Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 23, 1876, Page 6

-didate for National Convention honors, TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE, BATES OF. BUDSCRIPTION (PATABLE 1N ADVANCE), nge Frevald ot this Offce. postpald, ) year... T Yo Dally Edition, oar. RS R el e Club of tws o 1o postagels 13 cent Hipecimen coples aant fres. To provent delay a1 mistakes, ba suro and aive Iost- Ofice addrees in full, including Btato and Countr. Iemittances may ho made either Ly draft, express, Roat-Oflics ordor, or In regl lotters, at our tisks TENMS TO CITY AUNECRIDERS. Daily, delivored, Sunday excopted, 28 cents per weok, Datly, delivered, Sunday Included, 0 conta por wook, Iress THE TRIBUNE COMP'ANY, Cornor Madison snd Doarborn: Chicago 111 AMUSEMENTS. McVIORER'S TREATIE—Aadison atreet, between Desrborn aud Slate, Lngagemont of John T Rey- mond, * Col, Mulberry Bellera.! THEATHE-Randolph sireet, betweon e L oule. Tho Calfornin Minsirels, After: noon and svening. ADELPII THEATRE—Dearborn _sireel, corner Monros, Vatlety performance. Afternoon and eventng, WOOD'S MUSEUM—Mouros slreef, bstween Desre ‘born and sitate, ** Wild Dill," Afterncon and evenlng. $0cI CNIGAGO CIAPTER, No. 127, T, A, J.—Bpectal Couvocation thin (Wediioaday) eventngat 7:30 0'clock, in the hall, 144 Twonty-second-at. Work on tho Royal drch Degzte. Visilig Comyaaions cordllly avited. By order of tho FLT SMITH, Socretary. The Qbirago Triume, ‘Wednesday Morning, Fabruary 23, 1870, Cold and clear or slightly cloudy woather is predicted for this locality to.day. The voice of Wisconsin is for hard-money and Bramve. Tho first was unequivocally de- clared at the Republican State Convention at Madison yesterdny, and as to the second the Convention expressed a decided preference, ‘but did not deem it expediont to 1nstruct tho dolegates, — The Chicago produce markets wero gener- ally innctive yesterdny, the Board of Trode rooms belng closed in honor of the memory of WasnmiatoN. The closing quotations of the previous day will be found on our com- mereial poge. On Saturdny evoning last tho Chicago clevators contained 3,030,855 bu wheat, 1,676,936 bu corn, 517,420 bu onts, 343,577 bu rye, and 446,128 bu barley. What to do with Piycunack, is one of the questions which agitate tho nverage Sena- torinl bosom just now. Whether to bring ‘his caso to o vote at once, and risk the loss of prestigo involved in the defent which now seems cortain ; or whother to let the subject drop until a new Legislaturo clacts a United Btates Scnator concerning whose admission no contest can be made,—such is the presont phaso of the Prvcusaok matter. It is now considered quite probable that the latter tourse will be pursued. Tho declaration of viows embodied in the resolutions adopted yesterday by the Green. back Convention at New Haven, Conn., is notable by reason of its departuro from the slereotyped phroses which ordinarily consti- tute tho platform stock-in-trade of the infln. tionists. Tho Connecticut greenbackers nlso differ from the great manss of the opponents of the Resumption act in that they recog- nize the necessity of adopting reme practical plan by which the paper . «wm.wy wny be eventually brought up to n gold value, What- ever fault may bo found with tho means, the wnd is to bo commended. The course €0 strongly recommended by Tz TRIDUNE respecting tho consolidation of the Illinois Stato Conventions into ono Con- vention whicl should cover the entira ground Ying mot with the cordial approval of the Btate Central Committeo, Accordingly but ono Convention will be held, at which will bo chosen the Presidential Electors and delegates o tho National Convention, and tho State ticket will be placed in nomination, The Convention will be held at Springfleld, May B4, and the bnsis of representation will be tho same as that which obtained in 1874, viz.: ono delegate for each 400 Ropublican votes, -0 the basig of the vote of 187 Tho liquor-sellers of Morris, Ili., hold thom- selves under mony obligations to Mrs. D Geen snd somo nineteen misguided fanaties in potticoats whom she persuaded to join her in o Wasmnaron's Birthday crusade among ‘the galoons of the village, While the women avere engnged v praying nnd psalm-singing, the crowds which followed thei kopt the bar- tenders busy denling ont drinks, and the re- sult was that the crusaders wero the immedi- ata causo of a largor snount of intemperanco thon Morris has known in any one day for years. 'Tho saloon-keepera should manifest "their senso of gratitudo by jomning in a hand. some tostimonial to Mrs. De Geer, purchased out of the extra profits of the large day’s busi. uesg, They can well afford | Once more Chicago bites the dust as a con- Tho Democratio National Committee have spurned the maguificont offer of the cditor of tho Tiimes to treat the party fairly * just this once," have turned o denf car to the persus- sive eloquence of ‘I'osr Hoyne, have resisted the unparalleled blandishments of our splen. did Lotol accommodations and our beautiful sammer chmato ; all these haovo gono for nothing, and-8t. Louis carries off tho prize. Ontho 27th of Juns the delegates will swelter and roast in that torrid eity, and, when the hotel accommodations aro ex. hausted, will sleep on the big bridgo, payivg toll each way, and wonder what the Commit- teo were thinking of to seloct such a ploce . for the Convention. Tho Republicans of Indiana, fiading them- , eelves perplexed and divided on the cusrency question, resorted to the expedient of adopt- ing a compromise satisfactory to no one apd evasive 08 a whole. It does not geem to have occurred to any ono there that State plat. forms on controverted questions amount to very little on the evo of s Nationa! Conven- tion, The formation of & platform for the epublican party in 1870 is not to be madeof & patchwork of contradictory State platforms. The special purpose of a National Conven- tlon s to make a platform for the wholo party, without reference to what may hava been uttered by o Stato Convention, 'The ‘ Convestion in Indiana might well have avoided the unseemly entanglement into which it was forced had it declaved its full confidence in the wisdom of tho Nationa! Convention which Las been callad, and {ts willingness to accept and support suah platform as the