ii Eti .littOir.qt..eik.i.ttt, DIULT, BY TmiNINAN, REED & CO., Proprietors: Jr. B. PENNI:NUN, JOSUR KING, T. P. HOUSTON. N. P. - REED. - Editors and Proprietors. OFFICE: /11P.SETTE BUILDIN6,,N O S. 84 AilD 86 FIFTH ST. - OFEICIAL PAPER Dt Pittsburaltidillegheny and AiLiOggluni, County. . , Terme—Datly. Iflemt-Weetry.l Weekty. Oho year ~ Single c0py....51.50 One month. 75 Six mos.. 1.50 5 coVea, each. 1.25 By the week Three mos WOO .. 4.15 (From carrier.) I—end one to Agent. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1868 WimELY GAzsekrE, issued on Wed— Malays and Saturdays, is the best and ch-eap est family newspaper in Pe7/1181/111allia. It presents each week forty-eight columns of solid reading matter. It OM, the fullest as even as the most reNable Marko rePorti ctantl paper in the State. Its Pi are used exclu sive/I/ bythe Civil Courts of Allegheny county for reference, in important issues to determine the ruling prises in the markets at the tins of the business transaction in dispute. Terms: Single copy one year, $1.50 ; in clubs qfjlve,. $1,254 . in clubs of ten, $1,15, and one free to the getter up of the club. Specimen copies sent free to any address. • WE ISLET 0,11 , the inside pages of this' morning' GAZETTp—Second page: Letter from Mrs. Surissheim, No. 6; A Penneyt vania :Teather Stocking. Third page: River News; .Markets 141 Telegraph. Sixth page : Finanee and Trade; Pittsburgh Markets. Seventh page : -The Washita Battle; Die franchlicment The Facts; Imperial biscour tee y ; Clippings., ' GOLD closed yesterday in New York a 135.. • • Arr seems probable that lir. Cum Scnunr. will be elected to the United States Senate from Missouri. That,State_ has no citizen who would fill that position with greater ability and usefulness. INFLUENTIAL sentiment at Washington, is averse - to ant , ' present interference with two measures to which the majority stand prominently committed—the tenure of of fice law, and the law providing for the as- semblage of each Congress on the day fol lowing the dissolution of its predecessor. The movement for the repeal of the first is engineered by what are known as "Con servative Democrats”—a class of politicians whose, Conservatism means an unimpaired hold upon official epoluments, and means nothing else. This class have not the con trol of majority vote, just now, in either wing orthe,Capitol. OFFICIAL thMPETENCY. The country has reason to be gratified in Secretary McCuitOcn's very handsome and unqualified endorsement, both as to the principle and the derails, of the bill of Mr. JEnCLES, providing for a higher standard of qualifieations for all officers - in the Civil Ser vice. This bill stands very near the first to be reached in the mar of business, in the - House, and its friends are sanguine that it will command a majority vote in both Houses.. Modelled upon similar legislation in England, the measure comes recommen ded to our judgment by the most success ful experience in that empire. When our offices shall be filled, 'without 'reference to a mere partizanship; by honest and capable men, the public service will be vastlY, im proved in all, its departments. THE TREASURY REPORT. We have prepareil, and print this morn " ing, a careful synopsis of this document, omitting none of thelpoints which could have a geneyal interest for our readers. • The Secretary occupies himself mainly with those questions which are of paramount importance—the resumption of specie payments, • the proper administration of our public indebtedness, and the, ways and means for satisfying the un avoidable annual expenditure. His port affords a vast fund of information to the people, while his official recommenda tions, with a single exception, will com mand a'very general approval. His hostil ity to any 'tariff which shall,' in the minutest Tarticular, prefer the protection of Home Industry to the repletion of the Treasury, is not even veiled under a flimsy disguise. In that regard, public sentiment will, happily, be unanimous only in admiring the frank , mess with which he avows his hostility to the true American system. Some of his suggestions have, nevertheless, great value, • as, for example, the need., for a revision of the tariff in view of the proximate change of relations under specie-resumption.' - Apart, from the peculiar opinions here ad 7erted to, the Report reflects high credit • ?ipon the fidelity and executive competency 1 of the officer, while it conclusively estab ishes the ability of the nation to - pay its an , ual way and satisfy its existing obligations with promptitude, certainty and absplute integrity "in both letter and spirit." , DEATH OF THE HON. THOMPSON CAMPBELL. We chrsmicle the painful news ,of the death of the distinguished gentlemah whose name heads this notice, who died on Sunday -last at San Francisco, California. ICIr. CAMPBELL was native of Weste.rn.Penn - eylvania for many years, a resident of But ler county, and afterwards a practicing lawyer of this city. He settled in Galena, Illinois, where he puraued his profession with marked success. He was at one time Secretary of Stateond afterwards elected to Congress tn the Galena district. A thor ough scholar and gehtleman, a genial com panion, a frank, generous and sterling friend; he naturally drew around him hosts of warm and ardent admirers. Originally a Democrat, when