Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 19, 1879, Page 6

" ' YouLikelt." Evening: \ " .+ of Mr, John A. Stevens. THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: - Bliye Tribwre, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. DY MAINL~IN ADVANC i‘!ahy Edition, one year. -POSTAGE PREFAID. 12.01 'DPA O1 A yrar, per mon undny Kdtilon: Literar. Khie \te Baturds WEEK Ono copy. per yeu Ciub ot foni Club of ten, Ciub of twe Epecimen coples sent frea. Give Poat-Otiice address [n ), including Btate and County. . 1 _ Remittances may be made cither by draft, express, Tost-Otfice order, or In reglstered letter, at our risk, TENMS TO CITY SURSCRIDENS. Taily, delivered, Sunday excepted, 24 cents per week. Dally, delivercd, Sundoy Included, 30cents ner week, Addrers THE TRINUNE COMPANY, Corner Mndison and Dearborn-stn.. Chicago, it Orders for the delivers of THx TRIBUNE at E ganion, Englewood, snd Tiyde Parg 10f¢ fa the countl g-room willrecelve promy RANCIE O FICES. €400 TRINCNE ing eatabilshed branch ofees xe?."ffi'e'lemo: subscriptions and advertiscments s \ !ol,l“ul;;x TORNK—Room 20 7vidune Bullding. F.T.Mo annxx, Mannger, PAIIE, France—No. 10 Ituo de 1a Grange-Dateliere, . Manten, Agent, LONDON, Eng.—American Exchsoge, 449 Etrand. Jxxry F, Grrvia, Agent, BAN FRANCISCO, Cal,—Palace Tfotol. WASHINGT D, 1310 F strect. AMUSEMENTS. MoVicker's Theatro, Madison strect, between Dearborn ond Rtate, En- gagoment of Mis Ada Cavendiah. Aftternsont **As New Magdalen.” Hinverly’s Thentres + Dearborn strect, comer of Munroe, ** Unknown." Engagement Afternoon { and ovenlog. lnoley?s Thontro. Ttandolph streer, totmecn Clark and Lagalle, Ene { gagewnent of the New York Criterlon Comedy Compa- ay. **Whims" Afternoon and ovening.: Ilamlin's Theatre, Clark street, opposito the Court-louse, *'Leopold,"” ! Varioty cotortainment. ! DMetropolitnu Theatre. Clark street, opposite Sherman lonse. ** Tina, the Milkvender of Germaatown." Varlety entertalnient, . 1 Afteraoon nod evening, - 7| _ Mnisted stroct. between Madison and Monroe, Academy of Munle. Va- Tiety entertsinment. Afternoon and evening, SOCIETY MEETINGS. 8T, .BEBNA“D COMMANDERY, NO. 83, K. T, Stated Conclave Wednesday evenlug, Jan, 11, at 7: e B S s iy 1.0 . Visiting r Uy(;:d::(fl 2 & €. F. MAUKREI ‘WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1879, In n card printed in another column, Ald. Jases H. Guuesr withdraws his name from consideration in connection with the Repub- - lioan nomination for Mayar, President Grevy's now Cabinet will rosist the ultra-Republican proposition'to fmpeach tho Do Bnoorr Cabinet. - An announcement of this intention wns yesterdny made by M. Wavprxarox, President of the Council, Gov. Cuornoy, inn message to tho Legis- Intura transmittod yestordny, prosents lis reasons for bolioving the State Board of - Railroad and Warchouse Commissionors to bo an iustitution of grent value and worth oll tho monoy it has cost since its crention, which is a good deal,, < — Tho Sonato has passed the Lill providing for o roduction to 16 conts of tho tax on manuofactured tobaceo, Tho effort to sccure the repeal of the tax on friction matchos was defentod. It ig ostimated that the effact of the measuro rolating to the tobncco tax will be to reduco the revenus from tobnceo $15,000,000. Zaonarran CuaNDLER wos yestorday elect- «©d United States Senator from Michigan to il tho vacanoy created by Judge OmutsTrax- oy’s resignation, He recoived {he ontire TRopoblican vote in both branches of the Legislature soparatoly, and to-dsy his cloc. tion will bo deolared in joint convention, ,His term oxpires March 3, 1881 A ——— Tho Census bill was considered in the Houso yestorday, but without final action. Judging from the votes taken on various mo. tiong and amendments, it is ovident that the Domperatio majority will bo sblo to carry that clauso transforring the power to appoint consus-talcers from the Bocrotary of the In. torior to tho Govornors of States. ——— The noedloss probibition of the importn. tion of American cattle deorood by the En- glish Governmont is to be mado the subject of discussion in Parlinnent. Sir Geonox Caxenzrn on Tuesday next will bring up tho queation on a motion that the measuro of prohibition is ealeulated to destroy an mpor- taut trade and to deprivo the poorer clussos of Eugland of the advautages of cheap eat, — How to got to Loadville, what is to bo seon and experioncod along tho route, and wmnny othor mattors of interest in that con- neotion, are set forth in o letter which wo print this ‘morning from a éorrespondent who has rightly judged that thero is n very goneral desiro to know moro about tho now Placo where tho whoel of fortune lns bogun to whirl, Tho Sleoping-Oar Committee have finishod their investigations and returned to Bpring. field, with new idens as to what it costs to provido tho publie with slooping accowmo- dations at the rate of thirty miles nu hour, Befora lonving they made a forinal acknowl. edgmont of tho ample facilitios afforded for wiving ot an futelligont understanding of 1ho subjoct matter of their inquiries, The Germnu Governmont, in its dealings with the Soctulist elemont, is meoting with detormined opposition from the Iiberal . factionuin the Roichstng. A proposition from the Minister of Justico thattho Im. perinl Parlinment approva of the prosecution sud arrest of Dopuly Iasseuaany will bo bittorly opposcd Ly the Nationa! Liborals and Ultramontanes, who have entered into conlition to defeat the disciplinary schomo which Draxanex §s attompting to carry out, ‘Flia political amondinunts to the Legiula. tive, Judicial, und Exeeutive Approprintion bill woro last oveniug offered in tho House, in accordauco with tho Democratio eauens progratme, ‘The amendigeuts provide for the ropeal of tho law requiring the juror's tost-oath, and also tho law providing for tho appointment of Federal Supor. visors of Electlon, They wore not pressed to a vote last evening, the Domocrata deeming it uneafe to risk it excopt with the Lenches full on their aide, as the Repub. licaus will voto solid sguinst the ropeal of the Election law, and {t is oonfldeutly ex- pected that the Bonate will rofusu lo con- cor in euch oo amendwient, even ut thy vk of defeating the Legislative Appropriation bill. It is the policy of tho Bouato to os far ag pousible discourage the pruct.co of atlaching political wensurcs to bills providing for annual