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jPcifnr8 fbiird«al?r. 3. TAN SLYKE, PUBLISHER. JCoHENBY, ILLINOIS. THE HEWS CONDENSED. THE EAST. APPUCATTOK HU been mnd% to Judge Hare, of the Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, for in injunction to restrain the vestry of St Mark'* Episcopal Cliuroh from ringing the chnrch bells. The church is in one of the most fashionable neighborhoods in the city, and Uie wealthy propenv-hoidera object iu iue tinging of the bells, claiming that it is a serious an­ noyance, and consequently injurious to the time of property. Nsw YORK papers chronicle the death of John O'Mahoney, the well-known Fenian leader, THE WEST. THX Minnesota Legislature has voted fSOO S|eh to the two citizens of Northfleld who killed the two members of the Younger gang, last summer John Pierson, a prisoner con­ fined in the Blooraington (111,) jail, has made '• confession that he murdered Gen. Murray MrConnell, of Jacksonville, 111., in February, 1869, He saya that on the night previous to the murder lie stopped at the Avers House, Jacksonville, registering as John Wilson. In the morning, beiug peoniless, he went to Mo- Oaoneirs house and asked for money, when McConnell refused it, saying, "Get out, you and other abusive words.' In a fit of an­ ger Pierson seized a poker and struck McCon­ nell several times, knocking him down, bleed­ ing. Piereon then fled, stopping the first night with a fanner near Jacksonville, and not rest­ ing in the journey until he reached Bedalia, Mo. ONE, span of the Toledo, Wabash and West­ ern railroad bridge, 150 feet in length, crossing the Wftbsah at Logansport, Ind., was entirely carried away one day last week, by the heavy floating ice. The bridge was being rebuilt of iron. A portion of the iron for the new bridge was also swept away. BEFORE the Burlington (Iowa) Board of Trade, the other day, a bottle was exhibited containing twenty-five or thirty young grass­ hoppers. They were hatched in one nest in the neighborhood of Prescott, Adams county, in the western part of the State, and the gen­ tleman who sent them in writes that in every •qnare foot of ground there are between 100 and 200 nests. The recent warm weather has hatched them out by the million, but the cold weather, it is thought, will kill them between this and spring. WASHINGTON. THE President haa appointed Channing Btchards United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio J. H. Maddox, the Treasury Agent, who testified in the Louisiana case, has been removed by the President. BY the suspension of Congressional work at the office of the Public Printer about 600 per­ sons are thrown out of employment. The Public Printer has no money other than unex­ pended balances of appropriations to the de­ partments and Congressional Library, and for printing proceedings and debates of Con­ gress. THE statement of the public debt made Feb. 1 is as follows: Blx per cent, bonds I 931,877,060 Vive per cent, bonds 712,320,450 Four and hall per cent bands 44,600,000 Total coin bondf. SI,<591,797,500 Kawful money debt. 9 14,000,000 Matured debt 10,912 510 Legal tenders 365,050,-34 Certificates of deposit.... 33,745,000 Jr&ctioii&l currency...... 25,424 567 •Ocin certificates...... .... 53,313,700 Total without interest.. 477,539,501 Total debt *2,194,243,511 Ibtal interest. 26,327.007 Cash in ' tearary: Coin... $86,477,680 Currency 9,496,266 Special deposits held for re­ demption of certificates Of deposit 38,745,000 Total in Treasury. 129,718,947 Debt less cash in the Treasury $2,090,851,572 Decrease of debt during January. 2,069/69 Decrease since June 30, 1676 8,587,775 Bonds issued to the Pacific Railway Companies, interest payable in lawful money: Principal outstanding 64,623,512 323,117 84,018,923 7,004,653 27,014,370 Interest accrued and not yet paid.. Interest paid by the United States Interest repaid oy Qanroortation of mails, ttc...... ... Balance of interest paid by Dotted States. THE SOUTH. Ik a habeas corpus case coming up last «ask before Judge Mackoy, at Columbia, 8. ©., lie again decided that Wade Hampton was the l^gal Governor of the State. His decision wrsa appealed from ta the Supreme Court. A SHIP drawing nineteen feet of water has passed through Capt. Eads' jetty channel at the mouth of the Mississippi river. There is now a good straight channel through the aho&l at the hoaa or South Pass, with a mini­ mum depth of twenty-two feet. THE following dispatdh has been received at the Internal Revenue Office, at Washing­ ton, from Revenue Agent Wagner, dated Greensboro, N. C.: "Deputy Marshal Robert­ son, of South Carolina, just reports two men killed and several wounded by illicit distillers raided ou by him without troops. Am hurry­ ing to provide Maj. Stewart with horses, so we can stop this resistance." POLITICAL. THE testimony of John T. Pickett, a Wash­ ington lawyer, and formerly a General in the Confederate army, given before the House committee on the duties and powers of the House in counting the electoral vote, produced quite a sensation at tne national capital Pickett's testimony is to the effect that over­ tures were made to him, on behalf of J. Madi­ son Wells, to negotiate the sale to tne Dem­ ocrats of tho Louisiana Returning Bo«rd, the consideration being the trifling sum of $1,000.