Ligonier Banner., Volume 14, Number 33, Ligonier, Noble County, 4 December 1879 — Page 7

which will be convenient and useful to United States vessels. s ol The subject of opening diplomatic relations with Roumania and Servia, now become independent sovereignties, is at present under consideration, and is the subject of diplomatic corresponde ce. i o £ There is a gratifying increase of trade with nearly all European and American countries, and it is believed that with judicious action in regard to its development it can and will be still more enhamnced, and that American products and manufactures will find new and expanding markets. The reports of diplomatie and consular officers upon this subject. under the system now adopted, have resulted in obtaining much valuable information, which has been and will continue to -be laid before Congress and the public from time to mie. o | ABASKA. iy e

The third article of the treaty with Russia of March 30, 1867, by which Alaska was ceded to the United States, provides that the inhabitants of the ceded territory, with the exception of the uncivilized native tribes, shall be admitted to the enjoyment of all the rights of citizens of the United States, and shall be maintained and firotected in the free enjoyment of their liberty, of property and religion. The uncivilized tribes are subject to such laws and regulations as the United ‘ States may from time to time adopt in regard to the- aboriginal tribes of that country. Both the obligationis:of this treaty and the necessities of the peoplerequire that some organized form of government over the Territory of Alaska be adopted. There wgpears to be no law for the arrest of persons charged with common law offenses, such as assault, robbery and murder, and no magistrate authorized to issue or execute process in such cases. Serious difficulties have &lready arisen from offenses of this character, not only among the original inhabitants, but among citizens of the United States and other countries who have engaged in mining, fishing and other business operations within the | Territory. A bill authorizing the appoint--ment of Justices of the Peace and Constables, and the arrest and . detention of persons charged with criminal offenses, and providing for an appeal to United States Courts for the District of Oregon in suitable cases will, at the proper time, be submitted to Congress. THE PUBLIC FINANCES. | The attention of Congress is called to the annual report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the condition of the i)ublic finances. The ordinary revenues from all sources for the ‘ fiscal year ended June 30, 1879, were. $273,827,184.46. The ordinary expenditures for the same period were $266,947,883.63, leaving a surplus revenue for the year of $6,879,300.83. The receipts for the present fiscal year, ending June 30, - 1880, actual and estimated, are as follows: Aectual receipts for the first quarter, commencing July ¥ 1879, $79,843,663.61; - estimated receipts for the remaining three-quar-ters of the year, $208,156,336.39.. Total receipts for the current fiscal year, actual and estimated, $288,000,000. The expenditures for the same period will be, actual and estimated, as follows: For the guarter commencing July 1, 1879, actual expenditures, $91,6£3,385.10. For the remaining three-quarters of the year the expenditures are estimated at $172,316,614.90, making the total = expenditures $264,000,000. and leaying an estimated surplus revenue for the Tyear ending June 30, 1580, of $24,000,000. he total receipts during the next fiscal year ending June 30, 1881, estimated according to existing ‘ laws, will be $288,000,000, and the estimated ordinary expenditures for the 'su%ne Yeriod ; will be. $278,097,364.39, leaving a Surplus of $9,902,635.61 for that year. The large amount expended for arrears of }l)ensionqfluring the last and the present fiscal yearsyamounting to $21,747,249.60, has xtn'e\rented the application of the full amount required by law to the Sinking-Fund for the current year, but, these arrcars having been' substantially paid, it is believed that the Sinking-Fund can hereafter be maintained without any change of the existing law. . i : WAR DEPARTMENT. The Secretary of War reports that the War Department estimates for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1881, are $40,380,428.93, the same being for a less sum of money than any annual estimate rendered to -Congress from that Department during a period of at least twelve years. He concurs with the General of the Army in recommending such legislation as will authorize the enlistment of the full number of 25,000 men for the line ot the army, exclusive of the 3,460 men required for detached duty, and therefore not available for service in the field. He also recom.mends that Congress be asked to- provide by law for the disposition of a large number of abandoned military posts and reservations, which, though very valuable in themselves, “have been rendered useless for military purposes by the advance of civilization and.settlement. He unites with the QuartermasterGeneral in recommending that an appropriation be made for the construction of acheap and perfectly fire-proof building for the safe storage of a vast amount of money, accounts, vouchers, claims and other valuable records now in the Quartermaster-General’s office, and exposed to great risk of total destruction by fire. He also recommends, in conformity with the views of the Judge-Advocate General, some declaratory legislation in reference to the military statute of limitations, as ap--plied to the crime of desertion. In these seve eral recommendations 1 co’n‘g_gr. 3 The Se.retary of War further reports that the work for thes improvement of /the South Pass of the Mississippi River, under contract with Mr. James B. Eads, made in pursuance of an act of Congress, has been prosecuted during the past year with a greater measure of puccess in the attainment .of results than during . any previous year. The channel through the South Pass, which, at the beginning of June, 1875, had a degth of only seven and a half feet of water; had, on the §th of July, 1879, a minimum depth of. twenty-six feet, having a width of not less than two hundred and a central depth of thirty feet. Payments have béen = made in accordance with the statute - as the work -progressed, amounting in the aggregate to $4,250,000, and further payments will become due, as provided by the statute, and in the event of success in maintaining ‘the channel now secured. The reports of the General of the Army and of his subordinates present a full and detailed account of the military operations for the suppression of hos-tilities-among the Indians of the Ute and Apache tribes, and praise is justly awarded-to the officers and troops engaged for promptness, skill and courage displayed. The past year has heen one of almost unbroken peace and quiet on the Mexican frontier, and there is reason to believe that the efforts of this Government and Mexico to maintain order %\lthat region will prove eminently succgssulk : ‘

