The New York Herald Newspaper, December 10, 1878, Page 3

A Busy Day Among the Financial Tinkers. WAR ON THE WATIONAL BANKS. The Regulation of Presi- dential Elections, DETAILS OF MR. EDMUNDS’ BILL. ‘Secretary Sherman's Bill Readjusting Duties on Sugar. FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. Wasnrnctoy, Dec. 9, 1878, THE CURRENCY QUESTION IN THE HOUSE-—OPEN- ING THE WAR ON THE NATIONAL BANKS— BILLS IN EARNEST AND BILLS FOR BUNCOMBE, To Mr. Fort, (rep.) of Illinois, belongs what- ever credit may attach to the first attack on the national banks in the interest of a depreciated cur- rency. He tried to get a bill before the House to-day compelling the national banks to take silveron deposit and requiring the Treasury to call in the notes of those banks which refuse to do so. Absurd as this attempt to regulate with whom the banks should do business is, the bill yet received a very large support fromthe House, and failed to be taken up only because it did not get a two-thirds vote. One hundred ana fifty members yoted to take it up and ecighty-nine against. Mr. Burchard, another Illinois republican, introduced another bili for the same purpose. Somebody will presently introduce a bill instructing merchants with whom they are to have dealings and to what class of customers they shall give six months’ credit. ‘The republicans who voted for Mr. Fort’s bill were Messrs. Bundy, of New York; Gardner, Keifer and Van Vorhes, of Ohio; Tipton, Burchard, Cannon, Fort, Hayes, Lathrop and Marsh, of Illinois; Calkins, Evans, Hanna, Hunter, Robinson, Sexton and White, of Indiana; Cummings, Deering, Oliver, Price, Samp- son and Sapp, of Iowa; Haskell, Phillips and Ryan, of Kansas; Hubbell, of Michigan; Stener, of Mis- souri; Rainey, of South Carolina; White, Shallen- Derger and Thompson, of Pennsylvania; Strait, of Minnesota; Williams, of Wisconsin; Wren, of Nevada, and Morgan, of Nebraska—thirty-seven in all, The democrats who voted against Mr. Fort’s bill were Morse and Dean, of Massachusetts; Jones, of New » Hampshire; Eickhoff, Hart, Potter, Willis and Wood, of New York; Landers, of Connecticut; Williams, of Michigan; Schleicher, of Texas; Stenger, of Pennsyl- vania, and Williams, of Delaware—thirteen in all. Comment is unnecessary. The republican party in the West is cvidently not favorable to the banks, but the democratic party is plainly almost unanimously against them. Mr. Hewitt brought in @ bill to make the silver * dollar interchangeable with gold at the Treasury at the will ot the bo . Mr. Atkins one to make the + ettbsidisry silver cu! y receivable for all govern. _ ment dues, including customs revenue. Mr. Felton . democrat) of Georgia, introduced a bill to com- pel the national banks to receivo and recognize the silver dollar as of equal value with the gold dollar, and to make not only the trade dollar but the Mexican dollar a legal tender. Mr. Felton has sometimes been thought man of sense » andeverage information, and he ought to know—what, ere iets hae tad ene , Ber of Congress understand—that thé banks are not in open rebellion; that they receive the silver dollar in payment just as everybody clee fides and as the Silver law which made it # legal tender requires, but that they decline to receive de posits of silver from.people who would want to draw out gold or greenbacks in return—that is to say, the banks propose to deal only with honest people and refuse to keep the accounts of men who would . swindle them. If.Mr. Felton knew what his bill meant it would bo proper to accuse him of an at- tempt to aid and abet common swindlers, but he is evidently moving out of shecr ignorance. Mr. Page introduced the bill he has been preparing to decrease the representation in Congress of South Carolina on account of the election frauds, giving the Btate two members as representatives only of her white population. These bills relating to the banks and to South Carolina are only what are called “flyers.” They aro not of the least importance because they will not become laws. The members who introduce them do 80 out of an idea that they will please their constit- nents, and these “flyers” take the place of the former speeches for buncombe. Their chief use here is to show the ignorance of the members who introduce hem. § It is highly probable that Mr. Hewitt’s bill making silver dollars interchangeable with gold at the Treas- ury will pass, with perhaps an amendment making the silver small change also redeemable at the Treaa- ury in sums of $100, The silver men themselves begin to understand that this is necessary to keep silver afloat, and the nonsense of Messrs. Fort, Bur- chard, Fulton, and the milder movement of Mr. Dur- ham, to-day, to make the trade dollar a legal tender and stop its coinage, will all fail. ‘THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION QUESTION AND "THE SOUTHERN TROUBLES BEFORE THE SENATE. Senator Edmonds to-day made a cloar and forcible statement of the necessity for # change in the laws Tegulating the Presidential election and of the fea- tures of the bill he has introduced, The sitbject will ‘be further debated at considerable length. Senator Cameron, of Wisconsin, introduced a very sensible resolution asking the President to fur- nish the Senate with copies of all reports of United States marshals or other ‘officers and such other correspondence as he may have relative to the recent elections in the States of South Carolina and Louisiana. This was agreed to, and thus Congress and the country will be put in possession, as soon a4 copies can be made, of all the information which the law officers of the govern- ment haye accumulated concerning the election troubles in those two States, Up to the prosent timo Congress fs in almost absolute ignorance on this sub Ject.. The President couid, of course, give no details in his Message, and while there has boen a good deal of loowe talk on the one side of wholesale violence and fraud, and on the other of charges of exaggeration, neither republicans nor democrats know certainly what the facts or even the charges are. Private letters from New Orleans received to-day report that Gover- nor Nicholls has returned from his investigation of the irregularities in the up river parishes; that he has found that there were riots with bloodshed in several parishes, and that he has promptly set the whole machinery of the law at work to secure the srrest and punishment of the guilty persons. If Mr. Blaine were wise he would withhold his resolution of inquiry until the papers Mr. Cameron has asked for are sent in. He wonld then know what basis of facts or charges he has to ground an inquiry on. FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT. Wasntnerox, Dec, 9, 1878, MR. ATKINS’ RELATION TO THE OMISSTON OF THE HOT SPRINGS COMMISSION CLAUSE FROM THR CIVIL SERVICE BILL. Mr. Atkins said to-day, in the House, concerning a report in these despatches last Friday, that the state- ment there madc,on what your correspondent had feason from long experience to believe excellent an- thority, to the effect that Mr. Atkins had taken the ‘uncompleted