Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 23, 1874, Page 4

' TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE. - 1875, BATEA OF FUDECTIPTION (FAYARLE TN ADVANCE), i Tty by ol rs-Weekly Tastsof a yoar at tho samo rate, o frovont delay and mistakes, bn sure and glve Post- Ofiico addross In full, Includlug Htato and Cowity, Hewlttanceamay bomado olthorby deaft, oxpross, Posts Otea order, or in reglstored ottery, ot o risk, TERNA TO CITY BULKCRI Dally, delivored, Sunday oxcopted, Dally, delivored, Bunday included ) con t3 por woek Addresa TIE TRIBUNT COMPANY, Cornar Madison and Doarbor, Chioago, Til, onts per week ACADEMY OF MUSIC—alstod steaat, lntwean Mad- o et A ttonasr iy o1 gtho Alged, Gers Lronings +*1a Tiilo do Madamo Angatn o 1 UcHesse: MVIORER'S THBATRI-Madison strsot, hetweon 9“&'.‘,’:;{;1 aud State. Logagomont of Kdwin Booui, ~Tandolnh stenat, hetweon The Votcran, -Altornoon and HOOLEY'S TIIE. Clark aud LaSallo, evoulng. URAND. OPRRA-TIOUSE~Olatk slrest, = opppsito Snormian Hnuse, © Kolly & loou's Mivstrols. *'1a Potit Faust,” Aftornaos and ovoning. CHIOAGO MUSEUM-—-Monron etraot, hatwean Dear- Lo b0 e e TneTodys Friend an e oo Puddiluols, G SOCIETY MEETINGS. UNION PARK LODGE, No. 610,.—Regular nnntial tommudleation this (Weilnoslay) ovoning, Dao, T for tho sication of niloots mnd ynyuent of dios, (\)!;}é‘lll‘n vi A of A, D, | Yrutiieun cordiallydavilod. * Vur ardorof A, B, (e & A AL at 7:00 o'cluck, Per ordor of 1. 0, CREGIKR LODGI, N Miliwankeo-av.—Anunal_cantnnnlent of otifoora thiss ‘(Wudneaday) evoning, Ivery mumber fa soquosted to bo presdat. tho W, M. { INDEX TO ADVERTISEMENTS. TIIRD PAGE-City, Buburban, and Conntry Real lietate, Wangs, To Kents, Lost and ound, Business ci T g mngo, Misical, ofc., stu. 9 AL e e et ublicatlons, | Worcestorshiro, o af . Tavln, Uooun Steamsbipe, Sowlog-Maohings, Modioal Carda, ote., dio. The Chicags Tribune, WodnosdayyMoratng, Docomber 23, 1874. 0 Springleld people sny it is wonderful how many gambling-houses nve opencd in that city just beforo tho meeting of each Legis- lature. Vice-President Wirson will not probably presido in the Senato agein during this ses- asion of Congress, DIr. “CamrexTER is aching for the vaeant placo, and will probably got it. Doubtless there is somo matter for investi- gation coverad by tha resolution of the Ifouse yoslerday requesting tho Scerctary of the In- terior to meke o detailod statoment of the disbursements of the contingent fund in each burenu of his Dopartment. Like aman who orders his coffin beforo deatl is the recusant witness of tho Pacific Mail investigation, Mr. Inwix, who hns sent an upholsterer to take tho measuro of tho room in the Capitol in which he expeots to bo confined for contempt of the House, The Houso yesterday refused to give waanimous congent for the introduction of a bill approprinting £30,000 to defray the ex- penses of tho visit of Kanakiua aud his suite, Tho bill may havo merits not visible to the ordinary obscrver. It looks uncom- monly bad, at this distence from tho Capital. Tho debato on the Naval Appropriations bill in the Ifouse yesterdoy must havo been delightful, It certainly was, if confession is- good for the soul ; for both Republican end Democrptic members confessed that the navy- yards have been used as political machines from time immemorial. The next step to confession should be repentanco, and the one after that should bo reformation. Tho Re- publicnn party now has the chanco to set an exemple,, The St. Louis Republican feels ofiended at being medo authority for the statement tele- graphed to s Tomune: from St. Louis that at the Vicksburg massncro ** the negroes wero blameless.” The words were actually used by the Republican, but our correspondent negleoted to*atato that the letter holding to this opinion was writien by Gov. Aams, of Mississippi, and credited to him with com- ments by tho Republican, which it is needless to say by no means indorsad it. . Thero is no longer renson to doubt that a paty of miners has penetrated the Black J¥illa rogions, A detachment of {roops sent out to bring the trespassers homo has re- turned to Fort Sully, eud reported that a trail was followed clenr neross tho reservation, but afterwards nb,'\‘)ddqe;l; ngitho rations of the soldiers began do fail, *ihe miners may pos- sibly bo murdeted by this time. Tho sug- gestion is thrown out gratuitously and benev- olently for the benefit of any persons who may feel disposed to follow their example, Dr. Tionzinfrrons; redson for declining tho Bishoprio ofPTows' is much tho samo as tho one offered by oy own Roncnr Cowntamn when he x'c:[uéll, Hvoral weeks 2go, to go to Hew Youls, Dy, HunrisoroN says his peoplo nre engagad in a building enterprise, and think they cannot spare him. Very likely thoy caumot. Bub is it not truo that the Bishoprio of Towa Ly gone n begging long enough ; and that onc of the reasons why it hins been so lightly rogavded is that it doen not offer r. docent support to any person who shall necept it ? Lilo thunder out of a cleor 3y comes the repost of tho Canal-Convention held in Clin. ton, In., yesterdny. Tho Couvention wesin favor of tho Hennepin Canal, but it was not in favor of the Rock Island ond of the pro- ject. It belioved tho terminus of tho canal on the Mississippi River ought to Lo at least twenly miles above Rock Island, in order to clear the uppor yapids, Resolutions wers edopted exprossive of these views, and re- questing Congress to pass no bill authorizing the coustruction of tho canel until both the upper and the lower routes shall have been surveyed and the results veported, The Chieago produce markets wore goner ally strong yesterday, with rather less doing, except in whoat, DMess porle was moderately nutivo, and 10@12 1-20 per Ll higher, closing at $18.05@10.00 cash, and 10,35 for Feb. vy, Lard was in bottor demand, and 10@ 12 1-2¢ per 100 s higher, closing nt 18,15 ezl and %18,40 soller February., Menta wera wyuivt and flemor, at 6 1.2¢ for shoulders, 0 1-20 for short vibs, and 9 8-lo for short clenvs, ighwines wore in falr demand end steady, nt 7 per gallon, Tlour was quict. Wheat was move rotive and 1 1-4¢ highey, closing at 90 1.2¢ cash, and 90 7-8c for January, Corn was in modernte demand, and 8-4@1e¢ higher, closing at 78 1-4@78 1-2o forold, Gt 8-4o for new, and 72 1-4o seller May, Oatsworo more sotive, and a shade higher, closing at 68 8-fo wallee the month aid 58 i.86 for Tamiary, THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBDUNE: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 93, 1874. Ryo was quiot and slrong, ab H7@00c. B ley was in fair domond, snd 1-2@1e higher, closing dull at 1,25 12 for January, nud 126 1-2 for Februnry. On Balurday even- ing Jast there was in storo in this city 1,884,. 