The Portland daily press., 1880-03-08
WASHINGTON.
The Fraednnen,st Bank

WASHINGTON, March 6.-The Senate select
committee on the Freedmen's Bank concluded
their investigation to-day.
Gen. p Edwards testified as to his personal
account which on examination of the books
showed that he had overdrawn S2415; this sum
was however reduced to about Sl400 by pre-
seEtation of deposit slips by the witness. In
addition lie claimed other credits for drafts
which by clerical errors don't appear on the
books'of the bank, leaving balance against
his account of some $500. This balance he
could not admit or deny, owing to the length
OF time since the transactions, and the fact of
glazing errors and omissions being discovered
by experts in the bookkeeping of the bank
due to the high rate of interest paid invest
ments in real estate securities instead of in
government securities, and the failure of Jay
Cook & Co., which rendered otherwise good
securities almost worthless. 1t is expected the
committee will make their report at an early
day.
The New Treaty With the Utes.
The negotiations with the Utes were con-
cluded to-day. The formal agreement signed
by the chiefs and head men of the Ute nation
and by the Secretary of the Interior, provides
that the Indians will procure the surrender to
the United States of those not yet in custody
agent Meeker and his employees, and in case
they do not themselves apprehend the parties
presumably guilty they will not obstruct but
faithfully aid the officers directed to arrest
them. Cession is promised to the United
States of all the present Ute reservation In
Colorado. The southern Utes agree to settle
upon unoccupied agricultural lands on the La
Plata river in Colorado and New Mexico or in
that vicinity. Provision is made for roads and
highways lawfully established. This agree
ment is entered into by the Ute chiefs upon
the following conditions: aft
The government is to survey and patent the
lands to the Indians in severalty, the title to
remain inalienable and the lands not to be tax
able for twenty-five years. So soon as the
consent of the tribes of the Ute nation has
nuites heretofore provided by Congress,
amounting to $4,000, shall be paid in cash,
and also as much more as Congress shall APP
propriate. Stock, agricultural implements,
ETC., are to be furnished the Indians sufficient
for their reasonable wants; also such saw and
grist mills as may be necessary. A commits
sion shall be appointed to superintend their
settlement and to attend to carry out this
agreement. One-third of the money apprc-
priated goes to those on the La Plata river,
one-half to those on the Grand river and one
sixth to those going to the Unitah reser-
walton, as pay for their lands. The Utes are
to receive an annuity of $4,000 and their
present annuity of $25 1000 be continued for
their support until they become self-support-
ing and education for their children provided
for.
This is the first time a settlement of the In
dams has been made without assigning to
them an informal reservation in the old way.
The chiefs are confident that the agreement
will be ratified by their people.
Pension Deficiency.
WASHINGTON March 6.-The commissioner
of pensions, in letter to the Secretary of the
Interior, which has been referred to the Sem
ate committee on appropriations. states that
there is deficiency in the army and navy ap-
preparations for the year amounting to many
thousands of dollars. The letter concludes as
follows:
l beg, therefore, to submit to you a revised
estimate for the deficiencies above referred to,
as follows: For army pensions, $6.500,0 for
navy pensions. 200; for pay and allow
ances for agents, etc $4,000. The deficiency
in the appropriation for pay and allowance for
the agents salary, ETC., arises from the consid-
cradle increase of the roll of pensions during
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1879, which was
not considered when the estimates were made,
and from the fact that a considerable sum is
required for the payment of rent, at New
York, which was not considered, that agency,
at the time the estimates were made, being To-
Gated in the government building and free
from rent, from which it has been removed,
and is now subject toa rental Of 5000 per an
mum. The fact that the naval fund is so far
already exhausted that portion of the quar-
terly payment due this day must be postponed
until additional appropriations shall be made,
makes it very desirable that the attention of
Congress should be called to the matter at the
earliest practicable day.
The Sugar Tariff.
Fernando Wood has written to the New
York memorialists for rate of duty on the sug-
ar question that he favors a just aud equitable
tariff on sugar, which shall impose duties
equitably upon all grades and not in the inter-
est of any class of refiners, merchants OF for
eign makers, and is opposed to the unjust dis
elimination attempted to be made between the
several grades for the purpose of favoring par
ticular interests. He also opposes the contin-
uance of the color standard by which much
loss to the treasury has ensued unless it is &C
companied by some other test of value. The
sugar question will come up again in commit
tee next week.