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Show I NIGHT REPORT. FOREIGN. Luc Builncu. London, 17. The returns of paid clearings at tbe clearicp house, yp;t?r-dy, yp;t?r-dy, were o'2 2j0,ia), tte highest sum ever recorded for a single day. tO.VGRESSlO.XAL. SEX ATE. Washington, 17. Schurz called up the Vienna erpOnition bill, and CarpcD-ter CarpcD-ter withdrew his amendment appropriating appropri-ating i-WU.OOO to complete the Wsuh- ingiLn monument, as it was doubtful whether the monument could ever be completed owing to the softness of the foundation ground. The bill then passed, veas nays IS. Un motion of l-'relinghuysen tho Dill passed repealing the act for the relief of certain Indians in the Sioux superinten- . dency, known as the Teton Sioui. Morton called up his resolution instructing in-structing the committee on elections to inquire into tho defects of tho present electoral system, and the best means for remedying them, and spoke at length upon it, favoring direct election by the people. In nia argument against the present svstera of presidential elections, he reviewed re-viewed the con&titutioa&l position of tho States on th3 matter. Under the present pre-sent system tbe matter was placed entirely en-tirely beyond tho jurisdiction of tho nati jnal government, asd entirely without remedy or redress on its part. Whatever disorders, irregularities, or failures, may occur in tho appointment of electors, in any State, no provision is anywhere made for contesting the election elec-tion of electors; and whatever returns shall be made up, although produced in whole or in part by fraud or violence, must stand, and the vote, be counted upon them, if returned in time. He argued that whenever the result of a presidential election is to be determined deter-mined by the vote of a Stata, in which the choice of electors has been irregular, irregu-lar, or is alleged to have been carried by fraud or violence, there ought to bn such machinery of government provided that it would bo impossible that any man shall ever reach trie Presidential Presi-dential chair, who is not legitimately chosen. He reviewed the history of the country bearing upon the subject at great length; and then proceeded in an elaborate argument in favor of a direct vote of the people for President and vice-Pres dent ; stating his preference that the President should be elected by tho people as one community.giving the election to the man who received tho highest number of votes without regard to the State lines or municipal mun-icipal divisions, so that there will b: a national character :n one depart ment of government. But assuming that the smaller Slates would object to this p an, he believed thoy would have no objection to such change as would . bring the election of president directly to iho paople of tho several States; each State to bo divided into as many districts dis-tricts as it has senators and representative, representa-tive, each district to have 011a vote in tbe election of president and vice-president, tho vote of each district to be counted in favor of tho candidate who ' received the largest number of votes in it. This would still give each Slate the same number of voles as it now ha in tho election of president and vice-president; vice-president; tho voles, however, to be giver, directly for the candidates by the people, without the intervention of electors. elec-tors. He argued tho fairness of this arrangement, ar-rangement, to which he favored the addition ad-dition of a provision which would refer all diSDUtes which might arise in the district or States, to tho United States cour,s. At the conclusion of Morton's speech, Trumbull epoke briptly, agreeing with Morton as to some of tho defects and dangers existing in tho electoral system, but dissenting from Eorue of hia conclusions. conclu-sions. Tho bill to revise and amend the coin-ago coin-ago laws of tbo United Slates was called up, nnd the amendment passed. The senate adjourned to Alouday. JIOLSE. The house was engaged this morning on bills reported from the committo on claims, and disposed of a largo number. num-ber. The commttloeon elections adjourned until to-morrow, on account of tho non-arrival of governor Carney, and other witnesses in the Caldwell case. A warm discussion and parliamentary GRht toolt plaon uvcr Iho bill cnnUrm ing certain railroad lands in Iowa to the Mississippi and Missouri, and the Chicago, Kock Island and Pacific railroad rail-road companies, and pending a final vole the house adjourned. Narrow Excafie. , Allentown, Pa., 