The New York Herald Newspaper, May 20, 1876, Page 4

4 PETER COOPER. The Venerable Philanthropist on the | Condition of the Country. THE VITAL ISSUE IN THE COMING CAMPAIGN, ‘ Commercial Depression Directly Trace- able to Contraction. THE MODERN SEARCH FOR A MAN, entice ” said the venerable Peter Cooper, as he looked at a Heeacp reporter over his tour-glassed spectacles; “I think Grant has a better chance than anybody else. Idon’t object to a third'term. It isn’t the length of time so much asthe man, If Grant were a second Washington, I should think ita good idea to re-elect him, But he isn’t, If 1 were to suggest any chango at all in that@direction it would be to have but one term—a longer one than four years—and then make it Impossible for a President to be his own successor. That being the law the incumbent, instead of worrying about a renomination or a desire to get out with a for- tune, would be naturally desirous of leaving a good | impression, 80 that, late in life, he might, perhaps, be recalled to that exalted station, ’” Rxvorrer—From the emphasis you laid on the words “the man,” just now, I infer that you are like Messrs. Adams and Weed—looking for the ‘Great Un- known.” The Western convention seemed to think you might be he. Mr. Coorgr—Yes; I see, I sre. God knows I love my country and would cheertully lay down my life tor her in this dark hour of her need. The terrible con- dition of affairs is well calculated to stir every senti- ment of patriotism and regard a man has in his breast. The end is not yet. Half THR CITY 18 MORTGAGED, é and the mortgages can’t even pay the mterest. Letme give you a specimen brick. Some time since a friend of mine purchased property for $20,000, He had a mortgage on it of $10,000. He did’nt comply with tho | terms, It was advertised for sale, He attended. The only bidder was the mortgagee, who bought the $20,000 property for $500 cash, and now holds the $20,000 property and the bond for $9,500 besides, “Will he have the heart to enforce the bond ?”” very cent of it, until it takes the last drop of blood in his debtor's body. Now, that’s a nice state of things, isnt it? And it?s what we are all coming to, Labor is too high.” Everything else 1s depressed, and yet the SYSTEM OF STRIKES is encouraged by the great body of workingmen and by some of the inconsiderate press. 1 know what labor is. | 1 began hfe as a worker, aud from my $1 50 a day saved | and saved until I went into business and amassed enough to keep me in comfort as long as I last. So with the honest and industrious men of to-day. They work and lay by something fora rainy day, but pres- tntly astrike comes, They are thrown out of work and the bard earned money they carefully put away 1s Wasted 1m supporting a lot of lazy fellows whose only tlaim is that they belong tothe union. it’s all wrong and very terrible, but the . , MONKEY TINKERS ARE AT FAULT, “When we were at war, struggling for the life of the bation, no sacrifice was tou great, Tosave the country Was our first and constant thought. We did right to borrow gold and sitver as long as we could and then we Hid right to issue certificates of indebtedness until peace came and then the borrowing should cease, We had then in circulation about $2,000,000,000; now we have about $700,000,000 or $800,000,000, Look at the stupendous, the ruinous difference! How can we expect fo prosper with this state of things? The $2,000,000,000 was the price of the nation’s life, It Should be restored to circulation again, It should be made the never changing, never fluctuating standard of value, increased or diminished only per capita ‘with the growth of our population,” GOVERNOR TILDEN, 7 Rerorren—The politicians rather avoid the serious aspects of this question, Have you spoken with Gov- eruor Tilden on the subject? Mr. Coorkr—Oh, yes. I called on Mr. Tilden a few days ago afd left with nim an address I was to have read, and which was read, at the [udianapolis Conven- Hou, As I did so, I sald;—*Mr. Tilden, if you can ftand on this platform it will affurd me very much pleasure to do what I can to make you President.” But he bas other things to think of. All these poli, Hiclans are thinking of self and how to advance their own prospects. Mr. Tilden is a well meaning man, but he inust take a stand on this question if he hopeg to be supported vy thinking men. THE COMING MAN, Reroxter—Who is the coming man in your opinion? Yourself? Mr. Coorer—Heaven knows, I would make any ®acrifice for my country; but I am too old, I am eighty-eight years old and would hardly live to reach the place, let alone the end of the term. Ob, no. I wrote the Convention that I was admonished by the iniirmities of age—although I am in better health than {have been in twenty years—that I must decline, and Idid, They have nominated Mr, Allen, who is an ox- cellent candidate and will develop a strength that will surprise the critics, There will be enough voters leave the party ranks to elect the third party candi- date unless action, which means relief, is taken at the tonventions, Revorten—How about Grant? Mr. CooPer—Oh, Grant. I wrote to Grant long ago in relation to the subject. I told him then that the men who left their parties, having faith in his Jeader- | ship, would stand by him vagain if he placed himself right on this vital question. We look too much at men and forget the neces- Hity of looking at principles. The constitution shows us what to do. Nowadays people know very ttle about the constitution, and care less, That docu- ment is a chart by which the way to prosperity can al- | ways be found, It expressly directs the government what to do, and among other Imperative duties it says fovernment shall coin moncy, and that monoy—not uecesaarily gold or silver—is to be receivable for taxes, flutics and débts of egery kind, Whea we borrowed | money of the people we issued these evidences of debt, and their withdrawal is the chief cause of our financial | distress. Tho depression affects us all alike, and I am glad to find that in the ranks of labor throughout the | country there's not only an appreciation of the act | that our trouble is properly, chargeabie to the mone- tary mistakes of Congress, but also an intelligent understanding of the desired remedy. Ihave been in correspondence with trade unionists all over the country and finda very gratifying response to these Suggestions, You may depend upon it, if the two great parties ignore the central feature of the cam- paign, THE PEOPLE | Will take the matter in their own hands and elect the | ticket of their own choice, The present condition of | eiairs is unbearable. Where we will all end is easily | seen. Mortgaged property, closed stores, lazy strikers | living on the little savings of the industrious, busi- hess paralyzed, while idicness and extravagance waste our substance. We need to return to | the solid foundations Equity dems the re- | turn to the people of that amount