The New York Herald Newspaper, February 10, 1879, Page 3

Y WASHINGTON. Prevailing Opinions About the Cipher Testimony. TILDEN’S CHANCES GONE Democrats and the Questions for Caucus Consideration. FROM OUR: SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. ‘Wasniwarox, Feb. 9, 1879. ‘THE SENTIMENT OF WASHTINGION ON THR TEE- ‘TIMONY OF PELTON, MABBLE AND TILDEN— DISAPPOINTMENT IM DEMOCRATIC CIBCLES—- GREAT EXPECTATIONS NOT REALIZED. The examinations of Messrs. Pelton, Marble and ‘Tilden by the Potter Committee have asirected extra- ordinary interest at this political centre, When the House authorized the committeo to inquire into the cipher despatches, somo wecks ago, Tilden stock went ‘up here, on account of a vague rumor that Mr. Tilden ‘was prepared to make 4 somewhat startling showing to the country, if be had sm opportunity, a rumor which secured credit because it was gen- ‘erally known that Mr. Tilden had desired to testify before the committee. The result has not justified these antictpations, but itis by no means unsatis- factory to the democrats, generally, who privately agree that Messrs. Hiscock and Reed, of the commit- tee, have relieved the democratic party of any further trouble with Mr. Tilden as a Presidential candidate, The general opinion among democrats is that Pel- ton and Marble fergot too much in their testimony, that it was, to put it mildly, » misfortune for them thas they could not remember the cipher they used in 1878, and that accepting their evi- dence that Mr. Tilden’ knew nothing of what was being arranged and planned ‘under his nose by his intimates, shows conclusively that he would not be a safe man to have in the White House, be- caure he would expose the country to precisely the same kind of disgraceful scandals which happened. under General Grant, who also, a8 everybody knows, ‘was himself innocent, but was tho victim of a set of Peltons of his own. The whole story was caustically summed up here this evening by a democrat with a bitter tongue in these words:—“It appears, therefore, that the electoral votes of Florida, South Carolina and Louisiana were for salo, that some of Tilden’s most intimate friends and private agents knew this and ‘were at least not averse to negotiating « purchase; that they did not buy them; that the votes were se- cuted bythe republicans; that the republican man- agers got into their hands the election despatches of th parties, destroyed their own and made public those of the democrats; that they aleo got into their is the papers of the Louisiana Returning Board, wi slso turn up missing; that ever since March, 1877, members of the Returning Boards and all other republicans concerned in the elections in the dis- puted States have been carefully rewarded with office, and that, to conclude, it having got away with “the swag,” destroyed the written evidences of ownership and divided tho plunder with his “pals,” nédw with virtuous indignation holds up these despatches to prove that he iss fellow who wanted to steal but was. not emart enough.” BUBJECTS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THE DEMO- CRATIC CAUCUS—REPEAL OF THE TEST OATH AND THE ELECTION LAWS DEMANDED—1HE PASSAGE OF THE APPROPBIATIONS BILL TO Saturday night's democtatic cancts wis very thinly attonded. Most of the important and infuen- tial Senstors and Representatives were abecng. An. other cancus is called for to-motrow night. The PbJect of theee meotings is to forMBally agree upon the manner in which the demand for the repeal of certain obnoxious political lews shall be mado and insisted on. In regard to the repeal of the test oath, which is found in sections 820 and 821,there is already.a fixed and unanimous purpose among the democrats of both houses. A clause repealing these sections will be placed on the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Ap- propriations bill, and the republicans will be told that this bill cannot panes unless they agree to the re- peal. The bill appropriates money for all the sal- arics of the government, and is, therefore, of auch importance that if it fails an extra seeston must be called, at furthest, in May. It is not known what the republicans will do; if they wish for an extra session they will, of course, resist in’ the Senate, but they will see that even in that case they put off the repeal only two or threo months, for both houses will be democratic in the next Congress, and tho first act of the new Congress at the called session would be to repeal these laws and possibly some others. There is a further bat separate movement for the Tepeal of the federal election laws, which has, how- ever, by no means the unanimous support of the democrats. There is no doubt that these laws are useless for good and easily misused for wrong pur- poses; they give very great powers to obscure, irre- sponsible and partisan officials, and they ought to be repealed, but @ considerable number of democratic politicians who have seen the ef- fective partisan use which the republicans have mado of this body of laws now oppose their repeal because they hope some day to administer them in their turn. It is by no means certain, therefore, that caucus can be induced to agree to insist upon the ropeal of these laws. It is understood that Mr. Blackburn, of Keutucky, and Mr. Southard, of Ohio, ‘will bring the matter before thé caucus; but those who desire to push the refeal confess that they do Bot meet with a very zealous or general response. RISK OF A NEW INFLATION OF THE CURRENCY— WHAT THE PENSION PILI. MAY DO. ‘The country will be lucky if the foolish Arrearage of Pensions law, which calls for between $30,000,000 pnd $00,000,600, does not become the means of a new inflation of the currency. If this Congress had still two or three months to sit there is no doubt that we should seo ® violent and protracted eurrency discussion, caused by measures to provide money for these sdditional pensions, and it is by no means eertain how such & discussion would end, for the debate ovér the bill to m ‘oailver dollars exchangeable for greenbacks, on Friday night, shows that men’s minds are won- derfully muddled on the whole currency question, It was objected, for instance, that to mako sflver in berghangeable for greenbacks was to reverse apecie fesumption, which is absurd.