New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-22

nj
WASHINGTON June 21.-The failures ol several
hovlcrs here within the last few weeks, and the
irregularities in the accounts of the diShursmg
clerks OF the departments have again drawn at
tcntion 70 the spirit of speculation so prevalent
among Government employees. In each of the fan
ureS clerks who draw on an AVERAGE not more i"ah
from $40 to $50 week were involved. One OF tho
speculating bankers seems to have had almost
monopoly of Congressman. Among his customers
were at least twenty-five members each 81 Nhoh
had running account at the bank, the Pi"h'S
from which he would rcnvcSt instead "l drawing
them ont On the morning of the failure many we'll
known 20 blcmcumetca each ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
n surprise no doubt IN the office of the bucEetShop
keeuor who in the meantime had dccamped ana
left nothing behind him except an empty safe ana
the recollection OF some very good dinners win
which hc vas IN the habit of lunng ms victims 10
their destruction.
A chlractcri>tic of all the failures announced so
far - rottcnneSs of the concerns. The proper
ton which the liabilities bear to tie assets Is SIM
ply startling. Practically there are no assets ana
the liabilities amount in the ease of three bankers
,ooy,r a million dollars. This seems small when
compared with the Grant q Ward failure. but IS
eonpafativcly larger and more keen|y felt among
n greater number of people than IN Aew-lorK-
where moro money. of course, Is involved, but
where the ventures. investments and risks
taken DO not represent, they do mere,
the savings of many years or large proportion OF
the annual income of the loser. Many of the SUI
ferers lay these failures will probably never present
their claims. because they for the most part
based upon speculatons which would, II Known
compromise them in their official position.
The failure of one of these concerns especially has
been received with very little sympathy on the part
of the public. 1t was OF the "ten per cent eS-
n pthpT words of those places
where Government clerks could get money advanced
nj the rate of 10 per cent month upon the assign
n,ent of their salaries This establishment had
many dcpositors who each left their money
there with the understanding that they should
have the lions share in the 10 per
cent transactions. Among them were Government
employees in high places, it is SAID. who by their
course gave direct encouragement to these hiIPleS
from whom il was their duty to protect their sub
ordiuates. Nobody will feel sorry that they were
deceived 10y greater skIntntS than they themselves
tired 10 me-
An addition to the statuary in the old House Of
REPRESENTATIVES has been made in the course OF the
week. 1t is the gift Of the state Of
Pennsylvania. and represents Peter MUhlcnbcrg,
the fighting par>on" of the Revolution. A.
work of art it is better than the average statue IN
the collection, which Is not saying Mdch
Considering that il IS the work of a Young woman
Miss Blanche Nevin of Thiladelphia-it is in many
WAYS remarkable and gives promise of far better
things from her hand III the future.
MuhleuberC was educated for the ministry and
prcachcd in Woodstock Va. His last sermon was
upon the duties men owe to their country; and say
ing There Is time for all things; time to
preach and time to fight, and now i, the time to
fight" he stripped of his gown. pat on a uniform,
read hi, commission a. colonel, and formed rcgl-
meDt among his parSlioncgs II is this episode
which the artist has selected for repre-
scutaton in her work. NuhienbcTs IS
clad IN full uniform. that of the Contmentai>.
lie j, in the act OF throwing off Tie ministerial
robes which have up to that monen, concealed
frum h, congregation the practical turn oi ms war
like spirit The left hand aIa~ps the sword at hls
side IL. the right i, engaged in casting aside the
gown. one foot is put well forward, As III the act
ofstcpmug on, Of the pulpit. The face is that Of
youth scarce twenty years ola, ctleminate, almost,
and lacking I'M character. 1t has none of that de-
termination which Que would naturally lookfor i'm
man capable Of such energetic conduct. 1t nav
nevertheless, be good portrait. the artist having
had access it Is understood, 10 num-
Der of painting. and prints pat at her
disposal Joy the MuAlcubcrs family. Taken as a
whole the pose of the figure is It'll" too th'air-
cal II D, almost Extensively aggressive and lacks
dignity and siateIiuc>>. IN some Of the details,
The folds of the robe are as perfect as In" heavy
material iu the hand, Of the sculptor would permit
n T., b, The modelling of the bands, too, shows
considerable talent. II is only taken rs whole
that the feeling which the work produces m the De-
Lold,, j. one of disappointment and regret at the
inad,luacy Of the treatment Of the subject.
Among the pictures of ex- speakers of the House
al Rrrrc,entativcs-thcy are for the most part
&" cheap and nasty" crayon copies, taken from oil
pgIutup- or prints of the priod-Which hang IN
tie olb, of the House at the rear OF the speakers
chair there is one 10 winch no name is attached
md the identity Of which has long been matter Of
conjecture Ii has hung there for years and no one
appaIcutly ha. known where il came from HE
othcr dav Mr. Rockwell Of Massachusetts,, eE-
amincd 10, full list of speakers and, upon colnpar-
ing it with the names represented IN The collection
o. PORTRAITS. found that all the Speakers figured IN
Tho cole. ton except Theodore >cd2wick. of Mao>t-
ohu,ett. speaker OF the House during the With
Coucf,,-. December, 1893, 20 March 3,
l-Ol and Nathaniel Macon, Of North Carolina,
who ua, speaker from sol to 1907. ia talking OF
tic matter with Nj spoford the Lihrra4 the
uuc entitled a History ot Berkshire County,
Clrrrturu and Iaymcu, which me Thought m'rht
throw some light on IN" subject aud which he
forthwith hunted mp. The book was found to con-
Ian "a steel engraved portrait of Judge S'dg"ick
What lend, additional interest % tie matter c--
Peca.ly 90 NcW-l ork IS me TACT mat thrauihoIoi
The book B., none other than the Rev David -.
Field father OF David Dudley aud Cyrus ". Ilcd.
The portrait I'm the book gives profile view
OF Judge ScIgWIc6 with WIG ad Gneue.
That lu the House lobby j, iu.liace portrait With
ouj 70 WIS. The general appeadu OF the two
however rs such as To- justify TIE bt.f. thdl hoth
49, portraits az speaker ScdgWick. This belief D,
strengthened bv what Judge Bennett, of North
Carolina. SAYS bon regard To- speaker Nacou. wh"~c
poriri is missing altogether. Nj. Macon, il APP
Pc. IrO the "IueufS OF members of his family,
would never consent 10 have hj, portrait taken. lie
Il Ia g. q "a