granittitt rfooitot4.
wediat44. - Decti.mber 13, 1563,
CONGRESS-TIIE PRESIDENT
-, Editorial Correspondence of the FrankNo Relardlory
WASHINGTON, December 6, 11.?65
•• Monday last was a memorable day in
the history of the Nation. • It resolved the
painful doubts which have for mouths past
oppret+e,d the faithful people of the coun
try, and:itit at re"Rt, in.nmnistakenbleimi
. -iputge and purpose, the policy of Congress
- touching the proposed admission of the
rebellious State's. It was a 'amid achieve
-• Ment for the few who braved the. at times,
apparently _resistless current of sentiment
that made half-subdued traitors insolent
_ and confident in their demands for 1'01(4-
ship as law-makers in the highest legisla
tive tribunals of the Nation -:• and it was
decisive in its teachings a. it waS over
' whelming in the unity of the majority, in
pointing the .future path of those who
vainly sought by wanton war to destroy
the government.
It was' the crowning achievement of
Thaddeus Stevens' life. He has out-lived
ambition in its accepted signification. 'The
high places of power which he has not
reached; may one day have entered into
• his hopes: but for four years past he has
devoted himself with a singleness of pur
pose rarely equalled and never surpassed
in statesmanship, to give success to the
trite principles of government, and„espe
cially to make a rescued and regenerated
- Nation trite to its own high prerogatives.
so dearly won by countless sacrifice. He
was of the few who in the early stage of
the war realized its terrible - import and
. plead for the only adequate remedy. He
did not stop to quibble on mere abstrac
tions, but he recognized accomplished
facts. He, looked the fearful peril in the
face, pointed to its vital power, and plead
with au unwilling people to accept their
own•and their country's safety. Slowly
butsurely, as experience and mingled sac
' eem and discomfiture developed 'the up ;
paling strength and purpose of treason,
and,the weakness that would protect its
_- sustaining power while professing to con
- quer it. has he won the loyal State's to his
convictions. tmtil on Monday last the
union representatives, as with one voice,
declared that there is a Twittered people.
without government or law. demanding
the, protecting care of Congress.
The passage of Mr. Stevens' resolution
at the time it was proposed, and without
• a single dissenting Union voice. is of un
common significance. pie hosts of brim--
, ling politicians who lialEalmut the calif
tal, from North and South. in search of
spoils, are ready to assail the action of the
• House as-an attempt to forestal the Pres
' Went. Such is not the-.-fact. The House
&Oared its purpose thus frankly and tie
, - cisivelY at the very threshold of its labors,
.-
in order that loyal' and disloyal alike
- might know at once that Congress meant
• to assume its conceded prerogatives touch
, ing the seceded States, and discharge its
- high duties without fear or favor. Wheth
er the President should agree or disagree
with Congress was not a question that en
- - ih - eTtetion of tfielTnimf - majords - : - As the
= - dispositiomof the conquered States is for
Congress and for Congress alone to deter
, mine, it ,was obviously its first duty to
meet the, anxious expectations 4411 sec
tions of the'Jountry by declaring itt's-,poli
cy, particularly when that could be-dome
with entire unanimity by the party in
power. The Message of the President
was already printed And ready for deliv
ery to Congress, so that no hope could
have been entertained to compel its mod
. .Ification, had modifieation been deemed
desirable. • -
The meaning of the House resolution
' admits of no doubtful construction. - It
in no sense reflects upon the efforts of the
:President to place the Southern . States in
a position to ask recognition. It does not
confront his policy in any degr - ee ; but it
teaches what the South would have done
well to, appreciate from the stint—that
while the President can kindly aid them
to take the preliminary steps for ft-Arai-iris
- .sion, he does not assume, and_ cannot as
some, to determine the conditions preee
dext to their success. Ile did his duty
earnestly, hopefully, fraternly• and most
— generously . ; but his magnanimity has
been rewarded' with sullen, reluctant sub
mission, or open, insolent defiance of his
appeals. - He begged of their hesitating,
obstinate conventions—" For God's sak e
;repudiate the rebel debt," or "I trust in
God that You will ratify the proposed
amendinent of the constitution abolishing
slavery ;" but his success was but partial,
and t4n only wrung from unwilling sub
jects. He hoped by thus pleader with
them too induce them-ti, place themselw
_ in a position so acceptable that they could
witkjustice and prosperity be re united
with Mr in the present Congress ; but. it
was all in vain. Some of the States re
pealed: the ordinance of secession—thus
. declaring their right to re-enact it. Oth
' erg repudiated the rebel debt by conven
tion without a vote of the people. Min.,
the elections soon following gave signal
success only to Executives and legislator
'who were pledged to its payment. Some
adopted the proposed amendment to the
constitution with condi'ii ns—Georgia and
Vougratta deSiring compensation, and one
or two others protesting with their ratiti
action of the same against a particular
construction of it. Not one of these Matt's
has chosen a loyal ExecKtire. Not one has
failed to elect the most traitorous of the
candidates presented, excepting only
South Carolina, and there Wade Hamp
ton hind to decline running and exert all
- his power against himself to save )11..
