Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1879 — EPITOME OF THE WEEK. [ARTICLE]

EPITOME OF THE WEEK.

Current Paragraphs. ; The principal Irish landlords are said to be actively engaged in relieving the distress in Ireland. The British Government has removed the restriction on the importation of American sheep. Yakoob Khan, the late Ameer of Afghanistan, has been sent under a strong escort to Peehavur. ' • It is stated that the famine in Upper Silesia has become so serious that in many villages over one-third of the population are starving. •>. The United States Mints coined during November: Ki,9oU,lßsin gold, 92,499,0)0 standard sliver, and 931,236 minor coins: total, 96,4.39,421. The Kellogg-Spofford Investigating ) Committee closed its labors in New Orleans on the 3d, and adjourned to meet in Washington to prepare their report.

A great Temperance excitement is prevailing in Georgia.' At Atlant* three thousand people have taken the pledge, and one.county has voted for prohibition. Several shirt and collar factories at Troy, N. Y., were burned on the 7th, causing a I<ms of about 9350,000, and throwing nearly 2,000 men and women out of employment. The London Timet of a recent date says United States Government bonds were hardly to be procured there, and their prices were a mere reflex of those of New York. The Board of Managers of the New York Produce Exchange have recently issued an order that the cental system, so far as it relate* to grain, shall go into effect on the 31st fnst. A New York Inspector of Elections, who had been convicted of making false returns of the election in 1878, was sentenced on the Ist to imprisonment for eighteen months. The Trustees of Rev. Mr. Talmage’s church in New York have voted to withdraw from the Presbytery because of the alleged “ persecutions to which their pastor has been subjected.” ‘. ' There being a great demand for onecent bronze pieces the Philadelphia Mint turned out over 3,000,000 pieces of that denomination during November, and the demand still continues.

The Canadian Government has decided to appoint a Minister Resident in London, and who will also be a member of the ' Cabinet, and it was also stated on the 2d that Sir A. T. Galt had been appointed. The Secretary of the Interior has recently decided that the benefits of the Tim-ber-culture law may be secured by planting cotton-wood trees. This decision reverses the former rulings of the Department. News has been received that a war had broken out in Western Africa between rival chiefs, in which twdhundred persons had already been killed, and that all the prisoners ou both sides were cooked and eaten. One of the buildings attached to the Bellevue Hospital in New York was destroyed by fire on the night of the 6lh, and three children were burned to death and several female patients were severely Injured by the flames. Cardinal Manning has issued an appeal for subscriptions to relieve the distress in Ireland; It is stated that in the west of Ireland such hunger, poverty and want have not been witnessed since the great Irish famine. Dispatches of the 6th announce that Secretary Sherman's proposal to purchase 91,00,00) of the bonds known as 6’s of 1881 for the sinking fund had elicited offers of 91,470,000, at prices varying from 106.35 to 106.87. . ; Oliver Wendell Holmes’ seventieth birthday anniversary was celebrated at Boston on the 3d by a breakfast, at which Emerson, Longfellow and a number of other men of letters of note gathered to do honor to tjie man and the occasion. A man named Upton,- of Ansonia, Conn., returned home drunk a : few nights ago and threw at his wife a lighted lamp, which fell into the cradle, and a child was • burned to death. The wife, in endeavoring to save the child, was also fatally burned. A committee of Republican Senators appointed to decide upon a financial policy for the jmrty during the present session of Congress came to an almost unanimous decision on the sth to recommend that no action whatever be taken affecting paper money.

