§tbforb Inquirer. BEDFORD, PA„ FRIDAY JAN. 12, 1860. SPLIT IN THE REPUBLICAN PAR TY. Articles, with the above and similar cap tions, bfive been going the rounds of the Copperhead papers throughout the eoun try. It may be they are on ly whistling to keep their courage up, but it is more likely; that the natural sluggishness of their old fogy ideas has prevented tbein from dis* cerning. what long ago has been patent to every one not blinded by partisan zeal or fossilized by the soporific influences of Cop perhead conservatism. The originality and progressiveness of such men as Hon. Thad deus Stevens, Hon. Henry Wilson and a host of others frighten these drowsy drones of the political world into the most pitiable quakings. They first cry out that these pestilent fellows will turn the world upside down with their new tangled notions, but finding the world upon a stronger founda tion than they supposed, with the utmost sangfroid, forgetful of their past abortive attempts at prophecy, they inform us that the party, to which these disturbers of their sty gian slumbers belong, is about going to piec es, simply because some of its members happen to differ upon the minutiae, in the working out of great principles. Lloyd Garrison was probably right in ceasing to publish the Agitator any longei and saying that its mission was ended. Not so the Republican party, its mission is only begun, in the illimitable field of progress to which the future invites us, its aim, is to promote every good work, to encourage a truer na tionality, a higher civilization, a more ex tended freedom. It is the activity of robust, exuberant life and Dot the throes of dissolution, that char acterizes the Republican party at the pres ent moment. It is the natural diversity, of living, active, thinking, progressive minds, independently investigating great questions of civil policy, with the same high aim. and not the discordant jarring <>f antagonistic principles. No doubt ail this seems strangely ominous to the dim vision of Copperheadism, but the intelligence of the country has reali zed that we are the progressive party of a progressive age in a progressive country. They are the apologists, for slavery despot ism, and anarchy, we —the advocates of un trammelled liberty and christian humanity. They cling to the laws and institutions of the dead past, the effete and the obsolete. We press forward to the rich fruition of a bright aod glorious future. They are the party of ignorance superstition and decay, we—of intelligence, morality and progress. OUR COMMON SCHOOL SYSTEM. No. 3. Inequality of Taxation. In order that we may the better appreci ate the significance of the figures, which follow, it may be well to state that the law, as it now stands and is enforced, requires of each district to keep open its schools four months in each year or forfeit the State ap propriation. Under these requirements, we find in Jefferson county, that a tax of 13 mills to the dollar is required to keep open the schools four months at an average rate of $2O per month to teachers in Knox dis trict, while its richer neighbor. Corsica, is en abled to obtain 6 months school, at an aver age teacher's salary of $25, with a tax of only five mills to the dollar. That is in or der to obtain the same advantages the poor er district would have to endure five times as high a rate of taxation as the richer. In Indiana county, Canoe district obtains four months school at $l6 per month for teachers, with a taxation of 13 mills to the dollar', while Saltzburg district with 3 J mills, obtains the same length of term and pays her teachers $lB per month. Here again we find the same advantages gained by the; richer district at less than one fourth the rate of taxation of the poorer. In Lancaster county, East Hempfield has six months school at $29, with a 13 mill tax, while West Lampeter has eight months at $3O with a 1.5 mill tax. Here we find the poorer district would be obliged to bear 12 times as high a rate of taxation in order to gain the same educational advantages as its richer neighbor. In Centre county, Taylor district has four months school (& $2O, with a 12 mill tax, while Farmer's mills district obtains six months @ $28.83 with a two mill tax or about one-twelfth again. In Bucks county, New Britain has five months @ $25, with a 12 mill tax, while Northampton has five months @ $26, with a 2 two mill tax or less than a twelfth. In Luzerne county, Dennison has five months @ $l7, with 13 mills, while New Columbia has seven months <3j $18.86 with 1.1 mills or less than one-twelfth. In Lebanon county, Heidelberg has five months @ $2O, with a 12 mill tax, while Cornwall has six and one-half months (cf $23, with 1 mill or one-eighteenth the rate of tax of the poorer district. In Potter county, Sweden district has four months @ $lB, with a 13 mill tax, while Coudersport has eight and one-half months @ $26, with a 2.5 mill tax, or one thirteenth the rate of Sweden. In Northampton Co., Moore district has four and two-third months <3 $2O with a 20 mill tax. while Bethlehem Borough has nine months (ft, $33.84 with a 1 mill tax, or gets the same advantages at one fifty-fourth part the rate of taxation of the poorer dis trict * The average rates of taxation in differ entcounties, by comparison, show a likeine quality. Thus: Bucks county with an av erage taxation of 1.12 mills has an average of 8.28 months school at an average salary of $25.29. ' • McKean, with a tax of 6.8 mills, obtains 6.07 months school @ $21.09. To enable McKean to obtain the same length of school term at the same salaries as Bucks, would require of her a rate of taxation nearly six times as great. Lehigh county, with a tax of 2.15 mills and a teacher's salary of $22.39 has 5.76 months school, while Clearfield county has 429 months, with a salary of $2448 aad a tax of 9.27 mills, or at about five timos the rate of taxation required in Lehigh to obtain the same