The New York Herald Newspaper, December 6, 1871, Page 3

WASHINGTON | RAR ees wl Important Debate on the Postal Tele- graph’ Project’ in’ the: House: Gencral Blair Beaten in dis: Attack on the Habeas Corpus Suspension. Revival; of the Southern Outrage Committee in the House, THE RETIREMENT OF CATACAZY. , Call for the Correspondence on the Subjeet. General. Sherman’s Report on.the Condition of the Army. we W ABHINGTON, Dee. 5, 1871. Scenes, InéWents and Excitement Over the Provéedines of the Two Houses. ‘The intensely cold weather of to-day, which has net deen equatied witnin the recollection of the oldest inhabitant, nad a visible effect upon the galleries. Ladies in tnis latitude are morbidly sen- aitive to cold. The excitement consequent upon the opening fig over, there was littie to attract spectators of élther sex, and the lobby is not yet organized 80 a8 to be aggressively active, The in- terest, consequently, centered wholly upon the pro- ceedings of the two -10uses. Congress 18 assuming a | thoroughly business air at the very beginning, and if the work in'nelther House was very earnest to-day ‘the gossip about the Capitol showed an undercur- rent of earnesiness that was scarcely to be expected at tnis early stage. Among the Senators much in- Verest is manifested in Mr. Sumner’s bill tor getting the national Currency on a specie-paying basis. What shape it, will take before it 19 reported back from the Fi ce Committee it is unpossible to pre- dict. Ail the fivancial measures introduced into Congre:8 have come up for action in a shape that , fails to reveal their parentage, aud Mr. Sumner's . bills have been no exception to the rule. In the ; present case the distlagulshed Senator irom Massa- chusetts will endeavor to preserve its identity, and as It embodies the views of the mercantile classes of the country, even more fully than his own, he will press it vigdtously. The Dill ‘ts the resnit of many conversations with the leading merchants of New. England; but ‘wiille all are agreed upon the necessity of @ return to specie payments everybody ‘has @ nostrum of lis own; and what Mr.. Sumner, in @ conversation to- day, charaeteristically called the “attrition of thought” makes every specific only a bundle of wl- aesorted hetbs, ‘Ue will endeavor to press Nils Dill | Torward to-morrow, and itends reaching some | tumely action very soon, 1fsuch a result is possible. | Awong the ftepresentatives the morning and even. | ing talk does not take a direction so purely busi- | hess like, nér iw tt of 60 legislative a character. ‘The Alleged differences between the, President and Sec- jary Boutwelt: in regard to a reduction of taxa- ion, In tn@ political aspects of the question, are the chief topica, while the trlumph of Grant's policy and his re-election are conceded. Mr. Boutwell has also bis partisans, wno are loud in his praises, These claim that the chief glory of the administra- ton—the rapid payment of the national debt—is due entirely to the Secretary of the Treasury, and assert nat defeat is certain if after a reduction of taxation there should be any falling Of m the balances which have been characteristic of the monthly debt statemont, Jn spite of the Secretary's recommenda trons & reduction to''tne “@xtent of $50,000,000 will be instited upon, and a very reireshing ttle row may be got up on short notice, Nearly every Secretary of the Treasury, from Hamilton down, has Presidential aspirations during the first term of his ohief, and Mr. Boutwell is no exception to the rule, This promises to be anew disintegra- tion of the republican party; but there is such an evident disposition among the majority in Congress to stand by the President that Ic can only result in the retirement of Mr. Boutwell from tne Cabinet if his friends choose to make a contest. In Congress Te-Day. the proceedings showed the political element in | an extreme degree and the were eagerly watched to see how the recalcitrant republicans were going. Mr. Farnsworth fought and lost an antl-administration battle In the House, and in the Senate the contest was over the Ku Klux procia- mation. Sena;or Blair called up his resolution of yesterday, which was characterized by Mr. Conk- img, on befialf of the administration, as full of in- wnuations and intimations, and tried to make a epeech, but was,choked off without mercy. ‘The interest in the matter lay in the way which Sumner, Trambnull and Fenton should vote on the motion to take up the resolution: but as they voted “no” without any apparent effort no split im tne republican party was visiole. This was, in fact, tne only measure of national importance or political Interest before: the Senate to-day, and to-merrow the session will. probably be a very short one also, as a caucus will be held in the evening to agree upon the reorganization of the committees, No radical changes are’ anticipated, and the Senate has shown itselfso much in harmony with the administration that even an effort to reinstate Mr. Sumner in is old place at the head of the Com- mittee on Foreign Reiations would not produce anything like a lively effect. Mr. Cameron intro- duced a resolution In regard tothe Catacazy affair, tailing for the correspondence in the case, but this has no significance apart from the indication that he intends holding on to the place he now occupies, Soon after the morning hour the House went into Committee Of the Whole on the Presiaent’s Mes: tage. Mr. Dawes led off with the usual resolutions distributing the diferent parts of the message to the appropriate committees, that part relating to the establishment by the government of a postal telegraph system betng referred to a special com- mittee. The fitst ‘skirmish of the session was fought upon the objection made by Mr. Randall, of Pennsylvania, to this special committee. The posta) telegraph being an administration measure, Mr. Ratidull was backed vy General Farnsworth, Obairman of Committee on Post Ofices and Post Réads, Who insisted that that part of the Message should be referred to his committee. He thus placed Bimself squarely In opposition to the Executive policy, #s In his speech supporting his motion of reference be announced himself strongly opposed to the measure. Messra. Beck, of Kentucky; Eldridge, of Wisconsin, and other democrats came, vigorously to the sup- port of Messra, Randall and Farnsworth, opposing the measure Mainly upon the ground that it would swell to appalling proportions the vast patronage of tne Executive, and that the measnre came with a ‘vad grace from an adminstration which was taking such pains to make itself the champion of civil service reform, “There are now,” said Mr. Beck, ‘five thousand telegraph stations and seven thousand employes in the United States, which would be swelled to twenty thousand stations and three hundred and twenty-five thousand employes if this Corrupt administration assumed control of the tele- @raph system. Mr. Dawes, against whom the op- Position as the distinguished leader of the adminis. tration party'Of the Mouse was directed, received their brisk fire, as also the fire in the rear