Appropriation bill trom fr, Rainey at the close of the last session and brought it into the House, ts false. He showed that it is denied by Mr. Rainey, by Mr. King, the enrolling fplerk, and by. Mr. dongs, bis assistant, ~NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, DECEMB of whom certify that Mr. Atkins did not touch or in” terfere with the bill and had no connection with tle handling of it. A letter from Senator Conover to Mr. Atkins also states that he had not only never made but never suggested such @ statement. Mr. Hewitt also says that Mr. Atkins, to his certain knowledge, did not interfere with the enrolling of the bill, and that in fact no member of the House had anything to do <with it at that stage, except Mr. Rainey, whose duty it was, as member of the Committce on Enrolled Bills, to compare it, having done which, as he and his clerks supposed with every care, he himself took it into the House. This of course settles the question. Your corres- pondent was deceived by an informant, a leading of- ficial of the House, whom he had aright to believe trustworthy, and who from his position had facilities for knowing the truth, but for some reason put forth a false report. According to the statement of one of the clerks of the House, such omissions as that of the Hot Springs clause is not an infrequent matter iu legislation. In the last ten Congresses there are as many as twenty instances of omissions which had to be supplied or rectified by subsequent legislation, NONE BUT REPOBLICANS IN THE FEDERAL JURY BOXES OF THE SOUTH—BAD OUTLOOK FoR DEMOCRATS, In connection with the expected prosecutions in the Southern States for infractions of the federal election laws, considerable apprehension has been excited among the democrats of that region by a re- cont decision of United States Judge William B. Woods, of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, that jurors in United States courts must sub- scribe to the test oath, As the Fifth Judicial Circuit comprises all the States bordering on the Gulf, and as Judge Wood's decision would most likely be made a precedent for a similar ruling in all the other United States courts, the result would be that in all such prosecutions the accused persons would have to be tried by a jury made up exclusively of loyal whites or negroes or both. For this reason fresh pressure is being exerted here to secure the final passage of the bill already passed by the House for the repeal of the test or iron-clad oath. The bill is before the SenateCommittec on the Revision of the Laws, of which Mr. Christiancy is chairman, and that gentleman has been requested to invite the com- mittee to give it early attention. -— GENERAL WASHINGTON DESPATCHES. WasuixeTon, Dec. 9, 1878, THE DUTIES ON SUGAR—COMMUNICATION AND BILL ADDRESSED BY SECRETARY SHERMAN TO THE HOUSE OF BEPRESENTATIVES. ‘The following communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, accompanied by the draft of a bill to regulate the duties on certain classes of sugar, was laid before the House of Representatives today and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means:— Hon. Samvgt Ranpatt, Speaker :— * In pursuance of the recommendations contained in the annual report of this department for the pre- sent year I have the honor to transmit herewith a draft of a bill to regulate the duties on certain classes of sugars and for the other pury 4 specified in the various sections of the bill. The subject of specific duties upon silk goods and kid gloves was referred to in'the report inentioned, but at the present time this de] ent has not before it such facts as will enable it to arrive at any definite conclusion in regard to the details necessary to affix specific duties on the articles mentioned. The department. however, will at any time be gled to furnish to Congress or the Committeeon Ways and Means the views of its of- ficers and of persons interested in the trade in such articles, and to furnish such facts and figures as may be obtainable. The duty on sugar not above No. 13, as fixed by the bill at 2 40-100 cents per pound, has been based on the duties collected on sugar withdrawn for consumption the various of No. 7, No. 10 and No. 13, The av- erage rate of duty collected on these three grades bate f the past years was 2 34-100 cents per Rol but s portion of the sugars upon which these juties were collected was undoubtedly colored arti- during the two past fiscal years of ficially for the purpose of reducing the duty, and should have a hi rate, hence the rate in the bill has been p! at @ little above the figures shown by the actual withdrawals for consumption. It is hoped that Congress will take carly action various led in the bill here- thi measures specifi with transmitted. JOHN SHERMAN, Secretary. ‘The tollowing is the full textof the bill alluded to:— Be it enacted, &c., from ant after the — day of , 1879, in lieu of the duties heretofore pre- scribei, the following rates of duties shall be ex- acted: On all sugars not above No, 13, Dutch standard in color, and not exceeding 4 degrees in saccharine strength, two cents and four mills per pound; pro- vided, that any sngar not above No. 13, Dutch stand- ard incolor, which shall test above 94 degrees in sac- charine strength, shall wy the rate of duty charge- able on sugars above No. 13; but not above No. 16, Dutch standard in color, and the test of saccharine strength shall be ascertained by means of the polar- iscope, or its equivalent, under such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. Sec, 2—Section 253 of the Revised Statutes is hereby amended so as to read as follows:— ‘The Secretary off tho Treasury may discontinue any port of entry or delivery the revenue received at which does not amount to the sum of $10,000 a year, andhe is hereby authorized to consolidate two or more customs districts the revenue received in either of which does not exceed the sum before specified, and to place subordinate officers at such places within such consolidated districts asin his judgment may be necessary for the proper collection of the revenue from toms, 8 All provisions of law which authorize allow- ance the assess: ‘e ring to imported ition shall be, an Sec. 4.—For the purpose of secuging a greater uni- rormity in the collection of duties on imports at the various ports of the United States, tho Secre- tary of the Treasury is hereby authorized in cases of variance between the appraised value or classification for duty of similar mer- chandise at two or more ports in the United States to direct the Board of General Appraisers, or a major- ity of them, to examine and decide upon the true ditiable value or classification of such imports, and “to cause the duties to be levied in such cases accord- ingly; and the general appraisers shall have, subject : to the approval of the Secretary of the ‘Treasury, au- thority to establish euch rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law, as shall tend to secure a greater uniformity in the appraisal and classification of im- ports, for assessment of duty. fi Bre. 5.