Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

omtitntion. ATLANTA. TUESDAY, JANUARY 6. Brevities. John E. Owen*, the comedian, ie recovering. Mm Sooth worth hsa “done” ea ma-y cove's ai> there we States in the Union. Charles Jefferson. old Hip's eon, con template a, itia stated. «"«fctng a tour of the Booth next year with Edwin Booth. It la quite personal in a Washington letter writer to any that. dtrtBg the session of Congress, some of the members will receive dally. A car load of wild animals from the Rocky moun tains, for the Zoological dens at Pnl adelphia, reached Omaha on Monday. The Patrons of Husbandry, according to their latest reporta, have 8 835 granges, with 003.665 members. There were 974 of these granges organized daring November. Mrs .Davis, postmistress st Columbus, MUalaalppL, has been arrested by a United States Marshal. She was affected by “the p re Tailing" to the extent of *2,800. Wendell Phillips ran seventy ahead of his ticket In Boston, he being a candidate for Alderman. He only lacked eleven thousand votes of beating his rival to plow*. The eating Japanese minister. Olio Gins, Is de scribed os a quiet little almond eyed fellow, who wonetaahls newly strived Japanese wife go into society until she can speak English and wears panier. The Spanish civil war is affecting the supply of anges to Europe. Italy, .Bicila and Malta, as will the Azores, can still b» depended on, but It Is ught that the supply to the English market wll Insufficient. A Missouri paper thinks “what the women or this entry most need is not suffrage, but symmetry t rights, but nationality; not a place in our gis’ative halls, but a place to fasten their stocks EB.” me late Professor Agassiz waa never Injured by he bite of asn«ke or the poison of-any venomous eptila, herb or flower - a fact attributed to the cour age and impanly with which the naturalist moved apriaonment for wild and heterogeneous state. Imprisonment for crown debts is still adopted In England. Toere were 1.3(8 persons convicted last year as to customs duties, of whom 115 were impris oned, and the Board of Inland Bevenn9 caused 150 to be locked up. The mtjorltjr of the Utter cases occurred In Ireland. A young man who bad come into posses *len of a urge property by the death of Me brother, was asked •how be was getting along. “Oh,” said he, "I am having a dreadrai time; what with getting o at 1 ttters of administration, auendiog a Probate Court, col- ccting insa’anoeand settling claims.1 sometime a with he hadn't dieid/’ It is something to be tbo boo of a President now-a- daye. A dispatch totbe Cincinnati Commercial states that Lientcnant Colonel P -ed Dent Grant, eon of the President, for some time a member of lieutenant General Sheridan’s staff, where be sav much orduous service, baa been ordered to Washington for duty as a mustering and disbursing officer. Railroad Crains now run without interruption from 8t Lonis clear across the state of arkansa*, to Fu’- ton. In the southwest corner of that State, on Red river. The railroad h-id-.e at Male Rick has just been cotnpletid, and the trains pass without let or hindrance. At Pulton a railroad bridge is being built across Red rive-, by iv itch the trains from St. Loots will soon tia enabled to ke»p on their rapid flight to the Imerl^r of Texas, mse ing the roads of .that State. “Harm, what du ye think Sal told Ned Bobbles last alight wbeu be was sparking her} ” “Shut up, child i wnatereyou taking abont?” “No, but I bearq her, I did. 8he told Ned Bobbies last night she kinder felt e" "llnsb, you little rascal 1 Hash, or I'll take your skin off " and poor 8aUie looked as red as a boiled lobster. “OS. git oat, Sal, I will tell I She -told Ned Bobbles she kinder felt steered tu deth and • tickled lu." Rev' Charles Kingsley, author of “Hypatia,” “Alton .Locke.” and other w'deiy known works, and Canon of Westminster, will visit this country in January or February, in response to invitations scattered from Boston to San Francisco. Kingsley is considered one of the beat pu'pit orators or England. Whenever he .preaches Westmins er Abbey is thronged, and the London papers report his sermons, which is quite an unusual thing in English journalism. -New York Herald special: The Corici meets Jan- ary *. Whan Serrano will be placed at the nead of the pa Utah Affair*. England. France, Pi us«ta. an t Italy re pledged to recognize Serrano as President on the amo basis as they have recognized the present rcnch republic. Minister Lsgard has th- papers all eady to seizs so opportune m meat for recognition, rats news Is kept Buret, but is positive, if the 'Reds” rise to oppose