Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-16
WASHINGTON.
The Senate Currency Bill Ready
for the President.
No Prospect Of a Veto.

NO RrOspect OF Veto.
WASHINGTON, April 15.-The finance
bill having received the signatures of the
President pro. TEN. of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House of Representa-
tiyes, will be presented to the President
tomorrow Tor his approval. There are no
indications that he will withhold it.
New Mexico.
The House Committee on Territories to-
day agreed 10 report a bill for the admis-
sion Of New Mexico into the Union as q
State.
SanbOrnism-saWyer vs.. BanfeId.
Assistant Secretary Sawyer, of the Treas
ury Department, appeared before the Com
mittee on Ways and Means this morning,
as there seemed to be some discrepancies
between his testimony and Banfeld's.
Sawyer quoted and commented on the tes-
timony of Ban6eld; refnting the positions
of the solicitor. he said the general ten
dency and effect of the solicitors recent
statements before the committee, convey an
impression that the duties of the seheitcr,
in reference to these contracts, We're scarce
" more than clericaB that everything that
was done by the solicitor was directed from
the secretaTy's Office, and that very little
was left 10 the judgment, discretion or di
rection of the solicitor. Now if this be the
view held in the solicitors office. it differs
entirely from the view held in the secre-
tary's Office In the Office of the secretary
he had i'm no instance been so regarded, but
as a competent, sagaciOus lawyer, convers-
ant with The provisions of the law itself,
and with the relation of the secretary to it,
and able TO give advice and direction for its
administration.
Mr.. Sawyer, in response to questions,
said the compensation 10 Mr.. Sanborn and
others was too liberal, when Mr.. Niblack,
of the committee, remarked that the whole
amount of money collected under the spe-
cial or extraordinary contracts did not
compensate for the scandal which had
thereby been brought on the Government,
the character of which should not depend on
money alone.
The Vampires.
The Supervisor for the districts of Mary
land, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey
and District cf Columbia, made a state
ment showing that Messrs. Kelsey, Clark
and others had called at his office showing
the authority Of the Treasury for their col
lection of legacy and succession taxes. The
statement further showed that Mr.. Fulton
was at the time properly discharging the
functions of his office, all the cases pre-
sented by the special agents being on
record in his Office.
The District-Letters Destroyed i'm
rear Of Investigation.
Mr.. jenkins testified that the letters of
Mr.. Chittenden were destroyed in February
last. On a question by Judge MerTick's as
to the contents of said letters, witness de-
clined to answer, on the ground that there
were names of parties mentioned, who
might be innocent as Mr.. Chittenden had
informed him in Chicago; he would not
swear to the truth Of all contained in the
| letters. The committee excused Mr.. Jenk-
ins till tomorrow morning, stating they
would meanwhile consider the advisability
of examining him in private.
A Newspaper Correspondent on the
Stand.
a. II. Gibson, correspondent Of the Nelv
York sun, was called by Mr.. Harrington,
! counsel for the district. Upon being shown
| a letter in said paper, in which Mr.. Har-
mer, member of Congress from Philadei-
| phia, and other members of Congress were
charged with being interested in contracts,
| the district, he stated he got his informa-
tion from friends Of Mr.. Harmer, and de-
clined giving the names. The committee
retired for consultation.
When the doors were re opened Senat OF
| Thurman stated TO Mr.. Gibson that the
committee had instructed him to say to him
| (Gibson) that the question was proper
one to be answered. He said witness could
refuse TO answer only ON the grounds of its
| being a privileged communication. He
| then explained what was a privileged COM
municatiOn-that a member of the press
| charging the corruption of men in either
public or private life was not entitled to
| take advantage of a privileged communities
ton, else he could scatter libels broadcast
without responsibility. The direct ques-
tiOn was then put to witness, Who told you
that Harmer was interested in contracts?
To this he replied that while he was per-
fectly willing to answer the question, he
desired time to first consult his informant.
The committee granted him this privi-
lege but reminded him to be ready to an
swer at tO-mOrrow's session or by Friday al
the faTthest.
MIR. Harmer made a sworn statement
and distinctly denied he was interested in
any contract or profit of any contract in the
District Of Columbia.
GarfieId'S Influence.
c. Z. Jendins was recalled. lWitness re
membered reading letter written by Geo.
Il. Chittenden. dated May 80, 1872, to De
Golyer and Mcclellan; it commenced by
stating that Col. Parsons had arrived; tina
things are looking better; that We will ge
100000 and probably 100000 yards; tha
Gen. Garfeld's influence is working well
that is all he remembered of the letter.
Contracts Cheap for Cash.
Mr.. GOlding was sworn and testified tha
he knew J. Hopkins, who was an In
spectOr under the Board of Public Works
Net him at the Capitol one day, and h,
asked me if was doing anything. l tolI
him was not. He then asked me il
wanted a contract. He said il would re
qUire some money, but he could get th'
contract through Bassett, private secretary
of Gov. Shepherd.
Gov. shepherd as a Plumber.
| Thomas Evans testified that he is
plumber by trade; that he had been in tn,
business 40 years; that it is impossible 70
him to Get a job from the United State
Government while Gov. Shepherd was il
the same business. He stated that all tn
plumbing work done for the Government
for the last three years has been done b,
the firm of \. Shepherd & Brothers. Th
witness cited a case where he had cOntrac
with the Government. sub-let him by car