The New York Herald Newspaper, March 26, 1874, Page 5

NO MORE GOIETIES. Mass Meeting of Merchants at Steinway Hall. Seathing Denunciation of the Moiety System. LEGALIZED OPPRESSION Report of the Special Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, Speeches by Joseph H. Choate, Jackson S. Schultz. The special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce which was held last evening in Steinway Hall “to hear the report of the Committee on Revenue Re- form ag to the action recently taken by them im | Washington,” was indeed a special meeting in more ways than one, Special technically, accord- Ing to the call issued for it, it was also special in that it was one of the largest meetings of “sold men” that have been held in this city for years, The entire body o1 the nail was filled, with the ex- cepilon of the last two rows of chairs, with mem- beraof the Chamber not only, but with importers who are not members, and merchants gene- rally, who have an interest as strong, though | it may be not so direct, as that which the importers have in seeing the infamous motety system speedily destroyed. On the platform were George Opdyke, Vice President Chamber of Commerce; A. A. Low, J. 8. Schultz, S. B. Chittenden, Cyrus W. Field, George W. Lane, | William N. Fogg, William M. Vermilye, Leopold Bierwirth, Joseph Seligman, J. A, Stevens, Jr.; James M. Constable, 8S. B. Kngeles, Ambrose Snow, D. ©. Robbins, Joseph Stuart, Joseph Choate, Gustave Schwab, Oliver Hoyt, Jonathan Sturges, L. E. Chillender, Samuel Sloan, M, K. Jesup, James 8. T. Stranahan, James, M. Brown, William F, Lee, William C. Stuart, Wilham J. Peake, Charles Mali, Elliot C. Cowdin, Charles E. Beebe and J. N. Phelps. Alter Mr, Opdyke nad formally opened the pro- eeedings Mr. Joseph A, Chonte was introduced. His speech was listened to witn rapt atiention, His sarcastic aliusions to the percentages enjoyed by the United States District Attorney, the Nava, Officer and the Collector, and to the fact that they were “great distorters of the legal mind,” and that there had been found a man, to use Lord Chatham’s words, “of sufficient proiilzacy” to argue that the jaw of 1363 authorized seizure of merchants’ books and papers Was constitutional, created a great deal of meiriunent. His telling hits at the expeuse of the Custom louse oillcers who, in conjuction with “a leading depredator upon the pockets ‘of New York merchants,” had che iniamous law approved by the Secretary of the | ‘Treasury ; tus denunciation of the spy system as an iniamy and his assertion that the oniy way to ameud the law was [to atolish it altogether and “put nothing in its place? were loudly ap- Piaunded. ils respects to Jayne and “men wortiy of his name” were paid in a vein of biting sarcasm that brought Gowao the bouse. When ue first mentioned his name the whole meeting broke out into isses, showlug quite plainly that Jayne, great imperial imiormer,” as Mr. Choat called him, will by no'means hereaiter be consid- ered either as te general delight or as the pa ticular joy forever of the mercantile community. The “peeches that foliowed were all brimiul of Jacts and figures rejative to the reigu of terror which the importers have so long iabored under, aud though they, uo doubt, were Unable to give their hearers, importers tiembelves, anything new in the matter of the extortions suifered by the mer- chants by reaaon of the mode in which the law of 1863 1s enforced, the speeches certainly served to wake up tiie merchants to the fact that they had | certain rights which even tue government had to respect. aS an expression of tho general sentiment of the merchants of this city a8 to the iniamy of the law, Ww ich places them virtually at the mercy of sples and miormers, the meeting was in’ point of numbers, influence and enthusiam a decided suc- cess; and it 18 highly probable, when the special committee’s report apa the proceedings of the meeting are read at Washington that the stand the importers nave openly taken, a8 evinced at the meeting, will have no small influence upon Con- gress in its proposed legislation for “Revenue Re- jorm.’? The meeting was opened by Mr. George Opdyke, who said that this 18 @ special meeting of the Chamver of Commerce, with waom were assuctated Many mercantile friends. mvited to hear te report of the commities of the Chamber on revenue r jorm, and to appoimt a committee to visit Wash- ington, and, in co-operation with commitvees from otuer Chambers 0! Commerce, to urge upon Con~ gress the necessity of adopting some radical change in the law relating to the collecuon of cus- toms. He said, in conclusion, that the REPORT ON REVENUE REFORM would be read by Mr. John Austin Stevens. The report is as follows :— The special committee to which the Chamber of Com- merce inirusted ihe presentation to Congress of 11s reso- lutions on revenue reform fespecttuliy report that im obedience to its instraucuons, und having jomed to them- selves able counsel, they proceeded to Wash ing on on the 16th day of ‘ebruary. They were there met by a legaii in Boston, atiso assisted by counsel. A joint plan of action was agreed upon and the presentation of | In response to request of the Com- nd Means, through its chairman, they appeared beiore that vody ou the morning of the 17th, When, aiter short consultation, during which Mr. Dawes, the chairman, stated his imability to be present on ac: count of urgent private business in Massachusetts, the hearing was postponed uniti the at of March. This ar- rangement was quite in contormity with the views of our delegation, pending the printing of the report of he Secretary of the ‘lreasury upon the fines and for- feitures the last four years. ‘the Chamber ag well asthe publtc at large remember, that subsequent to this adjourmwent a special agent of the Treasury appeared before the Committee ot Ways and Means and indulged in violent personal attacks upon merchants wig had suffered trom, the law and In Jelumatory aspersions of the mercantile class at large. It ty not néce-sury here to dwell upon this subject nor to Hive 10 it due, imnportance, An allusion Is only made to bring out clearly the reason why an application to tue Commutiee of Ways and Means jor a change in | the revenue sysiem Jn part drifted Into a personal. con- troversy between the informer and his vicums., ‘The personal element having. however, been introduced into ‘he controversy, it was clearly the judgment of your coimmittee—a judgment concurred in by the committees of viher cities—that it should be disposed ol betore the Presentation of the resolutions with which we were charged by yourselves. When at jast our hearing was hud there ‘were present the committees ot Boston, Phila- delphia, Baltimore and irom the National Boara of Trade. ‘The case for the merchants was opened by the counsel of the :oxion delegation in an able argument tor the re- alof the moiety system, showing its demoralizing ndencies and its uniortunate influence in alienating ‘the affections ot the merchants from the government. In thig view the counsel was supported by the gentlemen from the Boston Board of Trade, who each in turn au: dressed the commitee, and were examined in detail by its members, ‘This brauch of the subject disposed of, your delegation were cailcd upon, and in their turn submitted through counsel arguments upon the unconstitutionality of the seizure of books and papers and the generat hardships of the law, with copious illustrations irom cases within their personal practice. The various members of your delegation were also heard and exauined m detail, and. at the close the gentlemen from Philadetphia and Balti- d the representative of the National