Thiz Department was. enabled during the past year to find temporary, though crowded, accommodations and a safe depository for a portion of ‘its records in the completed east wing of the building designed for the State, War and Navy Departments. The construction of the north wing of the building—a part { of the structure intended for the use of meg‘ War Department—is being carried forward with all possible dispatch, and the work: should receive from Congress such liberal appropriations as will secure its specdy completion. : B ) THE NAVY. : The report of the Secretary of the Navy shows acontinued improvementin that branch . of the service during the last fiscal year. Extensive repairs have been madé-upon vessels, and two new ships have been icompleted and made ready for sea. The total expenditures of the year ended June £O, 1879, including specific appropriations not estimated for by the Department, were $13,655,710.09. The expenses chargeable to the year, after deducting the amount of these specific appropria-. tions, were 81.1,343,317.79: but this is subJect to a reduction of ° $283,725.99, ' that amount having been drawn upon warrants, but not paid out during the year, The amount -ofappropriations 6;{).é)plica,ble to the last fiscal year was $14,538,646.17. There was, therefore, a balanee of $1,479,054.57 remaimng unexpended and to the credit of the Department on June 30, 1879. The estimates for the year ending June 80, 1881, are §14,864,147.95, which exceeds the appropriations for the present fiscal year $361,897.28. The reason for this increase ig explained in the Secretary’s report. ‘The appropriations available for the Yresent fiscal year are $14,502,250.67, which will, in the “opinion of the Secretary, answer all the ord?nar,v demands of the service. The(amount drawn from ‘the Treasury from J(!aly 1 to November 1, 1879, was $5,770,404.12, of which $1,095,440.33 has been refunded leavi&g as the expenditure for that period $4,674,963.19. If the expenditures for the remaining-two-thirds of the year do not'exceed the proportion for these four months, there will remain unexpended at the end of the year $477,859.30 ot the current npgropriations. s The report of the Secretary shows the grat!fying fact that, amoni all the disbursing officers of the Pa, Cor{)s of the Navy, there is not one who ig'a getau ter to the extent of a'fl%lewdollar. I unite with him in recommending the removal of the Observatory to a more healthful location. That tutitutiofi reflects credit upon the Nation, and has obtained the afprobation of scjentlflc men in all parts of the world. Its removal from ‘its _g)resent' locality would not onlgv be conducive to the health of its officers and Professors, but would greatly ‘increase its usefulness. ¢y 3 The applomAae T PR exponton e appropriation for | heretofore made for the ~D3artmentv o Justice in gross, was subdivided at the last session of Congress, and no appropriation whatever was made for the payment of the fees of Marshals and their deputies, either in the service of process or_for the anham%’of other

