Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1869 — NEWS OF THE WEEK. [ARTICLE]

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

‘ FOREIGN. Cuban partisans in Washington, on the 12ih, had advices from Nuevitas and Puerto Principe, to the effect that the Spaniards had been reinforced at Nuevitas, and were thus enabled to retain possession of the railroad from that city to Puerto Principe, and give succor to the garrison of the latter city, which was threated by the Cubans under Quesada. In the District of Puerto del Padre there had been several skirmishes. The health of the Cuban army was good, and the soldiers were organized. There was great anxiety to learn the views of the United States Government, and the position it will occupy in the contest Young Bennett’s yacht Dauntless arrived at Queenstown on the 11th, in 12 days, 17 hours and G minutes from New York. A New York Herald special from Havana, July 10, has advices from Mexico to the 3d instant Oa Saturday, July 3, the Cabinet Ministers of President Juarez entertainod General Rosocrans at a breakfast. United States Minister Nelson had entered upon his duties. On the 25th instant Minister Marriscut and Commissioner Placias will sail from Vera Cruz for the United States. The elections in Mexico have resulted in favor of the Govern"ment

The members of the British Cabinet resolved on the 10th that they would not concur in any of the amendments to the Irish Church bill that will iu any way impair the principle of total disendowment. ■ It was officiallyannounced in Paris on tbe 13th that Senate would be convoked for August 2, that the session of the Corps Legislatlf would be immediately prorogued, and that the resignations of the Ministers had been accepted, Tort they would continue to hold office until their successors are appointed. The American steamer Hero has been detained by the authorities at Porto Rico on suspicion of being employed by the Cuban insurrectionists. The British House of Lords finally passed the Irish Church Bill on the 12th. The principle of concurrent endowment was carried as an amendment. Advices from Rio Janeiro to the lGth ult. state that the allied forces had fought a decisive battle with the Paraguayans, and achieved a complete victory. A new Ministry has been formed in Spain, with Gen. Prim as President of the Council and Minister of War. In the British House of Commons, on the 15th, the amendment of the Lords, respecting concurrent endowment was defeated by a vote of 346 against 222, making tbe Government majority 124. The amendment in regard to the surplus funds was also disagreed to by a vote of 346 against 164. The original date—Jan. 1,1871 —for the dissolution of the legists live union between the Church of England and Ireland was agreed to without a division. The London Times of the 16th states that Gen. Prim and other Spanish states m m are onvinced that tho separation of Cuba from the mother country is only a question of time. The Times advises Spain to sell the Island to the United States, and regard herself fortunate that dll: has, at present, anything left to sell. The now ocean cable was spliced to the shore end on the 14th, and a message was sent over it. to the Emperor Napoleon. The laying of the shore end began on the 16th. Tun Brest cable, by its satisfactory response to all tests, is thought to be the best cable yet 'aid. A. D. Bassett (colored), United States Minister to Htyti, has arrived at Port au Prince, The L indou Times of Ihe 16th asserts that if the House of Lords persist in their opposition to the Irish Church bill as passed by the Commons, a collision must ensue between the two bodies Intelligence from Santiago de Cuba, Bth inst , reports fighting going on thirty miles from that city. The patriots , were strongly reinforced. General Jordon had joined the Cabans under General Figucreilo, and commanded a large force. The Spanish Governor of Baracoa was actively burning property and killing all who fell into his hands.

