Indianapolis Journal, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 December 1883 — Page 4

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AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. GRAND OPERA-HOUSE—“Siberia." -ENGLISH’S OPERA-HOUSE— ‘‘Nobody’s Claim." THEATER—Ida Siddon’s Mastodons. THE DAILY JOURNAL. ET JNO. C. NEW & SON. For Hates of Subscription, etc., see Sixth Pace. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1883. THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL Can be found at the following placer. LONDON—American Exchange in Europe, 449Straud. PABIS-American Exchange in Paris, 35 Boulovard det> Capucines. NEW T^RK— Fifth Avenue and Windsor Hotels, WASHINGTON. D. o.—Brentano’s 1,013 Peansylrania avenue. CHICAGO—PaImer House. CINCINNATI—J. 0. Hawley* Cos.. 154 Vine street. LOUISVILLE—C. T. Hearing, northwest corner Third and Jefferson streets. ST. LOUlS—Onion News Company, Union Depot. Mr. Watterson says "the Democratic party means to touch the tariff.” . An old Wall-street broker predicts general bankruptcy in railroad property within ten years. __________ It was the "Carlisle bill” which extended the bonded period for whisky in the last Congress. The attention of the county-seat of Hamilton county, Ohio, is called to the fact that Judge Holmes, of the Massachusetts Supreme Court, has decided favorably upon the legality of the new standard time. The announcement is made that another big "squeeze” in corn is about to be made by Henry Clews & Cos., of New York. The day will come when margin gamblers will not be so free to advertise their game. The Louisville Courier-Journal says the tariff must go. Its language is: "Only fiftytwo Democrats were found who trembled before the Pennsylvania mandate, ’Don’t touch the tariff!’ The fifty-two were snowed under by the Democrats who mean to toucli the tariff.” Will the Democratic party take polygamy under its protective wing? That is a question of more importance even than what it will do with the tariff. It is a question appertaining to the fundamentals of morals, and has enlisted the conscience and heart of the country. The frame of mind in which the able editor of the Sbelbyville Volunteer seems to be with respect to the Journal is very painful indeed. In the interests of his mental sanity we make the suggestion that he stop reading this paper at once. It is not safe to imperil himself further. The Pennsylvania "reform” Legislature has finally adjourned sine die. Its expenses have been in the neighborhood of threequarters of a million of dollars, and it has not done a blessed thing—not even passed the bill for which it was specially convened. Governor Pattison threatens to call another special session. Gov. Murray is greatly pleased with the President’s vigorous recommendation as to polygamy. The Governor is handsomely indorsed, and the President and the Governor have the country at their back. Polygamy must go, if it has to be drummed out of camp at the point of the bayonet, to the tune of "The Rogue’s March.”

The United States Circuit Court at Jefferson City, Mo., has decided that cyclones are not electrical storms, and that therefore an insured party can not collect damages on “account of lightning” when property is swept away by a cyclone. The late Professor Tice testified that electricity was the cause of such storms, but other wise men disagreed with him. Dr. Fletcher, superintendent of the Insane Asylum, yesterday appointed Sarah Stockton one of the physicians in the female department of the institution. Dr. Stockton is a thoroughly competent physician, both from study and experience, being a graduate of standard schools in Chicago and in Philadelphia, and having had much hospital service in Boston. Dr. Fletcher will be heartily sustained in this eminently fitting and proper appointment. It gives the Journal much pleasure to chronicle it and to commend it. A murderer in New Albany was sentenced to death on the first trial. Some sort of an informality in the charge- of the judge upon the defense of insanity, which was set up, secured him anew trial. That it was not material is evident from the fact that on the second trial, just concluded, the criminal has been again convicted, but this time sentenced to a life imprisonment. He will be pardoned after a time, in the due course of such matters. The point upon which the case was reversed was a mere legal or verbal quibble, not affecting the merits of the case; but out of it the murderer escapes the gallows. These are the things which breed disregard for the law, and a reliance upon the methods of Judge Lynch, in whose court quibbles don’t count. __________ Defenses in murder cases are beyond the Jay mind. The report from Uniontown respecting the Nutt-Dukes case is that “Mr. Playford, of Nutt's counsel, said the defense would be based entirely on emotional insanity, coupled with an uncontrollable desire to take life, which the}’ claim has long been manifested by young Nutt.” While Mr. Voorhe.es, also of Nutt’s counsel, “walked pyer to Mrs. Nutt. and. taking her bv the

hand, said: ‘Now go home and don’t worry any more. In three weeks we will send your son back to you free.’ ” What we should like to know is whether the counsel believe their defense to be true, and that is that young Nutt has an uncontrollable desire to take life, which has long been manifested; for if they do, then we should like to understand the honesty of Mr. Voorheesin preparing to send this young man back to his home in three weeks free! If the defense was an uncontrollable desire to kill Dukes, there would be no difficulty, and that defense would be a very proper one both for the jury and the country.