‘ It was asserted that to pass tho bill was to depreciate silver, which is as mitch ss to say that to lift « man out of the gutter on to the pavement te to sink bim lower then he wae before. It did wot qcur even to Gen- eral Cox, of Ohto, who is an honest bi-metallist, that he ought to have supported tho bill on tho plain ground that, sccording to his theory, the govern- mont ts trying en experiment in b+-metallism in the Delief that if it maintains silver as part of the cur- rency thie will eventually compel other nations to use silver also, and will in course of time bring our silver dollar to per with gold, and thet if it chooves to make such an experiment the governnent is bound to protect the holders of the silver against loss, whieh itcan do only by exohanging this silver at par on demand. Themen Who want to use the Silver dollars to pay off the bonds and the whole tribe of inflstionists and repudiationists are, of courses, bound by no such rensoning, but honest sil- vor mon ought to eee that, granting that thoir theory and faith concerning silver are absotutely correct, they are bound, in honor, to make the silver dollar redeemable in par at thie Treasury, 80 long s the experiment they have urged upon the country is still incomplete, The plain, sound, and for many years undoubted principle that the govern. ment in coining metals does not confer valne, but only certifies for tho, general convenience that each coin contains euch an amount of silver or gold of « certain fineness, eppears to be entirely forgotten in Conaress, ° . spite of this l NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1879-—-TKIPLE SHEHT. FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT. Wasnmason, Feb. 9, 1873. THE INDIANS ARE NOT DECBEASING—WHAT THE LATEST STATISTICS SHOW. The curious fact has come to light, from official investigation of the statisties, that the Indians ere not decreasing im mutabers, as is generally believed, but are sensibly and meéasurably increasing. The investigation was decided upon last year by the Com- missioner of Indian Affairs, and has been prosecuted diligently by the medical attaché of the Indian Bureau, Dr. George Kellogg, The rate of tn- crease bas not beem determined, but the ste tistics examined by Dr. Kellogg, as tarnished from the seventy odd agencies under the control of the government, put the fact beyond dispute that the birtha among the tribes are in excess of the deaths from normal causes. Allowance te made even for douth from dissipation and in fact for every ordinary cause of deuth among the Indians, except gunshot wounds or injuries in battle, The census of the In- dians shows # total of about one hundred and seventy thousand. THY BUTLER AMENDMENT TO THE ARMY BILN. It te said that when the Butter amendment to the Army bill is considered tm the Senate an effort will be made to have stricken ont the words of the provision allowing the railroads to vend private mussages over their telegraph tines. The argument will be used that this portion of the amendment ts undoubtedly not germiane to the subject of the bill, THE NAVY DEPARTMENT. MAJORITY REPORT OF THE HOUSE WAVAL COM- MITTEE—WASTE, EXTRAVAGANCE AND FRAUD— BESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DISGRACE DEFIXED, Wasuixcroy, Feb, 9, 1879. The report of the majority of the House Naval Committee, in relation to the late administration of the Navy Department, is signed by all the democratic members of the committee. It atates that # roport was ordered to be subinitted to the House at the last session, to be recommitted for further action by tho committee, and that since that time every person implicated by tho proof first taken, and who desired to be heard by the committee, had been heard in defence or explanation of his oficial conduct. The report mentions that during the past eight years thero has been appro- priated for the navy of the United States tho sum of $182,496,033. In addition to this there was disposed of during the administration of Mr. Robeson mate- rial the cost of which was at least $100,000,000. In ¢ expenditure the present condition of the navy is shown by Mr. Harris, of Massachusetts, in his report of last year to have been at that time as folloy ber, Guns, In permanently unserviceable...... 49 624 ing vessels unfit for war. 3 8 Ships temporarily out of use. py 200 Total im service. ....++.+.++ 43 225 Total DAVY. ..-.se+ee+e+ - 17 1,057 From the annual report of ‘Thom; for 18T7 it appears that at the close of Mr. Rol ns administration, after all this enormous expenditure there existed an indebtedness, unwarranted by any Jaw, of $7,083,503 25. Mr. Thompson reported to Congress at the same time that he had suspended contracts involving sev- eral millions of dollars, which were made by Mr. Robeson'subsequent to March 1, 1877, without any authority of law. WHAT NOBESON’S ADMINISTRATION Cost. ‘The information furnished to the committee by the present Secretary in regard to the manner in which -contracts have been made since 1870, the manner in which indebtedness has been incurred and the manner has ost ceaseless disregard and viola- ion During he See ean of Mr. Robe- son’s administration there we have an eight years of over $232,000,000, yy eold and di of would certainly have yielded a revenue of 000,000 to any pri jual. In fact, tho 5 ernment received for it less 000,000. low, me the ag a ae arg navy sums maintenance, it is tion, is ay ‘$65, to construction, asim. which, wi veseels, would have us seventy new vessels like the Trenton—one of the Dest in the navy—e n' F sufficient to have mado a Davy at once respec! and useful, ILLEGAL DI4POSTTION OF PROPERTY. Inquiring next whether the laws enacted for the jovernment of the naval service and protection of @ government's interests have beeg ot ‘ved, the cominittee say they are constrained by the facts and their sense of duty to the Honse and the country to answer that these laws. have not been observed or ogres, but, on thecontrary, have been disregardea violated; and they further answer that 1arge sums of public money and large quantities of ublic = prope! have been _illegall; die- Ye of i tho administration Ns tho Raval. service. to point out » The report proceeds @ number of instances declared to be violations of law, among which are the disregard of the law re- quiring supplion to be pur from the lowest Didder snd that requiring p: to be accompa- nied by a written guarantee sureties, which the report states have been wholly ignored in over eight hundred and fifty cases, © provisions of law req! that no contrett shall bo made unless au- thorized “Feed or under an app! tion adeq' te ite fulfilment have been violated in the contracts made for the rebuilding of the » Miante- nomah, Amphitrite Puritan. The law forbid- prige to delivory of moterials hes boa isregardsd r to delivery of mi in the delivery of material to Roach and others, EXCEEDING THE APPROPRIATIONS, The law prohibiting any de; mont from exceed- ing the appropriations law is declared to have been disregarded, and the report goes on at con- siderable length asserting similar disregard of law, aud in summing up the acts referred to the com- mittee say they deem it to be their duty to call upon the proper department of the government to bring the responsible parties to justice. The persons re- ferred to by name are George M. Robeson; W. W. Wood, chief of the Bureau of Steam Engineoring from March, 1873, to February, 1877; Isaiah Hans- com, chiet of the Bureau of Construction and lte- Paymaster general from 183 to February, 180T? J. aymaster in 1873 to 1877; J. He Wamoughe acting head of the Bureau of Provisions and Clothing from July, 1873, to March, 1877. HIGH FRICKS AND FAVONITISM. The committee considers at length the defence ond explanation tendered for these alleged violations ot nd further en state that the testimony taken Parties, the