The Portland daily press., 1877-12-06
WASHINGTON.
The g ontested Colorado Seal.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-The House Committee
on Elections today heard three proposed reports
on the Colorado contested case viz, one sub
mitted by Mr.. Cox of Ohio, (Republican) in IA
vor of referring the election back to the people;
one by Mr.. Hiscock of New York, (Repubiican)
in favor of seating Bedford, Republican con-
tastant; and third by Mr.. Springer Demo
craft in favor of seating Patterson, Democratic
contestanG. AT the meeting tomorrow the vote
will be taken on these propositions.
The Border Raids
Gen. Ord, commander of the forces 10 Texas,
was before the Committee on Military Affairs
today. His testimony was confirmatory of the
views expressed by Gen. Sherman and other
officers who have been examined. He stated
that the Mexican people and authorities on the
lower Rio Grande were 10 sympathy with the
raiders into Texas, and intimated that his pres
ent force was inadequate to guard the frontier
and pursue and punish the raiders as his orders
require him to do
Judge Hama hreys Refuses to Deliver Sem
atsr Patterson.
Judge Humphreys this morning delivered an
opinion in the matter of John j. Patterson rel
alive to the hGbeds corpus to be released from
the warrant of arrest on requisition of the Gov
ernor ofSouth Carolina. The judges opinion
was elaborate. He denied the power of the
state of South Carolina to vacate Senator Pat
terson's commission, which must continue until
constitutioually revoked in pursuance of organ
ic authority. 1t could not be said that Senator
Patterson was fugitive from Justice, as he
was here in the discharge of his official duties
like ell other members of Congress, and besides
he had acted in the capacity of Senator years
against him in the Sonth Carolina court. The
Judge concluded his opinion as follows:
think am bound to take judicial cogni-
zance that party organization is one thing, and
faction to destroy it is another. The most
cruel tyranny would the application of civil
forms of law to the dominance and triumph of
the passions of a faction. / cannot reconcile it
to my sense of duty to give aid in placing man
acles and handouts around and about the indi-
vidual citizen for the purpose of surrendering
him bound into the hands of those who may
not be dispassonate enough to Vindicats the true
right of the individual, or to those who might
be led by impassioned appeals to condition of
mind that they could DOT resist Zeal for the
protection of wrong has led to the conviction #
the innocent 1t is the duty of the courts to sit
still. deliberate and with civil procedure throw
their protection in such direction as may curb
and control hayward actions. Let the man be
remanded to the body of which he is member.
That body is legally, lconstitutionally morally
and intellectually capable and capacitated to
dispose of the question involved, and to con-
denim or aceuit. I discharge him from the ar
rest of the warrant for his extradition, and the
same is hereby ordered.
Patterson was congratulated on the result by
his immediate friends, and with them retired
from the court room.
The Inquiry int tho Hursn Disaster.
The court of inquiry appointed by the Secre-
tary OF the Navy, and consisting of Vice Ad-
miral Rowan, Rear Admiral Rodgers, Commo-
dore FL. a. Wyman and Naval Solicitor j. A.
Bowles, Judge Advocate, to investigate the
causes of the disaster to the Huron, met today
aud organized to proceed to business. The wit
nesses were Rear Admiral Trenchard Commo-
dore Wyman and Master Conway Of the HUI
TOD, but the testimony was merely corrobora-
tive of tee newspaper accounts of the disaster.
Adjourned till tomorrow.
Bill TO Revive the Encome Tax.
A bill was introduced in the House today by
Mr.. Harrison of Illinois to provide for an in
come tax, which proposes to levy upon incomes
which may be over $1,000 and under $4,000 an
nually tax of per cent over $4,000 and un-
der $4,000 Il per cent and graduating scale
up to and including $4,000; $4,000 and under
$oo,0uO tax OF per cent; over $4,000 and
under $4,000 per cent, and per cent. on all
incomes in excess of $4,000.
Revision of the Senate Committees
The Republican Senators met in caucus to-
day to receive the report of their committee ap-
pointed yesterday to revise the membership of
the standing committees. Arrangements were
perfected of which the Democrats will be &C.
corded full minority representation on all inn
portant committees exec pit those on privileges
and elections and railroads To effect this pur-
pose Mr.. Howe will retire from the financial
l6s
Kirkwood from the naval affairs, and Saunders
from the committee on District ofSColumbia,
leaving vacancies to be filed by the appoint
ment of such additional Democratic members
as the caucus of the minority may designate.
The Democrats already have four out of nine
Or three out of seven of the members on other
important Senate committees not named above.
They have also the chairmanships of the COM
mittees on private land claims revolutionary
claims and engrossed bills. The caucus as
signed Kellogg to three committees positions,
viz: On pensions, on transportation routes to
the seaboard and on the Mississippi levees COM
mittees. 1t was also arranged that Window
and Matthews shall succeed Howe and Ferry,
who retire from the committee on railroads,
Report of the Commissioners Of Southern
Claims.
The annual report of the commissioners of
southern claims says that during the year they
made allowances in 904 cases and disalloWed
945. The amount claimed was $576l, OO6; the
amount allowed was $434, 631. About 1000
claims await action and no proofs are filed in
1000 cases. or fully one-third of those presented
under the act of 1871.
The New York Custom House Nomina.
tiOns to be Renewed.
NEW YORK, Dec. 5.-The Worlds Washing.
ton special says that the President will renom-
mate to the Senate tomorrow or Friday, Gen.
Merritt for Surveyor, pnd probably Messrs.
Roosevelt for Collector and Prince for Naval
Officer of New York 1t is well known that
had they even come to a vote at the last session
they would have been confirmed by majority
of or 10 if not more