- ©00. According to Pickett's story, Joseph Harris Maddox visited Washington as Wells' agent, and made the procoeitiou. Pickett thereupon visited New York, consulted John Morrissey, and laid the facts before him. Mor- nsBey, to use Pickett's words, " would buy these fellows as easily as he would pigs,"' but, having faith in Tildbn's election, he didn't think it necessary to open nego­ tiations. He next called on Abram 8 Hewitt, who said that "this was the third pro- po ution of the kind that had been maue to him on the part of the Louisiana Returning Board, but under no circumstances would he enter­ tain any such proposition." Maddox was placed on the witness stand and partially corroborated Pickett's story. He said he went to Washing­ ton in the interest of Wells ; that the latter told him ( Sladdox) that he (Wells) would like to serve his Darty in making a return in favor of Hayes, but would not take the rifck unless paid fer it; that the Democratic majority was too Jieavy to handle. The witness, upon visiting Washington, called iirat upon Secretary Cam­ eron aud told him Wells wanted money, but the Secretary declined to have anything to do with the matter. He says he then, in obedi­ ence to WalltV instructions, attempted to open negotiations with the Democrats, with the re­ sult as stated. Wells denies the story as a base fabrication manufactured out of whole cloth. He says it is an infamous conspiracy to injure the Returning Board and influence the electoral commission. J. MADISON WELLS, President of the Louisi­ ana Returning Board, appeared before the House prerogative committee on the 5th inst., for the purpose of testifying in his defense regarding the charges of Piokett, Littlefield arid Miuldox.- He denied ever having given Maddox or any one else authority to negotiate for the payment of any money to himself or any other member of the board, and characterized the whole story as false from beginning to end. When questioned regarding the destruction of the retnrns from, certain polls in Vernon parish he became excited, and said, "The man who swore so was an unmitigated liar." He said the ordinary papers did not accompany the re­ turns from Yernon parish, and denied all knowledge of the transfer of votes in the case of that parith. Wells was examined by Mr. David Dudley Field touching certain passages in a letter to Senator West, written in Novem­ ber. Question by Mr. Field--"Our duties as re­ turning officers have augmented to the magni- 8- At- ~ A# fhA f«VAgVO*f parties--may I not say the nation ?" What did you mean by that ? Answer--I meant by that that the Presidential election hinged upon tha1 result of the election in Louisiana. Mr. Field--Have you stated tha.i you did not know what parties hai carried the State at the last election until vou actually made the re­ turn? ? . Witness--I have said so. I will explain that the results throughout the States had been known so far as those States were concerned where there was no trouble or difficulty, no murdering of people because they had at­ tempted. to vote, but the result m the three Southern States was in doubt. Mr. Field--Do you mean that the result of the Presidential election hinged on the result in the three Southern Btfctee ? A.--I mean Lonisiant, together with two other South­ ern States. Mr. Field--Oh, yes. Witness (interrupting)--Mr. Chairman, I am not a lawyer, and I doiTt wish a gentleman to say for me what I did not want to say myself. I am no sharp practitioner, and I want no sharp practice upon me in this committee. I ask to be protected and (excitedly) if the com­ mittee does not protect me I will proteot my­ self. Q--You also say here, " as well as my duty to the greatest living General. U. S. Grant." What duty had you, as returning officer, to Gen. Graut ? A.--Gen. Grant had sent or re­ quested gentlemen to go down there to witness the count, and I felt it my duty to make a fair, legal investigation and count of the en­ tire vote of the State of Louisiana in the presence of those gentlemen, to satisfy them that the board was correct in regard to its actions--if it should not happen to be pleasant to them, let the decision fall as it may. Q --I read further from this letter: 41 And not with my consent shall this oppressed peo­ ple be governed by his paroled prisoners, aid­ ed by their white-livered cowards ef the North." What had that to do with your duties as an honest member of tho Returning Board? A.--It had a good deal to do with it. Q.--Explain it. A.--The condition of our country is very different from tnat, here. The people are forced with the bullet, the ballot is snapped for the bullet, and I determined wherever that was done it should not be toler­ ated where I had a voice in the matter. I said there "his paroled prisoners.'- By that I meant thatthe Confederate soldiers, together with their associates, should not control the destiny of the opressed people by violence and intimidation. That is my answer. Q.-- But what had that to do with your duties, as a member of the Returning Board ? A.-- Well, this was merely writing a letter, and these ideas going in as a matter of coarse transmitted to paper. Q --What had that to do with your making an honest count of the votes? A.--It had nothing to do with an honest count. Q --Then why are the two things brought into connection in this way ? Why did you ?>eak of your consent in thiB letter ? A.-- hat I would not approve anything that I con­ ceived to be illegal or improper. Q.--Had any such thing been proposed ? A.--I anticipated it, sir., Q. --Never mind anticipating. Had any such thing been proposed ? A.--By the Hon. Duncan F. Kenner, a very wealthy gentleman in the State of Louisiana. Q.--What did he propose ? A.--He proposed to give me $200,000 to change the vote for Mr. Tilden. He made the proposition in his own office, on Sunday, the 19ih of November, between 10 and 11 o'clock in the morning. Q.--Was that the reason why you said you would not consent to deliver over Louisiana to the paroled prisoners ? A.