the war broke out he put on the harness of loyalty, and fought seces aionism with a boldness and vigor which gave him a prominent position in the 'Union party. He was a delegate, to the Baltimore Convention/in 1864—a warm supporter of President LINCOLN and Grum, with both of whom he was personally and intimately acquainted. As a representative Juan of the Golden State, had he lived it is not an likely that higher political and national honor was in store fcir him. He leaves an interestinewidow, son and daughter to mourn the loss of a most kind and affec tionate husband and parent. - THE PROTECTION OF LIFE. The Vth section of an Act of Congress. passed July 25th, 1866, prohibits the car— riage of "cotton, hemp, hay, straw or other easily ignitable commodity," on the decks or guards of anisteatners carrying passen gers" unless covered so as to prevent igni tion from sparks. The section proceeds : ..(Nor shall coal oil or crude petroleum IY3 hereafter carried'on such steamers, except on the decks or guards thereof, or in open holds where a free circulation of air is se cured, and at suctia distance from the fur naces or area as may be prescribed by any supervising baspector, or any board of local inspectors. 7 • This section compirehends all the existing legislation of Congress, for the protection of lives and property from the hazards in herent in the, proxiulity of the most 'danger ous freight oidinarily known to commerce. That this,proteCtion is deficient, events have limentably proved. The public experience demonstrates clearly the absolute necessity for prohibitirg entirely the carriage of pe- Vroleum in any quantities, as freight, or • under any safeguards, upon conveyances used also for passenger purposes. The ex clusion should be imperative and without any reservation whatever. Nor should common carriers be permitted to use this destructive fluid, even for illuminating pur poses, upon steamboats or railway cars. Its Use in any foria, where, under any contin gency of accident, it could contribute to enhance the perils of travel, should be made punishable with' rigorous penalties. Legislation of this sort, without compromise or proviso, is demanded for the public safety. RAILWAY CONSOLIDATIONS. It has been announced in the newspapers that the• Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chi- sago Railroad Con any and the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railroad Company have been merged in the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, by the conjoint action of the officers of these three corporations. Much more remains to be done before an actual consolidatiOn can be accomplished. Ari act passed.by the Legislature of Penn. sylvania, May 16, 1861, makes it lawful for any railway company, chartered by this Commonwealth, to merge its corporate rights, powers and priyileges, into any other railroad company, so' chartered, and , con nected therewith. To this end, the Mana gers of the respective corporislions intended to be merged must first come to. agree ment, and their agreement must be reduced to writing, under the corporate seal of each of the companies. In this agreement all the conditiona must be fully set forth. It is next made pecessary to sub mit this agreement to the stockholders of each of the companies separately, at meet ings to be specially called' for that purpose, of which meetings notice shall be given for two successive weeks in one newspaper pub lished in each of the counties into or through which the said railways may extend. If stockholders representing a majority of shares in any one of the companies reject the agreement, it falls and has no Idnding ef fect: If stockholders representing a major ity of shares in two or more companies con•, sent to the agreement, it becomes binding, upon the vote being certified by the secreta ries, of the respective companies, and the certificate filed in the office of the Secre tary of the Commonwealth. Thence for ward the several corporations become one; though ample provisions are made for pre serving the rights of creditors and liens upon the properties of the corporations merged,. By an aet passed March 23, 1865, the right of •merging was - . extended, so that a railroad company organized under the laws of this, Commonwealth, and operating a road either entirely within the State, or partly within and partly without the State, under authority of this or any ad joining SCate, • may consolidate its capital 'stock, franchises and property with 'any company chartered by this ,or any other State. This act provides for 'giving- the stockholders written or printed notice of the contemplated merging, to be served personally or through the poit-office, in ad dition to newspaper publication, the latter notice to be confined to some newspaper published in the cities or towns in which the companies have their principal offices. If a stockholder of the minority shall be dissatisfied with the merging, he may'peti tion the Court of Coramon Pleas ,of the county in which the principal office of the Company in which he holds stock is kept, to have the damage he has sustained de termined, and declared, which dainages shall be paid him, or the value of the stock immediately preceding consolidation may be declared, and when the stockholder shall surrender his certificate to the Company