The New York Herald Newspaper, May 21, 1876, Page 5

het ‘ | TE BMAITION Glancing at the General Aspects of the Centennial. A REVIEW OF THE TEN DAYS ——_ +- Considerations About Philadelphia as the Centennial City. ‘ THE WEW TOWN OF CENTEHNIALVILLE Failure and Suecess of Hotels, Restaurants and Lodgings. Puttapatruta, May 20, 1876. ‘The Centennial is ten duys old. And your readers may ask, What is the result of this ten day existence ? How does it compare with other exbibitions? Where is tw strength and where its weaness? How far does Mt realize the anticipations of the country? THE TEX Days, The ton days which have passed since the formal opening of the Exposition aro not to be regarded as a test of 8 merit or success. Wo have been unfortunate jm the weather, in the delays of exbibits, 10 the difil- culty of putting the machine into running order. lt is Impossible to speak of an expdsition as in any sense representative with Russia, Turkey and Portugal ab- sont, with France, Mexico, Italy aud some portions of the United States still unfinished; with several build- jugs stilt in the hands of mason and carpenter. There 18 8 senze of bewilderment and incompleteness in the Exhibition, and somehow. you have the feeling that you have Julien upon a vast vanity fair, The surroundings are not favorable to repose, Instead of throw- tog the = main vusidings back from the highway, with easy sloping approaches, as was the case tm Vieunas, the main building and the Machinery Hull are almost on a line with the street, One wonders how they could escapo if any of the hundred wooden shells called “houses” and “hotels” which swarm avout the Exhibition were to take fire, A row ina beer shup and the breaking of a kerosene lamp might de- Stroy the main palace, There is us much of an exterior 8 4D interior show at the Centennial. It ix hard to sve juss where one begins and the osber ends. ‘he only division ig a not very wide street and a board tence, Then, when tnsido the gates, comes the oppressive sense of what to see and where to go. Your first in- Stiuct is to pay tive cents and ride about in the steam harrow gauge passeuger railway, and I don’t know any- thing better, You are carried, past the main building, with Its streamers and points, which are so typical of our national sentiment of unrest; past the Memorial Hull, which may be @ fine building in ten yeurs, when the walla are frescoed, but 1s now raw and cold;, past the shells known as tho Judges’ Pavilion, and certain business exhibits, which are gay enough in their paint but would have a hard time in athauder storm; past the governmont building, with its outer dispiays of can, Qons, tents and imitation Monitor turrets; through the village of State buildings, where tho politicians and statesmen are to come and loaf the long summer atter- boons; past the greon, Gothic-arched Agricultural Ball, with ite stores.of starch and corn; past the Hor- Vicultural Hall in the distance, looking as beautiful as a bird of Oriental plumage, as ite Arabian architecture of goid and blue sparkles in the sun; past tae Brewery Hall, which 18 not ready; past the Japanese and Eng- Neh buildings, which are models of national skill, and twenty other buildings, which have no value; past the printing press oxhibit and a half dogen exhibits still in the carpenters’ hands; past the Machinery Hall, which §e not more than half ready, and so sweep, around the jake, passing two or three unfinished fountains, and you have the tirst glimpse of the Centennial, THM UXITSD STATES COMPARED WITH THE STATES. Nour first glimpse is that of a city still building, The only complete department is the United States Government Hall, This 1s the most satisfactory ex- hibit. If you aro fortunate you will fall into the hands of L eutenant Metcalfe, a young ordnance officer, who looks as if he might one day bo a Lieutenant General, ‘be Is so well informed and polite, When Lieutenaut Metcalfe has told you all about the guns and the mil:- tary offairs you will seck out Protessor Blake to tell you the rest. One mourus, as he soes how complete tnd instructive this government building is, that our Btates did not follow out the same principle, Here isa teientific panorama, as it were, of the Republic, be- sinning with the flint arrows and stone utensils of Arizona and running down to the mighty ordnance which bids our deflance to every foe, There is scarcely & question that can bo asked in reference to the United States, as u nation, that caunot be answered here, Its froits and flowers, its animals, its fish, 118 topography, its agricultural resources, its mines, its systems of education, postal service, mili tary strength—all are presented, palpable to the cyo and touch. How much better, as the Hxraup says, it woul have been to have presented New York, Ualifornia and Pennsylvania in this form than to have \hrown their exhibits mto one general heap and erected buildings which serve no ornamental or useful tnd. Two of the Statea, Kansas and Colorado—which are ander the most intelligent government of uny bere—propose to take the HaRaLp’s advice and do this. They have a building together and will make a display of theif resources und attractions, England docs this with her colonics. Yop pass through them one alter the other—Canada, Australia, New Zealand, her Indian aud West Indian possessions, her colonies in Atrica— and each colony makes an intelligent display,’as clear 4s a problem in mathematica, as interesting as a poem, And no State is so Vcficiont as New York. PHILADRLPMA 48 THE CKNTENNIAL CITY. ‘While the American part ot the Exbibition fails in ‘this respect, and, Instead of being an epitome of our States, 1s little more than a teeming Vanity Fair, we cannot fail to note also the incongruity of holding such alairin Philadelphia, 1 feet that this brings me upon ground go dangerous that journeying in a steamslip with one of Thomassen’s dynamite machines is saicty tompared with it, Thero was a sontiment about Phila- Aelphia—“burthplace of liberty,” ‘cradle of independ. ence,” “grave of Frankiin’ and so ovu—which made Any centennial exnibition here. historically appro- priate, §ofaras Now Yorkers are concerned those who thougbt anything about the Centennial thought that as Philadelphia was stil! sore over the fact that the thutations of trade, the growth of the West and the necessity of its finding a seaboard had given New York the metropolitan ascendancy, Philadelphia should have the Exposition, Thero was a strong public spirit here, A municipal loyalty pecnliar to Philadelphia, which made the Centennial an enthusiasm. In New York 1t Would have been forgotten along with Moody and ‘ | | Bankoy’s prayers and Offenbach’s music, and there is « sirong probability that if the Aldermen could havo had a band in {it there Would have been some stealing. But Philadelphia made the Centennial a passion. It grew into her life, _ In your