Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 9, 1876, Page 4

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, JANUARY 9, 187t—SIXTEEN PAGES. —————— TERNS OF THE TRIBUNE. BATTF CF FTBSCTITTICN (PATABLE IN ADVANCE) paid at this Oflce. eeee- $13.00 adees Tn-Weekly, posi-pad, 1 year. Parts of year at rume rate. The postage is |3 cents a year, waich we will prepay. Specimen copies ent free. Toprevent delay end mistakes, be stra and give Pest-Oftice address in full, including Stateznd Couuty, Hemuttances muy be made eitber by draft, exjress, Post-Ottice order, o in registered letters, at our risk, TEEAIS TO CITY BUB-CRIRERS, Dafly, delfvered, Sunday excepted, Duiiy, delivered, Sundsy fucluded, Audress THE TRIBUN AMUSEMENTS, TO-DaT. . McCORMICRK HALL—Nor:h Clark street, corner Kinze, L.cture at 81 m. by Jomes Parton, Sub- Ject : * Toe Coatinental Congress.” NEW CHICAGO THEATRE—Olsrk strect. between TLuke and Bandolph, * kosesmueller & Finklo,” To-¥oaz0W. MCVICKER'S THEATRE—Aedison sireet, br Dearlora nid Siaze. Eogzgement of George * Heary V.7 HOOLLY'S THEA' ~Ravdolph street, betwscn Clarkand LiSalle. Eugag.ment of the Keilcgg Opers- Troupe. * The Talisman.” NEW CHICAGO THEATRE—Clark sirest, between Randolph and Luke, Engagementof Callender's Geor- € Minstrela, ADELPHI THEATRE—Desrborn street, corner Monrow. * The Organ-Griuder,” Variety } erformance, WOOD'S MTSECM—3lanros strest, berween Dear- born and st Aftrsvon. “ A Ghoat o Spite of Himtelf " and * The Adveatures of a Country Girl” Eveaing, ** Under the Gar {zut." ACADEMY OF MUSIC—Halsted ntreet, between Madisou aud Moaroe. Engagementof the Georgia Minstrels. PLYI0UTH CAURCH—Lectars by Heary Vincant, * Maulizess, SOCIETY MFETINGS. ATTENTION, ENIGHTS OF PYTHIAS—All mem- on +onnectel with ths Mostu: be LaJge. Visiting bretbren des HARRIS, C. C., J. MTCHLLL, E.of R &S, A.T. 0. K. S. B—A rublic icstallation of the ofl. cors o1 Gerzimis Lodge, No. 3. ho S, B, wll Liks Pu'e 0n Soudiy eveniny, tue 9th inst., at 7 o'clock, & thelr Hali, 11:-118 andotphes #f the Order aund tie pubisc in ge A.SILVER Aw, M. OILNSTELS, § pher. ATTESTION SIR ENIGHT: Chliago Commandery No. i 3-n. 10,11.6, for work ou R. invitel. Ity oraer of the Em. . TROWBRIDGE, Rezorder. Snecial concliva of .. oaday evening, urder. Vmiting Sir Com, T MASONIC.—The snnual Conventiou of Chicago Council of Irinced of Jerns lem will by b Thars eveung next at 7:3) o'clock ansrp. Lt GiecTs and § a¥ment of dues. JONN E. GUUDALL, Gr. § s LAFATETTE CHAPTER, Sloorowst.—Stated Cuuro-ation 3 v, -t 7:30 2'clock, fur business an. the H. I, E Tbe $hieago Tribune, Bunday Alorning, January 9, 1876. The doliar greenback, at the close of the New York Exchange on Saturday, represented €8] cents in hard money. Tke great BapprrT defaleation seems to be growing less end beautitnlly less, wasting sway like the sonp in which the concern deals. The sosp-case, in fact, begins to lvok like an advertisement. We suspect that there is more tian the due proportion of Iye init A dispatch statesthat thenotorious Braxca- arp boy, who has been attempting to pess himself off ss CmarLer Ross, Las arrived home and been recognized by his mother. There does not seem to be anything articu- larly bad about the boy. except that he is the most consummate liar of Lis age yet heard of in America We do not know how New Engiand mothers average nowadsys in mat- ters of discipline; baut the old-fashioned New Eogland mother wonld have recognized that child with aa spplieation of birch, hickory, willow, and other choice New England woods, that would have successfully taken the lis ont of lim. ° Germany is fast converting her silver cur- rency into one of gold. The French coin received in payment of the indemnity bas been melted and re-cvined, and brought into circulation by the shipment of great quanti- ties of the old silver abroad, mainly to India and China, which are both silver-sinks. A dollar, thaler, or shilling carried within their borders is spt to stay there forever. The change in Germany has been successfully car- ried through, though the original idea of an exclusively gold currency, with no admixture of silver, bas been sbandoned. The silver maust be used for small change. Advices from Germany indicate that the reports of mismanagement, not to say pecu- lation, in the administration of the ** Military Invalid Fund,"” which were telegraphed to this country some time ngo, are unfounded. The denial isnot as explicit as the original eccusation, which specified & pumber of ‘worthless stocks in which much of the money was soid to have been invested, but it is cer- tain that the Government has great faith in the honest administration of the Fund, for it has voluntarily undertaken to pay an extrs annual sum of 5,000,000 marks out of the revenue from it after next January. This mskes it seem probable that thers has been no departare, in this case, from the thrift and segacity usually shown by the Germans, &s individuals and asanation, in their money matters. A decision which will be of considerable interest to members of the Board of Trade was recdered yesterday morning by Judge Voops, a3d is pablished in full in another column. Itappesrs that B. F. ALLEN, President of the Cook County National Bank, undertook in September, 1874, to run a heavy spec- wlation in corn, using & member of tho Board of Trede 55 his representative. CertiSieates of deposit or margin certiticates had been issued to the amount of nearly $100,000, with no money in baok to meet them. Not be- ing paid suit was brought, and the bank attempted to dodge its responsibility by pleading that the sct of the Cashier in issu- ing such certificates at the request of the Presideut was beyond the powers granted to a Nationel Bank, and illegal. The Judge, however, beld that the Lank was attempting & fraud on innocent parties, but that it could not take adventege of its own wrorg, and rendered judgment for the plaintiff. The Chicago produce markets wers more snimated on.Saturday. Messpork wasin bet- ter demand and £rm, closing at §19.23@19.274 cash and §19.423@19.45 for February. Lard was in good request sud firm, closing at $12.30@12.32§ per 100 1y cash and §12.42} @12.45 for February. bleats were active and trwmar, &t 7)o for sboulders, buzed, 100 fo ‘_’ | closing at 30c cash and £0}c for February. do short ribs, and 10}c for do short clears. Highwines were inactive and nominslly easier, at $1.08/@1.09 per gallon. Flour wasdall. Wheat was activo and ¢ higher, closing at 9G1c for cash and 96¥c for Tebru- ary. Corn was more sactive and §c higher, closing at 433c for January and 43¢ for Feb- ruary. Oals wers quiet and unchanged, Rye was quiet, at 66c. Barley was quiet and firm, closing at 79§c for January and 77c for February. The hog market was active and steady at Friday’s quotstions, packing hogs sclling at $C.50@7.20. Cattle were quiet and unchanged, at £3.060@5.50 for common to choice. Sheep were in demand, st $8.75@ 5.25 per 100 lbs. One hundred dollars in gold would buy $113.12} in greenhacks at the close. The promptness, skill, and eficiency of the firemen in extinguishing the fire in the Gard- ner House on Friday, after it bad obtained very dangerous headway, and althongh it wos located in an almost innccessible part of the houss, are worthy of special recognition. They show that the Department is well offi- ccred and disciplined, aad competent to do its work in the most effectivo manncr. We commend the incident to the New York pa- pers which have been criticising Cliicago so severely. We commend it to the ‘msurance companies. We would Iike to ask the New York papers how it would have eventuated had this fire broken out in one of thair hotels, which their own Board of Underwriters have officially pronounced to be fire-traps. There is probably not a Fire Department in the country that could have handled this fire with more skill than ourmen displased. We doubt whether there is another that conld have saved the hotel. An Ottawn dispatch announces that the dacision of the Supreme Court in the famous Aldermanic contempt case has been filed there, and that Judge Wirrians' finding has beeca reversed. The facts are briefiy as fol- lows: Toward the close of April Judge WirLrays enjoined the Council from count- ing the votes cast at the special election held to decido whether the charter of 1872 should be adopted. Acting under the advice of Judge Dicker, Mr. Storss, and the other counsel employed by the Mayor, ths Conneil disregerded the injunction, canvassed the vote, and announced the resalt, Out of this grew the contempt proceedings, which re- sulted in a decision given by Jndge WrLLiAns, June 7, fining the counsel $300 each, and those Allermen who took part in the con- tempt $100 eack. An appeal to the Supreme Court was ot once taken, and the action of the lower tribunal has been reversed. The ground on which the decision was based is that the injunction was sbsolutely void, and there could consequently be no contempt. As the Bouard of Trade holds its annual meeting to-morrow, and thus begins a mew year, it cannot do better than to make some gocd resolations, and among thesa to recog- nize the fact that it is a public institution de- pending upon public patronage and public orders to buy and scll for the reverue upcn which it lives. It should be as public ead as open us the ‘courts. Its reconds of dafly re- ceipts and shipments should be free to the press and the public, for whose use they ere kept, and it is the duty of the Board to direct such disposition of its records. It should also abolish the present Star-Chamber system of proceedings precticed by the Committees of Arbitration. They investigate cases of public interest, and the Board of Trade, the vress, sad the public hsve a right to know the uature of the cases brought before them, the details of the evidence, and the manner in which they arrive nt their decisions. The Board of Trade. whils itis a corporation of individual members, is in no sense a close corporation. It is dependent upon the pub- lic for its revenue and its oxistence, not npon these individual members, and is just as much a public institution as banks, railronds, and courts. The best resolution the Hoard of Trade can make, therefore, in commencing its new year is to break up its Star Chamber and give the public all proper sccess to its records and proceedings. One of onr city contemporaries, making use of the figures in Tas TrRmcNE's annual report, says: Itcosts four to six timos 28 much per person to bs governed now in this city av 1t did ten yenrsago. Of course there his bwen a larze iucresse of population Quring that periol, but the tszes have incraased fur more rapidiy. In 1300 the populition of this clty was 100,000, sud the tazes wer: 570,315, In 1874 the popu- lation wss 403,010, and the tuxes ware §5,005 1a- crease per cent of populition, 252 {ncresse per cent of taxation, 1,331, Thoss Sgures tail un awfal tale. Tigures will not lie, and the above fignres are tochnically correct; bat figures are liable to misconstruction, as hss happened in thig caso. Taxes have largely increased since 1860, bnt it must be remembered that be- tween 1860 and 1871 there wera borrowed and spent for public improvements $12,000,- 000,—an average of 31,000,000 per year, in addition to the tax-levy. If this hed been added to the tax-levy of those years, it wonld have cut down the percentage of increase at lcost two-thirds. In reality, if we had paid as we went along, the incrense of taxation would not have been much greater than the proportion of increase of population and property. Since 1871 we have been obliged to pay 8s we go, and the improvements mads since then, such as water and sewernge, bridges, tunnels, school-houses, and the Ili- nois Conal drainage system, bave been paid out of the tax-levy, and this will continue. In the future all moneys expended will be representad by taxation While our contem- porary is technically correct in its statement of the increase of taxation, it does not follow that expenditures have incrensed in