Orr by a few hundred votes. Not one of
these States has as yet conferred any
rights whatever upon the emancipated
negroes. They have in every instance
-here the question was considered, acid
,ed them the right to-be parties to suits or
witnesses in courts—thus refusing them
all rights necessary to enforce contracts
with their employers or protect them
setves from violence and wrong. -
tenths of the Congressmen elected in
these States are disqualified to servo by
' R lair of the very Congress in which they
ask admission, and they were elected with
knowledge on the part of both vo
ters and candidates that they were ineli
gible:by their active participation in trea
son's war against the Republic. In runny
in.tance - s true men ran, an appealed to
the lieople to recognize. t'e results -of the
war in good faith by ti • election of men
who could be gnalitiet ; but in an over-
wheituing majority of instances they were
defeated solely beeause they had not been
thorough traitors.
Such are the fruits of Presiilept John
gales generous policy to reconstruct the
rehel .States, and he is sadly disappoin-
ed at the return feu• his faithful efforts
Two months ago he wms hopeful, even
confident that they would come with such
evidences of sincerity and repentance as
would justify him in, asking and urging
their admission : butt now he recites his
efforts,. deals them ~oune " glittering gen
eralitief," and submits their ease to Con
gress, _without even a word of endorse
ment. In this condition do the Southern
States for the first time present them
.selves for the consideration of Congress,
and the ierilict of the 'popular branch on
Monday last is the answer. That it is
clear. positive, and comilusive, is its crow
ning wisdom, and there is not a traitor to
day who aimed to climb into Congress by
half-way atonement and obedience to the
government, who is not a wiser if not a
sadder man. All such can go home, anal
learn anew that the North has won the
Nation's deliverence though
,:the blood of
her noblest sons, and that its full fruition
for freedom and pt:rpetual t'nion cannot
and shall not be arrested by restoring to
power the treason that (Benched a conti
nent in fraternal blood.
—The message of * the President does
not, in fact. antagotii7e the position of
Congress although in-theory -there is an
apparent-Wnut of harmony. He adopts
as his - theory that secession is an nnposi
bility became forbidden by the organic
law. • Whether or fiot it is so forbidden,
I do not discuss. The compact which
united the States was a tbilY and a fraud if
iEitid not go to the perpetual unity of the
Republic. But when a body of States—
one-third the number of the whole—de
liberately rescinded - their bonds of allegi
ance. .k% it It all t lie ceremony of law known
,to the people of the States, and for four
yea' s exercised all the functions , of govet n
went, geperal and local : political. judic
ial and tuilitacv, and devised and enforced
the collection of revenues—all without
the show of organized remonstance. and.
in addition. waged a war Unparalleled in
magnitude. at times thundering id the
ver gates of our capital, it is to my mind !
the refinement of an abstraction to deny
the logic of such appalling fact,. Theorize
as we sea.. d-till - tliefacts confront its. Writ -;
no subtlety of reasoning, w ill .stye to dk-
pel them. If el, en Mc. ald.tractly. still we !
must deal NN ith the facts a. they present
thennZelves at ith their tetTible realities.
The fact that secession may be accepted,
as an impossibility constitutionally Con.-
sidered, does not take front treason one
of its mdmstrons deformitim, or restore a
State to the cmolition in %%Melt the su
premacy of I 1t'.1,011 tuned it. The facts
der, of wide spread desolation. :tad States
wrung c iolently from their proper spheres
into tlm bloody vortex of rebellion, still
rendaia, ;dud these lidets—not the legal th)-
tion of an unbroken Union—must be
dealt with. Congre , - so accepted the
condition of lheSta (es, and declared them
beyond the pale of the Union. Their rep
resentat ivd s welt denied admission
their \ ote, for Plesident were, in almost
unanimous vote of all parties, declared in .
ad va net- to be void. The Executive 'ad z ;
variote,proclamation. treated them 0% ,
public enenties.iand every important step .
taken for the supression of the rebellion
in aid of the military power of-the -
et nment, discarded the idea that they
\vete sovereign States in the Union. The
Supreme Court harmonized with Congress
and the, Executive on this important
point, and pronounced them, in its judic
ial decisions, to be publie enemies—con
demned their prizes as they would have
condensed those of England or , France
had we been at war with them, and in all
things held them—not as States and an in
tegral part of the Union—but as public ene-
Ides by reason of the complete snprenta
.ef`a fhe rebellion in the seceded States,
and at war with the government of the
United States, as a belligerent power.
Thu. do stubborn facts had the no less
stubborn recordsof the Nation, define the ,
status of thei seceded States, and ably and
plausibly as President Johnson presents
his theory, he fails to dispel the realities
which now confront him awl Congress.
As a theory of government for the future
guidat me of the Nation. it would be well
thus to define the relations of the States
to the government by an amendment of
our organic law but with the present we
Lace to deal. The' President confesses
this himself icy every step he has taken to
elli•et the ri)construction of the rebel
states. If they are sovereign States, they_ ; ,
have Execitti% es, legislatures, and most
other officers elected under laws which
are no part of the rebellion. How are
they displayed ? By what • authority
Are they traitors ? If so, they must be
tried. elm victed and condemned before
they can he removed. and then the laws of
the Stale stippl the vacancy. If Virginia
never was out of the Union, " Extra Billy
Sinith 4 .l. the lawful Goy prom . of the State,
as he was chosen. in confimmity with the
laws w It Mit 'existed there for half a centu
ry. Sod is -Vance Governor of North Car
olina— oluite a better man than 0 or. Worth
M'CI rat h is Governor of South Cal.-
olina. But President Johnson pots Gov.
