New-York tribune., 1875-01-23

thing, 1t is that tho distribution of tho greater
confded to Schumacher, King. and Whiting
1t is incredible that these men should have
received such largo amounts-in Schumaker's
case as much as $500. O.00O-merely for their
personal influence in favor of the subsidy
scheme.
The election of Gov. A. s. PADDOCK as oni'eu
States Senator from Nebraska is another evi-
denee that the independence shown OF late IN
popular elections is working its way into Leg
islatures Gen. Thayer was the regular caucus
nominee of the Republicans, and was the Ia
vorite of the Administration. His defeat was
secured by coalition between the Independ-
ent Republicans and Democrats. Thus King
Caucus and the Administration receive another
severe blow, and we have reason to believe
Nebraska secures a good Senator.
In the General Term of the Supreme Court
yesterday District Attorney Phelps was ad-
vised to apply for legislation to amend a
defective law, whose faults had been shown
in rather curious way. In lower court
criminal had been convicted Of an attempt at
arson. Arson is punishable with life imprison-
ment, and the penalty for an attempted crime
is fixed at One-half that for the crime itself.
This provision of the law caused dilemma
and the criminal was sentenced for Inisde-
meanor only. His counsel appealed, but pre-
cipitately withdrew the appeal when Informed
in the Supreme Court that success in their
appeal would cOnsign their client to Lie
imprisonment.
The report of the special committee appointed
by the caucus of Republican members of the
House to recommend legislation as to Southern
affairs is exactly what might have been ex-
pected from a committee with Representative
White the Alabama Ananias, at its head
Mr.. Whites committee recommends the pas
sage of various bills with extraordinary pro-
visions, but alike in that the object OF all Is
the recapture of the votes of the Southern
States by the Republican party. 1t remains to
be seen whether thoughtful Northern Repub-
licans in the House are ready to follow Mr.
Whites lead in res0rting to such measures for
the sole purpose of restoring supremacy to a
party well-known to be fairly in the minority,
and whose representative men in the section
to be affected are utterly without the confidence
of the people among whom they dwell.
Notwithstanding the halfavowed and gen.
eraily we'll l-known motives of the visit of Mr..
Hoar and his associates to New-Orleans the
Conservatives of Louisiana meet them as they
met the Foster Committee. throwing wide open
the door of inquiry. In the language of our
dispatch, "The people are determined to con-
"vinoe these gentlemen Also" This spirit is
commendable, although to some of us the task
may seem hopeless, when we remember that the
result of one of the fairest and fullest investf-
cations of the day has been set aside by these
investigators, simply because it did not con-
form to their own previously expressed opinions.
1t is to be hoped, however, that the people of
Louisiana will carry out their purpose, and go
over the whole story of their oppression again;
it is one that cannot be laid before the cOun-
try too often.
According to late telegram fears are still
entertained that a conflict between Monte
negro and Turkey cannot be avoided. The
foreign powers which have undertaken the
task of cajoing or intimidating the principals
in this affair, ought to be very much dissatis-
fed with their own capabilities if they permit
war. Turkey has made the first ad-
vance in the direction of a peaceful
settlement by withdrawing the demand
for the surrender of the surviving Mon
tenegrins implicated in the Podgoritza
outrages Russia and Austria ought to be able
to keep back the fre-eating HOspodar until
the sentence On the convicted murderers is
carried into execution. Perhaps, after all, the
sanguinary threats of the Hospodar and the
restraining influence of Russia and Austria are
only a kind of by-play, intended to convince
the Porte of the herculean efforts necessary
to avert an imminent danger.
Messrs. Briggs, Fowler. and Hadley, the State
Assessors, have for two years labOliously and
cOnscientiously performed the important du-
ties which attach to their thankless Office
Their reports are among the most valuable of
those which the State printers consign to OBJ
scurity. We print this morning their state
ment of the facts by which they were guided
in fixing the valuations Of real estate in the
several counties for State taxation. Loud
complaints have been made In various parts
of the State of the injustice of the changes
made by them, but we have nowhere seen
any reasons given for the charges against them
which can stand against the array of facts by
which they vindcate their action. The assess
ment of personal property is quite another
matter. Personal property never has been
and never can be fully and equitably taxed.
If ANYTHING more unequal and unjust than
the practical operation of the present system
can be devised it would be well to try it by
way of experiment. Reform of this abuse,
like specie payments and the extinction of