Year: 1878

Jan. 81, 1878.


The most cheering indication on the
face of public affairs here is the decid-
ed tendency of the Democrats in Con.
gress to stand together in a struggle
for economy and retrenchmeut. Until
quite lately it has seemed almost GER
tain there would be q lack Of harmony
on these subjects, and that the Repub-
lican leaders with an experience in
leadership of nearly score Of years,
and used to the exoesses and corrup'
tions of war times and the unsettled
period Immediately following the war,
would succeed in keeping the Govern.
ment ip the old road to bankruptcy.
But there is a good hope Of better
things. Expenses will be reduced in
all bra nches of the Government. The
army will be reduced 10 numbers, and
excessive expenditures for the force
decided upon will be cut off. The ma
Wy, which has cost since the war fifth
as much as the whole amount OF our
public debt, will become far less ex-
pensive. Our relations with foreign
countries will be made to cost less.
The revenues will be collected for less
money. In short, unless there should
be an unexpected lapse from virtue on
the part of Democrats, the cost of car
rying on the Government will be very
materially reduced. 1t is time, for tie
General Government is not only ex.
hausting the people by burdensome
taxes, but is setting fearful example
of extravaganza to States, cities and in
dividuals.


A neat job was killed by the Su-
preme Court lately. Under the law the
salaries of certain grades of Postmas
ters are fixed upon the basis OF the
business at their offices in a given pre-
ceding period. The wording of the
law was such that various postmasters
thought they could get increased pay
under it for time prior to the date when
the readjustments were officially made.
Test cases were tried in the Court OF
Claims, and, on appeal, in the supreme
Court, and this latter Court decides
against the applicants.


This Court also decided the other
day that the sale by the Confederate
Government of certain stocks confis
Gated by it in Charleston, s. G., did
moi take away the title Of the owners
or give title to purchasers.


The Pacific Railroad men are now
here in force. All the roads, from
Duluth to the Gulf of Mexico, are
represented. The chief interest, of
course, is iu the rival Southern roads.
The anti-subsidy resolution passed by
the House few days since is not con-
sidered dangerous blow to any road
that seeks Government aid The reso'
luton does not prohibit assistance to
works of National necessity" and
every man interested in Pacific Rail-
road feels that his particular road is
excepted from the prohibition. But
what with quarrels among themselves
and the rapidly growing and consoli-
dating belief that economy is the great.
est and most pressing of national ne
cessities," l believe all these railroad
men will come to grief. A le-
wee system for the Mississippi river and
some of its tributaries is, however, not
to be classed with the railroad schemes,
and Government aid to it would meet
with comparatively little objection.
Capt. Eads has been paid, with little
grumbling from any quarter, an enor-
nous sum for his jetties at the mouth
of the great river, and will yet receive
much more. II is idle to make a dis
tinction between payment of money Tor
this purpose and payment for the con.