Morning journal and courier., 1884-02-02
YEAR. THE SAME TERMS By MAIL News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. PORTER RELIEVED By His Friends in the
 House. TEXT OF THE BILL PASSED. A Strong Speech by Congressman
 Phelps. A HOLOCAUST IN THE WEST. Nineteen Lives Lost by an
 Explosion.
A HOLOCAUST IN THE WEST.
Nineteen Lives Lost by am
 Explosion.
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

Fitz John POrter-The B11l For His Re-
 lief Passed In The Heuse-Fun
 Text of the Bill.
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The bill for the re- lief of Fitz John Porter which passed the House to-day is as follows:
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Con- gress assembled, that the President be and he is hereby authorized to nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate to appoint Fitz John Porter, late a major gen eral of the United States volunteers and brevet brigadier general and colonel of the army, to the position of colonel in the army of the United States of the same grade and rank held by him at the time of his dismissal from the army by sentence of court martial promulgated January P, 1863, and to place him on the retired list of the army as of that grade, the retired list being thereby increased in number to that extent; and all laws and parts of laws in conflict herewith are sus- pended for this purpose only, but this act shall not be construed as authorizing pay, compensation or allowance prior to the pas sage of this aet."
 Books For Chiefs of Foreign Missions.
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The Secretary of the Treasury has instructed collectors of customs to admit free of duty books and printed matter from abroad bearing the ad dress of the chief of foreign mission in the United States.
 The Pablfc Debt-A Big Reduction For
 the First Month of 1884.
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The debt statement issued to-day shows a reduction in the public debt for January amounting to $11,958,O03 and for the seven months of the present is- cal year $65, ,OO7, 487. The total debt now less cash in the treasury amounts to $1, 456,- O83, 719. The debt reduction has amounted to about SIP, 900, 900 during each of the past two months, but this average will very prob ably be cut down considerably during the present month as the quarterly drafts from the pension office to meet the March pay ments will have to be met during February. The total cash in the treasury at the close of business yesterday amounted to $393, 419,- 233 with current liabilities aggregating $242 679 S21, thus leaving available cash balance of $151 1000, 900. The receipts for January were: From customs, 6,338, 229, about $3, GOO, ,O00 more than in December last; from internal revenue, $8, ,91S, one mil l lion dollars less than in December; from miscellaneous sources about $3, 900, 900. l The custom receipts during the seven months of the current fiscal year amounted to more l than $117 O0O, ,OOO, about $3 .O00, 900 less ! than for the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. Phe internal revenue l receipts for these seven months aggregated l $7o, ,OOo 900, an average of $1O,OOO, 900 per | month with indications that unless disturb | ing legislation affecting the tax on distilled ! spirits should reduce it this average | will hold good till next July and swell the internal revenue receipts to at
 least $12O, GOO, 900. The total receipts of the government from all sources for the first seven months of the current fiscal year
 amount to $2O6 0OO, GOO, falling off of
 nearly $33, 100000 compared with the re- ceipts during the corresponding period of the | year. The expenditures for the seven months of this year amounted to $147, ,772,- 446, which is $4, 100000 less than for the corresponding period of the past fiscal year.