advantages. j $25.50 per mouth, and obtains 7.34 months sohool at a tax of .60 mills. Jefferson county has 4.7 months school at $20.90 salary, with a tax of 9.6 mills. Here we iind that Jefferson county, to ena ble her ro pay the same wages to teachers, and to have the same length of chool term ! would be compelled to levy a tax about twenty-six times as heavy as Montgomery. The average rate of taxation throughout j the iitate is 3.27 mills; Yet leaving out the disparity in length of school term, we ; see the poor district of Moore in Northamp ton county, enduring a tax of 20 mills, or over six times the average of the State while the rich district of Oley iri Berks, pays but i of a mill or less than one fourtli the aver age of the State. These are but a few, of the hundreds and even thousands of instances of the gro3s in equality and injustice borne by the people under the present most unjust system of tax ation. Surely no one will pretend that such results as these were intended to be produ ced, by the framers of our school laws. TIIF. NI'XDBY PRESS. Sunday papers have been tolerated, if not encouraged, in their violation of the Sab bath. until from timidity they have advanc ed to aggressiveness. The Philadelphia Presa has essayed to lead their host in the assault upon religious observances and institutions, and defiance of the law of the land as Well as the moral and religious sense of the People. Its editor shows his duplicity and incon-is tencv in a style that would be amusing if the subject were not one too serious for lev ity. Take the following from his defence "Onr reverend critics should understand that in a period, when, into a single hour, are frequently compressed the events of years, and when the evolutions and inven tions of man are so numerous and rapid as to baffle imagination and defy parallel, the people on .Sunday morning are just as anx ious to know what transpired on Saturday as those on Monday are to learn what took, place on Sunday. This is a thinking and reading age, and ours is a thinking and a reading country. Is God better served by spreading before his creatures good doc triues. or by allowing them to peruse what ever they <-an seize upou to fill their leisure Sabbath hours?" The same plea, of a desire, might be made an excuse for every violation, of, not only Sabbath and Sabbath laws, but also, of all other laws, and in accordance with this spirit we find in the same number an arti cle of a full column in advocacy of running the city street cars for the accomoda tion of Sunday pleasure parties, quickly verifying the truth that ' fiacUit descensus Acerui, " But the editor speaks of spread ing before his readers good doctrines for their perusal during the leisure hours of the Sabbath, the paper from which this extract is made, contains 8 pages or 84 columns of printed matter, what are the good doctrines embodied in these 8 pages. About 16 col umns are devoted to secular news embracing court proceedings, police reports, commer cial political and financial news, Ac., two columns are given to church news and eta- j tis tics, with but little of a religious character j about them, 8 columns to exclusively busi- j ness advertisements, 3 to amusements, ope- j ras, circuses, theatres, Ac., 3 to tales and j poetry,6 to theatrical and dramatic criticisms, j 4 to miscellanous but not religious matter, 1 to the advocacy of Sunday railroad travel and Sunday amusements, aud the remaining 4j columns are devoted to the Sunday ques tion and an argument in favor of the abro gation of, not only, the Sabbath day, but al so, of the moral law and the Decalogue. One of these articles concludes thus. "In the present state each man is entitled to judge for himself how much, or what part of the day he will employ, and in what av ocations, whether useful physical labor, in social visiting, attention to the sick and af flicted, in meetings for relieious improve ment, or in mental culture, literary or scien tific: knowing that in the doing of all right things he is worshipping God.' : We never had a very high opinion of the moral integrity of "The Press." Its toad yism in politics was absolutely disgusting and now its practical infidelity in religion, and o pen advocacy of the abrogation of all moral restraints make its very pages loathsome. He who introduces it into his family must have a strong faith in his own restraining influence, or small regard for the morals of his children. OUR PUBLIC MEN. "WE COMPLAIN that Pennsylvania does not occupy the position in the family of States to which she is entitled. Her wealth, the extent of her territory, her geographic Eosition, and her wonderful resources entitle er to a rank, in fact, rather than in name, as the "Keystone" of the great arch of the republic. But she does not stand thus. In Congress she occupies the position of a third or fourth-rate commonwealth, and is listened to only by courtesy, when others of far less magnitude in all that should constitute greatness, command attention. It is so in national conventions; it is so everywhere; and, like a blind giant, possessing all the elements of strength and power, she is half the time powerless." It is the Philadelphia Daily News that says that. Now, without stopping to in quire whether this is the naked truth, or an unwholsome exaggeration, the result of a morbid imagination, we may remark that a Commonwealth is not, and cannot, be known in the national councils by its masses. It must be known and judged by its represen tative men. If Pennsylvania allows herself to be represented by her weaker men rather than by her stronger; or, selecting her strong er men, she unwisely rotates them into pri vate life, just when they have acquired that experience and discipline which is essential to enable them to exert their powers influ entially in public stations, she has really nothing to blame but her own stupidity. In all circles, public and private, where