The Governor of Senegal, Western Africa, haa beep instructed by the French Government to send an expedition to explore the region lying between the Upper Senegal and Niger Rivera, and report on the feasibility of the construction of a railway between the two rivers. Secretary. Sherman has recently issued a circular inviting proposals for the sale to the Government of 11,000,000 of the six per cciU. interest-bearing bonds of the United States, known as “ sixes of 1881.” The bonds thus to be purchased will be applied to the sinking fund. The public-debt statement for November makes the following exhibit; Total debt (including interest), *3,223,267,410. Cash in Treasury, Debt, less amount in Treasury, *2,016,049,722. Decrease during the month, *7W.523. Decrease since June 30, 1879, >11,157,533. The flooring of a grain and flour min at Brook ton, Mass., gave way on the night of the sth, precipitating three men and about 5,C00 bushels of corn into the cellar beneath. The men were buried up in the grain and suffocated. Their bodies were recovered in the course of the night <

The United States Senate on the 3d voted to continue for nresent the Standing and Select Committees appointed at the last session, with but two changes—Mr. Ferry to take the place of the late Mr. Chandler on the Committee on Naval Affairs, and Mr. Baldwin (the new Senator from - Michigan) to fill the vacancy, caused by Mr. Chandler’s death, on the Committee on Commerce. e Among the nominations made by the President to the Senate on the Ist were the following: George W. McCrary, of lowa, to be United States Judge in the Eighth Circuit; William H. Hayes, of Kentucky, to be United States District Judge in the District of Kentucky; Charles G. French to be Chief Justice of Arizona Territory; Norman Buck, of Idaho, to be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Idaho Territory. Ucneral. A (.ape Town telegram received on the Ist says the peace policy of the Government had wholly broken down, and the proposed wholesale disarmament of the natives had proved a failure. The Boers were also u to be in rebellion and to have established armed camps throughout the Trans-

A large mass-meeting was held in Chicago on the evening of the Ist to express sympathy for the land-reformers of Ireland. Speeches were made by several prominent gentlemen, and an address, setting forth the oppression under which the Irish people suffer and requesting the moral and material support of all Americana, was adopted. An unknown man forced himself into an apartment occupied by a medical board in Constantinople on the 2d, and made an indiscriminate attack upon the members with a revolver. Before he could be seized four of the council were wounded. The Democrats were successful in the municipal election In New Haven, Conn., on the 2d. It was announced on the 2d that the Czar had decided to form a Council, te be made up of nobles appointed by the Emperor and members of the middle and peasant classes chosen by ballot The body thus constituted will have advisory powers only. ‘ The Catholic Bishop of Boston, in a communication published on the 2d, urge* the faithful to send their children to parochial institution* when possible, and if such schools do not exist, to establish them, but he does not recommend excommunication or other severe measures in the cases of those who disregard his advice.

A St. Petersburg dispatch of the 3d gives the details of the late attempt to assassinate the Czar. It seems that the conspirators bad dug a tunnel 150 feet long which extended from an unoccupied house to the middle of the railroad bed, and in this had placed wires connected with a battery at one end and a large quantity of powder at the other. The train bearing the Czar was following one containing his baggage, but before reaching Moscow the position of the trains were reversed, and the explosion occurred Just as the baggage train was over the plant The train was almost entirely destroyed and several persons on board badly injured. So great was the force of the explosion that a hole was created in the road bed five feet deep, sixteen long and eighteen broad. There was great excitement throughout Russia, and the Czar was constantly receiving telegraphic congratulatory messages. Before the White River Peace Commission on the Ist Colorow, of the White River Utes, gave in his testimony and then voluntarily surrendered himself a prisoner, lie said that Hulupeewit was the Indian who took Mrs. Price prisoner, who claimed to her that he was an t'neompaghre Ute. General Hatch’s theory that the fight between the Indians and the soldiers was an accident was clearly proven; the Indians had left the main road to avoid the soldiers, and if Major Thornburgh had kept the main road he would have reached the agency unmolested. Colorow knew Indians to whom the Mormons had projosed to furnish arms and ammultiou. Mr. Hatch telegraphed to Secretary Schurz on the Ist that the Indians were coming into the agency, and seemed inclined to' testify more freely. New Orleans dispatches of the 3d claim the election of Wiltz (Democrat) for Governors by 20,000 majority. The new Constitution was believed to have been adopted by a majority fully as large. Ex-Pijesid'ent Grant arrived in Chicago on the evening of the 3d. He will remain there for a week, and then start for the South and East.

