Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1878 — NEWS OF THE WEEK. [ARTICLE]

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

FOREIGN NEWS. The family of the Ameer of Afghanistan lias taken rofugo in Tutkeatan. Some idea of the horrors of the Chinese famino may bo formed when it is atatod that tho enormous number of 7,000,000 peoplo liavo died of starvation, and thousands are dying evory day. The total liabilities of tho collapsed West of England and Soush Walos District Dank, with headquarters at Bristol, England, are $17,500,000. Tho failure of this bank has produced the utmost consternation in South Wales, and tho financial disasters it will entail aro incalculable. The Russians are concentrating all their forces in European Turkov at Adrianople, except 50,000 men loft in Bulgaria. It is announced that they will maintain possession of Adrianople with a largo force until a dofiflitive treaty is signed, covering tho points of the troaty of San Stefano not expressly annulled by the Borlin Congress. The collapse of the Afghan defense against tho British invasion is indicated in the cable dispatch announcing the arrival within the English lines of a deputation to invito the military commander to enter Cabul and organize a government to take the placo of that of tho fugitive Ameor, who is said to be cordially disliked by tho Afghans. Italy and New South Wales aro in tho 11 onjoymont of ministerial crises. After a long debate, tho motion in tho British Parliament for a vote of censuro on the Afghanistan policy of the Government was defeatod by a majority of 101, being nine or ten less than had been counted upon by Beaconsliold’s supportors. Tho Grand Duchess of Hesse-Darm-stadt, Princess Alico, second daughtor of Queen Yictoria, diod at Darmstadt,. Germany, on the 14th of Docombor, agod 35.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

East. The New England States and portions of New York and Pennsylvania were visited by a terrific rain-storm on the 10th inst., swelling tho rivors and creeks to an unusual height, and causing a vast destruction of property. Many railroad bridges and culverts wore swept away, and sevoral accidents to trains are reported, attended with some loss ot life. Place & Levy, glove manufacturers, Gloversville, N. Y., liabilities $300,000, and Lull & Sago, butter and cheese manufacturers, Chonango county, N. Y., liabilities $400,000, are among tho heavy failures reported from the East. The First National Bank and Commercial National Bank of Saratoga, N. Y., have shut up shop. "West. The Anchor Mill, at Minneapolis, Minn., was destroyed by fire last week. Loss estimated at $85,000. Hanauer, Lichtenauer & Co., wholesale dealers in clothing, St. Paul, Minn., have failed for $320,000. The great dry-goods house of Dodd, Brown & Co., St. Louis, has been forced by creditors to make an assignment Mrs. Harrison and her three children were found murdered in a hay-stack on their farm, recently, a few miles south of Kearney, Koarney county, Neb. Two alleged cattle-thieves, named Ketclium and Mitchell, were recently taken from the possession of the officers of the law in Custer county, Neb., by a mob of masked men, who tied them to a tree and burned them to death. Mr. C. W. Lane, living on the Mississippi river, four miles below Habula, lowa, placed his wife and two children on a handsleigh, and took them out on the river for a littlo diversion, he shoving them ahead of him by means of handles attaobed to the sled. While thus engaged the tee gave way, gag tije

entire family were precipitated into the water and were drowned. Several persona witnessed the distressing accident, but were powerless to render any aid. South. A dispatah from Waco,'Texas, says that near Summerville, masked men surrounded the house of John Stull, and threw a torpedo inside. The inmates while rushing out were shot Rufus Smith and John Stull were killed, and Smith’s wife and baby wounded. The assassins are unknown. A state of lawlessness still existed in Breathitt county, Ky., at last accounts. The rival factions continue to shoot each other like barbarians at every opportunity. The State militia has been sent to the scene of the outrages, but they seem powerless to suppress the spirit of lawlessness that seems to have seized upon an entire community. A mob broke in tho jail at Bainbridge, Ga., a few nights ago, and literally riddled with bullets William Cooper, a negro, confined for the murder of a prominent citizen named John McGoughey. He had been previously wounded by the mob. Three negro incendiaries were shot to death by a mob in Lake county, Fla., last week. At Winton, Hertford county, N. C., Samuel Jacob, and Elbert Gotling, colored, have been sentenced to six years in the penitentiary, having been convicted of assault and battery with intent to kill Marcus Williams, colored, for voting for J. K. Yeates, Democrat, for Congress.