Boa timony in the same direction, and sust for a radical change in the 53 Alter carctiti couiparison of views the delegation had hemselves to ® demand tor tive ‘A copy of the prinied form which vs and Means Committee is ap- nuded to this report. he, proposed changes consist, rst, of a repeat of the law aut orizing the seizure of Looks and papers. Second, of that giving moities to in- formers and others. ihird, to limit actions to recover penalucs and forteitures on the part of the government Petwo years. ‘Fourth, to hunt alf forfeitures fo the items oft an invoice In which there is traud. Fifth, to render ihe'payment of auiues conclusive upon all parties in ab- " f frand “Phe ‘arguments brought forward in support, of the various changes are too familiar to the meFeantile com- junity. to need any lengthy repetition hee. The em- harrassment created to merchants by the selzure and ae- jon vt their books, arresting their basiness, injuring their credit, without, in cases ot innocence, either re- dress or reparation, is well known, Not so the general Jow standard ot omtieiat character into which the Custom House seems to have tallea—a demoralization marked Widespread enough to excite the comment and con- of the infot rs who profited by it rd to. the system of moleties, it Is certain nautionan the amount of revenue government for the general temptation to permit fraud av a source of profit. to ollicials and Inf orm- era. For it is certain that the interest, of each of these clases is rather promoted by a loose administration of ‘the Custom House tian bya severe and strict super- vision of the minor officials, which would wholly prevent any in Mmginent of the laws. it is worthy of remark that # yery large proportion of the cases of traud brought to the notice of the Congressional Committee by the Special Agent, were of collusion becween the importer and some Custoth House official—cither meagurer, weigher, gauger or liquidat- ing clerk. such trauds'us these deserve and should re- ceive severe punishment; but is tere any suiliciont reason why an exceptional law should be made for that punishment, which falls, within the penal code? Prac: Ueally, as allmitted by the Di is testl- mony, the fraudulent while’ the brought istrict Attorney merehant is fined in utity official has in no insiance of late bee justice, or even threatened with suit; and itis further charged by revenue agents themselves that, al- though complained of, they still retain their positions. Surely no stronger proot of the evil working ‘of tho moiety law need be given. The request to limit’ actions for penalties and forfeitures to a period of two years certainly, moderate. ‘The present law admits of suits Hrought by the government at any time within ‘five years. we) is Denjestly unjust. Lven two years isan extraordinary period. All of the cooupittees laid great stress upon the hmia- tion of forfeitures to the specific items in which fraud or undervaluation are proven, and asked that the taint ould not reach the whole invoice. rerhapa no part of ¢ investigavion aroused more interest and diversity of ovivion than this, and from this very diyersity there NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1874.-TRIPLE SHEET. w a disporition on the part of members of the Ways ind Means Committee, without reierens recon ceived opinions as to’ free trade or protection, to so oi “banetltate “specttt Yor ad valorem duties wher hi claasificats ever posnibie, and torprovide & more simple Sldubable afcles tis certainly tor the mterest of the Tere! it, as as of the government, that ai tion between fraudulent im: we OI and jerval Derhepe Bt tab ghoul han Gistinetion seems to be to render the aysiem of -valvation to-simple by changes in the clagsification and by raising final Hement of _d to te levied sansa a ands ° rhe Ww this Puss the alterations necessar i ith the recent cases, in w the government bay red the sum of andres, t he f Y . {be payment of duties to be conclusty on ail parties in abse! fra re suiety bn business on other principle. Baukers wil day. of nal setileme shicanine paely mie thelr sceonnt i government fo retain we e not charged with the d any private tn ont tha Fegard "they oni son jueat nse Of justice Uoininitiee of Wavs and Meaus rendered itneve urge, thateach and eve: aon asealied, pam have ‘an ‘opportunity, of ng heard in hi ‘Though interested and. with the comple ee Pnare, defence of. aad house of which the hon- resident of the Chat r is @ member, they did not feel it their duty to take any part therein, and the subject ly here alluded ho tied they, may bear this just wit ness 10 the thoroughness of thelr vindication, Your committee are to bs eh at their efforts ave uot been in vain, \t present move: ment great permanent good is to result. ing the long | investigation befor Ways and Means Commitics they were gratified beyond measure at the constant, un- wavering and pa, ient attention shown by every inem| | of this important body. ing sessions ocoupying sev. | eral hours of the ‘and o} evening, and ‘coverin, nearly two weeks at @ period when the current busi- | ness of the House of Representatives demanded carelul attention, each and every member gave the same un- wearted hearing, and their many ana_ pertinent queries as to matiers of detail in the revenue laws sho’ eneral resolve to master [pe subject and provide such jegistation as shall redress the grievances complained of waile not neglec! revenve. For the ‘of the many instances of personal kindness and courtesy on the partot the and members your cominitiee will be are of this expe- it ccaniasiow, your. Sommitton beg. to. ask, in conclusion 0 ask, your ap- proval “ot the avpnite changes sought by then’ sap: ported by which they purpose to continue their efforts to Obtain the reliel so Jong and patient ited tor. AlL of which 1s respectfully sabmitted. For the commiitee, JOHN AUSTIN STEVENS, Jr. Resolved, That the Chamber of Commerce, and the merchants of New York in concert with them, wholiy and heartily approve and endorse the changes in the revonue laws asked {or by the representatives ot the mercantile interests ot the great commercial cities, and serneeey ares ah, a ae and Neans nie Sur of | the Hor 6 to report a - | tormity thereto, without Unnecessary delay ist The above report and resolution was then put to the meeting by the Chairman (Mr. Updyke) and were unanimously adopted, SPEECH OF JOSEPH H. CHOATE, Mr. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN—It seems when we see that the Chamber of vommerce, the recognized representatives of the commercial in- terests of New York, has taken the matter in hand— have volunteered their services and pledged them- selves to carry it out, tocarry the war into Africa, a8 we are assured they are determined to do by this report which we have just heard read— it thus seems that the reign of terror under | Which the merchants of the country have so | long suffered and to which some of the strongest and most honest merchants have succumbed, is near its end, and that the chaing whch have bound them under unjust laws are about to be broken. (Applause.) And, for one of wnother profession, I must say that the mercnants are to be warmly congratulated on the present aspect ol aflairs, And one who has looked quietly on ior the last ten years, since tne passage of the noted law of 1363, and seen how it hus been per- verted to @ Weapon /of destruction to the honest importer and unoifending merchant,.cannot but express gratification and pride that at last the | merchants oi this great city have been roused to) a | sense of their danger and taken their vindi- cavion in thelr own hands, It must, be said, however, that