--My reason, sir? Mr. Field--Can't you answer me ? The witness (emphatically)--No, I - won't do it. Mr. Field-- You won't do it ? The witness--I won't do it. I will answer it nmy own way. You will have it my own way or you won't get it at all. Mr. Field--Well, give it your own way. The witness--Very well. My meaning, as I stated awhile ago, was that if the election was fairly conducted, and there was no bribery, no intimidation, and no frauds, then 1 had no ob­ jection to either party controlling it. Gov. WELLS was again before the House Committee on the 6th inst., and, in answer to a question by David Dudley Field as to whether, in canvassing the Louisiana returns, he had altered any figures or destroyed any returns, stated that he declined to answer any question touching the action of the board un­ til the Home gave him his liberty and relieved him of bid disability. He wanted to know "whether he was the peer of any member of the committee, or a mere vassal." A number of que tions wore put to the witness concerning his action as a member of the Returning Board, to all of which he declined to answer until relieved of the sentence imposed by the House, which holds him in duress. Charles 8. Abell, Sec­ retary of the Returning Board, was also exam­ ined. He said he dined with the board on Sunday, Dec. 3. at which tinle Littlefield told him he had destroyed the Verncn parish papers. No one ordered him to destroy them. Witness said he certified to 178 votes for the Republicans from that parish, having full contidence in the clerks knew nothing about the transposition of votes. Judge Davie, Chief Clerk of the board, gave testimony similar to that of Abell, so far as it affected Littlefield. Duncan F. Kenner. of New Orleans, denies that he offered J. Madi­ son Wells $200,000 to give the vote of Louisi­ ana to Tilden, He says Weils asked for $200,- 000 to count the vote of the State as actually cast in the ballot-boxes, and has asked to be summoned to Washington. LOOTS M. KENNER, a member, and T. W. Eaton and Yoik A. Woodward, clerks of the Louisiana Returning Board, testified before the Congressional committee on the 7th mat. Kenner said he had no knowledge of any alterations having been made in the Vernon parish return, or of any papers having been burned or destroyed, nor did he know of any proposition for receiving money for any act in connection with the electoral vote ; the Returning Board, he said, did not feel safe--felt intimidated--hence the necessity for troops to protect them. Eaton testified that he did not see Littktield or any one else make erasures in the original re­ turns ; Littlefield never asked him to assist in making any alterations. Woodward, in his testimony, said he worked with Little­ field on the returns the night of Dec. 3, when the alteration is alleged to have been made, but did not Sf e him making any erasures ; first heard of the Vernon parish transfer when he came to Washington. rORKlOR. ADVICES from the City of Mexico to Feb. 1, furnish the following news: Armed re­ sistance against Gen. Diaz is considered at an eni for the present. Many adherents of Lerdo continue to leave the country, fearing out­ rages. The Church party tacitly countenances Diaz, but is really working to place the Con­ servatives in power. The general opinion pre­ vails that the Diaz Government will be of short duration. Gen. Diaz has ordered the release of a number of fbreigners who have been con­ fined in prisons at Matamoras and Monterey. TURKEY affects great moderation in her de­ mands upon Servia. She does not ask " mate­ rial guarantees,*' such as the garrisoning of Servian fortresses, but will be content if Rus­ sia and tho other great powers will enter into bonds that the turbulent Servians shall keep the peace. The main difficulty will be about getting signatures to this bail-bond. Russia does not want peace kept, and will not have it if she can. prevent; ana while fighting contin­ ues to be as natural as eating to the Serbs; the other powers will not care to give bond for their good behavior. AT the recent annual meeting of the Shef­ field (Eng.) Chamber of Commerce, the Presi­ dent said the Sheffield reamsfaoturers and workmen had only themselves to blame for the loss of trad© with America and the successful American competition with foreign oountri.es. Sheffield workmen had not come up to the make and style required by customers. Mr. Maadella, member of Parliament for Sheffield, said American ^repetition was successful be­ cause the Americans excelled in the rapidity of their adoption of labor-saving machinery. Mandella referred to the importation of Amer­ ican beef as a great benefit to England, and a striking isstsncs of what enterprise &?d iu- vention could do. A CONSTANTINOPLE dispatch announces that Midhat Pasha has been dismissed from the office of Grand Vizier. Edhem Pasha, Turk­ ish Plenipotentiary to the conference, and noted for his violent opposition to the propo­ sals of the European powers, haa been ap­ pointed Grand Vizier. A CONSTANTINOPLE dispatch says the dis­ missal of Midhat Pasha is attributed to his rche-3~«.es off constitutional reform, which are regarded by the Sultan as encroaching on his imperial prerogative ; also to the discovery of a conspiracy to dethrone the Sultan and re­ place him by ex-Sultan Murad... .The ravages of small-pox are again increasing to London There is much suffering among the silk workers of Lyons, France, 50,000 operatives having been thrown out of employment by the stoppage of the factories. THE peace proposition submitted by the Porte to Servia embediee liberal conditions whioh the latter Government can easily ac­ cept, and the successful conclusion of the negotiations is regarded as extremely proba­ ble. Waiving its former claim for substan­ tial guarantees, the Porte requires of Servia the right of diplomatic representation at Belgrade; the protection of Jews and Chris­ tians equally with native Servians; the pro­ hibition of armed organizations and of secret societies; Turkish territory to be guarded from Servian violation ; forts onthe Servian froutu r to be kept in good repair, and the Turk­ ish flag to float above them along with the Servian emblem. OENKRAL. PETER P. WINTERMTTTE, who shot and killed Gen. MoCook at Yankton, Dakota, two years ago, died last week of consumption at his father's home, in Chemung county, N. Y. JOHN F. CHAMERLAIN, the sporting man, whose gambling-house is one of the most fre­ quented places in Long Branch, has gone into bankruptcy. His liabilities axe $215,000. A NEW YORK dispatch says hope iiwell nigh abandoned of the safety of the steamship Colombo, now forty-six days overdue at this port from Hull, Eng.; of the George Cromwell and George Washington, from Halifax for St. John's, N. F., each long overdue. Forty-seven persons are, or were, on board the Colombo, thirty on the George Cromwell, and thirty-one on the George Washington. FORTY-FOURTH CON ESS. THURSDAY, Feb. I.