Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 31, 1875, Page 8

2 SS wine fe THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: SUNDAY. JANUARY 31, 1875.--SIXTEEN PAGES. eee TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE. RATES OF SUPECRIPTION (FAYAELE IN ADYAFCE). Postage Mrepaid at this Ofiice. b: Feekly Dati Ti ‘To prevent celay 2nd Office address in fnll, including State and County. Remittances may be made either by dratt, express, Post- ‘Obsce order, or in regisvered letters, at cur risk. TERME TO CITY SUBSCEIDEES. Daily, delivered, Ennday excepted, 25 cents per week Daily, delivered, Sunday included. 30) cents per week istakes, be sure and give Post- addres THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, Gorner Madison and Dearborn-ets., Chicago, Dl. EMENTS. [ACADEMY OF MUSIC—Halsted street, between Mad \sen and Monroe. ** Grana Uaile.” BHOOLEY'R THRATRE—Randolph street, botweez ‘Deri and LaSeile. ‘*Slagnolia." ADELPHI THEATRE—Desrborn street, comer fon: i: eriety eutertainmont. eethe Pad of tbe Glut wry YS THEATRA—Madison street, between PeOTICR a Stale: Hagagemont of hrs. D. P. Bower. CHICAGO MUSEUM—Monroe street, between Desr- Bormand State, **Beandsl.” GRAND _OPERA-HOUSE—Clark | street, oppostie ‘Kolly & Leon's Mins trols. “The 180. Bhecman, He ‘Grimson Scarf. soci tan Wall, Na. 187 Hast Kinri¢. ene iombers and friends of the Order are cordially rived. ‘Tickets can bo.bad of Thins. Wilkinson, News it & Sons Music Store, 1¢, door. ‘Chairman of Committes. ATTENTION SIR KNIGHTS !—Stated conclave of Chicago. Commandery No. 19, K, 'T., Munday evening, Feb. 1, 180. Visiting Sir Knights courteous inntod. a G. A. WILLIAMS, Recorder. PAPZE HANGERS, ATTENTION.—There will be» regular meotiag of tue Paper Hangers’ Association hold st Caledoutar, Iti and 169 Washington-st., on Mon, : ees ‘J. 8. ROK, Soc. se eas are Sat UT 3 action or money refunded. Filling, Beets Bi, Beslan tine oO RECHESNEY, 73 Clerkest, The Chieaga Tribune. Bunday Morning, January 31, 1875. FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE CITY. We make no apology for again inviting public attention to the all-important question ‘of how to extricate the city from the financial embarrassmenta which defective laws, com- plicated accounts, inconsistent and inefficient ; charter-provisions, and official neglect have produced. The City Government is prohib- ited by law from increasing its funded debt above what if was in 1870. Nevertheless, in eddition to thet fanded debt, it is largely in prrears.' Its certificates of indebtedness aro for sale by the brokers: and bankers, We do not place the responsibility for this condition of things on the present city officers and City Conneil, except that they do not make any serious effort whatever to meet the legal dif- ficulties which embarrass the city, or to arrest the continuous drifting from bad to worse which must eventually terminate in suspen- sicn. ‘rhe Qity Government labors under several serious legal difficulties, The fiscal yesr of 1875 will begin on the 1st of April noxt. Within the succeeding ninety days the Coun- cil will make the appropriations for the year beginning April, 1875, and ending March 31, 1876. The assessment for 1875 will be com- pleted some time in September or October next, the rate of taxation will be declared in November, and the taxes will commence to be payable in December, bat no judgment for unpaid taxes; and no sale of property can be had before July or August, 1876, Thus, the entire fiscel year of 1875-’6, and three or four months of the next year, will expire before the city will receive its revenue under the tex levy. In the meantime all the appropria- tions mede for the year will be expended out of the revenue collected from the levy of texes for 1874. As the appropriations for 1875.6 will be half a million of dollars greater thaa those for 1874-’5, and as half a million of dollars of taxes of this year will not be col- Jected, there will be an eddition to the de- ficiency of one million of dollavs. This is on the assumption that all the real-estate toxes are collected. But if the owners, knowing the law to be defective, omit to pay their real-estate taxes, then the city will have to parchase tax-certifientes to the amount of, say, a million of dollars, and the deficit be- tween receipts and expenditures will be two muillions. ‘Chis process will go on year efter syear until this deficit, represented by what is wolied a “floating debt,” and - bearing high interest already, will become of wvery large proportions. Under the mis- erable patchwork abortion called o city charter, the Common Comncil cannot devy tax to cover this deficiency. If it appropriate $59,000 for a specific parposo it ean levy such fraction of o mill as will yield only $50,000; provided it is all collected. If this levy produce only $10,000, part of which is in tax-certificates, there is no power any- where to levy another taxto make good the *$10,000 déficiency, which remains a ‘‘float- ing” debt against the city. All this is thor- oughly understood by all branches of the City Government. There is not a depart- ment which is not cramped because of largo deficiencies, dating back since 1869, in the tax levies for ita support. Yetneither Mayor, Coptrolier, Tax-Commissioner, Collector, City Attorney, Corporation Counsel, nor Alderman has any proposition to remedy this evil, to correct this perpetual drifting to- wards insolvency, or to meet the present exigencies of the exse. They confess the perils of the situation, but seem to have no remedy to propose. ‘The Comptroller has no means to pay the current expouses of the city for the year 1874-'5, save the proceeds of the tax levied for the year 1878. Instead of the cash reve- nue from that source, he reports a large por- tion of the tax on personal property unpaid, snother portion locked up in sppeals to the Supreme Court, and tar-sale certificates to the amount of $1,000,000, This may be all counted for the present as an actual deficit, td be represented by the Comptroller's cer- tificates to creditors, Mnoch of thiv embarrassment is due to the fact that the city levics and collects its taxca