Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 June 1879 — NEWS OF THE WEEK. [ARTICLE]

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

FOREIGN NEWS Three employes of the Government book depot at Poonah, India, having confessed that they set the recent fires ifi order to destroy the evidences of their defalcations, two were sentenced to life-long transportation and the other one to ten years’ transportation. A correspondent of the New York Herald, at Alexandria, Egypt, says: “After a seven months’ campaign, Cant Gessi returns north completely victorious. The revolt has been crushed, and with it must go down the slave traffic which has outraged civilization for half a century. In all seven pitched battles •were fought on the Gazelle river, the slavetraders and rebels combining against Gesst All the slave stations were destroyed, and the establishment of civilized rule will prevent any further raids from the region of the Gazelle.” The Prince of Orange, heir apparent io the throne of the Netherlands, is dead. John Ennis, the American pedestrian, who went over to England to walk for the Astley belt, recently saved the lives of two ladies at one of the locks on the river Thames. The Britons unanimously vote him a great hero. A fire at Point Breeze, on the Schuylkill river, just above Philadelphia, destroyed several factories, a large amount of shipping, and 1,000,000 gallons of oil. The loss will reach more than a million of dollars. A dispatch from St. Petersburg states that the Governor General of Moscow has found it necessary to ektend martial law to five adjacent provinces. Reports have reached the Government of India of fresh massacres of royal Princes at Mandalay, prompted by the King of Burmah. The cause of the recent advance in silver in London is attributed by the Loudon Tinie» to the fact German Government is hoarding coin with a view, it is believed, to its early remonetization. The Great Council of Geneva, Switzerland, has refused to discuss the re-establish-ment of capital punishment Not a single voice was raised in its favor. It is rumored that the Khedive of Egypt will abdicate. The bill for the removal of the French legislative body from Versailles to Paris has passed the upper house of the French Parliament by a large majority. While the steamer Orpheus, bound to Koenigsburg, was lying in the harbor of Stettin, Germany, her boiler burst, and many persons aboard were killed. A British, Parliamentary committee has resolved that the 010-trio-lighfing systi m is sufficiently developed to allo its being economically used for public, but not for domestic pUI poses. DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. IdlllMt. Three ."young men, Charles Fifield, Wil mm D. rinkham and William Howell, were drowned in Salem (Mass) harbor, the other day, by the caps zing of a sail boat Parr, t he Philadelphia fiend whomurdered bis (laughter and was sentenced to death, cheated the bangman by taking a dose of strychnine. After twelve hours’ suffering he died in the most horrible agony. Wednesday, June 11, was the fiftieth anniversary of the marriage of the Emperor and Empress of Germany, and the event was celebrated with great pomp at Berlin. Commodore I. A. Parker, Superintendent of the Naval Academy, at Annapolis, ML, died at Baltimore, last week, aged 56. A mysterious and horrible murder is agitating the people and puzzling the detectives New York. Mrs. Dr. Hull, an aged lady of •wealth and respectability, living with her husband in an aristocratic mansion in West Fortycocond street, was found dead in her bed, with a gag in her mouth and a handkerchief tied across her- eyes. The deed was probably committed by burglars, for the purpose of robbery. South. The little town of Mclntosh, Liberty county, Ga., was the other day the scene of a terrible riot between a party of negro excursionists from Bryan county and those belonging to the place. It began in a fight between two negroes, whereupon John Randall, Captain of the negro militia company from Bryan county, a part of the excursionists, ordered his company to charge, which they did, bayoneting everybody within reach. The Captain himself killed one man, by running him through with his sword There was intense excitement at this outrage. The Liberty county negroes rallied and drove the military company into the cars, opened fire on them, killing four and wounding many more, only stopping the shooting when the train got out of the way, which they tried to prevent by tearing up the track. All the parties engaged wore negroes. At Huntsville, Ala., the ’other day, while a body of convicts were marching to dinner, six of them broke away. Two were ehot dead by the guards and the other four escaped. West. Advices from the Upper Missouri report that Sitting Bull and a small band of his adherents have gone to the Saskatchewan. It is said that before his departure ho advised his tribe to return to the United States and submit to the Government A dispatch from the West reports that “the coach from Deadwood” for Sidney was stopped near the Cheyenne river by five masked robbers. The passengers, four in number, were robbed of their money and