The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-04-24
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Washington.
THE INDEMNITY BILL OF THE SOUTHERN
METHODIST PUBLISHING HoUSE-A STRONG
ARRAY OF PEOPLE IN ITS FAyOR-THE
SHIP-CANAL FROM NORFOLK TO WHINING
ToN-PAY FOR THE DAHLGREN GUN Mr..
CABELL TOLD THAT THE TOBACCO TRADE is
LANGUISHING-UsELEss sQUABBLE ABOUT
THE RIVER AND HARB0R BILL-REPoRTERs
TALKING sPAN1sH-rERsoNAL, &C., &C.
WASHINGTON, April 23.-It is understood
that the bill for the payment OF the claim
OF the Southern Methodist Book Concern
will be taken up in the Senate tomorrow,
when its friends will submit it upon its
merits without further discussion, but its
opponents, am sure, will hardly permit
this. 1t is unfortunate that Senator Hoar,
OF Massachusetts,, who is an earnest friend
OF the bill, is absent. Senator Johnston
thinks it will pass the Senate. When the
Fcderals occupied Nashville in 1862 they
took possession OF this book concern, then the
largest publishing and printing-house south
OF New York except the Government print
ing office at Washington. They not only used
its building, but its presses, printing mate
rails, and paper in the execution OF blanks,
&C., for the army. The owners, who al
legged that their loss was over 100000,
brought their claim before Congress, and
the Senate committee this session made two
reports on 1.-THE majority, consisting Of
Senators Hoar, Mitchell, Cockerill, Here
ford, Harris, and Morgan, recommending
that $4,000 be paid in satisfaction OF the
claim. The minority-Messrs. Mcmillan,
Teller, and Cameron, of Wisconsin, on the
other hand, reported that as it was the pro-
perry OF enemies, in an enemy's country dE-
ring war, they are not entitled, therefore,
to any compensation. In conclusion, they
endeavored to provoke northern hostility to
the bill by saying the Government is now
unable to pay pensions to those who risked
their lives in defence of the Union, and it
ought not to pay the losses of those WHO
were on the side Of the rebels.
WHO FAVOR IT'S PAYMENT.
Among those who urge Congress to pass
this bill are Bishops Simpson, Ames. James,
Bowman, Morris, Merrill, Peck, and Haven,
OF the Northern Methodist Church; the
General Conference OF the Colored Metho-
dist Church, four State legislatures, 100 COL
Icres (northern and southern, 120 COVER
nors, Judges, &C.; scores OF northern Me
thodist ministers prominent Catholics, Is
raelites, and leading citizens, i'll fact, OF all
religious creeds and parties in every section
OF the country. Its friends say no claim
could be more just and none ever came be-
fore Congress more strongly backed. 1T is
stated that Blaine is in favor Of the bill, but
il is never safe to count on him until he has
shown his hand. ..
A SHIP CANAL FROM NORFOLK TO WILMINGTON.
Messrs. MerIimon and Ransom will next
week call up the bill appropriattng $4,000
for the survey OF a ship-canal route from
Norfolk, Va, to Wilmington, n. C. This
is to avoid the dangers OF Hatteras and ul-
timately to become part OF the great line
of internal navigation by which it is pro-
posed to connect the mouth OF the Missis-
sippi via thu: coast Of the Gulf Of Mexico
and a canal through Floridawith the waters
Of the northern lakes. OF course this work
will have to be done in sections, and 1t VIII
take wears to complete it. The sections first
in inheritance are those which are to enable
sbips i'm stormy weather to avoid the dam
gers of the North Carolina and New Jersey
coasts. A senator to-day called attention
! to the fact that man in small boat can
now reach the st. Lawrence from the eX-
IRENE south by an entire inland waterroute
THE DAHLGREN CLAIM.
| The House Naval Committee agreed to-
dav to report in favor Of allowing Mrs.
Dahlgren to take her claim-not to exceed
S65 .O0O-to the Court OF Claims. She asks
| conversation in consideration OF the fact
that her husband invented the gun which
bears his name. There were those on the
committee who thought that as he was a
| naval officer his time belonged to the United
States, but their illiberal views did not pre-
vail.
| AN INTERVIEW ON THE TOBACCO TAX.
Mr.. 3. f. Graveley, OF Henry county,
| Va, and J. 3. Stafford, tobacco-dealer OF
Baltimore, had an interview to-day with
Mr.. Cabell in regard to the reduction Of the
tobacco tax. Both want the question set
tied at once, and informed Mr.. Cabell that
the trade is suffering because OF the uncer-
tainty. Mr.. Cabel told them that there had
been recent conference OF the friends OF
the reduction Of the tobacco tax, and that
they bad agreed to bring it up at as early a
day as possible His opinion is thai the
| House will vote on it in ten days, or two
| weeks at farthest. They do not intend to
wait for the action of the House on the ia
riff bill before calling up the internal-reye.
nue. bill reported the other day.
| A. PosT-MORTEM sQUABBLE OVER THE RIVER
AND HARBoR BILL.
The House wasted a day OF valuable time
| in squabble over.a point OF order grow
| ing out OF the protest Of Mr.. S. S. Cox and
others against the passage Of the river and
harbor bill. Judge Reagan, chairman OF
the Commerce Committee, in answering the
points Of the protest, said that if the CON-
mittee had granted the requests OF impor-
tunate members the aggregate approprla'
ton would have been fifteen instead OF
seven millions. The reason it reached
seven millions was because the commit
tee had made large appropriations to the
great national water-lines, such as the
Mississippi, Ohio, &c. he read the decis-
| ions OF the Supreme Court to show that ii