Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-03-16

scholarship in the department of science and
bers Of the society. The bran ch Endorsed the
proposition and adjourned.
The District 1856 Bonds.
THEY ARE VIRTUALLY UNITED STATES
SECURITIES.
The following is the opinion of the Attor-
ney General, in full, upon the subject of the
the payment of interest and principal on the
3-t5 bonds of the District government brief
mention of which was made IN yesterdays
STAR:
DEPARTMENT OF JUsTIcE,l
WASHINGTON, March 10, ISIS. :
AT the solicitation of the Commissioners for
The District OF Columbia, a cOmmun ication
addressed TO them by the sinking fund COM
miss1oners OF the District, wherein allusion
is made TO the District 3-65 bonds in eonnee-
lion with the recent act of February 20, 1875
And you also requested my opinion upon the
question presented in that communication,
namely, as to whether the pledge of the faith
OF the United States for the payment of the
Prlnel pal and interest of these bonds may
now be considered complete, and whether
The sinking fund commissioners would be
Justlned IN using the words, principal and
interest guaranteed by the United States
over the signature of the officer of the limited
states Treasury, by whom such bonds shall
De registered, in lieu of printing the words of
Inc various laws relating thereto upon the
back OF the bonds" have the honor to sub
nit the following in answer to your request
The act OF February 20, 1875, amends the
seventh section of the act OF June 20, 1874
which provides for the issue OF the bonds
mentioned by inserting the words lido So"
after the fortieth word following the first pc
rlod IN said section This amendment sup
plies by legislative authority, in the partic-
uiar clause To which il relates, nothing more
man what was previously necessary to be
supplied by construction i'm order 10 give the
clause any meaning or effect whatever con-
sistent with the obvious purpose.
viewed thus, the amendment does not in
frr0nce anV modification n fHs laxur
but simply renders the meaning thereofm
plain and explicit, and this, no doubt, was
NJ no, soi9 39ject Hence the pledge Of the faith
complete" thereby, but remains precisely
as II was before, except what was then left
10 oe implied in the statute is now formally
expressed therein. doubt whether the use
of the words Principal and interest guaran-
iced by the United States" in the manner
ABOVE suggested. would be justified by the
terms OF the law. The word guaranty" has
technical significance when employed in
connection with contracts and obi legations
importing an engagement to be responsible
for the payment of some debt or the perform
anee OF some duty, in case OF the failure of a
tnIru party, who, in the first instance is liza
clear that, in this sense, the word would not
aptly describe the undertaking of the United
states, which is III the following language
The falth Of the United States is hereby
pledged that the United States will, by prop
er proportional appropriations, as contenl-
Plated IN this act, and by causing to be levied
taxes as viii do so,provide The revenues neces-
sssry 70 pay the interest on said bonds as the
same may become due and payable, and ere
ate sinking fund for the payment of the
principal thereof at maturity
Here the government of the United States
iosen undertakes to provide the revenue ne
comes due, and 10 create sinking fund for
me payment OF the principal at the maturity
OF the bonds, without regard TO the failure OF
Any lhlru party. Practically, however. the
pledge given by the United States considered
~ the light of security, may be equivalent
10 an unqualified guarantee, since the par
ucOlar means and sources of revenue by and
from which the government promises to pro-
vide Tor the payment OF the interest and prin-
elpal are unqUestlOnsbly adequate for that
purpose
But think IL advisable, in representing the
undertaking of the government, TO conform
as nearly as possible 10 the exact terms of the
statute. III, then, for the sake of convenience,
AZ Is desirable 10 set forth on the face or back
OF the bond the substance of that undertaking
instead OF the words OF the various laws re-
iating thereto" would suggest the following
IN place OF what Is proposed oy the sinking
Iund commissioners. By the acts of Congress
OF June -, 1s74, and February 20, 1873 1.-the
faith OF the United States is pledged to paw
HE interest hereon as the same may become
que and payable, and TO provide for the pay
This form Is sufficiently concise. and in NV
judgment describes the obi cations of the
government with more accuracy than the |
iorln suggested by the commissioners.
have the honor 10 be, with great respect
your obedient servant
GEO III. WILLIAMS, Attorney General.
"A FEMALE SHOP LITTER ARRESTED
TOT some time past the fancy and dry On DDS |
ocaiers IN the west end OF the city, have been
annoyed with shopliIters, and not wi thstand-
ing strict watch has been kept on an st-an- |
gers frequenttng their places they failed up |
20 yesterday 10 discover anything about the /
depredators: Among those who have suf- 1
Iered - MI. NJ Newmyer, dry goods dealer
sSoIner OF N and 18th streets. Yesterday he |
Sspatched q messenger TO Lieutenant |
SSreer station for an Officer TO go at once to |
NE store: Lieut. Greer and Sergeant Guy !
ansNsreu the summons and found that the /
Poplletor mad colored woman cooped up /
VII pee OF veil goods tied around her
neSk, Wnncn Newmyer had missed some dayS
cctv.e- me woman was taken into eustoiv
p3 M. Guy and Mr.. Newmyer on advice ~ l
Lieutenant Greer, procured a search warranf
ana ooth went 70 her house ON 2Ist street
between and streets, and went thronS6
~. 1hey turned up the remnant OF the oossis
sne had on her person with a auanfify Of
other goods which were Recognized "a Iav
Ing been stolen from the store she vas !
taken to the Police Court this morninS snS
gave her name as Ann NJ. Brown and va
hned so or thirty days in Jail.
" Ec0SoNY BRINGS WEALTH Deposit
In the METROPOLIS savings Rank corner -th 4