Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 20, 1876, Page 4

* THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1876—SIXTEEN PAGES: TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE, BATES OF SUESCRIPTION (PATAELE IN ADVANCE). Postage Prepaid at this Ofice. Daily Edition, postpaic, 1 year. ..$13.00 Parts of ear at same rato. Mziled to any addrecs FOUR WEEES for. 1.00 Literary Sunday Edit 3.00 6.00 Parts of year at same rate. WEEELY EDITION, POSTPAID. Qan copy, iab cf v Specimen copies sent fres. To prevont dolay sod mistakes, be sure and giv2 Post- Odice address in fall, includiag State and County. Demittances may be mado either by draft, express, Poat-Oice order, or in registered letters, at our risk. TERMS TO CITY SULSCRIVERS. Daily, delivered, Sunday excepted, 25 cents per week, Dails, delivored, Sunday included, 30 cents per week. Addrcss THIt TRIBUNE COMPANY, TO-DAT. McCORMICE HALL—North Clark street, corner Eiuzie, Lecture at 3 p. m. oy Moncure D, Conway. Sabject: **London.” GROW'S OPERA-HALL—No. £17 West Madison t. Lecture at 3., by Leonard Swett. bub- braham Lincoln,” ADELPHI THEATRE—Desrborn Morroe. Variety perfcrmance. NORTH SIDE TURNER HALL—Concert by the ‘German Military Hand. street, corner NEW CHICAGO THEATRE—Clark stroet, between Lake and Randolph. Tho Elephans” ‘TO-MORROW. MCVICKER'S THEATRE—Aladison- stroet, between Dearborn and State. Engagemont of John T. Bay- mond. * Col. Mutberry Scllers.” HOOLEY'S THEATRE—Randolph street, between Clark and LeSalle. The California Alinstrels. ADELPHI THEATREDesrborn street, carner Monroe. Variety performance. WOOD'S MUSEUM—Monroe street, betwoen Dear- bornand State. Afternoon, *Ceptean of the Watch ™ snd “Toodles.” Evening, “ Wild BiL" i T ORIENTAL CONSISTORY, S-P.oReSe 30— Stated Assembly at Consistoril Hail, 72 Monroo-t., Thuradsy evening, Feb, 2i. Importsnt business {azendment to By-Lawa). By order GIL W, BARNARD, °, JAMES A, F. BIED, §2°, Grand Secretary. —_— per 100 1bs for March and §12.9 hotel-charges will probebly have mors to do with the attendance from the West, and the compary of the wives gnd daughters, than any other single circumstance. Philadelphia people must control for them- selves. If they will furnish good accommo- This the dations for $2, §8, and $4 a day, instead of ‘bad accommodations at 34, §5, and 6 s day, they will have plenty of visitors from the West; otherwise not. The Chicago produce markets were steadicr in breadstuffs on Saturdey, and irregular on provisions. MMess pork was active and casier. closing ot $21.40@21.42} for March and $21.674@21.70 for April. Lard was very active snd easier, closing ot $12.82}@12.55 13.00 for April. Meats were in feir demand and steady, closing at 8% for boxed shoulders, 11je for do short ribs, and 1% for do short clears. Highwines were quiet and unchanged, at $1.06 per gallon. Floar was in better re- quest and stendy. Wheat was less active and $@1¢ higher, closing at £1.03 for Febru- ary and S1.003 for March. Corn was zetive and easier, closing at 42fc cash and 423c forMarch. Oats were quiet and firm, closing at 32 cash and 32§c for March. Rye was quiet, at 663@67c. Barley was active and stronger, closing at 63jc for February and 63@63c for Alarch. Bogs were active and strong, at ¢ advance, selling at $7.50@8.75 for skippers to extra assorted lots. Cattle were dall znd heevy, ot a decline from Thurs- day’s prices of 12}@25c. mand at former quotations. dollars in gold would buy $113.75 in green- backs at the close. Sheep were in de- One hundred The New York Times prints some state- ments concerning the character of the coun- try through which Tox Scorr’s Texas Pacific Boad must run, if it is construeted, which aro not generally known, and which are mainly derived from s report made by JEr- rresoN Davis, who' also at one time favored the routs along tite 32d parallel. The road runs throngh a country, with suflicient wood snd water until it reaches the eastern border of the Llano FEstsesdo, or Steked Plain, which is about 550 miles west of the Missis- sippi, and near the 100th meridian. Across The @hivage Tribme, Sunday Mormmng, February 20, 1876. At the New York Exchenge on Saturdsy greenbacks ruled at S73@8S cents on the dollar, The investigetions of the reporter who is eiding the City Government in collecting its enloon licenses reveal the fect that the beer pizces run by Aldermen and town officials immediately opposite the City-Hall have as et escaped the watchful eyes of the Mayor's police, and that the city is $500 out on sa- ‘oons running within a few blocks of head- guarters. I_Ir. BEECHER, in his emphatic statement, challenges all men, all the angels, and God Himself, if they had anything to say to his detriment, to speek it out. It is alittle re- markable that he excepted women from his categors. If ho had included them, who kuows that some of them would not have 3poken out ? There never yet was a woman challenged to talk who failed to reply. Afr. Hexey W. SacE, in his testimony be- fore the Advisory Council at Brooklyn yes- terday, said that it was considered unneces- sary by the Investigating Com.mittee to sum- mon Bowex before them, beciuse he was not supposed to know anything! This is rather hard upon the Sphinx, who has all along been supposed to know preity nearly every- thing about it. Fortunateiy, in a few days, exectly what he does Imow will be made public. The great railroad contist in the Wiscon- sin Legislature has enderi by the passage of the Vaxce bill, which materially modifies the FPorren law, in both Hcuses. It now only needs the Governor's signature to take effect, and of the favorable action of the Governor there remains no doubt. When this is done the’ great obstacle to railrond enterprise in ‘Wisconsin will be remnved, and the Legisla- ture is now free to devote itself to Chippewa Dells and other thrilling subjects which may zall far attention. The Receiver of the Cook County National Bank, which closed its doors in January of 1875, hes just maode a detailed statement of its condition, from which it appears that the assets are valued af; $345,64S, while the ad- miited lirbilities 2mount to £948,650. The disputed Libilities are $1,281,420, and the wssets held os oollaterals are estimated at & 81 The real estate is valued at alow price, but its character is such andit is so incumbered that it will not sell at the valua- tion put on it at present. WiNsLow, the Boston forger, held by the Tondon suthorities, is reported to be taking $hings very easily. He desires to return to Boston as soon as possible, that he may ex- plain, ashe Intimates, somws little misunder- standings cornected with liis recent financial operations and sudden departure. MMrs. “WrNszow haa been relieved by the Rotterdam sfficers of some £5,000 in money and bonds, which she claims are her own private prop- erty, and the lady is now in London with s depleted ¢xchequer. ..