Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, November 26, 1876, Page 4

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1876—SIXTEEN PAGES. the wounded on the battle-field, the havoe | The Tribmue. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. PATABLE IN ADVANCR—POSTAGE PREPAID AT 2 THIS OFFICE. Tafly Edition, postpald, 1y St ; su?d-yhfi?fi Literary and Religious Double & Tri-Weekiy, postpald, Furts of 8 year, per month... WEEKLY EDITION, POSTPAID. Ope cops. per year. e 150 Club o ’;l"m 6.00 Clubof twes Postage yre) Specimen coples sent free. To prevent delay ad mistakes, be sure and give Post- ©Ofice nddress n 1ll, fncluding State and County. Remittances may be made cither by draft, express, Post-Ofice order, or I registerca letters, at our risk. 7ERNS TO CITY SUBSCRIBBES. Tafly, del'rered. Sunday exceptod, 25 cents per week. Lafly, dedvered, Sunday included, 50 cents per week Adrress THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, Corper Madison and Dearborn-sts., Chicago, SOCIETY MEETINGS. toall comers. There has not been aSun- day, no matter how stormy or disagreesble, that the large suditorium has mot been crowded to overflowing with & congregation that included all shades of religious belief, from the Hebrew to the Roman Catholic. the close of the year, it Now, near is found thpt there is & surplus of nmearly 2,000 over and above all the expenses, so that it has been deter- mined to lower the stale of seats engaged for the year, and give many places at the rate of S10 and $15, which last year could not be secured for less than §20, though some of the choice places have been made & little higher to maintain the revenue. It has also been decided to give those who have had their seats during the present year the privilege of retaining them during the com- ing year, and to this end the present seat~ owners will have-the choice from Dec. 4 to Dec. 11, after which the choice will be ex- tended to the public generally. The surplus revenue will be retained as part of a fund for HESPERTA LODGE. Xo. 411, A., F; & A, M.—Reg- 1 munication on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 g-c'xficc‘if“gnrfln ‘the Third Dogres. Visitiog Brethren vaeo- sertially CIIAS. 7. BRENAN, W. M. CEAS. F. FOERSTER, secretary. CHICAGO COMMANDERY, XO. 19 K. T.—At- oioh S Aol Epecial Conclive Monday even: ing, Nov. 7. ai7:30, for {mportat buriness, A ful tiendance is d N0, MCLAREN, CHAYLES J. TRHOWBRIDGE, fecorder. XTHIAX CHAPTER NO. 63, B. A. M.—Regu- 158 oA ton Mondsy veaing, Nov. 2. Work on el k. degrec. By Ordgh, mEnDERSON, B.P. YETTE CHAPTERNO. 2, R. A. M.—Hall 72 N’;:!EfilL»SIEISg COIIE\.-K\'B Monday evenlng, Nov. z X for buginess and work an . degree. I e AR Y TOCR TR, Becreraty. LITAN LODGE NO. g K. OF P.—Glve Al Sotianig st tba Mastéaon House, on ‘TLanksgiving Eve, Nov. 29, 1876, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1876. At the New York Gold Exchange on Satur- day greenbacks closed af 913 Among Gen. HumpmREYS' estimates for xiver and harbor improvements for the com- ing year is the item of $150,000 for Chicago ‘barbor. Ex-Secretary Bristow, having had his at- tention called to the recent whisky article in the New York Sun reflecting upon Presi- dent GRaNT, informed the reporter that he ’had authorized no one to undertake, nor had be himself considered it necessary to make, any defense of his administration while Sec- retary of the Treasury, as he felt that his officisl conduct needed no vindication. The General added that several matters con- tained in the Sun article were entirely new to him. One of the complaints of the Louisiana Confederates was that none of the candidates for Presidential Electors was permitted to be present at the count of the Returning Board. Ex-Gov. WickLrFre, who js one of the Democrafic Electoral candidates, address- ed a letter to the Board asking the pnvilege 1o be present. The Board replied : OrFicE BoArD oF ReToRNiNG OFPICERS, State of Louisians, Senate Chamber. State House, New Or- leans, Nov. 21, 1878.—Sir: In reply to your com- ‘munfcation of this date, I am instructed by the Board to inform you that your request bas been granted, and that you will be sdmitted to the ses- sion of the Board during the canvassing of the Elec- toral vote. Dy orderof the Board, CoarLEes S. ABELL, Secretary. Which spikes that complaint of unfairness and Star-Chamber proceedings. And now Kentacky wheels into the line of doubtfal or disputed Stntes. How in the world can that be? Simply because the cit- izens of that State have retained the gicavoce system of voting, and generally contented themselves with saying, ““I vote the Demo- cratic ticket,” or “I vote for Trupex and Hrvpnsess,” thus ignoring altogether the conslitutional machinary of an Electoral College. It is said that the only two Elect- ors chosen in that State are Trpex and Hexpricss, who, being non-residents, can- not serve. This makes confusion a little ‘worse confounded ; but, as the State has a clear Democratic majority of 50,000, or 60,000, or 70,000, perkaps Mr. TiDEN'S friends won't maise the same trouble about thiis irregnlarity as they are making about regularities in Louisians and South Caro lina, The Chieago produce markets wers mod- erately active Saturday, and irregnlar. Mess pork closed 12}@15c per brl lower, at 74@15.80 for the year and $15.90@ 15.95 for January. Lard closed ic per 100 Ibs lower, at $9.72}@9.75 seller the year and $9.773@9.80 seller January. Meats were a shade essier, at G3c for new shoulders, boxed, 8}c for do shortribs, and 8jc for do short-clears. Highwines were steady, at $1.06} per gallon. Flour was in better de- mandand firm. Wheat closed 3¢ higher, at §1.13 for November and $1.15} for January. Corn closed $@lc lower, at 4ic for Novem- ber and 43{cfor December. Oatsclosed easier, at 521@32{c for November and 33c for Decem- ber. Rye was steady st 66@GGic. Barley closed 4¢ lower, at 63¢ for December and 64c for January. Hogs were quiet and essier, t $5.60@5.85 per 100 Ibs. Cattle were steady, ot §2.50@5.00; and sheep firm. at 4.50. One hundred dollars in gold would buy $109.00 in greenbacks at the dose. The canvassing of the votes of the contest- ed parishes in Louisiana kas not commenced. ‘The consolidated