The New York Herald Newspaper, January 20, 1876, Page 3

“CONGRESS. Speech of Senator Morton on the Mississippi Election, THE VARIETIES OF INTIMIDATION. The Social and Business Ostra- | cism of Republicans. Debate in the House on the Cen- tennial Appropriation. SENATE. ‘ Wasuinctoy, Jan. 19, 1876, | mr. Srerman, (rep.) of Ohio, called up the Senate | Wi to amend the act of June 20, 1874, amending the \arter of the Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company Gnd for other purposes. Several amendments proposed by the Commitice on Finance were agreed to and the | bill passed, Mr. Susrman said the Committee on Finance had ponsidered the expediency of the government purchas- | ‘tmz the Freedman’s Bank building, but thought it best | ‘ot to put an amendment for that purpose on this bill, Phat question could be considered by the Senate bere- after, in his judgment the government should pur- thase the building. THE JOINT RULES, Mr. Bayan, (dem,) of Del., submitted a resolution as \ substitute for that reported by the Committee on Rules, instructing the committees on rules of the Sen- Ate and House of Representatives to examine, and wer conference, report what amendments should be made to the present joint rules tor the government of ghe two houses of Congress, and also what legislation is pecessary in regard to the twenty-second jot rule. Drdered to be printed and laid over. THE TREASURY BOOKKEEPING, The Senate then resumed consideration of the resolu- tion submitted by Mr. Davis in regard to the books of the Treasury Department, the pending question being on the motion of Mr. Edmunds to strike out ‘a special tommitiee” and insert “the Committee on Finance,” so the investigation shall be made by the Finance Com- Miltee instead of a special committee. Mr, Seeman said a Senstor speaking in this body abouta matter which affected the public credit should be exceedingly careful as to what he said, Any statement derogatory to our, public ounts af- fected the public good more keenly than anything else. He denied that there was a discrepancy in the public debt to the extent of $100,000,000 in 1870, as charged by the Senator from West Virginia, and sald there was mo ground for such a statement. He (Mr, Sherman) would be glad to have the Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Davis) go to the Treas- ury and examme the books for himself. He argued that if the Senator had read the finance re- ports and compared the different statements ne would not have pointed out any such discrepancy, as the whole thing was explained in those reports, He read from the finance report of 1870 to show that the sink- dng fund bonds were not included in one statement, ‘but were in the other. The total debt on July 1, 1870, atier deducting coin and currency, sinking fund vonds, &c., was — $2,886,858,509 ‘74, or mearly $100,000,000 "less than the amount’ given by the honorable Senator from West Virginia (Mr. Davis). Betore the administration ot President , Grant the public debt statements were very meagre, | but when his administration commenced and Mr. Boutwell entered the Treasury the statements were en- Jarged for the information of the people. As to the committee to make the investigation, he desired to eay that if the matter should be left to the Commitice on Finance that committee would do the best it could, Dut he would much prefer to have the special commit: tee appointed and let the Senator from West Virginia Jook tor himself.” The business of the Treasury De- partment was extensive and complicated. te had often heard it said that the manner of keeping accounts iu the Treasury should be changed, but he thonght it | would be a serious matter to improve on the plan of | Alexander Hamilton, Gallatin aud other noted finan- ciers. Mr. Earox, (dem.) of Conn., said he did not want to ®ay auything to injure the credit of the government, but the condition of the accounts of the Treasury should be probed and examined. He was engaged himself, about six months ago, with one of the shrewdest bankers in the United States in an examination of the finance reports from 1791 to 1874 The time occupied am the examination was about three weeks, and he did ot hesitate to assert that there was not an accountant tm the United States who could take the finance reports and the debt statement and come within $50,000,000 of the amount of the public debt. In his opinion’ there should be three departments in the Treasury—one of public accounts, another of commerce and a third of | public labor. There was something wrong in making up the accounts of the government and there should be a chauge. Mr. Kernan, (dem.) of N. Y., favored the investiga- tion being made by a special committee, Mr. Dawes, (rep.) of Mass., said if the Senator from West Virginia (Mr, Davis) would state that be had rea- fon to believe that any one had attempted to make the books of the Treasury Department falsely state the condition of the public debt he (Mr, Dawes) would vote for the special committee; but if the whole purpose of this resolution was to ascertain if the books of the Treasury Department could not be kept in a more sim- je manner, it was evident to bim that the Finance ynraittee could make the inquiry. The Senator from West Virginia should be more explicit in his statement 4s to whether he charged fraud or whether his purpose was to ascertain if the manuer of bookkeeping could be | sunpliied. Mr. Davis, (dem.) of W. Va., said not only the Senator | trom Massachusetts, but other Senators had attempted so put words in his mouth. He (Mr. Davis) had pot said there was fraud, or that any one had altered the books; but he did say the statements sent to Congress, from year to year, had been changed, and further, that tho bew table of 1870 did not agree with the Register’s report, but since then the Register’s report had been made to agree with that table. Mr. Dawes said if the Senator from West Virginia charged that there was fraud, he (Mr. Dawes) would go with him in pressing the investigation, so that no guilty man should escape. Mr. FRELINenUYsEN, (rep.) of N. J., hoped the amend- ment of the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Edmunds) would be adopted, He eaid, next to the liberty of this country was its credit, and the people were exceedingly sensitive in regard to it. It was the right of the [esas witbout regard to F sede to know if there had n blundering in the Treasury. If it was truethat there had been sueh blundering it was akin to fraud. Pending the discussion, Mr. Smexmax moved that the resolution of Mr. Davis be laid aside, in order that n) might call up ppi election, and ‘eubmitted the remarks, which he was prepared to do, Agreed to. Mr. Carerton, (dem.) of W. Va, from the Committee on Claims, reported adversely on the bill for the relief of David Ogden, Andrew Foster and other shipowners of New York, authorizing the return of certain permit money, and it was indefinitely postponed. The Senate then took up the resolution of Mr. Mor- ton in regard to the Mississipp! election. SENATOR MORTON'S SPERCH, | Mr. Morrow said :— Mr. Presivent—If the information I have received from very many sources is substantially true, the late pretended election in Mississippi was ap armed revolu- tion, characterized by fraud, murder and violence in almost every form. it was carried on in some respects under the forms of law, but its real nature was that of force, the violation of law and the trampling under foot of the dearest rights of great masses of men A litte less sudden than those of revolutions which havo distinguished the States of Mexico and the countries of South America, it did not differ trom them in character and was equal in atrocity. 