New-York tribune., 1870-12-22
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THB TRIBUNE

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF OPINION ON TIE
uEMPDUTY.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THB TRIBUSBl
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, Dec. al, 1870.
Gen scheuck has had longer service in Congress than
| any member Of the House, having been member Of
eight different Congresses, from tho XXVIIfth to the
the XXXIst, and from tho XXXVIIIth to the XList,
making l6 years OF Congressional experience. There In
not single member serving In the House who was
member when Gen. scbenck took his seat In lst3. Fer
nando Wood however had been O member OF the pre-
cedng Congress- and Senators Davis Hamln, and Ram
sey then members Of the House. Davis came In with
the XXVIth Congress in 1889, and Hamlh and Ramsey
simultaneously with nschenck Ramsey then represent
ing Pennsylvania District. Senator Howard had been
member Of the House In the XXyIItb, but not In the
XXyIIIth Congress. Wood, Howard, and Dawes are,
therefore, the only in the House Senate whose
Congressional life began before that OF Gen. schenck
or the other old members OF tho House. Brooks and Ju
Ian came in with the XXXIs Congress in ls4O, Banks in
1885, Bunton Coyode, and c. Washburne In 1885, and
Dawes and Maynard in 1887 Gen. schenck was Chair
OF tho Naval Committee during the timo OF the Wing
supremacy In the House In Polk's Administration, and
when he regnered Congress IN 1893 he made Chair
man Of the Military Committee, which he held for four
years. He made Chairman OF. the Committee of
Ways and Means In 1867, In place Of Mr. Morren, who
had been elected TO the Senate.
The House Committee on Military Affairs have agreed
to report favoraDy Mr., Beattys bill 10 extend the pro-
visions OF the law Of last session. which gave soldiers tho
right to enter OF land under the Home
stead act In the sections contiguous to railroads,
instead OF 60 before allowed. Mr. Beattys bill
provides that soldier may assign his right 10 the land
to his daughter, that they make tho settle
m3nt, and In Of the soldiers death, his widow,
eldest child, father or widowed mother-in the order
namedin the Bounty laws-sbal be entitled to enter the
quarter section Tho eldest child OF soldier may assign
the hight to brother or sister, md tho father or
widowed edmothcr may also make assignmenttoa brother
4ta laao
and sailors In It's provisions. An erroneous impression Is
prevalent that this bill and the law which II proposes to
amend VIII give land warrants to soldcrs similar .
those given TO the soldiers in the Mexican war, which
may be sold 20 any person. Such s not tho case. Nc
right to land ls gwen except when acquired by actual
settlement under the Homestead act and the only obees
Of the legislation is to give soldier or his widow, their
children and relatives the right 10 enter leo acres OF rail-
road land.
The Russian Minister construes the Tariff act OF July
Il last 70 allow the importation OF Russian hemp at
duty OF s25 per tn. Mr. boutwell,, on the contrary IS
said 10 assert that the will bear such construo
ton and that tho duty OF $50 per tim viii be collected "a
heretofore until Congress otherwise provides.
The House Military Committee has agreed 10 subsu-
tne for the Senate b reimburse the State Of Kansas
for expenses incurred during tho Price raid Tho sub
gitute differs the Senate bill In providing that the
amount of expenditure shall be ascertained by Board
Of Army ofcere instead of by three Commissioners ap-
pointed
of the claims OF Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana
Many reports have gone out that the President was pre-
pairing another special message the subject of our
maratime interests AMI their revival. The President
stated this evening" in distinct terms that he had no Inc
tenon Of doing and further that he stood definitely
by the recommendation made In his hrst message %
that subject, having only recommended that foregs
eips be admitted to American register because there
appeared to be q contingency warranting temporary
change The President IS however, deeply Interesting
all matters relating TO commerce. and earnestly
desires policy be adopted which will relieve Ameri-
can builders aud aid the restoring OF our commerce.
memorial framed by Sub Com mitee Of the Cincin-
natl Commercial Convention, relating TO the condition
OF our commerce with the South American States which
in the city, is 10 be presented to Congress at an early
day It appears from facts presented In this memorial
that our imports from the South American States aud
the West Indies from 1850 to 1862 20 years. amounted TO
81 a76227 while our total exports, during the same
period amounted to 345925. The excess, therefore,
OF our imports amounts TO s3 9s20 or total annual
excess OF s35Gol23 The memorial urges that our COM
mercia treaties with the South American States be re-
ylsed many OF their provisions are absolute and
others hnderng and injurious TO our commerce. and
that there should be naugurated policy OF reciprocity
Representatives Stevenson, Fnkleburg, and ONeii,
n the interest OF their constituents called at the Treas
ury Department to-day TO make inquiries regarding the
Port OF Entry law. They ascertaned that the Depart
ment not intend to station inspectors along the
bonded
Department will also consrue the regulations 30 as to
| permit tho passage Of bonded cars over ferries.
general disposition Is manifested In the Department TO
aid commerce give liberal construction to the law,
at the same time protect tho Government from frauds
The law heretofore owing to the stringent regulation for
its enforcement tered in the West as use
| less and unnecessary
Mr. william c. Barney, who was enormously reported
I'm these d dpatches OF last nj ght making an argument
before the Committee Of the House against
| any subsidy whatever TO American steamship Com
panes states that his line OF argument was for large
subsidies on ground that iron steamers cost double
the amount In this country that they do in Europe
The Secretary OF the Treasury to-day sent to the House
draft OF bill uniformity In the appointment
OF appraisers OF merchandise and other purposes In
his ACCOMPANYING letter he 1t s thought the sys-
tenn of advertisement fixed for the port OF New-fork
Inv net OF July "a 1866 should for the rake OF uniformity
be extended to the other principal ports of the United
| States" -. ,. -. -
bezzemnnt from the United states Treasury, was to-
day. sentenced to 81 900 fne and ak months lmprson-
| ment
The Joint Committee Retrenchment have appointed
the following sub Committee 10 investigate the few-Or-
leans Custom House affairs Senators Harris and schuTE,
| and Representative Welkcr.