The New York Herald Newspaper, February 17, 1876, Page 5

* the nomination for which he decline. THE STATE CAPITAL, How Governor Tilden Beguiled Ex- Governor Seymour. Plotting for Presidential Candidature. JUDGE SOUTHWORTH REJECTED A New Commission for the Cro- 7 ton Aqueduct. THE “NO SEAT NO FARE” BILL DELAYED Aupayy, 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, a spirit of nostility to Governor Tilden’s ad- ministrative policy. Previous to this he had taken pains to investigate tho causes of dissension in the democratic party of New York ci‘y, and there, too, he discovered that Tilden , had alienated a formidable body ef 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, fall of the idea that Tilden was the sole ob- struction in the way of a harmonious democracy, he hastened 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 sevoral of his friends, and even on the steps of the Capitol, with ‘is coat buttoned up tightly and his hat determinedly pressed down on the back of his head, he reiterated bis 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 wear at hand the affable Horatio could not find it in his heart to rebuke nis old chum, and eappressing the thoughts that labored big for utterance, entered into tonversation 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, ‘gain resolves to fight Tilden, and now the knowing ones say that Seymour is@eing played upon by the old heads of the Canal Ring, who want to entangle hire in the same meshes from which Sanford E. Churd. «8 (ately escaped, Seymour has again caught, beyond doubt, the Presidential “‘jim-jams.” This inference is fleduced from the fact that whereas Sey- wour was foremost in urging the crusade against the Canal Ring he is now said to be pleading for compromise on its bebalf, for the abandonment of further prosecutions, and the restora. Hon of democratic harmony in all quarters and th. Somination of himself for President. Further, say th gossips, should the delegation from New York go to tl National Convention pledged to » for Tilden, th, Sanford E, Church will be candice ° { Judge Church is strengthening his chana. oval ever may be the political position to which he aspires by taking an active interest in the prosecution of the Ring suits, and earning a name for “reform,” the grand shi olpth of political parties in this centennial year, 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- an to furnishing accommodation for the Second rt ot the Court of General Sessions. They Bay that to prevent a vast accumulation of untried 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 is danger- ous to heaith and life, Grand room, in the ier cat Sareea, ee ar cy ” id unwholesome as to be unfit for any p ose anyon and especiaily for the accommodation of fn ae number of witnesses who are in daily attendance upon the Grand Ji i while the exposed situation of the room, open, it is, to the street and the park, renders it impossible for the Grand Jury to discuss matters oC before them without being overheard by lis- rs and eavesdroppers, The appeal is “— b Sinclair Tousey, foreman, and Cortland De P. Field, Becretary. WHY IS THIS BILL DELAYED? Over a month ago Senator Bixby introduced a sbort 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 My suery’ A Committee and has never been heard of since, though the chairman, Judge Robertson, who is generally 80 Lig od in reporting the business of bis committee, cannot but know that his withholding this bill from the Senate {s a source of embarrassment to the officers of the Court of neral Sessions, who have earned their salaries and* deservo to be just as promptly as the Senator him- self 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, but 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 republicans—Messrs. Robertson Prince—voting with the democrats in nomination. Rogers made a brief speech explanator; of his vote. He said no considerations had any piace 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- inence in experience rightness m character, Vedder, atte one of as soeanes to whom the nomination was referred, and who voted for its rejection, said looked upon it as a political momination, made in the political interest of the Gov- ernor, The democrats said not a word, and by their silence mortified tne republicans. LEGISLATIVE NOTES, Mr. Prince’s bill, authorizing the transfer in simple of all the real estate now Home, situated in the town of by the lush. Hosts New York Infant Asyli passed the to the New c Senate, aad also Mr. Morrissey’s bill for the 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 bas to concur. The County Treasurers bill occupied the chief time of tho Senate to-day. At an inf caucus of democratic Senators held last evening it was resolved to pursue an aggressive policy for the rest of the session ana make a ton the Govechor"s bill to enlarge the powers of the Canal Board. 4A GRAB YOR PATRONAGE. Somewhat of a surprise was created this morning by the bill introduced by Mr. 8 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 ——— of the act the Comptroller is to it the Commissioner, whose salary is to be 000 a year and is to hold bis office for five years. He is to have cognizance and control of ali structures, ap- ances and bow ghd connected with or appertain- wo the supply distribution of Croton water, the ae the revenue arising from the use of the Croton the construction, care and cleaning pablic sewers, drains and appurtenances thereof, videwalks, and or water, of all it—a bureau for laying &e., ete to be the bed ts of revenue, to be under a property Souneited with and’ atrerisining the fee and ay riaining to ir mishing and distribution of Crovan ‘water, 10 be under Engineer; ® bureau having care of all that of Public P| ame of ‘“Commis- jueduct”* shall be substitu bill will not have slighten prorpect of succeam, Wickham has now a hold on the mombers of the than Mr. G if latter has a notion that he can get into his hands The Polico Commissioners’ repiy to the Assem! resolution asking for all the lalepintes ana ~0f ence that between the otbers ip tothe Montreal Fl i NEW YURKK HERALD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1876.