recognition,' the Powers are -pectcd to intervene in this matter as in the Car.itt war. Otd Deputy Sheriff Shie’da wake up Monday'morn, ng dreaming of the htnd-> rgin to which he listened n his youth p ay uig that touching little piece of mu sic beginning: “Von are going tar away, Far away from me. Genet ?” And whon he awoke did be continue the strain : “Tiier© la no one left bat bondsmen now. And they, too, may forget t” Ah. who ehall tell f—Altar York Tribune, Oeagreadona] inquiry is to bs made into an appro priation or *200,(00 now being expended, while *100,000 is asked for to be expended daring the next fiscal year, in the preservation of army clothing 4pm moth and mildew by a patent process. As the Quartermaster General reported over a year age that the clothing on hand was so muen ca-en and useless that now clothing must be made and issued, there is somecuriosity expressed to know what this *303,000 is for, especially as it is understood that a percent age of it goes into other pockets than those of the patentee. The aHituda of the highest point in the world where railways are now in operation is at Apiztco, on the Vera Crux and Mexico Railway, 7,474 feet above the level of the sea. The next highest is on the Cen tral Pacific, in the Nevada range, 7,111 fret above the level of the sea. The third is at Arequips. an im portant city In Peru, 7,0 W fset above the level of the sen, and, under the Peruvian Ballwiy system, the work is to be continued, and is expected to reach double that altitude—at the breath-taking height of 14.1X0 feet above the level oi the sea. Among the past incidents in the official life of Attorney General Williams, which are not helping his confirmation as Chief Justice, is the faot that when appointed a member of the Board of Visitors to West Point, derieg his Senatorial term, hs charged and took fall mileage from Oregon to West Point and back, amounting to nearly S5.C03, although he had the same year charged and taken the same amount as mileage due him as Senator. This was doubtless le gal, bat “should a min who will indulge in tech .. sharp practice pat ou the ermine of Chief Justice* “mficantly ask Senators. Ihe bridge to be constructed over the Frith of >ih wJl be by 1 r the laigist in the world. Ac ting to the London Builder, its height will be 150 Land the number of spans nearly 100. The tiler span will be 15) feet wide, which is beyond avenge width of the largest spans in the ordinary Iges; but the crowning marvel in the who’e tetora la the great span in tte centre, which is to ,5C0 feet, cr nearly one-third cf a mile in width— x'cut unparalleled in any existing structure of hcUnd. 7 hi entire cost of the bridge »ill be at a ut *10.000,000. The Lucky Farmers. I The Central Railroad. There will be a good old time in Madison The regular annual meeting of the stock- county when they get the news A club holders of the Central Railroad was held in from Paoli received the premium of $1,250 Savannah on Monday. There was no quo in gold. rum present, only 9,221 shares being repra- Tbe certified return of the Commissioners sented. while 37,500 make a quorum. The will appear in our next issue. | meeting changed the day of stockholders’ meeting to the Wednesday after the first Delivery of Present*. I Monday in January, and allowed stock- _ , holders’ families to pass free to each meet- The cash presents are paid on demand, at . ng The Constitution office. The other pres- The President’s report shows the earnings ents will be delivered on the publication of I of the road and bank, with those of the November 30, 1873, and give comparison with the corresponding period last year: 1971-2 1362-3 Incr'sa Decr’se. Guano.6i.310.653 94.858.025 3t.t4T.372 Fait... ..0,679,191 7,656,608 3,123.123 Lime... £62.265 679.230 2&3.C35 the Commissioner*’ returns. This is necessary, I to prevent mistakes. Full directions in our next issue. Southwestern and Upson county railroad, for the past year to have been $3,439,393 03, as follows: Central Railroad, Savannah Division, *1,780,116 06 Central Railroad, Atlanta Division .... 748,995 60 Central Railroad Btnk. 61,978 07 Southwestern Railroad 895.967 95 Upson County Railroad..... 12 340 36 Hr, Stephens, In another column will be found the last I Total for Roads and Bank, from Mr. Stephens. It does not call for I T chSgeabie' for the reply. * A - —*-— — We have discussed and condemned only i invutoa ....'.. *L097,7C9 34 the back pay feature of the Congressional Atlanta ej74Z! 5l salary matter. We agree entirely with Mr. central BaUroadBink.".”"... 