Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1879 — HEWS OF THE WEEK. [ARTICLE]

HEWS OF THE WEEK.

FOREIGN NEWS. It is announced from Berlin that Bismarck han decided to withdraw his Parliamentary Discipline bill. Gen. Grant left Paris Jun. 21, on his tour of the East. The German army estimates show an ncrease of 80,000 men. American coal is selling in Switzerland slightly cheaper than French and German coal, and is much superior. Violent snow-storms are reported in England. In Russia, also, there have been noiiHuaiiy Heavy snowr&Hs, uiuunuuiug me railways. Capt. Gen. Campos is to be recalled from Cuba, and made Spanish Minister of War. There is much suffering in England »ind Continental Europe on account of the extretue severity of the winter. The Grand Duchess Anastasia, daughter of the Grand Duke Michael of Russia, was married the other day at St. Petersburg to Prince Frederick of Mecktenberg-Sehwerin. The dreaded plague, or “ black death,” which has been for some time raging in Astrakhan, is slowly creeping westward, and there is much alarm in Russia in consequence. It is feared that the scourge will spread over Western Europe the corning summer, in which event it would probably invade this country. DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. ICiist The woolen mill of John Brown & Sons, in Philadelphia, has been burned. Loss, $250,000. New York papers positively assert that the remains of the late A. T. Stewart have I>eetr delivered up to the family of the deceased, in consideration of the payment of $50,000. A fire in Elizabeth, N. J., destroyed < lie Opera House, Postoffice, Masonic Hall, First National Bank, and four stores. Lobs, $250,000. Died, at Boston, Mass., Hon. George H. Hilliard, an eminent author, and at one time a prominent political leader in the Bay State, aged 70. At Hyde Park, near Scranton, Pa., Mrs. Davis and a year-old child burned to death by the explosion of a kerosene lamp. An alleged wife and two children have been discovered to contest the will of the late R. W. Mackey, ox-State Treasurer of Pennsylvania. A whole batch of ex-officials of a New Jersey county have been convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary for plundering the county treasury. West. All tl:o officers of the recently-col-lapsed National Bank of Missouri, at St. Louis, have been indicted, and will be tried for embezzlement.

Reliable advices from the Northwest are to the effect that Sitting Bull'd band of 5,000 lodges had crossed the line and were camped on American soil, with their faces turned southward. Sitt'ng Bull, however, does not accompany them. lie sends word to the Great Father that the expedition is eminently pacific. No hostility is intended. Sitting Bull represents that his people were starving and freezing in British America; that there wore no buffalo, and that it was reduced to a question of life and death—hence he advised his followers to return to the United States and take their chances. (South. A. Seligman, the well-known New York banker, was recently robbed of $5,400 in money and diamonds, on a train between New Orleans and Louisville. Information has been received in Washington of the arrest by a warrant of the State or municipal authorities of Alabama of United States District Attorney Mayer and United States Marshal Turner, the latter being now in jail, and the former havimz 1»»" Imu.i - "in ci naoeas corpus issued by United States District Judge Bruce. These officers were commanded by a State court to deliver before it certain ballot-boxes and ballots need at the November election, they being at the time in question used by the Grand Jury of the United States Court, sitting at Montgomery, as evidence in certain cases therein ponding on Indictments for violation of the Election laws of the United States. Mayer and Turner refused to obey the mandate hence their arrest Three of the Brevard county (Florida) Canvassing Board have been convicted in the United Stales Court at Jacksonville, Fla., of making false returns, and sentenced, one to hree years, and the other two to one year each n the penitentiary. Wright and Johns, the two convicted members of the Brevard County Canvassing Board, have escaped from the jail in Jacksonville, Fla. In Wayne county, Miss., a dispute about the possession of a piece of land resulted in an affray between three white men and an equal number of negroes, in which two blacks were killed and one white man killed and another wounded.