—TRIPLE SHEET. lation, says:—“‘It has been the custom for the chief executive officer of the New York police to direct the apprehension Bhagat tage’ m the are so See specific tel request of the police aut vith Pier igs mene or foreizn, relying upon the spe poe Bmp a of document or personal proof to in such interference or make good a detence to apy suit therefor. Such action has seemed to be im- atively demanded by public exigencies and necessary, Both to prevent New York from being a resort aud asylum for foreign criminais as also to secure the cap- ‘ture and rendition of our own fugitives. This aysump- tion of responsibility bas often and again made it = sible to secure the extradition and punishment of - adn criminals and the recovery and restitution of jarge amounts of stolen property. It has, too, been sanctioned by the in the case of F. W. Marvin, nm, apprehended puvemay, to a telegram from wor Greig, of the iverpool police, om the arrival of the steamer Calabria, December 13, 1872, by Detective Elder, and who, havin, been brought before the Supreme Court on a writ of habeas corpus, was remanded to await the arrival {rom General Smith, after referring to this urté—viz., England of © George Marsh with papers for his ex- tradition, » "” was effected January 6,157 The princi- direct} sathorization for such a practice is to be und in« | £06 of the Laws of 1867, which author- izes the po, foree ‘to protect the rights of persons ‘and proper y’ and for these purposes, ‘with or with- out warrant, to arrest all persons guilty of any law or ordinance for the sup) jon or punishment of crimes or offences,’ General Smith closes his communication as follows :—“‘As It may well be questioned waether this statute be sufficient ‘to meet the pepe needs, the Poligeg Commissioners are 1 espectiully of opinion that, however salutary may have been the actual operations of the usage above referred to, such grave interference with personal liberty should not be left to official comity and discretion, but should be definitely regu- lated by further legislation.” NO SBAT NO PARE It is very evident that the railroad companies will leave no stove unturned in order to secure the defeat of tbe Killian bill, The latest news concerning their jans in opposition to it is that all tho New York companies had a _ meeting yes- terday in your city, when they decided to employ William M. Evarts as their counsel to appear before 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 bearing on the bill for a week or so, in order that Mr. Evarts might be able to attend, his present engagemenis not allowing him to 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 during the re- cess have ampie time to ply their arts in order to convince members at their homes—those 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 such a measure as Mr. Killian has seen fit to father. As Mr. Strahan’s sub- committee to investigate the doings of the lobby ts still in session, he would do well to keep his eye upon fraternity.” Mr, Carey left bim to-day after reading \ 2 Herp, “with a big flea in bis 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 plucked out of the Sippy Dill. Mr. Strahan’s committee will do well to keep him also in view, He, is going about talking against the ‘‘no seat no fare bill WITTLING AT OPPICIAL SALARIES, ‘The bill re] to-day favorably by Mr. Fish, Chair- ‘oy C the Committee on Ci tm lieu of all other bills °e to the salaries of New York officials, and which @ publican caucus of Thursday last decided should ¢ P seca provides that the salaries shall be hereafter as follows :— The Mayor, $10,000; Comptroller, $10,000; Commis- sioner of Public Works, $8,000; Corporation Counsel, $10,000; President of the Board ot Police, $7,000; Com- fissioners of Police, other than the President, $6,000; President of the Depariment of Parks, $5,506 Commissioners of Parks, other than the Presi- dent, nothing; President of the Fire Depart- ment, $6,000; Fire Commissioners, other than the President, $6,000; President of the Commissionersof Charities and Correction, $5,500; Commissioners of Charities and Correction, other than the President, $4,500; President of the Health Department, $5,500; Commissioners of Health, other than the President, $4,000; members of the, Board of Aldermen, $2,000; President of the Board of Aldermen, $3,000; President of the Department of Taxes and Assessments, $5,500; Commissioners of Taxes and Assessments, other than the President, ha po: Prosident of the Depart- ment of Docks, $5,500; Commissioners of Docks, other than the nt, $8,000; Superintendent of ‘Build. ings, $4,000; Commissioners of Account, $2,500; Civil Justices, $5,000. The act ‘that no subordinate in any depart. ter salary than the salary paid re beat f the partment, This will, wo u ol 1e ent 1s jens cul down in re bring about a The poo pe =, rh yy tan ae Ly meagenn to the constitu v: verno} r to up. 