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.-THE DONALDSONVILLE CHIEF. A Wide-Awake Home Newspaper-Subscription Price, Three Dollars per Annum. VOLUME III. DONALDSONVILLE, LA., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1873. NUMBER 16 POETRY. THANKSGIVING. LT ROSE TERRY COOKE. There is a new song in my lips, A song that ltls to-day, The music of a quiet stream Upon its seaward way The monotone of such content As to es mortal life is lent. The song a tiny riversings That through a meadow glides, Half hidden by the waving grass its level course divides; At last forgetful of the hills That vexed so long its infant rtlls. Not yet its chant of victory Re-echoes from the shore; Not yet is all its duty done, Its rush and labor oer; But ocean neareth every day, " And bright is life that glides away. A little hymn of gra'ttude, Like bit d-songs fromo their nest, My heart must fashiob into speech And utter from its test A tender voice of tharkfulness For love that loveth most to bless. The slow speech of a weary child That, wandering lost and lone, Comes unaware on home at last And nestles to its oWn, Wrapped all at once in warmth and peace, Where all the storm and straying cease. Ah! can itbe, at last -at last, The time of till anti tears, Of bitter tr. able overliast, That hope again appe .rs? That after all this weary strife I live to thank thee, Lord, forlife? To gather up the broken clue And tread the path again With quiet hope and thankfulness I trid so long with pain, To trust again with such a faith As once was wounded unto death ? Lord, keep me close; at thy site As ilt' the sweeter grows, Lest I forget in this content The thorns beneath the rose. Ts.at. dear as home, and love may be, I Lind them still most lear with Thee. -t. Y. Independent. MISCELLANY. Report of the Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary of the Treasury in his annnal report shows that the cýpenditures for the current liscal year will exceed the receipts by $t3.5l0,000. Ile attributes the falling off in the revenues to the alteration of the taritf laws which added tea, cothee, and other arti cles to the free list and to the recent financial cri'is. lie sans, however, that in the period of the greatest commercial embarrassment, the receipts in coin were greater than the amount required to meet the interest on the public debt. and all other expenditures which are payable in coin. He thinks that the reve noes have fallen off enough to make economy and a reduction in the appropriations and ex p,.nditures necessary, and recommends (unless business should soon revive) additional taxa tion rather than a resort to borrowing money and increasing the public debt. In relation to the refunding of the public debt the Secretary says that $84,?00,000 of subscriptions have beeni made to the new five per cent. funded loan, the proceeds of which as they mature are applied to the redemption of an equal amount of six per cent, five-twen ty bonds. The $1i(0;1000 received from Great Britain in payment of the Geneva award has also been used toward the redemp tion of the debt bearing six per cent. interest. The Secretary shows that when this subscrip tion shall have matured there will have been effected since last .January as conversion of $100,000te,10 of the debt htaring six per cent. interest into the new tiuve Per cent. loan. itaking an annual saying of $1,00,000 of in terest: and adds that the whole amount con verted into the new loan wince the passage of the refunding act will be $,00,000,000. and that the annual interestserved willbe $3,000. (00. INTEREST ON TiEPOSIT4. The Secretary condemns the practice b banks of allowing interest on deposits paya ble on demand. He says that it tends to nc cumulate currency in large cities, where. not being required by the demands of ordinary Itusiness, il is loaned on call to speculators. When activity in legitimate business returns. and the temporary investments are called mii, the business of the banks i4 icopardized, the an nual recurring stringency in the money mar ket is increased and husiness generally de ranged. He adds that while legislation by Ctongress cannot prevent State banks and pri vate bankers from continuing the practice. it can prevent national banks from doing so. and lie recommends that they be prevented from paying interest on deposits. or that they be restricted and limited therein, either by di rect probation, by discriminating taxation, or otherwise. Concerning the prevailing sentiment that more elasticity should be given to the volume of the currency, he recommends that Con gress thoroughl'c consid r the subject. and that in their inquiry they should avoid any further inflation of the issue of irredeemable legal tender notes, and keep in view a per manent return to a sound basis of specie pay ment. He thinks that whenever an emer gency arises rendering it necessary to tem porarily enlarge the paper money circulation, provision may he maule to permit thse national banks to a lirbited extcot to increase their note cireulation by a pledge of United States bonds. hearing 110 inter-est while so pledged. or subjecting the batik' to special taxation upon the circulating noteds obtained thereon. or uipon such other terms as would make it for their interest to recall list notes and re drem the bonds dt the earliest poasihle day af ter the pressure anil their necessities shoulul have ceased. But he regards ally large