of money which was in their hands at the close of the | war, and what equity demanas should always be granted. Why, 1 sat nextto Jones, of the Dimes, at the Chamber of Commerce dinner the other day and | ‘went allover this question with him. He assented as I wont along, and then said:—“You are correct, Mr. | Cooper ; is all as you say, but we cannot say so in | the Times.” The fact is the papers are subsidized with. | ‘out knowingit; absolutely overshadowed by the power and wealth of our great corporations, Both cnds are wrong. LABUR 18 CAPITAL. ‘Why, I went into the office of the Ezpress nows- paper the other day, aud im talking with my friend | Brooks, he said :— “Mr. Cooper, I huve thirty men in that composing feom, I want to put my boy in there, but they won't | lot me, besause they have two apprentices already!” | Now you see there must be a comity of in- | terest if we oxpect to have a prosperous country. My heat Bleeds for my country, Heaven knows tho | fwouble she is in, and getting deeper and deoper all the | | | NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1876—TRIPLE SHEE. ime. If only there could be born some mighty mind that would tear away the veil that obscures the vision of our public mea and shed the full light of intetli- gence and honesty on our affairs, it would be, indeed, a giorious day for us, My hope isin Allen. What the result will be C can only infer. If Grant and Tilden, or some candidate who is bat Grant's right hand and | Tilden, are the opposing candidates, unpledged on thig great question, the third party will elect its ticket for the healing of the nation. Revorrer—ln addition to your addresses on this subject and your letter to the President, are you doing anything to affect legislation in this direction? Mr. Coorgzr—Yes, I have circulated all over the coun- \ POLITICS, PEOPLE AND PAPERS. BLAINE AND BRISTOW—XEW JERSEY POLITICS— GOVERNOR TILDEN IN THE SOUTH. Nothing is more noticeable in recent politics than the fact that, while up to the day before the Ohio Demo- cratic Convention newspaper evidence pointed to Thur- man as the choice of all Northern Ohm, and of haif of Southern Ohio, as a Presidential candidate, old William Allen stepped in at‘the last moment and carried off the practical honors, This was because the politicians em- ployed by Allen were better machine tenders than those who sentimentally followed Thurman. The try this PETITION. To THe Sevate AND House ov RePRESENTATIVES IX CONGRESS ASSEMBLED :— .. Your petitioners desire most earnestly to represent to your honorable bodies the suffering condition of hundreds of thousands who not only gave their best efforts, in all formgof property and labor, but also risked their lives #6 save the nation through the years ot its greatest peril. We now tind ourselves deprived of our former employments, property and means of living by what we regard as a mistake made in the fivancial policy of our country. We beheve that it is even now possible for Congress to restore prosperity to our suffering people, by recognizing the fact that there shouid be but one kind of money for all. purposes ; and alithat is now or ever hes’ been requiged to cause ‘Treasury notes to be and remain as ‘raladble as gold ts that the government should make them recetvable for all forms of taxes, duties and debts, aud interchange- at the will of the holder, with the interest-bearing fthe government. We also suggest the with- of twenty-five per cent annually of the present reulation till all ig replaced by greenbacks. We urge on your honorable bodies, by every consideration of patriotism and humanity, and ‘as the only meuns.of establishing justice and promoting the general welfare, to legislate at once in the relief of the great suilering and continual loss that the present policy of gov- ernment entails on the great mass of tho people. The circumstances of the country make some relief now indisponsable, as a large part of the property of the people is under mortgages, That will inevitably pass the property from the dis- tressea holders into the hands of those who now hold mortgages ‘for but half of its original cost. We most urgently, therefore, press upon your consideration the means of relief set forth in this petition; and for this we will ever pray. ‘That goes to the root of the matter, and if Congress would act in the promises we would be spared a torriblo disaster, But our politicians are but politicians, The need of the times is, indeed, a man—an honest, consti- tution-respecting, God-fearing man, REPUBLICAN REFORM MOVEMENT. The officers and members of committecs of the Re- publican Reform Club, No. 39 Union square, are, they say, actively at work this week carrying out practical measures resolved upon at the last meeting of the Ex- ecutive Committee, the nature of which they decline at present to make public, but which, they declare, are of such a nature ag to increase their confidence that tho etfort to secure the nomination.of reform candidates at Cincinnati will be successful, Some additions have been recently made to the list of officers of the club, which 18 now as follows :— President—Hon, James Emott. Vice Presidents—Joseph 3. Choate, Hon. John Jay, Hon, William E. Dodge, John Jacob Astor, Tsane Shi man, Rey, Henry W. Bellows, Robert Lenox Kenned Alexander Hamilton, A. A. Low, Hon, E. L. Fancher, James C. Carter, Join E. Williams, F. D. Tappan, John K, Parsons, Albert Gallatin Browne, Jr,, John H. Sher- wood, George J. Schuyler, Jackson 8, Schultz, Le Grand B. Cannon, Solon Humphreys, Elliot C, Cowdin, General J. H. Van Alen, Houry E. Pierrepont, J. Pier- pont Morgan, Rutherford Stuyvesant, George’ Walker, Benjamin B, ‘Sherman, A, S, Barnes, L. P. Morton, George Cabot Ward, William H: Guion, B, G. Arnold, David Dows, George S, Coe, Dorman B, Eaton, John Sherwood and George H. Forster. Secretary—Colonel Gouverneur Carr. « Treasurer—George Walker, Executive Committee—General Tl, L. Burnett, chair- man; Jobin W, Ellis, Francis A, Stout, General Emer- son Opdycke, Cyrus Butler, John A. Weeks, General F. G. Barlow, ‘Chester Griswold, Colonel William. Church, Charles Watrous, Thoinas L. Thornell, Will- iam L. Strong, George W. Dillaway, GERMAN REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE, A regular meeting of the German Republican Central Committee was held last- evening at Remboldt’s Hall, Judge Dittenhoeter in the chair. On motion of the Executive Committee it was re- solved that this committee will, trom now until after election, be known as the German Republican Centra} Campaign Committee; that every district committee now represented be entitled to further five delegates, and that ali new organizations be entitled to three delegates. 