National Convention should adopt, aud that, therafore, the subiject of the carrency should bo left to tha decision of that Convention, by which decision tho party in Indinna would abide inany cvent. Wo snggest that this i8 tha wisest courso to bo ndopted by all State Conventions. The nationnl platform isto be fionl, and is the ono on which the campaign s to be con- ducted; and it looks like folly for a Stato Conventlon to proclaim its policy in sdvance, when, in n fow months or weeks, the Nne tional Convention mny provido a different aud opposing o The Chiengo lawyers whom Judgo TrrTox, of tho McLean County Circuit Court, cauzed to Ve arrested for contempt, and who wera relensed upon n writ of Aabeas corpus issued by Judge Drustarosp, of the United States Circuit Court, have beon discharged from custody by order of Judge Druantonn, "Tho conflict of jurisdiction so ashly precipi. tated by Judge Tirron has terminated in his completo discomfiture. Ho bad sought to inflict punishment upon two attorneys;for the ‘performance of a duty to thair clients plainly nuthorized by an act of Congress, aud tho Federal Court, though ordinarily unwill- ing to interfero with a State Court in a ques- tion of contempt, ins jn this easo peremp- torlly ordercd that Judge Tirzoti shall call off his dogs and leave the lav-nbidiug lnwyers to tho unmolested enjoyment of their liberty, ¥ federato cat which StxasrToN, of Mississippi, 1ct out of the bag when pressed by Have, of Maine, to specify the achemes to which tho Southern Democrats in Congresa were com- mitted. Tho rest of tho animal may be ex- pected to mako its nppearanco shortly. It comes in the shape of o double monstrasity, a two-hended embodiment of the Confederato raid on the Treasury. Tho Committeo on the Mississippi Levees will unanimously roport in favor of an approprigtion of threa to five millions undor the guise of a refund of o portion of tho Cotton tax collected in tho Stntes whose private citizens are to bo directly benefited by construction and main. tenance of the lovees, Thero will still re- main severnl millions of the Cotton tax paid by other Southern States to be refunded as fast as plausible pretexts can be devised. THE CITY OERTIFICATES, Mr. Haxes, the City Comptroller, addressed to the Council on Monday evening a long communication upon the subject of the city certificates, mainly in reply to tho cditorial in Tur Tpisune on Sunday morning, Tho tone of Ar, Haves' letter was a littlo cxasperated, and in his excite- ment wo fear that ho did not atato his case as clearly and foreibly ps Lo might have done if ho had been cooler, Tho law in the case is very direct snd simple. Tho chorter of 1872, which haa been the supremo law of the city sinco April, 1875, provides : Ant. V., Sxc. 1, Tho City Council fn cities, and the Board of Trustees in villages, sball havo tho follow- ing powers Ffth—To borrow money on the creditof the cor poration for corporata purpores, and fssuo bouds that the new charter only repealed 2o much of tha old ono as was inconsistent therewith, and maintaing that there is no inconsistency betweon tho one charter which reads that tho city may * borrow tho necessary monoy for a time not longer," otc., and tha other charter which says the ecity **shall not become in- debted in any manner or for any purpose * to an amount exceeding the & per cont limita- tion, Undor the old city charter, tho city wna authorized to borrow meney and issuo cortificates therefor; and Mr. Haves ndmits that to borrow money by tho sale of bonds would b illegal. Why would it bo any more illagnl to iksue n bond running one year, or fivo years, than to issuo n certificate of Joan runuing six months orono year? Tho same constitutionnl and charter provision governs both cases; thore is no other provision of law, and the same prohibition which makes tho issue of n §1,000 bond illegal equally ap- plies to the issuo of 5,000,000 of lonn-cer- tiflcates, Mr. Iaves seoks further to vindieate the legnlity of these cortificates by saying 1. 'That tho Law Department in 1875, be- fore tho adoption of the new charter, de- clared that the city would have tho power undor that charter to make tomporary loans, 2, That tho prohibition of indebtedness in the Constitution and chartor applies only to Donded debts. 8, That thero is no express ropeal of tho power to mako temporary loans, 4, That all previous lawe not inconsistent with the now aro continued, and that all municipal ordinances in existenco shall not be repealed by the adoption of tho new char. tor; that all corporate rights and proporty vosted in sny municipality shall continuo under the new charter; and that, where a differont remedy is given by tho new ohar. tor applicalle to any existing right at the timo of the now incorporation, the same sball bo deemed cumulative to the iemedies be- foro provided. 6, That, after tho adoption of tho mew chartor, but befors it was officially pro. claimed, the Common Council enacted, in the form of an ordiuance, the provisions of the charter of 1875 nuthorizing the city to bor. row monoy without limit; and then argues that, as tho new charter provides that ‘all ordinances " in forco at the timo of the adop- tion of tho now charter shall continue in full forco, this ordinanco authorizes the city to mako theso loans | Wo confesd that these points made by the Comptroller impress us only the more grave- 1y with the weakness of the defense of theso loans. If tho prohibitions of the Constitu- tion and charter apply only to bonded debts, then perhaps tho provisions of the charter of 1865 continue in force; but to assume such a construction of the Constitntion and charter is to defeat and destroy the only purpose and end sought by that prohibition, which was to prevent Municipal Governmonts contract- ing ond incrensing dobts in any form boyond a certain limit. Mr. Haves foils to furnish the opinion nation ought to bo sshamed. The platform {a the wail of despalr, It is the confession that, 6o far s the statesmanship of Indiana is concerned, the Republican leaders aro un- ablo to grapplo with the simplo dificulty of disposing of overdue, dishonored, and depro- cinted paper-promises-to-pay dollars, Tho platform earrles with it its own rotri- bution. Whon n political party censes to bo agpressive, has