Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-16
wAsHINaToN NEWS AND GOSSIP.

ohaA tno limo % inc 60u1o be Econonised3
Since We called the attention of the members
to Mr.. Hufmsn's machine for instantly taking
recording and counting yeas aud maya, it has
boon visited and closely inspected BY many
Sucn gentlemen, upon whom the impression
made, as far as We can learn, is that it will
answer the purpose intended With too many,
We fear, the question is, not will such q ma
chine answer the purpose but, rather, will it
do toeconoIni.e the time of the House by facili-
tating the taking of the yeas and naysf Some
say, il their time il thus husbanded, 1t will
surely be 50 wandered in some other way. So.
it might as well be thrown away after that
fashion, as in any other. There are, besides
too many members, We fear, who are opposed to
any change in the system of doing business In
the Hall, likely to deprive them at all times
and under all circumstances of seeing clearly
how others vote, before their votes on ticklish
questions are finally registered past recall
We are inclined to think that where gentle.
men are fixed against anything looking to
economising time in taking yeas and nays, this,
and this only, is the real powerful reason in
dacing their indispositfon to change. We
hope soon to end the distant press urging the
rropriety of economising tho time of both
branches OF Congress 70 every possible way,
including the plan of dispensing with speeches
for Bsaccmbe, to which no one in the Hall
may listen. The House must come, sooner or
later, to the English custom of coughing and
scraping down gentlemen making speeches not
only not upon subjects not formally under con-
sideration, but embracing so little that may be
new or well said upon any subject, as that tn cir
delivery is not attended to by one in ten of
those within the body of the Chamber.
Mr. corwin and the Gardiner Claim.-We
hnd that passages in the letter to the New
York Express, copied into tho National In
tsiligencer of the 18th inst.) explanatory of
Mr.. Corwin's connection with the Gardiner
claim are becoming the subject of much in
quiry here. We refer to the two passages which
show that there were others in the back ground.
as owners of interests in the claim, of whose
identity the public are not yet aware, These
passages are as follows --
Having purchased portion, and oniy a
portion Of one fourth of that claim from a
person to whom Gardiner had previously sold it.
Mr. Law subsequently sold out to another
capitalist in New York, who was the owner O
the same when the final decision was made.
and received the amount awarded, which was
not until May, 1851, fully ten months after
Mr.. Corwin had ceased to have any interest in
the business"
Who was s'the person. from whom Mr.
Corwin purchased "a portion, ind only por-
hon?" Was it Mr.. Corwin's brother, OF
cousin? If SO, what brought him into the
business, and when and how did he get into it ?
Who, also, was the other capitalist in New
York to whom Mr.. Law sold out his interest ?
We trust that the correspondent of the Ez.
press, who is so well posted in the matter
will explain. The fact that his explanations
on all other points are so full and satisfactory
has generated in the minds of many an i'm
preston that his failure to give these names
was studiously intended.
Who's Entitled - the Premium THE edi.
torial ne:ios in yesterdays Star, of the habit
u drawing on New York, practised by military
discussing officers Of the Government in Cali
fornia, has elioited the following explain alton
from, we presume, one of them, viz:
The article in the Evening Star of the
l4th, headed Who's entitled to tie Premium?
calls for statement in explanation. The bills
drawn on military bureaus to which that ar;i.
Gle refers, were mostly In the latter part O,
1850 and the first half of 1851 At that time
there was no assistant treasurer in California
and funds could be obtained in no other way
than by drafts upon New York or drafts manu-.
bfe tn Nep York. The Chief Commissary in
the Pacific Division was ordered to obtai,
funds in that way, and necessity, it is sup
posed, drove the Quartermasters. who were
entirely destitute Of means, to carry on their
operations, to the adoption of the same method
The Quartermaster's Department was largely
deficient, and the knowledge of that fac
caused their drafts to be placed at a discount o.
eight per cent per month in the San francisco
market. They did not sell at par before tht
third quarter Of 1851 Burgoyne 4 Co., Ar
GENT sCo., and several others, repeatedl,
refused those drafts at less than eight per cent
Page, Bacon Co., accepted the Commissary'.
drafts at parin orderte accommodate an Officer
with whom they were acquainted, and whose
personal guarantee sustained the credit of til al
department In no case acas n prea,.nm ere,
obtained. Most Of thu drafts drawn we're 70,
the payment of individuals according to agree
ments which those persons supposed, up to The
time of settlement would be maid in coin
Almost every draft of that description wa!
sold at an injurious discount. 1t is improbable
that any disbursing officer in California ha.
ever charged o discount, for the simple reason
that they all knew Il would not be allowed
AlthouSN " no necessity now exists for resor,
ing to this roundabout way Of getting money,
an absolute necessity did exist at tho time The
drafts alluded to were drawn. However am
pie the funds of the newly created public de.
pository at San Francisco may be, disbursins
officer cannot draw upon him unless supplied
previously with Treasury Warrant from
Washington, therefore any Commissary OF
Quartermaster, who cannot carry on the opc
ratiOns Of his department otherwise, find,
himself obliged to draw upon the chief of hi
department in the Atlantic States.''
A Soldiers Extra Allowance Account lis
allowed.-A soldier, or non-commissioned Of
6cer, was employed by the officer in charge t,
sell certain United States property at auction
He charged and was paid the usual commits
sions as auctioneer on the amount of sales bu
the charge was disallowed In the recent settle
ment of the disbursing officers account at tn,
Treasury, on the ground that the act of Angus
%, 1872, forbids to any person whose salary
pay or emoluments may be 'f1ed by law o
regulation, any additional pay, extra allow
ance, or compensation in any form whateve
for any service or duty whatsoever, unless tn,
additional compensation be specifically author
lied by law" The opinions of Attorney Gen