Jhricttc ountn fytxaib.
m. MILLIKAN & SON, Editors and Proprietor!.
WASHINGTON C. U., J OHIO.
CURRENT NEWS.
Small-pox is raging at Paris.
The Russian expedition to Merr has
been abandoned for the present.
Weston and O'Leary commenced a
elx days' tramp at 8an Francisco on the 8th.
The Ohio Republican State Conven
tion will be held at Columbus on the 28th of
April.
The Wisconsin Democratic State
Convention will be held at Madison on the
19th of May.
The Republican tickets were general
ly successful In the municipal elections In
Ma'ine on the 8tb.
The flax mills of Lehman, Rosenthal
& Co., at Frankfort, Ind., exploded on the
11th, and ten persons were killed.
The National Conven tion of the Pro
hibition Reform party will beheld at Cleve
land, Ohio, on the 17th of June.
Appalling accounts continue to como
from Armenia and Kurdistan. The famine
extends over 100,000 square miles.
Reports from the interior of Cuba
state that the sugar crop is about forty per
cent, smaller than that of last year.
The Alabama Republican State Con
vention for the selection of delegates to the
National Convention, has been called for May
20th.
During the month of January petro
leum and petroleum products to the value of
$3,528,070, were exported from the United
8tates.
The Missouri Republican State Con
vention, for the selection of delegates to the
Chicago Convention, has been called for
April 14.
The Russian Revolutionary Commit
tee has published an address thanking the
French people for refusing the extradition of
Hartmann.
The Democrats of New Jersey will
hold their State Convention, for the selection
of delegates to the National Convention, on
the 19th of May.
At Moscow, on the 8t,h, twenty build
ings were destroyed by Are. Twenty-four
persons perished In the flames and twenty
nine were Injured.
John B. Ilawley has resigned the of
fice of Assistant Becretary of the Treasury.
He Is a candidate for nomination to the office
of Governor of Illinois.
1 1 1 (
The Wisconsin Senate, on the 12th,
concurred In the Assembly resolution pro
viding for female suffrage In Wisconsin by a
vote of nineteen to eleven.
The Louisiana Democratic State Con
vention for the selection of delegates to the
National Convention at Cincinnati will bo
held on the Vith of April.
Hangings on the 12th: John May
field, at Florence, Ala.; Sidney McFadden, at
Washington, Ark., and Dan Brlgherly at
Tbomasvllle, Georgia ; all colored. (
The six days' walking contest at San
Francisco between O'Leary and Weston closed
on the night of the Kith, with a score of 610
nilles for O'Leary and 490 for Wostou.
Five women were elected mombors
of the Middletown, N. Y., Board of Educa
tion on the 9th, defeating five men. About
one hundred women voted at the election.
In a letter to tho Duke of Marlbor
ough, on the 8th, Lord Beaconaflold stated
that the measures for the relief of Ireland
were about to be submitted for royal assent,
The express office at Sidney, Nob.,
was robbed of about $140,000 In gold bullion
on the 10th, but all except $1:1,000 was after
ward found under a pile of coal near the
depot.
The House Committee on Coinago,
Weights and Measures, on the 8th, agreed to
report fayorably a bill to provide for the ex
change of trade dollars for legal tender silver
dollars.
Secretary Sherman announcod his
Intention on the 12th to invest all the surplus
revenues every week In tho purchase of five
and six per cent, bonds on public offers In
New York.
It was reported In Shanghai on the
12th that a revolt had broken out at l'ekln,
and that Chung How, late Ambassador to
Itussia, and who negotiated the Kuldja treaty,
had been beheaded.
The gross earnings of the Union Pa
cific Kill road for the rear ending December
81, 1879, were $13,201,077; operating ex
penses, Including taxes, $5,475,503; surplus
earolmis, $7,725,574.
General MelikofTs life was saved by
a chain shirt which he wears. The bullet tore
hole In his coat, but was arrested by the pro
tecting mall. The Czar, it la stated, it pro
tected In a similar manner.
The House Committee on Appropria
tions, on the Uth, decided to Incorporate In
the special deficiency bill $000,000 for the pay
of United Stales Marshals and Deputies, with
out any proviso or restrictions.
Thirty villages on the Vistula River
in Austria, were flooded by the overflow of
the rira- on the 9th. Svera!of the villages
were completely destroyed, and thousands of
persons were without food or shelter.
Dennis Kearney was arrested by the
police at his residence in Ban Francisco, on
the 1Kb, on two charges of misdemeanor,
based on ren,arks at a meeting on the Dili.
He fumSt-bed bail and was released from cus
tody. t
The Cincinnati I'rice Current, on the
11th, published special returns from nearly
three hundred points in the West in regard to
the trowing wheat crop, Indicating almost
uniformly Javc.raUe condition and flattering
jrospcet,
The United States Sub-Treasury at
New York City, off the 12th," discovered an
other of the counterfeit $100 notes on th
Pittsburg National bank of Commerce, which
had passed through several banks without be
lng detected.
