Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 24, 1873, Page 4

4 THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1873. e ———; TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE. TERME OF SUBSCEIPTION (PATABLE IN ADVANCE). Relly, by ma Tri-Wecl Parts of a yesr at the same rate. To prevent delay and mistakes, bo sure and give Poat Offico address In full, incloding State and Connty. Remittances may be made either by dralt, éxpross; Pos Office order, or in registered lottors, at our riak. TEBM TO CITY SUBSCRINERS, Duly, delirerod, Sonday excopted, 2 conts . Deily; clivered, Smduam-fd-d, 3 conts per week. addse: THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, Simaer Madison s5d Deatbormsts Ohicago, 1. CONTENTS OF TO-DAY'S TRIBUNE. FIRST PAGE—Fearfal Disaster on tho English Coast: ‘Threo Hundred and Fifty Lives Lost by a Collision Botwoon Two Ships—Tho Great Storm—Miscells- ncous Telograms. SECOND PAGE—Washington Lettor—The Bteam Whistlo Nalssnco—New York Letter—The Kansas Seantorial Contest—Alaska: Twelve Months® Rosi- donce in the Territory—3osting of the Poles—Now Orleans Matters. THIRD PAGE—The Police Board Wranglings—Tho Law Conrts—Tho Railroad Quostion—The Cornoll Watch Factory—Grain Inspectors—Soldiers’ Claims—Por- sonal—Adrertisemente. e FOURTH PAGE—Editorials: Oskes Ames st Bay; Jus- ‘tica toMr, Colfax; An English Plctur of Americsn Crimo; Mardorors' Pless; Internationsl Golnage of Silver—Carrent Nows Items--Notos snd Opinion, FIFTH PAGE—Horticultaral Gatherings st Prooport, 1il., snd Davenport, Is.—Moctiog of the Mich- igan State Pamological Soctoty—Northwestern Dal- rymen's Association—Wisconsin State Agrionltural Convontion—Hatkets by Telegraph. SIXTH PAGE—Monotary snd Commercisl—~Railroad Timo Tabla. SEVENTH PAGE—Vienna Lettor—Fonstics in Japan— ‘Protection Agalnst Fire—How toResume Spocle Pay- monts—Small Advertisementa: Real Estate, For Sale, To Rent, Wanted, Boarding, Lodging Btc. EIGETH PAGE—Stato Legislatures—Weshington News Mtscollanoous Talegrat TO-DAY'S AMUSEMENTS. AIKEN'S THEATRE—Webash avenue, corner of Con- sircot. Aimea Opers Bouffo Troupe. “‘Ls MWVICKER'S THEATRE-—Madison street, betwoen Dosrborn. Engagementof Dion Boucicault ¢ Kerry; or Night and Morning.” ** Arrah ACADEMY OF MUSIC— Halstod stroct, south of Madiscn. Engzgemebt of Josesh Murphy. *‘Help. HOOLEY'S OPERA HOUSE-Randolph street, be- twecn Clark and LaSalle. New Comedy Compauy. “‘Tate.” MYLCRS:OPERA HOUSE—Monroe stroet, betwoen Eiate and Destborn. Aslington, Cotton & Kombla's Mizstrel and Baslesquo Troupe. Ethiopian Comiealities. GLOBE THEATRE—Desplaincs stroet, betwecn Mad!- ponand Washington. Dramatic and Mfusical Verietles. NIXCON'S AMPHITHEATRE—Clinton, botweon Wash- iagton and Randolph streets. Ascallistor. BUSINESS NOTICES. S ! ‘MOVED AND SKIN MADE SMOOTH b}’mbé‘x‘nixmim ‘Soap. Manufactured by Caswoll & Co., Now York. o SPEPSIA, INDIGESTION, DEPRESSION of %?Fg& D""’c.uud %EE?,,},! AR B L AR a0 ax A e "Mada by e ad &'Co , Now York, aud sold by Drugsists. The Clicans Titbune, Fridsy Morning, January 24, 1873. The smm; min‘sed, yesterday, to inerease the galary of Congressmen to $8,000 & year. — e The Hon. Wm. Cassidy, editor of the Albany Ewening Argus, and one of the famous Albany Begency, died yesterday. o ——————— The Hon. John L. Boveridge was eworn in, sosterday, s Governor of this State. His first officisl sct was o sign the credentials of Senator Oglesby. Secretery Boutwell hes sold the yemaining 300,000,000 of the 5 per cent bonds to a'Sydi- cato of American snd foreigu bankers o sub- etantially the sametierms s to the precediog Syndicato. 5 : c—— Tho Grecley National Statue Committes, which met in Now York yesterday, report that $15,000 have been eubkcribed for tho statue to Mr. Greeley's memors. They need $40,000, snd will take no action until that sum is raised. - Contri- butions of any amount are solicited. The House of Representatives has directed tho Poland Credit Mobilier Committes toinquire what members of Congress have been interestod in the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroed, and in the Central Pacific Railroad, each of which re- ceived subsidies from the Government, and af- forded o fino field for the display of certain pe- culiar Congressional virtues. — Tho section in tho proposed now West Bide Parkbill thes rolates to the salaries of the Com- snissioners is suthoritatively explained to mean that the act of Jano 16, 1871, repealed tho salary of the President of the Board, and this bill pro- poses to restorait. It does not propose to pay the other Commissionors a salary. An emigrent veseol, Iying at anchor 3 the English Channel, was runinto, night before lest, by an unknown steamer, and cut down to the ator's edge. There wero 413 passongers on ard and the crew. Only 85 persons were saved. The steamer continued its course, with- out making effort to save s gingle life. Are- ward of §500 has been offered forits discovery. e B Oliver Ames, once Prosident of the Union Pa- cific Railrond, confessed yesterday that that por- tion of the roxd which the Company contracted with Oskos Ames to build included 138 miles which had already been bnilt, and for which tho Government had already paid ; that the Credit lobilier mado an enormous profit on it, and | that tho dividends which it soon afterwards de- clared were drawn from tbat sourco. Pennsyivania first gives shape to a reform of the abuses incident to the pernicious system of holding goneral and local olections on the same da, and of holding Stato eloctions in October, go that in Presidential years mischiovous influ- enco attaches to their results. The Constitu- tionnl Convention sitting in that State has framed an amendment to the State Constitution fixing the date of State elections on the Tuesday fallowing the first Monday in November, and that of city nd township elections in February. [ —— The movement to unlock Secretary Boutwell's hands and allowhim, solong ss the Pacific Rail- 103ds aro in arrears for the interest due on their bonds, to refuse to pay them any of their earn- inga from tho Government, is making its way in Congress. Tho House has approved it,end the Senate yesterday, in Committes of the Whole, did the same by stzjking out_the ninth socticn of the Legislative Appropriation bill. Nothing now remains but for tho Senate to sus- tain this action in regular sossion ; but this will ot be done without a serious struggle. If tho wording of the resolntion wers to be Soliowed, by which the Committeo on Elections svers directed to inquire into