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LOUISIANA. State Taxation and the In crease of Debt. PUBLIC CONTRACTS. Sad Distress in the Towns and Cities. New 0RUAN8, May 10, TCT5. Here icq a fewflgurea which give some Idea of low the affairs of Louisiana have been Managed nuder the radical rale since 1808. COST OP TUB LtCilSLATUEK. For mileage, per diem and couttngent expenses the General Assembly of the state cost, in i860, before the war, $99,436; In ltsai, $131,489; in I860, the year after the war, $184,906; in 1808, the year ef reconstruction, $303,150; In 1809, $370,214; In 1870, $722,331; in 1871, $Uab,968; in 1872, $360,000; In 1873, $481,460; last year a much smaller sum, over $200,000; but still toe Comptroller of ti.e State nays, $40,000 above his estimates of the proper cost. STATE PRINTING. Id W80 the 8tate printing coat $40,900. In 1887, the psar beiore reconstruction, it cost $76.00a The Legislature or 1808 adopted a system under which ?acn.parish has an otllciat organ, whlca prims at the public cost, not only the laws, but the journals of the Legislature and the proceedings ot police iurles. This abuse has been checked, but not yet entirely stopped. During Its height these petiy looruais were, with a very lew exceptions, owned br members ot the Legislature. Hence these per sons every year voted themselves handsome sub sidies, and the State printing bill, which amounted to $75,000In 1887, jumped to $431,345 in 1889, $313,920 IB 1870, $307,000 in 1871, $lb4,752 in 1872, and $100,866 In 1873. Thai Is to say, the reconatructors man aged to spend out of the "treasury in Ave years for printing alone very nearly $1,500,000, and a great part of this ihey voted into their own pockets. STATU TAX RATE. In 1881 the State tax amounted to 29 cents on $100; in 1867, the year before reconstruction, to 87>? cents; In 1868 to 6a>{ cents; in 1809 to 90 cents; In 1871 to $1 45; in 1872 to $2 15; in 1873 to $2 15, and in 1874 to $1 45, at which it is fixed, now, I believe, by the constitution. STATE DEBT. Id spite of this enormous increase In the tax rate, the debt of the state has trebled since i860. In that year the absolute and contingent debt (by which the State accountants here mean tho debt owing and lor wnich the State has engaged Itself lor the future), amounted to $11,182,377. In 1868, the year of reconstruction, it amounted to $16,885,682. In 1870 it haa been ran up to $40,466,734. The report of the Joint Legislative Committee to investigate the State Auditor's office?the committee is composed entirely of re publicans?gives the following summary of tho State debt at tue beginning of the present year:? Floating deot $2,166,171 71 Bonds loaned property banks 4.830,6*3 33 Bonded deot proper 22,134,800 oo Contingent debt reported by Auditor. 10,896,000 oo Contingent debt not re^ortetf by Auditor 9,606.500 oo $49,4)4,153 04 Add truet bonds and bonds missing.. V93.194 oi Total $50,597,394 95 The commute* add to thu statement mese re marks:? Io conclusion the commission find that a large portion of tue public deot. has arisen trom extrava gance, profligacy aud misuse ot the revenue* of (be riiaie; turn a-, to alt mat portion created since 1865. the state did not realize over Ufty cents on tne dollar, m>r was tbe amount realized expended for the oeneflt of the State to the extent of more tbhu one had; in other words, tbe State liai not been actually benefited in an amount exceeding one-iourth of tbe debt created, nor to an amount exceeding one-half of toe taxen collected since 1865. Ttio entire uai lauce, say one-nair ot ail the taxes aud three fourths of all the nresent debt, have beeu squ-in leied or done worse wub by the administration si me government since that date. TAXES COIXBCIU) IN 8KVBN YEAB3. Tbe state revenues, aa given in tbe Auditor's rep jrts for tbe different years, were lt?W $;i.462,069 1872 (4,312,033 18C9 *937,750 1*73 4.0.0,690 1870 6./U7 939 lt>74 .... 3.61<tKI tall o,016,443 Total 13a, 387,606 collected in uxea Irom tbe people tor the support of tne State government in seven years, besides city and parish taxes. Tbe various petty monopo ies and swindles to which State aid waa so proluaely given, and some of which 1 mentioned In a previous letter, account for a email part of this huge debt and expenditure. Such extravagance aa la mentioned by the Auditor in tua last report (lt>75). In the following words accounts for more:? Thus the number of pages (In the Legislature), which by act >o. u oi 18U is luiiusd to ten, at a compensation ior euch of (l8o, was increased more than sixty, and vouchers issued to mem at irom 1160 to (lso eacit, nor was this practice con fined to this particular class of employes, but wjs carried to other ?la.?-f,, *uch as enrolling and committee cleris, porters, <*?. tie alao, in tbe aam<* report, complaina that he has vainly tried to get toe Legislature to adopt a new plan or asaessing property lor taxation which "would save tbe htate (166,too a year." in tne Auditor's report for tbe year 1871 complaint waa made to the-Legislature oi tbe great cost of col Meting tbe taxes, "in 1870," pays mis report, ??the actual commissions paid on account of asses sors was (l?l,tf75, and tbe amount paid to tax col lectors $ai6.4ll. In 1871 the cow missions of tax oliec'ors amounted to (8tf>,'i6;i, ana that of assessors to $2&o,838." VBJUIUIURT. Of course there were some heavy jobs, which helped to run up tbe dent. For instance la the Auditor's report lor 18711 find a statement that our.ng the two previous years the state, under an arrangement with the firm of Jones A Uug?s, leases of tbe Penitentiary, bad tanned $600,000 in State bonds lor machinery for that institution. The leasees were to pay one half tbelr clear profl:s to tbe state. They paid nothing, and id 1870 transferred their contract to another set of men, the State agreeing thereafter to accept $6,000 a year in lieu of all profits, with an increase of $1,000 a year. He;*-en 1&69 and 187% two years, "tbe Penitentiary bad cost tbs State $790,000." A RA M ROAD JOB. In 1868 the New on* ao% Mobile and Chat tanooga Kallroad waa chartered iaVoulsiana, and It was determined to connect Mot>?t and New Orleans with Houston, Texas, in 18? tbe Legis lature agreed to indorse the second mortgage hi nda of tbe road to tbs extent of $12,500 por mile, and to make the indorsement for every section of tea mtlea buiit. They bui.t seventy mtles, and tbs State Indorsed (876,000 of their second mortgage bonds. The next Legislature agreed in addition to give tbe toad a state subsidy of $3,000,000 of bonds, and of this they drew (760,000. The company now propossd to build a railroad from Vermlilionvliie to Sbreveport, and in 1871 the State agreed to take stock In this eutsrprtse, $2,600,000, paying for It in bonds, and the whole of these bonds wsrs delivered to tbe company when they had dons one day's work on the road I They have never dene any more. That Is to say, tbe company have built in all seventy miles of sn uncompleted, and, therefore, worthless road, and received from the Stats $4,260,000, or over $68,000 a mile, besides a grant of tbe use of a part oi the Now Orleans lovss, valusd at (1,000,000, and they have kept It all. Finally, it remains to be said that two differ ent eompsnies of Northern capitalists oflfcred to !