Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, April 29, 1878, Page 4

Thye Tribavie, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. Y MAIL—IN ADVANCE—POSTAGE PREPAID, Dsliy Edition, one year, .. 12.00 Parixof 8 year. per mop .00 Fanda: Fditiont Literary and Religlons Trauble Bheet, . g.flfl 'l'.|" .lyl.'i tion, o B.‘n; HIWeekly, oue e T B Tartiof & vear. per monih. 11 WEEKLY EDIT! Onecop, .. .8 1.80 Q' of Fodra o ndl Xi Bpectmen coptes pent tree. Glve Post-Otice address In fall, Ineinding State snd County. Remittances mag bo made either hy draft, expeess, Toat-Office order, or In registered letters, at our risk. TERNS TO CITY SUBSCRIDERS. Daily. delivered, Suaday excepted, 25 cents per week. Dafly, deltyered, Sunday Included, 30 cents per week, Address THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, Corner Madtson and Dearhorn. feago, N1k Orders for the dellvary of Tir Te at Evanston, Englewood, and lyde Park leftin the counting-room willzecelve nrompt attention. TRIBUNE BRANCH OFFICES, ‘Tnx CnCAGO TRIRUNR has lished branch offices for the recefptof subsceiptionsand edyertisencnty as follows: NEW YORR~Room 20 7rfbune Bullding. F. T. Mc- Favvex, Manager, TARIS, France—Xo. 10 Rue de la Grange-Datetiere. . Mantss, Agent. LONDON, Fi -American Exchange, 440 Strand. STaoley’s Thentre. Tandoloh street, hetween Clark and LaSalle. Engagement of Mad. Modjesks. **Camille.” Taverly's Theatee, Monros street, corner of Dearborn. Josh Hart's Pane orama of the Chicago Fire. Now Chicago Theatre, Clark street, opposite Sherman llouse, Engages ment of Mme. Iienta's Femala Mintrels. **Female Forty Thleves." Callsroum. Clark street, opposite new City-TIall. Enzsgement of G. W. Thompaon. **Yawcup.” Varlety enfertaln- ment. MONDAY, APRIL 20, 1878, In New York on Saturday greenbacks were stoady at 99 in gold and silver coin. A boiler burst in a foundry at Dnblin, tre. land, Saturday, killing fifteen persons and: wounding twelve, the vietims being mostly occupnnts of ndjoining hiouses demolished by tho forco of the explosion. The President and family roturned to Washington yesterday morning in good henalth after their short oxcursion. Secretary Evarts has beon called from the funornl of oune son to the bedside of another, who is daugerously ill at Now York. Tho offico of Fiold-Marahal Goneral has evidently bicen ereated for the Grand Duke Nicuowas to ense the pangs of his withdraw- al from Constantinople, where ho may either hava talked too much or excited tho janl- onsy of his brother the Xmporor. ' Pro. motions * which call a Commanding Geueral wway from tho sceno of bis trinmphs avo usually construed in n sinistor fashion, e — ‘Tho grreat strike of fuctory operatives in Yingland continnes without hopo of ndjust- munt. Tho weavers of Mauchester hive expressed o willingness to snbmit their caso 1o the arbitration of a body of men corapos. ed of baukers, merchnnts, operatives, ope- Tators, ctc.y tho Dishop of Manchggter to bo Cunirman, but tho operniors have rejucted the proposition. Business in the other man- wincturing towna prosents the samo paralytio aipeet. ‘Two items of intgreat in. counection with the Episcopnl Church are contained in tho dispatehes this morning,—first, tho prench. ing yesterdny of the farowoll kermon of tho venerable Ructor of §t. George's Church, New York City, tho Rev, Dr. Sreracy . ‘I'rxa, Benor ; and tho second, tho delivery of on nddress by the Rov. P, B. Mouaaw, Reetor of Bt. John's Church, ono of the Inrgest and most flourishing in Cincinnati, announcing his withdrawal from the Prot. cstant Epiacopal Church in order to connect himself with tho Reformed Eplscopal de- nomiuation. A very ugly cnso is said to have been made out againat Gronor Scwanp, Minister to China, and Consul-General Bravronp, in the investigation now in progress by a Iouse Committeo. Brwanp's counsel has - nsked that the uccused Ambassador bo allowed to rotarn homo aud testify in his own behalf, claming that Lo will be able to fully vindi. cato Limsclf from ibio charges of extortion and woladministration. But the Committeo are auxious to mnke public the damoging ev idence they have procured,and it is doubtful if thoy will consent to keup it back for the length of tima requisite for Srwanp's at- tendance, ‘Tho celebration by Christ Chnrch (Bishop Cuexex’s) of its exodus or eseape out of tho bondage of dobt oceurred yesterday, and was an ovent of considerable interest owing, in part, to its unusual occurrence nowadays, and also to tho notable kistory of this par- ticular church, ‘The Socioty of the Third Presbyterian Clhiurch took possession and for tho first time worshiped in jty new edifice on Ashland avonue, oue of the largest and finest iu tho city, Prof. Swino preached at Coutral Church on *The Inevitable,” or tho need which all must sooner or later feel of Gop as tho Learer of burdens too grievous to bo borne Ly humanity, T—— Dexvis and Mourox, the two nobls exam ples of voracity and respectability fished out of the gutters by Baxt TrLoex, havo reached Washington, and are evideutly sober for once, sinca it is said they positively rofuse totalk, ‘They uro of courso under the sur- veillance of their Dewocratio mentors, and when they shall have dons sl the tostifying required in the contract will doubtless be furnishied tle wherowith to relapse into their normal condition. Another missionary of truth and justice is coming to the rescue of TuveN—another indignant tepublican whose soul ubliory the fraudulent President who refused to appoint him Assistant-Seere. rolury of the Interior—one Aurr, of Cincin. natl. o is supposed to bo under ougoge- ment o explode for Mr, Conxrixa's benefit, Bowetling practical aud to the purpose bas boen accomplished by the Euglish-upeak- ing section of the Sociatists in their expul- » sion from the organization of two wembers who had proved recreant to tholr obligations by selling out to Aldermanio candidates; und itisalso proposed to discipline & third for having attonded the Toledo Convention, If anything could win respect for Bocialistic principles it would bo such an applica. tion of them os resulied in punish. ivg offenders of 4lkis kind At the various imeotings yesterdsy the tono of the speakers was uniformly peacvablo 50 fur as suy reort to violent muthods was concerned. A disposition scoms to