like ratio, The TicmporNE claimant must hide his diminished head befors the ** Little American Pazzler,” as the infantile scoundrel is called who has for a whole week muintained animper- sonation of CaanLiz Ross at St. Albans, Vt, This cuse is one of the most singular in the znnals of juvenile crime. With en abnormal development of the most precocious total de- pravity, this youngster has lied right and left in a style that the ebades of Axaniis and Sappmina could not surpass, When con- fronted with men who had known bim in his bome at Milford, ¥. H., he denied thet he had ever known them. He prattled in & manner childiike and bland of tie *big ald fxmily Bible " thst Papa Koss used to read out of. The sympathetic and susceptible St. Albang folk wero carried away by his obvious inno. cence, and even the Hibernian heart of the New York Herald correspondent melted be. fore *‘the same sweet expression” that was displayed in the photographs of Coirrrz Ross, end was forced to admit thet * every outline of feature was preserved.” So well did this prodigy of mendacity tell his story that he not oply excited the Albaniuns and the surrounding rustics for 50 miles to a feverinh entbusiesm of bulicf in his story, but de. ceised even citizenn of Philadelphis who went to see and question him. He lied with the stendy, unwavering eye that, ever since the days of GrorgE WismmeToy, everybody has believed to be the unfailing test of truth- telling. Serious defects there were in his tale, like his reminiscences of school, which Craerie Ross pever attended, that made the Philadelphia police and Mr. Ross incredulous from the first of his identity with the long- lost little CaanuE. In an older person sucha deception wouldexciteindignation forits cruel- ty, but in so premature a TicuBorsE it calls forth feelings of mingled awazement and horror. Where will the boy end? He has been taken back to his parents at Alilford, N. H., and received into the family, under promise of a safe conduct from the retribu- tory maternal slipper. Perhaps there’s the secret of his depravity. A child so thorough- 1y spoiled at 10 suggests an unwiso economy of the rol. From the way this boy has ma- tured, he bids fair to repeat the fate of the fast young man in the ballad who died of old age at 11. THE DISIRTEGRATION OF BOCIETY. The day revelations of crime in all parts of the country ought to carry with them a seri- ous lesson for the consideration of society, and especially fo those who hold posi- tions of leadership and act as guides to others. The distinctive bond which binds human society is confidence. There is an accepted moral standard recognized by all, and by which the duties and obligations of men towards one enother and towards the whole community are defined and regulated. Humsan laws are enacted, not as a code of morals, but to prohibit and punish those who violate existing, accepted, and common principles on which the social compact rests. The essumption is, that all men will act honestly and in good faith towards each other, and hunian lows sre enacted to re- strain and punish such exceptional cases as may rise when men will violate their oblign- tions to their neighbors. Society rests for its pence, harmony, and very existence, on the confidence which each man and woman entertains in the fideli*r and integrity of al! the otker members. Withcut this confidenco laws are idle, and there is no alternative be- tween anarchy and s government of force. Mau in bis rude state sleeps upon his arms; is never without the means of self-defense | and of aggression; his relations towards | his fellow men are the same as those he holds towards the wild beest : to avoid surprise and to take every advantage. Civ- ilized man goes unarmed, meets his fellow- man without distrust, and depends upon the general rectitudz of the whole community. When in the course of time men lose this confidence; when each one looks upon his neighbor nd a thief, and as dangerous to the common peacc; when each man feels that all moral obligations have lost their force, and thet to preserve his life, his liberty, his- property, aud his rights. he"must depend on his own strength and force, then seciety be- comes disintegrated, its constitments fall apart, the ucity is destroyad, there is no safety and no freedom, and sbsolute despot- ism steps in, and, out of the fragments, with the sword and the halter, compels a new or- ganization, in which the masses are slaves and the rulers tyrants. We are about to close the first century of our national existence. The Republic was founded by pure men, and the strongest and most enduring law that bound them was the pledgeof * their lives. their fortunes, and their sacred honor,” to each other to maintain jus. tice, to protect virtus, cultivate morals, and 2dhere to the standard of humnan integrity. This was the foundation of the American sncial system ; ond how far have we adhered toit? The daily chronicles of passing events re- late occurrencos—not as such eséraordinary violations of law as to excite general horror and detestation, but ascommon affairs happen- ing in the regular roatine of social life, with- oat which the daily peper would be tame and vepid. Marders and robberies, violence to the person and to property, are the natural re- sults of A want cf socinl refinement, of brutal propensities, evil associstion, and the frenzy prodnced by strong drink. Ina land whers the outeast criminals of the world may £nd a refuge, more of such crimes may occuy than elsewhere without indicating any ge® eral corruption of scciety. TDut these nre not the distinctive crimes of the hundredth year of our national existence, The crimes of this day are those more cal- culated to destroy the mutual confidence which is essential to the preservation of so- ciety than murder or any other deed of per- sonal violence. They ere erimes calculated to shake the very foundations of the whole social system, because they indicate a weaken- ing and destruction of all the moral obligations which each