approprintions, and to inslat npon the consideration of such monaures separately and on their merits. Ono Ronenr MoKiwne, burglar, road- agont, ote.y is now on his way to numerons ponitentiaries, in which bis total term of norvice is to bo somothing over sixly yenrs, Ho hoa ot let the grass grow under his feot sinco ho started to * run orooked.” His ox- ploits are so many nnd of so grave a chnr- aoter that ho has found it necessary to put in plens of guilty in soveral differont couris; othierwise, his sentences would aggrogate 120 years of imprisonmont, at the expiration of which time, n9 the nsual formula has it, he would bo taken from his placo of confine- mont and hanged by the neck until dead. ——— "Tho real condition, needs, and deservings of the militin organizations of Chicago have been so thoroughly impressod upon tho Legislative Committoo during their stay in the city that there is tho best of roason that the Btato will bo just and gonerons in recog- nition of the zeal aud self-sacrifice which hiavo mado it possibla to equip and maintain theso organizations so nocossary to the pros- arvation of the snfely nnd the good name of n grent city and a groat State. When the Logislature sball have ascortained through its Committes on Military Affairs what is noeded to place the Btate militin upon an adequato footing, therc ought to bo uo dif- ficulty in mnking suitablo appropriation for that purpose. It is an expendituro that the toxpnyers will cordially ratify. HOW CONGRESS LEGISLATES. Sonntor Gronar F. Ioar, formerly and for many yonrs n membor of the National House of Representatives, published in the Februavy numbor of the North American Revieto n paper deseriptive of the ** Conduot of Businoss i Congrass.” The articlo is not only interesting, but eminontly instruotive. Tt tells not only what may be done in Con- gross, and how it is done, but explains why there is 8o much loft undone that might bo done, aud algo why so much that is dono is Ro imporfect, Iu framing the Constitntion the strnggle betweon the largo Btates and tho smnll States on tho matter of reprosentation was one of the most embarrassing. The small States claimed for their protection equality of rop- resentation. Tho result was that equality was extonded to the Senate, and it was pro- vided that all bills for raising revenue shall originato in tho Ilouse of Reprosontatives, but the Senate mny propose or concur with amendments, as on other bills, The conces- sion to the Sonate of tho powoer of amending money or rovonno bills renders tho exclusive right of tho House to originate such bills n barren ono, and, ny cxperionco Lins shown, lins weakened the character and authority of the House as pnrt of the Nationnl Legisla. ture. Thero are eloven gonernl, and sometimes soveral special, appropriation bills aununlly, and these con{ain approprintions averaging iwo lhundred millions of dollars. As the House considors theso bills soparately, thoy are sent to the Bounte, aud that body gon- orally ndds many other millions to the ag- gregate npproprintions. Whon the right of tho Sennto to amend was conceded, tho Houso lost any suporior control of these Dills which might otherwise have pertained toit. Instend of npproprinting monoy by soparate bills, the Benatonow londs down the Houso bills aud in, n mensure compels that body to give weight to tho Sonate’s action which it would not give to morely Senato bills, o The Houso of Ropresoutatives hins, how- over, by n systom of rules, completely de. stroyed its right{ul power over the national appyoprintion bills, When an appropriation bill i roported it goes to the Committes of tho Whole, and is then subjact to debato and open to amendment, Thus far, in the ordi- nary travsaction of business, these bills are dobated, and onch member hns the oppor- tuoity to move nn amendment, When the bill is taken out of Committeo of the Whole this privilege practi- cally ends, and undoer the operation of the previous question the Houso is brought tonvote on tho whole bill. The bill then goes to tho Benate, whero it is open to un- limited dobnte and amendment; anything and everything mny bo added to it by a majority vote, and dobate caunot bo closed 50 long as any Sonator wishes to speak, The Bonnto pnsses the Dill in whatever amended form it mny think proper, aud #ends it back to the Houso, where the quos. tion is conflued to concurring in the Senate amendments. Boforo the more important of theso Illsare reached in both Iluses, the session hoa go ndvunced as to bo nenr its close. Every sccond year, the lifo of n Cougress torminates on tho #d of March at the end of a ninety-days' session, in which at least twenty-five days are lost by the foli. days and othor interruptions, In thealternate sessions, tho bills are never matured until nenr the time fixed by resolution for ad- Journment, Whon the Seuate amendments aro presonted to the ITouse, the state of businesy und the complication of the rules forbid any attempt to consider the Bunate amoendmants, numbering perbaps soveral hundred to onch bill. Tho right of debnto s thereforn do- nicd, One voto is takon by which the House rejects all the Sennte amendwmonts, aud the Seunte, upon belug notified, responds by a vote ** insisting " on ull its smendmonts. No debate or deliberation {s had fn eitlior Houge, A Committeo of Conferoncu, consisting of threo Senators and threv Representatises, iv appointed, to whom the whole bill 1 vom. mitted, Lo theso six members is delegated the wholo deliborative authority of the two Touses, ‘Chioy moet, and, whonover thoy can, pateh up an agroemeont. This agreomont 18 yeported. It may conslst in the result that out of 200 smendments the Senate is to re. cadofrom 40, that the House will cancur in 100, and that the House will aceept 60 with ameond. ments fixed by the conferces, Tha report, which i# never printed, annonvoes tha nction on the amendments Ly numbors, und the two Honses adopt the report in wholo or vejeot it in whole. In ense of n rejection, or a failuro to agres, now Committues aro appoiuted, who continuo at work patching and compromising, until nn ngreemont is reached which the two Tlousos will accept. ‘'icso Conferonce Counulttoos practically do. cidy and dotermine every question on which the two Houses hava differed, nnd no one outsido of tho Conference Cowmittees lias, or cau have, nuy nccuralo knowledgo of whot tho bill contafus until after it has be. como u