1t is a matter of the grave- est import to the American to know whether a large majority ot the people of « State have becn over thrown and subjected by the minority, and also to un- derstand upon what pretence or principle such a revolt was brought about, The only thing like principle that could be assumed in justification of such a result would be that political and civil por should belong exclu- sively to the white race; or upo principle, that that party, the members of which owa the most of the property in the State, sheuld be allowed to gov- } ern to the exclusion of the majority, who are generally r, and most of whom have nothing to depend upon for their subsistence but their labor. I be eno that ap investigation of the Mississippi revolution would show that the triumphant minority acted upon both of \hese principles and in various ways boldly professed them as its. doctrines. We had hoped that a hundred years of national lifo had definitely settled the ques. Vion that political and civil rights should not upom race or complexion, apd that jaw and im = the ad upon wealth or property, but belong alike to ev: Ameri- tan citizen. In proposing an investigation it is ona f teasonable to demand that the matters to be tuvesti- gated should be proven im advance, for that would make the investigation unnecessary; and all that ought ve be required should be the exhibition of such prova- tle cause as would justify the Senate, in the exercise of sound discretion, in ordering an investigation. In- vestigations have often been ordered by both houses wt Co upon common rumor and upon impressions prevailing in the public id, from the press or other sources. If the behef which is certainly entertained by very man: to the character of recent events in ppi is not well founded, it is of the greatest ey ee to the people that an investigation should be that the truth may be shown, as the material ba oy and deeply involved 2 fore, understand the opposition to this investigation in than @ constructive admission of the truth of the which bave been ‘made in regard to the means Sapleves im the late Mississ}; lection, by majority was overthrown o governm: State Ly ten osivmern To age 5 ch pag jon unquestio: betra: of the result. Fire prosvouing ve ¥ fat 1 shall have to say about the Mississippi election I propose to induige in some gen- pral observations, ‘The Senator then proceeded to show the proscription ander which republicans and others onnosad to the ex- investi | tm practice and ‘strikes at the very foundation of re- | Secession, and, by various instrumentalities, drove the | lated, and,the greatest wrongs passed unnoticed and un- NWEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, JANUAKY 20, 1876.—WITH SUPPLEMENT. istence of glavery or its extension ‘before the war la- | to the ceiebration ne said, having travelled considera. { THE STATE CAPITAL. aving been bored, and which, he contended, still existed. He claimed tbat there was an intention not only to defeat the republican party in the South, but to destfoy it by social aud business ostracism, and he insisted that the republican party would not prevent this, but would in- sist on every man being treated according to his mer- ita Not until this is done will reconstruction be accomplished. The exclusion of men trom society and from business because of their political opinions, he said, is intimidation of the worst character. He stated that many of the prominent leaders of the Confederacy during the war were desirous of accepting the amend- ments and joining the republican party, but that they shrank back from the violent storm of indignation which met them, and instanced the case of Longstreet as chowing the ellect of continuing im the purpose. ‘The leagues which have been formed in the South ‘not to lease land to colored men and thas turn them out of their homes, and to refuse to employ them be- cause they voted the republican ticket, ay not be in violation of any law for which any legal punishment | can be intheted; but it is wicked in principle, famous publican government. It destroys all freedom at elec- ons, and is a form of violence not inferior in its effects (o any other that may be employ: It pre- | sents to the colored mau the alternative of starvation ; or the support of the democratic party, aud is no less cowardly than wicked, Ant this leads ine to another consideration, and that | is, that the intimidation to which I have relerrea, whether of social or busimess ostracism or personal violence, has operated almost equally upon the den.o- | cratic party. There is a large part of that party in every Southern I believe @ majority of it, who do not appro’ of the social violence which has been practised; but they have in some way been restrained from the asservion of their opinions and have been powerless to correet these evils. That there is an element of violence in the Southern States, which I believe is in the minority, that has controlled them | since the war as it did before the war I have no doubt, ‘That a majority, of the people of Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana and perhaps other States were opposed to secession and rebellion I have always understood; but the lawless, aggressive and active portion of Southern society were in favor ot other part of the people into its support, and that cie- ment, which brought secession upon the South, I be- Jieve has controlled the polities of the democratic party chiefly since the end of the war. LIKS ABOUT NEGRO PLOTS, Tho infamous lies about negro plots to murder the white people have become exceedingly stale and dis- gusting. Last summer the columns of the Southern Associated Press for days groaned with the stupid and clumsy story that the negroes had conspired to murder the white men and the ugly white women of Georgia. That this intamous lie was intended asa pretext for slaughter there is but little doubt. If apprehensions of these uprisings ever existed they grew out of the con- viction of intolerable wrongs inflicted upon the colored people, and are another proot of the truth of that saying, “Conscience doth make cowards of us all” Every year | before the war there were stories of plots among the slaves to “rise” and murder their masters and families, which I believe in every instance turned out to be false, but were often made the pretext for the greatest cruel- ues, There is a class of newspapers in the North, not profesgedly gemocratic, but really so, that for several Peeve have dodd seeevihtng in thelh power to blacken the character of Southern republicans. They have de- nied, justified or excused every persecution and out- rage'that have been heaped upon them, They have Jeered at their complaints and sought to cover with ridicule and calumny overy man who. has dared to lift | his voice against these horrible atrocitics. WHITE LINE POLICY, The white line policy adopted by the democratic party in Mississippi and other Southern states proceeds upon the plan that the government should be exclu- sively in the bands of the white people and that col- ored people should be excluded from all participation therem, One excuse for this 1s that the colored people had adopted acolored line by which they sought to gain exclusive control of the government of Missis- sippi and other Southern States, This charge against the colored race is utterly and flagrantly false. far from ever having sought to establish a color line and to take to themselves exclusively the government of Mis- sissippi or other Southern States they have continually disclaimed it, and by their conduct proved the sincerity of their disclaimer. They have always been anxious to act in concert with white men, and, although in Mis- sissipp! and other Southern States the number of white Tepublicans acting with them has borne but a small proportion to thelr own number, they have given the whites constantly a majority of the offices. The fact that the colored people have pot joined the democratic party and entered the ranks of their bitter enemies is most absurdly, even foolishly, offered as proof that they have attempted to establish a color line in politics. Had the colored people joined the ranks of their implacable enemies they would in- deed have proved themselves to be the stupid and in- capable beings they have constantly been represented, VIOLENCE BXFORS REPUBLICAN RULE. But it is said that the violence and intithidation prac- tised in Mississippi