Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, March 23, 1878, Page 4

q THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1878—TWELVE PAGUS, Common Oouncil made up of A majority of that kind of Aldermen wonld be a calamity almost equivalent to another big fire; and yot such n thing is among the possibilities, unless tho matter of the Aldermanio eleo- rostaon rraparp, | Honsis MM:"!;_‘L_ g A New Orloans Grand Jury has just com- ploted a job of whitewashing rendered nec- espary by the charges of J. Mapison Wrrrs against Judge Wrrrraxzr, who presided at the AxpErsox trinl. Itis found that War- shonld be required to send forward the money as rapidly as each deposit reaches the snm of 210 at the most, after which the donlings are with the Treasury, either for exchange into certificates and bonds, or for the withdrawal of the deposit throngh a money-order. The bill reported by the Banking and Currency Committes is chiefly objectionable because it provides for the ressue of $50,000,000 groenbacks, to be used na a reserve for redemption. This pro- Thye Tribwne, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION, BY MAIL—IN ADVA iy FAltion, one vear 'art® nf & yOAT. Pef mo! Donble Rheet.. £aturdsy Rdltion, INELYS pARES -Weekly, one yesr..... 'artact & vear, per monih, WEERLY EDITION, POSTPALD, Ome copy, per year. -n0 vislon is entirely foreign to the function and Capecimencon b8 saxan' recond i spotless, and that tho eir- | ,oope o tho bill, ns the necessary reserve Give Post-Ofice address in full Inclading Statesnd | oulation of the reports that he is a defaultor (conceded on all sides not to exceed 10 per cent) may be mors easily retained out of the moneys deposited, which wonld not give rise to a discussion over an inflation of the cur. rency. The bill reported by the Ways and Means Committes is evidently the most de- sirable, though it errs in not providing for deponits under 1, as the Banking and Car- rency bill errs in not allowing deposits of mors than 85 in any one week. We think the Ways and Means bill is also at fault in limiting the certificates Lo one year, after which they become convertible into perma. nent refunding bonds, when tho deposit in not subject to withdrawal. Such cortificates, which are to draw 3.66 por cent intereat, while tho bonds draw 4 per cent, should be County. Remlittances may be made either by draft, express, Pest-Oice order, or in rexistered letters, at onr tuk. TERMS TO CITY SURSCRIDERS. Dally, delivered, Sunday excented, 25 cents per week. Tatly, delivered, Eunday included, 50 centa per week. Address LTHE TRIBUNE COMPART, Corner Madleon and Dearborn-ats., Chicago, Il Qrders for the dellveryof T TRINUXX at Evageton, Engiowood, and Hyds Fark leftin the countlog-room wiilreceive brompt attention, ] TRIB! S RANCI OFFICES, Tre Cricaao TRIBUNE has established branch offices for the recelptof subscrintions and sdvertisements sa follows: e A : NEW TORK—Tiooin 29 Tridune Bullding. F. T. Mo~ Fappex, Manager, PARIS, France—No, 18 Rus de in Grange-Dateltere. H. Mantxs, Agen! LONDON. Eng.—American Exchange, 449 Strand. Hrxny F, GiLLie, Agent. to the United Btates Government was the work of malignant enemies, This portion of the Grand Jury’s report should be taken with more than the customary allowance, 85 tho charge of defalcation lias been mads upon no less anthority than that of the Sec. retary of the Troasury, and it is quito likely that a different showlng will result from tho investigation proposed by a resolution now pending in the United Btates Senato, Ruesin is reported to have grown restive and irritated by England'sdictatorial attitude, and to have determined to bring matters to an immediate crisis by demanding the im- mediate withdrawal of the British fleet | from the Sen of Marmora. The of- BAN FRANCISCO. e Hotel ficious intorfersnce of Lavano, the Brit. [ made fim;l'::'& "’:“? at ];‘“"; !'m‘“tu""; = erument wi o gainer in interest, an AMUSEMENTS. ish Minister at Constantinople, in the ol B ) the depositor thoe gainer in the convenience of tho systom. At all events, out of thess ihreo bills, with a common purpose, Con- gress should agrea upon a law to satisfy the popular demand for a national savings sys- tem. THE STAY LAW OF MASSACHUSETTS. 'The Legialaturo has paased, and the Gov- ernor has approved, and the billis nowa law of Massachusetts, granting a atay in the collection of all debts due by savings banks in that Btate, This action has not been taken in any of the Western Btates, where the people are supposed to be vory poor, very ignorant, very looss in thelr moral natures, and very anzious to pav their debts in the choapest possible money, even in silvor dollars ** worth only 00 conts.,” Tho fact is, the savings banks of Massachnsetts, holding, as they do, romo two hundred and forty millions of the hard-sarned savings of the people of that Btate, are not abla to pay their debts. These baoks had urged the people whose money they hold to oppose the remonotization of silver, and to insist npon ¢* gold,” and they wore assured that to have silver eninage would immediately reduce the wolue of all deposits in savings banks nine cents on the dollar. What are they worth now ? Those banks have continued to do busi. ness, and hava day after day recolved depos. ita over their counters, when their officers and managors knew that they were insolvent, nod that they could not pay their depositors, sud that for them to continue in business wos n fraud and a swindle upon the unaus. pecting and confiding poopls whose money they held. The depositora in some of the banks eventually got nlarmed and demanded their money. Tho banks, unwilling to ac- knowledgo their inability to pay, appoaled to the Legislature for o * Btay law,”—a law to suspend the collection of debts againat banks, and thus lock up in the hands of the managers and officers of the fnsolvent banks the $240.000,000 of the depositors’ money, The Ilaw, being prepared by tho banks, is to bo prosumed to moet their condition, and this law authorizes the Bauk Commissionors to direot the bank officers to rofuso payment of doposits oxcopt in such sums of 10, 15, or 20 per cent, so long aa the bank is unable to pay; and that this prohibition may continuo for at least 50 por cent of the deposits for the term of two yonrs. When some persons in this