Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 June 1879 — NEWS OF THE WEEK. [ARTICLE]

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

FOREIGN NEWS In Russia a ukase has been issued instructing the Minister of Finance to issues 5-per-cent interest loan at 92>£ for the amount of 300,000,000 of rubles to cover the expenses of the late war. Four Nihilists were executed by hanging at Kieff on the 2d cf June. A dispatch from St. Petersburg says an attempt to blow up the court where the military tribunal is sitting in Kieff has been discovered and frustrated. Certain females of the royal family of Burmab, for whose safety the British Government stipulated, have been placed in irons, and will probably be starved. By an overwhelming majority of 372 to 33, the French Chamber of Deputies has voted to annul the election of Blanqui, the Communistic convict, to a seat in that body. The death of the head of the house of Rothschild, Baron Lionel Nathan, is chronicled in London dispatches. He was a grandson of the founder of the family, and succeeded his father, Nathan, as head of the London branch on the latter’s death, in 1836. He was born in November, 1808, and was the first professor of the Hebrew faith ever admitted to a ■eat in the English House of Commons, the standing orders of the House requiring an official oatti “on the faith of a Christian” being revoked in his favor in 1858, after he had been successively elected and rejected in 1847, 1849, 1852 and 1857. The police of St. Petersburg are to bo armed with revolvers. Reports from Cashmere of the progress of the famine in that romantic valley grow worse and worse. Measures are being pressed forward for the relief of the starving population, and 3,500 tons of grain are on th* way from India. A committee of the German Bundesrath has reported in favor of the assumption of control over railroad freight rates by th* imperial Government Mr. White, the new American Minister to Germany,, has arrived at Berlin. The German press welcome him as an appropriate successor to Bayard Taylor. An overflow of the river Po, in Italy, has caused great destruction of grain and fruit crops. Germany has resolved to propose the joint interference of the European powers to end the South American war, or the improper and inhuman manner in which it is carried on by the belligerents. Spain has demanded satisfaction from Han Domingo for the shooting of two Generals at Puerto Plata who had sought the protection of the Spanish representative. Solovieff, the assassin who attempted the life of the Emperor of Russia, on the 14th of April last, has just been executed at St Petersburg.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. 11l aw t. Small-pox has broken out at Saratoga, N. Y. The extensive variety establishment of 8. Barnum A Sons, Buffalo, N. ¥., burned Inst week., Loss, $250,000; insurance, $200,000. Pardee Hall, one of {he Lafayette College buildings at Easton, Pa. ,■ has been destroyed by fire. Loss, $250,000; insurance, $120,000. A telegram from Island Pond, Vt., says that “ a medical examination and investigation of the poisoning cases at Newark, Vt., to-day resulted in showing that diphtheria was the cause of the terrible mortality, aggravated by poisoned water. Diphtheria in a mild form had been in the vicinity, and four cases wer* known to exist, so that water poisoned by barnyard drainage and putrid carcasses of dead animals was just the thing to feed the disease into the development of the terrible disaster. Eleven deaths have occurred. The others will recover.” By the explosion of a boiler in a brickyard at Freedom, Pa., John Bryan and Frank Mathany were instantly killed, and John Powell and Frank Bryan fatally, and D. Grim, W. Erwin and Joseph McDermott seriously injured. Low water caused the accident. A negro named Swingler was executed at Chambersburg, Pa., on the sth iust., for the murder of John Anderson (colored) in December last. In the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, last week, resolutions were offered for the expulsion of Representatives Petroff, Smith, and Rumberger, the three members accused by the Riot Bribery Committee of having corruptly solicited members to vote for the $4,000,(X)0 bill. In each case a majority vote was recorded in favor of expulsion, but, as it requires two-thirds of the members to expel, the accused members escaped the penalty which the investigating committee proposed to inflict. Felix McCann, an old man of 70 years, was executed at Norwich, N. Y., on the 6th of June, for the murder of J. M. Hatch, in December last.

