The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-28
WASHING ON.
Important Changes in the Pa.
tent Office Regulations.
Arbitrary Decision by Secres
tary Boutwell,.
Injustice to acknowledgements
Exposures in Prospect.
WASHINGTON, July 81, 1871.

Changes In the Patent Once Regulations.
The Commissioner OF Patents is engaged IN thor
oughly revising the rules OF practice before tho
Patent ONCE, and few important changes viii
be made Among these may be enumer-
ated a change in the rule heretofore gov-
erning the oath required OF inventors on Ill
ing claim for q patent, to the effect
that they were the original inventors OF the inven-
ton offered for patent, and upon the office grant
ing patent allowing attorneys to modify the claim
according to the testimony OF the patent examiners
1t Is now proposed that every applicant shall upon
the granting OF the patent be required to take an
oath in support OF the claim as allowed, and not as
originally advanced. This win, In case OF litigation.
cOnnne parties strictly what they are entitled to
claim, and not allow them to prosecute on tho
broad claim as filed in making The application. Tho
oath a. now required Will be exacted. but supple
mented in accord with the claim allowed.
Kcntucky's War Claim Repudiated by Sec
rotary Boutwell,.
Congressman Beck, OF Kentucky, had an inter-
view with Secretary Boutwell, to-day in regard to
the payment OF the claim OF the State Of Kentucky
for arming and equpping volunteers during the ata
rebellion, and amounting to 1925, 900. The claim. IL
Will be remembered, was finally disposed or at the
last hour the 18th Of June last, when the fiscal
year ended, and the law authorizing the payment
OF this class OF claims under act OF july
spatches at that time OF the insignificant excuses
made by Treasury officials Tor not assing rhe requi
sition for the amount, although 1t bore the sigma
lures OF all the proper officers including the Score
tary OF War; Second Comptroller and Third Auditor.
1t was alleged that the sum To be paid was very
large and that Secretary Boutwell, had given orders
that no important warrant should be drawn during
his absence. He left Washington on June 20 for
his home IN Massachusetts, and Mr.. Hartley, Second
Assistant Secretary OF the Treasury became acting
Secretary. At the time this claim was presented he
did not feel like taking the responsibility OF ordering
It's payment, and referred the Kentucky State OH.
Gals entrusted with the collection OF the money to
Mr. Boutwell,. since the Secretary returned he has
been too busy until few days past to give the SUBJ
Ject his attention. but yesterday announced to those
authorized TO receive the money that he did not think
himself justified in allowing the claim 10 be paid.
1t not clear that the law contemplated giving
compensation for services rendered ny troops, such
as the State OF Kentucky represented those were in
whose behalf money had been expended by the
State during the reDeion. Congressman Beck
asked the Secretary If the War Department officials
and the Secretary OF War were not competent to
decide what troops were entitled TO be classed az
volunteers. 1t was TO him a new theory entirely
that because the secretary had the disbursement
of money he should also constitute himself an arbi-
traitor between the heads OF other departments
and the people. He might be authorized To-
require obedience from oil his bureau officers, but
he did not believe the constitution nor the law had
clothed him with discretionary authority when
requ!stions had been properly drawn and signed
by responsible officials. Secretary Boutwell, adj
mittted that 1t appeared rather delicate matter to
interfere IN the transactions of other departments.
and he would not finally decide the claim until he
had time TO consider the matter more fully
In all nd mo afi.Nss
rests for the present. Mr.. Beck's argument the
advanced in these dispatches at the time the
claim suspended. II Is indeed pretty Of
affairs that when the several Comptrollers Of tile
Treasury, whose integrity no one can doubt, pass
claim alter the most rigid scrutiny and careful ex-
animation Of every law bearing upon IL, that when
the proper auditing officer signs the requisiton.
after months OF patient examination Of all the
vouchers pertaining to it, ana declares
the amount correct, or that when tina
head of the War Department duly authorized
To declare what troops were accepted and what were
not confirms the action or comptrOers and audi
tors backed by the unqualified approval OF General
Sherman That the Secretary OF the Treasury should
interpOse . single objection and say "YOu, Mr..
Secretary Beknap; you, COmptrollers Taylor ana
Brodhead: you, Auditor Rutherford; you, General
Sherman, know nothing about this matter I am
satisfied that you are all wrong and Kentucky must
be paid let Congress, my superior, order me to do
It by a special act" There are other matters con-
nected with the suspension Of ths claim until the
last day OF the fiscal year. ana TO the last hour
! OF that day-for the requsition did not reach the
warrant division for action until three O'Clock tbs
closing hOur-that will be brought to light at the
proper tlme and II may appear that some parties
here in Washington had. or pretended to have.
influence In the settlement OF this class OF war
claims than all the higher officers o the govern
ment put together.
The ku kIux Investigation.
General John B. Gordon, Of Atlanta, Ca was ex.
amined for five hours today before the Ku Klux
Committee. Having been asked question concern
ing the relations OF the whites to the blacks he tes
titled that the very kindest feeling existed on the
part OF the former toward the latter Immediately
after the war. This was evidently iu their
subscriptions to churches and schoolhouscs.
This feeling continued in the main up to the time
the csrpet-baggsars came into the STATE, and who
have in great measure been InstEuWe1tal In ar
raging the blacks against the whit6s But even now,
il left TO themselves the negroes would he as kilt.s
disposed towards the whites as the whites are TO-
wards them. II was the interest of rhe South to
ketf the blacks among them, instead OF encouraging
organized banQs 10 drive them out. The people we're
compelled to have their labor 10 was the best they
could get. They could not cultivate their rice AMI
cotton lands with any other labor 80 successfully
immediately after the war much trouble was caused
at Brunswick, Darcn and at other places ON
the coast by the negro troops insulting white men
who had served In the Confederate army.
There were so many outragcs OF this Kind thae
the witness at the solicitation OF the citizens
appealed TO General Grant to remove the neer"
troops. Notwithstanding the insults oy 'he troops
the whites were forbearng and kind, having SUIT
scr,hed "a, nogrn churcpg and schools and otherwise
AIDED them all they could.
Return oi Neubers Of the Cabinet.
secretaries boutwell,, Delano and Belknap and
Attorney General Akerman are now In the CITY,
Secretaries Fish and Robson and Postmaster
General Creswcil are expected in day or two. fr
IS therefore, probable that all the members OF the
Cabinet viii bc here by the ;rst Of next week