The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-12-23
Last NIGHTS Dispatches.
WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, Doc. 22.-Owing to the
scarcity of greenbacks in the Treasury. new
/ United States notes can no longer be fur
nished from the Washington Office 70,
bankers drafts.
| 1t has been the custom for years 70,
certain tobacco manufacturers to pack il
! hogsheads and bales for foreign trade. a
brand of leaf tobacco known as ''bIack
tat. A decision was rendered by the
Commissioner of Internal Revenue TO-DAY
| in releasing a quantity of such tobacco,
which had been seized in New Orleans.
holding that this tobacco, If intended for
| coDsump ption, must be put up in legal pack
ages in a tobacco mandatory and proper-
| ly stamped
A motion was submitted by Senator
Edmuuds in the Supreme Court this af-
| teTnoon to advance upon the docket the
case of Augustus ID Jullard VS. Thos s.
GreenmaD, which low stands No. 779
This is the test case brought in order to
obtain the opinion OF the Supreme Court
as to the validity of the actsof Congress,
May 81, 1878. forbidding the further
retirement of the so-caled United States
legal tender notes and requiring them to
be re issued and kept 10 circulation after
redemption. The motion to advance is
made under the provisions Of Rule 26 of
the Supreme C0nrt. and the counsel urge
IN its support that the case is one so special
and peculiar in its circumstances as to JUS
tlty this application for speedy hearing;
that 1t raises vital question as to curren-
cy, in reference to which all commercial
transactions in the United States are
necessarily made and involves the " hole
subject OF Congressional power to maintain
the legal quality of United States Treasury
notes in time of peace. AS evidence of
the importance of the case the counsel call
attention to the weighty declarations of
the President of the United States 10 his
recent annual message to Congress; to the
reports of the Secretary of the Treasury
and Comptroller Of the currency; to pend
ing measures relating to the same subject
10 both houses of congress; TO
daily expressions of public opinion in the
press throughout the country; and to the
common experience of all civilized nations,
which declares the necessity OF perma
nence and stability in the law governing
debt creating power. Counsel further
point out that decision either in favor or
against the validity of the reissuing act of
1878, will, If made at an early day, in the
existing state OF renewed prosperity and
activity in trade. work no hardship, where
as, ii the case or questions which il in
wolves were TO be decided at time when
the SO called legal tenders are below par,
the hardship it would work upon debtors
who have contracts when they are at par,
would be immense and lncalcula0le 1t
is assumed 10 this application that the
question Involved is an open one ia this
court and that its determination will COM
Diete adjudication on the subject of the
powers of Congress iB reference to the |
issue of treasury notes. under changed
state of national affairs since the close of
the rebellion, and therefore not embraced |
in the discussion of legal cases reported
II W allace, $50 to SOS. Counsel submit |
that the motion should be allowed and the |
case set down for some day at the present
term.
A motion was also made 10 the United |
States Supreme Court to day to advance !
the case o! JOHN Mills VS.. the United |
States, which is an Indictment for bigamy |
jn the Supreme Court ot Utah, and which
involved among other questions the rights |
Of the prosecuting officers 20 examine upon /
ivoir dir. vol voire, direl persons drawn /
a jurors, az to their practice Of or belief !
III the divine origin OF poygamy, and to
xclude tor bias those found By triers TO
observe such practice or retain such belief. !
Frank Hatton editor and proprietor of
the Burlington (Iowa] Hd'0keye, has been
Postmaster at Burlington.