his money shall be paid to him. REPORTS from Cheyenne state that the railroad is completed to Bear river. Evans ville, seventy miles this side, of Salt Lake, is building up rapidly, and will soon be the terminus. A ,few weeks will witness the completion of the road to Salt Lake Valley. The Smoky Hill Railroad will be completed one hundred and thirty miles west of Den ver by May. Railroad work west of the mouth of the Weber is going, on rapidly, under direction of the Union Pacific. At the -north end of Salt Lake the grading fo r a distance of seven miles is expected to cost $BOO,OOO. —A telegram from Saint George, three hundred and fifty miles south of Salt Lake City, reports that the Navajoes have com menced depredations on the Rio Virgen and Colorado, and have already carried off a large number: of horses. The citizens, aided, by some friendly Indians, purslied and re-captured twenty horses and killed two Navajoes. —A wood train on the Cleveland and To ledo Railroad was thrown from the track Mondi.y afternoon, near Milbury station. killing John Niland and Michael Coeello. John Maloney was seriously and four or five others_ slightly injured. ITITTSBURGII GAZETTE i WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER .9, 1868: ANNUAL TREASURY REPORT. We make the annexed synopsis of this document, presenting its salient points : The Secretary presents again his former views irOiehalf of the earliest possible re sumption of specie payments. He re marks : "It is vain to expect on the part of the people a faithful fulfillment of ,their du ties to the . Government as long. as the Gov ernment is faithless to its own obligations; nor will those who do not hesitate to de fraud the public revenues long continue to be scrupulous in their private business." He adds : "There can be no doubt that the legal-tender acts have tended to blunt and deaden the public conscience, nor that they are chargeable, in no small degree, with the demoralization which so generally I pre veils." Recognizing, explicitly, the imper ative need which forced that system of legis lation upon us, he proceeds to re-state the economical objections to the continued use of these notes as lawful money. He still adheres to the opinion so frequently ex; pressed by hiin, that a reduction of the paper circulation of the country until it appreci ates to the specie standard is the true so lution of our , financial problem. Butthis policy was emphatically condemned by Con it gress, and it is now too late to, return to it, he 'recommends the following _measures as the next best calculated to effect the desired result : lst.L The legalization of specific l i a contracts to be executed in -coin ; 2d." That after the first day of January. 1870, nited States notes shall cease °to be a legal- nder in payment of all private debts subsk ently contracted; and that after the first yof January, 1871, they shall cease to be a legal-tender on any contract, or for any purpose whatever, except Government dues, for which ,they are now receivable. The law,should also authorize the conversion of these notes,at the pleasure of the holders, into bonahearing such rate of interest as may be authorized by Congress on the debt. into which the present outstanding bonds may be funded. He sustains these two rec ommendations with arguments drawn from a sound financialphilosophy and from the current experience of the Treasury. Quot ing Daniel Webster's argument against irre deemable paper-money, he significantly adds that the constitutionality of the legal-tender acts "has not- yet been sustained by the Supreme Court, ' and that "it is by no means certain that the Supreme. Court will differ from Mr. Webster upon this question, and no one can fail to perceive how import ant it is that the legislation recommended should precede a decision (from whichthere can be no appeal) that United States notes are not, under the Federal Constitution, a legal tender." 1 , CUSTOMS RECEIPT/. These for the three years each ending in June '66, '67 and "68, ware • respectively $179,000,000, $176;000,000 and $164,000,- 000, omitting the fractions. He then adverts to the indications thus afforded in regard to our foreign trade and other financial rela tions with foreign nations. He estimates the amount of our securities, public and private, now held in Europe, exclusive L of stocks, at $850,000,000, of which $600,000,-' 000 are V. S. bonds, sent abroad since 1862 and,that the aggregate has yielded to us proably not. over $550,000,000 in gold values, but interest, mostly in gold, is paid on almost the entire amount, while we are increasing that amount so held by some $60,000,000- annually in ' gold-bearing bonds, and this in the face of an actual exportation within the .past twenty years, of at least $1,100,000,000 in gold and silver, the product of our mines, and, adds the Secretary "under tariffs in a good degree framed wirh the view of protecting American against foreign manufacturers." It is to be observed' that the Secretary, throughout his report, omits no opportunity to advance -similar, dews in relation to the tariffs of the last eight years, in which views upon theory, or in tact, the friends of American industry take dedisive issue with him. Ile dilates with force upon the !injurious ten dency of our large importations, paid for as they are in good part, not .frith our mate rial productions but with kevidences - of debt, the interest upon which is paid to cit izens of other countries not our owh. This I statement elicits a very c43mPact argument against the inexpediency !of such a policy, the Secretary evidently regarding , the use to this extentiof foreign capital as not a sufficient compensation for the interest-money Actually . sent abroad thereforpon this point, his. Report will ellaara diversity of opinion and in quarters entitled to be heard. His statement of the advantages of a purely do- , mestic debt would be logically conclusive, had he been able to add that our own peo ple are rich enough to chrry the principal, without detriment to the supply of capital for all other demands. He leaves this branch of the report with a conclusion" which ensures a more general approbation. He says: "The country will not be really and reliably prosperous until there is a re turn to specie payments. The question . of a solvent, convertible currency, underlies allplher financial and economical Questions. It is. in faet, a fundamental question; and until it is settled, and settled in accordance with the teachings of experience, all at tempts <at other financial and economical reforms will either fail absolutely or be but partially successful. A sound currency is the life , blood of a commercial nation. If this is debased the whble current of its commercial life must be disordered and ir regular. The starting point in reformatory legislation must be here. Our debased cur rency must be retired or raised to the par of, specie, or cease to be lawful money, before substantial progress can be made with other reforms " He acknOwledges the vast importance of 7 adapting taxation to the actual circumstan: ces of the people, commends the creation Of I the Revenue Commission' and, of its present chief, Mr. Wells, .says, with justice, "with what energy and ability he has undertaken the very difficult duties devolved upon him, has been manifested by the reports which he has already submitted to Congress, That which.accompanies, or will soon tollow this communication; will prove more fully than those which have preceded it have done, (the importance of the Investigations in vhich ho is engaged, and the judicious labor which he is bestowing upon them. Tile facts which he presents, and the recommen dations based upoulthol, are entitled to the most careful consider:Mon of CongreSs." ' The following is ii statement of the re ceipts from internal. revenues for the last fiscal years: . • For the y'tar Wing Jail° 'A Ire , ' Virld . ,=a , :y1 4 F. • vOr t Ile year pr.d lag Jr ne-Itu, 1!,47 , i.0. 4 1T-1 ..,3. x. 13 Fdr the year ending Auhe 10, 131,1 191,1 P C, at 11 The present year; thus - far, indicates the receipts at $140,209, 0 44. The falling off is attributed to inefficient collections and the ieduetion of taxes._He demands economy in expenditures; so that he average .expen ses of the civil servicelor the next ten years shall not exceed .$40,000,000 'per annum, with $35,000,000, exClusiire of bounties for the War, and $20,000,000 for the Navy De partments, $30,000,000 for the Indians and Pensionseaturan average rate of live per cent. upon funded debt, or sl2o,- 000,000 per year, upon an annually dwind ling principal. He thinks $300,000,000 of receipts may be annually realized by, judicious . legislation and effective collections- To that end he demands a reduction of the tariff and an in crease of the excise duties. Thus ho hones for an annual surplus of $50;000,000. to TUE REVENtES be applied to the principal of our debt, pro viding for unavoidably additional expendi tures by additional taxes. He therefore asks-Ist, an increase in the excise upon distilled spirits; 2nd, a restoration of the tax on manufactures abolished in March last; 3rd, *an increased and uniform tax on sales. TAItIFFEI While the present tariff has yielded large revenues, he says, "it is in no just sense a revenue tariff. It has not checked importa tions, while it has failed to give the antici pated protection to - our manufactures by rea son of the adverse influence of our o wn infla ted currency. He recommends the exten sion of specific duties and' a thorough revi sion of the tariff as a whole," to harmonize it with our exciss taxes and to adapt it to the changes to follow a restoration to the specie atan ard," in which latter event, the iz i present sys m "would be severely protec ie ifinot e' tirely prohibitory." . _ - , THE PUBLIC . DEBT . He shows that the debt has Increased, from Noveber Ist, 1867, to November Ist, 1868, $35, 25,102.22. But the Pacificaall tc roads and Alaska received $31,352,000, with $41,0 0,515 for bounties and $4,000,000 for over du interest items. But the latter accounts will be closed in three months more. He regards the situation as satisfac tory and says: "Should there be henceforth no extiaodinark expenditures, and no a t farther do ations. of public moneys in the form of bo nties or of additional subsidies to railroad ompanies —with proper economy in the adm istration of the General Gov ernment, d wtth judicious amendments of the revenue laws, and proper enforcement thereof, the public debt, without oppressive taxation, can be rapidly diminished and easily extinguished within the period here tofore named by the Secretary." Ho adds : "The