Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 5, 1877, Page 4

- @lye Tribme, TERMS OF SUBSCRIFTION. BY MAIL=-1¥ ADVANCE—FOSTAGE PREPAID AT Dasly Fdliton, postpaids 1 TATIS 0f r. yeAr, por mont 24 Aty 7 ddrean ton on, twelve pages. Y SNy, postpaid, 1 ye P o oy PO IOt foe WEEKLY EDITION, POSTPAID. @ cofiy, per ye UYL b of twenity. Tertage preqs Erechinen coples fent free, Torrevent delay and mistakes, be mmre and glve Poste Crce nitdeess n full, inclnding State nod County. Lemittances may bo made cither by draft, express, Tort-Uffice order, or In reaisicred letters, st onr risk. kit TO CITY SUDSCRIDERS. Tertaofa Tafly, delivercd, Bunday escepted 23 cents per week. Ledly, deilvered, Eunday Inclnded, 30 eenta per week Aadreas TIE TRINUNE COMPANY, Shicaio, Iite New Chlengo Thentres Clark strect, between Lake and Randolph. Le Come mandeur Cazeneave, the Ureatidigitatenr, Adelplil Thentres Monroe etreet, corner Desrborn. Varlety enters talnment, 1ayerisia '&lw:tre.l Sttt . 1 streel, hetween Atk and ASalle. et e o ihe eters FEAR Fou ik 1. For hentres hetmeen hearborn and State. Ea+ e Mitchell. '* ignon,™ MONDAY , FEBRUARY G, 1877. At the New York Gold Exchange on Sate , wrday greenbacks ranged at 943@9%%c. ¢ Itis believed that the warm weathor at present provailing in the country, which hins for the lnst four years been the stamp- jing-ground of the hals grasshopper, is rapid- 1y hatching out the eggs left in tho ground by the Inst year's crop, and that the impetu. ous blizzard which has horetoforo been ae- corded high ronk s an il wind"” will freezo the young insects so stark that other Tiungry mouths con soon take the turn at eating so long and unfairly denfed to them. The oternal fitness of tho blizzard may. thus Do vindieated to tho satisfaction of its most bitter traducer, No one can necuse Prof, Swixa of under- estimating the weight and worth of woman’s influence for good in humnn nffairs; his ser- mon on * Woman in Morals,” which we print this morning, contains all tho acknowl. edgment and rccognition that the most ox- neting could demand of the powor and cffi- ciency of the gentler sex in upholding jnst- ico and goodness, morality and religion, But Woman in Morals, and Woman in Toli. tics,—there is whera Prof. Swino draws the line, and at that point, it is to be fenrad, some of his fmr hearcrs will deaw tho line of their npproval of Lis very interesting ser- amon. Mr., Monnisoy, of Illinois, is represonted 23 being not & little disgruntled at the turn affairs havo taken in Washington. He went to Lowsinna with the Democratic intorest in Tiis chnrge, and Inbored long and ardnonsly, and with what he regarded good success, to bring back n strong case for TiLpex, only to find upon his return that the man. ngement has Dbeen transferred to the Tammauy Ring and ita chief legal adviser, who, in his opinion, is making a most un. savory mess of it. Mr. Monnisox is not the only Democrat in Congress who, though compelled to volo with his party on all ques- tions of party tactics, privately belleves that tha introduction and employment of the mothods that were useful in the cases of the Tammauny thicves will prove fatal to TiLoEN'S prospects for the Presidency. Judgo Davis left Washington Inst evening for the West, baving, it is understood, com- pleted the duties assigned him in the prepa- ration of opinions, and thus performed the Inst of his functions ns a Justice of the United States Supr:mo Court, His formal acceptance of the clection as Benator from Tllinois is looked for within a fow days, and it is raid that he would immedintely tender hia resignation as Justico if he could receive the nssurauce that Junae Druantoxp, of Chicago, his lifelong friend and associate, would bo sppointed to fill the vacany on the Bupreme DBouch. In this desiro Judgo Davia but ex- presses the general sentiment of the poople of Illinoix, who, almost withont distinction of party, would regard with great sntiafac. tion and unwixed approval the appointment of Judge DnuMyoNp ns o member of the Supreme Court. If this is nll that stands in the way of Judgo Davia' immediate rosignn. tion, it wonld seem that the President might waive a point of oflicial etiquette and give tho desired assurance, Nothing uunfulr, unjust, dishonest, or in- decent can now oxcito surprise that procceds from the New York lawyer who has beon successively employed to do the dirty work of J1x Fisk, Boss I'weep, and Sax TitpeN,— not even tho Iatest disreputable trick of My, Davip Duvrey Fiesp in enusing to be printed in pamphlet form, privately and socretly, the purchased tostimony of tho forgers, black. mailers, thioves, aud porjurors who Lave rocently been used as tools in the couspiracy to projudice the minds of tho Electoral Cowmmission concerning itho Louisinna Iteturning Boards, It is Inot the report of the Committeo conducting the investigation it is an incompleto and garbled compilation of the testimony taken, with the cross-examination owitted, and only that portion included whichh & pottifogging shyster would sclect as bhelping his sido of the chse aud hurting the other side; yet it hins been hastily printed so as to got it before the Commission nt once, Bo gross n violn. tiou of Congressional privilego and decornum would ordinarily lead to uppleasant conse. quences, but of course the smme Deiuocratio msjority in the Committeo thint rofused the request of Gov, Weris to be heard at once in explanation of the letter produced by Alavnox, snd the same Democratio majority thet voted to keep tho fact of such request and refusal from the journal of the Commit. tee, will cordially concur in this latcst speci- wen of dishonorable dealing. The Chicago produce markets were less ‘veSaturday, uudsteadicr, Mess porkclosed »r brl bigher, at $16.00@16,02} cash i 2} for March. Lard closed "bs higher, at #10.65@10,67§ cash e Murch. Meats closed firmer, s, boxed; Blo for short. short-clears, Ilighwines ot $1.05 per gallon. Flour “dy. Wheat closed firmer, - ary and $1.27§ for March, sher, at 42{c cash and 4Gjo losed steady, at 8530 cash rch. Rye was 1o lower, at :d easier, ot G8}c for Feb- or March, Hogs were dull 3 ‘within & cents of par in gold. and closed 5@100 lower, at $i.70@06.10. The enttle market was dull and unchanged, with sales at 22.50@5.75. Sheep wero quiet, at $2.75@5.25. Owne hundred dollara in gold would buy £105,37) in greonbacks at tho close. The present legi e and Congressional apportionment Iaws of