POLYGAMY AND DEMOCRACY. It is a shame upon public morality that the practice of polygamy is yet permitted to exist. This bestial political crime in Utah has a firmer foothold now than it had a year ago, is spreading into adjacent Territories, and its influence is still growing. The difficulty of dislodging this nest of offenders against the best interests of society will be more apparent next year than this, for not a month passes that it is not augmented by fresh “converts.” The exponents of this “faith” are busy in several of the States of the Union, and all western Europe is being systematically canvassed to secure proselytes. Shipload after shipload of over-per-suaded men, women and innocent girls are being landed on our shores and hurried aw'ay to the despotic theocracy at Salt Lake. It is a marvel that the evil has not gone down long ago, for public sentiment everywhere outside of the Mormon Church is practically unanimous iu condemnation of the practice of having a plurality of wives. Its iniquity is too apparent to require argument. The President, in his annual message, has pointed out a remedy. Let the territorial organization of Utah be declared dissoved, so that it will again come under the absolute control of the government. Then such legislation can be passed as will kill this thing. The needed refoim, so long apparent to everybody, has been delayed by a hesitancy to employ heroic means. It is this same fear of violating technical laws that has enabled the vicious and wicked to escape deserved punishment. But for a supersensitive respect for the letter of the law, we would better observe its spirit and intent. It is a reflection upon common sense and destructive of justice to allow technicalities to defeat the object of statutes. What shall he the end of this polygamous infamy, unless something effectual be done? Shall an unnatural respect for the letter of the law work a defense for anything that is harmful, not only to those who practice it but to society everywhere? A due respect for the law is the foundation of society. This will be conceded without argument. But the absurdity of placing an interpretation on law that is not supported by simplest reason is becoming so apparent that an end will be put to it. It is no respect for the law to put on it other than the construction it obviously calls for. Nor is it in the interest of anybody but criminals to allow literal constructions to defeat the purpose of any statute. We have had so much of this that the public is heartily sick and tired of it, and the feeling of disgust and mistrust is only too frequently and disgracefully manifested through mob violence. The open and defiant practice of polygamy is a festering sore on the body of this great republic. It must be cut oat and the horrible scar healed over before we can ever hope to respect ourselves in the eyes of the civilized world. And when it is once gone the marvel will be that enlightened America tolerated it so long. But there is one difficulty in the way that will retard this needed reform. True to its instincts, that invariably lead it to espouse the wrong, the Democratic party, by its majority in the House, scarcely dares take effectual measures against the Mormon iniquity. The organ of the church at Salt Lake has bitterly denounced the recommendation of the President, and has defiantly declared that polygamy is an eternal principle that cannot be overturned. It concludes its tirade of abuse by appealing with confidence to the Democrats in the House to kill any action looking to the extirpation of the fundamental sin of the people, who have chosen to defy popular opinion and the best judgment of civilization. That they will find allies in the Democratic party is almost certain. It is characteristic of the Democratic party to be wrong and to defend the wrong. Saturated with a love for State’s rights and slavery, that party has never been able to rise above its narrow and prejudiced bounds, and can never be counted on to voluntarily take steps toward better government and a higher grade of public morality. The charges, so repeatedly sustained, will still lie upon them unless some practical means is offered whereby this national disgrace may be removes!. During the time that the Republican party had absolute control of public affairs there were many matters of even greater moment that called for immediate attention. These are now happily out of the.way; rebellion has been put down, slavery killed, the negro enfranchised, the great debt reduced, and business established on a solid foundation. The Democrats who now have control of the House have it in their power to do something that will be effectual. But it is unnatural to expect it, for such reforms do not originate with the Democratic party. The public will have an opportunity to see what steps, if any, will be taken in this matter. There is absolutely no excuse for delay or uncertainty. Any vigorous plan will be backed by the people and by the sentiment

THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1853.

