It is not known that any seizure of fishing
vessels carrying the Hag of the United
States has been made under this claim. So
far as the claim is founded on the alleged
construction of the convention of ISIS, it
cannot bo acquiesced in by the United
States. It is hoped that it w "ill not bo in
sisted on by Her Majesty's Government.
During the conferences which preceded
the negotiation of the convention of 1S18,
the British Commissioners proposed to ex
clude the fishermen of the United States
from the privilege of carrying on trade
with anv of Her Brittanic Majesty's sub
jects residing wiuun tne limits assigned for
their use, and also that it should not be law
ful for the vessels of the United States en
gaged in such fishery, to have on board anv
goods, wares, or merchandise, whatever,
except such as may be necessary for the
prosecution of their voyages to and from
said fishing grounds, and any vessel of the
United States, which shall contravene this
regulation, may be seized, condemned and
confiscated, with her cargo.
This proposition, which is identical with
the construction put on the language of the
Convention, was emphatically rejected bv
the American Commissioners, and there
upon was abandoned by the Briiish Pleni
potentiaries, and Article 1, as it stands in
the Convention, was adopted. If, however,
it be said that the claim is founded on prov
incial or colonial statutes, and not upon the
Convention, this Government cannot but
regard them as unfriendly, and a contra
vention of the spirit, if not the letter, of
the treaty, for the faithful" execution of
which the Imperial Government is alone
responsible.
l'HKK NAVIGATION OX THK ST. I-AWI1KXCE.
Anticipating that an attempt may possi
bly be made by the Canadian authorities
in the coming season to repeat their tin
neighborly act toward our lishermen, I
recommend you to confer upon the Kxecu
tive the power to suspend, by proclamation,
the operation of the laws authorizing the
transit of goods, wares and merchandise, i
in bond, across the territory of the United
States to Canada; and lurther, should sue!
an extreme measure be necessary, to sus
pend the operation of any laws wherein
the vessels of the Dominion of Canada are
permitted to enter the waters of the Unitei
States.
Y HKe umrienuiy disposition lias been
manifested on the part of Canada in the
maintenance of a claim of the right to ex
elude the citizens of the United States froi
the navigation of the St. Lawrence. .This
river constitutes a natural outlet to the
ocean for eight States, with an aggregate
population of 17,00,000 inhabitants, am
with an aggregate tonnago ot 701.309 tons
upon the waters which discharge into it
ine ioreign commerce 01 their ports on
these waters is open to British competition
and the major part ol it is done m Bnti
bottoms. .
If American seamen be excluded from
the natural avenue to the ocean, the mo
nopoly of the direct commerce ot the Lake
ports with the Atlantic would be in ioreign
hands, their vessels on transatlantic
voyages having an access to our lake ports
which would be denied to American ves
sels on similar voyages. To state such a
proposition is to refute its justice. During
the administration of John (uincy Adams
Mr. Clay unquestionably demonstrated
the natural right of the citizens of the
United States to tiie navigation of this
river, claiming the act of the Congress of
Vienna upon the Rhino and other rivers'
and all nations to have the judgment ot
European jurists and statesmen, that the
inhabitants of a country through which a
navigable river passes, has a natural right
to enjoy the navigation of that river to am
into the sea, even though passing through
the territory of another power.
The right docs not exclude the coequal
right of the sovereign of passing the terri
tory through which the river debauches
into the sea to make such regulations, rela
tive to the policy ot the navigation, as may
be reasonably necessary, but those regula
tions should be framed in a liberal spirit of
comity, and should impose no needless
burdens upon the commerce which has
the right of transit. It has been found in
practice more advantageous to arrange
those regulations by mutual agreement
The United States are ready to make, any
reasonable arrangement as to the practice
ot the St. Lawrence, which may be siu
gestcd bv Great Britain. If the claim made
by Mr. Clay was just when the population
of the States bordering on the shores ot the
lakes was only 0,400,000. It now derives
greater notice and equity from the increas
ed population, wealth, production and ton
nage ot the States on the Canadian frontier
On the ground that she possessed a small
domain, in which the Mississippi took its
rise, she insisted on this right to navigate
the entire volume of its water. On tin
ground that she possesses both banks of
the St. Lawrence, where it disembogues
itself into the sea, she denies the United
States the riffht of navigation through
about cne-half the waters of Lakes Onta
rio, Huron and Superior, and the whole of
Lake Michigan, through which the river
Hows, though they are the property of the
United States.
