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Courier and 'Eomracrrial. CONSOLIDATED APRIL lO, 1876. HaTES OF SUBSCRIPTIONS. FOR THE 'WEEKLY. FOR THE TRI-WEEKLY. Mr. Jefferson Davis has been invited to deliver an address duringcommenca- ment week, next June, at the Texas State University. - The new tariff and internal revemi bill does noi touch tea nr coffee. Iw pro visions will probably include a reduciioi of the tax on tobacco, and tbeTe is likelihood that the income. rax “ill restored. A marriage itissaid, will k e arrapeid between toe Duke • f Connaught, Vic- toria,s third aim, and Princess L >uise, daughter of Prince Frednrtek.Charles of The Princess . is seventeen age, and much liked by those know her The January national debt statement shows that the treasury continues to re duce the debt. The reduction for Jan nary was 8T.668.076. The treasury now holds .8 84,149,186—»n increase of S 50,985,209 since January of Iasi year. : Skobeleff, the Russian Genera], is said to be only thirty-three years of age. Hi is a very religions man. "Ooe canno face death boldly,” he said, “who is noi a believer in God and who is witbou hope of a better world.” He leads tb soldiers in prayer and joins in their pe culiar chant, which is said to be very touching. The Cincinnati Commercial quotes ex Uuited. States Treasurer John C. New as saying the 412} grain dollar is equal to the silver standard in any country and therefore good enough for us, debtor nation and a debtor people. Unti its demonetization, the silver dollar wa orth a3 much as the I gold dollar, and en remonetized it will again be. A movement has been inaugurate! in France looking to the promotion ot more direct and intimate commercial relations with the United States. Paris telegram notes the formation of a committee of merchants and roeiubere of the national Legislature to facilitati the measure It baa bee- resolved send au agent to this country with a address “showing the benefits of ii creased coiumeruiat intercourse, and convene a Franco-American congm- at Paris during the approaching intet national exhibition.” p. 0 j C IN TRACT RATES OF ADVEftTlSHK $ AL DWINELL, PROPRIETOR. 00 “WISDOM, JUSTICE AND MODERATION." Kw*’ TWO DOLLARS PER ANNUM. l " VOLUME XXXII. ROME, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 13, 1878. r’K; NEW SERIES-NO. 24 The mercantile disasters reported i the city of New York during the pat- month are the largest in number tha have occurred,on any single m.iutl -.since the memorable panic of 1873 There were 129 failures, suspensions and assignments, , W n w’hieh the aggre- labilitiisnre 87 113.039 and as ^sets S.433.839: The merrhandi-e lia bilities are greater than in the Iasi month of the year 1877,' in wnieh the total was about 88,000,000,' but the lat ter Was swelled hy the failures ot banks, trust companies and defalca tions to the amount of over 84,200,000. In the number of failures there is an increase of twenty-niue vver the record for December. Tberesultof Murphy’s temperance I revival in Spriugfield is a total of 20,- 660 signatures to the pledge in that city and its neighborhood; tint it is said that hundreds of boys signed night after night for fun. At first womei monopolized the best seats in the hall . leaving no room fur bummers; but at terward that fault was in a mea-ur- ' remedied. Murphy was assisted b\ his son and several singers, besides the local clergy. The Catholic priests fa- .vored the movement, but protested - against the incidental prayer meeting- 1 and the use of the Bliss and Sankey hymns. Several of the worst drunk ards in the place swore off, and thu ' far remain abstemious. The Hon. Elias Root was appointed Collector of the port of Oswi-go in 1871 He was one of the wealthy residents of the city, a conspicuous member of the East Side Congregational Church, a Sunday-school Superintendent, and temperance lecturer. He was one of the chief stockholders in the Oswego Times, the Republican organ. One of his first acts was to put editors of that newspaper on the Government rolls, although they did no work for the Gov emmeut. He allowed book-keepers of Oswego grain firms to act and keep accounts as Government storekeepers, d illegally retained fees therefor. These acts were proved in a recent se cret investigation, and Mr. Root was l compelled to resign, and to return to the Government 86 600. Washington special to the Baltimore Sun: “Mr. Henry Soickbridge, of Baltimore, applied yesterday to Chief Justice Waite for a writ -if error in the case of the colored lawyer recently de nied admission to the oar of Maryland by the Court of Appeals of that State. The purpose is-te bring the case before the Supreme Court ->f the United States for a decision on tne q lestion at issue, as-to whether auy State can by its or ganic law exclude a practitioner from its courts on account of race or color. As some of the necessary bonds are filed in the case, the Chief Justice will .direct the issuance of the writ of error. -It is understood as then probable that a motion will be made to advance the case on the docket, as in the ordinary course of business it would not be reached for some three years. Whether the Supreme Court will consider the case of sufficient importance to be advanced is a question, as it is not known that any similar cases are pend ing anywhere.” One nqnaro one month ... One square three month One square six months... One square twelve monll One-fourth column One-fourth column three One-fourth column six months One-fourth column twelve One-half column one month.. One-half column three month One-half column six months—... One-half column twelve months... One column one month. .... (1 so w 101 0) One column twelve months— The foregolnsc rates are fo” either Weekly c Federal Taxes. 