DOMESTIC. A dispatch from Houston, Texas, on the 10th, reports unprecedented floods in the Colorado Valley. The water was all over the country, in some places twenty feet deep, and was still rising. Lagrange had lieeu evacuated. Columbus was deserted. Aouses were seen floating past Lagrange. The water was in the tops of life trees on the bottom lands , The Secretary of the Treasury has directed the Assistant Treasurer at New York to purchase $3,000,000 United States bouds each Wednesday during the present month. The currency balance in the Treasury on the 10th was about $30,000,000. There were three deaths from cholera in New York city during the week ending July 10th. Work on the Lincoln monument at Springfield, 111., has commenced. The brig A. Eldred, which left New York city for Cuba on the 28d ult, with arms, ammunition and 130 men, returned on the 10th, the men having refused to enlist on their arrival iu Cuba, because of the cholera. Two of the adventurers died of cholera on the return trip. On the Fashion Course, Long Island, on the 12 th, American Girl beat Lady Thorne, winning a purse $2,000. Tne State Department has issued a circular- advising citizens haying Claims against the Mexican Republic to forward them at once to Washington, to be plated

before the Commission appointed to pass upon them. . A rumor was current and generally credited in New York city on the 13th, that Colonel Ryan and his men had succeeded in running the blockade off Gardiner’s Island, and were on the way to Cuba. The Chinese Labor Convention, composed of delegates from the Southwest assembled at Memphis, Tenn., on the 13th, and organized by choosing ex-Gov. Isham G. Harris, of Tennosse, permanent President, with a long list of Vice-Presidents and Secretaries. The great Decatur cotton case, involving the value of 1,500 bales of cotton, has been decided against the Government at Memphis. Secretary Boutwell will carry the case up to a higher court. Advices from General Carr’s Indian expedition state that on the 11th a large village of Dog Soldiers, Cheyennes, were taken by surprise, and fifty warriors, commanded by Tall Bull, killed. Seventeen women and children, among whom were Tall Bull’s wife and daughter, were taken prisoners, and three hundred and fifty horses and mules, eighty lodges, sixty rifles and pistols, a number of robes and camp equipage were captured. The Indians held two white women, captured on the Saline, as prisoners. Arrangements have been concluded between L. B. Boomer, of Chicago, and tbe directors of the Leavenworth (Kansas) Bridge Company, for the construction of a bridge over the Missouri river at Leavenworth.

Attorney Gen. Hoar has decided that the commencement of the main line of the Pacific Railroad is at the 100th meridian of longitude west from Greenwich, and terminates at the eastern boundary of California. A Washington telegram of the 14th says: “ Government authorities here seem quite determined not to permit the working of the French cable until some provisions for reciprocity are concluded by the French Government. Secretary Fish said, this morning, that the American end of the cable must be buoyed until the assembling of Congress, unless the company would agrees to favor reciprocity, and abide by such legislation as Congress may see proper to enact.” Several parties in New York city have begun an air-ship, something like the California one, and promise to finish it in two months. They propose to cross the Atlantic in fifteen hours. By an accident on the Missouri & Burlington Railroad, near Ottumwa, lowa, on the 14th, three children lost their lives and considerable rolling stock was destroyed. A Colored State Educational Convention met at Louisville, Ky., on the 14th. About 200 delegates wvere in attendance. A special train with an excursion party of Eastern railroad men on the Kansas Pacific Railroad broke through a bridge, on the 14th, abou. eighteen miles east of Leavenworth, iu consequence of the unprecedented high water. The engineer and fireman were instantly killed, the con ductor and, brakeman seriously, and several passengers slightly, injured. > A terrible tornado swept over Lexington, Mo., on the*lsth, doing considerable damage to property. The Caucasian newspaper office was destroyed.

Arizona advices received on the 15th. say that a portion of the Eighth Cavalry attacked a band of Indians near Wickenburg. Nine savages were killed, and one soldier seriously injured. The sale of lager beer in Boston was generally resumed on the 15th, the State constabulary having evidently received instructions to be less rigid in regard to it. The deliberations of the Chinese Labor Convention at Memphis resulted in the organization of the Mississippi Valley Emigration Company, with a capital stock of $1,000,000, in $100 shares, and $40,000 of the stock were subscribed on the spot. A telegram from Green River, received in Omaha on the 10th, announces the receipt of intelligence from the Powell Expedition up to July 4. The party passed the rapids, losing but one boat. All were welL When last heard from they were at Henry’s Fork. A passenger train on the Union Pacific Railroad met with a serious accident near Antelope Station, on the 15th. In consequence of the washing away of an embankment, the engine, tender, two baggage and three passenger cars were thrown from the track and completely broken up. The fireman, Melvin Shears, of Michigan, and a passenger,John Dwyer, of Emmittsburg, Md., were killed, and the engineer and two passengers seriously injured.