the Lounisians mat- ser, they would find themselvos clothed with’ gowers which would allow them to assume juris- Giction-avon 35 10 the legality or illegality of State Govornmente. They have determined not to avail themselves' of 4heso extraondinary ‘in- :etructions, but to gonGno their investigation to finding out who are reslly the Electors of the State, whother there was & State Government in Louisiana when the election was held, and whether it is Ray or McMillan who is entitled to aeeat in the Senate. The examination of wit- nesses has begun. The Honee of Reprosentztives, on Wednes- day, by s vote of four o one, disposed of tho subsidy business to merchant ships engaged in foreign trade. Tho bill proposed to create 3 de- partment of govornment, with several high-sal- aried officors, whose business it was to roceive applications for the payment of subsidies ont of the National Treasury to every owner of & ship or steamer cngaged in foreign commerce. In- stead of taking the tax off steel, iron, and wood and paint, oil, copper, cordage, and canvas, and onabling our merchantsto build ships and steam- ers at home, it proposed to pay every man a di- rect sum out of the Treasury who should build & ship and run it. If that bill comos up again, it should bo amonded 80 as to provido for tho pay- mentof €8 an acre to every man who raises corn, in order to cover whatever losses he msy pocsibly sustain in that business. Tho Chicago prodace markets wero moderate- Iy active; and all were firmer, oxcept wheat. Mess pork wasin fair demand, and 10@15c high- or, closing at $12.00 cash, and £12.35@12,40 soll- or March, Tard was in good request, and 100 per 160 1bs higher, at-§7.35@7-40 cash, and $7.65 @7.77% seller March. Moats wore a shade firm- or, at4c for shouldore, 5)@Go for short ribs, 634@C3c for short clear, and T3¢ per Ib for 16 1b greon hams. Dressed hogs wero active, and 5c per 100 1bs higher, ab §4.50 for heavy, and $L470@4L75 for light. Higlwines were active and firm st 88c per gallon. Flour was quiet and strong. Whoat was active, snd 4o lower, closing ot $1.24% cash, and $1.25 seller February. Corn was active and e higher, closing at $1o cash and 813{o soller Fobruary. -Oats ere more active and o higher, closing at 253c cash and 253¢c scller Fobruary. Rye was quist and eteads, at 63@ 033go. Barloy was quict and firmer, at 75@76c for No. 2, and 62@63c for No. 3. The hog ‘markot was active to the extont of the supply, and stronger, the pens being cleared at 5c ad- vance, or st $9.75@4.10. Tho Cattlo market was quiet but firmer, owing to light roceipts. Sheep were dull and nominally unchanged. The tax-payers of Chicaga who aro inclined to grumble at tho high rates of taxes msy thank their blessed stars they do not live in the Island of Rhodes, The poor people of thatisland, after having been afilicted with oarthquakes, bad harvests, and s general muddle in the administration of public affairs, have now had a tax of 10 per cont upon landed property levied upon them by s firman issued at Constantinople. There are 44 villages in the island, and & corre- spondent of tho Levant Herald cites ono of theso villsges 88 en instance of the manmer in which all of them have becn taxed. In thia particalar village there are 40 wrotched hov- ols. The property of the people occupying themYvas, in the first instance, estimated at 7,000 pisstros. The euthorities, dissatisfied with this estimate, ordered a second valuation, which gave tho extravagant sum of 234,000 pias- tres, and the tox was lovied on this estimato. ‘This tax, sdded to the customary titho in harvest returns, gives & total of somo 70,000 piastres, which, it is stated, would support tho whole vil- lage comfortsbly for & year. Thoas who. have not sold off the little property they possess are in the Government jail The Collector is al- Jowed a percentago on what be gets, and this s~ counts for the high estimate of valuation. There is 8 gleam of comfort for Chicago tax-payers in the fact that they do not live in Rhodes. ———— OARES AMES AT BAY, - The principle of using monsy “where it will do most good,” as construed and applied by M. Ounkes Amos, is not consonant with the highest one of publi¢ morality; and yet it is not impos- gible that, s an clement of Mr. Oskes Ames' ‘character, it msy be of some servico in clearing up the mysteries of Credit Mobilier transactions, Mr. Oekes Amos now - virtually confesses himself to be in n position where his oxalted idea of gelf-presorvation will induce him to make & clean breast of Congressional gllisaca with tho Credit Mobilier frauds. If bo shall conclude to da this, it will bo becauso it will do him “most good.” On the one side, he is ac- cused of hsving entored Congrags with the single purpose of corrupting the members in the interest of tho Credit Mobilier schome. On the other side, hois accused of eswindling his aseociates in the Credit Mobilier by ropresenting to thom thet b had distributed & large number of shares among Congressmen, which he really retained for bis own bene£t, Neither hornof the dilemme isa pleasent ono toaccept, bt Mr. Ozkrea Ameg has only a choice of ovila. It is intimated, with much plagsibility, that he prefers to be known 28 sn sgent employed in bribing Congressmen- rather than as g false as- sociato in businoss who has botrayed tho teuat of his partners, This is ¥hy Mr. Oakes Ames hias found the importgnt memoranda which had been mistaid, and rovived his memory accord- ingly. e have s practical indicztion of 3fr. Amess _new departare in his reply to Senator Pattorson, of New Hamphire. Tho confidence with which Mr. Patterson made his statcment, denying point-blank that ho had owned Credit Mobilier stock or enjoyed profits therefrom, and his pro- duction of the lettors which Mr. Ames had written him during the campaign, would indicate that there had been s previous understanding between Ames and certnin Congressmen as to tho courso which should be taken in the presence of the Committco. Had there not beem, Mr. Patterson would scarcely have laid himself open to the flat contradiction which Mr. Ames made upon the conclusion of his testimony. The in- ferenco, is that such an agreement has boon mado between Oskés Ames and othér Congressmen who have given testimony bofore the Committee. Ho testified, immediately after Patterson had denied all connection with Crodit Mobilier, thit he had invested $3,000 in thst Company for Patterson ; that Patterson had received §2,223 in cash and 80 shares of Urion Pacific stock 28 a dividend within a month; that . lio paid Patterson about $1,600 more sbout six ‘months after, as n 60 per ceat dividend; ard that he fially scttled up the transaction and gave Patterson snother dividend of 80 sharesof Union Pacificstock. Mr. Oakes Ames announced, fur- ther, {hat hohad written the letters which Patter- son produced at -tho urgent solicitation of the Jatter, and with the good-natured purpose - of helping Pstterson to “cover up” his tracks. Mr. Ames bss further reviewedhis evidence in regard to M. Colfax, and some other of the gen- tlemen who had slready given their testimony. | T response to sharp questioning, he explained that he had failed to make these Ilater state- ments at first because he had not his memo- rands in his possossion, and that ho now pro- posed to tell the ¢ whole truth,"—intimating un- mistakably that the ¢ whole truth” had never yet beon told. In reference to the check of $53¢, which Mr. Colfax claims to have loaned Ar. Ames and not to have received back, Ames seya that it was money paid o him for a balance due on Crodit Mobilier stock. Hia statement is, thiat Ar. Colfax’s stock was to be paid for in divi- dends, and that it was so paid with the excop- tion of $584, which Mr. Colfax gave in order to pay foritin full, Ames farther testi- fica that he gave Colfax a check for $1,200 in payment of a cash dividend. Mr. Colfax denios having received this or any other sum of money, but Ames says that the check was given on the Sergeant-at-Arms, with whom moncy had been doposited to chock ont Congressmen's dividonds, and the Sergeant-at-Arms produces the record of having paid a check to ‘8. C.” for £1,200. Ames oxonerates Blaino, Boutwell, Fowlor, and Bayard, whose namoa weroe on the list which ho fornished M'Comb. Ho says that Sonator Alli- son's evidence befors the Committoo was sub- stantially correct, though thero may bo s differ- enco in tho timo when the stockis alleged tohave been retarnod, Ho insists that Kelley's caso was ‘procisoly the samo as Garflcld’s, thesamo amounts of monoy having boon paid in both cases. J. F. Wilson's statement of bis caso is admitted. to bo correct. Dawos and Beofield, ho claims, took ton shares cach, but subsoquently got frighten- ed, and Ames took them back. If Mr. Ames’ lator testimony, givon with bLis memorsnda in Dand, should bo substantiated, tho number of Oongressmen involved would be increased by Mr. Colfsx, Mr. Kolley, Mr, Dawos, and Mr. Seofleld, though not all involved to the same ex- tont. In sach caso, the original list which Amos furnished M'Comb would be verified, with the excoption of Messrs. Blaine, Boutwell, Fow- ler, and Bayard. One thing is certain: The public is much nearer the truth of Congressiona; connection with Credit Mobilier than it was afow days ago; and Mr. Ames has now been forced go far that it is probable thatall the ox- isting ovidonces bearing on the case will bo forth- coming before the investigation shall bo con- cluded. 2 > e i JUSTICE TO MR. COLFAX, ' It is but justice to Mr. Colfax that he_should Do hosrd in denial of Oskos Ames' flat and posi- tivo aseortions. Ames says that Colfsx bought the stock at par; that at that time there wasduo to it & largo dividend of bonds, which bonds ho sold for Colfax, and tho proceeds ho applied to puy for the stock, leaving only 8545 due by Col- fax; that subsoguenty he paid Colfax, by check drawn in favorof “8. C.,” 31,200 cash dividend; that long fter those things had ocenrred Colfax paid hum tho $545, and that ho (Ames) now holds the stock, with all its accrued dividends, for Col- fax. Ageinst this statement, we reproduce Ar. Colfax's indignant speach, in Octobor last, to his neighbors, in which he said : Do I necd toadd that neither Oakes Ames nor any other person over gave, or offered to give, mo’ ome shure, or twenty shares, or two thonsand shares in tho Credit Mobilier, or sny other railroad stock, and that, unfortunately, Thavenever roceived tho value of & farthing out of the 270 per cent dividends, nor the 800 per cent dividends in cssh, stock, and bonds, you have road about every dsy for the past montb, nor100 per cent, nor1 percent, northo tenthof1 pereent, I ‘bave enid that if twenty shares of it could be purchased at par, without buying into a prospective lawsuit, it would be s good investment, If it was as valuable » stock 28 represemted, and L have £aid that I would like o buy twenty shares at par, if attainable, in * tho Studebaker Wagon Company, or tho Birdsell Clover Separator. Company hers, I challenge either one of the twolast Companics to givemo such an opportanity now or hereafter ; but nover hav- “ing boen plsintiff or defendant in a court of justice, T want 1o stock of any kind, at sny price, with s law- sniton top of it, not even with the praspoctive divi- dends of $22,000, which, I am free to maintain, neither theso good eyes of mine nor this pocketbook have ever scen the first dollar of, although it is so positively ns- serfed that I have becn entitled to this handsomo amount ever since four years ago, - Sinco that speech, Mr. Colfix hes testifiod that he did pay Oskes Ames gbont £500, but owing t9 Ames' financial troubles, had never nsked him for 6. A, folfex has, £ far, no recollegtion of having received the 81,200 divi- donds. AN ENGLISH PICTURE OF AMERICAN CRIME, The Times, of London, has rocontly printed & communication from Chicago, reviewing the oxtpntof crime in the United States; and We have na oppartunity of judgiog the effect it has produced upon the Engiish mind by en article in the Saturday Review, commenting upon the gloomy picturo that hed been drawn, The con- ¢lusions are aboutas accurate 83 the average Dritish fdzs of American geography, and tho reasons given hy crime is 8o prevalent aro curigns enough to figure in tho Comic History of America. Itis propable thet the Chicago lotter was exaggersted in its shetoric; and tho - Salurday Revicw -admits that tho atatistics which it preeented scarcely warranted the broad gemeral statements that the writer mnde, “Yeb tho Saturday Review illus- tratos with vivid figures insecurity o2 human life throughout tho Union, We aro tod ihat it is tho infection of tho backwoods laxity of ‘morals, and tho jnability to extend an adequate polico force over uo large a3 extent of territory, which are chiefly accountable for the fruqugney of capifal crimes, Tho patriotic Englishman, who has been reared in the belief that America is one vast and howling wilderness, reccives an amplo verification of this traditional tenet of British patriotism from tho picture of reckless- ness