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HENRY A. PARSONS,
VOL. VI.
THE STEWARDESS' STORY.
- A CHRISTMAS STORY.
It was Christmas eve. I was spend
ing it not in the swoet circle round the.
homo fireside, but in the saloon of a
Southward bound steamer, where there
was nothing to remind one of the bless
ed season of peace and good will savo a
Bolitary cross of evergreen which one
passenger had fastened over her stato
l'oom door. It was a wild night. We
were just off Oipe Hatteras, and the
vessel was rolling like a plaything in
.the hands of the Btormy sea. A violent
snowstorm was raging, and on deck the
sceno was dreary and arctic Snow and
ice covered everything, and the muffled
forms of the sailors passing to and fro
under the glare of the lanterns appeared
like, the weird ghosts of dead arctic voy-
agers. -1 was glad to seek the warm
saloon and gather myself into a corner
of a lounge. To watch the movements
of ' tlrj passengers was amusement
ouongb, and served to prevent me from
thinking too tenderly of the home circle
where I was missed from tho festivities
of Christmas eve.
Tho usual crowd was collected which
, one always sees on a steamer Southward
bound ia the wiuter time. Hero around
a table were gathered a croup of men.
prob.ibly snprar morohants. striving, in
spite of tho motion of the ship, to play
a quiet game of euchre. Stretched on
the sofas were ladies in all the stages of
seasickness. A few children not yet
' put to bed were crouching on the floor
with their nurses, and in a warm corner
near the heater lay a poor consumptive
girl, carefully watched over by her
mother ni:d brother. She was going to
die under the orange trees. Only the
old story repeated over and over again
every winter.
Moving round among all thoEe who
wore sick was tho trim, plump figure of
the old stewardess. Sho was carrying
bowls of broth, tumblers of chopped
ice, and all those little delicacies so
welcome to a sufferer from seasickness.
The quiet, placid face of the old lady
interested rue, and in those few dajs al
ready passed since leadng port we bad
beoome Qim friends. With tho quick
instinct of a woman who had had to do
with all kiuds of people, she felt that I
liked hor company, aod she had already
formed the nabit of coming for a quct
chat with me the last thing at night
after all her seasick charges were safely
tncked in their berths and her duties for
the day over.
I was irnnntient to-night for her
leisure hour to arrive, for I saw a strange
tenderness in tho old lady's face, aud
felt sure that the season was arousing'
old memories in her heart, which per
haps I could iu duee her to tell mo. So
when at last she cauio aud sat down on
one end of tho lounge where I was y
ing, I sui 1, trying to load the conversa
tion to what I f 'It was uppermost in her
mind : "It's a rough night for Christ
mas eve."
" Yes, ma'am," sho replied, smooth
ing the folds of tho kerchief across her
breast; " but I've seen many a rougher
nigut at soa m my day, and thought
fully " sai ler Christmas eves, too."
' fl-wrt you spent many years on the
oaan?" I asked.
" Yes, ma'aai, but not in this way. I
to have my own little cabin in my
usbaud's ei.ip a cozy little place.
where I used to be always at his side,
ana never lelt atraid of etorm nor
wind."
Tell mo about it," I said. "Surely
a life like yours has much of interest in
. it."
"Well, ma'am, I've been thinking it
all over to-night, and if you don't mind,
I'll tell you some of the things a sailor's
. wife has to pass through, and how her
heart gots wrung very hard sometimes.
" I hxdu't much knowledge of those
thiug3 when I married Charlie, for I
w is u slip of a girl then and knew no
more of the sea than one learns in
watching the vessels sail out of and into
n quiet land bound harbor. So when
Charlie asked me to be his wife and go
to sea with him for althongh he was
young, he had a ship of his own I said
yes with all my hoart, for 1 loved the
honest hearted sailor, ma'am, ever since
wa were little children together. I only
thought then of a'l the strange sunny
lauds Charlie had told me about, and to
go to sco them with him was to take a
trip to paradise. Well, wo were mar
ried 'just before ho was to start on a
voyage to Brazil. I mind me so well
of that voyage, ma'am, just as if it all
happened yesterday. It was late in No
vember when we started, and right here
off Hatteras we had a terrible gale. I
'was so frightened when the wind howled
and whistled through the rigging, and
almost wished myself back in the old
cottage with mother for I had a dear
, mother then, God bless her memory!"
The old lady's voice broke, and she
Btopped to wipe away the tears which
'ran down her cheeks.
"Bat when the wind blew the wild
est, Charlie only laughed, and at last I
cried myself to sleep in his arms like a
frightened child.
" And when we came down into the
warm tropic sew I was so happy watch
ing til t-ch o!n of flying fish and the
great floating fields of gulf weed; and
at night, when the sea was shining and
the ship seemed passing through a lake
of silver, all my dreams of paradise were
realized.
" Then came the foreign land, with
strange, swarthy faces, and words I
didn't know, and odd fruits, and all
manner of queer things. Charlie was
never tired of bringing me new and cu
rious trinkets, and I made my little
cabin as fancy as a Chinese toyshop.
' When wa came home from that voy
age, my little Minnie was born. She
was a darling blue eyed baby, and
Charlie wan so anxious for her comfort
that he persuaded me to stay at home
with mother, aud he went on the next
vovage alone.
"But 1 couldn't bear it; so when he
came home again, I begged him to let
me go baok to my home in the little
cabin. He had found it desolate enough
- without me, so he said, and we went
again together.
' " This voyage we lay a long time in
the Brazilian port, and before we tailed
V
J
Jr., Editor,, and Publisher.
for home, another baby was in my
arms. We called her Tepita, after our
dear old ship, and it was hard to say
which the sailors petted the most, the
ship or tho baby.
" Ail wont well with us nnlil we were
within threo days' sail of New York, and
then a terrible storm came on. it was
in tho winter, and for eight long days
we tossed at the mercy of the tempest.
