Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 February 1878 — General News Summary. [ARTICLE]

General News Summary.

non wammTON. A Ooxvkxtion of State Agricultural tvxli--ties to to be held In Washington ou the third TMafetylnFebnuiy. Host. Ahix B. Kerr, a former Mcm!*>r of Congress from Maryland, died at his residence la Washington, on the morning of the 27th. The total popular subscription to the Government 4 per cent, loan, up to the 39th, amounted to about 99,1X10,000. The vote, in the National House of Representatives, on the passage, on the 38th, of the Matthews Silver resolution, was as follows: Yaas.—Aiken. Aldrich. Atkina. Baker tlndA Banning, Bayne. Bell, Bicknell. Blackburn, ltlonnt. llonek. Bon). Bragg , Brentano, Brewer, Tliiibna Bneht, Breeden. Browne. Bnekner, Burchara, Burdick, Ik. tier, Cabell. Cain. Csldweil (Ky.l, Gaidwrli iTenn.), Calkin*. Candler. Gannon, Carlisle, Caswell, Chalmers. Clarke Jvy.i, Clsrlc (Mod, Clark (la.). Clyrner. Cobh. Collins, Conger, Cox ((E), Cox iN. Y.>, Craven". Crittenden. Culberson, Camming*. Cutler. IMvideon, Davis (N. (',(, Deering, Dibrril, Dickey, Donnell, Durham, Elam. Kliis, Krrett, Evans (lnd.), Evans (8.C.). Ewing. Felton. Finley .Forney, Fort, Faster. Franklin. Fuller. Gardner, Garth. Cause. Gidaiiign, Clover. Ooode. Cunter. Hanna, Harris (Ga.l, Harrison. Hartridge, Hsrtxeli. Haskell, Hatcher, Hayes, Hazelton. Henderson, Henckle, Henry. Hewitt. (Ala. Herbert Hooker, House, Hubbell, Hunt r, H unton, Humphn-y, Ittner. Junes (Ala.), Jones (Ohio l, Keifer. Heightley. Kelley. Kenna, Kiliingor. Kimmel, Knapp, Knott, Latnrop. Ij'im, LuttreU. I.ynde. Mark, y. Manning, Marsh, Martin. May ham, Mackenzie. McKinley, McMahon. Metcall. Mill*. Money. Morgan. Moniaon. Muldrua, Neal. Oliver, Pacheco. Page. Patterson (N. Y.\ Patterson (Col. l, Phelps. Phillips. Pollard. Pound, Price. Pridemore. Randolph. Iten, Reagan, lteilly, Riee, (O.), Riddle. Robbins. Roberts, Rnbinaon (la. I. Robinson i lnd.i. Ryan. Hsmiwon. Sapp. Bayler. Beales, Sexton. Hhallenherger, Shelley, Hlenmn*. Small*. Smith (Ca.\ Sparks. Springer. Steele, Stephen*. Stone (Mich.) Stone (la. I Strait Thompson, Thornburgh. Throckmorton. Tipton, Townsend (0.1. Towmhend (lU.), Tucker. Turner, Turney. Vance, Van Vorhes. Waddell. Wnlah. Welch. White(Pa.). White (ind.l. Whifthoroe. Williams (Wia.), Winiama (Ala.), WUlia (Kjr.v Willets. Wilson. Wten. Wright. I'eates. Yonng -189. Nani.—Bacon. Baglcy. Baker iN. Y>, Ballon Banka. Beebe. Bishee, Blair, Briggs. Bnndy, Campbell. Chittenden. Ciaflin. Clark (N. J.'. Cole. Covert, Cmpo, Davis (Oal.i. Denison. Dwight. Earns*. Eicklioff. Ellsworth. Evans (Pa.), Reid, Freeman, Rye. Garfield. Hale. Hardenbergh. Harmer, Hams (Maas.), Hart. Hendee Hewitt (N. Y.l. Hungerfnrd. James. Jones iN. H.I, Jorgensen, Joyoe. Ketcbam, laiutm l aaham, l jndasvr I.iokwoiut; boring, MeCook, Morse. Muller. NorcTofta, O’Neill. Overton, Peddle. Potter, Powers, Pugh, Quinn, Rainey. Reed. Rice (Maas.). Robinson (Slaas.), Schleicher, Sinnickaon. Smith (Pa.i, Starin. Stenger. Stewart. Swann. Vcoder. Wait. Warner, Watson. Williams (Mich.', Williams (N. Y.), Williiuna (DeL), Williams (Ore.), Willis (N. Y. Wood-79. At a Cabinet meeting, in Washington, on the 29th, it was decided that the coiuagv of the trade dollar should be resumed at the Philadelphia Mint. The President, on the 90th ult., appointed the following Honorary C ommissioner* to the Paris Industrial Exhibition: Alexander McLeod, of Delaware: doseph (J. Thorpe and Robert N. Baker, of Wisconsin, and John W. Mackey and W. 8, Keys, of Nevada. : It was stated, on the 30th ult.. that arrange! incuts bad been made by the Secretary of the Treasury to receive, In payment of subscription* to the 4-per-ernt. loan, coin or currency, checke drawn on banks or bankers in New York. The currency checks will be converted into coin at current rates, without expense to the owner, and any excess over the amount due on the subscription will be returned to the subscriber. Similar arrangements would be made, if found necessary, in other cities having Sub-Treasury