Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 27, 1875, Page 4

L4 ————— TIIE CHIICAGO TRIBUNF: MONDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1876. TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE. @ATTE OF FUNBCAIPTION (PATARLE IN ADVASCE), P'estare Frepunid ac this Ofice. sy Pdition, pot-paid, 1 sear.... 8 I'arts ef yoar at rama rato, 18 0f yearat eame ral WeESLY XDITION, TORTPAID, ® onpy, por 1.0 bof Hve, oh of twenty, per ¢ Ntl The postego I8 17 centa & yesr, which ws will propar. Bpecimen coples rent free, To prevent delsy and mistakes, be sura and give Poat-Oftice addresa fu full, including State sud County, HemUiancen may be made elther by draft, express, Foat-Oflico aniler, or In registered Iotters, at nur risk, TLRMS TO CITY AURSCRIRFAS, Datly, deliversd, Bunday excapted, 25 ccaln per week, Duily, delivared, Sunday fuchided. ) centa per week, Address TilK TRIBUNE COMPANY, Corner Madisdn and Dearborn-stw., Chleago, Tl T AMUSEMENTS, McVICKER'S THEATH Dearborn and Btate, ~Engas Troupe, * Girotls-Girafls ACADCMY OF MU Madinof and Monroo, NOOLEY'S THEATRE—I olph street, between Llark and LaSallo, Callfornia iustrels, NEW CHIOAGO THEATRE—Clatk strect, botwoen Bandolph and Lake, Kelly & Leon's Minsizels, WOOD'S MUSEUM—Monroo stroot, between Dears born and Btate, *“Hed Niling-lia:d" and * Conju- @l Lesaons,” Afternoon and eveung. ADLLDIT_THEATI street, corner Monroe, * Tho Forty e S "SOCIETY MEETINGS. Madison street, between ncat of (he Oates Opers —Inisted elreet, between lie Two Orphans,” lorn ATTENTION, SIR KNIGHTR{—The members of Chicago Commandery, No. 11, K, T, are hereby noti fled to aprearat the Asylum' on Tuesday, Dee, 28, at 4230 8, ., for the pury aso of attondiug the funeral of tholate 8ir Koight Bilea Tealiody Crumb, Iunsral fram tho Chiurch of the Ep phany, Jellerson Fark, at 0,30 ». m,, by caza to Roschisl, By order of E. ‘WILLIAMS, Recorder, T e CLEVELAND LODGE, No, 211, A, T, & A The brethren are hereby notitted to meet at Masonle Tempin, cortier Halsted and Randatphests,, on Tuesdny morning ut $130 o'clock, for the pirpore of perform- iug the lort #ad dutics for our late Brother Silaw Fess bordy Cramb, Korvices b be held at Epipbany Churels, Jer Park, al 1040 o'clack, Viwiting brethren {ne Yited to attend, GEO, F, “INCLAIR, W, M, A, M ~11all No, 1lay) The Ehiengo Tribune, Monday Morming, Docomber 27, 1878, To-dny we ara promised n moderation of £ho prosont rnther comfortable chilly weather, and moro of the rheumstic air and divpiriting mud with which wo have been 80 gencrously endowod along back. —— Our usnal Monday morning collection of pulpit matter wili be found to embraco a pe- culiarly cheery and agroeable scrmon by the Rev. Itoncar Coryrn, who finds plenty of reason why people should be cheer- tul and hopefnl; a wermon by the Rev. D, B. Caexey, sketching the progress of tho pnst century made by the Baptist denomination; and another by the Rev. J. Moxno Gissoy, of the Sccond Presbytcrian Chureh, on tho promise of salvation as given to the .patri- archs of old. e ———— Ex-President Tuteny, after declining in- vitations from eleven dopartments to stand for clection as a Senator in the new branch of the French Legislature about to organize, bas necepted o similar proposal from the Town of Belfort. 'The advanced ngo of this great statesmon renders his decision somo- what extraordinary, and argues the pressure of nearly irresistible finportunity. The e publieans aro said to be sure that tho moder- ute breed of their persunsion of Fronchmen will run things in hoth Senate nnd House of the coming Assembly. Baxnory, the moicty man, has turned up agaln, and, with Gen. BorLen as his counsel, puts in_ a Lill for £200,000, tho same being 10 per cont of tho fines and penaltics col- lected, as ho cloims, upon information fur. nislied Uy him to the internal revenue of. ficers, But Saxponx finds o chilly atmos- Pphere in tho Departmenta ; it is o bnd year for noieties. Commencing with Cominis- sioner Pratr, he is told to go 1o Secrotary Busrow, who declines to entertain tho claim, and tells him to go to Attorney-General Prennerost, with au excellont prospect that tho latter will tell him to go to the d-1, The Chiengo Comtnuniats aro indulging in the barmless luxury of expressing sympathy for their brethren for whom the Fronch Gov- erument provides gratuitous board and lodg. ing at Now Caledania in consequenco of a fow such **noble aud unselfish " acta 85 the de- struction of soveral palaces and works of nrt ‘n Purig, and the perpretration of varlous Sendish atrocities during tho dark dnys of the Cowmune. Thelr sympathizers in this city,. rulling themselvos * citizens of Chicago," resterday adopted a meworial on tho sab Joot talllng npon France to mitigats tho rigor with which the * citizens of Now Caledonin " iro treated, and urging the Intervention of be United States Government in their be. aalf. Tho memorial is rually agreesble read. ng, supposing it to bo partly true, for it af- ©ords the gratifying assurance that thero is o slaco on earth whero Commnunists are dealt vith'ds thoy deserve, A press dispateh from Loulsvillo completely lemolishes the fabrie of falsehood with which ho Jnter-Ocean lins attempted to cover the vputation of Sceretary Bnistow, and shows ho enger recklossness with which fhe rov- mue thieves and their newspaper auxiliaries xized upon the faintest clow to tho theory Ley were bent upon establishing, ‘Tho moss wirstitements of fact have excited soth ridiculeand indignation in. tho city of ir, Bristow's resldeuco—ridioule, by rea- ou of thy extrewe absurdity of the storics, wd indiguation because of the effort to Mlacken the character of one of Louigville's uost valued aud highly-estcemed oitizons, The Ringsters and their Journalistic ccomplices and allios have shot ride of tho wurk this time. Let thom ry ogaing lot thom keep on trying, and at bis rato thoy will soon make Secretary IaisTow the most popular man in Americs, TRecent oorrespondence between the United Kates and Mexioo on the stibject of border mtrages indicatea that the Htato Dopartinent msat last nade nn effort in the right di. ection. Permissdon wus naked by Minister losren for United States troops to follow uders” acrosa the boundary line when in t0s0 punuit, or for tho privilego of tem. wrarily cocupying certain points on Mexican oll wlero marauders aro known to as emble and cross overinto Toxas, A charvace orlstio reply” was received from the fexican * Booretary of Forelgn Affairy, vho' represented that the Prosident ¥ thse Republio lud wo sathority ® grant such purmission without the ap- mwaral of Congreas, and that the gentiment ¥ ¥be country was sucki that It would nod be 13.00 : i prudent to ask the consent of the Mexican Congress. Mr. Fosten replied by disclnim- j ing for the United States any scheme of ac- quisition or extension of turritory, but plainiy | intimating that such a sechieme might be the inevitable outgrowth of the present condition : of affairs, and of the acknowledgment of tho + helplessness of the Mexican Goverument in I tho matter. 