22*9« 30 Stephens on the general principle of adequate * compensation for all public servants. As to 1 what is just compensation is another ques tion. *3.439,393 03 6*4.548 27 12,426 60 8,3'5,101 55 Leaving *1,184,298 48 Bat In addition to the above expenses there have been payments made that belonged, fairly, to the previous year, with extraordinary payments that have fallen into this year’s business, as follows: The Currency—Specie Payment. While all the great interests of the country are suffering, Congress discusses the ** Salary I *194,030 00 Grab," and theorizes npon party questions. | Central railroad," Atlanta Di- When the present limit was placed upon | s^ffiwestem'iriiroad".'.*.'.* ^ooo So the issue of currency, Secretary McCulloch induced Congress to allow him to contract the circulation at so many millions peri Le » y:n s net $777.296 48 month. | fhe President says that the complete re- 407.000 to He exercised the power thus unwisely con- construction of all the tracks at Atlanta, with ferred, until the country was on the very 1 additional grading in elder to obtain more verge of bankruptcy, and Congress was I room for new tracks, has been attended with forced to stop him. considerable expense at that point, but all In the meantime the country has outgrown I tjj e improvements that have been made were its money supply, the practical result of which I absolutely necessary to enable us to conduct is a contraction carrying destruction to every I business with economy and dispatch interest in this broad land. • I an( j u i3 yet necessary to erect a shelter over We say, outgrown its money supply, be- a portion of the transfer platform for the cause the production of new values has in-1 protection of men and goods in inclement creased enormously since the war. Indeed I weather. It will also he necessary to erect so rapid has been this increase that it is J a house at Atlanta for the protection of en simply impossiple to transact the present I gioes at as early a day as possible, the old business of the country, with the small I house having been blown down by a severe amount as at present fixed by law. ga j e on the night of November 16th. The We are now slowly emerging from the late i og8 by its destruction was but little, as the panic caused by a scarcity of currency, an roof waB very temporary, and the walls had insufficiency of money to cover the values I been so much damaged by fire when Atlan- that have been so rapidly produced. Our full I t a was destroyed that they were hardly recovery will be reached when we have again sa fe. attained the same degree of production, and I Some very interesting statistics are given not until then. Granting that the lack of of the assets and liabilities of the corn- currency has brought our present unfortunate paD y : condition upon us, it can only be relieved by an increase of currency commensurate with I bealestate, oihesTiMtnAti.iioaD and appbrtek- our wants, the imperative demands of our Vale Royal property, cost *82,000, im- rapid production of new values, and increase STpercmt on 30 ' 0C0, . Pa * 8 more than of population. | Macon city property, valued at Jur Washington Letter. National Hotel, ) Washington, D. C., Dec 26th, 1873. f Messrs. Editors of the Constitution: You greatly mistake me if you suppose I had any intention in what I have written on the salary question to treat you with “gloves off” in the ordinary sense in which those words are used. My:object was in the mildest and most respectful manner to pre sent the fact&und truth of the case on prin ciple. In this view, I did not think that the Georgia Democrats in the last Congress had brought dishonor upon the State, or conld be justly classed either with “thieves” or “practical robbers” for having received the increased pay allowed by the last Congress. That was the main issue between us; and having established, as I think, the correctness of my position, in a most respectful manner, quite to the satisfaction of an intelligent pub lic^ have no intention of pursuing the sub ject • On the question of the necessity]* of the increased pay by the act of last Congress, or the expediency of the vote of Members or Senators on that question, I have not said a word; nor do I intend to engage in any dis cussion of that soil" I only intended to show the utter groundlessness of the clamor raised against the morality and honesty of the act of receiving “back pay,” so-called, when ever the salary has been increased by any Con- i; and to defend those who did it from the opprobrious epithets, so unjustly, in my opinion, heaped upon them. My object was te draw the true line of distinction between perfect honesty and real roguery in the ac tions of public servants in such cases. Having accomplished this in as respectful and in as mild terms as I could, I have, there fore, as just stated, nothing more to say npon that matter. THE VIRGINIUS—BEAST BUTLER ON THE PRESS—MR. STEPHENS AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS DARKIES—GRANT EGG-NOGGED. malicious gossipers say be had too much esre-nog or some other spirituous compound or food, The report finds credence. READY TO PAY UP. Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, the amount required to meet the interest due upon the District securities January interest, has been deposited in the New York Third National Bank, as though the Washington Tammany is bankrupt, as alleged. J Thomas Hauck. to . , „ - • I HanlrlnpHQMfl Jiu r . says the advocate of specie payments, Wes Broad street property, not in use $300,000 122,000 50,000 17,200 47,000 the country will be ruined by an increase of % w oi’i^d currency. In reply to this we have to say, I (city valuation) .. that if the country is to be ruined by an in- 6,000 crease of its money, and by cheapening it, I not ?.??.!?. ff®* 1 the country will stand such ruin with much I Received from MacVn & Western Rail- better grace than that ruin which comes by | S* ££ y ta At,anta ’ Macon and PulM panics and shrinkage of values. The immediate resumption of 8,000 47.500 *597,700 specie Stocks. payments under exjtfDg^cigqgMtfances is a fallacy, unwise and impracti- J 770 shares Macon and Western, now Cen- CSble. No matter how much its ad-16,W5 , Bhares > MobUe and Girard RaUroad t vocates may theorise upon the subject,the I at Me 167.876 00 . . ... ... ! , 11,555 shares Savannah, Griffin and North facts are against them, and the nse and I Alabama Riiir ad, at 2fio 88,875 00 fall of gold is in direet opposition to their 1 5 ’^ predict ions. 120 chares Baltimore and Savannah steam- With the commencement of the panic, gold Bhl P — 2,000 03 declined from day to day, until it reached I S 9*8,250 00 the lowest figure in twelve years. As busi- $202,or.o 00 ness was depressed, and as money was in $ the greatest demand, geld fell in price. Savamian, Griffin and North Alabama To-day it closed at 11C*, and yet the coun- j wetil'm jtM of Xl'shami.' try is slowly improving and money becoming easier. And yet these gold dreamers cling I stbaheb3 to their exploded theories as though these | ? |6 i6,ooo 00 135,000 00 161,600 00 $313,500 00 $795,30$ 99 $300,000 00 112.951 43 318,570 12 236,709 93 facts did not exist. Practically speaking I Net prjflta of ahlpa and boats 120,303 99 gold is simply an article of commerce, and is affected in value by the same law that 1 gfiSSy 0 *”" governs Other property! I Mobile and Gir»rd Railroad When the panic was at its height, import-1 Railroad era were compelled to realize upon their stocks Western Railroad or Alabama in order to meet their engagements, hence $967,231 59 the rapid decline in prices. Importing I nacAWTULArroH ceased, because there was no demand for Real Ea 1 ate $ 597,70000 goods, and gold declined because there was ‘ sumo 00 no demand for it to pay duties, In the I '..'ItosIsos 93 meantime, business slowly revives, importing KalUoild8 987,281 revives, and gold goes up from 106 to 1101-8 SV04.930 49 in a few days Is not this fact easily under- Against these securities and investments stood? the road has liabilities, direct and conting- During the panic, gold fell seven cents,and I en ^» as f°H° W3: currency rose five cents, a commercial com- liabilities. mon sense fact that should teach Congress I Direct Liabilities— which is the essential medium of exchange. I central Railroad bonds, flue 1875™ $ 993,00009 mL. „ . . ' 0 I Macon and Western Railroad boedr, The people, the business of the country isso 150,000 00 demand more of the money that went np soo.ooo 00 a? gold went down, Muscbaee Railroad bond9,*dno"i876'. ... 172^590 00 If anything could prove the solvency of “i RSSffi’SSStotSs 8 !? J.672.000 co our currency, it is such a panic as that of Bonds for eteamthipa 3io ooo ou September, for we find boasted gold falling $3,656^600 ^3 in pride, and decried currency increasing in I Liability as Endorser— value. But, says the advocate of resumption S^£ou!