New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-20

first announced in THE TRIBUNE. down to the
mockery of justice which eliminated last
week in the acquittal of Sprague and
the immunity of ROdman. While it
must be a constant source of chagrin to
all who had hoped for a display of the power
and progress of reform in the government of
Brooklyn, that the prosecutions have arrived
at such futile results, and that the proved
criminal, Rodman, must go unwhipt of justice,
it is at least source OF satisfaction that Brit
ion, the prime mover of instruction in these
suits, through whom the prison has been
cheated OF its due has at least been depOscd
from Office and deprived of the opportunity
for further mischief, principally through the
efforts of THE TRIBUNE.
Judge Allison, Register of the Treasury, is
out with a mass of trashy statistics to show
the debiltated condition of the country, and
the perlls of returning to specie as the
measure of value Judge Allison confOunds
capital with currency, and the transfer of
capita with its destruction. The payment of
debts. or of the interest on debts, has not
diminished the capital of the country an atom.
In certain cases it may transfer the owner
ship of capital to foreigners, but the general
opinion is that foreigners have increased their
investments here by lending us. in round num-
bers, thousand million dollars worth Of
capital during the last ten years. What does
Mr. Allison think of Francef Is that country
ruined because five francs means five francs
in specie, as it should, instead OF piece of
Ornamentea paper, labeled five francs Does
national honesty cost more than national dis
honesty? Does a little matter of ten per cent
Justify great nation like ours in refusing for
half a generation more to honor It's paper 7
We think not.
The House of Representatives at Washing
ton, last night, was the scene OF one OF the
most disgraceful exhibitions it has ever wit
messed To a full House and crowded gal
leries Mr.. Batter of Massachusetts, addressed
o speech of an hOur and a half, which for
blackguartlIsm and falsehood, cOarsencss and
brutality, ciownisincss and low builoonery,
was never equaled in any assembly calling
itself reputable or decent. 1t would be i'm
possible, we presume, for Mr. Batter to say
or do ANYTHING to sink himself lower than he
already is in public estimation, so the speech
can dol its author no harm. AS to the gentlemen
assaled whom this man-whose name is syn
onym for all that is vulgar, tricky, mean, and
dishonest in American politics-calls snug
"gling perjured villains" they need no de-
Tense from any such attack. The high char
acter of Mr.. VIM. E. Dodge needs no vindi-
cation from the assaults of such man as
Butler. Even il Mr.. Dodge were not known
to be a gentleman whose character for inteS-
rty and honor is above reproach. and were
Mr.. Butler not known to DO what he is, the
latter would have defeated the purpose OF his
attack by the ierceness and unreasOnableness
of his denunciatOn. The whole speech was
disgraceful, and it is the shame of the Amerl-
can Congress that it was listened to and
laughed at.
1t is time the CHASTITY farce of attempting
to reorganize the dead Indian Commission
were stopped. That Commission, as originally
appointed, was composed, as the law required,
of men really "eminent for their intelligence
"and philanthropy" The law specifically
forbade their getting any pay. Such men as
George III. Stuart of Philadelphia, John V. Far
well of Chicago, Edward s. TObey of Boston,
and William f. Dodge and Nathan Bishop OF
New-Yoik, served for five years, some OF them
giving from two to three months time in a year
to the work, but none ever receiving, or dream
ing of receiving penny. Finally, to fill a
vacancy caused by the failing health of ex-
Senator Henry 5. Lane, hack politician from
Ohio was put in. 1t now appears that he has
been eager to go off on all sorts of missions,
and in the specific case to which a
thoroughly well-lnformed correspondent
on our fourth page refers, he seems
to have made the mission profitable
to the extent of about $1,000 Here is man,
standing before the public as person
"emineut for intelligence and philanthropy"
required by law to serve without pay, going
off on the swiDdling trip to the Teton Sioux,
travelling on passes, charging full mileage, sub
sistence, ETC., and finally collecting ten dollars
day salary. The Assistant Secretary of the
Interior is reputed to be engaged now in
forming new Commission. The sort
of views he will entertain of the
character of the men required may be inferred
from the fact that he, too, went on the Teton
Sioux swindling trip, and made similar
charges, although at the time drawing his
regular salary as an Assistant Secretary of
the Interior, and although tho law spe-
officially forbids all officers in the Govern
ment service to draw two salaries at one
time. The adventurer put in the place of
Henry S. Lane now figures as President of the
Indian Commission, and the Assistant Sec
rotary is hunting around for similar adven-
turers to fill up the Board and continue the
erotesque sham. They need not suppose that
anybody will be deceived by it, but to all
who care to realize the exact facts. we commend
a careful attention to the letter to which we