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 have them in bewg do not keep their eyes open. I¢ igsaid the present Prison vies peat not being anxious to lose their places, are doing all they can to bring about the ultimate defeat of the resolutions. Whea asked for b enrerrg by members of the Legislature they reply that they do not intend to make many ap- pointments until they see what action is taken upon the proposed amendment, and that then they will oblige only their friends. This, it is believed, is in- tended as an inducement to the pap, hunters in the House to secure the defeat of the amendment. If tis can be done, even by having some slight change le 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 amendmonts of little importance, it was ordered to a third reading. | ‘A BOARD OF 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 clérk, also a railroad accountant, at a salary of not more than $3,000 annually; the Commissioners to have an office in the city of Albany; said Board to have the general — supervision of all railroads,* and the; shall examine the same and keep themselves informed as to the condition and manner m which the raflroads are operated; the Commissioners to have Dose to compel the production of books and papers; to examine the books and accounts of street railway companies; annual ports to be made by the Commissioners to the Legisia- ture. The annual salary of the Commissioners shall be $10,000 each, and of their clerk, $3,500. The expenses of the Commission are to be borne by the railroad corporations. COMMITTER ON CRIME. The Committee on Crime appointed by the Assembly last winter will submit their report to the Legislature to-day. mendations made init aeericmessaeere NEW JERSEY LEGISLATURE. LIMITING THR MATIONAL GUARD OF THE STATE—THE FIVE COUNTY ACT—A DISCUSSION 4S TO THE EXEMPTION OF MORTGAGES, Trextox, Fob. 16, 1874 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 cavalry to two and of aftillery 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 authorizea to any and all militia organizations to defray the expenses of an ap- nual encampment is withh The e: on ac. count of the militia in any one year shall not exceed $25,000. It is made a misdemeanor to exceed this amount. In the House the following bills were introdncea:— By Mr. concerning the burial of persons killed on railroads in Middlesex county, provides that the ratiroad companies shal! defray ‘the expenses of the burials and inquests of all porsons killed on their railroads, provid! such hong Fog Bot 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. Mr, Owen, an act relative to taxes, which By Mr, Owen, an cos, wi Provides that hereater all real estate and personal property within the State shall pe gs ee on and taxation for all purposes im the ner now provided law, psn that to all cases where the holder pA ortgage shall not reside in same township premises lie, the tax on the money secured by the assessed inst and paid township where the lands lie, and Collector shall be a legal payment for so ara of the terest of said mortgage and be and jucted t by the mortgagee; that in such case the said ‘shall not be assessed for such mortgage in the township or county in which he or she resides; but in all cases mortgages shall be taxed as is nal property. Committee on Public Bills beld a session in when the subject of exempting mort- taxation was discussed at length by Sena- Oe TEs gg and Messrs. “Lewis, ‘and Vall, ‘hoyses adipurned until to-morrow morning, OBITUARY. BEVERLEY ROBINSON, SB. Beverley Robinson, Sr., an old and highly 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 bis heart last Monday evening and resulted ip his death at six o'clock the following morn- ing. The history of the family to wnich the deceased be- longed is intimately connected with that of the early days ot the Repubdlic. The grandfather of the subj of this sketch—Colonel Beverley Robinson—liv 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 the royalists when the Declaration of independence was promulgated, Colonel Robin- sen’s residence at West Point was confis- cated by the patriots, and was occupied by Benedict Arnold and his family at the time wien that oreh traitor was concocting his treasonable ; lans for the surrender of the important post then com- manded by bim. Lossing, in his “Field Book of the Revolation,” says “it is eupposed that he (Colonel Rob- inson) was Arnold’s correspondent and confidant in his preliminary acts of treason, aid that the intentions of the traitor were known to him before any intima- on of them was made to Sir Henry Clinton.”” At ihe ¢onclusion of the war Colonel Robinson and a portion of histamily went to England, where he remained until his death, which occurred at Thornbury, in 1792, at the age of sixty-nine years, Colonel Robinson aud Washington were personal friends before the war, and it {8 asserted that at'the house of the former the “Father of His Country,’ while on bis 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 Robinson, the deceased, was the original of Thackeray’s Henry Esmoud, in bis “Virgimaus” He Was admitted to the Bar of this city in 1880, 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 all the old members of the Bar. -He was a fine type of the old school gentleman; courteous without affectation, and genial without obtrusivencss. He leaves a wife and family, 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 Jane, His firm was ‘‘R, & A. Lane,”’ He was a vet- eran of the War of 1812, haying 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 1886 he was elected a member of the Vestry and Su- perintender: the Sunday school of old St. George’s rs ‘an street, and so continued for thirty- five ye. ing the church up to its present loca- Men ob: . capt square. Wise in council, mature in indgmet, nd decision of character unu- “tle, all who knew him will feel that sual in ey the old school has passed away from only child living ts the wile of Vincent Bees, JOHN M, FERRIER, we pon 5 the older inhabitants