M'Grath into fort Pulaski and.appoilitx
Gov. Perry to govern the people of what
he would regard as a State never beyond
the pah) of the Unitin. Nor does lie stoP
there. After displacing the Governors
regularly chosen under laws enacted be
fore the rebellion, he select s their succe
'dors, directs conventions to be called, and
when called. instructs them to do thus and
not to do so. • lie maintains in all of theta
martial law, and has quasi civil govern
ments in operation subject to thew ill of
his military commanders. If a judge de
cides a question in a manner misatisfac-
illtie Itcmklinlatpsitorp, iliamberaburg, p.a.
totily to the military, he is assured of his
State being in the. Union by finding quar
ters in some hospitable fort, and all other
ministerial officers of the civillaw perform
their fundions as instructed by the Pres
ident or the " General Commanding." :-
In all this the President is right intact,
but how much it leaves of his theory of
the independent sovereignty of the States,
is not •to my mind apparent. He finds
these States in the hands of traitors—stub
born, relentless, unrepenting traitors. He
has conquered them by force of anus, and
has exercised the right of the conqueror
to dethrone their rulers, and to govern
I them with the strong arm of military law,
regardless of their once proud posit as
States in the Union, and in this he hasbut
I faithfully discharged his duty. That he
hopes to restore them at an early day to
full fellowship, and that he would thus
restore them with lessexacting conditions
than Congress, is not to be questioned;
but he wisely and patriotieally refers the
subject to .Congress, where it rightfully
belongs, and I am strengthened in the
hope that they will cordially harmonize
upon just terms of admission—terms which
will insure the safety of the Nation and as
the President says, make treason infa
mous. In this responsible work, he will
.be generously sustained by Congress and
the country in every effort tending to the
speedyrestoration of a loyal and regener
ated t'nion.
—The ,message 'is upon the whole a
State paper of rare ability. It is calm,
- dignified, able and in most things candid.
I infer from his remarks upon the trial of
traitors, that Jeff Davis will yet be tried;
but I do not think him ,in serious danger
of losiing his life by capital punishment.
I presume. since Cong,ress has been so
positive in its expression on the claims of
traitors to civil power, that there may be
ittiilier fewer pardons hereafter than here
tofore, and I look, for Congress and the
President to work harmoniously to teach
the world that "mercy to traitors is cru
elty to the Nation!"
I did not see the Preslifent. Severe ill
nevi prevented me from filling au ap
pointment to meet him on Monday morn
ing, and thr'ee days of racking fever in
Washington would make any nfitn take
the tir,t traiirgoing hence in almost any
A. K. M.
dirt eti"l,
THE CASE OF GEN. KOON'EZ
The siteenth district of Pennsylvania
is without a representative in Congress.
The several counties composing it have
not been reduced , to a territorial condi
tion that we know of, nor is their stattu.
In; part of the United States just now
questionable. however doubtful a portion
.of the territory ha, been in times past
when treason p 1 ttuged its armed battalions
into the North nor have the people failed
to elect, for they went through the regu
lar form of choosing a Congressman in
October, ISii4, an. animated struggle;
nor is our failure to be represented for
want of a claimant for the seat, for no less
than two gentlemen are in Washington
proposing to represent us—the one be
cause he was elected, and the other bc
vaptk4.l..ll/, wasn't okete4. still we have no
sexeral weeli. coma we shall , thus he
disfranchised in the poinilar branch of
Congress.
The laws . of Pennsylvania provide that
the qualified electors shall vote for mem
bers of Congress and other lacers on the
second Tuesday of October; that each
election board shall select one of its num
ber to meet in the county town on Friday
following the election to compute the
ote"- cast in the several districts, and
lute two or more counties compose a
district. the return judges of each county
selJut one of their number to bear the re
turns to the place appointed by law to
compute the returns of the counties com
prising the district. The law in express
tennis forbids such return judges to reject
any part of, the vote so returned ; but
they are required and sworn to compute
it and certify in accordance therewith.
They have no judicial powers—on the con
trary they are in unequivocal terms denied
such powers. It is their dutitiretitupute
the whole returns correctly, and leave to
the tribunals appointed by law to inquire
into frauds or illegal votes. In addition
to this, the law providing for the vote of
soldiers in the service, declares that no
mere irregularity or informality shall pre
vent any return from being computed by
return judges at home. Pennsylvania
has no Board of Canra.3ls.:rs, or any other
board'hut her courts, competent to inquire
into the legality of a vote or a return atter
the vote is once in the ballot-box.
It happened in 18(34 that the people of
the 113th district were about tired of being
represented by Gen. A. H. Coffroth, and
they elected Geh. Win. H. Koontz, in his
stead by a majority of some 74 votes. It
also happened however that the Demo
crats, the friend; of Gen. Coffroth, con
trolled the boards of return Judges in four
of the five counties of the district, and
when the army vote returned settled his
ease by the election of Geu. Koontz, a
systentatic conspiracy was formed to de
fraud hie people out of two Assembly
men, a President Judge and a Congress
man of their choice, by rejecting a part
of the soldiers`vote, in insolent violation
of the law, after it had been regularly re
turned so that they had no choice but to
compute it or reject it by perjury. They
accordingly certified two defeated candi
dates for Assembly as elected, one presi
dent Judge and one Congressulan4 but
when the returns came before the Gover
nor he at once refused to recognize Gen.
