The New York Herald Newspaper, March 6, 1874, Page 3

WASHINGTON. ‘The Condition ot Government Finances. REDUCED TAXATION. Mr. Garfield’s Speech on the An- nual Appropriations. Judge Durell To Be Saved from Degradation. POLITIC COMPASSION WasHINGTON, March 5, 1874. The Debate on Government Resources end Expenditures—Mr. Gartield’s Re- ply to Mr. Dawew Arraignment of the (Treasury Management—A Favorabie Financial Outlook. The struggie over the Franking Privilege bill, ‘Which resulted in its final defeat to-day, occupied the attention of the House un half-past three o'clock, when Mr. Garfield obtained the floor, and as he spoke for upwards of two hours the session ‘was prolonged somewhat beyond the usual dinner hour. His speech received the undivided atten- tion of the House until its close, It was designed to be acomplete exposition of the receipts and expenditures of the government ior the past eight years, The speech was not so much adelence of the administration as of Congress and of the eco- nomic policy of the republican party. Mr. Beck, of Kentucky, one of the leading democrats in the House, immediately joined issue, The very decided opinion which Mr. Garfield ex- pressed, that the appropriations could be so managed that there would be no deficit during the present or coming fiscal year, and that no increase of taxation woula be necessary, was received with @general sense of relief, clearly visible on the countenances of his colleagues. While he was very courteous to his distinguished friend from Massachusetts (Mr. Dawes), he criticised his methods of presentation, because, he argued, in- geniously, by their peculiar arrangement they have conveyed @ wrong impression to the country. He proposes to reduce the appropriations below the esilmates some $28,000,000, but inasmuch as in many cases the departments make allowances for & twenty-five per cent reduction, it will not seriously cripple their operations, The pro- posed reductions ofm clerksbips, as well as the retrenchment in the Navy Yard expenditures, will be most severely felt, and a contest wilt undoubtedly be made in the Senate to restore, as far as possible, these items. Judging, however, by the speedy passage of the Naval Ap- propriation bill, without amendment, the Senate seems disposed to throw the responsibility where the constitution places it—upon the House, Sec- retary Richardson was on the floor a portion of the time and listened quite attentively, Mr. Garfield divided the expenditures into three divi- sions, With several sub-divisions, The expendi- tures resulting directly from the war, notwith- standing its close eight years ago, still amount to $152,000,000, or fifty-four per cent of the total ex- penditures for all purposes, The expenditures for the army and navy proper, exclusive of fortifications, navy yards, &c., he places at $46,000,000, or eighteen per cent of the whole; and the expenditures in the nature of investments, such as river and harbor improve- ments, the erection of public buildings and the construction of lighthouses and fortifications, amount to $30,000,000 more; so that leas than $70,000,000 remain for ordinary expenditures. He ascribed the deficit, if there should be any, not to an increase of expenses, but to the reduction of taxation, and announced the fuct that the redac- tions which have been made since 1866 amount to $187,000,000 annually, In reply to Mr. Cox, he stated that he was one of the twenty-five who voted against placing tea and coffee onthe tree Ust, and that his vote was justified by the subse- quent fact that the consumers have derived mo benefit therefrom. He claimed that the $25,000,000 which the government would have derived anprually from this source have been divided between the foreign producers and the importers. He confined him- self exclusively to the general exhibit, leaving all questions of detail to de discussed during the prog- ress of the bill in the House. Mr. Beck, of Kentucky, the leading democratic member of the Committee of Ways and Means, obtained the floor and seemed to labor under much personal excitement. He promised to prove that Mr. Garfield was incorrect ia many of his state- ments, and denounced the administration as ex- travagant and corrupt. He claimed that more money was expended than was appropriated, that the expense of collecting the customs and internal revenue had greatly increased and that Mr. Gar- fleld’s speech was only in the nature of a white. wasning report. He also asserted that the Com- mittee on Appropriations was not in earnest; that it simply scoided the thieves and knaves, without ever applying the knile to their throats, If Mr. Beck had withheld his severe denunciation until the close of the debate the republicans might have felt at greater liberty to indulge in criticisms them- Selves, but in the face of his severe attack they may be afraid to join in the assault, Asa whole the debate has shown at least this— that the expenses of the present and coming year Will be no larger than those of the past, The con- tinuation of the debate promises to be both spicy end interesting. The Senate on the Centennial Project. In the Senate the whole of this day’s session was consumed in discussing the Centennial project. Senator Stockton offered an amendment that the exposition partake of a national and international character. Senator Bayard followed in a long Speech. Nothing was done in the way of a vote on the question, which went over under motion. The Durell Investigation—Caleb Cush- ing Contradicting the Testimony of Mrs. Gaines—Majority Opinion of the Committee that the Charges of Im- peachment Are Unsustained. Caleb Cushing promptly responded to the sum- mons of the sub-committee in the case of Judge Durell and appeared at the Capitol this morning, in-the House Judiciary Committee room, not in the most amiable humor, as, had It not been for Mrs. Gaines, he would have escaped the fatigue of the tourney, and he says the woman has caused him trouble enough already, In the absence of Mr. Jeremiah Wilson, who is amember of the District Investigating Committee, Mr. Cessna conducted the examination, assisted by Mr. Eldridge. Mr. Cushing contradicted Mrs. Gaines in every es- sential point where his name was connected with that of Durell, and gave the liveliest state- ment respecting the weakness of Mrs. Gaines for abusing her counsel, Butone more witness is to be examined—Mr. Sanger, of New York. His evi- dence will be in regard to a bankrupt case in Ourell’s Court, in which E. E. Norton, as universal Sssignec, gave the most extraordinary evidence Fons Ability to exact enormous fees and have his duct sustained by Judge Durell. Though the judiciary Committee have not yet formally acted @pon the evidence presented, yet enough is known ofthe individual opinion of the eieven members to say that articles of impeachment will not be presented against Judge Durell, The members say that the evidence does tot prove Durell guilty of intoxication, mn the bench or elsewhere, to an extent that would warrant the belief that his drinking febits in any way impaired his mind or rendered him unfit to preside upon the bench. Though the sestamony in the bankrupt cases is of the most #ositive and damnable character against Norton ‘end the members of the Bar who joined with him in dealing with the bankrupts, yet in no instance, ‘ay the members of the committce, does it appear ehat Judge Durell was direqtiy or indirectly iptes- | to ested to the extent of a single cent in any of