luw and s published, The pre. liminary debate in the House, and the more doliburato debate in the Benato, nre of ' mecessity practlcally valuless, bieeause fn tho midnight hours of the session all theso mouey bills receive thelr final sbape aud character iu the Qonforenco Committoos, and are flually adopted by both Iouses in iguorance, without resding, aud under the duress of tuking thew ug thoy stand, or of susponiliug the Govermmont for want of necessary approprintions, It will be seon that, afier nll, the House rarely, it over, gives ono honr to the considerntion of the nction by the Senate on thoe appropriation bills, ro that tho privilego of origlnating theso bills i of no substantinl valuo in the way of controlling such mlulnuon. In the matter of goncralwlogislation the Houss can hardly bo said to bo o deliberntive body. All bills are matured by committes, nnd the Inbor of legislation is performed in these committeos. All billa fntroduced by membors aro referred to those committoes, whore a majority of them.remain unacted on, Theroare forly-soven permanent and soveral spacial comumitteos. All logislation roported by other than the approprintion committees proceods from these, Thoso committeos oro callod in snccossion for ro- ports, and each: is entitled to one honr on enchof two succossive days. Ordinarily, under all the interruptions, ench committeo has about two hours ench session for making reports, and in which tho bills are to bo de- bated and considered. It takes forty min. utes to take a voto by yens and nays, The result i that whon a committes makes a ro- port and is auxious to have a bill passed, the dobato is confined to one hour, which is nllotted to the member reporting the bill; Lo mnay parcel this lour out to other mombers, but at ita closo moves the provious quostion, which termiuates debato and cuts off all amond- ment, The vote is then taken on tho passage of tho bill, Of course the nction onn bill mny bo delayed or defeated by filibustering, whicl, however, is not deliberation. An- otherdavica by which nction mny Lo secured is by moving, under the rules on certain speoified days, that the rules be suspended oud a bill named be pnssed. No debate or amondment is in order undor such a motion, ond If two-thirds vole for the motion tho bill is passed, and Mr, Hosn says: *‘And in this inode hundreds of mensures of vital importanco receive, near the closo of cx. hausting sesslons, without being dobnteg, nmended, printed, or undorstood, the cou- stitutioual nasent of tha American people,” It fs declared thnt n majority of the bills of gonerallogislationare thuspnssed n tha House. Tho render will undurstand, therefore, that practically thoro §s no such thing ns disons- sion, thorough examination, and under- standing of the legislation by the Iouso of Ropresentatives, which cannot bo sald to be a deliberntive body. On Mondny last the House passed two bills—one approprinting 32,000,000 for back pensions and $6,000,- 000 for so-cnlled river and hnrbor improve- mants—without one word of debnle, withont permitting no amendment in any form. "I'beso bills will go to the Bonate, and there bo incrensed, porhaps, soveral millions, aud the Ionse will have no discretion but to pass them bodily or reject them. This River and Harbor bill consists of nn nggrogation of itoms which, if considered soparately’ and vated on separately, would bo reducod 80 per cent; but, under the rules of tho Ifouse which prohibit debate and separata votes, this and all othor jobs for the plunder of the Treasury are forced through annually. The Houso in 1841 adopted the one-hour rule, and suothor rule giving a majority of the Houso the power to take a bill out of committee nnd bring it to n vote without do- bate. Siveo thon tho House has practically censed to bo-n deliberative body, its logisin. tion boing goenerally nccomplishod under the suspension of the rules or tho provions ques- tion, Loth of which oxcludo debats and amendmont, Mr. Oray in 1841 proposed to adopt the provious question in the Sonate, but evontu- ally abandoned it, so flerco was the oppo- sition. Mr. Hoan considors it ns an jm. portant ngent in the destruction of the character of the Houso ns n dolib- erative body, oud relates numorous in. stances of its operntion. In searching for and proposing remedios, he among other things urges that the Speaker should be so- lected becauso of his fitness for the offics, apd should nover bo a partisan, as he al- ways is. o ssys: *‘The Houso is losing its froodom of dobats, of amondment, even of knowledgo of what it is itsolf doing, A member s plmost tho last person to ask what is contained in an appropriation bill on its final possnge. Blore and moro the contost over important mensures is n contest not whother they shall bo discussed, but whother thoy shaill bo brought to a vote, Tho Speak- or becotnos a party leador, while obliged to observe forms of impartiality. There is no- wharo respongibility for securing tho atton- tion to iinportant mensures, and no authority to docida botween thoir different claims.” In conclusion, ho claima that the rostoration to tho House of its function of deliberative assombly can only bo fully accomplished by a reduction of its mombers. Wo this the House will nover give its nssent uniil foroed by frrosistible public opinion. ‘I'ifs may bo dolayod by tho removal from Congress of tho conslderation of privato claims, and by reor- gonization of tho syul’em.of committees, which shall give the Iouse the bonefit of re- aponsible leadership, ——— e, “00LD BETTER THAN BTEEL" ‘The Porren Committeo is to bo congralu. Intod that now and then it gots hold of a re. linble, straightforward witness who has n good memory, who never forgets, * no, never,” not oven **hardly over." Oneof this class is Mr. Duny, of llaston, ex-Comp. trolter of Bouth Ouvoling, and a member of tho Roturning Board of that State. o re- membered everything that took place in the negotiations fur stealing tho vote of South Cavoliuh, and with n diutmciyow and consint- onoy that left little opportunity for ombur- rassing cross-examiuntion, Mr. Duxy's stutemont, in brief, iy, that Mr, Ssrrn Weep was iu Houth Carolina with the objoct of purchiasing the voto for Mr, Troes, this be- ing tho most direet courdoyr sinoe, us the ge- Lotween, Soroxox, said, ** It {3 bottor to use gold than steel,” Tho lattor was employed to buy tho Bonrd and worked under orders