of right everywhere. The Republican party has given free homes to the people. Will the Democratic party assist in making homes pure? The defense made by the Salt Lake City News, that polygamous marriages are recognized by the Almighty Being, “who established them for His people’s fullness and His glory,” is no defense at all. Nobody can carry absurd or vicious practices behind the altar of God and expect the people to keep their hands off. Freeman, of Pocasset, had “a revelation” that told him to sacrifice his child, which he at once proceeded to do. He may have been sincere in his belief, but that does not work him absolution. The courts very properly took cognizance of the crime and the authorities locked him up. Society cannot afford to let men insane on religion do bloody work or sacrifice the lives of the innocent. No more can it allow fanatio aud lecherous men to dig up pretended revelations, and found upon them a system of ooncubinage hostile to modern civilization and repugnant to every idea of domestic purity. These men and their immoral practices must be ousted. They have already too long insulted common decency and put shame upon the country. The tide of settlement is setting in about the ancient stronghold of Mormonisru, and the people of America can not afford to allow such a pernicious influence to go on unrebuked. Everything is ready. It should be throttled now. The humiliation aud shame that would come upon the Mormon “wives,” who would find themselves without husbands, could not be greater than they should feel already as the concubines of men already married. The children already born in polygamy could be formally legitimatized, and then the ban of law should close down on the iniquity at once and forever. Col, Dudley has written a letter to the editor of the North Vernon JPlaindealer, in notice of a recent editorial in that paper, which said the Colonel would accept the nomination for Governor if tendered him, In publishing an extract from the letter, the Plaindealer says: “A letter was received by us last week from Colonel W. W. Dudley, explaining at length that he is not a candidate for Governor and asking us to state in our paper that we were misinformed as to the candidacy. It was not our intention to convey the impression that Colonel Dudley was seeking the office, for we know he is not, but we believe he is too good a citizen to refuse the call of the people in convention next year. He is not a candidate for any office.” The portion of the letter published is as follows:

“I feel sure, however, that any man selected by the Republican party as its standard bearer, upon a platform having for its first plank a denraml for a free ballot and fair count; or, failing that, a solid North against a solid South; a protective tariff, pure and simple; and equal rights to the colored man, this as regards national affairs; a high license; a reform in the benevolent institutions of our State; a completion of the State-house, and a positive prevention and inhibition of the use of the State funds for the benefit of Democratic State treasurers, will be successful, I wish I was so situated that I could feel it possible to undertake the candidacy for the nomination. No man could receive a higher honor in this country than that ot selection by the Republicans of 'lndiana as the standardbearer in the fight of 1884; but I cannot, in justice to myself and those dependent uf*>n me, undertake the race, and I owe it to other gentlemen who desire to become candidates that I should say so unequivocally.” The New York Sun, the leading Deraocrtic paper in the country, is very complimentary to President Arthur’s message. It says: “One of the results of Mr. Arthur's administration of public affairs during the past twenty-seven months is highly creditable to him. There has been a steadily growing confidence both in the soundness of his judgment and in the sincerity of his desire to serve the best interests of the country. That is why iiis first December, message to Congress was awaited with curious interest, his second with respectful attention, and his third witii the very general conviction beforehand that it would be clear in its terms, wise in its recommendations and patriotic in its inspiring motives. “So it is. The document sent to Congress yesterday afternoon contains much evidence that the President thinks for himself. His opinions and recommendations on important questions of policy are often wholly different from those which he transmits in the reports of his cabinet advisers. He conveys from the departments without expressed