656 bu wheat, 1,030,581 bu corn, 805,520 bu oaty, 19,765 bu rye, and 810,278 bu barloy. logs wevo falrly active, and i@10s highor, finlon at B0.60@7.10 for eommon to choice. Cattlo wera quict and flrm, Bhoop wero onslor, T'ha coneert which will bo given this even. ing at Favwell Inll, for tho benefit of tho Toundlings' Home, is ono of moro than ordi- navy intevost; fivst, beeauso it will introduce the musical publio to somo new musio by ono of our homo composers, and, second, be- enuso the proceeds of it will be dovoted to tho beneflt of one of the most praisoworthy chavilies in the city, 'Tho first fact will un- doubtedly enll ont & handsomo representation of musicians nnd musical connoissours, who are alwnys on tho qui vive for novelties. 'Iho socond should induco {ho general public to give this entertainment their most generous patronpge. . No city charity is more deserv- ing of §ts. Tt is ono which must dopend upon the libevdlity of tho publie, and one which hag novor forfeited*the confidenca which s Dheén reposed in It ianngement, TFor theso ,ren'gm‘x‘ i‘t’:figfivm}!'ph?:fld not go unheeded, 1y, ey s "Tho Hoysio .9°’1‘9 teo on Pacifio Railronos phssed o hsolution’Hresterdny ‘declaring that 1o fnets Titvo banfintl bofora it to justify an investigatiori of tho manner in which the Contral Pacific Rond was conatructed. 'Tho chief reason of thin decision s that tho Con- tral Pneifio Rond dexives all its: powors from ‘tho Stato ‘of Chlifornin, nnd is answerablo to tbat authority in so far as it ling violnted its chartor. Thero is here n pal pable evasion of the'question at issue. What the people principally desira to know is whotlier thq Contral Prcific Company, or any Credit Mobjlier attached to it, used money to \ influcricettha getion of Congress. For the purposes of .this inquiry, it is immnterinl whether the Central Pacific Company was chnrtered by tho, State of California or tho United States, 3 THE BERATE NCY BILL, The Dbill to regulate the iinances agreed upon by the caucus of Republican Senators on Saturday, and passed by the Sonate yes- tordny, does not appenr, upon a closor in- rpeelion, to be all that was promised. ‘The Lill was foreed through the Sennlo.in aceord- ance with tho party programme. All nmond- ments were rojected, and thero scomed to be o desiro oven to limit debnte, But, for all that, the wesk parts of tho bill were pretty thoroughly sounded before the vots was taken, Mr. Supnuan was cross-examined by M, Scnunz, and was compelled to ad- it that the framers of tho bill intentionally Ieft undotermined the question ns to whother tho greonbrcks redeenied ave to bo destroyed or reissued. 'Chis admission is nstounding, "The bill, it secms, proposes to lodge in tha Sceretary of {ho Trensury tho power of in- crensing or diminishing the volume of the currency as he may seo fit, We havo alrendy had sad experienco of tho manner in which sucli power may bo abused, and, though plac- ing thoe fullest confidence in Seccrelary Bris- ow, aro utterly opposed to so enormous an oxtension of the duties and powers of the ofiico which he happens to hold, It was also shown in the course of the debato that tho process of retiving green- backs, oven if it'is honestly conducted to the end, wiil bo very gradual, Tho Treasury notes in excess of 00,000,000 axo to bLe retived only in the proporlion of 80.per cent of tho increnso of National Dank issucs. Thug it will requira an cxpansion of the cireulation of Nationnl Bank notes to the amount of one Imindred inillions to wmrant tho reduction of tho legal tenders to threo hupdred millions. Now it is the fret that, fi‘lby Nn!ipxxldf)]nll]: circnlation alveady authorized hos not been taken up ; nnd it is ot probablo that tho business of the country will revivo sufiiciently within four yeavs {o allow of an increase of $100,000,000 in tho banking eapital, r. Taurasy ventured the assertion from his place in the Senato yester- day, that the increnso of National Bank cur- rency under tho bill will not be over §10,000,- 000, and the retivemont of greenbacks not ovor £8,000,000. His prediction is reasonable enough, But in spito of nll ity defects, the bill hns somo velue, It contnina o pledge that tho Governmont will Dbegin -the payment of its dishonored obligntions on o duy fixed. 