrant swindlers, who contracted to Zake them to South America but sbandoned them 3 New York in hopeless destitution, are now dying at Castle Garden in & starving cordition. Afost of them do rot know that they are not in ‘Buenos Ayres. Immediatoaction on the part of Secretery Fish in their behalf Las been called fer by the suthorities of New York. The messuremont of grain in thecity elevators vontiames, with results which will undoubtedly yestore confidence to the warehouse business, 50 sericusly shaken by the developments in the FTuan & Scott houses. The rports of the offi- cial examination of the two clevators of Armour, Dole & Co. and thot of Munger, Wheeler & Co £how no diserepancies between the smount of grain In storo and the amount called for by out- Fianding receipts i It is probable that Ion. Bhelby 1L Cullom ~will be the next Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, 1lr. Cullem hes once filled ihat position with credit to himself and to the Ftate. There is probably no member of the House better qualified, by experience and good temper, to discharge the delicato duties of tho Speakership. It meybe added that Ar. Cullom” 33 commendsbly free from the isintof dema- gogism. Commissioner Douglass’ plan for reducing the expenses of the Internal Revenus Burean is meking good way in Congress. It has been ap- proved by the House, and the Sepate Finance Lommitteo yesterday reported the House bill favorably to tho Senate, with amendments, giv- Jng the Commitsioner power to 2bolish the offices of Asscssor and Assistant Assessor, in any dis- frict, at any time he mey think proper before the middle of next year, and suthorizing the appointment of twenty-five additional' agents antil July 1, 1874 i — Mr. Senator Terry, of Michigan, has inter- posed an cbjection in the Seaate to the passage of the bill remitting duties on building mate- xials imported into Boston. He demands thab Inmber ghsll bo stricken from the list of freo exficles. Some other Senator objects to allow- ing imported articles now in werebouse to bo wthdrasn under this act, and upon those two points the old fighp over the Chicego Lill is to be renewed in tho Senate. 1t is to be seen whether puy Boston member will proveso or copsent to except lumber from the list of building mate- rials, Surely no Illinois member will. Governor Lewis, of Alabama, ordered the Bheriff of Montgomery yesterday toseize the Cap- itol in which one of the Legislatures is sitting. When that officer attempted to execute the war- rant on the Senate he was promptly arrested by order of that body, which also directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to call out the militis and resist any interference of the Federal troops, and then adjourned. The Sheriff sought to enter the House with his warrant, but was prevented by the Sergesnt-at-Arms. The Court Houso Legislature also sat yestordsy, and did nothing but add to its numbers another of the defeated candldates. The next House of Representatives will con- sist of 202 members, an increasc of 48 over any provious Congress. In sddition to this, itis announced that there will bo in attendance somo thirty persons claiming seats to which others heve been declared elected. As the contesting of seats has become a matter of business, which the House has encouraged by voting the unsuc- cessful candidate the pay and mileage of a mem- ber, itis possible that even this largo number will be increased before December next. Inad- dition to the pecuniary profit of contesting an election, the House hasof late years, in repeated cases, offered the additional inducement of ox- cluding elected members of the minority party to admit political friends of the majority, thongh it is fair to sey that the Homeo Committeo on Elections have strennously opposed theb im- moral practice. A fecling of uneasiness is provelent smong the leading mercantile houses in the rebuilt wholesalo quarter of the city Iying north of Lake street and east of State street, at tho care- less and unlawful exposuro of kerosene and dangerous inflammeble oils by parties in the trade. Theso are in numerous instances Lept in casks, to the number of o score or more, on wooden sidewalks, or piled in aress surrounded by combastibles. Theso pine eidewalk planks aro st all times saturated by leakages, and it would be the ecasiest of achievements for an incendiary, or even the dropped match of a careless smoker, to start a fire, the end of which it would not be so easy to caleulate. The facts on this subject, presented elsewhereina communication from s merchant, deserve tha eitention of the anthoritics, and instant reform of the practice of which complaint is made. The Slaats-Zeitung bas & savago attack on Mayor Medill, alleging that, in making up tho Committees of the Common Council, ho has ignored the claims of the Germans (to wit.: those of Ald. Schafiner), and has packed the Committces in the interest of the Temperance 2nd Sunday law fanatics. We judge from the general complesion of the Committees that the Mayor made them up with exclusive reference to an honest and economical administration of the City Government, without regard to nation- ality or any otber extraneous ard impertinent consideration. Having this object in view, ho would npaturally overlook the claims of Ald. Schaffner. As regards the Tempersnce and Bundsy laws, wo do not believe that the Mayor has constituted any Committee with special reference to those sub- jeots. It is more probable that they havo been seized upon by the Slaats-Zeitung to give point to its dissatiefaction in the matter of Schaffner. There is 8 hubbub in Iows concerning the ap- pointment of & Pension Agent st DesMoines. The State Register, in