Nor- ton’s transactions. Tke charge of complicity with Norton will not be sustained. Of Dureil’s conduct on the bench the members of the committee, as lawyers, appreciate the complaints of the members of the New Orleans Bar, but say that does not constitute such an offence as would justify impeachment articles being reported. The supposition is that if Judge Durell had been more agreeable, less arrogant in his manner, many of the abuses complained of would have been corrected, or rather woul@ never have existed; but these are not of suMcient magnitude to justify a trial by impeachment, but are attributed to the temperament of the Jadge, and not to any purpose on his part to intimidate the members of the Bar. ‘The only pomt in reserve is the famous midnight order, and here arises @ political and judicial ob- stacle, from which the committee wonld gladly be reliéved, The members, with two or three ex- ceptions, say that to impeach Judge Durell | for issuing that order would be to impeach the republican party. Judge Durell, it appears, is not only a zealeus republican, but has contended from the outset that the Enforcement law gave him plenary power to act as he did, and for this Offence, if it be such, he is ready to stand trial to- day. The majority of the committee, however, are not disposed to permit him this honor. On the other point—the judictal character of the act— the committee are of opinion that it would bea great violation of the spirit of the constitution for them, 1n a legisiative capacity, to impeach the mo- tuves of a United States District Judge in making any order while the higher courts exist to pass judgment upon the decision and orders of the lower tribunal, remembering that to the judici- ary, and not to the legislative branch of the government, 18 confided the interpreta- tion of the enactments of Congress. In this connection members of the sub-committee say they have been unfairly criticised for not probing all the circumstances of the drawing of the mid- night order. The Senate Judiciary Committee did that a year ago, and the testimony was reported to the House for the action of the Judiciary Commit- tee of that body. It was carefully examined, and on the vote to report articles of impeachment for @ perversion of his authority only two members voted in favor of the report, and on the motion to report articles to impeach him for usurpation of authority in his capacity as a federal judge the yote Was the same, The members of the commit tee in this Congress, who were members in the Jast Congress, are B. F, Butler, Jeremiah M. Wilson, Oharles A. Eldridge and Clarkson N. Potter. The democratic members are the same as in the last Congress, with the exception of J. J. sewett, of Onto, While Judge Durell, it is Claimed, will never Rave occasion to tender his resignation to escape impeachment, the partisan members of the committee will, in the majority report to the House, asking to be discharged irom 1ts further consideration, take occasion to give Judge Durell such a character as will assist those who may wish to canonize him hereafttr. Important Treasury Decisions. The following decisions have been rendered by the Secretary of the Treasury :—Old metal sheath- ings taken from the bottoms o/ foreign vessels in a | foreign port are dutiable when imported into the United States. A lot of old metal sheathing which had been taken from the bottom of the Chesa- peake, @ foreign vessel, at Demerara, and im- ported into tne United States by the same vessel, was held, notwithstanding it was claimed to have been of domestic manufacture and to have been originally placed on the vesse] in a port in the United States, to be liabie to duty. Cotton linings, manufactured with a few threads of flax in the selvage, which, however, did not change the commercial character of the goods, were held be dutiable as convertible cottons, under the provions of section 14 of the act of March 2, | 1861, and section 10 of the act of July 14, 1562, Enameis of gold or other metal so called, consist- ing of small paintings or pictures intended to be set in gold or silver and manufactured into articles of jeweiry, were heid to be liable to duty at the Tate of twenty per cent ad valorem, under the provision for enumerated manufactured articles contained in section 24 of the act of March 2, 1869, as these cannot be considered as paintings or works of art as claimed by the importers. En- gravings which hij. een mannfactured and bound tute book fornibver twenty years were held to be not exempt from duty under the provision tor books which shall have been manufactured more than twenty years at the date of importation (in the fifth section of the act of*June 6, 1872) they mot being printed books within the meaning of that word as used therein, but liable to duty at the rate of twenty-five per centum ad valorem, less ten per centum, under the provision | for engravings bound, the act of June 30, 1844. Straw bonnets, trimmed with silk ribbons, artificial flowers, &c., having | been ascertained to be commerciaily known as | the one which cut straw bonnets, notwithstanding the trimmings, were held to be liable to duty at the rate of forty | per centum ad valorem, less ten per cent, under the provision in section 8 of the act of July 14, 1862, | and coffee, he | sald i) | contained in section 12 of | cusmonne ts the NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1874.—TRIPLE SHEET. as Mr. Conkling’s Humane Penal Punish- ment Bill. Mr. Conkling’s bill to provide for deductions from the terms of United States prisoners, 4c., authorizes deductions of five days for each month in which no charges of misconduct shall have been | sustained against them, and provides for the ap- pointment, by the President, of a commissioner to make inquiry into the condition and treatment of United States prisoners. wherever they may be confined, Mr. 'T Sworn t Representative t Virginia, in Place of Mr. from W Davis. In the West Virginia contested election case to- day the Committee on Privileges and Elections reported to the House in favor of the right of Mr. Thomas to the seat then occupied by Mr. Davis, the other contestant, The vote was taken on the report and resulted in its unanimous adoption. Mr. Thomas was accordingly sworn in as a mem- ber of the House of Rep resentatives, FRANKING AND FINANCE. Final Vote on the Bill Kestoring the Franking Privilege—A Waterloo De- feat of the Measure—The Resources and Liabilities of the Government— The Roseate Financial Prospect Pre- sented by Mr. Garfield. Wasuincton, March 5, 1874 YINAL DEYEAT OF THE FRANKING BILL, Mr. Smanxs, (rep.) of Ind.. called up his motion to reconsider the vote rejecting the bili for the free distribu~ tion of public documents, 4c. Mr. Corton, (rep.) of lowa, moved to lay the motion to reconsider on the table, Mr. Cotton’s motion was rejected—yeas 102, nays 124. Mr. Suanxs, of Indiana, moved the previous question, It was seconded by 121 to 50, and the main question was | ordered by—yens 121, nays 103. The question was then | taken on reconsidering the vote rejecting the Dill, and it ‘was reconsidered by—yeas 121, nays 106, Mr, Suavxs, of Indiana, then moved to recommit the bill to the Post Oftice Committee, with instructions to re- port back @ bill substantially similar to the bill intro- duced last Monday by Mr. Butler, 07 Maseachusotts. This motion was rejected; yeas 45, nays 183. The question then recurred on the passage of the bill ag originally reported, and the bl was rejected