The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-01-10
concord and harmony between the North

cil ana southern States
"A complete revolution is impending in
. the coal trade. For some time past the
great carrying companies have been estab-
| fishing themselves also rs dealers, and the
retail merchants have been gradually driv-
en- from the field. The meeting in New
York last Monday. at which six corpora
lions were represented, was held with
closed doors. 1t is understood, however,
that the object was to organize combina-
ton to control prices. Assurance is given
from high authority that the consumers
will gain instead of losing by the proposed
monopoly. Time alone will show how far
such assurances are trustworthy.
A controversy between the United
States Government and the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company concerning the
right OF the latter to hold the Harper's
Ferry Arlnory property has taken new
shape. The Law Department of the Gov
eminent holds that the Company have no
equitable title to the lands, not having
fulfilled the original conditions of SALE
Various motions have been made in the
course of the litigation, and now it is pro-
posed to compel the railroad company to
vacate the premises. The proceedings will
be watched with some interest as the value
OF property involved is large.
AT meeting of the Executive Com
mittee of the Labor Reform party of Ten
nessee, in Nashville, on Saturday, resolu-
lions were adopted declaring the present
panic 1.-The result of a combination of
Eastern capitalists, bondholders and mo-
nopolists " that the capitalists and bond
holders of the East "are imposing bur-
dens and hardships on the industry of the
West and South more intolerable than
slavery" and calling convention of the
laboring and producing classes of the
South and West to meet at Louisville on
February 22d to consult as to the best
mode of freeing themselves "from the un-
just and oppressive combination
General Sherman, in his statement be-
fore the Military Committee in reference
to the reduction of army expenses, gave it
as his opinion that the force of cavalry,
artillery and infantry is at its minimum,
and if there must be a reduction it can
only be in the engineer corps and staff
He thinks that, with the exception of the
forts at New York and Boston, some Of
those at Portland, Me-. ard Fort Alcan-
traZ, at San Francisco, the sea cost de-
fences are of mot the slightest import
arce, and should not have another dollar
I
sible contingent Importance of Fort
Schuyler and the fort at Wllett's Point, n.
Y. should He'll Gate be opened. but thinks
that no expenditure should be made Until
that time.
The State debt of Louisiana is $24,
2o3, 1856. Governor kellogg in his message
to the Legislature says: "Some of the
debt is of doubtful legality, and the ques-
of 81, A.
Interest on the whole had been paid to
date, but could be paid no longer without
tax rate which would be almost confisca-
ton. He recommended that the whole
debt be funded at 60 cents on the dollar in
Z per cent bonds, payment to be secured by
constitutional amendment This scheme
would reduce the debt to SIS, 900. He
argues that the new consols would be
worth par, while the bonds are now worth
on the market only so per cent, and he
says the New Orleans Chamber of Com
merce and the large bond holders approve
the plan.
A bill has been introduced into the
House which provides that all the railroads
i'll the United States shall be regardeded as
employed in commerce among the several
States, and that no such company, corpora
! ton, or person operating a line of railroad
shall charge, or receive more than a fair
and reasonable rate of toll or compensation
for the transportation of passengers or
freight to be fixed by law. The bill pro-
vides for the appointment by the President,
by and with the consent of the Senate, of
Board of Railroad Commissioners, one to
be chosen from each of the Judicial Cir
cults of the United States. Such Com
mIssioners are prohibited from being inter-
ested in any manner in the stock or proper
ty OF any transportation company. THIS
is the first influence of the farmers move
ment in the West upon Congress.
There is decided improvement in the
revenue. Collections from both internal
revenue and import duties are constantly
increasing, though it seems likly to be sew
eral months before the normal condition of
business will be stored Expenditure on a
great many public improvements have
been stopped on account of the beginning
OF winter, and the drafts on the Treasury
for two or three months will accordingly
be much lessened The increase of the
revenue and reduction of expenditures will
cooperate to make the debt statement for
January much more favorable than for
December The same influence will be
active through February and March, and
there is very good reason to believe that
for the first three months of the present
year, taken together, there will be no ma
terial increase Of the public debt About
half of the $44, 000,0 reserve is in circu-
lation. Somewhat more than half of it.
has been drawn, but $4,000 900 appears as
currency balance in the Treasury.
Party contentious in Spain have led to
the forcible dissolution of the Cortes and
the selection of a new Ministry. When
| the Cortes came together on Friday, end
instant, the only business that seems to
have been transacted was the reading of
President Castelar's message. On Satur
day the PreSinent was twice defeated: in
the final vote there was a majority of 20
against him. Gen. Pavia, at once sum-
moned the Cortes to dissolve, and upon a
failure to comply with the request, he
caused possession to be taken of the place
of meeting by body Of soldiers. He then
took up position outside, with cannon
pointed at the building. Senior CASTELAR,
refused to continue in office, and Gen.
Pavia called meeting of men of all par
ties, excluding Carlists and Intransigentes
to form new Government. The result
has been the selection of Ministry, of
which Marshal Serrano is the President
anu rSloI SdSdStd hlulSIef OF Foreign
Affairs.
The Neao York Times gives highly
clrcumstantial and interesting account of
the last two years wanderings of Ethel
bert A. Woodward, Clerk of the old Board
Of Supervisors, and chief dividing agent of
the plumber of the Tweed ring. lie be-
came alarmed when the exposures of the
ring were made, and fled to Montreal
After being secreted in Canada for awhile,
he made his way disguised as negro, to
Boston, from whence he took passage to
Havana. From there he went to Vera
Cruz, thence to San Francisco, where he
met Boss Tweed. From San Francisco he
went to New Orleans. then to Fernandina.
Florida, and thence he came to Baltimore,
Whilst here he stopped at the Carrollton,
where he was recognized by several of the
guests, and also by some of the hotel
officials, who had seen him in New York.
number of friends called to see him. and
held long confidential conversations with
bin. About a week after, his wife and
family came on from Norwalk. and with
him left for Europe by the Baltimore Eu.
ropean Steamship Line. Arriving in Eng
land, and after making tour through that
country, he visited Scotland and Ireland.
At the Shelbourne Hotel, Stephens Green.