'Tius sort of talk sounds like Lusiness, —— The formal opening of Prof, Swixa's Cen- tral Clnrch yesterday was attended by n erowd, in spite of the most wretched wenther 1 of the keason, which seems to indicnta that tho people who have joined *this eminent gentleman in his independont movement are not marely fair-weather Christians, The temporary confusion incident to the location of the places that have been reserved will not need to recur, and frommnowon the enterprise may be regarded nsone of tho prominent religious institutious, conspicuously at- tractive by renson of the endearment in which the pastor is held, the contral location of the building in which the services are con- dueted, the henartinessof tho congrogational singing as contrasted with the formal quar- tette choir singing of other cliurchos, and the sincerity of church foeling which is liberated from (ho confusion aud restraint of wero dogmng, In view of the fact that this church will always be erowded, and that there will be o constant dewand for tho seats that have not boen reserved and also the re- served seats not oceupied for the time, Prof. Swizo will be fully justified in peremptorily clositig the doors at a certain hour. Thus, if tho services begin at n quarter beforo 11, it will be entirely proper to refuse admission to all who come after 11 o'clock. Justico to those who are already in their sents suggests thot they abnll not bo disturbed nfter tho sermon ia begun, nnd the strict enforcoment of such n rulo would soon get the congrega. tion in the habit of prompt attendance. TRE ASSAULTS ON BECRETARY BRISTOW. The reckless assault on Secretary Batstow which the Jnter-Ocean published on Saturday was followed by a similar attack, thongh not going to such extromes, in the Washington dispatches of tho Chieago Times yesterdny. There is but one construction to b placed upon snch a eourse, and it is that there is to be & deaperate effort made to forco Secrolary Butstow out of the Cabinet or compel him to abandon his proscention of tho revemuo thieves, This programmo is to receive the active support of the Democrats in Congross (or at lenst a section of them), who have in- sugurated it with RaNpaLn's resolution in- structing the Secretary of the Treasury to expose all tho Government cases before they are brought to trial! T'ho theory is that noth- iug would bo s0 much in the partisan interest of the Democratio party ns to stop tho Repub- lican efforts at reforming overy brahch of the public service, corrocting all the abuses, and punishing all the ofonders. Tho Democrats will receive nssistance in this erusade sgainst the roform cloment of the Republiean party from the corrupt men who havo attached them- selvos to tho Republican party for personal gnin. The whisky thioves and thelr sows- paper orgeus will join in this movement ngainst Secretary Baistow, but we have con- fidenco that the force of public opinion will provent the success of the dishonest and dis- honorable scheme, The people have given 50 henrty o support to the reform measurcs of the Administration, and notably to the war on the Whisky Ring, that Secrotary Bustow i quite certain to bo sustained againgt any clique of self.confessed cor. ruptionists, no matter how formidable in number or influence. Theso lato assaults on Secretary Bristow seem to be based on the allegation that Gen. Bancocr is to appenr before the Domocratic Committeo and ' mnke etartling reveln- tions ” about the Whisky Ring, relying upon the statuto which provides that such evidonco shall not be used ngainst the testifying wit- ness in any criminal prosccution. DBut it was supposed that Gen. Bancock had no in- formation about the Whisks Ring which could implicato himsolt or anybody else, We presurmed that ho had never hind anything to do with it. This we Lad understood to be tho position which he hny assumed relativo to the chinrges which have been brought against Lim, This was the reason, ns we supposed, that @Gon Rancock called for a military court o1 imquiry, consclous of Lis own pure innocence and desiring to get tho spoediest vindication. But if it is true, ag nlleged by both Jater-Ocean and L'imay, that ho has abon- doned this position and determined to make a “cloan breast” and o gonernl statement of all ho knows about whisky frauds in this country, in other words to ‘““squeal” on his confidants, wo hope that ho will not fail to tell tho wholo story whon he does *squeal,” let it implicate whomsoover it may, Thera is no danger of its damaging tho Republican party, which conslsts of more than hanlf of tho entire voting population of the United Stutes, with a common desir and a common® interost for the exposuro of frauds and the punishment of revenus thioves. The Repub. lican party es a whole can botter afford to have all abusos corracted by exposare than to have thom voverod, denied, or condoned. If Gen. Bapcoor is in & position to assist in this effort we hopo-that he will do so, even if it be for tho purposo of protocting: himself, Wo lave no doubt that Seerctary Bnisrow will bo abundantly ablo to vindicnte himuel? frow tho irresponsible charges mailo ngainst him, andwill promote and encourage any and avery additional contribution that can be made to tho exposure of the frauds. Lot no guilty wan escape, T — Wa deseribe elsewhere bLow and when a corrupt job was rushod through tho Common Council under tho whip of the provious quos- tion aud the spur of a ton-thousand dollar Lribo. 'That {4 the sum stated on the stroets, and talked about in the Olty-Hall, In * Tho Btore,” ond in varlous othor drinking and loaling placos of the Ring mem. bors of the Council. 