The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-24
WASHING
Presidential Finger Posts in
the Senate.
THE GOAT ISLAND GRAB.
The Obnoxious Land Steal ReSurrected
In the House.
Secretary Robson To Be De-
clared Innocent.
The Vanished Records of the War
Department.
HUGE COTTON CLAIMS AWARDED


WASHINGTON, April Is, 1872.
Thurman and Edwards ON the sorehcad
Policy in the Senate.
In the Senate to-day there was little brush be-
tween Mr.. Thurman and Mr.. Edmunds over the
Cincinnati Convention. Mr.. Thurman is one Of the
the hardshen democrats, who look with
little favor on the giving away OF their
parity 20 the recalitrant republicans, and he
showed his old-fashioned democracy while the Def
cheney bill was under consideration by denouncing
the appropriation for carrying the fourteenth
amendment into effect, declaring that
the democratic party always was and
ways would be opposed to that amendment This
brought Edmunds, who not only tainted Thurman
with the Affiliations OF his party with the
Soreheads but said the Senator from Ohio
had not yet been taught the lessons
he would be called upon to expound. There
interest felt in this little discussion than
In anything that has been said in the Senate since
the close OF the debate the French arms bust
ness. It's Importance cannot be magniHed in view
of the policy likely to be adopted by the old line
democrats in the coming canvass, the bitter words
of Mr. Thurman showing that they still cling to
dead issues and are not more willing to give them
up now than when the new departure line Of ac-
ton was first adopted
The Yerba Buenn Steal In the House.
The Progress Of the Job.
est of the Goat Island job have been boasting that
when it came up again in the House they would
have money enough to carry IL through
In spite Of all opposition. To-day Mr..
Wheeler reported from his committee a
substitute for the original bill, which modlfes to
some extent the insolent demands OF the previous
measure but retains enough Of Objectionable fea-
lures to make 1t equally obnoxious The bill provides
that the President Of the United States shall ap-
he'd at the expense Of the Central Pacific
railroad company to examine the island to hear
allegations and proofs and to take into account
well any benefits any injury which may &C
crue to the government OF the United States
from the execution of this act and within
three months from their appointment the
commissioners or majority OF them, are
to award such sum for the of the Island as in
their Judgment shall be deemed just and
equitable, which amount shall be paid by
the Central Pacific Railroad Company be-
fore 1t shall avail itself OF this grant.
Mr.. Sargent, not deferred by the opposition to
the measure In his own State, and burning with
Iage over the disgrace Of being burned in e1gy in
San Francisco for favoring 1t, was its chief cham
piOn. He addressed himself to Mr.. Cox, who had
said that California was not represented In Con-
gress on this question: and attempted severity in
his anger by accusing the latter of representing
only Tainmany-an uncaled for assault which
brought the word blackguard from Mr.. Cox's
lips In the course OF his speech Mr.. Cox showed
that since this question has been before Congress
the Central Pacific Railroad has virtually closed the
Jsthmus route by buying the Panama Railroad, thus
making only one line 10 the Pacific.
General Banks made an able and effective speech
against granting the OF the island to the grasp
ing corporation which is demanding it, taking the
ground that all OF it necessary for purposes
OF fertilization. When Mr.. Banks brings his
reserved strength to support or defeat pending
measures he generally makes an impression even
upon matters as well manipulated as this
100 seems TO have been, and when Mr..
Wheeler made the closing speech he
found IL advisable to address himself particularly
to the remarks OF the gentleman from Massachu-
sets. Mr.. Holman, Of Indiana and Mr.. Cox, Of
New York, persistent as when this bill was
previously discussed to defeat it, taking advantage
of any and every circumstance that could be
made to suhserve that end, and when the
previous question was ordered, Mr.. Wheeler refus-
ing 10 consider any OF the amendments offered,
they Tesorted to ilibusterng the only chance to
staveit of The bill consequently went over and It's
now unsafe to predict whether the swindle will
coed or. fail
The voting to-day on the preliminary motions
showed great deal OF strength for
the bil especially in the disposition
which was evinced TO evade voting. OF
the prominent members voting directly with
the Job were Cakes, Ames, Bingham, Blair OF
Michigan, Burchard, Freeman, Clarke, Dawes,
Dickey, Ely Farnsworth Hoar, Hooper, Ketcham,
Mercur Merriam, Negley Niblack, Peters, Poland,
Sargeut, Starkweather, Voorhees,, Wheeler
and Williams OF Buffalo These people made
an excsllent framework fer the picture which was
exhibited to the country OF recreant representa-
tives bsttering sway the public domain in behalf OF
q powerful and graspng corporation.
The Robson Investig ton.
The decicion OF the Robeson Investigation Com
,1mttee win be made in day or two. 1t is believed
that the committee viii be unanimous in favoring
report acquitting the Secretary OF any fraud
or other misconduct in the payment to the Secors.
There may be some difference OF opinion on the
construction OF the act of Congress in relation TO
the claims OF those persons but none as TO the in
tentions or actions OF the Secretary In the matter
The n1issfng Records Of the War Depnrf-
ment.
The resolution, of General Slocum directing the
Military Committee or the House to asce rtan what
has become OF the missing record OF the court OF
inquiry held during the war on Major General Buell.
win necessarily open up many OF the ma
den transactions OF the War Department
In the days OF the rebellion. 1t Is wen
understood ttat no records have disappeared
from tue files since the present Secretary or his I'M
mediate predecessors came into ONCE. During the
rebellion the business OF the department was not
only vast and complex, but mnch Of 1t was OF q
character too momentous and confidential to be en-
vSated to the ordinary records consequently great
nu Nber ofimportant papers were habtuay withheld
from xcord at the time and have wholly daap
peared. This fact has long been known to the
older ON, eS!s Of the War once, and the present
matter wo vi not have excited unusual attention |
mt for the 'ciitical uses to which it was designed
20 put the G. use Of General Buell. and the
mistake OF S, ~retary Belknap in referring
20 the length OF d, Spment as reason for not fur.
sishiDg copy to t.~ Military Committee. before