The New York Herald Newspaper, February 17, 1876, Page 4

THE STATE CAPITAL, How Governor Tilden Beguiled Ex- Governor Seymour. Plotting for Presidential Candidature. a aA WL, JUDGE SOUTHWORTH REJECTED A New Commission for the Cro- ton Aqueduct. THE “NO SEAT NO FARE” BILL DELAYED Aunayy, Feb. 16, 1876, ‘The gossips of Albany tell an amusing story of one of ex-Governor Seymour's latest movements, He had been up through the canal region, and found, in conversation with leading democrats, especially in Buffalo, aspirit of hostility to Governor Tilden’s ad- ministrative policy. Previous to this he had taken pains to Investigate the causes of dissension in the democratic party of New York ci'y, and there, too, he discovered that Tilden , had alienated a formidable body of democrats through his intrigues in alliance with Kelly and Wickham for the support of the Custom House wing of the republicans. Putting this and that together, Seymour grew alarmed at the prospective di- vision in the party on the eve of the Presidential cam- paign, and, full of the idea that Tilden was the sole ob- struction in the way of a harmonious democracy, he bastened to Albany with the sworn determi- nation to make Tilden relinquish his Pres- ‘dential aspirations or break ‘with him forever. Dn the way he announced his intention to several of his friends, and even on the steps of the Capitol, with ‘kis coat buttoned up tightly and his hat determinedly pressed down on the back of his head, he reiterated his resolve to several others, Inside the Executive Chamber, as the story goes, the ex-Governor’s courage, ‘ike Bob Acres’, oozed out at his fingers’ ends, and when the “smiling Sammy” inquired of kis friend if the season for brook trout was gear at hand the affable Horatio could not find it in is heart to rebuke nis old chum, and suppressing the \houghts that labored big for utterance, entered into vonversation on the habits of shad and pickerel. Out of the atmosphere ot the Executive Chamber Seymour, who knows his own mind for hardly fifteen minutes, again resolves to fight Tilden, and now the knowing enes say that Seymour is@eing played upon by the old heads of the Canal Ring, who want to entangle hiry ‘n the same meshes from which Sanford E. Churd | 43 (ately escaped, Seymour has again caught, beyond doubt, the Presidential ‘jim-jams.”’ This inference is fleduced from tne fact that whereas Sey- mour was foremost in urging the crusade against the Canal Ring he is now said \o be pleading for compromise on its behalf, for the abandonment of farther prosecutions, and the restora Mon of democratic harmony in all quarters and the bomination of himself for President. Further, say th gossips, should the delegation from New York go to tl National Convention pledged to + or Tilden, thy Sanford E, Church .will be candice ate * Whe nomination for which he decline. “#™t ‘the. Judge Church is strengthening his chanc. ovastte ever may be the political position to which he aspires by taking an active interest in the prosecution of the Ring solenaed earning & name for ‘‘reform,” the grand shi pth of political parties in this centennial ROOM FOR THR COURT OF SESSIONS, Aresolution from the Grand Jury of the city and county of New York was received in the Senate this morning calling for immediate legislative action in re- to furnishing accommodation for the Second ot the Court of General Sessions They Bay that to prevent a vast accumulation of antried indictments, and to provide for their prompt and proper disposition, steps should be ‘at once taken to secure the needed room for this Court, The present accommodation for the Court of General Sessions is utterly inadequate. The court room is bad! without ventilation, and attendance therein for any considerable length of time 1s danger- ous to heaith and life, The Grand Jury room, in the Sessions buil Dosement of thé ding. is open to similar objections and i #0 small, dark and unwholesome as to be unfit for any pur e, and especially for the accommodation of the ge mumber of witnesses who are In daily attendance upon the Grand Jury, while the exposed situation of the room, open, as it is, to the street and the park, renders it impossible for the Grand Jury to discuss matters nding before them without being overheard by |is- rs and eavesdroppers. The appeal is signed b: Sinclair Tousey, foreman, and Cortland De E Field, secretary. WHY 18 THIS BILL DELAYED? Over a month ago Senator Bixby introduced a short bill authorizing the Board of Estimate and Appogtion- ment to appropriate the necessary money to pay the salaries of the additional clerk and officers appointed by Judge Gildersleeve tor Part 2 of General Sessions. At was referred to the Judiciary Committee and has never been heard of since, though the chairman, Judge Robertson, who is generally 80 Prompt in reporting the business of bis committee, cannot but know that his withholding this bill from the Senate is a source of embarrassment to the officers of the Court of mneral Sessions, who have earned their salaries and* deserve to be just as promptly as the Senator him- sel€ Mr. Bixby, indignant at this treatment of his Dill, asked to-day that the Judiciary Committee be dis- from its further consideration and that it be referred to the Committee on Cities. The motion was tabled, bat it will hurry up the bill. REJECTION OF JUDGE SOUTHWORTH. In executive session of the Senate the nomination of Southworth for Supreme Court Judge of the Eighth Judicial district was rejected by a vote of 16 to three repuablicans—Messrs. Robertson an Prince—voting with the Le rei in favor of the nomination. Rogers made a speech explanatory of his vote. He said no considerations had any place in his thoughts in ing on the merits of the nomination, nor did he think they should have where the office to be filled was one of a judicial char- acter, for which the qualifications, in his opinion, should be eminence m bo pape and uprightness m character, Vedder, who was one of the committice = whom the nomination was Uap pont and who voted its rejection, sai upon it a8 @ political momination, made in the political interest of hey Gov- ernor, The democrats said not a word, and by their silence mortified tne republicans. LEGISLATIVE NOTRE, Mr. Prince’s bill, authorizing the transfer in fee simple of all the real estate now possessed by the ot Home, situated in the town of Flush- Patriot Orphan Ing, to the New York Infant Asylu the Senate, and also Mr. Morrissey’s bill for collection of as- sessments for local improvements in New York city. A motion to adjourn over on Friday, the 18th, till Monday, the 28th, was carried, but the Assembly has yet to concar. The County Treasurers bill occupied the chief time of tho Senate to-day. caucus of democratic Senators held