burried, teeming, busy town—in your metro- politan, cosmopohtan Mannubatta, where you care for 80 one but yourdbives and where life is too short and too busy tor emotions—you canuot comprehend it. j Philadelphia gained Wer Centenuial largely through she zeal of ber own people aud the influence of gen- | Hemen who went abroad, hike Colonel Forney, and lit Centenuial beacons ‘ory European capita. In | spite of coldness at Wastington; in spite ot the con- ~ Mant streams Of cold water which Mr. Fish kept pour- Ing on it from the ‘state Department; in spite of the Grm denial by Congress to do anything for it; in spite of obstacles arising out of selfisnness, jealousy, rivairs tnd the hard timos, the Conteuntal kept on, Now that ‘tis here even Philadelphians say it js incongracus— shits grafting’ a world’s fair apon an rmland manufactur For a tow days there was an effort vw grasp it with motropolit: ergy. We were to have the tran- | it problem solved, Cars were to run at ali hours. Chore were (o be steam cars, special trains, “erys- * omuibuses, and although the distance from {Independence Hall to the government pavilion 18 be- ; bween three and four miles the arrangements were to be pertect. Well, for a day or two tum was so, ‘bere wae crowd, and it yas serous, But there came sume stormy weather, and the companios began to retrench. Cars were taken off; through tines did not run, While the ruguing time from Independence Hall to the grounds shoald not be longer than from the Battery to Forteth street—say forty minutes—it is now, in most cases, an hour. This, at least, w the experience of the writer, who timed bimeelf on several @rcasions, and found that with waits and slow running and changing cars he could not make the trip in less than an hour, This i an ‘1 portant matter to those who wish to live in the city. But effect bas been to throw all who desire to see the show out into the suburbs, into one of the hote!s or villas which have been built for the Centennial, You can imagine what ‘a hotel!’ built for six months will be, Long Branch baras. are’ palaces in compari- son, The Trans-Continental and the Globe, the two largest, are said to be well kept, but as fur the rest, what can I say? Even if these yotels were as comfort. able as your best in New York, no one cares to be i set into the town of Contennialville, if 1 may coin jaine, for bis evening and morning life, The show closes at six and opens at nine, and those who live in Centennialvilie have nothing to do but sit around the barrooms, or run the risk of the ague by strolling about the pinzzas, or go to thecity, which lew long ride, and po aisurance when you will find a car to pring you bome. Now, if the promises of the earlier daye had been kept ‘this would not happen As it ts, the Exnibition is really in a city by itself, in Contenniulville, and there as as much trouble in going to and from Philadelphia as tn going Irom New York to Newark or White Plains. THR SUNDAY QUESTION, ‘This is one of the troubles that comes from an inter- national exhibition in other than a metropolitan city. Then comes the Sunday question, Philadelphia asks all the world to come hore, foreigners especially.” The common sense of civilized mankind has conso- crated the Sabbath to reat and virtuous enjoyment, I know that there isa Puritan soutiment—a sentiment that forbade bull-baiting on Sunday, ndt because of the pain it gave to tho bulls, but of the pleasure it gave to the spectators—which still resents this, But that sentinenteteadily recedes betore the aavance of a rational Christianity. With the exception, perhaps, of a few Scottish iriends, who come here with their Sab- bath notions, there are no foreigners who do uot regard the Sabbath as the day of innocent and virtuous enjoyment Philadelphia closes every door to the forogners except the doors of churches, She closes the Exhibition, and suspenas every form of life but devotion and tippling. Can you think of anything more forlora than a Fronchan or a Spaniard doomed to spend Sunday in Philadelphia! He can do nothing but go to some Presbyterian church and sleep, or go up-some gide alley into’a back building grog shop and drink, Now, no ono asks Philadelphia to adopt tho customs of Paris or Madrid to please her foreign frtends. She might answer, properly enough:—“Do you wish me to havea Sunday horse race and a bull fight for our foreign guests because they have Sunday races at Longcbamps und Sunday bull fights at Seville #?” Noone proposes this. But why not open the Expost- tion? These gentiemen came here to study this vast exhibit, It has only a brief life at best In six months it will have vanished like the budding spring leaves which pow enfold it with their greenery. In #ix months there will be no sign of what hag coet so much money, tune and labor, Why, then, because of an obsolete sentiment, deny them this priv- Hlege, this right? And in doing so you deny it to tens of thousands of workingmen, to whom Sunday is the only day they can give tu the Exhibition. There is a strong feeling in favor of the Centennial opening on Sunday, dut 1 do not think Philadelphia will permit it, The discussion of the question has been ill-timed, pre- mature and ealeulated to prevent the very result that wis desired, There may be a compromise by opening the grounds and closing the buildings, but that will amount to little, As it now stands the only privilego left open te the Sunday visitor to the Exhibition grounds is to look through the bars at the policemen and a few favored persons who are permitted to wander about at will, and then go over to some of tho grog shops and get drunk. ‘THE CITY OF HOMES—THE LODGING QUESTION. Philadelphia means to do her best by the Centennial people, This isacity of large hospitality—a city of cordial, sincere; geucrous people, who never weary in courtesy, There 18 an honest quality about Philadel- phia hospitai{ty whish you do not find in other citios, ‘The New Yorker will give the stranger a dinner at Delmonico’s or the club, send him an opera box and Jet.bim mind his own business. Philadelphia opens her gates and bids him sit in the chief place, Her principal ‘citizens aro lavish in ontertainment, and they mean to keep their houses open during the sum- mer, But whilo this is agreeable and to tho honor ot this people, it does little toward providing for that Jarge closs who come here without tho introductions necessary to find their way into the rich men’s houses, and who, perhaps, do not care for hospitality. I read figures about the city having accommoda- tions for 50,000 or 60,000, ori don’t know how many thousands extra péople. ButI do not seeit. There aro six or. seven good hotels, where you can bavo first class entertainment, 1 do not now refer to being piled Up six or seven In @ room, or dumped away on cots in a corridor, but comfort, good air anda good table. If these hotels take care of 5,000 people as they sbould be cared for I should be surprised. Then, as to private lodgings. The one city in the Union where, as a gen- erat thing, you cannot tind : private apartments or lodg- ings 1s Philadelphia. This, in a certain sense, is to her honor. Philadelphia ls the city of homes. There is no tenement life, as in Now York; no spartment iife, aso Paria Every Philadelphian, even 1 he digs in a ditch, lives on his own doorstep, It is to the giory of Philadelphia that you may see miles of small houses, where ‘the laboring man lives with as much necessary com- fort ag the richest millionaire. The one thing that the Philadeiphian cannot understand 1s *‘iodgings.’’ He can understand giving you a bed anda plate and sending ou of witha “God speed.’ But when it comes to jetting out rooms for money and asking money for cof- fee and bread, the Philadelphia mind does not compre- hend it. It is not respectable, and rather than not ve respectable Philadelphia, under the lead ot Mr. Chil and Mr, Borie, would march out to the Centennial grounds, set tire to the buildings and sing “Old Hun- dred” over their ruins. LIMITATIONS OF PHILADELPHIA AS A CENTENNIAL CITY. So.when you come to Philadelphia, unless with a friendly chalk mark upon your bat, make up your mind that you come to the Centennial and that you will seo it ander many disadvantages. You will see a beautiful city, especialiy if you go into the new suburbs, You will see the largest park in the world. You will s Independence Hall and the original Declaration inan iron safe. You will see that the maker of this safe gave it to the city, and is allowed to blazon it with his advertisement. ‘ou willsee the very cradle of liberty a signpost—and no one in Philadelphia to cry out upon the sacrilege. You will see the Quaker meet- ings if you come iu time. You will see the Sunda: pers ina city where Sunday ts still observed wit! Poritan severity and you will marvel who reads them. You will see the cheapest newspapers in the country— cheap, respectable snd calio, which discuss questions of science and bistory in the most exciting times, and never allude to politics or current events until they become hietory. You will see the grave of Franklin, one Of the sacred spots of the Jand, and if any Philadelpbian can tell you where it is, mark him as one of un .snal ascernment; for the average Philadelphian does not know anything about it You will, perhaps, see Henry ©. Carey, a great man, a living monument to protec- tion, a pyramid of an obvolete political economy, and you will then remember that you are in the capital of rotection, the ove city which shares with Madrid the nor of being its metropolis, You will find tho | Ceutewusal bootblacks eager to discuss with you the commercial, | moral, political and social decadence of New York, and more especially the momentous results that are to follow establishment of the steamship line to Liverpool, ance it is established. And when y seen the Centennial, have recovered from the annoyances aud limitations of the trip, you will find that the memory of Phila- deiphia 1s a plea: about the old city you find nowhere elro; that it has individuality, character, ideas, notions, erotchets undoubtedly, but under all a a have | nd have returned Lome, and sant one; that there ix something | ree of ite own; that it | iy the most’ American of our cities in this—that it is | ) iwelf, and not an echo of Londou, like Boston, or an And you will your. | find your. | echo of all Enrope, like New York, self in tho d rush of your after i xelf recall ords of the port:— in that detightiul land which is washed by the Delaware's | Guarding in pyivan shadey the name of Penn, thie apostte, Danks of the beautiful stronm the city be ‘air is balm, and the peach f# the emblem of ty. And the strvets still re-echo the names of the trees of the ‘orest, As ifthes fain wuuld appease the dryads whose baunte they | rmuieste: LONGPRLLOW'S PLPTY YRARS, T quote these words from Longicliow They come with peculiar aptoe: leliow is the city’s honored guest ving his whote U hem, It is noted if MO Interesting fact that jist Alty years bat since Mr. Longteilow wade | & his Grae visit. to Philadelphia, [wonder tf | apy of us really know how long a time this is—how long a time in the tife of one man, | Fury years ago and Philadelphia was the me- tropoli« of the nation and New York was just entering Upon the career of empire, the fittieth wnniversary Of Our national existence and We were then celebrating | with us much enthusiasm as we now celebrate the | hundredth anniversary. And when we think of all tre chanyes that have passed within the memory of this “vood gray bead whom all men know,” what may we expoct of the tutare? , But I find | have propounded a tremendous question, | On the second bailot Dr. Cur: ruilng_ of | dan Mme Van sue was not, ! preacher, the untiornt inierpretation of the Discipline Manas: : A mass meeti J in favor of opening the ing of persons " Coptramel on nnaiay. was held at sotie eet tute, Broad ans ering Sarees piteety ‘ ‘The hall was crowded to its fullest limit and the Mecting was. enthusiastic in the extreme. A number of the audience were Germans, who expressed be in strong terms in favor of opening the gates on junday. ‘The meeting was called to order by Colonel Charles. N. Pive, who nominated General W! B, Thomas as_ President, which “ye confirmed by the united voice of the beewmry 4 General Thomas made a strong speech ir favor of the claims of the Workingman’s admission to equal privi- leges with the rich mau in the Exhibition, by throwing it open on the only day on which, he can improve its advantages, General Thomas waa followed by Mr. Sidney Biddell, Colonel Fitzgerald and others. A large outside meoting was arranged on the pa’ ment, which was chiefly composed of Germans and was addressed in the German language by several speakers. Considerable oxcitement was manitested and « strong feeling shown 1p favor of Sunday opening. BRILLIANT WEATHER YESTERDAY AND LARGE ATTENDANCE OF VISITORS—COUNTRY PEOPLE IN THE MAJORITY—MEETING OF THE CEN- TENNIAL COMMISSION. PurLapevrma, May 20, 1876, The Exhibition has boen brilliant to-day, what with the bright, sunny weather and the largest crowd since the opening day. Every building has been filled, from the Main Buflding and Machinery Hall—where one of the principal attractions is tho Hxratv’s tiouble Bullock press, around = which | wonder- ivg crowds gathor—down to the leust mteresting structures on the grounds—the State Buiidings, ay they are callea—which for the most part are nothing more than cheap and poorly furnished offices, What elaim they have to be considered a portion of the Exhibition it would puzzle me to find out ‘The visitors to-day were of a motley character, but the country people and the poorer classes were better represemed than at any previous time There’ were many honest tarmers with their “wives and children, who, having come to “teown” with truck to markets gpent the second half of the day at the Exhibition, Whether the newspaper accounts of the extortionate prices at some of the restaurants had frightened (bem, or whother it i# merely vecause they are naturally, with John Gilpin, “ot a fragal_ mand,’ 1 do uot kuow, ‘but it ts certain that each of these little family parties almost always carried with ita launch basket ol must substantial size and weight, TAR 1. COMMISSION, The United States Centennial Commission met to-day, and, after » short open sitting, Went into executive ses sion to consider the appointment of judges of awards, whieh has been prematurely published as complete, Jon 1. Shoemaker, the forwer solicitor to the commiz+ sion, was unanimously re-elected, Mr. Biddle havin refused to take hig place, This action of the commis sion is a defeat ot Nye, of Maine, and the extreme tom- 6 people who want to ignore the contracts of the ant keepers op the grounds, Mr. Shoemaker’s election was opposed by this faction of thé commission because he gave itas bis legal opimion that the con- tracts could not be violated by the commission. The Centennial Commission, when it adjourne to- aay, adjourned until Joly 1. No action was taken on either the Sunday or the admission question, The latter was lett for the decision cf the Executive Commitiee and the Board of Finance, and will be settled during the recess, while the Sunday question is closed until the next meeting. y BXUIBITION NOTES. ‘Tho nyfnber of paying visitors yesterday was 16,095, It ta réported by Mr, Johnson, of Zanesvilic, Ohno, that a man aged about sixty-five years passed through that town on Monday last with a wheelbarrow of ore td the Centennial, which he nas puehed from Mis- gouri, A mass meeting to favor tho opening of the Ex- hibition grounds on Sundays will be hold this’ even- ing at Spring Garden Institute, Browd and Spring Gar- den streets. A call bag been issued for a meeting of tho citizous in favor of sustaining the action of tho United States Centennial Commission tn closing the Exbibition on Sunday, to be beld at Musical Fund Hall op Weduesduy evening next, CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. The sub-committee of ten, consisting of the following namod gentlemen, Petor Cooper, Samuel B, Ruggles, Augustus Schell, Charles A. Peabody, David Van Nostrand, Dexter A. Hawkins, George Jones, Thurlow Weed, William Allen Butlee and John H. Hall, who were to choose the orator aud the writer of the ode tor the Centennial celebration of the Fourth of July at the Academy of Music, met last evening at Mr. Thurlow Weed’s residence, in West Twellth streot, for consulta- tion. All were present except Mr. John H. Hall. After a very short discussion they decided on inviting Mr, Charles Francis Adams to deliver the oration and Mr. ‘Wilham Cullen Bryant the ode. METHODIST GENERAL CONFERENCE, A COMPLIMENT TO DR. CURRY—THE CHURCH AND POLITICAL PURITY—WOMEN’S RIGHT TO ORDINATION 48 LOCAL PREACHERS, Batromorse, May 20, 1876, Bishop Wiley presided this morning, ‘The programme of the Centennial services to be held to-morrow was announced. Rishop Ames will preside, and addresses will be deliver.d by Bishop Simpson, Rev. James Brown and R, Stockett Matthews, . L. Robineon, of Florida, presented the following resolution : While itis not the polley or purpose of the Methodtst Episcopal Church in any manner to counect Okureh with the State, or to bring polities into ow religion, yet ‘in view of the — tmploty, faithfulness and corruption that have come jn” many instances to prevail in places of public trusts, and in view of the fuet that the Christian graces hve #0 little Prominence as qualifie or official powttions, and boing profoundly impressed that all the blessings of civil liberty wh bundantly enjoy are due directly to the en- uence of ¢ nat we. the deleg ence of the Methodist Kpisco; awombled, nt tits the dawn of the dom, do moxt earnestly recommend to the me Chureh throughout the country that they endeavor by every Just and proper meaus to piace in all. the civil oltices of our Kovernment omly sich men as are known, to posscas and maintain a true Christian character and principie. Referred to the Committee on the State of the Church. Bishop Harris announced us tho Spectal Commisston on relations with the Methodist Episcopal Church South:—Rey, M. D'C, Crawford, Central New York; Rey. K. 0. Faller, Georgia; Rev.’ J, P. Newman, Balti- more; Clinton B. Fisk, St. Louis; and Enoch L. Fan- cher, New York, Rev. Bennett Mitchell, Northwestern Iowa, offered a resolution to remove the disabilities of women tor hold- tng offices in the Church. Referred to the Commitice on the Stato of the Church. Resolved. R. Wheatioy, of New York, presented a resolution | that the bishops be requested to select seven men of thorough literary cultire, of whom two shall be the New York book agents, to be added to the committee | appointed yesterday to take into consideration a change ia theeuame and scope of the Ladies’ Repository. Ado} De Wentworth, present editor of the Ladies’ Reposi- tory, addresued the Conference, giving a statement of the disabilities under which he labored in that position, Dr. Curry thougnt the tory now deserved de- cent burial, as it had outlived its usetulnees. ‘The Conlerence proceeded to elect un editor of the Ladies’ Repository. The name of 8. H, Nesbitt wus witharawn from the nominations of yesterday and that | ot Dr. Daniel Curry, of New York, added to whe lit. received more than two-thirds of all the votes, and was declared elected amid great applause, A resolution was adopted unan!mously tendering congratulations to Bishop Ames on attaining to-day the anniversary of his seventieth birthday, to which he replhed with gratitude and emotion. The report of the fraternal mosseagersto the Con- ference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church assembied at Atianta was presented, after which the messengers to’ Atlanta. Dr. Sherman and Brother Tate | (colored) nddressed the Conterence, giving an account of their reception. The address ot Brother Tate, who ‘said he wus a Tennessee farmer and was xt the plough haudle when he received notice of his appointment as Messenger, was ext interesting, abound mg in wit, and was with vouiferous Jaughter by th and members of the Confor Brother Tate said he had been sold n the block ding Sunday sehvol three Sabbaths, It was a compii- ce, mont to him to be associated with Dr. Sherman, « Mas. , gachusetts scholar, bat w order to give the utterances of Dr, Sherman at Atianta full weight and offect he (Tate) had to mdorse what De. Sherman said, (Brother Tae ts a pure type of his race.) The Commities ou the Episcopacy have submitted two reports on the rights of women as local preachers, The quesvon was brought belore the commiitee on. appeat of Mrs, Maggie Van Cott against | Bishop Merrill, who refused to Cott to the deaconate according to the Church, a local in ail vases being thata woman cannot be eligible to that office, An appeal irom a decision of Bishop sow. man ina similar caso was also before the committee. A majority report of the committee sustains Bishops Merrul and Bowman, Rey. G. W. Hughey for the minority dissents from the decisions of the bishops. ‘The Comimitice on the State of the Charch have sub- mitted a report on the expediency of dividing certain conlerences in the South, Tho question of division in- vol ‘he ‘color fine.’ The report concludes with the following recommendations: — Pirt—Kenolved, That where it is the general desire of the the rn work aged or boperitled by divin eral Conference that such division should not be made. Secomd—iiesvived. That whewev shall be requested by rt of the membersof any Anuual Conference iv our vk clearly aud wat would be divided Counter and whenever it shail pear that the interests: wh & division without uid be prom: damage to y part thereol, it 16 the opluion of this Genoral Conter- ence that such « division ‘be made. _ Adjourned to Monday, ‘ “ a ~~ i | 4 Maxine PREPARATIONS FOR ADJOURNMENT IN because | suet | WASHINGTON. Startling Evidence Before the Naval Committee. & peENSAIM Ke 8: 2 SECRETARY ROBESON IMPLICATED. PALES es Mae | The Wretched Memory and Queer Book j j keeping of the Gatiells No Proof That Robeson Shared | in-the Plunder. | ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. ‘Frauds in the New Orleans Custom House, + Fes CIE SBE ENC FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Wasarxarox, May 20, 1876, OUTLINE OF THE EVIDENCE BEFORE THE Naval COMMITTEE—REFLECTIONS ON THE REPUTA- + TION OF SECRETARY ROBESON—TEZSTIMONY OP B. G, CATTELL aS TO HOW HE BECAME RICH— QUEER BOOKKEEPING—NAVAL CONTRACTS AND THEIR MANIPULATION. T jahbe.oridanco w tuch has been developed by the Naval Committee. and which is just printed, ix of a nature to very gravely Stain Secretary Robeson’s reputation, and } Should make his position in the Cabinet untenable, 1t W already known thay Matthews, a naval contractor, paid to the firm of A. G, Caltell & Co,, Mr. Robesuw’s ; Imate triends, a very large eum of money—about | $140,000—n8 Lucir percentage of his profits on contracts | with the Navy Department, | E.G. Cattell, in bis evidence, says that he was doing | i i 1 but litto business when Mr, Rotson became Secretary of the Navy, and the accounts of the firm seem to show ‘tbat he bad litte or no capital, Ho undertook imme- @iately to go into the business of naval contracts, aod made two small contracts ut very low rates, apparently to frighten the regular contractors, At any rate it had this effect, for they appear to have come down at once, Cattell agreed with Matthows that he should receive five per cent of all Matthews’ profits on naval contracts, Cattell agreeing to use his influence with the Navy Do- partment to get contracts, On this be appears to have got $140,002 But this was not all, He made similar arrangements with many other contractors and furnishors, and, though hia memory was in a wretched state, he was able to remember that he received | $25,000 trom Swilt, of New Bedtord, on live oak con- tracts; $2,000 or $8,000 on a wire rope contract; $30,000 from Bigler & Co., lumber dealers, desides aums from various persons, Noblitt & Co, ;doste, Knowlton, Hammett & Neal; Cark & Co., of Brooklyn; Resingue & Co., of Brooklyn; Goodwin, of New York, and ovbers, and he does not appear to have been sure that he remembered all, He confessed to having made m this way about $225,000, and being asked whether, prior to Mr, Robeson’s becoming Sceretary of who Navy, he or bis firm had ever been in the business of furnishing goods for the Navy Department, was obliged to answer, ‘No.’ That is to say, Cattell used his own brother’s intimacy with Robeson to blackmail tho aval contractors, : WHAT THX nOOKS say. ‘When Cattoll’s books were examined {t appeared that ho had kopt his receipts for this business on slips 4m the bookkeeper’s drawer of A, G. Cattell & Co., and that theroiore no account existed, or had over been Teysphurly kept, by which either the receipts or his dis- ‘bursements out of them could be ascertained, but there js a singular difference between the gross sum of $180,000, which he turned finally into the books of A. G. Cattell & Co., and tho largor sum of $225,000, which be confesses to have received. The bookkeeping of tho firm and his own were, however, done with extreme skill, and the firm was from the first rigidly determined to know nothing about the business of either A, G, or E. G, Cattell. It is admitted, however, that while E. G. Cattell put into the firm's accounts various large sums, Senator Cattell drew out coincidently in alt over $70,000 as his share of the capital of the frm, SWORETARY ROBKSON’S INVESTMENTS. Moantime they confess that Secretary Roboson bad various dealings with them, He owea them now $13,000 for his Long Branch cottage. He hi pecu- lated in real estate with them. The books show that they gave him at one time $3,000 tor political parposes, | that Robeson borrowed money trom E. G. Cattell, that | Catteil carried loans without interest from Robeson to tho amount of $7,000 in one sum; that in the Vir- i gintus aifair Cattell made a handsome sum of money, | That there are accounts between Senator Cattoll | and Robeson of which E. G. Cattell does not | know the particulars, Finaily, Mr. Robeson’s account | with the Camden Bank was examined, and there are j found a number of notes to his credit, indorsed by A, G, Cattell & Co.; checks of the Corn Exchunge Bank | of Philadelphia, waich was ono of the principal places | where Cattell kept his money, aud checks of Cattell & | Ca, amounting in all to between $40,000 and $50,000 | | in three years, 1s. G. Cattell swore, on his examina. | | ton, that, so farashe knew, Mr. Robeson Is not a | | man of wealth and never has been—‘1 don’t think he bas much money,” j | In all this there is no positive proof that Mr. Robe- | | son has been the partners of bis favorites or that he ; bas shared in their plunder. i CATPELL'S ROOKKERPING. i | The system of bookkeoping invented by | { F. G. Cattell was admirably calculated to make | | proof of any kind a difiiculty, and combined mitted by the House will make tt to adjoara belore the first of July, and that the and process of legislation would defer the day of adjourgment a month later, or into August. The Fenate does not mean to acquiesce in the wholesale cutting down'®t bugjness done by the House i= the appropriations; 80 Says its Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, 1h will consent to a reduction to some extent im force, but not to reduction in salaries, GENERAL WASHINGTON DESPATCHES. Wasuixeroy, May 20, 1876. THE BELENAP IMPEACHMENT CASE. The Senate, at baif-past tweive P. M., suspended legislative