the .ymporters and the merchants have, to # great extent, themselves to thank jor the oppression with which they have n harassed aud the tyranny exercised over them. ‘The merchants seem to have awakened to | a knowledge of their rights, aud now knowing are | determined to maintain them, (Applause.) “It is | | true as regards them as im the political sense, | ‘that they Who would be iree themselves must | strike the blow,” (Applause.) The matter is now | in their own hands, and tre grievances tuey have | so long suffered under will vanish like mist be‘ore | the morning sua the moment they have made up their minds to state them and to resist the op- pression which imposes on them these grievances, ‘rhe merchants want, above all things, to be placed | in such an attitude before the law that they can. understand thei rights and duties under the law, and thus to be abie to take care of themselves; that the extraordinary motives for extortion and corruption that Las been placed in the hands of ra- pacious oficers and more rapacious and corrupt in- Jormers shall be stricken out ol the law, (Appiause.) The great evil that hes at the bottem of all this is) In tie ad vaiorem, instead of the specific, system of duties, The greateévil which tlre Chamber of Com- merce is likely to strike with ove full woop 1s the iniquitous tnolety system by which these extraor- nature to resist—are held out for injustice and op. pression. You ail know to what Ireler. The la by which in every case of foreiture only one-half goes to the defrauded government and the other dinary inducements—too great, in fact, for huinan, | gentlemen, what an Immense temptation it 1s to % aif is divided, oue-halt to the informer and the other half goes among certain revenue officers Who are supposed to be charged with the protec- | tion of the government and the collection of the | honest duties of the government. I now come to | the great engine of oppression which the law of | Congress has placed in the hands of revenue oftl- | cers and injormers—I refer to the well known act | of 1863, providing for the examination of the | books and papers of the merchants whom | the revenue officers and informers may: de- | sire or pretend to suspect of frauds. I be- , eve that the merchants generally and the Cham- | ber of Commerce of this city demand that this law | shall be stricken from the statute book and nothing | ot the kind ever again put in its place. (Appiause.) | ‘You ali remember what the famous Lord Chatham | said about the great maxim of English aye | | that every man’s nouse 1s his castle—and why? Be- | cause 1t is surrounded with @ moat or delended b; walls and ramparts? No. It might be a hut of straw, tae winds might whistle through it, the | rains might enter it, but the King himself coulda | not. (Great applause.) If that Was & good | doctrine for Englisumen before our Revolution ts it not good doctrine for Americans under our con- stitutiun ? (Cheers.) Now, the only way to amend this obnoxious law is to abolish it alogether. (Ap-'! plause.) What ts the great plea for it? Necessity— | necessity, the tyrant’s only plea, Even our District Attorney, on whose judicial judgment it rested to: | say whether a prosecution should be instituted | under the law, receives his share of the spoils.’ | | And our present District Atiorney went to Wash- ington the otner day and tola the committee of | Congress that he could not see how the govern- | ment could dispense with it. Well, it must be said that the law was never thought of till 1863; and if the government anda people of this country could get along | | harmoniously in the matter of revenue from the foundation ol the government until 1863 1 cannot see how they cannot get on without it in the juture. The history of the passage ol that law ts weil known, ‘The jaw never was passed with the knowledge of the people of the country—it was what is vulgarly called a put-up job—a job put on the merchants by informers and Custom House officers. (Applauge.) The law was passed in 1863, when our great and glorious Secretary of the | Treasury that we bad on that day was overwhelmed with the terrible prospect before the country— when the lite of the nation was at stake, and he was anxiously devising the means of successful rescue; then it was that the leading depredators on the private rights and pockets of the merchants got up that law by the aid of revenue oMicials. Under these considera- tions the law received the nominal, if not the vir- tual, assent of the Secretary of the Treasury, and the law passed Congress beiore any one knew that Such an oppressive clause was incorporated in the | Revenue bill, Lord Chatham satd that the most oppressive and obnoxious of laws was that of general warrants to enter a man’s house and search and seize, if they were to be found, all. | papers or books or other articles that might be | used to testify against him. Lord Chathain said about the same time that he did not believe @ man could be found of sniticient ‘agg, td to advocate a@ law of that kind; but it ru Chatham was with us to-day he wouid not be dis- appointed in ais search for such @ man or any number of such men, (Applause.) I doubt if you can finda man among any ol those men who re. ceived ® moiety or percentage who will coincide with Lord Chatham in that opinion, But, no mat- ter whether the law was constitutional or not, the way in which it is administered in this city makes. it one of the most oppressive instruments of wrong. and tyranny that were ever invented in a iree country, Any honest merchant, uf you please—and even in these times every merchant is presumed to be honest until he is proved io be a rascal—any honest merchant who discharges a dishonest clerk or disagreeable porter in his employment is sub- ject to the revengeiul feelings of the discharged employé, How shall he have his revenge j— that 18 the question, He turns his eyes immedi- ately to the moieties. He has been with his em- fee many years; knows all the contracts that ave been made in the business of the house; knows all the secrets of the books of the firm; all the little irregularities, all the technical grounds cf Jorfeiture; knows of some entries made under an mnocent mistake—some accidental omission of some petty cuarge lor cartage, for in- surance or freight, and ne hears of Jayne, that great imperial informer. (Applause.) He under- stands that Jayne has made several bargains. with other parties in his position, discarded clerks, and so he goes to Jayne’s office or some other special agent worthy of the name of Jayne— (laughter and applause) —and he says to nim, “How much will I be allowea if 1 give you some informa. tion that will lead to large torfeiturest”’ “Weil,” says the special agent, “what will be the size of the forfeiture?” “Oh,” says the clerk, “I can make it as big as you please.” (Laughter and applause.) And so they arrange for @ share of the share of the informer. That 18 what Jayne meant when he talked of the $280,000 that ne had to divide with Others, He finds out that on some importations for three or iour years there is a screw loose some- where—something left out that should be put in. No fraud is intended, but there is @ chance for a stake and they go forit. (Laughter.) ‘Ihey want to get at the merchant's books and papers to search for something to accuse him. The law en- ables them to do this effectually, It is the maxim of the law that no one suall be called on to accuse himeelt; but that is ignored by the law, and the seizure of books and is made the in- strument of penalty al nishmeut, The law anys tat the Pooks and papers of the merchant shail be seized and carried off whenever it shall