and other States have been the natural result of republican misgovernment and the corruption of public officers in those States, That | there have been misgovernment and corruption is not to be denied and that it has been grossly exaggerated | for partisan purposes is equally undeniable; but that this corruption and misgoverument have been tho origin and cause of the personal violence and ial mtimidation {s—utterly untrue. This lence and intimidation began with the end of the it preceded any attempt upon the part of Con- r 10 reconstruct the Southern States ; its most fear- ful outrages in some of the States took place before Tepudlican State governments had been formed or while republican government was yet an experiment, ‘The infamous Ku Klux organization began ag early as 1566 and practived its most fearful atrocities in South Carolina, North Caro! Mississippi, Alabama and ep tees daring the ys 1867, 1565, 1860, 1870 and | | | The Senator then continued at great length in re- counting the horrors and atrocities perpetrated, and which have been so generally published heretofore, and in conclusion said;— THE ONLY HIGHWAY TO PRACR. Many well he peas 28 ne deplore auy reference to the outrages commit! in the South as inimical to re- conciliation and harmony between the sections. They are exceedingly anxious that in this centennial year all past differences shall be forgotten, and the people, North and South, forgetting and forgiving, and mindf only of our great national futuro, shall meet and em- brace as a nation of brothers. It is a consummation devoutly to be wished; but I must remind such well | meaning people that any formal reconciliation while the dearest rights of millions are systematically vio- punished, will be the rankest hypocrisy, revolting alike to divine and human justice. [tis only the knavish | quack who puts a plaster over the mouth of the wound and says itis healed. The healing process must begin atthe bottom and be thorough to permanent and healthy. ALL GUSHING AND HANDSHAKING which precedes the concession of equal rights and jus- tice to men of ail colors and opinions in the Southern States will be the veriest sham and deceive nobody. Such foul wrongs cannot be iguored and concealed. They will forever obtrude themselves upon the world and cry aloud for redress, It will be the ery of “Peace, peace’? when there ts no peace; and should the republicans of the North turn a deaf ear to the complaints of the republicans of the South and affect to believe that reconstruction has taken place, and that all is well, they will be justly contemptible iu the eyes of mankind. The Union men of the South have been subjected to trials of which we in the North have but a faint idea, and have shown their faitn and patriotism by ad- herence to their principles under circumstances where the weak, the venal and the unprincipled | have joined the enemy, and the republ: } of the North dare not, will not, now abandon Let me say to this class of more and to the men of the South, there is but one highway to reconciliation, | and that is open, straight and free, and over its por- tals are inscribed these words:—* Equal justice to all— | to all the equal protection of the laws;” and if the Southern people will walk in that highway they will arrive at the temple of peace and find unbroken rest, Before concluding Mr. Morton yielded the floor, and the Senate at a quarter past three o'clock proceeded to the consideration of executive business, and after a short time the doors were reopened and the Senate ad- journed. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Mr, Spnixoen, (dem.) of lll, introduced a constitu. tional amendment providing that Congress shall not pass any special or local laws in regard to granting pensions, bounties, lands or prize money, or for cor- recting the records of any department in relation thereto; granting reliefto any person or authorizing the payment ofany claim giving to any corporation, association or individual the right to lay railroad tracks, or conferring any special and exclasive privi- lege on such corporation; regulating the practice of | courts, or conferring special jurisdiction in a particular | case; that in all cases where a general law can be made applicable no special law will be enacted, and that the | courts may determine whether any special law could | be embraced in a general enactment, Referred. THR CENTENNIAL APPROPRIATION, The House then, atten minutes to one, went into | Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union on the Centennia! Appropriation bill, Mr. Wood, of New York, im the chair, and was addressed by Mr. Puillips, of Kani in advocacy of thi il, Mr. Dx Bour, (dem. the fact that ‘this bill, like ‘former ones on the su subject, pro- Yided that the government should not be responsible for any debt contracted by the Centennial Commission: asked Mr. Phillips what assurance he bad that the nex’ poate would not be called upon for anovher appro- Mr Pinups replied that it would be competent for the next Con, to do what it was competent for this Congress to SYERCH OF MR. HARRISON, Mr. Hanrtwox, (dem.) of Lil, next addressed the committee on the same side of question. Alluding to the suggestion that the House, by its vote on Mr. Hoiman’s resolution on the 14th of , had com- mitted itself against all subsidies, he recalled the fact that when that resolution was offered Mr. Hoar bad agked whether it would not cut off the Centennial ap- pre tion, and that Mr. Holman distinetly stated that ¢ did not consider the word “subsidy” in that resolu- tion as covering the Centennial appropriation, The House, therefore, had voted for that resolution with a reservation in favor of the Qentennial—not a mental reservation, but an cutspoken reservation. Passing on to speak of the importance of giving a national character j bis friend notto have him buri bly in Germany in 1874, ome hundred persons will whom he conversed had told him that the: ing to the Exposition; but that jast year, travelling again in Denmark, Sweden and parts of Germany, he found that persons who had intended to come had changed their minds, saying that the American people were too mean aboui it, and that the celebration was to be purely local, But, said be, let this appropriation pass to-day and the news of it will reach Europe to-morrow morning, and a new im- petus will be given to the desire of £)reigners to visit the country and the tide will be limited only by the steamship accommodations. Commenting on Mr. Wil- lis? statement yesterday that the rich men of Phila- delphia ought to advauce the money, he suggested that the sul ric men of New York—the rich men of Mr, Willis’ own district—ought rather to do it. Mr. Wiis rephed that the city of New York had subseribed $240,000, which- was much more than bad been subscribed by all the rest of the country. Mr. Harnison—Then they should have s that was wanted rather than have the o If the people are not patriotic enough to subscribe voluntarily for this purpose then it is time to do some- thing to rouse -again the spirit of patriousm which once burned brightly, but which has been now deadened by civil strife, by internecine war and by a too great atiention to the almighty dollar, Referring to the enthusiasm of old John Adams over Fourth of July celebrations and to the fact ihat he made orations which might be called “‘epread eagle,” he expressed the desire that there was to-day more spread cagleism in the land, Mr. Keuuer (rep.) of Pa., replied to his colleague, and said that while listening to him he could not help thinking (ag bi Coulonge did not speak the senti- ment of thé tenth of one per cent of his constituents) of the disagreeable duty impdsed on the ist it were com- pi monks of digging their own graves and kecping them am good condition, (Laughter.) He had also thought of the venerable democracy of his friend from New York (Willis), which was now nearly eighteen months old (laughter), who had appealed yestérday to those traditions wich he had opposed until eighteen months ago, It was never too late