of this city, died at, ‘@oD swenty-ninth street on the morning of t. he age of eighty-five years. He was aN y > -a, and has always resided in the city le following the protession of a sea cay). ee Was sient of the Marine Society, one of . stees ne Sailors’ Snug Harbor, and has cer "dane oF f positions of honor, Notwith- stan age he was in the enjoyment of exce 00 tired on Monday night feeling quite. , norning was found dead, He has been for t ars an activo member of the Oliver stroet (nov . venue) Baptist church, . \, CAPTAD MIN M. FERRIER. Captath John M. Fe: / diedon Tuesday morning at the advanced age of eigu _-five years, He was born in New York city and was very well known among the Older residents. After passing many years as asea captain he red from the profession and has since lived in the He was one of the trustees of the Sailors’ Sn) rbor and President of the Marine So- ciety. His death was qaite sudden, as he retired in ood health on Monday night and was found dead in ‘is bed. HENRY M'CLOSKEY. This gentleman died in the city of Brooklyn yester- day at the age of seventy-six years 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 church, of which Cardinal McCloskey was at the time pastor, He was the oldest aud only member of the Hibernian Society of fifty years JJ. McCloskey, th ramatist, and his brother Felix are the only two sons out of twelye boys who survive their futher, CAPTAIN A. W. WOOD, Captain Abraham W. Wood died at his residence at Tottenvitie, 8. L, early on the morning of the 16th 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, @ business in which he was largely interested with the Seguine family, who owned apart of the swamp and several vessels engaged in the trade. Mr. Wood was elected twice as Supervisor of the town of West- field, wnere he always resided, and at one timo was a Justice of Sessions. He was Justice of the Peace ut the time of his death. He was a democrat, and favorable to the Southern States during the rebellion. He was sixty years old, and stood among the highest in Masonry 1m Richmond county. ‘ HENRY ETTING, UNITED STATES NAVY. Henry Etting, 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.1st of January, 1818, and his latest commission bears date 3d of Mur 187L. Mr. Etung had a very long term of service and ‘was 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. Telleampf, 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 Cousse- 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 himself to music as an amatour, and studied the productions of the early and middle ages, the results of his patient search and vast erudi- tion being shown in various works; one of them— “Histoire de I'Harmonte 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 tho collection, “Scrip- tores Ecciesiastici 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 compositi Hf His “‘Art Harmonique” up to the fourteenth century, ‘Histoire des Instraments de Musique au Moyen Age,” were o' mteresting contributions for the study 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 Siet of January. Mrs. O'Hagan had entered upon her religious life at the ago of seventoan, in the Convent of Poor Ch in Newry. Afterward, when the convent of that Order in Kenmare was founded, she became its head, ata time when she had only just reached the canonical age. ever since invariably re-elected by the sisterhood, and thus remained abbess for @ quarter of a century. Under her auspices, conjointly with those of the late Archdeacon O'Sullivan, were erected the beau. tiful convent and the magnificent church which never fail to arrest the oye of the traveller who passes through Kenmare. — school which she founded ranks among the very first of its class in [ and the exquisite specrmens of needlework ju by widely known. & piety ot its pupils are .well the deepest and most solid kind Mrs. O'Hagan added. peat f uncommon talents and jweetness of nature and charm of manner which won every one who approached her. How mach her nuns revered and Joved her is shown by the fact of their never exercising the freedom in the choice of a ———- which their jan by re-electing health, but all arouna her clung to the lawt to the ‘thaj, her lite would ve spared. She died, as she with holiness, tervor and resienation, — 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, Wasuixaron, 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 letter 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 does not deny that the President sent for bim and directed such a letter to be written, Judge Jeremiah Black, having read the Dyer letter 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 Genoral 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 againss others without implicating himself, and nevertheless does so, he goes far to atone for his share in the been the policy of all governments age all such disclosures by granting arog to persons who make them, and the informant is hel ipso facto, not amenable. to prosécutiun, This is es- ecially true in cases of extensive conspiracies. The Jnited States have always recognized the necessity and propriety of acting thus, The principle is embodied in an act of Congress rolating to investigations before com- mittees of either House, I have no right wo criticize the letter of tho 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 Black said this slowly and ina very cautious mannor, and he emphasized the word discouragement. LETTER OF ATTORNEY GENERAL PIERREPONT. To THe EprTor oF THE HERALD:— Tread in the Heraup 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 dissatisfled that the letter was not stronger. The President has never expressed such qissatisfaction, nor have I made “excuse,” nor