duties, dnd since June 30 these oificers have continued the performance of their duties without compensation from the Government, taking upon themselves the necessary incidental © outlays, as well as rendering their own services. In only a few unavoidable instances © has the Ero_per exccution of the process of the United States failed by reason of the absence of the requisite zuppmpriftions. This course of offieial conduct on the part of the officers, highly creditable to their fidelity, was advised by the ‘ Attorney-General, who informed them, however, that they would necessarily have to rely | for their compensation upon the Prospect of future: legislation by Copgress. therefore especially recommend thot immediate appropriation be made by Congress for this purposc. The act making the principal appropriation for the Department of Justice at previous sessions has uniformly contained the following clause: **And for defraying the expenses which may be incurred in the enforcement of the act urprm'cd Feb. 28, 1870, entitled ‘An act to anmend-fan act approved May 30, 1870, entitled ‘An act to enforce the right of citizens ‘of the United States to vote in the several States of the United States, and for other purposes,” or any acts amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto.”” No appropriation was made for this purpose for the current year. As. no general election for members of Congress occurred, the omissioh was a matter of little practical importance. Such election = will, however, take place during the ensuing year and the a]pé)mpriation made for the pay of Marshals and Deputies should be sufficient to embrace compensation: for the services they may be required to perform at such election. The business of the Supreme Court is at pres« ent largely in arrears. 1t cannot be expected that more causes can be decided: than are mnow disposed of in its annual session, or that by any assiduity the distinguished Magistrates who compose the Court cau accomplish more than is now done. In tt'{c courts of many of the circuits also the business has inereased to suc¢h an extent that the delay of justice will call the attention of. Congress to an a%propnate remedy. It is believed that all is done in each circuit which can fairly be expected from its judicial force. The evils arising from delay are less heavily felt by the United States than by private suitors, as its causes are advanced by the eourts when it is seen that they involve the discussions of questions of a public character. The remedy suggested by the Attorney-General is the appointment of additional Circyit Judges, and the creation of an intermediate Court of Errors and Appeals, which shall relieve the Supreme Court of a part of its jurisdiction, while a’'larger force is also. obtained for the performance of circuit duties. I recommend this su%gestion to the consideration of Congress. "It would seem to afford a complete remedy, and would involve, if ten additional Circuit .’ludges are appointed, an expenditure at the present rate of salaries of not more than $60,000 a year, which would certainly be small in comparison with the objects to be attained. : THE POST-OFFICE. ‘The report of the Postmaster-General bears testimony to the general revival of business thrm}ghout the country. The receipts of the Post-Office Department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1879, were $30,041,982.86, being $764,465.91 more than the revenues of the preceding year. The amount realized from the sale of postage—stam§s, stamped envelopes and postal-cards was $764,465.91 more than in the preceding year, and $2,337,559.23 more than in 1877. The expenditures of the Department were $33,449,899.45, of which the sum of $376,461.63 was paid on liabilities incurred in preceding years. The expenditures during the year were $801,209.77 less than in the preceding year. This reduction is to be attributed mainly to the operation of the law passed June 17,1878, changing the compensation of Postmasters from a commission on the ‘value of stamps sold to a commission on stamps canceled. The amount drawn from the Treasury on appropriations, in addition to the revenues of the Department, was $3.081,454.94, being $2,277,197.86 less than in the preceding year. The expenditures for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1881, are estimated at $39,920,~ 900, and the receipts from all sources at $32,210,000, leaving a deficiency tobe appropriated for out of the Treasury of $7,710,900. The ree lations of the Department with the railroad companies have been harmonized, notwithstanding the general reduction by Congress of their compensation by the appropriation for special facilities, and the railwag post-office lines have been greatly extended, especially in the Southern States. The interests of the Railway Mail Service and of the public would be greatly promoted and the expenditures could be more readily controlled by the classifieation ' of, the employes of the Railway Mail Service, as recommended by the ‘ Postmaster-General, the appropriation for salaries with respect to which the maximum limit is already fixed by law to be made in gross. The Postmaster-General recommends an amendment of the law regulating the in“crease of compensation for increased service and increased speed on star routes, so as to enable him to advertise for proposals for such increased service and speed. He also suggests the advantages to accrue to the commerce of the country from the enactment of a general law authorizing contracts with American-built steamers carrying the American Hlag for transporting the mail between ports of the United States and ports of the West Indies and South America at a fixed maximum price per mile. the amount to be expended being regulated by annual appropriations in like manner with the amount paid for the domestic star service. The arrangement made by the Postmaster-General and the Secretary of the Treasury for the collection of | duty upon books received in the mail from foreign countries has proved so satistactory in its practical operation that the recommendation is now made that Congress shall extend the provisfons of the act of March 3, 1879, under which this arrangement was made, so as to apply to all other dutiable articles received IPn the mails from foreign countries.

THE INDIANS. The reports of the Secretary of the Interior and of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, setting forth the present state of our relations with the Indian tribes on our territory, the measures taken to advance their civilization and prosperity, and the progress already achieved by them, will be found of more than ordinary interest. The general: conduct of our Indian population has been 8o satisfact()lg' that the occurrence of two isturbances = which resulted in bloodshed and destruction of, property is all the more to be lamented. The history of the outbreak on the White River Ute Reservation in Western Colorado has become so familiar by elaborate reports .in the public grpss that its remarkable incidents need not e stated here in detail. It is expected that the settlement of this difficulty will lead to such arrangements as will prevent further hostile contacy between -the Indians and the border settlements in Western Colorado. = The other disturbances occurred at the Mesealero Agency in New Mexico, where Victoria, the -head of a small band of marauders, after committing many atrocities, being vigorously chased }hy a military force, made his way across the exican border and is now on foreign soil. ‘While these occurrences, in which a compara‘tively small number of Indians were engaged, are most deplorable, a vast majoritX of our Indian population have fully justified the expectations of those who believe that by humane and peaceful influences the Indian can be led to abandon the habits of savage life, and to develop a capacity for useful and civilized occupations. What they have already accomplished in the pursuit of agricultural and mechanical work, the remarkable success . which has attended the experiment of employing as freighters a class of Indians hitherto counted ‘among the wildest and most intractable, and the general and urgent desire expressed by ‘them for the education of their children, may ' be taken as sufficient proof that they will be found capable of accomplishing much more ‘if they continne to be wisely and fairly guided. The *lndian policty" gsketched in the report of the Secretary ot the Interior, the object of which is to make liberal provision for the education of Indian youth, to settle the Indians - upon farm-lots in severalty, to give them title .in fe2 to their farms inalienable for a certain number of years, and when their wants are thus provided for to dispose by sale of the lands on their reservations not occupicd and used by them, a fund to be formed out of the proceeds for the benefit of the Indians, which will gradually relieve the Government of the expenses now provided for bfy annual appropriations, must commend itself as just and beneficial to the Indians, and as also calculated to remove those obstructions which the existence of large reservations presents to the settlement and development of the country. I therefore earnestly recommend the enactment of a law enabling the Government to give Indians a title in fee inalienable for twenty-five years to the farm lands assigned to them by allotment. I also repeat the recommendation in my first annual message that alaw be passed admltt.intg In‘dians who can give satisfactory proof of having.&y their own labor, supported their families for a number of Years, and who are willing to detach themselves from their tribal relations, to the benefit of the Homestead act, and to ‘grant them patents containing the same provision of inalienability for a eertain period. The experiment of sending a number of | Indian children of both gexes to the Hagyton ' Normal and Agrlcn}tural.?n&mu hfl“ nis to receive elementary En; sh educa don Mrfi practical instruetion in farming and other useful industries, has led to results so promising that it was thought ex&%ent to turn over the cavalry barracks at Carlisle, in Pennsilvania, to the }nt@rlor Dgp%nt. for the éstablishment of an Indian school on a larger