nothing to propose, 1o reme- dy for ndmitted evil, and thinks it impolitio to bo lonest, it naturally cries ont, *“Tet things nlone; lot the evils curo themsclves,” But when a political party puts itsolf in such an altitudo, it can juslly expect nothing but defoat. Tho platform is of that character to bio equally unsatisfactory to both sides of the question. The inflationists will apurn it, while the friends of specio payments will re- gord it ns evasive and cowardly. Buch a plat- formn will bo disastrously beaten in Indiaun unless the Natisnal Convention substitute n ‘Dottor one for it. ELECTION OF MIAYOR, Tho proposed election of Mayor, to be held st tho samo time with the clection of other city officers, has now been fairly brought be- fore the Council in the shapo of tho follow- ing resolution offered by Ald. WATERMAN ¢ Resorved, That a apecinl election to Al ths vacancy {n tho office of (he Mayor of the City of Chicago, which vacaney is hereby declared to exit, be held on Tucs- day, April18, 1876, st the ssmn time and in connection with the general elgation for city officers of said city to bo held on that &:y. and tbat tho notices of sald electlon, tho Judges and clerks thercof, tho mode of conducting, and other detatls of satd elcction, be tha aame an aro or shall be provided for by law, or in the ordinanco Loreafter tabe passed making such provis- 1o for said general clection, ‘This resolution is in keeping with tho gen- eral public sentiment freely expressed by both political parties and significantly advo- cated by several ward clubs, Before it comes up for general action there will bo still other coxprossions from represontative political clubs and from 8o large n number of private citizens that the Aldermen will scarcely bo able to ro~ Bist the popular pressure in favor of tlio roso- lution, unless indeed thoy propose to defy their constituents and refuse to ropresent them. Buch netion cannot be taken by any Alderman without destroying his chances of ro-election and lowering him in tho esteem of his neighbors, Another ronson why the resolution is likely to receive the support of the mnjority is the growing sentiment among tho Aldermon that the Mayor should stand on the same footing undor the now charter with themsolves, They fail to scoany justice ina forced construction of this charter to enablo Mr. Corv1y to hold on to his office n whole yoar longer than they are permitted to hold theira. All thoso who derire to be re- elocted fecl, too, that, on whichever side they belong, it is necessary to have a fall city ticket headed by Mayor in ordor to getups sufliciont popular interest to bring out the ontire party atrength. These aro among tho selfish reasons that will prompt some of the Aldermen to politieal party siming to control of the ‘1 GHICAGO TRIBUNE: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1570, tho right point, seasoned his judgment, and gave him a clearer insight futo the clhinracters of men and the secret springs of human ac. tion, It {s fortunnta for him that his party in the 1fouso is in the minority, ns it places him on tho floor as the leader of tho opposie tion to the Demacratic-Confederntes, and af. forils him ndmirablo opportunities to lead his forces in attack and aid them in defense, nnd in short to oxbhibit Lo tho best advantage tho staff of which he is made, "Thus far bo has not thrown away any of his cinncos, THE UNITED 8TATES JUDIOIARY. The passago in tho Houso of Mr. McCnrany's Jadiciory bill by the close vote of 141} to 132 1s n subject for goneral congratulation to all litigants in the United States Conrts. It will undoubtedly pass the Senate aud becomo a law, for the Sonate is alrondy on tho record as favorable to tho relief and improvements which the bill is intended to provide. The bill 8 really a Republican mensure, and wns pnssed in tho House by a solid Republican vote with tho nssistanco of the better cle. ments on the Democraticside, Tho principal purposo of tho bill in to reliovo tho docket of tho Bupremo Court, which Is now so loaded down with business as to bo fully four years behind; but, incidentally, the bill further provides much-needed facilities in the lower United States Courts. Under this bill thera will be a United Btates Qircuit Court wherover thero s n Dis- trict Court, sitting at the samo times and places. This will create a number of ad. ditional Circuit Courts and materially dimin. ish the trouble, cost, and delay of litigation that aro unavoidablo under the present sys. tem. A Court of Appeals is also established in each of the nine judicial circuits, which. is composed of the Justice of the Buprome Court, to whom the circuit is assigned, tho Circuit Judge and tho soveral District Judges within tha cireuit. This Court of Appeals will have final jurisdiction over all writs of error and appeals in cases whore the sum involved does not exceed $10,000, so that tho Supreme Court will not be lnmbered up with o moss of small cases. Whilo tho relief of the Supremo Court is tho chief end in view, it is probablo that this Court of Ap- peals will lend to somo roforms in tho practice of tho United States Courts, and reliove it of some of the summary fea- tures which now characterize it, and which have beon retained probably becauso of tho impossibility of getting decisions from tho Supreme Court on technical points, If this shall prove to be the offoct of tho bill, it will receivo the approval of the people every- where, Not the least benoficial chango which the bill will produce is to loave the United States Suproma Court free to tho consideration of the more important issues, involving inter. pretations of the United States lnws in their constitutionnl bearings, constructions of troatics, and suits where large amounts of monoy are to be disposed of, Tho now law will probably add something to tho cost of the judiciary department of the Government, thierefor, in such amounts and form and on such con- Qitlons as it shall prescribe, but shallnot Yecome tn- dedled in any manner Jfor any purpost Lo an smount, includiog existing fndobtedness, in the aggregate to oxctod fivo {6) per centum ou the value of tho taxable property therom, to bo ascortained by tho last assoss- ment for State and county taxes provioua to the fn- currlng of such indebledness ; and, before or at the timo of incurring any indebtedneas, shall provide for tho collection of & direct aunuat tax subiclont to pay tho Interest on anch debt as falls due, and also to pay aud dlacharge the principal thereof, within twenty yeats after coutracting the same, 'This section is o transeript of & provision in tho Btate Constitution, and onacted by the Legisloture and made a specific part of the city charter. Previous to this time, there wero in the old charter of the city the follow- ing provisions : Act af Feb, 15, 1865, Sec, 13,~~To proviaa for month- 1y, or any othier, paysmonts which shall havo becn su- thorized by the Common Council, aud required to bo mado at any timo bofore tho collection of tha tazes of auy year, tho Comptroller may, with the sanction of tho Mayor and Finance Committes, borrow tho neces- sury 1money for a time not longer then tho 1at dayof Fobruary nost thercafter, Act of_Aprit 19, 1563, See, 7.