The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-04
THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE ON WHISKY.
Grants MOvements--Di
Applications.
BILL FOR A DEPARTMENT OF HOME
AFFAIRS.
The Bridge Contest in Committee.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-Trumbull. from the in
olclary committee, introduced a bill reorganjzino
the federal judiciary.
House.-Beck introduced bill concerning Mis-.
ssslppi, with Biugham's nulilications: b1t in.
stead, as Bingham proposes, of admitting nresen,
claimants for Mississippi Offices
| becks Dill provides for an election in Msv m
Ger universal suffrage and universal amnesty. for
pOth the moulned Constitution and State OFF
GERS, meantime the State remaining under military
| control.
The post roads committee heard the Pittsburo
men IN opposition TO bridges of less than 400 feet
span.
The appropriations committee have determined
to Withhold appropriations for the educational de-
partment.
Sendte-Trumbull's Judiciary bill makes nina
supreme JUDGES and provides for the appointment
| OF circuit judges.
| The consular appropriation bill passed.
BoutweiPs constitutional amendment was con.
! sidered to adjournment.
HouSe-ihe secretary was directed to withhold
payment for stationery contracts.
beck's Mississippi bill was referred TO the re
construction committee.
Recusant New York witnesses were pIaced in
cnsrge OF the sergeant-at-arms until the com.
cussed. WIS N-'
Indian appropriations considered.
Adjourned.
In the debate on the whisky tax last nicht
mittee, said there were parcel of spectators
throughout the country trying to kill the whisky
marset by circulating story that the ways and
means committee, or some member of the House.
would propose 10 increase the tax on whisky or
perhaps put il back 10 its old rate. He Would
say that SO far as the ways sad means committee
were concerned, no such proposition had been or
would be entertained.
Ao -hUpod TneTU would be no tiukerirg bV me
House OF this part of the bill.
Internal revenue receipts to-day 81 900 000
Weather bad all day. Telegraph slow.
Grant leaves for New FORK tomorrow.
Henderson introduced bill in the Senate YES
terdsy, to provide for a department of home af-
fairs. Ii gives the head of the department a seat
in the Cabinet, and places under his supervision
the land office, the Indian bureau, mining matters
and the freedmen's bureau.
There are about four hundred applications for
the removal Of disabilities before the recoDstruc-
tion committee, mostly Virginians.
Capt. w. Ii. Walton and Jas Brown, of Pitts
burg, were before the committee on roads and
cspals to-day to testify upon the bridge question.
These gentlemen, and others who have been ex
amined in behalf Of the river men, argue that
bridges should be at least SEQ feet span, but fnd.
ing that the committee was disposed to recon-.
mend a less span, they agree TO compromise for a
AGO foot span. la their arguments the river men
make an unfavorabe comparison between the
bridge at SteubeDvlle, Ohio, and those of the Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad at Bel Air and Parkers-
burg. In answer, the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road men say there is great difference between
the two points, as the Steubenvie bridge is badly
located u portion of the stream subject to coun-
Ter currents, while the stream does not effect the
piers Of the Parkersburg bridge. 1t was admit
ted to-day By some Of the river men before the
committee that bridge ofthree hundred feet span
at Parkersburg is equivalent 10 one Of 450 feet
span at Steubenville. The contest between the
parties is lively, and it is doubtful whether any
bill viii be reported from the committee this ses-
sion.