During a storm at Asbury Park, N. J., the house of the Rev. George Clark was struck by lightning and two painters killed. At Rochester, N. Y., Peter Peters murdered his wife and then committed suicide. At Philadelphia, Edward Parr has been sentenced to death for the murder of his daughter, Mrs. Susan Irwin. West. At Salt Lake, Utah, the other day, Judge Emerson sentenced John Miles, polygamist, to pay a fine of SIOO and be confined in the Nebraska penitentiary for five years. During the proceedings Miles impertinently requested not to be lectured, and asked no mercy of the court. This case has attracted unusual attention, from the fact of its being the second conviction under the laws of the United States, and that Miles was to marry three young women at the same time, with the advice and consent of John Taylor, President of the Mormon Church. An appeal was taken to the Supreme Court of the Territory. At Ottumwa, lowa, on Sunday Evening, the Ist inst, Gen. James Shields, late United States Senator from Missouri, died suddenly. On the Sabbath he had appeared in his usual health, ate a hearty supper at 6 o’clock, and wrote several letters, but just before retiring complained of a pain in his chest, and soon thereafter said to his niece that he was dying, and in thirty minutes he expired, sitting in his chair, and remaining conscious to the last R. L. Squiers, .convicted of murder in the first degree, committed suicide at Colusa, Cal., by cutting his throat with a razor. His wife took the razor to him. A shocking calamity occurred at Cincinnati, the other day. A force of laborers were at work clearing the rubbish out of a arge five-story building that had been partially gutted by fire. The walls gave way burying the unfortunate men beneath the ruins, killing six of them and seriously injuring others. The steamer Yellowstone was recently sunk in the Yellowstone river, by striking a

rock in crossing over Buffalo rapids. The loss on boat and cargo is $50,000. Three renegade Cheyennes, who shot and killed private Bader and wounded Signal Sergt. Kennedy, while en route to Fort Keogh, Mont, and who were turned over to the civil authorities at Miles City, Mont, to answer the charge of murder, were sentenced, the other day,to be hanged on the 7th of next July. The same evening two of them committed suicide by hanging in the cells of the guard-house at Fort Keogh. The Episcopal Diocese Convention, in session at Detroit last week, elected Rev. Dr. 8. 8. Harris, of Chicago, to fill the vacancy caused by the displacement of Bishop McCoskry. Information received by the Indian Bureau at Washington from Fort Belknap states that 800 lodges of Sitting Bull’s Indians are reported south of the British line. They have not as yet committed any acts of direct hostility. A dispatch from Santa Fe, New Mexico, reports that “some United States soldiers of the Fifteenth Infantry, stationed at Fort Bliss, crossed the international boundary to Paso del Norte and got into a row with the Mexicans, in which two soldiers were killed and several wounded before they could recross the Rio Grande.” Lecocq’s charming opera of “ The Little Duke” is the attraction this week at McVicker’s Chicago Theater, with some really good singers and actors in the leading roles. The whole cast will be very strong, and the opera will be put on the stage in superb style. The work will be given without mutilation, in which respect it will differ from previous representations, and it may be added that it will also be given with a regard to decency which has not always characterized its performance. Two highwaymen perpetrated a bold robbery in Chicago, a few days ago. Two messengers were sent from the Illinois Central railroad office to one of the banks with a package of money. While walking along Washington street, in the very heart of the city, they were attacked by two footpads. The messenger who carried the package was knocked down with a sand-club, while his companion was blinded with pepper; the package, containing about $9,000, was seized, and before the passers-by could realize the nature of the transaction the thieves, with the money, had driven out of sight in a buggy which was waiting for them. South. A Nashville dispatch reports that United States Deputy Revenue Collector James M. Davis and six men were waylaid and killed by illicit distillers near Smithfield, Tenn. The report, heretofore mentioned, that a Deputy Marshal and six men had been murdered by moonshiners in East Tennessee was without foundation The revenue posse was fired upon by the crooks, but no one was hurt. At Rohrersville, Washington county, Md., Lewis 8. Miller, aged 15, shot and killed Charles Norris, about the same age. Miller had been teased by the boys, who called him nicknames. He procured a musket, loaded it, followed the boys, and shot Norris, who died instantly. There were two executions in Mis souri on Friday, the 6th of June. John Bland, aged 23, was hanged at St. Catherines, for the murder of Elijah Ward, his brother-in-law, in September last, and a negro named Monroe Guy was executed at Hillsboro for killing Aaron McPete in December last. The - Arkansas editors will make an excursion to Chicago and the Northwest about the 1 st of J uly.