and lawless violence which the writer pre- sentg,—a panoramic view embracing the léngth and breadth of ¢ko Continont. The circumetance that tho New York Etening Post onco hinted something about “a few doses of ismp:-post justice ” is suflicient to lead to tho genmeral statement that “some of the most cautious and respectablo journals in the country are boldly advocating 4 return to Lynch Jaw.” The British reader is gravely informed that the backwoods- man is tanght to liep in oaths, snd it shomld havebeen added thet ho sucked gunpowder from Lis mother's breast, and played with revolvers and rifles, smong the first toys that Santa Claus bronght him. At all cvents, it is held that Bor- der Buffianism ie still ruling the land. The ‘miner and the rongh makes his *pile,” and then goes to Now York, Chicago, Philadelphis, or Boston, and fires about promiscuonsly, sotting the oxamplo after which American civilization is modelled.. The crime of our Jarge citios is thue absurdly attributed to the influence of Border Roffianism. - Certainly, English jonrnals presumo largely ‘upon the credulity and ignorance of their rosd- ers whon the Salurday Review can describe as 2 common occurTence a court ecene, in which, af- ter the usual incidents of tobacco-chewing, smok- ing, and swearing, the opposing counsel give each other the lio, snd simultaneously draw pistols. ‘The Judge then draws his revolver, and there is s free fightin court. *Judicial spisodes of this kind,” esys the Saturday Review, are constantly | Deing reported in the American journals.” Itis rather remarkable that ignbrance of American life should prevail to such an extent in the higher circles of England. There is certainly crime enough, and of & sufficiently violent and reck- less character, to warrant almost any denuncia- tion or lnmontation that could be nttered. But Bow it could bo =0 grossly misconstrued and so falsely attributed, in the time of cablo tolegraph lines, it i8 not easy to understand. In tho very same article wo find an admission of provailing crime in England npon which it wonld be just as reasonsble to base the conclu- sions that are drawn in the case of America. ‘We donbt whether our calendar shows & more revolting crime than that of four men killing an unoffending persor. by mesns of running kicks.” The Saturday Review also adds: “Evenin London, if every ane had his due, wo sus- poct there would boat lezst as many murderers walf. ing thelr trials 0s in Now York. It is strange how little sttention is paid to the numberof bodles that are found under circumstances strongly presumptive of foulplay. Corpucs are continually belng picked out of the Regent's Canal under cireumstances that suggest murder rather than sulcide. Infanticide would seem 10 bo golng on briskly again, if we sro to judge from the frequency of inquests on the corpses of children that have beon cast. out into the strects, But jurors £ind open verdicts, and isolated instances pass almost unnoticed. And while murder goes often undetected and unpunished, it would appear that disorder is de. cidedly on the increage, What would the learned British reviewer say if this ovidence were made the text for picturing the brutality of the British race, as handea down from the time, and modclled after tho fashion, of which Victor Hugo writes in his “I Homme Qui Rit?" Yet such s course would not bo more absurd than that adoptod by the Saturday Review in accounting for the preva- lenco of crime in America. MURDERERS’ PLEAS, Tho conceits of murdarers, when the gallows begins to loom up before their eyes, are, to say the lenst, vory whimsical. Cluck, the Indians murderer, who recently committed suicide to escape the gallows, made an appesl to the pub- Yic, in which ho expressed tho severest sort of indignation becsuse the law had docreed his execution. He protested in unmessured torms against * the deep damnation of his taking off,” and declarod that hanging was the worst use to which he could be put. He closed his commu- nication to the public, which differed with him very materislly on this subject, by declaring his solemn convictions that gociety was fast re- lapsing into primitive barbarism - when it could hang & man like him. Lydia Sherman, the Connecticat Borgis, after murdering several husbands and children, finally confessos her dia- bolism with the utmost equanimity of disposi- tion, manifests no regret, and goes to prison for life with a contented mind, and entertaining no hostility against tho rest of the world whom eho has not killed. Having purchased & Bible, and fallen back upon the consolations of religion, she now proposes to devote the remainder of her days to religious meditations, ‘unless she should be pardoned outof prison, snd go to marrying egain, when, in all probability, she will resumo her usnal practice of colebrating the honeymoon’ with strychnino, arsenic, and other aids to widowhood. Foster, the car-hook .murderer, upon whose gallows the carpenters will soon go to work, thinks it a éhame that he should be singlod out for ‘the gallows among men who nsed pistols and ‘knives; whereas ho employed only‘an extemporized weapon whilo in an irra- tional condition. As it has not ccourred to Mr. Foster that the extemporized wespon did its work guite as effectuslly as s knife or pistol, that gentleman is accordingly plunged into deep gloom, and is represented to bo greatly agitated, 1t is not unnatural, perhaps, that the cowardly brute who murdered an inoffensive man ‘shonld be sgitated upon the . approach of pun- ishment which will put_ it out of his power to ‘murder any more, and g0 chsnge bis condition that the publié will no longer be exposed to his orratic and irrational freaks. Perteet has also put in & mournful sort of plea for commutation of the death penslty-to imprisonment for life, and, with & peculiarly tender kind of pathos, seeks to make an {mpression Tpon tho compas- sign of the Goyernor by reciting the fact that he once’cooked gt 3 bofel wherd" the Govornor boarded. And 50 on to the gnd of the chapter. Eech murderer has some peculiar reason to ‘offer why his sentence is an unfust one, sad why so- clety is sbout to lose & yalusble member. Not one of them, however, has any romorse for the crime he has committed, or seems to remembe? that’ by his brutality Lo hge not only taken away tho life of s human being, but has plunged his viotim’s family and friends jntq g Lifelo: gloom. Ineach case, socisty is pas: the persocutor, and the murderer the victim, Itis- not remarkable, however, that the mur- derers shouid fzke this view of tho caso. There bas been mothing in the recont execution of Juatico § jndicpto that iy aro the persecntors of society because thoy ¥ n cure. Somany men have escaped punishment by reason of legal technicalitics, and espe- clally by resson of medical testimony of- fored fo prove o insanity, that the whole brutal brood ob- tuse moral perceptions, e conclusion that they have aright to take the lives of thesa who etand in their way, ‘because anger and passion are oniy attjbutes of an emotional insanity, in which cond 54 not lisble for the acts they sommi iteclf is, to a large extent, responsible for this condition of things. There is o mandlin seati~ ‘mept in gvery community which induces pecplo toregard a wurder %8 g2ngation, and only the sensation of a dsy or se. 