or implied approval some schemes with which we should be sorry to find him in agreement. His assent to measures which meet his own views is sufficiently distinct; his silence in regard to other measures proposed by the members of his cabinet, so far from meaning consent, is quite as eloquent as the most energetic phrase of disapproval.” The infamous Sturlata, who murdered her paramour in Chicago, and over whom some of the good ladies of that city made infinite to-do, is as brazen and impudent as most women of her class. In conversation with a reporter she made ingenuous confession, as follows: “Os course, I professed to be religious when in prison, and promised to lead a reformed life when I got out. The Christian ladies made me promise to go to a home which they had provided for me when my time was up, but I would not live with such a class of hypocrites as I found these women to be.” There may be little comfort in such a coldblooded admission as this, but there should be a wholesome lesson to those who wasted sympathy on the ungrateful thing that might have been employed to some good on less hardened creatures. A firm of silk manufacturers, who have been established in business in New York and who were in good financial condition on the first of the year, failed disastrously this week. The cause of their trouble was a sudden change in the fashions of silks, certain popular fancy lines which they had made going out of • feminine favor. This freak of

fashion necessitated an entire change of machinery in the mills, and the result was loss and consequent assignment. This does not dispose of the frequent assertion that manufacturers control the fashions in dress goods, but only proves that this firm could not successfully manipulate the markets for the sale of their own wares. The Sentinel is greatly pleased with Mr. Carlisle's secession speech in Cynthiana, Ky., in which he declared that the United States is not a nation. It says "the Journal is embellishing its columns with beautiful extracts from the speeches of Hon. John G. Carlisle, the distinguished Democrat just elected Speaker. Right. Go ahead. The more the better. Carlisle’s speeches are always good reading." Mr. Carlisle ought not to have denied that “beautiful” speech until he had heard from the Indiana Democratic organ. The Sentinel is correct. That speech of Mr. Carlisle’s will always be “good reading,” and never better than at the present time, when it is indorsed by the Democratic party. What is it in the spirit of Democracy that causes every evil thing to instinctively turn to it for help in the hour of its extremity? Slavery did, and found a friend andsupporter. Political murder does, and finds a defender. National dishonor and repudiation sougiit a haven in the Democratic party, and found it. And now polygamy naturally turns to the Democracy, and demands to be protected, because this multiplied adultery is preached as a religious truth by criminal mountebanks and scoundrels to people who are ignorantor brutal enough to be deluded. It is an uncanny spirit in the Democratic party that causes all manner of foulness and w’rong to gravitate toward it. OURmission is not yet ended. This is not a free country. Our flag does not yet protect the rights of a human being.—Bob ihgeraoll. If that be the fact, the sooner the people of the United States turn Mr. IngersoU’s party out of power the better it will be for the liberities of the country. The Republican party has been in power for twenty years and over, and yet this great Republican mogul says the “flag does not yet protect the rights of a human being.” Away with such a tyrannical and effete political organization.—Louisville Courier-Journal. In view of the fact that the flag does not protect because of Democratic hostility to peace and popular government, the remarks of the Courier-Journal may be regarded as supersaturated with gall. The Cincinnati Commercial Gazette says: “It is not worth while for Mr. Carlisle to deny the accuracy 0/ the Cynthiana speech. It was a verbatim report of what he said, sent to the Gazette at the time and conspicuously printed. It is too late, after ttie lapse of seven years, to question the accuracy of a report that was published at Mr. Carlisle’s home; that is to say, over the river from Covington.” So this speech remains, in which Mr. Carlisle denied that the United States is a nation, and proceeded to announce the most pronounced secession and revolutionary sentiments on behalf of State sovereignty. The knowledge of these sentiments made Mr. Carlisle the idol of the solid South.