The whole nation is interested m se
curing cheap transportation from the Ag
ricultural States ot" the West to the Atlan
tic seaboard. To the citizens of the States,
it secures a greater return ior the produce
ot the lands tilled by them.
Since Mr. Clay advanced hisargumentin
behalf of our right, the principle for which
he contended has been frequently and b3T
various nations recognized by law or by
treaty, and has been extended to several
other great rivers. jy tne treaty concilia
edat Maycnce in 1832, the Ithino was de
clared free, from the point where-it was
first navigable, into the sea: by the con
vention between Spain and Portugal, con
eluded in 1835, the navigation of the Douro,
throughout its whole extent, was made
free for the subjects of both crowns; in
1S53. the Argentine Confederation, by
tmdy, threw open the free navigation of
the Parano and Uraguay to the merchant
vessels of all nations; in lboh, the lerncan
was closed by a treaty, which provided for
the free navigation of the Danube; in 1858
Tvjivi;! bv treatv. declared it regarded
the rivers Amazon and Laplatta, in accord
nnnfl with fixed principles of international
law. as highways or channels opened by
Nature for the commerce of all nations; in
1859, the Paraguay was made free by
treaty, and in December, 108, the Em
peror of Brazil, by imperial decree, de
clared the Amazon to be open, to all the
frontier of Brazil, to the merchant ships of
all nations.
The greatest living British authorities on
this-subject, while asserting the arbitrary
right of the British claim, say it seems
difficult to deny that Great Britain may
ground her refusal upon strict law; but it
is equally difficult to deny, first, that in so
doing she exercises harshly an extreme
and hard law; secondly, that her conduct
Avith respect to the navigation of the St.
Lawrence is in glaring and discreditable
inconsistency with her conduct with re
spect to the navigation of the Mississippi:
on the ground that she possessed a small
domain in which the Mississippi took its
rise, she insisted on this right to navigate
the entire volume of its waters ; on the
ground that she possesses both banks of
the St. Lawrence, where it disembogues it
self into the sea, she denies to the United
States the right of navigation, though
Ontario, Krie, Huron, and Superior, and
the whole of Lake Michigan, thiough
which the river Hows, are the propeity of
mi i. t . . . - i j i.
-me iwune nation is interested in se
curing cheap transportation from the
States of the West to the Atlantic. To the
citizens ot those States it secures a greater
return for labor; to the inhabitants of the
seaboard it offers cheaper food; to the na
tion an increase in the annual surplus of
wealth .
It is hoped the Government of Great
Britain will see the justice of abandoning
the narrow and inconsistent claim to
which her Canadian provinces have nrge
her adherence.
THE UNITED STATES MINT AND COINAGE.
Excluding redeposits. the amount of colti
and silver deposited at the Mint and its sev
eral branches, during the last fiscal year.
was 30,403,788 10; the coinage for the year
was .s-j4,h3j,uil, and the value ot gold and
silver bars stamped was 8,748,852 5)1.
I respcctiully ask the attention of Con
gress to a bill prepared in this department
and submitted at the last session, and to
the accompanying report relative to Mints
and the coinage sj stem of the country.
The bill was prepared with care, and has
since been revised.
CIVIL, service nr.rouM.
Always favoring practical reforms
would respectfully call
your
attention to
an abuse of long standin
like to see remedied by this Congress. It
ti jeiumi in me civu service or the coun
try- I would have it go beyond the mere
nxing ot the tenure of offices of clerks and
employes, who do not require the advice
and consent ot the Senate to make them
complete. I would have it govern not the
tenure, but the manner of making-appointments.