under Bill 300, That bill fornishes special machinery, and provides that, in various par- ticulary, the machinery of the General Reve- nue Lew shall be employed. But when the Court wos called on to give judgment for aelingnent taxes undo? this attempted oombi- nstion of two laws, it was found that the two ‘were so inconsistent fn the opinion of the Cours thet thoy conld not be dovetailed or revonciled, and therofore judgment was refased, Attet this doolaion, parties who had other uses for their money omitted to pay their taxes, and thé Comptroller, instead of the cesh, holds certificates of tho sale of the property.. But, in tho event the city wins, those appealed cases, a new. difficulty arises, which is thus stated by Mr. Francis Apaass, ‘Assistant Corporaton Counsel: “* To illus- trate: Last summer application was made to the Coanty Court for judgment against delin- quent lands for tho taxes of 1873 ; the Court (Judge Wantace) refused judgment, and the city appealed to the Supreme Court. Now, if the Supreme Court shall reverse the judg- ment of the County Court and remand the application, it will stand for hearing de novo in the County Court. In case the County Court in such new hearing should overrule the objections and render judgment for the city, then there is no provision in the stat- utes of the State authorizing a sale of such delinquent property on the judgment thus obtained.” This defect of the general law must be corrected at once by an amendment thereto, or not a dollar of the appealed taxes can be collected in case the city wins the suit before the Supreme Conrt. The State hes a general law for the collection of State, county, and township taxes, It provides that any city may forego its own system of tar assessment and collection, and have all its revenue col- lected, with the State and county taxes, by the one machinery and the one officer. Sec- tions 122 and 127 of the General Law read: ‘The proper authorities of towns, townships, . « and incorporated citics, shall annually, before the sec- ond Tuesday in August, certify to the County Cler: tho severe] amounts which they reqmre to be raised by taxation, The eaid Clerks shall estimate antl deter- mino the rato per cent upon the proper valustioa « « « thatwill produce the net amnount of the aev- eral sams that shall be required or certified to them ‘according to law. ‘Under this law the Common Council, freed from the restraints of the present charter, could certify an amount of net revenue needed by the city for its various purposes for the year; and the Clerk, making due allowances for abatements, costs of collec- tions, ete., would Jevy such a rate as would produce that net sum, free of all deficiencies. In this way, too, the present floating debt could be attacked and completely paid off. The alleged objection to abandoning the present system is, that the city taxes, being collected with the State taxes, would be ro- tained by the several Collectors until April, instead of being paid into the City Treasury as now, from day to day; that the County Collector in the same way would hold tho money for several months, and the city would receive it eliinalump. Even admitting this objection to have all the force claimed for it, it would be a vast improvement on the present system, when the city fails altogether to collect from one-fourth to one-half its revenue, But the objection is a trifling one, when it is Jmown that under the Jaw Collectors ara required to pay over taxes at the times required by law, and that it is within the power of the Legislature to require that payment to be made weekly or monthly, or even daily, and there is no question that the Legislature would promptly make such direction in the cases of all col- Jections for city purposes, by Town and County Collectors; so that objection loses its force. An epplication by the Mayor, Comp- troller, or the Corporation Counsel, to the Legislature, to make such 8 regulation with regard to city taxes, would be promptly com- plied with beyond question. The city officers, however, cling with tenacious affection to the old system. They abhor change which reduces office-holders. They confess the deplorable condition of the city finances, acknowledge that the situation ig growing worse every day, but seemingly aro helpless to avert tho inevitable result to which the cityis drifting. Not one of them has an adequate suggestion to offer, except to float the city along until a new Administra tion comes in to repeat the operation, on the principle of ‘‘After me the deluge.” HELP FOR THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. ‘At o meeting of citizens held last Thursday evening, several committees were appointed to visit the merchants, insurance men, lum- bermen, manufacturers, attorneys, bankers, the Board of Trade, capitalists, railroads, and other business men and corporations, to so- Heit contributions of funds to the Public Li- ‘brary forthe purchase of books. These com- mittees were made up from among the fore- most business men of the city, and we hope that every one of them will consider it a per- sonal duty of paramount importance to de- vote sufficient time to the work to make up in the sggregate the deficioncy Ieft in the city appropriation. Todo this it will be neces- sary to raise at least $25,000 by subscrip- tion’; and, if every one of the commit- tees will organize and go about the work systematically, we are confident that this amount of money can be obtained in two weeks’ time, Allof itis to be devoted to the purchase of books, and will thus go to the permanent improvement of the Library ; and the appeolto the best interests of the community is so strong that it cannot be re- sisted by any good citizen who has a dollar to spare. ‘Tho uses snd necessities of the Public Library were admirably set forth by Mr. Poors, the Librarian, in his address before the’ meeting of ‘Thursday evening. The growth of the institution has been simply un- paralleled. With o practical existence of less then a year, it has: the largest number of Gaily book-borrowers in the country. The Boston Library, which has been in operation twenty-one years, has an average of 862 daily