business and resumed the consideration of the articles of impeachment against W. W. Belknap, late Secretary of @ar, with closed doors. Ata quarter to tour P. M., before reaching any decision, the doors were reopened and the Senate adjourned until Monday. THE SPENCER CASE. ‘The conclusion arrived at by the Senate Committee on Privilezes and Elections tn their report on the case oi Senator Spencer are in substance—First, that the question of validity of the so-called Court House Legis. lature which elected Spencer was settled by the Senate when itdecided against Sykes, the contestant for his seat last year, and second, that no testimony has been Adduced in Uns investigation showing that any corrup- tion or bribery as employed ‘to secure his election, tuo ouly evidengp offered ou this pomt bemg merely hearsay, HE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON rrTzHUGt, ‘The House Committee on Ruies bave agreed to report/} that Fitzhugh ts un improper person to be doorkeeper Of the House and will recommend that the office of ser geant-at-arms and deorkeeper Ye consolidated. RED CLOUD AND SPOTTED TAIL HEARD FROM. ‘The following telegrain was recived here to-day :— Cnevenne, W Commissionnn ov INDIAN 4 1 huve just TaiL Counsolled with thom both, ‘Ihey ure peac able; nove ot their Indians have joined the hostiles, T went m and came oot without military escort, The Indians who’ drove Crook ow try. ‘They set fire to the corrat at dians are now guarding the agenc is ho help trom the miltary. 8 fail want pe cop the suitiiers away and we will liste Father when be tell us whut he wants us to do about the Biack Hille,” Crook's last expedition has forced hostiitivs ti the North, ‘The relia despaiebes trom Laramie aren , DEVER, Inspector, WILLIAM VAD NEW ORLEANS CUSTOM HOUSE. SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FEDERAL O¥FICES IN LOUISIANA—REMARKABLE TESTI- MONY BY THE WITNESS ¥ERGUSON—HOW FRAUDULENE PAY ROLLS WERE MDE OUT AND PAID. Wasuinatox, May 20, 1876, The committee on federal offices tu Louisiana met to-day aud continued the examination of G. W. Fer- guson. Previous to the examination the minutes of the secret session of yesterday were read, by which it was shown that the committee have dectdea wo meet in Now Orleans on turday, May 27, which will necessitate starting from Washington next\Wednosday evening Mr. Ferguson was asked to coutinuc his statement concerning the fraudulent pay rolls im the Custom House at New Orleans, bf Witness asked the following question:—If i should testify (which I don’t say I shatl that I bat signed from forty to sixty fraudulent pay’ rolls and that tho money had been drawn on them, would | not be Hable to prosecution ou that testimony f The lawwas read to the witness, and he was officially informed that sy testimony he might give belore the committee could not be used against him unless in such testimony he should perjure bimsel(, Witness said thut in Sepvember and October, 1872, Genorul Syphor, ex-Membor of Congress, gave him a bundle of pay roils, each vouchor at that time being made out separately, and asked witnesss to sign them with any name he chose; witness filled up and signed about fiity or sixty of these vouchers and returned them to Sypher, who took them uway aud returned with a package of money, paying witness a salary of $90; and give to ‘others whose names he had eened on the vouchers, Witness was askod to give the names which he had signed to the rolls, and he said be sigued whatevor name came into his mind; he had no aathority from any one whose names bo signed to sign their names, but some of the cmployés hat authorized him’ to col- lect their money—Thomas Fernon, William Nicoll, Benjamm Leggett, Joseph Asner and others; he could not recollect who were those persons who asked bim to collect their money; ho signed fictitious names (or some of them and some of the names represeuied par- | ties not im existence, as Brown, Joves, Smith, &e. ; the | morey paid (o witness Was not his sulary, ur he was ved in the Custom House; te was a po- ypher gave witness moncy tor eight ur money Was put inw envelopes in ten persons; th sums from $35 to $90 and handed to witness, who gave them to tho parties designated by Sypher; no name was iilied in the top of the voucher and no sum of | moncy was filled iu at the time witness signed the | vouchers; tho vouchers were in blank when signed and wounis were all put in alterwarc tho money puidf to these partics wus not in consider: tion for labor pertormed, bus was for clection purposes: the parties were democrats and liberal republicans, an they were expected to support the ticket veuring Sypher’s name; a Mr. McLean, since doad, helped witness to sixn these vouchers; thy vouchers wore taken to the Castom House, audited, and the money was paid on them; some of the mon who received the money were registration officers; others wore parties who took sailors out of boarding houses tv vote, and others were iaterested in fraudulent naturalization papers; and they were all expected Lo work for General syph alter the pay rolls were signed Sypher took | om and said, “Hold on, boyy, ‘nile, and 1 will | goon be vack here with the money; witness did not | know of his own personal knowledge whore Sypher | got the money. By Mr. Hoskins—Do you know that this was not Sypher's owe money! A. No, sit; it was understood thaghe drow it trom the Custom House, Q Idid pot ask you what was understood, I ask you if you know where the money came from. Do you know that General sypher did not draw it from his own pocket? A. No, sir. @ Do you kuow that it was not his money? A. No, sir. By Mr. Gibeon—What ts your opinion as to where he ou ity Sir, Wilson, as counsel for Collector Casey, objected to the witness giving any opinion, and quite a discus- sion arose on that point, and the question was inodi- j|.with bis wretched memory, and the remarkabie {g- i | norance of the junior members of the Cattell firm, the | | whole was admirably planned to hide the traces of | wrong, ifany was done. If the Cattells had been domg | an honest business or had had uo transactions to con- | | coal It 8 not possible that E. G, Cattell would have | | kept the record of accounts covering more | ; than $200,000 and perhaps $300,000, and several | | years, on slips in the drawer of his booxkeeper, which | | shps wero destroyed when, finally, as ho and the ! bookkeeper testified, he closed up that business and turned a Jump sum of $180,000 into the books of A. G. | Cattell & Co, WHAT ROBESON THINKS, | Some of Mr, Nobeson’s friends here have been assert- | ing that he thinks himself outraged by the committes | because that did not long ago allow him access to all | the testimony so that he might show his innocence. Hie will have an opportunity now, and it {8 said that he | will dony that he knew or suspected that the Cattelis | were making percentages from the navy contracts, aud | that he is the Innocent victim of designing and | treacherous friends. 