Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 March 1886 — WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON.

The House Committee on PostolKces and Post Roads unanimously agroed to report adversely all bills before it for the purchase or construction of telegraph lines by tho Government. • The House Committee on the Judiciary lias favorably reported a bill providing that no parson shall be held to answer for any crime whereof tho punishment may ba loss of life or liberty except on presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in tho land or naval forces or in tho militia when in actual service in time of war or public danger. Secretary Manning says that the net reduction in annual revenue incident to tho adoption of the Morrison tariff bill would be $12,000,C00. The House Committee on Rostoffices and Postroads has completed tho postoflice appropriation bill. It appropriates for the next fiscal year $54,326,588, an increase of $625,508 over tho appropriation for the present fiscal year and a decrease of $659,570 as compared w'ith tho department’s estimates. The estimated revenue for the next fiscal year is $47,142,252, and tho estimated deficiency is $7,443,014. The House Ways aud Means Committee have recommended tho passage of a resolution requesting the Secretary of the Treasury to investigate the undervaluation frauds in Now York City, and more particularly tho charges that a conspiracy has existed in tho custom-house by which invoices were illegally raised. The Senate Committee on Commerce lias agroed to report favorably tho Dingley shipping bill, with amendment. Bills are pending in both branches of Congress »to increase tho rate of postage on fourth-class matter from 1 to 2 cents per ounce. The reason is that the deficit in the Postoffico Department for 1885 was $10,500,000 and the deficit for tho current year is estimated at $9,ouo,ooo.