atig msentittion of the legal t nsher notes in It timie of peace as a departure frusin the declaration of public policy anii the pledge of the PUBLIC PAITIH to the National creditors made in the act of June 30, 1864, that the amount of such notes should never exceed s400,O00,000. and from that more solemn pledgeeontained in the first act of the Forty-first Congress. " to make pro vision at the earliest practicable period for the redemption of United States notes in coin." Alluding to the growing desire among the people to restore the paper circulation to a specie standard, he says i t ia not possible to reaulie and maintain specie Ylents with so large an rmount of notes in ctr calation and so small an amount of gold in the country, The volume of currency muast he re duced or that of 'Con greatly increased. Should the national banks be proliibit,-d from selling the coin reseived by them as interest upon bonds pledged to secure circulation, retaining the same in Whole or in part in reserve, or loaning it in the disount of bills and notes payable in coin, as list accumulationn ofi go~lt in the banks which Would do something towtard preparing for re sumption. This, with a constant increase of coin in the tre de -taken with the appro val ofCongreas, eise long lead to the de sited result, When other conditions required for the maintenanne of specie payments should be Coins4 favrnalite, The Secretary refers to the uncertainty which exists in public sentiment as to the right and policy of the 4ecretarv of the Trea sur1 to issue the $44.000t00 of United States notes called the reserve,,and recommends that Coneress shall set those questions at rest by a distinct enactment. He thinks that until that is done, whenever there is a STRINGENCY IN THE MONEY MARKET there will be a pressure upon the Treasury Department by those who favor a policy 6t expansion, to it crease the issue of notes to the maximum limit by the purchase of bonds or otherwise; while on the other hand those who favor the policy of contraction will bring equal pressure to keep the issue down to the minimum limit. i He adds: Assuibing that it is the settled policy of Con gress, its deelaried in tae act of June 30, 1584, above iiited, that the total amount of United stAtes notes, Issued and to be issued, shall never exceed four hundred million dollars, I am of opinion, that it would be unwise to require the amount in actual circulation to be kept up to the maximhm or to any amount above the present minimum. The Treasury depending principally upon the receipts from customs and internal taxa tion, without the power of borrowing or other wise increasing its resources, with liabilities created by Congressional appropriations which must be met in cuarrency to the extent of nearly two hundred million dollars a year, ought always to have 's large reserve upon which it can draw to meet. the ordinary demands upon it in case of emergehacies, when the revenues suddenly and unexpebtedli dirinish by reason of a national calamity or ffnarcial derangement, which from time to time are liable to occur in all nations. Such a reserve is also rendered necessary by the fact that the 'fractional currency authorized to be issued to the amount of tilty million dollars now in.actual circulation to the extent of more than forty million dollars, is redeemable in United States notes at the option of the holders. In order that there may be no misunderstand ing as. to the cifcumatances under which the amount. betwoen the minimum and the maximum may be issued, and that it may not be issued for the purpose of inflating the paper currency of the coubtry, 1 recommend that it be declared a re serve to be issued temporarily When the ordinary demand upon the Treasury shall require it, and in payment of such ,:emands and for the redemp tion of fractional currency, the amount so issued to be returned to the reserve as soon as the condition of the Treasury shall warrant it, and that the purchase of bonds shall be forbidden so bag as the outstanding United States notes shall exceed the minimum fixed by the act of Feb ruary 4, 1x63. I believe that such a reserve, so restricted, would be a proper and reasonable protection against any c ntinrencies whereby the revenues of the country might temporarily be diminished, ai d would give no reasonable cause to fear per tmanent inflation. EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. After giving some statistics showing the amount of the exportations and importations during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873, the *eeretary sa es that for some months past the exports hasp increased and the importa tion of goods hms diminished to such an extent that the balance of trade is in favor of the United States, aimd gold and silver are flowing into the country at a more rapid rate than ever before except in the year 1861. He says that the increase of Shipbuilding in the country is decided, and thinks that in view of the high price of iron and coal and the recent advance in the cost of labor in Europe, together with the demonstrated superior tensile strength of American ship plates, there is reason to ex pect tlhat this ch of industry will make rapid strides of progress. He adds: Nothing, except a sound financial system, is more important to the welfare of the country than that of turning and retaining the balance of trade in favor of the United States, by a healthy stimulation of