The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1879-12-18
EditOHisl NOteV.

Col. John F. Mines, of Utica, de-
llvered very interesting address IN
New York City, the other day, on
Southern prisons and the treatment of
Federal prisoners in the South during
the war. They were, he maintained.
well treated, and during his captivity
be met with but one Confederste fiji
Ger who acted harsbly toward him.
Tsglioni, now sixty years old, and
who IN her prime was the most grace
tu. dancer of her times, left the stage
to marry a nobleman. She superIntends
the drawing lessons of her little grand
daughters. When asked if she would
like to live her life over again, she re
piled: "To dance, yes-for everything
else, no." With her, to dance was to
live she was the impersons:ion of grace
and the very poetry of motion.
1t is stated that the total losses to
creditors through national ba, ks since
their creation in 1868. sixteen years
ago, have been but 81, 500, 900 or au
average of about $46S 600 per annum.
1t is also stated that the losses through
some State banks and private bankers,
though constituting but fraction of
the banking Dlscbinery of the country,
aggregated SIS, 500 900 in the State of
Illinois alone In five years and about
So 900. 900 in Missouri in one year.
Mr.. Mechi, the agriculturist, Gep'ores
the agricultural loss involved in river
pollution, and recalls the words of
Liebig: "The sewers of Rome eugulf-
ed in the course of centuries the pros
perlty of the Roman farmer; and, when
the fields of the latter would no longer
yield the means Of feeding her popurs-
ton, the same sewer GevouTed the
wealth OF Sicily, S rdinia, and the fer
t lie lands on the coast OF Africa" He
adds: 'Lsrge towns, like bottomless
pits, gradually swallow up the condi-
tlons of fertility of the gre test coun-
tries" Mr.. MecEi estimates thst it
takes the annual produce of 10000
acres to feed London one day.
The great revival 10 the iron business
has not only exhausted the stock on
hand, but has SD far outTun the means
of supply that the United Safes has
suddenly become the prompt customer
of about all the re and odds ard ends
of scrap iron that Europe has to spare.
This iron is pouring INTO Baltimore so
fast that the customs officiais have been
Increased, and even now cannot dispose
of 1t ell, though they dispatch train
load after train-loai night and dey for
Pittsburgh and points further West.
The duties on iron alone amounted TO
$50 600 in three days recently, and
railroad official says that the receipts
will average 1000 tons daily for the next
fifteen months, while the Baltimore
Journal Of Commerce goes even higher
and puts next years importstions at
500, 600 tons.
Before leaving Vienna for Madrid
the Archdr ch SIS Christina formally re-
nounced all nights of succession for her.
self and her heirs to the Austrian
Crown. The ceremony is thus de-
scnbed in a Vienna paper: "rhere
were present the Emperor, the Arch
dukes, the Ministers, the Presidents of
the Austrian and Hungarian Parlia-
ments, Cardinal Kutshka and the mem
bers of the Pdvy Council. The En-
peror made a short speech standing, in
which he called on the assembly to
witness the act. The Baron Hsmerle
produced the act of renunciation, snd
the Archduchess Christina, after low
bow to the Emperor, advanced to q
table on which stood q crucifx, placed
two fingers of the night hand on q BIZ
bic held by the Cardinal, and read
aloud the document. Afterward she
took it to an othsr table and signed it.
The Spanish Minister also affixed his
signature to the name OF King Alfonso.
The government notary then put or the
seal, and all the witnesses signed their
Games on another sheet Of psper.
which was attached to the chief docu-
meat-n
Reports from Canada state that. on
the return Of Princess Louise from Eng
land. she % to bring with her the per-
aonnel out Of which viceregL court