Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

case the judge kindly remarked that al
there had been little want of under
standing among them, they might consol,
themselves by thinking they had given (
very sound judgment" There are, never
theless. occasions on which 4" little wan
of understanding of this nature mich
lead to rather serious results. ALPHA.
DR.. McCosh of Princeton college is :
good debt raiser. During his administra
ton S2,500,000 has been given to thai
institution, and now the last 1920. 900 Of
its debt is lifted by friends who wisely
stipulate that the college mustn't hereafter
live beyond its income.
1t is curious coincidence that the new
Senate will have the same democratic
majority (eighD rs the last democratic
body which adjourned in 1861. This
ranks David Davis rs an Independent, and
takes account of the two Americans in
that earlier Senate. Charles Sumner and
Henry Wilson were there to represent
Massachusetts and JEFF Davis Mississippi
then.
The apportionment Of members of con
gress according to the coming census has
been calculated by the Chicago Times, on
the basis of representative ratio of l50.-
900 to the district with House of 500
members (twenty-seven more than now
to give the south net gLin of three anu
the north gain of twenty-four, the pre-.
ponGerance of the west being greatly
increased, as it must be under any fir
apportionment. The nine northwestern
states would have one hundred represen-
tatives where they now have eighty-five,
thus securing more than one-haIf the
increase.
The question of what constitutes q quo
rum, whether majority of the represent
atives serving or whether majority of the
total membership, will come up early at
the extra session of congress, rs an i'm
portant matter, rs California will be UNI
represented in The House and New Hamp-
shire will be only half represented in the
Senate. The House will, at the time the
extra session convenes, contain one hun
dred and forty-six democrats, one hundred
and twenty-eight republicans and thirteen
greenbackers, so it is stated, but the latter
claim twenty-one members.
1t is intimated that the president will
direct the secretary of war to expend only
such appropriations in the river and harbor
bill rs for works of n national character.
and mot touch any Of the money appro.
priated for small creeks that will hardly
float washtubs." President Grant followed
this course once when the appropriations
were made late in the summer and saved
the country several millions of dollars. Ii
is in President llayes's power to save Il
large amount of the appropriations con-
tanned in the river and harbor bill Just
passed, and he is inclined to do it.
The California constitutional convention
is solving the Chinese problem in its own
fashion. 1t has adopted as part of the
proposed new constitution, first, II provision
that no corporation ahalI employ any
Chinese or Monaghan; second that no
Chinese shall be employed on any public
work. third, that all contracts for coole
labor shall be null and void, and that
cities and towns shall have power to
remove the Chinese from within their
limits, or to assign for their residence
prescribed portions Of those limits. In
the present state of the California mind,
these provisions have n good chance of
popular endorsement.
Washington advices put it among the
probabilities, that there will be prolonged
contest over the organization of the House,
on account of the national element showing
sufficient strength to hold the balance of
power. The longest contest known was
when Banks was elected speaker. The
congress met December Sd, and he was
not elected until some time in February.
There were 80 ballots. Banks was finally
elected by a plurality, resolution having
been adopted after the 12Sth ballot that a
plulality should elect, if, after fonr more
ballots, no one secured majority. 1t IS
not probable that the present contest will
be rs long as that, but it may be.
A Washington special to the New York
Herald says: 1t turns out that the reason
why the democrats of the Potter committee
have made two reports. one on the cleo
lions and The other on the cipher dis
patches, is that there has been great diff
Guilty in getting the democratic side of the
committee 10 agree to the proposed report
on the ciphers. The report on the elpc-
tons in Florida and louisiana, which it is
understood was written by the chairman.
Mr.. Potter, WAS ut once accepted and
unanimously agreed TO by the democrats
of the committee. The report on the
cipher dispatches WAS not easily agreed to,
and there are rumors of IN extremely
lively discussion on this subject of the ci
pliers in the committee room, the demo-
Gratis finding themselves for II time a
log9erheads with each other.
There have been .ice previous special
sessions Of congress, as follows
First 17S7-Called by join Adams. to
provide for the threatened French war.
nd-1837-Callcd by Martin Van
Buren,, TO provide for financial exigencics.
Crhe banks having suspended).
Third-1S4l-Called by William Henry
Harrison, TO consider the revenue and
finances of the country. This was II
change of parties and policies.
Fourth = l856--Called by Franklin
Pierce Chree days after adjournment of
congress), to provide appropriations for
the army, on account of Indian wars.
Fifth--l86l-Called by Abraham Lincoln
April 18th 1861, to meet July 4th 1861, to
provide for the civil war emergency.
Sxth-lS77-Special session called by
X. b. Hayes, to meet October 10, 1877, to
provide appropriations for the army. the
bill having failed to pass.
One of the strangest of perjury cases
was developed in New York, Thursday,
in the Essex market police court. Samuel
Edgart testified that he was assaulted by |
Henry M. Greenberg; that Greenberg
sprang at him and kicked him until he
was unconscious. He next found him self |
in his bed. He learned that he had been
carried out by Samuel Burnstein, Solomon
Geist and Jacob Taupenhinger. In his
Edgart acknowledged
that he had had Mr.. Greenberg arrested
on six different occasions. Pressed further,
Edgart was forced to acknowledge that he
belonged to II club that meets in bar
room in Orchard street, near Rivington
street, whose members are leagued to.
gether to procure mock witnesses when
ever called upon. Close cross examination
If tho other two Witnesses rnvonInl th.t