The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-08-04
DEPARTMENT. NEWS.
STATE pEPAnrNESr.

E
STATE DEPARTMENT..
The Congress of Venezuela 4ddiional Duty Of To- Per
CsaThe following law enacted by the Congress Of Ven
ezuea and approved by the President the 25th of May
last imposing an additional subsidiary contribution
of ten per upon the duties collected at the various
custom houses of the republic from and after the LIST of
July 1857 received at this department the sls
utmo from John II Iitchheld esq, United States
sui at Puerto Cabelo:
Lag Of the 25M Of Nay ia relation 10 additional tazatoa.
The Congress of Venezuela decrees
Art l. From the first OF July OF the present year there
shall be levied throughout all the Of the
republic subsidiary contribution of 10 per centum upon
ali the national duties which may be therein collected
This contribution shall be paid within thirty days after
the liquidation of the duties
Art D. The per established by article three Of
the law of April 49, 1885, in relation to port dues are
included in the 10 per cent directed to be levied by the
foregoing article
Art A. The proceeds Of this contribution shall be APP
piled objects and works of general utility and to the
Improvement of the towns and contracts which up to
the present time may have been made by the executive
power or other authorities In pursuance Of law shall be
respected but the amounts which may be paid out in
virtue of the obligations, stipulated In said contracts shall
exceed the proportion rcverng to each of the
Provinces among which this contribution Is to be divided
in equal shares.
Art 8. The executive power shall establish in each
provincial capital board composed Of persons entitled to
public confidence to take charge of the deposte Of the
application of the proceeds of said 10 per centum It
shall provide rules for their action through special de-
cree be hereafter promulgated The members Of sad
board shall receive neither pay commissions but
must be satisfied with the honor Of serving their country
in SO important branch OF national prosperity.
Art 6. The collectors of customs shall keep the funds
in special and separate deposites shall they be dis
posed of except by order of the executive power trans
mttcd through the boards mentioned In the preceding
article not under condition of returning the same
under pain of restitution and under the liability of the
inactors and their securities being, In addition here
to- responsible therefor to the authorities such per-
sons as may have interest In the distribution Of said
subsidiary fund.- if they SHALL in any manner, have dis
posed thereof
Art I. monthly statement Of said fund shall be
published in the State journal by the Department of the
Interior, showing the receipts and paymcnts also the
amount collected in each and every custom-house
Art 8. The laws of May 10th, ls47, April 2sd 1858,
and April 2sth, 1854, are hereby repealed
In Caracas May goth, ls57--the 47th of Independ-
The President of the Senate
~ n..,.. !. !, c,,.,,,,.. !. JESUS JESUS NJ PAUL
EUGENI0 A. RIVERA.
The Secretary Of the Senate
The Secretary of the House,
J. PADILIA
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT
Hon Thomas A. Hendricks being absent from the
city, Joseph A. Wilson, esq., ia the Acting Commissioner
of the General Land Office.
Hon Charles Mason having resigned, Samuel T. shu-
CERT is the acting Commissioner of Patents.
Smallpox Among the Kickapoo Indians Intelligence
reached the Indian Bureau yesterday morning that small
pox had broken among the Kickapoo Indians. Eight
Indians had died of it. Prompt measures were immedi
atey taken by the agent for these Indians to arrest its
progress Physicians were sent for to vaccnate each
member of the tribe
Indian Opposition to the Wagmroad Erpediion.-Ihe fol-
lowing Geographic despatch has been received at this
office:
"sr PAUL, Min, Aug Col. Noble, the superin-
tendent Of the wagon road through the South Pass is
here The expedition is at present suspended and the
encampment the west of the Big Sioux broken up
of the further progress of the expedition being
violently opposed by the Yankton Indians The party
retreaed to point eighty miles west OF Fort Mdgely
The objection of the Ynnktons to Col Noble party
ing the country is that they will brighten off the buffalo,
which their sole of subsistence Col Noble is to
hold council with the Indians the 28th of August
but should the negotiations fail it is his intention to pro-
coed in despite of hostilities "
No official intelligence of the opposition of the Yankton
Indians to the further progress of this Wagonroad expe-
dtion has been received at the Interior Department and
opposition the part of the Indians has been antic
patcd Large sums of money are held in trust by govern
ment for different Indian tribes upon which the interest
is paid every year 1t is not likely under these crcum-
stances knowing they do the power and of
the government TO PUNISH tnc, that these Indians Will
organize determined opposition to the movements of
expeditions.
DEPARTMENT..
Dyaced United ,Shaes Postage Stamps. The Letter to The
New York Herald Subjoined the copy of letter which
appeared recently in the New York Herald:
MONTREAL, July 20, 1851.
Win you allow me the of your columns TO expose
what consider of continued petty larceny in high
quarters, to wit the United States Post Office Depart
ment The number of United States letters received in
post offices which postage has been prepaid, but
not credited is almost incredible Most of your readers
probably that the postage letters crossing
the line ten cents and this may be prepaid at the
option of the sender but cannot be paid part We every
day receive letters which affixed three thrce-cent
stamps but for the want of the odd cent the letter
marked paid and full postage is paid here This is Of
course, quite right but the wrong consists in the fact
that the United States Department invariably eaces the
affixed stamps Clearly they hnve right to do this
until they have redeemed them by giving value in the
shape of postage; and this conduct except that Is
probably without evil intention is not one whit better
than would be that of the maker of note who happen
ing to have opportunity should dcface his signature
while the note running to maturity If the sender
rendered only nine cents in money with his letter the
money would be returned and the letter sent unpaid.
The stamps of course could not be returned but why
in the of honesty, deface them They are not The
property of the department. and If the receiver of the let
ter gould and use them, he has perfect right p
do and thus, in part reimburse himself for the post
age his friend has unintentionay made him nav The