scale. This school has now 158 gu ils, selected from various tribes, andis in uK operation. Arrangements are also made for the education of a number of Indian boys and girls belonging to tribes on the Pacific slope in a similar manner, at Forest Grove, in Oregon. These institutions will commend themselves to the liberality of Copgress\aud to the philanthropic munificence of the Ameriean people. Last spring information was reecived of the erganization of an extensive movement in the Western States, the object'of which was the occuf)ation by unauthorized persons of certain lands in the Indian Territory ceded by the Cherokees to the Government for the gurBose of settlement by other Indian tribes. n the 29th of April I issued a proclamation warning all persons against participation in such an attempt, and by the co-operation of a military force the invasion was promptiy checked. It is, my purpose to protect the rights of the Indian inhabitants of that Territory to the full extent of the Executive; but it would be unwise to ignore the fact that a Territory so large and so fertile, with a })opulation 80 sparse, and so great a wealth of unusued resources, will be found more exposed to the repetition ‘of such attemps as happened this year when the surrounding States were most densely settled, and the westward movement of our population looked still more eagerly for fresh lands ‘to occupy. Under ‘such circumstances the difficulty of main‘taining the Indian Territory in its present state will greatly increase, and the Indian tribes inhabiting it would do well to pretpare for such a contingency. I, therefore, fully approve of ‘the advice given to them by the Secretary of the Interior on a recent occasion to divide among themselves, in severalty, as large a quantity of their lands as they can cultivate, to acquire individual title in fee, instead of their present tribal ownership in common, and consider in what manner the balance of their lands may be disposed of by the Government for their benefit. By adopting such a policy they would more certainly secure for themselves the value of their possessions, and at the same time promote their grogress in civilization and prosgerity than y endeavoring to perpetuate the. present state of things in the Territory. The question whether a change. in the control of the Indian service should be made was, in the Forty-fifth Congress, referred to aJoint Committee of both Houses for inquiry and report. In my last annual message I expressed the hope that the decision of that guestion, then in prospect, would arrest further-agita-tion of this subject, such agitation being apt to produce a disturbing effect uponthe service as well as the Indians themselves. Sincethen, the Committee having reported, the question has been decided in the negative by a vote in the House of Representatives. For the reason here stated, and in view of the fact that further uncertainty on this point will be calculated'to obstriict other much-needed legislation, to weaken the discipline of the service and to unsettle salutary measures now in progress for the government and improvement of the Indians, I respectfully recommend that the decision arrived at by Congress at its last session be permitted to stand. - , TIMBER THEFTS. The efforts made by the Department of the Interior to arrest the depredations on the tim-ber-lands of the United States have been continued, and have met with considerable suc--cess. A large number of cases of trespass have been prosecuted in the courts of the United States. Others have becen settled, the trespassers offering to make payment to the Government for the value of the timber taken by them. The proceeds of these prosecutions and settlements turned into the Treasury far exceed in amount the sums angropriated by Congress for this purpose. more important result, however, consists in the fact that the destruction of our public forests by depredation, although such cases still occur, has been greatly reduced in extent, and it is probable that if the present policy is vigorously pursued, and suflicient provision to that end made by Congress, such trespasses—at least those on a large scale—can be entirely suppressed, except in the Territories, where timber for the daily requirements of the population cannot; under the present ;’ state of the law, be otherwise obtained. I therefore earnestiy invite the attention of Congress to the recommendation made by the Secretary of the Interior, that a law be enacted enabling the Government to sell timber from the public lands without conveying the fee where such lands are principally valuable for the timber thereon, such sales to be so regulated as to conform to domestic wants and business requirements, while at the same time guarding [ against a sweeping destruction of the forests. The enactment of such a law appears to be- \ come a more pressing necessity every day.

