Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, March 14, 1876, Page 4

- ‘TERMS OF THE TRIBUNE, SATES OF SUDSCRIPTION (PAYADLE IN ADVANUE). Poatage Prepald at this Oftco. Dally Edition, postpald, 1 year....... 813,00 % Partsof yoar at same dress FOUR 1 Literary WERELY KDITION, POSTPAID. §"n$ rbypet oo ob of twenity, peE Vhe postage s 113 conts k yoar, Bpecimen coplos sent froa. To pravent delay and mistakes, ba surs and glvs ost- O8loe sddress in foll, inclading Btato and Connty. Temiitances may be mads eithor by draft, ezpross, Poat-Offies order, or In registorod lotters, at our risk. . TEBMA TO OITY AUDACTANERS. Dally, dolivered, Sunday excepted, 26 cents per weok, Dally, dellversd, Bunday {ncladed, 30) ennta per woek, Address TIlK TRIBUNK COMPANY, Corner Madis d Dearborn. Chicago Ll hich we will'propay. AMUSEMENT 3. ATRE—Randolph atreet, between mflgfifiwgmfifiznu Gallforaia Bustrols, ADELPIII THEATRE—Destborn sireot, Monros, ** Humjity Dumpty." McVIORER'S THEATRE—~Madison atrest, between Desrbarn and Htats, Engegement of Emma Waller. 44 Meg Marritiea” cornor WOOD'S MUSEUM~-Monros street, botween Dear- born_and tate, Afternoon, *“Tho Day After ‘the Wedding," Evening, “ Letts)” by the Richings-Dex mard Troups, UNION PARK CHURCH—Boston Philharmonio Club Concert. FARWELL IIALL—Madison street, between Clark ludhl‘.aSlHa. Concart by tho Mendelssohn Quintaite Cla! ——eee soci APOLLO COMMANDERY . T.—You will appear in clilzens’ dress at 601 Michigan-av,at 3 o'nlpock this uradsy) aflirnoon $o attond the funeral of Sir 8, Jutkins, Kt, EUGENEB, MYERS, Commandst. WASHINGTON CHAPTER, NO, 43, R, A, M.—Spe- clal Convocation tuis (Tnesday) vvening st 7:30 o'clock, for work on tho Mark Mastar Degres, Viniting Com- panions cordially invited, 1])! order of the M. E. 11, I OLIAS. B, WILGIT, Becrotary. The @ Breago Triduae. Tuesdsy Mormng, March 14, 1878, e Slightly warmer weather is prodicted for thig locality to-day. Greenbacks, ot the New York Gold Ex- changa yosterdny, closed at B74. b Lttt I in pursuance of their programme for ridding the State of what was Ieft of the Republican Administration, after they had carried the election by * penceful ” intimidntion, yester- day convicted Lieut.-Gov. Davis upon tho articles of impeachment against him, —e Cablegrams from Cairo and Alsxandrin, via London, report important victorics by the Egyptian armics in Abyssinin, the Abys- pian forces being repulsed with n loss of 5,000 killed. The armies of the Khedive have ovidontly rotrieved tho disastors of a fortnight ago, ond from presont advices may be oxpected to shortly bring the campaign to & succesaful terminatios Advices from Washington announco that Jacon Rumy, ns to the whisky prosecution against whom there hns been so much specu- Intion, has effccted n compromise with tho Government by sgroeing to enter o plea of guilty upon two counts of the indictment ngainst him, and paying s fine of §50,000. Thoy do scem to have begun *laying down" tho parties indicted hore, if this report bo re- Kablo. A bill was filed yesterday to prevent the consummation of the contrnct with P. J.. Sextox for tho supplying of the Leating apparatus to the now County Hospital. Judgo Moone, however, refused to grant an injunction, because the nllegations of fraud in the bill wero only made on information ond belief, while the defendants denied posifvely that there had been any fraud or * job" in the mnking of the contract, Thezeport, originated in Ban Francisco, that tho Government had arranged for tho pur- chaso of the entire silver product of Froop & O'Burey’s Big Bonanza mines—the Consoli- dated Virginia and Californin—with a viow to providing for specio resumption, is denfed in our Washington dispatches, this morning, upon anthority of the Becrotary of tho Troas- ury. Ho states, however, that a proposition for such sale hns been made, and is under consideration by tho Department. Our Cheyenne correspondent, whose letter will be found in ndother column, reports that the tide of emigration to the Black Hills is rapidly awelling. Though ns yet no authen- tio information has beon roceived ns to the condition of the diggings, it is noted that everybody who has been in thoe Black Hills country is making hasto to roturn; and, for the fortnight post, notwithstanding the rigor. ous weather on the plains, an averago of 100 emigrants daily started from Cheyennno for the new Eldorado. Sonator Bueratax's bill, introduced in Con- gress yesterdny, if passed, will effectually preciudo the allowsnce by the Dopartments of stale fraudulent claims, such ns that of Mr. Groror IL Pespreron's Kentucky rail. road, It provides that no claim against the Government, once finally considered and re- jected by the hend of any of the Exccutiva Dopartments, shall again bo considered, nor allowed, wholly or in part, by tho head of such Department, but may be referred to the Court of Claims. The bill nlso prohibita the allowance by the Department of claima more than two years old at the date of thelr pre- sentation. Yondon also is porturbed nbout the woman in the case—tho case being that of an elope- ment which has scandalized aristocratio so- cioty throughout the United Kingdom. She ‘ is the daughter of a Lord Chancellor and wife of an Earl, Avizavoun. He is a scape. grace Marquis, only o brovet Marquis, so to speak, Braxronp, son of the Duke of Manr- nonovox. But the London papory, as of old, will doubtless continue horrified at the de- pravity of American morals, as jllustrated by the scandalous reports so industriously col. locted dally by ‘our own scavenger press— ‘which of all Amerlean Institutions is themost disreputable, slow yosterdny, Mess pork was dull snd Bo per brl lower, closing at $22.10@22.16 cash and 922.22§@22.26 for April. Lard was quiet and 2}@5o per 100 1bs lower, clos- ot $13.25 cash and $18,30 seller April Meata were in better demand and steady, &t 8o for boxed shoulders, 13jc for do short ribs, and 12}c for do short clears, High. wines were quiet and unchanged, st ©1.05 per gallon. Flour was quiet and firm, ‘Wheat was leas active and §o higher, closing ot 990 for March and $1.00 for April, Corn ‘was qulst aud unchanged, cloalng st 48j0 for and 43¢ far April. Oats were quist ‘woman. prisoner at Willard's Hotol until such time as tho Nayal Chmmitteo shall cxamine her ns o witness, and meanwhile is suffered to bo in- torviewed only by the Chairman of that Com- mitteo. Tho quid-nunes have alrendy scttled that sho is tho woman in the Secon claim case, and the woman in the French arms ‘business, and the woman in all tho other questionnble transactions talked sbout for the past six or eight years. When sho has told hor story, aud there has been the inevit ablo sonsation about it, there will be yot an- other woman in tho case,—the next case, namely that of tho safe-burglary. It soems remurkable how the woman in the cnse turns up nowadays almost bofore investigation begins, Perhaps the truth is tho woman starts the investigation. o THE COMPTROLLER'S TELEGRAM TO THE ‘TRIBU! telegraph from Comptroller Hayes, at present in Now York, correcting o statement ns to the character of o recommendation made by him that an abatemont be medo for the prompt paymont of the tax of 1875. ‘Haves statos that his rccommendation was that the abatemont be 2} per cont for the two months ; the newspnper statomont was that tho abatement was at tho rata of 10 por cent per annum, which have attended the City Government sinco his connection with it in Decomber, 1873. Ho might bave included others. He overlooks the appropriations made for the year 1871, a large portion of which hiad boen expended at the timo of tho fire, and the sub- sequent reduction of tho tax-lovy, snd tho abatements for property destroyed,—all of which loft o deficit between appropriation and oxpenditure of something over two mill- lons. opposed the appropriation of half a million of dollars to cover theso deficits of provious yonrs; on the contrary, this paper has urged that oven o larger sum bo appropriated until the deficiencies can nll be overcome. have not done anything tolowor the credit of the city, but havo endeavored to sustain it by a fronk admission, believing that the best policy is to tell tho truth in regard to the fis- cal affairs of the city, and that both tax-pay- ers and creditors are entitled to the bottom foots, We urged that the city should prac- tico that reduction of expenditure that is necessary to enable it to recover from its embarrassmonts, ihat have occurred within the last two years, Tho actual smount now duo on tho Gage de- falcation is about $800,000, and this Admin. {stration has used the $600,000 recoived from tho canal mortgago, which appropria oney to the now City Hall, ‘Thero is n def- icit to the smount of this $600,000. There thom off to profit and loas at once, long 0a that deflcit ia the result of non.pay. ment of taxes, judiolal overthrow of taxus, calamity by five, or tho defalcation of an offi. cer, orany otheract which counld not hato been forescen or provented. But whon thero is o conatantly iucroasing deflcit, the result of ox. penditures in excess of and in the absence of appropriations and tax-lovies, then suoh dof- icits are not evidence of good management, aud firm, closing at 82§o for March, nnd B4do for May, Ryo wna steady at 63j@Glo. Barley was in moderate domand and flrmer, closing t 570 for March and 60}o for April. Hogs wero in good domond at @100 advance. Bales of common to gond at $7.80@8.50. Chttla wero dull nud 10@160 lower, closing wenk. Shecp wero quiet and firm. Ono hundred dollars in gold would buy $114.75 in greonbacls at the close. Tho Confederate majority in tho Touss yesterdny. hoisted the bnttlorag of the de- funet Rebollion, and rallied s ono man in defonso of the Lost Causo to voto down tho resolutions offered by Basznm, of Indiana, declaring that secession wnas treason. That done, thoy contented thomsolves with passing Sunset CJox's connter-rosolution, setting forth tho self-ovidont fact that tho result of the War bad settled that secession was im- practicable, know that something was settled by tho War, for since Ben My in his Andersonville speech gave uttorance to the Confederate sentiment thero has beon grave doubt ns to whother anything in partieulnr was settled DLy tho suppression of the Rebollion. It is nssuring, however, to R ——— Tho Rev. Dr. Sronns' congregation has promptly sustained him in speaking out plainly agalnst Hesnr Wanp Bezones, as the Dostor did with forcible directness Sunday ovening. Last night at o business meoting of the Church of the Pilgrims, resolutions repudinting the action of tho Advisory Gouncil, charches ings, and domonding o thorough investiga- tion of the scandal, a voto of aboat b to 1. It will be noted, how- over, that the Pilgrims do not stand by their pastor with that unnnimity with which tho Plymouth congregation supports Brromen. Possibly, howover, if Dr. Sronns proceeds to havo expelled from his church those who do not espouso his cause, tho Church of the Pil- grims will in time bo arrayed as unanimonsly in his behalf as is Plymonth for BExouzEs, followship with find- renouncing which ‘adhere to tho wera adopted by All Washington is ngog ngain about n This timoe the female is kopt a closa E, Wo print this morning o communieation by Mr. Mr, Haves details tho financial troubles Tae Towuse has not, asMr, Havesimplics, Weo Mr. Haves omits all referonces todeficlencies the oro other deficits, ono of $240,000 for exten- sion of water-pipes, resulting from expendi- tures under appropriations in excess of orin tho absenco of the taxlovy. This particalar deficlt §s covered by an appropriation in the present Approprintion bill. It is probable, indood it may be considered as cortain, that almost all the uncollected taxes which had accrued beforo the Fire have boon loat, as the tax-books, delinquent-lists, records of suits, eto., were totally destroyed at the time the city was burned, and they 1ay s well be so treated in the city's books; better charge Thero is no complaint egainst the City Government that there is a large deficlt—so Mr. Haves calls attention to the fact that 1ho approprintions for tho year 1878-'T4 were $0,000,000, and says that tho sum was half oxpended when his Admin{stration came into office, and that no tax-levy had been mado, The deloy in making tho levy grew out of delay in making tho equalization ofter tho return of tho assessment-books, or some