debt must be paid. Direct repudiation is an impossibility; indirect repudiation, by farther issues of legal-tender notes, would be madness. To insure its payment with out a change in the essential character of the Government, every year should witness a reduction of its amount and a diminution of its burdens." He proceeds: "The war was virtually closed in •April, 1865. On the first ,day of that month the public debt amounted, according to the books and accounts of the Department, to $2,366,955,077.34. ' On the first day of September following, it amount ed to $2,757,689,571.43, having increased in four months $390,734,494.09. From that period it continued to decline until Novem ber 1, 1867, when it had fallen to $2,491,- 504,450. On the first day of November last, it had risen to $2,527,129,552.82. By this statement it appears, that, between the first day of April, 1865, and the first day of Sep tember of the same year, the debt increased $390,734,04.09, and that between the first day of September, 1865, and the first day of November, '6B, It decreased $230,560,018.61; and-that on the last day mentioned it was $160,174,475.48 larger than it was on the first day of April, 1865. Since then the. Treasurer's receipts from all sources of rev enue have been as follows: For April. May and June. Isls $ 83,819,104 13 , For the year ending June 30, 1866 558.032,620 06 For the year ending June 30, 1807 490.634,010 21 For the year ending June 30. 1869 40g5 038,083 M June 30 to November 1,1808 124,652,184 42 Total of receipts 51,662.476,062 20 To which should be added the In- crease of the debt between the first ' • day of April, 1665. and the first day of November. DM t. 160,174,475 46 This exhibit shows that the large sum of $1,822,650,537 68 was expended in the pay ment of the interest -and of other demands upon the Treasury hi three years and seven months, being an .average annual exnendi ture of $08,646,661 68. If the statement of the public debt on the first day of April,- 4865, had included all debts due at that time, and $1,822,650,537 68 had really been expended in payment of the interest on the public debt, and the current expenses of the Government between that day and the first day of November last, there would have been a profligacy and a recklessness in the expenditures of the pub lic moneys discreditable to the Government and disheartening to -tax-payers. Fortu nately this is not the fact. That statement, (as is true oft all other monthly statements of the Treasury,) exhibited only the ad :justed debt, according to the books of the Treasury, and did not, and could not,' in clude the large sums due to the soldiers of the great Union army, (numbering at that time little less than - a million of men) for "pay" and for "bounties," or on claims of various kinds which must of necessity have been unsettled. For the purpose of putting this matter right, the Secretary has 'endeav ored to ascertain from the War and' Navy Departments how much of- their respective disbursements, .sine the close of the war, has been in payment of debts properly chargeable to the expenses of the war. The following is the result of his inquiries: Be the War Department 0505,4 31,125 90 By the Navy Department 13,000.00 a 00 It has been impossible to obtain an exact statement of the amount of such debts paid by the Navy Department, but sufficient in formation has been received to justify the Secretary in estimating it in round num bers at thirty-five millions, which is prob ably an under rather than an over-estimate. The expenditures pf the War Department have been furnished in detail, and are be lieved to be substantially correct. These figures 'show that the money ex pended by the War and Navy Departments, between the drat day of April, 1865, and the first day of NOvember, 1868,0 n claims justly chargeable to the, expenses of the War. amounted $ f 30,431,125 90 To which shouldhe added the amou nt advanced to the Pacific 4,194,0 d) 00 Amount paid for Alaska-- 7,200,000 00 $ 679,829,125 90 Deducting this sum from the - amount o: the revenues, $1,,062,476,062.20, and $l6O, 174,475 48, the i4rease of te public debt —the r emainder,11,1:42,825,411 78, or, an average of $318,028,021 89 per annum, is the amount actually expended in the pay ment of current expenses and interest. • It is thus shown that within ,a period of three years and seven months, the rev enues or the receipts from all sources of revenue reached• the enormous sum of $1,662,496,002. 20 , and that $630,431,125 90 wore paid on debts, which were actually due at the close of the war and for boun ties which, like the pay of the- army, were a part of the expenses of the War. - Adding the amount thus paidto the' debt as exhibit ed by the Looks of the Treasury on the first day of April, 1865; it appears that the debt of the United States at the time was $2,997,- 386,203 24, and that the actual reduction has, been $470,256,650 42; and but for the advances to the Pacific roads, and the amount paid for Alaska, would have been $519,650,6 50 42. • Nothing can better exhibit the greatness of the resources of this young nation than this statement, or show, more clearly its ability to make a "short work" of the ex tinguishment of the public debt. It will be borne in mind that these immense revenues have been collected, while one-third of the Country was