The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-27
W WASHINGTON.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.


WASHINGTON, May %, 1875.
The investigation into the Spencer Senatorial
election in Alabama excites much interest in ad.
mlnistrauon circles here, and Spencer is losing
ground. 1t begins to be believed that he is TOO
heavy a load 10 carry. II the democrats can make
good case against him In the Senate next Octo-
Der. he will be expelled at once, for little sympa-
thy is felt Tor him here. The Postmaster General,
who feels sore over the frauds OF Kinds VINO Is
one OF Spencer's cher managers. threatens to
turn out all the Spencer Postmasters In Alabama.
lie is disposed to believe 1t Is said. that TO be an
appointee OF spencer Is to have bad record II
Is notorious that spencer has heretofore
ceeded IN nlling Alabama with his creatures In the
federal offices. Some OF these are already under
the charges OF wrongdong, ana it is not impos-
slble that the Secretary OF the Treasury may also
clear out the Spencer men. The report that
sheats Is 70 be made Consul at Rio Janeiro excltes
laughter among those who know Alabama politics.
The present Consul Is Kinds, brother or the re
/ Gently detected Kinds and livery stable Keeper
10 small Alabama town when he was sent as
Consul TO Rio Janeiro. Sheats was in 1874 candi-
| dare Tor Congressman at-LarPe, and was defeated
largely By the Efforts al Perrin, the Deputy United
states Marshal who testified IN the Spencer case
that he shot hole through his hat
and then called for troops Perrin scratched
the name OF Sheats from the republican tickets
and forbade the negroes 10 vote for him, and
colored men nave testified that they refused 70
vote for sheats because Perrin told them ne was
not it 10 70 to Congress. Letters from prominent
republicans OF unquestioned honesty IN Alabama
received here, express great qualification at the
Spencer exposure and hope that he VIII be ex-
PEELED fam his seat. They say that Spencer, by
his corrupt mlsmaHagement. almost destroyed
tho republican party in Alabama, and, in fact,
caused its defeat in 1874. They express the rope
that the administrator Will no: favor or shelter
Spencer, and that his defeat is necessary to
reorganization or the republican party in
Alabama.
THE QUESTION OF DUTIES on IMPORTS ARRIVING
AT INTERIOR PORTS
The treasury Department to-day submitted to
the Attorney General a question as TO damage
allowances IN custom cases, which materially
Affects the interests both or the seacoast ana
interior ports OF entry. Ths case arts s IN tins
way:-The Revenue act OF March last increased
the duties on certain articles. The First Auditor
OF the Treasury desired to know whether mer-
chandise imported OF a seacoast port previous
\ TO the passage of sucn an act and arrived at an
interior port subsequent thereto without appralse-
| ment unaer the Immediate Transportation act
OF July H. 1870 was liable TO the Increased duties
by the Revenue act o. March, last. The department
held that the importation was complete on arrival
or rhe importing vessc! within the limits or port
Of entry with intent 10 unlade; consequently that
the increased duties did not attach TO the goods
in question. logical sequence was to order the
damage allowances suspended on goods which
had arrived &C the western ports. To this the
Western importers protested. They seemed to
wish that the Secretary OF the Treasury should
construe the law 10 mean that the voyage ter
inmates at the seacoa5t as regards increase or
duty, but terminates at the interior port as re-
CARDS damage allowances. Upon this question the
issue was made.