last evening it was resolved to pursue an Seoere policy for the rest of the session ana make a fight on the rnor’s bill to enlarge the powers of the Canal 4 GRAB POR PATRONAGE. Somewhat of a surprise was created this morning by the bill introduced by Mr. Strahan, and which some people believe was inspired by Comptroller Green. It rovides that there shall be an addition to the present ents of the government of the city of New York—a Croton Aqueduct Department, the head of which is to be styled a Commis- sioner of Croton Aqueduct Department. Within ten days after the passage of the act the Comptroller is to t the Commissioner, whose salary is to be 000 a year and is to hold his office for five years. He is to have cognizance and control of all structures, ap- and proj yy connected with or in. w bs ad distribution of Croton water, the ion the revenue arising from the gale or use = oof = the. Croton water, At an inf the construction, care and cleaning of all pablic sewers, drains and appurtenances thereof, etreet vaulte and ings m sidewalks, and of repay repairing streets, roads and paving, vine and avenues. The bil ides for four bureaus in the Crovon Aqueduct ment—a bureau for laying water paving, Ac., who isto be the Water Pur- weyor; the mn of revenue, to be under a water register; for the care of all structures and distribution of Croton water, to be under ineer; a bureau having care of all under of an by it Oomtainions ot ef Groton Aguedon heey ones of “Commis. gover jueduct’’ shall be Bill will not have t pe peter Wickham has of the id =, Pe connected with and appertaining to the fur- y the NEW YURKK HERALD, THURSDAY, made, but that the Court 's complaint but the mame is appended pohce regulation, on ten ' based his action :— Ifa policeman ® person whom he has good canse igrousas to suspect of having committed a fisayeand it is mado discreetly ‘and fairly and nes sates he “will be Justis ‘even though it afterward aj thatno felony was commited; but the members oft ¢ force must remember to be cautious in such gases, ne thals isnee reece colety, on the leness of the suspicions that led to their making the arrest. General Smith, alter referring to this regulation, says:—"‘it bas i be the custom for the chief executive officer of the New York police to direct the apprehension of individuals m the more or less specific tel ic request of the police authorities of vther cities, ue or forein, relying upon the speedy juction of documen! or personal proo! to ch interference or make good a detence to & any suit Such action has seemed to be im- oer grag by public exigencies and necessary, oth to prevent New York from being a resort au asylum for foreign crimipaia as also to secure the cap- ture and rendition of our own {ugitives. This aysump- tion of responsibility bus often and again made it = sible to secure the extradition and punisnment of \- dag criminals and the recovery an: jarge amounts of stolen property. It has, too, been sanctioned by the courts—viz, in the case of F. W. Marvin, alias Morgan, apprehended ursuant to a telegram from Mayor Greig, of the iverpool police, on the arrival of the steamer Calabria, December 13, 1842, by Detective Elder, and who, havi been brought before the Supreme Court on a writ o habeas corpus, was remanded to await the arrival from England of O"cer George Marsh with papers for his ex- tradition, » ’* was effected January 6,173, The princi- pe direct} wmthorization for such @ practice is to be found in « ot 806 of the Laws of 1867, which author- izes the po, foree ‘to protect the rights of persons and propel y’ and for these purposes, ‘with or with- tall persons guilty of any law or jon or punishment of crimes: ith closes his communication ‘As it may weil be questioned waether th! statute be sufficient to meet the paged needs, the Polige Commissioners are 1 espectiully of opinion that, bowever salutary may have been the actual operations of the usage above referred to, such grave interference with personal liberty should not be left to offictal comity and discretion, but should be definitely regu- Jated by further legislation.” NO SKAT NO PARE, It is very evident that the railroad companies will leave no stone unturned in order to secure the defeat of tbe Killian bill, The latest news concerning their jans in opposition to it is that all the ew York companies had a meeting yes- terday in your city, when they decided to employ William M. Evarts as their counsel to appear belore the Railroad Committee and make an argument against it, Mr, Depew appeared before the committee to-day and stated this fact, and asked that the commit- tee adjourn the hearing on the bill for a week or so, in order that Mr. Evarts might be able to attend, his present engagemenis not allowing him tw come to Albany this week, In view of the fact that the Legislature will adjourn on Friday next over to Wednesday night, in order that Washington’s Birthday may be duly celebrated by the members and soberly recovered from, the committee decided to fix the hearing for Tuesday, the 29th inst. It may be that the lobby will doring the re- cess have ample time to ply their arts in order to convince members at their homes—thoso who “want to know, you know’—just what the Dill amounts to, and that the railroad companies ought not to be ‘injured’ by the passage of sucl measure as Mr. Killian has seen fit to father. As Mr. Strahan’s sub- committee to investigate the doings of the lobby is still in session, he would do well to keep his eye upon fraternity. Mr. Carey leit bim to-day after reading \.@ Hwranp, “with a in his ear.” Edward Phelps, another tobyist, turned up to-day. Re is the fellow who got $5,000 in Tweed’s time from ‘Weed, Parsons & Co., in order that a certain sum for rinting due them might not be plucked out of the Boppiy. bill. Mr. Straban’s committee will do well to keep him also in view, He, is going about talking against the ‘‘no seat no tard? oi WITTLING AT OPFICIAL SALARIES, "The bill reported to-day favorably by Mr. Fish, Chi ‘or {the Committee on Cities, in lieu of all other bills ‘e to the salaries of New York officials, and which e publican caucus of Thursday last decided should d, provides that the salaries sball be hereafter ‘The Mayor, $10,000; Comptroller, $10,000; Commis- sioner a Public Works, $8,000; Corporation Counsel, $10,000; President of the Board ot Police, $7,000; Com- ¢ » as follows :— ; thissioners of Police, other than the President, $6,000; the Department of Parks, $5,506 Commissioners. of Par! other than the Presi- dent, nothing; President of tho Fire Depart- ment, $6,000; Fire Commissioners, other than the President, $6,000; President of the Commuissioners’of Charities and Correction, $5,500; Commussioners of Charities and Correction, other than the