New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-17
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
WASHINGTON.
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
REPRESENTATIVE BECK WASTES PUBLIC TniR--
MORE DEVELOPMENTS OF MILITARY TRADERS
hAsCALITY-sENATOR DAVIS RECOVRRING--
THE LAWS DELAYS.

| REPRESENTATIVE BECK WASTES PUBLIC TnlR--
| MORE DEVELOPMENTS OF MILITARY TRADERS
| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. DAVIS RECovBRING--
| THE LAWS DELAYS.
| 10y TELEGRAPH TO THE TRlBUEBl
| WASHINGTON, Friday, Feb. &C. 1872
The only Interesting feature OF the day Proceedings
IN the House was the explanation OF Mr. Beck
in reply 10 the coarse and abusive attack upon him
which Senator BrownOy had the Clerk read In the sen
ate, yesterday. Mr.. Stevenson. with much more yer
sistency than courtesy tried repeatedly 10 prevent Nr
Beck from speaking, by raising points OF order against
him, none OF which the Speaker sustained. IL tooA
quarter Of hour to clear away ali the points OF order
and get Mr. Beck launched upon his explanation After
he had spoken while, the members who had expected
something violently personal and had tried TO- take pre-
were disappointed to hear only political speech On the
condition OF Tennessee under BrowDON's government
I'm proof of the assertion he had made ~ pre'"n,
speech that n pandan0nlm had existed there. An
effort made TO have him ruled out Of order because
his remarks were not personal and, ms iailnx Si
Stevenson resorted to a petty means OF annoyancc,
and insisted that certain manuscript d9enmnn,s
should be read in full Mr. Beck had kept cool under
the Fostering Interruptions OF MI stevenson aga otner
M 10 this time. lie got angry, and said, Very
well, will see to it that nothing Is printed ~ re n.ooe
after this tina" not feaG Who SSd WE been SFHS TS9
speech against the denominations az reconstruction IN
a the noT F Which It had omac6 lie de
tailed his personal history in ful even to trivial details
had gone TO Kentucky, poor and frendeas, and now
represented the greatest District in the United state
state He had married Virginia woman, and his chill
dren the OF the brother
lverystable or save-driver and any who said 80
was llr-rcferring TO Brownlow. he mad
n %an had had ever ' laid lash on his eaeT;
Rm and hi Se s M Beck on for 20 with
this sort Of stuff to the surprise of every one or ne has
always ranked as the abest and most sen1Dle man
among the Southern Democrats. There T. this to be
said, however in justification OF the gross breach OF good
meSt and that When excited it is almost impossible
man OF southern training to refrain from lhauighS ID
sideration OF business from the Committee on Claims
and the Committee on the District of Columbia, until
O'Clock when Mr. Mckee endeavOred Ia have the House
into Committee o, the Whole, in order to pass the
Williams and Mary College Relief bill The opponehs
ceeded by dilatOry motions. in preventnsi H. consr
ton until the House was hungry enough TO adjourn ana
go to dinner.
The need OF a codifcaon OF the laws well Illus
trated in the Criminal of this District, to-day
reported in THE TRIBCSEs dispatches yesterday Seth
Johnson, who defaulter to the Treasury Depart
ment for large OF money, was discharged on Tue
ground law of 1857 forbd the prosecution OF any
one for acts in regard to which he teshes before Com
mttee Of either House Of Congress- After Johnson had
left the Court, the Judge District Attorney, dscoy
cred that law passed in 1862 repealed the Law OF 1851
and permits the prosecution OF person for crimes es
titled to before Committee of Congress but forbids the
use OF such testimony against him IN CT Ine a go
As he has formally discharged it SCENE doubtful
he can now be held
Some further de yelOpments have come to light about
the abuses in the appointment of postraders at the
forts and military posts in the West IL appears that,
in many cases. men who lucky enough 20 get these
appOntments are not satisfied with the profits they de-
rive from single post but obtain the privilege Tor
large number One is reported to be the exclusive
trader for all the posts the upper Missouri lie has
nothing with 1.-THE business OF selling goods, ana
never goes of operations. but farms ont
his privilege to actual traders, and derives prihcey
revenue from the bonus they pay MN; 10 LAS ne
the State but In order that the scandal may not
be too papable they appear under different names ior
il is Wcks at third wicks Adams; At fourth Adams
I & wicks These men have made enormous fortunes
within the past years and IL Is alleged that IA orl3r
keep in favor with the principal officers IN the depart
ment they I'm the habit Of making them costly pres
ents II il even alleged that officer has received
house, and several others drive handsome eqpases II
she'd them by these liberal traders to DO business In
this way it Will readily be that tire profits nnst be
and must be paid by the officers at
the trnter posts ~ the WAY 81 bey SnS 20,
themselves and families.
TIE Attorney General after considering he charges
made in connection with the nomination of the United
States Attorney the United states Marshal for Ar
kansas which have been referred to him by the Pres
dent has written letter to Senator Clayton, statihs
that he has elected nothing in the examination which
renders Improper that the officers named should be con-
frmed 1t reported here that the mao
been discontinued by order OF the President IL ~" oy
tbese eases Int also in the cases OF the Po.tmasers
which are being examined by the PostinaSterbene!ll
nrobable that Attorney Williams would hcsiu
an examination and not finish It, The present eohdlon
of the would to Indicate that the officers VIII
| be confirmed.
Congressman Lew Campbell says he is getting tired OF
the constant annoyance which he is subject by certain
people in district insisting upon contestng his scat
and that he will pay further attention to them He
saws however, that he has firmly decided " prosecute
To the full extent OF the law several prominent i9puo
in Ohio whom he says ne can prove 70 e pro
| Schenck, his competitor.
| Dr. NJ Gregory Regent of the Illinois Industrial
University who Is in attendance as delegate TO the
Agricultural Convention, before the house Military
Committee to-day and advocated an appropriation by
Congress to each Of the Agricultural Colleges to enable
them to give efficiency TO their military departments
The colleges required by Law TO provide ior course
of military instruction. DR.. Gregory stated that the
endowment derived from their land grants was so small
that they were unable TO make their military DESTRUCTION
s yame' congress Should either release them
from the obligation to give sneh Instructions OF Sran.
them further aid. He presented plan agreed upon ny
O Committee appointed at the AGRICULTURAL ColieSe,
which contemplates the appropriation by Congress of
$4,000 annually for each college to be expended N te
feature OF the plan provides for the appoint
ment annually cadets at West Point, OF number OF
for profciency Dr. Gregory spoke at length Of the sd
vantage would be to the country to train up body OF
younc men in n thorough knowledge OF military tactics
and SCIENCE number sufficient to make six regiments
could be sent be thus educated at less cost IMAM the
maintenance OF o single regiment OF infantry
GENERAL PRESS DIsPATCHl
Senator Garrett Davis is slowly improving. Yesterday
and the day before he able TO sit up and his attend
ing physican believes that he WILL unless sudden and
relapse should take place be able 10 go out
In few days. It is not probable no will resume his du
ties In the this session. but soon he becomes
strong enough to travel will return to Kentucky and