State, some months ngo, petitioned the Governor to con- veno the Legislature that it might enacta “Btay law" in the collection of debts, the Governor peromptorily refused, and freely expressod his opinion ngainst tho injustice of such laws. Who would have expected that honest old Massachuseita wonld have begun the husiness of enacting Stay Iaws, and that, too, in the interost of a class, the owners nnd oporators of savings banks hold. ing §240,000,000 of the savings of the poor? Thess savings banks of Massachusotts, Russian plans of embarkation, coupled with the fact of the presence of a squadron of froncladsas & menaco, may well be sup- posed to have caused considerable exnapera- tion nt Bt. Petersburg. Why England should assume the privilego of threntening the Russian camps with the guns of har war ships, and at the samo time dony to Russin the privilege of making her own terms with the Porta relative to tha tomporary occupancy of Constantinople by the victorious army,—is something not ensy to perceive at this distance of observation ; and it is not at all improbable that the limit of Russin's paticnco under the insolont bear. ing of England has at last been reached. The cable dispatches this morning con. tain fresh rumors of complications, among them that Russia has secretly concluded an agreemont with Turkey as a preparation for war with England, the Czar undertaking to assist Turkey in opposing any Anglo-Greek combination, and to maintain the Ottoman Empiro as it exists aince the treaty of peace. McVicker’s Theatre. Madiron street, between Deatborn and Btate. #* A Celebrated Case,” by the Unlon Bquare Company. Afternoop and evening. Hooley’s Thentre. Tandolph street, hetween Clark and LaSalle, Engagement of Sothern. ‘'A Crushed Tragedisa,” Afternoon and evening. New Chicago Theatre. Clark strect, opposite Sherman IHouse. Engage- ment of Haverly'a Minstrels, Afsernoon snd evening. Tinveriy’s Theatre. Monroe street, corner of Dearborn. **Aladdin.™ Af. ternoon and evening, Coliseum Novelty Theatre. Clark street, opposite Court-louse, Varlety pere formance. — BOCIETY MEETINGS. LLIAM_ D, WARREN LODGF, NO. 20, A, F. P L commun(u(flm this minm{) evening At half-past 7 o'clock. lusiness and work. ‘Visitors siwsys weicome. u{urnern( the W, M. J. {t. DUNLOY, Secretary. BATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1878, THE POSTAL BAVINGS BYSTEM. Therso ars now three bills befora the House of Reprosentatives looking to the establish. ment of a national savings system. One haa boen roported by the Ways and Means Committee, to which Mr. Burcuann's bill was referred; another by the Banking aud Currency Committes; and now a third by the Committec on Post-Offices, only n meagre outline of which has been furnished by the dispatches, The bill reported by the Ways and Means Committee is founded on ona originally pre- pared by Mr. Buacuanp, and differs from tho latter only in details. Provision is made for the reception at all money-order post offices of deposits of lawful money of not loss than one dollar, in return for which a postal money-order is to be issued for a cor. responding nmount on the Treasurer of the United States. Intereat is allowed on such doposits st the rate of 3 per cont per annum, but the postal orders are convertiblo in sums of 210, or multiples thereof, into either bonds drawing 4 por cent interest or postal cerlificates drawing 3.656 per cent interest, The difforence botween the two is that the 4 percont bonds avoa permanent invest- mont, while the cortificates run one year (but no longer), and the money thoy repre- sent during that period is subject to with. drawal at any time in sums not exceeding $50, At tho expiration of tho year tho cer- tificates, with accrued intereat, become con. vertible iuto 4 per cent bonds, and, mean. while, the National Banks are authorizod to Lold such certificates ns a part of their ro- sorves not required to be kopt on hand in spocie or legal-tender notes, No charge is made to the depositor for fasuing the money- order on the deposit, but the usual chargs is mado for the money-order in tho withdrawal of deposits, Tho bill reportad by the Committee on Banking and Currency anthorizes deposits os-n0L less than 25 cents nor more than 85 Greenbacks at the New York Stock Ex- chango yestorday closed at 09, Germany haa alittlo nffair on hand ngainst Nicaragua whiol threatens to become inter. esting if the Contral American Republio doesn't hurry up and fix up mattors with the irato Kalser. A formidable fleet of Gorman men-of-war is about to anchor within bom- barding distance of Nicaraguan ports and nssist the Govornment in secing its way clear to rendering the satiafaction demanded. Senator Donszy, of Arkanens, is just now on the anxious seat regarding an affair of mail-contractor's bonds said to have been signed in blank, in violation of law, through his instrumentality, Hois, however, noloss fortunate than Mr. Bramve was in having a brother npon whom to saddle in- convenient disclosures. A case of disputed identity is occasionally a godsend to & per- son under investigation. Latest advices from tho London walking tournament confirm the prospect of yes. terday, that tho Chicago coutestant will carry off the highest honors. At mid. night O'Learnr had n gain of sixteen miles over VAvanax, his nearest competitor, snd soemed certain of maintaining his won. derful courage and ondurauce up to the stroke of 12 to-night, and of coming forth the un- questioned champlon pedestrinn of the world. Tho long strugglo over the new State. Housge to be erected at Indianapolis termi- nated yesterday in the adoption of the plan of a local architect aud the exccution of a contract for the Buperintendoncy. The cost is cstimated ot from §1,721,000 to 81,702, 791, but if it doos not reach twico these figures beforo the building is ready for oc. cupancy, the people of Indinns may cou- gratulato themselves upon having had a most novel oxperience in State-Houso build. ing. s = at any inoney-order office, and tho lssuc of o [ who have thus been protected by The part borno by the oltizens of Pitts. | Pass-book, with tho provision that a money. | tha interposition of the Governor Lurg mp conoction ,,yml the terrible riot of | Order on the Trensury shall bo given when | and Legislature of that Btate, owe tho amonnt of the