The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-12-13


measures. The Ways and Means Committee were
in session to-day and discussed the bill for the repeal
Oh the income tax without coming % any conclusion.
The complexion OF the committee IS quite mixed on
this SUBJECT but IL doubtful II the repeal win be
reported in this case. Mr.. Finkenburg, OF st.
LOUIS, Will be the controlling member, as Messrs.
Dawes Brooks, Kelley and Maynard VIII probably
60 for repeal and Messrs. Burchard, Z. H. Roberts,
Kerr and Beck against any change. The Post ONCE
and Post Roads Committee met and organized this
morning, and agreed to give the envelope manufac-
turers hearing at their first session after the hoi
days. The Postmaster General viii be invited to
attend. The manufacturers complain that the de-
partment nterfcres with private enterprise by en-
gaging In the manufacture and sale OF stamped
envelopes.
Specie Payments.
The House Committee on Banks and Currency to-
day talked over the subject OF the resumption OF
specie payments A Subcommittee will be APP
pointed to consider the several propositions to that
end; but it Is not probable that definite action Will
be taken on the subject by the entire committee
until after the holidays
Investigation OF tue Expenditures Of Public
Departments.
Mr. Dawes. in the exercise Of his ONCE as leader
OF the House, put through q resolution to-day d.
rccting the ail-end committees to investigate the
several executive departments. These committees
on expenditures In the departments have never
been useful, and were never intended TO be, and
their composition and structure have always de-
barred Them from claiming the right to be con-
sidered ornamental. But exigencies OF poll
tics have brought these Congressional hospitals
Into notice, and the heads OF the departments now
TO be h0nOred by their presence buslly engaged
IN learning something about them. Dawes reso-
luton Is intended 10 be a twoedged sword, cutting
at once at Senator Trumbulls scheme to revive the
Committee on Retrenchment, and Congressman
Lynchs rebellion against the exile, to which
Mr.. Blaine had consigned him; for 1t is
feared that Lynch, by his cunning reso-
luton OF yesterday, has noated himself
on the tide that taken at the flood,
leads on to fortune which Is just where
Nj. Blaine does not want HIM to be. So far as re-
lates to Mr.. Trumbulrs dig at the administration 1t
is probable enough that the action OF The House to-
day affords the Grant In Congress their desired
opportunity to smother 1t: but 1t IL just as likely that
the Dawes resolution will prove to be dangerous
as boomerang hurled by unskilful hands.
To say nothing OF dissatisfied republicans,
there are two straight-out democrats
on each committee OF investigation anu
these are receiving the congratulations OF
their fellow politicians over the good time they are
going to have, at the expense OF the RESIDENTS
supporters, on the invitation OF his own friends.
under the rules in his attempt 10 bring out the
facts OF the financial irregularities OF General
Buoch, Disbursing Onicer OF tho Freedmens
Bureau, but Messrs. Kinsela and Acker OF the War
Department Committee Will attend to the matter,
and Fernando Wood, whose efforts to bring
the transactions of the bureau INTO daylight were
suppressed q year ago, has many useful
points TO devote to the service of the present oppor
tunty. 1t Is thought that If General Howard can
be induced TO defer the publication OF his proposed
history Of this governmental Christian commission
till the minority report OF the Congressional Com
mttee is printed, he can have the chance to give
fairer If not favorable an account OF its opera
lions than the public could otherwise expect.
The only trouble Is sail to be that the field
for investigation Is so extensive that II Is
equally perplexing to tell where to begin and where
to stop. AS Mr.. W ood has remarked, the officials
and the affairs Of the Freedmen's Bureau and the
Howard University are mixed that 1t is imposst-
bic TO tell "'totner from which, /" and the only
thing at all certain is that the United States has
furnished all the money. In the Interior Depart
ment Mr.. HILL. OF New Jersey, the Chairman OF the
Committee Of Inquiry, is bound to make a rumpus.
He has intmated that he Is going right through
1t, Patent ONCE, Land ONCE, Indian Bureau
and the rest. But the Pension ONCE Ia to come IN
for the biggest share OF attention. The officials OF
that Office are already in shaky condition, and If
report be true, they well may be. What the Post
ONCE Committee will accomplish is more matter
Of DOUBT than with any Of tho other committees.
The chairman Mr. Barry, Of Miss.) IS q carpet-bag-
ger or no weight, and William X. Rob-
erts, OF New York, the strongest men,
Der, is cramped by his politics. 1t is Ger.
tain that the Department is not afraid, IS
one OF its leading officials, on being baniered
about the overnauing he was soon to get, quietly
observed that he had been lately investigating Mr..
Barry himself and that II the latter made himself
offensive by his ncw.found consequence there was
an official record or two in his mintary history con-
venienty at hand which, softly laid beneath his gaze,
would become powerful sedative. The Committee
on the State Department will continue to be- TO all
lntents and purposes, the ornamental committee
1t has over been. II was ceverly said by old ana
snrewd attache of that department tonight that
after reading the countess volumes OF diplomatic
correspondence the committee would know as
much as IL was ever likely to learn OF the depart
ment, and that would not be more than 1t knew
before. The expenditures, which are to
be the special subject OF inquiry, are
manly those for diplomatic purposes,
and these the department mas always
succeeded in investing with a secret and sacred
character in the eyes of prylng congressman. Con-
fcsson is made OF considerable OUTLAWS for 'reresh-
mentsn when the High Commissioners were here
But the department processes to deal with all
outsiders according 10 their national charac-
teristics and the rcgretrul clause OF the
treaty or Washington Is pointed out as
vindIca;ion OF that diplomatic sagacity that
found Its way at last 10 an English conscience,
through an English stomach This leaves only the
expenditures from the Secret Service Fund to fur.
Their the St. Domingo scheme and Tor fun Inlorma-
ton on TINS point the committee is to be COM
mended to Mr. Sumner, who VIII furnish any num-
rDfc nni nfh or w IN
the government
Laws for Stcnmbon Owners.
The Executive Committee OF the National Steam
boatmen's Convention assembled this morning In
this city, Tor the purpose Of taking preliminary
steps to revise the existing steamboat laws, which
have proven SO burdensome to the owners of all
classes OF steam vessels. The committee, OF which