8;eci»l Telegraphic Correspondence of the —i. : Courier Jonnra).] Washington, Feb. 4.—Mr. McMa- non, of Ohio, brought forward to-day the resolution of which I made men tion a few days ago, directing the com mittee on Ways and Means to report a graduated tax on all incomes above a reasonable minimum. The move to suspend the rules and pass the resolu tion developed a much greater strength, than even its friends had hoped for, while to the Eastern- members it was a stunning surprise. There were 165 yeas to 88 nays, not quite two-thirds, but : a majority of 77 is about as em phatic an instruction as the commit- Washington Correspondence. Washington, Feb. 4,1878. It was demonstrated to the satisfac tion of many who heard the testimony elicited before the Court of Claims at various tiqDTS daring the past five or six years t'p claims based on the Geneva award, that the rating of particular ves sel* tlie American Lloyds, depended more upon, tbe amount of money the owners had to pay fur a certificate of character to that institution than upon the material or manner of their con struction. The present is a good time fur some Congressional Plimsall to come to the resene of seamen and passengers who are wont to trust themselves to go down to sea in be rotton bottoms tsd could receive. A majority of the owned by avaricious marine speculators. committee, namely, Messrs. Burchard, Harris, Tucker, Rollins and Gibson, voted for the resolution. Mr. Fernan do Wood voted against the resolution of instruction, but he is not opposed to incorporating such a feature in a gener- d bill, and it is now an open fact that the new revenue bill will include an ncome tax. It is reasonably certain hat the new bill will reduce the tax on tobacco to sixteen cents per pound, *nd that the taxes on the denosite in savings banks and on bank checks will he entirely abolished. Whether tbe committee will or will not include a redaction on the whisky tax is not set tled; bat, if it shall be left out, the motion can be made in tbe House to reduce the tax to sixty cent*. Tbe bulk of the opposition to the income tax to-day came from the Eastern States, but there were some striking exceptions. Beebe, Hewitt and May- h nn, of New York, Hale and Powers, of Maine, Briggs and Blair, of New Hampshire, and Landers, of Connect! cut, voted for the resolution. On the ither hand, Conger, of Michigan. Fos- •«r, Garfield and Monroe, of Ohio, Springer, of Illinois, and Walker, of Virginia, voted against the tax. Ken- ucky was solid in the affirmative. Tbe vote-to-day was, perhaps a little -trger than the real strength of the ueasure, bat the names above given mow that the rebellion against the ty- moy and injustice of capital has ex- —nded to the New England States. The Chriatiancy Dollar. Senator Christiancy’s bill to authorize die coinage of silver dollars, bnt requir- ng that they shall contain 434 grains -tundard silver, is nothing more than a -xiheme to defeat the Abject of the Bland bill in a roundabout way. The Chris- rimey dollar would contain 211 grains more of silver than the old standard dol I tr which was dropped from the coinage in 1873. It would be 5.2 per cent, more valuable than the old dollar. The ob jection to the bill is that it alteis tbe law ful standard; it increases the value of the silver dollar at a time when tbe peo ple are not prepared for it. If there is a disparity between tbe gold and silver coins, why not equalise the two by de creasing the weight of the former 7 This would be as reasonable and fair as in- -.reaaing the weight' of tbe latter. But there is no necessity at present for de basing the weight of one or increasing ha* of .he other. The silver advocates do not seek to “ clip” the gold dollar; hey are content to let it remain as it is. They demand only that the mints shall be allowed to coin silver dollars of the wight and fineness established by law, <o that the product of our silver mines may be moulded into money aa well as the product of our gold mines, and both the kinds of money recognized by the Constitution permitted to the people. The gold advocates make a great pretence >f being willing to admit the silver dollar to the coinage provided it has “a dollar’-- worth of silver in it.” This is the very hing the silver people propose, them selves. A dollar’s worth of silver is 4124 grains, nine-tenths fine, exactly—and the dollar authorized by the Bland bill will contain this amount of metal. The word dollar originally meant a silver dollar, and it means that still. The Cincinnati Gazette’s Washing ton correspondent informs us that the auti-administration Republican com biuation to subdue Mr. Hayes or drive him oat the party is still alive and me tively at work—and, what is str -nge, is supported by the very Republican office-holders who remain in office with the consent of Mr. Hayes. The cor respondent (Gen. Boynton) says: “Its chief leaders are in the senate. Beyond question their plan is to solid ify toe controlling influences.ot the party against the President. These leaders are men of political skill and sagacity and of life-long experience. They nave their hands upon the party organization throughout the country. Tbe office-holders, as a class, are. with them. This may seem a strange state ment, but it is true, and the President himself is folly aware of its trnth. The power which these senators wield here almost absolute. It is but little less in the States,' so far as the party ma chinery is concerned. There is no longer room for doubt but that they intend to force-President Hayes to sur- rendeiyor in case of refusal, to force him aside, crowd him over where he will be obliged to depend upon Demo crats for his confirmations, and every time the Democrats support him shout to the faithful that the President has Johnsonized.” Doubtful story from an