Coffroth's certificate. as it bore on its face
a palpable disregard of the law, but as
judges hail the power to withhold the
certificate due to Gen. Koontz, the Ex
ecutive, in the exercise of purely ministe
real duties, could not correct, and both
were denied recognition—Gen. Coffroth
because his was a manifest fraud, mid
Gen. Koontz because he had been defrau
ded. The same fraud came up before the
Gofernor when lie had to issue a commis
sion to the President Judge, and as he
was competent to decide that ease prime_
facie, he did not hesitate to reject the
fraud and commission Judge King who
had been clearly elected. It is due to
Judge Kimmell, his Democratic cbmpeti
tor, to say that he did not ask th'e corn- -
mission, and did not in any formal man:
ner claim that he 'was elected. He had
no hand in the fraud, and did not seek to
take advantage of it.
In. the only case, therefore, wheie the
Governor could take cognizance of this
fraud, he determined it against Coffroth
and against his wrong, and no' one corn:
plained that injustice was done thereby. In
the case of the two members of the legis
lature who obtained a majority certificate
by this fraud, the House summarily dis T
posed of them by instructing the clerk to
call the members who had received the
highest number of votes . in the district.
Coffroth's friends of course were thereby
left out, and instead of contesting and
claiming that the majority was made up
of illegal Votes, they bent their steps home
ward without delay, glad to escape the
disgrace of au exposition of the' villiany
on which they founded their case. Thus
was this same Coffroth fraud twice deter
mined in Pennsylvania, and no one has
had the hardihood - to contest or ask any
investigation. _
G'en. Coffroth is alone of 'all those who
conceived and perpetrated this fraud in
now seeking to profit by it. - Some allow
ance is to be made for him, because of the
absence of ordinary moral preceptions iu
his organization ; but we insist that where
everybody, on every side, but himself
confesses his defeat and would shrink from
the contest be invites, he ought to begin
to suspect that the day may come when
he should stop. " We are well aware that
he grounded his hope of temporary success
on considerations outside of the returns.
and . vainly dreams that beeadse he was
anxious to dispose of vote for the'con
stitutional amendment, he may be able to
crawl in this sessiouJong enough to draw
milege and pay. The General made one
grievious mistake in that operation.
There were men in Congress willing
enough to have him cast one righteolis
vote in the course of a congregsional terns,
but when Gen. Co'froth supposed that he
could get them to a corrupt bargain to
sanction a monstrous fraud upon the 16th
district, he reckoned badly. When he
started on that mission, he went wooling,
with a moral certainly of coming home
sheared, as he will leain byy - and by. We
doubt not that a few Republicans gave
him indefinite promises, predicated upon
his false statement of the merits of his
case, but they may be regarded as selling
short" for future delivery, and as the
stock can't now be had, they can only be
called upon to settle the diftisrence. They
will therefore. we doubt not, qualify Gen.
Koontz in a few daysosliaving the prima
basis case beyond questiOn, and Gen. ('of
froth will realize the " difference" by con
testing as long as possible and getting his
- per diem and mileage when he'getstinal
notice to quit. This now seems to be bis
chief ambition, and as it will be his last
appearance upon the public .age. it will
probably be a cheap deliverance.
—We ask the attention of Congress to
this case. It is a wrong to our district to
deny to representation. fine of the two
cluimitnt4 noigt be entitled to be sworn as
tinned that Gen. Koontz received a clear
majority of the Cote cast, and that no
power but Congress, in a contest, can re
ject any part of the vote so returned, it is
clearly theiduty of the House fo qualify
Gen. Koontz and allow 'Gen. Coffroth to
contest if he has a fancy that way. If
something must be done fin• Cotfroth. let
it nut be done by a crushing wrong upon
the loyal men of the 16th district.
Tn E unanimous re-nomivation of Iron.
Edward McPherson for the clerkship of
the House of Representatives at Wash
ington, is a rare compliment and as just
as it was cordial. Atter serving two
terms in Congress with much more than
ordinary efficiency and ability, - he was
defeated in a contest for the third term
be the celebrated Stuart raid of /81Q—
that rebel officer raiding through the two
leading - connties of the district but two
days beibre the election. At the close of
his service. he was appointed Deputy -
Commissioner of Revenue, where he ren
dered most valuable aid to the Govern
ment in the inauguration of our revenue
system. At the meeting of the 35th
Congress he was nominated for Clerk, af
ter an animated struggle, over Mr. Buf
fington, of Massachusetts, also an ex
.:acad.:l-, and so satisfactorily has he dis
charged the responsible duties of the po-,
sition that no one was named inlcompeti
tion with him. Ilis sterling qualities
were severely tested some months ago,
when it was demanded of him by the en
tire Democratic press ; by the Southern
ers of all shades ofloyalty, and by a flask
claiming to be Union men in the North,
that he should enter the names of the
representatives from the rebel States oil
the roll of the House; but he never for a
moment faltered in-the line of his duty.
-Be said frankly to all who" interrogated
him on the subject that the law of Con
gress would guide him iii his official con
duct rbgardless of the interests of Parties.-
and when Congress assembled it was
gratifying to find that not a single Union
member dissented from his judgment in
the matter.. fie was re-nominated be
-1..
cause the enti Union Tote of Congress
cordially endo sed hintand desired to seal
his fidelity with the highest measure of
approbation. !Ile is pre-eminently fitted
for the position, and we congratulate hini,
and the country upon his flattering suc
cess. .
