Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 February 1879 — HEWS OF THE WEEK. [ARTICLE]

HEWS OF THE WEEK.

FOREIGN NEWS. Paul Gervais, the eminent French naturalist, is dead. Gen. Chanzy has been appointed French Minister to Russia. Anarchy reigns in the ancient African empire of Morocco, according to recent advices received in Spain. The Emperor has been stricken with paralysis, and the Government appears to be in about the same condition. Emperor William opened the German Parliament in person en the 12th inst In his p eech from the throne he said be thanked the members for assisting in the suppression of the opialist agitation. He declared that the relations between Germany and all other powers are satisfactory, and that Germany would continue its influence in behalf of European peace. Gen. Grant has arrived in India. The British Parliament is again in session. Henry Goodyear, the India-rubber manufacturer, has just died in Paris. A dispatch from St. Petersburg says: “A military cordon is ordered along the entire course of the Volga to prevent the spread of the plague. Seventeen more doctors have been sent to the infected districts. Gen. Melikoff. finding the local prisons in a shockingly filthy condition and overcrowded, threatened the officials with death if the condition of things continued.” O’Kelly, the last of the Fenian prisoners, has been discharged from prison in Great Britain, on condition of quitting the country. There seems to be a probability that the difference between the German Government and the Vatican may at length be adjusted. It is reported by cable that Cordial letters have been exchanged between the Emperor and the Pope, anti that “concessions are made on both sides. “ London dispatches state that the British defeat in Houth Africa “ was not altogether a surprise. The British troops were unprepared, but the triumph of the Zulus was owing to their pluck as well as numbers. Fifteen thousand Zulus, armed wi h swords, attacked the British. Under a murderous British fire the Zulus at first fell by hundreds, but the plucky savages in the rear, comingon, filled up the gaps and the vast horde still advanced until within charging distance, when they rushed in with desperate courage for a death struggle. Encumbered with long rifles and being outnumbered ten to one, the British were stricken down by the Zulus with their Roman blades in a hand-to-hand combat. The scene was a wild orgie of death—a massacre, yet a battle.”

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. A horrible tragedy is reported from Troy, N. Y. G. F. Simmons, crazed by the elopement of his wife, poisoned his three children and then cut his throat After a strike of nearly two years, the chimney-glass blowers, of Pittsburgh, have thrown up the sponge, and expressed a willingness to return to work at the wages they were receiving when they went out The New York Legislature proposes to bring William H. Vanderbilt to book for evading the payment of taxes on his vast railway property. It is a singular fact that this man, who is supposed to be worth upward of 4ii00,000,000, does not pay one penny of taxes. An investigation of the accounts of the late County Treasurer, Conklin, of Oswego, N. shows a defalcation of $133,000. A house owned by John Guyer, in Allegheny county, Pa , was destroyed by fire a few mornings ago. Guyer and a man named Wilson, who were sleeping in the building, did not awake in time to escape, and were roasted to a crisp. George Shum, who was also an inmate, was burned so badly that his life is despaired of. Went. Owing to the large houses and popular enthusiasm with which the people of Chicago have greeted Alice Oates aud her troupe, Manager Haverly his retained that company for another week—the present—at which the attraction is the popular comic opera, “The Chimes of Normandy.” The commanding officer at Camp Bheridan telegraphs the particulars of the massacre of Frank Moorehead, James Ashbaugh, and two others on Cunning Water, by Little Wolf’s Cheyennes, who also took a large number of horses from ranches. A shocking accident is reported from Kansas City, Mo. A railway cut ninety feet deep, in which forty laborers with four teains were at work, caved in, burying workmen and teams out of sight Six of the men were killed outright and several wounded. fSoutti. A national conference of colored citizens will be held at Nashville, May 6. The object of the conference is stated to be “ to consider the situation of the colored people in the South relative to the enjoyment of life, liberty and property; also their educational, moral, social and political condition, and the question of emigration.” The Louisville Courier-Journal claims to have reliable information from Mississippi and Tennessee that yellow fever has broken out in those States, and there are a number of cases in each. Advices have also been received in St Louis to the same effect. Physicians in Mississippi and Tennessee contend that the exhuming and the removal of bodies are the cause of the reappearance of the disease, and that, if steps are not taken by the authorities to stop this, the fever will occur again with its old-time malignity. United States Judge Baxter, of Tennessee, has appointed a Receiver to take charge of the effects of the late city of Memphis, including taxes unpaid, amounting to nearly $3,000,--000, with power to sue, and collect in any way, by garnishment or otherwise. The Revenue Agent at Raleigh, N. C., reports capturing a number of distilleries and stills, and a large quantity of low-wines and whisky. In the fight two moonshiners were wounded. At Baltimore, *Henry Bowers, judge of election at the late Congressional election, for refusing permission to the United States Supervisor to inspect the ballot-box before the voting, was sentenced to twelve mot ths’ imprisonment and fined. Six other election officers, for violation of the Election laws, were also sentenced to imprisonment and fines. POLITICAL POINTS. Mr. Ghristiancy, Senator of the United States from Michigan, formally tendered his resignation on the 10th inst Gen. Garfield positively declines to he the Republican candidate for Governor of Ohio. This, it is claimed, enhances the chances rs Judge Taft, of Cincinnati It was resolved, at a caucus of Republican Senators in Washington, on the 12th inst, Mr. Edmunds’ coustitqtiomtl amendment