business is to be transacted, brains and exper ience count strongly. It depends little where the man who possesses these qualities was born or lives—he will have that considera tion accorded to him to which he shows him self entitled. A complaint is made that Massachusetts and South Carolina have had more sway in Congress than their pro portion of the population would indicate they ought to have had, the answer is that those States have commonly sent the I .' best men to Washington, and have had the wit to keep them there. Pennsylvania has had some very superior men in Congress. She has some of that sort there now Stevens and Williams may be j gentlemen has been there for so many years that be has become an expert in parliamen tary topics and all the arts of legislation. His constituents appreciate his powers and services, and keep him there. But a strong opposition is manifested elsewhere in the State, among special classes, to get rid of him, if possible, because of his marked pre-eminence. The croakers would drive all the brains in Congress in Pennsylvania into retirement, and then mourn all the louder that she was stripped of her due share of influence. Pennsylvania is not deficient in men of large abilities for any kind of service. The misfortune is that this sort do not as often get into public employments as the general welfare requires. Of late years Philadelphia; while exceptions must be allowed in her fa vor, has been so remiss in promoting her a blest men that she ought to maintain silence no matter what disparagement the Com monwealth may rest under.— Pittsburgh Gazette. EQUALIZING SOLDIERS' BOUN TIES. The men who fought and won the battles of the Government, and thus maintained it in power, have not been treated altogether fairly so far as bounties are concerned. The men who first enlisted feel that injustice has been done them, in the matter that, while they served long and faithfully without ex tra pay, others who went into the army af ter the hard fighting and marching were done, secured fortunes. In a plain common sense view, the injustice is highly offensive, and the friends of the soldier, in, as well as out of Congress, are determined that there shall at least be an equalization of bounties, that the men who were willing to meet the first furious attack of treason, shall be rec ompensed and paid equally with those who enlisted when the battle was more than half Fought and won. The bill of Mr. Clarke, of Kansas, which is now before the House, proposes to equalize the bounties to sol diers, by providing for a uniform bounty of $lOO per year, computing for the whole pe riod of service, and counting of the whole term of enlistment. This measure is ap proved as one which will do full justice to all our fighting men, and we trust that it will become a law as speedily as possible.—ffar risburg Telegraph. HENRY WINTER DAVIS IS DEAD. The telegraph brings the sad intelligence of the death of Mr. HENRY WINTER DAVIS of Maryland. He was born in Annapolis in 1817, graduated at Hampden Sydney College was elected a Representative in Congress from Baltimore in the 34th, 35th and 36th Congresses, serving on the Committee of Ways and Means. In 1863 he was elected to the 38th Congress, and served as Chair man of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. He failed to obtain the nomination for a seat in the present Congress. He was the author of the Wade Davis manifesto that appeared in 1864: a paper most remarkable for vigor and fearlessness, whatever may be said of its other qualities. 31 r. DAVIS possessed various and exact culture, and in the department of literature, was the author of several attractive volumes He was a man of rare genius; decidedly the ablest man iu Maryland. He possessed a finished and graceful delivery, the effect of which was damaged in large rooms by lack of proper tone of voice. He was a radical thinker, and a man of great moral courage. He dared to differ from the most powerful. By his intrepidity he imparted an impulse to the cause of Freedom in ryland, which must hand down his name with increasing lustre to posterity.—Pitts burgh Gazette. FROM WASHINGTON. Statement of number of volunteers called from each State. WASHINGTON, Jan. 6. The Secretary of War, in compliance with a resolution of the House of Representa tives, has furnished a statement of the num ber of volunteers called forty the President at various periods. The first call was for 75,000; the second, in July, 1864, for 500,- 000, and the third, in December, for 300,- 000, namely: Aggregate, reduced to the three States. Aggregate, years standard 31ainc 71,745 56,595 New Hampshire. 34,605 30,827 Vermont 35,246 29.052 Massachusetts.... 151,785 123j844 Rhode Island 23,711 17,878 Connecticut 57,270 50,514 New York.. 455,568 380,980 New Jersey 79,511 55,785 Pennsylvania 366,326 267,558 Delaware 13,651 10,303 Maryland 49,730 40,692 West Virginia.... 30,003 27,653 Dist. Columbia... 16,872 11,506 Ohio 317,133 239,976 Indiana 195,147 152,283 Illinois 258,217 212,694 Michigan 90,119 80,865 Wisconsin 96,118 78,985 Minnesota 25,034 l-,675 10wa..... 75.860 68,182 Missouri 108,773 86,182 Kentucky 78,540 70.348 Kansas 20,097 18,654 Total 2,653,062 2,129,041 This informrtion was called for to facili tate the business of the special committee on the war debt of the loyal States, to whom it has been referred. DEATH OF A NOTED DiviiNE. The Lu theran Church of the United States mourns the death of Benjamin Kurtz, D I), L. L. D., which event transpired in Balltimore. on Friday last. The American says Dr. Kurtz was most favorably known to the citizensof Baltimore and indeed of the entire State, and as an a ble theologian, a devout Cbrisian, and pos sessing many excellent traits of character. By virtue of his talents he received the de grees of Doctor of Divinity and Doctor of Literature and Laws from the College of the English Lutheran Church, of which de nominations he for