A complaint from a correspondent elsewhere touches a point of much interest. That there should be some public means of conveyance to Crown Hill goes with the saying. Not every one who wishes to visit that beautiful city of the dead has command of a private vehicle. A line of Herdies gested, starting at proper hours; or a line of street railway would certainly be a great convenience, and would doubtless pay the projectors. It is a shame that the city is not connected in any way directly and publicly with its principal cemetery. Referring to the position the Democratic party has assumed upon the tariff question in the election of Mr. Carlisle, the New York Sun says: “The judgment of sober men will be that in the . present temper of the public mind, neither New York nor Connecticut nor New Jersey nor Indiana can possibly be carried upon the free-trade programme. Louisiana will certainly vote against it, and Georgia and North Carolina will do likewise. Indeed, the only States that can surely be relied upon to give a Democratic majority under such circumstances are Kentucky aud South Carolina.” Probably no presidential message ever received higher praise than that of President Arthur. And the uniform comment upon it was that it was the message of a President of the whoie people and not of a party, nor was it the emanation of an ambitious demagogue with “a policy.” The administration of President Arthur will go into history as one of the safest, best, and most conservative the country ever enjoyed. The American people, we apprehend, are not in distress to rehabilitate Jefferson Davis with tiie American citizenship he voluntarily divested himself of, without so much as a request to have it done from the great confederate. If Mr. Davis can stand it to live and die a rebel against this government, the government certainly can. Is there any special necessity for the vindication of Jefferson Davis? Democratic St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “Judging from Arthur’s last message, wo should say lie had not yet come to a final conclusion as to which party’s nomination he will apply for.” Speak out like a man and say what you really mean—that Mr. Arthur is President of the people and not of a party. The New Albany Ledger refuses to be reconstructed. It says: “All the letters Brown, jr., can write, all the mrgazine articles that can be published, and all the songs of ‘John Brown’s body mouldering in the tomb,’ or his ‘soul marching or.,’ cannot refute Mr. Utter’s statement, cannot wipe out the fact that oid John Brown was a murderous old wretch who ought to

have been hung several years before the Harper’s Ferry raid.” They will do it—the very best of them. The vicar-general of the St. Louts Catholto diocese, with two good sisters and eight novices In charge, landed at New York from an Antwerp steamer on Wednesday. The vile hirelings of the custom-house were not satisfied with the assertions of the guileless creatures that they had brought no dutiable articles, but suspected them of not having fully renounced the pomps and vanities of the world, and ordered a searoh. The Inspectors found upon the persons of the novices and sewed up in their petticoats large quantities of silk, bullion and sewing silk, all intended, as they confessed, for the making of priests' vestments. Old and experienced customs officers have long reoognized the hopelessness of convincing woraon that an attempt to evade the tariff Is a heinous crime, and were, therefore, not surprised when the young women wept over the confiscation of their goods rather than over their own culpability. The offloials simply contented themselves with wondering how much a full-fledged nun could smuggle if a novice could be depended on for fourteen ponnds of silk, and waited for the next fashionable dress maker or milliner who abonld fall into their clutches. _ The Glasgow Herald begins an article on Matthew Arnold like this: "Surely no clever man ever wasted Ida own time aud abused the patience of his hearers by preaching a more unpractical philosophy than that which Mr. Matthew Arnold has been promulgating In America, of the saving efficacy of minorities. It is rather odd that he should have dragged such a doctrine across the Atlantic in order to proclaim it to the only apparently firmly established democracy in the world. Mr. Arnold talks easily of Isaiah and Plato as If they had been the familiar friends of his Pythagorean youth; but it is questionable if either Isaiah or Plato could have