Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-10-02

strenuously insisted on the confirmation of their
selections, and have recently re-applied to the
Department to confirm them The decision here
tofore made in the case has been reaffirmed BIZ
the Secretary OF the Interior. The agent of the
State, appointed by the present Governor, has,
we hear on the Avenue, fully acquiesced in
that decision which will of course leave the
settlers to obtain relief from Congress; in which
event it is presumed that they will look to the
company to refund to them what they may have
paid for the lands above and beyond what the
Government will charge them as pre- emptioners
under any law that may be enacted for their
relief.
1t is understood that the Department still
continues to be disposed to defer Offering these
lands for sale for sufficient length of time to
enable the settlers in question to appeal to Con-
| gress in the matter
The action OF the attorney is equivalent, We
think, to the abandonment of the cause of the
settlers who have much for which to thank the
| Department. If their application be promptly
and efficiently pressed on Congress, with the
sympathetic disposition towards them which
the Interior Department evidently manifests,
we can have no doubt that a bill will be imme-
diately passed for their relief for the laches or
wrong is by no means theirs, but that of the
State and company. We repeat, the settlers
whose rights and interests are 50 seriously in
volved in this matter, have much for which to
feel indebted to the policy of the Administra-
ton as manifested in their case, and we sim
cerely hope that they will efficiently second its
| (the Administration evident disposition to
rescue their interests from the dilemma in
which they now stand for want Of Congressional
| action on their case.
The DISTRICT or COLUMBIA NoTE- TSsUHING
BANKs-have not as yet come to a common UNI
derstanding as to what is the best policy for
them to pursue in the present state of affairs
1t is, however, known that majority of their
Presidents and trustees are extremely anxious
SO to do. In the mean time, they neither pay
specie nor discount in their own bills to the
amount Of dollar, VIC hear. 1t is said that
there are 100000 of District deposits for the
| most part, in the vaults of the Bank Of the Me-
tropolis, and 100000 in those of the Bank of
Washington.
Under such circumstances, it will be readily
seen how and why money is more difficult to
be obtained by persons in business here with
which to meet their engagements, than ever
before That such state Of things can exist
here much longer we regard rs utterly impos-
sible, without most unfortunate business re-
| suits.
| NAVAL Courts OF INoUIRY.-Before Court
| No. l no business was done to-day. On the
| conclusion Of the case before them yesterday
they adjourned over until Monday on account
of the indisposition of its President, Commo-
| dore Lavallette.
Before Court No. 2, 1t. Walbach's case was
concluded yesterday afternoon by the examina-
| ton Of Capt. Mercer on behalf of the Govern
eminent. The case of 1t. VIM. B. Fitzgerald
| turloughed) was called this morning, but the
| applicant not being prepared to 60 on with it,
| the Court adjourned until tomorrow morning,
when the case of 1t. Bissell will be resumed
Before Court No. 3, the case of 1t. Refill is
| still being tried, and Surgeon DUNCAN, Com
mander Shanning, Passed Assistant Surgeon
Burtt 1t. Meade, and Passed Midshipman
| lizard, have been examined for the applicant,
| and 1t VIM. A. Parker for the Government
since our last issue.
LAND GRADUATION QUESTION SETTLED
has rejected an application for land under the
provisions of the graduation act for the benefit
| of joint stock association who proposed to
place actual settlers upon it. The Commits
sioner rules that the graduation act, az its
title implies, was intended for the benefit of ac-
tual settlers and cultvatOrs of the soil only
not for Spectators and the rights given by it
are personal and because of actual settlement
and cultivation already made or contemplated.
No entry can therefore be made under said act,
for the benefit Of any other person persons
than the party making the same, to whom the
patent is issued in every instance proof being
first required in entries for settlement and cul-
tiyation that he has settled on and cultivated
the land in default of which the entry will be
cancelled by this Office
WASHINGTON BANK BILLs-On the day be-
fore yesterday, in noticing statement of the
LRtellisencer that the price charged on Mon
day last for cashing Bank of Metropolis money
by purchasers in gold was s per centum dis
count, we remarked that it could only have
been paid by n nincompoop, as Sweeny, Rit-
tenhouse 4 Co., were purchasing Washington
money on that day at 81 per centum discount
We find that we were ourself in error We
quoted their selling, rather than their buying
price. Yesterday they were buying freely at
per centum.
SELDES, WRITER'S & Co We hear incident
ally that every dollar of the debts due by the
late banking house of Selden, Withers Co, |
except to the State Of Virginia, has been paid
up by the trustees in full, with interest and
also that $3.50, 900 of the three or four hundred
thousand the house owed Virginia is now in the
hands of the trustees ready to be paid to the
agents of the State, the due payment of which, |
however, is delayed by some disagreement of
partners concerning the settlement of their af-
fairs among themselves.
VIRGINIA MONEY.-The brokers here charge