provail among tho Soacialista to lock npon the exaggerntions of thoe polico rumors as quito in their favor, and a3 bLeing calenlated to atirnet additions to thoir membership. THE NEW OITY SCRIP, The City Government has begnn the fssne and offer to ita employes. of orders directed to tho City Trensnrer payablo out of the proceeds of the taxes of 1878, when said taxes shall bo collected, towards the end of 1870, Like cortifieates or orders on the Treasurer will have to be issued to all per. sons ontitled to receive the expenditures for the current expenses of the City Govern- ment. The fiscal year of 1878 began on the 18t day of January, aud will ond on tho last day of Dacember noxt. The appropriations for the year were in round numbers abount £4,000,000, including those to pay the inter- est on tho public dobt, The cash means to pay tho interest on that portion of the debt represented by the water-bonds is furnished by tho income of the Water Department. ‘There are nlso somo $300,000 income from licenses and other genornl sources, but the remainder of the revenne to meet appro- printions must be obtained from taxation. The taxes to meat thess appropriations will not be duo until the following year. The revenue from persounl taxes will bo partially collected in January, Fobruary, aud March of next year, and the bulk of the taxes,— that is, all the real-estato taxes,—thongh duo in Decomber, will not be colleoted until Sop- tember and Octobor of 1870, or seventeen months hignco. Tho city is thoreforo compolled to carry on the Government with theso ordors, excopt to tho extent of the rovonuo from liconses, un- til the collection of the personal taxes, bo- twoon January and March noxt, nud, for the remninder of tho expenses, until the collec. tion of the other taxes in Soptember nnd Oc. tober, 1870, Theso cortificates or Treasury orders, {ssued to tho oxtent of 85 per cont of tho city ox penditures for the yenr, bear no tnterest. Their present money valno, if they nro hiold to bo valid and logal, may thercfore bo compnted according to the time of their being paid whon tho taxes shall bo collected. As we havo said, all the city taxes for 1878 will be due fn Decomber next, and theso cor- tifieates wiil then be available in paymont of theso taxes, 'Tho renl.estate taxes will not of necessity be payablo until September or Oo- tober of next year. Payment of tho real- ostate tnxes before that thne will bo volnn- tary, Persons who may take these ordersor purchaso them for the purpose of paying taxes with thom can estimate their value by tho time they must Lo held before available in voluulary payment of taxes next Jannary, or compulsory payment in October follow- ing. It is to ba regrottod that this long delay in tho non-paymont of the orders is not the only consideration which impairs their credit, 'I'te Supremo Court hns boen mak- ing sad havoe with the fiaancinl sdministra. tion of tho Governments of the cities of this State. 'There scems, howaver, to be o degree of uncertainty ns to how far the decision of the Bupromo Court exlends, Tho caso bofore the Conrt was tho issue of paper by tho city, which pnper promised on its faco to pay tho bearor, after certain dato, with juterest, tho sum named theren. The pnper, in fact, was evidenco of n temporary losn., The Court declared all this paper was void ; that tho debt of the city hoving already reached its conatitu. tional Jimit, it was not lawful for the city to 1ncar nny dobt whatover for any purpose, It conld not fssuo nuy ovidenco of a dobt, because it could not Iawlfully fucur any debt. 'The Court, however, admitted the poasible legality of tho issuo to a creditor for servicos rundered or mntorials furntshod of anorder on the Treasurer, to bo paid ont. of tho proceods of a tax then actually lavied, and to meet anapproprintion praviously mude, provided that the certificate or order should be nccepted ns payment by tho creditor, and in fall rolonso to tho city of all further obli. gation or liability, This, it was intimated, by leaving the creditor no recourso against tho city, wonld not be the creation of any dabt by tlio city. Acting nnder this intima- tion, which had been foreshadowed in p do- clision by Judgoe MoArvistes, tho city n 1876 hind issucd pnper of that tenor, all of which bad buon taken up cither in receipts for taxes or with reveaue when collected. Sim- ilar paper, fssuod to enrry on the Govern. ment for 1877, Las bad its validity questioned becauso It Lore interest, ‘The city could not poy intercst on anything bLut a debt, and there had been no appropriation nnd no tax levied for intercst on that kind of papor; thereforo it was as clearly illogal under tho decislon as had boen the class of papor pre. viously doclared to be utterly vold by the Conrt, Under theso desperato circumstances tho certificates or Treasury ordors for 1878 hLave been modifled; they aro now mado shuply chiecks on the Treasury payablo out of the taxes when collected, boar no intorest,and have no specified timo in which they are to be paid. It is claimod that they are within the conditions of legality admitted by the Bu. prema Court, It §s fair to stato, howevor, that there are ablo lnwyars who deny that this or any other poper, in whatover form, issued by the city, can Linve any legality, It s nssorted that the Court hius decided that the city cannot incur u Decuniary linbility by the ewploymont of n Inborer, or clerk, or the purchase of any ma. torisl, and that, not having any power toin. cur this or any other form of indebtedness, all claim for compensation for services,labor, or material rendered to the city must bo ille- gal and void, uud thot no taxes ean bo Iawfully lovied to poy expenses for curreut servicos. This interprota. tion of the law i insisted upon as the true meaning of - the Bupremo Court's decislon, and, if this bo correct, then the Court Aas de- culed the City Governient out of existence by taking from it tho means of supporting its existenco. We cannot beliove that this is o correct interprotation of the Suprewme Court's decision, nor cau we believe that such o de- cision, i made, would be either just in itselt or a trus iuterprotation of the Constitution aud the law, In tho meantiwme, the new certificates or Treasury ordors are under the dark shadow and tho cloud of this conflict of opinion as to what {s the law, and this doubt will fm- pair or destroy the value of thess Treasury orders, until the Bupremoe Court shall grant & rebearing of the formee caso, or until a new case involving the direot issucs shall be submitted 1o the Conrt and au suthorifutive and final definition of the law sbull be made. ‘Tho people of the city muy du much to re- lieve the question of embarrassment, Wo are trying to carry on & City Government with- Gut revenue, Wo bave had seven and » half Yyeans, City Government siuce 1870, and have paid but siz years' taxes. 