Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-06
NOMINATIONS SENT IN Hon. Matt w. RanSom'S N0mi-
 nation Confirmed. BOTH PARTIES HELD CAUCUS Senator German Was Empowdred to Appoint
 an Important Committee MR. HARM0N'S IMPORTANT DECISION It Works Hardship on Some New Orleans People, But It Is Nevertheless Just
 g-Attorney-GeneralM Me-
 VeagA Was Reversed.
 
BOTH PARTIES HELD CAUCUS
MR. HARMoN'S IMPORTANT DECISION

Washington, Dec. 6.-The president to- day sent to the senate a batch of nomina- tons made during the recess. Among them are those of Matt w Ransom of North Carolina, minister to Mexico; John l.. Peak of Missouri, minister to Switzerland; Allen Thomas of Florida, minister to Venezuela; John B. Harlow of Missouri and William G. Rice of New York, civil service commissioners.
 The senate today confirmed the nomi- nation of Matt w. Ransom of North Car olina to be minister to Mexico.
 The democratic senate caucus author ized Chairman German to appoint com mittee of nine to assign the democratic members to the committeeships.
 The remarks of Senators Vest and Blackburn indicated a willingness to permit the republicans to assume the responsibility of the committees, ana through that channel the legislation of the present congress. It IS understood that no protest will be entered against the proposition of the republicans to take full control of the committees, in cluding chairmanshps. The folloWlng six members of the old committee were continued by MT. German:
 Messrs Cockrell, Harris, Blackburn Brice, Jones and German.
 The three additional men will not be se- lected before Monday.
 The caucus also decided that whenever the republicans should put forward candidate for president pro tenn. senator Harris should be placed In nomination. as the democratic candidate.
 Immediately after adjournment the re- publican members of the senate went III to caucus in the marble room to consider the question of filling vacancies In ana securing chairmen. The secret commit fee caucus adjourned in fifteen minutes. The chairman named the following com mittee to fill vacancies in the commit tees: Messrs. Mitchell Of oregon, Ieiief of Colorado Cullom of Illinois, PlaIl ol Connecticut, Quay of Pennsylvanila'Gna ne dler of New Hampshire, PettigreW or South Dakota Gear of Iowa and Prltch- ard of North Carolina ..,.
 This committee was thoroughly satls- factory and was accepted by the caucus unanimously. The financial factl2n IS equally divided, MessIs. Mi'enel en;rt ni lsiivar Pettigrew and Pritchard being 'sllVer mon and Messrs. Cullom, Platt, quay and Gear antis. MT. Chandler being pronounced bimetallist, and not faoical on either side, preserved the equilibrium of the committed. , ~ dered an opinion to the effect that sec tion 3469. revised statutes, does not con fer unon the secretary of the treasury mower to compromise clam or the Tinted States when there IS doupt o1 It's ,entire and ready collectibihty. Ihls view of the law was held by Attorney Generals Eyarts and Devens, but Attor- General MacVeagh took an opposite view. and since his time, four years ago. inc MacVeagh opinion being the more re- cent. has been followed by the treas urv in adjusting all compromise cases, Attorney-G General Harmon now reVerses Mr. MacVeagh's decision. This new construction of the law is regarded as o,,ito important It was called out dl- racfIv by the International Cotton com nress company of New Orleans. some dime ago this company bought a piece or nronertv from a man named Schneider. This man has owed the government sum of money and judgment against him was obtained and a lien entered upon b;s nroperty. The Cotton Press company bought the Schneider property Tn lgno- rance of the fact that there was hen against it. The government stepped Tn to recover the amount of the lien, ana tbe Cotton Press company, alleging US entire innocence in the matter, offered to compromse the matter. It was ad- mitted that the property was worth the amount of the lien against 1t. Secretary Carlisle doubting his power to compro- mist case where it was clear the gov ornment could recover in ful1 asked TOT an authoritative construction Of the law, with the result stated. It is acknoWl- edged that the enforcement Of the lien ;mposed a great herdship upon the cot ton Press company, but it is claimed tnat the government had no part in placing IL in the position in which it found itself.