to be converted, and new converts Were said to be unusually zealous, If the arguments of these gentlemen (Cochran and Willis) had any force there would be no dome on the Capitol; but 1¢ was State rights democracy that had ordained that dome and that had yee for the pictures that embellished it, and yet his colleague and the vei erable democrat from New York could find no warrant im the constitution for buying a flag to float over the Capitol, as it was not necessary for the national defence or for the public welfare. In conclusion Mr, Kelley related the anecdote of the democratic Congressman who on his death bed asked in the Congres. because he thought it uneonsti- tutional, and he assured those two gentlemen that if they should die during this Congress he would seo thatthe constitution was not violated by their being buried in the Congressional Cemetery, Mr, TuckER, of Georgia, spoke im opposition to the appropriation, and im the course of his remarks, speaking of George Washington, he said that George Washington was the first great rebel in the country, «i he ventured to say to the gentleman from Ohio, (Gartield), who spoke the other day about perjury, that George Washington was in the view of the land a perjured rebel, for he was an officer in His Majesty’s army, and he (Mr, Tucker), took it for granted that he snare (o.guppart the Crown and then went into rebel- on. M. Garrieip—Did he hold a commission in the Brit- ‘tish army atthe time of the revolution ? Mr, TuckER—No, 81 Mr. Ganrre.v—Thei perjury. Mr. TuckeR—Then you claim that his oath only lasted so long as be held his commission? Mr. Gakvikto—It ceased when his commission ex- sional Cemetery, mr. n I think he did not commit pired, Mr, TuckeR—But he resigned. Mr. @anvieto—He did not restgn. Mr, Tucker—He did resign, Mr. Garvrecp.—He was hot an oflicer at the time.* Mr. Tucker—Why, the gentleman does not know the history of his own country. (Laughter.) Mr, Garvintp—Did he resigu to take service against the Crown? Mr. Tucker—Oh, no, That is another thing. Mr. Gakvizep—He was trying to get service in Great Britain be!ore the war and failed. * Mr. TucKER—He resigned and then he took service in the rebellion, When the gentieman was speaking of the men of the South the oiher day he spoke of those who resigned and afterward took service on the Con- federate side. Mr. Gaxvizip—I did not speak of those who, having resigned, took service, but I spuke of those who, being still under their oath, contemptuously violated it and strack against us, Mr, Tucker—If you had so qualified your phraseology I should not have interrupted you the other day, tor L know of no such person. The reason | interrupted the gentleman was that I represent on this floor a district and @ little town where sleep the remains of one of the noblest Americans who ever trod this soil (meaning Robert E. Lee), He steeps in death, and no dishonor can ever, by implication or expression, be thrown on ‘that honorable grave that the Represeutative from that district will not rise here and repel (Sensation and somé applause.) THR COMMON SCHOOLS. Mr. Tecker then proceeded with his argument, in the course of which he quoted the genticman from New York (Mr. Howitt) a8 saying yesterday that the government was confessedly an educator of the coun- try, and, commenting on it, he said confessed by whom?’ 1 aever confessed it,” I not only do not con- fess {t, but 1 deny it in foto, I deny that this govern. ment can intrude on the coutrol of the common schools of each State of the Union. I¢eny that this govern- Ment can go into our common school system in the Stafes and upturn it according to the views of members | of Congress here, who know nothing in the world about it’ (Laughter, ) Mr. TocKER then went on to say this government— and | beg my New York democratic friends to remem- ber it—has no mission except to execute its power and vo perform its daty under and in subjection to the su- preme law of the land—the constitution of the country. (Spoken with strong emphasis and great effect.) Show Ine either the power to pass this bill, or that this bill i | essential to carry out a power conferred, and | will vi for it; but otherwise, before God and my country, I can- | not vote for in The only limit to the growing corrup- tion of the country is a limitation on the power of the governmeut. | believe that the mission of this govern- iment at this time |s economy, retrenchment and re- form. We have reached that time when it becomes us to put the brakes down, to call a halt on lavish expen- ditures. It the tax is only one cent to carry out an un- constitutional scheme | will remember the adage that itis the last straw that breaks the camel’s back and I will vote against it, Reterring to what he called the spread eagle speech of Mr. Harrison to-day, in which he spoke contemptu- ously of the three and one-half cents additional tax that would be involved in the passage of the Dill, he quoted the saying of Edmund Burke, that no man ever doubted that the commodity of tea would bear an im- position of three pence, that twenty shillings would not have = ruined . Hampden’s fortune, but the payment of half a shilling on the principle on which it was demanded would make him a slave, and so, to make bim or bis constituents pay one cent on the principle demand- ed in this bill would make him and them slaves. Ho did not care about the three and one-half cents, but he would tell the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hewitt) that if this echeme got through somebody would come with another like scheme for a big show at Yorktown, or Bunker Hill, or Chicago, and, in the language of the old Scotch ‘proverb, ‘Monny a littie mak’s a» muckle,”” It was the accumulation of the lit tles that made taxes bardensome and oppres- sive, He deciared himself opposed together to “SPLENDID GOVERN: # He knew it was old tashioned to say so, but he was old enough to be vid fashioned, aud he ‘was opposed to splendid governments and squalidly poor people. He was opposed to seeing the tax consumers revel In place and luxury and to nearing the wail of woe come fro: the tax burdened people. It was the mission of thi House and of his political friends to say this thing should and must cease right here, and now they should immolate on the aliar of duty their sentimental patriotism and go back to the simple vir- tues and = economic manners and — habits and customs of their fathers a bundred years ago. In this connection he quoted Samuel's re- proof to King Saul, “obedience is better than sacrifice; and to bearken than the fat of rams."’ So wo obey the constitution of the country was better than to sacrifice | to sentimental patriotism. He also quoted from the mes- sage of Governor Tilden, of New York, showing the increase of taxation from $83,000,000 1n 1880, to $154,- | 000,000 in 1860, and to $730,000,000 in 1870, the | inerease per capita being from $3 67 in 1850 to $4 80 in 1560, and to $1891 in 18% in that connection recalled the saying of Louis XIL of France, that he would rather have his courtiers laugh jeep at his pr gality. prosperity of the ,| sister States himself, and his associates from the South know here no motive but the patrioticone of advancing the great interests of the Union in conformity to the constitution, Referring to the fact that the Legisla- ture of Virginia had deciined to make an appropriation - nial, be explained that one reason for it wi jn 1867, and forced down their throats, preventing State from making any appropriation for anything ex- cept to pay her debts and to carry on the government; bat, he said, Virginia willbe there. Her people who are’ able w fe will be there, She has given six «daughters to the Union (referring to the States made out of the territory ceded by her), who will be there, And another o} ber daughters will be there (referring to Western Virginia), taken from her by the Casarian operation. But old Virgini rent in twain, impoverished in her weeds of Widowhood, with a heart breathing high for the prosperity of the common country, wili be there in spirit, and when the government is restored to ite pristine purity, when the principles of the Revolanoa are re-established and liberty is proclaimed throughout | the land to every man under the palladium of the haveas corpus, unrepealable by an edict of the Presi- t or by act of Congress on account of constructive lion, then shall time come when we shail ail ¥ ite with ar apentee: on that splendid oie: ‘ebster’s great speec! rty years ago—‘‘Institu- tional liberty under constitutional Union." Yes, lib- erty and union, one and inseparabie, now and forever. 