& lively contest has for some time been going on between B. F. Arrex and his cred- itors for the possession of his 200,000 house end grounds at DesMoires, he asserting that It was his homestead, and so remained to him, and they declaring that it formed o por- Lion of his assets, and inured to their benefit. The disvovery of the fact thnt Mr. ALtex voted here in 1874, and conseguently re- mounced his citizenship in Tows, will gladden the eouls of the crefiitors, since it seems to apsel the homestesd theory, and to give cheerful promise of n dividend. A Philsdelphia gentleman is anxions that Tne Trincse should tell him just how large 5 proportion of our business-men will visit his city during the Exhibition, and, also, whether these gentlemen will bring their wives and dauglrters with them or not. The question is asked on bekalf of the Phila- delphia hotel-keepers. It is an i%portant bne, and, with the universal knowledge of tha newspaper fraternity, we shall proceed to arswer him. It depends on circumstances just how meny business-men from Chicago wnd the West will visit Philadelphia during the Exhibitiun. With the characteristic cau- tion of all oracles, we prefer not to commit Tor Temusk for the present tu the exact pumber. It also depends on circumstances just how mmuy of these businessmen will take their wives and danghters. One of these circuamstances is whether they elways have wives and dsughters; for the rest, we refrim from being exact in the proportion so as not to dissppoint the aforesaid wives ond daughters. But we may ulo tell our Philadelphis inquirer, on behalf of tho hotels, that the reasonable- ness or unressonableness of the Philadelphia this plain, the road runs 145 miles to the Pecos River, throngh an arid country which is destitute of water during the larger part of the year, and never has enough for railroad purposes. From the Pecos to the Rio Grande, 163 miles, three mountain chains have to be crossed, and in this stretch of country there is not water enough for eny agricultural pur- poses. From the Rio Grande to the Gila River the road will pass over a great, water- less, desert plain, broken by short ranges of mountains, The correspondent of the Zimes says: * In the entire 355 miles there are only five points where water msy ba found at all seasons of the year, the distances between the water stations varying from 53 to 50 miles, One stretch without water, excepta emall stream, at some scasons of the vear, is 152 miles long, which Mr. Dav1s says in Lis report is not 8o great a distance that rafirosd trains could not cros it, when special arrengements have Leen made for the purpose. The entire distance through the arid desert 1ands, which cannot, under sny circumstances, be cul- tivated, is at least 1,200 miles, Inno part of this dis- tance is agriculture possible beyond the cultivation of swmall patches of ground whers thers happens to be 3 little water for irrigetion. Apart from all other adverse considerations, and the very forcible ons that one Company has already agreed to construct the roed out of private capital, is it worth the while of the Government ‘to guarantee Tox ScorT’s bonds at the rate of §35,000 a mile, when 1,200 miles of the road sre in a country with- l out water, which can never be settled, and. cen never prodace snything but cactuses? If it 43 worth the while of the Government to thiow away money in this fashion, then there is no good reason why the Government should not also guaranteo some astronomer’s ‘bonds and build a road to the moon for him. THE CITY csnmg%gs. A GRAVE QUES- ‘We understand that a very respectable law- yer of this city has given a professional opin- jon to & benk in one of the Eastern States thnt the City of Chicago is not legally held to the payment of any of the outstonding cer- tificates of indebtiedness of the City of Chi- cago, on the grounds that they are unconsti- tutiona! and void. We understend, farther, that he intimates that the only persons linble for the same are those who have issued and whose names are sigped to them. These certificates have been issued by the city during many years, but always until re- cently under the cxpress suthority of law. During the varions amendments to the city charter the power to make temporary loans in anticipation of the cojlection of taxes to pay the interest on the various bonds of the city, and to pay the current expenditures un- der appropriations previously made, were continued and re-engcted. The power to do 50 was contained in the old charter, which the ballot-box stuffers destroyed last spring. The following provisions of the old charter covered the case : Act of Feb. 13, 1565, Sez. 25.—To provide for month- 15, or any other, paymenta which shall have Leea au- thorized by the Common Council, and required to ke made at any time before the collection of the taxes of any yesr, the Camptroller may, with the sanction of the Mayor and Finance Committee, borsow the neces- sary money for a time not longer than the 1st day of February next thereaiter. Act of Aprit 19, 1869, Sce. T.