'Phe interest attaching to it, like tho interost of ail sensotions, dies awsy with the arrest of the murderer, The public is eo occupied with its numerous schemes of business and ‘ploasures, 80 devotedly engaged in the headlong race for wealth, that it has no time tolook to the genoral interests, until murder becomes general and every man's life is imperilled, and then it awakes, in & spasm of indignstion, and demands that the laws ehall bo enforced by the punish- meont of the guilty parties. The public is just nowin one of theso spasms. The gallows is coming into use again. It will doits work, and then the public will quiet down, until viclence and brutality once more assert their sway, when it will rise sgain.” What is noeded is a calm, constant, snd inflexible determination that justice shall be vindicated 2nd the lnwa : bo obeyed all tho time; and that no bratal ruffien ghall find gn excuse for murder because somo other brutal ruffan hza made his esccpe. These sudden epasms of in- dignation undonbtedly subserve s useful pur- pose in. stemming the tide of crime for s time, but there is danger that men may suffer unjust- 1y in such crises’of prejudice and passion. Let the public sentiment so declare itsel through the action of ths courts and the impsrtial exsca- tion of the laws, that everyman’ who comsiita come to humaa 1ifo inse- | crime . cannot escape punishment, and then crime will bo checked, or at least be very materially reduced. These sudden spasms do but little good excopt to satisfy an immediate nocessity, which should never have been al- lowed to occur. b i ——— INTERNATIONAL COINAGE OF SILVEE. Tlie measure which is now pending in Con- gress to secure an international coinage of sil- ver, for the immediate use of nations in America and | Europo, . and for the eventual use of the civilized world, is one of moro than ordinary interest. The matter was first brought before the publio in practical form by tho New York Chamber -of Commerce, &nd. subsequently by the National Board of Trado, at its meeting leat October. At tho latter meoting, rosolutions wera submitted by Hon. 8. B. Ruggles, delegate of tho United States to the International Mone- tary Conforence st Paris, in 1867, and unani- mously adopted, petitioning Congress to amend that portion of the bill for the genoral rovision of the coinsge of the United States, which pro~ poses to reduce the exiating weight of the silver dollar (4123 grains) to 934 grains, by adding ono grain and eight-tenths of & grain to the proposed weight, which would unify the silver dollar with the five-franc silvér coin of France, of Belgium, and of Bwitzerland; the five-lire coin of Italy; the five-peseta coin of Bpain; the five-drachma coin of Greece; and also make it just double the weight of tho new Austrian silver florin. In December last, the Finance Committeo of the Sonate, by its Chairman, r. John Sherman, re- ported amondments virtually adopting the prop- osition of the National Board of Trads, by mak- ing the weight of the half-dollar 123§ met- rical grammes, which is half the weight of tho European five-frane coin. No sction was taken by the National Board towards unifying the United Statos gold coin to any standard, owing to the statement of Mr. Ruggles that it was uttorly impossiblo, goveral of the Continental netions hav- ing recently made the gold coinages gtill more - confused than they have ever boon before. In 1869, tho German Btates agroed to make the five-franc goldcoin the mone- tary gold unit, but the Franco-Gorman war pre- vented it. The imumense amount of French gold coin transferred to Germany lod to the estab- lishment of & mew German unit of twenty marks, or 476.4 American cents, and tho Fronch coin was recoined to suit this standard. At the recont Monetary Convention of the Scandina- vians, thoy adopted as thoir principel gold coin & crown, equivalent to only 270 American cents, and then assimilated 1t to the coinage of Gor- ‘many by making eight of thoso crowns equiva- lent to nine marks. At prescnt, the value of the half-éagle of the Unitod Btates is 500 conts; of the British sovereign, 486 cents; of the twenty-five francs of France, 482 conts. . Inthe midstof such & confasion as this, con- stantly increasing, all hope of unifying the gold coinage to 8 common standard w8 abandoned, and it was resolved, thereforo, by the Board to confine its offorts to the unificationof silver only. . There is every resson why Congresa should teke immediate action upon this meas- ure. In a business point of view, 1t will greatly facilitate commercial intercouree thronghout the world. From dn economical standard, it wounld gave an immenso amount of money now spent upon recoinage. As s matterof patriotism, every American would be prouder to have the country's coinago circulate without sny chango eide by gide with the European coins, than to have it go throngh the crucible and como ont stamped with foreign arms and_emblems. Viewed from thess poine, and from all others, indeed, the measure is & very important ome, sud its adoption would greatly conduce, not only to tho extension of commercial intercourse, but also of eogial interconse’ among the nations, and there can be but little doubt that the unification of silver to a common standard would ultimate- 1y tend to the unification of gold also. ——n A NEW COMMERCIAL FLAG. Among the rights purchased by tho Samana Bay Compsny is that of using the National fag of San Domingo, and the value of thisin & Commercial senss will soon become evi- dent. Under thé lawa of tho Unied States, o vpasel built i a'torsign country can ever be enrolled s an American véseol, ind, consequently can never garzybho American flag. No American Puilt vessel, ownod abroad; gan Fetain its