deposit renches #10. It fs also provided that these money-orders shal be exchangeable in sums of §10 and multiples thercol into United States bonds, to bo known na * The Postal Savings Bonds,” which sball draw 3,05 per cent interest dur- ing the torm of thres years and no longer, ‘The poatnl bonds shall bo redeomed in law- fal mouey at any timo during thae threeyears at tho domand of the holder, or may at any time bo converted, at the option of the hold. er, iuto ¢ per cent refunding bonds. The peculiar featuro of this bill is the provision that the Becretary of the Treasury may re. insue the $70,000,000 of greonbacks up to the original 400,000,000 limitation, to ths extent that may bo necessary to maintain a reserve of 10 per cant on the doposits under tho law, ‘The bill reported by the Post-OMce Com- mittee differs from the others malinly in giv- ing the Post-Office Department the ontire mannagement of the proposed savingu system, somewhat after the Euglish plan, It pro- vides for receiving deposita ranging from 25 cents to §300 at money-order offices, which shall be entered on pass-books and draw 8 per cent interest, and wubject to withdrawal st any time. Provision is also made in this bill for converting the deposits, in sums of $50 and multiples thereof, into certificates beuring 4,65 per cent interest, and probably running a limited time, or into 4 per cent re- funding bonds, All thess bills require that all moueys received undor this system shall be applied exclusively to the payment of de- poeitors and to the redemption and refund. iog of the 8 per cent bonds, which means the substitution of the 4 per cent bonds, oz the payment and withdrawal of those sub- jeot to call, The principle of thess bills is the same, and it aims at the cstablishment of = desira- ble and useful system for tho safe-keeping of surplus earnlogs, and the utilization thersof to reduce the interest on the public debt, But there are minor objections to each of them. The bill reported by the Post-Ofice Committee is more objectionable than the vthers, because it confides the safe- keuping of these moneys to the Postmasters in larger sums than the other two bills sllow, and places the mansgement of the system in the hands of the Post-Ofice Department, while it naturally aud properly belonge to ‘Treasury, Under the provision of either of the other bills, the Postmasters are merely sgents for the convenient transmnission of tho deposits to the United Btates Treasury, and there is less risk of Governmentloss from defalcations than under the Post-Office bill, The FPostmasters roceiving these doposits more monoy than is dae by all the West- ern States, citics, municipalities, and more than is due upon all the farm mortgages of tho Northwest. The debt is a sacred truat, and the law is intended to protect the banka from paying the money confided to their cus. tody, If a Western Blato—any ono of the silver States—should enact a law prohibiting the collection of farm mortgages beyond such porcontage as the debtor might feel dis. posed to pay, there wounld be such a moral convulsion all through Boston as would even surpass that exciled by the Bilver law. The unfortunate owners of the $240,000,000 of doposits thus locked up in the savings banks of tho Btate of Massachusetts would doubt- less bo glad to receivo silver dollars, aven if they were worth only ‘“00 ceats” on the dollar, in preferenco to selling their bank- books for whatevor they can get, as the ma- Jority of them will now probably have to do. lnst July is wade apparent in the testimony of R. A, Aaron, President of the Train. men's Union at the timo of the strike, given ycsterday beforo the Special Com. mittco of the Legislature appointed to inveatigate the subject. The Mayor of Pittsburg himself advised tho riotous strikers to resint any attompt at arrost, while numes- our prominent citizons supplied the mob with the arms with which they fired upon the Philadelphin militia. The work of the Comm jointly by President Haves and Gov, Hun. BARD to inquire into the facts conuected with the dificultics at San Elizario and El Paso is said to be very unsatisfactory to the Texas people, who had hoped and expected some- thing far more vigorous and belligerent thian tho recontmendation that 200 soldiers be sta- tioned at El Paso. It is probable that the dissatinfaction exists chiefly nmoung that class of the border population of Texas who would be pecuniarily benefited by a border war, and whose ardent desire for the punishment of Mexican insolence is therofore prompled by somothing besides purely patriotio con- siderationa, THE NEW PRESS-0AQ LAW, The Houss Committes on Post-Offices and Post-Roads has reported a Lill providing that - newspapers and periodicals shall be distrib. uted exclusively through the mails, We take it for grauted that the Post-Offics De- partment has not suggestefl this bill, and doos not desire ita passage. Otherwise, it has stultified itself. For it has repoatedly aasorted that newspapers and perlodicals are carried at aloss. It 18 not probable that the Department would ask Congress to give it the monopoly of a business a frastion of which causes it serious embarrassment, Or it it should prefer such an extraordinary re- quest, Cougress would mot be justified in granting it. The bill virtually contemplates the ecstablishment of a soparate Department of Government, namely, the News Agency, the duties of which, before long, would be s important and burdensome as those of the Post Office Department itself. The Post. master General would not ask for such an establishment in a subordinate section of a general bill, or without previously recom- mending it in some special way to the con. sideration of Congress and the people. The bill is more likely drawn at the in. stance of the people it seems specially cal- culsted to beneflt. Thosa are the publishers of country newspapers, who hops, by using the mails as an obstruction, to cut off the competition of the city dailies. This is a couception of the proper functionsof the Post-Office which has probably never been equaled out of France, where the art of sup- pressing information was, in the days of the Empire, carried to perfection. The plain English of tho country publishers' demand is that the Post-Office shall delay tho news Two negroes were hanged at New