--Senate.--Mr. Robert­ son, of South Carolina, presented resolutions adopted by a meeting of citizens of Barnwell county, in that State, denying that there was in­ timidation on the part of whites toward blacks at the recent election, and asking Congress to recog­ nize the Hampton Government. Referred. .Mr. Saujsbury presented a petition from business men of New Orleans in regard to tlie:condltiou of affairs in Louisiana, and asking for the recognition of Nicholls as the legal Governor of the State*. The Chair appointed Sargent and Allison trIters on the part of the Senate to count the vote 8 for Presi­ dent and Vice President of the United States. Sub­ sequently Mr. Sargent declined, and Mr. Ingalla was appointed....A communication was received from Nathan Clifford, President of the Electoral Tribunal, announcing that the commission was or­ ganized and ready to proceed to. huitft(ees Mr. Mitchell, from the Bnb-committee ofttte Committee on Privileges and Elections,to which was assigned the duty of inquiring into the eligibility to office under the constitution of any person alleged to have been ineligible as Presidential elector, submitted a re­ port in regard to the laws in New Jersey, Missouri and Virginia. Mr. Kernan, the minority of the committee, dissented from the majority, and made a verbal report, in which he claimed that both the alleged ineligible electors in Missouri and New Jer­ sey were clearly eligible under the constitution The Senate procaded to the hall of the House to take part in the count of the electoral vote. Home.--The Chair appointed as tellers on the part of the House, in counting the electoral votes, Messrs. Cook and Stone The House, after a brief session, took a recess. Joint Session,--A.t exactly 10 o'clock the Senate appeared at the bar of the House, and was formally announced. Following the Sergeant-at-Arms came four special policemen with the boxes containing the electoral returns, one of those brought by the mes­ sengers and the other those received by mail. Mr. Ferry took the chair; Speaker Randall fat on the right, and the tellers occupied the Clerk's desk, each having large sheets upon which to record the count. Mr. Ferry opened the packages, passed theia to the tollers, and one set of payors was read through from each State, those holding the dupli­ cates by mail overlooking to see if ihere was cor­ respondence. Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Cali­ fornia, Connecticut and Delaware passed without objection. Then Florida was rcached, and Mr. Stone, the telier, proceeded to read the certifi­ cates. The reading of the first certificate showed four votes of .Florida for Hayes and Wheeler. Then the presiding officer handed to the tellers another certificato received from the same State, which, on being read by Mr. Stone, showed four votes for T ildeu and Hendricks. The former certificate was au­ thenticated by the late Gov. Stearns, and the latter by Attorney Uaneral Cocke. Then the presiding officer handed dowu to the tellers still another certificate from Florida, received through a mes­ senger on the 31st of January, and a correspond­ ing one, received by mail on the 30th of January. Tins third is the authentication of the act of the electors who voted for Tilden and Hendricks, and is made by the present Governor, Drew. Objection to the first certificate for Hayes and Wheel*"- was stgned by Senators Jones of Florida, Coojitr, McDonald of Indiana, and by Representa­ tives Field, Tucker, Jenks and Springer. The Clerk of the House read the paper. It asserts that those persons (Pierce, Humphreys, Holden and Young), assuming to act as Presidential electors, never were duly appointed by the State of Florida, or in any manner whatever; that the other four persons had been elected, and had an irrevocable title to office ; that the certificate of election of the first four persons was untruly and corruptly pro­ cured, and made in pursuance of a conspiracy between them and M. L. Stearns, late Governor ; that tliey were usurpers, and that their acts are illegal, null aud void. Further objections being c tiled for, Senator Sargent sent up to the Clerk's desk and bad read, on behalf of himself and Senators Conover, Sherman and Teller, and Representatives Woodburn, Dunneh, Kasson and McCrary, three several sets of objections to the votes cast by Call, Hinton, Bullock and Yonge, Democratic electors, on the ground that the papers are not authenticated as required by the constitution and laws. Senator Jones, of Flori­ da, made an objection specially to Humphreys, as holding an office of trust and profit under the United Sta'es. Mr. Kasson made the additional objection to the third set of certificate,s because they were not authenticated by the person who held the office of Governor at the time that the functions of the electors were exercised. There being no further objections, the Florida certifi­ cates and papers accompanying them were 6ent to the Electoral College Commission tor judgment and decision, aud the Senate retired from the hall. FRIDAY, Feb. 2--Seriate.