The Portland daily press., 1876-05-26
WASHINGTON.
Mail Contract investigation,

Mail Contract investigation.
WASHINGTON, May 25.-John L. French of
the post Office depar ment today testified re.
garding the mail contr act, but there was moth
ing new in the testimony on that point. He
never knew of any Partially to any contractor;
never received service of Platte or any other
present from a contractor and his life insur-
ance business was after Office hours.
The Blaine Investigation.
WASHINGTON, May 25.-The sub-Judiciary
Committee investigating the charges against
Mr.. Blaine reported to the full committee to-
day the fact that objection was made by Judge
Lawrence to the admissabilty of the question
propounded by Hunton to the witness Sickles
as to what he heard from any parties in Ar
kansas on thesEsubject of this inquiry. Nc
Crary offered resolution that the sub commit
tee in continuing the investigation should not
receive hearsay testimony except to the extent
of name and residence of any person alleged to
have knowledge of the matters under examina-
ton. After considerable discussion this reso-
luton was defeated by strict party vote. Mr.
Hurd then offered a resolution that the resolu-
ton of the full committee authorizing a sub
committee to conduct the investigation did not
authorize any investigation of the question
whether corrupt use of bonds was made to
procure legislation unless it related to the Lit
tie Rock aDd Arkansas bonds. which came in
to the possession of the Union Pacific Co.
This resolution was agreed to-
On motion of Mr.. Lynde the committee
thereupon resolved that the objection made by
Lawrence to Sickles' answering the question ia
dispute was we'll taken and must be sustained.
This latter action was understood to be based
by the Democratic majority on the ground that
the matter referred to in the question is not
within the jurisdiction of the committee, it not
having been made the subject of enquiry by
the resolution of the House. The Republican
minority voted for Lynde's resolution, however,
on the ground simply that it provided for the
exclusion of the same hearsay testimony
d. b. SIckels of Arkansas testified he had no
personal knowledge of any connection of ex-
Speaker Blaine with the Little Rock & Fort
Smith railroad bonds that passed to the posses
sion of the Union Pacific Railroad Company,
o. A. Hadley of Little Rock gave testimony
to the same import.
The Legislative Aprro priation Bill.
The Senate committee on appropriations to-
day struck out of the legislative appropriation
bill which is now under consideration by whom
the whole of the section providing for 10 per
cent. reduction of all salaries of clerks in all
the executive departments and custom houses.
The New York Custom House.
1t is doubtful whether the committee on
ways and means will make an investigation
into the management of the New York Gus tom
house recently ordered by the House of Repre-
sentatives. This no doubt arises from the
lateness of the session.
schenck's Reply to Cheseborough.
Schenck has sent to the Committee on For
eign Affairs long letter in reply to Chesebor-
ough. He reiterates that when he arrived in
Paris from Italy he heard Of the alarming
news of the proba BILE stoppsge of dividends on
the Emma mine. Still he had no thought of
parting with his shares. The action subse-
quently taken with Cheseborough was to guard
the interest of Gen. Woodruff, who was his
cousin, and himself. Cheseborough was fully
empowered to act and Schenck says, i'He knew
my views. During the few days that followed
there passed between US several kilograms and
letters which regret l did not preserve. Any
way did net sell 1000 shares as was suggested
to me to do. nor any other shares except those
VIII ch were sold iD WoodhulPs name for him
and myself by Jay Cooke and McCuulloch."
Proclamation by the President.
The following was issued to-day by the Pres
ident of the United States:
Whereas a joint resolution of the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United States
was duly approved on the 18th day of March
last, which resolution is as follows:
Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States OF America in Con-
gress assembled that it be and is hereby recommend
ed by the Senate and House of Representatives to
the people in the several states that they assemble
their several counties or towns the approaching
Centennial anniversary of national independence
and that they to have delivered on that day an
historical sketch OF said county or town from it's
formation, and that copy of said sketch may be
said county and additional copy in print or manu-
script be filed in the Office of the librarian of Con-
gress to the extent that complete record may thus
be obtained OF the progress of our institutions during
the first Centennial of their existence;
and, whereas it is deemed proper that such
recommendation be brought to the notice and
knowledge of the people of the United States,
now therefore ], Ulysses S. Grant, Presi-
dent OF the United States, do hereby declare
and make known the same in the hope that the
object of such resolution may meet the ap-
proval of the people of the United States, and
that proper steps may be taken to carry the
same into effect.
Given under my hand at the City of Washing
ton the 18th of May, in the year of our Lord
1876, and of the independence of the United
States the one hundredth.
(Signed) q. S. GRANT.
By the President.
HAMILTON FISH, Sec'y of State.
The Franking Privilege.
The bill reported in the Senate to-day BY Mr..
Paddock from the committee on postoffices and
post roads as substitute for the bill intro
duced by Mr.. Robertson to restore the Thanking
privilege, provides that it shall be lawful to
transmit through the mails free of postage any
letters relating exclusively to the business of
the government of the United States. pro-
vided that every such letter or package to en-.
title it to pass free shall bear over the words
official business" an endorsement showing al
SO the name of the department. or bureau
whence transmitted. Any person making use
OF such official envelope to avoid the payment
OF postage on private matter shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor and subject to fine
of $500.
Senators and Representatives in Congress
and Delegates from the territories, as we'll as
the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the
House of Representatives, may send and re.
ceve through the mails free of postage, letters
documents, packages and other matter relating
n hn haA
each Senator, Representative, Delegate or Off
Ger, as aforesaid, shall write upon such letter.
document or other matter so sent by him, his
name with proper designation of the office he
holds. The penalties prescribed for violating
this section are the same as provided for vio-
lation of the former section in regard to de-
partment officers, provided that the penalty
herein shall not be construed to interfere with
the constitutional power of each house to pun
ish or expel member.
Fitzhush's Successor.
At the Democratic caucus held to night to
nominate a candidate for door keeper in place
of Fitzhugh, Jno. 81. Patterson of New jersey,
now acting door-keeper, was nominated on the
9Th ballot.
Various Matters.
The President sent the following nomina-
tons to the Senate today: Jas. S. Rutau, con-
sui to Florence, vice Writ Sykes, withdrawn;
o. L. Pitney, collector of customs in the Dis
trict of Georgetown, D. G.
Engineer Smith is ordered to the navy yard
at Portsmouth, N. Ell. Engineer Kelly is de.
tached from Portsmouth and ordered to Mare
Island.
The books of the Treasury Department show
that the amount of silver paid out at the close
of business May Oath, was $6,7O0,0OO
Receipts of internal revenue today, 1858, 77S;
customs $371 ,158
The House Banking committee today unani-
mously agreed to report and recommend the
passage of Mr.. RandalPs bill to authorize the
purchase of silver bullion to the extent of 500
100000 with any money in the treasury and the
issuing of resulting silver coin, provided that
not more than million dollars in money be
used at any one time in the purchase of such
bullion.
THE INDIANS.