The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-23
The Unexpended Balance Of
the Geneva Award.
SECRETARY SHERMAN ON THE SALE OF BONDS.
American Oolored Citizens Held as
Slaves in Cuba.
The STORY OF A LIBERAL OFFICER.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

WASHINGTON, April %, 1873
THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL-A MEASURE
LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER THE VETO.
The river and harbor job passed to-day, under sus.
pension OF tho rules by vote OF l66 to CO. Mr. Cox,
OF Now York, thereupon offered protest against the
passage OF tho bill without previous discussion and
examination. The protest signed by twenty
democrats and eight republicans. Tho offer or the
protest caused general commotion. The Speaker
rules that Mr.. Cox, having got the floor question
OF privilege was entitled address tho House, and
that the protest might bc madc part Of
hts remarks Thereupon tncre was o call for
adjournment and this prevailed, tho object being
to prevent the protest being read. But Mr. Cox re-
tains the floor, and the Speaker will rulo tomorrow
that tho House must Toast suffer the protest be
read and will show by proccdents that tho protestant
have right to have It Incorporated In tho journal Of
tho House,
Tho bill is uncommonly fall Of Jobs. Two millions
out OF tho It appropratcs would probably carry
all needed improvements and If il should pass the
Senate without important changes IL will probably be
VETOED By tho President who Is known to be opposed
TO ndiscrminae appropriations of this kind, though
favorable to the execution OF necessary work. Tho
biz passed to-day only because Its authors had dcb
eracly gvcu moro than two-thirds Of tho House In
tercsts In It
THE GENEVA AwARD--BILL REGULATING THE
UNHxPENDED BALANCE AGREED UPON Bx
THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEES.
Judge Knott, as Chairman OF tho House Co mmittee
IN the Judiciary. will present tomorrow an elaborate
report the Geneva award with bill, both having
the support Of majority OF tho committee. Tho re-
port discusses cngth the merits OF the differ.
emit claimants to the balance In tho governments
hands Of the Geneva ward, and takes the ground
that the ''war premium" claimants and the "cxcul-
pased cruser' claimants clearly not entitled to
any share In the award; that they excluded by
the acts and decisions Of the arbitrator undor tho
treaty; that this exclusion was accepted by the
United Statos; that tho award was made in gross
20 tho United States at their request, the ground
that this would save time and DO speodior justice
TO the claimants whose claims allowed by tho ar
btrators, and that Il 10 clearly iund hold by
she Untod States for distribution among these recog.
nizcd clamants that tho government has right 10
sther retain the money in tho Treasury, which would
b practically distribution among the whole populo.
ION. to pay It to any others than those whose
laims recngDizsd by the arbitrators nj Geneva
rne report holds further that THO only claim rcccg
nized ana entitled tho Alabama claims SO called
excluding the sexcuipatcd cruisers' and oil cnims
made TOR ''war premiums" In general, ana thsreupon
proposes bill sending all tho claimants TO tho Court
or Claims which is 70 decree to each what Is his
undor said treaty and award, aud any agrievcd
may take appeal TO tho Supreme Court whch Ia to
gvo precedence to such cases Tho report adds that
this win 10 any extent increase the business bc-
fore tho Supreme Court. because II Is regarded as
certain that at most two cases there decided
will establish tho principle on which all tho ROMAN.
ing before tho Court OF Claims will turn Prnc-
tcalIy therefore. tho long dispute the dstrbu-
Of the remainder Of tho Geneva award referred
10 the Supreme Court for final Interpretation OF tho
treaty and award. and II tho bill becomes . law this
question viii happily disappear from the halls and
obbies OF Congress. Tho report ITSELF however, o.
Mbshes very clearly that
First-Tho United States cannot justly retain tho
Masd.
Sseond-It can pay 1t only to those whose Chains
gore recognized and cannot distribute IL ct It's dis.
Hction.
Tasrd-The exculpated cruiser and war premium
men excluded by tho arbitrators from all share
In the award