New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-03

ton on the question of Privilege, managed to
repair his blundcr. H. il not to his credit that
in doing So he should make an uDiustiiiable
attack on Mr. Lowe for exercising what, under
the circumstances, was Il perfectly proper dis
erection.
MONTPELIER Vermont. is almost as uDluc,Sy rs
Oshkosh in the matter Of fires. The destruc-
ton of twenty stores and dwellings, on Friday
night has served with the work of other recent
cOnflagratiOns TO lay waste about half OF TIC
business portion Of the first named city. But the
enterprise Of the Vermont people is prOverba
and we are not surprised to hear that the
| sufferers are already preparing to resume busi-
| ness ia better houses.
The advces "a to the progress OF Senator
| Bou,well's Committee in the investigation Of
! the management of the Excessive branch
OF the Government give an approval OF the
efficiency of the Treasury Department, which,
thanks to Secretary BristOw's record, is hardly
necessary. Mr.. Boutwell, taxes our creduliiy,
however, wien he informs us that "the gen
! "cra management is about the same ~ when
"he was Secretary of tho Treasury II Is to
he hoped that the Committee will not feel
that their duty calls only for n certificate of
efficiency and good conduct for every depart
ment.
II there was ever any hope Of Reform from
the new Board of Indian Commissioners. such
hope would be pretty effectually dspclled by
the story Of It's operations as told to-day in
Washington letter printed on our second
page. Since the retirement of the old
Board, TIE Ring seems to have had IFS own
way; partly, no doubt, because of the idea OF
majority of the members that their first
allegiance i TO the Secretary of the Interior,
and that it Is their highest duty to carry out
his wishes.
The existence of the Merchants Life Insnr-
ance Company of this city is CLOSING. amid
trouble and contention. A committee has been
engaged iu winding up The Affairs, and
now comes up au application for the
appointment Of Receiver. which
eubarIasses their efforts. Friends of
former administration of the company
charge Encouragement and self-interest on the
present head. and the charges are rctorted
upon the man formerly ia Office. One thing is
certain. The capital of the company has been
impaired, and tho hopes of the STOCKHOLDERS
vibratc betwecn'a dividend OF forty per cent
and zero.
The Secretary OF the Treasury, after permit
ting his currency cash balance to run down to
81 ,O96,376, direct. the sale this month OF five
millions in gold. 1T would have been better for
all concerned had the Secretary resumed his gold
sales two months ago. At that time, however,
Mr.. Bristow was in q state Of alarm, having
discovered the Sinking Fund, and being in
doubt whether justice could be done TO the
bOndholders without increasing taxes forty Of
fifty million dollars a year. We think it was
mistake TO permit the current money In the
Treasury to run down from seventeen millions
TO one million. and We should be glad 10 see
this false step retraced.
The centennial celebration, TO take place in
WcNmoreland County, Penn, on the 10th
of this month, assumes rather drOll air in
view Of the fact that the resolutions whose
adoption is COMMUNICATED declared the I'M
shaken loyalty Of the people of Penn~
sylvania "to His Majesty King George
"tho Third, our lawful and ri;,htful King y
aud thia after the massacre Of Americans at
Lexington. TO call such document a Dccla-
ration of Independence is to twist il into
shape in which tho original would never bo
recognized The resolutions were no doubt
patriotic in intent and spirit but thcy were
very far from being declaration like that of
Mecklenburg, in North Carolina.
With the frivolous wrangling OF Messfs.
Beach and Tracy, the defense in the Beecher
case rested the other day, and the prosecution
resumes this morning the work of repairing
tho breaches in their line of attack. They will
utterly overthrow the attempt to connect MIR.
Tuton with the Woodhulls in tho Communist
procession--a trivial matter, TO which tho de-
fense attached undue Importance, and on
which it was certainly mistaken from the out
get. On the other hand, they will gain
nothing by their effort to have
Mrs. T'ilton placed upon the stand.
This roor woman has already given too much
testimony on both sides. The ends Of justice
did not need that she should be further tor
turtd by lawyers and held up to the prurieDt
curiosity of the country.
The sinking Of the tracks OK the railroads
which find 40 outlet from tlie city through
Fourtt-ave. has been ono of the Di0st impor-
t.nt of the works attempted in NowlcIk, aud
both the public and the Companies arc to be
congratulated that. with seven hours work
yesterday, the labor of over two years
and the expenditure OF several inilions
of dollars were rendered available. The cheers
of those who witnosscd the passage Of tho first
train over the underground tracks will doubt
less find an echo throughout the city, for
safety, comfort and the value Of property viii
he enhanced hv the cOmpletiOn Of this great