Indiana State Sentinel, Volume 23, Number 31, Indianapolis, Marion County, 24 February 1874 — Page 4

THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL. TUESDAY, FEBRUAltY 2 , 1874.

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TUESDAY. FEBKUAltY 21. The Ohiohavseeds have adopted the cold -water plank in their platform, and pledge the ladies their support in ihe present rightoas wsade. The Baez family has been banished the jlarcd ot San Domingo for the crime of out eing its masters. General Gonzalez h Taeen installed as governor.

Commander Braine of the Juniata report! i amA imnanv with the Pctator -otf Charleston on the night of the U h That Tessel has not since been heard from. T the municipal election in Philadelphia Tuesday, the entire republican ticket was Mpplnre. the candidate for mayJCT.W" V. - T r or, received a majority of seventeen-huu dred. The last session of tne Indiana legislature made a law permitting accused persons to testify, and now congress is considering the ubject. It takes a good while Ifor ttason .r,rt amnion sense to travel to the capital ol tili lowjrer to ucake itsell lilt? IJ fVl 1' ' U w--.- (J known when it is there. w.ahinirtou' birth-day ww pretty genrallv observed in the large cities yesterday T Washicirton. the senate adjowned from motives of pure patriotism, preferringratber to trip- the light fantastic and diinK egs than to harrass the afflicted country "fcft with its treasured wisdom. The crv ol me commune has been raised in the French Assembly. M. Melvil .Blon--court, deputy for Guadeloupe, an island of .the West Indies, is charged by the governor .f Paria with having taken past in me commune. Bloncourt was deputy minister of war under Cluseret. Iiis situation is deemed exceedingly critical, and it is thought fprobable he will escape to England. God-in-the-coustitutlon fanatics will have ito rally a few more conventions at Cleve v.nrirm their crotchet. Their me morial, under the recommendation or Ben ,t.,i laid on the taole. This action - nnt'.fmm aiiv lack of reverecce tor the .Supreme Being, butfiomthe seuse.ofim r,roorietv which almost all the christian rpeople included entertain in regard to that -over-zealous notion. Jt is how beginning to Iook as though, the Philadelphia ring had killed the golden ffoose. Since the triumph of the ring can .ctidate for mayor, the press is generally hrowinir cold water on the centennial project. It is just as well to consider it -too. The states a& i arge cu -jisk money with such a ring as this -election -juts in control in the city, and the sooner !.. ;a iirwlnrstood the better for all . i . ,r1 fr 1-1 17 IU1U J " " . -concerned. Judao Treat, of the United States district Huourt his taught the contumacious aper -wisors of Macoupin eaunty, Illinois, a whole cme lesson. They were commanded by aandamua to levy tak to pay the Court l,Qiwe vdebt, and yet f.bey stubbornly i rekwod.' Thejudge fined the brave gentlemen . hineach. If that doesn't answer the pur 't they will go to jail next time. Thix s .ariicient will have a salutary effect outside i ' jia(xupin.eounty. f 0 "ate iSprinufceld Rcpjblicau which issl't eiv Bii.much to vtry lar fetched propnesyt . intr iliA2S out the names of 'Charles Fran ' - 1 4. 1 V.mtnn cis . Boot was e mote XuIahs, tor presiaeni, uuu cnw V, for svice-yresident in 1876." There u-lh.a man aa Adams heard of in a reway at CineianaiUtuthe.disappeared in the Hi woo 1 me .rejecwHi, ut u m.tmrrc d ;gin. A for Mr. .Booth, he has yet to t ry Jimself in the Senate where irany are call &a-nd from which none are chosen? The St .ILcais Democrat states that thirty five peoj e - suffering from trichina, at St. Charh . iiissouri. The whole party ate sauae in ir' state tad were at nce mde violently 1i X 1 of Ü61 ce-31111 to thflirbeds "Jijesympiooisinuicaiea ijrpuuia fever and tl 7 m6re treated for that malady at first. It k t jriinent to remind pork eaters t,t ,f.m(. at BLouldnot be served on the table until w iIloked. The outragei I eitiziens of Louisiana are not . in, Uae demonstration made In thmr favor re. etJj by Matt. Carpenter Words are well eoough in their way, but j ..w, nr-a tUisfactorv. uid whates-er .xnrions of ei mpathy may be tendered by congressmen, or ren by the president, the people Btill st Aller at the haads of the tiaiiroer Kelloez all me same. agaiu demand, with a inifc ty voice, the removal of the bayonet govt rnment and the reinstatement of the prop wly elected ofiioeis, or else the privilege of a ew election. What can be more al wur J than itinerating over the country tb the military prison, as the bill passe 4 by the house Tuesday. The object is,, no doubt, to distribute the benefits. It is true,; Rock Island baa been generously d'ealt with. The kindness of Uncle Sam has enabled her to make faces across the river to her brilliant rival, Davenport. But now, for the sake of Jattenin Leavenworth, a city, that was dwarfed young, economy is set zt naught. JU a last resort of stuoted cities, the government is invoked, at the expend of taxpayers. Tbe senate Friday was occupied most of the day in the discussion of tha bill f equalization. Ou the day previous Mr. Cooper of Tennessee moved a substitute to Merriman's amendment to the effact thttj the committee on finance be instructed to Ireport a bill providing for the convertibilty of the United States treasury, receits Into gold coin, or five per cent, bonds of the United States, and also for free banking under the provisions of the national bank act. This was adopted without roll call. The vote was reconsidered yesterday .and rejected. This left Mr. Merriman's amendjMnt beiöxe the socate, which instructs the