the agricultural and manufactur ing industry of the country, the reduction in the cost of production at home, and of the transpor tation of merchandise from the interior is the seaboard, and the building of ships and vessels to do the carrying trade, now mostly in the hands of the people of other countries; and no legisla tion should be neglected which may assist the in dustrious people of our country in attaining these most desirable results. With the balanie of trade in favor of tlb, nited States, a retini te-spreie paslnsan 'as reached, and wthen reached may be maintained if such wise financial measures are adopted as will prevent over:radiing, extravagance, and specula tion, and encourage economy, industry, thrift, and only well-directed and prudent enteiprises conditions as essential to the prosperity of na tions as to individuals. After giving his reasons for the revision and codification of the tariff laws, the Secretary especially recommends the repeal of the ton nage tax on Atimerican vessels, and the enact ment of new laws regarding the enrollment and license of vessels employed on the inland waters of the States. MARITIME CONSIDERATIONS. The application of the navy pension laws to the otheers and seamen of the revenue marine service, and the adoption of a system of re wiurd in the form of medals of honor to be given for notable acts of bravery to keepers and ecews of life-saving stations are recom mended. The Secretary also recommends that the erection of public buildings should be limited to such as are imperatively demanded by the necessities of the public service, and where suitabP' temporary accomuiodations cannot be provided at a reasonable cost. Af ter detailing the work performed by the Su pervising Architect's office and compliment ing its head and his assistants, the Secretary says' ilhegreat extent and rapid increase of the com merce of the part of New York, where are cot lected about sixty-seven per cent. of all the duties levied on imported goods, has alresd: rendered the Custom lionse accommodations there quite insufficient. With the certain in creosf of business which this port must attain in the f ore, and with the prospect of its becom ing ihore and more an exchange center for other countries, it is a matter of the first impsitance to select, at an early day, a site for a new Custom House on a larger scale, together with the buildings needed in connection there with, where the situation, cnvenience, and ac c mt*odatlons will be adequate to the require 'meat and worthy of the position of this great mart t he expi use of erecting the building may well be extenduhd over a series of years. J he present Custom House lot may be sold to advant age, when no longer required, in part reimburse ment f the expense I earnestly commend this subti to the consideration of Congress. T report eoncludes with a recomnmenda Ition for further legislation in relation to the Louirville and; Portland Canal. The Poor and the Rich. A! thief is a contemptible being, of sourse; but in many cases hard want for s men to sin. Poverty is a fearful tRE on a man's honesty. The poor man wholives an honest life is entitled to more credit than the man of wealth. The one is forced to fight against temptation, which com s to him under the guise of want and necessity; the other has no motive except greed or ambition to tempt him from the path of rectitude, Yet when the poor man( sins aga nst the laws of the Land, how few sympathize with him, or seek to shield him from the penalty incurred. He has no friends, and the heaviest penalty that can be inflicted is considered light enough for him. When the prison doors close behind him, hope is shut out forever for ýie knows the pardoning power will never be asked to interfere in his behalf. But the rich criminal is looked upon as simply unfortunate; he is lionized; Justice bows in his presence, and seems to ask his pardon for the unpleasant relations which it bears towards him If he is convicted, it is an exceptioual case; his sentence is ma as light as possible; his prison life is lightcned by pleasant enjoyments, and chegrftd assurance that his confinement will be shorti; and he soon walks forth, the recipient of executive clemency. -A couple of ingenious boys at St. Cloid, Minnesota, lately amused them selves by filring a school-mate's mouth with snow atid tying a handkerchief round his laws to keep them shut, and the coro ner's jury could scarcely agree whether to call it choking or drowning. NEWS SUMMARY. PERSONAL AND POLITICAL. The President, on the 3d, sent to the Senate for confirmation a very large number of nomin ations and promotions made during the recess. Among the more prominent are the follow ing: Lieut. Col. George Crook, to be Brigs dier-General; Marshal Jewell, Connecticut, Minister to Russia; John A. Bingham, Ohio, Minister to Japan; W. L. Scruggs, Georgia, Minister to the United States of Colombia; Geo. Williamson, Louisiana, Minister to Cen tral "American States; J. M. Read, Jr., Min ister to Greece; A. T. A. Torbet, Delaware, Consul-General at Paris; Indian Inspectors under act February 14, 1873: Wm. Vandever, Iowa, J. W. Daniels, Minnesota, and J. D. Bevier, Michigan. The Attorney-General, it is stated; will ap peal the Credit-Mobilier suit froni the decision of the United States District Court for Con necticut to the Supreme Court of the United States. Senator Sumner was serenaded by the col ored