1t was further resolved that the President issue av appeal to all Germans to join this organiza- tion, and that a meeting be held on the day after the Cincinnati nomination. It was finally resolved that all cool bodies, must organize bofore the first Monday in une, 4 INDEPENDENT LABOR PARTY; The Independent Labor Party met last evening at Masonic Hall. The organization went into an election of officers and succeeded in choosing William A, Casey as president, Frank Waters and Benjamin F, Weerdina vice presidents, Thomas Tully recording secretary, Frank Livingston corresponding secretary and Joseph J. Finnert treasurer. The organization then adopted the greenback platform and the resolutions passed by the State Committee of the greenback party at the Sturtevant House ou May 1, 1876. A new constitution and bylaws were adopted. POLITICAL NOTES. Nashville (Tenn.) American:—"A party that for ‘eight or ten years past has been growing steadily worse’ offers no very alluring promise to genuine re- formers. ‘Gri Schurz mado a good application of » current political bon mot, in the justification of politi- cal fence riding, ‘because thero was’ so much mud on both sides,’ ”” Syracuse (N. Y.) Courier:—“The gentlemen of the Conference had plenty of abtlity but little experience in politics, which accounts for their wordy address to the peopla These independents have no place in American politics to-day. The people are bound to support the nominations of the one or the other of the Great political parties, They have tried experiments enough, and we cannot expect that they will look with any great favor upon the independent movement.” Troy (N. Y.) Whig:—**The Ohio democrats are bold men. The State Convention defied public'sentiment by electing George H. Pendleton its President. This was a blow at public and private honesty. If Pendleton is aa honest man, after the proof that he took somo $80,000 for nominal services on aciaim that, if bad, ought not to have been paid, and, if good, ought to have gone to the railroad, then Belknap ought to be considered honest, The claim paid to Pendleton was not w valid one, and it i» acknowledged by Genera, Dunn, a government officer, that it was rejected on its merits and was ultimately paid on the personal influ- ence of Pendieton. Pendleton wronged the govern” ment out of the whole claim and pocketed nearly all of it, Belknap did not take a dollar of government money.” Troy (N. Y.) Budget :—“General Sherman 1s to be Drought forward for the Presidency, and there’s elec- tricity in the name, Iowa will propose him to the Republican Convention. He would ‘run like the chol- era,’ and could get more votes for President than any man in the United States., Hé 1s the most popular man yet named for the Presidency, as Roscoe Conkling is the most able.”” Sacramento Union:—“The democratic managers at ‘Washington are at present engaged in tho novel task of digging their own graves and the grave of thoir party.”” ‘Troy (N. Y.) Budget :—“Conkling stock is steadily rising. “Late news from Washington is to the effect that Conkling will have the delegations from Kansas and Nebraska. Conkling hes at least four ef the Ar- kansas delegation and a larger number from the Geor- gia delegauion, The others of the last two States named are divided between Morton, Bristow and Blaine.” Augusta (Ga.) Constitutionalist CENTRAL Uniess there are some new and stargling developments in the next | thirty days it would seem that Governor Tilden would certainly secure the prize, even if the two-thirds rule be adopted, as he is gaining all the while, We trust, however, this rulo will not be adopted at St Louis, The republicans have succeeded very well without it for twenty years, and there seems no reason why it shovld longer defeat the majority in the democratic party.” Macon (Ga.) Telegraph:—“When the Augean stables | had to be cleaned Hercules was called on to undertake the job, and he did it by turning @ big river through the concern, Yesterday William C. Bryant and party met in New York to undertake a similar job for the radical stable, and expected to do it with a Itttle ink and champagne. The result will bo a failure, Newburyport (Mass.) Herald: is safe to predict that if Mr. Adams shouid be nominated by any party that had a fair prospect of carrying the election he ‘Would be as certain to accept it as was Horace Greeley. ‘Those superior men are, aiter all, human,” truth is that to-day the heart of democratic Ohio is in favor of Thurman, while the machinery has been manipulated so as to give the practical preference to a man who is far from being trusted of loved. Thurman must be put down as a sentimentalist who did not know how to run the primaries What Thurman has Jost will not accrue to the benefit of Allen. Ohio will, after the first ballot at St. Louis, cast its vote tor a can didate from some other State, The Allen vote may be had for Thurman, but it does not represent the people: Among the republicans the ideas of the managers are narrowing down to Blaine aud Bristow. New Jer- sey is as fully committed to Blaine as if her delegates had been elected upon an instructing platform, Jobo ¥. Foster, who wrote the Know Nothing letter to Blaine, was a potent factor in the Trenton Convention Dr. Hunt, of the Newark Advertiser, was a Blaine man; and George Worts, of the Paterson Press, was mentally committed to Blaine. Senator Frelinghuysen is really a Conkling man, while Cortlandt Parker is in favor of Secrotary Fish. ‘The Press says:— That the sentiment of the Convention was over- whelmingly for Blaine is a fact that every ono who took pains to gauge it must admit, But that any attempt was made to manufacture sentiment for Mr, Blaine, or that it was for a moment contemplated to instruct the bros or even “indicate” a choice, is utterly base- jess. In the South the strength which has been given to Governor Tilden because he was the least of many Northern evils 1s beginning to wilt, The idea in the South seems to be that if New York, which holds the casting vote of the North, will be democratic enough to vote for Tilden, why will it not vote as stolidly tor some other candidate justas good as he? The South counts both Allen and Thurman as out of the race. For all practical purposes the garrulous and vain old Mr, Allen has thrown his State away. If we judge {rom newspaper evidence, which must not always bo ac- cepted as either popular or political evidence, the dis- affection between Allen and Thurman will give strength to Governor Hayes as a republican candidate for Presi- dent, Thurman, of hard money theory, is as woak as a schoolboy, and Allen, a paper man, is as stroug as a blind mule; and Ohio is republican more through dem ocratic senility than through republican wisdom. Governor Hendricks sects to recognize the weakness of his position and, practically, to have withdrawn from the race, The South does not recognize him because he is not a man with Southern proclivities. The Reading (Pa.) Times says:— : The South to-day is as much a unit against the North as it was belore the war, There 4s scarcely a rebel who did battle against the Union-during the war, who would not