The New York herald., 1870-08-17
WASHING
Admiral Farragut's Successor Determined
Upon-Payment OF Revenue Officers
Unable to Take the IrOn-clad
Oath-Indians Subject to
Revenue Taxation.
Admiral Farragut,s succossor.

succeed the lamented Farragut as head Of the navy
Information has been received here that the Presi.
dent has already expressed his intention on the sub
Jeot, fact which was unnecessary TO know, as the
President In making selections for ONCE Is always
guided by considerations Of fitness and services rem
dered the country Vice Admiral Porter has rem.
dcred moro valuable services to the government In
its hour OF need than any living ocer Of the navy.
and aside from his present rank Is, there
fore, entitled to the promotion. Your
correspondent was told OF little fact
which displays the frankness and honest
recognition OF merit possessed by President Grant.
During the siege Of Vloksburg General Grant ad-
vsed Porter to make movement Of which the Ad-
mral did not approve. The Admiral, however.
though not believing in the proprety Of the move.
ment, followed the advice Of the General and In
consequence. lost one OF his vessels General
Grant, In writing to friend here in Washington,
said that he owed very much OF the success OF his
plans to the admirable cooperation OF Porter, and
added that once he had advised Porter to make
movement which caused the loss OF vessel Of
which Porter never made q complaint or even men.
toned subsequently.
Payment Of Revenue Officers Unable to Take
the IrOn-Clad Oath.
Ine bunging legislation at the last session OF
Congress has imposed upon the Attorney General
an amount OF work. in the way OF rendering opinions
as to the meaning Of certain laws passed. hitherto
unknown Another illustration Of this fact has just
come to light in reference to the payment of internal
revenue and customs officers and Treasury agents
employed In the insurrectiOnary States during the
years 1855 and 1866. Very few, If any, of these
officers took the tron-cad" oath, and by the terms
OF the act OF 1852 no oflcer was entitled to
any OF the salary other emouments OF
his Oflce unless he had taken that oath
before entering upon Its duties Application
having been made by William J. Phillips, appointed
and commissioned an assistant assessor In Texas
ana who performed the duties during the years
above specified. without having taken the OATH for
his pay for that time under the provisions OF section
eleven Of the Civil Appropriation bill. passed July
Is, 1870 the Acting Secretary OF the Treasury re-
ferred the claim to tho Attorney General for his
opinion as 10 whether provision was actually made
for this class OF officials. In reply the Attorney
General quotes the section which authorizes pay
ment to such persons were actually en-
poyed in the insurrectlOnary States In connec.
tlon with the Treasury Department officers
OF tho United States during the years 1865 and 1855 in
connection with the revenues OF the government,
and says that he cannot conceive for what purpose
this section enacted except that OF authorizing
compensation to persons crcumstanced as Mr.. Phil
lips There Is repeal Of the law Of 1862 far
it refers to the officers employed yet the Attorney
removed by the passage OF tho section quoted and
that he Is satisfied that Is its legal effect Under
this decision the Treasury Department has COM
menced to pay these claims. The amount required
for the purpose will be nearly million Of dollars
New York Custom House Appointments Con.
Grmed.
The Acting Secretary OF the Treasury to-day con.
drmed the following appointments in the New York
Custom House u. Fl. Kimberly clerk; John Brophy,
John Campbell George Young and Hugh J. Riley
inspectors; Il. ]. Hte, messenger, and William Ben
nett, porter.
Internal Revenue Decisions.
Acting Commissioner Douglass. OF the Internal
Revenue Bureau has been asked by Acting Commls-
sioner Of Indian Affairs whether the Cherokees have
by the existing law, the right to manufacture and
sell tobacco within the Cherokee territory without
payment OF revenue tax, and liable to pay tax on
manufactured tobacco; whether they are also liable
to pay special license tax as manufacturers, give
bonds, render statements and give returns and do
other things required OF tobacco manufacturers
under existing laws within the States ana territories
OF the United States. The Acting Commissioner re-
plies that the Cherokees, members of the Cherokee
nation, are liable to pay, by means Of suitable
stamps affixed to every package of manufactured
tobacco, the internal revenue tax imposed by the
sixtyarst section of the act OF July 1868 and that
too, whether the tobacco Is manufactured from leaf
tobacco grown upon Cherokee soil or not.
The Acting Commissioner reserves his reply to the
other questions until the return of Commissioner
Delano.
A letter has been received at the Bureau OF Inter-
nal Revenue asking whether the manufacturers
special tax assessed against pork packers &c. Will
be a5ated, or whether the tax already paid Will DO
refunded Acting Commissioner Douglass replies
that the act approved July, 1870 relieves pork pack
ers &C.. from assessments under section four OF the
aot Of March 81, 1868. and from the payment of the
already assessed on the sales under that section
and not paid 1t does not relieve those parties from
payment Of special tax as manufacturers; neither
does 1t provide for refunding OF the taxes already
paid therefor Special taxes cannot be abaed under
the act referred to- taxes already paid refunded.
Revenue Steamer Contracts Awarded.
Contracts for building four revenue steamers have
been awarded as fOllows:-An iron propeller, of $50
tons, to Messrs. Pusey Jones Co., at Wilmington,
DEL; amount, $4,000. Two iron propellers, each
of $50 tons, to David Bell, OF BuAao, N Y; amount
$25 coo each. An iron sldewheel steamer Of $50
tons, to Messrs. Dialogue & Wood, Of Camden, N. J
ior $oo'ooo' - i.AsS- So p.t' b%,,e'
seau,en's Hospital Tax.
| The Acting Secretary OF the Treasury to-day Is.
sued order to Collectors Of Customs rollows:-
| The Marine Hospital tax having been increased
from twenty cents 10 forty cents by act passed at
last session OF Congress, The same taking effect
the 1st ins Collectors OF Customs Instructed
| assess and collect from the crew OF every vessel
| forty cents per month for each aud every seaman
who has been employed on any vessel since she was
last entered at any port OF the United States &C.
| cOrding TO the provisions OF tlat act
Tho Stamped Envelope Contract.
The contract for furnishing the Post once Depart
ment with stamped envelopes and wrappers for
four years from the first day Of october next was
to-day awarded by the Postmaster General to
Mcssrs. Dempsey Toole, OF this city, whose bid
was 1924, 900 per annum.
Meeting Of the Union League.
The National Executive Committee OF the Union
League Of America will meet at the Union Club
rooms, on Chestnut street, Philadelphia on Monday
next at noon. The session Is expected TO be the