4 | | FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT. | Wasuixaton, May 20, 1976, JUNE—CONFLICTING OPINIONS 46 TO 17S | PROBABILITY—MR. RANDALL'S VIEWS. i | Under the spur of the resolution introduced in the | House proposing an adjournment on Juno 12, « move- ment has taken piace among the members during the | past few days indienting that they are about making | preparations to render suéh adjournment feasible. | Private bills have been rasbed to the table and commit. | tee reports are coming in thick and fast; and conspic- | uous'y Mr, Randall is confident that the business of the session can be despatched #o as to render an ad- , Journiment at the date proposed practicable, unless the | Senate by its vote on jurisdiction and consequent trial | | forthwith of ex-Seeretary Belknap should interfere | | with this action of the House, It is eaid in support of this probability that should the Senate find it has jurisdiction in the Belknap’ case, a motion will i be made for a postponoment of the trial stself | until December next. This would enable Con- gress tw adgout Mr. Randall contends, at | the ime proposed by the Morrison resolotion. Some of the oldest officers of the Senate say that | merely going over the caiowdar of the business sub- | fied so as to inquire What were the grounds of bis tin- pressions about where the money came from, and wit- hess suid it was the conduct of Sypher in having the rolls made out, taking them away wath him and return- | ing with the money. | Q Do you know of any other cases where fraudulent payrolls have been made out? A. No, sir; nut of my own kuowledge. Q. Where were you when you signed theso pay rolls? A, Ina room vn the upper floor of the Custom House, which General Sypher used as an ollice tem- porarily ; Sypher was gone {rom the room about three- quarters of an hour and returned with the money; phe did not know whetner be went out of the diding or not, By Mr. Conger—What month was 1% that the $140,000 eigure were imported by McCarty in New Orleans on what he paid duty on only 70,000? A. In Murch, 1875, Mr. Conger read the following telegram from Col- lector Casey, seut to theSecretury of the ‘treasury :-— New Onunans, Tuxasvny, Washin; RETARY OF THE Newspapers report that Louisiana Committee th: 140,000 cigars in’ Mareh, ouly 70.000. The Frew H at OO ety: ; on the same. Plewwe have | rama | JAMES F. CASEY, Witness was asked what le had to say w that, and | he said the cigars he alluded to came in on the steam- ship Merida; aiso that MoCarty entered four or five lots of cigars iu March, 1875, Mr. Gibson read a telegram low: from McCarty as fol- t ver nade any ¥, Massoch, and eonsequ for making fraudulent statements in reference lusoly | talse and walicious MoCARTY, Also the following trom Domingo:— Nuw Ontxans, May 19, 1 ToMon. R. Ginsox, M. C1 saedoaitnl ‘statement of Ferguson before your Committee that ejther Tor my clerk told bum that Bit was a membo ring for importing eixnrs fraudulently sro absoluely iaonuniend 308K DUMINGO, | AK\ao one trom Massoch, as follows :— Nkw Onsnana, La, May 19, 1876, To Hon. R. Ginsox, Chairman of Committee :— testimony W, Feruuson, the same faino, #0 ton tu mip ourplay, sna bus wever done’ any isinepe tr ove, ay taseuCi | Witness said the statements in the despatches were false, it could mot Be expected that these men would acknowledge theif connection with any fraudulent im- Tat ree wine was asked if any one had ine re 0 that ‘wanted to sue ond ho tw see him Jest oight; Mr. Carpenter bim it statement | . | said Union Pacitie | Attorney General to institute the sults and gives the | once to loval assessment and might as well go on, Witness gave a statement of a lot of cigars: which were consigned to}. Massach, in which the appearance of the cuses indicated that they bad been cut dows from very large ones to small ones; the cases were sent from the steamer to warehouse No, 6 on thelt arrival, aod when they came to the cigar room to be entered in the Custom House it was the general impres+ sion that the cases had been cut down and the govern- ment detranded out of the amount of duty which should have been paid; the case looked um iw it bad been Cut down smaller, and the original cover replaced, but who ever did it used Ameri. can hails mstead of the imported nails; Mussach also rooeived a lot of cigarettes in bulk; the kaw required that tho cigarettes should be taken out avd repacked 1m boxes of fifty each, and the internal revenue stamp put on each box. Witness said that Massach’s dray took this caso of clgarettes away from the Custom House with the eigar- ettes still in butk, and the government wus dbfrauded out of the imiernal revenue tax and the custom duties; witness could it give the exact dates of all these transactions, but he bad them in his posseason in New Orteans the mveamers on which the cigars of Massach, McCarty and could furnish dates, amounts and names of others spoken of had been imported, and the dates of theirarrival, He also had in bis possession some of the cizars to which ho had alluded. The committee took a recess for a few minutes, and Upon reassembling the witness asked permission to be allowed to give the balance of bis testimony in New Urieuns, or else that he be allowed a week or ten days to sea to New Orleans for hise He bad bea reputation and that of his family now at stake, und he desired to have the privilege of fortitying his testimony by these data, Mr, Gibson said it was evident from what had trans- pired to-day that the witness would get into a hornet’ hest when be returned to. New Orleans, aad it Was Dete ter for him to goon and tell what be knew now while he was here; he should have an opportunity to present the papers to the committee when they reached that city. ‘The witness continued his testimony and said that Deputy United States Marshal De Kiyne tola him (Ww ness) at one time to take 3,000 cigars out of a cave the Custom House and carry them up to the Gated States Marshal's office and witness did $0; these cigars were taken to the Mursual’s office without any duty having been pad on them, Witness said there was # law providing that when the amount of cigurs received on an invoice was less than the mvuies called for and the customs officer made a return that there was not room in cases tor the widitional number culled tor in the invorce, theu the invoice was taken ta be wrong and duty was paid ou the actual number of cigars. In the above transaction De Kiyne directed the r lo report that there way not room in the cases for the 5,000 which would be short after be had vay and have the myoice made to © to the show, Witaese suid Joseph Grinnell, a ber of the Castom House band, was present at this time, Q Do they have x band at the Custom House. A, ‘They did until a few months ago. Q. What use did they