Tem Bedford Gazelle 1/SkB u, to ,bete
that " eleven witnesses swore in open
court that Crouse attacked Reed, whilst
the latter - was retreating from him, strik
ing him (Reed) with a large stone, and be
ing about to strike him again with anoth
er stone when Reed tired." We make thii
statement as requested, and can neither af
firm 'nor deny it, as we did not hem• and
have not read the testimony. We, did
not question the legality of the verdict ;
but did deprecate the primary cansys.
_which led to the homicide, and expressed
the conviction that none will mourn the
cause and the-result so much as John P.
Reed. Jr.:eand the Gacette may live to re-
grit that political prejudice can be matie
to enter into the iidininistration of justice.
Whether it did control the verdict in this
case we do not decide ; but'it was mani
festly the purpose of the defence to have
it do so as far as possible.
THE "last ditch." famed alike in rebel
song apd story, we think has been found
at ldst It evidently bad no such unro
mantic meaning as death by matter of
fact bullets, shells or bayonets, The "last
ditch" of .the perspiring rebel is a seat in
the Congress of the hated Union. Next
only to the alacrity-with which he went
otit, ist the swiftness with which be propo
ieS to retiu-n to its honors, per diem and
mileage again. But there are loyal lions
in his path, and-the "last ditch" of rebel
, assaults upon the government seems just
now as-unattainable as the " last, ditch "
of battles, to which so many proposed a
pilgrimage, but which few of- those who
announced the -journey had strength and
faith enough to keep irons falling by tln
way
Tut: Union State Committee met re
cently in Philadelphia, and after adopting
a mtimorial to Congress suggesting amend
ments to the constitution width should be
ratified before the admission of the rebel
States, and resoluttns commending Presi
dent ;Johnson and Speaker Ctdfax, ad
journed without fixing a day for the State
Convention. It is understood that the
Committee will meet at Harrisbtirg in
January, and call a Convention to .meet
in April or Mav:
DU. S. E. DuFFIELD. of Fulton county.
will continue in charge of the Document
Department in . tyashingtou—a position
he has tilled for ti;lm years with great in
dustry and acceptability. He is one of
the most faithful and meritorious Union
men in .this section of the State. and we
are glad to see him rewarded.
MR. FEssExnEs has been restored to
the chairmanship of. Finance in the Sen
ate. nnil Mr. Stevens will of course re
main chairman of Waysand Means in the
House. '
Phrenalogiral Journal Mr December,—
completes Vol. 4' d,- ; —eocitaius Lord Palmerston,
Napeleon 111., Washington, timmr. lion. I).
Dickinson, Blind Torn, with portraits, Charac
ters and' Biographies. Also "Work for women."
a new history - of Civilization: Destiny of liner
; Beauty, Vigor. and Development Symmetry
of Character: Phromology irthe Pulpit: Animal
'Types of Human l'hysiognion Bpi:gm:ties for
Women, and Children: inelniling kith:do.
gY. PhYsiolozy Phrenology, phy s i i , uni ..., 3 and
Ps,rhologi —only t2O eent, or :iv: in a year.—
New volume begins with Jan. No. Addres
ler & Wells, 3n9 Broadway. New Yolk.
weletimm F. B. Penaiman. Esq., to the ed
itorial chair again. He has become associated
with the Editorial corps of the Pittsburg Ga
:sus, and will brio. , additional vigor u~ll ability'
to that already influential,Journal. Mr. Penni
man is one of the "ablest ,and clearest -political
writers we have in the t'ltate, and ae are glad to
sPe him in a position where he eau be so eminent
ly useful. °
ABOUT three hundred:2'd Lieutenantii are t. be
ilowedinUly appoiutedialliet,irgular,army. The
Congressional districis. All applicants must have
served two years in the volunteer service and
been honorably' discharged therefrom. tigid
is in session to examine the testiimmials of candi
dates, and select such for personal examivation
as may seem fitted. -
Tin: Secretary of ,the Treagur) egihnateg that
there trill be a 44tieit of $112,004 ),000 fir the
3 ear entlitig Ist .lone. 4?-60, and that the tigeal
!ear follouitig ttilt bring the expeffilitlin... over
:Illltit,poo,ltot . l helot% the retenneg.
Al 4 - 1 -43: Alt nil ditipt,F•ed of his interest
In ill - , Mo , na,ne, to partner, NIT. L. 11. Fnilk.
Air Atorron engaged in publi.inun a daii, n.
• Pit6..1.• (It). Volattg., Cnunh
WE an• indebted to lion. T. Stevens and Sell
utur,CovL an for public ducuments.
110 N, LcutcAnn MI cm , has our thanks for
valuable documents.
HARRISBURG
Th Finances of Pennsylvania—Balance
of Nearly 82.500.000 in the Treasury—
Character of Ottr Revenues--Taxes ou
Dank Dividends—Probable TON on Nll.
t tonal Rank Stock—Over 51.500.000 Dime
the Treamiry—Philatielphia Largely in
rream—Tax on State Loans—Gov. trtr
tin—Attorney General Meredith.
Corre.trontlettee of the l'eneklin fteixeitory.