offices. Justice CunotD, of the United States .Supreme Court", attended a St ate din ne r at the White House, on the 30tli ult. This is his first social recognition of Mr. Hayes. The public-debt statement, as published on the Ist, indicates the following: Total debt, including interest of #22.427,834, #2,215,455,845; cash in Treasury, #171,108,479: debt, less cm*h In Treasury, #2,014.287,386. Decrease ('.uring January, #1,668,076. Decrease 6lnce .luue 30,1877, #15.870,857, A Washington telegram of the Ist states that the Secretary of the Treasury desired all drafts sent him in payment of the 4 jier-cent. loan to be drawn payable to ids order, otherThe Third Assistant Postmaster-General has notified the Postmaster at New York City that the trade dollars, not being a legal-ten-der, the latter is not obliged to receive them id* payment of postage, etc. According to a Washington special of the Ist , J. Madison Wells, the fugacious member of the Louisiana Returning Board, had reached that city. A Mk. Fitch, said to have been engaged with Hull in manufacturing the “ Colorado Petrified Man,” has given a New York Timet interviewer some interesting statements concerning the alleged swindle. He also states that Hull manufactured the famous stone tablets of the Connecticut Valley, on which w ere imprinted, by artificial means, the tracks of supposed prehistoric birds. Hull bought a turkey and used the feet to makcj.he tracks. These relics, it will lie remembered, excited -the whole scientific world several years ago, and many learned speculations as to their origin were made in the reviews and monthly magazines. = On the 30th uit., Mr. Hugh J. Jewett. Receiver of the Erie Railroad, of New York, was •held to bail m the sum of #20,605 to answer to the charge of perjun jn swearing to alleged ~ Mw gttuwiiwitrof ItnrtofttfttToh Arm-rega:’ The complaint was made by an English stockholder. On the night of the 3lst ult., a w ave swept over a portion ’Of Coney Island, near New Y’ork, and carried away four houses anil their sleeping occupants. About a dozen persons were drowned. Tiieke were 130 failures in New York City during January. Liabilities. #7.113.039; assets, #1,438.839. Thomas Loud, Sr., of New York, the old gentleman who recently married the Widow Hicks, and thereby incurred the displeasure of his sons, has recently come out from hi*- retirement. and will hotly contest the suit brought Bgainst him lor his alleged lunacy. He has engaged the services of-4ht—law—firm-of ex-Judge Porter. .: Gold closed in New York, on Feb. Ist, a I'll %. The following were the closing quotations for produce: No. 2 Chicago Spring Wheat, #[email protected]; No. 2 Milwaukee, #1.27J6@1;28. Oats, Western and State, 350336 c. Corn, Western Mixed, 44fd53c. Pork, Mess, #12.00. Lard, #7.70. Flour, Good to Choice, #[email protected]; Winter Wheat, 16.05(36.75. Cattle, *«[email protected] for Good to Extra. Sheep, [email protected]<. Hogs, #4.60 m 70. At East Liberty, Pa., on Feb. Ist, CatUe brought: Best, #5.25(35.35: Medium, #4 75@ 5.00; Common, #[email protected]. Hogs sold— Yorkers, #4.00(34.10; Philadelphias, #Aoo<a 4.15. Sheep brought #3.00(35.25 —according to quality. -N. At Baltimore, Md., on Feb. Ist, Cattle brought: Best, #4*87%(g5.73; Medium, 13.00J4.00. Hogs sold at #5.75(36.25 for Good. Sheep were quoted at for Good. ' - WEST AND WIDTH. The report that Sitting Bull, with his adherents, had crossed the line into. the United States territory is denied by statements from Helena, M.T., on the 29th. The Indejmideni of that city published s statement, on the above date, to the effect that Maj. Walsh had Just returned from the neighborhood of Sitting Bull, at East End Police Post, and brought w&nd that the latter bad said be bad heard American* were copiing to fight him