such cause: but at all events it wes wado within the time designated by the law, ‘Tho Appropristion bill, including all the items which were carried over the Mayor's veto, amounted to-§6,008,687, ‘The valua. tion of the tazable property was §811,084,000, and the tax-levy was 18 mills, which would produca If collected the sum of &5,609,412, leaving $454,420 to bo ralsed from licenses, finey, rents, eto., which just sbout mwount to that sum i carefully collected. Thus the tax-levy was ample to meet all tha appropri. atfons it it had besn collected. But Mr, Haivzs says in his dispatoh thad more THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: TUESDAY,: MARCH 14, 1870, than half of the approprintions had been oxpended on tho 18t of Decombor when his Administration came into office, which wo presnme is truo, But he omits to stato that eight months of that fiscal year had nlso ex- pired, and these are tho months botween March and Deoombor, which conrumo alto- gether the most monoy. Itis during this poriod that sowerngo mains and pipes are Inid and water-pipes are put down, nud sireots are graded, ropnired, and clenned, and achool- houses, polico nnd fire stations and bridges oro constracted, and noarly nll the honvy ex- ponges incurred; aud thora romained only the four winter months, from the 1t of Do- cember to the 1kt of April, to provide for, and nearly haif tho approprintion Mr. Iayes admits was then unoxpended, At tho com- mencement of the next flseal year, April 1, 1874, thero must have heon n very largo un- cxpended balaice from the appropriations of tho provious yenr, of which the Comptroller makes no mention, The Mayor in his various talks upon this snbject of tho city credit attributes whatevor difficulties may exist, in the way of solling city certificates, to Tnz Tnwuns and other papers. Ho far na this papor is concornad, it hins boen governed by tho highest regard for the credit and honor of thecity. We havo opposed the issno of loan-cortificates of the character iasued by the Comptroller for soveral montha past, because wo do not be- lievo thore is nany logal authority therefor indoed, wo think their issue is prohibited by law. 8o long as tho understanding was thnt they wero issued under the charter of 18659, and that such charter was still in forco, there wos an assumed anthority for temporary lonns in that form ; but when the charter of 1875 was declared by the Court in full forco, repealing all provious and inconsistent char- ters sud laws, and containing nn absolute prohibition of the croation of any indebted- nesa ‘“in any manner for any purpors,” we were compelled to considor that cortificates of loans professing to bo lssned undor au. thority of arcpealed and defunct law wero not legal. Wo have contended that these certificates shall all bo paid; have advocated an annual appropriation to provide s fund to enable the city to meot its deficiencies, snd havo urged that the city abandon any further issua of cortificates in their present illogal form. . ‘We havo no doubt that a form of cortificate of indebteduess can bo devised, which, while not in the form of a bond or a note, will to thie holder ba evidence of lator performed or supplies furnished, and will be legal. Such certificates, while not negotiable na loans by tho million of dollars at a time, ought to servo sufficiontly to bridgoe over temporary wants of ravenne, and at tho same timo not be open tothe objection of illegulity. But the City Government reject all advice, ‘The Council persists in lavish expenditures, continues useless soffices, will not reduco salaries, refuses appropristions to meet ita overduo linbilities, and persists in issuing the illegal cortificates. This is in keoping, however, with the peraistonce of tho Mayor, who, taking advantsge of a legal complicn- tion in the Supreme Court, continues to usurp the offica of Mayor againat the unani. mous desire and appeal of the tax-payers that Lie resign or quit or allow them to eloot his successor, BELENAP ARD FORT SNELLING, In thelight of tho recont exposure of ox-Soc- rotary BeLENAP a8 6 bribo-taker, the scandal of two or three years ngo rolative to the Fort Bnelling frand is invested with a new interest, and the strong suspicion raised at that time of tho Sceretary's dishonest motives in tho sottlement of the claim receives o confirma- tion from the later demonstration of his cor- ruption, It is pertinent, therefore, to ro- count at this time the history of tho Fort Snelling reservation. Tho Government owned some 8,000 acrea of land on the Mississippi River, not far from St. Paul, which lhnd been reserved for the location of o fort, It waos thought some twonty yearsngo that this would be an ox- cellont sito for o city, and one Fraxzrmv SrrELE, early in Mr, BuciaNan's Administra- tion, mnde tho Government an offor of $110- 000 for tho land, which was refused. In 1857, o year later, whon J. B. TFroxp had become Socretary of War, and notwithstanding tho rejection of his provious offer of $110,000, STeELE was encouraged to make another bid of only $00,000, paysblo in three equal instaliments ; and this offer Froyp acceptod. The sale wos consummatod 80 far as one pay- ment of $£30,000 could do so; but beforo it wont any further it attraoted the attention of Congress, and a committeo of the House, aftor having investigated tho sale, roported it 88 fraudulent and as having beon made by the Secrotary of War without authority of law, In the meantime, though the original con. tract stipulated that the deeds should not pass until the full amount- of moncy had been paid, Foyp evidently becamo alarmed at tho Congressional investigation-and gava Breeve o titlo to the property, $60,000 atill remeining unpaid. This additional sum never was paid, as o matter of fact, so that tho salo waa not only void ab initio by renson of its fraudunlent character, but nlso from the failuro of the purchaser to pay tho -money as stipulated in tho contract. Dut Brerwx was in possession, and when tho War came on ho permitted o part of the land to bo occupied by the Btateof Minnesota as a rondezvous for troops, and it was nlso ocoupied subsequently by the United Btates ns a recruiting station. Tho parties claiming tho