votes of several of the par- ishes, as appeared from the sealed packages, were simply announced yesterdsy. The hearing of testimony and reading of affida- vits will begin on Monday next. When the vote of De Soto Parish was reached yester- day it was discovered that one of the affida- vits juclosed bore date of Nov. 25. As the Clerk had just stated that he received the package on the I8th inst., this discov- ery caused considersble wonderment and not a little suspicion that something was wreng. Senator SRERMAN, representing the Republicans, could not see how the newly- made affidavit could have gotten into the pack- age, and gave as his opinjon that the bundle had been opened since its arrival in New Or- leans. This incident created the first real sensation that hss occurred in the Board, and more will be heard of it when these, tested parishes come up for considerntion next week. The explanation of the Clerk of the Board is that the returns from the parish in question were received by him in separate packages. * The first year of the life of the Central Church (Prof. Swixne’s) is near the close, and a review of its work which we give thismorn- ing, along with the programme for the com- ing year, attests the eagerness with which tbe privilego of s central, independent, and liberal church organization was received and improved by an intelligent public. Within & few days from the time it was announced hst Prof. Swixe would hold regular Sunday service at McVicker's Theatre, a sufficient number of seats were disposed of to nssure all the expenses for the year, and then it was announced that the remainder would be free building & hall in the central part of the city, which has become the more necessary be- cause of the regular church organization, prayer-meetings, and charitable work that have been undertaken by the permanent members. As usnal in sll emergencies, there are plenty of suggestions bearing upon the pres- ent political muddle, the inventors of which are sure will settle the question. It has been gravely proposed to us by one of the people, 25 a sure remedy for the situation and an adequate means of allaying excitement, that both ‘the candidates, Haves snd TmpEv, withdraw their claims to the Presidency, meet together and select some third ‘man, like Caarres "Fraxcis Apaxts or Mr. Brrs- Tow, and that the Electoral College shall then meet and vote for the man whom they select. This would be s very-handsome little arrangement if there were not certain difficulties in the way. We have no doubt that Mr. Haves would doall in his power that would insure peace and prosperity to the country, but we have very grave doubts as to Mr. Twpex in this direction, for the resson that there is mot force enough in Heaven or earth to haul off & Democrat who has come in sight of an office. But suppose they should meet. Mr. Tmoey, of course, would insist upop a Dem- ocrat and Ar. Havrss upon & Republican. How are they to agree? If they shonld agree and unite upon Cmarres Fravos Apaxz, the Republicans would not take him'; if they should unite upon Mr. Baistow, the Democrats “would not take him. If they should get s candidate and give him to the Electoral College, the Electors being com- posed of sovereigns, they would exercise their sovereign choice, and confusion would be twice confounded. Worse than all else, imagine the howl and clamor which would be set up from the thousands of famished Dem- ocrats, whose hopes of office hang upon Trr- Dex’s election! This plan is on a par with the proposal seriously made in New York the other day, that Haves should take two years of the term and Trpex the other two. Then who would have the first half? They might decide it by flipping & copper, but wonld the second man ever get the last half ? If Mr. TrmoEy should get the first half, and taste the sweets of office for two years, would he give them up? CHICAGO'S LEGISLATIVE WANTS, There are some six weeks yet to intervene before the meeting of the General Assembly, and there are many questionsof public inter- est demanding remedial legislation for this city which ought to be considered, snd upon which there should be some preparatory con- certed action. We suppose that the twenty- eight Senators and Representatives from this county are all willing to unife upon any mensure which shall be devised and agreed upon to relieve the City Government of its financial embarrassments. The great embar- rassment of the city, financially, is the fail- ure of revenue to meetthe current expendi- tures, which by law always precede the collection of the tax levied to defrsy them. The appropriations were lawfully made for lawiul purposes; the tax wasleviedin accord- ance with existing laws; but a body of citi- zens filed objections, not to the- lawfulness of the tax, nor to the purposes for which the tax was levied, but to the manner and form in which it was undertaken to collect the tax. Under this objection, taxes amount- ing to nearly $2,000,000 failed to be col- lected. Under the pecaliarity of the Revenue act of the State thers is no provision of law under which this tax can now be collected. The law does not assume the possibility of a {ailure to collect the city revenue, bLut the fact remains nevertheless that the city law- fully anticipated the collection ‘of all this revenue by making its expenditures, and yet is nnable, for want of legal authority, to en- force its payment. ‘The city is under a most remarkable legal duress. It is, by the State Constitution and laws, compelled -to levy annually a tax to meet the interest on the city debt and to meet oll its current expenses. It is limited by law in its tax-levy to the sum of the an- nual sppropriations alrendy made. Of necessity it must approprinte and must ex- pend, before it can levy or colles$ the tax necessary to cover the appropriations. After it has thus approprinted and expended the amount of its approprintions, as required by and arrested the collection of the revenue; this arvest is not made because of any ille- gality in the amount or object of the tax, nor upon any allegation of fraud, corruption, or unfairness, nor because the tax was not honestly and equitably due by the property on which it was levied, but because there ‘was a