Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1879 — NEWS OF THE WEEK. [ARTICLE]

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

FOREIGN NEWS. The European Governments continue fiheir precautions against the dreaded plague. The German Parliament, after an ex- > citing debate, has adopted almost unanimously the motion of Herr Lasken, contesting the correctness of the Government's interpellation of the Socialist law, and refusing the consent of the Reichstag to the proposed arrest of its members. In other words, they declare that they have some rights which even Bismarck shall respect. A report comes from far-distant Burnaah that the King has murdered all the royal IPnnres and their families, and set himself up aisxx despot. The black Republic of Hayti is in the : throes of her regular semi-yearly revolution. A severe battle has been fought, in which the Government fordes were victorious. All of the insurgent prisoners captured were put to death. Egyptian finances are in a deplorable condition, and the Khedive is having serious trouble with the officers and soldiers of his army, who loudly clamor for their arrearages of pay. Recently a largo mob, led by military officers, surrounded the palace and threatened violence if they were not paid. The Khedive Iliad some of them arrested, which has only had the effect of doubly incensing their comrades .against that functionary.- To add to the Kne.dive’s troubles, nearly all his Cabinet Ministers i have resigned, and others threaten to follow. Several heavy failures are reported from England and Scotland. Great Britain and the continent have been visited by another severe snowstoim. Great consternation prevails in Burmiah on account of the royal murders. The victims nuniliered eighty-six. Tbe people are Dieseeching British interference. The powers have decided to refer the Dobriidscha-boundary question to the Ambasi sadors at Constantinople. The Austrian Government, before assenting, insisted that the decision of the majority must be final, to which the Russian Government has agreed. The yellow fever prevails as an epidemic at Rio Janeiro. The English Duke of Newcastle is dead. The French Atlantic cable is broken in 500 fathoms of water 100 miles from shore. Count von Roon, Field Marshal of Germany, has just died at Berlin. The Bulgarian Assembly was formally opened, amid great enthusiasm, at Timova, the ancient capital, on the 22<1 of February. A dispatch from Berlin reports that the Chinese Government has bought cottonjpinning machinery in Germany, and will establish mills in China in order to free that country from its dependence on English and Russian importers. » Despite the official report of the disappearance of the plague from t,hc infected dis,yf n.iuui.i, nnnfi.inu.o ic ,wt by a n y means restored!© the populations of Central nu.upo. Much alarm prevails in Eastern Prussia on laceount cf a report that Russian recruits from Astrakhan are being placed on the German frontier.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. East. The Methodist ministers of New York and neighboring cities, at a conference held last week, discussed the Anti-Chinese bill recently passed by Congress, and voted unanimously to send an address to the President asking him to veto it Brooklyn has been feeding paupers on meat not fit for dogs, and allowing hospital patients to recline on wet straw. The old American Bible Society will adhere to the terms of its constitution, which provide that only the King James version of the Bible shall be circulated. s The Atlantic Knitting Mills, at Cohoes, N. Y., have been destroyed by fire. Henry Bigelow Williams, one of the heaviest real-estate operators in Boston, has failed for $2,259,600. West. The Illinois State Board of Agriculture has decided to offer prizes for the bestdrilled companies of militia exhibiting at the next State Fair. Bt. Rev. Thomas Foley, Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Chicago, has just died in that city, of pneumonia, in the 57th year of his age. The remains were taken to Baltimore for interment Illinois has expended over $3,500,000 on her new Capitol, and yet it is a long way from being finished. Col. Rice, the bayonet inventor, of Fort Keogh, and Lieut. Sibley, and Morris Cahn, a merchant of Evansville, Ind., while en route to Bismarck, Dak. Ter., in an ambulance, were waylaid by four highwaymen and compelled to fork over their loose change. The officers lost S2OO and Cahn $2,500. About the time they had finished this job an escort of five soldiers, who were strolling behind, came up, and were accorded a similar reception. One soldier had 7 cents, and the robbers took tary party were ordered to stack arms and skin out. Chicago harvested 