—~The Mayor snd Comptroller may mske temporary loans to pay special sssessinents ogaimt city property when duo, and may make all temporary loans, now provided for, falling duo on the Iat day of June of esch yesr., Undor these provisions and others the city had for many years been aceustomed to make temporary loans in anticipation of the collec- tion of taxes. ‘Tho lonns, ns a general thing, wuro taken up within tho fiscal year from the tnxos collected. Of lato yeors, however, there has been o failure to collect the rovenuo within tha fiscal year and to collect largo portions of it at all ; and the certificateshavo thereforo beou extended boyond the fiscal year, nnd in this way, by froquent renowals, liavo gone on accunulating, until, on Jan. 1, 1876, thero woro outstanding such certificates to the immense amount of $4,600,000, Since Jonunry others have been issued. ‘We regrot to learn, morcover, that thero is o largo indebtedness on the part of the city which has been contracted by oxpenditures for which there brs been no sppropriution wod no taxes lovied. Of this peculine debt a very large sum §s dug to tho gas companies. Aunother item for which no tax has been levied s £240,000 for water-mains. The money for this purpose was sppropriated, but vo tax was lovied for that purpose, Tho expense way, however, contracted. Otlier portions of thoso certificatos repre- sent interest on thoso temporary lonns for which no tazes have over beon levied to meet and pay, agd thera aro yot othor certificatel outstanding which represont deficiencies caused by the complete defoat of tho city in its contests with tax.fighters, These are certainly in tho npature of additions to the dobt of tho city, and nob certificates drawn npainst taxes levied by the Council for thejr liguidation. How far theso peculiar liabilities or indebtedness are logally represented by outstanding certificates we do not know, ‘We mention the matter as proper to bo Xnown for a full understanding of city finances, ond as an illustration of the danger which attends any City Government armed with the unlimited power to issus bouds or other evidences of public debt. Tho cestificates now issued by the city recito: Thisfoan having been suthorized by Sec, 25 of amenduments 10 the clty charter, spproved ¥ab, 13, 1665, aud by Bec. 7 of an act of tho Gensrsl Asssmbly of the Stato of liinols, aniending tha city chaster, ap- proved April 19, 1809, It will bo seen that this Joan cloims to be authotized by the city charter of 1865, Now, whether that provision of the city charter of 1805 wus or was not repealed by the Consti- tution in 1870, Art. 5, Bec. 1, of the charter of 1872 unquestionsbly, by express intent, did supersede tho claugo cited of tho previous charter, and it follows that ‘‘a loan * suthor. ized, in excess ot the existing 5 per cent iu- debtedness of the city, by the charter of 18063, con hardly bo claimed to be lawful un. der Art. 6, Bec. 1, 0f the charter of 1872, which, adopting the langusge of the Consti- tution, declares that the city * shall not le. come indebled in any mantwr or for any pure puss ¥ fn excess of the 5 per cent Lmitation, Mr. Hixas labors palntully to demonstrate given by tho Law Dopartment in 1875, that under the new charter the city might con- tract millions of dollara of debt on losns, His citations of tho reservations of provious rights and laws havo no application to the question of the power to creato debts pro- hibited by the Constitution and present char- ter. Wo fail to soe tha applicability of pro- visions relating to cumulative remedics, Is it intended that the prohibitions against cre- ating debts is o cumulative suthority to make loana? Tho citation of the ordinanco of the Com-. mon Council in May, 1875, giving the Coun. cil power to borrow money in excess of the & per cont limitation, is romarkable, If the new charter, did not repeal tho charter of 1865, why tho necessity of this ordinance ? And when or where did the Common Coun- cil got authority to give its own officers the power to makoe loans and creato dobts, tem- porary or otherwise? It had such power under the old chartor; but when that old charter was repealed the Common Council had no legal anthority to enlarge its own powers by ordinance, Itis n most extraor- dinary assumption that the Council cnn in. cronse its powers by ordinance. When Mr. Haves cools off to tho roflecting point ho will retiro thiat claim, The Comptrollor asserta: *‘Now it seoms we aro to have a repudiation movement in Chicago.” This is an assumption wholly unwarranted by the facts. Weo do not be- liove there is onoe respectable person in Chi. eago who desires to repudinto any part of the city debt. Last year wo had threo mill- ions of this debt; mow we have fve i jona ; & yenr honco it may be eight millions ; and then in due time ten, fifteen, and twon- ty millions, Tho terrible facility of paying municipal dobts with notes can have but one onding, To continue the issue of this illegal paper s tho surest of all ways to produce a repudiation party ; the most cortain way to avort ropudiation is to stop issulng the notes of indebtedness. 