'This pledge will bo binding wyon the country through ‘al.tho’ 'ang‘fl that intervene. It can- not* by’ :}m& #ltlout disgraco, It witt stend; p (»‘ “Solemin compact between tho Ambricin’ peoplg and their ereditors ; andwo do not believe, nuy politienl party which at- templs tfn' ‘bi‘afi:/,‘i‘t will bo elevated to powor, I8 it is t, then, of the exprnsion- ists in tRd Ty K\vl:u have favored this bill to ‘tht_’;fi'} iqt:burroncy question over for the, c‘op1 tion of o Congvess which shall niafidity, tho next Presidentlal cloc- tion, ) sl tnken a falso step, 'Chey hevo befdrehand pledged the Ameriean peo- plo to pursno an anti-oxpansion policy ; and wa do ot believo the American peoplo will deny the obligations entered into by them through their yopresentativen, THE PACIFIQ MAIL SURBIDY, In 1865, Congress thought it necessary to uso tho mail-service botween this country and Lrstern Asin ng n menns of *‘encowrnging American commerco.” Tho Postinster-Gon- cral wes authorized to mako n contract with tho Pacific Muil Compnuy, and did so. ‘The Government gob o fow conts for ench lottor sent by tho now routo and pnid a fow dollars for the sending, Tho Pacific Mail made an cxcollent thing out of tho job. One of the parties to 1lie contract heeamo dissudisfied, 0ddly enough, the dissntisfaction was not on the part of the Government, which was Leing Dbled, but on thet of the Company, which was Dleeding it. In 1872, the Company sent Inwiy and $7i0,000 to Washington, and got au 'net prssed, undor which {he Post- master-Geners! had authority to contrnch with it for *“an additional monthly mail ser- vico” in iron ships, American-built, of not less than 4,080 tons. It was further provided tnt the now ships should bo inspocted, and that reports upon them ghould bo submitted to the SBecrotavy of tho Navy and Postmaster- General before thoy were used in the servico, Upon eompliance with these &ix conditions, the Company was to recoive $5600,000 . years This was & bandsome profit, rbout 07 per cent, on the investniont of 5760,000, It dle- pended, in law, as have shown, upon six conditions,—mn ndditionn] monthly service ; the building of ivon ships; tho build- jug of sueh ships by American labor and of Amorican muaterinls; their being of at lenst 4,000 fons; their inspection; and ro- ports upon their condition to tho Postmoastor- Goneral and tho Beorctary of tho Navy, It doponded; i fatt, upon parb vf-ohu condls tion, Tho Company provided some nddi- tionnl gorvico, not, wo believe, monthly, and forthwith it bogan to draw it subsidy, Af- ter this, it ordered one or two ships, of pre- cigely what sort nobody lnows, sinco {hiera hies beon no inspeation and no report. ‘Tho Into Postmaster-Gonoral aud tho Bocratary of tho Navy seom Lo have displayed a mostorly innotivity in tho matter, although they per- linps could havo done nothing. When re- scinding tho subsidy on nccount of broken conditions wns mooted, that shining light of American jurisprudence, Attornoy-Genoral ‘Winntaus, gave an opinlon that the contract must hold good bLocouso tho Company lus kindly furnished romo ndditionnl rervice, and lins voeontly built o ship or two which mny Do of tho sort required, Thin is folly. A contract i vitinted cither by fraud or by brench of condition. 'Cho bargain with the Pacifio Mail Company in thereforo - doubly worlliless, 'Tho Altornoy-General's legal opinfons havo not beon ablo to command much respeet sinee his breakdown in the Credit-Mobilier cnses. Ilo iz by far the wenlest member of the Cabinet, and is probably tho poovest Attorney-General tho counbry hns had for a generation, Ab pres- ent, ho appenrs on the record ns n sort of lob- byist for the Pncifle Mail Compnny, Itis not n proud position, especiatly since Pncific Mnil subsidy and Pacific Mail swindle seem to bo convertiblo terms. THE SUNSIDY VOIE IN CONGRES3, Tho votoin the Houso on Monduy last on the rosolution declaring that tho coudition of tho financial affairs of the couniry demands that thero bo no subsidies of money, orlands, or of bonds {o any railroad or other privato corporation, showed that 119 members of the Houso were brought to tlio record in opposi- tion to subsidies, 75 recorded themselves in favor o,‘z‘mybsidiou, and 68 wera absont or dodged t.l.\u,,,f’:, resolutlon m% in favor of subsidies hailed from tho follé, gz States : *dwell, Hays, Pelham, Sheats, Arnaxsas—Hodges, Snyder—2, Cavnrronnia—Iloughton—1. Drrawane~Lofland—1, Frorma—Walls—1. Grorars—Dlount, Harris, Sloan, Stophens, Whiteloy, Young—0. Inprana—Williams—1. Kenrvery—Young—1, Tovrstava—Darrall, Morey, Sheldon—38. Manynaxp—Lowndes—1, Micnraas—Hubbell—1. Mussissrri—Horne, MeIeo—2, Miesount—Comingo, Havens, Hyde, Stan- ord, Stone, Wells—G, Massacuvscrrs—Butler, Williams—2, Mrxxesora—Averill, Stout—2, Nrnnasuwa—Crounse—1. Nrw Junsny—Hazelton—1, . Nontur Canormia—Leach, Vance, Waddell -3, New Yorxz—Creamer, Schell—2. Orroox—Nesmith—1, Prynsynvanis — Biery, Cessnn, Klley, Moore, Negley, O'Neill, Richmond, Town- sond—8, Soutn Canoriya—NRansier, Wallnce—2. Pexnessce—DButler, Crutehtield, Lowis, May- uard, Nuon—3a, Texas—Hancock, McLean, Mills, Willio—4, - Vinginia—DBowen, Ifurvis, Flatt, Sener, Smith, Stowell, Thomas, Whitohend—8, ‘Wesr Vinaista—Ilagans, Horeford—2, Wisconsin—2McDill, Rush, Sawyer—3. Total, 7d. "T'ho persons who did not vote on this ques- tion are of no less importance. There were ten absent from Pennsylvania, ten from Now York, six from Massachusctts, five from Ohio, and sovon from Illinois. Of tho absentees from Illinois, Messrs, Fonr and Fanwery had eccompanied the remains of n colleague to this city, but why Messra, Epes, Knaep, Banners, Rav, and Horeoor did not vote, has yet to bo explained. N, Hurisvur has o bill of his own proposing to give to some corpo- retion & bond subsidy of sixty milliony of dollavs, but this does not explain why ho omitted to voto agrinst the recolution. It is significant that aftcr two weeks'notico this resolution pledging the Housa ngainst subsidies has not been able to obtein moro than 149 votes in & body which hes 288 living members. This vote wonld bo more surpris. ing, porhaps, if it wera not for tho faot that two-thirds of the present members have not been re-clected, Treating the vote agninst this resolution and the Iargor part of the now voting mom. bera ns renlly in favor of the various subsi- dies, it is worth whilo {o examine it in dotail. Penunsylvanin on this basis gives 18 votes for subsidy, Tox Scorr being the ruler of both parties in that State, MNew York counts 12 votes for subsidy, which is tho extent of the controlling power of the Wall streot gom- Dlers, XNo Ohio member recorded his vote for subsidy, but Ii found it convenient not to vote, T'oxas yoted solidly