'This cor- rupt job, when consummnted, udds n minimam of 68,000 o year to the crushing load of taxes uuder which our people now stagger, Tho maxituum muy bo o qquarter of s willion, We bave no doubt, and indeed are informed, that several Aldermen voted for the ruscally ordinance without beiug awaro of ity sweeping and illogal character, and without being awxre that there ‘wos, 8o 5 cuwrrently reported, a ocomtingent fes of $10,000 or more to bo pald when the ordi- nauce was passed and the contraot signed. Thu Job is un outrageous one, even omitting the corruption. An Alderman voting for it ought to be corrupt euough to demand o con. sideratiou for auch au illogal act and sych a flagrant distegard of public interests, ‘The Cowptroller duserves publio thunks for Lis course in the watter ; aud, though Le may b overruled in thls matter au in othors, we trust he will not resign, but stand in hls place, and thereby give assurance to the pub~ u lic that thero is at lenst one man Jonest and fearless enough to refuse to violate Inw or to take tho prics paid for oMeinl corruption, ———e THE NAVAL EXPENDITURES. Tt will be remembered that, some five or six weeks ago, there were daily ndvices from | New York, Philadelphia, and Washiugton, in- i dieating lorge expenditures in the naval de- partment, conducted in the most mysterions manner, and apparently in the apprehension | of an outbreak of hostility with some foreign nation, The only plausible explanation that j could be mndu of (hese expenditures at the | time wns that the Government was in pos. 1 Bession of some specinl nud startling informa- tion which showed the necessity of putting the navy instantly ona war footing, It was expected that the President’s messngo would givo o clow to the real cause. Tt it was not found there. Thore was nothing in the Trosident’s message, nor in the correspond. ence of the State Department, nor in the re- port of (ho Sceratary of the Navy, that afford. ed a warrant for auch heavy expenditures ns had been reported, or of any extra outlay of moncy, and the public has ever sinco been in ignorance of why theso preparations liad been made, 1t in this air of mystery that gives a plausi- bility to the Democratic version that has now been placed on theso expenditures, 1t is nle leged that there was o mere show of spending large amonnt of monoy for the purposo of covering up former expenditures ihat had been unauthorized. Au allegation of this kind should call for the strict investigation which it isstated Congress will instituto immediately after tho holidays. It is to be hoped that the matter will bo probed to tho bottom, Whether 8 large sum of money hos been expended re. cently when thiero were no foreign complicn- tions to warrant it, or whether theso nnwar- ranted expenditures wero mado ecarlier sand outside of the approprintions, it is to bo hopod that the investigation will expose tho exnct condition of things, ond that tho De- partment bo held strictly accountable for the appropriations, ‘Whatever may be the result of this invest. igation, we approve also of tho announced intention of the House Committeo on Appro- printions to cut down expénses heavily ju this Depnrtment, and not 4o allow for /DYy unau. thorized expenditures, - The conntry will not suffer if this Department be held down tq the lowest figure compatible with the public interest. The personnel of the navy might bo largely reduced without auy fnjury to the service, nud a atrict revision will likely dis- cover many itcms that may bo lopped off with advantage. Our navy is not in a con. dition for active service,and in time of pence it is not likely nor well that it bo kept so, ‘While this is admitted, tho best .conrio is to maintain it at tho smallest possible cost to the eountry, and to waste no money on old snd daminged ships o war that could not be used if war should come. ANOTHER CORRUPT MUNICIPAL JOB. On the evening of Dee. 14, tho Committeo on Gas Lights of the Chicago Commen Coun- cil reported an ordinance; the previous quos- tion wns seconded by a vote of 26 to 10, and the ordinance was et once rushed through. { Ihis ordimanca 15 of tho most remnrkable chaeter, It suthorizes and directs the Alayor and Comptroller to make and excente n contract in the nawe of the city with the “Globo Gas-Light Company”™ of Cincinnati to light certain streots beyond the present ges-mning, to be named by the Council, for tho period of fire years,—said contract to ‘provide for a¢ least 2,000 lamps, Tho Com. peny is to roceive for each of sald lights at tho rnto of 844 per annum. At tho ond of ench yeor the Common Council is to fix the prico to bo paid por lamp for the year ensu- ing. Whenover tho gas-mnins aro oxtended to districts 1'ghted by tho Globe Company, the Company shall remove its posts and lamps to such other poiuts as may be dircoted by the Common Council, This proposition is not a new ons, We understand it wag substantially made n year 090 at & less prico,—a prica too low to justify tho mecessary division, should one bo de. manded. Tho Globs Company ean hardly cnll itsolf & gas company; it is moroe prop- erly an oil company. Each Inmp-post and lnntern is a complete gns works for itself. ‘The material used is an oil which can he purchnsed at a few conts por gallon, Two gallous will run ench lamp for all the nights in the yenr when lights aro used. 'The posts aro wooden, and the nvernge ooat of post and lantorn will probubly not excoed §7. The Ppriucipal cost is in the wages of men to light and extinguish tho lunps, It will bo readily seen, thereforo, that the Company can well afford to keep 2,000 lamps, or as it will prob. ably turn out 10,000, at $25 or $30 & year and mnko an enormous profit, ‘The city bus alroady extended its gas-lamps over many ules of open expanso whero thero are 1o houschold consumers. These gas. lampa on the prairie are vory costly, and their Cn—lunlpu.l use is to enhance the valuo of out. side lots held upon speculation. For this purpose the proporty of the city generally is taxod heavily. A very large proportion of theso ga-lamps might bo disponsed with, nnd o saving secoured of tons of thousands of dollars. ‘The Cormon Council, however, do not propose to ecouomire by rveducing the gos-bills, ‘They proposo to start off with an jextra oxponditure of $88,000 & year to light up all tho unaccupied real estate held in the {prcscut or prospective Uimita of Chicago, The ordinance provides (hat the new lawnps shall never ba less than 2,000 in numnber, but the Council rotains the power to increase the number from timo to time {ndefinitely by n wmeroorder, It is safo to say that, if 2,000 bo contracted for, five times that number will bo found inadequate to light up the unoc. cupled country adjacent to inhabited Chi- eago, The cows of Cook County will