Indiana are thought by the Democrats to favor the Rlepublicans, and they nre making desperata efforts in the Bennte, where thoy linvo ona majority, to bulldoze the Iouse, which is Republican, into changing the apportionment in such a way 88 to defeat the re.election of Benator MlonToy two years hence. The Indianapolis Journal remarks, in reference to this move- ment ¢ 4 We are fnlly warranted In saying that the effort of the Democracy to chanze a few of the legislative districts fs not dictated by a deslre to make the 1aw more eanitable in its operation, but stnply by the desiro to mold the next General Assembiy to the purpose of electing a Democratic United States Benator, This purpose cannot bo concealed or dlsguised by any fictitions dleplay of virtne, or by any {solated fnstance of Imperfect local representas tion picked here and there throughout the State, The Journal proceeds to give the rpsult of the legislative apportionment in many States, ond showsthat, wherever the Democrats have conlrol, they gorrymnnder in the unfairest manner. It might have added to its indict- ment, by ndducing the Congressional ap- portionnients in Virginin, North Carolina, and Mississippl, In theso Btates tho Democrats grouped togethier the great bulk of tho Re- publicnn strength into one district in-cach Blate, and so arranged allthe other Republic- an counties as to swamp them under Demo- ceatic majorities. . We print the Journal's article elsowhere. ‘Wo print this morning a very comprehen- sive and interesting compilation of factsand figures on the subject of Municipal Indebt. edness in Illinofs, furnished Ly a speeial cor- respondont who has been succossful, by dint of great pains and patience, in the collection of n large quantity of valuable statistics, the nccuracy of which i8 assured from thofactthat theinformation hasbeen obtained wholly from official sources, The figures presented show tho debts owing by fifty of the leading cities of Illinois at the present time ns com- pared with their indebtedness ten yenrs ngo, together with a comparativo statement of their nsscased valuation of property, rate and amount of taxation, and population for @€86C and 1876, 'The subject of munieipal debt and taxation was deemed of such im- portanco as to form n conspicuons part of tho innugural of Gov, Currox, who directed tho nttention of the Legislature to tho im- perfeet manuer in which municipal matters are managed in Illinois in the following lan. gnaga: Thero §s no law for collecting and publishing the atatistics of the local and municipal fudehtodners of the Stato, T belleve It would have a wholesome and restraining Intluence If such a. provislon were made, Our present system, as npplicd to the collection of municipal taxes partlcularly, Is a0 Imperfect that 1ot ouly aro the taxes 8o far as collected barne unequally, but the finance and credit of many municipalitics are heedlessly embaerassed and Im- palred to such an extent In several Instances as to scrluusly abstruct the discharge of tue necessary munieipal dutfes, . 'Tho nocessity of immediate nction of the Lind suggested by Gov. Curnros is forcibly indicated by tho informntion presented in our columus this morning. RESTORATIOR OF BUBINESS, The Presidont has commaunieated to Con- gress his views upon the speedy resnmption of spocie payments, and his arguments, sus- tained by facta, aro irresiatible. Tho greon- backs have advanced in valuo until they aro ‘Tho Prosi- dent points out the fact that during the lnst two years thero ins been o change in our trade, and {hat our imports of gold and silver now exceed onr exports. At the same tiwe wo have in'addition the productions of our mines. Our storo of precions metuls is therefore increasing from the two sonrces at tho rate of £60,000,0005 yonr. This amount of gold and silver in coln and bullion’ i3 ac- cumaulating; but it is not of any avail so long as thero is a cheaper currency of equal valuo na a legal-tender, Though the coin s accamulating, it.fs not in use, nnd will not bo put inuso until the paper monoy is either withdrawn or becomes exchangeable for the metal. The President thinks, and wisely, too, that Congress should remove whatover obatruction may Lo in the way of having the metallic and paper curroncy brought to cquivalent values, Tho Prosident urges such action by Congress ns will cuable this incomo of 60,000,000 of'gold and silver aunuslly, besido what is Lield already in the conntry, to enter into goneral uso, and not continue, as now, to be hoardod. e advises, then, that tho Becretary of tho Tressury be authorized to exchango $160,000,000 4 per cont bonds, having forly years to ruu, for greenbacks, No ono questions that the effact of tho passage of such an act would be to put tho grecubacks nt par at once, and finmedi- ntely relense the wholo volume of gold and silver in the country, Nominally, the retire- ment of that amounnt of grooubacks would be a contraction of the currency, but, as the bonds will take tho place of the coiu and of the greenbacks now held as resorve in tho baunks, and as such reserve will gerve all the purposes of currency, tho contraction will bo in name ratber than in substance. In England, when tlio dato for the resump. tion.of specio payments was fixed, the law provided au iucreasing scale of valuo at which the notes shiould bo redecmed. Wo lave not tho oxact rates lald down in this gcale, but practically the law provided that nfter & certain date they should be redoewmed, say at 80 ; then, after an interval, ot 85 ; and 80 on at an increasod rato, .until the date fixed for redemption at par, - The fact was, that, when the time came for re- demptlon at 80, the holders , decliued to part withs them ot that vate, as fu o slort thne thoy would be worth 85, and so on, the in. creasing rato for redemption furnishing a lib. oral interest to the holders. Finally, when the notea wero redeemablo at par, they were not presented, becauso of themselves they were equal to gold, and furthermore, as soon a8 the paper was oquivalent to coin, the vast mouuts of gold which hud been hoarded and withdrawn from use came forth from its Liding-places, aud England had both its coin aud its poper money, and ot once entered upou an cularged commerce nud production, For over fifty years there hes been no sus. pension of specio payments and no scarcity of either metallio or paper currency, - A like result may bo anticipated in this country, Thoofferof 4 per cent bond for green. backs will at once carry them to par; it will give them a permanent value ot par, aod thereby will uulock all the gold and silver in the coyntry, with the annual increase of sixty millions of dollars, and we will have our paper and gold all of the same value, and in such quantities that it will rapidly seek investment. ‘The bLolders of money thatis at par must make it productive. ‘Lhey must ewploy it in some THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: MONDAY, form, cither by buying property, erecting buildings, improving lands, employing labor and machinery, or so investing it as to in- crease production. 