Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1878 — NEWS SUMMARY [ARTICLE]

NEWS SUMMARY

FOREIGN NEWS.

Cable dispatches of th«27th alt stat® that negotiations between PnHtej*were eonclndod, and the barfs of a permanent peace agreednpon, and that Russia had no intention of relinquishing any of her advantages to please either Austria of England, but was refight rather than abate onojot of her intentions. Of the 1,200 churches in Constantinople at the time of the Mohammedan conquest, that of St. Sophia was the riohesl and most imposing. The Russians now propose that St. Sophia erected at a cost of $5,000,000, be restored to the Greek Church. The British army is said to be in excellent condition for war, should that emergency come. Were war declared to-day it is claimed that 400,000 well-drilled men would fall into line. Lord Napier will be appointed Commander-in-Chief in case of a conflict with Russia, and Sir Garnet Wolseley is to le bis Chief of Staff. Ad rices from China state that a terrible disaster occurred at the Tienstin Rouge House, in which the famine-stricken refugees from the Northern Provinces had assembled. The building took Are, and of nearly 3,000 people in the building only about 100 escaped. Cable dispatches of the Ist inst. say that a greater part of the Russian conditions had been accepted by the Porte, though the qnes--1 ion relative to the surrender of the Turkish fleet was still unsettled. It was rumored in several Eoropean capitals that there would be no conference, and that Russia, England and Austria would be left to settle their differences among themselves. There was much excitement in St. Petersburg over the active war preparations in England. A London letter-writer rays that the police have to guard Gladstone’s residence, so great is the popular anger against him. The exI’remior was walking down the Strand a few days ago, when he was hustled by a mob cryig “ Traitor! traitor!” and was obliged to *teek refuge in Ooutts’ bank. A Ire ity of peace has at last been signed at San Stefano. A correspondent there telegraphs that the Grand Duke will advance on Feri-Keiii, two miles from Pera, immediately, and will pass through Constantinople with a large portion of the army before returning to Russia. The . cession of the greater part of Armenia is said to have been accepted in lieu of a money indemnity, except the sum of £40,000,000 sterling, which will be paid partly in money and partly in bonds, Eecurod by the revenues of Asiatic provinces and customs dues at Constantinople. The coronation of Pope Leo XIII. took place Romo March 31 in the Sistine Chapel without other accident than the breaking of a few windows by an eager and curious crowd. The usual distribution of blessings followed as the Pontiff was carried back to his apartments. Paul de Cussagnac, editor of the Le Pays, of Paris, recently mortally wounded a member of the Chamber of Deputies, M. Thomson by name, in a duel.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. East. A blackmailing story was written and printed tn the New York Sun, the intended victim being no loss a personage than the high Russian Princess Sovaroff, now sojourning in New York, and who is said to be in high favor at the court of the Czar. The Sun publishers refused to divulge the author’s name. Count Kalonorat, nephew of the Princess, went to the Police Court to obtain a warrant for the arrest of the publishers of the offensive article. He was informed that a warrant could not be issued. Upon subsequent legal advice the Princess resolved upon an entirely different course, and one that will tend to make the case not only celebrated, but of international importance. The blackmail having been attempted through the postoffice, the offense comes within the jurisdiction of the National Government. The attention of the Russian Government will be called to the publication, and efforts made through it to have the United States Government take the matter up. Three embezzling savings-bank officers and one defaulting custodian of public money received sentences of imprisonment for various terms in Trenton, N. J., last week. The Vanderbilt will case is again occupying the attention of the New York courts. There seems to be no hope of a compromise. C. P. Markle <t Son’s paper mill, at West Newton, Pa., has been burned. Loss, 1100,000. West. The bank of Temple & Workman, at Los Angeles, Cal., now in the hands of the United States Assignee in Bankruptcy, was burglarized one night last week of SIO,OOO. Duncan, the defaulting President of the Pioneer Bank of San Francisco, Cal., has been arrested in that city, where he had been hidng all the time, and will be prosecuted for his crime. Chicago elevators contain 1,334,876 bushels of wheat; 549,984 bushels of corn; 257,622 bushels of oats; 169,546 bushels of rye, and 710,877 bushels of barley, making a grand total of 8,022,905 bushels, against 6,289,620 bushels at this period last year. Zachias C. Mitchell, a hitherto prominent and respected lawyer of St. Louis, Mo., has fallen into deep disgrace. He has been arrested on a charge of forging a note for S3OO. The proof against him is positive. Cameron, Amberg A Co., well-known printrs and blank-book manufacturers of Chicago, ave sustained a severe loss by fire. The damage to their establishment is estimated at 60,000. Arthur Noyes, lately bookkeeper of the swindling Commercial Life Insurance Oomany, of St. Louis, has committed suicide. F. . Bowman, an attorney of the company, is awaiting the sentence of the. Circuit Court, and Zacheus Mitchel], another of its lawyers, is under arrest for forgery. M Two murderers were executed in Missouri on Friday,the Ist inst.-John W. Daniei.M Warrensburg, for the murder of a farmer

