The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-27
The Southern Claims Commission ia
be Continued Four Years.

The Southern Claims Commission to
be Continued Four Years.
WAsmNGToS, February 26.-The commit
tee Of conference on the disagrceing votes of
the two Houses on the House bill to extend
for four years the act organizing the Board
Of Commissioners Of Southern Claims met
in the room of the House Committee Of
Claims last evening, and agreed upon u basis
of compromise extending the commission
tor four years from the 10th day of March,
1873, and limiting the time In which claims
shall be presented to said commission to
March 3, 1873. ~
The House bill extended the time for fling
claims to December l, 1873, but as the COM
miSsioners now have before them nearly 29, :
600 claims to be examined which will con-
sume at least three years, the restriction OF
the Senate to March Sd of the present year
was deemed unimportant, as Congress can
in the future extend, if deemed necessary,
the time for the presentation of claims. The
House bill extending the jurisdiction of thu
commission so as to include the articles of
potatoes and tobacco, and also consider
claims for rent, has been reported from the
Senate Committee of Claims without recon-.
mendation. The danger that the bill ex-
tending the commission would be lost on ac-
count Of unexpected opposition in the Sc
nate Is therefore past. - TINoN. !.
Congressional.
WAsHTNaToN, February 26.- Senate.-Af-
ter tabling an amendment opening all the
regiments OF the army to the enlistment OF
colored men the army appropriation bill was
passed.
House bill paying southern claimants was
reported without recommendation, and went
on the calendar.
House bill enforcing the fishery clause in
the treaty of Washington was passed.
Utah matters were discussed.
House.-The resolution expelling Brooks
| and Ames occupied the day. There was con-
siderable sensation but nothing important.
The debate was exceedingly interesting.
The principal speeches were by MIR. Bing-
ham, in opposition to the report and in de-
| fence Of what he declared was the constitu-
tional right of the people to select their re-
preSentatives, and by Mr.. Banks, who felt
that there was an alarming presence of cor
| ruption attempting to get control Of the
country through legislation by Congress.
Messrs. Beck and VOORHEES, made able
speeches; the latter going into an enthusias.
tic defence Of Brooks. Mr.. Beck's views
were substantially similar to those Of Mr.
Bingha as to the rights of the people,
whose representatives should not be held &C.
| countabie by Congress, after election, for
crimes committed before.
Dir. Butler speaks tonight in opposition
| to the report.
| Night SeSston.--Mr. Butler, of Massach,l.
setts, made stirring speech in favor Of Cakes
Ames, defying the press "a public defamer).
ana holding up AmeS as model of all Chris.
tian virtues. His speech was interrupted
with frequent applause and laughter. He
spoke for nearly two hours, and was fol-
lowed by Mr.. Shelabarger in a legal argu.
ment in support of the committees position
MIR. Wilson also spoke In support of the
committees report.
At the end Of the debate tonight, Dir. Po'
land will move the previous question and
ask for an adjournment; the vote TO be taken
tomorrow.
| General Items.
| WASHINGTON, February 2G.--the commit
tee of conference have agreed to extend the
time of the Southern Claims Commission
four years. They have 10000 unheard claims
before them.
The select committee to Investigate the
case OF Senator Clayton, Of Arkansas, ex
onerate him.
On the special application of Mr.. Handley
the President to-day signed the pardons o
Charles Howard and James Blanks, of Ala
bama, who were convicted as kukluxs ant
confined in the Albany peuitentiary.
Reported Fraud in the New Orleans
Post-Ofiiec.
| WASHINGTON, February 25.-On accoun,
| OF some irregularities in the New Orleans
| post-office reports Detective Woods was sent
| thither last Saturday. The Post.O Office De-
partment has as yet received no official In
formation from him. The only information
regarding the matter obtainable at the De
partment is that the New Orleans post-office
is out Of gear. 1t appears that the amount
of the deficiency is about $4,000, and that
Postmaster Lowell, though responsible fol
the money, was not party to the fraud.
Weather Probabilities.
| WASHINGTON, teDruary 2o.-Ine area O
| lowest barometer will continue moving
northward into Canada on Thursday.
Northwest winds, with clear and clearing
weather and much lower temperature, Will
| prevail throughout the Mississippi Valley
and in the western Gulf States.
Easterly winds, with rain, will continue
| in the South Atlantic States, veering to south
and west during the day.
Southeast winds, with threatening wea-
thcr and rain, will prevail on the Middle
| Atlantic coast, and easterly winds with
| threatening weather in New England.
Severe northeast winds, with rain and
snow, will continue during Thursday morn.
ing over the lake region, except, possibly, on
southern Lake Michigan, where high west
erly winds are probable.