THE AGRICULTURAL BUREAU. My recommendations in former messages are renewed in favor of enlarging the facilities of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture is the leading interest and the permanent industry of our people. It is to the abundance of agricultural productions as compared with our home consumption and the largely increased and highly profitable market abroad which we have enjoyed in recent years that we are mainly indebted: for our present prosperity as a people. We must look to its continued maintenance for substantial resource. There is no branch of industry in which labor, directed by scientific knowledge, yields such inecreased production in comparison with unskilled labor, and no branch’ of the Eublic gervice to which the encouragement of liberal appropriations can be more appropriately extended. The omission to render such aid is not a wise economy, but on the contrary undoubtedly results in losses of immense sums annually that might be saved through welldirected efforts by the Government to promote this vital interest. The results already accomplished, with the very limited means heretofore placed at the command of the Department of Agriculture is an earnest of what may be expected with increased apé)ropriations for the several purposes indicated in the report of the Commissioner, with a view to placing the DQP&l'tment upon a footing which will enable it to prosecute more effectively the- objects for which it is established. Approgrlations are needed for a more complete laboratory, for the establishment of a Veterinm;y Division and a Division of -Forestry, and for an increase of force. The requirements for these and other purposes indicated in the report of the Commissioner, under the head of * Immediate Necessities of the Department,’”’ will not involve any expenditure of money that the country cannot with propriety now undertake in the interest of agriculture. : EDUCATION. It is gratifying to learn from the Bureau of Education the extent to which educational privileges throughout the United States have been advanced during the year. No more fundamental responsibility rests upon Congress than that of devising a(?propria.te measures of financial aid to eduecation, supplemental to local action in States and Territories, and in the Distri¢gt of Columbia. The wise forethoughf of the founderslof our Government has not only furnished the basis for the support quthe common-school system of the newer States, but laid foundations for the maintenance of their universitiés, of colleges of agriculture and mechanic art. Measures in accordance with this traditional policy for the further benefit ot all these interests, and the extension of some advantages to every portion of the country, it is hoped will receive your favorable consideration.

| THE CAPITOL LIBRARY. : - To preserve and perpetuate the National literature should be among the foremost cares - of the National Legislature. Thelibrary gathered at the Capitol still remains unproyided with any suitable accommodations for its rap-idly-increasing stores. The magnitude and importance of the collection, increased, as it is, by the deposits made under the laws of copyright, by domestic and foreign exchanges, and by the scientific library of the Smithsonian Institution, call for building accommoda~ tions which shall be at once adequate and fireproof. The location of such public buildings which should provide for the pressing necessities of the present and for the vast increase of the Nation’s books in the future, is a mat‘ter which addresses itself to the discretion of | Congress. It is earnestly recommended as a measure which should unite all suffrages, and which should no longer be delayed. : THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT. The Joint Commission created by the act of Corigress of August 2, 1876, for the purpose of supervigsing and directing the completion of the Washington National monument, of which Commission the President is a member, has given careful attention to this subject, and already the strengthening of the foundation has so far progressed as to insure entire success of this part of the work. A massive layer of masonry has Dbeen introduced below the original foundation, widening the base, increasing the stability of the structure and rendering it ¥oasible to carry-the shaft to completion. It is earnestly recommended that such further appropriation be made for the continued prosecution of : the work as,miaqy be necessary for the completion of this Nationsl monument at an early day. - - DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. £ In former messages, impressed with the !mx;ortu.nce of the subject, I have taken occasion to recommend to Congress the adoption of a generous policy toward the District of Columbia. The report of the Commissioners of the District, herewith transmitted, oontains- suggestions and recommendations, to all of which I earnestly 4nvite your careful attention. T ask your early and favorable consideration of the views which they express as to urgent need of legislation for the reclamation of the marshes of the Potomac and its eastern branch within the limits of the city,andfor the

repair of the streets of the Capital, heretofore laid with wooden blocks, and by delay rendered almost impassable and a source of imminent danger to the health 01l its eitizens. The means at the disposal of the Commissioners are wholly inadequate for the accomplishment of these im]i)ortunt works, and should bée supplemented by timely appropriations from the Federal Treasury. The filling of the flats in front -ef the city will add to the adjacent lands and parks now owned by the United States, alarge and valuable domain, sufficient, it is thought, to reimburse its entire cost, and will also, as an ineidental result, secure the permanent improvement of the river for the purpose of navigation. The Constitution having invested Congress with supreme and exclusive jurisdietion over the District of Columbia,- its citizens must of necessity. look to Congress alone for all' needful ‘legislation .afl'ectingnthei-r interests, and as the territory of this Distriet is the eommon property of the people of the United States, who, equall?', with its resident citizens, are interested in the I;ln'osperity of their Capital, I eannot doubt that you will be amply sustained by the general voice of the eountry in any measure you may adopt for this purpose. I also invite the favorable consideration of Congl';ess to the wants of the public schools of this District, as exhibited in the report of the Commissioners. While the number of pupils is rapidly increasing, no adequate provision exists for a corresponding increase of school accommodation, and the Commissioners are without the means to meet this urgent need. A number of the buildings now used for school purposes are rented, and are in important particulars unsuited for the pur}[);)se. The cause of popular education in the Distriet of Columbia is surely entitled to the same consideration at the hands of the National Government as in the several States and Territories, to which munificent grants of the publie lands have been made for the endowment of schools and universities. RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.: Executive Mansion, Dec. 1, 1879.. .

