The National tribune., 1882-04-22
REVIEW OF THE WEEK.

| The President sent two messages to Congress
on Tuesday in each of which he deals with
matters of commanding Importance to the
entire country. In the first he considers the
question Of the improvement of the Missis-
| sipri River, and especially the repair of the
levees broken by the recent foods. He has no
doubt but that Congress has the necessary con-
/ stitutional power to appropriate money for this
! purpose. and he recommends that n suficient
sum should be set apart for restoring the levees,
and for inaugurating such permanent improve
( ments as will when completed, prevent the
| disastrous overhows which from time to time
inundate the lower Mississippi valley. He
! says Congress ought not to hesitate to under
take the work, even if it ultimately should
require the expenditure of $20,000,000 or
S3OoO0,O00. The interests involved are so
large that the question of probable cost ought
! not 10 prevent immediate and effective action.
In the second message the President explains
that when the invitation was issued to the
republics Of North and South America to hold
a general congress in Washington next NOvem-
Der it was hoped that the differences between
several of the States which were asked to
participate would pass away before the time
! set for the assembling of the delegates. This
anticipation has not been realized, and the
President asks Congress to declare by resolu-
ton or otherwise whether in its Judgment the
meeting ought to take place
AN informal meeting Of the members of the
Republican National Committee, now present
in the city, was held in one of the Senate COM
mittce rooms on Saturday morning last. Hon.
Marshall Jewell, chairman, presided, and Geo.
W. Hooker, of Vermont, assistant secretary,
and Hon John C. New, of Indiana; Hon. Wm.
7. Frye, of Maine; Hon. Chauncy /. Filley, of
Missouri; Hon. VIM Yost, of Virginia; Hon.
w. W. Hicks, of Florida Hon. J. B. DeveauX,
OF Georgia; Hon. J. A. Martin, of Kansas;
Hon. Paul Strobach, of Alabama; Hon. w. p.
Cannaday, of North Carolina; and Hon. Samuel
Lee, OF South Carolina, were present. The
subject of the party interests in the Southern
States was fully discussed, and the members
expressed themselves earnestly in favor of a
union of the republicans of the Southern States
with such liberal elements in those States as
promise progress in the direction of liberal
national sentiment. On motion of Mr.. Frye a
resolution was adopted calling q meeting of the
committee at Washington the fourth Wednes-
day of January, 1888, to mature and report a
plan for securing to the several congressional
districts the right to elect their own delegates
to the next national convention.
JOHN T. SLATER a wealthy citizen of Nor
wich, Conn, has siGniied his intention to
create a fund of one million dollars for the
education of the freedmen in the South Mr..
Slater explains to the trustees the scope of his
philanthropic scheme as follows: "The general
object which desire to have exclusively pur-
sued is the uplifting of the lately emancipated
population of the Southern States and their pos
terity by comforting on them the blessings of
Christian education. The disabilities formerly
suffered by this people, and their singular pa
tience and fidelity in the great crisis of the ma
ton, establish a just claim on the sympathy and
good will OF the humane and patriotic. l can
not but feel the compassion that is due in view
O' their prevailing ignorance, and which exists
through no fault of their own"
BY TIE explosion of boiler in grist mill
| in Baltimore, seven persons were killed and q
large number injured. Among those killed
were two young girls who had only few
weeks before, abandoned their homes and taken
up their residence in disreputable house near
the mill building. One of the girls was strill-
ingly beautiful.
SINDRA1T, the murderer, who is under sem
tcnce OF death in New York, and who has
frequently declared his willingness to die on
the scaffold, has been granted new trial. He
now appears anxious for an acquittal.
CAPT. II. ". HowGATE, who has been await
ing trial in Washington, on the charge of en-
bnzzling funds while in tho Signal Service
Department, made his escape last week. Per
mission having been granted him to visit his
family, he was given in charge Of deputy
sheriff and taken TO his residence. The officer
oblGingly remained in the parlor and allowed
HowGate TO 90 to his room alone. He dressed
himself carefully, slipped on a false beard, and
passed out through the rear Nothing has
since been heard Of him, but it is thought that
he has fed TO Canada.
FIVE men were arragned in the United
States court at Baltimore last week for making,
or causing to be made, false afifdayits in sup
port Of pension claims. Four Of these pleaded
(
each The fifth was convicted and sentenced
to eighteen months imprisonment. In passing
sentence in the latter case the court remarked
that the Government had been put to great
trouble and expense by the presentation of
false pension claims. The frauds were of great
wickedness, and it was necessary to inflict such
punishment as would deter persons from en-
gaging IN them.
THE estate of the late Congressman Allen, of
Missouri, is estimated at 81, 100000. He be-
qucathed s. coo to the Pittsheld (Mass.) Gene
terry Corporation for the erection of new
entrance gate, and 5000 to the Bennington
Monument Association. The remainder of the
estate is to be divided among his scTcn chill
dren.
THE House Committee on War Claims has
decided to report favorably Mr.. Chapman's bill
authorizing the accounting officers of the treas
ury to consider and pay all claims for the use
! and occupation of real estate by the United
States, and engineers stores, lumber, &c, taken
by the Government during the war and used in
building forts quarters, barracks, &c. This
| bill has been before the committee for some
months. Though claims for property taken by
the Quarternasters and Commissary Depart
ments could be considered under existing law,
| there was no authority for accounting officers
to consider claims of the class referred to,
! though claimants of the character stated are