ownership made it profitable by tolls from g ferry which they operated; but, nfter & time, a rontal wis demanded from the Unitdd Btates of $2,000 a month for ocoupying a por. tion of tho land, which would have been at the rate of 27 per cont on the entire cost, or 80 per cent on the actual paymont of £20,000, Bocratary SranTon persistently re. fused to allow this preposterous claim; but, after Brrxnap camo into office, Breery had the eflrontery to prosent o bill for §102,000 rontal, from which he was willing to deduot {he unpald $00,000 purchase-monoy, leaving bis claln in cash $102,000, Though this roally amounted to the Government's giving Brzxvx the land and paylng Lim $72,000 for taking it, Berzwar allowed the bill j butit waa not paid, In 1870 Brzzre's work bore its fruit. A resolution was passed by Congrevs empower- ing the Boorotary of War to sot apart 1,000 acres of the Fort Snelling lands au & per. manent mibitary reservation, and *to quict the title to sald reservation, and to settle ell clainss n yelation thereto, and for the use and occupation theseof, upon principlesof equity,” Thie resolution placed the matter entirely in the hands of Booretary BerENar, which waa evidontly what the Srzeie party deaired. Barxar appointed a ** Commission" of his own to report an equitsble - adjustment, sud this Commission recommendsd one of two ways, vix.1 (1) Brsiz to rocelve tack his £30,000 paid in 1857, with §37,000 iaterest, and tha Cloverungat lp sefaln thoe 8,000 ncres; or (2) Brerer to rocelve all ,tho land oxcept the 1,000 neros reserved by tho Govornmont withont any further pny- mont, Of course, if one of theso proposi- tions was fair and cquitable tho other wns not. But Becrotary Bruxnar ohose the lat tor. ‘That is, 1,621 ncres of land were ro- sorved for tho Government, togothor with ‘buildings, to offset the unpaid balance owed by 8reese from the fraudulent sale by Frovn, and leaving over 6,000 acros to Srerur. Bub. sequently to this settloment, BreeLr ia bo- lioved to have mold one-linlf tho Iand he recoived for £200,000. Bo tho transaction figured up nccurately ns follows : BrxELX palil for 7,516 acres of land Recelved for 1,528 acrea, Tecedved for $,00 acres, ‘Value of remaining lana, BIEELRY PrOfiteieearirsonensivsarrsnnns $137,309 This wns the profit made by an individual ont of a frandulont contract, which should have boen doclared null ‘and void. BerxNar tried to ahiold himself behind the nct of Congresa and the report of his y¢ Commission.” But tho nct of Congress simply authorized him to sottlo the claim * upon principlos of equity,” while the fact is that he gavo the Goyernment intorests no consideration whatover; and his Cotmission, in making two recommendations utterly at varinnco with each othor, should have been ignored. The faot is that ho per- mitted the Government to bo defranded ont of nearly half o million of dollars in a trans. nction where he had full discrotion to act; and, while it was passed over nt tho timoe ns a **mistake,” it has o differont look now thnt ho is n self-confessed bribe-taker, It is n cnso ‘which will well bear reopening and a now in- vostigation by Congress, unless the Demo- cratio majority in that body is deterred from it by tho fact that it goes back into a Demo- cratio Administration of the Government when the fraud originated. REOPENING OF CLAINS, Ex-Secretary WeLLes is now testifying bo- foro o committeo of Congresa rolative to clnims in the Navy Depnrtmont which he had rojected and refused to pay during his ad- ministration, but which Bocretary Ronesox hos since taken up and paid, Tho nature of Mr. Werres' téstimony has not beon made public, aud it is not possiblo to say whothor it will tend to inculpato the present Secre- tary of the Navy or mot, But it is protty certain that any frauds, or favoritism, or mis- appropriation of funds, or allowsnce of claims that ought to Lave beon rejected, which may bo dizcovered, will be found to bé among the claims that had beon previously thrown out. At all ovents, it is the privilege and practice of reopening old rojected claims with every ohango in tho head of the Dopart. ment that leads to a very large proportion of the departmental frauds and wasto of the public moneys. The Government claimant nover dies, or if ho does his claim is o legaoy, aud” is prosccuted, if necossary, for genorations to come. Every new Beorotary is besleged with claims that his predecossors have rojected, though rojection ought to ba s bar against their consideration by a mew Bacretary without specinl suthority from Congress. The only way in which the temptation and sbuses of this practice can bo eradicated is by the passago of a law by Congress which shall forbid tho consideration of a claim byany department aftor it has beon onco canvassed and rejected, except by the spocial instruc. tions of Congress itself. There will be no injustico in alaw of this kind, 'Tho rojection of aclaim is pretty good ovidenco thatitis invalid and unjust, for the process is so long, and the avonues of roaching it 50 numerous, that o final disposition is protty sure to be correct if it has been honestly considered ; and o rojection is better ovidenco of an honest consideration than an allowanco, The prosent practice, on the contrary, presonts a continuous opportunity for swindling tho Government, The fraud. ulent claimant simply bides his time. Ho attacks evory Secrotary who comes into office, and waits till he finds one who is cither stupid enough or dishonest enough to allow what his moro eapablo or moro conscientious predeceasors had rojocted. Itis in this way that tho notorious jobs have beon worked out. Tho Fort Bnelling swindle was thrown out by Becrotary Branton only to be realized ina moro outrageous form under Brixvar. So tho Kentucky Central Railrond claim, which Bzrxvar allowed Mr. Penoreroy, had suc. cesslvely been rojocted by SrtaxTon, Somo. yizep, and Raweins, Tho CmorreNNING, BE- con, ond all tho other noted claims would have been dead long ngo if thero had been a law of Congresa forbidding n reopening of any claim once rejocted, without o special act of Congress, The Democrats in Congress can gerve the canso of reform, if they desire to do 80, by passing such a law. THE