from the gallant Western brigadier with the self-possession of @ vetoran sure uf iis reserves. During the fight & motion Ws mate, evidentiy a compromise, to refer the subject to the Committee on Appropriations. Mr. Gartield, chairman of that committee, opposed the motion, and sustained Mr. Dawes’ original motion for a select committee, Tne matter was Hualy visposedot by sending it to ihe Committee | 6 Appropriations, Wien the committee rose and | reported to the House, The friends of Wie administration, not at all satie | Mer, of New york; Lewis H. Frayser, of Richmona, | sales now exacted of the manufacturers and dealers, NEW YORK HERALD, -WEDNESDAY,,,DMUUMBKK 6, 1871.70TRLPLE SHEET. tion for ® special gommitice. The ayes aud noes were called for by Mr. Farnsworth, When taken it was found the reference first called for was. carried — by. Majority, the vote being | 105 for, a special committee to 95 againstit, This | 18 considered @ decisive victory by the administra: | tion men, because a majority of the committee will | be favorable to the measure. | The fight ‘was ‘a spirited affair from first to last. ‘The Urums yeat and the sabres flashed along the | whole line. Outsiders were seen anxiously watch- img the fray, evidently jubilant when the bulletin announced tne victory assured, Mr. Cox, of New York, opened fire on the Syndi- cate by attempting to obtain action on bis resolu- ton of Monday. He said he did not ask for a special committee, but strongly objected to the { resolution being re:erred to one which would allow | it to “sleep the sleep that knows no waking.’? | Mr. Cox was as usual entertaining, for even in hig wrath he g’ves out something to smile over. ‘The House adjourned in an evident spirit of good nature on both sides, in spite of the fact that the campaign is opened and Pere 1s musto in the air. ‘Thus it will be observed that the second day’s proceedings in Congress were Not less important than the first and that the shift- Ing of parties and positions yesterday is having its fulleffect. The Senate, more conservative than the House, left the first battle to be fought by the Younger and more arilent of the soreheads, and it is something in the favor of tne administration that it drew the first blood. Geocral Sherman’s Report of the Army. The report of General Sherman is very brief, He | says:— if ivist assured, antisfy the Beoretary of Wer tune in” wiiat | ever sphere of Jabor our troops have veen employed, whether in aining good taith with our neign- | dors on the Nort +h ie Mexican border, or re- pi India imvasions and outbreaks; in. pro- tectiig: pyceed inhabitants of the South or the sparsely: jew fronticrs of the West; In ald- ing the reven rs In the discharge of their un- Pleasant dul im sustaintng the Coited States Marshals and’ j—every where they have dis. i a ‘@ zeal jtelhgence worthy of their good Jame estab)! the past, As General Halleck rect ever, 1t 18 eminently to be desired action of the army, in the quast val be better defined by statute; but in the, Of plich statute we can only rely upon the ini sense of oficers special! -‘Lhus far few mistakes, it " have veen “the conduct of the troops has met the hearty ‘al of the courts, the civil ofm- cers and even: bitants against Whom they have been compelfed to act, Jn order to: mafptain the military establishment With the iimtss. prescribed in the act of July +16, 1870, each must be kept pelow its propor: tonate sta: nd tire Conseqrence ts that Many of che-comp: it distant and inaccessible posts Jall below mamber fit for efficient military Rervice; and: dt is simply an impossibility to guard ‘against this resuit, and I do. hope Congress Wil Femove the restriction and gre we President the Aiscretionary power to | cep the ranging be- Le head upto @ standal tween stxty aad one hundred privates, according to the vatnre of the service required of the troops. Such @ measure would add very much to the e#i- cloncy, and would rarely, If ever, carry the aggregate strength of the active army above tue standard of 30,000 nen, now xed by law. General Sherman’ aguin earnestly recommenas “the great necessity that new regulations be pro- vided for the government of the army, and-that some unilorod system of tactics be adopted, em- bracing common prisciples tor bandling ail the arms of the service when brought under a common commander, The whole theory of army move- snents ig based on the fact that one responsible head shouid control masses of men, and this cannot elliciently be done where one set of tactics is used Jor intantry, another for cavalry and still another for artulery. 1am copvinced from éxperience that ths ts periectly praciicable and easy of execution, and care little whose particular system 1s adopted as a basis, | because other changes Will occur in the progress of { time, and the beginning 1s all thats asked for, on | some gent plan likely to result in ultimave Revising and Consolidating the Statutes. The Commissioners appoluted to revise and con- solidate the statutes of the United Siates met in May, 1870, and began their work by a joint exami- nation of the whole body of the statutes at large, in order to classify every provision under its appropri- ate title, and to arrange the matter of revision in such @ way that the reviser of each title should be assured, of having before him’ all the provisions belonging to it, and none which did not. Accord: ingly they adopted certain provisional utles, with modifications, The greater part of title 14—.ne Judiclary—ie now printed, and, after it hall. be fur- ther revised.and reprinted, will soon be distributed to members ‘ot Congress. This tithe will have dis posed of about 2,702 sections. The Commissioners submit it to the legislative power in the form of a@ separate statute, so that it’ may be | acted on, should Congress deem that course con- sistent, without awaiting the completion of the re- | vivion. None of its provisions depend upon the adoption of other tities, and it is accompanied by a precise repealing act, The same method may, if such ws the wish of Congress, be pursued with most Of the titles under which the revision 1s arranged, The reports are signed by Charles P. James, Ben- jainin Vaughan Abbott and Victor C. Barringer. je Annual Visit of Disiillers aud Tobacco Dealers to the Capital. Among the pilgrims who annually visit the politi- cal Mecca of the nation lew are more conspicuous Unan those interested im the distillation of spirits and the manufacture of topacco, ‘The distillers are always accompanied by induential dealers in Spirits, Whose object 1s to impress on tae Committee of Ways and Means and the Finance Committee the Importance of promptly heeding their suggestions and shaping taxation to please them, The recom. mendation of the President, that internal taxation be hereafter confined to the revenue derived from stamps, spirits, tobacco and malt liquors, strength- ens the hope of those interested in distilleries that Congress wiil at this session grant them the desired relief = and consolidate all the waxes, to be collected at the distilleries, Tne representatives