A Hard Winter. DurinG the drizzle yesterday afternoon there was a choice crowd of old citizens under the porticos of the City Hall, and one such group was joined by a threadbare stranger, who scratched his itching back against the earving on one of the pillars and asked: - ¢ Gentlemen, is this going to be a hard winter?”’ It is!” replied every man together. *“Work will be scarce and provisions high, eh?” | ‘¢ Yes,” they replied. : ‘“ Weather "will be so all-fired cold that water will burst all the waterpipes, I suppose?”’ ““ Yes, it will.”? » “Won’t be any show for a poor man like me?”’ ““Nota bit.” “I'd probably freeze to death while looking-for a job?”’ : ; ~ “You would—you would!” * «“Well, that’s what I thought, and I Wanfito arrange to go to the work-house for three months. I don’t want to go over as a vag, because that’s low-down. I’d rather be charged with assault and battery. Will one of you gentlemen please let me cuff off his hat and then ask the officer to arrest me?”’ After some hesitation one citizen with more philanthropy than the others stepped out. His plug hat was jammed clear down to his top vest-button at a blow, he was knocked right and left by cuffs on the head, and as a climax was whirled around and given several kicks which weighed fifty pounds apiece. ““There!” said the stranger, as he shut off steam and slowedup. ¢ That fixes both of us, you’ll remember me and I’ll remember you, and you may call an officer.” o : Some of the group called one out of the corridor, but the officer said he could not make such an arrest unless he saw the fight or had a warrant. sVg we%l,” replied the stranger, ‘as he moved off, “I am willing to sub‘mit to your maturer judgment and experience,”and I can’t wait here all day! Good-bye, prophets! I think my best way will be to %et into Canada and leave your hard old winter to run herself.— Detroit Free Press.

How General SPinner Invented Fractional Currency. THE origin of the fractional -currency, which has been in the past few years superseded by fractional silver, is somewhat peculiar and not generally known. The appearance of this. currency, which at first was always spoken of as ‘¢ postal currency,” was due to the premium on specie. Gold being up and taking with it silver, these coins disappeared from -circulation. Stockings were brought out, and the precious metals found their way to their heels and toes. It was more than a day’s search to find a five-cent silver piece or any other small denomination of that coin. People could not find exchange for small transactions. In buying a dinner in the market change had to be taken 'in beets, cabbages, potatoes and what not. General Spinner was then Treasurer of the United States. He was constantly appealed to from all quarters to do something to supply the demand for small change. He had no law under which he could act, but after buying a half-dollar's worth of apples several times and receiving for his half-dollar in change more or less different kinds of produce, he began to cast around for a substitute for small change. In his dilemma he bethought: him of the postage stamp. He sent down to the Postoffice Department and purchased a quantity of stamps. He then ordered up a package of the paper upon which Government securities were printed. He cut the paper into various sizes. On the pieces he pasted stamps to represent different amounts. He thus initiated a substitute for fractional silver. This was not, however, a Government transaction in any sense.- It could not be. General Spinner distributed his improvised currency among the clerks of the Department. They: took it readily, and the trade-folks more readily. The idea spread; the postagestamps, either detached or pasted upon ‘a piece of paper, became the medium of small exchange. It was dubbed “postal currency.” From this General Spinner got his idea of the fractional currency and went before Congress with it. -That body readily adopted it, and but a short time after General Spinner had begun pasting operations a law was on the statute book providing for the issue of the fractional currency which became so popular, The fac-simile of postage stamps was ‘¥ut’on each piece of currency, and for a long time it was known as ‘¢ F’ostal currency.”” The introduction o Eostal stamps as money entailed considerable loss to those who handled them. In a short time they | became so worn. and disfigured that th'?, would not take a letter on'its way, and were therefore worthless.— Washington Star. e Ml

- FACTS AND FIGURES. ‘ GEORGIA’S gold mines yield over a million dollars a year. 9 , OVER 400 miles of railroad are being built in Nebraska this year. r TaHE Yuken River, in Alaska, is navigable for steamers 2,500 miles. SAN JoaQuiN County, California, has this year paid bounty on the scalps of 65,000 squirrels. . UpwarDp of 2,000,000 acres.of land have been taken by settlers in Manitoba during the past two years. Durine October over 35,000,000 postal cards were sent from the factory—the largest month’s business ever done. THE Chinese are invading the Sandwich Islands. Over 2,008 Chinamen arrived at Honolulu in the second half of last year. . ' FRANCE had 21,992 vessels, with a tonnage of 164,000 tons, and manned by 82,431 sailors, engaged in the fisheries last year. : THE big%est- area of oil lands ever disposed of in Pennsylvania at once was the recent sale of the 700 acres ecomErised in the' Moody tract near Bradord to three companies for $105,000.