frequency of whoss numer ta, stageetive juency of w! names is 8 vo of stay ritiem, and that up to the close bf Mr. Robe- son's administration low _— while having their effect on general business, Ot affect the trade of the Navy Department. Boilers wore contracted for with Messrs, Hunt, Roach and Gardner in 1876 and 1877 at prices which had prevailed in years rent y Hunt, indeed, paid higher prices th: had previously built for, and his*explanation that the same hg ore were paid to othor parties is no doubtcorrect. From 30 to 8244 cents per pound for boilers was contracted to be paid to thene parties, when, if competition had been admitted, it is the opinion of the committee that the cost could have been reduced to from 18 to 20 centsa pound. But perhaps the t loss i# in the purchase of live oak timber. It appears from tho report of Messrs, Leuthall_and “Isherwood, and the proof of Chief of asurcau Easby, that quantities of inferior tim- ber have been purc! and allowed to rot from ox- posare. This coald not have happened if the roport of the contracts had been made to Congress as di- fected by law. Again, it is shown that N, McKay bought at private sale the ship Dolawaro for $5,176, ond that, after reai- izing over $20,000 out of “material” removed from the ship, he sold the hulk for $5,000. The Severn was mivertised ty beecld. An auetion was hal and made which the Secretery did not confirm. @ Secretary the price esked and were willing to give more. The committer os jiy refer to the report of Obiet Engineer King in relation to the dia- position of quantities of ‘‘material” at several ‘ot the navy y resulting in large losses to the gov- ernment ‘WHO ARE TO BLAME. Tho committes find that for the indebtedness of the navy at the timo the investigation begun and that for tho unlawful sale ‘and disposition of largo emounts of pri belonging to the governmeut, and the unlawful di ition of argo suns of the et anny seerevemaet for the naval sorvice, ge late Seeretary of the Nav: ‘W. Wood, Inte chief of the Burean of Steam neoring; Isaiah late chief of the reat of Construction and Repairs, and chiefe of the Bureau of Provisions and Cloth- ing from 1872 to Moreh, ") le, By the sions and Ol Paymoester General moneh, Doheny aoe . = potas Nao | the greater part a thine, und, withon! contrary instrnotions from the head of the depart- ment or the real head of the bureau, Paymustor Gen- era) Bradford, to pursue the policy of hin said cBicf. This being #0 would tend greatly to relieve him, The committee recommend the conduct of Chief En- gincers Stewart, Fithian and Henderson, and Pay- master Russell be inquired into, ‘The roport concludes by declaring that it ts the duty of the House to mark its condemnation of the iNegal practioes of these former oficera of the Navy tcrtive Dopartiaent, upon which reste the respousl ve ment, upon wi rests the reapousi- Dility of farther action in the promises. GO SOUTH. A Letter from General Sherman on Southern Progress, WHAT HE SAW DOWN IN GEORGIA. The Industrial and Agricultural Interests Considered. , SOUND ADVICE TO EMIGRANTS ‘The following letter from General Sherman has been written, as will be ecen by the correspondence given below, at the request of Captain E. P. Howell, of Atlanta, Go, TheGeneral gives the result of his observations throngh the State of Georgia and points out its advantages to those persons who are contem- plating emigration. He shows the need of the fur- ther development of the South, and compares tts pro- gressin that respect with the materia! progress. of “tho West. He gives also a pew explanation of the phrase “carpet-baggers,” and expresses the opinion that in another generation the much talked of “social ostraciem” will disappear :— ‘THE CORRESPONDENCE, «+ AtLANta, Ga., Feb, 1, 18%. General W. T. Suenwan:— Dean Srn—In the evurse of several conversations while you were in Atlanta you were pleased to refer to the growth and prosperity of the city and to the material pre emule by the ple uince the war. You also spoke of the healthfuiness of our climate and the advantages offered hero to capitalists and in- dustrious immigrants, Your position during the war gave you an oppor- tunity to study carcfully our State and especially Atlanta. By the time this reachex you you will have passed entirely across the Btate, and I have thought that if you could be induced to write the result of your observations with respect to the natural advan- tages of our soil, climate and the resources of our section it might be the means of attracting tho atten- tion of those who have capital as woll as those who control and give direction to the tide of immigration. IT know that continual demands, official and social, are made upon your time, but I was #o struck with the aptness of some of your comments and the prac- tical nature of your suggestions that I have ventured. to address you this letter. Yours, truly, + K. P. HOWELL. GENERAL, BHERMAN'S REPLY. Sr. Avuustixx, Fla., Feb. 4, 1379. tain B, P. HowELL, Atlanta, Ga.:— 'y Dean Smm—Your most acceptable lettor of Feb- ruary 1 reached me here yesterday, and I avail mysalf of the first moment of leisure to reply. My Be bel icra for studying the physical fea- tures of Georgia have been even largor than yon men- tion. In 1843-4 I went from Angusta.to Mari- etta in s stage (when Atlanta had no existence); thence to Buifonte, Als., on borseback, returning afterward all the way on horseback to Augusta by a different road; «gain, in 1864, I conducted, as all the world knows, a vast army from Chattanooga to At- Jantasnd Savannah, and just now have passea over the same district in railway cars. Considering the history of this period of time (thirty-five yoars), the development of the country has been great, but not com} le with Caltfornia, Iowa, Wisconsin or Kan- sas, in all which States I have had similar chances for observation. The reason why Georgia has not kept pace with the States I have named is beyond question that emigration would not go where slavery foause any smoce way Gecngla: eipesiilly the nerds nger any reson why es ly the north- ern part, shonids not rapidly in bér, inence among the great States of our Union. ‘T know that no section is more favored in climate, health, soil, minerals, water aud which man needs for his material wants and to contribute to his physical and intellectual development. Your rath 1» ale ready finished, givi your people cheap supplies and the means of sen: in every section thelr sur. [ee products of the or of manufactures. You ve haustible quantities of timber, oak, hickory, beech, 2 get seme &c., 80 necessary in modern ‘ries, wi are bec! ming scarce in other sections of our busy country. North ments for ast dary, Va. to Huntsville, Als. right brucing mountain ranges and intervening valleys, especially East Tennessee, North aud Alabama. I hope I will not give offenfe in PA that the present population hes not done ful I Sastice to this naturally beautiful and most favored n of our country, and that two or three No could be diverted from the great m with profit and advantage to all This whole region, though