New-York tribune., 1871-01-17
WASHINGTON.
THE GEORGIA REPRFsENTATIvEs-THE BENEFITS
OF THE HOMESTEAD LAW TO BE EXTENDED
-OFFICE-HUNTING C0NGRESSMEN.
IRY TELEGRAPH TO TILE TRIBrNRl


The admission of four out Of the Representatives
from Georgia to-day brings the political affairs OF that
State the front again The various Senatorseect are
here, waiting the slow movements OF the Senate Ju-
dietary Committee. There appears to be probability Oh
two contests before the next House. The certificate mas
not been Issued for the Vth or Augusta District Dr.
Tiff is the Democratic claimant and Major Whitley the
Republican. The latter also aspires, as senatoreect
to a seat In that Chamber until the 4th of March
next. Both gentlemen were the cand
dates of their respective parties for the
present and tho next Congress. The Governor has not
yetdecided to issue certificate and WILL 1t Is believed,
set the election aside void In county the ballet
Judges were forced sign false return at the peril OF
their lives This is the Tombs District, and these out
RACES were In direct harmony with that worthy stru
tions In all probability now election will he ordered
by the Governor. Mr. Whitley claims that but tor tne
violence indicated his majority would be more thah 2O
An important measure of interest to all soldiers ana
sailors the late agreed upon by the Military
Committee to-day, and will be reported to the House
for passage next week 1t is bill further amending INC
Homestead law that every soldier, sailor, marlne
and officer who served so days against the Rebellion
may receive patent for leo acres OF land iOr nome
stead on condition that he shall settle upon 1t for
period which, together with the time he served in the
army or navy would make Ave years. In other words,
the time OF his service will be deducted from the 1--WE
years Of residence required by the Homestead law and
il discharged for wounds disability tho whole term OF
his enlistment will be counted. He must however live
upon and cultivate the land at least two years, and is to
be allowed year, after selecting his homestead within
which to commence Lis settlement II he does not wish
TO avail himself Of this privilege, he may assign his
homestead certificate within II months from the
date thereof any citizen OF the United States over 1
years of age person who has declared his intention TO
become such who has not previously availed himself OF
sad assignee shall succeed to all the rights OF the soldier
bat such 9ssignor OF home. tead certificate shall
tl,.vaa affar ltaRa fhn nj IN
the benefit OF tho Homestead aets. The PRIV
ilege Of assignment will make the land GER
tIfcatcs have some small value, for they can be
sold topersons not soldiers who wish TO settle IN the
West In OF the death OF any person VINO wCud nc
entitled homestead under the provisions OF the bill,
his widow ~ unmarredo in case Of her death or mar
riage his minor orphan childrenwl be entitled 10
the same benefits. Disabled soldiers whose names are
the pension rolls, allowed to designate an agent
to make the settlement for them required by the bill
This bill is doubtless far Congress will 20 toward
giving soldiers land bouncs, or special privileges under
the Homestead aws and il s not certain that the Senate
will consent to going far Tho measure is certain to
pass the House, however IL ia claimed that under ls
provisions colonies Of soldiers will be formed 20 out
and Settle in the Territories aud States following
the example OF the colony at Greeley, Colorado.