people of Washington on the evening of Dec. 1. Representative Stephens of Georgia was a few days since received by the President in one of the reception rooms on the main floor of the White House, being too feeble to as cend the stairway to the President's ofilce. Judge-Advocate General Holt has published a long rejoinder to ex-President Johnson, in which he says Johnson is guilty of gross per version in his statement of what occurred at their interview just previous to the execution of Mrs. Surratt. Scattering returns from the Texas election indicate a Democratic majority. James Mason has been appointed Receiver in the Jay Cooke & Co. bankruptcy case, and Judge Cadwallader has issued an order com manding the receiver to have the bankrupts forthwith account to him for all their, and any or either of their property, real or per sonal, moneys, rights, credits, and effects, the accounts to be taken from the commence ment of proceedings on the 25th of Septem ber last, and from such earlier periods, if any, as may, as to any item or items, be neces sary. Bishop Armitage (Episcopal) of Wisconsin died in St. Luke's Hospitad, New York, Dec. 7, where he had gone to have a surgical oper ation performed. The Missouri delegation to Congress called upon President Grant in a body on Dec. 6. The following nominations were confirmed by the Senate, Dec. 8: Martin Wilker. Dis trict Judge for the northern district of Ohio, vi& Chas. T. Sherman, resigned; W. S. Lur ty, United States Attorney for the western district of Virginia; Wm. W. Bellson, for the District of Minnesota: Robt. N. McLaren, Marshal for " the District of Minnesota; Geo. R. Maxwell. Marshal for the Territory of Utah: Henry C. Hall, of Conuceticut, Consul General at Havasaa; Eage Bea pay of Indiana, Consul at Aix la C apelle; .mno. 1.. Near, Michigan, Consul at Windsor. Canadat Louis E. Cropsev,Nebraska, Consul at Chem nitz; A. Bridgland, Indiana, Consul at Havre; Samuel L. Glasgow. Iowa, Consul at Glasgow. The United States Supreme Court has de cidAl that the Attorney-General of Utah, and not the U. S. Attorney, is entitled to prose cute persons accused of offences against the laws of the territory. John C. Underwood, U. S. District Judge for District of Virginia, died suddenly of ap oplexy, at his residence in Washington, on the night of Dec. 8. During the day his death he had seemed in better heonn and spirits than usual. CRIMES AND CASUALTIES. An incendiary fire destroyed the entire busi ness portion of Fishkill, N. Y.. Dec. 1. The loss is $108,000; insurance $55,000. The most destructive fire that ever visited Independence, Iowa, occurred on the night of Nov. 28. In all ten buildings, occupied by six teen firms, were burned. A Cincinnati dispatch reports the wind storm of the night of Dec. 3 as being very dis astrous. Trees were blown across the At lantic and Great Western Railroad, near Akron, across the Richmond and Chicago road, in Ohio, and a barn was struck by light ning in Highland county, Ohio, and burned. Several houses were unroofed at Laurel, Ind. A barn was blown down back of Covington, Ky., and a small house was unroofed in Cin cinnati. At Paterson, N. J., on the 4th, a large four-story frame building, partly completed, was blown down, burying a number of work men and passers-by under the rains. Three bodies had been recovered, one being City Councilman McLean. It was not known how - many more were killed. A Memphis dispatch says that on the morning of the 3d a hurri cane swept over the town of Malvern. forty miles south of that city, on the line of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad. razing to the ground six business houses, tearing away the roofs of several others, wounding two men badly and six slightly. The tornado struck the railroad about three miles below Malvern and traveled up the track about four miles, carrying everything before it, houses, trees, etc. A party of desperadoes recently attacked Robinson's circus troupe at Jacksonville, Texas, and a battle ensued, first inside then outside of the tent. Three men were killed and many were wounded. The circus-men were victorious. A dispatch from Corpus Christi, Texas, Dec. 3, says: " On the night of the 1st inst., Indians and Mexicans attacked Gray & Gro ver's ranches, about 70 miles hence towards the Rio Grande, and killed seven and carried off Gray's son. When the courier left, fighting was going on. t The propeller City of Detroit foundered and s sunk during a gale on Dec. 6, in Saginaw Bay, s and it was thought that some fifteen lives were lost. The steamer Royal George exploded a boiler on the night of Dec. 5, between Jefferson and Shreveport, on the Red River. The mate and three deck hands were instantly killed, and five others seriously wounded. MISCELLANEOUS. Gold closed in New York, Dec. 8, at 109 3-.' o Outside advocates of a war for Cuba have been distributing before the Senate and House a pamphlet entitled "The Book of Blood; an authorized record of the policy adopted by modern Spain to put an end to the war for independence of Cuba." The word "blood" is printed in large red letters. It gives the number of political prisoners executed since the troubles began at 4,672. Following is the public debt statement. Dec. 1: Six per cent, bonds. $1,218,340,1°0 Five per cent. bonds 497,8u],400 Total coin bonds.... $1,716,641,530 Lawlul money debt. 14,678,000 latutred debt....... 20,548,570 Legal tender notes.. 