The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-02-16

10 inquire into the discrimination IN
layOr Of the New York associated
press against the American associated
press and report by hill or otherwise,
The house meets hereafter NJ eleven
o'clock,
1he bill providing for the redemp,
ton Of overdue United States bonds,
known m Texas indemnity bonds,
passed
The house then proceeded with the
district ~ Columbia bill,
The bill for tho Improvement of the
mouth Ut the Mississippi was made
the special order for Thursday 10 the
exclusion Of all other business,
The supreme court alilrms the decl'
slon that The states may tax u railroad
on liz gross receipts,
Ina life Insurance case from Mlasla-
hlppl, II II decided that the opinion Of
the agent does not bind the company,
Frell w, Stour, executor; appeal
from the circuit court VI Virginia, IN
this case II II held that the war having
rendered the currency Of Virginia Of
no value, In Pennsylvania, there IL
no longer any authority In an agent
appointed III Virginia, In 1851, or
living In Virginia after the war closed
10 take the currency In discharge of y
debt due his principal, u citizen OF
PENNSYLVANIA. II IL were otherwise,
every northern creditor 0i southern
men was ut the mercy Of the agent he
had employed before the war aud this
condition was bad one, being pre-
vented from holding intercourse with
his agent for the purpose OF changing
his instructions, the original lnstruc-
lions not being applicable In n state Of
war reversed.
The steamboat bill, M reported back
to the senate to-day, IL changed by the
committee on commerce In the follow
ing particulars IL IL amended 80 ~
to prohibit the carrying Of explosive
and dangerous materials IN any and
all passenger steamers except ferry
boats, whether there are other means
Of conveyance on the same route or
not lite preservers must be- capable Of
sustaining twenty-four pounds each
instead OF only eighteen, A clause IL
inserted requiring NJ least one locked
sections of the bill requiring hydros-
tatlc test of the boiler aud regulating
the manufacture, stamping aud inspec-
ton of the hulls and boilers are all
stricken out so rs to leave the present
law In force. The committee also
strike out the provisions relating TO
the licensing and employment Of
mates and other subordinate officers,
the new direction az to the navigation
of vessels meeting or passing each
other, the inspection and licensing OF
vessels and the liability clause of the
house bill, leaving the present law un-
changed on all these subjects. The pi-
lot section is modified 80 as to provide
merely that yes els trading between
district and district or engaged In the
fisheries shall not be compelled to re-
ceive or pay pilots. The new detini-
lions OF the various classes of vessels
are also omitted. A prOviso is added
that one half Of the penalties not spe-
officially otherwise provided for shall be
paiu 10 the respective informera.
Mr.. Merrimon's bill to prevent veX-
atious seizures of property, etc., pro-
vides that federal taxes or other
dues that are not clearly defined
by the statutes shall not he
collected until the construction OF the
statute shall be judicially determined
by an action instituted in the United
States circuit court by the head of the
department claiming the same; pro-
vided that bond shall be gwen to
abide the final decision of the court,
and provided that in rendering judg-
ment the court may increase the
amount by the addition of ten per
cent, If it shall clearly appear that the
defense has been made merely for the
purpose of delay.
MIR. Dorsey's bill to regulate the trans
Of registered letters and money
packages through the mail directs the
postmaster general to establish uni-
form system of registration at all the
postoffices in the United States, pre-
scribes ten cents as the registration
fee, Furnishes the stealing or destruc-
ton of any registered package by fine
and imprisonment not exceeding
IS, 900 and five years imprisonment,
and any delaying of their transmission
by $500 fine or six months i'm
and provides that
If any registered matter be lost, stolen
or destroyed, or enormously delivered
by reason of the carelessness or neg
lect of any post office employe, its
value may be recovered from him. The
bill also provides that any person false
ly claiming to have enclosed money or
articles of value in registered letter !
Or to have received the same, shall be
punished by fine or imprisonment not /
exceeding one year and one thousand
dollars. Finally the postmaster gener-
al is required to prepare locks OF spe-
clal design for the registered letter SER
vice, and is authorized to employ a |
chief OF division and five clerks there
for.