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The Huron Expositor, 1877-01-12, Page 4TH HURON EXPOSITOR. JANUARY 12 1877. NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. ! Selling Off For Cost—Thomas Kidd. • Dry Goods—Logan & Jamieson. Another Arrival of Teas—J. Brownell. ' Chopping Axes. .Johnson Brothers. Bells and Skates—W. Robertson & Co.1 Harper's Bazar—Harper & Brothers. I ' Farm for Sale—William Fowler. County Council Notice—P. Adamson. Promissory Note Lost—John Dusharm. Spectacles—M. It. Counter. To Stook Breeders—Wilham Cooper. Betray Pik—Peter Moore. Mill Property for Sale—Gerrow Bros. Debtors' Notice—John Kidd. Notice to Debtors—Thomas Lee. Card of -Thanks—Charles Mason. I Notice of Dissolution—George Rowbliffe. SRAFORTII, FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 1877 Exemption from Municipal Tax- ation. The Propriety of continuing the pret- erit systera of exempting church and. public properties from Municipal taxa- tion is naw being discussed by the Pros and in Parliament. This diecussion has been originated mainly by the Council of the city of Toronto. AS is Well known there is alarge amount of property belong- ing to the Dominion and the Province of Ontario located in that city. Through mismanagement and ektravegance the rulers of Toronto have involved the city in such a labyrinth of financial difficul- ties that they are now driven to their wit' end to devise means whereby the financial requirements of the city can be met. As a meand of increasing the rev- enue of the city, and gaining temporary relief from financial embarrassment, the Council have resolved to endeavor to secure the abolition of all eX- emptions, and with this object ib view they have sought the , of other municipal bodies, andju.dg- ing from the number of petitions which are flowing into the Legislature, too many municipal* councils have been caught in the trap which wan laid fpr them. The properties which are now exempt and which it is desired to have taxed, may be divided ink two classes?: first, church properties such as church edi- fices, manses and lands, and second, • public property such as Parliament buildings, asylums, • prisons, court houses, &�. As to the ad.visability of subjecting these properties to taxation there is at Present a great diversity of opinion among the inenibers Of the Leg- islature. For instance, Messrs. Cam- eron and Lauder are opposed to the tax- ation of charch property, but would quite willingly see pablic property taxed; Mr. Fraser is opposed to taxing either classes? while others are willing , that church property only should be taiced. As for the Press', the Globe and Mail vehement- • ly urge that all exemptions should be abolished. We might here remark that these two journals never agree on any question, un:ess it is in advocacy of some measure or some scheme which will largely benefit the city of Toronto. So far as church edifices and the land upon which they stand are concerned; ,we do not see that it makes much:differ- ence Whether they are taxed or not. As a general thing they belong to the peos pe of the municipality where leeated, and k tax them seems to be very much like taking money out of one pock- et merely for the purpose of putting it into the other. Besides this, churches are not built for speculative purposes, consequently the owners of them do not profit by enhatioed value. Other prom erties, however, held by denominational bodies should be subject to municipal taxation ie order that justice might be done to all, as such property is market- • able, and the owners are pecuniarily benefitted by public intprovemeuts, and the property should consequently be quiredto contribute to the general rev-- enue in proportion to its value. But there is no parallel between pioperty of this kind and public property. Church property invariably belongs to the peo- ple of the municipality in which' it is located, and the object in taxing it for natuaicipal purposes • is- not so much to. increase the general revenue as to place the several denominations on an equal footing in respect to benefits ,which they derive from municipal expenditure. With Dominion, Provincial and . County properties, the case is quite different. These belong to the general public, whia have, generally speaking, no direct inter- est in the city or town where the prop- erty is. located. The fact of this property being in these places is a great pecnniary benefit to theta, and the public who own the property are not participators in any degree in this benefit. Take for instance the city of Toronto, or we might say the County of 'Huron. What would Toronto • be to day without the Parliament 'build- ings, the public offices, the Courts,and the many other public institutiens located there, and the trade and profit which all these bring there, to • say nothing of the millions of dollars whish have been spent in erecting those public buildings. The -same is true, only of course, to a lesser extent, of the County seat in