There is no duty which". so much
embarrasses the Executive and heads of
Departments as that of appointments. Nor
is there any such arduous and thankless
labor imposed on Senators and Represen
tatives as that of finding places for their
constituents.
The present system does not secure the
best, and often not even til men, for public
place. The elevation and purification of
the civil service of the Government will be
hailed with approval by the whole people
of the United States.
THE NEW POLICY TO WAP. 11 THE INDIANS.
Reform in the management of the Indian
aftairs has received the special attention of
ine Administration trom its inauguration
to the present day. The experiment of
making it a missionars' work was tried,
with a few Agencies given to the denomin
ation of Friends, and has been found to
work most advantageous. All the Agen
cies and Superintendeneies not so disposed
of were given to officers of the army. The
Act of Congress regulating the army ren
ders army officers ineligible for civil posi
tions; inuian Agencies being civil olhco
I determined to give all the Atreneies f
such religious denominations as had here
tofore established missionaries among the
Indians, and perhaps to some other denom
inations who would undertake the work
on the same plan as missionary work. The
societies selected are allowed to name their
own agents, subject to the approval of the
Executive, and are expected to instruct and
aid them as missionaries to Christianize
and civilize the Indians, and train them in
the arts of peace.
The Government watches over the pflicial
acts of these agents, and requires of them
as strict an accountability as if they were
appointed in any other manner. The con
fident hope that the policy now pursued
will, in a few years, bring all the India ns
upon the reservations, where they will live
in houses, have schools and churches, will
be pursuing peaceful and self-sustaining
avocations, and where they may be visited
by the law-abiding whito man with the
same impunity mat lie now visits the civ
ilized white settlement. I call your special
attention to the report of the Commission
er of Indian A Hairs for full information on
the subject.
THE PU11LIC LANDS.
During the last fiscal year, 8,005,413 acres
ot public lands were disposed ot ; ot tin?
quantity, 3,(599,810 acres were taken under
tne Homestead law, ami ,io5,.i-j acres
were sold for cash. The remainder was
treated with military warrants, college or
Indian scrip, or applied in satisfaction of
grants to railroads, or for other public use
lhe entries under the Homestead law,
during the last year, covered 901,515 acres
more than those during the preceding year
Surveys have been vigorously prosecuted
to the full extent of the means applicable
to the pujpose. I lie quantity ot land m
market will amply supply the present de
mand.
The claim of the settlers under the home
stead or pre-emption law is not, however,
limited to lands subject to sale; at private
entry unappropriated surveyed public land
may be at quired under the former laws, it
the party entitled to enter under them will
comply with the requirements they pre
scribe in regard to the residence in cultiva
tion. The actual settlers' preference to
right of purchase is even broader and ex
tends to lands which were un.surveyed at
the time of his settlement; his right was
formerly confined within much narrower
limits ami at one period ot our History
was conferred only by special statute.
They were enacted from time to time to le
galize what was then regarded as an au
thorized intrusion upon the public domain.
The opinion that the public land should be
egarded chiefly as a source ot revenue is
no longer maintained, for rapid settlement
and successful cultivation ot them is now
justly considered of more importance to
our well-being than is the lunu winch tne
ale of them would produce. Ihe remark
able growth and prosperity ot our new
States and Territories attest the wisdom of
the legislation which invites- the tiller of
the soil to procure a permanent home on
terms within the reach of all.
The pioneer who incurs the dangers and
privations of a frontier life, and thus aids in
the foundations of new commonwealths,
renders a signal service to his country and
is entitled to its special favor and protection.
The laws secure th;t object and largely pro
mote the general welfare; the3r should
therefore be cherished as a permanent feat
ure of our land sj-stem. Good faith re
quires us to give mil enecc to me existing
grants.