called “Southern,” is, ‘tn fact, ‘‘northern’’—viz., it is a ‘wheat growing country: has a climate in no sense tropical of Southern, but was od by nature for small farms and not for ations. In the ryis forms a most , Atlanta, is its nstural ly situated, a thou- above the sea; healthy, with abundance of millions o! West to this centre or ety Itis adm. sand fect the purest water, and with. granite, lime- stone, sandstone snd clay convenient to build 8 second London. In my army, composed of nearly a hundred thousand men, all accustomed to a northern climate, were grouped about Atlanta irom June to November without tents, and wero as vigorous, healthy and strong as though were in Ohio or New York. Indeed, the whole country, from the Tennessee to the Ocmul is famous for health, pure water, abun- dant timber, and with s large proportion of good soil, especially in the valleys, and all you need is more people of the right sort, BRIDGING THE case. Tam satisfied, from my recent visit, that Northern fessional men, ae eee mechanics and ‘mers may come to Atlanta, Rome and Chattanooga with a certainty of fair dealing and fair encourage- ment. Though I was personally reg: the noir of the late war in your region, the author of all your woes, yet I admit that 1 have just over the very ground desolated by the civil war, and have received everywhere nothing but kind and courteous treatment from the highest to the lowest, and I heard of no violence to others for opinion's sake. Some Union men spoke to me of social ostra- cism, but I saw nothing of it, and even if it exist it must dieappear with the prosent generation, whole framework of government and history is founded on the pet and political equality of citizens, and philosophy teaches that social distine- tions can only rest on Pie merit and corre- sponding hye te and if any part of a commu- nity clings to distinctions fonnded ov past condi- tions it will grow less and less with time, and finally disappear. Any attempt to build up an aristocracy or @ privileged class at the South on the fact thet their fathers or grandfathers once owned slaves will result in a ridiculous, failure an@ #b- be the authors to the lsughter of mankind. refer to this subject incidentally because others have argued the case with mo, but whether attompted elsewhere in the South, 1 am certain it will not be attentpted in Georgia; thorefore, L shall believe atid maintain that North Georgia is now in @ condition to invite emigration from the Northern States of our Union and from Earope, and all partioa concerned should advertine widely the great inducements end region holds out to the industrions and frugal of all lands. Agents should be aj inted in New York to advise, and others st Knoxville, ( Rome, Atlanta, &c., to receive emigrants and to point out to them on arrival where cheap lands may bo had with reasonable credit, where companies may open coal and “iron mines, whére mills may be erected ty @rind when aud corn, spin cotton tw manufacture tho thousand and one things cay now buy from wbroad, and more especially to make known that you are pre- jared to welcome aud patronize nien who will settle in your region and form @ part of your community, GO sOUTH. Your growth and development since the war have been good, very good—better than I’ wan prey to seo; i$ compare it with San Francisco, mvor, Portland, Oregon; Leavenworth, Uhice,;o, St Louis, or hundreds ef other places I could mention, less favored in climate and location than Atlanta, Theso cities have been notoriously open to the whole world and all men felt perfectly at liberty to go there with their families, with their “a woalth and with their personel energy. You must gnaran- tee the saine, not superficially or fiehly, but with that sincerity and trankness which carry conviction. Personally, I would not like to check the flow of emigration westward, because of the vast natutal importance of that region, but 1 do believe that every patriot should do what he can to benefit every part of our whole country, and, I'am sure that guod will result from turning a part of this great tile of human life and energy so: the valleys of the Alleghany Mountains, espectally of Kast Tennessee, Northern Georgia and ana, and if Lean aid yon in this good work I aseure you that I ‘will do so with infinite plosaure, WHO ARE “OARPET-BAGGERS?T” Excuse me if 1 ask you, as an editor, to let. up mewhat on tho favorite hobby of * fs,” know that you personally apvly term on}; to political adventurers, but others—your 4 ere—-construe it otherwise, I have resided in San Francisco, Leavenworth and St. Louis, and of the men who have built up these groat cities, I assert that not ‘one in fifty was a native of the place. Ali, or substantially all, were carpet-baggors—i. ¢., emai- ta from all parts of the world, many of thera m the South. Our Supreme Court, Congress and our most prominent and intellectual men now dail from localities of their own adoption, not of their birth. Let the emigrant to Georgia feel and réalize that his business and social postion rewnlt from his own foot | his merite and hie virt and not from the accidental piace of bie birth, gga the Great advantages of climate, soil, minerals, ¥ eo &c., will an your country and make Atlanta one of the moet prowpergun, beautiful and attractive not slone of South, but of the whoje con- an end which I desire quite ae much ds you THE OF MANHOOD. Onur nation has ite infancy with the usual {iemocs peculiar to that period of life, and now, in its second century, it entere on its epoch of man- hood, In this you, a younger man, have more es stake than L. theg'ot you to look ahead and not be- bind, and to encourage by word and example every effort to make Georgia the contented nome of three or four millions of industrious and virtuous people, For your personal courtesy to ine on my recent visit 1 give you hearty thanks, and will, on my return to ‘asbington, be most happy. to hear from you fur- ther on this aud kindred subjects. With respect, your friend, W. T. SHERMAN. PRESIDENT GREEN EXPLAINS. 