Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 January 1876 — NEWS OF THE WEEK. [ARTICLE]

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

FORKION. Intelligence wu received in Madrid on the 38th, giving the details of a terrible hurricane in the Philippine Islands on the 80th of November.* Two hundred and fifty lives were lost, many cattle perished and the crops in all directions were rqlned. According to a London dispatch of the 2Sth serious disturbances had occurred at Bannsfoot, County Armagh, Ireland, resulting from the marriage of a Protestant girl to a Roman Catholic. Several Protestants had attacked the house where the marriage occurred, and during the fight that followed a number were killed and several badly wounded. A Paris special of the 28th says the Orleans Princes had decided not to take seats in the Senate or Chamber of Deputies. " A Vienna special of the 29th nit. says: “The Secretary of State of the United States has transmitted to every European Government a circular asking for an expression of opinion regarding American intervention in Cuba." The dispatch further says that all

the Governments had replied satisfactorily, England being willing to indorse intervention at once, and other nations expressing a willingness to support an intervention but hesitating to take the initiative. A Madrid special of the 29th says arrangements had been entered into for the return of ex-Queen Isabella to Spain. The Alphonsists had concentrated 80,000 men in Navarre and Alava. Two hundred Americans attended a meeting in Berlin on the evening of the 29th to protest against the declaration of the German press that the Thomas-Mosel explosion affair was the fruit of American civilization. A large number of Germane cordially concurred in the resolutions. In the French Assembly on the 29‘.h the Press bill introduced by the Government was adopted by nearly a unanimous vote. The proposal to raise the state of siege throughout the country was rejected—339 to 377. The British Admiralty has issued another circular in regard to fugitive slaves. It states that fugitive slaves asking admission to a British man-of-war, when in the territorial waters of a foreign State, must be received only when their lives are endangered, and once received must not be surrendered at the demand es any power. The rate for cable dispatches other than commercial intelligence over the AngloAmerican line has been fixed at twenty-five cents (gold) per word. The National Rifle Association of Great Britain has accepted the invitation of .the New York team to participate in the match for small-bores during the Centennial. Sir Henry Halford has been appointed Captain of the English team. London dispatches of the 30th ult. say that all the German papers except the National Ziitung had withdrawn their offensive comments upon Americans. Recent investigations in Liverpool by German detectives had revealed the fact, according to a London dispatch of the 31st ult, that Thomas, the dynamite fiend, at one time attempted to obtain insurance Ou a box which he said contained $30,000 in gold, and which he wished to ship from New York to Liverpool. Inspection was demanded, but he refused to open the box, and the company refused to insure. The suspicion had been raised that he was privy to the loss of the steamer City of Boston in January, 1870. The police believed his accomplices were yet living in Liverpool, and that they still had possession of his appliances. The French Assembly was prorogued on the 81st ult. until March 8, 1876, when the new Chambers are to meet. A Posen dispatch of the 31st ult. announces the arrest and imprisonment of the Bishop of Posen, who was lately convicted of a violation of the Ecclesiastical laws and condemned to six months' imprisonment The sale in 'Germany of bogus American medical diplomas has been interdicted by the Government. * The British steamer Dante collided in St. George’s Channel on the 31st ult. with the steamer Gronsaver. The latter sank shortly after, and twenty-three persons were drowned. I The Spanish Cabinet has issued a decree convoking the Cortes to consider Cuban affairs. DOMESTIC. A woman named Holdson, living at Merom, Ind., in attempttug to set a lamp on a mantel, the other evening, drop[>ed and broke it, scattering the coal-oil over her clothes, which took fire and burned her so badly that she died a short time afterward. Fifteen States have taken a census of population in 1875, and the total increas* since 1870 is estimated at a little over 2,000,000. As these States had in 1830 something more than one-third of the population of the United States, a common average progress throughout would show an aggregate increase in five years of upward of SJMW.OOO, or atotal population of 44,000,000. A Labor Convention in session at” Tyrene, Pju, on the 29th appointed a National Committee of thirty-seven to issue' a call for a convention of representatives of labor and industry from all parts of the country, to be held in Pittsburgh in April next A recent Washington dispatch says the work of consolidating the revenue collection districts throughout the country has been' completed, and the number is reduced from 209 to 163. The Secretary of the United States Treasury has given directions for the retirement of $644,550 legal-tender notes on account of National Bank circulation issued during December. This will leave outstanding legal, tenders, until a further reduction, $37,182,722. The amount of additional National Bank notes issued since Nsv. 1 is $1,761,280/ and the total amount issued since the paasagd of the act of June 14, 1874, is $12,715,975. The amount of legal-tender notes deposited by National Banks for the a purpose of retiring the circulation, since Nov. 1, is $2,987,306. tn the case 6f the $176,000 illegally collected u income tai on dividends of Illinois Central Railroad stock held by non-resident alifsnfi, Atty.-Gen. Pierrepont has de-cided-that the money should be returned to the company and not to the stockholders. Tte oMiney was unlawfully exacted from the company, and should, therefore, be paid back to the company, from which the alien stock holders can recover.