It was on awful time, ma'am. Chnrlio
didn't laugh then; and although ho
tried to speak cheerful words, 1 could
soe ho was almost wild with anxiety. I'll
never forget that time, when I sat day
and night on the cabin floor, with Min
nie clinging to my dress and poor little
Pepita in my arms, listening to the
waves crashing against tho ship as if
every moment mu t bo our last. The
sailors would come down now and then
for a drop of hot coffee, and to warm
their frozen fingers, lor everything on
deck was covere i with ice. Thoy hadn't
the heart, poor fellows, to speak to the
children, cud I F!.w more than one tear
on their rough cheeks when they looked
at them, and Fepita would smile and
stretch out her little hands in her un
conscious baby way.
" But God saved us after all. In the
evening of tho eighth day the wind
changed, and we drifted into calmer
waters. It it hadn't been for the east
wind blowing, we might just as well
have drifted the other way, for the
ship was almost helpless. It was about
two in the morning when Choi lie rushed
into the cabin and almost carried me in
his arms to the door. There I saw,
gleaming through tho fog, two great
chining lights. They were like angels
eyes looking from heaven to me. I've
passed those Highland liehts many a
time since, ma'am. I've t een them in
soft summer evenings nnd clear spring
mornings, but I never see tb6m without
my whole heart going out in tuauksgiv
ing and praise. No one to whom tney
have not shone as thoy did to mo that
uieht can know what they really mean,
standing there on the headiaud and
pointing to heaven.
" Well, we saw tho lights from other
vessels all around us, and at daybreak a
tug was alongside taking our forlorn,
nearly wrecked ship up the harbor, and
before night I laid Ptpita in my moth
er's arms.
" After that, Charlie wouldu't hear lo
my going to sea again. He said he could
bear anything if the children were not
suffering too; so, for the sake of my
littla ones, I consented to stay behind.
Charlie bought a littla cottugo on the
Jersey coast, where I could oven look
Dip sea, and I Eettled down quietly to
take care of tho children while ho Vint
his voyeges.
" Ho kept on going to Brazil and
back for a long time. Twico I left the
children with mother for she had com
to live with us in the cottage and went
with him, for it hurt me to pacs all my
life away from Charlie's side. Bo every
thing went well with us. Wo owned our
cottage and a fbit of a garden, where
mother rnd Minnie ustd to pass long
summer days weeding and watering and
tending the beds of poppies and mari
golds aud asters old fashioned flowers
such as mother loved. Pepiti was her
father's own girl. Sho loved the tea,
and would leave Minnio to take caro of
the garden, and go and tit for hours on
the beach watching tho waves tumble in
among the stones and bent agair.st the
foot of the cliff. When Charlie came
homo the was always tho first to see
him far down the road, and I'll never
forget how her pretty face used to look
as sho woul t come dancing up the gar
den path pulling him with both her
hands, and he laughing and calling" her
all manner of tender names.
"Those were sunny days, ma'am,
and I'm sure there never was a happier
family than the one gathered round cur
little table while Churlie was at home.
" Wo had saved a good bit of money,
too, for Charlie wasn't like some sail
ors, who throw everything about hen
they aro on shore. Every puny we
could spare he laid by for the little
girls; for they wero nlways little girls to
him, and always will be.
" But our day ot anxiety was to come.
An opportunity was offered Charlie to
go on a long voyage to the East Indies.
The chance, as wo looked at it, wan too
good to be thrown away; so he sold tho
Pepita, which was getting to be an old
ship, and wont oli as half owner of an
other bark; tho Arago. It was hard to
let him go for so long a time. South
America seemed like home, but the
East Indies was an unknown world. He
was so full of hope that he tried to go
off in his usual jolly way, kissing Min
nie and telling her sho would bo a little
woman when he came back sho was
fourteen then and promising Pepita no
eud of curious things from the foreign
lands; but there was a great heaviness
in my heart, and when he came and put
his arm around me and said : ' Keep up
your courage, Maggie; I'll soon be
back,' I couldn't look jl him. I hid my
face iu my hands and sobbed liko a
baby.
"After ho was gone we settled back
into the old ways; iha children went to
school, and mother and I kept the house
tidy. But I was uneasy; I didn't dure
to say anything to trouble the girls,
but I never lay down at night without
dreaming of shipwreck, and when the
time came round when we could expejt
news from Charlie, it seemed as if my
heart would burst with anxiety. The
news never came. Day after day we
wait d, and little by little a sad silence
settled down on our cottage. When
word would come of the arrival of ships
which sailed long after Charlie's did, we
would look in each other's faces and
never speak a word, but each knew what
sorrow was in the other's heart. Only
little Pepita never gave up. My father
will come back; my father will come
back,' she used to say, until I couldn't
bear to hear her, because I couldn't be
lieve it; and when she used to stand for
hours, sLading her eyes with her hand
and gazing off over the water, it drove
me almost wild, because I knew what
she was watching for.
" A summer and wiuter and another
summer had passed since Charlie went
away, and when Christmas came round
again I laid my poor mother In the
churchyard, and came back alone with
my children to the cottage.
"How I got through the next year,
ma'am, I oan never tell. As I look baok
it appears like an awful dream, but I do
: i T i .U W ' 1
Jdu Wt4 jp .ijriU SALVIA'.
RIDGAVAY, ELK COUNTY, PA., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14,
rememVior the Christmas' eve, the third
without Charlie. Minnie, Pepita and I
sut huddled round the fire talking in low
toneB about our lost; for we could bear
now to speak of him sometimes, and it
soothed me to hear the children talk and
to see how much they loved him. Pepita
tried that night to sing one of the sailor
songs he had taught her, but the
couldn't do that. Her voioe broke
down, and wo couldn't one of m speak
another word.
" It was a sad Christmas eve, ma am
the first one when all hope had really
gone out, and when I Jay down to sleep
tbat night I felt that, except I must live
for the children's sake, it would be such
a blessing to die.
