Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-11-23
MINOR NOTES.

The Postmaster General is to make a deter
mined attack upon the swindle upon the Gov
eminent in the sale Of postage stamps by
country postmasters. which has grown 10
alarming proportions.
President Hayes on Saturday signed the
first congress olal act OF his executive life.
The bill was carried 10 him by Representa-
tive Rainey of South Carolina, and Mr. Raj
ney cherishes as n memento the gold pen
with which the President signature was writ
ten.
The Philadelphia North American says that
Mr.. John Welsh, recently appointed Minister
to England, has engaged passage on the
American Line steamer Illinois, that sails on
Thanksgiving day. and that arrangements are
being made by business men and leading cit
liens of Philadelphia to give him royal send
of
The civil engineers Of Boston have sent u
very proper petition TO Congress for the adop-
ton Of the metrical system of measure for the
business of the Government We arr glad to
see that the learned and skilled professions
are not losing sight Of the great advantages
that would come to all forms Of business by
substituting the easy and natural metrical
system for the cumbruus and arbitrary meth
DDS that have been so long imposed upon us
- Boston Post
To declare 10y law that dollars worth of
silver shall be a dollar is one thing 10 declare
that ninety-two cents worth of silver shall be
a dollar is quite another The latter is repu-
diation to the extent of eight cents on every
dollar the former is unobjectionable III prin-
ciple. If We could make a silver dollar equiv
alent to a gold dollar, and keep it So it would
be all right. The difficulty would consist in
preserving the equality Wang JoUrHaL
The full returns from the Pennsylvania
election show that the republican defeat was
owing 10 the same cause rs in Ohio, namely.
the staying at home of republican voters. As
compared with the election of 1876, the ag-
gregate vote showed falling of of 2OO. 900,
and of III, 600 compared with the of cleo
ton in 1870 While defeat at any time and
under any circumstances is in one sense a mis-
fortune, there is nothing in figures like these
10 cause the republican party apprehensions
of the permanent loss of the State. As soon
rs politics become more interesting and the
republican party adopts issues which are worth
fighting for. those 200, 900 voters who stayed
at home will put III an appearance.
And now ii is for the Administration TO take
care that the expectations of its friends shall
be fulfilled. The sincerity of its support
comes from a confidence that il means what il
says, and that it will have the courage of it,
own opinions. If its friends have seemed to
lack enthusiasm, it is because it has itself
seemed 10 be hesitating and reluctant, hoping
/ 10 be friendly all round" That is a fatal
delusion. Indefniteness and timidity viii re-
/ pei friends, but they cannot win foes And
one fact is plain--the Administration in some
] 4 L. = =
/ Pennsylvania, and tue State is lost by heavy
Democratic majority. In Massachusetts the
Republicans heartily sustain the bravest acts
{ of the Administration, and hold the State
more strongly than ever.-Harpey's Weekls
on the Elections.