English jour nal: “The Duke of Ed’nbuig is now with the British Mediterranean fleet, and is said has had the following put up in his cabin to check unpleasant references; please to remember that the emperor of Russia is my'falher-in-law.” Old- rotten, worm eaten, hulks .are bought for a song; the seams, worm holes and the ravages of dry rot are filled by oaknm,. plugging or patching; pitch and tar impart a false appearance of newness; a metal skin is drawn bn over these little “tricks of the trade” and a liberal application of putty and paint, with the new name on the stem, complete the metamorphosis. The new ship is rated A 1, is heavily insured and loaded down to a depth inconsis tent with the safety of even a new aitd staunch ship. She is then sent to sea' half manned, her owners, it may be, hoping she may never be heard of more; and they are oftener gratified than oth erwise in this. Perusing Plimsall’s speeches in the British House of Com mons made on a similar subject a few years since, would likely convince many uow skeptics on these points; and what was true at that time is probably true to a greater or 1-ss extent among all diaritine nations. The Metropolis was an old, rickety patched concern used as a transport during the war, and was hired for a nominal snm, probably, to take to South America, workmen and their equipments ^ for a railroad in Brazil. The absence of details in the Captain’s account of the disas^^3 sig nificant, bm tbe early determination ar rived at to beach the vessel as the only means of saving tne lives on board, seemB to argue perfect familiarity with her unseawurthy condition. Over 100 souls gone to swell the testimony that has been accumulating for thousands of years agaiost the rascally Bhip owners who deliberately send old vessels to sea in such a crippled condition that the vie tiau of their greed havn’t one chance in a thosand to ever reach the shore. It is always noticed hat snip and cargo had been covered bv insurance. It is already noted that different parties sup-' posed to have thoroughly inspected th« Me'ropolis, and whose reputation as ex perts is Lkely to suffer by the sad fate which overtook her, are already in print trying to snift the responsibility to somebody other than themselves. What of our life saving service 7 500 men cast ashore on the treachen >ua Cur rituck beach within the last three months directly tinder the nose of these Ufa saving (?) crews who prove as use less as so many Evan O’Neils. Tne Superintendent of this service special ly qualified himself for the responsi bility of the place hy serving as mes senger (I believe), 1st, 2J. 3d and 4th class clerk successively, and finally as ship clerk in tbe Auditor’s office. In recognition of the vast strides he made in theoretical and practical knowledge of nautical »ff lira while thus workiog up claims-nf soldiers for bounty and arrears of pay, he was promoted to the superinteDdency of a branch of service, the utility of which must depend so largely upou the energy, system and in telligence with which grave responsi bilities and peril-ius duties are directed from the headquarters here. Our Su perintendent, every summer, boldly visits tbe stations along the coast, critic ally exatning into' their workings through a spy-glass from the deck of a government steamer detailed for this bazirdous duty. To thoroughly famil iarize himself with all the details of every bureau of liis dep irtment, it wiU be remembered how Secretary Sher man, scorning the dangers of New England’s rock-ribbed coast, accompa nied Secretary Kimball on his North ward trip last summer, when less zeal ous officials were spending their annual leave at the various watering . places. Though they suffered the horrors of shipwreck off the coast of Maine, the voyage was.not abandoned till every nautical mile uff the coast, eastward, had been traversed. ' Whether true or not that Democratic meanness is charge able with having crippled the efficien cy of the eerviue, it strikes every one as odd that for hours after the Metropolis struck,, no one from any of the stations appeared aware of it or that the furi ous easterly gale was likely to duplicate the Huron ca astro phe. Already it is stated that no horses-were at band for hauling the life saving aparatus to the stranded ship, and when there, the life line was soOld and rotten that it was un able to bear even tbe strain of the ocean current What an efficient inspector Mr.. Kimball must have on this Currituck beach; to be sure 1 and we shiver with dread lest tbe efficiency of his~life-sav ing force and apparatus be tested at other points along the storm swept Atlantic coast during - the boistrous months of February and March; yet' remaining to finish their annual record of disaster and death. It is an excel lent subject, this Metropolis business, for a searching non-partisan investiga tion by an impartial jury who, don’t believe in the efficiency of white-wash when thousands of human lives are set over again-'t the pay and emolu ments of a . few small fry politicians. Knox. Coosa River Improvement. ■ Heport -of Col. D. S. Printup to the House Committee of Commerce The Coosa River is formed by the junction of the Oostanaula and Etowah rivers at Rome, in the State of Georgia.. From Rome it rnn3 in a tortuous but generally south-west direction, for about one hundred miles, then bends gradually in a south and little east of south direction until it arrives at We- iumpka,in Alabama; thence takes its- direction to the south-west until it ar rives at its junction with -the Taliapoo- Alabama river continues and could not be less than two and one- half cents per ton per mile; or at this rate 33} bushels of wheat, or nearly 36 bushels of corn woold cost for trans portation 100 miles by railroad 82.50, or 7} cents