The New York herald., 1872-05-01
WASHING ON.
The MoTTiN Amendment Passed
in the Senate.
TEA AND Coffee DUTY REPEAL.
Candidates for the Mexican Outrage
Commission.

WASHINGTON, Apri 90, 1872
Passage OF the morrill, Southern Claim
Amendment i'm the Senate.
The Senate to-day was the scene Of an important
struggle between the lawyers and claim agents OF
Washington and the South, together with the more
liberal Senators, on the SIDE against the Secre
taly OF the Treasury and the extreme radical SEN
ators on the other. The question was on the adop-
tton of what Ia known as the Morrill, amendment to
the Deficiency bill, limiting the jurisdiction OF the
Court OF Claims to cases OF loyal claimants alone,
and prohibiting further adjudication OF claims
under the Supreme Court decision that
pardon cures a dsloyal claimant OF his
disabilities The Treasury Department, inter-
ested In devOtng all the resources OF
the government to the payment OF the bonded
puplic debt, instgated the radical Senators to
carry the amendment, for the purpose OF stopping
q very large threatened leak from Its Golfers. The
lawyers on the other hand, interested in behalf OF
their own prospects, and the affairs OF their par
doned clients made frantic efforts TO sustain the
Supreme Court decision. The struggle lasted nearly
all OF last week, ana eliminated to-day In victory
for the Treasury Department. There have been
three tie votes on the OCCASION one last
Friday ana two to-day which have been
decided by the casting vote OF the Vice President
in behalf OF the radicals. The Senate stood so
nearly equal on the question that the absence OF
any member threw the opposition into culver OF
excitement, and when the final vote was taken
to-day Senator Conkling busted himself trying to
find Senator Nye, while the liberals were equally
assiduous In trying to get senator Clayton into his
scat. Pages, doorke eepers Senators and lobbyists
fairly new about the corridors In vain endeavor to
find these two distinguished absentees. Conkling
tried to have the cali OF names suspended and the
telegraph tables were eagerly watched for an ex-
pected telegram from Senator Cooper who had
gone away without pairing Finally, amid the express
sion OF greater interest than has been manifested
in the Senate for some time, the tie vote was an
nounced, and Mr.. Colfx decided In favor OF the
amendment. The bill goes back to the
House, and win then be sent to a conference CON-
mittee, in which the struggle win be renewed.
The Tea and Coffee Duty Repeal Bill
Amended in the Senate.
The free tea and coffee bin was taken mp In the
Senate at q late hour this afternoon, after the De-
aciency bin had been disposed Of and, after brief
debate was amended to take effect on the
1st OF July next. This necessitates further action
by the House, and a spirited struggle will follow In
that body when the matter comes mp. 1t is quite
possible that the liberals will then attempt to make
further reduction Of the tariff ana 1t is not certain
that the bin will go through without prol0ngatlon
OF the session.
An Ocean Cable Bill.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee to-day
agreed upon an ocean cable bill, which win soon
be reported providing that any company laying
telegraph cables under the oceans from Amer
lean shores shall have. under the super
vision OF Congress- monopoly OF the busi-
ness for fifteen years, and further provid-
ing that such monopoly, together with the gov
ernment business shall be sufncent subsidy. The
bill is in fact death blow to the schemes OF large
number OF persons who have been hanging about
Congress for the past four years seeking subsidies
for cable enterprises. II places the general man
agement or supervisory power over ali American
cables In the hands Of the Postmaster General
The Senate Arms Ccmmittecs' Report.
The Senate Arms Committee viii meet next
Monday Nh. Hamn is preparing the report, and
Mr.. stevenson win present paper embodyine his
views as a minority of the committee. =
The Steamboat Bill.
The Treasury Department to-day sent 10 the
Senate Committee on Commerce its objection to
the Steamboat bin now pending, and taking strong
ground against any further legislation at all Brt.
II Congress must egislate, then the Secretary asks
that he may have the exclusive power to appoint
the Supervising Inspector General, 10 convene the
Board OF Inspectors when and where he pleases, to
frame new rules and regulations, to carry the
amended act into eject, and to have the power to
review the rules adopted by the Board OF Inspectors
and amend or approve them as he pleases. The
steamboat men oppose the action OF the Treasury
Department.
The Consequential Damages.
number Of the copies OF the British counter
case was received at the British Legation yestcr-
day and SIX OF them given to the Department of
State.
There was good deal OF tank ana somc little ex-
element among the members OF the House OF Re-
preventative today, several OF the most prominent
OF them expressing the belief from Information re-
ceived, that our claims sog consequential damages
are to be abandoned
The Mexican Dcrretiations Comm ission.
The depredations OF Mexican citizens on our
Texan boarders continue and according TO recent
advises are on the increase In the meantime Con.
gress has passed q bin, which was sent from the
Senate to the President for his signature to-day
providing for the slow process Of reform or punish.
nlent Of these outrageous abuses through the
agency OF a commission ITO inquire into and report
upon the depredatlons," &c A number OF applica-
tons have already been filed for appointment under
the bill from persons who desirous Of spending
the hot summer months In Texas for $40 a day and
expenses.
Protecting and Prcpagmting Trees on the
Public Domain.
Mr.. Haldeman's bill for the preserving and prop
agatng Of forest trees was rejected by the House
to-day by only seven majority. Several members
spoke in favor OF 1t. Mr. Mccormick, OF Arizona,
gave interesting incidents and history in regard TO
the matter under discussion, and there seemed to
ageneral acquiescence in the objects to be gained
by one OF those strange freaks in legislation .the
bill was lost by seven votes.
A Railroad War Claim job.
A bill was introduced into the House OF Repre-
sentatlves yesterday by Mr.. Neglcy OF Pennsylvania
authorizing the Treasury Department TO pay
the various railroad companies which transported
troops during the war the difference between the
two cents per mile rate authorized by Congress at