The New York herald., 1879-02-07
DETAILS OF PROPOSED CHANGES.
The Census Bill as Passed
by the Senate.
POLITICAL FEATURES OBJECTED TO-.
Provision for the Payment of Ar
rears of Pensions.
ROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.

WASHINGTON, Feb. G. 1879
ARREARS OF PENsIoNs-THE HOUSE APPHo-
pRIAT1oNs COMMITTEE CONSIDERING THE
MEANS OF PAYMENT-BILL TO BE REPORTED.
The question of providing for the payment of
arreaages of pensionsis still under consideration by
the House Committee Appropriations. 1t is un-
derstood that proposition will be made from the
committee authorize the Secretary Of the Treasury
to reissue $3S 900 Of legal tenders Of the amount
retired from circulation. Congressman Ewing, OF
Ohio will enleavor to suspension OF the rules
on Monday next for the consideration of o bill
authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to re-
issue the entire amount of retired legal tenders up
to the original limit of S4OUOoO,O0
The action OF the Senate Committee on Finance to-
day. voting in favor of the House bill reducing the
tax on tobacco, it is said will be approved
by the Senate, the representatives of the
tobacco trade who are in Washington hav-
ing assurances OF a majority in favor Of
the BILL The passage of this bill would still further
reduce the revenues of the government and make it
necessary to provide in some way for the payment
of pension arrearages. The amount required for
this latter purpose is now put down ut $33, O00.00o.
and member of the House Committee on Appro-
priations said tonight that in all probability the
measure above mentioned would be reported by the
committee.
THE SENATE CENSUS BILL.
The Census bill passed by the Senate to-day differs
from that already introduced in the House by few
but important particulars The chief of these is the
provision giving the appointment of the takers Of
the to the Secretary of the Interior and the
creation of bureau in the Interior De-
partment, which features are likely to meet
with the active hostility Of the democrats
for <h~k
bureau would. in the Presidential election year Of
1880. give republican administration vast political
patronage. AS the bill limits the minimum of pop
uaton to 5000 for each enumeration the Secretary
Of the Interior would have the appointment of
about twelve thousand Of these officials
his selections reaching to almost every
county and town of the United States
The House bill gives their appointment to the
Governors of the States The old law which is still
in force and would operate in the event of failure
the part of Congress to repeal amend it, gives
the taking to the United States marshals
and their deputies, special regular, and
the retention Of this feature will be urged
on the ground that these officers arc
familiar with their districts and ready and
at hand besides being under bonds for the faithful
discharge Of their duties, while the new law will
call into existence for short and spasmodic effort
nearly fifteen thousand officials of questionable
responsibility and capacity for exacting a work.
The subject will be thoroughly debated in the special
order Of Saturday next.
THE HUNToN-ALExANDER DIFFICULTY-No> IN
DICrMENT FOUND BY THE DISTRICT GRAND
JURY.
The Grand Jury Of the District of Columbia have
declined to find an indictment against Congressman
Eppa Hunton for sending Mr.. Columbus Alexander a
challenge. They came into court to-day and Judge
wylic having thanked them for the faithful per-
formance of the duties assigned them. discharged
them from further service This closed their con-
nection with the challenge 1t is under
stood that they took the ground that the
offence committed in Virginia, beyond the juris-
dicton of the jury. In regard to the posting it
held that it also was done in Virginia. The copy
seen in this city was brought from Alexandria, Va,
by gentleman who had been to that city the day
tho poster seen here. The deliberation in the
jury of short duration, the members of the
jury seemingly having early made up their minds
that there against General Hunton. A
vote followed. which stood four for Indictment and
nineteen for dismissal.