The Postoffice Department, on the
11th, concluded the contracts for the Star
Mall Service for four years In Ohio, Ken
tuokv. Tennessee, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and MlB'
sisslppl.
The Turkish Government has sent
troops to Salonlca to pursue the brigand
who captured Colonel Synge and wife. The
movement Is considered ill-advised as it Is be
Ueved the brigands will kill the Colonel
rather than surrender him without a ransom.
The Chicago Times, on the 13th, pub-
lished a comprehensive report from eleven
States In the Northwest concerning the win
ter wheat crop. Should no severe changes In
the weather occur, It is estimated that the
Increased yield in the eleven States will be
about sixty per cent.
A scarcity of fractional silver coin is
reported throughout the country. The Unt
ted 8tates Treasury contained $21,000,000 of
such coin on the 12th, which will be exchange
at all sub-treasuries for United States notes
as soon as an appropriation Is made for that
purpose by Congress.
The New York piano manufacturers
closed their shops en the 15th, throwing
abut four thousand piano makers out of
work. The piano makers demanded an In
croase of fifteen to twenty per cent, in wages
and the manufacturers decided to close their
works rather than grant the request,
A Panama paper publishes a state-
ment, purporting to be from olBcial sources,
declaring that a company of American capital
ists and French bankers, presided over by
General Grant, will be organized to construct
the Isthmus Canal as soon as a concession can
be obtained from the Nlcarauguon Govern
ment.
Referring to the claim of the United
States for preponderating Influence in the
Panama canal, the Loudon Standard declares
that the British Government Is bound to
watch this pretension, and, If necessary,
slst It. The preponderating influence of
another power can no more be allowed to lay
hands on the trade of England at Panama
than at Suez.
Mayor Kalloch, of San Francisco, is
sued a proclamation on the 10th, declaring l
the most emphatic manner that there was not
then and never had been the slightest reason
to apprehend any disturbance, riot or lawless
ness whatever from the working classes of
that city, and that the most Inexcusable and
outraucous means were being used by design
ing men to goad the worklngmen Into riotous
demonstrations, but they would rail,
Secretary Evarts, in a report to Con
gress on the tnter-Oceanic Canal, states that
the treaty botween the United States and
New Grenada is still In force, and
that canal communication should be
accomplished In accordance therewith
and with the concurrence of the Unltod
States, and that In certain contingencies the
Government of New Grenada would be au
thorlzed to call upon the Government of the
United States for the fulfillment of the treaty
obligation.
" Nathan P. Pratt, Treasurer of
tho
Heading Savings Bank at Boston, tried upon
fifty-two counts for embezzlement, was found
guilty on twenty-nine counts on me tutu,
Shortly after the conviction a paper In the pos
session of Pratt's counsel was made publlc.pur-
portlng to be the confession of Sidney P. Pratt,
son of the prisoner, and up to within a few
mouths chief clerk, book-keeper and cashier,
He takes the entire responsibility of tho de
falcations and says his stealings sggregate
over liao.000. He fled before his father was
arrested, and his whereabouts are now un
known.
At a rocout municipal election at El
gin, HI., about seventy voters employed In tho
milk condensing works were notillcd by their
Superintendent to vote the no llcor.se ticket
The license nominee thereupon applied to
Commissioner Iloyne to arrest the Superin
tendent. Mr. Hoyne being In doubts, refer
red the matter to Judge Blodgett, of the
United States Circuit Court who, on the 12th
advised him that the United States Court In
similar cases had held that the Fifteenth
Amendment and Revised Statute 5507 con
template the protection In the right of suf
frage only of former slaves, and that free or
white men do not come within these legal
safeguards. The writ for arrest was there
fore refused.
Before the Maine Legislative Investi
gating Committee at Augusta, on the 12th,
Ex-Governor Garcelon testified that he first
learned of the counting out through the pa
pers; that If he signed any certificate that was
wrong, the facts were falsely put before him
no one was counted out; had presumed that
his Council were honest and honorable men,
and bad complied the tabulations according to
law; certain rules had been laid down which
were applied to the returns regardless of
party, and thore had not been an instance
where Democrat had been allowed to correct
the returns. Individual cases were taken up,
In some of which the Governor acknowledged
that there had plainly been erasures and In
terference with the tabulation.
