The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-12
CAPITAL NOTES.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.-Secretary Hunt
was summoned to Boston on account of
| the illness of his father-in-law.
The number of bills Introduced in the
Senate during its four days session, was
$50, nearly as many as introduced during
| the entire third session of the last Con-
| eress. One Senator alene introduced
thirty three bills since Monday. A large
proportion thus far are copies of private
relief bills that heretofore failed to receive
final action. The bill by Mr.. Vest in the
Senate for the Improvement of the Missis-
sippi and Missouri rivers. provides for the
expenditure of S100,o00,O00 under
| the direction of the engineers
corps. one half of the amount upon
the Mississippi and the remainder on the
Missouri in accordance with the plans al
ready recommended by the Mississippi riv=
| or commission bill; also to authorize the
attorney general to institute proper pro
ceedings in the United States courts hav-
ing Jurisdiction for the appropriation OF
land and material necessary for the prose
| cution of the work.
| Lucy Fowler to-day instituted suit
against VIM. Crump, steward at the Execu-
/ tive Mansion, for $4,000 damages fo1
i slander She was employed as a cook at
| the White House in July last and alleges
that she was discharged because Crump
told Mrs. Garfield that she was a thief and
stole meats and other things from the Exec
utive Mansion She claims that her repu
| tation has been injured to the extent o1
j the damages claimed.
The report of Judge Advocate General
Swain in the Whitaker case was handles
1 to the President to day. The impression il
general among officers at the War Depart
Il ment that the decision is adverse to th'
finding of the court, holding that the yer
dict of guilty is not in sympathy with the
evidence. Should the President sustain
the Judge Advocates view there are TIVE
courses open to dispose of the Casa new
| court NAV be ordered, or Whitaker ma.
8 be released from arrest and ordered to dut,
i at the Academy just as If no charges hae
!. been preferred against him. 1t is probabl
that the latter course will be adopted.
Defrees, the public printer who is sool
to be suspended, has secured the suppor
of David Davis and hopes to prevent tn
, confirmation of any new appointee. TIL
: Printers Union has appointed committe
to visit the President to urge the appoint
! ment of man in sympathy with the trade
d union to the management OF the office
r The sub committee on the bankruptc
i law, of which Ingalls, is chairman, is read
to report The chairman has woike
StPn6lIE
D lection of information. Over &c, 1000 cir
r culars were sent to merchants, manufactu
. rers. LAWYERS and commercial bodies, ask
| ing opinions as to the necessity of nation
| al bankrupt law and suggestions as to pro
visions Many thousands of letters were re
ceived The proportion of answers favorabl
to the enactment of some law was ovel
wheIming. Very few opposed outside tn
e great eastern cities and these were grsa
iobbing houses whose business was grea
enough to allow them to promptly tax
advantage of snap judgments and pre-
t erences in sett t'ements. Much objectio
: was found to exist TO the re-establishmen
: of the machinery of the old bankruptc
law. The members of the silb-committe
are favorable to the suggestion which orig
: inally came from Chicago business mer
that United States District Courts be CIV
en- charge of bankruptcy proceedings wit
special provisions to enforce their jude
ments It is known that Senator Edmun
fayors this. The report of the sub-con
E mittee will probably be made to the III
!. committee on Monday next.