--K. bill was passed relating to public accounts. It debars all claims against the Government, unless presented within six years from th« time the same accrued Mr. lngalls introduced a bill to enable Indians to be­ come citizens of the United 8tates... .Several bills of minor importance were passed. Bowie.--The House devoted a considerable por­ tion ot the session to the Legislative Appropriation bill. An amendment reducing the salaries of members from $5,000 to *4,600 was defeated... .Mr. Wood introduced a bill repealing all taxes on bank capital. SATtntDAT, Feb. 3.--Senate.--The credentials of Messrs. Davis, from West Virginia, t.nd Saun­ ders , f rom Nebraska , were presented and f i l ed . . . . The joint resolutions of the Minnesota Legislature, in favor of a law giving a bounty for the destruc­ tion ot grasshoppers and their eggs, was re­ ferred A resolution instructing the Com­ mittee on Appropriations to report a bill making an appropriation for the support of the Government printing office was referred Mr. Hamlin reported a bill authorizing the Post­ master General to pay the rent of promise* occu­ pied by Postmasters of the third class; he also submitted an amendmentt to the Poatoffice Appro­ priation bill appropriating $500,000 for steamship mail service between San Francisco, Japan ana China for one year, and authorizing a contract with the Pacific Mall Steamship Company for transport­ ing a monthly mail between the ports designated ; he also (submitted an amendment appropriating $260,000 from the revenues of the postoffloe to ob­ tain proper facilities from the great track lines ias railway postofflc* service during the flaoal year ending June 30,1878. v House.-- The Speaker laid before the House a message from the President on the financial ques­ tion, which was referred ^" the Committee on Ways and Means....The day wto devoted, in oommittee of the whole, to the Legislative, Judicial and Ex­ ecutive Appropriation bill. The action of the oom­ mittee in cutting down the salaries of the Presi­ dent and Congressmen to $36,000 and $4,500, re­ spectively, was non-concurred In, and alter re- figures--$50,000 and $5,00C--the Honee passed the bill. MONDAY, Feb. 5.--Senate.-- Mr. Howe sub­ mitted a resolution instructing the President of the Senate to Issue his warrant to arrest and bring to the bar of the Senate the body of J. F. Littlefield, to Bhow cause why he should not be punished for contempt, in refusing to obey a summons to ap­ pear as a witness before the Senate Oommittee on Elections. Agreed to....Several bills of a private nature were passed. House.--The session was exceedingly brief, and little or no business was transacted. TUESDAX, Feb. 6.--Senate.--Mr. Gameron re­ ported a bill from the Committee en Foreign Rela­ tions to promote telegraphic communication be­ tween this country and Europe The bill for the relief of settlers upon public lands under the Pre­ emption lane was passed Mr. Windom, from the Committee on Appropriations, reported adversely on the House bill to pay Capt. Eads $500,000 on his jetty contract.The Senate refused to pass the bill abolishing the Washington Board of Police Commissioners over the President's veto. The vote stood 33 to 21--not two thirds. House.--The House devoted the most of the day, in committee of the whole, to the consideration of the Deficiency Appropriation bill....A resolution was adopted ordering the printing of the testimony taken before the House oommittee on Louisiana affairs. WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1.--Senate.--The Senate Insisted upon its amendments to the Military Academy Appropriation bill, and a committee of conference was ordered.... Mr. lngalls reported with an amendment the Senate bill to enable In­ dians to become citizens Messrs. Hamlin, Dor- sey and Davis were appointed the new conference committee on the part of the Senate on the bill involving the restoration of the fast mail trains and the franking privilege.... The Senate discussed, without action, the bills to pay Capt. Eads $500,000 for his jetties, and to amend the Pacific Railroad acts so as to create a sinking fund for the liquidation of the indebtedness due the Government by the Union Pacific The Sen­ ate refused, by a vote of 30 yeas to 28 nays, to con­ cur in the House amendment to the Deficiency bill ordering a reduction of the price of composition in the Government Printing Office. Howse.--The House considered the •eflciency Appropriation bill. An amendment was adopted prohibiting the Congressional Printer from paying more for composition than the average paid in New York, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Mr. Blount, from the Committee on Appropriations, reported the Saval Appropriation bill. The bill ap­ propriates $12,494,752. THE ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL. THURSDAY, Feb. 1.--The commission met at 3 o'clock p. m. in the room of the Supreme Court, at the Capitol. A communication from the two houses of Congress was received and read, as follows: HALL OF HOUSE OK REPRESENTATIVES, Feb. 1, 1877.--To the President of the Commission: More than one return or paper purport­ ing to be a return or certificate of the electoral votes of the State of Florida having been received »ud this day opened in the presence of the two houses of Congress, and objec­ tions thereto having been made, said returns, with all accompanying papers and also objections there­ to, are herewith submitted to the judgment and decision of the commission, as provided by law. T. W. FERRY, President of the Senate. There was considerable discussion iu regard to the propriety of printing the objections accompanying the returns from Florida, aud the matter was finally postponed for the time being. The presiding Judge (Clifford) called for the names of tho counsel who appear in the case on each side, and Mr. Field, for the Democrats, and Evarts, for the Republicans, announced the names of the attorneys for their respective sides. The presiding Judge then announced that counsel, not exceeding two in number on each side, would be allowed to participate in the argument. The room was cleared, and the commission went into ^private consultation, and, after some time spent in deliberation, ad­ journed until Friday, at 10 o'clock, a. m. FBIDAY, Feb. 2.