The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-28

Do presented 10 congress next week, urging tnaL
the tax on imported brandy be fixed as before the
reduction-s2 90 per gallon and twenty per cent ad
val0rem.
The COmmerce Revival Bill.
The House Committee on Commerce to-day agreed
to Representative Shellabargers bill, with amend
ments. This bill was founded on the pi heretofore
recommended to the committee by the Secretary OF
the Treasury, and approved by the Secretary
OF the Navy. In the amended form the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury, the Secretary OF War,
the Postmaster General and the Secretary
OF the Interior are to constitute a Board
OF Commerce. They are authorized to contract for
a line from New YORK to England and the Continent
Of Europe: another from some other point OF the
Atlantic coast to Europe; a line from New York to
Mexico; a line from San Francisco to Australia and
other East India islands, and one from New Orleans
to Mexican ports; and to pay $40 per ton per
annum for five years to an extent not ex.
ceedlng 500. 600 tons-1O0,O 900 the first year
$4,000 to be distributed to the Atlantic and
Gull coasts, $4,000 to the Pacific and $4,000
TO Inc Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and the great
lakes for iron ships OF American constructions; So
per ton for wooden ships over 400 tons burden and
So per ton for wooden ships over 200 tons burden.
The bin authorizes the Commissioners to allow the
same tonnage bounty to lines already subsidized.
which include the lines from New York to Brazil
and from san Francisco to China. The bill also
includes a line from New Orleans to Brazil as
introduced BY Representative Sheldon, men,
Der of the committee The committee consented
for Representative Lynch to offer an amendment
In the House providing that imported materials
used for the construction of ships shall be free
from duty, or where American material Is used an
amount equal 10 the duty shall be allowed. The
committee Will be called next week, when the
bill Will be reported. In five years the cost to the
government would be S25 100000. provided iron
ships shall be constructed to the extent OF 900, 600
tons. The allowance to wooden vessels would be
additional.
A Question for American Artists.
That innocent old chap senator Hamlin, who
owns that he knows nothing about the subject has
introduced bill requiring the Secretary of the In.
terror to employ Fisk Mills, son of CLARK Mills the
sculptor, to execute group Of statuary illustrating
the late epoch Of American history. The bill Is
likely to STIR up the indignation OF the art commu
nifty OF the country, as there Is strong demand Tor
fair and free competition for the establishment Of
the Capitol, as against the costly monopoly OF dis.
fgurement enjoyed by a few persons OF native and
foreign birth none OF whom are remarkable for
American art IDEAS or national sympathies.
Claims oil southern Colleges.
The House Committee on Claims have before
them claims for destruction OF property by military
HeCesSity Ia tHc oOuCu, amounting IN the aggregate
to over two millions Of dollars, which are beng
daily augmented. None of these claims have been
allowed by the committee. nor will they be until
the William and Mary College bill Is disposed OF by
the House. Its passage will be accepted by the
committee as an instruction to report fav0raby
upon che bills referred to, and as soon the prin
cpe is decided claims reaching in the aggregate to
500 900 will be pressed either in this or the next
Congress.
The Southern Claims Commission.
The cases heard In the Southern Claims Commits.
sion to-day were those OF the Misses Dickens. of this
city, daughters of the late AsburY Dickens, formerly
Secretary Of the Senate, for property taken in Vr-
gnia amounting to $3.50, and Ignatus 4. Chat
kowski, OF New York city, for property taken in
Virginia to the amount of $l2,OS5
Alleged Claim-Prosecuting Con.
Gressmen.
Among the first cases to be presented to the Grand
Jury OF the Criminal Court next weck viii be an in
formation against M. F. Prosser, charging him with
having received certain moneys for prosecuting a
claim before the Quartermaster's Department while
he was Representative IN Congress.
Presidential Nominations. :
The President sent the following nominations TO
the Senate to-day
John H. Haines, to be Collector OF Customs at
Brazos DE Santiago, Texas; J. W. c. Bryant to be
Assessor Of Internal Revenue for the Fourth District
OF Tennessee; Edward Cheney. to be Postmaster al
Jacksonville, Florida.
The Wickenburg Massacre.
Captain O'Berne, the army oflicer who was &C
cused by Kruger one OF the survivors of the Wick
enburg massacre, OF cruelty, replies to the charge
as fOllows:-
CAMP DATE CREEK, A. T., Feb g. 1871
DEAR SIR thank you kindly for letter and for your
consideration In sending the Kruaer letter concerning the
peSr And Md shasng me with
Before this well reach you letters here
for for. pSSca a in the A End N,y Jeu
that Mr. Kruger "a an uncomfortable liar and slandere
Bile character that he Is unworthy Of mention.
eer-hat is that there were horses, guns, blankets,
.seass :asasi there we're not isaisn:
Indians geTtanng to this post had nothing DO with IT,
although but ss a. S hs
tss y''sssy Ao there mnS S'' ods
ng from the, the EVIDENCES he met WITH as to who
himself. although inclined believe thar the assas
Of s.sS he Of s
ses seas into nsoas pses the
different directions after the manner Of indians. Al
he @ the had
those addressed qusrteasters and were
@ 20 na ns sG a
has been remarkably quiet since this sad and
r.. O'BEIRNE, Captain Twenty-hrst Infantry
Agent Tanner, VINO resides at a reservation near
the or the massacre, and went personally for
the purpose OF eliciting the truth, also writes by
today's mail -
We spent night with Mr. Sexton, at Wickenburg They
,aid that there strongly opinions in Wicke
Mexcans with the party who attacked
he stage satisfied myself Date Creek of the
Indians belonging there had been engaged in 1t, they
had not been tracked In that direction.
General Dudley, who commanded The post nearest
ne scene OF the murder. also SAWS
The robbery of the mail stage and the killing of FIVE citizens
~ unxnown party near Wckenburg OF course laid
the Indians At first even the Prescott partially ad
nittcd that party Of Mexican bandits from Sonora
indians, when they attack stage, apt
blankets, &C. In this they did.
here Apache near the scene OF the murder. All
have the opinion they dared express
t.
Grasscloth Handkerchief.
The Secretary OF the Treasury, In letter to the
Collector OF Customs at New YORK, decides that the
Io-called grasscloth handkercniefs, resembling
inen In texture, quality and appearance, are not
he grassclotns specified In section OF the act of