onjoy aum luxury of pasturnge by gas-light, when tho mouon is not shining. The prico to be paid for lighting 5,000 of these lamps will bo $220,000 o year in addition to our present gas-bills, which » havo recently been swollen to §700,000 a year. Each additional 1,000 lamps will be 344,000 & year addod to tho crushed tax-pnyors, Each Alder- wan will have an opportunity of placing lawp-post and lawp in front of tho shop, dwalling, or saloon of every ouno of his fron- tier constitnonta, To but fuintly light up the strocts lald out on the prairius of the Boventh Ward alous will require at least 2,000 lamps; while tho Sixth, Eighth, Thirteenth, Four. teenth, and Yiftoonth Wands will each re- quire ud many—and saveral of them will re. quife twice as many~lampa to light up thoso portions of thoir territory lying beyond the Ppresent gas-mainy, " 'The ordinance was rushed through with 1ittlu or uo dubate, and promptly signed by the Muyor, The Comptroller, howsver, hud surious weruples on the subject, but those in. terested hud the contract propored, and the Mayor signed it. On Fridsy last a numbor of Ring Aldermen and the represontativo of the ** Globe Company® labored with Comp- I troller Tavrs to induce him to si wwin- diing contract, e statdd his legal ol tiens, when it was reported that an ¢ opin. ion " as to the Ingality of the ordinanco hnd i been nlready given by City-Attorney Jasiz- i mox, who is Lecoming conspicuons for tho “enso and facility with which he furnishes opinions for the Ring. Iiut the Complroller still refured to sign until so advised by tho Corporation Counsel. The wnmtter, there- fore. rests with Judze Dickey, who will probably give his opinion to-day or to.mor- row, nnd by that opinion the Comptroller will, it is snid, be governed 1 his netion, At present he fs in contlict with the Mayor and with the Ring members of the Council who voted for this ordinance, 1Te opposes the ex- ccution of (he ordinauce because anch con- tract as ic is required ho shall execnto is pro- hLibited by tho charter, which reads, Art. 7, Secs. 40 and 01 ¢ Neither the City Council nor wny dapartment or ofticer of the corporation alall add to tho corporation cipenditures fn any ona year snsthing over and above the amount provided for fn the annual appro- pristion bill of that year, vxcept an_herein otlierwisn especially provided, . , Provided, however, that nothing heredn contatned abisll present the Clty Conue «li from ordering, by o two-thirds vots, any Improvo~ ment, the necersity of which Ia causod by any casualty or nceldeut happeniug after such snnual appropeia- tion f« made, No contract shall lie horoafter made by tho City Councll, or any committes or membar of thiereal, nnd no oxpense aliall be incarred by nny of the oflicera or departments of tho corporatian, whether the object of thie expenditure shall have been ordered by tho City Council or nat, unless an approprintign shall have been proviously made concerning mich ex- pense, excapt hereln othierwise expressly provided. Tho eriminal codo of the State, See. 203, provides : Every person holiding any public office, State, edun- 1y, or municipml, whoshall be guilty of any palymble omisslon of duty, , . orwho sball be gutity of con- tracting, directly or fndirectiy, for the cxpenditurs of wgreater sumor amount of mouey than may lave Leen, at the timoof maklag tho contracts, spprop ated or #ct apart by law o becontracted for or ex- pended upon the subject matter of o contracts, . ., when no apectal proviston shall heve beon mado for tho prnishment thorcof, shall bo fned not exceoding 10,000, and msy be removod from his ofics, trust, or omploymont, ‘These scctions of the now charter aro amply suflicient to show the illegality of the proposod contract. It cannot be claimed that the unlighted condition of the outside nand vacant territory of the eity is in any way duo to any * casunity or nccident happoning after” Juna 30, 1875, the dato of tho last appropriation crdinence; and n contract in- volving sn immediate expenditure of money withoat any provious spproprintion for that purpose is mude a pennl offenso by the ofil- cor executing suoh contrnet. The Common Conneil caunot by ordinanco require the — AMayor or Comptroller to do an act prohibited by the law of the State. THE ABINGDON ASSASSINATION, The disgraccful affair at Abingdon, i, on Christmas-Dnay, the details of which were printed in our last’ issuc, lend one nlmost to doubt the cflicnoy of Christianity and educn tion ns preventives of crime. Abingdon Col- lege is nn educational institution under tho control and in the interests of the Campbeli- ito or Christian Church. Tho administration of its government has been marked by wran- gling and dissension for many yonrs, which have succeeded in dividing the friends of¢the institution ond the mcmbers of the Church into bitter and turbulent factions, known os the Borues and Prorer factions. The contest assumed tho shapo of open warfare two yenrs ago. Tho first step was the removal of Mr. Boruen, then President of the Colloge, by the Prarer faction, which had succceded in elocting o wnjority of the Trustees. The Church thon utepped in and souglt to punish one of the Professors who had been instrumental in re- moving Brrrzn and appointing Praxey, tho result of which was a aplit in the membor- ship and the organization of another Church, ‘I'he fight now waxed fiorcer and fiercer, as it was o contest not only between two collego factions Lut betwoen two Churches. ,The quarrel wont into the conrts, and is still pending thero, but meanwhile there las beon uo truce. ‘The fight assumcd a persopal charactor, amil threats of violence wero open- ly moade. Ffligies weore suspended in tho town, dwellings were dofaced, aud the local papers woro filled with vindictive and inflammatory articles, and thus the latred was nourished and gradaally worked up to the point of ontbreak. At last the culmina- tion eamo, Whilo the Church which bad so- ceded was holding a Sabbath-school sociable, at which President Perkey was in attondance, tho BurLen faction grow so noisy and turbu- lent that interferenos boeame nceessary, and during the interforonce the President way struck upon the head with sowe blunt Instru- mont, and of lost necounts was in n dying condition," Furtlier than this, tho digpatchen intinate thero is danger of n general outbrenk nmiong the poople, 5o bitter is the prevailing hatrod. . It ia not very pleasant to rofloct that this infamous and bloody business originated in tho