—The Mayor and Comptroller msy make temporary loaus to pay special sssessments against city properly when due, and may makoall temperary loans, now provided for, faliing due on the Ist day of Junc of cach year. Besides these provisions, there were others authorizing temporary loans to meet interest | and other specific expenditures. These charter provisions continued to be the law of the city until, in April, 1875, the Mayor, a portion of the City Conncil, and a gang of ballot-box stuffers repealed all these provis- ions of law by the adoption of an entirely new city charter, which especially prohibits any general or special loaus for permanent or temporary purposes, or any loan or debt of any kind for any purpose whatsoever, solong s the existing debt of the city exceeded & per cent of the assessed value of the taxable property within the city. Here is the point-blank provision of the charter of 1872, adopted by the City-Hall ballot-box stuffers in April, 187 ART, V., SEC. L. The City Council in cities, and the Board of Trustees in villages, elall have the following powers : Fifth—To borrow money on {he credit of the cor- poration for corporate purposes, and issue bonds therefor, in such zmounts and form and on such con- ditions ss it shall prescrive, but ahall nat become - debtod in any mannes or for any purpose to 3 amount, inciuding cxisting indebledness, in tho sggregate to exceed five (3) per centurn on the valge of the taxable ‘property theein, to bo ascertained by tha luat ansees- ‘et for Stateand county taxes provions to the incuz- Ting of such indebteaness; and, before or at the time of incurring any {ndebtednees, shall provide for the collection of a direct annual tax suficient {o psy the interest on such debt as it falls due, und =l6o to pay and discoarge the principol thereof, within twenty years after contracting the ssme, This section is almost a transcript of the State Constitution, and whatever doubt there may have existed as to whether the old city charter was set aside by the adoption of the new Constitution, there can be 1o question whatever that this provision placed in the new charter directly repealed everything in the old charter which was repealed by the adoption of the new one in April, 1875. The constitutional prohibition was re-enscted in the new city charter, and is final and con- clusive against the authority of the city to borrow one dollar of money so longas the existing city debt exceeds 5 per centum of the nssessed valuo of the taxable property within the city. The excellent and upright gentlemen who stuffed the ballot-boxes, or paid for having them stuffed in April last with money and offices, to force the new charter upon the people, can now congratulate themselves upon having rendered the issue of any cer- tificate of indebtedness since Moy, 2575, 1lle- gal and void. The City of Chicago has 8 Law Depart- ment, which, judging by its cost, is well learned in the law. The Comptroller is also a lawyer, and the Mayor was so thoroughly convinced that the new charter had sponged out the old ono that he did not hesitate to tcke the chances of treating judiciel process with contempt. We have before us a city certificate, dated as late as Jan. 27, 1876, signed by the Mayor, Comptroller, and City Clerk, which recites: This loan having been zuthorized by Sec. 25 of amendments to the city charter, approved Feb. 15, 1865, and by Sec. 7 of an zet of the General Assembly of the State of Jilinois, amending tho city charter, spproved April 19, 159, Can it be possible that the city authorities do not Imow that these sections of the laws of 1865 ond of 18G9 have been utterly re- penled, and are no more in force in Chieago at this time than if they had never been en- acted? The sale or issue of any certificates with such arecital on their face is unfortu- nate, because the recital is unquestionably folse. - The present cherter expressly states that, from the time of the adoption thereof, ¢ the provisions of this act shall be applica- Dble to such cities and villages, and all laws in conflict therewith shall no longer be applica- ble.” The old charter says the city may bor- .row money for temporary purposes; the new charter declares that the city shall not create “ g debt of any kind for any purpose ;" and it can hardly be claimed that these two proposi- tions are consistent with each other. It should bo understood by persons and corporations who hold any of these certifi- cates of the city that, while their illegality must be conceded, there is no purpose or in- tention on the partof the city or its people to repudiate or evade the peyment of any part of the debt. Taxzes have been levied for the debis represented by these certifi- cates, and as these taxes are collected the certificates will be peid. There are outstand- ing, due, and uncollected taxes, applicable to the redemption of these certificates, in excess of the amount thereof. The illegality of these certificates being now hardly an open question, they reciting that they are issued under laws which have notoriously been repecled, their further issue ought to cense. The Common Council must sce the importance of an immediate contrac- tion of expenditure, as the expenditures of the city can only be paid in cash, and can no longer be satisfed with certificates. The Council might now repeal many of the unex- pended appropristions of last year, end thus economize neerly a million of dollars. All contracts for future expenditure must cease until tases can be levied and collected. The further issue of illegnl paper can only serve to complicste matters and add to the existing embarrassment. THE COMIKG CITY ELECTION. The municipal charter now in force in the City of Chicago provides tbat the whole number of Aldermen of the city shall be thirty-six, all of whom have to be elected at the first election, winch takes place in April next. The charter provides that the Council may divide the city into one-half as many wards as there are Aldermen, and that two Aldermen shall be elected from each wird; or, failing any such division, the whole num- ber must be elected by general ticket. We do not suppose that the present Common Council has auy intention to let the people of the city elect a new Common Council by gen- eral ticket. Wo think the election of a Com- ‘mon Council on that plan might be an im- provement on the ward system. There have never been in this city any particular ward interests which have required special dofenders and champions, the inhab- itants of each locelity sharing -alike in the general representation. The ward plan of sclecting . Aldermen has been mainly kept alive for the bencfit of ward politicians, who, however conspicuous in their own localities, would be overlooked by tho people of the city generally. To