THE DAILF EVENING TELEGRAPH Till PLE SHEET PHILADELPHIA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1SG0. PUBLISHED EVERY AFTERNOON (SUNDAYS EXCF.l'TKD), AT THE EVENING TELEGRAPH BUILDING, NO. 108 8. THIRD STREET, PHILADELPHIA. The Price is three cent it per copy double sheet); lr eighteen cent per week, payable to the carrier y whom served. The subscription price by mail Nine Dollars per annum, or One Dollar and fifty Cent for two months, invariably in ad' an ce for the time ordered. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1869. THE dCCUMENICAL COUNCIL. Doiimo the present week the OEoumenical Cotinoil assembled at Home, and commenced its deliberations amid imposing ceremonies. The expectation that arrangements would be made for the prompt publication of its pro ceedings has proved fallacious, and the order forbidding the reporter of the London Times from entering the Papal dominions indicates that only partial aocounts, or such versions as have been duly rovised, amended, and expur gated, will from time to time be given to the world. Grave temporal as well as spiritual questions will be considered, and if free de bate is permitted, some of the discussions can scarcely fail to be very animated, bo that genoral roaders have no slight cause to regret the determination to prohibit full contempo raneous reports. The peculiar constitution of the council necessarily gives it a strong disposition to sanction any doctrine the Pope may wish to promulgate, and yet there are strong symptoms of opposition, arising from various causes, in various quarters. One class, for instance, contends that the council possosses the power to consider any subject connected with the welfare of the Church; that it can decide in favor of any reform which may be suggested by any of its members; or that, In other words, it possesses a right to originate measures, similar to that which Napoleon has recently granted to the French Assembly. This is one of the rights for which Father Hyacinthe contends, in con junction with no inconsiderable number of other liberal Catholics. But it has apparently Leon overruled in advance, and the zealous supporters of Papal power concede to Pius IX and his immediate counsellors not only the privilege of defining the subjects of discus sion, but, in a large degree, the power to dictate the dacisions of the council. Inter woven with this dispute is the vexed ques tion of the infallibility of the Pope. It is commonly reported that attempts will be made to affirm the undeviating correctness of his opinions on temporal as well as spiritual affairs, and thus to make his word a law from which there is no appeal. It is believed, Iiowever, that a considerable portion of the ecclesiastics in attendance will bitterly oppose this pretension, and stoutly maintain that, while his opinions on temporal affairs must fca judged, like those of other potentates, by their intrinsic merits, he is, in some classes of spiritual subjects, liable to be overruled by general oouncils. The importance of the impending contro versies is greatly increased by their appre hended bearing on the civil affairs of Ca tholic countries, and of countries which, like Be United (States, embrace a large Catholic J ovulation. If the doctrines enunciated in le Syllabus of Errors are carried out to Voir logical conclusion, religious liberty must J)o totally destroyed, and Church- and State 5uunt be everywhere united on terms dictated ly Catholic ecclesiastics. And yet there is not at this moment a single important nation willing to submit to such a decree. Even Italy now rojoices in her new freedom, and but a few months ago one of Victor Emanu el's ministers announced, officially, that the Italian Government would not permit any aotiou of the council to "trespass upon the laws of the kingdom and the rights of the Btate." A similar attitude has been assumed tj Spain and Germany. France will scarcely consant to belie her past history by making concessions which even Austria, Italy, and Spain refuse to grant. The eulogistic refer ence to the council which appeared in Napo leon's late address to the French Chambers is probably due to the fact that he shares the wish of the Archbishop of Paris that it may become a truly reformatory body instead of a reactionary assemblage, and that he was anx ious to exert all his influence to give it this direction. In the face of hostile decrees from Catholic Governments, it is difficult to understand how any substantial benefits are to be derived from the formal promulgation of ultra Papal doctrines. In some cases they would doubt less prove as inefficacious as the bull against the comet. Hut a fear is expressed that they Would foment insurrections and lead to reli gious wars. This dunger is probably exagge rated, but still