The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-04-01
..sss.ss .TsFE ElsRApH
.,ssvs
~ w .vsssr.,ys
--latest News ffom n ashington. :
Especial selesssmtofths pispatch.l

Il
Especial telegram TO ths Dissatch.l
II -,satE 4 WAsHrKsToN, March 81, 1874.
The eEtnance Qaeaeion. az E, I. !. ! =
The. Senate to-day By. . vote. Of 90 TO 81
struck cut the fourth section Of the bill re. .
ported from The Finance Committee. This
| section provides for the retirement of. legal.
tenders 10 the ratio Of seventy per cent. Of
the additional national bank currency, and
authorized the reduction to continue until
the volume of legal-tender circulation should
be $500, 000, 900. l..
The pending question now is upon an
amendment submitted to-day by Senator
Gordon for the issue of national bank cur
rency to those States having less than their
quota upon the basis Of wealth and popula.
ton In the same proportion as held by the
State Of Maine.
The Sanborn Contracts.
| Secretary Richardson was before the Ways
and Means Committee to-day in relation to
the Sanborn contracts. he professed an al
most entire ignorance on the subject, assert
Ing that the original contract having been
made with his predecessor he had treated
The matter as routine business. and he re-
ferred everything to the solicitor with
out examination, and in like manner signed
tue papers presented to him. He had recol-
lection Of signing the circulars ordering
revenue officers to assist Sauborn In the or
ders for the distribution Of the money re-
covered. Did not recollect the conversation
in Boston testified to by ex.Supervisor Sim.
mons. He was asked If he signed orders
for the refunding Of duties in the same
way without examination, and said
that he did, but if new ques-
ton arose the subordinate would come
to him for consultation. If he did not, he
would probably sign, without examination,
the order. He required check to be en-
dorsed. The subordinate was held respon.
sible for checks brought to him to sign. In
reply to an inquiry he said he did not know
that any legislation was necessary to make
the Department more efficient. This hao
been the mode Of doing business for many
years, and the only way to avoid it was te
divide it into small departments, to which
there were serious objections. No one mar
could give his personal attention to oil tha
passed through his hands. ..-.
The Secretary's knowledge Of the San
born contracts was so limited as to lead Mr.
Beck to say when Kelley asked question
put to Mr.. Douglass, which should not have
been put to the Secretary, that the Secretary
had shown such intense ignorance that ht
was ashamed to ask him any more questions
Mr. Douglass, Commissioner of 1nterna
Revenue, was examined. and claimed that q
large proportion Of the taxes collected by
Sauborn would have been collected by tn.
regular revenue officers without commits
sions. He produced legacy and succession
book, which all assessors were required t.
, keep, and said that if they had done thei
; duty, as he believed they did, there would
be no estates not on record in their Offices
He was asked and replied that be knew NJ
law that authorizes the compromising o.
compromise of claim for back taxes by an!
other officer than the Commissioner; knew
of no law to confer the authority given t.
District Attorney Bliss by the Secretary
letter of instruction TIMoN.
ASSOCIATED Press telegrams.]
u Congressional.
WASHINGTON, March 3l.-Senate.-Mr
= Fenton presented the memorial of the recen
convention of South Carolina taxpayers
, asking for relief against misrule and corrup
ton in that State. Referred to the Judiciary
Committee.
The Senate by.a vote of 80 to p STRUCK
out the fourth section Of the finance bill as
reported by the committee. This section
provided for the gradual retirement Of lega
tenders as additional National Bank currency
should be issued, such retirement to be in
the ratio of 10 per cent. of the additional Ma
tional Bank circulation, until the volume
of legal tenders should be reduced to
$500, 900.
Several amendments offered by the friends
: of specie resumption were rejected.
House.-Mr. Dawes presented the South
Carolina taX-payers' memorial. Referred to
. the Committee on the Judiciary.
| On motion of Mr.. Stone, the bill for the
Improvement of The mouth of the Missis
. sippi river was made the special order for
, April 2lst.
The Louisville and Portland canal bill
was passed. It provides for the Federal
Government taking charge of the canal as
4
soon as Kentucky relinquishes jurisdiction
, assumes the bonds and debts, and reduces
the rates of toll. .+
Weather Probabilities.
i WASHINGTON. March 31.-For the Middle
and Eastern States, falling barometer, fresh
to brisk northeasterly winds, cloudy Wea-
Their. rain and snow. g.. .--
For the South Atlantic States, southwest
erly winds, low barometer, falling tempera.
ture, and cloudy weather, with occasional
rain.
Cautionary signals are ordered for Will
mington, Norfolk, Cape Henry, and Cape
May.
Washington Items.
WASHINGTON, March 31.-A peremptory
summons from the Committee of Ways and
Means has been sent to New York for San
born.
Secretary Richardson was examined be-
fore the Ways and Means Committee to-day.
He had no knowledge Of the details OF the
Sanborn contracts; but signed all papers
from his Department having q bearing
thereon without any examination. He
trusted to subordinates that they were cor
rect and in due form. He favored an I'M
conditional repeal of the law under which