elezt the whole Board at ane time, on one ticket, would require each candidate to be voted for or against by the public generally; and, whiie this plan would most probably secure a bet- ter selection of Aldermen, it would remand to private life a large number of aspiring states- men whose services might be dispensed with by the city withoat eny serious loss. Wo may, therefore, look to a redivision of the city into wards by the Common Council. For this redivision tiere have been severnl plens proposed.” The wards are directed to Do as nenrly equal in population as may be. But there has been no census of the city since 1870. A school census taken in Octo- ‘ber, 1874, unofiiciallyreported the whole pop- ulation then as 395,408, An exact apportion- ment would require each ward to have 21,967 population. By this ratio the several divisions * would be allotted : Sonth Division—Fonr wards, and 8, Norta Division—Taree wards, avd 12,650 West Division—Ten wards, and 1,04 surplus. On this hypothetical basis the North Di- vision, having more than one-half the whole surplus, would be entitled to four wards, The present division of wards is: West Side, 95 South Side, 6 ; North Side, 5. This would require the setting off of a new werd in the West, and the extinguishment of one ward in the North, and of two in the South Di- vision. Another plan is to leave tho West Division with its present nine wards, and, uniting the First and Second Wards into one ward, and the Nineteenth and Twentieth Wards into one ward, thus reduco the whole number to the cherter number,—eighteen,— leaving o more equitzblo arrangement until after the census of 1880. 1t is claimed that this would more equally represent the population of the city as indi- cated by the vote cast lgst fall, which was equally full in each division, and wes as fol- lows, taking the vote for County Treasurer as the test : South Division. North Uivision. Total South an¢ West Division... Division should have five wards, North four, and West Division nine wards. We presume this would be satisfactory until the census four years hence, in 1880. .The charter enumerstes the city officers to b8 chosen by the people, and they are Mayor, City Clerk, Attorney, and Treasurer. Theso have to be elected by popular vote. The charter farther provides that tho Council may, by ordinance, provide for the election by the people of Collector, Marshal, Superin- tendent of Streets, Corpomti5n Counsel, Comptroller, and *‘such other” officers as the Council may decide. The Common Council has already created the offices of City Marshal and Fire Marshal, and these officers are to be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council. It 1s tobe hoped that the Council will not add to the list of the officers required to beelected by the peo- ple. If it were possible to reduce the existing list, it would be o benefit. The offices of Comptroller, Corporation Counsel, Fire Mar-- shal, are not of a character to be satisfactorily filled by populer clection. They, as well as all the others, may be safely left to be select- ed from among the fittest by the 3ayor. The hope, therefore, is that the Council will not undertrke to enlarge the list of elective oftices; and that, instead, it will order a speeial election to fill the vacancy in the ofiice of Mayor, so that in April next the City of Chicago may have not only 8 newly- clected Board of Aldermen, and other city officers, but alao 8 newly-elected Mayor, fresh from the people, clothed with power to select wise and competent subordinate of- ficers in all the branches of the City Govern- ment. SCHENCX AND THE EMMA MINE. It is now quite suthoritatively settled that the resignation of Gen. ScEevck as Minis- ter to the English Court has been tendered and will be accepted, much to the gratifica- tion of the American people. As that resig- nation has been mainly caused by the scan- del of his connection with the Emma Mine swindle, a resume of this famous speculation will be of interest. Four years ogo a number of confiding En- ghishmen put $5.000,000 cash into shares of the company which owned the mine. The Board of Directors consisted of two hawks,— an Americen and an Englishman, Trevoz W. Panx and Arcert Grant,—and several stool- pigeons, among them the Minister of the United States to the Court of St. James, who sold his pame for bait in con- sideration of a bribe of §9,000 (18 per cent on §50,000) per year. One or two dividends wera paid out of the capital, and then camo the collapse of the glitteringbubble. ScmENck crowled out, and tried to excite sympathy by saying that he had lost everything. Panx, GraxT, € al., were put out. A mew setof Directors, known as the Ganomxez Board, from the name of the Charman, was chosen. Then came some curious maneuvres. The Ganprver Board coquetted with its prede- cessors, failed to prosecate them, refused to let shareholders examine the books, and did only one thing energetically. That was to spend money. It found £16,000 in the Treas- ury, and bad got rid of most of it when the third and present Board was elected. Then tho Ganpven geng refused to go out, and spent tire rest of the £1G,000 in paying law- yers to resist the Board chosen by the share- holders. When they lost their suit they hid the books and papers. These, however, ‘have since been produced under stress of an order of the Vice-Chancellor. The accounts fail to make any satisfactory showing for tho squandered £16,000, but one of the items is £95 for n suit of clothes for Mr. GaRDINER. The new Board has for its Chairman Mr. A. W. MacDovcars, & wealthy Scotchman, who is furious at having been tricked, and pro- poses to make somebody smart for it. He has offered to conduct the necessary suits at his own expense, and the sharcholders voted, on the 21st ult., to accept the offer. Meanwhile, the Company is in a very bed way. The Ganprvee Board stopped working the mine in December, 1§74, Panx hassince trumped up some sort of claim agginst it; got a judgment; attached mine, tools, and ore; put a Deputy-Marshal in charge ; and now has the right tosell out the whole thing within twenty-one days of the time he chooses to give notice. The Englisimen, who, trusting to Parx, Scuexck, Grayt, and others, put £5,000,600 into the scheme, now have neither money nor mine. 