by—yeas 1 The following 4s the vote: — ‘g4s—Mesara, Albert, Albri bf ht, Arthur, Ashe. Averill, Begole, Bell. Bowen, Bright, Buckner, Burchard, Cain, Calawell, Cannon, Ulark of Missouri, Clymer, Cobb of nsas, Uoburn, Conger, Corwin, Crutchfield, Davis of Virginia, Davis ot West Virginia, De Witt,’ Donna Bunnell, Durham, Field, Glover, Gunckel, Hamilto jancoc! aruer, jarns ol OF Eth, arr! Hatcher.” Havens, Hays, Hazleton of Wisconsin, Haale: ton of New Jersey, Heretord. Heradon, G. #. Hoar, Houghton, Howe, Hunton, Hurlbut, Hynes, Kendall, Killinger,’ Knapp, Lamar, Lamport, , Lewis, Lowe Mugoe Marshall, Maran, Mevill of Wisconsin: Mejunkin, McLean, Mills, Moore, Myers, Neal, Negley, Nesmith, Niblack, O'Brien. Orr, P Parker of Nissourt, Pel ps, Piatt of Virginia. Platt of New York, Randall, Rapier, Ray, |, Bice, Richmond, Bus Bhanks, Sloss, Smith of Norti Carolina, Snyder, Southard, Spear. Strait, Strawbridze, Stowell Taylor, ‘Thomas, Hoda, Thornburg. Townsend, Vance, White, Whitehead, Whiteley, Williaus of Massa- chusetts, Williams of Wisconsin, Wilshire, Wilson of Maryland, Woodworth and Young ot Kentucky—111. Nays—Messra Archor, Atkins, nning, Harber, Bar- num, Barry, Bass, Beck, Berry, Bland, Blunt, Bradley, Bromberg, ‘trown, BuMnton, Bundy, Burleigh, Bur: rows, Butler of Massachusetts, Cason, Cessna, Clark of New Jersey, Clarke of New York, Clayton, Cook, Cobb of iad: Opgunen Curtis botblne, Barc rmidciine, et nd, Crounse, Curtis, Dobbins, Eames, ridge, Foster. Frye, Garfield, Gidaings, Gooch, Hale of Maine, Rlarrig of Virginia, Hathorne, Hawley of Llinols, Hawloy of Connecticut, endee, E. » Hoar, Holman, Hoskins, Hubbell, Hyde, Kelley, son, Lawrence, Lawson, ug nines Mebreery, McDill_of Sowa, MoDoucall, McKee, Mc: Nulta, Mellish, Merriam, "Milliken, Monroe, ' Niles, O'Neill, Orth, Packard, Page, Pendleton, Phelps, Pike, Poland, Potter, Pratt, Kawis, Roberts, Robinson of Ii linots, Ross, Saylor of Indiana, Saylor of Ohio, Scofield, Scudder, “Sheats, Sherwood, Smart, Smith of New York, Smith of Ohio, Smith’ of Penn- sylvania, Sprague, Stanards, ‘Starkweather Stone, Storm, Tremain, Tyng Waldron, Wallace, Walls, Ward of Tilinols, Ward of New Jersey, Whoeler, Whithorne, Wilber, Willard of Vermont, Willard of Michigar. Wil- liams of Indiana, Williams of Michigan, Willie. Wilson of lowa, Wilson of Indiana, Wolfe, Woodford and White- house—i20, ‘THE LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION BILL. The House went into Committee of the Whole on the Legislative Appropriation blll (Mr. Woodford, rep., of New York, in the chuir), and was addressed by Mr: Garfield, (rep.) of Ohio. Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, He said that the action of Congress on this bill was to form the base line from whicn the entire scale of expenditures for the fical year could be measured. He, theretore, asked the attention of the House, hot only to the bill, but to the larger question of " expenditures ‘and revenues. They had been told that they must cut their coat accord- ing to the cloth, He did not subscribe to that doctrine inthe case of the government. On the contrary, they must cut the garment according to the size of the giant to be clothed. Having determined how much cloth was needed to clothe the giant it was their duty to provide the ways and means for the purpose. ‘The first great question for Congress to determine was how much Kellogg. ma OSE: attrell. | money it was necessary to expend to carry on proper! 1, the necessary functions of the government, and when it ‘was found Congress would be ready to inquire how the money was to be got. They Lh ape it the epening of this session, confronted with alarm that the surplus was gone, and th had been told when- ever such a@ situation occurred, whenever a gov- ernment was forced to the necessity of laying new taxes im time of peace it was because the dry rot had struck into the very framework of the government or of the party which held its powe: ree questions, he said, presented themselves: if there was a deficit in the near future what was the cause of it? Second, was there @ danger of such deficit? Third, what was the duty of Congress ? THR ACCOMPLISHED REDUCTION OF TAXES. On the first point he explained that one cause of the deticit was the reduction of taxes. Every year sinee the ‘war except two, 1363 and 1873, taxes had been reduced to astorate of $319,500,000, and yet at last fiscal year there was a sur- ju of 000,000 of receipts above expenditures. n other words, they had been running a race between two forces—the one which cut down expenditures and down revenues—and the only ques n now Was whether the force that cut down revenues outstripped the other. It was evident that if a deficit was likely to occur somethin, occur since the ciose of the last fiscal year. Reterring to the reduction of taxes, particularly those on tea that Congress might find ly Godiva, who took away close of the for bonnets, hats and hoods composed of straw, | the tax and built herself an everlasting name, but &e. ing salt, the same being unusual packages for the conveyance of such merchandise, and being valu- able for other,uses‘after being emptied of their con- | an tents, were held to be liable to duty at the rate of twenty-five per centum ad valorem, notwithstand- ing the fact that they were used for such purpose. The District of Columbia Investigation Begun—The Public Schools. Investigation into the charges against the Dis- trict government made by the memortalists was begun to-day. Senator Thurman presided, with | all the members of the special committee present except Messrs. Boutwell and Jewett. There were | present, on the part of the District authori- ties:—Governor Shepherd, Lewis Clephane, collec- tor of taxes; J. O, Wilson, superintendent of pub- lic Schools; George E. Baker, Comptroller, with the counsel for the District government, Messrs, Har- rington, Stanton and Mattingly, and on the part of the memorialists, Messrs. Columbus Alexander, R 8S. Davis, Jesse B. Wilson, and several others, with their counsel, Messrs, Shellabarger, Merrick and Chrystie, Mr. E. Champlin, trustee of public scnools, J. E. Thompson, princtpal of the Jefferson public school, and several others were | present. The first witness examined was George E, Baker, District Comptroller, with reference to the public schools and all the facts in relation to their support. After the adjournment of the com- mittee Mr. Thurman said that a memorial nu- merously signed had been presented to the com- mittee, asking it to investigate the validity of the general sewer tax of the District of Columbia, He stated, on behalf of the committee, that unless the memorial was referred to them by one or the other branches of Congress the committee would have no jurisdiction over the subject. Judge Merrick, for the memorialsts, stated that, ay the question would be likely to arise during the investigation, he would take charge of the document and have it referred to the committee in the regular way. Nevolation in Harbor Improvement. Major Howell’s report, just Printed, on the pro- posed improvement of the bar at Galveston Har- bor, is a remarkable document in two respects, It adopts @ new method in the treatment of sand bars, introducing what he calls training walls, and by these, which do not extend above water, he Proposes to confine the tidal current and produce a scouring effect. The second notable point in the document ts that he proposes by this new method | to put eighteen feet of water on Galveston