—That whenever any person, not an officer of the United States, shall furnish to the Secretary of the Treasury, or to any chief officer of the customs, | or to a district attorney original information con- cerning any fraud upon the customs revenue perpe- trated or conteinplated which shall lead to the recov- ery of any duties withheld, or of any fine, penalty or forfeiture incurred, whether by im 8 or their agents or by any officer or persons employed in the customs service, such persou so furnishing informa- tion shall be entitled to receive one-third ot the gross proceeds of such duties, tine, penalty or forfeiture 40 recovered, to be paid under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may preseribe. Ste. 6.—That the Secretary of the Treasury be and he ‘is hereby authorized to expend out of the appro- priation for defraying the expenses of collecting tho Teventle from customs such amount as he may deem necessary, not exceeding $100,000 per annum, for the detection and prevention of frauds upon the customs revenue. Src. 7.—The Secretary of the Treasnry is hereby authorized to prohibit the shipment into the Terri- tory of Alaska of molasses or any other article which, in his judgment, may be intended for the manufac- ture of spirits in that Territory. THE INDIAN QUESTION—EX-SENATOR LOT M. MORRILL IN OPPOSITION TO THE TRANSFER OF THE BUREAU. The Indian Commission to-day heard the views of ex-Senator Lot M. Morrill, of Maine, on the question of transfer. He took the ground that we are in our transactions with the Indians dealing with the rem- nants of @ race that we are in duty bound to respect and aid in every possible manner. He advocated radi- cal changes in existing law and considered this the only method of reaching the desired result. The present management in complying with the law he thought unable to deal successfully with the red men. They (the Indians) should be, in his judgment, localized and properly educated in order that they might be prepared to mect the coming contingency of delivering up their lands to American settlers, and this must eventually occur to meet the require- menta of the fast increasing white population. Legislation which would protect the Indian from the depredations of the whites was an absolute necessity. He did not think the transfer, if effected, would prove beneficial to the Indians, Localization and educa- tion, he said, were the only means to be applied to save the Indian race from extinction. Mr, Morrill went into, details npon the question at issne, sub- mitting in evidence many facts heretofore treated by those favoring the management of the Indians by the civil burean of the government, - At the conclusion of his direct testimony General Hooker indulged in a brief croes-questioning, which, however, elicited nothing material. Mr. John Young agent of the Dlackfost Indians of Montana, was next sworn and briefly examined by Chairman Saunders. Ho said the Indians under his jurisdiction were unanimously opposed to the pro- tcanates, that they wore enterprising aad tented, and he was of opinion that the transfer was inadvisable. Senator McCreery, at the close of Mr. Young's re- marks, sugyested that the evidence be now closed. General Hooker, in that connection, expressed a de- sire to hear the testimony of two gentlemen to-mor- row with regard to the statement concerning beef contracts submitted by Indian Commissioner Hayt on Saturday. The committee thereupon, on, motion of Representative Stewart, adjourned until to-morrow at ten o'clock, Mr. Stewart announcing that he would, at the conclusion of to-morrow’s session, make a mo- tion that the committee proceed to the preparation of their report. THE SHANGHAL CONSULATE INVESTIGATION— SHARP WORDS BETWEEN G. WILEY WELLS AND MINISTER SEWARD. The House Committee on Expenditures under the State Department to-day continued their investige- tion of consular affairs in China, by commencing the cross-examination of Mr. G. Wiley Wells, Minister Seward and various other persons involved in the inquiry-were present together with their respective counsel, including Judge R. T. Merrick, ex-Senator Matt Carpenter and Mr. Coleman, Mr. Wells, in response to the questions of Judge Merrick, reiterated the general purport of his previous testimony in re- gard to finding when he assumed charge of the office of Consul General at Shanghai that documents had been abstracted and records mutilated during the ad- ministration ot Messrs. Seward and Bradford, and that, for instance, there were no papers on file show- ing the Williams bequest to the Snug Harbor Hospital at New York. Judge Merrick at this point produced these papers, thus showing that they had not been lost or destroyed. Mp. Wells was next cross-examined at great length concerning his testimony that the Consul General's docket in judicial proccedings had been kept in a de- fective and irregular manner; that pages had been torn out, &c. Reasserting this testimony, Mr. Wells added that “the docket had the sppearance of a butcher’s book.” Whereupon Mr. Seward excitedly remarked, ‘That is false,” and Mr. Wells, with still greater warmth, re- joined— : “If you say so, you are a liar!” Mr. Seward was on the point of replying, but Judge Merrick and members of the committee interposed to prevent further colloquy. Mr. Wells, however, informed Chairman Springer that unless he could be protected by the committee from such insulting interruptions he must protect him- self. Mr. Springer having assured the witness that the committee would protect him, and having notified Mr. Seward that he must not speak to the witness while under cross-examination, except through his lawyer, the sensational episode ended and the cross- examination proceeded without eliciting any new points of interest. THE HOT SPRINGS INQUIRY. The select committes investigating the omission of the Hot Springs clause from the Sundry Civil Service Appropriation Dill of last session met again this morning and examined Thomas A. Britt, a temporary employé of the Secret Service Division of the Treas- ury Department, who is the person that made the report to Secretary Sherman, which was sent to Mr. Atkins and by him to this committee. The statement of Britt was very rambling, and consisted to «con- siderable extent of conversations he had with parties and what might be proven by them. Senator Dorsey asked the witness if Mr. Brooks had said anything to him about himself and Atkins having anything to do with the bill. ‘Witness—Mr..Brooks once said to me, “They say Dorsey and Atkins had something to do with this; you had better look them over;” had gone far enough to satisfy himself they had nothing to do with the abstraction or commission. Senator Doracy said he had been 8 very active sup- porter of the Hot Springs bill and he did not care to be pursued by Treasury detectives. He hoped a transcript of the statement would be sent by the committee to the Secrefary of the Treasury. 