of the National Tobacco Association, who are to meet in convention to-mor- row for the purpose of arranging their argument for the reduction of the tax on the “weed,” are not sanguine of success, and received but very Iittle en- couragement at the Treasury Department to-lay, or assistance from the officials of the Internal Revenue Bureau. The specific manner in'which the Presi- dent and Secretary Boutwell point out the sources from which the revenue may be profitably derived und most cheaply collected, will not be disregarded by the Commitee on Ways and Means, and itis more likely that the recommendation of Commis sioner Douglass, what the tax on tobacco be con- solidated at thirty-two cents per pound, will be care ried out, But it appears, from statements made to- day, that the tobacco men had anticipated coid com- fori from ‘Treasury officials, and openly declared that if Congress did not reduce the tax the association was pledged to jota issue with the anti- Grant men and support the party opposing nis re- election. This is the first threat of any importance and 1s not likely to assume larger proportions than high-sonnding words. All the arguments and reso- jutions gathere! by Mr. 1. Kimball, chief of the to- bacco division, during his recent visit to the princt- pal Southern and Western cities, will be turned over to Mr. Dawes, chatrman of the Ways and Means Committee, for the enlightenment of tne members of that committee, They admirably ulus- trate the difference of opinion existing in different parts of the country, and the Jack of unanimity among the manufacturers In agreeing upon augges- tions to be made to the committee. Na 1 tobace: veutlon. The National Tobacco Canvention of the United States met to-day @t the Metropotitan Hotel. The meinbers present are Acting President Lorin Pal- Va., Vice President; John Stratton, of New York, Secre‘ary; Joseph Hall, of New York, Treasurer; Mr. Spence, of Cincinnati; ex-Senator Jonn A. Dix, of New York, and Mr, Peiper, of Sr. Louis, The object of the Convention is to obtain a untorm tax of sixteen cents per pound on ail kinds of | manufactured tobacco, and to abolish the tax on The Asiatic Commercial Avency. The bill Introduced Into the House of Representa. ; tives by Peters, of Mame, proposes to incorporate Robert B. Van Vaikenburgh, Renjamin Eggies- ton, Lawrence B, Cnshing, R. W. Bishop, James ¥. Wilson, Jonn R. Hall, Elisha &, Rive, Thomas A. Scott, George B. Upton, Israel 8. Spencer, J, E. Gates and P, McDonald Collins as | the Asiatic Commercial Company, The bil provides | that they may, under authority of tne governments | ,; any, of Onina, Japan and the other countries of Asia, engage in pudlic works which may be necessary to devélop and increase business and commerce and to facilitate commerce between Bed with this sesolution, renewed the Origibal mo y sem and jhe Valieg States, aud lov thas pur Pose issue vonds or other obligations, secured by @ pledge or mortgage of property of the corpora- tion and its business, provided no bonds of notes shall pe passed or legally circulated as currency In the United States. The capital stock is fixed at five millions, and she oMce of the corporation will ‘ve located in New York. ‘Treaties with the Indians. Senator Morrill, of Maine, has introduced ip the , Senate @ resolution which is calculated to have an important beariug on the discussion and setvlement of several interes'ing questions connected with the | Indian policy of the government, probably. during | the present session. The resolution instructs the Committee on Indian Afairs to maquire whether and if so, what, further or additional legislation is necesss:y to carry into effect the several treaties marie and the acts and regom- mendations of the Peace Commissioners, so called, | in pursuance of an act of Congress approved July 20, 1867, entitied “An act to establish peace with certain hostile Indian tribes and to report by | vill or otherwise,”” The treaties above referred to contemplated the setting aside of reservations on which the Indians were to be collected and kept permanently, The Com- missioners accordingly selected two reservations— one in Indian Territory and the other on the Upper Platie, in Dakota Terri; ory—which are supposed to be large enough to contain all the Indians east of the Rocky Mountains. Their action was duly res ported to Congress several years ago, and large numbers of Indians irom time to lime nave been Placed opon these reservations, sut up to the , present date Congress has never ratitied and con- | firmed the reservations to tne Indians, aud there 18 consequently no assurance that they will not be. Gespoiled of the lands and driven irom thelr new homes by tne encroachments of unprincipled whites— @ danger now considered imminent, notwitusiand- Ing the faith of the government has been pledged | that they should never again be disturbed so long as they remain peaceable. The resolution now lies upon the tanle of the Senate pending the formation of the committee, George Wilkes in Washington. The arrival of George Wilkes in.tnis city and the announcement that he proposed to take the initia- tive in a matured movement against the renomina- tion of President Grant, or; failing’ 1m thi, to lead | the way for his defeat at the next Presi- dential , election, . has . been the subject of considerable conversation and comment, among the politicians temporarily abidmg in Wash- ington, During the session of Congress to-day he was at the Capitol, and most of the time was on the floor of the Senate. Subsequently he received & large number of callers at his rooms at the Ariing- ton, and was engaged until midnight in explaining | to those who.called the pian.of operation marked, | out for the . rganization o! an an{i-Grant party. He | is sanguine of the result, General Clark’s Election frem the Third Di trict of ‘Texas Conteste:. y Tne House Committee on Elections will to-morrow take up the case of General William T. Ciark, for- merly of General Sherman’s staf, whose certificate of election from the Third district of Texas was re- ferred to the committee yesterday. General Clark has been here for the past two weeks, preparing his case in anticipation either of the action taken yester- day or of a lively contest. by the democratic candl- date, Giddings, who claims to have veen elected by @large majority, Mueh interest 1s 1elt in the deter- mination of this coniest, as 1t ts generally ad. mitted that if Clark gets in—and be e@x- presses no doubt of it nimself—it will. have to be at some sacrifice of prinuple to party feeling. There 1% some talk on the democratic side of summoning General Joe Reynolas, of the army, before the committee and maxing him tell what he knows about “counting in,” a8 managed down in Texas, ‘The Board of Steamboat Inspectors. There has been much surprise and a great deal of comment among Congressmen at the omission of Secretary Bou‘well in not reierring to the action of the Board of Steamboat Inspectors at their sessions in this city, especialy as, since the new law was passed there have been some of the most