I=l
=MEM
I intimated in one of my limner letters that
the exhibition of the finances of the State, AOOll.
to be made officially to the loaislature, will pre
sent a most gratify ing exhibition of our credit.—
A table has now been given to the press in ad
vanee ( I I the reports. and it shows an aggregate
of rec4ts in the treasury during 'the last year,
ending atlth November of $6,219.989 67
which with the balance, or surplus, in the treas
ury makes a total of *P4;203,225 30 of avail a ble
funds for the ordinary andextraordinnry expen
ses of last year Of these receipts, the RUM of
$20:,;11I :19 was ri.ceived as tax on bank dbi
dends-7-the only item hi the list of revenues- that
is likely to diminish hereafter, as the Stale Banks
have all about disappea'red. But it 4 not im
probable that a new source of revetme w ill be .
supplied by the coming legislature, by taxing the'
stock of the Natiolud Banks as personal prop
erty in the hands' of the lit - Afters. • ,It seems
settled that in this way the missy Banks can
ho taxed without con traversing time net of
Congress, nail it will most likely be done, : In
imitation of New Yolk. II so, the loss of
revenue on Bank dividends will be pakially re
placed. It is unfortunate for the National Banks
that the- State laws regulating their taxes are to
be enacted at a time when an inflated currency.
large lines of deposits. gold interest int their hy
pothecated bonds, and freedom from thry necessity
of redeemingAheir paper, combine to give them a
high tide of prosperity. Their dividends and sur
plus funds art; large, and . the danger is That they
will he taxed far beyond what they w ill be able
to bear w lien they' are brought down to approxi
mate a - specii• standard. But sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof. The tonnage bills yielded
last year - nearly ii:750,000, and the tiix On corpo
ration stocks yielded :$1,:137,93:3 IS. Attimig the
novetties of the statement - is the follow ing item :
"c ases o f con sc ience, , It is something
to know that ;kt least one thief has repented since
the eniciiixion.
The tetal expenditures fur •the year rencli $5,-
7s&•.:ii2;) 1t and the table is e arthy of study: It
dim% et the great hMieficencr of l'emeylvania,
Th e , x p en ditin T s-ol the government reach but
1159,4%hi1e near') half a milliunTias gone
to urium military eximmei under the smeral
acts of assembly; ever three hundred thousand
has gone to charitable and othiu: institutions, and
three hundred and flirty thousand to',eomMon
sg ho o s is. Nearly two ;pillions were paid as inter
est on the debt, and the debt itself was reduced
$1.903,:q‘2 SB, and still an available balance re
mains in iho treasury or 4 -$2,373,66S
largest balance. I believe, that has ever been in
the treastny at the clues of any fiscalyear. In
addition to this, the State has just obtained a
judgmentiNigainst tin. city of Philadelphia for
some Spft/00ft of unpaid taxes, and the National
government is hound in all good faith to repay
the $....00,000 paid to the militia called out by an
order - from the President in 1563. If the money
due the treasury and likely to be collected was
on hands, the balance would now be but little
less than three mill - =';and a half. Considering
that our debt is really not more than twenty
eight millions, after deducting the bonds in the
sinking fund, the credit of Pennsylvania is in a
better condition than it has been for half a cen
tury. Soon our heavy expenses arising froth the
war will be at an end, while mur revenue will not
sensibly diminish, so that the liquidation of the
debt will go on more rapidly each succeeding
-ear
There is one item in our revenue that should
cease to appear there. The State imposes inher
ent upon a portion of its own loans, and thus to
that extent depreciates its own credit. It cer ,
tainly was not contemplated that such tax should
be imposed, and it is discreditable to the Common
wealth and a stain upon its fame that it ahould be
persisted in. Various State Treasurers, looking
solely to the interest and credit of the State, have
recommended that the - poliey should cease, but as
'et it has not been done.
Guy. Curtin sailed Tor Cuba on Saturday week
in the Revenue Cutter "M'Culloch," and no word
has been received from him since his departure.
At the time he sailed his health was in a very
critical condition ; but it is hoped that the sea
vo3agtwill restore him. He will not be home •
until atter the meeting of the legislature Jr his
health improves in the tropics.
Mr. Meredith, the Attorney General, has been
in fur several weeks, but is better. He
was not able to be in his office for some days
before he left for PlNadelphia. He is now at his
home in that city. During hie illness here, Mr.
Etter, the Deputy Attorney General, conducted
some of the heaviest suits on behalf of the .Com
monwealth successfully. Defaulters and all class
es of debtors to the State. fur the first time in
many years, have to settle with the Common
wealth with the same promptness they Would ex
pect to be required by individual creditors, since
Mr. Meredith has been Attorney General.
• •••-• Holum
WASHINGTON
Meeting of t'on>•;ress and the Hotels—Bon.
Thad. Sterens—Senator Cowan—Arrest
of Beggars—Collisions--A Wedding.
Correspondenee of the Franklin Repository.
NO. IST WASIIINGTON CITY, Deeember 10, 10 0 65.
Although Congress has met almost a week ago,
yet strange to say, there are Mit few visitors here.
Three weeks ago there was hardly room in any
of the hotels to breathe in. Now there are doz
ens of rooms in every hotel empty. The fact is -
- people have determined not- to stand the syruidl - r
ling operations entered into by Hotel proprietors
and Boarding House Keepers to charge one-third
more per day as soon as Congress met. Wil
lard's went up halt a dollar a day. Consequence
is from appearances, they have got to come down
a dollar or have an empty house. Served them
right. Things are no dearer now, and if any
thing cheaper than they were a month ago. Peo
ple seem suddenly to have all taken up their
beds and walked off leaving here the Congress
men to fight out their own salvation.
There will be very little gayety and fashion
here ; until altet the Holidays. Congress will
probably at least a week before Christmas ad
journ to a week after New Years. Until then
there will-he nothing of importance done.