to report to tho loeal OChafrman of tho Domocratic Committee. Ife ap- proached Duny upon the snbjeot, sud Dusy purposely led him on, monnwhilo keeping Gov, Cuamoentary in. formod of the progress of his nogotintious, Tu this mauner, Duxy discovered that the Dawmocratio Bupreme Court had boon fixed, and that the Roturning Hoard was to be offerod’ the $80,000 sud requested to oboy the orders of the Court, which would deokio that tho Board could not act judicially aud would direct it what votos to count aud what ta throw out, ‘Thio offer was wade to Duxx and refocted. Tho Dumocratio Court sent tho Bourd to jail, but it was of no use, I'ho couspiracy foll through, for tho Board hud completed its work aud declared tho election of tho Hayes Eleotors, Ik littlo story which Mr. Dunn tolls not ouly carries weight by ils very brevity and caudor aud tho inability of the Demoerats to break it down, but it fits in perfeotly with the dovelopments herotofora brought out by othar witnessos au to the infamous negotla. WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 19, 1879—-TWELVE PAGES, tions botweon Gramerey 'ark and Colum- bin, conducted by Tizoey, Prrtoy, Mannus, Weep, Soroxax & Co, Iaving established fhe fact of theso negotintions and thefr cor- rupt purposes, and having, traced tho re- sponsibiiity for thom directly to the dvors of Gramoroy Park and the lendquarters of the National Democratic Committea out of tho mouths of thoir own witnosses, wo do not sea any objoet in further prolonging the investigation, 'The primary object of tho Investigation was long ngo lost sight of. It is no longer an nasault upon Mr, Havxs, bLut o dofouss of Mr. TiLoeN ngainst an infamous nttempt to nteal tho Prosidenoy, Evon that defenso is rapidly assnming the naturo of an apology, but as ench fresl wit- ness only sinks the Gramercy Park reformor still deeper into the mire, it wonld bo simple humazity towards n poor old man, who, necording to popular Delief, was up to his oyes in corruption, nnd necording to higpwn atatoment wnd the dupe of bis corrupt man- ngors, for Messrs. Porrrn, Braisara & Co. to adfourn their investigation aine die and relonso him from what s cruel and unneces- snry torturo, Tven admittlug that the Re- pablicans aro as doqp in the mud s they. claim, by their own witnessos thoy aro shown to be so much deeper in the mire that any further continuance of tho investigation is not only foreign to its purposcs, Lut is a wasto of monoy nnd time, and gratuitous punishmont of 3Mr, TiLvey, THE CANAL UNFRAGRANCE, When complatnts were first made a fow W oks ngo by the Joliet people, and others living on tho line of the cannl and river, about the bad smells which thoy charged to the Chiengo sowers, T'nr 'Ininuse explained that the coudition of the canal this wintor is ontirely exceptional, and that there is no permanent ovil for which the people nre Justified in demnnding an artificlal romedy at the publio exponse, but ouly n transiont sunoynnco ‘which will bo cured shortly by natural romedy and may not recur for yonrs. The iuvestigation made by Ohiof-Engincer Cuesnroven and Col. Masox, nlso an expert, from thin city, has fully confirmed tho theory wo ndvanced at the time, Theso gontlomen find, upon examinntion, that tho surface of the ico mn {ho canalis 14 inches bolow the sunmor water-lovel, and also that the ico teelf js 18 inches thick. Tho ordinary depth of the water in the canal when the bottom ia clear is about 5} feet; from thin must now be deducted tho sand and sodi- mont at tho bottom accumitlated during the wintor, which probably amounta in places to 16 or 16 inches; also, tho thickness of the feco (18 inches) and the fall of the surfaco (14 inches); so, in tho nggrogato thera aro three andn half feot less of wator in the canal now than ordinarily, or ouly about two foot of freo water nltogethor. It is not strange, thorefore, {hat the ongincors shiould havoe found from the velocity of water possing through thoe gates at Lookport that wator has been coming into the canal only at the rate of 800 cubic fest per minuto, when the caleulated volume is 23,000 feat per minute, That is to sy, there is just now not more than onethirtieth g much water pnssing through the eanal ns usunl, and the colloction of sediment, garbago, and excrement of all kinds is inevitable for tho timo being. Now, ns to the romedy which a Commiltes of Joliet men nre to dikcuss here to-duy, Thero i just ono that is praoticable, nnd will bo efficiont, viz: Tho spring flood, which may reasonably bo expected within threo or four woeks, sud which will sweop out the rivor and canal into the Inke, wash them cloar of all offensive material, and prepure the way for the usual flow of water into the ganal, This spring flood may be depended upou as surely as the chango of spnsons ; it cleanses the Ohioago sewers, washes out tho North aud South Branches, reverses the cur. reut of the river Dack into tho Inko for the ¢imo being, and cars vica off all tho accumulations of tho winter mouths. This notural purifier will bg at work Lofore the Committess having tho matter under digenssion can mature and attompt any plan for artificial interforonco, and, having done its work, it will leave nothing to offend tho nostrils of the Joliot people for nnother year at lenst. Indweed thero will not again be rensonable cause for complaint until we shall have auothor win. tor equally movere. During the ordinary wintors tho flow of water through tho canal hiny force cuough to corry off and purify by dilution tho oulpourings of the OChicago River, and it will only ba aftor a long strotch of exceptionnlly cold wanthor, such ns the present wintor nfforded, .that the stench nulsnuco will be ronowed for a briof period, to bo romoved again Ly tho procoss we have described. Ienco the circumstances of tho casa do not warrnut tho serious considera. tion of any schemo for cleaning out the caunl which involves the outlay of publio moueys. i ARE WE A NATION1T ‘Tho editor of tho Atlauta (Un.) Constitu- tion 18 moking o desperate offort to grapplo with the fssue of National zv, Stato Hoy- croiguty, and ovidently thinks ho has discov- ered n *posor” in tho following quostion : **When the thirteon original States entered tnto o formal compact for their own protection, and framed uu organic law for their mutoal govern. ment, Wil any une of them courcod Into rutirying the compact or the Consthiution? Did thoy not