New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-01-26
WASHINGTON.

DUTY.
| IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRlBUyRl
| WASHINGTON. Tuesday. Jan. as. 1870
In the Senate, to-day, the avalanche OF memorials
against the further continuance OF the frankng priv
| lege continued Mr. Chandler protested against any
OF them coming, unless the postage was prepaid
The Joint resolution relative to the seizure Of distilled
! spirits California came up, on Mr. Hamln's motion 70
postpone when Mr. Cole reiterated his charges against
tho whisky emissaries Of this City and Kentucky No
reached on the motion The BIZ Of Mr.. sher.
man. to provide National currency Of coin notes and
equalze distribution Of circulating notes. mex.
in order. Mr. Fenton made long speech the subject.
and while not altogether approving the BILL thought IL
perhaps the best that could be under the clrcu
stances Mr. Sumner. who offered his Funding bill A. q
substitute had long speech ready in advocacy Of bus
Mr. sherman informed him that the Finance COMMITTEES
were attentiyely considering the subject matter
braced in his BILL and expressed the hope that vote
would be allowed the bill reported by the Com
| mittee, without cOmplcsting 1t with other matters
After powerful speech foom Mr. Morton in opposition
TO the bill. followed by Garrett DAVIS, the Senate sd
journed having really accomplished nothing. Mr. sher
man had some hopes Of getting vote to-day, but from
observation-disclosures there will be very extended debate
The proceedings in the House to-day were stupIdy
dull The League Island bill debated for hour.
and laid over for the twentieth time without
being taken. The remainder Of the days session
consumed by the Election Committee with the contested
| case OF Wallace agt. Simpson Of South Carolina.
Gen. sigel to-day nominated for Assessor Of Inter
nal Revenue OF the Sixth NewYork District in place Of
| Doty, who has resigned. Gen. slgeps application
| urged by Gen. Cochrane, Mr. Greeley, and the whole
Republican General Committee OF NewYork City.
A proposition has been submitted and is now under
consideration by the House Committee on Railways aud
Canals looking to the purchase and ownership Of tho
Erie Canal, the condition Of assuming its debt The
object is to secure navigation between the East
| nd he Was .Yhi he by A
canal around the Falls Of Niagara which proposition IL
also before the Committee Under the laws Of the state
OF New-YOrk the tolls cannot be abolished so long as
any Indebtedness Of the Canal The subject has
been submitted Of the prominent members OF the
NewYork Legislature asking IL they will assent to such
| arrangement II Congress should pass measure TO
carry hese objects The subject is regarded by tho
Committee Of great importance, not only TO the
West but to NewYork and the assumption OF the debt
Of the Canal is regarded matter OF small magnitude
The following facts and figures are adducsi
in Administration circles evidence that the figures
| upon which Mr.. Dawes Of Massachusetts, based
| his charges OF extravaganza against the present
Administration we're erroneous the extent Of at least
sDOOOO The errors to be In the estimate book.
from which Mr. Dawes appears to have taken his data
without much examination OF details II Will be remem'
bered that he stated the estimates Of the present Admin
istratlon for the year 1870 were s3 100000 and those
Johnsons for 1862 were only s303OOOOOO II turns out
report, we're only s291,OOooOo, or sl2oOo,0o lea
than those Of Mr. McCulloch, instead OF s2sOOoG0
greater as stated by Mr. Dawes OF this any one can sat
isfy himself by referring TO the secrearys report This
wide difference Is manly explained by the fact that the
gross estimated expenditures in the Postofice Depart
men amounting Oss, included In the aggre.
gate Of 1891 100000 which formed the basis OF Mr. Dawes
| animadversions whereas McCulloch's aggregate OF
1908 900 includes only the pcsta dehciencyl e. tue
excess OF the post expenditures the postal receipts
which OF is the true measure OF the cost OF that
Department thecounry snguarly enough. the post
al deficiency also included in the present aggregate
being the estimated expenditures and Is
moreover exaggerated by a typographical error OF
To put the estimates Of this year on par with
| those Of last year. in respect TO the items EN-
braced in them it therefore necessary to subtract
from the $33l 100000 above mentioned the S25,5slO9J
for the Office, and the typographical error Of SOO
OOO making total Of $32,5Sl093 aud leaving less than
$500 100000 as the total estimates Other items, which
should also be deducted make up the slightly rema ming
discrepancy between the estimate book and Secretary
Boutwels report There scarcely be any mistake In
these figures. they based upon minute and care
full examination of the public accounts 1t seems then.
that the actual estimates for the year 1871 are only s
900 Co., instead of 1891 10000 1t may also be mentioned
that, OF this comparatively moderate sum- s2Oo0 IS for
interest on the bonds owned by the Government and de-
signed TO go INTO the sinking fund contribution to
| the liquidation Of the public debt
was reached to-day the Tariff bill by the Ways and
Means Committee. After protraced and rather e1elt
ing debate which participated IN by nearly all the
members Of the Committee, vote was taken, and WAS
agreed all kinds OF coal should be put the free
list by the following Messrs Hooper OF Massachu
setts Allison Of Iowa, Maynard Of Tennessee. Marshall
OF Illinois, and Brooks OF NewYork Those who voted
against the proposition Messrs. schenck OF Oho'
Kelley OF Pennsylvanl Mccarthy of New-York. and
Blair OF Michigan The announcement Of this vote. which
very unexpected to the members OF the Committee
who favored the retention Of the duty, caused con
siderable feeling and. before anadournment was effected
Mr.. Maynard entered motion to reconsider and the
subject will be called UP again tomorrow
A funding scheme was again discussed to-day Al
considerable length by the Senate Finance Committee
but no decision reached The OF the Committee
favor fixing the rate Of Interest at about
IL per cent certain class OF the bonds 20 be funded may
be fixed at 5per cent and another class at per cehA
making the average proposed bill for funding the
National debt at a per cent 1t is not probable mat"
will be reported by the Committee until after The senate
has disposed Of the bill under consideration for re-
distribution Of the circulation OF the National banks
amsng the States.
The Senate Foreign fairs Committee to-day agreed to
report fayoraby upon several nominations among them
Mr. Cumback Minister 10 Portugal. The nomination OF
Gen. sickles Minister Spain, and Mr. Jones, Minister
to Belgium still held in allegiance There seems"
be disposition for the present TO report these names
20 the Senate. either fayoraby or otherwise The san
Domingo, SANTANA Bay and ST. Thomas treaties were
not considered. They don't appear to have mueh
strength either in the Committee or IN the Senate.
The Committee Contingent Expenses OF the Senate
since last March, directed the discharge OF sbOuta
persons including clerks aborers, messengers, &c
the time Mr. French SergeantaArms elected there
were about persons directly employed in the Senate
and there are &C. The saving 10 the Government
by this economy is nearly $4,000 year.
The OF yesterday IN the House on the proposuon
to refer the bill for postal telegraph to special Com