Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-12-07

SOUTHERN OuTRAGEs.
The southern outrage committee will not be
prepared to report until after the holidays.
WAYS AND MEANS.
The ways and means committee had one meet
ing, but the members do not expect to proceed
to business until after the holiday recess,
LAND GRANT WANTED.
The first official act of the new District of
Columbia delegate was to present a bill asking
grant of land, 100000 acres, for school pur-
poses.
SOUTHERN CLAIMS.
The forthcoming report of the southern claims
commission will be referred to the committee on
appropriations, and not the committee on
claims, as has been stated.
FOOLISH TAUNT.
The administration organ here has fling
this morning at Speaker Blaine for not giving
Gen. Butler more prominent positions on the
house committees, and says there is such a
thing as carrying personal animosities too far.
MR., AKERMAN.
The rumor in regard to Mr.. Akerman's retire
mcnt has not in it the merit even of novelty, to
say nothing Of truth. If the attorney general
chose to send in his resignation, it would be as
gladly accepted now as last spring, when this
rumor was put forth more pcrsistently.
MIR. FISH.
A petition was circulated in the senate this
morning, and number Of senatorial signatures
obtained thereto, requesting Secretary Fish to
abandon his determination to resign, and to
continue in the cabinet. Mr.. Wilson headed
she list.
A SUBJECT FOR INVESTIGATION.
A New England senator will offer resolution
inquiring into the extravagant course of ex-
penditures, for street improvements, entered
upon by the board Of public works in this city.
1t is anticipated that the government will event
ually be compelled to pay the debts which the
local authorities here are now contracting for
improvement purposes.
THE NEW COMMITTEE.
The new civil service committee just appoint
ed in the house do not expect great things of
themselves in the direction of either work or re-
form, Leading members thereof complain that
selections were made by the speaker more on
account of non-assignmcnts elsewhere than any
special taste or fitness peculiar to this under
taking
THE MORMONs.
The Mormon question promises to become an
exciting one the present session. Senator Cra-
gin has revived his old bill to punish polyg-
amy, while enabling acts providing for the adj
mission of Utah as a state into the Union have
been drawn up, and will be introduced in both
houses before the recess. They will provide that
from and after the admission OF Utah, marriages
shall be governed according to the laws OF the
United States, but that the marriage relations
as now existing in that territory shall not be
disturbed.
The appointment to-day of W. B. Irving, as
register of the land official in Utah. by the presi-
dent, is regarded by the Mormon delegation
here as an indication that the administration in
tends to modify its policy towards polygamy.
Mr.. Maxwell, the former incumbent, and who
is now a contestant for Hoopcr's seat as dele
gate, was the most active enemy of the Nor
mons, and rendered the greatest assistance in
making up the evidence in the late suit against
Brigham Young.
AN INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE ALMOST
MADE PUBLIC.
The Fish-Catacazy-Curti correspondence
was sent by the president TO the senate this
morning, and then, by mistake, transmitted to
the clerks rooms, where newspaper men are
given access to documents. The senate went
into executive session shortly after the message
was received, when it was discovered that the
correspondence was missing. Mr.. Cameron,
upon being informed where this precious history
had been misaid, Immediately proceeded to re-
cover it.
Ia M II
ent reporters, who were busy in making alb.
Stracts, when he made peremptory demand
for its restoration. 1t was given up, but not be-
fore Il considerable portion had already been tele-
graphed over the country. Mr. Fish, upon
learning that the correspondence had got out,
subsequently made request TO his journalistic
friends that they would not publish the same I'M
til the embargo was removed, as it would pro-
duce trouble at the present time. There is no
violation of confidence in saying that the CORE
spondence is voluminOus, spicy and not at all
impersonal.
AMNESTY.
Amnesty having now become an administra-
ton measure, through the recommendation in
favor thereof in the presidents message, Sena-
tor Robertson to-day called up his old bill to
remove disabilities, which he advocated with so
much persistency and so little success last ses
sion. The bill in question was introduced by
Mr.. Hale, of Maine, last spring, and originally
provided for a removal of all disabilities i'm
posed by the third section of the fourteenth |
amendment.
1t was subsequently amended by Mr.. Poland, |
so as to exclude from its operations members of
congress and officers of the army and navy, |
above the age of twenty-one years, who with |
drew to aid the rebellion, and membersHof state
conventions which adopted ordinances of seces-
sion. In this shape the bill went over to the
senate, and was persistently urged last session
ton was objected to to-day, on account of the
senate rule which prohibits old bills from being
taken up within six days after the commence
ment of new session.
Mr.. Robertson gave notice that he would
again call up the bill next Monday. 1t will not
pass in its present shape, however. Several
amendments have been prepared to strike out
Mr. Poand's amendments, and to leave the bill
as originally introduced by Mr.. Hale, and, in
consideration of the presidents suggestion that
there was no advantage or propriety in excud
ing men from office merely because before the
war they had character and standing sufficient
to acquire prominence, many administration
senator's, who have heretofore opposed this
measure, will now support it. KELoN.