antur Into thy Union of thelr own freo whil and necord? Were any of thelr slster Colonies-com- nelled to como tto the tralon? When the thirtoon States enterod tnto the compact and framed tivo Constitution, did thoy reserve any righty, or did they create what ' Turmung would call a *'nation"t DI they surrendor all their powors and righta to the General Qovernmont? Tho Tug Twwuxg wbould look up his texie Tho *““text-books,” which the editor of the Atlanta paper has ovidently failed to consult, nnlformly answer thot & **nation” was ereated by the original compnot of thirteen Britlsh Colonies, Boginning with the Dec. laration of Independunce, he will flud the very firat sontenco speaks of the necousity of ‘tone peoplo” (the Americau people) dis- solving the political Louds that have con. nocted them with * auother” (tho Diritish peoplo or uation), and of nssuming a seporata aud equal station ** among the Fowers of (he onrth.” That iy ouo text which indicates tha purposo of croating a nation. The Articles of Confederation established the namo of * the United States of Awmorlen,” aud agreed upon cortain nationnl functions for tho goneral govorument, and fmportant restric. tlous upon the soveral Celoules which had then becowe States. Hut, as the national funotion was not thereby sufliciently estab. lishied, the Constitution of 1797 was adopted, and it was mado to st forth in its preamble that *We, the people of the United States, in order to form a mare perfeot Union," ote., ‘*80 ordain and establish this Constitution for tho United States of Amorica.” Lloreby the national funotion was created beyond all dispute. 1t provided' for smendments which might further contract aud limit the func. tious and powars af the lanal Govarnmants, and such limitations bave beon mado in the shapo of several nmondinents to the original instrument. It provides for the ndmission of now torritory nnd communitios na a part of tho nation, and twonty-five pieces of tor- ritory have been slload off the nationnl do- mnin and shaped and fashioned into Sintes, 'Tho brenth of lifo was breathod iuto thom Ky the Nationnl Governmont, and thoy be- camo living States, and integral parls of tho nation, by coming in undor tho goneral ngreoment and pledging obedienco lo the Constitution, There has naver boon n dofini- tion of the term '‘nation" that would. ox. cluda the United States Governmont, and the ntrength of this nation s ouly the groaler beeauso ¢ took its power from an nagreoment of all the parts that composo it, and not from coorcion and conquest, If tho oditor of tho miscalled Conatitution inkista upon the toxt-book oxamination, wo would refor him to ntreatiso on Paloontology (tho menning of which he oan find inthe dic- tionary), in which he will find n description, and possibly nn illusiration, of what is called #lygmaria with fucoides nvd sigitlaria, which muy convey to him n vory good idea of the character of this nation,” 'This paleontolog- ical specimen resembles the trunk of a treo, with its roots running out below in various direations, Applied to our Government, those roots represent tho States and tho trink tho General Governmont, Tho roots aro o part aud the trunk a partof an organio body, but the functions of the roots ceaso at a cortain point and theie convorge in the gonoral body or {runk, to which thoy are tributary and which towers above them all, ‘I'his tree may toke on now roots which give it new life and strongth, but neither the original nor the acquired roots ean bo lopped off excopt by a force superior to the com- bined power of resistanco in the nation. The South tried to dovelop ‘such forco, but foilod; it found by experionco . spoh o domonatration that tho Unitod States of Amorica are a nation that ita peopla ought not in reason fo have any further doubt abont the matter, If such doubt be still en- cournged, and if it shall ever ngain manifost itaelf in an effort to iry the national strength, there will be anothor and still more con- vincing manifestation of tho important untional function known ns self-proserva- tion, Actual experienco has fully borne out tho text-books in this matter of nationality, — OHICAGO'S FINANCIAL CONDITION. ‘Ihero seems to bo u conspiracy smong the newspapers of othor cities to exnggerate tho dobt of Chioago and dwell npon tho noces- sity of referm in the City Governmont, Porhaps thero is somo mpite worlk in all this, but there may bo also some misapprohiension on the subject arising from the vigorous and sticcessful efforts of the Chicngo pross throo years ago fo rout tho tax-eaters who wera fastoning themsclves upon the Munlicipal Govornment. But the fuet that thoso efforts were thon sucosssful scoms to Lo persistontly sgnored. Tho bummers wora defented both in the genoral city tickot and in the mnjority of tho wardy, 60 that during tho past twe years tho City of Chicngo has beeu managed, with an cconemny which we think has senrco- Iy a parallel in any other importnnt city in the country, The Coumptroller’s report for 1878, which Iins just been rocoived in pamphlet form, furnishes nbundant refutation for the current slauders ngainst tho credit of Chicago, The total bondzd dobt of Chicago is now ouly $13,058,100, 84 agninst 343,600,000 for Bos. ton, 3,000,000 for Baltimore, $35,000,000 for Drooklyn, $28,000,000 for Cincinnati, $06,000,000 for Philadelphia, £16,000,000 for 8t. Louls, and $140,000,000 for Now York. This single fant nlono ought to bo n sufficiont answer t}) tho unjust generulization that tho City Government is londed down with debt. As n mattor of faot, the debtper capita is much smaller than that of avy other largo city in the country. DBosides this, it cannot bo incronsed, because the Constitution of the State prohibits any debtboyond & per cent of tho valuntion of taxable property. On the contrary, the debt hasbeen actually reduced during the past two years sbout $400,000, along - with n large reduction in the ourrent toxation of tho pnst three yoars, and in spite of special dificulties arising from tho necossity of keoping the differont funds scparate, 50 that o surplus in ono fund is not allowed to balanco n defi- clency in another. It should also bo stated that of this dubt of $18,000,000 the Wator Works take caro of their sharo, which smounts to $4,250,000, and which will nlti. mately bo extinguished by enrnings for water-gorvico. This brief statomont. is sufilelent to prove