The time-honored and beneiiceni policy
of setting apart certain sections of public
land lor educational purposes in the new-
States, should be continued, when public
provision shall have been made lor the ob
jects. I submit, as a question wormy oi serious
consideration whether the residue of our
National domain should not be totally dis
posed of under the provisions of the home
stead and pre-emption laws.
In addition to the swamp anuovernoweu
mrls m-anted to the States in which they
are situated, the lands taken under the Ag
ricultural College Acts, and lor internal
bimi-nveinent. purposes, under the Act of
September 18th a.ul the Acts supplemental
thereto, mere imu ucun vwmv,j
close of the last fiscal year, oy patent or
other equivalent, evidence or title to state
and corporations, 2,783,025,713 acres. It is
estimated that an additional quantity oi
174,735,523 acres is still due under grama ior
ike uses.
The policy of thus aiding tuc states in
buihlffiir works of internal improvement
was inaugurated more than forty years
since, in the grants to Indiana and Illinois
to aid those States in opening canals to
connect the waters of the Wabash with
those of Lake Erie, and the waters of Illi
nois with those of Lake Michigan; it was
followed, with some modification, in the
grant to Illinois ot alternate sections of
public land within certain limits of the
Illinois Central llailroad
Fourteen States and sundry corporations
nave received similar subsidies in connec
tion with railroads completed, or in pro
cess ot construction. As the reserved sec
tions are rated at the double minimum, the
. 1 f 1 I. w. i. II I . 1 I
suits ui uiem b me eunanceu price lias
thus, in niany instances, indemnified the
Treasury for the granted lands. The con
struction of some of these thoroughfares
has undoubtedly given a vigorous impetus
to the development of our resources and
the settlement of the more distant portions
of the country.
It may, however, be understood that
much of our legislation in this regard has
been characterized by indiscriminate and
profuse liberality. The United States
should not loan their credit in aid of any
enterprise undertaken by States or Corpo-
lations, nor grant lands in any instance
unless the projected work is of acknow
ledged national importance. I am strong
ly inclined to the opinion that it is inex
pedient and unnecessary to bestow snb-
Klies of either description: but should
Congress determine otherwise, I earnestly
recommend that the rights ot settlers and
of the public be more effectually secured
inu protected b3' appropriate legislation
THE PATENT OFFICE.
During the year ending September 30.
is (0, there were filed in the Patent Office
15,411 applications for patents. 3.374eaveats.
and 100 applications for the extension of
patents. 13,022 patents, including issues
md designs, were issued: 110 extended.
ana i,usj allowed, but not issued by reason
of the non-payment of the final fees. The
receipts oi the oilice during the fiscal year
were 8130,301 70 in excess of its expendi
tures.
THE CEXSl'S
The work of the Census Bureau has been
energetically prosecuted. The preliminary
volumes, containing much information of
special value and interest, will be ready for
delivery during the present session : the
remaining volumes will be completed with
an me despatch consistent with perfect ac
curacy in arranging and classifying tho re
turns. We shall thus, at no distant day.
be furnished with an authentic record of
our condition and resources. It will. I
loubt not, attest the growing prosperity of
the country, although, during the decade
which has j tist closed, it was so severe Iv
tried by the great war waged to maintain
its integrity, and to secure and perpetuate
our free institutions.
PENSIONS.
During the last fiscal year, the sum paid
to pensioners, including the costs of dis
bursement, was 827,780,811 11. and 1,758
bounty land warrants were issued. At its
close 19S,080 names were on the pension
rolls. The labors of the Pension Office
lave been directed to tho severe scrutiny
of the evidence submitted in favor of new
claims; to the discovery of fictitious
claims, which have been heretofore al
lowed, lhe appropriation for the emplo3r
ment of special agents for the investigation
of frauds, has been judiciously used, and
the results of it have been of unquestiona
ble benefit to the service.
AfJiircrrrritE axp education.