aud his people; that they »ffe tired of blood, and w ould move nearer the Police Fort. Maj. ' Walsh savt that at no time since his arrtvsl there had Sitting Bull’s ramp crossed the Ine ' to American will. Thkke members of the Louisiana Returning Board—Anderson, Casanavu and Kenner—wore brought into court at New Orleans on the 28th, and the trial of tl)e first-named person was formally commenced, a change of renne j having first been denied. Anderson’s counsel, In the motion for a change of venue, alleged that the defendant could not have a fair trial in that parish, the prejudice' against him haring Increasod during the preceding few (lavs. The Judge stated that the .Jury Wnl t»een drawn in the most impartial manner, and was composed of conscleniloua, honest men, of unimpeachable character. The defense took a bill of exceptions to the ruling of the Court, after which the Impaneling of the Jury was begun. A full jury, composed of ten white and two colored men. was secured, on the 39th. The steamship Metropolis, bound from Philadelphia to Brazil, haring on hoard lietween 200 and 300 engineers aud railroad laborers, went ashore, in a terrible storm, and was wrecked on the North Carolina coast, throe miles south of Currituck Light-House, on the evening of the 81stult.,and it wasthought. on Ihe morning of the 3d, that at least 100 persons had perished. IN Chicago, on Feb. Ist, Spring Wheat No. 2 closed at #1.040*1.0551 cash. Cash .•orn closed at for No. 2. Cash oats No. 2 sold at and 20J£c seller May. Rye No. 2,50 e. Barley No. 2, 48%(849c. Cash Mess Pork closed at #10.70. Lard, #7.25. Beeves—Extra brought #[email protected]). Choice, #4.50(34.85; Good, #[email protected]; Medium Grades, #3.40(38.75; Butchers’ Stock, #[email protected]; Stock Cattle, etc., #2.50®3.25. Hogs brought #3.80(J4.05 for Good to Choice. Sheep sold at #3.12J4®4.55 for Poor to Choice.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. LONDON dispatches of the 28th ssy that the warlike operations of t>e Russians, Roumanians Servians and Montenegrins were being prosecuted with great vigor, pending the official notice of peace. The Servians bad defeated the Turks at Ratacharnik after a four-days’ battle. In which several thousand were killed and w ounded. Thkke were spirited war demonstrations In Athens. Greece, on the 27th and 28th, and troops were called out to disperse the niob. .... Ik the British- Parliament, on4be evening of the 28th, the representatives of the Government announced that, notwithstanding the changed condition of affairs in the East, they would ask the supplementary credit, both as a vote of confidence and to enable England to be properly represented in the forthcoming Congress, to which the settlement of matters of general European concern had been relegated. On the announce ment, the leaders of the Opposition at once decided to accept the condition, and announced that they proposed to challenge the entire.course at..the Cabiuet on the Eastern question, and secure an. adverse vote, if possible. The statement i- made that, in the event of the defeat of the Government, Parliament would be dissolved and an appeal taken tothe country. —=l— A Constantinople dispatch of the 29th says there as ppalling misery In Turkey, from the Bosphorus to the Gulf of Salon lea. The whole coast was crowded with terrified Mahommedans, awaitingtransportat ion across the Straits, and hundreds were perishing from cold and hunger. ([“Athens (Greece) advices of the 29th say that order had boon re-establ’shed, but that (he exasperation of the people was increasing, and it was feared that a revolution imjiended. St. Petersburg dispatches of the 29th say a slight misunderstanding had arisen between Austria and Russia because the peace preliminaries had not been submitted to a Congress of European Powers before being signed by Rnssia and Turkey. A messenger had been sent to V ieuna with explanations. A Vienna telegram of the same date says England had succeeded in detaching Austria from the triple . alliance- aartsecured hcrcondltlonal opposition to the, peace conditions. According to Vienna dispatches of the 30th Hit., the Servian Government had demanded as its price for peace the cession of the whole of Old Servia, except-that portion, comprised in Bosnia, and the payment of 15QJXX! Turkish pbunds -as a war IndcmniUv— Russian papers of