it is not without foundation. If the programme presented to the (Eoume liioal Council is adopted in its entirety, intole rance will beoome a fundamental part of the revised creed, and pretensions will bo set up which will compel many communities to de cide between unqualified submission or active resistance. The final issue of such a confliot, in this age, can scarcely be doubtful, but it is within the bounds of possibility that it may engender much bitter strife and bloodshed. Thh luckiest of men is General Spinner, the indomitable watch-dog of the Treasury, During the time that be has held his present position, the money transactions or the Trea sury foot up an aggregate exceeding $44,000, IXX,000, yet not one cent has been lost to the people, all the discrepancies that have been detected having been so insignificant that they have been made straight by the persons re eponsible for them. This is not less credita ble to Goneral Spinner than it is gratifying to the people with the handling of whose money he bos been entrusted. Other officials whoso responsibilities have been nothing in couipa pon have been unable to present such a balance sheet, and we are inclined to believe, with the gonial Treasurer, that it is not all "mere luck." THE JU GUTS OF WHITE MEN. I Thb Nations! Executive Committee of Col-' ored Men of the United States has issued an address to the pooplo of Liberia, to which we respectfully call the attention of our Demo cratic contemporaries. This document is an earnest and philanthropic appeal in behalf of the white population of the young Afrioan republic. The gist of the argument is that, in the opinion of the intelligent colored men of the United States, the whites have some rights that black men ought to respect even in Africa, and the people of Liberia are en treated to strike the word "white" out of their Constitution, and to repeal the laws that disfranchise persons who may not have a visible admixture of black blood in their veins. This address shows at least that the black men of the United States are willing to do as they wish to be done by, and they sug gest very forcibly that the people of Liberia, because they have the power to do so, cannot proscribe others without virtually acknow ledging that their former oppressors were blameless in proscribing them. It will cer tainly be a glorious day for Liberia when this advice is adopted and the rights of white men are freely acknowledged. Then the most uncompromising Democrat in our Fourth ward can emigrate to Africa, if he wishes to better his condition, and will be re ceived with open arms by his black brethren on the Liberian shores. He will be permitted to take out his naturalization papers and to vote at all the elections just as freely as if his face was as black as the ace of spades; and if he behaves himself he will undoubtedly be quite as much respected as if his blood were pure Congo, without any "visible admixture." We hope sincerely that the Liberians will heed the counsel of their American brethren, and make haste to remove the reproach that now rests upon them by the proscriptive clauses of their constitution. The time has passed when such enactments can be allowed to exist in a free country without discredit, and Liberia will make a decided advance and win tho applause of mankind when she ceases, to discriminate in her laws between white and black. the pauper question in eng. LAND. The material assistance rendered to the poor of London by the late Mr. Peabody pre sents a startling contrast to the brutal treat ment which they receive at the hands of the officials who are paid for the especial pur pose of ascertaining and relieving their wants. Altogether, there are thirty-eight different Boards of Guardians of the Poor in the English metropolis, and more than fifteen hundred officials of all grades con nected with the administration of the laws for the relief of the poor, their salaries amounting in the aggregate to over hnlf a mil lion of dollars. The compensation received by the chaplains, physicians, and clerks fre quently amounts to !