Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-06

vailed and officials we're guilty (ss there was
ground to suspect that they were)
the parties paying blackmail money were
as guilty as the receivers. That
the evidence of improper practices were cor
rect he had taken occasion to satisfy him
sef by submitting them to various members
of the House to whom the claimants were
known. Some of the criminal parties were
to-day employed IN two departments of the
government Some had passed out Of its
employment during the past few years, but
had left behind them evidences OF their
official misconduct in their own handwrit-
ing. Investigation Of this matter would
come at the proper time, and that soon.
But he was seeking to warn the House
against allowing to continue for another day
a system Of adjudication that was rotten to
the core. He was willing that any member
should examine the papers which he had in
his desk, tending to show the corruption
which had been charged.
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, hoped that the gen
tleman, instead of having side show at his
desk, would make his charges openly and
directly.
Mr.. Blackburn replied that the charges,
as papers in his possession seemed to pre-
sent Lnem, were that men employed as i'm
portant clerks in two departments had been
in the habit of levylng blackmail to the ex-
tent OF five per cent. commission on claims
which they recommended. He meant to
say no more than that they wrote receipts
after this fashion
Received of Blank per cent fees in the
cases OF George Jones, j. @. Smith and Lu-
cinda Cowgirl, $50 95.
~. L. MCFARLAND"
Mcfarland was then, Mr.. Blackburn said,
as he was informed, chief clerk of the ex-
amining division. Mr.. Blackburn stated
that when the committee rose he would
Off raco1Uffon 20 90
on Expenditures in the War Department to
investigate the matter.
Mr.. Reed stated that be bad i1st received
information that j. l.. Mcfarland was not
n the Quartermaster Generals Department
in 1875, the date OF the receipt, but was an
attorney in Washington.
A long discussion then ensued touch
Claims and the Quartermaster Generals
Department as the tribunal IN
which claims should be adjudicated, enliv-
ened by a brief speech by Mr.. Bragg, of
Wisconsin, who alluded to rebel claims as
bantlipg reared and fattened in the Re
publican tent until the Republican party
lost control OF the House. Then it had
driven the bantlng to a seat at the door of
the Democratic tent, and said: "We will cry
mad dog, and when we come back to power
we will feed you again" He intimated that
the result of transferring claims to the
Court of Claims would be to admit original
claims.
Mr.. Cox, of New York, favored the trans
fer and cOntended that tribunal should be
established for the adjudication Of all
private claims. There were on the calendar
of the House private claims aggregating
$911 COO 600 There were S22, 600, 600 want
ed for public buildings. The old river and
harbOr steal would come in for $4,000, 900
or $50 900 900 more. Referring to the op-
position made by Mr.. Reed, of Maine, to
the transfer, he remarked that probably
some of these fetid loyal claims had been
bought 10 by cunning speculative Yankees,
who had advocates around the capital.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Thomp-
son was rejected, and that offered by Mr..
Hscock was adopted by vote of "a to II.
The committee then rose and reported the
bill to the House.
Mr.. Reed OF Maine, demanded a vote
upon Mr., Hiscock's amendment, aud it was
adOpted-yeas 100; nays So. The bill was
then passed, and the House, at $50, ad-
journed.
NOMINATIONS.
The President to day nominated James
o. Partridge, of Maryland, to be Minister
to Peru, Henry c. Hall to be Minister to
Central American States, and the follow
ing Postmssters: Wesley G. Snow, at
Palatka, Fla Henry T. Hedges, at Plum
Creek, Neb; Fl. G. Travers, at ROchdale,
Texas; j. w. Flanagan, Jr., at Long View,
TeXaS; George E Vallade, at Beaumont,
Texas.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
Gen. Humphreys was heard by the COM
mittee on the subject of the Improvement
of the Mississippi river. He favored the
construction OF levees of a certain height
between Cairo and New Orleans, and gave
his views on the general subject of improve
ments, arguing that there was no question
but that the opening of an outlet would
lower the river.
ARTHUR BURNED IN EFFIGT.
The utterances OF the Pac fc newspapers
on the veto Of the Chinese bill indicate a
strong feeling against the President, aud
the Republican managers in that State prac-
tically give up the S'ate as not worth con
testing. At several places on the Pacific
coast the President was burned in effigY last
night.
DIDBLE MUST GO.
The House Committee on Elections to day
adopted the majority report in the South
Carolina contested case of Mackey against
Dibble, which recommends that MackeY be
seated There will be minority report.