make of w band? A. It was used for political gathermgs, seronades, &., and wus taken about the country to furnish music at political gutherings, By Mr. Gibson-—You bave asked that you might defer your testimony uatt! you got to New Orleans, so that You might have your data near atnand, Did you not say al rst that you ne to Washi these frauds to the Secre of the iy did you not bring your pupers with you to substan. tiato your statements’ A. 1 came to tell these things to the Secretary of tue ‘Treasury and get him to seud anageot to New Orleans to Investigate them and I would have my data all there at the time, Adjourned till Monday morning. PACIFIC RAILROAD. < MR. LAWRENCE'S BILL REPORTED FROM THE | COMMITTEK ON JUDICIARY—SUMMERY OF THE TEXT—POWEES OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ‘TREASURY AND UNITED STATES DE~ FINED, Wasuinaton, May 20, 1876, ‘Tho bill reported by Mr. Lawrences to-day trom the Committee on the Judiciary toamend the Pacific Rail- road act of July 1, 1862, which, on his motion, was ore dered printed anu recommitted, provides Section L.—That the reeretary ofthe T Limca withhold payment of uny money due States to any rai company which bax grant of land. or git, or loan of money, or ¢ the money 40 due be reduced to judginont ur not, to t amount of any and all elatins due trom such company to the United States. ‘2.—That im any action oF proceeding brought in par- flaw by any such company asaiust the Unived any clay or demand of the United Seats azainas t the election of the United States, be a e*t-otf and ploaded as such. or muy be made the sunject of A sepurat- action in avy court of competent jurindiction, Ske. S$ provides that all claims and deiai due United states rom any vel t n per cont per anuum ie tite such clainis veeome di SHC. 4.—Thas ft shall bs the duty of the several railro: companies to which bunds were ued uuder any of poe several acs vi which this act is amenaatory tu prosdever Sinking tund for the payment, aceording to-law, Of me ine reat Gud principel of such bonds and for retmburang the United States lor such sums as Dave. been amd may. from jo time be advanced und paid by the U; States ch bonds and interest, and which may not be relm= barsed from compensation for services a ded by 1aw, aud from five per cence at net poe of providing auch ‘slnkin | several States, in addition tu the suid five per cout, of the net 0: ings, the following w Pace Ruilrowa Company, on its own account and for i several brunches shall, during the period of ten yeurs trom, and afte: y, pay aunuatly tuto the of $730,000, 10. be a1 y tneneing with the expiration of said ten yours, the Railroad Company shall pav into the 1 until the whole of bonds issued to suid company. together with the i. slialt have been fully paid, one-auit of exch annual inwtaliment to be paid on the Ist of July aud the wher ll onthe Ist of Jauuary; and the Centrat Pacitic Railra on its own accou for its several branch tne poriod of ten yours from and after July ally int the Treasury of the United St $505,110. to be paid one-half on July Lund the naif on January 1 in ench of wald yeara, and during each and every year, commencing wit t ration of sald period of fen vodrs, the sald Contral Pacilig ailroad Company shall pay into the Treasury of the Uni Ntates the sum of $700,590 uutil the whole amoult of the bonds issued to said company, togetber with the taterenst, hall have been fuily paid, one-hall to be nuld.on tho ist day 5 OF July and the other half on the Ist day of January, pro. vided that the sums pad Into the sinking fund under this act shall apply first to the extinguishment of interest and Y the balance to the principal of the afuresaid bonds. ‘Ske D directs the Secrotary of and reinvest to the best advantage money ¢pllected under this act. ‘Sec. 3 provides for suits against any railroad company failing to comply with the provisions of this act, directs the caves, precedence over all others. Sec. 7 makes it unlawful for any such raitroad director or officers to de jividend ¥ the U e Bxc. 8 prohibits any director or officer of ferred to to be interes! directly or ladirec! tract therewith, except for his lawful Ce greg? an any one violating this section shall bo Mable to « fine $10,060 and imprisonment for one year, Sie. provides that any reme: in provided shall not ve doemed to deny, exclude or impair any other remetly horeyofure existing in favor of the United states, nor anything in the bill affect any pending suit institated under the act of March 4, 1873, nor shall it impair the 6 Congress to alter, amend or Al this or any ot! Inting to #1 Iroad com) es m saat right existing 7 law ander the firwt under the act of July 2, 1n64. BILLS SIGNED. Aunaxy, May 20, 1876,, Governor Tilden has signed the following bills since the list of Wednesday :— : Amending the Revised Statutes ontitled “of the ro. turn and summoning of grand juries their powers and duties.” Atending the charter of Oswego, Amending the acts regarding the city of Watertown, and confirming ucts of the Common Council in reter= for local improvements Authorizing the exty of Watertown vo borrow money and issue bonds to liquidate its indebtedness, Authorizing the city of Elmira to borrow money and issue bonds to pay its floating debt, o Amending the uct revising the charter of the eity ot Lica. Amending the act to secure to children the benefit of an elementary education. To provide for tho formation of road districts, with the corporate jurisdiction of plank und turnpike com nie, er nding the act to revise and consolidate the gen- oral acta relating to public instruction. t Amending the act for the relief of the sarviving members of the New York Voluntecrs, who served in | the war with Mexico, ‘To prevent the deposit of mad, cart! refine in the Hor of Hudson Wuvee SeaEbe the filling up of the navigable waters of sald river, 40 preserve the navigation wWercof. ENFORCING THE SUNDAY LAW. The captaina of all the precincts in the Second Th- spection district were yesterday summoned to th Central Ufiice aud given instructions by laspector Me- Dermott with respect to the entorcement of the law prohibiting the seling of liquor on Sunday. They were told that all saloons in their respective precincts musi be kopt closed. 1 was not enough to seo that the front doors were tastened. The back doors must we closed. The | expressed hopes that t! captains would do the duty so weil that no would bo received. * PLYMOUTH ROCK EXCURSIONS. Tho first of the suramer excursions of the steamna® Plymouth Rock will be on next Sanday, the 28th inst ‘The boat hus been redecorated and improved, with the view of making regular trips to Rockaway beach, The government bas hor owners to curry 3,008 people, but Jarrett & Vuimer have decided to ber lo Eentve enct trip. froxing 18 parte comtors of the passengers five it to ua, You are in tor the war now, / ‘Treasury to invess ,