its issue of the 8th inst., devotes two columns of its ample space {o the imbroglio. It eppears that Mr. Albert W. Swalm, editor of the Jefferson Bee, was ap- pointed Pension Agent, somo two weeks ago, in place of Stewart Goodrell, deceased; that his commiseion was duly made cut and forwarded, but was intercepted by telegraph before it reached him, and that Mr. B. F. Gue, of DesMoines, has since been appointed. The Register alleges that Senator Harlan caused the change to bo made, because Mr. Swalm Lad opposed his (Harlen's) re-clection. It appears that Mr. Gue also op- posed Mr. Harlan's re-election, though not so exasperatingly 2s Mr. Swalm. The Regisler cites adozen or more nmewspapers, représenting all soxts of factions, to prove that Swalm was cn- titled to the place, and that he has been fonlly dealt with. Instructions wero given to the Touse Judi- ciary Committee, Festerday, to report whether Congress had, under its power to regulate com- merce between the States, any right to interfero |. with extortionate charges for transportation. There was z brief debate on the Bounty Land bill. How this measure would work, one of iia cpponents £aid, might be judged from tho effects of a similar gift by New York to the soldiers of ihe Mexican War. Land warranis wero given these veterans, which they sold for £36,000,000 to land sharks, who, in turn, sold them for $150,000,000, pocketiag the differ- ence at the expense of the actual settlers. If only one-tenth of the 2,000,000 persons entitled to land under this law applied for their scrip in one year, 32,000,000 acres would be thrown on the market 2nd tho result would be, that for war- ranta costing 10 soldiers might get barcly 5. At this point, through the ingenuity of the Pennsylvania membars, the debate was turned to the more vital questions, how large a propor- tion of the Union troops were Republicans, and what was the real character of the Grand Army of tho Republic. Before they were de- cided the morning hour expired. . The Legislature of South Carolina bas eclected one S. C. Patterson to the United States Senate. The rival candidates were R. K. Scott, the pres- ent Governor, and Mr. Elliott, a colored man, at present a momber of Congress. RMr. Patierscn is o Pennsylvaniag, sent down to South Caroiica, by Simon Cameron, and ias amused himself dur- ing his temporary residence there by oxtensive ‘manipulations of State aid voted to railroads. How ho came to be elected may be judged from o statement of the circumstances : Tho Legisla- tuto is composed of 96 colored men, and 64 whites; the last including 81 Opposition. The Republican vote was 126, of which 96 was col- ored. The State is bankrupt. It cannot borrow adollar; cannob pay the interest on the debt; has been compelled to repudiste half the bonds issued and £old last year; has no money in the Treasury, not even enough to pay the ordinary per diem of the members. Mr. Paiterson had an sbundance of money at his command,—much moro then Seott could put up; Eiliott had no money, his capital being his complexion. The impecunious condition of the Tressury was no- torious. Patferson was elected on the first ballot. The rumored offer. o_r the editorship of the New York Tribune to M. Colfax, and its ac- ceptance by him, is more or less discussed by tho newspepers, some of which impute to him extraordinary endowments in the profession of Jjournalism, while others think that he will be merely a figure-head, and that the work on the paper will bs done by more experienced hands. Mr. Colfax has been successful as a politician beyond most of his contemporaries. He has had mo experience that is worth anything 2s an editor, snd he is mot a con- epicuously abla writer, as Mr. Greeley cer- tainly was. But any discussion of his probsble success or failure.as Mr. Greeley's successor is premature. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating thereof. In the republic of news- papers, as in the republic of letters, there is no privileged class. Every man passes for what he is worth, and Mr. Colfax will be no exception from the rule. We apprehend thst the Now York Times will be about the last paper in the country to discover Mr. Colfax's merits after ho shall have entered upon the discharge of his new duties. Meanwhile, he will be cordially wel- comed by all fair-minded journalists to his new field of labor. The Chicago produce markets were rather tamo yosterdsy, with little change in prices, ex- copt in Wheat. Moss pork was quict and easier, at$11.80@11.3715 eash, and £11.875¢@12.00 seller March. TLard was in good demend and firm at $7.10 per 100 1bs cash, and $7.55@7.60 seller March, Meats wero quict and firm, at 83c for part salted shomlders; 53%e for do short xibs; G for do short clear, snd 73§@7e per th for 15 green hams. Highwines were quiet and firm at 8% per gallon. Dressed hogs were dull and easior at 4}¢c per1b. Flour was quict and steady. Wheat was loss active, and averaged 15¢c lower, closing firm, at S1.113 cash, and 81.123¢ scller January. Corn was duoll but fim, 8t XY@ decline, closing at 813¢c cash, and 813¢c seller January. Osts were quiot and easier, at 25@25}c seller the month, and 2534@25Kc seller January. Lye was quict and strong at 2¢c advance, at 61@6134c for No. 2. Barley was stesdy and moro active, at 603 @61e for No. 2; 50@504c for No. 8, and 603¢@61c seller January. Live hogs were ac- tive and closed steady at about the prices cur- rent yesterdsy afternoon, or at $3.70@8.90. Tho cattlo and sheep markeots wero dull, the former at a farther decline of 25¢ por 100 Ibs. The latest operation in the land-grabbing busi- ness is that now pending before the Houseof Representetives. It is a bill entitling