" Christmas morning was very clear,
and I remember how the sunlight
danced in our little kitchen. It fell
like a blessing on Minnie's pretty hair,
making it sparkle like gold, and reflect
ed on the picture of Charlie's ship not
the lost one, bet the dear old Pepita
-1 which hung on the wall.
"The table was spread, aud wo sat
down to our sad repast. Minnie folded
her hands to say grace, when oh,
ma'am, I can hardly tell you about it,
even after all these years Pepita
screamed like ono mad with joy. I
spiuDg to my feet. I couldn't tell what
had happened to me. I saw looking in
at the window Charlie Charlie alive
and well !
" I don't know how it all was; I know
I couldn't move. I saw as iu a dream
Charlie in the room and Fepita's arms
around his- neck; then I fell on ids
shoulder like one dead.
"There are no words to tell you,
ma'am, of the joy and happiness we
knew iu our little cottage that Christ
mas day. We couldn't realize it cur-
selves. I didn t dare to take my eyes
from Cli arlie for a moment, lest I should
look back and find him gone. Minnie
and Pepita both sat clinging to him.
He had a long story to tell us of ship
wreck upon shipwreck, of long waiting
upon lonely inlands, watching month
after month for sails which seemed
never to comer adventures through
which many a poor sailor has passed,
and from which many a one has never
come back to tell the story as Charlie
did.
"That night, sitting by the fire after
the children had loft us alono, I made
Charlie promise me that he would never
leave mo again, but would give up the
sea aud stay with us in the cottage.
" I didn't realize 'till long afterward
how hard it had been for him to promise
me that. I had come to have such a
terror of tho sea that I couldn't realize
how a sailor's heart delighted in it.
When years had passed, and Minnie
and Pepita had both married and left
nsnloue, I began to feel how hungry
Cbnrlio was for the iifo ho had loved so
much. He need to spend his time wau
tiering about the docks and going on
board the ships in from foreign ports :
md sometimes he would sit on tho cliff
for hours with his spyglass, watching
tL:o passing vessels, and more than once
1 heard htm bigli as it his heart was
bursting ; but I would never listen
when bo spoke of going to sea again
until at last his health beoan to fail,
and it seemed there wasnothing for him
but to return to his old life or die. But
I couldn't bear to let him go al ne, and
tie couiun t oear to loave me behind
Wo were both too old to begin life over
in tho long trading voyages ; and as
Charlie had the oflVr of tho place of first
mate on this ship the;captain is an old
friond of his, ma'am I got the situation
ss stewardess, aud for three years Char
lio nnd I havo bet"n traveling back and
forth together, nnd we will contmuo to
do it ns long as God gives us health and
strength to bear tho journey."
The old lady Btopped and looked
hesitatingly at me and at some other
passengers who had gathered near to
listen, as if sho feared we were weariid
by her long family history.
I hastened to reassure her by thanks
for the pleasant way she had entertained
us during the long (Jhristmas eve at sea.
" And so Charlie is really oa board
with you r l said.
"Oh, yes, ma'am," sho repliod, smil'
irg. "I would not be here without
him. Did you mind the man who was
speaking to me at the cabin door to
ri unt tne tail, stout man with a gray
oeara if les, you saw him, did yon ?
xnat was unariie."
Winter Furs and Their Prlcei.
The most splendid and costly furs are
Kussian sable, sea otter and black and
silver fox. The Russian sable is the
bnest or all the martens, and, since it isf
not very prolific its skins are cottly,
tne pest and darkest are obtained in
Yakootsk, Kamtsohatka and Russian
Lapland.
A muff of " crown Russian sable " is
now worth in New York from 81,100
down to 8300. Sets (by which is meant
a mull and boa) of sables not ot the very
highest quality cost $500 to 8550. Sets
of sea otter are valued at $150 to 8250,
aud sets of blaok and silver fox at 8100
to S'2o0, These high priced furs aro
bought only by the rich, and are not
generally lushionablo.
A chinchilla muff and a boa oobt from
$50 to $60.
New York and Canada minks are the
which once were sold for $125 to $150.
can now be bought for $100. The fur
of the skunk, described by trade as tho
Alaska sable and suddenly popularized
a few years ago, is still in fasbiin and
sells at from 820 to 825 the set.
The most beautiful sealskin sacks
(though perhaps not tho roost durable),
made of "pup Shetlands'" skins, sell
for $300. The best Alaska sacks bring
izo to E-ou. ueai sacks, American
dyed, can ba bought for $80, $90 and
$100.
Sicilienne sacks and dolmans are lined
with the skins of Siberian squirrels.
whose beautiful gray backs and lighter
oolored bellies make a pretty shifting
contrast. Such sacks, with border of
squirrel edging, are set off by fancy oxi
dized clasps, and are fixed at $125 to
51(30.
A young man in Bridgeport, Conn.,
puueu uaoR so hard, when his com r an
ions hauled him np to the bar to drink,
that one of his arms was broken. The
truth of the story is vouched for by the
xnugepon newspapers.
tiJ.V DESPERANDURl. p
.. .. .--lftr-iLwl . , ..J
ONE OF DICKENS' COXYICrS.
Spending n Llfetlma In ftolltftrr Canflne-
tnrnt DeRarnllii a Cell Under Dim
raltlf. A e-iaaulnr Character.
Over thir'y years ngo, says a Phila
delphia letter, when Charles Dickens
made tho tour of this country that re
sulted in his " American Notes," he do
voted much of his timo to tho inspec
tion of our prison system. Our princi
pal prison, then as now, was tho Eastern
penitentiary, in which the system of
solitary confinement prevailed. Mr.