8. B. Benson, assistant chief of the Secret Service. Division, was next called, but furnished no facts shy importance to the inquiry. ‘ | THE RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE—-COMMUNICATION FROM THE POSTMASTER GENERAL TO THE HOUSE. Speaker’ Randall to-day laid before the House of Representatives a communication addressed to him, ofticiaily, by Postmaster General Key, in which the latter recapitulates the statements contained in his last annual report, exhibiting the insufficiency of the Congressional appropriation to maintain the exist- ing railway mail service throughout thecurrent fiscal year, and informs the House that, in order to keep the total expenditures within the amount of the appropriation, he will be obliged to cause the use of railway postal cars to be discontinued on and after the Ist of next January, unless Congress shall in the meantime make an additional appropriation, The Postmaster General calls attention to the fact that by law the department can exercise discretion only in two items of railroad tranaportation—namely, in the establishment of service on newly constructed roads and in the use of postal cars. He adds: In my opinion the discontinuance of the use of railway post office cars would occasion great incon- venience to the public generally as well as serious loss to the business interests of the country. It would also be a most disastrous blow to the postal system of the United States, and would in the end rove expensive to the government, for it would re- uire more to restore the postal car service than would be saved by itd discontinuance. In view of the great importance of the postal service to the people and to this di ent I have deemed it my duty before taking conclusive action with regard to the matter to again invite the attention of Congress to the sub- ject. The communication was referred to the Committee on Appropriations. ANOTHER CALL FOR FIVE-TWENTIES, ‘The Secretary of the Treasury to-day issued the seventy-fourth call for the redemption of five-twenty bonds of 1965, consols of 1865. The call is for $5,000,000, of which $3,000,000 are registered bonds. ‘The principal and interest will be paid at the Treas- ury on and after the 9th day of March, 1879, and tho interest will cease on that day. The following are descriptions of the bonds: Coupon bonds dated July 1, 1865, namely :— $100, No. 146,001 to No. 147,000, both inclusive, 500, No. 104,001 to No, 105,000, both inclusive. 1,000, No. 200,001 to No. 204,000, both inclusive, ‘Total coupon, $2,000,000, Registered bonds redeemable at the pleasure of the United States after the Ist day of July, 1870, as fol- lows $100, No. 19,261 to No. 19,279, both inclusive. both inelusi , both inclusive, 704, both inclusive, 0, both inclusive, «++ 60,00,000 NOMINATIONS BY THE PRESIDENT. The President sent to the Senate to-day the follow- ing nominations :— Eugene J, Ball, of Indiana, Consul at Pesth. David H. Bailey, of Ohio, Consul General at Shang- hal. Andrew P. McCormick, United States Attorney for the Eastérn district of Texas. PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS, SENATE. WASHINGTON, Doc. 9, 1878. The Vict Prestpest laid before the Senate a com- munication from the Secretary of State indorsing a statement of fees collected and accounted for by United States diplomatic and consular offices during the year ending December 31, 1877, Referred to tho Committee on Appropriations. Mr. Kenxax, (dem.) of N. Y., presented a number of petitions from citizens of New York favoring the passage of the bill for the payment of arrears of pen- sions, Laid on the table, the bill having been re- ported to the Senate, Mr. Mircitk.t, (tep.) of Oregon, presented a number of petitions from various parts of the country in favor of a sixteenth amendment to the constitution of the United States conferring the right of suffrage on women, Referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections. Mr. Kenrwan, of New York, presented resolutions of the New York Board of Emigration favoring the pas- sage of the bill now pending before Congress in re- gard to emigrants. Referred to the Committec on Commerce. BILL# INTRODUCED, ~ Bills were intzoduced and referred as follows Mr. Hawuy, (rep.) of Me. (by request)—For pro- moting the cfliciency of the corps of chaplains in the United Stat: Navy. Referred to the Committee on Naval Aj ‘#. Mr. Hamlin expressed the hope that it would be considered at an early day. Mr. Cor G, (rep.) of N. ¥., mtroduced a bill granting a pension to Mrs. Ann M. Paulding, widow of Hiram Paulding, late Senior Rear Admiral, United States Navy. Referred to the Committee on Pensions. He also’ presented thirty-seven petitions trom soldiers and the widows of soldiers residing in New York in favor of the passage of the bill granting arrears of pensions. Laid on the table, the bill hay- ig. been reported to the Senate, ‘he Vict PrestpENr laid before the Senate the annual report and estimates of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, Referred to the District Committee, THE HOT SPRINGS INQUIRY. A message was received from tue House of Repre- sentatiy. Mr. Apams, its Clerk, announcing tho passaze of the bill to correct the error in the Sundry Civil Appropriation bill of last session in regard to the Hot Springs Reservation, Mr. Dorsey, (rep.) of Ark., asked for the present consideration of the bill, but Mr. Epunps said it was a matter of too much importance to be acted upon -withont being printed and considered by a committee. He therefore moved that it be printed and reterred to the Committee on Appropriations. So ordered. LOW FEVER, . The resolution of tho House of Representatives in regard to investigating the yellow fever epidemic was read, and Mr. Haris, of Tennessee, said, as the Sen- ate had already appointed a committee to inquire into that subject, which had commenced work in the hope that the House would appoint a committee with the one already appointed by the Senate, he moved that the Senate now concur in this resolution. The mo- tion was agreed to. MI, BLAINE’S RESOLUTION, Mr. Buarxe, (rep.) of Me., gave notice that on Weduesday next, at one o'clock, he would call up the resolution submitted by him last week in regard to the recent elections in the South. Mr. Wap.eicu, (rep.) of N. H., said in June iast the Senate fixed Wednesday, December 11, as the time for considering the bill to amend the statutes in relation to patents, and he would press the consideration of that bill on Wednesday. Mr, Buarve said he would not speak long. THE PATENT SYSTEM. ¢ Mr. Wrxpom, (rep.) of Minn., submitted the follow- ing: Whereas it ip alleged that the United States patent sys- tem, which was intended tor the e1 ment and protec. i ous inventors, In in many cases, of dishonest speculators and unscrupulous and attorneys, whereby the grossest jn- j Tuost intolerant oppressions ure perpetrated in ‘the namoand by the authority of the government ; therefore, Resolved, That the Commiites on Patents be instructed to consider tho expediency of substituting some other mode of compensating inventors in place of the existing monopoly and royalty system, and that, pending sneh in- vestigation, the said committee be further instructed to inquire what amendments, if any, may be