Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-03-14
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.
CONGRESSMAN MADE HAPPY BIZ
THE PAYMENT OF THEIR
EXTRA CONFIRMATION.
IFrom the New York word ]

From the New York Word !
WASHINGTON, March S-First Comp !
troller Taylor of the Treasury, whose |
duty it is to draw n warrant for the I
extra back pay voted themselves by |
members of Congress, who at first de- |
clined to do SO on the ground that the |
section appropriatipg the money is !
anonymously worded and susceptible of |
several constructions, has finally, after |
q full consideration of the matter, come |
to the conclusion there is no technical |
bar to Congressman receiving this in |
crease of pay and will warrant accor |
dinghy. Under the laws of Congress /
the Comptroller of the Treasury are |
invested with absolute authority to |
construe all acts relative to the public !
moneys, and topass upon the accounts |
of all discussing officers of the Gov |
eminent. This power they exercised
until few months since, when acting !
Acknowledgement Hill rendered q deci- |
sion denying their authority to con- |
struct the law in a case involving the |
payment of extra compensation to navy
yard and other employees. The con-
troyersy was finally decided IN favor
of the Comptroller. Mr.. Taylor Is
KNOWN De u SCT1Ct
and seldom recedes from his position
when once assumed. 1t is related
of him that he once insisted, in CONVEX
sation with the Secretary of the
Treasury, that it was his (the
Comptroller duty to designate
the particular way in which certain
sum placed in the Presidents hands by
Congress must be disbursed. But,
said the Secretary, Congress gave
the President the authority to expend
it as he saw fit" 81 can't help it,
replied the Comptroller, 1.-The law
makes it my duty to direct all such
disbursements" "Well," responded
the Secretary, ''we need not prolong
this discussion, for the President,
| acting under specific authority of Con
gress, has already expended the
money" every WELL" replied Mr..
| Taylor, sit then becomes my duty by
| law to inquire whether the President
used due discretion in the expendi-
ture." General Butler aided Comp
| troller Taylor in to-day's decision.
| REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL CAUCUS.
All adjourned meeting Of the caucus
of Republican Senator's was held this
afternoon, at which the vacancies i'll
/ Tie Chill vi ttJstlIulttttS
| caused by the expiration CT the terms
! filed as follows: Mi. Morrill,. Of Main,
| is made Chairman of the Committee
! ON Appropriations in place Of M Cole;
Mr.. Buckingham, Chairman Of ti4o
! Committee on Indian Affairs, III place
of Mr.. Harlan; Mr.. Foreman, Chair
mqr of the Committee on Territories,
in place Qf M. Nye; Mr.. ;Sprag'le,
Chairman of the Public Ian4s Commit
tee; Mr.. Lewis, Chairman of the Com
mittaf on the District of Column
bia; Mr.. Flanagan. Chairman Of the
Committee al. tcduGatiGn and I.abu;'.
and Mr.. Brownlow, Chalrnni. ~ H.
Committee on Revolutionary Claims.
! Mr.. Howe leaves the Craftsmanship Of
ths Claims Committee and becomes
Chairman ST the aslan,i ttne on Library.
Mr.. Scott succeeds Atf. Hove ;ss Char
man of the Claims Committee. Tie
Committee on Investigation and Re
trenchment, heretofore headed by Mr..
Buckingham, and on Political Disl-
bilities, headed by Mr.. Foreman. ard
on Alleged Outrages III the Southern
States, headed by Mr. Scott. are dis
continued. Mr.. Sargent, Of Califor-
mia. is made member of the Appro-
nriatiotis Gois.bsittae, No changes are
made in lie GhalrIl4usluEs d t..her
rommittees; 3fr. Morton remaining as
Chairman If the Privileges and Fec
tons Committee. str, Cameron. Of
Foreign Relations; Mr.. tsiere.4,., Of
the Finance Mr.. Chandler, of Com
MERGE; Mr.. Frelinghnysen, OF AGri-
culture: Mr.. Logan, of Military Al
fairs. zir. Cragin, Of Naval Affairs ::
Mr.. Edmunaa, 81 :ie Judiciary; Mr..
Ramsey, of Post Offices AID Pogt.roads;
Mr.. Thurman, Of Private Land Chains;
Mr.. Stewart, of Pacific Railroads; hir
Hamlin, of Mines and Mining; Alr
Conking, on the Revision Of the Laws
CT the United States Mr. Window. of
| Tra:istorlsiion Routes to the Sea
board; Mr.. Pratt. ~ ff,2hsions Mr..
Ferry Conn. J, of Patents; Aif. Aof-
rill (Et.), OF Public Buildings and
Grounds; Mr.. Anthony, of Printing
After some discussion the caucus laid
on the In.5ia 2 motion to elect q new
voting for it. Considerable aej)ate >si.s
devoted to determining the order Of
business fcr the present extra session
of the Senate, snd il Was finally agreed
to take mp and dispose OF tIs report
OF tbs select committees on charges
affecting Senators Caldwell and Clay
ton, and the report OF MI. aoEFill's lof
! -Ia.ne) select Committee tIi., t,t i
dence received from the House of
Representative affecting certain Sena-
tors IN regard TO alleged Credit Mobii-
Ter transactions. It will he reoo!lected
that Just previous to the Adjournment
of Congress there was III understand
! ing that the Senate would at this extra
j, sessi..s toke up the case of ex-senator
r,tterson. his i1ie:l31s desiring DELHI
e,Is1Nn upon the subject, senator
An,hon.y Informed the caucus That he
1Isueu 70 atsign his position Us Presi-
oenl oi Ihe Senate pro tempore. and
Senator Carpentea Will be elected Presi-
| ueEt Afo 2emPofe Ca Monday, when
| .he caucus a~Ians& 6. n OF tie commit
tees, as above indicated, vii 10 at
fed by majority in open Senate.
TIE SAN FRANCISCO CUsToM-HocsE
Attic sagsesti3n Of Senator Sargent
Supervising Architect Sillett to-day
arranged to Immediately ai5eEtisa aud
Sell the old buildings on the Custom
house lot in San Francisco. prepare
tory to pushing forward with speed the
erection of the new Government build
ing, for which an appropriation was
Appropria afade ill., the M s;5e
| also Immediately proceed to invitep pro-
posLs ior woaL cn the new Pavilion
Marine Hospital Oh Ange. ;sla>l. All
of which Will be let out On CONTRACT.
WASHINGTON PERSONALS.
Senator Chandler is so delighted
with his grandson that he has settled
$50, 900 On him, and offers tbs sa..le
sum for all the future grandsons,
Many Of the army officers who helped
swell the pageant on Tuesday speak OF
their sutierings as greater than any
thing they have ever experienced :lig-
ing their lives, not excepting The late
var and frontier duty.
Instead 81 saying nowadays that one
has the tepizovt" N1.cn siie has a cold,
it is said: 81 am suffering iron Credit
Mnbilier" every one who i.tteuGel Il. Il ]