borrowers; the Cincinnati Library, 778; the New York Mercantile Library, 654; and the Chicago Public Library has an average daily circulation of 1,651, and in one day as many as 2,539 books were loaned ont, As against this showing the Boston Library has 152,000 books; the Cincinnati Library, 60,000; the New York Mercantile Library, 140,000 ; and the Chicago Library less than $4,000 volumes. In other words, the Chicago Public Library, with about one-fourth the average number of vol- umes, has about three times the average number of renders. In spite of this discrep- ancy, which should have suggested every possible effort to increnso the resources of the Library as ono of the most valuable educational institutions we have, the Com- mon Council cut-down its appropriations for tho present year to less than one-half what the Library is entitled to under the law. Tho $25,000 given by the Coundil for 1875 barely saitices to cover the running expenses of the institution if managed in the most economi- cal manner. Unless money is raised by pop- ular subscription, therefore, nob o single book can be porchased this year; and before the end of tho yer, at the present rate of increase, tho number of borrowers will be actually larger than tho number of oircalating books, When this time arrives, the popularity of tho Library will rapidly disappoay, and ita nzefolnesa will nevor again be ravived. ; Bo man who has a common Interestin ths 0 welfare of Chicago, either as a city, as a! nate: preferring to praise, he still is swift to business-centre, or social community, can better serve it now then by a subscription to the Library for the purchase of additional books. ‘The general interest which has been manifested spontaneously may bo stimulated and increased, to the great benefit of the community. ‘fhe Library may be made the most efficient agent of public morals and the most successful combatant of vice and crime: The 20,000 people who now borrow books from the Public Library are made up of all ages, conditions, and sexes, since the privilege is free. When 2,000 people take books home every night, there are at least several hundred who swould otherwise be engaged in more danger- ous work than reading books. We venture the prediction that as the free circulation of books increases the number of saloons and brothels will decrease. In this way the prosperity and growth of the Library will be followed pari passu by an improvement in the public morals. The family man is inter- ested who wishes his sons and daughters to remain at home in the evenings; the manufacturer and the employer of every ‘description is interested who desires to have ‘his workmen and subordinates in good condition for their daily duties; every man is interested who has faith in the in- tellectual progress of the world, If the preg- ent wide-spread eagerness to improve the opportunities of the Public Library be curbed and defeated by allowing the supply of books to fall off, it may be impossible at any future time to restore it. It can be maintained and increased, however, by steadily meoting tho demand with an adequate supply. Henco we hope the $25,000 needed will be furnished promptly by the people, and the present City Government deservedly rebuked for di- verting to political uses moro than helf of what the law provides the Library should re- ceive. ed; and he can wicld a pen as caustic as it is keen. In conversation he is never indelicate. But with his versatility, his culture, his cro- ative power, his courage in the advocacy of opinion, his interest in questions of public moment, he has a highly-romantic quality of mind which has impaired his reputation for earnestness. He affects situations. Some, who know him best, accuse him of * acting.” Bercner entertains, moves, sometimes in- structs, and often melts, his audience. To on begets Ucbate, excites dissent, now daz- vies and now convinces, and gains at least an oratorical triumph. Bzecner gets nearer the masses, for he is more homely in his dic- tion, while at the same time he is idiomatic and picturesque. Triton strikes out more from the heart of his subject, is more sparing of illustrations, and leads you on with s more intense directness to tho point in view. Beconer is full of shrewd diversions, and attractive anecdote and description. TrToN shows more respact for your taste and your tendency to reason. As a literary offering Bexcngr presents you a dish of various frnits, bad, and good. Tmton selects and gives what seems choice. If any are rotten, the fair side is sure to be uppermost. Brrcn- zr ond Truroy are both inconsiderate, but while the former in his ordent feeling fre- quently enunciates half-truths with tremen- dous emphasis, which he afterwards qualifies, the latter sometimes advocates questionable doctrine with elaborate argumentation and persistent enthusiosm. BrrcuEr has the move devout nature, Truton the more inquir- ing and skeptical one. In dangerous ‘crises, imperiling his character, Brrouer gets alarmed, loses confidence in himself, and commits his cause to the care of his friends. Trutox, when beset, looks out for his own interests, and is as watchful as o hawk of overy advantage that is within his reach. Brecier excludes from his hearsay the disagreeable verdict of men about himself. Turron opens his ears to listen to what is ro- | ported of him from the four quarters of the (earth, Brecuer is crafty in concealments. ‘Tyuron is cunning in disclosures. Brecuzn depends upon his public reputation and rasts in the verdict of the past. Tzurow strives to repair e reputation, which was badly dam- aged, by.an explanation of the past that shall reverse the judgment that condemned him. Beecurr is the more natural character. To- rox ig tho finer genius. Brecwen has been foolish in the management of his case, and time will show whether or not Turon has been foolish in giving him a case to manage. ————_—_—— A MOBAL INDICTMENT. The recent Grand Jury closed its report with the following significant statement: «From the testimony taken, we regret to say that the charge of Aldermanic corruption [in the Wabash Avenue Horse Railroad matter] rests on stronger grounds than