By a vote of 243 to 107 the French Chamber of Deputies, on the 4th, voted that the Cabinet bad its confidence, and that of the country. _ „ Rev. Arthur Wagneri of Brighton, England, a prominent Church-of-England clergyman, ha* seceded and gone over to the Church of Rome. Andrew Tracy was hung at Smithport, Pa., on the 4th, for killing Mary Reilly, whom the rule* of the Catholic Church forbade him to many because they were first cousins. The first attempt at the hanging was a failure, Tracy’s fall causing thu knot to untie, thus allowing him to fall to the ground uninjured. The knot was readjusted, and this time he was satisfactorily executed. Chief Jack arrived at the White River Agency on the 3d, and at the • date of the dispatch received next day was testifying freely. The Commission was confident of arriving at the truth. Agent Stanley had been ordered to report at Washington. Thomas Brennan, a leading land agitator of Dublin, was arrested on the sth for the use of seditious words. Accounts from Egypt, received on they sth, that the Government was actively; preparing for war with Abyssinia. ’ Several of the Afghans who hail been appointed by the British authorities to rule over the districts In Afghanistan have lately been murdered.

In his testimony before the Commission on the sth Jack claimed that the removal of the agency was the commencement of the recent troubles; that, at an elevation of 8,700 feet, with frost every month in the year, farming was impossible; that he and his band received no rations for a year, which he claimed was a violation of the treaty of 1868; that his engagement with the troops was a fair fight. He called Douglas a squaw-man for having attacked the agency, and insisted that a white inan would, under the same circumstances, have fought Thornburgh! Application was made on the 4th to the Maine Supreme Court, upon the petition of Andrew R. G. Smith, Senator-elect from Lincoln County, and Nathan T. Hill, Senatorelect from Hancock County, asking the court to issue a rule of court to the Secretary of State, commanding him to ap|>ear before said court December 9, and show cause why he should not give said Senators access to the returns of the Senatorial votes of their respective districts, and an opportunity to examine the same, and for a writ of mandamus to issue against said Secretary. The Judge issued the order. A Winnepeg (Manitoba) dispatch of the Ist says the Canadian Indians were becoming troublesome. They were coming into the settlements, demanding food, and threatening to take it by force if it were not given them.

It was stated on the Ist that negotiations between Bismarck and the Vatican had suddenly closed, as.. Bismarck would not agree to the restoration of the German Bishops. There seemed to be every probability that the old struggles were recommencing. A dispatch of the 6th says the Montenegrins at Velika had that day been attacked by several thousand Albanians. After a desperate fight, resulting in heavy losses on both sides, the Albanians were driven off. In consequence of the sudden rise of the Koros River, in Hungary, the city of Crosswardein has been inundated and almost depopulated. The news from St. Petersburg reports the Czar as being extremely depressed. His fits of melancholy have returned, and almost overpower him at times. During a recent cyclone in the Bay of Bengal a storm-wave swept over Monkishkal Island, drowning several hundred persona A Los Pinos telegram of the 6th to Secretary Schurz stated that the Commission closed the testimoay relative to the White River troubles on the day before and demanded the surrender of the parties recognized at the massacre. The list included the bead chief, Douglas. The Indians were holding a counct relative to the demand.

Congres . Monday, December I.—The Senate was called to order at noon by Vice-President Wheeled and prayer wmoffered by theory