Dickens in a few graphic sentences
pictured the miserable condition of the
unhappy convicts to whom the sound of
human voice is almost unknown for
year after year. i
That Air. .Dickons notion of the syn-
tern was a fair one, the . experience of
many years and the testimony of some
of tho best minds of the age
have shown ; but many men are
still living some of them now within
tho walls of the prison itself who are
ready to testify that the institution was
as light and airy thirty years ago as it is
now, and a recent personal visit con
vince me that it is as pleasant and
wholesome a place ns is compatible with
massivo stone walls and unyielding 1
of iron. Possibly Mr. Dickons' iro
bars
1UW1
nation, as is apt to be the case with men
of such high strung sensibilities, was
wrought upon by his surroundings. At
all events, those who read his vivid de
scription will shudder more at the
picture so powerfully brought before
them, than they would be apt to at the
original.
The building covers a square, and
branches off from a circular hall in the
center into seven long corridors, all
well lighted and excellently ventilated.
Everything is as clean as soap and water
can mako it, and within the cells,
which are ranged along the corridors in
two tiers, there is neatness aud cleanli
ness which would sLmtuo many model
housewives.
Iu Dickens time there was a prisoner
of forty j ears or thereabouts, whose de
jected appearance especially attracted
the attention of the novelist. He was
in the corridor fronting the entrance,
and had devoted all the time allowed
him from his work to painting and orna
menting Lis cell and cultivating his
little garden a patch of ground about
eight feet long and five or six feet wide.
Dickens describes the cell and the gar
den briefly, but devotes a long para
graph to the downcast expression and
demeanor of the prisoner.
it was the arrest of this man Charles
Langheimc-r by name that suggested
this letter. Langheimer was dif charged
iroui tho penitentiary in September last,
and lately was brougtit nn before a
magistrato charged with stealing nn
overcoat, lie is seventy-four years old.
with buihy gray' wMbkurs and prizzled
hair, and has nil the appearance of a
well-to-do mechanic. As far as I can
ascertain, ha is not a Lard drinker, but
the police and the prison authorities
Fay that his long life has been one con
slant series of larcenies. In prisou ho
loves to work, aud shows great taste and
ingenuity ; but, once at larg, his itch
ing of the fingers returns, and ho is soon
in trouble again. When Dickens saw
him, he was serving his third term for
grand larceny. Siuce then he has
"Mono " tliruo terms of five years each.
and five others of a year or two each,
returning to tho prisou with the regu
larity oi the seasons.
The coil he occupied iu 1812 is one of
the sida shows of tho prison, but the
garden is not as well kept as it was then.
The walls aud ceiling of the cell are
elaborately painted iu red, blue, and
green, lwory time he comes back he
tries to get his old cell ; but failing in
this, he goes to a new one, and content
edly begins the work of embellishment.
When I saw him, just before his release,
he had spent nearly a year in a cell in
tho southern tier, uud had painted and
arrauged it so thoroughly that it looked
almost inviting. Tho paint he obtained
by soaking colored yarns in which he
worked in water, and extracting the dye.
Such trifles as he could obtain from the
chaplain or the warden he utilized with
wouderful ingenuity. His garden bed,
like that described by Dickens, was
coffin shaped, but his flowers were
the brightest and most blooming in the
prison. He sat at his wheal as the war
den ushered me into the cell, looking up
with a pleased expression at the sound
of our voices, but never stopping his
work for a second. An expression of
eurprise at his wonderful ingenuity drew
forth a faint, flickering smile which was
painful to see, but nfttr tho first glance
he did Eot look np again, although I
copld so? that he heard every word we
said, aud watched our motions sharply
out of one corner of his eye.
He will take up his old quarters for
a year or two more, and I am glad to
say that his comfortable cell has been
reserved for him. He is a standing ar
gument for the authorities of the prison
in favor of the silent system. "Why,"
they say, " if this man wanted to, he
could get ont of this State and into New
York as Boon as he is released, for our
prisoners seldom go away emntv hand
ed, and there he could eerve his time in
Sing Sing or on Bkckwell's island and
herd with his fellows. This system mav
not work the same with all men, bnt the
stories of insanity arising from solitary
confinement aro all bosh. luvariably
we find that our insane nrisoners wr
mentally unsound when they came to
OS.
AntlcostI Island.
It is believed that the Canadian trov
ernment will renew its efforts to colonic
Antioosti island that narrow strip of
iiuiu wiuuu lies uoiween tne coast of
ljabrador and Quebec. The surround
ing waters teem with fish, and the land
is said to be fertile in most parts of the
island. At present there are nearly a
hundred fishermen living in rude but
comfortable cabins on Antioosti. These
have earned an ample livelihood by cur
ing fish and taking them in skiffs to
u-aspe Day, wnero their supply mer
chants are located. A Quebec steamer.
ahe Napoleon III., runs to the island
once a month with fresh supplies for
the lighthouse keepers and employees
and for the agents of the Anticosti Colo
nization Company. Three years ago a
report was circulated that gold had
been fonnd there, bnt it was entirely
uniounaeo. - , .
THE V. 8. TREASURY.
The Annnnl Bepert of the Treasurer oflhe
United State..
BBoairti.
The monfTi received and .or.red into Ihe treit-
urj by warrant durluR tU. fiscal year ending June
Si), 1870, were a. follow. !
From anntoms flR,071,9B4.61
From internal revenUB 118,710,783.03
From oale. of public laud. 1,139,400.95
From t.x on circulation aud depo.it.
or national bank. 7,01,S73.!19
From repayment of intereat bj Pacifl.
railway companiee 718,179.90
From ciiRtomn fine., penalties, eto,. . 183,797.80
From labor, dravagc, toratf, etc. . 1,(H';HUM
From sale, of Imll.n-truat land. 199,160.39
From fees consular, lettov. patent,
and laud 3,009,380.91
From proceeds or .ales or government
nrouertT.
1,855,714.94
845,1.79.93
3.-5, 5M. OS
1,741,117.81
817,S84.00
1,877,291,05
From marine uoaiiital tax,...
1-roin eteamlioat fees
From profits on coinage, eto..
From tax on seal akina.