thnt, fiunncially, Chicago is not in a bad way, buton the contrary is in n much botter condition than most of the othor Amoriean municipalities, The City of Ohieago iy still considorably cembarrussed by renson of a defeotive revenuo systom, undor which the taxes are mnot colloated nutil eightoen months aftor tho ap- propriations are made, and by the construc. tion of the laws &0 s to provent the borrow- ing of monoy in nuticipation of the tax. collections. Dut, in deflance of those ombarrasainouts, tho taxes of the past two years havoavoraged $1,000,000 per aunum ‘less than they lind DLoon for somo’ yeors beforo; and, during the year just finished, ounly 85 per cont of tho tax-levy was expended, in order to allow for failuro in collections nzd to bo- gin au_ accumulation which will wltimately enadlo the city to puy as it goes. There is now o movement for changing tho Ravenue law, which seews to bo an oarnost aud prac- tigal offort ; and, if succossful, the time will not bo far distant when Chiongo will be abla to pny cnsh for everything it buys and for all services rondered, aud to proceed with a steady reduction of the city debt, If there {n another large city that oan make as favorn. blo n showing of economy and good credit, we shall bo glad to clironiclo the faots, e e, Mr. Joun WeLst, our Miniater to Great selt- afn, has written u lotter to Sccretary Evants compluining that his salury of 17,500 per an- nuwm 18 not “suificlent to malntaln the afenity of bis oftice,”” and asking that somo measures bo taken to fucrease i, Mr, Evants has seut this commuuleation to the louse of Represent- atives, by which ft has been referred to the Commlttce on Apprepriations, The thing for WeLait to do Is to reslgn and come homo, und let somebody tako his place who will Hve within Ms salary, It WELSK wants to Mvo In graud style, und havo partics, balls, dinuers, and receptions which his ofliclal fvcome will uot puy for, he shoukl draw on lis pri- vate mcand, Ho Is uuderstood to bo s very wealthy man, and In receipt of n large jucome, Ono reason for his appolut- ment was thut ho 18 very rich and could support us much stylu as uny other Foroign Awmbassador with perfect case, if he desired to cqual or cclipse them o fashlonablo ontertatnmouts, pomp, and gorecousness. It would seem that ha desires to cujoy the splurge and flam, but wants the Amnerican taxpayers to foot the bill lor him, which they are not very Ukely to ac- ‘eede to, "The thing for the old gent to do s to pack up his things und roturn to Philadelphin His scrvices are of no valuo; the whole diwlo- matie service above the grode of Cunsul can rfely be disnensed with, thus svingalargo suin of money. Wo qnite agreo with acontomporgry which says: ¥, There is no question but that undar the presont Avatom of manneing intornational affalrs, 8o (ar ng the Unitad Blatos’ is concerned, Minlators arg terely fieirehonds, In all the Important and teileate negotintjong wo have had to conduct with tireat Tiritain since the War our represstiative at the Conrt of St. James hns had very litilo to do with them. When Mr, CitAnues I'naNcis Avaxs was Minister, dmlnwL the War, ho rendered ine valuable services, hut tho clreumstanced then were extraordinary, Mt. Revritny Jouxsox negotlated the CrangNdox Convention, but tnat was quickiy repadiuted on thin shle of the Atlantic, and tho prefiminarics lending up to the Treaty of Washing. on ware formulated by vur State Department and the lirftiah Foraign Oflee, the Amarican Minlstornt Lontlon merely “rocelving and tranamitting the communications that passcd between them. Tlin ofiiclal statlon was so far rocognized 68 1o make him_ tho agent of tho Interchange, but ho had no vofee 1n the cempact, ‘T'his was the caso also in_Lho recant controversy in which the two (Governmenta woro engaged with re- gard to the fiahieres ditlienlty and the payiment of tha Haltfax nward, Mr. Evanra did businoss diroct with the British orefun Ofico, save that our Min- istor handed bia divpatchea to Lard Sarisnuny and recolved back the Intter's dispatciea for the Amoris fean Becrotary, Anothor mstance in_point was when wo had onr trouble with Spatn In 187, graw- ing out of tho cantura and massncro of tha Vir- ginlua’ oficera and crew. Gon. Stokies, thon onr Minlsior at Madril, did not appear o any great ex- font fn that quarral, . OF courae, 1t will bs arcucd fhat the preatizo of thia natlon reauires that it Ahall malntain a diplomatic establishment com- mensurate with it fmportance, The nrgument touches nntlonnl pride in n sensltlvospotand rocon- cilea min; Deoplo (o tho cudt of n evstom. oven thongh it fa practically usoless, ut the ploa docs notcarry nufliciont weight with it to ereato favor. for an increne of salary such as a light wolght like Mr. WrLai 14 petitioning for. ————— Mr, WireLER was electod to the County Board from Hyde Park as a reformer. Iad ho not led his suflering constitucnts Lo believo that fie was a reformer, it is altogother probable that he would not lavo been elected, The dls- cusslon upon the resotutlon introduced by Mr. Woop. prohibiting the entertainment at the Hospital and Insano Asylum of others than Commissioners, brings out Mr. WnEELER'S pe- culiar ideas of reform, In the matter of visit- Ing thy county fustitutions, hoe desired the larzest lntitude. o would make the Poor- House and Insanc Asylum hotels for the accom- modation of tho publld, with this difterenco from the ordinary hotel that the entertalnment should bg free, and that every facility should be furnished for visiting them frea of cost. Mr. WnerLen would bave, free carrlages to and from them. In other words, If the numer- ous relatlves of a pauper tooks o faucy to visit him to sco how he was getting on, * nis slaters, and his courius, and his aunts” would summon hacks, barouches and coupes und rido out in princoly style at the connts’s expense. The ward bummers and loafers, actuated by the de- alra to know what the county was dolng for thefe friends, would call their carrlazes and charge the bill to the county. Tuls class of tos-caters nlways bavea vital futerest in the monagement of the county institutions, fivet, Leeause they hope some day to haven hand in the stealings, aud, second, In the ordinary course of cvents they are Ikely, sooner or later, Lo be- come inmates themeelves. Hence they would b oblized to make frequent visits, and thus n thriving business fa transportation between Chicago and