President, $4,500; President of the ones $5,500; re President of Commissioners of Health, other than the President, 000; members of the, Board of Aldermen, $2,000; ident of the Board of Aldermen, $3,000 ident of the De} it of Taxes and Assessments, $5,500; Commissioners of Taxes and Assessments, other than the President, 500; President of the Depart- ment ot Docks, $5,500; Commissioners of Docks, other than the President, $3,000; Superintendent of 'Build- ings, $4,000; Commissioners of Account, $2,500; Civil Justices, $5,000, The act i that no subordivate in ey depart- ment sball receive a greater salary than the salary paid to the head of the department, This will, bring about @ eu! down in on The concurrent resolutions proposing an amendment to the constitution, giving the Governor ir to ap- int a General Inspector of State Prisons, which ave been hanging tire in the Assembly for some time, will probably meet with serious opposition, if the mem- bers who bave them in charge, do not keep their eyes open. [¢ issaid the present Prison on not being anxious to lose their places,are doing all they can to bring about the ultimate defeat of the resolutions. When asked for appointments by members of the Legislature they reply that they do not intend to make many ap- polotments until they see what action is taken upon the proposed amendment, and that then they will oblige only their friends, This, it ts believed, is in- tended as an inducement to the pap, huoters in the House to secure the defeat of the amendment. If tpis can be done, even by having some slight change je in the resolutions, they will be content, for the least change in them will be fatal. ‘THE GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL ‘was discussed in the Assembly all this afternoon and at the evening session, and, after a few amendments of little importance, it was ordered to a third reading. ‘A BOARD O¥ RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS. Mr. Booth’s bill proposes to establish a board of Railroad Commissioners, consisting of,three competent persons, who’shall be appointed by the Governor, ‘with the advice and consent of the Senate, to hold office for one, two and three years each, and thereafter one Commissioner shall be appointed annually; the Board to bave a clerk, also a railroad accountant, at a of not more than $3,000 annually; Commissioners to have an office in the city of Albany; said Board to have the general supervision ot all railroads,, and they shall examine the same and keep themselves informed as to the condition and manner m which the ratlroads are operated; the Commissioners to have power to compel the production of books and papers; also to examine the books and accounts of street railway companies; annual re- ports to be made by the Commissioners to the Legisia- ture. The annual salary of the Commissioners shall be $10,000 each, and of thoir clerk, $3,500, The expenses of the Commission are to be borne by the railroad corporations. COMMITTEE ON CRIME. The Committee on Crime appointed by the Assembly last winter will submit their report to the Legisiatare The princ! recommendations made in it were given exclusively in the Hxnatp several weeks ago. NEW JERSEY LEGISLATURE. LIMITING THER WATIONAL GUARD OF THE STATE—THE FIVE COUNTY ACT—A DISCUSSION AS TO THE EXEMPTION OF MORTGAGES. Trenton, Fob. 16, 1876. In the Senate to-day Mr. Thorn introduced a bili relative to the National Guard of the Stata It limits the companies of infantry to twenty, of cavairy to two and of attillery to two, to be arranged into not more than four regiments, not more than two brigades and one division, no company to have less than sixty men nor more than 100. Whenever a company has less than sixty men the appropriation to such company shall cease for one year. Tho Commander-in-Chiet is to reorganize the National Goard on this basis, One- fifth of all allowances now authorized to any and all militia organizations to defray the expenses of an ap- nual encampment is withh The expenses on ac- count of the militia in =, one year shall not exceed $25,000. It is made a misdemeanor to exceed this amount. In the House the following bills were introducea:— By Mr. Camj concerning the burial of persons killed on railroads in Middlesex county, that the railroad companies shail defray the expenses of the burials and inquests of all porsons killed on their railroads, rg | such killing was not done wilfully by the persons themselves. Board of Chosen Freeholders ts empowered to sue the railroad compa- nies in case they refuse to pay the amount when cer- tified by the Coroner. THUR FIVE COUNTY Act. Pine go Mad Hopper, and Messrs, Lewis, hoyses adigurned until to-morrow morning restitution of | OBITUARY. BEVERLEY ROBINSON, 6B. Beverley Robinson, Sr., an old and bighly respected member of the New York Bar, died very suddenly last Tuesday at his residence on Staten Island, Although the painful event was sudden Mr. Robinson had for several years been subject to rheumatic gout, which finally extended to his heart last Monday evening and resulted ip his death at six o’clock the anion morn- in, The history of the family to which the deceased be- longed is intimately connected with that of the early days ot the Repudlic. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch—Colonel Beverley Robinson—lived at West Point, on the Hudson, at the breaking out of the Revolution. He belonged to one of the most wealthy and aristocratic families of ail the English colonists, and although he was opposed to the course of the Min- istry during the few years preceding the war, he, nevertheless, strenuously opposed the separation of the colonies from the parent country, and took sides with the royalists when the Deciaration of independence was promulgated, Colonel Robin- son's residence at West Point was confis- cated by the patriots, and was = occupied Bepedict Arnold and his family at the time wien that oreh traitor was concocting bis treasonable ; las for the surrender of the important post then com- manded by bim. Lossing, in his “Field Book of the Revolution,” says ‘it is eupposed that he (Colonel Rob- inson) was Arnold’s correspondent and confidant in bis gear acts of treason, a: that the intentions of the traitor were known to him before any intina- tion of them was made to Sir Henry Clinton.” At ihe conclusion of the war Colonel! Robinson and a portion of histamily went to England, where he remained antil his death, which ocourred at ‘Macabore, in 1792, at the age of sixty-nine years, Colonel Robinson aud Washington were personal friends before the war, and it is asserted that atthe house of the former the “Father of His Country,” while on lis way to Boston, in 1756, to consult General Shirley on military affairs, saw and