«&i£«°° of specie payments, it is merely the process ^ 212,500 10 of approximation. Not so, for the truth is ond mortgage, due 1893 3to,oo9 00 the intrinsic article never approximates to w SSS^'Sd d I did state in the House what I thought should be the standard, on principle, in fix ing the pay of members of Congress, think that a right standard; and if it should ever be adopted, my opinion is that it would be found to be the best step ever taken, not only in reform, but in retrenchment. .That opinion was expressed entirely*with a view to the public interest. So far as I am indi vidually concerned, I care very little; about the figure at which the pay may be fixed. While I am here, lean live npon aslittle.as any other Member or Senator. All that I received as a member of Congress during my j sixteen years’ service was spent in Washington, or in the discharge of my public duties at home, so far as related to procuring and sending useful information to the people generally, as well as responding to special demands on my attention by individuals from all parts of the country. My private estate was not in creased a dime, during that whole period, from government pay; nor did I ever make or receive, directly or indirectly, a dime for any services rendered my con stituents, or others iu securing pensions, bounty-lands, or the payment of of claims of any sort from any of the public de partments, or for any other thing said or done by me in (Washington during that jjsixteen years of service. While I am here, in the future as in the past, I consider myself the public servant of the people, and shall be content with what ever pay may be legally allowed me, and shall not consider it either dishonorable or dishonest to receive whatever amount, high or low, that may be so allowed. In the money view, however, on the fig ures fixed by the last Congress, after expen ses here, I could not possibly realize, from the Government pay, half what I made annually, for the last four years, from the use of my pen alone, diseased and crippled, and confined, as I was, at my home. So all will doubtless readily perceive that I have not been governed by any mercenary motives in accepting my present position, even on the idea of my having assumed its duties for a “stipulated” consideration. In dismissing this subject, so far as I am concerned, for the present, I will barely add that some typographical errors occurred in the publication of my last communication which somewhat impaired the meaning; bnt I have not time to make special mention of them. I suppose intelligent readers will suffi ciently understand what was meant without particular corrections. Very respectfully, Alexander H. Stephens. Washington, December 23,1873. To be a first-class Washington correspond ent it is necessary one should be well-read and well- ersed in many things. Mind, I urn not arguing that I am a first-class corres pondent, and doubtless ther e are a good many newspaper men in Washington who do not come up to that standard. Here is the Virginias question, which has occupied public attention*for some weeks past. To write intelligently upon it, it is necessary tc know something of international l&w^panish law, and Spanish character. You must have a vein of diplomacy too f for in calling upon Secretary Fish and* Admiral Polo for information, it is necessary to be guarded; to talk as little as possible and to remember all that you hear. Now comes up the financial problem for solution. The correspondent must not only keep in formed as to the actual condition of affairs in the Treasury as shown by the daily balances, but be able to analyze the bills presented to Congress and indicate their Intended affect. He must furthermore be familiar with par liamentary rules and usages and competent to arrive at the sense of the Senate or House on a question submitted to either without resorting to tedious enquiry. He must read ail the leadihg papers of the country care fully, be able to locate a public man without hesitation, and, in short, he must be a walk ing encyclopedia and political manual com bined. In proof of this, read the Washing ton dispatches to the New York Tribune, by far the beat ever sent from the Capitol to any newspaper. THE VIRGINIUS CASE. The opinion of the Attorney General on the status of the Virginius is very sharply criticised. As a legal document it does not come up to the standard, and, in brief, it may be characterized as a snap judgment ou in sufficient evidence. But why render an opinion at all at this time? There was no necessity for referring the matter to the De partment of Justice. The Virginius is en titled to fly the American flag and to carry American papers until the courts decide oth erwise, On her arrival at New York pro ceedings wilt be instituted against her, and if her papers are shown to be illegal or fraudulent, she will be condemned and sold at public auction, and neither this government nor Spain will have any thing more to do with her. The opinion of the Attorney General is, therefore, not only unnecessary and uncalled