dreadful casualties on steamboats. It was expected that some mention would ‘be made of as important sn adyanct of the Treasury Vepartment as the Beard fs claimed vo-ve,.. Steamboat owners clamorous all over the country on accoutit of te. additional expense imposed by the provisions of the law in requiring more apparatus for greater protection. of life and property. A delega- Uon appointed at the convention of steamboat men in Louisville a few weeks ago is expected here this ‘Week for the purpose of urging Congress to grant them relief from what they term oppressive legisia- tion, and as Secretary Boutwell has not even men- tioned the subjéct in his report the advocates of the relief measure clatm that the b'll 18 objection- apie to him, and in this view they are sustained by. the Treasury oficials, Atterney Georral Akcrman on Railroad Land Grants, ‘The following letter from the Department of Jus- tice to the secretary of War, in reference to railroad grants, has just been given out for publication:— DEPARTMENT OF JusTICE, } WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 1871. To Hon, Wa. W. BELKNAP, Secretary of War:— Your letter of the Sth instant presents this ques- tion—To what extent a railroad, to ald in the con- struction of which Congress nas donated portions of the public domain, can be consider public highway for the free use of the government of the United States in the transportation Of its troops and property—whether the whole road should con- sidered or only that portion which the com- pany have actuaily selected lands’ ese en now ar under the act of September 20, 1850, granting land In aid of the construction of @ railroad from hicago to Mobile, which in the seventh section prov. that the said ratiroad shall be and remain a public highway for the use of the government of the United States, iree {rom toll or other charges upon the transportation of any property or troops of the United States, Tam of opinion that a road which receives any ald under such @ grant becomes @ public highway, for the purposes aforesaiu, for its whole len There nothing in the lan; fe of the act to contine the character of a public highway to that portion of tiie road which the granted Jands may happel he law oes not require that the proceeds of the lands shail be particularly applied to the constriction of the adjacent parts of the road, but they go into the general ronds of the road and are appied indis- criminately to the whole work. The road isa unit, and any ald vo it. by grant. subjects the whole of it to the condition which accompanies the grant. Under any other rule it might happen that a road would be broken up into sbort and irregular ivistons, alternately open and close to the tree use of the government, and nothing wotld be more usziess than @ right to transportat.on subjcct to such interruptions, where there 13 no essential va- riation ip the terms of the grant trom the provision above quoted. ‘The rule which thave here given 1s applicabie, and this.anewers with as much expliciiness as is possible In go general a statement your request for a , rule which shall enable your department proper, to fix the termtni of the land grant roads or land grant portions of roads, subject to the condition of Iree use for transportation. Very respectcully, A. T. AKERMAN, Attorney General. Negotiation by National Banks of the New Loan. The Secretary of the Treasury to-Cay addressed a letter to the presidents of the national banks which received subscriptions for the new toan, in which he says that the time has arrived for the interest on what are known as the first one hundred milion of ihe “called bonds” to cease, and that it is desirable | to redeem them at the eariest practicable moment, ‘They are therefore called upon to transfer to the | Unitea States an amount equal io sixty per cent of the amount of the entire subscriptions made on account of the new five per cent loan either by or ; throngh their banks. The balance to be cailed for | as soon as it shall ve needed for the redemption of other bonds, Report of the Southern Claims Commission. The report of the Southern Claims Commission is to be submitted to Congress next Monday. About five hundred cases have been concluded, three- fourths of which are in favor of the claimants, though the aggregate amount i reduced from $1,600,000 to lezs than five hundred tuousand dol- jars. Distilleries and Thelr Produ-e. The official statement shows that 236 grain and nine molasses distilleries were in Operation in (his country on the 1st instant, with a total producing capacity of 216,559 gallons trom the grain und 10,389 gaiions from the molasses disilleries, There is an increase of thirty over last month in the number of distileries, Dut there is a decrease In the prodaction during the month, Gossip from California, Among the Californians, In Washington, the eiece tion of the Hon, Thomas Shannon, as Speaker of | the House of Representatives of War prate, Wee : | of the Hob. Aaron A. Sargent, now ~ gress, fof United States Senator. | Aggregate, tates and Territories, garded ag an indication favorable to the prospects Member of von- , The House 1s largely repubiican, but the democrats have four majority inthe Senate, The selection of Senators is by jolt talot, Meeting of House Standing Committees. Severatof the House standing committees held | meetings fo day, but have not yet formally entered upon business. It is supposed that nothing of | moment wit! take place until after the holidays: Temporary Government Buildings im Chitcage. Collector McLean, of Chicago, was in this city to- day, and bad a tong consultation with ‘Secretary’ | Bout well relative to matiers pertaining to the gov | ernment ih that city, Among other things’ he sub- mitted a proposinon for providing temporary ac- commodation for the various government oMicers in that city, which the Secretary has under considera- | ton. Mexican Finance«. Mr. Romero, late Mexican Minister to the United States, bas transmitted to the Chief of the Bureau of Statistics an Interesting work on finances and public credit through the Mexican republic, and | submitted to the Mexican Congress September 16, 1870, which will be transiated for we information of American readers, Population of the United States. The following isa table of the true population of | the United States, just compiied and contained in | the report of the Superintendent o! the Census:— 38,923,210, White, 83,659,857; colored, 4,886,3:7; Chinese, 68,254; Indians, 393,712; Indians out of tribal rela- tons, 25,731; Indians on reservations and at agen- cles, 963,662. @ Republican Senatorial Ca Me ‘The: republican senators wil) hold a caucus this ‘week UO arrange the standing committees of tie | Senate, « BuarnieBing Recraim to Texas, Kansas, &c. The Superintendent General) of the Recruiting Service has been directed wo send 200 recruits to San Antonio, Texas, for assignment to the Eleventh imiantry; and 100 recruits to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas,for assignment tothe Third infantry, All the alspesabie colored troops are to be sent to San ‘Antonio’ for assignment to the Twenty-fourth mfantrys » Appointwent of Examining Surgeons. ‘The flowing avpointments of examining sur- geone for the Pension Oilice have been made:—Jonn J.'Golden, Huntsville, Iinots; N, S. Halleck, Oak- felt, “Towa; .D. Y. Cheliant, Kansas City, Mis- wourls 370, McCoy. Versailles, Indiana; U. L. Taylor, Colambia; James Rawlins, Georgetown; J. H. Sohal, Jeffersonville, and J. M. Wilson, Wuliams- ton, Kentucky; William Child, Bath, New Hamp- shire; D.