The national Republican., 1869-01-15
our "r~..A,..'ssserr..sSa.....

I
baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company vir-
tually to break up tho navigation Of the Ohio
river by steam These eforts are Involved In
that company's persistent efforts to bridge
the Ohio at BellaIr and Parkersburg with
bridges Of but three hundred feet spans, in-
stead OF ave hundred feet spans, which the
stea mboatlns interest In that quarter contend
are necessary, II the river is to be bridged.
The railroad company long since obtained
charters from West Virginia And Ohio to |
bridge the Ohio at those points. The United |
states Senate passed bill for the protection |
Of the steamboating interest, making II obli. |
gstory on the company to use the ave hun |
dred feet spans, which the railroad company |
managed to smother In the House. The CON-
pany in the meanwhile have been pushing
the construction OF the bridges OF the smaller
span. The Post once Oommittee have bill
direeting the work to be suspended until q
survey and report upon II can be made BY
United States engineers, showing whether the
smaller spans will not virtually destroy the
navigation OF the Ohio river by steamboats,; = |
matter OF much greater public interest than
the improvement Of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroads connections by substituting bridges
for steam ferries across the Ohio. The rail-.
road company 10 fighting this bill now before
the Post Once Committee by all conceivable
means. Congress, without knowing precisely
what they were about In so doing, some time
since made these prospective bridges post
routes, which fact the company are using by
way Of Justifying their prosecution OF the
work so ss TO get It finished II possible before
'he Post Once Committees bill can be nuaIly
disposed OF.
PERRY FuLLER's MAN.
Mr.. Alexander II. Banks, recently nomi.
aaNaA faF Iali 80
Lot mistaken, by Dol wynkoop's resignation
n high dudseon, Is the same gentleman who,
Tor years, was Perry Fuliers chief clerk aud
nsnssins man In Kansas . fact which, I
imagine, wall prevent his conar m stion, even
though he may be otherwise acceptable to the
senate. Fuller 10 quito as obnoxious to the
Republicans Of the senste IS II 10 possible for
. mAn to be, And the bad odor In which he is
held among them will inevitably so attach
itself to Mr.. Banks as to leave no ghost Of
chance for his confirmation.
THE MAINE SENATORIAL CONTEST.
As bitter ss the Senatorial contest In Maine
has now become. there can be little doubt Of
the election Of Mr.. Hamlin, n las 10 10
alleged will be the easel the Democrats OF the
Maine Legislature vote for the reelection Of
Senator Morrill,. hear from Maine to-day,
that such an event will surely induce large
number Of Senator Ms Republican supporters
to acquiesee In the claim OF the HAmlinites,
that the vote he received was equivalent to .
Republican party caueas nomination.
NEw TELEoRArHIc IDEA.
A petition presented to the Senate yesier.
day by Mr.. Sumner, OF DR.. NJ. Loomis, OF this
eity, is likely to give rise to numerous expert
| ments on the part Of scientific men for the
| further improvement OF telegrsphing. DR.. l..
asks an appropriation Of $4,000, to be ex.
pended under his supervision tbut not by him.
| selO In testing his theory, that no wires are
necessary to be used in telegraphins, his idea
being that, as the earth now answers for one
wire, the air will answer for the other. When
telegraphs were hrst used, II was not known
that messages could be sent In contrary direc.
tions At the same moment on single wire; so
two wires were used. 1t was subsequently
discovered that by using the earth as one
"pole," single wire answered In place oftwo.
This was a great stride In the progress OF tele
graphing, and has resulted in great saving oi
money. DR.. LOOMS, who has been expert
menting on the subject for ten years, contends
that, at a suficient elevation above the cur.
rent OF wind clouds, the electricity OF the air
will furnish as good q medium for telegraph
| leg ~s thst Of the ssi u. a.s.. lie Pre- posss o
have the Government build towns on high
mountains, from which he wishes to test his
| theory. His reputation as q elear.headed and
| well-in formed man Of science will set all the
telegraph improvers to experimenting on his
Ideas, which are so far foreshadowed In his
| petition as to enable them to comprehend the
| principles on which his theory is based.
YET ANOTHER FINANCIAL scHENE.
The Senate's Finance Committee are said
to be maturing a financial bill to cover all
po ints on the subject OF the national finances
now In issue before Congress and the nation.
This is a comprehensive undertaking., truly.
When completed 1t Is Intended to refer 1t TO q
Republican party caucus.
RETURN or SENATOR MORRILL,.
Senator Morrill, was In his seat In the SEN
ate to-day. So the Sherman railroad bill will
soon be disposed OF by the body. Mr.. Morrill,
is Regarded a. hs man who 1. to manage the
case against the bill.
| A NECESSITY.
| The friends OF the Sherman bill should cause
hundred thousand petitions TO be printed,
asking Congress to authorize the construo.
tion Of more railroads centering In Washing.
| ton. In month half q million OF signatures
could be obtained to them, II energeticAliy
circulated far and widej while not ten thou
sand can be obtained against the measure.
The presentation OF such petitions here, nu.
merously signed, would have great weight
with quite a number OF Senators and members
who now take little interest in the subject.
THE AMNESTY QUESTION.
Information reached here to-day to the Of.
feet that the Tennessee Lesislature have In.
definitely postponed the proposition pending
before them 10 grant amnesty to all Tennessee
rebels In the meanwhile the Eight on the
same subject between the Conservative and
Radical committees from yirginia now at
| tending (innRFaaa ~ ~ hon rl,
The Conservative committee are to-day greati!
elated over the prospect OF their cause befor,
the 5enste's judiciary Conf mittee, yet tn
Radicals seem sure OF defeating them evel
there. Itis to be hoped that the upIhot OF tn,
movement OF the Virginia Conservatives viii
be the addition OF considerable strength Il
! that State to the cause OF the reeonstructioI
policy of Congress. The Conservative com
mite" have but to satisfy Congress that theI
are In earnest In protesting to accept the re
construction laws to create powerful part,
among the Republican Senators and member
In their favor.
TIE SUE MURPHY CASE.
| While think 1t unlikely that my genera
legislation to cover such cases as the "Su
Murphy" claim will triumph, the discussion II
the Senate upon 1t will be likely to result IL
the payment OF the claims OF southern Union
lists for property destroyed by the Union troop
during.the war, where the facts of such destruc
tion, as well as the thorough loyalty OF the ap
plieants, can be proved past any question
Each such case will be considered and Judged
upon its individual merits.
THE MISSOURI sKNAToRsHIP.
me defeat OF Senator Henderson, by thirty
majority, In the Missouri legislative Republi
eanpsfty caucus (news Of which reached thu