fell in love with Miss Mary Philiipse, a sister of Mrs, Robinson. : Beverley Rovinson, the deceased, was the original of Thackeray’s Henry Esmoud, in his *Virginaus” He ‘was admitted to the Bar of this city in 1830, and soon alter formed a partnership with Mr. William Betts, which was continued without interruption up to the day of his death, He was yuiversally recognized as a sound lawyer, and numbered among his intimate friends ail the old members of the Bar. -He was a fine ‘ype of the old school gentleman; courteous without affectation, and genial without obtrusivencss, He leaves a wife and tamily, consisting of tive sons and two daughters, ADOLPHUS LANE, MERCHANT. Mr, Adolphus Lane, who died at his residence, in East Thirty-eighth street, on the 14th inst., was one of the oldest dry goods merchants in New York city. Commencing in 1820, he was first in business for ten Years on Broadway, near the corner of Anthony (now Worth) street, adjoining the old New York Hospital, and afterward for over forty years at No. 11 Maiden lane, His firm was ‘‘R, & A. Lane.” He was a vet- eran of the War of 1812, having been a member of General (then Captain) Kierstadt’s company, on duty at Fort Gansevoort, the old white fort guarding the west side of the city, on the Hudson. - In 1836 he was elected a member of the Vestry and Su- perintender’ the Sunday school of old St. George's reet, and so continued for thirty- ing the church up to its present loca- Wise in council, mature in nd decision of character unu- ‘tle, all who knew him will feel that a the old school has d away from only child living is the wile of Vincent ry . ©O™CN JOHN M, FERRIER, Wo ©) pers the older inhabitants of this city, died at eon + wenty-ninth street on the morning of ‘tat he age of eighty-five years, He was aN by D> -a, and has always resided in the city bes following the profession of a sea cay“. ae Was | sient of the Marine Society, one Of |. nf istees ue Sailors” Snug Harbor, and has ocer (egy F positions of honor. ‘Notwith. stan «cent +d age he was in the enjoyment of eXce muon retired on Monday night feeling MAT\ morning was found dead. He ars an active member of the h Ms en avenue) Baptist church. on wea quite, esbeen fort Oliver street (nov . \, capran ion IN M. FERRIER. Captath John M. Fe: '¥ died on Tuesday morning at the advanced age of eigu .-fve years, He was bora in New York city and was very well known among the older residents. After passing many years as asea captain he retired from the profession and has since lived in the city. He was one of the trustees of the Sailors’ Snug Harbor and President of the Marine So- ciety. His death was qaite sudden, as he retired in poe bees, on Monday night and was found dead in is HENRY M'CLOSKEY. This gentleman died in the city of Brooklyn yester- day at the a of seventy-six yeara He was for fifty-five years a resident of this city and Brook- lyn and was much respected by those who knew him. He was one of the founders of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic chureb, of which Cardinal McCloskey was at the time pastor, He was the oldest asd only member of the Hiberulan Socety of {fift yoare: a0. Ei McCloskey, the dramatist, and his brother Felix are the only two sons out of twelye boys who survive their father, CAPTAIN A. W. WOOD, Captain Abraham W. Wood died at his residence at Tottenville, 8. L., early on the morning of the 15th inst, after a brief illness, of pneumonia. The Captain formerly followed the sea, and was acoaster in the time of freight- ing shingles from the Dismal Swamp, Virginia, to this city, a business in which he was largely interested with the Seguine family, who owned a part of the swamp and several vessels ‘engaged in the trade. Mr. Wood was elected twice as Supervisor of the town of West- eld, where he always resided, and at one time was a Justice of Sessions. He was Justice of the Peace at the time of his death. He wasa democrat, and favorable to the Southern States during the rebellion. He was sixty years old, and stood among the highest in Masonry in Richmond county. . HENRY ETTING, UNITED STATES NAVY. Henry Ettsng, Paymaster, United States Navy, died in Philadelphia on the 15th inst. He was a native of Maryland and was appointed to the service from Penn- sylvania, His entry took place om tho Ist of January, 1818, and his latest commission bears date 3d of March, Mr, Etting had a very long term of service and a very faithiul and meritorious officer, PROFESSOR TELLCAMPF, OF BRESLAU. A cable telegram from Berlin, under date of yester- day, reports the death of the eminent German lecturer and writer, Dr. Tellcampf, Professor of Po- litical Economy at the University of Breslau, and member of the Prussian Parliament. GENERAL BUDRITZKE, OF THE GERMAN ARMY. A cable telegram from Berlin, under date of yester- day, announces the occurrence of the death of the dis- tinguished officer, General Budritzke, who commanded the Guards at the battle of Le Bourget. M. EDMOND DE COUSSEMAKER, HISTORIAN OF MUSIC, {From Galignani’s Messenger, Feb. 2.] France has lost, by the death of Edmond do Consse- maker, one of her most erudite musical historians, He was born in Bailleul (Nord) in 1805, and was edu- cated for the legal profession. Ho was at first an advocate, and subsequently a judge, at Dunkirk and Lille, He began to apply himeelf to music as an amatour, and studied the productions of the early and middle its of his patient search and vast erudi- own in various works; one of them— “Histoire de l'Harmonie au Moyen Age’’—was crowned, by the Institute, He died at his chateau ‘at Bour- bourg, near Calais, just as he was completing the fourth volume of the collection, ‘Seri tores Ecclesiastici de Musica Modii Avi,” begun by the monk Gerbert’ The resuits of his examina- tions of the musical records of the rich musical libraries in the towns of French and Belgian Flanders were iy valuable volumes bearing on early Church composit His “Art Harmonique”’ up to the fourteenth century, and bis ‘Histoire des Instraments de Musique au Moyen Age,” were other interesting contributions for the aunty of music as indicated at primitive periods, MRS. O'HAGAN, ABBESS OF POOR CLARES, [From the Dublin Freeman’s Journal, Feb. 2.) We record with the deepest regret the death of Mra O'Hagan, Abbess of the Convent of Poor Clares, at Kenmare, and only sister of Lord O'Hagan. She died on the morning of Monday, the Slet of January. Mrs. O’Hagan had entered upon her religious life at the age of seventoan, in the Convent of Poor Ci in Newry. Afterward, when the convent of that Order in Kenmare was founded, she its head, ata time when she had only just reached the canonical age. She was ever since invariably re-elected by the sisterhood, ed abbess iain Fay ee ta a tury. Under her ai co! with those of the lata Archdesco ‘O'sullivad, were efeotea. the Dove tifal convent and the magnificent church which never fail to arrest th through Ki ranks among the 'y first of its class in Ireland, and the exquisite specimens of needlework uced by its pupils are well and widely known. . & piety or deepest and most solid kind Mrs O'Hagan added Mg uncommon talents and # sweetness of nature and charm of manner which won every one who approached ber. How much ber nuns revered and Joved her ts shown by the fact of their never exercising f a superior which their the freedom in ng omg) * 4 constitu we them otherwise than by re-electing bec She been for sowe time in icaté health, Dut all arouna her clung to the last to the thay her I1!e would be spared. She died, as she red wnt holiness, iervor and resevation, _ FEBRUARY 17, 1876.