1,000,000 tons of ice during the past winter. The Opera House at Columbus, Ind., has been burned. Loss estimated at 875,000. The Chicago Daily Commercial Bulletin prints a resume of the hog-packing business in the West during the winter season 1878-9. The estimated increase in the number of hogs packed is 960,000, but the quality is not quite as good as that of last season, and the increase in product is only about equal to 630,000 hogs of last year’s weight The total number of hogs estimated packed for the season is 7,465,000. The Kansas House of Represents' fives has passed a bill creating a Patriot Guard for the frontier, with a view to repelling Indian invasions, and appropriating $25,000 for its maintenance; and the Senate has passed a bill forever prohibiting the manufacture of liquor in the State of Kansas. The town of Stockton, Cal., has been the scene of a shocking calamity, by which sixteen people were suddenly launched into eternity, and twenty-six others wounded, several of them fatally. A crowd of more than 200 people had assembled to witness the trial of a new propeller pump set in the slough and run by a threshing engine, which exploded. Those who stood near were prostrated. The body of | the engine was blown a distance of 150 feet through the-large crowd. The dead lay prostrate in every direction, some falling into the slough from the bridge. Ten or tw-elve dead bodies lay in one heap near the bridge. Others lay strewn dead and dying nn the street, blown from fifty to one hundred feet. The heads of some were blown to pieces. Others were blown to the ground with such force as to break every bone in their bodies. Their faces, hands and bodies were steamed in dirt and smoke and cinders. Ths pspkNloo

was the result of recklessness on the part of the engineer. The steam gauge refused to work, and, after the engineer had attempted to fix it and failed, he screwed down the safetyvalve and went on with his work. Many were blown a considerable distance and escaped uninjured. The body of the engine, weighing 2,500 pounds, was blown over the telegraph wires and landed on the plaza. South. George W. Dupre, State Printer of Louisiana, has been indicted for perjury by the New Orleans Grand Jury. John McLeon, a quondam Methodist preacher, now in prison at Asheville, N. C., is the champion bigamist of the age. He has been married nineteen times, his wiv r s are all alive, and none of them has he be n legally separated from. A dispatch from Atlanta, Ga., gives the following brief particulars of a shocking railway disaster: “A passenger train on the Selma, Rome and Dalton ’■oad, which had just left Selma, Ala., fell through a rotten bridge over Mulberry creek, thirteen miles from Selma. George Evans, a prominent young Alabamian, and four negroes were killed. Three white meh were fatally hurt M. Stanton, Superintendent of the road, is among those fatally wounded. Twenty-five persons were injured. Conductor White was terribly wounded. The sleeping-car did not godown with the wreck. All the rest of the train, including several freight cars and the engine, were smashed in one mass. The bridge was perfectly rotten, and much indignation exists. The escape of so many is considered miraculous.” The press and people of New Orleans indignantly deny that the yellow fever has re appeared in that city. In Sumter, S. C., two negroes, who burned another’s barn because ho voted the Democratic ticket, have been sentenced to the penitentiary for two years. Near Baltimore, Md., Farmer Parks, on horseback, drunk, refused to ride home with his wife and family in a carriage, exclaiming that he could ride to hell. After a full gallop for a short distance, he was dashed against a stone and killed. A Virginia constable, near Washington City, went with a posse of thirtv-five men to the house of Felix Quanders (colored) for the purpose of serving a warrant. Quanders barricaded his doors. The constable ordered him to come out, but he declined. An attempt was made to fire the house. The posse then fired thirty-five shots into the house, wounding Quanders, Sr., his wife, two sons, the wife of one of the sons, and a female visitor. The constable was arrested and placed under bonds. George Washington (colored) was doubly hanged at Louisville, Ky., the other day. When the drop was sprung the rope snapped in twain, and the culprit fell with a heavy thud to tho ground. The body was lifted up, another noose placed around the neck, and the bungling job completed. A colored member of the Arkansas Legislature swears that United States Seuatoreleci Walker paid him money for the purpose of influencing votes. Walker swears, on the did MO odokiLinfr Qiarl ♦!.«*.t the “membah” is guilty of flat perjury.

