The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-11

mile, to be secured by lien on the road This appears
70 be- on the face Of H. very sensible proposition,
much the building Of the thai s wanted as it s The
getting possession Of the lands Of the government
THE BUILDING OF rxS WAR srzAxEns
Tho Committee Naval Affairs in the Senate reported
the 4th bill 10 authorize the CONSTRUCTION Of ten small
war steamers and IL wiz probably pass that body with
out much difficulty, and without giving much dis
cussion because the Senate responsible for raising
the ways and means of the government That is mat
ter especially In the control Of the House, all
for raising revenue must originate there is said, how
ever that the Secretary Of the Treasury has exacted
promise from the House Committee Naval Affairs, that
they will not report back this bill until Congress- shall have
drst made provision for repensbng the treasury either
by authorizing pew loan or by revising and increasing the
tariff.
PAY NAVAL OFFICERS
The Senate Committee Naval Affairs has also taken
step which, the condition of the treasury ten times
worse would meet tho approval of Congress and Of the
country They have reported bill 10 increase the pay OF
the officers Of the navy This bill proposes add per
for each year Of service TO tho pay of cap
ains and commanders the active list per for
each year Of service the present pay of cutenans
masters and passed mshpmon; and twenty five per cent
to the present of surgeons and eng
same as hose a. West Point. and aswans runners,
carpenters and fanakers are TO have three cent in
crease TO their present pay In connection with the game
subject the following resolution was adopted
Senate s Of all the vessels Of all Kinds belonging n or
oSsSer wS al he e.rs with she cons
pensaons together Win his opinion whether number Of
hsn can be reduced without Injury lie puSc service
THE ExPEsDruRRs OF THE GOVERNMENT.
The Senate, which notorieusly far reckless and
exravagant body than the House, has nevertheless made
movement toward reducing the expenditures of the 60
vernment On the 9TH inst Mr. Johnson of Tenn, intro
duced resolution which gave rise to considerable de-
hoto ond uhichh ~ ov1otvr hoon 6ovor odnF
Resolved That much Of the Presidents annual
az 5 s % S y S s Of s
70 ssesrssin vhehsr lie sspense. al he
r. rssSIsd sss Com
ns as Tar ss posss al abuses IL The sppcaon Of the ap
and wS VII the to an
honest risid economical administration Of the government
In the course og the discussion which ensued upon it,
various propositions were made in the shape Of amend
ments, among others 10 refer the matter not TO the FL
nance Committee, but 10 special committee Of
members to extend the jurisdiction of that committee
beyond the limits Of the present Congress, and TO subs
tute for the Words a abuses in the application of the
appropriations made by Congress-" the words sthe ex
penditures," SO as - make tho resolution read
To report hill reforming far possible the expenditures
% G. g % y % snd
ton Of he government.
Although it is not very probable that this movement
will amount TO mach, still it s refreshing to see the Se
nate making now In that direction Senator Mason, Of
Virginia took The opcItuny in the course Of the debate
ter could not with any consistency, support the bill grant
ing pensions 70 the soldiers Of 1872 while protesting do
sire 70 reduce the expenditures Of the government
MACKMAnssG OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.
Every knows that the fate Of office holders in the
public department., Custom Houses, Post Offices, and
other governments POSITIONS be numerically eeced
by the political vasAbonds and strikers Of the locality
In New York. for instance, during the tendency Of any
election political contest the officers Of Uncle Sam
made TO pay pretty large proportion Of their monthly
salaries, on penalty Of having themselves marked bad
members Of the party black republicans, and
sequently placing themselves in position cxpec every
hour notification that their services are no longer re-
quired II is the same in Washington, and all through
the country. And the worsa Of il Ia tho cqry 80 Of
the sums Of which these ofcehoders are bacnhailed
not one ha finds its way out Of the pockets Of the strikers
and vagabonds Aforesaid who grow rich in few years
these spois 1t was for the purpose Of venlang this
system, and putting end possible to it, that the fol-
lowing resolution introduced in the Senate Wednes
day, the 9th inst, by Mr. Wilson, of Massachusetts,:
Resolved That committee of five be appointed inquire
whether civil officer clerk other In the employ
since y pas pcron
s:s:s ssss
refusal omission 70 comply with such
and also what legislation the employ
|en directly Or indirectly Of money To- influence
and papers, and examine witnesses under oath
OF course the resolution will not be adopted. Indeed
there hardly necessity for it, for every person who
acquainted with public affairs however slightly knows
TO what an extent this dsgraceu and runous system
carried Officials do not like to have themselves COM
promised, they would be II this committee was ap-
pointed But Congress may assume the evil 10 be as
great and extensive as Mr. Wilson might be dig
posed to represent it, and that assumption ought TO
take measures 70 stop it. The only feasible plan,
however, would be the passage Of . law making
cy and good behavior. When such law is on the sta
tutes not only this evil but many another po-
litica system, will be palliated, If not cured.
FRENCH sPorIAnoS ELL
The bill TO provide for the ascertainment and satsac
tion of claims Of American citizens for spoiatons commit
ted by the French prior to the 3s day Of july 1901 has
been up the Senate by fits and starts during the week
This bill provides that satisfaction shall be made
amount not exceeding five millions Of dollars, to such
citizens of the United sates to their legal repre-
sentatives, as had valid claims to indemnity upon the
French government arising out of illegal captures
tentons facbie seizures, Illegal condemnations and
conlscations, committed prior to the ratification of
the convention between the United States and the
French republic concluded the 30h day of September
$500 The ratdoasons Of which were exchanged on the
31st day of July following Provided that the provisions
Of the act shall not extend to such claims stipulated
for and embraced in the convention between the United
States and the French republic concluded the Both day
Of April 1908, and for the liquidation and payment
WHEREOF PROVISION s maze IN the cCnNcntiOn,
such claims as were allowed and paid in whole in part
under the provisions Of the treaty between the United
States and Spain concluded the 22d day OF February
1919; TO such claims allowed, in whole in
part under the provisions Of the treaty between the
United States and France, concluded the 4h day OF
July, 1881.
The bill provides for the appointment of three commits
soners ascertain and decide upon the claims presented
and the aggregate OF their awards shall exceed
5000 600 they shall be paid pro yota.
This bill has been before Congress for the last half
tury and more II was passed several times by one or
the other house, failing 10 receive favorable con-
sideration in the other. 1t twice passed by
both houses-hrst IN ls46 and again in 1s54-but
tocd each time by the President of the United States The
claim arises out OF certain seizures conscaons made
by France on American merchant vessels during the Ma
poleon wars by our treaty of alliance and amity with
France OF 9th February l7s stipulated TO aid France
In her necesses, TO allow her carry prizes into
ports and dispose OF them there, and particularly qua
rantee to her the possession OF her West India Islands
After own Independence was secured in great mea
sure by the aid OF France, she had call upon
us TO perform our snare OF the contract We not
tn do flt,t t,ac Uae,