mere suspicion. The charge so often made that an important franchise cannot be passed without the ex- penditure of o large sum of money would appear, by the testimony produced before us, to bo simply the truth, Corporations apply- ing recently for Aldermanic favors have, in some instances, been obliged to ‘put up’ large sums as a condition precedent to Aldermanic action.” This is the statement of twenty- three honest, unprejudiced citizens under oath, after hearing the testimony brought be- fore them. Its moral effect is just as strong and forcible as if they had presented an in- dictment. In the eyes of all honest and respectable people, the Legislative Depart- ment of this city stands convicted of sys- tematic and continued acts of blackmail and bribery. The record has gone abroad that an important franchise cannot be passed by them without the payment of a large sam of money to thom. This shows that, although there may be hones} men in the Council, the majority of thein ure dishonest. It shows very clearly why men having in many in- stances no visible means of support work industriously and even zealously to obtain ‘an office which hes no salary or logiti. mate emolument, and, when they have ob- tained it, devote their whole time to it, and manage to live comfortably upon their ‘unlawful and backhanded earnings. This is one of the points of the ‘People’s Party,” ‘which has in effect licensed gamblers, thieves, burglars, and prostitutes, and handed the city over to the ralo of the vicious, depraved, and criminal classes. It is bad enongh now, but what hope is thero for the fature unless tho citizens arouso themselves to the gravity of the situation? How much longer will they stand by and sce such a disgrace branded ‘upon the legislators of this city by a Grand Jury and not resolve to wipe it out at the first opportunity by the election of honest men? A ROYAL SKELETON. The following placard, headed ‘ £1,000 Reward,” hangs in the window of the Messrs. Appretow & Co.'s store, New York: ‘Any person having in his possession a cortain book, printed in Londou by ‘f. Janson, Nowgato strest, in 1830, with the namo of ML LrvpseLn, Pater Noster row, on the title page as publisher, against the publica- tion of which the Lord Chancellor issued an injunc- tion, it containing eertain statements regarding o member af the Royal family, will receive the above reward in gold by bringing the book to fr. G. Got- BOURNE, 35 Dake stroct, London ; or B, R. Brows, 539 Broadway, New York, United States. Only the one copy is known to be in the United States. From the large sum which is offered for the recovery of this book, it is evident that it is avery lamentable and distressing skeleton in the Royal family, which it is desirable to thrust out of sight as soon as possible. Con- siderable curiosity has been manifested to @iscover the identity of the scandalous waif. The New York Times is of opinion that it has reference to the late King of Hanover, who, whilo Duke of Cumberland, was allegod to be guilty of most infamous crimes, among them the murder of his own valet. A writer in the Graphic, however, claims that the book is a scandalous chronicle which appenred in count of the secret merringe of King Grorcr YW. with Mrs. Frrzenpent, and of the issue of that marriage—a son, who was either kept in concealment or spirited out of the country, ‘but who, if this story be true, could now make yery strong pretensions to the British throne and the title of Gzorcr V.” The same writer further says: ‘About three years ago the scandal threatened to burst forth again, for a eingls copy of the hook which had survived the destructioa of the origmsl edition came into tho posseasion of the editor of the London ‘Standard, who threatened to publish it eerially in bis paper. This came to the eare of the Government, which at once offered.the oditor the choice of two alternativer—elther to publish the story and go to pricon for contempt of the Lord Chancellor, or to re- frain from pubiishing it and accept £5,090 for his copy of the book, ‘The oditor looked upon the latter alterna tivo na the more desirable of the two, and pockoted the (£5,000, turning over the book to be burned. With tho destruction of tiis copy the Government supposed that the work was extinct, but It has lately been ru- mored that one mora copy of the book romains, and is somewhere in America, This little book is not the only ‘‘skeleton” in the Royal family. Indeed, the family is now and has been kept busy for years look- ing after the book-makers who havo dipped into tho royal scandals and served them up for the editication of lovers of Royal gossip. The author of ‘‘‘The Ingoldsby Legends” mentions thnthe had beenshownacopy of Capt. Rocr’s letters to the King, containing a list of the Irish Peers, a history of their families, and the disreputable conduct of the same. Five hundred copics were issued, and the whole were seized and burned. Another work which the English authorities have in- dustriously sought to suppress is a ‘* History of the Frrzuenpenr Letters,” published afew years ago by Bentuzy, giving an account of No prominent names in our time are more intimately aud unenviably associated than these two. Brrcuezr and Tiron have been bosom friends, coadjutors in literary work, engaged in the same church and moving in the same social circle, and now they are struggling in a death-grapple in which one— perhaps both—must go down. Let us briefly contrast their characteristics, so far, at least,as they are made clear by their extraordinary careers. Both are mon of stalwart frame, of splendid physique, of on- thusiestic temperament, and of large capacity for sensuous enjoyment. Both sre men of social dispositions, engaging manners, and magnetic natures, Both are largely gifted with imagination snd humor. Both are ora- tors. Both are lovers of art, and delight in natural beauty. Both have great enorgy of character and ambition. Both have sought to ba reformers. Both, after a sort, are re- ligious. ‘But in many things they differ besides their inequality of age,—their disparity here being some fifteen years, Brecter has a vest ap- petite for books, but he has rend at