lain. Messrs. Anthony and Bayard were appointed a Committee to wait on the President, in conjunction with the House Committee, and inform him that Congress was assembled. The President '• message was received and read. Mr. Ferry then formally announced the death of his late colleague, Senator Chandler ... Speaker Randall called the House to order at noon. The roll-call showed 232 members present and fifty-six absent. The newly-elected members from California, low* and New York took the iron-clad oath. The President's annual message was received and read, and, together with accompanying documents, was referred to the Committee of the Whole. Ti'MDtT, December 2.—ln the Senate Mr. Gordon introduced a joint resolution, which was referred to the Committee o n Com meree, declaring that the Government pledges to accord full and entire protection to the company which should be granted concession by the Government of Nicaragua for the construction of an Inter-Oceanic Canal in that country, and will secure to said company the peaceful enjoyment of the rights ao conceded. A Mil was introduced and referred to protect life and property and to prevent accidents and delay of mails on railroads and steamboats operated under the jurisdiction of the United State*. Mr. Bumside made a speech on his resolution of the previous session reaffirming the Monroe doctrine in connection with the proposed Darien Canal. ..In the House Mr. Ellis introduced the same joint resolution offered by Mr. Gordon in the Senate relative to the Inter-Oceanic Canal, and it was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. A preamble and resolution were offered by Mr. Price and referred declaring that sound policy demanded that no change be made at this session of Congress in regard to the Specie-Resumption measure, the law providing for the circulation of 9350.000,000 of greenbacks and the Silver-Coinage law, but that, “in view of the present prosperous condition of the country financially we should let well-enough alone. Mr. Thompson . (Ky.) introduced a private War-Claim bin, and wished to have it referred to the Judiciary Committee, but it was, on motion, referred to the Committee on War Claims, by a vote of 114 to 111, nine Democrats voting with the Republicans in the affirmative. Mr. Fort offered a resolution, which was referred, declaring against any attempt to withdraw or change the legal status and quality of any of the paper money issued by the Government. Bills were Introduced, among others, to remove the Ute Indians from Colorado; relating to the crime of bigamy; prohibiting dress parades of the army on Sabbath days; equalizing the bounties of soldiers of the last war.

Wednesday, December B.—A bill was introduced in the Senate for the payment of customs duties in legal-tender notes. Henry P. Baldwin, of Michigan, wa* sworn in as the successor of the late Mr. Chandler. Mr. Bayard introduced a Joint resolution, which was referred, providing that Treasury notes should be receivable for all dues to the United States except duties on imports, and should not be otherwise legal tender. Mr. Ingalls then offered a resolution, which was laid on the table and ordered printed, declaring that the present volume of United States notes should not be reduced, and that they ought to continue to bo a legal tender for debts. A motion offered by Mr. Davis (W. Vo.) galling on the Secretary nt the Treasury for a detailed statement of expenditures since 1863, under the permanent annual appropriations, was agreed t0....8i11s were introduced in the House—to Umit the rate of interest on bonds yet to be issued under former acta of Congress to three and one-half per cent.; directing investigation into the removal of the Ponca Indians; for the relief Of soldiers and sailors who served in the late war, and to restore to them equal rights with the holders of Government bonds; for the transfer of the Indian Bureau ts the War Department; authorizing the Washington, .Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad to construct a 'narrow-gauge railway from tide-water to St. Louis: to facilitate the refunding of the National debt. Thursday, December 4.—A number of private bills were introduced In the Senate. Bills were also introduced—to facilitate the funding of the National debt; to provide for the saleof the remainder of the reservation bf the confederated Otoe and Missouri tribes of Indians in Nebraska and Kansas; to make an additional article of war, prohibiting gambling by officers or soldiers, or in post Mr. Carpenter offered a resolution declaring that, in the opinion of the Senate, any legislation during the present session materially changing the existing system of finance would be inexpedient. Mr. Davis (W. Va.) offered a resolution, which was laid on the tabic and ordered printed, calling on the Secretary of the Treasury for a talaibtted statement showing the total amount paid out In each fiscal year from 1886 to STH, inclusive, for claims growing out of the tewar. Adjourned to the 6th... In the House a resolution was introduced by Mr. Gillette and referred, declaring that Congress is not only opposed to any reduction in the volume of United States legal-tender notes, but, on the contrary, is in favor of substituting groeninicks for National Bank notes; and that it is in favor of the free and unrestricted coinage of the 4124 grains silver dollar. A petition of the National Grange and Patrons of Huslmndry was presented asking for the enactment of such laws as will relievo the country from the unlawful exactions of transportation companies engaged in inter-Statc commerce. A bill was introduced to return to the freedmen of the South their savings deposited in the Freedmen's Savings and Trust Company. Adjourned to the Bth.