The New York herald., 1871-01-05
Congress Ycstsrday-Financc. Civil Re~
form, st. Domingo and Other Matters.

form, st. Domingo and Other Matters.
The first day of the reassembling of Con-
gress after the Christmas holidays was marked
by considerable activity in matters of legisla-
tion The Senate passed, without discussion,
very important financial measure, which
amends the Funding bill Of last session by
authorizing the issue Of five hundred millions,
instead of two hundred millions, of five per
cent bonds, and making the interest on them
payable quarterly. 1t also adopted, without
discussion or objection, Senator Summers
resolution calling upon the President for
heterogeneous mass of information bearing
directly or indirectly on the question OF the
annexation of ST. Domingo. Perhaps one
reason for the absence of opposition to it was
the reflection that the President may pro-
perly limit himself to furnishing just
80 much of the information asked for
as he may deem expedient, and state that, as
to the others papers called for, their publica-
tion at the present time is deemed to be in
compatible with the public interests. Senator
4rumbull's bill looking to a reform in the
civil service of the government, but bearing
the remarkable title of bill ''To relieve Con-
gressmen from importantly in appointments to
office, was discussed for some time, and some
of its evident absurdites exposed. Its au-
thor, however, expressed his intention to press
it seriously on the attention of the Senate, and
it will probably come up occasionally in the
morning hour from now till the close Of
,,Io 10
the meantime to squelch it by direct adverse
action. Civil service reform is demanded in
all the departments of the government, but it
must be arrived at by we'll matured system,
such as that recommended to the House by
Mr.. Jenckes, Of Rhode Island, not by such an
eccentric proposition as that which owes its
paternity to Senator Trumbull.
The morning hour in the House was con-
sumed in the discussion of bill reported by
Mr.. Morrell, ofPennsylvania, from the Commit
tee on Manufactures, for the celebration Of the
one hundredth anniversary of American Inde-
pendence by means of an International exposi-
ton of arts, manufactures and products, to be
held in Philadelphia, in 1876. The PROPOSE
ton does not appear to attract much attention
in the House or to possess any interest, ex-
cept for members from Pennsylvania, all of
whom are, Of course, bound to support it. IL
is, to say the least, somewhat premature to
legisate for an event that will not take place
for over FIVE years to come, and it is not very
Congress ought to interfere. The American
Institute, of this city, had already proposed
to hold great international exhibition in
1876, and there is little doubt of its
ability to manage the affair successfully with
out any aid from the general government.
The bill will come to a vote to-day or early
next week, and will probably be consigned to
the limbo of the Speakers table.
The ST. Domingo affair came up incidentally
in the House in the shape of a notice from
Mr. Banks, chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, that that committee would
ask the attention Of the House to the subject
on Monday next. The Senate joint resolution
is on the Speakers table, and cannot be got at
without laying aside every bill and resolution
that precedes it in order of time but the diff
Foreign Affairs reporting joint resolution in
the same words, and having it passed by the
House and afterwards by the Senate. Every
parliamentary obstacle that can possibly be
interposed will be resorted to by the oppo-
nents of the measure, as indicated yesterday
by the remark of Mr.. Fernando Wood but there
is no doubt Of the passage Of the resolution
over all opposition.
There were some important executive COM
munications presented in Congress yesterday.
The New York Central Railroad Company
and the Pacific Railroad Companies are to be
held up strictly to their obligations. The for
mer is seeking to evade the payment of tax
of $1, Isl 300, assessed upon scrip dividend
for interest certificates of $23, 3,03G, 900 de-
clared on December 10, 1868. The latter are
seeking to evade the payment Of the interest
on the bonds guaranteed for them by the gov
ernment, and are claiming that the law does
not require them to pay either principal or
interest until after the maturity Of the bonds.
The House Committee on Appropriations de-
cline, however, to assent to that view of the
case, and report bill to hold these railroad
companies up to their legal and just obliga-
tions.
The trading venture in which Senator
Sprague and other Providence manufacturers
participated during the war, and in which
they are said to have supplied the rebels in
Texas with arms and ammunition in exchange
for cotton, has brought out a report from the
War Department, with copy of the opinion
of the Judge Advocate General that the
parties should be brought to trial before
general court martial or military commission.
The papers were presented to the Senate
Yesterday, and were there referred to select
committee of five. The developments which
that cnmmiitee may make will be looked for