draw sword or shoulder inusket again for the “lost cause’’ if he thought there was any show of success; and, by the way, the race of Northern *‘copperheads’ is by no means extinct, In the samo vein the Savannah (Ga.) News, whiie ac- cepting Tilden under protest, sa; The Georgia delegation will not go to St, Louis com- mitted to Tilden or any other candidate, The Georgia delegation will not cast its solid vote for Tilden on any such grounda as those suggested by the correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial. The Georgia democracy have ahigher opinion of the New York democracy than to bel‘eve that they will attempt to dictate tho nominee at St. Louis, or that they will abandon the party to defeat in the event that the nomination is not for the third time given to a citizen of that State. The democracy of Georgia desire the success of the demo- cratic party in the coming tial election as the only means of restoring honest, constitutional govern ment, and rescuing the country from impending ruin. Thoroughly imbued with this ‘conviction, the Georgia delegation will go to St. Louis entirely uncommitted in favor of or against either of the recognized aspirants to the nom‘nation for President. ‘The real object of white politicians in the South is to make the States pare. This is an outgrowth ’of old State rights traditions, bat it is by no means an un_ worthy purpose. The idea of the old conservative cle. ment is that if the government of the States recently in rebellion can be made as models the people of the Union at largo will respect them the more. In no State in the Usion have the intelligent people made themselves more respected than have the people of Georgia, who drove the negro out of command in State government, In South Carolina the sentiment is the same as it is in Georgia. The Charleston News At no time have the white citizens of South Carolina been more earnest or more determined tn their pur- pose to drive further back the black tide of corruption and to make the State government pure, capable and frugal as !t was in the palmiest days of the Repub- lic. They may fail Radicalism in democracy ia as fatal to the public good as radicalism in any other guise. But they will not fail tor want of striving, for want of effort, for want of perseverance. Why, then, do they hold aloof frcm the democratic organizations? Meanwhile the republicans of the West are by no means unaware that the war had political results. The St. Joseph (Mo.) Herald says:— The Confederate leaders and sycophants, who, by the unparalleled geverosity of the government, have been rehabilitated with citazenship, however, still chate un- der the sore defeat of their pet scheme of nullification and disunion, and are wreaking their vengeance upon the helpless negroes, reducing them to vassalage and robbing them of the dearest rights that pertain to ‘American citizenship. Our government should take steps at once to teach the unreconstructed ‘rebels at the South that whon they declured that they had ac- cepted the inevitable results of the war it was under- stood as meaning something more than empty vapor- ings and hollow-hearted projessions, and they should be. taught that thero is yet power enough in the nation to protect her people ‘‘regardless of race, color or previous condition of servitude.” GREAT ADVERTISING MEDIUMS, [From the San Francisco Call], A recent article in the Chicago Tribune has attracted attention to journalisin In the leading Eastern cities. Examination shows that in each large elty there is one and only one nowspaper which is selected as the popu- Jar medium for the small, fresh advertisements that are almost as much apart of the news of the day as anything else printed. In New York tho HeRaup is the medium for this class of advortising; in Philadel- phiathe Ledger; in Boston the Herald; in Baltimore the Sun; in Cincinnati the Commercial; in Chicago the Tribune, and in San Francisco the Cail. In the article alluded to at the commencement of this paragraph the Chicago Tribune compared itself to the New Yoru Heravp as follows:. ‘Tne readers of yesterday's issue of the Chicago Tribune— Sunday, April 23—cor not have tuiled to remark the ex- traomiinary ‘There wasa advertisemes designated colunms_ of agate type in the rinted 70 columns of advertisements on Sundi The Trifune, it will be Ti ts heaviest day edium of ad) ‘but two col 1.0, whieh i times that Chicago. ing of the Tridune is by 1 Romarkable as this Showing ts for a single number of Chicago’s leading journal, San Francisco can more thao match it, The Sunday 7ritune is truly a marvel for the namber and amouut of advertisements ft con- tains, But the Chicago advertising public seem to have falien into the habit ef publishing nearly all their advertisements on one day in the week, Sun at that. In San Francisco people who advertise do not neglect any day in the week. Tne new advertisements printed in the Call on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thurs- days and Fri almost e¢ rey the number printed on Sundays, Itis only the church and meet\pg notices that give Sunday the advantage. CHARLES MOORE, Jobn Hussey, the Long Island City ruMag who shot Charles Moore in the head during a quarrel mm Moore's saloon, at the toot of East Thirty-fourth street, has not | yet been arrested. It is not generally known that Moore, whose condition ts now rogarded as eritical, | has been ene of the most dangerous men in the city. For many yours the Moore family, m conjunction with others, ruled the First ward, and any ope who en- | deavored togain any political ascendancy was either bru- tally beaten or driven out of the city by threats, | Finally Charles Moore entered into the emigrant swin- dling business, and, afte: several years of uninterrupted | wuceess in robbery, was arrested, convicted and sen- | tenced to State Prison. Me served bat one ir, when his counsel obtained a new trial and he brought | down to the Tombs from Sing Sing. He remarmed there eight months and was then di¢charged, owing to the sym- pathy felt for bis wife, an accomplisted and lady-like woman, After remaining ip the First.ward for som monthe he bought out and occupied the saloon in which he was shot. DYING OF HYDROPHOBIA. Yosterday a medical maf was called in to attend s | little gifl named Henrictta Sorhagen, residing at No. | 263 Norfolk street, Newark, He found her suforing | from by ja, and has hopes of her re+ covery. two months ago the house dog bit hen, | oni THE BLAOKBALLING OF BRISTOW. To tas Epiros or rus Heraro:— As there bas becn so much misconception regarding the blackbalimg of Mr. Bristow by the Union League Club and our connection therewith we think it due to the public and ourselves to present the following facts: By law a duty is up pored on all raw sugar imported into the country, and upon the same goods being Fetined and exported a portion of this duty is returned to the exporter, which ts termed a drawback. The law (RB, 8., see, 8,019) provides that this drawback 1s to be ascertained under such regulations as shall be pro- scribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. The regula- tion preseribed by Mr. Bristow was his circular order of March 27, 1875, which, relating to sugar, is a8 fol- lows:—“Refined crystalline sugar, 3%0c. per pound, less ono per cont retention; refined B and C, lower grade sugar, 24gc. per pound, less one per cent reten- tion.’