The New York herald., 1873-12-11
COngress-The Liquor Question, the
Finances, Cuba, tho Navy and
Other Matters.

Other Matters.
the Judiciary Committee of the Senate, that
Congress has no power in the matter of
liquor prohibition bill save in the District Of
Columbia and the Territories. He said, in ref
erence to numerous petitions for national
temperance law, that this would be the report
required to consider it. Upon this hint
various petitions on the subject presented in
the Senate yesterday we're referred to the Com
mttee on Finance, upon the ground that, as
the prohibition of liquor drinking would Sc
riously affect the revenues of the government,
the temperance league will not be put off by
any such fnanciering as this. They are bound
to have hearing, or if not hearing they
will know the reason why.
Mr. Sherman reported bill to authorize
national banks without circulation but Mr..
Ferry (Michigan) introduced a bill which
brings into the foreground the main question
on money matters between the East and the
West-a bill authorizing the Secretary of the
Treasury to issue his reserve of forty -four mill
ions of greenbacks for the immediate relief of
the present stringency and to restore conf
dence and business activity 10 the country. In
other words, his prescription for the patient
suffering from too much brandy is little
more brandy. Mr. Sherman's proposition,
that it is the duty of Congress to provide at
this session measures to strengthen the public
credit, and directing the Finance Committee
to report at an early day bill providing for
the issue of currency at all times redeemable
in gold or its equivalent, is nearer the mark,
though suggestive of many dangers in u carte
blanche to the administration in its currency
issues. The Senate at an early hour went into
executive session, and confirmed numerous
nominations for various Offices.
In the House, Mr.. Phillips, republican,
from Kansas, submitted resolution proposing
very decisive measures in the cause Of human
ity in Cuba in favor of the independence of
the island and Of the abolition of African
slavery, which was referred to the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, where it will probably
remain for some time, awaiting at least the
upshot of the pending negotiations. Mr.. Wood
submitted resolution, which was adopted,
calling for detailed account of the expenses
incurred in refunding the public debt thus far
in the five per cents. He wants to know who
were the parties benefited as agents in this
business and how much. Mr.. Scofeld intro
duced bill authorizing the number of men
in the naval service to be increased from eight
thousand five hundred to ten thousand, which,
after some debate was passed.
In the course of the discussion Mr.. Stark
weather (Connecticut) remarked that no harm
could come Of stating the fact that the navy was
in good degree of readiness, that there had
been only eighteen guns Of the service in the
vicinity of the Virginius difficulty, but that
to-day we have more than three hundred and
ninety guns within reach of that place.
good report; but why only eighteen cruising
about there at the time of this Virginius diff
Guilty? Why, down to these Virginius outrages,
was all naval protection to our ships and citi-
zens at or near the island Of Cuba withdrawn?
In Difference, no doubt, to the sensitive
national pride Of the Spaniards, and hence
those butcheries of the passengers and crew of
the Virgnius.
AS the regular order Of the day, after the
passage of the aforesaid bill, the House re-
sumed the consideration Of the bill to repeal
the sssalarv orah'' of the last Concress