-TRIPLE SHEET. WASHINGTON. Judge Pierrepont’s Hint to the Witnesses in the Whiskey Suits. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN EXPLANATION. The Currency Question as the Great Presidential Issue. PERPLEXITIES OF BOTH PARTIES. FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, Wasuinaton, Feb, 16, 1876. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S LETTER TO THE WESTERN DISTRICT ATTORNEYS—LETTER FROM JUDGE PIERREPONT. The statement made in these despatches that Attor- ney General Pierrepont’s tetter to district attorneys in regard to informers was written at the request of the President, who sent for him to direct this, and that upon seeing the letter the President expressed dissatisfaction that it was not stonger, was made upon the authority of a New York lawyer of high standing, who was surprised at the character of the letter, and, being here, took occasion to ascertain its history. There is no doubt of the correctness of every part of the statement, and it 1s understood that the Attorney General doeg not deny that the President sent for bim and directed such a letter to be written, Judge Jeremiah Black, having read the Dyer lettor of Attorney General Pierrepont this evening, said, in his grave and precise manner :— I do not like to say anything reflecting on the Attor- ney General or to become involved in any controversy with him, but criminals cannot be convicted -without evidence. Those who produce the necessary evidence are public benefactors) Where a party cannot give evidence against others without implicating himself, and nevertheless doea so, he gocs far to atone for his share in the crime. It has, therefore, been the policy of all governments’ to encour age all such disclosures by granting pardong to persons who make them, and the informant is hel ipso facto, not amenable to prosécutiun. This is es- pecially true in cases of extensive conspiracies. The United States have always recognized the necessity and propriety of acting thus. The principle is embodied in an act of Congress relating to investigations before com- mittees of either House. 1 have no right w criticize ‘the letter of the Attorney General, but it looks like a discouragement of witnesses, To prevent witnesses from testifying by threatening them with punishment is protection to guilt, Judge Bluck said this slowly and ina very cautious mannor, and he emphasized the word discouragement. LEITER OF ATTORNEY GENERAL PIERREPONT. To Tae Eprror or THe HERALD:— I read in the Heraxp of yesterday what purported to be an “excuse” for my letter to the district at- torneys and suggesting that the blame of it was to be attributed to the President, and that tomy legal friends I had said that the President was dissatisfied that the letter was not stronger. The President has never expressed such issatisfaction, nor have I made “excuse,” nor do I intend to make any excuse. I never did’ and I never will excyse any act of mine, official or otherwise, by throwing the responsibility upon another. I assume all the responsibility. Imake no excuse. I stand by what I wrote, and when the facts are exposed, as they will be, which required the letter, the commu- nity will understand it. It was a purely official let- ter, confidential—as all oficial letters are—exposed by gross impropriety. I only wish that those who criticise it would first read it, even without the light of the facts which induced it, and be assured that I take the responsibility and ask no cover from the President's name. Very respectfully, EDWARDS PIERREPONT, Attorney General. ATTITUDE OF THE DEMOCRATS UPON THE LEAD- ING QUESTIONS BEFORE THE HOUSE—DIFFI- couried oO THE LEADERS WITH THE cun- RENCY PROBLEM AND THE RETRENCHMENT PROGRAMME. The democratic party in the House is not ina very happy condition. As it comes face to face with its pro- fessions and its duties there are signs of disorganiza- tion, and the leaders, who are in earnest, begin to find a disposition in their followers not only to straggle, but to kick out of the traces. It may be taken for granted that the Speaker and the chairman of the Ways and Means are determined to carry through a measure for sound currency‘and resumption. In this they have not probably the sympathies of Mr. Holman nor of many other prominent men of their side. Mr. Payne is understood to favor a compromise measure, on which he hopes to concentrate a sufficient vote. The Western democrats become more defiant for soft money, and Mr. Lamar’s appointment of a majority ot soft money menon the caucus currency committee, which has surprised many of his friends here, is taken to mean that he believes the South also, whose senti- meut he represents, is for inflation. Whatever measure the caucus committee may re- port, however, at the meeting to-morrow, if it reports at all, there is no likelihood of immediate action in the House, The men who control the order in which measyres are brought forward are disposed to delay. They are conscious that the Eastern democrats will break from the party bonds if an inflation measure should be brought in and forced to a vote, and it is probable that whatever is done about the curreacy will not be done until very late in tho session. Tho question of retrenchment is another cause of misunderstanding and confusion. There was tolerable harmony in cutting down the West Point and diplo. matic appropriations, because these touched no constit- uencies or bodies of voters. But the next step devel. ops opposition and ill feeling. Mr. Randall and Mr, Holman sincerely mean to enforce rigid econ- omy, and they are already in a mess of trouble The estimate for public Wiildings came before the Appropriation Committeo yesterday, and Mr. Randal! proposed to cut it down from $750,000 to $350,000, thus saving $400,000, It was intended to spread the smaller sum over the principal buildings, the design being not to stop work at any important place, but to spread