A San Diego (Cal.) dispatch received in San Francisco on the 29th says almost the entire Mexican population in the vicinity of Campo' were implicated ifi the recent raid. Tuscon news received on the same day reports a fight between the State and revolutionary forces, twenty-five miles south of the line, in which the former were defeated, with ten killed and a number wounded and taken prisoners The revolutionists were marching on Hermoeslllo. Most of the Americans at San Francisco sympathize with the revolutionists, considering that they represent the better class of Sonora. Several whisky distilleries and rectifying establishments in Chicago were seized by Government officers on the 29th, the proprietors being charged with revenue frauds. The residence of Mrs. Rachel Gordon, ten miles west of Rising Sun, Ind., was burned on Christmas night, and the next morning the remains of Mrs. G. and her three children, aged eight, ten and twelve years, were found in the ruins. It is supposed by some that they were murdered and the house set on fire. According to a Washington dispatch of the 30th ult. the Secretary of the Treasury would not receive checks and drafts in payment of debts due to the Government. This will prevent the National Banks from paying their semi-annual dues in anything else than lawful money. „ Joseph Bork, City Treasurer of Buffalo, N. Y., is said to be a defaulter to the extent of $350,000 or more. A dispatch of the 30th ult says he had fled to Canada. The city will not suffer, as his bondsmen are considered ample security for the amount of his deficiency. Collector Shaughnessy, of Mississippi, having reported to Commissioner Tratt that Deputy-Collector Redmond by armed bands from discharging his duties, and that the Mayor of Summit, Pike County, had notified him to leave, as he and other peace officers could not protect him, President Grant sent an order on the 29th ult to the Secretary of War to furnish the necessary protection. A special dispatch from Summit to the Vicksburg Herald of the 30th says there was no armed band of men at the Summit at any time before the 29th. On Christmas several young men from Amite County, on a drunken spree, talked a good deal about Redmond, in-

tending to annoy and frighten him. Redmond had a personal difficulty with one of the men, and he became frightened and telegraphed for troops. The dispatch says the citizens of Summit were able and willing to protect Redmond in the discharge of ins' duties. The beginning of the new year, the centennial of our national existence, was ushered in amid the ringing «f bells and firing of cannons at Washington and many other localities. Nearly all the principal cities of. the Union extended a hearty and jubilant welcome to “ seventy-six.” ' , Benedict Bros.’ jewelry store, under the Grand Central Hotel, in New York city, was robbed a few nights ago of $25,000 worth of jewelry and diamonds. The persons in charge of the store were chloroformed by the robbers, who then deliberately broke open the safe and rifled it of its contents to the amount above'stated. Among the ocean steamers which arrived at New York on the 2d was the Sailer, on board of which it was at one time rumored had been placed one of Thomas’ dynamite infernal machines. A severe wind-storm did considerable damage to property in Chicago on the night of the Ist. A dispatch from Tucson,; received in San Francisco on the Slst ult., says three companies of United States cavalry made a forced inarch to San Rafael on the 26th, but finding that all armed bodies had passed into Sonora they returned. It is reported that Fesquiera’s troops, while in Arizona, behaved badly, taking stock and grain without payment. The revolutionists scrupulously respected the rights and property of all.