FEDERAL FINANCE. (PUBLIC DEBT. Public Debt.— The public-debt statement issued June 2 is as follows: Six per cent, b0nd55354,910,150 Five per cent, b0nd5692,445,550 Four and a half per cent. bonds 250,000,060 Four per cent, bonds 627.334.800 Refunding certificates... 28,723,660 Navy pension fund 14,000,000 Total coin bonds $1,967,414,760 Matured debts 55.306.660 Legal tenders 346,742.546 Certificates of deposit.... 2'1,795.000 Fractional currency 15,874 777 Gold and silver certificates 17,780,660 Total without interest 462,499.643 Total debt $2,429,014,403 Total Interest 27,859,362 Cash in treasury 430,591,297 Debt less cash in trea5ury52,027,182,468 Increase during May 62,250 Decrease since June 30,1878 8,604,363 CURRENT LIABILITIES. Interest due and unpaids 5,126,876 Debt on which interest has ceased.... 55,306.660 Interest thereon 2.070.977 Gold and silver certificates 17,780,660 United States notes held for redemption of certificates of deposit 26,795,000 United States notes held for redemp tion of fractional currency. 5,408 It 6 Called bonds not matured for whiui 4 per cent, bonds have been issued... 169,771.060 Cash balance available June 2, 1879.. 145,331,958 Totals 430,591,297 AVAILABLE ASSETS. Cash in treasury's 430,591,297 Bonds issued to the Pacific Railroad Companies, interest payable in lawful money: Principal outstanding.. $ 64.623.512 Interest accrued and not yet paid 1,615,587 Interest paid by the United States.... 41,773,745 Interest repaid by transportation of mails, etc 11,177,435 Balance of interest paid by the United States 80.596.8C9 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL OPERATIONS FOB FOURTEEN YEARS. Numerous inquiries having been made as to the financial operations of the Government, the Secretary of the Treasury has published the following statemant showing the changes in the public debt, the annual interest charge, etc.: Reduction of the Interest-Bearing Debt. Total interestbearing debt at the bigbest point, Aug. 31, 186552,381,530,294 Total interest-beat’3g debt when the present refunding operations shall have been completed (Vug. 1,1879). 1,797.643,700 Reduction of interest-bearing debt from the highest point 583,886,594 Annual interest charge, highest point, Aug. 31,1865 159,977,697 Animal interest charge, when ”he present refunding operations are completed (Aug. 1, 1879) 83,773,778 Reduction in annual interest charge.. 76,203,919 Reduction of the Total Debt. Debt less cash in treasury, highest point, Aug. 31,1865 $2,756,431,571 Debt less cash in tieasury, June 1, 1879 2,037,182.468 Reduction of total debt 719.249,163 Reduction of debt since March 1,1877. 61.598,674 Bonds Refunded /Since if arch 1, 1877. Loan of 1858. 5 per cents 260,000 Ten-forties of 1864, 5 per cent 194,566,300 Annual interest charge 9,741,815 Five-twenties of 1865, 6 per cent 100.486,050 Consols of 1865, 6 per cent 202.663,100 Consols of 1'66, 6 per cent 310.622.750 Consols of 1868, 6 per cent 37.473,800 Annual interest charge 39,071,742 Total amount of loans 816.022,000 Total annual interest charge 48,813,057 In place of the above bonds there will be issued when the present refunding operations are completed, which will not be later than Aug. 1, 1879 .bonds as follows: Federal loan of 1891, 4’s per centsl3s,ooo,ooo Annual interest charge 6,075,000 Funded loan of 19u7, including refunding certificates, 4 per cents 711,622,000 Annual interest charge 28,440,880 total amount 846,02.',060 Total annual interest charge 34,515,880 Making an annual saving hereafter in the interest charge on account of refunding operations since March 1, 1877- 14,297,177 Bonds have been sold for resumption purposes since March 1,1877, the interest on which represents an annual cost of coin reserve as follows: Funded loan of 1891, per cent.

Annual interest charge 2,925,000 Funded loan of 1907. 4 per cent 25.000,000 Annual interest charge 1,000.000 Total amount 90,000,000 Total annual interest charge 3,925,000 Making the net annual saving in interest through the refunding and resumption operations since March 1,1877, of 10,372,177 In addition to the above bonds, there were issued in 1878, to replace coin used in payment of the Halifax award, 4 per cent bonds of 1907, amounting to $5,500,000. [Note. —In preparing this memorandum the maximum limit of the issue of 4 per cent bonds and certificates is stated when the refunding transactions are completed and the full returns received. The amount may be somewhat smaller, making the interest charge correspondingly less.] BEFUNDING CERTIFICATES. The Secretary of the Treasury has given notice that the $lO refunding certificates will now be received at the department for conversion into 4-per-cent bonds. Refunding certificates forwarded for conversion, and 4-per-cent bonds issned therefor, must be transmitted without risk or expense to the Government. Packages should be marked “refunding certificates,” and addressed to the Treasurer of the United States, and applications should specify the denomination of the bonds desired; also whether coupon or registered, and for the latter the full name and postoffice address of the person should be given. WASHINGTON NOTES. Judge Dillon, of the Eighth judicial circuit of the United States, has tendered his resignation to the President, and it is definitely fixed that he is to be succeeded by Secretary of War McCrary. The President has nominated Simon B. Conover, of Florida, to be Collector of Internal Revenue in the District of Florida. Nothing will be done at this session by the House Military Committee, it is said, with the Fitz-John Porter case.

