AMERICAN NOTES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 264, 5 December 1876, Page 4

AMERICAN NOTES.

(The Hour.) Tilden and Hendricks were chosen as the standard-bearers of the Democratic party, and from tbe ranks of tbe democracy two stronger champions could scarcely have been selected. Tilden, as Governor of tbe great State of New York, was elected as a reform candidate, and since his accession to gubernational power has performed Herculean labors in purging the State Government of fraud and corruption. It is not to be supposed that he has succeeded in this task without violent opposition in his own party— the corrupt rings which had been fattening upon the canals, railways, acd municipaliHesof this great State for so many years could not ccc the eogines of prosperity, wealth, and political power wj-eeted from tbeir hands without showing active resentment, and the adverse factions, beaded by Tammany Hall, opposed the nomination of Tilden to the last extremity. The choice of the convention for Vice-President was unanimous in favor of Governor Hendricks, of Indiana, an old and able member of the Democratic party, wbo has served io Congress, in the Senate, in the Land office, and as Governor of hia native State, with distinguished ability, and without a stain upon his political character. The personal element Jn the Democratic ticket is perhaps stronger than tbat of the Republican nomination, as both Gov firnora Tilden and Hendricks are tried statesmen of great experience in public affairs, the first carrying great weight upon the Atlantic seaboard, and the latter enjoying tbe confidence of tbe west and south. As to the principles represented by tbe. two parties in their " platforms," it requires a close analysis to distinguish a wide difference. Both are in favor of " reform," both favor an early resumption of specie payments. But specie payments will not be obtained by making stump speeches. It could be more rapidly accomplished if tbe army of politicians which for four months has been engaged in the Presidential canvass were occupied in some industrial pursuit, and beoame producers instead of coosumerß. Every succeeding Administration for the last hundred years has been " denounced " for increasing the expenses of Government without making aoy allowance for tbe vast increase ot population; but tbe increase from 60,000,000 dols to 450,000,000 dols per annum in a decade does seem to form a reasonable ground of complaint, and a knowledge that the Federal taxes have risen from 6 dols to 18 dols per bead in that time affords just cause of alarm. The waste of the publio domain in subsidies to railway corporations has formed a popular electioneering cry, but the settlement of public lands by whatever means is really a benefit to tbe Government, and Ibe extension of railways as rapidly as the wants of tbe people require them has been a great cause of public prosperity. Tbe most difficult problem of Government is bow to bring about, a -reform in the Civil Service, and as long aB office is the reward of political fealty, this much needed reform is rendered extremely difficult, if Dot entirely possible. The last plank in the election platform made a sweeping indictment against tbe President for making his high office a private perquisite against tbe late Vice-President for corruption in the Credit Mobilier affair, against the late Speaker for marketing bis rulings, against senators for profitingt by their votes, against members ofthe House of Representatives for jobbery, against a former Secretary of the Treasury for forcing balances, against a late Attorney Gereral for misappropriating public funds, against ihe Secretary of the Navy for enriching himself and his friends at the public expense, againet tbe late Ambassador to England for beiog concerned io a dishonorable speculation, against the President's private secretary for speculation in office, agaiiist a late Secretary of War ior selling appointments. These are grave and formidable charges, and susceptible of proof, as most of them are, convince thinking meu that the Republic in the centeoia! year of its existence is far gone io corruption. Professor Goldwin Smith recently essayed to prove that the Government of England was equally corrupt a hundred years ago ; but no writer has beeu bold enougb to undertake to establish the fact tbat any of the first European Governments are suffering from tbe same widespread official demoralisation in the present century. The remedy can only be found in an uprising of the people exercising the stern virtues which have not heretofore been prominent in. the management of the political affairs of this country.

" " " ' * ' •** Information has reached Brisbane from a reliable source of the discovery of a tribe of aborigines located between three and four hundred miles west of tha Diamantina river, who are so far civilised that they live in bouses and are "settled" on tbe tract of land they occupy. The place in question must be close to, or over the South Australian border, pretty near to Bourke and Wills' track, and in the direction that Dr Leicbhart's party were supposed to have taken. Is it possible that the higher civilisation of this tribe of aborigines is due to some European stragglers having joined^jthem years ago ?