per bushel for wneat and nearly 7 cents per bushel for corn. For ^distances over 100 miles the difference in favor of water transportation is much greater. The same can be Baid in regard to the heavy products of the mines, such"a* iron, coal marble, etc., as Well as of lum ber and merchandise generally. The difference of costs is much er in the transportation of coal and iron sa. forming the Alabama River—being than that given of wheat and com and 334 miits in length from Rqgae, Ga . to other commodities, so much so that it its junction with the Tallapoosa. The ia almost needless to make the compare - - ties in the - - - - - - v same 0 f the co3t of carrying these ar ticles by railroad with the comparative, ing and bending to thesouth^ unites with the Tombigbee river,' forming the Mobile river, which empties into the Mobile Bay—over -700 -miles from Rome, in Georgia, or 800 miles from the commencement of navigation on the head waters of the Ooatanaula river, one of the tributaries, as above stated, 'of- the Coosa. From the point where naviga tion commences bn the Coosawat- tee, a tributary to the Oostanaula, in miles to Rome is about 100 From Rome to Greens port ' 180 ait to Wetumpka 137 40 85 my ulc ojuch less the trifling cost of transport- contmu- jpg the same by From Greens port From Wetumpka to Montgomery From Montgomery to Selma- From Selma to Mobile 273 Making a total of about 815 The volume of water in the Coosa is sufficient, at all times, to afford a chan nel of sufficient width and depth to carry steamers of from 150 to 300 tons harden. Its channel is very stable and unchangeable; sand and gravel bars are seldom found, and when found are easily removed. Its average width from Rome to Greensport is from 400 to 600 feet or over, with an average depth, at tbe lowest stages of the river and at the moet shallow points, of about two feet. Over this part of the river steamboats carrying the United States mail are making their regular two rounds tripe weekly. There is also a steamer at present making weekly trips from Rome up the Oosta- ■ •aula river, a distance of about 105 miles. These steamers range from 75 to 330 to ns harden,and are doing a heavy carrying trade. Tbe freight tonoage carried by these steamers has been on an averagh of about 30,000 tons annual ly, for the last five years, which is in creasing rapidly and necessitating far ther means of transportation. Here allow me to draw some from the reports of the Chief Engineers re cently made to the Secretary of War. In that part relating to the Coosa river he Beys: “Tha Coosa river is- an exceptimuF “ably favorable one for improvements, “since its mean depth is greater in com- “parison with its average width than “most of the western rivers, and its banks and channels are generally well “defined and permanent. The neces sity for its improvement has been re- “peatedly urged by legislatures, com- “mercial societies and engineers.” The obstructions at the lowest stage of the water to the navigation of the Coosa river, between Rome, Ga., and Greensport, Ala., (a distance of 180 miles), have been to a considerable ex tent removedduring the last six months, and navigation much improved under nronriation made by Congress, in 1876,’for that purpose. Between these two points there are thirteen shoals. Some of these have been so far over come as to afford the free passage of steamers with little or no difficulty, others require more work in order to remove dangerous rocks, and by exca vations to give more directness to the channels. In some places wing or spur dams tire needed in order to confine a greater volume of water to the chan nels, thereby deepening it What has already been done has been found to work most satisfactorily. It is hotted and believed that daring another year all obstructions between these two points will be so fas overcome as to give a channel at all times, with at least an average depth of two and one-half or three feet, and in all other respects suf ficient to meet all the demands of navi gation by each steamers as the commer cial and agricultural interests along the line of river now require. The only part of tbe whole river line, from the head of navigation on tbe main tributary of the Ooetananla (the Coosawattee) to the point where the Mobile river empties its waters'into the Mobile Bay, 815 miles, not now navi gated by steamers' during nearly the whole year, is that 137 miles between Greensport and Wetnmpka, on the Coosa river. In regard to this I will quote from the report of the Chief En gineer recently made and referred to above, which says: “Another important part of the im provement-which will (shonld) be be gan as soon as practicable is that part of the river between Greensport' and the Selma, Rome & Dalton Railroad bridge (a point 70 miles below Greens port). Tha obstructions here are of. a more formidable character and will re quire considerable money for their re moval, bnt it is Believed that‘the im portance of the work will amply justify tbe expenditure required.” By improving the 70 miles below Greensport, the coal fields of St Clair county, Ala., which lie contiguous to the river, would' at once be opened to supply the great demand for such coal now existing in Northwest and Middle Georgia.for domestic and manufactnr- WeRavetibw to consider whether the expenditure of the money necessary to remove the obstructions mentioned so as to-make the whole line of river (815 miles) navigable; will be justified by the advantages to be obtained. ^ . - In comparing the great advantages of franspdrbttum by* water over that of any other mode of transportation we find that all the advantages, to wit: convenience, facility, certainty, cheap ness; etc., are in favor of water. On water, such as farm and agricul tural products, can be