Year: 1873

was feared had been lost at sea, was
driven three hundred miles ont of her
course by storm, but is now safe, and
probably at Santiago de Cuba. The
| Wyoming and Indiana are also at that
port.


The fine Spanish man-of-war Arapiles
repairing at New York is now detained
| by means of an accidental sinking of a
coal barge Immediately in front of the
food gates of the dock. She viii not be
able to mount her ordnance and leave
New York for some time, as the sunken
barge, containing 200 tons of coal, must
first be raised, which is no trifling mat
ter now that the weather is growing cold.
The accident IS considered by many per-
sons lucky one at the presant juncture.


Senator Wright of Iowa made power
full speech Yesterday against the increased
pay OF officials and Congressman. His
hii proposes to return to the old COM
pensation throughout.


Mr.. ConkIing introduced bill provi-
ding that an agreement signed by the
two-thirds of banlzrupt's creditors shall
be binding ON them all. This is right
and should be promptly passed into a
law.


A bill to restore the free delivery of
newspapers the same as before the repeal
of the Franklin privilege, has been intro
duced into both Houses of Congress, and
Will become law at an early day. The
time has not yet arrived when a raid on
newspapers as a means Of popular educa-
ton can be long tolerated. The sudden
passage of this rider on the bill repeal
ing the Franking law as an evidence of
the wisdom of the President s recommen-
dation that the constitution be altered SO
that the President can veto any part Of a
bill that is Objectionable, without Veto
ing the entire bill, and that the last
twenty-four hours of each session shall
be devoted solely to the consideration of
vetoes.


Seaator Boreman of West Virginia has
already introduced bill to secure the
completion and widening of the James
River and Kanawha Canal. This impor-
tant medium of cheap transportation be-
tween the East and the West has been
thoroughly surveyed and investigated,
and is found to be the most available
route, taking everything into account,
for remedying the great need of both
these sections-the one to secure the re-
numerative prices for farm products, and
the other for getting an abundant supply
at all seasons of the year. With such a
Canal connecting the waters of the Mis-
sissippi with those of the Atlantic Ocean,
the monopoly of and corners in bread
stuffs will be rendered impossible. Other
routes are doubtless meritorious, but this
cannot fail to prove effective, and the
! Government should aid its construction
| in any practicable way that may be deci-
| ded upon.


| Mr.. Maynard has introduced bill re-
moving all political disabilities, repeating
] the test oath and declaring general am
nesty. 1t passed by vote of 141 to 2s
and was sent to the Senate. If it were
not that such measure would open the
| doors of Congres to s1ch 40 Jefferson
Davis it would be likely to pass tbs Sen
ate without opposition. The world ha:
now moved on so far since the war, tina
these idols of the past would be likely t.
lose most of their idolators, should the,
come again into a contrast on a common
level with the progressive spirits of th'
day. The quasi martyrdom of their dis
abilities gives them the strongest holt
on the Southern section of the country


On motion of Mr.. Myers of Pa, the
| Executive Department, were directed tx
report the expenses consequent on the re
peal of the Franklin privilege. This il
intended no doubt to show that th,
Franking privilege ought to be retained
by these Departments SO as to avoid th'
expense of stamps weighing and othe
vexations required in paying the Govern
ment postage by the Government. L
certainly is merely taking money out o
one pocket of the Government and put
ting it in the other, with the cost there
Of added. A large clerical force is re


quired in addition to that under the OLD
plan of Franking official matter


|