The Portland daily press., 1874-02-16
WASHINGTON.
Chin Musie.

|
Chin Musie.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 14-In the House to-
aaI speeches were made by Mr.. Bell OF Ca,
on the Atlantic AID Great Western Canal; by
Mr.. Small of New Hampshire, on finance: by
| Mr.. Clements of ILL.,, on Western interests: Nv
Mr.. Fort of ILL.,, on finance Adjourned at I. 20
p. m.
A Working Committee.
The House Committee on Appropriations had
a protracted session to-day, working on the leg
islative appropriation bill, which they hope to
mature in time to report on Monday.
investigation.
The heads Of the bureaus of the district gov
ernment are preparing data for the Governor
to respond to the inquiries of the investigating
committee respecting District affairs.
Searching Out.
The Committee on Expenditures in the De-
partment OF Justice adopted a resolution di-
rectlng the Chairman to ask the House on
MONDAY next for authority to send for persons
and papers to administer oaths and to employ
clerk Tor the purpose of enabling the Commit
esod zee 70 M MdnorouRh;y discharge the duties About
S2OO,OOO have been spent in mashaps fees in
Arkansas and the same amount in Southern
New York and South Carolina ach. 1t is only
py the means proposed. that all the facts can
be ascertained
The Test or Iron-Clad Oath.
Gen. Butler and Judge White of Alabama,
having been appointed subcommittee on bills
heretofore introduced in the House and refer
red to the Committee on Judiciary, to abolish
the test or iron-clad oath in all cases where it
is not required by law, have prepared a long re-
port upon the subject in favor of abolition.
which they will this week submit to the full
committee. There seems to be no doubt but
that the majority of the House are in favor of
re'lef as they are disposed to restore better feel
ing or remove as far as they can all traces of
dlscontent growing out of the late war.
Treasury Balances.
The following are the Treasury balances to-
day;CCurrency, $4, ,124, 1877; special deposit of
legal tenders for redemption of certificates of
deposit $49, 900; coin, $50, ,6S9 404 including
coin certificates $A, $50, 700; outstanding legal
tenders, 1881, ,S23.6S7.
varions Matters.
The Military Committee of the House held a
special meeting to-day to afford Paymaster
Gen. Afford, Judge Advocate Holt, and Com
missary Gen. Eaton an opportunity to give their
views on the subject of reduction of the
army. Each gave detailed history of services
incident to their departments and generally
opposed any reduction.
Among the incidents today a the Executive
Mansion, was the visit of Sunday School teach
ers and their pupils.
Senator Hitchcock, Governor Furuas. A. s.
upon the Secretary of War and Gen. Sherman
to-day for the purpose of getting arms for the
people of that State, in anticipation of gener-
al Indian outbreak. The request, owing to the
existing laws, was denied.
The Senate Committee on Claims held
meeting to consider the claims of alleged loyal
citizens for property used, damaged or destroy
ed by the Union armies in the late war. They
have not yet taken up the abstract question as
to the liability of the government for property
appropriated under similar circumstances, nor
will they so.
The Secretary of the Navy to-day, appointed
DR.. John Sage of Bucksport, Me-, Acting As
sistant Surgeon in the navy.
A telegram from Jackson, Miss, SAYS the
resolution requiring Senator Alcorn 20 resign
was voted down in the Senate to day. 67 to "a.
A caucus of members of the House, repre-
senting q States, held at the Capitol tonight,
to consider Representative Luttrells bill, intro
duced early in the session, to amend the inter-
nal revenue laws so as to remove restraints on
wine aud other fruit growers, in order to distil
their fruit into brandy.
No Increased Taxation.
NEW YORK, Feb. 15.-Washington specials
say that the Secretary of the Treasury, Com
missioner Of Internal Revenue, and every mem
Der of the Committee of Ways and Means and
Finance Committee, now assert their positive
belief that there will be no increased taxation
on whiskey and tobacco, and no duty placed on
tea and coffee.
jority in the Senate, but the vote is too close to
admit of any prediction.
The Union Pacific Case. r7
An important Washington letter gives
clear and almost authoritative explanation of
the suit recently brought by the United States
in the Union Pacific Railroad case at Hart
ford, and now about to be carried on appeal to
the Supreme Court of the United States. A
very important principle is involved in it, and
the decision may affect the interest of great
many otner land-grant roads which have been
managed upon substantially the same principle.
The position of the government is that the
United States advanced means to the company
to build the road under certain conditions, and
for the public benefit, and to secure the repay
ment of the loan at maturity the government
took a lien upon the property.
1t now appears that the conditions of the
grant have not been fulfilled, and that the d
rectors of the road or governing ring of them,
the resources which Congress set apart
endowment for the corporation and a capital
for les future business; in other words, they
have unlawfully de preciated the value of the
security pledged to the United States, and the
government is eStitled to interfere for the pro-
lection of its own interests.
The equity of the case is very clear and will
doubtless prove, after full argument before the
Supreme Court, that the prosecution can be
sustained, and the law affords a complete rem
edy for the undertake. wrong. If this hope
should be realized there are many other rail-
way corporations into whose affairs it may be
thei duty OF Congress to exercise an incon-
venient scrutiny. All the roads which have
received aid in the form of public lands have
pledged themselves to use that aid for certain
purposes and under certain conditions, and it is
doubtful whether in any case the pledge has
been faithfully observed.