The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-24

speech, it would have met with the same defeat
that it received to-day, when nearly two-thirds OF
the House voted to lay the bill on the table, The
speeches were all against the bill and were made
by Potter, Kerr, Wood and FarnswOrth Kerr, as
usual, made an able argument and appealed to the
judgment of the House with unanswerable stats-
tics in defence OF his position He and Wood made
the best speeches OF the debate against the bill
which is now buried until some future Congress,
when the whole subject will again be rehearsed for
the benefit of the Congressional Printer and the mu-
tual admiration society in the House. There Is
one CLEAN of hope, however, in the defeat Of this
measure asst Is look cd upon as the du0nt courier OF
the numerous plundering schemes for steamship
subsidies which are Matching in the committee
rooms and Hobbies OF the Capitol and its defeat Is
considered Orerunner OF the fate that awaits the
entire BROOD unless, indeed, members should yield
to more convincing arguments than words. But 1t
is hoped that the Credit Ncbilier exposure will have
salutary influence upon members who are sup
posed to be open to the whsperings Of the tempter
Gross Injustice to the Volunteer Naval
OHicers-IIopcs OF n Remedy.
Considerable anxiety is felt in naval circles in re-
gard to question which has been recently sub
mitted by the Secretary OF the Navy to the Attorney
General Tor his official opinion. At the close of
the late war Congress, to show its appreciation
passed an act authorizing the transfer
to the regular service Of specified num-
Der Of volunteer, officers, who were to be
selected from those who had shown conspicuous
galantry in the war and whose qualifications
fitted them for the positions. In order to have an
impartial test board OF experienced officers,
seniors In rank was detailed for the examination
OF those WHO desired to remain in the service and
forwarded applications for the purpose. AS q
large number Of these officers were in active ser
vice in squadrons anoat the examinations had to be
at detached periods as the officers returned from
cruises, and thus it was nearly two years before
the final report of the Board was made. In the
meantime, as vacancies occurred, the young grad
yates OF the Naval Academy were promoted to fill
them, and thus these volunteer officers, many
of whom had responsible commands during
the war, found themselves placed under
those who were their juniors in age and
service. They claimed that the intention OF Con-
gress was to transfer them at the date of the pas
sage OF the act and give them all the benefit OF
their continued service in the navy. Instead OF
which the young regulars were promoted to the
additional places thus created, and the volunteer
officers commissioned to take rank at the date
Of examination of the last volunteer officer who
returned from sea- which made the differ
ence of two years in their rank in the SER
vice. These officers came from the merchant
vice, had been masters and mates Of ships and are
considered as among the very best navigatOrs in
the navy. Governor Cox, OF Ohio, late Secretary of
the Interior, is the counsel in the case and they
have many warm friends in Congress who feel that
1t is the old Jealousy OF the regulars against the
volunteers which mas been the cause of this mis-.
placement in rank. The volunteers are confident
that the Attorney General will decide that they are
entitled by law to the places on the Navy Register
which they claim.
Webb's Pacific Subsidy Anne ndmcnt
Kept Back.
The agents of Webb's Pacific line had not the
courage to offer their bill as an amendment to The
bill for the construction Of ten sloopso-waI after
the explanations which General Burnside has
made to prominent Senators. Whether they will
seek to tack 1t on some other bill amendment
remains to be seen.
President Grant had decided not to coll an extra
session on the 4th OF March, he feels competent
to run the machine, but the Senators insist that
they should be in SESSION to be consulted the
new appointmentssSos o. made, "by their advice
and consent" 1t will be difficult for the President
to Withstand this Senatorial pressure.
The Cotton Tax Refunding Scheme To
BE Killed.
The Ways and Means Committee resumed to-day
the consideration OF the cotton tax reiunding
most certain that the committee will al their next
meeting report unanimously against oil the Cotton
Tax Relunding bills presented. All the members
OF the committee except Kerr and Beck are VII
compromisngly opposed to the scheme. Mr.. Kerr
thinks that the cotton tax was Illegal but does not
favor payment on the ground OF impracticability.
Mr.. Beck is of opinion that about thirty millions
ought to be refunded for the tax paid on cotton
actually exported.
The New Orleans Coup d'Etat-An Inn
pOrtant Correction.
Judge Elmore OF New Orleans has teegraphed
Mr.. ii. V. Ogden that the statement in the Official
document recently sent to Congress is erroneous
in saying that on the morning OF the ed of Novem
Der Judge Gilmore proceeded with an armed mob
and seized the Eighth District Court be-
fore the hour to which it had adjourned
Judge Elmore says -"Havng been duly elected
Judge of the Eighth District Court by
majority of over ten thousand votes
commissioned and sworn opened the Court with
out objection. There was no mob present armed
or unarmed. Abou. half an hour afterwards Judge
Dibbe appeared, with ex-Sherin Sauvinette, and
attempted to take possession of the Court, where
upon ordered Harper, the recognized Sheriff Of
the Court to eject them This was DONE and
Harper is the recognized Sheriff by all the Courtsn
Liberia Wants a Line Of Steamers.
At meeting OF the Board OF Directors OF the
American Colonization Society to-day committee
was appointed to urge the government to establish
line of steamers to Liberia, as all the trade Of
Western Africa, by means of weekly steamers from
England, is now going TO that country Three
thousand applicants are now the books of the
society waiting passage, and 800 Will leave on the
LIST OF May. Most Ofthe applicants are from Florida
and Georgia.
Exceptions In the Presidents Recent
Proclamation.
Hon. Charles O'Neill, Of Philadelphia, called on
the President this morning and had a conversation
with him relative to his recent proclamation as
affecting members OF school and educational
boards and directors of public schools.
| The President said he did not intend his procla
nation to apply to members Of such boards and