'The suits brought by Mr. MacDovGars are against the éx-Directors, whom the Courts ere asked to hold responsible for the false statcments in the prospectus, and summons hasbeen served on Gen. Scmexce. It will be much better for him, and certainly less mortifying to the people’ of this country, whom he has been misrepresenting, to de- fend himself as a private individual rather than es United States Minister. The most gratefol thing he can do will be to tako his work on drow-proker and such fregments of reputation as he has left, and come home with them and stay at home. GRART AND BRISTOW---LINCOLN ARND CHASE: A COMPARISON. The rumors relative to the disagreement between President Graxt and Secretery Bristow have been revived, and this time with more appearance of truth than ever. The character of the issuo between them is not distinctly outlized, but it can be well imngined. 'The President's ear has been gained by men who have sought to persuade him that Secretary BrisTow has been manag- jng his Department with reference to his own succession to the Presidential chair, and that Gen. Brurorp WiLsoN, Solicitor of the Treasury, has been using his position to twrn the whisky prosecutions against the Presi- dent’s parlicular friends.. Secretary Bris- row, on his side, cannot voluntarily retire from the Tressury because of any vague mis- understanding with the President, since such 8. course would pleco him under the suspi- cion of having grown weary of well-doing and having yielded to the pressare of. the Whis- Ly Ring ; nor can he coasent to the removal of Solicitor WiLsox, since the whisky prose- cutions have been conducted mainly under his supervision, and since many of them would probably fail if the Government were deprived of his services. Here is tho situn- fion. A recent dispatch to the New York Tribune, which hes special avenues of in- formation on this subject, outlines it as fol- lows: The fact need no Tonger be concealed that the Presi- dent nnd Seeratary of the Treasury must soon part company. Gen. GRAST 18 no longer satlsfled with 2ir. iristos, and the latter is becoming restive and dissat- jsfid with his present honors. The growing distanco between the two gentlemon has not reached that point where personal intercourse of an agreeablo nature ls 10 longer -possible, but each s miore at ease in other society; whether from any known cause, if from any couse, is not & matter of discussion now; but there is 2 feeling between the two that 15 difficult to describe, Dbat which produces o constant constraint and embar- rasoment. That it bos ita foundation in the Bascock Taatter is genesally cdmitted, but until the case i3 dis- posed of by the Court, no discussion s vouchsefed, A chiengo in the Treasury Department is possitls within o fow daye. I¢cannot resonably be delayed & fort- nigut. Tho Secretury expresses his differences with {he President very mildly as s feeling that is diffcalt to describe, bt which prodaces a constant constraint nod emberrsssment. The Bocretary deciines fo stato thecsuse, We should not be surprised if the issue of in this unfortunate disagreement; and that, if Bancocx be sacquitted, the President will assume such acquittal to bo a confirmation of the stories that the agents of the Ring bave carried to him relative to BrisTow’s mo- tives and Wrrsox's prosecutions. It is cer- tain, however, that Mr. BrisTow will not re- tiro himself, nor consent to Gen. WiLsox's removal, without an invitation from the President amounting to s removal of both. In this way the burden of the change and the responsibility for its consequences will rest solely upon President Gnaxr. Itiss burden which he should avoid and a responsibility which his sincere friends will advise him carnestly not to assume. No man is wise _enough to foretell what the consequences may be. It is only known, to begin with, that the prosecutions of the Whisky Ring have met with 5 wider and more popu- lar approval than any other act of the pres- ent Administration ; that they were initiated with the approvel of the President by Seere- tary Bristow, and vigorously, honestly, and untiringly pursued by Solicitor Wizsox; that they are in keeping with the sentiment pub- lidly proclaimed as coming from President GraxT that “no guilty man shall eseape”; and that the enforced retirement of these two gentlemen in the very midst of the good work they have undertaken will probably lead to confusion nnd perhaps to the defeat of the reform. This is the danger that con- fronts the President, and'it is ome where ¢ diseretion is the better part of valor.” We are naturally prompted to reverttoa peculiar situation under President Livcor's first term, which has many points of similar- ity with the present relations between GraNT and Bristow. At that time Mr. Cmase, the Secretery of the Tressury, was an open and svowed ~candidate for President at the expiration of Lrvcorx's first term. Many of Lincory's friends, feeling that he +was entitled by precedent fo 8 second term, that the comntry needed him, and that Secretary CHase was using 8 powerfal Cabinet position to defeat him, urged Lixcory to remove Cmase. LricoLN's reply was uniform and to this purpose: ¢‘No. The country needs Secretary Cmase in the position he now holds. e is doing good work. . He hss a right to be a candidate for President if he chooses. The office belongs to the people. and it is for them to fill it. If the people conclude, on the whole, thet it is for their best interesstto ‘swap horses,” T shall defer to their judgment. I shall even think that they are right, and I shall take my hat and go bock to Springfield content with the popular verdiet.” Thus Mr. LiNcory persistently and manfully refused either to remove Secratary CHASE or in any way inter- fere with him in his important duty of nc- quiring from the people the enormous ‘““ways and means " of prosecuting the wer against the Rebellion. n Ar, Bristow is es essential to the welfare of the country in making war upon the whis- ky-thieves es Mr. Cnase was at that time in finding the money to carry on the war against the Rebellion. Gen. Gra~T hes had his two terms of office, and both the precedents of the nation and the sentiment