necessary to give quate prot public aid to prevent further unjust und odions exactions under the patent laws. and that the said committee report by bill or otherwise. Mr, Wixgom, of Minnesota, said no one appreciated more highly than himself the skill of the American inventor, and in proposing aradical change in our patent laws he waged no war upon the inventors. © proposition which he submitted was in the in: terest of the meritorious inventor as well as’ that of the public at large. ‘The people of this country wero quite willing to conecde a reasonable compensation to inventors, but were not in favor of granting monopolies. He argued that the patent laws svemed to have been framed wholly in the interest of the holder of the patent. Under existing laws and usages mis- tukes were inevitable. In the present crowded condi- tion of business in tho Patent Office, and, owing to in- adequate appropriations, examinations were often made by some half starved, poor clerk who knew nothing of inventions. He made no complaint against the Patent Ofice; it was the system which he condemned. He spoke of instances where he be- Meved wrong had been committed, and said our Pat- ent laws were sadly in need of some radical chango. It was high time Congress addressed itself to pro- viding some remedy. a ‘No uction was taken on the resolution of Mr. Win- jom. or! ot INDIAN TEREITORY. Mr. Gannayn, (dem.) of Ark., submitted the follow- Resolved, That the Committee on Indian Affairs be in- structed to inquire whether it will not be wise and expedi- ent by appropriate legislation -— 1, To provide for the revision of tho existing laws regu- lacing Intercourse with the Indian tribes in the Indian Yer- ritory. 2, To igene and doliver to the Treasarers or other proper authorities of said nations bonds of the United States Dearing four and a terest, in lieu of all moneys held in trust i, EXcopt ‘the funds for edacational parpupes, and of the capital of atl annuities and annual “due de to them under existing treaties and laws, and of all bonds of any of the States held in trust for them, and of atl other the Si moneys due an; virtae of ex Of trestion, with di hi rors pupal ateoes ury to ascertain the amounts for w! “wach peas 1a inane, and in case of disag it between himsol! the roement “ot olther of said nations nate Went or amount at-say auch in ent, to refer. t same to the Court of Olsims for udjudication, to be there Dreceeded upon like other claims upon contracts a Pie United States. . = to. IMMUNITY OF DIPLOMATIC AGENTS. Z ‘ff. Baran, (dem.) of Del., submitted the foltow- ing: Resolved, That the President of the United States bo re- ested to transmit to the Senate, if not incompatible with the public interests, copies of all correspondence which has recently been had ‘by the Department of State with any foreign Power, or its logation in this country, respectin the immunity of diplomatic'agents of a f governmen' from judicial proceedings againet them while received ax such and residing in the United States, and also whether, in his opinion, the laws of the United States in‘that regard, as containod in tho rdvived statutes, required amendment, Agreed to. : ‘THE ELECTIONS IN THE SOUTH. Mr. CaMEnon, (rep.) of Wis., submitted the follow- ing:— Resolved, That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is, requested to furnish the 5 if not incompatible with the public interents, of re- ports of United States marshals and other officials, and such other correspondence that he may have relative to the recent election in the States of South Carolina and Louis- Jana, Agreed to, On motion of Mr. Ferny, (rep.) of Mich., the bill to fix the pay of letter carriers was taken from the calen- dar and referred to the Committce on Post Offices and Post Roads, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, The Senate then, at the expiration of the mornin; hour, on motion of Mr, Epaonps, (rep.) of Vt., tool up the bill reported from the select committee to amend sundry provisions of chapter 1, title 3, of the Revised Statutes of the United Stat relating to Presidential elections, and to provide nd regulate the counting of the votes for President and Vice President, and the decision of questions arising thereon. Mr. Evmunps, in explanation of the bill, said it changed the timo for the appointment of electors from tho first Tuesday in November, as now provided, to the first Tuesday in October. It further pro- vided that the electors should meet and give their votes on the second Monday of January, instead of the first Wednesday ot December, as under the exist- ing law, The electors were to be appointed a month earlier than now, and were to meet s month later. ‘The object of this was to givealonger time for the State to dispose of any dispute as to who may have been chosen elector. STATES TO’ DECIDE WHO IS AN ELECTOR. ‘The bill next provided that each State, by law bre beforehand, should provide for the trial and letermination of any question as to who may have been chosen an elector. The fifth section was about the same as the present lew, which provided for the Executive of the State ce tify the propor lists, &c, The next section provided for the ceremony or form o! counting the votes on the second Monday of February, and also that where an aggravated condition of affairs existed in any State, in respect to two sets of returns, that one should be counted which the two houses should declare the true one; or that where the Stato fuiled to provide tor itself, incase of a dispute, ax to who were its electors, no vote should be received un- less upon the affirmative vote of the two houses of Congress. The next section prohibited debate when the two houses were in joint session. It further pro- vided for the separation of the two houses upon any question arising, and the decision of sticn question (ova House in two hours, under the five minute rule. MR, EDMUNDS’ ARGUMENT. Mr. Edmunds thon quoted from the constitution on this subject and argued that the constitution made it the duty of the State in its political and coequal character, to which it was entitied, with every one of its sisters, to appoint the number of electors as- signed to such State, He next read from the Madison papers, and argued that it was the political right of the State to select for itself and with- out the intervention of any other power, its electors, The selection was to be made in such manner as the Legislature of the State might direct. The only thing the two houses of Congress had to do waa to count and declare the re- sult of the vote of the State, which was the will of the State and could not be overturned. This bill simply rovided for declaring the act of the State and the Feveral authority must respect that act and not un- dertake by gny act of its own to overturn that of the State. POWER OF THE VICK PRESIDENT, Some were of the opinion that the function of connting and Kgs alae the validity of the vote of ‘8 State Was with the presiding officer of the Senate, whether it be the Vice President of the United States or the President pro tem. of the Senate, The Senate had held that no such power existed, and he would not disetiss that question now, | He spoke of tho features of tne bill being acceptable to many Senators, and said he hoped, from previous votes of the Senate, that it would receive the votes of a majority of the Senators. The im- rtance of the subject was great, and the time, now in the iniddie of a Presidential term, before the heat of parties should be revived, was #0 opportune that he hoped the Senate would enter upon the consideration of this subject and dispose ot it before taking up anything else. Mr. Moraas, (dem.) of Ala., then took the floor to speak to-morrow, and the Senate, on motion of Mr. CONKLING, went into executive session, and, the doors being reopened at haif-past two, adjourned till to- morrow. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wasninotox, Dec. 9, 1878, Under the call of States the following bills were in- troduced and referred :— By Mr. Mons, (dem.) of Mas#,—To encourage Amer. ican shipbuilding and American manufactures. -« By Mz. Banzov, (tep.) of B, I—Exomptipg from. ER 10, 1878—TRIPLE SHEET. taxation savings banks and institutions having no capital stock, By Mr. Wrnu1s, (dem.) of N. ¥.—For the improve- ment of Harlem River. By Mr, Vay (dem.) of N. C.—To repeal the United States Electoral Supervisors law. By Mr. Fexroy, (dem.) of Ga.—To compel the na- tional banks to receive and recognize the standard silver dollar as equivalent in value to the gold coins of the United 6tates. Also making trade and Mexican dollars a legal tender. By Mr. Atkins, (dem.) of Tenn.—To make the minor or subsidiary coins a legal tender for all debts due the government, including the payment of cus- toms dues. By Mr. Dmrent, (dem.) of Tenn.—Directing the Secretary of the Treasury to use the $10,000,000 legal tenders for the redemption of fractiénal currency in payment of that amount of five-twenty bonds. By Mr. Burcuanp, (rep.) of Ill.—Requiring na- tional banking associations to receive the legal tender coins on deposit at par and in exchange at pur for United States and national bank notes; also directing the United States Treasurer to receive coins of the United States in exchange for United States notes. By Mr, Buckner, (dem.) ot Mo.—Amending the Sil- ver Remonetization act. By Mr. ScHie:cuer, (dem.) of Texas—by request— Granting right of way to the Florida Ship Canal Com- pany. By Mr. Cuatainas, (rep.) of Ia,—To provide for the redemption of the subsidiary coin of the United States and for their reissue. FAVORING WHITE 1 By Mr. Fryg, (rep.) of Cal.—To enforce the Four. teenth and Fifteenth amendments of the constitution. The bill recites that in the lute election in South Carolina a large number of male citizens belonging to one political party were by law enacted by the Legisla- ture of said State, and by aconcerted system ot oppres- sion, terrorism and fraud, denied the rights secured to them under the constitution, and enacts that after the 4th of March, 1879, the State of South Carolina shall be entitled to two members of the House of Rep- Tesentatives on the basis of the whole number of white inhabitants of said State). COINAGE OF SILV By Mr. Hewirrrt, (dem.) of N. form standard of yalues. It recites that Congress, in the exercise of its consti- tutional power, has established a common unit of value and provided for the free coinage of gold coin conforming thereto, and has further provided for the coinage of @ standard silver dollar, which is intended and ought to be the cquivalent of the said unit of value. Therefore, in order to secure and forever maintain the equality of the standard silver dollar with the lawful unit of value, the bill provides that gold and silver dollars which are a full legal tender shall be interchangeable at their value at the Axssist- ant Treasury of New York, and makes it the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to provide for such in- terchange and cause to be coined such amount of standard silver dollara as may be found necessary from time to time ini order to meet the demand for such dollars, and repeals all laws limiting the amount to be coined of such standard silver dollars. By Mr. Wurre, (rep.) of Pa.—To amend the act of the 28th of February, 1878, authorizing the coinage of a standard silver dollar and to restore its legal tender character. MR. ATKINS’ PERSONAL EXPLANATION, Mr. ATKiNs, (dem.) of Tenn., rising to a personal explanation, sent to the Clerk's desk and had read a statement trom the New Yorx Heraup attributing some responsibility to him for the failure of the Hot Springs clause in the Sundry Civil Appropriation bill ot last session. He also had read letters from Senator Conover, Mr. Rainey, of South Carohna, member of the Committee on Enrolled Bills, and two of the en- grossing clerks, exonerating him from all connection with the matter. He also added his awn emphatic denial of the statement in the HenaLp, IN REGARD TO SILVER DOLLARS. Mr. Townsenp, (dem.) of Ill., offered a resolution reciting the rules recently established by the New York Clearing House in regard to silver dollars, and inquiring ot the Secretary of the Treasury whether the department has acquiesced in and is to be gov- erned by them. erred. Also a resolution instructing the Judiciary Commit- tee to consider and report whether the national banks which took part in such “conspiracy” had for- feited their charters. Referre Mr. SaYLer, (dem.) of Ohio, asked leave to offer a resolution calling on the Treasury Department for a statement as to the exact amount of gold and silver coin and bullion received at the Treasury from the Bist of January to the Ist of December, 1878; the amount received for customs duties, four per cent bonds and from other sources, tho mount paid out for interest, the amount of four per cent bond subseriptions, the amount Graed by tue. government on. the lat of Deeeasber Ps government on the Ist of after deducting all liabilities eyenle An‘cota oxcept the priz of the national debt, and the percentaze of ‘this aniount to the aggregate’ of legal tender and national bank notes then outstanding. Mr. GARFIELD, (rep.) Of Ohio, objected on theground. that it would be imposing a large amount of unneces- sary work on the depsertment. Mr. SavLERn—Then the country is not to be informed of the condition of the Treasury. ‘Mr. FosrEr, (rep.) of Ohio, suggested that the reso- lution should be accompanied by an appropristion.ot $25,000 to detray the expenses. ‘The resolution was not received. Mr. Buncuann, of Illinois, offered a resolution for the holiday recess from Saturday, December 21, till Monday, January 6. Referred to the Committeo of Ways and Means. Mr. Dunnam, (dem.) of Ky., moved to suspend the Tules ed ag the bill prohibiting any further coin- age of trade dollars, and directing their exchange for and their recoin: into standard silver dollars of. 41215 grains. feated—yeas, 154; nays, 91—not the necessary two-thirds in the affirmative. “ie ‘Mr. Font, (rep.) of Ilinois, moved to suspend the rules and adopt a resolution declaring that the legal tender quality of silver dollars of 4124; grains