? This order was in force June 15, 1875, when wo sold for export a lot of refined crystalline sugar, for which we were allowed the rate named in his ciroular for this grade of sugar, the same bemg paid us Septem- ber 24, 1875. In November, 1875, we sold for export a large quantity of exactly the same grade as former shipmeat, and upon applying for the drawback pay- ment at former rate (3.75) was rofused, it being sud- denly and unexpectedly claimed by Mr. Bristow that this rate was excessive, and this claim made on his part in the face of the fact that his original order was in force at the time of exportation, none other having been issued countermanding or annuliing it. In making these sales we, as is customary in such cases, gave the purebaser credit for the drawback to be returned by the government, anticipating no trouble in its collection or arbitrary change in the rate; but by some strange treak or caprice of the Secretary he Pepi a foe Spe to pay us but three cents per Donne, thus subjecting us to a loss of throe-fodtths of a cent per pound, which, after repeated delays and inconvenience, Wwe accepted under protest, It must be remembered that this rate of three cents was, at time of exportation, unknown to the law as applying to any grade of sugar, but was entirely arbitr a and exceptional After mak- ing our shipments another house exported this samo grade of sugar, and betore doing so telegraphed Mr, Bristow as to the rate of drawback, and recetved a re- ply, over his own signature, stating that the rate was three and three-fourths cents, Their shipment was made before any question wus raised ip our case. Mr. Bristow said to us he would pay no more drawbucks at this rate; yet, after refusing to pay be paid the’ firm ‘we bave relerred to the full ‘rate, or three and three-fourths cents, He also paid several Boston refiners full rate on the same grade of sugar exported about the same time We, through our counsel, requested Mr, Bristow to refer the matter botween us to the Solicitor of the Treasury or to the Court of Claims, but he refused to do so, assigning no reason for his refusal, By law he might have done either, and so avoided an expensive litiga- tion, to which we must now resort. We would also say that at the time of making (hese exports there was in session at the Custom House a committee of Mr, Bris- tow’s owy appointing to revise the proper rate of draw- backs, &c. Their first action was to have the Secretary revoke his unjust order made October 19, 1875, by which tho rates had been changed, The order was re- voked, and the committee, in speaking of it in their report dated November 12, 1876, said:—“The interests imvolved, which wore disturbed by tl adden appear- ance of said order annulling contra or rendering their fulfilment highly injurious, unsettling warket values and paralyzing vusiness, led your committee to the recommendations before referred to.” Thus it will be seen how Mr, Bristow'sown committee characterized one of his orders, and it is a fair commentary ou his incapacity. ‘The public may put their own construction on Mr. Bristow’s versatility in construing a specific } Jaw, discriminating in favor of cerwin firms tothe damage of their competitors, He possibly has his own private reasons for 90 doing, to use an old expression, of “making fish of one and tow! of another,” while the Jaw aims at equality. We present the foregoing tacts, briefly stated, to the unprejudiced minds of the importers and mercantile clacses of the community, and would ask them if, i their judgment, it would be beneficial to their interests and that of the country at large to further or abet the ambition of this man for place or power, who bas by tho facts here presented shown not only gross incom- petency in his administration of the affairs of his office and adjudication of questions relating thereto, but has 0 assumed autocratic powers, construing the laws in a spirit of manifest untairness and favoritism as his whim or capri the time might prompt, to the great detriment of the mercantile interests of the country, which itgnould be bis special business to foster and protect. Cc. W. DURANT & SON, JUDGE DOWLING’S WEALTH. Contrary to the expectations of all his relatives and friends ex-Police Justice Josoph Dowling died in- testate, 1t was known that in 1871 he had made a will which he destroyed somo time after. It was imagined that be had mado another will in 1874, but this was in- correct, as bofore hia death Justice Dowling informed ex-Senmior John J. Bradley that ho had not made any will which was in existence, The amount of Justice Dowling’s wealth was variously estimated by even his intimate frends and relatives as ranging in amount trom $200,000 to $300,000, and the latter figure was that most generally considered correct. From the fol- lowing schedule of Judge Dowling’s possessions It will be geen that his actual wealth fell tar short of the gen- erally accepted estimate, The sale in the Judge’s library was formally opened jterday by Counsellor James Finlay, formerly clerk to the Justice, in presence of Mra. Rice, Mrs, Keeler and Mrs. Bliss, sisters of the Judge, and his only surviving relatives, Mr. Finlay made an inventory of the effects, which d the Judge to be of the following $40,000 61,000 estate :— Personal property in bonds, Ownership of shures in Eagle Theatre, Five lots of ground at Seventy-third street and Madison and Lexington avenues, origimatl jo'nt property of John Jourdan and Josep! owling, estimated VAlUC.........0es+eeseee House No, 47 Franklm street, in’ which he lived ..-.ssseseeese tans 12,000 House No. 138 Mulberry streét, in fee, + 8,000 Furniture, library, Jewelry. . 2,000 Accruod interest on securities, + 2,000 Total estate......-..