| B. Wylie, Warsaw, Wisconsin; P. R. Thombs, Pueblo, Colorado; W. L. Hariman, Pitts- ton, Fennsyivania; M. G. Myers, Wantorua, Wis. consin, PORLY-:ECOND CONGRES?, Second Sexsion. WASHINGTON, Dec, 5, 1871. AMENDING THE PENSION LAW. Sy Mr. Cooper, (dem.) of Tenn.—A Dill to amend the law relating to pensions to soldiers and the ‘Widows of soldiers of the war of 1812, by removing the Utsqualification based on having given aid or sympatily to the rebellion. * PISTRICE COURTS IN LOUISIANA. Also # bill to reorganize the District Courts of the ‘United States in Louisiana. Tabled. THE DARIEN CANAL EXPEDITION. By Mr. ANTHONY, (rep,) of R. L—A resolution Girecting the Secretary of the Navy.to furnish to the Senate the report of the expedition of the United States steamer under Captain Selfridge to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Aaopted, BRANCH MINT AT NEW ORLRANS, Mr. KELLOGG, (rep.) of La.—Asking the Secre- tary of the Treasury for fofermauion avout the Brafieh Mint at New Orieans. Tabled. STHAMSHIY LINE IN THE GULF. By Mr. KELLOGG—A bil authorizing a steamship service in the Guif of Mexico. It directs the Post- + Olllee Commitiee, re ' ject snoula not go to the Committee on Commerce | the minority report against the proposition. The ex- jo Bap By Aap tpeined of a site and the erection ‘Or ® Of Jederal offices at St. Loins. ” eonene sane CODIPYING THE POSTAL LAWS. Mr. FARNSWORTH, (rep.) of Ill, from the Post; ported a bill to revise, conusoli- date and amend the statute relaung to the Post (figs Depavemene » He mated that it wan the eaime | Passed louse at the last Congres after having been very strongly rh rt ig tw j committees. in comunction with @ commission of | experts spoctnsad by the Postmaster General. It yas simply @ codifcauion of the postal laws, with a few corrections and amendments not generally of | ymportance, but necessary to make the law clear ant harmonious, The postal laws had never veen | codified since the organization of the department; and many of them haa become obsolete, while — were contradictory apd dificult of explana- The CLRRE proceeded to read the bill, which is \ very voluminous, IN COMMITTER OF THE WHOLE. The reading of the vill was 1uterrapted by the ex- Piration of the morning hour, when tho House went ¢ Into Committee of tne Whole (Mr. Wheeler, rep., of ; N. Y., 1m the chair) on the President's annual a sage. The usual resolutions, distributing portions of the hiessage the appropriate committees, — were offered by Mr. Davis and adopted. | ARE THERE ANY INSURRBOTIONARY STATES? Belore the vote was taken on the resolutions, Mr. Woop, Ce of N. Y., inquired whether there was any such committee as the Committee on Insurrece | tionary States? He dented that there were any In- surrectionary States or any such committee, Mr. Dawks, (rep.) of Mass., said tie would notnow dise"1as the question of fact, but would te that there was a committee which went by that name | and which was raised last session forthe purpose of considering the subject which it was now pro- posed to refer to it—the Ku Klux outrages. Mr. Woop remarked that several efforts had been Made fast sesston to revive the Reconstruction Com- mittee and that the House had on every occasion voted down the proposition. The Committee on In- | surrectionary States was brought into existence for ; & temporory purpose to go into the Southern States | to do certain things. When that committee had re- ported to the House 1t bad no further functions. He ‘was therefore opposed to reviving 1 for the whole Congress inthis surreptitious manner, Mr, Dawgs stated in reply vo Mr. Wood that the verms)by which the committee was constituted pro- vided that it should continue during the present Congress, Buteven if that were not so there had been yesterday referred to that committee some wqnsnte which would have revived it if it had ex- pirea. Mr. Woon supposed that with such declaration on the part of the leader of the House the demo- cratic side was to assume that it was intended to keep in existence @ committee formed ostensibl lor the purpose of preserving order, but really an in fact for the purpose ov promoting disorder. For himself, personally, and without consultation with others, he provested against the continuance of a committee which was not only useless, but promo- uve ot disorder and distraction throughout tne country. ‘THE GOVERNMENT POSTAL TELEGRAPH PROTECT. Mr, RANDALL, (dem.) Of Pa., calle: attention to that resolution which referred to a se.ect committee all that portion of the President’s Mesvage relative tothe union of the telegraphic system = with the | postal service and all other questions of subsidies Yo steamship lines, ‘He did not sec why that sub- } or to the Post Uitice Committee, ‘Tne owners of the telegraph lines of the country hud estimated the cost of Those lines to the government at $26,010,000, He had heretofore seen the evil enect of creating se- lect committees to consider special subjects. tHe re- membered that when the first Pacific Ratlroad com- mittee was estab:isted the Speaker of the House | made {t up tu the interest of vhe railroads, and that that commitiee was prepared to give away all the jand of the nation, He: thought that thia subject snould take’ its natural course and go to tle ap- propriate standing committee, Mr. FARNSWORTH, Chairman of the Post OMce Committee} moved that the subject be referred to Lhe Port, OMmce Cominittee; not that he cared to have Jurisdiction of the matter, but because it seemed to him that no other committee could have proper Jurisdiction of 1%) =He did not know what reason existed for the appointment of @ select committee, although he was aware that a@ select commitree on the same subject had been created during last Con- gress and had arrived at no conclusion. Mr. Dawes remarked that he had been on that select committee last Congress, and had joineu ta Derience witch he then had had led him ty believe that the subject was one of very great importance, It affected treaty, the! postal affairs and the Joreign rs of W couotry, 80 that no one committees coulda be Bal have juriadicuon of the wiiole matter. it was a great sutyect, worthy of the con- | sideration Of he country, and which was bein, jorced upon its consideration by the events an tendencies of the age. If anything required a Special committee which would have the time to consider it fully it was this subject. If the gentie- ; man from Pennsy!vania (Mr. Kandall) thought that | the Speaker had not the confidence of the House in ® ' oriticised a former committee on the Pacine Rall road. Mr. Rannaci—Simply for its acts as