The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-12-20

has decided to postpone the action on the
nomination Of Pay Director Watmough tc
be Pay master General, and all other con
tested navy nominations until after the
holidays
Secretary FreIinghuysen took possession
OF the State Department to-day,
The President nominated to-day Thos
@. Acton Assistant Treasurer Of the United
States ut New York; Horace Gray ol
Massachusetts, Associate Justice OF q
Supreme Court Of the United States; i
liam Henry Trescott, of South Caroli1l,
Special Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary OF the United States to the
Republics OF Chill, Peru and Bolivia; Geo,
NJ. Duskin, Attorney Of the United States
for the Southern district OF Alabama.
The Contingent Fund Investigating Com.
mittee ut this mornings session examined
Pitney very closely about the manner OF
disbursing contingent funds heretofore In
the Treasury, the laws governing Its dis.
bursement, wherein these laws had been
violated, who was responsible for these
violations, and 80 on. Pitney testified
freely, and tells straightforward story,
Said q person who heard his testimony:
"Pitney Is telling all he knows, without
reservation; and he knows q great deal,
He has, in effect, turned States evidence"
A statement relative to the artificial col
ing OF imported sugars was issued from the
Treasury Department this afternoon, II
gives the position Of importers on the ques:
tiOn Of classification by the Dutch standard
Of sugars, and also that OF the Government.
Various acts on the subject are quoted to
sustain the action OF the Secretary oil the
Treasury in directing the use OF the pola-
riscope in the classification Of sugars by the
Dutch standard.
The bill introduced in the Senate to-day
by Mr.. Sherman TO facilitate the decision
OF Controverted questions in the customs
revenue cases." provides that an appeal
authorized by sections 2,03l and 2,O32 OF
the revised statutes, may be made by an
appellant at his election, either to the Sec.
retary OF the Treasury or to the Court OF
Claims to be disposed OF as suits against
tho United States; and repeals so much Of
said sections US relate TO the bringing OF
suits for the recovery OF duties alleged 10
have been enormously y or illegally exacted.
It also empowers the Secretary Of the
Treasury to transfer to the Court OF
Claims, without his decision thereon, any
such appeals made TO him, to be there prose:
Outed in the same manner rs II the had
been directly by the Court OF Claims,
The bill further provides that hereafter no
action shall be brought against any col
lector or other officer Of customs In any
matter in which the appeal Is allowed by
an net to the Secretary Of the eTreasuryo or to
the Court Of Claims.
The Senate received from the Secretary
Of War to.day copy ofthe report OF Major
John W. Wilson upon the survey Of the
Maumeo Bay for n straight channel from
Toledo to the water OF Lake Erie. The re-
port recommends the adoption Of the plan,
which proposes the extension Of the
MHumee river on ~ straight line through
the bay and north Cape Point TO Lake Erie,
md combining the river bed in the new
channel OF about the same dimension as It's
natural bed. The estimated cost Is s., $685.
OO9