man owes to his neighbor and to society. Let us briefly name the crimes, once 50 exceptional as to become historical, and now common. Personal immorality of ministers of the Gospel, and the vehemence with which the offenders are defended and protected by their congregations, especially by the sex most exposed to licentiousness ; the growing disregard and common violation of the obligations of an oath, as instanced in the notorious perjuries of witnesses and suitors in courts, the open sales of verdicts by jurors, the corruption of the executive oificers of the law ; the wholesale turpitude exhibited in the records of ! bankrupt courts ; the universal disregard of official oaths by public officers in all branches of all kinds of government,—nafional, State, and municipal; the cultivation of the sentiment thet appointed or elected officers are justified in using their offices to enrich themselves beyond their lawful com- pensation, and the other sentiment that there is no moral guilt in defrauding the Government in whatever way it moy be done; that man's Quty to himsolf and his family is to acquire wealth, and that the successful sequisition of wealth obliteraies all questions &S to the manner and processes by which it was obtained. J The growth of these sontiments is wholly inconsistent with the preservation of indi- vidual and general moraiity. The sudden acquisition of wealth by a few, nd generally by the violation of trust, falsification of sworn obligations, aud other short cuts, bas destroyed faith in the slower rewards of hon. est labor. Weslth is sought, not for high and noble purposes, but for display. riotous expenditure, lavish Inxury in all manner of personal and houschold adorn- ments. Labor is humbled and degraded by the supercdions display which wealth can make, ltivation, education, taste, and refinement are put aside to make room for ostentatious wealth. In the very charches, social caste & regulated by the price paid for Pews, and tae back or cheaper pews are tilled by Christinn worshipers envious of the *“style” which intervenes between them and the altar, aud of the wealthy hypocrites who g0 to Godls church to be eavied for their wealth, Youug wmen and young wowen gbandon the comparative drudgery and peaceful contentment of parental homes, and crowd to the city, where wealth is to be ensily obtained. Instend of secking hon- est labor, they become adventurers (ending in the robbery of employers), defaulting clerks, and bedizened, jeweled, and feathered instigators of others to crime. The crimes of the day sre betrayal of trusts, embezzle- ment, fraud, forgery, perjury, licentionsness, and all other crimes by which men and women can get money with which to live ex- pensively and luxuriously without labor and without industry. Confidenco in the personal fidelity of men is well-nigh de- stroyed. The register of embezzlements and perjuries, of forgeries and betrayals, &0 gel money without work, is daily enlarged by fresh names. It is the national crime, and is undermining society, because it corrupta and destroys every moral obligation which holds society together. Has the press done its duty in the face of this growti of immorality ? Has the Church done its daty? Has wealth had no corrupting influence on these orgacs of public morality ? Has the press subordihated public good to partisan success? Hasthe Church encour- aged a sentimentality in favor of wealthy criminals? Has crime boen made a poetical romance, instead of a public horror? If so, lot those who have contributed to that end bear the responsibility for the wreck of na- tional morality. A CONFEDERATE INSULT. The Washington dispatches intimate that the forty Confederate Brigndier-Generals in the House, together with their frionds, have made an effort toblackmail the original Union clement of the North, by declaring that they will not vote for the Centennial appropriation of §1,500,000 unless the Union members of the House sgreo to relense JEFF Davis from his po'itical disabilities. The declaration of these Confederates is not merely & remark- able picce of impudence, but it is a gratuit- ous insult to the North, which skould be promptly reseated by every Union man, not only in the Hoase, but also in the whole country. Their contemptible proposition uot only should not receive a mo- went's consideration, but the Confederate blackmailers should be rebnked in a manner that they will always re- member. If it is expected of the North to restore JeFr Davis to his civil rights in order that he may come back to the Sen- ato and ngain be the Confederate candidate for the Presidency,—if loyal people are to re- construct the very embodiment and malig- neut spirit of the Rebellion in the person of its representative man,—then let it be under- stcod that it is to be done without terms or conditions of any kind whatever; and, on the other hand, if a million and & half of doilars are to be appropriated for the benefit of the Ceuntennial Exhibition, it must be done solely wupon ils merits as a national event, ig which the South should ~bear as much of the praise or blame ns the North. The approprintion will have to be paid by the people of all the States according to their tax-paying capasi- ties. Tho general benofit or loss therefrom will acerue to the whole country, If the nroposition to make the appropriation is not right, then vote it down at once. If it is right, then maka it withont any conditions, Likewise, if Jerr Davis is to be am- nestied, let it bs dome upon the genernl merits, or propriety, or expediency of the case, without any pecuninry condition. If he is to be restored to full citizenship, let it be understood that the people of the North are willing to overlook the fact that he was the chief leader and organizer of the Re- bellion, the President of the Rebel Confed- eracy, aud the most muligonnt of all the Rebels in kis hatred of the United States Government. Let it be understood that they are willing to forgive and forget the past, and amnesty Jerr Davis as o gift of