+» «$170,000 Yesterday afternoon Mrs. Bliss and Mrs. Rice, sis- ters of the Judge, obtained letters of administration on the estate. In conjunction with Mra. Keeler, bisother sister, they inherit the estate share and sharo alike, NEWS FOR THE TAXPAYERS. Comptroller Green has received from the Secrotary of State certified copies of the acts just signed by the Governor reducing the rate of interest on arrears of taxcs and assessments, Interest on arrears of taxes is reduced from twelve to seven per cent and on arrears of assessments to eight percent per annum, Taxpayers must pay all ar- Tears of taxes within one year to avail themselves of the benefit of the law, Arrears of assessments may bo paid in instalments, but the first iustalment must be oe within a year. Property owners are already avail ing themselves of these privileges. THE FULTON BANK DEFALCATION. Yesterday morning Beriah P. Rogers, who two months ago fled from Brooklyn to Louisiana, taking with him $25,000 of the funds of the Fulton Bank, Brooklyn, of which be was paying teller, was yesterday arraigned before the Kings County Court of Sessions, Judge Moore presiding. About two weeks ago, when firat arraigned, he ple not guilty. Yesterday he withdrew that plea and pleaded guilty, upon the advice of bis counsel ex-Judge Morris, The Court remanded the prisoner for sentence on Monday It is understood that an effort is on fout by the bank officers and others to ha @ Governor grant him a commutation of sen- tence so that the payment of a fine may be avcepted in- stead of imprisonment. COMMODORE VANDERBILT. In reply to inquiries made by a Heratp reporter at Commodore Vanderbilt's residence, last night, it was stated that he is not seriously unwell, and that it ts expected he will in a few days be thoroughly rid of the le thoes trouble from which he 18 at present suffering. 7 DROWNED IN A CISTERN. A four-year-oid boy named Charles Green, of No. 110 Academy street, Newark, fell toto a cistern last even- ing und was drowned. 4 RESCUED FROM DROWNING. A boy, about nine years old, who was unable to give his namo or address, fell into the canal from tho bridge at Summit street, Newark, last evening, Ho ‘Was seen when he was sinking for the third timo by a man who was working near the window of a neighboring hoop This brave fellow jumped out of the window and into the water, and succeeded im saving sho lad. LINDA GILBERT'S WORK. No, 183 East Firraextn Street, New York, May 18, 1876, To tus Epiton or tux Heraup:— I shipped today to Lincoln (Neb.) State Prison 600 volumes of books, six dozen slates and eight dozen | copybooks. There are cighty-one prisoners in this | institution, many of whom cannot read or write, and ‘an intelligent prisoner hay organized a school to in- struct them. be wnngs f this number are four or five Anaian boys, and their teacher telis me they learn | more rapidly than any of his popils, This prison has. mad extended appeal to wealthy individuals and associations (hroaghout the country, also to the State legisiauve bodies for wi Runt say success whatever. 1 wish to express ny thanks to the Union Star line and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad for forwarding these books free of charge, { snall have ready in a days my last year’s | report of my work nae tee reorsuna* | HELL GATE. —-—— Description of the Point Work. Hallett’s DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS OF SUBMARINE MINING. A Grand Undertaking Promising a Great Success. EFFECT OF THE IMPROVEMENT. New York the Commercial * Metropolis. The enormously increasing commercial interests de- veloping ju and around New York make the safe navi- gation of her barbors, bays and r.vers of the most vital importance to her prosperity asthe great metropo- hs of trade in the United States. In these days of railroads and steamships, telegraphs and improved labor-saving machinery, the city which offers superior facilities for the export and import of home and for- eign produce and for the general transaction ot commercial business will attract to her wharves that much coveted prize, trade, It docs not matter what rank in the order of merit we may be disposed to confer on any particular port by reason of the beauty and grandeur of its surroundings, the simple requisites of deep water, safe navigation and sheltered anchorage Will in the end determine the great points for the inletand outlet of trade on this continent. The ex- pensive works necessary for tho protection of exposed ports on the Continent of Europe, such as Cherbourg, and in the British Islands such as Piymouth, Dun- dee and Dublin, have been erosted not because these Places possessed any merits as seaports, but because the political ‘necessities of the sevoral nations do- manded the creation of strategic naval strongholus, wherein fi might be assembled for tho defence of the coasts and the national interests dependent on the maintenance of powerful navies, It will be remarked that, although immense sums have been expended on the croation of artificial harbors, trade avoids these places and tends to the potis which nature has fitted for its reception, for in dealing with the necersitjcs of commerce we can only improve on natural advan- tagea, We fail when wo attempt to imitate them, for the forces which have combined to produce them aro entirely beyond the control of man. ‘THE PORT OF NEW YORK bas been formed by nature to be tho grand commercial gateway of the New World on the Atlantic coast. None others possess to anything like an equal degree the ad- vantages in geographical position, available space and safety for shipping presented by our grand bays, sheltered harbors and deop, navigable rivers, 80 that in the contest for supremacy with other Atlantic ports New York commenced with every prospect of winning the rank which sho has now attained. But tho efforts to attract trade to other places, which have been persistently exerted since the establishment of our national independence, have developed many sew conditions, to which even the superior advantages pos- sessed by New York must be adapted in order to pre- serve her supremacy. Geographical position is now rendered almost a secondary advantage by the applica- tion of steam to transit over land and water. Cities have sprung up on the most unpromising sites simply because they were easily reached by railroad lines and formed the most convenient termini for great systems of transportation, by which the produce of the vast in- terior is brought down to the sea for shipment to foreign lands. Steam on our inland lakes, rivers, and H areed of the temporary interruption of agen the very i paps biancet sinks te pit a or on the mais lad, sad ‘just outside Of the. tine estab- sannels bya mryrosld Heries with cumference u be I bg ro up the body of the seationt * a roo! formed by the present rock bed river. roof is supported columas, when were ion un, It was then posed to mine and charge each of these columns taeace @ manner as to secure their certain and simultancous destruction when everything was m readiness to move the obstruction by the grand explosion, sapperiiog. columns of rock being blown trom under rock roof, the latter falls into tho vation ' beneath for its reception and the depth Of water is sud- moved by dredging and eral plan devised and adopted for the part of the Hel Gate improvements connected with tho wey ed Hallewt’s Point Ledge. With very few moditications this plun has been carried out in the most efficient and satisfactory manner, and preparations are being made for the final destruction of the rock by exploding the rock columns, From the commencement of tho work to the present