'Phat is, the tax- payers arv o vear and & half in arrears, when the law, good policy, and strict ecomomy require that thoy should run the Government on cash paymonts’ Until the community voluntarily pay, or are compelled by legal ponnltien to pay, each yonr's taxes within tho yenr that thoy have to be expended in, then there must bo this perpetual trouble of carrying on a Government with cash, tho ensh not collectad until from eighteon to twenty-one months after tho expenditures have boen made, To the Lagislature, per- haps, and not to the conris, must wo look for the moans whoreby onr systom of col- lecting taxes eighteen months after they are due can be remecdied, ‘Thero is an indication that to somo oxtent wholesale dealers will accept from retail denlers city scrip, in which case rotail deal. ors will accept tha scrip from their custom- ers. The teachers, firemon, policemon, and all other city omployes will thus be able to poy their bills for rent, groceries, fncl, dry goods, butchors' provisions, shoes, nnd clothing. This ecarrency given to the city scrip can at best be but temporary ; to carry soveral millions of dollars of that papor for six, ton, or fifieen months will bo an ox- action, asort of forced loan, to which the community may snbmit this time, but which can never be succesafully repented. The dificulty may be thus bridged over for a month or six months, to be presented again noxt now New Yoar's Day, when n now'issuo of serip is to bo made, 8 now lonn {a to be enforced, and another yesr of kiting, and shaving, aud beggarly importunity is to bo ronowed. There must bo a limit to this kind of business, and it is beyond all hope that this serip or any other kind of serip can horenfter bo forced upon any porsons for auy purposo, unless there shall Lo somo legal and authoritative afirmation of the validity of the paper. The Legislature, even if in session, cannot roverso the decision of the Supromo Court, and ths Conrt's decision does not turn on tho construction of any legislative statute, Tho Court holds, it is claimed, that the city can- not incur a linbility or debt, in any form for uny purpose, and this under tho diroct pro- hibition of the Constitution. Until that cast- "iron, inflexible, nnnihilating construction of the Constitation shall be so far rovised, modified, or relaxed ns to ndmit the continu- ance of Governmonts in the oitics of the Stato, thero can bs no faith in this kind of paper. If tho city and State authorities, in view of the oxtraordinary condition of affaire, nud of tho Lelplessness of tho City Govern- mont, shall nnite in an appeal to tho Conrt to grant a rehoaring of a former case, or an Immediata hearing of n now case, that there way be o final dotermination of this wholo business, it is possible the Court will listen to the appeal. Even if tho decision shonld be ndverse to the city, it will bo bot- ter than a continuance of the prosent system of doubt and uncertainty. If the decision Do ndverse, it will wind up the present con- dition of affairs, and lund, of necessity, to a roorganization of tho municipal suthority, It the decision, howaver, shall bo a rolaxa- tion of the iron rule Iaid down in provious docisions, then tho city scrip, issued for tom- porary purposes, and until tho revenune can bo collected, Leing sauctioned by law, ita logality affirned, aud ‘its payment nssured, will be ncceptad by the public os any other security. All tho encrgies of the city nu. thorities, backed by tho efforts of the State Govornment, should be directed to Lave this whole qnestion sattled one way or the other, and, finally, by the Supromoe Court, with whom oxclusively rosts all power and au- thonty in tho matte: MUELLER'S COMMUNISM. The manuer 1n which the work has beon dono upon the new Custom.Iouse in this clty ought to dolight the heart of the most radical Communist and bring joy to tho Dbrensts of the Lekr und Wekr Verein, for tho doctrine of Communism has been vory clearly exemplificd in ita erection, from foundation stone to chimnoy top, and in the supplomentary work on sleove.buttons and paper-woights, The Parls Communo in its palmy dsys domanded that the Gov. ornmeut should furnish work for every ono; that the work should bo as light as possible, the timo a4 short na possible, aud the pay s largo au possible, na the Communista wore auxlous to cultivate their minds, To ac- commodato thom the Governmnent of Paris wore ubliged to inaugurate large public works that woro not, needed, ‘to Issuo bonds and kel thom, and thus entail a hugo public debt upon tha poople, to maeot which thoy were loaded down with taxes. Tho Com- mnnists had o dolightful time of it and lived in clover. Thoy put in about two lours o day in work and recoived ton houry’ pay, devoting tho other oight hours to cultivating thelr minds in tho vufes and on tho boulovards, and they cultivated their minds so rapidly that at last tho Government was cowpollod to shoot 20,000 of them and exilo 20,000 more, in ordor to provont the total extinction of property rights and tho dissolution of soclety. M. Muerren, the ontorprising and versa- tilo contractor from Cincinnati, owner of the Buena Vista wtono and manufacturer of National steeve-buttous and Foderal paper- wolghts, appears to Lo n model Communist, Uis motto is little work and big pay, and plenty of time for cultivation of the mind, aud lot tho Governucnt foot the bills and the taxpayor relmburse the CGovornmont, That is good Commaunistio doctrine. Ono littlo incident issufilolont foracomprulicnsion of Muerren's Commuuism. Ono of tho stone-cutters, In n conveniation with u 'I'rin. UNE reporter, said When 1 went to work In the mornlng 1 way vena ticket to go Lo work una certaln stone, o foremun poinfed 1t out to e, 1L was 