'The moment the money is thus put in motion to produce, as soon 88 Iabor is employed, and machinery pnt at work, and wages are earned, then consnmp- tion will increase; and, consnmption and pro. duction attending each other, business of all kinds, trado, and commerce, and buying to sell at a profit in the fature, will bo resnmed. There will bo no lack of capital nor lack of curroncy. All that {s needed is to put the paper at par, and the coln now ifllo will flow atonce into use, The President is right in snggesting that tho date, January, 1879, for legal resump. tion, may be left as it is unchanged; but un. der the ecxiraordinary circumstances of onr recoipts of gold, even in nddition to the prod- uct of onr mines, it is desirable that tho country have the benefitof resumption now,— that is, that it be allowed to resume without delay, by the mero removal of the obstrite. tion which permits the utilizing of this specie for business purposes. Tho messago will meet the hearty approval of the coun- try, it appenling to Congress to let the cur- rency reach specio valuo withont hindrance. The President also urges a repeal of the re- atriction which limits tho coinnge of subsid. iary silver to fiftymillions of dollara, THREE SPECIMEN DENOCRATIO REFORM- The investigation pending by Mr, Davin Duprey Fizto's Commitles has thus far brought to tho swrface threo specimen Demoeratic reformers,—Mappox, Picrrrr, and LiTTLEFIELD,~—who must have delighted JMr. Freev's heart to o degree that ho hns not experienced beforo sinco the days of his nassocintion, 88 compnnion and counsel, with that other ecminent Democratic reformer, DBoss Tween, It will not be unprofitable to briofly review their antecedents and prosent oporntions, with the view of discovering tho qualifications of an average Democratlc re. former, and tho modus operandi of tho patriots who were 80 eager for a chango, Mappox is' n native of Marylaud, aod during the War ‘of the Rebellion wns acting 08 a scout between Richmond and Washing- ton, and in some manncr obtained a Treas. ury permit for trading in tobacco, Onolot of tobacco was oither destroyed by the army or it mysteriously disappoared on the ap- proach of the army to Richmond, aud for this lot Mappox put in o elnim for 2400,000, which lias been pending for years. In con. nection with this claim it may be stated that oug Yenoes, who murdered Onane in Missls- sippl, had An interest in it, and Mrs. Yenoen, through Mappox's importanities, mortgaged hor property to help carry it through. Yenoen, meanwhile, having died, Mrs. Yenoen and family are now in o stato of dostitution. Mavpox’s tobneco-smuggling operations did not end hera. It now appears that Col. Dirty, of Baltimore, ono of tho Commission appointed by the President to go to Now Orleans, has some kaowledge of this precious reformer. While Col. Dirry wns in the Confederats army, the sum of 940,000 was ralsed to buy clothing for that army. 'Fhe amount was invested in tobacco ond sent to Mappox, who agreed to sell it and retarn the procoeds in clothing. ‘The dotall accompanying tho tobaceo, however, roturned and raported it soized by United States troops upon information furnisked by Mappox, Alr. Mavpox's rocord Is not con. /| fined to tobaceo. In 1870 ho turnsupasa nogotiator ‘of forged certifleates of stock issued DLy tho Becrotary of the Par- kersburg DBranch Railrosd, for which he was indicted by o Grand Jury and subse- quently discharged. After his dischargo Lo challenged the attorney who ndvised his ar. rest. Tho attorney doclined the chatlongo, Maopox posted Lim ns acoward. Tho ot- tomoy retorted by printing o card oxplaining Mappox's connoction with tho fraudulent negotiations, and Mappox was silenced. This mnn, tobacco-smuggler, spy, defrouder, and forgoed-railrond-bonds negotiator, now turng up as a Democratic reformer, who ‘was will. ing to gell out the voto of Louisiana to either party, stipulating ouly that he should havo a right to o part of the usnfruct, 2 Democratic Reformer No. £ is Proxerr, the pure, plous, and patriotfo. Prcxrrr from the outset Lias been o chevalier of for- tune living upon his wits, n somewhat scant stock of plety and patriotism, nnd o colossal quantity of brass, He sorved under Kos- sury, was in the Mexican army with Sinta Axya, had arovingcomuission from Warken, tho Nicarngua filibuster, was concorned in the Cuban raids, and finally turacd up in the Confederato army. Aftor tho War he sold out the archives of the Confederacy to the United &tates Govornment for §75,000, which sum ho devoted {o the widows and orphans of tho South! Onco embarked in tho widow supply, his. heart cxpanded and warmed towants them, and,in company with tha virtuous Mappox, ho concocted & new schamo for thelr benefit, Ho visits the Do« ocratic tatesmen and negotiates with them for the sale ‘of {ho vote of Louislana to TiLven, Mo offers it to Mr, Hewrrr for #360,000, and subscquently to the Hon, Joun Monnissry, the eminont Democratic Reformer, for $1,000,000, Ile wants them to understand this operation is not for himuclf, * Damn my Interosts,” says tho plous Prckerr § * think of the interests of 40,000,000 people.” Novertheless ho would not mind taking a commission of 10 per cent, which would boreligiously devoted to tho widows of the Bouth, even if he wore obliged ** to live in'sackeloth and ashes all tha rest of his life,” Iewitr ecither did not Lolleve him, or suspected that some trap was Iaid, aud shook off tho patfiotio Prcrerr without further ado, while Monnmssey, al- though ho did belicve the story and sympa- thized with the widows, somehow forgot to tako the necessary illion ont of his pocket ‘which would have consumuated the bargain, snd brought joy to the oyes of the average Southern widow. ‘Wo now coma to LitrrerieLp, Democratio Reformer No, U, 1le was a