Owing to the importance of questions involved in the Yerger case, AttorneyGeneral Hoar has entered into a written stipulation with Messrs. Phillips and Carlisle, counsel for Yerger, whereby these questions will be brought before the Supreme Court in October next. Ip the meantime the application to Chief justice Chase is suspended without prejudice to the petititioner, and the President agrees that no sentence of the military Commission will be carried into effect, save such as may relate to the safe custody of the prisoner. A terrible accident occurred on the Erie Railroad on the night of the 14th. The night expresa train from N«#w York city ran into a freight train which had been left partially on the track, instead of a side track, about thirty miles from Carr's Rock. The engine, tender, baggage car, express car, smoking car, one passenger car and a sleeping oar were thrown off the track and smashed out of all shape. The splintered cars and fragments of timbers came into Contact with scattered fire from the locomotive, and a conflagration en*

sued, in which the timbers, baggage and wounded passengers all went to feed tho flames. Seven cars were destroyed and a number of passengers lo3t their lives, many being burnt to death. The following is a New York telegram of the 10th : “ There are few additional particulars of the Erie Railroad accident. Mr. Gibson, a passenger, says of the burning of the smoking car, that iu it, wedged in his seat by the heap of broken timber, sat Rev. Mr. Halieck, of New York city, perfectly unhurt, but unablo to extricate him* self from the wreck. In ealm accents and perfectly collected tones, he told us to got an axe to try and cut an opening in the side of the car. We searched around, arid obtained one from a house by the roadside, but it was so dull we could do nothing with it. We worked and strove to liberate the unfortunate gentleman, who sat there, sound in limb, watching the approach of the hungry flames. Nearer and nearer they came, until his hair began to crisp and burn, and his skin to crack. Then, when we in like manner found the heat unbearable, we reluctantly retired, compelled to loave this poor gentleman, with his eight fellow sufferers, to their horrible fate. We moved off until all Was over. Nine persons were thus burned to death, and nine others injured more or less severely. “Another passenger says : ‘I heard the little children screaming for their mother, and the passengers who were in the ruins calling for help and groaning with pain. An axe was got, and one or two were actually chopped out of their imprisonment. Most of the passengers in this car were killed, and their bodies consumed or injured. I should think there were sixteen or seventeen persons in the front end of this car, and I think but two were taken out. Ido not think there was a person killed by the smash, but all the deaths were from burning.’ “ The Coroner’s jury exonerates everybody except the engineer of the freight train, who hafrbeen arrested on a charge of manslaughter. He made an unsuccessful attempt to escape.”

PERSONAL. Gen. G. H. Thomas and staff left Portland, Oregon, on the Bth instant, for Alaska. Chief-Justice Chase returned to Washington on the 10th. Governor-elect Walker, of Virginia, had a lengthy interview with President Grant, at the White House, on the 12th. James Hunter has been commissioned as postmaster of St. Joseph, Mo. Col. Tom. Moore, late of Gen. Sheridan’s staff, has betfn appointed Bank Examiner by the Secretary of the Treasury. L. T. Adams, of New York, has been appointed Consul of MaltaSecretary Boutwell has appointed Mr. T. J, Kinsella, of Chicago, Special Agent of the Treasury Department. Gen. Osborne has declined the appoint ment of Supervisor of Internal Revenue for Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. A banquet was given in St. Louis on the night of the 13th, to Hon. H. T. Blow, Minister to Braz'd, which is announced as having been a brilliant affair. Mr. Stedman, Consul of the United States at Santiago de Cuba, died in that city on the 6th instant. William Winthrop, United States Consul at Malta, died on the 13th inst. W. H. Seward and party sailed from San Francisco for Alaska, on the 13th. Hon. James F. Wilson, of lowa, has been appointed Government Director of the Union Pacific Railroad Company, vice Hon. James Brooks, of New York. President* Grant and family, accompanied by Postmaster-General Creswell and ex-Sccretaty Borie, left Washington for Long Branch on the 15th. Edward Ferguson has been appointed Pension Agent at Milwaukee. The Chicago Commercial excursion party reached Sacramento on the 14ih, in good health and spirits.