>uiid the Houston and New Orleans road without saosldy or State aid of any kind, bot the Leglala" Mrs wonid not give them a charter. TBI LBVKE CO MP A.NT. A great deal of money has been spent and squandered sines tbe war on the reconstruction ot tbs levees and their rspair, and democrats as wsll republican* have taken part In this Jobbing, tbe crestsit waste, howsver, being sinco 1888. Between 1M8 aud 1871 $4,750,000 of stats bonds W9F9 issued fur levee purposes, and stui bo iiymv Moat or the nsoaey was spv^t by a "State Board of Public Works," whose number* were appointed by Governor Warmoihv *n 1871 a different system was adopted, w-b:oH MH la In force, and under /"which a law part/"or the revenues of the State bus been Handed/ over for a long term of yeara to a private corporation, with privileges which suable tt t? misuse and squander them In a "nwat shocking way. By the act this corporation, which wa&te uruish a million of dollars in capital stock. agreed to build and repair the levees ol the State and to be responsible in damages to the planters and farmers who should suffer loss by overflow or crevasse. In retnrn for tbls the Legis lature gave them a million dollars down, before ? they began work, and the proceeds, annually, for a ' term of years, of a tax of fonr mills on the whole taxable property of Louisiana, and author ised them to charge, against the great fuod, sixty cents per cnblc yard for their work. But a great part of the levee work, done by planters for themselves, cost only from fifteen to eighteen eeuts per cubic yard, and thirty cents lor the avenge of all kinds of work all over the State would be, experts ten m?, a bigh rate. In fact, the first charge was so exorbitant that It has been reduoed to fifty cents, and in 1874 the levee tax, whioh the company continues to re ceive, was reduced to three mills. But the com pany never bad any money; tno mvees have not been kept in proper repair, and the losses from overflow have never been ho great as since It went into operation; and, having no capital of their own, If they are sued for damages they must pay these out of the state lund, and thus, In fact, the taxpayers pay their own insurance. The company receive about $720,000 a year. Tbls was one of the moat notorious Jobs perpe trated oy the Legislature, and attracted attention I at the time because a great many members not i only received bribes for its support?which was too eommon an occurrence to be noticed?but actually gave their rec >ipta for the money paid them. The following letter, of which the original i is berore me, shows how openly Legislative bribery was carried on under Warmoth's admin i titration. The writer was then member of Assem bly. is now State senator and member or the mate benool Board, and, l am sorry to say, is a negro:? llUl'MK OP RKPKXHKNTAriVKiJ, ) State oy Louisiana. j Nkw Orleans, Feoy 26th, 1871. ) Gknti.kman ok tub Finance Committee op Louisiana lkvkk Co. Sius?Please pay to Hon. A. W. Faulkner tne amount you may deem proper to pay on accouut oi Levee Kill I being absent at the time under or ' ders of the House, But woula have voted lor the Bui bud 1 been hi re. Mr. Faulkner is authorized i to receive and receipt lor me. very Respectfully : Gentlemen lour obt. servt. T. B. STAMPS. surely the brazenness of corruption coula go no ! farther than this?when a legislator claims a brloe on the score that he would have performed 1 tne service had he been In his place, and sends his friend not merely to receive but to receipt lor it. NKW ORLEANS. The city of N*w Orlean* is made to pay a very great part of ilie State tax, and has been, burdened In varlotw ways by the Legislature, which baa set apart a large part of Ita revenues for State or special purposes. It baa now a debt of Its own of about UB,0#0,000, and its tax rate has been ruu np to three per cent. About $17,000,000 of its bonds are worth out thirty-live cents on the dollar in me market. Here is an example which tells the tale of wasteful mi8governmeut:-An estate, which could have been sold In 1807 for over iioooooo. showed on its books, In 187a, this re markable condltioa:-Aitor pajlng for insurance hu'l usual repairs, the taxes levied tbat year on the property exceeded the entire rental by $6*0. in the next year the receipt exceeded the taxes, repairs and tnsurauco by $6oo. Vet, in 1867, this property netted seven per cent on over $1,000,000 that is to say more than $70,o00, after pajlng in surance, taxes and repairs. It u not the weaitny alone who complain. have spoken with at least a dozen small property 1 owners in the city and they all tell the same tale. In tne country the small farmers complain that they are forced to pay the heavy tuxes, while lu many cases tnelr rich neighbors resist and are allowed to reiuse payment or to delay. I was struck ?Uh the story of exasperation told mo by a mw who said;--Oue Diece of property alter anotuer belonaiug to members of my family had been sold out for taxes. Two year, ago we came Dearly to the end. We could not sell, and we could not pay the terrible taxes. I went to the suc-rlff, and said to him, 'This prop erty which yon are advertising Is the last posses slonof my mothei and slaters, and their only ?up port. I warn yja th-> on the day you put it up at aucUo.i I a^i going to attend the late with my double-barrelled shotgun.' And It was not sold. Next year we were fortunately able to pay.' Row I know the man very well who thus did, and I know him to be a peaceable, law-respecting cttixen, one of I the most important and most useful members of toe community In which he lived, fle saw thai I was ^hooked and pained at his atory. an l said, "What could 1 do? We were wealthy peoyle be fore the war; wa have been coutented in our pov erty since, and I have worked hard and lived very economically. My staters teach schooL But tne times are so hard and the taxes ao high that It was all we conid do lo live, and wnen I xaw the la*t little dependence of my mother and fitters about to be sold io satisfy thcao cormorants and j thieves I could not stand It." So great is even jet the distress that the Legisla ture has Just passed a tax redemption law, forbld ing Sheriff's sales where inability