Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-04-29
DIR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c., April %, 1870.

The tariff bill still occupies the atLenuOu
of the House. They get along very slowly.
The low tariff men are working very hard
to lower the rates on the different articles,
and in many cases have succeeded. The
impression is that the bill will be recon-
nitted Several substitutes. have been pre-
pared and one by Mr.. Judd, of Illinois, Of
ferred to day, which proposes a graduated
reduction on iron, coffee, sugar, &c, the
income tax and other internal taxation,
which, if adopted, will reduce taxation
about sixty millions of dollars. The pre-
sent tariff bill is, in connexion with the
oppressive internal revenue taxation
crushing the whole people, and the tariff
bill a. now proposed. is even gre alter pro-
tectIou of InonOpulies which are spcciously
covered up by specific and al valorem du-
tica, 50 miy ca that it would puzzle Phil
adelphia lawyer to point out exactly where
the swindIe IS The western members are
eaucuinc Of defeating this bill on the final
vote, on account of it's being so utterly I'M
Just to al but the protected classes.
The Howard investigation progresses. =
Deacon White, the treasurer of tie First
Congressional Church, wa examined in
order to show how it came that General
Howard loaned government funds to build
the Church. Testimony was also taken in
relation to the origin of the University,
and the manner in which it passed into
the hands of the Frcedmen's Bureau. This
iuyeatig .tiou appears to be very thorough,
AMI it viii disclose, if fairly conducted,
That General Howard is a very badly treat
cd ana ned about gentleman, or that he is
a Systematic sco1ndreI, and smooth, sleek
hvponIijl. deserving goOdly term at pick
ING oIIam Ia the Penitentiary. Governor
J. NJ Ashley, Of Montana Territory, ex-
impcacncr, has written to the Treasury
Department TO send along the cash for his
saI1ry nov over due Ashley is 90 hard
mp, and state of impecuniosity even to
Z Governor Of Il Territory is not at all cal
cnIated to increase his happiness. Ashley
il III luck yet. l did not think from inIi
cations some months ago, that the renown-
"a &" Impeachcr would draw his wages
for iLc Spring months from our common
Uncle. Bus there's many slip betwixt
the cup and the lip as verified in Ash
lcy's case.
Yesterday, III the Senate, Mr.. Howard,
Chairman Of the Committee on Pacific |
railroad, presented q report purporting
TO bo made by the subcommittee APP
pointed by the committee IN regard to the
Southern I'rADs-C influential Railroad Com !
pam, 1T tnrnod out, however, that the
report VETS made entirely by the indefati- |
liable Howard, and that the sub committee |
wero not bound by or committed to that
report. 81 course Howard would not
make u favorable report. This same
Senator, at the last session, after the
Houae had passed a bill similar to the
one now before the committee, failed to
report it after it had been referred to his
committee, and thus defeated the
will Of Congress III the interest Of
the Central Pacifcl Railroad. Now,
after just voting to give the Northern
Pacific Railroad immense additional priVi
!eRes, he reports against the Southern
road, thus striking at the vital interests
OF the South We have q Central Pacific
RuiIroad III successful operation with the
most liberal franchises, Northern Pacific
RAILROAD asking and obtaining further adj
vuntages TO enable them to build their
road. We have the Southern Pacific Rail
road, which is imperatively demanded by
the wants of the South, only asking Con-
grcss for the right Of way. and land which
IS almost worthless, for one half the length
of the road from Ell Paso through New
Mexico and Arizona to San Diego, on the
Pacific coast. The State of Texas having,
prior TO the war, granted land on each side
OF the proposed railroad through the State
to FL Paso, to this Company. The enemies
of this road claim that the new Constitu
ton of Texas revoked its former grant of
land. That this is not so IS most con-
cIusivoy shown by Messrs. Corwine and
Parsons, counsel for the Company, in the
argument presented to the committee. A
portion OF this railroad was constructed
and an act passed by the Legislature
March Goth, 1861, directing the issue of
certificates for land.
The rebel Legislature of Texas in
Feb. 1861, passed an act to save companies
who were engaged IN any work of internal
improvement, and agreed that the time
that the war continued between the United
States and the Confederate States should
not be computed against them in the fur
therance Of their contract. On the 18th
Of November, 1866, still anxious to pre-
serve these railroad contracts intact, the
Legislature of Texas passed an act extend
ing the time for building railroads for ten
years. If the new Constitution OF Texas
does revoke the former grant, which coun-
sci deny, the act is null and void, rs it is
clearly IN conflict with the Constitution of
TIE United States. The Legislature of a
State cannot revoke IL former grant; it
must be judicially determined, and the
Legislature possesses no judicial authority
under the Constitution. The Supreme
Courts of Ohio and Pennsylvania have
both decided this to be SO, and it is no
longer an open question. But Mr.. How
ard is not to be influenced by decisions of
courts. or well-settled rules of law This
sectional feeling that grasps at all the ben
elts and advantages to be derived from
railroads to the Pacific IN opening up the
country 10 settlement and commerce, to
the disadvantage Of the Southern section
OF our country, is hardly the way to heal
up the wounds made by the war. The
people Of the South will see in any adverse
legislation on the subject of Pacific Rail
road design 10 injure them by unfair le-
gislation. and will recognize O spirit not at
all IN keeping with the professions of good
will oft expressed i'll Congress. This COM