in great destitution, resulthig ftom its terrible struggle to separate itself - from the Union, with • its political condition unsettled, and its industry in -a great degree paralyzed; and while alio the other two-- thirds were slowly recovering from the drain Upon their productive labor and resources.r a necessary accompaniment of a gigantic • and protracted war. Urging fidelity to the duty of proceeding with the reductien of the debt, he renews the 'recommendations made in his first re- port, that a certain - definite sum be annually applied to the payment of the interest and the principal of the debt. The amount suggested was two hundred millions of dol lars. As the debt is considerably smaller than its maximum was esttmated at, the amount to be so applied annually mightnow safely be fixed at one hundred and seventy-I five millions of dollars; according to the es timate already made in this report. He adds an earnest recommendation "that it be declared without delay, by joint reso lution, that the principal of all bonds of the United States is to be paid in coin." Also, that "the Secretary be authorized to issue $500,000,000 of bonds, $50,000,000 of which shall mature annually; the first $50,000,000 to be payable, principal and interest,in law ful money—the principal and interest of the rent in coin; and also such further amount of bonds as may be necessary to take up the outstanding six per cents. and. the non-inter est bearing debt, payable in coin thirty , years after date, and redeemable at any time after ten years at the pleasure of the Government —the interest to be paid, semi-annually in coin, and in no case to exceed the rate of five per cent.; provided that the. Secretary may, in his discretion, make the principal and interest of $500,000,000 of these bonds payable at such city or cities in Europe as he may deem best. The fact that, according to this recom mendation, $50,000,000 of the bonds to be issued are to become due each year for ten consecutive years (at the expiration of which time all of the bondi would be under the control of the Government) would en sure an annual reduction of $50,000,000 of the public debt, and impart a credit to the other bonds which would ensure the nego tiation of them on favorable terms." RECEIPTS . AND EXPENDITURES. Year ends Jane 30. 1869—Receipts 6405.6.38,083.32 •• " Axpenditures 377.340,284.86 June 30, 180?—Receipts eat,oooomoo II • • • • • Expenditut es 336,000,000.00 June 30, 16;0—Re:eipts in 7 000.000.00 " Expenditures 303,003,000.00 In regard to the character of the revenue officers he has only to say, that there must be a decided change for the better in this re spect if the system is to be rescued from its demoralized condition. After careful re flection, the Secretary has come to the con clusion that this change would follow the pasaage of the bill reportedhy Mr. Jenckes, from the Joint Committee on Retrenchment and Reform, on the 14th of May last, enti tled "A bill to regulate the civil service and promote the efficiency thereof." The Sec retary gives, to this-bill his hearty approval, and refers to the speech which was made, upon its introduction, by the gentleman who reported it, for an able and lucid exposition of its provisions, and for, a truthful and graphic description of the evils of the pres ent system of appointments to office. NATIONAL BANES. Ofi the fifth day of December last, the day for their regular quarterly reports, the num ber of National Banks was sixteen hundred and forty-four, seventeen of which were in voluntary liquidation. Their capital was $420,634.511 00 Their discounts 655,R75,4;7 3.5 Their circulation 2.55.684,244 50 '1 heir deposits 501.330,278 90 The Secretary commends the general poli cy of the system but notes prominent, de fects, specially the practice of Metropolitan Banks in loaning their capital _"on call," of certifying large checks in advance of the actual deposit of funds to cover them, and of paying interest on deposits—all of which practices should be prohibited by law. • The Comptroller should alio be -authorized to make his examination on days to be arbitra rily fixed by himself. Their circulation ought also to be more evenly distributed. The Secretary asks attention to the neces sity of more exact •and stringent laws re specting the carrie of passengers , and also of such legislations shall settle, so far as they can be settled this manner, some of the vexed questions arising under steamboat laws. The •residue of the Report is devoted to' the Alaska purchase, the marine hospitals, the revenue cutters and the condition of the ship-building interests, He objects to the present adoption of any treaty for recipro city with the Canadian Dominion, and until that Dominion shall be entirely con solidated, but when that period arrives, he thinks the German Zoll-Yerein may profit ably be imitated on this COntinent. The Coast-Survey, the I Mints, the De partment of Statistics and the reports of other subordinate bureaus are briefly ad verted-to. The Secretary depicts the extraordinary difficulties to be surmounted by the Treasury in meeting the situation after the close of the war, and defends the policy under which the public necessities have been met, preventing at the same time a commercial crisis and keeping the business of the coun try as steady as possible on its unsound basis. He insists that the Treasury has thus been able, in repeated instances, to save the country from panic and disaster, by the strength it derived from its large balances and its-control over a considerable share of the available coin in the country. This power, he maintains, has been exercised with wisdom and integrity by all the agents of the Treasury. As a whole, this Report is an able one, exhaustive in its statements and for the most part practically sound in its multifa rious suggestions. Thus it affords a most valuable basis for the extended considera tion which Congress is about to give to all the questions involved. $1,822,650. L, 68 7 -- - Hester gaughn's Case. . Hmtrusnuno, December 6.