'I'ne. Ouioado Tuinuye, in discussing this mattor, has but done ita duty to the city and to tho publio. We deny that it is nocessary to violate law, or to issuo ille- gal loan-certificates, or to deal falsoly with the public, in order to maintain public credit, The remedy is to limlt expenditures to reve- nue ; toreduce them below the receipta; to take up this illegal paper and issue no more of it. When this policy shall have been ndopted, the future will take caro of itself, THE INDIANA PLATFORM, The Republicans of Indiana yesterday held a State Convention, nominated a (strong ean- didate for Governor, an unexceptionable State tioket, and adopted a platform which, though verbose, is & fair document except in that part which relates to the currency. ‘That part is not only weak but evasivo. While declaring and admitting that the specie basis is the only propor and honest ous, the plat. form demands tho repesl of so much of the TResumptlon act 28 fxes a day for resump- tion, and then urges Congresa “‘to let the currency alone, noither oxpauding uor con- tracting it, as our finencial troubles will heal thewselves if loft to the operations of the natural laws of trade and commerce”! Those who can yemember the platforms which used to he adopted by the Conven- tions before the Rebellion, whenjthe cowardly politicians used to try and ride alavery and anti.glavery, and used to urge that slavery bo loft alono to be extinguished by tho growth and progresa of the country and the even- tual disgust of the Bouth for tho institution, will recoguize in this platform an equal de. greo of cowardly equivocation. 't'he declara~ tion in favor of o specie basia is neutralized Dby the declaration that it is not polili to be honest, nor to return to honest dealing with honest money. The idea that Congress must refrain frowm legislation to relisvo ths country of its wretched paper-monsy, and leavo it alone until tho brokers and shavers shall voluntarily offer 100 cents for that which they can buy at 80 to 88 cents, i3 one of those sansqless, hopalass delosions. which a grest support tho resolution who might otherwise refuse to do so. Thoso who are guided by popular sentimont will recognize the justico of the demand that a new Mayor shall bo clooted boginning with the roorganization of tho city with new wards snd undor the new charter, To snffer the exponse and take tho trouble of clecting a now Council and City Government without electing a new Mayor, will be very much like the play of * Hamlet " with Zamlet loft out. Tho Mayor is endowed with extraordinary powers under the presont law. With him reats tho appointment of the Fire Marshal, the City Marshal, and all the Boards and the heads of tho Dopartments, The tax-poyors sud all citizens interested in the restoration of economical and respectabla government would work in vain if they are not permitted to vote for Mayor, ‘They might securo s majority of repre. sontatives in tho Council nand all the subordinate officors to bo voted for without goining anything if there wera no change in the office of Mayor, 'I'ie present incumbent certainly cannot baso his claim to the offico cxcopt beeauso ho reprosents a majority of tho people of Chieago, nnd if ho foels so cer- tain of this ho should not hesitate to commit his chances to tho people. If ho can got o nomination ho has tho same right to run for the ofiico ag any ona elso, An clection formally called by the Council in which the peoplo voto for Mayor will pre. sont tho question of Mr. Corvin's right to hold the oftice in an entircly new light. Tha present aspect of the caso is aimply that tho Supreme Court, on application, refused, on n tio vote, to compel the Council to perform a duty before it was known whether it would rafuse to do so or not whon tho time should come. Butif the Council shall do its duty without compulsion and a Mayor shall bo electod by the people, then tho person so clected will be duly installed in the oftice, and it will bo for Mr. Corvix to contest the pos. session of tho office if he dosires to do so. In this struggle he will have the benefit of Mr., Mang Surnipan's experience in hia lato effort to hold the place of Police Commissioner, This will be a practical toat of the izsuo be. twoon Mr. Conviy and the poople, ' bot this money will bo saved ten times over in the lessened cost of litigation and the su- porior avenues opencd up to the prompt and efficient administration of justice. The proposition to ercct a new building for the use of the Chicago Board of Trado is being very warmly disoussed by both parties to tho controversoy. It can scarcely be otherwise, Tho mattor involves very large pecuniary considerations, which are naturally woighed and canvassed by the parties inter. cated. The ressons advanced in support of tho movoment have alresdy beon noted in our columns. They are, in brief, that the prosent rooms aro too small, too high, and not sufliclontly well ventilated. Against these it is urged that tho hoight of the floor above tho streot is n posilive advantago, that the ares of tho floor can bo extended southward ns far ns necessary, that proper ventilation can be secured, aund, further, that the pro- posed movement is designed to unsottlo the values of property in that neighborhood, or to disintegrato the Board of Trado itself. Tho Inst-named argumonts are of public in- tereat. Tho others may bo safely left to the organization reforred to, which ought ta be ablo to manage its own business in its own way. The parlies who are orgnnizing tho now movemont would not probably proceed to tho crection of a now building unless satis- fled thet it was wanted by tho trade. It is understood to be their intention to obtaln, if possible, pledges for a suflicient amount of capital, and then to make a formal offor to the Board of Trade, If theofer bo accepted, tho bailding would be erceted,—not other. wise, It is not at all probable that the sub. seribers would bo willing to permit tho ex- penditure of thelr monoy on something which promisod no return., Neither would they be likely to secodo in the hope of in- ducing tho rest to follow, if the rost aforesald should formally docline to remove in company with them. The disturbanco in the value of real ostate that would follow tho proposed change would probably be important, but not necessarily disastrous to tho scction vacated. That dis- trict would not bo loft so far behind that it would be undesirablo as tho location of offices for members of tho Board, and tho comple- tion of tho now