POLITICAL POINTS. Tuesday, Jan. 21, might appropriately be termed “ Senatorial day,” on account of the number of United States Senators chosen by State Legislatures. In Illinois, John A. Logan was elected to succeed Richard J. Oglesby. The vote stood : Logan, Republican, 106; J. C. Black, Democrat, 84; Alexander Campbell, National, 10; John McAuliffe, Socialist, 3.—ln New York, Roscoe Conkling, Republican, was elected as his own successor, he receiving 115 votes, to 35 for William Dorsheimer, the Democratic oaucus nominee, and 2 for Peter Cooper, National. The Indiana Legislature chose Daniel W. Voorhees, Democrat, to succeed himself, the vote standing: Voorhees, 83; Ben Harrison, the Republican caucus nominee, 60; James Buchanan, National, 3. Mr. Voorhees was also elected for the short term, expiring March 4, the Republicans voting for G. S. Orth. In Pennsylvania, J. Donald Cameron, Republican, was chosen as lus own successor, by a vote of 135, to 76 for Heister Clymer, the Democratic nominee, 16 for Daniel Agnew National, and 5 scattering. The Missouri Legislature elected George G. Vest, Democrat, as the successor of David 11. Armstrong, Democrat, for the long term, and James Shields, Democrat, for the short term intervening between now and March 4. In North Carolina, Zebulon B. Vance, Democrat, was successful in securing the seat now occupied by A. S. Merrimon, Democrat The Connecticut Legislature elected Orville H. Platt, Republican, as the successor of Mr. Barnum, Democrat. The Florida Legislature chose Wilkinson Call, Democrat, to succeed Mr. Conover, Republican. The Legislatures of Wisconsin, Louisiana and Arkansas balloted for Senator, but failed to reach a choice. The Wisconsin Legislature has ejected Matt H. Carpenter to the United (States

Senate for six years from the 4th of March next, at which time Timothy O. Howe retires. Gen. Butler has turned the somewhat famous cipher dispatches over to the Potter Committee, and also explained his connection with them. He says they were placed on his private desk some time iast spring, by some person then, as now, unknown to him. He had nothing to do, however, with the publication, as copies of them had been furnished to the New York Tribune long before they fell into liis hands. It was decided by the Potter Committee, at a meeting on Jan. 23, to enter at once upon an investigation of the dispatches. The voters of the First Virginia district have chosen R. L. T. Beal. Democrat to fill the vacancy in Congress caused by the death of Mr. Douglass. J. D. Walker, Democrat, has been elected to the United States Senate from Arkansas. He will succeed Mr. Dorsey, Republican, whose term expires March 4. WASHINGTON NOTES. A statement prepared for Secretary Sherman shows that the total receipts of gold at the various sub-treasuries since resumption day, is largely in excess of the amount paid out in exchange for greenbacks. In future the interest coupons of Government bonds will be paid either in gold or greenbacks, at the option of the holders, at any sub-treasury. A contract has been completed between the Secretary of the Treasury and N. M. Rothschild A Sons, J. 8. Morgan & Co.. Seligman Bros., and Morton, Rose & Co., of London, and A. Belmont & Co., Drexel, Morgan & Co., J. & W. Seligman & Co., and Morton, Bliss A Co., New York, for the sale and delivery in Europe of not less than $5,000,000 per month of the 4 per cent, bonds upon the same terms and conditions as the popular loan is now being offered in the United States. The contract is to continue until the Ist of July, the proceeds to be applied to refunding the 6 per cent. Ixmds. The contract -was made to promote the exchange of 4 per cent, bonds for 6 per cent. 5-20 bonds held in Europe. Mr. Springer, of Illinois, has introduced in Congress “a bill to secure to the people of every State equal and just representation.” It provides that after the next census the Legislature of each State shall apportion the State under the census of 1880, so as to provide that when more than two members of Congress are elected in a State the Stata shall bo divided into districts of three members each as far as possible, and when there are two old Representatives—that is, over three, or six, or nine, eta, there shall be one district consisting of live members. In districts consisting of three members every elector shall vote for only two members of Congress, and in districts entitled to five members every elector shall vote for three members.