The subjects of Education and Agricul
ture are ot great interest to the success of
our Republican institutions, and our hap
piness and grandeur as a nation. In the
interests of one, a bureau has been estab
lished in the Interior Department the
Bureau of Education and in the interest
of the other a separate department, that of
Agriculture. I believe great good is to flow
from the operations of both these bureaus,
if properly fostered. I cannot commend
to your careful consideration too highly
the reports of tho Commissioners ol Jvlu-
cation and of Agriculture, nor urge too
strongly such liberal legislation as to sc
enic their ellicieiuy.
Tn conclusion, I would sum up the poli
cy ol the Administration to be a thorough
enforcement of every law, a faithful collec
tion of taxes provided for, ewmomy in the
disbursement of the same, ii prompt y-ay-ment
of the debt of the Nation, a reduction
ot taxes as rapidly as the requirements ol
the country will admit, reduction of taxa
tion and a tariff to be so arranged as to af
ford the greatest good to the greatest num
ber, honest and fair dealings with all other
people, to the end that war, with all its
blighting consequences, may be avoided,
but without surrendering any right or ob
ligation due to us; a reform in the treat
ment of the Indians, and in the wholecivil
service of the country, and, finally, in se
curing a sure, untrammeled ballot, when
every "'man entitled to cast a vote may do
so just once, at each election, without fear
of "molestation or proscription on act-omit
of his political faith, nativity or color.
IT. S. Grant.
Executive Mansion, Washington, I. C,
December 5th, 1870.
Oii Wife too JIany.
I-'roin the New York World.
A curious case of marital entanglement
has just come to light in Brooklyn. It ap
pears that about four years ago Louis Rat
ten entered into the bonds of matrimony
at Baltimore, Md.,with aladyot that place.
The couple lived together a short time,
Mrs. Ratten became dissatisfied, and left
her husband, who then proceeded to vasn-
ington, 1). C, where he made the acquain
tance of a Miss Hill, the daughter of his
landlady. Miss Hill is aged is, and vows
she loves Ratten. At all events she eloped
with him front Washington to Brooklyn a
few weeks ago. They were followed by
Miss Hill's brother, who took them to a
minister in Brooklyn, witnessed and paid
for their marriage. Mrs. Hill, becoming
incensed at the conduct of her daughter,
went to Baltimore, saw Batten's first wife,
got the marriage certificate, and an affida
vit duly certified -by a county clerk, and
then came on to Brooklyn, where she pre
ferred a complaint before Justice Valsh,
charging Mr. Batten with bigamj'-. lr.
Batten was arrested, but Mrs. Hill in the
meantime regretted what she had done, and
attempted to withdraw the complaint. Jus
tice Walsh refused to allow the withdrawal,
and set down the examination for Friday.
Mrs. Hill's son has since arrived from
Washington, and attempted to kidnap his
sister. An interview between mother and
daughter was arranged at the oilice of Coun
selor Keadv, who appears for Mr. Ratten,
but the young lady failed to come to time,
and sends her "ma" a polite note declining
to see her, and adding that as she brought
this trouble on herself, she (Mrs. mil),
could get out of it as best she could. As
for herself, (Mrs. Ratten), she would stick
to Ratten through thick and thin. Mr. Rat
ten has just opened a croc-Kery store on
Court street, where he hopes to make his
votifl" wife happy, and in the meantime
J i- . i.s.. c i.
procure a cuvorce liom uis in.-st wins
Such
the course ot true love.
lu some of the localities of Chicago it is
said that real estate has not advanced in
price since lSGtf. Along the course of the
lake property is in brisk demand. Lots on
Rrairie avenue have recently been sold at
from 350 to 400 per foot.
Gunpowder and Gun in Olden
Times.
Chamber's Journal.
Gunpowder was at first always placed in
guns loose, by means of long ladels; and
in spite of the inconvenience and danger
of the practice, it was 300 years before aii3'
attempt was made to place it in cartridges.
lhesewero at first only used when rapid
firing was necessary, aud their employ
ment did not become general, owing to the
cianger in serving the guns with them
-oeiug maue oi parchment, paper, canvas
or linen, they were more or less comhusti
ble, and left burning fragments in the
bore, which had to be carefully removed
before a fresh charge was put in. The
vents of the gun were freriuentlv choked.
ana me pieces rendered unservieable bv
lragmentsof the cartridge-bag being
lorced into them. It was not till 1778 that
Sir Charles Douglas, then Captain of H. M.