307,001,685 Certificates of dep't 20,1 0,000 Fractional currency 48,041,319 Coin certitlcates.... 30,229,600 total withoutinte't. 465,413,635 Total debt..................... 2,217,679,7 5 Total interest.................... 38.338,725 Cash in Treasury Coin......... 83 700,937 Currency.... 1,296,440 Special deposits held for redemption of certificates of de 'psit, as provided bylow........ 20,170,000 otal in Treasury... 105,156,427 Debt less cash in Treasury..... 2,1:0,xt6.,053 Increase during month .......... 9,0.58,576 Bonds issued to Pacific Railroad companies, interest payable in lawiul money, principal out standing .............. ........64,621,512 Interest accrued and not yet paid. 1,615,:8; Interest paid by United States.. 2s,447,9s6 Interest repaid by transportation of m ails, etc..................... 4,545,453 Balance of interest by U. S........ 15,902, 30 The completion of the Mississippi Central Railway extension from Jackson, Tenn., to the Ohio River, is announced. It is stated that the epizootic has appeared again among the horses of the car and stage routes in New York City. The Patrons of Husbandry have organized a State Grange in Alabama. A dispatch from Eureka, Nov., states that the volcano has broke out in the Pinto Moun tains, ten miles from that place, and dense' volumes of smoke are issuing from the crater. The Kansas Pacific Railroad Company made a default on Dec. 1 in the payment of its December interest on $4,068,000 bonds. The officers of the company say that the money has been earned, but has beenexpend ed in the construction of eighty-eight miles of new road, on which they have been unable to sell securities. There was a full Cabinet meeting on Dec. 5, at which the new aspects of Cuban affairs were freely discussed. It is stated that there was a general impression among the members that Spain would be unable to enforce her orders for the surrender of the Virginius. It has been said that Spair. will probably, if it be found impossible for the Castelar Govern ment to enfore its official decrees upon its subjects in Cuba. make an official admission of the fact that her authorities are powerless to obey the will of the Spanish republic; that a revolution exists there, and that the United States will have the countenance of Spain in seizing the Virgiuius in the harbor of Ha vana. Washington .Sational Republican of D T7. contained the following article isareý gard to the Virginius complication, which may be considered as a semi-official statement of the status of affairs up to that date. The article says: "It may be positively announced that Min ister Sielees will soon retire from Madrid. This act is not the direct result of unfriendly relations growing out of the diplomatic netotiations between the United States and Spain. It is rather the result of General Siekles' own action, and the consequence of the construction placed by him upon the man ner in which negotiations have been carried on. It is unoflicially tntounced that his in tercourse with the Spanish foreign office has been of such a character as to impair his use fulness, and it is believed this will be the cause assigne4for his retirement. . It may also be positively announced that the Vir'inius will be surrendered to the United Mtates by being delivered into the cus tody of the United States navy within a few days. The Government has renewed assur ances, not only of tile sincerity of the Castelar Govermnent in making the promises em braced in the Polo-Fish protocol. but in its ability to execute them. The assurances re garding the latter point are based upon the knowledge that the Virginits is now virtually under the control of the Spanish navy, which is understood to be loyal to the Madrid Gov ernment. While some of its officers may en tertain a warm sympathy for the volunteers on the Island, it is believed that they will not hesitate to yield a cordial obedience to the commands of their superior officers at Madrid. The surrender of the vessel will be made in such a way and at such a time in some Cuban port as to satisfy the dignity of the interested parties. "The surviving members of the Virginius crew, now at Santiago, will be retugned to the jurisdiction of the United States at, if not be fore, the time of the surrender of the vessel. Lieut. Chipp of the Juniata, one of the Ameri can vessels in the harbor of Santiago, arrived at Key West to-day. Interesting information regarding the condition of the prisoners and the condition of affairs in that section of the Island is expected from him in a few days." The amount of legal tender notes outstand ing, Dec. 6, was $3694517.318. The Finance Committee of the Cincinnati Board of Trade has reported resolutions in favor of free banking, and asking Congress to forbid the payment of interest on current de posits by national banks. The Secretary of the Interior has accepted a portion of the Cairo & Fulton Railroad be tween Little Rock and Fulton, 126 miles, in accordance with the report of the commis sioners. Adjutant-General Baker of Iowa has re turned from a visit to the Northwestern coun ties of the State, and reports that the accounts of snffe-ing among the homesteaders has not been exaggerated, and that many families will have to be cared for during the winter, and in the spring there will be need of seed to plant the ground they have broken. A Washington special of Dec. 8 says: " The official indications to-night are that no change