defect, not going to the merits of the tax, in the I;egnl form of the proceedings to collect. The effect of this judicial interposi- tion has been to leave the city with over two millions of doliars expended under the com- pulsory requirements of law, and without that much ;revexme with which to pay this two millions of dollars, and without any legal power, to proceedin any way to collect that sum of taxes remaining due and unpaid. Nor does the embarrassment stop there, The city is restrained by law from borrowing the money to coverthe deficit. The deficit iiself is in owe sense pronounced illegal, and its payment is absolutely prohibited except out of {he proceeds of this very tax which the Courts say cannot be compulsorily collected, and which, in the sbsence of any law, ean only be collected by the voluntary action of the delinguent taxpayers. For this extraordinary condition of affairs there is no remedy save through an amend- ment to the General Revenue law supplying the omission and giving the means for en- forcement of taxes, the collection of which by any present legal means has been de- feated. Various forms of legislation neces- sary to meet this end have been suggested, and the ablest and most experienced revenue lawyers of the State have carefully consid- law, the Courts of the State have iuterposed' ered this matter. Some legislation is essen- tial to prevent the bankruptcy of the City Government or the repudiation of the debt represented by this large deficit. All the other cities in the State are in precisely the same condition. They are helplessly in- volved between the requirements of the law and the restraints of the law, the obligations of government and the interposition of the Courts denying them the means of comply- ing with-the law. Whatever measure may be matured in Chicago will receive the hearty approval and support of all the other Mu- nicipal Governments of the State. In the preparation and maturing of bills to accomplish this remedial legislation the members of the Genera! Assembly representing this county should familiarize themselves with all the details of the city’s embarrassments, the complications and re- strictions interposed by the Courts, and the unfortunate omissions in the Revenue law, and be prepared with the representatives of other City Governments to urge upon the Legislature the necessity and urgency of the relief asked. It is only in the hope of some such legislation at this session that the Gov- erpments of the several cities in this State are able to maintain an existence. Retrench- ment, economy, and careful mansgement cannot overcome the deficit caumsed by lost taxes; and if such legislation cannot be had 2s will make the General Revenue law ef- fective as to all taxes, and be made to con- form to the judicial exposition of what Revenue laws should be to accomplish their purposes, then this city and the other cities of the State may not only expect deliverance from the existing financial embarrassments, ‘but may be afforded such protection for the will cease, and the Courts become the reso- lute defenders of Government in the collec- tion of their legal and necessary means of support. SHALL WE MEXICANIZE? Mr. Porrer’s proposition is, in brief, to set up two Presidents. If the President of the Senate, after exercising his constitu- tional fanction of opening the Electoral cer- tificatos and declaring the votes, shall find that Mr. Hayes has received a majority thereof, Mr. Porres proposes that the Houss of Representatives shall ignore that count and proceed to elect another President. There will then be two Presidents to be in- augurated on the 4th of March nest. We shall then have adopted the Mexican system as nearly as possible. Before aéting upon Afr. Porres’s advice, it will be well for the people of the United States to study the sit- ustion in Mexico, and determine whether they care to plunge into a similar state of affairs, As nearly as we can ascertain, there are now two Presidents in the Republic of Mex- ico, besides & number of revolutionists who dominate certain sections and are ready to declare themselves as 50 many more Presi- dents just as soon as they think themselves strong enough. The election in Mexico was lheld last July, and the returns from the Elec- toral Colleges gave 7,536 votes for Lerno pE ‘Tesapa, who was the actual tenant of the place. But the Mexican Congress seems to assue the same privilege of exsmining the returns, aud determining the election for itself, which Mr. Porrer claims for the Ainerican Congress. The subject came up last month, when Congress met, and o “ Committee of Scrutiny” was appointed to examine the returns. It happened that the Mexican Congress saw fit to sustain the votes of the Electors, though their assumed power to determine the result would include their right to set them aside if they chose. But the affair did not stop here. The Supreme Court in Mexico assumes the same right of passing upon the Congressional decision that Electornl decision. In this csse, the Su- preme Court slso sustained Lerpo, by s vote of six to four. But still the last resort had not been reached. Each Judge of the Supreme Court assumes individually the same prercgative which the Court exercises asa whole over Congress, which, Congress exercises as o whole over the Electoral Col- lege, and Which the Electoral College exer- cises asa whole over the people. So the Chief Justice, named IarEsiss, deciared him- self President without more ado. He was joined by two of his associates in the Su- Ppreme @ourt, several Congressmen, and some other important people. He proceeded to Leon, where he appointed his Cabinet, hig foreign Ministers, his Generals, his Courts, etc., and organized his Government. Now Lzrpo’s troops are marching against him, and he will organize such resistance as he can. Meanwhile Gen. Dz holds another section of the country with his troops, and some other but more obscure pretenders are pillaging otl.er parts of the Republic under the name of revolution. The actnal situa- tion seems to bo fairly deseribed in the fol- lowing extract from the Tuwo Republics, pub- lished in Mexico, but written before the Intest “pronunciado: Inteiligence comes in from all directions of towns