for subsidies, that Stata being prrticularly interested in Scorr's railroad, and for the same reason there wero G votes on the same sido from Missouri, Tive Tonnesse members had visions, perhaps, of DNemphis as the cestorn terminus of a DPacific rond, and therefore voted for subsidy. Minnesota, the headquarters of doy Cooko's Northern Pa- cifle Road, gave 2 votes for subsidy. Georgia, which asks that Congress indorse tho bonds of a canal company in that State for fifly or sixty millions of dollars, gave 6 votes for subsidies, and Virginia and West Virginia, who want & hundved millions of bonds for the James River & Knuawaha Canal, gave 10 votes for subsidies, "These were reinforcod by odd votes from the South- ern States, and also by 8 from Wisconsin, 1 from Michigan, sud 1 from Indians. Orogon wants a subsidy of thivty millions for n railrond, nud hor solitary vote was given in that dircetion, What ave these subnidios? what do they amount {o in the aggregato? At this mo- ment, taking this volo as an indoex of the viows of memnbers, there isless than ten ma. jority of the whole Houso opposed to theso tubsidios, of which the following are the miore conspicuous : Bonls. Score's Texea Paciflo Ratlroad, ., $110,000,000 Goour's Northoru Yachilo Raflroad, + 120,000,000 Houtawrts Radiromd, v, 10,600,000 Georgin Usnal Compiity. Jutines Hiver & Kanowly Orogou & Balt Lako Railroad,, ‘Totul amount of guaranteed hond: 76,000,000 00,000,000 500,000,000 Tho ruuunl intorest on these bonds at & per cent will Lo 826,750,000 in gold, and,ns theso bonds run forty years, tho total outlay for interest will bo the modest sum of 1,070, 000,000 in gold, or oqunl to one-hulf the na- tiounl debt, It is somiewhnt remarkablo that whilo oll theso subsidy manegers ave irve. deemnblo-papor inflationists, they novertho- loss stipulute in their bills that tho principal aud intorest on all these guarauteed bonds shall be poynblo in gold, No groenbacks for subsidlos! Thoso sutbeidy schemoes are o)l depondent ofte on th othex, The fdonds of ths Nostle e, Thoso voting against the | ern Pacifto will not *vota for the Gaorginn, nor the Virgininn, nor the 'Woxan jobs, unless {hely menstir i prgsod; heneo tho consolida- tion of these schemes, presonting the grentest aggregato nmount of’ plunder over yot pro- posed to bo taken, ‘Iho Pacifle Mail Steam- ship Company, two yenrs ago, exponded 700,000 Lo obluin o subsidy of £500,000 for ton years; thoy paid down moro than 10 per cent of the gratuily, IIow well theso othey subpidy schomes, calllng for aver $25,000,000 ounuaelly for forty years, enn pay, the couniry enu judgoe for itself, THE LIMITATION OF OLAIMS, - Mi, Lawnexer, of Ohlo, Iins proposed the following as an nmendment to ihe Constitu- tionz A AnT, —, No claini ayainst tho Unitad Staten ohall bo pald wnloss prescnted fn pursuniies of by by tho clofmont within ten yoars afloe hiaving logal right and capacity Lo do 80, or within such losa perlod ns may bo yresortbed by Jaw, A clnim rejected by nuy uthor. fzed ofiicer, cr reported advorsely by & committes of vittier onao of Uangrese, whalt not bo re-oxnuined or padd unless wilbin aix yeors nfter such rojuction or nd- verso rerort, +* While the proporition is n good one in it- sclf, wo fail to sao the neeessity for a consti- tutional muendment to this effect. A lnw of Congress would serve the praotical end to bo attained, Tho socaring of an amondment to the Con- stitution of the United States is a slow, tedi- ious, and uncertain process. It requires two or throo yenrs baforo it can becomo a part of the Constitution, nnd it is nccessary that bree-fourths of the Legislatures of tho States shall ratify it. Awending tho Constitution has boeu resorted to only in grent emergon- cies and to accomplish onds that could not othorwise bo attamed. In the matter of clnimg, it in donbtful whether such nn amend- ment would not be opposed by the Democrat~ i party and the Southoern States an an offort? to undermine their pet schemes of the future, It is nob unusnal for State Legislatures to pass statutes of limitation ; we feil to seo wherein tho Logislature of the United States Incks tho powor to do whatis virtually tho srme thing ;- and, having done it, thereis no likehood that nny future Congress® would ro- pealit. A claim is neither a contract nor o debt, but simply n clnim ; and, if Congross pass an act providing that claims against the United States Government shall bo presented within n cortain timo after hoving n logal right and capneity, tho Courts, tho Depart- ments, and Congress itself will bo bound thereby. The same is true of that part of the proposition relating to claims which have onco boen thrown out of Congress. Wo beliovo it will bo right and proper for Congross {o mnke a law upon the model suggested by Mr. Lawnexcr. Thero should be some definite fermi- untion to tho inanifold claims growing out of the War and thoso that loom up inthe future. Wo beliove it would be no injustico to fix tho limitation o0 ns to cut off now the filing of auy now War claims. Any of these that ought to be allowed have been filed be- foro this timo. And wo do not balieva that any Congress, Domocratic or otherwise, will daro to afiront tho people by the repenl of such a protection, THE WABASH AVENUE RAILROAD, Tho passage of tho ordinance ‘granting o franchise to the present City Railway Com- pany to lay a horse-railvond track on Wabash avenue from Madison to Twenty-second was, both in tho manner of its passago nnd in the results it provides, an outrage upon the peo- ple of Chicago. The suspicious circum- stances ntlondant upon tho passnge of the or- dinance give additional oredit to the rumors that money was freely used {o sccuro Alder- men's votes, and domand that the public and tho proper officials shall subject the ection {o & closo gerutiny, o assist in the proper un- derstanding of the case wa will reeepitulato somo of tho fontures which tend