The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-03-04

Lords prayer with him. Many congress
ncn knewthat what this old gentleman said
was true, and that they could have avoided
the Sabbath work, which he rebuked, If
they had pushed business ahead earlier in
the session.
TIE ANXIOUS 1NeU1RERs ABOUT THE suNDRY-
CIVIL APPROPRIATION BILL.
ALTHOUGH the Capitol to-day and again
tonight have been men with anxious faces,
inquirers in regard to the sundry-ciyil and
other appropriation bills, IN which they
were interested. And while politicians
were troubled about the fate OF the super
visors' amendment and that relating to the
Jurors test-oath, these men saw nothing
important before Congress except the few
lines in an appropriation bill which meant
bread and meat, and raiment, and perhaps
in some cases luxuries, to them. When told
that an appropriation bill had been agreed
upon in conference, they would in eager
haste ask, Is it the ciyil-sundry, or is it the
deficiency? And when told that it was the
'forti6cation or the post-office bill, their dis
appointment was sore.
GREAT MEASURE OF RELIEF FOR TIE SOUTH.
The bill Of Judge Harris. CT Virginia, to
allow appeals from the decisions OF the
United States District Courts to the United
States Circuit Courts in criminal cases went
to the President last night and will be signed
to-day. It's patron, after hard struggle,
got it up Saturday night, or rather Sunday
morning, and the Senate amendments were
concurred in and the bill passed. Its chief
provisions are as follows: In case OF convic-
ton in the district court, when the judg-
nent is imprisonment, or fine and imprison-
ment, or fine only exceeding $500, the party
convicted may tender his bill OF ex-
ceptions, setting forth the facts, which
the district judge is required to sign.
He can then file his application to the judge
OF the circuit court of the district or the
Justice Of the Supreme Court for that dis
trict for a writ Of error. II the court below
is reversed the circuit court may retain the
case and have a trial de T0uO, or may re-
mand it to the district court with instruc-
tions. The effect OF this law is to take cases
out OF the hands Of Judge Rives, for example,
and transfer them to Justice Waite, OF the
Supreme Court. The importance Of this law
to the South cannot be overestimatcd, and
Judge Harris deserves great credit for the
persistence with which he pressed it to its
final passage.
TIE DEBATE OVER THE CONFERENCE COMMIT
n " TIL
The conference report on the clvil-sun-
dry appropriation bill was agreed to in the
Senate without difficulty this afternoon;
but in the House MIR. Blackburn aud others
fought with earnestness that portion OF it
which legaIizes certain alleged fraudulent
bonds issued during Shepherds reign.
Although the law prohibited the increase OF
the bonded debt OF the District beyond
S10,000,00O, bonds were issued until the
debt aggregated 22,000,000. Mr.. Black
burn alleged that sS,000,000 OF tuese bonds
were not voidabe, but absolutely void,
having been issued not only without a1l-
thority of law, but in defiance OF IT..
He held that neither Congress nor the Dis
trict, nor any person, was liable for these
bonds. Mr.. Hendee, OF Vermont, replied
to Cir. Blackburn, and the Republicans
backed him with their votes. Mr. Black
burn intimatcd that even banks have had
their lobby here working TO get these bonds
legalized. The House voted to agree to the
conference report by decided majority.
The "noes" were all Democrats.
THE CONFERENCE DEFICIENCY BILL
was agreed to by ba!f-past 10, and one main
point of difference between the two houses
the 100000 which the Senate wanted to
appropriate to supervisors OF elections
was cut down to $4,000, which the Demo
Gratis say will go to defray the expenses OF
courts, while the Republicans say it will go
into the general fund out OF which super
yisors are paid.
Before IL O'Clock the conference report on
THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL
had been concurred in by both houses, and
YOUR correspondent breathed frcer when he
ascertaincd from Judge Reagan that The
increase OF the Senate appropriations for
Virginia rivers was not interfered with-that
is. the James river gets ST5, 900; Norfolk bar
Dor the same amount; the AppoRlattox $780,
O0O. and so on. The only addition made by
the conference committee for Virginia was
S., 900 for Welanna creek. The Senate had
added about 100000 to this bill after it
left the House, and in conference its CON-
mittee-men receded to the extent Of $780,
900. The conference report Of
THE PosT-OFFICE BILL
was adopted by the House at II without
word of explanation, and ascertained by
sending to one of the committees that $780,
600 was appropriated to give two daily
mails over the Virginia Midland road. This,
it is understood, will be supplemented by
the Postmaster General with enough to ac'
complish the desired object. ...
Now only appropriation bills remain-to.
wit, the legislative and the army-aud these
contained the chief impediments in the way
OF a speedy adjournment. There were many
whose faith in ... Al. ......
AN EXTRA SESSION
began to weaken, and there were rumors
at both ends of the Capitol that the Repub'
Leans were losing backbone, and were
| ready to yield not only in full on the jul
rors' test-oatii, but to compromise on the
supervisors clause. Then came rumor;
also that certain Democrats swore they
would back down if the Republicans didn't:
but still there were no signs OF reports from