free grace, if it is to be dome. Let the Union men in the Flouse informn these Confederate Brigadier-Generals that they are not pre- pared to sell amnesty for 8 moneyed consider- ation. Let them hurl this infamous attempt at blackmail back in their faces with the con- tempt it deserves. Let them be made to nn- derstand that the North is not yot ready to barter awny its belief in principle for the sake of & donation to a Centennial Exhibition. We cannot believe that there is a Republican in Congress who _will be o party to this degrading barter. If there be such an ome, he will "be dammned polit- ically, and ought to be morally and so- cially. for the rest of his life. We cannct be- lieve there is 8 Northern Democrat who will consent to it. If there be, he need never ex- pect re-election unless he lives in a district of Confederates and Copperheads. We are inclined to doubt whether Jerr Davis him- self, if he is possessed of the sentiments of Lonor attributed to him, will stoop to pur- chase or to accept his pardon on any such dirty terms. But, above all things else, the people of the North will look to their loyal representatives to resent this Confederato insult ot once and effectivol; FUTURE CITY TAXES. Wa think that, if the people of this city ars true to themselves and to their own interest, they can at the April election elect a Common Council composed of men who, without at all erippling the legitimate expenditures of the city, can raduce the annual taxes one million of dollars. During the continuance of the depressed condition of business throughout the country, such a reduction is not only nec- essary 88 a relief to tax-poyers, but is of itself & messure of wise policy. This reduction will be essy, becauss in many respects the great public improvements necessary to public health and comfort have been completed. In 1860, the City of Chica- go was aroused to a knowledge that it had passed beyond the village existence, and that with a population of 109,000, steadily increas- ing, it was necessary to prepare for a large metropolis. The city was built upon ground hardly above the leve! of the lake and ad- mitting of no batements. The streets had iherefore to be raised up to admit of sewerage and to afford dry Lasements to buildings,- and these raised streets bad to be sewered and paved, and new water- pipes laid to take the place of the pipe- stemns which had been put down befors, Our system of sewerago was incomplete, our woter-supply insufficient and exposed to many dangers, and frequently subjected to the poisonous mixtures of the river. The Chicago River itself had become a horrible ditch, threatening the health of the ‘whole people. We had but few bridges, and they were wooden, and we had no tunnels. The Bridewell was & reproach to civilization. From 1860 to the closs of 1870, we expended, in cddition to all the mdney raised by taxation, nearly $12,000,000, which is nmow represented by our bonded debt, in patting the city in o condition to be habit~ able by the vast population which was rush. iug Lere, Chicagu Las now & magnificent and extended system of sewerage, which af- fords good and sufficient drainage to nineteen- twenticths of the houses in this city, 2nd to 8 largo area of territory now unoccupied. All the streets which were below grade have been raised, and the city is now extended to the high land, which requires no grading. Street improvements heve been pushed exten- mvely, and now, when such work is needed, property-owners find it cheaper to have the work done without the interven- tion of the city. The city hasthus been lifted, and is now on & level sufficient to furnish ample dreinage. The foul river has been measurably purified by the canal improve- ment, and this year the Fullerton avenue conduit wiil furnish the mesns of clearing the North Branch. Practically, this great sanitary work, costing nearly $4,000,000 in all, is now complete. We have increased the number of bridges, and substituted iron for the old wooden structures, and have com- pleted the two tunnels under the river. The water establishment has been enlarged and extended. Wehave nowtwotnnnelsunderthe lake, and one extended under the city to the far southwest. During the present year the new pumping-works will be completed and in operation. In the meantime, our water-de- livery has been largely extended. Three-foot pipes have been laid down encircling the city, furnishing an inexhaustible supply to all the other pipes. We have now within a few hundred feet as many miles of pipe laid o5 has New York; no more than an ordinary expenditure for this purpose will be required annually hereafter, and this, as well as the whole watertlebt, will be taken care of by the revenues of that department. Our Fire Dopartment, with the incrensed protection of an ample supply of water, is now as large as will be needed for many years; and, with the improvement in the discipline and cheracter of the police, no additions to that forco will be demanded. We have an excellent Building law, an effi- cient Fire Department, and an ample supply of water, all affording such protection against fire that the rates of insurance have been, and can be still further, rednced. The cost of building the City-Hall can be covered by the sale of unproducrive property of the city, and therefore will require no taxation for that purpose. We have a large amount of unpaid taxes, } which the next Legislatnre will unquestion- ably provide the legal mesns of collecting, and with the proceeds the floating debt can | be discharged. The expenditures for public improvements hercafter can be confined to ! the ordinary extensions raquired to keep pace with the growth of the “city. Many of the iteras in the $5,000,000 tax-levy of 1875 were for extraordinary purposes, to finish up the work of rebuilding made necessary by the fire. Hereafter these can be dispensed with. and the new Common Council, if composed of the right kind of men, can readily reduce the tax-levy of 1876 by at least $1,000,000, THE BOOZS OF 