to confirm this view of the caso: I. It was universally conceded that tho privilege of constructing a horso-railway on Wabash avenue was o valuable franchise. If it conld be granted at all, it was the property of thocity, 1If it hnd value, that value apper- teined to the city in its corporate erprcity, and it should not have bLeen deeded away without some congideration. The value of tho Wabash avenuo franchisewas inereased by the fact that it was the only remnining thor- oughfare in the South Division upon which the peoplo would congent to havo n lorse- railwey, ‘ne Lninuse has froquently point- ed outtho worth of this franchise, and de- monded thet tho city should reccive somo cansideration therefor, recommending espe. cially that tho company acquiring the right should kecp the street in repair. The Coun- oil deliberatoly disrogarded this valuc-of the {franchise, and gavo it away without any con- siderntion whatover. 11, Failing to demand somo consideyation for this valuable franchise, {he Council ought at loast to Lisvo reserved some rights for the people, to have sfforded some pro- toction ngainst tho nbuses of the nbsolutemo- nopoly which they have thus ciented, But they likewiso feiled to do {his; and the prosent City Reilwsy Compeny, bhaving now disposed of every prospect of opposi- tion, hold tho people of the Bouth Division at their mercy, and may with impunity tnen o donf car to all publio demonds for fairor treatment, III. The Couneil eannot urge thnt nobody was willing to pay for thoe. franchise, There wero threo propositions bofore them: One offored {o consiruet and keep in order the ontive street ; another offeved to pay 1 por cent on ita grosa recoipts into tho City Lrens- wy and one-helf of 1 per cent to tho Public Libravy; the ihird offered nothing, 'Tho Couneil, coolly ignoring the other offers, passed an ordinnuce giving the right to tho presont City Railway Compuny,—tho party which offered nbsolutely nothing. 3 IV.. The ordinnnco passed places a porfoct monopoly in the hands of the prosent City Rnilway Company, without oven requiring then to construct and operato a ailvond on ‘Wabnsh avenue. TFor the ordinnuce shnply provides that a track shall bo 1ald from Mad- ison streot to Congress street within six months, which mey bo done with old iron nt a ridiculously low prico. Aftor this, nothing nced bo done until after the propery-owners of the street shall have repaved it in ils cniire length, Monnwhile, tho ordinauco simply serves ag a permanent injunction upon il other parties construeting n streot railway who would lave beon willing to repave tho stroot thomsolves, and koop it in order permauently, in consideration ¢ the fran. c¢hise. V. 'he old contract Lotweon the city and tho present City Reilwoy Company, provid. ing that no rnitway slould be lnid on the stroot for twonty yonrs from 1803, cuts no figuro in tho enso, If good, the only way in which tho spirit of the contract eould bo carriod out was by vofusing to permit the track to bo lnid by any percon or corporation, 1If, on thu otber hand, tho contraet wagin. volld (us f goniorally bollevad to bo thoe cias) the right of way might just a3 well havo heen glven to thoso willing to keep tho streot in repnir 4 to the Company which was willing to do nothing, Tho fact in, that the Common Couneil de- liborately “ sold ont” tho interests of thio poo- plo,—rnehing the ordinnueo through withoul engrossmont, beenuso thoy did not dava sub- Jjeet it to publie criticiam. Thero is n vory wide-sprend * impression that oertain of {le Aldermon divided among themselves tho money, or n part of tho considerntion, which ought to iave gono into the City Trensury. Somo perwons go ko fav ns to apecify that the sum of 370,000 wns expended to seenre tho assnge of tho ordinance, and two prominent members in the Council ave pointed ontns tho londers in the *job.” ‘Checircnmsatances of tho caso wmrant .n seerching dnvestigation of {lieso rumors, Meanwhile, it is tho duty of the Mayor to voto this ordinruco in ordoer that there may Do time for reconsideration. "[ho rensons wo have given nbovo should de- mand thig of him without any referenco to the charges of & corrupk uso of monoy to in- fluence tho Council. 'The ordinance should nover have hean passed in the manner it did pass, nor should it be of the paturo of n gratuity to acompany that has no elaims upon the people. Mayor Corviy ought to veto the ordinnnco in common deforenco o the rights of tho people, aswellax in consideration of the seandnlons charges and suspicious eiveum. stances attonding its passngo, THE VICROEURG PRCCLAIIATION, The proclumation of tha Presidont order- ing the armed moba in Mississippi to disperse is prompt, enorgetic, and decisive. It is safo {o assume that it will not be appealed from and that it will bo obeyed. It is to bohoped thnt it sottles tho question at Vicksburg, rnd will restora peaco nnd order to that city, It will bo remombered that tho troubles ab Vicksburg aroso ‘from tho fnet that o mob of men cjected the county officials from their positions by force, upen tho ground that the |, Sheriff's bond wns informal and void, nud when the Sheriff sought to recover his office *tho massacro of some sixty or cighty blacks was tho result, Sinco that time he hins been kept ont of his office. Tho eoffcct of the ' President's proclamntion is to reinsteto tho comniy officers. No claim lns ever licen set up that thoy were not legally elected. ‘The authority of the Stato being powerloss to protect them, it is the duty of {ho United States to interfore upon the call of the Logis- Inture. Oncereinstated, then tho pooplo of that connty havo their remedy in the courts, if there is nuy illegality in the administoring or the holding of thoso oftices, Thisis whero it should heve been taken in the flvab in- stance, In place of i, n mob took the Inw -into its own hands nnd ge- complishod its purposes with violence and murder. It now remning fo bo seon whether the people of Viclwburg are Inw-abiding, or whether they are disposed to substituto anarchy for poeco and order. One thing is certain, Sheriff Crosny will be placed in his oftico again, if it takes the whole inili- tary force of tho United States to nccomplish it, rs ho wna logally clected. 