4 LETTER TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE POTTER COMMITTSE—WHY THE WESTERN UKION CoM- PANT GAVE UP THE TELEGRAMS. Wasnixetox, Feb. 9, 1879. ‘The following letter was received by Mr. Clarkson WN. Potter to-day. It explains the circumstances under which the telegrams relating to the Presidential election were given up to the Senate and House com- Mittees, and the course pursued by the Western Union Telegraph Company in their endeavors to pre- vent those telegrams obtaining publicity : New Youn, Feb. 8, 1679, Hon. Cranksow N. Potten, Chairman:— 8r—The testimony rocently clicited by your com- mittee concerning this company’s action tn respect to the political telegrams taken from us in 1876-7 by the Senate and House committees subpcnas, ep- pears to havo been so uniformely misunderstood by the press as to make it now secm proper to amplify the same by way of guarding against alike misdp- prehensiog on the part of the comm mittee itself and of the meinbers of the House; accordingly I respect- fully submit the following brief statement of facts, all of which already appear upon the records of Con- grcas, asking that it. be laid before your committee and spread upon its records, to the end not only that a correct history of those transactions may appear, Dut that at the aamo timo s simple act of justice may be done thereby to the company which I have the honor to represent, in the resulting vindication of its late and Loosen administration trom any charge of political bias in,the conduct of its business, ‘The plain truth is@hat the company, realizing » great moral obligation to preserve sacred from a threatened exposure all rams committed to its confidence and keeping, before and after the service of the subpmnas, resorted to every legitimate ‘and proper devico consistent with adue respect for the authority of Co: to prevent such exposure by ‘a timely transfer of the messages from theeustody managers and officers likely to be called upon to produce them to the executive officers in New York, and thence, by a resolution of the Executive Com- mittee of the rd of Directors, from the custody of the executive officers to that of the Executive Com- mittce itself. When, therefore, Manager Barnes, of the New Orleans office, was subpauaed by the Mor- Tison committee almost all of the tele 8 he was called upon to produce had been taken his cus- tody ana he had no power to produce them. So, also, when the President was brought to the bar of the House for contempt he was enabled to plead that he had not the ‘oartody of the messages for in his subpoena. The proceedings of the House of Repro- sentatives, as published in the Congressional Record, show that Mr. Orton himself on this occasion, through the statements of his answer as to the attitude taken by the Executive Committee, disclosed to the House full information as to where the messages could bo reached, but notwithstanding this fact no member of the House, or of its committees, saw fit at the time to act upon tho infurmation thus given. ‘The Senate committee, however, took the initiative, and sending immediately to New York, on the next day served every member of the company’s Execu- tive Committee with a sweeping subpena, which de- manded the production of all messages to or from the principal offices of the company where any im- it political telegrams were su} to have sent or received. Under this sw! the Ex- ecutive Committee (com) about jy of mom- parties) ptm | with the after arrival, bees of the two polit messages to Washington, where, soon served with » lik 2 they were with a a ereening aren oe the ‘eifonas committee, A meet ng Me Executive Committee was a hretd, resolutions then passed it was dec! to res} the service on the company’s president and committee alike and to surrender to the House committee all the m | Covered by ite sul to President Orton, this prior in time of service to the subpana from the committee of the Senate, and to surrender to the Senste committee all the messages covered by its 3. ognatroneea ee in time of service to re e subpaena Rasen! H committee of the House. was further resolved, in ofder to comply as fat as possible with the conflicting subpoenas, that which- access to examine such originals and to make copies therefrom if desired. A copy of these resolu- tions, of which the oe is the @abetance, wae served upon each committee on January 19, and on the Mth of January Senator Sergent wrote to the stating the committee of the Senate ferred with committee of the House, and that the alternative, or latter feature of the above Rompe reed wa eo ie 7 as en istactory committees. se J of the m was then not until the company urge! impress upon the respective committees the neces- sity of the telegrams from theft and from disclosure to others than those wno, from their posi- greens sep the committees, were entitled to their in- spection. It will be seen that our course in these matters ‘was strictly fair andimpartial. We were powerless to take further precautions in the promises, and we are in no manner responsible for the subsequent loss of the tel ns intrusted tothe Senate committee. Thave the honor to remain, very tfully yours, NORVIN GREEN, President. A CATHOLIC OPINION OF CORK. ‘WHAT THE GREAT GERMAN ULTRAMONTANE JOUR- NAL SAYS—GRANT'B INTERVIEW WITH THE POPE. © The Germania, the leading Catholic journal of Gér- many, for January 22 contains a short notice of Gen- eral Grant’s visit to Ireland in which the conduct of the Cork Town Council in refusing to give hima public reception is sharply animadverted upon. This is what the Germania says :— * Had General Grant carricd ont his original plan of cinbarking at Queenstown he would have gone on to Cork. But he was forced to abandon his visit to that city, because it would have absorbed more time than he could spare. But the report that he was likely to go there led to @ strange sceno in Cork. Tho Munici- pal Council deliberated upon the question whether they should offer the Gencral « public reception. Violent speeches were made, in which he was de- nounced as 4 man who had always shown himself an enemy of Catholicism and of the Irish race—s charge which displays the most complete ignorance of Grant's career. When he was at Rome Cardinel Me- Closkey presented the General to the Holy Father, and mentioned that the Church was indebted to him for many kind a ay both andes the supreme mand ie ene Presi Leo XI the “Gen: eral, And npon Grant's protesting that he had simpty treated Catholics on the same footing as the adherents of other religious persuasions, as became the Chicf Magistrate of a State in which ell religions enjoy the most complete equality, the Pope subjoined that even this equitable and impertial demeanor was a favor in these days. Grant, even while abstatnit from persecuting the Church, might have piac: hindrances in Ler way; all that she needs is freedom forher mission. It may be further remarked, that Sherman and Sheridan arc the two military person- who most share Grant's friendship and con- fidence, All the connections of former general are Catholics; his aon has become a Jesuit, his wife in a leading personage in the Catholic society of the United States. Sheridan is a Catholic. His father was an Irish emigrant from . When Grant was at the head of the army, ho treated him with especial favor, and when he becaie President, bo conferred npon Sheridan, although at the time only thirty+#tx years of age, the second post in the mili- tary organiantion of the United States. loroover, President Grant offered two most im- portant poste in his Cebinet—the Ministry of Financo and the Secrotaryship of the Navy—to two Irishmen, both named Stewart. He also appointed to one of the most valuable posts at his disposition—the Col- lectorship of Custome for the bm of New York—an Irishmen, born at Mullingar, in the very centre of the Island, Mr. Murphy, a good Catholic. Grant's re- ligious convictions are not specislly pronounced. He may be said to occupy a negative position in the matter, But what has been mentioned is quite sufficient to show that it ie unjust to stigmatize