Recent military movements in San
Francisco have caused much excitement. All
city armories were being closely guarded, and
General McDowell, commanding the military
division of the Pacific, had received orders to
move all available troop to the city. It was
conjectured that the movement under the di-
tlon of General McDowell was due to repre
sentations made to the Washington authorities
by Colonel Bee, Vice Consul of China,
regarding the supposed danger In which the
Chinese stand. The precautions will be malu-
tatned until a settlement of the existing agita
tion is had, at least until the question of the
constitutionality of the law forbid Jlngcorpora-
tions to employ Chinese has been decided by the
United States Court aud the question of the
condemnation of Chinatown settled.
An organisation has been formed at
San Francisco known as " The Citizens' Pro
tective Union," the objects and purposes of
which are, as declared in a manifesto Is
sued on the Uth, to be the preservation
of public peace, protection of life and
property, restoration of confidence In
the security of life and property from
all violence, and the resuscitation of
the legitimate commerce, Industries and busi
ness of the people. After counseling all par
ties to obey the laws the address winds up
follows: "For the vicious and rackless
men, few in number but devilish In their de
signs, who have organized for evil and In j
their secret halls are plaunlngmfschlef to the
people who have too generously - tolerated
their presence In this city, we have no word
of counsel or warning; but let no man be de
ceived. Whoever would begin riot, violence
or conflagration here, let hloi first count the
cost." 1
F0RTY.SIXT1I COJiUKESS.-FIRST
SESSION.
Senate, March 8. The Vice-Presi
dent laid before the Senate a memorial of the
trustees of the Pcabody Educational 1'uud, rec
ommending lcirislation to aid in the education
of colored children, lief erred. Mr. Kirkwood
submitted a resolution instructing the Secre
tary or tne Treasury to ooniiiiuiucaio lo uid
Senate a statement of the amount of money
expended by the United States for all pur
poses necessarily growing out of the late war.
Adopted. The bill for the relief of homestead
settlers on publio lands amending the home
stead laws in several particulars was passed.
The morning hour having expired considera
tion waB resumed ot the bill tor the re
lief of Fits John Porter. Mr. Bayard ad
dressed the Renato. advocating the adop
tion of ihe Randolph substitute, authorizing
Porter s reappointment as Colonel. A rnea
sage was received from the President (not read
i.r laid before the Senate) relative to the lnter-
Oceanio Canal. Mr. McDonald then obtained
the floor, and after executive session the Senate
adjourned House. The Speaker announced
the new rules operative and under a call of
States, for bills, etc.. the following were intro
duced and referred: To reduce the tariff on cer
tain articles; to remove the duty on wood and
straw pulp, soda and other chemicals used in the
manufacture ot paper, ana to reduce tne amy on
unsized paper to five per cent, ad valorem ; mak
ing it unlawful foranyollicerof the regular army
to order inspections, dress parades or concerts by
hiB men on the Sabbath day : wanting pensions
to all soldiers and Bailors of alt wars who for any
reason other than for their own wrong acts be
came incapacitated to labor or earn livelihoods
for themselves, and who have no means of sup
port; appropriating S50,0 0 to enable the Com
misfiioner of Agriculture to encourage the manu
facture of'sugur from oorn-BtalkB and sorghum;
aholiuhinir all duties on lurricultural machinery
and implements; to equalize at $a per month
all bounties tor total disability; to grant
lands to officers and enlisted men who
served in the armv and navy in the late war and
wem honnmhlv dischaieed. Mr. King. Chair
man of the lnter-Oceaiiio Canal Committee,
offered, hv unanimous instructions from that
committee, resolutions reaffirming the Monroe
doctrine, out on tne suggestion ui uir. uarueiu
he consented that they should lie over until
printed, he having the right to call them up at
any time. Mr. Davis, of Illinois, offered a reso
lution for the appointment ot a committee to
ascertain the terms on wnicn tne orate oi Illinois
will eeHet;, the 1 In i led States the Illinois & Michi
gan Canal. Referred. Mr. Scales, Chairman of
r, rt l...l;..n Air,,i,.u a Kill
Llie JUlHllllbl.eo Oil Jliuiun aimun, tm
authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to allot
lands m severalty to Indians, uruere printed
and recommitted. The Speaker laid before the
House a message from the president regaraing
the lnter-Oceanio Canal, which was ordered
printed and rercrred to tne committee on niter-
Oceanio Canal. Adjourned.
Senate, March 9. The President's
message on the lnter-Oceanio Canal was read,
and with the accompanying documents, was re
ferred. Mr. Thurman presented a memorial o'f
delegates of Indian tribes in the Indian Terri
tory, remonstrating against the passage ot a
bill to establish a United Stat (jourt
in that Territm-v. Mr. Thui-ninn wanted it re
ferred to the Committee on Judiciary, but Air.