bosom of a Christian Church—aud of o Church which makes special application of the name ** Christian,” and that the consum. mation of this business took place in a Sab- bath-sehool-room upon a day which of {all otlers {s sacred to the memory of tho angels’ legend—* Good-will towards men.” In all its nspeots, it bears the oharpeter of those bar.room fends which are the frequent fruits of political partisanship among loafers, vaga- bonds, and bummers, and in such s quagter would not atiract partioular attention ; but that a quarrol arising in & Olristian, Chareh over o question of the government of n college should not only result in dividing the Church, but at lnst reach the sanguinary and cownrdly act of assassination, must of neces. sity givo us pause, and in that pauss two or three suggestions inovitably will occur, Firut, that this bloody and brutal business ouce more conflrmns tho old truth, so ofton exem- of nations, that, of all hatreds, religlous ha- treds are ihe moat virulent sud violent, Sec- ond, it gives rise to & doubt at Jeast whether Christianity aud education can completely overcomo tho dopravity of human nature, The third suggestion touches the fu- turo, Justice must now stop in be. tween thoso miserable and disgrace. ful factions and mete out punishmout, and that puvishmont should be all the moyre prompt and sovers eince tho perpetrators of this outrugo are presumed, at least, to have hid those advantages of religion and oduca- tion which are not enjoyed by the lower ranks of crimloali. Having puniubod the perpeteators of this immediate outrage, the partisaus upon both sides should be disposed of in the spesdlest and most cffective manner possible, 80 that ihe public can be guaranteed agaiust a repetition of their unseemly and disgrafeful brawl Most of our {* statesmon " are not states. wen. They are politiclans, 'They ropreseat no great idoa. A wearch into the racord of the new Chalrman of the Ways and Means Committes seems to exclude Mr, Moxnison = : snid that ho “hns nover mado n specch in | Congress on any subject, and has nover in- | trodueed nn important mensure.” Ho has al. 1 Fo failed to volo on many important mens. i nres. Among theso wero tho Senato Inflation bill which Graxt vetoed ; Kriiev's 8.65 | shinplaster-bond scheine ; Hoan's amendment I making only gold and silver legal-tendor nfier ; July 4, 1876 ; Fosten's amendment reducing i the amount of greenbacks to 2300,000,- : 000; and, on its final pnssnge, tho . Houso currency bill. Wo trust thnt ; Mr. Monnisos's record in the future will be fuller than it hns been in the past, What is needed just now is aggressive reform,—votes ‘ for positive measures. Let tho Ways and means Committea report such mensures, and let its Chaitmnn carry thetn through. Mr, Monnisox has an admirable opportunity, If ho fails to utikize it, the fault will be his own, OUR PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE, Tho communieation written by Mr, Arex- ANDER SULLIVAN, Secretary of the Board of Public Works of this city, to the manager of a London insurance company, which was printed in tho last issue of Tne Tminese, conting fomo facts of prime importance touchlug the security of Chiengo ngninst fires, completely answers the carping erili- cisms of the New York press, and ought to be o sullicient inducement for insurance com- panies to reduce thelr rates, First, ns ro- pords the security of Chicago against fire. The total pipo laid from April 1, 1874, to Dec. 7, 1875, was 172 feet, or &7 miles and 1,212 feet; 46,533 feet of {-inch pipe have been taken up and thrown away and larger pipo substituted. Tho mean dismeter of the pipe lnid in 1872 was 7.81 inches, and the mean dinmeter now is 8,61 inches. Since April, 1872, tho delivering capncity of Chi. cago's water-pipe lLas been incremsed 27 per cent. At tho time of the Great Tiro thera were 1,552 hydrauts; now there are 2,507, Then, Ohiecago had 272 miles of water-pipo; now it has 408 miles. In nddition to this, tho cily is now surrounded by 36 and 24 inch ‘mains, from which pipes radiato in every direction, frequently tapped by hydrants, A new tun- nel los been constructed. The fire limits have been made commensurato with the limits of tho city. The woodon buildings burned in the two great fires have been have been ro. placed by brick and stone structures, In overy possible way, Chicngo has protected horsolf, until she has become ono of tho snfost, if not tho safest, city in tho Union. Mr. Sunrivan's report furnishes anothor plified in the history of individuals na well ns | important fect in its complete answer to the eritics of - the Now York stamp. On Dee. 7, 1875, Chicago had 2,147,788 feot of pipe, and on Nov. 12, 1875, Now York had but 2,178,730 feet. In other words, Chicago had 403 miles and New York 412 miles, and during 1874 and 1875 Chicago Imd four times 18 much pipo as New York. The smaller-sized pipes in Chicago are more efficient than those in New York, for the ren- son that they are connected at overy strect- crossing, while in New York thero is no system of inter-connecction. We commend theso facts to the Now York World in answor to its criticisms, as well na to tho recent ‘statements mado by the Committes of Enst- ern, Underwriters, In view of theso unnuswerable facts, thoro is no good reason why tho insurance com. panies should not roduce their rates. The figures furnished by the Secrotary of the Bonrd show that Chicago is not only more securo than New York, but that, ns compared with any other city in this country, it is o first-class risk. Sinco the July fire,. thero Lave been searcely any fires worth mention, nnd tho loss hns beon very small. They have nlrendy saved in thoir oxtea rates imore than they lost in the July fire. In addition to nll these reasons, it mny be urged that the Fire Departmont was nover bettor officered and equipped than now, mor has it ever reached 8 higher degros of efliciency, Its promptness and thoraughness have been tested ovor and over again, The outlay which Chicago has mada, the resources which sho has collectod with that outlay, the policy which sho is pureing with regard to socurity from firo, a»d tho profitable field which she now offers for undorwriting, should lead the insurance companios to raduce thoir rates cor- rospondingly, Clieago deserves it by what sho has dono and is still doiuy, TURKEY FALLING TO PIECES, Tt has long been ovident that the Ottoman Empire was a_hollow sholl, but a lotter from a residont of Constantinoplo to our Now