1's speech, though terrupted by plause, created a great sensation in tho admiration of it was liberally expressed on At its close he was complimented by re- and democrats, one of the latter, Mr. Lamar, Of Missiseipp!, saying it was the best speech he bad ever beard in Congress. Without taking any action on the bill the committee rose, and the House, at a quarter to fire, adjourned. A SCOUNDREL BAILED. John Barrett, of West Hoboken, N. J., the murderous assailant of John Van Voort last August, bas been re- Jeased on $1,000 bail, The base ball bat with which Barrett struck Van Voort bas been secured by the police. ir. ‘bursts of a and | | | & provision in the State constitution, framed | | | inj Tampering with the Consti- | tutional Amendments. THE LABORERS’ WAGES Prohibiting Pool Selling on | Race Courses. BALM FOR THE SCHOOL QUESTION Settling the Marine Court | Deadlock. i p NEW YORK HARBOR ENCROACHMENTS, Axpany, Jan. 19, 1876. A piece of sharp practice that worried the soul of Mr. | Prince was developed to-day inthe Senate. Prince was | excused from being chairman of the Committee on | Privileges and Elections, and, without giving him any | notice, his mame was announced for chairman of the Committee on Religious and Charitable Institutions, while that of McCarthy was transferred from the chair- | manship of the latter to that of the one vacated by Prince, The Senator from Queens was on his feet in an instant and protested against the arrangement, saying that all there was of any consequence to the committee was the appointment of acle and. messenger, and that bad already been made by McCarthy without any con- sultation with bim. Senator Bradley, by way of meet- | week | work for almost any sum in order to ‘rhe ovner bill Mr. Killian introducea nas tor it object the repeal of the law of 1875, which compe!s manu- facturers of soda water, beer, ale, &c., to register their ‘rade marks, or other marks they use on their dottles, in the office of the county clerk of the county where they carry on their business, and which probibits any one from using any bettle or | siphon a second time. “The law which it is sought to Tepeal is considered @ very good thing for bottle makers, but a very bad one for people who do not like to buy # new bottle every time they want ‘‘a little of the same”’ a second ume, NEW YORK VARBOR RNCROACHMENTS, Mr. Hayes’ resolution cailing upon the Commission- ers appointed years ago to tell all they know about the boundary line and water rights in the New York har- vor, and to ascertain what encroachments have bee made by either State, is timely one, Similar resolu tions have been passed every year for many years back and nothing has ever come of them, Probably Mr. Hayes, by a@ little investigation, might be able to find out where the screw is loose, ‘It \s sand that in years past a good many “steals” have been kept in the dark by the neglect of certain parties in the past to answer the Legislative inquiries about this mooted water right im the harbor. ‘THE LABOR BILLS, The Committee on Cities of the Assembly held a session to-day, aiter the adjournment, to ceusider the labor bilis which were introduced last week and the previous, and which were referred to the committee, The only person who appeared in favor of the bills was Mr, Galvin, Assembly man from the Fourth New York districh He | claimed that $2 aday was little enough to pay for a day's work to the laborers, and argued that if any re- duction was to be made in the pay of persons who drew their salaries from the city treasury it should be begun at the top and not at the bottom. The $12,000 and $10,000 salaries should come in for @ pulling down first. The heads of departments, as a rule, knew noth- ing of the wants of the laborers, Many of them at times came from the interior of the State and occasionally didn’t live in the State at all, It was all very well to say that laborers in the employ of contractors only got from $1 25 to $1 S0aday. That, in his opinion, was nO argument ageinst paying laborers in the city em- ploy $2 a day, for contract laborers had generally steady work from nine to ten months in the year, while city laborers only had work about five months during the year. Besides, they could not work fainy days, and some of themfhad to pay from twenty to thirty cents a day car fare going to and from their work. Inanswer to a question put by Mr. Fish he said he did pot believe that it was better for the working classes that a large number of men should be employed at small wages than asmali number of men at i wages, “It was true,” he said, ‘that men were wil ing. at present to eep their fami les from starving, but for employers to take advan- tage of that fact would be heartless in the ex- ing the difficulty, proposed to abolish the committee, | and Senator Starbuck said that, with the exception of | Finance, Judiciary, Cities and Commerce and Naviga- | tion, he saw no necessity for clerks or messengers to | any of the rest of the committees, and the State might Save money by dispensing with them, Senator Princo, having in mind the cavalier treatment he suffered in the | original make up of the committees, resented this climax of indignity With considerable spirit, On the whole, it was ‘very small potato” business, though it | seemed to create gome interest while it was transpiring. | Mr. Prince will be allowed to name his own clerk and | messenger, | AMENDING THE REGISTRY LAWS, Aresolution of the Board of County Canvassers of | New York was presented to the Senate, asking for an amendment to the registry laws, providing that all | ballots cast in any election ehall be preserved | by the police authorities or the Mayor until after the declaration of the result of such election is mado | known by the Board, the amendment to be so tramed | | a8 to permit, under proper safeguards, the recounting | | of the ballots when necessary, ‘THE UNHAPPY FAMILY IN THE MARINE COURT, | There is discord and unhappiness in that hospital for | political patients—the Marine Court of New York. The six judges are as divided as the North and South were | during the rebellion, Judges Shea, Alker and McAdam are linked together on one side in defence of nepo- tism in court appointments, Judges Sheridan, | Spaulding and Goeppe are up in arms on the aggressive | and fighting for their rights, Business in this great Judicial tribanal is consequently at adeadlock. The number of clerks and messengers usually appointed by | the six judges is thirty-six, being six appointments to | pointed more than their fair share of friends and rela- | tives, and this is what’ makes the trouble in | the ‘camp. Senator Morrissey imtroduced a | bill to-day intended to cut the Gordian knot, | It provides that all the present officers and clerks of | the Marine Court shail march out of office on March 1, | 1876, and that thetr pices shall be filled in the samo manner as in the case of the Supreme Court, which would vest the appointments in the County Clerk. dge Spaulding, in testifying before the Senate In- vestigating Committee in New York, recommended | this method of appointment, and Senator Booth intends to back itup. ‘The bill is’deemed timely and appro- | priate, as it will take a bone of contention away and permit the judges of the Marine Court to devote their | great minds without distraction to the public business, | PERING WITH A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, The day alter the organization of the House Mr. | | Sherman offered the concurrent resolution