Garland objected, and it wan laid over until the,
following day. liilis were introduced and re
ferred flu follows! (iivinitoal relurious denom
inations equal rights and privileges m an Indian
reservation ; for the erection of a monument, in
Washington toluster and tne men wno ten witn
him. On motion of Mr. liailey the Judiciary
Committee was instructed to investigate the re
port that a contract has been entered into by and
between the Central Pacilio ltailroad Company
and the Union l'aoifio ltailroad Company on one
part and the 1'aciho Mail Steamship Uompaiiy on
the other part, bv the terms of which contract
the Pacific Mail HtoamshinComnanvin consider
ation of receiving acertaiu sum per month binds
itsen to cnarge sucn rates ror ireitfut aim pas
sengers as may be nxed by the railway compa
nies, and to collect the same irom the commer
cial public, fho Fits John Porter bill was again
taken un. and Mr. McDonald addressed the Sen
ate, continuing his remarks until time for ad
journment. .IIoUHK. Several memorials wcro
presented and appropriately reierreu lur.
Hcati-H. Chairman-of the Committee on Indian
Affairs, reported a hill authorizing the President
to prescribe suitable regulations lor tho govern
ment of varions Indian reservation and
providing for punishment of the orimVs of
murder, arson, rape and burglary on variolic In
dian reservations. Placed on tho calendar A
number of other bills were reported from tho
same committee and ordered placed on the cal
endar. Mr. Whitth'Tne, Chairman of the Com
mittee on Naval Aflairs. reiHirted back the lull
to authorize anil ciiuin an expedition to the Arc
tic seas, Iti-ferrcd to the Cominittco of the
Whole on the State ot the Union, Tho Political
Assessment bill was then taken up and Mr.
House addressed the House in advocacy ot the
bill. At the conclusion of his speech the House
adjourned.
Senate, March 10. The Vice Presi
dent presented a message from the President
transmitting the agreement between the Seoue-
tary of the Interior and the Uto lncinns and rec
ommending Its ratification. Uelorred. Mr.
Thurman. from the Committee on Judiciary.
reported adversely the Senate bill to reimburse
tho Beveral States for interest paid on war
loans and for other purposes. Placed on tho
calendar. Mr. Hayard, trom tlitf- Committee
on Judiciary, reported favorably the liouso
lull to define tho terms of office of
chief supervisors of elections. Placed on the
calendar. The motion made on the Uth by Mr.
'i'tiurman. to refer to the Committee on Judicia
ry the remonstrance of Indian ohiefs against the
laxsogo oi tun bin to establish a united Btates
onrt in tha Indian Territory, was taken up. and,
rienilinir discussion, the morninir hour exuired.
and consideration was resumed of the lull for
the relief of Fits John Porter. Mr. McDonald
contiuuoit his remarks in support of the bill.
At the conclusion of ihb sjieech Air. Jones, ot
Garland who made a motion that as the bill
U'l.in.lo ..,kt.ii.jl t ia H..., ,m, iM.iff.ul tit Vlp
involved many intricate Questions as to the ju
risdiction and power of the courts under the
Constitution and laws of the United States,
which are purely judicial or legal questions, that
tne tun. witn all t lie aecomuanvimr nan
ers and
the whole subject matter bo referred
to the
Committee on Judiciary lor examination,
and report by bill or otherwise. Mr.
Kandolnli objected, bxocutivo session aud
adjournment Houhk.-Mr. Dibrell, from
the Committee on Invalid Pensions, reported
back the bill to prevent the withholdine; of pen
sions from pensioners nuder the set of 1878, and
asked to have the bill put upon its nassaue. Mr.
Conircr desired to know if the bill would restore
ellDiivis to tho roll. Mr. Dibrell stated that
-ft. Davis was not a pen uoner. Mr. Conner ob-
cted t.i immediate consideration nt t ho hui
nd it was placed on the calendar. Mr. touinii
asked anil obtained leave to have nrmteri a res- I
lution, which ho would oiler as a substitute for
the resolutions ot the Committee on Inter-
,.&,,., I.n. Iiuilnriim f iiuf w. n IU 1 ,, U
Ht.ile. rnn,,.,l thn ,.,.l f th
hole commercial world m the use of a ship ca-
u Jh . .,. i . !k i .1; . .ul " i 1 . . i; , K
over and bv whomsoever such protect shall be
commenced, on such political control of it as
uivh aei.Krifv lj. nnpniimmpn.iti miff w.ltfi. I
al interests. A resolution was adopted provid-
inn for the apixiintmont of a board of ollicers of
tho navy to report upon tho practicability of
oompli'tinu the double turreted monitors Puri
tan. Monadnock. Amiihritnto and Terror. Con.
sidcration was resumed of the Political Assess
ment bill. leniithy discussion followed ami
the bill finally went over. An evemiiB session
as announce,! for the consideration of pension
bills exclusively.