and districts within the revoiutionary lines having ricen aguinst the pronunclados. Of course; what €lse can be expected? Wherever the anarchists rale it is withont Jaw or legislation and by armed force. They are under no restraing, having nolaw to guide them, and where every chie? exercises his own ar- bitrary will. Rouberies are being committed by them upon the plea of **military necessity, * or with no pretext whatever. Courts are abolished by them, civil rule destroyed, and military chieftaing substituted for Judgesand other civil ofiicers. They have disrupted eociety, and are daily trampling upon every principle of representative overnment and repnblican fiberty; and all in the name of re- generation. These men who have thus assumed to chauge the peacerul and legal arder of things have not been delegated by any portion of the people; they inaugurated from their personal wishes what theyterm a ‘“revolution,” and hope (and as it ap- Dearsaguinst all hope) to makeit a revolution, Many of these regenerators would not be chiefs of the revolutionists a single day it their positions did mot offer them opportunities to rob and oppress, They care for no political results, do not under- stand political principles, and they manifest a total indifference to the public welfare. Mr. Porrze wants to inaugurate the ¢ pro- nunciado ' system in this country, with all its consequences. He proposes to * pro- noance " Mr. TrLoEX President, whether Mr. TILDEN receives s majority of the Electoral votes or not. He'proposes that Trnpex shall 8o on forming” his Cabinet, appointing his Ministers;” distributing his patronage, and preparing for an inauguration on the 4th .of March next, without any regard to the vote of the Electoral Gollege. Of course, his proposition mcludes the necessity of fighting it out if anybody opposes this “‘pronun- ciado ” plan. Now, the fact is that Mr. Por- TER has not studied the temper of the Amer- ican people. They do not want two Presi- dents, with incidental bands of robbers distributed throughout the land under cover of revolution. The people of Mexico have got used to this sort of thing. They would not be happy without it. A week in Mexico without s ** pronunciado ” would be insuffer. ably stapid. It is the grest, natural, and inalienable’ right of the Mexican citizen to ‘‘pronounce.” Every mother that brings forth a male child in the Republic future that the vocation of the tax-fighters- the Congress sssumes of passing upon the’ cf Mexico looks forward impatiently to the time when he shall be old enongh to dzclare himself President. Every fellow who isn’t already a President may res- sonably hope to be one. It is a bad year for Mexican Presidents when there are not more -than two in the field. But the thing is radi- cally different in this country. The prece- dents are all the other way. One President is quite as much as the people can stand at one time. There isn't that patriotic appre- ciation of revolution among our people that is found among the Mexicans. The individ- ual who precipitates the country into civil war, and carnage, and the desolation of homes, and the destruction of business, and submission to dictation and pillage, isn't re- garded with the same fondness and admira- tion by the American people as the same in- dividual is by the Mexican people. ir. Por- TER appears to have ignored this radical dif- ference between the two countries, which will in all probability be fatal to his scheme for ““ pronouncing " Troex President in case Haxzs be elected. THE ROMAN CATHOLICS IN CHINA. The Presidential question still being un- decided, and the public mind beingina ferment, each succeeding Sabbath should bring quiet and rest. By way of remewed efforts to soothe the public pulse, we once more address ourselves to the.question of Chinese religions, choosing for to-day’s theme a brief summary of the work of Roman Catholic missions in China,—selecting this Church because its work is the most impor- tant in that country. The labors of the early founders of Catholie missions in China were attended by many and extreme difficnl- ties. Marreo Riccr was one of the earliest missioneries, and he succeeded in attracting the attention of the Emperor and considern- tion for his religion by teaching astronomy and Western sciences. In order to retain his position at Court, however, he compromised Cliristianity to such an estent s to call forth the most strenuous opposition from bis own Church. A warm controversy arose between the Jesuits, to whom Riccr be* longed, and the Dominicans, in ‘which the Emperor took sides with the Jesuits, and granted toleration to the new religion only ag they taught it. . In 1724, Yone-Carya, the Emperor, issued an order prohibiting the propagation of the ALatholic religion, and commanding all the ‘missionaries not required for scieatific pui- ‘poses to leave the country, and anera of per- secution set in by which many of them lost their lives. After the execution of the treaty which opened the five ports, however, Catholicism made great progress.. In 1846, there were twelve Bishops, eight condjutors, eighty foreign missionaries, snd ninety native priests, The number of converts was not far from 400,000. In Sz-chuen alone there were fifty-four schools for boys and 114 for girls. There were six colleges for edu- cating native priests, and the amount of funds received for them amounted to $59,000. Under the protection of recent treaties, the missions of the Church aro now carried on openly and with renewed activity. The number of foreign priests has been greatly increaszd, also the schools and asylums, Under the provisions of the treaties, lands and building-sites which were taken eway from them @urirg the period of persecution have been restored, thus furnishing them with additional means for prosecuting their work. In seeking for the secret of Roman Catholic success among the Chinese, Dr. Nevins seys: “The com- poratively large number of converts connect- ed with the Romish Church is readily ac- counted for by the length of timo during ‘which its missions have been prosecuted ; the striking resemblance between its doc- trines and rites and those of Buddhism; by the fact thst very little knowledge or evi- dence of a