New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-09

knew all about the contracts IN their various
stages of progress through tho Treasury
Department.. Who had set these things In
motion in the Department After the Secre-
tary and Assistant Secretary had testified, IL
appeared that Mr.. Banfeld was the motive
power. But he now declares that he knew
nothing about the contracts until he received
verbal orders from the Secretary to prepare
them; that he had no hand in the prep
aration of the papers in the case
from time to time, except under similar
instructions, and that Secretary Richardson
and Assistant Secretary Sawyer gave MN oiai
and written memoranda In the business, WIFI
instructions, which it was his oiilclai duty 10
obey. This is about the substance OF Mr. BAN
fields rejoinder If there is anything LETT OIL
Secretary Richardson, it is not visible to the
unassisted vision.
In the House yesterday the Hon. s. S. Cox
with his customary vigilance, pressed an IN
ouiry into the alleged neglect of Government
officials to enforce the Eight-hour law. 1t is
specially complained that wOrkmen on the
new Post Office in this city are not employed
in conformity with the law of Congress. But
it was explained that the Government has no
control over the rules by which workmen are
employed by contractors The Attorney-Gen-
eral long since decided that the Government
could not interfere in such cases, though 1t
might regulate the hours of men employed
by its own officials. On the other hand,
according to carefully prepared paper printed
on another page of The TRIBUNE, the en-
ployers are becoming impatient with the waste
and damage which they declare the eight
hour rule has wrought upon them. They pro-
nose to set aside that rule, so far as they are
concerned, on the 4th of May. This will be
likely to bring confusion into many trades-a
result which is much to be deplored. But it
is undeniably true that business is dull in
many of these trades and that there is no
prospect of a speedy revival.
There is now at Washington delegation OF
men from South Carolina charged with the
duty of denying the charges made by the
Taxpayers Convention. That Convention
sent its representatives to Washington with a
series of distinct and credible allegations
against the management of the State finances.
The aid of Congress is sought in an attempt
to reform the Government and save the State
lJOUl utlCI bduhlupttys Inv WA P"J NA'
delegation, if we may so call them, say that
the others are Rebels u that they spell negro
with two gs, and that things are not so bad
as represented. The men who thus seek to
belittle the mission of the Taxpayers dele
CATION are led by b. F. Whittemore, carpet
Dagger who was expelled from Congress for
selling q cadetship. If anything more were
needed to fix the character of these men, 1t
may be added that the rank and file of them
belong or have belonged to the State Gov
eminent of South CarOlina-a government
which has been made up of the worst
thieves and plunderers that ever infested any
community. Congress may not be able to do
much Tor South Carolina; but the appearance
there of such band of marauders as those
who protest against reform is piece of
braz en- impudence and unparalleled efirontery.