ap- nd to the satisfaction of the Judge of the District ourt that @ Iraud has been committed, Then the Judge can .issue. his warrant to the Marshal to seize all the books ana papers relating to the sup- sed fraud. So they..get up an affidavit. ‘ho swears toit? The discarded clerk? Oh, no; he lies back. About three out of the four—nine out of the ten—of the aMdavits ana complaints upon mh Dy 0 WarADte are 1d have been nieeuen ng ‘agent of tl fouse. What does he know about it of his own knowledge? Nothing; absolutely nothing, What does he swear? He swears upon his information a belief that he has pongon ‘wo. bebeve that John joe or Richard Roe has at ipted to commit a rang upon the revenue aud that it relates to cer- tain importations, and that it 18 a ment dl to seize the books and . of the — importer, ‘That ts not what the law means, bad as it ia. Not atall, What tne law means is, it must be made 3 ailidavit to Py to the payetotion of the istrict Judge, that a iraud has been committed, Does the Distriot Judge know anything more about i pocananolarne or bis assistant swears he be- jieves that a iraud has been committed? No. You could not go to the City Hall and get an attach- ment large enough ‘to levy upon @ pig upon auch an affidavit a6 shat. (( near) ‘ou could not get an order for the arrest or any honest white Man on such an affidavit as that. Sucn a law as that’ strikes at’ the very root of: the liberties of the ple. SO oppressive and Reggae ing has the w become that a merchant not Jong since i to me :—“It_ is cheaper to pay $10,060, although not committing the slightest offence; ‘tham to be compelled to spend three or four weeks tn the District Court to have it deter. |, mined whether he was an-honest man or a knave. 1 say fearlessiy that tis law 1s such @ terrible weapon of oppression that no free man should sub- x (Applause.) But On Be mit to it for a moment, not without relief, Congress has already reached, and I do not believe that there is Custom Howse influence enough on the part of {ntormers or moiety hunters in Cougress ‘to defeat the just demands of the Chamber of Commerce. (Applause.) SPEECH OF W. B, BARBOUR. The President then introduced Mr. Barbour, President of the Board of Trade of Paterson, N. J. Mr. BARBOUR said :—Mr, President and gentlemen, Tam ig to see among this large audience of mer- chants and manufacturers so many of the well known friends of our firm. Iam giad'to bave an opportunity of meeting them here and explaining to them why for so many long months we have been unuble to deliver dur merchandise to them with the same regularity as we had done for the lass twenty years, I need hardly give you, gentle- men, the story of the long list of oppressoi and outrages practised upon us and w our manufacturing interests by those abielded har- Nes of the revenue laws, (Cheers) That story I lave been induced to pare beiore the public within the last week, and I have been asked by many friends and acquaintances if that statement, long a8 it is, is all true, I say to-night before you that that statement is true as gospel. (Cueers,) We are in @ position to prove it. e bad been induced by the Liberal laws of this country to come over with our flax machinery, We had the misiortune to come over here with capital, machinery and skilled workmen. We made ‘g@ investments in Pater- son, erected machinery and started our enter- prise, For seven years we went on uninterruptedly and, in the development, we were considered to have carried on a very energetic business enter; prise, Last year, gentlemen, I think we were called upon to pay local taxes to the amonnt of $8,700, I have already stated how our trouble com. menced in the Revenue Department. We dil not wait to have a warrant issued ior the seizure of our books and papers, We carried our books down to the Kevenue Department. (Cveers.) We asked the ofiicials to go carefully through them to sce if they couid detect any error, clerical or otherwise, upon which to found a charge of fraud. We asked those ofiicials to 40 through our works and examine all the ramifications of our business, and see if they could substantiate any charge they might make against our goods. It was of no avail I think we bad backbone and pluck, aiter jourteen long months of acontest with those revenue oflicers, and I won! recommend any importing, firm to show their backbone and pluck. (Cheers.) I think the Dest thing any one can do when these pleasant gentlemen, the revenue olicers, come in, is, to Wand them over your casbox and tell them to help tlemselves, (Cheers.) It 18 right to remon- strate against these proceedings. There are Many lirge firms whose names I could repeat, and with which the pubite are jamiliar, who have within the past two years ceased to keep a stock of goods here,, They simply represent their busi- ness by sampies, and deliver their goods as they arrive by each steamer. by this means they avoid the risk of having their property seized and con. fiscated upon some imaginary charge or clerical error, Ihave had some twenty years’ experience fh this city merchants here preseut Will’ agree with me in say- ing that in the importing business there is of neces- sity a great number of details. We lIrequently re- ceive the invoice by the same steamer which brings our goods, There is generally a great hurr: im making up an invoice, and it is quite impossi- ble tor merchants to be responsible lor every little detail that enters Into the making up ofan invoice of merchandise. (Cheers.) You can easily see, yonus. clerk or employé when he is offered a large rive as an informer to get up a little irregularity or. some clerical error so a8 to divide. the spoil be- tween the Informer and the revenue officers, Ido uot know, gentiemen, that I need sav anything to ou about the law. That matter has been clearly laid down by my friend on the mgt (Mr. Choate). ‘There ts one law, however, that I understand as | well as any lawyer, and that is the law of right | and wrong— (cheers)—and 1 think that if ajaw exists to-day which permits those revenue officers | to march into our counting houses and take away our books and papers, the sooner all merchants | turn round and stare such a law square in the | face the better. (Cheers.) The sooner we stand | together, shoulder to shoulder, tn deience of our | rights the sooner we will be safe. (Cheers.) | There is one thing merchants prize, even above | their books, papers, money or property —that is, thetr good name and reputation, (Uheers.) I | should like to know what inducement can be held out to foreign capitalists Lo invest in developing the resources of the country ? (Cheers,) A mer- | chant wishes to hand down to posterity the honest | reputation 01 a lifetime, and was this to be fliched _ away from him by the government that he may have done much to uphold and mamtain? (Cheers.) SPEECH OF JACKSON 8, SCHULTZ, Mr. JACKSON S.. SCHULTZ Was the next speaker. He said that tho revenue oficers of this district haa chargea tie merchants of New York wath petit larceny, with bribery, with having ii properly infuencea public officers and with hav- ing deprived the public treasury of its due. That was the indictment. Were they guilty or not ‘ulty? He had put in the plea tor them at Wash- ington that they were not guilty. (Cheers.) ‘They | should not allow statements to go to Wash- ington without the antidote. He read a letter irom Mr, H. B, Clafin, stating that some changes should be made in the Revenue Jaws, though some houses had been led into trouble from the perplex- ing character of the taruf. He replied to that note, calling attention to irregularities at a cer- | tain former time, about four or five years