do I intend to make any excuse. I never did and I never will excuse 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 official letters are—exposed by gross impropriety. I only wish that those who criticise i¢ 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- Og THE LEADERS WITH THE CUR- RENCY PROBIEM AND THE RETRENCHMENT PROGRAMME. The democratic party in the House is not in a 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 tho 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 men on 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, bowever, at the meeting to-morrow, if it reports at all, there is no likelihood of immediate action ia 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 the session, ‘Tho question of retrenchment is another cause of iaisunderstanding 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. Tho estimate for public Wiildings came before the Appropriation Committee yesterday, and Mr. Randall 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 the proposed total, for the pub- lic buildings in St, Louis, and on this a very lively dis- cussion took place, Messrs, Randall Holman were willing to give him $50,000, 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, regardjess 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 million—over last year’s appropriations, and when the Logislative, Judicial and Executive bill ts brought in it ‘will be found that there are very considerable savings, Tho tariff rests for the present. M: democrats say that it is extremely imprudent in the party to re. vise or in any way change it on the eve of a Presiden- Hal election, because such changes are sure to cause {ll teeling; but there are leading men in the party who fay that, a8 commerce 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; t on that side of the House there is a considerable mmber of men who will vote with the democrats for a revision, and there are even sensible protectionists on both sides who will voue thus when the time gomes. It is probably that any sound currency bill will also crime, It has, therefore, to encour. any any depend for its success upon a union oF repaoncan wee weratic votes, and that if it passes it will be with such 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 :ire of inflation. NO PROSPECTS OF OR REASONS FOR SECRETARY BRISTOW'S RESIGNATION. There is no trash in the reports said to have circu. Iated in New York to-day that Secretary Bristow hed placed his resignation in the Presiijent’s hands. He has no present intention of doing so, and 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 able and a 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 havo led to the numerous suits and convictions, His unflinch- ing pursuit of the whiskey thieves has made him a 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 couutry was not desirous of going to war again in a hurry, Then tho 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- ring the public mind, if, indeed, it nas not become odious and unpopular, as evidenced in two States— viz, New Jersey and Rhode Island—whero several re- ligtous 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 paymenta. Nor is the heresy confined to the democratic side of the House in its new departure. It is gaming 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 ono hundred republicans at least upon the floor, The sudden secession of one of the republican organs here, 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 cSmposition, 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 hard money democrats, The Committee is as follows, being made up of five soft money men and only four bard money men, viz. :-— Messrs. Bright, of Tennessee; Holman, of Indian: 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 said that of the four Senators who are to form the joint committeo only Mr, Merrimon, 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 18 the West and the South in combination again. An Eastern democrat, in speaking of this foa- 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 Tilaen 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 bim 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, The 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 specie and resumption in the far future, TEMPORARY ABSENCE OF SPEAKER KERR—MR. COX TO FILL HIS PLACE. Speaker Kerr to-day asked a brief leavo 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 place until Mr, Kerr resumes 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. Ge 1 Schenck has sent in his resignation again and the President bas accepted !t GENERAL WASHINGTON DESPATCHES. Wasmxaron, 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 from Nor- folk, whither they went to examine into naval affairs generally. The officers connected with the North Atlantic 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 are valuable for river and harbor defence. They do not place much vaiue on the eight sloops-of-war recently built, as they are deficient in speed and otherwise objectionable. ey, the Trenton the best of that class. The abuse of political influence at the Nortolk Navy Yard, and also tho 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 Commitcee oni Territories, reported a bill to amend the act of the 3d of March, 1875, for the admission of Colo- rado a6 State, and it was considered in Committee of the Whole, The ae eee th per te Sxpemes’ot the Constitational Convention, it boing clarmed that there was no + for such preceden' ath After a bong discussion the committee rose and the bill Was passed without the veas and pays, PRENCH REPUBLICANISM. 