Castle, Del., yesterday for the crime of rape, com- mitted last August upon a woman whose character haa since the trial and conviction been shown up in a light which would seem to palliste in some degree the offense for which the negroes have suffered death, Efforts were 1nade and testimony laid before Jov. Cocumayw to induce him to grant at £ast a respito to the condemned men, but he declined to interfero with the due course of the law, and the execution accordingly took place yesterday. Under all the ciroum. stauces, it is not surprising that there should be a feeling that undue severity and haste were shown in the case. e r——— 1t will be interesting to know how many of the candidates for Alderman at the April election oblamn the support of the Baloon- Keopers' Association upon tifv terms imposed by that body as the price of its ** influence.” A pledgeis required to be signed Ly the candidate desiring the support of the orgau- ized aloon-keopers *‘ that ho is opposed to all so-called temperance and sumptuary leg- islation, and that, if elected tu the Common Council, he will not vote for auy ordinance prohibiting the sale of liquors on Suundays, or to minors, or at any time between the hoursof 58 m. audI¥ p. m., or for any ordinance which is calcalsted to injure the legitimate trafilo in futoxicating liquoss.” A for their benofit. Modorn civilization is too quick for them, They don’t want it to come along until they are ready to note and record its progress. In short, they want protection against the capital and enterprine that are employed in the production of the largo city nowspapers. This Is & kind of protection that innocent and intelligent people have nover heretofors demanded. Bomo Con- gressmen have tried to get it. Al the back-pay grabbers, the Credit-Mo- biller grabbers, and the Pacifie-Mall grabbers clamored for it. Tho infamous Prosss-Gag law which they proposed five yoars ago was condemned by the unanimons sentiment of the country, and nono of them has had the hardihood to defend it since. Now, this Iaw reqniring the transmiasion of newspapers through the mails exclusively is another Press-Gag law. It is intended to limit tho circulation of the large newspaper in this country districts; and it has the ad- vantage over tho othét Press-Gag Iaw of ap- pealing to the cupidity and jenlonsy of country publishers to nrssiat in its passage. Tho old Press-Gag law was to be applied in- partinlly to ail newspapers; this one applies only to the large newspapers. By cun- ningly dividing the cquntry against thecity, the promoters of the measnro hope to secure s majority in Congress and to justify them- selves before the people, B ‘The conspiracy of the country Congross- men and the country publishers against the city is bound to be unsuccessful, becauso it contemplates the inconvenience of the coun- try people. They, after all, aro the impor- tant olomont at election time ; and they are not likely to consent to the abridgment of any of their privileges. The privilege of having the news and all of it by the quickest conveyance—whether it be mail, express, oarrier, freight, telograph, telephone, acro- phone, or word of mouth—is one of the highest they enjoy ; and the attempt to take it from them is on interference with their porsonal freedom. It is not, therefors, be- caugo we apprehend any serions jsane to this proposition, but becauso it indieates a stato of domoralization in Congress, that we have taken it up. For tho proposition is not only to deprive the people of informntion they have a right to poisoss, but to injure by di. veot legislation o class of businoss.men who have deserved no ill of tho Government. There is no reason why the caso of newspa. per publishers should be considered any different from that of book publishers or that of merchants who send any variety of mailable matter through the Post.Office. Yot it would be thought a great hardship it the publishor who sends single books oc- casionally through the maila should be com. pelled to send all booke in the same manner, or if small articlos of mercliandisoe, such as those now transwmitted through the mails at the option of the sendors, counld be delivered in no other manner. The hardship in the cnse of newspaper publishers would be great- er than inany other case, for their merchan- dise i perishable, It mnst be delivered at once, or not at all. If delayed in transmis- sion, it loses its value, The oxpress com- panios are now held responsible for such de- lays, and are obliged to pay losses inourred theroby, whoreas the Government conld not be held sumilarly responsible and wonld not pay damages. There are o few, plain principles which will ot the morits of the cass clearly before Congress and the people: (1) Newapapers are merchane diso; (2) Congress hgs no right to compel the transmission of merchandise through the «mails; and (3) any use of the Post-Offico which makes 1t productive of public incon. venionca porverts it from its original and constitutional purpose and turns it into o nuisance, If Mr, CannoN and his associates can once get it into their heads that the mers imprinting of words on blank paper doos not make it epecially subject to Post- Office regulations, unless the printers choose to put it into the Post.Office, they will have n clearer understanding of the subject. Thoy might ns well propose to compel tho trans- mission of every form and variety of paper and paper-material through tho mails as to compel nowspaper publishers to use exclu. sively this channel of distribution. THE SAMPLE BUREAU AS ITIS, NOT AS IT SHOULD BE. . Wo printed, on Sunday last, n Trossury Department circular directing United Btates Appraisers to accompany their monthly ro- porta of duatiable importations by samples of toxtilo fabrics, with invoico prics, classifica. tion, and rato of duly attached., Tho issu- ance of this circularshows that the Becrotary of tho Treasury is laboring in good faith for reform; but it also shows, wo think, that he Is thwarted by his subordinates. Early in January last the Appraiser of this port, at tho request of tho Collector, made for the uss of the latter a brief, consisting of suggestions for tho reform of the customs sorvice, This brief was submitted to SBec- retary S8nxnxax, and by him approved. The public were given to understand that the suggestions of the brief were to be carried into practice. Among the suggestions was that of the organization of a Bample Bureau at Washington to which all United States Appraisers were to be required to report dafly. 