random, trusting to his genius to assimilate what was wanted for his purpose, and using freely all agreeablo intellectual stimulantsin preparation for his professional work. He is quick in his mental movements and sympathies, with wonderful readiness of utterance in anecdote, address, and repartee. Ho sees his discourses in mental pictures, and depends upon his great command of language to give them suitable dress and vitality. So he. produces a good deal without reflection, and often his written and spoken efforts lack an elabora- tion essential for elegance, and a singlenéss of sim and grace of handling that show a high culture and a perfect mastery of the material on hand. ,But he has a won- derful aptness in seeing what will touch our natures impressively, and at times he reveals a fine freshness of pictorisl power in description. His humor is genial and contagions, and bubbles up along with his gravest thought. He is not strongest in deliberative essay or voluminous story, but in his oratory, which is always interesting, fre- quently persuasive, and sometimes artful toa high degree. ‘Truroy hes great intellectual vigor, carefal training as literary artist, deep sympathy with the graceful and impressive aspects of lifo, an inquisitive mentel vision that peers on many sides with skeptical glances, prompt- ness to actin a generous cause, boldness of ntterance, ond a very resolute will. With a certnin air of grandeur offen- sivo to some, he is still affable the liaison between Mra, Prrzmennenr and Gorse IV. With regard to Mrs, Frraure- vent, tho writer in the Graphic, to whom we have before alluded, says: Sho died at an advanced ago in the early part of the prosent reign, uud, according to the BaxTuer story, she confided to her exccutora a sealod packet, which was lobo deposited in bank and to remain unopened unless her character was neauifed, when it was to bo opened and publiaied in vindication of the purity of her relations with Groner IV, ‘The exccutors, who were the Duke of Wettsxorox, Lord AunExAnuE, and spother, depostted the packet in Courzs’ bank, buts few years after her death a highly o‘fensive at- tack upon her memory was made in the Edinburg Review. Upon this tho third executor requested the consent of his colleagues to have the packet in Courrs: ‘bank opened and its contents, which wero believed to include the marriage certificate, published in ac- cordance with the wish af the deceased, The Duke and ALBEMARLE opposed this motion, and the other executor went to the bank und made a personal appll- cation for the packot, At this tim, however, the Queen was keeping her ow. account st Courts’ bank, and the officiala seemed afreid of displeasing so power- ful e customer, and throw various obstacles in the way of getting the'papcra, The exccutor again appealed to ‘WELumaTon and ALDEMARE, but thoy, too, soamed afraid of Boysl influences, and would not move in the matter, Aftar a while the three sxecntors dicd, but the executors of the ona who hsd 20 long endeavored to get possession of the documents renewed those en- deavors by applleation to the exedutora of the Dako of ‘Weririoron and Lord ALNEscABim, The lator, how- evor, were alto inoxorable, and, ax a leat resource, the first-namoed get of executors published a dotalled his- and easy of spproach, His wit is often more playfal severe, Ho writes swith ease and energy, and has proven himself, 4n bis Inte controversy, 8 master both of rhet- oric and logie, His temporament is natural- ly suxiny, and an s companion he ean bo sx. coodingly fascinating. Though sympathizing sith the sofige alde of Ufe, hia is mot edfani tory of all the efforts to get ths tacid contained in thoze documents before the world, ‘The same Frrzwennrnt scandal has been published by Rerxoxns, ‘the Londen cheap- literature man, in the form of a novel, called the ‘Mystorles of ths Court of Gronoxz IV.” ‘The Intest skoloton in the Royal family is tha publication of the “Gnivirs Mematrs,” condemn where he thinks humanity is wrong- | . 1830, purporting to give “‘an accurate ne-. which has dealt a terrible blow at the Bruns- wiox family. Tho first part which has ap- peared pronounces ‘*‘the first gentleman in Europe” to be ‘a cowardly, unfecling dog” and “an odious beast,”and has produced a skeleton in the Conynonam family by deserib- ing the relations between Lady Conynenaxt and Gzonce IV., her husband and son being kept in the palace with a full knowledge of the relations between hor and tho King, and the three carrying of everything of value immediately after the death of the King. The second half of the book, however, was the skeleton in the present family, as it concerned the present reign, and especially the late Prince Con- sort, An immense pressure has been brought to bear upon Mr. Reeve, the editor of the Memoirs, to suppress'the second part, as it sould stand in very severe contrast with the proper and staid life of the Prince Consort, which the Queen and Mr. Manrry have been writing together. It is reported that Mr. Reeve, satisfied with the immense profits.of the first installment, has consented to with- hold the second. The publication of the Memoirs has been the signal for a shoal of satires and lampoons upon the Royal family, among them “The Coming K—,” which scores the Prifice of Wales; the *Siliad,” which depicts his adventures with two of his boon companions; the “' Fijiad,” of the same generel tenor ; and “Jon Duan,” which is fail of Court scandals. ll of these works have had an immense sle, and new editions of all of them aro in press. ‘All this is sad business. It shows that Royalty is yery human; that, although it ‘wears crowns and coronets, and has wealth, and influence, and power, it also has all the vices to which flesh is heir; and that one little stray copyof a book keeps it in a con- stant tremor of fear lest it should be given tothe world in multiplied form. But sup- pose that the Government succeeds in getting possession of this copy, what assurance will it have that the possessor has not made a | copy of it before parting with it and taking the handsome reward ? _—— THE POLICE AND THE GAMBLERS. The events of the last week have shown that it is an open question in Chicago whether the law and the courts or the gambling fra- ternity exercise 8 superior authority. The Grand Jury, and the Prosecuting Attorney, and the Court did their duty, and yet ascore or more notorious and avowed gamblers escaped conviction, The reasons for this escape were twofold: 1. In several instan- ces the Police Justices anticipated the Crim- inal Court by fining the gamblersa small sum. "The judgments in these cases were appealed from to the Circuit Court, and there, with a long docket of like appeals, remain to be tried at some day in the remote future. SHI, under our law, the judgment of the Police Court is recognized as o pre- vious conviction, barring any subsequent pros- ecution. 