member of the triuity, but was o rotall denler. They hiod o State for sale, while ko had ouly one county, Heo Qesired a change, hawever, quite ‘as keenly as tho smuggler Mabpox or the chovalier Proxzrr, He has o record also, During the War ho was drummed out of the lines in disgrace, and after the War, if we moy credit bis own story, he lived with a woman in Now Orleans not his wife, by whom he had children, and whom he after- ward descrted after magnanimously bestow. ing $00 upon them for their support, This precious veformer is the-one who stole the ogiginal returns of Vernon County, substi. | tuted forged ones, and then appeared in the warket with o county for sale, Theso aro tho three reformers who have been allowed to go upon the witncss-stand by Boss ‘T'wxep's lawyer to blacken tho repu. tations of the membcers of the Louisiana Re- turuing Board, without allowing those mem- Lers an opportunity of defending themselves or replying to the infamous falsehoods circu- lated from Davio Doprer Frewo's Star Chamber, But take their testimony, and tnko the Wrres lotters which Mappox has produced, and what other possible inference ean bo derived from them except that promi. nent Democratic 1nanagers were in the mar- ket to buy the vote of Louisiann, and that these threo go-betweeus were rendy to ne- gotiate for 10 por cent commissions? The offers were numerous. Two prominent Demecrats of Noew Orleana offered Gov, WeLLs o heavy bribe, which was refased. Gen. Asprmsow, of the Returning Bonrd, was offered 2200,000 by Dr. Ronprson, n Democratic State Benator, to make the State suro for TiLpeN, and it was refused. Theso men, a8 woll as the three go-betweens and Mir. Monnissgy, Mr. Hewirr, nud Mr, Tioes himsolf, found that the Iteturning Board ‘was not for sale, Thero aro some fqualities abont these threo reformers which call for our admiration. We may admire their keen hungor for change and reform, their vital concern for the interests of 40,000,000 people, their per- sonnl, purity simplicity, philanthropy, bonevolence, and charily, their ton- der concern for the Soulhern orphan, thelr heartfelt sympathy for the Sonthern widow. These qunlities must Lavo delighted Mr. TrLoEN, moved the henrt of Monnissey, nnd Lrought tears{o the cyes of Davin Duprey FieLp, bt when it comes to their {estimony ond its roliability, Judgo Lyxcn would not only refuso to convict » horse-thief on it, but would hang all three witnesses, + BILLS TO PROMOTE FRAUDULENT ELEC: TIONS, Benator Kentor has introduced s DLill to restore 5o much of the Registry law ns was repealed in 1874, which fncluded the pro. visions applying to municipal election. But Mr. E. L. Croxgmre (Dem.,), of the Galena Distriet, introduced into the House on Batur- day n bill to reponl what remains of the law, snd to havo no registry of voters nt any elec- tion, whather State or local. Not satisfied with tiat movement in behalf of ballot-box stufling, repeating, and false voting, ho in- troduced o bill changing tho law relative to the swearing of tho vote of o challenged voter, Tho bill provides that it shall bo suf- ficient for the vouching witness to make afil davit that ho hns resided in the Stato one year, The prosent law requires that ha shall havo resided in the district or precinet for one year. . 3 The intentlon of the present law is to pre- vent perjuring lonfers and professignal swearers, plcked out of rum-holes, from be- ing detalled by Rlection Committees and candidates to stand at any polls -and vouch s witnesses for all the repeaters and non. volers who may bo sent tothem. It i vory clear from the two Dbills introdnced by this member that ho wanta to sweop awny overy remaining safeguard to the purity of tho bal. lot-box, and to removo every obstruction that impedes ' the operations of repeaters and stuffers. His bills ought to bo entitled, *¢ Billa to aid ballot-box stuffers, and to facili- tate the swenring-in of fraudulent votes," Repeaters and ballot-box - stuffers are villaing, and, when ‘caught and convict- ed, thoy are criminals, What shall o member be called who tries to havelaws repealod which are designed to protect tho ballot-box from corruption; and to have laws enncted, the cffeot of which would be to nid and enconrage scoundrels to cast froudulent votes? s it too mnch to call such legislators * bad, ovil-minded mon? Elections controlled by fraudnlent mcans and votes aro too frequent now. What kind ot elections would thera bo when all proven. tion to frauds is broken down and repealed $ Every attack’on the purity of clections is n blowstruclk at thevery foundntionof self-gov- cramont. Corrupt elections are treasonnbdle acts, nud should be punished with cortainty, celority, and soverity. It is tho daty of tho General Assembly to devise bettor nnfe- guards agninst false voting and frandulent counting; and it is the duty of every honest and right-minded citizon to denounce those members who plot and work to repeal or woaken the lawa protecting the purity of clections. DALLOT-BOX STUFFING IN MISSISSIPPI. The testimony of Mr. J. T. LromstEm, President of the Hines County (Mississippi) DBoard of tegisters, takon beforn the Sennto Committeo on Frivileges nud Elections on Baturday last, helps to explain the manner in which the Democrats obtained their colossal mafority by fixing tha ballot-boxes, Accord. ing to his testimony, which thero is no reason to doubt, a meeting of *leading Dom- ocrata” of Hines County was hold a few days beforo the olection, at which it was pro- posed to furnish one of tho Democratic Judges of clection at each polling-placo with a duplicato key to tho ballot-box, Inaccord. anco with this proposition ho furnished fif. teen duplicate koys to fiftcon of tho judges, all of whom wero Democrats, In answor to & quostion, tho witnoss sald: ““I suppose my iden was that, if thore wore too many Ttepub- lican votes In o ballot-box, the key was to open tho box, that Ntepublican votes might bo taken out and Domocratlo votes substi- stuted fu thelr stead.” This ssmple of Dom. ocratio ballot-box stufng is even too much for the Chicago 7'imes, which is forced to ndmit that ¢ the art of fixing ballot-boxes ia as well understood in somo parts of Misals. sippi as it was in the South ‘Town of Chica- go when Dave TuomxtoN “made a jacke pot” of tho votes on tho celobrated occasion that has kopt Mixg Evans busy with litige. tionso long”; and that **Mn Lxcesten's story mny sorve in somo degree to explain