'The propoaition is a simple, common sense one, calculated, if carried out, to bring about uniformity of appraisement, and the only wonder s that it was not adopted years sgo when first recommended. On the 1st of February last Tar Tnipune explained and heartily indorsed the project ns tho best known method of detecting frauds and se- curing uniformity of appralsement, and urged the Becrotary of the Treasury to put itin force immediately. That he saw and fully realized its value, and directed that it ba carried into effect, wo have no, doubt, That it has been adopted, but with two very important modifications, we firmly beliove is owing to the fact of a studied purpose on the part of some Treasury subordinato or subordinates to thwart the intent of Becre- tary BuxruMan, ‘The original plan contemplated the crea- tion of a Board of Experts, whoss time and attention should be devoted exclusively to the examination of samples, with a view to securing uniformity of appraisement through. out the country. 8urely there is not in the administration of the customs service a more important object to be attained than this. But the order of the Becretary re. «quires that samples shall be submitted to the Loard of Geueral Appraisers. The Gsneral Appraisers have othor duties to perform. ‘The time of Mr, Kercnux, the General Ap- praiser stationed at New York, is chiefly ocoupied in sitting upon reappraisements. Mr. Bawaas, of Boston, Mr. MuezoiTs, of Baltimoze, and 3Mr. Hxvr, of Philadelphia, must be 'aimilarly ocoupled & con. siderable postion of the time. Much of Mr, Mxexorra's time is oocupied in traveling sbout the country visiting the different ports of his district, and all the Gencral Appraisers ars compelled to travel more or less. If the time of the Genoral Apprawers is not fully occupied in the performance of their prozent dnties, one or two of them should be dis- ponsed with, and their dnties devolred upon those remaining; if their time is now fully ocenpied, other dntles shonld not Lo de- volved upon thom, since they are sure to noglect one or the other branch of the serv. ico required of them. The original plan contemplated the eatab- lishment of tho Bureau of Bamples at Wash- ington, under the eye of the Becretary of the Treasury. But the order of the Secrotary provides for its eatablishment at New York, for it is at New York that the Board of Gen- eral Appraisers meets, Wo protest against the establishment of a division of the Tress. ury Department at any other place than Washington, and especially against ita estab. lishment at Now York City, The proposi- tion that the great bulk of the frands upon the cnstoms rovenue aro committed at the port of New York is indisputable. To es. tablish the proposed Bureau of Samples un- der the very droppings of this sanctuary of raseality is to subject it to imposition, not to say temptation, Some iden of tho system. atic manner in which franda in New York are committed may be obtained from the fol- lowing paragraph from a late article in tho FPhiladelphin Zelegraph Tn Nialtimore, Drows, Sxita, and Jones testify that they pay 30 per cent more for the goods than Ronixsox enters thom at, but elsowlere { New York] Btaxcus, Taiy, SwrsTnzant, and tho whole pack swear that themselves receive them on consignment at less. Casea have occurred where merchants have testified to an _appraisement of from 25 to 30 ver cent more valae than the involee of Roniysox call- ed for, have produced actual prica lists and coere- spondence taanstain thie appraisement, and have placed by the nide of the fraudulent Invoice an actoal one from the eame source at the highcr rates, sod etill Iomixsox produces expert witnesses, almost by the score, who awear that hin fnvoice prices are higher than they really should be. Nat one scrap of correrpondence ot documentary ovidence in ever produced. and, aince the repoal of the Molety law, the day for forcing him to ¢how books and papers {s gone by. Somothing ixe a tacit understanding appears to exiat in tho city referred to between tho Appraiser's Depariment and importers, that thara ahail be & mintmum price at which leading makes of valuablo goods shall be permiited to pasn: and although this price is not bared vpon any such ex- Bt vsba; atataments of portice In Intors ont, lPl. consldercd suMcientiy reiiabls as a basis upon which to assess dutles reaching milions in money, It tho Bureau of Samples shall bo estab- lished in New York, it will bo overborne by the pack of false witnesacs that will swarm about it, crammed to the muzzle with lies. The original plan contemplated daily ro- ports, Dut the order of the Secretary pro- vides that reports shall be forwarded *as soon as practicable after the close of each month.” Not a single argument can be ad- duced in support of monthly reports that ia not equally forcible in favor of daily reports, Is it not, thercfore, desirable, it the roporis are to accomplish any good, that that good be accomplished attheearliest possible moment? If theso reporis disclose differences in np- praisomonts of the same olass of goods, it is of the first importance that both tho officer who appraises too Ligh and the officer who appraises too low shonld be notifled at onco, for the protection of the ravenuo in the ono case and the protection of the injured meor- chant in the other. If the samples are for- warded- but once a month, it will often happen that o difference in appraiscment botwoen two ports will not bo discovored in less than sixty days. In such caso the merchandise affected will have been sold, at a loss, perhaps, by the importer ‘who pald too much daties, and without gain, perhaps, by the importer who paid too little dutios, when the additional amount exacted when the error is discovered is tokon into the account. Wa ropeat, every roason in sup- port of monthly reporta 1s equally cogent in support of daily reports, and tho rensons in support of daily reporta that do not hold Rood in support of monthly roports are al- most innumerable, ‘Wo beg Bocretary Smensan to review his sction carefully, painstakingly, with o view to discover whether the