The National Capital

Washington, Dec. 21, 1878. Our gravo and reverend Senators, and plain, unpreteutious members of the popular branch of Congrcss adjourned on Friday, af ter three weeks of as bard j and steady work as they have put in for many a session, and have gone horne to spend the holidays among their families and constituonts. It is hoped thoy will return to their labora, two weeks heneo, refreslicd by tlieir respite írom thebusy cares of legislation, and prepared to enter upou the business of the session with the same vigor and earnestness that has characterized their work so far. THE BLAINE INVESTIOATION. There was somo diflieulty in constituting the committee, authorized by the Blaino resolution, to investígate tho charges of fraud and intimidation at the elections. Blaine himself positively declinrd to serve, and iminy other Senators haveother business on their hands - that of looking after their own election. After much labor, however, tho committee was finally formed as follows : Ilepublicans - Teller, of Colorado, Chairman; Cameron, of Wisconsin; Kirkwood, of Iowa; McMillan, of Minnesota; and Hoar, of Massachusetts. Democrats - Bailey, of Tennessee ; Bayard, of Delaware; Garland, of Arkansas; and Wallace, of Pennsylvauia. THE ELECTORAL BTSTBM. Senator Edmunds' bill correcting the process ol electing the President of the United States has passed tho Senate, and the friends of the measure in the JIou.se will make an eflbrt to put it through tliat body before the end of the session. The bill makes no constitutional changes, as I onderstand it, but simply defines the manner and process of arriving at conclusions under the eirfumstances on which the constitution is silent. The bill provides that the Presidential election shall bo on the first Tuesday in October, and that the electors shall meet on the seeond Monday in January. The interval of three months is thought to be suffieient for the judicial settlement within eaeh State of all the questions which niay arise as to the validity of the result. The determiuat-ion öxed upon in each State sh:ill 1 final and conclusive. When Congress cornos to count the vote on the seeond Monday of Fcbraary, the bill provides that it shall require the concurrence of both houses to re j eet the vote of a State which presenta but a single return, or to accept the vote of a State which presents more than one return. This ast-named provisión was embraced in tho late ! ator Morton's bill, which pame so near passing a few years ago. Under its operatioii, had it becoine a law, Tilden would havo suceeeded to tho Prosidency in 187G, instead of Hayes. It ík nií1 that the Morton bill owed its defeat to Senator Thurman. THE l'UBUSHEKS' BILL. The Gommittee on Postoflices and Post Roads in the House has agreed ali most unanimously - Mr. Cannon, of Illinois, alone dissenting - to ! mend the passage of what is knowji as the Publishers' bill, classifying mail I matter. This bill retains the uniform rato of 2 cents per pound for newspapers, magazines, and seriáis. It inclndes in this rato sample copies, and allows inclosures of bilis, reecipts, and orders for publications. Transient printed matter and books are rated at 1 cent for each two ounces, and merchandise is fixed at 1 cent per ounce, both of these being the same as existing rates. Advertising sheets are not admitted to register as newspapers, and periodicals are. The law in regard to packages weighing over four pounds is changed so as to allow single volumes of greater weight than the limit to go in the mail. Heretoforo printed articles and i articles of glass, such as microscopes, ! have been shut out of the mails. Under the new bill they can be carried, if so secured as not to injure the mail bags. Letter-press copies, and manif oíd copies, and copies from the typ'e-writer are alowed to go as transient printed matter. FINANCIAL LEGISLATION. A number of bilis relating to the finances have been introduced in the House during the week. Mr. Lathrop offers a bill to place the silver coinage J of the United States upon the basis of its intrinsic valué. It proposes to make the silver dollar of 4124 grains, and minor coins relativelyof like weight and fineness ; provides for frec coinage without limit, and makes all silver coin legal tender for any amount when not otherwise specified in the contract. Mr. Fort proposes a penalty of $1,000 to be imposed upon any national-banking associíition for each offense in refusing to receive or pay out standard silver dollars the samo as other lawful money. The same gentleman offers a bilí requiring the Secretary of the Troasury to cause to be exchanged, when in the treasury and when not otherwise appropriated, United States notes for silver dollars when presented at the treasury or assistant treasury in New York in suins of $1,000 or any multiple thereof. Mr. Brentano has a bilí to amend the Coinage act of Feb. 28, 1878. It proposes to limit the coinage of standard silver dollars to $5 per capita according to census about to be taken, and znakes thcm legal tender to the amount of $20 for all debts. Mr. Kelley, of Pennsylvania,.by resolution, calis on the Secretary of the Treasury for inforination as to balances on the loan account standing to the credit of the treasury in any national bank on the lst of March, 1870, or on the lst of any succeeding mjnth until January, 1871), with. the naniea of such banks and the amount held by each. EX-SECKETARY KOBESON. The House Naval Conunitteo has completed its invesügation of the charges against Gcorge M. Ilobeson, late Secretary of the Navy, and will mako its report, or rather reports - for there will be two of them - after the holiday recosK. The majority, after summing up and reviewing the testimony taken by the coinmittee, rcsolve : Tliat the acts md condnet of the late Secretary of the Navy, Gcorge M. Bobeson ; of the late Chiefs of the Bureaus of Steam Engineering, Construetion and Repair, and Provisions and Clothing, in the sale and disposition of public property, in their method of muking contracts, and in involving the Government in indobtedness over and beyond the appropriations made by Congross for the support of the navy, deserve and should receive the severest censure and condemnation, and thnt, in addition thereto, said parties, as well as all others aiding and abetting therein, should be punished to the extent of the luw. THE TOBACCO TAX. There is a formidable lobby of tobacco manufacturera in Washington, werking for a reduction of the tas on the weed. They have been holding daily sessions the last week, with a view j of considoring the various mensuro now pending for the reduction of the tax. Thoy have succeeded in harmonizing thoir ditïerences. All unite in a demand for a reduction of the tax from 21 to 16 cents without rebate or drawback to dealers, the reduction, if passod, to go into effect on the 4th of March next. The tobáceo men throughout the country are greatly interested in knowing what is to be done this session about the proposed reduction. The House has alrcady agreed to a reduction to 16 cente, The present opinión in the Scnato is against favoring this reduction made by the House, upon the grouud that it will out off needed revenues. The tobáceo inen, ho wever, are very urgent and may suoeeod in getting something done after the holidays. CURIOUR CLAIM. One Seth Miner, of this city, comes befóte Congresa with a petition asking that he bo paid out of tho national treasury the sum of $2,847, as componsation for the loss of seven slaves, emaneipatod in the District of Columbia. Tlie commission appointcd undor tho District Emancipation act awarded liim that but, it being afterward discovered that he was citizen of Virginia whoii that State seceded, and that he had voted for the ordinance of secession, thereby debarring himself from the benefits of the act of 18G2, the payment was withheld. He now states in liis petition that he vote 3 for the seeession ordinance in a moment of weakness, aud that, as he has been loyal ever since, he thinks he should bc paid the amount tlie commission awarded him. Tlie papers were referred to the Committeo on Claims.