the rathier phonomenal Domocratio majority returned at tho November olection in Missls. sippL” Hines County, whera this infainons out- rago was perpetrated, is naturally ono of the strongest Ropublican counties in the Btate, In the eloctlon of 1872 it gave Grar 4,115 votes nnd Greerey 1,589, Ta tho clection of Btate officers in 1875 it gave the Repub- lican candidate for Treasurer 2,821 and the Democratic candidate 8,836, At the last election it gave Haves 1,474 and Tooex 4,503, Now marktho changes. Under the operntions of tho rifle-clubs tho Republican vote of 1872 was reduced in 1874 from 4,116 to 2,321, and the Domocratic voto incroesed from 1,589 to 8,830, ‘The fifteen duplicato koys in tho possession of fiftcen Democratic judges last fali, however, worked still better, In place of the Republican vote of 4,115 in 1872, Haves recoived but 1,474, whila the Democratio vote of 1,639 in 1872 was swelled to 4,603 for Tupxy, thus showing that Dballot-box stufling wes a more effectivo Dem. ocratio agency in the eloctions than tho rifle- clubs, And yet this very class of men who carried Louisiana by both jncthods are now disputing the result in that State. The out- rago in Mississippl is infamous; but what a depth of infamy it ust have reached to call down upon it the condemnation of the Chiesgo Z'imes! pa that sail into eternity and carry down with them procious cargoes FEBRUARY of human lives is larger than moest peoplo imagine. Tho latest English journals report a4 minsing five large stenmers, ench of over 1,000 tons burden, and with 200 to 300 per- sons in all, and inissing under such circum- stances that they will probably never again Do heand of. One wns the Great Queens- land, which sailed from London for Mel- ‘bonrno lnst June. She wna nover seen after passing the French const, and the fact that threa life-bonts and a namo-bonrd marked * Queonsland " have been washed ashore, in. dlcato her loss with all on board. Her car- go consisted mainly of emigrants and gun- powder,—~a combination not wunlikely to prove disastrous, Another was tha Colombo, n ateamor of ovor 2,000 tons burden, which sailed from Hull for Now York early in De- cember, and has not boen heaid of sinco she left tho British waters. Such o stenmer could not capsize, and it ia snpposed that sho must have foundered aftor n collision. Threo other Iarge stenmers, on routes whero they were almost sure to bo spoken, have been out long enough withont being seen to render their loss almost cerlain, They wero loaded with gran in bulk, ngainst which the Jieview, of London, protests in the following sirong langunge: Wo have repeatedly drawn attentfon In these columna fo the Improper stowage of grain cat- goes, and have pointed ont thelr tendency to shift. Tint little donbt can exfst that horefs to bo found the secret of tho fonndering of the Wells, the Hal- ley, and the Cerdie. Load a vessel with gmnin bulk, and the chancea ara ton to one that her cargo will shift 1n rough weather; and this once done, it wanis tut hatf a gale of wind, and not the frightful ‘hurricancs and stormy seas that raged throughout December, toeink the ship forevor in the depths of the occan. The grain carrying trade fs the most dangerous In the whole world, mud it fs monstrona that 1t should be allawed to continne, as at present, subject ouly to mild and undefined restrictione, and pennltleswhich are nevor enforced, Wil Parlia- ‘ment never probibit the carrying of geain In bnlk? “Ir not, 1t Is hetter that the importation of it should cense, than it shonld be earrled onin circumstances #0 frequently fatal to )ife and property, . TAXING CORN, Tt it ever was true that Cotton is King, it ia not so now. Tha total value of Inst year's cotton crop of 4,250,000 bales was about £2110,000,000, but the corn crop of 1,200, 000,000 bushels, at tho averuge prico of about 45 cents a bnshel, is worth to this country no less than 2583,000,000. Itmakes tho largest singlo item in our ngricultural product, and our agricultural product fur. nishes, in ronnd numbers, abont $4,000,000,- 000 ont of tho £8,000,000,000 produced ench year by American Inbor, Cotton was King. Corn is now a greater King. But, though Corn is King of Kings, it hos to poy tnibute on every hand, Middlemeon eat deeper into tho fariner’s substanco than the grasshopper, aud the politicians, with their subsidics, bounties, protective duties, and tho like, ent. decper than the prass. hopper nand the middlemen together, There 8 but one thing of which tho farmer gots tho lion's share,—taxation. Although thoe producetsof corn are the most numerons class in the country, their intereats are less consulted in legislation than those of ony othor. For instance, leaving out of viow the wider questions suggested nbove, consider tho injury dono tothe farmer by tho present law taxing distilled spirits. Al. colol is an indispensable agent in the mann. facturo of varnishes, other, chloroform, per- fumes, and many other chemical compounds. In Groat Britain alcobol destined for uso in tho arts and manufactures is freo from tho internol-revenus {ax imposed on that which iatogointo beverages, The simplo device of compelling the manufacturors of aleohol which is to bo used in the arts to mix it with a distillation from wood, called mothyl, changing it into o *“wood alcohol,” theroby dostroying its fit. ness to drink without injuring it for indus- trinl purposes, protects the Government from {fraud, aud gives to industry an impor-* tnnt raw material free of tax. In this coun- try overy gallon of alcohol used in manuface tures nnd arts must pay 00 conts of excise, or fi00 per cent on primo cost. Tho manu. factures dependent on it are greatly embar- rassed, nnd their dovelopmont {a hindered. Tha demand for aleohol from theso sources inkept down to a minimum point, and, a3 alcohol ia made of corn, tho farmers loso Jjust so much of what might bo an extensivo and remunerativo market. - Cotton goesinto tho arts in this country frec of all Foderal taxation, and consequently the cotton-plaut. r hns tho widest possible market, and a rel. atively high prico for his product. Why should this diserimination "bo made between the corn-planter and the cotton.planter? But this blind and foolish asscssment np- on alcchol employed in tho arts is not the only injurions discrimination Thado ngainat tho corn-growers and the commerco of the country, Wo shall point out another and more flagrant case in a subsequent article, 