The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-12-16
WARRINGTON.

ANOTHER SENATE CONSEQUENTLY LAST
PROPOSITION AGREED tTo-rHE COMMITTEE
NAMED.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-The Republican SEN
aters held a caucus to-day continuing several
hours, upon Mr.. Trumbulls resolution now
pending in the Senate. They agreed to support
it with an amendment, emitting that part in
structing the Committee of Investigation and
Retrenchment to consider the expediency of SO
amending the laws under which the appoint
ments of public service are now made SO as to
provide for preventing the public service from
being used as an instrument of political or par
ty patronage. The resolution as thus amended,
instructs the committee to inquire into the ex-
penditures in all branches of the service and
report if any and what officers ought to be
abolished, whether any or what salarie and all
allowances ought to be reduced, what are the
methods of procuring accountability in public
agents or officers and in the disbursements of
public monies, whether money been paid out il
legally, whether any officers or agents, or other
persons have been or are employed in the pub
lie service without authority of the law or I'M
necessarily; and generally how and to what ex-
tent the expenses of the service may and ought
to be curtailed
The caucus then agreed upon the following
Senators to compose the committee: Bucking-
ham, Howe, Pratt, Harlan, Stewart, Pool and
Bayard.
The caucus carefully excluded from the COM
mittee those who have taken part in the debate
on retrenchment.
MONEY RECOVERED
The Treasury Department has received from
Washington banking firm check for be-
tween $4,000 and ST., 900, being the unexpend-
ed balance in their hands of money received
from Seth johnson, the treasury defauiter, for
speculation in bonds.
THE NEW YORK BANKS.
The Secretary of the Treasury has submitted
to the Heuse letter from the Comptroller of
Currency who says: Having been in New York
on the 18th, 18th and 18th insts., and in COM
muncation with the leading bank officers /
am satisfied that none of the national banks
are implicated, or SUSPECTED of being implicat-
ed, in any effort ia produce any artificial string
ency in the money market.
TAX ON DIVIDENDS.
Lyman Gilmore and Charles E. Pike Solicit
tors of the Internal Revenue, argued before the
Senate Finsnce Committee to-day the question
of the liability of railroad banks and insur-
ance companies to pay the internal revenue
tax on dividends declared and interest paid dur
ing last five months of 1870 The act relative
to the matter has been differently constructed
by the internal revenue office and treasury de-
partment.
Commissioner Douglas has nominated to the
President James M. Ray, of Indiana, for third
deputy commissioner of internal revenue.
THE NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL.
A large number of political friends called up
on Mr.. Williams this evening and offered their
congratulations. In response, he said:
l accept the position with ditfidence, but to
the best of my abilities shall discharge its du-
ties and SO promote the true interests of the
country, and reflect credit upon the present ad-
ministration. All the abilities and energies 1
possess, shall devote to enforce the laws and
suppress violence, disorder and crime When L
am placed at the head of the Department of
Justice, SO far as the jurisdiction of that de-
partment may go, its mandates will be dispers-
ed without fear or favor and with equal rigor
and respect for all classes and conditions of men,
1 know not what there may be in the clamor
now made about official delinquencies in the
Federal offices, but so far as the exposure and
prosecution of such delinquencies devolve upon
the Department of Justice, no partizan consid-
erations will have weight and no pains will be
spared to bring the guilty to speedy and condign
punishment No one in the light Of recent
events in New York and elsewhere can take
office now and escape the vigilant eye of the
people, and nothing but active and upright de-
votion to duty will give general satisfaction I
shall struggle to meet the popular demand as
well as to meet the expectations of my friends,
with how much success time and events will
dotermiue.,