WHISKY PROSECUTIONB, For some days past tho enterprising re- porters have gathered togothor and presented in vory readable shape n mass of gossip con- corning Messrs. Renat and Heamve and thoewr alleged negotiations with the District-Attor- ney relative to ¢* laying down," ¥ giving up,” 4 gquenling,” and tho other slang processcs by which mon engsged in defrauding the revenuo have oourted immunity from the Gov- ernmont by confesaing their guilt and impli- cating others. Just how much truth thero is in all tho statementa that havo been made, just how much Reus and Hesivg ars willing to confess if at all, and just how much thoy are able to implicate others, cannot definitely be determined, sinco the Distriot-Attorney discroetly and properly refralus from reveal. ing the Government's socrets. But it is pretty certain that something of the kind s going on, and it is proper that the QGgqvernment officials both hore and in Washington should recelve a hypothetical warning before the ¢ laying down” and 4 giving up " go any further, And the warn- ing ia this; If thero has beona gigontic Whisky Ring in Chicago, and if Messrs. Renx and Hesmoe have been conspicuous beneflclariea of the spoils, public justico witl demannd their punishment in a degree equal to that meted out to any others similiarly {mplicated in the frauds. It {8 truo that they were not Governmont office-holders, but neither la thefr offonse that of the dlstil- lers who ylelded to blackmall, If they were guilty at all, they were guilty of the charge of conapirnoy,which would make them blackmallers rather than the sufferers from Dlackmail, We dealre that they should have & full and fair trial, and hope their innosence may be established. But if they plead gullly, Jet it be at tho meroy of tha Oourt, and not with the understanding that guilty men are to escape, unless the prosecutlon is prepared to accept slmilar plens from all the other par- tieaand then turnthem loose also, Thegentla mon ropresenting the Governmont proseou- tion here must protect themselves from the reductio ad abrurdum wo Bapplly put by Mr, Woiaso Woopiad in # recsad com. munication to Tor Tainuxg, in which he safd ¢ Bix mon aroengsgod In chesting the Govarnment. The Governmont has poaitive evidencs auatust tho alzth, Thoalxth tella what ho knows against the Afth, and bocomes a valuablo citizen, and e Jet off, The Afth **lays down * on the fourth, contribuies his mite to the common fund of crookedness, and is smiled upon. The fourth aqueals on {ho third, bLecanse in- valuable ana witness, and s troated tenderly. The tliird opoun negoliations wiil Washington, and fx lot off for glving sway No. 2, No, 3 is angry, swearn, and mako n clean hreast, and glves thoe ¢ bottom facts ' of No, 1, and {a kindly coverad up for making the con- s sy viction of No, 1 sore, No. 1 runs away, guflty man escsped 72 'T'his is n hypothetical case, but thoe Gov. ornment officers who should permit it to be realizod would not escape sovero and morited public censure, TRE LOAN ‘‘ORDINANCE.” One of the numorous law-advisora of the Oity Govornment, through the editorial col- umns of the Post and Mail, states that Tre ‘LrinuNs admits that tho elty might Lorrow money under tho chartor of 1805-'0, oven aftoer the ndoption of the Constitution. Wo ns. snmed that, though the Constitntion was odopted in 1870, in tho absenco of any legis- lativo application of the Coustitution to the old charter tho lattor might bo considered as continuing in operation. But when tha charter of 1872 was declarsd in 1875 to have beon edopted, and to boin {full forco in Chicago, tho case was altogother changod ; it directly applied the prohibitions of tho Constitution, and mads them part of the new charter. 'Tho law is plain and direot. Tho provisions of tho old chartor applicablo to this matter read s follows ¢ Act of Feb, 13, 1805, Ser, 35—~To provide for month- 1y, or any othar, payments which shall have been ng- thorized by the Common Gouncil, and roquired to bo made at any time Lefora tho collection of the taxes of any yoar, the Comptroller maoy, with the sanction of the Mayor and Financo Comuilttes, borrow the neces- nary monoy for s timomnot longer than tha lst dsy of ‘February noxt thereaftor. Act of April 19, 136, S¢e, T—Tho Mayor and Comp- troller may make tomporary loans to pay apocial as- sessments agninst city proporty when due, and may makoall temporary loans, now provided for, falling dun on the 1at day of June of esch yoar, Here is the point-blank provision inthe now chartor which took effect in April, 1875 ¢ Aur, V., 8r0. 1, The Olty Gouncil in citfes, snd the Board of Trustoea in villagoa, shall have the following Dowers ¢ Fifth—To borrow money on the credit of the corpo- Tation for corporate purposes, aud issuo bonds thers- for, in such smounts and form aud on such conditions 03 it sbiall proscribo, bu shatl not become indebled in any manner ar for any purposs o an amount, inolud- ing exlsting indeblodness, in tho. aggreasta to oxceod #ive (8) per centum on thio valuo of the taxable proper- ty thorein, o ba aacertained Ly the last sssessment for Btato and county taxes provious to tho incurring of much tndobtedness; and, boforo or at the time of fn~ curring any fudebtedness, shall pravide for the colleo- tion of & direct annual tax sufliclent to poy the interest ou such debt aa it falla due, and also to pay and dis- chiarge tho principal thereof, within twenty years after contracting the same, In tho faco of these conflicting provisions, the latter repealing the former, the City Gov- ernmont now issues cortificates signed by the Mayor, Comptroller, and City Clerk, which recito ; This loon hoviog been suthorized by Bec, 25 of amendments o the city charter, approved Feb, 15, 1865, and by Soc. 7 of an act of the Goneral Assembly of the State of Tllinols, amending the clty chartor, spproved April 19,1809, The writer in tho Post and Mail states that the new charter provides “*thatall ordi. nancos , ., in force in auny ecity or town when it shall organizo under this act shall continue infall forco and offect until ropealed or amendod, notwithstanding such chango of organization ;" and cites the faot that the Common Counail, between the date of the adoption of tho new charter and tho doclara- tion of its being in force, passed *‘an ordi- nance " nuthorizing the Mayor and Comptrol- lex, etc., to borrow money. 