The Burnside Army Reorganization bill is regarded as killed. A Washington dispatch says: “Mr. Conkling has again triumphed in his committee, and, by the solid vote of the Republican members, secured au adverse report upon the nominations of Gen. Merritt and Mr. Burt. Gen. Graham, having been nominated to fill a vacancy, will be confirmed, a unanimous report in his favor having been agreed upon in the committee.’’ The President has signed the Arrears of Pension bill. A sub-committee of the House Judiciary Committee, consisting of Knott and Culberson, Democrats, and Lapham, Republican, has gone to Chicago to investigate the charges against Judge Blodgett. The joint Congressional committee appointed to consider the advisability of transferring the Indian Bureau from the Interior Department to tht War Department have agreed to disagree, four being in favor of, and four opposed to, the transfer. Mr. Finley, Chairman of the Committee on Printing "of the House, has prepared a report embodying the result of the committee’s work in investigating the Government Printing Oflice. The report states that the business nf the office nas been carried on in violation of law, and that a large amount of money and material are unaccounted for. St. Martins, the Louisiana witness, whoso affidavit, charging Representative Stenger, Maddox, Gibson and others with having bribed him to perform certain dirty work in the interest of Tilden, the Potter Committee some time ago refused to place upon its records, has undergone a three days’ examination before that committee. He proves as versatile a witness as Jim Anderson and Agnes Jenks, and is probably about as reliable. In his testimony he recanted that portion of his affidavit implicating Mr. Stenger, and also retracted that portion which charged that Gibson paid him S4OO. During the examination there was an interesting tilt' between th® witness and Ben Butler. The latter asked St. Martins if he had corrected the lie which appeared in the affidavit before he had seen it in the newspapers. St. Martins replied that he did not consider it a lie; that it was a mistake. Butler then said: “But wasn’t it a lie to the public?” St. Martins stubbafcply returned that ho would not answer any moreqftbstions put to him by Gen. Butler, who simply replied, “ Well, wo will see.” The witness repeated, “ Well, I’ll be if I answer any more. You can call me up for contempt, but that is all you can do.” He, however, reconsidered and the examination proceeded.

THE BLAINE INVESTIGATION. AT CHARLESTON, S. C. The Teller Committee, consisting of Senators Teller, Kirkwood, Cameron, Randolph and McDonald, began their in-estiga-tion of the late general election in Sou'-h Carolina, at Charleston, on the 21st of January. All the witnesses examined were from Charleston county, and it was admitted by both Democrats and Republicans that all the election officers, excepting clerks, were appointed upon the recommendation of the Democratic committee ; that one of the three Commissioners of Election for the county was a Republican; that the managers of election at the different precincts were exclusively Democrats, and the United States Supervisors at the different polls were not allowed to have a clerk, there being no provision of law for such person. It was also testified that. the Democratic Supervisors had no clerks, and that the clerks of Republican Supervisors were excluded from the polling places by order of the Democratic committee. The Republican witnesses, of whom three or four were examined, testified that there were numerous tissue ballots found in the boxes at various precincts in Charleston county, Tn some instances these tissue ballots exceeding the number of actual voters. The Democratic witnesses admitted the printing of tissue ballots by the Democratic committee, and the object in issuing them

was to enable the colored people to vote secretly for the Democratic candidates without risk of molestation. Five witnesses were examined by the Teller Committee, at Charleston, on Jan. 22 three of them colored Republicans, and two white Democrats. It is scarcely necessary to state that their statements did not agree. The colored witnesses maintained that bulldozing, intimidation, fraud and general deviltry characterized the late election in that city; the whites, on the other hand, maintaining that the election was fair and peaceable, and that every colored man was allowed to vote for whom he pleased. The Teller Committee examined four wt Ohftilwtvu, vm alxo QQrl January —three colored men and one white man, all Republicans. They all testified to acts of bulldozing and intimidation, and also to the finding of tissue ballots in some of the boxes. About a dozen witnesses testified before the Teller Committee, Jan. 24. Butler Spears, of Sumter county, colored Republican, testified he was pursued and fired at by the Democrats, and W. H. Singleton testified to finding packages of tissue tickets in the ballotbox at Swimming Pen Precinct C. H. Morse and Marion Morse, white Democrats of Sumter, testified to general good feeling towaid colored people in the county, and S. J. Hanna, colored Supervisor, testified to being assaulted and driven from the polls at King’s Tree, in Williamsburg county. Pendergass, colored Deputy United States Marshal at the same place, was assaulted by a party of Democrats, _ who then, without being sworn, voted the tissue tickets by handfuls. Other Supervisors testified to being refused admission to other polling-places in the county. H. E. Blair and J. H. Johnson, Republican Supervisors at Camden, Kershaw county, testified that the polls were crowded by whites so that the colored people could not vote, and to finding large numbers of tissue tickets in the ballot boxes. J. M. Cantoy and W. M. Shannon, Democratic Supervisors at the same place, and W. D. Grantham, County Chairman, testified that after 9 in the morning the crowding was over, and that everybody who chose to do so could vote, and that many colored people abstained from voting.at the instigation of their leaders.