every sol- dier, sailor, or the widow or children of any sol- dier or gailor, to enter & half section of land and to sell the certificato of entry to any person who will agreo to settle upon and cultivate the geme. This bill will take, to satisfy all claims under it, 80,000,000 acres of land, or perhaps twice thet amount. The fraud of the bill is in its declared purpose to secure s homestead to the soldiers and eailors. Any soldier or sailor, or a widow, or any child, male or femsle, can enter, now, a homestead of public land, free of cost; but that homestead is not transfer- sble, mor s the title complete, until after a stited pumber of years of occupaney and culfivation. There is, therefore, no sailor, or soldier, or widow, who is debarred by any law from scquiring 8 homestesd st any time. But this bill is not designed fo secure homestends. The public lands aro gradually passing away from the Government, and this bill has for its purpose the securing of the many millfons of acres issued under it to specnlators at a very little cost. The scrip that will be is- sued to the soldiers end sailors and widows and children will have comparatively little valuo. It will bo sabject to all the conditions of the Home- steed law that roguire occupancy and cultive- tion, but it will be assignable. It msy have s value of five, possibly ten, centsan eacro, and persons who want homesteads will mot even pay that wmuch when they can take what land they want free of all cost. But,as an investment st five cents an scre, this serip will offer inducements to capital- ists, who can afford tohold it for twenty years, when land will have become scarce and home- stoadsat & premium. Then theso assignablo certificates issued to goldiers, sailors, and widows, no longer living, will represent millions of acres of land, and be a mine of profit to the men who may hold them. This is the bill which is before Congress, and which is urged as a ‘measure of national gratitude to the defenders of the conntry. It would be infinitely better for the country, and far more profitzble to the soldiers and sailors, to vote a donation of $25 in cash to each of the latter. THE EOSTON MUNICIPAL ELECTION. At the Presidential election in November, tho City of Doston gavo about 6,000 majority for tho regular Republican ticket. At the municipal election on Tucsday last, Mayor Gaston, o Dem- ocrat, was re-clected by $52 majority, at the hoad of the Citizens' ticket, as opposed to Mr. Henry L. Pierce, at tho head of the Republican and People's ticket. Thera is evidently some reason, begond the ordinary causes which influence vot- ers, to account for this oxtraordinery change of votes in one short month. That it wos mot{s change of political sentiment is evident. There has been nothing to effect a” change of political sentiment, and so large s change could not pos- sibly have been effected in 8o short a time. The municipal election in Boston, this year, was felt to be an unusually important one by =21l classes of citizens, Boston, like Chicago, Liad been visited by & dis- tressing calamity, which more than ever made the prosperity of the city dependont upon the ability and wisdom of its rulers. Large busi- ness interests had been paralyzed. inancial operations had been temporarily checked, and the resources of the banks and insurance offices, which were necessary for the rosumption of business, were seriously crippled. A weak or corrupt administration in the face of such cir- cumstances might prove even worse than the fire itsolf, and it was theroforo felt (es after the Chicago fire) that the services of the best and ablest citizens, without regard to politicnl biss, should bo secured. Men wero needed who wers qualified by long experience to give counsel and advica in this unespected emergency. The press, without regard to party, echoed tho popular scntiment, and yet the Custom House managers, with the most obstinate blindness and folly, determined to draw the party lines rigidly whore no party question was involved, and to demand a pledge that not only the nominstions of Aldermen should be made strictly within tho party, bub oven that all municipal appointments should be madeupon the sume political basis. Tha only question at issue in the canvass was the restora- tion of the prosperity of he city and there- sumption of its business, which had boon checked by the fira; Every citizen folt an inferest in this issue. as they were sharing alike the depression caused by the suspension of trade, and yet the party mansgers obstinately and wilfully ignored the popular feeling, and rigidly spplied the party tests ag if some clearly-defined National quos- tion were pending. The nomination for the office of Mayor was offered successively to sov- eral gentlemen, who successively daclined. At last, the nomination was offered to Mr. Pierce, whose gbility no one questioned, whereupon M. Pierce wrote a manly letter to the managers, offering to accept the nomination provided thab he was not run apon an exclusively party ticket, and could be sllowed to call sbout him- self mon of unquestioned ability to help frame and execute thelaws. The Republican managers declined to do 8o, and went withouta candidate until three days before the election, when thoy reluctantly assented to AMr. Pierce's roquest. It was then too late. They had lost their prestige. They had bungled the canvass beyond all hope of success, and the barnacles reaped the barvest of their folly in the election of a ticket, headed by a man whose administra- tion had been inefficient, though respectables even before the crisis caused by the fire. There is undoubtedly s Republican majority in Boston. There was undoubtedly a msjor- ity