POLITICAL POINTS.

Hon. W. D. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, the prospective candidate of the Nationals for Speaker of the House of Representatives, says he doos not propose to support any moasure in Congress calculated to embarrass tho resumption of specie payments. Ho thinks the inter-convertible-bond scheme is one upon wliich the extremists of both sides could unite. So far from tho discussion of the financial question ending on the Ist of January, Judge Kelley thinks it will be then only beginning. Prince, Democrat, has been elected Mayor of Boston by 1,106 majority. There is to be a meeting at Washington, on the 23d of February, of all the National Greenback Congrossmen-oloct to the Forty-sixth Congress. The object of this conference, a call for which has already been issued, is to get all the National members of tho noxt Congress together for the purpose of comparing views, and, if possible, determining upon a plan of action. A Washington dispatch says Senator Thurman positively declares that ho will not be a candidate for Governor of Ohio.

WASHINGTON NOTES.

The President lias made tho following appointments: Eugene J. Ball, Indiana, to bo Consul at Pesth; David H. Bailoy, Ohio, Consul General at Shanghai; Andrew V. McCormick, United Statoa Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. Postmasters—James Gallup, Grand Rapids, Midi.; James W. Mack, Holden, Mo.; Ansel D. Brown, Burlington, Kansas. The report that Attorney General Dovons was about to rotirc from tho Cabinet is now positively denied. The bill for the payment of invalid and other pensions for the next fiscal year, as it passod the House last week, appropriates $39,860,000, being $350,000 loss than the amount estimated, and $5,500 less than the appropriation for tho presont fiscal year. Advices from Washington indicate that thero will bo no serious opposition among army officers to tho bill for reorganizing the army.

FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.

Monday, Dec. 9.—Senate.—Mr. Windom submitted a preamble and resolution setting forth that the United States Patent Office “ has become an institution of oppression,” and therefore directing tho Committee on Patents to consider the expediency of some other mode of compensating inventors in place of the present system.... Mr. Cameron submitted a resolution requesting the President of the United States to furnish the Senate with copies of the reports of United States Marshals and other officers, and such otiler correspondence as he may have, relative to recent elections in South Carolina and Louisiana. Agreed t 0.... The bill to amend the Revised Statutes relating to Presidential elections, and to provide for and regulate the counting of votes for President and Vice President, and the decision o questions arising, was taken up. Mr. Edmunds addressed the Senate in favor of the bi 11.... Mr. Oarland submitted a resolution, which was adopted, instructing the Committee on Indian Affairs to inquire whether it will not be wise and expedient, by appropriate legislation, to provide for a revision of tho exiating laws regulating intercourse with the Indian tribes in tho Indian Territory. House. —A large number of bills were introduced, among which were the following : To compel national banks to receive tho standard silver dollar as an equivalent in value to the gold coins of tho United States; directing the Secretary of tho Treasury to use $10,000,000 of legal tenders held for the redemption of fractional currency in payment of that amount of the 5-20 bonds ; by Mr. Vance (N. C.), to repeal the United States Electoral Supervisors’ law; by Mr. Atkins, to make minor or subsidiary coins legal tender for all debts due the Government, including the payment of customs dues; by Mr. Burchard, requiring nationalbanking associations to receive legal-tender coins on deposit at par, and in exchange at par 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, amending theJSjlver Remonetization act; by Mr. Cummings, to provide for the redemp tion of subsidiary coins of the United States, and for their reissue; by Mr. Page, to enforce the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments to the constitution... .Mr. Durham (Ky.) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill directing the Secretary of the Treasury to stop the coinage of the trade dollar, and to exchange, at the treasury and the various sub-treasuries, the standard dollars for the trade dollars, and to take the latter, thus received, and recoin them into standard dollars. Tho vote stood 154 yeas to 91 nays—not two-thirds.... Mr. Sayler introduced a resolution calling upon tho Secretary of the Treasury for certain information. Mr. Garfield objected on the ground that it would be imposing a large amount of unnecessary work on the department. Mr. Sayler—“Then the country is not to be informed of the condition of the treasury?” Mr. Foster suggested that tho resolution should be accompanied by an appropriation of $26,090 to defray the expenses. The resolution was not received. Tuesday,, Dec. 10.— Senate.— Mr. Wallace introduced a bill to authorize the exchange of subsidiary coin for trade dollars, Referred. The bill provides that subsidiary coins shall be exchangeable for trade dollars at the rate of 100 cents for each qf said dollars, and thpy shall forthwith be recoined into subsidiary coin, and the gain, if any be made, jjtay be used by the Secretary of the Treasury to pjy the expense qf sending the Bubsldiify Odin to pwtione or hanks m may desire