listened for ten mimltes with patience to Mr. Arnold. The New Testament, also. Mr. Arnold must have been present at the making of, for he Interprets it with a liberty rarely paralleled. The great Greek dialectician would have shuddered at the platitudes which his phrases are adduced to Banctiou.” At a trial in Chicago on Wednesday, in which a spiritualistic showman was arrested for exhibiting without license, the following articles were shown as a part of his outfit: “A small mask representing ‘Snowdrop,’ a blaok veil, a wig of white hair, canary-bird whistle of lead, two wooden canary whistles, white robe, pink sash, loug white beard, gold crown studded with -precious stones’ and ‘diamonds,’ and four white feathers about eighteen inches in length.” With these accessories the manipulator was able to materialize anything, from the Cardiff giant to the late lamented Tom Thumb. And still some people believe In such nouseuse. Three hundred thousand dollars is a good deal of money to take right out of the pocket of a poor editor. Mr. Carl Soliurz has been Btted for that amount by Mr. Gilmour, a lawyer, who was disbarred and prohibited from practicing in any of the departments of the lutortor. Mr. Gilmour alleges that this was done by the arbitrary aud malicious action of Mr. Schurz, and he, therefore, asks damages. The ex-Secretary will probably be compelled to a6k for an Increase of salary In order to meet this demand. Current item evolved by a dyspeptic admirer of Jane Welsh’s lmsband: "Mrs. Carlyle, the wife of the historian, lived a life wholly given "p to the body and rooted and centered In trifles.” Did she, indeed? The weight of the testimony now in goes to show that Mrs. Carlyle was, perforce, centered in Thomas and his stomach-aches; but perhaps it's all the same. The young ladies of Girton C’oltege.in England, are about to act a Greek play in one of their own buildings, no member of the male sex being admitted to witness the interesting performance. This consideration is at once so touching and discriminating as to call for boundless gratitude on the part of the male sex. Two Austrian brothers named Kith were in love with the same lady, a 15,000,000-florin heiress, named Thorsoh. The younger of the brothers, aged sixteen, committed suicide, the Thorseh of love evidently being too much for him. Such a pile of wealth would come nigh florin’ even an American. Mr. Carlisle was presented with a hatchet on the day of his elevation to the speakership. Mr. Randall used to call for Ins tomahawk on similar occasions.—New York World. The man who presides over a Democratic House should be supplied wit h a shotgun aud a bludgeon.

A scientist, after infinite labor, has deciphered the inscription on the Egyptian obelisk at New York, and gives it as his opinion that it was ereotedonits original site just before the session of the Pennsylvania Legislature assembled which terminated yesterday. An item is in circulation to the effect that “Norway has a heavier ocean tonnage than the United States.” Tuts is a nnstaka The United States Is several times heavier than all the ocean tonnage that ever floated. A woman with six gold rings on her nands was found in the streets of New York, unconscious from cold and exposure. It is strange that she did not think to put on another ring before venturing out in the winter. The New York papers are prompt to explain that six of the ten men on board the sunken pilot-boat were married. That mitigates the horror a little, but even married men, or a few of them, would like to live. The English press thinks President Arthur’s message a colorless document. That was the word we used in characterizing it.—Evening News. Happy little News. Now that Mr. Carlisle is elected, he seeks to disclaim bis Democracy by saying that he “never was on a race-course, and never bets.” Another New York girl has captured a thief by sitting on him. Practice makes perfect, oven when it comes to sitting on a man. Mr. Lapham, of New York, wants to change the name of Utah to Altamont. How would Gay-hen-na do? The Vincennes Sun says “the Democracy of Indiana stand in need of an able and honest central organ.’’ ABOUT PEOPLE. El Mahdi has one short arm, and the other is so long that it roaches below his knee. Mr. Rossiter Johnson has assumed the editorship of Appleton’s Annual Encyclopaedia. Mr. Johnson is a worthy successor of the late Judge Tenny. George Eliot’s poem, “The Dead,” set as a cantata, with orchestra and vocal effects, will he given at the Positivist festival of the dead in London on New Year’s day. The London Times’s obituary notice of Sergeant Simon, M. P., was followed by the announcement in the eveniug papers that the eminent Hebrew lawyer was better. Buckingham Palace is known as the Queen’s London home. Yet, according to Mr. Labonchere, she has only slept beneatn its root 120 nights during the last twenty years. A large, just man in Indianapolis speaks no harsh words to the obsequious restauraut-waiter when his steak is brought on contrary to order, but straightway marches into the kitchen and thrashes the cook. A yearly prize of S3OO has been offered to the painter who contributes to the annual New