him ag an enemy of Catholiciain and of the Irish race. It is also Worth observing that his chief denouncers at Cork are suspected of emg | to thet Fenian iam which the Irish bishops have always so loudly condemned, that they have not themsctves been conspicuous in any for Catholic Gemeanor or poe abe or for the interests of the Church. AT THE POINT OF DEATH. John Halllard, the ex-President of the Mochanics aml Laborers’ Savings Bank and the State Fire In- surance Company, of Jersey City, under indictment for frand and ombeaziement, was reported last night to be lying, at bia residence on Fourth street, at the int of death. it was cur- rently reported the story of his sicknoss was to cover his flight, but a reporter who called at the house was informed that he wae at home dunger- ously il. The druggist om Coles street swid that he js some modicine for Hailiard @uring the *| 1n.office, or to have part or parcel in doi NATIONAL DRY R&T. ES Henry Ward Beecher on the. Lack of Public Conscience. RETCRNING BOARDS AND THE CRE | The State Smoking Like Sodom and Gomorrah, Hy Por the frst time in 8 good while Mr. Beecher | preached yesterday what is commonly called a sen- | sational sermon. It was devoted to the subject of | corporate morality, ‘and congined a great many fore! ble allusions to the principal public questions of the [ t those alluded to. day, Especially did he fulmiuate anathemas against | the passage of the Anti-Chincse bill in one House of Congress, and he pointed with a hand shaking tn mimic palsy at the imagined form of the gzcat de- tested can:lidate for the presidency, whom he de- picted as the symbol and repreepntation to this people of what it would become shonid it reach tirat. | @tage where all conscience of national morality ts lost. The audience applauded with their feet at two | or three particularly vigorous -sentences, and seemed very deeply moved by the earnestness and fire with which he spoke, Mr. Beecher looked in excellent bealth and spirits, as if the burden of his great trouble were slowly slipping from his shoulders and he would speedily awake and be again the pulpit Samson that he was of old. His manner was full of warmth and vehemence. On the left of his chair was a lovely mass of blood-red flowers. The text of the sermon wos Isaiah xxtv., 1-5. The prophets, Mr. Beecher said, were the statesmen of Israel, and altbough theydeclared au exalted morality for the conduct of individuals and the government of the household, they especially had resting upon thetr consciences the, welfare of the State. I have alreaay in @ previous sermon spoken of the forma-, tion of a national conscience, but you are not to con- found this witli acorporate conscience. Whero any body of people is banded together with certain ends in view, agreeing that the decisions of the majority shall rule, it posscascs @ corporate conscience, ‘THR DUTIES OF FREEDOM. With regard to all great questions of ethics there ought to be a common conscience, identical with the common public. sentiment acting in the mass. For the want of it nations have perished; for the want of tt, as the years go by and we progress in develop- ment and our temptations multiply, our danger as a nation-will greatly increase. We are not in danger of foreign invasion, nor will we be in danger from internal concussion for many generations to come. ‘The far greater danger is that the foundations of our society and our polity may crumble; away and let us down into the depths of ruin. We were accus- tothed to consider ourselves highly privileged fm the advantages and the power of self-gov- ernment, but it should always be understood that rights invariably bring with them greater duties than we had before. The people of these great common- wealths, which form our ublic, are bound because they are free. To scoure just and equitable laws is incumbent upon them, and concerns not only re- Ngion, but morality, virtue, prosperity and fi sal- vation. No man has aright to be without any interest in the laws, which are framed or changed by the Fepresentatives of the people. The right of self- government brings also the necessity of the election vfs sound mugistracy, composed of just men who fear God and will administer their offices disinter- , No man ought to vote to put comes men it. ing ‘Was it eo that magistrates who are chosen by the wink at criminals in their crimes? That the laws which were brought forth in pain and travail for the reformation and purifica- tion of our cities are not to be executed on account of the lack of conscience in our offi- cials? Where is the moral public sentiment? It is we who are meible for the formation of a public sentiment which will compel them to do their duty. The fault is not in the magistrates themselves, but in the commuyity which has put them in office, 7 would not dare to do alone what they do. The trouble ts that thoy represent too well the com- munity which elected them. MINDERAXCES TO NATIONAL EQUITY. The acts of'a nation ate bound to be jnet and right. All national policies poe not alone inh founded eubstantisl wisdom upon aa well. A couasienos should be formed whieh would main- tain the national -hopor; ‘We bed no king and no ruling class. On the people rested the responsibility. But there were many hinderances in the way of the exercise of a consciéace Ea which Christian equity could enforce itself. i¢ great class of the un- educated had no public conscience. When thero were meu uninstructed holding the magistracy, the law and the policy of the country fm their hands, they could not read gaa to rise higher than the plane of uneducated morality. Ignorance must be purged out of the nation before the consciences of its officers would be other than unformed and low- toned. If heaps «pow consciences, which are in the majority, could over be consolidated, woe unto us as a nation! The low state of the public conscience was due in great measure to those members of society who did not make it any pert of their civic and personal duty to look after the welfare of the whole community continuously. The effect had largely been that the management of affairs was thrown down to the ig- norant, who were manipulated by intelligent men without scruples of morality. The value of suffrage decreases a6 rise in wealth and position. The tendency of Sur civilization was to carry ns awa: trom the conscience of the vote, On the other hand, amen who have no property or personal influence value the vote as @ prerogative. There seemed to have come over the nation adetermination to remit all public questions to parties, Party grounds seldom admitted of the question of right or wrong. It wes no longer ® moral question in their hands, but simply s sbuttlecock betwen two battledoors. If we bear in mind the former opposi- tion of the pulpit and the Church to these influences, we will find that that power was long ago broken and had not yet boen entirely re-established. In the days of our fathers republicunism and religion were identical. But in the a of my being with you we went into a drugged condition and the voice of the