bar at @ cost of only $631,000. The report has been ex- amined and approved by a board of engineers convened in New York last month, If the House Committee on Comaerce adopt its suggestions they will introduce a revolution and vast economy in our system of harbor improvement. Revenue Service Changes and Appoint. ments, Special Treasury Agent Charles A. Morrill has been directed to return to San Francisco and re- sume charge of the Fourteenth Special Agency district, relieving Special Agent ©. W. Fernor, who has been assigned to duty at Baltimore, Captain William J. McIntyre, Special Treasury Agent, leaves to-night for San Francisco on his Way to the Aleutian Seal Islands. Peter Robert- son, of Ogdensburg, N, Y., has been appointed Special Customs Agent for duty on the Northern Jrontier, - | assisted iton the bilis reported. down. sary. He believed that when they demonstrate the tact that ‘the sink Brown earthenware jars, imported, contain- | it might also be that tn doing that the public credit of the United States would go out despoiled, and, like Lady Godiva, ride naked through the strects of the world. Mr. Cox asked Mr. Garfield what he objected to in the wa: Seen Was it the repeal ofthe duty on tea coffee: ie. Ganrintp replied that he would perhaps be glad to learn that he (Mr. Garfield) had voted with the small and despised company of twenty-seven against the re- peal of the duty on tea and coffee as unwise and un- statesmanlike. Mr. Ranpatt, (dem.),, ot Pa., asked him if it was not true that while the revenue was reduced the reduction of expenditures which should have followed that action had not done so. Mr. Gansixtp told his friend (Mr. Randall) that his question anticipated some very rough notes which he had made. He asked whether anybody would deny that the reduction of taxes since 1870, when there was a sur- plus of $100,000,000, to the amount of $146,000,000, would Not probably account for any decrease in the surplus, He simply array against all theories of the cause of the supposed deficit the naked tact that the revenues nad been cut down $146,000,000 since July, 1870, and if that Was not sufficient to cut away the $100,000,000 of surplus he did not read the addition and subtraction tables | aright. ALARM CAUSED BY ERROR. He sent to the Clerk's desk and had read an extract from Mr. Dawes’ speech referring to the question whether in his statement ot expenditures for the current necal year the Sinking Fund was or was not included, and said that he referred to that part of the speech be- cause the fact that Mr. Dawes had frankly and man- fully acknowledged that the Sinking Fund was included in his statement of the year’s expenditures, was not inciuded in the statement of the previous year’s expendi- tures, had not gone to the country. Wi accusa- tions go on horseback _retutations very slowly on foot. The House very much startled for a moment and country had been startled for days by the statement that for the current fiscal year the appropriations had awollen from $200, 000,000— the figures of last year—to 319,000,000; in other words, that the extravagance of ongress had olien the expenditures $29,000,! ina . Chat was @ most startling statement, but at $29,000,000 was absolutely taken bodily out of his (Mr. Dawes’) statement to make it Orne ele. iy the bottom was gone from the cause of al eth, Bat 6 alarm ought to haye fag with it. But, although the correction was made in open House, the only allusion made to it in the Associated Preas report was that “Mr. Garfield criticised some Shad Dawes’ figures, especially ynd.”’ TefAslp 59 fl 4 A ‘Oo hay ‘dar r. Garneld continued, the country under> standa trom Associated Press reports’ that we travel haye been spending during the current year ly 000 more than in the preceding year, “He stated to the House the ns arrived at by the Committee on Appropria- having first settled it asa principle Bae th would not undertake to cut the appropriations down at all hazards to the level of the revenues. They did not believe in that, They believed that if a cutting down, such as ought to be made for its own sake, did not carry the Treasury through, it was the business of the House to provide ways and means to make the deficit, It was the business of fix it when it came the place where taxation was necessary to fill ap the deficit. The Committee on Appropriations proposed that, whenever there was an appropriation growing up out of the war or otherwise, that might sately be lop, ed of, to lop it off; and when an expenditure could be poned for a year without serious Injar; to,gne great interests of the gov- ernment, to postpone it. | When the committee had ‘Ene these two things they did other dollar any where. THE APPROPRIATIONS, He then went into a detail of the estimates and appro- riations for the next fiscal ve and stated as the sures of the reductions, $34, below the gross esti- Rot propose to cut down an- mates, and his figures’ were li ‘of course, to be | diminished by various appropriations which might be | made by Congress, such a8 a] ppropriations for the Centen- nial Celebration and for th ington Board of Public Works. He thought, however, that he was perfectly sate in saying the expenditures for ‘the nexi fiscal year, ex clusive of the sinking fund, would be reduced to $270,000,000, provided the H: ‘ouse should assist th mittee on Approp m: Jons on ail its bills, as it had already He belleved that tie revival of business and the restoration of public confi- dence wourd enable the government to go through this year and next year without additional taxation ; but if at the end of all the efforts to bring down nditures to the basis indicated Congress found it necessary to tax, he had no doubt this Congress would stand up manfully and restore taxes where they had been cut He did not believe that would be neces- met next session there would be no deficit, but reaonable surplus. Mr. Bxox, dem.) of Ky.,'sald he was prepared to i fund was em braced in Mr. Dawes’ statement of expenditures of for- mer years, as well asin that of the current year, and y that When Mr. Dawes took back tne statement which he had mi it de in that respect hi id what the fucts di red to prove recklet 01 .) Of + eaid he hed heard such ises many a time before ‘trom the gentleman from entucky, but he had never known them to be kept. ‘The committes roee at hali-pasi Ave o'clogy, had happened to make it | | cidedly tn the negative. 