—No further, action has been taken in the case of Hester Vaughn. No death - warrant has been issu ed, so no reprieve is necessary. The case remains precisely in the condition in which it was when the sentence of death was pass ed upon her over four months ago. Of course, without a death-warrant from the Governor, fixing the date, no, execution can take place, Governor Geary, atter a searching examination, has eonfe to the firm conclu sion that her case is one which, while it does not exactly merit death, deserves some pun ishment. The unfortunate woman having freely confessed her crime, it is not deemed fitting that a halo of glory should be thrown around the crime, of' the infanticide, and a premium be thus offered for its commission. But, to ease the mind of Hester Vaughn, Governor Geary has explicitlyinforined her that the death penalty will not be enforced. ,The matter of pardon is, of course, still under advisement, though the case may eventually take ivdifferent shape. There are now several individuals confin ed in Philadelphia, under sentence of death, one who has been in prison for eighteen years, no death-warrant having been issued. For several years past the Legislature has been asked annually to make some disposi tion of their cases; to authorize the Gover nor to commute the sentences to imprison ment for a term of years. The Legislature, at its coming session will be asked to make s. II special provision for these cases, inClu .,z .'that of Hester Vaughn, and, if action ken, the probabilities are that Hester's i is , '. tence will be commuted,__. ~,. —An Omaha dispatch says the snow storm which had been raging for the past thirty hours, is the heaviest experienced in Ne braska for many years. There was about eighteen in snow on e y, and. the r storm still of continued. th So le far s trains have managed to move, but it. Is feared a slight wind will cause a serious - blockade, both east and west. A Helena, Montana, dispatch says snow to the depth of six inches fell on Friday night, . _ g ;log 'R ON THE OHIO Our Cineinnati ext :ianges continue to furnish particulars of .t;e recent terrible, river disaster, and, as risui.Nl zu Such cases, any number of cases of presentment and premonition are being brought to light by travellers '• wb, attribute • their escape to supernatural ag ncies. Here are a few of the presentments noted in the Conmercia2: Captain A. Q. Ross, of the steamer rick Longworth, states that while in Cincinnad, on Tuesday, he made every arrangement - for his wife and, two children to come to this . city on the United States yesterday for the purpose of accompanying him South; but, on his arrival here on Wednesday. with no motive or reason for which • he caa give an explanation, he telegraphed his wife to take passage on the Este Robinson, a stern-wheeler, - with accommodaticins greatly inferior to those of the United ' States and with officers entirely unknown to him, ' while those of the ill-fated steamer were his intimate friends. By this singu lar freak of mind on the Captain's part his dear wife and little ones were saved from the awful doom that swept asunder so many life-ties and sent the dark angel of mourn- - ing into so many family circles. Surely the hand of Providence was in the miracle. An equally narrow escape from,the dread ful fate of the human cargo ofi the States was made hyMr. Underwood and bride, of Bowling Green, Who went eastward, only a few days ago, and arrived in Cincinnati, re turning from the bridal, trip on Friday(' with the full intention of corning down on the lost, steamer. They even drove down to the boat to engage a state-room, when Mrs. Underwood was; suddenly overcome by a fear that all would not be well on the river. Her , entreaties were deferred to, and she and her husuand took the cars instead, and arrived here safely,. yesterday, and pro ceeded to their home in Bowling Green. Mr. Goldsborongh, formerly of the drug store of R. A. Robinson & Co., in this city, but now traveling agent for B. A. Felines tock & Son,Pittsburgh, relates a very sing 'War coincience. ; He left Pittsburgh at 3:13 A. se. Friday, toi ijoin his family, who are living in this city!. Before starting he felt a strange uneasiness about the trip before him, and on applying• for a railway ticket he told the agent that hews' afraid to risk the route by way of Cifieinnati. The agent rallied him about his misgiving, and told him he would warrant his safe arrival at his desti within by the all-rail Pan Handle line. He ' accordingly secured a ticket on that road. Still entertaining an unaccountable fear,-he purchased two life insurance policies of $5,000 each, for the first time in a traveling experience of thirteen years. In takingthe through rail route he avoided Cincinnati and the ill-fated steamboat United. States, arriving here just in time to hear of the aw ful disaster, and receive the affectionate con gratulations of his wife and children at his hair-breadth escape from a horrid death. ' The lost ministers are Rev. Robert J. Parvin, of Philadelphia, general Secretary of the Evangelical Education Society, and . Rev. F. S. Rising, of New York, Secreted , of the American Church Missionary Soci ety. They were positively known to have been on board the steamer United States. A letter and telegram to this effect were re ceived by Rev. Dr. Perkins, rector of, St. Paul's Church. Every effort possible has been made to learn something of them, but without success. Mr. Price, one of the sur vivors, reports that lie saw three or• four clergymen on the burnt steamer. One of them said he was en route to Louisville for the purpose of collecting money from the. churches. He was saved, and told Mr. Price that, &ilia journey to this city had been providentially interrupted, he thought it best to retrace his steps. • 4 —The Indians in Humboldt county, Cali fornia, have been committing depredations upon the settlers for some time past. Au expedition was organized to punish therti, and a camp of: savages,surprised, six Indians killed and a quantity of arms captured. One white man was killed du ring the fight. . The settlera intend using vigorous measures until it is beyond the power of the Indians to further molest them. COUGHS, COUGHS, COLDS, COLDS, When a person takes cold the luas become, charged with phlegm, which opnressing the con. stitntion a natural effort is made for a . relief. • This effort is a cough. The only-safe and prudent remedies to be adopted are those Rhich assist na- tore In Its work, by loosening the phlegm and exci-. ting a freedom of expectoration until the ecll hi re moved.U SAIIGENT , S I CO GEC SYRUP Is ad mirably adapted to promote!expectoratlon , ease the breathing, loosen the phlegta, abate the fever, and allay the tickling which occasions the cough, with out tightening the chest, or in any way injuring the -system, and for all iemporaty and local affections. such as irritation of the throat, hoarseness of the voice, influenza, Svc., it is of incalculable value. Es pecially at this inclement season of the year it wonld be well for every family to have this valuable remedy at hand. .Prepared by BEO. A. KELLY. Wholesale.M7uggist,corner Wood street and Second av, nue, Pittsburgh. and for sale by all druggists ann dealers in medicine. 50 cents per bottle. PREVENT OR REPENT When health has been sacridced for want of the care necessary to protect it. regrets are unavailing. . It is better to prevent than to repent. The most In clement season of the year Is at hand, and its cold and damp are the source of inn.:.merablidistressing aliments. The best means o f escaping tt em is to keep the outward surface of the body comfortably warm with suitable clothing, and theinternal or gams in a vigOrous ec itlitlon by the oereasional use of a healthful tonic anti corrective. Winter makes tremendous drafts upon the vital forces, and there- • fore it is a season when a pure vegetable stimulant and invigorant like HOSTETTER'S STOMACH BITTERS is Of infinite use, especially to the weak and feeble. It gives etainfna to the system, and thereby enables it to withstand the shocks of cold. which produce cough, bronchitis. eatarrliAnd other _ diseases of the organs of respiration. Plate eta and every species of indigestion are also greatly., aggravated by cold, damp- weather, and for these complaints the BITTERS are an acknowledged cane, There'is no fact better known in this country; atd, Indeed, .tbronghot the civilized portions of the Western Hemisphere, than that this geuial pees—_ paration is a swift and certain remedy for all ordi- . nary diseases of the stomach and the trier. FACT OF GREAT VALUE No one can be too often impressed with the truth of all'disorders which mankind are prone to, none are of more prevalence at thls Eeason of the year than the;sewhich manifest themselves In . the lungs and pulmunary organs. Dr: REYSER`SSECTOR AL SYRUP is a speedy and Infallible cure In all re . cent mites of coughs and lung diseases. and DR. KEYS ICU'S LUNG CURE in cases of long standing and great obstlnaci, will be found of Inestimable There Is scarcely ahouse or family in Pitts- burgh that cannot testify to its merits, and instead of a person wasting time on-other inert and inap propriate remedies. -let them walk themsel*es to Dr. Keyser's, 140 Wood street, where they will find the right medicine adapted to theli cure.. The Doctor bas a long experience in medicine, and in these lung cases, he has eyed"' ignal pr or othis great ability and thorough kribwledge of all those diseases in which the lungs take japrominent rart. His residence in Pittsburgh is oter twenty Years, and the value of his remcdiesisexionded wherever coughs are prevalent and lung diseases to be cured. DR. ILEYBER'S RESIDENT OFFICE for LUNG EXAMINATIONS AND THE TREATMENT OF OBSTINATE CHRONIC DISEASES, 110. PENN STREET, PITTSBURGH, PA. 'Office hours.: Iron .9 A. it. UNTIL 4p. s 4• • 2 NoTember RS, 1889,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers