The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-03-06
FROM WASHINGTON.
Indian ApprOpriatiOns-New Bounty Act
Combinations and Appointments.

Indian ApprOpriatiOns-Nev Bounty Ac
Combinations and Appointments.
Secretary Richardson reports to the
senate, in response to their inquiry
that it will take four years to have sill
yer enough coined by the mints to re.
place the fractional currency.
The house committee ON appropria-
tions has completed the Indian appro-
priation bill. 1t appropriates five
million dollars, being a reduction from
the estimates of $1,500,O00.
The joint committee on library
have decided it is not expedient to rec.
ommend the purchase, this season, of
the Catlin collection of paintings and
implements of North American Indi-
ans. The price asked is said to be
about 100000 ~
The senate committe on finances have
agreed to report faverably on bill for
the relief of the United States treasur-
er, Hillhouse, of New York city, making
good the defalcation of johnson, the
clerk in charge of the stamp depart
ment, amounting to $4,000.
The president has approved the act au-
thorizing the secretary of war to ascer-
tain the amount of expenses incurred by
the territorial authorities of Dacotah
for arms, equipments. military stores,
supplies and all other expenses of the
volunteer forces of the Indian war of
1862.
The subcommittee of the house COM
mittee on Indian affairs to whom the
subject was referred recently, have
agreed to recommend that all claims for
Indian depredations be turned over for
adjudication and settlement by the
United States courts for the respective
districts wherein such depredations
have been committed.
The appropriation committee will
propose an amendment to the postal
laws, SO as to provide that after June
30, s1874, the conveyance in the mails of
samples of merchandise, packages of
clothing, seeds, cuttings, roots, scions,
samples of metals, ores, and mineral
shall cease, and all laws authorizing
such conveyances shall be repealed.
Strong efforts are making to have the
secretary of the treasury reconsider his
decision, that pilots and engineers of
steamboats,, employed upon the great
lakes, must be citizens of the United
States. The plea is there is not suffi-
| cheney of these officers in the United
States to answer the requirements of
business in that section. It is not prob
able any change will be made in the
decision.
The treasury department has prepared
for transmission to the house of repre-
sentatives the specific sums necessary
to supply deficiencies in appropriations
for the year ending June 30, 1874, and
prior years. They are as follows For
department of state, $19, 1907; treasury
department, 1886, 673; war department,
81 246, 600; department of interior,
$S8, ,465 department of justice, $780,
go; judicial department, 50, ,944; total,
$2,312, ,839.
The senate appropriation committee
will propose the abolition of the postal
car system on railroads, and the repeal
of the clause providing for the free de-
livery of letters, the latter on the
ground that large sums are thus spent
for the benefit of residents in few
cities, which the people at large are taxed
to pay for. 1t estimated that such
changes would we'll nigh cover the
100000 estimated as the deficiencies
of the postal department for the ensu-
ing year.
The senate has confirmed John W.
jenkins, of Virginia, to be secretary of
Colorado, and Tom. B. Searight, of
Pennsylvania, to be surveyor general
Edwin McCook, to be governor of Colo |
President has nominated William A. |
Simmons to be collector of the port of |
Boston, vice Thomas Russell, who is to |
be minister to Venezuela. The senate |
has, to this time, failed to confirm Gen. |
Van Buren (of Vienna fame) as con-
sui to KaEagawa.
The senate committee on public |
Lands agree to recommend the passage
of bill extending until December !,
1876, the time for the completion of the |
Wisconsin Central railroad. The law
now requi es its completion by next |
May under penalty of forfeiture of its
large land grant. The committee also |
took action on house bill amendatory
of the act to encourage the growth of |
timber on the western prairies and will |
report amendments limiting the amount |
of land that may be thus required by
homestead settlers, in addition to the
160 acres of homestead, to 40 planted
with trees contiguous to said home
stead.
The bill introduced in the house by
Mr.. Wood, of New York, to regulate
the service of the collection of customs
at the various ports of entry of the
United States, provides for the total
abolition of the moiety system, and
that all fines, penalties, and forfeitures
shall go into the public treasury. That
officers of the customs service shall
hold office for stated period and not
be subject to removal, except for cause;
also, that for false valuation, any pack
age undervalued shall be forfeited, and
not the whole parcel, and that the
seizure of books and papers shall not
be made, except upon the order of
United States courts and upon proof
Mr.. Woods bill to regulate the collec-
ton of duties on imported still-wines,
makes a specific instead of an ad UaJOy-
EN- duty of fifty cents per gallon in
casks, and one dollar and fifty cents per
case of one dozen bottles. 1t substi-
tutes this spec fic instead of ad U0LOr-
EN- duties for all wines. Both bills
were referred to the committee On ways
and means.
The house committee on the Judi
ciary report that as all other property
of property of persons engaged
in the late rebellion have by general
acts of amnesty and the laws of the /
United States been exempted from con-
fscation there can he no reason for now
on the statute-book such acts
and parts af acts as were very properly
enacted to prevent aid and comfort to
the enemies of the United States dur
ing the war, which by their impedi-
ments to creditors of the q Iited States
in receiving their just dues amounts to
confscation thereof, and also such acts
to the same effect as were passed to
hinder and prevent disloyal persons,
whose disabilities had not then been
removed because of their participation
in rebellion, from making any claim
against the government for debts due
and claims not arising out of the rebel
lion, prior thereto, should also be re-
pealed. The committee, therefore, re-
port bill repeating the Joint resolu-
ton of March 2, 1867, prohibiting the
of debts due by the United
States before the war, unless loyalty is
proven, and repeating the oath.
By a full vote of the judiciary
bill has been presented to
the house providing that whoever, beiFg