This ueekColfax. is eaaaged iaar
- among tui. um
berg it is hardly likely that any changes of im
portance will be made from the. positions-die,'
held in the last Congress.
kv months ago Hon. Thaddeus Stevens
made a speech iu Lancaster, niter wbio he was
almost considered insane. Ile was -ondeinned
by the res;s generally all over the country. Yet
strange to say, he us h.-day a leader in:the House
with the appeals:uses. of being able to carry thro'
almost any bill he may offer. The noble resolu
tions he offi r. land adopted by the caucus Isidore
the meeting ; Vongress, which w:us one of the
largest caucuses rwr held by the members of any
previous Congress, wit t is said, he opposed by
Senator Cowan when brought up in . the Senate.
Cowan is as alway s, at home in Greensburg, while
prakisfpg law, noted for his lose of "being con
trary.' In the Senate he se the same, and for
this alone, and not from the conviction of his own
heart,-he opposes resolutions which' at same
time Isis conscience tells him is just and for the
good of the country. The resolution will pass
both llouse and Senate by a-large majority, and
perhaps without amendment.
An orderlies been issued to the police to arrest
all beggars found in the-streets. This order is
gotten up expressly to harrass the poor colored
people living here. The feeling'of bared against
the colored population e.xisting in the hearts of
the city officials and old residenters of this city is
most bitte; and daily growing worse. They take
every occasion to crush them into the 'the tnire - .
instead of trying to ameliorate their condition.
It-will he no better until some other mode ofgov
eiming the city is authorized by Congress. • The
Freedmen here will undoubtedly be endowed with
the elective franchise at an early day. •
Lately there has been a colission or two between
the steam cars and horse cars at crossings in this
city. A bitter feeling seems to exist among the
employees ; of the hone railroad of the - Washing
ton and Georgetown company against the men of
the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. -•We h'ave
often noticed the cars at these crossings and have
shitddered at the narrow escapes we have se !re:
Sometimes the drivers of the horse car %hip up
their horses and cross before an approaching en
gine vs hen' they knon they have but a fey, feet to
-spare, and once or twice before the late collision
I have jumped from the platform to avoid danger.
Miss Cora L. V. Scott, (formerly Mrs. hatch,)
the spiritualist, was married on last Friday eve
fling in this City, to Col. N. W. Daniels, oT Louisi
ana. Rev—John Pii.rpont, the poet.aged upwards
of cp years and a believer in spiritualism, tied the
knot. The auda•iice vs as very select and mainly
composed of " believers." -
The recounnendatiOns made by Comptroler
Clark, relative to increasing the national revenue
seems to Meet with general approval of members
of Congress.
PERSONA I.
--General Thomas is urged for Quartermaster
General in place of Gen. Mpigs..
—Lieut.hienry Baker, formerly of Bedford, was
murdered in South Carolina a few weeks ago.
—The ex-rebel Goieral William Mahone has
been leeted Preside nt of the SoUtheide, Vu,
Railroad.
—James Stephens, the head-centre of the Fe
nian Briitherhood in Ireland, has escaped from
hie prison.
—Johu•Thaiupson, alias Tobacco Jack, the of
dest, " profeshional` thief" in Philadelphia, fll
dead on Thursday.
—Ex-President Pierce was baptized and iun
tinned in the( Episcopal Church at Concord,: N,
11., on Sunday week.
—Gen. W. Gale, who offered $lOO,OOO for the
assassination of Mr. Lincoln/has given bonds at
Montgomery to appear wtien called for. ,
Deceinber 13, 1865.
—Rev. Win. H. Whim, familiarly known as
the "Blind Preacher ancPLecturer," was ordain
ed by Bishop Hopkins, at Burlington, Vt., on Mon
day last.
—Lieutenant Moffat, formerly of the Alabama
and Jeferson Davis Howell, arrived at Portland
in the Hibernian, and were arrested as they were
leaving for Canada.
. -
—John 11. Hill, Esq., of -Newton, N. 3., for - -
merly Clerk of Sussex county, and for more than
fifty years Impeller of the Sussex Register, died
at Newton last week, aged 75 years.
—Morgan Jones, of New York, and 'D. A.
Voorhees, of Indiana, are the only members of
the House of Representatives from the loyal
States who have not taken the oath.
—The Chaaston Courier states that, unless
sooner recalled by orders-from Washington,
General Grant pill extend his trip to the Rio
Grande, Texas, and - return by way of St. Louis,
310.
—Gen. Logah, recently appointed by President
Johnson Minister to` the Mexican republic, has ar-
rived in Wasbingtort but his decision in reference
to the acceptance of the position has not yet been \
made public. •
• —Governor Orr, of South Carolina, was inau
gurated at Columbia, on the 29th ult. The bril
iant assemblae of ladies of former years was re
duciNl" to a thin attendance clothed in the garb
ofmmurning."
—lt was decided in the Republican Senatorial
caucus not to place the names of Senators .31'Dou
gall, of California, and Saulsbury, of Delaware,
on any Senatorial committee. Their names,there
fore, do not appear in the official list.
—Charles Comby, alias Mercier, arrested in
Carlisle, Pa., by the New 'York authoritiesi on
uspieion of havingbeen concerned in the murder
of the Cuban theatrical manager; Mr. Otero, is
entirely innocent, and has 'been discharged from
custody.
