Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-31
|6lrR WASHINGTON LETTER.
rAr7oxl1 CAPITAL GOSSIP.

tls.ms or gsii-cesuseiers In the south =
sh,rwsns Dsdse-Tbe silver Men-Per-
ssnsf.
lFrcm our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, d. c., December 30.
The old question Of authorizing the Sec
rotary Of the Treasury to settle the
claims Of mail contractors In the South
who continued TO carry out their con-
tracts after the war began will be re-
viyed by Mr.. Reagan, Of Texas. He
intends TO introduce q bill appropriating
sum sufficient to pay those
whose claims can be estab.
lished. While Secretary Sherman
was at the head Of the Treasury
Congress passed bill appropriating
sS75,000 for that purpose. but Sher.
man awaited himself Of technical diff
culties TO avoid disbursement of the ap-
preparation. Sherman says he found
that many Of the claims presented had
been paid by the Confederate Govern
ment, and receipts in full were on file in
the bureau Of Confederate records ;
and that so many claims were offered
for settlement that the amount OF money
I appropriated was not sufficient to pay
Athem. Congress had made no pro-
vision for pro-rating nor for giving,
preference, and he decided not to pay
Wy Of them. Some Of them, be Think.
e perfectly good claims.
THE sILvER.MEN.
The silver-men claim that they h,fe
200 gut Of the 325 members Of 'he
House and they insist that the Spe'ker
ought DOT only to make Blss9, Of
Missouri, chairman OF the Conaittee
on Coinage, but also to give hin COM
mittee in FULL sympathy with 4ss over
whelmiDg sentiment Of the Bouse on
that subJect. They claim hsthe posi-
ton Of the president and scretary Of
the Treasury \should not be considered
in the make-uR Of the copmittee, be-
cause the views of the ADMINISTRATION
as to silver are well knoFn to be con-
trary to those of f\he pary in Congress
and out Of it.
Representative lid pan says he will
advocate in Congress- he appointment
of a commission to afportion lands in
seyeralty among all tribes Of Indians
that are sufficiently advanced in civil
2aiion, and his recent investigations
lead him TO believe that most OF them
are.
THE LEE MONUMENT.
The Secretary Of the Treasury to-day
addressed letter TO the collector of
customs at Georgetown directing him to
admit free Of duty two cases Of plaster
models imported through the George
town custom-house by the ladies Of the
e-Monument Association for use in
selecting design for q monument to
General Robert f. Lee. This action
was taken under section 2509, act Of
March 8, 1883. which provides for
the free importation Of works OF art and
like ARTICLES imported in good faith by
any society or association for the pur-
pose of erecting a public monument.
and not for sale, upon the execution Of
bond. The collector is instructed to
admit the models when the necessary
bond is executed. The attention Of the
Department was called to the matter
by letter from Mr.. F. j. Barbarin,
dated December 2Sth.
BULL-RUN CONGRESSMEN.
4 party Of congressman, some of
whom were participants on the Union
side in the first and second battles Of !
Bull Run. availed themselves of the
fac weather yesterday to visit the |
scenes Of those battles. Among those
who formed the party were Brown
Of Pennsylvania, Boutelle Of Maine,
Symmes Of Colorado. and Seney and
Thompson Of Ohio. They say they re-
ccgnized some Of the old landmarks,
but found the general appearance Of the
country much changed.
Among the recent arrivals are
Thomas lIamlin and wife, Danville;
John Miller. ". r. Hite, and George
Fravel, Woodstock; F. n. Gilman,
Hampton c. W. Gregg and W. P. Arm
strong, Lexington: NJ. W. Lambert,
Pierce Loving, Virginia.