pulpit was smothered. When she question of slavery wae first Cee | discussed it did not de- velop as & question of right and wrong. The power of the South was a political power; that ofthe Koren was commercial, © bright and rising young men who filled the churches could not afford to havo their consciences disturbed hae ) gemma That is the ge cae captivity nation, that the w of God bas been chained. The pulpit had recovered its —_ position before any other organized institution, but not the ono which it held during the colonial days. When the pulpit was without the of true viotism how could it be expected that the subor- uate institutions of edciety should be ruled by a high moral sense? The household could not fail to Heroism could not burn in the mephitic at- mosphere. Schools instructed more and more in ideas and shings and less and Jess in the mora) quall- ties. In this way it aame to pass that public ae tors, while leaving out technical theology, were not introducing very largely into education # com- mon sense of morality. " DANGKDS OF & LACK OF CONSCLENCE. Where wae there any great influence at work to form a national conecience, in what conduct, policy or institution’ The Church does not do it, neither does the school or the newspaper (svowedly follow- ine and not attempting to lead). By and by the capi- of truth, honesty and honor which we have re- ceived will be spent, snd nnless by we gain more we ehall soon have no moral resistance nor bo able to act against the tenrptations that aasail us. The consequences of these alarming tendencies called for the most profound anxiety, There was wing insonsibtlity on the subject of business nesty. Repudration was becoming more and more frequent. When it was seen to break out in euch Btatos a: bmp 1, and for all moral purposes the leves might a6 well break open and Tae ee ot all that now encumbered ite soil bring in an entirely new population endowed with a cousctence—- {vensation In the audience}—Tonnessee, which re- fused to put its shoulder to the necessary burden of taxation, when others in the Northwest were attempt ing to dodge their liabilities, and when the legtalators ,Of Virginia stopped and paltered and reasoned, there ‘was something rotten in the body of society. ‘There ‘were some conditiovs in which even to argue and deliberate was to be corrupt. Another danger wos tho utter lack of conscience as to vested rights. It was not surprising that ignorant men who were poor should look upon excessive pi ty an excon- sive; but they needed instruction and not enconrage- ment. Capitalists were no sooner induced to lock up their capital in public works than legislatures folt at liberty to step in and violate their rights. PORLIC WRONG. With what degree of resistance did the nation op- Page the polygamous Mormons? What party wanted meklle with them, what administration wanted to enforce the laws pon them? What pressure was brought to bear npon the Exeoutive or the isle tors when those laws were lected? The te stood smoking like Sodom and Gomorrah. Look at the conduct of one party and another in the matter of our helpless warda, negroes, the Indiana and the Chinese, Where is the generous impulse to rise up aad vt them as of ourselves and to say to them, “You shall not be wronged.” Where was the influence to detend them ? Tho great es to-day is whether certain re turning boards counted out or did not count out cortain candidates, when the fact is that there is no man but knows that beforo the cleetion were fraads porpetrated by terroriam and violenve; citizens were Pobved of rights ffrage wae made a mock- ory. (Applause.) Abo t the newapapers forgot, but they awoke when the odor of tien eres. Does aagbody doubt thes if Lavuisians, 3 had been let alone to exercise her own will she would have swept this whole question into the ses. where it never would hay been heard of again? But when it heeame a different matter, when ‘the hittle board yot together and bean its peculiar work, when the question of two and two inake Ave—(aughter)—came up, ther the conscience of arithmetie was aroused. But as for th nscience, for humunity, there was 20 demand for any of that. 4 PARALYTIC SYMBOL. Mr. Beecher paused for about half a minute, ad- vod to the right of his desk, and, litting lis right with @ tremulous and teeble motion, cok- there be an old, crafty paralytic; if there eader who is a representative of an extin- gnishing faue; any mn who represents the dying out ofa glorious gnthusiasm for the faith of our map who is the representative of eal- nuning and craft,.hold Lim up and say to ‘This 18 the syinbol and the representa. tive of what you will become if you have not a conscience avout national morality.” (Applause.) Mr. Beecher spoke of the lack of a faithful enforce- ment of the laws, He did not think it wise to make enactments xo tar in advance of the public sense that they would be despised and troddea under toot. Liquor was sold on Sunday, while the churcles and tather: | pastors were discussing the question whether an infant would Le damned if it died without baptism, (Laughter.) Dr. Fulton was au houorable exception He wasa mach abused man, who ‘used the flail of his tongue in the cause of justiceand order. Look at the laws ayainst immorality aud the respect in which they are wid as evidenced im the houses of ill repute whieh abound im the cities, Wherever the public conscience, such as it is, goes against the interest brought to bear upon the officers aud the magistrates, it is void of effect and the latter triumpifs. The trouble with society is that the bottom 18 stronger than the top; the snimal than the angel. Who is it that cares now that one bas burdens upon him, us the prophets had of old, for the dtute, tor the Cliinese, tor the ignoraut, for the temptations on every side to ensnare young men and maidens—burdens thatwill not let him rest? Every man is incurring guilt who does not exert Lis influence in the direction of tostering a public con- science. He has not done his duty wnen he has voted with his party and has supported his Church. He is bound to cee to it that the Commonwealth suf- fers no detriment through those whom he has elected to office. At the dey of judgment the.power that le has given forth will be required at his hands. His neglect of public duty will just as surely come back to the prejudice of his children in insecurity of property and the immorality and oppression of the future. THE CHINESE BILL. A nation may be maintsined indefinitely if it matniain its honor, truti and morality, but with- out these it cannot stand. Every man should pon- der these things and he should be assisted by the pulpit and those universally winged pulpits, the hewspapers, to ponder them. There should be made to blow such # swelling wind of public sentiment that the national administration would feel it and be comy to oboy it. If I could control what I would like to control I would send such a voice to Washington protesting against that infamous bill ex- cluding the Chinamen from our country 3s would make the pen to tremble and fall trom the hand