New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-14

Reducing Tax OH Highest Class Tobacco
Coinage of the COuntry-Public Build
ings AppropriatiOn-Naval Appropria-
tiOn Biil-GOods in Bond.
WASHINGTON, February l3.-Under the
present law tobacco is divided into two
classes, one paying tax OF sixteen and the
other of thirty-twO cents per pound. The
House Committee of Ways and Means, at
their session this morning, agreed to reduce
the tax on the latter class to uwenty-four
cents leaving the tax On the other as at
present
House-The bill revising the mints, assay
offices and the coinage of the country has
been made the special order for the second
Tuesday in March.
The bill apprOpriating $3.50, 900 for the
public buildings at Albany, New York, was
passed.
The House then went into a committee
of the whole on the naval appropriation
bill. 1t appropriates nearly $4,000, 600:
Mr.. Dawes, chairman of the Com mittee
on Ways and Means, reported bill, in ac-
cOrdance with instructions of the House,
repeating tax on coffee and teas, but de
sired to make an explanation. Objection
being made, and the Speaker deciding de
bate not in order, Mr. Dawes withdrew the
bill.
The debate on the naval appropriation
elected the following regarding the condi-
ton Of the navy from Mr.. Hale, member
of the Naval Committee:
He mentioned the ofact that the num-
Der of men to which the navy was
limited was $500. while the British navy
had GA, 900 men, and if the nation should get
to war it would be impossible to send out
three additional vessels, all fully manned
and armed. with the present force to which
the navy was limited.
He admitted that there had been apprO
priated $500, 100000 for the navy during
the four years of war, and that the people
had right to know what had become of
that money and of the ships which should
have been built. He was sorry to say that
the investigation showed badly for the use
of the money. AS affecting the future he
did not wonder that the people would be
skeptical, and to the assertion that we had
no navy, or that members would hesitate
twice before they would appropriate money
for more naval expenditures.
The whole point of his argument was
that the blame should fall where it proper
ly rested. If there was no navy as legacy
from the past, and ifthe county has not now
respectable naval establishment they
should not grumbe at any expenses that
was inevitable. The navy is now possessed
of but III vessels of the 600 that belonged
sunk, or been sold. OF scores and tiftys OF
Others he did know the fate he had not
been able to follow them.
They were not on the hands of the de-
partment and the department was not re
sponsible for them. They had vanished
and faded away, and were not to be found
or traced. The navy now contained l79 yes
sells, and all these he classified into four
classes not of strength, but of utility.
Glass No. consisted of vessels that were
at sea- some sailing vessels, some steamers
and some irOn-clads; they number thirty
six Glass No. consisted of vessels suita-
BILE to relieve, those that were at sea-. they
numbered eightt-four. Glass No. 3 con
sisted of vessels that were worth being re-
paired in case of emergency, if his>country
should have a war with Spain, or if the
little cloud in the sky which had in the
minds of some menaced war should
grow, and trouble sheuld come out of it.
The vessels of this class could be fitted
out and sent to sea cheaper than new YES
sells could be built. This was not very
promising class, but still it was worth
something; it numbered twenty-four YES
| sells, including six on the stocks below that
| class-belOw any class that could ever be
| used in peace or in war, class of forty-sN
| vessels utterly worthless and unfit for re-
pairs, good for nothing except to be sold for
| old material.
The remainder of the ayessels not com
| prised in these classes was made mp OF store
Ships, receiving ships, school ships and
transports-in all fifty odd vessels, lnclu'
| siye. He defended the present adminlstra-
| ton of the Navy Department, and submit
! ted that provision should be made for build
| ing new vessels for the navy, and for selling
| ont all the worthless vessels and machinery.
| A startling colloquial debate followed, In.
| dicating that naval and war material had
been sold and appropriated. 1t appears
no report is required from departments re-
garding the disposition OF public property
| Mr.. Banks said this was not the case now.
| Mr.. Dawes said the law il this respect
needed amendment.
! In the course of Along speech Mr.. Morgan
reviewed the course of the administration in
reference to the public debt and the ex-
penditures of the government, claiming that
there were alarming discrepancies in the va
rious reports of the depart ments. He de-
| MED that any official of the government t.
| from the President down to a page in the
| House, had any correct idea OF what the
| public debt was
JACKSON, Miss, February '13.-In the
| United States Court to-day, E. A. Peyton.
| late United States marshal, was tried on
| four indictments for embezzling govern
| ment funds. The court sentenced the pris-
| Oner to six months imprisonment on each
| of the four indictments, the shortest term
| provided for by law. PeytOn was ap
| pointed United States marshal by President
| Grant, in 1863 as a reward for Jealous Re-
| publican service, but was removed after
| two years service.
The debate developed the fact that the
government could not add three vessels to
| the present force in case of war until the
personnel of the navy is increased, which is
now limited to $500 men, while the British
navy has $4,000 men. Adjourned.
!Senatc.-The bill removing goods in
bond from original packages in cases OF
accident or legal interference. was passed
After an Intellectual attempt to get up tn
amnesty bill, with a threat from Mr. Sumne