valuables. The mail-sacks were cut open and their contents thrown on the road, the robbers taking the registered packages. Having made a, successful “ clean-up,” the robbers allowed the coach to proceed on its northward journey. We read in the Chicago papers that • contracts have been made within a few days for the transportation of wheat from Chicago to Liverpool at the rate of 30 cents per 100 pounds, which Is equal to 18 cents per bushel." The footpads who recently knocked down a messenger of the Illinois Central railroad in the streets of Chicago, in broad daylight, and robbed him of SIO,OOO, have been arrested and a considerable portion of the money recovered. The twenty-first saengerfest of the North American Saengerbund began at Cincinnati on Wednesday, the 11th of June, and, lasting five days, wound up on Sunday, the 15th, with an out-door musical fete. The chorus was nearly 2,000 strong, comprising all the local societies, and visiting clubs from all over the West, besides some from the East One of the most furious railroad wars known for years is being waged between the Southwestern lines. A recent telegram from Kansas City says tickets were being sold there for St Louis and Chicago at 50 cents apiece. Just before the starting time of the trains one of the roads put the price down to 5 cents, while the Chicago and Alton offered a free ride to all who would go. Henry Schlencker, sentenced to be h aged iu Nebraska, has been respited until July 18, to allow the Supreme Court to

upon his case. Schlencker is a young printer from Illinois. The Chicago Tinies prints extensive telegraphic reports of the condition of the crops throughout the West and Northwest, from which it appears that in the great wheat-grow-ing States of Minnesota and Wisconsin the prospect is more favorable than earlier in the season was anticipated. The late rains seem to have removed all unfavorable effects o* the drought. The late-sown grain has taken vigorous growth. An increase of about 10 per cent, in the acreage over last year is reported, and the present estimate of the yield is about 54,000,000 bushels. A hose-cart, while being rapidly driven to a fire in Chicago, a few nights ago, was plunged into the river, the bridge being open. Of the four firemen on the cart, two saved themselvesJ>y leaping from the vehicle, the other two going down. One succeeded in swimming out, the other, together with the horse, being drowned. At Boswell, Ind., a few days ago, about 150 persons were taking shelter in a low lumber-shed from a severe thunder-storm, when a thunderbolt struck the shed, separating, passing down each side of it, killing instantly two men—Mike Wagman and Lew Shermes—fatally injuring George, James and John Lane, while Lorenzo Stoves, Dr. J. W. Green, Samuel Gay and another, name not given, were severely injured. The crowd was called together for a shooting tournament at that place. A dispatch from Deadwood, D. T., says that at Buffalo gap, by a sudden rise and overflow of Beaver creek, caused by a waterspout, eleven ftersons were drowned. Their names were Mrs. Moore, Mrs Rhodee, Oliver Rhodes, Frank Reed, Clyde Rhodes, Cliff Rhodes, Maud Rhodes (the latter three children), all emigrants on the way to the Black Hills from Mills county, lowa, and four men going from the Hills to the railroad, names unknown. Two were team owners, one a passenger, and a night herder. Five minutes from the first alarm the whole country was flooded, and the water, subsided almost as suddenly as it rose. POLITICAL POINTS. The National Greenback State Convention of Minnesota was held at St Paul on the 10th of June. Ignatius Donnelly presided. The following ticket was nominated: Governor, Ara Barton, of Faribault; Lieutenant Gov ernor, William McGhen, of Fillmore county; ISreasurer, Andrew Nelson, of Meeker county: Secretary of State, A. P. Lane, of Hennepin county; Attorney General, William L Kelley, of St. Paul; Railroad Commissioner, Ebenezer Ayres, of Washington county. The Prohibition party of Minnesota hold their State Convention at Minneapolis on the 10th inst., and placed the following ticket in the field: Governor, Rev. W. W. Satterlee; Lieutenant Governor, S. B. Williams; Secretary of State, LC. Stearns; Treasurer, H. D. Brown; Attorney General, A. W. Bangs. The lowa Republican Convention assembled at the State capital June 11, and organized by electing ex-Benator Harlan to preside. Gov. Gear and Lieut. Gov. Campbell were nominated for re-election by acclamation; Judge Beck was renominated for Supreme Judge, and Mr. Von Coelln for Superintendent of Public Instruction. WASHINGTON NOTES. The Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections, at a meeting last week, considered the case of Senator Ingalls, of Kansas. Two Democrats (Hill and Vance) and two Repub cans (Cameron, of Wisconsin, and Hoar) expressed the opinion that, in view of the investigation by the Kansas Legislature, there is not enough of the case to put Mr. Ingalls again on the defense, and, therefore, they would not recommend an investigation by the Senate. The remaining four Democratic members were of the opinion that an investigation ought to be ordered.