of the American people are opposed to his having a third. It does not require in his case so much self- control and heroism to retain BrisTow as it Gid in Lvcory to retain Crasz. - He will not be 5o readily forgiven for the error of remov- ing his Secretary as Lxcory would have been if he had removed Crsse. In thinking of it, he is playing with fire. To doit will be torisk the forfeiture of much of the fair reputation he has carnod, and perhaps derken the re- mainder of his public carcer under the shadow of & lowering and ominous cloud, snd to court the censure of history. These are considerations which should restrain him from any such purpose as has been accredited to him, even if he has not at heart the wel- fare of the Republican party, with which his political fortunes have been identicel, and whose future prospects are of more concern to the country than the personal attachments, friendships, prejudices, or whims of any man, THE TERMINAL GRAIN CHARGES. There is little question but the charges of $2 a car for switching and $1 a car for ¢ trimming” that are now made on grain consigned to Chicago elevators will be abol- ished, the railronds giving up the former and the elevators the latter. These are to be surrendered simply because they are too unusual snd extortiolate to be sustained. The Western railroads have consented, and the matter remains only to be confirmed by the Enstern railroads, who will scarcely re- fuse their consent. The abrogation of these charges will relieve Chicago grain of about 1 cent o bushel, which has heretofore been im- posed on it as a toll over and above what grain has had to pay at other terminal points. So far so good. But to place Chicago on an equal footing with other citi~s competing for the grain business of the Northwest, so that its natural advantages may fully assert fhem- selves, it is necessary that there should bea still further reduction in elevator charges, or, at least, that those who ship to this point shall be relieved. The present system of clevator charges is 2 cents per bushel for receiving, delivery, weighing, and clevation, including twenty days’ storage or any part thereof, end 3 cent per bushel for every ten days' stornge thercafter. These charges are excessive as compared with other cities. In Philadelphin the charge for the first storage of fifteen days is 1 cent a bushel ; in Beltimore for ten days, 1} cents; in Toledo, we believe it is only } cent, and never more than 1 cent. The Chicago charges are slso exorbitant in themselves, since, ot the present rate, the elevator “pool ” has been able to support two or three idle elevators all the time, besides making excessive profits for all. There is no need of any further illustration to prove that there should be a reduction. The fairest proposition thet has been made relative to o relicf from these exorbitant charges is that (1) they shall be reduced by the elevators to 1 cent a bushel for seven or ten days, leaving tho extra storage as it stands; and (2) that railrosds shall pay this first charge of 1 cent a bushel. By this ar- rangement the shippers wounld not be bur- dened at all with storage charges, except when their own interest suggested holding the grain longer than the time necessary for a vregular sale. The justice of the first part of the proposition is manifest, from the fact that the ele- vators would make a practical reduction of only about § cent. The avernge storage on the present system, including extra storage, yields the elevators about 2} cents; but, on the system proposed, the time of the first storsge would be reduced one-half, and the saverago stornge, including the extra storage, would probably amount to 2 cents a bushel. 1t is not denied that the elevators cen make money at this rate. The second part of the proposition, viz.: that the railroads shall pay the first storage of 1 cent, is justified by the Gan, Bascocs’s trial were the turning-point | fock the railroads furnish siorage fxeo for sbout the same length of time on.all other merchandise which they earry. When grain comes to this city in the shepo of flour, the railroads store it and, take care of it free of charge to the shipper, for from 5 to 10 days; they should do the same when the freight comes in the shape of wheat. Every consideration for both the elevators and the railronds dictates a compliance with the proposed change. The increaso of busi- ness for both will more than compensate for the apparent reduction. The Western trunk lines must place Chicago on an equal footing, as far as terminal charges are concerned, with every other distributing point, if they would maintain their business; and we have been given to understand fhat thoy will consent to pay the first storage charge, if the elevators il reduce it to 1 cent a bushel s proposed. The elevators, on the other hand, can afford to handle the grain for 1 cent if Toledo ele- vators can make money by charging only three-fourths of a cent; and if Philadelphia can take from the cars, weigh in and out, elevate and store for fifteen days, for 1 cent, then the same amount will certain- 1y pay the Chicago elevators for one-half the time, especially in view of the fact that the change will lesdto an increase in their business. Nobody nasks that the elevators should do this business for nothing, nor at a loss; but the;demand isreasonable that their ¢ pool” should be broken up, and that the working elevators should not be required to support those which areidle. It may also be fairly exacted that a system bo not sustained which tends to build up more elevators than are needed, to be supported by the common pool.” The ultimate welfare of both ele- vators and railroads is equally involved with other interests in the reduction of all termi- nal charges at Chicago to at leastas low a rate ss they are in other competing cities, and the Board of Trade must not abandon the metter until they shall have accomplished a thorough reform. . POWEBS OF CONGRESS. 7o the Editor of The Chicaco Tribune: Cuzcago, Feb, 18.