An experienced apple-buyer estimates that 150,000 barrels will be bought at Lockport, New York, this season, and that the erop is about one and one-half times larger than usual. IN the month of October the elevated railroads of New York City carried 4,958,853 passengérs—nearly five millions! This is an average of abouf 160,000 a day, counting seven days in the week. ; CHAuTAUQUA CouNnTY, N. Y,. has been very productive this year. Its cheese shipments are about 5,000,000 pounds, and its grape crop is estimated at 1,309,740 pounds. Apples, potatoes and quinces have beenno less bountiful. THE President of the California State Vinicultural Society has reported 60,000 acres covered with vineyards, numbering 45,000,000 vines, and representing, with the land; a capital of $30,000,000. Another complete report is to be made ten years hence. ‘ INDIA now produces, without calculating what is grown in the native States, from 30,000,000 to 35,000,900 quarters of wheat per annum, or about the same as France and Russia. With this may be compared the production of the United Kingdom, which amounts only to from 10,000,000 to 13,000,000 quarters per annum. LETTER-WRITING in Great Britain goes largely ahead of this country, it being thirty-one per capita there, comparefi with sixteen per capita here for the past year. The use of postal cards, however is nearly twice as great in this country as in Great Britain, and the number of newspapers sent through the mails is seven times as great, Wh'isle the number forwarded through the express agencies is supposed to largely exceed a similar distribution there. The money-order system is more largely made use of in Great Britain than here.

Oriental Bargains. ‘ } EvERY traveler in Palestine learns ( from experience that he has to pay an ample price for everything he receives and enjoys. There seems to be no fixed price, but the vender or employe %ets all he finds it possible to procure. ut one of his methods, peculiar enough, is to begin his bar%ain by making no charge. We remember that the dragoman to whom we applied at Nablus to conduct us to Damascus refused at first to make any charge whatever for his - services, but declared he would be amply rewarded for his eight days’ going and returning by the mere companionship of a Frank. On ur%'lng him to name a price, he put so high an estimate upon his valuable aid that we were compelled to forego the pleasure of his company. We found out that it was all a ruse. He was hoping to be offered our price, thinking it might be a large one, and was determineg that if it did not suit him "he would then raise it as high as he might see fit. Every one who has traveled at all leisurely through the country has met with simi{ar instances of shrewd bargaining. Dr. Thomson says he has been presented with hundreds of houses and

fields and horses, and by-standers were called in to witness the deed, and a score of protestations and oaths were taken to seal the truth of the donation; all of which meant just nothing, or rather just as great a price as he could possibly be induced to pay. A knowledligle of this adroit method of dea.lin§, still current in Palestine, greatly facilitates our understanding of Abraham’s purchase of a burial-place for his wife. Hebron is much the same to-day as in his time. If one were to arrange for the purchase of a tomb for a member of his family, he would likely be told that he could have one for nothing. There is great exclusiveness in the matter of tombs, and a high price is expected. The Hittites said to Abraham, on his application for the purchase of one: *‘Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty Prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchers bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulcher, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.”’. Beautiful compliment! but only comEliment. Abraham, however, wastoo shrewd a man not to see through the trick; so he repelled the liberzfi offer, but insisted on payin for the burial place. E&hron, with afi due politeness, said: ‘¢ a{, my lord, ‘hear me: the field give I thee, and the ‘cave that is therein, I give it thee; in ‘the presence of the sons of mg peo le give I it thee: bury thiylf dead.’ Igut : '%braham understood the proposition for buksheesh too well to accept, and insisted on an outright purchase. So Ephron named four hundred shekels of silver. But ¢‘four hundred shekels; what is that betwixt me and thee?’ A mere trifie by name, but a very large price in fact. This, however, was serious business for Abraham, and he madeno objection. So he proceeded 30‘ weigh out the money, just as men do now in Palestine, with a little psji'r‘ of scales, to see that none of the coins are clipped. But Oriental custom requires that all the specifications be named in every contract. = When you buy a house, not only the building, but every room in it, must be named, above and below, to the kitchen, pantry, stable and hen-wo‘f. ‘So when Abraham bought a field, he also bought the cave

that was therein, and all the trees in the field, and all that were in all the borders round about. Then this sale was effected in public, just as all simi-: lar transactions in these days are brought about.” When any sale is-now effected in a town or village, the whole population turn out to witness it, in the space about the city gate. . All the people take part in discussing the matter with as much interest as if they were personally-concerned: "In this way the transaction acquires legal force; it has many living witnesses.—Dr. J. F. Hurst, in Harper's Magazine for December. : A :

