New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-03


does not elect the person having the smaller
humber. The House will be compeiied us
matter of course to refuse Campbell his seat
following the decision of the Senate In inc
case of Mr.. Abbott, of North Carolina, ana the
decision of the courts in many States, anu the
opponents of poygamy will have the mor,lilca-
tion of a defeat which need never have been
inflicted.
The cold increased everywhere yesterday
east of the Mississippi River, while west OF
that dividing line there was mora moderate
temperature. The weather in this region may
doubtless, be expected to soften little be-
fore many hours. The cold was intense
yesterday at some points. At "hlte-
hall, N. Y, the mercury was 80
below zero in the morning, and at Sdratoga at
the same figure. The Newport and Provl-
dcnce harbors are practically blockaded by
the ice, and reports from various points
announce delays III traffic on water ana
land because of ice and snow. III the
person who announced some years ago the
theory that the climate of these parts was be-
coming milder and more southern ev'ry year
has survived the winter. this would not he
good time for hun to stand up and show HIM
SELF
The theory that every man has his price
must have had an unQueSi0ning dcvotee III
the lady who has been trying to buy her sons
way into the Custom House. She was per-
suadcd by political confidence man that he
could obtain position for the young fellow,
and the following scale of prices seems to
have been established during the transaction :
For joining political association and getting
the leaders name on his application. $25 ; for
the secretary OF the Examining Committee Ill
the Custom House, $75; to "trcat the Col
lector's secretary, So every time. And after
expanding over 5000 in this way, the woman
discovered that the money had all gone into
the npgOtatOr's pocket, while her ambitious
offspring had been weighed in the examiners
scales and found wanting. Tue wonder is that
such clumsy swindiug should have succeeded
at all. Indeed, the cOnlidcnceman deserves
little credit for ally of his achievements. The
human animal is so fond of being fooled that
il cannot be very difficult to OblIge him.
The story revealed at the inquest into the
death of Rooney, the supposed suicide, Is
hardly to he surpassed by the paper novels i'll
its horrors of secret clime-a rocking tragedy
in real life. The old s,rcet-sweeper was muir
dered hy his son, who talked OF his deed
aftcrward with appalling camncSs Il" shield
him his aged mother and one o. her daughters
concoced the story of suicide, and carried ihcir
imposition through to success, for the time
beng, in spite of all the danger of detection
and the restivencSs of other memt els OF the
family who necessarily learned the truth.
4 t.f.. 4
ground, the murderer being present among
the m0urncrs, and it was the stigma uIOn the
old mans memory thar finally brought the
exposure. Eight persons shared the dreadful
secret. The murderer escaped before any at
them hal courage to speak, aud yesterday the
gray haired mother auG heI two daughters
were committed to the Tombs is accessories
after the TACT. The story is almost too grim
and loul for the novests use but like m'lch
other truth, it surpasscI much of the fiction.
President Hayes SPECIAL message upon the
Ponca case, alait from little SUR upon the
Commissioners, which looks as if II might
have been inspired by the Interior ID part
mcnt, is a just and seaside one. No part of
1t is more gcnCrOI and frank than that in
which the President, after saying that the
ue,tOI of res on,ibilEy for the original re-
mOval of the tribe has craS d 10 be %! prar-
teal Importance, mariuiy accepts his share
of It as the Executive during " Ose term the
wrong was committed. and declares ii 10 be
his "persolal duty and earnest desire v to ii"
what he can to s,cur. redress for the IA
jurcd tribe. Ills statement. OF Il character So
unusual III an official document, was greeted hy
Mr.. H0ar III the Senate as "a most manly
and magnanimOus utterancc." The President
recommends an adjustment OF tine tIOHblc
Substantially in accordance with the comrlu
sions OF tue Commission, the two divisions of
the Tribe to be all Jwrd to remain where tLcy
now are which Is their own choice. To this
the President adds an outline of the ImGian
policy OF the future, as he believes il ought
to he. This includes industrial ana general
education, lands in scverdlty which shall he
inalicnable for fixed p.rod, compensation
for lands left over after the ailOtments have
been made. and citizenship. There Is nothing
here which the best opinion OF the country il
not ready, and has cot long been ready, to
accept. The most patient and humane con-
sideratiOn of the Indian problem has been
able to devise no better solution than TINS,
and the American people are ready to see the
experiment tried. 1t is much 10 be hoped that
more attention than is usually PAID to the
words of outgoing Presidents, and that they
may be acted upon with less than the custO-
mary legislative delay.
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