The New York herald., 1879-12-12

$500 OF the Revised Statutes. which directs the
Secretary of the Treasury withhold all payments
to any railroad company and its assigns on account
of freights trans sportaton their respective
roads of any kind to the amount Of payments made
by the United States for interest upon bonds of the
United States issued to any such company and which
shall not have been reimbursed. together with tho
five per cent of net earnings due and unappiied as
provided by law. and says:-"In accordance with the
above provision of law payments will
hereafter be made. directly or Indirectly.
in favor of any of the railroads in question.
No person entitled to transportation at the public
expense will incur expenditure therefore. any
Of these roads with view Of being reimbursed for
the amount. but should from the proper
authority IN order for such transportation and the
accounting officers of this department Will allow
any road presenting such order. duly receipted.
credit for the amount found due. to be applied as
required by law. In the expense of such trans
portation is properly payable from any appropria-
under the control of the Treasury Department.
the necessary order will be furnished only direc
ton Of the Secretary of the Treasury"
PECULIAR SCHEME.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. Withers presented novel
memorial, signed by Commodore William b. Whit
ing of the United States Navy. The memorialist
requests the Senate to authorize the President OF
u
the governments OF all nations on this continent to
unite in s,confederaton for mutual support, ofen-
sive and defensive. Each government is to re-
main independent in the administration of its
affairs. but to be otherwise subordinate to the
general government Of the Confederacy. which shall
have the executive right to declare war, to proclaim
peace, to maintain armies and nsvies and to regu-
late commerce In order to organize this confed-
eracy he suggests the assembling of grand con-
gress of delegates from each government. who shall
draw up sconstituion to be submitted for ratiica-
ton to the nations represented in this Congress- ra
fcaton by two.thirds to be binding upon the whole
number. The memorialist mentions that Great
Britain has many colonies on this continent which
to-day in peaceful accord with the mother
try and desire separation it. but it is be-
Neved that she will cheerfully relinquish her hold
upon them il they wish to join such confederacy..
Referred to the Judiciary Committee
i JUDGE N McaARY.
The President has signed the commission OF
George W. McCrary to be Judge OF the Eighth Judi
cial district Mr.. McCrary said to-day that his busi-
is all to date and that he is only waiting the
arrival of MI. Ramsey before retiring from the War
Department. He expects that Secretary Ramsey will
take possession tomorrow. Mr. Ramsey's commits
sion has been signed.
| , COMPUTATIONS BY THE SENATE
The Senste. in executive session this afternoon.
confirmed the nominations Of John Hay, of Ohio. to
be Assistant Secretary Of State, vice +. w. Seward
resigned. and Henry Harmon. of New Hampshire. to
| be Deputy Second Auditor of the Treasury.
s WAR DEPARTMENT SALARIES.
| general order was issued by the War Department
to-day grading the pay Of clerks and other employees
under the staff departments of the army whose SAL
aries not fixed by law. There are to be. after
January l. $780, six classes of cerkshps, with $500
| per aunum additional pay to each grade the first
grade to receive $1,000 and the sixth grade 1000.
Any compensation greater than this must receive the
special approval ana sanction of the Secretary of
| War.
| FORTIFICATIoNs AND ToRPEDoEs.
| The House Committee ON Appropriations received
and adopted the report Of the Subcommittee on
Fortifcations. which was subsequently reported to
the House. 1t provides for appropriation Of
$685. 900 for armament. 100000 for fortihcans and
| $50.0O0 for torpedoes.