Morning journal and courier., 1882-03-13
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

Destttution in Loutsiana-The Appropri-
 atfons for Fortifications and POstomcss
 -RInsOn's Severe Sentence-ETOrts to
 Secure His Release-Other Matters.
 WASHINGTON, March 12.-Congressman King has received dispatch from the Presi- dent of Police of Tensas parish, Louisiana, that there at least ten thousand people destitute in that parish. Appeals for aid are to be made to the Governors of adjoining States
 Senator Ben Hill was able to come down to dinner to-day and relished his food
 Congressman Allen, of Missouri, is still very low, but is without pain to-day. His physicians think he cannot survive the week.
 Four lady clerks of the Treasury depart ment left for Pittsfeld, Mass, tonight to assist Captain Higden, government agent at the mills, in settling his account.
 The Committee on Pensions expect to sub- init to the House this week substitute for the numerous bills to pension survivors of the Mexican and Indian wars.
 The Senate Appropriations committee are giving the closest scrutiny to the postoffice appropriation bill, and are calling upon the department for special information from all it's departments One matter receiving special attention is an order by the late Postmaster General James for reweighing the mails dur ing the contract year on the Pacific road, by which the cost to the government for transportation was materially advanced.
 The Senate Committee on Appropriations has reported the House bill making appro- priations for Notifications and the armament thereof for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1882. It appropriates $175, ,OOO for the pro- tection, preservation and repair of fortifca- tions and other works of defence, and $10O,- 900 for the armament of see coast fortifca- tions including guns and howitzers for flank defence, carriages, projectiles, fuses, powder and implements, their trial and proof, etc. For torpedoes for harbor defences, their preservation and experiments, E$10O, ,000 are appropriated.
 The Secretary of War telegraphed to Gen eral Hancock approving hls order in the Ser geant Mason case, providing for Mason's i'm prisonment in the penitentiary at Albany, N. Y. The order sentencing Mason to eight years' imprisonment was received at the Washington barracks, where Mason Is still confined, yesterday morning General Ayres, following military custom, decided not to make the order public until it was promuI- gated in New York It is the opinion of some of the officers at the barracks, most of whom have very kindly feeling for Mason, that political influence will be brought to bear to secure Mason a pardon, and that the members of the court martial who felt compelled to sentence him found solace in a confidence that executive clemency would be extended to the prisoner.
 There is report current to night that the trial of Mason will be declared void through irregularities in the proceedings, the prison CT having been arraigned before the court was sworn. Petitions are in circulation for executive clemency in consideration of the harshness of the sentence, and it is said that the members of the court martial will sign it. Inquiry at the arsenal to night about Mason was met by the curt reply from Major Ora ham that no information could be given.
 Representative George R. Black of the First Georgia district was taken suddenly i'll and has grown rapidly worse. He is not ex- pected to survive through the night.
 Lord George F. Montague, third secretary of the British legation died suddenly at his rooms, corner of Fourteenth and streets, to-day He was quite young and unmarried.