DOINGS IN CONGRESS. In the Senate, on the «th inst, Mr. Coke’s resolution to discharge the Finance Committee from further consideration of the Warner Silver bill, and to declare it before the Senate for action, was laid before the Senate, but on motion of Mr. Voorhees was laid over. The McDonald bill authorizing the employment of the militia and land and naval forces of the United States in certain cases was taken up, and Mr. Harris made a speech in support of the bill. The House made short work with the Legislative. Executive and Judicial Appropriation bill. It was reported by the committee, and immediately passed, under a suspension of the rules, by a vote of 188 yeas to 21 nays. There was a caucus of Democratic Senators, in the evening, to consider what action should be taken on the Warner Silver bill, but no definite agreement was reached. The silver men expressed great indignation at the refusal of the Finance Committee to report the bill. The Senate, on the 10th, unanimously passed the Honse resolution appropriating $3,000 to erect a monument to mark the birthplace of George Washington. The bill relating to vinegar factories established and operated prior to March 1, 1879, was passed. It provides that such factories may be operated for the manufacture of vinegar by alcoholic vapor within 600 feet of a distillery, under regulations by the Secretary of the Treasury. The Senate,by the close vote of 21 yeas to 22naya,refused to tak. up Mr. Coke's resolution discharging the Finance t ommittee from further consider ition of the Warner Silver bill, and declaring it before the Senate for action.——ln the House, Mr. Morrison, from tba Committee on Ways and Means, reported a rea-

olution, which was adopted, providing for the final adjournment of Congress at noon on the 17th of June. The Judicial Appropriation bill was passed by the House in the same shape in which It was prepared by authority of the Democratic Advisory Committee and reported by the Appropriation Committee. It makes no provision for the payment of election Supervisors and Deputy Marshals, and specifically i r. bi bits the payment of any part of the ap- [ ropriatii ii» to these officers, and the making of any engagement to pay them. Various amendments by the Republicans were promptly voted down by the Democrats. The bill passed by a strictly party vote. In the Senate, on the 11th, the Committee on Appropriations reported back the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Appropriation bill as passed by the House, with a large number of aniendments, the aggregate effect of which is to make it conform substantially to the recently-vetoed bill of the same title, divested of the political sections, and omitting, also, the appropriation for judicial expenses contained in that measure, and all increases of salaries there! * proposed for the benefit of clerks and bureau officers iu the various executive departments. Mr. Hill, of Georgia, addressed the Senate at length, in reply to Mr. Blaine’s late speech. The House, after a warm debate, passed the Democratic Caucus Army Appropriation bill. A number of amendments were offered—including one reduciug the army to 15 000 men—and promptly rejected. Only 31 votes were recorded against the bill, to 172 yeas. Mr. Stephens, from the Coinage Committee, reported a bill for the adoption of the metric system of weights, measures and coinage, which was ordered printed and recommitted. The bill previously passed by the Senate relating to vinegar factories was passed by the House. Mr. Carlisle reported the bill directing the Attorney General to adjust or compromise the claim of the United States under the will of Joseph 8. Lewis. Pas.ied. This is the esse In which Lewis, formerly of Hoboken, N. J., left an estate of about $ 1 ,UlX),000 to be applied to the reduction of the national debt. Mr. Knott, from the Judiciary Committee, submitted the report of that committee on the veto message of the President. Printed and recommitted. The report begins with an allusion to the danger to be apprehended from the presence of armed troops at the ballot-box, and says: “Even the author of the message under consideration himaelf admit i that any military interference whatever at the polls is contrary to the spirit of our institutions, and would tend to destroy the freedom of elections. The present Congress, In the exercise of its undoubted right to prescribe the purpose for which the land and naval forces of the Government shall be used, saw proper in making appropria tions for the support of the army to enact that it should not only be a clearly unlawful, but penal, offense for any Federal officer to employ troops or armed men at State elections for any purpose whatever, except to repel armed enemies of the United States. That bill the President returned to the House of Representatives without his signature. His reasons for objecting to the bill seem to have been these: First, that, in his judgment, the repeal of the clause in question was unnecessary; second, because it would "prohibit all civil officers of the United Slates from employing the only adequate civil force to enable them to preserve the peace and execute certain laws at Congressional elections;’ and, third, because the manner iu which the repeal was proposed did not happen in that particular instance, to be ilj harmony with Executive taste; and was therefore considered by the author of the message as furnishing a suitable occasion to deliver to the House of Representatives a gratuitous lecture upon the methods in which it should discharge its constitutional functions. As the President has twice called the attention of the House to these objections, the first two may be referred to hereafter, but with regard to the third it is, perhaps, suffici< nt to say that the manner in which Congress chose to repeal the clause in question was i.ot only in strict conformity to the constitution and rules of the two houses respectively, but justified by numerous precedents in the annals of Federal