From miscellaneous aourees.,
Total ordinary recipt.. .
Premium on .ale. of coin . , . .
...$383,7Bfl,493,36
... 8,733,045.80
Total net r.o.lpts, .xc1u.It. ot
loan. (287,483,039.18
Proceed, vf bond, of lb.1, Geneva
award 0,819,820.13
Total net receipt. $294,105,805.21
Balance in treasury, June SO, 1875, in
cluding deposits of coin and United
Btates notes rrpreeeuted by certifi
cate, ont.tauding $144,703,410.41
Total available Man $4J8,7j8,21l.C9
XFUoiTunaa.
The n.t expenditure, by warrants during lbs
fame period ware :
For civil expeneea $17,232,218.83
For foreign lutaicourae l,4i',2.V2.50
For Iudiaus B,9(:C,55X.17
For pension. 2t),3&7,IU5.09
Tor military establishment, ine?udiiig
fortifications, river and harbor im
provements, and arsennl. 89,070,888.04
For naval establishment, including
vessels and machinery aud improve-
meLts at navy yards 18,903,309.81
For miscellaneous civil, including
public buildings, lighthouse., aud
collecting the revenuea 48,815,873.43
xror imereHi on tue puuuo aeui, m-
eluding interest on bonds issuei to
racLuc railway eouipaniaa. ..
1C0,24:),371.23
Total net expenditure. $2S3,4S9,797.9
Bedemptiou of the pub-
lio debt $l,ei9,404.t
Judgment of court of
Alabama cluiiue 0,041,237.30
58,530,7S2.00
Total uet disbursement
Balance in treasury J una 30, 1.7H.
Total
..$:il0,99l,540.39
. 131,807,732.30
.$4J3,7U8,381.U9
Thia statement shows 'that the uet
revenues lor the fieoal year wero...$3fl7,4S2,0S3.10
Aud that the net expenditures were, . 23H,439,797.33
Leaving a survlnsirevenue. exclusive
of proviaiuu forth, aiukiug fuud.of $30,033,241.l3
RBCKIFTS 1KB riPBNDiri'Il.S I OK THB FISCAL TiiAB
KuniNil JUKI. 30, 1877.
The receipt, during the first quarter were
Fiom customs , $37,554,728.3!)
From internal revenue 28,813,33t.37
From rale of public lamlsy 62,005.03
Irrom tax on circulation, etc, 3f na
tional bank.
From repayment of intereat by l'aciflo
railways
From cus:oma' fine?, etc
From consular, patent aud other fee.
I'lOjn proceed, of .ale. of govarumeut
3,331,707.87
97,903 59
17.GU5.37
435,084.75
property 171,875.30
From miscellaneous source. 3,123,0(19.10
Net ordinary receipts
Premium on sale, of coin
$,3,tWl,n0VM
119,518.90
$78,110,634,49
Proofed, of bonds of
award
1881, Geneva
9,403,443.53
Total net ordinary receipt. $75,513,970.02
llalauc iu treasury June 30, 170.... 121,807,732.30
Total available $19T,321,702.33
The expenditures during the lame period were :
For civil and miFcellaneous expenses,
including public buildinss. liaht-
hounes aud collcctiug the revenues. JJ5.937, 203.41
For Indiana ,434,7(i5.93
For pensions 8,32,57.98
tur limitary esiuuiieumec? includ
ing fortilicutious, river an4 harbor
Improvement, and arsenals 9.715.061.35
Aor uiivai emuuiiMimeiu, including
vessels ana ruacniuery aua im-
inovenients at navy vards 11.174.353.90
For Interest ou the publio ebt, iu-
ciuuiug racinc railway uoua. 87,107,550.03
Total ordinary expenditures. ...
$78,75Ml'3.2IS
Kedemptiou ot the public
debt $3,018,048.77
Judgmeuta of Court of
Alabama Claims 3,333,031.21
5,72,2S2.98
Total expenditures $84,724,170.24
uniacce iu tue treasury, sent, au,
1.70 113,597,620.08
Tolal
,$J97,321,702.33
For the remaining three Quarter, it B estimated
It
tuat tue receipts win be :
From customs $19,415,271.47
From internal revenue 91,511,053 03
From sale of public lauda 800.oon.0j
From tux ou national bauka 3,0,000 00
ways
300,000.00
From cuatoui.f fiues, penalties, aud
forfeitures
75,000.00
From cousular, patent, aud other free
1,3110,000.00
rrom proceeua ox sale, or publio
property
339,000.0
From miscellaneous sourcen, incluu-
lug premium on com ,
4,000,000.00
Total net receipt.
$191,181,925 10
For the .ame period it lis estimated that the ex.
yeuuiiures wiu oe :
For oivil aud miscellaneous, Including
nubile bulldiuas.
$39.0o0,f00.00
For Indians
For penaiou.
For military eatabliahmrut
For naval eetablishmeut
For iutereat on the public debt.,..
4,110 1,000.00
20,000,01.0.00
, 37,600,1100.00
7,600,00 .0J
, 01,8:7,860.00
Total ordiuary expenditure $158,S76,3iO.0O
It will be observed flout the .tatement of actus
rcoeintaaud expenditures lor the first minrmr. i.,l.
ing September 30, uud of the estimate, of the same
ror tne remaining three quarters, bused unon ex
irtlug laws, that it. 1. expected that the revenues
tonne current nscul year will yield the sum
3!S4,21,449.60, and that the expenditure, will
mount to 3o7,iv.!i, which will leave a sur
plus revenue of $26,0.,6U&.24.
The amount which should be applied, to the .ink
ing fund i. estimated at I33.705.mJ0.87. 1 ha anr.
plua revenuea will fall below that amount, in the
uyiu.uu vi uw ueperimem, oy not lea. than $7,042,
The Chinese.
The commissioneis who are taking
testimony in California as to the Chi
nese mainly hear expressions of local
prejudice ; but in Col. Hollister, one of
tno most extensive farmers in tho State,
they secure a witness on the other side.
