New-York tribune., 1874-12-16
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
USELESS FORMALITY ON THE JOURNAL
OF THE SENATE.

| OF 1HE SENAIE
| WASHINGTON, Tuesday, Dec. l5, 1874
By the rules of the Senate, notice has 10 be gwen
at least one day in advance for the introduction of
| any bill This notice is, by unanimous consent,
almost universally dispensed WITH and the entry ON
the Senate Journal is in accordance with the follow
| ing formula: Mr. Blank asked, and by unanimous
| consent obtained leave to bring in a bill to, &C."
| Senator Morton, by q resolution which he sub
mitted in the Senate to-day, proposes that
! the Committee on Rules be instructed to
| inquire into the expedency of aboishing the
useless fOrmalty explained above Senator Ed
munds did not think that it was useless
| formality. He remembered one occasion when Nc
| Creery had asked leave to introduce bill to re-
move the bones of the soldiers from Arlington
| Cemetery, and failed to obtain it,. The incident
referred to occurred at the close of the XLIst Con-
| gress, and caused a considerable sensation in the
| Senate. Senator Morton explained that he did not
desire to change the rule but to remove the neces
sity of the repetitions In the Journal After the
words useless lntOrmaIlty had been stricken out
the resolution was adopted.
HOW OBJECTS FOR APPROPRIATIONS GROW UP.
The House went industriously to work to-day on
the Legislative Executive, and Judicial Appropria-
ton BILL and made very satisfactory progress with
it, A few slight amendments, involving no i'm
portant principle and very small sums Of money
were agreed to in Committee of the Whole. In the
course of the discussion Mr. Garfield called atten-
ton to the manner in which objects for apprOpria
ton grow mp. About the year 1916 Admiral Wilkes
returned from an exploring expedition, and soon
after Commodore Perry completed q similar
Each brought collection of tropical plants, and
the Committee on the Library was instructed 10
take care of them. From that small beginning
has developed the Botanical Gardens, on
the reservation west of the Capitol
which are annually increasing in extent and
expense. During the discussion the BILL
Mr. FRYE of Maine called attention to the great dii
ference between the salaries of the employees of the
House and Senate and OF those who are little re-
moved from personal contact with members OF Con-
gTess. For instance, the Librarian of Congress-, Mr.
A. X. SpOiOrd, man of rare literary attainmeDts,
is paid only $4,000 q year, while a captain of the
Capitol police receives $4,000. Mr.. SpOforPs assist
ants many of whom ale college educated men, re-
ceive no more than man who opens door OF the
House. There is certainly room Tor reform here.
FIXING THE SALARIES OF POsTMAsTERs.
The House Committee on POst-Offices and Post
Roads to-day agreed to recommend the passage of
the bill introduced last February by Mr.. Platt of
New-York providing that from and after the first
day of next January the annual salaries of the
various Postmasters shall be as follows At New
York, $4,000; at Philadelphia, Chicago and st
Louis, $4,000 each; and at Brooklyn, Baltimore,
Cincinnati and San Francisco $4,000 each, provided
that such arrears shall be paid from the moneys re-
ceiyed at the post-offces at said cities from box
rents, sales of postage stamps. and from other
sonrces in excess of tho expenditures allowed and
made thereat for rent clerk hire. fuel lights furni
tnre stationery printing. and necessary incidental
expenses The amounts fixed by the Committee are
respectively 1000 $4,000 less than those named
in the bill as introduced.
CONFIRMATION OF P0sTMAsTER-GENERAL
JEWELL.
Postmaster General Jewell was confirmed to-day
notwithstanding the opposition of some of the Sen
ators who failed in their efforts to use him. There
have been expressions of dissatisfaction from half
dozen Senators of this class. and it was supposed
that they had influence enough to hold back actioD
ON the part of the Senate. Mr. Jewell finally made
il known that unless he was speedily confirmed he
should retire from the position. Objection was made
TODAY by one or two Senators, apI had thew not
been induced to withdraw IL tho nomination would
have had to lay over until the next Executive
session.
ADMIB.AL %ORs,fEHs CLAIM FOR PRIZE MONEY.
sdmiral Wasden was heard to-day by the House
Naval Committee in advocacy of the bill to pay him
and the officers and crew of the Monitor who par
tie;pated in the action with the Confederate IRON
clad Merrmac, such sum as shall be duly found to
have been the actual value of the Merimac and her
armament at the date of the action, tho value to be
fixed by a commission of three naval officers to be
appointed by the Secretary of the Navy, to be dis
tributed to the officers and crew attached to the
Monitor on the 9Th of March. 1862 according to the
Of the ships, 70 be in lieu OF the bounty au
horzcd by the act regulating prize proceeding. ap-
proved June, 1854.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FOR CONSOLIDATING
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DEBT.
| The bill introduced in the Senate to-day by Mr.
Conking to consolidate the debt Of the District of
Columbia, directs the Secretary of the Treasury to
issue four per cent S0-year bonds of the United
States TO the amount not exceeding $1S0OoOO0, and
exchange them within one year for the bonds and
stocks of the District of Columbia and the Cities of
Washington and Georgetown. dollar for dollar.
The total amounts of these various classes
OF securities are set forth In detail, and win reach