for, but is calcu lated to create ill-feeling between the two countries and to embarass pending negotia tions. It is like stntencing a nun to be hanged and then trying him fur murder. His opinion is not liuely to enhance the At torney General’s chances for obtaining the Chief Justiceship; and indeed, his friends here now well nght abandoned all hopes of bis confirmation. His snap j udgment on the the inferior, for that process always comes by a nse in value of the deteriorated article. Such an argument is lame, has no founda tion in fuel, for it begs the whole question. We should have an abundance of currency for the business of the country, money should be cheap, as accessible to one man as another with the same security, and gold should take its chances as an article to be bought and sold like cotten, tobacco, or flour. Whenever our financial system is based npon this law, so clearly proven and demon strated by the panic, it will be free from similar revulsions, and not nntil then. Without a very considerable increase of currency our industries must continue to languish, values to diminish, until the shrinkage will have reached a point that may result in a second panic that in com parison with the one of September will be that of a tornado to a Jane zephyr. And in face of these facts Congress dal lies over the question, fiddles while Rome boras, or spends its time in discussing the means of elevating the negro over the heads of their own race. first mortgage, $6'M).( 00. our half 300,COO 00 Second mortgage, 41,203,900, our half... 600,909 0u 1,492.6 .0 00 To‘al liability $5,179.00) 00 The showing seems to be satisfactory to the st«ckholdei s. The road i3 certainly man aged with ability and enterprise. The following summary shows the number of bales transported over the Central and branches to Savannah from December 1, 1872, to November 30, 1873: Months. Through. War. Gracd Xotil. Dec, 1872. 63300 11041 7 i404 J,n.. 1873. £6579 7285 02505 Feb.. 1673. 3*471 £6931 March, 1873. 1784 22892 1163 14848 Mar. 1873 £02 14859 Jane, 18?3. 233 9194 July, 1873. AURUSt, l8<3 6942 127 6169 .... 3399 80 .'979 Sept,. 1873. .. 16088 3393 1PS33 Oct.. 1873 63891 9973 73-64 Nor.. 1873. 12773 973 (5 Total. ’73-3 887032 54744 439326 Tota’. ’71-2 849S»4 43159 39*804 Increase, 47022 bales We condense the table showing the amount of guano, lime and salt transported over the road and branches for the fiscal year ending The Western Railroad strike. The Louisville Ledger gives some inter esting particulars of the great railroad strike in the West and North. The strike is by the engineers and firemen employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. The number of engineers is abont four thousand and the strike i3 in consequence of a reduc tion of ten per cent in wages. It is stated however, that the matter has been brewing for months. The strike only extends to the lines of the company west of Pittsburg. The Pennsylvania Central runs by pur chase and lease nearly fifty lines of railroad, including over six thousane miles of railway and some of the mo3t important roads West and North. Both sides seem determined to hold out. The Association of Engineers has a- large fund on hand to support its members. The company 13 very wealthy and powerful. The Brotherhood of engineeis ha3 repudiated the violent con duct of those engineers who have obstrncted trains and soaped the tank water so as to render it unfit for engine use. This is wise. Every act of illegality and violence injures the cause of the strikers and arrays public support and sympathy against them. SIMON WigWags G-rant LEIF FBDH THE BIST08Y OF i SGOQIBBEL whT Be is Coddled by tbe Admin istration. LEI HONEST HEN PONDER OVER IT. In his exceedingly quaint and instructive “Life of Abraham Lincoln,” Mr. Ward La- Aon has given the public several hitinrto unedited ebaptera of potitical_ history. Here is one of them: Before the Chicago Cohventionof 1860 as sembled it became evident to Mr, Lincoln’s friends that the only chance of beating Mr. Seward lay in arranging a combination of in terests against him. Accordingly they went to work and arranged it. It was a delicate niece of business, but the average Illinois politician of those days was not very heavily burdened with scruples nor squeamish abont the means which he took to achieve his ends. How delightful to note the change which has since passed upon his character 1 These friends of Mr. Lincoln, assuming to gpeak in his name, approached Mr. Caleb B. Smith, of Indiana, ana Mr. Simon Cameron, of Pennsylvania, with a proposition of aveiy practical and business-like nature. If these