$2."00 per annum, with lodgings and rations in addition. Yet, despite these facts, the poor of London are in a sorrier plight than those of any other great city in the civilized world. Greenwood, the "Amateur Casual," has given us vivid sketches of the harshness of treatment to which they are subjected, and the London papers have been filled for months past with accounts of the corruption in which the poor law officials are steeped, more especially in the parish of St. Pancras. In Eng land poverty is a profession. There are tens of thousands of miserable wretches who are born to beggary as their only birthright and solitary calling tnrough life. The evil is so great that it may justly be regarded as characteristic of the English nation; and one of the most difficult tasks which demands the attention of the Liberal government is the answering of the question as to how this vast pauper multitude can be lifted out of the mire and transformed into a class of respectable, useful, and law-abiding citizens. The solution of this problem will be as great a triumph for Mr. Gladstone as the overthrow of the great Church iniquity in Ireland; but it is a triumph which demands the exercise of even a higher grade of states manship than sufficed to bring about disesta blishment. JERSEY IN JEOPARDY. The women of New Jersey have been hold ing a convention at Newark during the week, in the interest of the female suffrage move ment. By the women of New Jersey, in this connection, we mean, of course, a few of the strong-minded and weak-headed sort, who kindly consent to do the talking and agitating for the thousands of sensible women whose home duties and privileges content them. Years ago, before the question of female suf frage was thought to be worthy of serious attention on the part of either men or women, the latter were permitted to vote at a certain class of elections in New Jersey; and it is said that, although but few of them took advantage of the privilege, these few made the most of it, and not content with casting one ballot, smuggled into the box as many different tickets as they could, making changes in their dress between each assault upon the polls, to facilitate their double deal ing. The Newark suffragists have not only heard of these sharp practices, but they have also ascertained, in some mysterious way, that their right to stuff tho ballot-box has never been legally taken away from them, and hence they propose to organize associa tions throughout the State with the object of enforcing their alleged rights and securing the election of Congressmen and Assembly men who will advocate their political equality with the sterner sex. We will risk the asser tion, however, that there are not now living in our neighbor State one hundred women who endeavor to do their full duty in all the relations of domestic life that have a partiole of sympathy for the schemes whioh have un settled the wits of the old women who have been holding the suft'rugo convention at Newark. Tkk FoitKidN Commhtke of the lower house of Congress would seem to be an ex cellent school of diplomacy. It is reported that, when their report on t he l'aragn aran diffi culties is presented, it. will sustain the action of our naval officers on the Brazilian station, and, at the same time, fully justify tho course of ex-Minister Washburn. Precisely how the committee will contrive to blow hot and cold in the same breath we are not informed, and when tho secret is revealed it will certainly bo one worth knowing. THE USES OF ALASKA. Thkhk is probably in the mind of every American citizen a vague but positive idea that the "manifest destiny" of this nation is to possess at some future time the entire con tinent, with all its insular appendages. Our territory is already immensely out of propor tion to our population, but then we are grow ing fast, and need room to expand; and there is no good reason why we should not realize our dreams of empire at the earliest possible day. It would not only be gratifying to na tional pride, but there would be many greut and definite advantages, if the United States owned the entire territory from the North Pole to the Isthmus of Panama, but we really are not in such need of the country to the north and south of us, nor are the advantages to be derived from its ownership so great, as to warrant the expenditure of much ready money for the sake of obtaining control of it. Mr. Seward managed to get over seven mil lions of dollars out of our impoverished trea sury for the purchase of one of the most un desirable and unpromising sections of the continent, and the results of his Alaskan land speculation have not been so gratifying as to encourage any further operations in thnt direction. The appearances are that Russia has real ized all the solid advantages of Mr. Seward's bargain in the shape of a good round sum in hard cash, and the people of the United States have listened with interest to all the reports from our new territory, hoping that it might realize at least some of the expecta tions formed of it from the glowing accounts of Us climate, mineral wealth, and magnifi cent timber, that were circulated about the time of the consummation of the purchase. Alaska, however, has not come up to expecta tions, nor does it seem likely that it ever will. General Thomas, in his report of operations in his department, states that he sees no prospect of the country being settled up. The climate is too rigid, and there is too much rain and too little sun for