in the city who were disatisfied with Mayor Gaston, and were eager for s change, and for the eléction of city officers who would prove themselves equal to the emer- gency. The action of the Custom House fac- tion, however, conclusively proved that, if their ticket should be elected, thers was little hope of apy improvementin the City Government, or that it would do anything unselfishly and for the ‘popular good, and the people turned round and voted them down. It is to be presumed that the Custom House mansgers in Bos- ton have now discoversd their mistake, and the =dditional fact that there fF some intelligence and virtue outside of the offices they fill, and, unless theyhave remarkably thick skins, they will appreciste this rebuke of the people and learn the lesson it conveys, Virtue and intelligence are fortunately not con- fined to ono political clique, and there aro occa- sions when both virtue and brains are needed in the administration, and there is no occasion for tho uge of the late War of the Rebellion or the abolition of Blavery as helps in the sdministra- tion of municipal government. ME. BANXS’ RESOLUTION. The resolution which Mr. Danks offered in the House, on Mondsy, includos four distinct propo- sitions : 1. That the salary of tho Prosident shall be fixed -at $50,000 per annum, commencing in March, 1673. 2. That the term of the President and Vice Pregident shall be six years instead of four. 8. That the President shall bo ineligible for re- election. 4. That tho President and Vico President shall be elected by the people at the same time the Con gressmen are elected. The first of theso propositions requires no Constitutional amendment, as the Constitution leaves it to Congress to fix the componaation of the President, stipulating only that it shall not ‘be increased nor diminished for the term which the President is serving. Mr. Banks' resolution avoids this by fixing the date of the now compensation at the beginning of onew Presidential term. Thoro has been & growing eentiment in the country favorable to an inereaso of the President's pay. The argu- ment is, that tho present compensation is insuf- ficient to provide for the necessary outlsy in maintaining the establishment of the Chief- Executive, with its incidental courtesies and entertainments. At the time when $25,000 was fixod as the annual compensation, that sum was equivalent in what it would buy to the sum of at Jeast $50,000 ot the prosent time, and perhops 100,000, It is probablo that the pride of the American people will indorse the change of salary which Mr. Banks hss proposed. The other propositions are more serious, as involving Constitutional amendments. However much they mey recommend themselves, the damgers incident to the practice of amending the Conmstitution will go far toward delsying their adoption. The change in the length of the Presidential term from four yeurs to six years is, in itsclf, comparatively finimportmt, and will become more o if the principles of Civil Bervice Re- form shall ever be practically and uniformly en- forced. There would bono object in changing the length of the term unless it were combined with the ineligibility of the President for re- clection. In this case, there might bo argu- ments in favor of if, such as diminishing the frequency of clections, and giving a more nni- form and steady policy to the Government in reference to foreign affairs. There are obvious reasons why it would be better to determine the principle of the ineligibility of fhe President for a second term of office. Experience hag un- questionably taught thet the temptations to use the p tronage and influence of the Presidential offico for securing a second term have been irresistible ot times. The opportunities for doing this sre usbounded. Un- dor the present system, we can only rely upon theindividuel honor of any Presi- dent not to direct his administration with & view to re-election, and evon @ reasonsbly honorable ‘man, as the world goes, might deccive himsclf in this respect. Mr. Greeley held that one of the chief elements of Civil Service Reform was the one-termprinciple, as tho only means to take awsy the temptation to abuse the appointing power. The fourth proposition of Mr. Banks' resolu- tion is more important in its bearings then all tho others. If it meant simply that the day of voting for President should be the seme as that on which the people vote for Congressmen, Con- gress could, and perhaps should, maske the change. This alone would not require a Constitutional amendment, as the duty of fixing the time for choosing Presidential Electors is loft to Congress by the Constitution. But the resolution, &8 reported, to indicato n change from the custom of choosing Electors who shall elect the Pres- ident to that of tho direct popular vote. If this ig construed to mean that the popular majority inthe entire voteof the United States shall elect the President, there are grave objections toit. Buch acourse would sover one of the last links to the independencs of the States contem- plated by our Federal system, and would tend to increase the present dangers of centralization. It would salso render election frauds more dan- gerous, and less subject to control than they aromow. A proposition todo away with tho Electorsl Colloge as 2 superfuity, and as subject to serious abuses, buf to retain the practice of electing the Prosident by o majority of the votes of Btates, tobe determined by s direct vote in every Btate, would have more points to recom- scems mendit. The danger of the Electoral College voting in opposition to the votes of the people is always present. It would have been most likely to arise in the case supposed by the