about forty years was an efficient pastor. Dr. Kurtz was connected for many years with the Lutheran publica tions, and occupied the editorial chair with vigor and faithfulness. He was also the author of a uuniber of works, the titles of some of which: "'Why are you a Lutheran?" ''Baptism,' and a prayer book, <fcc. Many of his editorials in the Lutheran Observer evinced a high decree of theology and its concomitant subjects. He has gone to his rest full of honors, having lived to the ad vanced age of 71 years. As a zealous and useful Chi istian, a learned man and a good citizen, Dr. Kurtz will long be remembered in this community. The funeral of the de ceased took place on the afternoon of New FROM WASHINGTON. WASHINGTON, January 4, 1866 THE TAX COMMISSIONERS, Now in New York engaged upon their report, will not be ready, so they inform the .Secretary of the Treasury, to submit their report to him for two weeks yet. The Secre tary will have it under advisement for at least two weeks. It will not be submitted to Congress, therefore, before the first of February. It will be a most voluminous document, covering several hundred pages. The Committee on Ways and Means are very anxious to have this report. A EULOGIST WANTED. The committee appoiuted to secure a proper person to pronounce the eulogy on | the life and character of the late President Lincoln have thus far been unable to secure any one. Both Stanton and Holt have de clined. Neither of them have assigned any reason therefor, further than they have not time to attend to it. SOLDIERS PETITIONING Kott DISCHARGES. Applications are pouring in upon the Sec retary of War and General Grant from vol unteer soldiers, asking to be discharged the service alleging that they see no further use for their services and they arc anxious to re tire to civil pursuits. It is the settled policy of the department to abridge the military force throughout the country as rapidly as possible and to as small a compass as the ex igencies of the service will permit. THE WAR DEBT. One of the first things to be done in Con gress next week is to take up the question of assumption of the loyal State war debt. There is a very strong feeling among Con. gressmen in favor of such a course. LATE INDIAN OUTRAGES. A copy of a letter from Gen. Pope to Gen eral Sully, dated at Sioux City, December 9th, 1865, received by Commissioner Cooley of the Indian Bureau, states that a trader at Eort Rice reported a large number of In dians along Missouri river, who are very friendly to the whites. The chiefs of these parties were highly displeased with outrages committed by Indians at Kayer Pope and are returning all stolen goods and horses they can recover to General .Silly. They intended also to deliver up the Indians who shot the white traders. THE RECONSTRUCTION QUESTION. .Senator Lane of Kansas, it is understood will make a speech soon after the re-assem hling of Congress, strongly endorsing the President's reconstruction policy. Senator Wade of Ohio, is entitled to the floor on Senator Wilson's bill, making all equal he fore the law under cover of which most of the speeches on restoration are made. THE WHITE HOUSE. The visitor;- at the White House on busi ness with the President were granted early interviews to day the crowd dispersing before two o'clock. A number of Senators called on the President, but most of those present were persons interested in pardons, and ask ing employment. A CAVALRY LEADER IN TROUBLE. This evening's Republican says that it has seen in the hands of the proper authorities a statement signed by over thirty officers under the command ot a Major General who has distinguished hiinselt'as a cavalry officer under Sheridan, to the effect that at a public meeting in Texas, a judge Hancock, an ex rebel. made a treasonable speech and that the Major General aforesaid who was drunk allowed and endorsed all that Hancock said The removal of this General is earnestly de manded. LAND GRANT TO MISSOURI. Under the swamp land grant of 1860, swamp selections in the former Jackson, now Centre land district, covering 171,7*27 acres, has been granted to th.- State of M is souri, for which a patent from the United States has just been prepared, with a view to its transmission to the Governor of that State. TO BE MUSTERED OUT. Orders for mustering out the 18th, 143 d and 46th Illinois Infantry, and 2d 10th and 17th Illinois Cavalry; Ist oattery of Kentucky Artillery, and 2d Wisconsin Cavalry have just been issued. SCOTCH WHEAT FOR DISTRIBUTION. Nine different varieties of wheat were to day received at the Bureau of Agriculture, from Glasgow, Scotland, for distribution; also two varieties of rye grain seed. A CLERGYMAN WANTS TO CARRY THE MAIL. A Virginia clergyman writes to the Post office Department, asking for a mail contract He states that he does not know as he can take the oath of allegiance, for he has prayed in the pulpit during the war for the success of the Southern cause, but as the prayers were never answered, lie is of the opinion that no aid and comfort were given and that therefore he remains a lcyal citizen. THE INTERNAL REVENUE RECEIPTS. Are becoming unusually large during the past few days. They range lrom one to two millions per day, and occasionally exceed the latter ainouut. THE SUPREME COURT. The last case argued in the Supreme Court to day was No. % irregular docket, being that of Evan Rogers against the city of Bur lington, lowa. THE RECOGNITION OF MAXIMILIAN. The President will send to Congress to morrow or on Monday a copy of all of the diplomatic correspondence on Mexican af fairs. It is believed that it will contain a letter from Napoleon directed to Secretary Seward, asking for the recognition of Maxi milian, and the latter's reply thereto. THIRTY-NINTH CONGRESS. First Session. WASHINGTON, Jan. o, 1866. SENATE. The Senate met at 12 o'clock, and was called so order by the President pro tern., Mr. Foster. .Mr. Surnner