. mike, suggested serge as a proper ma
teriai ior cartridges: and when his uro-
posais were not treated with the attention
iney merited, ne placed mo wnoie amum-
1. j 1 1
tion 'of his ship in proper cartridges, at
his own expense. The advantage of serge
as a material for cartridges, the principle
of which is its total consumption by the
llame of the powder, are so great that its
v a soon became universal.
- From instructions laid down for the ser
vice of the great guns of tho fifteenth cen
tury, it appears that they must have been
nearly as formidable to friend as to foes.
The actual damage they inflicted on the
enemy probably bore little relation to the
moral effect they produced; while on the
other hand, the charges of loose powder
carried about in "spoon es,v and fired by
means of red-hot spikes, heated in a char
coal fire with a pair of bellows, must have
been a frequent cause of accident on the
field. At first the heated spikes seem to
have been actually thrust into the vents
of the guns, until" the safer expedient of
laying a train of priming-powder was
thought of. This, in its turn, was super
seded by a piece of quick-match placed in
the vent; and it was soon discovered that
the action of the match was much in
creased bv placing it in a small tube of
paper. This led to the invention of the
"tlllino ' 1TT tvl,S.l, oil 1 i t
in .'..-, "j iiun.u an iin: Jlil'll ill Ule
present day.
Steamboats Versus Sliiili-oarfs.
A spirited contest took place in the Cin
cinnati Commercial Convention, last sum
mer, on the third day of the session, upon
the subject of erecting railroad bridges
across navigable rivers. There were evi
dently two opposing interests in the con
vention, each lortified with reasons why
their respective views should prevail. The
steamboat men claimed their right, as an
axiom of law, to the free navigation of
American rivers, while the railroad men
were as positive in declaring their right of
way across the rivers. A "resolution was
finally adopted denying the correctness
of the position that navigable rivers may
be obstructed under any circumstances.
The effect of this policy, if carried out, will
be to compel the erection of railroad
bridges at such a height as not to interfere
with passing steamers, or lurmshmg each
bridge with a draw, to bo raised as occasion
may require. This conflict between steam
boat men and railroad men is of many
years' standing. 'Ihe bridge across the
Ohio at Wheeling, and the one across the
Mississippi at Rock Island, have cost liti
gants enough in law charges to have raised
the obstructions complained of out of the
reach of the tallest mast that carries our
flag across the ocean. And if an under
standing can be arrived at or a rule estab
lished which will settle the micstion bv
means of this action of the convention, we
snau consider it a result sumcieniiv satis
factory to compensate for tho trouble of
holding the convention. Heretofore butlrpc,
nine '"as ueen accomplished by tneso as
semblies of so-called commercial men.
They usually recommend measures which
the members are unwilling to urge by
means of their local influences and at their
pecuniary cost ; but as no great results
were expected there was little or no com
ment. E?emi
Truly, New York
is not to lie outdone
this winter. An enterprising Frenchman
has started a." Grand Duchess " assembly
saloon, where nightly crowds gather and
do such can-cans as only used to be done
in the Closerie de Lilac'sor the Jardin Ma
bile. But Raris has been transplanted, and
grows the ranker for the change of soil and
climate.
Never in this country have the demi
monde appeared so splendidly equipped
as now; most all of them keep carriages or
hire them by the month, and every hour
of the day or night one hears or sees them.