amending | section 3 of article 5 of the constitution, which was passed upon by one Legislature and by the people at | | one election, To-day Senator Gerard, in presenting tho resolution in the Senate, stated that the | | printed copy of the resolution.on the Assembly files | | had been seriously tampered with. The amendment does away with three Canal Commis- | sioners and hands over their duties to a superintendent | to be appointed by the Governor. The very marrow of the amendment is all stricken out in the present printed copies, and as it is utterly impossible tho printer could have so plundered the ti must have been performed by some friend of the Canal Ring. The | omrssion of a single word from the amendment would | throw it over tili 187% A committee to investigate | this piece of sharp practice is in order. THE VORACIOUS HELL GATE PILOTS. ‘The Hell Gate pilots sent a petition to the Legislature to-day with an accompanying amendment to the pilot laws providing that no more and no less than the fol- | lowing fees be charged for pilotage:— For every sloop and fore and aft schooner, $1 25 for every foot of water the vessel may draw; for every are topsail and staysail schooner, $1 75 for every | foot of water she may draw; for every hermaphrodite | brig, brigantine and full rigged brigy $1 75, a8 before; for every steamer, ship and bark of 1,000 tons, $2 per foot of water; over 1,000 tons and under 1,500, $2 25; over 1,500, $2 50, Pilots who do additional pilotage, such as taking a | vessel through the channel of Hell Gate to Execution | Rock or Sands’ Point, outward bound, or boarding any | Vossol to the eastward of Execution Rock or Sands? | Point in her inward passage, shall be entitled to an ad- | ditional compensation of seventy-five cents per | | foot of water. From November 1 to ane | | 1 im every year every Hell Gate pilot shall | be entitled to demand and receive for every | | ship, bark, brig, square topsa and staysail , | schooner the sum of $3, and for every fore and aft | schooner and sloop the sum of $2 in addition to the rates of compensation hereby established. Masters of | vessels giving an untrue account of draught or tonnage | shall forfeit $60 tothe Port Warden, The master or | owner of every vessel of seventy-five tons must apply | | to the Board of Pilots fora license to navigate Hell | Gate, and shall pay for the license at the rate of a | shilling aton, The master of a vessel shall take the | Orst pilot who offers bimeelf or pay him full pilotaga, A PINGHING OF PRRQUISITHS. Senator Bixby introduced a bill prohibiting clerks or deputy clerks of courts of record from receiving fees for services rendered as referees, receivers of co! 3 sioners under any order or judgment of such courts, nd making it their oat to discharge the business of ich appointments without compensation other than their salary as clerks or deputy clerks, but they may | | refuse to act when any pecuniary liability is required | | of them, A billto amend the act for the formation of com- was introduced by | such company | within twenty days from the lst of | } | | { | | Es CONCERNING BUILDING COMPANIES, nator Woodin, providing that e' oall paper in or near whe carried on, which shall state the amount of capital and | the amount actually paid in, with the amount of its existing debt, A bill to repeal the act of May 20, 1800, for opening, | | widening and extending streets above Central Park in New York was introduced by Senator Booth; also one repealing the act for the laying out of a parade ground at the upper end of the island, ‘THE COMMON SCTTOOLA, The weather and the general disposition of the mem- bers of the Assembly to-day or the desire of the grow. ers of cabbage and corn in the Lower House to give way before noon tothe Agricultural Society people, who had been promised the nee of spouting in the Assembly chamber during the afternoon on the breed. ig of shorthorn cows, and all these circumstances combined made the proceedings in Ae sembly to-day flat and unprofitable. The session only lasted an hour; and ‘fs | that time u ost important thing, in the opinion of the new members at least, was the reading of the journal There were, it is true, a few bills introduced, but most of | them’ were small affairs, relating to local changes in some of the rural districta Mr. Carroll E. Smith, the republican Syracuse cditor, however, alter a long | rest, made somewhat of stir by — sub- mitting ® concurrent resolution proposing an j amendment to State constitution which | provides that the common schools of the State shall be free forever, and that tl siature shall provide for the instruction in the branches of rudimentary educa- tion for the period of at least twenty-eight weeks in ear of all persons in the State between the ages o and twenty-one years. lt also declares that | neitht Money nor the credit of the State nor of any icipal corporation, town or county shall be | applied to the support of schools under the control of | any religious sect or denomination, Mr. Killian ii tiodioed” wo bilis f r. int two bills of im; day—one Lo tecrenits ts selling of pools on borse’ raced, < boat races and base ball games—in fact, the bill prohibits the selling of tickets on any chance whatever, but it ex- = from the operations of the act any person who sells pools on the ground or track where a race takes place alter having purchased the right to sell trom the Proprietors of the ground or the track. The selling toe on the results of any election is positively pr ibited. The penalty fixed for any violation of the w isa fine of $1,000 for each oftence or imprisonment for one year, or both, at the discretion of the Court | was, | classes, and {it should be {1 yz | of the ignorance of the memb: treme, The real issue at the last election on the labor question, and not only the laborers voted against Tammany Hall under the impression that she was to blame for the re- duction, but business men such as those who keep Little stores and the landiords with whom the laborers have dealings. The thing was as broad as it was long. By the reduction landlords could not collect their rents nor storekeepers their biti, Property holders had | claimed that the men employed by the city did not doa fair day’s work. But the men who were now clamoring | for work were not of that clas They were men, some of them, who had never been obliged to do labor ing work before, and who were willing to do a fair day's work for a fair day’s pay, which ought not to be less | than $2, The Aldermen of New York understood bettor | than the heads of departments the wants of the laboring left to the Common Council to decide what pay they should get. Mr. Graham, one of the committee, said that he was of the opinion that the Common Council should bo given the authority to fix the pay of the city laborers without limitation—that is, they should not be com- | pelled to pay them $2a day, but fix the rate to suit the times. If atime came, in the opinion of the Alder- men, when $1 50 would be good pay for a laborer, or $2 would not be too much, then they could act accord sngly. ‘The committee will meet again next week, r. Fish, the chairman of the committee, read a letter from Mayor Wickham during the meeting, in which he stands by his labor views expressed in his trades union letter of last Juna His letter to Mr. Fish closes as follows:— “Tam ata loss to perceive how wages, any more than prices of commodities, can bo regulated by legisia- | tion or otherwise than by the laws of supply and de- mand, which make market rates.”” LEGISLATIVE NOTES, The insurance bill sembly by Mr. Forster is similar to the one introduced last year by Mr, Vedder and | finally defeated. Jt allows compantes in this State doing business in other States to invest in securi- ties of those States. Under such a bill « New York company doing business in South Carolina of course | could invest in the securities of that State, or those of | credit is not each judge, Judges Shea, Alker and McAdam have ap- | of the best. It is a bad bill and should bo killed, as its | $400 in cash and $78 and $65 for two suits of clothes— any other State whose financial chief backers are the very weak insurance companies in the State, Mr. Fish’e bill relative to the city of New York is the faine as the one introduced by Mr. Booth last year. It compels every city department to keep within its an- bual appropriations, D. ©. Calvin appeared before the Assembly Judiciary Committee to-day and made an elaborate argument against the bill which repeals the Daily Register law of S74. He quoted Judge Noah Davis and other judges ax being strongly in favor of the Register being con- tinned at an annual expense to the city of $6,000. endment to the constitution which I referred ek, which provides that the pardoning power shall be taken from the Governor and vested in the Court of Appeals, and that no pardon by a concurrent vote of the Court, will be submitted to | the Assembly next week, The Governor, coutrary to general belief, has not lost sight of the fact that Tweed was in the custody of the Sheriff when he escaped. His delay in taking action in the matter has been prompted by a desire to give Sheriff Conner all the time necessary to secure his prisoner. That time ba: nearly expired, and if Mr. Conner can give no definite | information about Tweed and satisfy the Governor that he has yet good ground to believe that his recapture is possible, he may as well pack up bis “duds” aud be ready for removal in a very short perioa. Mr. Sherman’s resolution referring the Gov- ernor’s Message, in branch to the various committees, has’ created great lamentation amon, the “Buncombists,” who had hoped to spread themselves when the Message would be the order of the day. One democratic member, who bad a speech about five columns long all ready and printed in slips, is on the verge of despair. He wants to know if this is the way real greatness is to be suppressed during the session. The Governor's Canal Commission met to-day and decided not to go on with any new investigation. They will get to work on their final report noxt week. A committee of the Senators, consisting of Mossrs. Harris, Woodin and Rogers, will wait on the Governor in @ aay or two to inform him that the republican members sof the Senate have de- cited not to confirm Mr Schuyler as Auditor, and to request from him the name of a republican, [ft is be- lieved the Governor will let matters stand as they are, and that the only way Schuyler can be got out now is by the republican members of the Legislature refasing to make an: age tg for the Auditor's office. The upshot of whole thing will be a bill abolishing the Auditor office: and vesting all the powers of that official in the Comptroller. There was ‘only two votes among the republicans, a few days ago, against confirming Schuyler, but since they came to the conclusion that his contirmation would put him in office for three years, they have changed their minds. The Governor ‘is preparing a bill, which will be intrusted to the charge of some ublican member tor introduction to tho ogisiatt ie making 1% competent for nine member jury to return a fall verdict, The object of the bill is to reach such cases as tl of George D, Lord in the further prosecution of the suits against the Canal Ring. A report prevails to-night that a resolution is being prepared calling tor a special committee to investigate the subject of ment of personal taxes by certain large corporations in the State of New York, notably the New York Central, Hudson River and Delaware and Lackawanna railroads, whose personal estate, through alleged surreptitious means, has for years managed to escape its share of contribution to the taxation of the State, thereby increasing the burdens of tte people generally, NEW JERSEY LEGISLATURE. IMPORTANT RESOLUTIONS IN REFERENCE TO THE SEPARATION OF THE CHURCH FROM THE STATE—THE ABOLITION OF THE FEE SYSTEM. Trexton, Jan. 19, 1876, In the Senate to-day Mr. Potts, from the committee appointed last year to draft a general law for the assess- ment of taxes, reported a bili to equalize assessments and to provide a uniform system of levying taxes in the State. Mr. Abbett introduced the following resolution :— Resolved (the Honse concurring). That the preparation of the pablic laws required by the recent constitutional amendments be vested in s Joint commission House, to be com of the Judiciar; of the Laws committees; and that sald Joint taro hereby directed to organise forthwith, to ait darin port from g,the seasions of the Senate and House, re ime to time as speedily as bill can be pre- re Adopted, The committee at once organized by the election of Senator Magte as Chairman and Mr. Youngblood as Seo- retary. They held a session of about two hours’ dura- tion, This action was deemed necessary on account of both houses reia- tive to the meaning of the constitutional amendments. ‘Thi the second week of the session, and no business of any interest to the State has been transacted, Both houses hi been groping in the dark. On the first day of the session in the House Mr. Ej of Union, introduced a resoiution calling on the Legis- latare to take the earliest opportunity to reaffirm tho doctrine of wtotal separation of Church and Stato, to declare that a system of free unsectarian schools is the settled and unalterabie policy of the State, ko. The Preamble set forth that an effort has been made to un- necessarily alarm the friends of the free and unsecta- Tian school system by promulgating the idea that there is danger of Jegisiation inimical to it The consideration of the matter wa# then laid over for one week. ‘This afternoon a lively discussion took place over the following amendment or substitute offered by Mr. Griggs, of Passaic ty — The constitution be no extabl of an: , ansociation of corporation, and passage of rar for the m pasta a uae tus tat prt geet ple the 7 of the opposition aad rhe Ves ‘and members sect introduced to-day in the As- | all be granted unless | re- | ani or tne pontical party eym and whereas the copstitution of this that the Legislature shail provide for the maintenance support of ® thorough and efficient system of free publio schoo! and makes the money raised for that purpose & sacred fund to be devoted to uo other w! declarae tion has become a part of the organic law, notwithstanding au organized aud determined effort, stimulated by letters issued by a sectarian body to defeat the whereas, notwit! ublic mind in the ere expressed in favor o! State, @ bill was passed by the dominant party in the lass House of Assembly proposing to establish « sectarian instie tution, with extraordinary and objectionable powers; there- tore, Resolved, That this Le; the. doc- trine of @ total phar wg +n) declares thas » system of free unsect settied and le, policy of this State, and condemns all at~ tempted legisiation, wherever originating, tending in any pair the thoroughness and efficiency of our free public schools and the use of the moneys raised for their support im any manner not warranted by the letter and spirit of our constitution. After a heated discussion, in which Messrs, Rabl and Egan opposed the substitute and Messrs. Lewis, Youngblood and Griggs advocated, it, the- pre- amble and resolution of Mr. Griggs were adopted by a Strict party vote, republicans in favor, democrata against, Mr. Drake's resolution, calling for tne appo!ntment of & committee of three to investigate and report on the ety of abolishing the’system of emoluments b¥ | State offices and substituting fixed salaries instead, was adopted. Messrs. Drake (Essex), Brown and Garmpbell were appointed on the commitice | | Both houses adjourned over until next Monday evening, JERSE lature hereby reaffi Jhureb and 5! schools is th S CORRUPT OFFICIALS, STARTLING TESTIMONY AGAINST POLICE COM- MISSIONERS, Since the Bumstead trials no legal Inquiry has pos- sessed more interest to the people of Jersey City than that now in progress in the Court of Quarter Sessions, The testimony given yesterday by Autenreith, the con+ tractor, who is charged with libel on Police Commise sioner Edmondson, was most