New-York tribune., 1874-03-25


before the Federal Circuit Judge and got superyi-
appointed for these former precincts under the
Enforcement act. The Democrats knew nothing OF
all this. On election day, the Republican managers
got into buggies with their new-made Supervisors,
drove out to the country. assembled the
negroes, who, they allege, were aira'd
to go into the city, and held elections in the
high roads, returning to Savannah ut
night with the ballot-boxes. The canvassers re-
fused to count these returns, but the House Elec-
tions Committee admitted them, and thus made out
a majority for Sloan, the Republican candidate.
Unquestionably, the establishment of but single
poll for the whole county intended to disfran-
chise the plantation negroes. and while it appears
plain that the Democratic candidate was elected by
q majority of the votes cast at the legal voting
places of the district it is equally evident that he
would have been defeated had the blacks been
| afforded fair opportunity of voting. One of the
contestants therefore, had law upon his side and
the other equity. The vote of the House settled no
principle, but only showed that the Republicans
were all for their man, and the Democrats for theirs
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
WARRINGTON, Tuesday, March a. 1874.
The House Committee on Appropriations to-day
agreed to insert item of $4,000 In the Deficiency
Appropriation bill, to be used under the direction
of Prof Baird in carrying on the work OF food-fsh
propagation. The money is needed this Spring tor
the particular purpose of Matching shad. The Com
mttee also had under consideration the estimates OF
the Interior Department for appropriations needed
to supply deficiencies in the amounts appropriated
last year for the Indian service in Arizona and
New-Mexico. These appropriations were made
for the designated purpose of feeding such
Apache Indians as were then or might be
thereafter collected on the reservations Owing to
the vigorous operations OF Gen. Crooke, much
greater number of savages were peaceably or 1orc,
bly, induced to 90 upon these reservations than had
been anticipated, and hence the necessity for ex-
ceeding the appropriations for their subsistence In
view of these circumstances, and the fact that II
would have cost vastly more to fight the Apaches
than il has to feed them, the Committee are dis,
posed to grant the appropriation asked for but VIII
probably accompany it with some provision OF law
which shall declare that such action Is not hereafter
to be considered precedent authorizing the lnte-
rior Department to exceed the appropriations made
from time to time for the Indian service
THE VOTE IN THE HOUSE ON THE CURRENCY
BILL
number of members of the House found their
names recorded wrong not recorded at ALL IN the
votes on the currency initiation bill, when they came
to read The Record, the newspapers this morning
One said that he was put down in The Record as
voting Yea when he had voted Nay another that
the Associated Press had reported him wrong; and
another that he had hurried over from Philadelphia
corded in the morning papers. Half dozen others
were on their feet to make similar corrections, but
the Speaker interposed and said, with some impa-
tience that the thing had gone too far already and
that if the time of the House were allowed to be
taken up in such way, members would soon be
claiming the right question Of privilege, to cor
rect mistakes in country newspapers An unusual
number of errors appear to have been made in the
published Yea and Nay lists of votes on the Cur
rency bill, and the members are naturally sensitive
about them; but the Speaker was correct IN decid-
ing that they had no right to bring such grievances
before the House.
THE HOWARD COURT OF INQUIRY.
The Howard Court of Inquiry to-day continued
the hearing of Gen. Balloch, the witness for the
prosecution. The testimony principally related to
the method Of paying bounties to the colored sol
ders. The witness testified that no very general
rules had been adopted for this purpose, as each case
received specific instructions. Gen. Howard super
vised his action either by personal examination or
by an inspection of his books at the end of each
month. Instead of approving all vouchers
paid by Gen. Bsloch ariatm, Gen. Howard,
ON account of the los OF his right
arm got permission from the Second Controller to
approve abstracts of the vouchers PAID, when re-
cited and described the vouchers and accompanied
vouchers sent to him receipted by the claimants
before sending the money to the subagents to make
the payments, and in some Instances payments were
not made because of not finding the claimants. The
examination of Gen. Balloch will be continued to-
morrow.
THE GENEVA AWARD QUESTION.
The Judiciary Committee had up for consideration
to-day the subject of the distribution of the Geneva
award and a vote was taken the question of re-
iecting the claims of insurance companies The
vote was Eve to three, and that class of claims was
not rejected On the propositions to refer the claims
to a commission, as proposed by Mr.. Butler, or
TO court, as provided in Mr.. Polands
bill the vote was q tieA to 4-three members OF
the Committee being absent The proposition that
the money received from England should not re-
main in the Treasury, but should be distributed
according to equity, was carried by To ]. ms
leaves the matter exactly where ii was so far as u
decision is concerned
THE TRANSPORTATION BILL.
There is at last prospect a speedy termination
of the TED ous debate of the Transportation bill Mr.
McCrary gave notice to-day that he would call the
previous question at o'clock tomorrow, if all the
time until that hour given up TO the discussion,
including an evening session tonight. This arrange
ment AZ made. The question of amendments was
broached and Mr.. McCrary offered to allow a vote on
the substitute of Mr. Smith of Ohio, but when OBJ
iections were made and he appealed to TO throw
the bill open to general amendment he declared his
discrimination to ask vote on the bill as 1t was re-
ported admitting amendments unless the House
should vote down the previous question
WASHINGTON NOTES.
wAsHIsGIos. Tuesday. March "a, 1874
A question has arisen 10 the classification Of the
nhad and n w