Bample Bureau, as originally recommended by its author and indorsed by Tne TnimuNr, is not, in every viow of the case, far better than tho substi- tute which haa been adopted. AN INSIDIOUS SOUTHERN OLATIM. Ono of the hungriest claimants from the Bouth now socking to get its hands into the Tublic Treasury is tho party known ofticially m the claim as the Book Agents of the Methodist Episcopal Church Bouth, who come in and waut compensation for tho use of their publication-house and machinery in Nashville by the Unitod Btates army during the War from Jan. 1, 1864, to Deo, 13, 1865, Their claim has already boen bofors two Congrosses, The Forty.third refected it, The Forty-fourth® did not act upon it, The majority of the Claims Committeo of the presant Congroess have reported in favor of the claim, and tho minority, Messrs, Trrrxn, MoMirzzan, and OCamzroy, have made o strong and unansworable protost to the pay. ment. The original dameges demanded by the claimant for the use of the building were $158,400. The agenta of the claimant are now willing to take £288,000, and the majority of the Committes cut down this amount to $150,000 as a fair valuation, thus showing that the Southern Book Agents, like Bouthern claimants in gencral, were either bant upon mnaking as big & grab as posaible, or else allowed a very generous margin for shrinkage. ‘Without casting any reflections upon the Methodist denomination, North or SBonth, or without having any prejudice against, it Tax Outoago T'nisuxe heartily indorsea the minority report in this cass, and hopes that Congross will refect the claim, although it has received the indorsement of many North. orn Bishops and prominent laymen. Itis opposed to the payment of any claim mad; by aclaimant who was disloyal or who in any way alded and abotted the rehellion against the autbority of the Government, It regards such a claim, though coming from a powerful religious denomination, and though for the benefit of an agenoy of that denomination which unquestionably was do- ing good 1n its legitimate sphere, as impu. dent, uajust, aud with neither the facts nor the equities in its favor, The property un. der the law was enemy's property, aud the organization that managed it was disloyal, whatever may have been the general sontiment of the denomination:in the SBouth, and the elements of this dls. loyalty are s0 oleatly st forth in the minority report that it will be a matter of general surprise how the majority ever rendored a favorable report except upon the ground that disloyalty is not a disqualifica. tion. The Christian Advooale, the Oburch paper, was printed at this house and edited by meon selected by the General Conference. It waa from the outsat an organ of secession ; it had a large circulation and great influence among members of the denomination, and its editors were so notorigusly disloyal that they loft with the ConfeSerate army when the Union foroes occuplod Nashville, In ad. dition to the paper, official printing wasdone for the Confederate army at this ooncern, noé upon dsmand, but for psy, and ons of the most infamoas and blasphemous publications ever issued in the South, ** Tha Confederats Btates of Amorica in Prophecy,” by the Rev. ‘W. H, 8rat, of the Texns Conforence, cama from ita presses. Its aid to the canse of secoasion was not confined to pnblications, bt it allowed the Confedoracy to nse some of the machinery of the corporation in the mannfacture of nrme for the Confederacy, About its disloyalty in fact thore is no mors donbt than abont its disloyalty in law, and a claimant thns donbly disloyal has no right to expect any componsation for any damages it suffered while it was an enemy of the Gov- ernmont under the law and an enemy by its own seditious acts. The majority of the Committao, in closing their report, state, in reference to the momo- rials accompanying this claim: Theso memorials indicate a sentiment which fs honorable to the peoplo and most gratifying to sl who desiro that onr pnst differonces may cease 1o be romembered as causes of prosent or future discord, but may only be adverted to na admonitions to warn us againat like evila,” The sentiment of this declaration is nndeniably very beautiful, and lovely, and desivable, and all that, but it is the despalr of tho situation that It applies with equal if not more force to every other Bouthern claim. Tho admonition is slto- gether too one-sided. The Bouth alrendy has claims pending for over a hundred mill. jons which are as just and honest na those of the DMothodist agonts. If the Iatter are to ba paid, there iz no rea- son why the whole amount should not be paid. We submit that it is a little andacions to demand that the Government shall pay several milllour of dollars either for purposos of conciliation, or to be admon. ishod that it ought not in the future sup- press an attempted socession, The particn. lar claim we have beon discussing should be rosisted, in the firat instance, bocauss tha claimant wns disloyal; second, becaunze the Government is under no obligation, moral or legal, to pay it; and, third, bocause it is ono of the most insidious of all claims, aa it is based upon roligious sentiment, and urges in its favor that muoh good can bo accom. plished with the money. Itia tantamount to an attempt to secure a donation from the Governmont for the benefit of a religious denomination, which should be resisted to the end. TOM BCOTT'S INJUDICIOUS FRIENDS, Tom Scotr's Louisville organ, the Courier- Journal, persists in misrepresenting the rel- ativo positions of the Texas Pacifio and the Southern Pacific Rmlroad Componies before Congresa. It asserts over and over ngain that Toxt Scorr aska neither monoy nor bond sabsidy, but that the HuxtinaTon Company demnnd 18,000,000 acres, worth $25,000,000 or $30,000,000, Now as to the facts. The Courier-Journal con find them in the mn. jority and minority roporta of the House Committes on Pacific Railroads, so it need not plead ignorance for its foolish and false statoments. The Tox Scorr bill provides for A Government guarantee of the interest on %38,750,000 for fifty ycars at 5 per cent. Former experience has tanght what a Govorn- mont guarantee moans; it moans payment. Mr. Monnisoy, of the Committee, ostimates that this interest, used as n sinking fand and Invested fu Government bonds ot