change of beart and life is deemed requisite .0 church membership; and the freedom sccorded to native con- verts in allowing them to work on Sunday and to conform in many respects to the superstitiouspractices of their country- men.” With regard to the future, the same writer says: ‘“Roman Catholicism will no doubt have a powerful influence in co- operating with other causes to subvert and overthrow the existing systems of idolatry; but we may not look to it to supply the Chinese with a pure, vital, and aggressive Christianity. It may spread rapidly at first, but it cannot bear the ordeal of freo dis- cussion, with which it must ere long meet. At present, imso wide a field, the represen- tatives of the Catholic and the Protestant Churches labor apart. But when the in- fluence of oth shall have extended, and the reign of Buddbism and Tauism shall have passed away, the struggle will altimately be in the East, 23 in the West, between the two forms of Claristianity, Protestantism a1 TPopery.” . THE BOUTH CAROLINA MUDDLE. In contemplating the dispute between the Returning Board and the Supreme Court of South Caroling, the people of the North must keep in mind that the fight simply concerns two factionsin the State, and in no wise af- fects the Electoral vote. As we understand the situation, an actual count of all the re- turns, without throwing out any county or precinct, showed the Haves Electors to have been chosen by majorities rangiig from 1,200 down to 230. This result was an- nounced before it was determined to reject the votes of Laurens and Edgefield Counties; 80 that, if the onder of the Supreme Court were literally followed, which was that the ;Returning Board should aggregate the votes simply as they were returned, it wonld still leave the Elecforal vote of the State for Hives and Waeerer, The majority for one of the Hayus Electors being so small,— only 230,—the Democrats hoped to secure a Tmwoey Electer by setting up certain minor irregularities, but the Returning Board re- fused to consider them. The Haves Electors are chosen, therefore, whatever may be the result of the issue between the Supreme Court and the Returning Board; and the national interest in the dispute is considera- bly diminished by this circumstance. As to the msrifshf the controversy, the points seem to be as follows: The Return- ing Board of South Carolina, like that of Louisiana, is a constitutional tribunal, whose functions are defined by law. It is empow- ered under the law, not merely to connt the réturns from the counties, but to examine and correct them. The members of this Board, therefore, deny the anthority of the Supreme Court to enjoin them from doing what the law plainly re- quires them to do. Moreover, the law limits the life of the Returcing Board to ten days; the Board was in session just ten days, and then sdjowrned sine dic. But the order of the Supreme Court directing the man- ner in which the vote' was to be convassed was not issued uniil after the Board had adjourned and was lifeless nnder the law. It is claimed, consequently, that the Supreme Court (1) had no suthority to order the Returning Board to proceed in violation of the law, and (2) that it cannot commit the members of the Board for con- tempt, becauso this order was not issued until after the members had ceased to have an offical existence. To an intelligent understanding of the situation, it should be known that MosEs, the Chief-Justice of the Supreme Court, is the father of the Moses who was elected Governor of the State in 1872, snd whom CrAMDERLAIN antagonized. The Moszs Ad- ministration was admittedly corrupt, and it was mainly through Crayserrary's efforts that the corraption was exposed and stopped. Subdequently, Crasseerars, as Governor, refused to commission this same MosEs as Circuit Judge, which increased the feud be- tween him and the Moses family. Now, for the first time, there seems to be an oppor- tunity for the Moses corruptionists to get even with CoavmERpATY for his hostility to them ; and it appears that the South Carolina Dem- ocrats, though led by the chivalric Wipe Haxrroy,” have not been sbove availing themselves of the well-known rascality of this modern tribe of Mosks to ‘further their purpose of getting control of the State. The present plan of Moses and his associ- ote Wrzanp, of the Supreme Court, acting on behalf of the Democrats, who have de- nounced them for years as scoundrels, is to reconvene the Returning Board, which is dead in the eyes of the law, and compel it to go back, aggregate the votes as they were re- turned, declare the Democratic ticket elect- ed, and give the Democrats the Legislatare. This is drawing on the credulity of mankind even more than the ancestors of the modern Moses ever attempted. We are told that Josaua commanded the sun to stand still while he whipped the enemy, bat he did not attempt the difficult astronomical feat of re- versing the natural revolution so as to gain aday or two. So the God of Battles is said to have been on the side of the Jews as long 28 the arms of the originsl Moses conld be held up in supplication. But the South Carolina descendant of the patriarchal family proposes to stop time by merely turning the hour-hond back on the face of the clock; he wants to touch the dead corpse of the Re- turning Board, bring it to life, prescribe a retroactive policy in violstion of law, and proceed as if he bad commanded the reversal of that order of things by which we regulate time. This, it will be admitted, is a tolera- bly difficult nndertaking; but we are satisfied it can be accomplished in South Carolina and by the modern Mosgs, if itis possible any- where. Indeed, the announcement this morning that the Supreme Court has fined each member of the Board $1,500, and com- mitted all the members to jail until released by order of the Court, indicates that the modern Moses is determined to exceed the powers of his ancestors, OUR COUNTY LEGISLATURE. The Constitution of the State of Ilinois contains a provision which was intended to accomplish one great reform in this county, but the aim and purpose of which have been largely defeated by the tricks and contriv- ances of petty politicians. Prior to 1870, this county was governed by a local