exhinited in the legislation of the couatry. Mr. Dawes—Does the gentleman. make any such imputation on the present Committee on vie Paciic wanes 1 x ig - . Ir KANDALL=I haye expressed no opinion on that aubiant Mr. DAwes—Then there was no occasion for that Part of the gentleman’s romarks. If he has ne com piaint to make against the present Speaker In that regard there is no propriety tn hia argament. ir. RANDALL—I referred to it almply as an in- Stance of select committees. Mr, Dawes did not see why the impartiality of the Speaker should be questioned {n the selection of a foe cominittee more than of a standing com- Mr, Expripae, (dem.) of Wis., inquired whether it Was not the parliamentary rule to appoimt on special committees a majority of the friends ol the measure, Mr, Dawes understood it to be a parliamentary rule, when a matter 9 submitted to @ se.ect com- Mittee, that a majority of the committee shal! be in favor of so subinitting it. Mr. ELDRIDGE inquired whether the role did not go further, and require a majority to be in favor of the project. Mr. Dawes did not understand that there was any Rriect recomimended here. The statement by Mr. andall, that the telegraph company aske:t Congress to purchase its property at an cvormous rate, showed that that gentieman did not understand the reia. tions of the matter any more than a baby. (Laugn- ter.) The Western Union Telegraph Company was arraying itself with ail its power and influence against any such proposition. G Mr, Beck remarked tuat while the Western Union Telegraph Company had opposed the project last Congress he understood it to have changed 1:4 posi- tion and to be now anxious for it. Mr. Dawgs said that that fact would not com- mend the matter to ls approval, but this was oot the ume to enter into the merits of the whole sub- ject ‘The only question Was as to its reference, THB SUBJECT KEFERRED TO THE APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE. After further discussion ov Messrs. Palmer and Garfleld in favor of and by Messrs, Connor and King in opposition to its reference to a special committee the vote wus taken and the subject was relerred to the Commitice on Appropriations. The vote was subsequently taken im the House, and the action confirmed—106 to 08. THE NEW LOAN, Mr, Cox, (dem.) of N. Y., moved the reference to the Commitice on Banking and Currency of the part of the Message relating to the new loan, and he commented on the action of the Secretary of the ‘Treasury In Connection with it, ‘The motion was Tejected and the subject was lett to the Commitiee of Ways and Means. ‘The committee then rose, ‘A RESIGNATION, ‘The resignation ot sir, Washbura, recent, ad of Massachusetts, Was preseute Ouse, elected to the MISCELLANBOUS MEASURES, The following bills were imtroduced and re. ferred :— By Mr. Perens—To facilitate commerce between the Unized States and China, Japan and the voun- Tries Of Asia By Mr. FARWELL—For the construction of a pab- lic building af Chicago. y Mr. PorreR—Proposing an ainendment to the constitation, A PROPOSED LABOR BUREAU. Mr, KILLINGER Offered a resolution instracting the Committee oa Education and Labor w inqatre into the expedicacy of establishing a labver bureau im connection with the Department of Agriculture, with a view to the compilation of statistics and a more complete recognition of the ngnts of the Tlabor- Ing classes. . Adopted. ADJOURNMEN’ The Rouse then, at a quarter-past three P. M., adjourned, LIERARY CH.T-CHAT. Tip LATEST new magazine venture in London s the Pro and Con, published monthly by Mr. Hard- wicke, AMONG THE singular suite decided by the English Court of Chancery Was that of the proprietor of the Timea, Mr. Walter, azainst the proprietors of tne ‘Bvening Mati, to dislodge thom from a privilege en- Joyed for more than seventy years of using the news matter, type and prititing machinery of the Times to print the editions of the Mvening Mail. This arrangement dated back to 1700, wnen the Mat! was first started, arid gave that paper great advantages in getting out an evening Journal of the best type, while it was fairly profitabie to the Times, But ta 1861 Mr. Walter gave notice to the Erening Mat proprietors that they were not to use the matter or type of the Tinies any longer. They demurred to the appointment of a select committee Re might | the notice, claiming that the continned custom of Bigs @ Yote upom that question, ir, RANDALL—1 have nothing to say on that point farther than | have satd, ‘as Mi. Dawss went on to say that he favored a select master General to contract, for cighteen months, on the BesPattainaic terms, with American citizens, fostey fot verance of the mails in Amenean bait 18, not less than 1,600 tous register, lew Qrieans and several Mexican ports THE HABB4S CORPUS on the table, IN: SOUTH CAROLINAItR, BLAIR'S SPEECH, Mr. BLAIR, (dem.) Of Mo,, moved to take up his Pooppege | int Dongs 8 asking the Pret. dent to Inform the Senate by what authority he has suspended the constitution and laws of the United States and of South Carolina in several counties of that State, and said:— ‘This resolution contemplates obtaining from the President a detailed account of the manner in which + he has exercised the extraordinary authority con- ferred upon him by Congress. Ll understand that large numbers of citizens ‘have been arrested for alleged crimes in: South Carolina, in the counties designated, and that of those arrested nine-tenths ‘were arrested for alleged crimes committed before the passage of the act of April 20, giving the Presi- dent this authority. 1 have seen in the papers state- ments of the names of the parties arrested and the crimes alleged to have been committed vy them, aad Uney appear to be the same incidents or circum- stances in regard to which the Commitice on Out rages 1m the Southern States have exaniined wit- nesses, These circumstances all occurred prior to the passage of the act under which the President pro- claimed martial law, and these arrests appear to have been made for offences or alleged offences committed anterior to the time that the federal courts had any jurisdiction whatever, and anterior to the time wnen the authority was conferred upon the President, Mr. EDMUNDS, (rep.) of Vt. b perea poling fe asked the Chair whether «i on of the merits of ine resolution was in order on a motion to take up. The CHAIR declared that it was not. Mr. MorTON, (rep.) of Ind,—It occurs to me that the substance of tms resolution was pretty well answered yesterday by the President’s Message; but, aside {rom that, this resolution can be much better discussed after we snall have received the re- port of the Investig: Comnuttee, For this reason I shali vote agaist taking it up. Mr. BLaAIR—ihe Presiteat’s Message does not give us any infurmation at all in reterence to the matter about which this resolution asks informetion, This resoiution asks for the names of the parties ar- rested, the crimes alleged to have been committed by them and the times at which hey are alleged to Nave been committed, and none ot these are given am the President's Message. ‘The President states that the testimony taken by the Committee on Southern Affairs amply sustains him in his procia- mation of martial law. Ido not know how got report from that information; certatnly not oy an; the committee. ‘No one was authorized bby the com- mittee to make any such report to the President, member of it 1 can give my opmion that the elicited by the committee do not ynstfy the roclamauon of martial law, and Isuapect that 1 now more about those Jacts thao tne President lumeeif, While | am not astonished that the Presi- dent shguid have exercised the extraoramary powers confe"red upon bim—his education and his genius being arbitrary make him favor arbitrary measures—I am astonished at the servility of Con- gress in subinitting the rights of citizens to his dis- cretion, and 1 peleve that it becomes us, having given bim such authority, to ask him to tell us how he bas exercised it. Mt, CONKLING, (rep.) of'N. Y.