—The Governor has signed the death warrants
of Marschall and Frecke, the Boyd's hill murder—
ers, at Pittsburg. They are to be hanged on the
12th of January. The death warrant of Mrs.
Martha Grinder, the Pittsburg poisoner, has also
received the signature of the Governor, and Mrs.
C. will be executed on the 19th of January.
—ln General Grant's report he does full justice
to Gen. Meade. He.says : "I may here state
that, commanding all the armies as I did, I tried
as far as possible to leave General Meade in inde- _
pendent command of the Army of the Potoraic.
My instructions for that army were all through
him, and were general in their nature, leaving all
the details of execution to him. The campaigns
that followed proved him to be the right man in
the right place. His commanding alWays in the
presence of an officer superior to him in rank has
drawn from him much of that 'public attention'
that his zeal and ability entitled him to, and which
he wouhlotherwise have received."
—The recent assault of General 8. Meredith
upon the Hon. 0. IV. Julian, at Richmond, Ind.,
appears to hate been a very cowardly affair. Mr.
Julian, who had for some time been in very fee
ble health, and was quite lame in the knee, had a
sha,vl wrapped around him and a cUmbersome
bundle under one arm, when Meredith struck him
heavily over tile head with an iron bludgeon, threw
him to the floor, his head bleeding Profusely all
the time, and then belabored him with a heaii
whip. A number of Meredith's confederates sur
rounded them, exclaiming, " Flog the damned ab
olitiunist!" and prevlg all interfeience with
31eredith's brutality. e ruffian has been arrest
ed. Mr. Julian's condition is critical.
-The resignation of 3fajor-Gen. Butler, sent
in some months ago, was finally accepted on Fri
day. It is known that for some months past Gen
eral Butler has, at thei request of the War De
partment. been thoroughly examining the laws
century back; but the final decision of the Presi
dent has been not to allow a military commission
fur the trial of Davis for his-participation in the
conspiracy to assassinate President LincOln, and
various raids in Northern States during the win
On the appearance . of General Giant's report
General Butler again asked for fhe acceptance
id his reQicnation, which request has at last been
granted.
IMII=I=I
—The full vote for Gorenior in South Carolina
was ns follows:—James L. Orr, 9776; Wade
Hampton. 9109. Majority for Orr, 667.
—The Loiiifiann House of Representatives has
passed the Senate resolution against the recogni
tion of Hahn and Cutler as United States Sena
tors.
—The Alabama Legislature has passed the
constitutional amendment abolishing slavery, but
entered asproviso against the radical interpreta
tion ofthe
--Gen. Joseph R. Hawley, editor of .the Hart
ford Press, is likely to be the Union candidate for
Governor in the State of Connecticut. The Hon.
H. B. Harrison has declined to run
Graham, on unpardoned Rebel, has
been-elected a United States Senator, for the long
term. by the Legislature of North Carolina, and
John Pool, said to be a ,tinion man, for the short
term.
—The Senate Judiciary Committee will take
up the cake of Senator Stockton, of New Jersey,
at an early day. The protest against the legality
of his election is bring urged by some members
of the NeceJersey Legislature.
—An organized movement in favor of the
mediate admission of the Tennessee Delegation
now gives the claimants a good deal of hope. It
is backed up by prominent Republicans in both
Rouses, and the Presidential infigence outside.
—lt is stated that the Demtkiratic candidate
for State Senator in New Bedford, Massachusetts,
at the late election was a negro, "as black as
night's sable curtain." The Republichns nomin
ated a white man, and in order to catch the votes ,
of black 'men; the Democracy - put up a negro.t4'
But the - colored voters could not be deluded, and
the Republican white man Was elected. .
—The aggregate vote cast for Mayor in the
city of New York was 81,525, divided as follows:
John 'T. Hoffman, (Tammany) 32,925; Marshall -
O. Roberta. (talon) 31,591 ; John Hecker, (Re
form) 10,400; C. Godfrey Guotherol'Keon)
639. Hoffman over Roberts 1,3'.14; over Heck
er, 22,525: - over Gunther, 26,266. Richard o'-
Gorman is elected Corporation Counsel bri7,-
266. majority—being on all the tickets except the
Republican. Of eight aldermen elected only one
is Republican, and of twenry-four Common COUII ,
cilmen thirteen are Republican.
— SCletne.—Alexander M. Parker, second son
of our respected fellow citizen, John B. Parker,
Esq., committed suicide in a room of his father's
dwelling, West -Hig t h street, by shooting himself
through the head, on Monday evening, between 6
and 7 o'clock. Young P. had bden much excited
for several days, and had been in the care of ze
~ i an who acted as his nurse., Just previous to
committing the dreadful deed, be ordered or re
quested his attendant to leave the room. Be then
yok his pistol from a drawer, and .placing the
muzzlelo the right temple, fired. As soon as the
report was heard the door of his room, (which he
had locked,) was forced open, when the unfortu
nate youth was found in the agonies of death. In
two or three minutes he was quite dead.. Young
P. was some `22 years of age, 'and hail served for
several years in the army, with credit to hinivlf
and advantage to our cause.—Carlisle Volunteer.
TILE SOUL or FLOWERS.—Poetry has given.
the title to the living breath of fragrautblossoms ,,
and this floral soul—this quintesseence ofoltaeto
ry luxuries--exists, in its full perfection t in Phut.
Inn's "Night=l.lloorning Coteau." Seid every
where.