carried' for lesB than five mills per ton per mile; or at this rate the transportation 100 miles by water of 33i bushels of wheat would cost 50 cents, or one and one-half cents per bushel; or the transportation of nearly 36 bushels of com would cost 60 cents, or not quite one and one-half cente per bushel; wh.en by railroad, the next cheapest, mode of transportation, the coat of carrying the same articles would water. I will refsr briefly to a comparison of the relative costs of the transportation of coal by water and railroad, contain ed iu a report made to the chief of th- Bureau of statistics, at Washington, in 18/3, to the effect that the average cost ot moving one ton of coal 336. miles by railroad is S3 62, and the 'charge i*,on an average, for the same distance, 85.64, while the carrying of qne ton of coal 600 miles by water cost on an avenge 56 cents, the distance being nearly twice as great. Further, the averag- cost of carrying one ton of coal 2,000 miles by rail under the adoption of the lowest rates of freight known to have been made by any railroad company iu the United States, would have been 81320, wnile for transporting one, ton of co'i from Pittsburg. Pa., to New Or leans, fc^iistaiics.bf^,000 miles by wa ter, thKkverage cost is only about 81.05. The Sfference of comparative costs that apply to the inoving or carrying of coal by rail and water, apply with equal force to the cost of transporting iron and, other heavy commodities. The country that would be materially and l^aeficially affected by the proper opening of this great river line, by the removal of the obatruc ions between Greensport and Wetumpka, being a dis tunce of only 137 miles out of the 815 and upward, now navigable, is that por lion of Northwest Georgia lying be tween the Lookout Mountain nn the Northwest and the line of hills mountains embracing the gold belt on the Soutneast, traversed by the vaUeye of ChatKoga, Connasauga, Coosawattee. Oostanayla and Etowah rivers, and Big Cedear creek and their tributaries, m of whose waters help td^irm the Coo sa, embracirc a popuhsfoi! of ove 175,000, and-Jn area of at least 6,0t>> square miles, or 3,840,000 acres of lau- which for its productiveness of soil hi,. mineral r(t-uurce3 is unsurpassed my other region of the same extA.li the United State3 ; producing cotum the finest grade fo^mhudMv well .. tes-? ;* ter, the hills'and mountains seem p- culiarly adapted: being also rich ti coal, iron, maogauess, b&rytese au other minerals. That portion of Northeast Alabama that would be more or leas greatly ben efitted by tbe improvement of the Coo sa river, as suggested, is bordered .by Raccoon mountain on the Northwest, and the range of bills or low moon- tains running parallel with, and distant from the line of the river about 25 miles on tbe Southeast, having a gen eral direction from the Northeast to the Southwest and in Alabama, containing a population of about 160.000 upon an area of about 7,000 square miles or 4,490,000 acres of land; not taking into tnis account any portion of thp coun try on either .side of the line, traversed by the lower half, or near 400 miles ot the river. This section of Alabama is, in riennesB of soil and mineral wealth, equal to that in Northwest Georgia; partaking much of the same n >ture, besides having extensive and inexhaus tible fields of bituminous coal, frow- two to ten feet thick, of the very finest quality, and suited to all purposes ot manufacturing iron, driving machinery and other uses to which this coal is ap plicable, The coal fields traverse the w’&te-area in Alabamaabove described, aud are immediately by the side of ex tensive beds of iron ore ot several va rieties and finest qualities which also traverse the same area of country witti the coal fields. Sand stone, lime stone, fire clay snu other minerals abound in quantities sufficient to BUpply all futur. ages. From a statistical calculation it is shown that tbe annual products ot these portions of the States of Georgia and Alabam jf embraced in the area of country above described, which would be beneficially affected by the improve ment desired of the Coosa river are over 2.125,000 bushels of wheat; 3,- 500,000 bushels of corn ; 250.000 bush els of oats and over 100,000 bales of cotton, besides live stock, fruits of va rious varieties and other products of the farm, in value equaling over 810,- 000.000. This is not taking into con sideration the products of tbe mines, snch as iron, coal, etc,, nor tbe manu factured articles annually produced, which are very large and extensive. The annasd saving of the people along the /ine of- river, in having cheap transportation for. their snrplos pro ducts wonld naturally - enhance tbe wealth and prosperity of the country. The manufacturing interests would in like'manner be fostered and made pros perous, and. as aptly stated by tbe Chief Engineer of the Selma, Rome and Dal ton Railroad Co., ia 1870, and which is set forth in the report of the Cnief of Engineers for 1871-2: “The wonder is that this work (speak ing of tire improvement of the Coosa river) has not been accomplished a long time ago. Indeed what channel of transportation is better calculated to spread all around industry, prosperity and wealth. .