committee to report as soon as practicable a bill providing for the inerea-e of a national

bank circulation, so that the -whole volume thereof shall not exceed four hundred milkm dollars. The amendment was adopted by a vote so close that it can scarcely be con sidered as an indication that the senate Is committed to inflation. A count of noses discloses the fact that at present about thirty-ight senator stand for the issue of i thirtv-five aexinst it. Of LUV1U mm-- - j coarse there may be changes which may alter the above guess by a vote or two. On the whole, however, the prospect for an inflation measure are not flattering. War with the Indian tribes of the north west eeems immiuent, n ine vone vi iu knothM from Omaha anc cjnevenne can be depended on. Generals Sheridan ar Ord are at Fort Laramie, and it may be that their presence may do something toward allavine the feverish excitement wnien is infecting both the white and red men ofthat reaion. The war, at worst will not be with united enemy, as the tribes are very much shaken m theirdecision, scarcely knowing whether to cry peace, or havoc and let loose the dogs of war. Secretary Richardson Tuesday complied with tne request of the House made a few dajs ago, and submitted to that body copies in full ol the costracts made under the pro visions of the legislative, executive and judi cial appropriation bill approved May, 181, ommonly known as the Sanborn contracts The men implicated are Campbell, Sanborn and Clark, and it is charged, as is wall i - Kot. ihr compensation for col.UUWU, ' 1 lection ot taxes . has been ruinous ly exorbitant. The documents submitted are very voluminous. Sanbjrn collect! a little claim of f 127000, for which he received $215,000, the balance being paid into the treasury. ;It was a pretty fair job f collecting, viewed in any light, and San born has cot a tig advantage, over the in vestizators, in having his gains securely tucked away. - .By a unanimous resolution of the Illinois tezislature, the railroad committee has been iestructed to prepare a bill to fix maximum rates lor Fullman, palace cars, such as they ahle. The officers ol Btfcdki th3 palace car company look upon the mat ter as something of an infringement of right and reason. But in point ot fact, there is about as good a chance there to squelch an abuse as in any part of the railroad business, j It has always seemed to some unsophisticated persons that the renting of double berths at the same price for two as is charged to a single passenger who happened to be alooe savored of unjust discrimination. The rates also are extravagant. To pay twice as . much for an indifferent lodging in a palace car as a good hotel would charge for a room is a little grinding to the soul of economy. The Illinois folks are on the right track this time and no mistako. At the meeting of the Fayette county farmers' association last Saturday, a motion to disband the society .was carried at one time, tut subsequently, reconsider, and another meeting appoictod lor the fitat Saturday ot May. It is to be noted that this society .aud its fair have teen in past time among the best and most prosperous -of the state. .What causes have contributed to the gradual decline of its prosperity andiatsrest need not be recapitulated at this time. The .poltti in the .discussion Jast Saturday, which has general .interest, ;is this: A part of the uaemrs of . Ü-i Conners ville . association irocated the. dissolution of the association and out of Uia disbanded elements to form, a .grange of the.Patrons of Husbandry. Souo lacored disfcndment, but no grange, and yet others the maintenancs of the association. The question is naturally raised, an? it. la an linnnrtintnnfl. whpthfirthfl rrfifttiox?!