1875. The year thet hus just passed has beena bad one for Eastern publishers. One large house has failed, and another has been tem- porarily embarrassed. The Chicago houses, on the other hand, have been less affected by the general depression. There has been a marked decline in the number and importance of Eastern pullications, and an advance in both respocts here. Oa the whole, the year bes oot been marked by many literary mile- stones, but & review of what has been done on the seaboard and Lere will be of value. We confine ourselves exclusively to books which have received the imprint of an Amer- ican publisher. In pure literature, the five most notable books have been TENNTSON'S “Qneen Mary,” LovoreLrow’s **Masque of Pandora,” Joa- QuiN MiLer's *Ship in the Desert,” Exer- sox’s ‘‘Letiers and Social Aims,” and the novel by Hesny Jaxes, Jr., * Roderick Hud- son.” We have, besides, Stepyax’s * Victo- rian Poets,” Dr. HoLraxp's poor and popu- lar ** Sevenoaks,” Roserr BrowNing’s **Inn Albam,” RusxyroN's translation of * Grazi- ella,” and books by Baraep Tarror, Joray Hawrmonxx, B. F. Tavror, and AMancazer J. PresTos. The historical record is faller. It contains CazryLx's misleading * Early Kings of Nor- way,” Draper's ‘‘ History of the Conflict Between Religion and Science,” another vol- ume of EivoLaxe’s History of the Crimean War,—~a volume that tells the story of a single battle,—the tenth volume of Ba- crorr's History of the United States,— which brings that tedious author about to the point where the United States began to have a history,—three volnmes of H. H. Baxceort's admirable ** Native Races of the Pacifio Coast,” and two of the Count pr Paris’ ¢ History of the American War.” For details of the whole which the Count writes sbout, we have SueruaN's *Memoirs,” Boywton's “ Sherman’s Historical Raid,” Vax Horxe's “‘Army of the Cumberland,” Dou- BLEDAY'S * Reminiscences of Fort Sumter,” 2nd Caxxox’s pamphlet on the Monitor-Mer- rimac fight. Classing biography as bistory, we count as the two most important works Crunies Faaxcis Apams’ memoirs of his father, and Forstes's * Life of Swift,” which is less of a biography of Forster than most other works by this author. Pan- 10N has published none of his bio- grephical novelettes, but has written a lecture on the Centennial Congress of a hundred years ago, and is understood to have been busy on his forthcoming * Life of Voltaire.” In travel and sdventure, the especially noticeable book is DBames's * Ismailia,” though Rousserer's * India and Its Native Princes” may perhaps be placed in this category, and CazoN's *‘ Summer in Norway " bas much valuable information for the trav- eler as well ag the nataralist. The art publications have beon chiefly periodical, but Janves' ‘‘Japaness Art," VioLrer LE Duc's * Discoursss on Architect~ ure,” and the new Boston book on **House- hold Interiors,” are exceptions. Religious literstare has oconsisted mainly of cyclopedic compilations. There bave been published, however, GLADSTONE'S pa- phlets on Vaticanism and the repliesof Maxy- 6, NEWMAN, and others to them, Marroew AnNoLp’s “ God and the Bible,” and Dr. Jomwy Harv's * Yale Lectures.” Renders of political economy have been presented with Jzvons' “Money and the Mechanism of Exchange.” Some editions of Cam~gs' works, notably * Principles of Po- litical Economy,” Proupeox's “What Is Property ?" the fifth volume of Miz's ** Dis- cussions and Dissertations,” Boxayy Price’s “ Banking and Currency,” and Maisox and Lazvon's * Primer of Political Economy.” Thousands of other books have been pub- lished, some of which are quite as good as those mentioned above, but these may be taken as fair samples of the liter. ory work -of the year. Four among them—B. F. Tarios’s * Songs of Yester. day,” Ruxwiox's * Qrazella,” Catox's * Summer in Norway,” and Masov and Lator’s ** Primer of Political Economy"— were published in this ci Here, too, six ecizions of a book first published late in 1874 Have been put forth in 1875, UseTox's trans- lition of *‘Memories ” may well enter the’| list, therefore, and so mey the latest work issued by a Chicago house, Many MuzpocE Muison’s ¢ Mae Madden.” A SLEEPY TOWN. There are crimes which are committed so gkilltully and deftly that theyare classified among the fine arts, and compel admiration, There are othiers which have features sbout them 6o comical asto compel laughter, al- though they may in reality be of a very grave character. To the latter class belong the operations of a gang of thieves at Osborn, Mo., onlast Friday night. The town itself hitherto has been unknown to fame. We do not find it on the maps, neither is it included in thelast United States census, from the fact probably that the people were all asleep when the census-taker went his rounds through that place. Geographically, how- over, it is on the Hannibal & St. Joseph Rail- road, and, asit contains two hotels, several stores, and privato residences, there mustbea considerable population. In any event, there were sufficient to attract the attention ok an enterprisingand thoroughly impartial gang of thieves, who went into the business by whole~ saleand cleaned out the town. They com- menced operations by bresking into the drug store, where they found sufficient chloroform for ell the inhabitants, black, white, and In- dians, men, women, and children. Arming themselves with the insidious and somnolent drug, they went the grand rounds from house to house, including the two hotels, and ap- plied the chloroform to the snoring noses, re- gardless of the nervous condition of the patients or their adaptability to snmsthetica. The drug worked to o charm. The Town of Oshorn was speedily oblivious to the cares of this world or its pleasures. Itwas as dead for the time being as a petrified forest or the cetacombs, The thieves made short, sharp work of it. Locks, bolts, end bars flew asunder. Pantaloon-pockets wers turned inside out. Old stockings and teapots were rummaged. Bureau-drawers were rifled. Watch-cases disgorged their