stage of its progress—and indeed we may now regard it as complete and ready‘tor the explosives— the work has been conducted with great care and cone suminate skill and well deserves to rank tn the estima. tion of engineers a8 one of the most diilioult and suc- cessiul works of its kind be Nae American continent, The most experieuced min were employed in driv- ing the tuonels through the solid rock and under the waters rushing through Hell Gate, and the workmen were separated from deuth ent by about ten feet thick of the roof rock and were daily in danger of a sudden leak which would admit the overwhelming river waters, Noarly all the reef to bo removed by the operations at Hallott’s Pomt is submerged, It was, ah necessary to protect the outer or water side portion tho semi-circular shaft by a solidly constracted coffer dam which excluded the tidewater. This work had to be built with great care, because on its vtability and gen- eral effectiveness for the purposes designed the prose. cution of the entire work wus mainiy dependent, I! at any time during the driving of the radiating tunnels and the circular connecting galleries the dam had given way under the pressure of tidewater, the whole of the work, with the workmen ov- gaged there, would have been overwhelmed by the inrushing waters from the East River and the success of the undertaking compromised. The ordinary ob- server, as a gonerai rule, fails to recognize the merit of many apparently unimportant details of this ied work; but practical men, who are familar with tho diflicultios that beset the engineer in an oporation of this kind, wall readily accord the credit due to General Now- ton and his able assistants for the skill and foresight displayed in {ts prosecution, , PRELIMINARY WORK. : In order to arrive at ihe succeas attained at Hallott’s Point it was necessary to make a perfect of the hdgs and {ts surroundings, the character is formation, the numerous variations of its stratifion- tion and every jneqaetey, of ita surface. Ina information had to be collected whieh has enabled the engineers to produce a perfect model of the ledge, even. to the minutest details of its formation. ‘This entailed an awount of preliminary work which few but experts can appreciate, and the fact that success has attended all the operations up to their present advanced stage shows how thoroughly that preiiminary work was perfermed. ‘Tbe currents flowing over the subme: rocks hi to be carefully studiod in order to determine as correctly as ible the vary- ing pressures on the coffer dain and the probable resalt of :he removal of the ledgo on the tidal flow through Hell Gaf, Then numerous experiments had to be made on tho various kinds of explosives to be used in the excavation, This was an investigation requiring great expericnco and skiil, because it must be remem- beréd that only a thin shell of rock was allowed to remain between the workings and the water, me any injudicious use of explosives in the tunnels ahd galler- fes might have resulted in destroying the cobosivencss of this rocky roof, which being pressed down by theenar- mous superincumbent weight of the river water a. ie ‘wollld be created, which no amount of Lal | er could overcome or any known means . Tho least miscalculation in the drilling of this shell of rock might have led to its perforation, and the force of the ‘water pouring, under pressure, through the orifice so formed would prevent any bingeing from remaining in position, These are afew ot the many details of the even canals, has created points of concentration for commerce which largely govern the importance of the points of outlet, Thus Chicago, St. Louis and Cincin- nati are inland points, for the commerce of which Bos- ton, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore are con- testing by offering all the possible advantages which the several great railroad and steamship lines serminat- ing at these cities can create. To show the Influence of mere position on the law of commercial attraction it is only necessary to point out the growth of Hoboken and Jersey City, from tho fact that both cities, al- though separated from New York by a narrow strip of water, are the termini of several great railroads, which penetrate to the centre of the continent and bring to the port of New York the largest share of the commerce of the interior. If the breadth of a single iver can thus affect the development of one part of a common port differently from another, how much must a natural defect inthe navigable character of a channel or the want of shelter in roadstead or want of space in a harbor affect the port possessed of either one or more of these disadvantages? New York is peculiarly circumstanced in respect to her port. The latter has two distinct entrances, one through the lower and upper bays and the other through Long Island Sound. The former is opon to the ocean, and at present receives and givesexit to all trans-occanic trade, as well as to that botwoen Now York and all the points lying along the coast of the American continent that ago reached by a Voyage to the southward of Montauk Point, at the eastern extremity of Long Island. Tho latter ou 8 used principally by ships bound for the New England cvast and the British American ports. ‘The risk to slipping in crossing the bar at Sandy Hook at neap tide much greater than that attending the entrance of the upper Kast River the Sound, and this latter would have been a favorite inlet for New York commerce were it not that a dangerous ob- struction, created by a large number { detached reeis and projecting ledg and eddics in the Hell flow of the tid 7 which cause violent currents abe e during the ebb and woll known passage, havo THR CURRENTS AND KDDIRS OF HELL GATE are entirely due to the obstruction to the regular flow ofthe tidal wave into tho Sound through the East River presented by its narrow channel and the rocks, ledges and islands in the vicinity of Hell Gate. The tidal wave arriving from the southeastward on the Atlantic coast begins to fill the basin of the broad un- obstructed lower bay of New York and the upper bay through the dcep channel known as the Nurrows, and through which au tmmengo volume of water flows inavery limited time. 4 reservoir is thus created southward from the Batiery, from whence a low takes place first slowly, bat with increasing velocity, through the East River into the Sound. The full height of the tide at Governor’s Island is attained more than two hours in advance of a similar condition at Ran- dali’s Island at the mouth of the Hariem River, and a difference oi Jevel 18 thus created which induces a violent rushing of the water thi th the Kast River. In the meantime the tdai wave been sweeping along the py, downy const, and at Montauk Point it turns into the Long Island Sound, abd flows rapidly westward again toward the point north of Hell Gate where the greatest depression of level exista Now, by