‘*The money required to do the work” of making navigation per fectly safe over the whole line of nrer is a matter of very small importance when we consider the magnitude of the advantages to be attained.” “Capital and cheap transportation on ly are wanted to make this section of country an immense workshop capable j - _ of giving employment to thousands of wbatanimmense economical revolution this new channel of communication, (through transportation once opened) must produce in the country at large, and particularly iu the States of Geor gia aud Alabama and those immediate ly contiguous thereto.” “The climate of the Coosa. Valley is salubrious, mild and temperate; its winter? of short duration ; its soil rich and productive; besides the staples everything in abuudance which is nec essary to make living cheap for work man, laborer aid mechanic. This great valley is intersected by a large number of streams which never freeze, and on them are a multitude of sites for. mills and factories, with inexhaustible water power, and are destined one day to be the customers and feeders of this great cbanueL “For want of this great-thoroughfare millions of dollars worth of the brat long leaf pine, a great variety of oak, ash, walnut, cypress und poplar, which could be turned into the best lumber for construction purposes, are now re duced to ashes or rot upon the ground. Of the lands along the lines or*the river the Uuited States government owns mUiibns of acres .in the shape of public lands. is almost impossible (the report farther says) to estimate the increase in the value of thesa lands, which will be the natural and immediate result of opening the river to navigation. It is fair to suppose, however, that the in crease will be many times greater tl the amount necessary to pay for all the required improvements.” By removing the obstructions to the free passage of steamers between Greens port and Wetnmpka it wonld at once open up by water communication the extensive coal fields and iron beds of Alabama and Georgia to the commerce of the Gulf of Mexico and the trade of South America and the West India Islands, yielding millions of wealth annually to our country. The great and increasing benefits that would be the inevitable result of mak ing this great improvement would ex ceed the bounds of tbe moet sanguine calculation. COOSA BIVER APPROPRIATIONS. By Congress, in 1876, 830,000 00 Expended in 1877, 15,742 43 Leaving an unexpended bal ance in treasury 814,267 55 Amount recommended •j the Chief Engineers for ne year ending July 1, i 879. to be appropriated by 'i ingress $100,000 00 «>itun, wim me unexpended balance i* iu the tremor*', will be sufficient, i- ii -n-nt- r.d. f.r making the neces- • v improvements and doing the work q-iireil up oi that time. \ oiuunt of >vork done on Coosa, - 'I' all duringJastsix months: R ick excavation, 900 yards; gravel xcavatiOD, 500 yards; rock qttarri(*d, t”7 yards. Riprap, or rock dams, 310 ■ -et; log, or pen dams, filled with stone, 2,'OOfeet; snags dangerous to naviga- ton, extracted, 21. Length of line navigable: Carter’s Landing to Lome, 100 miles, Rome to Greensport,—.. 180 Wetnmpk to Mobile, 398 Whole length navigable.. 678 The whole length navigahle from Rome, Ga., to Mobile, Ala’ is 578 miles, with a fall in this distanceof 345} feet, or 0.61 per mile The average fall. between Greensport and Wetnmpka is 1.84 per mile. The Eastern Question. Hen. A. H- Stephens in Reply to Gen. Dick Taylor. Wulingtoa Gazjtt*. Hon. A. H. Stephens has in prepara tion an oroide for the March number of the International Review in reply to the Confederate Reminiscences of Gen. Dick Taylor, published in the January number of the North American Re view, in which he proposes to contra dict a number of statements made in Gen. Taylor’s article. Mr. Stephens denies 'that resistance was offered by the Confederate Government to enlist- nrents for more than one year, and says that he himself was at Montgomery and favored such enlistments, and that his position on the question was generally known. He cites acts of the Confeder ate Congress in support thereof. In the spring of 1862,100,000 men were in the field. He declares unfounded Gen. Taylor’s assertion that Gen. Johnston’s movements in 1862 were checkmated by certain politicians in Richmond, of whom “the leader was Mr. Alexander H. Stephens, of Georgia, Vice-PreRident of tbe Confederacy;” that Mr. Steph ens had said that the people could “al ways be relied upon when a battle was imminent, bnt when there was no fight ing to be done they had best be at home attending to their families and their interests;” that “as their intelli gence was equal to their patriotism, they were as capable of judging of the necessity of their presence with the ‘colors’ as the commanders of armies, who were but professional soldiers fighting for rank and pay, moet of them without property in the South.” Mr. Stephens declares these asser tions to be but the figments of s disor dered imagination, without the shade of a shadow of fact to rest upon. Of thirty-three Major-Generals in the Con federate army two only were born in the North, which detracted nothing then nor now from their integrity, hon or or chivalry. Of one hundred and twenty-six Brigadier-Generals only seven were bom at the North. He claims to have very rarely expressed an opinion upon matters connected with military affairs, bnt cites as one in stance where Jeff Davis requested him, after the fall of Port Royal, S. C., to name some General to take charge of the Southern coast defence, and that be first suggested Beauregard and then Joe Johnston, but finding that they were not on good terms with the Pres ident, bo then suggested Lee, who was assigned to the command. &lr. Stephens disclaims ever having defended, much less advocated, slavery in the abistrect, or as treated in public law. He-claima to have always main- at London, Feb. 4.