agriculture. Most of the military posts have gardens at tached to them, in which are raised turnips, radishes, lettuce, and other watery vegeta bles. Potatoes of moderately eood quality can also be raised, but they will not keep for any length of time, and the moisture of the climate is so great that these vegetables, and barley, (oats, wheat, and other grains, will not ripen or come to maturity. General Thomas states that comparatively little land is suita ble for agricultural purposes at all, and that the summer, though pleasant while it lasts, is not long enough for successful farming. The timber is of the finest quality, and in many places conveniently located, but the supply in Oregon, Washington Territory, and British Columbia is equally good, and much better situated for a market. Unless we abandon this territory to the Es quimaux and the wild animals, confessing to the world that we have foolishly thrown our money away, it will be necessary to retain a military force there to support the authority of the United States. This is anything but pleasant to the unfortunate soldiers who are thus banished from civilization; for the pro babilities are that, with the exception of a few traders, they will be the only white inhabit ants of Alaska. This raises the question, however, whether the territory could not be utilized as a penal settlement. Our prisons and penitentiaries are crowded with offenders who area charge to society, and whom it would be very desirable to get rid of, if possible. If our soldiers can stand the climate of Alaska, our criminals would be subjected to no im proper hardship if transported there and forced to labor hard to earn their bread and keep themselves warm. The prospect of ban ishment to such a place would undoubtedly have a most wholesome influence in the pre vention of crime, for those disposed to offend against the luws could readily be made to un derstand that this wonld be a real punish ment, and that, once landed in Alaska, it would be no easy matter to get away again. This subject is certainly worthy of attention, at least as a means for getting a partial re turn for the money Mr. Seward inveigled us into spending. KNIT POUTER. Vio:-Ai)M)r.Ai. Fokteu has been ordered away from the Naval Academy, and Commodore Worden has been assigned to the posi tion of superintendent of that ' institu tion in his place. This is a change that no one who has the good of the institu tion at heart will regret. It is notorious that the Naval Academy is very far below West Point in scholarship, in discipline, and in every other respect, while the pretensions of its graduates are very frequently in an inverse proportion to their attainments. Vice-Admi-ral Porter is one of those men who think that the navy exists solely for the benefit of the particular class of officers to which he belongs, and during his administration as superintend ent he has encouraged to the utmost that aris tocratic sentiment that is the bane of the naval service, and he has done little or nothing to raise tho standard of efficiency. He under stands exceedingly well the art of blowing his own trumpet, and he has managed to keep himself before the public and to exploit abroad what he esteems the peouliar merits of the Academy, but without convincing the people of tho country that the institution is all that it should be. If this officer had imi tated the modesty of merit that is character- teiistic of General Sherman, Lieutonaut-Gone-ral Sheridan, and Admiral Farragut, he would possess vastly more influence than he does, but his excessive desire for notoriety has im pressed the public that he is a good deal of a humbug, aud his performances during the last nine months, especially as factotum of ttitt Navy Department, have done incalculable iu jr.ry to himself and to the naval service. It was certainly high time that Vice-Admiral Porter should bo relieved from duty at the Naval Academy, for sinco the 1st of March he has given but little of bis time and atten tion to tho institution. Instead of devoting himself to his legitimate duties, he has been engaged in pushing all manner of sehomos in behalf of a certain "ring" of officers who assume to be the navy. It is certain that the performances of Porter at the Navy Department have not given satis faction. The position he occupies there is an exceptional one, not sanctioned by law, and both in and out of the service his influence has been thought to be most injurious. If the Secretary requires advisers he has his chiefs of bureaux, who ought to be capable of giving him all proper instruction and assist ance in his dutios; and if it is nocessary to have an officer in charge of the Secretary's conscience, the best plan would be to abolish the position of Secretary of the Navy alto gether, and place the