The Portland daily press., 1882-07-07
WASHINGTON.
The Star Route Cases.

Inc star Route C1SeS.
WASHINGTON. July 6.-Mr. Merrick, of gov
ernment counsel in the Star route cases, has
just learned that certain testimony taken be-
fore the grand jury by Mr.. Bliss, also OF gov
ernment counsel, has been withheld at the
trial, and he will ask the attorney general to
call another grand jury, in order that new IN
dictment may be obtained. Mr.. Merrick intl-
mates that witnesses can be produced who will
1mplicate General Brady directly in the dlVls-
ion OF the Star route funds.
[LATER.
With reference to the above statement Mer-
rick authorizes the statement that Bliss ana
Ker are as ignorant as himself OF the existence
OF this most important evidence; that there IS
no disagreement of counsel, and that ne De-
ieves these rumors were started by the defence
for creation of dissensions and distrust among
the prosecution.
The National Board of Health.
The Sundry Civil Service bill makes some
important changes as to the appropriation for
the National Board of Health, which NAV
have a serious result. The appropriation is so
reduced as to make it necessary Immediately
to abolish the ten inspectors of smallpox, who
are now examining immigrant trains. 1t Will
also make it necessary for the board to abolish
the publication of its sweekly health bulletin.
The National Board has established two sta
tions, one at Ship Island at the mouth OF the
Mississippi, and one off the South Carolina
coast to which all yellow fever vessels or yes
sells otherwise infected are instantly taken up
on the discovery that they are infected.
The reduction proposed by the Sundry Civil
bill are 30 great that the Board OF Health will
not have the means to sustain these stations.
The effect will be to place the mouth OF the
Mississippi and the commercial and business
interests OF the Mississippi Valley as we'll as
the health of the people OF the country IN per-
H. The New York quarantine officer has also
been using his utmost exertions to cripple the
Board of Health and prevent the introduction
of the wholesome regulations which
the board has recommended. The
National Board placed an inspector at New
York to examine immigrants for small pox,
but the quarantine officer there has succeeded
in having him removed, and has had New
York influence enough to carry his point. Let
ters received by the National Board from med
ical officers at Pensacola and other places on
the Southern coast, show that there ls dan ger
this year of a recurrence OF the epidemic OF
1879, which cost the country so many millions
of dollars and so many thousands of lives. Al
ready three infected ships have been taken to
the quarantine stations at Ship Island.
A Serious Error In the KIT Goods Case.
1t is discovered that in passing the bill to
correct the error in the Revised Statutes rela.
tive TO knit goods, an error not less serious
than that which the bill was intended to COR
rect, was committed. The bill which passed
Monday is correct as to its title, which propos-
es to correct an error in section 1904 OF the
Revised Statutes. In the text of the bill,
however, the section to be corrected is refer
red to as section 25, which is very important
error, and OF course tends to nullify the whole
bill. An effort will be made to correct this in
the Senate, but of course the effect would be
to send the bill back to the House, where 1t
will be open to the attacks of its enemies, and
inasmuch as it passed Iby only the necessary
vote, its friends have some apprehensions as to
the result. The error arose from not carefully
comparing the bill, and it is astounding that
some friends of the measure, who were SO
much interested in it, did not take pains to see
what it was proposed to do. Section 25, which
the bill corrects, has no relation to knit goods
and Of course the treasury would construe the
bill. AS it now stands, if it should become a
law. it would be void. The error arose from
cutting out from copy Of the Congressional
Record some reprint matter and inserting it in
the body of the bill. The figures in this re-
print matter We're incorrect A glance at the
heading on the body of this bill, Or at the Re-
vissd Statutes, would have prevented the error.
Miscellaneous.
The statement that Minister Lowell had ten
dered his resignation is officially denied at the
White House and State Department.