Jefferson would soon rrow up, to the delight of lfvery-stables and the publle hackmen. Mr, WHgsLER appears to best advantage, however, as & reformer in his position, that If the visitors wanted a free drink while there It sliould bo furnlshed free of cost. This would open up o bummer's Paradlse. A free rideand u ree drink constitute the highest ambitlon of the ordinary loafer, ind appear to e the conditions of Mr. Wunenew's ideas of reform. We would sugaest Lo this “roformer that he consult Dr. D'UxeeEn and take o few bottles of his cinchona rubra to cradieate theso idens before ho goes any further in his work of gefarm, nid, §f they do not operate, that the people of fiyde Park request him to step down uid out,s It {8 to the credit of the Boord that the original resolutfon was adopted almost unanimously, but the vote doea nut affect the humbuwiz of Mr. WhecLes's clalms as o ro- former. ———— We find this In the London Spectator: ¥ $The 14fc that Now Ie, und Nature and Life,! by Rouent Cornven. This does not strike us ns a very nppropriate title for thia little volume of sermons, though Mr. CoLLYeR In his preface fmplics that it Is so admirably eliosen ns to ex- press quite fuadequately the tenor of his book, “Flie sermons range over an Infinite multitude of toples, from the *‘Lhorn fn the Flesh?! to the * Battlefieid of Fort Douelsou.! Mr. CoLLysn, it scems, was once a Methodist preacher in Eugluand; hio 18 now a minlster of the Church of the Liberal Faith, {n Chicago, where, wo under- stand, ho Is partleularly acceptable. In plaln English, hels o Uniturlan, as might at once be iuforred from -almost any one of his dis- courses, which dwell much an the tolerant and progressive aspects of Christianity, Ho began life, 1t appears, as a blackemith, but it is fair to say that, though ba Is now and then rather too homely, and even grotesque, and lets slip hicre and there expressions not exactly in geod taste, hid f8 never, as for as wo can sce, vulgar, Bug he scems fo us to. try too much to modernizo the Bible, and the result occaslonally 1s hardly satlsfactory, and produces asouse of incon- wrully. 87, Joux the Baptist, for Instance, la spoken of us o Jewlsh Jonn Knox, or Joux Browx,—~this Intter compurison is perhaps not out of place in Awmerica; but ous may casily elido nto Inappropriste and even Judicrous paratlels, in the conatant effort to bo vivid and lively. And this s specially the danger of a tman whose culture Is not of the highest order. Bthil we can well belfeve that Mr, CoLuyzn is; an effective preacher.” ————— Prof, FAwogrr, the blind member of Parlia- ment, has o Intercsting article fn the February number of tho Nineteenth Century on * Tho Finouclal Condition of Indln” One passage from it 18 striking: * Untll quite lately Todia was looked upon usan extremely wealthy coun- try, nnd there was no project, howover costly, that Inda was not supposed to be rich enough to pay for. Now, however, juster fdeas of the regources of the country and of the condition of the peoplo prevail. ‘The reeurrence of famines and other elreumstances which huye caused more attention to Lo directed to Indiun questions have at longth led the Eaglish public to take firm hold of the fact that India {8 on exiremoly poor country, und that the great mass of her puople are in such u state of linpoverlstment that the Government will have to coutend with exeeptional dilliculties {f it becomes necessary fo procure fucreased revenuo by tasation,' P'rof. FAwceTT - shows further that the only aotiree of revenue from which an {nercosa has arisen of late yuars s the oplum tax; thal the revohuo from lund, salt, exclse, custons, and stamps has either remoined stationary or tallen off; and that excessive inlitary expendt- ture, more than anything else, bas created the present finpuelal embarrasament. %Tho day is not far distant,” remarks the writer in conclud- ing, “when, with common conseut, it will na eald that thoso are the wisest Governors of In- dla who act steadily upon the maxitn of n preat statosman, that ‘finance is the key of Englund’s pasition fu India.!" —————— The New York Zime eives the following de- plorable account of Mr, TiLDEN'S persunal uppearanco lu’the Cipher Commitiee-room: 41t Was 0 pitiable spcctacle to look at this fnfirm old man, his expressionless countensnce seaiped all over with physical deeay, his thin, gray hatrs straylng contusedly In all directlons uver his poll, his feuble body sunken Intos heap, and his transpureut hunds shaking violently with palsy, mutbling denluls which few unpreju- diced Msteners doubted were untrue, 8o utterly fuconsistent wers they with the ordinary el cumstances of every-day fe, Every fow mo- ments—often in the middle of a sentence~be would atop for breath, and would then go on without inflection or indlcation of sny kind that suy other fuculty of his mind than bis memory wuy fu play, i & e ———— Thoso ot our readera who may be (uvesting on this year's eveat threc-year-old races fn Englund will do well to noto thut by the death of Gen, Pxr. the nomination of Poter, the fuvorlte, und probubly the best horso of the vear, becomes vold. A somowhat slunlar case, It o roei- ber rightly, happened on Derhy. nomiuator of the ssinner 'd:l‘:};)-r:?j{, il after the raco had Leen m:l uI pawerer, by the way, ‘Naured i gq rochln. Yo rectlfieation of the most. sensationa] “:M Al onrecords In181fn colt named lllmnhi ol eamo In first for.tha Derby, the General! ? i Orlando, being socund, Io decinpy . * 1% Liad bean a feaud, and (hnl.tlmvvlnnuéwnm s four-year-old lorso, and, after tomg su; m\?“’ H Judicinl procecdings, tha truty of his u\fll i Wwas cstablished and the race oy Awncxfmun Orlando. 1f we do not Bravely err, om: l’l'j o Nmmull\ mnrlmguu of the llnnnlng' ] Was un American sporting of late years gone In for &nlfi:lx:ll:::“:u i e turfmen of the Weat, 2 iekal When thy Mr. Prutrae Greoene Hayy AMERTON Hqy naserted, without golng behind his c;u:::::l!“’ and experlonce for ronsons, that white ), e much more {ntoxteating e z than red, lclmul-mnlu'ut his at Lausaune now glv::ntu‘s’:‘ll mony to tha'same offect, The sobrioty of llu; peasants who habltually uge r pared with that of the dr(nke::l o?l;?fll? :?m is sald to Lo very marked, Whitg win n?’ nfrzlcnlnrly injurlous to tha nervous m(u 4 Few porsons who usq much of it attain old i with thelr faculties unimpaired, Bug the Te: g why red wino{s less Intoxicating (s not e i ing to the habltual e scems, contalns o good denl of exerclses au astringent lfluenceq, HIm :tumuch, closes its porcs, aleohiol fn the wing'from zoing to tho between rufning the ntumntlxfl with |:l:l‘|x:l. .fi.