1If tho poopleof 1hnt city can show eause why he should not vetain it, there is no power to prevent it, but it will havo to bo dono by due form of law, and not by inurder. That is the length and breadth of the situation. The proclamation fortunately is simpla enough for the most rabid mobbito snd negro-huter in Vicksburg to understand, COL. INGERSOLL'S DUEL, The recont Clhieap Lrangportation Conven- tion nt Tichmond hos had one very singular result, Naturally, one would not expect any- thing belligevent in discussious on railvonds, trunk lines, canal locks and tunnels, river im- provements, and other such pacifie parapher- nalin of the earryingtrado, Arguments based upon columns of figures nnd freight taviffs, essays written in cool blood from commercinl | standpoints, and correspondence penned un- der the inspiration of the length of railroad lines, the cost of building cannls aud boring mountaing, ond the flery cloquenco of Grangors, do uot ordinarily have any eflect except a somniferous one npon the public ot large, and ng soporifies they usually compere favorably with chloral and valerian, Strango as it may seem, howoever, ono luckless individual lws succeeded, in spito of adverse circumstauces, in srousing Southern Dblood aud getting it up to the Doiling point. This individual is Col. L. D, Inarrsorr, well known in this city, who went to the Convention ns n representative from Orogon, and the Island of Navasser, adjacent to Iayti, Tho man who is secking to vin- dicato chivalry by sending Col. InaErsory to that bourne from whick return tickets aro not issued is M, R, Burczses, Collector of Internal levenuo at Richmond. “Lho offenseliesinthe fact that Col, INornsorL said if Mr. Burorss wero in Chicago lo would be eplled o “Dbummer.” It docs not seom to us that this is o very gravo or uncommon offense. It will ho observed that Col. IngEnsoLt, made a nice distinction, He did nob call Mr. Bunarss a “bummer” in Richwond. He did not call Nr. Buncess & “bummer” atall. o only intimated that if Mr. Durarss wore in Chi- engo he might bo called a bummer, Now it is possiblo, if Mr. Bunoess were in Chicago, hewould not objeot to being called n bummer, Fow object to it lero; on the other hand, tho ‘‘bummers” lave tho best of it, as they rule thoe caucus, control the primaries, sound all the war-crics, relly tho palviots, hoist the flags, govmnndize on tho pickings and stealings, and rido in the bavouches when Governor-Gonerals, and Kings, and Dukes aro received. Wo have bummers in the Couneil, bummers in the County Bonrd. bummners on the Bonrd of Trado, bumnmers everywhere, and not ono of them has ever objected to tho appellation. Oun the other hend, they tako a pride in it, especially those who are suceessful in getting ofice ox spoil; ond those who . are not, keep on bumming industriously, hopiug nt sonfo future time to obtain tho bummer's reward, Tn short, thoy are tho ruling classes in this eity, Mr, Bun- axss, howoevor, did not soo it in thiy light, I'lio bare possibility that ho might have been a bummer in Chieago Lindled all the chivalry whioh smolders in the Southern lemt into a brisk DLlaze, aud ho sat limself downand wrote n nota to Col. Inorn- sorr, domanding to Imow if ho wero tho suthor of this odioug chavge,—**If so, when and whoro can I seo you?” This docs not juply o desiro upon M, Bunouss' pmt to ke the requaintanco of Col.. INaensoLy for wocial purposes, ng somo might sappose, It is tho slnng of SBouthern ohivalry, It means retract or fight. It involves & prize.fight with pistols in cold wenthor, which fs tho most uninteresting sort of amusomont possi- Llo ot this senson of the yoar, when ono wants to make Ohristmes pres- onts and New Yom's calls, oud hons tho fond lope of living uutil specie payments avo resumod, v, INornsoLu's ro. piy 16 nolvo oud playfal, il sbowd b obs livionsnens to the Nemesis which is coming up from Richmond. 'Ihe Colonel npponrs in this lettor liko tho ohild gathering yoses on tho edgo of the precipice, unawaro that any momont ho mny ho procipitated into tho chnsm below. Mo i a xabbit fooling’ round an anacondn, who may find the nuncondn yontsido of him whon ho least expeets it. Tho Colonal unsuspeetingly says lie is tho author of the charge, nnd that “My rooms aro numbered 218 and 250, Notionnl Hotel, Washington, D, C., whera you can find me awalo belween the hourn of . m. and mid- night, and nftor widnight asleop.” Snch a messngo as this ia not enleulated to allay the conflagration which ho hns kindled, Ho is only pouring keroaeno into tho five. Il may oxpeet Mr. Bunorss up by a very enrly {rain, nnd ho would have done much better to hinve given Mr, Bunaxas the mimbers of Bry Bur- nEn's or Senator CuAwpLER's rooms, who would undoubtediy have aceepted the eitun. tion and all its consequences with plens- wre. As it 4, tho Colonmel must now look out for kLimself, Ho enn't ran_away, ns ho bas ithe rhonmatics too badly, and ho is unfortunately so deal that ho will not hear Buncrss coming until it i too lato to get nwny, Lhero ave somo ad- vantages in the Colonel's favor, however, Ha is ro slim and little that ke will blow awny if it happens to bo a very windy morning when ho ia obliged to meot M. Bunares and give him satisfaction. If ho docsn't blow nway, ho it 5o littlo, Mr. Bunaxrss mny not seo him, If ho sces him, thero is every possibility thet ho will miss him unloss ho ik in tho habit of hitting the edges of pon- knives. Porhaps tho best thing for the Colonel to do under the circumstances is to come home by the first train and not tako any risks of tho bullets of Burorss. If Buncxss