New York World, in which Mr. Greeley was as- sumed to have received a small mejority of the Btates. Had he died under these circumstances, it is probable that there would have been such differonces among the Liberal Electors 28 to se- cure General Grant's re-election, though tho people had voted agaiost him. It is significant that the newspaper press of the country is discussing these various proposi- tions without regard to party alliance. The Staals-Zeitung, of this city, indorses Mr. Bonks® resolution regarding the President’s six-years’ term, and ineligibility to ro-clection. It assigns 25 arenson why action should be taken now, that it is impossible to foretell the relative posi- tion of parties four years henee, or who will be the candidates, so that no favoritism could be alleged as the moving cause of the change. EAILBOAD ATD SWINDLES. We have repeatedly referred to the conse- quences to the municipalities concerned result~ ing from voting aid to railrond corporations, Tn the Towa cases, and inthe Wisconsin ecases, ‘where aid was voted under State laws, and those laws had been upheld by the Stato Courisas constitational, the Supreme Court of the United States has laid down the doctrine that it will not reverso an interprotation of the State Constitu- tion by the Supreme Court of such State. ‘Wherever such bonds were issued, sanctioned at the time by the concurrent action of the Legis- lature and Judiciary of the State, the Federal Court has held that the boads are a valid debt, to enforce payment of which tho holderis en- titled to all legal remedics. A new question has been raised of late in the case of some bonds voted by the City of Milwau- kee. The Legislature of Wisconsin, in 1853, suthorized Milwaukee by populer vote to issue bonds in gid of railronds. Subsequent to the passage of this set, the Milwaukeo & Superior Railroad Company and the Millwaukee & Beloit Railroad Company were incorporated. They had no existence at the time of the passage of the nct of the Legislature. In 1856, the City of Mil- wankee voted $100,000 of city bonds to each of these Compenies. No work wag ever attempted on cither road, the whole thing was o fraud, and tho managers, aftor getting the bonds, sold them and were heard of no more. The city nover psid any interest on thebonds. As all questions upon the merits had been decided in other cases; the defence made in a suit ageinst the city upon theinterest couponsof these bonda was,that the city had no authority under theactof the Legislature to issme bonds in aid of say railroad company not in existence at the time of tho passago of the act. That defoncowas held to bo good by the United Btates District Court, but the Supreme Court, on Monday last, over- ruled this defence, and held that the anthority given by the act was general, and covered theso subscriptions. These bonds now, with the accnmulated inter- est, amount to $100,000, for which tho city never received the least consideration. It is but an- other in the long list of instances where these subscriptions have become & terrible burden upon the people who 50 inconsideratély made them. Itissvery easy thing for one class of men to vote mortgages upon other people’s prop- erty, and the full measnre of the wrongis felt when tho tax-gatherer ceizes the mortgoged property to pay the interest, or the Sheriff pro- ceeds to sell it to psy an execution forthe prin- cipal. BPECTAL LEGISLATION. In angwer to a correspondent, the Nation de- scribos the English system of dealing with what is called in England * Private Bill Legislation,” and what wo name “Special Logislation.” It first points out the eacrifice that the English Parliament hss made voluntarily of special privileges. Tirat it gave up the franking priv- ilege for the purpose of cheapening postage; then it gave up the right of members to exerciso sny influenco on tho sppointing and remov- ing power; and, finally, it sarrendered the privilege of sitting as judge oOf the election of its own members. These contessions attest the progressive epirit of the English legislators, and an individual pre- disposition for reform which does not exist, as a whole, in the American Congress. This spirit accounts equally for the more even justice of spocial legislation. The process by which such legislation is determined is for the applicant to draw his ovwn bill, setting forth its object and extent fully in & presmble. Parliament hasa *¢ Court of locus sfandi,” to which these bills are referred. This Committee makes up other com- ‘mittoes, referring the privato bills to them in groups of four or five each ; but no member who is interested, or whose constituency is interested, favorably or unfavorably, in any bill is competent toserve. Then comes a trial before the Commit- tee, whoso award, if favorable, cannot exceed the ecope of the petitioner’s preamble. The unanimous report of a Committee is nsually ne- cepted as final, but, if the bill be opposed, & ‘member demanding a vote, a day is assigned by the Speeker, and it is madoe o part of the order of business for that day. No member can plead ignorance of the day, as a “paper,” showing the order, is delivered to the members at their resi- dence overy morning. Some such protection as that afforded by the last-named custom js con- templated in the amendment to the rules of our ‘Honso of Reprosentatives, proposed last week by Mr. McCrary, which provides that it shall not ba in order to suspend the rules, and pass any bill or resolution, without at least three days' notice, which shall be printed and laid on each mem- ber's desk. The Nation givesits information with reference to the Pennsylvania Constitu- tional Convention, evidently intending that