Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-06-25
WASHINGTON.


w ASH OUuO AO SN-A~k
troller of Currency hiss called for state
ment of the condition OF the National
Banks at the close of business on Friday,
the 18th of June.
Gauxers' Wages.
Five hundred and ninety eight gaugers'
bills for May, under the new schedule OF
fees, show average earnings Of $4.9S per
day. the gaugers in cities earning generally
six dollars per day. In the rural districts
travelling expenses were paid IN addition.
There are usually about 700 bills each
month; or that many gaugers employed. 4,
More whitewash.
In the matter of misunderstanding
which has arisen relative to the Montana
Indian war claims, it is stated by the Acting
Second Comptroller that after investigation
had and explanation made, he is satisfied
that Butterfeld is entirely innocent of
intention of wrong-doing in the premises,
and that it resulted from combination of
adverse circumstances and was purely ac-
cidental.
senator Sherman's Back Pay-H1s
Dodge Exposed.
Special to the Cincinnati Commercial
WASHINGTON, d. G., June 22.-The
reasons assigned by Senator Sherman, in
recently published letter, for his failure to
his share of the salary steal to the Treasu-
~ If the United States are regarded by
those familiar with The laws on the subject
as rather thin. That the chairman of the
Senate Finance Committee should manifest
such ignorance concerning the laws govern
ing appropriations and the history of back
pay steals is surprising. Gen. Spinner and
other officers at the Treasury Department
say that while Sherman and few others
have refused to draw their back pay, It is
placed to their credit in the Department,
and may be drawn on their order years
hence. This was Cone years ago by Sem
ato- Benton, Of Missouri, under similar cir
cumstanees. Benton refused 10 take the
back pay when it was voted by Congress,
ana took occasion 70 denounce his colleagues
for accepting it. Several years afterward he
called at the Treasury and drew his share.
The act of July u, 1870, with regard to
covering unexpended balances Of appropria-
tions into the Treasury at the end of two
years, does not apply to the compensation
of members of Congress. The law govern
ing appropriations for the sa!ary of Con-
gressmen is as follows:
"That the compensation which shall be
due to members of the Senate shall be GER
tilted by the President thereof, and that
which shall be due to the Representatives
and delegates shall be certified by the
Speaker, and the same shall be passed as
| public accounts, and paid out of the public
treasury. All certificates which have been
or may be granted by the presiding officers
( of he Senate and House of Representa-
tives, respectively of the amount of COM
pensation due TO the members of their sew
eral Houses, and TO such delegates, are and
ought to be demanded, beld and taken, and
are hereby declared to be conclusive upon
all the departments and officers OF the Gov
eminent of the United States"
The act of July, 1870, relative to cover
ing unexpended balances Of appropriations
into the Treasury, has q prcyiso, which
says:
"But no appropriation for the payment of
the interest or principal of the public debt,
or to which Congress may have given a
longer duration of law shall be thus
treated"
Congressman George A. Halsey, OF New
Jersey, and several others who were re ally
in earnest in refusing to take the back pay,
upon having their attention called TO the
law, promptly drew the money and had 1t
covered into the Treasury. This, It has
been decided, is the only way to put it en-
tirely beyond the reach of the person TO
whose credit it stands in the Treasury.
MfsmauaSement of Howard UniYer-
sity. .r ..e ,
There has been little unpleasantness
among the Trustees of Howard University
the result of which is a communication IN
| i, Of fhn TrnGtnpc
making some startling statements as TO the
manner in which the institution is con-
| Quoted. 1t is charged that the University
property, which was paid for py General
| Howard as Commissioner of the Freed
mems Bureau, is mortgaged TO the extent
| of nearly one hundred thousand dolla-s /;
and that this money has been used by
| General Howard and the Trustees for their
personal ben eft. 1t is also stated that The
| Institution ran behind last year forty thou-
sand dollars, when it was said to be sell
sustaining. This will require new mort
gage upon the property. Some months ago
| the Trustees voted General Howard S12,-
600 back pay as President of the University
under the pretext that for three or four
years he had been performing full duty al
| President, although he had all that time
been COnllSSlOQtT Oh buo ILOOOAhOh
Bureau, or bad been absent in Arizona
Prior to that he received $4,000 from the
Trustees, although q mere nominal salary
was allowed him as President wnen the
University was started. In this aud Other
ways that are dark it is charged that large
sums of money have found their way out o
the treasury of the institution into tht
pockets of General Howard and bis 1850
cates. Senator Pomeroy, of Kansas, was
chairman of the Counties Of Trustees tha
allowed Howard the back pay.
The New Oregon Senator.
The Republicans of Oregon-that is, tn
straight cut party men-are opposed to
Senator Nipple Mitchell, of that State, re
signing his seat in the Senate. While they
generally admit that in view of recent
developments his influence as Senate
will be eutralized, they assert that as tht
Governor of Oregon is Democrat. b
would appoint Democrat Senator. Th
Legislature does not meet for two ye rs
Mitchell has recently statei that ne woult
pursue whatever course his friends advised