New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-04-16
FROM PHILADELPHIA.
CHEAP NATURALLY THE PLUM
DER-A GOOD SAMARITAN DEAD-T0M FLOR
ENCE Observation-Disclosures.

| CHEAP NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. TIE rLuN-
DER-A GOOD SAMARITAN DEAD-ToM FLOR
EYCE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
| From Our Own Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA, April IA, 1860.
The Democracy are driviOg the naturalization
mill with steam at high pressure, grinding out
voters by hundreds to figure at the election for
Mayor next month This business is carried on BY
regular system. You see the head grinder marca-
ing at the head of column OF 20 to 40 men, lead
ing them from the proper Office into Court, aud
swearing them through by wholesale, at ne cost to
the men thus suddenly converted into what Gen.
Jackson called our better citizens This early
activity betOkens tremendous struggle for the
Mayoralty. the enemy are using every appliance,
every trick of money, power, hope, aud promise,
to secure success. Our ride lie equally active and
expert, though we cannot stoop to the base appi-
necessary to secure the baser elements which
always weigh in such struggle. rne press Is
almost unanimously with US, while the vote we cast
will represent the elements of intelligence, educa-
ton, and sObriety. We anticipate victory, but
even II 1t be otherwise defeat here will be far fr IN
being the synonym for like result in November Ia
the State. Mayor Henrys sturdy maintenance of
the right of free speech will do his no harm.
You remember that, during the John Brown effer-
yeseeDce, lecture was to be delivered by q. w.
Curtis, in fulillment of an agreement made months
before the Harper's Ferry raid. Yet the un-
washed Democracy, aided by the College of Saw
bones, undertook 10 break up the meeting by clubs
canes, shouts, and the throwing of vitrio among
them, and thus IN effect to gag Mr. Curtis. But
the Mayor c0urageOusly beat the r0wdies back, put
half dozen of the SawbOnes in limbo, and trilm-
pbantly maintained free speech among US. This
signal victory was largely dwet upon at that im-
mense ratification meeting We beld last Saturday
week, and all honor given to the Mayor. The pop
uar responses were tremendous. Hence large
majority on this issue may be regarded as setting
the seal to the utmost freedom Of debate in Phil
adelphia.
a notable verdict was rendered on "Wednesday
Judge Read presiding, in the ease of the assignees
of the Bank of Pennsy lvana against John Miller,
late Postmaster here. When that institution ex-
poded, among the astounding revelations which
came out one after another, John Miller turned up
as having received from Alibone, the President
$1,000 as commission for enabling AbOne to col
lect from the Government the $25000 which the
latter had all ready to pay for the bank building for
a Posi-Ofice. The assgnees thought AllibOne had
no right TO pay this commission, nor Miller any to
receive it, he being an officer of Government, and
thus prohibited from acting as the agent of another
party III transaction between that party and the
Government They accordingly sued for the
amount, and on Wednesday the case closed with
one of the most crushing charges from Judge Read
which has ever been delivered from any bench.
The courtroom WAS crowded with spectators,
among whom were lawyers, judges, bank officers,
and large iDtermixture of stockholders who had
been pundered by AllibOnes lavish squandering of
the ample capital of the Bank. Judge Read de-
nOunced Miller in the seyerest manner for having
concealed from the Postmaster General that he was
acting the secret agent of the Bank. No Director
knew that this money was paid, or that Miller was
an agent. Both facts were purpOsely concealed;
nor were they publicly known until the expo-
sion of the Bank revealed them. Yet AllibOne
himself terrified that there was nothing on
(Which he Miller] could base any claim fer
compensation" Judge Grier had decided that
such concealed agency was both immoral aud Illegal
and Judge Read assented to it, saying to the Jury
with great emphasis: " therefore instruct you
that Mr.. Miller had no right to receive this
" money, and the acceptance was punishable with
" fine and imprisonment; that Mr.. Allibone had no
Authority to pay it, because it would involve the
" Directors in the commission of an 0ffense against
" the laws of the country The consequence 49,
" that the Bank of Pennsylvania is the owner of
/" the money and they are entitled 10 recover it
"with interest, and 80 / instruct you" This
charge left the Jury nothing to do but to render
verdict against Miller which they Immediately did
for $27, go SO, being principal and interest. This
verdict has given great satisfaction here. 1t also
carries with it an ayenging warning to other men
who while Government officers, have been secretly
acting as agents for other parties to their own
emolument. The exposures made on this trial also
afford glimpse to shareholders as to how their
interests Systematically slaughieredn the secret
cOunsels OF men in power The defenceess outsider,
who pays his money, and leaves his property to the
tender mercies of corporation officials, thus makes
himself the meek victim of respectable rapine
What he loses some one else must gain. In tbs
case the money WILL no doubt, be recovered by the
sssignees, but it will be drop in the bucket
OF the great swindle.
While your upper ten have been excited by i'm
posing wedding ceremonies, ours have been at
tracted by imposing funerals Mrs. Eliza IL. Burd
was last week committed 10 the family vault at the
Episcopal Church of st. Stephen in Tenth street,
her will directing that the vault shall thereafter re-
main forever unopened. This lady was the daughter
of long deceased merchant Of great note in his
day. and the widow of Edward Shipper Burd.
Both were possessed of great wealth, accompanied
by Christian liberality OF the most comprehensive
kind. They were the founders and builders of st.
Stephens, adjoining which chapel had been built
BY them 10 receive u monument 10 the memory of
their two daughters, who died unmarried, in the
bloom of early womanbood. This monumental
sculpture has long been admitted to be the most OK