damaging, Autenreith sent in a proposal to the Police Commissioners for the contract for removing dead animals from the city, ade vanced a large sum of money to obtain it and was then cheated out of it, George Warrin, clerk to the Commissioners, testified that he ordered a suit of clothes, for which Autenreith paid. Joseph Autenreith was placed on the stand and he testified that he desired to have the dead animal con. tract; a friend named Lippman said he would interpose his good offices, but that the Commissioners wanted money; witness consented to do the work for $1,200 and that the Commissioners could have $300; Lippman aod Warrin made out the proposal without the knowl- edge of witness and had him sign it at Cooper Hall; the amount marked on the proposal was $1,$00 instead of $1,200, but Lippman said st would be ail right; met Lippman by appointment at Cooper Hall and handed him $100; was called to a conference before Lippman, | Edmondson and Marinus (President of the Board); | Lippman demanded $100 a second time for Edmond- son, and witness brought it to Cooper Hall and gave it to Lippman, who immediately called Edmondson aside, aud both went into a back room; two months afterward Lippman told him that he (witness) should do something toward election expenses, and that ho expected $100 from witness; he sald that every officer | of the city must do something; brought the money to | Cooper Hail and handed it to Lippman, who walked | over and gave it to Edmondson in presence of witness; the contract was awarded to him that very night; Edmondson said to witness, “Now you are all righty, you can make all the money you want for two years, anyhow ;”’ paid for ail the drinks every time he met Lippman and Edmondson; after the contract was awarded treated Lippman, Edmondson and Warrin to @ wine supper; was told afterward that there was some- | thing wrong about the awarding of the contract, and | that it must be advertised again; sent in another pro- | posal; Lippman then told him he would have to give | $100 to Marinus, President of the Board, os he wanted something; had not the money,’ but sent @ check, which Marinus refused to ree { ceive, as he said it might send him where | Bumstead was (sensation in court); Lippman then had the check cashed and gave Marinus the money (witness here produced the check which was indorsed by Lipp- | man); three months afterward Lippman came to him and said he should give $100 to Commissioner Van | Keuren; witness then became disgusted, and, consider- | ing that he had been already bled poniaog refused to | give another cent; Lippman told this to Van Keuren, who replied that ‘witness shonid not get the contract even if he did the work for nothing; the contract was then awarded to one Winn; witness paid altogether | one for Warrin and the other for Lippman; witness had | the article published to let the people know how their | Mioney was spent | | THE STATE PENAL INSTITUTIONS OVERFLOWING | WITH CONVICTS—A REVISION OF THE PENAL | CODE SUGGESTED, | The depressed condition of the labor market contin- tues to promote crime to an extent hitherto unprece~ dented in this State, as is demonstrated by the present | overcrowded condition of our penal institutions, Do what they will in the matter of drafting the Inspectors of State Prisons cannot reduce the excess of convicts | at Sing Sing, nor can they interrupt the steaay stream of evil doers which flows daily Into the prison. There are now in that compulsory abode of lawbreakers nearly 1,600 convicts, one-fourth of which number being, in prisom parlance, “doubled up,” or | placed two in acell, tothe utter perversion of both morals | and discipline, Auburn Prison is also full to overflow. | ing, and Clinton is taxed to its utmost capacity in en- | deavoring to accommodate by far a larger number of inmates than were ever before held within its walls, During ® conversation on the subject with Inspector | Wagener, at Sing Sing, a day or two since, that official said to the writer:—“If the present increase of crime | continues much longer I do not know what we will do or how we are to find. room for the convicts who may | be sent here, All three of our prisons are crowded now.” On being asked by the Hkra.p representative it he could Es a remedy for the apprehended con- tingency Mr. Wagener replied that he thought the exigencies of the occasion called for a legislative | revision of the penal code and such altera tions therein as would consign prisoners found guilty of minor felonies to the county Jails and peniten- tiartes. In other words, that convicts sentenced say for less than three years should be made to expiate therr offences elsewhere than in the State prisons. This | would afford material relie! to Sing Sing, where a large number are serving out terms of much shorter duration than that indicated. As nearly baif of the jail birds in Sing Sing Prison are being supported in absolute tdle- | ness by the State Warden Youngs, who as- | sumed the management of that institution | last Saturday, expresses himself as being anxious to furnish the idie ones with work, as t first step toward bringing about a beiter state of discipline. To this end he will endeavor, through the Inspectors, to | have the present Legisiature pass an act authorizing the erection of a sirong wall around the prison. The cost of this contemplated eafeguard cannot but be comparatively trivial, as the stone, lime and sand are to be found in abund- auce on the prison grounds The material and labor already furnished, all that remains to be added would be a competent head to devise Jay out the work, with one or two practical assistants to see that it was properly carried out When finished the wail | would conduce materially to the interests of the State, as \¢ must necessarily entail a considerable reduction in the present force of guards who are posted all around the prison to prevent the iumates from escaping, beth by land and water. ANOTHER ESCAPE FROM SING SING, | John W. Stocum, a convict in Sing Sing Prison, | escaped from the hospital connected with that institu. tion om Tuesday night, He was not missed until yes. terday morning, and nothing is known as to the man- ner in which he left. The escaped man is a noted criminal, who was serving out aterm of twenty years, As he is believed to have made his way to New York the police authorities were promptly apprised of his disappearance from the prisoo. LOOKING “AFTER THE SURGEONS, Police Superintendent Wailing issued yesterday, by | Command of the Police Board, instructions to all cap- | tains that when there is occasion for the service of a wurgeon the District Surgeon is to be at once sum- monod, the time of his notification is to be recorded, the time of his arrival and the period of his stay; or, MORE PRISONS WANTED. ° | iw case of non-atiendance, the reason of the failure. | In case an officer reports as sick the surgeon is to bo notified and the time and length of bis visit is to be ascertained. These matters are to be daily reported to tbe District Inspectors, who are charged to promptly inform the Superintendems of any neglect of duty by | the surgeons. THE TROUBLE AN ALIAS CAUSED. On Tuesday, tn the Court of General Sessions, before Judge Gildersieeve, a John McPaul, giving his resi- dence at No. 42 Bayard street, was sentenced to the Island for three months on the charge of grand larceny. John McPaul, who resides at No, 156 Henry street, did ae reach his home Cyn 4 nigh! a a = on esday evenin, u meaatime seen the Manounoswe tof aJobn McPaul’s sentence man and his father aro ‘nown to bear bis name the fact that the crim- that be knew city velo} COMMISSIONER FOWLER. Attorney General Fairchild has sent a communica: tion to District Attorney Britton, of Kings county, Im- forming that official of his willingness to appear tor the People in the trial of the indictment against Com- missioner of City Works Fowler, as requested by thé District Attorney. The Attorney General says be will try the case as soon as practicable, which wil! probably be in.the early part of vext week,