the same rate and for the same time, wonld pay off $300,000,000 of the public debt. Mossrs, LurTaesy, Laxpens, Brazs, Ricz, and Hewrrr, of the Committee, estimate that the loss to tho Government in the cxcess of in- terost alone (1 por cont more than the Government need pay ‘on’'its own obliga- tions) will bo equivalent to $140,000,000; also, that tho road can be built and equipped for at loast $20,000 a milo, so that the pro- posed Government gratuity will leave an ox- cess of nearly $10,000,000, “to be taken from the principal for the benofit of those who manipulate the bonds at the stait, and who do not propose torisk a dollar of their own in the ontorprise.” Tho sama gentlemen naturally conclude that it will be cheaper for the Government to build the road itself and give it to Tox Bcorr and his associntos, in preferonce to the assumption of the terms proposed. Isn’t it foolish and false, then, for the Courler-Tournal to ssy that Tox Bcorr wanta no subsidy ? Tho othor assertion, that the TMoxnrmvaToN Company is asking for 18,000,000 acres of Iand, worth $25,000,000 or 30,000,000, is equally foolish and falss. 1In the firat place, it this land wero worth any such amount, of course the Tou Scorr Company, having had control of the grant, would uot have allowed it to lapso, but would haveutilized it at thoso figures to raise the necessary funds to build tho rond. In tho next place, lat the land be worth what it may, the bill proposed for chartering the Bouthern Pacifio Company by the minonty of "the Railroad Committee does not grant one single acre of public land, and the Hounxtmvaton Company are willing to procoed with the construction of the road simply in consideration of the right of way. Moreover, this bill imposes upon the Huntmiaron Company all the condi. tions and rostrictions, without any subsidy whatever, which the Tox Boorr bill imposcs upon the Texas Pacific Company in consideration of the subsidy of nearly $40,- 000,000, It is provided that the Bouthern Pacific shall complete 100 miles of road every year, and that it shall complete the entire 600 miles to the Rio Grande, as wellas an ex- tension to San Diego, within six years after the passage of the act. If the Courier-Jour. nalreturns to the old assertion that Hoxr. matoN does not intend to build the road at all, the answer fa that his own interests (having bullt more than 700 miles already) will prompt him to do so, and that the Gov- ernment may forfeit the charter at the end of the very first year, and at the end of each subsequent year, if ho aball fail to builditat the rate of 115 miles a year. It will be time enough in a year from now to give the huge subaidy proposed for Tox BoorT a considgra. tion, if the Bouthern Pacific shall nnt do’all required of it within that time, and s0 on frown year to year. The difference between Tux Omicaco Tats- ung and the Courier~Journal in this matter {sthis; Tux Tmisuxs Is willing that the Bouth shall have a new and independent railroad connection with the Pacifio, if it can be obtained without cost or risk to the Gov- ernment, but the Courier<Journal is mnot willing that the Bouth shall have this ad. vantsge unless the building of such railroad shall be under a Government subsidy, with the excessivé construcjion profits and steal. ings incident to such a scheme. ‘The time of strawberry short-cakes and po- litical conventions is near st hand. As yet the najority of adult male Americaus, not belog Iudisns not taxed, have notsettled downin dead carnest to nailing Infamous lics, and brand- ipg falschoods, and rullying to the polls and darlog to maintain thelr rights, but the cam- paign may be sald to be vpened falrly, Already New jlampshire has heid ber clection, the ‘Rhode Islsnd Hepublicans met i convention at Providence yesterday, whore to-day the Demo- crats will sssewble, our own Natlonals meet at Boringticld next Wednesday; on the 10th ot April the Oregon Democratic Blate Conventton will be held st Portiand;on the 11th the 1liinols ditto at Soringfcld; while on the 17th the Oregon Republicans meet at Balem. On thg 15th of May tho Democrats of lowa will g, throngh the motions at Cedar Rapida; on the 224 wil! take place the Pennsylvaoia Prolsny. ttonist Convention at Altoona and the Indiang Greenback at Indianapolis; on tho 20th asecm. btes the Alabama Democratle Convention at Montgomery and the Democrats of Tennesscq hold thelr Judlictal Convention; on the 15th of Juno the Republicans of Indfans assemble at tho Siate Caoltal, and on the 18th the Democraty of Maine meot at Portland, We shall have morg of them anon. —————— MR, B, CORNING JUDD AND THB I, 0HIOARD Some tims in the month of September, 187, during the cxcliements of the Presidentia] efection, the Hon, 8, ConxinaJupp, of Chicago, inn specch as prestding officer of & Democratie mectiog at Farwell Hall, made certaln remarks concerning conspleuous Republicans, and these remarks led to commenta in Trs TRIDUNE next morning, In which it was slleged that \p, JunDn *In 1863 had raised a cavalry company in Fulton County to resist the dralt.” Ty statement was promptly denied by M, Jupp, and retracted by Tum Tppe USE. Tum Tripyxe, however, had also asserted that Mr. Jupp, as long azo as 1834, enjoyed the distinction of being the head iy linots of the * Knights of the Qolden Circle, snd subsequently publishcd extracta from the report ot Judge-Advocate General Horr on “Tho Order of American Knights, or Bons of Liberty: A Western Conspiracy In Ald of the Southern Robellion.” This report was dateq Oct. 8, 1804, and in it Mr. JupD was alleged to have been *tho Grand Commander*' in Ilinols of the ** Order of American Knights,” or * Song of Liberty,” embracing about 140,000 mem. bers. Tha editor of Tns Trinuxs, like the mass of the membera of the Repub- lican nparty, belleved that the “ Knights of ¥ the Qolden Clrcte,” the *“Order of Amerlcan Knights," and the * Sons of Liberty' were mcrely different names for an organizs- tion whose alms and principles werc substan. tially one and the same. Mr. JUDD at ouce re. pelled the insinuation that ho had been a mem. ber of the ** Kniznts of the Gulden Clrele, ang ropelled the assumption that the * Order of the Bons of Liverty,” of which he bad been the “Qrand Commander* i Illinols, was the same orzanization, or that the purposes, alms, or membership