this and other Counties. It will be safe to say that were the public insti- tutions --institutions which were estab- lished and which are maintained by the money of the people of the Doroinion and. the Province who have no direct interest in the city—we say -were these institu- tions . removed, the trade of Toronto Would be decreased by at .least three- fourths. Yet in the face of these facts the. Council and the Press of tha city have the audacity to ask that the people of the countryahOuld be forced to pay a tax upon what is in- reality . the back bone and life blood of the• city: It is all very_ well to say that the city has to furnish 'sewerage, side -walks, fire protection, -&c., for this property. In view. of the benefits the city receives from it, it can very well afterd to do all g this and more. When these several in- dtitutions were being from time to time established in the city, it was well known to,the Council' and to the Press that they would not contribute to the revenue of the city by taxes, and • why were they eat objected to . then.? These public . buildings were located in the several places where they now are, under the' distinct understanding that they should not coitteibute directly to the local revenue l . but that the -indirect benefit which they would certainly be would do more than compensate for the privilege allowed of freedom from taxation, andit 'would be an outrage upon the people of the coufitry to require them now to shoulder burdens which they have ins equitable right to bear. We do not be- lieve that anyiGovernment could live it month after •aviowing sudh a policy, as we have a much better opinion of the people of the rural districts than to be- lieve that they would allow any Govern- ment or any Legislature to deal so un- justly with them. Any such proposition should not receive the slightest sym- pathy, but should be hooted dowu at once. It is not church property that the leaders of the abolition of exemptions party detire to get at. It is the public property, and church property is put .forward simply as a bait to entrap the utiwary. If they cam get th.e property of the Province and of the Dominion to -assist in clearing up indebtedness in- curred through extravagance, they will be quite willing to let church propertY go, as. they well know that it is not. by taxing church property that they .will lighten their burdens, but by taxing the property which will draw money from outside of their own municipalities. Amendments to the School Act. A Committee of Grangers on Saturday rnet.in London and toek into consider- aton "the educational interests of the rural districts." Six resolutions were agreed to and it was decided to forward them. to Mr. Crooks. This was right, and the Committee may rest assured they will receive due attention. Though they all more or less condemn existing or propos- ed provisious in the law, it is pretty clear they were not prepared in any tpirit other than that which should govern persons who criticise measures of such importance as those relating to educa- tion which everyone should have deeply at heart. The resolutions are as follows: 1st. That thee are too many branches attempted to be taught in our common schools .1 that in consequence thereof, to- gether with the limitecl time during which children generally attend school, none of the branches can be thoroughly taught; apd in consequence the system was •defective in method and. practice. End. That there is too great a differ- ebce between second and third-class cer- tificates, and that thereby many good teachers are lost to the profession, and we recommend en intermediate grade, between the two classes. 3rd. With regard to Township Boards of Trustees, we are of opinion that they do not meet the requirements of the ru- ral districts; and would prove injurious to the general welfare of our schools. 4th. We arn,also of opinion that School -Inspectors have too ranch power in dis- posing of the property of school sections, by ordering Trustees to build new echool houses without the consent of the rate- payers in such section, and that the an- nual 'meeting of the ratepayers should decide any such question. 5th. That thelInspector should not be ex -officio a meMber of any committee, -relating to differences arising in school sections, unless requested by the parties in dispute. I 6th. That the Easter vacations should be abolished and that mid -summer holi- days do not33xceed one month. Manitoba Items. Wood is the most plentifully supplied commolity in the market at present. —There are fresh cases of small -pox at Nettly Creek, and the number now un- der treatment is increased to 11. ' —A rumor that Mr. John Brown, corn- missiont merchant, of Winnipeg, lied perished in Jest week's blizzard, while on a trip to the. Pembina Mountains, proves to be totally incorrect. —The Winnipeg munioie-al nomina- tions were held on Christmas day. In consequence of its falling on that day, op- position was raised by not a few persons in