Several Republican witnesses testified before the Teller Committee, on Jan. 25, to the fact of tissue tickets being found in boxes in various precincts in Richland county. White and colored Democrats from Sumter county testified there were from 1,500 to 2,000 colored Democrats in the county, and hundreds of ♦hem were seen to vote the Democratic ticket. Two testified to being cursed, jeered at and threatened by colored Republicans, one being obliged to leave his church. W. J. Whipper (colored), Republican, described the turbulent conduct of the Democrats, and the demand for a division of time in Hampton county.- Three Republicans from Colleton county testified to intimidation, and the use of tissue ballots in that county. This testimony was flatly contradicted by the Democratic County Chairman, who swore to the thoronghnesixand peacefulness of the Democratic can vans. AT NEW ORLEANS, LA. When the Teller Committee left New Orleans for Charleston, they appointed representatives to take additional testimony before United States Commissioner Lane, and a large number of witnesses have been examined. W. J. Cumming, a member of the Legislature from Natchitoches, testified that the general tenor of the testimony of witnesses on the Republican side is to the effect that a conspiracy existed on the part of the Democrats to break up negro meetings for political effect. Such testimony is unqualifiedly false. There was no organized band such as Blount described. Our action against Blount and others was taken for protection, they having threatened to got the negroes together and burn the town. The testimony of the witness throughout was contradictory to the Republican witnesses. A number of other witnesses from Natchitoches were called by the Democrats, and corroborated Cumming’s statements. They all contradicted the matiinnnv nf the Rennhlican witnesses as to intimidtltion, showing they apprehended violence threatened by the negroes, and their action was for the purpose of preserving the peace; also that many negroes voted the Democratic ticket.

FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS. Monday, Jan. 20.—Senate.—Mr. Cockrell introduced a bill to provide a uniform national currency. .. .Mr. Morgan submitted a substitute agreed upon in the Democratic caucus for Mr. Edmunds’ resolution concerning suffrage and the later constitutional amendments. Laid on the table. The following are the resolutions: “1. It is the judgment of the renate that the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments to the constitution of the United States are as valid and binding as any other part of the constitution. That the people of the United States have a common interest in the enforcement of the whole constitution in every State and Territory of the United States, and that it is alike the right and duty of the United States, so far as power has been delegated to them, o enforce said amendments and to protect every citizen in the exercise of all rights thereby secured. 2. That the Government of the United States and the Governments of the several States are distinct, and each has citizens of its own who owe it allegiance, and whose rights within its jurisdiction it must protect. That the Government of the United States is one of delegated powers alone; its authority is defined and.limited by the constitution; all powers not granted it by that instrument, not prohibited to it by the States, are reserved to the States respectively or to the people, and that no right can be acquired under the constitution, or secured through the laws of the United States, except such as the Government of the United States has authority to grant or secure, 3. That the constitution of the United States has not conferred the right of suffrage upon any one, and the United States have no voters of their own creation in the States, but the Fifteenth amendment of the constitution has invested citizens of the United States with a new constitutional right, which is an exemption from discrimination in the exercise of the elective franchise on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, and it is within the jurisdiction of the United States, which Congress may exert by appropriate legislation, to prevent the denial or abridgment by a State of the right of a citizen to vote, when such denial or abridgment is on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude of the voter. 4. That, when such right to vote is denied or abridged by the conduct of a person who is not acting by authority and obedience to the laws of a State, the jurisdiction to punish such conduct is in the State Government, and is net in the Government of the United States.”

House.- The day was » dull one in the House, the time being consumed in the introduction of bills, and those offered were of little importance. Tuesday, Jan. 21.—Senate.—Mr. Morrill, from the Committee on Finance, reported, without amendment, the House bill passed by the House on the llith inst, to facilitate Hie refunding of national debt. J laced on the calendar. Mr. Matthews presented a bill to prevent the introduction of contagious or infectious diseases in the United States, and to establish a Bureau of Public Health. Referred.... Mr. Chaffee introduced a joint resolution directing the cancellation of $1 and $2 United States notes. Laid on the table to be called up by Mr. Chaffee hereafter... .The Senate bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to deposit certain funds held by him as trustee for the Indian tribes in the Treasury of the United States in lieu of investment, led to a long discussion without action. House.— Mr. Potter offered e resolution authorizing an investigation into the cipher dispatches, which led. to a protracted debate. Mr. Potter alluded to the history connected with the formation of the Potter committee, and his refusal at that time to allow an amendment to the resolution so that the Oregon dispatches should be inquired into. He denied that he had ever been controlled by Tilden in any way. Mr. Butler opposed the resolution. He thought the House had no jurisdiction <Wer the subject, and said it would be better to give the sto.<X!o asked for to the families of poor men. Instead of wasting it in investigating private dispatches. Mr. Hale followed in a brief speech, earnestly adoveating the investigation. He thought it was duo to the simple old man In New York who .was dragged out as a Democratic candidate, and whose good