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 perbaps, the authorities of the Swiss Canton, who do not properly constitute a court or cabinet, are alarmed atthe 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, more 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 is not 4 little irrational and premature must be considered as quite another question. One of tho clearest aspects which the popu- lar triumph presents at this moment is the defeat ot the Bonapartists, and, should they have veeu 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 certamly an important thing, and there are other considerations equally weighty for the diplomacies of the Old World which grow out of a careful study of this Senatorial election business, It has taught the various political factions which have been Mghting 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 had been asked what were THE PROSPRCTS OF FRANCE aweck 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 Bonapartists 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 indulgo seriously Im any illusion on the subject. There was, up to the close of Inst month, a very general and apparently well founded impression that Paris was secretly Bonapartist, Tt was thought, not without a show of reason, that @ city inhabited chiefly by. those classes which thrive best on the luxury and splendor of a court would have rejoiced 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 no doubt cher- ished this hope, and even speculated freely 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 how vain it has proved can now be estimated, for Paris haw just conferred the, most splendid compliment in his- tory on the republican Wictor Hugo, who is not only the bitterest but the most powerfal and the most prominent of the enemies of the Napoleons. Paris, supposed to be really the stronghold of courtly in- fluences, actually elected M. Victor Hugo as her sole delegate 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 electe five republican Senators, and abselutely refused ta record a vote in favor of any one Bonapartist or othes monarcbical candidate. ' WHAT MAY FOLLOW. T have dealt first with the overthrow of the imperia party, because no one entertained either hopes or feart that the legitymists or the Orleansts could win a vic- tory, But the issue of the Senatorial elections carried the French people 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 hit Prime Minister, M. Buffet, ermanent establishment of a republic, Possibly Mao ‘ahon, being a family man, witha 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 Officially 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, ace in the Senate atall. Both the Prime Minister and his right hand man, Dufaure, have been ignominiously rejected by the popular voice solely on account of their anti-republican opinions, A SOLEMN WARNING OF DANGER TO THE MONARCHTES, Now herein is a 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 hsts 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. Hut 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 ve upset the French Republic before it is consoli- aated, Second.—The republican majority in both branches of the French Legislature, being unused to the cautious and discrect 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, Third.—Marshal MacMahon, a man of military in- stinets, 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 Cvesarian, and in eloquent speech generally. 4 THR GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE 1s now a republic with monarchical institutions, sented by a inajority of Deputies of the oa mined on abolishing those in: jons. Therefore o1 party or the other must 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 fraternity, perhaps, by and by, as we draw pearer to the millenniam. European republican- ism, represented b; the brain power, eloquence and poetry of the Old World, certain to establish iteelfim glory sooner or later, but seems to want more mart} Second.—Emperors, kings, queens, grand dul princes (inclading 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- selt a ruler of the earth, and, therefore, consorting with other rylars 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 of France bas now put it out of his r to rule them constitutional co his own principles. He must either consent to be frankly and heartily republican ce 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 BTATRCRAPT of which no man can at it foresee the conse. quences, An exhausted and discouraged nation might offer him the crown, a victorious rabble might hoot him into exile, The army, the navy and the ism omy administration offices are still Glled chiefly by Bona- partists; but the French nation is, as we have seen, re- publican, and an army has never yet been found to act vigorously and jong against a united and resolute people. © bitterly hostile to the 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 side track. Tho forward truck of the first coach turned completely over and of the car, throwing th ately there by" whom were injured. ferrod their passengers at Winfleld to the Long Island trains, Travel on te main road was interrupted Ubree hours, THE HOBOKEN FIRE BUGS. William Ryan and Michael Maher, each aged about twenty-two and members of Hook and Ladder No. 1 of Hoboken, who were arrested by « police officer for setting fire to the lower apartment of a partly house in BloomMeld street, near Eleventh, were day betore Recorder Bohnstedt for M lice Officer Whalen and Captain that the floor and doors had been saturated kero~ sone oll, and that there was also @ large heap of shav- ings. Ryan has acknowledged hieguilt, The Recordes retused to receive bail, and they County Jail to await the action of the Grand Jury,