New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-16

With one of the principals in the late duo
on his way to Europe, and the only witness
whom the authorities have fastened upon
protected by Judge Donohuc's decision in his
refusal to answer, the prospect of Judiciai
investigation is even poorer than 1t was.
There will be no dissatisfaction, however,
with DR.. Phclps's release. He went as ply
stefan. and is hardly to be blamed for declin-
| ing to turn witness.
Washington dispatches announce that the
plan of counting the electoral vote, already
grown familiar, has been substantially adopted
by the joint committee. 1t still includes the
dropping of a Supreme Court Judge from the
arbitration committee by lot About this
method of procedure there are opinions enough,
but it is strange to hear it defended on
the ground that it has always worked well III
the distribution of seats in the House! Also
/ that it is assumed on all sides that the Supreme
| Court will consent to be shaken up in a hat
| President Grant has issued an order to Gen.
| Augur. which does not in fact recognize Gov
| Packard, though it has had all the encourag-
! ing effect of recognition in New-Oreans 1t
| seems TO be notice to Mr.. Nichols not to be
| in too great haste to gObble up the State Gov
| ernment. 1t is announced authoritatively from
| Washington that the President does not con-
slider this action change of his policy of non
interference, although he makes a distinct
| statement of his determination to recognize
the Packard Government, if recognition of
either should become necessary.
Mr. A. Dumont, Chairman of the Republican
State Committee of Louisiana, has been badly
| treated. For particulars, see his dispatch sent
| to Mr.. Chandler just after the election for
transmission to the people OF the United States,
and now first allowed to come to their eyes.
| How Mr. Mccormick suppressed this dispatch
| it would be difficult to say. 1t wouldn't have
| been safe for him to sit on it, Now, after the
! lapse of two months, il eXplOdes like rhetOrl-
cal bomb and blows the language all to pieces.
After all, it is not so much Mr.. DumOnt who
has been badly treated as the people of the
United States. This dispatch should not have
been kept from them. That it was proves
MIR. McCormck's bad taste. If he had been
one of those literary fellers," he would have
RECOGNIZED its merits, got behind some shelter,
and--let it fly.
IL
page makes timely addition to the public
discussion of the Eastern question. lie shows
that Russia is entitled to a liberal degree OF
confidence: that the influence of the Turks is
peInicious, and that the sympathy avOwed for
| them by the governing classes III England pro-
ceeds from unwarranted jealousy OF Russian
ascendency in the East. Mr.. Burnt also
mildly rcbukes such American missionaries as
uphold the Ottoman Power because they enjoy
greater liberty under it than they might be
allowed were the Gar master of the Bos-
phOrus. The veteran abolitionist's arguments
are terse and forcible. The conclusion is incv-
table that Russia is on the side of liberty, and
ought to be sustained by American sympathy
| i'm her efforts to ameliorate the condition of
the oppressed Slaves.
1t may be that Mr. Proctor Knott is getting
a larger share of public attention than Is his
due. Mr. David Dudley Field is conducting
the examinations for his committee, and 1t
was probably Mr.. Field who asked Mr.. Meteor
mick that extraordinarily foolish question
about moneys used by the Republican
National Committee TO influence voters. How
foolish it was even Mr.. Knott saw when Re-
publican member threatened to put the officers
of the Democratic Committee through the same
interrogation. Then Mr.. Knott repented of
what Mr.. Field had done, and the line of ex-
anu. nation was changed. 1t is not by any
means likely that the two National Committees
will 90 into the business of exposing each
other There are too often motives for silence
on each side. But this narrow escape is not
likely to highten Gov. Tilden's opinion of the
wisdom of his investment in Mr.. Field.
In the whole history of life insurance in this
country there has never been such a sickcning
exhibit rs that which the State Superintendent
makes of the affairs and transactions of the
Security Company. This is not case of sim
ple mismanagement or misfortune, but of down
right swindling and perjury. The officers of
the concern deliberately falsilied their accounts
by entries that they knew to be wholly fct-
tious. and then as deliberately made oath to
the falsehOods. Bad as was all this, it was
not enough; they added to it systematic pro
cess of fleeing their unfortunate policy hod-
ers by inducing them to accept new policies
for old ones, thus relinquishing their claims for
the reserve which had accumulated on their
policies. BY this speciOus rascality the officers
were in hopes to build up the company and
cover their own crimes. The exposure comes
none too soon. Let us hope that the punish
ment will be proportional to the offense.