York Academy exhibition the best American figure composition. The giver is Thomas B. Clarke, of New York. A “Betrothal of St. Catherine” oil painting has been given by the Popo to the permanent art gallery of Detroit. It is the first contribution to a collection which Is to he housed in a new building to cost SIOO,OOO. Barbara Freitchie’s clock, said to be in existence yet, is with its bauds fixed at 10 o’clock, the hour at which its pendulum was shot away by a soldier’s bullet. Its final destination will be the Smithsonian Institution. Anna de la Grange, the Countess de Star.kowitch, onoe a famous prima donna, is now living in Paris in easy retirement, teaching music as a diversion. She does not look to be more than half her real age, which is now fifty-five years. Matthew Arnold is described as a “terror” in conversation, continually bringing his interlocutor up with a jerk to inquire, “Aw-well ‘now, exactly what do you mean by that term? Precisely how is that word understood in America?” and other interrogations equally maddening. John Huntington, of Cleveland, soma years ago put $20,000 Into the Standard Oil Company, and has drawn large dividends ever since. The other day, in New York, he was offered $1,000,000 for his interest, and he sold it. Ho went home with a deed for a SIOO,OOO house in one pocket and drafts for $900,000 in the other. General Jubal Early has the rheumatism} and his face is said to be drawn up to look something like a hickory nut. He is “a character” in Virginia, and not a very good obaracter either, probably, as he is one of the managers of that evil institution, the Louisiana State Lottery, which makes so much trouble to Postmastergeneral Gresham. Phil Robinson, the English war correspondent, began a recent lcoture by saying that the first question most commonly asked of him was, “What were your sensations when you were first under fire?” His candid reply was that the first time he was in that position lie was enormously frightened, and that the last time his feolings were precisely the same. Little do the readers of American papers know of tile pains and perils of their English friends who have to consume London editorial articles. The Telegraph, on Nov. 20, dovoted one column and a qnarter of its editorial paga to an article on Secretary Lincoln’s order that the old mule Mi siqna should bo fed for life, Tha article contained fully 3,000 words. Mrs. Washington, the mother of General Washington, was buried at Fredericksburg, Va. In 1833 the corner-stone of a monument wns laid, President Jacksuu going from Washington tcyireside at the ceremonies. Not only lias the monument never been finished, but the tomb is neglected. It ;s proposed to ask that Congress shall make the repairs that are needed, and so end a disgraceful matter. There is a temple in Canton called “The Temple of the Five Genii.” Long, long ago, five genii came riding on five rams through the air. They stopped where Canton now stands, and casually’ remarked: “May famine never strike this valley,” or words to that effect. Then they flew off, leuving the rams behind, which were immediately turned into stone. A temple was built on the spot, aud the five stone rams aie there in that temple to this day. Senator Riddleberoer, is a striking man. He has a high forehead, and a thin face, full of oliaracter and determination. His hair is brown, and his beard, not very thick, but somewhat long, is of the same hue. He is a pleasant talker, and looks the man he talks to straight in tlie eye. He will take a prominent stand In the Senate, and will be one of the characters of the winter. Senator Riddlebergcr is very fond of his family, and especially of his four-year-old boy, who is as sharp as a steel trap, and has a face said to be an exact likeness of Oliver Goldsmith. A GENTLEMAN In Cambridge, Mass., who says that In his youth Sojourner Truth was a servant in his uncle’s family, and subsequently often an inmate of his father’s house, writes that Sojourner did not then know her own age, but some twemy or thirty y’ears ago it was decided, from what sho could tell and from what those who had long known her said, that she was born between 1795 and 1800. This would make her considerably under the age she has of late years claimed for herself, aud there are other circumstances going to sustain this gentleman’s assertion. M. de Blowit/, thus desoribes Bernhardt's Lady Macbeth: "Nobody remembers having ever seen greater tragical power on the French stage, t-.