gentlemen wonld contract to transfer the vote of their friends In the convention to Mr. Lincoln, the Illinoisans would in turn guarantee them seats in Mr. Lincoln’s cabinet, supposing him to be elected. Mr. Cameron’s representatives were at first disposed to hag gle and stand out for better terms. They de manded for him the position of Secretary of the Treasury. But this demand was pro nounced inadmissible, and finally theoiiginal bargain was ratified. The delivery of the votes followed in due time. • After the election it became nccessaiyto inform Mr. Lincoln of what had been done, and what he was expected to do. He was both annoyed and distressed, but his friends insisted upon his performance of the bond. They told him that his honor, as well as theirs, was iuvolved, and their arguments finally prevailed upon him to tender Mr. Smith the promised portfolio. But at Mr. Cameron he stuck for a long time -so Ion; the latter suppo-ed, for a season, that tlu bargain was “off,” and actually wrote u another Pennsylvanian, Mr. Stevens, pro posing to withdraw in his favor. Mr. Lin coin was thoroughly informed of Mr. Cam eron’s antecedents and character. He w^ assured, both by letter and word of moutl) that the man was notoriously corrupt, shameless and unscrupulous intriguer, pa sessed with mean ambition to occupy exalte tiusis for which he was hopelessly incon potent. He was told that Mr. Cameron never dan to ofier himself a candidate for the sufiraj of the people; that such offices as he had he A new year dawns. To all our readers we wish a happier twelve months than have ever yet fallen to their lot. And may Heaven bless our noble old State from the most exalted to the humblest citizen. prevents him from decorating the eupr.me . 3ench with his presence. THE PRESS AND THE SALARY GRABBERS. There is no love lost between Congress men and correspondents this winter. The salary-grabbers attribute all their woes to the press, and will not admit that on this ques tion the press simply reflects public opinion, in debate the newspapers have been more or less directly attached, bat by no one so di rectly as by Ben Butler, who called on his brother members to combine against the slanderous press, or rather the “venal and corrupt press,” which had sent a howl through the land “against us because we would not give free postage through tbe mails to all the dirty sheets that their conductors might print; so vile that the Fo>ty-Second Congress passed a law to punish the sending of these obscene publications through the postoffice to save the youth of the land from pollution. Having passed that wise and salutary law, that Congress has been as saulted through their mud machines, worked with forty jackass power, to howl down every member who stood up in the image of his Maker and remanded him to his convic lions of duty.” And so on. It has been claimed that Bailer has the hide of a rhi- nocoios, and that he is impervious to the at tacks of the press. His speech on tbe salary grab would indicate, however, that he has been touched on the raw. Other members feel a9 Butler does, but do not say so as pub licly, though few attempt to disguise their hostility to the press. The press can stand it however, if they can. MR. STEPHENS A N'D THE COLORED MEN. The Associated Press has informed you of the visit of a del - gation of colored men to Hon. A H. Siephc-us on Tuesday last, and of the interchange of opinions which took place. The colored men here are doing all in their power to secure the passage by Con gress of Sumner’s supplemental civil rights bill, and hearing that Mr. Stephens intended to address the House on the subject after ihe holidays they asked for an interview for the purpose < f prosecuting their side of their case They were courteously received, as a matter of course. Mr. Stephens is too true a gentleman to treat his visitors with disri apect, let them be who they may; and it ;may be further said that the colored men never had a better friend than this distinguished Geor- S 'an. Some papers are finding tault with r. Stephens because in the conversation on civil rights he asserted the doctrine of State sovereignty. That the States have, or at least had some rights, will hardly be dis puted. Is it pretended that they have no rights at this time, which this administration is bound to respect That is the natural in ference to be drawn from the criticisms of the Radical press on Mr. Stephens’ remark that it was the duty of the respective States and not that of the Federal Government to ac cord full protecuoN to colored men in their civil rights. CHRISTMAS. Has been observed in much tbe usual wav