the shape of communications to the newspapers, and otherwise causing quite a stir in the community. . ----Every day letters are received in Winnipeg inquiring for further informa- tion about Manitoba, the writers intend- ing to immigrate there in the spring. The majority of letters received are from Ontario farmers, 'while there are not a few froal-thechanies and tradesmen. —It is learned that there were three Mennonites of the village of Bergthol, about ten miles from Pointe de Chene, lost in the big blizzard. The body of one was found, and a search was being made for the other, which, up to latest accounts, had proved unsuccessful. —Mr. Wells, of Greenwood, has shown the Winnepeg Free Press one stool of wheat, raised by himself, of twenty-nine stalks, and one average bead contained forty-three grains, making a return of over one thousand two hundred fold. The straw measured about four feet and a half. —Manitoba gobbled up about one-half of the intmigrants arriving at Toronto last year. There were about 5,500 im- migrants all told, who are distributed according to nationality as follows: English, 1,763; Irish, 578; Scotch, 437; foreigners, including Swiss, French ..and Germans, 156; Icelanders, 1,167; Men- nonites, 1,358. TORONTO TOPIC:36. --- . The Opening of the- Legislature— How Rh Honor Delivers the Specch—Deate on the Address— How the IIovcr and Seconder • Performed Their Duties—M. C. Cameron'sTiriefs—An Amendment to the Addr4s—Opposition Tactics Exeniption ! from Taxation—To- ronto Wants the Province to Help Pay its Debts—Codification of the Statutes—What it Means to the • Country at Large—Fledgling Law- yers rand Their Little Rill.—Gen- . eral Legiolaitive Topics. . • From our Special Correspondent. The Local Legislature was opened with the usual formalities on Wednes- day of last week. The . attendance of members on the opening day was ;very small, owing chieiiy to the blockade upon the Grand Trunk caused. by the strike, but as some compensation for the absenee of many of the hon. members, there was an I unusually large and brilliant assemblage of Toronto beauties, dressed "in gorgeous array," like the heroine in the melancholy ballad. of "Vil- lik ins and bite Dinah." The regularity with which the ladies of Toronto attend these opening ceremonies of the Session is somethieg wonderful to behold. I have ofte4 tried to discover if there really was any ether reason for their coming out in such large numbers except the feminine desire to see the plumage of Others and shoIw their own, but so far I have been miable to discern any. • There is really npthing to- be seen ex- • cept the rather isinful sight of our plain, unassuming Lieutenant -Governor ar- rayed in a uniforIn and going through a formality which he appears to -enjoy about as much as he woulcl the spending of an equal period under the operation of some cruel instrument of torture invent- ed by the Spanish inquisition. Then there are a few oticens whose utmost at- tention is required to keep themselves from tripping over their swords; a few distinguished judges and clergymen sit- ting in a solid square in the centre of the Chamber ; a few members of Parlia- ment huddled off into a corner, and looking as if they had effected entrance by crawling under the canvass, like boys into a circus tent, and were in mo- mentary expectation of being ordered out. There is not -very much to be beard either. The reading of a Speech from the Throne by His Honor does not amount to a great deal, either in the way of edification or amusement, for, although the duty is not ungracefully. performed, it is scarcely marked by that polish of manner and delivery which makes Lord Dufferin's animal address to the Commons a "thing of beauty," even - to those too far from the Throne to -catch all the words. His Honor's hands shake very perceptibly as he reads* from the Gazette Extra his deliverance to the House, and as he , bows himself out he looks pleased thet the performance is over. • The debate on the address began on 'Thursday. It wes expected that Mr. MeCrarney, of East Kent would have made the usual motion, "that an humble address be presented, &c. " but indispo- sition prevented his attendance, and Mr. Miller, the member for Muskoka, was called upon at the eleventh hour to per- form the duty. I always experience a feeling of pity for the young members who are called upon to move and second theaddress. The task is by no means an easy or a pleasent one. To say no- thing of the custom which generally as- signs the duty—if it can be done—to members who have not previously ad- dressed the House, the speakers are so hedged in by certain tacit restrictions, that those who get through the per- formance even tolerably well are to be congratulated. They are not suffered to intrude their own individual ; opinions upon the particular matters contained in the Speech, but merely to give a general exposition of the government policy as announced in the document. Mr. Miller did not appear to trite understand