The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-16

son OH avng aided or countenanced the rebellion
will. to united extent. be restored. sucb bill
will also en- able persons OF competent means to
contract for c. Trying the mails In the South and
relieve others u Now excluded from public service
on account of poIrs teal disabilities
Democrats RebE Wing Against the Alb
solute Rule OF the Republicans i'm the
House.
The recent change in the rule OF the House, re-
ouirnu a majority 20 second the motion for sus.
pension OF che rules on Monday, mas deprived the
democrats who only number one, bird OF the House
of all opportunity to put the mem. 'ers on record
when any question OF Importance Is PRESENTED by
the minority while the republicans have III In their
power to put the democrats on record H. oiIeh AZ
they choose. II has become notorious TIM only
three days OF each week can be devoted to'IVsi-
ness-vz., Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Monday has thus far been wasted in buncompe'
Friday is private bill day. and Saturday Is devoted
to debate only. The democratic members, more
jealous Tor retrenchment and reform, have agreed
TO put stop to the Monday nonsense at least, and
tomorrow will inaugurate the following pro-
gramme of which they have given due notice.
After the call OF the States II the House refuses to
proceed to business motion will be made to take
recess, to adjourn, and to given day, on all OF
which the "yeas" and "nays' will be called, and
every possible hllbusterng motion will be made to
prevent the republican side from enjoying the bene
fit of the recent change in the rules These notions
with the roll call, Will consume fully three hours,
and viii be renewed whenever an attempt is made
to avoid business. Speaker Blaine has agreed to
give the democrats all the assistance in his power.
Valuation OF Foreign Coin when Re-
ceived ut . Custom House for Duties
ON Mercha ndfse.
The Treasury Department is in receipt OF numer-
Ous protests aDpealS from impOr a foreign
merchandise against the construction placed by
that department on the first section OF the acDof
March 3, 1873, fixing the value Of foreign coins.
The department holds that the provisions OF that
section apply to the Custom House valuation of
foreign invoices for the assessment OF duty while
the importers contend, under legal advice, that
there is nothing in the act TO justify any change OF
the specific valuations placed by long series Of
acts OF Congress upon foreign currencies, Tor Gus
tom House purposes. These protests are OF
course, most numerously received from importers
OF French goods, on which the duties are chiefly
al ualorem and at high rates. by the change In
the valuation OF the French yranc fxed by
the law OF 1S41, from eighteen and six
tenths cents to nineteenth and thirty three hunG-
! dredths cents rates of duty on al ualOrem goods
are increased about four per cent. The Treasury
! Department having had the benefit OF the ablest
and strongest arguments that could be adduced
against its construction Of the law OF 1873 and
being fortified by an affirmative opinion from the
Attorney General, is not in mood to depart from
its announced construction Of the law, cOntendng
that in its most favorable aspect for the importers
It Is doubtful question which, as they are dis
satisfied with the solution as applied by the
Treasury Department, can best be settled by an
appeal to the courts to Congress. No definite
action has yet been taken upon the appeals, but
there is no doubt that the Treasury Department
will adhere to its present action until it is reversed
by the courts or by Congress.
Important Cases Before the Committee
ON Claims.
The Senate Committee on Claims, at their meet
ing yesterday, considered a number Of applications
Of loyal citizens in the South for reimbursement
for property destroyed used or damaged by the
army in the late war. The case Of Cowan and
Dickinson. for the destruction OF cotton, was re.
ported favoraby to the committee. The LOudon
county cases. for losses sustained by Sheridan's
raids, and the claims Of the Virginia Conference Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Catholic
church OF Chattanooga were discussed but not
acted upon. There will be no reports in these
cases until the committee is ready to lay down q
principle to govern the adjustment and settlement
Of all Of o similar nature.
The observations To BE Made Of Venus
I'm Transitu.
Dispatches relative TO the sessions Of the
Transit OF Venus Commission are calculated to
mslead the public both as to the personnel Of the
commission and what is being done by them. The
commission consists Of Rear Admiral Sands Presi-
dent and Professors Henry, PIERCE, Newcomb and
Hardness. The points considered at the last
meeting were some matters OF detail respecting
the Photographic experiments, which are not vet
perfected, what arrangements should be made in
order to enable the observers to have the use OF
the ocean telegraph lines Tor determining l0ngi-
tudes, and finally the arrangement Of the per-
sonnet of the different parties. The instruments
to be used by the parties are all in a
state Of great forwardness. many OF them COM
pleted and tested Portable observatories have been
designed and number completed. The stations
to be occupied are vladvostock, in Russian Sibe-
ria; Pekin, Nagasaki, Crozet and Kergueen Islands
in the Antartlc region; New Zealand. Chatham
Island, near New Zealand, and Hobart Town, Van
Dieman's Land. In each OF these parties there
will be five persons two being astronomers and
three photographers The southern parties will
probably be sent out in naval vessel, Secretary
Robeson having authority to do this by special act
of Congress. The other parties will proceed by the
ordinary mail routes. The Naval Observatory
Coast Survey, Engineer corps OF the army, the line
of the navy and some OF the colleges OF the coun
: try will furnish the persons composing the expedi
ton none OF whom will leave before the end o
. Nav Nearly all will serve without pay, being az
. tuated only by the desire to advance scienr ii
knowledge
! Migration Of the Blacks from AtA5am
and Georgia.
private and public letters received here stat
- tne Gulf states Of Georgia and Alabama ar
."a' POPULATED by the blacks, who ar
! generally moving to the Miss.-;s s-. A.u
!, Texas. In some dstrlcrs scarce "felow Ssss'asl
of African descent is left, and the whites ore Gov
graduating themselves upon the prospect OF a
innowing OF a sturdier .thr.ttier and more int
lgent population In their stead.
Removal OF tho Law SECTION OF tn
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