3 This is wretchedly weak. The authority of the city to borrow monoy was derived from nn nct of tho Legislature; it could not b obtained olsowhero, The Common "Coun- cil could not undor any charter authorize the city officors to borrow money. The passago of this ordinance in May, 1875, must have been based upon the theory that the charter provisions of 18630 were ropoaled by tho new charter, TUpon any other hypothesis the ordinance wans an -ab- surdity. That it was an absardity is shown by the fact that the Comptroller ignores it altogether, and writes on the faco of his loan- oortificates that they aro issued under the aots of 1865-91 and not by virtue of the ab- surd ordinance of May, 1875. If ho loans on tho Iatter, and supposes that it confers nu- thority to issmo cortificates of indobtedness, why has ho not 8o rocited on tho facs of the cortificato, inatond of continning to zecite tha dond charter provisions as hia authority ? The writer in the evening paper thinks that the Bupreme Court in trenting this case would rogard tho antagonism betweon the Constitution of the State and this absurd city ordinnnce as o * conflict of laws," and would in interest of equity set asida the Con. atitution of Illinois to give eoffact to an ordf- nance of tho Council authorizing the Comp- troller to borrow money to an indefinite amount for indeflnito purposes! Mr, Hayes shows his good sense in giving that “ ordinance™ @& wide borth, and keoping ss far away from it as if it had the small-pox. In our Washington dispatches this morn. ing will be found a synopsls of the report of Judge Lawnexce, of tho ¥ouss Judiclary Committes, on tho debt of tho Pacific Rail. ronds to the Government, from which it appears, as the matter now stands, that thore is ovory prospect tho United States will lose not loss than $150,000,000 on account of the ronds, The main features of the remedy proposed by Judge LAwnNoE are the with. holding of payment to the Companies for transportation of the mails, etc.; requiring them to pay into the Troasury, semi-annu- ally, for the vedemption of subsidy bonds, such sums as the Socrotary shall deaignate ; and the prohibition of the payment of divi. donds until principal and interest of the sub. sidy bonds is provided for, The ‘‘mnking | of a cnse” beforo the Supreme Court, to sooure, if possiblo, a roversal of the decision that the Government cannot withhold pay. ment to the Companles for transportation of the mails and troops and apply the nmount upon the Jompanics' dabt, is also proposed by Judge Lawnzxox. 014 *Uncle Daszern" haa followed the ous- tom of tho tims, and “laid down." Mr, Daew has boen one of tho largest, and also one of the mennest, operators in \Wall street for many years. Ho s entitled to little or no sympathy in his financlal troubles,—cer. talnly not to so much es his creditors, for Lo never settled his contracts until ho was foroed to do so. Inspite of his pretentious connection with one of the churches, Mr, Daxw has been nothing more nor less than o hugo gambler, and his practices have fre. quently been 23 reprehonsible and demioraliz. ing a4 those of the man who presides over a forg-table, The groas amount of his Usbilie ties, meoured apd unyeoured, is stated ab $1,5600,000, It ls doubtful whether Lis conte tributions of 240,000 5 \be Diew Theoe logical Bominary at Madison, N, J., $100,000 to the Wosleyan University at id. dioton, Conn., will hold, thongh they are neoured by mortgages on his farms. Thoso donations woro made, as i alloged, aftor his finaneial troubles begau, and Mr. Drew searcely hing tho right to givo away his crod- itors' money. The announcoment of the death of Wrre- an 8. Ronmvson (* Warrington,” of the Bpringfleld Republican) will bo recoived with regrot by the Inrgo circlo of readors who found in his lotters to that journal for many years gomo of tho brightent, fairest, and most intelligant critiolsm on ourrent politica pub. lished in this country., Mr. RobisroN was n native of Concord, Mass., and at his death was aged 58, Aftor tho usual courso at tho common Achool, in 1838, when he was but 20 years of ngo, ho romoved to Lowell, and with Gon. Winntax BSonotien established the Lowell Courier. Upon the nomination of Gen. Tavron for Presidont, out of personal opposition to him as tho candidato, Mr. Ron. 580N bolted and withdrew ftom thoe Courder, Bubsequently ho established the Repub. lican ot tho same city, and from thonce removed to DBoston, where lo was connoctod with the Zelegrapk, and later, ns tho leading editorinl writer, with the Atlas. Ho was n momber of the Masga- chusotts House of Ropresentativea for threo terms, and during his service ns such wroto n valusble work on parlinmentary law. Ile was a stanch Ropublican from the organiza- tion of tho party, and, though sometimes un. sparing in his criticism of leadors and party mensures, continued such until his death. Ho was an intimato friend of SusmNER, Abaus, E. R. Hoan, and the Massnchusotts Repub- licans of that stamp. His chief roputation was gainod as * Warrington,” of the Spring- ficld Republican. His lettors wero charactor izod by freedom and boldness of thought, without any approach to reckless independ. once ; his oriticlams wore keen nnd bright, ‘but conscientiously made, and his insight of offairs was of penctrating, comprohensivo seopo that® gave zest to all that ho wrote, while his stylo was ndmirablo. He loaves in this city a aister, the wife of Mr. Huxsxx, of tha New Covenant, The Now York ZVmes, which scoms dis- posed to more than half-way support the sil- ver-rosumption scheme, wants somebody to tell why, if tho silver dollarof tho present atandand is of less valuo than the greenbnck dollar, nobody wishes to exchango silver dol- lars for groonbacks. The answor is simpla onough, 8ilver coin rates according to its in- trinsio value in gold, whichmakes it worth be- twoon 1and 2 per cont loss than the greon- back. But the Government holds nmonopoly of tho silver colnage, and will only farnish silvar coin at its face valuo in gold, The subsidiary silver coin can