POLITICAL POINTS. The Maine Greenbackers assembled in convention at Portland, on the 3d inst., and nominated Joseph H. Smith for Governor, on the first ballot The following gentlemen have been mentioned as most likely to succeed Mr. McCrary in the War Department: Ex-Senator Ramsey, of Minnesota; Gov. Hartranft, of Pennsylvania; Gov. McCormick, of Arizona; ard Gen. John B. Hawley, of Illinois, now Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. It is not probable that any appointment will be made before fall. The Ohio Democratic State Convention convened at Columbus on the 4th inst., the number of delegates present being the largest that has attended any Democratic State Convention since the war. Gen. James B. Steedman, of Toledo, presided. Gen. Thomas Ewing was nominated for Governor on the second ballot. The remainder of the ticket is as follows: Lieutenent Governor, A. V. Rice; Treasurer, Anthony Howells; Auditor, Charles Reemelin; Judge of the Supreme Court, W. J. Gilmore; Attorney General, Isaiah Pillars; member of the Board of Public Works, Patrick O’Marah. The Greenbaekers of Ohio also held their State Convention at Columbus on the 4th, and placed the following ticket in the field: lor Governor, Gen. A. Saunders Piatt; Lieutenant Governor, Hugo Preyor; Auditor, Andrew Rev; Treasurer, Charles Jenkins; Supreme Judge, A. M. Jackson; Attorney General, James C. Crogan; Member of the Board of Public Works, George W. Platt. At a Workingmen's State Convention, held at San Francisco, Cal., and presided over by Denis Kearney, a full ticket for State officers was nominated, headed by William F. White, of Monterey county, for Governor.

DOINGS IN CONGRESS. The Senate, on the 2d inst., passed the bill making appropriations for tne construction, etc., of certain works on the Great Kanawha and Kentucky rivers; also the bill to authorize the Secretary of War to furnish condemned ordnance for raillncr around the monument to Col. Robert L. McCook, of the Ninth Ohio volunteers, at Cincinnati. There was a sharp partisan debate between Messrs. Thurman and Wallace on one side, and Messrs. Edmunds and Blaine on the other, regarding the conduct of the committee on alleged frauds in the late election, of which Mr. Wallace is Chairman, in publishing in pamphlet form a portion of the testimony, and sending it out for publication. Mr. Edmunds charged the committee with partisan unfairness. Mr. Thurman defended the action of the committee, and said they had only followed Republican precedent. In the House, a few bills were introduced, among others one by Mr, Springer, prohibiting any soldier stationed within two miles of any place where a special or general election of Representative in Congress is being held from leaving his barracks for any purpose except that of relieving guard or casting his vote on the day of election. The bill for the appointment of a Mississippi River Commission, and appropriating $175,000 to meet its expenses, was passed. Columbus Upson, successor to the late Gustav Schleicher, was sworn in as Representative from the State of Texas, taking the modified oath. Mr. Wright, Chairman of the Labor Commit-' tee, moved to suspend the rules and adopt a resolution appropriating $2,000 for the expenses of that committee. Agreed to. A resolution was passed appropriating $20,000 to provide for representation of the United States at the International Exhibit on to be held at Sidney and Melbourne. Australia, in 1879-’BO. The Republican Senators he'd a caucus for the purpose of taking action concerning Mr. Bayard’s bill to repeal sections 820 and 821 Revised Statutes. The first of these sections prescribes the jurors’ test oath. There was a practical unanimity of opinion in the caucus that this section should be repealed. The other section authorizes Judges of the United States courts to exercise their own discretion in regard to challenges of persons drawn as jurors who have participated in the Rebellion. The opinion of the caucus was. that this section had never been abused, and is not likely to be, and, therefore, it should stand. The Senate, on the 3d inst, passed the House bill establishing post routes, and the House bill extending the time for the payment of pre emptors on public lands in Minnesota and Dakota. In executive session of the Senate all the pending nominations, some 300 in number, appoint! rents and promotions in the army, were confirmed in masse. The nomination of Secretary McCrary as Judge Dillon’s successor was sentin by the President, and was referred in the usual course. In the House, Mr. Cox made a speech in favor of the repeal of the jurors’ test oath. No business was transacted whatever, the Republicans continuing their tatties to prevent consideration of the bill relative to the removal of cases from State to Federal courts. The Democratic members of the House and Senate met id joint caucus in the afternoon to receive the report of the Joint Advisory Committ-e in regard to the appropriation bills. After several hours had been devoted to its consideration It was adopted with substantial unanimity. 'I he appropriation bills, prepared in accordance with this plan, are to be reported without delay. In the Senate, on the 4th inet,, Mr. Bayard, from the Judiciary Committee, reported vlth an amendment, the Senate bill repealing sections 820 s2l at the lievpeq Statutes (which prescribe