0 | THE STATE CAPITAL. Debate on the Powers of the Common Council. , BERGH ASKS — Committees Sitting on the Railroad Bills— The Unpaid Taxes in New York. FOR MORE. ALBANY, March 5, 1874. The debate on the bill giving the laying out and constructing of the streets in the upper part of the city to Commissioner Van Nort, was started in the Senate this morning by a motion of Senator Led- with to allow the work to be determined by the Common Council}. There was a full attendance of Senators. Among the visitors were Commission- ers Van Nort and Waleg; and Dexter Hawkins, at @ salary of $100 a day, bobbed around between both chambers. Hawkins’ bill for services to the city amounts to exactly $4 more than the com- bined salaries of the entire thirty-two Senators of the State of New York per day. Contrary to ex- Pectation Senator Fox took a stand against the bill, and insisted that the Common Council were clearly entitled to the disposition of the work con- templated in the bill, He said this was pure- ly @ local matter, in which the State had no concern; and inasmuch as the Common Council represent the citizens of New York, and have always in past years been en- trusted with the control of the streets, which it is their clear right to hold, they are now, even by the terms of the charter, clearly qualified to direct it. He held that New York had been cursed with republican. legislation in the past, but, in spite of all, he was glad to see she still upheld the banner of democracy. Senator Booth claimed that the disorganized STATE OF THX COMMON COUNCIL, withont head or tail, was of itself sufficient cause to withhold the work in question from their hands, He believed the Commiastoner of Public Works the proper depositary of the responsibility for the exe- cution of the enterprise, Senator Gross read a series of extracts from the charter and the laws relative to the duties of the Common Council and of the Department of Public Works. Senators Ganson and Woodin had a colloquy con- cerning the location of the roadway in Riverside Park. The Buffalo Senator seemed to be in a com- plete fog about the situation of the Park, but not 80 Senator Woodin, who is reported to havea couple of hundred of his friends comfortably pro- vided for by the department, and, consequently, takes an interest in its exact topograpny. Mr. Woodin 1s the republican leader of the Senate, He is of portly size, sanguine complexion and oracular speech. He appears to know more than senator Lord, or, indeed, all the rest of the Senate put fogether. He gave poor Gross a shot that was ag cruel as it was unde- served, Referring to that gentleman, he said:— “The Senator who presumes to represent the Sixth district of New York ts so ignorant of the question under debate that I will enlighten the Senator from the Thirty-first (Ganson) upon the subject of this Riverside Park.” Mr. Gross had made an attempt previously to do this very thing, and Woodin, assuming that he had failed, perpetrated this merciless insult. Senator King, a nervous gentleman, who is per- petually afraid of not being on the right side of a question, said it was conceded that this was SPECIAL LEGISLATION, to meet a certain purpose. The necessity for that ‘was now nearly passed, the Spring was upon us and labor was more in demand. ie moved that the work be given to the Department of Public Parks, a3 it was intended, for the improvement and embellishment of that re of the city pre- viously improved and embellished by the Depart- ment of Parks. Senator Parmenter, of the rural districts, mod: “ly disclaimed having any such impertinent ambition as to legislate for the citizens of New York and direct what should be done for her in- terests, when she had so many able representa- tives besides, but he was decidedly in favor of giving this job to the Common Coun Senator Wood, the silvery Wood, with silvery hair, silvery eyes and silvery voice, spoke in favor of giving the work to tne Department of Public Par! where he insisted tt legitimately belonged. Mr. Wood declined to recognize any party ques- tion in this matter, nothing but the public rod Senator Woodin spoke once more for the De- partment of Public Works, shook out his oracular voice and rolled his sapient eyes until he filled the soul of Senator Gross with awe and admiration. No vote was reached, and progress was reported on the bill. COMMISSIONER VAN NORT, who was present during the debate, on being asked by your correspondent if this Dill might be considered his special pet project, auswered de- “The property holders.” said he, ‘clamor for these improvements. It isin obedience to their wishesIam here. Lhave no personal interest in it one way or the other. If they choose, let the Common Council determine who shall have the word. All they can do is to pags an ordinance giving the construction of these ave- nues to my department. The opposition comes irom Comptroller Green. He is the moving sptrit in the whole wrangle. I am perfectly wi abide by the interpretation of the charter. ig no other construction the terms relative to the laying out, grading and _ pavin of these avenues than this, that if the Oommon Council have the power to provide for such work, the provision Meant is the employment of the Department of Public Works. That is what the department was organized for, as anybody can see, The assess- ments for the work come entirely from the prop- erty holders, and they are anxious for it to pro- ceed at once.” As the democrats are the more and more con- vinced that there is a political purpose in the bill, a further fight may be anticipated. STILL MORE RAILROAD BILLS, A short time ago a bill was introduced in the As- sembly to operate a railroad in New York, begin- ning at Canal street aud shooting up along South Filth avenue and Lexington to sixty-fourth street, at the Park, A similar bill was introduced to-day in the Senate by Mr. Kellogg, giving J. P. Miils and associates power to run a railroad exactly over the same ground, except that where the first ends at preter street and the Central Park, the last one begins. THE RAILROAD COMMITTEES. There are now nearly 100 railroad bills in the railroad committees, and none has as yet been re- ported, If there be much more of tnis practice of sitting on bills a resolution may be expected cali- ing out of committee such bills as the public neces- sit es demand. BERGH’S ULTRA HUMANITY, No bills were introduced in the mornin; o1 the Assembly. Itis rumored that Mr. Henry Bergh, not content with having the control of the physical weil being of the whole animal kingdom in New York, is about to supplement the act which recently passed the Legislature by one still more stringent, that descends to the minute of detail in the prevention of cruelty to animals, and makes ita sharp Penatty, lor Lyough teas and cruel boys to tie a tin kettle to a dog's tail, 4c, FACTORY CHILDREN, The Factory Children's bill, which passed the Senate, is now beiore the Assembly, and under- went some discuasion to-day. Mr. Alvord argued that this legislation was unnecessary, and that factory children in the country need ‘no enact- ments to ensure their Proper treatment, PILOTING VESSELS. ere to be put upon session In the Senate Mr. Coe introduced a bill exempt- | ing vessels owned by natives of the United States | from the operations of the act of 1847; in other words, vesseis thus owned, which are coasters and do not be boarded by a Well Gate pilot if any of the officers or crew can bilot them through the gate. The Senate Judiciary Committee had a meeting this afternoon and heard the arguments of three lawyers of New York—Wheeler R. Peckham, Isaac Sherman and Edward Mathews—in favor of the bill exempting bonds and mortgages from taxa- tion, A joint meeting of the Committees on Railroads was held to discuss the pro rata Freight bill, which Pitts railroads from charging the same rates for short as for long distances, Senator Johnson spoke in favor of the bill and Mr. Massey, Presi- dent of the Rome, Watertown ana Ogdensburg Railroad, in opposition. A hearing was given before the Committee on Internal Adsirs in tavor of a bill grading TRE PRICE OF LIQUOR LICENSES according to the sale of liquor by dealers. The Senate Finance Committee held a further investi- gation this evening into the alleged corrupt method ooo AbsOmDIS had a sh ie Assem!