legisla- ture, known as the Board of Supervisors; and of the forty-eight members of that cody some'fifteen or eighteen were elected by and represented the city, and the others the towns of the county lying outside the city. The powers and functions of this Board were exclusive and comprehensive, and the Board itself had become so corrupt, dishon- est, and shameless that, with the. unanimous approval of the public, there was placed in the new Constitution the following provision: ‘The connty affairs of Cook County shall be man- aged by a Baard of Commissioners of fifteen per- s0ns, ten of whom shall be elected from the City of Chicago and five from towns outside of said clty, in euch manner 23 may be provided by law. The end sought by this provision was to breek up the election of a body of county legislators chosen in districts of one or two hundred voters, and confer this choice upon the whole community interested. It was in- tended that the Board should be composed of ten members residing in the city aud five residents in the outer towns; the whole county to vote in the election of all. At first this rule wes adopted, but since then artfal politicians have interposed, and these county towns have been cut up into five pocket distriets, and from the choice of the Commissioners the 60,000 voters of the city have been excluded. In the same way the 16,000 voters of the county towns are de- prived of all voice in the election of the ten Commiissioners resident in the city. The Board of County Commissioners started off 25 o most respectable and patriotic Board. Gradually, however, the old Ring began to sap its integrity; one by one, members of the old Board of Supervisors and of the old Common Council succeeded in getting elect- ed, and now, with 8 few exceptions, the Board is & counterpart of the old Board of Supervisors, with the power lodged in n majority of fifteen persons in- stead of o majority of forty-eight. The powers of this Board are plen- ary., The majority has power to levy taxes, and expend the money at their discre- tion. From its action there is ng appeal. ‘We need not recapitulate its powers, nor illustrate how these powers are executed. By the law as it stands one-third of this Board are elected annually, and as one-third of the whole Board are elected in single dis- tricts the means of reform are denied to the general public, and a corrupt msjority faay thus perpetuate itself in the government of the county, "The present condition of the Conaty Gor- ernment is such as to demand, as a public necessity, s reform. That reform is only possible by a return to the original law re- quiring these €ommissioners to be elected by the whole people of the county. That was the intention of ‘the Constitution. The con- stitaency of this Board is in the city. Of the 16,000 voters who reside in the onter pre- cincts, at least one-half have all their business and all their business interests in the city. In fact, nearly all of the populous towns in the county are mere outer precincts peopled by the merchants, workme2, aud others doing business in this city. Practically, Hyde Park, Evenston, and Lake are as much parts of the city as are the Fourth, Tselfth, and Fifteenth ‘Wards, though politically they are outside the city limits. The voters of these towns have the right of choice in the whole fifteen Commissioners, and should exercise that right with the voters of the city. L Not only should this Board of Com- missioners be elected by the whole people’ of the county on the general ticket, but they should be all elected sunually ; the com- unity should have within its hands the menus of protection sgainst corruption, and to have this it must have the power of dis- missing the members whenever they prove faithless to their trust. The plea of the frequency of elections daes not apply, because at present there are five members to be elected annuslly, pad the whole fifteen may be elected as readily as five. It may happen that with annual elections there wiiy be carmrupt and dishonest men elected; but the advantage which sannual elections will giveis the means of getting rid of such per- sons af the end of one year, instead of the chance of getting rid of a portion of themat the end of three years. This is not a party question; lines of\@ivision in the County Board have never been political ; parties there are classed by other issues; snd it is amost lamentable fact that after December the Board will be nearly a unit in support of the common policy of profligate expenditare and the exhaustion. of public credit and resonrces by wastefnl contracts and jobs. Among the several changes in our local gov- ernment and laws, the members-elect from this county to the General Assembly can render no greater service to the general pub- lic, nor one more gratifying to citizens of all perties, than by uniting upon a bill to amend the present County Commissioners’ law by having the whole fifteen members elected by general ticket, snd all elected annually. These could be selected as now,—ten from residents within the city and five from the towns. The Board would then become di- rectly responsible to the public,—the short terms subjecting them to,_the trial of 8 new election,—and the public would have an op- portunity of passing upon theofficial conduct of each member. Any hope of a reforma- tion in the Board under the present system is an idle one; it is as hopeless as was the effort to reform the Common Council, until by the change in the law the people had o elect a full Board, when the reform was radi- cal and complete, the peaple of botk parties uniting to make it effective. We trust that there will be o vigorous and united effort'to accomplish this wholesome and greatly-need~ ed reorganization and regeneration of the Board of County Commissioners. — e THE BOTANY OF BEER, WINE, .AND DISEASE. Prof. Tyxpswy contributes an article to the November Fortnightly, which is repro~ duced in the Popular Science 3onthiy, that is of unusual interest even when compared with the other fascinating productions of his pen. Alcoholic bevernges and epidemics have not hitherto been included in the flora of the world, but Prof. Tyxpary shows that hereafter no classification of vegetation will be complete that does not cover beer, wine, and atleast certain forms of disease. 