The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-05


a comparison which he made OF our times, com
merclaly, With those OF Henry VIII, which he
characterized as barbarous. 30 far the punish
ment Tor debt was concerned At the close OF the
debate Senator 0gIesby made q strong appeal for
MS Amendment and calling the yeas and nays on
the vote It was lost. and the Senate adjourned.
Buncombe in the House Over tho Army
Appropriation Biil-A Lively PersonaI
Skirmish.
the Army Appropriation bill came up again in
the House to-day. Though great amount OF
mere buncombe discussion was INDUCED in, very
fair progress was made upon 1t. SO far In the
interest OF economy, not single proposition in
opposition to the committees report has been
ehgraited upon IT, In the debate of
yesterday the most exciting feature was the per
sonai tilt between Wheeler (who has charge OF the
DID ana Hawey, OF Connecticut. The exciting
event OF to-day was the extremely bitter exchange
OF compliments between HOar and Holman. 1IOl-
man onered an amendment to the BIN restricting
the government from paying for the passage or
ohited states troops over any railroad that had
received grants OF lands from the United States
government This amendment was simply relt-
Grafton or an act passed in the Thirty-secOnd Con-
gress and which had become a dead letter. but 1t
seems to have reused the ire OF noar, and hence
the n9ht. The resolution, after some slight amend
ment was passed
The White Elephant Alaska Troubling
the Congregational Canscience-Project
for Founding in the Arctic Peninsula
Penal Colony.
The present Congress WILL in all probability, do
something with the white elephant Alaska, pur-
chased by Secretary Seward in an after-dinner I'M
pulse ana sanctioned by Congress simply from
desire not to OFFEND our good friend the Emperor
OF RUSSIA. Dissatisfaction is being expressed in
many quarters at the manifest absurdity Of the
present state OF affairs that Territory 1t Is al
legged that II the country is worth holding it ought
In some manner to have civil government ex
tending over 1t. AS IL stands now, private COM
pany OF fur traders the absolute mOnarchs over
the natives and whatever other residents there
may be. There is no other law but the will or the
whlms or the agents OF TINS fur company, and Of
course where there is no restraint on those in
charge there must be at times great outrages
committed. As things are at present it appears
as If 100000 had been paid from the public
treasury to give principality to few fur traders
out or which they could make for tunes. IL will be
proposed either TO organize 1t as q Territory, and
70 give to 1t the full number Of federal officers, or
TO attach 1t to Washington Territory as county
thereof making it separate judicial district, add
ing another federal judge to Washington Territory
for that purpose, OR else erecting it, proposed
IN the California Legislature, into penal colony
Tor convicts sentenced to long terms Of mprison-
ment. This last plan seems to meet with some
favor. Unless the reports Of the discovery Of gold
should prove true the Territory will never attract
immigration. 1t is thought therefore that the only
way TO put it to any practical use is to make it q
place for the confinement of criminals. especially
those of the Pacific Coast, VINO could be conveyed
there at out small expense.
General Cushing and the Spanish
mission.
Caleb Gushing, Minister to Spain, will leave here
on Monday or Tuesday next Tor Newburyport
Mass. The friends OF Mr.. Gushing at Newbury-
port have addressed letter extending to him the
honor OF public dinner. Mr.. Cushing will not
determine upon the day until after his arrival at
Newburyport, where he expects TO spend week
with his old friends. Then, after visiting Boston
and Providence, he will return to New York. where
mined upon the time OF his departure, as he anti
cipates no difficulty IN securing suitable accom-
modations Tor passage across the Atlantic at this
season.
Further Abuses OF the "increascd Re-
sponsibility' Fund. Discovered by
the Committee on Appropriations.
The House Committee on Appropriations this
morning heard the Chief OF the Warrant and APP
pontment bureausin reference to the distribution
Of money appropriated by Congress for the grant.
ing Of extra compensation clerks holding posi-
tons OF unusual responsibility. The committee,
as stated in these dispatches some weeks ago.
discovered that this fund, instead of being applied
to the purposes contemplated In the BILL was
divided up among few favorIte clerks ut the
head Of illegal bureaus in the office OF the
Secretary OF the Treasury and instituted
for their accommodation. All these bu-
reaus are entertainments upon the duties of
branches OF the Treasury Department regularly
established by law. The sum OF money thus APP
propriated was originally urged from Congress by
the then Secretary OF the Treasury, Mr.. Boutwell,,
who led the committees to believe that 1t was
actually designed for the better compensation OF
clerks OF especial skill and peculiar merit and eX
perence. Last year the abuse Of this fund was
called to the attention OF Congress and it was
stricken out, but was subsequently restored the
urgent solicitation OF Mr.. Boutwell, The examna-
ton before the committee to-day not only verified
all the charges OF misappcation OF this fund, but
that it went in majority OF instances to clerks
filling very unimpOrtant positions anu of no re.
spOnsibty whatever. Secretary Richardson, it Is
said will recommend no further appropriations for
the compensation Of this Kind OF increased respOn-
siDlllty.