| fad & short session this evenin, and ordered about a half dozen local bills toe third reading. Mr. Weed moved an adjournment, the object being to allow the Committee on Ways and Means time to get ready the Supply bill. To. morrow Mr. Healey will introduce a resolution to investigate what has become of the money derived by trustees of THE EW YORE CITY HOSPITAL from the leases and sales of reai estate on the site of the old hospital down town, the proceeds irom to | to the westward of Cupe Cod, need not | which were promised to be applied to the buafld- mo” uptown hospital that has not yet been THE UNPAID STATE TAXES IN NEW YORK, The foliowing is the text of substitute ofered in Committee of the Whole by Senator Wood for Senate bill No. 80 and ordered printed :— AN Aor toenable he olan ant tg of New York to provide mea: out including the same in the tax. Btion for Ista by the issue of Dot the State of the State ix apportioned in the year 187, by the State Comptroller to ad county of New York, and to means for the payment o! said bonds. people of the State o! New York, Assembly, do enact as follows :— xction J, —In order to provide for the payment of the amount of money chargeable to the city and county of New York, to be raised by taxation and paid by the sald city to the State, as ascertained and certified in the statementof the Sta‘e Comptroller made in the ear 1873, which amount is $3,361.34 30, and a a e agare- ibe the pain OF Bi, 192480 if, tu lieu ot rulsing the kame vtanation in the your 1874: the said cit county of Now York is hereby anthoriged and requ red to issue the fi and county for said aggregate | said cil mount, Said bonds aball be signed by the Comptroller yor of the city, sealed with the seal of said cliy Clerk, and may be iss registered or coupon bonds, and if registered be ferable in the usual manner. according to such rules be prescribed by the City Comptrolier. Said bonds sbali an annual interest of seven per cent, pdyable half yearly, and the principal thereof shall be ayable at the expiration of ten years from date of said onda The said bonds shall be sold by said ort, Com! Boller bd Free and wore, me peoseees ther cod pe sae pay to the State Comptroller the said aggregate ot $11,792,982 14, the one-halt thereof on the 15th day of i ‘and the other halt thereof ou the lst day of May, Skc. 2—The eity and county of New York is hereb: authorized and directed to order and cause to be by tax upon the property by law subject to taxation within the city and county of New York, in each year sulsequent 10 the prevent. the one-tenth part of principal of sald bonds, id and kept or investe as a (und for the payment of said bonds at matarity, and also raise ag inore as, with the accrue inter uc! on said fund, shall pay the interest ou the said bonds as the interest shall fali due. Sxc. &—hection Sot chapter 95 of the Laws of 1873 is hereby repealed. THE STATE CAPITOL INVESTIGATION, The investigation into the management otf the | affairs of the new Capitol building was continued beiore the Senate evening. Mr, William J, McAlpine, super. | intendent of the building, testified at about 136,000 feet of timber were used from June 1 to December 1, 1873, some of whicn cost from $28 to $45 per 1,000 feet. The total value of the lumber used was about $17,653. A number of carpenters were sworn and agreed that it was worth $20 per 1,000 to work up lum- ber for trusses. Richard Burns testified that he worked in Con- gress Hall six weeks, doing carpenter's work, | putting floor in the basement and naliway, &c.; two windows were put in abd the back storeroom fitted up; the workmen idied away the greater part of the time. James Burns was sworn, and testified that he had from fourteen to sixteen men at work on Chestnui street; they were paid $2 50 a day each; he received $3; the men were oiten without material to work on, when they rolled logs Be and Somm the yard to keep up the appearance of heing uBy. NEW YORK LEGISLATURE, SENATE, Auuany, March 5, 1874 PRririons. By Mr. Mrppiwron—Ot citizens of Jefferson county, for the passage of a law requiring all children between the axes of eight and fitteen years to attend school. Mr. Woop, from the Finance Committee, reported the Appropriation bill, which was ordered printed and made a special order for Friday morning. BILLS INTRODUCED, By Mr. Seuxreo—For graded schools in Ithaca. By Mr. Paruentae—For the relief of the Co-operative Iron Founders’ Association of Troy. Also toamend the laws relative to the formation of companies tor the erec- tion of buildings. By Mr. Woop—Relative to public institutions. By Mr. Ke.uocc—Relative to sales of real estate under or by virtue of orders or judgments of courts of record. By Mr. Keuioca— Authorizing Joba. s. Mills, Morris Smith, Robert L. Brundage, William Ramsay, Joel 0. Stevens, K. B, Morgan and others to construct @ railroad through Sixty-fourth street, Lexington avenue, Gra- mercy Park, irving place, Fourteenth street, ( itth ave- nue, Canal dnd West streets to Desbrosses street ferry; and algo, as svon as the property owners give their con- sent, through Forty-second street, between Broadway and the North River. IMPROVEMENTS IN CITY OF NEW YORK. The Senate resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill relative to imp,ovements in the city of New York, Mr. Tobey in thechair, The question pending was on Mr. Ledwith’s amend- ment, to place the work under the care of the Common Council of New York city. Mr. Fox sustained the amendment, povicig that the ex- Denditures under the bill would be’ very large, and It Was but proper that the New York Common Vouncil should have control of iis affairs. This Board was the immediate representative of the people. ‘Was uot one ot politics, but of principle. ‘The question The dom the interior of the State to leg: York. sponsibility of this proposed improvement. r. Boots aid not tavor the amendment, and hoped it Would not prevail Mr. Fox areeed that the city and county of New York had no control over Superintendent gentleman was simply responsible to the Legislature. Mr. Boorn replieé that the Board of Assisiant Alder- | men of New York was demoralized, and it was more than probabie that if any assessments were made for any Needed improvement they would be vacated, Mr. Gnoss suggested that the ordinance requiring this work to ke done was passed by the New Yore Common Council before there was any difference of opiaion among the city officials. The work properly belongs to the Common Counetl of New York, and should be con- trolled by that body. Mr. Ganson desired to know If 1t was true that two of the three miles of roadway for Riverside avenue runs through the Park proper? The Chairman of the Committee on Cities, before whose committee the maps ot the proposed timprove- ment were exhibited, replicd that ee miles of the road were outside of "ark proper. Mr. Ganson continued that as the Legislature had here- tofore given the exclusive control of parks and every- thing belonging theteto to the Department of Public Parks, he could not vote tor changing the power to another party. He thought that there would ditfer- ences of opinion and clashing of authority if the work was divided between different boards or departments. Mr. Woop asked what proposed work was vetoed by the Mayor in December, 1873. Messrs, Fox and Leawith replied, “The very work proposed to be done by this bill.” Mr. King moved a further amendment that the work be done under the control of the Department of Parks. all public parks, and the work to be done by contract and given to the lowest bidder. Mr. Ganson favored the amendment of Mr. King, as . most of the proposed work was reall proper. | within the it would be improper to give the Departinent the