has occurred since yesterday in the relations existing between the United States and the Castelar Government. Secretary Fish still Adheres to his belief that Castelar will be able to fulfill the agreements of the protocol, sensational press dispatches from Madrid to thecontrary notwithstanding." FOREIGN. Havana dispatches of Dec. 4 state that Cap tain General Jovellar had telegraphed his re signation to the Madrid Governnent, on ac count of the orders to deliver up the Virgini us. He says in his dispatch that "the deliv ery of the Virginius will instantaneously cause a frightful commotion throughout the Island which would be sure to result in sue cessive eatastrophies, eves if a man of the highest ability should be in command here."' It Is stated the resignations of several other officials had been sent in, and that the feeling against the United States is most bitter and uncontrollable. The United States steamer Juniata arrived at Santiago de Cuba on Nov. 26, and her com mander visited the 101 Virgsnius prisoners then remaining there. He telegraphed to Consul Hall assuring him that no other exe cutions except the thirty-seven had occurred, and that if the American Government de manded the surrender of the prisoners no difficulty would be experienced in obtaining them. The London Times of Dec. 5 publishes an official list of the British subjects taken pris oners on the steamer Virginius, and after wards executed at Santiago. The Times com ments on the act, and says the British Govern ment, while demanding the surrender of the survivors, must carefully avoid committing it self to the proposition that the seizure of the Virginius was illegal. It is stated on the authority of a private let ter recently received at New York, that Mexino Gomez, to avenge the shooting of those captured on the Virginius, had attacked and captured a number of Spanish fortilied camps in the vicinity of Santiago. He made over two hundred prisoners, and marching them close up to Santiago, shot them in full view of the Spanish fortifications and then sent word to Burriel to come out and bury them. A difficulty has occurred between the Ger man and Spanish Governments, growing out of the seizure of some German vessels by a Spanish war steamer in the Phillippine Isl ands. Archbishop Ledochowski has replied to the demand of the German Government for his resignation, refusing to comply and declaring that he is responsible only to the Pope. The cholera has appeared among the troops of the Dutch expedition against Acheen, and together with the had condition of the roads prevented active operations. The London Hour says that it has trust worthy information that by the privately ex pressed wish of Plus IX., the cardinals have been in consultation and selected Cardinal Pecoi, the Archbishop of Perugia, for the next Pope. The United States naval officers at Santiago de Cuba report officially that the number of men captured on the Virginius was one hun dred and fifty-five, and of these fifty-three were executed. Of one hundred and two now living, fourteen are native or naturalized Americans, and the remainder are of various nationalities. The New Orleans Times publishes a state ment made by the officers of the steamer Ya zoo, direct from Havana, that two Americans were brutally murdered on Nov. 28; but the precise circumstances under which it was done are not stated. It was not considered' safe for a* -.American cilr!n to apjear in the streets, as the feeling on the part of the Spaniards toward Americans was intensely bitter. A London dispatch of Dec. 7 says: " The crew of the Loch Erne, which ran into and t sunk the Ville de Havre. have arrived at Plymouth. They were brought into port by t the British Queen, which took them off the Loch Erne on the 29th nit., at which time she was in a sinking condition. The -account of the iule de Havre disaster, given by the res cued crew, represents that the captain and t second mate of the steamer came on board the t Loch Erne shortly after the collision and did a not assist in saving any of the passengers, and. that a majority of the Fretch crow exhibited lamentable cowardice." A grand funeral service for those who lost their lives on board the steamship Yille de t Havre was held in London, on Sunday, Dec. 7. A Madrid dispatch of Dec. 6 says: " The t Government batteries keep up a steady fire on Cartagena. The Insurgents are repor ed in good spirits. They made a sortie yesterday. I Gen. Ceballos gives place to Gen. Saville in the command of the besieging forces." A recent St. Petersburg dispatch says that a ukase has been issued requiring that six men out of every thousand inhabitants of Russia, including the Polish provinces, he drafted into the army. CONGRESSIONAL. DEC. 2.-Senate.-Mr. Sumner moved to proceed to the consideration of the supplement- t ary civil rights hit, introduced by him~on the v previonsday but the motion was rejected.... t i3ills were Introduced-to sa t apart a certain t portion of the Island of Mackinaw, Michigan, as a national park; to extend the provisions of the e act of March 3, 1-73, providing for the collect- a ion of debts due from Southern railroads grant- t ing aid to the Atlantic and Great Western Canal; to organize the Territory of Oklohama. ....he President's message was read, and on c motion was ordered printed and laid on the table. .The Senate went into executive session, when the nomination of Attorney-General Williams to be Chief-Justice of the Supr. me Court was read and laid over for future consideration ....Ad journed. House. -Notices were given of several important bills to be introduced... A resolution I was passed declaring that Messrs. Sypher and. 2 Shelfon, of Louisiana, had prims facise a right to seats in the House, and that they be admitted to take the oath of offie....The lresident's message was read, after which the House ad journed. DEC. 3.