the completion over a longer time. This is undoubtedly wise in view of the poverty of the country, but Mr. Wells, of Missouri, demanded $150,000, or nearly half tho proposed total, for the pub- Nie buildings in St, Louis, and on this a very lively dis- cussion took place, Messrs, Randall and Holman were willing to give him $60,000, but he insisted on $70,000, and finally got that, not, however, until there were signs of rebellion against the economical temper of Messrs. Randall and Holman, and it is not improbable that the quarrel may find vent in the House next week. Meantime the House indulges itself in an occasional extravagance, regardless of parties and of the protests of Mr. Randall. Ag for instance, to-day it voted $20,000 to pay the expenses of the Colorado Constitu- tional Convention, in spite of Mr. Randall's declaration that such a thing never was done before. Neither re- publicans nor democrats cared to oppose an appropria- tion, refusal of which might lose them Colorado in November. In the administration of tho Internal Revenue De- partment Mr. Randall saves a handsome sum—over a miliion—over last year’s appropriations, and when the Legislative, Judicial and Executive vill is brought in it will be found that there are very considerable savings, Tho tariff rests for the present. Many democrats say that it is extremely imprudent in the party to re. vise or in any way change it ou the ove of a Presiden- tial election, because such changes are sure to cause Mil feeling; but there are leading men in the party who say that, a8 commeree and industry cannot revive without a change, it belongs to the democratic party to do what It can to bring renewed prosperity, and that a party cannot be injured by such measures, The republican leaders are indisposed to touch the tariff; but on that side of the House there is a considerable number of men who will vote with the democrats for a revision, and there are even sensible protectionists on both sides who will vote thus when the time gomes, It is probably that any sound currency bill will also depend for its success upon a union oF repaorcan wien democratic votes, and that if it passes it will be with ch support, Meantime the Speaker, Mr, Mor vison and a few others are known to be very de- termined on this question, and they will not suffer themselves, or, if they can help it, their party to be dragged into the :nire of inflation, NO PROSPECTS OF OR REASONS FOR SECRETARY BRISTOW'S RESIGNATION. There is no truth in the reports said to have circu, lated in New York to-day that Secretary Bristow hed placed bis resignation in the Presiient’s hands, He has no present intenUion of doing so, ana it is probable that he will not resign at all, there being no reason why he should, nor is it known that the President means to demand his resignation. 4 POSSIBLE VICTIM TO THE WHISKEY RING PROSECUTIONS, The President's friends are hinting to-night that Mr. Bluford Wilson, Solicitor of the Treasury, will be de- manded as a victim by the White House. He is a very ablo anda very faithful young officer in his capacity of law officer of the Treasury, has had the chief charge and management of the whiskey prosecutions, and more particularly of the investigations which have led to the numerous suits and convictions. His unflinch- ing pursuit of the whiskey thieves has made him @ great many enemies, and these may very likely try to cause his removal. THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH SPAIN. Negotiations with Spain are in a comfortable condi- tion, The circular note sent out by Spain to other European governments has not yet been received here, but its contents do not change the situation. There is no immediate prospect of a Cuban message, FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT. THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS AND THE CURRENCY QUESTION—SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COMMITTEE TO PREPARE A POLICY FOR THE DEMOCRATS— THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE SITUATION. The democratic caucus to-morrow night is likely to be the scene of a warm, if not exciting, contest be- tween the hard money and soft money democratic representatives in Congress. In fact the currency question is looming up again as the overshadowing issue before the country in the coming Presidential campaign. A little while ago the Cuban question seemed to be the one which would enlist popular in- terest most largely, but the President felt the public pulse upon that subject, and soon ascer- tained that the country was not desirous of going to war again in a hurry, Then the school and church question was precipitated in a formal way by Mr. Blaine’s proposed amendment to the constitution, but that issue has lost its power of stir- Ting the public mind, if, indeed, it nas not become odious and unpopular, as evidenced in two States— vin, New Jersey and Rhode Island—whero several re- ligious sects have already protested against existing local laws in the spirit of the Blaine amendment. But within the past month, and quite noticeably within a week or two, the currency question has reasserted itself atresh and is now the most prominent topic in the public mind, so far as may be judged by the indications on the floor of Congress. A tendency toward inflation, the first result of this revival of the subject and the under current of feeling in favor of a repeal of the resumption law, 1s so strong as to startle the friends of specie payments, Nor is the heresy confined to the democratic side of tho House in its new departure. It is gaining converts among the republicans, but not in any way to the same extent, The vote in favor of Mr. Hale’s resolution day before yesterday was only eighty-six, and there were probably one hundred republicans at least upon the floor, The sudden secession of one of the republican organs bere, the Washington Chronicle, to the soft money wing of the party within a few days, is ahother sign of the big stride inflation has recently taken. Again, the cémposition, of the committee on the partof the House appointed by the chairman of the caucus to pre- pare a currency policy for the meeting to-morrow night has greatly alarmed the Eastern bard money democrats, Tho Committee is as follows, being made up of five soft money men and only four hard money men, viz. :— Messrs, Bright, of Tennessee; Holman, of Indiana; Southard, of Ohio; Sheakley, of Pennsylvania, and Walker, of Virginia, soft money men; and Messrs, Morrison, of Illinois; Barnum, of Connecticut; Gibson, of Louisiana, and Payne, of Ohio, the four hard money men, It may be sald that of the four Senators whoare to form the joint committeo only Mr, Merr:mon, of North Carolina, is an inflationist, and that the joint com- mittee