Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1884 — WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON.

Speaker Carlisle is in receipt of a letter from several Liberal members of the German Reichstag assuring him personally that the signers fully appreciate the honor which the House of Representatives visited upon their countryman, Herr Lasker. Tbe House Committee on Public Lands will doubtless adopt the proposition of Mr. Scales to forfeit the Northern Pacific land grant alongside that portion of road still unfinished. President Arthur gave a dinner to about sixty people one evening last- week, lime. Nilsson, Henri Watterson, and Muiat Haisteail were specially invited guests. The House Committee on Public Lands has decided to, report in favor of forfeiting that portion of the Northern Pacific grant where the road had not been completed July 4, 1879. This will restore to the public domaip about 35,000,000 acres. It is pro posed to treat purchasers from the railroad company as though they had been made from the Government.

The House Committee on Foreign Af* fairs, by a party vote —the Democrats favpring and the Republicans opposing—has agreed to favorably report, with two amendments, the bill prepared by the Pacific delegation in Congress for the prevention of Chinese immigration. During February the diminution in the national debt was $2,582,587. Appended is the official monthly statement: Interest-bearing debt — Four and one-half per cents $ 250,000.000 Four per cents 737.643,550 Three per cents 264,891,550 Refunding certificates 805.800 Navy pension fund 14,000,000 Total interest-bearing debt.... ,$1,266,840,900 Matured debt ( 12,067,365 Debt bearing no interest— Legal-tender notes 846,739,586 Certificates of deposit. 18,215,000 Gold and Bilver certificates 218,581,321 Fractional currency 6,986,307 Total without interest $ 690,522,214 Total debt (principal) $1,869,430,479 Totalinterest 10,364,105 Total cash in treasury 396,263,451 Debt, less cash in treasury 1,453,501,133 Decrease during February 2,582,587 Decrease of debt sinoe June 30, 188 J. 67,590,074 Current liabilitiesinterest due and unpaid..., $ 1,572,837 Debt on which interest has ceased.. 12,067|365 Interest thereon 825L646 Gold and silver certificates 218,581 321 U. 8. notes held for redemption of certificates of deposit. 18,215,000 Cash balance available 145,534,281 , Total $ 396,293,451 Available assets— Cash m treasury $ 396.293,451 Bonds issued to Pacificrallwavcompanies, interest payable by United States— Principal outstanding $ 64,623,512 Interest accrued, not yet paid 646 235 Interest paid by United States 61,ie0’798 Interest repaid by companies— By transportation service $ 17,935 869 By cash payments, 6 per cent, net earnings 665,198 Balance of interest paid by United ' States 42,569,730