The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-09
NEW YORK HERALD TUESDAY FEBRUARY 18e-TRpIE SHEET


twelve railroad schemes from which the committee
begged TO be discharged and as they have alresdy
| disposed favorably Of dve others only few Of
trning importance remain on their hands. The next
best thing would be to discharge the committee, and
let railroads In the future look out for themselves
The NicCsarrahan Land Case.
| The Senate Committee on Private Land Claims
also met to-day and considered the McGarahan case.
Senators Sawyer, Williams ana Ferry were present.
notwithstanding the reported intention OF the two
last mentioned Senators rot to attend the sessions
the committee in future. An attempt was made to
postpone the case until the arrival Of certain wit
nesses from California, but the committee decided
not TO allow any further postponement and resolved
10 meet again next Wednesday.
Proposed Annexation Of st. Domingo.
The St. Domingo annexation lobby Is very nu-
merous here, but apparently nor very strong yet. A
wordy pamphlet, setting forth the beauties OF the
sand full CT pretty sentences and poetic extracts
was laid on the table OF every member this morning
Whether many converts were made by the pamphlet
or not Is problem. Fabens, OF pious memory, is
the author
Check to Land Monop0lists.
One OF the most Important measures before this
Congress was introduced this morning by Mr..
Julian, OF Indiana, in the farm of Joint resolution
1t is the same thing as his bin of last session. which
was then debated several days. and provides that
more of our public lands shall be sold except under
the Presumption and Homestead laws thus cutting
up land speculation by the roots, and that
no more lands shall hereafter be granted
IN aid OF railroads, except upon the
express condition in the act making the grants that
the lands shall be sold to actual settlers only in
mt 20
one purchaser and for q price not exceeding 50 so
per acre. This measure lies over till next Monday,
and the vote on laying on the table to-day indicates
that it will pass.
The New Mexico Contested Election Case.
The Committee on Elections heard the closing ar
gument in the New Mexico contested election case
to-day, and tomorrow they will take vote upon it
previous TO making report to the House.
Hard Swearing Before an Investigating Conn
nittee.
Mr.. U. H. Painter was before the Committee on
Public Expenditures, and swore that all the state
ments OF stanton and Latham to the effect that he
had proposed to have himself employed and paid as
an agent to engineer the Alaska bill through Con-
gress were utterly false. He swore, even, that he
had never made such an offer in jest Mr.. Scott
Smith was also before the committee in relation to
the WellsFargo contract and explained that the
given the names of the parties examined at the last
meeting as persons who had furnished him with the
Information which he caused to be published in GER
tain papers. Mr.. Broomall, OF Pennsylvania, took
occasion again to pitch into the correspondents for
the reckessness OF their statements and expressed
the hope anew that he would never obtain their CON-
mendation. Heightened party. that Broomall.
Nominations by the President.
The President nominated to the Senate to-day
Thomas p. Smith, Consul at La Rochelle, to be Con-
sui at Paris, vice John E. Ncolay; w. D. Spalding
or New York, for Consul at Jeddo Japan Edward
Stephens. OF New York, for Consul at Manchester,
England, vice Mr.. Wells; George II. Kingsbury for
Collector Of Internal Revenue Third districts of Mas
sachusetts, vice Mccartney, TO be removed; Commo-
dore Andrew A. Harwood to be Rear Admiral in
the navy, on the retired list; Past Assistant Pay
master Leonard A. Frailey and Assistant Paymaster
J. p. LOOMS to be paymasters In the navy.
The nomination by the President to-day OF Thomas
r. Smith, Of Massachusetts, to be Consul at Paris Is
designed to supersede John g. Nicolay, who was
President Lincoln's private secretary.
The Remains of Mrs. Surraff.
In compliance with the solicitations OF friends OF
Mrs. Surras the President ordered her remains at
the Arsenal grounds be dsinterred to-day and de-
livered to her relatives Her body was buried
directly after her execution, in the summer OF 1865,
in the same enclosure with the bodies OF Paine,
Atzerodt and Harold, near the place Of nterment Of
Booths remains. The understanding was that there
should be no public demonstration, and that what
ever funeral services over the late Mrs. Surratt
should take place must be privately conducted
New Method Of Marine FortIacatious.
The joint resolution which passed the Senate
in July last passed In the House to-day authoriz.
ing the General OF the Army and the Admiral the
Vice Admiral OF the Navy to inquire into the utility
and practicabllity Of the Ryan-Hitchcock mode
OF marine Notifications, directing them to
report the result Of their Investigations
at the next session OF Congress. The method OF
marine defence here referred to Is known as Ryans
revolving iron turret fort to be used for monitors
and for harbor defence. The fort ia ioated in q
reservoir OF water and be elevated or depressed
at viii. II is intended to be armed with eight fifteen
inch guns which can be easily handled by very few
men. the turret being revoved, and the guns run in
and out Of battery by air and water power. board
TO be composed partly OF army and partly OF navy
officers viii soon be appointed with instructions to
proceed to some suitable point where the value OF
the invention can be fairly and thoroughly tested
General Fremont Before the Pacific Rail-
road Committee.
The Senate Pacific Railroad Committee held a
meeting this evening, and heard speech from GEN.
era John O. Fremont in support OF the bill recently
introduced in the Senate to establish railroad to
the Pacific the thirtysecond parallel The General
argued at length in favor OF this enterprise but the
committee gave no expression Of opinion on the sub
ject, one way or the other.
Electoral Votes Of Unreconstructed States.
The statement IN New York paper that the cleo
toral votes OF Virginia, Texas and Mississippi
received by the President OF the Senate is ground
less as no such votes have ever reached any one
connected with the senate.
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT.
Sfnfe Tn xes-TheY nIaY BE Exnrfcd In Coin