The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-04-16
Corfespondeaee OF the Phnatx.
!, WASHINGTON, D. O., April IA, 1870. X

afu uoW pouuluB potOE6 tn6 TWO dOESe6
Of Congress, bills proposing to give
away to railroads 700, ,0OO, 900 acres of
the public domain. This amount will
comprise an area of more than the origi-
nal thirteen States. The amount which
has been granted to the four Pacific
roads, as appears by the records of the
Land Office, is 127, 100000. Jay Cooke
& Co. have advertised the bonds of one
Of these roads with statement from the
engineer, that the land grants were more
than sufficient to build the entire road.
From this it appears that Congress is
building the roads, while private indi-
viduals-- capitalists-ar reaping the
benefit
Great preparations have been made in
this city for the celebration of the adop-
ton of the fifteenth amendment to-day.
Quite farce was played in the House
on Monday upon this subject. A resolu-
tion passed the House, allowing the
colored people tho use of the Hall of
Representatives upon the OCCASION of
the celebration; but later in the day, the
boys in blue, IA almost exclusively CO.
tored organization, ascertaining that
Mayor Bowen and his clique had pro-
cured the adoption of tho resolution,
and that the day did not agree with the
day which they had selected, appeared
before the House Committee, and sue
ceeded in having the resolution rescind-
ed. This is considered another defeat of
the Mayor by the reformers. The Mayor
and his friends will now be compelled to
join, In with the reformers, or be con-
sidered bolters. and still further lose
caste with the colored people.
An Investigation of the charges which
Hon. Fernando Wood has preferred
against General Howard, will be COM
menced in the House to-day. Those
who have visited Washington, within the
past year or two, and who have ridden
out the Seventh street pike, cannot fail
to have noticed the imposing structure
just beyond the Park, known as Howard's
University. This structure stands in the
back ground and is relieved by very
handsome residence, having Mansard
roof, and built apparently of q new brick
resembling granite. This residence is
owned by General Howard. When the
General left Maine to engage in the late
clAll war, he WAS poor school-teacher.
He has been in the army from that time
to this, and has only had his salary to
live upon. Several years ago he was in
duced by brick company to try the new
brick of which Howard University is
built, and of which his own house is
apparently built. It will be remembered
that portion of tho University building
tumbled down, and that O commission
appointed to examine into the matter re-
ported the entire structure dangerous,
and 1Jn1,1a RI ho xuoo1a1 Il
rains. The General took the precaution
in building his own house to use lining
made of ordinary brick for safety, while
the patent brick was used for ornament
and for deception. The General has
lived been generous and benevolent;
entertained, and has bought property
and built house which cost more than
all the money, perhaps, that he has re-
ceived for his services in the army. This
would not seem strange for man in the
business walks of life, bnt it does seem
passing strange for one who, while living
upon salary, processes to be tho walk
Ing personiication of perfection. We
cannot surmise what the result of this
investigation will be, for we are so used
to seeing the whitewash brush employed
IN pnlnting rainbows, we would not be
surprised to see it cast in midday, q
dazzling halo around the head of this
illustrious Chief of the Freedman's
Bureau. If Adam. being Republican,
were before Republican committee. he
would be exculpated for eating the for
bldden fruit, on the ground that snch
diet is constitutional; while if Nebuchad-
nezzar we're before theisame committee,
being Democrat, he would be sentenced
to the penitentiary for eating grass, on
the ground that such diet is not constitu-
tional "ooc PopuH, aor DEL" Per re-
guest of Mr.. Wood, Joseph H. Bradley,
Esq, of this city has been retained to
conduct the prosecution. It will be re-
membered TINT Mr.. Bradley is the gentle
man who was dismissed from practicing
in the District Courts, by order of the
D. @. Supreme Court, for indecent
language used toward Judge Fisher, dur
ing the John Surratt trial.
But few realize the amount of work to
be performed in the Census Bureau at
Washington for the next three years.
General Walker, its Superintendent, with
his small force, has been actively engaged
during the mat two rnonfbo