New-York tribune., 1874-03-30
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA TAXPAYERS' GRlEN
ANCES.

CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA TAXPAYERS GRIEV-
ANCES.
WASHINGTON March %, 1874
The memorial of the South Carolina delegation
will be offered in the House tomorrow by Mr.
Dawes The delegation, as q body, while clearly
setting forth IN their memorial the nature of the
grievances under which the propery-holders of the
State labor do not suggest remedy, and prefer to
leave to Congress the task of determining what
remedial measure if any, can be adopted. Individual
members of the delegation, however, say that they
make their appeal to Congress the ground that
no real republican government exists IN South
Carolina because the rights OF the prop
erty-holders are not respected, and they
have no means of asserting them; and
that the power to interfere for their protection ex-
lists under the guarantee clause in the Constitution.
As Congress in recOnsructing the State, dictated
to il constitution that necessarily puts the proper
ty-holders under the control of the ignorant negro
majority who pay no taxes, it is claimed that now
that the injurious working of this form OF govern
ment has been fully demonstrated, Congress can
nropery interfere to remedy the evil by amending
the Reconstruction act under which the state
was readmi:ted after the war. The most ef-
fective remedy suggested is, to have the state
Senate elected by voters having property guallii-
cation Another plan, less certain 10 accomplish tine
desired result is the enactment of system OF oumu-
lative voting. which would give the white minority
a representation in the Legislature OF influential
men who would be able to prevent the majority
from perpetrating the most glarlng frauds upon the
taxpayers Ii is scarcely hoped by the delegation
that Congress be persuaded to take so novel q
step as to reorganze the government OF the State IN
accordance with this or any other plan, but II no
such results come from Their visit TO WashIington'
they think some good will he accomplished 10y en-
tightening the public to the condition OF affairs III
their State.
THE FARRAGUT PRIZE MONEY.
The Secretary of the Navy on Saturday sent an
order 70 the Fourth Auditor of the Treasury requr-
ing that officer to pay the amounts OF prize and
bounty money due for the capture of New-Orleans
and the destruction of the enemys ships. The total
amount of prize money proper is S53OOO, and S2OOooo
additional bounty for the destruction of the Rebel
vessels. The number of United States ships OF war
that took part in these engagements is Al and the
number of officers and men who will share In the
nrize awards is between $500 and 1900. OF the
entire amount of the award the Farragut estate will
receive one-twenteth, about $4,000. One OF the
causes of the delay in this distribution was the
consideration of the question as to what
share the division commanders should have.
There were three divisions in the fleets commanded
| respectiveIy by Admras Bailey and Porter and
Fleet CAPTAIN Bell eaoh of whom Will be entitled TO
| onefftieth of the award division commanders.
All the other officers of the fleet will receive shares
i'm nroportiop to their respective rates OF pay. The
Secretary of the Navy has endeavored to include the
names of all persons in his lists who were borne on
| the ships books who were actually aboard the
ships doing duty under competent orders during the
engagements preceding and at the time of the occu-
nation of New Orleans by the United States forces.
The lists include wounded sailors and detachments
| from other ships and are thought to be absolutely
correct Ii will require from SIX weeks to two
months for the Fourth Auditor to complete the eler-
ical lists for this distribution
TIE DISTRIBUTION OF THE GENEVA AWARD.
The House Judiciary Committee, at its meeting
Yesterday did not perfect its bill providing for the
| distribution of the Geneva Award Fund, but 1T did
vote on the leading features of 1T and from these
votes An idea of what the bill will be, may be OBJ
taned The first vote was to exclude In the distri-
bution of the fund the insurance companies. These
| are supposed to have been fully compensated for
their losses by their increased charges. The second
| vote was that the owners of vessels and cargoes
cantured should receive equal TO the excess of
their loss over the amount of insurance received
THE third vote was that persons who paid for war
r;ets in nsurinR their vessels and cargOeS, shall re-
ceive an amount eana to the difference between the
| nreminms actually paid and the premiums that
would have been paid under ordinary circumstances
| WASHINGTON NOTES.
| wAsmSGTos. March 20. 1874.
| n majority OF the House Judiciary Committee agreed