name wm Imperiled by bin trusted friends. Mr. Conger said that the Republicans came here in December, expecting the Democracy to rush forward with a resolution for investigating, but he had been amazed at the long silence. The Republicans kept quiet, but it <as hard work, and he was glad now, at this late hour, that Mr. Potter had been moved. Mr. Hewitt favored the resolution, saying that, .as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, he had never sent a dispatch which would . not bear the light. He never heard of these cipher dispatches until they were in print. The investigation was demanded by justice to an outraged leader of the Democratic party, and by the party itself. An investigation would vindicate Tilden from calumny heaped upon him by the Republicans. The resolution was then adopted by a vote of 123 yeas to 120 nays. Wednesday, Jan. 22.— Senate.— Mr. Garland, from the Committee on Public Lands, submitted a minority report on the claim of Mr. McGarrahan. together with a bill placing all claimaulß Lm Uie natlcno FauucUe Oiaud, In California, in the Court of Claims, with the right of appeal to the Supreme Court. Laid on the table, the bill and report to be printed... The House bill to facilitate the refunding of the national debt was passed unanimously. The bill now goes to the President.... Mr. Davis (Ill.) introduced a bill to prevent and punish counterfeiting, within the United States, of notes, bonds, and other securities of foreign Governments. Referred. House. The bill was passed appropriating sfio,o<)o for the transportation of coin and bullion, and $4(),0C0 for the miscellaneous expenses of the House.... The Senate amendments to the Indian Appropriation bill were non-concurred in.... Mr. Stephens introduced a bill defining and describing the duties of the Secretary of the Treasury in certain cases. Referred Quite a stormy debate arose in regard to the Southern Claim bill, in the course of which Mr. Bragg, of Wisconsin, stated that, if the South was solid for the Democratic party simply for the purpose of getting money out of the treasury, it would be well for the Northern Democracy if the Southern Democrats went over to the Republican party, and he hoped they would do so.' Mr. Ellis, of Louisiana, replied to Mr. Bragg. He said the Southern people were as true to the Democratic party as the gentleman from Wisconsin (Bragg), and it was in obedience to Democratic teachings, as the Southern people had understood them, that they had gone into the war. Thursday, Jan. 23.—Senate.—Mr. Morrill, from the special committee in regard to taking the census, reported a bill, which was placed on the calendar... .Mr. Burnside reported favorably the House bill to promote the education of the blind. ... .The report of the conference committee on the Consular and Diplomatic Appropriation bill was agreed to. and the bill passed. The total amount appropriated is $1,078,035... .The bill to amend'the Patent laws was discussed. House.— The conference report on the Consular and Diplomatic Appropriation bill was agreed to. ... .The Postoffice Appropriation bill was then reported... .The House, in committee of the whole, debated at length the bill to apply the proceeds of the sale of public lands to the education of the people Mr. Cox (N. Y.), Chairman of the Committee on Census, reported a bill for taking the Federal census. Ordered printed and recommitted. Mr. Ryan from the same committee, submitted the views of the minority. Ordered printed and recommitted .... An evening session was held for the consideration of the bill for the classification of mail matter, and to regulate the rates of postage thereon. It divides the mail matter into tour classes: First, written matter; second, periodical publications under registration: third, miscellaneous printed matter: and fourth, merchandise; and makes the rates of postage uniform on all periodicals, whether daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly. The bill was satisfactory to the publishers of the country. A number of amendments were ottered, and. after debate, rejected, when Mr. Waddell. Chairman of the committee, remarked that the bill had the approval of all the legitimate publishers ot the country’, and that it was being “ talked to death by chin-music,” and he therefore moved to adjourn. Agreed to. Friday, Jan. 25.—Senate.—There was little or nothing done. Mr. Edmunds made another unsuccessful attempt to take up the resolutions recently submitted by him, declaring the validity of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments to the constitution. House. —Mr. Fuller presented a resolution directing the Committee on Ways and Means to con wider the feasibility of enacting a law to equalize the internal-revenue tax among all the States. Adopted... .The House went into committee of the whole, Mr. Bell in the chair, on the private calendar. Almost all the war-claim bills were objected to by Mr. Bragg. The committee rose, and twelve private bills reported were passed by the House... .Mr. Banning presented a substitute for the Army Organization bill, aud asked leave to have it printed. So ordered. Saturday, Jan) 25.—Senate.—Not in session. House. —The House devoted the entire day, in committee of the whole, to the consideration of the Postoffice Appropriation bill, no other business being transacted.