The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-12-05
WASHINGTON.
Revision Of the Senate Committees.


Senators held brief caucus today, to provide
for revising the membership of the standing
committees Messrs Morrill,, Window, Booth,
Dorsey, Oglesby, Allison and Howe were APP
pointed committee to revise the lists and re-
port to future meeting of the caucus, after
certaining the wishes of the Democrats as to
the assignment Of their members. IL is proba-
BILE that the minority will be given an inctess-
ed representation upon such committees of i'm
portanee as are not already divided th ali pos.
sible equality between the Two parties. The
Democrats have now four members ont of the
pine on the following Committees: Appropris-
tions, foreign relations, commerce, public lands
and claims. They have three oat of seven
members on the Judiciary, but they have less
than these proportions of strength on various
other committees, especially the finance com
mittee and the committee on elections, each of
which consists of six Republicans and three
Democrats.
Bills Introduced in the Hosse.
The bill introduced in the House today by
Mr. Townsend of Illinois to amend Sec. 5,258
Of Che Revised Statutes and to regulate COM
merce by railroad among the several states pro-
poses to require railroads to receive and trans
port freight cars of other companies without
charging any greater rate than is charged
where the cars are the property Of the road
over which they pass. 1t prescribes as penalty
for any violation of this provision q forfeiture
of three times the amountof damages sustain
ed By the sggrieyed parties TO be paid to the lat
ter.
Mr. Dibreh's bill to tax incomes introduced
in the House today provides for tax OF tbfee
per cent on all amounts OF income over 1000.
Protection of the Mexic Border.
Capt johnson stated before the House mill"
tary committee today that to give adequate
prosecton 10 the Texas frontier there were
necessary two full regiments of infantry and
one Of cavalry in all 5000 men; that there ought
to be some additional posts established and
that river fords should be picketsd and patrol-
ed by small parties Of cavalry.
Gabiast Meeting.
The Cabinet council &eday was two hours in
length The subjects which received attention
were the unconhrmed nominations to offices
and other matters relating directly thereto The
Indications favor the sending OF several new
nominations to the Senate on Thursday, though
10 many cases in the list of offices left vacant
ny the failure of the Senate to confirm, no de-
cisions We're reached as to the ma mes next to
be presented.
1t appears that some time ago the post Office
officials reviewed the bonds given by postmas-
tiers throug hout the country, and it was found
that quite number were under Insufficient
bonds Those officials were ordered to file new
bonds, but many could rot fnd bopdsmen in
the communities 10 which their duties lay.
They were consequently suspended and new
nominations made of men who furnished the
required bonds The failure to confirm the new
appointments is a source of much trouble, for
under the law the suspended functionaries con-
biDu6 to admlnlS the AFFAIRS OF the respective
offices, some serving who are not under bonds
at all.
Patterson Not Likely 10 be Surrendered,
NEW YORK, Dec 4.-Tbe Worlds Washing
ton special says that it is believed that Judge
humphreys will on Wednesday, decline to
surrender Senator Patterson on the requisition
of Gov. Hampton of South Carolina, on the
ground that he is not within the meaning of
the law fugitive from justice but duly occu-
pying a seat in the q nited State Senate as rep
Iesentative of the state which SO calls him.
Various Matters.
No chairman has yet been selected for the
House committee on Pacific railroads
The clerk of the court of claims has trans
united to Congress statement of all the judg-
meDts rendered by the court for the year end
ing Dec. Sd, 1877, the amounts thereof, the
names of the parties, in whose favor rendered,
etc. The entire amount of claims was about
SO 900, 600 not over One-sixth of whi Oh sum has
been awarded. large number Of claims
were dismissed, including some for the pro-
ceeds of cotton captured by the United States
military posts 10 sums ranging from $500 TO
$4,000, the latter on account of Sam uel P
Walkers executors and Robertson Topp ad-
ministrator
The naval court of inquiry to investigate the
causes Of the Huron disaster will assemble az
the Havy department tomorrow.
The trial of Col William Craig and Geo. W.
Brant charged with conspiracy to defraud the
government 10 the matter of claim fer nules
alleged to have been captured by Indians in
1854. resulted today in verdict of not guilty.