Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-05-04

but gives the substance as follows: The
President wrote that he favored free bal
lot and fair count, and would encourage
1t, not only in Virginia, but in every
State North and South, but he would
not assist to elevate a man who,
as editor Of daily paper, continually at
tacks and defames the President himself
and his administration. The President re-
fers to GOrham, the Republican nominee for
Secretary Of the Senate, who is editor of the
National Republican. and who attacks the
administration because of its condemnation
of the star route swindie. The President
declares he will not consent to the Senate
laying over any nomination.
The Republican caucus agreed TO hold an
executive session tomorrow. The Repub-
licans have backed down and are beaten.
The Vice President laid before the Sen
ate the unfinished business, being the resolu-
tIon for the election of officers of the
Senate.
Mr.. Davis, Of West Virginia, then took
the floor with a speech upon the debt ques-
tiOn between the Virginias, promising his
remarks with the expression of his regret
that the speeches made by the Senators
from Virginia and Ohio (Messrs. Malone
and Sherman) should have compelled him
to discuss in this chamber what he con
sidered to be purely local matter. The
debt question In West Virginia had never
been made political one, and he regretted
that the Republican Senators should make
at A..
Democrats OF that State on that question.
Little or nothing had been done looking
to the adjustment of the debt question be
tween Virginia and West Virginia until
1871.
In the early part of that year the Legisla-
ture of West Virginia had, upon his motion,
agreed to a resolution for the appointment
of commission to treat upon that subject.
Those commissioners had proceeded to
Richmond, but had met nobody with whom
to treat. Since that time nothing had been
done, to the best of his knowledge, by
either State officially with reference
to the vexed debt question. Ia 1871 Vir-
ginia had passed wnat was known as the
funding bill, which had arbitrarily set aside
two thirds of the debt to the old State, and
Onethird to the new State The Governors
of Virginia had uniformly, since the pass
age of that act, held that they had no power
to answer the calls of West Virginia for a
settlement of the debt question. The com
missiOners appointed by the State of West
Virginia had reported the following facts:
That nine tenths of the improvements for
| which the debt had been created had been
/ located within the State of Virginia.
That Virginia had contained Al 900 square
miles and West Virginia but 10000. That
at the time of tie separation Virginia con-
/ tanned population of 1, l22 900, and West
/ Virginia 374 000-less than one-fourth.
/ That the taxable property in Virginia had
amounted to $4,000 600, and In West Vir-
giuia to but Sc, ,470. .0O0-less than one-sixth.
In view Of these facts, could 1t be con-
/ tended that West Virginia was responsible
/ for one-third of the debt?
| Continuing he said that while the debt of
| the ViTginias was large. 1t was not very
| considerably less than $50 per capita, while
/ the debt of the United States was double
that. He predicted that Virginia
would pay her debt in the
future. Both of the Yirginias would pay
their debts, and he regretted very much that
/ his friend from Massachusetts Mr.. Dawes
/ should encourage the party in the old State
/ that does not want to pay the debt at all.
/ After a short debate on the question of the
/ debt of the Virginias, the Senate adjourned
/ until tomorrow.
THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS.
The Republican Senators met in caucus
/ this morning to receive the report of their
committee on the scope and order of bust
ness to be transacted in the proposed eXecu-
tive sessions. A discussion ensued, which
/ had not been completed when the hour for
the assembling of the Senate arrived, and
/ the caucus adjourned to meet again this
/ afternoon. The attendance was small this
/ morning. The discussion is understood to
| have been confined mainly to the question
- \ 4 81
/ cases to be withheld from action at present.
This afternoon the report of the Commit
/ tee Of Seven was amended so as to make
/ its doubtful features clear, and was finally
/ adopted, with entire unamimity, in the
/ shape Of a resolution, which provides in
/ substance that executive sessions shall be
/ held forthwith 1.-THE first one tomorrow for
/ the transaction OF business in the following
| order:
/ First. The reference of nominations now
/ on the table to appropriate committees.
| Second. The consideration of pending
/ treaties.
Third. The consideration of all nomina-
/ tions heretofore or hereafter reported from
/ the Senate committees, which are not OBJ
/ jected to by one Republican Senator from
/ the State to which the office appertains, or
| from which, in case of q national or terrific
/ rial appointment, the cOminee is to be ap
/ pointed.
1t was expressly provided that as soon as
/ the uneOntested cases shall have been dis
/ posed of the caucus shall again assemble
1 for the purpose OF determining what addi-
/ tional business shall then be considered by
/ the Senate, and that although in the mean
/ time a contested case, as above defined, shall
not be allowed to impede the transaction
/ of other business, the caucus is left wholly
unIledged as to its future action with re-
/ gard to them. No specific allusiOn was
i - Dg,k.a zr,,1s ,4,,,
/ tion, or to any other Individual case among
the contested nominations, nor was any ac-
/ tiOn taken or proposed with regard to
| change of the caucus candidates for the
| Senate offices.
THE DUTY ON KNIT GOODS.
The United States Supreme Court has
/ granted q stay of mandate and leave to file
| a netition for a rehearing In the woOlen knit
| goods case of Victor VS.. Arthur, collector,
/ and as result thereof the Treas
ury Department has revoked the
circular No. 30, Of March 29th,
! and instructed customes officers
| to collect duties on worsted stockings, and
other classes of knit goods, at the rates
which were in force before said circular
was issued, viz: fifty cents per pound spC-
| cific, and thirty five per cent. ad Yalorem.
THE STAR ROUTE INVESTIGATION.
| The Star tonight says: ''It is not the in
| tehtion of the Postmaster General to dis
arrange the method OF the star route In
yestigation to attend specifically
/ to contracts in which ex-
| Senator Dorsey is supposed to have
/ an interest. The Postmaster General con-
| templates writing a letter to Mr.. Dorsey
| setting forth this in effect, but with the as
| surance that not only his, but all OF the star
route contracts will be the subject OF inves-
| tigation."
REDEMPTION OF SIX PER CENTS.
The amount OF six per cent. bonds re-
ceiyed at the Treasury Department to day
for conversion into 81 per cents. was ST.
S6S, $50, making the total amount to date,