1lore than this, not only must the latter-day Lix- ~zus add these new topics to his botany, but he must show that beer and typhoid fever, cloret and the gangrene, are shockingly alike in kind, if not in quality or degree. The advocate of 'tempemnca who has argued that aleohol is a poison, the result of putrefaction and s product abhorrent to Nature, will find in Prof. Tr¥parr’s cold array of the scientific facts of fermentation some new points that will compel him to re- vise his argument. The paper is entitled ¢ Fermentation and its Bearings on the Phe- momens of Disease.” It shows that the fermentation of malt, the aleoholization of the juice of the grape, the decay of meat, the gangrene in wounds, the spread of small-pox in the body,sand of pestilence through a city, are alike the marvelously rapid growth of minate plants or living ferments. And the alarming fact is shown, on the evidence of experi- ments that would, we think, be incontestable even by the *scientific man " of the Nation, that the chief agent in disseminating these deadly germs of putrefaction and: plague is the air we breathe. Although brewers have made beer for thor lds of years by adding yeast to their wort, it was not till 1835 that the resulting fermentation was shown to be the budding, sprouting growth of s vegeta- ble, now called the Torula. It required the interval between 1680 and 1835 to convert the first hint of this truthl into proof. Gen." erations of microscope-makers nnd genera- tions of, observers had to build upon each other’s work to make it complete. In the case of the grape, God has provided the yeast thatthebrewer mustsupply for his malt. The anti-alcoholist must face the fact that the all-wise and all-good Ruler of the Universe hes deposited on the outer skin of the grape and its tendrils the germs of the Torula. Man has only to court the grapes in the ‘wine-press to set the yeast-plant actively at work making alcohol out of the juice of the grape. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunate- 1y, there are many kinds of this minute vege- tation besides the Torula, and they do much mischief in the world. The green mold that grows on an old boot or an opened jar of sweetmeats is the growih of the little Pepicillium Glauenm, wafted in the air. The growth of the Vibrio makes milk sour; the Becterin sre the, germs of the putrefaction of meat, the gangrens of wounds, and the like. All these fer- ments, as well as the Toruls, find congenial soil in beer, and are the greatest enemies of the brewer. Worse than all, they find no- where richer fields than in human flesh. It is the Bacteris that make the field of battle 0 deadly to the wounded, entering their wounds, sowing seeds of death.' The at- mosphere around us is charged with Bacteria. It is pleasing to know that thisenemy of ours has 8 deadly foe in dilate carbolic acid, as fatal to them as they tous. Soldiers going into battle would do better to fill their flasks with carbolic acid than with whisky. Prof. ‘TxNDALL says that one of the greatest slips ever made in the art of surgery was the in- troduction of the antiseptic treafjment in Glasgow and in Edinburg by Lister. In these weeds that float in the air are the seeds of the contegion of pestilence that strikes down whole populations, They are the little leaven that leaven the whole lump with destruction. Vaccination shows how the small-pox plant spreads through the veins. The wicroscope has demonstrated that more than one epidemic disease manifests itself by the growth of fungi in the blood. Every epidemic disease seems to have a distinct seed: small-pox seed produces small-pox ; scarlatina seed, scarlatina; typhoid seed, typhus; cholera seed, cholera. Prof. Tys. DAL does not state thet the contagions agent of each of these diseases has been Pproved to be the seed of a vegetable ferment, like the Torula or the Bacteria. He reasons from the similarity between their diffusion and that of diseases which are known to be vegetable propagation to the strong pre- sumption *that reproductive parasitic life is at the root of epidemic disease—that living ferments finding lodgment in the body increase there and multiply, directly ruining the tissue on which they subsist, or destroy- ing life indirectly by the generation of puisnnonq compounds within the body.” The recital of the experiment by which a young scientific enthusiast, Kocm, an ob- scure country doctor in Germany, proved that splenic fever, n dreadful epidemic disesse raviging men and animals, was propagated by the planting in new bodies of living visible germs, is perhaps the most extraordinary contribution yet made to the history of medicine. 'The disenses of beer, the ailments of the grape-vine, the plague of, the silk-worm, the putridity of vinegar, the decay of meat, the dreadful mortality 1n hos~ pi_tals,' the ravages of mortification among of pestilence,—all thess are the growth of seeds, blown hither and thither in the streets of Chicagoandin every part of the worlg, by the wind, of which it is true in a new an¢ horrible sense that we kmow not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth. e ——— THE DOCTRINES OF ISLAM, A communication from a pretended Turk, which recently appeared in Tur Carcige TripUNE, lustily defending the Mokamme. dans, set forth as one argnment in defense of the European butchers and the torturers of women.and children that there was nothingy in the doctrines of Islam justifying cruelty, Our Turk, if he be a real one, evidently hgg not read the doctrines of Islam very thor. oughly. If he will peruse the *Saraty]. Bakarah,” he will find the following verse: Fight for the cause of God azuinst those who nght aguinst you; but commit not the injustice of attacking them first . . . and Kill them wher. ever ye shall @nd them, and eject them from what. ever place they have ejected you; for civil discory is woree than carnage. . . . Fight, therefore, azainst them uatil there be 0o more civil discord, and the only worshipbe thatof God. . . . yyap 18 prescribed to you: but from this ye are averse, Yet haply ye arc averse from u thing, though jt be good for you. Dr. Bancee, writing to the Pall Mall