named John Miller; and Richard Green, at Kansas City, for the killing of Deputy Marshal Hughes, who had undertaken his arrest near Independence. During the four months ending March 1, 2,470,000 hogs were slaughtered in Chicago. Reports from the Upper Missouri river country represent that three couriers from Gen . Miles heta Rifled by tome of the runaway savages from the Bed Cloud agency,'and there s something of a scare at Buford. It is also eported that Sitting Bull has visited a Yankon camp, near the boundary, for the purpose of trying to buy provisions for his people. He said there were no buffaloes across the line, and hat the Sioux in Canada are starving. South. In the Superior Criminal Court of New Orleans, last week, Thomas O. Anderson, the convicted Returning Board member, was arraigned before Judge Whittaker, and sentenced to two years at hard labor in the penitentiary. The petition was presented for the transfer of the. Wells, Casanave, and Kenner cases to the Circuit Court. De, uty Collector Davis, of Nashville, has just made a successful raid among the moon-

shiners of DeKalb and White counties, in East TenWissee. He destroyed fourteen illicit stills and captured a number of moonshiners. The State Geologist of Georgia asserts that its gold region is richer than that of California, and says that the yield must very soon become enormous. A bill just passed by the Virginia Legislature, embodying the scheme of the State debt repudiationists, has been vetoed by the Governor. POLITICAL POINTS. The Executive Committee of the Independ- , ent Greenback party of New York State has issued an address saying that shortly a joint call will be made for a State Convention by the officers of all independent State organizations, to meet unitedly as the National party. The address says : “We can prevent the re-election of every Congressman and Assemblyman in this State who directly or indirectly opposed the remonetization of silver, and it is our duty to do so. The President has settled the contest over the Boston Collectorsbip by nominating A. W. Beard, the candidate of Senator Hoar, for the place. The backing of Simmons for reappointment was remarkably strong, and Massachusetts politicians say the failure to nominate him will cause a rupture in the Republican party in their State. WASHINGTON NOTES. Roliert Walker Taylor, First Comptroller of the Treasury, was stricken with paralysis while sitting at his desk, was carried home and died in a short time. Information having reached the President that numbers of colored men in Florida have been kidnapped and transported across the gulf to Cuba and sold into slavery, he has dispatched Congressman Leonard, of Louisiana, to Havana, with instructions to obtain all the facts in the case, and report at as early a day as possible. The Senate Finance Committee has postponed further consideration of the bill to repeal the Resumption act for the reason, it is said, that the Committeemen desire to observe the workings cf the new Silver bill. Dr. Jdnderman, the Director of the Mint, seems to have taken it for granted that the Silver bill was certain to become a law, as he has already submitted to the Secretary of the Treasury the design of the new dollar of grains. He has also ordered the mints to clear the decks for action, and be ready to take hold of the coinage at their full capacity as soon as the dies can be prepared and forwarded to them. By the middle of April it is expected that silver will be turned out at the rate of J'3,500,000 per month. The March statement of the public debt is as follows: Six per cent, bondss 748,666,850 Five per cent, bonds 703,266,650 Four and a half per cent, bonds 200.000,000 Four per cent, bonds 75,650,400 Total coin b0nd551,727,782 500 Lawful money debts 14,000,000 Matured debt $ 7,235,760 Legal tenders 348,680,426 ty Of deposit.. 28,555,000 Fractional currency 17, 1V,698 (Join certificates 48,456,000 Total without Interests 442,882.124 Total debt 52,191,900,381 Total interest 22,700,666 Cash in treasury : Coins 131 318,156 Currency; 2,690,765 Currency held for redemption of fractional currency 10,000,000 Special deposits held for redemption of certificates of deposit 28,555,000 Total in treasury.s 172,563;931 Debt less cash in treasury. .. $2,042,037,129 Decrease of debt during February.... 2,250,237 Decrease since June 30. 187? 18,121,094 Bonds issued to Pacific Railroad Companies,interest payable in lawful money: Principal outstanding 64,623,512 Interest accrued and not yet paid 646.235 Interest paid by the United States 37,896,334 Interest repaid by transportation of mails, etc 9,159,131 Balance of interest paid by United States 28,737,203 The House Committee on Pacific Railroads has decided to report the Texas Pacific Subsidy bill and recommend its passage.