the jurors’ test oath, etc.). Ordered printed and placed on the calendar. In the House, the Senate amendments to the House Grasshopper bill (extending the time of payment by pre-emptors) were agreed to, and the bill passed. A resolution was adopted directing an investigation into the affairs of the Ocean National Bank of New York and the German National Bank of Chicago. The report of the Committee for the Investigation of .Expenditures in the State Department, in so far as it relates to George F. Seward, Minister to China, was referred to the Judiciary Committ e for action. The House voted an appropriation of $9,235 to the widow of the late Representative Rueh Clark, of lowa, and $ 10,MXI to the widow of the late Representative Gustav Schleicher, of Texas. The bill reported by Mr. Bayard from the Judiciary Committee relating to juries and the repeal of sections tOl, 820, and 821 of the Revised Statutes, was taken up by the Senate, on the Sth inst., and Messrs. Hampton and Bayard delivered speeches in support of the bill. Mr. Edmunds moved to amend the bill by adding the following: “That no citizen possessing all other qualifications which are or may be prescribed by law shall be disqualified for service as a grind or petit juror in any court of the United States or any State, on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Any officer or other person charged with any duty in the selection or examination of jurors who shall exclude or fail to examine any citizen for the cause aforesaid, shall, on conviction thereof, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and fined not more than $5,000.” After a long and sharp debate, in which Messrs. Edmunds, Conkling, Blaine. Thurman and Hill were the chief participants, the amendment was vo.ed dou a. Other amendments offered by the Republicans were also rejected. When the main question was reached a postponement was agreed to, at the request of Mr. ’Edmunds. In the House, much time was consumed in consideration of bills reported from the Committee on Printing. A bill for the election of a Congressional Printer was reported but not admitted, tho point of order being raised that it was not such a bill as the committee was privi’eged to report at any time. The bill to prevent the exportation of diseased cattle and the spread of infectious or contagious diseases among domestic animals, win discussed without action.——With a special message, the President sent to both houses of Co - yress the proceedings anl report of the b< d of officers convened for the re-exami /ion of the Fitz-John Porter case. The Presto .says: “I have given to this report such an ex» xation as satisfies me that I ought to lay the proi /ings and conclusions of the board before Cc zess, as I am without the power, in the absent Al legislation, to act upon the recommencatio of tho report, further thfln submit'ing the same io • * • Congress, and for such action as in your wisdom shall seem expedient and inst.” At a meeting of the Senate Finance Committee, held on the 6th inst.. it was decided, by a vote of 4 to 3, to postpone action 'on the Warner Silver bill until December next. There was considerable feeling among the silver men over the action of the committee, and when the Senate met Mr. Coke offered a resolution to discharge the com mittee from further consideration of the bill, and to declare the bill before the Senate for action. Messrs. Edmunds, Whyte xud others objected, and the resolution went over 'I he Senate then took up, and, after a sharp debate, passed the bill repealing the jurors’ test oath -yeas. 28; nays, 16—a strict party vote.——The Aiiny Appropriation bill was reported to the House. It is substantially the same as the vetoed bill, except the sixth section. for which i- substituted a clause providing that no money appropriated in this act is appropriated, or shall be paid, for the subsistence, equipment, transportation or compensation of any poriion of the army of the United States to be used as a police force to keep the peace at the polls 'at any election held within any State. There was no session of the Senate on the 7th inst., and little or nothing was done in the House, the day being devoted to the bill making additional appropriations for the Postoffice Department, which was finally passed.