the Intter body ‘chall imitate the English systom to some extent. But the Nalion is mistaken when it says that the only protection e havo now is in the provision in some Stato Constitutions re~ quiring private acts to be confined to one object which sliall be stated in the title. The best pro- tection is that which is found in the Constitution of Tllinois, expressly prohibiting all special leg- islation. This is what the Pennsylvania Con- vention should imitate, E AND GEANTS AND LAND REFORM. The Secrotary of the Land Reform Associa- tion recently addrossed a letter to es-Governor Hawley, of Connecticut, upon the subject of granting lands to railroads, expressing the hope that he would be found opposed to the squan- dering policy which has heen pursued by Con- gresa. Inreply, Governor Hawloy has declared himself in entire sympathy with thoobjects of the Land Reform Association and opposed to any further land grants to railroads, end an- nounces his intention to take this position: dur- ing the coming session of Congress. The public at large, excepting that class en- gaged in land-grabbing, will applaud Governor Hawley's letter. This wholesale granting of lands to every company which comes in and asks for thom, isnot only creating land monopo- lies, but is involving the country in the dangers of a financial crisis by locking up vast amounts of capital in unproductive enterprises. Tho remedy for this evil is suggested very concisely by Govermor Hawley: “I am utterly opposed to farther land grants to rail- roada ; I would not grant another acra.” That is the heroic remedy for choking off these corporations, and it can be spplied without in- justice to any one. As long as rosds were con- structed in the interests of poor men, there was sufficient reason for land grants, but the grant- ing of lands now is in thoe direct interest of huge monopolies and speculative enterprises, which ore simply plundering the Gov- ernment and despoiling the people to enrich themselves, without conferring any substantial benefit in return. Wo have gone too fast in building railronds, and it is now time to stop. ‘We have more railroads through unsettled terri- tory than there will be any use for in & dozen years to come. More landa bavo been opened up than can bo settled in ten years. The crops which are raised on the lands already settled are larger than can be sold at & profit. There is no good and substantial reason why another acre of Isnd should be given away to s railrond corporation. When the railroads of the country become unable to conduct its exchanges, and the supply of land shows signs of failure to meet the demands of settlers, then it will be time to tallk about building more railroads In the prairie-dog country. Under any other cir- cumstances a land grant is simply & gift with~ out equivalent, & useless and wanton waste of the people's property, either for corruption or to increase the power -of a grinding mo- nopoly. It is very comforting, from a potriotic point of view, to " be assured hy Congressional grandiloquence that Westward the Star of Empire takes 1ty wzoy. that this aland of progress and development; {. and that all the world is flocking to our stores-s to populate the great West and Bouthwest, but just at present wo have got more lands opened ap then gettlers to occupy them, snd more rail- roads than there is any use for, o that the Star offEmpire can afford to halt awhile until popu- Intion catches up with it, and Congressmen can sfford to adopt Governor Hawley's determiva~ tion not to give another acre to a railroad cor- poration; and thus choke them all off at once. The Chinese residents of Ban Francisco re- cently became disgusted at the slow procees of Americen justice, and, imitating the summary procedure of Yen, the upright Judge of Hang Yang, in the Province of Hupeh, took the law into their own hands. A Chinaman, who was accused of stealing money, wed taken by them and tried for the crime, found guilty and wes deliborately thrown into the buy, the Judge attending to see that his sentence was carried out properly, and to prevent the issuing of any writs of supersedeas. A boatman cruising in that vicinity rescued the wretched thief, and now the authorities have arrested the thief, the Judge, lawyers, and witnesses, put them all in prison, and there will be & new trial all round. Barring the soverity of the punishment, there was eomething very cheering in this edministration of Chinese justice, and it is to b sincerely hoped that the trial of the Celestinls,—whatever result it may have upon them,—will impress the Occidental Court with a sense of the blessings of prompt- ness, enterprise, and energy of Oriental forma of procedure. If Chinamen, with the lax mo- tions of morality that pervade their minds, are disgusted at the lameness of our justice, what must be the opinion of Americans? The punishment of the Chinege thief was aun out- rageous one ; but there is a valuable hint never- thelees in the action of the Court which tried him, —_— An important religions question has arigen in Switzerland, growing ot of the relations of the ecclesiastical and civil powers. The Council of State of Neufchatel hag proposed the separation of Church and Btate, but the Committee to whom the proposition was referred hes found extreme difficulty, and an apparent impossibility, in adopting the measure, owing to the tempo- ralities of the Church. Mesuwhile, the Bwiss Society of Liberal Catholics, which has for its aim the establishment of 0ld Catholic com- munities, opposition to the dogma of Infallibili- ty, the inauguration of public lectures, the cir- culation of enlightening works, snd the securing of o thorough scientific