{ the norvous system with alcohol, thera 1y Iittle cholce. Beer would bo better, but that s salg tu be Injurlous to the kldneya, tannin, Which 0 thetlssucs of and provents g . Cr:m-uon fsmoro than he day in England. The people Vo liave sont a deputation to thg nomnulflcz‘n!:gng Mr. Cross, to usk Wis foterferance ngainst urxyé overations of a_Cremation Company which hag bought land b the public cemeters, and fg about to goto work burning the dead. The Company, 1t appears, bought (nto the conetery iz an underhunded way through a middleman, Mr. Cnoss Intimated that the practice of cro. mation !n England would bo discusszd in Par. lament, and that he would tako an adyerse vlow. 1o advised the Woltng peoole to Proses cute the experlment In thelr midst a8 a nulsance, The only eolld objectlon to cremation that wo have scen urged (n the English newspapers, and the ong that promises to provall agalnst 15 there, for the present at lenst, is that ft would interfere with the system. of inguest, make poisoning much more casy, and perhaps faclll« tate grave cuses of personation, ever o qguestion of ———— The nomination of Canon Lianreoor, Profes- #or of Divinity fu the Universlty of Cambridge, to the Bishoprle of Durham, (s renerally np! proved by the Euglish press and people. Tie Spectator, indeed, thinks Dr. Listtrroor wil not'be 8o useful In bls new post as le was in his old onej but this s only In the way of compll- mont, “Unquestionably,” savs the editor o another part of the sume artlele, *tho Bishop- Deslizuate of Durham §s the equal of the ablest Bishops on the Benck, aud the superlor of much the greater number of them. He udis a new Algnity to the oflice of Blshop.” Canou Lione root is chielly known on this side af the water for his Paullne commentarles nnd his conneee ton with the Bible Revislon, which he ald mora thau enny other singlo man perhinos to bring about, Hls book In favor of o revislon of the New Teatament Is the most powerful argument yetadvanced on eitbier slde of the question, e Prof. TyNDALL writes to the London Time ealling atientlon to the remarkable escaps of Unlveston from yollow fover last summer, and the evidence that {t was duo largely to the rigld quarantine that was malutalned. Ho quotes from the report of the Board of Health to this effect, and futimates that the experience of Gale veston ghould oncourage the British anthoritics toinslst upon * due precautions inour inter course with infected reglons.” No doult, he ads, ** two factors—sced nud soll—aro vonceras ¢d {u the spread of an epldemie, 1t may bo that « ehango {n our atmospherie conditions orin oue liabits of 1ifc hos, in the caso of plague, renders cd the sccond of the above factors uniit for the nutrition aud devolopment of the first.” But thls hothinks {8 no rouson for neglecting quaran. | tno inthe facoof such posittva testinony in favor of it ns that furnished fromn the oxperiencs of Galyestun, Tho Presldent han appalnted tho Ilon, Tonirio O, Bunoiaup, of Hiinols, Dircctor of the Mint in place of Dr. LiNpzitan, deceased, As Ar Bunouanp probanly knows nothing whatovor adout tho buwness, tho appolntment can lhardly be classed a8 ono eminently Ht to bo made.~lae dianapolis Journal, It §8 clear that you are ignoraot of his Gtess for the position. 1o {s better qualifed for Mint Dircetor than any avaflable man in tho United States. Ils spoctal studies, hls make of ifud, his peeuliar nbilltics,—ull combine to eminently fit him for his now dutivs, o is the best man for the place that has held 1t in fifcy years ————— The New York Tribune clearly lost its head and throw away Its roputation for good scaro by making such a terrible clatter abont the elpher dispateties, ‘Fho procuriniz of those dispstelies and thelr translation were, under the cireume stances, notable sehleyoments, worthy of a0y newspaper; but tho devoting of the cultorfal page of the Zribuns exclusively to clplier buste ness for many days was o bluuder, 1t put our esteemed contemporary in the position of 2 old hen with one chicken. ————— TIu notlcing tho resignation of M. IIALANZIER, former Dircctor of the Opera at Paris, tho Lon- don Zimescorrespondent saldsoverely: “fowas satisfled with depending for larze recelpts oln tho stalrease, which belng now familiar toevery* budy, his successor will have to rely, noton marble, but on musie.” The new Dircetor, It’u probable, wasappoluted on this underatandivgs ——————e \Whon Mr, WitegLzn was nomlnated for elec: tion to the County Boaed it was sald in nu""t quarters that b was not altogether the Almlfil puro reformer that he pretonded ju be. o doubt on this acoro will by remose bylfl!" markaolo defonse of the practivo of wifing fred * deinks to Commisslonersand thelr fricudsat Lhe couuty charitablo institutions. “Tho nuwepaper of the present oge, sald 8 recont nxcclle':wvwrllcr, “1g only the mlrmr:: which the average man can seo Hn’x so\glla: . which ho supposes himselt to bet We Eh"l the aversge mou who s In search of su W BocraTes doean't Jook much {n the culnmn;lh our “catcemed,” but cuvious and fucepal contewporaries, ——————— Commissloner WitsLxrdocan’tscem 0 “1‘.'(: aultden what o disponsary {8, if it {an! u’zl where loafers can get, Whisky outof 8 v the public expense, et ——— PERSONALS. Tho pig-tall is a tail of wo. ‘The ol Robol yoll used to seare Ter, but hio now yells It himsolfs sk "I'lie wages of Ah Biu is—but, now wo of it, he {sn't allowed to carn AY. Oapt, Bogardus wants to sboot that over agaln, alvo some Kastern editors. — Truth—tho plain, unvarnished trul pears to havo gona to meel Charloy Ross, il Parhaps wo mny ba allowed by 8 l)‘n:n. public to rofer to the Mongollan as & mustio oy "The British Parhament should nulm| o passing & hith to tho effect that tho Zulus Don Dube watch i sol 'TLdy mugh Hil theray stop the Chinese ! o not go. Not rjnul thuy blug luwe ouF abirts, leaat. 0 long un* I'he Gorman Mission has beon & 008 e flled that e way now call it tne Gonud slon, Judgoe Iiltor has fixed upat tho bavoment of tho Stowart store 1o ton to biwclorke, i A waguificantly carved block :: .|‘hofl welghing 15,000 potinds hag beett rt:c sy Dous Padvs 24 8 contribution toward tbe 0a-ro0i0 18 farafau freé users of it Red wie, (}