MISCELLANEOUS GLEANINGS. A proposition is before Congress to grant a charter to the New York and Mazatlan Air-Line road, from New York to the Rio Grande ; capital, $200,000,000. Kate Claxton, the well-known actress, has gone through the bankrupt court. Liabilities, $65,000; assets, $8,500. Several heavy failures occurred in Montreal last week. The new popular 4-per-cent, loan is going off like hot cakes. Large amounts of the bonds are being taken in the West. It is confidently predicted that $100,000,000 of these bonds will be absorbed by the people in the way of savings investments within a year from the time that they were first Offered. During the month of February there were 44 commercial failures in Chicago, the total liabilities aggregating $2,391,005. In New York the failures for the same period numbered 67, with liabilities of $2,658,958. Kate Claxton, the actress who recently secured a divorce from her husband, Dore Lyon, in the New Jersey courts, has been married to Charles Stevenson, formerly a member of Mr. Wallack’s company. Ex-Senator Ben Wade died March 2, at his home in Jefferson, Ohio, aged 78 years. He left no will, being willing to leave his property at the disposal of his friends. The estate is worth about SBO,OOO, all in good condition. Gen. Grant has arrived at Constantinople. The proposition to erect in Washington a building suitable for a national museum meets with favor in the House Committee on Public Buildings, which has agreed to recommend an appropriation of $245,300 for the purpose, the building to be in plan and character similar to that erected at the Philadelphia Exhibition Th e trial of the suit of the Lee heirs for the rgjovery of the Arlington estate, has been comrßnced in Washington. The property was sold for the direct tax, and bid in by the Government. If the tax.sale is held invalid, the estate, noW'used as a national cemetery, will doubtless be repurchased from the heirs and retained.

THE VETO MESSAGE. We print below the text of President Hayes’. raw giving his reasons so/ ExKCuTivnMASiBBPii, Feb. 28, 1878. To the Home of Representatives : After very careful consideration of House bill 1,093, entitled “An act to authorize the coinage of the standard silver dollar, and to restore its legal-tender character,” I feel compelled to return it to the House of Representatives, in which it originated, with my objections to its passage. Holding the opinion, * expressed in my annual message, “ that neither the interests of the Government nor the people of the United States would be promoted by disparaging silver as one of the two precious metals which furnish the coinage of the world, and that legislation which looks to maintaining the volume Of intrinsic money to as full a measure of both metals as their relative commercial values will p > -nit would be neither unjust nor inexpedioi. , ’ it has been my earnest desire to concur with