POLITICAL. The Connecticut Legislature adjourned nine die on the 10th. The following are the State officers and Congressmen elect in Virginia: Governor—Gilbert C. Walker. Lieutenant Governor—John P. Lewie. Attorney General—James C. Taylor, Districts. coNOßßssaan. 1.. M. Norton (Independent Rep.), colored. 11.. James It. Platt. Jr , (Wells.) . 11l .Charles 11. Porter (Wells.) IV. .Levi C. Thayer (Walker.) V. .Robert Rtdsjway (Walker.) — -Vt..Wm Milner (Walker.) ~' VII. Lewis McKenzie (Walker.) VIII. James K. Gibson (Walker.) At Lartre. .Joseph It. Segar (Walker;) In a published letter, Judge Dent allows his name to be used as the candidate of the National Republican party of Mississippi, for Governor, and indorses the platform adopted in Jackson in June Ist. The New Yprk State Temperance Con ventiou met at Saratoga on the 13lh, and passed resolutions urging temperance men to vote for none but temperance men for office, and that they should demand of the next Legislature a law allowing a majority of the voters in any city t« prohibit the sales of intoxicating liquors.

A Woman’s Suffrage Convention assembled at Saratoga, N. Y., on the 13th. Mrs. M. E. J. Gage, of Onondaga, was made permanent President, with thirty-six VicePresidents. Speeches were made and a platform adopted, declaring that tho-ques-tion of woman’s suffrage is the great moral and political question of the day,'churning for woman the Inherent right of suffrage as a gladly recognizing the action of tliWriah Republican National Conventions at Washington and Chicago, and rejoicing at the pourse of the Methodist Episcopal Church, In the admission of women to vote on lay delegations. The President, on the 14th, issued a proclamation designating Tuesday, the 80th of November, as the time for holding the election in Mississippi. The disfranchising and disqualifying clauses of the Constitution are to be submitted separately. The Pennsylvania pemocratio State Convention met at Harrisburg on tjie 14th.

The Hon. Asa Pedpr was nominated, on the second ballot for Governor; Hon. Cyrus L. Pershing, of Cambria county, was nominated for Judge of the Supreme Court. The Woman’s Suffrage Convention at Saratoga adjourned on the 14th, after adopting a constitution similar to that of the National Suffrage Association. The German Citizens’ Rights Society of Boston has petitioned the Governor to stay the enforcement of the Prohibitory Liquor law until the popular vote can be taken. The Temperance party of Ohio on the 14th made the following nominations for Slate officers: Governor, J. E. Ingcrsoll, of Cuyahoga oouuty; Lieutenant-Gover-nor, Dr. Wadsworth, of Cincinnati; Treasurer of Slate, Thomas Edmundson, Clarke county; Attorney-General, J. A. Sumner, of Summit county; Member of the Board of Public Works, B. L. Silver, of Columbiana county. Walker’s majority for Governor of Virginia is 17,500. The lowa Democratic State Convention met at Des Moines on the 14th. The nominees of the Convention are: For Governor, Hon. George Gillespie; Lieutenant Governor, A. P. Richardson; Supreme Judge, W- P. Brannan ; Superintendent of. Public Instruction, Edmond Yeager. The President on tie 15th issued a proclamation designating November 30 as the time for submitting the new constitution to the voters of Texas. These is no separate submission of any of the provisions ordered by the President.