legislation. Impressed with the importance of removing the last shadow of a pretext for any interference with State elections by armed forces of the United States and desiring to obviate, if possible, the President’s objections to the measure already proposed for that purpose, the House of Representatives promptly passed a separate bill, which was as promptly concurred in by the Senate, simply providing that it should not be lawful to bring to or employ at any place where a general or special election is being held in any State any part of the army or navy, unless such forces should b ■ necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States, or to enforce section 4, article 4, of the constitution, and laws made in pursuance thereof, and repealing all provisions inconsistent with the purposes of the bill. This bill was speedily returned with a message from the President, assigning his objections to its approval, which are now to be considered. The first of these objections is a simple repetition r of the one assigned in the message vetoing the Army Ap propriation bill. No one can read the two messages together without being struck by the marked difference in the tone of the two documents in respect to this objection.” Mr. Knott points out the .difference between the two messages, and continues:

“ The entire argument against the necessity ot the bill is left to rest upon the President's reiterated assertion that troop* have not been and will not be used to interfere with any State election during bls administration; that the assertion was no doubt sincere, but. unfortunately for its validity as a reason for refusing to approve a bill designed for the protection of future generations, as well as this, the official term of the present Executive is limited, and he may be succeeded by one who will feel a less scrupulous regard for the freedom and purity of the ballot than he professes himself to entertain. 'lhe next objection to tho approval of the bill as alleged in the message, is, that it would abrogate on certain days and at certain places a number of laws, but especially section 5,298 of the Revised Statutes, which is reven ndy referred to as 'an ancient and fundamental law which has teen iu force from the foundation of the Government,’ and seems to be regarded by the President as invested with some peculiar sanctity, not pertaining to any other provision in the entire system of American jurisprudence. He enlarges upon the statement that this section was sanctioned by Washington,Jefferson and Lincoln, and contains the principle widen w as acted upon by the four Presidents more endeared to the ini’ rican people than all others at the most critical periods in iheir respective administrations. If he had examined the facts connected with the transactions to which he alludes, he would have, found that neither of the four illustrious patriots and statesmen to whom he refers either did or proposed to do anything which would not have been perfi ctly lawful under the strictest letter of the bill he returned to the House, had it been in force at that time. He would have discovered, moreover, that neither of them ever construed either of the acts cited by him as conferring upon the President or any of h s subordinates any arbitrary or extra-legal power, but merely as authorizing the use of the necessary means tor securing the execution of the law in tho regular methods, and through the agencies prescribed by law.” In support of his assertion, Mr. Knott refers to the action of Washington in the Whisky Insurrection, of Jefferson in the Aaron Burr case, of Jackson in 1832, and Lincoln in the outbreak of the Civil War, and adds: “ Owing, perhaps, to the limited time he allowed himself in wh ch to prepare his message, the President failed to observe the fact that the various statutes to which he refers, including section 5 298, are as completely abrogated or suspended by the act approved by President Lincoln on the 27th of February, 1;65, as they possibly could be by the bill to prevent military interference with elections, had he returned it to the House with his approval. He seems to have totally forgotten that the law approved by Lincoln on the 2?th of February, 1865. making it a high misdemeanor in him or other officers of the United States to employ armed men at a State election except tor two specified purposes, was still in force, and that it was as much his duty under his official oath to see that it should be faithfully executed as any < ther provision in the statutes.” The report affirms that the power to establish police regulations which may be necessary for the preservation of domestic order and the prevention of violence and crime affecting the life or property witinn their respective limits belongs exclusively to the States, and the Federal Government can only intervene to protect the State in the execution of its own laws for the purpose upon application of the Legislature or Governor, where the Legislature cannot be convened. supreme Court decisions are quoted in support of this position, and the following extract from a letter of the present Secretary of State while Attorney General under a former administration, sent by him to the Marshal of Florida on the 20th of August. 1868: “ The special duty and authority in the execution of a process issued to you must not be confounded with the duty and authority of suppressing disorder and preserving the peace, which, under our Government, belongs to the civil authorities of the States, and not to the civil authorities of the United State s,-’ The report continues: “To prevent the substitution of the petty discretion of superserviceable Federal officials for the law, the soldier with his bayonet for the civil officer with his warrant, and other dangerous abuses to which the recent experience of our country has shown it to be liable, was the sole object and would have been the only effect of the bill to pre vent military interference at the polls, which the President found it impossible to approve. “The third and final objection offered by the President to the bill is, to use his own language, * its discrimination in favor of the State and against the national authority.’ Under the constitution, the Federal Government has not, and no law of Congress can give it authority to preserve the peace in a State, either at the polls or elsewhere, unless called upon by proper State authorities for that purpose under the circumstances for which the constitution was provided. How, therefore, there could possibly be a discrimination against an authority that does not and cannot exist, it is difficult to see. It is equally impossible to discover how a distinct reservation ot the power of the President to suppress an insurrection against the Government of a State at any time or place when properly called upon can be said to derogate from the authority of the United States. There is a single consideration sufficient in itself to show that the fears expressed by the President that the bill would subordinate national to State authority were totally unfounded, but which seems singularly enough to have escaped his observation. Under the law as it now stands, and has stood since 1796, the Presi-

dent is not bound to call for the militia, or to employ the land or naval forces of the Unit.ed States to suppress every riot or popular tumult in a State, although called upon by the Legislature or Executive for that purpose. If the President should have reason to believe that force was not called for in good faith, to aunpress an insurrection against the Government of the state, but to be used for any purpose in any manner inimical to the United States, it would not only be bls right, hut bis duty, to withhold it.” Mr. Wallace, from the Committee on Appropriations, reported to the Senate, on the 12th, without amendment, the House bill making appropriations for certain judicial expenses. Mr. Beck offered an amendment, in the nature of a substitute, for the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Appropriation bill. It was ordered printed. The bill continuing the pension of the late Gen. Shields (SIOO a month) to his widow and children, with an amendment grant lug a pension of SSO a month to the widow of the late Fletcher Webster, was passed. The Army Appropriation bill was received from the House. Mr. Blaine addressed the Senate on the McDonald bill, his remarks consisting chiefly of a reply to the speech of Mr. Hill, of Georgia. In the House, a bill was reported from the Committee on Civil-Service Reform, prohibiting officers of, claimants against. or * contractors under the United States from contributing money for political purposes. The Senate bill repealing the jurors’ test oath was called up in the House, but the Republicans filibustired to prevent action on the bill, refusing to vote on the call for the previous question. The Senate Judiciary Committee has referred to the subcommittee, consisting of Messrs. Garland. Bayard, Conkling and Carpenter, an important question raised in r< gard to Secretary McCrary’s nomination for the Circuit Judgeship which is to be vacated by Judge Dillon next September. The novel question is whether a nomination can constitutionally be confirmed to fill a vacancy not yet created, if at the same time it be stipulated that the person so nominated is to continue to occupy another office until the position to which he is prospectively appointed e hall have actually become vacant by resignation or otherwise. The commit tee defer action upon Secretary McCrary’s nomination until after they pass upon this general question. The Legislative, Executive and Judicial Appropriation bill was passed by the Senate, on the 13th inst., with a number of amendments, which necessarily sends it back to the House. The House passed the bill, prepared by the Committee on Foreign Affaire, allowing any telegraph company to land ocean cables on the coast of the United States subject to the terms of such grants as have been heretofore made bj- Congress. The bill is designed to < pen the way for an increase of telegraph facilities between America and Europe. There A’ero two caucuses of the Republican Senators during the day. Both were devoted to an interchange of view s concerning the proper course of action to be taken in regard to the pending appropriation bill, and at the latter an imjiortant agreement was reached. It was agreed with substantial unanimity that the passage of the Army Appropriation bill in its present terms should be opposed by the Republican party in the Senate, unless the majority consent to the addition of a proviso to the sixth section declaring that it shall not be construed to prevent the use of troops to execute any existing law. The Judicial Expenses bill was discussed very briefly, but. as it also conta ns clauses in the nature of conditions precedent to the use of the money which it appropriates, the caucus agreed with absolute unanimity that passage should be opposed, unless these conditions are eliminated. In the Senate, on the 14th inst, the Army Appropriation bill was reported back from the Com. mittee on Appropriations, with sundry amendments, and was placed on the calendar. The Supplemental Judicial bill was debated without action. In the House, a bill extending until Oct, 1, 1880, the provisions of the act approved March 3, 1877, in regard to the grasshopper sufferers, was passed. The Legislative Appropriation bill was received from the Senate, and. together with the Senate amendments, was referred to the Committee on Appropriations. A bill was passed authorizing a commission to inquire into the prac-. ticability and desirability of constructing a bridge or tunnel across the Detroit river, near Detroit. The bill prohibiting Government employes from making contributions for political purposes again came up. but the Democrats refused to allow an amendment includinz Congressional employes in this inhibition, and the Republicans consequently filibustered to prevent action on the bill.