his duty in this light, and proceeded to give expression to his own views on matters' of detail in a way which, if perfectly proper for the member for Muskoka, was not exactly called for in his capacity as mover of the address. Though he is a fair speaker, he is inclined to be some- what long-winded , and. tiresome. Mr. Massie, the new member for South Wel- lington, who seconded the address, per- - formed his duty admirably and proved himself to be a decided acquisition to . the debating talent on the Ministerial side of the House. On Thursday evening the debate was adjourned at the request of Mr. Macdougall, who said that "some members" were absent who might- wish to speak on the !address. The "some members" in, the case, it is almost need- less to say, was ene of the Opposition leaders, Mr. M. C. Cameron, who ie wise enough not to allOw his Parliamentary duties to interfere unduly with his briefs. • On Friday the debate was continued until midnight. The Opposition had held a caucus and, decided to offer an amendment to the address, censuring the Government for faiiingto make any re- ference to the question of exemption from taxation. The amendment (which was moved by Mr. Scott, of Peterboro) did not itself express any opinion upon the question ; it simply asked the House to vote non -confidence in the administra- tion, because, "in view of the great in- terest manifested ia the question," His Honor had failed to refer to it in the Speech. The debate which followed il- lustrated very amusingly the straights to which the Opposition had been re- duced in order to make a point against the Government, for it was found that on the question ef taxing church properties, the Commissioners of Public • Works and the first leader of the Opposi- tion took exactly the same ground, namely, that such property should not be taxed. Mr. Cameron did not commit himself so far as to saythat the Parliament Buildings, Osgoode Hall, the' Central Prison, the new Custom House, and other property in this city belonging to the Dominion and Local Governments should be taxed. Mr. Lauder expressed himself as strong- ly opposed to the taxation of churches, and declared that' he had very little sympathy with the views of Ald. Hal- lam and his Committee of the Toronto City Council who have been the sole originators of what little agitation there has taken place upon the exemptionques- tion. Scarcely a single member of the Opposition would positively declare himself in favor of abolishing the exist- • ing exemption's from taxation; none of them suggestedfanything like a policy for dealing with.a .4uestion, which,apart from its merits; everyone acknowledges to be a very difficult one. • The strong- est opponent of exemptions was a sup- porter of the Goiernment. Still the amendment was So wide that it had plenty of room for every member of the Opposition in the vote which followed. It will be seen very plainly that the only "policy" which they appear to pos- sess, namely, to go it ,blind against the Government, is so flexible that if the Administration had proposed any meas- ure on the subject, in the Speech from the Throne, the Opposition could with equal consistency have voted as solidly -- against it as they did in their vote of censure of the Government for failure to deal with it. The only two members of the House who really went over the whole question on its merits were Mr. Bethune and Mr. Fraser, and both de- clared themselves in favor of the exist- ing law. The principal ground taken by the former was that according to the British North America Act, neither the Federal nor the Provincial Legislatures could confer upon the municipalities the power of taxing property belonging either to the Dominion or Local Govern- ments. He at the same time opposed any change on the intrinsie merits of the question. Mr. Fraser maintained that the whole agitation was got up in the interests of the people of Toronto, who finding themselves burdened with debt, were anxious to get the power of taxing the two and one half million dollars' worth of Provincial property in the city ; and that although they put the exemp- tion of church property to the fore in asking the co-operat on of outside mu- nicipalities, this was merely as a blind to the selfishness of leir object. The principal argument employed by Mr. Fraser was that if the Provincial and Dominion buildings in Toronto were to be taxed, then the Parliament build- ings in Ottawa, the Crown Lands of the Province, the Intercolonial Railway, the Pacific Railway, every Court house and jail, and in fact alll property belong- ing either to the Federal or the Provin- cial Governments shonld be taxed, on the same principle. He held that, this was thelogical conclu4on or the argu- ments used by those lrho favored the abolition of exemption, and said that such e proposition was oo absurd to be entertained. WhateVe may be the • re- sult of the agitation to do away with all exemptions, it is certaid that tide Prov- ince itt not