.onaawtntfavnrahiro.str.,otivv:itemati2 benevolence of its

, . ., , ly upon the county fairs. Does, ihe orgaui- , i .;th..i - w . 0 . - t j its members frcl. an earnest supf prt of the CQuntp.f iirs and e o-operatioa viUi farmers who may not be members of the.range in thepojrularand universal fairs. Jf.ttere is an established sentlrceut ou this .point, the sooner it is promulgated the better Whoevcf lives t; see the iiatoming of another autumn, will .also see a grand round of harvest feativals carried onJy the order .of grangers, ts a fraternity. 'They will be heii iu every icounty, and become a feature of jrural society. Will they also take the ptLaoe of iair detracting froui the Interest oi Ihe latter.? Without any.iutimation on tkis subject beyond what is wtnfest in the Fajett j cousiy proeeoding3,.tLo supposition is decidedly in the negative. The exceeding bread and lib eral manifeaj or tne national grange at St. Louis, indicates that the spirit J of the order is aot .clanuish nor exclusive,; tkat it does notoame into the farming class to repel and divide, nor to prt judica by class associations any of the general institu tions that belong to the whole people. It cation. It is the flower bordered path to the vast field of art whether considered practically witn reference to inecnanlcs, or are esthetically by the artist. The salutary effect will not be bounded by the direct ad vantages of the art acquired, by any means. It is something to acquire correctness in taste and culture of hand so to peak, to execute drawings. The study is an enchanting introduc tion to a variety of accomplishments. . Besides this the school, which is not yet relieved from some Irksome features to a lame elass of children, becomes endowed with one new and 6trong element of fascination when the picture-making and the study of forms become a part ol the work of the routine doty. The popular notion that only a small number have talent in this direction, is cor reeled by the experience of the Boston schools where a careful examination shows that the general average of scholars in this branch of study is fully as dgh as in arithmetic or grammar. It seems yeiy wonderful now that so delightful a path to wide and varied learning had not been sooner discovered, or seen to be practicable. The past generation ot school boys hare a vivid

rexllsctiDn that any effort in this direction was interdicted as mischief, which for want of kindly guidance, Ujenerally came to be,

