Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-03-02
WASHINGTON.
Red Tape-S~Tho Investigating Conn
Observation-Disclosures Of the Army
-~--Dlsmissal of Clerks---New
Financial scheme --- The
District Board of Audit
1.-The Exp css Lob
by at Work.

Special correspondence Union and Ameri'
can.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. &c, 1876.
1t is somewhat curious, and no
little interesting to persons having
business in the departments, to wit
ness the immense amount Of cir
cumlocution and red tape, neces-
sary to get even a small matter at
tended to. The latest illustration
Of this fact was when the House
requested the Secretary of the
Treasury, by resolution, to furn-
ish a list Of private houses used
for public purposes in Washington
with amounts paid for rent, DC.
When the answer returned to that
body, it was found to have passed
through the hands OF six clerks,
and the assistant secretary ,all this
to prepare q letter which an ordin-
airy man of business could write
in q couple Of hours.
The work of investigation has
now become so immense that the
committees have many of them,
been compelled to ask leave to sit
during the Session of tile House.
The Naval Committee especially
has its hands full. At every step
they find some wrong to be right
ed, some additional fraud to be
rectided and punished. 1t would
not he at all surprising if these
committees should be compelled to
sit during the whole recess.
Mr.. Banning, of Ohio, mas intro
duced a bill for the gradual reduc-
ton of the Army to eight regi-
ments of cavalry and twenty-thrcc
of infantry, and a single corps OF
artillery.
In the Pension Office, yesterday,
forty-aye clerks, mostly ladies', re-
ceiyed their dismissal. For the ma
jority of them there Las been no
real use, and as many were brought
here by parties in power, from dis
tant States, it is likely there may
be positive suffering among them.
A clerkship is certainly the most
thankless office on the face of the
earth. The pay is a mere p~ittance
compared with what might be earn
ed by the same person in other pur-
suits, and the life is one of con
slant and unremitting drudgery,
compared with which the existence
OF a pillow boy is paradise.
General Fremont has been be-
fore the Committee in regard to
the Memphis and Ell Paso r. r.
matter. There was, undoubtedly
as it appears, a large amount of
money spent, but no Congressman
received anything, according to the
showing.
The Senate Finance Committee
reported a bill Friday, amending
the law to refund the national debt
which increases the amount of
bonds bearing a per cent. interest
to five hundred million, and pro-
Vidcs for their redemption after
thirty years from the date Of issue.
at the pleasure OF the United States.
Nothing attracts more general
interest here-as it should all over
the whole c untry-than the inyes-
tiga!iOn OF the doings aud misdo-
ings of the Board Of Audit. 1t
came into existence soon after
Sheppard was overthrow. Shep-
herd, however, merely stepped be-
bind the scenes, for he continued
in reality as much master of Dist
riot affairs as when actually gOveli
nor. As a sample Of how things
were managed by the Board of Au-
dit, | MAJ mention the fees paid to
Mattingly, Stanton and Harrington
thius attorneys who conducted
Shepherds defence before former |