Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-12-22
EDITORIAL GLEAEEGs.

= Secondary McCullocf says in his report
that about eight hundred and fifty millions
in u s. bonds, or one>third Of the public
debt, are now held in. Europe. The gold in
tcrcst on these bonds, amounting to at least
fifty millions annually, goes out ofthe country
and never returns, and the greater part of
the principal will have to be paid in cash be-
sides, the custom house tables show that most
of the values received for bonds come in the
form of merchandise. which has been con-
sumed, and when the bonds fall due they
will come back for cash payment. 1t is an
error to suppose their transfer to Europe
brought capital to the United States, which
has been used to develope the resources of the
country. They went in exchange for import
ed articles, mainly of luxury, and these arti-
cles having been consumed, We have no value
to set off against the debt we owe in Europe.
This certainly is rather bad state of affairs,
for which it will be difficult to find a remedy.
"A speck of war is visible in the East.
The difficulty between Turkey and Greece,
growing out of the rebellion in Crete, threat
ems to prove serious. A Constantinople dis
patch says the Sultan has sent his ultimatum
to the Grecian Government, requiring an an
swer within five days The character of the
ultimatum is not stated, but the cable says the
demand, whatever it may be, is sustained by
England and France. The Turkish Governs
ment is making every preparation for hostil-
itics, and Turkish troops are being concentra>
ted on the frontier of Thessay. Dispatches
from Athens say the Greek Government will
yield nothing, though the King of Denmark
and the Prince of Wales have written to King
George, urging him to concede the demands
of Turkey. If war comes, both Russia and
France arc very likely to be involved in it,
and probably the other Great Powers.
The murder mania has again broken out
and is raging with great violence. Newspa>
pcrs in all parts of the country report MUIR
der after murder, and it would seem as if
half the people were bent on killing the
other half When the murdcrcrs are found
and brought up for trial they are shown to
have been insane from childhood; or if not
that, their parents have been insane or if
not that, some progenitor adozen generations
back, was insane; at anyrato, they are not
responsible for their crimes, and it would be.
barbarous to punish them. The most sin
guar murders lately reported arc the killing
of an old lady in Philadcl phia by her daugh-
ter and son in law, who wanted her money,
and hammered the life out of her with po-
kcr, ana the killing Of a man in Massachu-
sets, by his brother-in-law, who cut his head
clear off with clcavcr.
: The Radical leaders arc now abusing
President johnson for his suggestions on
financial matters, when, as the National In
tclligenccr observes, they are "only another
version of what has been strongly rccommcn-
dod and urgently pressed by several of the
lights ofthc Radicalparty. Senator Sherman
and Representatives Butler and Thad. Stevens
(while living) went even further in the same
direction than Mr.. johnson has gone"
: Both Houses of Congress concurred in
the resolution to take recess from yesterday
(Monday) until January 5th. Mr.. Sumner,
who remains in Washington during the re-
cess, made a turtle opposition to SO long
hiatus in the business OF the session