New-York tribune., 1879-12-13
less Aid is needed for them, and will no
doubt be promptly given.

The House of Representatives had brief
spasm of industry yesterday, and actually
passed two appropriation bills-the Fortihca-
ton bill and the Pension bill. The latter
showed IN increase of more than S3,ooo'ooV
over last years appropriation, made necessary
by the large addition to the number OF pen'
sioners. hut was approved by the House WITH
ont amendment. The Fertilization bill was
passed substantially unchanged, Its ehiei ea-
ture as stated by the Committee being an
entire abstinence from any appropriations Tor
new works or the enlargement OF old ones,
and some attempt t. hasten the production oil
improved cannon to defend such forts as we
have Even the increased appropriation tof
this work is so small however. after having
undergone successive truncations by the Sec'e-
tary of War and the Committee, that IT 1t i
repeated every year. it will be twenty years in
the wor,is of one OF the Committee, " before
"cnopgh guns can be prepared 10 arm the
forts in the harbor of \ew-iOik."
Mr. Hoskns aud the rest of the Republican
State cifcers-elect have been duly declared
such by the state Board Of Canvassers The
ceremony was brief. regular aud uneverilul'
There was one curious incident, however, the
meaning of which does not clearly appd ar.
Mr.. Lester y. Faulkner, the Chairman OF the
Tiden State Committee. stated that he hal
received communications from differen, parts
of the State showing irregularities committed
by the local cauvasscrS, and asked the boaru 10
act upon these communications. When Mr..
Beach very property inquired whether Mr.
Faulkner could show any precedent for such
L.. fIsrfs
the remark that canyassug boards In other
States had gone behind the returns. and
therefore the New-York Board might do the
same. Inasmuch as the NewYork Board j.
governed by the laws of New-YOrk, and not
by those of any other State, this was very
silv thing to say, and it was hardly worth
while to 20 all the way to Albany to say it.
The petition for mandamus in the cleo
ton case in Maine has been denied. The
Democrats will claim this as u victory; it Is
undoubtedly a respite. The claim of the
counsel for the Secretary of State was that
the returns were in his possession only
- the representative of the Governor and
Council, that he had no right even to break
the seals before transmitting them to the
Governor and Council, and that there
fore q mandanus could lot properly issue
commanding him to exhibit them TO the
petitioners, who could not legally de-
mand an inspection of them. This is a
mere outline Of the Democratic argu-
ment upon which Judge Virgin has decided
to deny the petition. But the Democrats
might win every technical point Of this sort
in the courts. and still stand in no better light
before the people. The fact remains un-
changed, and will remain unchanged. that
tie Democratic State officers are concealing
these returns from the public eye and
propose to Issue certificates OF election rs
members of the Legislature to men who were
not chosen. The mere coneeament of che re-
turns il enough to arouse suspicious OF the
worst treaclcly and wickedness classification of
the result following upon this concealment will
be danning. And hundred victories upon
technical points of the law will not alter the
moral aspects OF the case.