yet ready to say that its property shall be taxed tor the benefit of Toronto. The Councit of that city is too largely interested in the matter to be regarded by the country as altogether unseltish in their advocacy of a change in the law, and , few wiill say that the Government would be i justified on the strength of a sudden flurry raised by Ald. Hallam and this fiends, in med- dling tvith the law as it stands. The amendment was lost ly a vote of 29 to 41. Of the matters whic will come be-. fore the House this sessi n, probably the most important is one t at will receive very li tle attention fro many people. I refe to the consolidation of the statute . Judging this work by the Friday ight that if the overnment an - i4 test of general utility, It r. Mowat was not ver far wrong whe he stated on complis ed nothing else this session, it would eserve well of the country. , No one needs to be told that the laws of the Province are so many and so mixed., that so far frous magistrates or people in general being able • to understand them, even the lawyers occasionally • flounder in trying to get through them, though the additional grist that comes to the legal mill is rather increased than otherwise by the present state of the law. By the consolidetion, however, the statutes will be reduced to a bulk and -a price which will •bring them with- in the means Of most people, and what is of more importance, they will be so sitnplified that there willibe no difficulty in any one of average natelfigence un- derstanding them suficiehtly,to do away with the necessity of feeing a lawyer on every trifling occasion tliat may arise. It is notorious that a gre t deai of litiga- pie instead of for the lawyers. Trifling 1 tion aud expense might "be avoided if our law was made a thing for the peo- questions about line fences, drainage, contracts, school matters? &c. are every day referred to lawyers which, if the statutes were properly codified, might be 'settled at kerne. The gentlemen who have been entrusted with the work of - consolidation are perfectly competent to do it well, and there is no doubt that it will pro-ve a boon to the people at large which cannot be too highly valued. It • is to be hoped, too, that it will restrain the tendency of young lavvyers and oth- ers in the House to tinker the law every session, by making trifling amendments which are only of local applieation and not generally called for. This mania for law making is one of the mest repren hensible features of our provineial legis- lation, and cannot be too legis - irefully guard- ed against in future. Ey en lawyers are beginning to say that we have altogether too much law, and if alley say so, the laity may accept the statement unre- scrAvmedolnyg. the other matters which will ] be dealt with by the House are some amendments to the License Law, which, without affecting its general features, will make it more work harmony Any in - harmony between it and the Dunkin Act will likely be remettied. The Op- position I have already shown that they intend ntakingthe License Question a po- litical one in the lowest sense ; while the Government promise a return which will eh+ just exactly how the new law • has operated politically and otherwise. The _.,1aoverninent will propose the erection of a new fire -proof building, in which to preserve the Crown Lands Re- cords. It was expected that they would have asked the House to consent , to the erection of new Parliament Buildings throughout, but they have very wisely left the matter in stata-quo. A bill will be introduced to extend the franchise to the sons of farmers, living at home without salaries, in the expectation of falling heirs to the home- stead. Such a law will give this class a greater interest in the country, tend to keep them from leaving their homes, and do away with the practice of making false leases to create votes. Some of the Opposition members raised the ob- jection that the sons of mechanics and. other classes should be, accorded. the same privilege but, unlese on the general ground of manhood suffrage, the objec- tion does not appear to be well taken, as the sons of farmers occupy a position in this regard entirely different from other alasses. The Voters' Lists Act will be extended to municipal elections, and the School Law will be‘'amended by making such improvements as have been suggested to the Minister of Education in his intercourse with the teachers of the Province. The whole school law will be considerably, simplified. These are a few of the more important measures which will engage the attention of the Legislature this session. • • E, TeiON TO, Jan. 9th. News of the Week. • THE GiAND TRUNK. —A Grand Trunk Committee is coining to Canada from England to louk into the road's affatrs. REIGN OF TERROR. —A sort of reign of terror prevails at St. Louis, robbers and. roughs in the meantime having the upper hand. DENIED.—The statement that Gover- nor Tilden will take up his residencejat Washington to oversee political matters, is pronounced absurd. • FLOODS IN BRITAIN.