Senate, March 11. Petitions were
prcsonk-d for the rcduotion of the duty on paper
and for the construction of a bridge over tho De
troit Itivor. Mr.Cockrell submitted a resolution
calling on the Secretary of the Interior for copies
all patents for land isruih! to mm vidua s or rail-
aid ooriHirations in the Indian TerriUirv. and a
nil account of the priweediUKs of tho depart-
ent In relation to such subject. Adopted,
r, Wallace intnxlueed a joint resolution in-
idiniz tor the enforcement of tho eiirht hour
law. ISi'ferTcd. The bill for the reclamation of
arid and waste lands was pass,!. It author-
e tne neeretary of tho interior to contract
r the sinking of two artesian wells on tho
ains east ot the llockv Mountains, tin
wells to be tho center of a reservation
f lour sonare miles, lhe bill for the relief of
tx John Porter was then tken up, Mr. Jones
la.) having the floor. At thecnnolusion of Mr.
.lies' remarks Mr. Davis (W. Va.) moved that
.10 bill be pontiHinod and the Benate prooeed to
insider tne formication Appropriation bilL
r. ljan moved to indefinitely postpone the
II. and Mr. Davis ( til.) moved to lav it on tho
ble. Mr. DaviH motion was aureed to. Tho
brtificatinn Appropriation bill was thrn tAken
p. and alter an executive session the Sennte ad
Mirned.... Houhk. Tho following hills wcro re
ported from committee and placed on thecalen-
r: Jo punisfi certain crimes relating to coin
tho I'uiu-d hiates; providing for the exchange
trade dollars for leiml b-nder dollr.
d to stop tho coinage of trade dollars. Tho
'ohtical Assiwment bill was taken mi. Mr.
(jpoun submitted an amendment prohibiting all
iroin any clerk or employe of the Government
any contribution tor political purposes. Mr,
Hostettor demanded the previous question,
After considerable filibustering the Houbb ad
journed witnout action.
Senate, March 12. Mr. 'Williams
presented a joint resolution of the Kentucky
Legislature, instructing the Senators from Ken
tuckvto urge the passage of a bill reducing the
salary of the President of tho United States
11 n l, n.mm.llu, ..n ll',l,wa.
tion and Labor reported adversely the bill to
provide for the investment of certain unclaimed
pay ana Bounty moneys in tne ireasur
and to facilitate the- education of the colorei
race. Indefinitely postponed. A bill was intro
duced and referred, to orovide for the ascertain
ment of claims of American citizens for spolia
tions prior to July 1, ltttil. The Fortification Ap
propriation bill was then taken up and after con
siderable discussion it was passed. The Star
Itoute Deficiency bill was taken no. but with
out action the Senate adjourned until the 15th,
. . Houhk. The bill authorizing the Secretary
of the Interior to deiwjsit certain Indian trust
funds in the United btates Treasury in lieu ot
investment was passed, the morning Hour was
dispensed with, and Mr. McMahon reported
back the Dencienoy Appropriation bill irom
the Appropriation Committee, The bill was
referred to the Committee of the Whole, where
it was discussed for some time, and the
eommitte finailv arose without lakinir anvae-
tion. The following bills were introduced and
referred: J?or the suppression of pleuro-pneu-monia
in cattle: to accept and ratify the agree
ment Hiibmit.teil hv the lite Indians for the sale
ot their lands in Colorado (aDDroonatine StfdH .-
(KXIi: to accent the title to nrooertv in Erie. Pa..
and establish a homo for indigent soldiers and
sailors. Adjourned until the lath.
The President's Message on the Isthmus
Canal.
Washington, March 8.
Tho following message was received
by tne senate to-day:
To the Senate :
I transmit herewith the report of the Secre
tary of State and accompanying papers in re
sponse to the resolution adopted by the Sen
ate on the lltn ot u eoruary last, requesting
copies of all correspondence betweeu this
Government and any foreign Government
since February, 1809, respecting a ship canal
across the Isthmus between .North America
and South America, together with copies of
any project of treaties respecting the same
whicn the Department oi state may nave pro
posed or submitted since that date to any for
eign power or Its diplomatic representatives."
in further compliance with the resolution
of the Senate, I deem It pioper to state
briefly my opinion as to the policy of the
United states witn respect to the construc
tion of an lnter-oceanic canal by any route
across the American Isthmus, une policy
of this country Is a canal under American
control. The United States caunot consent
to surrender this control to any European
power or to any combination of European
powers. If the existing treaties between the
United States and other nations, or if the
rights of sovereignty or property of other
nations stand In the way of this policy.
contingency which Is not apprehended, suit
able steps should be taken by just and liberal
negotiations to promote and establish an
American policy on this subject consistent
with the rights of nations to bo arrected by It.
The capital Invested by corporations or citi
zens of other countries In such an enterprise
must. In a great degree, look for protection to
one or more of the great powers of the world.
