The New York herald., 1879-12-11
House yesterday. and adjourn from December ID
1879. to January 6. 1880.
GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES.

GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES.
wAsHIsGToN, Dec. 10. 1879.
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS CONCERNING SENATE PAT
RoNAGE.
The democratic members of the Senate met in
caucus this afternoon to receive the report of
committee. headed by Judge Thurman. upon the
subject of the distribution of the Senate patronage
After a very full interchange or views and an
exhaustive discussion of the subject the commit
tees report was adopted with great unaniInity
and unexpected harmoniousness Of feeling. IL
to the effect that there just OF COM
plant against the officers Of the Senate Tor the man
ner in which they have acted with regard to the
instructions Of last March, that the present
Senate employees deserving and capable and that
the instructions above referred to (which provide
for the retention of all disabled Union soldiers
and of various other employees upon grounds
of special merit irrespective of politics) should
be continued in force with only one
amendment-namely, to authorize the Sergeant-at-
Arms to appoint three additional messengers for
service connected with the three committees which
were left in the control OF the republicans. The
effect of this authorization will be to enable the
three republican charmen-Messrs Anthony.
Edmunds and Conkling-to retain in the
service three old republican messengers who
have heretofore been borne . merely temporary
roll. The unanimous agreement of the caucus was
that the democratic majority in the Senate should
up to the full measure Of the generous treat
ment which accorded to them in matters Of
patronage by the republicans when the democrats
were in the minority. The caucus meeting was
wholly devoted to this object.
MEASURE TO STOP GARBAGE DUMPING IN NEW
YORK HARBoR.
iufr in fha ia
day by Mr. Conkng. in relation to street sweepngs.
garbage. &c, provides that no street sweepings,
dredging from slips. dead animals. any article
thing that is liable to convey disease dangerous
to the public health or to navigation shall be
deposited in the waters Of the port Of New York
In the rivers or waters adjoining the city of New
York. in the States Of New York and New Jersey,
in the Atlantic Ocean within fve miles Of Coney
Island or Sandy Hook. The bill Of course excepts
the ordinary discharge Of sewers from New York,
Brooklyn and other cities into the waters Of the
port, and does not apply to the erection
of piers. docks bulkhesds the proper
filing in Of any land authorized by
the Of the United States The bill author
ICES the district attorneys of the Southern East
ern districts Of New York State to appoint special
officers who shall have power to arrest persons vio-
latng the law. These officers to receive salaries
not exceeding that paid to the New York city police
and shall be paid only upon certificate from the
President Of the Board Of Pilot Commissioners in
the city Of New York showing chat they have per-
formed their duty satisfactorily.
| SECRETARY M'CRARY's SUCCESSOR CONFIRMED.
The President this morning sent to the Senate the
| nomination Of ex-senator Alexander Kamsey. Of
Minnesota. to be Secretary Of War. He WAS con-
frmed by the SENATE In exeoative session without
reference to committee. 1
OTHER COMBINATIONS sY THE SENATE.
Tho Senate this afternoon confirmed the following
nominations:-
Horatio G. sickel. Pension Agent at Philadephia,
W. H. Hays. United States District Judge for Ken
| tucky.
Charles p. James Associate Justice of the Supreme
! Court Of the District Of Columbia.
Charles Beardsley. Of Iowa, to be Fourth Auditor
Albert johnson. Surveyor General for Colorado.
Postmasters-Edward =. Tobey. vt Boston. Mass.
at Athol. Mass: Julius W. Knowlton. Bridgeport.
Conn; In Emerson A aough, 2. collinsvie.
George Ssols: som Read sn %ooa.oeass ssana'1 VI Il
Alvsrro F. Gibbons. at Charleston. Va; BENJAMIN
caais Frederick G. wcaSam. a. Norwai S psviS d.
Taylor. at Cambridge; Henry s: Robinson. at Wash
ington Court House. Ind; Ihsddeus Coffin. at New
Hactleman. at Rushville. Mich; clinton Spencer.
at Ypsilant Wis; William P. Forsyth. at
s.' Iac. Iowa; CHARLES r. 1Ssi Tail. at nn Clinton a
| Jonathan Mxxon. at West Liberty Minn. !;
at " Wortnineton Charles o. Howes. a. Lnyerne n Suae
Luke Marvin. ut Duluth. Neb.; Jacob Drum. at Boa
trice. Dakota; William II. Fawcett. at Lead City.
Kansas; Annie NJ Pisbury. ut Manhattan; James
| M. Cavanass. at Chetopah; John b. Beatty, at
Chanute; William II. Smith. at Marysville; John p
| Tenn. Samuel n Arnel at Columbia. Texas Henry
L. Rankin. At Hampstead; John G. Manning. at San
Antonio.
BANKING SAFEGUARDS
The House Banking aud Currency Committee to-
day rcopened their former action the bill requr-
ing tho Of national banking associations to
be kept In gold and silver in lieu of legal tender
| notes. and adopted amendment. offered by Mr..
Buckner, which strikes out the requirement
| for the maintenance Of reserve of twenty
| nve per csntum the amount Of circula-
| tion. ana makes this provision applicable
to deposits only The resolutions Of Messrs. Fort
and Price adverse to the Presidents greenback
recommendations not reached for considers
ton this morning. The meeting of tho committee
mainly occupied in listening to argument
presented by Mr.. Lounsbery. of New York. who
took strong grounds in favor of return to the plan
Of the original banking act. which remained
in force until 1874. and which required
the banks to maintain a reserve on
circulation well deposits He contendcd
that this q correct banking principle which the
national banks should bc forced recognize not 50
much tor the protection of holders OF national
bank notes. who ultimately protected by the
bonds OF tho national bank held by the gov
ernment. but rather to secure automatic ex-
pansion and contraction OF tho currency.
which will naturally follow IL properly
proportioned circulation is maintained.
Mr.. Lounsbery does not believe that Mr.. Buckner's
bill in its present shape requiring 1t does. that
one half of the banks shall be kept co H.
will rcsult in either contraction expansion. ut
least not to any considerable extent. Theorct-