-ra Bernhardt, in her white flowing garments, her body seemingly emaciated with remorse, her features distorted with horror and anguish, in powerful tones that made the blood run cold, declaimed the scene from beginning to end with extraordinary force. She showed in the passage a dramatic insight unexampled at this moment on the French stage, and the repeated and enthusiastic plaudits of a full aud select house were a.Just tribute to such wonderful talents.’’

SPIRIT OF THE PRESS. It is to be hoped that the Republicans in Congress will have clearer and wiser ideas than they can And in the report of Secretary Folger, as to the revenue, the banks’ and the Issue of certificates by the government. Particularly as to the tariff, they will need better reasons tliau Mr. Folger gives when they come to discuss such a report as may be made by a committee selected by Speaker Carlisle.—New York Tribune. Tiie sooner polygamy Is considered the easier will be its solution. The people, of this oountrv are not in the temper to regard with patience any longer the open and defiant violation of its laws. There should be no more equivocation in adopting the President’s recommendation than lie has displayed in making it. It is lu consonance with popular sentiment, aud there are no legislators in Washington who oan afford to go on the record as disregarding that sentiment. It is not a question of party politics, but of publio morals.— Chicago Tribune. It Is not true that the public is yearning for a government telegraphy experiment. The only truth in the matter Is that some unmitigated demagogues, who perceive that the party machine is losing much of its former force, and wish to strengthen it with more patronage and more election manipulating apparatus, are yearning for it. Behind these demagogues, those only who are sorrowing for government telegraphy are the socialistic blatherskites, whose need of nnr means for the transmission of intelligence is not great.—Chicago Times. Congress need have no hesitation about conforming to this suggestion [to abolish the territorial government.] Their power to enact such a measure is undoubted. They have bean legislating for twenty-five years to do away with polygamy in Utah, only to have their measures laugh dto scorn. Now let them try something that will bring these people under their immediate control. The voters of the country. North atm South, will applaud and sustain Congress if the recommendation of the President la carried into effect.—National Republican. A RECOMMENDATION of Mr. Grosham which should and probably does meet with universal approval is the ono for making the single-rate letter weight an ounce Instead of half an ounce, as it now Is. This Is the rule In Great Britain, and its adoption hero would boa great convenience. Mr. Great am shows that the proportion of double-weight letters at present is so small that there would be very little loss of income from the change, at least after deducting tile increase whioli would come from tlio more extensive practice of sealing heavy circulars when it was found that they could go In letter form for only twn cents.—New York Sun. Every vote oast by a man who cannot road the ballot which he deposits is a menace to our system of government. Yet we have hundreds of thousands of such voters and hundreds of thousands more of them ore growing up without sharing any of the benefits of our free-sohool system, or obtaining even the most rudimentary knowledge. To meet this peril to the nation it is necessary that the educational work of the States where illiteracy is greatest should be supplemented and strengthened by aid from the national treasury. The present Is a good time to begin the work; and the need is so peremptory and pressing that every year of inactivity will tuerease the difficulty of recovering lost ground. —Boston Journal.