2. Thefailure of the testimony by the police officers, who, eccording to Capt. Bucxiey, have been instracted or admonished tokeep away from gambling houses, and, generally, to know as little concerning them as possible. For instance, Capt. Bucruer himself, an intelligent and generally efficient officer, declared that he did not know the reputation of acertain establishment so no- torious that there is hardly s bootblack or newsboy in Chicago that cannot describe the character. of its business and of its pro- prietors and patrons. There was therefore no evidence furnished by the police. The police and the Police Courts combined stood between the gamblers and justice, and the former went forth free. : The responsibility for the silence or igno- rance of the police force rests upon the Polica Commissioners. Whatever tie exists etwoen the gamblers and the public authori- ties is of a political character. The gambling fraternity, with its affinities in all the crimi- nal and degraded classes, constitutes, when united, an active body of unscrapulous lead- ers of the criminal classes, controlling both primary meatings and closely-divided wards and districts. This body of sin and crime has no fixed habitation, It can be moved into any pfecinct, ward, or district, or spread over several, and can be depended upon for any number of votes required by its em- ployors. $ * Phere has been no interference with or dis- tarbance of the gambling fraternity since Wasnnunn went out and the ‘People’s Party” rule came in. They have had practi- cally the ‘freedom of the city.” They have availed themselves of this immunity in the most unlimited manner. They have kept their gambling-houses open to the public, have played their games withont disguise, and yet tho police have had ‘no knowledge” of their transactions! The gambling-houses ‘and faro-dens have, under this freedom from arrost, multiplied in number prodigiously. Gamblers have been attracted hither from all the othor cities by this immunity from arrest and disturbance. The public have become familiorized with the vice in all its forms, and the daily gatherings of the gamblers, and the confidence-men, and the thieves upon their exchange have been as open and as notorious as tho meetings of the Merchants’ Exchange. The parades of this regiment of sharpers on the streets, with their array of dinmonds, and jewelry, and fine apparel, have evidenced the prosperity of the business, as well as the conscious security with which it was carried on” The people of Chicago have become tired | of this, ‘They have no share or interest in any contracts in for political sorvices. If the Police Commissioners, or the Superintendent, or both, have had any political reason for ex- tending this long immunity to the gamblers, then thot immunity has continued long enough. The timo has come when the police force must be used to break up these gambling-dens, and run the villains out of the city. It is of no use for the Police Commissioners or the Superintendent to bandy between them the responsibility for ,the past neglect of duty. ‘The future places the responsibility upon the Commissioners, and they cannot avoid it. ‘The late Grand Jury placed on record a long list of premises used for gambling purposes, and a larger list of gamblers engaged in that illegal business. The Commissioners cannot plead ignorance on this subject. Ifthe Super- intendent neglecta or refuses to direot the police to enter gambling-housos and arrest those therein engaged at play, then the Poliga Commissioners will discover where the ob- struction is, If tho Pdlico-Superintondent will not rosiga, then the Commission- ors know what is their duty in the premises, Tho Superintendent of Polica Js n subordinate, anbfeut to ordara, and o rofusal on hia part to do hia duty forces tha Commissioners cither to tolerate his oftalat migconduot and becoma responsible therefor, or to take the propar measures to gcoura an othor ofloor, ‘Wa hnve no question that within the next thirty days, Capt. Bocxuey, if soanthorizedand | directed, can discover every gambling-houso in the South Division, can arrest the propri- | etors and inmates thereof in the act of gambling, and can furnish the proof of the crime in such strength that not even & pavsed jury will venture to acquit any person presented by him. We have the Court, and the Grand Jury, and the Public Prosecutor. ‘What is wanted is the co-operation of the po- lice. That co-operation is now confessedly withheld,—by whom and for what reason should. be and is known to the Police Com- missioners. ‘Tho public have, therefore, the right to expect that, at the next meeting of that Board, the Commissioners will order that the police of the several divisions at once put the several gambling-houses under surveillance ; that, whenever they have rea- son to believe gambling is going on, they enter such houses and arrest the in- mates; and that they appear before the Grand Jury and the Court and furnish evi- dence of the guilt of the prisoners. The dis- graceful toleration of the faro and bunko establishments has lasted long enough, and the Police Commissioners must either break it up or assume the responsibility of its con- tinuance. JOURNALISTIC COMPETITION. The Springficld (Mass.) Republican of a re- cent issue hes a very sensible article on Jour- nalism as a Business, which contains many home traths, however unpalatable they may be. The material facts of the