running, as .the rogue's , tendencies did, to the field of caricature.' But - the picture of a house, a dog, or a hors9 upon the slate a quarter century ago earned the adventur ous explorer of the art field a rebuke 11 not chastisement. Now, where drawing In schools has made some progress the encour agement of original talent for design is a part of the system, and that which brings the most gratifying fruits. That Indianapolis has engrafted drawing upon her pystem is pleasing evidence that her schools, like her material growth, are keeping up with the times. Old age is not allowed in all cases to pass unhonored among this thoughtless and bus tling jeople. With wider culture comes better breeding, and with good breeding the reverence that generous minds feel for hon orable old age. The poet Bryant, in the ranks of journalism, with almost foursoore years upon his head, is an attestation of the reverence that is felt for the sublime honor of years. A rernt miblic demonstration to on as old i as liryant and a eo-laborer in the vinevard of hnmanitv. brines subject, to the ml y 9 - fint for a word or two of comment. Peter Cooper whos eighty-third birthday was re cently celebrated by an imposing social event, is a marked man amouz the thous ands of marked men of' this age. All New Yerkturnedoutto do the old man honorthough age is not the only claim he has upon the ltv and the state. Ilia modest beneficenoe has male plain the pathway for gener ations forjboys thirsting for. education and too nor to obtain it. He touched the rock of ignorance, by this magnificent institute and forth from it, has welled a stream of learning and usefulness, which has colored the tide of education in the city of New York .and throughout the state, But his work by no means stop there. Taucht fev his example other rich humane men have btsed beneficent be quests upon the Cooper institute modle and it may be said that Peter Cooper has literally upheld the course of higher educa tion in this countrv. At his reception, the other dav. bv the Arcadian Club of New mf w mt York, the representative worth of the coun txy in mind and virtues assembled to pay a Pennine tribute of respect and honor. The o - . reason which the venerable philanthropis assigned for accepting this public demon stration gives an indax to his life work.to use his own words,beeause of the assuranee that the recognition which you desired to make of my life-long wish to do iny duty to the citv cf mv birth and to mv felkw-men might be useful iu helping others, and es pecially the young, to do their duty in a m munity in which so much depends upon the voluntary actions of its individual mem bers. -Several points in that brief passage commend themselves to thoughtful men of good intentions. He hoped his example may kelp others not to adopt a pleasant caprice, not to indulge a charminz faney but to -"do their duty." But why duty The answer is full of a great implied truth. "So much depends upon the voluntary actions of individual members." The Cooper Institute .gives free instruction in those practical arts which make the hand of the poor capable of achieving its own independence. .Besides tha studies of an English education, the arts of photography, stenography, telegraphy, engraving and designing are taught to both young men and women. The Cooper Union contains an immense reading-room of periodicals, and a library where at average of 2,500 people resort every dayio spend their time in a useful as well as pleasant ay. Free lectures in the large hall are given to vast audiences on subjects of papular interest, and of an instructive charactt r. This great public beneCtciion is but a pf.rt of the sysfcrmder. How l;anmenof fortune onteun ltte - 1 f - iife so full of eerenity ar J pe;it.e this noble pe;it.e at tne end erithout bcinz inspired by it? Here is an .pen solution f the höhest good, a demon stration of life eiade fruitful for its subject Tfcere are many in this day whoce fortunes are counted by millions, who n:ay study Peter Cooper with advantage to thamselves Doubtless many will, .and the example of his model lite wiil be of more value to the American people at last, than will this mag nifitnt bequests of fortune. Gen. Hazsn's name is one well knswn to this peceration. The general has appeared before tis countrymen twioe since the war, once tuü military critic and later as survey In z correspondent, uen. iiazsn writes as he fi2btb-directly to the polst. His book was the best called out by the Franco German wir and his suuuninsr un of the northern Pacific country whieh recently p rieared in ta-3 lrnmne, sinps max jrauunient 3and of the last vestige of uncertainty. II ys thai, the rose-colored descriptions the clituate and country, and the .conditions uoder the noted kother mal ' line ace shameless falsehoods. So lately as the last December number of Harper's Monthly, a representation of the fanciful lies is mado in all the gorgeous bla zon rv of skillful writing. Gen. Hazen is located at the mouth of the Yellowstone, where the forty-eighth parallel of la.itude is intersected by the lOith meridian of longi tude, in the midst of tnat vast region which has been so skillfully misrepr sented. The first matter of fact presented is the temperature. -Records have been kept at Fort Bulord since 1S6Ö. Whiio these records show intense heat for a short space as high as 102 degrees in the hottest days, and an snnuul variation of 130 to 133 degrees; the mean temperature for the eight years is very low. Jannary has never failed to see the mercury below twenty-three de grees, and in 18G9 the lowest mark was minus sixty-nine. The mean, or average monthly temperature for eight years stands: January 8.75; February, 12.09; March, 21.14; April, 42.40; May, 56.38; June, 67.21; July, 72.30; August, 67.70; September, 54.31; October, 41.42: November, 20.63; December, 9.81; Average for eight years, 12.64. June, July and August were tha cruy xzcba