right to usurp the work of the Di The proposed manner of letting t! Iso met his hearty approval. work by contrac: a democratic principle and one of economy. Mr. Parmenter favored committing the work to the It was New York Common Council. It was a princi should be adhered to that local legislative bodies should have control over the affairs of the city. It this propo- sition could not carry, then he favored leaving the work to the Department ot Public Parks, the work to be done _ by contract. i ‘Mr. Woop argued that it was a question of principle as to who should do the work. The present charter was erfected with greatcare, He favored letting the work yy ccairact. He warned the Senators that it would in- evitably be the result that many thousands of men would be placed at work a few weeks betore election the purpose ot using their votes, and as a republican he would not give such power to any one man. | argued that the bill unaer consideration removed twenty- five miles of avenues trom the Departinent of Parks and |p them under the control of Commissioner Van jor’ At this point Mr. Fox informed Mr. Wood that General P. H, Jones had been nominated for Police Commissioner of New York. Mr. Woop replied that he congratulated the citizens of | New York on the excellence of tne nomination. Mr. Woopin disliked entering into the controversy, but ‘the several systems of contracts, &c., had been brought up, and “he felt called upon to enter the discussion, The law ot 1872 gave the Depart- Public Works control of _ several works previously under the control. of other com- the’ Sarge af Kverk, yho. vetoed 1 e Maver of New Fido ve an_ ordinance of the Cominoh Council in ber, inj the Legislature would soon mene A pats Via whisk would settle the question. He read from papers of Comp- troller Green showing the careless manner in which the work is done when let out oy contract. Persons repre- senting $15,000,000 or $20, worth of property in the vicinity ef the proposed improvement asked’ tor the pases of the eu 1 ‘orks the contr the work, so tl assured of its speedy completion. the West side Association and many other large The Common Council, ro) erty holders asked the Committee on Cities of the Senate to place the work under the control ot Mr. Van Nort. There are graye. doubts as to what depart jo the t has power to work. The Department of Public Works had commenced the proposed im- provement and had been stopned by the Mayor's order. ‘his bill simply leaves the power to construct the avenues where it belongs, in the Department ot Pub Works. ‘The bill does not propose to take pny Jad street out of the hands of the Department of Public Parks. It mary ares to construct the r side of the Park. After being constructed they will be handed over to the Department of Public Parks, and for- ever afterwards remain under the care of that depart. ment. The charges that the bill had been smuggled in were not correct. Full abstracts were, he was assured, publisued in the New York. papers The hour of two o'clock P. M. having arrived, the com- reported progress, and in the senate Mr, mittee arose, Booth moved to make the bill a special order tor this evening. Without fixing any hour for the turther consideration of the bill, the Senaie adjourned till Friday moruing. ASSEMBLY, Avnaxy, March 5, 1874. The following bills considered in Committee of the Whole were ORDERED TO 4 THIRD READING, unless otherwise stated :— Repealing all laws exempting the real and personal property of the New York and Oswego Railroad Com- pany from taxation. Mr. Weep said that while he would not object to this bill if the people along the line of the te idee tt till he regarded it as unwiso. Besides, if it was passed, fhe thoushe it would be found. to be in ‘conflict with ‘the spirit, at least, of the constitution. It would inter! ere with an equitable adjustment of the State tax. It woul reguit in a deficiency for which there would be no pro- vision, and contuston in the Comptroller's Office would follow, jed, insisting that no such result could foliTy that thls tax would yo 0 the towns and counties jn which it is levied, and that it would not be @ part of the State tax. He then proceeded to speak at length of the condition of the company and the section of counuy through which the road ran. - ir. Wap insisted that no tax conld be levied untens it took in the State tax, and it Rag dad! of the taxable property is taxed solely for the benefit of a town or fo county & deficiency would be created in the State tax. Mr. ALYOMD wald it was perfectly comperent ior the ‘or the payment to | t | tution, New Yor! ommuttee on Finance this | Jom mis- | sioner of Public Works and Comunssioners ot Parks were republicans, Now, it was not proper, tor, members trom late for the city of New The Common Couneil of New York is republican, and we are quite willing that they should take the re- it Van Nort ‘That He thought that tt was the intention of the Legislature | last yeur to place under the control of that department | I work in connection with the construction of aud care | park | ¢ | mated, and Dr, Watermann ple that | jor | is to relieve | d ying the Com: ner of Public | Rapchey would be | Is and avenues out- | to donate this tax to the towns and counties, ante sum to make up the deficiency could ve putin the Supply ball: but otherwise he thought it would be um tutional oir Bemue said he was willing to have the bill put in any proper shape which would accomplish the purpose aght, d ted that that was a!l he wanted. Mr L 5-904 at ‘an amendment, which would make | the provisions of the bill apply to the city of Oswego. Carried. Pro as then reported on the bill, with a view te having ierecommitted for periection. Extending the provisions of th | manafacturing é To authorize the Board of tducation of the city of Og- oI ace rer io rerund the mONe7s come ‘0 aut i 1 ast tributed lor the parbose of erecting # hallo! military re ‘Some discussion was had on the bill when the commit. tee arose and reported progress. BILLS EXPORTED. Sathorining two ering prizes Cote tb ity. borizing a railroad in ng Islan ie York to Reducing the rates of terriage from Brooklyn, Agalust the bill to protect the business of life insurance agents, which was agrce! to. To incorporate the State Council of the United Amer- ican Mechanics ‘0 incorporate Od4 Fellows’ Hall, Harlem. Amending the charter of the Equitable Savings Insti- Amending the charter of the Westchester County Trust Company, Authorizing the Dry Dock Savings Institution to change its location. peafinat, the itl to Protect the stockholders and de- positors ip loan, trust and securi'y companies, which Regulating the quality and price of gas in Buffalo. A recess Was taken until halt- tseven Y, M. Evening * Avmayy, N.Y. M ‘The Honse reassembled at hali-punt seven ectock PM, and the following bills were cousidered in Coumittee of the Whole, and ORDERED TO A THIRD READING, unless otherwise = To amend the act relative to the disposition of lands of which parties died seized. . To amend the charter of the Union League Club of New York, authorizing it to bold $1,40,000 of real estate. Providing tor the expense of lighting’ the streets in the Twenty-fourth ward of New York, tormerly » part of Vesichester county, Xmending the act relative to the Eastern Boulevard of the city ot New York by having it extended along Fitty- seventh street to Central Park. Progressed. To improve Fourth street, Brooklyn. To prevent seizing and detaining canal boats under mori