education for Catholic students of theology, is steadily working to effect tho separation proposedin the Council. The tomporalities of the Church possessa total value of 1,950,000 francs, with arevenue of 80,000 francs, while the State expends annually from 50,000 to 60,000 francs on the public worship budget. - ALicutenant in the Spanish navyhas published a new thoory of cyclones, which is, at least, & very plausible one. He founds his reasoning on the hypothesia that & zone of air, saturated with vapor and compressed by two opposite forces, ac~ quires a power of resistance peculiar to solid bodies, and may, therefore, be madetorevolvelike & disk. He applies thishypothesis tothetyphoons of tho Chineso Sea, end shows what is universal- Iy known, that there is & northeast trade wind, and @ southwest monsoon, snd that between these two winds thereexists in the Pacific azone of calms which shifts its position i accordance with the prevailing wind,—that is, always on the gide of the wenker one. Now, if these winds be obliquo to each other and mnequal, the zone will revolve, and, as it finds no obatacle tostop it, it will algo be shifted more or less horizontal- 1y, which is the exact motion of cyclones. The removal of tests at the Englich Universi- ties having led to Nonconformists sending their soms to Cambridge in increased numbers, the Congregationalists, as & body, have determined to erect a largo and imposing church which shall be worthy of the sect and the buildings of the University among which it will be placed. The cost of the church, which has been sub- scribed by the leading Nonconformists of Eng- land, will be about $100,600. Considerable op- position was menifested to the work at the ont- set, but it finally yielded, and the foundations of the church were Isid a few weeks since -di- rectly opposite Pembroke College. There is great rejoicing in England over wheb is con- sidered 0s & decided triunph of religious pro- gress. —— The Philadelphia Common Council has just been investigating & case of alleged bribery and corruption, whercin a wooden pavement is con- corned, and has bcen unable to come foany conclusion. It is not the first time" that a Com- mon Council has been puzzled to find out where the corruption comes in relative to Wwooden pavements. Thero is nothing which can screen corruption from the public view as thoronghly as a wooden pavement, unless it be a gasor horse-railway ordinance. Corruption of this kind cen ride over tho people o8 essily as the people can ride over the pavement. —— The Supreme Courb. of California recently rendered an opinion in a case tonching the ad- mussibility.of Chingse evidence against & white man. Tho defendant, a white man, was indicted {for the crime of assault with intent to commit murder, alleged to have been committed upon one Sam Wah, & native and subject of the Em- pire of China, On the trial, the said_Sam Wah was celled a8 & witness on the part of the people, and the defendant having been convicted, rosecuted an appeal. Tke Supreme Court mrely reiterated its decision in 8 previous cage, ast tho statute of the Blate forbidding any Jongolian or Chinese to givo evidence in favoof, Or sgainst, 5 white man wea not repugnant t the Fourteenth Amendment of tho Constitutin of the United States, and therefore remaded the causo for & mew trisl This species of injustice, howeer, cannot last long. The nw codes recently passed by tho TLegialaturo ofCalifornia abolish all distinctions - in reference t the color, nationality, snd race ;. of witnesses, wnd will be in full force on the:" 1st of January next, g0 thst after Now Year's® Day Chinamen can testify against white xobbers - and murderers, WALL STREET, Review of the Money, Bond, Gold, Stock, and Produce Marketse Special Despach to The Chicago Tribune. New Yozrg, Dec.11.—The stock market was - generally firm to-day, with activity and fuctuse, tions in & few ghares. Pacific Maul was the most active in the list, owing, it is said, to the cover- ing of ehort contracts more thau to any organ- ized *bull” movement. Hannibal & St. Joseph. common was the nest featuro, opening at 4, declining to 41, and Iote in the day sdvancing to: 4736. The preferred stock advanced from 6634 t&° 693 -on small transactions. Western Union . was active in the morning at an advance from 77X to 79. Wabash was firm, and advanced: from 70 to7i4. Boston, Hartford, and Erie advanced from 834 to 93. Tho balance of tho market was dull and firm. There seems fobe little short interest in the market, aud but few stocks are_loaning below the rogular rates for money. Commission brokers,generally, are car-. rying liberal lines of stocks for customers, who have “fortified” against “the January rise,” which is always expected but sometimes faila.; The u&;wnrd ‘movement oW going On seems to; bounder the special patronage of the smaller) class of speculators. Large and prominent operstors are sppareatly indifferent spectators| on the Stock Exchange at present, The movest ment in Western Union is by & pool, Which does 3 Dot include the managers of the company, who sppoor to have mo sympattyy with it, they il believing Congress will take some action calcus’ Iated to smpair the value of the property. : ‘The money market was activo and close, Bore rowers on call paid from7 per centto 1-83 - Primo discounts are dull in the presont condi tion of the call loan market. Tha guotation faf prime bills remains at 10@12. . GOLD P wag firmer, and advanced from 112% to 1137, On the increased firmness of foreign exchanges the bulk of the business was dons at 1133, Of the recent decline in gold, the Herald ‘money article says : The sales of long gold by parties who forsce the ine evitable