the same In exchange for other coins. The coinage ot the trade dollar shall cease from and after the pass-, age of <Ms act... .Mr. AlHson, from the select committee, to Inquire Into the charges against Stanley Matthews, submitted a resolution requesting the Honse to transmit to the Senate the copy of the testimony of James E. Anderson relating to Matthews, taken before the House committee. Agreed to ....At the expiration of the morning hour, coasideration was resumed of the Mil relating to Presidential elections, and Mr. Morgan mads a speech favoring the measure. House. —The Speaker announced the committee to inquire into the causes of the yellow-fever epidemic; Young, Gibson, Goode, Hartzidge, Morse, Garfield, Harmer, and Chittenden....The Speaker also announced appointments to fill vacancies in committees.... The Honse then went into committee of the whole (Springer in the chair) on the Consular and Diplomatic Appropriation MII. On motion of Mr. Hale, the salary of the Ministers to England, France, Germany and Russia, reported in the bill at $15,000, was, by a vote of 98 to 91, put back to the present figure, $17,600. The amendment to increase the salaries of the Ministers to Spain, Austria, Italy. Brazil, Mexico, Japan and China from $10,(00 to $12,000 was defeated. Likewise the amendment providing for Ministers to Belgium and the Netherlands. Wednesday, Dec. 11. —Senate. —Mr. Beck introduced a bill for the repeal of the section of the Revised Statutes which prohibits the appointment so the army of any person who served under the Confederate Government. Laid on the table for the present.... Mr. Ferry introduced a Mil to fix the salary of persons in the railway mail service. Referred....On motion of Mr. Hamlin, the Senate proceeded to the consideration of the resolution submitted by Mr. Blaine in regard to an inquiry as to whether, at the recent elections, the constitutional rights of American citizens were violated. Mr. Blaine spoke in favor of the resolution. Mr. Thurman offered an amendment that “ the committee shall also inquire whether any citizen of any State has been dismissed or threatened with dismissal from employment or the deprivation of any right or privilege by reason of his vote or intention to vote at the recent elections, or has been otherwise interfered with; and to inquire whether, in the year lfe7B, money was raised by assessment or otherwise upon Federal officeholders or employes for election purposes, and under what circumstances and by what means, and, if so, what amennt was so raised and how the same was expended; aDd, further, whether such assessments were not in violation of law, and shall further inquire into the action and conduct of the United States Supervisors of Elections in the several States, as to the number of Marshals, Deputy Marshals, and others employed to take part in the conduct of said elections, in what States or cities appointed, the amount of money paid or promised to be paid to them, and how or by whom and under what law and authority.” Mr. Thurman addressed the Senate in support of his amendment and in reply to the speech of Mr. Blaine. Mr. Lamar also spoke in favor of the adoption of the amendment, and was replied to by Mr. Edmunds. House. —The Naval and Diplomatic Appropriation bills were passed by the House... .The Pension Appropriation bill was reported and referred to the committee of the whole... .The bill to regulate inter-State commerce was passed by a vote of 139 to 110, after a lengthy debate. The bill makes it unlawful for any person or persons engaged in the transportation of property by railroad from one .State to another, or to or from any foreign conntry, to receive any greater or less amount of compensation from one person than another for like and contemporaneous service. It also makes it unlawful for any person so engaged to allow any rebate or drawback on the shipments made by them, or enter into a combination with another carrier to prevent the carriage of property from being continuous, and prohibits the pooling of freights. Thursday, Dec. 13.— Senate.— Mr. Anthony called up the Senate bill authorizing the Public Printer to print papers and documents for the Senators, Representatives and Delegates in Congress upon payment of cost and 10 per cent, additional. Passed... .Mr. Windom called up the Fortification Appropriation bill. The amendments of the committee, increasing the appropriation for armament of sea-coast fortifications from $145,000 to $250,000 and for the preservation and repair of fortifications from SIOO,OOO to $200,000, were agreed to. The bill then passed... .The bill from the House to correct tlio enrollment in the Sundry Civil Appropriation bill of last year, in regard to the Hot Springs Reservation, in Arkansas, was passed without amendment... .Mr. Paddock introduced a bill to amend the posse-eomitatus clause of the Army Appropriation bill for tho present fiscal year, so as to provide that it shall not apply to any part of the army employed in the States or Territories subject to Indian incursions. Referred.... On motion of Mr. Burnside, the bill reported by him from the joint commission in regard to reorganization of the army was made the special order for the Bth of January next. House. —Mr. Wood offered a resolution directing an inquiry into the conduct Chief Supervisor of Elections Davenport, at the last election in New York. The allegation was that Davenport was guilty of illegal, unjust and oppressive exercise of pretended authority, in causing the arrest, detention and imprisonment of citizens innocent of offense, by which he deprived them of the right to vote, and subjected them to indignity, insult and intimidation without warrant of law or justification, which arrests have been declared illegal by a United States Judge The resolution was adopted ordering a recess from Dec. 2C to Jan. 6.... A bill was introduced by Mr. Morrison to remove the duty on quinine....A bill was passed removing the political disabilities of ex-Scnator James Chesmet, of South Carolina.

