Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-01-03

The great question of the finances has been
the leading topic in public affairs during the
past year, from the demonstration of silver
fo7er;the executive veto), in February, down
to the closing preparations for resumption in
December The common-sense and the
honesty of the Nation wagei a gallant and
successful fight, however, and the seven
tenth day of the last month of 1873 will be
memorable as marking the final extinction
of the discount on the Governments prom
issory notes. Among the other political
events Of the year will be well remembered
the creation Of the Potter Butler committee,
the lying revelations by Anderson, and the
sudacious testimony of Mrs. jerks; the
Eastern tour of Dennis kearney. the sand-lot
orator; and the startling revelations of the
deciphered cipher dispatches that passed
between some of the Democratic leaders in
New York and their agents in the South af-
ter the election in 1876.
Materially, the country Jared much as in
pressed home trade, and an unprecedented
number Of bankruptcies make up the record.
The repeal of the bankrupt law after eleven
years operation is another notable event
Of the past year-the period that has elapsed,
however, being too short to form Just de-
cision upon the utility or unwi.dom Of the
act, as established by the results Of expert
enee. Just now we seem to stand. if not at
the threshold Of a new era Of prosperity, at
least at the beginning of a temporarily i'm
proved state Of affairs, to regard which as
permanent requires no great degree OF OPP
tlmism.
For destructiyeness TO life the year will
long be memorable. The great pestilence de-
stroyed thousands upon thousands of lives in
the feyer-stricken fields Of the South, and the
record is the frightful one Of homes made
desollte and whole communities swept away.
Less terrible but sadly destructive to human
life was the unprecedentedly hot weather in
the West-almost forgotten, now, in the
fro-ts and SHOWS Of January OF marine
disasters We have recorded the wrecks Of the
Metropolis, IF the North Carolina coast,
when so lives were lost the Grosser Kuer-
iIerst and the Pommerauia. in the British
channel, with a loss respectively of 300 and
50 lives, the Byzintin, in the Sea Of Mar
mora the Emily B Souder, and the acc-
dent to the steamer Princess Alice-by
which 400 lives were lOst-a most. appalling
record
The country is at peace with all the world;
and token and assurance that the time is
fast approaching when the nations shall no
mule make war is given by the payment of
the Halifax aWard-an award the Justice of
which iud- bat few deien lers in this coun-
try
10 EIrgpe the great historical landmarks |
ale the triumph Of the Cross over the Ores
cent, the close Of the Russo-Turkish war and
the treaty Of Berlin the death of Pope Plus
TX, and the elevation Of Leo XIII the
death Of Victor Emmanuel and the accession
OF IIGmbert and the British war with
Afghsnistan. A notable sign Of the times
was the failure OF tie Bank OF Glasgow and
he accompanying distress and ruin.
The death record embraces the names Of
BayaTi Taylor. William Cullen Bryant,
Samuel BjGles, Henry Wells (the pioneer
IL III |
W foods (for twenty bine ,ears president Of
Bowdoin College, and to add a couple
OF names at least familiar John Nor
rissey and William NJ Tweed The foreign
necrol0gy inclldes Pope Plus TX, Victor
Eamanuel, Queen Mercedes, Mehelnet Ali,
the Princess Alice, the Earl Of Leitrim, &.
II Lewes, George Gilfllan, George Cruik
shank f. S. Greasy and Lord Russell