The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-12-10

and at present We have no guns, except the
l5-inch, in the monitors, which would seriously "
injure tho lightest Of these armored vessels
Substitute or Snch rifle for the ll.inch
smooth bore which even our smallest ships a
carry, and few of them would come on with
out great damage,
Tho report of the commissioners 10 {
prepare instructions to postmastera concern
ing the prepayment of newspaper and perlodi-
cal postage after January /, sustains the
recommendations of Third Assistant Postmas-
ter General Barber Instead Of placing stamps
on the separate periodicals or papers, or on
tho package containing them, according TO
weight, the forms as already printed show the
current account with the publishers, aud after
the printed matter is weighed, the requisite
amount OF stamps is pasted on the form OF
receipt given to the publisher or his agent at
the time of mailing, the credit and receipt
having corresponding numbers.
The house appropriation committee
have disposed OF the army BILL This bill APP
propriates the same amount AZ last year, and
makes d considerable reduction from the estl-
mNLCS. nc kCCFeLhlN Vi Wal tbAN III Sp''i''''''
t for force OF thirty thousand men, notwith-
standing the fact that congress last winter
y directed the reduction Of the force to twenty
l. five thousand He evidently considered the
reduction az temporary, while the committee
v consider it AZ permanent, and have hXeu thc
, appropriation for next year on that basis. The
present number Of tho force is twenty-seven
~. l,Lo 10 nurnhar If pnIiHtp1 men
>, soon to be discharged will bring the number
"a down to twenty-five thousand, as directed last
" session,
The supreme court OF the United
A States has lust rendered decision in which
"a for the first time the question Of the power OF
ID the confederate government to make Valu
tv contract has boen adjudcated. The plalntil
IA had knowingly purchased cotton Of an agent
". of the Confederate States. The cotton ""r
IT, subsequently seized by the United States ano
es their proceeds covered into the treasury
id plaiutih brought suit in the court Of claims tC
no recover. This court rejected the claim, Inc
by supreme court afirms this decieion of Tho
cr court of claims n two grounds l. Because
nd tho purchase of the cotton and tho paymen
nd of the consideration necessarily tendedt to B'V
tx aid to the rebellion and that llsuch contract
ief are void az contrary to public policy. I'M
rd was concurred in by the whole court 3 BE
all cause the so-callod government OF the Cohiou
th. crate States had no existence except as con
md anjracy TO overthrow lawful authority. |
At support of this second position Of the conr
The the chief Justice and six associate justice
ing concur. Two-Mr. Justice Clifford and NJ
ent Justice Dayis-dlssent on the Brouho Vl'a'
announcement was not necessary to the decI
,ed ion of this case.
The The postollice department. has r.
ON. ceived the final proofs OF tho newspap
The stamps, to be used under the provision OF Il
10 new law respecting the postage on newspape
nity and periodicals The dosign prepared by
MIS- Assistant pestmaster-gencral Barbour, III
: of executed by tho Continental Bank Note COZ
ted, pany, of New York, are perfectly satlstacIo'
lere and orders we're sent to-day to the Contlneh
ties company to commence printing. A sh
ID a time ago circulars were sent to all tho po
der master. likely to require this class OF STAN
only to make ont their acquisitions, limiting vi
ct of estimate to one months supply. Inc ori
, at are now beginning to come in The dep'
[eas- ment is Of the opinion, Judging from
ture amount of orders 30 far received, Una.
IS of value of stamps required for the month
the January will not fall far short OF nan
r y. lion dollars. This, it is thought, will hoSoN
red, exceed the average monthly demand. 1t
bree estimated that the aggregate value OF stan
lives received for the year will not exceed 92,o'
"a of 600. One months actual weight OF the no
,ions paper and periodical mail at tho New
, i'm postofrce shows a daily average OF nearly
p in tons Taking this in connection with inc
tod proxiration of business at other Offices,
tbe indicated by the poslmasters' orders
,,oti. gtamps. and the above estimate Is roacI
adm The increased business will yield to the
psrtment Il revenue OF about half mil
annually. The statement that the malls
be used for great distances, and the exp
TO points near by, to tho loss Of the gov
this ment and the department, is not con5Id'
,ising well grounded No loss Of revenue ls an
thur pated from this source.