the 30tli ult. report that typhus fever prevailed among the Russians in the Caucasus and Armenia to such an ex tent as almost to equal the plague in destructiveness. • According to Athens dispatches of the 31*t ult., Thessaly had demanded of Greece protection and assistants* in her war with Turkey. Tne Grecian Chamber was bolding a secret sitting to consider the demand. Twenty-four Communes in Thessaly had formed a Provisional Government. The Pope has ratified the plans for the reconstruction of the Scottish Hierarchy, and appointed two Arebhishops and four Suffragans. On the evening of the 31st ult., a meeting, called in London in the interest of peace, was captured and broken up by the war element. The feeling against Russia had become intense.

A Feu a telegram of t lie 31st nil. says the wires between Constantinople and Gallipoli had been out that afternoon. It was reported that the Russians had appeared before the latter place. The Rotterdam Cournnt of the 31st ult. publishes a private dispatch from Constantinopler etaTTtlg-'fTrar.’m m'gmKtlons between Turkey aud Russia had been broken oft. An Adrianople dispatch of the 30th ult. says ail the Turkish troops within the Quadrilateral had been retired upon the fortresses. Athens advices of the Ist say the Greek Premier had made a statement to the Greek Chamber which was considered tantamount to a declaration of war. He announced that he had ordered the military occupation of Thessaly aud Epirus, and had directed the enrollment of the entire population in the National Guard. The Cretan insurgents have formally deerce l the annexation of the island to Greece. George Cruikshank, the well-known British artist and caricaturist, is dead. IThe announcement was made In the British Parliament, ou the night of the Ist, that peace preliminaries had l*een signed the day before at Adrianople. y . A Bucharest dispatch of the Ist. says orders had been issued to all Russian columns to stop where they are and await further instructions. A Vienna telegram of the Ist says it had been decided to hold the European Conference which was to follow peace in that city. A Belgrade dispatch of the Ist says all Servia w as intensely disgusted at the disregard of Servian interests shown by Russia, and proposed to eontlnup the war until the whole of Old Servia was captured. C

FORTY-FIFTH CONG BBSS. Several petitions were presented and referred, in the Benxte. on the 28th. -■-Bills were introduced and referred—providing for the disposition of public timber and the timber* lauds of the United States; to reimburse the States of Kansu. Texas, Nebraska and Colorado for expenses incurred by said States in repelling invasions and suppressing Indian hostilities,... The House bill to authorize the free coinage of a standard stiver dollar, and to restore it* leghltender character, was taken up. and Mr. Morrill made a lengthy speech in opposition thereto. A large number of bills were presented and referred; in the House, among whicn were—to secure the pay and wages due employes of railroads engaged in inter-State commerce; to retire the circulation of. National Banks, and to substitute therefor Treasury-notes, receivable for , all due* to the Government, and to abolish the tag ojj banking

1 institution*; ■fearing to all the States equl > mcwiiirr of patronage in thr Civil Service of the Opynp—nt. fixing the number of Rmcacnta* tivee in Congrrm at 1M....A mnluimu wae i adopted—l 74 tzi 85- declaring that, in the J udement of tin- Honw.no saheidirain money. Inmda. Eblir Und*. tndorwinent*, or by pledge of mibcrevtiL ahould be granted or renewed by Congrem to iqwormtKm* engaged in. or proponing to •ngnge in, public or private enterprinen: but Uutt appropriation" ought to be limited to each amount and purpose* only a».»h*ll be impemtivelv demainn'll by the public aervioe. .The I Senate concurrent rreolnuim. known «a the MatI thews Silver resolution, was taken up and pawed 189 to 79. In the Senate, on ihe 29th, the Houae Joint resolution, aecepting Carpenter’a iwinting of Lincoln and hi" Cabinet, was agreed t<*-43 to 7 Mr. Beck called up and advocated the pannage of a resolution previously submitted by him dee hiring it ” nnneccmary or inexpedient to maintain or impow taxes M. this lime for the piirpow' of providing for #57,19C,0M.04 asked for by the Secretary of the Treasury for n Kinking fund.”