presented a petition of two citizens of Boston, asking for indemnity from the British Government for the loss of a ship burned by the Alabama, which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Af fairs. Mr. Sumner presented a petition from the colored citizens of Mississippi and Ala bama, asking for their judicial rights before the law, which was referred to the Special Committee on Reconstruction. Mr. Sumner presented a protest from the colored citizens of Colorado against the rec ognition of that State on account of the in justice done to their race in the newly form ed constitution. Mr. Chandler presented the protest of the citizens of Michigan against the renewal of the reciprocity treaty, except upon terms that will protect American commerce. Mr. Morgan offered the memorial of the Union League Club of New York, asking that Congress give to the widow of the late President the amount of salary for the full Bresidential8 residential term, which was referred to the ommittee on Finance. Mr. Trumbull offered a bill to enlarge the powers of the Freedmen's Bureau. Also, a bill to guarantee freedom to the eolored people in the States lately in rebellion. Mr. Sumner presented a resolution call ing for the printing of one hundred thou sand copies of the Tate message of the Pres ident with the reports of Generals Grant and Schurz. which was referred to the Com mittee on Printing. Mr. Sumner presented a resolntion call ing upon the President for detailed informa tion respecting the appointment of Provis sional Governors, how they were paid, and whether they took the oath of allegiance, &c., which was adopted. Mr. Sumner offered a joint resolution, proposing au amendment to the Constitu tion of the United States, to guarantee the payment of the national debt, and to pre was referred to the Judiciary Committee. Mr. Sumuer offered a bill providing for the revision of the statutes of the Un'ted States, which was referred to the Judiciary Committee. Mr. Williams introduced a joint resolu tion, submitting the following article as an amendment to the Constitution: "No pow er shall exist in Congress to provide for the payment of any person or persons for or on any account of the emancipation of any slave or slaves in the United States, and no appropriation of money shall ever be made by law of Congress for that purpose. The article was referred to the Judiciary Com mittee. Mr. Trumbull introduced two bills, of which he had given previous notice, a bill to enlarge the powers of the Freedmen's Bu reau, and a bill to guarantee freedom to the colored citizens of the States lately in re volt. On motion of Mr. Ramsey, the Senate adjourned at 12.30, to meet on Monday next. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. \ arious resolutions of inquiry were pass ed. including one offered by Mr. Ingersoll, of Illinois, instructing the Judiciary Com mittee to inquire whether any further legis lation is necessary for the suppression of polygamy in Utah. ()n motion of Mr. Pike, of Maine, the Committee of 7"Vays and Means were in structed to iuciui-e into the expediency of providing for drawbacks of the duties paid on material entering into the construction of American ships, in order to compete with those of foreign construction on equal terms. The House then went into Committee of the whole on the President's message. After a prolonged discussion the Com mittee rose and adjourned till Monday. FROM HARRISBURG. Harrisui rg, Jan. s.— Hon. Eli Slifer, Secretary ot the Common wealth, received a letter from Governor Curtin, dated at Mat anzas, Cuba, December 28, 1865, in which he speaks of certain letters which he (the Governor) has forwarded, and which he supposed the Secretary of the Common wealth bad certanly received. These letters Mr. Slifer never received. But in his pres ent letter the Governor gives the substance of hir> announcement in missing letters, which is of considerable importance to the public. He says that during the first week of his experience in Cuba the heat set very hard upon him, and seemed to increase the viru lence of his disease, but that of late the cli mate has acted like a charm upon him. His physician has advised him to remain for some time longer, and he is therefore deter mined to take the full benefit of his original intention, as announced in his message, which he wrote just previous to his depar ture, and prolong his stay until the middle or latter part of February, when he thinks he may return with safety. THE CONTESTED ELECTION CASE. Mr. David McConaughy, who, on Wed nesday, contested the seat of 0. M. Duncan, the sitting Senator from the Nineteenth District, embracing the counties of Adams and Franklin, will not rely so much upon the additional soldiers'votes that came in after Duncan had received his certificate as upon bis allegation that a number of votes of de serters were received for Duncan. Indeed, it is virtually conceded that the thirty-one votes purporting to have been cast at" Vic toria, Texas, on last election day, are fraud ulent, and Mr. McConaughy abandons them. The Union candidate for District Attor ney in Franklin county, whose election would have been a certainty if these votes were genuine, has declined a contest in court, and has conceded his opponent's election on the certificate of the return judges. These re turns, which were postmarked Philadelphia, and duplicates of which reached the Secre tary of the Commonwealth's office, Nov. 20th. 1865, have not been placed on file here as official papers, and certificates of the re turns which have been issued only make mention of the votes as "purporting to have been cast. " It is said that the friends of Duncan have the most voluminous evidence in relation to these returns, embracing the affidavit of the Captain of one of the com panies in which this vote purports to have been cast, together with the testimony of the judges of the election whose names are signed to