1ot on thu **bauker," apd of coures 1 could do nuthiug st it until it was placed 1n position. € sat around aud waltud for tbe guug to set it np. They would turn up early in the allurnoon und place the stone in pusition. “‘fhen I would go tu work 1o lay ftoutin sceordanco with the plans, But 1 fonnd tunt it way uot set up properly. ‘This completed the day, ‘Next woroing | came aroond on time, but could 1ot do suything, becauss the gaug had nut sppeared to ix the atoue for e, They would turn up about nuon, and put it ju pwaltion, Bo you wca 8 day and one-half was consumed before [ could glve & single steoke of the chiscl, 1 picked away 8li the time allowed for dreasiug one shile, and’then the stong hava tu be turncd over, The gang 10 whom was intrasted this job turned uUp i abosl Lbe same manner aw before, snd the same brocess was gone through with, By this ond similar neaus, Mr, Muesren uot only contrived to systematically defraud the Government out of over half a million of dollars, pald out for work that was never done, and to put in bis own pockets $160,- 000 o8 his percentage for superintending tho work that never wes dome, but le also socured tho time that his workmen nceded for cultivating thelr minds and thus renlized the esscnce of Communistio doc- trine in a lighly successful degree. Tho curriculum that tho stone-cutters pursued wut very cowmprelionsive. It embraced studies in the orts, industries, nataral selouces, aud athletics. 'The time that way spent upon the slceve-buttons developed their esthetio tastes, and gave thom new idcas of form and finish a5 spplied to the Beautiful in art. Thus the stone-<cutter becamo a lspidary, and produced slcove. buttons %o graceful ond delicato that the Government paid nine dodars a THE CHICAGO TRIBUN MONDAY, AFRKIL 3y, 1578, pair for them. In the mannfacture of papet-weights ho gained a knowledge of domestic nrt. Il improved his knowledga of fchihyology by atndying the habits of the pereh, tho sheepshend, and the dogfish on snnny days whon the lake waa calm, and un. doubtedly beeame more intimate with Na- ture in her visible forms as he strolled along tho banks of reedy rivers or plied his shate lop nmong the weetds of the Calumet trying to ontico the bass from nnder the lily pads. He studicd the laws of navigation, the force of waves, the direction of winds, tho theories of storms, the nreas of barometer, a8 woll ns the fine points in betting, when ho indulged in yncht races for the drinks. Ie greatly enlarged his mind at the games of base-ball, posted himsolf on anatomy and hygieno, and becamo familinr with mufls, flies, fonls, daisy-cutters, hot-balls, back-stops nnd slortstope, lively-balle and dead-balls, as well ns with the mathomatics of buying and rolling gamos. As Mr, Mueirer's contract Las somo time yet to run, he will undoubt- edly find other sources of mental enltivation that will improve the condition of hia stone. cutters and increnso his porcentagos, Menuwhile, the Governmont ig paying the bills. It has payed nonrly §800,000 for the cultivation of the minds of these stone- cuttors, upon Mr, MuzLren's intoresting and highly comprchousive plan, and Mr. Muzuren, as the cultivalor, has pocketed one-fifth of the amount. It is about timo for the Government to look after tho con. tracts, and the Grand Jary to look after the contractor, The stona-cutters hava been sufticiently cultivated, Now lot us have a contractor who will ongagoe to finish the building without fishing for perch or going to base-ball games., The people have lad enough of the Communistic plan, and would like to have the building completed upon tho plan of honest Inbor, —— I8 ONE THIEF BETTER THAN ANOTHER1 Tho attempt to excite pecullar sympathy for Twekn becanso he died o broken mau in_Jjall is wholly without reason. . . . Ho wasathjef on a great ecalo; and If thieves on a amall acale are 1ot to be invested with romantic or_pitiful inters cat, is thero any good reason why Twxen should o+« o TheTwern Ring pollnted the courts of Juntice, It bribed lewinlaiors, it bought and muzzled the press, it corrupted young men. it de- morahized industry, it sapped all the bulwarks of civilized soclety, and lod slnlfht to the overthrow ol all the guarautaes of civil liverty and order,— Iiarper's Weekly. What a grand_burst of righteous indigna. tion! But is Jlarper's Teekly suro of it own impartiality? Is it prepared to mote out to all offendors agninet tho spirit and the lotter of tho lnw the samo qualily of justice? Wo quite agrco with tho Weekiy in regord to its eatimata of tho justico of Tweev's pun isbmont, and horglily support it in its con. demnation of the offort to excite sympsthy for the groat thief now gone to his final ne- count, Butwo doubt the wisdom or pro- priety of wasting timo In spitting upon tho grave of tho dend thief, whilo thero cxist still s0 many gross wrongs to be righted, Thero is a ring of thioves in the City of New York which is flourishing to-dny. Is it pos- siblo that Jarper's Weekly is ignornut of this fact? Its nbsoluto sffenco on the anp. Ject of Now York Custom-Tlouss frauds is ovidonco of ignorance or design; and igno. ranco I8 not to be presumed. As enrly ns 1871, Mr. Geonor WirrLaxt Cuntis, editor-in. chiof of Iarper's Weekly, was sclocted by tho Presidont to act upon n Commission whogo duty was tho formulation of a plan for the reform of the Qivil Service of the county, Mr. Contis professed to b deoply interested in tho subjoct ; and, if we mis. tako uot, dratted tho report of the Commis- slon, In that roport cortain ostimates wera mado of losses to the Governmeont revonues through tho inofficiency and' frand of reve- nuo ofticials. Tho estimato of Mr. Conris then was, that ono-fourth of tho revenuos woro 80 lost, Tho estimate included all branches of the sorvice ; but, as the rove. nues aro cliefly derived from two ources,— intornal and customs,—it may bo taken ns compréhonding thom nlone. © Sincs that timo tho intornal Lranch hias been radically roformed, 6o that it may bo nssumod thnt tho rovonuo In that branch s now faithfully collected, and that tho loss is morely nomi. nal. The same cannot bo said of the customs branch, 'Thero hos boen no substantial re. form in it. 