The ugliest creatures one can well imagine,
terribly painted, costumed with the extrav
agance and magnificence of Kastern prin
cesses, roll by in their carriages awful
temptations to the poor, pretty-faced, hard
working girls who come up to the city,
and think the possession of these tine trap
pings worth all the world. There is no
manner of doubt in any well-informed
mind here in this city as "to where all this
rioting iniquity comes from. Were all the
grasping, lilching plebeian hands that now
dip into the treasury to find their occupa
tion gone, the 81,000 robes of Madame Har
ris and Monsieur Stewart would lie longer
on their lay figures. But not a prominent
politican exists in this city whoso chcrc ami
cannot be mentioned among the Cora
Pearls of New York, while some of them
out-Brigham old Brig, himself.
The Washington correspondent of the
Chicago Republican tells the following sto
ry of'an interview he had with Senator
Sumner, of Massachusetts. Grant, and the
San Domingo treaty being alluded to, Sum
ner said:
" That was a good illustration of what he
had been saying. Those young military
men whom the President had gathered
around him or in his actual Cabinet, by
what warrant it is difficult to say, had ta
ken a notion that there was a good specu
lation in that quarter, and Grant had, hon
estly enough, been pursuaded into their
scheme. Why, a friend of mine who has
been dowii there, says that the whole coast
of the Bay of Samana is staked off into
lots, and marked 'Cazno,' and 'Babcock,'
and 'f aez,' and that one of the particularly
large ones is marked 'Grant.' "
The tide of commerce, so long running
against us, seems at length turning in our
favor. During the eight months ending
August 31, 1S00, our imports exceeded our
exports more than 30,000,000, while during
the eight months ending on the same date
of this 3ear, the excess of imports over ex
ports is only 0,750,501. Of the total im
ports during the. last named period, 8314,
538,342 consisted of merchandise, and 17,
004,000 of gold and silver; $13,287,817 was
free, and 304,254,525 dutiable. Of the total
domestic exports for the same period, 250,
301 ,326" was merchandise (gold value), and
50,979.240 gold and silver coin and bullion.
A farmer near Landonville, Ohio, recent
ly killed a monstrous yellow rattlesnake,
seven feet in length, twenty inches in cir
cumference, and with thirty-seven rattles.
In consequence of the late flood and de
struction in crops in Texas, corn has risen
to a dollar a bushel on the Guadaloupe.
"TWENTTYEARSAGO.'
The srrass is just as green, dear Tom
Uarc-roofctt boys at play
Are sporfingjnst as we were then
W ith spints just as gay '
But the master sleeps upon the hP,
All covered o'er with snow,
Where once we ucd to slide, dear Tom
Just twenty years ago! m,
My lids have lon been dry, dear Tom
isit tears carne to my eves
I thought of her I loved so well
Those early broken ties;
I went asam to the old. church-yard
And took some flowers to strew
Upon (lie graves oi those we loved
Just, t went y years ago'. '
And some, are in the church-vard laid
Some sJpcp beneath the sra.
And lew there are ot all o:ir -'.iv
Kxceptinjr you and me; '
And when our time f-hail come, dear Tom
And we sire called to ko, '-",
I hope they'll lay us where we played
Tur twenty years nsro!
S(al toxical.
It will cost the government
nearly
000,000 to take the census.
lorfy wholesale stores
of Indianapolis,
of liquor annii-
Ind., Sell SC.OOO.OOO worth
ally.
There are t10 tobacco and simfr ,i
10,-
- cigar manufactories in the
States.
Unitcd
The Kgyptians 2.000
years ago, could
ii quality equal lo
make line linen cloth of
my that is now worn.
Chicago invested about s;7.000 in t?,.i-
of the. San Francisco Mercantile Lottery
and drew 1 7.200 in prizes. '
There has been T.0,000 tons less of wliwf
received at San Francisco this vear than
during last season up to the present time
Charge Vallejoand akland with the differ
ence.
The Chicago and Alton Railroad Com
pany are Pudding, at the crossing of the
Illinois river, by their Louisiana division
near Orand 1'as landimr. n. tma
bridge, 1,170 teet in length.