shall be maintained and enforced, and that any discrimi- nation against them by any national bank in refus- ing to receive them and treat them as legal dol- lars shall be deemed a defiance of the laws, and instructing the Banking Committee to report a dill for the withdrawal of the circulating notes of banks so offending. Defeated—yeas 150, nays 89— not the necessary two-thirds in the affirmative. Mr. CHaLmens, (dem.) of Miss., moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill prohibiting contributions from officers of the government for use in elections; but it went over without action. On motion of Mr. CLyMxR, (dem.) of Ps., a resolu- tion was adopted declaring that Congress shall take part in the services to be held in honor of the memory of the late Professor Joseph Henry on the 16th of January next. Mr. Youre, (dem.) of Tenn., offered @ resolution for the appointment of a committes of nine mem- bers to investigate the method of preventing the in- troduction and spread of epidemic diseases, Adopted, The House then, at three minates past ten P. M., adjourned. THE ELECTRIC LIGHT, PRESENTATION. DOLLARS, —To secure @ uni- DISCOURSE BY PROFESSOR SEELEY-—-NOT A NEW DISCOVERY—ITS PERMANENT SUCCESS GUAR- ANTEED. A well attended meeting of the New York Academy of Sciences was held last evening in the rooms of the New York Academy of Medicine, No. 12 West Thirty-first street. Dr. Newberry occu- pied tho chair. Professor Charles A. Seeley delivered an interesting discourse on “Tho electric light.” He siid:—The électric light is stip- posed by many to be among the most recent of elec- trical inventions; but this is not so, for Sir Hum- phrey Davy exhibited it in the year 1810, employing “for the purpose a galvanic bat- tery of 3,000 cells. ‘Since that time it has been familiar to professors of chemistry and their students at all the large colleges. But it was regarded only as acurious fact or a brilliant illustration of science. At first tho great cost and the aunoyances in its management did not give a resting place for 4 suggestion that it would ever become useful light, Probably, also, Davy was tho first to exhibit the olectric light of the ineandescence of platinum and carbon; perhaps his incandescent light is insignificant in the light of the are, THE MARCH OF IMPROVEMENT, In the year 1840 we commenced to have greatly improved generators of electricity, so that electricity came to be cheaper and more manageable. In 1844 the first patent for it was issued, and that to an Aimerican. From that year there has a stream of patents constantly increasing in volume. The electrical generators have been steadily improved and the conditions of pro- ducing the light are better understood. Electricity is now cheap and we know how to use it. To-day the golid and permanent success of the electric light is achieved and guaranteed. Experience in its constant ractical use as @ light house beacon extends to fteen years. I consider it established also that all the desirable qualities and properties of gas- light are found in tho electric light ond that the electric light has desirable qualities in addition, The relative cost of equal uantities of gaslight and eloctric light will generally determine which should be used, but there will be many cases in which the advantages of electric light will be so conspicuous that gaslight will not be thought of. I do not want to understood as saying that the electric light is going to take the place of gas for all purposes, but tor Deacon lights, lighting streets, theatres, public and private picture galleries and libraries there is no doubt it will supersede gas. If you could get the samy quantity of light out of gas, the heat would be stifling; and again, the electric light is much better for the e; Some prople suppose that light depends on heat, but it has been demonstrated by Dr. Draper that there is no relation at all between light and heat. I believe there are no mechanical equivalents of light and heat. POPULARITY OF THE ELECTRIC Laut, You see Lam very favorable to electric light. It was nsed fifteen years on? in England and France, and to-day it ie w by all civilized nations, in light honses and on steamships. improvements in the We hete have the electric light, and there is no good reason why we should not have utilized it ten years 7. The electric light was subdivided and used for illuminating purposes in & thirteen years 3 that by than produced five or six can dies burning in # room. Now, wo . would not sit in a room under a light that was not as strong as that produced by fifteen or thirty candles. That makes me think that when we have the electric light it will not be a cheaper light than gas, as wo will want still more light. About twelve years ago Horace Greeley was a member of an association to promote the success of the electric light, in which he took a great interest, and his paper published some articles at the time which treated the subject very intelligently. You read in the newspapers a good deal about the dif- ficulties whieh lie in the way of dividing the cur- rent or dividing the light. ‘This idea of a difficulty in dividing the light is a bngbear, Some people seem to think that when you divide the whole you will not have two halves left. EASILY SUBDIVIDED. What is there in nature that cannot be divided without leaving all the parts that were equal to the whole? ‘There is not anything under heaven xo easy to be divided- aa electricity, all that is necessary being to divide’ the conductors ot the current proportionally. It has been shown by scientific men in England that the same effect can be produced by the electric light at 400 as at 100 miles, and at the same expense, I Suggest that the difficulties in the subdivisions of the electric light are not greater than those that were met with in distributing rand gas over large cities, RARE. SPI ENS OF SILVER. A prominent feature of the evening was the exhibi- tion of several rare specimens of native silver, from Silver Islet, Lake Superior, and said to be unparalleled by anything ever betore taken from the mineral king- dom. Professor Henry Wurtz also exhibited speci- mens of a new metal composed of arsenic and silver, found at the same place, and denominated by him “huntilite.” He explained the conditions under which it was discovered, and showed an analysis of the metal on @ blackboard. EDISON'S ELECTRIC LIGHT PATENT. WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 1878, The Patent Office examiners here have passed for issue Professor Edison's pplication for a patent on the division of the electric light. The details will not be made public for ten days, unless given out spe cially by Mr. Edison. RESTELL’S MONEY, ONE OF HER BROTHERS SUES FOR TEN THOU- SAND DOLLARS IN GOVERNMENT BONDS—AN INTERESTING TRIAL BEFORE JUDGE J. F. DALY. Since the funeral ceremonies at the grave of Aan Lohman, better known as Mme. Restell, were pub- lished in the newspapers, but little has been said of that mysterious woman. It seems, however, that Mme. Restell before her death was the possessor of a great deal of money, a portion