should follow him lere, he might become go enamorod of Bummerism, rnd the political and pecuniary profits which bum- mers enjoy in Chieago, that ho would change lis idens on the subject and become con- vineed that tho Colonel hnd complimented instend of insulted him. A LEADER IN THE HOUSE, ‘Wo have already expressed the opinion in verious woys that the result of the recent elections will be of the grentest pormnnent good to the Ropublican party ns n political ovgenization. Dufont was probably, the only way in which the party could ever have rid itsclf of woights and sattachments thet wera dragging it down; the only way in which the Qisorganizers could have been weeded qut, and the party reunited undoer the leadership of competent and honorable men for patriotic purposes. The dnily proceedings of tho present Houso of Ropresentatives attest tho painful consequences of a lack in this unity of puwrpose and combinstion of encrgies. Among the advantages which will accrue {o the Republicons as o diroct rosuls of their defeat is tho trousfer of Mr. Bramve from tho Speaker's chair to the floor of the Iouse. A powerful minority, enjoying the advantages of his ox- porience and counsel, will bo able to do the couniry moro substantial good than the pres- ent Ropublican majority while pulling rway ek cross-purposes. The lack of lendership on the Republicnn side of the House is very eppavent at tho present session. As My, DawEs gods out at tho end of this session, and contemplates n irement from public lifo, ho permanent reti contents himself with his applicntion to com- mitteo v Mr. GarrIzELd is much in the samo position, thongh ho is to bo a member of the next Flouso. Mr. Burrnrn has not only cut loosa from the Republican perty, but the party hns happily rid itself of rosponsibility for his vagaries. Ksrimy is likewise sovered from full sympathy with the party by reason of his individunl finsucial theorieswhich he is determined to force npon Congress, Mr. Cminucs Foster, of Ohio, exhibited some brillinnt qualities at the Iast session of Congress, but seoms scarcely to have the porsistence and application neces- sary to leadership. E, R. Hoan goes out at the ond of this session, and Groror I. Hoan does not seem to aspire to the conspicuons position. Gon. Hawrey, of Conuecticut, though otherwiso very zblo end well suited, hes - not the nceessary cool- ness ond self-control. Messts. Bun- cmarp, Harg, Fanwenn, 2McCrany, Janes ‘WiLsox, and others who will bo membors of tho next Congress, ave good working mem- bors and of distinguished public service, but are lncking in pavlinmentary knowledge and the raro qualities which conatitute good gon. cralship in o deliberative body. ‘We boliovo that the way to the leaderahip of tho Republican sida of the next House is clear for Mr, Jaues G. Brame, and we are inclinedto think thathe will beable to ronder bottor servico in this capncity than ho has as Spenlsor of the Houss, o will step to the front with nn unsollied reputa- tion, grent popularity, pleasing address, great nbility, and vest experience, Iis lmowledge of parlinmentary law will onable him to Lkeop tho Ropublicans in the line of rule and precedent which the Democrats will bo constantly ig- noring and violating, 'This alone will be invaluablo in checking the propeusities of n Demoorntic House, mado up largely of in- oxporioncod men, to rask wildly into all sorts of schemes. BMr. Bramve will likewise bo stimulated by the desiro to retain on the floor n position correspouding to that which tho Republicans gave him when they wera in the majority, We therefora expect good results from n Ropublican minarity in the next Houso, ] THE FRAQOTIONAL CURRENOY, 'The Secretary of the Trensury, in his en- nual report, recommended that the fractional currency be withdrawn from efrenlation, ‘The Ilughest amount of thin fractional ourrency autlorized to be issuod is fifty nillions of dollary, and this maximum has never been quito renched. Tho uggregate of fractional currency outstanding on Dee, 1, 1874, was 147,385,698, 'Lhis cwrroncy has vavied vory much, 'Tho firstissue was in 1862, the sec- ond in 1868, sud the thivd and fourth issues wora authorized by tho net of 1864, All tho emly issues woro called in, that is, upon their falling into tho hands of the Governmont now notes of the Inter issues wore given for them, ‘Ihie five-cont notes, of which thers was o Inrgo issue, wera discontinued several years ago. It is curious to notico how slow this old eurrenoy has been in goiting back to the ‘Iroagury, On the 1st of Dceember, 1871, three years ago, the total of fractional our- rency ontstanding was as follows ¢ Tirat fsuno, Hecond fsaui Whird faiuo, Fourtt (e, Tothisssererssrenreesrrersesearasnses SI01C0,000 In Juno, 1872, tho outstanding notes of the firat had been reduced §22,000; tho socond, 27,000, and tho third, $000,000, Tho aggre- gate of tho firat throo {esucs thon outstanding waa 811,710,348, Khe hmount of ticio tlired old issues ontstanding nt soveral dates may Lo thus state Dee, 1, 1571 June 1, 1872 Dee, 1,187 300,708 11,710,218 Jnu, B, 1674, Juiia 30, 1674 1t will be scen that tho outstanding civcu- Intion of notes insued prior to 1864 hes - minished in tho threo years about &1,500,000, Lut this reduction hag been mainly in tho third jssue. Of the fivst thero wns ontytand. ing, Oct. 1, 1874, §:4,385,819, and of tho sece ond issue £3,146,271, and of tho third issue 3,266,000, It is not nurensonablo to nosume that of theso threo isswes nenrly ail of the first, one-lielf of the sccond, and n portion of tho third issue have beon destroyed and lost in their use, and will never be presented for redemplion, ‘Tho figures of tho logal-tender iasuen nlsa show pome suggestive figures, In 1564, o now issue of groenbacks wns aulhorized to tako the place of those issued prior to that dnto. As fst as thoso issued befora 18G4 avo received thoy nve ennceled, and the now notes issued