--The Florida case was opened before the commission by four hours of argument from the objectors to the con­ flicting sets of returns. The Democrats had the floor first, Mr. Field speaking an hour and a quarter, and Mr. Tucker filling up the rest of the two hours allowed. They argued that there was gross and inexcusable fraud in the counting of the Florida returns, particularly in Baker county, and that the commission should examine into the facts. They claimed that the vote of Florida was legitimately cast for Tilden and Hendricks, and that it was the right r.nd duty of the commission to go behind the Governor's certificates and so decide. Messrs. Kasson and McCrary followed on be­ half of the Republicans, who argued against the power of the commission to constitute itself a national returning board, go be­ hind the returns, and overturn the electoral vote of a State, when cast in accordance with the constitution and laws of that State. At the close of the argu­ ments Justice Clifford inquired whether the conned proposed to offer evidence before pro­ ceeding to the final argument of the case. It was replied on bi half of the Democrats that they expected to offer evidence. Mr. Evarts, for the Republicans, said they had none to offer unless it shall be decided that evidence shall be admitted. Adjourned. SATURDAY, Feb. 3.--The day was devoted to hearing arguments of oounsel upon the power of the court to go behind the returns from Florida, the Tilden lawyers taking the affirmative, of course. Mr. Merrick opened the argument, maintaining that the commis­ sion had tho power to go behind the raturns and take evidence as to frauds in the election, lie was followed bv Judge Matthews, of counsel for Hayes. He Baid that the election of President is not a popular election, according to the constitution, and that it is a mistake to suppose that electoral bodies are delegates representing the State, or the people of the State, aa agents to accom­ plish their will. When the electors completed their work by casting their votes, then the transaction passed beyond the limits of State control, and it became a Federal act, one of those things which passed to the jurisdiction of Federal power. The body of electors which has an apparent right and title, and whioh is in exeroise and posses­ sion of the functions and franchise of au office and actuary exercise the po./era of the office, is, for the purposes of this tribunal, the lawful body to cast the vote, and their vote must be counted. Judge Black followed in behalf of the Democrats. He said there bad been much talk there about going behind the action of a State, He believed firmly in the sovt reign power of a State to appoiut any person an elector, provided it was done in the mauner prescribed by her Legislature, and he believed after the appointment was made in that manner no man had the right to go be­ hind it and say it was not an appointment fit to be made. Anybody, whether an officer of the State or an < ffictr of the General Govero- m nt, who undertook to set sside such an ap­ pointment as that would be guilty of usurpa­ tion of authority, and his act would be utter­ ly void. Therefore, if the Governor of Florida in this case, after the appoii.t- ment of these electors was mado by tho people undertook to certify that they were not elocted. and to put somebody else in their place, that act was utterly void, false, and fraudulent. They were not going behind the act of the State in the case. They were only going behind the fraudulent act of an officer of the State, whose act had no validity what­ ever in it. Mr. E. W. Stoughton, of counsel for the Republicans, argued that the court had no power to go behind the returns, after which the commission adjourned. MONDAY, Feb. 5.--The entire public session of the oourt was occupied in hearing speeches by Messrs Evarts and O'Conor, which closed the arguments of oounsel upon the question of the power of the commission to go behind the returns. At the conclusion of Mr. ©'Conor's address the court went into eeerefc session for the purpose of consultation. TW»»M, Feb. 6.--The Commission was in secret session the whole day, the question of the admissibility of evidence in the Florida oase. Feb. 7.--On motion of Justice Miller, ordered that no evidence will be received or considered by the commission which was not submitted to the joint convention of the two hrartMAA Kw *V>^ ""V »nr «MAV WVUMVV} ****** different certificates, except such as relates to the eligibility of F. C. Humphreys, one of the electors. The vote is as follows: Yeas-- Bradley, Edmunds, Frelinghnysen. Garfield, Hoar, Miller, Morton, Strong--8. iVays--Ab­ bott, Bayard, Clifford, Field, Hunton, Pavne, Thurmaa--7. On motion of Mr. Abbott, re- solvea that in the case of Florida this oommis- mon will reoeive evidence relating to the eligi- bdlty of Frederick C. Humphreys, or of persons named in certificate No. 1as elector. Teas-- Abbott, Bayard, Bradley, Clifford, Field, Hun- toD, .»