—A company of gentlemen have, during their leisura eveninge, discussed the following propositions, Naturally, there is grest diversity of opinlon. Would you be so kind 2 to settle our doubts by anewering them in your Sunday edition ¥ 1. Hes the Congress of the United States the power to sell a Territory to o foreign power, even with tho consent of a majority of the inhsbitants thercof 2 2, Ifa State should vozo hersel? out of the Union, and Congress approve of such act, the Presidet sign the bill, would that in fact take her out of the Union ? Yours traly, ALYIN TRISSAL. The answer to this is that the American Congress is not a constitutional body in the seme sense as the French Assembly,” which creates the Constitution, nor as the British Perliament, whose laws have constitutional force of themselves. Congress was created Dy the Constitation, sud is in every respect subject to it, like the other branches of the United States Government. It hasno powers except those expressly defined end delegated to it by the Constitution. It de- rives no powers by implicalion, except such gs it may ossume as @ war necessity, and which receive the tacit acquiescence of the people. The passage of the Legal-Tender get is an instance of this. But the specific powers of Congress are dufined in Sec. 8, Art. 1., of the Constitution, and it cannot go outside of these powers. “<In reply to the first question, therefore, it is evident that Congress has no power to dis- pose of any United States territory, either with or without the consent of the people inhabiting the section proposed to be sold. And, though the United States Congress has essumed to indorse the purchase of territory, Mr. JeFFERSON was doubtful whether he had constitutional authority to act when he made the purchase of Louisiana, % In reply to the second question, it may be said in a general wey that there is only one way in whick a State could retire from the TUnion, and that is by the consent of a Con- stitutional Convention of the people of all the TUnited States, called and held as provided in Ast. V. of the Constitution, and ratified by three-fourths of all the States, either in their Legislatures or Conventions. As the proba- bility of any such action is exceedingly re- mote, it is not likely that any State can con- stitutionally separate itself from the United States. Meanwhile, any attempt to doso would unquestionably be treated in the same summary manner os when the twelve South- ern States made their ineffectnal movement to set up an independent Government. x FRENCH ILLITERACY, One of the most prolific sources of tho misfortunes of France is the astonishing illiteracy of her people. The London 7'%mes, in o recent article upon the political situation in’that country, brings out some remarkable statistical information upon this point. The Teturns of 1872 respecting the number of French men, women, and children who ean neither rend nor write show that the num- ber over Gandunder 20, was 2,052,338, and over 20, 7,702,862. Thus it appeers that as late as 1872, out of a total population of 36,109,921, there were 9,754,700 who could neither read nor write of those above 6 years of age. The ratio of population over 20 years of age in any country is about one- balf, showing that nearly one-half of the odults of France can neither read mor write. There is perhaps no civilized country in the world that presents such dreadful illiteracy as this, and it is specially singular that it should exist among a people who are remarkable for their intellectusl quickness and subtlety, and who have pro- duced some of the finest scientific minds of the presont century, and some of the finest writers in romance and imagination. The Republiczns of France have recog- nized this illiteracy as the source of their political evils; and, during the past few years, under the lend of M. Jurks Smiox, they have lessened the proportion somewhat by establishing district schools in & few of the 36,000 Communes into, which France is divided. They have recognized the impor- tance of general education, and they know that the social and administrative institutions of the country can never be developed ina healthy manner uutil the pessants ore eda- cated. The headway they have made, kow- ever, has been comparatively slow; for, in struggling for the school-house and the teacher, they have had to struggle against Ultremontenism, thefoe of populareducation. The priests aro responsible for the illiteracy of France, and, consequently, responsible for the fact that Paris rules France by the ' cen- tralization of power. They have had the control of the people for centuries, and they have never attempted to educate them,—firat, because it would antagonize their political power and endanger the relations of Church and State; and, second, because of the force of the old medimval doctrine, that ignorance is the mother of devotion. The action of tho Republicans, however, is a step in the right direction. The 7%mes says, very forcibly: Surcly the comlined energy of M, GawBETTS, 3L D= Boors, and M. BurrsT might be more profita- bly exmployed in devising and enforcing & real system of compuleosy education thag in Aghting for Constle tations or dymastiea? No doubt Bishop Doz and the clergy Would resist the intrusion of the Fay 1nto that domain of the family which they wonl empt from ll external supervision cxczpt their oue; ‘but Frenchmen are very much changed indasd it o allow & divine Fight of family iguorance to be enforegy by priests. There meed ba mo fear that more things will be forgotten in tho midst of & fight for g multiplication of elementary schools, The decentralization of France can mog} surely be sccured by general education, ang -antil that event France must be at the merey of despotism, of military power, and Cop, munal mobs, because the pessantry gz, always on the side of absolutism. The avy which France is suffering can only by overcome by education, and when the F, Tench people enter eexnestly upon this reform thejy prospects will brighten. So long, however, as the grest mass of the French peq?