—I think the reason assigned by the Senator from Indiana (Mr. Morton) against laking up this resolution now @ good one, aud [ beg toadd another. A revolution callimg for information upon Shy appropriate subject 13 always entitled to consideration and indulgence, and par- Uculariy when good faith in all: respects 18 w patt of ofit. But this resolution, amoug other things, is {ull of assertion and intimation which may fall short | of assertion, Although 1 co not propose now to | aiscuss the verity or error of the resolution in that regard, it 1s enough that 1¢ contains so much of that kind Of maver thatit does notin my estimation | fall fairly within the earagory Of. rosoluvous seek- ing information; and therefore I should vote against taking it Up ROW OF at any time, uniess this matrer | were eliminated; uniess it were reduced to a real resolution of moeey, in which case there might peraps De NO Objection to it, at least none of the kind that | now specity. The motion to take up was lost—yeas 11, nays | | 45—only Mr. Tipton, among the repuvitcaus, voting | in the affirmative, THB RETIREMENT OF CATACAZY. By Mr. CAMERON, (rep) Of Pa&.—A resolution call- ing on the President for the oMcial corresponde cu the retirement of Mr. Catacazy, Adopted. THE BIGHT-HOUR LAW, The Vice PREsipENT laid before the Senate the House bill deciaring the meaning of the Eight-hour law. Mr, TRUMBULI, (rep.) of Ii., offered an amend- ment avolishing the law. Mr. WILSON, (rep.) of Mass, urged the immediate passage of the bil. Aller some discussion the Senate, at twenty-five minutes past yne, adjourned, — HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 6, 1871. MISCELLANEOUS BILLY Bills were introduced anu referred as follows:— By Mr, STRONG, (rep.) of Conn,—Granting pen- sions to the soldiers ani sailors of the war of 1812 for forty days’ service instead of sixty days, as how provided, By Mr. AILL, (rep.) of N. J.—Authorizing the Post- master General to issue one cent correspondence or postal cards, BY Mir WSLid (09M) OF MO—ADPLOPTIPDE MP » | would ret committee, not from any want of confidence in the Chairman of the Post Office Committee, or in the chairman of any other committee, or In any com- mitiee, but because he was convinced that the rami- three-quarters of a century ghve them a presertp- tve riglit to use the matter and type of the Times. ‘Yne Chancery decision was in favor of the Times, on the ground that no written contract was shown between tne Orst Mr. Walter and the original pro- prietors of the Mail, and that mere custom, how- fications of ihe whule question were such that with | ever long continued, conferred no suoh right as was claimed, no propriety could it be referred to any parfeular commilutee. r Mr. NIBLACK, (dem.) of Ind., suggested that this project would entail immense patronage on the ad- muustration, which would have the appointment of al least $,000 employés to take charge of the tele- hic business, whicir fact made the proposition a0 appalling one to him aud would cuntrol bis vote inst It, Mr, Dawes admitted that there were undoubtedly | diMculties in the way; but that fact rather rendered | it more appropriate that the subject should ve ree ferred to a select committee. Mr, NisLack conceded that there were many rea- sons Why it should go to @ select committee instead | of a standing one, but he should be unwitting to trust any committee that was specially organized for the purpose. The temptation would be abso. solutely too great; the commiitee would have no other business to atten to, and would be the focus around which. all, influences would be broaght to bear in favor of the scheme, Mr. FARNSWORTH understood that it was proposed to ine orporaie with every Post Ofice in the country that had a sufficient number of inhabitants a tele- graph ofice, and to make every Postmaster a tele- graph Operator, oF else to appoint an expertto operate the telegraph. ‘The government would thas vance of all the private, confidential and financial business of the people. Every Member ot Congress would be importuned by his con- stituents to make their Post Office @ telegraph station. The Post Ofice Committee has beep app inted without reference to this sutyect, and might, theretore, be presumed to be quite as fair as ove that would be appointed specially. Asa meral rule the best aud fairest comuittees were he standing committees of the House, He was willing to admit thathe had gone over the whole end) of postal telegraphs, and had for weeks and weeks Instened to arguments for and against the roposition, and way against the whole scheme. ‘he success of the system) in Great Britain or any thickly pettied old country, where no new jt ofilce had beeu established for fifty years, formed no criterion for thix country and those mstitutions. The whole thing Was monstrous in any way that it couid be regarded. ‘Mr, BANKS, (rep) ol Mass., remarked that the ESepaad of ocean cables was in the jurisdiction of ‘ne Committee on Foreign Affairs and moved that that pot be striken of the ng resolution. ({n this Mr. Dawss assented and une resolution was modified accordingly.) He did not think it abso- Jutely necessary (0 have this subject referred to a select committee, althoagh (t involved questions of great importance. He mangos it best for the m- terests of the couutry and for the business of the House that select committees should be avoid whenever there was 4 permanent standing coma be » which the sutyect could appropriately be re- feured, Mr. Brck, (lem.) of Ky., said he had been a mem- ber of the select commitiee which haa had charge of the subject last Congress, and that the cost and effect of the project had been ungerstated to-day. There were iow some five thousand telegraph sta- Mons in the country, with seventy-seven thousand miles of ine and seven thousand enmployés, Under the government plan there Wouid bo at least twenty rhonsaud telegraph offices, one hundred and fity thousand miles Oo! ine aud twenty-five thousand em- ploy-s, ‘the gentieman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kandall), had understated the cost nearly one-half. Mr. RAaNDAIL—I always like to be on the safe side. | MY. KReK— And