the returns, to the effect that they never signed the papers. Col. MeClure advances a very curious theory in regard to the soldiers' vote, which he does not believe is genuine. He asserts that it was concocted by the enemies of Mc- Conaughy for the purpose of throwing odi um and discredit upon the effort that would be made to oust Duncan upon general alle gations of fraud. In other words, while he does not defend the returns, he will not be lieve that Republicans were concerned in getting them up. This question will, doubt less, never be elucidated, for the reason that there is nothing about the returns, as sent to the Secretary of the Commonwealth and the I'rothonotaries of Franklin and Adams counties, to indicate who sent them, and it is a little dountful if anybody will step for ward and assume the responsiblity. The whole contest may, therefore, hinge upon the alleged voting of deserters. There are only twenty-five of a majority to over come on Duncan's certificate, ana this, it is said, can be wiped ouL though the testi mony, in that case, will amount to many pages offoolscap. It is announced on pretty good authority, that the Committee drawn to try this case will submit to the Attorney General for his decision the question wheth er the act of Congress, which prohibits de serters from the army of the United States the privileges of voting, can debar a voter from the exercise of his franchise in the e lection of State officers. If this is done, then the fate of Mr. McConaughy will be to a great extent dependent upon the nature of the Attorney-General's decision. TEXAS AND MEXICO. Movements of Gen Crawford--Repor ted Designs on Monterey—Recruiting Going on. NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 5. Additional accounts from Brownsville say that General Crawford has plenty of funds. His chief of staff, Col. A. F. Reed, is rapidly raising recruits in Brownsville, enlisting United States soldiers still in the United States service, and promising them dischar ges as soon as the necessary papers are made out and forwajded. There has been no in terference with this proceeding by our au thorities as yet. Recruiting offices are opening in otner parts of Texas. One of the recruiting offi cers informed the correspondent of the New Orleans Time* that a force is to come from New York in addition to that being raised on the Rio Grande. A camp is being estab lished below Brownsville, with sufficient supplies. General Mejia is aware of General Craw ford's movements. The Brownsville correspondent of the Times, under date of the 30th of December, says: Gen. R. Clay Crawford has arrived at Brownsville with the appointment of Gener al in the Mexican and Republican army, and authority to recruit on the American division for the Republican service under his com mand. General Crawford established recruiting offices at Brownsville a:id other places in Texas, and the enlistments were already progressing rapidly. It is reported that Gens. Lew Wallace and Ijogan are connected with the move ment and they are soon expected to arrive. Cavagol, the celebrated Mexican fillibus ter, was expected with a large suniofmoney The Imperialists werein Matamoras. Gen. Mejia had commenced barricading the streets fearing an attack from Crawford s American division at any time. It is thought that Crawford will join and move on Monterey, establishing their base at that point.. A schooner, laden with arms and ammuni tion, consigned to a purveyor at the head quarters of the 2oth Army Corps, went ashore at Bagdad and was seized by the Im perialists, General Mejip levied a loan of $lO,OOO on the merchants of Matamoras. The military railroads from Grashead are completed to White Ranche, making th e travel from Brownsville to Brazos in for days. news says that American families are leaving Matamoras, and coming to the American side, fearing an attack. Liberal forces, numbering about 2,200, are scattered along the river. RECONSTRUCTION. WASHINGTON. January 6, 1866. The Committee of Fifteen, on Recon struction, held their first meeting, at the Capitol this morning, and elected Senator Fessenden Chairman, and appointed a clerk. Several members of the Committee being absent, it was determined to take no definite action until a full attendance was had. It was found that nearly all of the credentials of the Southern Congressmen elect were be fore them. Those of the Tennessee delega tion were presented in full and found to be entirely formal. A large number of resolutions were placed on the journal of the Committee, which have been referred from time to time by both Houses. Notice was given of a prop osition to send a sub committee to investi gate into the Southern States, and report fully on the civil, military and political situ ation. It was intimated by one member that he should urge the early consideration of the credentials of the Tennessee delega tion. A committee consisting of Senator Fess enden and Reverdy Johnson, andßerpesen tative Washburne, of Maine, was appointed to confer with President Johnson on matters connected with the reconstruction policy. An Important Decision from the Super intendent of Common Schools. The common school laws of the State fix the eligibility of pupils for admission to those schools at from six to twenty-one years of age, providing that a Pennsylvania boy or girl can, if desired, attend school for fif teen years. When the slave-holders' war was precipitated, there were hundreds of able-bodied boys between the ages of seven teen and twenty-one who entered the armies, fought well and greatly distinguished them selves. of these were left to occupy graves on fields made immortal by their valor. Others have returned home disabled for life, and still others, having passed through all the perils of battle, came back to us uuharmed. Many of the minors thus escaping the dangers of the war. became of age in tne army, and since their return, are desirous of entering