cf 1373 that escaped snow storms. That is a

record of temperature which is too 3eyerefor residence and agriculture. Bat tha case i. aggravated by drought in summer. A plat of flowers at the post, ten feet by forty, required daily sprinkling ot three barrels of water to get three weeks of flowers. .There is not sufficient rain in the short summer to encourage vegetation except in occasional seasons. Tomatoes will not have time to turn red. and corn of the earllst varieties only reaches roasting ears. All this land, after leaving the valley of the Red river of the North, for 1,600 miles with the exception of a few narrow valleys. General Hazcn de clares to be not worth one penny an acre lor agricultural purposes. It cannot be irrigated, and with the exceptions alluded to, the vast country is worth less as a security tor bonds. The general animadverts pretty severely on the gentlemen who, for some reason, either misapprehension or a worse cause, have written up the mUleadln g eulogies on this section. He is prepared to substantiate his statements by proof, and their is no doubt ot their strict truthfulness. He advises those holding bonds of the North Pacific railroad to change them into good lands, in the valley of the Red River of the North, or east of that point, as the only means of getting any value for their money. If those obstreperous dames who demand suffrage so vehemently would stop short of their great end, and turn their attention to some of the more grinding needs of the sex, there would be more advancement for woman than will ever be brought about by all the shrieking of all the sisterhood. For instance, custom, which is as cowardly as Phariseeism, and as relentless also, prescribes that young ladies shall not go to amusements unattended. It would be a genuine relief to certain classes of young ladies to be able to break over this restraint. There is no reason why two respectable women shall not attend an opera, or a fine theatrical performance that does not apply as well to men. As a general thing it is easier for women to find congenial companions of their own sex, who appreciate fine performances, and there is no good reason why they should not join company and escort eacn other to the opera, the lecture, or the play. In fact this custom if encouraged would purify the young men and elevate them in mind, manners and 'morals. As it is now, the average young man has two distinct personalities. One which he presents to the lad Tea whom he meets at stated intervals and one to the world that-he chooses to mingle with in the hours of what he calls relaxation. It is safe to say that the "relaxation" of two-thirds of the young men aud some of the elders too, is of such a character, as would banish tbem from the society of decent people were the exact nature ot it known. Some time ago the Sentinel in alluding to a revolting escapade discovered in a prominent locality in this city,indicated that the publication of the names of those involv ed would bring sorrow and disgrace into unsuspicious homes and families. That disgusting episode is only one instance in a series. I lie actors m tiiese iniauiies are, in many cases, the men whom we entrust our daughters with in public amusements and social recreations. They wear a veneering of decency just thick enough to deceive th unsuspicious, but their debaucheries are the subject of raillery and chaff, among men. It would be a blessed thing to make young women independent of this class. Permit them to mingle sufficiently with the world to teach the trouping gallants that to be tolerated, they must not only play gentlemen, they must be gentlemen. That tho concealing of .vicious tastes and debauched practices can not hold them in the ranks of decency, and that there is degradation as well as ruin, in playing the whited sepulchre. The scandalous laxities of morality, winked at by what esteems itself good society, in this and other ities in lact, every city ra tne country, is simply appalling. The ministers jpreach and the law-makers rail agbinet the looseness of mind and morals which engender erim but the yroper place to bring the decisive -check, is in the parlor and the .drawing-room. If refined woman will cease tolerating reeling figures at the evening party, and business men will put a stop to the visltsof young .men known to be steeled in debauchery there would be an instantaneous check to the downward rush of man hood and the debasing of the growing womanhood. Keuiiament among men seems to be a lost art. In all ranks am conditions of life, the summon talk of men is unfit at times for a clean mind. Very good men, it is lamentable to say, indulge this indelieaey of speech, and sometimes before those from whose ears they should guard unclean suggestions of every kind. The English language is copious euough in epithets and comprehensive enough in description to permit the human family to represent every shade of thought, without offending the ears of decency or - desecratmr tbe divine eommand. , It is a simple role to follow, hut a sure one. Never say a word in any company which a mother,-sister or daughter might not bear with propriety and selt-respect. That's a very good rule for the guidance of any man and very easily fol lowed. The earnest women of the land are up in arms against intemperance. They would do a better service by beginning at home and purifying husbands and sons of the demoralization which is the base of every sin that accompanies intemperance. Great exertions have been made to exelude from the light of day and the public eye the Durell testimony.' Copies for the I press have been refused by the officials; nevertheless, bv some means, known to I that class of people who will have the news, w mr - the New York Herald gave four columns, last Friday, of verbatim evidence, which ef fectually spoils the attempt at concealment. The committee of investigation cannot evaae their duty, nor evade ine racts brought out. First and foremost, on the stand comes Mr. Emery E. Norton, assigneo in bankruptcy, appointed by Durell, and the tool for dirty jobs. He is said to Lavs fitttcscd and grown, sleek on the rjtil'j