—The rains and floods in Great Britain are on the in- crease. The damages in the provinces are immense. AN EXTRADITED PRISONER. —Breit, • the Louisville forger, extradited by the British Government, arrived at New York on Monday in charge of an English police officer. - CREMATION. — The cremation moVe- ment is extending in Europe. At Brus- sels a society,with 400 members,has been formed, which gives great cheer to the body -burners. linevn Snow Seonat.—The roof of the Boston and Albany freight house' 'tat Springfield, Mass., was crulehed by suety on Monday. John Lovett Was killed, and five others injured. THA.T GENEVA AWARD. President Grant 'objects to the return to Great Britain of the surplus of the Geneva Award, and favors its utilization in re- storing the United States merchant fleet. • ISRAELITES AND THE SABBATH.—The Supreme Court at Boston has sustained the Lower Court in its decision that Israelites are amenable to the laws regulating the observance of. the Sab- bath. A CURE FOR Deenerenant.---The medi- cal journals report the discovery by an Italian doctor of a cure- for diphtheria. It consists of the local use of chloral and glycerine and the internal administration of chlorate of potash. THE BEECHER AFFAIR. -- Several clergymen of New York and Brooklyn have united to form a new local Con- gregational Association, most of them having withdrawn from the old associa- tion in consequence of its endorsement of Beecher. CONCESSIONS AT Al9 END.—A dispatch from Constantinople on .Monday states the Plenipotentiaries met on SaturdaY evening and decided. to declare at Mon- day's sitting of the Conference that they have not modified their views, and cannot make any further concessions.. THE INDIAN WAR.—There appears to be a prospect of -the speedy termination of the Indian war in the West, Spotted Tail having undertaken to bring - Crazy Horse into Red Cloud agency. The suc- cess of this project would virtually put an end to the conflict. IGNORANCE IN RHODE ISWD.—There has been an enormous increase in the amount of ignorance in Rhode Tsland, according to the census, within the last ten yearn The number of persons above ten years old who cannot write their names has increased from 14,763 to 24,168, or 63 70 per cent. in that length of time. SPAIN AND CHINA.—The friendly re- lations between Spain and China have been broken off, and the Spanish fleet has been ordered to Chinese waters. The cause of the rupture is not de- finitely known, and is variously set down to a difficulty respecting unsettled claims and to the vexed Caban coolie question. DROUTH.-- The drouth in California .continues unbroken. For the first time 'since the American settlement, December has passed without a drop of rain. With rains later in the winter suficent grain .will -b. e raised for home consumption, and a small surplus. If rain comes within a fort night fair crops may be harveeted, but a large yield can hardly be expebited unless the rains be immediate and copious. HEAVY SENTENCES.—At the New York Court, Charles Roberts, one of Barnum's circus riders was sentenced to the State Prison,on Monday, for five years for atro- ciously assaulting his wife. In, the same Court John Traynor, a barte4der, who stole a horse and sleigh valued.at $1,300 belonging to Hugo Fritzch, the German Consul, on December 30t1i, got 'three years. MISSED Hie PRISONER.—G. Beckwith, of Genesee County, Mich., was charged with running a team of mortgaged horses into Canada auct selling them. On Thurs- day he was arrested in Detroit by -Dep- uty Sheriff Sprague of that County. With his prisoner the officer visited Long's waiter girl aloon, and became so bewildered by the beer and beautiful waiters that he foxgot all about his pris- oner, who made his escape to Windsor. WAR MEASURES. —The Herald's Lon- don special of the 6th, says: Germanyis proposing to mobilize the two army corps fer the purpose of watching the Polish frontier in the interest of Russia, should war ensue. Austria is collecting muni- tions of war at Semlin, opposite -Belgrade, preparatory to seizing the Servian capital, in the event of the Russian occupation of Belgrade. Austria is calling out her re- serves in Bohemia and elsewhere. LbuisiaNe..—The situation 4n Louisi- ana is regarded as ,exceedingly critical. Both parties have their forces ready for a fight, and serious results are said to be likely to occur at any moment. During the inauguration of Packard a slight dis- turbance took place outside the State House at New Orleans, and in the even- ing a large crowd assembled in front of the Masonic Hall, where Nichols' police were being.enrolled. RUSSIA'S P.ostalox. — The _Herald's London correspondence cables that Rus- sia has certainly 180,000 good troops cpneentrated on the frontier, ready to march into Turkey. The Russian naval preparations are as complete as could be expected. The Black Sea fleet is in po- sition at the mouth of the Dnieper. This position, outside Nicolaief and east , of Odessa, is well situated for defensive Op- erations. No better strategic point could be selected. THE PRESIDENTIAL QUESTION.