-ayn«t -i.'imnnan--8. iVa^s--ISdmunds, Frelinghuysen, Garfield, Hoar, Miller, Morton, Strong--". The Secretary of the commission was ordered to inform counsel that it will be prepared to-morrow to hear argument touch­ ing the eligibility of Humphreys. THE RESUMPTION PROBLEM. RAILROAD DISASTERS. The President Thinks it Can be Solved Forthwith--His Message to Congress Sug­ gesting legislation to Bring About Specie Payments. The President last week es&t to Congress a message upon the subject of the resumption of specie payments. The following is the full text of the document: To the Senate and House of Representatives: By the act of Congress approved Jan. 14, 1875, to provide for the resumption of specie pay­ ments, the 1st of January, 1879, is fixed as the date when such resumption is to begin. It may not be desirable to fix an earlier date when it shall actually become obligatory upon the Government to redeem its outstanding legal- tender notes in coin on presentation, but. it is oertainly moat desirable, and will prove most beneficial to every pecuniary interest of the country, to hasten the day when tne paper circulation of the country and gold coin shall have equal values. At a 'later day, if currency and coin should retain equal val­ ues, it might, become advisable to authorize or direct resumption. 1 believe the time has come when by the simple act of the legisla­ tive branoh of the Government this moat, de­ sirable result can be attained, i am strength­ ened in this view by the course trade has taken in the last two years, and by the strength of the oredit of the United States at home ant abroad. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876, the exports of the United States exceeded the im ports by $120,213,102, but our exports include $40,569,621 of specie and bullion in excess of imports of the same commodities. For six months of the present fiscal year, from July 1, 1876 to Jan. 1, 1877, the excess of exports ovei imports amounted to f 17,514,869, and the im- port« of specie bullion exceeded the exports of precious metals by $6,192,147 in the same tune. The actual excess of exports over im­ ports for the six months, exclusive of specie and bullion, amounted to $13,737,040, showing for the time being the accumulation of specie and bullion in the country amounting to more than $6,000,000, in addition to the national product of these met&la for the same period, a total increase of gold and silver for six months not far short of $60,000,000. It is very evident that unless this great increase of precious metals can be utilizod at home in such way as to make it in some manner remunerative to holders it must seek a foreign market as surely as would any other product of the soil or manufacture. Any legislation which will keep coin and bullion at .home will, in my judgment, soon bring about a practical resumption and will add the coin of the country to the circulating me­ dium, thus securing a healthy inflation of sound currency, to the great advantage of every legitimate business interest. The act to provide for resumption of specie payments authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to issue bonds of either of the de­ scriptions named in the act of Congress ap­ proved July 4, 1870, entitled "An act to authorize the refunding of the national debt," for not less than par in gold. With the present value of 4% per cent bonds in the markets of the world tney could be exchanged at par for gold, thus strengthening the treasury to meet final resumption, and to keep the excess of coin over the demand ponding it? permanent use a circulating medium at home. All that would further be required would be to reduce the volume of legal-tender notes in circula- lation. To accomplish this, I would suggest an act authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to issue 4 per cent, bonds, with forty years to run before maturity, to be exchanged for legal-tender notes whenever presented in sums of $50, or any multiple thereof, the whole amount of such bonds, however, not to ex­ ceed $150,000,000. To increase the home de­ mand for such bonds, I would recommend that they be available for deposit in the United States treasury for banking purposes under the various provisions of law relating to the national banks. I would suggest further that national banks be required to retain a certain per cent, of coin interest received by them from bonds de­ posited with the treasury to secure their cir­ culation. I would also recommend the repeal of the third section of the joint resolution for tho issue of silver coin, approved July 22, 1|76, limiting the subsidiary coin and fraction­ al currency to $50,000,000. I am satisfied that if Congress will enact some such law aa will accomplish the end suggested, they will give relief to the country, inBtant in its effect, and for which they will receive the gratitude of the whole people. (Signed) U. S. GBANT. EXECUTIVE MANSION. Feb. 3 1877. -------- 0 No Tidings. On the 6th of August, a magnificent steamer, the Great Queensland, with a full oomplement of passengers and a heavy cargo, left the Thames for Mel­ bourne, Australia. On the sixth day later she left the channel, and since that day she has not been looked upon by mortal eye save those on board her. But one or two slight clues of the miss­ ing steamer's fate have come to hand, and these all indicate the worst. Some weeks ago, the English papers state, a life-buoy, with the name of "Great Queensland" painted upon it, was picked up off the harbor of Fowey, on the coast of Oornwall, and still later part of another with what. appeared to be some fragment of wreck were found in the same water a. The inference, under the circumstances, is that the Great Queensland has gone to the bottom with all on boar 1, passengers and crew. Had the steamer's fate been a better one, it is scarcely possible that it would not have been known ere this. Pork Packing. The number of hogs packed from Nov. 1 to Jan 25, at the six principal cities, with comparisons, is snown in the fol­ lowing : A Record of Train Accidents for the Past Four Years. - The Railroad Gazette compiled and published records of railway aocfe. dente for four complete calendar years. The n limber of accidents and of per­ sons killed and injured in th«m for of these year* have been : . .. . 