Year: 1870




ordered to proceed with the work on tho
superstructure, and therefore, under any crcum-
stances, there need be practical delay. The work
on the building will be continued 40 long as the ap-
propriaton permits. Secretary Boutwell,, instead OF
delaying the work for financial reasons as has been
alleged, has directed the supervising architect to
push 1t as far and as rapidly as the means win per.
mit Any delay, therefore, on the progress OF the
work has not therefore been chargeable to the de-
partmcnt, and the course OF Mr.. Boutwell, Is re.
garded as complete vindicatIOn OF the supervising
architect and denial OF the charges brought against
MIN In Congress last winter.


Tho Inpccunous Party Press.


The Limitation OF government advertising by act
OF Congress has developed the impecuniostry of a
number OF papers friendly to the administration,
ana appeals are frequently received here for govern
ment patronage OF this character. The Acting se
cretary OF the Treasury, In reply TO such request
from the editor OF an Ogdensburg journal to-day
stalled that the department had scarcely any adycr.
Using now to issue from the Treasury Department
proper, ana that he was unable To comply with the
request.


Expected Return Of General Sheridan.
The President has not received any letter from
General Sheridan since his arrival IN Europe. but
stated to-day that he expected him back some time
in December.


The Unexpended Appropriation MuddIe-A
Question Of OGicinl Etiquette.
The recent letters OF Comptroller Taylor critlcslng
| the acts of Acting Attorney General Talbot has
raised the question whether the act establishing the
Department. OF Justice which went into effect on
July 1870, conflicts with that section Of the act OF
July 20, 1862 which provides that In case Of the
death, resignation, absence sickness of the head
OF any executive department Of the government the
first or sole assistant thereof Shall unless otherwise
directed by the President perform the duties Of such
head until successor be appointed or such
absence or sickness shall cease. The act
creating the Department OF Justice provides
that IN absence OF the Attorney General tho
Solicitor General shall have power to exercise all
the duties OF that Office. AS no Solicitor General
has yet been appointed "a contended that Assist.
ant Attorney General Talbot was legally the Acting
Attorney General, and that the Comptroller had
already recognized him as such by countersigning
warrants drawn by him on tho Treasury In that
capacity. Hence his anlmadversons upon the
opinion OF Mr.. Talbot concerning unexpended bal
ances might be considered as a reflection upon the
dignity OF that ONCE The President to-day stated
that he had carefully read Mr.. Talbot's opinion,
and did not consider that it conncted with that
OF Attorney General AKerman, and when he
returns the entire subject will be referred
to him for his examination and that he had no doubt
that all the obstacles preventing the progress Of the
work on government buildings would be removed,
The fact is. this subject has become an intolerabe
annoyance, not only to the department but to men,
bers Of Congress throughout the country and letters
| are almost daily received here from prominent
republican Congressman stating that 1t was never
intended that the law should be as sweeping In Its
| provisions as 1t has been construed.


! The Alaska Scni Fisheries.


In February last the President, the protection
oftbe seal fisheries on the islands OF St. Paul ana St.
George, Alaska. issued an executive order prohibit
ing the importation and OF firearms ana ammu-
milton into and within these islands. The Alaska
Commercial Company, having since received con-
tract for the exclusive use OF these fisheries In fitting
out their expedition at San Francisco were notified
by the collector OF the port that they could not
under this order take with them anything in the
shape Of firearms. This statement having
been laid before the President yesterday he
today modified the order so as to permit the
company to take limited quantity Of firearms
and ammunition subject to the discretion of
the revenue officers there and such regulations
as the Secretary OF the Treasury may prescribe 1t
may be an Interesting fact TO know that the seals
OF these fisheries were driven by the OF firearms
away from that locality, and that the greatest eau
tion has since been exerted in Winning them back.
Hence the strIngency OF the order.


Collection of Taxes on Dividends and In.





Section fifteen OF the act of July H. 1870 to reduce
internal taxes and for other purposes provides that
there shall be levied and collected for and during
the year 1871 tax Of two and one-halr per centum
on the amount OF all interest or coupons paid on
bonds or any other evidences Of debt issued and
payable in one or more years after date by any OF
the corporations in said sections enumerated, and
also on the amount OF all dividends, incomes and
gains declared after the passage OF the act by any
bank, saving institution. trust insurance, railroad
canal turnpike, canal navigation and s!ackwater
companies, wherever and whenever the same shall be
payable. Owing to the peculiar phraseology OF the
section the Internal Revenue Once rules that
tax Is to be withheld upon the interest or cou.
pODs OF said companies falling due during the last
five months OF the curernt calendar year, but that
such interest must be returned like other interest
In the annual income returns In March next. It
also rules that the tax upon dividends during the
same period accrues at the rate Of two and one-haf
per cent, but for similar reason the law providing
that shall be collected during the year 1871 1t
should not be assessed and collected until the ex-
piration OF the present year. circular OF instruc-
tions to this effect will be Immediately prepared
AMI sent to all the revenue officers throughout the
country.


Blnclkmailing Clerks Tor Political Purposes.


A committee OF the Pennsylvania Republican
Association to-day waited upon Secretary Cox and
amIcably discussed the collection Of voluntary SUBJ
scriptions for campaign purposes In the Interior
Department. The Secretary avowed himself de-
voted friend Of the clvi service reform and that his
ambition was to establish 1t on the same basis as Is
carried out by the English government. He under.
stood, when the committee before presented their
request, that subscriptions would be exacted in ac
cordance with the plans proposed and partially
carried out by the Congressional Committee. lie





his clerical force but If the Pennsylvania committee
simply desired to solicit voluntary subscriptions he
was willing that the privilege should be accorded
them. The correspondence between the Secretary
and this committee has been OF the most satisfac-
Tory character OF course the action OF the Secre.