bo bought at the mint, but the mint does not, s in tho caso of gold, coin silver bullion for private parties, except only tho trads-dollar, tho standard of which isin tho neighborhood of 3 per cent nbovo that of the subsidiary coinage, and con- soquantly is worth betweon 1 and 2 per cent more than greenbacks. Wero silver bullion coinod at the mint as gold is, probably plen- ty of people could be found who would rendily exchango their silvercoin for green. backs, and at tho present gold value of the latter would be gainers by the operation. Tho BeruNAP oxposure has had tho offeot to strengthen the domand for officiont honesty in office ; and, us it naturally never oceurs to any one tolook to the Democratic party to furnish efficlont honesty, that demand has resulted in fotching Secrotary Brisrow into groater prominenco 0s s proper porson for nomination at Oincinnati, Naturally, thero- fore, tho mud-flingers of the Democracy are hastoning to attompt to besmirch Bnisrow ; and the rag-baby Oincinnati Enguirer, nc- cording to tho eternal fitness of things, lends off by attompting to connect him with tho Lazur cotton-claim, Tho ZKnguirer, how- ever, overshoots tho mark, sinco, whatever may havo been the merita or demerits of the caso, it was passed upon by the Court of Clalms, tho judgment of which the Becrotary had no power to reverse orreviow, and which, 83 o mero ministerial act, it was his duty to poy. RUBINSTEDH I8 to bo hanged on the 24th, e s Vox Burow's groatest rival, with (ho solo exception of Liszr, and & composor of & genius closs ressmblis that of CuopIN, It is sad that & man so talent ‘sbould provo to bo 80 great s criminal} but tho in. EvoxNm Anam, Dr, WxpeTzl snd others point to tho conclusion that men of groal intetloct are often dostituts of morul chiaracter,—Chi- cago A'vmea, March10, # It is sald toat RupexeTen is & Pollsh Jow, and probably never played on any musical instra- mont of & higher grade than his national harp, It bis gontus doos resemble that of Omorix, 8o much tho worse for OmoPDN, who has hitherto ‘boen considered a tolerably good sart of fellow, «a muslolans go, There is » report ourrent on the stroet that the Hon, Jonx WantwonTy, lu order to sot an example for thoso having mo interest in good olty eovernmont, hag oxpressed a willingness to run for Alderman in the now First Ward, If the rumor is true the Republioans of the Firat ocannot do battor than to take the old man at his word. With Long Joux from the northern end of the ward, and, eay, Mr, J. H. Dusuaxt from the southern end, the Firat, which pays more taxes than any other thres wardsin tbe city, would be really well represented in the Common Council. PERSONAL. Carl Bcburz rejoices i the birth of a son. ‘Emly Faithfull desires to have It known that nhe likes ‘ unladyliko girls.,” Belknap demands an {nvestigation and an op- portunity to vindioate himaelt,” Miss Lotta, the accress, {a bulldiog » finevilla st Oakland, opposits Ban Francisco. Mr, George Washington Childs, poot laurcate of Philadelphia, owns the original manusoript of 4 Qur Matual Friend,” Jeass Pomeroy, the boy murderer of Doston, hes strong hopes of a pardonj if helived in Tllinots hio would Le sure of one, Rignold fa to reappear at Booth's Theatro in + Henry V." st the conclusion of the run of # Julins Crosar,” which is to be transferred to Philsdelpbia shortly. ‘The Liberals in religlon, represented by the Index, of which Francls Ellinwood Abbots is editor, propose to hold s Centonnlal Congresa at Thiladolphia, on or before July ¢, Tho inatatlation of Robert L. Collier as pastor of the Second Unitarlan Church at Boaton will tako place Wednesdsy eveulng, the Rev. Bobert Collyer, of Cbiosgo, preaching the sermoa, Mra. Holloway, who was during Presldent John s0n's termy A member of his family at the White. House, s now on the editorial staft of the Brook. lyn Kagle, sad is & bright and socomplisued Journalist, The new play by D, R, Looks and Obarles Gayl ntitied * Infatlon,” will be brought out for the firat time at the DBuffalo Assdomy of Musio, Maroh 27, Mr., Joha W. Jeanings will impersonate Nasby. Mrs, Balknap,” saye the Brookiyn Argus, + wears & No, 0 kid-xlove, but whea ahs nervouse 17 aitts her Liy-white digits through the strands of wmop, sad remarka, with trea femining sun and p * Ob, {f that wers only Hioster Olymey, woolI' one immodiately reslizes how littls tny nizo of 8 woman's hand has to do with itsep. pacity for war.” A tonder-heartod membor of the Massachy, sotts Logialaturo saw Pond, the forgor, in faj and wopt for bim, It is too soon to weep fo Belknap, but porsons wo disposed may drop . toar for Boss Twood. Gon. Dabcock rofases to admit or deny tnyy ho furnishod Pierrepont'a clreular lottor to biy attornoys for publication, but ho does say mog; omphatically that no lottors used by him wapy wurreptitiously obtained. Committeos have boon formed in Englang, Tolland, and other countries, for tho purposs of recelving subscriptions for a atatuo of Spinogy at tho lague, Tho 200th saniversary of hiy doath ocours next March, Thoe more enumoration of the titles of (i books {n r. John Forater's library, boquestheq to Bouth Kensington AMusoum, !filla 272 eloasl;. piinted octavo pagoa of a catalogus which jy only pariislly complotod, onding with the lotter T Tho most pitifal thing abont poor Mra, Xel, kuap's easo is, that she cannot bo made to sos tly enormity of hor offenso. The Bpilngflold K. publican says her roported remark that sho only did what others wore doing rocalls poor Lady Mordaunt, Tho New York Herald Paris corrospondeny tolegraphis ¢ ** Tho last vagary In oveniug cus. fumes for ladics in o return to olasslo siyles, The dresses are worn attached to a olssp at thy shoulder, loaving tho arms baro and the bosp rockleealy decollelee.” Olive Logan writes from Washiogton tha| John A, Logan has tho handsomest hoad of hair in tho Beoate. "It im eoft, silky, long, and black aa jot.” IIs la earclosa of dress, tho vor. respondent thinks, and only uses clothes at al] booauso they aro & necessity. Pauline Lucca ia announcoed to play thoe princh pal part in tho revival of L'Africaine ™ at s Grand Opern-llonso in Paris, Bhe areated thy part in London fn 1864, but it ls now doubleg