ago, and to this came a reply, stating that they had some correspondence witti the Secretary of the ‘treasury. ‘that was all that Phelps, Dodge & Co, did. It began ana ended with a correspondence. When Mr. Claflin stated that he neyer had any trouble in ie rd tg She Revenue laws he was mistaken. he land freight on goods should be added to the cost of them, and When Mr. Clafin went down to | the Custom House and was told he must pay he did pay. Tbat was beiore Mr. Jayne and his reign ofterror began. If this had occurred in Jayne's | time Mr. Ciatiin’s books would have been taken | down to the Calcutta Blackhole in the Custom House, and ii this bad been done to him he proba- | bly would have acted more in unison with his teliow | citizens and merchaits. (Cheers.) Under the administration o1 Jayne Mr. Ulatiin’s importations probably would have subjected him to trouble, In 1865 an order came irom Washington to seize the books and papers of & most respectable merchant u city. ‘he spectal agent sent for a young man who had been in the employmeut of this mer- chant, and on hearing what this person had to say. it was replied that the | faadanatiack of this great’ country could not afford to gointo so small and mean a business, (Uheers.) Phat mica mercuens was A, T, Stewart. (Cheers.) he Speaker re- ferred in severe terms to Jayne, who, he said, had no objection to seize letters and rivate papers, even the letters of ladies. (Cheers., le went on to show that Woodward, Robinson Co. did not intend to do avy wrong. Jayne admit- ted to the committee of the House that he had taken $50,000 from this tirm, and the statement enraged one of the committee so muchthat he (: Schultz) thought he would have broken Jayne other leg and Sung him out of the window. (Cheers.) Jayne was the direct agent of the gov- | ernment, superior to the Coilector of the Fort, | and could they imagine any terrorism greater than that of Jayne hoiding handcuffs betore a witness, and telling him to declare the whole trath? The possibility of a new issue of inconverlible | paper i regard with amazement and anxiety, and, in my judgment, such an issue would be a detri- ment and a shame, —Cuanes Susnen. FATAL RESULT OF A BROOKLYN FRAGAS, | Death of Sigusmund from the Blow of a | Stone. Jacob Sigusmund died at the Long Island College | Hospital at an early hour yesterday morning irom the effects of a fracture of the skull by a blow irom @ paving stone thrown by a boy in the street, as | detailed in the HERALD some days ago. The stone struck him on the left side of the head, knocking him senseless to the sidewalk, The brother of the prostrate man Pca assistance and had him Temoved to his home in the vicinity. A few days after he was taken to the hospital, where he was trepanned, and iragments of the skuil which haa been pressing upon the brain were re- moved, afforcing the patient great relief and restoring consciousness, which he re- tained tor two days, or up to within five dais before his death, The assailant Crowe, who fe only seventeen years of age, was attested last week and arraigned before Justice Delmar, who committed him to jail. Deceased was about twenty-five years old, a native of Germany and a baker by trade, A post-mo: examination will be made and the inquest beld to-day, WASHINGTON. Prospect of a Vote on Finance in the Senate To-Day. LOUISIANA’S CREDITORS Double Taxation in the District of Columbia. WASHINGTON, March 25, 1874, Fimance in the Senate and Inter- state Transportation in the House— Gloomy Prospect for the Latter Measure. In the Senate the finance yuestion was resumed in @ lengthy and able speech by Senator Bayard, of Delaware, strongly protesting against an increase of the currency circulation and urgently advo- cating & specie basis system of national money ob- ligations, Senator Conkting was again brought to his feet to make, @ legal defence of Secretary Richardson, in which the Senator most positively contended that the issuing of the forty-four million reserve Was proper and justifiable. Senator Sher- man, who does not take this view of the case, came into the discussion, and contended that the Secretary was unauthorized in law or in the inten? tion of Congress in delegating power to him, The bill to regulate commerce by ratiroads among the several States, which has been a fruit ful theme for several Weeks past, was brought to @ vote in the House this aiternoon on ordering the main question. Tne yeas were 138 and the nays 96. Mr. Niblack, of Indiana, moved that the bill Me on the table, which was lost by yeas 92, nays 129, The nour for adjournment had arrived and all turther effort to get a final vote was useless, When that vote is taken it will be very close, with the chances against its passage. The democrats voted solidiy against the bil!, with many of the leading republicans, Even if the bill passes the House the Senate will certainly reconstruct it or never act upon it at aul. Probable Passage of the $400,000,000 Amendment to the Currency Bill by the Senate. x The report of the meeting held in New York last night to protest against 1urther inflation, has been a source of casual remark without the ac- companiment of any serious consideration, The speeches ofsome of the participants provoked laugh- ter among the inflationists, especially those made by parties who imporiuned the President and the Fifth Avenue Hotel, to let loose the whole of tho forty-four million reserve, and thus help avert, as they argued#the panic of last fall. It may be truly said that the petitions and _ resolu- tions offered in the Senate for and against Inflation have not the slightest influence upon the Senators one way or another. The determination to inflate is as xed in the Senate as In the Honse, and it 1s expected that to-morrow a vote will be taken fixing the legal tender circulation at $40,000,000, A Bill to Authorize United States Cir- eult Courts to Issue Writs of Man. damus—A Measure to Relieve the Cred- itors of Louisiana. Mr, Cox to-day introduced a bfllin the Honse to authorize the Circuit Courts of the United States to issue writs of mandamus in certain cases. This isin the interest of the Lonisiana bondholders, Whoare anxious to prevent the spoliation and confiscation of their moneys by reason of the s0- called Funding bill of Louisiana, Under the decl- sion in Graham vs. Norton, 15 Wallace, 427, the as an. importer, and 1 think the | courts of the United States have at present no power to issue writs of mandamus. The petition of those aggrieved, headea by Morgan, Seligman, &c., &c., Blows the total tunaed and unfunded debt of Louisiana to be $24,283,886. The annual Secrevary of the Treasury, on one Sunday at the | rial of the tron, coal and other companies of Ohio, Stating that business there is in a state of stagna- tloa on account of an insnMcient volume of cur- rency, ani asking that the same be Increased and free banking be authorized. Referrea to the Com- mittee on Finance. Mr, MORTON said the memorial was signed by fifty-one firms, and, as the Senators from Ohio had not heard of the petitions for more currency from that State, he desired to call their attention to this. He also presented resolutions for more cur- rency adopted by a large meeting of business men at Indianapolis, Iud. Referred to the Committee on Finance, Mr. Ferry, (rep.) of Mich., said a few days ago he had the honor to present a memoria! for more currency from merchants of New York, and one of the papers of that city had been pleased to question the fact of the petition being genuine. He felt thankful to some of the New York papers for publishing the memortal in full and vindicating him, Mr. Logan, (rep.) of Il., presented a