The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-01-12
Washington.

THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILL-THE FREED
MEN AND CONGRESS- --PERSONAL-JrsTIC
TO TOBkCCo-MAN TRANSPORTATION OF
ANNALS CONTESTED ELECTION CAsE--vA-
RloUs BRIEF ITEMS, &C.
from our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, January 10.-As you al
ready know, the river and harbor bill is be-
ing generally discussed in connection with
the proposed changes in the rules OF the
House. To-day a well-known Confederate
general from Virginia had a talk with Gene
raj Wright, the head OF the Engineering
Department, in regard to the appropriations
made by Congress for the improvement OF
rivers and barbors. The Virginian eX-
pressed the opinion that under the existing
system money is sauandered on rivers that
can never be made navigable. In reply,
but that before he had occasion to examine
the subject officially he himself labored un-
der the same mistake. He called his
attention to the vast benefit to COM
merce which has resulted already from
the Improvement OF navigation on the
lakes and in other quarters OF the country,
and asserted that no money appropriated
by Congress has done so much good as that
expended in the improvement OF the rivers
and harbors OF the country. When Gene
raj Grant suspended the operations OF the
river and harbor bill passed by Congress
General Wright said he looked carefully
into its details, and there was not as much
As $4,000 that was uselessly appropriated,
would not have been the case. After hear
ing General Wright our Virginia general
changed his views.
TIE FREEDMEN's DEPOSITs-LET THEM WATCH
CONGRESS,
The proceedings OF the meetings OF colored
people in North Carolina, Arkansas, and
other southern States have been received by
Mr.. O'Conor, and laid before Congress.
These people pray that Mr.. O'Conors bill
may be passed, which proposes to pay them
out Of the Treasury the amounts Of the de-
posts stolen from them by the managers Of
the Freedmen'S Bank. / had talk with Mr..
OConOr this morning, and he says he means
to press his bill 10 vote at the earliest day,
and is sure that be can pass it unless the
Republicans by strategy stave off vote.
They do not want the bill passed
because it will send some money
South, but will be afraid to vote
against it. When the report on it is made
Mr.. O'Conor intends asking Mr.. Wood,
chairman OF the Ways and Means Commit.
mittee, to make it a special order and fix
day for its consideration, because If it SIM
ply goes on the calendar there is danger
that it will not be reached. Mr.. O'Conor
represents the Charleston, 5. c., district,
aud as Democrat is doing great work for
the colored people Of the South. He is not
afraid of losing any Democratic votes for
the bill. Leading eolored people Of bis dis
trict are already thanking him for the stand
he has taken in their behalf.
Personal NEWS ITEMS.
Major John VI. Robinson has petitioned
Congress to reduce the duty on steel rails.
Hon. Luke Poland, Ex-Governor Fair
banks, Ex-Governor Page, and other leading
citizens Of Vermont, have sent petition 10
Congress urging the erection OF monument
at Yorktown, Va. Petitions pour in from
northern soldiers who want Congress to pay
them the difference between gold and green
backs at the time they were paid of. Mr.
Wright, Greenback Democrat of Pennsyl-
vana, says he is tired OF going through the
farce Of relieving persons OF their disabilities
one by one, and wants a general amnesty
bill passed. Speaker Randall says the same
thing. The House has just passed a bill
placing William Gaines, an ordnance SER
geant, on the retired list, and the Senate will
concur. He was born in Maryland, and was
La drummer-bOy at the battle OF TippecanOe
when only thirteen. He has served in
the army fifty-one years, and been an
ordnance sergeant thirty-three years.
There were actually people in Washington
who to-day asked who is Governor Fayette
| McMullen, Of Virginia, who followed Denis
Kearney in a speech at the Greenback meet
ing last night. 1t is amusing to hear it
said tonight that Senator blaine wants q
Fusion Governor elected in Maine, so as to
help his presidential boom. Jasper w.
johnson, clerk in the War Department, is
charged with receiving fees from applicants
for places while Secretary McCrary was in
office. The memorial addresses delivered in
Congress on The announcement OF the death
OF the Hon. b. Il. Douglass have not yet
been published in book form. Stanley
Matthews says he cannot afford the Mexican
mission, aud MIS-. Grant says she was
happiest when she lived in a small
house and had only one servant. Senator
German was president Of the National
Base Ball Club. OF Capitol Hill, Of this city,
before the war. Postmaster.Gener Key
will submit TO Congress on Monday full
report on the lottery war. The United States
Consul at Dublin attributes the low state OF
prosperity in Ireland to the limited owner
shin OF land. OF the twenty-five United
States senators whose terms expire March
3, 1881, fourteen are Democrats, and In
clude Randolph, Eaton, Herman, Wallace
Thurman, Mcdonald, and Withers.
A ToBAcco.MAN ABOUT TO GET JUSTICE.
In March, 1865, Calvin Bronson, OF To-
ledO, Ohio, was the owner OF large guam
THY Of smokipg-tObacco, which had been
manufactured by him IN that month, ana
was liable 10 taxation under the law passed
June. 1864. The tax was twenty-five cents
pound. After the tax had been paid a law
was nassed. which took effect in March,