the public schools to finish their education. But the strict letter of the law forbids the admission to my pub lic school of a man over twenty-one years old; and if the law were rigidly adhered to, hundreds of young men in the State, among whom are a large number of helpless crip ples. would be deprived of that education for which the munificence of the Common wealth has provided. Some time since this subject was formally brought to the attention of the Superinten dent of Common Schools, on the application of a discharged soldier, who had reached his majority in the service of his country, to enter a public school. After a careful ex amination of the subject. Superintendent Cobum has decided that by every principle of right and equity all minors who volun teered and became of age in the army, are entitled to a term of years or months in the public schools equal to that which they served in the army. Thus, if a boy volun teered at 19 years, and served two years in the army,'he may. if he desire, spend two years iu the public schools. The Superin tendent argues that the country had the ser vices of these heroes, had exhausted their school term, for which reason the State is bound to make up the time by allowing all such to enter public schools after the 21 years' limit fixed by the law. The decision is a just one in all respects and will meet wit'i great approbation.— Harrisburg Tele graph. Wisdom from the West. There is a compendium of natioualecono my in this single paragraph in the Lawrence (Kansas) Journal: '"Just at present there is a great excitement in Illinois about the high E rices of transportation. The farmers are olding conventions and urging Congress to appropriate large sums of money to give in creased facilities for transportation East, which is all well enough. They urge, among other things, the construction of a canal around Niagara Falls, which will cost, if we remember rightly, though the esti mates are not before us, some $ll ,(XX>,OOO. This is all well enough also. But we will venture to say that $11,000,000 invested in factories and manufactures will do far more to afford a home market to the West than the proposed canal. The West is the "mas ter of the situation.' If it will be true to itself it can soon become independent. But to do this it must multiply its forms of in dustry. It can never become independent by simply growing corn and wheat.'' Truer words were never spoken. The Western I §olicv is to be supplied with a home market, he should work steadily and determinedlv to this end. That attained, there will be neither occasion for, nor justification of waste of time and energy in agitating for additional machinery to confirm the citizens of the Mississippi Valley in their single em ployment of raising food -an employment so unremunerative by reason of the distance that separates the producer from the con sumer, that in many localities of at least three States, Indian corn is now used for fuel. Kcncontre in The Virginia Capitol. RICHMOND, Jan. 5. —An exchange of pis tol shots took place to day at noon, in the hall of the Capitol, between ITenry Rives Pollard, of the Examiner, and Nat, Tyler and William D. Coleman, of the Enquirer. Six shots were fired without damage, except the knocking off of'half of thw tassel on the cane of the marble statue of Washington. The House of Delegates was in session at the time, aud the occurrence produced a great excitement. The parties were arrested by the Sergeant at Arms, and brought to the bar of the House. Pending a discussion on amotion to refer the case to a committee, the House adjourned till to morrow. The difficulty originated in an article in the Examiner , on the public printing, to which the Enquirer replied by calling ou the former to name the person referred to or stand convicted of falsehood. The Ex aminer made no editorial reply. The Tariff Question. Senator Sprague, Chairman of the Com mittee on Manufactures, some days ago sent a communication tj the leading manufac turers throughout the country to ascertain their views in regard to the present tariff, and also as to the Internal Reveuue tax on manufactures. Quite a number of respon ses have been received. They all breathe one sentiment —that the Internal Revenue tax is so heavy they are compelled to raise the price of manufactured articles to such an extent that imported articles can be sold cheaper than the domestic article; therefore they maintain that a higher tariff must be imposed on the foreign article or the tax re duced on the domestic article. This view of the matter will lie laid before Congress AFTER THE WAR. The Tribune , looking over the field since the war,discourses some curious things thus: "One of our leaders is now in charge of a machine for patent pumping; another is building a iailway through the oil country. One of the first soldiers of the Army of the Potomac is in the pistol business; another keeps a retail grocery store; while one of Sherman's most trusted licutcntants is a claim agent. One Major General prints a weekly journal in Baltimore. Some of our officers were drafted into Congress; others are on their way to distant Courts to rep resent the honor of a nation they did so much to sustain. These starred and belted gentlemen go down from the command of cohorts to become agents and partners and dealers, perhaps with the orderly who stood before their tents, or the private who held their stirrup. So with the Generals of the rebellion. The greatest of them all is now a teacher of mathematics in a university. Sherman s great antagonists are in the ex press and railroad business. The once dreaded Beauregard will sell you a ticket from New Orleans to Jackson; and. if you want to send a couple of hams to a friend in Richmond, Joe Johnson, once commander ot great armies, will carry them. The man whose works GraDt moved upon at Do nelson edits an indifferent newspaper in Orleans, while the commander of