to pay uxa- is shown, in the parish of St. Landry alone, as I think 1 have before stated, there wers between November, 1871. aad November, 1873, 821 sales of plantations and landa lor taxes. Ttie newspapers U New orleana speak of this fax Stay law as an act of beneficence. Vet Louisiana is by nature one o: the ricbeat States in the Uaton and New Or leans is ona of the greatest commercial ports. Ia Itsnrprislng that the whole whito population of tne state, except the offloo-holdera and their rela tives aad Intimates, united, in 1?74, in the en deavor to overthrow a party which has so abused Ite powers? CBARLK8 MOliUMOFF. SUICIDE BY ARSENIC. \ At half-past seven o'clock Saturday night Thotr as Vetiny, a coaciimnn, aged fifty-live years, dwell ing at No. 1,330 Broadway, went Into the liquor store on the basement floor of the above number I and in a casual manner remarked to the pro prietor, Mr. 1'owers, that ne had Just taken arsenic. The latter, believing the man to be Jest ing paid no attention to him. Abont two hours subsequently Venny again en tered the barroom and commenced converg ing Wlth Mrs. Powers to whom he repeated the remark about his having taken polaon, anding that he had taken too muca, which had ?ause!i bun to vomit seve-al times and that ha h?,i (hereby narrowly escaped with tils life. When questioned as to tne cau-e wnich prompted him to commit tne rash act, Venny replied thai ne nad, | on tne da* previous, quarreled with hia wife, wao j w e "gaged a. a cook in a family residing no town. | and it mane him despondent. He fortner stated ! tuat tie glass containing tne arsenlo was In tne closet in nia room. Shortly before twelve o'clock tne same ingot Venny's room mate, a man named Pr-iivk MnJin, asked him to come to bed but Venuy excused himself by saying that he was leeling so sick he would lie on the floor so aa not l?MmimiUa?ose at six o'clock yesterday morning, i and noticing Venn* leaning half way out of tne window, went up to him, and, to hU amazement, ? l0omoermcdav*?nagh, of the Twenty-ninth pre cinct, who waa passing at the time, was iromedl- : ateiT summoneo aad acquainted with the facta. v?*teiday aitemoon coroner Croker and lc J u.w.in.... hnM <1 rvaat. I Denuty coroner McWainuey held a po?t mortem examination of the remains and lound in the closet of the room a g>??s containing traces of araemo. The wife ot the unfortunate man, on being Informed of the tieed came to the nouae. She stated that her hns band had been out of employment lor a long time oast. which fact probably induced lum to commit Lhe latal act. The arsenic, she said, bad been in his trunk, to her knowledge, over three years, he occasionally using It for tue purpose oi removing W*Ve bony 'was'^onveyed to the Dead Hou?e, where an inquest will oe held to-day. CAR ACCIDENT. Ust evening a* Michael Murphy, a resident of Thirty-ninth street, New Tork cliv, was trying to jump on board a train at the Market street depo', m i*wark he slipped, missed his footing and fell ?ndSr tM WuSmTau arm was terr.b.y m*n?led aad uaye to Ue luai U?e. . SHERMAN'S MEMOIRS, A Letter from Montgom ery 15 lair. HE DEFENDS HIS BROTHER, THE GENERAL. The First Shot in Reply to Sherman. f Washington, May 22, 1870. General bherman" were not offered for sale In Washington until to-day, and, as was expected, the demand was very great. The full review published In the Hkuald teemed to ex cite the curiosity ol the large number of army and naval officers resident In Washington, as well as toe bost or friends of General Sherman in private life. Officials do not care to speak plainly until they have carefully read the two volumes, now tue .subject of comment throughout the length and breadth of the land. Detached parte, they say, are not enough to warrant unqualified con demnation of what the General hat printed, but ftom the Secretary of War down to the lower grade or the army tnere is but one opinion, and that Is tnat General Sherman has availed him self ot the privilege of publishing bis censures and atrlctures to stratify nirrmeli and mace othert miser able. General Heintzeiman said, in speaking of the book, that he had nothing particularly harsh to aay about It. He did not deny he did some hard swearing at the Bull Run battle, but the state ment did not hurt his feelings. lie was rather glad, In fact praised General Sherman tor publish ing his Memoirs at this early day. He thought it would stimulate investigation, revive the memory of Important historical data, and enable the next historian to do better work ror future generations to pouder. Yet in tho preparation of this book, which has occupied Goneral Sherman many, many months, your correspondent was Informed that the Gen eral had extraordinary facilities. In the first place, his headquarters were in the midst of the War Department archives, which have neen care fully arranged so as to enable the custodian to flud in a lew minutes the least of the thousands and tens of thousands or orders Hied away in tho building. Then Sherman was surrounded by members of his statr, ?nd from time to time all of them were engaged in compiling and collating material lor the General's supervision, who, with untiring industry, did the llnisning strokes. General Logan, who was here for a lew days, said he should reserve his criticism until he had iead the book dispassionately, and then he didn't know what he would say or write. There it one, however, who It too ill and too feeble, to reply, and the opinion is generally expressed among army officers tnat ir General Frank P. Blair was not an invalid hla treatment by General Sherman would have been rar different. Ills brother, Montgomery Blair, however, has come to the defence of the General. I called upon him yesterday to hear what he might say in regard to his brother's treatment, and was Informed that he had been requested to write a magazine article and speak his mind plainly. It Is not generally known that Montgomery Blair is a graduate of West Point, and served with distinction in a number oi en gagements during the Indian wars, wbue Prank never had a military education. Mr. Bliir, too, hat known General Sherman for forty years, and be was married lu Mr, Blair's house, opposite the War Department. Tn j defence, then, which be takes occasion to make tn courteously thanking the magazine publisher for his request, may be tegarded at the begmnlug of the hostile Are which General Sherman will come under for bis course. The letter 1* as follow*:? William H. Browne, Esq.. Editor of the southern Magazine, Baltimore, Md. Dkaii sir?I thank you /or your kind offer of yesterday to publish any reply I may desire to make to Sherman'* reflections on my brother in I your magazine. But 1 cannot now command the time required to write a