the tine this Sound tide wave reaches and fills the basin between Fort Schuyler and the city of X York the tide at Governor’s Is!and hus in to so that a reverse flow commences through the Hi Gate Poe. from the reservoir represented by the Sound into the constantly increasing depression in New York Bay. Hence the waters which enter the Sound through Hell Gate cause a rushing current in that direction during the flow of the tide, and tho ‘waters which oe the same point from the Sound to the New York May produce one of equal velocity during the obb. * ‘THE PRINCIPAL OBSTRUCTIONS. These aro many and varied in character, from the exposed island-shaped mass of rock, bare at all stages of the tide, to the submergod cluster of jagged knit like ridges that cause only a moderate turry of thi water as it flows over them. course Black weil < Crewe to the ‘er, because it occupics acentral position between the river banks, di this space ito two channels. In front of Hal Point there are man; us rocks, Among dang ahem a. be allett’s Point Reef, the obstruction which is about to be removed by the great Hell Gate works. The effect of the obstructions to the regular flow of the water is to scour the bed of the East River clear of all deposit, leaving the bottom formed by solid rock, from which rise up the dangerous points that may be noticed in many places along its course, 1! continuation southward and norshward of Blackwell's lasiend, m tae form of reets parity, submerged, illus trates mm somo degrce the general character 0! the ob- structions to navigation, the Hell Gate rock bemg ol mee a Leap sey only that the roots are more ributed over a larger water and quently complicate the channels Detwoot then 10 very marked d Tt mw our hee to desoribe thowe rous rocks in this periious channel in di be. Cause, although they all may be considered as 3 of the same system, different plans aro jor their removal ‘THE MALLETT § POINT LEDGR. This being deemed aconsiderable source of danger | to passing vessels, the Unged States government de- — termined.on its removal, and intrusted the work toone Of the must experienced officers of the United states Engineer corps, General John Newton, ‘the ledge occupies the foreshore immediately in me Of old Fort Stevens,-and manner far into i River, cuturact Immediately over and around it during the ebb and flow of tho tides, The ire of the rock is a epectes stratifications being Presented both Ay pre gneiss, preliminary work necessary to insure success, which will convey to the reader an idea of the difliculties at- tendjng this unique ‘undertaking. It 1s satisfactory ta record that the results prove the most gempite ee tification of the means, and that the Scyila of the East pars is about to be assigned a place among the things t were. 2 OTHER DANGEROUS ORSTRUCTIONS, The pass of Hell Gate woll deserves its modern name, applied to it on account of the di us eddies which { almost attain the scale of whirlpoois over its rocky, rugged bed. Beside the Hallett’s Point ledge thore are numerous groups ot large and small rocks dotting the area of the passage, all extremely dangerous to” the unwary navigator. Like the famous Straits of Messina, Hell Gate has its Charybdis as weil as its Scylla, and the prea through 1t suggests the dangers that beset the fleet of Ulysses when, in endeavoring u avoid the many headed Scylla, some of the ehips were devoured by the monster Charybdia, The best known rocks and reefs are the Hog’s Back, the Pot Rock, the Great Mill Rock, the Frying Pan. Rock, Little Mill Rock and Flood Rock, each torming the most promi. nent parts of an intricate US ag of stoals and rugged points which is spread over entire space between ‘Astoria and Wara’s Island and presenting an array o! solid facts which form the logic of Hell Gate in impress ing the necessity of caution on the oldest pilota, Some of these rocks are awash at low tide, ‘tops of overs are always exposed to view; but the channel consplica- tions they create form an effective barrier to the pas- of Hell Gate except by vessels of comparatively light draught engaged in the eastern coast trate and under the pilotage of men familiar from childhood with all ers that attend Hell Gate navi gation, RUNNING THE GAUNTLET. A more interesting experience than the ona vessel through the tortuous channel of Holl Gateat certain stages of the tide cannot be desired, Approach- from the southward the sbip is headed tor Ward’s Island, apparently with the intention of running ke: ashore on that home for th the bibulous. The catastrophe, insti of the catted anchor in order to steady himself for the coming shock and have something to bang on to il the ship splits upon one of the woiflsh looking rocks thas rin at him out of the surging, boiling, wbirhng waters. jut as sudden as thought the helm is ported and the ship is swung broad: on toa cataract that tambies ‘within a few yards of her frail gides. Then the iright- ened passenger looks at the sky and the green flelds and the busy scenes ashore as though he never more would get his tottering limbs under him on terra firma, on the ship is poiating bowsprit sh: ty mansion on the Long jn, but this time at a Agreat knife-like reef lies across Island side. course, and she drives at it as though she would take a by currents and fiyng leap over the obstraction, der the beating of peso counter currents, but sbe glides past tho reef somehow, ain bound direct for the Ward's Island Ito- staggering rlong likea drunken monster that m areiorm of lite, Behind her roll ful masses of dark water, tumbling over the rocks, pn oom prere n her peer the angry flood as she t jer way th ® labyrinth of dangers toward the clear gereight ee abundred yards ahead, Fite combination of luck and goo steering, which fortunately attended the passage of Hell Gate since the establishment of a regularly organ- ized pilot system, the ship as last entors a aie sbanae! and proceeds on ber voyage through Long It Sound. The trightened ir go the anchor, looks Just tho kind of place to rigten aeryous. persons, but just the ki ol q that for his partbe never enjoyed himeolt 80° much in his life, ‘THE RVPECTS OF THR IMPROVEMENT, ‘These must be regarded from more thanone sand. Point in orrer $0 bs ay Searhces oaineaien at Hell Gate at present munica- tion by vessels of between what might be ene the harbor of the Hi an 3 ‘Diockade New York by a foreien ficet under yom Condition aad arrangement of our harbor news at the Narrows and lower proves sity of securing an outlet by way of the Sou! the shipping in the harbor, Sandy Hook andefondea leaves New York liable to a close by am ac tive enemy in this age ot long range povoes, for these eos ae ot naval warfare tive jor offence as de ‘the lower bay could enemy lay snugly sheltered, and i ‘by the Hook, and fi vd guns on The advantages to be gained Hell Gate obstructions may, aiid tila the gating ot an any woll worth the expenditure e result,