Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-07
CONKLING DECLINES
The Associate Justieeship-Th The Chilli
Peruvian Observation-Disclosures
Stolen Documents.
Democratic Caucus - The New Bank.
ruptcy Bill-Important Customs
Case Decided.

Democratic Caucus - The New Bank
ruptcy Bill-ImpOrtant Customs
Case Decided.
WASHINGTON, March 6.-The President
has received from Ex Senator Conkling his
declination of the associate justiceship.
CsnkIins Rumer.
There is a rumor, which cannot be traced
| to any reliable source but is much talked OF,
that Conkling's declination will be made
| public to day or tomorrow, and that soon
| afterward Secretary Folger will be nominated
for the Supreme bench and Conkifng r
secretary OF the treasury. 1t can hardly be
said that this is credited in R-pubican
circles, but there are those who say it would
not surprise them.
Sugar Case Decided.
The United States Supreme Court, in the
case of Edwin o. Merritt, collector, rs Sam
uel Welch et al, commonly known as the
sugar case, rendered . decision against the
position taken by the treasury department
The Supreme Court holds that the duti BILE
qualities of sugar are to be determined by
their actual color, graded by duties
standard, and not by their saccharine
strength ascertained by chemical tests.
The effort to hold sessions OF the House
Committee on Foreign Relations in secret
while investigating the Peruvian Chill bust
ness is likely to fail Maybe representatives,
of the press will be admitted, while the
general public, who attend merely as specta-
tors, will be excluded. The impression is
general that if the committees have any
leaning, that of the House is Favorable to
Blaine, while the Senate is against his inter
ests. Gossip asserts that the Senate investi-
CATION will certainly be secret, and that it
will be more thorough and searching than
that of the House.
Those Stolen DOen menls.
The House Committee Oh Foreign Affairs
began an investigation, under Mr.. Kasson's
resolution, OF the alleged abstraction of
State papers from the files OF the state de-
partment. The only witnss sses examined
we're Sevellon S. Brown, chief clerk, and
Haswell, chief OF the bureau OF indexes and
archives and the only information elected
was that the papers were received, referred,
indexed and filed in the usual manner, and
were not missed until called for by the reso-
luton of Congress, when it was discovered
that they had, in some way, disappeared
from the files. The committee will continue
the investigation Friday or Saturday.
Gross Violation Of fFaifh-NOthing More
Some time ago, District Attorney Corkhill,
at the request of the manager of the West
ern Union telegraph Office, commenced an
investigation as to how the dispatch sent by
Whitelaw Reid, of the New York Tribune, to
Colonel John Hay. in March last, was made
public. CorkhilI has completed his investi
CATION, and in letter embodying its results
says: "The facts presented are not sufficient
to justify me in giving any very definite
opinion in the matter. The copy was GER
tainly procured through gross violation of
faith on the part of some one intrusted with
the message, or else stolen from the wires,
but l iud nothing in the transaction
which would subject the parties to punish
ment under the criminal laws of the Dis
trict."
A Protracted Party Fight In Prospect
The Republican members favorable to the
new rules do not believe the Democr attic
caucus can control all the mebers OF the
party to vote against the amendments pro-
posed by the majority report They profess
to believe that as many "a twenty Democrats
will be absent or not voting. In no Congress
since 1872 has there been 80 many bills call
ing for expenditures of local character, and
of these a fair proportion would go to the
Democratic districts, more especially to the
South. Under the present rules very few
members are able to impede action on such
eills. 1t is evident, however, that a very
earnest and protracted party fight is to be
made over the new rules, equ uaiipg, perhaps,
that which marked the adoption of the pres
ent rules.
Democratic Caucus.
Immediately after the adjournment of the
House, caucus of the Democratic members
was held to decide upon line of policy TO
be pursued by the Democrats relative to the
proposed changes in the rules of the House.
Representative Kenna w. Val. offered
the following resolutions:
Resolved, That in the judgment of this
caucus the amendments to the rules Of the
House OF Representatives, proposed by ma
jority of the Committee on Rules, are de-
structive of those just rights and nee
essary privileges of the minority which
the Democratic majority in all former
Congresses never denied the Republican
minorities and that we will resist their adop-
ton by every parliamentary method at our
command.
Resolved, That we will cheerfully support
any amendments to the rules of the House
which tend to promote their improvement
and proper facilitatiou of the public busi-
ness, and one not destructive of the rights of
the minority and of the people they repre-
sent.
After brief discussion the resolutions
were unanimously adopted and the caucus
adjourned, SUI, ,ect to the call of the chair
man.
The Senate Judiciary Committee to-day
reported the bill to establish a uniform sys-
tenn of bankruptcy, and it will be called up
for consideration soon as the pending
order is disposed of. 1t provides that when
ever any person without fraud shall become
involved in debts and Liabilities beyond his
means of payment, amounting TO $500 and
upward, he may apply by petition in equity
to the United States District Court setting
for rth of md
schedule of his Liabilities and assets, and may
surrender his estate for the benefit of credit
ors, except such as may be exempt from ex-
ecution; and if good cause appear the courts
shall adjudge him bankrupt and appoint
receiver and serve notice to all interested
persons and distribute the estate according
to the rules of equity, and il there was no
fraud the petitioner shall be adjudged
bankrupt; that when a person runs away or
absents or conceals himself, or makes frsudu-
lent transfer of property or otherwise at
tempts to defraud creditors, the latter may
file petition for bankrupt proceedings
against him. Insolvency shall exist only
when the debtors liabilities exceed the value
of his property. Powers to extend time, or
stay proceedings, are conferred upon the
courts. Any conveyance, transfer, or pay
ment made or received, in view of bank
ruptcy, may be set aside if found to be con-
trary to the Just rights of other creditors; but
money obtained and used in good faith,
though unsuccessfully, to avert an impend-
ing bankruptcy, or to save threatened sac
rife of property, or for sickness,or other like
necessity, may be preferred in payment or in
security by the court. Ii it appears that
any creditor has oppressiveIy sought to
force debtor into bankruptcy, or to obtain
any fraudulent advantage over other cred
itors, the court may deny such creditor par
ticipation in the estate. The district courts
shall be considered always open for the con-
sideration OF bankrupt business, and all reg
ular bankrupt business shall have prece-
nee.
Capital Brevities.
Senator Malone and Senator-elect Riddle
berger, OF Virginia, are pressing Richard F.
Walker, public printer of Virginia, for the
appointment as government printer at Wash
ipgton.
Senator Vest, from the Committee on Com
merce, reported bill incorporating the
intereceauio ship railway company, known
as "Eads's BILL" accompanied by report
from the committee RECOMMENDING its passage
The House Committee en- Commerce TO
report favorably The bill appropriating S25,-
600 10 enable the secretary of the navy to
transmit TO the maritime cities, and all cities
over $1,000 Inhabitants desiring il, st 'ndard
Washing on time daily at meridian.
BUSINESS TROUBLES.