the rebel cavalry at Corinth is his local reporter. Marshall practices law iu New Orleans; Forrest i, running a saw mill; Dick Taylor is now having a good time in New York; Roger A. Prvor is a daily practioner at our courts, and so with the rest of this bold, vindictive and ambitious race of men. The Govern ment against which they warred is now their friend and protector." Direct vote for President. The proposition so to amend the Consti tution as to secure the election of President and Vice i'resideut by a direct vote of the people, will certainly pass both House- of Congress, and come before the people for ratification. Tne qualification demanded i that the voter must be acit.zen of the Uni ted States, of twenty-one years of age. not under conviction for infamous crimes, who can read and write, and who shall have re sided for one year in the State, and >ix months in the district where such qualified persons shall offer to vote. Making intelli gence a basis on which to rest a qualificat on as a voter, has long been demanded in this country, not that the ignorant have in any way controlled the elections, but that aii possible danger of such ever being the cast should be guarded against. In a land of free schools and a free pres.-. no man unable to read is rationally entitled to the exercise of the elective franchise. By a direct vote of the people fbr President and Vice President, too, we shall get rid of the last direct influence of the dead carca-- of slavery on the body politic. It will be conceding, in reality, the proper power to the governing masses—giving only to such as represent, in their own intelligence and virtue, the dignity and force of the govern ment. the right of choosing those who are to wield its authority. Laws of Newspapers. The courts have settled the followiug points: 1. Subscriberes who do not give express notice to the contrary are considered as wish ing to continue their subscriptions. 2. If subscribers order the discontinuance of their papers, the publisher may contiuue to send them till all that is due be paid. 3. If subscribers refuse or neglect to take thoir papers from the offic-e t-o which they are directed, they are held responsible till they have settled their bill and ordered their paper discontinued. 4. If subscribers move to other places wiihyut informing the publisher, and the paper is sent to the former direction, they are held responsible. fi. Refusing to take a paper from the office or removing and leaving it uncalled for is prima facia evidence of intentional fraud. 0. A postmaster neglecting to inform the publishers when a paper is not taken from the office, makes himself liable for the sub scription price. Strange infatuation. It is reported from Washington that cer tain Weston members, representing consti tuents who are using corn lor fuel, have ex pressed a'deterniination to oppose any alter ations in the tariff likely to secure home in dustry against foreign competition. This is the kind of wisdom that would lead a man whose house was on fire to refuse to j<eiinit the use of water to save it, The free-tra der stands ready with the specious and false theory of buying abroad and paying for it with our surplus products of the soil. Now are we not buying abroad, but do we pay with oui surplus products? The answer is found in the astounding fact, that while tie corn of the West is being burnt us fuel, ice are importing foreign goods and wares at the rate of six millions a tceek ! With these facts staring him iu the face, the Representative in Congress who per sists in opposing protection to American industry and capital, whereby a market for ail we can raise would be created, is a mon ument of stupidity, or worse. — Pittsburgh t onunercial. I 'Ai.MKKSToMANA. —The Nation tells two stories of Lord Faiinerston never before in print. On one occasion, when a vote of censure was proposed in Parliment upon his ntinistery, a friend asked him what the Govern men t. intended to do. "Well," he said, "there are three distinct propositions before the House. We shall take a few words from the first, add a few from the second, and transpose a few from the third, and then we shall have a resolution of our own which will be as clear as mud." Again, at the time that the Scheswig-Holstein im broglio was just beginning to bore the world, intheautum of 1863, an eminent English diplomatist went to call upon the Premier to ask for information on the subject. Af ter hearing his request L I Palmerston thought a while, and then answered in his short jerky mauner, "Yes. quite rieht to come to me. \ ery difficult question that of Schleswig- Hoistcin, and there never were but two people whor really uml i.stood it— myself and——. But then vou see the mis fortune is, that is dead and 1 have for gotten it." SIZE OE THE WEST. —lllinois would make forty such States as Rhode Island, and Min nesota sixty. Missouri is large than all New England. Ohio exceed- eitlu r Ireland or Scotland or Portugahand equal- 1> -Igium. Scotland, and Switzerland together. Mis souri is more than half as large u- Italy, and larger than Denmark, Holland, Belgium, anu Switzerland. Missouri and Illinois are larger than England. Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Great Flood in the West Hraneli of "ie Susquehanna River! WILUAMSPOHT, Pec. We are now having a very destine ■; iv< icy flood, carrying with it all the log- lj ug to the West, Branch of the Susquehanna It is estimated that from sixty to seventy mill ions feet of saw logs,-valued at nearly a mill ion of dollars, have passed this place wo Inn the last twenty four hours. This is the heaviest loss ever sustained by the lumber men on this river^ i IMMIGRATION. —During the month of November 20,870 immigrants arrive i at New York 13,179 being Germans. From January 1 to December 1, lBtio, the number that has airi /ed has hem 188,204. of whom 72,9W>
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers