Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-13
A DAY AT THE CAPITAL.
HOW A LOBBYIST Is FLEECTNa
THE GOVERNMENT.


Drawing a Per Diem While Working
Against the Peoples Interests-Re-
publican Oficia1s WinkinR at the Steal
"A Batch of Supreme Court Decisions,
WASHINGTON, March l2.-While denv.
ing that the Tariff Commissioners still
receive their per diem the Treasury De-
partment admit that President John l..
hayes is still settling the accounts of the
commission. He began this work as soon
as Congress met. He had clerk to assist
MN at$IO per day and expenses. He did not
pay much personal attention to the bills.
put was at the capitol every day working
IN the interest of the wooden manufacture
ers' 1t appears from the statement of the
Treasury Department, therefore. that he
was receiving government paw while
practically attending to duties connected
with the lobby, and is still i'm the enioy-
ment Of his neat little per diem on the
ground that he is settling accounts. They
must be wonderful accounts that take
over three months at the Lord knows how
much per day!
THE NEW TARIFF ACT.
The Treasury Department to-day mailed
copies ef the new tariff act to all the Col
lectors OF Customs, together with in
structlons that sections and of the act
50 lnto e1ect at once and apply to all
goods in bonded warehouses. as well as
10 goods imported after the date of the
passage OF the act. Section repeats the du.
ties on charges heretofore added in ascer
tanning the dutiable value of merchandise
Tor the purpose OF the assessment of du-
ties. This action will cause a considerable
reductlon IN the amount of duties col
some at . per cent. of the entire amount
collected. Section nine of the tariff act
changes the manner of ascertaining the
value OF merchandise consigned by manu-
facturers i'll foreign countries to agents in
the United States and for which there is
no foreign market value for the reason
that the goods are specially manufactured
for sale in the United States only. The
law authorizes the appraising officer TO
ascertain the cost and value of material
composing merchandise at the time and
place OF manufacture, together with ex-
pense OF manufacturing, preparing and
putting up the merchandise for shipment.
and makes the value so ascertained the
basis for the assessment Of duties.
MEMPHIS WATER SUIT.
A decision was rendered by the Supreme
Court Of the United States to-day i'm the
case of the New York Guaranty and In
demnlty Company ct al, appellants.
against the Memphis Water Company,
the city of Memphis ct al, brought here
by appeal from the Circuit Court of the
United States for the Western district of
tennessee. This suit was begun on a
bill in equity filed by the New York
Guaranty and Indemnity Company and
others, holders of the bonds of the
Memphis Water Company, against
said water company, the city of Memphis,
the trustees of mortgage given to
secure said bonds, and certain other of
the bOndhOlders and persons interested.
The principal object Of the bill was to
have declared valid a certain contract
made between the city and the water COM
pany, and to compel the city to comply
with its terms, in order that moneys al
legged to be due thereon from the CITY
might be applied to the payment of the
bonds held by the cOmplainants. This court
holds that the bill was properly dismissed
by the court below, for the reason that a
suit cannot be maintained in equity when
there is a plain, adequate and complete
remedy at law. The DEGREES of the Cir
cult Court is affirmed, with costs. The
opinion Is by Justice Bradley.
A MARITIME WAR CLAIM.
A decision was rendered by the United
States Supreme Court to-day in the case
of the United States, as appellant, against |
The steamer Nuest@ sonora de Regla, an
United States for the southern uIstrict of |
New York. This was suit for damages |
brought by a Spanish corporation of |
Havana against the United States on ac- |
count of the seizure of their steamer, the |
Nuestra Sonora de Regla, at Port Royal |
during the late civil war and the appro- |
priatiOn of her by order of |
General Sherman as a prize. This court |
is Of the opinion that damages should |
be awarded as fOllowss For unpecces- |
sary and unusual delay in proceeding to |
175 days at 5000 per day, |
$35, 900; for value of vessel, $50, 900; total, |
500, 900, with interest at per cent. from |
June 30, 1868. The decree of the District |
Court is reversed and the cause remanded |
with directions tO'enter another decree in |
conformity with the opinion of this court. |
Phe opinion is by Chief Justice Waite.
SUIT DISMISSED.
The case of John Crassley & Sons (lim- !
ited) plaintiffs in error, VS.. The City of
New Orleans ct al, in error, to the Su- !
preme Court Of the State of Louisiana,
was dismissed for want of jurisdiction. |
The opinion is by Chief Justice Waite.
CAPTURED COTTON PAID FOR.
The Court of Claims to-day rendered
judgment against the United States in
favor Of Stephen Duncan, executor, for
$l9,539 for cotton captured on the 1lississ
sippi river during the war,
HAZEN TO BE LOOKED AFTER.
1t is stated that the Secretary of War
has requested the President to order a
Hazenis administration of the signal SER