The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-08-18
WASHINGTON.
An Absconding Congressman - Alleged
Fraud In the Interior Department
Tho Neutrality Proclamation Pre-.
pared Embarrassment Of the
Ordnance Department.

Ordnance Department.
WASHINGTON August II. 1870.
Missing Consrcssmau-Tcunosse Butter
Wanted.
The agent OF the Pension Bureau, who was de-
spatohed to Tennessee with warrant for the arrest
OF Congressman X. r. Butler. has not yet been able
TO clutch the slippery member of Congress, and the
idea Is just beginning to dawn upon the authorities
that perhaps the law may be cheated OF It's victim.
Some time since 1t given out that the Hon. Rode
rick, full OF indignation and virtue had turned his
face toward Washington with the Intention OF facing
the authorities and c0nfounding his accusers but
the Hon. Roderck has not yet put In an appearance,
neither has he been found at his house in Tayors-
ville nor In Knoxville, where his presence has boon
eagerly waited. 1t Is supposed that the Hon.
R0derick Random Is ''laying low" as the
detectives term IL, somewhere near his homestead,
and that he intends only to be found when no can't
help himself What good such tactics will be to
him Is not easily perceived. II he Is guilty ne must
be caught, sooner or fater, and tried II not tnen
his attempt to evade trial must nure him In the es
tlmatton OF all honest men. Some people here who
know him well declare that he will turn up In wash
ingon at the proper moment and fight the thing out
to the bitter end
In the Interior Department..
The McGarrahan case, which has passed through
such multiplicity OF curious phases, has at last
reached stage where the question OF veracity
and undue meddlnQ with documents of
record, upon which the validity of the
claim hinges, is presented III q very strIk-
Ing and remarkable manner. short time
ago McGarrahans attorneys claimed TO have discov.
cred fact until then unknown namely that Presl-
dent Lincoln had absolutely issued patent TO
McGarrahan, prepared and signed I'm the usual way
though never delivered. which fact regarded as
settling the whole controversy adverse to the claims
set up by the New Idrla Mining Company The
other day, however, Secretary Cox wrote very
scorching letter repudlatng the story of the Lincoln
patent, alleging that 1t had an existence and
ordering the case to be taken up in regular order
for final action. Now. however, comes the latest
and most extraordinary COUP Mr. Stoddard, a gen.
tleman who for three years filled the office Of secre
tary for signing land patents for President Lincoln
appears In town, goes to tho Land Office, examines
the records there, and after thorough investiga-
tton, makes oath that he distinctly recolects that
the patent to McGarrahan for the Panoche Grande
Rancho was regularly signed and executed. Fur
thermore, he swears that base fraud upon Nc
Garrahan has been attempted by somebody un-
known. Here is q very nice piece OF business,
amounting briefly to this-that some one in the In.
terror Department, for corrupt motives has deliber-
ateiy changed or destroyed genuine document aud
substituted therefor another paper vitality affecting
the rights OF an American citizen. II this Stoddard
story be true 1t unfolds new species Of fraud, ana
In fact whether true or false, II calls for the most
rigid investigation by Secretary Cox.
The Neutrality Proclamation.
neutrality proclamation has been prepared and
submitted to President Grant for his consideration
endorsements of tho Ordnance Department.
General A. b. Dyer, CHIEF Of Ordnance. having
faithfully sfted the law OF Congress, and failing to
get any encouragement by which he might hope to
carry the work at the arsenals and other places
under the control Of the Ordance Department to-day
Issued circular for the information and
or officers Of the Ordnance Department, conveying to
them oficlay the announcement that work must be
stopped where there Is not appropriation for that
purpose. He first quotes the order OF the First
Comptroller to disbur5ing officers, already published
In these dispatches, and next the fifth and seventh
sections OF the act OF Congress requiring unex-
pended balances to be covered into the Treasury He
then states that the only appropriations which can
be lawfully expended by the Ordnance Department
during the current fiscal year as foows:-For TO
pairs, &C., at the Springfield Armory SILL 1905 Rock
Island Arsenal, $3SO,ooo; Allegheny Arsenal 1892;
Bencia Arsenal, 5000; Columbus Arsenal, Ohio,
napolis Arsenal So 900; Leavenworth Arsenal 900;
San Antonio Arsenal $500; Vancouver Arsenal
$12 900; Watert0wn Arsenal, Massachusetts, 1000;
contingencies OF arsenals, $1,000; ordnance service,
$l5o,Oo0, and balance of the permanent appr0pria
ton for arming and equipping the militia and
so much money from the sales OF ordnance and ord
nance stores during the current fiscal year as may
be required to break up, prepare for sale ana trans
port TO places Of sale, &C., the ordnance and ord
stores referred to in the Joint resolution ap-
proved July 20, 1858. The expenses ut each post
must not exceed the amount al lottcd to that post.
The instructions of the First Comptroller OF the
Treasury relative to disbursements OF former appro
priatons and the rendition OF two sets of cash ac-
counts Will be strictly compiled with. Officers
in furnishing estimates OF funds Will state
whether the amount asked for Is for payment
OF expenses incurred or contracts made
prior to July l, 1870, Or for the service OF
the current fiscal year. Separate estimates will
be required Copies OF the circular will be
Immediately addressed TO ordnance officers in
charge OF arsenals, arm0res and depots, and
wherever there Is work being done under
the direction Of the Ordnance Department,
when the discharge OF workmen and the suspension
Of important government work will take place. The
embarrassment to the Ordnance Department by the
act Of Congress can well be judged when 1t is stated
that the balance to Its credit covered into the Urea.
sury amounts TO s1O61s,s5l as. The Chief OF Ord.
nance greatly regrets the necessity compelling him
10 issue the order, but the law is imperative and
Congress alone can relieve the department at Its
next session. Meanwhile the work under the dlrec.
ton OF the ordnance officers will DO virtually sus.
pended.
Democratic Congregational Gnins.
The Democratic Congressional Executive Commit.
tee who have their headquarters in the rooms OF the
Cominittee on Invalid Pensions, on the House side
Of the Capitol profess to have assurances from every
part OF the country going to show very great
change In the complexion Of the next Congress.
Particularly are they sangulne In regard to the
South They figure up gain In that section alone