New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-03-03

brought up by Mr.. Scofeld who offered resolution
directing the retention in Office Of eleven manned
| soldiers employed in the doorkeepcrs department.
The men were named by the resolution, and
some members minated that Mr.. Scofeld
was trying to have his own friends taken care or
| and was not anxious about other soldiers holding
positions about the House. After good deal OF
confusion Gen. Butler asserted hIs authority as the
new leader of the House, and settled the
d dSqy ey putting the dase and
all heads of departments in discharging
| employees should retain disabled soldiers and
soldiers widows wives, daughters, mothers anu tn
SISTERS If competent, but that two members OF the
| same family should not be employed IN the same
department Mr.. Nesmith raised laugh by pro-
/ posing an amendment compelling the people to oh.
| serve the same rule III electing Congressman
THE CONTEST BETWEEN THE INDIAN PEACE COMMITS.
| sroSERs AND THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT..
| The bad feeling existing between the Indian
Peace Commissioners and the Interior Department
| seems to be growing worse and it will not surprise
those conversant with the dificulesif the Commits
sion appeal 10 Congress for protection and assisS-
ance in their fight against the Indian Rings 1t has
| already been shown in The TRIBUNE that tho In
terror Department, presided over sometimes by Mr..
Deano, sometimes by Mr.. Cowan, the Assistant Sec
rotary and sometimes by Mr.. Smith, the Solicitor,
| has ordered immense sums Of money to be paid to
contractors after the claims had been disallowed by
| the Commissioners. The amount of vouchers disap.
| proved by the Commission in which the Interior
Department set the action aside and paid the money
| s SSG9,520. Only three vouchers presented III
| which the disapproval Of the Commis-
sioners was concurred in, and the
three amount to S5697 Mr.. Deano decided that
! in certain cases il was not necessary to submit
vouchers to the Commissioners for examination, and
| in their last report the Commission say that the
amount of vouchers submitted SINCE last Mafcn lor
purchases, made largely without advertising, ana M
nh
| to SS73,5S7. The Commissioners complain that IL
they could act outside the authority OF the Interior
| Department the policy toward the Indians con,d De
| carried on with more gratifying results The House
| Appropriation Committee, rather sub-com-
nittee seemed to favor the proposition, and hadde-
cided to frame bill for this purpose, but Gen Gar
field, the Chairman did not approve OF that course,
| and the following was adopted by the COMMITTEE
| being substantially what was recommended by Sec
| Rotary Deano in his letter TO the House OF FEB D;
That the Board OF Indian commissioners i - nSrepS
continued with ali the powers and duties conferred anu
not be construed as authorizing said board mem
ber committee thereof TO examine aud pass upon the
place than the City Of Washington, nor as compelling
such examination, II said Board shall not deem i neces
na1ons and duties shall here after be performed Ia the
City OF Washington; and nothing herein provided sna
be construed TO supersede or interfere WIN the uu
heretofore imposed upon said Board OF o,
exercising under the direction OF me S sS s
bursemens OF the appropriations Tor tue Inulan
REPRESENTATIVE T. II. ROBERTS on THE FINANCIAL
QUESTION.
Mr. Ellis H. Roberts made an hours speech on the
Finances to-day His position on the Ways and
Means Committee, and his known conservative
views on current financial questions, secured HIM an
| attentive hearing. He courteously criticised Dir.
| Dawes's figures and conclusions and maintained
that the Treasury was in a much better condition
than either Mr.. Dawes or Mr. Richardson
had represented. According to Mr.. Richard
sons estimates tho receipts for tho ensu-
ing fiscal year would not exceed $27l 100000
whereas the experience of the past month made IL
reasonably certain that they would be az much as
$28s 100000. The expenditures, Mr. Roberts ciaiied
| were not as extravayaDt as had been represented
Deducting the extraordinary appropriation ior tne
| navy made under the apprehension of a war with
wear ALREADY past were over 50 than for the
I same months of last year; and he lnoluue9
| Sl2OOOOOO set apart for the Sinking Fund ana
Sc 600 900 paid of the loan of 1888 The receipts OF
| the Treasury for the months of January and feb-
| ruary were greater than for the corresponding
| months last year which showed complete recovery
! from the depression caused by the panic On the
whole Mr.. Roberts was confident that the treasury
cond take care Of itself without legislation OF any
| kind to increase its resources There was no need,
| he argued, OF imitation, tax meduiihe' or 'aiin
tinkerlng.
| TIE COMMITTEE on COINAGE, WEIGHTS AND MEAS
| UREs.
The House Committee Coinage Weights and
Measures to-day agreed on a bill authorizing the
| several minis in the United States to coin all gold
and silver bullion into the coin of the country insuch
| denominations desired This action Is partlcu-
larly important to the Pacific coast. The Committee
also agreed TO report bill establishing assay offices
| in Chicago ST. Louis and Helena Ark. Those in
the two former cities will be established in the Gus
tom-houses and thus avoid the erection OF separate
! buildings. subcommittee was appointed 10
| consider what amendments are necessary 10
| existing laws to provide for more just system
| as to the receipt by the Government OF abraded
| coin The Committee decided that loss from nat
ural abrasion should be borne by the Government,
without regard to the percentage of loss but that
in all cases where the loss greater than One-haf
per cent of the standard weight, which IL now the
! legal limit the coins should be submitted 10 mint
| and subjected TO a test as to the cause Oh the
| abrasion.
| THE CENTENNIAL BILL
| The Centennial bill in the Senate was debated
during the entire session after the morning hour,
but no vote was reached. AT meeting OF the Spe-
| cial Committee in the House on the subject, the
draft of bill appropriating three millions in
| aid of the Centennial was considered the
| discussion turning principally on the point as
| IN how the money. if appropriated should
| he disbursed. majority conceded that money TO
| he given by the General Government ought TO be
disbursed by suitable officer of the Government
aud not given into the hands OF irresponsible state
or corporation officers The sentiment seemed to be
in favor of permitting the Secretary OF the Treasury
70 disbulse the money. This, OF course, should the
| appropriation be given, means that supervising
Architect Mullett Will have the handilng OF c tue
necticut Geo +. Hoar, and Stamford OF Kentucky,
was appointed to consider the subject and report.
| REAssRMBLING OF THE SUPREME COURT.
The Supreme Court met to-day after its recent
| vacation The session consumed with the de-
| livery of opinions and it is thought that Tuesday
| and Wednesday will be also, as there are thirty