The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-14 00:00:00

RECENT IVO,IIINII77ONS.

Among the appointments made by the President
is that of J. C. Bancroft Davis to be Assistant-
Secretary of State of the United States. Ile was
born in 1824, graduated at Harvard College, was
Secretary of the American Legation in London
under both Abbott Lawrence and George Bancroft.
On his return to America he became the correspon-
dent of the London limes, and was connected with
that paper for eight years. When the war broke
out he found he was not in harmony with the great
London journal, and resigned, to practise law. He
became a director of the:Erie Railroad and attorney
for the Board. Like his colleagues of the Erie he
is rich ; Radical in politics, fluent with his pen, and,
perhaps, the best read Representative in the New
York Legislature, to which he has been returned by
the First District of Orange, and is Chairman of the
Judiciary Committee. He is a son of ex-Governor
Davis of Massachusetts.

Moses H. Grinnell, Collector of the port of New
York, was born at New Bedford, Massachusetts,
March 3, 1803, and was educated at the Friends'
Academy, with a view to mercantile pursuits, in
which he engaged early in life in the firm of Fish,
Grinnell, and Co., whale oil merchants, New York.
Preserved Fish, the senior partner, having with-
drawn in 1832, the style of the firm was changed
to Grinnell, Minturn, and Co. Joseph Grinnell,
his brother, retired in 1829, and the conduct of the
business was mainly entrusted to Mosea H. Grinnell,
who, in 1839, was returned to Congress from New
York. In early life he was a Democrat, but soon
withdrew. He was a Presidential elector in 1856,
and throughout the war was active in his sympathy
for the Union, subscribing liberally when required.
He is one of the wealthiest, as well as one of the
oldest, of the New York merchants, and his charac-
ter is said to be above suspicion. His residence is
at Irvington, near the city. Mr. Grinnell, being
desirous of complying with the law of 1799, though
unconnected with mercantile firms for the past
eight years, on the 26th March, sold 30 vessels.
The same law which barred Mr. Stewart's appoint-
ment enacted that no officer of the Customs shall
own, either in whole or in part, any ship or vessel.
Alonzo B. Cornell, of Ithaca, New York, ap-
pointed Surveyor of Customs for the port of New
York, is a son of Ezra Cornell, the founder of the
Cornell University. Alonzo was born at Ithaca,
Jan. 1832, and at the age of 14 became a tele-
graph operator, his father being a pioneer of tele-
graphy in America. From 1818 to 1851 he ma-
naged the Erie and Michigan Telegraph Company
of Cleveland, and from 1855 to 1858 the New York
and Buffalo Telegraph Company. He then retired
to Ithaca, where he established the First National
Bank, 1864, and is now its Vice-President. During
the war he acted as supervisor, and being a strong
Republican rendered essential aid in procuring re-
cruits. He has repeatedly declined to be a candi-
date for any public office, or Legislature, yet he
was nominated by the Republican State Committee
of New York, in 1868, but was defeated. The ap-
pointment gives satisfaction in New York. Gover-
nor Fenton desired and strenuously pushed Merritt
for the appointment, but this was bitterly opposed
by his colleague Senator Conkling, who as warmly
advocated Cornell and the Secretary, saw no better
way out of the difficulty than in giving Cornell the
Surveyorsbip of Customs, and making Merritt the
Naval officer for the district. Brigadier-General
Edwin Merritt, now Naval officer for the port of
New York, was Quartermaster-General of Gover-
nor Fenton's Staff. He was an officer of some
distinction in the Army of the Potomac, a resident
of St. Lawrence county, and an intimate friend of
Governor Fenton, to wham he owes his apromtment.

The IVall-street Journal announces that Messrs.
J, and W. Seligman and Co., bankers, of New York, have
been appointed agents for the periodical transmission of
funds to London, for the use of the State Department at
Washington in the Diplomatic and Consular service
abroad.

I)uNvILLE and Co., Belfast, are the largeat
holders of Whisky in the world. Their Old Irish Whisky is re
commended by the medical profession in preference to French
Brandy. Supplied in casks and cases for home use or exports.
tion. Quotations on application ►to Messrs. Dunville and Co.,
Belfast; or 4, Beaufort-buildings, Strand, London, W.Q...-(M-
-yertisement.