He said : " I do not think there are half
enough Chinamen in the State. I am
in favor of lettins all come that will,
I believe that in the cities tho savings
banks have larger deposits from labor
ing men in proportion than in any other
State. In the country most of the earn
ings of the white laboring men go down
their throats in whisky. The honesty
and sobriety of the Chinese are so ex
emplary that I have serious thoughts of
becoming a pagan myself. The Chi
nose are generally healthy, and work to
the full extent of their ability. They
shame our own people in habits of
cle:inline68. I never met with a China-
mau who desired to become a citizen
but there is no reason why they would
not make as gooi citizens as any other
class of foreigners. Among the farmers
generally there is a strong feeling in
favor of the Chinese, They are doing
most of the farm work in all part of
u Htate."
1876.
UNITED STATES CONGRESS. I
Henatr.
On the nnenin t ot the eemlon the certificate
ct tlction of Jerome B. Chaffee and Henry
M. Teller, United States Senators from the
Blate of Colorado, were preaented. In drawing
for terms, Mr. Chaffee draw for tne long ana
Mr. Tellor for the short term.
Mr. Davis (Dom.), of West Virginia, pre
sented the credentials of Hamnel Price, ap
pointed United States 8enstor from Wcet Vir
ginia, to fill the vacancy oansed bv tho death
of Hon A. T. Caperton.
The new Senators, together w.th Mr. u;aino,
of Maine, whoso appointments were laid be
fore the Senate last summer, alvanced to the
desk of the preeidiug offior and were sworn in
by him. Mr. Prioe taking the modified oath.
XT. l.lmnMa T)an nf Vnimnnt nhmit'-
ted a resolution, whluh was read, ordered to
he printed and lie ou the table. It provides
tnat tue committee on piivutues ana cieouons
when annoimed be and it is hereby instructed
to inquire and report as son as he mav first,
whether in any of the elections named.in the
seoond section of the Fourteenth amendment
in the Bla'ei of Houth Carolina. Oflorgia,
Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi
in the years 187S or 1876, the ritrhtof any
portion of each inhabitants and oitizens to
vote has been in any wise denied or atnidffed ;
second, to what extent such denial or abridee
ment has been earned t by what means such
dental or abridgement has been accomplished
and by whom.
The resolution also provides for inq'iiry as
to the eligiM'ity of any person eleeted on the
seventh of November la't
Mr. Incalls (Rep.), of Kansas, introduced a
Joint resolution, which was ordered to be
printed and lie on the table, reoom mending a
convention to revise and amend the Constitu
tion of the United Btates.
Mr. Morton (Rep), of Indiana, enbmittel a
Joint resolution proposing an amendment to
tne constitution or tne Luitoti states so ss to
provide for the election of President and Vice
President of the United States by the direct
vote of the people, which was read, and it was
ordered that it lie on the table until the ap
pointment of committees, and then be re
ferred to the committee oa privileges and elec
tions.
Mr. Edmunds (Rep ), of Vermont, moved to
IrA mi 4 rir lAnaii'lawiiliAn f Im ma t it inn All rl I
take up for consideration the resolution sub
mitted by him, ordering au inquiry into the
late eieotion in Houtu uaronna, norma, ioun-i-ana,
Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama. The
resolution, aft or much disouesion and several
mendmrnta, was adopted.
Mr. Withers (Dem.), o' Virginia, submitted
resolution requesting the President to in
form the Senate, if not incompatible with the
publio interest, under what authority and for
what pnrpoae troone of the United States occu
pied Petersburg, Ya., on the seventh of No-
vembei, 1876, the nay or tue election, uojeo
tion wa made by Mr. Edmunds, and the reso
lution was luid over.
A bill providing that the revised eta'uties
shall be amended so that the oleclion for
President and V.co-Preeidtmt shall be held in
Ootober, and that the electoral oollege shall
int in tho January following, was referred.
IIOIMC.
In tho House Samuel J. Itandall f Deal V of
Pennsylvania, wat cleccod Speaker in placo of
M. C. Kerr, deceased, receiving 161 votes to
e ghty-two for James A. Ga'rit)H. The new
Speaker in Uking his seat paid a high com
pliment lo tus predecessor, saying tna ne was
a good and great man. In conc'.udint: his re
ru..rks lie sail :
" The neonle look confidently to your mod
eration, to sour patient, calm, firm judgment
and wisdom, at this lime fraught with so many
perils. Le t us not, I beseech ot you, disappoint
their last expectation and their keen sense ot
right, but by viguaiioo prevent evon tne sngnt-
st departnro frcm tue Lonstitntion aud laws,
forgettinx in the moment of difficulty that we
are the adhoreuts of a party, and only remem
bering that we are American citizen-, with a
count; y to save, which will be lost if unauthor
ized and unconstitutional tcts on the part of
executive officers be not f.owucd down at once
with rolentlessness and unsparing condemna
tion."
The following new members, elected to fill
vacancies, wero sworn m: Mr. Varaer, oi
Connecticut; Jlr, Five, of Maine s Mr. Hum
phrey, of Indiana ; Mr. C'arr, of Iudiana, and
air. KUnton, of Pennsylvania.
Objection was made to the sweaiing in of
Mr. liulti, of South Carolina, and il'. JUelford,
or Colorado, in relation to tne latter, Air,
3priogor (D(-tn. ), of Illinois, offered a resolu
tion instructing the Judioioiy committee to in
quire and report at as early a day as possible,
whether Colorado ia a State in tne Union, and
directing that until tuch teport is received no
pcr.-ou claiming w no a itepreseutati.o iroui
Co!ori'-'o thall be sworn in as a member. The
q loutiou was referred to the Judioiary com
mittee.