18 TILDEN PREPARING TO RESISTY It is generally understood that tho New York Sun s tho personnl organ of Mr, Tt xx, and that it follows his dictation and re- flects his views, From tho timo that it be. camo evident tho Joint Committeo of Con- gress wonld report a bill for arbitrating the Prosidential dispute, during the entire dis. cussion of the proposition, and up to the moment when it becamo a law by the signa. turo of the President, the Sun had not one word to say elther for or against it. Its. el lence was regarded as significant, and nt. tracted comment. It was explained by the assertion that M, Tinoxn did not desire in any wey to influenco Congress or the coun. try to either adopt or roject the measura, But just so soon as tho plan, with astonish- ing unanimity of popular approval, had be- conte o fuit accompli, the Sun oponed its batteries, and has since been denouncing it s unconstitutionat, and as a conspiracy to en. able one man to maka the Preaident, meaning the fifth Justico -chosen by the other four. The courso of tho Sun has certainly been alngular, and it derives its importauce from its intimate relations with Mr, Tivoey, What does it mean? Ta it that Mr, TiLozy foreaces tho possibility that hisambition will suffer defeat, nud desires to prepare the way to reslst an adverso decision by the Arbitra- tion Tribunal? What other purposo can thero be, now that tho National Legislature hag sgreed upon the plau, now that the masses of both parties have aspproved it, now that it Is {u actual operation, with tho pros. pect of a speedy and falr conclusion? “Is not this factious opposition and pertinacious denunciation under such circumstances an effort to direct a certain portion of the pub. lio sentiment sgainst acquiescence, in case the result be unfavorablo to tho candidate whom the Sun represents? ‘The time for arguing the arbitration plan ispnst. Wemay say, Lowever, that it is sbsurd to speak of it as enabling * ane wman" to make the President.. If this were true, it would still be lawful, siuce it is within the province of Congress to deter wine how the coustitutional mandato to count the votes shall be carriod out. As the" Nation has already poted, the velid objec- tion to Mr, Fxnrx's counting the vote as President of the Sennte was not becsuse ho whns only ** ono man,” but becanso that offi- cor hng nover assumed tho judieinl fanction neceasary in the present situation, becanso the Constitntion dooa not clently vest the aunthority in him, and because ha ia in a cer- tain senso a party in intorest as o member of ono of the two parties to the controversy, ond subject to one House of Congress con- trolled by one of theso two parties. Bo, oven it Congress by law had appointed one man to count the vote, it wonld have been n very different matter from the President of tho Sennte mssuming such power. But tho fact is that no ono man can decide tho iswne in tho present tribunal, It requires eight at tho vory lesst, tho number of tho Commission being odd, and it is more likely that the final decision will . be mado by even 6 larger number. Tho ruls of acquicscenco in a majority decieion is too well founded in the principles of peace and arbitration to disturb it now, and it is ridiculous to ns- sumo, even if the majority be but one, that the caso will have been decided by **one mon."” Bat the purpose of the Sun scems to be decper than that of argument, sinco it did not argue when tho measure was under con- sidoration bofora Congress, but condemns and denounces it mow that it has been ndopted. Its present position foreshadows tho possiblo defeat of Mr., TrLprN, and vir- tmnlly enlls upon his partisans in that event not to acquicsce in tho decision of the Court. Thisissomethingworse thanun. ‘patriotic; it is slmost treasonable. Theoffense is the ranker beeauso tho Sun has not sug- gested at any time, and does not now suggest, any fairer or botter method for securing a pencefnl settlement of the controversy. If it hnd been nllowed to drift along without o Iaw regulnting the count, it would have re- sulted in the counting of the vote for Haxrs by the President of tho Sonate and the chofco of TruoEx by the usurpation of the House, Tho inforence is that this is what tho Sun wanted. Then it wanted civil strite and bloodshed, for that wonld hava been the outcome eventually, in the absence of arbi- tration. And the inforence from the Sun's present course is that, even now, Mr. TrLozx, at the very thought of being compelled to sacrifico his personal ambition, desires that aa effort shiall bo mado to obtain for him by forco what he may not be able to guin by law. () Ono of the things to which the Legisla. ture shonld turn its attention is the remod. cling of the statuta that regulates the change of venuas in criminal cnses. As it stands, the Inw ought to bo called *“ An act to enable criminals to select their' own Judges, to promote crime, and defeat the punishment thereof.” It places the disposition of a criminal easo entirely in tho hands of the offonder, so far a8 the seclection of Judgels concerned, and extonds this important privi- lego to criminals of high and low degree, and whothor arrnigned beofore Justices of tho Peace or the Criminal Court of the county. The necessity for a modifleation of the law is suggested anow by the.recent uxpo- suro of tho action of Justico Porrax in lot- ting a scoro and more of Mige MoDoxarLp's gamblers eseapo their flnes, Mixe having paid tho Justice his costs, Justice Suanen. r1eLD holds the regular Tolice Court of the South Division, but the lawW permits a change of venuo to the nearcst Justice Tho Corporation Counscl says that Por. rix moved his offica near SuavenriEip's in order to get the beneflt of this 'provision, ond his conduct in tho caso of MeDoNarp's gamblers scoms to indicate that ho encour- nges criminals to come over to his offico and pay the costs into bis pocket. Trnups and McDoxawp, apparontly the attorneys of the gamblers, took a change of venue for them, ond McDoxawp paid Porrax bia costs; but Poruax permitted the cases to bo tried without tho presonco of the gamblers sund without forfeiting their bonds, Of course, Lo found them guilty and fined them, which secured him his costs, but as they wero not prescot, and as their names wero flctitious, the fincs will nover be collected and tho gamblers will go unpunished. If a fair statement hns been made of the cnse, Por- LAk onght to be prosecuted for malfeasance