of the President before he could sign it. (Applause.) We have enforced the opening of China by treaties, by invading it hacking Chinamen to pieces with the sword; we conquered trom them their commercial tribute, and now that they begin to come to us, a4 do the Germans, the Norwegians, the French and all other nations, our Congress is busy with a law which says to them, “You cannot come. You are better workmen, you live more economically, you save more, and we will defend our laggards from your competition.” It is an outrage and an infamy which ought not to stain our land, and you and every voter will be eternally blamed if ycu do not see to it that this deed is not consummated. God trom you that you will use the political power which he -has given you to ends which will augmcnt the honor of humanity as well as to His own glory. HOW ENGLAND WAS HOAXED, THE GRAVE POSSIBILITIES OF A ‘‘PIBATE” IN BEITISH WATERS—REASONING FROM A WRONG PREMISE. The London Daily Telegraph of January 27 printss lengthy leading article on the mysterious ship re- ported to have been seen by the,ship Ralston near Cork. After carefully stating the information re. ceived by the Admirality and expressing great sur- prise, the Daily Telegraph says :— a 8 lation as to the “mysterious occurrence” Petr by Mr. Adams is reduced to three hypothe- seu—that the stranger was a war vessel belonging to 8 foreign government, but for some occult purpose disguising her reat character; that she was a pirate; or that the story from beginn: to end is & hoax, Touching the theory of the suspicious craft being a foreign man-of-war, it has becn suggested that the steamer was one of the Kussian cruisers recently built in the United States, and provided with “‘petro- leum equipments.” A correspondent reminds us that in a paper read last year before the Institute of ‘Naval Architects tt was pointed out that the British Admiralty would do weil to seek for some efficacious counter agent to that fearful combustible petroleum, which at that was being adopted as ® weapon of war by the Kuswian government. This is a state- ment wi asly requires verification beforé it is . certainly forbore to use troleum in the recent campaigns in which tl have been engaged “on land; moreover, the government nave long since given in their adhesion to the general agreement among the Euro} Powers not to use explosive bullets, but it ‘would bp premature to decide what engines or what destructive substances Russia gr any other govern- ment might not use in any naval warfare of the fu- ture. General Butler bombarded Charleston with “Greek Fire,” which was probably some tion of naphtha; and naval commanders in # highly scientifie age might find a “petroleum equip- ment” as serviceable in a sea fight as the com- munards found petroleam to be in the streets of Paris in May, 187i,and ss the Byzantines of the Lower Empire found it a thousand years ago. Rus- sia, however, is not just now at war with any civi- lized power in the world, and the time has not yet ar- rived for her cruisers to roam about tife Be burning and destroying the enemy's vessels. The captain of aship who made use of his “petroleam equipment,” supposing him to have one, in tinge of ace, would be an utter savage and monster. Besides, ir, Adams was told from the 1 © that she had the crew of the burnt veesel on board. If the strange ship had been «war vessel in disguise, ahe woul supposing the fire in the merchantinan to have been accidental, have done her best not only to rescue the crew, but she would have proc to land the dis- tressed seamen at the nearest To have carried them away as prisoners would have been simply a declaration of war against the government of which such seamen were subjects. SUE MUST BE A PIRATE, He (the commander of the kalston) distinctl; states that he was threatened from the steamer wit the burning of his own ship if he said a word about the burning craft. Taking the accuracy of this statement tor granted, the steamer from which such # menace, under such circumstances, was utteréd could only have ® pirate. Assuming that there is a ship called the lalston, and that there ie @ Mr, Adams who commands her, there is no other way out of it. Science has very good reason for not positively disbelivving in the existence of the Ge sea serpent; but nobody save # lunatic can be- jieve im the legend ot the Flying Dutchman. however, Mr. Adams were sworn to teil the whole truth and nothing but the trath, thejury would be bound to believe him unless distinctly rebutting evidence were adduced to thecontrary. The ‘‘sus- picious steamer” must have been a pirate; but is it probable, it may be asked, that a craft could Cay irate had they caught him; but European govern- seeulb. segesdes. Ram on the sammamnder of « petve teer, who only made waron American federal mer- chantmen; and he was allowed to refit and recoal whei he wished. In what harbor could a purely piratical steamship obtain coal? With such a crew as that described by Mr. Adams she may have been of burden sufficient to carry enough coals to last her a fortnight, but when her supply of fuel was ex- baausted she would have been boum! to put mito port to make the customary declarations, to avow her name and to exhibit her papers. It is casy to realize the possibility of @ piraticul junk in the China seas or in tho Straite of Malacca, of schooners ot like char- actor hovering about the Spanish Antilles, or ofa fow feluccas of questionable antecedents lingering in the Grecian Archipelago; but a pirate, with five or six hundred men aboard her, steaming about the Atiantic and coming in daring proximity to the Cove of Cork isa phenomenon which would require the most serious attention and investigation. It there has been really a pirate ship in Lritieh waters the ewiftest available steamers in the navy should forth- with be despatched in pursuit of the objectioa- able craft. Indeed Her Majesty's gunboat Goshawk hes been actually sent in search of the ‘“‘pirate,” but has returned with- out any tidings of her, It would seam to be thought that » mon | hich recently took place on doart a Li may possibly have some con- nection with the tale, but at Cork whole affair is aaa hoex. To render the hoax theory, how. ever, acceptable, Mr. E. Adams must be a wholly im- aginary person. In the flesh we aro bound to believe THE TELLER COMMITTEE. EZARLY CLOSE OF THE INVESTIGATION—TWO MORE WITNESSES TO BE EXAMINED. Wasurtvaton, Feb. 9, 1379. The testimony recently taken before the Teller sul ommittes developed no now facts, but was cor roborative of testimony previously taken. Two witnesses have been stimmoned from Mississippi and two from Arkaneas, and with their testimony, should they be examined, the investigation will close. The fall committee, which meets to-morrow, will proba bly determine on the preparation of a report to be made at the present session of Congress. A WRONG ADDRESS, ¥.@. Baso denies that Charles Clark, who was found with his throat ent in Pearl street on Satur- ht, received his injuries in No, 456 Pearl Sek Sears ‘was no disturbance there of any kind,