—The Standard’s Bucharest correspondent telegraphs that in eousequence of the armistice, the garrison at Widden have been ordered from Constantinople to surrender their arms, after which thpy will be quar tered in the neighboring villages. The' Pera correspondent of the Times reports that Austria is about to present a note refusing to sanction any condi tions of peace which would imperil the existence of Turkey.' The Pesth papers, announce that an Austrian army corps is mobilized and couCi-Dtrati-d at Veisetz. The Odessa correspondent of the Titm-s in a Mter.to that journal says: Much relief is fnit at the prohaoility of an armistice, as the people are natural ly anxious to dispose of tbe grain accu mulated here—about one million quar ters. Nearly one million and a half more are etori d at stations on the Odes sa and Kehoskof and Nikatsief and Sebastopo* and Koarsk and Azof rail ways. St. Petersburg, Feb. 4.—The Ved- omosti calculates that after the conclu sion of peace the Black Sea and Sea of Azof ports will export five million quartets of wheat. Constantinople. Jan. 4.—The block ade of tbe Black Sea between Odessa and Constantinople is mechanics and workmen and turning out every year millions of dollars worth of produce of all descriptions.” “On the immediate banks of the riv er are found the heavy and inexhausti ble beds of iron ore and all materials necessary for'its manufacture—coal, lima stone and fire-proof stone, in the greatest abnDdance.” “Judging from the experience of eve ry country under similar circumstances, Germany and the Eastern Ques tion. Berlin, February 6.—The German arliament was opened to-day by Herr ilamphatucp, vice president of of the council of ministers.,. Tbe speech from the throne was read T>y Herr Camphansen. In the passage relative to foreign affairs the emperor ex presses the hope that speedy peace will enable the principles of the Constanti nople conference to be applied and dura bly established. The comparatively alight participation of Germany in eas tern afiaira allows the empire to display disinterested co-operation in tbe arrange ments that may be made by the powers concerning future guarantees against a recurrence of the trouble in the east, and for the amelioration of the condition of the Christian population. Meantime the emperor’s policy has attained its object, inasmuch as it had essentially contribu ted to the preservation of peace between the European powers, and the relations of Germany with all powers remain pot only peaceful, bnt altogether friendly. Paris, Feb.. 4.—A telegram dated Shanghai, China, yesterday, Feb.3,pnb- for women and children at the city of Tientsin was boraed. Over two thous and persons are stated to have perished in thefire.,vs- ; t»V.. Rome, Feb. 4.—The Courier states Cardinal Howard is to be created Arch bishop of Edinburgh and Primate ot Scotland. ^ ; : A hot shovel held over varnished furniture will take out the white spots. ■ained that if the “institution” was not *he best for both races, morally, intel lectually, and politically, it was wrong and ought to be abolished. He de clares Taylor’s account of his visit to Washington in July, 1865, and his visit to and reception by Mr. Stephens, and and the latter’s indifference to the suf fering of: Jeff Davis, who was then a prisoner at Fortress Monroe, a perfect “Mnnchansenism,” as he (Stephens) was at that time confined in Fort War ren. Hume on Money. Home, in bis essay on money, says “The policy of the good magistrate consists in keeping the money of the nation, if possible, still increasing; be cause by that means he keeps alive a spirit of industry and increases tbe stock of labor, in which consists all real power and riches. Accordingly we flad that in every kingdom, into which money begins to flow in greater abundance than formerly, everything tabes a new face; labor aud industry gain life—the merchants become more enterprising, the manfactnrer more dil igent aud skillful, and even the farmer follows his plow with greater alacrity and attention. “On the other hand, a nation whose money decreases is actually at that time weaker and more miserable than another nation which posBest more money out is on tbe increasing hand. The workman has not tbe same em ploy ment from the manufacturer and merchants; t”e farmer cannot disDose of his com and cattle, though he must pay the same rent to his landlord. Tbe poverty and beggary which must ensue are easily foreseen.” Hon. Montgomery Blaii is about to write a life of Jackson, to be secceeded by the life of Lincoln. In announcing tbe proposed work to a friend at Fnlton, Mo., he says: “This will give me tbe opportunity to put my father in his true position res pecting tbe great events and the great men of his day. I had hoped to have begun it already, and should have done so if Tilden had been si ated, so that 1 should have felt at liberty to quit active politics. Bnt I actually feel it necessary now that I shonld try to get the true is sues of present politics before the people. So many of onr leaders are in tbe em ploy of the corporations, and so many more stand in awe of them that for tbe first time in my life I have sought pub lic station in order to direct the public mind against the usurpation of all power by the political moneyed organizations— the great railroad companies—the banks, manufacturing operations, and other in stitutions, created by the Governments, State and National, to absorb the whole governing power.” New York, Feb. 4.—Over $250,000 damage wae done to the handsome sum mer cottage district at Long Branch' by Thursday’s gale, and with exception of the Lowland House, not one of the large hotels escaped between the High land Station and Sea Bright. The waves have cleared tbe narow belt of ■and separating the cccan and Shrews- bemj river upon which the New Jersey Southern Railway runs, and itnow forms a wide and deep inlet. All railroad travel on the Southern has been aban doned and hundreds oi laborers are making attempts to fill up and repair the wash-out. The most brilliant wedding of the season at Baltimore occurred last week be tween Lie t. Charles R. Barnett, of the 5th United States artillery and Sallie, the daughter of Samuel M. Shoemaker. The ceremony took place in Emanuel Episcopal church, which was crowded with a distinguihsed audeince, among the guests being Preident and Mrs. Hayes, Gen. and Mrs.' Sherman and a large number of other prominent folks. Forty-Fifth Congress. SENATE. Washington, Feb. 4.