The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-30
WASHINGTON.
The Holy Crusade Against
Collector Murphy.
JOURNALIST DINNER TO COLONEL F0RNEY
The Prospects of the Income
Tax Repeal Bisl.
Work of the American-Mexican
Commission.
WASHING TON. Jan. 10, 1871.

Tie Raid Against Collector Murphy.
B. +. Tracy, United States District Attorney for
the Southern District OF New York. and Charlton
Lewis here the bearers OF petition to the Pre-
sdent for the removal OF Collector Murphy and the
appointment of Sllas b. butcher in his place. The
petition Is signed by thrty-Gve clergymen of New
York and Brooklyn. 1t is claimed that the removal
Of Murphy and the appointment of butcher would
heal the divisions In the republican party of New
York and put an end To the squabDle
between Fenton and Conkling. Win all
the pressure against Murphy 1t Is understood
the President does not intend to remove
HIM. II IS suspected that the preachers want MUIR
ply out because Of his activity In receiving the
He'd Fenians. The preachers who signed the petition
are all Protestants, whereas the eXes are supposed
70 ne Roman Catholics
The Income Tax Repeal aiIl.
There Is a good deal of speculation as TO what ac
ton the Senate VIII take relative TO the return by
the House Of the bill to abolish the incomes
Those Senators who opposed the repeal of the income
tax are secretly pleased with the action of the
House, because 1t is thought 1t will defeat the at.
tempt to repeal the income tax. The question to
whether the Senate Will recede from Its action is
regarded doubtful 1t will be held that the repeal
OF the income tax does not come within the pale OF
that part Of the constitution which makes it obliga
tory upon the House or Representatives to originate
bills of revenue and that therefore the Senate had
. right to originate and pass the bill.
The American and Mexican Claims Copmis-
The magnitude and importance or the business
before the American and Mexican Claims Commits
sion has exceeded AL expectation. The treaty Of
July T. 1865, under which it Is acting, was framed
for the purpose or settling all claims of the citizens
Of either country against the government of the
other which had arisen since the "a OF February
lS48. The claims prior to that date had been settled
through previous commissions. BY the treaty either
government was authorized TO refer to the commits
sion all claims on the part OF its citizens against the
other which had been presented before the date
Of the treaty, as well as all claims on the
part OF citizens of either country against the
other which might be presented within eight
months after the first meeting OF the commissioners
or within further period, if not more than three
months thereafter, In proper cases. The commits
sion organized on the 31st OF February, 1859. On
the 18th OF August the government OF the United
States referred some three hundred and ffty-eignt
had up 10 that time been brought to its attention.
Between that date and the 3lst March, 1s7o, when
the eight months for the first meeting expired some
i've hundred and ffty-seven other American
claims, not previously presented to the gov
eminent OF the United States, were
ferred, the greater number, more than
onenalf, OF these coming to the notice OF the gov
eminent and being referred rev days before the
expiration Of the six months, the commissioners
having extended the time for referring claims to
the Soth of June, 1870; the full period of three
months after the expiration Of eight months from
the organization there were presented to the gov
eminent OF the United States ana referred to the
commission some III additional American claims.
The docket Of American claims thus eX.
hibited some 1.017 claims against Mexico.
On the part OF Mexican citizens against
the United States there are some 9l0 claims
or about twelve hundred separate cases. As the
proofs In support OF claims were in but few in
presented with the statements OF the claims
the commission allowed the claimants to file and
perfect their proofs after the reference Of their
by the government. They also provided that the de-
fensive evidence on the part OF the government
against which a claim was preferred should be filed
within four months after the claimant gave notice
that he had closed his proofs. The commission,
having adjourned on the Goth of December,
1859, TO give the claimants time to file their
proofs, met on the Goth OF June, 1870, when
four American cases, but no Mexican cases,
had matured for hearing. From September 1. 1870,
TO the present time the commissioners have been in
session considering the questions Of law raised by
the several counsel OF the two governments. On
some leading questions they have been divided in
opinion, and referred them to the umpire, Dr. Fran
els Lieber, OF New York, for decision. The argu.
ments Of counsel OF the governments before the
commissioners and the umpire are all In writing.
Each government is deeply interested in having COR
rect awards, not only on account OF questions Of
public law involved, but also account OF It's rela-
lions, under the treaty. to the claims IN favor OF
which award may be made. More difficult and ntri-
cate questions OF international law never raised
before any previous commission. The claims on the
part OF Mexican citizens against the United States
consist oil various classes, the most numerous being
for alleged depredatons within Mexic an territory
committed by Apaches, Navajoes and other Indian
tribes prior to the Gadsden treaty. founded Oh the
Eleventh article Of the treaty of peace OF lS4s.
These amount to several millions of dollars. AS the
commissioners investigate the claims on both sides
with great care and deliberation every safeguard
against improper or exaggerated claims that the
nature Of the proceedings admits to exist. The
commission expires by limitation on the list Of
February 1872; put as the magnitude Of the business
10 SO much greater than was originally comtem-
plated II is probable that the time will be extended
by u supplemental treaty. as In the case OF the
itish-American treaty OF 1864.
The Dinner to Colonel Forney-ReuniOn of
Washington Journalists.
There was complimentary banquet given last
night by the representatives OF the press here TO
Colonel j. W. Forney. the occasion OF his retire.
meni from washington journalism Among those
present were Senator sumner Colonel Fitzgerald
AMI Daniel Dougherty, OF Philadelphia and about
thirty correspondents, representing most o, the
leading newspapers of tho country. Ben Percy
Poore presided. In response TO toast offered by
Mr. NOyes, OF TINS city, Coloae Forney spoke as
follows
SPEECH OF COLONEL JOHN W. FoRNEY
Let me confess gentlemen that have q profess
siona prejudice against public dinner. There was
an aye--lu seems almost century since-When I
had a great longing to be invited 10 one: but that
was IN she genesis OF my newspaper aspirations. 1
cannot tell you now much am obliged to you
for this really generous compliment. am not go
ing 10 say do not deserve It at your hands; Tor
there Is not one man in this go0dy company that
! do not count as my personal friend, and to whose
house would not go, unlnNlteu, II happened in
his town hungry and poor. / nope you viii all be-