—A re- port from Washington to the effect that a compropeise is likely to be made on the • Presidential question, the Republicans agreeing to abandon the doctrine of the right of the President of the Senate to count the electoral vote, provided that the Democrats will abandon the claim that the 22nd Joint Rule is in force. The Republicans are said to oppose the proposition for a new election, which is favored by the Democrats. It is believ- ed that in the event of a new election be- ing decided- on Hayes might be chosen President of the Senate. • SPAIN AND EXTRADMON.—Spain and. its possessions can no longer be looked. upon as safe refuges by the American criminal, a thmoughly comprehensive extradition treaty, embracing twenty- six offences, having been concluded between that country and the United States. • MORE ALLIES FOB. TURKEY—The in- habitants of Adrianople, both Greeks and Turks, have askedthe authority of the Government to take up arms against their common enemy. The Sultan has ordered the Grand Vizier to thank them, saying he hoped to be able to preserve the peace, but in case of war he expect- ed the co-operation of, all his subjects without distinction of race or religion. He would head the army himself. _ DEATH OF AN EMINENT ENGLISOMA_N. —News has been received of the death of Mr. Alderman Besley, of London, England, which oceurred at his residence - on the 20th December, 1876. The Aldermen had arranged to sit in the justice room of the Mansion House the same day, and the officials were await- ing arrival when the sad intelligence reached them. The deceased, who was a type founder by business, was for many years a member of the Court of Common Council; and was elected, oa the death of Sir Peter Laurie, in De- cember, 1861, alderman of the Ward of Aldersgate. He was sheriff in 1864 in conjunction with Alderman Sir Thomas Dakin, and he served the office of Lord Mayor in 1869. He was over 80 years of age. DEATH or VANDERBILT.—Commodore Vanderbilt has at last succumbed to the disease that has affected him for so many moiliths, and the, at one time, Wash- ington -place, financier died at his residence on New York, on Friday morn- ing, at nine minutes to eleven. The career of Mr. Vanderbilt has been an ex- emplification of the fact that success is best assured by devotion to business. Ile was not in the ordinary sense of the word a speculator.. -True, he dabbled in stooks, but as he himself \said, he never sold what he did not possess nor bought what he did not pay for—this being essentially different from the practices customary in Wall street. Beginning business life as the "captain" of a ferry boat from Staten Island to New York, he died the acknowledged king of pass- enger and freight traffic, and worth, it is estimated, $85,000,000. Of late his death has been daily expected, and he has not left his house for six months, directing his operations through his Sobs, who are said to be among the smartest railroad men in the country. THE TROUBLE IN NEW ORLIUNS. — The situation at New Orleans is un- changed, and. all is reported. quiet. The Republican. Legislature has secured a quorum, and has elected Kellog Senator for the long term. The Democratic Legislature is in session at the Oddfel- lows' Hall. It is believed that the Re- publican members of the Senate Inves- tigating Committee will unite with the leaders of the party in the State House in telegraphing to the President for sup- port. Grant, howevet, does not appear inclined to meddle in the matter beyond sending instructions tt Gen. Rugar to take measures for the preservation of the peace, and openly declares himself, for the present at least, in favor of a non -committal policy. The Republioans in the State House assert that attempts have been made by those outside to bribe certain of their number to desert to the • Nichols Legislature, and. that not alto- gether unsuceessfully. • THE EASTERN DIFFICIT,LTY.—At the" sitting of the Conference on Wednesday the representatives ef the Porte will probably make known the course which Turkey has laid out for itstif in reference to the proposals of the Powers. At pres- ent we are -told, the indications are in favor of a pacific issue, and-• it appears certain that the Conference will continue-iis sittings. Both Turkey and Russia appear to be anxious to withdraw from the • game of btag in which they have been indnlging and mutual concessions seem to be the. order of the day. Geo. Ignatiff has had. a secret interview with Midhat Pasha, during whiclehe urged the latter to ac- cept certain of the proposals and indi- cated means of avoiding an agreement to others, declaring his readiness to guar- antee Russia's adhesion to such an ar- rangement. He also waxed apologetic on the subject of the Servian insurrec- tion, and denied that Russia had had a hand in inciting the outbreak. The Porte, on