Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-02-26
WASHINGTON.
concerned for the Man and brother.


WASHINGTON, Feb. 25-The Secretary
of War recently addresseda Communication
to the Chairman Of the Committee On An
preparation. Of the House, inviting at
tention to the reduction on the appropria-
tions for the collection and payment of
bounties, prize money, etc, TO the colored
soldiers and sailors for the fiscal year end
ing June so, 1874. The Secretary has
stated that ifthe amount necessary to make
up the reduction be not granted the bust
ness of paying colored claimants will be
paralyzed, and by the end of April, if not
sooner, entirely suspended; Gurther that if
the relief asked for is not granted, the time
has arrived for him to give public notice of
the suspension of payments.
Claims of semi-Loyal Churches.
A committee of the Virginia Conference
of the Methodist Episcopal Church asked
the Senate Committee ON Claims for COM
pensation for churches destroyed by United
States troops, during the war, at Arlington,
Dumfries, Falls Church Village and Fair
fax Courthouse. They claim compensation
on the ground that portions of their congre-
cations who remained at home at their
places, which were within the Union lines
during the war, were constantly loyal to
the Government.
Doubling the Estimates.
The Secretary of the Interior recommends
$4,000 in lieu of S26S, 737, his original
estimates for the use of the Utes and Sho-
sione Indians.
The outstanding legal tenders are 1881,
S30,327.
The Pacific Railroads.
The Attorney General has decided that
tile Secretary of the Treasury may with
hold from a railroad company compensation
for transportation services when such COM
pany has received from the United States,
TO aid in the construction of its road, bonds
upon which ithas not paid interest, though
the services were rendered upon another of
its roads to which no government aid was
given.
The Mississippi
The Secretary of War asks appropriations
for the improvement of the mouth of the
Mississippi river for the next fiscal year
and for the improvement of the banks of
the Rio Grande at Fort Brown $4,000.
Reply of the Ring.
Gov. Shepherd will probably tomorrow
send to the committee to investigate the
affairs of the district of Columbia his re-
ply to interrogatories lately propounded by
them. The memOrialists have retained as
their counsel, Hon. Sam. Shellabarger,
RObt. Christi of Cincinnati, o., and ex-
Judge William NJ. Merrick. Afler being
furnished with copy of Shepherds reply
they will formally prefer charges with spe-
cifcations.
President Grant on The Centennial.
The President to-day sent the following
message to Congress:
To the Senate and House Of Representa-
tives-I have the honor herewith to sub
NIT report of the Centennial Commission
ers, and to add word in the way of recon-
mendation. There have now been inter
national expositions held by three Of the
great powers of Europe. Ii seems fitting
that the one hundredth anniversary of our
independence should be marked by an
event that will display to the
world the growth and progress
of the nation devoted to freedom, and TO
the pursuit of fame, fortune and honor by
the lowest citizen, as well as the highest.
\ failure in this enterprise would be de
plorable. Success can be assured by arous-
ing the public TO the importance Of the oe-
casion. To secure this end. in my judg-
ment, Congressional legislation is neces-
sary to make the exposition both national
and international. The benefits to be de-
rived fron successful international exposi-
| ton are manifold. 1t will necessarily be ac-
cOmpanied by expenses beyond the receipts
from the exposition itself, but they viii be
compensated for by commingling Of people
from all sections of our own country, by
bringing together people of different ma
liOnalitieS, by bringing into juXtapOsition
for ready examination our own and foreign
skill and progress in manufactures,
agriculture, art, science and civil station.
The selection of a site for the exposition
seems to me appropriate from the fact that
one hundred years before the date fixed for
the exposition, the Declaration Of indie
pendenoe, which launched US into the
galaxy Of nations as an indie
pendent people, emanated from the
same spot. We have much in varied eli
mate, soil, mineral products and skill, Of
which advantage can be taken by other na-
tiOnalities to their profit. In return, they
will bring to oar shore works of their skill
and familiarize our people with them, to
the mutual advantage Of all parties. Let us
make complete success of our Centennial
Exposition, or SUPPRESS it in its infancy and
acknowledge our inability to give it the in
ternatiOnal character to which our self-es-
TEEN aspires. L. S. GRANT.