The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1873-01-25

much better chance for passing a bill at this
session. The bin now proposed and agreed
on provides for a restitution of the taxes I'M
posed after June u on raw cotton for a
commission Of three persons to be appointed
by the President and confirmed by the Sem
ate, with power to examine, hear. and deter
mine of claims, and to direct payment of the
same to the persons legally entitled thereto.
The most important change is one made to
section ist, providing that the said restitution
shall be made to the party who actually paid
the tax, whether paid by the party himself, his
agents oI attorneys. Section 4th provides
that tho commission shall have power to call
on any officers Of the government for books,
papers and proofs under their control concern
ing said taxes. Where the original collectors
receipts for the tax moneys and books can't be
produced nor certified copies be had, such
books fail to show the payment of the tax
claimed the commissioners may satisfy them
selves BY the testimony of sworn Witnesses.
To this section the conference directed the
following provision to be added - Provided
such receipts and entries and copies afore-
said shall enure to the benefit of the producer
unless il shall aftirInRtiyeIY. appear that some
other party paid the said tax, and has not been
repaid the same, which latter fact may be
tablished by the books of the party who paid
tax so far as TO be prinid .fGcie evidence of
the same. When such books are lost or de-
stroyed, secondary evidence of their contents
may be introduced There is a growing feel
ing in Congress- in favor of the justice of re-
funding this tax, and among other leading
men it is now expected that the chairman of
the Ways and Means Committee (AIr. Dawes)
VIII support a well-guarded bill. Mr.. Pierce
has been instructed TO present tho foregoing
bill, and to move it's reference 70 the Com
mittee of Ways and Means. There were mil
lions of dollars worth of cotton used for the
purpose of fortifcation and defense against
the enemy. for the reason that its resistance
to shot and shell was very great and it's CON
venience was an additional reason for it's en-
ployment. Thus far no claims for payment
Of the cotton have been paid. The Senate,
however, has passed bill giving SEQ, 600 to
Cowan & Dickinson, of Tennessee, for cot
ton belonging to them used in the fortiica-
tion of Knoxville. Tennessee. Their loyalty
abundantly established, and the House
Committee of Claims agreed to the bill re-
ducing the amount TO sac, 600. This case is
regarded as a new phase of the latter claims.
For some time past the question has been
discussed very quietly among both Senators
and Representatives as to the propriety Of in
creasing the salaries of the members of both
Houses TO ten thousand dollars a year, the
proposition being for the law TO include the
present Congress, the reverting nearly two
years. The movement Is said TO have been
started in the Senate by Hamilton, of Mary
land, and that a canvass is being quietly taken
with favorable result, to ascertain the pro-
bable success of the undertaking. The at
tempt is a very earnest one, and it is sought to
take advantage of the present auspicious time
when enough members viii go ont of Con-
gress with the present term to carry the in
crease. Such proposition might go through
the Senate but were it not tl9t the terms Of
more than a majority Of the present House
viii expire March 4th, it would certainly fail
in the latter body. for those going out do not
regard the responsibility highly those
who remain in Congress
The committee on Elections, in the case
of Bowen contesting the seat of DeLarge, /
ind that statements on both sides show that |
frauds and irregularities III the conduct of the /
eIecsi0n were 90 great it iup9=sible to deteE-l
mine which had majority of the ballots le- |
gaIly cast and therefore recommend the !
adoption of resolution that neither Brown |
nor DeI.arge IS entitled to a seat.
The large increase in the membership Of
the next House has already been considered
by the committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds. in view of the present hall Of the
House for the accommodation Of the increase
of fifty seats. Either the present desks in
the House must be replaced with smaller
ones. or else the limit of the hall must be ex-
tended There are now 2l3 Representatives
and ten Delegates in the House, and in the
next Congress there will be 292 Representa-
tiyes and ten Delegates. making it necessary
TO provide 3O2 seats.
The cases OF several hu-lNluX prisoners
are now undergoing consideration by the At
torney-G General, and it is probable that very
soon number of additional pardons viii be
issued
The House committee on Judiciary viii
soon proceed to the consideration of the Louis
lana difficulty. In day two the creden-
tials Of Gen. Mcmillan, elected Senator for
the short term by the fusion Legislature, and
Of John Ray, elected by the Piuchback Legis-
islature. VIII be referred to the Senate com
mittee on Privileges and Elections aud the
determination Of their rival claims viii NJ
volve an examination into the subject.