Congress in the adoption of such measures to increase the silver coinage of the country as the pubhc credit. It is only upon the conviction that this bill does not meet these essential requirements thaj I feel it my duty to withhold '■■H. it my approval. My present «'<■ :i -.1 lirty as t<> the bill permits only an attention to specific objsiptwnt ID ■arawfisagek which eeenrto mo ho importalit as to juHtifyrne masking fiftm the wisdom and duty rtf Congress that further conskjeritiSnlf the biR bot whiclithe constittu- <*■.*£ dollars of the weight of 412>< grains each, of standard silver, to be a legal tender at their nominal value for all debts and dues, public and private, except where otherwise expressly stipnlated r fn conttDotS. It is well knpwn that the market value of that number ofgrains of standard silver during the past year has been from 90 to 92 cento as cepparedwrith the stand; ard gold doM&r. Ttes tile advex dotiar attthori zed by 'is gotth eSq, legal tendCT for did not recognize such coins as lawful money. The right to pay duties in silver or in certificates of silver deposits will, when they are issued in sufficient amount to circulate, put an end to the receipt of revenue in gold, and thus compel the payment of silver for both the principal and interest of the public debt. Of the bonded debt now outstanding, <1,143,493,400 was issued prior to February, 1873, when the silver dollar was unknown in circulation in this country, and was only a convenient form of silver bullion for exportation; $583,440,850 of the bonded debt has been issued since February, 1873, when gold alone was the coin for which bonds were sold, and gold alone was the coin in which both parties to the contract understood that the bonds would be paid. These bonds entered into the markets of the u orld. They were paid for in gold when silver had greatly depreciated, ana when no one would have bqught them if it had.been understood that they would be paid in silver. The sum of $225,000,000 of these bonds has been sold during my administration for gold coin, and the United States received the benefit of these sales by a redaction of the rate of interest to 4 per cent. During the progress of these sales a doubt was suggested as to the coin in which payment of these bonds would bo made. The public announcement was thereupon authorized that it was not to be anticipated that any further legislation of Congress, or any action of any department of the Government, would sanction or tolerate redemption of the principal of these bonds, or payment of interest thereon, in coin of less value than the coin authorized by law at the time of the issue of bonds, being the coin exacted by the Government in exchange for the same. In view of these facts, it will be justly regarded as a grave breach of public faith to undertake to pay these bonds principal.or interest in silver coin worth in the market less than the coin received for them. It is said that the silver dollar made a legal tender by this bill will, under its operation, be equivalent in value to the gold dollar. Many supporters of the bill believe this, and would not justify an attempt to pay debts, either public or private, in coin of inferior value to the money of the world. The capital defect of the bill is, that it contains no provision protecting from its operation pre-existing debts in case the coinage which it creates shall continue to be of less value than that which was the sole legal tender when they were contracted. If it is now proposed, for the purpose of taking advantage of the depreciation of silver in payment of debts, to coin and make a legal tender a silver dollar of less commercial value than any dollar, whether of gold or paper, which is now lawful money in this country, such a measure, it will hardly be questioned, will, in the judgment of mankind, be an act of bad faith. As to all debts heretofore contracted, the silver dollar should be made a legal tender only at its market value. The standard of value should not be changed without the consent of both parties to the contract. National promises

should be kept with unflinching fidelity. There is no power to compel a nation to pay its just debts. Its credit depends on its honor. The nation owes what it has led or allowed its creditors to expect. 1 cannot approve a bill which, in my judgment, authorizes the violation of sacred obligations. The obligation of public faith transcends all questions of profit or public advantage. Its unquestionable maintenance is the dictate as well of the highest expediency as of the most necessary duty, and should ever be carefully guarded by the Executive, by Congress, and by the people. It is my firm conviction that if the country is to be benefited by a silver coinage it can be done only by the issue of silver dollars of lull value, which will defraud no man. A currency worth less than it purports to be worth will in the end defraud not only the creditors, but all who are engaged in legitimate business, and nonfc more surely than those who are dependent on their daily labor for their daily bread. R. B. Haves.

FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS. Monday, Feb. 25. — Senate. —Vice Presiden Wheeler, who has been suffering recently from neuralgia, gave notice of his intended absence for several days, and asked that a President pro tern, be designated .. Mr. Conkling presented the petition of Jamei Gordon Bennett asking Congress to aid him in seeking new discoveries at the North pole. He had purchased the Arctic vessel Pandora, and intended to man and run her at his own expense. The petitioner desired the vessel to carry the American flag.... The House joint resolution to authorize the Secretary of War to issue certain arms to the Washington Light Infantry, of Charleston, 8. C., was taken up and passed after considerable debate....A large number of petitions were presented on various subjects.. . Several amendments to the Military Academy Appropriation bill were offered and referred. Houbb. —A bill was presented proposing to give Dr. Mudd, of Maryland, $3,000 for aiding cholera sufferers at the Dry Tortugas. Dr. Mudd was the surgeon who set the leg of John Wilkes Booth, and who was sent to Dry Tortugas for it.... Mr. Shelley introduced a bill authorizing the issue of United States notes, and providing for the redemption of certain United States bonds....A number of bills for issuing certificates of silver bullion deposited n the United States mints were introduced and referred.... The following bills were also introduced : By Mr. Southard, proposing an amendment to the constitution relating to the election of President and Vice President; by Mr. Fort, to gradually retire the circulating notes of national-banking asscciatiops and replace the same with United States treasury notes; by Mr. Bland, for the free coinage of the silver dollar; also, to utilize the product of the gold and silver mines and provide for the issuing of certificates for gold and silver bullion deposited in the mints; by Mr. Blair, authorizing the Southern Pacific railroad to extend its line westwardly to El Paso; by Mr. Crittenden, to reduce the pay of navy officers, and reduce the number of such officers in the line and staff... Mr. Goode, Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, reported a bill applying the proceeds of the public lands to support free tchools. Recommitted Mr. Turner asked leave to offer a resolution for the appointment of a select committee of thirteen members to inquire into the the causes of the pecuniary depression throughout the country. Mr. Conger objected... Mr. Roberts, Chairman of the Committee on Accounts, moved to suspend the rules and adopt a resolution for the appointment of experts to aid the committee of investigation. Defeated—yeas, 78; nays. Jfil. ...On motion of Mr. Hewitt, of Alabama, the House, by a vote of 174 to 51, went into committee of the whole, Mr. Southard in the chair, and resumed consideration of the bill granting pensions to soldiers and sailors of the Mexican and Indian wars. Tuesday, Feb. 26.— Senate.— The Senate proceeded to the election of a presiding officer, Vice President Wheeler having been compelled, on account cf ill-health, to temporarily vacate the chair. The Republicans nominated Mr. Ferry, and the Democrats Mr. Thurman. Result: Ferry, 29 • Thurman, 28. Judge Davis, of Illinois, voted for Mr. Thurman. No other business of importance was transacted in open session.... In executive session the Senate considered the nomination of exGov. Parsons. of Alabama, to be District Attorney for that State. After some discussion the case was postpinea without action. The nomination of W. F. Wheeler for reappointment as Marshal for Montana Territory was rejected. House.— A pettflon 700 yards long, and signed by 60,000 names, forth# repeal of the law in rela- «<¥ to the transmission of matter through the mails, was ref er red.... Mr. Rice, Chairman of the Committee on Invalid Pensions, reported a bill providing that, in case of death or resignation of a Pension Agent, the President may temporarily appoint his successor. Passed.... Mr. Chalmers, of Mississippi, obtained the floor and addressed the House in reply to a speech made by Mr. Garfield some days previous. In reference to that speech, he said the voice was the voice of Jacob, but the hand was the hand of Esau. While declaring his ardent desire to see peace and harmony restored in the ifeion, that gentleman made an appeal io the passions of the North by a feigned description of the ingratitude of the South that would have “moved the stones to mutiny.” The object of the gentleman from Ohio (Garfield) as well as the gentleman from Maine (Hale) was too clear to be misunderstood. It was a cunning and carefully-prepared assault on the Bouthtm policy of the President. They had intended either to drive the President from his policy of conciliation or else to drive the Republican party farther from the President. Another object had been to draw from Southern gentlemen some declaration of hostility toward the title of the President, in hopes that that would not only alienate