petition of 164 business men of New York for an increase in the volume of the currency. It was referred to the Finance Committee, The morning hour having expired the Senate resumed the consideration of the bill to provide for the redemption and reissue of United States notes, and jor iree banking. TS, AMENDMEN Mr. Scuvnz, (lib.) of Mo,, moved to amend the first section of the bill by Striking out “eighty- two” and insertung “fifty-six,” so that the max- imam lumit of the United States notes siouid be $350,000,000, iustead of $852,000,000 as Axed by the Mr. WRicar, (rep.) of Iowa, gave notice that he would offer an amendment to strike ont the whole o1 the first section of the bill, and insert a section providing that the amount of United States notes for circulation be Axed at $40,000,009, Mr. SCHURZ argued against legalizing the por- thon Of the $44,000,000 reserve now in circulation, and sald that it had been the intention of Congress to retire that reserve, aud there was 10 authority for its reissue, Mr. Bayano, (dem.) of Del., opposed any increase of irredeemable paper money. He read from the Journal of Congress of December, 1865, where the Senator from Paty ote (ilr. Ferry), then a mem- ber oi the House of Representatives, voted Jur con- traction, Mr. FERRY. of Michigan, sald he did so vote then, having yielded er ay “rap to that of the Secre- tary Ol the treasury. He aiterwards saw tue loily of contraction and Voted to arrest it. NO. SPECIE RESUMPTION WITHOUT CONTRACTION. Mr, Bayarp said whether the road to specie pay- meni be hard or easy it must be travelled. Wot mean to say that by contraction alone coulda specie payment be reached, but 1t could never be reached without contracuon, He would never give his vote for any bill which proposed to in- crease the currency. As to the reissue of part of the $44,000,000 reserve it was without the authority oi law, and he could not yore for $382,000,000 green- back circulation provided for by this bili, as it legal- ized that issue, He a:gued that it wasa gross mis- Which had been retired as reserves. Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN, (rep.) of N.J., sald he did not understand that any part of the $44,000,000 had. been cancelled or destroyed. The whole aimount had been withdrawn in the nature of a reserve by Sec- retary McCulloch, ‘The law meant that they should be retired and go into a reserve. Mr. BAYARD said there was: no question upon which there could not bea difference oi opinion, and Dow that the Secretary of the Treasury was in sore straits for the justification of his illegal action, it was to be expected that there would, be those who would side with him, He (Mr. Bayard) argued that there was but one fund which ever could be cilled a reserve /und, and that amounted | existence, | SECRETARY RICHARDSON DEFENDED. Mr. CoNKLING, (rep.) Of N. Y., read (rom the de- hates‘or Congress to show tuat the Secretary of | the Treasury was periectly justified in placing the | Construction on the law Wiich he did, and hus | action in reissuing a portion of that reserve was | not in violation of law, ‘The omission to aeclare in ‘the law that the Secretary of the Treasury should notrelssue the mohkey enabled him to construe the law as conierring che right upon him to reissue | it. The argument made by the gentleman trom | Ohio (Mr. Sherman), a few days ago, that the pro- | Vision forbidding the reissue was not put in be- | Cause it Was not deemed advisabie to seud the bill back to the House fell to the ground, as the bili Was amended in oter ways and went back to the louse. Mr, SHERMAN, (rep.) of ONio, said this legal discus- | slon as to the right of tho Secretary to issue te | Feserve was a loss of time. The notes bad been | Issued and the government was responsible for them. There was good ground for diiference of | opinion on the subject, but he hoped it would not be discussed now. PERTINENT QUESTIONS, Interest is $1,493,258. Proposed Means of Paying the District School Tcachers Their Salaries—Taxing the Citizonms Twice for the Same Object. The bit.” Sing appropriation for the payment | of Columbia provides also that the government of the District of Columbia shall reimburse the United States by collecting a tax to an amonnt property, including banks and other corpora. tions. Jn other words, for the privilege of en- joying a loan trom the government the citizens of the District are to be taxed twice. The bill is likely to be defeated in the Senate, as property owners do not like the idea of being compelled to bear the burdens of the bankrupt District govern- ment. The Louisiana Contested Election Case. The Committee on Elections have finished the examination of the case of Pinchback against Sheridan for the seat irom Louisiana, and it ts un- derstood will report next week thatthe record evidence on which both claimants rest their re- spective cases has not enabled the committee to decide between them, Revenue Laws, Mr. F. H. Roberts has recently presented to the Committee on Ways ana Means three bills to amend the existing laws in regard to moteties to informers, seizures of books and papers, and what is technically known as damage allowances. It is understood that the bills have been prepared in and represent the views of the Treasury Department. | They have not yet been considered by the com- mittee, but it is very likely that their general prin- ciples will receive the approval of the committee, and that some such measures will be reported to the House before long. The Extradition Treaty with Ecuador Officially Proclaimed. and Ecuador has been oMicially prociaimed, and is to continue in force ten years, Outfits of Clothing for Enlisting Sea- men—Petition of the Officers of the North Atlantic Squadron, A very interesting memorial was sent by Secre- tary Robeson to-day to the Naval Committee of the House, It is a letter signed by every officer of the Wabash, Congress, Franklin, Brooklyn, Juniata, Dictator, Mahopac, Ticonderoga, Oxsipee, Kansas, Lancaster, Shenandoah, Canandaigua and Pawnee, vessels of the United States Navy which comprise the North Atlantic squadron, asking that an outfit of clothing shall be allowed to our seamen. It will be remembered that the Hon. Leonard Myers’ bill for the outfit was reported by him from the | Committee on Naval Affairs, and is now on the calendar, and this indorsement of the justice of the measure will no doubt materially aid Its passage. Rear Admiral A, Ludlow Case, | commanding the fleet, forwarded this petition, urging the grant of the outfit in @ letter of great force, and Secretary Robeson warmly approves the bill, Soldiers and marines are allowed their | clothing, but in the navy its cost is deducted from the seaman's pay. causing much dissatisiaction and freqnent desertions, The passage of Mr, Myers’ bill will not only be just to the sailor but ‘will aid the eiMciency of the navy. Woman’s Rights on the Briny Deep and in Marine Registers. The Secretary of the Treasury decides that in case where a woman fs owner of a yacht there is nothing in the laws of the United States which can prevent her from being named in the marine papers as the master thereof, THE FINANCIAL FEVER. The Senate Approaching a Vote on the Equalization Bill—The Status of the $14,000,000 Reserve—No Resumption Without Contraction—An Amendment Fixing the Volume of Currency at $100,000,000—Pertinent Question: WASHINGTON, March 25, 1874, The Senate did little else of importance to-day than to discuss the financial question. Several petitions from merchants relating thereto were read. Mr. MonrON, (rep.) of Ind., presented a memo- RE ETT Sn One er OTT ee ene eRe nT ne of the teachers in the public schools