char- acter. Wo have by our laws prohibited the build- ing of wooden ehips for foreign commerce. We heveslso rendered it impossible to build iron stoamifa. "W haye, by Jaw, 5o thorogghly sud effectually broken mp ship-building of ‘all kinds in this eountzy that, os 8 consequencs, we have closed all ths mammoth establishmenta for the ‘manufacturo of stesmship machinery—shopsthat twelvo years sgo wero the pride of the country and wera without rivals in the world. Having thus practically prohibited Amgricsn ship-build- ing, pod at the same time denicd the priviloge to purchase foreign:biilt sbips, the Amiorican tonnage engaged in foreign trado hes given way to the foreign, until, of all the ocoan steamers Jgavipg Now York for foreign countries, not ono of theiy now bears the Amorican flag. Alargo number of these steamers, however, pzo gwned by American citizons, who have been compelled #o placo thom under some foroign flag. All the ‘stéemers engaged in tho South American trade ‘aro owned by Amicricans ; but tho ygasels havo been, of necestity, anrolled as Brizilian, aad fly tho flag of ¢hpt Government. In the list'of 'the Samana Bay corporators are many of ihq largost ehip-owners in the country, who are yet obligad £0 gend their vessels to sea under foreign flags. Tho purchass of Samana Bay with overeign rights, and especially the right to usg the flag of San Domingo, offers &n opportunity “for the transfor of all American-owned vessels to that fisg. T ofters also tho long-desired opportunity for the purchaso of foreign-built vessela by American merchants. It is probable, therefore, that the commercial marinebearing the flag of San Domingo will sssume large proportions, and, within a very fow years, will far exceed that bear- ingtho American flag. Thenationalityof the ves- sels will nardly be disguised. Though enrolled a8 merchantmen of the Republic of Ban Domingo, the wholo world will know that they are, in fact, American vessels. Indeed, the Republic of San Domingo will be ‘amere politieal expedient,— that country and its government being substan- tially Amorican in evory respect. Ohio has recontly had an interesting lawsuit, jn which s lifo insurance company escaped the payment of & policy because it wes proved that tho insured "eame to his death by reason of in- temperance. Incidentally, the Court divided drinkers jnto three classes: 1, Those who drink’ occasionally, when they want to drink; who can stop at any time, even when they have 8 * cocktail” or "a glaes of wine raised to their lips. ‘There was no attampt to domonstrate how mnuch or little drinkiog of this kind might injnze tho drinker, but it was held that this class wonld not come within the terms of tho policy, stipulat- ing that no payment would bemado on account of death- from intempersnce. 2. A. class that has o constant sppetite for drink- ing , intoxicating liqudrs, snd 'makes & habit of using them regularly, so that the sys- tem is always under the immediate influence of stimmlants, This class would come within the prohibition of the policy. 3. A class that has acquired & nervous appetite for alcoholid liquors amounting almost to a disease. This class may go several months at & time without drinking, and then return to it in excess. It is the class of periodical drinkers, who usually keep up their sprees until prostration, sickness, or de- lirium overtakes them. Thus we havo a legal subdivision of drinkers, ‘subject, nevertheloss, to very many varieties, which, we apprehend, would render it difficalt to assign every indi- vidual drinker to his proper legal status. g ey 1r. C. O. Clark, of Oswego, N. Y., Is the author of a pamphlet advogating tho selection of alf publio officers through the intermediate system of choosing electors by the popular vote, who shall in turn select the officials thus indi- rectly voted for. In commenting upon the ides, Tue TRinuse said, in effect, that it would be but a matter of time for such an elsctoral system to become what the caucus and convention sys- tem'now is. MMr. Clark, writing to Tas TRIBUNE for the purpose of explaining the object of his proposition, ssys : The brief notice in_your issue of the 6th inst,, of some new views of mizie on the subject of government, entirely falls to givo their substance correctly, Btanding on the sssumption, of the truth of which your columns furnish both abundant proof and confeasion, that our public affairs, in nearly all their departments and spheres, aroin a bad way, I endeavor to trace this threatoning aspect of things to the fact that our system of the direct clection of thelr repre- sentatives by tho poople is, n all large constituencies, on three les ; 1, that the franchise can be in- tolligently oxercised il constituencies so large that the reat majority of the people can have no personal §rowledge of the man they voto far ; 3, that the ma- Jority of men can have an adoquate conception of the ‘uzies that tho higher fanctionaries of Stato are called upon to porform ; and 3, that in such largo con- stitucncles any combinction of tho people's prefer- encea fa possiblo without the intgrvention of political organizations, £ olitical organizations, to_ which, 33 ail admit, the Dbad state of public affairs {8 in grea part directly'due, are, therefore, under our presant system, not s device, but & nstural growth and even a necessity, But, $hough thus answering a useful purpose, they havo passad boyond their subordinate sphere, and now ezer- ciso o despolic control over all our political affairs. They are enabléd to do thia by the geographical boun~ daries of constituencles, “flieza are the maps and charts by the aid of which political prganizers accom- ‘plish tholr purposes, e In order, therefore, totake away the root of the po» 1 ‘that oppress and frighten us, (1) the func- tlon of tho voter must be limited to the sphero of hia intelligencosud of his power of combination with those of likomind witk himselt, and (2) the geographi- cal limita of ennstituencies, which aye the foothold of profeasional politicians and office-seokers, must bo sup- Planted by some other motbod of limitstion, The returns from the income tax in Italyshow tnat either Italy is & dreadfully impoverished countzy, or that an income tax is productive of s frightful extent of perjury. It is probablo that there is something of both these re- sults to ba discovered in the figures. Qut of «ll the lswyera'in Italy, it sooms that only 1,267 have an income of over £200, and only 850 of those confess to an income of more than £400. But 467 physicians and