The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-04-18
WASHINGTON.
The New York Committee and the Presi-
dent.

WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE aut-infation
committee from New York, headed by A. A.
How and s. B. Chittenden, called upon the
President this morning and presented the Pc
him to veto the Senate finance bill CYRUS W.
Field presented the petition.
A. A. Low, then addressing the President
for the committee, said that the petition was
signed by $500 of their fellow citizens By me-
mortal and by petitions, by public meetings
and by all means in their power, they have en-
deavored to impress upon Senators and Repre-
sentatives the Importance of sacredly respect
ing the promises and pledges which have been
given before the eyes OF the whole civilized
world; but all their efforts have been in vain,
and now, as the last act of duty to themselves
and to those whom they represent, in the in
diligence of the only hope that remains to
them, they make their appeal to the President,
and we are permitted to say that they make
this appeal with the greater confidence be-
cause it has been encouraged by the language
of your repeated messages to Congress, and be-
cause as they believe the solemn pledge to
which they would more particularly refer was
the first act of Congress which received your
signature as President of the United States
Your petitioners do not appear before you as
merchants, as fnancers, as political econo-
mists, but as citizens of the United States, ask
ing only that The honor of the nation which
was so nobly faved by the armies of tine Union
under your distinguished lead, may not be lost
VI lupGClllcu ny uuWIst icSlSldblOu ItCttVc buc
sanction of your high Office
S. B. Chittenden then addressed the Presi
dent He said that the truth is becoming
palmer and palmer every day that the country
is frightfully demoralzed. We need an ex-
ample of firm and stern fidelity from the exec
utive; we want something to recall the virtues
of Washington and Lincoln, something to en-
force their teachings and warnings. The poor
more than the rich, the honest of all parties
but most especially the honest mass of the
great Republican party, look to you, their
chief and leader.
The President in reply said that he had
watched the progress of the bill through Con-
gress with more interest than he had any
other measure before that body since he had
been President. He had at all times been en-
tirely free in the expression of his views, and
was always opposed to expansion without re-
demption, and in favor of free banking, accom-
panied with such legislation as would carry out
the pledges of Congress and the party in the di-
rection of resumption of specie payments
but he had too look at this matter a little diff
ferent from the views of this committee. They
showed very well what they want and may i'm
agine, as he might were he a citizen of New
York, that the whole country want what they
do. The chairman of similar COMMITTEES from
Boston called on him yesterday. If he ever
could be in fav of initiation it would be from
the effects of such arguments as that gentle
man advanced against it, but that position was
unlike the one of this committee from New
York. The gentlemen from Boston, in behalf
of those whom he represented, started out wit h
a condemnation of what he (the President ha d.
always believed to be right speaking as it he
were wrong They opposed the purchase of
United States bonds with surplus from the
United States Treasury, and if he had acted as
the Boston committee wanted him to do, he
would have kept such surplus in the Treasury
until there was not greenback in circulation
These bonds were purchased at his own direc-
ton. Another argument was used in the Bos
ton memorial that the issue of greenbacks was
of doubtful legality and was to be deplored
1t has been sustained by a bare majority of one
in the Supreme Court and was par measure.
In conclusion, the President repeated that his
views on this question were already known as
against initiation and as opposed to breaking
away from the redemption of pledges
The members of the committee were then in
troduced to the President and the interview
Treasury Balances.
The following are the Treasury balances to-
day:~Currency, 50, 557, $780, special deposit of
legal tenders for redemption of certificates of
deposit S54, 49,, 900; coin, $522, 314, including
coin certificates 1874 ,901 400; outstanding legal
tenders, $685., 100000.
Internal revenue receipts to-day $258, 080.
Cabinet Meetina.
The Cabinet was a longer time in session
than for several months past All the mem
berS were present.
1t was stated that reports had reached here
that Baxter of Ark. had seized the telegraph
line to prevent the Brooks party using it and
accordingly instructions have been issued by
the War Department to an officer at DuvalPs
Bluff to proceed to Little Rock and investigate
the matter and see that kilograms to or from
the general government shall not intercepted.
The President related to the Cabinet the par
ticulars of the interview to-day between him
self and the New York committee.
In this connection the Senate finance bill
was discussed, the President explaining
his views at length, but what they were can
not be ascertained, as cabinet members de-
clined to converse on the subject. 1t is the
belief generally that the President will approve
the bill.
The Two Governors.
Postmaster General Creswell in response to a
telegram of the Postmaster at 'Little Rock re-
ceived to-day instructed him as follows: Letters
addressed to Gov. Baxter or to Baxter, Cover
nor of Arkansas, should be delivered to Bax-
ter Letters addressed to Gov. Brooks or to
Brooks, Gov. of Ark, should be delivered to
Brooks. You will retain all communications
to the Gov. of Arkansas until further orders. ~
Various Matters.
The President to-day nominated Frank E.
Frye of Me-, as Consul at Ornoa, Honduras.
The Cor mittee on the District of Columbia
! investigation examined Mr.. Chittenden yester-
| day.