New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-01-11
WASHINGTON.

pFCoNsTRUCrION ACTS-FODDER TOR NEW
HAMPsHu.E DEMOCRATS-1HE STANTON sNS-
PENSION CAsE-MR. SCENARIOS LAND FEVER
.,,u1ekIPr 80 rHE TRIBUNE.
WASHINGTON. Friday. Jan 10, 1865
The discussion on the House bill TO sus-
mend the further contraction Of the currency
occupied the entire tine of the Senate TO-
day Mr. Fdmunds offered amendment, which
failed 10 pass BY the significant vote of Il Yeas to 30
Nays providing that the act shall not he construed
to authorize an increase Of United States notes, or
other lawful money beyond the amount now out
standing, except $5OOOO00O reserve already author
lied by law The failure Of the effort to defeat the
Contraction bin by retarding its action after July
next, may be seen by the above vote. Mr.. Catteh
read O lengthy speech in favor of stopping further
contraction At 81 o'clock the Senate adjourned until
Monday. and Immediately thereafter went into eX-
ecHtive session.
The majority and minority reports on the Stanton
Suspension were presented TO the Senate to-day, im-
mediately after going into executive session. Both
documents were ordered TO be printed. An effort
will be made to have the debate in open session. AS
il is a matter of great public importance, several
Senators hold that the debate ought not TO be secret
hut the majority are opposed to its being made pub
lie.
The new whisky tax bill was presented TO the
President this afternoon and il is understood he viii
at once approve it.
Z A memorial from the Albany Board of Trade
presented to the House to-day, recommending re-
real of sections 90 81 and As of the Internal Revenue
hw, and reduction of the whisky tax to so low
fgure that temptations to fraud will be entirely
taken away They also recommend the abolition OF
Class warehouses and the collection of the tax at
Glass a. The Buffalo Board of Trade ndoTse the re-
commentators Of the Dstllers Convention recently
held in this city and also the memorial of the Cin-
.innat Board Of Trade on the same subject
The Committee on Ways and Means, this morning
in considering the bill for the repeal Of the Cotton
tax as il passed the Senate, decided to nOn-concu m
the Senate amendments suspending the operation OF
the law for one year. The Committee intend TO adj
here 10 the bill as it passed the House and will SO e-
port it. The Committee also discussed revenue mat
ters and the recent report of Commissioner Wees as
APPLYING TO the whisky tax and its reduction, bnt no
definite action was reached. A portion of the Com
mittee il appears are of the opinion that unless there
10 very sensible reduction of the tax 1t viii not be
possible TO collect, during the coming year even so
much revenue as was collected last year. However,
the matter of a reduction is extremely doubtful A
Number Of the members of Congress evince general
determination TO make the law so stringent that an
evasion Of its provisions will be impossible. Mem
bers are severe i'll their denunciations of the whisky
rings and will leave nothing undone to break mp the
wade the country.
The Retren chnent Committee does not propose TO
make general report OF their Investigations in the
departments for some months perhaps; but from time
10 time as developments make the necessity for
legislation they suggest the subject to the Appro-
pirate Committee, and through whom bills to remedy
evils, or change the existing laws are reported for
passage.
aMr. Washburne of Illinois is preparing bill, soon
4 H. fort fa ffou
by our Government of the postal Geographic system.
During his recent travels in Europe Mr.. Washbume
collected large amount of valuable statistical nfor
nation on this subject showing the operations Of the
system in England, Prussia, etc, and tending to
show the practicabity Of the project in this country
The statement in these dispatches last night OF the
purposes of the President with reference to striking
out the word white" was not strictly correct. Ii
is true Mr. johnson will not argue the question of the
effect of an adjournment but his message will proba-
bly, set forth laws Constructions statutes and present
facts, in all substantially amounting &c an opinion
that Congress- by its adjournment upon a concurrent
resolution both Houses before the expiration Of
the ten days. prevented the bill taking effect by
reason of the failure Of Executive approval
The question of the cOnstitutionality of the Re-
construction acts and the probable action of the
Supreme Court the subject, exciteS good deal OF
attention and is much discussed in political circles
The Democrats and the friends OF Mr.. johnson are
very jubilant on the subject ard unhestatngly de-
clare that decision declaring them null and void
will be rendered in short time Mr.. Stanberys
speech at the New-Orleans banquet eXcites good
deal of comment and Observation-Disclosures derive
much aid and comfort from that portion of his re-
marks bearing on this point. Congress, too has
become little anxious the subject, and to-day
the House Judiciary Committee instructed their
Chairman. Mr. Wilson, to report bill providing that
twothirds of tue Judges of the Supreme Bench shall
concur in an opinion before any law be declared
unconstitutional AS the law at present stands it
requires only bare majority to do so. This bill
viii undoubtedly give rise to great deal OF discus
sion, and efforts will be made to defeat it, that the
legislation may not affect the case that will shortly
come before the Supreme Court and TO which allu-
sion has already been made in these columns
Inlthe Supreme Court to-day the e. gGrte case Of
MeArdle, Oh the application for writ OF habeas cor
pus, came up for argument. McArdle was a newspa-
per editor, aud was imprisoned for denOuncing Gen
Ord and other officers as satraps, tools and despots
Gen. Ord arrested McArdle as an impediment to Re
construction. McArde's counsel Gov. Sharkey, now
makes application in the Supreme Court for writ of
habeas corpus and decision will involve the
stitutonaty Of the Reconstruction acts. When the
case was brought up to-day, Attorney General Stan
berry appeared for the Government but stated that
At would be impossible for him to attend 10 the case.
bIs position IN the Cabinet and other business
suming all his time. lie asked for a postponement
OF the matter until Gen. Ord could be heard from,
and the War Department could procure counsel
Gov. Sh0rkey yielded to postponement till next
Friday, when he will insist on decision being rem
deIed
Mr. Sinclair, the Democratic candidate Tor COY
M Nou-- IL in