Wo European power can intervene tor sucn
protection without adopting measures on
this continent which the United States would
deem wholly Inadmissible. If the protection
of the United States Is relied upon, tue United
Btates must exercise such control as will ena
ble this country to itrotect Its National Inter
ests and maintain the rlgbtB of those whose
private capital Is embarked in the work.
An luter-oceanlccanal across tne American
Isthmus will change the geographical rela
tions between the Atlani ic and Pacific coasts
of the United States, and between the United
States aud the rest of the world. It will be
the great ocean thoroughfare between our
Atlantic and our Pacific shores, and virtually
a part of the coast line of the United States.
Our merely commercial Interest in It Is great
er than that of all other countries, while its
relations to our power aud prosperity as a
Nation, to our means of defense, our unity,
peace aud safety, are matters of paramount
consideration to the people of the United
States. No other great power would, under
similar circumstances, fail to assert a rightful
control over a work so closely and vitally af
fecting its Interest and weliure.
without urging runner tue grounds or my
opinion, 1 repeat in conclusion, that it Is the
right and duty of the United States to aBsert
aud maintain such supervision and authority
over any lnter-oceanic canal across the Isth
mus that connects North and South America
as will protect our National Interests. This,
1 am quite sure, will be found not only com
patible with, but prove of the widest and most
permanent advantage to commerce ana civil
ization. Signed RcTiiKHFOiiT) B. Hates,
Executive Mansion, March 8, 1880.
The Art of Writing.
We wonder sometimes, as we wade
through a mass of correspondence,
whether it is possible to teach good
writing, lhe doubt may seem absurd,
considering that the majority of civil
ized mankind can write, that every
qualified teacher among 100,000 or
200,000 in Western Europo thinks him
self or herself competent to teach the
art, and that there must be some hun
dreds of men in England, or possibly
some thousands, who make a living of
some sort by practicing this specialty.
I!, very body, We Shall bo told, IS taught,
and some few people write well, and
consequently to teach people to write
well must be possible. Still, we have
this little bit of evidence in favor of
hesitation. Nobody ever saw any
body who wrote a thoroughly good
hand, and who had been regularly
to ii f fit it t art (lrf Vi a twl iiW!nia
v!0 ,,n,1m,Kt,iV o,1 ara nu ni,l
..v..m,'-v,
suv. ramuiv on uio increase DUG tne
n,iUQAau.,M nf ,Ka oi ,it. osJrtn'f tl..it
r. ....
"y auquneu it muuuku ivaouiug.uiiu. m
the maiontV Of Cases never Were taught.
.... . .
UCU Ul UaS-CAttlUlllUU W1BV lWyB OI-
hrm that some man or woman tailffht
them to write, and that then a certain
inclination or compulsion Of Circtim-
stance, or dosire to do evervthinc wall.
. ... -
ul la iruqtioui instances, a casio-ieei-
ing, provoked them to teach them
selves to write well. They were not
taught, except in the most rudimen
tary souse of the werd, and we don't
know how tiioy should bo. Tutors and
governesses have all caught up a sys
tem from the professional writing mas
ters, and the professional writing mas
ters are all dominated by two ideas,
which are radically false. We always
glance over the books thoy publish,
and have read through a new one this
week, which we do not intend to ad
vertise in this article, p.s they are all
alike. They all think that " copper
plate writing," the special hand of
writing masters and Dank clerks, is
good writing, which it is not, being
devoid of character, far too regular in
form and, from the multiplicity t fine
upstrokes, not easy to read; and they
all believe that certain mechanical mo
tions, if carefully taught, will produce
clear writing. They will not and they
do not. There never were two
people yet in this world of ours
who wrote exactly alike or who
have the same control of their
fingers or who ought, in order to
produce good writing, to have held
their pens alike, and the effort to make
them do it only spoils their natural ca
pabilities. No doubt those capabilities
persons irom asking, demanding or soliciting
are often naturally' vory, small. The
number of persons who are by nature
not dolt with their lingers is very large,
and so is tne number oi those who can
not fix their attention; while tbe num
ber of those who can do nothing well
which they must do rapidly probably
exceeds both, lhe dimculty of teacli
ing a grown man to write decently is
almost inconceivable he seems never
to see what is wanted and something
of that diuiouity attaches to a vast pro
portion of children. Still, all persons
not deformed or crippled in the hand,
or deficient in eyesight, can be taught
to write, and the reason why they are
not taugnt properly must be some in
herent defect in the system. We be
lieve it to be the one we mentioned, the
effort to enforce a certain method, in
stead of trying to secure a certain re
suit. The unhappy child, who is almost
always, we admit necessarily, taught
too eany, is instructed to hold himeelf
or herself in a particular attitude, which
is sure to be the wrong one for five
sights in ten, the proper attitude de
pending on the length of the child's
vision;. to hold the pen at a particular
angle, which is also wrong, the fitting
angle depending on the character of
the pen and holder, and to grasp the
pen.ac a certain distance irom the nib.