17. The western express ex-press train which left East Penr sylvania junction at "i o'clock, this morning, narrowly escaped a terrible and singular accident. Just as the train parsed a point near Dubb's mills, the track suddenly sud-denly sunk to a dopth of fifteen feet. Two men engaged repairing the track had their legs broken. "WnsliliiEton Advices. Washington, 17- The houso post office committee, to-day, unanimously authorized Parnsworth, chairman, to prepare a bill to reduce leller postage to two cents, and requiring prepayment on all printed matter, except weekly papers circulating in tho counlies where thoy are printed; these to bo uoaO'ected by tho prposed bill. The.estiintties for the post oifice department show that $l,oU0,000is annually lost on account of postage on prinled mailer being uncollected un-collected or .confiscated by postmasters. postmast-ers. Tho houfo committee on oleclions agreed to report in favor of ousting Walls, colored Kepubl.can ni timber, from .Florida, Riving the seat to Nib-lack, Nib-lack, DtmoeraL Tne case of Bowen against Do Large is postponed until next wook. Do Largo will probably be ousted. Sew York IntelllKcuce. Albany, N. Y., 17. In the constitutional constitu-tional convention, to-day, Opdyke offered of-fered an amendment to the constiiution, providing for compulsory education. Next Wednesday evening is appointed appoint-ed by Ihe legislature for the election of United States Senator. Credit Mobilier. "Washington, 17. The chairman of the Wilon conimilt"e said ho had received re-ceived from the secretary of the interior, the report of the government commissioners, commis-sioners, in which the Wyoming coal contract is discussed, and tho names given of the government directors of the Union Pacific from tho organization organiza-tion to tho present time. The examination examina-tion of Durant was resumed. In answer to the question whether any members of congress were stockholders in the credit mobilier, he answered in the atlirniative, , and that tho books would show among 1 whom tho dividends were distributed.' distrib-uted.' In referenco to tho check given to Harlan, witness said he gave the money as a personal friends of Harlan to aid the Iowo election. elec-tion. He wanted Harlan elected, but did nottfll Harlan the motivo for his 1 contribution. Ho had large interests in Iowa; and held pome county bonds, the 1 payment of which somo of the candidates candi-dates for the legislation were opposed to. Tbe witness was interrogated at length, as to the payment of general expenses ex-penses of the company by him, for which ho gave vouchers. Some was paid to , counsel. J. B. Stewart, Washington. got , $IiH.lW) and A. Hay $7o,(.U)or fKO.UUO. They were employed making arrange-; arrange-; ments lor tho Union Pacific company with the Leavenworth & Pawnee railroad company, and settling other matters. They were not authorized to use a dollar's influence for legislation, - directly or indirectly. In further ex-0 ex-0 amination the witness said the credit mobilier gave Oakes Ames a contract for building '-.8 miles of the road, at t . ... ... tt-.. r.ilrnoH omr-or- .-, Ktm two and three millions of dollars more than the actual cosi ;'and that the portion por-tion of the road which wa already built and paid for, was accepted by the government. In reply to & question by tho chairman, the witness admittd that the difierence in cost and the amount of Ames' contract, constituted tho assets as-sets out of which tne dividend wre declared to shareholders of the credit mobiiier; that if the money had not been thus divided it would have been tho property of the Union Pac:!ic company, and tiiat in p'JVct, the trust took the properly of the Union Paciic company and divided it among tlie stockholders of the ore-lit inoLulirr The stockholders of b;h c-"':n panics wpre, wi'.h unimportant exceptions, the same. In rAp:y to the question wheiher he knew of ary government director of Union Pacific who had been interested in any way in the credit mobilier, or in any contract on the road, he replied he knew of no one but James Brooks, He duln't know of money paid to any of tlic commissioners ar-p-nnlc-d by govern-ment, govern-ment, but Vhoug'at was pa-d, Snow. It was reported that as high as 1 tiiv.OO hsd been raid, but he knew i nothing about it- He never paid ny- I thine on thit acjout, and never heard anything said among railway men, that money was paid government directors in excess of what tncy wero entitled to ur.dcr the law. Tne committee adjourned till to-mor TuW. |