Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1879 — NEWS OF THE WEEK. [ARTICLE]

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

MINORITY REPRESENTATION. It is stated from Washington that “a ball is luring prepared having for its object minority representation in Congress. It will probably bo introduced in the House soon after the reassembling of Congress It proposes to have the Legislature of each State, after the apportionment of the next census, so redistrict the Htate tliat the minority as well as the majority will be entitled to representation. By this plan, if carried out at the next election, supposing that there is no political change among the people, the Democrats will have a small majority, but all parts of the country alike will be represented by Republicans as well as Democrats. The plan is to divide each Statu into distriota; that the districts may, as far as possible, be entitled to elect either tliree or five members meh, thus permitting the majority of the voters to elect two out of three or three out of five. In case the district is entitled to three Representatives, each elector can vote for two candidates and no more. In case the district is entitled to five Representatives, each elebtor can vote for three candidates, and no more. Where a Htate is entitled to only two Representatives, as in the case of Rhode Island and Florida, it is to be divided into two districts, each electing one member, as at present, as in this case majority and minority representation would be impossible. In all cases where there is an odd representative after the Htate has been divided as nearly as possible into districts to be represented by three or five members, a separate district is to be set apart for this Representative, who is to be elected as at present The effect of this bill will bo to secure to the colored people a representation in Congress. It is argued that if it were passed it would remove the ob jections raised by Senator Blaine to the present lack of representation of the colored population of the South.”

THE BLAINE INVESTIGATION. A Washington dispatch of Dec. 27 says: “ The Teller-Blaine Committee met yesterday, formally acknowledged that they are powerless on account of want of funds, and adjourned to meet at the call of the Chairman. There can be little doubt that, so far as any practical investigation goes, the neglect to provide an appropriation will result in the defeat of the entire inquiry. Senator Blaine, in the course of his argument in support of the investigation, urged that if the inquiry was to have any value the committee must proceed South immediately and do the greater portion of its work during the recess. It his become necessary to pursue a different course, and it is generally conceded that the result will bo seriously to cripple, if not entirely to defeat, purposes of investigation. The main reason for this is, of course, a reliance upon the $20,000 appropriation supposed to bo available, but, aside from that, and apart from strictly Democratic opposition, the checks upon the investigation have been twofold: First, the jealousy between rival Presidential candidates in tlio Henate. Second, the traditional hostility of that conservative body to a now member, and an unwillingness on the part of the oldest Senators to pennit a new man to take the lead in anything. Added to this is the desire on the part of some Republicans not to reopen the Southern question.” FOREIGN NEWS. Dispatches from the British forces in Afghanistan report that the important town of Jelalabad was occupied by Gen. Browne’s column on the 20th, without opposition. A deputation of notables of the city went out to meet the invaders, and the whole population appeared to be friendly. Gambetta predicts that the republicans will have a good majority in the next French Senate. A telegram from Berlin says the Socialist law is being enforced with renewed severity. Seventeen publications have been prohibited in Leipsic alone. Scotland has been visited by another great snow-storm, blocking all the railroads. The Macedonian insurgents are rallying. Means and resources are being supplied them from Bulgaria. At Madrid, the Supreme Court of Justice has finally condemned to death Moncasi, w'ho attempted to assassinate the King. Suleiman Pasha, whose alleged misconduct of the Turkish armies during the late war was duo to Damad Pasha’s order, has been pardoned. * A marriage has been arranged between the Infanta Pilar, sister to the King of Spain, and the French Prince De Joinville’s eldest son. Robbers attacked a train near Puebla, Mexico, recently, killed the baggage-master, wounded the conductor, and escaped with $27,000 in silver. Eastern Roumelians will stubbornly resist the execution of the Berlin treaty. A disastrous fire is reported to have visited Hong Kong, China, on the 25th and 26th of December.

The town of St. Louis del Nord, in Hayti, has been swept away by a river changing its course, and many lives Io: t The steamship Emily P. Souder, bound from New York to Turk’s island, was lately lost at sea, together with nearly her entire crew and passengers. The lives of the Austrian Emperor and Empress are regarded in such serious danger from assassins that their royal persons have been surrounded by an increased number of guards. DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. Eaat. The heaviest snow-storm experienced for eight years is reported in New York and Canada. The schooner Charlie Bell was wrecked at Thumb Gap island, on the coast of Maine, and four men lost A boiler explosion at Troy, N. Y. killed Alfred St Charles, water-tender, and Thomas Gentleman, puddler. Font others wore injured. The Hebrews of New York have rejected the donations for Jewish charities made by Judge Hilton on behalf of the widow of the late A. T. Stewart New York papers announce that Vanderbilt, the railway king, has established an ocean-freight line in connection with his Central ra'lroad and branches. His ultimate purpose is apparently to control the ocean freight traffic. His fleet at present consists of fourteen large iron screw freight steamships, brand new, e ach of 2,000 tons burden. West. The big St. Louis bridge was sold at a notion last week for <2,000,000, under a mortage foreclosure, a gentleman acting in the interest of New York parties being the purchaser. S. D. Richards, who murdered Mrs. • Hewn and her three children in Nebraska, a