of which is now the subject of litigation. Joseph Trow lived for a num- ber of years with the deceased, who was his sister, and is now the claimant for $10,000 of the money left by her, together with the interest which has accrued upon that sum—$1,778—making the exact amount sued for $11,778. In his complaint in a suit which he has brought in the Court of Common Pleas against Mrs. Carrie Shannon, the executrix and garnddeughter of the deceased, Mr. Trow states that he has resided in New York city for about thirty years, being most of the time engaged in the sale and preparation of medi- cines concocted by Mme. Restell, and from the sale of which she realized a profit amounting to over $300,000. He then goes on to say that about the 1st of January, 1870, at her residence, No, 567 Fifth avenue, in consideration of his services, and in love of asister for a brother, she gave and delivered to him ten $1,000 United States coupon bonds, known as five-twenties, and marked “Joseph Trow's prop- perty.” By her consent the bonds, thus enyel were placed in the safe in the house, and su! quently transferred to her bankers, W. and Jobnu O’Brien, in Wall street, and on their books were re- corded as ‘Joseph Trow’s property.” Since July, 1873, she refused to deliver the bonds to Trow, and would not permit him to hold the coupons on them, and without his knowledge or consent she sold these ten bonds and received therefor $11,500, and for the 6 due January, 1874, thereby, as the com- it her states, becoming indebted to plaintiff in the sum of $11,778, which sum is n@w sued for, with interest from January 1, 1874. THE ANSWER. In answer Mme. Res! st whom the itell—againt suit was originally brought in her lifetime—stated that she had em the plaintiff, but asserted that he had been ful for the. services he had rendered her. She fu alleged that there had been a set- tlement between ‘them in April, 1877, and thet Yaka ys had then, for a valuable consideratio: eased his claim against her. The suit is now continued, as already si ‘Mrs. Shannon. of Mme. ag . 5 executriz rs. Shannon, as wellas the plaintiff, appeared be- fore Judge J. F. Daly, in the Court of Common Pleas, yesterday, when the trial the case was com- menced. SOME CURIOUS TESTIMONY. After the case had been opened by plaintiff's coun- sel, who stated the facts al ly given in the com- aint, the first witness called for laintiff was G. . Howe, alawyer, who testificds that had known Mme. Restell for a number of years—nearly thirty— and during her lifetime was a frequent visitor at house; on one occasion when he had called ss usual at her house he was ushered into her se office ; she was seated at the table with the plaintiff and en- gaged in the pleasing occupation of cutting the coue pons and arranging them in proper order; the plain- tiff at the time had an_ enveloj in front of him marked “Joseph Trow’s property, " and was also cutting off conpons and putting them in his vest ‘ket; im the course of a conversation which then ‘ollowed, in which Madame Restell said she was liv- ing unhappily with her hueband and that as she had nothing but personal property, which, as she under- stood it, would go to her hus! in case of her death, she had directed Joseph to take possession of them and thus prevent her husband from taking them. ueog did she say about the bonds?” qneried counsel. ‘She said in 1873 that Joseph had married contrary to her wish, and went on to say, ‘You know how I get money, and I don’t intend that any of that family shall get any money I make;’ she said, ‘I have sold Joseph's bonds and he can’t do anything about it; he threatens to sue me, but he has got no means; there was no necessity for him to marry; he always be provided for here; I have taken those bonds and sold them.’ ”* ie The witness was subjected to a rigid cross examina- tion by Mr. Townsend, in which he’ stated that he had formerly been the attorney in the case, but that his connection with it ceased the latter of last May. It was also attempted to be shown the wit- ness was a member of the sporting fraternity, and in the habit of trequenting gambling houses, but the witness denied that he was such a character. Benjamin Nathan, & grocer, was next called, testified that in 1871 or 1872 he had cashed certain coupons for Trow at his kept a resten- declara- request, Frederick H. Pontun, who formerly rant in Franklin street, testified to certain tions made to him by Mme. Restell.on various occa- sions as to the present to the plaintiffof the bonds in f Senso Joseph oe testified in eh baste lne ben juestioned at great length as 0" Sature of the medicine which was conecutgie tab de- nied that he knew for what it was intended. Mrs. Perry, the mother of the first witness, Mr. Howe, said sho had known Mme, faa potest P Sage and ~ ‘nerd ou On auc; Mme. te that she had given to cach of her relatives in Eng: land @ house to live in, and to her brother, who li out West, iven a farm; to ‘“poor Joe,” how- ever, as she im, she had left $10,000 in govern- ment bonds, and that he was provided for. Several other witnesses were then examined on the question of the value of the bonds, after which the Court adjourned until this morning, at which time the trial will be resumed. TWO ATTEMPTS AT SUICIDE, In the Roosevelt Hospital yesterday the man who on the previons night had been found in the Central Park with a bullet hole through his lungs lay in an unconscious condition wp to noon, when he recovered his senses and described himself ae Charles Kuhn, of No. 213 West Twenty-seventh atreet, Ho is a German by birth, having come to this coun try thirty years ago, and in five years sccumulated sufficient money to go into the grocery business. For a quarter of a century he worked behind the counter, and the savings of that time he devoted to some business ventures which were unfortunate. The pressure of the hard times recently reduced his means considerably. It ay that a of $5,000 was due on” prope y owned by Kuhn, ther with interest and taxes. The pi was jored for salo in foreclosure at the Real Ex change Rooms, and some acquaintances of his learn. ing that he had made an arrangement with some friends to bbe it at $6,000, bid against them and finally carried it off for $6,500, It was this which, more than anything else, led Kuhn to make the at- tempt on his life, Kuhn, it has been learned, took arsenic before shooting himself. Ho is fifty-one years of age and has eight children. ASTONISHED OFFICERS. About a quarter to one o'clock yesterday morning. ‘8 raid was made on & negro gambling hell in Pater- son, N.J., and cight negroes and threo white men captured, together with all the implements and @ considerable sum of money, One negro made » wing when the officers appeared and went through “the window as if, shot out of. & the sash with him, The whole mass —— on the of some officers who had been stationed on the outside so as- tonished them that the fellow was allowed to a He went over the sheds like a cat, jumped over ii ‘Warren's alley and was out of sight in a t ured after The rest wore all capti but ance and ball or committed