York namosake shows that infernal decay hos gono 80 far that the shell must soon collgpsa from its own woight. Tho Goverument is powor- loss to control its own subordinates, Thore i3 no pretense to the contrary, Imperin! de- crees aro issnod for tho sake of their effect upon the European guardians of ths Sick Man, not with any ides that thoy will be obeyed. Thus the produce tax has been nominally roduced from 12} to 10 por cent, but the tax-gatherers rigidly collect the old rate, In Cappadocin, taxes not due until 1877 e now being wrung from tho people, Of course, littlo or nouo of this money will roach Constantinople, The officials beliove that the Emplre is doomed, and are making use of their briof authority to got rich while thoy may. In Armonia, these harpios are mereilesaly enforo- ing wholly imaginary claims'for * arrears,” Thero is u cass on record in which o widow Las been foreed to sell Lor Lonsehold furni- turo to pay the * military-oxomption tax" or her husband during the ton years since his death, While the Govergment is thus helpless to keep its promises to its subjects, it is equally impotent or faithless in ite prom- iges to tho citizens of other nations and to the nations thomselves, It Las ropudinted port of its debt, and it has just signed the international postal treaty only to break it. By tho terme of tho treaty, & lettor can ba sent anywhero in Turkey for 6 cents, Dut in fact, the old oharge of 8 conts for 100 Loury' travel of the postmian, 16 for 200, and 32 for 800 or over, is still maintained. An envelope with a 5-cont stamp sttached may got to Constantinoplo, but no farthor. ~ As migh( bo expeoted from such a state of af- fairsy the men high in office are rotten with corruption. The prosent Ministor of Marine was divgraced for embezzloment ten years sgo, and has since lived comfortably on the sum he stole,—some §25,000,000, If ‘I'weep should seturn to this country in 1880, and Lo eleoted to somo high offloo,—gs, not to unduly praise our civiliza. tion, he might be,—we should havo & paral- lel bere to tho present condition of thiugs in tho Turkish Ministry, The Grand Vizler Limsolf was arrcatod three yoars ago for em- bezzling §1,000,000, and the missing money Lias never been accounted for. Tho Minbiter of War is no better than heshould be, no bet~ ter than Fronch war oficials under Narorxon I weze, for the necssity of equipping troops for the Herzegovina oampaign has trom the category of the atatesmon, It is | shown that the clothing suppossd to be in stors consists of worthless rngs, whilo tho gunpowder is represenied by nent paclmges of charconl dust. Tho hugs fabric of mis. rulo and oppression, of public and private vice, which is called the Ottoman Empire, haa been undormined Ly those whose duty it wad to strengthien t, and is now tho tottering Empire, Tho University of Chicago is to bo con. gratulate 1 upon the selection of Avonzo AnenNerny a8 President and the probability that he =ill accept tho position, Mr. Aner- NETAY ir 8 graduate of the University, was Colonel f one of tho Towa regiments during tho War und has many years Leon Superin. tendent »f Public Instruction in Towa. o differs iy wnany essentinls from any of the former Presidents of the Univorsity, and will qupply the practical, administrative, and popular,qualities which have heretofora been sadly deflefent jn that institution. Whila a Baptist in denominational profession, he iz not the man to eneourage any scrious charac- teristics in tho manngement of the College. He {a n young mnn and o gallent sort of fel. low, who will command at onco the respect, admiration, nnd good-will of tho students, and probably contributo in n very marked degree to the popularizing of the institution. With the selectidn of Mr, Apenxrruy thero secems to be nnew departure, nnd o determination that the University shall be freed from tho internnl dissensions that have chiefly im- paired its usefulness in the past. Tho fact that wo Lave a centennial year to celebrato, on and after voxt Batarday, is duo to Groner WasuiNaToN moro thau to any other ouno man, We suggest, therefora, that hts mem- ory should bo troated with duo respeet. Amor- foan soutiment Is powerless to control foreign- ©r3, aud wo can thos only sigh ovor tho fact that Torren has written & play abont G. W., but tho vopular feeling shauld have pravented our own cltizons from wronging tho Fathor of bis Coun- uy In s eimilar way, Yot loro is & cortaln shamelers Sixcramn, who has constructed a mochanical drama on the esmo lhemo ns that of Terren, nnd sctually accuses tho Jatter of plagiariziog from bim. Torrcm and Trtcoxn are the only poreous who ever pla- glorizo from each other, aud they meraly take thelrown. BiNcraln must heve n low opinion of hisown play if he thinks that Tourrew's ls likeit. But the catalogue of wrongs to Wasit- 1¥oToN docs not end Lore. Still & third porson proposes to put bim on tho piliory of o play, Mr. Ixoensort Lockwoon,s ex-Consul and prosent lawvor, has ruthlesaly publishod * An Original Drama of thoe Revolution, entitled * WasnixaTox.'" Thus the of?ld of tho Fatler of hia'Country Is to son throe wooden Washrza- o stalking across tho boards during the con- tennial yoar. Wo protest. Lot tho progenitor of tho land of Credit-Mobiliers ana Whisky- Riogs nnd Tweeps sud publio schools aud frecdom and thiugs rest in tho tomb whicha grateful peoplo Lns suffered to docay within sight of the monument which n gratofal people has vever tinishod. Thero uover was a mora un- fit figuro for tho stage; navar a grestor figure for history. —— 81, PAUL, Minn,, Dec. 23.