—Tbe greater part of the morning hour was taken tip in the presentation of petitions from :.11 parts of the country. Moat ot tnem ri- monstrating against charges in the ,»e-- eot tariff duties, aud the restoration ot tax on tea and coffee. All were referred to the Committee on Finance. Messrs. Beck and Bayard occupied the day. Mr. Beck offered an amend me't looking to the prevention of debased dollars of the double standard. Mr. Bayard opposed Bland’s bill. Mr. Beck spoke in support of his amendment, and Mr. Bayard in opposi tion to the silver bill. HOUSE. Washington, Feb. -1.—The following Bills were introduced and referred: By Davis, of N. C.—Reducing the tax on brandy made from peaches and By Shelly, of Ala.—For a commission to inquire the best means of destroying the cotton army worm. • Hooker, of Miss., moved, to suspend the rules and pass a bill authorizing a special term of the Circuit and District Court for the Southern District of Mis sissippi, for the purpose of trying ■ causes arising from seizure cf timber alleged to have been obtained by depredations on pu lie lands. Defeated: yeas, 145;. nays, 97—not two-thirds in the affirma-* tive. A motion to suspend the rules and to instruct the Committee of Ways and Means to report. A graduated income tax was defeated by a vote of 166 to 86—not two-thirds’ in the affirmative. Washington, Feb. 5.—In the Senate Mr. Conkling said he had received a large number of petitions from many counties in New York in favor of the remonetization of silver. He observed that these questions were all printed on one and the same form, and were the product of organized effort. He deaied that they represented the opinion or convictions of tbe people of the state of New York on the silver question. a mare’s nest. Among the petitions, he fonnd a note to one, snch note being in writing be low the printed matter; and it was signed by sixty citizens of Montgom ery, Orange county, New York. He then read the note referred to, in which they denounced tbe effort to remonetize silver, and regard those engaged in that effort as being half-idiot and half knave. Resuming bis remarks, Mr. Conkling said be thought proper that these sixty persons shonld be heard against remonetization as well as a larger number in favor thereof. The petitions were all referred to the com- mitteb on finance. i ^ ■— The Great Explorer. The early life of Henry M. Stanly, the African explorer, and even his native country, has hitherto been -a mystery. At length Mr. Guernsey, of New York, evidently a warm admirer of his, ap parently thinks that, in - the light of bis recent glories, Stanley can afford to have the whole secret of his early life revealed. It seems that Stanley’s real name was John Rowland; that he was born near Denbigh, in Wales, in 1850, and of parentage so lowly that at tbe age of 3 years he was placed in the poor-house at St. Asaph. There he re mained for ten years and received a good education, by which he profited so well that be was at length appointed nsherin a school atMold, in Flintshire. At the age of fifteen he shipped as a cabin boy on a vessel bound for New Orleans. There employed by a mer chant named Stanley, he waS at length adopted by him and authorized to take his name. Having joined the Confed erates and been taken prisoner by the Federals, he was cut off from his bene factor, and became a newspaper cor respondent Memphis, Tenn., Feb. 5.—About 10:30 . o’clock this morning a negro called at the jail and demanded admission to see a comrade there. Jailer Dawson re fused, and the leg.o began abusing him in a violent manner. Dawson, drawing a revolver, tired. ' The ball missing the negro, went through the glass door of Cornelius Griffinn’s fami ly grocery, corner ot'Overton and Front streets, some two hundred yards dis tant, and strnck Mr. Griffing below tbe heart, as be was standing in the room. He turned aud ran into an ad joining room, and, falling into the arms of his wife, exclaimed, “Oh, Katie, I’m killed 1” and soon expired. He was a highly respected citizen, and his sud den death causes greet excitement among his neighbors. Silver and gold float in the sea; to- 'ether they wander on the current of leated subterranean rills; together they lie, silver in the embrace of gold, in crystals of py rite. It is as if silver had echoed the words of .Ruth to Naomi and said to gold: “Entreat me uot to leave thee or return from following af ter thee; for whither tbou g .est I will go; where tbou lodgest I will lodge; where thou diest I will die, and thera will I be bnried.”—Prof. Gunning. Nashville, Feb. 5.—A gentleman who arrived here from' Lee county, Miss., states that the sheriff had been ascertained to be a defaulter to the ex tent of 840,000, and bad been hoard from at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. It is stated as a fact that Lee county has not had a sheriff in the past seven years who has not proved a defaulter. Spurgeon in a recent sermon deplor ed the prevailing infidelity of the age, saying that clergymen were not afraid to profess principles which formerly only the most daring atheist had the temerity to avow. “God helps the man that helps him self, but God helpthe man caughthelp- ing himself here,"is a notice posted be hind the counter of a silversmiths in Boston. A double-barrel gun hang3 near the notice. I f your flat-irons are rough, rub them with fine salt, and it will make them smooth. • ’ Frozen potatoes make more starch than fresh ones; they also make nice cake. I Ribbons of any kind should be wash—J 1 ed in cold soap suilsg