suitable article lor your mugaalne, nor do I think it necessary. Toe people ? ol this country will weigh what General Sherman Nays only at it* worth, and properly estimate him i and my brother. All wno know Sherman know that be la ol an envious nature, and his book would he unllko anything else he had done if It did not reveal this. I recollect no gener ' ous eulogy by bim of any comrade, and the extract* published in the Herald from hi* book are thoroughly Sherinanic. The purpose with which he give* Haileck tho credit of the Tennesaee campaign does not make it neces sary to qualify this criticism, for that was a thrust at Qrmnt, to whom Sherman owes everything, and whom UaliecK superseded In the act of following op hi* blow at Doneison by the capture of Aasii vllle, and so rendered nl* victory fruitless. Whatever may have been the opinion of my brother'* military capacity, Sherman, under whom he served, and whom he auccecded in the com mand of the Fifteenth army corps, is the first to impute to him a selfish purpose in Joining the army. Being the recognized leader of the military organization which proteced the St. r.ouia arsenal lrom seizure by the State authorities during the winter ot 1M0 and 1861, and the man who took all the responsibility and shared in ail the danger of the capture of Camp Jackson, which wa* the first blow struck for the I'nl JD, he wa* offered by Mr. Lincoln, on Gen eral Scott's recommendation, the first briga dier generalship for that service. This he declined peremptorily, and insisted th.it it should be given to Captain Lynn, the regular officer whose aid he had succeeded in obtaining to command the troops on that occasion, alter applying to Sherman an l faUIng to obtain his services, who declined on the ground that he had no confidence In volunteer troops, a principle to which he steadily adhered, taking good care never to volun teer any service to the government, or lift a finger for It till commissioned as a colouel in the regular army. Nor did my brother ever seek military pro motion. It wa* only In response to the urgent and peraonal appeal of Mr. Stanton, after tne second Bull Run battle, wben great discourage ment wa* felt, and recruiting had come 10 a ( star.il still, and it was necessary for the Govern ment to avail Itself of the popularity of aome of the puMic men in Congress, that he and other republican leaders left their seats to recruit In their district*. He succeeded in recruiting seven regiment* within * very short time, and It was with a brigade from part of thia force that, in 1802, he stormed the work* at Chickasaw Bluffs, which protected Vickaburg, and which he failed to hold only becanae Sherman failed to support bim. I recall two other signal occasions when the force under my brother'* command failed to secure tne fruits of well fought field*, by reason of Sherman's timidity. One wu at Chattanooga. Having crossed the river and beaten the enemy in front ot them, the Fifteenth corps was In a position to Intercept Bragg'* aimy In fall retreat before Grant, but Sherman or dered the corps to be withdrawn and let Bragg eacape. Again, at Bentonvine, wnere, while John ston was attempting and failed to crush Slocum, my brother's corps, by rapid marching m the di rection of the firing, wa* enabled to get Into hi* rear, so as to have effectually cut off hi* re'reat, the division commanded by Mower being actually in the camp which Johnston had left to attack Slocnm, he was obliged by Sher man's order to withdraw and let Jonnston escape. Hardee wa* also allowed to escape out of Savannah. How does It happen that, while commanding the finest army that ever toot the fleld, Sherman never cap tured the entmy ? The explanation of this inva riable failure Is found In bis constitutional timid ity. This enabled Sydney Johnston, at the head of 2S,ooo men in Kentucky, to fill him with pants at ths bead of iAooo, and Prlos to stamped* him, when relieved and transferred to Missouri. Ths truth Is that hs never did anything until hs came nnder Grant's upmaduu cawnmud. and had Ola nerves itsadisd by Grant'! pluck. It la not surprising that so dis creet a commander should misjudge a bolder uature, and especially one wtio, although he bad not studied algebra at West Polur, at the govern ment expense, was so Inconsiderate of himself as to take up arms for the defence of that govern ment, wban lis enemies held both the State and national governments, and when be not only bad no color of authority to protect him and the meu who stood by bun. but wan in peril from both gov ments, and did thin, too, not only without pay, but spent all he had In the world to arm hi* meu. Nor did mr brother aspire to the comftiaud of the Army or the Tenuaasee on the death of McPberson or fall in giving General Howard sup port when h? was put in tiiat position. Logan, who held an older commission thau my brother, did assert bis rigtit to succeed to this command, and was somew.iat restive and oiscomented when It was refused him. But General Howard expressed himself to me as ! much gratified t>< my brother's course, and saiu that the support which my brother cave him was of the greatest assistance to him. There is, in deed, not a circumstance irom flrst to last to jns tuy Snerman's refleotton upon my brother, and 1 confess my surprise that he should have given utterance to It. There was a slight unpleasantness between them at the outset of their association, 1 growing out of Sherman's jumping to the coueiu i aion, without the slightest reason, that my brother ; had prompted some newspaper disparagement of him. My brother properly resented the unputa ! tlon and Sherman apologized. Hut tlie effect of I this, my brother thought, was to establish I kind and confidential relations between them I ever afterward. It Is true thai he felt that Sher man bad failed entirely in any recognition of 'ala military services; but, as this was a magnanimity of whioh all who served under shormaa knew film to be incapable, no did not com plain of it generally, and only on one occasion do I remember of his showing any feeling for t'io slights which 1 knew irom others ; had been put upon him by Sherman. That was with respect to the battle or Atlanta. There, it will be romembered that, in consequence of hav | ing sent off all the cavalry to protect the railroad ; communication, Hardee was enabled to march ' around Atlanta and full upon tho left Hank and ' rear of Sherman's array, commauded by my I brother, killing McPberson at. the flrst fire, while Cheatham attacked him in trout. Sherman reiused to credit the nature of the attack when > it was communicated to him by my brother's aide I da-camp, and delayed sending support, sayinir J that Hardeo coald not have got there without opening the