article are that newspaper expenses aro increasing faster than income, and will continue to increase until radical changes are forced, and in proof of the truth of this assertion the New York Tribune ond Times ore cited, two journals which were never so good journals as now, and whose gross incomes wera never greater, and yet, owing to their ambitious rivalry, everything is exhausted in ex- penditure. Mr. Raxsoxp’s theory was, not that newspapers should cense to better themselves and employ more facilities ‘for getting news, but that their number should be decreased, and that they must be divided into two classes: first, those of a limited circulation and higher cost, reaching the more intellectual and influential classes of society ; and, second, those of larger cir- culations, smal} and cheap~in cost, covering the more practical and material departments of life. This was atheory of Mr. Raxmonn’s over ten years ago. Were he living now he swould urge his theory still more forcibly, for the enterprise of the American newspaper in collecting news has developed more in the last ten years than in the half century pre- ceding. There is probably no other business in this country which 1s so sharply and unceasingly competitive, and which so thoroughly ex- hausts the resources at its command, as the journalistic. The daily metropolitan news- paper utilizes the telegraph to the amount of thousands of dollars per week. It has its general and special correspondents wherever there is news to be found. It employs special- ists for special occasions, It gathers the daily news not only from its city and State, but from the United States, and from every part of the world reached by telegraph and mail. Ithas already run themonthly magazines down to a very small circulation and killed many of them, and it has more or less influenced the sale of general literature by invading its domain. ‘The scientist, the lecturer, the clergyman, find itto be their mouthpiece, even withouttheirkmowledgo. Theroislittle use for scientific journals or for religious newspapers now. Every provinceof thought, knowledge, and news is ransacked by this omnivorous collector, and subsidized by it, The results of this gigantic work are furnished to the pub- lic for the pittance of a few cents, and, as there is noother business which develops such exciting rivalry and eager, constant compoti- tion, in like manner there is no other busi- ness which furnishes the resultsof competition atso small a price. The result of all this is that only a fow of the larger papers, which have an extensive circulation end advertising patronage, can make any money. Theis in- come is exhansted in the ontgo, and they are in astate of chronic poverty all their days, living in some mysterious manner like indi- viduals similarly afflicted. In the case of the great daily newspapers, undoubtedly this fact is attributable partly to waste of labor growing oat of the want of skilled and trained men, and pattly to the expenditure of money for unimportant matter, growing out of the necessities of competition. Just at present hard times and dull business affect the busi- ness of all papers; but the general fact re- mains that the competition for news between the great daily newspapers is exhausting the receipts of most of them. How this problem will be solved remains to be seen. It may golve itself by the collapse of some of the su- perfinous sheets, THE BEECHER TRIAL. The fourth week of the Beccuer triol has closed, and the public interest in the pro- ceedings has grown from day to day until it has attained even a broader scope than when it was first thundered throughout the New World and the Old. When the trial opened, there was alnll in the popular interest. A long trace, only broken by a series of parti- son fusilades and the throwing-up of earth- works, had deprived the public of the stimu- lant upon which sensation lives and grows. It wos thought that the climax of public in- terest had been reached and passed, and that the trial would fail to revive it, Every ad- vantage had been taken by the public press during the early stages of the scardal to crowd partisan enthusiasm to itsheight. The enter- prise of the Chicago press, published 1,000 miles from the locus scenar, in collectingnewin- formation and publishing original documents. in advance of New York and Brooklyn, was a notable instance of this, The scandal spanned a whole continent as fally as it engrossed the two neighboring cities in which it grew. It traveled even further, and flashed by wire into all the countries of Europe. But it was thought to have been exhausted at last. It was believed that both cases had been com- pletely presented, and that it would pass into history asa disputed evidence of the moral and social characteristics of our time. So it was that, when the trial opened with its un- interesting efforts at securing a jury, there was a gencral feeling that the people cared but Little for it, and preferred to abide by the conclosions they had already, or await the verdict of the Brooklyn jury before giving the matter any further heed. But now it is evident on all sides that the old interest ia reviving. The nowapopers are graduolly increasing the spaco thoy had al- lotted to it, showing that thoy follow rather than erento the greed for sensction which they ave so frequently and unjustly con- demned for promoting. A Cincinnati editor of good judgment and long oxnerience has telegraphed his lucal correspondent that ‘the tyinl absorbed morse interest there than Con- gross or Louisiana.” A glance at the dirce. tlon which tiie eyes of fondera take when 3 they seize their newspapers atto:ts 23 much. People who did not resl the original statements now revel in the evi. dence, and watch tho struggles of opposing counsel with the same eagorness that the vast Roman audiences of old used to watch the gladiators. I£ this degree of interest hag been reached at the present early stage of the trial, when only one important witness on one side has been examined, what may not be expected when tha merits of the case shall have been still more fully developed, and the contestants themselves brought face to face