Mr. Hewitt I'DorrO, of Now Yoik, presented
a resolution providing for the appointment of
throe select commit toes one of fifteen mem
bers to proceed to Lnuieiaua, one of nx mein
bers to proceed to Florida, and one of nine
members to proceed to South Carolina, to
investigate the action of the returning or van'
vanning boards as to tne rrccuc oiecuous in
those Ktatis, and to report all the facts essen
tial to an honest return of thovote3 for elec
tors o President and Vice-President, and to a
fair understanding thereof by the peonlo, and
whether the electoral votes of those Statoa
should be counted. The committees are to
have power to send for persons and papers, to
take testimony, to appoint sub-committees
with like powers, and to employ stenographers,
clerks and mepseiigtrd. This was adopted by a
vote cr lou to is.
Tho Sneaker announoed the appointment of
the South Carom a committee as lonows :
Messrs. Savler. of Ohio ; Abbott, of Maeeaobu
setts: Stenger, of l'e-niifylvania : Eden, of
Illinois : Jonca. cf Koutnckv ; Phillips, of Mis
souri ; Bunks, of Marsachuuett ; I.apham, of
New iorr, ana Lawrence, e.r uuio.
On the B'.atea of the Union, the speaker an
nouured the following select committees:
Ou Louisiana, Mr. Morrison. Id.: Mr. jeuks,
Pa.: Mr. McMahon. Ohio: Mr. Lynde. Wis.
Mr. Iilackburn. Kv.: Mr. Meade. N. i.t Mr.
Hone, Tenn.i M'. Phelps. Conn.; Mr. Ne,
Iud.: Mr. Boss, N. J.: Mr. Towusepd, P.;
Mr. Panford. Ohio: Mr. Hurlbnt, Jll.i Mr,
Crano. Mass.. and Mr. Jovoe. Vt.
Ou t 'orida. Messrs. l nompson, aiaxs,) do-
bil Mo.; W. O. Hopkins, Pa.) Garfield,
Ohio, and Dcnnel. Hits,
of Mr. Coclirane, Pa., was substituted for that
of Mr. Rtenger, Pa , excused an account cf ill-
Uu the Soutn Carolina ocmnnitee, tne name
nebs in his family.
The Saltan's Ironclads.
The late Saltan Ab.lul-Aziz was justly
proud of the magnificent ironclads he
Ld acqnired-st proud that ho always
kept them moored within sight of his
palace, that he might feist his eyes
npon them, and invariably requested
all foreign naval oflloers who came to
Constantinople to inspect them. Among
these officers was Sir Hastings Yelve. ton,
when in command of the Mediterranean
fleet. Sir Hastings found the vessels
in admirable order, and the crew iu a
high slate of discipline ; but, on in
ouirinsr when thev went to tea, he
learned that they never did so at all.
Shortly afterward he had an audience
of tho sultan, who asked his opinion of
the ironclads. Sir Hastings replied,
thronph the interpreter, that they were
as good as any he knew, and that the
crews were in excellent training, but
thot he would respectfully suggest to
his majesty that it would be well to
send them to sea at least onoe a year for
practical maneuvers. The saltan had
this repeated and translated to him a
second time, aa though he doubted the
correctness of what he heard ; and then,
-- " . , .
raising hiB hands and his eyebrOWS, he
pinnnlnteil i TOhntl HiMiil mv iron,
ejaouiaieai WnatI ama my iron-
OladS to teal- No, DO! MO, no I
Never I"
Two Dollars per Annum.
. NO. 43.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To the Senate and House of Represent
Uvea : In submitting my eighth and last an
nual messago to Congress, it teems proper
that I should rofer to and In some degree re
capitulate the events and official acts of tho
past eight years. It was my fortune, or my
misfortune, to be called to the office of Chief
Executive without any previous political train
ing. From the age of seventeen I had never
even witnessed the excitement attending a
Presidential camDaign but twice antecedent to
my own candidaov, and at bnt one of them was
I eligible as a voter. Under snch cl'cnm
stanoes it is bnt reasonable to suppose that
error of indemeut must have occurred Even
bad thoy cot, differences of opinion between
the Executive, bonna ry n oatu to tue einoi,
Eerformanee of his duties, and writers and de
aters must hnvo arisen. It is not nece-sarily
evideno of blonder on the part of the Execu
tive because there are theto differences of
views.
WBTAKKS HAVE HIEN KADI,
as all can see and I admit, but it seems to me
of toner in the selections made of the assistants
appointed to aid in carrying out the vaiious
duties of administering tho government In
nearly every caee selected without a personal
acquaintance with the appMutee, bnt upon ro
oommeniations of the representatives chose n
direotlv by the people, it is impossible wbete
so many trnets are to be allotted that the
right parties should be choeon in every in
stsnoe. History ehowB that no admininti iition
from the time of Washington to the present
has been free from those mistake?, bnt I leave
comparisons to histors, olaiming only that I
bave acted, m every instance irom a oohrcibh
tious desire to do what was right, consti
tutional within the law, and for tho very best
interests of the whole people. Failures have
been errors of judgment, not intent.
MY CIVIL CAEEKB
commenced, too, at a most critical and diffi
cult time, uees than four years before tho
country had emerged from a conflict such as
no other Dation had ever survived, rseariy
one-half of tho states bad revolted against the
government, and of thoee remaining faithful
to the Union a large percentage of the popula
tion sympathized with the rebellion, and made
aa tu ' honorable enemy in the front.
. .. .... - . a .
enemy in tue rear " aimosi as nangorcuB
The latter committed errors of Judgment, but
thev maintained them openly and courage
ously. The former reoeivea tne protection or
the 'government thty would see destroyed,
and reaped all the pecuniary advantage to be
gained out of the then existing state of affairs,
many of them by obtaining contracts and by
BWIXDLINej TUE OOVEBHUINT
in the delivery of their goods. Immediately
on the cessation ot hostilities the then noble
Presideut. who had carried tho country so far
through its perils, fell a martyr to his patriot
ism at the bauds of an assassin. The inter
vening time to my first inauguration was filled
up witu wrangling Di-tweeu congress aim ina
new Kxeoutive as to tho best modo of ' reccu--Btruotion,"
or to spak plainly, as to whether
the control of the government Kbonld bo
thrown immediately into the hands of those
who had so recently and persistently tried to
destroy it, or whether the victors should con
tinue to have an equal voice with them in this
control.
