The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-01-19

The San Dimingo resolution has passed
Congress, and the commissioners appointed to
investigate the resources and condition Of the
country and report, have started on their jour
ney, The object of the haste manifested is
/ for the commissioners to make their report
before the 4th Of March, when the present
Congress expires, the chances for annexation
being better with the present than with the
incoming Congress. The President doubtless
anticipated their report in his annual message,
when he described the island country almost
Glowing with milk and honey" B. f. Wade,
Prof. White, of Massachusetts,. and Rev. Jno.
Howe, Of Boston, are the commission
ers. The annexation will cost the U. S. ten
millions in hand, and there is no telling how
much thereafter. 1t is a big job for some
body. The people have to foot the bill
The REAL ESTATE of Augusta county, in
1860, including Staunton, was assessed at
10, l ,914. The assessment for 1870 is $I2,.
5s7 ,421, an increase of $2,377, 800 Rock
| ingham has not yet made return to the
Auditors office. Allegheny, in 1860, was
assessed at $869,046. In 1870 the assess.
ment was 1886, 1876. an increase in real estate
value of S67, l54 Highland 81 ,282, 1856 In
1870, it was 81 ,22I,l84, decrease Of $751;
773 Rockbridge, S5200,697 in 1860.
In 1870, it was S9,693 ,532, an increase of
$4492 ,885 Shenandoah in 1860, 81, 477,-
$40. In 1870 it was $4,137.168, decrease
Of $340, 672
In all the cities there is an increase in the
assessment, except the city Of :" Williamsburg"
| Nearly all the Eastern and South side coun-
ties, which were formerly large slave holding
counties, show a marked decrease. This
shows where the money has to come from to
pay the taxes. The Valley and Southwest
must stagger under the lions share.
The new apportionmen. of representatives
to Congress, reported by Mr.. Mercur, from
the House committee on the Judiciary makes
$50 the number Of which the House shall be
composed. The ratio of representation is fix
ed at 1877 800, and the only losses under it
will be borne by Vermont and New Hamp-
shire, each of which will be deprived of one
representative Massachusetts,, New York,
Maryland, Virginia, North and South Caro-
lima, Alabama, Mississippi California and
Minnesota will each gain one. New Jersey.
Pennsylvania Georgia, Texas, Kansas and
Wisconsin will respectively gain two. Mis-
souri,, Michigan and Iowa will each gain
three, and Illinois four. The States not here
enumerated will retain their present represen-
tation. Classified as sections, the result will
give the West nineteen additional members,
the South nine additional the Middle States
six, and entail upon New England loss of
two.
IMPORTANT Survive take the following
extract from the proceedings Of the u. S. Su-
preme Court, Washington, as reported in the
Patriot, of the 7th. Our County man I'd. L.
Edmonson, Esq, is interested in the case, be-
ing the grandson of the DR.. Edmonson named
The Supreme Court Of the United States
has now nnder consideration case involving
a claim for revolutionary services. The facts
are these: William Hickman, of Virginia,
served as deputy director general, with the
rank of colonel, in the Virginia line, or coz
tnental establishment, in the Revolutionary
war, and for such services became entitled to
bounty lands in the Virginia military district
of Ohio. He died In 1881 without issue, hav-
ing devised all his property to his wife, E IL
abeth. Subsequently the account was settled,
aud warrants were issued to the widow for
something over six thousand acres Of land.
Subsequently Mrs Hickman married DR.. John
Edmondson, of Virginia, and died without is
sue, giving, by her will, to her husband "al]
the land she possessed" during his life; and
by specific devise, she desired her brother
to give to her husband, ''to dispose of IS he
thought proper the certificates in his hands
belonging to her. Edmondson afterwards
married, and upon his death left two chill
dreu, who now claim under the Hickman wild
owls will. The property is in possession Of
persons who ho'd under title from the tesla
trix, through her brothers, as heirs. The
court below held that the will did not dives
tho heirs, because the warrants in question
we're not sufficiently described to pass under
the language used The claimants insist that
the certificates referred to included the war.
rants. That is the question to be determined
here
The argument in this case was concluded
on Monday of last week. It was thought that
decision would be rendered in two weeks
from the close Of the argument.