New-York tribune., 1876-07-26
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
A NoNPARrIs REVENUE CORPS

WAsHINGTOS. Tuesday, July 25. 1876.
The bill introduced to-day by Senator Gordon
II Gcor-ia establish u competent and nOn-parlsln
revenue corps" provides that from and after Us enact
ali appointments IN the Revenue Department shLi
b, confined lowest erndes--namely. gaugers and
starckcopers-upon competitive examination, and That
the H. cher grades OF Deputy Collector, Collector, and
supervisor shall be filed only by promotions from the
next lowest grade. AID also upon competitive eXaniua
tons The Esimining Board Is to be appointed by the
Commissioner OF Internal Revenue with the approval OF
the Secretary OF IN Treasury and are each 10 consist OF
three ireehodcrs " good standing, and one OF whom
shall belong to different pot cal party from the other
two No applicant shall be refused examination because
of adherence to any political party. All gaugers and
storekecpers 10 Dc appointed by the President from
the list Of applicants thus examined by the Board and
reported by the Commissioner and the Secretary OF
the Treasury and promotions are to be made according
10 the same general system OF competitive examination
and reports. under regulations 10 be prescribed ~ ih
secretary of the Treasury Ihe b hhay ptoSlueS tnal
nue. with the approval of the secretary ot ne treasury
10 remove all Supervisors ani officers oG lower stlc
from office for gcct m'lfeasince III ONCE lr paynS
money for political purposes, and for using Official in-
nucnCc Tor the same.
FRAUDULENT CLAIMS AGAINST VENEZUELA.
Scnor Manuel MunOz y Castro, Venezuelan
citizen residing in Brooklyn before the House Com
mitice on Foreign Affairs to-day, and testified in regard
TO the frauds OF the Venezuelan Mixed Commits ol lie
WAS i'm 1865 She Charge Anarc5 from his Government
to the United states and laid before the State Depart
mcnt at Washington the complaints against the Com
mission. He gave It his opinion ana that OF his
Government that the aggregate of claims for whien
Venezuela was lcsitmaely responsible could not have
exceeded $500 coo, while the awards aggregated
~ 900 He illustrated the general fraudulent
character o! these claims by that OF Beaes, Noble
Garrison which for damages by the aunuimcnt OF
contract for steamboat line between New-Iork and
Laguayra The contract was made by the revolution
AIRY government OF Gen, Pdcz, which had never pech
Teyonl2cd by the United States all OF whose acts
had been aunurd on tue restoration OF the ColStltu
that the grautcs had taken no measures toward per-
forming their share of the contract they had presented
$55OO 900 Mr. Munoz Ctstro received little encour
agcment from the state Department, which treated he
rrmOStaNces OF his Government aS nnoustalned Dy evil
dcnce.
MIR. robson BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
Secretary Robson was before Mr.. Gloyers
Committee this afternoon lie explained that the section
of the net OF 1874 rclurin special agents OF the Navy
Department be confirmed had been abroSated by sue
ceoding acts had passed Of the statutes and was no
longer in force when the lappOntmcnt OF Jay Cooke
McCuoch 4 Co. made lie said that the act OF lSli
had been left out of Bgheys Digest, and was not In
force until revived by the Revised Statutes OF 1873.
The names Of the new agents, Messrs Sohgman
Bros had been sent 10 the Senate for
confirmation under the revised law. lie also
cxnl oincd that the tenosits made in October and
re- merely III continuance Of the foreign account OF the
navy, for which he took ample security, only giving
thcin at the regular time, with security, what under
ordinary circumstances would have been given them
without security lie showed also that the Treasury
draft issued the 20 OF July p3d ~ the New-1Oik
SubTrclsry the 6th, an placed to me credit OF me
Navy Department with Jay Cooke, No MsCuloch 20 N
London 7lh. aud that the bill which came due On
the I'D ~ September merely the bill OF exchange
by means II which the money was transmitted 10 Lon
don. --.- .,.,,. ,,,,,.
MR. PINCHBACK's CHANCE FAILS
MIR. Pinchback is not likely to receive the
500 600 voted him by the senate TO pay his expenses in
Cured while making contest iOr seat in that body,
certainty not until the next session Of Congress. The
senate il will be remembered, passed resolution a
thorizng this money to be paid out of its contingent
fund.- aud an amendment TO the Legislative. Executive
and Judicial Appropriation bill was proposed increasing
that fund sufficiently to pay this amount This the
Democrats on tho Conference Committee have refused
o agree to- OF them rcmarkng that the House wond
remain in Washington until the snow es before itWOd
appropriate money for such purpose. Iie scnators
have therefore been Obliged recCde from their amend
meni and Mr. PinchbIck viii have 10 wait another year
Tor his money MIR. Sykes OF Alabama, who by the sho
resolution granted $1,000 to cover h4s expenses "