surgeons return & $200 income, and there are only 79 doctora who have more than £400 a year. And yet Italy has mot been considered a particnlarly hosithy country. Bmall incomes in the professions, However, are not - 6o remarkable da ‘they are in the commercial pursnits. There are only 852 merchants, 114 millers, 64 chemists and druggists, with other avocations in propor- tion, that return incomes of the value of $100 per annum. The most astounding exhibit is found among the cafes and wine»shops, of which thera are 136,230 in the kingdom; and still only 520 of this largs number are admitted by their owners to make $400 s year. There is little sonder that living (inclnding eating and drink- ing) is somarvollonsly cheap in Italy. Yet the inference wo would drgw from this exhibit is, that the abalition ‘of the income tax in tho United States has materially decreased the ex- tent of false sweering. —_— It appenrs that the people of Tows are not in- clined to regard Mr. Durant’s contribution of | 210,000 to" Mr. Harlan with the same nonchal- ance that Mr. Harlsn himself -affects.” While this gentlemsn is of the opinion that Mr. Du- rant's evidence concerning the'$10,000° should never have beon taken, 88 it was entirely foreign to the subject under investigation, therois a sentiment in his own State thst Ar. Harlan should account for the two checksof £5,000 each vhich Mr. Darsnt passed over to him. The Dubuque Herald is probably prémature in de- ‘manding that theTowa Logislatureshall pasareso- Iutions asking Mr. Harlan to resign,for thedouble reason that there is no likelihood of the Iowa Legislatre's doing 1t, or of Mr. Harlan's re- signing. It is not promature, howerer,- to domand _that the United States Senate shall in- vestigate the case of Mr. Harlan as searchingly 88 it is now investigating Caldwell's. It will also be the guty of the present Congrassicnal Commiittee'to push the investigation with g view G2 asgertaining whother the 810,000 contributed by & manager of the Union Pecific Railroad wis in reard for past sorvies dons Yor the corpora- tion he reprosented gr for sérvices tlint wére expected. The project of providing a ponal code for fhe Stato of Now York, which shall inclade tlie treat- ment of all’ crimes thei Ny como under the common Igw, a8 well gs those alréady defined by statate, is to bo rovived beforo th préseit Log- islature. There haye ben several iop§ k- tempts to bring this subjest to 8 definite consid- eration, but they havo always failed horetofore. There is now in existence s Commission to whom the project was delogated by the Legislalature of 1867, but, though its' Toport s ready, jt has never been taken up and scted upon. In this report, th Copitissioners hold that they havo provided » pensl Godo defining’ gll'tho dririds for-which persons can be punishod snd the punishment for the same, 80 aa to dispense with the nacee- ity of any reference to tho common law to de- mipe the elements constituting the offonce. It is suggosted thek iho question cannot be consldered at ® more 8ppropristd $inio thay at preseat, when crimo is running riot and beyond control. The communication in our last isago tonching th cause of the bumnitig of the irst Congroga- tiGual Church, and signed * Justico,” Joft that cause in mystery. ~Ax jperview with Mr Esmay, connected with tho Oratorio Socieiy, ¢n- tirely clearsup the mystery. His statement may ‘becongidered authoritative, as he was present with the janitor when the firo broke out. Itap- pears that the furngco was under the vestibule steps on the Weshington strect sido. A large folding-door shut off .tho furhsco-roam from the busoment. The emoke-pipes passed throngh the plastering above the door, and only six inches gbove the Casing, Upon this casing thers were placed & sheck of zine which covered only a small space. When the fire was first discovered it was burning the casing. This they extingunished ; but subsequent-~ Iy it was found that it had worked its way into the pariition, and s blaze was seen igsning from the pipe-holes, The alarm was then turned in. From this statement it {s evident enough how the’ church was destroyed. B P A bill introduced in Congress yesterday, which secks to mako liquorice, etc., used in the manu- facture of tobacco and snuff, free of duty, lets -out a secret of the business.- If, howover, tho removal of dnty if going to maka the liguorice and tho * etc,” any chosper or morg whiversal, we have no doubt tho consumers, paradoxical a8 it may seem, will strenuonsly object to tho bill. Tpbacco-chowers and snuff-takers are already ex- posed to all sorts of fraudulent compowds, The veteran enufl-taker no longer can have sny con- fidenco in his favorite maccaboy, but how much more deplorable will the result bs when liguorice and “ etc.” can be brought here frea *nezess dpon > b of dnty. The “etc.,” although a little word hasa very brosd signification, and inclodes & numberless list of horrors which enter into the composition of snuff and-tobacco. Congresa ghould hesitats before it ‘makes these articles- - any worse than they are. The Paris Constitutionnel, in remarking upon the suicide monomania in that city, draws a dia- tinction between the sincere and insincore sai- cides,—the former being those who really wish to getrid of life, and the Intter those who at~ tempt to do 80" merely as & meansof gaining notoriety. It claims that suicide is only excusa« ble when fatal. When otherwise, it thinks thers should be a wise and patornal law decreeing that, if the person attempting suicide ‘“did not succeed in killing himself, ho should be imme~ diataly destroyed by the Ministers of Justice, The choice of the means of his execation might be allowed him,—the knife, poison, and guillo- tine, procipitation from the height of the Arc do Triomphe, hanging, or the Chassepot ; themesns would not greatly matter, if only tho end were attained.” There is » great deal of sound philos. ophy in tho advice of the Constitutionnel. Buck a law would act a5 o detorrent upon a great many people. Vermont is just now agitated to its very cen tre with a political complication. Flat treason is rampant among the Greon Mountains. The citizens of Franklin County, in that State, con- tend that their pro rala of the Btate taxes hag Dbeen unfairly spportioned, and they have sols emnly and nnsnimonsly decided to resist the colleotion of euch taxes. The remainder of the peoplo of Vermont are cqually detormined that Franklin County shall do its tax duties to the uttermost farthing. As Franklin County con- tains