Court-FHouse might be confi- dently counted on to inake the surrounding property attractive. We present this sum- mary of the case, not as an argument in favor of erccting tho proposed building nolens volens, but as showing some of the idoas that <can be advancod in favor of the scheme, In reality, argument would offcot very littlo eithor way, If our business men think that the investmont would bo repaid with fair in- terest, thoy will subscribe tho full list of stock ; if they do not think it ia calculated to pay, thoy are not likely to be influenced by outside considerations, Our advice, how- ever, is to go slow thoss hard timea. —e BLAINE, In tho Republican Conference meoting, composed of leading men from all parts of the groat Prairio Stato, *he expression of Pros. idential preferonce scomed to be almost unanimous for Braive. If thoso men really refloct tho popular sentiment of the party, Illinoia will be ropresented in Cinciunati by a delegation golid for Braixz for Presldent, His philippie arralgning Jevr Davia for hia horrible cruelties to the Union prisonarsin An. dersonville awakened sympathotio echoes in tha hearts of multitudes of men. Before tho effoct of this emotion had subsided ho deliv- orod his powerful speech sppoaling to the judgmentof intelligent men in favorof nreturn to honest money, 'These two bold presenta~ tions of bis feelings nond views on amnesty and currency revealed Braine to tho people in a light that seems to have captivated the popular affections and understanding, The power, courage, and parliamentary skill with which be attacked and doubled up the Demo- crata and Confederates in the amnesty do- bate—knocking them over like ten-pins— galped for him the champion beltas the heaviest and most scientifio hitter in the House, The whole country applauded aud encored the performance. Lven his bitterest political opponents in the Bouth as well as North have not been able to repress their ad- miration of the man's ability, And when he took hold of the currency question and han- dled it in so masterly o monner as to ar. rest thq attention of tho entire nation, the ourrent begsn to set iu strongly in his favor for the Presidency. BraiNehas besn a growing man since he first set foot in Con- gress. Each year he Lsw developed incroas. ing strength as he has studied the lessons of statesmanship and of past experience, His sl years' training in the Bpsaker’s chair {amed down his natural impetacalty to aboud The Buffalo Commercial says that * New York gave a majority of over 50,000 for the Ropublican candidate in 1872, whon snd where Roscos Coxsrng in person led the campaign.” It has beon generally supposed lLeretoforo that Now York was carried that year on account of tho drend felt of Grexrey by the business classes. ‘T'ons of thousands of Now York Dewmocrats voted for Guant and the Republican ticket to defeat GoxeLey and the Coalition ticket. Tho Liberals were swallowed up in tho anti-Gaexyer tidal.wave, and New York elected Dix Governor by 53,- 451 mojority, and gave tho Btate to GranT by an equally large majority. But the very next year after tho Gnrerzy scare had sub- sided, and in tho face of *the campaign led by Roscor Conkrixa in person,” the State gavo the Democratic-Libersl candidates from 10,000 to 16,000 msjority, And the year fullowing (1874), when thero was & Governor, Blato ticket, and Congressional delegation to elect, the Republican banner, carried in person by Coxmring, went down in defeat under an adverse msjority exceeding 50,000, Lash2all a part of the astray and scatiercd, shaop returned to the fold (and no thanks to Congriva therefor), and the ndverso majority was materially reduced, but it is still formid- able, nnd, unlesa CoxriNa ia the favorite of the Liberals, ho cannot begin to carry the Stato of Now York. IIacorlainly has nohold on tlie popular affections of the peoplo of the Wost. Aceording to the Inat roports, it scoms liko- 1y that tho Pacifle Rallrond Committes will not report tho Toxns & Arizonn Pacific subsl. iy Lill ot this sossion, ns tho ngroement of their Sub-Committeo at first seemed to indi- cato thoy would. Tho renson of this—if in- deod tho favorable roport bo nverted—is ovi- dently tho eonsciousness that tho bill would fail in tho Benato, and theroby placa tho onus of such a proposition on tho Domocrat- {e party, without in fact advanecing the intor- esta of tho mensuro in any respeot. This Leing the motive of the Committes, it is cor- tninly not very creditablo and not at all s. suring ns to the future, It isonly o post- ponement of tho job to Iull the suspicions of tho people for tho FPresidential campaign, with the purposo of betraying them nftor- wards, Still, we aro thankful even nt the prospeet of a postponement of the schemo for tho Ression. This will give timo for the dovelopment of future opposition. It i alrendy being discovered that tho South is by 10 mosna a unit in favor of tho subsidy, as Mr. Tox Scorr's strikers have represented. It is rapidly dawning upon tho Southern peo- plo that it is simply A schemo for the Gov- ernment to build o Paciflo railrosd which shall be n tendor to the Pennsylvania Com- pany’s system, and it is not apparent how it can, in this ronse, ba of any special benoflt to Bouthern citi Mr, Laaan's Caucus Financo Committeodocs not promise to bo nny more successful in harmonizing the Domocratio party on tho financo question than the Committeo of Thir- teen have been in ropressing the honoest ox- pression of the Confederate sontiment in Congress. Mr. Meapz, one of tho Now York dolegation, has had o very sharp correspond- once with Lsaz relative to his failure to give the important State of Now York any repre- sontation on the Financo Committeo, whila Ohio was given two mombors. This may bo regarded as o formal protest of the hard- money Democracy against tho complexion of the Committee, On the othor hand, Ifor- a1aN, of Indians, represonting tho *softs,” is a thorn in the sido of the Monnsox faction, which hopes to patch up soms sort of mean- ingless compromise to which both factions will subscribe, but which shall satisfy neither, and leave the country in the same condition of doubt and uncertainty that now prevails, The fact that every action and'expression of the Democrats are merely a part of the general