in office. This caso {llustrates suflciently tho defect of tho law ns to minor police casca. Dut tho Iaw ia not less vicious in the cases that are presented by tho Grand Jury, Thus Sur. L1vaN, wheu put on trial forkilling Hanvonp, was able, under tho law, to pick out ons par. ticular Judge among the eight and decline to be tried by any one of the others. Other criminals swear their'cascs out of tho county altogether without tho slighteat excuse, and tho Judge and tho Btato's-Attorney are help- less undor the Iaw. Tho interests of justice and publio eafety demand that it be modified, 80 that application for change of venue shall bo accompanied by some pruof of reasonablo cause, and tho granting thercof loft to the dlscrotion of tho Judgoes, ns in other Btates, Tho New York Sun—Tmoea's chiof and ablest organ—did not eny a word against the Arbitration Plan until after the Commission was formed and the prellininary steps taken to proceed to business, when all at ouce it broke out in opposition to tho Plan, A day or two ago it heuded n leader “ The Republlcan Party Baved,” and proceeded to bitterly say: ‘The arbitration {s tho escape of tho ltepublican patty from threatencd destraction. A consplrucy had been entered into to coant Mr, Havzs in us President. 1t wos bascd on fraudulent returus from Florlda and Loubslana, The plan nroposed was 10 bo carricd through by the Presi. dent of the Senate, supporied, as it was cxpected m;uum bo, by tho kepublican majority in thut “Filis wae tho sctiome, but 1t must now be appar- ent {0 overy ono that it could mot have boen ear- sled out; aud that it it had been curried out, it would have ruined the Republican party forever, "lio wajorlty of the Senate would ot bave con- sented tolt, and the fallure wonld Laye lcff the Itepublican “body broken by o radical and fatal lchllnll ind covered with tho sbame of & defeated cons . . No! {l- true thero has been m controversy within'the party, not niuch worsu than all partics coutinually bave to undergo; but the result is that the Hepublicansare extricated from their funncdlate perll, Ihy ximost absulute deciston of the Presle duntial question ls left to Judgu Joseru P, Luan. LY of Nowark, to whou his party never looked In vain, Hares bclmI counted in, the frauds by which hla result is establivhed will be covered with the uasi mantle of the Bupreme Court; and if TiLvex sbould Yunlbl be declared ele: tho ltepublican party will yet have boen Tho galn to tho Republlcans in this Electoralbill s womething immense and unpl:xlulnl. whily the Democrats have been algnally cirCumivouted. “The Democratic House of Itepresentatives hisd the de- teruiination of thie grest question fu their own hands, and now It 14 inthe bands of Joskru P, Buaviey, The Indlanapolls Journal professes to have discovered TILDEN'S programine if he s beaten Lefore the Arbitratlon Court. Probably Gov. Hznpricks divulged ft, At all events it Is an futereating campalgn that he bas marked out. He will first begin to Inflame the Democratic mind with editorials and speeal telegnuns pre- pared by hls literary bureau aguinst tho tinding of ‘the Arbitrators. Then— As s00n us posaible after Havxs Is inaugurated, bo will 10v0 fu sima coust of vroper Jurlsdiction for a wrlt of quo uurranto ta teat the tormer's titlo (v the ofiice. Falling du thle, ho will apply for an fnjunction to restrain Liw' from exerclilng ity fonctions. Then bo will sus the Presldeut iu troepaxs, yuare cluvsum fregil, clafmlng the White Housa a8 bls property, “After that bo will brlnfm ejectent sult, ju 1he courso uf which be will fur- k an abetract of bis title tothe Presideacy, and 40 orer the whole ground of the contest in_Uregon oud the three disputcd Southern States, Bex step will be a replesin auit to recover passension or the faenitare and personal property In the White. I[nnue.homnglthcn-by tosoembarenas the President 2#to compel him to relinquish the office. Failing fn thin, he will ke tho Prosident for damaces, | the confident expectationof recovering enfcient to Dn{ the expensesof hislitigation. Finally, havin oshausted: every constitntionnl remedy, he Mfl rond word to {izonur W, dJevtax and ' J, Roay Dunns thatit's of no uee, and they may ks wel] ery havoe and lot alip the dogs of war, Upon thess In;llrncllonl they will cry and let allp a4 afore. sald. —————— Comparative atatistics of mortality in freay Britain show that during the last ten years thy death-rate hns deereased from that of the pre. vious ten years in scarlet fover, diphtheria, the low fovers, whooping-cough, mecasics, croap, erysipelas, and influenza, but that the death-rate of amall-pox has Increased over 80 per cent, The number of deaths from small-pox in the yeara 1634-"63 were 83515, and In the years 1884-'78 they were 70,468, and this Increase hag been in the face of o very general system of vaceination regulated by faws of Parliament, It Is a fact which ought to attract the attention of the physicians of this country before we hayg occaston to note n similar {ucreaso on this side of the water, - —— . As the arzument before the Arbitration Boarq progresses, the confidenca of the Democratie politicians scems to ssipate, Thelr hopes aps pear now tobe chiefly centered inthellar Lirrre. PIZLD, In the mendaclous MADDOX, the scoun. drel 8PEATING, and tho cnes CRONING Lut sl trought together cannot 1ft the Usufruct futo the Executive chair, e — . The Hon, A, C, Warss, of Ohlo, sent an artl. cle to Tnr Tmnosg, giving his method on “cooking feed ? for cattle and sheep, which bad previously appeared fn the Country Gentleman, It was copled Into our columns as a contribution to Tne TRIDUNE, when In fact it should huye been credited to tho (% ¢, It Is useless now to explain how the mistake bappened. ———— PERSONAL, The late M. De Remusat's historical drams, 4 Abelard," fs nbout to be published in Parls. [t will bo remembered that ho could never be Induced to send ft to the press, thongh he occasionaMy fa. vored his Intimate friends by reading to them por. tiona of It. 5 Alexander Stephens rubbed hls eyes when he read {he Jast Latch of hisobltuaries Inthe nows papers, but the perusal of them seemed to plesse him, for he eald, with a slight approach to & smile: - **Well, they've wrilten worse than that about me while Twasliving," o Drown, the mind-reader, who estalilshed and overthrew o reputation for marvelous powersfn this city, has latcly been operating in New York, ‘The newspapers there