Providing for the payment of the teacher: of schools in the town of West Farms. Regulating appeals from taxation by towns and cities, and vesting the power to them in the State assessors instead of the Comptroller. To authorize the construction of a canal bridge at Austin street, Buffalo. ‘iding for the appraisal and payment of canal iy the va it companies 1D Onondaga nd janitors o county. Adjourned. TAMMANY HALL GENERAL COMMITTEE. Meeting Last Evening in Reference to the Action of the Senate as to Mr. Daly’s Bill. A largely attended meeting of the Tammany General Committee was hold last evening. Mr. J. W. Chanler presided. After some preliminary business a petition was read by Mr. Ackert, the Secretary, as toa reconstruction of primary elec- tions, and referred to the Committee on Organiza- tion. MR. DALY'S ASSEMBLY BILL, The Committee on Organization presented, through Coroner Woltman, a preamble and the following resolutions, having reference to Mr. Daly’s bill as to the streets above Fifty-ninth street, now before the Senate. Ex-Judge Hogan objected to the preamble and resolutions being received as from the committee, and subsequently Coroner, Woltman submitted them individually. There was a long and animated debate between ex-Judge Hogan and Mr. John Kelly, the former fa to the implied denunciation of Commissioner Van Nort, and the latter asserting that the endeavor to give this power as to tne streets to the Department of Public Works was a scheme that was a continua- tion of the practice that gave to Javorite contractors of that department contracts that could have only one of two objects—either that the Commis- sioner desired to enrich himself or to enrich his friends. It was stated that of $1,500,000 worth of | contracts seventy-five per cent was above the amount at which the work could have been done, and that the plunder by somebody was as great as in the time of Tweed. The resolutions were adopted. THE RESOLUTIONS, Resolved, Thatthis organization, in their representa. tive capacity, earnestly desiring to protect the rights and interests of the entire people ot this community, Geciares their uncompromising hostility to all | special and favoring legislation at Albany, which, | withont consent of the people of this greet | metropolis or their representatives in the Common Council, seeks to make the yast sy: n of public works. designed to adorn and beautify the city and be of practi- | cal benefit to its inhabitants the acy of the aggran- dizement ot the authority and influence of any indi- | vidual public oftcial. solved, That we renew and reiterate the principle declared by this organization one vear ago, that all legis- lation relating to our municipality should be based upom local self-government, with the view that the people would so thoroughly discriminate in the future choice of their municipal representatives that in- capable and unreliable offici: could not possibly be chosen to administer the trusts of the Conm- monwealth. Hence, we most respectfully earnestly invoke the members of the Senate and Assembly, without regard to political distinctions, to strenuously oppose any scheme designed to tavor one department of our municipal government at the expense | of another, and request the representatives at Albany to vest the authority to determine the question of the con- trol of the public improvements in the Common Council | ot our city, where it of rignt belongs. THE GERMAN REFORMERS, Meeting of the Central Organization—A Protest Against Certain Legislative Scheme: The Central Committee of the German reform organizations, Oswald Ottendorfer presiding, heid ameeting at the Beethoven Macanerchor Hall last night, when the Committee on Organization, through Mr. Elsaesser, submitted a report an- nouncing that the German reform organizations in the different districts have been fully reorgan- ized, with the exception of the Second, Sixth and. Ninth Assembly districts, whose reorganization is. expected in the course of next week. In the Seventeenth Assembly district the con- testing organizations have been amalga- was chosen to represent the organization in the Ex- ecutive Committee. marcus Otterbourg proposed that the organization enter a protest against the bill introduced in the Legisiature by Colonel and | Assemblyman Spencer, providing for an appropri- | ation of the sum of $48,000, to indemnify the ith regiment N. G.S.N. Y., of this city, for the uni- | forms used by the regiment in the war against the rebellion, at the time of the breaking out of the civil war, Mr. Otterbourg characterized the bill referred to as a scheme O01 swindling, the object of which was to plunder the State Treasury. He thought it fitting that ths organization protest against the scheme, pecause a German regiment is to be used as a tool in the furtherance | of the same; and he argued that among the pres- ent members of the regiment, with the exception of the Drum Major, there 1s not one who was a member of the regiment at the time the regiment marched against the revellion, He turther said that. the passage of the bill would furnish a precedent. for other similar jobs, the object of which was to plunder the State Treasury. On motion of Oswald Ottendorfer a resolution was passed directing the Committee on Legisiature to prepare and protest against the measure; also against a scheme intro- duced in the Legislature to revise the old swindle in the matter ol corporation advertising. Meeting of the General Committee Last Evening. In a room on Fourth avenue, which was strongly redolent of the odor of @ neighboring stable, the General Committee of the liberal republicans held a regular meeting. Four delegates from the Twen- ty-third ward were admitted as members of the committee. The new Executive Committee for the ensuing year, also the Committee on Resolutions and the other standing committees were then an- nounced; after which a resolution was passed, congratulating the people on the fact that they were at last awakening to @ sense of the duty they must perform to do away with the corraption prevalent in “administration circles. The reso- lu*ion was heartily endorsed in speeches by Pro- fessor Jenney and others. ANOTHER SWITOHMAN KILLED. A poor hard-working man, and the father of @ large family, named Patrick Byrne, came to a sad end yesterday at the yard of the Pennsylvania. Railroad Company, at Trenton, by being run over by a locomotive, which mutilated his body in a terrible manner. He had #tepped irom one track to another to avoid a passing train, when the loco- motive backed from @ turn table and caused the tatal accident, the poor man forgetting, it is su posed, that the engine of death was moving in such proximity to He had been connected with this railroad comune lor the last twenty-five years in the capacity of a switchman, and was always considered to be an industrious and taitn ful employé. A Coroner's inquest was held and a verdict of accidental death rendered, THE OOEAN BANK INVESTIGATION. ‘The sub-committee of the Committee on Banking and Currency of the House of Representatives, who began day before yesterday their investigation into the Ocean Bank matter, which created so much excitement at the time Mr. Davis was pointed rete’ was continued yesterday at the Grand Central Hotel. The investigation being conducted with closed doors, the committee hav- ing resolved to conduct it in secret to the end. It id by those who pretend to know that the re- it of the committee's labors will be rather startling.