The total of the losses and da
Strasburg during the siege is estimated to
amount to S7,o7,000. Of the ti,m houses
in the city, 44S have been completely de
stroyed, and from 2,000 to 3.0(H) damaged
Sidney B. Morris bought
rater lots in Boston fifteen vears.n"-o for
mere nothing, and has just leased the prop
erty for i5,oyO a year. lie cast his brcat
bread
upon the
waters, and it
returned with
interest.
There are probably t50.000.Oo0 acres nf
sterile plains between the Mississippi river
and the Rocky Mountains. Some of tl-,.
are too barren to produce anything, while
sonic couiu ue imoe productive by irri'a
tion. As an evidence of the value of the new
invention for consuming sparks and cin
ders on railroads, we are informed that on
a recent trip of forty-five miles in Massa
chusetts, fourteen bushels of this stuff was
accumulated.
Tho Salem Mercer asserts that "re
markable as it may appear, the Willam
ette Woolen Manufacturing Company ships
large quantities of their produce to British
Columbia, paying a duty to the Crown of
lifteen per cent, ad valorem. Xothiiio- hot
the absolute superiority oi the goods of this
manufacture would enable this company
, iu tuinpcu! wnn me "pauper iauor of J'Ju-
I i ,. .-!. II.. I . . -
and
pa' fifteen per cent, for the
I'ii. i it
re.
TIae Elide Dealer's Sign.
The proprietor of a tanyard adjacent to a
certain town in Virginia, concluded to
build a stand, or soTt of store, on one of the
main streets, for the purpose of vending
his leather, buying raw hides, and the like!
After completing his building, he began to
consider what sort of a sign it would be
best to put up for the purpose of attracting
attention to his new establishment; and lor
days and weeks he was sorely puzzled on
this subject. Several devices were, one
after another, adopted, and, on further con
sideration, rejected.
At last a happy idea struck him. Ho
bored an auger hole through the doorpost,
and stuck a calf 's tail into it, with bushy
end flaunting out. After a while, he no
ticed a grave looking personage standing
near the door with Ids spectacles on, gazing
intently on the" sign. And there he con
firmed to stand, dumbly absorbed, gazing
and gazing, until tho curiosity of the hide
dealer was greatly excited in turn. He
stepped out and addrcssed-the individual :
"Good morning," said he.
"Morning," said the other, without mov
ing his eyes from the sign.
"Do you want to buy leather?" inquired
the dealer.
"No."
"Do you want to sell hides?"
"No."
"Perhaps you are a farmer."
"No."
"A merchant, may be?"
"No." .
"Are you a doctor?"
"No."
"What are you, then?"
" I am a philosopher. I have been stand
ing here for an hour, trying to ascertain
how that calf got through that auger hole!"
A full count of the vote on the proposed
constitutional amendments in Michigan
has not yet been made, but the returns so
far received indicate the defeat of most of
tho articles. Notwithstanding the State
gives an aggregate Radial majority in the
Congressional vote of over twenty-five
thousand, it is probable the article striking
out the word "white" wherever "citizen"
is referred to, is defeated by a small major
ity. This is accounted for by the fact that
while nearly the whole Democratic vote
was cast against it, the Radicals abstained
from voting upon it. .
There is a project on foot to establish a
lino of steamers between Philadelphia and
Liverpool, England. The proposed com
pany intend to start with 700,000 in cash,
of which the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany will subscribe 100,000, leaving 300,
000 for those who lay claim to the title of
Philadelphia merchants. It is likewise in
tended to issue 1,500,000 in bonds, free
from taxation, having twenty-five years to
run, and bearing interest at the rate of five
per cent, per annum, payable in gold.
We notice that the Commissioner of Cus
toms alleges in his annual report that the
cost of collecting the customs has been in
creased, and that there will be a deficiency
in the appropriation to that object. This
statement is accompanied by the usual sa
ving clause, that the cost of collecting the
customs might be reduced from fen to
twelve per cent. But, if so, why has not
this been done before.
There is a ludicrous contrast between the
belligerent attitude of Butler now, and tho
one which he occupied during tho war,
when he was safely bottled up at Bermuda
Hundreds,