....The Houw Silver bill wn turiorr debated. Mr. Wallace «iM*akinr in favor of. and Memru. Bayard, Dawe« and Whyte againnt, the rneanun*. Amendmonto were aubmitte<l and ordered printed; providing that the dollar iihall oonKiat of 420 Brain* of stendard *ilver: providing that it Hhafl be a leffal tender for all debt*, pubiie and private, amounting to Biimi over |WO. In the House, a resolution was adopted directing that the isaning of pnane* for admission to the floor of the House be discontinued. A bill was panned—l 67 to 100— recognizing the Woodruff Scientific Expedition around the world. A RF-eoLi TioN was adopted, in the Senate, on the 90th ult., asking information of the President relative to the survey of lands in the Indian Territory, and the Indian ownership thereof... The Silver bill was further considered. and Mr, Chnstiancy submitted an amendment providing for the coinage of silver dollars of 434 grains each—nine-tenths pure silver and one-tenth alloy—to be a legal-tender for all debts, except when otherwise provided by law or contract. In tiie nouse, a bill was introduced and referred, prohibiting any further destruction of legal-tender note*, and making such notes legal tender for customs duties .. The bill extending the time for the withdrawal of distilled spirits in bond until July 1 wa* consUleml, and a substitute was adopted—l 46 to 112—declaring a reduction of the tax on whisky inexpedient.

Several petitions were presented in the Senate, on the 31st u1t.... Bills were passed—appropriating #200,000 for the erection of suitable posts for the protection of the Rio Grande frontier; to define the rights of persons with respect to homestead entries on public domains... .The House joint resolution extending the thanks of Congress to Henry M. Stanley, the explorer of Central Africa, was unanimously agreed t 0.... The Silver bill was further considered, and Messrs. Morgan and Booth submitted amend roents. after which further consideration of the bill was postponed until the 4th, to which date | the Senate adjourned. In the House, a majority report was made trom the Committee on Elections in the California contested election case, against Pacheco, the sitting member, and in, favor of Wigginton, the contestant, a minority rei>ort being also made, taking opposite grounds The following additional appointments to committees were announced by the Bpeaker: Expenditures in the tttntc Department, Turner and Bundy; in the Navy Department, Pridemore and Williams (Ore.i; in the Postoffico Department. Clark (Mo.), ami McKinley; in the War Department; Dickey and Reed: in the Interior Department, Patterson and Pound. . . The Military Academy Appropriation bill (#272 166' was considered in Committee of the Whole. The Senate was not in session on Hie to. A bill was introduced and referred in the House, to provide'for funding (he National debt in home bonds convertible into currency. .... Mr. Baker, of Indiana, rising to a question of privilege, recited certain statements made to bwi in writing involving grave if not criminal conduct on the part of the Doorkeeper of the_ House, which statement* had since been put into the sliape of affidavits. He offered a resolution stating that John W. Polk. has been guilty of corruption and malfeasance. in office; that he has required employes to pay to other employes part of their salaries, and that he is interested in claims aud bills now pending before Congress, and directing the Coromitteon Rules to inquire into the truth or falsity of such allegations. After a lengthy and spirited discussion, the previous question wasted:, omled nnd the resolution was passed, after being modified bo as to direct the investigation to lie made by the Committee on Reform in. the Civil Service... . Adj'oumed to the 4th.