G zette, calls attention.to the fact also that there are several pasesges in the Koran in. culeating toleration. The discrepancy hag been explained by several critics in this man. ner : When MamoMET Was out of power and subject to persecution himself, he wasstrong. ly in favor of mercy, toleration, and charity, on the principle that the Devil was anxiong tobe amonk when he was sick. At that time the verses inculcating toleration were written; but when MaHOMET came into pow- er and the Turks were in the ascendant then the Koran brenthed fire and slaughter upon all Christian dogs. In the present war the Tarks have been carrying out the later in. junctions instead of the eatlier, and have killed withont mercy, massacred ‘Women, tortured children, sold young girls into slavery, burned villages, and left the territo- 1y over which they passed a howling waate, The records of war, even the atrocities of Thugs and savages, present nothing com. parable with the infernal barbarities of these ‘“ gentlemen of culture ” mentioned by our correspondent, who, we fear, has - never seen anything of Turkey except in the shape of the fowl which figuresso promi- nently at Thanksgiving bauquets. If the" Turks in the Servian conflict had been the inferior race, the tolerant doctrines of the, Koran would have been recommended. They would have made all Europe howl with their deriands for mercy and the civilized meth- ods of warfare. Being the superior race, and having the immense advantage of the Sclaves in numbers and war material, they have turned loose upon them the Bashi- Bazouks and other monsters inflamed with fanatical zeal, with permission to burn, tor- ture, and kill at will. Dr. Bapoer writes also that the only trustworthy means of ar- Tiving at a correct opinion in< the matter is the teaching of those native standard jurists whose decisions form the basis of all Mos- lem legislation. Dr. BApces’s summary will prove of interest at the present time. Ha s8ys : According to these, all Infidels,—in which cate- gory Jews, Christians, and Pyrolatrists are In- cluded, —either vanquished by the Muslims or submitting to them voluntarily are boand to pay 8. Jizyah or annual. capitation tax to the State, the incidence of which is set forth in considerable de- tall. As regards Christians, it is leviable only on aduit males of sound mind, and of these only on those who are capable of paying it wholly or in part, and on uncloistered ecclesfastics, but not on maniacs, women, and children, slaves, monks, and hermits, the poorand the infirm aged, sll of whom are exempted. Suchus pay the Jisyah are styled Ahlu-"uzh-Zhimmah, or the people with whom.a compact has been made; and fts payment entitles them to secarity of life and prop- erty, together with the froe exercise of their religion under the guarantce of the Siate. The disabilities attached to this dependence, ac- cording to the same recognized authorities, are the following: Christians may not erect any new places of worship, neither may they ride on borses or males, or take the best part of a road on which a Muoslim Is walking. They are further bound to wesr o distinctive drees, and are linble to a correctional punishmens if fonnd drank or.dis- covered eating pork clsewhere than exclusively among thelr own co-religionists, or in the event of their discassing Islam in their churches, or of toll- inga bell, orof exhibiting » ¢rossin public. In the cae of wine found openly in transmission from * one place to another, the first Muslim at hand is at Tiberty to spill it; and fn the case of & cross o ex- hibited it 18 to be broken. ‘Fhese ordinances and the pasaages we have * selected from the Koran still form part of the organic law of Islam, and it is under their authority that the Turks pursue their | relentless methods of persecution. There is no safety for the Sclaves in any medium course or compromise. The only hope of breaking the authority and operation of ‘Turkish rule is the absolute independence of the provinces, and this Russia has set about doing. When this is accomplished, ss it cer- tainly will be, the Turks can then practice their infamous cruelties upon each other, failing to find other victims,—in which case there is & prospect the scorpion may sting it self to death. ITALIAN POLITICS. Considering the difficulties encountered, there has probably never been s more suc- cessful effort at harmonizing the extremes of despotism and anarchy under a common and Constitntional Government than is found in the history of the Italian Kingdom doriog the last dozen or fifteen years. With the occupation of Rome and assnmption of tem- poral power in the Papal dominions, the to- pogruphical consolidation of Italy was com- plete. It had been achieved by gradusl stages, and in spite of extreme Radicalism 08 one side and extreme Ultramontanism o the other. The desperate hold that the Church f kept upon the illiterate classes, which are painfolly nimerous in Italy, and the unre- straived license which the extreme Italian Republicans conceived to be the natural re- sult of an escape from priesteraft, bave been thorns in the side of those striving for a Constitational - Government. But the progréss has, nevertheless, been per- manent, steady, and uniform; unification and moderation seem to have gone hand in hand, and they have prevailed alike over the’ Church, the lazzaroni, the lawless, the prince- 1y paupers, the financial embarrassments, snd the frequent complications of European poli- tics that have threatened the ambition of the Italian King and the better classes that have sapported his Government. There is reason to believe that among all the auxiliaries of this successful career s lim- ited system of suffrage has been one of the most usefal checks npon extreme Radicalism 8 well a3 despotism. But now thers is to be an attempt to enlarge the suffrage, which bas heretofore been contracted by property qualifications. This movement is the out- growth of a ministerial crisis, brought on by a difference with the Parliament on questions of internal policy. The Govern- ment stood by the Deeeems Ministry, dis- solved the Parliament, and appealed to the country. It was foreseen, however, that the railrosd, financial, and church differenges id