city to Thomas, whosa corps was in front of Hardee's position ; within the city. This left tho fight to be carried on ail day lonir, until twelve o'clock at I ntght, by the Seventeenth Corps against alternate attacks In front and rear, until it was gradually swung around upon its right flank as a pivot, driving out Harueo from behind It. This the corps was enabled to do by the precaution which my brother had taken to sslee and fortify and arm with artillery a command ing position on Its right flank. The position enabled him to enfilade the enemy with terrlblo effect at every attack. The capture of the position was attended with considerable loss, for which my brother was severely censured at the time by many of the army correspondents. But this post* tion and the desperate courago of the troops under bis command saved tho day, and yet 1 his nainai Is not mentioned in the report of tho battle. To make amends for It, however, very I honorably mention Is made of some of his subordi ' nates. ijiiitary annals do not afford a parallel for this, and yet my brother never spoke of it but once that I now recollect, and then with far less feeling than was evinced by some of the subordi nates wkom Sherman had extolled wno havo olten spoken to me on the subject. Truly, yours, MONTGOMERY BLAIR. Falkland, Montgomery coanty, Md., May 21, 1875. Until the tboughtinl army otllcors And, by per sonal examination of tho "Memoirs," bow lar they have been abased, it is not likely there will b? much open censare. The conduct of General Sbermau at and about Atlanta will, It is s*id, come in for severe crttlclcism, and statements maybe made that will weaken hts presumption in censuring those who strove earnestly to aid blm in every movement. GLENDEXNING REFUSES TO YIELD. HZ AVOWS HIS DJETEimiXATIOJJ TO "ST1( g" AMD DO GOOD AT ALL HAZABDb?XHI TfiO POHjcf* OMrBOltlflE A failure. The ramor that tbe R?t. Jonn S. Olendenning would vacate tbe* pulpit yesterday, owing to tbe pressure brought to boar by several ministers au<1 elders of the Cnurcn who aro anxious to avoid a special session of the presby tery proved to be unfounded. Ilia irtenda In tbe congregation encouraged blm to persevero, and. In tbe language of one prominent member of | tbe cburcb, to "live all this opposition down." Accordingly. Mr. Olendenning was In the pulpit a few minutes beiore iLe hour of opening tho service. A handsome bouquet graced the aland beside him. i An attempt baring been made to effect a com promise between hi* aduerents and his opponents the latter stau-d that tiiey were steadfastly op posed to hi it, because they felt that his useiulaess ior good belonged to the pa-u. Mr. Uleiidennlng boldly repeileu this charge yesterd iy. Ho corn* meuced by takicg bis text Horn Galattans, vi., ???"Let us not t>? weary in wen doing, for in duo season we shall reap If we faini not." Alter sneakingon the great im portance oi doing well In a spiritual sense the proa-iier Maid:?there is a moral cowardice in our'lav that prevents ns Iroin acting, in our lu dt.idual capacity, through fear of ttie popular clamor It migiit arouse agaiu-t ns. We t'"'l more of tho individual man and less of the ?oetety. Duty is a tiling thru lies between ourselves and God, and is independent altogether I of what oth<-r men may say. Tne moment a man pauses and asas Himself whether the pursuit or outy win affect his business in life, how u will suit Itis convenience, or even now tar it will affeci iMs ?a oty, that moment he begins to tail. When Lutner established trie Reiormation there were f tlioasands ready to throw off the yoke of Rome but ttiey were afraid ol con*i queuce*. a;raid of the world at >und, to give utterance to their teel- i ings till tue one bold man ro ? up and (lung off the yoke. Tnen tbe multitude wUo stood r>-ady followed iitm. To >10 good and comont evil re quires patient energy. Even with tlie best of us mere is an inherent devil in ns win wlilen we tnnst contend. It I* a mist..to > to nuppose tint the principle of grace remains iu ns through its own tendency. We nave to en counter our own evil passions, lor every step downward increases the momentum to ino abyss of ruin. Well doin< brings with it appropriate re wads. The power of tne < bureh to < onvert the world must lie in its preserving its distance from the world, so that it is a mi-take in our tunc* lor the Oared to aim at converting Hie World t>y malting concessions to popular pleasures and popular prejudices. FIRE AT THE HIPPODROME. Yesterday afternoon, at about half-past three o'clock, a Are broke out In the Hippodrome, and for a time It was feared tnat the building, which is sooa to be opened as a summer gar den, wonld be rendered unfit lor use for some time. Tbe lire broke out in the upper part of tbe wing on tbe comer of Twenty-slitb street and Fourth avenue, where a lot of bed clothing had been stored. As soon as the Are was discovered the watchman, Mr. Turner, sounded tbe alarm and then turned on the water through the bose eoanecteu witn tue building, but before be had time to entirely extin guish the Ore the firemen were on the spot, aud sooa a halt-dozen streams of water were fir.z lug upon the burning materials. The loss by fire 1 is small, but the damage by wster will amount to several Hundred doi.ars, as much pioperty in flie shape of wardrooe aud arena equipments belonging to the Hippodrome company was stored ) on ttie floor below. It was intimated by one of the managers of tho Hippodrome company that tbe place was set on fire, as during u.is warm weather no furnaces are kept going, and he eonid aot conceive why a lire should oe in that part of the building. The propertv is taily Insured, but it will take some time to replace it. as much of it wss papier-mache work. Itis tho inten iou of the Hippodrome agent to have the ailair tboioughiy .avesugated. FIRE IN HARLEM. | At about five o'clock yesterday afternoon a lira , broke out in tt>< iw? story frame bnliding used as an office by the Harlem Navigation Company, on the noes at tne #eo? ?f iw*?.