Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-02-02
WASHINGTON news.
Special to The New York Herald.

Special 70 the New York HERALD
WAsHIF GToN. January 80.
THe DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY PREPARED FOR
AoTI0E-THE COMING CONTEST on TIE
CURRENCY QUESTION.
The Democrats are now pretty rapidly
getting ready the measures with which
they propose to 90 to the. House and the
country. They have been busily at work
10 their preparation, aud at the same
time have, BY deliberations among the
leaders and members, perfected the party
discipline and made Of the majority a
compact body in support OF the impor-
tsnt measures on revenue and currency
which they will bring forward.
1t is not yet certain whether the tariff
or the currency will come up frat for
discussion, but a number Of gentlemen
have speeches on the financial question
ready to FIRE of, and will probably be
anxious to p~recipitate the debate on that
subject. 1t is not yet certain in what
manner the two parties will join issue On
resumption. 1t is understood that both
sides will favor resumption, and that the
Republicans will take the ground ia
favor Of measures to withdraw the legal
tenders, while the Democrats may seek
contraction by attacking the national
banks with measures intended to force
them to withdraw their notes. The
precise nature OF the plan Of either party
is not yet known, and they are probably
not yet perfected, but the battle will be
not between contraction aud expansion,
but between different methods OF con-
traction, and it may be taken for granted
that the Democratic party in the House
does not mean to make the blunder Of
favoring initiation.
SENATOR M0RTQNs WITNESSES IN HIS IN
TINIDATIoY AND OUTRAGE CHARGES.
A. Warner is chairman of the Ames
Republican State Committee in Missis-
sippi. o. G. French ia the person to
whom Ames gave the contract Of hiring
negro convicts to the planters as planta-
ton laborers, and is besides n member of
the Centennial Commission. These two
and one S. A. Vose, alias Voseburg, APP
pear 81 defendants in a complaint filed
by the Attorney General of Mississippi,
in the Chancery Court, in which they are
charged with having, by fraud, obtained
from the State aoout $4,000 acres Of
land, and having failed to render any &C.
count Of what they had done with it; to
pay to the State tbs money they we're
required to pay for it or to make the
improvements in Pearl river which they
we're required to make in return for the
land grant. They are said to have sold
about $l75, 900 worth OF this land, and
the Attorney General now sues to force
them to render an account to the State.
These are the kind OF men who have
been for some weeks deceiving Senator
Morton about Mississippi affairs, and
~persuading him that it is necessary to
investigate the State.
A SECRET POLITICAL oRGANIzArIoN-ITs
PRINCIPLES N OBJECTS.
a secret organization has recently
been started, and has already a member
ship Of Is, 200. It is called The Free
School Guard" Its headquarters are in
Washington, D. G. The rules for gov
eminent are similar to those of the
Patrons Of Husbsndry. Its objects are
as follows:
"The Union and the Constitution.
Liberty and Union forever. The pre-
servation Of our public institutions
Free schools, free speech and a free
press. Public schools to be free from
s~ectsrisn influence and control. No
sectarisn school to receive State or Ma
tional aid. The State or National Gov
eminent to provide for the education Of
every capable child. Education shall
be compulsory. No education, no fran
chise. One term OF six years for the
President OF the United States. Loyalty
to the government. Church property to
be taxed. The President of the United
States to be elected by q direct vote Of
the people.
"The declaration OF principles is
Political, but not partisan. Motto-In-
telligence, freedom and Union. Watch
word-Preach q crusade against igno-
rance"