Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-12-16
OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENTS gnt

7 OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE. rnI
The letter of our Washington Correspondent came
to hand 100 late for our last issue. We make, how
ever, the following interesting extracts from his
letter: 80 q 80 ..iil y
1.-THE number and size of the reports from the
Executive Departments have prevented my careful
perusal of the whole. The Treasury report gives
satisfactory Of the condition of the nationa
finances, and nrges the adoption. OF measures TO
bring about reduction of the revenue. The plan
proposed is to increase the free list by the addition
of large number of articles paying a low rate
of duty, and making but three rates of duty-lOO,
40 and 25 per cent. This recommendation is sub
stantialy the that made by the Secretary of
the Treasury in his former report and which did not
meet with the approval of a majority of the conn,
mittee on Ways and, Means. The Secretary, how
ever sustains his Recommendations by showing that
after the addition to the free list of certain articles
now paying g. 10, 10, and % per cent. duty, the
duty the remaining articles of these lists at the
same rates, would not pay the expense OF COLLECTION
These he includes in his lowest scale, paying 20 per
cent Mr.. Guthrie is DESTROYS of reducing the ex-
penses Of collecting the revenue and OF course, d.
minishing the number of officers necessary IN
that branch of the public service-a most praise
worthy object certainly. About one-third of the
public debt has been paid during the past year, 1T
having been reduced from about sixty-seve millions
to little forty -four millions. That is indeed
great achievement and reflects credit upon the pres
ent Democratic administration. E.
While upon the Treasury Report must not omit
to notice the paragraph referring to the happy work
ing of the independent treasury system, and the
check it affords to the expansion of our credit II
the twenty millions surplus in the Treasury had
been deposited in national Bank or in State Banks,
it would have served for the basis of increased dis
counts and circulation of paper to five times the a
mount and thus enormously aggravated the evils OF
our financial systcm-if it can be called system,
which is composed CT IL per cent specie and SO per
cent paper. The independent treasury system is
admitted to be great check against oYer-importa-
~ lie ltIrorr flrnrnf from
The Navy Report receives on ali hands unqualified
commentator. Mr. Dobbin's administration is grad
ually ditfusing vgor and life into the Naval service
his report Rejecting truly its improved condition
1t is we'll written and will be read with pleasure by
all who take an interest either in its author or the
Navy Let Congress adopt his recommendation,
cut off the dead parts of the service, and rcorganize
the Others and the Navy will once more become the
pride of the country. @--.r .... .-...
The standing committees of the House have been
announced and are the same at the last session.
Mr.. Shaw, of your State, is a member of the COM
mttee Roads and Canals Rufin, on Claims;
Ashe, on Navy affairs Rogers, Revolutionary
Claims Kerr, on the Judiciary; Puryear, on Agri-
culture Craige, chairman of the committee on Pub
lie Buildings and Grounds, and Clngn,an, on Foreign
affairs. Mr.. Rufin is also member OF the Colt
Patent investigating committee, which has been con-
tinued at the present session.
The Homestead bill has already been revived in
Congress- Mr.. Dawson of Penn, having given no
tive of substitute for the bill as it stands. The
bill is altosethera different affair." however, from that
introduced the last session. the homestead princi
pie having been abandoned, well that donating
the land The bill now merely gives the right of
pre- cmption for five years at the end of which the
settler pays fourteen and half cents per acre Tor
his land. hardly think anything will be done with
the bill at the present session, hope that the dis
cussion will lead return to the old land system
selling it at a uniform price of 81 % per
! You will remember that just at the close of the
last session the President vetoed the bill making ap-
preparations for rivers and harbors The close of
the session prevented the further consideration OF
| the matter On Wednesday the bill was taken up
| and OH the question whether the bill should pass
notwithstanding the objections of the President, it
was ost-95 to S0-twothrds not voting for it.
The President will send in to Congress early next
week special message this subject, which have
reason to believe will reiterate the views of State
rights this question, and be entirely conss-
| tent with the political life of the President"