the other hand, is evidently alarmed at the independent attitude as- sumed by Roumania, and has hastened to explain that the obnoxious seventh -Article of the new Constitution is not intended. to affect principalities such as Roumania, whose rights are guaranteed by international treaties. It is stated that a Russian force is about to cross the Pruth, but the statement is accom- panied by the explanation that such e step would be taken,not as an iintaecliate preliminary to war, but rather with the object of frightening Turkey into an ac- ceptance of European proposals. Un- fortunately for the success of the plan Turkey does not appear to be in the moat' for being frightened—by Russia at - all events. Huron Notes. • The first steam smoke stack was raised in Londesborough last week. —On Friday last as Wm. Little, saw- yer for Huber Bros., Londesborongh,was changing the guides of, the saw, the wrench slipped and his hand came in contact with the revolving saw, and he lost the first finger of the left hand. —The following is a statement of the business done at the Clinton Station of the London, Huron and Bruce Railway for the year ending Dec. 31: Theamount received for fares has been $8,000 • out freight, $7,000; in freight, $5,000; making a total of $20,000. =The following are the office beaters of Lebanon Forest Masonic Lodge, Ex- eter, for the ensuing year: W. Hayden, W. M. ; G. A. R. McLeod, I. P. M.; M. Eacrett, P. M. .R. Seldon, S. W.; Thos. D. Stanley, J. W.; Rev. F. Ryan, Chaplain; .G. Samwell, Treasurer; A. Lake,- Secretary ; 1. Carling, D. of C.; W. A. Lewis, T. D.; W. Bright, J. D.; W. E. Wilkins, L G. • J. McLaughlin, Tyler. Stewards—L. ilardy, Jos. Case, Geo. Willis. —Thc mails for the south, instead of being despatched in the evening from Clinton, after the arrival of the Grand Trunk train, will, in future, be dispatch- ed in the morning. This is a very stupid. arrangement, as by it all mail matter coining by the day express from Toronto JANUAR' moor mustlie over ni tohnleab y nescuressdiatryy take from 3 o'c to.onlreadsAcyhmuiittin:pe: • Institute will nj-Ha Lilt:a:dr Varna 0. r. Nay: :ItteTaAlitn ,erieh Township, saysthear tleCreeke,a been living for t y • -country are the cessive severity -wise it is a good • —On Wednes the train was ab erich station, a on ttetrapthetstrucot Ami availing '- she wet supposed that • tion, she would miles had been a stopped by the toracuntobein kd was being i dislodged, sever. "brain it" with ductor huraanel : sent it to a neigh —Some days • years old, son eter, was riding Mr. Southcott's • tacked and sev which was follow the opposite dir • efforts of the which the boy him indeed the I suficient to pre from -tearing the to be brbught to sist. The boy's and his parents about_onsho hitm._even the following bre Lo elected ; J. Ande. Afic.ersmo.f :Blyot.h clile,INJ, y ,W.; 8.W. D. John Gossman, J. • Tyler. Brother absence prevented upon his duties as office he had been • business of the lod the members adj.° Bro. J. Emigh, w • bad_jTbeheB enprruespsaeri: the following : 0 ease ef "love at fi itt a rn &triage at "widow") lately took passage on t and ert the convey of fine presence fo once began to pal ance *as formed, • of five hours ripe that the service• s necessary to brin • stand that the bill,—buying the ing the pastor's slimed the revert• , trip. 'Twas quite widow he met en t; —A week or so a of 1Brussels, instra9 Turnberry, to se fat turkeys for be request was eorapli keys were duly shi book -peddler, who ambulating about accident or ether terest in the turke when -the stage st contained the book Mr. Allen, when h dinner hadzone to of the book -peddle John Campbell, pr line, and that gent around, found the. Station, in the kee useful county lit agent was informe precedent for his co • County Directory, possession. So say '44 • Allege The meeting of lature is fixed for t —A man 45 year to death in his .he Brunswick. —The Ohio State pointed a Committ Ashtabula disaster. —Mr. Elijab TC Ontario had. his 1 places Ontario, a runawa —Turner & Mount Forest, has with great loss tvvic —A brother of X of Goulding <3: He killed in the to saw -log rolling on h —The area of the tnict in India is r than that affected b in 1874. The Canada Sou - Thomas is -still bloc .connection east bein —It is said that t of St. Boniface, hay able services to th anent, should an unf the smalI-pox occur —Barber, the To stole bonds to the appeared before the gistrate Wean guilty. He was re lowing day for sent • —The following flounced. : The /Azle tend.ent of the Loud vacant by the d.ecea been filled by th Hamilton Asylum o Dr. Wallace from t Hamilton. • Dr. Bea and more recently r appointed to the Ori —The Ashtabula attention to ehe materialfor railwa • gineers and.. scient. views on the subjec in a way that is ho the ordinary reader. the iron bridge ques other questions" whi settle. From the m ready producedit w effect of extremes o iron or steel is di that bridges tonstru can never be topside J*e that of Anieri