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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,