\ street. The damage is estimates at tl.?oa whtua is covered la Insur sues. THE FETID FLATS. M'Qnaid'i Place of Skulls and What the Peo pie Think of the Garbage Outrage. Anticipated Spread of Disease During- th^ Heated Terra in Harlem and Vicinity. Tbe utmost indignation has been aroused amour tbe citizens of Harlem and tbe upper part of the burgh of Yorkville by the publication in yesterday morning's Herald of tbe details of tbo sbameiul usage* of the Police and Health depart ments In depositing tbe collected garbage ami filth taken from all the hideous alleys and gutters of (to festering side streets of the city in the bowels of tbe llarlem Flats, some of the most prominent citizens of the Hariera dlsTrfct'Tiave already begun to consult with eacn other with the view of holding a public mass meeting Immediately for the purpose of getting at the seusa of the in habitants as to how this shameless outrage on the i people wnj aro householders and residents can be stopped. MONET CAN BE RAISED. A passenger riding in a Third or second avenue car, as soon as the horses' heads strike Klghtr slxth street going north or 115th street coming south, finds the stench wafted In through the car windows, smiting bis ol-factoiies as the As syrians were smitten in the night. Even stransers who do not reside in Harlem or Yorkville are forced to endure trie horriole smell while in tmnsitu, ana this is by no means as slight a matter as It might seem at first. For every breath of air that is in haled by the lun^s of these unfortunate passeu g< rs Is poisonous, and the germs of a moat deadly disease are often laid in a moment's time, while those who oreathe the fetid odor may not feel the effects for days or weeks, or even months. It Is saiil that $10,000 can be raised by Immediate con tributions if some four or live public spirited gentlemen will only take the mut ter in uaud to prosecute the contractors who dare to trltle with the lives of the people of Harlem in this piratical manner. Even slaughter houses would be preierablc to this everlasting damning of the remse of a great city on these marsh lands. Manr persons ue | sired to know yesterday it It were not possible for 1 ati attachment to be served on the Corpora I tion Counsel to prevent lurther (lumping of this j very offensive kind. It U very certain, however I that a mass meeting will be shortly neld In Harl leui to devise means to put a sudden stoppage on ; Mr. Mcyuald's lutie contract. I THE POLICE GETTING ANGRY. The police officers of the Twenty-third pr?clnct, I whoso station house la in Eighty-sixth street I have, in the course of their duties, to traverse on ; their best3 mauy blocks ot this lniected distilct. and their feelings may be imagined when it is | known t.iat they have twelve hours, from dark to , dawn of daylight, on post In Stcond and Third 1 ?.v?nnes and ttle cross streets adjacent to the McQuaid Golgotha. One policeman, who was quite : auxious to have his opinions ventilated, spoke to I the writer as follows:? PLAIN TALK. I "\ou see I am a man of family and I have been on the police Ave or ?lx years. It is not to e*?y as a great many people think to be a policeman and do your work honestly. You nave so many ! things to watch and there is certain to bo some , brother omcer wno is a bad lellow, a liar and a j scoundrel and who Is always willing to assist the j rouudsman or sergeant to trouble you by netting | your confidence and then betraying you 1 to the other scoundrels. Well, that j *ccps a man thinking, and of course j while I am ou my beat?1 have aii/ng one, too, as we all have?I have this stench coming into my uiuuth and nose, uutll sometimes 1 (eel as If I were going to faint and lay down In tue marsh, of I course, If I could afford it and 11 I was allowed to j u" 111J stomach wiih brandy, I am certain that 1 wouid not leel the faintneSHcomiug over mo iroui J the bad smell that Is raised by this dumping. .1 y' .. ,iacl to tak;e on? ct tbem Italians tbo other day?and, mind yon, they have pretty tough stomach*, for they can eat anything and can driuk sweet oil as easy as I can drink cold water?I had to take him away from the scow and get him a cup of coffee, he was so sick. iou see his dumping business was too much for nim, and he had to weaken like a cat Some of the worklngmen who live on my flat have to get up cany in the moraine and get their breakfasts, and this smell strikes them as soon as tney leave the house. Now, that. Isn't a very nice thing for a man to get as he is starting for h?s work, even if &e has his brcakiast. But If he doesn't get his breakrastf huppose bis wife is sick in bed from tbe same oad smell that comes ftorn this devilish dumping uls trict aud the man is in a hurry to ^et bis car and go down town to work and can't, get his breakfa?t what thenf 1 ain't no doctor, I ain't, and I can t explain all about tbese levers; but I know if 1 came outon my beat In this place?say around ibe foot of Ninety-sixth street?without my oreakfast ana my stomacn was empty, wnat would be the resultf I know that 1 would have to go to bed from a fever. I don't want to Interfere In tne matter, because I am a policeman and l am not allowed to do it. but I ean g?t plenty of men m this ueignbornood to say that there will be lots of deaths in tho streets around here la a few days when it becomes pretty warm weather, from this Infernal hole. Our people ought not to allow scow to dump one load of this diseased stuff.'' A BOATMAN'S OPINION. A boatman, whose business is to fish and to pit k up odds and ends, and to carry passengers in and around Hen Uate and Hell Rock, states that he finds that the river is last filling up with vege laMe matter, and that as soon as the engineers get through excavating tne rock on tbe bed of tfce river they will have to begin excavating the bed of the river on the west sine of tbe data to tear up the reiusa and vegetable I matter that is growiug iuto a garden at the hot- > torn of the river. This boatman said his say in ? ai-^u.ucu uiaunor:? ; "l used to get .1 little flsh in and around the Gate before this dumping began, aud ui.in r a bam 1 captured iu the neighborhood of Mill Rock, in ttie old times, when sandy Uibson used to make clan chowder, and tie maue it pretty good aiore he died, tor bo tin the secret. But I was jtolng to talk ab ut t ie usti. Well, there ain't no llsti, tor this man McQoald that the UKRAi.u^alks about baa druv'em all out wuh ms Karoage" Now, there's some nind of offal that a d?n will eat, and they'll gather about it, particu larly eeia?iUey'r* awfal lond of rubbi-h that's any way decent; >ut you can't mike a fUh ti.at's any war (jure touch an old waterfall or a r.oop HKlrt <ium,.ed lu the river, lor, mind you. it nil floats out, and so there la no show for auy more flift up here nntfl this dumping ta l in an end to. Why, a whale w nld sicken on the smell, ana I ne.tr they have pretty good stomachs, tt ough 1 don't say as I w? e\er on a* haling voyage. Tiien, oeside.H damaging the flsh. you see. 1 can't net nobody to ko on a boat and take a row to or around any of tno ts.an is a* t!:ey used <o wh?n tnere wasn't no dumping, because they can't stand the damned aiueii. When I was a boy, 1 can ted yon, we used to hate the nicest littio parties "yon ever sawdo*n and up ir< m where tt:era 'ere Bre men docks are now, and there would ne lot.