Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-07-05

US to-day, the Hon. Mr.. westbrook is not
tobe the victor. While Eve write, the know
ing ones around town regard Mr.. McKeon as
the Arst ,an in the rsos.a Not being . prophet.
nor the son of prophet, We dare not venture
a prediction on our own judgement In such a
struggle as this has been. But, if We may
place cor fdsnce in dozens who insist that they
know oil about the affair, Mr.. Max. 10 nov
going down the last quarter stretch, foil length
ahead of allcompettors; Mr.. Sheppard press
ing him hard, however. - IS. '.'- .
Public Lands for Railroads Many of the
friends Of this policy are preparing to do their
best to get through half a dozen railroad land
donating bills before the end Of the session.
The probability is now, however, that the
eagernsss of many gentlemen to get through
projects Of the sort in which their own dis
tri are interested, will defeat the-whole Of
them, it being found impossible to concentrats
q vote sufficiently powerful to carry any one
of them, without pledges to push them al to a
triumphant issue. There are few Of fhese
bills which should, doubtless, be passed; az
there can be no questioning the fact that no
private speculation is involved in them; and,
further hat their enactment will increase the
value Of public lands in their vicinity, 90 ~ to
make those remaining worth tenfold to the
public treasury, In comparison with the value
of the whole without the construction OF the
proposed improvements. A few Of tho men,
bers By the BY, are anxious for . final settle
ment of the whole question Of the future dis
position of the public lands ere the session
ends. The thing is utterly impossible, how
ever. ., =. ...,-..r Z sl+4. :, 81. &C.. l.. .s--
The Paternity Of the Homestead Bill
Finding in various papers contradictory state
ments upon this subject, most Of them attrib-
pting the authorship of the measure to the
Hon. Andrew johnson, now Governor of Tenn,
We have to say that quite four years before
that gentleman commenced his career Of ear
nest and eloquent advocacy of it, Felix Grun-
dy Mcconnell, of Alabama, whose history and
sad end are well known, was in the habit of
urging it in season and out Of season as an
amendment to nearly every public land bill
being considered in the hall His proposition
was one for granting &c one hundred and sixty
acres of land, free Of charge, to every head of
family, whether man, maid, or widow"
Thus, to that unfortunate individual, is its
paternity justly attributable.
Naval General Court Martial.-To.morrow,
July 9Th, Naval General Court Martial is to
convene at the Philadelphia Navy Yard for
the trial of Captain Samuel W. Downing.
The following officers compose the Court, viz :
Commodore Gregory, President; Commodore
Lavellette, Captains Mervine, Crabbe, Arm
strong, Paulding, Forrest, Conover, Mcintosh,
and Montgomery; Commanders, Gautner, Gun
bingham, and Dupont, members; o. S. X.
Peck, Esq, Judge Advocate.
It will be recollected that the conduct of
Captain Downing, in his alleged efforts to aid
the escape of Admiral Coe, after turning trail
tor to his country Cin South America was Sc
verely commented on in the newspapers. We
therefore presume that the charges relate to
this aft air.
Prize Money -Kroomen, or native Africans,
on the coast nf Africa, especially near Monro.
via, are mustered and employed temporarily,
and by direction Of the Navy Department, OF
National vessels, in labor involving expos ure
to the sun, rain, &C., and also as boatscre VS.
to save the health of the sailors. Several of
them were on board ship of war, when she
captured SLAYER; and in the distribution c,
the prize money after the condemnation OF
the SLAYER, it was held that the Kroomen were
entitled to share according to the grade in
which they had been mustered and were borne
on the roll.
The Treasury Department Stationery Con.
tract.-We understand that the Secretary f
the Treasury has awarded the contract to
McSpedon Baker, for the supply of the sta-
tionery required for his Department for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1855. They had
similar contracts last year for supplying the
House of Representatives, and the Interior
Department
Navy Officers Ordered.-To the steamer
Vixen, now at New York, Lieut. Sam. Swart-
out, Passed Midshipmen o. c. Badger, VIM
: AAeSoAn, oAu VI II. Oohioy, 6BScu Ass l
Surgeon Francis NJ. Gunnell, Second Asst
Engineer Amos Broadnix, and Third ASS
Engineers g. R. Woodend, r. B. Quin and Jas.
3. hlmball.- 50 s-5s-s--. ..- --- g.
A Naval Coal Agent Appointed. Col Jas
Polk, of Maryland, has been appointed the
agent for the purchase Of bituminous coal for
the Q. S. Navy. go. g.. =. ~ d
The Senate to-day passed the Shanghai mail
steamer bill-yeas ~, nsys13. They also laid
on the table French's railr ad bill-yeas 26,
nays IL. NC 49, F., F..
List Of Patents issued from the United States
Patent Office, for the weak ending July 4,
1854 each bearing that date
Galusha ]. Bundy, of Lyndon, Vt-For i'm
provement in potato diggers. e4Fs.
Henry g. Bulkley, of Kalamazoo, Mich
For Improvement in the construction of salt
evaporators 4e7is -es- r.a5s e e..
,Aury G. Goes. of Worcester, Mass.-Bor i'm.
proyement in screw wrenches. Ea.i
eThes. Cox, Of Lancaster, Pa.-For improved
machine for bending felloes. =
A. S. T. Copeland, of Pittsburgh, Pa.-For
improved mechanism for operating saw mill