'Tho reports of the Jay Commis. slon, constituted by Sccrotary Suemw, show that the Now York Cnstom-House, whero thoe bulk of the customs revonua Is collected, wns, a3 lnto as November, 1877, pormented throughout by inoflleiency, cor- ruptfon, and fraud, ‘That Commission adopted the estimato of the Contis Commis- slon as tho proper gaugo of tho losscs to the customs revonnae through tha canses pointed out by both Commissions, Thoy eny : A distinzuished member of Concress, who has Bad oceasfun to watch the operations of tho cng- toms service, estlmates the anuual lows at 40 por cent; but, Ir take the lower entimato of 25 per cu tated by Mr, Cuntis and his awsociates, tha arc sufliciently sturtling. ‘Pho recelpte from I tho Uted States in 1874, for lustance, Were 810:5, 103, 8iki; the one-fourtly lost wonld be $04,000,000; und tho total awmount which wa v recelved would bave been 817,000, - X ! nnvl{.ly Iklml ultll’m.;uiulo the trllll'lml]!a~ ceiptaat New York In 1876, the one-fourth luss would Lo 8:, 000, 000, ‘Iho Comunission well aay.that these fig- ures nre ‘‘suflioiently startling”; and yot thoy aro bnsed upon tho catimates of Mr, Cunris, editor-in-chiof of Hurper's Weekly. It is now well known that this estinate iy substantially true as to the portof New York, but not true as to any other port in tho country, ‘Lliis vast loss to the customs rovenuo occurs chiefly through undervalua. tions aud excessivo dawago allowauces; and the practice of undorvaluation and granting cxcensive damage nllownuces exists to no considerablo extont ot nuy port oxcept that of Now York, It follows, therefore, that the chargo of ineficioncy and corruption in the customs service, whereby the Govorn. uient losos one-fourth of its customs rove- nue, mado by Mr. Cunris in 1871, repeatod by the Jay Commission in 1877, rovived by ‘Tue Tamuxe in 1878, aud lately admitted to Lo true, in substauce, by Mr, 1L B. Jaus, Chief of the Cystoms Division, aud by Mr, A, K. Tixore, Chidf of thoSpeciol Agentsof tho Lrensury Dopartwont, relates almost slely to the port of New York, Ts this the reasou of tho silonco of Harper's Weekly? Does Mr, Cuntis quail bofore the revenue thioves merely becuuso they have been yun to cover in tho City of New York? Tweep lived and died in New York. 'he Weekly dous not Lositate to strike thy ex-Boss ovon after he is dsad. as it no kicks for tho living thioves? Are thoy more to be respected because jus. tico has not yet overtaken them? Tweep was a thief on a groat scalo, but the customs thieves steal millions whero he stole Lun- dreds of thousauds, As the Weelly well says, tho memory of I'wexp deserves uo pity, bocsuso ¢ the I'wxep Ring polluted tho conrts of justice, bribed legistators, bought urd muz- 2led tho press, corrupted young men, de- moralized industry, sapped all the bulwarks of civilizod society, and led straight to the overthrow of all the guarantees of civil lib- erty and order,” But is the Oustoms Ring less corrupt or less dangerous? Does it not bribe every power that stops between it and its purpose of crime agalnat the laws? Has it not muzzled the press of New York City ? =2 ahould b 000, 1f Maa it not corrupted hundreds of yonng mon in Government omploy ? Docs not tho stenl. ing of twenty-five million dollara per annum tend to sap the bulwarks of civilized socioty ns much as did tho atenling of two or threo million dollara by Twoeod? If this righteons indignation against n dead thief is not mis- plnced, silenco in regard to the crimes of n ring of liviug thieves is conclusive ovidence of an unfathomablo depth of moral cow- ardice, . A FIZZLE, D NOT AN EXPLOSION. At ono time during the War of tho Rebell- ion, Gon, Buren, thon a Cenernl in the army, was in command of alarge land and naval forco which had boon placed at his dis- posal to take Fort Fishor. Buriee, boingn sort of amateur General, didu't uso the forco for any such purpose, Ho thought, perhaps, somebody might get hurt. Ta his overwoen- ing desiro to save bloodshed on his sido of the line, ho sont np North and got n ship. load of powder, and had it earofully moored in the vicinity of the enrthworks, intending to Llow them out of the mud, so to spenk; ho then got his own mon out of the g aftor arranging to set fire to the powder, re- tired himself to nenfo distance, stuffed his enrn full of cotton, and gave tha order to touch tho olectric spark which was to shake up North Carolina like an carthquake, 'Tho result was nlargo moss of smoko and a very bnd smell, but when the smoke had disap- peared and tho sulphureous gases had boon wafted away, Fort Fishor and its inbabitanta and surroundings wero found to be as com- fortably and safely ensconeed in their orig- inal abiding-placo ns they were before. Gen. Gnaxt was so disgusted with tho wholo aflair that he relioved Burten and sent ono of his own staff~Gan, llorace Ponren, wo beliove —down to Fort Fisher, with orders to tako it. Of courso it wasn't long beforo tha fort was captured, along with its dofondors, This littla episode of the War, along with Dex Borrea's connection with the Congraxa- TiuoeN gang of Florida ** penitents,” war. rants the beliof that no other than Burten originated the MoLix-Dexxis powder maga- zino to blow Haves out of the White House. It is quoer how history repeats itself, The rosult of Bex Burien's latest experiment bas likowise been some smoke and n good deal of bad smell,—hut Mr, Haves still re- mains in the Whito Houso, tho cxplosion has been mophitio, and nobedy hns boon hurt, The lator developments in tho Florida conspiracy show everybody connocted with itinn worse light than over. Denwis, it reoms, bosides being a dofaulter undor indictment in Florida, had more recontly been in Washington, where ho was in the' Liabit of bonsting whon half drunk that he wos on intimate terms with Bey Bursen and was ongaged in some mystorious Lusiness which would astonish tho counlry. This * confesslon” ' scandnl was evidently tho business rfferred to ot that time. Dexs1s also appeared to b woll provided with money when in Washing- ton; he pretonded to bo in the employ of tho Government, but was not; being by na- ture improvident and by habit impecunious, and ot that time withont any visible menus of support, it is reasonable to infer that Lis wmonoy-supply camo from those who wore preparing for Ben Boteen's powder explo- sion, It waa about the same time, too, that Mr. Covzrixa intimated so myaterionsly, in