POLITICAL POINTS. Zachariah Chandler was on the 18th inst. elected United States Senator from Michigan to fill the vacancy created by Judge Christiancy’s resignation. He received the vote of every Republican member of the Legislature. The Democrats supported Barnes, and the Groenbackers cast their votes for Chamberlain. The Ohio Prohibitionists are early in the field this year. They met at Columbus last week, adopted a platform, andnominatod a full State ticket, headed by George T. Stewart, of Norwalk, for Governor. A sub-committee of the Teller Committee, with Senator Hoar for Chairman, has been formed to make a Northern investigation. The National Democratic Committee, at a meeting held in Washington a few days ago, authorized the Executive Committee to appoint an auxiliary body to act with the latter in all political matters. Tne Congressional Committee will also appoint an Executive Committee for the same purpose as the auxiliary committee. Col. Isaac E. Eaton, <jf Kansas, was appointed to the vacancy on the National Committee caused by the resignation of Abram 8. Hewitt. Headquarters will be at Boston, and the next meeting will be held there Feb. 23.1880. Washington correspondents make mention of a very ugly bit of unpleasantness that camo between Senators Conkling and Burnside, during an executive session of the Senate. The trouble arose out of the discussion of a Rhode Island appointee of the President, whose name was up for confirmation. Conkling charged Burnside with trickery in committee. Burnside said the statement was incorrect. Conkling then re peated his assertions, and appealed to Senators to sustain him. At this Spencer jumped up and declared that Conkling was stating the truth. Burnside by this time had worked himself into a furious state of excitement,'and gave Conkling the lie direct, and took occasion to express a fervent wish that he had the tongue of a Blaine, iu order that he might make a fitting reply to the SenaW ASHINGTON NOTES. The report of the Senate Committee on Territories is published. It states that there are 20,000 citizens of the United States rightfully residing in the Indian Territory whose property interests and lives are in such danger that immediate legislation by Congress is necessary for their protection. According to the official returns made to the Bureau of Statistics, the number of immigrants who arrived in the United States during the calendar years of 1877 and 1878 was as follows: Year ended Dec. 31, 1877, 130,503; year ended Dec. 31, 1878, 153,207. This shows an increase in the number of those coming to this country for settlement amounting to 22,704. The Government departments were all closed on Feb. 22, in honor of Washington’s birthday. The report of the special committee appointed by the Seaate to investigate the, causes of the omission of the Hot Springs section from the enrolled Sundry Civil Appropriation bill last session says that all the evidence goes to show that the omission was a clerical error. The President has nominated John W. Chapman for Marshal of the District of lowa. The Senate Committee on Agriculture, with Mr. Paddock as Chairman, have examined numerous witnesses with regard to pleuro-pneumonia in cattle. All concurred that the country is free from this disease, and letters from Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Texas and Nebraska showed that fact. On Long island the disease is being “stamped out”

FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS. February 17.—1 n the Senate, Mr. Windom presented a petition of colored people of Louisiana favoring the passage of his resolution in relation to tbe migration of blacks... .The bill to provide for the construction of a bridge across the Missouri river Decatur, Neb., was passed... .The Senate was engaged the whole afternoon and till I:3V o’clock at night in discussing the bill to amend the Internal Revenue law, the proposed reduction of the tax>on tobacco constituting the bone of contention. .. .The Senate in executive session confirmed John F. Hartranft as Postmaster of Philadelphia, and A. Louden Snowden as Superintendent of the Philadelphia Mint... .The nomination of William Hays, to be Postmaster at St. Louis, was reported back from the committee without recommendation, the committee being equally divided as to the advisability of confirmation. Tho House passed, under a suspension of the rules, the bill appropriating $26,852,260 for the payment of the arrears of pensions. ... .Mr. Hale offered a resolution directing the Committee on the Judiciary to report a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment to prohibit the payment of war claims except of persons loyal to the Union... .The River and Harbor Appropriation bill was passed.... Memorial exercises of the late. Representative Schleicher were held in the evening. February 18.