—~The Catholics of this clty have preparea a formal protest to the retmoval of Chief-Juafico DUXN®, of Arizons, chimingit to bo unconetitutional and contrary to the spirit of the ege, Preaadispateh, Wo never before heard any ons deny the au- thority of the Chicf Magiatrate to romove a Judge of & Territory. If it {s unconstitutional to do s0, wo shiould like to have pointed out the article and section of tho Constitution probibit- ing tho Prosident from makiog such a romoval. As to the romoval bolog ** contrary to tho spirit of the age,” that doponds on the facts, It isale legod thet Chiof-Juatico DuxNewes & vcho- ment, advocato of the division of tho public schiool monoys of the Tarritory to promoto sec- tarisn purposes, aud that he wanted a part of the educational fonds divorted from the public achools and turmod ovor ta priests to bo used in teaching Catholic dogmas. This aronsod a bit- ter oppoaition to Lim on the part of all the frionda of an unaectarian pubtic sohool system, which culmiuated in his removal, in campliance with the wishes of s large majority of the citi- zenm of tho Territory, - — A dispateh from DParis, printed in tho [ast is- #uo of Tus TRIDUNE, rovenlua glimpse of ths posuiblitics of Uliramontantsm which one can contemplate with proft, aincs tho fangs have boon drawn, Mme, Gasranny, having prosentod a copy of hor husband's works to the library at Bousseuois,” tho Director of tho library writes baclk to her in an insultiog mauner: "This very morniug We madetle finest firo ever soen with all thoso works, Tlow pleasant, now tho morne fogu sre chilly, to warm oue's fingars’ with M. da Gas- Tanis's books ! They burn wplendidly. Onco more thanks, Madame, - Guneva papor, sspociaily 3. do Gas- PAmX', b donioun a_great survico, and we hope to warm ourselvos agaln with hbiv books. Meanwhilo, pray accept our warmest compliments, The delight of the Bounsenois Direotor over the burning books reminda ono of tho horrible aatislaction of a cannibalrubbing his hands aslio watchos the missionary cooking beforo him, It showa In & vory clear light what Fronch Ultra- montanism might do had it the powor that it wiolded in the duys of tho Inquisition, . g i Commonting on the Presidont's Doa Molues spoech, tho Catholio World far January says: Taking all things into considoration, the speect in fally équal to any written production of {he Prosident. 118 dlreot, It fa plain, It 1s mauly aud vigoruiw, and far superior to any other oratlon which we hava hoard fron the sawme disilugnished quarier. Beyond ol thinye if expresras bettos than many Imagine, tha comnion eentiments of the Amierican people, The Times declares this languago to be “veilel irony," and the idea the orld mesut to conyoy in oxnotly reverae of what tho words impart, Por- hops; but if so, the *lronv™ ja * veilod” too deop for the perception of ordinary mortals, At all events, a vaat mass of poopls will agres with tho oplnion which the World seems to express, viz.1 that tho DeaMoines speech of the President on the sobiool question **oxpresses better than many {masima the common sentiment of tho Amoerioan people.” Bt. Louls celsbratod Christmas-Day in & man- nor pecullar to that aity. Ia a fight batwoen some bavs, one shot the other in tho mouth. In a domestic row, & womsan chopped up a man with & htohat. Another boy was stabbed In tho knes by a bootblack, Two women got on 8 Christmas drunk, aud one alashod the othor with arszor. Tho list of feativitles closes with an- other domestio affray, io which ono man beats another with a club almoat to death for having’ invaded the connubial privacies of Lis Louse. ‘Tho dispatoh naively says that Olristmae was colebratod in 5t. Louls in tho usual manoer, While this sort of a cslebration of the birth of our Lord was going on fn 8t, Louls, the good peopls of Chicago met in their temples with praiso and song, and gathered about thoir well- laden tables, and celobrated tho day In & seemly and roverential manner. 4y ‘The Cincinnat! Enquirer ia snxious to hive the rule ropealed which requircs a two-thirds vote for & Presidentis] nomination by s Demo- oratic Convention. Hence we infor that the Enquirer thinke the ‘*greenbackers" will be mn‘{uflu. bus not two-thirds, of the nozt Oonyln- iod of its party. The Khodive hag imported an Englishman to take care of hisfloances, The programme to be followed haa been announced. 1t may be wummed up in one phrase,—Civil-Service Re- form. It would be a tritle dlsgraceful it Egypt sbould outsteip us in this respect, ‘The famous mandate, “ Lat no guilty man sscaps,” 000 from GRANT,~COHICAGO TRIBUNR, McDoxaLD says, on the othar hand, “ibe saying is Bustow's, and 1t was suggested by bim (o GuaxT.— Sqw York Sun, BaisTow oughs to know. In his telegraphia letter he doclared that after reading it to the Preaidant the latter ordered Lim $0 peess oo dhe —_— e ] invastigations snd prosecutions, and addede * Lol no gullty mau oxoapo.” Dr. 3. Q. lloLtann mays that ** tho cars foy gostip is culturo.” What a galn for Awerioan literature it would bo If tho editor of Scribner's Monthly whould becomo culturad. POLITIOAL NOTEX Tue shock of an carthquake waa folt In Washington on Thursday. So it muat have takan thras days for the announcoment of Korr's committoes to be hosrd down below.—St. Louis Glalw-Democrat, ‘Tho Cincinnatl Enquirer, which, sinco the do- tmiso of tho rag-baby, and Mr. Pendloton csme out for specie rosumption, announces it lins no Dresidentinl candidate, and pauses to romark : 8 o1 Tildon ie approsching the White onso by the Erin Canal rorite, It (w sald fhat e, Hondricka is nfl]‘lolll toridotnon the tralna of the Houthern Ps. cfie, * In undisguised disgust at Spoaker Kerr's come mitteo appointmonts, the Now York Sun pays ¢ Waaro compelled {0 ey that Mr, Kerr has dieape ninted public expectation In urganizing tho House of Plumu!uln“nn, and has failed to exhibit the magaclty und ekill which were attribnted (o him, and which ars 80 Indirpennable Ju tha place o has asrumed, The Cincinnatl Commercial, which ssaumes to lkinow pomeswhat of the truo inwardness of the **orookoed " in this city, saya *‘two sols of de- tectivos aro onpaged in the work of ferreting out tho whisky frauds in Chicago, Tho Internal revenuo force ate trying to discovor tho guilty partics, and tho Troasury Secrot Scrvica force aro ehadowlng the otbers and proventing thoiz fuccess On account of o jealousy oxisting bo- twoen tho two,” Unless thd Washington correspondents are mistaken, Tom Scott hag not loat anything by the election of Mr. Kerr s Speaker. The unanimous opinion appears to bo that the Committee on the Pacific Rallrand {s mado up 1n the intoreat of the Southern Pacific route. It remains to be Aeen whether tho mombers of the Honso wers honost in passing a resolution sgainst graoting subsidies.