The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-02
FROM WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, March 29.-Fifty members
Of the House have signitied their desire to
speak on the bill now pending iIf that body
| from the Banking and Currency Committee.
The prospects are that by Wednesday vote
| will be reached. 1t is understood that the
bill will be open to amendments, and a pro-
tracted fight may be looked for.
A careful review of the ground and calcu-
lation Of the chances indicate that, beyond a
doubt, the financial legislation Of this SEES
sion will comprise the legalizing of the issue
ofthe reserve, and the enactment of free
banking law.
The contractiOnists, as those who favor
the proposition to retire that part of the re-
serve already issued are termed, do not seem
to have remaining the slightest hope of
checking the wild impulse for more money
that has fast hold Oh IA majority of both
Houses. A compromise in the shape of an
appropriation giving to the West and South
fOrty-four millions more of national bank
currency, besides legaliZing the issue of the
reserve. is feebly talked of, but is vigorously
secuted by the intatIonists, who are not
happy when contemplating any limit what
ever to the currency of the country. Eighty
eight millions additional currency, which
would be authorized if the compromise
should he adopted, would only whet the APP
petite of the people for MORE they say, and
nothing will answer the demand but unlim-
tied facilities for the issue of paper money.
The main part of the work on financial
legislation will doubtless be done this week,
and there is hope that by the end of the
next fortnight the country will know the
worst.
LIST OF INVESTIGATIONS IN PROGRESS.
There is an unusual amouat of investiga-
CATION in progress here this winter, which
y,-il hox tba atfa t.,, nj,
straining influence where it will do most good
hereafter upon officials who have grown eX-
travagant and careless, to use no stronger
terms. by long interval free from embarras-
sing inquisitions on the part of the people
as to the conduct of affairs. No fawer than
twelve different Investigations have been
put under way since the beginning of the
session. besides those which have been made
by the regular committees on expenditures
in the various departments, and there is q
fair prospect that more will be undertaken
before the session closes.
A joint select committee are engaged in
Investigating charges against the officials of
the District Government. The House Com
mittee on Expenditures in the Department
of Justice are investigating alleged frauds
committed by West Arkansas Judicial Dis
trict officials, and they will probably push
their inquiries into the districts of South
Carolina, North Carolina, Iowa, Southern
Illinois and Dakota. A military court is
the charges against General
Howard. The House Indian Affairs Com
mttse have but just begun an investigation
into the alleged frauds In Indian contracts.
They do not seem to have progressed much,
bnt as they sit with closed doors, the public
have hut little oppor: unity of knowing
what is developed.
vestigating the outrages committed under
the moieties system IN the customs service,
and the Sanborn contracts in the Internal
Revenue service; and the revelations that
have been made in these matters are proba-
bly, not Il tlthe of that which remains to be
told. The Joint Printing Committee are in
vestigating cha gcs made against the Con
g-essonal printing office, and also inquiring
as to the advisability of the abolition of that
institution. They also conduct their pro-
ceetlings in complete secrecy. The House
Post Office Committee are looking into the |
matter of the payment of moieties to post
office special agents in cases where arrests
Of postmasters have been made and
fines assessed for minor offenses. This
comes up under bill introduced by Gen
Aral Banning, of Ohio, and will, it is alleged,
result in some developments that will as
tonish the people more than they will Cres- |
well. subcommittee of the House Judi !
ciary Committee are, and have been, inves-
tigating the charges against Judges Busteed
and Durell. and Will, it is thought, submit
articles of Impeachment against each of
these individuals at an early day. The
First National Bank investigation, and one
HAT is in contemplation into the Freedmen's
Savings Bank complete the list.
These Investigations have, with but two
., -.
and the Howard Court of Inquiry, been or
Tered with a degree of unanimity that is in
lcativc Of the fact that the present Congress
IS not disposed to cover up rongdoing in
any quarter Cincinnaf Conn, March 30.
The sANBoRN CONTRACTS.
WASHINGTON, March 2G.-Thc witnesses
before the Ways and Means Committee in
he Sanborn inquiry to-day We're VIM. a.
Collector OF the Port of Boston,
md McssrS Prcsberry and Greene. The re-
suits of the investigation thus far show, it
INST be conceded, that there are large
of money, amounting to millions
If dollars, due the Government from corpo-
'ations of which the regular Government
,tlicers have little information, and that the
necessary to collect these sums
s alone in the possession of SaDborn and
us associates. The following is an outline
If TIE testimony to-day:
Simmons knew nothing Of the Sanborn
contracts until long after the bill was pass
q. Sanborn applied to him for assistance.
This was refused unless Simmons should be
,rdered by his superiors to render the as
istance. 1t happened that Judge Richard
on. then Assistant Secretary of the Treasu-
" was at that time in Boston, and Simmons
lppled to him for Instructions which were
,erbally given, to the effect that the San
,orn contracts did not concern him (Sim
nons) as a Supervisor, but that he should
ssist Sanborn. Subsequently, in Washing
on Simmons received more explicit verbal
Instructions from Mr.. Richardson, which
we're Of somewhat broader character than
hose contained in the two letters from Sec
etariss Richardson and Boutwell,.
Under these last verbal instructions from
ir. Richardson, Simmons seems to have
hietly acted, rather than under the letters.
The crosse examination brought out the fact
bat at this interview, as Simmons put it,
- y. 49,