him frois them, but stop an another evidence of Southern Wlcfratitato. Me said that the Dew* oratic putytud.jMjftoteed to build, tip lican pdK ■on the FreeiOeML DemodMb 'WWFDte eetisfiea with Patoidapt was wfaethet he had obtained it bjHwd, Referring?* the prosecutton <rf thft Eetnrnfng Board, he • the f gitljltiiijyfcgia sf*ie (Hate) had condo the Sonttt, He (Chalmers) thought the whQte country -with the belief that twJF*w*vuTTniig Board could not be trusted, end that adtne of the visiting statesmen were not worthy cf trust. Referring again to the policy of President Hayes, he said that the gentleman had shown himself to be an honorable, upright and honest man, and while he (Chalmers) did not think the President deserved any ; special credit for doing his Constitutional duty (except that it stood in marked contrast to the action of his predecessor), he was unwilling to see any movement in the South that looked like an act of ingratitude toward the President, and If he (Chalmers) were Governor of Louisiana he shdtald not hesitate to pardongeqjry, one of the awmbfra W ,Belyingßoardy jrr as they were convicted.... Mr. Butler addressed the House oi MMfiMraU question, adVecatfitti# full rea>yMwW WWa M to® JTM W country "mH •' Wq|ta> WVW !•' vor of a greenback currency. He said “we want the greenback for our currency, and mean to have it.” Thursday, Feb. 28.—Senate.—The House bill to authorize the construction of a bridge across the Missouri river at Glasgow, Mo., was reported favorably and placed on the calendar... .Mr. Whyte submitted a resolution calling upon the Secretary of the Navy for information relating to the Huron disaster. . At 3 o'clock the Clerk of the House appeared with the President’s veto message, and announced in the constitutional way the action of the House upon i». The opponents of silver endeavored, by technical objections, to delay the measure. These were speedily overcome by the silverites, and the message was received and read. The President pro tempore—Shall the bill be passed 7 A Senator Notwithstanding the objections of the President? The President pro tempore—The Chair uses the words of the constitution. The Clerk then proceeded io call the roll, and the bill was passed over the veto—yeas, 46; nays, 19. This vote was stronger than the silver men had expected. All the original silver men were held, together with the doubtful ones, and there was, besides, the gain of the vote of Mr. Hill, of Georgia. House. —The President sent to the House a message vetoing the Silver bill. The reading of the message occupied only ten minutes. Great confusion on the floor ensued when the reading was concluded. The Speaker said the question was whether the House would pass tfie bill, notwithstanding the veto. Mr. Stephens was recognized to move the previous question <m passing the MU. This was sustained by the House,, by an almost unanimous vote, and the icll-call ww ordered. Mr. Forf asked that the message be again read. Mr. Cox objected, saying that the message was “a charge of fraud by a fraud.” Mr. McCook called Mr. Cox to order, and demanded that these words betaken down and read from the Clerk’s desk. Much excitement ensued. The Speaker said that Mr. Cox spoke out of order, and that his words would not appear in the record. Mr. McCook said he was satisfied with this. The vote was then taken, and resulted: Yeas, 196; nays, 73. The Speaker announced the vote and said: “In obedience to the requirements of the constitution, two-thirds have voted in the affirmative, and the bill has passed, the objection of the President to the contrary notwithstanding.” The announcement was received with general hand-clap-ping and other marks of jubilation. The bill and veto message were thereupon sent to the Senate Not a man who supported the bill on its original passage voted to ’ sustain the veto, while one—Mr. Townsend, of New York—who voted against it at that time, on this occasion voted with the silverites... .The House passed the bill requiring estimates for appropriations needed by the Navy Department to be made in fu11.... The Naval Committee made a favorable report on the bill approuriating $50,000 to aid Capt. Howgate’a Arctic exploring expedition,.Some houi> were spent in debating the bill pensioning soldiers Of the Mexican and Indian wars. Friday, March I.—Senate.—Not i*s session. House.—Mr. Shelley introduced a bill to aid the Great Southern Railroad Company to construct a. line of railway in ’ Georgia and Florids. Referred, ....Mr. McCook, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported back the bill authorizing the Secretary of War to purchase the site of and attach to the Vicksburg National Cemetery tbe GrantPembcrtoq monument. : Btoem-ed.... Mr... Crape, from the same committee, repfcpn allowing Lieut, B. F. Tozier, U. S. N., to accept a gold medal from the President of the French republic. Passed.. .Several bills of a private nature were passed.