-Senate.-Bills were introduced to provide for the better protection of the Northern and Northwestern frontiers, and facilitate corn merce between the States; to organize the terri tory of Pembina and to provide a temporary gov ernment to aid in the execution of the laws in Utah. (This last bill embraces all the amend ments to the bill introduced last year )....Mr. Morrill argued at length in favor of the resump tion of specie payments, and urged upon Congress the necess'y of legislation mi that direction .... Alter a short ex et ative session the Senate adjourned House.-Ntticf was gisvn of a bill to repeal so much of the postal not as prohibits weekly news papers from passing through the mails free of postage....A discussion took placeregarding the contested seats from Louisiana, and George L. Smith was admitted as a member from the Fourth district. The other cases were referred to the Committee on Elections.... Adjourned In the Senate, on the 4th, a number of bills were introduced and laid on the table to be re ferred to committees hereafter.... Mr. Sherman's bill for the redemption of the loan of 1858 was passed.... Mr. Ferry called up his resolution in structing the financial committee to report a bill providing a remedy for the existing monetary derangement, and addressed the Senate in favor thereof... The Senate then proceeded to the election of the Standing Committees (Pub lished in another colunn) ....The credentials of Pinchback and McMillan were referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections....The Senate then went into executive session, after which it adjourned until Monday. In the House, on the 4th, Ml4. Hale of Maine 1 moved that a select committe of seven be sp pointed to take into consideration the subject of the repeal of the Salary Bill, so called, and that the said committee be instructed to report at the earliest practicable day, asd that all bills on the sutJect be referred to the said committee. The resolution was adopted, and a large nmbner of bills bearing on the subject were intrcduced and referred. By consent of the House the committee was allowed to report at its earliest convenience. (The committee was subsequently announced he follows: Messrs. Hale of Maine, Maynard, Kasson, Scofleld, Hale of New York, Niblack and Jewett).... ilts were introduced and re ferred-to repeal the bankruptcy law; to repeal the iron-clad oath, and for tie removing of disabilities under the Fourteenth amend ment; recognizing Cuban belligerency; to prohibit the payment of interest by the na tional banks' to restore the franking privilege; autholizing the Seretary of the Treasury to put in circulation the residue of the forty.lour mil lons reserve by purchasing Government bonds therewiti; to regulate commerce among the several States by railroads; also for a canal connecting the waters of Lake Michigan with the Illinois. Mississippi and Rock rivers; for the public buildings at St. Joseph; for im provement of the Misstssippi River between the months of the Ohio and Missouri; for a canal around )iagara Falls, and in other directions; to require uniform charges of railroads, and to pun ish unjust discrimination in favor of or against particular persons or places... .Adjourned. DEC. 5.-Houae.-Among the bills intro-~ duced and referred were-a bill to strengthen the credit of the reconstructed States and to afford them financial relief: to permit publishers of newspapers and periodicals to exchange, and publishers of weekly newspapers to send with in the county of their publication one copy thereof to actual subscribers free of postage; to require the national bank ing associations to retain as part of their reserve the coin interest received on bonds deposited as security for their circulation; to aid the estab liatunent of free schools throughout the United States; to abolish the tax on cigars, tobacco and snuff; to complete the James River and Kanawba Canal; to afford cheap transportation by water from the interior to the Atlantic seaboard by way of the great lakes....bhe Speaker announced the Standing Committees, alter which the House ad journed. Dec. 8.-Senate.-Among the bills intro duced and referred were the following: To in corporate the Southern Transcontinental Rail road Company, and to grant the right of way through public lands to the same; to authorize the organization ol national bunks without cir culation; for the better protection of the public works of the Mississippi; to provide for chea and pe-rmanent iransportation for persons and freight between New Yokan higago; fferked to the Judiciary commitee).... James .odng was elected Executive Clerk, and Rev. Byon Sunderland ChaplainoftheSenate... .Mr. Wlght addressed the Senate in favor of the repeal oi the Salary Bill, after which the Senate Went into ex eci.tive session.....Adjourned.-House.