prohibiting the payment of disloyal claims, shall be pushed to final action at this session. At the recent special election in the First district of Georgia, to fill the vacancy in Congress caused by the death of Hon. Julian Hartridge W. B. Fleming, Democrat, had no opposition, and was returned as Representative. At a caucus of the Republican members < f the Michigan Legislature, held on the 13th inst, Zachariah Chandler was nominated on the first ballot for United States Senator to succeed Mr. Christiancy, receiving 69 votes to 19 for Gov. Bagley. At a caucus of the Republican Senators, held at Washington on Feb. 13, it was decided that the Appropriation bills should be given the right-of-way in the order of business, and, in the intervals, that the following measures should be considered in the order named: Edmunds’ resolutions proposing an amendment to the constitution prohibiting the payment of claims to disloyal persons; second, the Geneva Award bill; third, a day for the consideration of bills reported from the Committee oa the District of Columbia; fourth, the consideration of a bill to render effective the laws against polygamy, and to disqualify polygamists from performing jury duty; fifth, the Internal Revenue bill, including the reduction of the tax upon tobacco. The Democratic Senators, at a caucus held on the 14th inst., decided that it would not . l>e expedient to do more than to attach to the appropriation bills the clause repealing the jurors' test oath, and as to the other matters that they can ba postponed until the regular session. The Chairman of the caucus, Senator Wallace, was directed to notify the House Dem ocratic caucus of this decision. This removes all danger of an extra session. The President has addressed the following letter to Gen. Edwin 8. Merritt, the new Collector of Customs at New York: My De ah General: I congratulate you bn youi confirmation. It is a great gratification to me, very honorable to you, and will prove, I believe, of signal service to the country. My desire is that the office be conducted on strictly business principles and according to the rules for the civil service which were recommended by the Civil Service Commission in the administration of Gen. Grant. I want you to be perfectly independent of mere Influ ence from any quarter. Neither my recommendation or that of Secretary Sherman, or of any member of Congress or other influential person, must be specially regarded. Let appointments and removals be made on business principles aud according to the rules. There must, I assume, be a few confidential places filled by those you personally know to be trustworthy, but restrict the area of patronage to the narrowest limits. Let no man be put out merely because he is a friend to Mr. Arthur, and no man put in merely because he is our friend. The good of the service should be the sole end in view. The best means presented, it seems to me, are the rules recommended by the Civil Service Commission. I shall issue no new order on the subject at present. lam glad you ap prove of the message, aud I wish you to see that all that is expressed or implied in it is faithfully carried out. Again congratulating you and assuring you of my entire confidence, I remain, sincerely, R. B. Hayes. To Gen. E. A. Merritt. WASHINGTON NOTES. Ex-Chief Justice Casey, of the United States Court of Claims, died at Washington, last week, aged 64. Hon. Horatio C. Burchard, Congressman from the Fifth District of Illinois, has been appointed Director of the United States Mints, vice Dr. Linderman, deceased. The President has appointed George C. Codd Postmaster at Detroit The Senate Chamber ,in the Capitol at Washington is to be lighted by electricity, the necessary apparatus having been already provided.