tho intorviow afterwards published in tho Now York Torld, that o revelation would soon como that would etartlo mankind, But tho fuso was touched off prematuraly, and a follow of the Dexnis stripo does not make o good oxplosion at tho beat. McL's history does not improve on nearer acquaintanco, for he is shown to bo a8 much of o doad-bent and drunkoen loafor ns his associate, and suf- ficlent mnotive for his appearance in tho powder-blast {3 found in the fact that the Sonnto refused him confirmation in an offlce, and thot the Prosident would not provide for him after his true charactor had Loon ox- posed. The fellow Szrxmk, who sought to make somo monuy and gain some notoriety with a side.sbow in this Fruoex.Coxerivg-ButLen circus, Lins nlso succeeded in showing himself up in tho true light. Hisvecord in Washing- ton is that of an impostor, while, beforo and sinco, it hna been that of a dissipated tramp, passed nlong from one place to another, gonerally in a drunken and dilapidated con. dition. Ex-Socrotary Tarr tolls a very dif- forent etory from that related by Sevgink, It scoms that tho United Blates Marshnl in Florida telegraphed to Washington for de. toctives to help him forret out the frauds, Serminn's namo was nmong thoso of tha ap- plicants for employmont in the Becrot Service; his recommendations scemed to be nll right, and ho was sent, The Marshal found him n dranken, worthless fellow, took away his credentialy, and dischorged bhim, Subse- quontly, this same BeLrimx succooded in ime posing upou the Treasury Department after SaemuN took hold, but Le was again dis- charged for drunkenness at the end of two months, After that, according to the Wash- ington Star, ho was arrosted for obtaining money under falso proteuses, and pro. nouncod a vagrant nud dend.beat by tho Tolice Court. Those are the sort of crentures whom TrLoeN on the ono side and CoNkrivg and Butien on the other have been using to worl out their maliguant spito against Prosi. dont Iavrs, e——— S FRANCE'S FUTURE BAFE, Tate advices from France augur well for the future stability of the Republic, which, not quite n yoar ago, was o threatened by the ‘coup de tete of the 1Gth of My, Tho Assembly Lioa gons on relentlesaly invalidat- ing tho clections of Cousorvatives who had boen roturned throngh official iutimidation ; of the fourteen new elsotions last held, thir. teen resulted in tho return of Ropublicans, who gained nine sents. A further batch of clections takes place on Buuday weok, and, beforo the * invalidations " are through, it is likely that the Republicans will have more than the famous * 804 " members who voted ogainal the Marhal-President’s action in ovorthrowing the Jurrs Bnsoy administra. tion, or a majority of somo 200 in the pop- ular branch of the National Legiulature, At the same timo the overwhelming Republican gains in the Councils-General maka it cer- tain that the Senate will be Ropublican next year, even if the present alliauco with the Moderate Consorvatives should be ruptured ; Morshal MacMarox is satisfiod with a situa- tion that pgives bim freedom from worry eund liberty to go out shoot- wmg; the BSiate. of Biego bill guaran. tees Paris agaiust 8 coup o etat under guise of law; tho army, already largely Re- publican iu its ravk-and-file and officers of minor rank, is belng de-Bonapartized by the rotirement of tha old ofticers who date from tho coup d'etat or the Orimean and Itallan campaigny, and the officlals, from the Pre- fects down to the postmen, will work 88 as. siduonsly under the Duravge Ministry to build up tue Republican cause as under the D Broarzx sdministration they labored to pull it down. The Republio holds nll the winning cards, nnd is backed by an immenso popular majority; tha voters, too, being sufficiently independent and instrnated in their dutics to Lo nble to withstand official pressuro of the sovorest sort, The elections of Oct. 14 demonstrated thnt the French peopla could Lo trusted toright grievons wrongs Ly constitational methods,—that they conld neithor be reared into submission nor gonded into n needleas insurrection, D RBroorte, and D Fovrtov, and all the evil ndvisers of tho Marahal, were compelied at Inst to nadmit this, and to rolire beaten down by pencoful Parllament- ary weapons. The grand result is that it fs minda nbsolutely cortain that when, at tlio expiration of the Septonnate in 1880, the represontatives of the nation nre called upon to raviso its Constitution 1t will be given n permanont Republican form as pronounced ns their ntmost Ingenuity ean dovise. This fact the Imperialists now admit publicly, M. Drave pe LA Favconxene, the founder of I'Ordre, throws up tho sponge. M. De. Anovar despairs of tho Empire. M, Leovos DuroxT, in a striking pamphlet on * The Two Democrncies,"” points out the hopeless- ness of Narotxox IV, coming to the throna Ly the military carcer of tha first of tho name or tha path of the Presidency nnd per- jury chiosen by tho third, His only chance, concludes M, Duronr, is to revert to Ropub- lican {raditions and to make advances to tho Republicnts, with whom the Impericlists, as fellow-Democrats, have affinities. This pamphlet is in the same direction nsthat published some months ago by M. Grouoes Laciaup, Tho Paris Jigaro, which has alwnya beon an Imperialist orgen, and during the past yoar hos distin- guishied itaelf by the virulenco of its assaults upon the Republicans, is prompt to fecl the wind and so veor round. **We may now predict,” it says, ** the result of tho renocwal of the third Sonnte in January, 1879, and be pretty well cortain that noxt year the Ropub- lic will roign uncontested. Thero i no lobger any Lope that tha rovision of the Coustitutfon in 1880 will be Monarchical, ‘Wa shall be but too happy if it is not Radi- enl.,” Even that conlirmed Imperinlist fire- onter, Pavr, De Cassaoxac, sees that the gamo is up, and has no hope excopt romotely from what Le Figaro droads immediatoly, ~the Radieal nscendency. While, in Ze Pays, ho scolds his colleagues for openly oxpressing their despondancy, and failing to display proper patience nunder adverse cirenmatances, he oxpresses his bolief that the Republic, given froo reign, will plunge into o cataclysm that will bring about the Ewmpire; in othor words, thnt nnothor Na- ronzoN will ba demanded by sn overwholm. ing