with Court, jury, counsel, the people, * and their God? There is no question but that this trial will take a foremost place among the causes célebres of the world. If Truron had enjoyed the partisanship of a Waattry as Onron did, there might al- ready have been popularsubscriptions through. out the land to help him; though, on the other hand, if Onrow had enjoyed the friend. ship and confidence of a Mouton as Trutox has,:the Trcusonve Claimant might to-day have dwelt in a castle instead of repining in o joil. Is not Movxron the most remarkable man, after all, in this scandal? Sicce he has co:n- pleted his testimony, it is easy to unlerstand why he should have been trusted ard heark. ened to alike by Brzcuen and Trutow. A New York boy, with a common-school edneation and s commercial training, acquiring his means by acute perception and untiring np- plication, and an amateur only in literature and art,—he is an excellent specimen of the American type of self-reliant, self-made men. He displayed during his long examination ” and tremendous cross-examination the mental force and moral courage which fully account for the admiration of two such remarkable men as Beecuen and Turox. Without bm. vado or buncombe, he gave his direct evidence without the suspicion of lesson earned, and faced the fierce fire of the crossexamination without flinching. During ten days he showed himself the equal of the formidable display of legal ability which had ben mass- ed against him. It will take overwhelming testimony to break down evidence given with tho perspicacity, force, directness,” and familiarity with which Movxroy said everything he hadtosay. It looks now as if the defendant’s counsel would only discover sufficient contradiction and inconsis- tency in his testimony which the recollection of amass of incidents, covering a long period of years, must involve in order to commend itself os trathfal. It was Movxroy’s examination which re- vived all the general interest in tais trial which isnow so notable; and it is evident that the counsel for Mr. Truro did not exhaust all their best ammnni- tion in one shot, and that at the open- ing of the battle. The interest, therefore, may be expected to increase rather than diminish. The examination and cross-exam- ination of Mr. Tauro, if he be ailmitted to the stand, will be as fierce a struggle as that of Moutrox’s, and with a greater personal interest. Mr. Bzecuen’s sppearance will be still more exciting, and so the case must con- tinue to grow in the public thougl:t, no mat- ter how long it may be drawn out, nor how tedifts#it may be in some of its details. There is, too, a well-defined apprehension, though but vaguely expressed, thai the case will have a tragic ending, and that the gloom cast upon the courtroom at the announce ment of the death of Mr. Mouxron’s mother ‘was but the foreranner of a grecter gloom that is to settle down upon this remarkable trial before it can be completed. OTHER PEOPLE'S SERLONS. There are three ways by which n preacher may avail himself of another pre her's ser- mons. He can credit them to their enthor before reading them to his congrerstion; cr hecan decinim them as his own (and pray over them as such before and after their do- livery); or he cen reproduce them with sach interlineations and interillustratioas as will bring them down to the most recent scientific discussion, and thus pervade then with an sir of his own individuality and originality. The celebrated Dr. Pann generally informed his hearers not only where they “might find the words.of my text,” but the words of my sermon as well. When he was accnsed of “preaching a sermon of Dr. Russ, a Socin- ian,” he replied that the sermon wrs written by Mr. Cocax, and that he would “continue to preach good sense whether it comes from the pen of Mr. Cocan, or Dr. REEs, or Bishop * Suezrocx,” and to ‘sprinkle the holy dew of panegyric upon these illustrious worthies.” The sermon-trade in England is confined almost exclusively to the clergy of the Estab- lishment, who are not all as honest as Dr. Pann, but lay by in store a large assortment of other people’s discourses in both manu- script and print, which they dispense as their own composition. Possibly their hearers are quite willing to conceal their suspicions, pre- ferring a good borréwed sermon to 20 indif- forent original one. But the sermon-trade leads to embarrassments, as an anec- dote will prove. The Dissenting ‘misis- ter” and the Established ‘‘clergyman” of 8 certain English town bore the same name. In consequence, the postman leaves apackage of manuscript sermons at the humble parson- age which he ought to have left at the swell rectory. ‘The minister discovers the mistake upon opening the contents, and forthwith conveys the parcel to the clergyman, who re- marks that ‘The blunder could not hare 0c curred if you had not assumed 9 title (“Rev.”) for which you have no authority.” ‘Whereupon rotorteth the other, “It could not have happened if you had not assamed 9 title for which you have no qualifications!” ‘The sermon-traders in England do a consid erable business with those who have ‘‘ author ite” to preach other people's brains in do fuult of any of their own. One of their cir calars gives the following list of prices: £0 ‘10a, 6d, cash...... Aspecimen sermon (new 66! ‘Missionary, nation each., ‘Gpecal sarmons wx required. Another firm undertakes to ‘prevent do- tection.” ‘To this end, ‘No duplicates wil be sent into the immediate neighborhood of s subscriber,” and ‘‘No subsoriber may 460° any copy of a sermon, or preach it cout of his own parish, without the consent of the or,"—who appears to act aga kind of ‘men tmal friend” in this ticklish traffic, These sermons are lithographed, and, as we may SAY> manuscripted, so that the preacher may tara overtho leaves with all thenssurance with which he iy endowed, and with no less a , feeling of confident reverence ho may soy ‘Lot us pray” at the conclusion of his fishing for mon with another man’s net, Such bas been #0 aome extent the practice of the ‘snared pr fegalon” in the hatch of England from the thne whan Slr Rooxn Ds tenanity were edifiad bhae avery Sunday of iba BOS