which is arbitrarily fixed, whereas the
distance must be governed' by the for
mation and strength of the child's fin
gers, and would be infinitely better left
to his or her own instinct. Above all,
there is a perpetual worry about the
"resting" of the hand, though the
easiest position varies with every child,
and though no two men with much
writing to do rest the fingers quite
alike. The pupil is then taught to
make lines in a certain direction, and
to copy characters so large that they
have no resemblance to writing at all,
and to care particularly about up
strokes and down strokes, and all man
ner of minutitc, which, if they are of
any value at all, will'soon come of
themselves. So strong, in spite 'of cen
turies of experience, is the belief in this
method, that machines for controlling
the fingers while writing have repeat
edly been invented; and the author of
a book before us, a professional, is in
clined to tie them up in some fashion
with ribbon.
We believe that the whole 'of this
method is a mistake, that there is no
single system of mecanique for writing,
and that a child belonging to the edu
cated classes would be taught much
better and more easily if, after being
once able to make and recognize writ
ten letters, it were let alone, and
praised or chidden, not for its method,
but for the result. Let the boy hold
his pen as he likes, and make his
strokes as he likes, and 'write at the
pace he likes hurry, of course,
being discouraged but insist strenu
ously and persistently that his copy
shall be legible, shall be clean, and
shall approach the good copy sot be-
fore him namely, a well-written let
ter, not a rubbishy text on a single line,
written as nobody but a writing-mas
ter ever did or will write till the world's
end. He will make a muddle at first,
but he will soon make a passable imi
tation of his copy, and ultimately de
velope a characteristic and strong hand
which may be good or bad, but will not
be either meaningless, undecided or n
legible. This hand Will alter, of course.
very greatly as he grows older. It may
alter at elevenbecause it is at that age
that the range of the eyes is fixed, and
the short-sight betrays itself; and It will
alter at seventeen, because then the
system of taking" notes at lecture
which ruins most hands, will have
cramped and temporarily -spoiled the
writing; but the character will form it
self again, and will be never be deficient
in clearness or decision. ' The idea that
it is to be clear ' will have stamped it
self, and confidence will not have been
destroyed by worrying little rules about
attitude, angle and slope, which the
very irritation of the pupils ought to
convince the teachers are, from some
personal peculiarities, inapplicable,
The lad will write, as he does anything
else that he cares to do, as well as, he
can and with a certain efficiency and
speed. Almost every letter he gets
will give him some assistance, and
the master's remonstrance on his il
legibility will be attended to, like any
other caution given in the cumoulum.
As it is, he simply thinks that he does
not write well, instead of thinking that
not to write well is to fall short in
very useful accomplishment and to be
pro tanto a failure
We are not quite sure that another
process ought not to be gone through
before writing is taught at all. . Sup
pose our boys and girls were taught to
read manuscript a little? They are
taught to read print, but manuscript is
not print, or very like it, and they are
left to pick: up the power of readin
that the best way they can; they never
devote half an hour a day for .six
months to manuscript reading. If they
did, it would be easier to them all their
lives, and they would learn to believe
in legibility as the greatest, or, at any
rate, the most usoful, quality that writ
ing can display an immense improve
ment, if our experience can be trusted
in the usual youthful ideal on the sub
ject lhe business of life, no doubt,
soon teaches children to read manu
script; but many of them never read it
easily, ana retain through Hie an un
conquerable avorsion to the work, from
the fatigue and vexation which it
causes them. We have known men so
conscious of this defect that they al
ways have important letters read aloud
to them, and others who would refuse
any work, however anxious on other
grounds to accept It, if it involved the
frequent perusal of long manuscripts in
varied handwritings. No doubt the
tendency to a broad and coarse but beau
tifully legible handwriting, which has
conquered the upper class and is slowly
filtering downwards, is diminishing this
reluctance, but it would be more rapid
ly removed if a little trouble were taken
to teach children to read handwriting
They hardly see any till they begin to
receive correspondence, and are never
compelled to read any, and consequent
ly learn to write what they cannot read,
without intelligence and without pleas
ure. London Spectator.
ThB difference between an umbrella
and a woman is that you can some
times shut up the umbrella. New Ear
wn Register.
The Dinnhote.
Dr. II. E. Licks, of old South Bethle
hem, after three years labor, olaims
that ho has perfected an instrument by
which forms and colors can he sent by
wire the same as words are sent. He
calls the instrument a diaphote. The
word diaphote, from the Greek, dia,
signifying through, and photos, signify
ing light, has been selected as its name,
implying that the light traveled through
or along a wire. He road a paper on
his invention before a scientilio society
here.