but 80,201 people, and the other countiea of the State 300,260, tho odds are just about 10 to 1 that Franklin County will have to satisfy the tax-gatherer, or that there will be trouble smong its hen-coops and haystacks. —— NOTES AND OPINION. Jobn P. Jones, of San Francisco, who bas ‘bought s Benatorial franchise of Nevads, admits » largs- expenditure, but says it was * only for legitimate campaign purposes.” Item: to James W. Nye, to get out of the way, $50,000. Item: to Willism Sharon, to get out of the way, 850,000, -~ Item: to Republican Stato Central Committes, for unanimous primaries in Baptember, ©50,000. Item: toset ’em up forthe boys, af- ter tho nnanimous nomination in September aforesald, €50,000, Item: to make it more ‘binding after s Republican Leglslature had been elocted, §50,000. It was as well understood, las - June, that Mr. Jones would pay 250,000 for the Benatorship, 83 it is now in January, thet he has paid i The Gold Hill (Nevads) News saya : b Tho late election was an oul on civilized Amere - {ea, aad the proscat Senatorial election 13 » 8tting s qui —Chancellor A. W. Dillard, of Alabama, js & didate for s place in Grant’s Cabinat. ~ General McMillen, “one of u{u Lonisians Ohlo, and brother-in-law of ex-Postmister Gens eral Donison. Bince the close of the war ho has boen cngaged in planting, in Carroll Parish, and, since 1869, has beena Republican member of th¢ Logislature. Ho recognizes and repro- sonts the McEnery Stato Goyerpment. ~ ~TThe Dubuque Times speaking of the . finances of Ioiws, ays: . The resl canse of tho dearth of money in the Treas. nry is'the fact that appropriations intendod torun - et during $wo years were in gomo cases entircly, and in sl cases largaly, dpuwn during Mo dmt. year, ermore, tho Legislature exceeded the limit which -the Auditor 3:d the Tésources of ~he Tressury would warraut by somo $200,000, © ~ —The Eentucky Legislature, gn Tueadsy, elected Willia B. Machen, fow in the United States Bonate by sppointment, to serve out the . torm ending March 3. Tho voto was : - Mechen, 120 ; B. Taryin Baker, Ropublican, 17, s —John B, Gordon, elacted Scnator of Georgis, vige Hill, was & Confederate General, aud wag the ¢andidate for Govornor, sgainst Bullock, in 1868, Mlis disabilities have been removed. —The Tennessea Logialatare has elected - . Cherlea N. Gibbs Secretary of State, tice Batlor; W. W. Hobbs, Comptroller, vice Pennobacker ; srd William M. Moyrow, incumbent, Treasurer, All aro Liberal Domograts, b * —The Texas Logislature met at Austin, Janu- ary 14, and is almost unanimously. Democratic. The Senate alected E. B. Pickott, of Liberty, President, and hoia _ex-oficio Licutonant Gove ernor. The Honse eiected Dr. M. D. K. Taylor, Speaker. The Secretary of the Senateis Leigh Chalmiers, and the Clerk of the Honso, Willizm Walsh. Webster Flansgan (son’ of the United Stiteg Sonator) resigned hia claims to tho Chaiy of the Senate, thereby solving g dopbt which was preguagt with trouble, Colomel Pickett i3 prospactively Governor, vice Davis, to be ims peached. b —The Florida Legislature has two contested seats in the Senate, and six in the House. —The New York Herald is of the opinion that 450 out of the 74 United States Senators obs tained theirseiis by prrchase.” .. 2 —For pexy Govprugr of Ohio (election in Octabar), tho Bépublicans Tt namod axe Gos: ernior Noyes and John T. Wilson. “The' Demo= crate aro already talking of Thomas Ewlog, who ol {2 1ave been ho candidat two yiars sgo; —Wo hope it will not bg out of grder te ig- vestigate the $10,000 subscription of tho Pacifig Railroad Oém%u[:y toasaistin the election”of ki Mr. Harlan. ‘Harlan asserts very poaitives that, altkough tho 310,000 was subscribed an :Panz, it *svas ot improperly nsed. It would by orthi whilo to find out just how tHat'stni Ds 'usod otherwise thay * impreperly ™ in a Sona~ g forinl “eloction. - Somebody wha busn't got £10,000 may want to go to the Benate gome of thess days, and, if that sum {s a necessary an logitimate cost of the yodertaking, it aught tg be known In advance for the beneflt of the ime pecunions.—&. Louis ocrat. —Sqme of the less intelligent cancas publica. tions, being ailicied with that rather dangeront varioty of zeal which the Apostle desaribes sf xiot secording to “knowledge,!’ malkie- hasts &4 aagnrs fhair|itile public that the Credit Moblied invgstigation bas turned aut tha farca they al: ways linpw it would; that ail” tho public ‘meg concerned—at any rate 2ll the Nepublicans— bave been trinmphantly *vindicated.” It Is only justice to say that this kind of talk israrely heard from the older and abler Republican jour- nals,—ie jourpala of sntecedents and estab- lished position, With characters to loak after, Such newspapers as tha Now York Etening Post, Hariford Courant, Philadelphia Press, Cincid- Dati Gazelle, Chicago Evening Post, and St Louis Democrat tcko the matter a good doal ‘more seriously.—5pringfield Republican. e, —The catching of James Brooks in the Credit Mobilier trap aoems to bo a-freat comfortfo thy W —Worso than the fate of Louisiana or Arkan- a8, is that of Alabsma. The Btate is to be E'ma, indeed. Upon the heels of her Le tive troubles comos the aunouncement that 8he has fallen & prey to Sliylogk. Honry Clews, of sweet savor in’the nostrils’ of Georgians, hat taken the State of Alabama under his fosteriny caro. Hois nonounced as her financial agen Look for s sudden fluctuation in tho valuo ‘Alabams Btafe bonds st an early dsy—Savag: —The Nebrasks Legislature has, within & week, had two long messages, from acting Gov- ernor James and the now Governor Furnas, but neither of them touches upon the State finances, snd the Qmaha Republican's correspondent sé Lincoln says; N 5 The Stats_indebtedness is not given, and, what 16 ‘more, this never has been given; and I solemaly ber Lieve there is not 3 man in the State who can tell $50,000 what the outstanding {ndebtedness is. ~_To the strong_array of objections we have already presented sguinst the Holman Laod Bounty bill, we may add that the .effest cf the nbsmt;qngn land for s mauey vouht{h g e frontier States alone, their peo> ple and their posterity, in one wholesale act of - spoliation, the whole cosf of this cxtra compen: sation ti;uu the lo!‘:l!.i;w; of the entire army. A - ‘money bonnty would bo nssessed equally apon the capital of the whole country, and roua zall chiefly on the rich and populous Btates of the Enst.—8t Paul Press. —The Claveland Leader throws John A. Bing- bam overboard, to sink-with his Oredit Mobilieg. - dividends, - ° o