-* of music and sandwichcs .m l beer in the boats, and I would row tbetn up and uown from where the Good shepherd IIouso is, up Into th? Hud son Kiver and over to Astoria and Hcros* to Ward's Island, and thou tm*y would come back, feeling happy; but now tha' s all over, aud jui can't get any girl to come and lake a row with nor sweetheart, becau-e, she says, ner clothes seta destioyed by the u.d smell that comes out or the marshes, aud 1 donl blame her; for I sot a daughter about sixteen, and I wouldn't thins of bringing her out into my boat alter dark to give h* r a row on the river utitll tun damned dumpiug is tone away witqj'7 the Governor, or the Police or any one who ills sot it in charge. I Mil you that I'd give that Mcyuaid apiece <>i my inlnu if l had t..o chauce in about two minutes." and as the old ooatman .cased be began to smoke his brlaiwooa and relapsed into alleuce. RAPID TRANSIT. the nrran> boa axd its pbotisiokr?prx MABT O* TitB Bn.fj and its AirETOMnNTS. Mr. James Uasted's Rapid Transit bill, popularly known aa "Governor Tildens bill," having passed without a -ingle dlaaentlag vote, its main features will be lonnd of general Interest. The bill is given below In ??etiona and, whiia stripped or much of its legal verbiage, an of the mam points have been preserved. Just before It was reported from tuo Conference Committee several amendmenta were added which are given in fall in their proner order. The title of the bill la "An act farther to provida 'or the construction and operation of a steam laiiway or railways in count.** of the State." Section t provide* that on the application of fifty householders and taxpayers of any connty in tnia Slate that there is need In sucn connty of a steam ra.lway or rail wars, tae Board of super visors of said county may, within thirty daya, ap point Ave CommlsHoners, residents of said county, who shall have an aathority as beretnaiter provided, and wherever such proposed railway shall be wholly witsin the limits of any city in the state then such application stiiil be made omy to the May r of said city, and said Major shall ap point such Commisshraera as aforesaid. Section 2 provides that within ten davs after tn*ir appointment each of aatd commissioners miaii subscribe an oath faithfully to perioroa the duties of his office, and shall stive a bond In the penal sum of $2,500, with two sureties, prior to entering upon the duties of his office. \ BeiUQB 3 provides mat the c?mnnision?rS ahall meet and organize Into a Board wltfcin fi.'teen darn aiter appoiutmeut. Section 4?Thai said commissioners nbail. within thirty days after cacti organization, determine on the necessity 01 such steam railroads, and within sixty nays determine and locate me route except Kroadway and Kifth avenue, nolow Kilty nm.h street, and Fourth avenue above Fonv necond street, in the city ot New Torlt, and ex cept HUcti portl' us of streets and avenues ns. are aheady legally designed lor tue mam lino or. or occupied by an elevated or underground railroads in active operation. Also, excepting public parks, or lands ocupled by eoun'y buildings; also, excepting that portion of ttie city 01 Uutfaio between Micnigan aud Main streets, provided* tuat the consent ol' the owners of one-hair in valun ol the property bounded on, aud the consent o( the local authorities be first obtained; or in ease* the consent of such property owners cannot be obtained the power is vested la three Commission ers, to be appointed by toe Supreme Court, aftec a due hearing of all parties Interested, wnose do termination, confirmed by the Court, shall b<i tflLen in ^ieu 01 the consent of such property owners. Section 5-That tne said Commissioners shall, having invited the submission of plans, wlihm umeiy days aiter tnelr organization, decide npoa the plan for the construction of such railway. Setwin d?Tnatsald commissioners shall within a like period of niuuty days alter organization de termine the time rrtntTl wtrtch such railway shall be ready lor operation, togetner with the maxi mum rates and the Hours during which special, trains Shall he run at reduced rates, and within ? like period of ninety d*ys shall determine t' i* amount o; capital stock of the companv to bo formed for constructing, maintaining aud ope railug such railway, the number or shares aud tue cash percentage to be paid on subscription. section 7?That said Commissioners shall pne pare articles of association for the railroad com pany, with the proviso that in case oi lallnre ti? complete such railroad wlthla the given time th? franchises of such corporation shall tie lorleited to the Supervisors of tne county; subscription beoks io be opened within 120 days alter toe or ganization of said Commissioners. Section 8?That as soou as tue whole capital stock shall nave bocn subscribed for by not iesg than twenty-live persons, and itie tlxed percentage in casu paid in tne Commissioners shall call a meeting of said subscribers for the purpose ol or ganization and election oi dliectors, to serve lor one year. Section 9 provides lor thp issuance and fl'lng of the commissioners' eertiifcaie and directors' affi davits, the receipt ot certified copies o wlm.li by the Secretary oi State shall be deemed presump tive evidence of tue incorporation of said com pauy. Section 10 provides for an annual election of directors by stockholders. Secrion il empowers directors to enforce pay ment of subscription to stock, under penalty of forfeiture. Section 12 relates to the Individual liability of stockholders for the debts or tne company. section 13 provides that the stock shall 09 deemed personal estate, but no shares s all be transferable until all calls due Mall have been fully paid. bectlon 14 provides for the Increase of tne caw ltal stock to any amount sanctioned by a vote of two-thirds in amount of nil the stockholders. Section IS provides for tne personal lion iiaeilitf ot persons holding stock lu any such couu'tuv n* executor or trustee, or holding it as collateral security. Section 18 provides for action by labore re agaiust said company iu case any contractor sh.ut lail to pay laborers. Section 17 empowers any such corporation nren erally to hold real estate required for the railwav, and in case of r.on- agreement wifh owners glvce tne rurht 10 acquire title as hereinafter provided. Section 18 provides lor a petition by the com* pany to the Supreme Court lor the acquirement ol title. Section 19 provides ror procedure before tha Supreme Court on such petition, and for the ap? pointment by the Court ol Ave Commissioners of Appraisal. taction 20 provides for proceedings bofore and report by the said Commissioners or a majority thereof to the supreme Court. I Section provides lor the confirmation of suets I report by the Court aud tuo issuing 01 au order statins substance of proceedings and description ot real estate appraised and direction as ti? manner