The New York herald., 1871-02-11
w ASHiNCTON.
Savage Attack in the House
Upon Admiral Porter.
Tie War Steamer Tennessee Declared 10
Have Been UnSeawOrthy.
THE INCOME TAX TO Be RETAINED

WAsHrNGToN Feb 10, 1871
ADMIRAL Porter's Deramers ON the Rampage.
An opportunity offered In the House to-day for an
assault upon Admiral Porter, and 1t was eagerly
embraced by General Butler and General Banks,
The proposition was to pass bill restoring William
1. Haascomb TO the position OF chief naval con-
strucor The bah itself was lost sight Of and Porter
came IN for all the hard blows. The difficulty be-
tween Butler and Porter is we'll understood to be
OF a personal character, ana therefore Buffers
assault had little or no effect upon the House. Dur
lug the discussion General Banks stated that the
Tennessee which carried ont the St. Domingo COM
m,ss,oners, vas unseaworthy, and that The fact was
known 70 officers OF the Navy Department. VINO
were afraid TO make public their convictions least
they should ofiend their superiors. This statement
created great sensation IN the House, but no per-
son undertook TO contradict II.
No Hope Of the Iucomn Tax Repeal.
Commissioner Peasonton has evidently gwen mp
all hope OF the immediate repeal Of the income tax,
rs he to-day gave the necessary order for printing
million OF the blank income returns. which will
be iii strbuted to assessors without delay.
Dec-cRs OF lamp into ihe Uditei S'ates.
TIE monthly report OF the Bureau OF Statistics
shows the Of foreign trade for the eleven
months ending November so last as compared with
the corresponding period OF 1868. In the latter
period the excess or imports over exports was
$75 655 6io while TIE or imports OF the for.
mer period was Sl5,el0,l ll6, showing an improve
ment over 1850 OF S5s, 64i,9o4.
Nation II Han,K Notes Nof Legal Tenders.
/. The United States Treasurer to-day wrote letter
TO party in New York concerning the question
whether notes of national BANKS are legal tender.
After recltlng and commenting on sections Of the
National Bank acts, he concludes as follows:-
As you allude TO the principle involved II NAV be
proper lor me 10 say tnat TO make national bank
legal tender Tor all payments would virtually
exempt the banks from reGeening them, since they
would be available for all purposes. except the
reserves OF the banks the notes OF the United
national bank circulation OF the country would thus
become permanent loan, without interest. from
the people To the banks ana would operate as tax
upon the people IN favor of the banks to just the
tcn. Such policy Is indefensIble on every ground
OF principle or expedency and the prcr.iety OF its
adoption vii scarcely admit u diseu:sion. '~'--''
Government Financial Agencies in Ear0pe.
One lundred and forty Applications from Europe
AID This country have been made at the Treasury
Department for agencies Tor the negotiations Of The
1870.
Retirement OF Professor Bartlett, of West
Point Acndcmy.
Professor William IL, c. Bartlett, for thirty. seven
years at the head OF the Department OF Natural and
Experimental Philosophy al the Military Academy,
and formerly an olieer or the corps OF engineers,
has been placed upon the retired list, al his own re-
quest, In consequence OF increased age and n.
6rmity. His successor has not yet been named but
WIi probably he taken rom the ranks OF tue dis
hngulshcd professors OF philosophical science IN
civil life,