New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-29

meets the charge relative to his excessive admlIa
ton of.English laws and customs by saying 1t can
not be believd by any one who knows him. or has
ever read his historical philosophical writings
The general charge that he is opposed to the fres
dents policy brings from him the statement that ne
has spoken of both the President and Congress under
his OWE roof and among his friends and was not aware
that a citizen living abroad, even in an Official
canacifv WAS debaued from holding and ex-
pressing views regarding the great questions
presented by the overthrow of the Rebellion. lie
thinks we should abolish and forever prohibit all
legal and political distinctions on account OF race OF
color and this he would do by Constitutional Amend
ment After such an amendment was adopted he
would declare general amnesty He closes by ten
deIing his resignation, without assigning any cause
for so doing.
The Ways and Means Committee, hearing to-day
that the Printing Bureau of the Treasury Depart
ment, where all the Government bonds, Treasury
notes, and fractional currency are printed had been
closed and Clark the Superintendent, called upon to
account for certain discrepancies have been appoint
ed by the House q Special Committee to examine in
to the affairs of that Department. From the fact
that Secretary McCulloch to-day directed Clark to
turn over to Treasurer Spinner all the vauables UNI
der his charge there some reason to apprehend
that the services of the Committee have not been IN
yoked too soon. The Special Committee appointed
by the Secretary are still prosecuting their inves
cations
Mr. S NJ Clark's explanation of the grave fact that
has transpired in the Treasury Department that 0o
bonds with duplicate numbers have been prlhteu
and issued is that the numbering machine got out OF
order and repeated. The investigation that VIII DC
made into the issue of Government bonds and cur
rency by Roscoe Conkling Samuel Hooper and Chas
H. Winfield, q Subcommittee Of the Ways and
Means will be thorough.
The sub Committee on Ways and Means who have
charge of the question of reducing the tax on whisky
and to ascertain what legislation is necessary TO pre-
vent frauds are still investigating the matter, and
are in concurrence with Commissioner Rollins. The
Commissioner is understood 10 be opposed to max
ing any reduction of the tax at present The Com
mttee also incline TO this opinion They viii be
ready to make their report to the Committee IN few
DAYS They will probably recommend stringent leg
islatiou, imposing heavy fines and imprisonment
This course it is believed, will prevent frauds.
The Senate Military Committee to-day heard argu-
ments against the House bill for airline railroad
from Washington to New-York. This bill passed the
House last session. and is now before the Committee
There is very strong pressure in its favor and the
chances are that it will receive favorable report
Persons favorable TO it have also asked 10 be heard
upon the merits of the bill and the Committee have
decided to give them an audience.
Gen Sheridan's action in refusing TO allow any
public demonstrations the remains of Gen. Sid
ney Johnston is believed TO have been owing In "a
great measure to the language that had been used by
some Of the New Orleans journals just prior TO the
opening of Mayor Monroes tomb lin which the re-
mains had laid for several years. for the removal OF
the body to texas. One Of these journals, received
to-day, speaks Of the deceased as the great and
good man" the true and noble character" &c, all
II faH in
not offensive to the commander Of the Gulf Depart
mont and induced him, he did. TO thwart the
further exhibitions Of feeling that were on the point
of being carried out
There is no probability that the Ways and Means
Committee will be able TO agree upon the bill author
izng the issue Of per cent notes TO take the place
of the compounds.
A statement made to the Senate Committee on Ag-
rcuIture by j. r. Dodge, statistician OF the Agrcu
tural Department, declares the annual consumption
of unsecured wool in the United States to be little
more than One-third of the estimate made IN the re-
cent specal revenue report Ii makes the total wool
supply of the four years of war ending June 80 1862
about 500 OOOO 900 pounds; Of which 3OOOOOOOO were
produced in this country, 29OOO 00Oimpored, and an
equivalent of 22OOOOOOO introduced manufactured
woolens 1t makes the actual consumption of the
loval States during the war seven pounds per capita
instead of AZ pounds prior TO the war; showing an III
crease Of So per cent from the waste Of war and
scarcity of cotton.
The Senate has confirmed the nomination OF George
s Hilard 10 be United States Attorney for the Dis
trict of Massachusetts,.
The Navy Register for the year 1867 has just been
issued 1t shows that since January 1866 p vessels
have been sold and one the New lronsides destroyed
by fire. OF the irOn-clads q are laid up at League
Island 10 at New-Orleans, at Mound City, at
Washington, at Boston, and 2 at San Francisco.
The entire number of vessels Of all kinds is pa Be
sides Admiral FaTagut and Vicc-Admiral Porter
there are 10 Rear-Admirals the active list and II
on the retired list.
II is believed in well-infomed circles that the
Secretary of the Treasury favors the proposition that
has been before the Committees of Congress for some
time to give in payment to National banks holding
compOund interest notes part Of their legal reserve
loan certificates ut lower rate of interest equal 10
one half of their required lOan which reserve is now
about s2OO.OOOOOO. These viii be practically to the
hanks the same as legal tenders, Tor they can de-
mand legal tenders for them on ten days notice.
The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institute
hold their first session Of the this evening, and
meetings will continue to the close OF the
present Congress Prof Agassiz and VIM. B Astor are
among the prominent members Of the Board now IN
the city.
The National Academy Of Sciences, created py act
of Congress in 1853, closed its semi-annual meeting
on Saturday The session was principally taken up
in discussing the subjects Of weights and measures
and the testing and measuring OF distilled spirits
and other matters referred to it by the Government
Reports of committees and various scientific papers
were also presented and discussed.
AS an exception probably never equaled by any
disbursing officer of the Government il is mentioned
that the settlement of the accounts by the Fourth