The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-10-01


THE LIBERIAN REPUBLIC.
Secretary Bayard, of the State Department, is
giving some attention to the social, educational
and industrial condition of the negro Republic
of Liberia. He desires TO establish and carry
ont just national policy toward that African
protege of the great American Republic. He IS
satisfied that unless prompt and effective steps
are taken the old scheme as hitherto carried on
under the auspices of the American Colonial
ton Society will so to pieces and leave the
benefCiaries of that movement a helpless prey
10 the savage tribes that iufCst the con-
tguons regions. The Liberian authorities
show great uneasiness for the future of their
Government, and naturally look to the United
States for encouragement and assistance. ii Is
apparent from the tone of the conversation OF
members of the Administration that this sudden
activity i'll behalf of the African Republic will
not be without its effect upon the negro mind
III the Jnited States, and may not bc lnpolltlc
from political point of view. Ii will be per-
forming 4 necessary duty on the part of this
Government toward Liberia, by way OF stopping
the social retrogression which is now burrying
on rapidly toward lapse into African barbar-
ism. 1t will at the same time operate as a
counterpoise TO the prejudice which IN iinpor-
tant element of the party i'll administrative
power INDUCES and exhibits toward the African
race on this side of the Atlantic
A gentleman who has been in conference
with the PRESIDENT ana Secretary OF StaIG IN re-
gard 10 the Liberian policy. says:
There l. "A fund in the United States held III
Philadelphia, Boston and New York, which
amounts To thousands of dollars. Let that be APP
piled TO sending persons to Liberia to teach The
people the proper and responsible methods OF lie
Abolish your universities and waste 40 more
money on schemes far beyond the comprehension
of the average mind of the country. universities
and colleges in the United States comparatively
recent. Fifty years ago you could count them on
your two hands and hundred years ago one hand
would have more than accommodatedthe enumera-
ton. Then the young men ana women ot Iahiiies
OF means of the United States were educated in the
universities and higher educational institutions OF
France, Germany, England and scotland, our pa
rent countries III blood See how absurd, therefore,
20 waste the moneys of the society in teaching the
people the higher branches of life without having
them know the details and habits of everyday or
domestic life. The common schools were the foun-
catIon OF American intellectual growth and were
laid by the fathers of American political intellect
ual and social life. The higher grades Of effort
grew with the development OF the people and when
the necessities AROSE. A little common sense IN
such matters Will In 4 few years make great
change in the condition of iiberia, and her friends
will not have 50 much reason to feel apprehcnsiyc
OF the success of the scheme Of Liberiau advance
ment.
THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION.
Mrs C. A. Fassett's large painting of the
Electoral Commission has been on exhibition
FOR some days past in the window of a picture
store on Pennsylvania avenue. The picture
has become quite famous not only Tor It's sub
jcct and the large number Of portraits of pub
lie men it contains, but by reason of the per-
sistent efforts that have been made from year
to year to have Congress appropriate large
sum of money for its purchase. 4 bill once
passed the Senate to pay $4,000 for it, but it
failed to 90 through the House
The picture represents a session of the Elec
tOrai Commission in the Supreme Court Cham
Der at the Capitol, which was the meeting
place OF this celebrated tribunal. The room is
crowded with well-knoWn statesmen of both
parties; more than hundred generally ex-
ceilent portraits of whom are given. The
idea OF the artist was TO place upon her canvas
as many as possible OF the faces of these men,
and then TO depend uron their influence 10 sell
the painting to Congress. The plan lniscarried,
however. this being largely due to the fact that
great many who thought they ought TO have
appeared i'll the picture were left out, and all
these opposed its purchase. 1t Is not now likely
that Congress will buy it, and it can probably
be bought for very much less than the-large
sum named above.
1t may Justly be said, however, that the por-
traits form a wonderfully interesting group,
and it is not strange that il attracts crowds of
people. Time has wrought many changes.
even IL the few years since the Spring of 1877.
OF the ID members of the Commission, four
Garfield, Frelinghuysen, Morton, and Cliff
ford-are dead. OF the three remaining Sen
ators, Edmunds alone remains member of
that body, Bsyard is Secretary Of State, and
Thurman is living in private life. OF the four
other Supreme Court Justices. Strong is retired
Miller, Field, and Bradley are still on the
bench. OF the four living who represented the
House of Representatives, Hoar and Payne are
now in the Senate; Hunton and Abbott are in
the ranks private citizens. Some Of those
now dead, whose faces appear in the audience,
are Tornado Wood, Ben. Hiil Senator An
thony, Gen. Burnside. Senator Howe, Zack
Chandler, Charles O'COnor Matt. Carpenter
Jere. Black, and Gen. Hurlbut. Among those
yet living whose portraits may be seen are
Blaine Logan. John Sherman, Lamar Gordon,
Dorsey, ". Z. Chandler, Boss Shepherd, Proc
tor Knott. Evarts, ex-senator Ferry, Conk-
ling, Allison, Stanley Matthews, and many
Others.
10, THE POOR INDIAN!
A delegation OF Pueblo Indians arrived in
Washington few days ago to protest against
injustice which they say is being practiced upon
them by the Territorial Govern ment in mat
tiers of taxation. They claim protection by
virtue of an Old treaty with Mexico. These
Indians are short Of stature, aud very decidedly
unpreposSessing in appearance. Like most Of
the degenerate abOrigines Of the present day,
they knock all the romance out Of Fenimore
CO0perS tales Of the noble children of the forest.
These are, however, better dressed than most
of the Indians who come TO Washington to see
the " Great Father For their " best they
have good, substantial trousers and vests, with
gaudy calico shirts, while for every day"
they appear in buckskin clothes Of their own
make, moderately decorated with beads and
quilts Each has his long, black hair tied up
in cue with white cotton cloth They wan
der about the streets of the Capital gibbering
TO each other, and wondering at the strange
things they see.
DEATH OF COMMODORE sEMsfEs.
Last week Commodore Alexander A. Scmmes,
cOmmandant Of the Navy Yard at Washington,
committed suicide at Hamilton, Va, by cutting
his throat with a razor. He mad been for some
time in bad health and had gone To Hamilton
with his family for a few days in the hope OF
finding relief. lie grew worse, however and
his condition was such that his friends dcspaTed
of his recovery. Seized with deirious impulse
while alone, he committed the fatal deed. and
when discovered by his wife was at the last gasp.
His age was 90. IN 1911, at the age of IT, he Ell
tered the naval service Of the United States III
which lac continued uninterruptedly until his
death. lie was OF Southern birth, but when the
war broke Out remained true to the Union, and
did active and efficient service during the entire
period of hostlities. He was Il cousin Of Capt.
Raphael Semncs, famous as the commander Of
the rebel cruiser Alabama. His death promotes
Capt John Irwin to Commodore, Commander
John G. Remy to Captain, and Lieut.-Com-
mander Francis w. Dickens to Commander.
COL. DAHLGREN's LEG.