of debtors and creditors between wlioxa he

has stood ai a most voracious middle man. and played by official authority the game of monkey and the cheese. According to .Norton's testimony, . he had everything his own way in the handling of estates that went into bankruptcy lor adjudica tion. He seems to have acted in a double capacity in many cases. Where estates, as was often the case, were surrendered tobe adjusted for the benefit of creditors, along time sometimes intervened before an assignee was appointed. In such instances Mr. Norton was made the custodi an of the estates to prevent the property from going to waste. (?) Morton states that he has been custodian of about thirteen hundred such estates. Is it unreasonable tba he got f 1,000 on the average from each one ? or twice that sum? But the custodian busi ness was pieced out by his further office of assignee. How he proceeded with the vari ous sorts of cases is well told by himself, aud also by some of his victims. One feature is uniform- in all, however, Norton never omitted to get his fees. Another feature not so certainly uniform, was that he sometimes got his fees twice over and sometimes but once. As assignee, he claims to have handled only some one hundred and fifty estates, though he referred the committee to his books for information on that point. To go through the details and pro cesses of eating up the estates under the sanction of the United States court is both tedious and lengthy. It all reduces to simple theft and robbery under the shield of a court who doubtless shared the ill gotten spoils with his creature and agent. One of the victims, John Fletcher Wyche, tells how the thing was sometimes done. He represented an estate of over 30,000, on which there was a mortgage sufficient to buy in the property. He went to Norton and quickly tonnd that nothing could be done without money. After being put off two years and raising by extraordinary efforts 13,200 for Norton, be got a receipt for ten dollars and costs and custody of the mortgaged estate for its owner, a widow. The testimony as given in regard to Durell's drunkenness is not di rect and positive, but his conduct on the bench is described in a way to show that he must have been either drunk or a lunatic. When the full disclosure is made, the exhibl tion of corruption and crime will be one of the most repulsive that ever was made as the work of the worst criminals either in or out of office. When the raising of fish by artificial cul ture commands the attention of such gen tlemen a Robert B. Roosevelt, $f New York. Alex. Kent, of Baltimore; Jaihes Worrall of Harrisburg; W. C. Edmunds, of Ver mont, and many others, it may be presumed that there is something of importance in the subject. Tho above gentlemen and more of equal character are members of the American Fish Culturists Association which held its third annual meeting in New York last Saturday. ' At this meeting many interest ing facts were told oi the experiments and success of various gentlemen from all parts of the country. The remarkable fact that stands out conspicuously above thejrest is the rapidity w ith which waters may be made prolific of the finest fish. Before Seth Green, in 1SG7 braved the charge of insanity by hatching shad in the Connecticut river it was a source of intense regret that the de iicions shad had almost disappeared. People talked of the old times when shad were plenty, and mourned for the good old days. A fish would bring an extravagant price as a rare luxury, which it was. But, presto,Seth sowed the river with eggs, and the result is that last year, as the report of Saturday declared, "The result is, that, ac cording to the commissioner's report, there are swore shad in the Connecticut river than there were in 1802, when there were more shad in the river than ever before." Mr. Green thinks that ail the lakes and rivers might, in four years, be stocked with white fish acd s&imon equal to what they held in former years. He has been successful in propagcting fifteen species. There are some very strong arguments in favor of the cultivation ofüsh. They utilize streams and bodies of water which are otherwise unproductive of wealth, naaking them as valuable as the dry laud. Again, the food which is converted by fish costs nothing. They eat that which is otherwiso useless and a nuisance. Then, they require but little or no eare ; they seek their own bring and new without the labor of man. Finally, their food is the most healthful an agreeable of anything that mes under the head of flesh. This matter has a practical interest to the state of Indiana. Her rivers and lakes are extensive,and well adapted to furnish vast amounts of valuable fish for food. There is probably no other way by which an equal return could be had for the time and money expended as by a systematic prosecution of fish farming, whether it be done by private enterprise or under tho special care and direction of the state. On last Wednesday, which was Ash Wednesday, the solemn season of Lent begins. This great season of lasting, humiliation, . Bell-denial and penitence is carefully observed by the Anglican or Protestant Episcopal, the Greek, and the Roman Catholic churches. Whatever may be the views ot a portion of the public in this land of many and free religions, it will be perceived that a very large class, repre senting the' intelligence and worth of the community, are interested in the ob servance which begins this morning. The gayeties of the winter are all laid aside, the rein of freedom which has hung loosely upon pleasure's bridle is suddenly checked up and re' ief and restraint come together to the cloyed and wearied stars of society. It is respite to the mind, as well as a mortlncation of the flesh, and as such will be accept ed willinelv. even bv those, if any such - mf W " there be, who lightly regard the obliga tions oi conscience. The word Lent is derived from the old Saxon Lencten, or Lenzten, corresponding to the German Lenz, and signifying spring, so that the Lent fast means simply the fast kept in the spring of the year. Ash-Wednesday, thename of the first day in Lent, is so called from a custom .which rreyaiiea ia Uw rrira W church 0f