-Seversl bills were introduced under the Monday's call of States for bills for re srence only... Mr. Negley introduced and asked to put on its passage a bill modifying the steamboat passenger act, by al lowing towboats on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to carry 150 pounds of steam pressure, instead of 110 pounds, on standard boilers of forty-two inch.es diameter, with plates a quar ter of an inch in thickness. He explained the bill and stated that it did not change the existing law, but only extended it, as the law would expire by limitation very soon.... Mr. Maynard from the Committee on Rules re ported a bill removing all disabilities imposed or remaining on any person by the third section of the fourteenth article of the Amendaments to the Constitution, and substituting for the iron-clad oath, the modified oath now administered to per sons from whom disabilities had been removed. Some little discussion ensued, when a r solution was passed to suspend the rules, and the 1ill w. I passed by a vote ot 141 t9e29 ....Mr. (.asekd Ieave to report a presaivble and dsem g ".es recognizing CTesen sbel lerency. Oh jredl to. He then aske leave to in trom stce the o t ece .to he, Cowmittee on Foreign "ASims, whch was lie, Select Committee on the salary quemtios, report ed a bill repealing so much of A etaon- r uir ae increases the compensation of Vice-Prestident, Speaker, Senators mRepresentatives and delegates to Congress. The second session ,ev4seeid ,' declares to be in full orse all acts relating to pay and allowance of Seuatora and Members that were re tled orsmptrherogdd by the act of 34 Marh, 1571, Pvided ii yshall receive no milenge for mnming to or irom the p resent seslion, excepi actual individ uat travelling expenses by the most direct route of usual travel. oi he third section requires the Secretary of the Treasury tlreover tate the treas ury alt sums that may remain nndrewn or that have been received as increased compensa tion, and which ehal u have, or may come into his possession by the return thereof. Messrs. Kaoson sad Jeweito presented a. mtnrity repo.t and recommended a bill etsovideag for the immediate redasteimtuf all a l aries where no constitutional bar exists, and re docing the Presit. at'salary to he original mo as soi n as the present t rfu expires. After a lengthy di~cuselon it was finally arranged thAt lb matter shoul~d come up to-morrow after the morning hour, to the exclusion of all ommther orders, speeises to -e limited to twenty mitnutes, and the motion to re commit being ato the while pending.... The Slpeaker laid before the Houes aco sneica mics from the Secretary of the Navp ase g for Increased appropriations. Referred.titlthe Ueit mittee on Approppriations... .By resolution of the. Coinmitteeson bteetiosa, Mr. Shasnks of Indians was declared entitled to the seat from the Ninth District of that State .... Ihe House went into Committee of the Whole, and soon after ad journed. Report of the Secretary of the Interior. The Secrer of the Interior in his annual report regarthe situation in the Indian ser vice as favorab and as a vindication of the propriety and precticability of the humane policy which was inaugurated at the begin ning of President Grant's executive term, and which has governed he department in the transaction of all busint s matters pertaining to the conduct of Indian airs. Satisfactory progress toward the acco lishment of the ends sought to be attainedb this policy has already been made, fully justifying the hope that it will eventually achieve thiendIn view. The Secretary recommends that t system of - cash annuities be abolished, and ments to the Indians be hereafter We in goods and suppilies. He suggests that n neys due the prairie bands of Pottowattom d Kansas Indians be Invested in Governorent bonds and placed to the credit of said indl respectively, for the purpose of their civil'- . zation, to be used by the Commissioner \ of Indian Affairs for that object, both interest and principal at such times and in such manner as the President of the United States may direct. The Government should assist Indians desirous of securing a perma nent home by donations of stock and farming implements. The first step toward the per manent settlement of the Indians in fixed homes is the establishment and rigid enforce ment of regulations to keep them all upon reservations. The Secretary says the Sioux nation is -almost completely surrounded by tribes that are really friendly to the Govern ment and at the same time bitterly hostile to the Sioux. If these friendly tribes could be liberally supplied with fire-arms and am munition, the present mipremacy of the Sioux might in a few years be de stroyed with but little aid from the army. The Secretary refers to the lawless condition of the Indian Territory, and says, if the Oemulgee constitution, with the proposed amendments, is not adopted at the next meet ing of the Indian Council, and Co s shall not deem it advisable to erect a Territorial Government within the Territory, he trusts that the necessary legislation may be obtained to provide for the organization of courts there in, and other jurisdiction, far as the ap pointment of judicial o neerned, by the Federal Government. The Secretary invites the attention of Con gress to a request from the colony of Mennon ites, residing in Southern Russia, for a mods: fieation of existing land laws, in certain par ticulars, to enable them to settle upon our public domain in a compact colo"y. The en tire area they will probably req i're will be abqut 500,004 acres,