department entirely in the hands of naval men who will do the work and take the' responsibility. That any good would result from such a change as this no one believes, and Admiral Porter has proved conclusively that he for one has not the right kind of ability or the unbiased judgment neces sary for the proper administration of the Navy Department. Since he has been in the position of right-hand mau to the Secretary, the Navy Department has been made the object of ridicule by all sorts of eccentric schemes and projects; and the best thing that can now be done with Porter is to assign him to some sphere of duty for which he is fitted It was a good move to get him out of the Naval Academy, and it will be a good move to get him out of the Navy Department, where he has no right to be, under the exist ing arrangements. THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING. VS the Senate, Mr. Anthony, chairman of the Committee on Printing, in presenting a report from that committee, stated that he intended to call the attention of Congress at an early day to the necessity of a reform in the whole business of the public printing. When it is remembored that, according to the recent re port of the Superintendent of the Govern ment Printing Office, l,.';!."i,."):tl were ex pended during the year ending September ,'i), 18(i!, in carrying on that establishment, the people out of whose pockets comes the money which is thus disposed of will be likely to second heartily the effort of Mr, Antnony in bringing aiiont a relorm. it is true that the establishment of the Govern nient printing office has caused the saving of hundreds of thousands of dollars every year, besides resulting in a much superior quality of work than was produced under the old contract system; but there is still a broad margin of absolute waste left on which Con gress can operate in the interest of economy. A vast majority of the documents which emanate from the Government press are utterly worthless, and for such of them as are of any value the persons who desire them should be obliged to pay at least the cost of production, except in comparatively rare cases. When Congress sees fit to abolish the iniquitous franking system, these documents will no longer be in such demand as they are at present, and the first and most sensible step towards bringing about a reform in the printing business would seem to lie in this direction. Agkiitlitkai. Labokeksix Knoi.am). The com missioners appointed to investigate the condition of agricultural laborers In England have made reports, which give some Idea of the rural districts. Much of the lighter work is done by women and boys. In the noble county of Warwickshire women get from six pence to tenpence a day, and the Irishwomen are said to le very efficient laborers. Boys get from one shilling and sixpence to three shillings a week. With board, boys' wares begin at thirty shillings seven dollars and a half in gold a year. The cottages are miserably unhealthy and demoralizing. In Worces tershire laborers get small wages nine shillings to thirteen shillings a week and arc only found In cider, of which they drink from two to six quarts a day. Nearly all the men are dmnken, and men drunk on cider generally abuse their wives. The cider is also said to be a cause of the prevailing rheumatism. In sixty-three parishes in Stairordshire twenty-five per cent, of the cottages had only one bedroom, "and nine per cent, contained a family with three children, or more, living In that one bedroom." In Shropshire the cottages are described as infamous. Tumbledown and ruinous, not water-tight, very de ficient In bedroom aecommodutiou and iu decent sanitary arrangements. Un some estates the laltor era herd In the open villages; while on mauy others coitugi'H are to be found belonging to the owner of the soil, which are a disgrace to any civilized coun try. With regard to education, it Is reported that largo numbers of children who need Instruction are left without it, partly, It may be, from lack of school accommodation, but still more from luck of proper Interest on the part of the parents. The condition of tho peasantry, In no part very satisfactory, Is ile plorably low In the hill country of the southwest. Wages are low, the hours of labor are long, agree ments between employers and laborers are uncer tain, and the system of privileges and of part pay ment In beer and cider prevails. And there, writes a correspondent, are the rich central counties of Eng luud, where the country is one greut garden of beauty and the land pays Immense revenues to its lordly proprietors. The following paragraph from a recent number of the London Tiinva shows how some of the people of Devonshire live : "The head of the family Is an old mau, and he is the owner of thirty