in thejr place. The reduction in the number of old notes outstanding is thus indieated : Outstanding, Tosued ynior 10 1309, ce. 1, 1471 5,021,075 Juno 1, 107: g 20 91, 18 Jutto U, 1874, \252, 414 it 1, 1074, oo 63,20,¢40 ‘I'ho plight inereaso in the amount in the Inst dato is oxplrined, wo suppose, by the fact that, in the *“reissuo® of the notes canceled in 1867, somo of the old notes were ngainput in cirenlation, But it will bo scen that, not- withstanding since 1869 the Government hes been reealling tho greenbacks issued yrior to that date, there are rtill botween £30,000,000 ond $60,000,000 of them which lave never Leen presented for exchange or passed through the hands of the 'Trensury oficeis. How meny of theso, issued ns Iong ago £3 1862 and 1863, have baen destroyed? [ —— AID 10 EX-CONVICIS, As matters are now, the nume **peniten. tinry " js o satiro on the thing so named. "I'here is no penitonce abont the institution, and no menns of causing penitence,—unless, indeed, wo credit the weekly sermon with somo such effect. Our prisons are schools which cducnto erimingls in exime. A men lenves them with the mexke of Chin on bhis forehend aud {he marks of the ecume on Lig back. Society has cnst him out. ITe cannot find employment unless hie concena’s his pest, Tf lio does so, quick rumor soon tei i the story, and ho must go. It is not stran o that he returns to the ono elnss—that of whiclt does not reject him, He cases foreed to subsist by erime, if ho in to live at all. It s e fhot it ig & pity hoshonld wish to live, Lt {his hierdly a matter within public cont=ol, When the breeding of men liws beemne n fine art, tho State will perhaps take eave of o sur the siuful to a painless donth, Un:dilt sumwation of seience is a fact, wo must mect ile problem of a grent class living by the plunder of the rest of the werld as best we may, The statistics of erime show that ¢ lnrge proportion of dischmged conviels ave soon reconvieted, TIn Englaud, this propor. tion is over ome-sixth, It is surely wortk while to try to find some vemedy for this,— tomo menns of getting conviets out of tle circle of crime which they now seem slhaost necessarily to tread. There aro in London two soc aim to provide honest worle f r5eh convicts, Their revenues aro smedl, bug they doa good wor All the men eng i prison-govermnent in Englund Leavtil; them. Out of 438 ex-conviels nided by theso rocictics during the y ing Merch 1, 1873, only S, or Jess than ¥ per cent, have been reconvieted. 'Chis nmmber will probably be somewhnt incrensed as the yeers goon, but it is & sigraificant aud o hiope- ful fect that 98 out of every 100 men nided have managed to pass tho perilo s fm. mediatoly after their discharge without again bringing tho hands of the law upun {hem, Tho truo object of n prison i or sho.ld be, to deter from crime aud to. reform the criminal, Under the old system, the ofiender received no instruction, and wes let leose on the world, when he had served out Lis term, more of a savagoe then ever, Under the new, o is tanght a trado and something more, but is finally turned rdvift only to find! nil chance of practicing bis trade donied him. The only opportunity he has is an over-ready ons to sin, The Btato ean far botter atiord to aid Lim in getting sometbing to do port him through the rest of his I is doing nothing but steal. Wo Co not s for reckless benevolence. ‘gue Stalo vid roust bo given sparingly aud cautiously, but it should, nevertheless, bo given, Sir Josuva Jron, an authority on prison discipline, testificd be- fore a Commitics of the Houso of Loxds : T think assistanco to prisonors or their diu- chargo iy n necessnry complement to any good system of prison diseipline,” endoavora o point out the nocesgity for reforming eriminale au euxly ny poseible ss o matier of ceonomy, by ot an ilhistration, It states that gomo Eevoury yeary ago & woman named MARGAREY, 8 BOIL Uf human Cauadn thisslo, was set adiift in tho river couns tioy, whero sho lived long ond becamo unneces- surily fertile, Bho has originatod » fumily of 900 descandunts winco thon, sbout 700 of whom heve turned out idiots, imbeciles, paupers, drunkards, prostitutes, and potty crimiuala, ho romalning 200 have become vigoious sud loarty rogues of a more doterminod and danger- ous gort, and MAnaAReT's clArming progony is still spreading, every year adding to thouumbor, for rank woeds grow space. ‘To cstmunto tho amount of money this outeast dManvansr hay cont would bo as difleuit 28 to compuls the dame nge sho and hors have doue to publis morals, But the story is ono thut should not Lo forgotton ay {llustrative of the poor cconomy of turaing crimivals adrift. e A Now York lutter to'a Leavonworth, Kansns, paper shows very eloarly tho pravailing apirlt of Now Yoric people, which 18 to break down the extortion systern which Las flourishod so long in tho metropolis. The rents which havo boen paid on Droadway havo boen found so oxcossive that morchants aro gyadually relinquishing that thore oughfaro and betakivg themselvos to the widos etroots, whero busincss is nostly as good, nud whoro ull their profits axo not paid ovor to land. lords, Tho fanoy figures aro thoroforo aitachiod to & number of vacunt boildings. The duy Lat zone by for §25,000 and $30,000 rent. Businesy will not stand it ; tho wdditional cosc which suck rout nocessitaton for goodalms bocoms ridic. ulous, Equally good tallors build up tho oxten nal man on side-atroots, whilo the boota from other utrootw flc as nicoly ond wear ns loog af half the monoy, So long ns New York is extor tionnte, 80 tong business must flag, Priceamus come down, and the soonar tho bettor, —— Tuesiaville, Ind,, has just canght the tompos. auce crusade-fovor of 1aet spring, The last eas was that of wo imprudont man who carried a cok loction of bad lquora to the village, The ladit intulged in the Cbristian privilega of praye iitd, kavlng licabled Wueld fikond hearta w