SENSE AND NONSENSE. . THE dress circle—The belt. - ‘ - MosT of our misery comes from our fearing and disliking things that| never happen at all.—Good Company. “THE balance-of trade’ is that portion of patronage which is waited for in vain by the business man who does not advertise.—Rome Sentinel. ~ ' . WHEN you see a callow youth with a wooden toothpick in his mouth, it is not' circumstantial evidence that he’s selling lumber by sample.—XN. Y. News. How QuirTLY flows the river to the sea, yet it always gets there. This is a good point to remember when you are trying to rush things. — New Haven. Register. ' e : THE manager of a church fair not far away, when asked if there would be music each evening, replied, No,” and. then added, ¢ but there will be singing.”’ : : : ' Ir a hunter will only hunt longs enough he will be sure to-pull his gun over the fence by the muzzle, and the day he does that he quits hunting— Detroit Free Press: = - : ‘ " - A BAND of I,soo'sheep was burned to death by a brush fire near Ventura, Cal., the other day. The fire surrounded the stock before the herder could drive them out of danger. . WHEN a man in Connecticut is killed by abuzz saw they arrest his family and hold them until the State chemist has examined the man’s stomach in search of arsenic.—Boston Post. _ THE Alte Californian claims 1,266,000 inhabitants on the Pacific slope now; against 821,058 when the last census was taken. The returns of votes cast at recent elections seem to justify this claim. e . : It is strange how the.sudden opening of a parlor door will send two people to the ends of a sofa, and set them to counting the figures in the carpet. There must be something powerful in the draft of air to blow human beings around in that way.—Providence Journal. e : PRESIDENT "LINCOLN once listengd patiently while a friend read a lofi({; manuscript to him, and who then asked: ““What do you think of -it ? how will it take?’ The President reflected a little ngfle, and then answered: ¢ Well, for pople who like that kind of thing, I think that that is just the kind of thing they’d like.”’ | : THERE are three persons in Augusta (Me.) jail for debt. One is a welleducated young man, whose father died twenty years ago, leavi_n% him ap estate' worth one million dollars; the second is confined by the town of Mount Vernon for non-payment of taxes; the third refuses to pay for a newspaper which he had subscribed for and read. WHEN Mrs. Shoddeigh read in the paper that the Government had expended $181,000,000 on its Indian service, she urged Mr. Shoddeigh to write immediately and ascertain where it was purchased. She said her China service cost only $3,500, and she could never be happy afa,in until she was the owner of an Indian service.—Norristown Herald. SR B

CoNJUGAL AFFECTION. —Mrs. Foozle (improving the occasion): ¢‘ls it not sad, my dear, about your friend, Mr. Buffles, drinkiag sO, lately? T'm told his only excuse is the loss of his wife.”: Mr. Foozle (excitedly): ‘‘Only excuse—only excuse, madam! And a very good excuse, too. There are many men who would be glad to have the same excuse.”—Fum. .. o - AN Arizona judge has just shown his appreciation of modern improvements in firearms by shooting and Kkilling an editor. The editor’s partner immediately shot the magistrate and was himself waylaid and extinguished the same night by some parties unknown. The total bag for the day’s sport was djudge and two editors.. Altogether it was a great day for Arizona. THREE whales appeared off Cape May, N. J., recently, close in-shore, going eastward slowly, throwing single spouts about twenty feet into the air. They were probably of the sperm species. Large flocks of sea-gulls surrounded and dived about them. They stopped the gill-net fishermen, who were after -sna,pgino' mackerel, and kept possession o the sea during the day. : ; ~ THERE.is a le%end common in Scandinavia that a dishonest hand-maiden of the Blessed Virgin purloined. her mistress’ silver scissors, and that she was transformed into a lapwing ?or unish‘ment, the forked tail of the ’birg beinfi a brand of the theft, and that the bir was doomed to a continual confession of the crime by the plaintiye cry, ¢ Tyvit, tyvit,”’ that is in%candinavian, ¢ I stole them, I stole them.” e

“«YouU see, massa,”’ said the old colored washwoman, ¢ since dey’s got dese here big crayvats we don’t hab so much to do. De gemmen dputs on a big crayvat nowadays, instead ob a clean ghirt. You don’t know much about dese matters, but if you take off all de crayvats in this town, an’ make the emmen show up, landsakes! you'd see ge' worst lookin’ white men you ebber laid yo' blessed eyes on."’—Syracuse A CURIOUS thm% happened to Deacon Davis Newton, of Woodbridge, Conn. The deacon went to the churc% lectureroom to start a fire. While inside the room he heard a tremendous knock at the door, which he opened. On the gmundpal;‘:fddrgé hi»n;hhe SawW :i péum’}]). young partridge in the agony of death, A‘mo%nent afterward. a sportsman and s -dg%hgve ‘infsiglfit. %het:filgl had probably been frightened by the gunner, and flew wxl;lhg hghtningy l‘apié:;n It struck the door with such force as to breskitaneek. .o