The diaphote consists of four essential
parts, the receiving mirror, the trans
mitting wire, a common galvanic bat
tery and the reproducing speculum.
Dr. Licks gave a detailed account of
the many experiments undertaken to
determine the proper composition and
arrangement of ,the mirror and specu
lum. For the former he had finally se
lected an amalgam of selenium and
iodide of silver, and for the latter a
compound of selenium and chromium.
The peculiar sensitiveness of iodide of
silver and chromium to light has long
been known, and their practical use in
photography suggested their applica
tion in the diaphote. It was found,
however, after many experiments that
their action must be so modified that
each ray of light should influence, the
electric current proportionally to its
position in the solar spectrum, and
selenium was ascertained to be best
adapted to this purpose. At first a
small mirror was employed with only a.
single wire, but the images reproduced
in the speculum were indistinct and
confused, so that it beeame necessary
to make the mirror of a number of
small pieces, each about one-third of a
square inch in area, and having a small
wire attached. In the diaphote exhib
ited by Dr. Licks to the Club the mirror
was six inches by four and had seventy-r
two fine wires, which are gathered to
gether into one about a foot back of
the frame, the whole then being finely
wrapped with an insulating covering,
and on reaching the receiving specu
lum, each little wire was connected to
a division similarly placed as in the
mirror. From a common galvanic bat
tery wires also ran to each diaphotio
plate, and thus a circuit was formed
which could be closed or not at pleas
ure, lhe theoretical action of the in
strument appears now to be in the fol
lowing: The waves of light from an
object are conducted through au ordi
nary camera, so that they fall on certain
of the divisions of the mirror when the
electric current is closed. ,The light
and accompanying heat produce mo
mentary chemical changes in the amal
gam of the mirror, which modify the
electric current and cause similar
changes in the corresponding partitions
of the remote speculum, thus reproduc
ing a similar image, which by a sec-
nnrl Cfimpra inn.ir ho rfi,d!l7 aaan Utr fh
eye or thrown on a screen. Dr. 'Licks.
explained how the proportions of seleni
um in the mirror and speculum should
be scientifically adjusted to the size of
the divisions and the resistance of the
electric circuit, so as to . avoid any
blending of the proportions t the re
produced image. This, he said, had
been the problem which had caused
him the most difficulty, and which at
one time had seemed almost' insur
mountable, i ' j , ;
At the close of the paper an illustra
tion was given of the powers of the in
strument. The mirror of the diaphote,
in charge of a committee of .three, was
taken to a room in the lower part of the
building and the connecting wires laid
through the halls and stairways to the
speculum on the lecturer's platform.
Before the mirror the committee held
in succession various objects, illu-
k 4-k . s
, -J . ..6.
a burning magnesium wire, since the
rays from gas are deficient in actinic;
power, and simultaneously on the spec
ulum appeared the secondary images,
which, for exhibition to the audience,
were thrown on a screen considerably
magnified. An apple, a pen-knife and
a trade-dollar were the first objects
shown; on the latter the outlines of the
goddess of liberty were recognized, and
the date 1878 was plainly legible. A
watch was held five minutes before the
mirror, and the audience could plainly
perceive the motion of the minute hand
on the screen, but the movement of the
second hand was not satisfactorily seen,
although Professor Kannich, by looking
into the camera, thought that it was
there quite perceptible. An ink bottle,
a flower ana a part of a theater hand
bill were also shown, and when the
head of a little kitten appeared on the
screen the club testified its satisfaction
by the most hearty applause. After
the close of the experiments the scien
tists extended their congratulations to
Dr. Licks, and the president made a
few remarks on the probable scientific
and industrial applications of the dia
phote in the future. With the tele
phone and the diaphote it might vet be
possible for friends, separated by the
wiuo Atlantic, to near ana see each
other at the same time, to talk, as it
were, face to face. In connection with
the interlocking switch system it might
be used to enable signal-men of the cen
tral office to see hundreds of miles of
railroad track at once, thus lessening
the liability to accident. In connection
with photolithography it might be so
employed that the great English dailies
could be printed in New i ork a few
hours after their appearance in Lon
don. Reading (Pa.) Eagle.
The most recently published fisrures
show that suicide is on the increase in
trance. Before the Franco-German
war t-ie average number of suicides
only slightly exceeded 5,000 a year, and
now they exceed 6.000. In Paris there
are three times as many "suicides com
mitted as in the country. Most of the
r?ien who destroy themselves are bach
elors. The spring is the time of year
When suicide is most frequent, and
death by hanging is more usually re
sorted to than any other mode of self
destruction, being considered more ex
peditious.
-The suggestion has beon made that
in some quarters, and especially in
large cities, women could be advan
tageously and properly employed as
aids to the superintendent of the census,
in securing an enumeration of the in
habitants and obtaining information re
lating to industrial statistics.