New-York tribune., 1873-01-15
WASHINGTON.
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
A GIGANTIC LAND GRAB.
IRY TELEGRAPH TO THR TRIRuNE1

WASHINGTON Tuesday, Jan. "a, 1873.
The Senate is Just now flooded with petitions from
soldiers in the late and their representatives asking
for the passage of the House bill giving land certificates
to honoraby discharged soldiers and their representa-
tives. Senators Harlan and Pratt in presenting pet
tons of this kind today improved theocoasion to show
OF the results of the enactment OF such law Mr.
Harlan said that the certificates would probably become
80 plenty that they would not be worth than $40 or
SIS each, and Mr. Pratt read letter from theSecreary
of War; showing the number Of soldiers who served in
who died without leaving legal representatives, or VINO
will apply for the land warrants, TO be oO6s there
each OF would require 900 of acres There
no doubt that this bills being pushed by spectators
tracts OF the public lands, and 10 hold them i0r an
advance in price, This is in short the biggest land grab
scheme ever proposed to Congress.
PAYING THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD FOR
TRANSPORTATION.
the morning hour omitted in the House to-day in
Difference to the wishes OF the Territorial Delegates who
did not desire to the bill for the admission OF Colo
RADIO taken up in the absence of Mr.. Tae who was un-
able to be his to-day The House, therefore, at
once went into Committee Of the Whole on the Legsla-
tive Judlca. and Executive Appropriation bill The
pending question was the amendment OF Mr.. Hib-
bard repeating the ninth section of the Army bill OF lI
directing the Secretary Of the Treasury to retain the
money earned by the Union Pacific Railroad for trans
portaon of mails and supplies and apply 1t on the in
on this debate OF nearly four hours ensued. on one
side it claimed that prior to the passage OF the law
the obligation of the road TO the interest on
bonds loaned 1t by the Government was clear and
ns Of e road p oe nes re
qgIed by the act ot ls vas 70 Apply On ns h @
entitled onehalf these earnings and was not bound
TO pay the interest every year. and maintained tha' any
Messrs Sargent Beck charged that the attempt to
repeal the ninth section was stock obbl1g speculation
mortgage bonds chance to forecose and get the road
in their hands, thus making the Government lose ls
claim on the road, and also cheating the small oond-
holders out Of their claims good deal was said about
the patriotism and sesacrifce Of the men who rsked
been omitted in of the recent disclosure that these
the Credit Mobiler and realized about GOO
per cent profit on all the money they invested. ,,
Mr. Kelley astonished everybody by boldly declaring
that It Tss not m fsI ns ne aa 1ot anS tSa @
poverty and not his WILL prevented him. The adVO-
Of a rOaf beS @Sds a@ bS he onse a
them in spite Of all their exnortaons TO members not
an amendment to Mr.. HIobard's amendment, making 1t
a simple repeal OF the ninth section This was carried
ate win be to put the question just where it prior
the passage OF the act OF Marcn 1871 ana thus leave
il open for decision by the law officers OF the Govern
ment The House adjourned without finally passing the
Appropriation bill
POSTAGE RATES.
The decision Of the PostmasterGenera that mail mat
ter not fully prepaid at the Office OF mailing shall pay
double POSTAGE even though full rate is prepaid has
House Committee on PostOfices, to-day, took up the
question for dscnssion and decided unanimously, ex
eept vote, that Mr. CreswePs construction or the
law was an improper The following Joint resolu-
ton was then agreed to by the Committee
Res0ed That the true intent and meaning Of Sections
and Of the act to revise, consolidate, ana amend
the statute relating the PostOice Department,
proved June g. 1872 among other things that where
law mail matter in said section mentioned, such
mail matter shall be forwarded 10 Its destination,
charged with the unpaid rate to be collected ON de-
livery and that double rate or postage shall be col
lected where such partial prepayment has been made
The Postmaster General before the Committee in
consultation on the general subject Of his Department
and il is probable he will modify his order before the
resolution presented. 1t may possibly TO the At
for his decision The question OF the
ducton Of letter postage two cents for each half
ounce, was discussed by the Committee at some length,
aud seems to De favorably regarded The Postmaster
General also understood 70 favor IT, lt seems proba
BILE the Committee will agree 20 the proposition Tor
OF newspaper postage in order 70 avoid
transportation OF large quantities. OF newspapers
which are paid for and not taken out OF the office
THE CALDWELL INVESTIGATION.
GENERAL PRESS DIsPATCH.I
The Senate Committee Elections, this morning,
tnued the investigation Of Senator Caldwes election
Messrs Wood and Finney members OF the Kansas Legs
lature were examined Mr. Wood testified that a Mr..
Thomas offered him s2O00 to vote for Caldwell and that
subsequently certain friends Of Sidney Clarke offered to
give HIM 900 and $780, IL he would
vote for Clarke. The witness did not take either Offer