JtECONSTlirCTIOlf,
as finally agreed upon, means this and oily
this, except that the late slave was enirau
chised, giving au increase, as was supposed,
to the Union loving and Union-supporting
voles. If free in tho full seut-e of the word
they would not disappoint this expectation j
bence, at the beginning of my first adminis
tration, the work of construction, muou om
barrrasod by the long delay, virtuuliy oim
monced. It was the woik of-the legislative
branch of the government. My province was
wholly in approving tneu acts, wiucu i am
most heartily, urging the legislature of S;a:es
that had not yet done so to ratify the fifteenth
amendment to the Constitution.
Tue oomilry was laboring under au enor
mous debt contt acted in the suppression of
rebellion, aud taxation was so oppressive as to
discourage production.
AMOT1IEB DAKGKB
alo threatened us a foreign war. The last
difficulty had to be adjusted, and was adj usted
without a war, ana in a manner niginy Honor
able to all parties concerned. Taxation has
been reduced, within the last eevtu Tears,
noarly (300,000 000.
TUB NATIONAL PETIT
has been reduced in tho same time over four
hundreifaud thirty-five millions of dollars by
refunding the eix" per cout. bonded debt for
bonds bearing fire and four and one-half per
cent. Interest respectively. The annual in
terest has been reduced from over one hun
dred and thirty millions ot dollars in IsCJ to
but littlo over one hundred millions of dollars
iu'187C. The balance of trade has been changed,
from over one hundred and thirty millions
against the United States iu 1H09, to more
than one hundred and twenty mtlhons of dol
lars in our favor iu 1U78. It is confidently be
lieved that the balance of trade in favor of
the United States will increase, not diminish,
aud that the pledco of Congress, to resume
specie payments iu lb7'J, will be easily acaom-
pliched, evi n in tue at.ser.ee ot muuu urainu
further legislation on the aubjeot. A policy
has been alapted toward
TAB INDIAN TRIBES
inhabiting a large portion cf the territory of
the uuitedarates wmcu uhs oecu numine mm
has substantially ended Indian uortilititB in
the whole laud except in a portion cf Nebraska,
and Dakota, Wyoming anu mouiauu lom
torioi, the Black Hills region and approaches
thereto. Hostilities there have grown out of
the avsrioe of the white man. who has vio
lated our treaty stipulations in bisseaicu lor
gold. The question might be aBked. why the
government lias not enforced obedience to the
terms of the trety prohibiting tho occupation
of the lllack Hill regie n by tbo whiles? Ihe
answer is simple, 'ihe first immigrants to
the Black Hills were removed by the troops.
but rumors of noh diecoveries or gnm tooa
into that regiou increased numbers. Gold baa
actually been found iu paying quantity, aud an
effort to remove tue mir:erB woniu omy reriu.
in the desertion of tho bulk of the trct ps that
might be sent there to remove them. All diffi
culty in this matter has, however, been re
moved, subject to the approval cf Congress,
tiv a. fi-nit v eedins the li ack H'Us and BP-
nroaahes to settlement by citizens. The sub-
Jeot of Indian policy i and treatment ofnlly
jet forth by the eecrttary of tb. nit orior and
views so fully exprefsea tnerein, mat i reier
to their reports tnd recommendations as my
tig VJUILUtODtwuwa wa -"-" . ' " "
own. The relations oi tno
VMITEn .TATE. WITH FORXiaif FOWMS
..mllnim nn a frieiijlv luotiUK. uuestions n.v
.riten from time to time in the foreign relation, of
TaI titX
cation, and embarrassments which have surrounded
Mime of the foreign powira. Tne diplouiatio eor-
rtanondeuce mbniltteil utrewiiu coniaina Humilia
tion aa to certain of the matter, wliieu have occu
pied the government. The cordiality which at
.enUs our relations with the power, of the cartu ha.
been plainly aliown, by the participation of foreign
nation iu the Exhibition which ha. just closed,
nd by the exertion, made by distant power, to
show their interest in, and f rieudly feWiugs toward,
the United State, iu til. commemoration of the
centennial of the nation. The government aud
people of the United stales nave not oniy aiii'to
ciattdthi. exhibition of kindly feehug, but i; may
be Justly and fairlv expected mat no amaii ue iciiia
i.il ,,i luiili tu ouraiilvea and oth.r nations from
a better acquaintance aud a better appreciation of
iiur mutual auvauvagea auu vuu
t Ha hint aeaaiou. saw fit to reduce the
amount usually appropriated for forelgu intercourse
by Withholding appropriaiiouaiorrepiwruvuiivea ui
the United State, in certain foreign count ilea aud
for certain consular officers, aud by reducing the
a-uouuts usually appropriated for oertain other
diplomatic poets, ana in us uwmniiaiwB cuauijo iu
the grade of the representatives. For these reasou.
immediately upon the passage of the bill making
appropiiatiou. for the
for th. fiscal year, instructions wera issued to the
representatives of the Uuited Stales at Bolivia,
Ecuador aud Colombia, aud to the consular officers
for whom no appropriation bad been made, tu cloae
their reapeotiv. legation, and cou.ulate., aud cas.
. .1.. . ..t .l.Al ...... 4n 111
irOUl lUC iwiiuitunuL-. ui uicir .4 u l.i a, iuu. iu 11 J, .
manner, step, were Immediately taken to .ubstitute
charge, d'affaires for miuiat.ra resilient hi Portugal
I)euIUjk,Greace, bwitwrland and Paraguay. While
thoroughly impressed with th. wisdom of sound
I omskM m vw fvj
n