PEICNONAI.. On the evening of the 28th Rev. Henry Ward Beecher was served with a summons and complaint in a suit for “ malicious prosecution,” instituted by Francis D. Moulton in the Supreme Court, Kings County, N. Y., for $50,000. A New York dispatch of the 28th states that Judge Donohue had forfeited the recognizances on seven indictments for felony against the fugitive Tweed. Among the suspensions announced on the 28th were those of Jas. A. Smith and G. N. <fcJ.A. Smith, woolen manufacturers, who operated five mill* in Massachusetts. Liabilities variously reported at from $300,000 to $600,000; assets unknown. E. L. Paterson, Republican member of the Louisiana Legislature from Natchitoches, was shot and instantly killed on the 26th by Cosgrove, editor of the Vindicator. The difficulty grew out of abuse of Paterson by Cosgrove in his paper. Announcement was made in New York on the 29th of the death, at the house of his grand-daughter, near Richmond, Staten Island, of the Rev. Henry Boehm., better known as Father Boehm, tha,oldest preacher of the Methodist Church in this country, and probably the oldest clergyman in the world. He was over 100 years old.

Cornelius Vanderbilt, the President of the New York Central, Harlem, and Lake Shore Railroad Companies, has been elected President of the Canada Southern Railroad Company. Thomas G. Shearman, on behalf of Plymouth Church, and J. M. Van Cott, fpr Mrs. Moulton, held a conference on tlie morning of the Slst ult. and agreed that ten churches and five ministers should be called on each side to form the mutual counciLto decide on the questions submitted by Mrs. Moulton, as to whether the rMons given by the church for dropping her from its membership as it did are valid and sufficient, and as to the validity and sufficiency of her reasons for abstaining from the services and sacraments of the church. The mutual council is to convene on Tuesday, the 18th insL Great excitement was caused in Chicago on the 3lst ult. by the arrest of Anthony C. Hesing, H. B. Miller and Jacob Behm on warrants charging them with complicity in whisky frauds. Hesing and Rehm were held in bail of $50,000 each; Miller’s bail was fixed at $20,000. A warrant was also issued for the arrest of Wm. Minty, a Deputy Collector of the Revenue Department, who had not been found up to the morning of the 3d. The Illinois Distillery, one of the largest in the country, was also seized on the 31st

POLITICAL. Eight lawyers of Franklin, La., a few days ago banded to Judge Mentz, of the St. Mary’s Parish Court, a document, signed .by themselves, requesting hup to resign -because, as they alleged, of his manifest incompetency and the interested motives which, in most cases, influence his judicial decisions. The

Judge replied that he had tried to perform his duty faithfully and impartially, and stated that, inasmuch as the signers of the paper did not vote for him at the last election, he should continue to administer the functions of his office until his constituents (meaning the colored people) called upon him to resign. The members of the bar talked of appealing to the next Legislature to secure the Judge’s impeachment by that body. A largely-attended public meeting was held In Charleston, S. C., on the evening ,of the 28tb, in response to a call, to sustain ti e action of Gov. Chamberlain in refusing commissions as Judges to Whipper and Moses. Resolutions were unanimously adopted-de r nouncing the action of the Legislature in electing them, protesting against their elevation to the bench and “avowing an unalterable purpose never to allow them to occupy the position. The Alabama Legislature met on the 28th The Governor’s message is devoted entirely to matters of State interest. A call has been issued for a State Convention of the Independent party of Illinois to meet at Decatur Feb. 10, to nominate candidates for State officers and to select delegates to the National Independent Convention called to meet in Indianapolis May 17, 1876. The Spencer Investigating Committee made an unanimous report to the Alabama State Senate on the 30th the effect that fraud and bribery were used by Mr. Spence? to secure his re-election to the United States Senate. Other charges of official corruption and misconduct were made against him. The report was received and ordered printed, with the evidence, and the committee was given time to prepare a memorial to the United States Senate against Mr. Spencer’s further occupancy of the seat in that body. A Washington dispatch of the 31st ult. says President Grant had stated chat all the disabled Union soldiers removed from positions in the House of Representatives had been given other places. A meeting of colored Republicans was held in Washington on the 30th ult., and the general sentiment expressed by those present was that President Grant should be nominated for a third term.