Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-02-01
FIRST EDITION.
600 p. M.
PHILADELPHIA.
OUR sATURD TER.

Y. NJ. q. A. NHINEhbAh1-AmUbEhENT hOEEs-
Mics NELSON, FEcHrER, &C.
Special Correspondence Of he Commercial.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 81.
To needlessly find fault in oritiosing public
measure is one thing to express conviction,
even where the comment is opposed to popular
feeling or prejudice,is another. In this Centen-
nal business, for example, 1t is very little to the
purpose to say that people who honestly COM
plain of the way the matter is managed have no
heart in the success Of the enterprise. 1t is be-
cause they haUe it's success at heart that they
cannot bear to see time and opportunity wasted,
and are disgusted with the tame and shiftless
manner with which Philadelphia dallies with the
greatest chance she ever had. The propo-
Hition to have the city appropriate half
million to the project is well enough, nor
will any one question the advisAbillty Of the
proposition to have the State subscribe million
additional these, in their way, are good mo-
tions but they do not atone for lack OF individu-
al enthusiasm and corporation. That this
enthusiasm is lacking no one who knows, and is
not afrsid to tell the truth, will deny. The meet
ing Of Wednesday of which so much was expected,
was an essential failure. The papers had been
prophesyin the great things that were to be
done and predicting that the roll OF subscrip-
tions when the reports a the numerous COM
mittees were announced, would mount into the
millions. Instead Of this the sum reported from
all sources was but little more than $3.50, 900.
This was next door to disaster and was generally
felt to be- 30. There is no jubilation over that
meeting which had better on all accounts never
have been held. When people read Of some OF
the heaviest trades subscribing only triiilng
amounts, they may be excused from advancing
their own small earnings. At the Wednesday
meeting these were some Of the subscriptions
brewers Il Maltsters $4,000 Lumber Dealers
$l940 Iron Merchants, $4,000 Cotton and
WNF N ill.,.
pers, $4,000 and most humiliating Of all, Coal
Dealers, $2410. What pitiful showing is this
Can we expect,-do we deserve, = to have
Worlds Fair and our rich men, the while, play
ing such paltry part
Not often do we hear OF councilman being
impeached Demands and threats are often
made, but for waut Of proof or zeal it is difficult
to get to the precise point. The point appears
to be reached however in the case of Mr.. Coun-
Gilman Siner, who has been impeached for num-
erous offences, the principal OF them being the
charge of keeping gambling house. This is
nice business for City Father, and that such
state Of things is even possible ID sad comment
on the way the city is governed. There are
many good and honest men in Councils, which
il ali the more reason that summary justice
should be done such interlopers as Siner. He
has not been tried yet but the feeling is strong
against him, and if he is not elected from Ooun-
ellis there will be trouble.
Our Catholic brethren have been much eXer-
cised this week by certain passages at arms be-
tween Judge Pierce and Priest named Sheeran.
who was witness in the Spellissy homicide case.
The Priest was called to show that the Prison
or (Patrick Smth) was of unsound mind when
he killed Hpellissy. This proof was that Smith
had at different times spoken to his confessor OF
being troubled by apparitions and ghostly ap-
| pearances.
Judge Pierce interrupted the witness to ask
| how that could be proof Of unsound intellect
| when the belief in apparitions was one OF the
recognized doctrines of the church Father
| Sheeran replied that the proof of such appear
| ances must be substantial Judge Pierce want
| ed to know il the mark of Luthere historic ink
| stand was proof that the Devil had really been
| in the presence of the great Reformer which
wrung from the uncautious Priest the admission
/ that the inkmarks might be upon the wall with
| out his Satanic ma jesty having been in the room
| upon which His Honor triumphAntly rejoned-
| II think so, too" That was all Of II but so
i warm are the Catholics over all matters touching
/ the church that quite little excitement was
i raised in consequence. The Judge has esteemed
/ it worth while to make statement declaring
/ that he had no intention of rejecting upon the
opinions or belief Of any OF his fellow citizens,
l &C. which think was rather uncalled for. He
caught Father sheeran mapping The Priest
| did not intend to make the admission he did but
| the Socratian method was too many for him.
| Whether this episode was damaging to Smith
| or not the Jury next day brought him IN gullty
| in the first degree The week has also seen
the conviction of Police Officer Rogers OF the
| murder of John Tweedie, case that has attract
ed great deal OF attention. Tweedie was an
l.inofensive old man who was taken to the Sta
ton House somewhat the worse for liquor. 1t
was proved that he was not habitually dissipa-
ted, but was a steady workman OF respectable
family. When arrested he had his box OF car,
| penter tools with him For some tri1lng act
| Of insubordination at the Station House, Rogers
| beat the old man 30 brutaly that he died shortly
| after being removed to his residence. Second
| Degree was the utmost that could be charged
| for the offence though 30 shocking crime de-
4 IA saN Nd hsal lnaHnV
| may not be lost on the Force, whose hectoring
| and overbearing spirit towards those in the
| charge is becoming a crying evil 1.-The little
| brief authority " the post speaks OF Is nowhere
better illustrated than in the ooarseness and
cruelty of many OF our policemen. The CON
vction Of Rogers has fallen on these tyrannout
| officials like thunder clap.
The appearance Of Vice President Colfax at |
public meeting here in the very heighth OF tht
+, Investigation in which he takes 30 painful ant
} prominent part was exciting event Th'
act showed q boldness which, with many people
| passes for innocence. On that very day (Wed
nesday) the evidence most damaging TO MI Coi
| fax the testimony of the Bank cashier was OF
3 | fered in Washington. While he was comm
] over in the cars that testimony was being given
but the telegraph is swifter than the locomotive
and when the Vice President reached here IN
v | people already had the news he had left benin
( him When he got up to address the immens
8 audience in the Academy he was aware that Ii
Q faced people who knew the whole sad story, ye
y | he never tlinched Furthermore, inc lhsJ tnlll
8 he had done before leaving Washington, was
o rise in the Senate and demand an investigate
s nv that body into his conduct. He left imm'
n diatey to take the train, too soon to hear IN
}. cutting speech Of Senator Thurman, one OF tn
g most offhand but telling things ever done i
}. Congress. This news too-athrmatory OF n
mistake and the inability of the body over wllc
| he presdes to ointerfere-travelled ahead OF him
perhaps he got it from the COMMERCIAL when b
"a reached Wilmington. Altogether that day . ever
| IN "a ramemDere0,
-, Was it really good policy or in good taste
III appear before our public under the clrcumstaI
ces although he had promised to speak FOR u
T. Young Mems Christian Association on that ever
ing vet the unexampled condition OF AFFAIRS tn
a | had arisen since he made the engagement won
have been every excuse that could be neeut
for non appearance. My belief is that he wa
y ted TO test public feeling In marked way, al
10 that he felt the verdict of 80 respectable an
semblage if favorable, would do him good b
fore the country and certainly far as that We
he dict went he had nothing to complain Of Wh'
Dir he arose be was greeted with continuous cheei
e | and upon briefly but with emotion, declarir
Dir the comfort 1t was to him TO have the support
his fellow citizens at such Crisis, there
more cheering, and not single note
disapprobation. You will agree that this 7
M auired eourage such al few men possess w
"a | il indeed the courage OF conscious Innocence
an | Let us hope 30 with all our hearts.
Miss Nelson has closed tumultuously su
,ill | cessful engagement at the Walnut St. IheAtf
,xt Her beauty took the town by storm she ma
EN hAun