majority of the pooplo as anotler “+Bavior of Socicty." Of this there is, wa tako it, no fear. Tho Third Republio is peace. Inita moderation and practicality it differa widely from the excosses of tho First Ropublic and the fanta~ sies of tho Sccond. Tho Consorvativo ole- mont has tho upper hand, and that it meaus to keop it witness the rigid reprossion of Frrix Prat's orgon, La Commune Afranchie, and tho prompt’ way in which persons con- spicnous in tho outbrenks of 1871—like Capt. Ganciy, for instance—ara, dealt with whenover they venture to show thomselves again in the Copital whosa destruction they 80 recently ottemptod, GAMDETTA'S examplo in subordinatiug himself for the ndvantago of tha cause, oud putting forward as figure- heads mou whose namnes and records, whilo thoy attest tho stanchuoss of their Repul-~ licanismn, do not alarm the bourgeoisie, hns beon wisely followed overywhore, aud the Third Republic, promising a certainty of peace and prodperity to tho Freiich poople, may count with safoty upon along loasa of life—need foar no porils except thosa which threaten all Govornments, but fortunntely thireaton lenst those which aro popular in form and spirit. Who shall endeavor to esti- wato the advantago to the Republican Iden of two such cxamples as have been set to the pooples of tho carth in two successive yenrs by the Ropublics of America and France, where rovolution has been avoided and op- prossion beaton down by simple, peaceful, legal forms and without ULloodshed or tumult? Visitors to tho Parls Exposition arc very ltke. 1y, in tho words of the bard, =—to have tho sanio sort of a time That the parcol enjoyud with tho mankey, First, tho announcenent was madoe that there would bo no auginentation of prices whatever by the hotels aud restaurants. Then the hotel proprictors hield a couvention and resolved to focreasy prices “slightly,”—a fact which suf- ficed to Induce experfunced travelers to abandon any iotention of visiting Parfs thls year, Now the full maduces of gain Is upon the Tutlsians, the Grand Hotel bas sofsed the price of fta table d’hote diuner to 8 francs, aud other estab- Hshments arc followlug ts cxample; even Pa- rislans compluin that the restuurants have ad- vanced thelr rates extortionately; and tho famous Boulllun Duval, at whoso catab. Nshment scores of thousands of people fn moderate and humble circumstances eat dafly, bas ownounced that lhere- after the prico of soup will be ralsed two sous, and the size of the portion dimintshed. Lode- Ings are golng up In prico with the usual ra- idity, and nltogether Paris Is becoming o place which no one should fail 1o visit--next year, ———— Mr. HavEs {s formunate in his enomics aud Mistal CONKLING Is unfortunate iu his fricnds. Frinstauce, the Now York Tribune devotes s lot of spacato showlng that the author of that fo- terview liad for yeors been known to everybhody us 6 soctul purlaly, o conlldence-man, druukard, wife-beater, thicf, dubsuchee, coward, aud so ou,~If he was, why was hu solected ns the man- uging editor ol Mistah CoNkLING's Lomo orgunl—aud then adits that this leper was vrobably correct when hucontradicted Mistah CONKLING ou two simpfe but csscntfal matters of tact! Nicorort of duck—that i to suy buz- xard—3listah CoNEvLiNo is on bis fricnd’s mak- lug outt o to——— Monteoxeny Dram conaldors President Haves' ttlo saturated withi fraud, but not suf- flelently saturated to affect the appolutment of Licutenaots 1o the armny, That Is why MoxT. GouzrY Bratg asked Predlacut HAYEs to ap- pofut o frieml 10l Lis to such & position, This touching {ncident remlnds ono of those ocea- slonal truces in battles when the soldier who only a moment since had been shooting down i opponcots with Jury (u bis eye and the rage of hell In his beart lave ssid o his rile aud, quenching his thirst at the little streatn which always flows on such ocvaslons between the two urinles, borrows tobacew of the survivors., ————— Wao do not expect that the Dewocrats witl sgrivusly opposo the proposition to bave North- cru Republicans ko down tothe “twelve or fourteen Cougressfonal Districts Jo the Bouth that are lasgely Kepubllan oa a fair count,” ana try and carey them, No,virree. The Dew- ocruts kuow a trick worth two of that, ‘They will lct the Republicaus elect their candidates, aud then scat th coutestants. ———e—— Some of our Implacable Republican friends are credited with participating u the latest campaigu v the. cverglades of Florlda by way of venting thelr spitc against Mr. Havzy, This Is quite likely to be tbo case. But to su {m- pustial obscrver up a tree it will seem foolish action, even fruw @ seldah volut of vicw, The Demacrats don’t want to oust the Prestient, but only 10 fasten o ecandal on the Republiey, party. Hence what would be more natural th:: to ree New York Democrats use Mr, CoNkLINyy feclaration that tho Adninistration fa comges and fnfacous s a platform this fall, and I'l|rh this battte-cry elect o Legislature that will ro. turn 8 Democrat to the United Btates Henate in place of Mr. Cosktinal Every Republican i Congress who nids and abots the Implncables 1y merely helping to defeat himeelt when he C0mey up for re-clection. - — The New York Ezpress(Dem.) throws Tit.oex over. It informs bim that he Is a much amalter wman in 1873 than ho was in 1578, Whifo his ap. petite may he o good ns ever, he fs dead politie nily, **and Is walking arouni to save his funcra} expenses. This, in the housc of Lis frionds, M enoueh to make him even wish he were de'm. But he s trying dosperately to persnade him. selt that lie has a politleal future Ly getting up the Florida fraud “confessions™ feom drunken dead-beats, perjured rascals, and i, munity-seeking Indicted defaultors, ———— Atapublic salc of real esiate In New York last week not n sinele bid could bo obtalned sehich the auctioneer woul! consider., For im. proved property which pald £3,000 o year g rents 1o one would offer more than 812,500, anq cxperts sald that prices were Jower now by 20 per cent than they were In 1855, Increaseq taz. atlon Is the causc of this blight. Thus we sce the advautage of Demovratic rule, ———— Up to the haur of golng ta press we had re. celved no intimation of the tutentlon of the Democratic majoritics in the Southern Btates to abolish thosc fnfernal cuntrivances for nnlilfying the exoression