New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-01

have also pettiOned Tor nis removal on Vno
grounds that he is cOrruptly using the Grand
Jury and influencing witnesses to intimidate
his opponents by securing their indictment for
imaginary offenses.
Warned by the woes of the last Congress-
Members propose to make an early amend
ment to the rules of the House, so that investi-
cations may be avoided. The device, which
is worthy of the inventor of the famous Back
Pay trick, is to send all inquiries to one of
the Standing Committees; if this Committee
reports that an investigation is necessary, one
may be had. Otherwise that shall be the end
of the matter. This is very neat Committee
room can be made q perfect mausoleum for
party secrets. All the shaky Members will
vote for the ingenious scheme.
On the second page of THE TRIBUNE to-day
we print a full tabular classification of the
XLllld Congress, which meets to-day. The
party majority is figured at twenty-six in the
Senate and one hundredand seven in the House.
When the contested election cases are deter
mined these figures may be changed slightly.
From West Virginia, for instance, there are
two sets of contestants only Hereford being
in both of these sets. There were two cleo
| tons in that State, owing to some misunder-
standing as to the legality of each. Accord
ingly, the West Virginia delegation is not in
cluded in our footings. The Administration
under any circumstances however, will have
large majority in each branch of Congress-
Attorney General Williams is not the first,
| tba fho ind in no M
States whom the Bar would select for the
Chief Justiceship, or THE TRIBUNE would
willingly see installed in the place of Salmon
p Chase. But he is so much better than many
who have been authOritatiyely named, that
we receive the announcements from Washington
with equanimity, if not with satisfaction
Judge Williams is a lawyer of acknowledged
ability, and he fairly won high rank in the
Senate. To name him beside Judge Curtis,
or VIM. NJ. Evarts, is to suggest q criticism
that,-shOuld the appointment be conferred
will be freely made. But he would make
respectable Chief Justice; and it may even be
| in him to make a great one.
| Mr. Casserly's resignation of his seat in the
! United States Senate has undoubtedly thrown
! the California politicians into great confusion.
| Their Legislature meets to-day. 1t was eX-
pected that it would only have to choose his
successor, rs his term would have expired in
| 1876; but Senator for the unexpired term
must now be elected. A local opinion, which
in this case is possibly prejudiced, says that
this unexpected move of Senator Casserly's
helps Gov. Booths chances for the Senate.
1t does withdraw Mr.. Casserly from the con-
test for the next term, and by so much sim
| plifies the political game. The retiring SEN
| ator has not found politics at the Capital con-
| genial; but he returns to private life with an
unstained record and an enviable reputation
for honest zeal and faithfulness in the public
| service.
| 1t is not strange that Sheriff Brennans
delay in removing Tweed to Blackwelrs
Island aroused an apprehension that some
thing would intervene to save the prisoner
from actual punishment. The delay is con
sidered to be proper it is a privilege con-
| coded to all classes of criminals from
murderers to pckpOckets, but it was ex-
ceedngly impolitic. The natural anxiety OF
the people TO see the punishment carried out
has been distorted into demand for Tweed's
instant incarceration, which wholly mis-
represents the actual puOHc sentlmeht'
Inexorable in prosecution, the people are net
inhuman in punishment But Tweed's
removal on Saturday to the Island, and his
Imprisonment with hard labor, will doubtless
convince his friends and foes alike that the law
is to be satisfied. Now he will speedily pass out
of the memory of the busy world as completely
as any of the lower criminals by whom he is
surrounded. There can be no severer punish
ment for Tweed, no greater benefit to the
public. than the utter forgetfulness of him
| which is to ensue.
| THE MEETING OF CONGRESS-