The New York herald., 1869-02-14
HERALD SUNDAY FEBRUARY H. lsss-TRIPLE

OF St. Thomas or any OF the West India islands, and
can be obtained at merely nominal price as com
pared with the price offered for the st. Thomas
islands. The navies Of the world ride At anchor
safely in the bay formed py these islands. The group
eleven In number inclose q bay seventeen miles
from to west and nine miles from north to south
with depth Of water OF from five to fifteen Iathoms
Senate Secret Session.
The brief executive session on Thursday evening
only confirmed the purpose to confirm nobody. One
hundred and sixty nominations for various posi-
tions in the Post once and Revenue Departments
and OF promotions In the army are waiting
to bo acted upon. The Senate refused even
to take them from the table and refer them to
the committees for consideration. Several new In
dian treaties had been received. These referred
to the Committee on Indian Afairs and ordered
printed. Some further information in regard TO the
matters In San Domingo was also referred to the
Committee on Foreign Arairs. The information
tends to show that the United States can get posses
sion OF the island without paying mucn money This
has been rumored for some time, and rumor thus
becomes fact.
Finance Measures.
The Senate Committee on Finance have substan-
TALLY completed their lab0rs for the present SEES
sion. The general measures are three:-
First the bill to forbid secret sales of gold and
national securities on account Of the United States.
1t requires that oil shall be disposed OF at public
auction after full and reasonable advertisement OF
the day and place Of SALE This bill they expect to
pass.
Another bill forbids the loan OF currency and de-
p0sits OF greenbacks or currency. This has been
reported in the House and is ready to be reported
in the Senate. The committee do not doubt that
tins bill win also be passed. and brokers thus pre-
vented from locking up fifteen or twenty millions
with three or four.
The measure which constitutes the financial
policy is that now uuder discussion in the Senate.
The debate thus far indicates wide divergence Of
opinion upon every section.
To the first section legalizing gold contracts 1t is
objected that to parties away from New York. Phila-
dephia and the great commercial centres 1t might
bring serious hardship. Wherever gold contracts
are practicable they may now be made and are con-
stantly made by importers and jobbers. The senti-
ment seems on the whole against this section.
To the second 1t is objected that we do not know
whether we shall have money to carry it out
T9 the third secsttosni stsni which Authorizes the new
n-iofsy i've per css so;a 0ohd FOR funding green
backs, it is objected that we do not want the
violent contractions 1t is objected further that to
make greenbacks convertible with bonds is to make
the government borrower OF all the greenbacks
the people have to lend call at rate OF five per
cent In gold while the government cannot use them.
To the fourth section, authorizing coin notes by
the Treasury and existing banks, it is urged that it
would either have effect at all, have effect
to cheaper gold, and SO send out OF the country q
portion Of our gold.
The fifth section, permitting new banking institu-
tons to issue gold notes to sixty per cent OF the
amount OF new gold-bearing bonds which they pur-
chase and deposit with the Treasurer is less criti-
cised 1t is simply said that IL will not amount to
much. Morrill, the other hand claims that 1t viii
do great things.
Thus every section is criticised, and to each
there Is filed from one to six amendments The
chances OF passage are few In the first place there
is not time. The debate will be continued through
Saturday, but not completed. On Monday comes
appropriation bills again. and the Finance bill is not
likely again to be touched next week. not, it can
not well be put through the House, certainly not
during this session. Then, were there time, it is
doubtful II anything more than the second and the
fifth sections would pass the Senate.
As for the large tax BILL Schenck proposes to push
1t through the House; but no one supposes that it
Will be touched at all by the Senate during the
present session.
The Public Domain.
Commissioner Wilson, OF the General Land ONCE,
has just received returns showing disposal OF 40 961
acres Of the public domain during the past month at
the following local oices:-St. Peter Minn., 1603l
acres; winnebago CITY, Mlnn, $50 acres; La Crosse
Wis., 3,493 acres; lr0nton No., 7,19s acres; Lincoln
Neb, $50 acres. The greater portion Of the land
was taken for actual residence and cultivation
under the Homestead law.
Fractional Currency Statement.
The receipts OF fractional currency for the week
ending to-day amount to 100000.
SHIPMENTS.
To national banks: $1ee,sso
The Treasurer holds in trust for National
banks, as security for circulation $40, ,555, 900
For public deposits. s.................. 34,391, $50
National bank currency issued during the
week. .......................... 1s7, ,24o
Total to date. 312, $50, 726
Mutllaed bills returned. IL, 799 042
Insovent bank notes returned. d.......... 9ss, ,907
Actual circulation at this date ...... 900, 742 TT
Fractional currency redeemed. ......... 4l2,600
BlackmaiIin9 In the New York Custom House.
report was filed to-day with the Secretary Of
the Treasury, disclosing a system or blackmailing