of the peuple's will—the Re- tnrning Boards. Perhaps, though, they regang Uie infernal contrivances I question oy Ars, Toudies vsed to regard the wheelbarroms, watch-boxes, and coflins. ——— There [8 a polut which scems to be ovetlnoked inall this agltation ahout Mr. HAy2S title, gnd that fs the fact that ic holids n title from the Electoral Commisston constituted by both particsand by both Houscs of Congress. —————— A profound student of political ohilotogy hag discovered that the word cancus Is of Democratie Inventlon, 1t came in becaws ot the frequency with which crow ta served at such fesiisuls, Ueance, of course, eaweus. e —i There was a sweet pill named MLy, ‘Who a fat ofiice wann't placed in, Wherefora he confesecd And sald all of the rest (Except iim) had been guilty of sin, = ——— PERSONALS, Btrauss has lost his wife, Mmo, Jolty Strausw, by death. Ballard Smith, formerly of the Louisvills Courler-Journal, bat for the past year mansging. aditor of the New Yor World, han left that Ppapee 1o assnme a similsr position on the Sua, Edison spent threo houra in an organ. factory the other day, and {n'that time learncd to playsix airs, besides glving the manfactarce four lints for improvements In ls Instruments. Nanndorfl s the name of the family elaim. ing descent from Louis XVI., and Marle Antof. notte, whoreof a member divd a fow weeks ago In Holland, - Earl Russell, who is now 86, has two amusoments inlife, ~rcading the T¥mes and feeding apet fawn. Ile dresses neatly, wonrs o silk hat with & muthomaticaily level brim, his check Is the colur of an antlque parchment, and when ho ls on a chalr bls feot arc not on the ground, ‘Tho peoplo of Doxter, Me., ara about to bulld a chnrch to tho memory of Darrom, the In- trenid cashier who died rathor than betray his trust. It In to be hoped that 1n thoir zeal the peo- plo of Doxter, Me., will not overlook the ponible needs of Mr. Barron's prabable famlly. Lady Augela Burdett-Coutts cannot be ssld to o handsome, unless lu the way ofSarcasm; ahe 18 by 1o means young, and she fs teoubled with & hereditary akin-disease, yet hundreds of admlrers offer every year to love her for Lerself alone. (P 8,—She 0wna & bank and many milifons. ) Tho late Lord Leitrim onco npon a pless. oant time advertised for an agent. Threa hundred applicants wrote to him, and In answer 10 one of thom bo aaid that he wished to appolnt & military gentlomon used to shooting natives in Australis oud New Zealand, e ha wanted a wholesome les- son given to the tenants on his estate, ** We bot teach bloody {nvontions, " etc. Father Ourci, tho eminont Jesuit theolo- ian who was disgraced for advancing views dis- tasteful to the lato Pope on the subject of the Tem- poral Power, to take any reward for slinply doing his duty, and proforsing In tho face of pposition what to him scenied the truth, Mr, George Anderson, M. P, for Glasgow, has gone into insolvency becauve of the namerous suite brought agalnet him by the cnraged ahare- holdars in the Emma Mine. Over 200 actions have been lnstitated, ona far $5,000,000, the fall prica of the mine, Mot of them have been brought on #pec. by sharoholders to whom en enterprising Lundon solicitor sent uut circulare. Instead of having Mr, Kimball attend to ralse the debt on thelr chuzch, thecolored Method- 1uis of Red Bank, N, J., hold ** jug-walke." The women carry stons jugs rour:d among the worship: er¥, into which theso drop such contributions a9 they pleasu, according to the favor with which the bearer of tho jug meets In the oyes of the contrib- utor. Then the jug is smasked and tho contridas tions are counted. Creswoll, which was P. M, G., Is Presl- dent of tho Cltizens' Natlonal Bank of Washing: ton. Hlv uucla left Liw & mililon dollars, which' Lias beon doubled by lucky investments, and aa o recolyeq 830, 000(?) o yoar os af f Government before the Court of Als! and has been paid $3,000 & yearasoneof the Freedmen's Dank Commisalonets, ho caunot bo called & poor wau, The wifo of Senator Dorsey is the vory, abrolutely, positively handsomest woman in Wasbe lagton. A gushing corruspondent describes heras a radlant brunetta with large, clesr, brown eyes, und manners—such manners! She is a bellliant con-ver-sa-tion-al-lst, {akes an active interestin politfcs, was born at Oberlin, O., das s husosn who owns & 20,000-acre sheep-ranche ln New Mexico, and spent last summer tbero With bim, ridlug thirty miles u day on hotseback, snd at nlght cookinx for six men, ** Owon Morodith,"otherwiso Lord Lyttos, Viceroy of Ind!s, whou doliverlng tho prizes at & recent schiool examination at Larrackpors, remind- ed tho pupils that, though (ne study of Sbakpears waa very useful, 1t had long ceased Lo bo vernac: ular English, and that what native students prims- Tily reaulred wae a correct and pleasing pronsi clation of ordinary English. lfo attermards s nounced his Intentiou of givinz s prize to the lfiz nest year whu proved hlmself the bedt 1B ‘b among his Lrother atudents; foot-raciog, be thoaglt, would be & goud teat for the prize, ‘ In the Haarlem, Hollaud, papers of A.Fn‘a, appears the following ssnouncemeut: ° lf;". Feb, ¥, 1878, aged 33, wy belored som, ST Emmanuel, doscendant of my husband, the "‘u’ of Nurmandy, son of Maris Autoinetia an ok Louls XVI., Klug of France," Thls flc:hn". is dated Breds, AprilJ, sud sigoed ¥4 The Do oy wer de lourbon, Duchess of Notmandy.” The Bef whose death létbus announced was Second. Bfll’"“ ou @ Dutch man-of-war. Scveral wembers of Bt family still susvive. 'fhey, it will be sceo. ‘uun descent from tho child-prisoner of the Revolu peer} whom Simon bad cummitted €3 de!’-‘ pite who cestaluly died in the old Rod's haods, o all tbe later stories of thie **American Bousbo! and the ke, & Gen. John Meredith Read, Jr., the Awe 4 can Minfster 1o tho Court of Grecce, who auz:lm the Lall on one memorable occasion with 146 BV Queea Olga, Bgures In J‘aml:-'n P:::‘n‘;h :fm rs of the American the wewbe Pocrage ™ statos that *+UcD. Jobn moat dis- 4, who t only descended from *‘ons of :“nflflhhtd Jurists that America bas produce o was promiuently amed in times paal 848 €8 ik date for the Presidency of tho United blllflbu ot also from **the very spclent Cambriaa fan! : Meredith 10 which belonk Lord Alhllnnn(',w. tho Mercdyths, Baroncla of Greepbllls and lundatown, Couaty Meath."