THE BLAINE INVESTIGATION. Gen. Reuben E. Davis, defeated Greenback candidate for Congress at the late election in Mississippi, testified before the Teller Committee, at Washington, on the 12tl inst. He said he was at first informed he had been elected, but was afterward told Muldrow was successful. Senator Garland, of the committe, called the attention of witness to his testimony before the Boutwell Committee in 1876. The witness said he indorsed every word he then uttered. He had said the Radicals were bulldozers, and they operated on negroes by superstition, threatening to put snakes aud lizards into them. The Democrats now are obnoxious to what he then said of the Radicals. The white man could not vote in the South against the Democracy without being ostracised. William Vasser, a white Republican politician, testified to being bulldozed and intimidated in the late campaign, and thought on a fair vote Mississippi would go Republican. At a meeting of the Teller Committee at Washington, on the 13th inst, J. H Field and W. W. Humphreys, of Mississippi, were examined in reference to the recent election in that State. Both testified that it was conducted fairly and peaceably, though actively and energetically; that nobody was prevented from voting, and that there was no disposition to deprive the colored man of any of bis rights, except, perhaps, on the part of a few extreme men. Messrs. Hoar, McMillan, Kirkwood, Garland and Wallace were constituted a sub-committee to investigate the election-fund assessments. The committee then adjourned subject to the call of the Chairman. FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS. Febbuary 10.—In the Senate, the House bill authorizing an issue of certificates of deposit of the denomination of $lO, to aid in refunding the public debt, was amended by increasing tho rate of interest from 3 to 4 per cent., and then passed.... Mr. McCreery addressed the Senate in favor of the transfer of the Indian Bureau to the War Department. and Mr. Paddock made a speech on Agriculture... .Mr. Morrill introduced two financial measures—one authorizing the conversion of national gold bonds, and the other amending the Revised Statutes relative to the deposit of bonds by associations. In the House, motions to suspend the rules and pass the bill repealing the law in regard to the test oath of jurors, aud also the law for tho appointment and payment of Supervisors of Election and their aids, were rejected—yeas, 126; nays, 118—not the necessary two-thirds voting in the affirmative.... A motiofi to suspend the rules and pass the bill to establish postal savings banks was defeated- yeas, 89: nays, 184... .Mr. Acklen introduced a bill to restore the franking privilege... .The General Appropriation bill was discussed. February 11.—In the Senate, a resolution was adopted ordering the Committee on Agriculture to consider what can be done by the General Government to better encourage and foster agricultural Interests,,,, Mr. Cameron .(Pa.) submitted

a joint resolution providing for a commission to consider and report what legislation is needed for the better regulation of commerce among the States. In the House, the entire day was devoted to the consideration of the General Appropriation biU. Febkuaby 12 —ln the Senate, the Committee on Indian Affairs reported that they were unable to make a report at this session upon the Indian •laughter at Fort Robinson, and, at their reqneat the matter was referred to a select committee.... Mr. Sannders addressed the benate in support of his bill to authorize the temporary transfer of the control of certain Indians from the Interior to the War Department. The Honse was engaged all day upon the Legislative Appropriation bill. February 13. In the Senate, the bill authorizing the conversion of gold bonds was passed.... There was a long debate on the bill to restrict Chi. nese Immigration—Messrs. Sargent, Grover and Morgan advocating, and Messrs, Matthews and Hamlin opposing the bill. In the House, the day was devoted to the Legislative Appropriation bill, and to memorial exercises of the late Julian Hartridge, of Georgia. February 14.—The Senate consumed the day in discussing the bill to restrict Chinese immigration, without coming to a vote. In the House, there was a wrangle over the bill, reported from the. Committee on Military Affairs by Mr. Bragg, to place Gen. Shields on the retired list, which was ended by the matter being referred to the committee of the whole. Tho balance of the day was devoted to the consideration of private claims. February 15.—After a long and animated debate the Senate passed, by a vote of 89 to 27. the House bill to restrict the immigration of Chinese. ... .Mr. Allison introduced a bill to provide a sinking fund for bonds issued in pursuance of the act of Congress of June 20, 1874, known as 3.65 District of Columbia bonds.... Mr. McPherson presented a petition of the New Jersey Historical Society in favor of erecting a monument to Christopher Columbus by the republics of the Western Hemisphere, and that the United States take the initiative. Ihe House was engaged all day on the Legislative Appropriation bill.