consequenco of & hesvy reduction in the ime the coming season, owing to the over Jmporta~ tions of the past year, and overstocked supply of not tospesk of the normal tendency to a lower gol ‘premium in view of the increasing prosperity of the country, readily explain the decline. It is also wed ‘understood that Secretary Boutwell is planning to suce ceed Senator Wilson in the Senate, and will exert every effort to depress gold and make favor with the capital~ 1sts, who compose the Massachusetts Legislature, and ‘who are desirous of contraction. Fore] bange, todsg, £ ‘oreign exchange, to-day, was very stron, and advenccn. Merchisnts o mow dlsased 1o remit more freely, in order to close up their ob- ligations to Europe. In addition to this demaad, the bankers ere liberal buyers, and everything offered in commercial sterling i quickly ab- sorbed by them. Recently some Anerican socu- rities havo returned from the othnr aide, which ‘males gome demand for exchange, and carly in the future the bankers Lave large remittonces to ‘make on account of interest and dividends. BONDS. Government bonds advanced in sympatby with gold. The dealings wero smell. PRODUC. At the close flour was duil and heavy ; No. 3 and superfine freely offered and lower. Wheat closes quiet, but firm, for spring, and sérongex for winter. ' There i3 & limited speculative in- quiry for amber. Pork wes firmer ; 250 brls of new mess, for this week, sold st $13.75; 230 brla sold at $18.20 cash. " Cut meats are gen- arally quiet ; selos of 25 boxes ribbed bellies 2t83{c, and a few light pickled bellies in bulk at 8 ; shonlders, b bid and 53¢ askod Bacon quiet, Lard in good demand and higher. Sales: 1,670 tierces at Bc for Western ana city, and 73{c for No. 1 Westera to arrive for future delivery: 1,000 tierces February, 83ge. : TRANSPORTATION. Better Railroad Facilitics Wanted, MrLwAUKEE, Dec. 11.—The report of the Com= ‘mittee appointed to take into consideration the lack of transportation between Milwaukee and Eastern points daring the winter, was submit- ted to tho Chamber of Commerce to-dav, and the following resolutions unanimously adopted : Resolved, That the President appoint 3 Committea of three to recommend tha officers of the Milwaukea & St. Paul Railroad to take into consideration the formae tion of a through line of cars to run bebween Mil- ‘waukee and points. Resolred, That the President sppoint 8 Committesof thres to confer with the managers of existing freight lines now doing business with Milwsukee, to urge upon them our claims to a fair quota of cars in winter, in consideration of the large amount of business they Teceive to and from Milwankee during other sesaons of the year, : Cr¥esNATy, 0., Dec. 11.—The ortation Committes of the Board of Trade passed a resc: Iution to-day to invite a Convention of General Freight Agents of the United States to meet ‘here, or at some other central point, to actin the matter of securing better scaling of railroad freights. e = el PERSONAL, James P. Joyce, of Ohio, is at the Brigge. * Mr. H.E.Pickett, of Japan, is at the Sher« man. Generat £. C. Lappincott. 02 Npringfield, 15 at the Tremont. i Hon. J. J. Blair. of New Jernay, 18 at the Shere man. General 8. A. Harlbut, of Belvidere, 1s at the Tremont. F. C. A. m. van Waef, of the Netherianas, 1sas the Shermen. Colonel 8. 8. Stafford, Unifed Btates Army, is at the Tremont. Ceptain Thomas McMillin, United Statés Ar- my, i8 at the Sherman. - Hon. Henry A. Ess ond wife, Kansas City, o., are at the Tremont. TFire Marshal Williams 18 very ill ab his resi- dence on West Adams street. Colonel McComb, United States Armg, Rock Taland, is at the Tremont. Adam Earle, President of the Kankee route to Cincinnatl, is at the Gardner. Charley Woolworth, one of the genial proprie~ tors of the Briggs, has just returned from a three-woeks trip to New York. The following ste at Anderson's Europesn Hotel : 8. W. Burr, J. Gregory, San Francisco ; 3. 3. Wright, Plymouth, Ind.; G. Trask, Ottawa, 5 A. M.’ Teeco, Wheeling, W. Vag F. M. Strong, Ohio ; L. H. McCormick, Princoton, IiL; . B. Smith, St Paul: H. P. Darlington, Bhile delphia. 3 The following names were on the now register at the Sherman yosterdny: O. Bonnell, San Francisco; J. G. Bulterfield, St. Paul; F. Sla- topor, Pittsburgh; E. L. Slermen, Now Yorks W. T. Ames, Philadelphia; W. H. Gillette, Afil- waukee; H. G Anglo, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; B T.. Merritt, Springield; ‘H. E. Pickett, Japan; H. E. Stevens, Burlingfon. Vt.- F J. Dickman, Cloveland. The following registered at tho Briggs yestéra doy:_J. V. H. Lott, Louisiana; 1. Wm. Baker, Jr., Winchester, Mass. ; Chas. L. Hill, Colorada} W.'Buchanan, Hannibal, Mo. ; J. D. Kolly, Pithes burgh; D. K. Smith, Peoria; A. Leland, B s ton; A. ML Scott, Rock Island; Wm. Whike, Utica; J. P. Cerson, New York; J. W. Howe}], Syracuse, N. ¥.; J. B. Rica, Boston. The following aro st the Gardner: L. Jry. Strong, Barsboo, Wis.; Paul Bernoys, Bostory; J. Warren Lows, Now York; P. 8. Burrell, Hui . ford; H. P. Durlington, Philadelphia; G. JH, Johnson, Erie, Pa.; Edward Boltwood, Pit g field, Masa.; Hev. M. Byllesby, L. Andrus, S. Ellis, Dixon ; Joseph iI. Ford, Weston, Mas 3.5 James Shaw, B, Carrol : 8. L. Monk, Wilmin, g ton, TIL. : The following aro at the Tremont: B. { . Baldw {p, Roger, J. A. Minot, New York; H. T. 3. 5. Star, D. C. Pamell, A. W. Pinkney, H.. H, Forsyth, . AL Cox, G. P. Wells, Pecria ; W- Bylvester, Arkols ; J. Comstock, Peoria; F., Bangs, Montglair, N. J; ‘A Britton, Belols v Frank Stono, New York ; W. P. Kerr, Granvillal Ohio; 0. W. Darling, Westport, Mass; L. 5 Hurlbad, Philadelohis ; C.” B. "Smith, Chsy | paign; A. G. Sexton, Milwankes, - gl ol