The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-20
SUMNER AND CINCINNATI
A Defaulting Maryland
Collector.
THE QUARTERMAsTERs' QUARREL.
The Guerriere and Her Captured
Wines and Liquors.
The Ku Klux Question in the SUI
preme Court.

WASHINGTON March 10, 1872.
The Pacific Mail subsidy Job In the House..
How the New York DELEGATION stand.
The land grant lobbyists having been completely
routed in the House on the Bayfield, and st. CroIx
bill. and being In fair way to be beaten IN the
Yerba Buena job. waiting to whether the
steamship subsidy jobbers Will meet with better
success The raid for subsidies began in earnest
to-day. The question OF granting an increased sub
sidy to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company being
discussed in Committee Of the Whole TILL the House
adjourned.
1t Is believed tonight that the scneme Is beaten,
and that oil the subsidy plunderers Overthrown.
The subject was pretty thoroughly ventilated and
additional zest was given to the discussion by the
deep interest which New York, the commercial
metropolis Of the country, has in the question. Mr..
GARRISON M. Potter appeared almost as the hired
attorney Of the company from The interest he took
In the subject, anu he was aided by MIR. Brooks and
Mr.. Dwight Townsend In the demand Of this
great corporation for gratuity from the
people OF the United States. Mr.. Cox,
with that quiet wit for which he
Is often so remarkable showed that q subsidy in the
shape Of a tariff had overthrown the shipping IN
terests Of the country. He then asked n subsidy
could restore what subsidy had Destroyer He
appeared as the champion of the merchants OF New
YORK, in which he was aided by Mr. Wood and Mr..
William r. Roberts, the other representatives from
the metropolis being either active allies OF avora-
bic to the subsidy. The argument which had been
used with much effect against the Yerba Buena job.
namely, the contract OF the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company with the Central Pacific Railroad TO carry
no tea to New York by way OF the Jsthmus was
used with equal effect to-day although the attempt
OF Mr.. Cox to have letter from the President OF
the Panama Railroad Company read was denied,
through the claims OF Mr.. Banks and other friends
OF the job In this letter President Jay says:-
All this company asks is that Its route may be
open to fair compe ilion and not shut up by such
contracts that = h entirely excludes the China
trade, to the great injury OF our merchants Our
and the Board Of Trade has appointed a committee
TO walt on the Pacific Mail Steamship Company apd
demonstrate against the coalition. or course we do
not wish 10 be understood opposing the Increased
subsidy, for IL would be for interest to have
their China service doubled, provided they Will give
rs fair chance to compete for the trade.
This candid avOwal is well supplemented by O
petition Of the leading merchants and snipowners
Of New York, presented last May, In which they
protest against the passage OF all such bills; but
the speciOus pretence OF revival Of American COM
merce these merchants declare that il each OF the
bills now before Congress is analysed the utter
selfsnness, not to say fraud, Of its propositions will
be readily seen. II lew steamers were actually
built at great expepseto the government they say,
the great necessity OF the public would not be sup
piled by this Partially to individuals They then
proceed to demand as right, which ought be
accorded to American citizens In common with all
other people, to buy their shtps the cheapest
kets as thereby alone they compete with the
rest Of the world. This petition is signed by 9: IT,
Marshall 4 Co., Grippell, Minturn 4 e.. BOYD (
Hlncken woodruff l. Roblnsons, James +. Tap
scott, N. Hathaway, Sutton Co., Barclay & Living
Bton, Williams & Gulon G. COmstock, Maitland,
Phelps Il Co., Olyphant & Co., Nesmith & Sons, W.
II. De Wolfe Co., and about one hundred other
firms, each prominent in It's line of business.
Statements like these furnished the anlmus OF the
contest with the subsidy ring to-day, and 1t was
even asserted In behalf OF the job that the mer-
chants who signed the petition would not have
done 80 II they had known that their representa-
tons would antagonize the demand Of the Pacific
Mail.
Colonel Roberts speech produced an excellent
effect especially In those parts In which he opposed
subsidies swinde the working people for
the benefit of SPECTATORS. The lobby was very &C
tive, but through the influence Of the HERALD's
exposure, the ex-members OF Congress were not so
forward In pushing on the noor Mr.. Calkin who
represented Mr.. Eds district in the last Congress-
was very active the attorney" Of the jobbers.
Not being q lawyer, Mr.. Calkin Is very queer
attorney for great corporation; but 1t
L. through the fundamentally OF such he that the
subsidy ring expect succeed in ieeclng the peo-
ple The death Of this bill will be death all
the jobs Of this kind, and the vote upon 1t test Of
the honesty Of our legislators. While 1t is not be-
heved tonight that 1t be carried great interest
manifested In 1t because Of the important
quences which are sure to follow Its doom.
The Km Kux md the Negro Voters in South
Carolina Before the Supreme Court-The |
Right to Carry Arms.
The Supreme Court OF the United States had be. |
fore 1t for argument to-day the case of the United
States against Avery and others. on certificate OF
division from the Circuit Court for the district Of
rA.
indicted for conspiracy under the act OF May 81,
1870 to enforce the rights OF citizens OF the United
States to vote In the several States and
for Other purposes, known tho Enforce.
ment or Ku Klux act. The particular act charged |
was the murder Of one Jim Williams while attempt |
ing to prevent col0red citizens from voting and to
hinder and prevent their exercise OF the right to |
keep and bear arms. Motion having been made to |
quasn the Indictment, the Court was divided IN |
opinion on the question whether II had |
jurisdiction Of the crime OF murder |
charged, and whether the right TO keep and |
bear arms Is q right granted and secured by |
the constitution OF the United States so as to sup
port the charge In the indictment ana render the l
offence cognizable by the Court and these questions
were certified 10 this Court. rne government sub |
mits that the questions having arisen upon mo-
f1on to quash this Court cannot take cognizance OF
them. Tie motion being preliminary in its charac-
ter and determlnabe by the Court below as mat
ter OF pure discretion It is commended that the |
act was Intended merely to visit with increased |
punishment offenders against the laws Of the United
States, who in the act of violating those laws |
shall also commit OFFENCES against the laws |
OF the States, and this 1t has the power |
10 do; and 1t naturally follows that the |
courts OF the United States have Jurisdiction |
70 inquire into this additional fact, nor is 1t an
answer to sag that In doing they take jurisdic-
ton OF an offence against State laws and OF which
congress cannot give them Jurisdiction. The Court
merely admits evidence OF fact rs matter OF az.
gravauon OF another offence The criminal