acres of laud. On this property he has no house, but In a barn, without windows or (lours, he, his wife, bis son, three daughters, unmar ried, and a numerous progeny resale. There Is scarcely a vestige of furniture In this dilapidated bullillug, and the manner in which those people live U of the rudest, coarsest, and even savage-like char acter. A pit dug lu the centre of the barn turves for the dormitory In which the members of the family sleep, with the exception of two of theuu These two are a (laughter and her friend, and they sleep lu u hayrick in an adjacent field. To the clergymen of the parish and the neighbors they behuvoin the most shametul manner. They sing obscene songs when the reverend gentlemua posses ; they ptjrlorm the most (Itsgustlug and nameless acts when he Is In the company of ladies: and those who are olmoxlous to them they pelt with stones and mud as they go by their wretched domicile, lu the summer they muy lu seen lu the ileitis at work almust in a state of nudity. Depredations iu the neighborhood are fre quent, (lutes uud gate-posts, and other object of utility, ofleu dlsuppear, and th routs o( violence are common. We may add that members or the family have been several times convicted of oirenites. And vet there jieople continue tliotr ttuvage hubits to the annoyance aud dlgul of their uciKlibors, treating the rtiiumstrunces of the clergyman with mockery, ribaldry, and obscenity, aud setting the rules ol civi lized life at defiance." j Thomas Brand, of Effingham, III., put som-j powder in his stove to blow the soot out of tut) pipe. .Since then he has been bliucl. SPECIAL. NOTIOES. IWT FlllST A. N I U A. JL. CLEARING SALE OP FINEST UK Alt Y-MADK CLOTHING, Iiioi4ett FlricM (For Custom Wort), AND FASHIONABLE Gents' Furnishing Goods. CliOKiiiit Street Clothing; at Market Street lrieen ! THE ENTIRE PRESENT STOCK ov 818 ana feO Chcsuut St. To be sold off, la preparation for the next season's trade, at LOWER PRICES than have ever before been marked on Sucli Superior Gai'iiioutN, Bringing their prices down to the level of the lowest prices of the more ordinary Ready-made Clothing. The kind of business which we do dealing only In the FINEST and MOST FASHIONABLE styles and materials necessitates the clearing of our counters at the close of each season, for we are determined never to offer to the patrons of our house any other than the NEWEST and FRESHEST GOODS or each new season. Therefore we announce our First Grand Clearing; Sale TO COMMENCE FRIDAY, l)c!ombOf iO. WE OFFER 600 OVERCOATS, of the highest grade, Velvet Collared, Silk Lapelled, Satin-raced, and all that, at prices ranging from f 16 to 35. 500 SUITS for Cress, Business and Street wear, of all materials and styles, from 120 to $45. 400 COATS Chesterfields, Sacks, 8wuUow tails, Walking Coats, etc. etc 400 PAIRS PANTS, cut In every style, made with greatest care, or finest goods, from fs to f 15. 3C0 VESTS Velvet, Cloth, Silk, Casstmerc, and PluBh, from 3 to Together wit.'i the BEST ASSORTMENT OF FURNISHING GOODS TO BI FOUND IN TUB CITY. BOYS' AND CHILDREN'S CLOTHING OF THE BEST MANUFACTURE. Our stock Is not enormously large, of course, at the present time, but every article oi it Is warranted "FINEST." AND IT ALL MUST BE SOLD BY Olt ABOUT TnE FIRST OF THE NEW YEAR. Every facility will be given customers or visitors to Inspect our goods, and to fatly satisfy themselves that now Is their BEST OPPORTUNITY' TO MSCUKH BARGAINS IN FINE CLOTHDNG. JOHN WANAMAKER, Manufacturer of Finest Clothing, MERCHANT TAILOIi; AND DEALER IN t GENTS' FURNISHING GOODS, Ar 818 uud BO CliOHuut St. SPEOIAL NOTICES. ST IIEADQUAUTKIW FOR FANCY AND STAPLE G -11 O O Id U I K s FOE TUB HOLIDAY. S. W. Corner Broad and Walnut. FRESH GOODS RECEIVED DAILY. REDUCTION IN PRICKS CONSTANTLT BBIMd MADE. White Almeira Grapes, Only 40 Cents Per Found, OR, BY TUB KEG, AT WHOLESALE PRICES. Choice Fruits of Every Description. NEW WALNUTS, FILBERTS, AND PECAN NUTS. PAPER SHELL ALMONDS, STEWART'S BROKEN CANDY, LADY APPLES and BELLFLOWER APPLES. FBE8H CANNED FRUITS AND PRESERVES, JELUK8, JAMS, AND MARMALADES. FRENCH CAJSDIKI) FRUITU , In small and pretty glass boxes. Fine Teas, Coffee, Chocolates, Etc. Staple Groceries OF THE FINEST CHARACTER. CIIEKHK, DOMESTIC AND IMPORTED, LNGBEAT VARIETY. POTTED GAME AND STRASBOURG MEATS. PATES DE FOIE GRAS. WHITE CLOVER HONEY, IN TUB COMB AND STRAINED. KEN OLIVES AND FRENCH OLIVErt. OLIVES FARCIES AND CAPERS. OLIVE OIL, UNSURPASSED IN QUALITY. FINE IMPORTED CORDIALS. ALL THE POPULAR BRANDS OF CHAMPAGNE. EVERY VARIETY OF SHERRY. OLD AND RICH TORT WINES. HIGH-MEDIUMS AND LOW GRADES CLARETS; CALIFORNIA WINKS. FINE CIGARS. AND A GREAT VARIETY OV FINE GOODS FOIl TABLE USE1, ALL At JXiMluoml lriH. SIMON COLTOH & CLARKE, S.W. Corner Broad aud Walnut, 1Mb PHILADELPHIA,