Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-18
HOUSE COMMITTEES.
Several Matters OF Interest Brought Out
in the Discussion of RObesOn's
Amendment in the
HOuse-Mrs. Lfncoln's Pensi0n-COntest-
ed Election ases-AttOrney-Gen-
eral Brewster.

eral Brewster.
WASHINGTON, January 1.-THE Houst
Committee on Public Expenditures to-day
discussed the subject of the appointment
OF subcommittee to revise all public
expenditures which may be authorized
by other committees. The power vested il
authority to supervise all public expendI.
lures, but for many years past it has not
been customary for the committee to do 30.
Contested Election Cases.
The House Committee on Elections has
adopted a resolution that the pretended con-
test of W. Mcdowell against NJ. C.. George
be dismissed In the Sessinghaus- Frost case,
| it wa- ordered that the motion OF the con-
| testes for the suppression OF testimony in this
case be overrulej, and the testimony printed
without prejudice to either party. The tes-
timony in The Bailey-Barbour case will alse
be printed.
A Growing Impression the Jury VIII
Disagree.
There seems to be growing impression
here that the Jury in the Guteau case will
disagree. Several persons state that they
| heard one member of the jury say, prior to
his being chosen as a jurymsD, that he be-
| lieved Guiteau was crazy, and among the
! defense and the few relations and friends Of
| the ASSASSIN the opinion that one or more
members of the jury believe that reasonable
doubt of the prisoners sanity exists appears
to have grown stronger OF late.
Text Of the Bill 40 Retire Justice HUNT
The full text of the bill introduced by
Senator Davis H. is as follows:
Be {; enacted etc., That the provi .ons of section
ia OF the revised statutes be AID they are hereby
extended and made applicable to Ward Hunt, as
States IN consequence OF his physical disability
notwithstanding he has not seTvedthe fun term Of
provided, that said Ward Hunt snail resign said
Office of associate justice OF the Supreme Court
passage of this act.
EuekEer's Paper Currency Bill.
The House Committee on Banking and
Currency to-day had read Representative
Buekner's bill providing for a stable and
uniform paper circulation. Mr.. Dingley
offered the following:
Resolred, That the interests of the country viii
be best promoted by a continuance of the ma
uonel banking system, either under the act eX-
banks as may desire to eoStiSne bnsiness npiaSI tS
original articles OF association or by the organiza
ton of new banks under exiting laws to take the
place OF those whose charters may expire as may
hereafter appear TO be the wiser course.
The committee will consider the resolution
later.
Pension Walters.
AZ q mSellI5 Ol CSnALe committee
Pensions Com missioner Dudley expressed
himself in favor of the bill relative to claim
agents and pension attorneys ices intro
ducad by Senator Logan. Commissioner
Dudley especially indorsed the amendm
which Logan proposes to offer to his own
bill, and in which it is proposed to infiict a
fiue of $1,000 and Imprisonment at hard
labor Tor q maximum term OF five years
upon any claim agent or pension attorney
who may demand or receive greater com
pensation than that allowed by law for the
prosecution of pension claims.
Mrs. LineOIE's Pension.
The Senate Committee on Pensions to-day
again had up Senator Iogan's bill for the
relief OF Mrs. Lincoln. No opposition was
made to it, but Senator Groome suggested
that 100000 be voted to her without refer
ence to the subject of arrears of pensions
He said he was opposed to the system of
paying arrears OF pensions, and did not want
to vote for any bill that would in the least
commit him to the principle, though he was
entirely willing to vote to give Mrs.
Lincoln whatever her necessities or
comfort call for. Ali the other members,
including the Democrats, favored the bill.
and, in fact, Senator Jackson, Democrat,
moved it be favorably reported at once. Be-
fore vote could be taken, however, the hour
of II arrived and the committee adjourned.
The action this morning indicates that ia
vorable action will BE- taken at the next
meeting OF the committee when it ia prob
able that Mrs. Lincoln's pension will be in
creased to $4,000 per year, as a majority of
the committee have expressed themselves in
favor OF this increase.
Z OsinE after the Appropriations.
The bill reported from the Senate commit
tee to-day in regard to permanent and in
definite appropriations, is the measure orig
inally introduced by Senator Davis Fla.
which has for its object the abolition of most
OF these classes of appropriations, in order
to bring as large a proportion as possible OF
the governments expenditures within the
annual purview and control of CoDgrs SIS.
The bill proposes the repeal of all laws enacted
for the appropriation of moneys from the
general treasury 'for permanent specific
and permanent indefinite objects, except so
far as they provide for the payment of the
principal or interest of the public debt or OF
the Pacific railroad subsidy bonds, and the
District of Columbia 365 bonds, Tor the
payment Of the interest on the Iudian trust
funds, navy pens on fund, and the trust fund
of the Smithsonian Institute, for the support
of the marine hospital service and the Sol
diers' Home, and for the payment of draw
backs and other allowances under the Gus
toms and internal revenue laws.
Brewster's Programme.
Years ago il was the custom OF the attor-
ney-general to appear in the United States |
Supreme Court in all cases of any conse-
quence, and this practice was followed by |
General Writ, Pinckney, Reverdy |
Johnson, Black and Stanton. The regular |
appearance of the attorney y-general was of |
great service TO the court, as the chief justice |
and his associates were thus enabled TO
receive from the first law officer |
of the government such advice as
could only be received from its imme-
diate representative in cases involving |
important public interests. After consulta-
ton with the chief justice and the associate
justices of the court, Attorney General Brew
ster has decided to revive the practice of his
more distinguished predecessors, and here
after will appear in court in all cases affect
ing the public interests. Brewster will not
abandon his private practice while serving as
attorney general, but will coDtine such prac-
tice during his continuance in offce to CASES
that may be brought before the Supreme
Court. In this particular Brewster is but
the custom OF attorneys-gcn
Of both this country and England.
The Contingent Fund Investigation.
The Senate contingent fund investigating
at their session examined several
witnesses as TO the character and past his
Tory Of Bis5ell. 1t was Bssell who furnished
the Sunday Caste, of this ciiy, with material
for its yIoient assaults on Senator Sherman
in connection with his administration of the
Bissell was one of the first wit
nesses before the committse, and though he
lid not so as far in his statements against
Sherman as he had through the paper re-
isrred to, he attempted to connect him
directly with numerous alleged irregu-
arities in the treasury. The commit
lee, it is said, ascertained some
ime ago that there was no foundation what
ever for much of Bisselrs testimony. He
lad failed to substantiate any of his charge,
out his evidence was on record, and in brhalf
If the ex- secretary it was concluded to accom-
Dany it with the testimony showing that Bis
ell had been discharged from the treasury;
IND besides having grievance he was not
leened worthy of credit.
Df. Mills, oil Texas, and T. S. Smith, OF
were examined to-day in regard
o B;ssell's general reputation and past his
ory, and their testimony was very uniayora-
Die 10 him.
The Task Too Much for HiJn.
just before adjournment to-day Speaker
Keller laid before the House letter from the
general in reply 10 recent reso-
ution calling for list or detailed statement
II all the mail routes on which transporte-
ion service has been discontinued, decreased,
changed, restored, increased and
Xpsdited or established since March (, 1881.
The postmaster general says the present force
# the department is not sufficient to under
h. NIaVN-