whethor the Parisians will consont to laton lo tho wifo of » Pruasian oflicor, Prince Lelningen, who 8o brilliantly diatins guishiod bimsolf in running down tho Miatlatoo, is now to be appointed to flag rank. Tho com. mand of tho Victorla and Albort will, it instated, bo given to Commodore Bir Willism N. W, Hourtt, K. C. B\ menior officor on the fVeet Const of Africa, W. F. G. Shanks, city editor of the Tribunect Now York, has not joined the Tammany Hall Demooracy, ad atated, Mr. SBhaoks has always been & Republioan, though a native of il Bouth, He is a mombor, howover, of ths Columbian Ordor, sometimos known as tho Tam- many Society, but it has no connoction whatarer with politica. Tuo Iato Governor of Maryland, James Black Groome, the preaont Governor, John Lee Car- roly, and the presont Mayor of Baltimores, Fordi. naund O. Latrobe, woro all unmarried until o foy deys ago. Carroll and Latrobe are widowers, but Groomo waa a bachelor. His wedding took placo last weok, and the othor two are tols married beforo tha yoar fa out. ‘Cho band of tho Fifth Michigan Voluntoers sorenaded Lincoln, Tho cornet player, Honry Korns, was very fat, and'tho President remari- ed, ** You ara the biggest blower I ever saw.” ‘The anccdote is rovived by the suicide of Eorn, in Detrolt, fu consequence of the obesity which gave nso to Lincoln’a joke, Of lato yeors ho grovw largor steadily, and at last boosme too fat to blow n cornet. Lack of employmont mado him despondont, and ho cut hus throat, Julls Ward Howe finda in o recent leap-year party this losson : ** Place s man undor the samo dlsabilities which everywhers rostrain women from freo natural action, aud ho at ouco fools hla impotonce, aud is na much crippled by tho arttficial rostriction a8 any woman onn bo, On the other band, give to women, for one hour evon, tho freedom which mon claim, and tley ‘wiil show quite the same power of enjoying and using it, and will posaibly display more delicacy and generosity in ita nse," Alr, Healoy, tho Chicago artist, has completod sovoral portralts sinco his arnival fn Washing- ton. Ho flulshed a portrait of Mrs, Bristow in ono morning, Othor porsons painted by him are Asgocisto Justices Olifford, Davis, Bwayae, ‘Ward Hunt, Strong, and Bradloy, of the Su- prema Courl; Mrs. Davis, Alme, de Overbeck, and Mra, Wylie, tho siator of Alr. Bryaa and the wife of Judge Wylle, of tho Bupremo Court of the Distriot, Tho historical painting cntitled ¢ Poaco-Makors," which fa to bo oxhibited by him at the Centonnlal, rapresenta a scono which ocourred on board the stoamer River Queen, lying i tho James Rivor off City Point, when Proatdent Lincoln, Vico-Admiral Porter, Gen. Qraut, and Gen. SBherman met in councll fn 1865, Ricbard Greonough'a statue of John Winthrop, presonted to tho nation by the State of Masua- chusetts, s much admirod in Waahington, Of tho artist Olive Logan writes plessantly: + Groenough {g an artist to whom s & sculptor 1t waa roally & misfortuno that ho should have Lind a brothor who was a great soulptor bofora ho, Richard, bogan hia carcor. Dumgps fila once explained to me how, in much tho samo way, it was nuisiblo to him that his fathor should have Loen tho famous litteratenr. X caonot claim to ‘be an authority on tho subject of * stone gala' o men ; but I will positively assert that I groatly profer Richard Greenough's oqueatrian Washing: ton (Paris salon, 1860) to the ahookdugly uu- olothed Father of His Oountry who eitsius chalr fn the Oapitol grounds, and {8 the work of the more renowned brother, now deceased.” TOTEL ABRIVALS, A, W, Bealoy, New York; E, I, Ar 12, 1, Murdoch, Boatou; John Caus 3. Bulley, Pittsburg; the llon. Bllas ‘Mot and Joun J. T. ¥ b, 1l Golumizms, 0. 7. L , Phlladelphia; Wallice , Hartford; untington, Davenport.... Grand Puc(fie=Tbe Hou, A, E, Elmore, Yort low: aci tho o, Thomas Murhy, Drookiyan; ho Hot. Francis Campbell; Gov, J. Lo avnrm.\o, Hpringtield} J.B. Oliver, Milwaukeo; N, J. l’o;:g.m, Qmahaj tha ITon, 0, B, 8kinner, Claveland; the Hoa, . J, L Moyers, Fond du Lao: ‘A, P, Swineford Mfnira’ Jour- Marquaite; ex-Mayor Il L, Biragg, Allany; the Hon, M, ‘Wood, Bt, Paul....Ivenions Jiouse—The Hon, J. H, Sturtovant, Boaton ; J, D, Buchanau, Qe M, & PL RO B, ; Col. J. 11, Pittabiurg’; O, A, ininati dapan; 3. B Conred), diflavurg: tha Mo, William Hunt and lhll? n\m& Cilnton, Ia; 1, & Adams, New York; M, Fay, Ditlaburgs , D, Dausher, Kan Francsco, Calj the liom Ghrisiopher Moy, Galveston, = Tex.....dnerumdn Iouse—d, G, Pangborn, Kanasa Gity. dvmies rs, Emms Waller, New York; Qen. i . Beach, Philadelphis; tho Hon, D, M. Beldon, Milwaukeos L Lon. 3. A Boyd, Providanoe: the Hom. J, 3. e ¥rosporty N, Il Pliolps and J, 1L Magabigl, Neo York; ¥, O, Cutlar, Stlliwater; 0, W. Ki Jullen Histhews' Opera Froupe; Col, G Montague, AMich.; Thomes Darwin, 8t Gardrer Nouse—Iamen Lang, Boston'; tha Rov . Guilel, Galoa; W, G. Davis and wife, aud the Mlreot Davis, New York} J, B. Barnes, Jonfersonille; James Drown, Jersey; W. it. Miller, Wchmond; 0, 3T, Btock- w York; J, T, Mar{in, Lansing; Aixs Bars Maryland, ' asle, ) #Joba Paul" eaw the Queen ride insist through the streots of London to open Parlly ment, The exclamations of -the populace rath® surprised blm; ¢ ¢I just thoughs I'djeoro od and aee tha old girl,' aald ooe. *Do yoa thio! » follow can get a squint st har wencrable physt hog?*' ssked another. I should never bars known that {hess remarks all round me weré ‘forvent expreusions of loyalty heard ou over) -(d-" but for the Times newspaper nexs 0/ R —_— RAILROADS AND THE CENTENNIAL o the Fditor of Tha Chioago Tridune: M7, Przasawr, In, March 10,—When I frst saw the reault of the conventian of railrosd ofii- cials In refercnoe to Centonnial rates, I thoaybt the reduotion made showed very Littls liberality and less wisdom. I do not writa my own opinios alone, but that of & lsrge number in our Slat¢ who wish to attend the Qentennial. Why coult 10t 85 or 40 per cent réduction at least bave beot ven, with fairness to all aud greater profis 4 o ralirosd companiea? It sppears to mas) Deopla thas the railroads seok to make an snod mous profit from the patriotism of the peoplo. ) 10 reality, they will .,5{'8“‘ 8 vory M‘E '3 umn‘ ! frota e hudosds