[; remain in their present dense ignorapee Paris will remain the centre of authority, spg the priests will continue to accumnlate polit. ical power by enforcing “ the divine sight of family ignorance.” PERSONAL. Gov. Hendricks, of Indiana, is to start o by Southern trip in o fow days. Lydia Sherman, the Connecticut murdercas, hopelesely ill 1n the State Prison. ** Oliver Twiat” is sbout to be translated intg Portngnese and publighed in London. Itis eaid that Fanny Fern, with her dying bresth, urged her husbznd to marry her dangh. ter. : No saloon in Cincinnati nowadays is complaty without its genuine Murillo. Tkey throw ‘emiz with the free-lunch. Mr. Beecher is going to the Twin Mountaiy House 23 usual next summer. No Advisory Council shall be permitted to interfere with that pleasure. 3 Dapiel C. Gilman will be inzugurated Preg dent of the Johus Hopkine University of Balg more on the 23d inet. On the 3a of October thy institution will opea for students. The bills of fere at the late Sharon banguetiy Bsn Franciseo were engraved oa solid silver dug from the Comstock lode, and were retsinad by the guests a3 souvenirs of the occasion. AMr. Bird, the English chess-player who cam over here with the title of champion, is now only & “prominent” pleyer. He has bezu badly ‘beaten both in New York and Philadelphia. Lord Lyiton's new poem is to be entitlel “King Poppy.” Whata delicions thing to resd oneself to sleep with! ¢ King Poppy”iapre sumably an account of the origin of Paternal Government. Spesker Kerr Lias placed himself under ths care of Dr. Hammond in New York. His most sonoying ailment is a chronic catarrh, which dis. tresses him incessaxtly by day and deprives i of sleep at uight. The story that Senator Christiancy’s bride way engaged to a poor young man in Georgis, and hostened the nuptials in order to preventum. pleasant disclosures, has been denied. Itseems, bowever, to have some foundation in fact, Moncure D. Conway, who lectures in Chicags to-day, has not yet decided whetber to accept the invitation to Theodore Parker’s old Socieiy in Boston. The decision reste with his wifs, whose sympathies are eaid to be Bostonisn. Mre. Monlton haa cansed the announcemen o be publishied that she has never applied tobe admitted as a member of the Church of the Pil- grime, or appeared before its Examining Comr mittee, or entertained any purpose Lo do 0 prese ently. Pere Hyacinthe is again meditating a moveta . this country. Isthere no charch, comfortably Iatitudinatian in doctrine, which can extend him acall? If heinsists upon coming, he may bire a theatre in Chicago, sad always be sure of an appreciative Sundsy audience. Clara Morris is advertised to play in Brooklm next week, but it is extremely doubtful whether she will be able to fulfill her engagement. Dure ing her Baltimore engsgement last week she was several times carried off the stage ina famtiog condition. Her trouble i3 the old one—with the spine. u Prof. Seclye was near being called out for say- ing toa brother member, * Omne ignatum pzd magnifico.” Springer, of Illincis, the gentls- man alluded to in these scandalous terms, eaid he “propozed to show that college-bred chap that he was no sach & hair-pin—not by & large majority.” The London papers ars not sble to construe properly the referencs of Mr. Cox to 3Ir. Blaing a3 ‘s hyena.” This expression was far more unparlismentary than the *villain ™ which Mr. Plimsoll hurled at Mr. Bates, and which csased such an uproarin the British Parliament; bat the American Spesker took no notice of the lapse. George Eliot hasopened ber new new novel with o beinons misteke. She has placed the town of Wancester ia Wessex, whereas every- body knows—after attention has been directed to the fact—thst only Mercia gives such named as Leicester, Gloucester, etc. A TWanchester would do for Wessex, but Wancester should have been put in Mercia. B Madamo Gravier, sister of M. Thiers, died re- cently in France atthe nge of 76. It was she who in 1349 kept & sort of eating-house witha board st the entrance bearing the words : *‘Ts- ble d'hote kopt by the sister of AL Toers.” The Jattor brought an action against her. and, having gained his suit, obtsined an order to have ths obndxions notice removed. Daniel A. Jones, Esq., of this city, has in his possession two silver medals, found recontly i an Indian mound on the Cpllet farm, about § miles from Daaville. Ope is circalar, abous 8 inches in dismeter, issued in the reign of George the ‘Third of England. The otheris an oval, § inches by 8} incues, issued under tha Presh dency of George Washington, and dated 1792 The friends of Mr. Julius Gollman, the artist, are apparently determined that he shall post- pone his contemplated departure for Europe un= til Iate in the spring. He expected to sail early in April, but from appearances he will be fortu- nate should he get away before Jane. Ar. Goll man will take up a parmanent residence in Ger many ehonld he ever be permitted to leave Chix cago. The papers seem to tal:e a certaio fiendish de~ light in reiterating the statement that Clart Louigs Eellogg has foreclosed a $7.000 mortgsge in Chicago. Miss Kellogy bas a mortgage onsll our hearts, and she bas foreclosed that by tak- ing up with the fellow Smith in New York This 18 8 much more important item of news than the paltry 37,000 transaction. Wby no¥ give it publicity? ‘Weodel! Phillips knew his lecture in Philadel phia was & signal sucsess as soon a8 he picked U8 the Evening Bulletin, an old Republican OTRA% snd read : **Disgust and derision evidently per vaded the larze assemblzge; ana yet it quietly and pationtly to the end, and oaly Pro- nounced its reprobation Dy its ominons silence. Free speech was glorified in its last exiremeé of desperate licentionsness; hereafter no man ought to doubt that he may get » quiet hearing before s Philadelphia andience, no matter whsé heresy, blasphemy, incendiarism, communisdy or any other ism he may choose to ventilate.” - The statement that sevoral lottery-dealers it New York have been outwitted by the useof sy pathetic inks, one of which faded while the oth- er came into view, is calculated to excite deepest alarm in all grades of society. officers will naturally object to the use of SymPs~ thetic inks in checks and notes; and lee-lDffl maidens, the New York Tribune suggests, vill often be disappointed of the remody which the law provides. “When the lady puts her docu- ments in the hands of & lawyer they moy Tesols® themselves into non-committal remsrka om the weather.” Sympathetic inks would abviously have their usesin many of the parplexiogsad sraly great oocasions of lifa