has really a minority of one for bard money, But the remark was made to-day that the caucus is more likely to be controlled by the majority of its own members in this committee, It will be noticed that, with the exception of Mr. Barnum, of Connecticut, the committee does not number another Congressman from the country east of the Allegheny Mountains, It 1s the West and the South in combination again. ‘An Eastern democrat, in speaking of this fea- ture of the committee’s formation, said the demo- cratic party was going to the dogs and would be whipped in 1876 as surely as it had been in 1868 and 1872, Ho thought the Eastern and hard money democrats ought to run a Presidential ticket of their own, with Seymour or Tilden at its head, in order to carry such States as New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and California, and thus throw the election into the House. With any but a hard money candi- date the democracy would lose New York. ‘The suggestion was made to him that an election by the House would not get around the trouble of an infla- tion President, constituted as it is at present, and this view of the matter seemed to plunge him into hopeless disgust, Tho situation may be summed up as follows:—A strong party favors the repeal of the resumption law without any measure to take its place. The bard money democrats fear they are too weak to force the adoption of any such compromise measure as that of Mr. Payne, of Ohio, providing for a gradual accumula- tion of specte and resumption in the far future, TEMPORARY ABSENCE OF SPEAKER KERR—MR. COX TO FILL HIS PLACE. Speaker Kerr to-day asked a brief leave of absence, which was granted, After the Clerk calls the House to order to morrow Mr. Morrison will move that Mr. Cox be acting Speaker, and Mr. Cox will hold this piace until Mr. Kerr resames his duties, which will be next week. : THE SUCCESSOR OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY COWEN. The successor of General Cowen, who has resigned the Assistant Secretaryship of the Interior, has been selected, but his name is tor the present withheld from the public, RESIGNATION OF GENERAL SCHENCK. General Schenck bas sent in his resignation again and the President has accepted It GENERAL WASHINGTON DESPATCHES. Wasmxarox, Feb. 16, 1876, THE CONDITION OF OUR NAVY—OPINION OF NAVAL OFFICERS, Representatives Whitthorne and Danford, of the Committee on Naval Affairs, returned to-day {rom Nor- folk, whither they went to examine into naval affairs generally, The officers connected with the North Aulantic fleet whom they examined gave their views on the subject of reform, making valuable sugges- tions in that direction, They say in general terms that our vessels are inferior in construction, speed, armament &c., to nearly all other vessels which they have seen belonging to foreign nations, and that in the construction of our vessels obsolete types aro fol- lowed, As to monitors, they aro valuabie for river and barbor defence. They do not place much vaiue on the eight sloops-of-war recently built, as they art deficient in speed and otherwise objectionable. CA however, ea the Trenton the best of that class, The abuse of political influence at tho Noriolk Navy Yard, and also the abuses of the open pur- chase system of supplies, were distinctly shown. THE CENTENNIAL APPROPRIATION BILL SIGNED. The President to-day signed the Centennial bill with ‘@ quill pen made from the wing of an American eagle. THE ADMISSION OF COLORADO, In the House to,day Mr. Southard, of Ubio, from the Committee on Territories, reported a bill to amend the ‘act of the 34 of March, 1875, for the admission of Colo- ado as a State, and it was considered in Committeo of the Whole, The opposition to the bill (led by Randall of Pennsylvania) was to the eae to the expenses of the Convention, it Ving claimed that there was po it for such a th: discussion the committee rose and the bill ‘without the veas and nays, Alter a was FRENCH REPUBLIGANISH, National Lessons from the Result the Senatorial Elections. The Republican Majority a Scare te the European Monarchies, MACMAHON IN A ORITICAL POSITION, Panis, Feb. 3, 1876, All the courts and cabinets of Europe, excepting Perhaps, the authorities of the Swiss Canton, who do not properly constitute a court or cabinet, are alarmed at the result of the French elections for the Senate, because these elections have unquestionably placed the republican party in power. The recent electoral strug: gle cannot be more briefly and, at the same time, mor¢ accurately described than as a trial of strength be tween M, GAMBETTA AND M. BUFFET, in which M. Gambetta has gained a manifest advan+ tage. Whether the scare which the republican victory has given to the monarchists \s not a little irrational and premature must be considered as quite another question. One of the clearest aspects which the popu- lar triumph presents at this moment is the defeat ot the Bonapartists, and, should they have been perma- nently abated, with them goes the principle of personal government and the feverish thirst for military glory out and away from French politics, That is certainly an important thing, and there are other considerations equally weighty for the diplomacies of the Old World which grow out of a carefal study of this Senatorial election business, It has taught the various political factions which have been fighting for the crown in France to known their own strength, which, perhaps, the party chiefs knew well enough before;. but the rank and file did not know it, Moreover, the country at large did not know it, and if any ten intelligent men bad been asked what were THE PROSPECTS OF FRANCE aweek ago nine of them would have answered that they saw the Empire coming back within a period more or less short, but assuredly not long. Now no- body believes that the Benapartists have any chance at all. Their chances may indeed revive some day, be- cause nothing is impossible, but public opinion has pronounced itself peremptorily against all idea of an imperial restoration at present. No sophistry can get over the plain meaning of the fact that the imperialists have had a fair trial of forces and that they have been beaten. They can no longer indulge seriously in any illusion on the subject. There was, up to the close of last month, a very general and apparently well founded impression that Paris was secretly Bonapartisy It was thought, not without a show of reason, that a city inhabited chiefly by. those classes which thrive best on the luxury and splendor of a court would have rojoiced to see Napoleon 1V, ascend his father’s throne, if only for the magnificent ceremonies and the enor- mous expenditure which would have attended his coronation and the immense influx of wealthy strangers from