ticking conteats. Pillow-cases were turned up. Safes were broken open. Cash-drawers were unlocked. In a very short time there was o contraction of the carrency in Osborn, Mo. It wasa town without a dollar. There was no prefer- ence displayed. When the population woke up from its abnormal condition all were upon the same footing. One man had s much money as another, and no one had any. Rich men's safes and misers’ old teakettles were in the same lean condition. Mean- while the robbers gathered their plunder together and rode away in safety from the odorous town, leaving its inhabitants snoring, grunting, singing, sighing, and langhing, se- cording to their respective idiosyncrasies, as chloroformed patients are accustomed to do. | One ean faintly imagine the appearanceof the population of Osborn, Mo., when it arose on Saturday morning. Most peopla who take chloroform act and look when they re- cover from its effects as if they had been on a gigantic spree, and this must have been the appearance of Osborn, 2o., afterits romarkable night. It is a little remarkable that the thieves did not carry out their an=esthetical programme to its strictly logical conclusion by pulling & tooth from each woman's jaw and sawing off a leg from each able-bodied male. Therzmarkable feat- ure of the affair, however. is the sleepy char. acter of Osborn. When the sleepiness of the principal city in Missouri is coosidered, it is not so remarkable, perhaps, that the vil- lages should be afflicted with the same cam- plaint. THZ CPERA BEASON. The appearance of Hooley's Theatre on each evening of last week was of a charncter to shake one's belief in the stringency of the times and the lugubricus howling of the croakers. Every evening 'the theatre has been filled, and on four or five occasions densely crowded, to the ‘disappointment of a considerable number of people, who, mot having risen with the lark, were unable to obtain seats. It shows one of two things,— either that money is plentier among the people than has been supposed, or that, if the times are financislly stringent, the people aro nevertheless determined to be entertained a2d to drive away dall care with amusement. The display of dress and of jewelry on the principal nights has been as pronounced, and the livery bills have been as large, &s in the flush times of opera before the fire. We say *“ principal " nights, for the general publicstill clings to the insane ides that it must not go to the opera on an “‘off” night, although the works may be just as interesting and the performances just asexcellent. In the present instance, Miss KeLroge is the reigning star, and attracts what we conventionally term the fashionable and brilliant sudiences,—in other words, the cream and the good clothes of the commanity,—but two seasons ago Lucca was the reigning star, and Krrroae had the off nights, playing to audiences that made the mrnager's cush account extremely uninter- esting. Miss Krrr066 does not sing any bet- tor now than she did then, but everyone rushes now who staid at home then,—all of which tends to show that we worship a name more than music, and that we would rather rush for a sensation than for excellence in a performance. As a matter of fact, the rep- resentations of the *‘Rose of Castile,” with Miss MonTague, and of * Trovatore” and 4 Maritana,” with Mme. Vaw ZaxpT, have ot been a whit inferior in interest and gen. eral excollence to the other performances during the past weelc. It ig cheerful to reflect, however, that the very remarkable financial success of the week was well deserved. The troupe is & very strong ono,—much stronger, in fact, than it was last seagon. Miss Krrroce and Mr, Hrss—for wo believe they have a joint in. terest in the venture—have kept their faith with the public, and have presented them an equivalent for their money. Mr. Hrss bas always borne sn envizble reputation in this regard, aod Miss Kruroca also is evidently determined to repay the courtesy and ottentions of the Ameri. can people to hor by seconding Mr. Hyss in bis eflorts to give the people enjoyubla performances. No one will begrudge Miss KEeLL0GG her success. Whatever may be her relation to the public from a puarely critical standpoint, no one will deny her the credit of being & lady who has commanded the highest respect and esteem, and whose repu- tation has never had a shadow upoc it in her long conpection with the profession, e2nd an artist who has worked Ler way up to the bead of otr American vocalists by legitimate menans, hard study, and conscieutious effort. Tlus week the troupe will devote itself to A different clags of operas,—Loavier, more difieult, and 1more dramatic. Alree of them, at least,—* The Huguenots,” ¢ Liucig, o ¢ Faust,”—and, in reality, also * The Tali, man,” which was written for the Italign sty in the Italian style, cannot be English operas, althcugh they have been. ; grafted upon English stock by Pangy,, Mn Braxazp, and Miss KELLOGG in gucge, These works will put the troupe to 8 sevey test, but one to which we believe they srill by equal. The week's repertoire i‘l”"“filflyh_ teresting from the feet mot anly of popular character of the operss, but Al because two of them—*‘ The Hug:enotg" ™ Foast "—will give Mme, Vax Zaxvrangy mirable opportunity for the display o by real power, such as she has not yet had, He power and breadth of style it her for gy opera rather than the light operss of thy English school, and we are glad that this ¢ cellent artist will have an opportunity o g, herself fall justi On the 23th of Dazember last thg oo, CuaBLES RANDOLPH. Becritary of the Board of Trade, was respoctfully tequeated by note to aliow 2o allache of Taz Tasoye to loo at the book in which are entered the daily py. ports of receipta of coal. It was uoderstory o tho hime that tho repres:ntativo of Tax T ouly wanted to look at the record of the copf movement. The Hoo. CiARLES RANDOLPR 4, awered 1o writing to the affect that the requey could not ba granted, a3 the racord was noc par- foct, and becausa the