—Lariford Courant. Concerning what Joyco and McDonald, tho convicted Whisky-Ring thleves, giva out they could tell, tho New York Tribune pertinontly re~ marks : Joyes and MeDanald aro moved by only ono impulse in tlielr intorviows : they want to got out, Each takes the courra ho thinks most promiaing, One rajoles, the nther threstens, Decent Jeople wil Lot them ot ulono, to werve their forms fu the salitude and disgrace they have meritod. Thero 18 no politien) owpital to ba 1made out of elther thelr prataes or thelr abuse, 1f Bpeaker Korr Lisd beon osnocially dosiroun of teaching Indopendents, Liberals, and ail other unattached people of that kind, to go baclk to their own place, ho could scarcely havo devigad o better plan thau ho fell upon in the appointment of somo of hig committoos. Snube bing Mr, Chittendan, Gon. Bauks, and oihors, is likaly to bo constrned =8 a good indication that tho Democratio party wants no sia from peoplo who do not run * with the machine,"—New York Tribune, ‘What Mr. Morrison must do to prove his fitness for tho Chairmanship of the ffouse Waye and Meavs Commitico iy thus stoted by the New York Tribune: If Me. Morrinon will report at an early day, and forco thrmiigh the Hoisn wulch ho has beon sclectd to , » VAl proclding nieans for specia resumption, 80 direzt and practical that it can 1m oxocuted with cere talnts, and ua far fu_sccord with fho views of tho Sacs retary of tha Tressury that it will bs dithicult for s Re« publican Sauate to opposa it, Lo will very cffectanlly turn tho tables ou those gentlemen whos virtuo it Liax beon to mako flaming speeches, but who have never proposed practical masmures, nor nccomnlinlied vracti. cal rosulla, e do not know that hio can do this, It lie cannot, with bl position and command of the floor in 2 fiouse whieh electod Ar. Kerr it Spaskar, be can not load tho House, A IMartford correnpondent of tha Springflold Republican, writing on Conoocticut politica, saya tho Rehublicsna are proparing to trade the Gove ernorship off for the Unitod States Scnatorship, and addy: That Postmaster.General Jowell will bo tholr candie dute for Eenator thera i litlle, it any, doutt, Mem- Drra of the Conunitteo asy that Gen. Mawley ia antirol outof the fight, and that bo hao bis friends to thanl for §t, It socms to mo that they ara right in this, for tho much graster political shrewdnoss of Me, Jowell Do told Leaslly n hin favor. Thres years ago he was favorito than Gen. Hawley ; today be is mare #0, for his admirable administration of the Post-Otfice Deprartment has won i €0 much roputation among thase who acek a purer civll Rorvice and refornt in the ublie ndministration, that theee, unttod to tho rogue fur wiro pulicrs, who Bavo. xivuys tonme 4 Joo > sy obe atinate «nd outspoken, will givo him the majority ot tho purty 10 any Legislature olcted vazt yoar, If the Domocracy run ov, Ingersoll again tkey can eleat him, sud ought to make him Soantor alro 3 bnt if they run’ Burnum or Gov, Eoglish for tho Senato, lot tt Hopo that the genial Postmster-General will outatrig borh of them, s T supposo no otber Republican can, though Oumnocticut ought to hinve one orator in Cons such o ono ns Hodry B, Harrison, for {netance,® [Meaning Cartar farrison, of Chieago,] Tho Newark (N, J.) Advertiver his been shown o gmall handbill which it saya was necrete 1y Iasuad during tho recont oloction in Maryland, and which reads aa follows: Catlioltcyt Remewmber our holy cause, Thoss wha have ntood by us we must defeud and anppart, The election will decide whother the Jrpinclnles of tlia gode less Blamarek {slo] sball provoll o this land of our adoption, Wo can look only to the Domocratic party for lielp,” The Deibocratic nominees for tno Lagialas ture iave been selectad with duoe rogard for onr {ntere oste. The lon, John Les Carroll hss alrcady beex tricd aud unot fouud wanting, Ho Te8 WA Of rer newed efforis in our bobalf, s vigl of our fath, A Wastington lettor-writor saya : The Honse Dumocrats are not feeling quito so kappy aover Springer'y taird-term resolntlon a1 they did af one timp, On looking uver tho matter thoy begin ta #co that {t was o blunder on their part, for tho cry, the hugbear of " third term,” fu at un ond, Whataver Qen, Graut may propose, afier such o volo os that, Be #aue kian can charge such a purpse on tho Republd tau party, Tha pronifuent Hepubiicans of the Tloure ara glad that the vote is tuken, und some of the most ucute Democrats confess thet it was o miatake o prosy v0% ou the subject, for thoy admit that they would rnther have Gen. Grunt run than almost any other Ro povlican, wnd yot they have dous what they could te un him oif tho track, aud moke Jiriataw, Dlaine, o1 Washburne poenitlo, ' Thin scenu of tho voia wan greaty Iy overdrawn by some of tha correspondents, Donut: leas thoro wore & dozen Hepuliicans present whom poraonal relations with (ov, Grant are such that tuoy dirtiked to voie on s resclation, but fve-sixthe of thoso in the House wern greatly Di that waa forcad by their eneinlus, I 'was on tho floa in the caust Mo, Q. U, 5 tine, and happen to kuow the sentimeilts of man: Hepaotioatin. VAN, the host day, everybody on thal side wus glad, Blatue and Garfeld and Wheelor and others, rejoiced that an uuplaasant subject had bees broaclied, and dismi: for tha saasion, No oan tho Detnocrats |l:'7|0 {righten n{body with the cry of ** third tarm ! And they hava l;}»ld to put 4 atrouger man io nominstion for the 1870, YVon Bulow begiue his accond series of plang’ rooitals In New York to-night. The Now York WWorld excusea ilsslf in twe columna of flue print for belng fond of Augusta Lvans' novals, . Col. Valentino Balor la said to bs employing his spare time 1o prleon In writing a book about Lis campaign in Khiva. Bishop Gilbert Haven firat became famous by advocating mivcogonation as a aclentifio solutiog of the luwuos loft by the War, The Prince of Wales has an incoms of only 575,000 per annum, aod ho couldn't afford t¢ pay bis own expenses in India. New Jorvey trampa are put in s lock-up and given o steady diet of orackers and water, Bince tho adoption of this m New lon'yhn.n fon tramps, Cardinal Manning, in » recent lectars, said tlst fn no country o tha world was the sdminise tration of justice mose unimpeachable than ix England. The London Exzaminer says the burlosqu( poem " Jooss Fisher” was written ‘‘sither by Roburt Browning or the devil,” Robert Brown ing denies having written it. Mias Cora A. Dillon, a daughter of Bidnej Dillon, waa martied in Now York s few days sga ‘The wost couspionous presents were from Mra Bldney Diilon and Mrs. Jay Gould, Prof. Staoley Jevon's article in the Forinightly dealgoed to sliow that the purclisse of the tele graph lines o Eoglsud by the Goverament » gfeat bluader, bas attzacted atteation in infl sutial quarters. ¢ Burrogate Hutchins, of Now York, has refasel to admit to probate the will of Ann Elisa Baki a widow ladv about 40 years of sge, who deeds hez property, smounting to 910,000, to her fars 1y physician, The evidence sbowed thatthe & cedent was addlotad 40 the use of latoxicaths driuks, sud had besn under the sire o & pby