short time ago, has been arrested at Steubenville, Ohio. The monster has made a full confession of the murder of the Harleson family, and also acknowledges to three other murders, all neighbors of his. He is a Quaker by birth and religion. At Janesville, Wis., Mrs. Malinda Mack has been convicted of the murder of her husband and sentenced to the State Prison for life. The incipient Indian war in Oregon has been stamped out, and Chief Moses and several of his fellow-warriors have been arrested and placed in durance vile. Mr. Fred Arndt, of Milwaukee, was the recipient of a triple present on Christmas day, in the shape of three bouncing baby boys from hie wife. At Cleveland, Ohio, the great bridge across the Cuyahoga river, so long in process of construction, connecting the east and west sides of the city, has just been completed and dedicated to public use. Whereat the Clevelanders rejoice with exceeding great joy. The Tracy-Titus Opera Troupe is at McVicker’s,Theater during the week, giving the comic opera called the “Bells of Comeville,” which has been, heretofore, known as “The Chimes of Normandy." This company contains a number of well-known names to the operatic stage, and has made a great success in the East, where crowded houses have been the rule. The principal members are Miss Catharine Lewis, Miss Laura Joyce, Mr. Henry Peakes, Eugene Clark, Charles F. Lang, M. W. Fiske, Antonie Ruff, Laura Clancey, Emma Mettler. The chorus is a good one, and so it is said is the orchestra. The costuming and scenery are new. The p> ima donna, Miss Lewis, is a sister of Miss Jeffreys-Lewis, the actress. South. A New Orleans dispatch announces the disappearance and supposed murder of Lott Clark and Bill White, two colored men, near Caledonia, about fifty miles below Shreveport, while on their way to New Orleans, where they were summoned to appear before the United States Grand Jury as witnesses in the election troubles. They were taken possession of by a mob, and it is supposed were killed. A dispatch from Jacksonville, Fla., says the State Canvassing Board has completed the canvass of the votes of the Novenfber election, and given the certificate to Hull, Democratic candidate for Congress. This result was arrived at by throwing out Brevard county, which gave a Democratic majority, on the ground that the returns were fraudulent, and Madison county, which gave a Republican majority, on the ground that one precinct was not included in the returns from tliat county. The County Canvassing Board of Brevard county has been indicted by the United States Grand Jury for making fraudulent returns, and are in jail in default of $3,000 bail each. At Marshall, Texas, the jury iu the case of the State against Abe Rothschild for the murder of Bessie Moore brought in a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree. Defendant’s counsel gave notice of an appeal. In Fentress county, Tenn., forty-six illicit distillers have been arrested and bound over to the United States Circuit Court, and illicit concerns valued at S6,(MX) have been destroyed.

WASHINGTON NOTES. The friends of Gov. Hartranft, of Pennsylvania, arc pressing his claims to the vacant Berlin mission. Ex-Gov. Ramsey, of Minnesota (says a Washington dispatch) is favorably mentioned as a candidate for the post After examining the whole subject, the First Comptroller has decided that no portion of the $20,000 appropriated for the use of the Senate to investigate the frauds in the electoral count can be applied to the purposes of the Blaine committee. The committee will therefore have to wait for a separate appropriation, in which case the House cau have a chance at debating the Southern question, and it can also be reopened in the Senate. There have been distributed during the year, from tho United States Department of Agriculture, over 50,000 tea plants, and as many more will be distributed during the coming year. Commissioner Leduc is confident of success.

POLITICAL POINTS. The Blaine investigating committee held ite first formal session immediately after the adjournment of Congress. Senator Bayard offered a resolution stating that inasmuch as the President had made certain charges, that he be requested to place before the committee all testimony that he could properly communicate. This was after Mr. Garland had made the point that there were no specific charges before the committee to work upon. It was voted down by a strict party vote. Mr. Garland then said they must have some charges to work upon, and, inasmuch as Mr. Blaine had originated the chargesand had brought about the investigation,

he (Garland) submitted a resolution calling upon that gentleman to furnish specifications upon which the committee might lAse the inquiry and carry out the instructions embraced in the resolution authorizing the investigation. This was adopted. A resolution was adopted that the committee sit with open doors. It was also decided to send a sub-committee to New Orleans. Senater Bayard, says a Washington telegram, has formally entered the field as a candidate for the Presidency. His headquarters have been established at his home in Wilmington, Del, where an organization is nowbeing rapidly effected. The sinews of war will not be wanting. It is expected that he can confidently rely upon all the necessary material assistance from New York; besides, his own fortune is ample.