4 large majority Of the Republican members OF the
whose constituents did not think to re-
elect them the next Congress, already thumbng
the blue book consulting friends and boring the
President and Cabinet officers, to secure appointments
their Congressional term ends The ambition
OF some these gentlemen Is TO serve the country
abroad as Ministers and Consuls others aspire to Ju
dc honors which accounts for the numerous bills nov
pending create ddtional Judicial Districts: Asses
sorships COllectorshps and DisrictA torneysps take
the fancy of others few have ambition to increase
the pc pulaton Of the TeritOres, and would like to he
Secretaries and hall dozen hanker ater
tte offices Of CLERK, Sergcantat-Arms and DoOrkeeper
the House, and willing to serve where they now
rule, rather than 70 back TO private iiie
expected that the Democratic candidate for Dele
gate for Wyoming Will contest the seat OF the Delegate
elect Col Jones' on the ground that he received the
votes OF persons not qualified to vote This refers to the
female voters. Col Jones Will stand by hs constituents,
though he believes that he received enough male votes TO
elect him. Very few women voted WIN the DEMOCRACY
Tie Hon. Joseph S. Wilson, Commissioner Of the Gen
eral Land Office. WIN. H. Lowery formerly clerk in
the General Land Oce but for several years one OF the
counsel OF the New Idria Company and Messrs Stokes
stoec and Buell. clerks in the Land Oise, were before
the House Judiciary Committee, this morning, to testify
m re eence to the Of the patent to the PanOche
Grande Rancho, claimed to have been issued. When
patent is issued IL is recorded i book kept for that
purpose sent to the President with an ACCOMPANY
ing letter asking for his signature, and then, with
another letter the Recorder of the General Land Office
for record Both OF letters recorded In the
Comm .soners Office and the originals preserved The
clerk who recorded the patent testified to-day that the
fr aud that the record, Inc remembers il, was made
before the signature Of the Pr'sd NJ, th seal ana the
c.sinr" TIE witnesses all agreed thar the letters
:" D in the margin In red ink, meant mat the record
hld been examined and compared wltl me !slhal ana
found Mr. Granger rsad that the newspaper
report he had discovered long a. last August
Incorrect The letter which should have accompanied TINS
patent was not on his Gle last August, and it might
have been extracted before at time, bu e whole ME
OF letters covering tve months, in which ths letter
should be- was not missed until few DAYS ago. No re-
cord OF these letters oan he found and ne book IN WHICH
they should have been recorded has not been nutated
Mr. Wilson testified that the record OF the patent was
not been issued written on the back and thdt he re
corded at the same time written order from Secretary
Cox 10 sign il. This he did. The judiciary Committee
did not To resolution On the subject but expect to
do so lhis week.
An officer OF the army, stationed here, who has just re-
turned from tour of duty southwark reports the con-
tinuauce OF KuKlux lawesssess in North Carolina.
band OF outlaws and murderers has for some months
past made harbor In the swamps N Robeson County sal
living forth at concerted periods robbng and shooting
wherever suited them until the people of the county
are in constant fear OF their lives. Efforts have been
made TO break up this gang but have met with
cess one or two members Of IL have been killed. but this
only increases the boodthstnoss of those who remain
eompany of the Fourth United States Artillery, under
Major Even Thomas, sent to Lumberton, the
county scat the Charlotte and Rutherford
Railroad, 60 miles west OF Wilmington, in Decem-
her to give protection the people, and assist cap
turing the outlaws, but they have accomplished little.
on Saturday last, the leader OF the gang Henry Berry
Iowry with an aceomplicc or two, waylad and shot
prominent citizen OF the county, MI Taylor, WITHIN
Short distance his house, aud not more than 200 yards
from the camp OF the u. 3. troops Mr. Taylor was IN
stantly killed He accompanied by gentleman who
rccogized Lowry at the time OF the shooting ana es
odn ont i'm search o the assassns hut the outlaws had
made q safe retreat 10 their haunts IN the swamps MT
Taylor wac prominent citizen OF the county and own
ing large property there Last Friday was held as
day of fasting and prayer among the colored people,
on account OF the attempt TO depose Gov
Holden by Impeachment, and for the denver
auce of the loyal people from the outrages
ard barbarities committed by Ku-klux.
Tne Ways and Means Committee OF the House had uh-
der consideration to-day change in the tariff on WHISKY
rum and gin. BY the bungling phraseology OF tne law
importers OF these liquors now paying duty OF q
a gallon while brandy the duty Is only g. ihe loln
ujttee came TO 10 conclusion
The Committee Appropriations have completed the
Naval Appropriation bill. The only items IL contains
other than for ordinary running expenses are an appro