Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 March 1883 — WASHINGTON NOTES. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON NOTES.

'Thesub-committeewhich has charge •f the postoffice bill has retained the clause providing for a reduction of lettei* postage to two centsper half ounce. The Civil Service Commission will not business till July. The heads of -department? must finish their classification, under the law, within sixty days from the passage of the Pendleton bill. The Senate committee on commerce have ordered a favorable report to be made upon the shipping bill. An amendment was authorized giving the postmaster general authority to expend 81,500, 800 in paying for postal service on American steamers. An investigation of Dorsey’s account at bank shows that no such •heck as Rerdell swore had been given <to Congressman Belford for the sum of 82,000,in 1879, had ever been paid or charged to the Dorsey account A comparative statement furnished by the contract office of the Post Office Department shows that for Star Boule service awarded for 1883 there was a decrease in the cost of 825,572 over 1882 and a decrease in transportatin of 1,113,343 miles from 1882. The rate per mile paid in 1882 was 5Jq cents, while in 1883 it was 45.06 cents. Mrs. DeLong will soon give to the country, through thejpublishing house of Houghton & Co., what will doubtless prove a very interesting book, consisting ■of the ship and ice journals of her husband, his letters addressed to her from the Jeannette, and a biographical sketch •f the ill fated Arctic commander. Mr. Beltzhoover’s attack upon the signal service administration under Gen. Hagen. Wednesday, was made under corner of a motion to amend the Sundry Civil bill by striking out the clause authorizing the Secretary of War to detail for the signal corpse not to exceed eight commissioned officers, exclusive of lie o tenants of the signal corps authorized by the bilk The amendment failed. The Secretary of the Navy has reported to Congress a formidable list of casualties to the Navy, it being a list of fortythree vessels ‘whose names have been stricken from the navy list by recommendation of examining boards under authority of the act of Augnst 5, last It is recommended that four of these be retained lor various purposes, nine be broken up m tne stocks, and thirty-one be sold at public auction. This makes a heavy reduction in the apparent strength of the United States Navy. The request of the Commissioner of * Indian Affairs to be allowed to expend >1 384,000jm 2,680 Sioux families,the male members of whom were active sympathizers of Sitting Bull during his war against the whites, is liable tc give rise to a row. This money is a part of the appropriation which was withheld from the Indians because of the aid they gave Sitting Bull, but as they have been peaceable for several years the Indian Commissioner feels like encouraging them. The proposition is to give the Indians stores and farming supplies, which will abporb the amount named. The Indians are running short of fire-arms and scalping knives. Red Cloud, the Sioux Chief, was before the House A ppropr >ation Committee monday. He addressed the committee briefly, through an interpreter, and laid before it a letter written in the Sioux dialect, explaining his grievance. Translated, the letter reads as follows: *Law Chuws—l am an Indian. Look at me name is Bed Cloud. I have sense. The Govsomment, through General Crook, in 1874, took ' wrong+ifully 605 horses from me and mjr people. .1 have sense; so have my people. I represent nfcem. lam in debt. I have a large family. Secretary Teller asks me to take oows for my horses. If the Government gives me all the oows they have already promised I will have more than we can milk. lam a man of sense. I want money to pay my d.-bts. Law phiefs, pay me; not in oows; but cash. I am at peace. Let us nmain thus. “Bkd oix>ud.” ‘•Witness, Labamik."

The commission concluded that they ■would not have time to investigate the matter at present, and advised Bed Cloud to lay his claim before the next Congress. The House is expected to pay $96,000 for contesting elections to the forty-sev-nth Congress. An official of the National .Board of Health says the present floods will be fob lowed by a disastrous epidemic. Congressman Beltzhoover has announced a purpose to renew his attack on the Signal Service Bureau. He will amplify the charges previously made against General Hazen, bring in new specifications, and ask the appointment of an iartestigating committee. Secretary Lincoln is understood to tacitly approve of Mr. Beltzhoover’s crusade as the best way of getting at the root of the trouble. In the executive session of the Senate Monday, upon motion of Mr. Windom,the injunction of secrecy was removed relative to the commercial treaty between this government and Mexico, recently signed by the commissioners of the respective governments and now before the Senate for its action. The principal articles in the Mexican schedule to be admit - ted free into the United States are th following: Live animals for breeding

purposes, barley not pearl, beef, coffee, Esparto and other grasses and pulp for the manufacture of paper, henequal, sisal, hemp and other like substitutes for hemp, hides and skins, except sheepskins with the wool oh; Angora goat skins, raw Indian rubbe-, crude and milk of leather, old scrap, vegetables for dying, molasses, palm oil, quicksilver, sugar not above No. 16 Dutch standard in color, straw, unmanufactured tobacco, in leaf nnmanufacturedguid wood and timber of all kinds unmanufactured, including ship timber. The main items in the schedule of the United States articles to be admitted free of duty into Mexico are machinery of all sorts, classes and description for mining, agricultural and other purposes; agricultural implements, wagons, coaches and all aorta of vehicles that ar3 drawn by animals; tools that are composed of brass, iron, steel of wood or any combination of these malleables; all classes of rolling stock, from a passenger car to a steam engine, that are used upon railroads; petroleum crude and refined; barbed wire for fencing with all its fixtures, houses of wood or iron built ready to be put up, pumps for mines, irrigating and all other purposes for which pumps can be used, docks and many other articles extensively manufactured in this country, coal' of all kindsjdynamite, printing ink, precious metal's in bullion or in powder, legal money, of gold and silver of the United States, naptha, quicksilver, rags or doth for manufacture, paper, telegraph wire and wire of iron or steel for cording, from No. 26 and upward. Provision is made for the enactment by both governments of such laws as are deemed proper for carrying out the terms of the treaty in a manner to protect the revenues and prevent frauds. The ratification of the present convention will be exchanged at Washington within twdve months from date or earlier, if possible, and upon taking effect shall remain in force six years. Neither of the contracting parties will be prevented from making such changes in their import duties as their respective interests may require in granting to other nations the same rights in regard to one or more articles of named in the schedule, either by legislation or means of treaties with other governments But in case such changes are made, the the party effected by the same may denounce this convention even before the term specified, and the preseat convention will be terminated at the tod of six months from the day on which such notification may be made The treaty is signed by U. 8. Grant, W. 11. Trescott, M. Romero and E. Canedo.