ptmitents lying in sackcloth and ahea t

express their great."humiiiation. They some times cat earth and asha heads to indicate their sorrow and repentance for ein. The observance of th fast before Easter is of a very early date in the church. The number fortv. in the iuii is appropriated to seasons of repentance and humiliation. God covered the earth with the deluge fortv dava. ThA roiMM Israel did penance in tho wilderness forty years. Moses fat ted on the mnnnt t.v days, and Elijah, in the wilderness. The Ninevites were allowed forty days in which to repent, and Christ,, when He was pleased to fast observed the lame length of time. Orieen who lived and wrote early in the third century, speaks of forty days before Easter being set apart for fasting. And at tha council ot Nicoea, In the year 325, this period was taiten lor granted. Taking the expressed views of the churches who accept this religious observance, there seems to be the greatest proprietv in set ting apart a special season fnr th essential duties of fasting, humiliation, aud repentance. Otherwise they might be imperfectly discharged, or entirely forgotten. The church now lovingly asks her children, '-with fasting, and with mourning, and with weeping," to turn aside for a while, and follow into the wilderness Him who for their sakes fasted, and prayed, and wept, and auffeied every pain, ge and indignity possible to man! The church says to all at this season, join in the Lenten fast. Give up many enjoyments. Forget self-indulgence. Fast not to gain praise of men, but of your Father who is in heaven. Keep your bodies in subjection and you can the more readily prove your consciences, trying them by every test. Twelve months ago it was confidently reported that Commissioner Watts, of the Agriculture bureau, would hand In hisresignation at an early day. So unmistakable was the information that no little speculation was indulged by the press about his successor. But suddenly and silently the excitement died out, and Mr. Watts hasBerenely pursed the even tenor of way. It would seem that he has acquired sufficient confidence in his security to put on a few airs. He has, or lately had in his possession a paper on the subject of irrigation, written. by the Hon. George P. Marsh, of Vermont. The House for some reason desired to know the contents of the paper, and asked to be allowed to see it. Tne genial commissionerof agriculture, for reasons of his own, flatly refused to grant the request, or, at least, paid no attention to the rural gentlemen who have just come to the capital. But he yielded to the demand of the senate. The dignity of that body, as possibly also their power of confirmation and rejection, made their word more potent in the ear of the great eeed peddler. This little affair has reminded tne public agin that there is such a man as Mr. Watts at the headot a department whom everybody voted long ago an incompetent as regards that position. The New York Tribune makes it the occasion of lampooning the last monthly report for January, in which the commissioner expands bis erudition on two whole pages in a panegyric on agricultural education. The mischievous stuff that is sent out for choice seeds is often publicly complained of by the recipients. Gravel, weed seeds, and weevils constitute a part of the packages which are disseminated as a gratuitous benefit to the country,. Possibly the reappearance of the indiscreet gentleman may prove the signal for another effort at his removal. A delayed letter from Evansville, on another page this morning, although a day after the fair, sugzests the meaning of the recent municipal event in the most flourishing city of the state outside of Indianapolis The event, which the letter very inadequately describes, is one of real significance to this city. The busines men of Evansville found their city prospering beyond precedent. The need of the day brought forth the things desired for the city's growth. Fine churches; finebusiness blocks; fine residences; first-class newspapers; admirable railroad facilities in short, everything but the one vital point which ruins or rushes a city's growth a hotel. Next to its newspapers, and perbapsbefore, a city is judged by its hotels. Fortunately there seemed no differences to impede, and the work inaugurated by two public spirited men, Captain Leracke and Mr. Mackay, was begun at once, bu ts trifle of the capital coming from the town. Considering the city and its size, a handsome hotel of the second class would have satisfied the ordinary desire of the travelling public. But the projectors saw farther in the future than that, and the result is an admirable structure whose arrangement. (adornment, and conduct, would reflect the highest credit upon the first city of the land. To do the event honor, the most responsible citizens of the town mot the guests at the grand opening which, as the letter elsewhere strives to show, wan a real triumph socially, aud every other way, and worthy really of the best effort of greatly more pretentious towns, and more renowned occasions. For a session in which nothing has been done, the House makes a pretty big showing The Senate composed chiefly of.wind instruments, figures less, in the sum total. Something like five hundred bills have been worked up in the House, many of them economical Pleasures of great importance. The job3 have not yet come to the surface. plainly enough to be recognized, but it may be taken for granted, that with such abject demoralization of both parties, there are plenty of big steals on foot. The Senate work has been confined principally to a dis cussion of the finances. aad as nearly every man in the Senate has presidential yearnngs, there is of course nothing accomplished. The term is running till May, but it is very doubtful whether anything will bo done. I elaborate speeches aro any satisfaction to the country, there are enough of them, but unhappily, they don't ease tho monev mar. 31 or decrease tho taxes.