The Portland daily press., 1874-04-08

State Central Committee of that State, called
| on the President this morning to answer the
charge made against them by the deiegatlon
from the tax payers convention. The delega-
| ton made long statement to the tresioent,
based mainly upon the documents that they
| presented to the effect that taxation was not
| SO burdensome as had been represented, that
they were imposed for the best interests OF the
people and state. They denied that the other
delegation represented almost entirely ele tax-
| paying citizens of South Carolina, and oecar-
| ed that they. the Republican delegation, rep
| resented the substantial interest in the state,
| as they represented the great majority OF the
people The President replied that ne re-
| garded their statements as complete answer
| to the other side and he would also say tnat MS
reply to the former delegation had in several
instances been misrepresented, paltlcularly
| with regard to his remarks upon the oCace gov
| ernments of Louisiana and South Caronna, as
] he had not intended to make infections upon
| them.
A Job, Perhaps.
The report of the Board of Engineers to ex,
| anime the James River and Kanawha Canai
sent to the Senate to-day, pronounces ~ en-
tirely practicable to connect the waters VI cne
James and Ohio Rivers by water navigatlon
| of seven feet in depth. The tunnel required
| would be about the length of the Mont Cenis
| Tunnel The proposed water line can oe COM
| pleted in six years at cost not eHceeulng
$f0000,000, and the cost may REASONABLY De ex'
| pected to be within $55, 600, aud may pos
| sibly not exceed $50 100000
The New French Minister.
Bartholdi, the newly appointed Envoy Elk.
| traordinary and Minister Plenipotent1ary of
France, presented his credentials to the FRESH
dent to-day, on which occasion he made the
| following remarks.
MIR. President-I have the honor to deliver to
your Excellency the letters which accredlt me
in the quality of Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenipotentiary of France. My duty
On hpipo prnspntnd N EynsI1ancV to be-
come the interpreter of the sentiments OF high
esteem, and of the friendship which Is enter
tanned by Marshal Mcmahon for the American
nation and its illustrious head. The sincere de-
sire of the head of the French Republic and Its
government is to see the ancient aud intimate
relations which exist between France and the
United States drawn closer, l shall obey the
crlers which 1 have received by devoting all
myi efforts to Strengthening the friendship
which unites the two nations
Your excellency will be pleased. 1 hope, to
encourage me with kindness which shall be
proud to justify
The President re piled:
Mr.. Bartholdi-I am happy to receive you as
the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipo
tentiary Of France. From what we know of
your antecedents, we are sure that in accredit-
ing you here your government has aimed at
sending worohyrepresentative of that country,
one well disposed toward the United States, and
who, from his experience; intelligence and dis
cretion, may be expected to contribute towards
streng hening thos, ancient relations of friend
ship between the two countries to which you re-
fer. In this you may count upon my hearty CO.
operation.
The District Investigation.
In the district investigation, after the recess,
Henry Showers testified that part of the bridge
at Georgetown, under the contract of John o.
Evans, was paved with green unbernetized
lumber.
Joseph Fl Fletcher testified he was the con-
tractor to lay tagging around the botanical
garden; that the material used was old and
new; that the old material in part came from
in front of the Post Office and the Interior De-
partment; that the new material was of an in
ferior quality, furnished by the Board of Public
Works; that probably 10000 feet came frem the
Post Office and the Inrerior Department.
He received thirty. four cents per square yard
70 lay 1t and he had not beer paid in any share.
He signed contract at the time he began
work, but had signed an amendment to include
the planking about month or six weeks ago.
Mr.. Bass called attention to a table in the an
swer OF Gov Shepard, showing the work had
been paid for some time since by the general
government. Witness said he had not been
aware Of the fact.
Various Matters.
Senator Edmunds of Vermont reappeared in
the Senate chamber to-day, and was warmly
congratulated by his associates on the complete
restoration of his health, effected by rest and
his visit to Florida.
At meeting of the District Investigating
Committee this morning John W. Thompson,
President of the Metropolitan Street Railway,
testified that it would bankrupt the Company
to pay Board prices for paving.
There was brief Cabinet session to-day, all
the departments being represented. No busi-
ness of Importance was before the meeting.
Secretary Richardson said Immediately after
the adjournment that he had not yet resigned,
and that he did not intend to do so.
The new French Minister called at the exec
utive mansion to-day and presented his creden-
tials to the President.
Theodore B. Samo, the engineer who made
the measurement for the U S. government for
improvement for the government property in
Washington, publishes card to the effect that
he returned the check sent him By Contractor
Strong with the written remark that it would
be highly improper to accept it.
A telegram TO the Indian Office from f. H.
Smith, dated Cheyenne, April 9th, says: 81
lind unfriendly newspaper dispatches about
the Districs investg alton. L cannot learn the
nature of the testimony, but state
truthfully any transaction of mine that
honest man need be ashamed Of"
Veto.
New YORK, April7.-The Herald's Washing
ton special reasserts that the President will ap-
prove the Finance bill passed by the Senate yes
terday. Assuming that he did not indorse all of
its provisions, he says that to withhold his sig
nature would be to protract the present uncer
tainty and keep the question at issue still in dis
pute. The sooner, he says, the subject is dis
posed of the better it will be for the whole
country,