policy of * trimming” with referenca to the Presidential campaign makes it certain that nothing will be accomplished, excopt, per- haps, the repeal of tho Rosumption nct with- out tho substitution of any plan looking to redemption, Mr. Disrarrt has escapod a very dangerous rock which lay in tho way of tho Government by secnring o favorable vote upon the recont purchaso of tho Suez Canpl shares from the Khedive, The vote was not secured, how- ever, until aftera very sharp discussion and a home-thrust from Mr. GrapsToNe, who pointed out the great risk that England ran ‘by abandoning her position ns a champion o? the interests of Europo to become the cham. pion of her own sclfish interesta. MMr, Dis- naewr, howevor, skillfully warded off tho thrust with the doclaration that ho did not recommond the purchase as a financial in. vestment, but as a political messure calou- Iated to strengthen the Empire. Howaver this may be, thero is o certain amount of buncombe in the Promicr's declaration. To the ontside world it scems more apparent that England, in purchasing tho cansl shares, is rather secking to indemnify herself againat future losses in cnse of the bankruptey or downfall of Turkey than to strengthen her- self politically; and that in this little opera~ tion sho is looking with ono eye at least upon Lier pockots, A OREDIT OURRERCY. Tho faal defect of a ourrency based purely on credit, ns tho phraze goes, ia that §t would be conver- bl lnto o Axeil quastlty of snything, and ao would reprosont nothlng.—New York Zvmes. .Why the asaumption tlst a currency based purely on credit “would bo convertiblo into no fized quane tity of anything, and so would represent nothing" ? Currency reformors do not proposo an inconvertible curroncy, On ths contrary, they propots to make the present inconvertibla currency (greenbacks) con- vertibla or redeemable, How convertibls or redoam- sble? In Government interost-paying bonds. Would such a currency * represaut nothing *? Thero i no species of property in Great Britain posscssing more steadiness of value than tho consol,—Intev. Octan. The amount of Iguorance and knavery ox- hibited in tho sbove dozon lines {s amazing. Tho interest on tho British consols i paid in gold, Whon they are purchased by tho Gov- omment from tho surplus revenucs, the pay- ment is made io gold, The bankers give gold for them, and thoy are not bought, sold, or dealt 1n, excopt for colu or its equivalent, The class of persons who ocall thomselves seurrency roformers’* propogs a convertible bond exchangesbls into nothing that possesses intrinsio valus. Thelr currency {s to bo bita of greon psper redeemablo fu nothing but those bonds, and the bonds sro to be payable (n nothing excopt the groen bits of paper. Itis not a curronoy based on credil, as that word is underatood by buslness men, who mean by credit **trust given or recelved"; oxpeotation of futuro payment far something given, ma money or goods, DButthis * reformed™ onrrency s mot to bo in the vature of a promise to pay apything tangible or valuable, Each pleco of stamped paper {4 to ba conaldered actual money, without any promise to pay. Itfs nottobe Lased on oredit, but eimply on *faith,"- falth that poople will accept it in exchiange for labor, food, clothes, fuel, rent, and that the doctors will tako it for medicinens. As the Times says, it 1a to represent nothing, 1a to be converted into no fixed quantity of anything except moon- abino snd bonds made of the samo insnbatantial stuff, This ls to be the aurrency of the future, And this {e the sort of currency tha 1.0, advo- catos, PERSONAL, Prof, Ormond Btone, Director of the Qlnetn- st Obaervatory, 18 ln ths city, Hossl as Jlomeo wears a fur-irimmed coat, sod yollow boots with rod tops. disgulea? Bpelllng for the drioks is & popalar divorsion in Virginia City saloona, The limit {8 probably fized at two syilablos. Baloon loafers are not as a rulo powerful spellers. - Kate Fiald writes home'that Col. Forney is 212,000 pooser now $han hie was twelve mont! 3go, in consequencs of his labors for the Cen- toonial abroad, and be {s broken down in health beatden. Theodore Wachtel is bolding recsptlors in Ban Francluco, at which sll the mualcal people of the city aro seon. Among the guests tloned in the newepapers recently weze Carl Formea and Habelwsnn, The wedding of Mr. Jsmes Gordon Bennett apd Miss Ida Msy, of Baltimore, will bs cele- brated tho third woek fn Apsil Misa Mayis 10, B yosrs of mgo; tall and of rathor alight figare haa britilant black oves, dark waving hair, anda cloar comploxion with delicate color, A young American lady who hss enjoyed the raro privilego of taking a stroll with tho post Tonnyson, {ncidantally mentioos in a letter to & friend that *' it sorfously affected tho romance of thositustion when he paused during tha walk to seratch his back against a gate-post,” A number of persons prominont in New York socloty will attend tho fancy-dross ball of the Earl of Dulterin at Mootresl to-day. Tho guosts are to Lo takon from New York to Montroal in o spectal traln, 'The ball is to ba given Inthe vico-rogal manaion, and {a to bo ila social ovens of tho yoar in Cavada. [ Tho Emperor of Rrazil {8 to eail from Rio on tho 20th of March, but ho will atop some tima at Pars ana Pernambuco on hia way to the Unitea Btates. Although Para ia within the dominiona of tho Emporor, {4 is almost midway botween Rloand tho United States, and tho Emporor probably haa not beon in tha part of Brazil for yoars, Bome gay apirits on the steamor which carriod Mother Stowart scross tho ocoan drank her Lealth in sparkliog champagoe. Sho writes homo: *Woo js mel If tho bealih I found a-shipboard is the kind that comes for the drink- ing of it, let mine never be drunk again” She is now flrmor than ever {n hor temporance prine ciplea. Mr, Nobert Browning waa rocently Iaid up with nn attack of bronchitis, Tho enforced confine- ment brought on & chrooio disorder, the only romedy for which is outdoor exorcise; andso betwixt two firea TTo pined in thought; And, with a grosn and yellow melancholy, 1te sat like pationco on a monument Bmiling at grief, Ul Porkins says, In o lottor to the editor o¥ tho fowa State Register: **When I sece aman golog aronnd like Bowen, causlng misery in a dozen houscholds, I foel like becoming