of the two organizations were ths same, or were In sympathy. The controversy fneluded numerous other publications by both parties, in which the language used was perbaps morc valculated to provoke anger than to aid in tho establishment of the real facts In ono of the letters of Mr Jupp, ho afMrmed, speaking of the *B8ons of Liberty,” that the *Order In Illinols, or elsewhere, within his knowledge or bellef, never countonanced or in any way encouraged any violatlon of the laws of the land, or gave any ald or comfort, evon tho most rcmole, to thoss who wero in arms against the Unlon; nor did 1t tolerate auythivg of the kind In any of s ofllcers or men,"” and more to the satne vffect, T Trinunk, falling back on HoLt'a report and such other cvidence as it could obtain, de- nied that the * Bons of Liberty " were of the loyal character described by Mr. Jupp., The upshot of the matter was a transfer of the con- troversy to the courts. Meanwhile the Presi. dentfal clectlon passed away, and with it the cxcitements and ssperitics locident thereto, The allegations wmade in the original controversy have unow passed from the recollectfon of the general public, and fricnds have doubted whother sny good can result from the prosccution of an foves. tiyation of tho matters in controversy at this lato day, As neither party has bhad at anytime the remoteat desiro to dothe other any personal wrong, it has been agreed to say: That all the personally offensive allusions on bott sides shall be withdrawn, Tuz ‘Tribunx withdraws whatever remalns unrctracted of the cavalry company item. Tuz TRIBUNK has become sate {sfcd that Mr. Jupp never bad any conoection with tho * Knighta of the Golden Clrcle,” and that that imputation was therefore crroncous. As to tho Order of tho *'8uns of Liberty," of which Mr, Jubp was the “ Grand Commander " in Dlinols, Tue Tuiouxa's Information of jts principles and obligations was derived only from such outslda sources as were open to the publie, Wo have been furnishod with satisfactory cvl- denco that the Order In Illinois, while under Mr. Jupp's command, netther committea unor authorlzed any crimes or unlawful acts azainst the Government of this Stata or of the Unlted Btatgs; and that for any consplracics or lawless acts charged against tho Order elscwhere, or of which individunts calling themaelves ** Sous of Liberty " may have been gullty, a8 Imputed iu (icn, Hovut's report, neither Mr, JUDD nor the Order inthis Btate stould bo considercd re- spousible. Tre TuisoNE lins been abundantly assurcd that Mr. Jupp, while a member and oficer, used his influenco In and out of tho Order against resisting the Government by fores, or oncouraging such forciblo reslstance, and agalnat violating tho laws ot tho laud, All othor unjust and Improper sllegations by the several parties roflectiug upon tho personal character or caleulated to wound the feclings of either are hereby withdrawn, and tbls matter terminated. ———— The course of BTANLEY MaTruzws on the Pacific Railroad Fundlog blll strikes hia fricnds a8 very extraordinary, If ho was a hircd lobby- ist or paid sttorney be could not exhiblt more zeal for JAY GOULD'S Interests than he is dolne. The foterests of the American people who ars beiog robbed and swindled are treated with utter disregard and contempt. The New York T¥mes, commentivg ou his conduct, remarks: 1n sdvocating the bilh, Me. MatTusws strayed yery far from tho position which he occupied at Cleveland during toe last Btate Convention of Ohlo Republicans. ‘To-day he had nothing to say re« garding tho oppressfon of poor workingmen by railroad monopolies, but on the contrary seemed 1o think that the comspanien were vory badly trested Dby the Governwent, anid that It was excesdiugly unjuat for Congroes to aak them to pay tholr just debts, 1If the theory he advocated be the correct one, then it would be quits as well for the Senate 10 stop talking abouttho ¥acific ruads, leaving them to refund the money lent them from thae Troasury at whataver tims and in whatever mnau- ner they may eloct. His ggu for the ralirosd companies could not have beon strouger had no mux vaid attorney conducting the case oefore & cou » The Times docs uot go 80 far as to allego that the supporters 0f JA¥ GiouLD's bill to * chisel the Government out of its rightful.ducs lava beeu purchased, and it Is disinclined to belicre the report that $200,000 have been used on the Henate Rtallroad Conmittee to obtaln the report agalost tho Intorests of the Government, and stlll it seemns puzzled to account for the Com- wittee’s action, It finally obsorves: The Is that It ls & much more siwple matter Lo def bill which natarally would carry & wa- Jority, than to secure \ha passaze of & messure When & majority is againet it. Voting for a udllis a positive action which, {n any case, requiresd person to form a judgmient and publicly sssume re- spansibliity. 'To leava a measuro to sleop oo (he tabley wd-h{ 1ta conald n without securing bostility; to glve preference to soulething els 48 more {mportant; to be lukewarm and to let & session pass away without acilon, Is to eacape the responsibility of & record, Ic 1s almost alwaydé :u‘:’r 1n Cougress not to do s thiug than to do ik and that fs way it is probable the attempt to pro- vido for collecting Uovernment ducs from the Pe: ciic soads will ba defeated. ———— - We and all the time have been, fally satls: fled that §f Becretary Busuxax should be nllwwltd Congreas In bls general Guancial policy, be :{mldl orily brln1 the country out of e troubles, without unfavorably affecting the national eredit, At lsat there arcindications that the more cool minded mien inCongress are beginalng to appros clate this fact. To fully comprehend the brazon impudence of the above specimen of sentle toadyism, it is only necessary to cooslder: (1) That tho corner-stano of Becretary Buxauax's “geversl financial policy " was the redemptlon of green- backs and paywent of the natioual debt fa gold colo exclusively. This pollcy has becn support- «d by the Journal so far s it bad the courage to asy anythiog on the subject. (3) That, -Iur‘e, the “more cool-minded men in Uougress nave compelled the abandonment of this policys and restored silver to It tme-bonored positions Bécretary SHERMAX reluctsotly comes to tbe confessional and acknowlcdges that **by the