At (he quarterly meeting ofthe Melbourne City Council, held 00 the 9th inst,, the Mayor elect, Ml Jas, Paterson, waa duly installed in the chair by the retiring Mayor, Mr A. K. Smith. It was decided that the Mayor's allowance for the ensuing year should be £1000, a proposition that it be £1500 being withdrawn at the request of tbe Mayor. A letter was read from Kong Meng and Co., on behalf of tbe Chinese citizens, expressing their appreciation of the services rendered to the city by the ex-Mayor, and asking tbat in recognition thereof a life-size portrait might be accepted by him. The letter was received and it was agreed that the presentation should take place in the Mayor _ room. Under the heading " Rearing of Fish at the Acclimatisation Gardens," the Lyttelton Times has the following int9restins: notice :-— " At no former period have the Gardens of the Acclimatisation Society afforded so much. to interest the publio in the Matter of rearing fish as they do now. There is such a display of healthy young salmon aod trout as no one ever saw in this colony before, and may not for a long time see again. To commenoe with the latest importation, it may be Baid that there are 50 hatching boxes, each about 18in by 12in, and three of a much larger siz9, full of healthy looking salmon ova end young fish just batched out. There is an immense number of the latter; indeed tbey are so thickly congregated in some of tbe latter thnf a feeling of regret is experienced at the smallneas of the latter. The hatching out has, however, proved so much more successful than anyone dared even to hope for, that it was impossible to accommodate all the fish so well as could have been desired. The number of young salmon increases rapidly every day, and it is expected tbat the hatching out will be completed about the latter end of next week. It ie of course impossible to calculate how many fish there are now in the boxes, but the proportion of bad ova up to the present time has been exceedingly small. The feeding races in the gardens are yet fully occupied with young trout, of which there remain from 12,000 to 14,000 unappropriated. These are thriving very well, and must be removed ere long,, not only for their owu sakes, but iv order to make room for the salmon. It is not improbable, too that new races will have to be formed, as thoae now io existence will scarcely be sufficient to accommodate all the young salmon in a proper manner. The English salmon, which number 175, and occupy a separate race, are also thriving remarkably well, and, together with the trout, speak well for the great care bestowed upon tbem by the Curator, Mr Reck. Some of the English salmon are now 3in in length, and the whole lot appear as healthy as possible. When the time for their removal comes, it is lo be hoped they will be treated in a different manner to the first lot of salmon. It may be mentioned lhat another consignment of 100,000 salmon is expected from America in about two months." At a Coogress of Women held at Philadelphia, on the question of dress, the following resolutions were affirmed: Whereas the fashionable dress of women is unnatural, and incompatible with health and exercise, is never likely to be consistent, and would not remain so if it could reach that point? whereas it is inhuman in form, in the infliction of obstacles to locomotion and respiration, thus causing constant waste of vital force, resolved— " that aB friends of humanity we repudiate fashionable dress, and recommend individual choice in fabrics and forms of clothing; that to obtain true lives and equal opportunity in the pursuit of happiness, to elevate women above slaveries and pernicious habits we will reason with her, admonish and intreat her to cease accepting bodily burdens, licentious and murderous inventions, and osd her own mind, skill, and taste in forming comfort-favoring, laborlightening, and life.-preserviog garment ; " resolved — " That eueh garmenture should be of dual form for the legs as well as Ibe aims, as their use and all reason indicate; tbat tbe prejudice against trousers for women is based on ignorance and tyranny, is fostered by many vicious and sordid motives, and ought to be banished from tbe earth by the full sanction and fearless effort of all good people ; " resolved — ''That women bave duties in relieving the world of poverty; and that, by abandoning extravagant and debilitating costume, they directly

reach the most fertile causa of human ills; and without this effort ijf of prosperity, liberty, aod equity, all others are abortive." In every public house in St. John's, Newfoundland, there is hung up a list of habitua drunkards, and the proprietors of the ;bar rooms are prohibited under a heavy penalty from selling liquor to these marked men.