Friday, Dec. 13. Senate.—The bills introduced and referred included the following: By Mr. Plumb, to provide for the temporary increase of tho army in emergency; by Mr. Conkliug (by request), to amend the laws relating to pensions. This bill concerns the fees of attorneys. It is claimed that the present regulations prevent those entitled to pensions securing tho services of respectable attorneys... .Mr. Morrill, from tho Committee on Finance, reported favorably on the Senate bill to authorize duplicates of the registered bonds stolen from the Manhattan Savings Institution in New Y'ork city. Passed... .Mr. Gordon introduced a bill to secure a more efficient collection of the revenue from cigars. Referred... At the expiration of the morning hour, consideration was resumed of the bill in regard to the count of the electoral vote, and Mr. Bayard spoke in its favor. Mr. Eaton op posed the bill. Mr. Merrimon believed the passage of this bill would be satisfactory to the people. Mr. Garland opposed the bill upon constitutional grounds. Mr. Iliil spoke in opposition to the bill. Mr. Thurman said he would not discuss the bill at this late hour. 110 would content himself by voting against it. After some further discussion between Messrs. Hoar, Cockrell and F.dmuuds the bill was read a third time and passed—yeas, 35; nays, 26. ... .Adjourned till Monday. House. —The resolution looking to an investigation of the official conduct of J. J. Davenport, the United States Supervisor of Elections at New York, was adopted without objection, after being amended so as to make the investigation extend to his conduct on the days of registration... .Mr. Shelley, from the Committee on Railways and Canals, reported a bill to authorize the Washington, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railroad Company to construct a narrow-gauge railroad from tho tide-water to St. Louis and Chicago. Recommitted. Saturday, Dec. 14.—Senate.—Not in session. House. —Mr. Sparks, from the Committee on Appropriations, reported the Indian Appropriation bill, which was made the special order for Wednesday.. Mr. Durham, from the same committee, reported the Military Academy Appropriation bill, with the Senate amendments, which, with trivial exceptions, were non-eoncurred in... .Mr. Phillips submitted a resolution reciting the late Indian raids in Kansas and Nebraska, and the capture of marauders, and calling on the Secretary of the Interior for information as to why he had not surrendered the guilty and responsible parties of such Indian bands to the authorities of Kansas and Nebraska. Adopted... .The Senate bill authorizing the issue of duplicates of registered bonds stolen from the Manhattan Savings Institution, in New York, was passed... .The Senate bill to regulate the Pre udontial elections was taken from the Speaker's table and referred to the committee on the sub ject.