—The Senate adopted a resolution to pay Jot ' ' lr $5,000 in full compensation for his expenses in prosecuting a claim to a seat as Senator from Virginia in 1863.... The House bill to promote the knowledge of steam-engineering and iron ship-building among students of scientific schools or colleges was passed.... The Revenue bill was discussed, amended, and finally’ passed, with the amendment reducing the tobacco tax to 16 cents. The House, after wasting nearly two hours on questions of precedence, took up the Census bill, and devoted the entire day session to its consideration..,. An evening session, lasting till past midnight, was devoted to the consideration of the Legislative Appropriation < bill. There was a hot contest over the publiciland surveys. The matter, as finally’ fixed up. leaves the bill in about this condition: The Coast Survey is transferred from the Treasury to the Interior Department. and the consolidated bureau is given charge of the geographical work of the Coast Survey and the Interior Department, and the special srientific surveys known as,the Powell, the Hayden and the Wheeler surveys are abolished; and a new Bureau of Geological Surveys is created, with a chief to be appointed by the President. The Western men, tinder the lead of Patterson, "of Colorado, and * Page, of California, who did most of the work, defeated the Appropri tion Comiffittee in its effort to destroy the General Land Office, and the present land system. The surveys having been passed, the amendment to repeal the jurors’ testoaih and the Federal Supervisor law authorizing the use of Deputy Marshals were moved, pending which the House adjourned. February 19.—The Senate was engaged nearly all day on the Postoffice Appropriation bill. There was a sharp fight on the Brazilian mailsteamship subsidy, but no vote was reached in the matter. The House resumed consideration of U’e Legislative* Appropriation bill, the jurors’ test-oath amendments being in order. Mr. Hale raised a point of order against the amendment, which was overruled. Various amendments were offered by the Republicans, but all were voted down. After a two-hours’ slruggle, the repeal was carried in the committee of the whole by a vote of 127 to 87. The next amendment repealing the Supervisors of Election law was then taken up. Mr. H ale opened the-debate in opposition to the repeal, and raised a point of order against it. He characterized the action of the Democrats in try ing to force such legislate t through Congress as simply revolutionary, jid said, speaking for the Republican side of the House, that every known parliament? ry rule and device would be resorted to to prevent it from being passed. The Democrats defended the movement on the ground that the law which it was sought to repeal, instead of preserving the purity of the ballot-box, furnished out of the national treasury a campaign fund for either party which might be in power to corrupt an election. The debate was long and spirited, but without reaching a vote on the proposition the House adjourned. February 20.—1 n the Senate, the Army Appropriation bill was reported back from the committee, divested of all the army reorganization sec" tions inserted by the House.... Mr. Shields deliv’ ered a speech in favor of the bill granting pensions to the surviving soldiers of the Mexican war.... The Senate a long fight over the Brazilian Mail subsidy amendment to the Postoffice Appropriation bill, lasting until after midnight. The scheme was finally adopted, the bill passed, and the Senate adjourned at 1 o’clock a. m. The House spent tbe entire day’ in considering the Florida contested-election case of Finley vs. Bisbee. A resolution was adopted unseat ng Horace Bisbee (Republican) and seating tne Democratic contestant, John J. Finley... .An evening session was held, which was devoted to memorial services in honor of the deceased members—Williams, of Michigan, and Welch, of NeFebruary 21.—1 n the Senate, Mr. Voorhees introduced a bill directing the Secretary of the Treasury to issue legal tenders equal in amount to the fractional currency retired—about $26,000,000 —to pay the arrears of pensions... .The bill regulating the transportation of animals was passed.... Mr. Saunders, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, reported without amendment the Senate bill to authorize the President temporarily to transfer the management of certain Indian tribes from the Interior to the War Department The House was engaged all day on the private calendar, and several war claims were squelched. February 22.—The Senate spent tne day on the Army Appropriation bill, and struck out all tbe reorganization features,together with theposse-com-itatus clause of the House bi 11.... The credentials of Messrs. Logan, of Illinois; Call, of Florida, and Slater, of Oregon, were received and placed on file. ... .The Senate, in executive session, confirmed a number of executive appointments, including that of H. C. Burchard, of Illinois, to be Director of the United States Mints. In the House there waa an animated discussion of the bill to repeal the Resumption law, Messrs. Garfield and Ewing being the chief participants. At the conclusion of the debate the bill was laid on the table by a vote of 141 yeas to 110 nays... .The bill restricting Chinese immigration was passed, with the Senate amendments.