The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-12-24
By the Pacific and Atlantic Line.
OMce, IIO Main street.
WASHING TON,
WARRINGTON, December %.
The Virginius.

anu luC oaINlHOES, Ou CuaISe VI VIZ
lating the neutrality laws Of the UniteG
States. OF course this announcement
will not meet the approval Of large
mass Of the American people, but it il
a duty Of the government incurred q:
an obligation OF its own making, tc
proceed with such trials without delay
The frequent assertions made during
the progress Of the negotiations which
resulted in the Fish Polo protocol, thai
our government alone had the right to
determine the question regarding the
violation OF the neutrality or registry
laws sufficiently implied these obiiga
tons and the government cannot, 10
view OF the manner in which Spain has
observed her part OF the agreement
afford to disregard it. The report that
Spain will dem1nd the return o. the
Virgirias is not creditri here @n3 o..
ticials do not hesitate - =. HAT il
made it would not be complied wilh
All the executive department. WI
be closed on Christmas and New Io.r.
and be open Tor business but bat d"
each day during holiday week.
Increase in Value OF Imported
Goods.
A circular just prepared 1T the Trea.
ury Department will be promulgated or
January lst, fixing the value OF foreign
money according to the amount ofpure
metal in coins. The effect Of thi1
change, which is in accordance with
the law OF March Sd, 1873, will be tc
increase the value OF imported goode
and a corresponding increase in Gus.
toms duties. U1tS change will effect
goods IN b. " kr", III after New
Years. One OF the principal changes
made is in the pound sterling.
The President.
The President and party returned
here from St. Louis, on the II o'clock
train this morning.
There wac no Cabinet meeting to-day
The Attorney General, Secretary OF
War, and Assistant Secretary OF State,
Mr.. Davis, had an interview with the
President at noon.
Grant Stiil sticks to Williams.
Soon after the arrival of the Presi-
dent in Washington, this morning, he
WAS visited by Attorney-General Will
liams, and the nomination OF the latter
to be Chief Justice Of the Supreme
Court, was the subject OF earnest con-
versation between them FOR nearly half
an hour. During the conversation the
President said be didn't believe any OF
the reports put in circulation by the
enemies Of Mr.. Williams, Tor the pur-
pose OF comprising his defeat in the
Senate. lie never intimatCd that he
intended to withdraw the name, and
furthermore, he didn't intend to with
dray it. Mr.. Williams friends exs
press the opinion that lie will be con-
fTmed very soona iter the meeting OF
Congress in January.
Chesapeake and Ohio CanaIIu In Court
The case Of W. w. Corcoran, ct al,
versus the Chesapeake d Ohio Canal
Co., which involves The question wheth.
er coupons on preferred bonds of the
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Co. besr in
terest from their maturity, as the mort
cages held by the State OF MARYLAND
on the property Of the Canal Co, was
argued yesterday in special session
before Justice Wyie. The bill WAS
dismissed without prejudice to the in-
terest due on coupons, if the delivery
thereof shall be made on suit therefor
Justice Wylie held that though the cou-
pons might bear interest az against the
Canal Co., get they did rot as against
the State o! Maryland as the State
had waived It's lien to the extent only
OF the principal o: said bonds snd SIM
pie interest, The suit involved over
hslfa million dollars. An appeal was
taken TO the general term, from whence
it will 60 to the Supreme Court.
Moro About the National Finances
a Thin Coat OF whitewash.
The laws OF Congress approved Feb
rua7y %, 1863, provides for the pay
ment OF one per cent. OF the entire debt
OF the United States TO lie paid each
fiscal year by the purchase Of bonds.
1t further provides that the bonds so
psrehased sha,! be set apart as q sink
| ing fund and continue to draw interest
from the National Treasury. but that
the interest 80 paid shall be expended
in the purchase oil National bonds to be
added to the sinking fund. The bonds
thus added therefore draw interest
upon interest compounded over aud
again for the benefit OF the fund, but
st the cost OF the taxpayers. The
CON pliance with the terms OF the
sinking fund requires an annual
appropriation OF some thirty
millions OF dollars. Secretaries
Boutwell, and Richardson have paid the
national debt much faster than the
laws absolutely demanded. The sink
ing fund now amoGnts TO Only SAL
IOl2,O50, while s323, 500 OF bonds
have been purchased 10 other words
our financial ministers have very prop
erly taken advantage Of the fush times
and paid the national debt a little over
six years ahead OF the requirements OF
the law creating the sinking fund.
During the first year OF Boutvells ad-
minisiration OF the Treasury Depart.
ment, he psid OF the natioual deGt bv
the purchase of bonds, STA, ,73S, ITO, at
a cost Of Sill 440,6 in currency, the
entire premium being the difference be-
tween lie amounts or exactly SIC, ,7G3.s
494. During the last fiscal year Secre.