New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-16
TRANSACTIONS OF COMMITTEES,

WASHINGTON, March 15.-The House COM
mittee on Coinage, Weights and Measures discussed at
some length to-day the subject of the capacity OF te
nints to meet the demands made upon them LOT ''c
coinage gold and silver 1t was thought advisable 10
obtain the views OF the Director.
The House Committee on Claims decided to-day to re-
port adversely upon twenty claims, aggresatlhg
100000.
The House Committee Reform IN the Civil Service
had under consideration to-day the subject OF fixing the
hours Of he several departments of the Govern
mrnt. No conclusion was reached ~, A,
Al me meeting OF the Housr Committee on Naval A.
fairs to-day, Representative Whtthorne presented
report and substitute for REPRESENTATIVE morton
bill 40 regulate the rank OF engineer Omcefs
of the Nava Academy" The committee directed
that the bill and accompanying report DC reporleu
10 the House 10 be printed aud recomm tied
SIR Whlttbornes bill proposes that I'm esmi ting the
Of precedence several officers OF the staf corps shall
respectively take proceed nee IN the several grades.
whom they hold relative rank who have been IN the
naval service ak years longer than such officers o
said staff corps have been In said service; pro
vded that nothing In this section sha De So con
strued TO give To any officer OF the STAN CORDS pre-
cedencc ot, or higher relafVe RANK thah lh 3i
stan officer the same grade ana CORDS aud whose com
sucn grade and corps tlat OF sch
oilcer and officers who nave Deeh auVHhoe', OF os
numbers IN the navy register shal De cOnslurtsu Us
Tue House Committee on Commerce resumed the near
upon the nil which proposes to abolish compnlSSrS
skIllinger, of Philadelphia; Mr. Edwards. OF Norfolk,
and MIR. Guerucy, OF Boston, pilots, opposed Ihc Dl
and
OF Boston, snpmaster OF twelve years expetleuee,
smoke III advocacy of the bill II IA understood specla
hearing will he gwen by the Committee 10 he sonheIn
pilots who believe they Will be especially aggreYed ny
the proposed bill.
'To-day the senate Exodus Committee began the ex-
animation OF John H. Burc cOOred ex-senator ltoiu
louisiana OF the Republican Presidential cleo
tors Of Siatc 1876 Mr.. Burch began his testl-
mony by It ting that the exodus at one time last year
sackcncd somewhat. but since the state election IN
Louisiana ast December It has largely Increased lie
sad the effort made last Winter by the Democrats IN the
Legislature TO pass what was called the " Chaln CAM
Law" the agitation OF this subject and the
uncertainty OF the status Of the cOored people under
Democratic rule prevented many from making the
usual labor contracts I'm January and FbruTy OF ths
year and that the result OF this - already Observable
In the large number OF cpored peOule who have moved
from the planting districts into the cities ana
towns lying on the banks OF the river so as 20
take advantage OF opportunities FOR transportation
20 Inc West The proposition to pass these Cham Gang
laws and other measures intended 10 aordge theif IN
sgncd and would eventually place them uudrra system
OF peOuage sud hence the controlling idea WIN th'n Is
10 get away from the state. Mr.. Birch testified az
great Length about The Op Of the negro and tde
suppreSsOu ~ his vote 10 Louisiana.
The Hon T. W. Phelps made on argument before me
Tousr Commute on Railways ana Iahts io-oAy III ~
position 10 tine b granting subsidy 10 the san Antonio
and Laredo Isli way Company
The sen te 'Onfll gee on thf Teino'oi Vi ~ unos
to-day interr0gated White Eagle. Standing BuhtO ana
otner prominent members OF The tribe on the general
question ~ the Indian policy Ihry strongly favored
he plau II allOtting homtsteads Of Indian lands IN
sevcry with provisions tO make tie tltce nnallennue
for term of yelr- and 20 soil the surplus lands 20
form pg-nanen funds r the b'n-ht OF me Indians, The
uf,rest thereon Ia he distributed annual -. Ihey
ma moi bovvever be willing 10 have their ltuus sold
I'm sucr vav ~ % Iead WINE settlers being utter
efrrsed among the Indians, lCst the whites, SHOWING
L. nan thav dd shouid take advantage ol them
The House Committee on Post Offices and Post x .ads
resumed TODAY consideration OF the ON providing
ior the payment of the claim o. the Burlington ahi
s.ryirc fclrrying the mail sundays
Tue committee agreed TO report iavoraby to the House
postraeterGcneral to introduce postal cards with
flexible flap 10 conceal the messages written upon them