in the District | equal to that appropriated, $97,740, Upon personal | Proposed Modifications of the Customs | The Extradition treaty between the United States | Mr. Scorr, (rep,) of Pa., suid after all the discus- | ston on this subject, and having heard all the flnan- | iar theories trom the time of Marco Polo down to | Amasa Walker rehearsed here, le utterly de- | | Spaired of throwing @ single ray of light on the | sybject. It was not his parpose to discuss the financial problem generally, but there were three questions which he would refer to—first, how and when is the pledge contained in the act of | 1869 to be redeemed? Second, what character of | currency shall Congress iuraish the people of the United States? Third, Whas quantity of that cur- rency shall be issued ? He said with either one of these questions un- | settied business would be unsettied, No sane | Man would say that the government could enter | upon specie payment immediately, and as gold | couid not be given for notes he would redeem | them in bonds of the government, which to-day are Sa Food as gold. No financial system could be | devised which would prevent panics. As to the | Character of the currency to be furnished the | people, he desired to see currency redeemable in old, He believed there could be a paper currency brought to par if it be redeemed in gold or bonds, | That currency should be founded on. the national | faith, Before concluding his remarks Mr. Scott | ytelded to Mr, Schurz for a motion that the Senate proceed to tiie consideratton of executive business, THE VOTE TO BB TAKEN TO-DAY. Mr. SHERMAN gave notice that to-morrow he | would ask tne Senate to remain in session unttt two or three decisive votes on the Financial bill should be reached, Mr. LOGAN hoped there would be an agreement entered into now to commence votin, afternoon at half-past two o'clock, I fixed Senators would then be present. Mr. SHERMAN submitted resolutions providing | that alter half-past two o’clock to-morrow alter- | noon speeches on the Financial bill be limited to ten minutes each, Mr. BAYARD objected. Hoe said ho did not.desire to see such arule adopted. There was a principle | against limiting debate upon a sabdject like this. Were it upon an appropriation bill, involving no | important principles, he would not object. Ho hoped the Senate of the Untied States would be the one place left in the country where the debate | should be leit to the entire discretion of the mem- bers of tne body. | Mr. SHERMAN gave notice that to-morrow he would ask tlie Senate to pass the resolution, The motion of Mr, Scnurz to go into executive Session was agreed to, the time be | | The possibility afa new issue af inconvertible paper I regard with amazementand anxiety, and, in myjudgment, such an issue would de a detri- ment and a shame.—CHARLES SUMNER, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. | Testimony Regarding the Contracts for Paving Streets in Washington City— | The Old and the New Government. WASHINGTON, March 25, 1874. At the meeting of the District of Columma In- | vestigating Committee this morning John Collins testified that he had laid sewers, raised houses and done parking aud other public work for the | Board of Public Works umounting to about $100,000 | without any contract, except that about three | weeks ago he signed a contract and gave a bond, | both dated back to September 17, 1872, for tho | faithful periormance of certain work amounting to less than $1,000, all of which was done and paid tor fifteen months previously. Ex-Mayor Bowen, called by the memorialists, testified that the Board had tak away from his property certain pavement, bricks and fron rail- ing, and that the District Assessor had reinsed to | allow him credit for this old material tor the rea- son assigned that @ certificate had been issued against his property for the entire cost of the im- rovements, Subsequently, however, he had paid 18 bill, with interest thereon, and was allowed credit jor the old material, but no interest on its value, Neither had he yet received the certificate which the Assessor sald had been issued against his property. Counsel for the District authorities at this point Stated to the committee that no certificate has ever been issued against the property of witness. A recess Was here taken, On the reassembling of the committee Mr, Chris- tle, for the memorialists, moved for leave to file & precept for a number of witnesses from a Gis- tance. The reason for the motion was an expec- tation to prove the leading facts alleged by the ae im their charges. The motion was le 8. J. Bowon, ex-Mayor of Washington, recalled, testified as iollows:—The average price paid by the old corporation for grading was sixteen cents or yard, and each contract contained a clause diresting that tne earth removed snould be de posited wherever the commissioners of the sev- eral awards should direct, the understanding be- ing that such eartu shouid be ready for fuing the streets requiring to be filled. Peter McNamara testified that he is an old con- tractor; was a large contractor under the old corperation; contracts under Bowen and Emery were not uniiormly let to the lowest bidder; the price for grading was about eighteen or twenty cents per yard, and it was the uuiversal custom of the contractors to use the earth taken Irom the He aid | nomer to style any portion of the greenbacks | | to $50,000,000, and had long siuce passed out of | to-morrow | excavations to Ml lots owned by private parties, for which they got very good Ay the witness Pay od that Ld openly trp] ie the Board cents r Ok ‘ave! 8 thirty eonta ‘per yard for ali"o ion ae Ovher gradin, contractor being compelled in all cases to rr the earth In the streets necessary to be filled ; witness would prefer to grade the streets on the basis of the old corporation contracts tu the basia established by the. of Public Works, The possibility of a new tssue of inconvertidie paper Iregara with amazement and anriety, and, in my judgment, such an issue would be a detrt ment and @ shane.—CHABLES SUMNER. SANBORN’S “COLLECTIONS.” pene ees state Fs The Revenue Office “Assist”? Him—Dine triet Attorney Bliss Admits Receiving Perquisites Under the Contract—The Great Sanborn on the Stand—The Com- mittee of Ways and Means Refuse to Listen to a Restricted Statement fram Him, WASHINGTON, March 25, 1874. The Committee on Ways and Means gave another hearing to-day in the matter of the Sanborn con- traci. Mr, Bliss, United States District Attorney for the Southern district of New York, made a de- talled statement as to the connection of hs office with the coliection of the claims under Sanborn, and parried with a great deal of dexterity the at- tempts made by various members of the committee to obtain an admis:ion from him that the contract ‘was made in bad policy and was unnecessary. He said that with the ligh's now before him he would bot now make @ contract; but that at the time it ‘was made it was apparent ihat whatever should reach the Treasury under it was so much clear gain, He admitted virtually, however, that the ¢ discovery made by Sanborn, the key of the j whole position, was the obtaining from ihe Surro- | gate’s office of the list of estates which were sub- Ject to the legacy and succession tax. He charac- terized that list as a scoop net, from the contents | of which the big’ fish, thgestates, which had not actuaily paid the tax, weve alterwarda siited out by comparison with the records of the Internat Revenue Collector's office, There was no reason why the regular officers of the government coult not have obtained the same information, but it was like the egg of Columbus, which anybody might make stand on end after he saw how it was | done, He expressed his belief tuat the $64,000 col- | leoted in New York under the Sanborn contract would never have been collected:through the regu. lar instrumentalities of the government. It could have been, pertiaps, but it would not have been. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S PERQUISITES, On being gaserianed, by Mr, Niblack im relerence | to his own five per ceut on the amount collected, | he justified hs course by saying that if, with the conseat of his superior, be could at any time get money for rendering services not forvidden by | law he was very glad to get 1, and he thougnt | that everybody else would be, except, perlaps, members of Congress, Mr, Niblack said:—Judge Noah Days testified beiore us that he declined tie same oder.” Mr. Bliss—f£ do not know whether he testified it or not. Mr. Niblack—He stated it before the committee. Mr. Bliss—I am content to have my position and | that of Judge Noah Davis as they now scand be- | lore the country relatively judged. | Solicitor Banfield followed Mr. Bliss. He ap- | peared, he said, not in the interest of Sanborn, or any other contractor, but at the request of the Secretary of the Treasury, to explain ‘tue relation of the department vo this contract. question. Ap- plication for contracts tu coliect detts due the | government had been made as early as 1869, and, aitnough the Secretary and the Solicitor were not favorably disposed to the system, contracts wero given to several parties at rates of commission varying Irom twenty to tity per cent on the amounts to be coliected, the coutractors ie A au the expenses; but the invariabie result had been that nothing was collected; at ail events, that the | government got nothing. Ihe system was abro- | gated ana was not resumed until the: passage of the law under which the Sanborn contract was given, and less care Was taken to lmbit the com- mission under tat contract than there would | have been if it had been supposed that anything would be collected. The Solicitor was SHARPLY CROSS-QUESTIONED | by Mr. Beck as to why Internal Revenue Commis | Sloner Douglass was not called into consultation by the Secretary and the Solicitor whea they un | dertook to carry the law into efcct, and also as | to what authority he had to write letters to Inter- | nal Revenue olmicers, directing them to aid Sau. born when the jaw required that he should aid them. To the first quesuon his reply was that the law referred to ‘debts witnheld’ and not | particularly to internal. revenue matiers, and ta the second that the idea of assistance Was that it should be mutual, and that Sauborn could not very well assist the regular oificers uuless they were | willing to assist him. In reply to # question py | Mr, Sheldon, the Solicitor said he had no knowil- | @dge, Delief or suspicion that any oMcer of the government had received or expected to receive anything in any Way (roi the Sanbora contract. THE GREAT SANBORN IN THS LIFE, After the examination of Mr. Bandeld was con- cluded Mr. John D. Sanborn himseli came beio: the comumitsee, but, instead oi proceeding with his | statement, he said that he had within the last twenty-iour hours been advised by his counsel that, in view of the indictment pending against bim m Brooklyn charging him with collusion with revenue officers to defraud the government, it ould be injudicious for bim to make tie Juli statement which he had been ready and willing to make, He was ready, however, to give to the committee such general information on the sub- Ject a8 he possessed. | He was informed by the Chairman and other | Members of the Committee that the Committee | could not sit aud listen to any partial statement; | that he was preseut uot by order of the committee | but of his own. volition, and jin accordance with bis own request in order that he might make @inil and fair statement of all the circumstances | connected with his contract. If he was not pre | pared to do that and to auswer such questions as | the Committee might desire to put to tum the Com. | mittee would deciiue to listen to any partial or re- stricted statement. Mr. Sanborn’s counsel (Mr. Woodbridge, of Ver- mont), justified the position taken by lus client, | although he expressed is belie! tuat nothing | Which Sanborn could say could prejudice his case; ; but still, out of caution, he thought it better tor him not to submit himseif to the examination oj | the committee. He alluded to the fact that there | Was a gentleman present (understood to be an As- | sistant District Attorney from Brooklyn] watching | to take advantage of anything that Sanborn might say. | The upshot of all this pariey was that the com- | mittee adjourned without any decision whether Sanborn suouid or should not be made a with BOOK TRADE SALE, Second Day’s Sale. | Considerable surprise was manifested by the at- | tendants on the trade sale now going on at the | Trade Salesrooms of Messrs. George A. Leavitt & | Co,, Clinton Hall, on account of the large prices | obtained for tne publications of Messrs. D. Apple- ton & Co., whose invoice Inaugurated the saie on Tuesday. This house was represented on the stand | by Mr. Walter 8. Appleten, and 1t was due to bis | exertions that the books of this firm were so eagerly sought for. It would be invidious co make any particular mention of the offerings by this firm, Sufictent to say that their lines embraced | scientific, medical, educational and classic works, ruling as standard among the trade. Their in- | volce brougut over $15,000. Yesterday's sale was commenced with tne in- voice of Messrs, Estes & Lauriat, of Boston, cou- | sisting of historical, botanical and standard works, | varying from twenty-five cents to $75 each, This | Was followed by the contribution of Mr. William J | Widdieton, of New York, comprising choice cias- | sics, histories and) other works. Messrs. Littl | Brown & Co., of Boston, followed next on the cata: logue, wifh @ fine selection of various publications, all of their own manufacture. Messrs, William Wood & Co., of New York, had a full line of medical and scientific works, On | their school books a periect raid occurred, Ot “Brown’s First Lines of English Grammar,” tt Voiced at 250 copies, over 5,0v0 volumes Were 809i at full prices. " Hinton & Co., of New York, had @ small invoice of selected publications, which gold Well up to the regular prices. Great Interest was manifested in the invotce ot Messrs, Lee & Shepard, of Boston, A raid was | made on the “Oliver Optic” series. | Robert Colyer’s works sold well. Elijah Kel- | logg’s works, Mrs, Madeline Lestie’s books, | “Little Canary” series, “Sophie May’s’? books, | “Dotty Dimpte” ries, “Littie Prady” stories, | “Rosa Abbott's’ stories, “Sunnybank! | “Springdale” stort | ara Works,’? the | stories,” Professor Townsend’s wi | Story books,” Cates & Woodward's | of Dates” at $15, $18, and dy Books” ani new Vv ‘Encyclopraia = per volume, “New ubheations for the spring dard works, sold fully up reguiar prices, Charies Desilver, of Philadelphia; Mason, Baker her, Rochester, N. & Pratt, of New York; G. W. Y.; Claxton, Remsen & Halelfinger, of Philadel- pai and A. J. Holman & Co., of Philadelphia, eact ad ‘good invotces in yesterday's sales, which throughout brought full prices. Messrs. J. K. Pratt avitt were the suctioncers at and Wiliam Ry the sale, To-day’s offerings commence with a fine Invoter of English works contrivuted by Messrs. Scribner, Weliord & Armstrong. The possiditity of a new tgsue af tnoonvertinie paper IT regard with amazement and anxiety, and, in my judgment, such an issue would ve a detri ment and a shame.—CHARLES SUMNER. ——