all parts of the world who would have been at- tracted by it. The imperialists have ne doubt cher- ished this hope, and even speculated frecly upon it It was probably looked upon as the best part of the security which could be given for THE BONAPARTIST LOAN which was recently negotiated in Holland. Rut ho vain it has proved can now be estimated, for Paris haw just conferred the. most splendid compliment in bis- tory on the republican Wictor Hugo, who is not only the bitterest but the most powertal and the most prominent of the enemies of tho Napoleons. Paris, Supposed to be really the stronghold of courtly in- fluences, actually elected M. Victor Hugo as her sole delogate and representative (no such trust having ever before been confided by a great city to a single citizen| and subsequently the Department of the Seine electes five republican Senators, and absolutely refused te record a vote in favor of any one Bonapartist or other monarchical candidate, WHAT MAY FOLLOW. T have doalt first with the overthrow of the imperia party, because no one entertained either hopes or feart that the legitymists or the Orleanists could win a vic- tory. But the issue of the Senatorial elections carried the French "a oe far beyond the rise or fall of Bona partism. Marshal MacMahon has been not less com- pletely worsted than the son of his old master at Chis elburst. It is notorious that the President and his Prime Minister, M. Buffet, are bitterly hostile to the pepmanent estublishment of a republic, Possibly Mao ‘ahon, being a family man, with a fine son and heir, might be himself induced to accept the imperial crown of France if it were offered to him; but the Marsha) does not disguise or attempt to disguise his predilection for the monarchical form of government over that of a republic. Well, the French people having been over and over again ofticially informed of the Marshal's sen- timents on the subject, have now publicly rebuked him, and unanimously refused to give his monarchical Premier, M. Buflet, a place in the Senate atall. Both the Prime Minister and his right hand man, Dufaui have been ignominiously rejected by the pop: solely on account of their anti-republican opini 4 SOLEMN WARNING OF DANGER TO THE MONARCITES. Now herein isa bitter nut to crack for the courte and cabinets of Europe. Should a French Republic be established on a firm basis, with a President at a smal) salary and universal equality, the people of neighbor- ing States will, or may begin to ask themselves whether they also cannot, do without kings and queens, civib lists and gorgeous sinecures, useful for nothing. Pos sibly, probably, the sum of human happiness may not be materially increased by a change of one form of gov- ernment for another, Abuses, ministerial and other- wise, will never cease from the world. ut this series of events may now be expected :— First.—The courts and cabinets of the Old World will do all that craft and courage can urge them to do to upset the French Republic before it is consoli- gated. ‘Second.—The republican majority in both branches of the French Legislature, being unused to the cautious and discreet exercise of power, will abuse their strength in a premature attempt to crush their opponents out of existence, and their opponents, thus being driven to despair, will die hard. ird.—Marshal MacMabon, a man of military in- stincts, finding his government turned out of Parlia- ment, will elect to govern without a Parliament, and both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies will protest against this form of administration, denouncing it ag Cwsarian, and in eloquent speech generally. , THR GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE 1s now a republic with monarchical institutions, repre- sented by a inajority of Deputies of the people deter- mined on abolishing those institutions Therefore one party or the other mast give way, and then will come the final tug of war, Divested’ of all nonsense and rhodomontade, the question will then stand thus:— First. European republicanism asking for liberty and equality, with fratero: perhaps, by and by, as we draw peirer to the millennium. European republican- ism, represented by all the brain power, eloquence and poetry of the Old World, certain to establish itself in glory sooner or later, but seems to want more martyra, —Emperors, kings, queens, grand dul princes (including Baden and Monaco), courtiers, sinecurists, financiers, loan mongers, fearful folk, nobles and expectant nability growing rich to buy titles, all crying “fudge!” “Liberty, equality, frater- nity,’ forsooth, yo breechless republicans and’ radical toggery! There never were such things in the world and never will be!’ Be it likewise remembered that MacMahon, now him- self a ruler of the earth, and, therefore, consorting with other rylers gf the arth, mostly monarchial, on equal terms, is likely be much influenced by the argu- ments he will hear from sovereigns, their ambassadors: and representatives. Moreover, that the public opinion ot France bas now pat it out of bis power to rule them constitutionally on his own principles. He must either consent to be frankly and heartily republican hence- forth and quietly to resign his authority at the expira- tion of the term allotted to it er he must resolve upom A STROKE OF STATRORAPT of which no man can at present foresee the conse- quences. An exhausted and discouraged nation might ofier him the crown, # victorious rabble might boot him inte exile, The army, the navy and the oo administration offices are’ still filled chiefly by Bona- partists; but the French nation Is, as we have seen, re- publican, and ap army has never yet been found to act vigorously and jong against a united and resolute people, OFF THE TRACK The nine o’clock train on the Flushing and North Shore Railroad, while entering the side track at Win- field yesterday morning, to pass the train leaving Flushing, on the same road, mounted the rails on the mde track. The forward track of the first coach ver and th h the tunately there were but three gers in the car, none of whom were injured. ¢ trains west trans. ferrod their passengers at Winfleld to the Long Island trains. Travel on te main road was interrupted fon three hours, THE HOBOKEN FIRE BUGS William Ryan and Michael Maher, each aged about twenty-two and members of Hook and Ladder No. 1 of Hovoken, who were arrested by a police officer for setting fire to the lower apartment of a partly house in Bloomfeld street, near Eleventh, were’ Fotce ‘Uincer Whalen weg Captain Donovan wastited 0 Lf LJ that the floor and doors had been saturated kero~ poe di wearhan sikepwienge’ bis } oy The Recorded 0 retused fe recgivn bas and they ware committed to the County Jail to await the action of the Grand Jury,