The cnurches were well attended, and this afternoon Pennsylvania Avenue was thronged with people. There will be little or no busi ness done in the Departments until after the New Year. THE INTERNATIONAL REVIEW. Is the title of a new bi-monthly, of which the first number ha9 been issued by A S Barnes & Co., New York. Hon. Alex H Stephens is announced as one of the contri butors. GEN. SPINNER, Tbe veteran Treasurer of the United States, having regained his health somewhat has gone to work as usual, and will abandon his proposed visit to Florida. n JAY COOKE & co. A list of the creditors of Jay Cooke & Co has been published, and makes an uglvshow" ing. Claims against the concern are selling at twenty cents on the dollar in phis. THE PRESIDENT. promenaded on the avenue yesterday, and Virginias will have had one good effect if it (had been bought of venal legislature-; th > ■ j -- his appointment would be a scandal and al ■ front to the party and country. Mr. Lin coln felt the full force of these objection* He said, “All lhat I am in the world—tie Presidency and all else—I owe to that opin ion of me which the people express wbda they call me ’honest old Abe.’ Now, wb>U what will they think of their honest when he appoints Simon Cameron to be familiar adviser ?” He told Colonel McClure that if he make his charges against Mr. Cameron cific and produce the pro >f, the appoinii should not be made. But the pressure too strong for him. Mr. Cameron io upon his bond, going on to tipringfii look after its acquittal. The friends to wh] the new President was indebted for his oft were equally strenuous. Mr. Lincotn give way, and Mr. Cameron went into the War Department. The American people have surely not for- f otten the history of his brief stay in tbit epartment They have not forgotten tbe stench of corruption which presently issued from its doors and windows,and which final' ly grew so offensive that the represeDtatira of the peoplo—under the lead, among olben, of Mr. Dawes—undertook to investigate ant discover the source. They have not forgot ten, either, that Mr. Cameron suddenly ** re signed and took himself off to Russia. Bit few of them know the whole history of tint “resignation,” and the account of theafitk which Colonel McClure has furnished fit. Lamon will have all the interest of adiaclc- sure: “1 saw Cameron the night of the day that Lincoln removed'him. We met in tbe rooc of a mutual friend, and he was very violent against Lincoln for removing him without consultation or notice. Hii denunriatka against tbe President was extremely bitter, for attempting, as ne said, bi3 personal* well as his political dest: action. He «• hibited the letter, which was all in Mr. Lia- coin’s handwriting, aud was literally as fol lows. I quote Irom carefully treasured col lections : lion. Stmon Cameron, Secretary of Far; Dear Sir—I have this day nominate! Hon. Ad win M. Stanton to be Secretary®* War, and you to be Minister Plenipotentiary to RusEia. Very truly, A. Lincoln. “I am sure there is no material error in oy quotation of the letter. Cameron’s dud complaint was that he had no knowledge cr intimation of the charge until Chase dehrff* ed the letter. We were then, as ever heft** and since as we ever shall be, not in political sympathy, but our personal relations *** ever Rind. Had he been entirely collected he wonld probably not have said and dote what I heard and witnessed; but he like a child, and appealed to me to aid inf*®' tecling him against the President’s attempt at personal degradation, assuring me thatoa* der like circumstances he would df!® 1 ' me. In my presence the proposition.*m* made and determined npon t > ask jjtcslo to allow a letter of resignation to bo •*** dated, and to write a kind acceptance if tite same in reply. The effort was i * which Mr. Chase joined, although ignorant of all the circumstances of and it succeeded. The record shows Cameron voluntarily resigned, while of fact, he was summarily removed notice. Iu many subsequent con with Mr. Lincoln he did not attempt i ceal the great misfortune of Came. pointm»-m and the painful nccessi removal.” And this man, foisted into a which he was totally unfit by a: bargain, branded by the censure of of Representatives, kicked in dis the Cabinet by Mr. Lincoln—this same Sitnon Cameron whom the i ministration delights to honor; wi it takes sweet counsel; whom it h at the head of the most dignified ai sible committee of the Senate, aside Charles Bnmner to make 1 upon whose proficiency in the cal intrigue and corruption it for a new lease of power. Here honest Republicans may well concerns them intimately. Owdistinct"print]