raporter would be apt, u *‘on former ozccasions,” to abuse and wisrepry. sent, o'c. Bhortly afterwards, the Hon. Caantes Ry, DoLPH farnished ta Mr. BiNsLEy, thea Vi President of tho Board, s0d Lo Its bonor President, & card on which were writtan thy figures representing the tota! cual movement of the year. That fact is a sulicient saswar to big first reason for not allowing azcess to the book, - A tow days ago %o invited the Hon. Crumiy Raxporps to paint out the instances in whigy Tux TripuNE bad misrepreseoted and abug him, ard offered him the free use of ounr fileay which to pick out such ivstances, wilh the uy of our columne in auswer thereto. He has not yet quoted an instance 1o which 20y one ey nected with Tae TRIzoNE bas misiepresented and abused him ** on former occasions,"” or any othy occasion. Wo deay that he can find anything iy Toe TRIDUNE previous to the date of his now, In referance to bimself or bis work, that should properly be desigoated a8 m:srepresentation and abuse, or warranted hus rafusal to permit an in spection of ths records referred to,—which ay far from being his private property, however ha may regard thew. Taabie to reply to the invitation of Ty | TRIBUNE, the HoN. CEarLES RANDOLPH caooes to dodge the issua we have 1sised, whihig ' plain languaze is thet o peoned s falsebood; snd be or his few friends are now siriviog fa divert public a:t2ntion from the ficls by raisng the cry of * persecution,” because we havars i i ferred in our colamns to his misrepreseatations, ! Vo wait patiently tili the Hon, CHanLes Rux. § porpa ghail fisd time to prove that his allegatjon E - was true, and bhis refusal just. When hebay doae 80 we shall be realv to adm.t that the Hoa, Cranres RaspoLPR remembers what isduate the publc. and to the reputation of a gentlemsn for uuth aod verscity. Undl that timeowr readers must pardon us if we occasionally remind him of lus duty in the premses. e ouly wact him to face Lis own mausic. 3 Porzraits of TaoMus, or Tuoxasscy, the dyo |, mite devil, giva him the appzarance of hasisg ¢ been s heavily-bu:t, large-featnurel man, & with too much chin and lowe: cagek {1 his fore head. I: is strange that the German papers.ia | their metaphyuical discussions of the deadlyis ¢ fluence of American customs upon this fiend | have overlooked the patent effect of our! method of celebratiog Fourth-of-July. Tro¥ ¢ assEN had been nsed to all manner of exploeive frow an early age at ieast vnce a year, and fis iog off toy cannons, or bowling wish delightil * fizzicg rockets, evidentls preparad bim for hig plot. He decided to celebrace a Fourth-of~July on the ocean by proxv, a1d 80 prepared the bat hat was to'blow the Moses to bits. The Riag literaturs of New York City bss * been erriched by something new, TweED's ab toroeys and bondsmen bave breught suit sgaiost the rest of the Ring, the City and Couuty of New Yok, the Attornes-General. snd the Car » parstion Conngel, for eome purposs not very clearly expisined in the dispatches of this morniog. The spring-like weather the Northwest b ° been enjoving has had the effect of genuize 8pring in starting our Iudians oo the war-path * i Ten bodies of murdered whites found in Daiols : and a gatheang of hostile Indians near Forb Buford are the newest uews. TILDEN bas refusad to pardsn Sroxzs. Gon Bxvzrioax will pleass take notice. PERSONAL. The Brant of the conflict in New York is stil sppurent. Judge—O ye gods—bow he did lore ber! Itis still an unsolved problem whother Me. Holman Hunt is to be driven trom London 8- ciety for Laving marriad Lis wife's sister. Abby Sage Richardson leaves New Yorkon the 10th iost. for & lecturing-tour in the \West Bhe has many friends in and about Chicago ¥bo will welcome her. A Bobapartist agent in Paris carried on b work by insertiug pamphlets in the wrapsol persons who atteuded the thea:rs to which b was attachod as chief of the cluak-room. The joke abeut the sensation coucerning b8 littlo Joweas girl in New York who was ooligd to attend school on Saturday is. that the schoold of New Xork do nut have any sessious on Sstur day. i ‘The London Spectator holds that all bluste : tions of poems are worse than superfluons That is wby we have vigorously excluded tb eneraver's art from the fusncial letzers to T8 TBICUNE, 3r. Epes Bargent has written a reply to s con- tempiuous fiug at Spiritualism wade bY Tyndall in au article in the Decewmber number of the Popular Science Monthly. The reply 1s pi> lished by Colby & Rict, of Boston. Ara. W. B. Freach, a sister-in-law of Mrs Aldrich and iliss Nettie French, of this cith died 10 Saratoga Dec. S1. Sno was married 0 Gen. Freuch, of that village, in 1863, She ws8 * lady of rare cuituro and Curistian endowmeuts AwIcdianasolis mercbaat indignan:ly refased to speak at u public meetiag fu response o b8 sentiment, *Inlianapolis as it wasaud is," Do~ ing limited to tweaty minutes. Ho said it woald be imnposeiblo to do the subjecs justios inlest time than an hour and a balf. B Mr. Thomas Haghes has withdrawn from 8 - preas his reminiscences of the Iate Canon Kiog® ley, wutten under the titio of **Tne Pareon Lot.” It is underrtood that be was requested Y Mr. Kingalev' family not to make the pubucs tion. This Lot, like the other, had a piliar salt for a wife. 5 Among the notable articles in the lzst volam® of the ** Encyclcpedia Britaonica™ ara ** Beass mont 20d Fletcher,” by A. C. Swinburne ; “ B ology.” by Prof. Huxlev and V. T.T.Dyers ** Bible,” by Prof. W. Robertson Smith ; * Bo* thoveu,” by F. Hoaller ; ** Bankraptey,” by E& mund Bobertson. When the Baron Rothschild unexpectedly 1 ceived back a loan of $2,000 ne congratalsted himsaif; and whea the borrower returned s fe¥ weeks afterwarde for a loan of 84,00, the Bsrod sald: *XNo, no; yon disappo.uted me 0808 bY paviog me that money. I do not wans to b dit® appointod agai..” The fashion a-theorities in New York sod Bos* ton are at loggerty ,2s about tho Ulster. Oo¢ sutharity vsys the ! /lster shouid never be ward without & tall bas; aud enotlier that the tall bsh