are pnzeled to eay whether his wethod {s mind-reading or muecle-reading, but ogreo that it {s eomething a8 yet wholly unes. platued. A cotrespondent inquires whether tho expres. slon **Tho honse Ia belng bullt* or **The house 1s butlding ** {s correct according to the strict con. struction of tho language, Tho formeris correct by analogy and the Jalter by nsago, Some of the Leat writers may be quoted as autlioritles for either expression, At tho #ale of a collection of Amerlcan paintings ot Leavitt's art-rooms, in New York, last weez, Dlerstadt's ¢* 8unset Near South Passand Dovils Gate on Bweatwater " fetched §1,700. The prices abtained were generally falr for tho times, and towards the closo the bidding was brisk and the at. tendance large, ‘The Doston newspapers entreat Mr. Moody not 10 bo tao fast with his religion, lest Lo mny over. throw many of the cxanlsitely-balanced minds that 80 abound thereatouts, This fa a consldorable confession to -come from Boaton, whers, it has always been supposcd, the weakest mind {s frmly, anchored in o tenaclous egotism, Mr. J, Brown deslres to know when the Angols,) N» Y., raMroad dleaster occurred, and how many Jivea wero lost by ft; aluo, thosame data respect ing the Norwalk, Conn., disaster, The Angola' disaster took place Dee, 17, 1807; scventy porsons were killed and forty Injured. ‘Tho date of the Norwalk accident was May 0, 1857; forty-six were killed and thirty severely injured. No stone marks the grave of John W. Geary, twice Governor of Fonnsylvania, aud a gallant General doriog the War, A movement has lately ‘begun to supply this want.—the Intention belng to placo ovor the gravo only asjmplo tablet. 1t hae been suegested, however,—and the jdea onghtto mect with hearty concurrence,—that the Stateot Pennsylvania might well afford the expenso of marking the last resting-placo of so worthy a citl- xen with a sultable monument. Tho anthor of **Hclen’s Dables* can find just now little pleasnre in thinking of the marvelons succoss of his book; for one of the originals of the story, his own child, Low fassed away from life. It was ** Toddle,” tho youngest son of the anthor; a child of unusun! quaintnees ond promise, Juthe midat of such afliiction ae thls, 1tia small consols- tion to iear that the book has had n success 1n Ene gland au decided ae that which it enjoyed here, No lcss than six English editions have Lcen fnaued or onnounced since Messra. Sampeon, Low & Co, brought out thelrs, last Decembor, Tho Messrs, Loy Lave allowed the author, of thelr own motlon, the usunl royalty on thelr eales of the book. ‘There has been o mysterions marriage in Potoam Countg, N, Y.,—the principal eloment wantingto its completion being a bridegroom, Thero wats groom present st tho coremony, as may be sup-, poscd, but ho hos sinco disappeared. The man whom the woman claims for hor husband denles that he was ever married to her, and the clorgyman who ofiiciated on the occaslon, belng afifcted with color-blinducss or some other convenlent dlscase, cannot positively ldent!fy the persons who stood before him when he tied tho sacred bonds. The woman declares with omphas ind not without a show of support In the clr nces of the case, that a marziago of this de: tlon fa ** ralo oneate isfactory.” It Is alloged that ber brother persons nted the supposed bridegroom forthe purposool fastening npon hima spouse not marketable in the ordinary way. Many curlous atarles aro told of thelate M, Do- loz, founder and proprictor of the celebrated Liesus des Deux Mondes, 1lo came taParls ses poor boy, and engegod &s & proof-roader. Hisonly Nterary accomplishment was s knowledge of Ene glish, which he turned to good ndvantage by making translations for the Freuch market, With tho slender capital thas acquired, he founded the lterue, and, nfter o desperate strugglo for cxit- ence, extending over many ycars, eatablivhed it oa o purmancnt basls, When be dled, the Zerue had 20,000 subscribers, and brouglt {n an aunual proft of $68,000. Yet It was aaid that the proprietor, whea he dled, had not o frlend in the world, 18 dealinge with outhors, of whom he bad the most famous In Fronce to command, procuted him many enomfcs. Dumas, with old spite, used to dato Lis lettors **Marvellle, a 200 Heues du cet imbeclle do Dulux™; ** fitrasboure, & 125 liouea de cet tmbectle do Bulok," ete, There waw hardly one of his staft that did not quarrel with hlm, Ucorge Sand and soveral othors had bitter lawanits with bitn, and on more than one occavlon ho was threatened with the spdlen stoppage of rowmances In the wmiddle, unlcss be would pay according to the market.tes. The Zevus has been for eighteen monthe fu the change of hisson, and will be continued by M, ‘Tho man who first went down to tho ses fn ablps was not nearly so adventurons as the modern €1+ plorer who rashly enters as & novice the unknowd und vasty region of the cliy boanding-house, The terror which is {nsplrod of Ignorance cannot more completely take posscealon of tho one than it doesof the otber. Not onlyaro there now forms of lifecon* stantly to bo encountered by the modern boardee, bub there are new qualitivsof the mind and kears whica may well cause the strongest to quall, Whatcan be thought, for lustance, of the soclal ethice thst «can prompt 8 buman belng deliberately to fasten 00 a confiding stranger a new play to bo read, a poed to bg criticised, a song (o bo endarcd, and & hom!ly on rellgion tobo heard, in the couse of one cveas ing? Only tho Loarding-houso code of woraly (a8 aduwit of torments like these. In view of tho man® ifuld offenscs of (ho class, it Is pleastug to know that tha kecpors of establishments of tbif description have lately been suffering wher? thoy are moast sensitive,~Ia the purse. ‘The Nevw York World has caused & mumber of the wmost fashlonable boarding-housa Keepers in that city 0 Lo interviowed, and they report a declino of prices Quring the past three months, of 3335 per cenl Aapy of them'sssert that, §f the decline contluuet while rents remaiu st tho present standard, they will bo obliged to votiry from business. Tho €3 perlence o Chicago has been somewhat shallar ‘The fall in rated within tho Jast Lalf-year bas beeB inmany cases as great as 6O per cent, and botloRd Lus not been reached yet, tne competition belnd excecdinglyactive. The lat of May will sbow ske o astogadiog decline in house-rents, which ma¥ Dave the effect of relleving the bustliug Lindlsdie in some degres.