of payment 01 mouey therefor by tha company. section 22 provides for the entering Into posses sion by the company of such real estate so acquired; also provides lor appeals ironi tha appraisers' report by either party to the Soprema Court and proceedings thereon, snoh appeal no6 to ailect the possession of the oompauy. section iu provides as to payment of money foe such real Estate into court by tue company ami proceedings thereon ; also gives 1 be Court powec to amend any formality or defect In the proceed ings under tuts act and to add new parties aud to appoint new Commissioners if so required. section 24 provides as 'o amendment ol acquired title by the company if found detective. Section 23 provides that tuo Supreme Conrt shall luve power to direct legal conveyance of re quired realty by holders no; authorized to sen and convey the -ame. Section JO provides, first, for the holding ol voluntary grants of real estate; second, tuat notu.ng uereia contaiued -hu:i atTect the act au thorizing tne construction or rauroads upon Indian lands, passed viay 12, 18;ifl; third, provides lor intersection* and Joiuintrs with outer rallroadl previously constructed, aud upon decision ot amount or compensation In respect ol such inter section; fourth, empowers the company to convey persons and property upon their railway oy steaiu or any motor otner man auimal power: tilth, em powers the cotnpaur 10 construct aud opera said railway upon the p an adopted i>y the said commissioners, excepting tuat nothing in this - 1 shall authorize tne construction of it railway crow ing tne tract of any steam railway now in actu >1 operation at the grado thereof, or the erection ol piers or supports f.T any elevated railway upon 4 rsuwar traclt now actually lu u<e iu an> sir?. t or avenue; sixth, empowers tue company to issue bonds. Section ST provides that every rsliwav official sf?al? wear a image, otherwise lie Shan no ii ? titled in exercise any 01 tbe powers of nit ofll<*e. Section provide* as to tlie conveyance ol Coited state* mail.4. Section empowers servants of th? rnrpori tton to expel any passenger reririag to pay us la re. Section 30 provides that pn*h corporation mint famish sufficient accommodations ior lis patron-, aud snail b,; llaWe lor anr neglect in n?i- resp<-> i. section 31 provides that. 11 any pe son in cliaige of a locomotive engine or wntie acting sn conduc tor on bucu railroad be intoxicated be -:n. ? deemed gnllty o' a misdemeanor. Section 31 provides a remedy f?>r Malicious ?<?:a agitust the property of toe company. Section . j provides lor proceedings ior i *nali as under tills act. section 34 provides'for the ill-solution it my future time oi any suub corporation by tne Us .? lature. Section 3.? provides in tbe case of inter-en on for tbe temporary removal of am horse- rallwav tracks ntiu restoration thereof nommg couM t t in till art r < . authorize any corporation tortu'd meteiinuer io use tne tracks of any hor?e railway. Bectiou a provides that whenever tfie ron .? determined nponbysaid Commissioner* coinci to with tue r.jute or routes covered or t e charter oi an existing corporation formed ipr the pn. pose provided tor by this act, provided tnat s 11 corporation has not forietted ita charter or laii i to comply with tne provistona thereof lecjUirmi the construction of any road or roads witbln tun time prescrtbeii by iu charter, sucn con-oration shall have the like power tocoustruct an<l operat* such railway or railways upon f.ntli sent o' require ments and conditions irapo-ed Or said < otum s ?doners as a cotp ration apociai.y totm- I unoT this act. To this section the following mipor ant amendment was m.idc juat previous to the pas-?tfO of tne bill:?Aid tho said Commissioner* may nr and determine tne ro?"> or ron tea by wmcti auf elevated steam r itiway or ta lwa-s h >w in ac ual operation mav connect with other ste.iu* railway* o; the depot* thereof, or w t:i sfa-n n-r ries, upon fulfilment hy aurh elevated steam r.uU way company, so :sr as it reiai a to *ach couBe - tion. or such of the req"irem'nis and conditio ? Imposed by ?a-d Commissioners under section 4 of this act as are tie -e*?ary to ue faltilled in sacifc casea under aecti>n 18 of article 3 ot tne constitu tion o; thu stite; and aacb connecting etev&te<f railway snail in such caa-s possess all the powe-g conterred by se-'tton 88 of ttus act; atid waen any connecting i out ? or routes shall ue so desi?nat?<K such elevatei railway company may coii?tru o suca conncc'ion. witn ail the rights and wrn iu? effect as though the samo bad been a part of tn? original route of such tail way. Motion .'IT provniea that said Commissioner* shall hand o\er alt papers and money to -u. r*, corporation wuuln one month after oi g.?ni/.ationr after deducting amounta due to Commission*! a ior expenses and salaries. section Si provides mat each of satd CoraniH aionera shad be paid $10 per day lor each aa> ol actaal -orvlce. Section 3V clothcs a majority of the rnmmli stoners wit.i power to tranaact business, also provides tor the removal ior canoe by tne power appointing and for niting vacancies iu the event of death or resignation. sectional, 41 and 43 wero added at the laal moment and are herewith given entire section 40?rnis not snail not be enitraM to rA pea. or in any manner to affect chapter 140 of .b< Laws of isao, entitled An act to au'horieo tii? 1 formation ot railroad corporations, mid to reiriai ! late the same," or tbe aeTeral acta ametniatorj tuereof or supplementary thereto; none of tbe pro? visions of tms act snail apply to any railroad co m puny organized nnder any general or special lail of mis .-state for the purpoae of constructing ol operatint; a Steam railroad upon tbe surface oj the ground, nor to the operation or mauagenuul Of any railroad heretofore con??rucied. section 41?It snail not bo lawful ior any ccnt' I pari? organized under the proviaiona ot this a< u or under any oilier act heretoiore p.,a?ed, to ion etruct a steam railway upon St. Nicholas avenue, in the city of Sew York, or tboae atreets or ase? nuea in said city commonly known as boaievar in except to cross the same under such regulation! as shall be imposed by the Commissioners pro< vided for by this act: and every such comtisnj snail be bound by tne reatricttons and ilmlrati ol as to Its root* and as to its mode of construction, which shall be established by the Commissioner! appointed under toe acts from which its power* were derived, as far as such restrictions and lliui. tationa are cousisietit witn the provisions of ting act. The provisi"lis of this section shall not i># deemed to apply to any existing horse street rail way heretofore authorized to be constructed. 4 Section 42 - Ibis net shall take Vdcct Im.hk.UI I ateiy.