New-York tribune., 1874-07-04

upshot of his investigation is statement OF
the probability that the five Republicans anu
| four Conservatives representing virginia Ill
the present Congress are likely to be sue
oeeded by six Conservatives and four kepuo-
licans.
The ravages Of grasshOppers in some OF tie
| counties in Minnesota have been so CeIiipy
destructive that all the crops have peen sweep
away completely, as by fire. Inc des'i.uuon
caused by this visitation is so widespread anu
| connlete that upon the testimony OF orusO-
worthy men who have traversed the oe'aSCa
ted region Gov. Davis has issued q circular
letter TO the Oranges of the State, ASKING
their aid to relieve the distress. Assistance
has not been asked outside the State, but con-
tr;butions from any source, addressed to Gen.
II n. Sibley. at st. Paul, will be gratefully
received and Immediately used for the relief
of the sufferers.
The new Commission for the government of
the District of Columbia organized yesterday
and made good beginning in the work OF
overhaulng the legacy of anarchy, extrava-
gance and mlsrule left them by the Shepherd
| Administration. The results of the first days
investigation prove that the half of the mis-
5oings of the old Ring has not been told.
! The manner in which the new Commission
takes hold of its work promises well for
| thorough reform in the District Government,
| to the relief of the burdened taxpayers and
the satisfaction of the people of the whole
country who have been disgraced by the
| scandals of the Ring.
The decision of Surrogate Hutchings setting
aside the will and cOdicil of Frederick Roll
wagen disposes of an estate of several millions
cf dollars. The case is remarkable not only
for the amount involved but for the extra
ordinary length and bitterness of the litigation
IN the contest of the WILL The evidence IN
the case fills many thousands of pages of manu-
script, and the printed argument of Henry L..
Clinton for the victorious contestants alone
makes O volume of two hundred and fifty
pages. The trial has extended over several
months. The decision of the Surrogate virtu-
ally declares the will to have been manufac-
tured and the infant claimant not to have
been a child of the decedent.
There seems to be no end to the rascalites
practiced under the short-lived government
OF MeSSTS. OntpHtIu N w. III tHO DiouiiCV VI
Columbia. Fired by the example of their white
brethren in higher station, two colOred states
men-one member of the District Leglsla-
ture, messenger in the Controllers Office, and
President of Republican Club; the other a
graduate of Howard University, and clerk in
the Office of the Collector of the District-un-
dertOOk to turn dishonest penny by forging
orders on the Controller. The latter officer
being opposed. we presume to attacks upon
the characters of faithful public officers, did
not concern himself with discovering the
forgers, and so the police took the business In
hand and caught the offenders. Upon the
whole that District Government was rather
interesting nest
1t will not surprise those who observed the
extraordinary efforts which were required in
some of the smaller colleges to place crew
at Springfield that in several instances the
boating fever passed its climax last year. But
the views of those who expected that sooner
or later the annual regatta would be sifted
down to the old contest between Harvard and
Yale will be somewhat modified by tho letter
of our correspondent on the third page, which
shows good ground for believing that Cornell
will, at all events, continue to be perma-
nent competitor for aquatic laurels. This
year she too has sent crew of remarkable
physical power, including one man who is
noticeable in this respect even among the
young giants gathered at Saratoga. 1t seems
probable, however, than an absurd system
of entertaining is injuring this crew, and
diminishing prospect of success otherwise
exceptionally excellent
About four thousand of the liquor dealers
of the city-that Is, above One-half the whole
number engaged in the retail traffc-are in
open revolt against the Excise laws A large
and rich lobby in this interest vainly urged
b. the last Legislature to reduce their license
fees, and have taken the present step as last
effort to nullify the Excise law. The Excise
Board in response have not sued the dealers,
as they expected, but have quietly secured
the Indictment of sixty of the most active
leaders in the revolt. If convicted of violat-
ing the Excise laws the guilty dealers may be
fined $3.50 and sent to Blackwell's Island for
one year. The summary trial and punishment
of few of those indicted will doubtless bring
the others to their senses. We hope the Dis
trict Attorney will pursue the matter promptly
There are few outside of the 5000 liquor deal-
ers in the city who will not agree with us in
saying that the fees for license are already
too low, and the Excise law and police regu-
lations concerning dram shops too lax.
The continuance of the Indian Commission,
after the resignation of Messrs. Stuart, Dodge,
and the other members who gave it character
and the confidence of the country, is of course