the gentleman from Inuiana (Mr. Niblack), will find that instead of increasing the government officials by *,000 they would m- creased by 25,000. The minority of the committee | Nad stated in, its report last Congress the great ob- | jecuon to the project was that the governin \clegraph would be used for political purpou army of oMiceholders, The facilities tor the wires would be a temptation so strong and would be so dimicult to detect that it might ata be doubted Wicther the adainisiration rain from such use of them. I believe that the Committee on Appropriations 1s the proper committee to consider the subject, for that com- mittee would be very careful in recommending any- toing that would rake from the people not thirty-five millions but nearly seventy million of dollars. iie did not believe that the committee would ever sauc- tion such a scheme or ever Consider ik lor a moment. Mr, RaNDALi remarked that Mr. Dawes nad, with | hus usual adroituess in debate, sone vo place him | in the position of finding fault with the Speaker. He would not take back anything he had said; but could reiterate the statement that the Pacifle Rati- road Cominittee had been composed origihally, not | by the present but by the tl Speaker, of mem- vers avowedly In the tuterest of the railroad. It was customary When ® select comunittce was to be appointed on any given subject, to choose a majoiity of those who were | javorable to the proposition, and therefore he wished to stop this scheme of plunder right at the threshold, He was informed that originally the whole of the telegraph line had not cost more than two or three millions, and now the company had the eifronvery to go to Congress and ask that 1s. property ve taken by the government at its pres- ent appreciated vaiue. He woulkl oppose the scheme, because ifcarcied out it woul: ere the whole private and business transactions of the peo- ple under the scrutiny of government oficiales. The country had nad enough expertence of attempts of that kind, and he wished to have no further steps taken in thatdirection, He hoped that the House | would squeich the thing atonve, Here was a beau- tiful specimen of civii service reform of which they bad heard so much, increasivg the employés of the government by 25,00) at one piece of legiaialion. The £vening Mail was ordered by the Vice Cwancelior to be sold, but no one wonld ouy it, ‘with tts privilege of using the Times detached, and the paper was rained, thus reducing the namber of London datites by one. PETRaKcH loft his precious library, rich in poetry and classical manuseripts, to the republic of Venice, where he went to reside in i362, on condition that a butiamg should be provided to secure the books ogaiost fire and weather, The Grand Council ac- cepted vhe gift, and the collection formed the nuclens of the now valuable library of St. Mark. The Venetians, however, sadly neglected the gift, and @ visitor of two centuries ago, who asked to see Petrarcli’s books, was Jed to the root of St. Mark's, where he found them purtly reduce! to dust and partly petrified—“in sava mutatos,” as the traveller records it, A New TREATISE On “The Dialects of the South of Scotland,” by Mr. J. A. H. Murray, will be issued early in 1872, MR. JaMES Durry, the most prominent publisher in Ireland, died recently. He began business forty years ago by coltecting a few shillings’ worth of second hand looks, and became by degrees a rich and successful publisher, Some Lireray Panl !’ry has been inspecting bis- marck's library, where ho saw, among @ prepon- derance of German books, Hepworth Dixon’s “New America,” Lecky’s ‘History of Rationalism in Eu- rope,” Montaigne, Rabelais, and—Heaven save \we mark!—Paul de Kock’s “Pucelle de Belleville.” THE CHANGE in Every Saturday 1s understood to be the result of an agreement between J. R. Os- goud & Co, and Harper & Brothers, not to run against each other in costly enterprises for early publication of English serials in the future, as they have so long been doing. Laka U. HOLLoway's book on the “Homes of Famous Americans’ 13 said to be nearly ready. AMONG the many sinevures under the British gov- ernment js one which 1s connected with journalism. ‘This 1s the editorsnmtp of the London Gazetir, a seml- weekly paper which has been for 200 years the om- cial organ for ali legal advertising, but contains no news nor editorial matter, For many years past the salary aliached to (his nominal “editorship’’ has been £800 (or $4,000) a year. {wo years ago, on the death of the incumbent, Mr. Lowe, the Chancellor of the Exchequer wanted to abolish this office, but ‘was opposed by Mr. Giadstone, who heid that it was both right and expedient to reserve It as some way of rewarding gentlemen connected with the press who have refuered Important service to govern- ment. ‘Me decision of the Ministry was to retain the ofee, and the moment this was known avout two hundred candidates, ali connected with litera- ture op tte press, competed for the vacan: post, It was Mnaily given to Mr, Thomes Walker, iate editor bj OF the Daily Nes and @stanch supporter of liberal principles. The appointment is for life, ‘THe Sixrn VOLUME of Dr, Colenso’s “Pentatench,'? contuiving “fhe Book of Joshua Critically Ex , aioined,"’ is in press. TELEGRAPHIO NEWS ITBMS. The sbpply of coal in the viciulty of Omaha baving been nearly exhausted, many are using coro for fuch Hiram D. Wood, Superintendent Nashua, N, H., while ina Gt of insanity on Mon lay might, cut his throat witn a pocketkhife and then jumped trom his. chamber window, breaking bls leg, He i probably fataliy injnred. Pabhe Sehoota at John Det 4 lawyer, of Omaha City, was found om Monday night with his arms and legs frozed, having, Tal'en from the sidewalk and severely fi self. His Iife d wil probably be saved by the amputation of hie feet. The Calyornii Jature met yesterday, bat did jot or- ganize, It in ex) the Legislature will organize to-day. ‘A despateh dated yesterday from Botton staten that the tusesered act ra tbs Ate f by the Massachusetts Medical Society of homeopathic practitioners from the society bes been postponed to: further couskieration untht April next. ‘The grand fair in aid of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Auimals opened yesterday in Horticultural Hail, Boston. edford yesterday reelected Mayor Richmond by enbny pforatny ape ‘cote HH. Dunbar, together with ali the Aldermen and balf the Council on the Richmond ticket, ber ptt ta tne «trae of G. G, Kensall, Chieago, capoiel at noon yemersay, lustantly killing George Benueli ET tesloamy injuring George Laud aod nother employes The building was completely demolished. Loss about b.twen thowwand dollars. ; ered tnat several of the cast iron cylin. dat WM ting the now high Drlige actose the Missourb this place have been badly cracked by the frost, between high and low water mark, Mr. Leigb, of the Girma ot Wart & Letgh, Toronto, Ontario, haa absconde, baving committed forgeries to a considera Rimvunt. His fored paper bae bech freely dieoumted by unary Mi, DAWA pal he dia RYt KuOW Why dix. KANGA . brokers and