1873. 1874. 1875. 1876. 1-288 980 1.901 983 Pyed"--" 276 304 234 328 on! .•• -- ..1,173 778 1,107 1,097 J. he ntrmUer of accidents thus appears to have been nearly the same • lust yew as in 1874, but fatal injuries irere more than for any preceding year Reported. This is due larcelv to thp ^ Ashtabula, by which eighty persons lost their lives--nearly one-fourth" of the victims of all the train accidents of the entire year. Without this, however, the accidents were more than usually fatal, one of the causes of which, doubtless, is the unusual amount of passenger traffic last fall, there having been, more accidents to passenger trains thftii usual. The average number of killed and in­ jured per accident for the four years been: 1873. 1874. 1875. 187«. KUl*d 0.215 0.209 0.196 0.334 lnjnred.. 0.914 0.800 0.923 1.117 Killed and injured. .1.129 1.009 1.118 1.461 Thus 1876 enjoys the distinction of having had the deadliest aocidents. If we were to omit the Ashtabula disaster, there would still be 0.253 killed and 1.123 injured per accident i so that this disaster was not needed to give it thia dieftlscfcioiL The accidents for a series of years compare in number as follows: « , 1876. 1876. ,1874. 1873. Collisions 279 2W i 260 392 Derailment* 665 840 664 816 Other accide nts 48 83 66 76 Totals.... 983 1.301 980 1,383 Average number per day. 3.69 3.29 ;2.68 3.51 The record of 1876 is more like that of 1874 than any other. Both years had a mild winter, and the accidents resulting from broken rails were comparatively few. The very large number of acci­ dents from misplaced switches this year is noticeable, and suggests that railroads may have been employing too cheap la­ bor. The number o£ accidents for which no causes are assigned is wwialiAr than heretofore. f Of the ' derailments for which causes are assigned, the percentage due to each of the chief causes was as follows in the several years: 1876. Broken rail 10.6 Misplaced switch 18.9 Cattle on track 9.7 Wash-out 8.5 Loose or spread rails .... 9.3 Broken axle 8.1 Accidental obstruction.. . 7.7 Broken wheel.!.... 4.7 6.3 4.6 5.2 As indicating the effect of severe | weather on track (not necessarily on | iron, however), we give below the break- | ages of rails reported for the' first and I third quarters, respectively, of each of | the four years : | 1873. 1874. 1875. 1876. Total, j First quarter.... 66 20 90 26 2 U 1 Third quarter.... 6 6 S 6 18 |j This indicates that there were eleven times as many accidents by broken rails in the oold as in the hot quarters | of the year, and the effect of the severe 1 weather is further shown by a compari- f son of the breakages in the oold winters of 1873 and 1875, with those in the J milder winters of 1874 and 1876. * A more general classification of the| causes of derailments gives the follow­ ing: 1873. 1874. 1876. lt>76. Defects or failures in per­ manent way 200 146 261 1651 Defects or failures in roll- :j ing stock 73 Negligence, carelessness or malice 96 Unforeseen Obstructions net malicious Ill 109 The great calamity at Ashtabula will doubtless cause renewed attention to one class of accidents, at least We have chronicled during the past four years ninety-eight cases of the failure of a bridge or trestle, nearly every one under a train. None ; of them had re­ sults anything like as serious; but that most of them were comparatively harm­ less was much more " accidental " than the failure of the structures themselves. The one lesson of the accident record of 1876 likely to be longest remembered is. F how terrible may be the results of ar. error in tho construction of & bridge, or of negligence in its inspection. MOUNTAIN lions destroy stock in the Black Hills. 1 107 THE MARKETS NEW YORK. BKXVKS 8 75 ^11 75 Hoas 6 40 0 6 75 COTTON T 13 FLOUR--Superfine Wee tarn 5 86 §5 75 WHEAT--No. 2 Chicago 1 41 OOBN--Western Mixeil 68 OATS--Western Mixed 38 RXE--Western '|3 POBK--New Mess IS T5 LABD--Steam 11*@ 1 CHICAGO. Bxxvxs--Choice Graded Steers.... 6 50 Choice Natives 4 80 Cows and Heifers 2-75 Good Second-class Steers. 3 90 » 5 . (§5 2;; 0 S 75 ^ 4 20 ® 6 80 (ft 8 00 <§ 5 7 5 ® 1 30 0 1 18 Eoas--Fresh PORK--Mess... LUD 42- M 36 ® 70 ® 60 9 85 @ 24 £16 25 9 H.1 9 1 41 & 1 34 & 45 <9 34 & 72 0 81 Cincinnati.... Cblcago St. Louis Louisville...., Milwaukee... Indianapolis. To Jan. 25. 1877. 475,000 1,330.000 386,000 ....£ »8,(!00 213,000 7 < 00 At six cities .....3,873,000 Same date. 1876. 495,('00 1,195,600 280,(00 2.3,000 15<\(X)0 270,000 2,613,000 Medium to Fair 4 25 Hoas--Live 5 9J FLOUB--Fancy White Winter...... 7 00 Good to Choice spring ex.. 5 60 WH*AT--NO. 2 Spring L 29 No. 3 Spring 1 17 OOBK--No. 2 42 OATS--No. 3 35 Rra--No. 2 69 BABI\EV--No. 2 69 BUTTER--Creamery 33 23 16 00 11 MILWAUMTK.. WHBAT--NO. 1 1 40 No. 2 1 33 OOKH--No. 3 44 OAT»--No. 3 33 RYB >70 BAKUTT-- NO. 3 , 80 ST. LOULS,. WHXAT--No. 3 Red Fall 1 48 COBST-- Western Mixed 38)tf® OATB--No. 2 35 IS Rv® 67 <§ POBK--Mess ....16 50 @16 75 LABD io><(£ 10?,,: Hoos 5 25 6 10 CATTU 3 25 <* 4 87,V CINCINNATI. WHEAT 1 40 CORN 41 OATS 85 RYB 80 POBK--Mess 16 75 LAM> LO-SIC* " TOLEDO. WHXAT--Extra..... 1 61 9 1 ̂ Amber . ................ 1 47 1 48 CORN 44)tf^ 46 OATS--No. 2 39 41 DETROIT. Fiouu--Medium 6 00 @ 6 60 WHTEAT--Wiiite 1 35 <» 1 52 COBN-- No. 2.......... 47 ® 48 OATS--Mixed 89 9 40 RY K [ 7 0 ( § 7 6 POBK--Mess 16'60 ®16 75 EAST LIBERTY, Pa. Hoaa--Yorker* 6 00 Philadelphia 7 00 •ATTU-Best 6 75 Medium 0 1 49 39 36 68 # 1 50 <S 43 9 40 1a 81 #17 0 1 @ 6 25 (<* 7 30 6 00 4 RO <a 4 90 3 50 ^ 6 36