s dyna. mito fiond to blow him up. Next to making fun, Iholdit our duty to kill off the ghounls wha mako us miserablo,” Ull's intenso anxiety ta blow somebody up is evidontly the rosult of sn unhappy domestic expericnce af hisown, Joshua Montgomery Bears, nominal heir to the largo Soars estato in Boston, has petitioned tho Judle!al Bupremo Court to sot asido his fath. ot's will and allow him to enter Into full possos- sion of tho proporty. It will bo rememberod that young Sears, by tho torms of tho will, ianiorely allowod a lifo annuity intorest. Between 21 and 25 yeara of aga ho a to bo paid $4,000 annually ; botween 25 sud 80, $6,000 ; and thoreafter, $10,« 000. Tho preacntation to Ar, Barry Sallivan in Cine clonati 1ast Baturday provokes the wrath of the Gazelle. Thore was some impropriety in broak. ing the continmity of & grand dramatio repro~ gontation in order to give somo starveling genfus an opportunity to make a spread-cagle speoch, Tho Gazelle sayn: **Tho distressod attist gave n biot of hia feolings when he ssid he could not make a speoch of thanks, for his brain was fllled with other matter." Tho fmmodiato causo of Charlotte Cusbman's doath was puoumonis. Sho horaelf belioved that aho wab rocovering from cancer under the now mothod of troatment adepted by Dr. Thorne ton. Bho tully expectod to recovor, and as lato~ Iy aa the 18th inst, sho addressed note to Mr. John McCullough in which she said : I wanted to ask you if next Novemberand Dacamber wore cugaged at your theatre in Californis. 1 hops to bo able to get well and go there, but X cannok positively decido till tho middlo of May," Mr. Emery Storrs, at 8¢, Louls, *‘invoking Divine blessings" on a Granger jury, waa & sight for gods and men, Whon Mr. Storrs was a¢ Washington, defending Count rosco Chitten- don, hedid not invoks Divine blosainga to any great extont, nor la thoro any pravious record of bis haviog done 80, and those who know him best will suspect thab his plous demeanor was aseumed bocauss he happened to be in St Louls, whero corract bebavior for s weck gives ooo tho roputation of oxtremo sanctity. Mr. Storrs is a good fellow and a shrowd lawyer, baé be is not on such intimate terms with the Almighty that bis invocation had any spocial reason for botug medo, MOTEL ARRIVALS, Patmer House—t, 3L, Wilcox, New York: 8, D. Bond, Philadelphiai W. O, Bullor, Bt Louls, 3. 4. Hogan, Boston; J, M, ltogers, Loufsvil M rick, 8L Pault 1. I, Tioker, Olifton Ho . 0. . Carter, Vandalis, Mo,; D, W, Ingeracl, 8, Paul} Davld May, Lincoln, Nt . Farelngton, Drooke iy . J. Tirawn, Lako Buperior, Bosldn: J., B, Btarr, Godtrey, IIL; O. K. Cummings, Iins and Ghorles Pains, Cloveland; H, {amatown, Maas,; Al J, Libby sud ‘I, O, Boston; 11, 1 Parcival, England. ... Tremont ouse— The Hon, . 8, Colton, Galovurg; W. W Brookings, Yankion, D, T.; the Hon, I\, J, Cross, Yanktan, D.T. deorgo Tyaon, Boaton ; O, I, Garraghty, Toxas David Negly, Lawretce, Ksn.: tha Hon, J. W, Flotchar, Centralia; ©, R. Leanard, Baltimoro; Horry Friond, New York ; Ralph Plumb, treator; 8. I, Stinson, Dayton, 0.; J. 8. Cameron, Burlington, Is.; E, Yolls, Hoctieater, N, Y.; J. R, Zearing, Frinceto Sherman Hotae—, Corey, Cleveland; A, O, ron, Plymouth, Ind.; C. D. Uorhsm, Fort W Ldward Demaoad, Pitisburg, Ciacinnatl & 8t. Loutd Tutlrosd 3 1, W, Luglios, Greauville, N. Y.} B, G. Helner, U, B, A.; J, 0. Morgan, Murshalltawn, Is.§ M, A, Lathrop, Gdlo 11, Tlorback, Bostoh ; the Hon, Frederick Douglas, Washingto ¥ A Maynard, Boston: A, ley, Austiatia; William Allen, Byduey, N, 6. W.; P.J, Scbapp, Loulavillo; the Hon,'s, M, Gillette, Fond di Lac, .. Gardner House—. B, Hymen, Manchester : J, 1. iidloy, Grand Suapidet A 11’ Bowmun, U B . Colo, Wil ‘Wentworh, w Al; J. E, ‘Marriett, Lamolile, 1L ; G. B, Wo ton, Cinclunatis W, Atkiuson, port] J. D Clairch, Canandalgus; 1L L, Biddon J.' K, gl dons, Davanport, 1tk ; W. O, ITubb, Farmersville, N.Y, — POLITICAL HOTES, The 8t. Lonls Globe remarka that It has heart nothing new from the Indopondont party sincy it firat heard that tho existing condition of poli tica doss not admit of an office for each voter. Tho women of New York aroe preparin} mone ster petitions to the Leguslaturo, praying agalnss the enactment of any laws for tho lcsteing of prostitutlon. Tho Committos on Crime of the Houso has recommended such laws, 1t Bhaton knows whoreo? ho affizmb, Hayes i golng to dovelap o surprisiog degree of utrength oo tho Pactfio Slope. The Republican party 14 not sshamed of Hayes and his record; sad thy man with hay-secd in his hair bas & natural s finity for Hayoes, ‘The Democratio House has oocoupled el weoks In getting ntasted, and It will need el wooka more to stop, Then, if 1t has any time to sparo, it will take a vacation “ until after slea tion.” Thia Is what they call “reform ™ at Fer~ nandy's Wod's dinner-parties, What quaor places the seandal terminology does ersap intol In the roport of the Chalrman of the Ponslons Commiltao to the Houss, on the expediency of 'trausferring the Penslon Burosu to the War Department, refsrence i made to omployes *¢ whose political backers have steppad dowa snd out.” ‘‘Backers” iz good, and ‘“‘stepped down and out™ {s exoellent,— most excollant. Tho Ley choose ture of Toxas just olected will esaor to Senstor Hamilton, whoss term ox March 8, 1877. Hamilton waa electsd as » Itepublican on the reconstruction of the Btate, The Legislature {s now overwhelme ingly Democratic, and will probably choose on¢ of the delegation in the Lower House to step up higher. Judge Hancock, of Ausiin, is spoken of; Bythoway, it is a singular fact thas not oue of tha proscat Texss membaers of Coagresd 1a » pative of the Blate. The Vicksburg Herald has a simple and sflcw clous plan for the resnmption of specie pay ments. It says; *The Goveroment ahould res pesl the Resumption act, but rosune at onca What coin it bas or socumulates over wbat ie wanted for the intercat o ita bonds It should pay out for national notesat par. As long ma it bas out national money, and haa colu, it should oxchange st par, it the holdors of the notes ask it. In thin wsy It may payout all its coln many times, but it will inally gradually de- stroy the distrust of national money, which {t can nevar do by &uscounting iLY Waas db “ibe debtor clsds ™ say ta this ll‘ll’